USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry > Part 12
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We had deftroyed nearly 800 wagons, captured 3000 horfes and mules, and over 4000 prifoners of war.
We had met, defeated, and deftroyed, as a fighting organization, General Stuart's boafted rebel cavalry, fending what remained of his once proud riders acrofs the Potomac utterly demoralized.
In all thefe actions, Pennington's, Graham's, Elder's, and Tidball's batteries ferved with the cavalry moft efficiently ; they fhare equally in the honor of the achievements of the cavalry fince the engagement at Beverly Ford.
Towards evening on the Icth we were withdrawn
189
OPERATIONS OF THE 100.
from the front, paffed through Boonfboro, over the moun- 1863. tain, and went into camp on the Catoctin Creek near July. Middletown. We here had accefs to our wagons; put up our tents, and luxuriated in clean linen, and an abund- ance of commiffary fupplies, enjoying pofitive reft for two days.
While the regiment had been thus engaged, 100 men of the command had been detached, under Captain W. P. C. Treichel, for fpecial duty.
On the 2d of July, while the Referve brigade was lying at Emmettfburg, 100 picked men were felected from the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry, under command of Captain Treichel, with Lieutenants Morrow, White, Whiteford, and Herknefs, and were ordered to report to Captain Ulric Dahlgren, then on General Meade's ftaff, for fpecial duty.
The fmall force moved that night to Ridgeville, and on the morning of the 3d along the roads in the rear of Lee's army over which his trains muft pafs. They were joined by a large number of citizens mounted and armed with fhot-guns, while others carried axes to be ufed in the deftruction of wagons. On arriving near Green- caftle they were informed that the enemy's cavalry held poffeffion of the town. Our little band, led by Captain Treichel, charged through the ftreets, furprifing the enemy and taking 84 prifoners. Lieutenant Morrow received a flight wound while leading a portion of the force in this charge, while his horfe was killed under him.
On the 5th, one of their fcouts reported the move- ment of General Earley's trains, ftrongly guarded, on
190
OPERATIONS OF THE 100.
1863. July. the Williamfport and Chamberfburg road, about three miles diftant from their bivouac of the night previous. The command was moved near to the road and lay con- cealed until about 300 wagons had paffed, when, the force being divided between Lieutenants Morrow and Herknefs, they charged to the front and rear of the train at the fame time. With the affiftance of citizens they deftroyed 130 wagons and run the horfes off to the woods, captured two iron guns, and 200 prifoners. The ftrong infantry guard of the train foon appeared in overwhelming numbers, and a fevere fight enfued, in which we loft nearly all the prifoners we had previoufly taken, and a number of our own men captured. Lieu- tenant Herknefs received a fevere fabre cut and was taken prifoner.
Our men fled to the woods and were fcattered in fmall fquads during the night. They rendezvoufed at Waynefboro, Pa. On the following morning they fucceeded in bringing to Waynefboro about thirty prif- oners.
They were at this time reduced to about eighty men ; but, learning that a force of rebel cavalry under Jenkins had demanded a tribute of the authorities of the town that it might be faved from deftruction, affifted by citi- zens, they attacked the enemy, furprifed them in the ftreets, and drove them from the town, purfuing them about fix miles. After the purfuit was difcontinued, another train of wagons was attacked, a large number deftroyed, and fome prifoners taken ; our party retreat- ing before heavily attacked.
At times during the expedition the command was
I91
OPERATIONS OF THE 100.
greatly fcattered, being fecreted by loyal citizens. Lieu- 1863. tenant Whiteford, with a fquad of ten men, were thus July. fheltered in Hagerftown while Longftreet's Corps paffed through the town.
With the fame party he afterwards captured a rebel meffenger and paymafter with a guard of fifteen men, with difpatches from Richmond and eight thoufand dol- lars in Confederate currency and Southern State bank notes.
On the 7th of July, about fixty men of the party re- joined the regiment at Boonfboro and were fent to Frederick City to refit ; they returned to the regiment on the 12th.
