History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 80

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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The death of a dispatch bearer at A Sad Green Ridge, in Codorus Town- Story. ship, was one of the most unfortu- nate events of the Confederate invasion of 1863. At II A. M. of June 29, General Meade, with his headquarters in the

saddle between Frederick and Union Bridge, wrote out an extended report of his plan of operations and the position of his different corps then moving eastward to- ward Gettysburg, Hanover and Manches- ter. This courier was entrusted with the important duty of transmitting Meade's dis- patches to General Halleck, the head of the army at Washington. He entered the lower end of York County and reached the village of Marburg, four and a half miles southwest of Hanover, at 9 P. M., where he halted for supper. As the telegraph lines had been cut in western Maryland, this dispatch bearer was carrying his message to Glen Rock, where it was supposed a line was still open to Baltimore and Washington.

After leaving Marburg, he moved east- ward and seems to have lost his way, when he approached Green Ridge. Not knowing which road to take for Glen Rock, he stopped at the farm house of George Bair, and called for the occupants to show him the way. It was now midnight and the af- frighted farmer, who did not understand English, thinking the soldier in front of him was one of the enemy, he shot and instantly killed the dispatch bearer who fell from his horse. His remains were interred in the burying ground at Stone Church in Codorus Township. A few months afterward, the father arrived and had the remains removed to the home of the soldier in New York state. Mr. Bair, in great distress, surren- dered himself to the military authorities and was taken to Hanover and later to Freder- ick, Maryland, where he was tried by a mil- itary court and acquitted of any crime. The dispatch which the soldier carried was found on his person after his death, sent to the War Department at Washington and appears in full in the "War of Rebellion," Series I, Volume 27, Part I, pages 66-67.

The importance of the engagement at Hanover is magnified by the fact that the troops on both sides were led by the most distinguished cavalry officers of the Civil war. The following biographies give de- tailed accounts of the acts and deeds of these illustrious men :

GENERAL HUGH JUDSON KILPAT- RICK, commander of the Third Division of Union cavalry at the battle of Hanover, was born of Scotch-Irish parentage near Deck- ertown, New Jersey, January 14, 1836. He

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was graduated from the United States Mili- tary Academy at West Point in 1861, in the same class with General Custer. On May 9 of the same year he was appointed captain of volunteers and commanded his company at the battle of Big Bethel, the first engage- ment of the Civil War, where he was wounded and disabled from service for sev- eral months. In August, 1861, he assisted in recruiting a New York cavalry regiment of which he became lieutenant colonel. . In 1862 he engaged in skirmishes near Fal- mouth, the movement to Thoroughfare Gap and raids on the Virginia Central rail- road. He was conspicuous for his gallantry in the second battle of Bull Run, and com- manded a brigade of cavalry on an expedi- tion against Leesburg in September, 1862. With the rank of colonel, he commanded a brigade of cavalry on Stoneman's famous raid toward Richmond, extending from April 13 to May 2, 1863. In this movement he displayed remarkable courage and dash which afterwards distinguished him as one of the greatest cavalry leaders in the Civil war. After Chancellorsville he commanded a brigade at the battle of Aldie when the Potomac Army was preparing for its move- ment in pursuit of Lee, who was moving toward Pennsylvania. When the army ar- rived at Frederick, he was raised to the rank of brigadier general and placed in command of the Third Division of Meade's cavalry corps. . After leaving Hanover he was en- gaged with the enemy near Gettysburg on the morning of July 3. On the movement toward Virginia he was engaged in constant fighting at Smithsburg, Hagerstown, Boons- borough and Falling Waters. In the oper- ations in Central Virginia, from August to November, 1863, he commanded his cavalry division, and took part in an expedition to destroy the enemy's gunboats "Satellite" and "Reliance" in Rappahannock river, the action at Culpeper on September 13, and the subsequent skirmish at Somerville Ford, the fights at James City and Brandy Station, and in the movement to Centreville and the action of October 19 at Gainsville. In March, 1864, he was engaged in a raid to- ward Richmond and through the Peninsula, in which he destroyed much property and had many encounters with the enemy, be- ginning with the action at Ashland on March I. In May, 1864, General Kilpatrick

