USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 41
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402 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
miles below Luray; the division camped that night near a field of corn, which we cleaned up.
" Oct. 8. We marched on twelve miles to Front Royal, crossed the river and again camped in a cornfield. In the march this day, our brigade took the advance; our regiment leading the advance had some skirmishing with Moseby's Cavalry, but they were cau- tious and kept well out of danger."
THE CAVALRY FIGHT AT TOM'S BROOK.
The 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry was with Powell's Division at Front Royal on the 9th of October, and therefore did not participate in this battle, much to their regret. We will let General Sheridan tell the story :
" During the 6th and 7th of October, the enemy's horse fol- lowed us up, though at a respectful distance. This cavalry was now under command of General T. W. Rosser, who, on October 5th, had joined Early with an additional brigade from Richmond. As we proceeded, the Confederates gained confidence, probably on account of the reputation with which this new commander had been heralded. On the third day's march, he had the temerity to annoy my rear-guard considerably. I concluded to open the enemy's eyes in earnest, so that night I told Torbert that I expected him either to give Rosser a drubbing or get whipped himself, and that the infantry would be halted until the affair was over; I also informed him that I proposed to ride out to Round Top Mountain to see the fight. Merritt was encamped at the foot of Round Top, an elevation just north of Tom's Brook, and Custer some six miles further north and west. In the night, Custer was ordered to re- trace his steps before daylight by the Back Road, which is parallel to and about three miles from the Valley Pike, and attack the enemy at Tom's Brook crossing, while Merritt's instructions were to assail him on the Valley Pike in concert with Custer. About seven in the morning, Custer's Division encountered Rosser himself with three brigades, and while the stirring sounds of the resulting artillery duel were reverberating through the Valley, Merritt moved briskly to the front and fell upon Generals Lomax and Johnson on the Valley Pike, Merritt, by extending his right, quickly established connec- tion with Custer, and the two divisions moved forward, together under Torbert's direction, with a determination to inflict on the enemy the sharp and summary punishment his rashness had invited.
" The engagement soon became general across the Valley,
403
THE WOODSTOCK RACES.
both sides fighting mainly mounted. For about two hours the con- tending lines struggled with each other along Tom's Brook, the charges and counter-charges at many points being plainly visible from the summit of Round Top, where I had my headquarters for the time. The open country permitting a saber fight, both sides seemed. bent on using that arm. In the center, the Confederates maintained their position with much stubbornness, and for a time seemed to have recovered their former spirit, but at last they began to give way on both flanks, and as these receded, Merritt and Custer went at these wavering ranks in a charge along the whole front. The result was a general smash-up of the entire Confederate line, and the retreat quickly degenerated into a rout, the like of which was never before seen. For twenty-six miles this wild stampede kept up, with our troopers close at the enemy's heels; and the ludicrous incidents of the chase never ceased to be amusing topics around the camp-fires of Merritt and Custer. In the fight and pursuit, Torbert took eleven pieces of artillery, with their caissons, all the wagons and ambulances the enemy had on the ground, and three hundred prisoners.
" After this catastrophe, Early reported to Lee that his cavalry was so badly demoralized that it should be dismounted; the citizens of the Valley, intensely disgusted with the swaggering that had characterized the arrival of the 'Laurel Brigade'* in that section, named the battle (known to us as Tom's Brook) 'The Woodstock Races,' and never tired of poking fun at Rosser about his precipi- tate and inglorious flight."
Torbert made an enthusiastic report of this battle, saying : " The cavalry totally covered themselves with glory and added to their long list of victories the most brilliant of them all, and the most decisive the country has ever witnessed."
It is reported that Custer and Rosser, who were classmates at West Point, recognized each other during this engagement, and saluted by raising their hats. The eleven pieces of artillery cap- tured this day made 36 pieces captured within the last twenty days. Some of the cannon in this last capture were new, just fresh from the Tredegar Iron Works, Richmond, and bore the shipping address a- follows :
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JUBAL A. EARLY, Shenandoah Valley. ·
· When Rosser arrived from Richmond with his brigade, he was proclaimed as the ** Saviour of the Valley," and his men came all bedecked with laurel.
