USA > Pennsylvania > The Seventh Pennsylvania veteran volunteer cavalry; its record, reminiscences and roster; with an appendix > Part 7
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During these movements of the cavalry the First Brigade passed through the town of Winchester, where a part of the Union army was halted. The 'Seventh was moving rapidly through the main street of the village, when a Union officer sprang off a porch, where several were sitting, and, rushing to the head of the regiment, halted the Commander with a warm greeting. It was General Jeff C. Davis, who commanded a Division in Rosecrans' army, and with whom Colonel Sipes had served at Covington and Newport, Kentucky. "I want to give you a sure cure for chills and fever," said the General. "When we moved on Hoover's Gap I was a wreck, almost un- able to mount a horse, but I knew that I must be on
*The reader of this book may think vanity and boasting has caused so many successes to be claimed for the Seventh, in its conflicts with the enemy. Such is not the case; the desire has been to record facts only; and if the history of the Civil War is recalled, it will be seen that the claim of accuracy is reasonable. The actual progress of the army that moved South from Louisville in the spring of 1862 was never stopped; it held all the country it took possession of, and never met with an actual defeat. This was the case when it was commanded by Buell, by Rosecrans, by Thomas, and by Sherman, under all of whom the Seventh had the honor to serve.
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duty, so I put a handful of quinine in a bottle of whiskey, placed the bottle in the saddle bag, and went into the fight. My horse was a hard trotter, and when I took the bottle out for a drink, and I did so frequenly, the whiskey and quinine were churned as white as milk. I got through the day without a chill, and have not had one since. So there's your remedy : whiskey, quinine, and a hard-trotting horse."
Bragg's army was now driven from Middle Ten- nessee into a strong defensive position at Chattanoo- ga, and it was time for Rosecrans to halt and give his forces a chance to rest and recuperate. It had rain- ed every day from the 24th of June to the 16th of July; not continuously, but in tremendous showers, lasting from a few minutes to hours at a time. The consequence was that the streams were flooded, the earth a bed of mud, the roads bottomless, and the armies soaked. Men marched in mud, fought in mud, camped in mud. General Stanley says, that it was this elemental condition that rendered Rose- crans' success incomplete. He pronounces the Union commanders' plans perfect, and his orders from day to day beyond criticism, but his artillery was unable to move as directed, his supply trains were stalled, and in some instances had to be abandoned. These conditions enabled Bragg to retire across the Tennes- see river, burn the bridges behind him, and secure safety in an almost impregnable position.
AFTER THE TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN.
The retreating Confederates having crossed the river, an opportunity was offered for giving the Un- ion cavalry a brief rest. They needed it. Between the 23rd of June and the 5th of July the brigade had marched eight hundred miles, almost constantly drenched by rains, had climbed mountains and cross- ed swollen streams, and had encountered the enemy, always successfully in several severe engagements. It went into camp at Salem. Rosecrans established his
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headquarters at Winchester. His army, fronting Bragg's, the Tennessee river forming the great bar- rier between them, extended from Huntsville to Al- tamont, at the base of the Cumberland mountains. Here he devoted his energies to the perfecting of his railroad communications and to the concentration of supplies, in anticipation of a forward movement. These duties were imperative, because the region in which he was placed afforded no supplies of any kind. Naturally poor, it had been swept over three times by advancing and retreating armies, who had made "desolation more desolate." In this position the Union forces remained until the 27th of August, when the advance, which culminated in the battle of Chickamauga, September 20-21, began.
But, as usual, the cavalry rested by being con- stantly on duty. The records show that Minty's bri- gade was employed in clearing the country of Con- federate roving bands between Columbia and Hunts- ville, and was then sent to the extreme left, where the enemy had become troublesome. Here he report- ed to General Crittenden, commanding the left wing of Rosecrans' army, who directed him to occupy MIc- Minnville, which he did on the 30th of August.
