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 5
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After a while a young fellow came out holding the index finger of his right hand. The first joint was shot away and he was trying to keep it from bleeding. The perspiration was pouring off his face. I asked him how it was going. He said: "I think we have got them this time." Shortly after this I was ordered to carry a dispatch to an officer in charge of a bridge across the Baltimore and Ohio Canal. The orders were to burn the bridge at once, and I was told to look sharp and be lively as I might meet the whole rebel army. I had to go to Williamsport and from there up along the canal to the bridge. After leaving Williamsport it was not long until I found there was another fellow ahead of me, who seemed to be in as big a hurry as I was, but my mare was gaining on him, and we were not very far apart when we arrived at the bridge. He hadn't more than delivered his message until I was there with mine. I found the men were all of our Regiment. The Lieutenant in charge belonged to our Regiment, but I was not acquainted with him. They had the bridge piled full of hay and fence rails-everything in readiness to set the match. There were a lot of old farmers there, pleading for us not to burn the bridge, as they didn't see how they could get along without it. Before our arrival there had been quite a lively skirmish with a lot of rebs posted behind a frame house on the other side of the Potomac. The enemy commenced firing on our men, thinking to drive them
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Reminiscences of Antietam.
away and save the bridge, but when our fellows turned loose on them it was too hot and they left. Not knowing how soon Lee might be along, our Lieutenant ordered the match applied, and, after waiting to see that the bridge was certain to burn, we took up our march back to the battle.
I found our fellows on the road where I had left them. Shortly after I had got my place in column, Comrade N. G. Pinney joined me. He told me he had just had the most thrilling experience of his life. After I had gone the Colonel took what men he gathered up towards our line of battle. Pinney said he felt like seeing it and so joined the squad. Away they went, until they came to where they could see the lines of the contending forces charging back and forth. They hadn't been there long, the Colonel look- ing for some general officer to report to, until his attention was attracted by the sound of a dull, heavy thud. He looked, and the man on his left, young Stockton, nephew of Commodore Stockton, was just falling from his horse, shot through the breast. He was dead before he reached the ground. The Colonel ordered a couple to dismount and get the man off the field. They had a hard time of it, as they had to hold their horses and drag Stockton along at the same time. The firing was becoming pretty hot by this time, and the horses were restless. After some difficulty they succeeded in getting him to an old stone barn that was being used by the surgeons as a temporary hospital. There they left lıim, and mounting their horses resumed their places in the col- umn. The next move the Colonel made was to post the men as pickets, to prevent straggling. Pinney said he hadn't been long in his position until a young fellow came hurrying up, completely loaded down with canteens strung alternately across his shoulders. Pinney halted him and asked him where he was going. The fellow said he was after water and was going to have it, too; so he was told to go ahead. Next came another man on the same errand and he was passed ; then came a fellow with a section of artillery, on a full run. He halted, whirled around and proceeded to get into position. He asked Pinney what he was doing there. He informed him he had been posted there to stop stragglers. "Well," said he, "this is no place for you, young man." By this time the fire was getting hot; the limbs and branches of the trees were falling, torn by shot and shell. He looked to the right and left
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
and not one of our men could be seen. Then he started to get out. His horse was wild with fright; it was all he could do to retain control of her. He started down through a corn field, which was literally plowed by shot and shell and saturated with blood. His mare in her wild, frantic struggles finally threw him clear over her head, but he managed to hold to the bridle and at last succeeded in regaining his seat ; then he let her go just as fast as she wished, "for, said he, I was in as big a hurry as she." It wasn't a great while until she landed in the road, and as soon as she saw the other horses she calmed down, perfectly satisfied. At the time he was thrown a piece of shell struck the seat of his saddle, a sort of side swipe, ripping the rawhide off the tree; so it was a good thing for him that he was thrown.
