USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 42
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" Punctually at five." Early says, "Kershaw reached the enemy's left works, and attacked and carried it without the least difficulty, and very shortly afterward, Gordon attacked in the rear and they swept everything before them, routing the Sth and 19th Corps completely, getting possession of their camp and capturing 18 pieces of artillery and about 1,300 prisoners. They moved across the Pike toward the camp of the 6th Corps, and Wharton was crossed over. the artillery following him; the 6th Corps, which was in the extreme
* See " Cavalry Camp,"" Map No. 9. Plate LXXXII. War Atlas.
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THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
right of their infantry, was not surprised in camp, because Rosser had commenced the attack on that flank about the same time the attack was made on the others, and the firing on the left gave that corps sufficient time to form and move out of camp, and it was found posted on a ridge on the west of the Pike and parallel to it, and this corps offered considerable resistance. The artillery was brought up and opened on it, when it fell back to the north of Middletown and made a stand on a commanding ridge, running across the Pike."
The 8th Corps, thus surprised, was in confusion-some of the soldiers running to escape capture, others hastily forming in line, regardless of company organization, and firing at the ad- vancing Confederates. Before Thoburn's regiments could form, the Confederates were upon them. A few came into line behind the breastworks, only to find themselves flanked and surrounded. The 2nd Division of the 8th Corps was in the rear of the 1st, and was commanded by General Rutherford B. Hayes, who since then has been President of the United States. The officers of the regiment were shouting to the men to form, the drums were beating a long roll, and the men springing from their tents, seizing their muskets, without coats, hats or boots, were running to their places; but before they could form, the Confederates, under Gordon, struck the left flank, breaking it in an instant. The fugitives from Tho- burn's Division were streaming through Hayes' half-formed lines. The contest was brief-a rattling, desultory fire from some of the regiments, and then the lines broke and the men sought safety in flight, while the enemy rent the air with the "Rebel Yell."
But what of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry with their brigade camped over beyond the Bowman's Ford Road? Most of the squadrons were on picket at the different fords of the Shenandoah .* Before daylight, one of our pickets reported that he feared Lieu- tenant Wingate's Company of our regiment, on picket at the Brick- house Ford, three miles below Strasburg and one and a half miles from our camp, had been captured. Captain McNulty, with his squadron, was sent to the ford; the brigade was ordered to sad- dle and prepare to move. Our regimental Q. M. Sergeant, David Hart, in charge of the headquarter wagons, having a premonition of the impending battle, unable to sleep, arose a while before daylight, mounted his mare and rode over along the picket lines
' Our Third Squadron was on picket at Buckton Ford two miles farther down the river ; the story of their escape, will be found later.
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toward the 8th Corps, where his attention was attracted by noises down toward the river, at Bowman's Ford, causing him to stop a while and listen through the fog.
*
At 5 A. M., we were startled by volleys of musketry in the
direction of Crook's Corps. Our pickets that connected with the infantry to our right, and McNulty's Squadron, dashed into camp, reporting the enemy in Crook's camp, driving our men in con- fusion toward Middletown. At the same instant, Sergeant 'Davie' Hart galloped in, yelling to the teamsters, 'Hitch up, hitch up!' Our brigade mounted quickly and moved as rapidly as possible through the dense fog that enveloped the hills, in the direction of the firing, which was moving away from us and to the left of the Pike. We were aware that the enemy was be- tween us and the rest of the army; in short, we were cut off, and the best thing to do was to move rapidly back, parallel with the enemy's column until we could pass around them and join our main body."
The enemy, having routed Crook's two divisions, moved on rapidly and struck Emory's 19th Corps. Fortunately for our forces here, an order had been received the previous evening by General Grover of the 19th Corps to send a brigade out on a reconnaissance at daylight in the morning; in obedience to this order, Molineux' Brigade of Grover's Division had breakfasted before daylight, and were now in line ready to move. Upon hearing the firing, this brigade at once occupied the rifle-pits and held the enemy in check until Gordon's column passing along the Pike flanked them, when they fell back in good order, but with serious loss.
