USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 28
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THE BATTLE IN FRONT OF FORT STEVENS.
* " Dawn of Tuesday, the 12th, showed the enemy in posses- sion of the Rives House on the right of the Silver Spring Road; it stood on rising ground, surrounded by shade trees, with an orchard hard by, affording cover for his sharpshooters, who commanded the Union skirmish line from this point and from Mrs. Lay's house on the left of the road. Wheaton's Brigade of Getty's Division, 6th
* " The Shenandoah Valley in 1864." By permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
REBEL ARMY BEFORE WASHINGTON, JULY, 1864. 273
Corps, was thrown out on picket in front of Fort Stevens, and instantly, puffs of white smoke and the whiz of bullets from the opposite lines told that the Confederate sharpshooters were at work. Skirmishing continued through the day; by the middle of the afternoon, General Wright pushed out a strong reconnaissance with Bidwell's 3rd Brigade of the same division, which in these operations was under charge of General Wheaton, during Getty's absence. The central point of attack was the Rives House, about midway of the open. The guns of Fort Stevens, having cleared the way, Bidwell at a sign from Wright, who stood on a parapet, advanced in good alignment, passing through the 1st Brigade's line and over a slight acclivity, beyond the orchard and grove to the house, from which Early's skirmishers were soon expelled. On a farther crest, a slight resistance was made, but after gallant fight- ing, the position was swept and Early's pickets were driven back a mile.
" Rarely did a minor engagement present so clear an opportun- ity for viewing its progress, and rarely for such a scene was a more memorable group of spectators assembled. On the parapet of Fort Stevens stood the tall form of Abraham Lincoln by the side of General Wright, who in vain warned the eager President that his position was swept by the bullets of sharpshooters until an officer was shot down within three feet of him, when he re- luctantly stepped below. Sheltered from the line of fire, cabinet officers and a group of citizens and ladies, breathless with excite- ment, watched the fortunes of the fight. Strange as was this spectacle at the gates of the National Capitol, it would have seemed stranger still to the onlookers could they have known that in the (Confederate) camp yonder, as if in typical contrast to the figure on the parapet, stood one, who four years before, had been the Vice-President of the United States .*
" It was no mock battle that these spectators witnessed. Stretchers soon came from the field by scores with their ghastly loads: the hospitals in the rear of the fort were astir; and here and there, dotting the orchard, the meadow and the dusty high- way, lay many a lad, for whom the wild cheers of the crowd fell on deaf cars."
Captain Jed. Hotchkiss, of the Confederate Engineers, in his report, gives the itinerary as follows: "July 12th, we spent in front
· John C. Breckenridge.
274 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
of Washington, and Rode's Division had a heavy skirmish with the enemy on the Seventh Street Turnpike in the afternoon. We also had a cavalry skirmish on the Georgetown Road, where our cavalry was forced by superior numbers to retreat. . At dark, our trains were started back, Wharton in front, and at 11 P. M., the · rest followed, Ramseur in the rear. We reached Rockville at daylight (13th) and Seneca Creek at noon, where we rested until dark. The enemy (cavalry) followed to Rockville, attacked our rear-guard . . . and were handsomely repulsed. McCausland marched to Edward's Ferry. Continuing the march during the night via Poolsville, the army reached White's Ford about midnight and rested until dawn of the 14th, when it crossed the river and en- camped between there and Leesburg. The enemy came up shortly after we crossed."
CHAPTER XXII. EARLY'S ARMY BACK IN VIRGINIA.
.
General Early with his army remained here at Leesburg two days while his trains loaded with the " spoils of the country " ac- companied by herds of cattle and horses, were being piloted south- ward by Moseby, et al.
As early as the 9th, General Grant had been urging that the force of the enemy in Maryland must be destroyed and not allowed to escape. On the 9th, he wrote Halleck: "Forces enough to de- feat all that Early has with him, should get in his rear south of him, and follow him up sharply, leaving him to go north; defend depots, towns, etc., with small garrisons and the militia."
It was plainly apparent on the 12th that the forces defending Washington were now strong enough to repel any assault that Early might make, and that the withdrawal of the enemy either without battle or after an unsuccessful attack, was imminent. Grant's attention was called to the fact that there were a half dozen generals commanding the several forces that were expected to pur- sue the enemy and no one in supreme command. He immediately (at noon, July 12th) telegraphed Halleck as follows: " Give orders assigning Major General H. G. Wright to supreme command of all the troops moving out against the enemy regardless of the rank of the other commanders. He should get outside of the trenches with all the forces he possibly can and should push Early to the last mo- ment, supplying himself from the country."
