USA > Virginia > Henrico County > Henrico County > A history of the Laurel brigade, originally the Ashby cavalry of the Army of northern Virginia and Chew's battery > Part 12
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Steps were taken to start the baggage trains on the way to the Rapidan as soon as practicable, and every necessary pre- caution was taken to delay the enemy's advance.
At the first streak of dawn the Federals drove in the Con- federate pickets at the river, and crossing in heavy force about a mile south of the Rappahannock bridge, formed in line of battle. Three divisions of cavalry, followed closely by Warren's corps of infantry, constituted the advance column. They were met at first by Jones' brigade only, commanded by Col. L. L. Lomax. White's Battalion had not yet returned from detached service, and on that day Lomax's command consisted only of the Eleventh, Seventh, Twelfth, and Sixth Virginia Cavalry.
As the odds against him were clearly overwhelming, Lomax only attempted to retard the enemy as much as his force would permit. No detailed account of the fight is given, as there were no official reports of it from Con- federate sources. The Federal reports, however, warrant the inference that their advance was hotly contested.
The First Brigade, under Col. H. E. Davies, led the advance. The Confederate outposts were pressed back, as the Federals moved forward, confident in their strength. Upon approaching the railroad there were signs of serious resistance. The enemy was charged by the Seventh Vir- ginia, under Colonel Marshall, and driven back some dis- tance in confusion, but reinforcements pouring to the front, soon the blue lines again advanced.
The grey troopers were not idle. Colonel Lomax had posted his squadrons at points of advantage, and as soon as
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the enemy's column moved forward, it was met and driven back with a sabre charge. Chew's Battery did effective work, taking positions close to the enemy and sending bombs with unerring aim into his ranks. The enemy, in spite of overwhelming numbers, did not have it all his own way, and Lomax's purpose to delay him for a time was successfully accomplished.
Retiring from the vicinity of the station, with heavy lines of skirmishers supported by mounted squadrons, and Chew's Battery from different points maintaining a constant fire, Lomax halted on a range of hills northeast of Culpeper Court House. Here, according to Federal accounts, Lomax made a gallant stand with four regiments against the two divisions of Federal cavalry under Buford and Kilpatrick.
Says General Kilpatrick in his report: "The enemy here made a determined resistance with a battery of artillery and a large force of cavalry."
The "large force" consisted of no more than the Eleventh, Twelfth, Seventh and Sixth Virginia Cavalry. With these four regiments Lomax held his ground for quite a tine against the overwhelming odds. Not until the Federals, swinging around their left threatened the Confederate rear and right, did Lomax abandon his position.
On the hills south of the Court Ilouse another stand was made. Lomax was here joined by W. H. F. Lee's brigade under Col. R. L. T. Beall, and the two brigades for several hours resisted all attempts to drive them from this position. Charge after charge, gallantly made by the Federals, was met with countercharge by the men in grey and repulsed, while the scattered columns of the Federals were torn with shells from Chew's guns.
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Says General Kilpatrick in his report: "I rode over and led the Fifth again into the woods. Here we met with Gen- eral Custer, who was heavily engaged, and did all that men could do to advance. We were, however, overpowered by numbers, and the Second New York was flanked, and its extreme right driven in. At this juncture the affair looked badly and I feared the command would be driven back, but I brought up the First West Virginia Cavalry, the last regi- ment at my command, which had only the day before been supplied with Spencer rifles. Hitherto they had not taken any active part in the engagements, and on my call sprang from their horses and, led by Colonel Richmond, rushed into the woods."
It will thus be seen from Federal accounts how hotly the ground was contested. Being "overpowered by numbers," is the usual Federal excuse for the failure of an advance move- ment.
When it is remembered that the two brigades of Lomax and Lee were confronted by two divisions of Federal cav- alry, the numerous repulses of the Federals must be attrib- uted rather to the valor and skill of the Confederates than to their superiority in numbers.
It was in one of these hand-to-hand conflicts that the gal- lant Capt. Samuel B. Coyner, commanding Company D of the Seventh Virginia, was killed.
