USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 31
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* Among the wounded were Lieutenant Gibson of Company E, and Levi Harden of Company B.
While our men were being driven back by the enemy, a musket ball cut Lieutenant Gibson's stirrup strap, when the horse became uncontrollable and threw the rider violently. Although prostrate and hurt. Gibson hung on to the bridle-rein when the horse came back on him, trampling his bowels and legs, inflicting serious injuries. Ser- geant John W. Elwood of Company A. came to the rescue, caught the frightened horse, helped the wounded Lieutenant into the saddle and both got away just in the nick of time to avoid capture by the charging Johnnies who were almost upon them.
.After getting back into our line, Gibson found a hole in the calf of his left leg, from which blood was flowing freely. He supposed that the sharp cork of his horse's shoe had cut him there; it was a long time healing. Thirty odd years afterward, Gibson received an injury on the same spot, which resulted in the formation of a lump and bealing, which in due time, the physician lanced, when lo! out dropped a ball, much to the surprise of both patient and surgeon. The Lieutenant had been carrying that bullet in his leg for more than thirty years, unaware of its presence.
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CROOK FALLS BACK ACROSS THE POTOMAC. 303
our regiment came here to camp the same day. The morning of the 29th, at sunrise, our division crossed the pontoon bridge at Harper's Ferry, and moved out four miles, going into camp in a large field where we remained over night. While here, we drew some good horses from a lot being turned in by the dismounting of another regiment of cavalry. The 6th and 19th Army Corps began to arrive from Washington this evening.
We have already mentioned a letter written by General Early to General Lee just after he had recrossed the Potomac into Vir- ginia, in his retreat from Washington, in which he reported his plans as follows: To send his cavalry to destroy the Baltimore and
While on the march out from Harper's Ferry this day (29th) Captain Chessrown sent one of his men forward along the column to look for a horse that had been stolen from his squadron the night before, directing the man to trot along lively. While passing General Hunter's headquarters, he was stopped by the General for trotting his horse. The man (Henry Robson) explained that it was by his captain's order, but he was detained until the Captain came up. On seeing Robson, Captain Chessrown said, " What are you doing here? " "Stopped by General Hunter for trotting my horse," said Robson. Just then, a man in citizen's dress said, "Captain, did you give that man orders to trot? ' " Yes, sir," said the captain, and ordered Robson to go on. The
General (in citizen's dress) said, " I order you to the rear under arrest." The Captain said, " I will not obey orders from a citizen." The General said then, "Do you know whom I am? " "No, sir, and don't care a ," answered the Captain. The General said, " I am General Hunter and again order you to the rear under arrest." The Cap- tain answered, "Sir, I will not obey a citizen claiming to be General Hunter or any other man." The General turned in the direction of his headquarters and the Captain gave command, " Forward, march," and the line moved on, with the Captain at the head of his Company; thus ended the incident.
" Where we camped that night (29-30) we were obliged to use scum-covered water from the swamp, an unusual circumstance in the Valley. Next morning, we moved on a few miles and halted in a patch of timber back some distance from the road. It was very hot and we were almost famished for water. We saw a house still farther back and a considerable distance away, where we supposed water could be found; so gatlier- ing up as many canteens as we could carry, Amos Smith and I started for this house, We had to go down a steep bluff, cross a railroad track, then climb a fence into a lane and then another fence into a large field and across this field to the house. We got there all right, found a fine spring from which we filled our canteens, and as we started back, came past the open door of the house where a young lady was ironing; she wanted to know at once if we were not afraid to be there. I asked her if we were in danger. She answered, 'Yes. Imboden is camped just over the hill back of the house and some of his men are here every few minutes. You had better get back as quickly as you can." She appeared to be afraid to see us start. We did not lose any time in going, and had almost reached the road or lane by the railroad track, just under the hill where we had left our men, when a man in blue clothes rode down the lane in front of us. We were so near the place where we had left our men that I was sure it was one of them. When we left the command I unhooked my saber and carbine and snapped them to the saddle wearing only my revolver in belt under my loose blouse. Smith did not have arms of any kind and said he believed the man was a reb, and imme- diately jumped into the creek at our right, waded across and lit out. The fellow called out, 'Where do you belong?' I answered, 'Right up there in the woods back of you. Where do you belong?' He replied, 'That is not answering the question; what is your regiment?' I retorted. 'What is your regiment?' Finding that he would not tell, I said, ' We belong to the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.' He answered, 'Penn- sylvania is all right; I belong to the 11th Virginia,' and got off his horse on the opposite side from me. I had drawn my revolver when I first saw him and held it in my hand behind me; he evidently thought we were unarmed, for he walked around his horse, laid a nine-shooter on the fence and began shooting at me, when I brought up my revolver and cut the branches right over his head. Ile immediately ran behind his horse and shot over him and then threw himself over the saddle, and hanging on the opposite ude from me, lit out lively. I ran toward him as he started, shooting as I ran. Just then there were two shots fired from the woods above. We went to where we had left the command and they had gone. We went on afoot and soon found two Cnnrades leading our horses and looking over the bluff for us near where the firing took place; they had concluded that we were either killed or captured and were about to 4: on and leave us to our fate. The whole force had started back; we mounted and Laught up with the column and as our company was in the advance, we had to ride up the whole line; the men had heard the firing of my little skirmish and when they saw us ride by, cheered roundly."-S. G. Rogers, Company B.
