USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 35
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On the 21st, the enemy threw a heavy force across the Opequan by the bridge at Smithfield, drove in our cavalry pickets at Summit Point and followed up with a rapid advance against the position of the 6th Corps. A sharp skirmish with a heavy picket line of the 6th Corps, grew out of this maneuver and resulted very much in our favor, but the quick withdrawal of the enemy left no oppor- tunity for a general engagement. The fight was severe while it lasted, the Confederate divisions of Rodes and Ramseur being thrown against Getty's Division of the 6th Corps, which was so hard pressed as to necessitate bringing forward Rickett's Division, when the lost ground was regained. Our loss was 260 killed and wounded, mostly in Getty's Division. At the same time, the enemy attacked Wilson and Lowell at Summit Point and Merritt at Berry- ville, expecting to drive them and attack our left at Charles- town simultaneously with the attack on the 6th Corps, but the stubborn resistance met, and the greater distance they had to travel, delayed their advance until after the other attacking force had with- drawn, and they, too, withdrew, leaving our cavalry in possession of the ground. At midnight, Sheridan drew in the cavalry and fell back to his first and strongest position at Halltown, where he took position as formerly, with the 6th Corps on the right and with the cavalry on that flank, while Emory occupied the center and Crook the left.
* MOVEMENTS OF THE BATTALION WITH MERRITT'S DIVISION.
" Monday morning, August 22nd, we moved back to Charles- town at an early hour, reaching the place at sunrise, but had not marched through the town until firing was heard and we were or- dered back and placed on the right of our line, where a heavy
* This account of the fighting at Charlestown, Va., on September 22nd, 1864, is by Dr. Arthur R. McCarthy of Mount Union. Pa., who as a private in Company K, 22nd P. V. Cavalry, then attached to the gallant Colonel Lowell's Brigade, was an active participant in all this sharp fighting, engaged with the enemy almost every day from the 17th until the 25th of August, when all detachments of the regiment were ordered to Hagerstown and reunited, after which under command of Colonel Greenfield, McCarthy with the regiment, took an active part in all the subsequent battles of the campaign. During this time, he kept a full diary, by the help of which, he is now able to bring back to us the scenes and incidents of those days of dreadful war, with a freshness that makes it seem ai yesterday.
THE FIGHT AT CHARLESTOWN, AUG. 22, 1864. 343
skirmish took place. The line extended from the right of the town some dis- tance across the Berryville Pike. We made use of some old houses for shelter, and having a plain view of the advanc- ing enemy, we did our best to lessen their numbers, and in all fighting, I never knew men to take more deliberate aim than they did that morning.
" In the meantime, the center of our line was broken and driven back in some confusion through the main street and on the left of the town. Captain B. F. Houck, of the 1st Maryland, was killed Dr. A. R. McCarthy. on the main street while we were retreating. Some of his com- rades held him on his horse after being wounded, but the enemy pressed them so closely they were compelled to leave him. He was mortally wounded and, no doubt, death soon relieved his sufferings. Thus died a brave and efficient officer. Our position on the right of the line prevented us from seeing that the center and left had fallen back, and we fought on in blissful ignorance of this fact, and would all have been captured, had it not been for the timely notice given us by Aloysius Small, of Company K, who at the time was serving as orderly for Captain Boring of that company. The enemy had pressed back our force a considerable distance beyond where we were fighting, and by a flank movement could easily have " scooped us in " and would have done so, no doubt, but for the in- formation we received.
" We fell back through the fields and the narrow street on the right of the town, and, while crossing a small stream of water where we formerly watered our horses when our winter quarters were at Charlestown, Lieutenant Frank B. Smith, of Company G, was wounded. He was helped to the edge of the town and placed in an ambulance and taken off the field. At this place, a large, brawny woman of Irish birth, put in an appearance : she had a shawl pinned over her head, and, gesticulating wildly, cried out, "For the love of Heaven, byes, git back or yees'll all be kilt," and springing into the ambulance into which Lieutenant Smith had been helped, she dis- appeared from the scene of action. By this time, the enemy were close upon us ; the bullets were flying about thick and fast and made it a decidedly uncomfortable place to tarry, and we moved on with-
344 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
out further ceremony. The inhabitants of the town were in con- siderable commotion, especially the colored people, who were numer- ous; and as they ran screaming in every direction, the scene was striking.
