USA > Virginia > Culpeper County > Culpeper County > Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia > Part 32
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 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
Lighzed by Google
100
one of the most worthy and respected citizens of the town of Culpeper. He (the writer) was on picket duty the night before, at Rapidan Station, with a squadron of cavalry, and was ordered to join his regiment the next day at Brandy. This put his line of march through the town of Culpeper, and he en- tered it on the heels of the retreating enemy. When he had arrived on Main street, at a point opposite the store of Dr. Gorrell, he found that that gentleman, in anticipation of the coming of the Confederates, had prepared a huge tub of lemonade to refresh the tired soldiers. Just think of it! Ice cold lemonade, with plenty of lemon in it to make it sour, and plenty of sugar to make it sweet, and ice to make it cold, to a tired, weary. dirty, dusty Confederate soldier, on a hot day in August. I think of it now, and, although it is winter time, I thirst for that lemonade to-day, and would enjoy so much a draught of it from a clean, shining tin cup. We thank him for it still. May he live long and prosper.
KELLEYVILLE.
Perhaps we might have heretofore referred to the first incursions of Fed- eral troops in the county and village of Culpeper on the morning of the 5th of May, 1862. Major D. Porter Stowell, commanding the 1st Mass. Cavalry, crossed the Rappahannock river at Beverly's Ford on the night of the 4th, and after refreshing men and animals on the farm and at the house of Mr. Richard Cunningham, came on to the village the following morning. It seems to have been the irony of fate, that the soil of Culpeper should have been first invaded by the sons of New England. Nearly a hundred years pre- vious, when Massachusetts was threatened with invasion and oppression from the mother country, among the first to take up arms in defense of her cause, as well as the common cause of the colonies, were the gallant "Minute Men" of Culpeper. Now, the first to appear, as armed invaders of her soil, were the sons of those, with whom they had stood shoulder to shoulder a hundred years before, and this in the sacred names of union, liberty and freedom. Well mnay we say with Madame Roland : "Oh liberty! What crimes have been committed in thy name."
The officer in command of the expedition says he found on the farm of Mr. Cunningham abundant forage for his horses, and that the overseer, a Mr. Wiltshire, was very kind to him, furnishing forage and opening the mansion house for occupancy by his command. He speaks of it as an elegant old man- sion, handsomely furnished, and says that he and his soldiers enjoyed their repose on sofas, couches, beds, lounges and on the parlor floors. He was evi- dently a gentleman, and understood, even in war, the laws of property rights, for he says, notwithstanding it had been the headquarters of the Confederate generals, and the absence of the owner, yet nothing in the house, or about the premises, was taken or injured by his men. Leaving Cunningham's, he fol- lowed the ridge road, passing the brick house of Dr. Huntington (Dr. Dan'l. Green's), and came out by the Barbour house to Brandy Station. He gives, in his report, a very interesting account of his trip, of the route pursued, of the beauty and fertility of the country, and the temper of the people with whom he met. He speaks of the country as lovely in its appearance, well cultivated, and filled with supplies of all sorts, for man and beast. That most of the farmers had left their homes in charge of their overseers, but that their farm- ing work was going on as usual.
At this time there were no Confederate troops north of Gordonsville, save two companies of cavalry of the 2nd. Va. Reg., encamped on the Greenwood es- tate, and engaged in picketing the roads north of Culpeper. The officer report- ed that he encountered the Confederate pickets some three miles north of Cul-
Dazed by Google
101
peper, who retired upon his approach, and that he sent forward an advance squadron, which pursued them rapidly into the village. He further says, that just before he reached town, he met a young man, by the name of "Bedsham," who said "he lived five or six miles north of the village; that he was in town when the news of their approach was received, and that it produced great fright and consternation among the citizens as well as the soldiers encamped near. That he was a good Union man, and that when the Confederates passed through, they wanted him and his father to go with them, but they would not do it, and that their horses were much better than the Confederates." This must have been Beverly Beckham. Was he not "soft soldering" the com- manding officer, and did he not take it in beautifully ? They remained but a short time in the village, and took back with thein, as they reported, eight prisoners. Thomas Lewis, of the Piedmont Hotel, Col. Ned Freeman, Judge Henry Shackelford, and David P. Stallard, were four of them. Who were the others ? Were they citizens or soldiers? Do any of our people remember ? Upon the approach of the Confederate cavalry, a few shots were exchanged, and the Federals retired.
