USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry > Part 7
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Colonel Rufh thus ftates, in his report to General Buford of this fcout :
" All the couriers fent to me by my force, to apprife me of the prefence of the rebels, were captured or turned back until after midnight. At 3 P.M. on the 11th, I received a telegraphic order from General Marcy, to fend one fquadron at once to Middletown, to picket and fcout the valley northward. This was at once done, but no important information was received from them. At 6.30 P.M., your note of 2.30 P.M., of the fame date, was received, as follows :
" ' Your difpatch has juft arrived. You are doing admirably. Extend your reconnoiffance farther towards Gettyfburg, to gain information, and tranfmit all information to General Pleafanton, at Mechanicftown. Stuart's cavalry left Gettyfburg this morning at 9 o'clock. General Pleafanton is to follow to intercept Stuart. If you can ufe any of the Ift Maine cavalry, do fo. Make them picket eaft of Frederick.
(Signed) JOHN BUFORD, Chief of Cavalry.'
"Rumors from Frederick reached me that the rebels were reported at Emmettfburg; and knowing that Gen- eral Pleafanton would come the turnpike road through Mechanicftown, I at once called on Colonel Allen, of
1862. October.
107
STUART'S RAID.
the Ift Maine cavalry, for one company, and fent my 1862. only remaining company. Thefe two companies were ordered to proceed, one towards Woodfborough and one by Johnfville, with inftructions to cover the line of country with fcouts from the vicinity of Cregerfville, Woodfborough, New Windfor, and Weftminfter, and to communicate any information to General Pleafanton and myfelf. As my company, ordered to Woodfbor- ough, entered the town at I0} P.M., they found the head of the rebel column juft paffing through, and taking the road to Liberty. This information was communi- cated to me at 12 o'clock, midnight, and that it had been fent to General Pleafanton, at Mechanicftown. It was foon confirmed that all the force of Stuart was paffing towards Liberty. I at once fent a meffage and difpatch to General Marcy and yourfelf. A large por- tion of the rebel column halted near Woodfborough and Liberty, to feed and get information of our forces. Their rear-guard did not leave Liberty until about 7 A.M. on the 12th. I had no force whatever left me to Oct. 12th. follow their rear, or to in any way harafs their march.
"I regret that I could not do more to check this un- fortunate raid. My fcouts captured one prifoner from the Ift Virginia cavalry. He tells me that the rebel force confifted of the Ift, 3d, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 10th Virginia cavalry; the 7th and 9th North Carolina cav- alry; the 'Cobb Legion,' and 'Jeff. Davis Legion,' „and was between four and five thoufand ftrong, and that they had captured and carried off with them at leaft fif- teen hundred horfes from Pennfylvania.
"I have no cafualties to report in my regiment. I
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INCIDENTS OF THE RAID.
1862. would fpecially commend to your notice Corporal John O&. 12th. Anderfon, of Company 'D,' regiment of Lancers, for gallantry on the fcout at Woodfborough. He difmounted, and entered the town on foot, in difguife. Whilft the rebel column was paffing, he talked freely with their men ; was fufpected and detained, but afterwards efcaped, and rejoined me foon after daylight, bringing moft valu- able information. I would alfo mention private Jofeph Dougherty, of the fame company and regiment, for gal- lantry in dafhing through Emmettfburg while it was oc- cupied by the enemy, in order to carry a meffage from me to my companies near Gettyfburg."
About 9 o'clock on the morning of the 12th, the raiders reached the Potomac, near the mouth of the Monocacy. They were there attacked by General Pleafanton with his fmall force. After getting his guns in pofition, and opening fire upon them, they retreated to the ford three miles below, where they covered their croffing with the guns they had with them, and fome that had been placed in pofition for them. A regiment of cavalry, and fome infantry, were fent down the tow- path to intercept their croffing, and every exertion ufed to get the guns with the main column on a hill, into fuitable pofition to reach them. Our battery horfes were fo exhaufted that they could not draw thefe guns into pofition, and men had to be fubftituted for them. This allowed time for the rebels to efcape. We had, no artillery at this point, and with the exception of a few infantry companies, our fmall cavalry force had no affift- ance.
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INCIDENTS OF THE RAID.
