USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 2
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6
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
CHAPTER I.
THE SITUATION, APRIL, 1861.
In 1861, previous to the outbreak of the War, the Regular Army of the United States consisted of ten regiments of infantry, five regiments of cavalry and four regiments of artillery-a total, present and absent, of 16,402 commissioned officers and enlisted men -- scattered over our vast domain in upwards of a hundred detachments occupying the various forts and military stations of the nation, the greater part of the force being kept on our western frontier.
After the bombardment and fall of Fort Sumpter, the Presi- dent issued a call for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to serve for a term of three months ; many more than this number offered their services. Eighteen days later, when the Rebellion was more fully unmasked, the President issued another call for troops, this time asking for thirty-nine regiments of infantry and one regiment of cavalry for the volunteer service, to serve three years; and also for eight regi- ments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry and one regiment of artillery for the Regular Army service. These two calls were also promptly filled and added a total of 64,748 officers and men to the army.
A few of the regiments that responded to the President's first call, like the 6th Massachusetts and ith New York, were armed, equipped and drilled. These were rushed forward to the de- fense of the Capitol and a few other points in greatest danger ; but the great majority of the :5,000 had neither arms, equipments nor drill, and these were sent to camps of instruction to be drilled and equipped for service.
Just here it was discovered that the Government arsenals and military storehouses had been practically stripped of serviceable arms and equipments. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War under President Buchanan, having shipped them to the Southern States during the previous autumn and winter. From these stores. the Confederate troops in the field were already armed and equipped. The purchase of arms and the manufacture of supplies were rushed with all possible speed by the Federal Government, but the term of enlistment of many of the three-months' men was more than half spent before they could be supplied with arms and equipped for service.
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THE SITUATION, APRIL, 1861.
The Northern States were altogether unprepared for war; they did not expect it. They had become accustomed to the bluster and belligerent attitude of the radical Southern statesmen, and many regarded their ordinances of secession and preparations for war as another bluff similar to that of 1832, during the administration of Andrew Jackson, and believed that in the end, the matter would be adjusted in some way and the trouble blow over.
Colonel A. J. Greenfield, who had spent two years in a whole- sale mercantile house in Baltimore, previous to the Civil War, says: " During my two years in Baltimore, I had gained a pretty good knowledge of the men of the South. I realized that they were a brave, chivalrous people of the same blood and had grown up under the same free institutions as the people of the North. They counted on an easy victory, if it came to war; they did not believe, however, that the North would accept the sacrifice, that a war would involve. After the attack of the mob upon the 6th Massachusetts Regi- ment in the streets of Baltimore, April 19, 1861, I made a visit to my home in Beallsville, Washington County, Pennsylvania, where many of my friends called to see me, and wanted to know if the people of the South really meant war. I assured them that they were in earnest, and that it meant a long and bloody war; and that if the Government thought they could put down the Rebellion with 75,000 men in three months, they were greatly mistaken."
The South had been expecting war and had been preparing for it ever since the election of Lincoln. South Carolina seceded from the Union six weeks after that event, and immediately proceeded to organize, arm and equip her militia for the coming conflict. Six other States seceded in rapid succession, each looking forward to and preparing for the coming war. A large number of men in the South were veteran soldiers who had fought in the Mexican War but a dozen years before this; in fact, the great majority of the United States soldiers who fought in the Mexican War were from the Southern States. After their return from the victorious campaigns of that war, many of these soldiers continued their military organizations or formed new ones. The young men im- bibed the military spirit and eagerly enlisted in these companies, which were generally officered by veterans of the Mexican War. A military education for the sons of planters and prominent men was very popular, and every West Point vacancy that could be secured was filled with a Southern boy. In addition to this, some excellent military schools were established in the South, where the
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TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
science and art of war were thoroughly taught by West Point graduates, and in which the military esprit de corps was ever tuned to concert pitch.
The most noted of these was the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, of which General T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson had been President for a number of years. All these advantages were of inestimable value to the South, especially at the beginning of the War; one other, and perhaps the greatest advantage the Confederate army had, was in the large proportion of officers of high rank who were West Point graduates-veterans who had served in Mexico and on the frontier.
