USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania volunteer cavalry which was recruited and known as the Anderson cavalry in the rebellion of 1861-1865; > Part 42
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Our marches for the next three days were so short, so very unusual, as to make them worth recording. On the 27th of Janu- ary we went two miles to Bridges, across the Paint Rock Valley. On the 28th we marched one mile to Parson Taliferro's-Tolofer, the people all pronounce it. We killed his sheep and had fresh mutton to eat. The next day we marched nearly two miles, to Russell W. Clay's place on Lick Fork, where our meat ration was pork and turkey. The creek was full of fish, and although our tackle was of the crudest kind, many of the men had fresh fish added to their diet.
The next day we crossed the mountain again. We never rode over these high hills. As the Regiment began the ascent, the order was given to "dismount," and we walked to the top. If one's horse was not well trained it was necessary to lead him by the bridle rein, but many of them would follow their owners, just as a well- trained dog follows its master. Reaching the top of the mountain the Regiment was mounted again, and continued so until the descent was reached, and then we dismounted and walked down. This saved horseflesh and gave the men a kind of exercise they needed. Crossing this mountain, the name of which was Cedar Ridge, brought us over to Larkin's Fork, and we encamped near Salem. Our march next day was by way of Mountain Fork, and we fed at Hambrick's, on Hurricane Creek, which the people here call "Harricane." Stopped at Whitman's, where we spent the night.
About 9 o'clock that night, while Dager, of Company F, was on vedette on the Newmarket road, he heard approaching what, from the sounds, he thought was a battalion of cavalry, and gave the usual hail, "Halt! Who goes there?" and getting no reply, fired his carbine, and got back to the reserves. The shot was heard in camp, and almost instantly the different companies were formed in line, and one of them was out on the "double-quick" to reinforce the reserve picket. Then it was found that the innocent cause of all this was a Dr. Norris, who, in his rattling one-horse shay, was out visiting some patients, and only knew of our presence when a bullet whistled by his ear and went out through the back curtain.
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Our Campaign Against Colonel Mead's Guerrillas.
This Dr. Norris was a most estimable gentleman, as we found out later, when we became acquainted. He had two brothers in Phila- delphia, celebrated as locomotive builders, but he had made his home in this country, where he resided all through the rebellion.
The next day's march took us to our old quarters at Masten's plantation, just outside of Huntsville, having finished one of the easiest and most pleasant scouts we ever took, and both men and horses were in better condition at its close than at the beginning.
OUR LAST CAMPAIGN AND PURSUIT OF JEFF DAVIS.
CAPT. H. K. WEAND, COMPANY H, NORRISTOWN, PA.
O N March 5, 1865, the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry broke up camp at Masten's plantation, just outside of Hunts- ville, Ala., and made a leisurely march to our old camp at Wauhatchie, where we arrived on the Ioth. On the way we were unfortunate in losing Thomas Ginn, of Company A, who was drowned while crossing Battle Creek.
March 16th .- The Regiment was put on the cars for Knoxville, where it arrived the next day. Before leaving quite a number of changes took place among the officers. Lieutenant-Colonel Lam- born having resigned, his place was taken and ably filled by Chas. M. Betts, who had been our Major. Capts. Wm. Wagner and Abra- ham B. Garner were promoted to Majors ; Lieut. Geo. Hildebrand to Captain Company B; First Lieut. and Adj. Chas. E. Scheide to Captain Company K; First Lieut. J. C. Reiff to Adjutant ; Serg .- Maj. Jno. F. Conaway to First Lieutenant Company B; Serg. Theo. F. Ramsey to First Lieutenant Company H. Colonel Palmer, having received his brevet rank as General, commanded a brigade, composed of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania, Tenth Michi- gan and the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry. Col. Chas. M. Betts com- manded our Regiment; Capt. Henry McAllister was detailed as Assistant Adjutant General, and Lieuts. Anthony Taylor and Jno. F. Conaway as aids on General Palmer's staff.
March 21st .- The long march began. We started from Knox- ville in an ordinary rainstorm, which increased in intensity during the day, and at night had developed into a furious hailstorm. We are in the lightest marching order, and our shelter tents are a poor protection at such a time. Encamped at night at Strawberry Plains, where we were joined by the other Regiments of our brigade.