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Ohio Railroad effectively and to destroy the coal mines and fur- naces around Cumberland, while he, with the main army would start for the Valley next morning (15th) and would retreat in forced marches to Richmond. Lee, however, modified this plan somewhat; he concluded that Early army in the Valley, menacing the. Federal capitol, and the border States of Maryland and Penn- sylvania, raiding the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from time to time, would be of more use to the Confederate cause by way of strengthening the anti-war sentiment in the North and discourag- ing enlistments than if in the trenches before Petersburg, so he directed Early to remain and carry out his plans for the destruc- tion of the railroad and to strike his antagonist whenever he found him so weakened as to afford a favorable opportunity to defeat him.
Now, during this last week of July, he caught his antagonist, Hunter, with an effective force of but half his own; he was not slow to take advantage of the opportunity, and struck the blow which defeated and drove to the north of the Potomac all the Union forces opposing him. He then proceeded with his cavalry to the destruction of the railroad to the west on the 27th and 28th, while his infantry remained near to Martinsburg, destroying the railroad and railroad property about that place.
With Early again in full possession of the lower Valley, there was the usual scare among the people of Maryland and the border counties of Pennsylvania. There was now but little anxiety for the safety of Washington or Baltimore, as it was not thought that Early would move that way; the 6th and 19th Corps, now at or near Harper's Ferry, were ample to check any operation of the enemy in that direction.
Our military commanders were entirely at sea in their efforts to discern Early's intentions. There was a strong impression that he would turn to the west this time, and if the way was at all open. he would not only strike New Creek and Cumberland, but would strike Pittsburgh and Wheeling, to destroy the great mills and foundries that were supplying the Union army with artillery, armor-plate for gun-boats, railroad rails, locomotives, etc.
The 6th and 19th Corps were pushed out toward Frederick to co-operate with Crook, if the enemy should turn that way, or to move west or south from there if that should be the thing to do. The cavalry was scattered along the north side of the Potomac for fifty miles, picketing the fords; Averill, with the only consider-
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THE CHAMBERSBURG RAID.
able force in one body, was at Hagerstown on the lookout for the expected invasion north.
THE CHAMBERSBURG RAID. PURSUIT AND ROUT OF M'CAUSLAND'S FORCE JULY 29-AUGUST 7, 1864.
At daylight on the morning of the 29th, the cavalry brigades of McCausland and Bradley T. Johnson crossed the Potomac at McCoy's Ford and marched on Clear Spring, meeting a small force of Union cavalry, which they brushed to one side and pushed on to Mercersburg. The divisions of Rodes and Ramseur had marched to the Potomac at Williamsport, and crossed the river there, at the same hour, driving our pickets toward Hagerstown. Below, at Falling Waters, the cavalry of Imboden and Jackson with some artillery, crossed at the same hour and demonstrated toward Hagers- town, where Averill was with part of his command, one brigade being absent on picket duty at the different fords of the Potomac. Averill fell back north to Greencastle, where the detachments of the brigade that had been picketing the fords, joined him. Neither he nor General Couch, commanding the Department of Pennsyl- vania, could discover the purpose of the enemy's raid, nor which direction he would take, whether to the east or to the west.