An author, discussing this feature, says: "There were no ex- periments tried in the Army of Northern Virginia. The most dis- tinguished officers that the Southern Confederacy could find were put in the highest posts. There was hardly an officer of rank that was not a graduate of West Point. The war was conducted on their side on strictly military principles. Gen. R. E. Lee graduated at West Point in 1829, and continued in the army ever since ; served with distinction in the Mexican War as chief of staff to Lieut .- Gen. Scott. Gen. James Longstreet graduated from West Point in 1842; severely wounded in Mexican War: twenty years continuous service. Gen. Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, grad- uated in 1846; served with distinction through Mexican War. Gen. Ewell, West Point, 1840. General Hill, West Point, 1847. Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, West Point, 1854. This list might be extended greatly. Moreover, the feeling in this army toward the command- ing general was one of entire confidence and enthusiastic devotion, due to the fact that Lee was a man, in every way head and shoul- ders above his colleagues."
. As the month of May wore away, the magnitude of the com- ing conflict began to dawn on the people of the North, especially in the cities and towns where the daily newspaper kept them informed of the rapid progress of events in the South. The Confederates had assembled a large army at Manassas in Virginia. not far from Washington City. They were rushing troops into the border States of Missouri and Kentucky, which had not yet seceded from the Union, in an effort to get possession of them and swing them into the Confederacy before the Federal Government could organize and arm forces sufficient to occupy this territory. The State of Virginia had passed an ordinance of secession on the 17th of April, and eight days later was formally admitted to the new government.
9
THE SITUATION, APRIL, 1861.
This brought the Southern Confederacy right up to the Pennsylvania line ; and at the same time brought apprehension and forebodings of evil to the residents of the border counties.
But when, a few weeks later, the Confederate General, Joseph E. Johnson, with an army, took position at Harper's Ferry, within an easy day's march of the Keystone State, and another strong force under Porterfield and Pegram and Garnett came over the Virginia mountains into the upper valley of the Monongahela, it was then the people of Southern Pennsylvania became aroused.
* The valley of the Monongahela provided a natural avenue for an invading force to strike for that tempting prize, Pittsburgh, the great Iron City, with its iron mills, foundries for the manufacture of cannon, locomotive works, rail mills, boat yards, etc., etc., the capture and destruction of which would be a most severe blow to the Federal Government.
The Panhandle of Virginia, extending fifty miles up the Ohio River, along the Western boundary of Pennsylvania, afforded an excellent avenue of escape for the invader, while the fertile farms of Washington County, with their well-filled granaries and well-fed herds, flocks and stables, would furnish abundant subsist- ence and the best of remounts for a large cavalry force.
The war was no longer a dream in the rural villages and town- ships of that border county ; war meetings were held and home- guard companies organized; recruiting for the army in the field quickened, and the line between Unionist and Rebel-sympathizer was sharply drawn.
THE OLD VOLUNTEERS.
The brilliant campaigns of Generals Taylor and Scott in Mexico, during the spring and summer of 1847, had the effect of
Vol. XIX, II, 625, WAR RECORDS.
· Gen. W. W. Loring,
Commanding Army of the Kanawha Valley.
GENERAL : Great benefit would be derived if you could permanently destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad by walking down the Monongahela Valley !on Weston, or any other point where it would be convenient to you to strike it, and iestroy the bridges near Clarksburg and Fairmont, or what would be better blowing up the tunnels in their vicinity. Both branches of the road would be disabled, and the travel interrupted for the whole winter.
You could then continue your course through Morgantown into Washing- Ion County, Pennsylvania, and supply your army with everything it wants. Should you be able to maik Pennsylvania. In fe you will collect all the horses within your reach, both for your army andthe service generally.
I hope your operations may be crowned with success until the close of the
I have the honor to be your obedient servant.
