USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 21
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We marched by the Wardensville Pike, passing through War- densville and going into camp for the night, surrounding our camp with a chain picket.
Next morning, Sunday, May 8th, we broke camp very early, marching at 4 A. M., and proceeded toward Moorfield, thirty miles distant.
When within seven miles of Moorfield, while taking water in a deep gap, the train and guard were fired into by guerrillas from the side of the mountain, killing Corporal White and wounding three horses ; the train guard returned the fire vigorously and with good effect, as we later learned from the citizens.
" We reached Moorfield late in the afternoon, when we found McNeill's force on a point southwest of the town, resting after their return from the Piedmont raid, and reading the letters they had captured from the mail. We formed immediately east of the town and with the precision of a dress parade, advanced toward the enemy, who immediately formed on the point to receive us. I mentioned the manner in which we started under our new colonel to show how different it would have been had we still been Ring- golds, as we once were. If Greenfield had been in command, the only word would have been, 'Come on, boys,' and we would have
* Lieutenant Colonel Aug. J. Root of the 15th New York Cavalry, a noble and brave man. was killed in the last charge on the Pike near Appomattox Court House on the night of April 8th, 1865, immediately before Lee's surrender. His body fell into the hands of the enemy and was found with Lee's army next morning, stripped of all clothing.
7 Lost River is so called, because it loses itself by running under the mountain; it emerges again some miles below under the name of Great Capon.
On the evening of the 6th, when the Wardensville-Moorfield scout was ordered out, many cavalrymen from the various companies of the 22nd Pennsylvania regiment were on duty as pickets. train guards, etc., and were left at Winchester. When Sigel's army marched up the Valley to New Market, these men as a squadron of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry accompanied it, and a little later. accompanied General Hunter's army on the famous Lynchburg raid. The two parts of this regiment thus separated were soon several hundred miles apart, and did not get together again until July 15th, more than two months later.
201
LOST RIVER GAP AFFAIR.
followed with a yell, wherever he dared to lead, and he 'dared to lead where any dared to follow.' After passing through the vil- lage, Major Myers, waving his sword, called on the boys to follow, and with the old yell, we did follow, charging up the steep sides of the point in the midst of a fire of carbines and revolvers. The Rebels ·stood until we were almost upon them. I thought they did not intend to run at all, but when we were within a short distance of them, they 'skedaddled,' every man seemingly for himself, and in less time than it takes to tell it, they were lost in the woods, save two or three whom we were lucky enough to capture in the town. We encamped on an eminence just outside the town and were allowed an undisturbed night's repose."
The next morning, Major Myers, with about fifty men, went to Petersburg; thence to Greenland Junction and back to Moor- field across the mountain.
We remained at Moorfield all the next day, scouting the coun- try about there until satisfied that there was no considerable force of the enemy in that neighborhood.
LOST RIVER GAP AFFAIR.
At ten o'clock that night, May 9th, we started, on our return trip to Winchester and marched all night; about six o'clock next morning, we encountered a Rebel picket near Lost River Gap, which we drove in with slight resistance. Major Myers had com- mand of the advance with the first squadron, while Major Work, who commanded our whole detachment, was back looking after the wagon train. Colonel Higgins, in command of the expedition, came up and ordered Major Myers to take the first squadron and charge through the Gap; he then formed the remainder of the com- mand on the right of the road as support ; the charging column went into the Gap in fine style and had proceeded for a quarter of a mile or more when they were fired upon by a large force of the enemy. Major Myers, upon discovering the great odds against him, brought his men back, reporting to the Colonel that the enemy was too strong for us. Colonel Higgins then ordered a retreat and directed Major Myers to accompany him and lead the way, as he was not acquainted with the roads. The Colonel, with the Major and an escort of eight men, led out. taking the Grassy Lick road. leading to Romney, and many of the men turned in after them and followed. Major Work, ably aided by the other officers of the Old Battalion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Root, of the 15th New York, rallied a part
202 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
of the men and formed a rear-guard. The train, which had been turned back, was ordered to move up lively, while the rear-guard fell back slowly to enable the train to get well out of the way. The enemy did not make a vigorous pursuit at first. After we had gone several miles along the Grassy Lick Road and not seeing anything of him, we halted to feed, as our horses had not tasted food since the previous evening. In about ten minutes we saw the enemy com- ing. Major Work sent Captain Chessrown on back to look after the .train, while he, with the rear-guard, would hold the enemy in check. Chessrown galloped back, expecting to find the train several miles toward Romney; upon reaching the summit of the first hill, he saw the wagons in a grove, horses and mules unhitched and feeding ; in a few minutes he had them out in the road and going at a lively gait. Most of the train guard had forsaken the train and gone on. Sergeant H. B. Hedge, who had charge of the train, says: "Some of the drivers were colored men and, becoming frightened, began to dis- mount and desert their teams, when I demonstrated with my re- volver, telling them it was sure death if they did not go back to work; they soon found their places and we moved on."
