USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, together with a complete roster of the regiment and regimental officers > Part 4
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It was confidently expected that Richmond would be taken and the war ended by the end of the 4th of July; many were hopeful to be again at their homes before the summer ended. Little did they know the future, and 'tis well. The picnic soldier- ing at the White House came to an abrupt end with the famous Stuart raid on the 13th of June. On the morning of that day, Captain Cornog, with his company (B), was sent up the river on a scout, with instructions to communicate with Captain Royall. of the Fifth United States Cavalry, who was in command of the outlying picket of the right wing of our army, having his head- quarters at Old Church in Hanover County. When Captain Cornog arrived at Old Church Captain Royall informed him all
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was quiet along his front, and the captain started on his return to the camp. Soon after, Captain Royall was attacked by a force of 1,200 cavalry under General J. E. B. Stuart, and his small force of four companies, numbering less than 150 effective men, was overwhelmed and compelled to fall back to the cav- - alry camp between Bethseda Church and Mechanicsville. After driving Captain Royall's command from Old Church and de- stroying his camp, the object of the raid was accomplished, and Stuart was instructed to return; but was given permission to make the circuit of our army if he thought the scheme feasible. This was just suited to a man of Stuart's courage and energy, so, : after refreshing man and horse from the captured rations and . forage, he headed his columns for Tunstall's Station, on the . Richmond and York River Railroad, about seven miles from . White House. En route, a number of officers and enlisted men on their way to the front were captured, also a number of wagons loaded with army stores. Among the enlisted men captured . was Corporal Carson, one of Captain Cornog's rear guard, whom General Stuart closely questioned concerning affairs at White House-the number of gunboats, troops, etc. Carson told Stuart all he knew on these points, and unwittingly deceived Stuart. When Company B left in the morning, a brigade or more of the Pennsylvania Reserves were encamped near White House, but moved on soon after the departure of Captain Cor- nog for Old Church. Carson's story was confirmed by a num- ber of teamsters who had also left before the Reserves. If General Stuart had any design upon our position at White House, Carson's statement doubtless caused him to desist.
Captain Cornog, finding that a large force of the enemy's cavalry was in his rear, hurried to White House, gave the alarm, and Lieutenant-colonel Ingalls, commanding the post, imme- diately began preparations to receive the enemy.
The organized military force at hand was four companies of the Eleventh, a battery of light artillery, and part of two infantry regiments, numbering about 600 effective men. In ad- dition to these, there were about 250 hospital convalescents, some returning guards, a number of civilian employees, and citizens armed with muskets, making a total of over 900 men. The gunboats steamed up to the landing, and were put in posi- tion to sweep the plain, a signal officer was posted upon the top of the White House to direct their fire, and Colonel Harlan, . with Companies D, I, and K, was sent toward Tunstall's.
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It was a bright moonlight night, beautiful in its brightness, too beautiful to be disturbed, but an attack upon our position was expected momentarily. Stuart decided to use the moonlight for another purpose. He arrived at Tunstall's about sundown, and his advance guard captured the station guard, consisting of a lieutenant and twenty men. Learning from some of the cap- tured guards that a train bound for the front was soon due, preparations were at once begun to effect its capture. The switch was locked and all attempts to break the lock failed. The raiders then began to place obstructions on the track. While they were at work the train came in sight, but the engineer, seeing their design, put on full steam, swept the obstacles from the track, and escaped. The raiders fired on the train as it passed through, killing and wounding eight men. By this time, scouts informed Stuart that a force of Union cavalry and in- fantry was rapidly nearing Tunstall's, and immediately he re- sumed his march along wretched roads to Forge Bridge on the lower Chickahominy, where he arrived next morning at daybreak. The bridge was gone, and the river bank full, so he put all hands at work tearing down a large warehouse near by for material with which to build a new bridge. Aware that theirs was a critical position, the raiders bent all their energies to the task. and by I P. M. were across the river. When our pursuing column arrived at the river an hour later, the bridge and the chance of capturing a part, at least, of Stuart's command was gone. Horace Greeley. in his history of the Rebellion, says of this raid: "This was the first of the notable cavalry raids of the war. tempting many imitations, some of them brilliant in design and execution, some of them damaging to the adverse party, others disastrous to their executors."