On the 4th, Minty moved with his brigade to at- tack Col. Dibrell's brigade, which was posted near Sparta. Some skirmishing occurred between de- tachments of the antagonistic forces, with little ad- vantage or loss to either. On the 8th Minty, still in McMinnville, was informed of Dibrell's position, and moved at once to attack him. Of the engagement which followed, Capt. Vale gives the following ac- count :
"Moving forward, he struck the rebel pickets at daybreak about four miles south of Sparta, and fol- lowed them at a gallop into the town. It was here learned that they had moved camp the evening before, and were then about four miles north of the town, and on the east side of the Calfkiller Creek. The
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pickets had given notice of our approach, and Dibrell retreated across the creek and took a strong position on a hill covering a narrow bridge. Capt. McIntyre, with the Fourth United States, was directed to cross the river at an ugly, rocky ford, a few hundred yards below the bridge, supported by Col. Sipes, with the Seventh Pennsylvania, and sharply attack the rebel left; while, with the Fourth Michigan and Third In- diana, Minty moved to the direct attack at the bridge. After a short, but sharp, contest at the bridge, on the Fourth United States attacking their left, although largely outnumbering the Union forces, Dibrell abandoned his strong position and scattered his men in every direction through the country. The Third Indiana, Fourth United States and Seventh Pennsyl- vania were sent out to scour the country, which they did for five miles; but their horses being fagged, with the seven miles gallop and preceding night's long march, could not overtake the freshly mounted, fast- fleeing foe. The rebels lost one Lieutenant and thir- teen men killed, and one Lieutenant and nine men captured." In "Campaigns of Forrest" it is said, in reference to this skirmish: "The attack was made with so much dash, that the escape of any of Dibrell's men was due to the fleetness of their horses."
On the 17th of August the First Brigade had another brush with the enemy in the neighborhood of Sparta. Minty moved that day from MeMinnville for Pikeville, in the Sequatchie valley, and encoun- tered Forrest's outposts two miles from Sparta, where Dibrell's command was encamped. The Seventh and the Fourth Michigan were sent across Calfkiller Creek, with instructions to follow up its east side. These regiments soon came upon Dibrell's old bri- gade, which they vigorously attacked and drove to the west side of the creek. Leaving them to the at- tention of the portion of Minty's Brigade, which had not crossed the stream, the two regiments proceeded rapidly, and were soon actively engaged with an ad-
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ditional portion of Dibrell's division, which was scattered and driven some miles. Minty, with the Fourth Regulars and Third Indiana, moved up the west side of the creek, but the ground here was broken and difficult for cavalry, so that his progress was slow. The enemy scattered on this, as they had on the east side, and taking advantage of the rough country fought in detachments as skirmishers. In that way the engagement extended over miles of ter- ritory. The enemy, broken and flying, were followed for ten miles, when, the day closing, the Union regi- ments were concentrated to bivouac at Sparta for the night. Vale relates the following incident of the en- gagement :
"About four miles from Sparta the road he (Minty) was moving on led close to the creek, with a high wooded hill on the opposite side. On this hill two regiments of Dibrell's command, which had been cut off by the preceding advance, were lying in am- bush, and being protected from immediate assault by the creek, there unfordable, opened a heavy fire on the column as it was marching by with flank exposed. When the head of the column was fired into, Col. Minty, with Capt. Burns, A. A. A. G., Capt. Vale, A. A. T. G., and three orderlies, one of whom, Cor- poral Hodges, was carrying the brigade battle flag, was riding about ten rods in advance of the Fourth Regulars, which regiment was at the head of the column. Capt. Burns said : "Colonel, this is the first time I ever knew you to move without an advance guard."
"The Colonel replied : "It is scarcely necessary -- we will go into bivouac almost immediately-but I should not do it; a bold dash of fifty men would throw the head of the column into confusion, and turning in his saddle he said to the Bugler, who was riding behind him, 'Bailey, give my compliments to Captain McIntyre and request him to send a dozen men to the front as an advance guard.'
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"As the Bugler wheeled his horse and started on the gallop, the volley from the men in ambush was fired at the five men who were riding thus alone. Capt. Vale had four holes bored across his shoulders by a raking shot from left to right; Sergeant Birch, one of the orderlies, was shot in the thigh and his leg broken; Col. Minty's horse received three balls, and the horses of both orderlies were killed."