275
EARLY FALLS BACK INTO VIRGINIA.
General Wright, on the morning of the 13th, finding that the enemy had retreated, gathered what forces he had in hand and started in pursuit. His force consisted of his own 6th Corps with a division of the 19th Corps and 750 of Colonel Lowell's Cavalry. Wright reached Poolesville, twenty-six miles from Fort Stevens, on the evening of the 14th, when he sent the following to Halleck: " The main body of the enemy had crossed the river before we reached this place. I have sent the cavalry forward to see if any- thing can be done against the rear-guard, but presume it will be too late. They had about twenty-four hours' start of us, which gave them full time to secure their crossing of the river. I have not. been able to get any intelligence from General Hunter's command, and have, therefore, for further operations, only the two divisions of my corps numbering perhaps 10,000 men and some 500 of the 19th Corps, which, unless I over-rate the enemy's strength, is wholly in- sufficient to justify the following up of the enemy on the other side of the Potomac. I shall, therefore, wait for instructions before proceeding farther, which I hope to receive by the time the 19th Corps arrives."
Halleck replied to Wright's message as follows: "General Grant directed that a junction of your forces and those of General Hunter be made in the vicinity of Edward's Ferry to cut off the enemy's retreat, if possible; if not, to pursue him south, doing him all the damage you can. As your force will be inferior to the enemy until Hunter and the 19th Corps reach you, move with caution."
Hunter's troops from Parkersburg were now arriving daily along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad west of Martins- burg, some of the bridges destroyed not yet having been rebuilt to completion. Sullivan's Division of infantry reached Martinsburg on the 11th, and after being supplied with shoes and clothing, had moved on the 13th, to Duffield's Station, six miles from Harper's Ferry. The detachment of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, with Hunter's army, debarked from the cars at Cherry Run Bridge (being rebuilt) on the night of the 12th, and next morning marched eastward, passing through Martinsburg, where Major Work took command, and proceeded to the Shepherdstown fords, which they picketed that night, and the next day until dark, when they were ordered to join Duffee's command at or near Harper's Ferry; they marched at nine o'clock and reached Bolivar Heights at 2 A. M. of the 15th, where they bivouacked until morning. Sullivan's Division also moved forward on the 14th, crossing the pontoon bridge at
276 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
Harper's Ferry and going into camp at Knoxville on the North Bank of the Potomac. In the meantime, Colonel Mulligan's Brigade of infantry with our dismounted cavalry joined Sullivan; Duffee's Cavalry to the number of 2,000, which arrived at Martinsburg at noon of the 14th, also moved on to join the advance. General Hunter had preceded these troops to Harper's Ferry, where he re- ceived notice from General Wright, on the night of the 14th, to join his forces at Leesburg. Hunter accordingly ordered his troops to proceed to Leesburg.
The cavalry brigade which had been operating in Maryland under Sigel and Howe, and to which our "Old Battalion " was at- tached, crossed the Potomac into Virginia at Point of Rocks, on the morning of the 15th, moving forward toward Leesburg. We had moved but a short distance when we heard firing in our front. Captain Adams, of the 1st New York Cavalry, whom Colonel Green- field had ordered to take the advance with his company, was fired into . by the rear-guard of the enemy's cavalry from a cluster of trees on top of a hill. He and his men came back pell mell without making an effort to rally, and ran into the advance of our regi- ment.
* " We coming forward, our horses on the run, and they com- ing back into us in the same manner, caused the greatest con- fusion for a few minutes. We were all so jammed together that there was no chance to either advance or retreat, while the Johnnies were firing into the promiscuous throng, though, for a wonder. doing little damage. We threw down the fence on our left, and as quickly as possible, formed in the open field and were just ready to advance when Colonel Greenfield appeared on the scene. He mistook our confusion for fear and such indignation as he ex- hibited was grand to behold; but he soon saw the true state of affairs and ordered us forward at once, when the Rebels fled, as they would have done at first had the advance guard done its duty. Just here we lost one man of our command, killed, and Lieutenant James B. Gibson, of Company E, wounded."