On this expedition they had deftroyed over two hun- dred wagons, loaded with valuable fupplies, that had been ftolen from the farmers and merchants of Pennfylvania. At one time they held more than double their number of prifoners, many of whom efcaped during their feveral engagements, although they fucceeded in bringing in to General Buford's headquarters between feventy and eighty of them.
It was this party of 100 men under Captain Treichel (to whom was chiefly due the fuccefs of the undertaking), that won for Captain Dahlgren his colonelcy, as he was nominally in charge of the force and reported di- rectly to General Meade, who recommended him for promotion.
We would not dim by the flighteft breath the gilded fame of one fo fondly cherifhed as the noble, brave, and worthy Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, but would join in
192
AGAIN IN "DIXIE."
1863. afcribing to him all deferving praife, and would write his name in imperifhable characters amongft the braveft of the defenders of our country's honor ; and yet we claim only juftice for one of "Ours" when we afcribe the fuc- cefs of this expedition in an equal degree, at leaft, to Captain W. P. C. Treichel, of the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry.
We remained in camp near Middletown until the July 12th. afternoon of the 12th, when we recroffed the moun- tains in a heavy ftorm of rain, and bivouacked in front of Boonfboro, where we remained until the morning of July 14th. the 14th, when we made a rapid march to Falling Waters, joining General Kilpatrick in an attack upon the rear- guard of the rebel army. We endured a pretty fevere fhelling from guns ftationed on the heights on the fouth fide of the Potomac.
We marched back from the river about two miles, July 15th. and bivouacked for the night. On the 15th, we marched to Harper's Ferry, over Maryland Heights ; thence down the Potomac to Berlin; thence in the evening to Peterf- ville, where we remained in camp feveral days, refitting and preparing for an advance into Virginia.
The army croffed the Potomac into Virginia on the July 16th. 16th and 17th. The Referve Cavalry Brigade followed July 18th. on the 18th, marching until near midnight, when we halted at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Hillfborough.
General Lee, having paffed into the Shenandoah Val- ley, no fooner found that we were clofe upon his heels than he made a feint, as if he would return and recrofs
193
WAPPING HEIGHTS.
the Potomac. General Meade paid no attention to his 1863. movements in that direction, but pufhed his advance rapidly fouthward until he held all the paffes in the mountains down to Manaffas Gap. The occupation of this important pafs was given to the old Firft Cavalry Divifion of General Buford. On the 19th, his fcouts July 19th. reported the approach of two corps of the enemy from Port Royal. He engaged the advance of the rebel army, and a heavy fkirmifh enfued.
Reinforcements were called for, and in the emergency, the 3d Corps, then guarding Afhby's Gap, was ordered down to our fupport. They moved in the afternoon, and during the night found Buford ten miles in advance up the Gap, in the vicinity of Linden. On the follow- ing morning our line of battle was formed, looking down July 20th. upon the beautiful valley through which was rapidly preffing the " Army of Northern Virginia."
Generals French and Buford attacked the enemy early in the morning, and a fevere engagement enfued lafting all day, with wavering fortunes and heavy loffes on both fides. The ground over which the battle raged was a fucceffion of hills, known as Wapping Heights, and was favorable to defenfive warfare. The enemy attacked with overwhelming numbers, and General French withdrew to a ftrong pofition on the mountain fide for the night.
General Meade came up during the evening and re- ceived information of the return of the rebel force that during the day had moved down the valley, and every in- dication pointed to a renewal of the attack, and a fevere engagement on the following day. Acting upon the in-
25
194
BRANDY STATION AND CULPEPPER.
1863. formation gained, General Meade ordered up the bulk July 20th. of his army in anticipation of a decifive battle at that point.
A reconnoiffance made early in the morning revealed the total difappearance of the rebels from our front. By the movement of the army into Manaffas Gap we loft nearly two days in our foutherly march, thus ena- bling Lee to reach the Rappahannock and effect a croff- ing unmolefted.
