USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry > Part 17
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271
FEINT ON THE ENEMY'S LEFT.
Pennfylvania Cavalry was but the fkeleton of a regiment 1864. for the reft of the war .*
We enjoyed fuch repofe as the extreme heat would allow in our camp near Light-houfe Point, until the 26th, when, with the ufual three days' rations for man July 26th. and horfe, we ftarted at 3 P. M. with our divifion toward the James.
Through the newfpapers, for it was from them only we heard the rumors from the front of our own army, we read about a mine being made under the enemy's lines, fecretly, as to pofition, to all but the Generals and thofe immediately engaged in the work. The crifis of this gunpowder plot had been for days eagerly expected by the North, whofe liftening ear waited impatiently for the noife thereof. As our column headed northwardly we began to have an idea of what we were doing ; and when we heard of the Second Corps ahead of us, and already acrofs the James, we recognized a feint on the enemy's left.
That fame evening we croffed the Appomattox into General Butler's domain, as yet untrodden by any of
* It will be well to note here one of the evils of the volunteer fyftem in our State. New regiments were raifed at every call of the Prefident, and officered, in many cafes, by men as inexperienced as thofe in the ranks, while the old regiments in the field, depleted by the cafualties of war, were allowed to remain fo, and meritorious officers, fchooled by active campaigns, often faw themfelves ranked by men who had yet to hear the found of bullets, and brave foldiers faw little hope of promotion. Ambition, a quality to be foftered in a foldier, found a fevere check under this fyftem. This evil could have been entirely avoided by having and keeping recruiting par- ties through the State, and by raifing no new organizations until the old were filled.
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272
FIGHT AT DARBY'S HOUSE.
1864. us. That night we made a toilfome march through a denfe, dreary pine foreft, the darknefs of which was made vifible by guide fires, lighted and kept up by the Ift New York Mounted Rifles, to fhow our road, and without which we fhould not have got out of the woods.
July 27th.
Daybreak found us at Jones's Neck on the James. After an hour or two of reft, we croffed the bridge, well ftrewn with hay, &c., to muffle our founds. Our column numbered three hundred and twenty-fix enlifted men. We pufhed on gradually acrofs Deep Bottom to the Richmond and Charles City Road, where part of the 2d United States Cavalry charged and routed a fmall body of rebel cavalry awaiting our approach. That night we encamped on the roadfide.
July 28th.
At daylight of the 28th we faddled up and waited, as Micawber did, and as often we had waited before, for fomething to turn up, and, as ufual, night did not bring us difappointment.
About noon we faw Gregg lead his divifion by us, going to fee what the Confederacy was doing on our right toward Charles City. About an hour after we hear his guns and begin to look for news of him, but foon our attention is called to our own front, and there our picket line, the 2d and 5th United States, had been fharply attacked and preffed back ; the Ift United States Dragoons was fent to help them, and then the Ift Cav- alry, but ftill the enemy advanced until their Minie bullets began to come among our horfes. "Our turn comes next," faid one of our officers, and very foon an aid gallops to us with orders to go in on foot at once. At double quick we marched to a group of farm-houfes,
273
FIGHT AT DARBY'S HOUSE.
I864.
owned by one Darby, in front of which the enemy was advancing over an open field, in folid infantry line, with three flags flying. We halted at the houfes and fired feveral rounds rapidly into their ranks, which ftaggered them with their muzzle-loaders, and cut down one of their color-bearers. The command was then given to charge, and the forward movement was promptly taken up by the other regiments in our line, and by the 2d brigade on our left, and together, we drove this North Carolina brigade off the field. They left their killed and wounded, their three ftands of colors, and many prifoners in our hands, who faid they could not ftand before fuch firing, it was too faft for them. We did not purfue the retreating North Carolinians, but re- mained on the field we had won until relieved by the infantry. In this fight, Adjutant Lanigan was feverely wounded in the thigh, and fix enlifted men were wounded, one of them mortally. It was here, too, that Lieu- tenant Thomas E. Maley, of the 5th United States Cavalry, our firft regimental quartermafter, was terri- bly wounded in the face by a Minie ball. That even- ing we retired to the flats on the banks of the James and unfaddled, expecting to enjoy a reft, we thought, well earned ; but at I A. M., orders came to recrofs the river. At the bridge we found the Ift divifion of the Second Corps croffing, and the compliments, ufual when cavalry and infantry meet in a crowded road, paffed be- tween the two columns.
At 32 o'clock A. M. we were back at our camp of July 29th. the night of the 26th, but ftaid only to feed ourfelves and horfes.