We were right on the edge of the battle, but could see nothing on account of the dense foliage. The battle sounded like the hum of an angry swarm of bees. We sat there and listened. Some- times it was like innumerable voices of men angry at something that was being done that they didn't like. The leaves of the trees were all vibrating as though stirred by a gentle breeze, althoughi there wasn't a breath of air in motion. It was as calm and beau- tiful a day as I ever saw, but, oh, how laden with sorrow! Many were the brave lads who woke that morning only to close their eyes, before night, on this world forever. How time does fly in a battle! It was but a short time, seemingly, since morning, and now it was almost night. At last we were ordered to get ready to move. We were going, it was said, to make a circuit of the battle- field by way of observation, but we saw no more of the actual fighting. I think this was done for the purpose of finding out if there were any movements on the part of the rebels looking toward retreat. We were finally drawn up in a lane and there remained until long after midnight. Some of the men sat on the fence, while others stood by their horses' heads, so as to give the poor animals as much rest as possible. Everything was perfectly quiet. The fighting seemed to be all over, when all at once an immense shell was fired in the direction of Scottsville. It was beyond all doubt the most startling old screamer I had yet heard. It was as though a couple of fiends had caught the corners of the heavens and were ripping them right down through the center. It was a fitting close to the day.
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Reminiscences of Antietam.
After remaining there about an hour longer, someone took charge of the Regiment and we were marched back to the cross- roads. The great battle was over, neither one of the armies having much the advantage. Lee was glad to get back over the Potomac once more.
The next day, I think, we broke camp and proceeded on our way to Greencastle, where we were to turn our horses over to their owners. When we arrived there we turned into a vacant field, tied our horses to the fence and everything was ready for the farmers to reclaim their stock. They were there, ready and anxious to begin. It was pathetic to hear the remarks of some of those old fellows when they saw those horses. "Well," said one gentleman, when he saw his favorite riding mare, "I wouldn't have believed that hoss could have been used up that way in such a short time."
Our next move was back to Carlisle, where we resumed our drill, preparatory to joining the Grand Army of the Cumberland in the west.
ON PICKET AT ANTIETAM.
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SERG. WM. MCGEE, REGIMENTAL SADDLER, TOLLGATE, W. VA.
I N September, 1862, our Regiment, after being recruited in different parts of the State, had assembled at Carlisle for organization. We had not been a month in the service when General Lee invaded Maryland, and a detail was made from the Regiment to meet him. At that time the men were not fully uni- formed and all the arms we had were sabers, but revolvers were issued to the first detachment that was sent down ; and while drawn up in line, in front of the Colonel's tent, we had orders to load them, which we did in a bungling fashion, without any accident happening, which was fortunate, as most of those in line had never loaded a revolver before and broke all the rules ever made for doing it safely. We were just as badly off for officers. Quite a number of the old Troop were with us, but their positions were only temporary ones, and I think the only commissioned officer of the Regiment was Captain Wm. J. Palmer.
We rode all night on the cars and arrived at Greencastle the next morning, and at once were sent out in the country to press horses from the farmers. Some sort of an organization was made, and Braden J. Hurst, of the old Troop, was appointed Captain of the Company to which I was assigned, and he appointed me tem- porary First Sergeant.
Our Company reached the battlefield of Antietam on the after- noon of the battle, September 17th, and on the same evening Major Ward sent for me and told me to take six men down on the bank of the Potomac and picket where the right wing of our army rested on the river. The Major gave me very particular instructions as to my duty. He told me that it was understood that General Lee's army was penned up in the bend of the river and had control of 10 ford to cross over into Virginia, and that it was probable he would try to break through our right wing, just where we were posted, to get out and up the river, and that I must be very vigi- lant and report at once any movement in my front. I took my men
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On Picket at Antietam.
down and made my reserve post on the road, about 200 yards back from the canal, and placed the videttes down on the north bank of the canal, below a large grain elevator and a group of houses. McClellan's infantry was on the river bluff above us. I did not sleep a wink that night, but went back and forth between the reliefs and at daylight was with the videttes, where I got a boat and crossed the canal to the towpath on the other side, and on looking over the river I saw two Confederates coming across on a fish dam. Calling over to my boys what I had discovered, I slipped down to the willows and concealed myself in a position to head them off, and as soon as they landed I stepped out on the sandy beach and called to them to surrender, and when they saw my revolver presented, up went their hands, in token that they gave up. They had no arms, but had gone over the river to forage for something to eat, and coming back got on the wrong dam, the right one for them being a half mile below. I marched them up the bank and followed, revolver in hand, up to the towpath and across the canal. A company of infantry had come up and were drawn in line. They saluted us with cheers and "Bully for you, Sergeant !" My prisoners said General Lee had three fords he could use to cross over into Virginia, so I at once sent them to Major Ward and he sent them to General McClellan's headquar- ters, to let him know of the fords, but I think now that he knew it before he got the information from us.
