USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 15
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An election for Governor was to be held in many of the North- ern States during the first or second week of October. In States where the " Copperhead " or Anti-War party was strong, the cam- paign was fierce. At that time, there was no law providing for hold- ing elections in the army as there was a year later. The men who had left home and family and all business interests to join the Union Army and offer their lives to save their country, lost their votes on account of absence, while the bitter enemies of the Union at home, by the ten thousands, walked up to the polls and voted "the War a failure " and "all the blood shed, and all the money expended in efforts to save the Union, as lost." As many of the soldiers as could be spared were furloughed to go home and vote. On the Sunday before the election, a considerable number of Ring- gold Battalion boys, who were unable to get furloughs, mounted their horses and took French leave to go home and vote to defeat the " Copperheads " and re-elect our War Governor, Andrew G. Curtin.
The War Governor was elected and was a host in his official capacity in sustaining the army in the field and in repelling the in- vaders when they set foot on Keystone soil. The soldier boys who went home to vote were back within a week in the saddle at the front, resisting with carbine, saber and revolver, the enemies of the nation who had the manhood and courage to fight in the open.
MAIL GUARD ATTACKED.
While at Petersburg, our mail was carried to and from New Creek Station on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The dis- tance between these points was forty-two miles through a mountain country infested with bushwhackers. The mail guard usually con- sisted of ten cavalrymen, who made the ride one way in a day, and
THE BATTALION AT PETERSBURG, NOV., 1863. 139
the return trip the next day. The mail-sack was strapped to the saddle of one of the soldiers.
On the morning of November 1st, the mail-guard consisted of Corporal T. C. Buckingham, Isaac T. Dawson, William Lafferty, Sample S. Bane, Irvin K. Gregg, Harry Linn, Madison Blackburn, W. A. Vankirk, Wm. H. Harrison and Isaac Thomas. The men mounted and " lit out " up New Creek over the familiar road, swing- ing along at the steady gait of an all-day ride. Dawson carried the mail-sack. They crossed through the mountain at Burlington and turned up Patterson Creek Valley, having covered more than half the distance. Just as they came to Pierce's Gate they were sur- rounded and fired on by about forty Rebels. Lafferty's horse was shot dead, and he and Bane were taken prisoners; Blackburn and Linn were severely wounded and Gregg slightly wounded. Dawson escaped with the mail and brought it through, though his overcoat was riddled with buckshot. Lafferty and Bane died in Rebel prisons.
THE WHOLE BATTALION AT PETERSBURG.
About the first of November, 1863, the post at Mechanicsburg Gap near Romney was discontinued-the companies of the Ringgold Battalion which had remained there, now being ordered to join the others with Colonel Thoburn's Brigade at Petersburg. Colonel Campbell's Brigade was ordered to Springfield. The Second Brigade (Colonel Mulligan) had been sent. to Petersburg soon after their return from the Valley. At this time, November, the post was com- manded by Colonel Thoburn and the forces there consisted of the 23rd Illinois, 14th West Virginia, detachments of 2nd Maryland and 1st West Virginia, the seven companies of the Ringgold Cav- alry and Rourke's and Carlin's batteries. thirteen guns. During the autumn months, the troops built a fortification or fort.
* " Our duties here were very heavy. We were forty-two miles from New Creek from which place all our supplies had to be hauled in wagons and every train had to be accompanied by a strong guard. Our hay was obtained from the valley below Moorfield. some eighteen miles distant, and it required a strong force to guard every train that went into that Rebel country. Our whole force was kept 'on the go' almost continually. Those not guarding trains or on picket had to work on the fortifications; and then they would ran us out on scouts between times, often having skirmishes with
ยท Rogers.
140 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
squads of the enemy or getting bushwhacked from the mountain sides."
While General Kelley persisted in holding the seven Ringgold Cavalry companies for outpost and scout duty in Hampshire and Hardy counties, as his most vigilant and effective force for discov- ering and heading off expeditions of the enemy against the Bal- timore and Ohio Railroad, Averill, with his brigade, was cut loose and sent on several expeditions into the southern counties of West Virginia, in which he engaged strong forces of the enemy in a number of hard-fought battles, inflicting severe losses on the enemy, driving him out of that region, but not without serious loss in killed and wounded to his own command. He had made a very successful expedi- tion in August, hereto- fore referred to; in Sep- tember and again in October he had con- ducted similar expedi- tions, never failing to accomplish his purpose and return with new laurels. His troops had the most implicit confi- dence in him as a brave and skillful commander, who, almost always vic- Petersburg Gap. torious, was ever able to extricate his forces from the most perilous situations. General Lee had also the high- est respect for Averill's courage and ability to do things, as may be learned by reading his letters to the Confederate commanders in that region.