35
274
BURNSIDE'S MINE.
1864.
There is one thing that a cavalryman very naturally protefts againft, and that is, being transformed into an infantry foldier ; fighting on foot he objects to,-but he can often fee the neceffity of it, but he cannot be made to underftand that it may perchance be his duty to leave his horfe behind and turn tramper. This is what our divifion was called upon to do this hot July day. The Mine, fo far as we knew, was not exploded yet, but part of the Second Corps had left us, while the neceffity ftill remained of fhowing a force on the north fide of the James.
At 6 o'clock A. M. we croffed the river and deployed in line on the plains beyond. At noon, our regiment was allowed to take fhelter from the fun in the woods on its immediate left, and there we remained until night, when we recroffed and got back to our horfes about II o'clock P. M.
July 30th.
Here we found a mail, but not reft, for, at 2 o'clock A. M., we were in the faddle, and on the road to rejoin the Army of the Potomac.
At 5 o'clock A. M. we halted for breakfaft, and about 6 o'clock refumed our march. Paffing near General Meade's headquarters, we learned the failure of the affault made that morning in front of General Burnfide's line. The Mine had done its work well; hundreds of unfortunates, within range of its influence, had perifhed miferably in its explofion, " and the colored troops fought nobly," as the fcores of wounded, being conveyed to the hofpitals, fhowed too plainly ; but nothing had been gained, the why and wherefore of which will, probably, be ever a difputed queftion. Continuing our march on
275
MARCH TO LEE'S MILLS.
the Jerufalem Road, by the left of the army, under a ter- 1864. rible fun, that ftruck many from our ranks, and through duft fo thick that a few paces diftance fhowed a rider in front only in vignette, we reached Finn's houfe at noon, wellnigh exhaufted. Here, the only water we could find was in the old clay well-holes of a deferted camp, and the only fhade the withered boughs collected by thofe who had been there before us. At 2 o'clock P. M. we were again on the road, and encamped that night near Lee's Mills. It was a diftreffing day's ride ; the failure of the morning had caft a gloom over the whole army, and the character of the country we were in, its fcorching fun, its choking duft and ugly pine fwamps, "had little tendency to excite a flow of fpirits.
This morning we were told to prepare for a raid, and July 31ft. received our three days' rations. In due time the column moved off, but foon turned to the left, a direction which excited curiofity. Various opinions were advanced as to where the road went to ; finally, fome one afferted that he knew it went to the James River. Our regiment leading the brigade, and the brigade being firft in column of the divifion, we were not far from the General, fo that when we halted, at a place we all recognized as not many miles from City Point, General Merritt afked how we fhould like a trip on fteamers to Wafhing- ton, and a campaign in the Valley of the Shenandoah. The change which came over all as this paffed down the column can only be underftood by thofe who actually felt it. The profpect ahead compenfated fully for the fufferings of the paft five days ; we were going to leave the defert for the region of green fields and pure air and
276
ENCAMP AT GIESBORO' POINT.
1864.
water, and with Sheridan as General, to try our hands at the hitherto unfolved problem of the Shenandoah Valley.
All night of the 3Ift we worked with a will at fhipping the command on tranfports at City Point, and about fun- rife fteamed down the James River.
Aug. 2d. About noon we reached Giefboro' Point, below Wafh- ington, and encamped on the flats near the river, to await the arrival of the remainder of our divifion.
?
. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH.
General Grant vifits Hunter at Monocacy-Grant's Inftruc- tions-The Middle Military Divifion-Sheridan Succeeds Hunter-Skirmishes at White Poft and Newtown-Deftruc- tion of Baggage Train-Skirmish at Front Royal-With- drawal to Halltown-Skirmish at Kearneyfville.
A T the opening of the new campaign in the Shen- 1864. andoah Valley, deftined to be fo different from the former difaftrous ones in that region, and to make famous the name of General Sheridan, it may not be out of place to infert an extract from General Grant's report, fhowing how General Hunter was relieved, and embracing the order for the deftruction of army fupplies in the Valley, which, together with fundry fevere whip- pings adminiftered by his cavalry, made Sheridan's name fo deteftable to its inhabitants.
"On the 2d of Auguft," writes General Grant, "I ordered General Sheridan to report in perfon to Major- General Halleck, Chief of Staff, at Wafhington, with a view to his affignment to the command of all the forces in the Department of Weft Virginia, Wafhington, Suf- quehanna, and the Middle Department.
" At this time, the enemy were concentrated in the neighborhood of Winchefter, while our forces under
Auguft 2d.