The expedition is commanded by General Stoneman, while General Gillem commands the division, and the brigades are
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commanded by Generals Palmer and Brown and Colonel Miller. We have a battery of four guns, and in all about 5000 men.
March 22d .- Crossed the Holston River to-day and went into camp at Mossy Creek, where we had a hard fight over a year ago. Here, in a rude graveyard, Lieut. Harvey Lingle, killed in that battle, sleeps his last sleep. His old company sodded and planted flowers on his grave.
March 23d .- Marched to Morristown, and had a cordial, hearty welcome from the loyal citizens. These people came from all the surrounding country to see us, and while perched on their rail fences greeted us with smiles and many a ludicrous expres- sion. At this place four horseshoes and nails were issued to each man, which has a smack of a hard campaign in it.
March 25th .- Met the first rebel force to-day, consisting of about sixty men of General Vaughan's command. Company E of our Regiment had the advance, and charged with such spirit that they were driven off, leaving four prisoners in our hands. No serious loss on our side, except that Sergeant McNair's horse was shot and gave him an ugly tumble in a ditch.
March 26th .- Went thirty miles to-day, through Leesburg, Jonesboro and Dry Cove. As we get nearer to the mountain for- age becomes more scarce, and to-day our horses went hungry.
March 27th .- Moved early to find something for our horses to eat, and found a short feed for them on the south bank of the Watauga River. Marched eighteen miles, and bivouacked on the mountain pass near the top of Stone Mountain at 4 A.M., on the 28th. Our march this night was one that those who partici- pated in it will never forget. The road at times ran close to dan- gerous precipices, over which occasionally a horse or mule would fall, and in like manner we lost one of the artillery caissons, but no man was hurt. Many loyal citizens built fires along the road and at dangerous places, and also at difficult fords over the moun- tain streams. Looking back as we toiled up the mountain, the scene was grand and imposing as the march of the column was shown by the trail of fire along the road. Occasionally an old pine tree would take fire and blaze up almost instantaneously, looking like a column of fire. It was an impromptu illumination, and the sight of it repaid us for the toilsome night march.
March 28th .- After a rest of four hours, we started at 8 A.M.
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and marched until I P.M., when we halted at Sugar Grove, N. C., and after an hour's rest went on to Boone. Here the rebel Home Guards foolishly tried to stop our march, but the advance brigade went at them at once, and killed six, wounded three and captured fifty-six, while our only casualty was one man wounded. We continued our march through the valley and across the Blue Ridge, which is not so difficult to ascend or descend as the Great Smoky range.
March 29th .- Started at 8.30 A.M. and marched over a good mountain road, coming down to the Yadkin River, which we forded twice to secure forage, the last time when it was raining hard and so dark that the horse in front could not be seen, and many an unfortunate one got a thorough soaking in the river when his horse stumbled over the rocks. Got as far as Wilkes- boro, and went into camp at a fine plantation, which gave us an abundance for both horse and man.
March 30th .- Rained hard all night long and everything was wet through when we moved, early in the morning, down the stream four miles to a point opposite Wilkesboro, crossing Reddies River. The water rose so rapidly that the balance of the com- mand could not cross, and we were on this side alone, but in no danger, unless the enemy should come at us in boats.
March 31st .- Still raining, but it is impossible for the men to get any more wet than they were yesterday. There being no chance for the other troops to cross to our side, we marched down the river ten miles to Roaring River, but that, too, was impassable.
April Ist .- Marched through extensive pine forests to-day, where few inhabitants were found. About 4 P.M. we reached the village of Elkin, where we found a large cotton factory, in which sixty girls are employed. All of them welcomed the Yankees. We did not molest the mill, which was a fine one, but connected with it was a storehouse filled with supplies of flour, meat, butter, honey, molasses, tobacco and chestnuts, all of which was a perfect Godsend to us. We miss our "hard-tack" very much, now that it is all gone. In place of it flour and cornmeal are issued, which usually is mixed with water and fried, but if we stop long enough the colored women bake it for us, and how good it tastes !
April 2d .- Started at noon, and passed through the towns of Dobson Courthouse and Mt. Airy, which are very ordinary vil-
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lages, although post offices, and all the letters in them we collected and read as we rode along. Marched until ten at night, with the word that we must start again at 2 A. M.