Next morning Colonel Harlan, with a detachment of Com- pany K, was sent to Garlick's Landing, about seven miles up the river, on an investigating trip. On the way there, a force of cavalry was seen coming from the opposite direction; each party took the other to be rebels and prepared for battle, but fortun- ately the mistake was discovered in time. The cavalry was the advance guard of the Eighth Illinois, which was in pursuit of Stuart. After an exchange of courtesies. each commander went his way.
A quartermaster had established a depot at Garlick's for advantageous reasons, and when Stuart arrived on the opposite bank, he sent over two squadrons to destroy whatever property
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they could find belonging to the Union. Two schooners loaded with quarterinasters' stores, forage piled near the landing, and thirty Government wagons were burned. A sergeant of the Eightieth Pennsylvania and a civilian in Government employ were killed by the enemy.
After making a general survey of the situation and burying the dead, Colonel Harlan returned to camp. Captain Ackerly, with the balance of the company, came up during the morning hours and pillaged the sutler's wares for dinner. It was like picnicing in the country. In the afternoon the sutler himself appeared. He was enraged and threatened to make the officers of Company K make good his entire loss; but the men jeered him, and he soon left. Nothing came from his threats. Toward evening Captain Ackerly, with his command, returned to camp. The road as far as Tunstalls was strewn with the wreckage of half-burned wagons and their contents, the leavings of the enemy. From the 14th to the 28th, when White House was abandoned. the Eleventh was kept busy picketing and scouting. On the night of the 15th Captain Ackerly was sent to Cumberland Landing, five miles below White House, to assist in repelling a raid which rumor said was to be made on Government stores left there when the army had advanced up the peninsula. A gunboat was at the landing ready to receive the expected raiders and Captain Ackerly came near being warmly welcomed. When the captain came within range of the gunboat's guns. supposing the command to be Confederate. they were about to fire upon them with grape and canister. Fortunately the error was discovered in time and what might have been a serious affair was averted. The rumor proved to be unfounded and Captain Ackerly returned to camp next day.
About this time Lieutenant Buttz, with a detail of twenty men from different companies was sent to Garlick's Landing to do picket duty. and remained there until the 28th.
From the day after Stuart's raid until the 28th there was ceaseless vigilance. General Casey was sent from the front to take command of the post at White House Landing with an adequate force for its defense in case of another raid. On the 26th. Lee attacked Mcclellan's right flank near Ellerson's Mill. beginning the famous Seven Days' battles in which the Union forces repulsed the rebels by day, and retreated by night until they were safe under the protection of the naval force at Harri- son's Landing on the James River.
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The 28th of June was a memorable one in the history of the Eleventh. On that day Mcclellan cut loose from his base of supplies at White House Landing, and burned the stores there gathered. For several days previous to the 28th, the affairs at the Landing appeared ominous, supplies ceased to come up the river. Signs of abandonment were in evidence on every side. On the morning of the 28th orders were given to break camp and be ready to move immediately, for the enemy was expected. The Eleventh was soon ready to move, but the morning wore away without receiving marching orders. In the afternoon one of the gunboats fired a shell toward the bluffs to get the range: the shell went shrieking over the camp and burst about a mile away. One of the sutlers, thinking the report of the bursting shell was an answer from the enemy, fled hastily to the mail boat which lay at the wharf with steam up, ready to start. In his haste to flee he left hat, coat, vest, pocket-book, but his colored steward, with more self-possession than his master, gathered up the things he left,-not the wares, the men of the Eleventh did that. During the afternoon all the Govern- ment and sutler's stores were fired. The infantry and quarter- master's nien embarked on transports and all the water-craft except the gunboats dropped down stream. The latter remained until next day.
About 7 P. M., the cavalry, consisting of the Eleventh, de- tachments of the Fifth United States and Sixth Pennsylvania, and two batteries of artillery under the command of General Stoneman. left for Williamsburg. When the command arrived at St. Peter's Church, it was formed in line and remained until after dark, when the march was resumed. This was the first long march, also the first night march the five companies of the Eleventh had undertaken, and it occasioned no little trouble to keep the men on the move and the column closed up. Halt was made at Statersville for breakfast, and after a good rest the march was resumed. Williamsburg was reached in the after- · noon, and the Eleventh went into camp across the road from William and Mary College.