A few days thereafter, the writer, who was at that time captain of Co. B (Rappahannock Cavalry,) 6th Reg., was sent from the valley, with his com pany, to reinforce the cavalry, stationed near Culpeper. He also encamped on the Greenwood estate, and picketed the road leading north of Culpeper. We remained in this neighborhood until the morning of the 21st of May, when orders were received to join Jackson in the valley, in his advance on Banks at Winchester. As we moved through the town of Culpeper on that morning, we halted for a short while in the streets, and the men dismounted. Mr. John Turner, a highly intelligent old gentleman, a former resident of Rappahan- nock, but then residing in Culpeper, came to the command, mingled freely with the boys, and greeted them all warmly, for he either knew them personally, or knew their fathers. When the command to mount was given he said good bye to many, and took his position on the side walk, and as we moved off, we left him standing there gazing, tenderly and earnestly, at the columnn as it moved along, with the tears rolling down his furrowed cheeks. He was a very quiet, passive, undemonstrative man, and the writer was deeply im- pressed with the feeling and emotion which he exhibited on that occasion. All of Culpeper might have joined the old man in his feelings on that occa- sion, and could they have lifted the veil of the future, and seen but a few days in advance, they would have unquestionably done so, for there marched in the ranks of that company, three of Culpeper's noblest young men, who, a few days thereafter. laid down their lives for their country, and for their country's cause. We refer to Sergeant Frank Duncan, William Field and Phillip Field, sons of Judge Richard H. Field. The first was a soldier of a year's experience, a model one submissive and obedient to orders himself, he exacted obedience of others. He was bold and fearless in danger, and was actuated, at all times, by a high sense of duty to his country. The last two had but recently joined the cavalry service. At the outbreak of the war they were students at the University of Virginia, but they laid aside their books, and joined the "Cul- peper Minute Men," 3rd. Va. infantry, in which they served till discharged in the spring of 1862. The elder, William, was a young man of some twenty-two or twenty-three years of age, tall and well developed. with a bright and cheery disposition, and altogether, one of the handsomest young men we ever knew. The younger, Philip, was a tall, slender boy of some eighteen years, with a face as delicate, as gentle, and as refined as a woman's, but with a shade of sadness which but added to the attractiveness of his expression.
Lighzed by Google
102
Two days thereafter, Duncan and Philip Field were killed, and a few days following, William was also slain on the battlefield. Their bodies were sent to their homes, and buried in the family burying ground, where they sleep with their ancestors of many generations. There names are worthy to be remem- bered and cherished by the people of Culpeper among their heroic dead. The death of his two promising sons broke the heart of the father, Judge Field, who soon sank into a premature grave.
The Confederate army went into quarters for the winter of 1862-3 on the south side of the Rappahannock river, from the Wilderness to Port Royal, with the cavalry brigade of Fitz Lee on its left, in Orange and Culpeper coun- ties, guarding the Rappahannock. The Federal army ocenpied the counties of King George, Stafford, and lower Fauquier on the north bank of the Rappa- hannock, with its cavalry on its right. In the early spring of 1863, Gen. Stone- man, then in command of the cavalry corps of the Federal armny, ordered Gen. Averill, of the 2nd. cavalry division, to take a force of about three thousand, with six pieces of artillery, across the Rappahannock river at or near Kelley- ville, and to rout and destroy the Confederate cavalry brigade of Fitz Lee, then occupying Culpeper, and encamped in the neighhood of Brandy Station and Stevensburg. Gen. Lee's brigade at that time consisted of the 1st., 2nd., 3rd., 4th. and 5th. Va. regiments, and one battery of horse artillery, com- manded by one of the most gallant and promising artillery officers in the service, Major John Pelham, of Alabama. Lee's brigade numbered perhaps 1200 in all. Averill's command was about 2100, after making details for scouts, pickets and conriers. It seems from the records that Gen. R. E. Lee first learned of this reconnoisance by the Federal cavalry, and as early as 11 A. M. on the 16th, notified Fitz Lee of the movement. But it was unknown what point the enemy would select for crossing the river. Early on the morning of the 17th, the Federal cavalry appeared at Kelley's Ford, at which point the Confederates had a strong picket force, commanded by Captain White, and by its resistance, and the obstruction which had previously been placed about the ford, the crossing of the Federals was delayed for an hour or more After a spirited picket fight at the