USA > Virginia > Culpeper County > Culpeper County > Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia > Part 33
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Gen. Stuart, having learned early in the morning, through Gen. Robert- son, as well as by information given by the captain of the picket guard at Rappahannock, that some portion of the forces that had crossed at Kelleyville. was moving in the direction of Stevensburg, detached the 2nd S. C. regiment, under Col. Butler, to that point, with instructions to picket the roads from Brandy to Carrico's mill, and to Stevensburg. Later in the day, he sent the 4th Va. regiment, under Col. Wickham, to that point to support Col. Butler. A section of artillery was also sent with this regiment. The 4th regiment, after crossing Mountain Run, moved across the field to the left of the village, and joined a portion of the S. C. regiment, under Lt. Col. Hampton, at or near the Doggett house, beyond Stevensburg. By the time a line of skirmishers deployed, extending round toward the Hansbrough house, the Federals were in their front in force, and rapidly hurled the advance regiments (the 1st Mass., 1st R. I., and 6th O.) on Butler and Wickhain, and drove them back in great confusion. The Union cavalry followed up their advantage, charging into and beyond the village, to the Barbour house, in pursuit of the fugitives. The gallant Col. Hampton, son of Gen. Hampton, was mortally wounded in the fights near the village, and quite a number of others wounded or taken prisoners. After awhile, Cols. Wickham and Butler succeeded in rallying the most of their commands, and reformed on the north side of Mountain Run, on the Beckham farm. The section of artillery was put in position, and the Federals moved down towards the mill, on both sides of the Brandy road. The Federals also put their artillery in position, and a lively artillery duel was in progress, when the Federals were ordered to retire from Stevensburg by the same route that they advanced by, and join the main body at Brandy. Why this was done must ever remain a mystery. Why this colunm, when within three miles of Brandy, and almost immediately in rear of the Confed- erate position should have been withdrawn by a route twice as long, consum- ing twice the time, must ever remain a riddle in military affairs; but so it was. We doubt not but that the life of the Confederacy was greatly prolonged by the mistakes of its enemies. Gen. Butler lost his leg in this artillery fight at Norman's Mill, and Capt. Farley, of South Carolina, a volunteer on General Stuart's staff, lost his life by the same shell that took off Gen. Butler's leg. Capt Farley was a noble, gallant, chivalrous man. His body was buried in
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the Citizens' Cemetery at Culpeper, and his relatives and friends, of South Carolina, have recently erected a suitabe shaft to mark the spot and commem- orate his memory.
It was now, perhaps, mid-day. The 3rd. division of cavalry had, by this time, driven in the pickets on the Carrico road leading from Brandy, and was rapidly approaching the station. Col. Percy Wyndham, a gallant, dashing Englishman, who was making war for the love of it, and who, but a little time before, had been captured by Ashby's command, and exchanged, was in com- mand of the advance brigade, consisting of the 1st. Maryland, 1st. N. Y., 1st. Penn., dashed into the station, and dispersed a small Confederate force that was found there. He made some captures of wagons and ambulances, and then turned his command towards Fleetwood Heights, which had been Gen. Stuart's headquarters; but all his papers, and everything else pertaining to his quarters, had been removed, save a single tent. A piece of artillery was stationed there, and some few orderlies, loungers and camp followers were also lingering about the hill. Gen. Kilpatrick, commanding the second bri- gade, consisting of the Harris Light Horse, the 10th. N. Y., and 1st. Maine, turned to the right, before reaching the station, and moved diagonally across the fields towards Fleetwood, to the assistance of Col. Wyndham, who, hav- ing moved down the road from Brandy, had charged the heights and taken them. Kilpatrick had hurried np his artillery, and put it in position, on the east of the railroad, so as to command Fleetwood hill. Col. Wyndham's victory was short lived; he had hardly gained possession of the hill. before he was met by Hampton, at the head of the Cobbs Legion, 1st. S. C., and 6th Va., which had been hurriedly withdrawn from the field at St. James church, upon the appear- ance of the Federals at Brandy. Gen. Stuart also accompanied this column, and as it approached Fleetwood, seeing the hill in possession of the enemy, he put the command at a gallop, and when it was in striking distance, called out, in that clear ringing voice that could be heard above the uproar of battle, "give them the sabre, boys." Then nearly a thousand sabres leaped from their scabbards, and with one wild shout, the Confederates rushed in furious onset against the Federal cavalry occupying the hill, and hurled it back in confusion and disorder. But Kilpatrick came, with his squadrons, to the re- lief of Wyndham, and succeeded in regaining a portion of the elevated ground on the west of the railroad, but the Jeff Davis Legion and Ist. N. C. was by this time on the ground, and placed on the east of the railroad, while the 11th. and 12th. Va. regiments, and White's battery, a'so withdrawn from St. James, in a gallant charge across the hill, drove back the Federals, who were struggling to regain it after their first reverse. The numbers at this point, were now about the same, some six or seven regiments on either side, but we presume the Federal regiments were numerically stronger than the Confed- erates; and then, for an hour or more, there was a fierce struggle for the hill, which seemed to have been regarded as the key to the situation. This point was taken, and retaken once, and perhaps several times; each side would be in possession for a time, and plant its batteries there, when by a successful charge it would pass into the possession of the other side, and so it continued until victory finally dweit with the Confederates, and the Federals seem to realize their inability to hold it. They slowly and sullenly retired, leaving several guns in the possession of the Confederates, with a number of prisoners, and their dead and wounded in the hands of their enemy.