R. E. LEE, General.
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TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
reviving somewhat the decadent military spirit of the Northern States. Many of the farmers of Washington County, Pennsylvania, were sons or grandsons of Revolutionary soldiers. When these sturdy farmers heard the news-belated news in those days-of General Taylor's victory over Santa Anna's Mexican hosts at the Battle of Buena Vista, and of General Scott's victorious march from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, their Revolutionary blood asserted itself, they became enthused with the military spirit, and a number of "volunteer" companies were formed in the county. Some of these grew weary and fell by the wayside, never to rise again ; but others, though dormant for periods, were kept alive until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion quickened them into new life, when they were among the first to respond to the Presi- dent's call for troops.
Among these surviving "volunteer " companies was the Win- field Hussars, a cavalry company named for General " Winfield " Scott, which had its headquarters at West Middletown in the western part of the county, and which, after the opening of the war, be- came Company I of the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanded by Captain George T. Work, whose name sometime later figures prominently in the history of the Ringgold Battalion and Twenty- second Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Another " volunteer " company of the Mexican War period, with headquarters at Beallsville, Washington County, was the Ring- gold Cavalry, which survived and became very much alive in the spring of 1861. This company, also named for a distinguished Mexican War officer Major Samuel Ringgold,* entered the service as an independent cavalry company, and later became the nucleus of the Ringgold Battalion, which in turn became the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry.
* Major Samuel Ringgold, son of General Samuel Ringgold of Maryland, was born near Hagerstown that state, in 1790; he graduated from West Point in 1818, and was appointed 2d lieutenant of artillery. He served through the various Indian wars with great efficiency, and was promoted from time to time until at the outbreak of the Mexican War, he was a major of artillery. During the Battle of Palo Alto, while directing the artillery, he was mortally wounded by a cannon shot and died on the field.
Capt. Henry A. Myers.
Capt. James P. Hart.
Lieut. John Holland.
Capt. John Keys.
Lieut. Thomas Nutt.
Sergt. H. B. Hedge.
Sergt. Adam Wickerham.
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THE RINGGOLD CAVALRY COMPANY, 1861.
CHAPTER II.
THE RINGGOLD CAVALRY COMPANY, 1861.
Captain John Keys was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1823, on a farm six miles east of Brownsville, near the National Road. He studied medicine, and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He first located at Bentleysville, Washington County; a few years later, he removed to Beallsville, where he continued to practice his profession until the breaking out of the Civil War.
While at Bentleysville, he joined the Ringgold Cavalry, in which he took great interest. His military spirit, together with his popularity, soon resulted in his election as Captain of the company, a position he held until his death.
Immediately after the firing on Fort Sumter, Captain Keys made strong efforts to have the Ringgold Company accepted by the Government. The difficulties he encountered in these efforts and his final success and assignment to duty with the army in Western Virginia, are related in the pages that follow.
The original Ringgold Cavalry Company was recruited from the eastern part of Washington County, Pennsylvania, at the close of the Mexican War, the first rendezvous being at Parkinson's Ferry, now known as Monongahela. The organization was effected on the Fourth of July, 1847, when Samuel Morgan was elected Captain. The Company was mustered in by Colonel James Lee, brigade inspector for the district. Henry Wilson succeeded Cap- tain Morgan, and some time later, B. F. Bentley became Captain.
At the outbreak of the Rebellion in April, 1861, Dr. John Keys of Beallsville, was Captain of the Company. In response to the President's first call for volunteers, Captain Keys offered his Company to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Hon. Eli Slifer, Sec- retary of the Commonwealth, immediately telegraphed Simon Cam- eron, then Secretary of War, for advice, as follows, "Troops are
For the information relative to the old " before the war " volunteer company and for much of that pertaining to the career of the Ringgold Cavalry Company during 141 and 1802. we are indebted to Mr. Adam Wickerham of Monongahela, Pa., now (1910) the only surviving member of the older organization, in which he enlisted in 1547. In the latter part of June 1561, when the order came to march to the front, Mir. Wickerham was one of the few members of the "Old Company" to answer to is name. He was about twenty-nine years of age at that time. His correct life, :in and kiedy disposition, cool head and mature judgment so won the confidence el ais comrades, that with an affection almost filial, they called him " Daddy," through- wit t'le service. He was advanced to First Sergeant of his Company. and might have ha! a commission had he been a self-seeking man. He was always " fit for duty," and funk part in almost every action in which his command was engaged.
