USA > Virginia > Rockingham County > Rockingham County > A history of Rockingham County, Virginia > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
On the 13th of December (1862) Burnside, having suc- ceeded in crossing the river, fought the desperate and bloody battle of Fredericksburg. The Tenth did not take an active part on the 13th, but was placed on the front line that night, expecting bloody work the next day; but Burnside thought it better not to renew the battle, and withdrew to the north side of the river.
Gen. Lee went into winter quarters at Skinker's Neck, on the south side of the Rappahannock. In the meantime "Fighting Joe Hooker" was placed in command of the Federal army, and in the spring of 1863 began his "on to Richmond" campaign, posting his army about Chancellors- ville. Then was planned Jackson's famous flank movement around Hooker's right. The Tenth, being with Jackson, took an active part in the assault upon the enemy, losing many officers and men, on Saturday evening, May 2. Among the wounded were Col. Warren and the writer. On Sunday further heavy losses were sustained, among the killed being Lt .- Col. Samuel T. Walker and Major Joshua Stover.
The next movement was into Pennsylvania, and on to Gettysburg, where the Tenth again participated in some heavy fighting, under the command of Capt. W. B. Yancey. The loss here was not heavy.
After the battle of Chancellorsville the writer was pro-
-138-
List of Cooking thereis required for the use of the loth, ne. Rep
Count
Plates
Cufer
Battery
ayu
Filier
Remarks
6. A
2
3
3
2
1
1
,
2
2
12
12/12
2
1
2
2
lare
6 Skend 18 10 Kettles
8 20
20
20
10
2
1 2
2 2
6
6
36
36
36
4
2
2
Make
Band
2
2
14
14
14
2
2 1
4 1
1 1
Total 30
48
221
221
233
32
18
23
Respectfully
6.7. at Homew. C.C.
A. S. Byp & Cftt
both. Ma. Le
A. G. m. 10th. Ya. Reg
Auf. 27. 1863.
1
1 1
1
3
17
1
12
4
37
37
37
2
2
3 1
3-
4
8
8
3
12 12
25
2
K.
1
2
5
26
26
26
4
1
Serch
ん
6
24
24
24
11
17
2
/
Facsimile of manuscript statement made out by Capt. A. S. Byrd, quartermaster 10th Reg. Va. Vol. Inf., and countersigned by Col. E. T. H. Warren (Pages 138, 139)
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
moted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After Gettysburg the army returned to Virginia, soon moving east of the Blue Ridge and placing itself in front of Gen. Meade, the new Federal commander. The Tenth, now of George H. Steuart's brigade, Edward Johnson's division, engaged in a hot fight with the Federal general, French, on November 27, at Mine Run, losing several men in killed and wounded. This was supposed to be the prelude to a bloody battle, for which great preparations were made, but Meade finally concluded not to risk it. Thus ended the campaign of 1863. The Army of Northern Virginia went into winter quarters near Orange Court House.
About the 1st of May, 1864, Gen. Grant, now in supreme command of the Army of the Potomac, began to move. The first important battle was fought May 5, in which the Tenth again lost heavily in killed and wounded, among the former being Col. Warren4 and Major I. G. Coffman, leaving the writer the only field officer of the regiment. On the evening of May 10 the enemy captured part of our works, which the Tenth helped to recapture from them. On the 12th of May Gen. Hancock, of the Federals, made his famous assault on our works, capturing nearly all of Johnson's division, includ- ing the 10th Va. and the writer. The brave adjutant of the regiment, Whit. Kisling, was killed in this fight. A small remnant of the regiment, under command of that veteran, Capt. W. B. Yancey, took part in several skirmishes until he was permanently disabled by a severe wound.
Shortly after May 12, 1864, the Tenth was made part of a new brigade under Gen. Wm. Terry, being later moved to the Valley, whence, under Gen. Early, it again went into Maryland to threaten Washington, in process of which it took
4. Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren was born in Rockingham, June 19, 1829. At Frescati, Orange County, he married Virginia Magruder, De- cember 5, 1855. His son, James Magruder Warren, was a prominent physician in the 80's and 90's at New Hope and Bridgewater. Col. Warren was a practicing lawyer at Harrisonburg at the outbreak of the war.
-139-
A HISTORY OF
part in the battle of Monocacy, July 9, 1864, in which Gen. Lew Wallace was defeated.