The days were intensely hot. causing much suffering among the men who were unused to long marches. A violent rain- storm came up in the evening, thoroughly drenching the men, which added to the discomfort. The camp ground had been used by the rebels, who had left an abundance of graybacks to bid us welcome. nor could the pests be gotten rid of until the
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men were settled in winter quarters the following autumn. This was the first meeting with the army graybacks,-not the best · of company, though quite entertaining in their way.
Colonel Harlan's services as commanding officers of the - Eleventh practically ended soon after the regiment arrived at :Wil- liamsburg, being detailed on court-martial duty, and on the 19th : of the following August was mustered out of service. It was . reported at the time that Colonel Harlan's muster out was due to General Stoneman, the colonel having incurred the general's displeasure during the retreat from White House.
Evidently the people of Williamsburg had expected some of . Lee's men to re-occupy the town and had prepared to receive them with true Virginian hospitality, and had prepared a large amount of picnic victuals. But no conquering army gladdened the hearts of the waiting people, and their delicacies were destined „to spoil on their hands. So, before noon, on the 4th, the camp .. of the Eleventh was thronged with colored people selling all sorts .. of edibles. The men were short of Uncle Sam's money, but had lots of fac-simile Confederate bills. The darkies, ignorant of the character of the money, sold their goods, giving genuine i money wherever change was needed. The provisions intended for Lee's men made a good dinner for the men, and happiness reigned in camp. When the darkies returned with the money from the sale of the provisions, the bogus bills were at once detected and they were sent back to exchange them for good money, but not being able to identify any to whom they had i made sales, crestfallen, were compelled to again return to their .. masters.
Much has been said, pro and con, about the burning of . William and Mary College, which occurred during the fall of 1862. The burning of this venerable building followed a ight between the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry and Holcomb's Carolina Tigers in the streets of Williamsburg. The college was used by the enemy as a fort, and after driving them out of the town, the college was burned-an act incident to warfare. The men of the Fifth and Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry had little love for William and Mary College, but regarded it as the pro- moter of secession doctrines. Its president, professors, students. and alumni, such as were able to bear arms, were in the Con- federate army; while nearly all who were barred from military · duty were giving aid and comfort to the enemy in every pos- · sible way. So, when the opportunity came, the old college was
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fired without any regret. General Meade has been freely quoted by the Southern press condemning the destruction of the college building as an act of vandalism, but his knowledge of the affair was gathered front prejudiced sources, for at the time General Meade was with his command in Maryland. After the burning a spirited correspondence was carried on between Generals Dix and Wise. Severe accusations were made by General Wise, but General Dix replied that the burning was done during the excitement incident to a raid. Williamsburg was in General Dix's department and evidently he was satisfied that the burning was justifiable, for the whole matter was dropped.
Life at Williamsburg was easy and free, duties were light- very little drill and the usual routine of camp duty. On the 30th the Eleventh moved to Burnt Ordinary. Major Butler was placed in command of the camp, Colonel Harlan and Major Stet- zel both being on court-martial duty. The Eleventh continued to picket and scout the roads leading up the peninsula, with re- serves at Barhamsville, six miles above Burnt Ordinary, and another at Drascund Bridge, out toward the Chickahominy. Lax discipline soon bore fruit at Burnt Ordinary. The country was roamed over at will during the day and several times during the night. A number of venturesome spirits rode within the enemy's lines. Complaints of lawless acts were brought to Major Butler, who imposed a more severe discipline and cur- tailed roving desires. He ordered a detail of 120 men for guard duty, and about 30 more were placed around the camp with strict orders to allow no man to leave the camp without a pass from the commanding officer. There were hardly more than 300 men for duty in the five companies. This heavy detail for camp duty together with other necessary details such as pickets, stable guards, etc., caused a great deal of discontent, which finally ended in open mutiny of Company F on August 8th.