By this time, the 6th Corps that was in the rear in reserve, had formed and was moving over toward the Pike, just as our brigade arrived; we charged in on the Pike and held the enemy in check while the 6th Corps moved over and formed on our right. General Torbert, in his report, says: " Before daylight, the enemy made a vigorous attack, having surprised and turned the left of the army. The cavalry was immediately put in the saddle and the 1st and 3rd Divisions (Merritt and Custer) put in position on the right of the infantry. The 1st Brigade, 2nd Division ( Colonel Moore. commanding) being at Buckton Ford on the Shenandoah,f was by this means cut off from the main army, and Colonel Moore imme- diately passed around the enemy's right and came up on the leit
* Colonel Greenfield.
# See Map, page 411.
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THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
of our army at Middletown on the Valley Pike. This brigade im- mediately attacked the enemy and held them in check on the Pike until they (the enemy) could be reinforced."
The 6th Corps, coming upon the scene, halted and took position on a wooded knoll west of the Pike. It was the beginning of the concentration of the Union troops. A courier came from General Wright, directing General Emory of the 19th Corps to close up on the right of the 6th. Before the 19th could come into the new posi- tion, Gordon's Corps and Kershaw's Division fell upon the 6th. General Ricketts was wounded and General Getty assumed com- mand.
THE ENEMY CHECKED.
General Lewis A. Grant, of the Vermont Brigade, assumed command of the division. "When Getty's Division, in position on the wooded knoll, poured their volleys into the advancing columns of Confederates, the period of panic in the Battle of Cedar Creek was closed, and that of resolute resistance began." The withering fire from Getty's men brought the enemy to a halt, but the enemy, renewing their infantry attacks and concentrating their artillery, preparatory to another onslaught, General Wright withdrew this force to a ridge more than a mile north of Middletown, where Getty's Division of the 6th Corps again made a final stand,. with the cavalry .on either flank.
General Early gives the Confederate view of the situation as follows :
"The fog arose and we could see the enemy's position on a ridge to the west of Middletown, and it was discovered to be a strong one. After driving back Wharton's Division, he (Getty) had not advanced, but opened on us with artillery. Discovering that the 6th Corps could not be attacked with advantage on its left flank, I directed Gordon to advance against the right flank and attack in conjunction with Kershaw. In a short time, Colonel Carter con- centrated eighteen or twenty guns on the enemy and he was forced to retreat."
A number of Getty's artillery horses were shot down, and in the retreat he was obliged to abandon six guns. This retreat or falling back to a new position by the 6th Corps was made in regular brigade formation and in excellent order.
The enemy, advancing with infantry and artillery, pressed us vigorously as we retired, until we took up the position indicated by
416 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
Major General Wright; here the enemy made several persistent attacks, but were repulsed each time. Our small cavalry brigade (the 14th and 22nd Pennsylvania and a detachment of the 8th Ohio, Colonel Moore) were the only cavalry on the left of the army up to this time. After holding our position here and resisting the enemy's repeated attacks for some time, General Devin's Brigade of cavalry was moved over from the right and formed and deployed on our left. The enemy at this time was increasing their force in our front and deploying to our left, evidently with the intention of turning our left flank, which, if successful, might have resulted in the capture of our trains in the rear; Merritt was informed of the situation and sent to our assistance, Colonel Lowell with the Reserve Brigade, who formed and deployed on the left of Devin. About 10 A. M., Major General Wright, seeing that Early was con- centrating his force to turn our left, ordered Torbert to concen- trate all his cavalry on the left. This brought Merritt's and Custer's divisions to our support, except three regiments left on the right. Torbert then reformed the cavalry. Our brigade which, up to this time, had occupied the right of the cavalry across the Pike connect- ing with the 6th Corps, was now placed on the extreme left, while Merritt's Division took the place across the Pike next the infantry, which we had held since early morn, resisting the enemy's advance and exposed to a heavy fire from infantry and artillery.
General Torbert, in his report, has this to say of our brigade:
" At this time. the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, was temporarily under the orders of General Merritt, who was constantly annoying and attacking the enemy wherever an opportunity presented itself, although his men were completely within range of the enemy's sharpshooters, his shot and shell-and many a horse and rider were made to bite the dust, they held their ground like men of steel.
