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RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
THE NEW YORK PUBLir I.IRIURY
ASTOR. LENOX AND TILHEN POUNDATIONS It L
Lieutenant-Colonel R. SNOWDEN ANDREWS,
Confederate States Artillery.
From a portrait by Hallwig.
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RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL Commanding the FIRST MARYLAND ARTILLERY
(ANDREWS' BATTALION)
CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY
A MEMOIR
Edited by TUNSTALL SMITH, Baltimore
Press of
The Sun Job Printing Office
1910
THE NJ-W YORK PUBLK3 LIBRARY
190781-
AinOK, LKNOX AND
■WLDEiN VOUNL>AT10NS
R 1942 L
He would not flatter Neptu7ie for his trident.
Or Jove for ^ s power to thunder. His heart'' s his mouth;
What his breast forges, that his tongue must vent ;
And, being angry, does forget that ever
He heard the name of death.
Shakespeare, Coriolanus III : i, 256.
PREFACE.
In the year iS^y, General Bradley T. Johnson, who zt'as engaged in a zvork on the Marylanders in the Con- federate Army, zvrote from his farm, "The Woodlands," in Virginia, and asked me to persuade my father-in-law, General Andrews, to send him an account of a fight of tzvo guns of the First Maryland Artillery at Sevensons Depot near Winchester in i86^; and at the same time, to zvrite his recollections of his military experience.
General Andrezvs began this in ipoo, but zvas seised by the illness from zvhich he never recovered, zvithont finishing it. I sent zvhat he had done to General Johnson who said he would finish it from his ozvn recollection; but unfortunately he, too, zuas attacked by a severe illness and died zmthout completing the zvork. All the papers were sent back to me by General Johnson's son and are
8 PREFACE
now in the possession of General Andrezvs' son, Charles Lee Andrezvs, of Neiv York.
I have endeavored to weave these fragments into a continuous narrative, introducing the original papers and letters in their proper sequence, supplying the parts that are wanting from Scharfs History of Maryland and other sources.
Captain Cecil Battine, of the Fifteenth, the King's Hussars, in the preface to his "Crisis of the Confederacy," says:
"If the heroic endurance of the Southern people and the fiery valour of the Southern Armies thrill us today with wonder and admiration, the stubborn tenacity and courage zvhich succeeded in preserving intact the heritage of the American Nation, and zvhich triumphed over foes so for- midable, are not less zvorthy of praise and imitation. The Americans still hold the zvorld's record for hard fighting."
My object hi printing this memoir, is to preserve for his family and descendants a record of some of the events in the life of an American soldier zvho did his full share
PREFACE 9
of hard fighting; I hope it may also be of some interest to the descendants of those who served zvitli him.
I beg to express my thanks to Dr. James McHenry Hoivard, Messrs. Duncan Clark, Clapham Murray, D. Ridgely Hozvard, Thomas Clcmniitt, Jr., John Redivood, and Major J'V. Stuart Symington for their assistance and suggestions: end to Mrs. Pinkney IVhyte, Mrs. F. McLaughlin, Messrs. Bradley Saunders Jolinson, B. Welch Owens and Robert Y. Conrad for photographs.
TuNSTALL Smith. Baltimore, 1910.
CONTENTS
Page Chap. I. Introductory 15
Chap. II. Personal Reminiscences 29
Chap. III. Recollections of the Summer of 1862 by Mary
Lee Andrews 56
Chap. IV. Cedar Run — Second Battle of Fredericksburg . . "^ti,
Chap. V. Steven so n^s Depot — Gettysburg 94
Chap. VI. England-France-Germany-Mexico-Conclusion. . . 124
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Snowden Andrews Frontispiece.
Brigadier-General T. P. Andrews i6
Emily Roseville Snowden 24
Brigadier-General Bradley Tyler Johnson 32
Lieutenant-Colonel James R. Herbert 40
James William Owens 48
Mary Lee Andrews 56
Dr. John Contee Fairfax 64
The Torn Jacket 68
Major R. Snowden Andrews 72
Facsimile of Recommendation for Prot>iotion 7^-17
DowNMAN House 88
Marye House 88
August James Albert 96
Stevenson's Depot 100
The Old Bridge 100
Maryland Veterans 112
Facsimile of Permit to Accompany German Army 130
Colonel T. S. Rhett 136
CHAPTER I.
Introductory.
Richard Snowden Andrews was born in Wash- ington, D. C, October 29, 1830, the son of Colonel Timothy Patrick Andrews and Emily Roseville [Snowden] Andrews. Timothy Pat- rick Andrews was born in Ireland and came to America with his father, George Andrews, in 1798. He had two brothers, both in the United States Army, — Colonel George Andrews and Colonel Christopher Andrews. As all three brothers were in the army and one or the other served in three wars,^ it may be of interest to give a short account of their experiences.
George Andrews was in the wars against the Seminole Indians in Florida. The Army and Navy Chronicle for the year 1838 is full of indig- nant letters against the useless sacrifice of valu- able lives ; one letter contends that all the Indians in Florida were not worth the life of one of the
^George Andrews, in the Seminole War; T. P. Andrews, in the Mexican War; R. Snowden Andrews was in the Confederate Army, while his father was Paymaster General of the United States Army; his son, Charles Lee Andrews, served on the "Yankee" in the Spanish War.
15
i6 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
officers, so many of whom perished in hunting down the Seminoles, and suggests that the gov- ernment should put a price on the head of every Indian and so induce adventurers to rid the country of them by using Cuban bloodhounds or any other means.
George Andrews was a captain in the Sixth United States Infantry at the battle of Lake Okeechobee in the Seminole War, December 25th, 1837. Colonel Zachary Taylor in his official report of the battle says:
"I am not sufficiently master of words to express my admiration of the gallantry and steadiness of the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Regiment of Infantry. It was their fortune to bear the brunt of the battle. The report of the killed and wounded, which accompanies this, is more conclusive evidence of their merits than anything I can say. After five companies of this regiment, against whom the enemy directed the most deadly fire, were nearly cut up (there being only four men left uninjured in one of them), and every officer and orderly sergeant of these companies, with one exception, were either killed or wounded, Captain Noel, with the remaining two companies formed on the right of the Fourth Infantry, entered the hammock with that regiment and continued the fight and the pursuit until its termination. It is due to Captain Andrews and Lieu- tenant Walker to say they commanded two of the five companies mentioned above and they continued to direct them until they were both severely wounded and carried from the field, the latter receiving three separate balls.
!ii)fl6flfl9SB5iMK.il»tf«)Htf«!6JKK(McgeBiia
Brigadier-General T. P. ANDREWS, United States .Xrmy.
A MEMOIR 17
Officers killed: Lieutenant-Colonel A. R. Thompson, Adjutant J. P. Center, Captain van Swearingen, First Lieutenant F. J. Brooke, and nineteen rank and file, all of the Sixth.
Officers wounded: Captain G. Andrews,
Second Lieutenant W. H. T. Walker, First Lieutenant J. L. Hooper,
and seventy-six rank and file, of the Sixth and Fourth."
Colonel Thompson and Adjutant Center were both killed by shots from Indians in the tree tops. Colonel George Andrews was shot during the battle of Lake Okeechobee in a most extraor- dinary way. He saw an Indian in the top branches of a tall pine signalling to his warriors. He seized a musket from a soldier and fired. The Indian dropped but had first sent a ball throug;h Colonel Andrews' arm from the wrist to the elbow.
George Andrews graduated from West Point July I, 1823, and began in the Sixth Infantry as Second Lieutenant. He retired from active serv- ice as Lieutenant-Colonel of the same regiment, February 15, 1862, for disability resulting from long and faithful service and wounds received in the line of duty.
Timothy Patrick Andrews served when scarcely more than a boy with Commodore
i8 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Barney on the "Potomac" in 1814. He was after- wards appointed a Paymaster in the Army.
A curious item appears in the Army and Navy Chronicle of May i8th, 1837:
Rapid Travelling. Paymaster T. P. Andrews and Lieu- tenant A. Herbert, of the Army, left Black Creek, Florida, on Tuesday, the 9th instant, and arrived at Washington on Monday last, having performed the journey in six days. This is the shortest time, we believe, in which the same journey has ever been accomplished; and when we take into account that there is no connected line of steamboats and stages, it may be accounted a remarkably short trip.
When the Mexican War broke out he was put in command of the voltigeurs (a regiment spe- cially organized for this war, but afterwards known as the Mounted Rifles), as colonel, with Joseph E. Johnston, afterwards Commander-in- Chief of the Confederate Army at the beginning of the war of 1861, as lieutenant-colonel. He was distinguished for bravery at the battle of El Molino, and was brevetted Brigadier-General for conspicuous gallantry at the capture of Chapul- tepec, where his regiment led the assault. But in order to refresh the memory about the almost forgotten events of this war in which there w^ere so many actors who were destined to play impor- tant parts in a larger and more terrible drama
A MEMOIR 19
not long afterwards, it is only necessary to quote a few of the reports of generals from the official records of the Mexican War.
General Worth in his official report of the bat- tle of El Molino on the 8th of September, 1847, writes:
"I desire to bring to the notice of the General-in-Chief the gallantry and good conduct of Brigadier-General Cadwalader. * * =f= General Cadwalader particularly notices Colonel Andrews, Lieutenant-Colonel Graham (killed), Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. Johnston, Majors Cald- well and Talcott, Captains C. J. Biddle, Irwin and Guthrie, Lieutenant R. H. Johnson, Assistant Surgeon J. D. Scott and especially Captain G. Deas, Assistant Adjutant- General."2
The victory of the 8th at Molinos del Rey was followed by daring reconnoissances on the part of our distinguished engineers — Captain Lee, Lieutenants Beauregard, Stevens and Tower^ and special mention is made of Lieutenant Jackson's section of Captain Magruder's field battery.'*
General Scott's report to the Secretary of War says :
"Besides Major Generals Pillow and Quitman, Brigadier Generals Shields, Smith and Cadwalader, the following are the officers and corps most distinguished in these brilliant operations : The voltigeur regiment in two detachments
^Mexican War Reports, I, 366. ^Ibid. I, 376. *Ibid. I, 381.
20 RICHARD S NOW DEN ANDREWS
commanded respectively by Colonel Andrews and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Johnston, the latter mostly in the lead, accompanied by Major Caldwell, Captain Barnard and Biddle of the same regiment, the former the first to plant a regimental colours and the latter among the first in the assault; the storming party of Worth's division under Captain McKenzie, Second Artillery, with Lieutenant Selden, Eighth Infantry, early on the ladder and badly wounded ; Lieutenant Armistead, Sixth Infantry, the first to leap into the ditch to plant a ladder; Lieutenant Rogers of the Fourth and J. P. Smith of the Fifth Infantry (both mortally wounded) ; the Ninth Infantry under Colonel Ransom, who was killed while gallantly leading that gallant regiment; the Fifteenth Infantry under Lieutenant-Colonel Howard and Major Woods with Captain Chase, whose Company gallantly carried the redoubt, midway up the acclivity; Colonel Clarke's brigade (Worth's division) con- sisting of the Fifth, Eighth and part of the Sixth Regiments of Infantry commanded respectively by Captain Chapman, Major Montgomery and Lieutenant Edward Johnson (the latter specially noticed), with Lieutenants Longstreet (badly wounded, advancing colours in hand), Pickett and Merchant.^ * * *
In conclusion, I beg to enumerate, once more, with due commendation and thanks, Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock * * * Captain Lee, Engineer, so constantly distinguished, also bore important orders from me (September 13th) until he fainted from a wound and the loss of two nights' sleep at the batteries, Lieutenants Beauregard, Stevens and
^Mexican War Reports, I, 379-380.
A MEMOIR 21
Tower * * * Lieutenants G. W. Smith and G. P.. McClellan. * * *
I have the honor to be, Sir, with high respect, Your most obedient servant,
WiNFIELD SCOTT.6
To Hon. WilHam Marcy,
Sec'y of War.
General Worth's report follows:'^
"After advancing some four hundred yards we came to a battery which had been assailed by a portion of Magruder's field guns — particularly the section under the gallant Lieu- tenant Jackson who, although he had lost most of his horses and many of his men, continued chivalrously at his post combatting with noble courage * * * i have again to make acknowledgments to Colonels Garland and Clark, brigade commanders, and also to their respective staffs ; to Lieutenant-Colonels Duncan and Smith; Captain McKenzie, commanding, and the following officers composing the storming party : Lieutenant Simpson, Second Artillery, and Johnson, Third Artillery (light battalion) Lieutenants Rogers and McConnell, Fourth Infantry; Captain Ruggles and Lieutenant J. P. Smith, Fifth Infantry; Lieutenants Armistead and Morrow, Sixth Infantry; and Lieutenant Selden, Eighth Infantry; to Lieutenant-Colonel Belton, Third Artillery, Major Lee, Fourth; and Brevet Major Montgomery, Eighth ; to Lieutenant Jackson, First Artillery (Magruder's light battery) Lieutenant Hunt, Second
''Mexican War Reports, I, 385-386. ^bid. I, 391, &c.
22 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Artillery (Duncan's light battery) Captain Brooks (Second Artillery) Lieutenants Lendrum and Shields, Third Artillery; S. Smith, Haller and Grant, Fourth Infantry, especially; and Lieutenant Judah, Fourth Infantry, Lieu- tenant and Adjutant Lugenbiel, Fifth; and Lieutenant E. Johnson, Sixth (much distinguished) Captains Bomfort and Gates, and Lieutenants Merchant and Pickett (each distin- guished for gallantry and zeal) ; the young and gallant Rodgers and J. P. Smith, lieutenants of the Fourth and Fifth Infantry, killed with the storming party; Captain Edwards, voltigeurs, and Lieutenant Hagner, ordnance, commanded mounted howitzers, placed upon buildings, and rendered effective service, well sustained by the intelligent ordnance men.
Of the staff : Lieutenants Stephens, Smith and McClellan, engineers, displayed the gallantry, skill and conduct which so eminently distinguished their corps. ^
W. J. Worth,
Gen'l."
"In noticing the conduct of the officers of the voltigeurs, and the Ninth and Fifteenth Infantry, in this charge of unsurpassed gallantry, I can scarcely command language to do them justice.
The voltigeur regiment, which was ordered forward in advance as skirmishers to clear the entrenchments and trees of the large force of the enemy, who were directing a most galling fire into the command, the right wing under the very gallant and accomplished Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston, and the left under the brave Colonel Andrews himself,
^Mexican War Reports, I, 394.
A MEMOIR 23
assisted by the gallant j\Iajor Caldwell, having united, cleared the woods, and pursued the enemy so hotly, that he was not able to ignite his mines, drove him inside the parapet itself, and occupied the broken ground around the ditch of the fortification, all in the face of a most heavy fire from the enemy's small arms and heavy guns. The ladders arrived and several efforts were made by both officers and men to scale the walls. But many of the gallant spirits who first attempted it fell killed or wounded. Colonel Andrews, whose regiment so distinguished itself and its commander by this brilliant charge, as also Lieutenant- Colonel Johnston and Major Caldwell, whose activity enabled them to lead this assault, have greatly distinguished themselves by their gallantry and daring. * * *
Gideon J. Pillow,
Major-General U. S. A."
Wilcox's History of the Mexican War calls special attention to these officers of the voltigeur regiment:
Colonel Timothy P. Andrews (Brevet Brigadier-General, Chapultepec) ; Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph E. Johnston, (Commander-in-Chief Confederate States Army) ; Captains : James J. Archer (Brigadier-General C. S. A.) ; Charles J. Biddle (Colonel U. S. V.)'; James A. Caldwell, (Major U. S. A.) ; John Eager Howard (Grandson of the Revolu- tionary General of that name) ; among the lieutenants, William S. Walker (Brigadier-General C. S. A.)
Besides those already mentioned in the above extracts, the following well known officers are
24 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
commended in the battle reports of the Mexican War where they were unconsciously preparing themselves for the great struggle in which they were destined to take part:
John G. Barnard, Joseph R. F. Mansfield, Isaac Stevens, Benjamin Huger, Josiah Gorgas, Jesse L. Reno, Richard T. Ewell, W. W. Loring, Ambrose P. Hill, Arnold Elzey, John F. Rey- nolds, Francis J. Thomas, A. E. Burnside, Rob- ert S. Garnett, Simon B. Buckner, W. S. Han- cock.
After the war General T. P. Andrews was returned to the pay department of the Army and, gradually rising in rank, became in September, 1862, Paymaster-General of the United States Army. He married Emily Roseville, third daughter of Richard and Eliza (Warfield) Snow- den. Richard Snowden, of Wales, the progen- itor of the Snowdens of Maryland, is said to have held a major's commission under Oliver Crom- well. He came to America in 1639 and died in 1704. There is on file at Annapolis a deed for ten thousand acres of land to "one Richd. Snow- den, gentleman." His son, Richard Snowden, Jr., married and was living as late as 1717- Thomas, grandson of Richard Snowden, Jr., mar-
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A MEMOIR 25
ried Ann Ridgely. Their oldest child was Rich- ard, who married Eliza, daughter of Dr. Charles Alexander Warfield, and they were the parents of Emily Roseville (Snowden) Andrews. Dr. Charles Alexander Warfield led the band of patriots that burned the ship "Peggy Stewart," laden with tea at the wharf in Annapolis, on October 19th, 1774.
Richard Snowden Andrews received his edu- cation at private schools in Washington and in Georgetown. His father made him serve for a time as apprentice to a carpenter that he might learn the use of tools; and the practical knowl- edge he thus obtained of mechanical work was of great value to him afterwards. He spent his boyhood in Washington; among his companions were Wadsworth Ramsey, his cousin, Nicholas Snowden Hill, — afterwards Major Hill of the Confederate Army, — and his cousins Charles Snowden Fairfax and John Contee Fairfax who lived near the Soldiers' Home at "Woodburn," the residence of their mother (Caroline Eliza Snowden) who had married, secondly, Captain W. R. Sanders.^
^Captain Sanders' mother, Elizabeth Rollins, was married three times and had three sons, one by each husband — W. Rol- lins Sanders, John Contee and Dennis Magruder, Jr. Second
26 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
In 1849 his father removed his family to Balti- more, Maryland, and young Andrews, then in his nineteenth year, entered the firm of Niernsee & Nelson, architects, intending to make architect- ure his profession. He completed his studies which he had begun in Washington, and remained with this firm until the outbreak of the Civil War. Among the buildings which he helped to design may be mentioned the Hospital for the Insane, at Weston, West Virginia; the governor's mansion at Annapolis, Maryland; the South Wing of the Treasury Department at Washington, D. C, the United States Custom House at Baltimore, Maryland, the Eastern High School, churches, and other buildings of lesser note. He was a member of the Church and taught a class in the Sunday School at Emman- uel Church at the corner of Cathedral and Read Streets.