The writer was exchanged on the 3d of August, 1864, came home, and rejoined his command. In the meantime, however, the regiment, now no larger than a company, took. part in the third battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864, when Capt. C. F. Campbell was killed, and at Fisher's Hill, both engagements being disastrous to Early, who came up the Valley as far as Weyer's Cave. In a short time he moved down the Valley, surprising the enemy by a flank movement at Cedar Creek on the morning of October 19, in which the Tenth took an active part, the Confederates driving every- thing before them. They captured a large number of pris- oners, many pieces of artillery, and quantities of supplies, only to lose all except the prisoners, and more too, before the day ended.
In December (1864) Terry's brigade was sent to Gen. Lee, near Petersburg, camping on Hatcher's Run, a few miles south of the city. The Tenth took part in a hotly fought battle in February, 1865, the writer being in command of the 10th, 23d, and 37th Va. Regiments. Later on we were moved to a point in front of the city, where on the morning of April 2, as part of Gen. J. B. Gordon's corps, we stormed and car- ried the enemy's works, but were finally driven back, the Tenth losing many of its number in killed, wounded, and captured.
Late on the 2d of April we withdrew from the front. of Petersburg, in the vain effort to get away from Grant. On the retreat we took part in the fight at Sailor's Creek, with but two commissioned company officers in the Tenth: Lieut. John H. Ralston, who was badly wounded and left in the hands of the enemy, and Lieut. J. G. H. Miller, now com- manding the regiment.
On the morning of April 9 we had a skirmish with the enemy at Appomattox, driving them some distance, only to be withdrawn and to furl our banners,-banners never again to be unfurled. But the Tenth did not surrender the
-140-
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
old battle flag, which was hidden under his coat by Lieut. J. G. H. Miller,5 and which is still preserved in Rockingham by his family.
Lieut. Miller commanded the regiment at Appomattox, now reduced to 8 or 10 muskets. The writer had been put in command of the 10th, 23d, and 37th regiments. Here ended the military career of the noble Tenth Virginia. By April 15 we were home again to start life anew.6
We give below Gen. Jackson's own occount of the battle of Cross Keys and Port Republic, June 8 and 9, 1862, as em- bodied in his report to the Department Headquarters.
We reached Harrisonburg at an early hour on the morning of the 5th, and, passing beyond that town, turned towards the east in the direction of Port Republic. On the 6th, General Ashby took position on the road between Harrisonburg and Port Republic, and received a spirited charge from a portion of the enemy's cavalry, which resulted in the repulse of the enemy, and the capture of Colonel Wyndham and sixty-three others.
Apprehending that the Federals would make a more serious attack, Ashby called for an infantry support. The brigade of General Geo. H. Stewart was accordingly ordered forward. In a short time the fifty- eighth Virginia regiment became engaged with a Pennsylvania regiment called the Bucktails, when Colonel Johnson, of the first Maryland regi- ment, coming up in the hottest period of the fire, charged gallantly into its flank and drove the enemy, with heavy loss, from the field, capturing Lieutenant Colonel Kane, commanding. In this skirmish our infantry loss was seventeen (17) killed, fifty (50) wounded, and three missing. In this affair General Turner Ashby was killed. An official report is not an appropriate place for more than a passing notice of the distinguished dead; but the close relation which General Ashby bore to my command for most of the previous twelve months, will justify me in saying that · as a partisan officer I never knew his superior. His daring was pro- verbial; his powers of endurance almost incredible; his tone of character heroic, and his sagacity almost intuitive in divining the purposes and movements of the enemy.
5. Capt. Miller died at his home in Elkton, June 16, 1889. Upon the old flag he saved may still be read the names of the following battles: Manassas No. 1, McDowell, Winchester No. 1, Port Republic, Cold Har- bor, Malvern Hill, Cedar Run, Manassas No.2, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Winchester No. 2, Gettysburg.