Aug. Ift.
The Ift Cavalry. Divifion ftarted at 3 o'clock on the morning of the Ift of Auguft, and forded the Rappa- hannock at the ford below the railroad croffing, while a pontoon bridge was being conftructed above; by 9 o'clock they came upon the pickets of the enemy and difcovered cavalry camps about two miles out. The object of the expedition was to afcertain the exact pofi- tion and force of the enemy.
About noon we became heavily engaged near Brandy Station, and by hard fighting forced the enemy back to within a mile of Culpepper, where they came upon their infantry fupports. Our men ftood up bravely againft the overwhelming fire of the enemy notwithftanding the difparity of numbers. The Referve Brigade under General Merritt had the advance on the extreme right and made feveral charges upon the enemy ; the Sixth Pennfylvania, commanded by Captain Lockwood, being heavily engaged all day.
Terrific charges were made upon the enemy's line when near Culpepper, in which we drove the cavalry in difmay back upon their fupports of infantry, who, coming up in regular and folid line of battle with their long
195
CAMP BUFORD.
Enfield rifles, were too ftrong for our cavalry divifion, 1863. and we were withdrawn in perfect order to Brandy Sta- tion, our rear-guard refifting the advance of the enemy. During our engagement General Meade had advanced his infantry acrofs the river and eftablifhed his lines out nearly to Brandy Station, and extending from Waterloo to Falmouth.
Another cavalry fkirmifh occurred on the 5th of Au- Aug. 5th. guft, when we were attacked about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Our line of battle was foon formed, with the Sixth Pennfylvania in the advance and on the right of the brigade, under Captain Lockwood. The rebels had only a brigade, which they pufhed forward to recon- noitre our front, doubtlefs fuppofing that our main force had recroffed the river. Our men did not wait for an attack from the enemy, but promptly advanced to meet them, fighting difmounted and with artillery admirably ferved. We fucceeded in driving the enemy back fome three miles, capturing feveral prifoners and leaving many rebel dead upon the field. The Sixth Pennfylvania loft one killed and three wounded.
We remained encamped in the vicinity of Brandy Station, until the 15th of Auguft, when the Referve Aug. 15th. Brigade under General Merritt was withdrawn from the front under orders to proceed to Wafhington. Their horfes, arms, and all public property were turned over to the quartermafter of the divifion, and the brigade fent by rail to Alexandria. On the 16th we croffed the Aug. 16th. Potomac, and went into camp on the heights overlook- ing the river near Giefboro Point, between Forts Greble and Carroll.
196
CAMP BUFORD.
1863.
Captain Lockwood commanded the regiment, which was now reduced to about two hundred men prefent for duty. We were ordered to this point to recruit, refit, and reorganize, and after our long campaign, of unpre- cedented marching and fighting, greatly needed the reft thus fecured to us.
CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.
Major Robert Morris, fr .- Rejoin the Army in Virginia-A
Night Advance-A Fight at Bristow-Deftruction of Rail- road-Captain Lockwood Infide the Enemy's Lines-Guerillas at Morrifville-Murder of Lieutenant Sage-Across the Rappahannock-Engaged near Culpepper.
E ARLY in September, while at Camp Buford, we 1863. received intelligence of the death of Major Ro-September. bert Morris, Jr., while a prifoner of war at Richmond, Virginia.
He was the fon of Dr. Morris, of Philadelphia, and a great-grandfon of Robert Morris, the Revolutionary financier, and was at the time of his death in the 27th year of his age. At the outbreak of the war he entered the military fervice in the " City Troop," and, on their return from the three months' fervice, he affifted in re- cruiting the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry.