THE 22D PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER CAVALRY ALMOST RE-UNITED.
Sullivan's Division of infantry and Duffee's Cavalry (now re- joined by the detachment of the ?2nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Cav- alry, under Major Work) forded the river at Berlin the same day
* Lieutenant Crago.
277
BOTH ARMIES AGAIN IN VIRGINIA.
(July 15th) and marched through Lovettsville and thence by the Leesburg Pike to Catoctin Creek, when they turned west to Hills- boro, where the infantry bivouacked for the night, the cavalry moving on to the gap a short distance west, where they also halted for the night. Later in the night, the battalion under Colonel Greenfield, arrived at the gap, when there was a joyful reunion of the two different detachments of the regiment after a separa- tion of seventy days severe campaigning, hundreds of miles apart. The dismounted part of the regiment, which had been serving as infantry with Mulligan's Brigade, was camped not too far away to be visited, so that the reunion of the entire regiment was almost complete.
Sullivan's whole force of infantry and cavalry here about Hillsboro this night was less than ten thousand men, while, but a few miles away, was Early's army of double that number.
General Wright was still at Poolesville, where he had waited for orders from Halleck, and also for the arrival of the 19th Corps. When he learned, on the evening of the 15th, that Sullivan's forces were already at Hillsboro, he became exceedingly anxious for their safety, lest Early might turn and crush them before he (Wright). could come up with the 6th and 19th Corps. Next morning, 16th, Wright crossed the river and marched to Leesburg, but Early had also that same morning marched away from Leesburg to Snicker's and Ashby's Gaps, taking position on the west side of the Shenan- doah River. Wright marched on and camped at Clark's Gap, three miles west of Leesburg. The previous day, General Crook had ar- rived from West Virginia with two brigades of infantry, 3,400 men; in accordance with instructions from the War Department, Crook was ordered to relieve Sullivan and take command of all Hunter's forces in the field. (Hunter was still in command of the Department of West Virginia.) Crook reached Hillsboro and assumed command at noon on the 16th.
THE DISMOUNTED DETACHMENT.
Friday morning, July 15, 1864, we broke camp at Petersville, Maryland, fell into line at the sound of the bugle, marched through Knoxville, crossed the canal and moved down the river two miles, where we halted to cook dinner. We then marched to Sandy Hook, lay there for an hour or more and then moved back to where we camped at noon. A number of men declared they would not carry muskets any longer and suiting the action to the word, threw them into the canal.
Next morning, July 16, we forded the river at Berlin, Md., and marched through Lovettsville to Hillsboro and six miles beyond, where we went into camp much fatigued.
278
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
Coming on the scene so suddenly and unexpectedly, Crook could not be expected to take in the situation at once, and so a few hours were lost, but he sent out cavalry scouts immediately on his arrival to hunt for the enemy. Late in the afternoon, scouts re- ported Early's wagon-train near Waterford; the distance was too great to be reached by the infantry that evening, but Duffee had already sent the 1st Cavalry Brigade, Tibbits', a small brigade, to fall on the enemy's train. Tibbits struck the train and without much difficulty, captured 117 horses and mules, 82 wagons, and some 60 prisoners, his own command suffering a loss of only twenty.
This spirited attack by three small regiments a few hundred strong is worth commemorating, as the only instance in which Early was obliged to drop any of his Maryland spoils. That same evening, Crook moved forward to Purcellville, six miles from Clark's Gap, where Wright halted. The forces now practically joined, amounted to more than 20,000 men, and were sufficient to cope with the forces of Early, but he had slipped out just as they came in, and his advance was already in possession of the strongholds of the Blue Ridge and the fords of the Shenandoah.
There was much disappointment at Washington and in the North at the escape of Early's Army, and General Wright was criti- cised for waiting on the north side of the river for two days while Early was sending ahead his trains toward Richmond. But a care- ful study of the conditions fully justifies Wright's action. Wright was only assigned to the command of the pursuing forces on the 12th, the night on which Early stole away from before Washington and got one full day's march ahead of him. When Wright arrived at Poolesville, Early's force was practically over the river. With a force of 10,000 men, it would have been hazardous to attempt to ford the river in the face of an enemy of 20,000 men. If Hunter's forces had arrived two days sooner, and been in position on the south side at the fords of the Potomac to contest Early's crossing,
At six o'clock on the evening of the 16th, our mounted division, under command of General Duffee, marched for Purcellville via Wood Grove, our regiment under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Greenfield taking the advance. About 9 P. M., we encountered a picket force of the enemy some 300 strong at Wood Grove. General Duffee says, " We engaged them in the dark and drove them out without loss to my command."