An attack was made on the ambushed enemy by the Seventh Pennsylvania and the Eighth Indiana, and they were quickly driven off. In the morning Dibrell's force had entirely disappeared, leaving their dead, which the citizens were ordered to bury. In the engagement Capt. Andress, of Company G, Capt. Newlin, of Company FF, and Capt. Vale and five en- listed men, were wounded. The total loss in the bri- gade was three officers and thirteen men wounded. An enlisted man in the Fourth Regular Regiment was drowned.
At daylight on the morning of the 19th the march was resumed, and that day the mountain was cross- ed and Pikeville reached. Here was encountered the intense loyal sentiment which prevailed among East Tennesseeans, and it warmed the hearts of the sea- soned "Yankee soldiers" to find so many stalwart men, in the land of their enemies, ready and willing to fight for the Union. Advancing on the 21st, the command reached the summit of Walden's ridge about midnight, and there halted. Again was the loyalty of the natives exhibited, to illustrate which Vale tells the following story :
"The brigade headquarters had halted in front of a more than ordinarily good house, but which seemed deserted. The colonel directed that no one should be disturbed, but in a short time a young woman was observed dodging around the outhouses, as though seeking either to gain entrance or escape from the house. She was detained and questioned by the colonel, when a man, nearly eighty years of
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age, tottered into the column, begging that he might be punished, if punishment was to be inflicted, and his granddaughter left to go free. After assuring him that no harm was intended to either, it was found that he mistook us for rebel soldiers, but was still bold in the declarations of devotion to the old flag. It took considerable time to convince him that we were in fact Federal soldiers, the first that had vet entered that country. He examined our brigade and regimenal standards with suspicion- they were new and unknown to him-but when he saw our guidons, they being small Union flags, he was covinced, and his joy knew no bounds. He waked up the family with the cry that the 'Deliver- ers had come! That the United States flag was at their doors" The family, women and children, rushed out of the house shouting and dancing with joy, and praising the Lord that the long-looked for day of the advent of the National army was come!
"After a while, the old man, telling the colonel not to be surprised at anything, brought out an or- dinary horn, and gave certain peculiar toots on it. In less than five minutes men began to assemble, coming out of the bushes by twos and threes, until fully fifty armed men stood in our midst. They reported that all night, from station to station over the mountain, our progress had been signalled, but that they, fearing we might be rebels, who frequently wore our uniforms for the purpose of entrapping the people, had lain quiet and simply watched our progress. Each band of newcomers repeated the scenes of extravagant rejoicing first witnessed, and such a hearty, enthusiastic ovation was awarded us as rarely greets the most popular statesman or tri- umphant conqueror."
Moving down to the Tennessee river, the bri- gade captured a Confederate picket of over a hun- dred men, and had a successful skirmish with a con- siderable force of the enemy, which they drove across
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the river. From this time until the battle of Chick- amauga was fought, the brigade was feeling the enemy and apprising the Union commanders of his movements.
About this time Gen. Turchin was relieved of the command of the Second Cavalry Division, and was succeeded by Gen. George Crook who, as an of- ficer of the Regular Army at a later period, so great- ly distinguished himself as an Indian fighter. Crook was an excellent officer. He "put on no frills;" was always ready to share hardships and dangers with his men, possessed and exhibited the most untiring energy, and was very popular, because of these traits, with the rank and file. Turchin's training in the strict military schools of Russia rather disqualified him for American volunteer service, where soldiers are always men, never willingly becoming machines or menials.
BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.
History has demonstrated that there were blun- ders on the Union side preceding and during the battle of the "River of Death," and it has likewise shown that the work of the mounted forces, attached to Rosecrans' army, was of great value. This mounted force was weak numerically, but what there was of it was well seasoned and thoroughly efficient. Minty's first brigade and Wilder's mounted infantry comprised about all of it, and it is only with the first named we have to deal, as this work is not designed as a general history, but to tell the story of a single regiment, the Seventh Pennsylva- nia Cavalry.