He diftinguifhed himfelf in the early campaigns of the regiment on the Peninfula and in Maryland in 1862. Commanded the regiment during Stoneman's raid in May, 1863, and in the great cavalry engagement at Beverly Ford on the 9th of June. On the latter occa- fion he was captured while leading a daring charge upon the enemy. He was conveyed to Richmond and con-
198 REJOIN THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
1863. fined in Libby prifon, where the dreadful treatment given to our prifoners foon broke his conftitution and rendered him peculiarly fufceptible to the difeafe of which he died on the 12th of Auguft, after a fhort illnefs. His remains were interred at the Oakwood Cemetery, being followed to the grave by Chaplain McCabe, U. S. A., and Lieutenants Lennig, Colladay, and Herk- nefs, of the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry, his fellow prifoners. Major Morris was a brave and able com- mander; a thorough difciplinarian ; of pureft principles and nobleft impulfes ; reliable as a friend, and a model foldier. He was loved by many, honored and refpected by all.
O&t. 10th.
On the 10th of October the quiet of our camp life was fuddenly broken by orders for immediate movement of the brigade to the front. The rebels were attempt- ing a great flank movement in Virginia, and the Army of the Potomac was falling rapidly back upon Centre- ville. Every indication pointed to a third engagement on or near the old Bull Run battle-field. We were hur- riedly armed and mounted, the moft of the brigade being ready to move by 5 o'clock P. M.
The "general," founded from brigade headquarters ; tents were ftruck, wagons loaded, horfes faddled and packed, while the men lounged about waiting for further orders, which did not come until 7 o'clock the follow- ing morning. We left Camp Buford on the morning O&. IIth. of the 11th, paffed through Wafhington, over Long Bridge, and out as far as Bailey's Crofs-roads. On the 13th we moved to Fairfax Court-houfe, and on the Oct. 16th. 14th joined the army near Centreville. On the 16th
199
NIGHT RECONNOISSANCE-BRISTOW.
were fent on reconnoiffance, returning towards midnight. 1863. On the 17th, Captains Starr and Carpenter, who, with Oct. 17th. Companies "I" and "E," had been on duty at head- quarters of the army, rejoined the command, and from this date our regimental organization was kept intact. At 3 P. M. we ftarted on a reconnoiffance with the Re- ferve Brigade, Captain W. P. C. Treichel, commanding the Sixth Pennfylvania. - We croffed Bull Run at Black- burn's Ford, and paffing beyond our lines about dufk, pufhed out towards the Orange and Alexandria Rail- road, under inftruction to gain and hold Manaffas Junc- tion, if poffible.
The night was clear and ftarlight ; we marched with great caution, and about 9 o'clock in the evening came upon the enemy's pickets, and foon after a heavy force oppofed our march, and a brifk fkirmifh enfued, with but little injury to either fide until we had forced them back to the railroad, where a more determined ftand was made, and where by the light of burning railway ties we could more clearly difcern their line. Five rebels, who were killed during the advance, were buried by our troops on the following morning.
Our lofs confifted of three flightly wounded. On Sunday, the 18th, General Merritt came up, and affum-Oct. 18th. ing command of the brigade, ordered the Sixth Penn- fylvania to make a reconnoiffance toward Briftow, and " draw the fire of the enemy."
We advanced a ftrong fkirmifh line, and foon came upon and drove in the pickets of the enemy ; they were ftrongly reinforced, but were flowly forced back for about one mile, when they opened upon us a battery of
200
RAILROAD DESTROYED.
1863. feven guns from a very favorable pofition, throwing folid fhot and fhell into our line, but with little effect. The 5th United States was ordered up to our fupport ; but being fatisfied that we were largely outnumbered, and under orders fimply to learn the pofition and force of the enemy and not precipitate an engagement, we withdrew to Manaffas Junction. In this fkirmifh the Sixth loft two men wounded ; one but flightly in the hand, from the effects of which he afterwards died in hofpital in Wafhington.
O&t. 19th.
A reconnoiffance on Monday morning developed the withdrawal of the rebels from our immediate front, and the brigade was fent forward in three columns to Cat- lett's Station, where we halted, and fending a party for- ward fome two miles, found their picket line again eftab- lifhed.
