USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry > Part 16
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255
COLD HARBOR.
were killed. We pufhed rapidly forward, driving the 1864. enemy to Cold Harbor, where we went into camp at 10 o'clock at night.
Our regiment bivouacked on the fame ground occu- pied by us two years before, and faftened our horfes to picket-pofts put up by the regiment under Colonel Rufh during the Peninfular campaign.
We faddled up at 3 o'clock next morning, and ftood May 31ft. to horfe until 5 P.M., when we advanced our cavalry mounted, and foon came upon the enemy ftrongly en- trenched, when we were fuddenly transformed into in- fantry, under the order " prepare to fight on foot." We pufhed forward, and were foon joined by Devin's and Cufter's brigades on the right. We drove the enemy from his works by a determined charge, and purfued him three miles beyond Cold Harbor, when he received heavy reinforcements, confifting of three regiments of North Carolina infantry.
As we were ordered to hold this pofition, our fight was even more defperate than on the previous day. We held our own until darknefs clofed upon a difputed field. Lieutenant Murphy was killed this day while bravely encouraging his men on the fkirmifh line.
The 6th Corps came up in the evening and formed near us. Our line now being eftablifhed from Tolopa- tomy Creek acrofs the Cold Harbor Road to the Chicka- hominy, with cavalry on both flanks, advanced beyond the infantry line.
During the night we had conftructed a barricade in June Ift. front of our bivouac, and early in the morning had an opportunity to prove its ufefulnefs, as we were attacked
256
COLD HARBOR.
1864. by rebel infantry and artillery in heavy force; feveral unfuccefsful attempts were made during the morning to diflodge us, but with our carbines alone we repulfed Hoke's divifion of infantry, who charged upon us with fixed bayonets.
About 12 o'clock we were relieved by the 6th Corps, and foon after the 18th Corps came upon the field.
Our brigade was moved back to near Old Church, and bivouacked for the night at Payfley's Mills.
Our infantry attacked about 3 o'clock. A ploughed field ftretched before them, and beyond that was a ftrip of pine foreft, in which the enemy lay entrenched. A charge of two divifions was ordered in the centre ; they dafhed acrofs the field and into the woods, while a deadly ftorm of mufketry and artillery raked the line. The charge was made upon the run, and both divifions rufhed upon and over the rebel earthworks with great fpirit, taking and holding their firft line of rifle-pits, and about fix hundred prifoners. The battle continued with great defperation until late in the night, the Union lofs being very heavy.
During the day fevere fighting alfo occurred near Bethefda Church. Taking the day through it refulted favorably for the Union army, as we fecured on the left the poffeffion of Cold Harbor, a point of much im- portance, not only in reference to the fubfequent croffing of the Chickahominy, but alfo as commanding the road to our bafe of fupplies at White Houfe.
At 8 o'clock A. M. on the 2d, we marched about three miles towards Cold Harbor, when we halted until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and then moved to Bottom
June 2d.
257
BOTTOM BRIDGE.
Bridge, on the Chickahominy. We arrived there in 1864. time to fee a column of rebel cavalry moving on the other fide of the river. They halted, and occupied a ftrongly fortified pofition in earthworks thrown up during the campaign of 1862. We had a flight fkirmifh with them, when both parties brought ftrong batteries in pofi- tion, and a very loud but not very damaging artillery converfation took place, continuing until night. After dark we fell back a fhort diftance and went into bivouac, leaving our pickets along the bank of the Chicka- hominy.
On the fucceeding morning our infantry attempted to June 3d. crofs the river, but every effort was fuccefsfully refifted. At 7 o'clock P.M. the rebels attacked Smyth's brigade, of the 2d Corps, and a battle raged with great fury for half an hour, the enemy being everywhere repulfed.
The lines of the hoftile armies were now eftablifhed only a few rods apart, intrenchments being thrown up by both parties, behind which they lay for the next ten days.