We were driven back a mile north of Middletown. The enemy's battery got a good position and shelled us fearfully. \ number of horses were shot among which were those of Captain McNulty and Hugh Porter of Company C .- Donaldson.
As the head of our train came down the road toward the pike at the south end of Middletown I found that highway completely choked with men and wagons, so without a halt, the foremost wagons were turned to the right across the back-vards and gardens of the village houses: and the train went crashing through picket fences and all sorts of fences, keeping parallel with the Pike and coming out on that road some distance north of the town. Here I found a wagon of the 6th Corps that had run against a telegraph pole, throwing the wagon across, blockading the pike, and a bale of blankets thrown entirely away from the wagon, which latter I loaded into one of our wagons. I then arranged the wagons, two abreast, and sent them on with the Q. M. Sergeant of the 1st West Virginia, in charge. I then rode up on the side of the hill out of the throng of the wounded and demoralized soldiers. It was a terrible sight; some covered with blood; some with nothing on but pants and shirt; some with empty muskets, but most of them without anything, rushing madly to the rear. Just then I met General Thoburn on his fine horse; he seemed to have just come out of Middletown and was trying to rally his men, and was unarmed. Shortly after this, he was mortally wounded .- Regt, O. M. Sergeant David Hart.
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THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
Officers and men seemed to know and feel that the safety of the army in no small degree depended upon their holding their posi- tion, and they can never receive too much credit for the manner in which they did their duty."
Our brigade, while alone on the left all morning, had been en- tirely unsupported by artillery, the cavalry batteries being with Merritt and Custer on the right, while the enemy had captured twenty-four guns from our infantry and turned them against us.
General Torbert, after reforming the cavalry, ordered Devin's, Lowell's and Kidd's brigades to move forward and press the enemy warmly, and if opportunity offered, to charge and capture a bat- tery on the left of the Pike that was supposed to be more exposed than the other batteries that were shelling us. This advance was handsomely made, driving the enemy nearly to Middletown, but the enemy's infantry (Pegram and Kershaw) concentrated against them, and they were obliged to retire. Merritt says: "So excellent was the practice of the enemy that it was utterly impossible to cover a cavalry command from their artillery fire; a number of horses and men were destroyed by this arm during the day."
About 11 A. M., Major General Sheridan rode up the Pike on his black steed, Rienzi ; as soon as he was recognized, a shout went up from the entire command, which was taken up by the infantry on our right. After a consultation with General Torbert, he rode over to the right, consulted with General Wright, and took command.
After a charge of the three cavalry brigades, the enemy with- drew this exposed battery and their entire command to a less ex- posed position.
General Merritt says: "The enemy withdrew from the open country, evidently fearing the attack of the cavalry; the battery, which was marked for attack and possible capture, also withdrew to a safe position. Sheltered by the woods on each flank and the houses and fences of Middletown, the enemy in our front continued a sharp skirmish, varied by attacks on both sides, until the final advance of the whole army.
" Shortly after taking position on the left of the line, as above described, Colonel Moore's Brigade, 2nd Division, was ordered
Captain John H. Boring, Company K, of our regiment, wounded at Martinsburg in our fight with Early's forces on the 18th of September. had just been discharged from the hospital and was returning to his regiment at the front. At Martinsburg he was placed in command of a troop of remount cavalrymen, returning to their different regiments. He, with his command, formed a part of General Sheridan's escort from Winchester in his famous ride, and assisted in bringing back to the front many stragglers. William C. Condit of Company D was one of Sheridan's escort all the way from Martinsburg.
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to report to the 1st Division (General Merritt) for orders. This brigade having skirmishers on the line to the left of the Pike, was ordered to advance with the line of the 1st Division; it did so hand- somely, fighting with spirit while it remained with the command. During the entire day, the enemy kept up an artillery fire on our position, which was truly terrific; it has seldom been equaled for accuracy of aim and excellence of ammunition."
SHERIDAN'S RIDE. By THOMAS BUCHANAN READ.