" We retreated in good order until we were clear of the town, and then formed a heavy line of skirmishers, with line of battle in ยท rear, and further in our rear, Sheridan's army moving leisurely on to Bolivar Heights; we had covered the retreat since the 16th. As we fell back from the town ( Charlestown) two men of Company H were riding with me; suddenly I heard a sharp cry of pain, and, casting my eyes in the direction from whence it came, I saw one of them, Jameson Clark, falling from his horse. It was a fatal shot ; he made no move nor uttered a groan after his body touched the ground. He was a fine young man ; we would have brought his body off the field, but the enemy was so close upon us that to have attempted to do so would have resulted in our death or capture. The fight was kept up from Charlestown until within a short distance of Bolivar Heights, a distance of at least four miles, and at times was severe.
" During the engagement, Captain Thomas D. French, of Com- pany L, Andrew J. Baker, Joseph Mckinney and George W. * Wogan, of Company K, were wounded (the last two yet in their teens) and others whose names cannot be ascertained. My horse was shot within sight of Charlestown, and was a matter of deep regret to me. As we were expected to cover the retreat of Sheridan's army, we fell back slowly, stubbornly holding our ground until we were compelled to yield because of overwhelming numbers. Once, we formed in the edge of a woods and with the Johnnies in a piece of timber opposite, we fought across an open field, and woe to the man who was incautious or foolhardy that day, for no sooner did a human form show itself than it became the target for many bullets."
Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers says of the 22nd that, under command of Colonel Lowell, . commanding brigade, it covered the retreat of Sheridan's army from Cedar Creek; on the 17th of August, under command of Lieutenant Colonel A. J. Greenfield, it took part in an engagement at Kernstown, where it
*Wogan, ho was wounded, was shot through the elbow, and when he was taken to the hospital, the surgeon wanted to take off his arm, but he stoutly refused to submit to an amputation. "But you will die if it is not done." said the surgeon. " Well then. I will die with my arm on." was the determined reply. " Well," said the surgeon, " I will get you a basin of water and a sponge. Keep the bandages well saturated, and perhaps the arm can be saved." And as Wogan bathed his wound. he said to William Burns of Company I, "I wonder how it would feel to have an arm taken off; I guess I won't have mine amputated." The result was that he recovered, and though his arm was somewhat stiff, yet he was able to do service. Many a poor soldier's arm or leg was taken off when it was entirely unnecessary.
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345
SHERIDAN OCCUPIES BASE AT HALLTOWN.
displayed great steadiness and gallantry, repelling repeated assaults of a largely superior force. On the 1Sth, 20th and 21st, it was warmly engaged at Opequan and Berryville, and on the 22nd, at Charlestown, sustaining considerable loss.
Tuesday, August 23, 1864, there was heavy skirmishing in our front, which was about all that occurred to disturb our rest. Our brigade toward evening was sent out to reconnoiter the enemy's posi- tion, and very soon we found a large force in our front. We had formed for a charge, but the " Johnnies " showed themselves in such large numbers that it was deemed prudent not to take such a dan- gerous risk, and after a brisk engagement, we returned to camp with the loss of one man and several horses; also a number of wounded. While we were in line of battle, the enemy trained sev- eral guns on us with such accuracy as to make our position rather uncomfortable. One of the men was shot with a spent musket ball which struck him on the forehead with just force enough to pierce the skin. He fell from his horse considerably stunned, but soon recovered and, with the exception of a bruised head, he was as good as ever.
August 24th dawned bright and beautiful. There was heavy skirmishing all along the line during the entire forenoon. About one o'clock, in company with the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, we reconnoitered the enemy's line and, making a determined charge, drove them in utter confusion, capturing a number of prisoners. Proceeding on we came in close range of their batteries, and after receiving a severe artillery fire, we found it expedient to fall back, which we did in good order; a number of our men were wounded ; a piece of shell struck Major Myers in the leg; Cor- poral John A. McGill's horse was shot from under him and a nun- ber of other casualties.
August 25th, we were roused at an early hour by the bugle's blast, calling " boots and saddles." The Johnnies made a fierce attack along our entire line and only after a bitter struggle were they compelled to retreat, having gained no material advantage.
On the same day, we received marching orders to join the other battalion at Hagerstown.
Colonel Lowell briefly sums up the work of our brigade as follows :
August 9. Brigade organized near Halltown, Va.
August 10. Moved to Summit Point on extreme right of
346
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
army; skirmished near the Opequan. Captured 15 Imboden's Cav- alry and 13 Rodes' Division.
August 11. Crossed Opequan to Winchester, driving out 200 of enemy's cavalry. Light skirmishing; captured 5 prisoners. Moved to White Post.
