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Hampton's Cavalry
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ESTABLISHF.l) BV TBI FAMI!
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SKETCHES
FROM
HAMPTON'S CAVALRY,
EMBRACING THE
PRINCIPAL EXPLOITS OF THE CAV4LI1Y
IN THE
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CAxMPAIGNS OF 1&62 AND 1863 |
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By D. B. RE A. |
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Quorum magna pars fwi. |
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• COLUMBIA, S. • • SOUTH CAROLINIAN ITE4M IM |
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TRINITY COLLEGE X*v LIBRARY
1)1 KHAM : NORTH CAROLINA
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PREFACE.
In giving the sketches of these exploits to the public from the imme- diate scenes where they were 'acted, our position in the ranks necessarily limits our province, individually, to the events confined to this Brigade, and where it was connected in the same expeditions with Stuart's other cavalry.
Written, as they 'have been, in hurried moments and snatched intervals in camp, we ask the veil of charity over their imperfections.
Camp Sand Springs,
Culpepcr Co., Va., Jan. 10, 1863.
The favorable reception of the Sketches embracing the part we bore in the campaigns of 18G2 encourages us .to'continue them through 1863 — compiling both in one.
Our province will again be limited to a partial portrayal of the scenes through which this cavalry has passed individually, or where the events were shared by the whole or part of the army.
Clark Mountain,
Orange Co., Va.', Dec. 27, 1868.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Page Formation of the Brigade — First* Skirmishes : 9
CHAPTER II. McClellan vacates his '"New Base " .• 12
CHAPTER III.
Hampton's Command withdraws from the Chickahoniiny — Pursues the retreating Enemy from Manassas — Proceeds to the Potomac 15
CHAPTER IV.
Crosses the Potomac into Maryland — Capture of Poolsville — Yankee Scouts Cap- ture Impp-tant Despatches — Our Cavalry recapture them — Circumstances alter , Cases — Fights in Frederick town, Middletbn, on Buckettsville Road, ami South Mountain — Capture of Harper's Ferry — The Battle of Antietam — A Remarkable Coincidence — Affair at Boteler's Mill.. , 19
CHAPTER V.
Stuart's Cavalry Expedition into Pennsylvania— Preparation for the Expedition — Troops composing the Expedition — Crossing the Potomac — Surprising the Ene- my's Pickets — The Successful Passage through the Right Wing of McClellan's Army — Passes out of Maryland into Pennsylvania — Horse Pressing .Orders is- sued— Capture of St. Thomas and Chambcrsburg 38
CHAPTER VI.
Evacuates Chambersburg — Passage through the Valley — Crosses the Mountains at ens' Gap — Passes safely out of the State into Maryland — Joyous Reception .it Kit in. ttsburg — Succeeds in Passing through the Enemy's Forces during the Night, and reaches the Potomac — Perilous Situation, but after Sharp' Skirmish- ing succeeds in Crossing, and readies our Lines 17
• II AFTER VII.
i ition of Martinsburp and Withdrawal from the Valley- Ilnr- befs CrOl Cross-Roads, Little Washington, and Laurel Mill- — • -•ses the Rear of the Yankee Army in moving down ;rg— - Quintessence of Meanness 54
CHAPTER vii!
Pass • mi the Rappahannock— Miiko* a Descent
• r-re the V
.(••■ret a large Train <•: ! — <'.i],u.
''''■'•
I !I LPTEB IX.
.11 LPTKB I
"!
rii LPTKB \l-
S|'
CHAPTER XII..
pture "f Winchester — EwelTs Foi - the
" . ilcliurft and UppervilU — Our " :
ttysburg — 1 from Qettyft- menl 93
CHAPTER XIII.
r il Quia] Ko.it-. :l Large '.. ■.■_'' >iis— Makes a Circuit in at !#i ' Ib in oheokiog the Knemy —
ml AtVair ill the I'.i" bj :i Detftoh*
ry Ill
CHAPTER XIV.
:i Bold Attempt to Capture our Traim at Williams- Imboden— Cavalry F!|
!i — Cavalri r'ijilit near 1'nnks- I . I r v
my— The Army withdraws from the Valley, and ■
1 '20
CHAPTER w .
Men 124
OB LPTEB \vi.
nt itrandi Station ition of lie • We
■i the Rappahannock Engagement ;a Jack's, Shop — Tlie
i 120
CONTENTS. t
CHAPTER XVII.
l'A IK
General Lee moves upon Meade's Flank— -Stuart's Splendid Success with Gordon's and Young's Brigades at Robinson River — Gordon follows up the Enemy and attacks them near Culpeper Court House, and a^ain routs them — Fitz. Lee at tacks the Enemy at Morton and Raccoon Fords, and after a severe fight en- tirely routs them — They stand and give fight at Stevensburg, but are again routed — Stuart and Fitz. Lee make a Junction at Brandy Station — Another se- vere Cavalry Fight ensues, and the Enemy again routed and driven across the Rappahannock — Jones' Brigade encounter Gregg's Cavalry Division at Jefferson, and after a severe Fight, Drives him across the River with Heavy Loss — General Young bluffs the Enemy at Culpeper — Stuart gets surrounded at Auburn — Cuts • his way out — The Affair at Bristol — Stuart pushes the Enemy's Rear, and en- gages him at Manassas — Meade makes his Escape — Our Army retire after de- stroying the Railroad — Stuart draws JJilpatrick on in Pursuit — Turns upon him and routs him with Heavy Loss, Capturing several Wagons and' Ambulances and a Good Number of Prisoners — Retires after the Army across the Rappahan- nock— Yankee Chivalry versus Women 136
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Unfortunate Affair at Rappahannock Station — The Evacuation of Culpeper County — General Hampton returns to his Command and covers the Retreat — Takes -the Old Lines on the Rapidan — General Hampton makes a Successful Foray in the Enemy's Lines, surprising and capturing a Camp — Meade advances and Crosses the Rapidan — Our Cavalry harass his Flank and Rear — He precipi- tately retreats back across the River— An Unknown Hero — Conclusion 152
SKETCHES.