Some time before the war he had a most extraordinary premonition that war was inevi-
and even third marriages seem to have been the rule among the landed gentry of Prince George's County, in Maryland, but the relationships never interfered with the stern duties and pleasures of life; for on one occasion John Contee and his half brother, Dennis Magruder had a quarrel and determined to hght a duel, and the third half brother. Captain Sanders, acted as second for both principals.
A MEMOIR 27
table. His friends laughed at him; but this had no effect. He deliberately and seriously set to work to learn all he could about artillery and practically prepared himself to serve as an offi- cer in this branch.
Major A. R. H. Ranson of the Confederate Army tells this anecdote: "When Snowden Andrews went to Richmond with the drawings he had stolen of the Napoleon guns, I happened to sleep in the same room with him; in the morn- ing he got up first and began unpacking his trunk, when I noticed a pair of epaulettes in his hand and said 'Snowden, I know what those drawings are; they are the plans you stole; but what are you going to do with the epaulettes?' 'Wear them,' said Snowden. Sure enough, when I next saw him two years later he was a lieuten- ant-colonel of artillery and was wearing the epaulettes."
When the Civil War broke out he went imme- diately to Richmond. Here, with characteristic energy, he set to work to organize the First Maryland Light Artillery, (which afterwards became known as "Andrews' Battery,") and was elected Captain. Captain Andrews designed his own guns after a pattern used by Napoleon, and
28 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
these guns, cast by the Tredegar Iron Works of Richmond, were the first cannon made for the Southern Army. They were afterwards returned to the armory, the battery having captured at Frazier's farm a set of northern guns which he found to be better weapons than his own. But his own words best describe this period:
CHAPTER II.
Personal Reminiscences.
"On Sunday night preceding the 19th of April, 1861, being deeply impressed with the impending crisis, unable to take my usual rest, at a late hour I determined to seek out those whom I consid- ered our natural leaders, to learn their views. It was nearly midnight when I visited the residence of the Hon. Henry May, then the leader of the Democratic party of our State, recently elected Member of Congress from this City. In answer to my summons, his faithful old servant Tom replied: 'Yes, sir. Mr. May is in his library.' On my entrance he was startled, and asked: Ts any- one ill? What is it, Snowden?' 'Pardon me, Mr. May, I cannot sleep. A crisis is at hand, and our leaders do not seem to appreciate the importance of the situation. You are the acknowledged leader of the Democratic party and the Hon. J. V. L. McMahon of the Old Line Whigs. Get together and map out a line of conduct for the people of this State to follow.' 'I don't know what you mean,' he replied; 'to what do you refer?' T mean. Sir, if troops are moved through
29
30 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
the City of Baltimore to coerce a Southern State, bloodshed will follow.' 'Why, Snowden, you are too far North. You ought to be in South Caro- lina.' 'Never mind me, or my whereabouts, Mr. May; be assured I know the temper of our peo- ple, and blood will certainly flow.' All my appeals to him to act on my suggestion were as the wind, and useless.
At a subsequent date, having been sent to Richmond by Mr. Lincoln, as a Commissioner to endeavor to harmonize matters, he acknowl- edged to me with much grief that I had foreseen these matters too truly, and that he had been unable to realize the situation until it was too late.
With sorrow I bade him good-night, and sought early the following morning the advice of Mr. James Barney, the leading merchant of Baltimore. He agreed fully with my views, but replied: "I am neither a military man nor an orator to lead the people."
I then sought out Colonel George P. Kane, and begged him to resign his position as Chief of Police, and call upon the people to enlist for the protection of the City. I could get nothing definite from him, except that he was merely a Marshal of Police, and under the orders of the
A MEMOIR 31
Police Commissioners. I soon found he was unequal to the situation.
Days passed and events rolled on. Friday, the 19th of April came, and the Federal authorities endeavored, as was predicted, to pass troops through the City of Baltimore to coerce the Southern States. The populace rose and attacked these troops, some of whom, protected by the Mayor of the City and Police, were enabled to reach Washington. Others of these troops fled and scattered, to recross the Susquehanna by the various roads.
Meanwhile the City was wildly excited, and men were enlisting in various military organiza- tions to beat back the invaders. An immense public meeting assembled in Monument Square, and was addressed by the Mayor (Judge Brown), by Mr. S. Teackle Wallis, and others, including the Governor, T. H. Hicks, who used the follow- ing language: 'T am a Marylander. I love my State and I love the Union, but I will suffer my right arm to be torn from my body before I will raise it to coerce a sister State."
Dispatches were sent by Governor Hicks and the Mayor to the President of the United States, informing him that it was not possible for more
32 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
soldiers to pass throug-h Baltimore unless they fought their way at every step. No immediate reply came from Washington. Authorized by the Governor, a detachment, under the after- wards distinguished General Isaac R. Trimble, went by special train for the purpose of burning the bridges as far as the Bush River. The Long Bridge there was burned. A volunteer party of five gentlemen from Baltimore reached the same place on the same errand. They had ridden on horseback by night to the river, and then gone by boat to the bridge for the purpose of burning it, and in fact they stayed at the bridge and contin- ued the work of burning it until the afternoon. They were organized and commanded by my- self.i^
As we returned from Abingdon towards Balti- more we arrested about eighteen refugees, who had fled from the citizens the previous day and were making their way to the Susquehanna. These prisoners vv^ere turned over to a company of cavalry from Bel Air, who transferred them to the jail. Before parting with them, however, they were ranged around the walls of the sitting room in the Public House, and sworn upon a
i^Charles Marshall, Edmund Law Rogers, Richard Capron and John Ellicott were the others.
a'. # .**
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IV of
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Brigadier-General ^KAI)LI■:^' TYLER JOIIXSUN,
Confederate States Army.
From pliotograiih Ijy \'anner & Jones, Ric'-imond.
A MEMOIR 33
huge Ainsworth's Latin Dictionary, in lieu of a Bible, never again to invade the soil of Maryland.
Tricked by the Civil Authorities.
Upon reaching home from the Bush River expedition, after dark on the evening of the 20th, I found orders to report at the Armory of the Maryland Guard, which I had joined immedi- ately after the melee on Pratt Street. There vol- unteers were called upon to step forward, and the words were whispered around, "Fort Mc- Henry!" Believing that the object was to cap- ture the Fort, I, with others, volunteered at once and we proceeded to march for that point. We were halted and detained until daylight within a quarter of a mile of the gates. We all believed that the object of the expedition was to seize the Fort, and not to protect it from the enraged cit- izens, and I for one would have seen Captain Robinson and his garrison, and the Civil author- ities in Gehenna before I would have volunteered to protect a United States Fort — especially one whose Commandant had threatened to turn its guns on Baltimore.
Unable to find leaders who thought as I did, that the times required vigorous and prompt
34 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
measures to help our Southern brethren, with whom we naturally were affiliated, I determined to turn my best efforts to raising a battery of artillery, equal in my judgment to a number of regiments of infantry.
To this end, in a furious storm, I proceeded to the Pikesville Arsenal (then in the possession of the Garrison Forest Company, Captain Wilson C. Nicholas), to obtain the Inspection Reports of the light twelve-pounder Napoleon guns recently inspected at Chicopee, Massachusetts, and hastened to have models of these guns made from my drawings at a prominent foundry in Baltimore; and the cost of this was guaranteed by two of our leading citizens.
Having obtained a sufficient number of men for the purpose, I proceeded to Frederick, Mary- land, where the Legislature had assembled on the 26th of April, to obtain an appropriation for the purchase of horses for the battery. Upon application to the Baltimore delegation, I was met by the objection that they did not wish to have separate and detailed bills, but that from the Public Safety Bill which had just been pre- pared and which covered several millions of dol- lars, a sufficient sum would be devoted to that
A MEMOIR 35
purpose. The attention of my companion (a graduate of West Point) and myself was then invited to the text of the PubUc Safety Bill about to be presented to the Legislature, and we were requested to express our views upon it. This Bill provided that a Committee of Seven should be appointed, to carry out the provisions of the Bill, which were to appropriate $5,000,000 to arm and equip the militia so as to provide for the public defence, the Governor of the State being one of the seven, lest he should refuse to sign the bill; the majority to rule. My companion, being diffident, declined to express his views. I then was asked for my views on the bill. I replied as follows: "Gentlemen, you are endeavoring to make a legal revolution. I do not believe a legal revolution to be possible. There never was or will be a legal revolution. Before you had finished reading the bill, I had made up my mind as to my personal movements. I shall at once proceed to Baltimore and break up my models, take my drawings and go to Virginia, to fight there for Maryland; and before many days this Committee will be imprisoned in United States Forts", which subsequently proved true.
36 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Within two days I had reached Harper's Ferry, then in control of Virginia troops, and thence hastened to Richmond, where I received from Governor Letcher, within thirty minutes, a Com- mission as Major in a Virginia Regiment of Cav- alry. I accepted this appointment, saying to him that I would accept it temporarily whilst I would endeavor to raise a battery of light artillery, explaining to him my previous steps in that direction. Putting into my hands some sheets of foolscap, he said: ''Write down a full descrip- tion of what you propose." I then, in his pres- ence, wrote a full description of a light twelve- pounder Napoleon Batter}^, consisting of six guns. He endorsed on this paper an order to Colonel Dimmock, Chief of Ordnance of the State of Virginia, to prepare the Battery at the Tredegar works at once. This was done without delay.
In order to render efficient service to my State, I saw clearly that an organization should be pre- pared embracing all branches of service, which would enable the Marylanders then flocking to Virginia to enlist in such branch of the service, infantry, cavalry or artillery, as they might select, to be commanded by the senior Maryland
A MEMOIR 37
officers who should arrive. Commissions were issued in accordance therewith. There were already six companies of infantry at Harper's Ferry, and several companies then being formed. A commission was issued to Bradley T. Johnson in Richmond, as Major of this battalion; Walter Jenefer was commissioned as Colonel of Mary- land Cavalry; Thomas S. Rhett to command the Maryland Artillery as senior officer. Immedi- ately upon the adoption of this programme by Governor Letcher (who saw that this was the method to form a prompt organization of the Marylanders), I proceeded to Baltimore and notified Rhett that his commission was at Har- per's Ferry awaiting him, but he informed me that he could not leave Baltimore for several months.
By this time Baltimore was surrounded, and in the possession of Federal troops, and the train from Harper's Ferry by which I came was fired upon near Ilchester by a body of scared Union soldiers, who imagined that Johnston's army was coming to attack them. A bullet whistled near the head and just missed the face of Miss Dora Hoffman, who when the officer in command came into the train, lectured him for his cowardice in
38 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
firing into a train filled with women and children, instead of going to Harper's Ferry where they could meet men.
Having been hidden away in Baltimore for two days while I accomplished the object of my visit, it was necessary to return. Believing the boldest method the best, with a friend who drove to my house in the afternoon, as if to take a drive, I proceeded to a public house just opposite the United States Arsenal at Pikesville, then gar- risoned by Federal troops, and in the middle of the night was driven thence by another friend across country where I boarded a train beyond the limits of their scouts, thence to Harper's Ferry, where I turned over some eighteen recruits under Nicholas Snowden, who had enlisted under me in Artillery, to Captain James R. Herbert's^"^ company of infantry. Snowden was elected a Lieutenant in his Company and
iijames R. Herbert, afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel, command- ing the Second Maryland Infantry, whose career is too well known to require more than an allusion. He led the Maryland line at Gettysburg, where three hundred out of five hundred of his men were killed or wounded and he was himself badly wounded. Through his grandmother, Mary Snowden, he was related to both Nicholas Snowden and Snowden Andrews. Many others of the Snowden connection went from Maryland into the Confederate Army: Charles Snowden Contee and Rich- ard Contee; George and Gustavus Warfield Snowden; Arthur
A MEMOIR 39
was killed in a gallant charge in the battle (Cross Keys), where Ashby fell, and in reference to which General Order No. 30 was issued by Major General Ewell, as follows:
"Headquarters, Third Division, June 12, 1862. "General Order No. 30.
"In commemoration of the gallant conduct of the First Maryland Regiment on the 6th June, when, led by Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, they drove back with loss the 'Penn- sylvania Bucktail Rifles' in the engagement near Harrison- burg, Rockingham county, Virginia, authority is given to have one of the captured 'bucktails' (the insignia of the Federal regiment) appended to the color staff of the First Maryland Regiment. By order of
Major General Ewell. "James Barbour, A. A. G."
I then proceeded to Richmond where a recruit- ing office was immediately opened, and tempo- rary authority was vested in Charles Snowden Contee to open a branch office at Fredericksburg. Meanwhile the completion of the guns and their
Monteith Snowden; Walter Bowie, a famous scout, and his brother Henry Brune Bowie; Richard Nichols Snowden, John Hudson Snowden and Charles Alexander Snowden; Nicholas Snowden Hill, — already mentioned, — and his brothers, Augustin Hill and Eugene Francis Hill; Theodore Jenkins, killed at Cedar Run, and his brother, Louis William Jenkins, both in Andrews' Battalion. Nicholas Snowden died in James R. Herbert's arms and is buried in Loudon Park Cemetery.
40 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
equipment was being pressed forward at the Tredegar Works under my superintendence.
Through an unfortunate lack of judgment the majority of the Marylanders were mustered directly into the Confederate service, and there- fore had no State to call upon for the necessary equipment. Mrs. Bradley T. Johnson volun- teered to go to North Carolina and endeavor to secure arms and ammunition for the Maryland- ers. She personally applied to Governor Ellis and the Council of that State, outlining the con- ditions of the men for whom she made the appli- cation. The governor and council at once ordered five hundred Mississippi rifles, ten thousand car- tridges and the necessary equipment turned over to her. In order to insure the safe transport of these supplies to Harper's Ferry, Mrs. Johnson accompanied them in person, and arrived at Har- per's Ferry seated upon one of the boxes contain- ing the rifles, where she was called upon by Col- onel Jackson, afterwards known to the world as 'Stonewall Jackson,' and thanked for her serv- ices. The following receipt was drawn by the Chief of Ordnance and given to Mrs. Johnson:
"Received, Ordnance Department, Harper's Ferry, Vir- ginia, June 3rd, 1861, of Mrs. B. T. Johnson, five hundred
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Lieutenant-Colonel JAMF.S R. HERBERT.
Confederate States Army. Commanding 2nd jNIaryland Infantry.
From c photograpli by Pollock, Baltimore, 1866.
A MEMOIR 41
Mississippi rifles, (cal. 54) ten thousand cartridges, and thirty-five hundred caps.
G. M. Cochran,
Chief of Ordnance."
Two of the guns for my battery had been com- pleted when the Washington Artillery, from New Orleans, arrived in Richmond, completely equipped with the exception of two guns. I was earnestly entreated to turn over to them two of the pieces intended for my battery. Realizing that it was for the good of the service I granted their request, and this delay occasioned the absence of my battery from the battle of Manas- sas.
During the month of June one hundred and forty-four Maryland men, for the purpose of completing the organization, assembled in Rich- mond, and the following were elected as officers of the First Maryland Light Artillery:
R. Snowden Andrews, Captain ; William F. Dement, First Lieutenant ; Charles S. Contee, Second Lieutenant ; Frederick Dabney, Third Lieutenant.
And thus was formed a Battery, the history of whose distinguished services from that time until the surrender at Appomattox, may with propri-
42 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
ety be termed the history of the Army of North- ern Virginia.
Following the programme adopted by Gover- nor Letcher, in order that the State of Virginia might legally turn over to the First Maryland Light Artillery the battery of six guns, fully equipped, we were mustered into the services of the State of Virginia on one day, and on the fol- lowing day formally transferred to the Confed- erate Service.
We were promptly forwarded from Richmond to take part in the blockade of the Potomac, where batteries had been erected at Ouantico Creek (at which point the First Maryland Light Artillery was stationed), and also at Cockpit and Shipping Points, effectually preventing supplies from reaching the Federal Army. The impor- tance of these batteries was soon recognized by the Federal authorities and numerous plans were suggested for their destruction. Brigadier Gen- eral J. G. Barnard, of the United States Engineer Corps, was ordered to make a reconnoissance, and upon his report that an attempt to destroy them would be impracticable, no further efforts were made in that direction.
We remained at Quantico Creek during the inclement Winter of 1861 and 1862, forming the
A MEMOIR 43
extreme right flank of Johnston's army. Among- other notable incidents during that period was the capture of the schooner "Mary Washington," laden with hundreds of bales of hay, which formed quite a delicacy for my horses in lieu of McClellan's and several thousand barrels of cement, invaluable in the erection of our fortifi- cations. One discharge of a twelve-pounder, aimed by myself, cut through her mast. The tug towing the schooner immediately made her escape, and the "Mary Washington" was brought into Ouantico Creek, where we unloaded her at our leisure.
Christmas Dinner Secured With Artillery.
Upon application I was allowed by the officer commanding the brigade to use a certain number of rounds of the various classes of ammunition for the instruction of my men. To show the ter- rible effect of canister, a round was fired into a flock of canvas-back ducks, and, although it was mid-winter and the Potomac was full of floating- ice, the men eagerly doffed their uniforms, swam out and brought in a number of ducks as the result of the shot. Thus was secured a Christ- mas dinner, and I believe it to be one of the
44 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
extremely few incidents on record of ducking- with a twelve-pounder."
Here General Andrews' narrative comes to an abrupt end; in order to follow his subsequent career in the army it is necessary to search in the histories for accounts of the battles in which his command was engaged and to gather the facts from allusions in letters and documents, and from the statements of the very few sur- vivors of those stirring times who were with him. One of the members of his battery, Mr. James AVilliam Owens, of Annapolis, has very kindly contributed the following statement:
Annapolis, June i5th,-^^ 1910.