Averill had started from Beverly on the 1st of November, crossed Cheat Mountain, then to the Greenbriar River and on to Huntersville, driving the enemy. Proceeding toward Lewisburg he found the Rebels in a strongly fortified position on Droop Moun- tain, where he fought them and captured their position by assault, dispersing them in every direction, and capturing many prisoners. He then marched on to Lewisburg, and to White Sulphur Springs, from which point he sent back to Beverly his prisoners and the
THE BATTALION AT PETERSBURG, NOV., 1863. 141
wounded. He then marched on through Monterey and arrived at our post (Petersburg) on November 13th, where he was supplied with rations and forage, and, after a rest of three days, marched on to New Creek, arriving on the 17th.
SERIES OF SUPPLY TRAIN DISASTERS .- No. 1.
On the morning of November 16, 1863, about 8 A. M., the sup- ply train from New Creek to Petersburg was attacked and captured about five miles south of Burlington. A messenger from General Averill informed Colonel Thoburn about 2 P. M. of the capture, and that he was sending one of his regiments and a battalion of cavalry towards Moorfield to intercept and cut off the enemy's re- treat. Colonel Thoburn ordered Captain Greenfield to take all the available cavalry of our battalion (about 100 men) and proceed down the South Branch and co-operate with the force sent by Averill.
Greenfield says, "I arrived at Moorfield about 4 P. M., and found Major Gibson with the battalion of Averill's command, who informed me that Colonel Thompson had gone forward with his regiment in the direction of Wardensville, as he thought this was the route the enemy would take to escape. Gibson said his in- structions were to remain at Moorfield and guard the roads in the direction of New Creek. I proceeded on and overtook Colonel Thompson at the intersection of the North River Pike, he having gone into camp for the night. I informed him that my instructions were to co-operate with him. He said that his command was worn out as they had just come off a fifteen-days' raid and could go no farther. I then proceeded on with my command to the Grassy Lick Road, ten miles below the Wardensville Pike and about eighteen miles from Moorfield, where I thought the Rebels might cross and I might intercept them. I here received what I considered reliable information that they had crossed the road at 3 P. M. with horses only. I reported my information at once by messenger to Colonel Thompson, and suggested that we proceed and try to overtake them by daylight next morning. He replied that as they had six hours' start and his horses were worn out, it would be useless to try to overtake them."
As Averill had reported to Thoburn, their force to be 400 to
142
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
500 strong, I did not feel safe in following and attacking them with my small command of 100 men. I have since learned their force did not exceed 200 men, commanded by Captain John Mc- Neill. The train attacked consisted of eighty wagons loaded with commissary and quartermaster stores and some sutler's wagons, guarded by ninety infantry. The train was necessarily more than a mile in length moving slowly along the crooked, narrow mountain road. Forty infantry under Lieutenant Hardman marched in front, ten men under Captain Jeffers marched at the middle and the other forty men marched at the rear. The enemy were concealed in an old house and waited until the advance guard came up, when they fired, killing Lieutenant Hardman and another soldier instantly and wounding others, throwing the guard into great confusion. At the same time, another party of the enemy attacked the rear-guard, keeping them engaged while the larger force at the front got away with. some 200 horses and four prisoners, but failed to destroy the wagons and goods, owing to their haste and being constantly fired upon by infantrymen sheltered behind trees. The guard was en- tirely insufficient in numbers for such a train.
Notice of the death of Captain John Keys, of Company A, was received on the 14th of November, causing a feeling of sadness throughout the camp, for he was much beloved by all who had served under him. Captain Keys possessed excellent soldierly qual- ities. His physical courage, sound judgment and persistence in effort, soon won the confidence of his men and the esteem of the commanders under whom he served, especially General Kelley, who valued him highly as a cavalry officer and managed to retain him and his command in that mountain department almost continually until his death. More than two years of hard service and exposure, so undermined his constitution, that his health gave 'way and he reluctantly returned to his home at Beallsville, Pa., late in the summer of 1863, on a leave of absence, hoping to recuperate and return to the service, but his disease progressed rapidly, and he died on the 11th of November.