The enemy, now in strong force, pressed our rear-guard sorely, and it was only by frequent stands made in advantageous positions that our men were able to check them for brief periods to enable the train to get ahead. The teams were much jaded and could not be hurried, so the loads were lightened; then later, the entire loads were thrown out in the hope of saving the wagons ; it soon became evident that we could not save them, so the teams were cut loose and saved, but the wagons were abandoned. After this the enemy did not follow so closely, and the retreat was continued at a walk, going by way of Romney and Springfield to Oldtown, Md.
We leave it to the reader to fix the responsibility for this dis- graceful panic. In striking contrast was the conduct of Major Work and the gallant officers of the Old Battalion who rallied with him, together with the brave troopers who stood with them as a rear-guard, and who, although opposed by largely superior numbers, made a stubborn resistance throughout the many hours of the re- treat, putting up such a stiff fight when the enemy became aggressive that he was obliged to follow with caution, and finally, to give un pursuit.
The Confederate forces encountered in Lost River Gap on this occasion were commanded by General Imboden, as the fol- lowing letter testifies :
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LOST RIVER GAP AFFAIR.
Woodstock, May 9, 1864.
Maj. Gen. J. C. Breckenridge :- Thirteen-hundred Yankee Cavalry have gone out from Winchester to intercept McNeill. I proceed with two regiments of cavalry and section of artillery to relief of McNeill.
J. D. IMBODEN, Brig. Gen.
Major Myers went to Cumberland and reported to General Kelley that Higgins' command was at Oldtown without ammuni- tion, forage or rations. Kelley had heard exaggerated reports as to the strength of the enemy, and, supposing he was still at Rom- ney, was afraid to send supplies to Higgins by train lest they be captured, so he ordered him to bring his command to Cumberland to be refitted, which the latter proceeded to do with alacrity on the 11th. The horses were terribly jaded with the forced march, and many of them badly used up. We remained at Cumberland for several days, resting and getting the horses shod.
The command was sent back to Oldtown on the 16th, and on the 18th crossed to the Virginia side of the Potomac and estab- lished a base at Green Spring Run, where it remained until the 23rd of June. In the meantime, the country thereabout, and as far south as Moorfield, was being thoroughly scouted by the cavalry, General Kelley's favorite "Ringgold Battalion " doing most of the work. During this time, an out-post garrisoned by detachments of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry was maintained at Springfield, an important point commanding the roads leading from Romney and the interior to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Here, the Gov- ernment established a telegraph office to sound the alarm of ap- proaching raids.
Strange to say, we had no one killed in the Gap, owing, no doubt, to the fog, and the Rebels aimed too high. Several of our horses were wounded and the boys thrown from them, but for the time being, they escaped capture. Three of them, Emmor H. Miller, James Robison, and Chris Kinder, escaped together and travelled all night. The next day they were lying hidden, not daring to travel the public road. Miller was watching, while Robison and Kinder were sleeping. Miller had always been a brave soldier, although a Quaker, but now, when it came to the test, he allowed three Rebel soldiers to approach and capture them without even awakening them; as he told them afterwards, the principles of his religion, which were opposed to war and bloodshed, were so strong within him that it overcame everything else, and he could not help it. The result was that all three found their way to Andersonville; Miller died there while Kinder and Robison survived and returned to their homes to tell the story of their privation and suffering .- ( Lieutenant F. H. Crago.)
204 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
BACK WITH GENERAL KELLEY.
Cumberland, May 22, 1864, 9 P. M.
Colonel Higgins,
Green Spring :
As soon as practicable, send Captain Hart with 125 or 150 men on a scout up the east side of the river to Moorfield and vicin- ity, after McNeill. The scout will take three days' rations. It is not necessary for me to give Captain Hart any minute instructions. He is well acquainted in that vicinity. I will simply say I want McNeill killed, captured or driven out of this valley.