Lieutenant Crago writes, " While crossing an open field. a solitary shot rang out in the lonely night air right in front of us ; then all was still save the galloping of the sentry's horse as he carried his rider back to his command, and at once we could distinguish the noise incident to the hasty mounting of cavalry, either preparing to receive us or escape. We moved forward but a little distance, when our artillery came to the front and threw shells in rapid succession into their camp. It was a clear and lovely moonlight night and we soon discovered that the preparation of the enemy was not to receive us but to leave as quickly as possible."
We encamped on the pike at Purcellville at midnight. The Rebel army and train had passed over the road some two hours before in great confusion.
1
279
PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY.
then Wright might have attacked his rear and given him great trouble. Halleck had charged Wright to "proceed with caution," until he had a force ample to fight the enemy. General Grant's instructions were to get south of Early if possible, and drive him north and destroy him; adding, however, that if the enemy escaped to the south, it would be useless to follow him to any distance. He urged upon Halleck that if the enemy should get away, to let Hunter take care of the lower Valley and to send the 6th and 19th corps back to City Point at the earliest possible date, as he (Grant) wanted to use them in operations against Lee, before Early could return.
It was Early's intention to get back to Richmond with all haste. He reported to Lee on the 14th that his purpose was to send his cavalry to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad effectively, west of Martinsburg, and to destroy the coal mines and furnaces around Cumberland, while he himself with the main army, would start for the Valley in the morning of the 15th and would retreat in forced marches to Richmond.
As we have seen, Crook moved in pursuit on the afternoon of the 16th, going some ten miles and halting for the night at Purcell- ville. The cavalry division in command of General Duffee (our regiment being in Wyncoop's Brigade) marched on through the village and some six miles farther to within three miles of Snick- ersville, and camped up the side of a mountain at midnight.
General Crook on the night of the 16th reported to General Wright for orders and was directed to send a force to Snicker's Gap. Next morning, Crook ordered Mulligan's Brigade of In- fantry and Duffee's Cavalry, in which was the 22nd Pennsylvania,
Harper's Ferry, July 10, 1864.
Brigadier-General W. W. Averill, Commanding Cavalry Division.
I have just been placed in command of all the forces that go to join General Wright in pursuit of the rebels. I shall leave one of my infantry brigades at Martinsburg, with you to remain at that place and take command of all the forces there . .
I don't expect we will catch up with the enemy as they have so much the start but in any event, it is the present intention for the command to return to Martinsburg as soon as the chase is over.
GEORGE CROOK, Brigadier-General.
Captain McNulty of Company C, who has been on the staff of Lieutenant Colonel Adams, commanding a brigade of the several detachments, returned and took command of the Company this day .- Donaldson's Diary.
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, July 17, 1864, 10 P. M. General Breckenridge :
In view of the enemy's advance this afternoon, General Early directs that you have your troops, Echol's. Gordon's and the artillery under arms at daylight. He wishes General Gordon to have his troops on the watch, and if any attempt at crossing is made, he wishes the most determined resistance made to it, and directs that you have Echols in readiness to support Gordon, if need be.
A. S. Pendleton, .1. . 1. G.
280 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
to proceed to Snicker's Gap; on arriving at the gap, we found the enemy, who resisted our advance, whereupon the artillery was brought up and soon shelled them out, after which our cavalry passed through.
THE FIGHTING AT SNICKER'S GAP AND FERRY.
Colonel Greenfield says: "Our cavalry moved on to the river beyond the gap. Our regiment being on the left, came to the river a short distance below the ford, when the enemy's sharpshooters opened on us a brisk fire from the western bank. We moved along the bank, which was broken and rough, expecting to cross when we reached the ford. I was wearing a light coat. Adjutant Isen- berg was riding close by and the bullets were striking the trees and bank beyond us, when he remarked, " They are shooting at that light coat; I'm going to get away from you." When we reached the ford, we received orders to fall back. The artillery and Colonel Mulligan's Infantry and dismounted cavalry were then brought forward and kept up a desultory fire until dark, but were unable to cross the river. That evening, our cavalry moved back from the gap to graze our horses, which were very much jaded."