278
GRANT'S INSTRUCTIONS.
I864. General Hunter were concentrated on the Monocacy, at the croffing of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, leaving open to the enemy Weftern Maryland and Southern Pennfylvania. From where I was I hefitated to give orders for the movement of our forces at Mo- nocacy, left by fo doing I fhould expofe Wafhington. Aug. 4th. Therefore, on the 4th, I left City Point to vifit Hun- ter's command. On arriving there, and after conful- tation with General Hunter, I iffued to him the follow- ing inftructions :
" MONOCACY BRIDGE, Aug. 5, 1864, 8 P. M. "GENERAL :
"Concentrate all your available force without delay in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only fuch railroad guards and garrifons for public property as may be neceffary. Ufe, in this concentrating, the railroads, if, by fo doing, time can be faved. . . From Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved north of the Potomac in large force, pufh north, following and attacking him wherever found; following him, if driven fouth of the Potomac, as long as it is fafe to do fo. If it is afcertained the enemy has but a fmall force north of the Potomac, then pufh fouth with the main force, detailing, under a competent commander, a fufficient force to look after the raiders, and drive them to their homes. In detailing fuch a force the brigade of cavalry, now en route from Wafhington, via Rockville, may be taken into account.
"There are now on their way to join you three other brigades of the beft cavalry, numbering at leaft five thoufand men and horfes. Thefe will be inftructed, in the abfence of further orders, to join you by the fouth fide of the Potomac. One brigade will, probably, ftart to-morrow.
"In pufhing up the Shenandoah Valley, where it is expected you will have to go, firft or laft, it is defirable that nothing fhould be left to invite the enemy to return. Take all provifions, forage, and ftock wanted for the ufe of your command ; fuch as cannot be confumed, deftroy. It is not de- firable that the buildings fhould be deftroyed, they fhould rather be PROTECTED; but the people fhould be informed that, fo long as an army can fubfift among them, recurrences of thefe raids muft be expected, and we are determined to ftop them at all hazards.
279
SHERIDAN SUCCEEDS HUNTER.
" Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy fouth; and to do this, 1864. you want to keep him always in fight. Be guided in your courfe by the courfe he takes.
"Make your own arrangements for fupplies of all kinds, giving regular vouchers for fuch as may be taken from loyal citizens.
" U. S. GRANT, "Lieutenant-General."
"The troops were immediately put in motion, and the advance reached Halltown that night.
" General Hunter having, in our converfation, ex- preffed a willingnefs to be relieved from command, I telegraphed to have General Sheridan, then at Wafhing- ton, fent to Harper's Ferry by the morning train, with orders to take command of all the troops in the field, and to call on General Hunter at Monocacy, who would turn over to him my letter of inftructions.
" On the 7th of Auguft, the Middle Military De- partment, and the Departments of Weft Virginia, Wafh- ington, and Sufquehanna, were conftituted into the Mid- dle Military Divifion, and Major-General Sheridan was affigned to the command of the fame. The divifions of Generals Torbert and Wilfon were fent to Sheridan from the Army of the Potomac."
On the afternoon of Auguft 5th, our regiment broke Aug. 5th. camp at Giefboro' Point, and leaving behind us the men of Company "G," whofe term of fervice was to expire on the 8th, ftarted at 7 P. M. on the new campaign. Once more we marched through the ftreets of Wafh- ington, and then on beyond Tenallytown, where we encamped.
On the 6th, we made twenty-three miles, to Hyattf- Aug. 6th.
280
OUR ADVANCE TO BERRYVILLE.
1864. ville, and on the 7th, twenty-fix miles, to Maryland Aug. 7th. Heights. Here Captain Leiper rejoined the regiment. On his return from leave, on account of wounds, to Wafhington, at the time of Earley's raid, he had, with others, been put on duty with the troops around the capital, and had fubfequently been taken by General Wright on his ftaff.
Aug. 8th.
On the 8th, we again croffed into Dixie, and reached our camp-ground juft beyond Halltown that afternoon. General Torbert, who had now joined us with the re- mainder of our divifion, was made Chief of Cavalry to General Sheridan's army, and General Merritt was affigned to the command of the old Firft Divifion.
The concentration of our army at Halltown caufed the enemy to withdraw all his forces to the fouth fide of the Potomac, and to take up his pofition at Bunker Hill, twelve miles fouth of Martinfburg.
Aug. Ioth.