took part in the invasion of Georgia as com- mander of a cavalry division of the Army of the Cumberland, and was engaged in the action at Ringgold and in the operations around Balton until, on May 13, he was se- verely wounded at the battle of Resaca. His injuries kept him out of the field till the latter part of July, when he returned to Georgia, and was engaged in guarding the communications of General Sherman's army and in making raids, which were attended with much severe fighting. He displayed such zeal and confidence in destroying the railroad at Fairburn that Sherman sus- pended a general movement of the army to enable him to break up the Macon road, in the hope of thus forcing Hood to evacuate Atlanta. Kilpatrick set out on the night of August 18, 1864, and returned on the 22d with prisoners and a captured gun and bat- tle-flags, having made the circuit of Atlanta, torn up three miles of railroad at Jonesbor- ough, and encountered a division of infantry and a brigade of cavalry. In the march to the sea he participated in skirmishes at Wal- nut Creek, Sylvan Grove, Rocky Creek, and Waynesboro. In the invasion of the Caro- linas his division was engaged at Salke- hatchie, South Carolina, on February 3, 1865; near Aiken on February II ; at Mon- roe's Cross Roads, North Carolina, on March 10; near Raleigh on April 12; at Morristown on April 13, and in other ac- tions and skirmishes. He was brevetted colonel in the regular army for bravery at Resaca, and on March 13, 1865, received the brevet of brigadier general for the capture of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and that of major general for service's throughout the Carolina campaign. He commanded a di- vision of the cavalry corps in the military division of Mississippi from April to June, 1865, was promoted major general of volun- teers on June 18, 1865, and resigned his vol- unteer commission on January 1, 1866. He was a popular general, inspiring confidence in the soldiers under his command, and gained a high reputation as a daring, bril- liant and successful cavalry leader. He re- signed his commission in the regular army in 1867. In 1865 he had been appointed minister to Chili by President Johnson, and he was recalled in 1868. He then devoted himself chiefly to lecturing, and took an active interest in politics as an effective plat-

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form speaker on the Republican side. In

campaign, he was appointed brigadier gen- 1872 he supported Horace Greeley, but re- eral of volunteers, dating June 29, 1863, and turned to his former party in 1876, and in 1880 was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress in New Jersey. In March, 1881, President Garfield appointed him again to the post of minister to Chili. He died at Valparaiso, Chili, December 4, 1881. In October, 1887, his remains were brought to the United States and buried near the tomb of General Custer at West Point. While on his lecture tours, he twice visited Hanover and York. Many of the facts found in the preceding narrative of the battle of Hanover were obtained from a personal interview with him.

assigned to duty at Frederick, Maryland, as commander of the Michigan brigade, which he led as the Union troops entered Hanover on the morning of June 30, 1863. After leaving Hanover on July 3, General Custer's brigade was temporarily assigned to Gregg's cavalry division and took a leading part in the great cavalry fight on the Rummel farm near Gettysburg, where he won distinction for gallantry. In this he assisted Gregg in defeating General Stuart's efforts to turn the right flank of the Union army. General Custer was wounded at Culpeper Court House. In 1864, in command of his Michi- gan brigade, he led Sheridan's cavalry forces in the dash towards Richmond and received recognition from the war depart- ment at Washington for gallant and meri- torious services at the battle of Yellow Tav- ern, May 11, 1864, where Stuart, the Con- federate cavalry leader, was killed. At the battle of Trevillion on the second movement toward Richmond, General Custer saved the colors of his regiment by tearing them from the standard, held in the hands of a dying

GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER, who at the age of 23 commanded the Michigan brigade at the battle of Hanover, was born at New Rumley, Harrison County, Ohio, December, 1839, and had a brilliant military history. He was graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June, 1861, was assigned to duty as lieutenant in the Fifth cavalry, and took part in the first battle of Bull Run. For a time he served on the staff of General Kearny and later of W. F. Smith. While color sergeant, and concealed the flag in his