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TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
offering with horses. Will the Government accept horses?" Cameron promptly replied, " Accept no horses." Captain Keys made another attempt to have his Company accepted, but the Gov- ernment at that time was not favorable to cavalry.
Captain Keys then determined to apply directly to the Secretary of War, Hon. Simon Cameron, with whose father he had become personally acquainted when a small boy, as follows: John Keys' father and Mr. Cameron's father were both contractors in the building of the National Road through Western Pennsylvania, and in this relation, the two men became intimately acquainted, resulting in Mr. Cameron being a frequent visitor at the Keys home. John Keys was a small boy at that time. Mr. Cameron was naturally fond of children, and took a fancy to the bright, young boy, the two becoming great friends for the time. On the occasion of his last visit, Mr. Cameron told John that when he grew to be a · man, to call on him if at any time he needed help to advancement.
Captain Keys now wrote a personal letter to the Secretary of War, urging the Government to accept his company of cavalry, In this letter, he incidentally mentioned the circumstance of his acquaintance with the Secretary's father and of the latter's promise to him. In answer to this letter, Captain Keys received a telegram from General Cameron, saying: "Your regiment is accepted ; report to Grafton, Va., at once for muster-in."
The Ringgold Cavalry Company was promptly called together to make arrangements to proceed to the front. But a small number of the former members of the Company were willing to "go to war," but their places were filled with young men eager to serve their country.
On the ?? nd of June, the Company left Beallsville, seventy men in all, fully mounted, and marched across the country for Grafton, Va. The first night out was spent at Carmichaels, a village in Greene County, and the second night at Morgantown, Va., at both of which places the men were hospitably entertained in the homes of the citizens.
About midway between Carmichaels and Morgantown, where the road crosses the State line, a large United States flag was sus- pended across the line. Here Captain Keys halted the Company, · who gave three rousing cheers for the Union.
The command reached Grafton on the evening of June 24th, and went into camp without tents, camp equipage, rations or horse- feed, no provision having been made for them. The men were
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THE RINGGOLD CAVALRY COMPANY, 1861.
obliged to forage for themselves for several days before the slow machinery of the Quartermaster's department, incident to that period of the war, was able to issue supplies.
Here, on the 29th, they were mustered into the United States service for three years, or during the war. The Ringgold Cavalry claims to have been the first volunteer cavalry in the field. The First New York Lincoln Cavalry, recruited in New York City by Carl Schurz, claims that distinction for their Company C, in the following paragraph from their Regimental History :
" August ?, in compliance with orders, the Company struck tents (in Washington, D. C.), crossed the Potomac on Long Bridge, and marched to Alexandria-the first volunteer cavalry in the field."
This was Captain William H. Boyd's Company of Pennsyl- vanians, recruited in Philadelphia, who had offered themselves at Harrisburg and were not accepted. They then went over to New York and joined Colonel Schurz's regiment. Their excellent and reliable historian evidently had not heard of the Ringgold Cavalry Company, operating in Gen. McClellan's Department in Western Virginia for more than a month previous to August 2, 1861.
The Company's officers were as follows: Captain, John Keys ; First Lieutenant, Henry Annisansel; Second Lieutenant, Henry A. Myers ; Orderly Sergeant, John Holland. During the first weeks in camp, the Company was drilled almost incessantly, rain or shine.
On the 6th of July, the company was marched to Danville, where the men were assigned to duty and " did their first real service as soldiers." * Sergeant H. B. Hedge, in his journal, says of this experience :
" I had charge of the picket here and Captain Keys was officer of the guard. As Keys on his round approached a picket. the latter fired on him, but fortunately missed him. When asked why he did not challenge, the picket replied that he was sure it was the enemy and wanted to shoot first. We were all very nervous and thought our day was close at hand."
