USA > Ohio > Itinerary of the Seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, 1861-1864, with roster, portraits and biographies > Part 12
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FRONT ROYAL TO PORT REPUBLIC
my own eye, and were encamped on the high ground north of the village, about a mile from the river. General Ewell was some 4 miles distant near the road leading from Har- risonburg to Port Republic. General Fremont had arrived with his forces in the vicinity of Harrisonburg, and General Shields was moving up the east side of the South Fork of the Shenandoah, and was then at Conrad's Store, some 15 miles below Port Republic. My position being about equal distance from both hostile armies. To prevent the junction of the two Federal armies I had caused the bridge over the South Fork of the Shenandoah at Conrad's Store to be destroyed. Intelligence having been received that General Shields was advancing farther up the river, Captain Sipe with a small cavalry force was sent down during the night of the 7th to verify the report and gain such additional in- formation respecting the enemy as he could. Capt. G. W. Myers, of the cavalry, was subsequently directed to move with his company in the same direction, for the purpose of supporting Captain Sipe, if necessary.
"The next morning (the 8th) Captain Myers's company came rushing back in disgraceful disorder, announcing that the Federal forces were in close pursuit.
"Captain Chipley and his company of cavalry, which was in town, also shamefully fled. By this time the Federal cavalry, accompanied by artillery, were in sight, and after directing a few shots toward the bridge they crossed the South River. and dashing into the village they planted one of their pieces at the southern entrance of the bridge. Ir. the mean time, the batteries of Wooding, Poague, and Car- penter were being placed in position, and General Talia- ferro's brigade, having reached the vicinity of the bridge, was ordered to charge across, capture the piece, and occupy the town. Colonel Fulkerson's regiment, the Fifty-seventh Virginia, delivered its fire and then gallantly charged over the bridge, captured the gun, and. followed by the other regiments of the brigade, entered the town and dispersed and drove back the Federal cavalry.
Vin
160 SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
"About this time a considerable body of infantry was seen advancing up the same road.
"Our batteries opened with marked effect upon the re- treating cavalry and advancing infantry. In a short time the infantry followed the cavalry, falling back to Lewis. 3 miles down the river, pursued for a mile by our batteries on the opposite bank, when the enemy disappeared in the wood around a bend in the road."
This attack of Carroll had hardly been repulsed before Ewell was seriously engaged with Fremont, moving on the opposite side of the river, at Cross Keys.
Ever since this affair occurred there has been much spec- ulation among the members of Shields's division in refer- ence to the instructions given Colonel Carroll by the Gen- eral, concerning the bridge at Port Republic, one contend- ing that he was directed to destroy, while the other asserted that he was to save it.
The official records as published show that on June 4, 1862, General Shields in a message to Colonel Carroll said, "You must go forward at once with cavalry and guns to save the bridge at Port Republic," yet in an official report Shields stated that Carroll reported to him that the bridge there had been destroyed some weeks before. There is also found in the official records the following :
"HEADQUARTERS SHIELD'S DIVISION. "FRONT ROYAL, VA., June 4, 1862.
"Captain E. B. OLMSTEAD.
"SIR: You are hereby directed to send a detail of forty pioneers with a lieutenant to accompany the command under Colonel Carroll to Port Republic. Be particular to instruct your men to burn the bridge at that place.
"I am, very respectfully,
"J. B. SWIGART,
"Lieutenant of Volunteers and
"Acting Assistant Adjutant-General."
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FRONT ROYAL TO PORT REPUBLIC
All of which at least indicates some confusion.
In this affair Colonel Carroll's forces lost 9 killed, 30 wounded, and one lieutenant missing ; total, 40.
During the afternoon of June 8, while near Lewiston, below Port Republic, Tyler's and Carroll's brigades listened to the artillery duel going on at Cross Keys, across the river toward Harrisonburg, between the Union forces under Fre- mont and Ewell's division of Stonewall Jackson's com- mand, where, after a spirited encounter, both sides with- drew until the morrow.