I was not a member of the Battery until the Fall of 1862, but I have very thorough familiarity with its career. The Battery was organized on the 13th of July, 1861, at Brook Station on the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad. During the first winter of the war it did picket duty at Evansport on the Potomac River and was a great source of annoyance to the Federal transports and gun boats going up that river. It then
i^It is a singular coincidence that this was written on the anniversary of the heroic defence of the bridge at Stevenson's Depot where Mr. Owens was wounded.
A MEMOIR 45
moved in the spring of 1862 to Yorktown and was in the Peninsula Campaign, fought at West Point, Yorktown and Seven Pines and the seven days' fighting. The First JNIaryland Battery fired the signal gun at Mechanicsville when Col- onel Andrews vv^as then Captain. It fought through the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines Mills, Frazier's Farm and Malvern Hill. Follow- ing that, Pope's campaign began, and on the 9th of August, 1862, Colonel Andrews, then a major, was in the fight at Cedar Mountain, where he received the severe wound, from which his recov- ery w^as a triumph of mind over matter.
His abdomen was torn open by a piece of shell and his entrails were lying out. The wagon trains and guns were going by and the dust was flying all over him, and Dr. Fred Hunter, who was the company surgeon, went to him and told him, that there was no hope for him. He said, 'Tlunter, is there no chance at all?" Hunter replied, "Yes, Major, one in a hundred," and he replied, "then I will take the one chance. Have me carried to the hospital at once and take up the matter of treatment for this wound." Though sufTering intensely, he never lost his nerve, and, wonderful to relate, came out from hospital and was promoted to a lieutenant-colonelcy. He
46 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
reported for duty in the spring of 1863, was in command of the battery with Latimer as major; this was at the time of the Chancellorsville fight. General Hooker had left opposite Fredericks- burg Sedgwick's corps and on the morning of the 3rd of May Sedgwick crossed the river at the same point that Burnside crossed on December 13th, 1862, which was the first battle of Fred- ericksburg. Sedgwick had a full corps and to resist him was Early's division, and Barksdale's Mississippi brigade. The advance was made all along the line, and our battery was occupying a position on our right. We held them in check in our front, but Sedgwick massed his troops on our left and carried Marye's Heights, capturing a large number of Barksdale's men and a battery of the Washington Artillery, of Louisiana. Our lines were then changed to a left oblique, and our left wing got between Sedgwick and General Lee's right at Chancellorsville, holding Sedgwick in check. In the afternoon of that day we were resting when a Federal wagon train started in our direction. We were ordered into position, opened on the train, drove them back, captured a number of prisoners and some wagons and sup- plies. Among the brigades in Early's division was one commanded by General John B. Gordon
A MEMOIR 47
of Georgia. Gordon, when we were marching to take position made an address to his troops. As we were marching to take position on Lee's Hill, Major Latimer then immediately came up to where we were and said, "Men of the First Maryland Battery, General Gordon has just made an address to his brigade, urging them to greater deeds of daring, and if I thought it neces- sary I would make an address to you." We took position on Lee's Hill, and after Sedgwick had been driven across the river we then went to Marye's Heights and remained imtil Hooker and Sedgwick had both been driven across the river, and encamped until the 5th of June when we started on the march for Gettysburg. On the 13th of June to the southwest of Winchester we struck the advance of Milroy's troops and remained ready for action until the night of the 14th when we made a detour, taking us all night to make it, and came around by Jordan's Springs to Stevenson's depot and were attacked before daylight by Milroy's troops, trying to cut their way out. Colonel Andrews immediately ordered us forward and on the side of the road at the rail- road cut there was a heavy stake and rider fence. We couldn't spare the time to take it down, but the company, as a body, placed themselves
48 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
against it and forced it down, so that we could take position.
Our number one gun was placed on the bridge leading over the railroad cut, and number two to the left, while numbers three and four were to the right in echelon. We were charged three times to within sixty yards of our guns. We used up every round of canister vv^hich we had, and then for eirective service at close range we cut the fuses of our "case shot" to make it explode at a quarter of a second. We held Mil- roy in check until General Walker, coming up with the Stonewall Brigade, went in on Milroy's flank, when we captured them, and as I remem- ber, we got about 3,000 prisoners, 27 pieces of artillery, a large number of wagons, horses and army stores.
Colonel Andrews was on his horse going from gun to gun, and was shot in the arm. I was wounded at the same time, and the casualties to the first and second gun detachment were four killed and ten wounded and ly horses out of 24 killed. Colonel Andrews then went to the house of Mr. John Easter, who was a brother of Ham- ilton Easter of Baltimore, and remained there until about the 4th or 5th of July, and then not
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JAMES A\ILLIAM OWENS,
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A MEMOIR 49
entirely recovered from his wound, (nor I from mine) joined the Battery near Hagerstown.
At Williamsport, Colonel Andrews and myself met Major Latimer who had lost his arm at Gettysburg. Colonel Andrews immediately took command. The battalion then being, owing to the wound of Major Latimer and the killing of Captain Brown of the Fourth Maryland or Ches- apeake Battery at Gettysburg, under the com- mand of Captain Dement of the First Maryland Battery. Colonel Andrews took entire command of the battalion, and we retreated near Orange Court House, Virginia.
On the 27th of November, 1863, Warren's Corps crossed the Rappahannock River at Rac- coon Ford and offered battle. On the line of march that morning. Colonel Andrews said to General James A. Walker commanding the Stonewall brigade, "General, I have given you a battery to-day; take good care of it." General Walker asked, "What battery. Colonel?" His reply was, "My old company." Walker then said, "I had rather support a section of that battery than any full battery in the Army of Northern Virginia." We got into the fight that evening, and had only one man killed and two wounded. The Stonewall Brigade used up all their ammuni-
50 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
tion, and, as men will do under such circum- stances, began to go to the rear. General Walker rode up and down the lines and said, "Men, for God's sake keep in line until we can get reinforce- ments. The First Maryland Battery is out in front and I promised Colonel Andrews to take care of it." The men remained in line, and Doles' Alabama Brigade came in and held the line until we withdrew our guns. We then were ordered to winter cj[uarters at Frederick Hall, Louisa County, Virginia, when Colonel Andrews was detailed for special service and sent to England. I do not think he performed any other military service during the war, but the service that he rendered was most distinguished."
Scharf, the historian, was a member of Andrews' Battery; and this fact makes it pardon- able and appropriate to borrow from his pages an account of some of the events he has so well described.
"While these events were occurring at Harper's Ferry, other Maryland commands were being organized at Rich- mond. There it was considered advisable to attempt the formation of three regiments of Marylanders in the Virginia service, and Francis J. Thomas, formerly of the United States Army, was commissioned by Governor Letcher Colonel of one, Bradley T. Johnson Lieutenant-Colonel of
A MEMOIR 51
another, and Alden Weston Major of the third. Captain Johnson decHned the Commission tendered him, refusing to enter the miHtary service of Virginia, on the ground that Maryland must be represented by Maryland regiments and to accept service under Virginia would be to sacrifice the right of his State to the services of her own sons. * * * He therefore procured the eight companies at Harper's Ferry to be mustered into the Confederate service, as we have seen. Under this arrangement, however, four com- panies were mustered into the Virginia service at Richmond, those of Captain J. Lyle Clark, Captain E. R. Dorsey, Captain William H. Murray and Captain M. S. Robinson. Captain Clark elected to unite his company with the 21st Virginia, the other three companies were united with the battalion at Harper's Ferry; the companies of which were reorganized, and the First Maryland Regiment formed with Arnold Elzey, late Captain of Artillery, United States Army, Colonel; George H. Steuart, late Captain of Cavalry, United States Army, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Bradley T. Johnson, Major.
"Soon after Captain R. Snowden Andrews formed his battery, known during the ensuing four years as the First Maryland Artillery. The Baltimore Light Artillery, Captain Brockenbrough, was mustered into service. The Third Maryland Artillery, Captain Brown, and the Fourth Mary- land Artillery, Captain Latrobe, were subsequently formed, and served with credit to themselves and their State. About this time Captain George R. Gaither, of Howard County, mustered his troop into the First Virginia Cavalry — Colonel J. E. B. Stuart — as Company K of that distinguished Corps. Later in the war, the Second Maryland Regiment of
52 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Infantry was organized under Lieutenant Colonel James R. Herbert and Major W. W. Goldsborough. The First Maryland Cavalry was not organized till 1862-3, i-inder Lieutenant Colonel Ridgely Browne, Major Robert Carter Smith and Adjutant George W. Booth. "i^ * * *
"On the same afternoon (June the 26th, 1862) the division of General A. P. Hill, with the First Maryland Artillery, Captain R. Snowden Andrews, crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge and advanced into Mechanicsville. * * * Day after day with unabated impetuosity and untiring perseverance, until the night of the ist of July, attacks were made upon McClellan's Army, which fell back to Harrison's Landing on the James River, giving battle each day, checking the rapidity of Lee's pertinacious advance by the most gallant resistance. In all these engagements the First Maryland Regiment of infantry, the First Maryland Artillery and the Baltimore light-artillery bore a most conspicuous and gallant part.
"At the battle of Cold Harbor, General Elzey and Briga- dier General James J. Archer were dangerously wounded, and at the battle of Mechanicsville, Captain R. S. Andrews slightly. During the battles around Richmond the First Maryland Artillery was attached to the Sixth Brigade, General W. D. Pender, in Major-General A. P. Hill's division. In his official report General Pender, alluding to the battle of Gaines' Mill, says : 'The Section of Andrews' battery (Maryland) was under Lieutenant Dement, who also did fine service. Captain Andrews, as usual, was present, chafing for a fight.' "^^
^"History of Maryland III, 447, 448.
A MEMOIR 53
"In the meantime, Captain R. Snowden Andrews was promoted to the rank of major, for gallant and meritorious conduct displayed in the battles before Richmond, and was placed in command of a battalion of artillery, to which was attached his old company, the First Maryland, and the Chesapeake Artillery, Captain William D. Brown. "!■*
At the battle of Cedar Run (or Slaughter's Mountain), which he considered the most suc- cessful of his exploits, on August 9th, 1862, Gen- eral Jackson defeated General Pope but not with- out suffering severe loss. Pope had thirty-two thousand men, Jackson less than twenty thou- sand. Jackson's own report of the battle to Gen- eral Lee is as follows:
"August nth, 6.30 A. M. On the evening of the 9th God blessed our arms with another victory. The battle was near Cedar Run, about six miles from Culpeper Court House. The enemy, according to statements of prisoners, consisted of Banks', McDowell's and Siegel's commands. We have over four hundred prisoners, including Brigadier- General Price. Whilst our list of killed is less than that of the enemy, we have to mourn the loss of some of our best officers and men. Brigadier General Charles S. Winder was mortally wounded whilst ably discharging his duty at the head of his command, which was the advance of the
"Scharf, III, 479.
54 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
left wing of the army. We have collected about fifteen hundred small arms and other ordnance stores."
In his official report in speaking of General Winder's death Jackson says:
"It is difficult within the proper reserve of an official report to do justice to the merits of this accomplished officer. Urged by his medical director to take no part in the movements of the day, because of the enfeebled state of his health, his ardent patriotism and military pride could bear no such restraint. Richly endowed with those qualities of mind and person which fit an officer for command, and which attract the admiration and excite the enthusiasm of troops, he was rapidly rising to the front rank of his profession. His loss has been severely felt."
General Winder died in Major Andrews' arms.
At one time the Confederates were so hard pressed by superior numbers of the enemy that it looked as if they must be crushed. General Jackson drew his sword, for the first time in the war, rallied the men himself and the enemy were defeated.
Major Andrews advanced his guns in the face of a charging column of infantry and drove it from the field. Here, however, soon after Gen- eral Winder was struck, he, too, received what was probably the worst wound any man ever survived. A piece of shell struck the lower part
A MEMOIR 55
of his right side, tearing apart the wall of the abdomen. With wonderful presence of mind he pressed his hand over the wound and threw his other arm around his horse's neck so that he could fall to the ground on his back to keep from being disembowelled. He lay on the dusty road- side for two or three hours when General A. P. Hill sent an ambulance and took him to a farm house.
While he was at the farm house he was cap- tured by the enemy; for Jackson's army had fallen back two days after the battle.
His wife went immediately from Baltimore to see him; her own account of her visit is as fol- lows :
CHAPTER III
Recollections of the Summer of 1862.
After the commotion and agitation of April 19th, 1861, my husband decided that there was but one thing for him to do. His heart was with the South, and the principle of States Rights was very dear to him. That there must be a conflict, he saw at once, and that he must take one side or the other. A few days, therefore, after the 19th of April, he left for the South, vaguely sur- mising what was ahead of him. Four or five weeks afterwards he came back for a few days. I heard him tapping at the door in the middle of the night, and I was surprised and delighted to find that I was not mistaken and that it was he. He came back for drawings of the guns from which designs he later had his own artillery cast at the Tredegar Works, Richmond. He was full of hope and expectation of the affair being a very short one, and quoted the old adage that *'No news was good news," and said that if I heard nothing from him, nothing serious could have happened to him.
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A MEMOIR 57
I had news from him occasionally by private means, although every effort had been made by the authorities at Washington to stop all com- munication between the North and the South. I had such news or letters by "underground rail- way," as it was called. Maryland was bound and in the grasp of the government at Washington, and although numbers of her sons had gone to the South to assist in the struggle there were many who were forced by circumstances to remain at home; yet their hearts were in deep sympathy with the Southern cause. Daring men went to and fro in the most mysterious manner carrying letters and parcels and bringing news as occasion offered.
I stayed on in my little house in Hamilton Street and during the summer took the three children to Collins' Beach, Delaware. My fourth child was born in January, 1862, when I had returned to Baltimore, and shortly afterwards I received a draft for a hundred pounds. This meant a great deal to me, as money was very scarce in those days. Snowden had written a book on artillery which was published in Charles- ton, and on receiving a cheque from the pub- lishers, had sent it at once to me.
58 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
When the summer of 1862 came, it so hap- pened that my husband's mother was an invaUd, and her daughter who was her devoted attendant needed change and relaxation, and I took my baby and went to her home on Mount Vernon Place, leaving the three children with the other nurse, but visiting them each day to take break- fast and see that they were properly taken care of.
It was one morning at the breakfast table, while reading the newspaper for war news, that I fell upon the account of the battle of Cedar Run and among those fatally wounded I found my husband's name. Of course I was very much shocked and dazed but made no outcry. My little children were about me at the table, cheer- fully eating their breakfast — I could not perturb their minds with my trouble nor must I com- municate to them my anxieties — I had little faith in the newspapers, which always declared every engagement a victory for the Union troops and defeat for the South, and on reflection I found myself doubting the truth of the account, espe- cially as my husband's death had already been once falsely reported in an engagement off Cape Hatteras. The more I thought of it the less I believed the statement in the morning's paper.
A MEMOIR 59
I knew no male friends to whom I could immedi- ately refer and when I went back to Mount Ver- non Place I did not venture to speak of it at once to his mother, hoping to spare her. She had an interview, however, with her physician a little later and he broke the news to her and she came immediately to me. I soothed and comforted her as much as I could, but she was very much agitated and we determined to send for someone who would know positively about it. It was not until evening that Mr. Lloyd Rogers came to see us and confirmed the account of the battle at Cedar Run. He had heard by private news that my husband was mortally wounded. Although this appeared to be the bald truth, it also seemed to be unbelievable, but when all hope seems fled what will not prayer do to restore it and kindle a fresh faith that all may yet come right? At this time it was my only consolation. We had to live under this terrible misapprehension until next morning, when a telegram was sent to Mrs. Andrews from Colonel Lewis Marshall, — one of General Pope's aides, who, although a Union sol- dier, was a friend of my husband's and proved most kind in these distressing circumstances, — to say that Mrs. Andrews would be permitted to go to her son. The telegram ended with
6o RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
"Last accounts favourable" — which revived our courage. But she v^as quite unable to leave home. The cook, old Allie, who was devoted to my husband, came up into Mrs. Andrews' room, and with the other servants we gathered round the nurse and baby, who came in at that moment, old Allie imploring to be permitted to go to "Mr. Snowden." After a short consultation I decided to go myself, and then asked my nurse, who was a free woman, whether she would go with the baby and me. She replied that she was quite willing and in a few minutes I was ready to go to my own home to make rapid preparations to be off at once. I had a faithful nurse for the children I was about to leave. I stopped on my way home at my green-grocer's to ask if he could get me a carriage to take me to the first train to Washington. I sent for a neighbour. Miss Ann Cole, who was our devoted friend, explained the situation to her, and she entered heart and soul into my plan, promised to look after the children and helped me to pack a trunk. The baby was at this time seven months old, but I could not leave her behind.
I could see my way but a step at a time and decided to go to Washington to an uncle of my husband's, Colonel Christopher Andrews, and
A MEMOIR 6i
take my bearings from what I should hear there. When I arrived at his house I found them wait- ing for further news, having heard the same report that had reached me. He and his wife received us with open arms, and I was informed that Dr. Fairfax, my husband's first cousin, had just left the house, having come in from the coun- try to inquire for news. It was thought that he might be overtaken and a messenger was at once dispatched to bring him back to us. The quest was successful and he was soon with us. We found that a passport was necessary, and that, as troops were being forwarded the next morning to the very point where the late engagement had taken place, it would be possible for me to go down in the same train with this army reinforce- ment. Cousin John Fairfax, who was devoted to Snowden, offered to go with me, which was a great support and simplified the whole matter. His carriage was at the door and he took me to the house where the passport could be obtained and where men were filing in and out on the same errand. After waiting for a long while in the street before the house, the moment came when we also could climb the stairs, and on arriving before Major Roger Jones, who was in charge,
62 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
we found him to be an old schoolmate of my hus- band's. He received us kindly and gave a pass- port for the whole party. This was quite unusual^ as great strictness prevailed and all civilians were refused these facilities. Having the passport we then proceeded to Mr. George Riggs' house where Cousin John asked for and received some fine old brandy. He was trying to think of all that might be needed as the Confederates were cut off from medical and hospital supplies. Wc drove then and there to see Dr. Miller, a phy- sician of much reputation at that period, to ask vs^hat would be desirable to take with us. He and his family were at dinner and insisted upon our first sitting down and sharing it with them. We both needed this; in fact I was almost exhausted. From there we went to make neces- sary purchases from the druggist before return- ing to get a little rest at Colonel Christopher Andrews'.
