USA > West Virginia > History of the Second regiment West Virginia cavalry volunteers > Part 12
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The Second Virginia was marching in double column near the pike. The rebel battery was throwing solid shot into a piece of timber, near our right flank, and the men
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CHAMBERSBURG AND MOOREFIELD.
were carefully watching the course and effeet of the shot. One ball cut the top out of a tree in our front, after which it struck the ground, bouneed like a gum ball, and richo- cheted off down through a field. This ball eut such anties, and looked so innocent, and harmless that a young man who had only recently enlisted quickly jumped from his horse, remarking, "watch me catch the darn thing," and actually started in pursuit of the deadly missile. The shouts of derision that greeted his actions caused him to re- mount his horse, looking for all the world like he had made a fool of himself.
The division remained in this position until evening, then returned to camp. This kind of warfare was kept up until about the 15th when the division under command of General Averell drove everything before it to near Car- ter's farm, where Kershaw's divison of confederate infan- try was encountered. The enemy was strongly posted, and as a heavy rain was falling, and the fields being very soft horses could not be ridden out of a walk. Under these disadvantages, and after several attempts to break our line had been made, the cavalry quietly withdrew. In the action Lieutenant Boyd, of Company C, was killed. In the war records General Early says that Averell became so troublesome on the Martinsburg pike, that he detached Kershaw and sent him to strenghen their force on that road.
CHAPTER XV.
BATTLES OF WINCHESTER AND FISHIER'S HILL.
Sheridan says, "Finding Early's right weakened, I determined to go in and crush him." On the evening of tha 18th we were informed by official orders that there would be a general engagement on the morrow. This news was received by the regiment with the greatest satis- faetion, for constant skirmishing without apparent result was getting to be monotonous, and we were quite willing to settle the matter by whipping the enemy, or getting whipped in the attempt.
The reading of orders telling of a battle "to-morrow" was a new experience in our war life; and on that mem- orable Sabbath evening, gathered about the bivouac fires, the deliberate contemplation of "battle to-morrow" was not unmixed with serions thoughts. The silent preparations were made with many a heartache, many tender memories ofhome and loved ones. It may be that a tear may steal down the check of some old warrior as these recollections rowd upon him. "The bravest are the tenderest, the lov- ing are the true." How many will answer the next roll call? As the night passes and the sentry paces his beat, the camp-fires growing dim in the distance scem to him jack-o-lanterns; his faithful horse shares his watch, while these thoughts flit over his mind, until his quick car do- tects the approach of the relief guard, and his mind is freed from the strain of the last hours. The younger soklier is not troubled with these thoughts, he does not think of con-
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sequences, as with flashing eye he pictures the conflict of to-morrow. He does not dream of defeat; and as he sits by the fire writing to some fair-haired Northern maiden, his words tell of victory already won and he the sharer in that victory.
It is not purposed to describe these Shenandoah bat- tles in detail, but the narrative will be confined more par- ticularly to the operations of the cavalry of which the regi- ment was a part. The cavalry movements just now begin- ning under Sheridan were so gigantie and so audacious that they gave the world a new conception of such warfare. The dash, vigor and boldness displayed at all times start- led the Confederate commanders. They recognized . that this was a "new departure" and the abler ones saw that the end was not far off. It would require the pen of a poet and the brush of a painter, made red with the blasonry of battle, to describe the tone, color and movement of these events. It is simply impossible. It is glorious to have lived and participated in them.
At break of day, on Monday, the 19th of September, the advance began, and soon the little white puffs of smoke plainly told us that the skirmishers were at work. Near Bunker Hill a considerabir body of cavalry, supported by artillery, was encountered, but they were quickly driven away. The boom of cannon to our left indicated that the battle was on, and through that day, as the sounds grew louder and nearer, we knew the enemy was disputing every inch of the way. The fighting on our left was des- perate, with charge and counter charge, until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when Crook, with his division of West Virginia infantry and Torbett's cavalry, joined Av- erell on the Uuion right, and boldly charged the rebel left. An historian, speaking of this, says: "The sight was inspir- iting, and at onee the Union lines moved solidly forward on the rebel right and center. The cavalry and Crook's in- fantry repeatedly charged the retreating Confederates, fol- lowing them to their fortified heights."