The second and third divisions of Union cavalry that were in front of Brandy, after their defeat on Fleetwood hill, swung round to their right, and moving just in front of the Stringfellow honse, joined on to Buford, who as soon as the pressure from his front was relieved, advanced cautiously in the
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direction of Brandy Station. The Confederates re-arranged their line of battle, after getting rid of Gregg at Fleetwood. It will be remembered, in that struggle, the Confederates were facing south and the Federals north. As Gregg swung around to Buford, the direction of his line was changed, facing south, and the Confederates made the corresponding change. Hampton's bri- gade was placed on the right of the railroad, looking north, supported by Robertson's brigade. The greater portion of the Confederate artillery was placed on Fleetwood Heights, supported by Jones' brigade, whilst a strong line of dismounted men and infantry skirmishers from the 13th. Va. regiment were thrown forward a little in advance of the crown of the hill, extending westward nearly to the road leading to Dr. Welford's. The fighting in the evening was principally between the artillery and dismounted men and infan- try in the woods, which, according to our recollection, at that time extended from the Brandy road nearly to the summit of the ridge. Late in the even- ing the Federal cavalry made a last effort to break and force back the Con- federate lines. This occurred on the extreme left of the Confederate line, on the summit of the hill near the road to Dr. Welford's. A column of cavalry pressed on up the road referred to and at this point made a gallant and dashing charge on the 9th. and 10th. Va. regiments of Wm. H. F. Lee's brigade, supported by one of Jones' regiments. This charge was met with great spirit and cour- age, and the result wavered long in the balance. Gen. R. E. Lee looked on this struggle fro'n the cupalo of the Barbour house, and is said to have ex- pressed great admiration of the grit and courage manifested by the soldiers on both sides. Finally, the Federals gave away, and victory once more favored the Confederates. In this charge, apparently by consent, both sides used the pistol and the lines approached within a few feet, and the men emptied their pistols in each others' faces. To those of us who were not actually engaged, but who witnessed the combat at a distance, and heard the fusilade of pistols. it seemed impossibe almost, that any should have escaped injury, and that the loss of life could be so small, but after it was all over, and results inquired into, and the dead and wounded looked after, it was found that little damage had been done. Never after this, if it could be avoided. did the Confederate officers allow a charge to be made or resisted with the pistol, but always order- ed the sabre to be used as much more effective. After this attack on the left. the Federals slowly retreated and and recrossed the river that evening at Beverley's, and at the railroad bridge.