6. Complete muster rolls of the various Rockingham companies are given in the Appendix, as far as possible.
-141-
A HISTORY OF
The main body of my command had now reached the vicinity of Port Republic. The village is situated in the angle formed by the junction of the North and South rivers, tributaries of the south fork of the Shen- andoah. Over the larger and deeper of those two streams, the North river, there was a wooden bridge, connecting the town with the road leading to Harrisonburg. Over the South river there was a passable ford. The troops more immediately under my own eye were encamped on the high ground north of the village, about a mile from the river. General Ewell was some four miles distant, near the road leading from Harrisonburg to Port Republic. General Fremont had arrived with his forces in the vicinity of Harrisonburg, and General Shields was moving up the east side of the south fork of the Shenandoah; and was then at Conrad's store, some fifteen miles below Port Republic, my position being about equi-distant from both hostile armies. To prevent a junction of the two Federal armies, I had caused the bridge over the south fork of the Shenandoah at Conrad's store to be destroyed. Intelligence having been received that Gen. Shields was advancing further up the river, Captain Sipe,? with a small cavalry force, was sent down during the night of the 7th to verify the report and gain such other information respecting the enemy as he could. Captain G. W. Myers, of the cavalry, was sub- sequently directed to move with his company in the same direction for the purpose of supporting Captain Sipe, if necessary. The next morning Captain Myers' company came rushing back in disgraceful disorder, an- nouncing that the Federal forces were in close pursuit. Captain Chipley and his company of cavalry, which was in town, also shamefully fled. The brigades of Generals Taliaferro and Winder were soon under arms, and ordered to occupy positions immediately north of the bridge. By this time the Federal cavalry, accompanied by artillery, were in sight, and, after directing a few shots towards the bridge, they crossed South river, and dashing into the village, planted one of their pieces at the southern entrance of the bridge. In the meantime the batteries of Wooding, Poague and Carpenter were being placed in position, and General Taliaferro's brigade having reached the vicinity of the bridge, was ordered to charge across, capture the piece, and occupy the town. Whilst one of Poague's pieces was returning the fire of that of the enemy at the far end of the bridge, the thirty-seventh Virginia regiment, Colonel Fulkerson, after delivering its fire, gallantly charged over the bridge, captured the gun, and followed by the other regiments of the
7. Emanuel Sipe, captain Co. H, 12th Va. Cavalry, later lieutenant- colonel, assigned to command of the 7th Va. Cavalry. He was born in Rockingham, July 5, 1830. Prior to the war he was lieutenant-colonel of the 116th Va. Militia; and both before and after the war was a prominent merchant and man of affairs. He died Sept. 23, 1901.
-142-
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
brigade, entered the town, and dispersed and drove back the Federal cavalry. Another piece of artillery, with which the Federals had ad- vanced, was abandoned and subsequently fell into our hands.
About this time, a considerable body of infantry was seen advancing up the same road. Our batteries opened with marked effect upon the retreating cavalry and advancing infantry. In a short time the infantry followed the cavalry, falling back to Lewis', three miles down the river, pursued for a mile by our batteries on the opposite bank, when the enemy disappeared in the wood around a bend in the road. This attack of General Shields had hardly been repulsed, before Ewell was seriously engaged with Fremont, moving on the opposite side of the river. The enemy pushed forward driving in the fifteenth Alabama, Colonel Canty, from their post on picket. This regiment made a gallant resistance, which so far checked the Federal advance as to afford General Ewell time for the choice of his position at leisure.
His ground was well selected, on a commanding ridge, a rivulet and large field of open ground in front, wood on both flanks, and his line in- tersected near its centre by the road leading to Port Republic. General Trimble's brigade was posted on the right, somewhat in advance of his centre. The batteries of Courtnay, Lusk, Brockenbrough, and Raines in the centre, General Stewart's brigade on the left, and General Elzey's brigade in rear of the centre, and in position to strengthen either wing. Both wings were in the wood.
About ten o'clock, the enemy threw out his skirmishers, and shortly after posted his artillery opposite to our batteries. The artillery fire was kept up with great animation and spirit on both sides for several hours. In the meantime a brigade of Federal forces advanced under cover, upon the right, occupied by General Trimble, who reserved his fire until they reached the crest of the hill, in easy range of his musketry, when he poured a deadly fire from his whole front, under which they fell back. Observing a battery about being posted on the enemy's left, half a mile in front, General Trimble, now supported by the thirteenth and twenty- fifth Virginia regiments, of Elzey's brigade, pushed forward for the pur- pose of taking it, but found it withdrawn before he reached the spot, having, in the meantime, some spirited skirmishing with its infantry supports. General Trimble had now advanced more than a mile from his original position, while the Federal advance had fallen back to the ground occupied by them in the morning.