Francis M. Cunningham, sergeant, first sergeant, and first lieutenant, Company H, First West Virginia Cavalry, Ohiopyle, Penna., granted a medal of honor for the cap- ture of the battleflag of the Twelfth Virginia Infantry, C. S. A., at Sailor's Creek, Va .. April 6, 1865, writing of the advance upon Port Republic, said :
"We came in sight of the town about sunrise on the morning of June 8, 1862. About seventy-five of my regi- ment, the First West Virginia Cavalry, had been detailed as Carroll's escort, and had been feeling our way along through the mud and darkness with him all night. When daylight came and the fog cleared away a little, one of Shields's staff officers came galloping up and asked for two men to ride with him up the road toward the town. Myself and one of the other boys were ordered to go with him and the command ordered to stand fast until we returned: We dashed up the road at a lively gallop almost up to the town, and wheeled quickly about and back again without seeing any force or anything else. Then Carroll ordered Major Chamberlain, who was in command of the cavalry, to charge and take the town, which we did, but not until we had some trouble in crossing the South River, which was booming high.
"There was no bridge there and nobody seemed to want to be the first fellow over. In fact, it looked for a little while as though nobody was going over to call on Stone- wall Jackson, who I afterward learned was in the town
II
162 SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
when we charged up the river. We could see rebels run- ning out of town and across the bridge over North River, but not a shot was fired at us that I remember. I happened to be mounted upon a big brown stallion that I had bor- rowed from a rebel major in a little brush we had had with the rebels a few weeks before this. Sergeant Ebichousen was mounted on a fine mare that was a good swimmer. We two volunteered to try the water, and as good luck would have it, we got over without much trouble. The other boys soon pitched in and all got over, and entered the town by the main, and I think, the only street that ran through it. About this time Carroll came dashing in and ordered Captain Kerr to send four men across the bridge to the top of the hill, to make an observation, and return as soon as possible.
"I was ordered to take three men and go. I took Ser- geant Sutton, and Corporals Charles Winter and Walton Williams, and went on what would seem to be a foolhardy piece of business, as any one could see that there were lots of rebels over on the other side of North River. But we obeyed the order, crossed the bridge, went to the top of the hill; but how we got back, I suppose the good Lord knows, but I don't. Williams and Sutton were both wounded, while Winter's horse was shot. I was not touched, but I was scared when the bullets were flying thick about me. When we advanced to the top of the hill no one seemed to pay any attention to us. We blazed away at four fellows sitting under a tree. Three of them ran away, the fourth surrendered. My three comrades wheeled and rushed for the bridge, and while I was trying to force my prisoner to mount behind me I was almost surrounded: then leaving my "Johnny Reb." I tested the speed of my stallion-laying flat upon his back-and reached the bridge safely. My comrades had already reported to Carroll that the rebel army was near, when he ordered Captain Kerr to 'charge and give them hell!' but as a column of rebel infantry ap- peared, coming down the hill on the double-quick to the bridge. he changed his mind and disappeared. The rebels
163
FRONT ROYAL TO PORT REPUBLIC
charged through the bridge and captured the gun stationed there.
"Our cavalry soon left town. Batteries lined up across the North River and shelled Carroll's forces out of range.
"We had plenty of time to burn the bridge, and should have done so, but I think Carroll was just about enthusi- astic enough to believe that he could just lick Jackson and' hold the bridge. Shields was surely right when he said Carroll lacked the good sense to burn the bridge when it was impossible to hold it.
"Did we have time to burn the bridge? Yes, plenty of time. As near as I remember we held the town about 30 minutes. A big Dutch sergeant ( Ebichousen) and myself were the first to cross the South River and enter the town only a few rods from the bridge. There was a blacksmith shop near by, and a fire burning to heat a wagon tire, also the remnant of an old strawstack near by, from which there could have been a fire kindled upon that bridge that Jack- son's whole army could not have extinguished."
.
.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC.
General Jackson said that as Shields did not renew the attack on the 8th, he decided to take the initiative in the morning. With Fremont up against his rear and Shields threatening in front, the condition of affairs required vigor- ous action and Maj. R. S. Dabney of Jackson's staff is authority for the statement that Jackson expected to brush Shields's troops away and get back to fight Fremont by 10 o'clock A. M. on the 9th.
Leaving Trimble's brigade mainly to hold Fremont in check, Jackson ordered the rest of his command to move to Port Republic. He said :
"Before 5 o'clock in the morning General Winder's bri- gade was in Port Republic, and having crossed the South Fork by a temporary wagon bridge placed there for the purpose. was moving down the river-road to attack the union forces." (This was the famous "Stonewall" Bri- gade, and had the advance, but soon came to grief.)