At 6 o'clock A. M. on the 10th, the advance began ; we foon paffed the infantry, and our regiment, in ad- vance of the army, paffed through Charleftown, and took the turnpike road to the left, to Berryville. As we marched we got reports of fundry detachments of the enemy, who for the time had turned their "fpears into pruning-hooks," and were engaged in reaping the crops ; from one of thefe parties we received a few harmlefs bullets, and from another, Lieutenant Price, of Com- pany "I," took one prifoner, and two wagons and a threfhing-machine, which he deftroyed. About noon, the advance-guard came up with a fortunate contraband, who, well mounted, was carrying lunch to a Major Richardfon, rebel, of thofe parts. The horfe was
281
SKIRMISH AT WHITE POST.
promptly reconftructed, and the lunch, needlefs to fay, 1864. never reached Major Richardfon. Paffing through Ber- ryville we marched on toward White Poft, our deftina- tion for that day. A few miles from this place we ftruck the enemy's cavalry in fmall force, and pufhed them about a mile, when they left our front. That night our regiment picketed to the left and rear.
The enemy had now moved to the weft bank of the Opequan, occupying the line between the points where the Winchefter and Potomac Railroad and the Berry- ville Pike crofs that ftream.
On the 11th, General Sheridan intended to crofs the Aug. 11th. Opequan to the left of the enemy and give him battle ; but the difcoveries made by our divifion changed thefe plans. We were ordered up the Millwood Pike, and found the enemy's cavalry covering that road weft of the Opequan. We attacked at once and pufhed them toward the Valley Road. Our regiment, which the day before had had the advance, was this day in rear of the brigade, and had been engaged in guarding the ammuni- tion train. It was now afternoon, and fighting having begun, we were brought to the front, and from our pofi- tion, fupporting the brigade battery, could fee the ftrug- gle going on. The enemy's cavalry had been driven behind his infantry, which, pofted in a belt of woods and behind a rail barricade, fuccefsfully prevented our further advance. One regiment after another of our divifion was put in, and tried hard, but without fuccefs, to drive the rebels from the woods. Finally, our turn came ; Captain Clarke's fquadron was detached and fent to the left, while the two remaining fquadrons, under Major
36
282
FIGHT AT NEWTOWN.
1864. Starr, advanced difmounted, and "in fplendid ftyle," as General Merritt faid, who was in the front eagerly watching the fight, over an open field in full view of our protected enemy, who received us with a fevere fire. Not a man flinched, and the line moved forward fteadily, without firing a fhot, to a fence about a hundred yards from the woods. There we found parts of the Ift and 2d Cavalry, and halted a moment, but finding it too hot, and feeing a ditch a few yards in front which would protect the men, we leaped the fence and put ourfelves under its cover. From this natural rifle-pit a rapid fire was kept up until our battery opened, making fome fine fhots over our heads, and forcing the enemy to keep clofe. There we remained until relieved foon after dark, when we found we had been fighting Gordon's divifion of infantry, which had been thrown out to cover the flank of the main army of the enemy in its retreat up the Valley.
Aug. 12th.
The enemy interfered with our early breakfaft this morning by feeling our picket line. There were but a few parting fhots. At 5 o'clock A. M. we were on the march ; we paffed through the barricades which had ob- ftructed us the afternoon before, through Newtown, and then to the left up the Valley Pike and through Middleburg to Cedar Creek. Arrived there, we found that our fkirmifh line of infantry had been thrown acrofs and was exchanging fhots at long range with the rebels who occupied the heights north of Strafburg.
Aug. 13th.
The next day our divifion made a reconnoiffance to Strafburg, taking the back road, which is about two and a half miles weft of the main pike. We met no oppo-
283
DESTRUCTION OF BAGGAGE TRAIN.
fition, but loft one or two ftragglers from the column, 1864. who were picked up by rebel fcouts. From Strafburg, with the affiftance of field-glaffes, we could plainly fee the enemy on the hills fouth of us, and his fignal ftation on Three-top Mountain. Before funfet we got back to camp, and there found our futler, Jackfon Groves. His prefence was generally a good fign, for it would tell us that our trains had come up, which were to bring us forage and rations. But now the fign failed, for the futler's face was long and troubled ; he brought rumors of an attack on the trains by the irrepreffible Mofeby, and their total deftruction,-a difmal thought to fleep on that night. Forage and rations could be replaced, but in that train was all our camp equipage, all the few luxuries we could carry along with us, and, ftill worfe, all the records of the old divifion, of the Referve Brigade, and of the feveral regiments, the lofs of which could never be replaced, and would involve company com- manders in untold difficulties, fuch as thofe only can appreciate who have been refponfible to the Govern- ment for its property, and been bound by its fetters of red tape. This operation of Mofeby caufed a fevere lofs to one of his rebel brethren, too ; for the men hear- ing they were to get no rations that night made a vigor- ous attack on a fine flock of theep grazing near the camp, which attack furnifhed food not only for the men, but for very fevere comments on the part of General Merritt.