[This poem, written shortly after the Battle of Cedar Creek, had immediate and very great popularity, finding its way into every school and home throughout the North, where to-day, Read's "Sheridan's Ride " is a household classic with Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade " and Byron's "Battle of Waterloo."]
Up from the south at break of day, Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay, The affrighted air with a shudder bore, Like a herald in haste to, the chieftain's door, The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar, Telling the battle was on once more, And Sheridan twenty miles away.
And wider still those billows of war Thundered along the horizon's bar, And louder yet into Winchester rolled The roar of that red sea uncontrolled, Making the blood of the listener cold As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray, With Sheridan twenty miles away.
But there's a road from Winchester town, A good broad highway leading down ; And there thro' the flash of the morning light, A steed as black as the steeds of night Was seen to pass as with eagle flight; As if he knew the terrible need He stretched away with the utmost speed ; Hills rose and fell-but his heart was gay, With Sheridan fifteen miles away.
Under his spurning feet, the road Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed, And the landscape flowed away behind, Like an ocean flying before the wind; And the steed like a bark fed with furnace-ire Swept on with his wild eyes full of fire; But lo ! he is nearing his heart's desire, He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray, With Sheridan only five miles away.
Some time after our brigade was placed in position on the extreme left, about noon, a lull occurred, the enemy's batteries firing less frequently. Our brigade was moved to a less exposed position in the edge of the woods. Colonel Greenfield had the regi- ment dismount and make a little coffee, the men having had nothing to eat since the evening before. The Colonel had a tin cup of coffee on the coals, and was just about to pick it up to drink, when a shell burst in the tree tops overhead, a piece of which fell in the fire, throwing ashes into the cup: the Colonel coolly picked up the cup. blew the ashes off and drank the coffee, remarking that coffee was scarce and should not be wasted.
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THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
The first that the General saw were the groups Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops; What was done-what to do-a glance told him both, And, striking his spurs with a terrible oath, He dashed down the line 'mid a storm of hurrahs, And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because The sight of the master compelled it to pause. With foam and with dust, the black charger was gray, By the flash of his eye and his nostrils play He seemed to the whole great army to say: " I have brought you Sheridan all the way From Winchester town to save the day !"
Hurrah! hurrah! for Sheridan!
Hurrah ! hurrah! for horse and man !
And when their statues are placed on high,
Under the dome of the Union sky-
The American soldier's temple of fame-
There with the glorious General's name, Be it said in letters both bold and bright;
" Here is the steed that saved the day By carrying Sheridan into the fight From Winchester, twenty miles away!"
General Sheridan, with three members of his staff, had reached Washington on the morning of the 17th, having ridden across the country from Front Royal to the terminus of the railroad from Washington, escorted by a regiment of cavalry. From this point, the cavalry was sent back, while Sheridan and staff, with their horses (Rienzi being Sheridan's mount) finished the journey by rail. Upon arriving in Washington, Sheridan ordered a special train to be ready at twelve o'clock to carry them back to Martinsburg, where he had arranged to have an escort of 300 cavalry meet him to conduct him to the front. They stayed over night at Martins- burg and next day (18th) ·proceeded to Winchester, where, with an engineer who had accompanied him from Washington for the pur- pose, they examined the country thereabout as to the feasibility of fortifying there as a base. From here Sheridan sent a courier to Cedar Creek to ascertain conditions there ; the courier returned with the report that the enemy had made no demonstration of any kind; and further, that Grover's Division of the 19th Corps was to make a reconnaissance at daylight in the morning. Sheridan. thereupon directed his escort to encamp out toward Mill Creek, where he would join them in the morning. Next morning at six o'clock, an officer from the picket line called at Sheridan's room and informed him that cannonading was going on in the direction of Cedar Creek. In answer to the General's inquiry. the officer stated that the firing was irregular. Sheridan naturally surmised that it was "Grover banging away at the enemy to find out what he was up to."