Oct. 20th.
On the 20th we were ordered back to Briftow Station, and on the return met General Warren with his corps marching to the front ; that evening he eftablifhed our ad- vance picket line near Catlett's Station. The railroad was moft effectually deftroyed ; every crofs-tie being burned and every rail bent by fire ; culverts and bridges were burned or torn up, and every deep cut filled in with earth.
A large conftruction force was immediately put upon the road, and in a few days cars were running out as far as Warrenton Junction, which was made the depôt of fupplies.
Oct. 23d.
On the 23d the brigade was ordered to Gainefville. We moved up in the morning in a heavy ftorm of rain, and returned in the evening wet, cold, and hungry, and not fully perfuaded that the long march thus taken was
CAPT. LOCKWOOD INSIDE ENEMY'S LINES. 201
of the leaft importance, as we were within fight of our 1863. infantry camps all day.
We again eftablifhed camp at Manaffas Junction about 9 o'clock in the evening, where we remained in quiet until the 27th.
During the evening of that day, while the officers Oct. 27th. were nearly all gathered around our large headquarters fire, orders were received to make preparation for imme- diate movement.
By 9 o'clock tents were ftruck, wagons packed, troops mounted and in line of march, moving in two columns along the railroad.
About midnight we halted at the recently abandoned fires of the 2d Corps near Catlett's Station for about one hour, when we again moved on, halting at half-paft four A.M., near Germantown. The night was ftormy, and we fuffered greatly from cold.
Erected temporary fhelter at daylight, and remained Oct. 29th. in our uncomfortable camp all day. Captain Lockwood with his fquadron being fent on picket duty.
On the 30th, Captain Lockwood having returned Oct. 30th. from a hard tour of picket, was fent with two engineer officers from General Meade's headquarters on a recon- noiffance four and a half miles beyond our lines. Paffing infide the enemy's pickets, they moved down to, and along the Rappahannock, difcovering the pofition of the enemy, and gaining much other valuable information. They returned fafely to camp about JO o'clock the fol- lowing morning.
During the afternoon of Saturday, the 31ft, we moved Oct. 3 1ft. forward to Elk Run, and on Tuefday, the 3d of Novem- Nov. 3d.
26
202
MURDER OF LIEUTENANT SAGE.
1863. ber, to Morrifville, where the brigade encamped in a denfe pine wood, our regiment being fent on picket to Kelley's Ford, Hartwood Church, and towards Bealton. The regiment was relieved from picket and returned to camp the next morning.
Nov. 4th.
While lying at Morrifville on the 4th of November, Lieutenant Sage, acting brigade quartermafter, was killed by guerillas. The following obituary gives a juft men- tion of this brave young officer :
" The officers of the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry are called upon to mourn the lofs of another valued and gal- lant comrade in the death of Lieutenant Theodore M. Sage, Regimental and Acting Brigade Quartermafter, who, on the 4th of November, was killed in cold blood by guerillas in the vicinity of the camp of the regiment, near Morrifville, Va. As he was riding through a wooded road, in the difcharge of the duties of his office, and in company with Lieutenant Walker, of the Ift United States Cavalry, and two orderlies, the party were fired upon by cowardly murderers concealed in a thicket by the roadfide, one of the fhots ftriking Lieutenant Sage in the lower part of the back and proving almoft immediately fatal. Lieutenant Walker, with the order- lies, efcaped.
" Lieutenant Sage had won the confidence and hearty friendfhip of all his comrades in arms by untiring atten- tion to his duties, by his generous and manly fpirit, by his gallantry in the field, and by all the traits character- iftic of one who would never fail his companions in any of the viciffitudes of the life in which he was engaged."
In April, 1861, he enlifted in the " Philadelphia
203
FIRST LIEUTENANT THEODORE M. SAGE.