April 3d .- Started on time with our Regiment in the advance. It was learned that a rebel wagon train was in our front, going to Bristol. Lieutenant Phillips with his Companies G and E was sent after it, and captured the twenty-two wagons which com- posed the train, and destroyed them. On arriving near Hillsville, Va., a few Home Guards made some resistance, but soon let up, when they found we wanted to get into the town. Here we found supplies of flour, butter, etc., and all the men were supplied with tobacco. It was 2 o'clock in the morning when we went into camp.
April 4th .- Off again at daylight, and at noon entered the pretty village of Jacksonville, where we were met by two citizens -a lawyer and a doctor-who, in regulation style and with the aid of a large white flag, surrendered the town to us. It was not necessary for them to have done this. It looked to us ridiculous, as just now anything we wanted we took. But these people have been so deluded by their papers that they are under the impression that to burn houses and rob them of all we can carry off is our mission here, and they are relieved when they find the mistake.
There had been assigned to the brigade a young telegraph operator, John J. Wickham, who, when opportunity offered, ren- (lered valuable assistance. Before reaching Christiansburg we had learned that the office of the telegraph company was in a freight car at the farther end of the town, and before the Regi- ment reached that place, Lieutenant Hinchman, with a small de- tachment with Wickham, was sent to capture it, and learn what he could of the movements of the rebels from the dispatches he could gather in. Making their way round the town in the evening they reached the car without discovery, and captured the operator at his instrument. Wickham began calling "Lynchburg," but re- calling the fact that the operator there would know a stranger was telegraphing, forced the Christiansburg operator to send the mes- sages. He asked if they had any news of the Yankees, and kept up the conversation for some time, until a pointed question by Wickham, about the rebel forces, aroused the suspicion of the Lynchburg man, who said, "I believe I'm talking to the Yankees
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now." Wickham then took the key and told him truthfully who he was, and at that the Lynchburg man let out with all the "cuss" words he was able to recall, and even these could not express his feelings at having given any information that could give aid and comfort to the enemy, and especially was his blasphemy heaped on the poor operator who had been forced to send the messages. But here Wickham stopped him, and wired back that he should not blame him, as a fellow with a pistol at his head is apt to say just what the fellow who holds the pistol wants him to say. That ended the telegraphing, but the operator at Christiansburg thanked Wickham for the message he sent, as it would put him right with his associates in the rebel service. Wickham was a strenuous youth in those days, and continued to make his mark, so that when he died, a few years ago, he occupied the position of a Judge in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
The Regiment stopped to rest and feed the horses, late in the afternoon, some four or five miles from Jacksonville. About dark the first battalion, under Major Wagner, left the Regiment with details from six companies-about 221 men. It rained hard all night and we marched until 3 o'clock in the morning, when we halted in a ploughed field until 5 A.M. During the day we captured a lot of good horses.
THE MARCH OF MAJOR WAGNER'S BATTALION.
April 5th .- Rainy ; marched all day; passed through the town after a railroad train, but they heard us coming and got away. It was, however, a close call for them. We then burned the rail- road bridge over the Roanoke River, and marched to Coyners' Springs, a railroad station. Here we captured a car, loaded with express goods, and got all the tobacco we could carry, giving our colored followers the rest of it. We then burned the car and the station, and marched to Buford's, camping at IO P.M., near the Peaks of Otter. We were fired on by bushwhackers several times along the road.
Mr. Buford had relatives-Colonels and Generals-in both Northern and Southern armies, and treated us courteously. Be- fore breakfasting with him he took several of the officers into his yard, where there was a great slab of granite, on the side of which was inscribed "Peaks of Otter," and on the upper surface
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were two depressions used as basins. We washed in these, so we could say we had bathed our faces on the "Peaks of Otter." This granite slab had been intended a few years before as Vir- ginia's contribution to the Washington monument, but had been broken in bringing it down from the peaks. Mr. Buford was in the habit of inviting his guests to do as we did.
April 6th .- Left camp at IO A.M .; marched to Liberty, Va., where the Mayor of the town came out with a white flag and surrendered the town to us. This is a very pretty town. We passed through some very fine country during the day. After leaving Liberty we marched to two very high trestle railroad bridges across the Big Otter. We halted here, and filled the bridge with fence rails, so as to have them ready in case we should want to burn it. We then went into camp by the bridges at 9 P.M., eighteen miles from Lynchburg, which was reported full of rebel infantry.