McCausland's forces reached Mercersburg at 5 P. M., where they rested until 9 P. M., when they moved on to Chambersburg, reaching that place just before daylight, July 30th. Bradley John- son, Confederate General, says: " My advance had skirmished all night with a party in front and on the outskirts of the town, being fired into with canister from a field piece. Our further progress was delayed until broad daylight had disclosed the weakness of the enemy."
The force in front that had resisted McCausland's advance, was a detachment of the 29th U. S. Cavalry from Carlisle Barracks, in command of Lieutenant H. T. McLean, who contested their advance all night. When within two miles of Chambersburg. McLean was reinforced with about forty infantry and one piece of artillery, which he got into position and fired five shots of canister into the raiders with deadly effect, holding them in check for two hours, during which our trains were being sent on back as rapidly as possible. All the horses in this valley had been sent off north. When daylight disclosed the feebleness of the force opposing Mc- Causland, he flanked McLean, causing the latter to fall back. He retreated through the town and out the Shippensburg Pike to cover
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306 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
the retreat of the wagon-train that was trying to get out of reach of the enemy. McLean had exercised great discretion in making his stand against the enemy at a proper distance from the town, and when compelled to fall back, he passed through the town with- out firing a shot, thus to avoid affording the enemy any excuse for destroying it. Contrast this soldierly conduct of the Federal com- mander, Lieutenant McLean, and the brigandage that followed by the order of McCausland, with that of General Hunter at Lexing- ton, Va., when the same McCausland took shelter behind the de- fenceless women and children of the town. In his report relative to the occupation of Lexington, Va., General Hunter says: "The infantry division, under General Crook, and the cavalry, under Gen- eral Averill, were opposed by McCausland with. about 2,000 mounted men and a battery. He was easily driven, however, and on the 11th, took refuge in the town of Lexington, behind the North River. The enemy burned the bridge across this stream and disputed the cross- ing with sharpshooters and artillery. I found their sharpshooters posted among the rocks and thickets on the opposite cliffs and in some storehouses at the bridge and also occupying the buildings of the Virginia Military Institute, which stood near the river. Their artillery was screened behind the buildings of the town and on some heights just beyond it; the whole position was completely commanded by my artillery of thirty guns.
" This unsoldierly and inhuman attempt of General McCaus- land to attempt to defend an indefensible position against an over- whelming force by screening himself behind the private dwellings of women and children, might have brought justifiable destruction upon the whole town, but as this was not rendered imperative by any military necessity, I preferred to spare private property and an unarmed population. Instead of crushing the place with my ar- tillery, I sent General Averill with a brigade of cavalry to cross the river some distance away and fall on the enemy's flank and rear. Before this movement was completed, the enemy retired hastily."
Leaving most of his force at the Fair Grounds some distance out of Chambersburg, McCausland, with about 500 men, entered the town early in the morning and demanded a ransom of $500,000 in greenbacks, or $100,000 in gold, or he would burn the town. He claimed that this demand was by order of General Early, as a re- taliatory act for the destruction of property by General Hunter. He gave the citizens three hours in which to raise the money. There was no gold and silver and probably not more than $50,000 in cur-
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THE CHAMBERSBURG RAID.
rency in the town, and the citizens so informed him and urged the impossibility of complying with the demand. McCausland's scouts now reported Averill with 2,000 cavalry, in pursuit. He then ordered Major Gilmor to fire the town, which the latter pro- ceeded to do. "In a few minutes, the town hall and court house were in flames and shortly the right and left sides of Main Street were a mass of flames, and but a few minutes later, the houses on both sides of the by-streets were in the same condition. During the several hours' occupation by the enemy, the town was being plundered by the soldiers, stores and houses being broken open and ransacked. When they left at noon more than half their number were in a state of intoxication."