On the second night after the battle of Antietam, the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry camped in the streets of Hagerstown, Md. As for myself, I made my bed on the sidewalk, on a very hard, flat rock. The next morning Major Ward led us out the pike toward Williamsport. When we had got out about two miles it was discovered that the enemy had a piece of artillery planted on the pike, about a half mile in front of us. We hiked out of the road in a hurry and drew up in line in a meadow facing south. We had hardly gotten out of the way when a round shot came skipping by. . If it had come five minutes sooner it would have raked us from front to rear.
Our line was to the left of the pike. In our front and to the left was a strip of woods, I guess a quarter of a mile long by 200 yards wide. I was ordered to take eight men and go through the woods and feel the enemy, and to dismount at the edge of the woods and go through on foot. Not knowing better, I dismounted
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
all the men, and we tied our horses to saplings. I then ordered the men to scatter. Our line stretched from one edge of the woods to the other. It made a very thin skirmish line. When we were about half through the timber an orderly overtook us, and said we were to come back and mount and report to the Major. Before getting there another orderly came with orders for me to take my men and picket a road that led out through the farms to the left of our line. After being in this position for an hour I received orders to go out still farther to the left of the timber, and go on until I found the enemy, and see how many there were and what they were doing. We mounted and went some distance out the road and through a gate into a field. On the far side of this field was a post-and-rail fence. Finding it impossible to get through with horses, I told the men to remain there and I would go alone on foot and make observations myself. I went forward, along an old- fashioned worm fence, until I was even with the south end of the woods. Some 300 or 400 yards away, with a small valley between, looking south, I could see the dust rising over the roads and could hear the rumble of artillery wagons. At first I could see no one, but presently heard voices, and looking down in the valley I saw and counted thirty rebel soldiers; some were lying down, others were washing their faces in a small stream. Taking them all together they were a shabbly lot. Not being familiar with the long range of guns I felt perfectly safe, but when I turned to go back, and had taken about two steps, a bullet passed my nose so close that I put my hand to my face to see if I had a nose left. I then started on a trot, when another shot was fired, but fell short, striking on the other side of the fence. I got back and reported to Major Ward and then resumed my picket post. When night came our whole force-cavalry and infantry-fell back to Hagers- town very quietly, so quietly that I knew nothing about it. About IO o'clock that night I heard someone calling softly, "Hello, Ser- geant !" "Hello, yourself ! Who are you and what do you want?" "I am a messenger from Major Ward. The command left here at dark and you were forgotten. Get your men mounted and get back to Hagerstown as quick as possible," was his reply.
When it is known that it was less than a month since I had left my home in a quiet little town in western Pennsylvania, the reader will no doubt think I was being initiated in the art of war by a suspension of the rules.
COLONEL PALMER AND THE PATRIOTIC PARSON.
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FIRST-LIEUT. CHAS. H. KIRK, PHILADELPHIA.
I T adds greatly to the efficiency of any army to campaign in a country where its inhabitants are friendly to their cause, as then all the movements of the enemy are at once forwarded to the headquarters of the friendly command. When in the South, all movements of the Union Army were noted by rebel sympa- thizers, even to the number of troops, and then sent where the information would do us the most harm. But the colored people did not act thus. They were our friends and so far as was in their power, would bring or forward to us all they considered would be to our advantage. The great drawback to the informa- tion they gave was their ignorance of numbers. They had no language to indicate, with any idea of exactness, how many of our enemy were at the places they named and their report of "a right smart lot" might mean ten or a thousand.