B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier General.
On May 23rd, Captain Hart, with one hundred men, proceeded to Moorfield, but failed to find McNeill in that vicinity. It was currently reported there that McNeill's forces had gone to the Shenandoah Valley to operate there. The sources of this informa- tion seemed so reliable that Captain Hart accepted it and returned to Green Spring. The report proved to be false, and had been circulated for the purpose of deceiving our forces. McNeill, all the while, being not far from Moorfield, watching an opportunity to strike some unguarded point. General Kelley was on the alert and sent warning messages to every garrison along the railroad and at outposts, to be on the lookout for attack. The following order was received at our camp:
Cumberland, May 31, 1864, 10 A. M.
Colonel Higgins,
Green Spring :
Send Captain Hart with 100 men to Moorfield with orders to scout that neighborhood thoroughly. Let him take a wagon and take ten days' rations of hard bread, sugar, coffee and salt, and depend on the country for forage and cattle. I have already sent a scout from here to Petersburg with orders to go to the mouth of Seneca and Franklin. Therefore, Captain Hart will watch the country toward Brock's Gap and Wardensville.
B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier General.
Thereupon, next day, June 1st, Captain Hart, with Lieutenant Gibson and seventy-five picked men, well mounted, and with wagon and ten days' rations, started for Moorfield.
205
A DEADLY AMBUSH.
On June 4th, a rumor reached camp that Hart's command was in danger of attack by a superior force of the enemy.
The scout had now been out four days. Major Work, in camp at Green Spring Run, became anxious about the safety of Cap- tain Hart's scout. The previous night he had dreamed that Hart and Gibson, with their men, were surrounded and would be killed or captured. Awaking from the dream, he could not dismiss the subject from his mind; and, although attaching no significance to the dream, his uneasiness grew until he went to headquarters and told the commander of his anxiety about the safety of the scout, and asked permission to take a force and reinforce Captain Hart. His request was granted and he was ordered to take all the available cavalry in camp, about thirty men, together with one mountain howitzer, and ten days' rations, and proceed. This expedition was also accompanied by Captain Chessrown and Lieutenant Boyle.
Major Work's force reached Springfield that night, and next day proceeded through Romney and Greenland Gap, a distance of forty miles. Here he was reinforced by a detachment of infantry of the Ohio National Guard. He learned that Captain Hart had been in that vicinity that afternoon, and had moved on toward Moorfield. Major Work broke camp before daylight next morn- ing, June 6th, and proceeded in the direction of Moorfield, in the expectation of overtaking Captain Hart, whom he knew could not be very far in advance.
FATAL AMBUSH ON TIMBER RIDGE.
Captain Hart, with his command, had camped on the ridge and had also broken camp early that morning and moved on, crossing over the ridge and going down the long hill toward the river. The road led through timber, with thick brush on either side. At a bend in the road where the bank on the upper side is high and covered with a thick undergrowth, a large force of McNeill's and Harniss's men lay in ambush, waiting for the approach of Hart's command, which they had been trailing the previous day, and learned would march to Moorfield this morning. They waited until Hart's column was fully abreast when they fired, killing three men instantly, mortally wounding another and wounding eight others. besides killing three horses and wounding more than a dozen others. The forward part of the column with which were Captain Hart and Lieutenant Gibson, dashed ahead to get out of range, while the latter end of the line turned and rushed back. Captain Hart's
206 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
horse was wounded by two shots, but ran on to the foot of the hill; Gibson's saber was shot loose from the belt, and a number of men had their clothing cut with bullets. About twenty men escaped to the front and these became much scattered. Seeing this, some eighteen or twenty of the enemy who were mounted, charged down upon our men, no doubt expecting to capture them one by one. * Lieutenant Gibson rallied six or seven of our men and met their charge with a counter-charge, putting them to flight and killing at least one man.