river, resulting in some loss on both sides, the Federals effected a crossing, and, so soon as their purpose to cross at that point, with their entire force, was made apparent, Lee hurried his whole com- mand in that direction, and at once the battle was joined with great spirit. dash and courage on both sides. The Federals first took a position half a mile or more south of the ford, and south of the point where the Stevens- burg road turns to the left. The 4th., 3rd. and 16th. Penn., the 1st. and 5th. U. S., the 4th. N. J., and 2nd. Ohio constituted the line of battle, with Bak- er's brigade in reserve near the mill. The position of the Federals was a strong one, protected by woods and and a stone fence in front. It was, however, repeatedly charged by the Southern cavalry, the 3rd. Virginia leading in the advance, but they were unable to dislodge the Federals from the position which they occupied. After repeated efforts in this direction, the Confeder- ates slowly retired to a position a mile or two in the rear, where the battle raged with great fury. "From the time the battle was first joined." says Fitz Lee, in his report, "it was a series of gallant charges by the different regiments, and once by the whole brigade in line. My meu, some times unable to cross the fences or ditches in their front, behind which the Federals were protected, wheeled about, delivering their fire in the very faces of the enemy, and reformed again under a heavy fire from their artillery and small arms." Lieut. Holtz- man, of Co. D., 4th. Virginia cavalry, who kept a diary of all the movements of his command, tells me that he has it recorded, that on more than one occa- sion, when the charging squadrons of Confederate cavalry would encounter
Lighed by Google
103
fences, they would deliberately halt, dismount, and, under fire of the Federal batterries with grape and cannister, as well as small arms, pull aside the fences at the corners, to enable them to pass through. The battle continued until late in the evening, when the Federale, unable to accomplish the pur- pose, for which they had crossed the river, retired. The Confederates were perfectly willing that they should go, and were unable to inflict any serious loss upon them in their retreat.
Considering the superiority in numbers, the result was a splendid achieve- ment for the Confederates, and became the subject of congratulatory orders on the part of Gen. Lee to his brigade. But it was not without serious loss in both men and animals; about 170 horses were killed, and an equal number of men killed and wounded. A peculiarity of the wounds in this engagement, was that they were nearly all made with the saber, showing that the battle was fought at close quarters, and with great obstinacy. The Culpeper com- pany, (Capt. Hill) of the 4th. regiment, was in the thickest of the fight, from morning till the enemy retired. The Confederate loss was much greater than that of the Federals, especially in officers, among the latter were the gallant Maj. Puller, of the 5th. cavalry, and Lieut. Harris, of the 4th., and the splendid and much beloved Pelham, of the Horse Artillery. The record of this latter officer had been bright and spotless, and he had endeared himself to the whole army. He was a modest, gentle, unassuming boy, scarcely twenty-one years old, and yet he had the coolness of a yeteran on the field, and gave great prom- ise of future achievements; a genius for war that was brilliant and attractive. He was struck on the head with a fragment of a shell, and his skull crushed, but before life was extinct, he was brought to the house of Judge Shackleford. in the town of Culpeper, where he expired amidst weeping friends and com- rades. His death cast a gloom over the entire corps, and the usual badge of military mourning was worn for him for thirty days.'
Again on April 30th., Brandy Station and Culpeper were the scenes of another cavalry engagement, though not of as much consequence as some others. Just preceding the movement of the Union army for Chancellors- ville, Stoneman, with his cavalry corps, crossed the river at Kellyville, for a raid on the Central Railroad, about Louisa C. H., the James river, Kanawha Canal, and other points in rear of the Confederate army. After crossing the river, Averill, with his division, was sent in the direction of Brandy Station and Culpeper, with instructions to destroy the cavalry force that he might encounter, while Stoneinan, with the residue of his command, moved lower down, and crossing the river at Raccoon Ford, proceeded towards Louisa C. H. Averill encountered William H. F. Lee about Brandy Station, and they had some pretty lively skirmishing between that point and the Rapidan, towards which Gen Lee slowly retreated, keeping Averill well in check. Averill had consumed so much time in pressing back William H. F. Lee's command, that he was unable to join the raid, and, from Rapidan, was recalled to the army at Ely's Ford, and, soon thereafter. removed from his command, because of his failure to break up and destroy William H. F. Lee.