The next morning at about six o'clock we left for Alexandria. When we reached there the train was not made up, and we had to wait nearby, sitting on some lumber, as the place was full of soldiers belonging to General Sigel's corps which was going to the front. We got off at
A MEMOIR 63
last in a very rough train, with boards for seats. In that we travelled all day long amid rather a boisterous group of rough soldiers who were talking and eating and joking together, until about six in the evening when we arrived at Cul- peper Court House. The baby had continued very good throughout the journey and her nurse was attentive and invaluable. When we reached the station the soldiers of course poured out from the train, and Cousin John found for us a quiet upper room above the general waiting room where some kind women brought me some refreshment. It was nearing twilight when Cousin John came to me to say that an ambu- lance had come and the surgeon in charge, who was there for some medical supplies, had been instructed to make inquiries for "Mrs. Andrews, as she was expected." This was through the courtesy of Colonel Lewis Marshall. We soon started in the ambulance for the farm house where my husband lay wounded. Night came on and we proceeded on our way over rough coun- try roads and parts of the battle-field. From the close covered ambulance there was little to be seen save occasional lights in the Union camps. We were within the Northern lines, as General
64 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Stonewall Jackson had fallen back after striking a severe blow at the battle of Cedar Run.
Presently the driver seemed to lose his way in the dark, and the baby began to cry, which in the end proved fortunate, as we were challenged at once by a sentry who put us on the right road.
The farm was ten miles away and the slow moving ambulance did not reach it until nearly midnight. By this time the August moon was brilliant in the sky. As we reached our destina- tion someone came out to meet us to tell us to come round to the back of the house and enjoined great quiet so as "not to disturb Major Andrews as he was sleeping." We were told that he had had no fever, and that the surgeons were much encouraged. All about the front of the house were tents occupied by part of General Milroy's command. Indeed he was there himself declar- ing that he "would not let that arch-rebel out of sight."
We snatched a few hours' rest and early the next morning my husband was told that his cousin, Dr. Fairfax, was there, and he was soon allowed to see him. He was very cheerful and after greeting Cousin John said, "Either my mother or my wife must be with you." I saw him a few hours later. He was lying quite flat on a
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A MEMOIR 65
bed, covered with a sheet, with a bucket of water beside him from which a cloth was wrung out every hour and applied to the wound; and this was the only treatment he had! No carpet was on the floor and through the uncurtained win- dows, which were wide open, could be seen Gen- eral Milroy's tents.
When General Jackson fell back, he had left the surgeon of the Maryland battery, Dr. Fred Hunter, and an orderly to take care of Snowden, and from them we heard an account of all that had happened and the dreadful wound. We learned that while galloping along the road towards his guns, for at the time of the battle he w^as chief of artillery to General Winder and had several batteries under his command, a shell struck him on the right side. He slid from his horse, knowing at once how severely he was wounded, and dragged himself out of the way to the side of the road to await assistance. Gen- eral A. P. Hill, who was bringing up troops on the other side of the fence under cover of the woods, stopped for a moment to find out who it was, and promised to send an ambulance and surgeon at the first possible moment. Many peo- ple were hurrying by, and as time passed my hus- band asked one and another of them to send a
66 RICHARD S NOV/ DEN ANDREWS
surgeon, but it was not until after a long period of waiting that a surgeon came riding by with his attendants and stopped to examine the wound. He told my husband frankly that there was no hope, for the shell had torn deep through the abdomen even to the intestines. Part of the chest was burnt and the wound was nine or ten inches long. As he was riding away my husband called to him to say that once while fox-hunting he had seen a valuable dog almost disembowelled in getting over a fence, that he had taken him home and cared for him, and the dog had lived to hunt again. This touched the heart of the sur- geon and it was not long after this that an ambu- lance was sent. My husband requested that instead of taking him to the usual place, he might be taken to the farmhouse where he had spent the previous night sleeping on the porch beside General Jackson. In the ambulance was a chap- lain who held my husband's head on his knees and repeated hymns aloud, during the very pain- ful and tedious ride to the house which was two miles away. Arrived at the farmhouse they laid him on the floor and as no army surgeon was at hand they went out and stopped a country doc- tor, Dr. Amos, who was passing. On looking at the wound. Dr. Amos said there was nothing to
A MEMOIR 67
be done and there was no chance for life. Snow- den said "Isn't there a chance in ten, or twenty or even a hundred?" "Well," replied Dr. Amos, ''since you are so plucky, I'll do the best I can for you," thinking to himself that he would at any rate make the body more sightly. He then washed out grit and bits of cloth from the wound and proceeded to sew it up, using the only needle he had, which was a rusty one, and having no anaesthetic or disinfectants. Then he was placed on the bed and, as I have said before, there was no further treatment possible, except applica- tions of cold water. On account of the apparent hopelessness of his condition it was decided that my husband should be left at the farmhouse and no attempt made to carry him back with General Jackson's troops which were retiring, leaving the ground free for the advance of the Union forces which occurred soon after. My husband was made prisoner and at once placed on parole.
To get back to my arrival at his side, he was much cheered by our presence, and saw for the first time the baby, born during his absence. A day or two later there was a stir in the camp out- side and they appeared to be striking the tents, and we soon found out that General Pope's com- mand was falling back toward Washington and
68 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
that we should be left in Southern lines. Cousin John hastened to avail himself of the opportunity to return to his home, and, being a physician and non-combatant, was able to join the army sur- geons and found his way back to Washington. Throughout he had been a great support, always kind and helpful, with his intelligent judgment and constant care for us.
The surgeon in charge of my husband said that I must not think of leaving to return to my fam- ily in Baltimore, that the support of my presence was an effective aid to his improvement.
The three children whom I had left at home weighed rather heavily on my mind, as this was an indefinite absence, and we had no means of communication with them.
The time passed quietly enough. Mr. James Garnett, to whom the farm belonged, and his wife and a widowed daughter-in-law composed the family with whom we were staying, his only son being in the Southern army. They were most kind in every way. The baby was a source of pleasure and interest to everyone in the house- hold, never in the way, and was really benefited by the mountain air. The cattle and sheep which had been driven away on the approach of the Northern troops and hidden in the recess of the
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A MEMOIR 69
hills, were brought back, and there was plenty of food and the strengthening broths were a great help to the restoration of my husband whose wound was daily healing. From time to time a scout passed giving us news, or a trooper carrying dispatches would stop for a few hours, but no letters came to tell of my children.
During this time, the second battle at Bull Run took place and we could hear the guns of the artillery, though so many miles away.
It was in the course of four or five weeks that the great chasm in his side was sufficiently healed for him to sit up, and in six weeks he was dressed and on the porch, and able to move about slowly on crutches.
At this time he was drawn down on one side; and he was unable to stand erect for a year and more. His indomitable courage and his forti- tude and cheerfulness were unfailing throughout, strengthening all those about him with the hope of his ultimate recovery.^^
i^At the Westmoreland Club in Richmond after the war Colonel Andrews met one of the surgeons who had given him up. The doctor would not believe he was the same man and bet him a bottle of wine that he was not. Proofs were soon produced and the doctor very gladly paid the bet.
70 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Not long after this our little party of six — Snowden, his surgeon and orderly, myself, baby and nurse — took the train at Rapidan Station for Richmond. We stopped at a Mrs. Tyler's board- ing house, and the next day various friends came in to see us, and from them he learned that he had already been exchanged and was no longer under parole. We also heard that a Flag of Truce boat, the last that might be expected to come up the James River within reach of Rich- mond, would be due the next day, and as my hus- band was already looking forward to returning to his command, it was necessary to find means for my return to Baltimore. His cousin, Lieu- tenant Contee, offered to take me to the boat, so a carriage was provided and the next day we set out on our journey of ten miles to City Point. We arrived at a country house near the river where quite a number were waiting for the boat; the mistress of the house came out and said that she had no more room, that her house was full and her food supplies were short. There was no turning back, and I begged to be allowed to come in and wait on whatever terms she made, if it were only to have a resting place for myself and baby. By dint of great persuasion she consented.
A MEMOIR 71
I found the house indeed full of people, all uncomfortable and crowded and hungry, wait- ing anxiously until they could go forward. When night came a pallet on the floor was pro- vided for me, but Mrs. Bradford, who was the wife of the Union Governor of Maryland at that time, and was visiting a wounded son who had taken part with the South, insisted that I should take her bed, because of my baby; which was wonderful kindness on her part, as usually there was a very inimical feeling prevailing between those for the North and those for the South. The next morning the Flag of Truce boat being declared ready, we wended our way to the James River by the foot-path and at last were on board. We spent a very uncomfortable day and night on the boat and reached Baltimore at sunrise and I was struck by the beauty of the harbour in the early morning hours, as we slowly approached the wharf.
On landing I drove at once to my little home on Hamilton Street where, to my great conster- nation, I found the house closed and deserted, but soon learned from a neighbour that the three little ones I had left behind were well and had been taken to their grandmother's house on Mount Vernon Place.
72 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Thither I hastened and they were soon in my arms.
Written for my children and grandchildren forty-eight years later.
Mary Lee Andrews.
London, 1910.
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Confederate States Artillery. From a photograph, 1862.
CHAPTER IV.
Cedar Run — Second Battle of Fredericksburg.
At the Battle of Cedar Run Major Andrews commanded the artillery of General Winder, who, though only a brigadier-general, was in command of a division (Jackson's old division) ; and it is said that the papers giving him his pro- motion were on the way to him when he was killed. Colonel Crutchfield, Chief of Artillery of the Second Corps, says: "These two batteries were capitally served and evidently damaged the enemy severely," and calls special attention "to the gallantry displayed by Major R. S. Andrews in this action, who was severely wounded and, on our withdrawal, fell a prisoner into the hands of the enemy."
General Jackson also says: "Especial credit is due Major Andrews for the success and gallantry with which his guns were directed until he was severely wounded and taken from the field."
"In the subsequent battle of Manassas, which raged for three days, the Federal Army was defeated * * * ^\-^q Maryland batteries of Dement, Brown and Brockenbrough performed gallant service. The first named battery, having exhausted all their solid shot and shell on the last day they
73
74 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
were engaged, were brought into action by General A. P. Hill so close to the Federals that they fired nothing but canister.16
"In the capture of Harper's Ferry in September, 1862, Colonel Crutchfield, Chief of Jackson's Artillery, took two guns from the batteries of Captain W. F. Dement's First Maryland Artillery, two from the Chesapeake Maryland Artillery and two each from the batteries of Captains Garber and Latimer, and moved up the Shenandoah, and crossing at Kelly's Ford, moved down on the other side until opposite the left and in the rear of the Federal line of entrenchments and fortifications. * * * At this moment the guns of the First Maryland Artillery, the Chesapeake battery and the guns of Garber and Latimer opened a terrific fire of shot and shell on the enemy's rear. Its battery was quickly silenced and though they presently came back and turned their guns against the Confederates, they were forced to abandon them after a few shots. The guns of Dement, Brown, Garber and Latimer were now brought to bear on the Federal infantry in their entrenchments, soon forcing them to fly in great confusion.^'''
During the time of his convalescence in Rich- mond, Major Andrews lived in a house on Third Street in a room with his friends, Colonel T. S, Rhett and Adjutant James McHenry Howard. General Elzey and part of his staff were also in this house.
leScharf III, 483. iTScharf III, 505.
A MEMOIR 75
This letter from Lieutenant Colonel A. S. Pen- dleton, Jackson's Adjutant General, was received at this time:
"Headquarters, Second Army Corps,
January 24th, 1863.
Dear Major:
Having learned that there was a lot of fine English gray cloth in the Quartermaster's Department in Richmond which can be bought by an officer, I write to beg you, if not too much trouble, to get me enough for a sack coat. If you succeed, let the bearer of this, Gibson, my clerk, know it that he may take the cloth to my tailor, and I may send you the money for it.
We are anxiously expecting a fight, ditching and throwing up epaulements for guns. If the Yanks do come, we expect to treat them as before. All send regards, Crutchfield, McGuire,^'^ &c. Hope you are improving. The General asked
i^This was Dr. Hunter McGuire, concerning whom the follow- ing has just been written: "In the meanwhile, it is pleasant to record here one step forward in civilization which was made during this campaign and the author of which, Dr. Hunter McGuire, deserves remembrance for his humanity. Until that time and indeed for long afterwards, surgeons in charge of hospitals full of wounded men, upon falling into the enemy's hands were treated as prisoners of war. * * * ^^ ^.j^g battle of Winchester Jackson captured all the Federal surgeons in
y^ RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
the other day if you would be fit for field duty; he wanted you again. So you are appreciated by the old war horse. I am, Major,
Yours truly,
A. S. Pendleton. Major Snowden Andrews, Richmond.
Extract from a letter recommending promo- tions from W. N. Pendleton, Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery to General R. E. Lee, Com- manding.
Near Chesterfield Depot, Va.,
February ii, 1863.
Battalion T, Major R. S. Andrews, so severely wounded at Cedar Mountain, but now nearly recovered and on duty in Richmond, desires and richly deserves, the rank of
charge of the field hospitals there, but instead of sending them to Belle Isle or Andersonville or Libby Prison, he acted upon the suggestion of his medical director, Dr. Hunter McGuire, and released the doctors unconditionally upon the rational and humane ground that surgeons do not make war and ought not to be subjected to war's pains and penalties, and upon the still more rational and humane ground that it is needful for the care of the wounded on both sides that surgeons shall be permitted to remain at their posts till surgeons on the other side can replace them, regardless of army movements and without fear of being sent to a loathsome prison as a punishment for their faithfulness to their merciful duty. Eggleston's Hist, of the Confederate War, I, 385; N. Y. Sturgis & Walton Co., 1910.
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A MEMOIR 77
Lieutenant-Colonel and the command of this battalion. We have no more brilliant and thoroughly meritorious artillery officer. His recommendations are ample nor can a doubt remain as to the propriety of his having this promotion and command. He is from Maryland. Captain J. W. Latimer, now commanding a battery in General Early's division, is highly recommended by Colonel Crutchfield, and earnestly desired by Major Andrews to be promoted and associated with him as the second field officer in this battalion. He is from Virginia."i9
Grafton Tyler was made Adjutant and Harris Forbes Quartermaster.
Confederate States of America.
War Department.
Adjutant and Inspector General's Office.
Richmond, Va., March 3, 1863.
THIS CERTIFIES, That Major R. Snowden Andrews has been nominated by the President Lieutenant-Colonel of Artillery to report for duty to Colonel Crutchfield in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, to take rank as such from the "Battle of Cedar Run" Ninth day of August, 1862, subject to confirmation by the Senate, at their present session.
By command of the Secretary of War.
Ed. a. Palfrey, Major and A. A. General. (Official.)
i^From War Records, 1863.
78 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Headquarters Cavalry Division. Army of Northern Virginia.
March 26th, 1863.
Dear Colonel:
I received your favour upon my return the other day and am full grateful for the kind expressions of sympathy it contained for the grief caused by the loss of the gallant Pelham — my companion, my friend, my right arm.
I need no assurance from others of your merits and gallant service, but I have already indicated Major Beckham, whose services by the resigna- tion of General G. W. Smith, became available.
Hoping in your behalf for a continuation of so bright a career, I have the honor to be Very truly your friend,
J. E. B. Stuart,
Major General.
To Lt. Col. R. Snov^^den Andrews^ Artillery Battalion,
near Milford Station.
A MEMOIR 79
Confederate States of America. War Department.
Richmond, April 4th, 1863. Sir:
You are hereby informed that the President has appointed you
LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF ARTILLERY
Under Act app'vd Jany 22 '62
In the Provisional Army in the service of the Confederate
States : to rank as such from the ninth day of August one
thousand eight hundred and sixty two.
Immediately on receipt hereof, please to communicate to this Department, through the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, your acceptance or non-acceptance of said appointment; and with your letter of acceptance, return to the Adjutant and Inspector General the OATH, herewith enclosed, properly filled up. Subscribed and Attested, report- ing at the same time your Age, Residence, when appointed, and the State in which you were Born.
Should you accept, you will report for duty to Genl. R. E. Lee.
James A. Seddon,
Secretary of War.
Lt. Col. R. Snowden Andrews,
Artillery P. A. C. S.
After his recovery and promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of artillery, he was attached
8o RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
to General Early's division and was with that intrepid leader at Chancellorsville. He was left to defend Fredericksburg and the following is his official report of the second battle of Fredericks- burg, which took place while Chancellorsville was being fought up above.
Colonel Andrews told this tale of an experi- ence at Fredericksburg: I was trying to get my guns into position to reply to the enemy's fire which was doing us a good deal of damage: Nothing seemed to go right; the horses were unmanageable, the teamsters stupid and I con- fess that I lost my temper and spoke very roughly to them. I had just succeeded in bring- ing the guns into what I considered an effective position when a general officer rode up and said, "Colonel, do you think you can reach them?" 'I think I can. General.' "Then I think I would open at once." It was General Lee. His manner was quiet and dignified, although he had the whole responsibility on his mind, not only of this battle but of the whole army. I felt rebuked and mortified. I do not think he heard what I said; I certainly hope not.