General McClellan, in his official report, fays :
1862. Oct. 12th.
"The rapid movement of the enemy precluded the poffibility of marching our infantry from any point of our lines with a poffibility of intercepting them. Cav- alry is the only defcription of force that can prevent thefe raids. Our cavalry had been conftantly occupied in fcouting and reconnoiffances, and this fevere labor has worked down the horfes, and rendered many of them unferviceable, fo that at this time no more than one half of our cavalry are fit for active fervice in the field. The enemy is well provided with cavalry, while our cavalry force, even with every man well mounted, would be in- adequate to the requirements of the fervice." -
Captain Cadwalader, with his company of "Lancers," came near being captured at Emmettfburg on the night of the IIth. He arrived near the town, and did not know that the rebels were within many miles. He thought it would be well to inveftigate the ftate of af- fairs before making a demonftration, and accordingly halted his command in a lane, and, with a fergeant, moved forward a fhort diftance, when he came upon a column of cavalry halted in the main ftreet of the town. Seeing that they wore blue uniforms, he fuppofed them to be fome of our own cavalry. Riding along the column, he afked "What regiment is this?" "Stuart's Cavalry," was the reply. Here was a dilemma. He had ftumbled on the main column of the raiders, and at once concluded that he and his little company had a very fair profpect of a trip to Richmond as prifoners.
*
IIO
ARMY MOVEMENTS.
1862. He replied, in a carelefs tone, "I know that, but what regiment are you ?" The man anfwered, but his fufpi- cions were aroufed, and he eyed the captain fharply. Fortunately the night was dark, and objects could not be examined minutely. As the captain was about to move on, the rebel called after him, "Hallo! you're a Yankee foldier, ain't you?" The captain turned his head, and replied promptly, "What in - are you talking about? Don't you know the difference between a Yankee and a Confederate foldier?" Thus reaffured, the foldier returned to his place, after again giving his regiment and company. The captain moved off, and the rebel column was juft then ordered forward. As foon as poffible, he drew off from the road to the lane in which he had left his own company. They remained concealed until the rebel column had paffed. Intelli- gence was immediately fent to General Pleafanton and Colonel Rufh, of the prefence and force of the enemy.
Oct. 13th.
The feveral parties of our regiment engaged on this fcout returned to camp on the evening of the 13th. We were here encamped about one and a half miles out of the city. Active efforts were made to refit the com- mand, and while doing fo, the regiment performed daily patrol duty in Frederick City.
Oct. 14th.
On the 14th, Lieutenant Leiper, with a number of non-commiffioned officers and privates, were placed on recruiting duty, and ordered to Philadelphia, where a recruiting office was opened at the fouthweft corner of Eighth and Cheftnut Streets. This was done in com- pliance with an order from the War Department, that all regiments of cavalry fhould confift of not lefs than
III
MCCLELLAN REMOVED.
twelve companies. Companies "L" and "M" were 1862. rapidly filled up, and commanded by Captains Leiper and Clark.
From October 26th to November 2d, the army moved again into Virginia. At the latter date, our advance was near Upperville. On the 5th of November, our troops were on the line of the railroad from Piedmont to Salem, and the cavalry in the vicinity of Chefter Gap. On the 7th, the whole force was concentrated near Warrenton.
On the 2d of November, Major Clymer, with Com- Nov. 2d. panies "B" and "G," and Captain Starr, with Com- pany "I," were relieved from duty with General Frank- lin, then commanding the Sixth Corps, by Major Hazel- tine's fquadron, compofed of Companies "E" and "F," and Captain Newhall's Company "K." The laft- named companies joined General Franklin, near New Berlin, Maryland, and croffed the Potomac with him, while the relieved companies joined the regiment near Frederick.
When the army was organized into grand divifions a few days later, General Smith affumed command of the Sixth Corps, and Franklin of the left grand divifion. Captain Newhall was appointed on detached duty as Provoft Marfhal of the Sixth Corps, and reported for that duty, ufing his company as was required by that office. This pofition he retained during the Frederickf- burg campaign, and until the 24th of February, 1863.
On the 5th of November, Major-General McClellan Nov. 5th. was relieved from command of the Army of the Poto- mac, and Major-General A. E. Burnfide appointed to
II2
COMPANIES LEAVE.
1862. the command of that army. This order was received in the army on the 8th. General Burnfide decided to move the army on Richmond by way of Frederickfburg, and requefted pontoon bridges to be fent to that point of the Rappahannock at once. This part of the plan, that had to be attended to in Wafhington, was, by fome un- accountable means, neglected for feveral days, and they were not ftarted from there until the 19th, and on that day it commenced raining, which delayed them fo much, and the roads became fo bad, that when they got to Dumfries, they floated the pontoons off the wagons, fent to Wafhington for a fteamer, and carried them down to Acquia Creek by water, fending the wagons around by land. They did not arrive at Frederickfburg until the 22d or 23d of November. The army having arrived there on the 19th, awaited anxioufly the arrival of the bridges, as the river had become fo fwollen that it was impoffible to ford it, and fupply the army, had it marched to the fords above. This unfortunate delay robbed us of a great fuccefs in this expedition.