About the time Averell formed a junction with Tor-
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bett and Crook, a portion of the Second West Virginia was sent a short distance to the left in a wood. Here they ran into a brigade of rebel cavalry in line faced the other way. The seven shooters were brought into play, the enemy became panic stricken, and was followed in flank by our little band, which, with wild shouts of victory, apparently drove them from the field. The regiment bore an important part in the charge with the brigade under Colonel Powell, capturing eighty prisoners and two can- non on Winchester Heights. In this rout, which sent Early whirling up the valley, the regiment occupied the right; and when crossing Winchester Heights in the evening, we had a panoramic view of Early's panic stricken army, pursued by our victorous troopers.
The night of the 19th the regiment camped a few miles to the south and west of Winchester.
The result of the battle is well known. Sheridan captured 2,500 prisoners, nine battle flags and five pieces of artillery. The enemy left 3,000 wounded in Win- chester. Our loss was also heavy, the killed, wounded and missing aggregating 4,500.
A critic in writing of this battle, has said :- "The battle of the Opeqnan was fought with the precision of clock work, and was the first one of the war in which cavalry, artillery and infantry were all used concurrently and to the best possible advantage, each according to its own nature and traditions."
The overthrow of the enemy was absolute and com- plete. The country was electrified, and the gloom which had hung over it was dispelled as if by magic. Gold took such a tumble as it had not received since the outbreak of the rebellion, and from that time forth no one doubted the triumph of our arms or the re-establishment of the Union.
Early on tre morning of the 20th the march was again taken up, and soon the Second West Virginia was deployed as skimishers. The rebel cavalry was soon driven away, and we were confronted by infantry skirmishers, who grad- ually gave way all day.
GENERAL JUBAL A. EARLY,
From a Photo. since the war.
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
On the 21st the same tacties were followed, the enemy making some bold stands, bat they were dislodged and forced back. On this day, while our skirmishers had halt- ed to receive ammunition, a red fox trotted along our front, making for North mountain, but when firing again com- menced, some trooper may have halted him with a shot from his carbine.
On the morning of the 22d we dismounted and skirm- ished as infantry, owing to the nature of the country. About noon the Confederates had all been driven into their works at Fisher's Hill, their left resting on North Moun- tain. Our skirmishers had worked their way to within one hundred yards of the rebel works, and a desultory firing was kept up. Crook, with his infantry marched in the rear of our line, and gained North Mountain. At 5 p. m. this gallant commander charged the rebel left, doubling up their line; then the infantry on our left charged, and the entire rebel position was carried. Through this gap made by Crook, Colonel Powell, with the brigade, charged the broken masses until nine o'clock at night. Many pris- oners were taken in this chase. One thousand men and six- teen guns were taken at Fisher's Hill. Sheridan's biogra- pher says that all that saved Early's army from de- struetien as an organization was the stubborn fight made against Torbett at Milford, in the Luray valley by the confederate cavalry under General Wickham, who at Front Royal the day before (Sept. 21st) had fought Wilson most vigorously. On the 22d, Torbett was held in check all day at Milford, finally at sundown, driving Wickham before him. Both were splendid and well matched cavalry battles, in which the a lvantage findly rested with us, but the stubborn fighting of the confederate troops saved their army, nevertheless.
On Sept. 23d, while in the face of the enemy, General Averell was relieved from his command, and for the gal- lant conduet of the Second brigade, Colonel Powell was assigned to the command of the Second Cavalry Division. This was a responsible position for Colonel Powell, as-
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suming command of so large a body of mounted men and in the face of the enemy. General Sheridan reposed great confidence in Colonel Powell, and subsequently expressed his satisfaction with the choice he had made. Colonel Powell handled the division with good judgment, and for this efficiency was finally commissioned as brigadier gener- al of volunteers.