. August 12. Took the advance through Newtown and Middle- town to Cedar Creek ; took 3 prisoners. Skirmished at Cedar Creek ; took 14 prisoners.
August 13, 14, 15. Camped near Cedar Creek and picketed.
August 16. Left camp and moved to Old Forge on extreme right.
August 17. Moved to Winchester on Back Road, burning for- age and driving in stock. Skirmish near Winchester. Moved across Opequan Creek on Berryville and Winchester Pike.
August 18. Skirmishing. Fell back one mile from creek.
August 19. In camp ; picketing on right. Attack on our lines toward evening repulsed.
August 20. Attacked about 4 P. M. Repulsed the enemy and connected picket with 2nd Brigade on left. Third Division on right. Kept the old line one mile from the Opequan.
August 21. Attacked 10 A. M. vigorously; skirmished con- stantly until ? P. M., when retired by order, to near Berryville, fol- lowed by enemy; tried to take position on ridge west of town; thrown into confusion for a time, but held the ridge until ordered back, and moved to North fork of Bullskin Run, through Rippon.
August 22. Moved to Halltown; sharp skirmish. Had the rear-guard to Halltown; picketed the left of the army to the Shen- andoah.
August 23. In camp, picketing.
August 24. Reconnaissance made on the left. Captured 13 prisoners.
August 25. Reconnaissance made. Captured 4 prisoners ; killed 3 ; wounded 4, left on our hands.
August 26. Reconnaissance made. Captured 1 Lieut. Col., 3 Captains, 3 Lieutenants and 69 enlisted men, of 15th South Caro- lina.
August ??. Enemy retired; followed them to Charlestown; one prisoner taken, Kershaw's; 2 prisoners taken near Duffields. Sharp skirmish in afternoon with Lomax.
.August 28. Moved to North Fork of Bullskin Run, left of army.
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MARCHING AND FIGHTING DAILY. AUG. 1864. 347
August 29. Moved to Summit Point, still on extreme left.
August 30. Reconnaissance made toward the Opequan. Ene- my's loss, killed, 2 lieutenants and 3 enlisted men, left in our hands. Captured 5 prisoners, Lomax's Brigade. Moved to Smithfield.
August 31. In camp; regiments picketing Summit Point, Smithfield and Leetown.
In the various' skirmishes, the brigade has lost 3 officers and 14 men killed; 2 officers and 56 men wounded and one officer and 3 men captured.
Total captured by the brigade, 7 officers and 121 enlisted men. Total killed by the brigade, 2 officers and 6 enlisted men.
Total wounded (as far as we know), 4 enlisted men.
Colonel Greenfield says: "The foregoing record of the work of two cavalry regiments; the 2nd Massachusetts and 22nd Penn- sylvania, and a small detachment of Cole's Maryland Cavalry, dur- ing twenty-three consecutive days, August 9 to 31, inclusive-is a very modest report, made by a brave man, a gallant offcer and a perfect gentleman.
" On the 26th of August, in obedience to orders, I marched the regiment from Halltown to Hagerstown, Md., where I joined Aver- ill's Division and met the rest of the regiment that had taken part in the rout and defeat of McCausland at Moorfield, uniting and bringing together the entire regiment mounted and equipped, for the first time.
"On the 27th, drilled the regiment and had dress parade, at which I read orders congratulating the command on the excellent work the several detachments had done, and now, with the whole regiment united, I looked forward to greater achievements and higher honors for the command.
" On the 28th, crossed the Potomac at Falling Waters and en- camped and on the 29th, marched to Martinsburg.
" On the 30th, moved out with the regiment and skirmished with the enemy on the Winchester Pike."
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348 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
CHAPTER XXV. THE 22ND P. V. C., A FULL-MOUNTED REGIMENT OF TWELVE COMPANIES. FIRST BRIGADE, AVERILL'S DIVISION.