Nov. 29th.
Companies "A," "D," "C," "H," and "I," under Lieutenant-Colonel C. Rofs Smith, marched from Fred- erick to rejoin the army on the Rappahannock. Re- veille founded at 5 o'clock, and by 7, they were in line on the road. Paffed through Frederick, and marched fteadily until near midnight, when they halted at Rock- ville, and encamped on the Fair Grounds.
Dec. 2d.
On the following day they marched at funrife, and at noon arrived at Meridian Hill, Wafhington, and en- camped. On the 2d of December, left camp at noon, croffed the Long Bridge, and encamped at night three
II3
FREDERICKSBURG.
miles beyond Alexandria, Virginia: moved the next 1862. morning, marched twenty miles, and encamped for the night in denfe woods. On the 4th, marched to Brooks's Station, on the Acquia Creek Railroad, where they ar- rived near midnight. On the 7th, marched fome eight Dec. 7th. miles to General Franklin's headquarters, near White Oak Church, about three miles from Falmouth, and about one mile back from the Rappahannock. On the IIth, Company "A," under Lieutenant Neill, was fent on picket duty along the river. They were relieved at midnight by infantry, and got into camp again at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 12th. At 4} o'clock, the command was in the faddle, and moved down to- ward the river. Heavy artillery firing was heard on the right of our line near Frederickfburg. We moved with the left grand divifion to the lower bridge, about two miles below the city, where we were difmounted, and "ftood to horfe" until 5 P.M., when we unfaddled and bivouacked for the night. General Franklin's grand divifion croffed the river to-day, under cover of heavy fog, and early the following morning became engaged. Our regiment was in the faddle by daylight, and croffed the river about 9 o'clock, and were placed in charge of Dec. 13th. the bridge, acting as provoft guard, to whom all prifon- ers on the left were confided. Though expofed to ar- tillery fire all day, we were not engaged.
Three bridges were thrown acrofs the river oppofite Frederickfburg, and two below. Sumner and Hooker croffed on the upper bridges, while Franklin was croff- ing below. The army was divided, to make two attacks upon the enemy. On the right Generals Hooker and
15
II4
FREDERICKSBURG.
1862. Sumner advanced acrofs the open plain, ftretching to December. the heights to the rear of the town, and ftormed the enemy's works. The attack failed, owing to the ene- my's fortifications being much more formidable than they were fuppofed to be.
General Sumner defcribes thefe fortifications as "rifing tier above tier; and had we carried the firft we could not have held it, becaufe their next tier was a much more formidable row of fortifications, only a mile diftant, and on a higher pofition ftill, while heavy maffes of in- fantry were between the two crefts. Repeated affaults were made, but the troops were driven back in fpite of all their efforts. The principal obftacle they found was a large ftone wall, which was the outwork of the enemy. This wall was fome four or five hundred yards in length, and the enemy's artillery enfiladed the wall on both fides. They held their fire until our troops arrived at a certain point, when they arofe, and poured volley after volley upon us from the ftone wall, while their artillery perfectly enfiladed our · lines. No troops could ftand fuch a fire as that."
CHAPTER NINTH.
Battle of Fredericksburg-General Hooker's Account-Gen- eral Franklin's Left Grand Divifion-General Franklin and Meade's Reports-The Sixth as Provoft Guard of the Left Grand Division-Recrofing the Rappahannock-Details from the Regiment-Colonel Rush, with Companies " B" and " G," Rejoin-They march from Washington, and have a Skirmish at Occoquan.
T HE engagement on the 13th was extremely heavy 1862. on all parts of the field all day, and our lofs was Dec. 13th
very great. One advance made by General Hooker is thus defcribed by him, and confirms the feverity of the fighting :
"When the word was given, the men moved forward with great impetuofity: they ran and hurrahed, and I was encouraged by the great good-feeling that pervaded them. The head of the column advanced to within about fifteen or twenty yards of the ftone wall, which was the advanced pofition held by the rebels, when they were thrown back as quickly as they had advanced. Probably the whole of the advance did not occupy fif- teen minutes. Out of about four thoufand, they left behind them, on the field, feventeen hundred and fixty
II6
FREDERICKSBURG.
1862. of their number killed or wounded. The enemy held Dec. 13th. thefe pofitions with about thirty thoufand men. In ad- dition to the mufketry fire to which my men were ex- pofed, the crefts of the hills furrounding Frederickfburg formed almoft a femicircle, and thefe were filled with artillery, and the focus was the column that moved up to the affault, and was within good canifter range."