on this duty he was given charge of the bosom. On October 19, he was promoted to the rank of major general of volunteers in the Union army for gallantry in action in the battles of Winchester and Fisher's Hill. In command of the Third Division of cav- alry he defeated his former West Point classmate, General Rosser, at Woodstock, October 9, and drove the enemy twenty-six miles, capturing everything but one gun. In the spring of 1865 the Third Division under Custer fought the battle of Waynes- boro. He defeated the enemy, capturing eleven guns, 200 wagons, 1,600 prisoners and seventeen battle flags, thus demoraliz- ing the opposing army. He served under Sheridan in the movement south- west of Richmond, and for merito- rious services in the battles of Five balloon ascensions. to make reconnois- sances. In May, 1862, General George B. McClellan was so impressed with the energy and perseverance that he showed in wading the Chickahominy alone, to ascertain what would be a safe ford for the army to cross, and with his courage in reconnoitering the enemy's position while on the other side, that he was appointed aide-de-camp, with the rank of captain. Captain Custer applied at once for permission to attack the picket post he had just discovered, and at daylight the next morning surprised the enemy, drove them back, capturing some prisoners and the first colors that were taken by the Army of the Potomac. After General Mc- Clellan's retirement from command of the army, Captain Custer was discharged from Forks and Dinwiddie Court House was brevetted brigadier general in the regular army. Custer was present with his Michigan division at the surrender of Lee April 9, 1865. In addressing his own troops the day Lee surrendered, General Custer said: "During the past six months, his volunteer appointment and returned to his regiment as lieutenant. He had served there but a short time when General Alfred Pleasanton, on May 15, 1863, made him aide-de-camp on his staff. For daring gal- lantry in a skirmish at Aldie and in the ac- tion at Brandy Station, as well as in the though in most instances confronted by su- closing operations of the Rappahannock perior numbers, you have captured from the

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enemy in open battle III pieces of field ar- lantry at the battle of Chancellorsville. tillery, sixty-five battle flags and 10,000 prisoners, including seven general officers."

After the close of the Civil war General Custer took command of the Seventh cav- alry and served on the western frontier. In 1871 he defeated the Indians at the battle of Washita, Indian Territory. In May, 1876, General Custer in command of the Seventh cavalry was sent on an expedition against the Sioux Indians in Dakota. He arrived at their village along the Little Big Horn river. His entire force numbered only I, 100 men, while the Indians, most of whom were armed, exceeded 9,000. While ap- proaching the Indian village, with 275 men, General Custer and his entire command were slain. This was the sad end of one of the ablest and most brilliant cavalry officers of American history. The officers and men were buried on the spot where they were slain. In 1877 the remains of General Cus- ter were removed to the cemetery at West Point on the Hudson.

Elizabeth Bacon, whom he married in 1864, accompanied him during the last year of the Civil war, and was with him during his nine years of service in the western frontier. In 1885 she wrote and published a book of rare literary merit, entitled "Boots and Saddles, or Life with General Custer in Dakota."

GENERAL ELON J. FARNSWORTH, who commanded the Second Brigade of Kilpatrick's division at the battle of Han- over, was born at Green Oak, Livingston County, Michigan. He was educated in the public schools and spent one year at the University of Michigan, after which he · served in the quartermaster's department of the army during the Utah expedition of that year.

In 1861 he became assistant quartermas- ter of the Eighth Illinois cavalry, which his uncle was then organizing. He was soon promoted to captain, and in 1862 took part in various battles in the Peninsula campaign on McClellan's march toward Richmond. He was also conspicuous for his gallantry at the Second Battle of Bull Run, and for mer- itorious services was promoted in May, 1863, to the rank of colonel, and placed on the staff of General Pleasanton, command- ing the entire cavalry force in the Army of the Potomac. He won distinction for gal-

General Meade took charge of the Army of the Potomac at Frederick, Maryland, on June 28, 1863. Colonel Farnsworth was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and put in command of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Pleasanton's cavalry corps.

He took a leading part in the engagement at Hanover, was in the thickest of the fight with Kilpatrick at Hunterstown July 2, and while leading his brigade on July 3, was in- stantly killed near Little Round Top in the battle of Gettysburg. General Farnsworth was universally popular, and his untimely death at the age of 27 years was deeply la- mented by the entire army.

GENERAL J. E. B. STUART, who com- manded the cavalry corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, was born in Patrick County, Virginia, February 6, 1833. He was educated at Emory and Henry College, and graduated from West Point in 1854. He served in the western territories against the Indians and was wounded in an action against the Cheyenne tribe, on Solomon's river, in 1857. He was then a lieutenant in the First United States cavalry. Having invented a sabre attachment, he had gone to Washington in 1859 to sell the right to the war department, and was then sent with the forces under Colonel Robert E. Lee to quell the insurrection at Harper's Ferry and there identified John Brown. In May, 1861, he resigned from the regular army and ac- cepted the position of lieutenant colonel of a regiment of Virginia infantry which had joined the Confederacy. Soon afterward he was made colonel of a regiment of cavalry which guarded the left flank of Stonewall Jackson's force at the first battle of Bull Run.