In our Maryland campaign Union loving people were found who kept us, to a certain extent, posted on the movements of the rebels, and other ways were at times resorted to when important information was desired. One of the most dramatic incidents in the early history of our Regiment-one most unfortunate in its effects for some time, the capture of Colonel Palmer (then a Cap- tain) as a spy on the south side of the Potomac River after the battle of Antietam-is perhaps best told in the words of Colonel Palmer himself in the annexed certificate.
This was written in aid of a patriotic parson who accompanied him on that expedition. The parson had escaped and brought back most important information, but as he was unknown, it could not be acted upon at Headquarters, and the reverend gen- tleman was even charged with betraying Colonel Palmer into rebel captivity, and sent to prison at Fort Delaware.
The application of Mr. Stine to the authorities at Washington, for compensation for the scout duty he performed and the indig-
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History of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
nities he suffered, resulted in his receiving from the Government five hundred dollars.
HEADQUARTERS 15th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. February 12, 1865.
I certify on honor, first, that on the day before the battle of South Mountain the Rev. J. J. Stine, of Cumberland County, Pa., came into the lines of my regiment, five miles south of Greencastle, Pa., on the Williamsport Road, and communicated the information that in crossing the Potomac River at Williamsport, Md., he had met the rear guard of Stonewall Jackson's rebel corps crossing to the south side of that river ; that this information (which was evidently of great importance as showing that Lee's Army then on or near the South Mountain had been weakened by the detaching of one-third of its force sent to attack Harper's Ferry on the south side of the Potomac; also as showing the danger to the garrison at Harper's Ferry) I immediately forwarded by telegraph to Col. Alex. McClure at Headquarters, Chambersburg, who was in telegraph communication with the headquarters of the army at Washington.
Second. That the next morning, on hearing cannonading in the direction of South Mountain, and also of Harper's Ferry, I was desirous of ascertaining what effect this would have upon the movements of the enemy's force in my front, consisting of Longstreet's Corps, then camped at or near Hagerstown or Funkstown, Md .; that the Rev. J. J. Stine, aforesaid, volunteered to go into the enemy's lines at Hagerstown, and obtain the desired information; that I consented and he started off in that direction, and returned to my headquarters a little after dark the same day, and reported as follows: That he had reached Hagerstown about noon, and found that most of Longstreet's Corps had already marched that morning towards South Mountain on the Boonsboro Road ; that on a hill about two miles from town he could see the rear guard of the marching column moving eastward at I p. m .; that he could see the wagon trains turn off the Boonsboro Road, east of Hagerstown, at a point where a road turned off to Williamsport, and go into camp, and that one brigade of Longstreet's Corps, under Toombs, was still camped near Hagerstown, and would, in his opinion, remain there till morning.
That this important information I also telegraphed immediately to headquarters at Chambersburg, and the next morning verified its correct- ness by pushing into Hagerstown with my command of 200 cavalry, where I captured a considerable number of stragglers, and ascertained that Toombs' brigade had been left at Hagerstown until about I a. m., when it had commenced retreating towards the Potomac River. That the truth of Mr. Stine's report in regard to Longstreet's wagon trains was proven the same day by the arrival at Greencastle of all our cavalry from Harper's Ferry under Colonel Davies, who had captured on the road one of these trains (loaded with ordnance) within three miles of Williamsport on the road from Funkstown.
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Colonel Palmer and the Patriotic Parson.
Third. I further certify that the day succeeding the battle of Antie- tam, my command being then on the extreme right of our army, and General McClellan having expressed to me his wish that a spy should be sent across the Potomac River to Shepherdstown to ascertain whether General Lee was making any preparations to retreat to the south side of the river and General McClellan having stated how extremely important this information would be to him, I decided in a fit of injudicious patriot- ism to cross the Potomac myself in company with the Rev. J. J. Stine, and endeavor to procure this important information, on the possession of which I thought the fate of the rebel army of Virginia and its possible complete destruction might hinge.