April 7th .- The battalion laid in camp all day. Sergeant Anderson and twelve men marched to within eleven miles of Lynchburg, meeting a few rebels on the road and exchanging shots with them. About II P.M. we were ordered to saddle up, formed column and started out toward Lynchburg, but before starting we fired the railroad bridges.
April 8th .- About daylight we ran on the rebel pickets ; both sides fired, and we had one man, King, of Company D, killed. We charged, and drove them to within three miles of Lynchburg, capturing two of their pickets. We halted and fed until 7 A.M., then marched to another road and started back, as our force was too small to attempt to capture the city. During the morning the battalion had a fight with a party of about forty rebels, and soon drove them off. Corp. Wm. J. Curren, of Company B, was wounded, and had to be left at a citizen's house, as we had no way to bring him with us. Marclied forty-six miles since II P.M., passed through New London, and went into camp near Goose Creek at 5.30 P.M.
April 9th .- Saw this morning from camp a squad of about forty bushwhackers. We started out at 8 A.M., crossed Goose Creek, and had not gone far before they fired on us. They fol- lowed us six or seven miles, firing whenever they got a chance, and managed to shoot one of our horses. We left a squad of our
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
inen in ambush near a crossroad, to wait for the whackers. They soon came along on the crossroad, and when they got within range our party fired on them, shot two men and captured two horses. Crossed the Roanoke River, and went into camp about dark.
April 10th .- Left camp at 8 A.M., in a hard rain, marched over a mountain, passed through Franklin Court House, Va., and marched to within seven miles of Henry Court House, where we halted and fed. Here we heard that about 1500 rebels were at Henry Court House waiting for us. They had heard of our com- ing, and had been sent from Danville to capture us. We struck out to the left of Henry Court House, and marched all night to get away from them. We marched fifty-five miles, from A.M. of the 10th to A.M. of the IIth.
April IIth .- Halted about 7 A.M., to rest and feed, six miles from Ayresville. We marched again at II A.M., and passed over the mountains into North Carolina. About dark the advance guard ran on to twenty rebels, and recaptured three men of the Eleventh Michigan. Halted here and fed. We marched again at IO P.M., passed through Germantown about 3 A.M., also passed through Salem, N. C .; marched forty-six miles.
Among the rebels captured here was Thomas W. Wheat, who had the distinction of having loaded the first gun that fired on Fort Sumter. He was in a South Carolina battery, and Captain Hallenquist, who commanded, pulled the lanyard which dis- charged the gun. Wheat's captured comrade told us of this, and our good-natured Major Wagner said to Wheat: "So you are the man who caused all this trouble? What did you fire on Fort Sumter for?" "Because I wanted to capture it," retorted Wheat. With others he was given his parole and an extra lot of provisions, and started off for his farm, way off on the Oostanula River.
April 12th .- Halted at 7 A.M. and fed, having marched all night. Started on the march again at 8 A.M., passed through Louisville and Huntsville, crossed the Yadkin River, and at 5 P.M. halted and fed until 7 P.M., when we started out again, and passed through Mocksville. We caught up with the balance of the Regi- ment about 3 A.M. It was raining very hard, and we went into camp, about three miles from Salisbury, which place was captured this morning by Stoneman's command. This was a very impor-
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tant capture, and we got immense quantities of all kinds of stores. In the last three days and four nights our battalion marched 207 miles. Major Wagner was highly commended for the skillful manner in which he had accomplished his mission, which was to destroy the railroad and bridges and lead the enemy to suppose that an attack was to be made on Lynchburg. When he left the main column of Stoneman's force it was left to his discretion as to where he should go after his work was done. Fortunately he heard rumors of an advance of Basil Duke's Confederate com- mand and of a movement of troops in the direction of Salisbury, and concluded that these must be Stoneman's forces, so he took the same direction.