Gen. Win. H. F. Lee was seriously wounded early in the action, and the command of his brigade devolved on Col. Davis, of the 10th regiment. Neithi- er Fitz Lee's or Robertson's brigades participated very actively in the fight. The former was withdrawn from the Little Fork section, and the 2nd. regi- ment was slightly engaged on the left, while the 4th. had been detached and sent to Stevensburg. The loss of the Federal sine was over 900 killed, wound- ed and missing; on the Confederate side 485. The Confederates captured three pieces of artillery, more than a hundred horses, and quite a large number of small arms, such as pistols and carbines etc. And thus ended the first great cavalry battle of the war. The Confederates pushed on into Fauquier, ou the right flank of our advancing army, with full confidence in their ability to meet and vanquish their enemy on anything like equal terms. Upon the whole, the battle at Brandy Station was a great victory for the Confederates. It ought to have been won by the Federals. They were greatly superior in numbers in their cavalry force, besides being strongly supported by infantry. There was no fault in the plan of battle, as conceived by the Federal com- mander, and if it had been strictly pursued, it would have resulted in a great
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victory for him, but there seemed to be a want of promptness, enterprise and spirit in the movement of the two columns. Buford's force, at St. James' church, was greatly superior in numbers to the Confederates who opposed him, and yet he made but little headway against them, consisting of parts of three brigades. Gregg had outgeneraled Robertson on the Kelleyville road, eluding him and reaching Brandy in his rear. Stuart played the same trick on Buford at St. James. For when Gregg appeared at Brandy, Stuart with- drew the greater part of his force in front of Buford, and hurled it upon Gregg, and drove him from Fleetwood. If, when Stuart withdrew from Buford's front at St. James, Buford had pressed immediately on his heels, he would have caught Stuart at Fleetwood, between him and Gregg, and he, Stuart, would have been roughly handled. As it was, Buford moved slowly, and allowed Gregg to be defeated by the same troops that had been holding him at bay. We presume that Buford found his infantry both a help and a drawback. A help in enabling him to hold his position in front of St. James, for without it, he would have been driven back across the the river before Gregg reached Bran- dy ; but a drawback to him when he should have followed Hampton rapidly, as he was unwilling to leave it in his rear unprotected. He moved towards Brandy at the same time his infantry moved, and allowed Gregg to be beaten before he got there, and Robertson, with his North Carolina troops, who had been cut off on the Kelleyville road, to return by Elkwood, between the con- verging columns of Buford and Gregg, almost within a stone's throw of each otlier. But while the victory was with the Confederates, the moral effect of the battle was of great value to the Federal cavalry. Up to that point of the war the Union cavalry had been of but little service. The Federal generals did not begin to know how to organize or use their cavalry, or to appreciate its value. The Confederates, on the other hand, had from the very beginning of the war, used their cavalry to the greatest advantage. This branch of the service seemed to suit the genius and spirit of our people, and it was brought to a state of efficiency with wonderful rapidity. The victories which crowned the Confederate arms for the first years of the war, were due, in a great meas- ure, to the skillful manner in which the Confederate generals, Stuart and Ashby, maneuvered their cavalry, and concealed the movements of the Con- federate armny, thus bringing about a condition which made those great victo- ries possible.
The Federals had been for some time organizing a select body of men for cavalry service. By promotion from the infantry, for special merit and other- wise, and by organization, drill, and discipline, they were bringing that body up to a high state of efficiency. The Confederates had always held them- selves as greatly superior to the Federals in this branch of the service, and this seemed to have been conceded by them. At Brandy, for the first time, in an open field, with fair fight, with anything like equality of numbers, had they been able to maintain themselves against the superior dash and horse- manship of the Southrons. But, when a few days thereafter, they met again at Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, it was apparent to the Confeder- ates that the Federals had gained in moral, as well as in numbers and disci- pline.
CULPEPER, FROM AUG. 1ST. TO OCT. 1ST. 1863.
The Confederate army returned sullenly and slowly from the disastrous campaign of Gettysburg to its old encampments in Culpeper; beaten and bleeding at every pore, but not dispirited, and with its confidence in its im- mortal leader still unshaken. Now and then, in its slow retreat, it would turn
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on its antagonist, like an animal driven to bay, and exhibit a spirit and wil- lingness to suffer annihilation, rather than acknowledge defeat.