From the close of the Battle of Gettysburg until the end of the year, there had been no great military campaign in the east.
During the four months that followed, the cavalry of the two armies met in several severe engagements, and were generally active. but the main body of each army maneuvered little and watched his antagonist with sleepless vigilance to catch him off his guard and strike him a telling blow. About the first of December, Meade
RINGGOLD BATTALION, PETERSBURG, DEC., 1863. 143
moved his army across the Rapidan to attack Lee in his entrenched position at Mine Run ; the assault was to be made on one flank that was poorly fortified. All hope of success depended upon prompt movements. While the most of the corps moved promptly to the positions assigned, some of them did not reach their places until the next morning. In the meantime, Lee became aware of Meade's intention, and, during the night, fortified the point to be assailed and strengthened his entire position, so as to make it almost impreg- nable. Meade very wisely withdrew.
Grant had finished up the opening of the Mississippi River in July, but in East Tennessee, the Union armies were not only in- active, but in great danger. In the latter part of October, General Grant was appointed to the command of the Military Division of the Mississippi, a new department reaching from the Allegheny Mountains to the Mississippi River. When Grant reached Chatta- nooga on the 22nd of October, he found Rosecrans' army at that place, practically besieged by the Rebel Army of General Bragg ; General Burnside's forces at Knoxville were besieged by the enemy under General Longstreet. With the most remarkable expedition, Grant organized the troops here, and during the next month, de- feated Bragg in the three pitched battles of Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, and raised the siege at Knoxville, releasing Burnside's command to strengthen the victorious army that was to fight its way to Atlanta and the sea.
Imboden had been assigned to the Shenandoah Valley and adjacent mountain counties. His territory was large and he made no attempt to defend any place. His purpose was to harass his enemy, surprise and capture poorly defended outposts and cause General Kelley to retain in his department a large number of Federal troops for the defense of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the States of Pennsylvania and Maryland against raids. The most active factor in this department during the autumn months, was General Averill, with his command. He was given no defensive work, but was made a free lance to be hurled against the foe in any part of the department.
On the Sth of December, after winter had fully set in, Averill was started on his third great raid into Southwestern Virginia, which, for its audacity and the difficulties overcome, has few paral- Ids in history. " My command has marched, climbed, slid and swoum 355 miles since the 8th instant," was his laconic report to General Halleck on the ?? nd.
144 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
General Kelley planned this expedition at the suggestion of General Halleck, the purpose and outline of which appear in his dis- patch to the War Department :
Cumberland, Md., Dec. 8, 1863.
Brig. Gen. Cullom, Chief-of-Staff.
Brigadier General Averill left New Creek this morning with three regiments of cavalry and a battery, for the Virginia and Ten- nessee Railroad. He will proceed by Petersburg, Franklin, Mon- terey, Covington and Fincastle, and strike the railroad in Botetourt and Roanoke counties. Brigadier General Scammon will also move from the Kanawha to-day on Lewisburg and Union, for the purpose of threatening the enemy and the railroad near New River, engaging his attention and making a diversion in Averill's favor. Brigadier General Sullivan will move a force up the valley via Winchester, Strasburg, Woodstock, etc., threatening Staunton, and engage the attention of Imboden, and prevent him from sending a force against Averill.
Lee may possibly send a mounted force when he learns of this movement, for the purpose of cutting Averill off; but this, if at- tempted, I hope will be frustrated by corresponding movements of General Meade's cavalry. If my plans and orders are faithfully executed, I hope to accomplish important results. It will certainly cut off all communication between Lee and Longstreet.
B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General.
At Petersburg, Averill was joined by Colonel Thoburn with 700 infantry, a section of artillery and fifty cavalry of the Ringgold Battalion, in command of Captain James P. Hart. This force reached Franklin on the 10th, and Monterey next day, where the advance met with a slight resistance, resulting in the wounding of several men of the Third West Virginia Cavalry. On the way, a saltpetre works was destroyed by the cavalry under Captain Hart.
