USA > Virginia > Culpeper County > Culpeper County > Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia > Part 34
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the road in front of Mr. Lathams'. The 5th regiment had in the meantime, retired from Bell's Ford, and the gun came in on the road in the rear of this regiment, the Federal cavalry overtaking it at that point and making a cap- ture of it. The Federals pressed the retreating Confederates vigorously through the town. On the hill, about where now stands the house of Walter West, and again on the slope of the hill towards Greenwood, a hand to hand conflict took place in which the saber was for the most part exclusively used. These two regiments, the 5th and 6th, lost a number of men at these places, who were never afterwards heard of; their bodies were left on the field, and we presume they are among the unknown dead of our cemetery.
Before reaching Culpeper, the 3rd division, under Kilpatrick, had turned across the country from Brandy to the Stevensburg road, and was having a close fight with Hampton's brigade in the valley, at the foot of Mt. Pony, while Jones was tussling with Gregg on the Rixeyville road with the advan- tages on his side. Hampton had not been so fortunate in his unequal con- test with Kilpatrick, who was reinforced by some portion of Buford's com- mand, sent across Mountain Run, by way of the Hudson farm. Hampton lost two guns, and suffered severely in men and horses, inflicting, however severe punishment on his adversary. From the Greenwood hill, the tussle between Hampton and Kilpatrick was plainly visible. The entire force on either side was in full view. The lines of battle, the advancing squadrons, the charging columns, the blazing batteries, the close grip of the skirmishers, made the seene, notwithstanding our own close quarters, as inspiring as any that we ever witnessed. This will be remembered as the occasion on which Mr. Cur- tis, living near Georgetown, sought safety from the shells of the Federal guns, by taking refuge in the basement of Mr. Jas. Inskeep's house. He had scarce- ly reached his supposed place of safety before a shell entered the house, pene- trated the basement, exploded and killed him. An illustration of the sol- dier's maxim "that one place was as safe as another in battle." Jones, retir- ing by the Rixeyville road, and finding the town occupied by Buford's troops, made a detour by way of Catalpa and Thos. Rixey's, and joined the forces that had passed through the village on the hill south of Greenwood at the intersection of the Orange and Stevensburg roads. Just before Jones came up, the Federal cavalry, then occupying the Greenwood hill, made an effort to capture the remaining gun left with the Confederates at this point. It was posted in the road, just in advance of the intersection of the roads above referred to, supported by a squadron of cavalry. The Confederates had dismounted the most of their forces here, and concealed them in the pines that grew on the west side of the road, in advance of the gun. From their position near the Greenwood house, the Federals started a column to charge and capture the gun. They came down the road and were soon protected by the descent, from the fire of the gun on the hill.
They ascended the hill, near the gun, in fine style, and dashed for it with the confidence of certain capture, but as they passed these pines and exposed the flank of column, they received a deadly fire at short range from the dis- mounted men, which emptied many saddles and scattered the remainder in confusion over the fields. All the Confederate forces had now gotten togeth- er,and occupied a line from the Ward or Thompson hill to the foot of Mt. Pony till about night, the Federals drawing off and the fight ceasing. About dark the Confederates begun to retreat. and fell back that night to the Rapi- dan at Raccoon Ford, and Rapidan Station. Hampton taking position at the former, and Jones at the latter place. The Confederates occupied the hills about the Taliaferro and Nalle houses on the north side of the river, and also
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some points lower down the river about the Robertson house, and perhaps other places.
The next day, Sept. 14th, the Federal cavalry appeared in front of the station, and an artillery duel took place between the batteries of the Confed- erates on the Nalle hill and the Federal guns posted just in advance of the woods, on the road to Culpeper, which continued nearly all day. Towards evening, the Federals advanced their cavalry with a strong skirmish line in front, which movement was met by a corresponding action on the part of the Confederates, and a very pretty little fight was on; first with the skirmishers, afterwards with the mounted men, in which sabers and pistols were freely used, and a number on both sides came out of the fight with sore heads and punched backs. Lower down the river, about the Robertson house, the Con- federates held the north side of the river till the 19th, at which the the Fed- erals, by a strong advance of the infantry and artillery, compelled the Con- federates to retire to the south side of the river. The Rapidan then became the line between the contending armies, and for nearly a month the sharp crack of the rifle of the picket, along the banks of the stream, was heard from morning till night, and it never died away till the armies were on the move again.
CULPEPER, OCTOBER 10TH AND 11TH.