When it became evident that the small Confederate force could no longer hold the position against Buford's and Kil- patrick's divisions, Stuart, who had taken command, began to withdraw his troops. One gun of Chew's Battery sta- tioned on a hill north of Culpeper Court House, being very near the enemy in a commanding position, had greatly pun-
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ished the Federals. More than once, mounted and on foot, ineffectual attempts had been made to capture it. But as Lomax withdrew a Federal regiment, concealed by a rail- road cut, passed beyond the gun and turning came up in its rear. The squadron supporting the gun, discovering the Federal regiment making for their rear, gave way without resistance, leaving the gun helpless. Captain Chew, discov- ering the situation and seeing the impossibility of saving the gun, started with Lieutenant Thompson to make their own escape. Noticing that the officer leading the charging regiment was far in advance of his command, they bore down upon him, exchanging several shots as they approached. A well-aimed shot from Thompson's pistol unseated the gallant Federal, and seizing the reins of the riderless horse, Thompson led him off as he and Chew in a gallop made good their escape.
Stuart, having held his position long enough to secure the safety of his trains, fell back towards the Rapidan at his own gait.
On September the 22nd Stuart had an engagement with the enemy at Jack's Shop in Madison county, that threatened at one time to end in a serious disaster. Of this affair no reports can be found from Confederate sources, while the Federal commander, Genl. John Buford, contents himself with speaking of it as a great Federal success.
It appears that General Buford, with one division of Fed- eral cavalry, started from Madison Court House September the 22nd on a reconnoissance down the Gordonsville turn- pike, expecting to connect with another division under Gen-
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eral Kilpatrick, in the vicinity of Jack's Shop, not far from Liberty Mills.1
Stuart, hearing of Buford's coming, went out from Lib- : erty Mills with a portion of Hampton's division and encoun- tered him near Jack Shop. Stuart, hurling regiment after regiment upon the strong columns of the enemy without making much impression. In the midst of this struggle, Kilpatrick's division, with Davies' brigade in front, struck the turnpike just in the rear of Stuart's column.2
There was a rush of riders in hot haste informing Stuart of his danger, and the sound of small arms in their rear, soon made the Confederates understand the gravity of the situation. Between the two Federal divisions Stuart was now hemmed in, and naught but a cool head and steady valor could extricate him.
Colonel Davies had come unexpectedly upon Stuart, and the surprise was mutual. But to the Confederates, who were aware of Buford's hostile presence in their front, it looked as if a trap had been cunningly laid for bagging Stuart and his whole army.
Stuart, however, was equal to the occasion. Placing the guns of Chew's Battery in an open field, at a point from which could be had a range and view to front and rear, the battery opened in both directions at the same time. The bullets from the sharpshooters of Buford and Kilpatrick now interlapped among the Confederate ranks. The perilous situation of the Confederates was understood by every soldier, but inspired by the coolness and gallant bearing of Stuart, as he quickly made his dispositions, every man resolved to do his best.
1From General Buford's Report.
2 Davies' Report.
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The task of breaking through Kilpatrick and reopening the way to Liberty Mills was chiefly assigned to Jones' bri- gade, then commanded by Colonel Funsten. A part of this command was dismounted and advanced upon the woods, while the mounted men charged where openings would per- mit. On the left was the Seventh, under Lieutenant- Colonel Marshall; on the right the Eleventh, under Major Ball.
The Twelfth, under Colonel Massie, occupying the center, advanced upon the woods close to the edge of which was a rail fence separating it from the open field. Openings in the fence were quickly made in the face of a heavy fire from the enemy's mounted and dismounted men in the woods. The nature of the ground was such that organization could not be preserved, and soon the men and officers of the different regiments, were mingled almost en masse, and rallied around the person of General Stuart, who urged and led them into action.
It was fortunate that Stuart met the rear attack of Kil- patrick with such promptness and vigor, for had there been delay sufficient for Kilpatrick to throw his whole force across Stuart's line of retreat, with Buford's strong division pressing his front line, it is hardly possible that Stuart could have escaped from the net set for him without loss of his artillery and a good part of his command.
The fighting in this engagement was close and fierce with both sabre and pistol, and there were some notable instances of personal adventure and heroism, rewarded afterwards by General Stuart, with official mention and recommenda- tion for promotion.
