USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, together with a complete roster of the regiment and regimental officers > Part 9
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With a full cognizance of the character of prison life, General Butler had matured plans for the capture of Richmond and the release of the prisoners there. The general had concentrated nearly all his cavalry at Yorktown and Williamsburg, apparently to enroll the people of the adjacent county. To carry the ruse still further, five companies of the Eleventh under Major Weth- erill were sent across the York River into Gloucester County on the 28th, and the enrollment immediately began. Cavalry de- tachments from other regiments were sent to other posts along the Peninsula for the same purpose. On the evening of the 5th of February, General Wister, who was to command the ex- pedition, hastily concentrated at Fort Magruder the troops of his command. The cavalry consisted of the Mounted Riflemen, the Third New York Cavalry, the First District of Columbia Cavalry, the Fifth and Eleventh Pennsylvania, under Colonel Spear. The infantry consisted of two brigades of white and col-
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ored troops, numbering 4,000 officers and men, commanded by Colonel R. M. West. of the First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, and Colonel S. A. Duncan, of the Fourth United States colored troops. The artillery consisted of two light battery commands under Captain Belger ; the entire command numbered 6.400 offi- cers and men. The infantry and artillery left Fort Magruder at 9. A. M. on the morning of the 6th, and the cavalry followed two hours later. Before starting, the cavalry was instructed con- cerning the part each organization should play when Richmond was reached. In brief, Colonel Spear's instructions were to move from Fort Magruder at IT A. M. on the 6th, with Captain Hill's troop of Mounted Riflemen in advance. Captain Hill was ex- pected to capture the enemy's pickets at New Kent Court House and Baltimore Cross-Roads. Colonel Spear was expected to be at Bottom's Bridge by 3 A. M. next morning to surprise the pickets and to carry the bridge, if possible, without firing. One hundred of the First District of Columbia should be left at the bridge awaiting the arrival of the infantry. The cavalry should then move forward as rapidly as posisble to capture the second battery near Richmond, after which a dash should be made for the city, with the Eleventh in advance. When the head column arrived at Rockett's, a suburb of Richmond, Major Stratton with 250 men should go to the left and destroy the navy yard; Lieutenant-colonel Lewis should attend to Libby Prison and other public buildings, thence across to Mayor's Bridge, and made a dash to liberate the prisoners at Belle Island. The Lieutenant-colonel should then return by Mayor's Bridge, destroy it, and also the Danville Railroad bridge; Colonel Onderdonk with 250 of his regimeit should burn the Virginia Central and Fredericksburg Railroad depots; Major Whelen with 300 Mounted Riflemen should endeavor to cap- ture Confederate President Davis ; Lieutenant-colonel Lewis with his regiment (the Fifth Pennsylvania) should remain on the Richmond side of the river, assist Lieutenant-colonel Lewis, of the Third New York. in releasing the prisoners on Belle Island, after which he should burn the Tradegar works and the ware- house adjoining : Colonel Spear should proceed to Capitol Square with the remainder of the Eleventh and First District of Columbia to support the other detachments, each of which should report to him when its work was done, except Major Whelen, who should join the infantry at Bottom's Bridge. Colonel Spear was in- formed his command would be safe in Richmond for about three
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hours, after which his retreat would be menaced by troops from Chaffin's Farm. In all probability the men of the Eleventh never started on an expedition more confident of fulfilling its mission than on this one. General Butler, through his spies and scouts, had been thoroughly informed concerning the difficulties to be overcome, which seemed so slight that failure seemed impossible. As the Eleventh marched up the Peninsula, the object of the expedition was on the lips of all, and there was felt a resolute purpose to win additional honors at Richmond. During the day a drizzling rain set in, which continued through the night. Dark- ness had not long fallen when a rocket shot heavenward, abreast the column, and its train of fire burned up the roseate hopes of success-the rocket was sent up to warn the Confederates of our approach. When Captain Hill arrived at New Kent Court House no pickets were there -- they had hurried to Bottom's Bridge to sound the alarm, so that when Colonel Spear arrived there he found the enemy in strong force, with infantry, cavalry, and artillery. It was too dark to make an attack, and all opera- tions were delayed until daylight. Major Whelen made a gal- lant but unsuccessful charge upon the bridge ; the enemy opened fire upon the column, repulsing the attempt. Daylight revealed a line. of earthworks covering the bridge, behind which were posted the guns of four field batteries, a heavy gun, and the Confederates were extending their works along the river, which was said to be fordable above and below the bridge. Recon- noitering parties were sent out to find the fords, but the fords were all effectually blocked, and an attack upon Richmond was im- possible.