Just at this critical moment, the howitzer, with Major Work's command, opened fire, dropping shells in the brush where the Rebels were concealed, driving them from their position and caus- ing great surprise, as they were not aware that another Yankee force was in the vicinity. Major Work had just reached the ridge when firing was heard ahead. Captain Chessrown, with the ad- · vance guard, waited a few minutes until Work, with the rest of the command, came up, when all moved up lively and met some of Hart's men, who reported their column ambushed and cut in two, just a short distance ahead. Major Work led the column down the road at a double quick and soon came on the dead and wounded men in the bend of the road. He dismounted some of the cavalry and sent them with Chessrown to reconnoiter, and when the latter had located the enemy, the howitzer was brought into action with the result before mentioned.
The arrival of Major Work's reinforcement at the critical moment saved Captain Hart's command from capture or destruc- tion.
Corporal James Smith of Company C, Adam S. Morton of Company D, and Joseph Wright of Company B. were instantly killed; James C. Smith of Company E, was mortally wounded and died several days later. A comrade wrote in his diary as follows:
" We did not think Smith would live an hour. The ambu- lance was full; we did not know the strength of the enemy, or what minute he would return to attack us, and we were obliged to leave poor Smith. We learned afterward that he lived several days and was kindly cared for by the citizens, and his body given a decent burial in the cemetery at Moorfield."
The wounded were: William Condit, Company D; Samuel
* Among those who rallied with Lieutenant Gibson were Corporal Frank Fitz- simmons, Madison Blackburn, Sergeant Hopkins Moffit, Joe Hamilton and three or four others whose names we have been unable to obtain.
=
207
A DEADLY AMBUSH.
Acheson, Company E; Jesse Smith, Company C; Frederick Ber- thell, Company G; Taylor Pyle, Company D; Corporal John Cor- bit, Company A; George Vankirk, Company F, and Joseph W. Lit- tle, Company A.
We started back about noon and arrived at Green Spring Run' at ten o'clock next morning with our dead and wounded. The dead were sent home, and the wounded to Cumberland.
On June 13th, Major Work was sent out in command of a scout of one hundred cavalry with ten days' rations. He was ac- companied by Captains Hugh Keys and Jenkins. During their absence, there was a lull in the activities of the Partisan Rangers and Bushwhackers in the lower valley. General Hunter had struck the enemy at Piedmont, near Staunton, and routed him with great loss, and had followed up his victory by advancing on Staunton, Lexington and Lynchburg, thus keeping his adversary intensely occupied from the 5th until the 22nd. This had, no doubt, diverted . McNeill's and the other Partisan bands to that region for the time.
ORDERED TO THE VALLEY AGAIN.
It was known that General Hunter's stock of ammunition would be running low, and a wagon train was loaded with such supplies and ready to be sent forward up the valley to that army, under a very strong guard, commanded by General Stahel. In fact, Stahel, who was wounded at Piedmont, had been sent back by Hunter with instructions to collect troops and escort to him a train of ammunition. At noon on the 23rd, Stahel telegraphed Halleck: " The ammunition will arrive to-day. Everything prom- ises to be ready by to-morrow noon. All detachments, including the 23rd Illinois Infantry, will be here to-night." "Send dispatches for General Hunter and instructions for myself before noon to- morrow." Halleck answered same night: " The last news of Hun- ter through the Richmond papers was that he had attacked Lynch- burg and had been repulsed with considerable loss. Nothing was said about his line of retreat. All your movements must be made with great caution."
Stahel had asked for the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry to accom- pany his escort of the ammunition train ; on the 22nd of June, Gen- eral Kelley telegraphed to Stahel: "The 22nd Pennsylvania will march from Green Spring as soon as the scout returns from Hardy." " They are expected to-morrow." At ? P. M., of the same day, Kelley telegraphed the A. A. G. at Martinsburg: "The scout of
208 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry returned this evening. Will have their horses shod to-night and proceed to Martinsburg to-morrow."
General Stahel was still at Martinsburg waiting for orders whether to proceed up the valley with the train. He had telegraphed Washington repeatedly. Washington had no information as to the whereabouts of Hunter, except that obtained from the Richmond papers, which were received daily by Grant at Petersburg. Grant telegraphed Halleck on the 25th: "Richmond papers of yesterday state that Hunter at last accounts was at Fincastle. He will prob- ably go to Beverly. There will be no use in Stahel attempting to reach him."
Stahel, receiving no orders to tarry longer, started with his train on the morning of the 25th, and had arrived at Bunker Hill, when he received orders to proceed no farther.