* "On the evening of the third day, we camped at Monterey in the midst of a drenching rain. A large fire was made by burning dry rails, and, in spite of the rain, we received a good amount of comfort from it."
We were immediately ordered on a scout to the right of where
* The account of the expedition to McDowell is by Lieutenant F. H. Crago of Company D.
RINGGOLD BATTALION, PETERSBURG, DEC., 1863. 145
we encamped, or rather, beyond Monterey from Petersburg, while Thoburn, with the remainder of the command moved on toward McDowell. It was then we understood that we were not to go farther with Averill's force, but were to make a demonstration in the direction of Staunton, and also to keep and protect Averill's wagon-train, laden with commissary and quartermaster's stores, until he returned from his raid. After going some distance beyond the town, we returned, followed the command, and just before reaching McDowell, we took the advance and charged into the place, routing a small force of Rebels and driving them up the mountain beyond the town. That night we stopped in a sugar camp, and as the weather had grown very cold, and the majority of us still had wet clothes on, we built large fires and dried ourselves completely.
The next day we were employed scouting the country about and in trying to ascertain where the enemy was. Our pickets were on top of the mountain beyond our camp, while Imboden's pickets were at the base of the same mountain. We ascertained that Im- boden had a force of several thousand men, and as we had but about eight hundred in all, with a wagon train of some eighty wagons, we were in rather close proximity to such a force. So thought our Colonel Thoburn, and as a movement of some kind was noticed early in the evening in the enemy's camp, he had the tattoo beaten and blown on the bugles in some four or five different places, while campfires, large and bright enough for at least five thousand troops were built and lighted. This, no doubt, had the effect to deceive the enemy, for as our command fell back to Monterey, they fell back in the opposite direction, and by morning, we were at least twenty Iniles apart. Our cavalry were left near Monterey on picket, while the infantry moved on toward Crab Bottom. We were ordered to kindle no fire, but as the night was intensely cold, and thinking the " Rebs " had too much sense to march after us in such weather, we selected a low place in which we kindled the largest fire I recollect of surrounding while in the service. Captain Hart sent two or three sentinels at a time in different directions, who were relieved at short intervals, thus allowing all the men a turn to enjoy the fire.
After daylight, we moved on to Crab Bottom, where we en- camped over night in a barn and had a good night's rest. In the morning, we found that we were to remain here and wait for Averill's return, so we prepared to make our stay as comfortable as possible by building shelters out of logs, rails and boards, circling about large campfires. Under these we piled plenty of straw from
F
146 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
the barn. We then formed our log heap, feeding it with dry rails from the fence, and for the four days and nights we remained there, we were just about as comfortable as we well could be.
Our detachment of cavalry was kept very busy scouring the country for miles around, making daily visits to Monterey, ten .miles distant, where reliable information could be obtained from a Union lady living there. Following the heavy rains, the weather had turned extremely cold, and the roads were so slippery that it was almost impossible for our horses to travel at all.
On Sunday, December 20th, I was ordered with thirteen men to Monterey. The roads were so slippery that we could scarcely make the journey. We heard that Averill was within a day's march of the place, but did not credit it. That night, our signals were answered by Averill's signals, but in a manner to show that they were in the hands of the enemy. From this cause, we were ordered to be ready to move in the morning at 2 o'clock, and as it. had been learned by scouts that all the main roads leading to our camp were blockaded, we were forced to take a by-road across the mountains in order to reach the North Branch Grade. We struck the grade at Circleville, losing but one wagon, which I think was wonderful when the time of the year and the roughness of the road was taken into consideration.
We reached camp at Petersburg in the afternoon December 23rd.
Company A was now sent to Cumberland, where they were stationed until March, when many of them re-enlisted and went home on a " veteran furlough."
General Averill's expedition, together with the several simul- taneous movements to divert the enemy, caused a great commo- tion in Virginia Rebeldom. Sullivan's force from Harper's Ferry, under Colonel Wells, moved up the valley leisurely, reaching Stras- burg on the 13th, Woodstock on the 18th and Harrisonburg on the 19th, threatening Staunton. while Thoburn over at McDowell was also making a feint toward Staunton. General Scammon was ad- vancing on Lewisburg from the Kanawha, and Colonel Moor, with two regiments from Beverly, was moving out to join Averill. This caused General Lee to dispatch Early's division to Staunton with all haste and rush Fitz Lee's cavalry across the mountains after Averill, while Rosser's brigade was hurried to Front Royal to get in the rear of Wells, but was unable to cross the Shenandoah on account of high water. A counter movement was made by General
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RINGGOLD BATTALION, PETERSBURG, DEC., 1863. 147
Meade sending General Gregg with a cavalry brigade to Luray. Gregg entered Luray, destroyed some Rebel property, and retired without finding the enemy in force.