404 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
Some wag added to the address, while the guns were en route, the following :
For GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN, in care of LIEUTENANT GENERAL JUBAL A. EARLY, Shenandoah Valley.
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Our two divisions here routed the combined divisions of Rosser and Lomax, inflicting a loss of about 400 men, while our loss was but nine killed and forty-eight wounded.
General Early, in a letter to Lee, reporting this defeat of his cavalry, says: "This is very distressing to me, and God knows I have done all in my power to avert the disasters which have befallen this command, but the fact is that the enemy's cavalry is so much superior to ours, both in numbers and equipments, that it is impossible for ours to compete with his." .
During the 9th and 10th, our division camped at Front Royal. doing scout and picket duty continually. On the 9th, Captain Hugh Keys took a scout out to Chester Gap and blockaded the Gap. Same day, Captain French and Lieutenant Regester, with fifty men, relieved Captains Hart and. Kuhn with a similar de- tachment on picket out Middletown Road. All unserviceable horses were sent back with the wagon train. Next day, the 6th Corps came over from Cedar Creek and went into camp near ours.
October 11th, our division moved through Chester Gap, Flint Hill, Gaines' Cross Roads and Little Washington to Sperryville. A detachment sent to Thornton Gap captured a picket post of General Rosser's cavalry. At Sperryville, Colonel Powell received information that McCausland's Cavalry command was moving in the direction of Amissville to form a junction with Moseby's guer- rillas, about 400 strong, with four pieces of artillery, intending to make a raid on the Manassas Gap Railroad at Salem. * Powell.
* Having learned of the willful and cold-blooded murder of a U. S. soldier two miles from this place a few days previous by two members of Moseby's gang, named Chancellor and Myers, Colonel Powell, in retaliation, ordered the execution of one of Moseby's men, whom he had captured at Gaines Cross Road, placing on his breast a placard, " Member of Company C, Moseby's command. hanged by the neck in retaliation for the murder of a U. S. soldier by Chancellor and Myers." Powell also sent a detach- ment to destroy the residence, barn and all buildings and forage on the premises of Chancellor, and to drive off all stock, which order was fulfilled.
Moseby, however, always retaliated, executing at least man for man. Gener .. } Custer had ordered the execution of seven of Moseby's men for firing on his ambula" .. . filled with wounded soldiers in charge of his hospital corps. In retaliation. Mo-ehr formed in line 22 Federal prisoners which he had captured, and drew cuts for st ... .: of them, whom he had taken out and shot.
" During my visit to the battle fields of the Shenandoah Valley in company with Adjutant Isenberg, of which mention was made in the preceding pages, a monunk !: was unveiled in the presence of several thousand citizens at Front Royal, Va., in memory
CAMPING AT CEDAR CREEK AND FRONT ROYAL. 405
with the division, pushed on to Amissville for the purpose of cut- ting off McCausland's retreat ; when we arrived at that place, about 6:30 A. M. of the 12th, we learned that he had heard of our move- ment and had made his escape, passing through the village several hours previous to our arrival, going south at a rapid pace. From here, we moved to Flint Hill, gathering up and driving in all the stock. The country was infested with small parties of guerrillas, watching every opportunity to dash from their hiding places and capture any small parties of our command that became detached.
Whilst the enemy's cavalry had followed our forces down the Valley, Sheridan had no reliable information of the where- abouts of their infantry. He believed they were still in the neigh- borhood of Waynesboro or Brown's Gap, and wrote Grant as late as 9 P. M. of the 12th: "Information from Colonel Powell at Sperryville . I
. reports Early with the bulk of his forces at Craig's Creek, between Brown's Gap and Waynesboro.
believe that a Rebel advance down this Valley will not take place." He, no doubt, based this opinion largely on his belief that the de- struction of subsistence in the Valley north of Staunton would make it next to impossible for the enemy to subsist an army for even a short time in that desolate region.