On that day Lieutenant Roberts, who was officer of the day, saw a mounted man pass one of the sentinels unchallenged and immediately ordered the arrest of the sentry. General Butler ordered him to stand on a barrel in a blazing August sun when the heat registered 90 degrees in the shade. The sentry was a Company F man, whose comrades soon became as hot as the weather over the affair, until. finally, twenty-two of them, with their arins, marched to the field. took their comrade off the barrel and escorted him to his quarters. Companies I and K were at once ordered to arrest the mutineers, but being in full
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sympathy with Company F they were exceedingly loth to obey, and for a while it looked as if the mutiny would extend to these companies also. After considerable parleying all except one of Company I and three of Company K obeyed the order-these - were sent to Williamsburg and lodged in the old slave jail over night. The jail was crowded and they suffered intensely from the stifling heat and vermin.
The mutineers were sent to Fortress Monroe the next day, where it was expected that the full penalty of the law would be theirs.
A day or two later Major Stetzel came from Williamsburg and ordered a dress parade, at the close of which he read a paper setting forth the extent of the mutiny, claiming that nothing but blood upon the field of battle could wipe out the blot thus made upon the name of the regiment-a somewhat overdrawn piece of sentiment.
Soon after the mutiny Major Butler was relieved and better harmony was engendered. Discipline was restored, the camp guard was abolished, but with a mutual understanding there should be no repetition of the acts which had produced the un- pleasant affair. On the 15th the regiment was agreeably sur- prised by the arrival of Lieutenant-colonel Spear, who brought with him the censured men, who were immediately restored to duty and the affair closed.
We here give a brief sketch of the doings of the five Suffolk companies from the time of their departure from Camp Hamilton. Private Shirley, of Company G, in his diary says: "On the 23d of May Colonel Spear, with companies G and L, started on a scout to South Mills, N. C., and bivouaced that night at the planta- tion of Colonel Ferribee, of the Third North Carolina Cavalry. A large number of barrels of mess pork and about twenty horses were found, all of which was confiscated. The next morning Colonel Spear marched to South Mills where twelve Confederate pickets were captured. After a short stay the command re- turned to Portsmouth."
On the 27th Colonel Wyman, with a command consisting of his own regiment (the Sixteenth Massachusetts Infantry), Companies E and H of the Eleventh, under Major Wetherill. and a section of Battery D, Fourth United States Artillery, was sent to Suffolk to occupy that place.
Of this move Captain Fleming, of Company H, says: "I was given a platoon and ordered as advance guard. Nothing of
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any moment occurred. Occasionally we sighted a Confederate cavalryman, but never within pistol shot of one. We took possession of Suffolk in the most quiet way, posted pickets, sent out patrols and went into camp. Next scouting was begun. We went to Blackwater unmolested-the forerunner of more than a year of such work."
Cavalry is said to be the eyes of an army and Generals Mansfield, Ferry, and Peck made good use of their cavalry forces from May, 1862, to June, 1863.
On the 30th Captain Davidson and Lieutenant Fleming, with a detail of 24 men taken from Companies E and H, were sent to the Blackwater Bridge to ascertain the truth of a report that the enemy were getting ready to cross the river in force. Captain Davidson's command was ambushed near Andrews Cross Roads. Private Abijah St. John, of Company E, was killed-the first man of the regiment who lost his life at the hands of the enemy. A good fight was made but against odds. Captain Davidson and Lieutenant Fleming were cap- tured after a running fight. More Confederates were killed and wounded than the scouting party numbered. The little party only surrendered after all its ammunition was exhausted. This was the first skirmish of the regiment and was creditable to those engaged. On June 6th Colonel Spear, with three com- panies, moved to Suffolk. and encamped on the fair grounds. Companies A and E, under Major Wetherill, reported to Gen- eral Mansfield, who was encamped a half mile of the town on ground which later became the permanent camp of the regi- ment.
During the early summer a topographical survey of the surroundings of Suffolk was made by Captain Stratton.
General Mansfield. who commanded the troops at Suffolk until early in September, was an old West Point man, graduating as second in his class in 1822, and had served a long time in the inspector-general's department previous to the Rebellion. He was killed at the battle of Antietam while attending to the adjustment of an infantry regiment under heavy fire instead of leaving the duty to its field officers. General Mansfield took a personal interest in the welfare of his men, which endcared him to the enlisted soldiers, and the news of his death was received by them with genuine sorrow. General Mansfield read a letter to Major Wetherill which he had written claiming active service. "And," exclaimed the venerable soldier. "I am an old man, but
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would rather die in defence of the capitol, whose works I planned, than rust out here." Major Wetherill said that he learned from him what he knew of a soldier's duty.