General Taylor, of the eighth brigade of Louisiana troops, having arrived from the vicinity of the bridge, at Port Republic, towards which he had moved in the morning, reported to General Ewell about two, P. M., and was placed in rear. Colonel Patton, with the forty-second and forty-eighth Virginia regiments, and first battalion of Virginia regulars, also joined, and, with the remainder of General Elzey's brigade, was
-143-
A HISTORY OF
added to the centre and left, then supposed to be threatened. General Ewell having been informed by Lieutenant Heinrichs, of the engineer corps, who had been sent out to reconnoitre, that the enemy was moving a large column on his left, did not advance at once; but subsequently ascertaining that no attack was designed by the force referred to, he advanced, drove in the enemy's skirmishers and, when night closed, was in position on ground previously held by the enemy. During this fight Brigadier Generals Elzey and Stewart were wounded, and disabled from command.
This engagement with Fremont has generally been known as the battle of Cross Keys, in which our troops were commanded by General Ewell. I had remained at Port Republic during the principal part of the 8th, expecting a renewal of the attack. As no movement was made by General Shields to renew the action that day, I determined to take the initiative and attack him the following morning.
Accordingly, General Ewell was directed to move his position at an early hour, on the morning of the 9th, towards Port Republic, leaving General Trimble with his brigade, supported by Colonel Patton with the forty-second Virginia infantry and the first battalion of Virginia regulars, to hold Fremont in check, with instructions if hard pressed to retire across the North river, and burn the bridge in their rear. Soon after ten o'clock, General Trimble with the last of our forces had crossed the North river, and the bridge was destroyed.8 In the meantime, before five in the morning, General Winder's brigade was in Port Republic, and having crossed the South Fork, by a temporary wagon bridge, placed there for the purpose, was moving down the River road to attack the forces of General Shields. Advancing a mile and a half, he encountered the Federal pickets and drove them in.
The enemy had judiciously selected his position for defence. Upon a rising ground near the Lewis House, he had planted six guns which com- manded the road from Port Republic, and swept the plateau for a consid- erable distance in front. As General Winder moved forward his brigade, a rapid and severe fire of shell was opened upon it. Capt. Poague, with two Parrott guns, was promptly placed in position on the left of the road to engage, and if possible to dislodge the Federal battery. Captain Car- penter was sent to the right to select a position for his battery, but finding it impracticable to drag it through the dense undergrowth, it was brought back, and part of it placed near Poague. The artillery fire was well sustained by our batteries, but found unequal to that of the enemy.
8. The squad that burned the bridge was in charge of Courier Geo. H. Hulvey, a native of Rockingham, born at Cross Keys, April 19, 1844. He lost his left arm in the Wilderness, May 6, 1864. For the past 25 years or more he has been superintendent of schools for Rockingham County, and is one of the best known educators in the State.
-144-
Battle-Flag Presented to 10th "Va. Reg. Vol. Inf. by the Ladies of Harrisonburg
Flag Presented to Chrisman's Boy Company by the Ladies of Winchester (Page 318)
Battle-Flag Saved at Appomattox by Lt. Miller (Pages 140, 141)
Port Republic Battlefield (Pages 141-147)
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
In the meantime, Winder being now reinforced by the seventh Louisiana regiment, Colonel Hays, seeing no mode of silencing the Federal battery, or escaping its destructive missiles but by a rapid charge, and the capture of it, advanced with great boldness for some distance, but encountered such a heavy fire of artillery and small arms as greatly to disorganize his command, which fell back in disorder. The enemy advanced across the field, and, by a heavy musketry fire, forced back our infantry supports, in consequence of which our guns had to retire. The enemy's advance was checked by a spirited attack upon their flank, by the fifty-eighth and fifty-fourth Virginia regiments, directed by General Ewell and led by Colonel Scott, although his command was afterwards driven back to the woods with severe loss. The batteries were all safely withdrawn except one of Captain Poague's six-pounder guns, which was carried off by the enemy.