That I accordingly crossed the river at Dam No. 4, taking Mr. Stine with me, and during the night obtained the information from a loyal physician of Shepherdstown, Va., that at midnight no crossing had actually taken place, but that the rebels were evidently just begin- ning to cross. While near Dam 4 during the night we were passed by the whole of Stewart's cavalry, then moving from Shepherds- town towards Williamsport to cross to the north side of the Potomac. With these two items of information we were about starting back when we were captured by a battery of rebel artillery, which had been sent up to guard the ford at Dam No. 4 during the retreat of Lee's Army across the river; that I was sent on to Richmond, but Mr. Stine effected his escape at Dam No. 4 before suspicion was strongly fastened upon him.
Fourth. I further certify that when I returned from Richmond the following January, I found to my astonishment, that the Rev. J. J. Stine had been arrested and confined for several months in Fort Dela- ware on the charge of having betrayed me into rebel captivity, and that he was still under parole, from which my application to the Secretary of War procured an immediate release.
That in my opinion the imprisonment of Mr. Stine at Fort Delaware was longer and more severe than it otherwise would have been, from the fact that he generously appreciated the danger in which I might be placed at Richmond by the publication of any of the circumstances attending my capture and his escape at Dam No. 4.
That in addition to my feelings of personal gratitude to him for this self-denial, I wish to state that I regard him as a disinterested and earnestly patriotic citizen, who was willing to risk his life at repeated times for the sake of the national cause; that he has had considerable odium attached to his name by the general community in consequence of his imprisonment in Fort Delaware, and is now quite poor. His services were of great value to the army and to the country, and I hope they will be rewarded in the most liberal manner.
I am, with great respect,
WM. J. PALMER,
Colonel commanding 15th Penna. (Anderson) Cavalry.
OUR FIRST CAMPAIGN.
GEO. NEIL, COMPANY D, MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA.
H AVING heard much of the Anderson Cavalry, a battalion of 400 men for special service in the Army of the Cumber- land and to act as General Buell's bodyguard, I determined to enlist in it if they would take me. I had at that time just passed my sixteenth birthday, but was large and strong for my age, and, as eighteen was the minimum age for accepting recruits, I decided to tell them I was nearly nineteen in order to have them take me.
After making some inquiries in regard to the Troop, I found it was necessary to have a recommendation from some prominent citizen or well-known firm. This I knew I could get, so on August 18, 1862, I went to the recruiting station, on the southwest corner of Third Street and Willing's Alley, and found a place crowded with men waiting to enlist in the command. I saw a carbine, saber, belt and pistol standing in the corner of the room, a pair of cavalry boots in the window and a cavalry cap hanging on the wall.
After waiting for a short time I went to the desk of the recruit- ing Sergeant, whom I found to be an old acquaintance, Roland Seeger, and told him I wanted to enlist in the Troop. He asked me my name, which I gave him. He said they were not accepting any more men then, but that he would take me, handing me the en- listment papers to fill out and sign, which I did. By the way, I still have in my possession those enlistment papers, made out and signed by myself, and the parent's consent, in case of a minor, signed by my mother.
Sergeant Seeger then told me to go to the examining surgeon, Dr. Jas. Patterson, at Broad and Pine Streets, for examination. I found the doctor there, and how fearful I was that he would not pass me, but he did, and pronounced me fit for service. I then went to my mother to get her consent to my enlistment, and how I had to coax her to sign the paper! She said : "No, you are too young ; you are only sixteen, and you say here you are nineteen. I will not
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Our First Campaign.
sign it." But after a couple of hours' persuasion she relented and signed the papers. I then hastened to Alderman Dougherty and was sworn in. From there I went to Rockhill & Wilson's and was measured for my uniform; from there to Sullender & Pas- chal's and got a cavalry cap; from there to Dickerman and was measured for long boots.
The next day I was busy buying such indispensable articles for a soldier as camp knife, dirk knife, rubber blanket and talma, and getting myself ready to leave my home. I had everything I wanted for a life I knew nothing of except that it would be full of hardships, danger and perhaps death. I thought that I ought to go and do all that I could to help my country in her hour of need and help sustain the glory of our old flag.
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