CHAPTER XI.
PETERSBURG-ACTIVE WINTER CAMPAIGNS-CON- FEDERATE RAIDS IN FORCE.
At Petersburg, our battalion was first camped almost a mile from the village, but as winter " set in," our camp was moved within a half-mile of the town. Here the boys built good winter quarters and made themselves as comfortable as possible.
During the fifteen days of the Salem raid, the enemy had been absent from the vicinity of Moorfield, and there was little to break the monotony of our post. The weather grew very cold toward the latter part of the month. There was one intensely cold night which the men on duty long remembered, and which some of them will never forget.
A cavalry scout was sent out that night, and a number of the men were severely frostbitten, among whom was Sergeant D. M. Snyder of Company D, who had volunteered to take the place of another, and had his feet so badly frozen that he was under the surgeon's care for a considerable time.
After their return from the pursuit of Averill, considerable numbers of Confederate troops lingered about Moorfield, and there was some apprehension that General Early would turn his atten- tion to the outpost at Petersburg. During the last week of De- cember, we find the men cutting and hauling logs to strengthen the fort and 100 men at work on the defenses.
On the 30th, our battalion received 150 fresh horses, and needed many more, as the mounts were pretty well run down from hard service and neglect on the part of not a few of the men.
Among our battalion boys were a number of good singers, who formed temporary glee-clubs and cheered the camp with their songs. .Among the most enthusiastic of these was Sergeant Sam Donaldson, on the fly-leaf of whose diary we find the following song, which had been added to their repertoire at this time:
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148 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
" Dearest Love, do you remember, when we last did ineet, How you told me that you loved me, kneeling at my feet ; Oh, how proud you stood before me, in your suit of blue, When you vowed to me and country, ever to be true.
Chorus : Weeping sad and lonely, hopes and fears, how vain, When this cruel war is over, praying that you come again.
When the summer breeze is sighing, mournfully along,
Or when autumn leaves are falling, sadly breathes the song. Oft in dreams I see thee lying on the battle plain,
Lonely, wounded, ever dying, calling, but in vain.
Chorus: Weeping sad and lonely, etc.
If amid the din of battle, nobly you should fall, Far away from those who love you, none to hear your call, Who would whisper words of comfort, who would soothe your pain, Ah, the many cruel fancies ever in my brain.
Chorus: Weeping sad and lonely, etc.
But our Country called you, darling, angels cheer your way, While our Nation's sons are fighting, we can only pray ; Nobly strike for God and Liberty, let all nations see, How we love the starry banner, emblem of the free."
After the fruitless pursuit of Averill's force, Fitzhugh Lee and Early returned to the Shenandoah Valley in the vicinity of Har- risonburg and Staunton, where Rosser, with his brigade, joined them.
The question of subsistence for the army of Northern Vir- ginia was a burning question at this time. The supply of meat for that army was almost exhausted, and there was no future supply in sight. General Lee had been urging Imboden again and again to get out the cattle from Hardy and Hampshire counties. Sore and chagrined over their hard, lenghty and futile chase after Averill, these Confederates determined to inflict some punishment on General Kelley's forces, and collect an indemnity in horses and cattle for the mental and bodily suffering they had endured during the previous weeks.
FITZHUGH LEE'S RAID AND CAPTURE OF TRAIN.
* Accordingly, on the last day of the dying year, Fitzhugh Lee, with a strong force of cavalry and infantry, together with a battery and a small wagon-train, left Mount Jackson and marched over the Oarkney Springs Road to Moorfield. The grade over the mountain was so steep that they were obliged to send back the artillery and wagons. Arrived at Moorfield on January 2, where they learned that the force at Petersburg numbered eight or nine hundred. Their scouts sent forward to reconnoiter Petersburg. returned with the
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