The main body of the enemy had been at New Market, where Early waited to watch what Sheridan would do next. In a letter to Lee, written from New Market, after the Tom's Brook fight, he says: "I am satisfied that he (Sheridan) does not intend com- ing this way again, as he burnt all the bridges in his rear as he went down, and the question now is: what he intends doing- whether he will move across the Ridge, send a part of his force to Grant, or content himself with protecting the Baltimore and Ohio Road. If he moves across the Ridge, I will move directly across from this place to meet him and I think I can defeat and thwart . all his movements on the east of the mountains. But what shall I do if he sends reinforcements to Grant or remains in the Lower Valley? He has laid waste nearly all of Rockingham and Shenan-
of the seven Confederate soldiers executed by General Custer. The seven Union soldiers, riceated by Moseby. no doubt sleep without any stone to mark their last resting ; lace."-Colonel Greenfield.
Francis Marion White, of Company A, 22d P. V. C., was captured by Moseby near Iederville, Va., Oct. 10, 1664, and was about to be hanged in retaliation for the execu- "or". of a Confederate by General Powell a few days before. Some of McNeill's Konzers, who were with Moseby, learned that White was a member of the Ringgold Assiry, interceded and had him sent off as a prisoner, declaring that the Ringgold's, faust whom they had warred for three years, were honorable soldiers, who had respected and protected their homes and families, when in possession of Moorfield, and that no captive from that command would be executed in retaliation, if they could help it.
406
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
doah (county), and I will have to rely on Augusta for my supplies, and they are not abundant there."
Sheridan was proceeding to send the 6th Corps infantry and a division of cavalry to Grant's army in accordance with his plan of October 5th, heretofore given. Upon the arrival of his army at Cedar Creek on the 10th, Sheridan had the 6th Corps march on down to the junction of the rivers opposite, or north of Front Royal, and a day or two later, sent them on down to the ford at Ashby's Gap, preliminary to their long march across the country to Alexandria, from' whence they were to embark for Petersburg. General Early was expecting this as one of the probable moves that Sheridan would make, and as soon as his scouts informed him that a large body of Federal infantry had already started east, he lost no time in pushing his entire army down to Cedar Creek to strike Sheridan's army, thus weakened, a staggering blow, as he had done to Crook's army on the 24th of July. Accordingly, from Hupp's Hill, on the 13th, he suddenly announced his arrival, the story of which Colonel Greenfield tells as follows:
" Yesterday, Colonel Thoburn, our old commander at Peters- burg, met with a severe reverse. He occupied an advanced posi- tion on the south side of Cedar Creek at Stickley's farm. On the 12th, he had made a reconnaissance toward Strasburg without discovering any signs of the enemy, and Torbert had sent out a strong cavalry scout up the Valley Pike and Back Road for a dis- tance of twelve miles, with the same result. On the 13th, Early assumed the offensive and moved forward from beyond Woodstock to Hupp's Hill with his entire force of infantry and a brigade of cavalry. Colonel Thoburn's command (a division of the 8th Corps) was encamped in a field on the south side of Cedar Creek. arms stacked, not knowing of the proximity of the enemy, until a bat- tery opened fire, dropping shells in their midst, just as the bugles sounded the dinner call. Early's divisions in line of battle were concealed by timber and the intervening hill. Thoburn, not seeing any force of the enemy, except the battery and a few cavalry. at once sent out two brigades under Colonels Wells and Harris, to develop the strength and purpose of the enemy. They moved for- ward under a heavy fire of artillery, and soon developed the enemy's infantry in such force that, after a brisk engagement, they were
Our division returned to Front Royal on the evening of the 13th, where our regi- ment rejoined the deachment left here on the 11th in command of Captain McNulty, owing to the unfit condition of their horses to go on a long raid. During our absence. they had been doing heavy picket and scout duty.
1
407
EARLY AGAIN IN OUR FRONT, OCT. 13, 1864.
compelled to retreat, suffering the very serious loss of one officer and twenty-one men killed, two officers and 108 men wounded, and three officers and seventy-four missing. The officer killed was the brave Colonel George D. Wells, of the 34th Massachusetts Infantry, commanding 1st Brigade."
The same day, Lomax came down Page Valley and attacked our pickets at Gad's Hill, while Rosser, with his division, advanced on the back road, forded Cedar Creek and attacked Custer, who drove him back across the Creek and held the position.