Having swept Kilpatrick from his path and put him to flight, Stuart withdrew from the engagement with Buford;
LIEUT. B. C. WASHINGTON
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followed by him, however, almost to Liberty Mills, where he crossed the Rapidan, being there reinforced by Wilcox's division of Confederate infantry.
The losses in this fight while considerable on both sides, considering the short time they were engaged, are not men- tioned in either the Confederate or Federal reports except that Colonel Davies reports that Major McIrvin of Kil- patrick's staff, Captain Hasty of the Second New York, and sixty-nine prisoners fell in the hands of the Confederates.3
The severest loss to the Confederates in this engagement was in the death of that splendid soldier, Capt. John HI. Magruder, of Company B, Seventh Regiment, who fell in the assault on Kilpatrick's column.
Thaddeus Baney of Company B, Twelfth Virginia, and Lieut. John Green of the brigade staff, were also among the killed.
After the affair at Jack's Shop, for two weeks there was comparative quiet along the cavalry front. Many of the men were furloughed to go home and procure fresh horses, while the rest gave themselves up to making the most of their freedom from active service.
The orchards of Madison county groaned under loads of precious fruit, the pastures were fine and the people kind and hospitable.
On the Ioth of October all were again in the saddle near Madison Court House, Colonel Funsten of the Eleventh commanding the brigade.
3Major McIrvin was captured by Private B. C. Washington of Com- pany B, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, in a hand-to-hand fight, in which Washington disarmed McIrvin by a cut across his sabre hand. Wash- ington was promoted to a second lieutenancy for his services at Jack's Shop.
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General Lee had begun his flank movement on Meade's army, and was engaged in what is known as the Bristoe campaign.
As the success of the movement depended upon its secrecy, the cavalry were expected to screen the march of Lee's infantry. Funsten's command was in front of the column that moved towards Woodville on the Sperryville turnpike. It moved for the most part over blind roads or through the fields, twisting and turning under the shelter of woods and hillocks to avoid observation from the Federal signal-posts on the peaks of the neighboring mountains.
On the morning of the 11th the command had reached and was marching along the road that leads from Sperry- ville to Culpeper. Here it was joined by Stuart, who de- tached the Eleventh, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ball, and sent it towards Rixeyville on the Warrenton Road. Early in the day the Federal pickets were driven in. Their infan- try camps showed that they had just been deserted in great haste, and the column moved forward at a trot.
When within a few miles of Culpeper Court House a regi- ment of infantry was seen emerging from the skirt of a woods into an open field and moving in the direction of Culpeper Court House.
Company B of the Twelfth Virginia, under command of Lieut. George Baylor, was in the advance, being that day detached and under the immediate direction of General Stuart for any service he might require.
As soon as General Stuart saw the Federal regiment, having no other force at hand he directed Baylor to charge it immediately. The enemy had reached the open ground and, forming quickly in line, delivered an irregular volley
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in the face of the troopers at close range, which, however, overshot them, doing but little execution. Having no time to reload and the horsemen bearing down upon them, they fled precipitately, having cast away their knapsacks and some of them their guns. But for an almost impassable ravine, which they had crossed before delivering their fire, a large number of them would have been captured. There were several killed and wounded and a few prisoners taken by such horsemen as crossed the ravine here and there.
Col. John Esten Cooke, then aide-de-camp to General Stuart, an eye-witness of the charge, says :
"Never have I seen him (Stuart) more excited. He was plainly on fire with the idea of capturing the whole party. The staff scattered to summon the cavalry, and soon a company came at full gallop. It was the Jefferson Company, under that brave officer Capt. George Baylor.
"'Charge and cut them down!' shouted Stuart, his drawn sword flashing as he forced his horse over fallen trees and the debris of a great deserted camp. A fine spectacle followed. As the Federal infantry double-quicked up a slope Baylor charged. As his men darted upon them they suddenly halted, came to a front face as though they were the parts of some glittering machine. The muzzles spouted flame and the cavalry received the fire at thirty yards. It seemed to check them, but it did not. They had come to an impassable ditch. In another moment the infantry broke, every man for himself, and making a detour the cavalry pursued and captured large numbers."