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Between 8:30 and 9 o'clock, with two members of his staff, Sheridan mounted and started out the main street toward the Valley Pike. They noticed that there were many women at the doors and windows of the houses, who kept shaking their skirts, and were unusually insolent in their demeanor to the " Yankee " officers. On reaching the open country, the sound of artillery firing in an un- ceasing roar was distinctly heard. "I concluded from this," says Sheridan, "that a battle was on, and that the women along the street had received intelligence from the battlefield by the ‘grape- vine telegraph ' and were in raptures over the good news."
When the General and aides came to Mill Creek, the men of the escort who had camped there over night, were ready to mount, and Sheridan, without slackening his pace, called out, " Come on, boys," and the escort were in the saddle and after him in a minute.
" Just as we made the crest of the rise beyond the stream," says Sheridan, " there burst upon our view the appalling spectacle of a panic-stricken army-hundreds of slightly wounded men, throngs of others unhurt but utterly demoralized, and baggage-wagons by the score-all pressing to the rear in hopeless confusion, telling only too plainly that a disaster had occurred at the front. I was greatly disturbed at the sight, but sent word to Colonel Edwards, command- ing a brigade at Winchester, to stretch his troops across the Valley near Mill Creek and stop all fugitives. About this time, my chief commissary, Colonel Wood, arrived from the front and reported that everything was gone, my headquarters captured, and the troops dispersed."
Upon hearing this report, Sheridan, with his two staff officers (Major Forsyth and Captain O'Keefe), with twenty men of the escort, started for the front, while the others were directed to re- main and do what they could to stop the retreating men and teams. The road was so full of wounded men and teams that the General and escort took the fields alongside. Sheridan, mounted on his black charger, Rienzi, led at a long, steady gallop; Forsyth and O'Keefe. who were well mounted, followed closely ; but the men of the escort were soon distanced and " strung out " far behind. Further along, Sheridan found large numbers of men who, now out of immediate danger, had stacked their guns and stopped to make coffee and get some breakfast. As he dashed on through these he called to them : "Turn about, boys ; we'll lick them yet. We'll sleep in our old camp - to-night. Face the other way. If I'd been with you, this would
4
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THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
not have happened." " When the men saw me," says Sheridan, " they abandoned their coffee, threw their hats in the air, shoul- dered their muskets and, as I passed along, turned to follow with enthusiasm and cheers. To acknowledge this exhibition of feeling, I took off my hat and rode some distance in advance of my escort, while every mounted officer who saw me, galloped out on either side of the Pike to tell the men at a distance that I had come back. In this way, the news spread to the stragglers off the road, when they, too, turned their faces to the front and marched toward the enemy, changing in a moment from the depths of depression to the extreme of enthusiasm."
Just after passing Newtown, Sheridan saw off to the right of the Pike some distance, two divisions of the 6th Corps, and still farther to the right, the 19th Corps, but he neither checked his gait nor turned his course, keeping right ahead for the front a mile or more north of Middletown, where he found Getty's Division of the 6th Corps in line on a low ridge behind some rail defenses they had thrown up. On their left, was the cavalry. Infantry and cav- alry were skirmishing some with the enemy's pickets. "Jumping my horse over the line of rails, I rode to the crest of the elevation immediately in their front, and there taking off my hat, the men rose from behind their barricades with cheers of recognition. I then turned back to the rear of Getty's Division, and as I came be- hind it, a line of regimental flags rose up, out of the ground as it seemed, to welcome me. They were mostly the colors of Crook's troops, who had been stampeded and scattered in the surprise of the morning, the color bearers having withstood the panic and formed behind the troops of Getty. The line with the colors was largely composed of officers, among whom I recognized Colonel R. B. Hayes, since President of the United States."
Sheridan immediately established headquarters in the rear of Getty. He ordered the other divisions of the 6th Corps to come forward and form on the right of Getty and the 19th Corps to form next to the 6th. Crook was to rally in the rear of the 6th.
It will be remembered that earlier in the day, when the enemy was shifting his force more and more against our left, that General Wright had brought all the cavalry over to the left, except one brigade. This strong force of cavalry on our left soon convinced the enemy of the futility of attempting to turn that flank, so he began to shift the columns more toward our right. With the purpose
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of striking that flank, Sheridan hereupon ordered Custer's Division back to our right flank.
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