Sheridan at this time was preparing to go to Washington, in compliance with the following request :
"If you can come here, a conversation on several points is extremely desirable. I propose to visit General Grant and should like to see you first.
" E. M. STANTON, " Sec. of War."
The arrival of the enemy's infantry on our front and his bold attack indicated plainly that he had assumed the offensive, and caused Sheridan to recall the 6th Corps, which reached Cedar Creek at noon of the 14th and took position to the right and rear of the 19th Corps. On the next day (15th) Sheridan received a letter from Grant as follows :
" What I want is for you to threaten the Virginia Central Rail- road and canal, in the manner your judgment tells you is best, hold- ing yourself ready to advance if the enemy draw off their forces. If. you make the enemy hold a force equal to your own for the protec .. tion of these thoroughfares, it will accomplish nearly as much as their destruction. If you cannot do this, then the next best thing is to send here all the force you can. I deem a good cavalry force necessary for your offensive as well as your defensive operations. You will not, therefore, send here more than a division of cavalry."
Late on the 15th, Colonel Greenfield received orders to report to division headquarters with the regiment at daylight next morning. During the night, all men on picket and outpost duty were relieved by other commands, and joined the regiment to take part in an expedition or raid on Charlottesville and Gordonsville by Powell's and Merritt's Cavalry divisions. Sheridan accompanied Merritt's Division to Front Royal to see the expedition set out the morning of the 16th, and then, with a body guard, to continue on across the country to Washington to confer with the Secretary of War. Greenfield reported with the regiment at division headquarters on the morning of the 16th. as ordered. When the expedition was
408
TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
about to start on its raid, Sheridan received from General Wright, the senior officer left in charge of the forces at Cedar Creek, the following letter, enclosing an intercepted and somewhat startling message, which had been wig-wagged from the enemy's signal station on Three Top Mountain and interpreted by our signal corps, who understood their code. General Wright's letter :
" General: I enclose you a dispatch which explains itself. If the enemy should be strongly reinforced in cavalry, he might, by turning our right, give us a great deal of trouble. I shall hold on here until the enemy's movements are developed, and shall only fear an attack on my right, which I shall make every preparation for guarding against and resisting."
The intercepted dispatch enclosed :
"To Lieutenant General Early: Be ready to move as soon as my forces join you and we will crush Sheridan.
" LONGSTREET, Lieut. Gen."
While Sheridan considered this as likely a ruse, it caused him to postpone the raid and send Torbert back with Merritt's Division to the right of the infantry at Cedar Creek, with the following in- structions to Wright :
" General: The cavalry is all ordered back to you. Make your position strong. If Longstreet's dispatch is true, he is under the impression that we have largely detached. I will go over to Auger and may get additional news. Close in Colonel Powell, who will be at this point. If the enemy should make an advance, I know you will defeat him. Look well to your ground and be well pre- pared. Get up everything that can be spared. I will bring up all · I can and will be up on Tuesday, if not sooner." .
Sheridan then continued on to Washington. On October 17th, Sheridan having ordered Wright to " close in Powell's Division," our brigade was moved to near Buckton Ford on the Shenandoah, and a squadron of the 22nd sent to guard the ford ; our pickets con- nected with the left of Crook's Infantry. The rest of our division remained near Front Royal to prevent Lomax in the Luray Valley from coming down on our left.
General Rosser's scouts had reported to him on the 16th that one of Custer's brigades was somewhat detached from the rest of the command. Rosser made an attempt to capture it as follows: Mounting a brigade of infantry behind a brigade of cavalry, he made a long detour of thirty-two miles and succeeded in getting in
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409
EARLY ASSUMES THE OFFENSIVE.
the rear of one of Custer's outposts (the supposed detached bri- gade), and captured three officers and thirty-two men. The whole Confederate army was moved out at daylight to cover Rosser's return.
Next day, October 18th, our brigade encamped in the edge of a grove in full view of "Three Top," on which the enemy's signal station is located. From this station they could view our entire army. Early again occupied the strong position of Fisher's Hill, heretofore described. A careful study of the accompanying map * will enable the reader to understand the position and movements of the troops in the coming battle. Companies A and B, now comprising the 1st Squadron of our regiment, were twice under fire from this frowning bluff in 1862, first on March 19th, under General Shields, and again on March 24th, under General Banks, in pursuit of " Stonewall " Jackson's retreating army, his noted chief of cavalry, General Turner Ashby with Chew's Battery defending this position.