On the 9th of October 1863, Gen. Lee, with a view of bringing Gen. Meade, then encamped in Culpeper, to an engagement, or forcing him back towards Washington, broke up his camp in Orange, and moved towards the right flank of the Federal army, by way of Madison, C. H., and along the south bank of the Hazel river. This movement was preceded by Hampton's division of caval- ry, while two brigades of infantry, one at Rapidan Station, and the other near Raccoon Ford, with Fitz Lee's division of cavalry, were left on the Rapidan to guard the right and rear of Lee's advancing army.
About the middle of September the cavalry corps was re-organized. The number of regiments to a brigade were reduced to four, thus creating two new brigades, of which Lomax and Rosser were given command, and Butler and Gordon made brigadiers, to take the place of Robertson and Jones, sent to other localities. The cavalry corps was made up of two divisions, of three brigades each, of which Hampton, being made a major general, was given connuand of one, and Fitz Lee, also promoted, of the other. Hampton was still absent on account of wounds received at Gettysburg, and Stuart moved with his division and directed its movement. On the 10th of October he en- countered the Federal pickets at Russell's Ford on the Robertson river, and drove them back rapidly till he reached James City, where he found Kilpat- rick, with the third division of cavalry and a division of infantry under Gen. - A severe engagement took place between these forces, in which the artillery and dismounted men were principally engaged. The Federals made their stand at James City, but were driven back across Crooked Run, and took position on the hills of the Culpeper side. The Confederate artillery was posted at or near the village, and the property of the citizens of the little hamlet, being directly in the line of fire from the Federal guns, suffered severe- ly therefrom. After having fallen back to the Culpeper side of the stream, the Federals crossed over a mounted column and attempted to capture a bat- tery of Confederate guns, placed in front of the village. The guns were han- dled with such skill, and the charging Federals received with such a destruc- tive fire from the Confederate carbiners, posted behind fences.that they precipi- tately retreated with great loss. Without attempting to dislodge them from
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the position last taken, Gen. Stuart, leaving one brigade in their front, push- ed on towards the turn-pike with the residue of the division, and late in the evening came into that road at or near Griffinsburg, where he encamped for the night. The next morning, Oct. 11th, he moved down the turn-pike in the direction of Culpeper, and finding that he had passed on his right, in the neighborhood of Stone House Mountain, a Federal regiment of infantry that had been left on picket, as Meade's army retired, sent Capt. Bayler, a gallant officer of the 12th Va. cavalry, to the right of the turn-pike to capture this command. He soon came in contact with it, and at once charged into their midst; after making a short but firm resistance, they laid down their arms. Gen. Stuart, in his report, speaks of this as the second occasion, in the last two preceding days, in which he had hurled his mounted squadrons on infantry columns with entire success. Stuart pressed on down the turn-pike towards Culpeper, driving the enemy's rear guard before him, till he reached the hills on the west, overlooking the town. Kilpatrick had, in the meantime, fallen back from Brown's Store and had massed his cavalry and artillery on the hills about the George house, holding the town and the crossings at Mountain Run with his dismounted men. Stuart posted his artillery on the hill east of the Citizen's Cemetery, and opened a rapid fire on the Federal position, which was responded to with equal vigor, and for an hour or more the screaming shells passed each other in the heavens in rapid succession over the valley of Mountain Run, exploding in the ranks of their adversaries, tearing to pieces men, horses, gun carriages, and all the implements of warfare. Col. Ferebee, of the 4th N. C. cavalry, with the 5th as his support, was sent for- ward to drive the Federals trom the crossings of Mountain Run, and to gain possession of the town; after a most stubborn fight in the streets of Culpeper, and along the banks of the stream, he succeeded in getting possession of the town, and driving the Federals from the crossings. In this little fight, in the town of Culpeper, the North Carolinians suffered severely. Col. Ferebee him- self, together with Lieut. Moorehead, Lieut. Barbour, Lieut. Porter, and many others were wounded. Gen. Stuart, after keeping up the demonstration at this point for some time, withdrew the greater portion of his forces, and mnov- ing by the left flank, took the route by way of Chestnut Fork, with the view of getting possession of the high ground about the Barbour house, near Brandy, in the rear of Kilpatrick.