A MEMOIR 8i
Hd. Qrts. Andrews' Arty. Battalion, Hamilton's Crossing,
May 14th, 1863. Maj. Genl. J. A. Early, Genl. : —
In obedience to orders I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my Battalion, and the Batteries under my com- mand during the recent battles around Freder- icksburg:
On the 29th April I moved with the Battalion under my command from camp near Milford and marching all night reached Hamilton's Crossing at 10 o'clock A. M. on the 30th. On the morning of Friday, May ist, was ordered by Colonel Crutchfield to report to you and did so shortly after daylight. When the Rockbridge Battery, Captain Graham commanding, and Lieutenant Tunis, in command of a Whitworth Gun, were by you assigned to my command, Captain Dement's Battery with four Napoleons and Cap- tain Raine's Battery "Two Rifles" were placed in some works which had been prepared on an open field between Deep Run and the thickly wooded marshy ground on the right, some 200 yards in
82 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
rear of the railroad. These guns were under the immediate command of Major Latimer who promptly had works prepared by the men for the protection of the limbers and the horses sent to the rear so as not to be endangered by the fire of the enemy. I found Captain Graham's Bat- tery— two 20 and two 10 pds. Parrotts, in the position occupied by Colonel Walker's Artillery during the fight of the 13th December; Captain Brown's Battery — two 10 pds. Parrott guns — was placed in position with him; Captain Car- penter's Battery — two 3 inch and two Napoleon — were placed in position some ^ of a mile to the right of Hamilton's Crossing near a thick grove of pines, and Lieutenant Tunis with the Whitworth gun was placed in position across the Massaponax, some half a mile on a height, to prevent a flank movement and to enfilade, should an attack be made at Hamilton's Crossing. The Batteries referred to were all placed in position under cover of a thick fog.
No demonstration was made by the enemy on that day, and we remained quietly in position without firing, — their line of skirmishers being in front of the Bernard and Pratt Houses. Dur- ing the night Captain Richardson, of the Wash- ington Artillery, with four Napoleon guns, was
A MEMOIR 83
ordered by General Pendleton to report to me and was placed in position on the left of Captain Carpenter's guns, giving me with this Battery the command of six batteries and one Whitworth gun — in all, twenty-one (21) guns. The morn- ing of Saturday, the 2nd, found things unchanged except that larger numbers of the enemy were visible on the North side of the River. At an early hour I was ordered to feel the enemy with my guns. I directed Major Latimer to open fire on the left with the rifle guns of Captain Raine on the right. I opened fire with the Rifle guns of Captains Graham and Brown on the enemy's Infantry on this side of the river, compelling them to recross the River. Two of the enemy's Batteries on the other side and one on this side opened fire upon Captains Graham and Brown's guns wounding severely a brave Corporal ("Car- berry") of Brown's Battery; two Privates of Cap- tain Graham's were slightly wounded. These guns were then turned upon the battery of the enemy on this side of the River — near the Pratt House — and in a short time drove it from its position and compelled it to recross the river. The enemy after recrossing removed their pon- toon bridge, and our skirmishers advanced to the River at the Pratt House. On the left there
84 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
was no response to Raine's guns and after firing- about 25 rounds Major Latimer ceased firing. Several dead horses and a wheel (disabled) were left by the enemy's Battery near Pratt's House. There was no further firing by me that day. About two o'clock I received orders from you to march with your Division, and to order Captain Richardson's Battery to report to Brigadier Gen-' eral Hays and Lieutenant Tunis with the Whit- worth to report to General Pendleton. March- ing ahead of the Division to the Telegraph Road I replenished my supply of ammunition and obtained three days' supply of corn for my horses, and awaited the arrival of the division. We marched in the rear to a point near the Plank Road. A report here reached us that General Hays was being closely pressed by the enemy and needed reinforcements. In a short time I was ordered by you to countermarch and endeavour to regain my positions of the morn- ing,— followed your Infantry and without diffi- culty regained my positions about 11 P. M., found Captain Richardson had by orders of Gen- eral Hays gone several miles to the rear, sent for him to bring up his Battery, which he did promptly, arriving before daylight of the 3rd. There being no stir on the part of the enemy we
A MEMOIR 85
spent the night quietly. Sunday, May 3rd, found me in the precise position of the day before. About dayHght I received intelligence that the enemy were advancing up the ravine, through which Deep Run flows, nearly concealed from view by the trees along its banks. Major Lati- mer was directed and at once opened upon them with the rifle guns, they being only visible near the head of the ravine, too far off for the Napol- eons. The enemy shortly after appeared at a point on the run nearer. Captain Dement was ordered to open upon them, which he did promptly and eft'ectively, but was unable to pre- vent a body of them (about two regiments) from reaching a point on the railroad opposite a barn to the left of the Run. Captain Dement's guns were kept playing continually upon them to prevent a further advance. They were so well protected that we could not readily dislodge them. The fire of the rifle guns of Captain Raine was directed upon the head of the Ravine to prevent a further advance from that direction. The enemy then posted a battery of six guns to the left of the Bernard House, and about one mile distant, also another to the left of this, near Deep Run. These batteries opened upon Captains Dement's and Raine's guns, but, it being more
86 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
important to keep back the Infantry, they did not reply at once. Having checked the Infantry, Raine's and Dement's guns opened upon these Batteries, causing them for a time to cease firing. At this time I observed the enemy were bringing up tw^o additional Batteries and placing them beyond the range of Dement's Napoleon guns. I immediately ordered Dement's guns to be w^ith- drav^n and sent to the rear and their places to be supplied by Captain Brow^n's lo pds. Parrotts and Captain Graham's 2 twenty pds. Parrotts and directed Captain Carpenter to take his sec- tion of three inch Dahlgren guns to a position already prepared near Raine's guns. By this time it was evident the enemy's real points of attack were at Deep Run and Marye's Heights. I therefore ordered Captain Richardson to report with his battery to General Pendleton at Lee's Hill, that he might be in supporting distance of Marye's Heights. He moved promptly to the point designated, distant some four (4) miles by the route he was obliged to take, and I have understood had the misfortune to lose one of his guns, captured in repelling the attack on Lee's Hill after Marye's Heights were taken. In the meantime Captains Carpenter's and Raine's guns kept up a constant fire, whilst Dement's guns
A MEMOIR 87
were being withdrawn, so as not to attract the enemy's fire while making the change, which, however, they did discover, and subjected them to a terrific fire. Captains Graham's and Brown's Batteries, while relieving Captain Dement, there- fore, went into position under very disadvanta- geous circumstances, tending to create confusion, but the officers and men with a few exceptions behaved very handsomely under them, display- ing bravery and coolness. Captain Dement's guns were moved to the rear by the horses which brought Captains Graham's and Brown's guns into position. Major Latimer, who was in com- mand of the eight rifle guns, then, with great judgment, concentrated their whole fire on each of the enemy's Batteries successively and soon succeeded in driving them from their positions. Shortly after. Smith's Brigade advanced upon the enemy's left flank, driving their Infantry pre- cipitately before them and bringing them in view when these guns were opened upon them (with a rapid and efl:*ective fire) and a Battery which this movement disclosed nearer the River. The Infantry immediately took shelter behind the bank, on either side of the River Road, and the Battery was soon silenced and driven from the
88 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
field. This ended the fight upon the flank extend- ing from Deep Run towards Hamilton's Cross- ing, except occasional firing upon the columns of the enemy passing up towards Marye's Heights, frequently scattering their infantry. It was now about i P. M. and all quiet on our front, and we were engaged burying our dead, when a message arrived from General Barksdale that he had repulsed the enemy twice at Marye's Heights and could do it again. Some thirty min- utes after a report reached us that the enemy had taken Marye's Heights. I was riding rapidly in the direction of Lee's Hill to overtake you, when I met you returning and received orders to move my guns and take position on the heights back on the Corduroy Road. This order was promptly executed by me without loss, indeed the enemy had been so well whipped on this flank that they showed no disposition to fight on this portion of the field. After several hours I received orders to join you in the rear of Lee's Hill, leaving a Battery on the heights to protect the flank of Lee's Hill. I marched around and found a new line of battle formed a mile in the rear of Lee's Hill, extending across the Telegraph Road at a point where the cross road leads to the Plank Road. After remaining
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A MEMOIR 89
in line of battle until nearly dark and no enemy appearing, just before dark we were astonished to see marching towards us, by a road through the woods, a train of wagons accompanied by what appeared to be artillery. I opened by your order upon it a fire from my guns, and the train disappeared rapidly. Upon our advance next day I found a wagon and a forge Avith a number of fine mules to each, some of which had been killed. No enemy appeared that night. The next morn- ing, Monday, I received orders from you to advance down the Telegraph Road towards Fredericksburg, and render General Gordon such assistance as might be necessary. I advanced my guns. Captain Graham's guns being in advance, and followed closely after General Gordon's Bri- gade; when about one mile from Fredericksburg, General Gordon's Brigade became engaged with a Brigade in his front and between him and Marye's Heights, extending over towards the Plank Road. I placed Captain Graham in posi- tion on the Telegraph Road fronting towards the houses of Mr. Guest and Mr. Downman and opened fire upon the enemy's Infantry, which were in a hollow behind these houses, and scat- tered them in every direction. At this time two Brigades of the Enemy's Infantry came over the
90 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
hill with the intention of attacking the left flank of General Gordon's Brigade. Four shells from Graham's guns sent one of them running in dis- order to the rear, and some ten or twelve sent the Second Brigade after their first. Whilst this was going on a Battery placed on the right and left of Downman's houses opened upon Graham, their shell, with few exceptions, failing to reach us, whilst his twenty pds. Parrotts reached them very easily and soon silenced their guns, and they limbered up and ran off to the fear. As they had their guns within a few feet of Mr. Downman's house (in fact, as near as the porch would allow them to be placed) it was impossible to avoid damaging his house very seriously. Gen- eral Gordon being relieved from any pressure on his left flank soon cleared out the Brigade from his front and this Brigade followed the other two. This gave us possession again of Marye's Heights, a number of wagons and mules, a Bat- tery wagon and forge, belonging to Captain I. Hartwell Butler, Company G, of the Second Reg- ular United States Artillery, were captured by General Gordon in his charge and were turned over by him to me for the valuable assistance rendered him by me, as he was kind enough to term it. During the fight of the evening [Mon-
A MEMOIR 91
day] my guns were posted so as to cover the charge made by the Brigades of Generals Hoage, Hays and Gordon in case they should fail in their assault upon the heights, but they and their brave men knew no such word as "fail," and my guns did not fire a round. I requested of you permission to follow them up closely with one of my Batteries, but you declined, not needing their assistance. It only remains for me to men- tion the conduct of the ofiicers and men under my command. It gives me great pleasure to men- tion the conspicuous gallantry and judgment of Major Latimer; of Captains Graham, Raine, Dement and Carpenter, with their officers and men, I cannot speak too highly. Captain Carpen- ter and Lieutenant Gale of First Maryland were both severely wounded, the former having to be ordered from, before he would leave the field. I would call particular attention to the high sol- dierly qualities of the officers and men of the Rockbridge Battery, who from Thursday morn- ing until Monday night were fighting or march- ing continuously, fighting by day and marching by night with their Caissons to Guinea Station and back for ammunition and without a murmur or complaint. My thanks are particularly due to my Ordnance Officer, Lieutenant English, for
92 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
his unwearied care and diligence in keeping me supplied with ammunition from so distant a point.
There were 3 killed and 6 wounded in ist Md. Battery; i killed and 3 wounded in Alleghany Roughs; I killed and 3 wounded in Lee Battery; I killed and 4 wounded in Chesapeake Battery; I killed and 5 wounded in Rockbridge Battery. Total, 7 killed and 21 wounded.
Respectfully yr. obt. servt., (Signed) R. Snowden Andrews, Lt. Col. Comdg. Arty. Battalion.
List of Killed and Wounded in Andrcivs' Artillery Battalion,
2d Battle Fredericksburg, Va., May
2d, 3d, 4th & 5th, 1863.
First Maryland Battery, Capt. Dement comdg.
Killed— Privates, Wm. Robey, N. Pollite and Dr. P. B. Duvall.
Wounded — Lieut. Jno. Gale, leg, severely; Private R. Stidham, head, severely ; Sergt. A. Young, breast, severely ; Private A. Tolson, arm and shoulder, severely; Private C. McNeal, leg, slightly ; Private Jno. Scharf , leg, slightly.
Carpenter's Battery, Capt. J. C. Carpenter comdg.
Killed — Private I. Grim.
Wounded — Capt. J. C. Carpenter, leg, severely; Private John Riding, head, severely; Sergt. J. W. Reed, Illiac region, slightly.
A MEMOIR 93
Lee Battery, Capt. Raine comdg.
Killed — Private W. A. Owens.
Wounded — Private W. H. Eades, head, slightly; Private W. D. Nowell, hand, slightly; Private T. A. Marsh, hand and arm, slightly.
Chesapeake Battery (4th Md.) Capt. Brown comdg.
Killed — Corporal R. Hasskins.
Wounded — Private R. E. Langley, shoulder, severely; Corpl. T. A. Carberry, leg, severely; Sergt. Crowley, face, slightly; Private J. H. Sparks, hip, slightly.
Rockbridge Battery, Capt. Graham, comdg.
Killed— Private G. W. Steuart.
Wounded — Private H. Font, leg, severely; Private Wm. Nick, shoulder, severely; Private J. L. Moore, shoulder, slightly; Private James Paine, side, slightly; Private Alfd. Gold, face, slightly.
Recapitulation :
Killed 7
Wounded 21
Total killed and wounded 28
(Signed) R. Snowden Andrews,
Lieut. Col. Comdg. Arty. Battalion.
Grafton Tyler,
istLt. &Adjt.
CHAPTER V.
Stevenson's Depot — Gettysburg.
Before describing the defence of the bridge at Stevenson's Depot, June 15th, 1863, it is again necessary to quote from Scharf :
Upon approaching Winchester, three Companies of Her- bert's battahon under Major Goldsborough were thrown forward as skirmishers and although subjected to a severe artillery fire, drove the Federals into their works around the town. On the same day Edward Johnson's division, pre- ceded by Newman's Cavalry, drove in the Federal pickets on the Front Royal and Winchester roads, and formed line of battle two miles from town preparatory to an attack. After some skirmishing, Milroy opened from a battery near the Millwood road, and Carpenter's battery (Lieutenant Lamber commanding) was placed by Lieutenant-Colonel R. Snowden Andrews to the left of the Front Royal road, and opened vigorously, soon driving off the opposing battery and blowing up a caisson. About five o'clock. Early, with Gordon's and Hay's brigade, attacked and quickly carried the outer defences of the town and captured six pieces of artillery. Night coming on, they lay upon their arms. Meanwhile Johnson was sent with James A. Walker's "Stonewall" brigade, Nicholl's Louisiana brigade. Colonel J. M, Williams commanding, and three regiments of George H. Steuart's Virginia and North Carolina brigade, and William F. Dement's First Maryland Artillery, with sections of Raine's and Carpenter's (the whole under Lieutenant-
94
A MEMOIR 95
Colonel R. Snowden Andrews) to make a detour to the East of the town to occupy the Martinsburg road, about two and a half miles from Winchester, and thus intercept Milroy's line of retreat, or to be ready to attack at daylight if the enemy held their ground. During the night Milroy cut down his guns and attempted a precipitate retreat to Harper's Ferry. A small part of his command had passed, when Johnson, who had been delayed in getting into position, arrived about daylight at the Martinsburg road, and at once attacked the passing column. -o
General Ewell says:
"The enemy made repeated and desperate attempts to cut their way through. Here was the hardest fighting which took place during the attack, the odds being greatly in favour of the enemy, who were successfully repulsed and scattered by the gallantry of General Johnson and his brave command. * * * In a few minutes the greater part of them surrendered — twenty-three to twenty-five hundred men. The rest scattered through the woods and fields, but most of them were subsequently captured by our cavalry. General Milroy, with two hundred and fifty or three hun- dred cavalry, made his way to Harper's Ferry. The fruits of this victory were twenty-three pieces of artillery, nearly all rifled, four thousand prisoners, three hundred loaded wagons, more than three hundred horses and a large amount of commissary and quartermaster stores. My loss was forty-seven killed, two hundred and nineteen wounded and three missing. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews, who had handled his artillery with great skill and effect in the engage-
'OScharf, III, p. 531-
96 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
ment of the 15th, was wounded just at the close of the action." * * *
It was during these fights near Winchester and Jordan's Springs that on June 15th, 1863, Colonel Andrews stationed two guns of Dement's Bat- tery at a bridge over a railroad cut near Steven- son's Depot, under command of Lieutenant C. S, Contee, with orders to hold the bridge as long as there was a man left. He then rode off into another part of the field and upon his return, badly wounded in the arm, Contee, shot through both legs, raised himself from the ground and said, "Colonel, I have a Sergeant and two men and the enemy is retreating." Every man but three was killed or wounded but they had prac- tically stopped an army. General Edward John- son came afterwards to the hospital and publicly thanked Colonel Andrews where he was lying with Lieutenant Contee, both wounded, for hav- ing won the fight for him. General Lee said that the ''heroic self-sacrifice of those brave men was a second Thermopylae."
The gallantry of the lieutenant and men was so conspicuous that they were reported by name to the Major General, Edward Johnson, who in turn reported them by name to the Lieutenant
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From photograph. 1910.
A MEMOIR 97
General, Ewell, who reported them also by name to General Lee, by whom their names were for- warded to the Department in Richmond.
The following extract is from General Ewell's report to General Lee:
* * * at Winchester.
Lieutenant C. S. Contee's Section of Dement's Battery was placed in short musket range of the enemy on June 15th and maintained its position till thirteen of the sixteen in the two detachments were killed or wounded, when Lieutenant John A. Morgan and Lieutenant R. H. McKim, aide-de- camp to Brigadier General G. H. Steuart, volunteered and helped to work the guns till the surrender of the enemy. The following are the names of the gallant men belonging to this section :
First Gun — Sergeant John G. Harris, Corporals Wm. P. Compton, Saml. Thompson, Privates Robert Chew, Wm. Koester, Charles Pease, A. J. Albert, Jr., Wm. T. Wootten, John R. Yates, Jr., H. J. Langsdale, J. R. Buchanan, B. W. Owens.
Second Gun — Sergeant John E. Glasscocke, Corporals Wm. H. May, Charles Harris, Privates Thos. Moore, Wm. Gorman, F. Frayer, Wm. W. Wilson, Saml. Thomas, R. T. Richardson, Wm. Sherburne, James Owens, Wm. Dallam, Joseph Mockabee.