Early was much disappointed to find that Sheridan had not sent away a large part of his army. He had now been at Fisher's Hill for five days and the question of subsistence for his army was be- coming serious. In his report to Lee, he says : " As I could not re- main at Fisher's Hill for want of forage, I determined to try and get around one of the enemy's flanks and surprise him in camp."
* Page 411.
410 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
CHAPTER XXIX. THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
After a careful observation of the Union camps and positions from the signal station on Three Top Mountain, and an examination of the intervening ground by General Gordon and Captain Hotch- kiss, Early determined to move around the left flank of the Union army. He says: "I selected this flank because the greater part of the enemy's cavalry was on his right, and Rosser's attempt had caused that flank to be closely picketed. To get around the enemy's left was a very difficult undertaking, however, as the river had to be crossed twice, and between the mountain and river, where the troops had to pass to the lower ford, there was only a rugged pathway. I thought the chances of success would be greater from the fact that the enemy would not expect a move in that direction on account of . the difficulties attending it, and the great strength of their position on that flank."
Early called his Generals together and unfolded to them his plan of attack. The attack was to be made at five o'clock (before day- light) in the morning, and it was to be a surprise, for in that was their only hope of success; all swords and canteens were to be left in camp; the artillery was to be held back a considerable distance, while the other troops were quietly moving to the attack, lest the rumbling of wheels might betray their advance.
General Early says: "The movement was accordingly begun on the night of the 18th, just after dark, Gordon's, Ramseur's and Pegram's divisions being sent across the river and around the foot of the mountain, all under the command of General Gordon : and late at night I moved with Kershaw's Division through Strasburg toward a ford on Cedar Creek just above the mouth, and Wharton was moved on the Pike toward the enemy's front, in which road the artillery was also moved. The arrangement was for Gordon to come around in the rear of his left bank, for Kershaw to attack his left flank (direct), and for Wharton to advance in front, sup- porting the artillery, which was to open on the enemy when he should turn on Gordon or Kershaw; the attack was to begin at 5 A. M. on the 19th. Rosser was sent to the left to occupy the enemy's cavalry, and Lomax, who had been sent down the Luray Valley, was ordered to pass Front Royal, cross the river and move across toward the Valley Pike."
1
CEDAR CREEK AND FISHER'S HILL.
411
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412 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
" The scene was memorable. The Union camps beyond the hills wrapped in slumber; a corps of infantry and a brigade of cavalry stealing along the base of Massanutten to gain the left and rear of its unsuspecting foes; in the background, forty guns and more waiting the signal to rush down the Pike; an infantry division creeping over Hupps' and another crouching yonder near the creek."
Our (Union) army was encamped on the left (north) bank of Cedar Creek, just above its junction with the Shenandoah. The 8th Corps was on our left, near the mouth of the creek and on the east side of the Pike. The position of the 19th Corps was on the west side of the Pike to the right of the 8th, and some distance in their rear. The 6th Corps was in position to the right and rear of the 19th. Merritt and Custer's divisions of cavalry were on the right of the 6th Corps. Our brigade was camped on the left, nearly a mile east of the 8th Corps, and less than a half-mile from the the place where Gordon formed his lines to attack .* The other brigade of our (Powell's) division was near Front Royal, eight miles distant.
The 8th Corps troops were encamped in two different places. The 1st Division, commanded by Colonel Thoburn, occupied a round hill on the extreme left and considerably in front of the other divisions, which were camped on another hill separated by a wooded ravine. Thoburn's position was entrenched, as was also the position of the 19th Corps.
Shortly before five o'clock, Kershaw advanced, and, as his column approached the Union line, he heard sharp musketry in · the distance down the river, which told him that Gordon had en- countered the Union pickets at the ford, which was the signal for attack. In the meantime, a thick fog enveloped the scene, com- pletely screening the approach of the Confederates.
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