LEE'S CAVALRY REVIEW.
But it was on the 8th. of June, 1863, that a most interesting cavalry dis- play took place near Brandy Station. It was interesting, attractive and bril- liant, to be followed, however, on the next day, by one more attractive and inspiring, and which occupied a much more prominent place in the history of the times. We refer to the great cavalry review of the 8th. of June, 1863, when Stuart's whole command passed in review before the commanding general, Robert E. Lee.
Da zed by Google
104
The army, at this time, was on the move for Gettysburg. Some portions of Longstreet's corps was about Culpeper C. H. Stuart's cavalry was, at this time, perhaps, more efficient in number, drill, discipline, and equipment, than at any other period of the war. He had called together his whole command. save, perhaps, the brigade of Jenkins, then in the valley of Virginia. The corps consisted of Fitz Lee's brigade of five regiments, Hampton's brigade of six regiments, William H. F. Lee's brigade of five regiments, William D. Jones' brigade of four regiments, and Robertson's brigade of two regiments; twenty- two in all, aggregating, perhaps, 8000 men.
The review took place on what is known as the "Auburn" estate. A fur- row was made with a plow, beginning at a point not far from the dividing line between the "Auburn" estate and the Hall estate, and abont three hundred yards west of the railroad, on the land now owned by Mr. Schlosser, and ex- tending, in a line parallel with the railroad, along by the broadspreading ehn tree that stood in the flat in rear of the grave yard, on the Ross estate, quite to the run. Along this long straight furrow the twenty two regiments of cav- alry were formed in two ranks, facing the railroad, extending nearly or quite its whole length. The horse artillery, of four batteries (sixteen guns), Captains Breathit, Chew, McGregor and Moorman, the whole commanded by Major Beckham, was formed in batteries along the ridge in the rear of, and on the west side of the branch. It was a splendid military parade; Stuart's eyes gleamed with peculiar brightness as he glanced along this line of cavalry in battle array, with men and horses groomed at their best, and the command arrayed with military precision, with colors flying, bugles sounding, bands playing, and with regimental and brigade officers in proper positions. Gen. Lee occupied a little hillock, immediately on the west side of the railroad, and some three or four hundred yards north of the station at Inlet. 'The review brought together a large number of citizens, ladies and gentlemen, young and old, from Culpeper, and the adjoining counties; many were the sly glances cast by the soldier boys at the country lassies, as they passed along their front in the columns of review. An engine brought down a train of flat cars from Cul- peper, filled with soldiers and civilians, to witness the review. Gen Lee, with his staff, first rode rapidly along the front of the line, around the left flank, then along the rear, around the right flank to his position on the hill in the front. At the sound of the bugle, taken up and repeated along the line, the corps of horsemen broke by right wheel into columns of squadron, and moving southi for a short distance, the head of the column was turned to the left, and again to the left, moving in this new direction, whence it passed immediately in front of the commanding general. It was a splendid military pageant, and an inspiring scene, such as this continent never before witnessed, as this long line of horsemen, in columns of squadron, with nearly ten thousand sabres flashing in the sun light, with salvos of artillery on the hills beyond, passed in review before the greatest soldier of modern times Who, that was present, will ever forget the swelling of the soul, which he experienced, as he passsd the position occupied by the reviewing officers, and knew that the eyes of the great Robert E. Lee were upon him. The column moved at a walk until it came within some fifty or one hundred paces of the position occupied by the reviewing general, when squadron by squadron would take up first the trot, then the gallop, until they had passed some distance beyond, when again they would pull down to the walk. After passing in review, the several brigades were brought again to the position which they occupied in the line, whence they were dismissed. one by one, to their respective camps, to be rudely awakened early the next morning by the Federal cavalry, who crossed the Rappahannock, determined, for the first time, to measure swords with the Southerners, beyond the protection of their infantry.
Lighed by Google
105
BRANDY STATION, JUNE 9, 1863.