Whilst Winder's command was in this critical condition, the gallant and successful attack of General Taylor on the Federal left and rear, directed attention from the front, and lead to a concentration of their force upon him. Moving to the right along the mountain acclivity, through a rough and tangled forest, and much disordered by the rapidity and ob- structions of the march, Taylor emerged with his command from the wood, just as the loud cheers of the enemy had proclaimed their success in front; and although assailed by a superior force in front and flank, with their guns in position within point blank range, the charge was gallantly made, and the battery, consisting of six guns, fell into our hands. Three times was this battery lost and won in the desperate and determined efforts to capture and recover it. After holding the batteries for a short time, a fresh brigade of the enemy advancing upon his flank, made a vigorous and well conducted attack upon him, accompanied by a galling fire of canister from a piece suddenly brought into position, at a distance of about three hundred and fifty yards. Under this combined attack, Taylor fell back to the skirt of the wood, near which the captured battery was stationed, and from that point continued his fire upon the advancing enemy, who succeeded in recapturing one of the guns, which he carried off, leaving both caisson and limber. The enemy, now occupied with Taylor, halted his advance to the front. Winder made a renewed effort to rally his command, and succeeding, with the seventh Louisiana, under Major Penn, (the Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel having been carried from the field wounded,) and the fifth Virginia regiment, Col. Funk, he placed part of Poague's battery in the position previously occupied by it, and again opened upon the enemy, who were moving against Taylor's left flank, apparently to surround him in the wood. Chew's battery now reported, and was placed in position, and did good service. Soon after, guns from the batteries of Brockenbough, Courtnay and Rains, were brought forward and placed in position. Whilst these
-145-
A HISTORY OF
movements were in progress on the left and front, Colonel Scott, having rallied his command, led them, under the orders of General Ewell, to the support of General Taylor, who, pushing forward with the reinforcements just received, and assisted by the well-directed fire of our artillery, forced the enemy to fall back, which was soon followed by his precipitate retreat, leaving many killed and wounded upon the field. General Taliaferro, who the previous day had occupied the town, was directed to continue to do so with part of his troops, and, with the remainder, to hold the elevated position on the north side of the river, for the purpose of co-operating, if necessary, with General Trimble, and prevent his being cut off from the main body of the army by the destruction of the bridge in his rear. But finding the resistance more obstinate than I anticipated, orders were sent to Taliaferro and Trimble to join the main body. Taliaferro came up in time to discharge an effective volley into the ranks of the wavering and retreating enemy. The pursuit was continued some five miles beyond the battle-field by Generals Taliaferro and Winder with their brigades and portions of the batteries of Wooding and Caskie. Colonel Munford, with cavalry and some artillery, advanced about three miles beyond the other troops. Our forces captured in the pursuit about four hundred and fifty (450) prisoners, some wagons, one piece of abandoned artillery, and about eight hundred muskets. Some two hundred and seventy-five (275) wounded were paroled in the hospitals near Port Republic.
Whilst the forces of Shields were in full retreat, and our troops in pursuit, Fremont appeared on the opposite bank of the south fork of the Shenandoah, with his army, and opened his artillery upon our ambulances, and parties engaged in the humane labors of attending to our dead and wounded, and the dead and wounded of the enemy. The next day, with- drawing his forces, he retreated down the Valley.
On the morning of the 12th, Munford entered Harrisonburg, where, in addition to wagons, medical stores and camp equipage, he captured some two hundred small arms. At that point there also fell into our hands about two hundred of Fremont's men, many of them severely wounded on the 8th, and most of the others had been left behind as sick. The Federal surgeons attending them were released, and those under their care paroled.
The official reports of the casualties of the battle show a loss of six- teen (16) officers killed, sixty-seven (67) wounded, and two (2) missing; one hundred and seventeen (117) non-commissioned officers and privates killed, eight hundred and sixty-two (862) wounded, and thirty-two missing, making a total loss of one thousand and ninety-six, (1,096) including skirmishers on the 6th; since evacuation of Winchester, one thousand one hundred and sixty-seven, (1,167;) also one piece of artillery. If we add to the prisoners captured on the 6th and 9th, those who were paroled at Harrisonburg, and in hospitals in the vicinity of Port Republic,
-146-
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
it will make the number of the enemy who fell into our possession about nine hundred and seventy-five, (975,) exclusive of his killed, and such of his wounded as he removed. The small arms taken on the 9th, and at Harrisonburg, numbered about one thousand (1,000.) We captured seven pieces of artillery, with their caissons and all of their limbers, except one. The conduct of the officers and men, during the action, merits the highest praise.
I forward, herewith, two maps, by Mr. J. Hotchkiss, one giving the route of the army during the retreat from Strasburg to Port Republic, and the other of the battle-field.
On the 12th, the troops recrossed South river, and encamped near . Weyer's Cave. For the purpose of rendering thanks to God for having crowned our arms with success, and to implore His continued favor, divine service was held in the army on the 14th.
The army remained near Weyer's Cave until the 17th, when, in obedience to instructions from the commanding General of the Depart- mert, it moved towards Richmond.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.