The Rebels were strongly posted at the ford, and with canister and shell compelled our troops to fall back into the Gap, after which we put out a strong picket. Some fifteen of our men were wounded. * I was on picket down near the ford and with Mitchell and Dick Fisher of our company (C), stood from 11 until 2 o'clock. At mid- night, t Major Work took a small detachment and tried the ford, but they had no more than entered the river when a volley was poured into them, wounding one of the men, John Saunders, of Company E, who died a few days afterwards. Work was obliged to retreat. He reported the position and probable strength of the enemy; ex- pressing the opinion that they were in strong force. Next morning at daylight, he was ordered to take seventy-five men of his command and cross the river, the order stating that he would find only a heavy picket there. He called the officers and read the order, point- ing out what we all knew-the impossibility of executing the order.
* Donaldson's Diary.
t Lieutenant James B. Gibson, who entered the river with the advance guard. riding beside John Saunders, says, " As we proceeded into the river we got off the ford and into deep water; just then the enemy opened a terrific musketry fire, directed mainly at the ford; Saunders was mortally wounded. It was fortunate for us that we missed the ford proper, or few would have escaped."
281
FIGHTING AT SNICKER'S GAP, JULY, 1864.
Our duty, however, was to obey, so the command was given. He divided his men into three companies of twenty-five each, who were ordered to proceed as follows: Major Work with twenty-five men was to cross the main ford; Lieutenant Crago with twenty-five men to cross about one hundred yards above the ford; while Captain J. Y. Chessrown was to cross with the other twenty-five at a point one hundred yards below the main ford. The object of this recon- naissance was to find out what was on the other side.
We started, but just as we got into the river the enemy opened on us with their batteries, and we retreated as rapidly as possible. How we ever got out alive is a mystery to me, but strange to say, none were killed and not many wounded. The only explanation of our escape is that the enemy aimed too high. . Several of those injured were struck by branches of trees cut and falling on them. Lieutenant Regester was badly hurt by his horse falling on him. How he escaped with his life is almost miraculous, as it seemed as though the entire command passed over him as he lay beneath his horse. He escaped with a badly bruised leg, which troubled him as long as he lived.
After returning to the point from which we started Lieutenant Cargo was sent to report the matter to General Crook, whom he found sitting on a log, surrounded by a number of flashily- dressed young officers, but the old warrior, wearing a common blouse, looked like a private among them. Crago told him that he had been sent by Major Work, who had attempted to cross the river. General Crook responded: "You didn't cross, did you?" He then remarked that he had witnessed our attempt, and that we had done all that men could have done under the circumstances.
THE DISMOUNTED DETACHMENT.
* " General Mulligan's command, of which we formed a part, marched on Sunday, 17th, to Snickersville and through Snicker's Gap, partly down on the other side of the Blue Ridge, through a sweltering sun, and turning off abruptly to the right, moved into the woods and lay down. Soon after, we went on the skirmish line, advanced over the top of a ridge, and down the other side, which being thinly wooded, gave the enemy on the opposite side of the river a fine view of our movements, and they soon opened on us a fierce artillery and musketry fire, and instead of a skirmish, we had
Gehrett.
282 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
a severe engagement, lasting all afternoon. The Confederate forces were in plain view and had the advantage of us in that they could use their artillery, while from our position of the line, none could be placed in position. The enemy's fire was very effective, killing and wounding a number of our men. The solid shot, cutting off the tops and heavy limbs of large pine trees, many of them dead, they would fall with a loud crash, and we were in constant danger of the falling timber. In this fight, Charles Marshall and George Shaffer, of Company K, were wounded. The list of casualties in the other companies could not be procured."
We were now ordered to fall back over the mountain to Snick- ersville, preparatory to joining the expedition to Ashby's Gap. On our way up the mountain and through the gap, we met part of the 8th Army Corps, many of whom we knew and were glad to see, but many of them we now saw for the last time. They were on their way to cross the river and attack the same enemy that had driven us from the ford, and many of them crossed never to come back; some were drowned in the retreat across the river and many brave fellows were left on the ill-fated battlefield with Colonel Morris Frost, to sleep the sleep that knows no waking here. They were in the best of spirits as they hailed us on their way down the mountain side. They were confident of gaining a victory and they surely must have done so had not somebody blundered.
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