General Wister, in his report of the expedition, says: "Our infantry had marched 32 miles on the 6th, arriving at New Kent Court House at 2 A. M. on the 7th. After a halt of two hours, I moved them as rapidly as possible toward the firing which was plainly audible. At II A. M., knowing from the continuous firing aliead that Colonel Spear had not succeeded in effecting a pas- sage, and, even if effected, our object of surprising the city must of necessity be defeated, I sent him orders to retire, but kept pushing on lest his condition might be worse than I supposed. The infantry had arrived within seven miles of the bridge when it met the head of his returning column, and after hearing from him the full status of the case, I reluctantly felt obliged to withdraw my whole force, not feeling justified to incur the loss of life necessary to force the position with no larger or ulterior object to justify the
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attempt. The cavalry was allowed to pass ahead, except about 300 of the Third New York; under Lieutenant-colonel Lewis, who were retained for rear guard. At Baltimore Store the enemy vigorously attacked my rear guard, but was quickly repulsed. - The command bivouaced at New Kent Court House on the night of the 7th, and returned to camp next day."
Before daylight on the morning of the 7th, while riding at the head of his company, Captain Ackerly was suddenly thrown into an old well by the roadside, which, fortunately, was dry. Fearing lest others might have a similar plunge, he called to his men to take care. It was dark and took some time before the Captain's mishap was understood. Match-striking was the only means of furnishing light, which in the rain was a rather un- certain process ; finally, however, by using fence rails and the like, the captain was lifted out, but the horse was killed.
"The Record, in its issue of February 9th, ISS4, gives 'A Story of the War,' and an almost official account of what was called by the cavalry of the Army of the James, 'The Bottom's Bridge Raid,' to which the following is an answer by an officer :
"For some time previous I commanded a detachment of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry at Gloucester Court House, Virginia, my pickets extending across the Peninsula from the York to the Severn Rivers; the avowed object of the outpost being to take the census of the inhabitants of that peninsula. I very soon observed that all the white refugees, who came in their way pickets, told the same tale of absence of troops in Richmond and its surrounding defences, which were said to be manned by clergy and merchants. About the latter part of January, 1864, a very light mulatto came through the pickets, whose statements of the active preparations of the Confederates around Richmond differed so much from the conditions described by the white refugees that I made a careful report of his statements and for- warded it with him to headquarters at Yorktown.
"On the 23d of February I received orders to abandon the outpost at Gloucester Court House and report with my command to regimental headquarters at Williamsburg. That evening Colonel Spear came to my headquarters and in course of con- versation stated that we were on the eve of a great movement on the Chickahominy, and that the Commanding General at York- town would meet all the field officers the next day at II A. M. at Colonel Roberts' quarters at Fort Magruder, and instruct the command. At IT A. M. the next day, February 5th, all the field
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officers of the cavalry brigade met the Commanding General. Major Whelen's battalion of the First New York Mounted Rifles was detailed as the advanced guard with instructions on arrival at Bottom's Bridge by daylight to charge the bridge, as there were only 15 tickets on duty there, and charge into Rich- mond to the house of Jefferson Davis, capture him, and bring him out by way of Mechanicsville. The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cav- alry were to come next and release all the prisoners at Belle Isle and take them to Suffolk, Virginia. The Third New York were to release the prisoners at Libby Prison and take care of them, while the Fifth Pennsylvania and First District of Columbia Cavalry, the entire brigade under the command of Colonel Samuel Perkins Spear, were a reserve.
"When the commanding general ceased, Colonel Spear and myself were sitting on Colonel Roberts' bed, and he said to me sotto voce, 'What do you think of the plan?' I said, 'It's all right, provided there is only 15 pickets at Bottom's Bridge.' But the general overheard our remarks, and turned to me with some severity and said : 'Do you attempt to throw cold water upon the expedition ?' I said : 'No, sir ! if your information is correct, that there is only 15 pickets at Bottom's Bridge, and the command can get into Richmond, it ought to succeed.'