General Stuart's official report of the incident is as follows :
"In our rapid pursuit of the enemy we found we had passed an infantry regiment of the enemy which had been on the out-
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post and was now marching parallel to our column on our right in the direction of Culpeper Court House. Every effort was made to close up the column, then elongated by pursuit, so as to catch this regiment, but apprehending it would escape, the only cavalry I could lay my hands on was ordered to charge the regiment as soon as it debouched into the open ground. This was gallantly responded to by a company of the Twelfth Virginia under Lieutenant Baylor, and but for an impassable ditch these brave men would have ridden over the enemy and cut them down with the sabre. They charged within twenty or thirty yards of the column and fired a volley into it, but were forced, from the nature of the ground, to retire, which was done without the loss of a man or horse, although the enemy's fire was delivered almost in their faces. The enemy did not further contest the field. They broke and ran, dropping guns, knapsacks and blankets, several of their number being captured."
Funsten, whose command now consisted only of the Twelfth and Seventh Virginia, gave the front to General Gordon's North Carolina brigade, and the whole column moved forward at a gallop towards Culpeper Court House.
As the leading files emerged from a dense woods upon a slope in sight and within a half mile of the Court House, they were saluted with well-directed volleys from a battery placed on an eminence near the town.
A squadron of Federal cavalry now made its appearance and was driven through the town by a gallant charge of Colonel Ferribee's regiment, Gordon's brigade. But it was soon discovered that Kilpatrick's whole division, 4,000 strong, was massed east of the Court House in a good position.
Stuart having only five regiments available, amounting in all to about 1,500 men, concluded not to attack the enemy
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at this point. Turning the head of his column to the left, with Funsten's two regiments leading, the Twelfth in front, he marched rapidly towards Brandy Station and soon got into a road nearly parallel with the one leading from the Court House to the same point. Before reaching this place it was apparent, from great clouds of dust on the right, that heavy masses of the enemy were moving in the same direc- tion.
Soon, upon passing a belt of timber, the two columns came in full view of each other.
About a half mile to the right, on higher ground and on a line nearly parallel to Stuart's course, appeared the serried masses of Kilpatrick's column. He, divining Stuart's pur- pose, was going at a rapid gait, giving him in fact a race for the hill at Brandy. The point each was riding towards was nearly three miles off, and each step brought the forces a little nearer each other. As they moved along at a trot, grey and blue sent up shouts of mutual defiance, brandishing their sabres menacingly, and occasionally solitary horsemen rode out from either column and exchanged shots. .
It was a novel situation and a remarkable sight to behold. The compact masses of Kilpatrick, stretching back as far as the eye could reach, came on in all the panoply of war. The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, and its beams glancing from the myriad glittering sabres presented a scene of martial splendor.
The manifest disparity of the opposing forces was by no means encouraging. In his five regiments Stuart could not have numbered more than 1,400 men. Kilpatrick acknowl- edges an effective strength of 4,000.
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To the common soldier, as the endless stretch of the blue masses was surveyed, the odds seemed overwhelming, but Stuart was leading and they were content to follow.
Upon approaching the inevitable point of contact, Stuart kept rising in his stirrups as if looking for something on the other side of the Federal column, the head of which was now far in advance of his.
At last, when near the Botts' house, the smoke of a burst- ing shell was distinctly seen above the ranks of the enemy.
"That's Fitz!" cried Stuart, and immediately ordered a charge.
The Twelfth was in the advance and, under Col. Thomas E. Massie, led the charge. But the retreating column they were charging seemed to dissolve, and there was exposed to view a battle line of dismounted men confronting them. It was the First West Virginia Regiment, armed with Spencer repeating rifles. From this double line of carbineers flamed continuous volleys that carried death in the ranks of the Twelfth, but the files came pressing on with shouts. Right bravely the West Virginia men stood to their work. They could see what fortunately the men of the Twelfth. could not see, blue squadrons assailing the column, charging on the right flank. Nothing, however, could stop the onset of the Twelfth, and before it got within sabre's length the First West Virginia broke in headlong flight, hotly chased by the grey troopers for half a mile.
In the meantime the Federals were not idle. Observing the charge of the Twelfth, Colonel Davis led two regiments against the two North Carolina regiments supporting the Twelfth Virginia. Taken in flank the troops were thrown into disorder and broken. The pursuing Federals were met
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by the Seventh Virginia and driven off, the contest drifting all this time towards the neighborhood of Brandy Station.