On the 12th of July, the Company received tents. We had been lying out for two weeks, and were now delighted with the prospect of living under canvas, but in this we were to be disap-
* Sergeant Hugh Boyd Hedge of the Ringgold Cavalry, kept a journal of the Mor important movements and incidents of his command, the only journal of our stockage, kept by a member of that Company. From this accurate record, much hit :wer drawn for the history of the Ringgold Company during these early months of the service. Sergeant Hedge went West after the war, and for many years has been an honored citizen and banker of Des Moines, lowa.
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TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
pointed, for within an hour or two, we were ordered to Oakland by railroad, to take part in the pursuit of the Confederate forces which had been defeated and routed by General McClellan on the 11th at the battle of Rich Mountain. Arriving at Oakland, our Company joined the forces under General Hill, which were starting in pursuit of the enemy's retreating cavalry. The pursuit was continued until the 1Sth and then abandoned, the Ringgolds returning to Oakland, and thence on the 20th to Grafton.
On July 22nd, our horses were appraised by Captain Cram of the United States Army. It will be remembered that the men owned their horses at this time and this appraisement, or placing a valuation on each horse, was a necessary official act, to enable a soldier to recover the value of his horse from the Government in case the animal was killed or captured.
On the evening of the 24th, the Company was ordered out as an escort to General Reynolds. Marched all night, arriving at Bev- erly in the morning, where we remained until the evening of the following day, when we proceeded to march all night again, reach- ing Stony Point at daybreak in the morning. Here we drew rations at the rate of one-half the regular allowance. Started back on the 29th, camping over night at Beverly on the way, and arriving at Grafton on the evening of the 31st.
The soldiering of this first month would have been very com- monplace and dull to the men after they had been in the service for some time, but now in the beginning of this new and strange life, every long march and every new experience was full of interest to them and made a lasting impression.
NEW CREEK, VIRGINIA.
In the latter part of August, the Company was moved by rail- road to New Creek, Va., on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This exposed point on the railroad had to be well garrisoned to protect it from raids of the enemy. It served at the same time as an outpost for operation against the several independent Rebel cavalry com- panies, which had been recruited in these mountain counties, and which kept up an almost continual warfare against the Union pickets guarding the railroad. These Rangers, as they styled themselves, were familiar with every road, mountain-trail and gap; they were always well-mounted and were daring men. To hold them in check required the utmost vigilance and most laborious scouting. This
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THE RINGGOLD CAVALRY COMPANY, 1861.
was the kind of warfare to which the Ringgolds were introduced at New Creek.
On September 6th, First Lieutenant Henry Annisansel was promoted to be Colonel of the First Virginia Cavalry, and Second Lieutenant Henry A. Myers then became First Lieutenant, and Sergeant James P. Hart, Second Lieutenant.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Wheeling to Cum- berland had recently been made a military district, called the Dis- trict of Grafton, and Brigadier General Kelley had been assigned to this command (Vol. V, 55?). At this time, the enemy occupied Romney and Petersburg; they also had established occasional smaller camps or rendezvous within the same radius, as recruiting stations. These bodies of Confederates were within striking dis- tance of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and were a constant menace. General Kelley determined to attack and drive them off. Accordingly he sent Lieutenant James P. Hart with the Ringgold Cavalry against a new company of Confederates who were camp- ing at Coldstream. Hart surprised the camp and so effectually scattered the company that they abandoned their organization. Private Lewis Noel captured their flag, the first Confederate flag captured by the Ringgolds.
On the 12th of September, General Kelley ordered Major Godman of the Fourth Ohio Infantry to take a battalion of his in- fantry, the Ringgold Cavalry and one cannon, and proceed against the enemy at Petersburg. This force reached the vicinity of Peters- burg on the afternoon of the 13th, where the enemy, several hun- dred strong, was found posted in and about a log church on a commanding position. Our artillery threw a few shells among them, when they hastily abandoned the church and retreated. The Ringgold Cavalry and the infantry then charged, scattering the enemy in all directions. Captain Keys, with the cavalry, pursued some fleeing Confederates through Moorfield and unexpectedly came on several wagons loaded with supplies for the Confederate army. which he captured. The expedition was most successful, and its object having been accomplished, our forces returned to their respective camps.
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