On the 14th, our regiment, under orders from Gen- Aug. 14th4. eral Merritt, croffed Cedar Creek in front of our lines, on a reconnoiffance to afcertain the enemy's line at Straf-
284
MOSEBY'S ATTACK NEAR BERRYVILLE.
1864. burg. We expected to find our infantry pickets where Aug. 14th. we had left them the day before, on the heights directly north of the town. We pufhed on, confidently, paft a picket-poft we took for a referve, until halted by fhots from the enemy. We found that our picket line had been retired in the night, and that the enemy occupied thofe hills with infantry and in force much fuperior to our fkeleton of a regiment. Retiring behind our pickets, parties were fent to the right and left to find the extent of the enemy's lines. This being done, Major Starr reported to General Merritt in accordance with the facts, and we waited for orders. About funfet, General Wright, with one divifion of the Sixth Corps, attacked the enemy's line, and after a brifk fkirmifh, drove them from the hills and through Strafburg. On our return to camp that evening, the rumor of the lofs of our wagons was confirmed. Mofeby, with his little band of bold riders,-they cannot rightly be called foldiers,-had at- tacked the trains near Berryville, had fcattered General Kenley's gallant brigade of 100 days' men, and had fired and deftroyed the wagons of our divifion. The only fatisfaction we had was that he burnt up our records and baggage, and did not carry them off to furnifh comfort and entertainment to his followers. He was too hurried to realize on his venture, for, on the approach of a body of our cavalry, he difappeared, and left behind him a paymafter's ftrong box, full of greenbacks.
Aug. 15th.
The arrival of Major Nichols in camp, with four months' pay, fomewhat relieved the lofs we had met with on the 13th. The day was fpent in paying the men. At 9 o'clock P. M. Captain Clarke with his fquadron
285
SKIRMISH AT FRONT ROYAL.
relieved the pickets of the Ift Cavalry, and at 3 A. M. 1864. Captain Leiper, with the other two fquadrons, was fent to ftrengthen his line.
For feveral days paft it had been reported that the enemy was moving a column toward Front Royal through Chefter Gap, by which he could gain the rear of our army. To watch for fuch a movement, Devins's bri- gade of our divifion had been fent to Front Royal on the 14th. On that day General Sheridan received difpatches from Wafhington confirming this report, and caufing him to move back, as will be feen.
On the morning of the 16th our regiment was re- Aug. 16th. lieved from picket by Colonel Lowell, and marched through Middleburg and took the road to the eaft, to Cedarfville, which we paffed, and went into camp about 3 o'clock P. M., on the Winchefter and Front Royal Pike, with the reft of the Referve Brigade. About fun- fet a brifk cannonade opened near Front Royal, and we at once recognized the expected flank attack being now made, at the croffing of the Shenandoah, on Devins's brigade and on Cufter's, which, on the 15th, had been fent to his fupport.
The enemy attacked with infantry and cavalry, forced a croffing of the bridge and ford, and charged boldly upon our lines ; but our artillery was well ferved and checked their further advance, while Colonel Devins with his brigade charged their left in flank and drove them routed acrofs the river again, capturing two ftands of colors and many prifoners. On our left, Cufter, after fevere fighting, fucceeded alfo in routing the enemy, but not until after dark. At one time, the battle looked
286
GENERAL SHERIDAN'S ORDER.
1864. dubious, and our brigade was ordered to fupport, but it had been handfomely won before we reached the ground.
Aug. 17th. On the 17th, the following order was publifhed to our divifion :
"HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, CEDAR CREEK, VA., Auguft 16, 1864.
" To Brigadier-General A. T. A. Torbert, Chief of Cavalry, Middle Military Division.
" GENERAL: In compliance with inftructions of the Lieutenant-General commanding, you will make the neceffary arrangements and give the ne- ceffary orders for the deftruction of the wheat and hay fouth of a line from Millwood to Winchefter and Petticoat Gap. You will feize all mules, horfes, and cattle that may be ufeful to our army. Loyal citizens can bring in their claims againft the Government for this neceffary deftruction. No houfes will be burned; and officers in charge of this delicate but neceffary duty, muft inform the people that the object is to make this Valley untenable for the raiding parties of the rebel army.
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