After taking part in several cavalry skir- mishes, he was made brigadier general in September, 1861. He commanded a cav- alry division which guarded the rear of Joseph E. Johnston's army when it fell back from Yorktown toward Richmond and was followed by McClellan with the Army of the Potomac in the Peninsula campaign of 1862. In the middle of June, General Stuart with a division of mounted men, moved to the flank of Mcclellan's army, and passed en- tirely around its rear, in order to ascertain the disposition of the Federal troops. Dur- ing the Seven Days' Battle, he was continu-

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ously engaged, and for his military achieve- ments, was made a major general of cavalry.

1864, attempted to make a raid into Rich- mond, he was boldly met by General Stuart On August 22, after the Potomac army had moved northward, Stuart, in a bold raid. penetrated General John Pope's camp at Catlett's station, captured his official corre- who concentrated his force at Yellow Tav- ern, a few miles from the city. In this bat- tle, Stuart was mortally wounded. Next to the death of Albert Sydney Johnston at spondence and personal effects, and made Shiloh, and Stonewall Jackson at Chancel- prisoners of several officers of his staff. He lorsville, his death was the severest loss in- was present at the second battle of Bull Run flicted upon the Confederacy during the Civil War. He died at the age of 31. In 1855, he married Flora, daughter of Colonel Philip St. George Cooke. For thirty years after the Civil War, Mrs. Stuart conducted a female seminary under the direction of the Episcopal Church at Staunton, Virginia. and led the advance of Stonewall Jackson's army on the march toward Antietam where he guarded Jackson's left in the great battle which followed, in September, 1862. A few weeks later, with 1800 picked men, he made a raid into Pennsylvania as far north as Mercersburg to divert the Potomac army in its pursuit of Lee in Virginia. He again passed around the rear of Mcclellan's army, crossing the Potomac below Harper's Ferry.

In May, 1863, at the battle of Chancellors- ville he protected Stonewall Jackson's march to the right of the Union army. After Jackson was mortally wounded in this battle Stuart directed its movements on the following day. When it was decided by the Confederate government that Lee should again invade Maryland and Pennsylvania, Stuart was placed in command of the entire cavalry corps composed of six brigades, three of which remained with Lee on the northern movement. With the consent of the commander-in-chief, leading the other three brigades, he crossed the Potomac at Rowser's Ford to make a bold raid along the right flank of the Army of the Potomac on its movement toward Frederick, Mary- land. The story of this movement is told in the preceding narrative. The wisdom of it will always be disputed by military critics.

He commanded the cavalry which at- tempted to turn the Union right at Gettys- burg, but was defeated by Gregg's division on July 3, in what is sometimes called the hardest cavalry fight of the Civil War. He again showed his remarkable ability as a

In 1861, he joined the Confederacy and organized Hampton's Legion, composed of artillery, infantry and cavalry. He was present at the first battle of Bull Run, and was under Johnston in the Peninsula cam- paign, where he lost half his legion at the battle of Seven Pines. In the fall of 1862. Hampton was made a brigadier general of cavalry leader by evading Kilpatrick at Cul- cavalry and placed in command of a brigade peper, then retired from Buford at Jack's Shop, after a severe conflict, but soon after- ward forced back the entire Union cavalry in a brilliant saber charge at Brandy Station, Virginia. In the campaign of 1864, when Grant was moving on Richmond from the Rapidan, Stuart protected the flank of Hill's corps. When General Sheridan, in May,

GENERAL WADE HAMPTON, who commanded one of the brigades of Stuart's cavalry at Hanover, was born at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1818. He was a grand- son of General Wade Hampton, commander of an American force on the northern fron- tier in the War of 1812, and who was later the owner of 3000 slaves, being then rated as the wealthiest southern planter in the United States. His father, Wade Hampton, was inspector general and aide to General Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, in January, 1815. General Wade Hampton was graduated from the University of South Carolina, and at the death of his father in 1858, succeeded to the ownership of the Hampton homestead near Columbia, South Carolina. Early in life he made a speech in the state legislature against the re-open- ing of the slave trade in America, which the New York Tribune declared to be a "mas- terpiece of logic directed by the noblest sentiments of the Christian and patriot."