"Advancing one and a half miles he encountered the Federal pickets and drove them in. The enemy had judi- ciously selected his position for defense. Upon a rising ground near the Lewis house he had planted six guns, which commanded the road from Port Republic and swept the plateau for a considerable distance in front. As Winder moved forward his brigade, a rapid and severe fire of shell was opened upon it. Captain Poague with two Parrott guns was promptly placed in position on the left of the road, to engage, and if possible dislodge the Federal battery.
"Captain Carpenter was sent to the right to select a posi- tion for his guns, but finding it impracticable to drag them through the dense undergrowth, they were brought back and part of them placed near Poague. The artillery fire
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165
BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC
was well sustained by our batteries, but found unequal to that of the enemy. In the mean time, Winder being now reinforced by the Seventh Louisiana, seeing no mode of silencing the Federal battery or escaping its destructive missiles but by a rapid charge and the capture of it, ad- vanced with great boldness for some distance, but en- countered such a heavy fire of artillery and small arms as greatly to disorganize his command, which fell back in dis- order.
"The enemy advanced across the field, and by heavy musketry fire forced back our infantry supports, in conse- quence of which our guns had to retire. The enemy's ad- vance was checked by a spirited attack upon their flank by the Forty-fourth and Fifty-eighth Virginia Regiments, directed by General Ewell and led by Colonel Scott, although his command was afterward driven back to the woods with severe loss.
"The batteries were all safely withdrawn, except one of Captain Poague's, which was carried off by the enemy." (A member of the Fifth Ohio Infantry was granted a medal of honor for capturing this gun.)
"While Winder's command was in this critical condi- tion, the gallant and successful attack of General Taylor on the Federal left and rear diverted attention from the front, and led to a concentration of their force upon him. Mov- ing to the right, along the mountain acclivity through a rough and tangled forest, and much disordered by the rapid- ity and obstructions of the march, Taylor emerged with his command from the wood just as the loud cheers of the enemy had proclaimed their success in front, and, although assailed by a superior force in front and flank, with their guns in position, within point-blank range, the charge was gallantly made, and the battery, consisting of six guns, fell into our hands. Three times was this battery lost and won in the desperate and determined efforts to recover it."
General Tyler stated that a heavy picket was kept well to his front during the night to observe any movement of the
166
SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
enemy, and at 4 o'clock A. M. Colonel Carroll and himself went to the outer videttes, who reported not having dis- covered any movement of the enemy during the night.
In a short time, however, General Tyler learned that the enemy was advancing in force into the woods with a view to outflanking him upon the left. The General said:
"Captains Clark and Robinson opened their batteries upon them with effect. Two companies as skirmishers and two regiments of infantry were ordered into the woods to counteract this movement of the enemy. The fire of our skirmishers was soon heard, and I ordered two more regi- ments to their support. A sharp fire was kept up until the enemy retired, crossing to our right. The enemy opened two guns on our right. The Seventh Indiana was now sent to the extreme right, next to the river. A section of Clark's battery also took position well to the right. The Seventh Indiana having been forced to retire a short dis- tance, the Twenty-ninth Ohio went to their assistance, which moved forward in splendid style on the double quick. The Seventh Ohio was now sent to support Clark's guns, while the Fifth Ohio was sent to care for Huntington's. Regiment after regiment of the enemy moved upon the right and the engagement became very warm.
"The First Virginia Infantry was ordered to the right, entering the open field with a loud shout. By my direction, Colonel Carroll took charge of the right wing. My entire force was now in position.
"Seven guns were yet on the left at the Coal pits, the Sixty-sixth Ohio in support. Under cover of the engage- ment on our right, the enemy had thrown another force into the woods, and pressed down upon our batteries on the left, so rapidly as to pass the Eighty-fourth and One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry unobserved, and making a charge so sudden and vigorous as to compel the cannon- eers to abandon their pieces. Colonel Candy met the enemy with great coolness, his men fighting with commendable bravery."