On the 14th of August, 1864, the day that Colonel Chipman, who had ridden all the way from Washington and delivered Hal- leck's dispatch to Sheridan, upon the receipt of which Sheridan determined to fall back-on this very day, Averill arrived at Mar- tinsburg with his cavalry force, to the 1st Brigade, of which the Old Battalion of our 22nd Regiment now belonged. After routing McCausland's forces at Moorfield on the 7th, Averill sent the pris- oners to New Creek, under a strong guard, of which the detach- ment of the 22nd 'Pennsylvania, under Major Work, was a part. The horses were so worn out that they were shipped by train to Hancock, where the part of the command not in the chase after McCausland had remained. The last shipment of cavalry from New Creek arrived at Hancock on the 13th. On this day, Averill received a dispatch from Sheridan, ordering him to move with all his troops to Harper's Ferry. Here at Hancock, on the 13th, Averill re- organized his command that had been much detached and dis- tributed during the raid into Pennsylvania. In this he brigaded our regiment with the 14th Pennsylvania and Sth Ohio regiments of cavalry, forming the 1st Brigade of his division. On the next day, the entire force marched to Martinsburg, arriving there at dark and camping one mile west of town, having marched twenty-eight miles. In a letter to Sheridan next day, Averill says :
" My command arrived at this place last evening, losing twenty- six horses from exhaustion on the march from Hancock. About 600 mounted men from Harper's Ferry joined me this morning, making my command about 2,500 strong. One-third of my horses are totally unfit for further service at present. and would be abandoned should I continue my march from this place. I have made arrangements for receiving 500 horses from the Cumber- land Valley, and 500 from the West within the next three days. I expect to increase my command to 3,500 within the next five or six days. . . . The worn-out condition of one-third of my horses was not caused by want of forage or care, but results solely from the fact that they have marched 1,200 miles since
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AVERILL'S CAVALRY DIVISION.
the 1st of May without rest. . I shall use every endeavor to be ready for the field in five or six days."
In response to the above, General Averill received orders to remain at Martinsburg until further orders. Here Averill re- mained resting and reorganizing his forces until the 18th of August. On this morning, the division was called out early and a line formed on the Williamsport Pike, one mile from Martinsburg, where we remained in position until after noon, when the entire command marched out the Shepherdstown Road to the junction of the Smithville Road and halted. From here, several small scout- ing parties were sent out to scour the country in search of the enemy; Captain McNulty, with ten men was sent to Summit Point and Smithville. Lieutenant Joe Lane, with ten men, was sent to Darkesville. These scouts returned at dark, reporting no enemy in sight. General Averill had received conflicting orders this day, which accounts for the zig-zag movement of his column. This was the day that Sheridan's forces fell back and took position in front of Charlestown; the enemy also moved forward a short distance, Ramseur's Division moving from Winchester, several miles down the Martinsburg Pike, while the other divisions followed Sheridan's retiring army in the direction of Charlestown. Our command re- turned to Martinsburg at 10 P. M., fed and got supper and then marched to Shepherdstown, arriving there at 2 A. M. That night (18th) Averill sent this message to Sheridan: "Received an order from Reno this morning to fall back to Charlestown. On the way, received a communication from General Torbert, requesting me to occupy Smithfield and Bunker Hill. When near Leetown, re- ceived a dispatch from General Sheridan to cross the Potomac if necessary and cover the river from Williamsport to Shepherdstown. My command is now near Shepherdstown, with pickets at Martins- burg, Williamson's Cross Roads, Kearneysville, Gerrardstown, Bunker Hill and Leetown."
Averill's Division remained on the Virginia side of the river at Shepherdstown all day of the 19th, the 1st Brigade, lying on the Smithfield Road near town, and the 2nd Brigade, a mile from town on the Martinsburg Road. On this day, Early moved his army down the pike to Bunker Hill, and encamped there, leaving An- derson and Fitzhugh Lee at Winchester, while Lomax's Division of (Confederate) cavalry went to Martinsburg and toward the river to Shepherdstown.
The next day (20th) we saddled up early, but did not move un-
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350 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
til 9 o'clock. Crossed the river (Potomac) and formed on the ridge until all were over. Left the 8th Ohio Cavalry to guard the Ford, while the command marched through Sharpsburg and out the Williamsport Road, when a strong detachment was left to guard another ford; we then turned to the right, marched on and camped near Fairplay.
On the morning of the 21st, we were roused by the bugle and saddled up before daylight; stood to horse for an hour or two and then unsaddled. There was heavy cannonading in the direction of Charlestown. (This was the sudden and vigorous attack of Early upon the 6th Corps, forming the right of Sheridan's line, heretofore mentioned.)
Averill's command remained here near Fairplay during the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th, scouting, picketing the fords and keep- ing sharp watch on the movements of the enemy's cavalry. As we have already seen, Sheridan fell back to his strong position at Halltown, purposely leaving the Valley open for Early to go farther north, if he chose. .