About the last of July, 1863, Longstreet's corps was encamped in the rear ot Mt. Pony hills, about the village of Culpeper. Ewell, who had made a detour further south in his retreat from the valley, crossing the mountains at Milan's Gap, was encamped in Madison and Orange counties. Jones' brigade of cavalry was in the neighborhood of Rixeyville, Hampton's about Brandy Station, Wm. H. F. Lee's toward Rappahannock, while Fitz Lee's was on the right, in the vicinity of Fredericksburg. On the second of August the Federal commander, General Meade, then occupying the north bank of the Rappa- hannock river, directed General Buford, commanding the 1st. division of cav- alry, to make a reconnoissance to the town of Culpeper, and ascertain, if possi- ble, the location of the Confederate army. He accordingly crossed the river at Beverly's Ford, and at the railroad bridge encountered Hampton's brigade, re- inforced in a short time by a portion of Jones', and they joined battle on the same ground over which they had fought on the ninth of June. The Federals were greatly superior in numbers to Hampton, having a division to a brigade, and gradually pressed him back to about where Inlet Station now is. The greater portion of Jones' brigade was on the Rixeyville road and had not, to this time, been much engaged; but leaving this road at Chestnut Fork, it moved across the Rixey and the Bradford farms, and was joined on to Hampton's left in this position, just in advance of the Bell farin. At this point, a division of infantry from Hill's corps also came on the field and the Federals begun to retire. General Stuart was present, and personally conducted the movements of his troops, and when he saw the enemy was in retreat, he pressed him with great vigor, and sought to convert his retreat into a route by hurling his squadrons, with great force and impetuosity, upon his rear, but, however, with no very great success. The Federal general conducted his retreat with great skill, protecting his rear with a strong line of mounted skirmishers, which effectually warded off the blows aimed at his main column. The area between the Auburn house and the railroad was one vast corn field, in which the corn was then fully grown. This was filled with the dismounted men of the Federals and held by thein with great tenacity, notwithstanding it was swept by the Confederate artillery, and penetrated by a strong line of dismounted men. In passing through this field afterwards, it did not appear that a single stalk of corn had escaped the destructive missiles. The Federals had rebuilt the railroad bridge at Rappahannock, where Buford halted on the south bank, and held a tete de pont on the south side, extending his right flank to Welford's Ford on the west, and his left to Kelleyville on the east, protected by a line of videttes extending around in this semi-circle and located about a hundred yards apart. Immediately in front of Fleet wood, this line of videttes extended across the country from about the Stringfellow house to St. James churchi.
On the evening of the fourth of Angust, General Stuart, anxious to ascer- tain what the Federals were doing at Rappahannock, and why it was that they seemed anxious to hold this small area on the south of the river, with Hampton's brigade, and a portion of some other commands, attacked the Federals near what is now the station of Elkwood, and drove them back some distance towards the river so as to uncover the forces on the south side, and develop the objects of the Federal commander. It was a very sharp hand to hand fight for a time between Buford and Hampton, and was conducted with a rush on the part of the Confederates. On the day following (the 5th of August), a reconnoissance was sent out by General Gregg, commanding the
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second cavalry division, encamped at Waterloo, towards Rixeyville, which resulted in a sharp skirmish between the 11th Va. regiment, Jones' command, and this scouting party, in the vicinity of Rixeyville and Muddy Run. The Federal column crossed the river at Hill's mill, and then turned to Rixeyville, and from thence moved towards Muddy Run, sending out scout- ing parties towards Alum Spring church. Colonel Taylor, of the first Pennsylvania cavalry, was in command of the scouts, and says in his report, that finding himself being flanked at the run by the skirmishers of the 11th Va. cavalry, concluded it was prudent to retire. Again, on the 8th and 9th of August, the Federals advanced and drove back the Confederate pickets in front of Brandy, and there was a right smart skirmish for an hour or two. The writer recalls an incident, illustrative of the accurate information which the Confederates had of the Federal movements and he supposes the Federals had information equally as accurate. The reserve picket force of the Confed- erates was held at a spring at the foot of Fleetwood hill,
on the road to Elkwood, and the lines of pickets stretch- ed across the country a short distance in front. Gen. Stuart rode down to the picket reserves one evening, and addressing the captain of the guard, said: "Captain, what is going on with those folks over there," pointing to the Yankee picket line. "Nothing;" replied the captain. "Well," said he, "look out, they will be on you in the morning about daylight." True enough, next morning as the first grey streaks of dawn began to light up the horizon, we could see a commotion among them and they called out: "Look out Johnnies, we are coming," and begun to fire and advance.