While thus engaged there was much confusion. Many of the bombs from Genl. Fitz Lee's batteries fell in the ranks of the Confederates.
Hearing the shouts of the Twelfth, and seeing the rush of the bluecoats towards the body of men he was attack- ing, he mistook the movement for a Federal reinforcement and was checked rather than encouraged by it.4
The Federals, still pushing on, soon gained the hill, and planting their batteries raked the approaches to it with shell and shrapnel.
Stuart, now uniting with Fitz Lee, vigorously assailed the Federal position. The fighting here was chiefly done by Lomax's and Chambliss' brigades.
"Our dismounted men were several times surrounded by the enemy's cavalry, but were each time rescued by gallant charges of their mounted comrades."5
Driven from the woods around Brandy Station the enemy took position with infantry and artillery supports on Fleet- wood Hill.
Deeming it unwise to assail him here, Stuart forced him to retire by ordering Fitz Lee by a flank movement to threaten his rear.
He then withdrew, much harassed by our cavalry, and crossed the Rappahannock about sundown.
The losses sustained by the Twelfth, which had three com- panies detached, and the Seventh, amounted to thirty-three
4Stuart's Report.
"Stuart's Report.
-
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.
killed and wounded. They captured in this fight 200 hun- dred prisoners.6
Referring to the first charge upon the Federal column, which was led by himself, Captain Baylor, in his "Bull Run to Bull Run," page 166, says :
"On the afternoon of October the IIth, we reached the Barbour house, overlooking Brandy Station, and found Kilpat- rick's division of cavalry moving back from Culpeper in the direction of the station. It was a magnificent spectacle. Our artillery was not in reach and few of our cavalry up.
"But General Stuart, being apprised that Fitz Lee had arrived on the opposite flank of the enemy at Brandy Station, ordered the Twelfth, under Colonel Massie, to charge the column and cut off Kilpatrick's retreat. Company B was in front of the regiment, and down the slope it went and reached a point near the station, where it was discovered that the enemy had enveloped us, and it became a race on our part to escape capture. We were so intermingled with the enemy that they could not use their guns and pistols without endangering their own men. Lieutenant Washington and myself were near together on the retreat, and jumping a ditch his horse fell and pinioned him to the ground. As my horse cleared the ditch safely, Washington called for help, but with visions of Forts McHenry and Delaware before me and a host of pursuers behind, I was constrained to leave him to his fate. I escaped and he was taken prisoner, but did not remain long in the enemy's hand, as he appeared next morning in camp, minus horse and arms, having made a miraculous escape during the night."
General Stuart, in his report, says :
"The Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Massie commanding, was at the head of the column, and having been
"Stuart's Report.
LIEUT .- COL. THOMAS E. MASSIE
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ordered to charge did so in the most gallant manner, cutting off 1,200 or 1,500 of the enemy, all of whom would have been killed or captured had not the headlong rapidity of the pursuit, added to the difficult character of the ground, so greatly extended the column as to impair for the moment the efficiency of its action. The loss to the enemy in killed, wounded and missing was considerable, the two regiments of Colonel Fun- sten's command alone having taken 200."
General Kilpatrick, in his report says: "Many gallant charges were made by the division, and many equally gal- lant charges by the enemy repulsed. The division fell slowly back, one brigade after another, in good order, and finally crossed the Rappahannock and went into camp about eight P. M."
The next morning, October 12th, Colonel Funsten was ordered to march to Rixeyville and move in front of Gen- erel Ewell's column. About two miles from Jeffersonton Ewell was met with, and here the Eleventh Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ball, which had been detached for two days, rejoined the brigade.
In and around Jeffersonton, strongly posted behind hills, fences, and a stone wall that enclosed a churchyard, were two regiments of Federal cavalry. The Eleventh, dis- mounted, had already made a vigorous assault upon the posi- tion, but had been repulsed with considerable loss.
Colonel Funsten now sent Colonel Marshall with the Sev- enth to assail the left and rear of the enemy, he himself going with the Twelfth, Lieutenant-Colonel Massie commanding, towards their right and rear.
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