James Caperton in a letter to a friend encloses this report of Ewell's and adds:
"Suffice it to say that this is the only report of the individual privates engaged in an artillery
98 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
company that has ever been included in an official report of the Army of Northern Virginia. I had just been transferred to the company then. * * * Colonel Charles Marshall told me that General Lee, hearing of the battery, unsupported, keeping the enemy back, when they had been intercepted and finally compelled to surrender, requested their names, which was a great compli- ment. Mr. Albert (Jim's father) told me when i lived in Baltimore that he had spoken to General Lee with great regret about his son's losing his arm. "My dear Sir, if you knew the circum- stances under which he lost it, you would feel proud of it. I regard this as the Thermopylae of my campaign." This seems to have occurred dur- ing the time of a visit General Lee made to Bal- timore after the war.
"It seems beyond a doubt that these two guns alone, absolutely unsupported by infantry, held the bridge and practically won the battle."
General Edward Johnson's official report of the operations at Winchester says:
"Before closing this report I beg to state that I have never seen superior artillery practice to that of Andrews' battalion in this engagement, and especially the section under Lieutenant C. S. Contee (Dement's battery), one gun of which was placed on the bridge above referred to and the
A MEMOIR 99
other a little to the left and rear. Both pieces were very much exposed during the whole action. Four successive attempts were made to carry the bridge. Two sets of cannoneers (thirteen out of fifteen) were killed or disabled. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews and Lieutenant Contee, whose gallantry calls for special mention, fell wounded at this point. Lieutenant John A. Morgan of the First North Carolina Regiment and Lieutenant Randolph McKim took the place of the disabled cannoneers, rendering valuable assistance and deserving special mention.
Extracts from Report of Brigadier General George H. Steuart:
Headquarters Steuart's Brigade,
June 19, 1863.
"Several attempts were made by the enemy to carry the bridge, and almost all the cannoneers of the piece placed there were killed or wounded. The gallant Lieutenant Contee was also wounded ; and I must here mention the gallant conduct of Lieutenant John A. Morgan, First North Carolina Regiment, who, with Private B. W. Owens, of the Maryland Artillery, and some occasional assistance, manned the piece most effectively, driving the enemy back from the bridge at the most critical moment. * * *
Captain G. G, Garrison, Assistant Adjutant-General and First Lieutenant R. H. McKim, my aide-de-camp, rendered valuable assistance, the latter occasionally serving at the piece on the bridge. George H. Steuart,
Brigadier General, Commanding Johnson's Division.
Major B. W. Leigh,
Assistant Adjutant General."
19075
100 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
The last man left at Number One Gun was B. W. Owens, who, in reply to a request for his recollection of the incident has kindly written this letter:
''Annapolis, Md., July ii, 1910.
"My Dear Sir:
I was a private of the First Maryland Battery at Number One Gun stationed on the bridge at Stevenson's Depot, on June 15th, 1863, and while working the gun alone was reinforced by Lieu- tenant John Morgan, of a North Carolina Regi- ment, and an officer of the Staff of the late Gen- eral George H. Steuart, Lieutenant R. H. Mc- Kim, now the Rev. Randolph H. McKim, both of whom stood by and gallantly assisted me to the close of the action and the surrender of the enemy.
My brother thinks that Lieutenant Morgan w^as the Adjutant of his regiment, but I, without absolute knowledge, incline to think otherwise.
I saw him once only after this, and that was on the return from Gettysburg, on which occa- sion he was marching barefooted with his regi-
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ment, the First or Third North Carolina, I am not positive which. And it has occurred to me that a staff-officer would most likely have been better equipped, and probably mounted.
The explanation of my being alone at my gun is that my detachment — in fact both detach- ments— were so depleted, a number being- wounded unto death, it was determined to com- bine the remnants of the two upon one gun, that it might be worked more eft"ectively, and an order to that effect was given. The two or three of my comrades hearing the order obeyed, but I, failing to hear it, remained at my post and did the best I could until the end came.
Respectfully,
B. Welch Owens."
Mrs. Jackson in her "Memoirs of Stonewall Jackson," says that one of the cadets of the Vir- ginia Military Institute once asked Jackson why he did not run away when his command was so disabled at Chapultepec. Jackson replied, 'T was not ordered to do so ; if I had been ordered to run away I should have done so; but I was directed to hold my position and I had no right to aban- don it."
102 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Or perhaps Mr. Owens was like Nelson, at Copenhagen, who, when told that he was ordered to withdraw his ship, put his blind eye to the tele- scope and said he could see no signals to with- draw.
In this engagement Colonel Andrews was severely wounded in the arm; a ball entered below the elbow and ran up through the arm, coming out at the shoulder. While he was in the hospital the following letter was received by Lieutenant Contee, who was also badly wounded.
Head Quarters Johnson's Division, Sharpsburg, Md.,
June 22nd, 1863. Dear Charlie
I regret exceedingly that I could not absent myself from my command long enough to pay you a visit as we passed along; but you know I would have done so had it been possible. You must do your best, however, to get well and join us as soon as you can. Write me by the return courier so that I may know exactly how you are, as well as Andrews. I might have an opportunity of communicating with your families.
A MEMOIR 103
We are progressing very slowly but I think surely. What we are waiting for I cannot exactly say, but I presume Marse Robert knows. Our troops are all in fine spirits and anxious to go ahead. General Johnson told me today, and I think it will gratify you to know his opinion that 'Andrews Battalion was handled in the most able and gallant manner in the recent engage- ment near Winchester.' I am glad you both got off as you did, and hope you will not require a third leg. I send an undershirt and socks for yourself and Andrews, as you may be out of clean clothes. If I can do anything for you let me know. We will move forward tomorrow.
Yours truly,
G. D. Mercer. To Lieut. Charles Contee.
Major Latimer's full official report of the action of the battalion at Winchester is as fol- lows:
''Headquarters Andrews' Artillery Battalion,
June 25th, 1863. Colonel:
I hereby beg leave to submit the following report of the operations of this Battalion in the recent engagements around Winchester:
104 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
On the morning of the 13th June we marched at 4 A. M. with Johnson's Division from our encampment at Cedarville on the Front Royal and Winchester pike. Captain Carpenter's Bat- tery, Lieutenant Lambie commanding, being detached and following the front Brigade under immediate direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews. This Battery arrived in sight of Win- chester about 12 M. Had it proceeded directly up the road it would have been subjected to the fire of a Battery stationed on the right of the pike and on an eminence between the first house on the right of the road and an encampment which the enemy had just vacated. Therefore Colonel Andrews moved Carpenter's Battery through the woods to the left of the road, reach- ing an open field enclosed by a stone wall, which somewhat protected the guns. The Battery came into action under fire, and in a few minutes, by their well directed shots, drove off the enemy's Battery, as well as the supporting Infantry, both retreating rapidly towards the Town; one of the enemy's limbers having been exploded, thereby killing three men; others having been killed or wounded by the firing. During the engagement, Carpenter's Battery lost one man killed and one wounded and three (3) horses disabled.
A MEMOIR 105
Dement's First Maryland Battery, which was not engaged, but exposed to the fire, lost one (i) man killed. Carpenter's Battery was, for some time after this, exposed to a severe fire from heavy Batteries which the enemy had posted on the heights to the left of the town, but which we could not reach. Later in the evening, when General Early advanced on the left, some of the enemy's Infantry in retreating became exposed to view, when I ordered Lieutenant Lambie to open upon them with his two rifle guns which he did with effect, very much accel- erating their speed. This drew upon the Batterv a Severe fire from the enemy's Batteries posted as before described, without any damage, how- ever, except the loss of one (i) or two horses. After night the Battery was withdrawn and parked with the remainder of the Battalion. None of the Batteries of the Battalion were engaged again on that day or the next; the enemy having retired within his works, and our lines not being advanced on that part of the field which we occupied. The Battalion remained quietly in park behind a sheltering hill near the Front Royal road.
On the evening of the 14th, about dark, in accordance with orders from General Johnson,
io6 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Demerit's First Maryland Battery, four Napol- eons, a rifle section belonging to Raine's Battery under command of Captain Raine, and a section of Carpenter's Battery (rifle guns) under com- mand of Lieutenant Lambie, were taken by Col- onel Andrews with two (2) Brigades of John- son's Division (Steuart's and Nichol's) all under command of General Johnson, and moved across the country to the road leading from the Win- chester and Martinsburg pike to Charlestown, by Jordan Springs; striking it at a point about four (4) miles from the Martinsburg pike, about 3 A. M., and moving towards that pike. The remainder of the Battalion had been left under my command in front of Winchester,
The Batteries under Colonel Andrews were marching close up on the Infantry, and the first intimation of the presence of an enemy was given by rapid firing of musketry, indicating skirmish- ing at the head of the Column. The Battalion was halted immediately, the First Gun of Dement's First Maryland Battery, which was in the lead, being at this time within about (200) two hundred yards of the burnt Depot. This gun was ordered forward by Colonel Andrews under direction of General Johnson and having arrived at the burnt Depot w^as halted. In the
A MEMOIR 107
meantime, the Infantry were formed on the right and left of the road by which they had been marching along the line of the Winchester and Harper's Ferry Railroad. The firing had ceased and the remainder of the Battalion was ordered into park in the woods to the right of the road at the burnt Depot. Before getting into park, how- ever. Colonel Andrews by direction of General Johnson ordered forward the gun which was in advance, bringing it into position on the road near the Bridge across the Railroad upon which it was subsequently moved. The left gun of the same section was brought into position on the left of the Road by the same orders. Skirmishers had beeri sent out from our line and quite rapid firing had begun. The two guns could not fire, our skirmishers being in the way. The skirmish- ers, however, were quickly driven back by the enemy who followed them. The two guns men- tioned then opened upon them with canister. They were severely engaged with Infantry at short range until the close of the action, about one and a half hours, not changing their position, and driving the enemy back frequently. Shortly after these guns had been put in position the remainder of the Battery was posted by Colonel Andrews' orders along the edge of the wood to
io8 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
the left of the road. They became immediately engaged (though at longer range than the first two (2) guns), except Lieutenant Lambie's Sec- tion of Carpenter's Battery, which shortly after getting into position was by direction of Colonel Andrews taken to a position about 200 yards to the right of the road, to protect against a flank movement. About half an hour after, Lieutenant Stonestreet was ordered by Colonel Andrews to the support of Lieutenant Lambie. A body of the enemy's Infantry and Cavalry being seen moving to the left of our position. Colonel Andrews directed Captain Raine to move his section about 200 yards to the left and in rear of his position, which he did, forming at right angles with his former line of fire with good effect. Shortly thereafter one of his guns by order of General Johnson was taken down the road towards Jordan Springs to intercept a body of the enemy, who were retreating in that direc- tion. The enemy seeing this gun before it had been put in position, several hundred of them surrendered to about seven of our Infantry men. About the same time Lieutenant Lambie's Sec- tion and one gun of Captain Dement's which were on the right of the road, not having had occasion to fire, were moved by direction of Col-
A MEMOIR 109
onel Andrews about one half mile to the rear of our line to fire upon the body of Infantry and Cavalry above spoken of, which Captain Raine's Guns had not succeeded in arresting. The result was to scatter them in every direction, thus mak- ing them an easy prey to our Infantry. The action, at this time, was pretty well over, the enemy's line being broken at nearly every point, and in order to complete the rout Colonel Andrews was making preparations to charge with one of the Sections of Dement's Battery through the shattered lines of the enemy and open upon his rear, when he was struck in the arm by a shot from a lingering sharpshooter, which gave him a severe but not serious flesh- wound. A short time after the action was closed the greater part of the enemy surrendered, the remainder having fled. The conduct of the Bat- teries on this occasion was most creditable, elicit- ing by the effect with which they were handled by their commanders the admiration of all beholders. It will be seen that they were several times moved while under fire, always a difficult matter, and the celerity with which these move- ments were made showed the ability of the Bat- tery commanders and the efficiency of their com- mands. Captain Raine's Battery, though exposed
no RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
to a severe Infantry fire, suffered no loss besides having (3) three horses disabled. Sergeants East, Eades and Milstead are mentioned as hav- ing made themselves conspicuous for coolness and fine service rendered, having acted as gun- ners in addition to their duties as chiefs of pieces.
The conduct of the ofificers, non-commissioned officers and men serving the right section of Cap- tain Dement's Battery cannot be spoken of in terms of praise sufficiently high. The stern determination with which they stood up to their guns is proven by the fact that the gun at the bridge was worked with terrible effect until six men were disabled and on account of the difficult position which the gun occupied the two cannon- eers which were left were unable to work it. Finding the other gun detachment becoming weak, the Sergeant and Corporal, with the two men, went over to its assistance. In a few min- utes the latter detachment had suffered as great loss as the former, but owing to the superiority of ground the gun could be worked with dimin- ished numbers.
The loss in Captain Dement's Battery was two (2) killed, and thirteen (13) wounded, among the wounded. Lieutenant Contee and Sergeant Glass- cocke. This loss was confined to the two guns
A MEMOIR III
above spoken of, except in the case of one of the men killed, which was done on Saturday, when not engaged. Sixteen horses were also killed and disabled, fifteen (15) of these being in the same section.
I desire to bring to your immediate notice on this occasion the names of Lieutenant C. S. Con- tee commanding the Section, Sergeant Harris, Corporals Compton and Thompson, of the First gun, Sergeants Glasscocke and Corporal May, Second Gun.
Captain Carpenter's Battery, under command of Lieutenant Lambie, was served in the most efficient manner, both on the day on which we arrived in front of Winchester and the 15th inst. The Lieutenant commanding finds difficulty in making any distinction, but mentions Sergeant Major Ben. Karnes as having been in command of a Section and having rendered excellent serv- ice.
Captain Brown's Battery was not engaged at any time. It is useless for me to speak of the Commanders of the Batteries engaged. Their known skill and gallantry as proven on every
112 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
battle field makes it unnecessary to speak of them on this particular occasion. I am, Col. Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant.,
(Signed) J. W. Latimer, Major, Commanding Andrews' Artillery Battalion.
Col. J. T. Brown,
Actg. Chf. Arty. 2d Corps.
Casualties in Andrcivs' Arty. Battalion in Battle "Jordan
Springs" and near Winchester, June i^th and 13th,
186^. Carpenter's Battery (Capt. J no. C.
Carpenter comdg.)
Corporal John Miller, wounded in leg, slight; Private L. A. Siveley, wounded in knee, killed ; Private Jos. Bailey of I St Md. Battery, shoulder and side, killed.
June 15th, Jordan Springs, near Winchester, Va.
Lt. Col. R. Snowden Andrews, comdg. Battalion, arm, severe; Lieut. C. S. Contee, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), leg, severe; Sergt. J. E. Glasscocke, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), thigh, severei; Private Robt. Chew, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), arm, severe; Private Thos. Moore, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), abdomen, killed; Private Wm. Wootten, 1st Md. Battery (Dement's), shoulder, killed; Private James Albert, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), arm amputated; Private Chs. Pease, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), hand, slight; Private Fredk. Frayer, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), hand, slight; Private James Owens, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), hand, slight; Private Lewis Koester,
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1st Md. Battery (Demerit's), both legs, killed; Private Joseph Mocabee, ist Md. Battery (Demerit's), cheek and oesophagus, killed; Private W. H. Gorman, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), leg amputated; Private John Yates, ist Md. Battery (Dement's), leg, severe.
Stevenson's Depot and Bridge and Railway.
Partial List of Members of Andrews' Battalion at Winchester, June, 1863.
J. E. Glasscocke Wm. P. Compton Wm. H. May I. W. F. Hatton C. H. Harris B. Dashiell Aug. J. Albert, Jr. R. B. Chew G. H. Marriott George V. Pernis W. W. Dallam B. W. Owens W. H. Bowen P. F. Edelin R. C. Glass G. Coombe I. T. Dutton Thos. Moore J. F. McWilliams Jno. Campbell L. W. Jones Joseph Hatton
H. C. Sargent
Lewis Koester
A. W. Perrie
A. M. Wilson
John R. Buchanan
R. H. Lee
H. D. Miller
J. Gilpin
J. T. Wilson
J. C. Wingate
Geo. Robertson
J. Cator
A. C. Bowie
Wm. H. Gorman
John C. Handy
G. A. Dougherty
S. G. Bowland
John R. Wade
Eugene Worthington
Abram Koons
J. C. Lee
Louis W. Jenkins
114
RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
H. R. Langsdale G. W. Bos ford Wm. Beverly Brown John M. Shuster Geo. H. Hilleary Saml. Thompson John W. Gunby McC Y. Barry I. C. Heeny J. W. Owens R. T. Richardson Thos. G. Morgan W. L. Shurburn Thos. H. Musgrove W. G. Higgins O. L. Jenkin William W. Wilson Joseph Baily S. F. Duvall Wm. H. Harper Geo. W. Robinson John F. Digges
Geo. W. Wilson J. H. Dorsett L. S. Webb R. Burtles J. T. Franklin J. A. Dorsett H. Pennington E. Middleton S. Thomas J. C. Mockabee W. E. Phipps R. F. Driden T. Broughton Wm. A. Koester James N. Weems Richard Stidham Charles Pease Daniel Lloyd, Jr. W. Kennedy Jenkins W. Gardener John T. Todd R. Boswell
Colonel Andrews was not able to be with his Battalion at Gettysburg on account of the wound received at Winchester, but came out of the hos- pital in time to meet his command in the retreat from Gettysburg and wrote the official report of the action from the dictation of Major Latimer, whose arm had been torn off in that battle.
A MEMOIR 115
In his summary, General Ewell says:
"Lieutenant Colonel Andrews, of the Artillery, not fully recovered from his serious wound at Cedar Run, was again wounded at Winchester, and while suffering from his wounds, appeared in the field at Hagerstown and reported for duty,"
James Owens, who was also wounded at Win- chester, says that he requested Colonel Andrews to procure his discharge from the hospital that he might rejoin the command; that Colonel Andrews after some remonstrance consented and that they went together to Hagerstown where they met Latimer with his one arm and heard from him an account of the action of the bat- talion at Gettysburg.