The movement of the mounted forces preceding the battle commenced on the 17th of September, when Minty's command uncovered Buckner's corps of Confederates, and Wilder, in his demonstrations, had encountered that of Polk. Wilder and Minty
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united in informing Gen. Crittenden, who command- ed Rosecrans' left wing, that the enemy were not re- tiring, as had been reported and believed, but were advancing, with the evident intention of giving bat- tle. Their reports were not credited. Early in the morning of the 18th, Capt. Thompson, of the Sev- enth, with about one hundred men, was sent on a reconnoissance toward Ringgold. He met John- son's command advancing. A skirmish followed, of course, and although there was considerable differ- ence in the numbers engaged-Johnson having four thousand seven hundred and Thompson about one hundred-the Confederates admit being halted and held in check. Intelligence of this encounter being received, Minty moved forward with the rest of the brigade and a section of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery, and formed a line of battle overlooking the valley in which the skirmish was going on. John- son was heavily reinforced by both infantry and ar- tillery, and Thompson retired to the brigade line. It was then the Confederate force crossed Pea Vine Creek, having been held in check several hours. Hesitating to attack Minty's line, Johnson made a flank movement which compelled the cavalry to re- tire. This they did, retreating to the vicinity of Reed's bridge. In this skirmish John Ward and Owen Brennen, of Company F, and Jacob Stroup, of Company H, were killed, being the first men killed in the Battle of Chickamauga,-several men were wounded.
During the retreat to the bridge, and the period the latter was held, the brigade had some hard fight- ing to do. The Seventh and the Fourth Michigan made a grand saber charge on a large force of the enemy, breaking and driving them in temporary con- fusion. But it was impossible for the small force un- der Minty to stand against the heavy command push- ing forward, in compliance with Bragg's orders, to cross the creek. The Union cavalry succeeded in
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crossing the bridge under a heavy infantry and ar- tillery fire, and having, at great peril, rendered it impassible for a time by tearing up the flooring, formed in line and held the enemy in check for three hours. It was not until the Confederates had forced a crossing at two other places that the bri- gade gave way. While Reed's bridge was thus be- ing held, Bragg sent an order to Gen. Johnson di- recting him to "push on your column vigorously and engage the enemy regardless of the force in your front. The army is waiting on your movement." It is near this bridge that the monument commemo- rating the services of the Seventh Pennsylvania is erected.
In continuation of the movements and services of the brigade during the battle, we quote from Vale: "Minty had sent, during the night of the 17th, almost hourly dispatches to Crittenden, stating that train after train was arriving at Ringgold from the Sonth, but without receiving other reply than that "the rebel army is retreating, and are trying to get away some of their abandoned stores; they have nothing but dismounted cavalry in your front."
It was this determination to be unconvinced that caused the two wings of Rosecrans' army to be partially surprised and broken in this great battle, and the check it received was only saved from be- coming a rout by the firmness displayed by Gen. Thomas, commanding the center. Nothing could drive him from the position he took. The veterans of Longstreet, hurried from victorious battles in Vir- ginia, hurled themselves in vain against his lines; and at last, exhausted and beaten, they retired from the field leaving many of their number dead, and many more prisoners in the hands of the men they had confidently expected to conquer.
During the continuance of the great battle, on the 19th, 20th and 21st, the cavalry was engaged in the ordinary duty of scouting, guarding trains, pro-
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tecting outposts, and, when possible, harassing the enemy. On the 20th it engaged Scott's Confederate brigade and drove it across the Chickamauga, and was in turn attacked by Forrest on the 21st, who said in his report : "I vigorously attacked them with Dibrell's command dismounted, but I could not move them." During that day it was compelled, by overwheling numbers, to fall back to Rossville Gap, where it was furiously assailed by a vastly superior force, and there Capt. May, of Company K, and five men were killed, and Lt. Bernard Reilly, of Com- pany I, and eighteen men wounded. It was then withdrawn to the rear. On the 23rd the Seventh formed the rear guard of the army moving into Chat- tanooga, and, Vale says: "fought continuously from Missionary Ridge to the Watkin's house, three miles east of Chattanooga. The Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry thus has the distinction of opening and closing the great battle of Chickamauga."
THE SIEGE OF CHATTANOOGA.