The movement of Major Wagner's battalion around Lynchburg was of much greater importance than we had at that time any idea of, as it was a factor in bringing about the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, on April 9th, at Appomattox, less than 20 miles off. When General Lee was forced out of Peters- burg and Richmond, it was his intention to move south, by way of Danville, join General Joe Johnston's army and overwhelm that of General Sherman. But the rapid movements of Sheridan's cavalry and the advance of our infantry forces headed him off from Danville, leaving the Lynchburg route the only one open to him. There had been rumors that General Thomas was to move through East Tennessee and Virginia, and the report of Major Wagner's force at Lynchburg gave great concern to the Con- federate Commander, as it looked like the advance of the Army of the Cumberland. Lee was then at Amelia Court House, and waited twenty-four hours to find out the situation at Lynchburg. It was a fatal wait for him. The old tactics of following up the enemy had been superseded by that of heading him off, and the twenty-four hours which Lee lost gave Sheridan's troopers and Ord's Infantry time to get in his front at Appomattox.
MOVEMENTS OF THE REGIMENT.
April 5th .- The Regiment was at Christiansburg, which is a beautiful village, with a fine seminary. We had the opportunity, and soon all the negro women in town were baking bread. We took our first lessons here in destroying railroad tracks. We also
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captured some cars loaded with Confederate stores, but as we could make no use of them they were destroyed.
When we left Knoxville we had thirteen ambulances, but our march had been such a rough one that all were broken down. The medicines were all lost, and what sick men we had were sent to the Confederate hospitals here.
April 6th .- Rested all day, and at 10 o'clock at night started on our march, which was kept up all night and until noon of the 7th, when we stopped to feed. Crossed the Blue Ridge again at Kennedy's Gap. While we are now experts at mountain climbing, it gives us no pleasure. It was late at night when we went into camp, too tired to get supper. We seize all the horses as we go along, and get so many, that as those in the column become exhausted, a fresh one is at hand, and the exhausted one is abandoned.
Passed some extensive Confederate stables, but the rebels had left no horses in them.
April 8th .- A charming day, and the country presented a mag- nificent appearance. Marched from 3 A.M. until 3 in the after- noon, to Henry Court House. The Tenth Michigan, which was in advance of us, had a fight with Wheeler's cavalry, and drove them.
If we are working hard we are living well. There are chickens, ham, eggs and biscuit for the men and plenty of forage for the horses. Captured some stockings, which were intended for the rebel army.
April 9th .- Started at 2 in the morning, passing through a fine section of country, the home of the aristocratic Virginia tobacco planters. The houses and yards are beautiful. Tobacco is so plentiful that all are smoking very fair cigars. We captured some fine horses, for although all the stock has been run off in the woods, the negroes tell us where they are concealed, and if we have time we go and get them.
Reached Danbury a little after dark, having marched forty miles.
April 10th .- After a sound sleep, jumped into the saddle again at 6 o'clock in the morning, and reached Germantown at noon. This is unlike the Germantown that many of us know, as it is without paint or whitewash, and laziness is apparent all over it.
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At 6 P.M. we reached Winston and Salem. Each has a name of its own, but the two towns are really one. Here we met with a most cordial reception, very different from the usual greetings we receive. The ladies cheered us, and brought out bread, pies and cakes. The towns were settled by Moravians, from Bethlehem, Pa. The people showed much enthusiasm at the sight of the flag we carried, and many were the touching remarks made about it. Old men wept like children and prominent citizens took off their hats and bowed to it. Some women got on their knees, while we heard such expressions as : "Look at the old flag!" "God bless it !" "Let me kiss that flag!" "Once more the flag goes through our town." There are plenty of stores here, and in the center of the town one of the finest seminaries we have seen in the South. It was a charming place and they were good Union people, but we had no time just then to do more than acknowledge it.
At 9.30 in the evening the command left, and at II had reached Kernersville, where Captain Kramer with eighty-six men left us, and took the road to Jamestown, and traveling steadily all night got there at 5 o'clock in the morning. Immediately he commenced the destruction of the railroad depot, and freight cars loaded with commissary stores, and burned the bridge over Deep River, capturing more prisoners than he cared for just then. One man, Geo. Alexander, took twelve, all by himself. At Florence, Lieut. Ed. Smith captured and destroyed a gun factory, which was filled with small arms and valuable machinery. Having ac- complished this, Kramer returned to Kernersville, where he was joined by Colonel Betts, having marched fifty-two miles in twelve hours. He brought in thirty-five prisoners, besides remounting his men from horses captured on the road.
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