Mr. D. Ridgely Howard, who was in William Murray's Company of Infantry under Lieuten- ant-Colonel James R. Herbert, said that he never saw a more beautiful sight than Andrews' Bat- talion going into action at Gettysburg. He said: "Latimer took them in at a gallop and began firing almost before the horses were out. I remember it well, as we were taken in almost immediately afterwards." The gallant Latimer died a few weeks afterwards. He was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and was known
ii6 RICHARD SNOIVDEN ANDREWS
in his short but brilliant career as the "boy major ;" he would probably have lived except for his rooted aversion to falling into the hands of the enemy, which induced him to force his jour- ney to Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he now lies buried. One of his relatives received this from Captain W. F. Dement:
"I was with Major Latimer on the field of Gettysburg, assisted in taking him from under his horse (which was killed at the time he was wounded) and carried him from the field. His bearing during the day was most gallant, show- ing the greatest coolness and bravery, under the most trying circumstances. While under his horse he continued to give orders and seemed to think only of his command. The Confederacy has sustained a great loss in his early death, this battalion an officer whose place it will not be easy to supply and the officers a friend and comman- der wdiose loss they deeply regret."
Colonel Andrews' official report of the opera- tions of Andrews' Battalion at Gettysburg fol- lows :
A MEMOIR 117
Headquarters Andrews' Artillery Battalion, Near Liberty Mills,
August 5th, 1863. Col.:—
I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements and operations of this Battalion, attached to General Edward Johnson's Division, in the Battle of Gettysburg. On this occasion this Battalion of Artillery was under the immediate command of Major J. W. Latimer.
Major Latimer moved this Battalion from its camp near Chambersburg on the ist July, and moving along the Chambersburg road appeared in front of Gettysburg just before dark of the same day. After dark, being in close proximity to the enemy, Major Latimer, making a detour to prevent the enemy from finding out his move- ments, moved his Battalion to the extreme left of Gettysburg between the York and Baltimore roads, facing the Cemetery hills, where the com- mand was posted, and remained in park until near 4 o'clock the following day, July 2nd. Before 4 o'clock Major Latimer had carefully examined the ground and had selected the only eligible position in his front. The ground offered very few advantages and the Major found great
ii8 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
difficulty in sheltering his horses and caissons. The hill which he selected brought him directly in front of the wooded mountain and a little to the left of the Cemetery hills. All the guns, except two long range guns, had to be crowded on this small hill which was not in our favor. About 4 o'clock Major Latimer received orders from yourself, as well as from General Johnson, to take position and open on the enemy. Four- teen (14) Guns of this Batallion were then placed on this hill above mentioned. The two remain- ing Guns, 20 pd. Parrotts, were placed on an emi- nence in rear of the Battalion, with Captain Gra- ham's Battery. Captain Brown's Battery occu- pied the right. Captain Carpenter's occupied the centre, while Captains Dement and Raine — the latter with one section of his battery — took the left.
As soon as the Major opened the enemy replied with a well directed fire from a superior number of guns, causing many casualties among officers, men and horses. This unequal contest was sus- tained both by officers and men with great forti- tude until near night. The enemy, in the mean- time, planted some guns on the left, which com- pletely enfiladed our Batteries, which caused Captain Carpenter to suffer very severely. By
A MEMOIR 119
this time two of Captain Demerit's pieces had expended all their ammunition and one caisson had been blown up. Captain Brown had a piece disabled and his detachments so reduced that he could work only two guns and Captain Brown had been shot down. At this juncture, the enemy pouring a destructive fire on them, Major Lati- mer sent his Sergeant Major to General Johnson to say "that owing to the exhausted state of his men and ammunition and the severe fire of the enemy he was unable to hold his position any longer." General Johnson sent him word "to withdraw the Battalion, if he thought proper." Most of the guns were then withdrawn, leaving four (4) guns on the hill to repel any advance of the enemy's infantry. Soon after this, Major Latimer again opened on the enemy with the four guns left in position to cover the advance of our Infantry, which drew a terrible fire on him, and it was here that the accomplished and gallant Latimer was severely wounded in the arm, of which wound he has since died. The command then devolved on Captain Raine, the senior captain of the Battalion. Night coming on, Captain Raine, at Major Latimer's sugges- tion, withdrew the command a short distance and encamped for the night. The next morning,
120 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
July 3rd, the condition of the Battalion was reported to you, when Captain Raine received orders to park near the Ordnance train and to have his ammunition chests replenished and await further orders. The same evening Captain Raine received orders to go to the front, which order was promptly obeyed. On the 4th, Cap- tain Raine fell back with his division on the Cashtown road, where he remained until our army left the front of Gettysburg. The list of casualties will show the severity of the conflict and it is believed we did the enemy infinitely more damage than we sustained, for they had to change their position frequently and had to be relieved by fresh Batteries, while our men stood unflinchingly to their posts the whole time. I herewith furnish you a list of casualties in dif- ferent Batteries.
Casualties in Captain Raine's Battery: Second Sect. Comd. by Captain Raine — One (i) man severely wounded and left in the ene- my's line. Several others very slightly wounded, but are now doing duty. Three (3) horses killed. In First Sect., Lieutenant Hardwicke comdg., three (3) men severely wounded, axle tree of No. one (i) gun damaged by a solid shot. The horses
A MEMOIR 121
of this section were taken to the rear and hence did not suffer.
Casualties in Captain Brown's Battery.
Captain Brown severely wounded; Lieutenant Roberts severely wounded; 4 men killed and ten (10) wounded; nine (9) horses killed or perma- nently disabled.
Casualties in Captain Dement's Battery:
One (i) Corporal killed, four (4) men wounded, nine horses killed or permanently dis- abled, one (i) caisson exploded and one disabled.
Casualties in Carpenter's Battery:
One (i) Corporal killed, (4) four men killed, one (i) Sergeant wounded, one (i) Corporal wounded, (17) seventeen enlisted men badly wounded, several others very slightly wounded — now on duty — (9) nine horses killed or per- manently disabled.
Summary: One Major severely wounded, one Captain severely wounded, one Lieutenant wounded, one non-commissioned officer and nine men killed, two non-commissioned officers wounded and (30) thirty men wounded, (30) thirty horses killed.
Major Latimer informed me that all officers behaved with great gallantry.
122 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
The Captains report that their officers, non- commissioned officers and men behaved with such unparalleled gallantry that they can make no distinction. I am, Colonel,
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
(Signed) R. Snowden Andrews, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Artillery Bat- talion.
Casualties in Andrews' Artillery Battalion, in Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2d, 1863.
Major J. W. Latimer, commanding Battalion, arm amputated.
Raine's Battery (commanded by Captain J. C. Raine) :
Private W. Kinlock, face and breast, and arm amputated ; Private P. Costello, cheek and shoulder, severe; Private W. E. Walker, both legs, severe.
Chesapeake Battery (commanded by Captain W. D. Brown) : Captain W. D. Brown, both legs, severe ; Lieutenant B. J. Roberts, back and both arms, severe; Sergeant P. Brown, face and breast, slight ; Corporal D. Dougherty, side and back, killed ; Private A. J. Bryant, head, killed ; Private F. Cuipack, head and leg, killed; Private T. Parker, hip and abdomen, killed; Private P. Oldner, leg, severe; Private H. Wilson, leg, severe ; Private S. Warnington, face, slight ; Private J. Lane, head, slight; Private W. Williams, face, slight.
A MEMOIR 123
First Maryland Battery, (Captain Dement commanding) :
Corporal Samuel Thompson, killed; Private W. H. Bowen, foot and leg, severe; Private S. Boland, neck and head, severe; Sergeant Major Frank Bowling, head, slight; Private R. Glass, nose, slight.
Carpenter's Battery (Captain J. C. Carpenter commanding) : Corporal F. Nilley, leg, killed; Private M. Clem, killed; Private A. Ridenon, chest, killed; Private J. Beeler, chest, killed ; Sergeant R. Montague, breast and abdomen, slight ; Corporal W. W. Murrill, shoulder, slight ; Private M. D. \V. Argenbright, leg, severe ; Private W. Baggage, leg and hand, severe ; Private E. P. Blake, arm, severe ; Private Jno. Cupp, chest, severe ; Private Jos. Cooley, leg, severe ; Private James Grady, lumbar region, slight ; Private A. Hoffman, leg, slight; Private W. Humphries, arm, mortal; Private Geo. Williams, shoulder, slight; Private M. K. Newcomer, head, slight; Private Jas. Leopard, leg, slight; Private J. W. Miller, back and side, slight; Private Thos. Ogden, leg, severe; Private W. D. Pitzer, hand, slight; Private W. E. Piper, leg, severe; Private A. Staff, face, slight; Private McKeman, back, severe; Private Geo. Keeler, face and breast, slight; Private Chs. Skeen, breast, killed.
Recapitulation :
One Major severely wounded, i Captain severely wounded, i Lieutenant severely wounded, 3 Corporals killed, 3 Sergeants wounded, i Corporal wounded, 7 Privates killed and 29 Privates wounded.
CHAPTER VI.
England — France — Germany — Mexico — Conclusion.
The wound received at Winchester, in addition to the others, left Colonel Andrews unfit for active service in the field.
This extract from a letter from General W. N. Pendleton to General Lee will explain the cir- cumstances:
"Head Quarters Artillery Corps,
Army of Northern Virginia,
November 20, 1863. General :
In obedience to your instructions, I have carefully recon- sidered all the recommendations for promotion in the artillery service with this army, availing myself of the matured counsels of General Long, Chief of Artillery of Second Corps and Colonel Walker, Chief of Artillery of Third Corps, and of General Stuart, for the batteries serving vy^ith the cavalry, the result I have now the honour to report.
* * * Of the Lieutenant-Colonels, Andrews, a most gallant and distinguished officer, ought in duty to the cause and to himself to be relieved from field exposure and employed in less trying service, that he may recover from the threatening consequences of a dangerous wound received at Cedar Run nearly eighteen months ago. He is admirably adapted to usefulness in the ordnance department, and it is
124
A MEMOIR 125
hoped a position therein may be assigned him, with an additional grade. Were it really proper for him to remain in the field, sincerity and merit would together place him first on our list of Lieutenant-Colonels for promotion."
Andrews' Battalion continued to the end; Scharf says:
"The remnants of the First Maryland Artillery, and the Baltimore Light Artillery, like their comrades of the Mary- land battalion, were also true to the last to the cause they had espoused. After facing death on many bloody fields, these brave men now wept like children when they too were disarmed at Appomattox Court House."'
About this time President Davis requested General Lee to send two artillery officers abroad to inspect and purchase guns for the Southern Army, and Colonel Andrews and his friend and companion, Colonel Thomas S. Rhett, were chosen and sent. They ran the blockade from Wilmington to Nassau, where they took passage for Europe and spent about a year gathering information in England, France and Germany. They had letters, of course, to influential people, one to Prince Radziwill of Prussia who was very kind to them.
Colonel Rhett's letters to Colonel I. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, are statistical and technical, giving descriptions of the arms used by the
126 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
French Army in the most minute detail, with drawings and measurements (when he could obtain them) of guns. The letters are dated from February, 1864, to December, 1864. A few extracts from these letters will not be out of place here.
"Paris, March ist, 1864. Colonel,
I now begin to get into my work and hope that hereafter my letters will be inter- esting and useful. I am working up the arms and accoutrements of the various branches of the French service. This much is certain, that one calibre for small arms is used, whether they be muskets, carbines or pistols ^ ^ ^ 'Phe Infantry of the line and these alone wear a short straight sword similar to the West Point "Cheese Knife" * * * The Cavalry may be divided into four classes; Cuirassiers, Dragoons, Lancers and Light Cavalry. * ^k *
"You will permit me now to turn to another subject. As my inquiries extend my expenses will increase * * * Please send me a few thousands. Dr. Darby will talk to you on this subject for me. I came for work and will not play. People abuse me, I believe, because I will
A MEMOIR 127
not visit every night and go to dinners and balls; but such things are not becoming I think in Con- federates while our brethren are suffering so much. You may hear of Confederate balls, but be sure to remember that I have nothing to do with them. If I think I can gain information by making acquaintances, I will do so; but mere gaiety I always despised and certainly this is not the time to waive my disgust for it."
"Paris, April ist, 1864. * * *
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews has arrived. If we can go together to see what is to be seen, of course our discussions afterwards would be inter- esting and useful. * * * I go to London today and must close this for the mail. Doctor Darby will tell you the circumstances under which I have determined to go."
The next letter is dated "Newcastle-upon- Tyne, May 1st, 1864," and describes their visit to Sir William Armstrong and the Armstrong guns.
The next, "Berlin, July ist, 1864.
I omitted my usual report on the first of June because I had just arrived at Berlin, dusty and fatigued, and really had nothing to say except that I was here. I brought a letter to Prince
128 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Radziwill, but his extreme illness at the time pre- vented his being as prompt as he otherwise would have been in getting permits for us. After a delay of nearly three weeks we (Colonel Andrews and myself) were admitted to the pow- der factory and foundry at Spandau. * * * The cannon foundry engaged much of our atten- tion; indeed we lingered so long that we were almost driven out by the Commandant, h^ * =h I have striven hard to get measurements, but so far without success and so closely is everything kept that I am not sanguine. I shall continue my efforts, however. Even the tables of ranges cannot be bought by anyone but an officer who is sworn to secrecy, and I believe a careful registr}' of all officers who purchase is kept. So you per- ceive the difficulties which lie in my way. Hav- ing visited Spandau, we proceeded to Schleswig with letters to the Chief of Staff and Chief Engineer, hoping that in the field we would have a better opportunity for seeing, and getting information from officers. We were very gra- ciously received by General Moltke's Chief of Staff and told that we should be able to see but little unless we were attached to the suite of Prince F. C.~^ I have returned to Berlin to get
2iPrince Frederick Charles, the great Cavalry leader, known as the "Red Prince."
A MEMOIR 129
this permission from the King. It has been prom- ised but not yet received. As soon as I receive It I will rejoin Colonel Andrews whom I left at Apenrade about fifteen miles from Diippel. We will do all that we can and then go to Vienna, from which place I shall probably write my next report."
The following telegram was received by Col- onel Andrews at Apenrade —
"Deutsch-Oesterreichischer Telegraphen-Verein
Monat - 186—
von
Apenrade Randen
Oberst Andrews, Apenrade — Stadt Hamburg Welcome in our country. All will be right. I telegraphed to the Secretary of war.
Scheibert-- Pro-Lieutenant"
22Lieutenant Scheibert served in the Confederate Army and was for a long time on tlie Staff of General George E. Pickett. Major Symington who was on Pickett's Stafif knew him and says he was intensely interested in the Confederacy. He had lost his left arm and two fingers of his right hand but was so clever in the use of the remaining three fingers that he could not only manage a horse but could roll cigarettes with perfect ease.
130 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
While Colonel Rhett was waiting in Berlin for the King's permission to go with the Prussian Army, chance threw that privilege into Colonel Andrews' way.
A Prussian Colonel, Von Mertens, invited him to dine with some of the Prussian Officers at a small inn near the village where he was staying. At the dinner the Prussian Colonel — who was old enough to be his father — expressed some sur- prise at so young a man having the rank of Lieu- tenant-Colonel of Artillery in the Confederate Army and asked him whether he had "ever been in any pitched battles?"
''Yes," said Colonel Andrews. "In how many?" "I really cannot tell," said Colonel Andrews, "We were fighting almost every day — I suppose about fifty or sixty." There was an incredulous silence for some time. At last one old officer, with a gleam of inspiration in his eyes said, "Ah, Colonel, you are very fortunate to have been in sixty battles and escape
He was sent by the Prussian Government to make a study of the war in the Confederate Army. He remained six months and was at General Lee's Headquarters at Chancellorville. He wrote a book called The Civil War in the United States of America Considered from a Military Point of View, for the Officers of the Prussian Engineers. The book was translated into French and English and is reviewed in Southern Historical Society's papers. Vol. VI., by C. S. Venable.
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Lieutenant Colonel Andrews in the service of the Confederate States of North America has permission to be present in the theatre of the war and to wear the white band.-^
Headquarters, Apenrade, the 5th July 1864. (Signed) Friedrich Kurth, Royal General of Cavalry.
Head Quarters
-^The white band gave the right to pass all sentries unchallenged and unmolested.
A MEMOIR ' 131
unwounded !" ''I was not so fortunate, Sir; in fact I received a wound at the battle of Cedar Run that few men could have survived."
Then after dinner, ColonelAndrews, decidedly under protest, consented to show his wound to the Surgeon who raised his hands in horror and cried, "Lieber Gott! The General must see this!" And so General von Moltke was brought in and said it was the worst wound he had ever seen.
Count von Moltke was a most accomplished linguist but so taciturn that it was said he could hold his tongue in seven languages. On this occasion, however, he persuaded the Red Prince to allow the two Confederate officers to accom- pany the army; "And," said Colonel Andrews, "when Rhett came in from Berlin an hour later, with disappointment in every feature, I was sit- ting on the verandah smoking a cigar and told him not to worry as I had obtained the permit. We all had a glass of wine and a good laugh at Rhett."
Henderson in his "Short History of Germany," (Vol. n, p. 389) says:
"The Army, about 60,000 strong, crossed the Eider on February ist, 1864. The great events of the war were the capture of the Danewerk (a line of fortresses about fifty miles long), the
132 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
storming of the redoubts of Diippel and the clearing of the Danish Islands."
General von Moltke planned the campaign and this was the beginning of the policy of the Great trio, — William of Prussia, Bismarck and von Moltke, — that ended in the establishment of the great German Empire.
At the London Conference soon afterwards the English did all they could in the division of Schleswig-Holstein to give as much as possible to Denmark and as little as possible to Prussia. But Bismarck's diplomacy was triumphant and, as everyone knows, Schleswig-Holstein is now a part of the German Empire. Bismarck told the Schleswig people that they ought to feel so grate- ful to them for driving the Danes out of the country that they would be not only willing but anxious to unite with Prussia forever.
Paris, August 15, 1864.
Colonel I. Gorg-as
fc>"
I have deferred my report several days expecting to be able to state dis- tinctly that I had all the information which I desired concerning the Prussian artillery, &c. I have now received well nigh all and will get all.