During all this time there was not a day of quiet, and fcarcely an hour, day or night, that did not refound with the fharp crack of the mufket, or the heavier report of artillery. Early on the morning of the 3d, our regi- mental train came up, and as it was the firft time we had had accefs to our wagons fince May 25th, we were en- joying the luxuries furnifhed by them, when our camp was alarmed by an active demonftration of the enemy upon General Gregg's command. Our wagons were hurriedly packed, and in a few minutes our horfes were faddled and regiments in line awaiting orders to move.
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258
RAID ON VIRGINIA CENTRAL RAILROAD.
1864. We ftood to horfe until 4 P.M., when we again un- faddled and bivouacked for two hours, when the Sixth was fent on picket. We were relieved by infantry the June 4th. next morning ; rejoined the cavalry corps, and early in the day ftarted with Sheridan on a raid upon the com- munications of the rebel army towards Gordonfville. The corps was kept well together, and after a fteady march of ten hours, encamped at night at Old Church, where the promotion of Sergeants Lanigan and Wint to Second Lieutenancies, was publifhed.
Several new recruits reported to the regiment to-day from rendezvous in Philadelphia.
June 5th. At 10 o'clock A.M. on the 5th, we moved to near Hawes's Shop, where we found General Wilfon, with his command. We ftood to horfe until 2 o'clock, when we went into bivouac on Norman's farm, near the Han- over and Richmond Crofs-roads. On the following day we marched to the Pamunkey River near New Caftle, where we croffed on a pontoon bridge in the night. June 7th. The march was continued on the 7th, and the column halted at night near Aylette, on the Frederickfburg Rail- road. After a good night's reft, we ftarted at 5 o'clock June 8th. on the morning of the 8th, marched rapidly all day, and halted near night at a mile beyond Polecat Station.
At this point, and alfo at Chefterfield and Aylette Stations, the railroad was deftroyed for a confiderable diftance. This uneventful marching continued the next day when we paffed through Childfburg, New Market, and Mount Pleafant, not halting in our march until 9 o'clock at night, when we went into bivouac at Young's Bridge.
259
BATTLE AT TREVILLIAN STATION.
The intention of the General commanding, now, was to ftrike the Virginia Central Railroad at Trevillian Station, march thence to Mechanicfville, where he fhould cut the Gordonfville Road, and prefs rapidly on to Charlottefville.
On the 10th, we croffed the South Anna at Becker's June 10th. Store, and when near Buck Childs', which is within three miles of Trevillian Station, came fuddenly upon a force of rebel cavalry. As our men feemed to take fpecial delight in worrying rebel cavalry, the profpect of an increafe of intereft to our further march was very promifing.
As the enemy retreated and darknefs was deepening about us, we drew off from the road and eftablifhed our bivouac for the night. Our fcouts reported the enemy in force near Trevillian Station.
The IIth dawned clear and delightful, and if previous June 11th. days had been monotonous, this contained enough of in- cident to at leaft relieve the tedium of travel. Early in the morning we moved forward cautioufly. General Torbett, with Merritt's and Devin's brigades, moved up towards the ftation.
Merritt, being in the advance, foon came upon the outpofts of the enemy, when Lieutenant Horrigan of the 2d United States, was ordered by Captain Rodenbough, commanding the regiment, to charge them, and prefs forward as far as poffible. He dafhed at them promptly and with fuch determination that the enemy fled before him and were clofely preffed for nearly two miles, when his fupports were reached and a line of battle was formed acrofs the road, and extending into a heavy woods.
1864.
260
TREVILLIAN STATION.
1864. The 2d United States was now difmounted and fent June IIth. forward to charge the enemy ; this they did in fplendid ftyle, though encountering a moft determined foe. , From carbines they came to piftols ; from piftols to fabres, and a defperate hand to hand fight enfued. ' Lieutenant Hor- rigan croffed fabres in a fight with a rebel officer, and after wounding him, compelled his furrender.