On the 24th, the pursuit was renewed, Powell's divis- ion taking the back road several miles to the right of the valley pike. About 9 o'clock in the morning a determined body of rebel cavalry was found posted on a hill in a small town, prepared to resist our advance. Lieut. J. W. Riek- er's squadron of the Second Virginia was sent forward, and boldly charged the Confederates, taking them in flank, and driving them upon their main column, capturing a number of prisoners. The ground on the left of the road admitted of mounted men riding at good speed, and while the advanee in the road time and again charged the rebel rear, our little force rode along their column and poured a withering fire into them at short range. This wild fight was kept up all day, our enthusiastic pursuers not permitt- ing them to form a line to protect their column; for every time this was attempted, the flankers were there with a deadly cross fire from their seven shooters. The whole division was coming rapidly up, full of that eleetrie fervor of victory which makes the soldier forget fatigue and hun- ger, and making him to feel as if the world was akin to his mood, as the passion of victory with which he is animat- ed beating in his breast with rythmie jubilance.
The main infantry force was camped near Harrison- burg, the division under Powell continuing to Brown's Gap, on the 26th, and Meyer's cave on the 27th, where the Confederate cavalry was encountered. Of this affair Gen- eral Powell, in his paper on "Sheridan in the Shenandoah" published in the Indianapolis American Tribune, April 17, 1891, says: "The disposition of my line had but barely been made and executed, when Gen. Wickham, commanding Fifth Hugh Lee's cavalary, having moved around the south end of
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the Meyer's cave ridge, attacked my right, opening the en- gagement with artillery. I immediately ordered Lient. Weir with a section of the 5th U. S. Artillery to change position, and bear upon the advancing line of the enemy on my right. I then assumed command of my old regi- ment, the Second West Virginia Cavalry, and by a vigor- ous fire from my guns, skillfully and energetically execu- ted by Lieut. Weir, and a determined charge by the Sec- ond Cavalry, that I must say here, never failed me in an emergeney, Wiekham's dashing cavalry were driven back in confusion, utterly routed, and they did not again dis- turb my right."
The cavalry under Torbett went as far as Waynesboro, and on their return, laid waste the valley. The army then quietly returned to Strasburg. Of this destruction in the valley, General Sheridan says: "In moving back to this point, the whole country from the Blue Ridge to the North Mountain was made untenable for a rebel army. I have destroyed over two theusand barns filled with wheat, hay and farming implements, and over seventy mills filled with wheat and flour; have driven in front of this army over four thousand head of stock, and have killed and issued to the troops over three thousand sheep. Since I entered the valley from Harper's Ferry, every train, every small party, and every straggler has been bush-whacked by the people, many of whom have protection papers. Lieutenant Meigs and his engineer were murdered near Dayton. For this atrocious aet all houses within an area of five miles were burned." About the 25th or 26th, Companies HI and I, under command of Lient. JJ. W. Rieker, were ordered to report to General Sheridan's headquarters at Harrisonburg. Soon after arriving there they were sent with the headquarters signal corps to Mas- sanutten Mountain, six miles cast of Harrisonburg. The signal corps established itself on a spur of the mountain, and with their powerful field glasses commanded a view of the valley for miles in nearly every direction. They sig- naled to Sheridan's headquarters, detailing all that came
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
within scope of their observation. It was nearly two miles from the base of the mountain to the top ; and while the weather was warm in the valley, large fires were kept burning on the top. The first duty performed, and that after night, was to clear away the brush and timber so there was an unobstructed view of General Sheridan's head- quarters, six miles distant. The first dispatch signaled by the torches was, that near the base of the mountain, to the cast of us, there was a large camp of cavalry supposed to be Torbett, as his route had been up the Luray valley. The answer was returned "O. K." The next morning the cavalry named broke camp early ; but to our surprise they wont in the direction of Early's position, and proved to be General Wickham with Fitz Hugh Lee's division of rebel cavalry. The signal corps officers were very kind to us, and frequently allowed us to take a peep through the large field glasses. Water and provisions. had to be carried to the mountain top, which was very laborious. The squad- ron camped near the base of the mountain, and as the country was rich, they lived off the fat of the land. A water power mill containing plenty of wheat, and a fine sweet potato patch were found near by. These had been left by General Early, and were promptly taken charge of by the squadron. They operated the mill,-or rather asked the miller to do so; they dug the sweet potatoes, ex- changed flour for butter, eggs and honey and other com- modities not usually found in the commissary. A few of the boys were seen carrying their canteens, and otherwise guarding them carefully. To the unitiated this did not mean anything, but to the knowing it told its own story. There was apple jack in the country. This article was always regarded as a contraband of war. From the signal station they had a grand panoramic view of the de- struetion of the barns, granaries and mills of the valley. About the 5th of October the squadron was withdrawn from the montain, and ordered to report to General Tor- bett's headquarters, near Harrisonburg. The order was received late in the evening, so that when they arrived