A MEMOIR 133
We thought but little of the Prussian army in America, it is taking its place in the first rank in Europe. The only possible way of reaching what one wishes, is to make the acquaintance of the officers and interest them in yourself, your cause and your government and then little by little you are able to get at it. The inability to speak German of course very much forced me to confine my acquaintance to such as speak French or English, but a great many of them do this. I hope that all things considered I have not done badly. * * *
Both Austrians and Prussians use pressed bul- lets. The former put six cartridges in a small bundle with eight caps, four of these bundles enclosed in one are carried in a pocket of the knapsack. I turn aside to say that knapsacks are almost universally made of hide tanned with the hair on. The carbine is by no means universally used by the cavalry. Throughout the Austrian service I was told there were but two regiments which are thus armed. The Hungarian Hussars carry sabre and pistols only. I observed an excel- lent way of carrying a day's long forage. A rope of hay is made and then rolled up very snugly into two bundles which are suspended from the pommel by a strap or cord. I suggest that this
134 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
be mentioned, — neither Col. A. nor myself have ever seen it in our army. At Berlin I saw the needle gun used, and it certainly is a terrific weapon. Twenty men, in one minute fired 109 shots, and struck a target seven or eight feet square at the distance of three hundred paces 103 times. Some of the men fired seven times per minute and apparently without any hurry, in fact it is the best marksmen that do this. They prac- tise much, in every way possible; and special care is taken to instruct the men to fire with deliberation and save ammunition. It never fouls and is light and easily comprehended by the soldiers. I urged the objection that too much ammunition would be expended, but they replied, "If you destroy your enemy in twenty minutes, it is impossible that a battle should last several days." The cannoneer carries only a short sword, more for general use I should say than for fighting. He is thus taught to fight his gun to the last moment. We were most delightfully received by the officers of the Prussian Army who, almost to a man, sympathise with us warmly. No Yankee officer has seen or could see the half of what we have. We were presented to Prince Frederick Charles and introduced to several generals, with one of whom we dined
A MEMOIR 135
three times. He took occasion to express his highest admiration for our gallant deeds and skilful generals and his wonder at our ability to supply arms, &c., &c., to our large armies. He said their whole army was with us and that there could be no doubt of our ultimate success and future greatness. In Berlin upon my return from Jutland I was introduced to the mess of the Alex- ander Regiment of Guards and dined and carried about to my heart's content, obtaining also a good deal of information. We met Lieutenant Sheibert of the Prussian Engineers who spent several months with our army. He was exceed- ingly kind in every way and talks of us as if he were indeed one of us. His admiration for Gen- eral Lee is unbounded. Upon his return he delivered before their military club of which the King is President, several discourses upon our struggle and correcting many false impressions.^^ He is to send me books for Colonel Talcott and Dr. Gild, also letters for General Lee and Major von Borcke"^ and others. I was exceedingly sorr)^
24At the conclusion of these lectures the audience, consisting almost entirely of German officers, rose and gave three cheers for General Lee.
25Heros von Borcke served in the Confederate Army; he was on General J. E. B. Stuart's Staff and was badly wounded in the throat. He afterwards served in the Franco-Prussian war
136 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
to see the order for the return of Lieutenant Col- onel Andrews and hope yet that he will be allowed to remain with me. During my visit to Prussia I may say he was indispensable. Upon inquiry he tells me Charriere has not yet been successful in supplying him with a truss which gives him relief and under the terms of the order, he proposes to remain still longer, hoping mean- time that its withdrawal will enable him still to be my associate.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) T. S. Rhett.
on the staff of Prince Frederick Charles. About twenty years after the Confederate war he visited the United States and while in Baltimore was a guest of Major W. Stuart Symington to whom he told this anecdote: "Prince Frederick Charles once visited me at my home and there saw on the wall his own por- trait and underneath it a portrait of General J. E. B. Stuart. After looking at them he turned to me and said, "von Borcke, I am going to ask a favour of you: I want you to change the position of these portraits and put General Stuart on top: any- thing I may know about cavalry I learnt from him."
Von Borcke afterwards wrote a book called "Twenty Years After." He belonged to a German family of great antiquity: in fact there is a German saying, "Old as von Borcke or the Devil."
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Colonel T. S. RHETT.
Confederate States Artillery.
From a photograph taken in Berlin, 1864.
A MEMOIR 137
Paris, October ist, 1864. Colonel I. Gorgas,
Chief of Ordnance. Colonel:
I am glad to say that at last the instruments for inspecting guns, &c., [are ready] at least so I am informed, and I shall go at once to England to examine them and write you the method of using such as are peculiar. Of course I am morti- fied that they have taken so long at E. to make them, but it is impossible to hurry these people much and the truth is that some of the instru- ments require much time. They are no doubt as perfect as it is possible to make them. I propose to remain but a very short time and then will hurry to Vienna, being now supplied with some letters, which will open many doors to me. * * Some time ago I suggested that you should order if possible a few forty pounders. Colonel Andrews has partially succeeded in inducing a gentleman here to send a couple on to you. Per- haps if you would express some anxiety on the subject, it would assist him and you would get what I esteem to be the best gun of its calibre in the world.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) T. S. Rhett.
138 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Antwerp, November ist, 1864.
Colonel I. Gorgas,
Chief of Ordnance.
Colonel:
You will perhaps be surprised to see that I am at Antwerp, after reading my last, for indeed I expected to be in Vienna. I am, however, on my way to V. * ''' * At Elswick they are mak- ing iron carriages, for sea-coast, naval and field guns, it is only an experiment as yet, but iron constructions are so well understood at E. that I have little doubt of their success. The field carriages now used are not liked by them and such is their influence, that I expect a few years will find the English army and navy fully sup- plied with iron carriages from this establishment. * * >k You will be glad to hear that Lieuten- ant Colonel Andrews has succeeded in getting two forty pounders; they will soon be ready. I wish they were already at W., for which place they are destined.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) T. S. Rhett.
A MEMOIR 139
Vienna, December ist, 1864. Colonel I. Gorgas,
Chief of Ordnance. Colonel:
On my way to this city from Antwerp I met Lieutenant Colonel A. by appointment at Stras- bourg. We had the good fortune to get into the arsenal and workshops. It is quite certain that as yet the French have not adopted any field gun which differs from that used during the Italian War, and though still experimenting they have been unable to find a better. * '^ * At Mayence we saw nothing worth recording and merely got letters for a distinguished retired officer of artillery, but unfortunately he is absent from Vienna. I take this occasion to speak of the attentions of General Williams without whom I fear we could have done nothing. He knows prominent men and does not hesitate to use the influence which he has with them. I hope you will speak of this, for if he desires a position in E. after the war, he certainly deserves one and so far as I can judge is eminently fitted for it. I have seen him but once, but I never will forget his earnestness to assist us so far as in him lay. Never having received a word of disapprobation
140 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
I was greatly surprised at your order to return. As I had just got into the work here, I thought it best to remain a few days in order to finish it.
I return to Paris soon and will settle with
for the instruments and copy my papers and then return home. I have succeeded in getting a few books on the subject of guns and cotton and have had much conversation with the persons engaged in the manufacture of the latter. It receives much opposition but will work its way up. * '''
Early in the Spring of 1865 Colonel Rhett and Colonel Andrews returned to America to report the result of their investigation. They bought some Armstrong guns and ammunition with which Colonel Andrews embarked in a vessel called the "Louisa-Ann-Fanny," an ingenious device by which he escaped detection, running up the flag of the ''Louisa," or the "Ann," or the "Fanny," in turn. Arriving at Cuba, he heard of General Lee's surrender and at once sent the guns back to England to be sold, and returned the proceeds to those who had supplied the money.
Colonel Andrews declared that he would never return to the United States, and determined to set out at once for Mexico. Having sent his last
A MEMOIR 141
pay to his wife at Versailles he had no money; but a comrade named Craig* insisted on paying his way, saying he had enough for both, and went with him to the City of Mexico. Here Col- onel Talcott gave him some engineering work in the Imperial and Mexican Railway.
The country through which this railway ran was infested by a band of brigands who commit- ted many depredations upon the helpless inhab- itants and were a great menace to the public safety. Colonel Andrews with a Captain Hill, who afterwards visited Baltimore, formed a com- pany of old Confederates and proceeded against the brigands, broke up their strongholds in the mountains and destroyed or dispersed the whole band, ridding the country entirely of the pest.
A short while after this he secured a contract to build the new Station at Orizaba for the Vera Cruz and City of Mexico Railway — a work of such importance that he established a home at Orizaba and sent for his family, who joined him in February, 1866. The downfall of Maximilian put a complete stop to all work on the railways as the country was in the grasp of revolutionists and there was no money nor credit, and so he returned to the United States, though his friends say he never took the oath of allegiance.
142 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
After his return to Baltimore, in 1867, he became interested in the Westham Granite Com- pany of Richmond, of which he later became president. This company furnished stone for the State, War and Navy Buildings in Washington, the Western Union Building in New York, and the Chamber of Commerce and the Hopkins Place Savings Bank in Baltimore.
He served, from 1876 until 1887, as Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery on the staff of four Governors of Maryland — Carroll, Hamilton, McLane and Lloyd — and hence his rank of Gen- eral. In 1877 he again went into active service, commanding the State Artillery in the great Bal- timore and Ohio Railroad riots. Other old Con- federate officers joined him, amongst them John Donnell Smith, William Wirt Robinson, Carvel Hall, and Lieutenant John Gale of his old Battal- ion. The non-commissioned officers and men were principally prominent young men of Balti- more— Warfield Theobald, William Moale, Horace White, J. H. Ferguson, William Norris, Frederick von Kapff and many others.
J. W. Owens again reported for duty and raised a company for a battery under his old commander R. S. Andrews. Colonel T. S. Rhett also relapsed into his old habits and took an
A MEMOIR 143
active part in organizing and drilling the artil- lery of the State in case of any lasting trouble with the strikers.
Colonel Rhett was a graduate of West Point. After the war he was always of a most serious and religious turn of mind and devoted to the Church. One of his letters in which he "despises mere gaiety" causes those who knew him at this time no surprise. Yet in drilling the recruits dur- ing the riots in 1877 the vocabulary of his earlier days is said to have returned in all its original exuberance, surpassing in its caustic force any previous experience of its astounded victims. Their services were not needed, but General Andrews said he had a battery that was ready for anything.
About this time General Andrews used to make frequent visits to Florida in order to look after the interests of some property he had inher- ited from his uncle, Colonel George Andrews, who liked Florida so much that he bought land there, in different parts of the State, including the site of the town of New Smyrna, a settlement on the coast of Greeks and Minorcans that had been three times destroyed by the Indians. The only survivor of one of these massacres was a little girl who escaped by hiding under the house.
144 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
She visited Baltimore about thirty years ago, a strikingly handsome and entertaining lady, who showed no signs of the horrible experience of her childhood.
General Andrews had an agent in New Smyrna, an old Confederate soldier named Fox, who had only a small fraction of a lung and found the climate agreeable. His troubles were many in protecting the land against thieves and squat- ters. His letters were models of vigorous phraseology. In one, after reciting the difficul- ties of his task, he said, "So you see, my dear General, that I am surrounded by a set of cow- ardly thieves who do not dare to face me in the field, but the moment my back is turned, trespass and steal, and without any law that will reach them. I am like a cat in hell without claws, and remain,
Yours respectfully,
J. M. Fox."
General Andrews was fond of all outdoor sports, especially fox hunting and horse racing. He loved music and in his youth played the violin. He was about five feet eight inches tall, and after the age of fifty became very heavy. The frontis-
A MEMOIR 145
piece portrait is to a certain extent an anachron- ism; for when he wore the Confederate uniform he weighed only one hundred and thirty pounds. He had excellent health and great physical strength to the very last, though he could not walk far on account of his great weight for fear of a fresh rupture of his wound. His colouring was very rich, a ruddy complexion, dark hair and eyelashes; his eyes were large and of brilliant blue; he had excellent sight and was a very good shot, frequently even in later life going to the ducking shores and bringing home canvas-back and red-head ducks.
His manner like his whole nature was most courteous; and he had a fascinating habit of giv- ing his entire and undivided attention to anyone conversing with him. His expression was straightforward and fearless, without a vestige of guile. In his general appearance he bore a remarkable resemblance to the late King of Eng- land, Edward the Seventh.
He was a good natured and charming com- panion at all times; and at a dinner party his frank and simple manner put everyone at ease.
He was very determined, and intolerant of insurbordination or even opposition; to his ene- mies unrelenting and equally stubborn in his
146 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
loyalty to his friends. He took the greatest delight in helping those in need. One tottering old soldier at the Confederate Home at Pikesville said just a few days ago: "I was in Colonel Andrews' Battery and he was the best friend I had; when I came to Baltimore after the war he gave me work; just before a fight I heard General Lee say, 'Where is Major Andrews?' 'Here, Gen- eral.' 'Ah!' said General Lee, 'At your post, sir, as usual.' "
It is not necessary to analyse the particular nature of his courage which was never ques- tioned; that it was satisfactory to Lee and Jack- son is sufficient; but it is interesting to receive the testimony of one of his comrades, who served in the Maryland Line from the beginning to the end of the war, that in all his experience he had never seen a man who was "so utterly lacking in any knowledge of fear or showed such undis- guised delight at any prospect of a battle as Snowden Andrews." It would be foolish to deny that when aroused he was almost ungovernable: "Paint me as I am," said Cromwell to Lely, "or I will not pay you a penny!"
On one occasion when he was very much absorbed at his desk a man called and insisted on interrupting him, though he had been told that
A MEMOIR 147
General Andrews was busy. Finally he forced his way into the office, when General Andrews, without looking up from his desk said, "Sir, if you don't go out of the door at once, I'll throw you out of the window," which, upon receiving an impertinent answer, he proceeded to do; but a gigantic contractor, who was waiting for orders, prevented the tragedy. A suit for assault and battery followed, and at the trial the con- tractor was the only witness: Judge Gilmor, wishing to make light of the offence, said to the witness, "I suppose, of course. General Andrews was only jesting and did not really intend to throw him out of the window." "Indeed he did, Sir;" was the ingenuous reply, "he had him half way out when I came in and stopped him!"
Only a few years ago, in a crowded street car in New York, a friend saw General Andrews get up from his seat to give it to a lady when a man promptly took the seat. "I gave my seat to this lady," said General Andrews, when the fellow, with an impudent sneer said, "You must be from the country." Shaking his finger in the man's face. General Andrews said, "Sir, I come from a country where they'd cut your ears off for a thing like this; and if you — " but nothing more was necessary and the lady took the seat.
148 RICHARD SNOW DEN ANDREWS
Jefferson Davis, President of the Southern Confederacy, in answer to a letter from the writer of Scharf's History,"*^ said:
Memphis, August 28th, 1873.
Colonel J. Thomas Scharf,
Baltimore, Md. Dear Sir,
Yours of the 22nd inst. received and I am glad to know that you are about to make a durable record of the services of the Baltimoreans in the great struggle for States' rights and the preservation of Constitutional Government. The world will accord to them peculiar credit, as it has always done to those who leave their hearthstones to fight for principle in the land of others. I am glad that your old Commander, so distinguished for skill and gallantry, sur- vives to bear testimony to the individual merit of the mem- bers of his Company.
Wishing you long hfe, prosperity and happiness, I remain, Very respectfully and truly yours,
Jefferson Davis.
The following extracts will show how he was regarded by his friend and companion in arms, General Bradley T. Johnson:
"I wrote Colonel Andrews enclosing a letter to you, asking you to prepare a Memoir of the Col-
soScharf's Maryland, vol. Ill, p. 644.
A MEMOIR 149
onel's war service to be published in the Confed- erate War Series at Atlanta, Georgia. I am par- ticularly anxious for this for he was the very best soldier Maryland produced — bar none — and the State and his grandchildren are entitled to a record of his service."^ * * *
''The reputation the old man won is the most valuable thing his posterity wnll have these ten generations ahead. He was the best soldier of us all — regular or militia * * * and this gen- eration does not know it. No man had a better, I do not recall one who had as good a reputation in the Army of Northern Virginia, for intelli- gence and brilliant skill in handling his weapon as Snowden Andrews. At Cedar Run, August 9, 1862, he charged infantry with his Battery and drove it back. I know of no such incident in war. At Stevenson's depot he held back the whole of Milroy's retreating army.-^ * * *
* * * "Taking him all in all, I think he was the very best Artillery Commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; not courage so much but sense for battle and genius for war. Under Napoleon I, he would have been Field Marshal; and under any other system than
26Letter, Sept. i, 1897, B. T. Johnson to Tunstall Smith. 2'i'Letter, Sept. 15, 1897, B. T. Johnson to Tunstall Smith.
150 RICHARD SNOWDEN ANDREWS
Davis's would have been Brigadier General of Artillery. But he came from Maryland, and Maryland had more than her share of General Officers.-^ He * *
His indomitable will pulled him out of the very jaws of death. It was well said that there was not enough of his body left to hold his heart, for it was a lion's heart, big, brave, deep and strong, and full of manly feelings, of devotion to honor, duty, of love to friends, of truth, of justice and of right.
Not Roland at Roncesvalles, not Bayard nor Coeur de Lion ever bore braver fronts, more loving hearts, more faithful spirits, than these typical Marylanders. The roll of Marylanders who served in the army of the Confederate States must end somewhere, and Snowden Andrews is a fit man for the finis. ^^
28Letter, Nov. 30, B. T. Johnson to Tunstall Smith. 29From the last chapter of General Johnson's Marylanders in the Confederacy.
A MEMOIR 151
Richard Snowden Andrews married on Decem- ber i8th, 1855, Mary Catharine Lee, daughter of Josiah Lee, a leading Baltimore banker, whose wife was a daughter of Hon. Charles Smith Sewell, a member of the Twenty-seventh Con- gress from Maryland. Children: Louisa Lee (Mrs. Henry Bacon, of England); Charles Lee, of New York; Emily Rosalie (who married Tun- stall Smith); Carolyn Snowden (Mrs. Gibson Fahnestock, of New York), and George Snow- den.
He died at his home in Baltimore, January 6, 1903. The funeral services were held in Emman- uel Protestant Episcopal Church by the Rev. J. Houston Eccleston, D. D., rector.
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