On the morning of the 10th, Gen. Meade, having ascertained that the Con. federate army was in motion towards his right flank, directed Gen. Buford to cross the Rapidan river at Germanna Ford with his division of cavalry, move up the south bank of the river, and uncover the fords at Morton's and the one known as Raccoon, at which point he would be met by the first corps of infan- try under Gen. Newton, and thus ascertain the extent and purpose of the movement of the Confederate ariny. Buford effected a crossing on the morn- ing of the 10th at Germanna, and succeeded in capturing the pickets at that point, and at the other fords up the river towards Morton's, but before reach- ing the latter point he encountered the the 5th Va., cavalry, under Col. Pate, and his movements were retarded by the presence of this force in his front. He succeeded, however, in reaching the vicinity of Morton's Ford that night, and gaining possession of some of the little earth works that had previously been thrown up in that locality. The first corps, however, did not reach that point as was anticipated, but had been ordered to retire towards the Rappa- hannock. Early on the morning of the 11th Buford was attacked at Mor- ton's Ford by the brigades of Lomax and Wm. H. F. Lee, fighting dismounted, and by them he was driven from the earth works which he occupied at that.
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point. At the same time, Wickham's brigade of Fitz Lee's division and John- son's brigade of infantry crossed the Rapidan river at Raccoon Ford to the Culpeper side, and moved down to assail Buford in his flank and rear. Chap- man's brigade, of Buford's division was the first to cross the river at Morton's Ford, and it was sent to meet Wickham, who was bearing down on the rear. Between these two forces, about equally matched in numbers, occurred one of the hardest fought battles of the war. The Federals were in line of battle near the Stringfellow (now Spindle house), with one battery in action. The Con- federates determined to capture these guns if possible, and for this purpose the 1st. and 3rd. Virginia regiments were ordered forward to the charge; this column, the second and fourth were placed in line as their support. Capt. Breathit, of the horse artillery, as was his wont, when a cavalry charge was to be made, rushed his battery up at a gallop with the charging column till he reached close quarters, and then, double shotted with grape and cannister, let drive with all his might. Before the charge was completed it was ascer- tained that the Federal position was protected by a ditch, impassible for mounted troops, and the order to charge, after the movement was well under way, was countermanded. In changing front in an endeaver to withdraw, somne confusion arose in these conunands. Finding that the Federals could not be reached by a mounted charge, the men were at once dismounted for this purpose, but before they were gotten well in line, the Federal dismounted men advanced at a charge. The 4th. regiment, dismounted, already in line, was ordered forward to resist this charge, and did so with such courage, gal- lantry and success, as to win the admiration of its comrades, and the encomium of the commanding officers; but the regiment suffered severely. Among those who fell were Capts. Newton and Williams, two of the most intelligent, gallant and useful officers of the cavalry corps. The Federals, having by this time withdrawn their whole force to the north side of the Rapidan, began to retreat rapidly towards Stevensburg, pressed at every point by the pursuing Confederates. The dismounted men moved in line of battle at a double quick from Raccoon Ford to Stevensburg, where Buford made a short stand, to pro- tect some some of his moving trains.
May we be pardoned for making here a digression from the general pur- pose of this writing, and call attention to a fact, illustrative of the great sacri- fice made by the Southern people for the cause which they believed to be just and righteous. In the little cemetery at Louisa C. H., there is a monument which marks three graves. On one side of the base is the following inscrip- tion: " To the memory of Robt. C. Towles, Co. " A," 4th Va. Cavalry, born Sept. 6, 1843, killed in battle June 16, 1864." On another side is this : " To the memory of J. Vivian Towles, private Company " A," 4th Va. Cavalry, born Feb. 11th, 1839, killed at Raccoon Ford October 11th, 1863:" On another side is this inscription : " To the memory of Jas. H. Towles. private Co. " A," 4th Va. Cavalry, killed at Spottsylvania C. H., May 9th, 1864, born Oct. 19th, 1845;" and on the remaining side is the following: " The only sons of the Rev. John Towles." As the writer a few years ago was wandering through this country cemetery, he came across these graves, and reading the inscriptions on the shaft, there came into and over his soul a swelling tide of emotions, which it is vain for him to attempt to describe.