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there, the general and staff had retired. An orderly re- ported their presence to the general, who directed them to tie up and camp until morning. They were right in the midst of the army, and after some delay found a resting place near General Crook's headquarters. The next morning they drew rations and forage, and, as Colonel Powell had gone down the Luray valley, they were expected to join the di- vision. However, they were held in camp until about ten o'clock, when Lieutenant Rieker received orders to proceed down the valley pike with the squadron as escort to eight or ten ambulances containing two U. S. paymasters, a member of Congress from Michigan, an eastern newspaper correspondent, General Custer's adjutant general, and a few other officers, in all about twenty persons, on their way to Martinsburg. The lieutenant's orders were to proceed down the valley pike, and not to permit himself to be drawn off the road by any demonstrations of the enemy, but to proceed rapidly until a train under escort of a divi- sion of infantry which had left camp in the morning, was overtaken, then to turn the ambulances over to them and join the division in the Luray valley. It was expected they would overtake the train by two or three o'clock. The little band, numbering about sixty carbines, with their charge, left eamp about 10:30 a. m. Soon after passing the union piekets, squads of the enemy were observed on both flanks, but it was well known that the country below was alive with rebel forces under Mosby and MeNeal. The object of the enemy seemed to be to make demonstration with only a few men to induce them to leave the road with a part of their force, when they hoped to stampede the rest and capture the wagons at least. At the little town of Edinburg a citizen told them that the train was just ahead when the fact was the train was more than twelve miles away. One of the men noticed an old colored man, apparently con- cealed behind a house, making motions as if to attract at- tention. The trooper went up to him, and learned that the enemy were all around there, that they had destroyed a small bridge north of town after the train had passed, and
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that they would have to make a considerable detour to the west to eross the stream. In making this crossing they were confronted by a force of rebel cavalry nearly twice their number, but our boys kept a solid line, with carbines in position, and beyond a few shots fired by the foe, there was no disposition shown to attack them. When they finally regained the pike, their course seemed elearer. It was now after 5 o'clock, and the train was still far ahead. In this way they kept on until dark, when all dis- tinctly heard the rattle of the train on the stony pike ahead, and from every elevation in the road expected to see the camp fires of the infantry, or at least find their pickets. So certain were they as the noise indicated that the train was just ahead, that they somewhat relaxed their vigilance, and relieved from the anxiety of the afternoon were chatting and laughing and congratulating themselves on their escape. From the ambulances came tones of good cheer, as in the darkness they pursued their way. At last, from the top of a little hill in front came the the welcome and expected challenge "halt, who comes there." "Friends." Advance one." Corporal George A. Stewart went forward to satisfy the picket as to who they were. The rest of the party properly re- mained where they were, awaiting the signal "Come on!" Just as they were getting impatient at the delay, the wel- come summons was borne on the night air in clear and loud tones, "All right, come ahead." As the little band neared the top of the hill where the pieket was supposed to be, a heavy fire was poured into their column from an am- buscade scarcely twenty paces away. It was very dark, and the flash of the enemy's guns seemed right at their feet. Fortunately, their aim was too low, for not a man was touched, and only two horses were killed. The persons in the ambulance hastily songht shelter behind some stone by the roadside. Quickly recovering from a momentary sur- prise, the escort opened fire on the now retreating rebels, shouting to them, calling them bush whackers and cowards. Stewart afterward told how the two rebels that had hold of
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him said, "Run faster, Yank, or the last one of us will be killed." The corporal said that for once in his life the whiz of bullets was a welcome sound to him, for he had the pleasure of seeing the discomfiture of his captors.
It was near 10 o'clock when they came up with the train where it had gone into camp. The officers in the ambulances were overjoyed at the happy termination of the lively adventure.
After some thrilling experiences, Stewart finally es- caped from his captors, and made his way to Winchester, six days after. He informed us that the officer command- ing the enemy and three men were killed.