With the early days of September came a great change in affairs at Suffolk. Well nigh all the old infantry regiments under General Mansfield were sent North to reinforce the Army of the Potomac, then in the midst of the Antietam campaign. Brigadier-general O. S. Ferry, a volunteer, succeeded General Mansfield; the vacant places caused by the departure of the infantry were filled by new regiments, so that for a while Suffolk became a camp of instruction. Among the new regiments was the Sixth Massachusetts Militia, of Baltimore riot fame, which had volunteered for nine months. Among the three-year or- ganizations was a brigade of Irishmen, chiefly from New York city, popularly known as "Corcoran's Legion," commanded by General Corcoran, which did good service after it was incor- porated with the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the summer of '63. The One Hundred and Twelfth and One Hundred and Thirtieth New York regiments also made good records; the latter was mounted in 1863, known as the First New York Dragoons.
About this time one of General Shields' veteran brigades, consisting of the Thirteenth Indiana, Thirty-ninth Illinois, Sixty-second and Sixty-seventh Ohio, was added to the effective troops at Suffolk. There sprung up a friendship between these troops and the Eleventh which lasted throughout the war.
There were several nine-months regiments of militia from Pennsylvania, raised by draft, which were rather unpopular among the volunteer men, who called them "pulled men" and "involuntary volunteers."
From Major Wetherill's note book, who at the time was with the detachment at Suffolk:
"Aug. 20th. Just received word that 700 of the Fifth Vir- ginia Cavalry, a regiment raised partly in the Isle of Wight and Nansemond Counties, were at Providence Church, five miles distant. We did our best to overtake them. but they crossed the Blackwater with boats, and we learned that they had come home for remounts. prior to moving with Jackson north of Richmond.
"Colonel Harlan mustered out by order of the President, and the contest began between Spear and Stetzel for the command of the regiment.
COLONEL JAMES H. SKELLY.
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"Ang. 24th. Captain Davidson and Lieutenant Fleming returned from Libby Prison by exchange.
"Aug. 29th. Governor Curtin forwarded the commission of Colonel Spear, Lieutenant-colonel Stetzel, Major Wetherill, Runyon, Stratton. Courson West wounded at Blackwater."
At this time General McClellan was evacuating Harrison's Landing and was transferring his army to the line of the Po- tomac. Most of his army crossed the Chickahominy, and marched to Fortress Monroe and Newport News before em- barking. The Army of the Potomac was all withdrawn by the 20th and the Eleventh was relieved of its picket and scout duty, and took up the line of march for Fortress Monroe. A halt of two days was made at Fortress Magruder that the company commanders might make muster rolls of their respective com- mands. During the first half of '62 so many men and officers were absent from duty without leave that the integrity of the army was threatened. To check this evil, President Lincoln is- sued a proclamation granting amnesty to all who returned to their commands on or before the 23d of August; on that day the roll of every company and battery in the army should be called, and all who failed to report would be regarded as de- serters. The roll call of the companies of the Eleventh was . called, and a few who had been absent without leave answered to their names.
On the 24th the march was resumed and arrived at Fort- ress Monroe the next day at noon, and was from there trans- ferred to Portsmouth. On the 26th the line of march was taken up to Suffolk, which was reached the following day and the regiment was reunited after a separation of four months.
4
CHAPTER V.
ROCKET BATTERY. BATTLE OF DESERTED HOUSE
THE fall of 1862 marked an improvement in the affairs of the Eleventh. After Colonel Harlan was mustered out, Lieutenant- colonel Spear was promoted to colonel, and Major Stetzel and Captain Stratton were also advanced a step. Major Runyon resigned on the 16th of September, his place was filled by Captain Cornog. Lieutenant Reesinger, with a detail from each company was sent to Pennsylvania on recruiting service, and the vacancies that had been made by death and other causes were soon filled. Congress passed an act creating the office of regimental commissary with the rank of first lieutenant. This position was first held by Lieutenant Minnich by assignment, and he was succeeded by Lieutenant J. L. Roper, who was com- missioned as first lieutenant and regimental commissary. The same act also provided for an additional duty sergeant for the companies, causing many promotions among the enlisted men.
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