After a spirited fight at Stevensburg, in which the 2nd, 3rd and 4th regi- ments were hurled in successive charges upon the position held by the Fed- erals, their lines were broken, beaten back, and they retreated rapidly to- wards Brandy Station, halting for a time at Norman's Mill, from which posi- tion they were driven by a rapid fire, and taking position on Fleetwood
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Heights, with their artillery ad mirably posted, so as to command all the coun- try in their front. The dismounted men of Lomax's brigade, principally the 1st Maryland regiment and the 4th regiment of Markham's brigade occupied the woods at that time extending up to Brandy Station, facing towards Fleet- wood, whilst the 9th and 10th regiments of William H. F. Lee's brigade, thrown forward across the railroad, charged and dispersed a body of Federal cavalry occupying a position a little west of the station. But just as the battle was be- ing well joined between Buford and Fitz Lee at the station, Kilpatrick, antici- pating Stuart's purpose in leaving his front at Culpeper, retreated from that point, came rushing down towards Brandy, and planting his battery on both sides of the railroad between the Kennedy and the Wise houses, opened a rak- ing fire on the flank of Fitz Lee's division engizing Buford. But Kilpatrick had scarcely gotten into this position and ready for effective work, before Stuart, coming down by the Botts house with two brigades of Hampton's di- vision, appeared on Kilpatrick's left flank, and forced him to change front to meet his new adversary. Wickham's brigade, except the 4th regiment of Fitz Lee's division, was also sent forward from the station to resist Kilpatrick, who at once withdrew all his force to the west side of the railroad to meet this new danger. Stuart hurled his regiments, one after another, in rapid succession, upon the flanks of Kilpatrick's columns, breaking up in confusion some por- tions of his line, and in turn being broken by counter charges. Buford, see- ing the straight to which Kilpatrick was put, pressed forward to his support and between him and the Confederate brigades at the station there was a fear- ful clash of arms. There was charge and counter charge, some regiments charging four or five times, and sometimes the whole brigade at a time, now giving away, now rallying and rushing again to the combat. At one time the Confederate dismounted men were surrounded by the Federal cavalry, but undismnayed, they continued to fight till their charging comrades brought thein relief. Brandy Station certainly never before, or since, that time, had such a wild waking up. There were charging squadrons in every direction. The booming of the cannon from every little hillock; the clear ringing of steel, the sharp crack of the carbine; but above all, and over all, was heard the wild shout of battle from the lips of those gallant horsemen as they rushed to the conflict. The Federals finally succeeded in getting all their forces together,and rapidly retreated to and across the Rappahannock that evening. The Con- federates encamped that night along the south bank about Beverly's and Mil- ford's fords. The losses in this day's fight were serious on both sides, but es- pecially so to Confederates in officers. Among others that might be inention- ed, we recall Col. Julian Harrison, of the 6th, Maj. Gillette, of the 13th Va., Waller of the 9th., as seriously wounded. The cavalry corps, in the Bristoe Station campaign, lost in killed, wounded and missing 1336, the greater por- tion of which was in this day's fighting. The Federal losses during the same time were 1251.
The Confederate hospitals were established at the house of Mrs. Wise- Belle 'Pre. The mansion was soon filled, and when there was no longer room therein, comfortable places in outhouses, and in the yard, were found for suffering humanity, and all night long did this good woman and her daughters, like angels of mercy, minister to the sufferings of the wounded that were brought there, many of them to die before the morning sun arose. Providence has dealt kindly with this good woman, and led her gently along the pathway of life, even down to old age, perhaps in answer to the prayers of those who survived their sufferings and have ever held her and hers in grateful remembrance, and invoked the kindliest benediction of heaven upon them.
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Oh! that the present generation could only appreciate and realize 'all that their mothers suffered, endured and sacrificed for the cause of the South. I would that their heroic patriotism might be written in letters of light that would glow forever, and burn into the very souls of their daughters and those who succeed them, for all time to come.
Gregg's division of cavalry was not engaged on the 11th. He had retreat- ed on the Rixeyville road, having passed beyond Chestnut Fork before Stuart reached that point. He encamped at the Fauquier Sulphur Springs for the night, leaving a strong picket force at Jeffersonton, guarding the Hazel river as far up as the Monumental mills.
Col. Funsten, commanding Rosser's brigade, was sent from Brandy to Rix- eyville to move in front of Ewell's corps, advancing by that road. Col. Ball, commanding the 11th Va. regiment, was sent forward to drive in the enemy's pickets which he found at Rixey's ford, and to follow them rapidly on their retreat. When he reached Jeffersonton, he found the 13th Pa. cavalry, post- ed near the church, to dispute his progress. The dismounted men of the Fed- erals were placed about the Baptist church, behind the stone walls and fences which centered to that point, while the mounted men were kept as a support a short distance in the rear. Col. Bull dismounted his command and attacked the Federals in their position, but after considerable loss, was compelled to re- tire. The Federals were re-enforced by the 4th Pa., and the Confederates by the 7th and 12th Va. regiments. Col. Funsten sent the 12th regiment by a circuitous route to the right of the village, and reached the Springs road about a mile south of the river. The 7th regiment was sent to the left of the village, with instructions to move around in rear of the academy building, and attack the force at the church on its right and rear, while a portion of the 11th was mounted and passed around to the right of the church to at- tack them on their left, and at the same time the dismounted men were again advanced in the front. This movement on the part of the Southerners was eminently successful, and they caught the Feder- als on the slope of the hill, in rear of the church, between these two converging columns, and, in a gallant charge, routed and drove them back in great confusion. In the meantime, the 12th regiment had reached the Springs road some distance north of Jeffersonton, and met on the road, in the Beaver Dam woods, the Federal columns retreating from Jeffersonton. The Federals caught here between their pursuers and the 12th regiment, were charged front and rear, and dispersing through the woods, made their es- cape as best they could; many, however, were made prisoners. .