Scouting parties from the cavalry constantly harassed the right flank of the Federals, resting in the Little Fork, with their picket line extending from Hill's mill back towards Amissville. Captain McDonald, of the 11th cavalry, crossed the river at Rixey's Ford on the night of the 2nd of September, and captured the picket force at Waterford, consisting of an officer and fifteen men. After the first of September the Federal army remained comparatively quiet, resting till the 13th of the monthi, when their whole army moved south of the Rappahannock and occupied Culpeper. The Federals advanced in three columns. Buford, with his 1st division, directly towards Brandy; Kii- patrick, with the third division, crossed at Kelleyville, while Gregg crossed the Hazel river at Stark's Ford. Buford, who was immediately in front of Brandy, made a demonstration early in the morning, and then seemed to turn his columns to the right, as though he were going on the Rixeyville road, along which the principal advance would be inade. We presume now it was but to protect Gregg in crossing the fords of the Hazel. At any rate, it caused the withdrawal of all the Confederate cavalry from Brandy to the Rixeyville road, excepting two regiments, the 5th and 6th Va. Two or three hours were consumed in maneuvering, and about 10.30 a. m., Bu- ford, with the whole of his and Kilpatrick's divisions, appeared on the plains of Brandy in front of these two regiments, supported by a section of artillery. In a contest so unequal, there was nothing to do but retreat, and while it was a rapid one, it was not disorderly. The retreating Confederates kept a strong line of mounted skirmishers in their rear, and withdrew by regiments, always keeping one regiment and one gun facing their adversaries. An amusing inci- dent occurred at Jonas's run, near the railroad crossing. In attempting to get the guns across at that point, one of them got stuck in the soft muddy banks. Soldiers were dismounted and required to take hold to extricate the piece ; among them, was a man by the name of Roe, of the 5th cavalry, a man who stammered very badly. And as these soldiers were laboring and tugging at
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the wheels, the enemy, pressing on in the rear, took in the situation, and con- . centrated their fire upon the poor fellows at this work, and made it very hot for thein. The bullets were striking all around : zip-zip. Roe stood it for awhile, but, after a time, it got too hot for him, and he raised up from his work, and addressing his captain in an earnest pathetic manner said: " C-p-p, Cap, Captain, le-le-let's throw in, and pay for the d --- d thing, and leave it here." One more tug at the wheel brought it safely out to be lost at Culpeper. The Confederates had considerable commissary and ordnance supplies at the depot in Culpeper, and a freight train had been sent down from Orange to remove them, and they were being hurriedly loaded on when the Federals ap- peared in sight of the village. The presence of the train, seemed to impress them with the idea that supports had been sent down from Orange, and they were slow and cautious in. entering the village. The Confederates had but parts of two regiments, with two pieces of artillery, while the Federals had the whole of Buford's division, with a part of . Kilpatrick's and Warren's corps of infantry, but a short distance in the rear. The Confederates posted their guns on the hill, between Capt Vinal's and Mr. Chelf's, supported by two squadrons of mounted men, while the fifth cavalry were dismounted at Bell's Ford in order to hold that position, and a portion of the 6th . dismounted at the railroad ford. The Federal force moved for- ward very cautiously, forming their line of battle on the hill about the George house, extending round to the left, in front of the Wallach house, with two or three batteries stationed at intervals along this line. Their batteries were turned principally upon the town and the train loading at the depot, with an occasional shot at the guns on the hill. At .no time during the war, were the citizens of the village exposed to such an ordeal as they were that Sunday morning, the 13th of September. The day had begun calm and tranquil; early in the morning a single gun was heard in the neighborhood of Brandy, but as that was not followed up by others, the alarm occasioned by it soon subsided, and the people had assembled for worship in the Baptist church, where the Rev. Barnett Grimsley, of Rappahannock, was to preach. The ser- vices were begun, but before they were concluded the Federals were in front of the village, and were sending shells screaming through the town. The con- gregation was hurriedly dismissed, the minister mounting his horse, and tak- ing his departure. There was considerable damage done to the property and some casualties among the citizens. Mrs. Stone, the wife of the Rev. Richard Stone, who had recently returned from Africa, was seriously wounded, and . perhaps others. After the departure of the train, which escaped without , in- jury, taking off all the stores, the Federals showed a purpose to force an en -. trance into the village, and for this purpose, sent forward a brigade from the . centre of their lines to charge Bell's Ford and get possession of the crossing. . They came down the road, in columns of fours, in beautiful order, and looked as though they would sweep every thing before thein, but they met at the ford a fire from our dismounted men, protected by the large trees, that at that time were about that point, which emptied many a saddle, broke up their or- ganization, and drove them back in disorder. They, however, rallied, and crossing the fields to the east side of the railroad, the embankment of which protected them from the fire of the guns on the hill, dismounted some of their men, who engaged the dismounted Confederates at the bridge, drove them back and opened the way for their mounted men. They charged up the hill and made for the guns. They were here met by the mounted squadrons, sup- porting the guns, and driven back under the hill. The guns limbered up to retire, one coming back directly towards the depot, the other going down .to. .
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