Repeated charges were made upon thefe formidable works. On the left, General Franklin was directed "to hold his whole command in pofition for a rapid movement down the old Richmond road, and to fend out one divifion below Smithfield, to feize the heights," &c. In his teftimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, he fays :
"I confulted with my Corps commanders about this order, as it was not what we expected, and concluded that it meant that there fhould be what is termed an armed reconnoiffance, or an obfervation in force made of the enemy's lines with one divifion, and that I fhould keep it well fupported, and keep the command in readi- nefs for a rapid movement along the Richmond road."
In confequence of a mifunderftanding between Gen- erals Burnfide and Franklin, the left grand divifion, though heavily engaged, was not exerting its energy in the direction defired. General Meade became engaged about II o'clock, and foon after Generals Doubleday, Gibbon, Birney, Sickles, and Newton, numbering about forty thoufand. About 3 o'clock, the rebels were driven
II7
FREDERICKSBURG.
back into the woods on the left, and though the attack- 1862. ing troops fuffered feverely, everything indicated that a Dec. 13th. ftrong effort made juft then would have been crowned with great fuccefs. We here captured fome four hun- dred prifoners. Darknefs came on about 5 o'clock, and the engagement ceafed.
General Franklin has received great cenfure for not vigoroufly fupporting General Meade's charge, and pufh- ing back the enemy's right, as it is claimed could have been done : this would have enabled us to have flanked their ftronger pofition on our centre and right. He was evidently fighting the enemy on his weak fide.
General Meade, in his teftimony, fays :
"The left grand divifion was compofed of about forty thoufand men of his own command, and additional troops, numbering fifteen or twenty thoufand, fent to him from the right, to which great objection was made by officers on that part of the field. In all, he had not lefs than fixty thoufand men under his command. The actual attack on our left was made by about ten thou- fand men. My divifion fucceeded in driving the enemy from all their advanced works, breaking through their lines, and occupying the heights: piercing their lines, and getting into the prefence of their referves. I had penetrated their lines fo far, that I had no fupport on either flank. The enemy concentrated their forces, and attacked me on my front and both flanks, and I was forced to fall back."
General Meade believes if we had held that pofition,
I18
FREDERICKSBURG.
1862. we would have been able to break the enemy's lines, and compel an evacuation of their line of works to the rear of Frederickfburg. He thinks the failure here owing entirely to the want of a large force in this attack.
Dec. 15th. No movement was made by the army during Sunday, nor on Monday, until late in the night, when, under cover of the darknefs, the army was withdrawn to the north bank of the river, and went into camp, and very foon after into winter quarters.
Dec. 18th.
On the 18th, part of Company "A" was detailed for duty with Profeffor Bache, Chief Engineer on the ftaff of General Franklin. About this time one company was placed on fafeguard duty along the river, a corporal's guard being ftationed at each houfe below Falmouth for four miles. One fquadron was fent to "Army Head- quarters ;" two companies were fent to General Rey- nolds; one to General Newton; three remained with General Franklin; while the balance went into camp near White Oak Church.
Colonel Rufh, with Companies "B" and "G," hav- ing marched from Frederick, Maryland, joined the balance of the regiment on the 24th of December.
Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, being detached as Provoft Marfhal of the left grand divifion, received authority to ufe the regiment in provoft duty.
In the Philadelphia Inquirer of January 8th, 1863, appears an account of the march of Colonel Rufh, with thefe two companies, from Wafhington, with the fol- lowing incident of the march :
"At the town of Occoquan, there is a ferry acrofs
119
SKIRMISH AT OCCOQUAN.
the Occoquan Creek, now much ufed for the croffing 1862. of army trains, futlers' wagons, &c. On Thurfday, the Dec. 18th. 18th inftant, the rebels captured a train of army wagons at that point, and partly deftroyed the boat, but did not move the remainder of the train from there until Friday, the 19th. On the morning of that day, one fmall fquadron of 'Rufh's Lancers' were marching under or- ders from General Heintzelman, in company with the 17th Pennfylvania Cavalry (a recruit regiment, and per- fectly green), to join the Army of the Potomac. The road being picketed from Alexandria to the Occoquan, and the pickets reporting to us that there was no enemy about, the march was made without anticipation of at- tack. On reaching the river, and when oppofite the town of Occoquan, the head of our column was at- tacked by carbineers, difmounted, in a wood. Colonel Rufh, by reference to his map, found that we could crofs the ftream at Snyder's Ford, two and a half miles above Occoquan; fo one battalion of the 17th was pofted to hold the enemy at the ferry, and the fquadron of Lan- cers immediately ftarted for the ford, with a view of croffing and capturing the rebels by getting to their rear. On arriving at the ford, we difcovered another body of. the enemy, one hundred and forty ftrong, drawn up in line on the oppofite fhore, being ftationed there to hold the ford. The advance of Lancers was fupported by the 17th Pennfylvania, and pufhed over the river under fire, when a brifk fkirmifh occurred. It lafted only for a few minutes, when the enemy fled, leaving two of their wounded, who were captured. In their flight, the enemy threw away their arms, many of which were
120
CHANGES, PROMOTIONS, ETC.