167
BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC
Col. Henry B. Kelley of the Eighth Louisiana Infantry, who fought for our guns at the Coal pits, said in an ac- count of this battle:
"While this exultant crowd were rejoicing and shouting over their victory, suddenly a scathing fire of canister was poured into them by a section of Clark's battery, which had been rapidly brought over from the Federal right to within two hundred yards of the position of the captured guns. At the same time the Fifth and Seventh Ohio, which, when the battery fell, had retired from their advanced position in the field in good order, changed front to their left and rear, and formed line of battle within a few hundred yards of the Confederate mass about the guns.
"A conspicuous figure in the battle scene at this stage was a field officer on a gray charger, directing and leading the advance of the Federal line. Referring to an earlier stage of the battle, on the right near the river, the commanding officer of the Fifth Virginia, in his report, makes mention of a Federal officer upon a gray steed, who there rode in front of his men, waving his hat and cheering them on, but this officer he says was soon picked off by Confederate sharpshooters. As to this he must have been mistaken, for it was doubtless the same intrepid officer who led the last charge of the Federal forces on that field, with a gallantry so conspicuous as to win the admiration of both armies. Whoever he was there is not a Confederate survivor of that fierce fight who would not be proud to salute him. (Car- roll and Creighton each rode a white horse.)
"The disorganized mass of Confederates about the cap- tured guns were not only subjected to a fire of canister at short range from a section of Clark's battery, and musketry from the line of the Fifth and Seventh Ohio, but from other regiments as well, who, like so many hornets, swarmed about the Confederates around their lost battery. At the outset of the attempt of the Federals to retake their guns, Lieut .- Col. Peck of the Ninth Louisiana, called out to hiis men to shoot the horses, which was done.
"When therefore the Federal forces retook and held for
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
a time, as they did, the ground upon which the guns stood, they were unable, when they fell back, to carry more than one of the guns with them, for want of horses. Under the galling fire so promptly brought to bear upon the Con- federates it was impossible to reform, or reorganize, or to hold the ground they occupied, and they fell away to the wooded hills."
Major Wood said that while the Seventh was moving upon the enemy about the guns at the Coal Pits-
"Five color-bearers had now been shot down, while ad- vancing as many rods. Lieut. Leicester King seized the colors and pressed forward, followed by the regiment, which sent volley after volley after the fugitives, the firing ceasing only when the rebels were covered by a friendly hill."
General Tyler stated :
"The enemy had given way along the whole line, but I saw heavy reinforcements crossing from the town that would have been impossible for us successfully to resist. After consulting Colonel Carroll I ordered the troops to fall back under his direction. Colonel Carroll took command of the covering of the retreat, which was made in perfect order. Aide-de-camp Eaton was the only officer of my staff present. Captain Quay being too ill to take the field, Chaplain D. C. Wright of the Seventh Ohio volunteered to serve me. The duties these gentlemen were called upon to perform were arduous, and led them almost constantly under fire of the enemy, yet they executed their duties with commendable coolness and energy, meriting my warmest thanks."
General Jackson had intended to get back to Fremont by IO A. M. but says: "Finding the resistance more obstinate than I anticipated, orders were sent to Trimble to join the main body." Trimble said: "Receiving from General Jackson two messages, in quick succession, to hasten to the
169
BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC
battlefield where he had engaged Shields's army, I marched rapidly to obey his orders, crossed the bridge and burned it at 10.15 A. M."
Our line of battle, extending from the hills on our left to the river on our right, nearly a mile in length, occupied the attention of our entire force, and having no reserves, when- ever one point was strengthened it was at the expense of another, and this constant shifting wearied the troops; yet although confronted and largely outnumbered by the ac- . knowledged champion fighters of their day, our little com- mand, for four and a half hours, held them in fierce, steady, and persistent battle, and made a record for gallant fighting in the open not excelled in any contest of that great war. Jackson said he "found the resistance more obstinate than he anticipated." Shields said: "Our men fought like devils." Said Tyler: "The Seventh and Fifth Ohio moved forward and engaged the enemy in a style that commanded the admiration of every beholder," and that they "were sup- porting the Sixty-sixth Ohio, driving the enemy from their position and retaking the battery;" while a gallant soldier in gray who lost a leg in battle said we were Western men whose forefathers moved from Virginia and "foemen worthy of their steel."