in General Stuart's corps. He was famous for his gallantry at the battle of Chancellors- ville, and on Stuart's movement through Maryland, on the approach to Hanover, his brigade bringing up the rear, commanded the long wagon train which had been cap- tured a few days before. When he arrived he took position southeast of town, and re-

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mained there until the Confederate forces Confederacy and was made an aide on the withdrew toward Jefferson and Dover. At staff of General Richard S. Ewell, as a lieu- Gettysburg, his brigade stood the brunt of tenant colonel and later colonel of the First the fight along the left of the Confederate line, in the contest with Gregg's cavalry, when General Hampton was three times wounded. In this battle, twenty-one out of twenty-three field officers of his brigade were either killed or wounded. For gal- lantry he was promoted to the rank of major general of cavalry.

In May, 1864, in command of a division, he met and repulsed Sheridan at Trevillian when the latter made a bold dash toward Richmond for the purpose of capturing that city. In twenty-three days of this cam- paign, General Hampton captured 3000 prisoners, losing 719 of his own men. After the death of General Stuart, he was placed in command of Lee's cavalry with the rank of lieutenant general. Later in the war, he was assigned to Johnston's army, endeavor- ing to impede the progress of Sherman through the Carolinas. He was one of the ablest soldiers of the Civil war who was not a graduate of West Point.

After the war, General Hampton be- came reconciled to the situation, and dur- ing the reconstruction period, advocated in the south a conciliatory policy. In 1876, he was elected governor of South Carolina, and from 1879 to 1891 served in the United States Senate, of which he was one of the most conspicuous members. From 1893 to 1897, he was United States commissioner of railroads at Washington, D. C. General Hampton was a man of large stature, dig- nified and courteous manners, and repre- sented the aristocracy of the south during . 1885. the palmy days before the Civil War. He died on his plantation near Columbia, South Carolina, April II, 1902, at the age of 84.

GENERAL FITZHUGH LEE, who commanded a Virginia brigade under Stu- art in the battle of Hanover, was born No- vember 19, 1835, in Fairfax County, Vir- ginia, and was a grandson of General Lee, known as "Light Horse Harry," who com- manded the Virginia cavalry in the Revolu- tion under Washington. He was graduated at West Point in 1856. He first was as- signed to duty in the west, was wounded by the Indians, and then returned to West Point, where he was instructor of cavalry, at the opening of the war. He joined the

Virginia cavalry. He participated in all the campaign of the Army of Northern Virginia, on the Peninsula, second battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. July 25, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. During the early part of 1863, General Lee was assigned to the com- mand of a Virginia brigade. He occupied the right of Stuart's forces on the move- ment from Union Mills to Hanover and took position a short distance west of the town. Late in the afternoon of June 30, a part of his brigade was engaged with Cus- ter's Michigan cavalry southwest of Han- over. After the defeat of the Confederates at Hanover, Lee was sent forward and guarded the captured wagon train in the movement through Jefferson, Dover to Dillsburg, when it was turned over to Hampton's brigade.

Lee was present with Stuart at the great cavalry fight on July 3. at Gettysburg. September 3, 1863, he was made major gen- eral. At the battle of Winchester, Septem- ber 19, 1864, three horses were shot under him and he was disabled by a wound. In March, 1865, he was put in command of the whole cavalry corps of the Army of North- ern Virginia, and a month later, surrendered to Meade at Farmville, after which he re- tired to his home in Stafford County, Vir- ginia.

In 1874, he made a patriotic speech at Bunker Hill which attracted wide attention. He was elected governor of Virginia in At the opening of the Spanish- American War, he offered his services to President Mckinley and was at once com- missioned a brigadier general in the regular army. A month later, he was promoted to the rank of major general and placed in charge of the forces at Atlanta, Georgia. When the American forces were ordered by the government to take possession of the island of Cuba, General Lee landed near Havana with an army of 30,000 men, and laid siege to the city, which was evacu- ated without bloodshed. The entire Span- ish army of over 40,000 men was permitted to sail out of the harbor for Spain. His po- sition during the Spanish-American War, exercised a beneficial influence on American

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 80

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372