The Confederate General, Bradley T. Johnson, who com- manded a brigade of the raiding force under McCausland, in a re- port to the Adjutant General, thus describes the affair :
" It is due to myself and the cause which I serve to· remark on the outrageous conduct of the troops on this expedition. I in- formed General McCausland during the expedition that I should perform this duty. Every crime in the catalogue of infamy has been committed, I believe, except murder and rape. Highway robbery of watches and pocketbooks was of ordinary occurrence; the taking of breastpins, finger-rings and ear-rings frequently happened. Pillage and sack of private dwellings took place hourly. At Cham- bersburg, while the town was in flames, a quartermaster, aided and directed by a field officer, exacted ransom of individuals for their houses, holding the torch in terror over the house until it was paid. These ransoms were from $750.00 to $150.00, according to the size of the habitation. Thus the grand spectacle of a national retalia- tion was reduced to a miserable huckstering for greenbacks. After the order was given to burn the town of Chambersburg, and before, drunken soldiers paraded the streets in every possible disguise and paraphernalia, pillaging and plundering and drunk. A soldier packed up a woman's and child's clothing, which he had stolen, in the presence of the highest officials, unrebuked. I tried and was seconded by almost every officer of my command, but in vain, to preserve the discipline of this brigade, but it was impossible; not only the license afforded was too great, but actual example gave them excuse and justification."
At about 11 A. M., the enemy drew in their pickets, and a little later they retired toward McConnellsburg; Averill entered three hours later from the direction of Fayettsville, and after sending dis-
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TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
patches to Generals Kelley and Couch, pushed right on after Mc- Causland, overtaking his rear at McConnellsburg next day at 8 A. M. (July 31st), which he attacked, cutting off and scattering from 200 to 500 of the enemy, whom he was unable to capture, owing to the jaded condition of his horses. McCausland's next objective on the program mapped out was Bedford, but the vigorous pursuit of Aver- ill caused him to turn south and head for the Potomac, his artillery driving off an iron-clad car and crew of militia. He reached Han- cock at 1 P. M. Here he stopped to feed, while he demanded of the town authorities $30,000 and 5,000 cooked rations. The people of the town were proceeding to raise this ransom when Averill's ad- vance attacked the enemy and they hastily withdrew, without either burning the town or waiting for the ransom money. Averill's ar- tillery commanded the ford of the Potomac here, and the enemy moved on toward Cumberland. Averill had expected General Kelley to send a force here to co-operate with him against the enemy. Averill says: " When the head of my column attacked the enemy at this place, his force numbered about 3,000. I had but 1,000, and, although I drove him, killing and wounding fifteen, I could not capture him without the assistance I had expected."
Averill's close pursuit saved McConnellsburg, Bedford and Hancock from the fate of Chambersburg. His horses were com- pletely worn out, many of them barefoot. Believing that General Kelley would be able to hold Cumberland against the enemy, and rightly judging that McCausland would cross the river to the south at some point between there and Cumberland, Averill waited at Han- cock for the two-fold reason that his animals were unable to con- tinue a night-and-day pursuit and that when the enemy crossed the river, he (Averill) would be within good striking distance from here.
McCausland marched on through the night, halting to feed, un- saddle and rest for three hours before daylight. Then at sunrise. August 1st. he moved on toward Cumberland, blockading the roads and burning the bridges on this march to impede, as he supposed. Averill's pursuit. When he reached a point three miles from Cum- berland, he encountered General Kelley's forces in a strong posi- tion, with all parallel roads and ways to Cumberland completely blockaded. Here, about 4 P. M., he engaged Kelley's force, fighting
Overtook McCausland at McConnellsburg this morning at S A. M. and am pr. -. OK him in the direction of Hancock. Several of his officers and men have been capture and several killed. He has burned houses all along the road and was about to V: ' McConnell-burg when I arrived. From here, the enemy proposed to go via Bedlion! : . Wheeling, but changed his route on my attack. My command was broken down beto c I started, but we are making as good time as possible .- Averill to Couch. July 31. ..