After the great review, Hampton's brigade went into camp on the south of Brandy Station, picketing the lower ford of the Rappahannock, Robertson's N. C. brigade to the right of the station, Jones' brigade near St. James' church, picketing the river from Rappahannock bridge to the confluence of the Hazel and Rappahannock rivers, while Win. H. F. Lee's and Fitz Lee's brigades were thrown further forward, in the neighborhood of Oak Shade, guarding the river to Waterloo, and scouting the country beyond, to protect the flank of the Confederate army, en route to Gettysburg, by way of Gourd- vine, Gaines X Cross, Winchester, and so on.
This was, substantially, the position of the Southern cavalry when the Federals, under Gen. Pleasanton, crossed the river on the morning of the 9th of June, to drive back the Southerners, and ascertain the object and purpose of the movement of the army under Lee. The Federal cavalry crossed the river in two columns, one at Beverly's Ford, consisting of the 1st division, and Merritt's brigade of regular cavalry, and a brigade of infantry under the com- mand of Gen. Ames, the whole under the command of Gen. Buford. This column numbered 3,918 cavalry, 1,500 infantry and two batteries of U. S. artil- lery (eight guns). The other column crossed the river at Kelleyville, and con- sisted of the 2nd and 3rd divisions of cavalry (3,973 strong), and 1,500 infantry under Gen. Russell, and a battery of six guns, the whole under the command of Gen. Gregg. Beverly's Ford was immediately in front of Jones' camp, Co. A. (Capt. Gibson), being the picket guard at that point, and Co. B. (Capt. Grimsley), of the 6th Va. cavalry, at the railroad bridge. The Federals charged the ford at Beverly's about day-break, driving the picket guard before them, and pressed with great vigor their advance along the road towards the church. However, their progress was resisted with equal pluck, courage, and tenacity, by the reserve picket force, and their advance delayed until some portion of Jones' command could be gotten in position for battle. When the alarm was given of the advance of the Federals, the horses of the cavalry, and of the horse artillery, were grazing in the fields near the church, and at'one time they were in great danger of being captured. The 6th and 7th regiments were the first to secure their horses, and mnove to the relief of the reserve picket. They were hurried forward, the one on the right, and the other on the left of the road leading from the church to the river, and along which the Federals were advancing, to assist in holding the attacking party's columns in check. As these two regiments rushed forward, they met the enemy's columns in the woods, beyond the church, and a hand to hand conflict ensued. The advance brigade of the Federals, consisting of the 8th N. Y., 8th Ill., and 3rd Ind. regi- ments, were held in check by the charge of the Virginia regiments, and its commander, Col. Davis, of the 8th N. Y., killed in an heroic effort to hold his command ready to resist the onset of the Confederates. Maj. Beckham, of the horse artillery, a Culpeper boy, a gallant soldier and a brilliant officer, had, in the mean time. succeeded in having his horses harnessed and hitched, and one or more pieces in position on the elevated knoll near the church. But before this, while some of his men were securing the horses, the others were serving the guns with all the efficacy that an unfavorable position could attain. The remaining regiments of Jones' brigade, the 11th and 12th, and also Hampton's brigade, were soon mounted, and ready for action, the latter joining on to the right of Jones and Wm. H.F. Lee, coming in on their left, near to and in front of the Thompson and Dr. Green houses. The Federals put their infantry in position, in the woods, on both sides of the road to the river, with their cavalry extending to the right and left, opposite the positions occupied
Da zed by Google
106
by Hampton and Lee. The battle was fought here for some hours with great fury. The dismounted men on the Confederate side engaging the infantry on the Union side, and charge and counter charge was made, time and again, along the whole line, with mounted and dismounted men. The line of battle swayed back and forth from the woods, in front, towards the church, now advancing, now receding. The Federals occupied the large body of woods, from which the Confederates were unable to drive them, and from which they were unable to advance. In the meantime, the column that had crossed at Kelleyville first pressed up in the direction of Brandy by the route leading by Elkwood, and Robertson, with his N. C. brigade, was sent down on that road to arrest its progress. This body of the Federals engaged Robertson in a sharp skirmish for a time, but, so soon as the route to Brandy, by the Thom place, was uncovered, the Federal commander eluded Robertson, and moving by his left flank, pressed on rapidly in the direction of Brandy. The second division of cavalry was first across the river at Kelleyville, and, so soon as the route was opened, pressed on to Stevensburg, via Carrico's mill. A squad- ron of this division, which had been hurried forward in the direction of Ste- vensburg, reached that point in advance of the Confederate troops sent by Gen. Stuart.
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.