General Merritt led in the Ift United States, com- manded by Captain Sweitzer, and the Sixth Pennfylva- nia, Captain J. Hinckley Clark, to drive the rebels from the railway cut and a brick kiln, behind which they had entrenched themfelves. The enemy being found in large numbers and ftrongly pofted, General Torbett ordered Devin's brigade to attack on our right. All our troops were difmounted and fought defperately, gradually forcing the enemy back towards Trevillian.
General Sheridan, with his ftaff, was alfo up in the centre of thefe operations, where fhot and fhell flew uncomfortably clofe, but where he could perfonally fu- perintend all movements.
During the night of the 10th, General Cufter had been directed to move by a wood road to the left and rear of the enemy, beyond Louifa Court-houfe. When near Trevillian he encountered a ftrong force, which he attacked vigoroufly, and after a fharp fight completely routed ; the dead, and many of the wounded of the enemy, fell into his hands, and his captures at one time numbered twenty officers, five hundred enlifted men, and three hundred horfes.
When the Ift and 2d divifions advanced on the right, the enemy were between two fires, and were forced
261
OUR WOUNDED ON THE ELEVENTH.
back by Sheridan upon Cufter's fmall brigade. By flank- 1864. ing Cufter's force they got to his rear, when all his prif- June 11th. oners were fet at liberty, and many of our own men cap- tured; the enemy decamping with General Cufter's headquarters wagon, his pack mule train, and five caif- fons of Pennington's battery.
Several ineffectual attempts were made by General Sheridan to communicate with Cufter, and, at length, Captain Dana, A. A. G. of the Ift Cavalry Divifion, fucceeded in running the gauntlet of the enemy's lines, and gained Cufter in time to communicate movements, which, with his co-operation, would enable them to form a junction of the forces. The directions were promptly acted upon, and the corps, once more united, made a vigorous charge upon the enemy near the ftation, and drove them from their haftily conftructed works.
By determined charges they were forced back, until night clofed the operations, leaving us in poffeffion of the field.
Colonel Sackett, of the 9th New York Cavalry, and Lieutenant Ogden, of the Ift United States, were killed ; Captain Rodenbough and Lieutenant Horrigan, of the 2d United States, were wounded, in the early part of the day.
The Sixth Pennfylvania was feverely engaged the en- tire day, and loft heavily in wounded. Among the number were Lieutenant P. H. Ellis, Sergeants Penning- ton, mortally, William Denney, John Algie, W. A. Gur- ance, and P. Burns ; Corporals George Wattis and John Moyer; Privates Theodore McNamee, Oliver A. Hoff- man, William Jones, J. Johnfon, John Hopkins, George Stout, George W. Harper, John Smith, Company "G."
262
OUR WOUNDED ON THE ELEVENTH.
1864. Alexander Smith, John H. Leipfen, James Hoap, Kirby June 11th. Smith, John A. Carr, Daniel Dougherty, James Bennett, Anthony Shriver, Charles Shields, John F. Baynes, Wil- liam Gringee, Samuel Weaver, William Irvin, Samuel F. Afh, M. Farrell, James Dobfon, James Stokes, C. Shearer, J. C. Malefberger, Thomas McNee, James Coffee, D. Smith, Oliver Thomas, John C. Simpfon, and N. J. Adams.
The enemy fell back towards Gordonfville, and Gen- June 12th. eral Torbett was fent in purfuit this morning. When within five miles of Gordonfville, he found them ftrongly intrenched and heavily reinforced with infantry. As their pofition was too ftrong for him to carry alone, he waited the arrival of other troops. Our whole cavalry force fought all day difmounted, being oppofed by in- fantry behind earthworks and barricades. The Referve Brigade made a determined charge upon their rifle-pits, but were refifted by fuperior numbers, and every future effort confirmed the impoffibility of their capture. While our battle was raging, another force was bufily engaged deftroying the railroad for feveral miles. Our lofs was fix killed, twenty-fix wounded, and four prifoners. The brigade loft, in total, one hundred and fifty.