The " 22nd Ringgold " left Green Spring at 1 P. M., June 23rd, and proceeded to Martinsburg, going by way of Springfield, where the pickets from our regiment on duty there joined the column. Marched by way of Bloomery Gap and Furnace, halting about 3 A. M. on the morning of the 24th. After resting three hours, we moved on, passing through Shanghai and arrived at Martinsburg about 7:30 P. M., and camped for the night. All men of the com- mand were ordered to the front, whether mounted or not; the cavalrymen that have no horses were to serve as infantry and carry muskets. This was a rather bitter pill for the dismounted cavalry, but the emergency demanded it.
Here Lieutenant Colonel Greenfield took command of the mounted detachment of the 22nd.
At nine o'clock next morning, June 25th, we started up the valley and went into camp about two miles south of Bunker Hill, where we remained until the morning of the 27th, when we went to Winchester and camped near the "Big Spring." A scout from our regiment was sent further up the valley. General Stahel's wagon-train returned to Martinsburg and the ammunition and sup- plies for Hunter's army were shipped by railroad to Beverly on the evening of the 26th. On the morning of the 28th we left Winchester and marched back to Bunker Hill, where we camped.
209
THE DISMOUNTED DETACHMENT.
CHAPTER XVII. THE DISMOUNTED DETACHMENT.
As heretofore stated, the dismounted men of the regiment, a total of about 700 men under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Greenfield, together with six companies of the 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry, also dismounted, marched from camp at Cumberland on the 27th of April. Major Troxell, was assigned to the dismounted detachment; Majors Work and Myers to the mounted detachment.
In the spring of 1864, the demand for horses to supply the armies was very great, and the Government was unable to procure horses rapidly enough to mount the new cavalry organizations, or even to completely remount the dismounted men of the older or- ganizations. General Grant had emphasized the importance of the cavalry service, and at his request, General Sheridan had been brought from the west and assigned to command all the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. Upon arriving at the Rapidan, Sheri- dan immediately inspected the cavalry horses and severely criticised their jaded condition induced by their constant use at guarding the wagon-trains hauling supplies to the army ; he demanded a ces- sation of this duty, that the horses might be got into condition for the campaign; he also proceeded to have the wornout animals re- placed with fresh ones. Of course, the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac must be supplied first, as that was expected to be one of the great campaigns of the summer. The date for the great simulta- neous advance found the new battalion of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, and some two hundred of the old battalion without mounts. * " At 1 o'clock P. M., on that 27th of April, the dismounted of
* Sergeant Samuel W. Gehrett of Company K, (Rev. S. W. Gehrett, D.D.) published a series of newspaper letters back in the "eighties" entitled, " Reminiscences of a Boy in Blue," being a full and interesting story of the military career of the men of the " New Battalion." their first service of six months from the invasion of Pennsylvania in June 1863 until the end of the year, their re-enlistment for three years and service with the Twenty Second Pennsyl- vania Cavalry through the thrilling campaigns of the Shenandoah Valley in 1864.
We have drawn liberally from this fountain of information. The history of the Six Months Service and the following pages giving the itinerary and ac- tivities of the " Dismounted Detachment " have been taken almost bodily from these " Reminiscences."
After the close of the War, Sergeant Gehrett continued his education, graduated from Drew Theo- Ingical Seminary and entered the ministry, to which he has devoted his life and in which he has been eminently successful. His field has been in the Itiladelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, serving as pastor of prominent churches of that city and places near by, and as Presiding Elder of the North District for six years.
Sergeant Samuel W. Gehrett.
1
210 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
our regiment, led by the dismounted of the 20th Pennsylvania Cav- alry, all carrying five days' rations, marched through Cumberland and eastward along the National Pike for five miles, where we camped for the night. Next morning, we resumed our march, going at a rapid gait over the monotonous mountain road until 1 o'clock, when we halted for dinner and rested two hours.
" When we left Cumberland, some of the boys said, 'Now as we are at the head of the column, we will run away from the 22nd.' Remembering the remark and biding their time, on Thurs- day evening, the 28th, our regiment, with loud cheers, began to crowd the 20th, threatening to run around them, until finally the officers were compelled to interfere lest the bit of humor might be turned into something more serious. Next day, our regiment was placed in front and marched so rapidly that the 20th was left a good distance in the rear and a halt was made necessary in order to close up the line. On the evening of the 29th, we arrived at Hancock and camped a short distance above the town, where we rested the next day.
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