The colonel, commanding the infantry, backed up by the officers they had been escorting, prevailed upon Lieu- tenant Rieker to accompany the train to Winchester. The squadron deployed on the flanks of the infantry as skirm- ishers, and proceeded in this manner to Fisher's Hill. The commanding officer at Winchester ordered the squadron on to Martinsburg with the officers under escort. While in this place they drew clothing, of which the entire command was in sore need.
The squadron started for Front Royal, where the di- vision was camped, about the 10th of October. The dis- tance from Martinsburg to Winchester is twenty-four miles ; and that morning the weather was very cold. They were accompanied by about an equal number of infantry, and on account of the cold the troopers invited them to ride their horses, they preferring to walk. The footmen were much pleased with the change, it being new to them, and they sat on the horses until they became numbed with cold. They reminded us of the story of the boy on horse- back whom a stranger met, and observing that the boy was very cold, asked him why he did not walk and warm him- self. To this inquiry the boy replied, "Stranger, this is a b-b-borrowed horse, and I'll ride him if I f-f-freeze."
At that time the election for state officers in Ohio was held on the second Tuesday in October, and a law had been passed permitting soldier voters in the field to cast
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
their ballots. The squadron procecded to Ceder Creek, and exercised the right of suffrage by voting at the polls of the 36th O. V. I. They then joined the division at Front Royal.
Picketing, scouting and foraging kept the regiment quite busy. A strong line of videttes had to be kept in front, and it was common to sce rebel troopers come in sight, take a look at the situation of the outposts, and then retire.
On one occasion a detail of about six hundred from the division under command of an officer of the Second Virginia, went out on a four day's picket duty. Colonel Powell had sent word to this officer that all citizens from whom property of any kind had been taken for use of the army were entitled to a hearing in their own behalf. Dur- ing the time mentioned Major Morgan had gone out with a large foraging party of the regiment. It is said that a good soldier will make a "good forager," implying that a good soldier knows where foraging leaves off and pillage begins. The major belonged to this class, for when he came into camp he was laden with everything catable, from a potato to a beef, and following in his wake were all kinds of citizens, from the butternut clad mountaineer to the lady in her carriage. To the officer on picket they all be- gan to pour out their tale of woe, and that officer was so torn with emotion between pity and duty, that he sent the entire party to Colonel Powell. The Colonel was so im- pressed by their appeals that thereafter officers command- ing such expeditions were given authority to pass upon pleas for compensation.
Thus the time passed until the 18th of October. At this time the division occupied a strong position on a low ridge overlooking the plain in front, and the town of Front Royal. On our right the ground was quite rough, and covered with a heavy growth of small timber, thick with underbrush. While the division remained at Front Royal the rebel cavalry occupied a position at Milford. They were constantly driven from their camps and kept in a
ANDREW MCMILLIN
J. H. MCMILLIN.
LT. MILTON MCMILLIN.
The Six Me Millin Brothers.
-
MURRAY MCMILLIN.
LT. EMERSON MCMILLIN.
MARION MCMILLIN,
See page 135
See page 213.
The Six Moll
in Brothers
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
state of unrest. Between the position of our right, and the left of the infantry at Cedar Creek, for several miles, no troops were placed. Before Sheridan left for Washington on the 17th, he directed that a junction be formed between these commands. For some reason this was not done. In this gap the confederates made their attack.
CHAPTER XVI.
BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.
Early on the morning of the 19th we listened to the noise of battle on our right, and some time after daylight our pickets were drawn in, as the increasing noise of battle clearly indicated that our army was falling back. Later in the morning the enemy appeared in our front, but did not make any attempt to attack. The division, or most of it, now marched in the direction of Newtown, and arrived on the Valley pike just as General Sheridan passed on his way from Winchester. We witnessed the movements of the cavalry under Merritt and Custer, but was not called into action there, but just before the final charge that won the battle of Cedar Creek, we advanced in the direction of Front Royal, driving the rebel cavalry under Lomax, and camping in our old position that night. While the divis- ion was only slightly engaged in this battle, yet the Con- federates had anticipated throwing a force in the rear of our army by the Front Royal road, and the bold stand taken and maintained by Colonel Powell prevented the carrying out of their plans. For this generalship, and the gallantry displayed by Colonel Powell successively as reg- imental, brigade, and division commander, he was pro- moted to the position of Brigadier General of Volunteers.
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