The heavieft lofs of the enemy was in the killing of General Roffer.
The fighting on the 12th, was, if poffible, more def- perate than that of the day previous, and having demon- ftrated to our fatisfaction,-and to General Sheridan's, which was a little more difficult,-that further advance in that direction was impracticable, in confequence of the heavy reinforcements received by the enemy, and
263
RETURN MARCH TO WHITE HOUSE.
their ftrongly intrenched pofition ; and as our ftore of 1864. ammunition was running quite low, our horfes fuffering for forage, and our men exhaufted by hard marches and fighting, General Sheridan decided upon a withdrawal, and fhortly after dark we commenced our retreat. The command marched all night, croffed the South Anna on the morning of the 13th, and pufhed on as rapidly as June 13th. poffible until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we halted at Profpect Hill. The march was refumed at daylight on the 14th, without food for either men or horfes ; the June 14th. day was quite warm, and the roads dufty, making our ride very unpleafant. We halted at 3 P.M. at Shady Grove Church, fully appreciating its fhade and reft. On the fucceeding morning we moved at 5 o'clock, and during the morning paffed through Spottfylvania Court- houfe, and the battle-ground of a month previous.
The debris of the battle ftrewed the ground ; large trees were feen cut nearly in two, fcarred and fhattered by folid fhot, fhell, and mufket-balls, while heavy lines of earthworks marked where the fevereft charges were made and refifted. The graves of thofe who fell on this terrible field were on every hand. At night, we halted near Guinney's Station.
On the 16th, 17th, and 18th, we made long marches. June 16th, The weather was warm, and the roads very dufty, and 17th, 18th. as our regiment marched in the rear of the column, we became unpleafantly familiar with the "facred foil."
On the 19th, we croffed the Mattapony, on a pon- June 19th. toon bridge, at Dunkirk.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND.
Engagement at White Houft-General Grigg engaged at St. Mary's Church - March to Willen's Wharf, em James River-Wilfan's Raid-Camp near Windmill Point.
1864. June zoch.
O N the evening of Monday, June 20th, after one of the hotteft and duftieft marches, of even that week of duft and exhauftion, we reached Fifshall, a ftation on the Richmond and York River Railroad, on the eaft fide of the Pamunkey, oppofite White Houfe, when we learned that General Lee, of the rebel cavalry, had that day attacked the depot at White Houfe, where were parked upwards of fix hundred wagons and ambu- lances belonging to the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac.
The trains had been left here by General Grant when he moved to Peterfburg, and were under the protec- tion of General Getty, who, having recovered from wounds received in the" Wildernefs, was on his way to rejoin the army. His force confifted of a regi- ment of colored troops, part of a regiment of the Inva- lid Corps, and a detachment of difmounted cavalry, and with this provifional brigade, aided by a couple of gunboats, he had kept the rebels off from the much- coveted wagons. The trains had been hurried acrofs the river over the old railroad bridge, which was repaired
265
ENGAGEMENT AT WHITE HOUSE.
for the occafion, and our arrival was opportune, for 1864. thefe rebels were coming too clofe.
Accordingly, at daylight of the 21ft, our long line of June 21ft. cavalry pufhed acrofs the bridge by twos, and Generals Gregg and Cufter and Colonel Devins moved againft the enemy, whilft, for once, the Referve Brigade was held in referve,-that is, maffed in an open dufty plain, with the thermometer at ninety in the fhade, if there had been any, but there was not. The rebels withdrew without ferious oppofition, and in the evening we went into camp on the hills overlooking White Houfe, on the very fpot where the enemy's battery, that had fo terrified the Invalids and difmounted men, had been the day before. Here fome of us are faid to have bathed and changed our clothes for the first time in two weeks, the latter part of which ftatement feems more credible than the firft, for, ever fince June 7th, when we ftarted on the Trevillian raid, we had marched daily at 5 o'clock P.M., not reaching camp often until after dark, after fuch days of heat and duft as choke one to look back upon. All our wardrobe was on our backs, fo that our camp here, where our wagons rejoined us, was an oafis. Here, too, we got the mail, which was wonderfully acceptable, and Major Treichel rejoined the regiment on his return from fick leave, relieving Captain Clark from the com- mand of the regiment, which he had held fince May 20th. Lieutenant Coxe came, too, hardly recovered from his wound received at Todd's Tavern, May 7th, both full of ftories of friends and home.