"John Boyle escaped from the guard-house of the Fifth Penn- sylvania Cavalry on the night of the 2d of February, and up to the 4th of February the movement was not known to any of the cavalry command. other than the orders to be prepared with rations and forage : and I have always been of the opinion that the defenceless condition of Richmond was furnished by the Con- federates, through refugees, to draw the command at Williams- burg and Yorktown from their winter quarters, and ensure their defeat.
"We started on the night of the 5th ; one company of the Third New York Cavalry, under command of Captain Mc- Namara, as the extreme advance; Major Wheelen's battalion, New York Mounted Rifles, in support, and the Eleventh Penn- sylvania Volunteer Cavalry, under my own command, in reserve, the balance of the brigade following. Colonel Spear and my- self rode together at the head of the Eleventh Cavalry. The roads were in a fearful condition for a forced march, and about twelve miles from Williamsburg we noticed a falling body of light resembling a meteor, falling slowly and perpendicularly. Spear remarked: 'That's the most remarkable meteor I ever
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saw.' I said: 'Yes! it came down just as the head of our column reached here, and is a falling signal, and if you will watch we will see thein repeated at intervals as we progress towards Rich- mond.' When we approached New Kent Court House the color changed-sometimes white, red, and green -- and this system fol- lowed us through the night. Their signals were thrown from a spring gun, to the height of two or three hundred feet, and were ignited by friction in passing through the tube, and having reached their altitude. fell slowly and perpendicularly to near the ground, where they burned out. There was no explosion when the fuse was reached, and a single ball fell as in the stay of a rocket.
"We reached our destination near Bottom's Bridge about 3 A. M., the 7th of February, when Colonel Spear detailed Captain McNamara (an old soldier and Rocky Mountain scout) to reconnoitre the bridge and report. About 4 o'clock Cap- tain McNamara reported that there was no bridge there; no pickets on this side of the Chickahominy, but he could hear them putting artillery in position and laughing at the sur- prise they were going to give the Yankees at daylight in the morning. Spear was fearfully disappointed. 'Well,' I said, 'Colonel, what are you going to do? You can't rebuild that bridge under the fire of artillery.' 'Well,' he said, 'I have no discretion ; as soon as daylight I've got to charge, bridge or no bridge.' Before daylight McNamara's company was driven in, and as soon as it was day the battalion of the New York Mounted Rifles were ordered to charge, the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cav- alry supporting. Well, the Mounted Rifles charged, and as they turned the point of the woods and uncovered themselves, the lower river battery of 15 12-pound Napoleons (pickets) opened on them with grape and canister, and such a cavalry mess you never saw. I said to Spear: 'Had I not best oblique to the right and give the Ritles a chance to recover themselves, for there must be Confederate cavalry on this side, as artillery would hardly pro- duce all that confusion?' We obliqued, and came back badly demoralized-with one negro captive. From this negro we learned that there was a ford beyond Dispatch Station, called Grapevine Ford, and I was ordered to cross with the Eleventh Cavalry and charge this battery in the rear or flank, taking the negro as guide, and in charge of a corporal and three men with instructions to shoot him if he led us into a trap. We started. On reaching Dispatch Station one sentry was on duty on this end
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of the railroad bridge, who slowly retreated, and on the railroad I saw them stationed at regular intervals along the railroad as far as you could see. When we reached the ford, the ground favoring our flank, I halted the regiment, and the guide, Captain Ringland, and myself dismounted and walked down to recon- noitre the ford. and it was completely blocked up by fallen trees on both sides, extending across the creek, and the causeway on the other side for a mile was blockaded by fallen timber in the same manner. There were no pickets developed, and after the closest scrutiny I sent Captain Ringland back to Colonel Spear to say that if I had two hundred axes, with coils of rope, I could probably. if not disturbed, clear the ford and causeway in a week, and I waited orders. Putting the regiment in position to con- front any flank movement, I waited Ringland's return, when Spear sent me word that the Confederates were out in force, and to take care of myself. As he had been ordered to fall back, for fear of surprise I went back ; and, as I came in. watered the regi- ment at the little stream near Dispatch Station, and in columns of four swept by the hill battery of the 30-pound Parrotts, and re- joined the command without the loss of a man : and on my re- turn we were ordered to fall back to New Kent Court House and Williamsburg.