Grays," forming a part of the 17th Pennfylvania In- 1863. fantry. He returned home in July, and in the month following entered the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry as cor- poral in Company " B." On the 3d of January, 1863, he was commiffioned Quartermafter with the rank of Ift Lieutenant. On the day that he was murdered his Nov. 4th. body was fent to Wafhington in charge of the Chaplain of the regiment. It was there embalmed and encafed in a richly ornamented coffin and delivered over to members of the family, the expenfe being borne by the officers of the Sixth Pennfylvania Cavalry.
The following Order was publifhed from brigade headquarters in reference to the occurrence :
"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY RESERVE BRIGADE, November 5th, 1863.
"GENERAL ORDERS, NO. 32.
" It is with fincere regret that the Brigadier-General Commanding an- nounces officially to the Referve Brigade an occurrence which all have heard informally with unfeigned forrow and indignation, the death of Firft Lieu- tenant Theodore M. Sage, Regimental Quartermafter of the Sixth Pennfyl- vania Cavalry, and Acting Brigade Quartermafter.
" He was murdered on the highroad, near Elk Run, while in the dif- charge of his duty, by a band of armed men in the rebel fervice.
"Lieutenant Sage entered the fervice of the Government over two years fince as an enlifted man, and foon, by his unceafing attention to every duty and pre-eminent capacities as a foldier, gained the unanimous indorfement of his fuperior officers for a commiffion in the regiment; fince that time, he has fteadily made his way to a high pofition among the beft of officers and foldiers. His quiet, unobtrufive, and amiable manners made him beloved and fought for as an affociate; his high fenfe of honor, and zeal in the per- formance of his duty gained him the moft implicit confidence of his fuperior officers, and the unqueftioning obedience and truft of his inferiors in rank ; his qualities of mind and heart won for him refpect from all who knew him.
"His untimely death will be mourned by the entire brigade, and every
204
ACROSS THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
1863.
foldier will remember his cowardly murder by the daftard cut-throats who waylaid him, as one of the unfettled accounts with the rebels.
" By command of
" Brigadier-General WESLEY MERRITT. " JAMES F. McQUESTION,
"Firft Lieutenant 2d U. S. Cavalry, A. A. A. G."
On the fame day on which Lieutenant Sage was killed, General Merritt was fired upon by guerillas, while vifiting our picket line.
The day previous, five men belonging to our divifion, while guarding cattle near Warrenton Junction, were captured and the cattle driven off. It was near this fame point that Lieutenant Morrow was captured in the month of May.
Nov. 6th.
On the 6th, our divifion moved to near Warrenton Sulphur Springs, and occupied an advanced pofition, having a flight fkirmifh during the day.
Nov. 7th.
On the 7th, we were relieved by infantry, who, pufh- ing forward their lines, had a fpirited engagement during the afternoon.
Nov. 8th.
On the morning of the 8th, the Ift Cavalry Divifion croffed the river at Sulphur Springs, and moved down towards Culpepper, paffing through Jefferfon to Rixey's Ford on Hazel River. They drove before them from the Springs a few fquadrons of the enemy's cavalry, who had been picketing in that vicinity ; and, at the ford above mentioned, they found the Ioth Virginia Cavalry, which alfo retired before them. They pufhed forward to within four miles of Culpepper, when they came upon Wilcox's rebel divifion of Hill's corps.
Colonel Chapman's brigade, with Lieutenant Wil-
205
ENGAGEMENT NEAR CULPEPPER.
lifton's battery, was formed on the left, while General Merritt's brigade, with Lieutenant Butler's battery was on the right, and farther advanced. The enemy moved forward their infantry in heavy line of battle, fupported by artillery, againft our fingle divifion of difmounted cavalry. The 3d Indiana, 8th Illinois, and 6th Penn- fylvania received the greateft attention from the enemy ; we were forced back a fhort diftance, but after a fharp fight, lafting about one hour and a half and terminating at dark, the enemy retired from their advanced pofition ; the Sixth Pennfylvania being left to picket the ground. Our divifion went into camp about three-quarters of a mile to the rear.
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