June 22d, we faddled up at daylight and prepared for June 22d. an attack from the rebel cavalry, but as they did not
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266
JONES'S BRIDGE.
1864. come, we unfaddled again and remained in camp until I o'clock in the afternoon, when we ftarted for Jones's Bridge on the Chickahominy, where we encamped at fundown. For a wonder, we found this wretched ftream quite clear, and we enjoyed a bath in it, fo delicious that it made us forgive the treacherous flood for many previous difappointments and labors.
June 23d.
Thurfday, June 23d. We remained quietly in camp at Jones's Bridge, and in the afternoon, our wagon train, which was following us, began to arrive. The opera- tion which General Sheridan was now conducting was a very delicate one, viz., that of marching from White Houfe to Peterfburg, taking with him his immenfe trains, on the flanks of which hung Hampton with his cavalry corps, longing to make a fwoop, to capture or deftroy. We had been fent ahead to open the way, and keep it open, whilft the other brigades marched with the wagons ' and in rear. Colonel Devins, who guarded the trains on the 23d, was attacked, but quickly beat off the ene- my, whilft General Gregg with his divifion croffed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, feveral miles above us, thus interpofing between the enemy and our long column.
June 24th. June 24th, we marched from Jones's Bridge to Charles City Court-houfe, and encamped in the evening fome two miles beyond, in a fplendid field of clover, on one of the fineft eftates in Virginia. This day, General Gregg ftill marched on our flank, being thus neareft the enemy, but near enough to us, it was thought, for our help, fhould he be attacked. General Hampton, finding that here was one of Sheridan's divifions marching detached
267
GEN. GREGG ENGAGED AT ST. MARY'S.
1864.
from the main body, threw a few fquadrons in Gregg's road to intercept his meffengers, and then, having feverely engaged him at St. Mary's Church, hurled upon him the whole of his corps, which charged, mounted and dif- mounted, with the intention of capturing or deftroying the whole divifion. Gregg had hard work to hold his own, but, by dint of defperate fighting, affifted nobly by his unfurpaffed horfe artillery, fucceeded in falling back from one pofition to another until he rejoined the main force near Charles City Court-houfe. He had fent aids and couriers to General Sheridan begging for reinforcements, but they had all been intercepted by the enemy, and we firft knew of Gregg's defperate encounter when his fhattered column appeared amongft us. Our camp this evening was but a few miles from Harrifon's Landing, where we had fpent fome wretched weeks in the fummer of 1862. General Hampton, not knowing of our whereabouts, put his troops in camp within a fhort diftance of us, and we were equally unaware of his prefence until after 9 o'clock in the evening, when Captain McQueften, of Merritt's ftaff (a noble fellow, afterwards killed at Winchefter), riding around to vifit our pickets, ftumbled upon a rebel vidette and rode almoft into their camp. Boots and faddles was at once founded, and, roufing ourfelves from deep flumber, we faddled our weary horfes and ftood to horfe until morn- ing.
Saturday, June 25th, was an intenfely hot day. We June 25th. moved up to Charles City Court-houfe and ftood to horfe for feveral hours in the blazing fun, when, towards evening, the enemy not attacking, we followed our
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268
WINDMILL POINT.