1862. picked up by our men. We purfued them to Occoquan Dec. 19th. fo quickly, that twelve of the wagons they had captured the evening before, with horfes and harnefs complete, were retaken by us, and brought fafely to the Army Headquarters. Colonel Rufh fent fcouting parties in all directions, fome of whom preffed the enemy fo clofely, that they fired the portion of the train yet in their pof- feffion and efcaped."
The following is a lift of changes, promotions, &c., made in the Staff and Line to this date :
Captain George W. Clymer, Company "G," was promoted and muftered as Major, to date from March 29th, 1862.
Lieutenant Auguftus F. Bertolett refigned April 15th, 1862, in confequence of preffing bufinefs engagements.
Sergeant A. D. Price appointed Second Lieutenant, and muftered as fuch from April 22d, 1862.
Sergeant-Major A. P. Morrow, appointed Second Lieutenant Company "B," March Ift, 1862; captured by the rebel General Stuart, June 17th, 1862; taken to Richmond, and confined in Libby prifon, where he re- mained until Auguft 28th, when exchanged. He was promoted Firft Lieutenant Company "C" at Frederick, Maryland, November 9th, 1862.
Chaplain Wafhington B. Erben refigned July 18th, 1862, while the regiment was lying at Harrifon's Land- ing, in confequence of difeafe contracted in the fwamps of the Chickahominy. He had been faithful in his fer- vice, had held religious meetings whenever the exigen-
121
CHANGES, PROMOTIONS, ETC.
cies of the fervice would permit, and diftributed many 1862. tracts and religious papers. At the formation of the December. regiment, every man was prefented with a pocket copy of the New Teftament, furnifhed by the Philadelphia Bible Society. A fmall foldier's library, the gift of St. Andrew's Epifcopal Church, of which Colonel Rufh was a member, was alfo diftributed by the Chaplain. The general experience of the Chaplain was, "That fo long as the regiment was in camp, he was able to hold religious fervices with fome degree of regularity, and to maintain a fatisfactory perfonal intercourfe with the men ; but after the regiment took the field, the cavalry was kept in fuch conftant motion, the fquadrons were fo often on detached duty, and the men were worked fo hard, and fo excited, that his opportunities for religious inftruction or intercourfe with the foldiers became very irregular. Thefe hindrances to a proper religious influ- ence upon the men, together with ficknefs, led to his refignation."
Captain Jofeph Wright died May 18th, 1862, at Wilkefbarre, Pennfylvania.
George W. Pepper was commiffioned Second Lieu- tenant of Company "H," in October, 1862. He ferved with the regiment during the Frederickfburg campaign, and participated in Stoneman's raid in the fpring of 1863. In confequence of an injury received by falling with his horfe, he was compelled to refign, and was difcharged on furgeon's certificate of difability, May 22d, 1863.
Sergeant E. P. Bertrand was commiffioned and muf- tered as Second Lieutenant of Company "A," Novem- ber Ift, 1862.
16
I22
CHANGES, PROMOTIONS, ETC.
1862. Second Lieutenant Edwin L. Teirs, promoted Firft December. Lieutenant of Company "L," November Ift, 1862. On the 15th of January, 1863, he received a fevere in- jury by his horfe falling with him, was allowed fick leave, and after fix months' abfence under medical treat- ment, went to Baltimore for examination before a Med- ical Board. As a long time muft elapfe before he would be fit for duty, the Board recommended his honorable difcharge from the fervice.
Charles B. Coxe, commiffioned and muftered Second Lieutenant Company "M," November, 1862.
CHAPTER TENTH.
A General Advance-Winter Campaign-" Burnfide's Mud March"-Burnfide's Farewell Address to the Army-Belle Plain-The Cavalry Reviewed by President Lincoln- Opening of the Spring Campaign-Colonel Ruf leaves the Regiment and Field Service-Major Robert Morris, fr.
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