Lieut .- Col. William R. Creighton, who commanded the Seventh Ohio at Port Republic, stated that he was ordered to the right in support of a section of artillery ; enemy ad- vanced at charge bayonet; gave order to fire; enemy fell back; advanced in line with Fifth Ohio; line of battle well kept; enemy broke and ran; was attacked on left flank : drove enemy off, then retired and retook guns at Coal Pits. He then said :
"I cannot too highly praise the conduct and gallant bear- ing of the officers. Adjutant Molyneaux, Captains Crane, Seymour, Wood and Weed; Lieutenants McClelland, Krie- ger, Brisbane, King, Day, Reed. Howe, Johnson, Davis and Ross deserve the highest praise and commendation. Every officer and man without exception, was in his place doing
170 SEVENTII REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
his duty. Captain Wood was wounded in leg and Lieuten- ant Day in shoulder. Lost 1I killed, 56 wounded, and 7 missing; was obliged to leave 5 wounded on the field. Took into the fight nine companies, numbering in all 327 men. Company B was on detached duty-was obliged to leave some men behind because of lack of shoes and cloth- ing. My men were worn out by constant marching and lack of rations, and in no condition to fight." (Many of the men who participated in this altogether active and strenuous battle were bareheaded and barefooted, yet never fought better.)*
As an indication of the mettle of some of the men after the retreat began, we note the following incident: The driver of the horses attached to the only gun that was res- cued at the Coal Pits, struck soft ground, mired down, and must have assistance or abandon the gun to the enemy, who were already near enough to command a halt, when Sergt. Charles King of Company G, who had been shot plump through his face, and Henry H. Rhodes of Company D. who had gone into this battle barefooted and bareheaded, were leaving the field deliberately, each grasped a wheel and lifted to such purpose as to materially assist the horses in again starting the gun and thus saved it from capture. Comrade Rhodes states that when Sergeant King was in the act of lifting at the artillery wheel, his exertion was so great as to force the blood out of the openings in his cheeks in distinct spurting streams.
The writer distinctly recalls having seen Sergeant King the next day. in an ambulance, with his face so swollen as to be beyond all recognition from his features alone. For this gallant and heroic act both of these comrades should have been granted medals of honor.
Not long after General Tyler and his command had left the battlefield of Port Republic, the forces under General Fremont came up, and opened their batteries upon the enemy and drove them off.
General Jackson said :
*See Casualty List, p. 634.
OCI
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BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC
"While the forces of Shields were in full retreat and our troops in pursuit, Fremont appeared on the opposite bank of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River with his army, and opened his artillery upon our ambulances and parties engaged in the humane labors of attending to our dead and wounded, and the dead and wounded of the enemy."
Toward nightfall General Jackson withdrew his troops into the mountains by a road leading up the ravine of Deep Run into Brown's Gap in the Blue Ridge, while the forces under General Tyler halted at the Shenandoah Iron Works for the night, having met General Shields, with the First and Second Brigades, en route.
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1 :
CHAPTER XX.
FROM LURAY TO ALEXANDRIA AND AROUND TO CULPEPER COURT HOUSE.
On June 7, 1862, in a message to Colonel Carroll then en route to Port Republic, General Shields stated that while his command was in position to throw itself upon Jackson's flank, he was pestered about shoes and stockings and cloth- ing, and added: "Why, if the clothing was here, there is no time to get it. Push on and take 5,000 of the enemy prisoners; then there will be time to clothe you."
As early as the 8th. General McDowell, then in Washing- ton, directed his chief of staff, then at Front Royal, to send orders to Shields to cease pursuit and withdraw his com- mand to Luray, from whence he was to march to Warren- ton and Fredericksburg, to resume operations against Rich- mond, but they were not received in time to avert the battle at Port Republic.
On June 10 the march was resumed, and at 5.30 P. M. Shields sent a message stating that he was then about 12 miles from Columbia Bridge, en route to Luray; that he would be unable to reach that point that night, and that by reason of his troops having been over-worked and about one-third of them barefooted, and all exhausted, he would be obliged to remain there two or three days to rest up. Reaching Luray on the 11th he remained there until the 15th, then moved to Front Royal, arriving on the 16th; the pay-rolls were signed on the 17th, troops paid on the 19th. and on the 21st "Shields's Foot Cavalry" were again on the march along the Manassas Gap Railroad. en route to Bris- tow Station, where they arrived on the 23d and went into camp along Broad Run.
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