"Such was all that occurred in the advance cavalry move- ments of the Bottom's Bridge Raid and its great expectations ; and its failure was laid to the door of a poor, miserable wretch of the Fifth Cavalry, who was under sentence of death, and es- caped from the guard-house at Williamsburg on the night of the 2d of February, three days before any of the officers of the line, or soldiers, knew of the pending expedition. In my judgment, the thing was arranged in Richmond, as the preparations for our approach were too complete to be arranged by any information they could have obtained by John Boyle, the escaped murderer, who had been tried under guard, and waiting execution on the 7th of February."
We here give Major Wetherill's account of the raid upon Richmond :
"We marched out at II A. M. as it had been arranged. At Barham's Mill a guerrilla killed a horse from under one of Col- oncl Spear's orderlies. We arrived at New Kent Court House at dark and rested an hour, having marched 30 miles in four hours. The night was intensely dark and the roads badly cut up by the operations of the Army of the Potomac, so it was with
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difficulty the command was kept together. Near Dr. Richard- son's house we saw for the first time the falling meteoric signals of the enemy, evidently a ball of different colored fires, thrown by a noiseless spring gun. They became luminous at a height of 200 feet, and fell perpendicularly until burned out. Spear and myself were riding together at the head of our detachment. and so far as we could observe, it was evident that we were expected. In the darkness the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry got lost and wandered about the banks of the Chickahominy until daylight. We got within a mile of Bottom's Bridge by 3 A. M., and halted while Hill's company was sent forward with Captain McNamara to reconnoitre. They reported the bridge destroyed, that they could hear the enemy's artillery moving in position, and the pickets were talking of the warming they would give the Yankees in the morning. Colonel Spear reported the facts to General Wister, but in the absence of other instructions prepared to charge the bridge as ordered.
"On Sunday morning, just after daylight, McNamara's First District of Columbia Cavalry deployed as skirmishers, and Major Whelen's battalion, First New York Mounted Rifles, charged the bridge by fours. We moved down to support the Rifles, but when they came within 500 yards of the bridge the Confederate batteries opened on them with shell, grape, and canister, killing one and wounding eight. A panic among the Rifles ensued. Major Whelen did what he could to rally them, but failed, and they retreated like mounted lunatics. We dressed up our column under a heavy fire, as if on drill, and I reported with Companies A, F, C, K, and T. One company of District of Columbia cav- alry reported to me, and I was ordered to proceed against Vine- ford, a mile and a half distant, cross the ford, and charge, regard- less of opposition. while Spear charged the destroyed bridge. It looked like a certain march to death or Libby. I asked Col- onel Spear to repeat the order-it was no time to write-that there might be no mistake should disaster follow. Detailing ten men of Company A as an advance guard, we proceeded across the railroad. and for a distance of two miles up the road we could see infantry pickets guarding the railroad. The ford had been obstructed with fallen trees. With Captain Ringland I examined the ford and-sent him back to report to Colonel Spear that I could clear it and the causeway opposite in about three hours with a large detail of axemen, rope, etc. It was evident that our every move had been anticipated. On Ringland's return we
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came back to the brook, watered our horses by companies, re- forming on the rising ground by the railroad. We came up to the bridge, when the 30-pound Parrotts upon the hill opened fire. doing no harm, except a piece of shell tore a button off Bugler Jeffry's jacket. We fed our horses under fire at long range and waited two hours for orders to return to our command.
"The 'On to Richmond!' raid furnished great sport in the camps, and those detailed to trim the navy yards, destroy the capitol, catch Jeff Davis, liberate Libby and Belle Island prisoners, did not hear the last of it for some time. 'How's your navy yard?' 'How's Jeff Davis this morning?' 'What's be- come of the Libby boys?' 'Who'll buy matches this morning?'