The battle of Chickamauga terminated in a drawn contest, neither side having obtained a com- plete advantage over the other. The Confederates took position south of Chattanooga-in which Gen. Thomas' army lay entrenched-their lines touching the river on both flanks, and including intermediate- ly fortified positions on Lookout Mountain, Mis- sionary Ridge, and Pigeon Mountain. The great railroad bridge at Bridgeport was destroyed, and the river and road from there to Chattanooga were held by them. This left no outlet for the Union forces but the steep, rocky, and almost impassable roads over the mountains to Steven- son, Alabama, to which place they had railroad com- munication. Supplies of all kinds accumulated pre- vious to the battle were practically exhausted, and Thomas' force was soon reduced to quarter rations. Medical stores were unobtainable, and the wounded,
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who were able to travel, were told to get back to Stevenson as best they could and they would be cared for there. Thus ordered, wounded and suffer- ing men wandered off singly and in squads to make their way for more than two score miles over almost impassable mountain trails. They were hungry, thirsty, and racked with pain, but they submitted to their hard fate unmurmuringly, because they knew that necessity compelled it. Some of these wander- er's died in the mountain, and some were rescued by the cavalry escorting provision trains. That was the principal duty in which the Seventh was em- ployed for some time after the battle, and with other regiments of the division it lay, when permitted to rest, under the shadow of Lookout Mountain, on the north bank of the Tennessee. Of course, this means of supply was utterly inadequate and the pri- vations endured by the thousands of soldiers shut up in Chattanooga may be imagined. Men were seen picking up bits of mouldy hard-tack where, in times of plenty, damaged stores had been thrown away, and officers turned their horses loose to die in the streets. But there was no thought of giving up the position. They had won it and they were going to hold it while a hand would hold a rifle or grip a gleaming blade. The army had unlimited confidence in Thomas, and knew it was only a question of time when relief would come.
And come it did, for early in October the Eley- enth and Twelfth Corps, under Gen. Hooker, ar- rived from the Potomac, and a little later Gen. Sherman arrived with a portion of the force that had vanquished Pemberton at Vicksburg. All these forces were under the command of Gen. Grant, who was thus preparing to break finally and for all time the Confederate hold on what strategists have called the key to the Southern Atlantic States. The rail- way bridge was rebuilt at Bridgeport; the accumu- lated supplies distributed, and everything put in
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readiness for the final blow. In the meantime, the Confederate cavalry was not idle, and forces under Wheeler and Forrest appeared on the river east of Chattanooga. The First Brigade had a skirmish with Wheeler, near Washington, Tennessee, which demonstrated the Confederate strength by compell- ing the Union forces to retire. This action indicat- ed the determination of Wheeler to make a raid on the Union lines of communication, and preparations were at once made to frustrate such a movement.
Here may be recalled an incident worth record- ing. The Seventh was waiting at Stevenson for some wagons it had to escort back to Chattanooga, when a company of Ohio infantry arrived, escorting a detachment of prisoners taken in the battle, who were to be shipped north. The officer commanding the escort appealed to the commander of the Seventh for provisions for his men and the prisoners, stating that all were suffering from hunger. The food was soon obtained by smashing the door of a car con- taining hard-tack, bacon and coffee, and was liber- ally issued. Soon a line of fires appeared in the gloaming, beside the railroad, and the making of coffee was in active operation. The commander of the Seventh, who had authorized the raid on the pro- visions, walked down to this improvised bivouac and feast to see how guard and prisoners were faring. But there was apparently no prisoners and no guard! All were one happy family, sharing their "Hard-tack and sow-belly," Confederates and Union soldiers grouped around the same fires, while the rifles were stacked unguarded. Leaning against a tree, leisurely eating, stood a tall young fellow in Confederate grey. The officer addressed him :
"Are you enjoying your supper?"
"I certainly am, sir. It is the best meal I have had for a month." He then told how, as a di- vinity student, he had enlisted at the beginning of the war; how he had been in all the contests partici-
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pated in by Longstreet's command; how that corps had come west by train to help Bragg capture Chat- tanooga; how they had pushed forward day and night with scant rations, which the men had supple- mented by gathering green corn from the fields they happened to stop near, eating it raw; how they had stepped from the cars into formation, and gone im- mediately into battle; "but," he added, "these west- ern soldiers wouldn't give way, and for the first time in my experience I have the sensation of being whipped."
"For prisoners and guard, it looks to me," said the officer, "as if you fraternized thoroughly."
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