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until dark. About 11 P. M., he withdrew, leaving his dead and wounded and some disabled caissons and wagons, going back to Old- town by an obscure mountain road, to avoid encountering his sup- posed pursuers. Here he attacked the garrison consisting of a com- pany of Ohio militia, capturing eighty men and disabling the en- gine attached to their iron-clad car. From here he moved on up the South Branch of the Potomac to Springfield, where he rested during the next day, August 3rd. After crossing the iron bridge, McCausland burned it and passed on to Romney. Early on the morning of the 4th, proceeding to New Creek, he attacked the fortifications there, and after several hours' fighting, withdrew, leav- ing twenty-five dead on the field, carrying off his wounded. Our loss was one commissioned officer and seven enlisted men killed and twenty-nine wounded and missing.
McCausland and Johnson retreated to Moorfield, arriving there next day, August 5th, and went into camp, McCausland on the Moorfield side of the South Branch and Johnson's Brigade strung along the Romney road for two miles where he could graze his horses.
On July 29th, the day that McCausland started on his raid, the Old Battalion of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry was lying near Halltown, Va., some six miles from Harper's Ferry. Here, Lieu- tenant Colonel Greenfield, who was in command of the regiment, received the following order :
SPECIAL ORDERS NO. 21. HDORS. 1ST CAV. DIV. DEPT. OF W. VA. Halltown, West Va., July 30, 1864.
II. Lieut. Col. A. J. Greenfield, Twenty-second, Pennsylvania Cavalry, being the senior officer present with that command, is hereby assigned to the command of the * Second Brigade of this division. He will receive the command from Col. Higgins, ?2nd Penna Cavalry.
By command of GEN. A. N. DUFFEE. E. W. CLARK, JR., Ass't Adj. Gen.
Major Work now took command of the regiment. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 30th, the whole force proceeded to march back across the river into Maryland. Our regiment passed on
* This cavalry brigade at this time consisted of the following regiments: 15th New York, . 20th Pennsylvania and 22nd Pennsylvania.
310 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
into Middletown Valley, where we camped for the night. This was the day Chambersburg was burned, but we did not know of it until late the next day; the authorities at Washington knew it, and that was the reason why we and the rest of the forces, the Sth, 6th and 19th Corps, were being moved back toward Frederick, as it was thought Early's whole army might be making another invasion.
* " Next day, 31st, was an intensely hot day, the hottest of the season. We got some sheaf oats from a barn for our horses and marched early, passing through Petersville and close by Burketts- ville at Crampton Gap, where McClellan fought the Rebs two years ago; then through the pretty village of Middletown, the place made more beautiful to us by the fair young ladies who, as we marched through, covered with dust and suffering from thirst, were at the pavement with cool, refreshing water, which, with their smiles, cheered many a weary heart. We camped four miles above Mid- dletown. A number of infantrymen died from sun-stroke on the march that day.
August 1st was also extremely hot. We marched early through Bellsville to Wolfeville, where we halted for dinner and had hard work getting anything to eat, as the people had run out of pro- visions. Later in the day. we drew four days rations. At six o'clock, Duffee's Division marched on and camped at ten o'clock near Smithville, four miles from the Pennsylvania line. It appears that only a cavalry force is north of the Potomac, and our infantry is not moving farther this way.
August 2nd, we marched at daylight through Smithton, and then turned to the left, eight miles to Hagerstown. Here the stars and stripes floated from many of the houses and here, also, the beau- tiful, kind-hearted, patriotic ladies stood on the sidewalks with plates of cakes and buttered bread, and baskets of apples which we were invited to eat. God bless them! We marched on a few miles and halted to feed. Marched on again at two o'clock and camped for the night at Clear Spring.
Next morning. August 3rd, we were roused up before daylight and marched for Hancock, fifteen miles distant. Met Averill's Cavalry at Middleport, or Millstone Point. Lay all afternoon and night at Conacagee Creek.
August Ith, we marched early to Hancock. Here all of our battalion, whose horses were fit for a hard march (about 100) and
Donahlong's Diary.
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part of Duffee's 2nd Brigade, joined Averill's command. With Averill in command of the entire force, we crossed the Potomac at Hancock and marched in pursuit of McCausland, going to Sir John's Run for rations, but could get only flour. Then pushed on . through Bath, en route for Bloomery Gap.
Marched all night, except a halt of two hours to rest and feed. Early next morning, the 5th, we passed through the Gap without opposition and halted for breakfast; then marched to Springfield, thirty miles farther, arriving at 5 P. M."
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