Sheridan says: "Indeed at this time I was hoping that my ad- versary would renew the boldness that he had exhibited in the early part of the month, and strike for the north side of the Po- tomac, and wrote General Grant on the 20th of August that I had . purposely left everything in that direction open to the enemy. On the 22nd, the Confederates moved to Charlestown and pushed well up to my position in Halltown. Here for the next three days they skirmished with my videttes and infantry pickets, Emory and Crook receiving the main attention; but finding that they could make no impression, and judging it to be an auspicious time to intensify the scare in the North-on the 25th of August, Early sent Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry to Williamsport and moved all the rest of his army to Kearneysville, but Anderson's Infantry and McCausland's Cav- alry, which he left in front of our lines at Halltown for the pur- pose of covering his movement for a day or until he could be well on his way.
" This same day there was sharp picket firing along the whole front of my infantry line, arising as afterward ascertained from a heavy demonstration by Anderson. During this firing, I sent Torbert with Merritt's and Wilson's divisions to Kearneysville, whence he was to proceed toward Leetown and learn what had become of Fitz Lee.
" About a mile from Leetown, Torbert met a small force ci
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EARLY FEINTS AT ANOTHER INVASION.
Confederate cavalry, and soon after encountering it, stumbled on Breckenridge's Corps of infantry on the march, apparently head- ing for Shepherdstown. The surprise was mutual, for Torbert ex- pected to meet only cavalry, while the Confederate infantry column was anticipating an unobstructed march to the Potomac. Torbert attacked with such vigor as at first to double up the head of Breckenridge's Corps and throw it into confusion, but when the enemy realized that they were confronted only by cavalry, Early brought up the whole of the four infantry divisions engaged in his maneuver and in a sharp attack, pushed Torbert back rapidly. He was obliged to withdraw Wilson's Division toward our right, to the neighborhood of Duffields' Station, Merritt drawing back to the same point by way of the Shepherdstown Ford. Custer's Brigade becoming isolated after the fight while assisting the rear-guard, was also obliged to retire, which it did to Shepherdstown, and there halted, picketing the river to Antietam Ford. When Torbert re- ported to me the nature of his encounter, and that a part of Early's Infantry was marching to the North, while Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry had gone toward Martinsburg, I thought that the Confederate Gen- eral meditated crossing his cavalry into Maryland, so I sent Wilson by way of Harper's Ferry to watch his movements from Boones- boro, and at the same time directed Averill to take post at Williams- port and hold the crossing there until he was driven away. I thought it possible that Early might cross the Potomac with his whole army, but the doubts of a movement like this outweighed the probabilities favoring it. Nevertheless, I arranged to throw my army on his rear, should the occasion arise, and deeming my position at Hall- town the most advantageous in which to await developments, my infantry was retained there.".
Our (Averill's) camp near Fairplay was aroused at half past two on the morning of the 26th and turned out in line until after daylight, our pickets at Williamsport having been attacked by a strong force of the enemy's cavalry and artillery. Our pickets at Williamsport consisted of the 1st West Virginia Cavalry, who resisted the enemy's attempt to cross; after a brisk artillery fire across the river, for a considerable time, and which caused but lit- tle loss to our force, the enemy, late in the day, withdrew, and marched toward Shepherdstown.
The enemy found the Potomac guarded at every important ford. Custer was at Antietam Ford, watching that and Shepherds- town; Wilson with his division had been sent by Sheridan through
352 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
Harper's Ferry on the night of the 25th, to Boonesboro to co-oper- ate with Averill, who was picketing the fords above for many miles. Sheridan expected Fitz Lee's Cavalry to cross into Maryland, and on the evening of the 25th, sent this dispatch to Averill: "If you and Custer are pressed by Fitz Lee's Cavalry, pitch into it; you must defeat it if possible."
Wilson, from Boonesboro, on the 26th, in a dispatch to Custer, . said: " If the enemy has already crossed, the first thing is to whip him, and if we all got at him together, Lee hasn't got cavalry enough in this portion of the country to withstand us."
Our cavalry leaders were confident and anxious for a fight with Fitz Lee. * On that morning, 26th, Averill moved on to Hagerstown and formed line of battle where he remained in posi- tion all day, awaiting the advance of the enemy whom he expected to cross at Williamsport and attack him. This was a much bet- ter position for delivering a telling blow to the enemy's cavalry than to have contested his crossing at the river in force ; if Fitz Lee's Cavalry had engaged our cavalry, Averill, Wilson and Custer on the Maryland side of the Potomac, they would never have returned to Virginia as an organized body of troops. Whatever Early's plans were as to the invasion of Maryland at this time, he very promptly concluded to withdraw.
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