The Confederate column then pressed on towards the Springs. They found the ford of the river strongly guarded with cavalry and artillery, and so soon as the Confederates came in sight, the batteries of the Federals, post- ed on the hills about the Springs, opened a terrific fire upon them; but, nothing daunted, they charged the ford of the river with a rush, crossed over, drove the enemy away and obtained a foot hold on the north bank. Fitz Lee's di- vision crossed the river at Foxville, where they had quite a little fight with the Federal cavalry occupying the north bank. The greater portion of the Southern army crossed the river that night, and thus the tide of war once more rolled away from the shores of Culpeper, but to come again at its ebb on the 20th of October, when the Southern army re crossed to the south bank of the Rappahannock, and occupied Culpeper after the failure of Gen. Lee, in the Bristoe Station campaign, to bring Gen. Meade to a general engagement.
The infantry, encamped near the river, extended from Welford's on the west, to Kelleyville on the right, and back towards Brandy and Stevensburg.
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At Rappahannock Station the Confederates had a pontoon bridge and held a tete de pont on the north side of the fortified hill overlooking the station. Ewell's corps was encamped in the rear of Kelleyville, Rhodes' division . occu- pying a position nearest the river and guarding the crossing in its front. About mid-day on the 7th of November the Federals appeared, in heavy columns, in . front of Rappahannock and Kelleyville, and at the latter place effected a crossing during the day. The 2nd N. C. regiment, of Ramseers' brigade, num- .. bering about 250 men, was on picket duty at Kelleyville, Wheatley's and Stev- en's fords. Rifle pits had been constructed near the river at Kelleyville, com- manding the ford and the site of the old pontoon bridge, but these defences were commanded by the hills on the north side, which closed into the river rather in the form of a semi-circle. The Federals put three or four batteries in position on the north side of the of the river, and opened a terrific fire on the picket force along the river at Kellyville, and soon drove them to seek such shelter as they conld find. Massie's Confederate battery was put in po- sition on the south side about a half mile from the river, and engaged the en- emy's battery, but the latter was so much 'superior in numbers, and in met- al; that the Confederate guns were soon either silenced or driven to change their positions so frequently that they were of little service. An effort to re- enforce the pickets at the river also proved unavailing, because of the exposed | nature of the ground, over which the re-enforcements attempted to pass, to the Federal batteries on the other side. So it was that the Federals, under ยท the protection of their guns, succeeded in forcing the passage of the river, and capturing nearly all of the Confederate pickets at that point. Rhodes' divis- ion and perhaps parts of Ewell's corps, was formed in line of battle a mile or more in rear of the river, and so remained till after night, but the enemy made no further movement than to effect a lodgement on the South bank of the river. During the night of the 7th the Federals massed a heavy coluinn in front of the tete de pont at Rappahannock Station, charged the position held by the Confederates on the north bank of the river, and succeeded in taking possession of the same, and capturing the greater part of Hays' and Hokes' brigade, together with a number of guns and other materials of war. The Confederate army fell back that night, and took up a position in advance of Culpeper, where it awaited during the next day the attack of the Federals. The line of battle, selected by Gen. Lee, extended from the foot of Mt. Pony, a little south of the Massie house on the right, across Moun -.. tain Run, along southward of the Hudson house, and north of the Williams house to the high ground on the Brandy road between the Bell and the Hall farm, thence along in front of where Mr. Daniel now lives and the Cleveland estate, to the road from Chestnut Fork to Brandy Station, with Hampton's ton's division of cavalry on the right beyond Stevensburg, and Fitz Lee ou the left in the direction of Rixeyville. An admirable line; certainly the best that military skill and wisdom could have selected in this locality. Here Gen. Lee remained in line of battle all the day of the 8th., inviting an attack from Gen. Meade, but for some reason, he did not join battle with the Confederate chieftain at this time. There was more or less skirmishing going on all day between the skirmish lines, attended perhaps with some little loss to both sides. The Confederates lost the day before at Kelleyvitle some.30 or 30 men, killed and wounded, and about 200 taken prisoners. On the night of the 8th Gen. Lee fell back to his old encampment in Orange, south of the Rapidan ; his army retired leisurely without any collision with the Federal advance, even between the cavalry, and the last serious fighting on Culpeper's soil was at an end.
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