"It was reported that the raid was betrayed by an escaped prisoner, but at the time it was a mystery how he knew the facts in the case. It appears that Boyer and Blake, chained together. had heard the orders for preparation read on dress parade. Feb- ruary 3d. A few days prior to his escape, Boyer got a case knife and hacked the edge to make a saw. While the sentries were sitting beside him he sawed the rivet which fastened his shackles. About II P. M. he asked the sentry to go to the sink with him. One, Ludwig, rose to do so, when he said: 'I don't want you, I want Abrams.' Abrams went and was in the sink with him when he said to Ludwig: 'Go to Boyer, he is your man ; my man is Blake.' Ludwig went and found the ball and chain, to- gether with the knife. The alarm was given. Boyer effected his escape through the drain which drained the moat of Fort Magruder. Evidently he gave himself up to two Confederate pickets at Barhamsville. Richmond papers told of his escape and arrival on February 3d. An item appeared in the Rich- mond Examiner which explained the failure of the expedition : 'Some days since, a report was obtained by the local authorities from a Yankee deserter that the enemy was contemplating a raid. in considerable force, against Richmond. The report gained consistency from a number of circumstances, and impressed our forces to such a degree that a disposition of forces was made to anticipate the designs of the enemy.'
"About the 10th of February a number of officers escaped from Libby Prison through the famous tunnel. On the afternoon of the 13th one of the escaped officers. Colonel Boyd, arrived at camp and informed the commanding officer that others were on their way down the Peninsula. Colonel Rose was the en- gineer who planned the escape. In the room, where they were
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confined, they took up each night the hearth of the fireplace and forced a way into the cellar. Here they commenced their tunnel, and hid the dirt under a pile of old iron, covering the dirt with straw which was stored to replenish the prisoners' beds. The working party would then return to their room before daylight and relay the hearth floor. In this way three feet of tunneling was made each night. The tunnel was fifty-four feet long and terminated near a gate that led to the street. but before which a sentry paced his beat day and night. Since they had no watches, the prisoners, while excavating, had noted the time it took the sentry to walk backwards on his beat by the number of pulse throbs. On their arrival, one by one, at the gate, each waited until the sentry marched by. By counting the pulse beats, when the guard was at the lower end of his beat and his: back was turned toward the gate, they stole across the street, and in this way 109 escaped. Then came the effort to leave the city. They scattered, each one to take care of himself. Colonel Boyd did not see one of his comrades until he reached our lines at Burnt Ordinary.
"The Eleventh, except Company K. was absent from camp when Colonel Boyd arrived. Captain Ackerly was ordered to take this company, together with men from other companies in camp, and proceed at once to Burnt Ordinary to aid, as much as possible, the refugees. The command arrived at the Ordinary after dark and bivouaced. Soon Captain Johnson, of the Fourth Kentucky Infantry, and a lieutenant of an Indian battery, both Chickamauga prisoners, attracted by our campfires, came in 'out of the wet.' They fed upon such as the men had, which to them was a veritable feast. The lieutenant wanted Captain Ackerly to permit him to take a detachment and go back to New Kent Court House that he might burn the cabin of a darkey who tried to betray the captain and himself into the enemy's hands again ; but the captain refused. During the night several other fugitives came to the bivouac. Next morning Captain Ackerly went to Bar- hamsville. While en route, other officers came from the woods and joined the command, among whom were Colonel C. W. Tilden, of the Sixteenth Maine, and Captain Tower, of the Thir- teenth Massachusetts. both Gettysburg prisoners. During the afternoon Captain Ackerly started for Williamsburg, and while the advance guard was going through the woods it was fired upon by a guerrilla party, but though they fired at close range no one was struck, which was regarded as miraculous by the men
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involved. As soon as the surprise was over, they gave chase. but it was useless to endeavor to follow the enemy through the tangled swamps, so the march was resumed. When Burnt Ordinary was reached two or three more officers were found. among whom was Colonel Kendrick, of the First West Ten- nessee Cavalry. Seeing the colors of Company K, he fell upon his knees and cried like a child, giving thanks to God for per- mitting him to be once more among God's people. It was a touching seene. The regiment went next day to Burnt Ordinary and other points and only one officer was found-Colonel Rose. the projector and superintendent of the tunnel -- but he was re- captured within sight of Captain Ackerly's command.
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