1864. wagons down to Wilfon's Wharf on the James River. June 28th. Here we remained until June 28th, the trains being fer- ried acrofs the river to Windmill Point. Our brigade was the rear-guard, the laft to crofs, and our regiment paffed a wretched night, picketing towards the rear, and expecting the enemy to repeat his tactics of the 24th, and crufh us whilft feparated from our fupports and un- June 29th. able to get away. But, at daylight on the 29th, we joy- fully croffed the James in a dilapidated ferry-boat, that rocked fo much as to threaten to fpill all the horfes into the river, and was not fteadied until its fide-wheels were put in motion. Arrived at Windmill Point, we went into camp, hoping to enjoy fome days of reft, and as the river was full of tranfports, we had hay to iffue to our horfes, the firft they had tafted for weeks. This was a great feaft for them, as the paftures had all been dried up by the drought ; but they were not permitted to enjoy it long, for, at fundown, we were again in the faddle, marching to the relief of Wilfon, who had got into trou- ble at Ream's Station. We reached Prince George Court-houfe at midnight, after a dark, wretched march, June 30th. and on the 30th pufhed on to Ream's Station. Here we waited feveral hours, and finding that we had come the day after the fair, marched back to Warwick Swamp and encamped there.
July Ift.
Friday, July Ift. We marched up and down the Je- rufalem Plank Road, and the fun blazed fo and the foil was of fuch nicely powdered fand that it really feemed as if there were fome of the horrors of heat and duft that we had not previoufly fully appreciated. Having duly realized the beauties of the pofition we went into camp
269
CAMP NEAR LIGHT-HOUSE POINT.
five miles from Prince George Court-houfe, and a good 1864. drink of water for man or beaft would have commanded a handfome premium that night.
Saturday, July 2d, the very hotteft of thofe dreadful July 2d. days, we marched back through Prince George Court- houfe to Jordan's, or Light-houfe Point, on the James River, where we bivouacked after dark, and made our- felves as comfortable as we could, without wood or water, or anything to eat.
Sunday, July 3d, we joyfully picked out a camp, where July 3d. we got our long-promifed reft,-delightful word, after the fatigues of the previous fixty days. Since May 4th we had been conftantly in the faddle, and had not been longer than eighteen hours in camp at any one time, whilft our poor horfes were fo ufed up that we had to try and reftore them by giving them plenty of oats and hay, bathing them in the river, and healing their galled backs. Here we remained encamped for feveral weeks, remounting and refitting the command, with an occa- fional tour of picket duty, and a ride over to Peterfburg to view the ftupendous warfare there carried on, liften- ing to accounts of Earley raiding it near Baltimore and Wafhington, and of gold felling at $2.80 in New York.
July 12th, Major Starr rejoined us, hardly recovered July 12th. from his ferious wound received at Todd's Tavern, May 7th, and on the 13th affumed command of the regiment, Major Treichel having refigned on account of ill health.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD.
Feint on the Enemy's Left on the North Side of the James- Fight at Darby's House-Burnfide's Mine-March to Lee's Mills-Return March to City Point and Embarkation for the Shenandoah Valley.
1864. July 15th. A BOUT this time, a propofition was made to Major- General Sheridan, then commanding the Cavalry Corps, to have the regiment fent to Pennfylvania to re- cruit its ranks and reorganize. High bounties were being paid at home, and we were affured that we could fill up our ranks with firft-clafs material, befides retain- ing in the field many of the old officers of the regiment, whofe term of fervice would expire in the coming au- tumn, but who agreed to continue in fervice in confidera- tion of the reft they would have. General Sheridan heartily approved of the plan, and perfonally exerted himfelf to fecure, and did fecure, the neceffary authority from General Grant. A formal application was made, which received indorfements from Brigade, Divifion, and Corps Headquarters moft fatisfactory to us ; but Gen- eral Meade declined to make an exception in our favor, as many other regiments were applying for the fame privilege, and the project fell through. The Sixth
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