CHAPTER I
FORMATION OF THE BRIGADE — FIRST SKIRMISHES.
We propose now to speak of 'the part this brigade took. in the summer, fall, and winter campaigns of '62, through Virginia and Maryland; — including Stuart's daring and successful raid into the State of Pennsylvania, and in Burnside's rear after the battle of Fredericksburg.
The brigade was organized immediately after the battles around Richmond, comprising the following cavalry regiments, all of which had acted simply as regiments, attached to different infantry corps, viz: the cavalry of the Cobb Legion, commanded by Colonel P. yicB. Youn.Li : the Second South Carolina Regiment (formerly of Hampton's old Legion), commanded* by Colonel M. C. Butler; the airy of the Jeff. Davis Legion, commanded by Colonel Wm. Martin : the cavalry of tin- Phillips Legion, commanded by Colonel Wm. Rich ; the Firsl Regiment North Carolina cavalry, com- manded by Colonel L. S. Maker; tlie Tenth Virginia cavalry, commanded b\ Colonel J. Lucius Davis;* and a batterj of Horse Artillery (from Hampton's old Legion), under Captain' Bart, a gallant and skillful officer.
Bferent regiments embodied the flower of the youth and manhood of the different States of Mississippi Alabama, G
Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia — an impulsive youth,
mosl of them brought up in the lap of luxury and ease, In sh from
.nd the schools ; men of worth and standing from the
*Ti. the wintci
i;OM
the Gum, had been transformed into
■
: immediately under the command «>i v, I rolina, who had early equip-
ion from hie own chivalrous :, he had already demonstrated hie just claims and daring officer, worth] i hich be now enjoys to the fu] in in- < ommand.
\ same time General J. K. B. Stuart, that dashing and
hief tit' til.- cavalry >f the army of in. i. including our brigade.
was immediately despatched to the outpost i>t' the
I ickahomiuy, to pickel and watch the movements of McClellan
" .hi the Amies, where he lay for weeks, cowering
uihI.t i i army had bo vigorously plied upon him, in
ittempl of liis "on to Richmond by way ol the
.: ,." Our advance lines encircled bis "bcue" from, the
ink of the Pamunkey to the north bank of the James, our
\\ - .in Hill. For so vera! weeks the outposts of
quietl} in the face of each other, without anything
1 1 - 1 tin- usual routine of pickel duty. Till about the l>t of
monotony <9f our watch inge was relieved by t'h>- rat-
and the Jramp of horses, advancing from
tl,,- direcftoi Federal base," on that pari of tin- line In '1.1 by
the North Carolina and Georgia cavalry — thfe North Garoliuiaus
holding tin- upper pari ol the line, a1 the junction of the Quaker and
Chariest IthoG iaus the extreme right, on Malvern
II i T North Carolinians skirmished at intervals all through the
.t witli the enemy's cavalry. At daybreak in the morning, Cap-
i body of dismounted troopers', met their advance
on tin- I City road, and after a sharp skirmish, wounding
enemy, they fell back upon thru- main body, and
unced down a parallel road further to our left, converging into
in lull force, moved on their grand army, our
dry barat I banging on their flanks. With shouts they
made I is they re-invested th ise old memorable
1 that morning's Bun rose upon her Blopes frowning
wit; i>roa(J plaz is around, and the hill-
Bides were b with bayonets, while the spade and the. pick
Hampton's cavalry. 11
were being busily plied, extending- the old works of July 1st, and erectiflg new ones. Our army, about twelve miles distant, was apprised of this sudden move, and were on the qui vive, and reached the vicinity of the hill. A desultory skirmish was kept up on the right, principally by the cavalry, till two o'clock, when the artillery was brought up and< opened, which was met with a spirited response for an hour and a half. The different corps of our forces were being brought up, couriers were seen hurrying in dashing speed from one command to another — every appearance foreshadowed a coming engagement, and that the bloody scenes of July 1st were to be re-enatfted upon this memorable spot. Fir- ing on the part of the enemy became slow, when a reconnoissance from the Georgia and North Carolina cavalry was thrown out, driving in the enemy's pickets and skirmishers, when the skirts of the hill, which was occupied by the main body of the enemy, was Tound to be vacated, and their last lines of infantry were seen skulking off over the crests of the hills ou the east, hurrying in confusion to their gunboats, that lav in profusion a few miles dis- tant, our cavalry hanging on and pursuing them to their anxious covering. Our loss was only five killed and wounded. The enemy's loss was thirty-five killed and wounded, and one hundred and twenty-five prisoners. Thus ended MoClellan'ajBkedaddle No. 2 from Malvern Hill. Doubtless the lesson taught him there. |iir ks before, had brought up* unhappy associations, which eSd be relieved only by a promenade under the port-holes" of his fi rite "craft" that had saved him from the rebel grasp after his •mi days' round-about walk from Richmond; or only to perform the celebrated strategy of a valiant French general, who
"Marched l"j men up the hill, Ami marched them down again."
IS SKI
<- ii a i'T i: a II,
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.>ur lines Rod the enemy's continued '.lie Bame.
■ ■ii liy thick.
RicClellan'e position was admirably
• •in. iit-. The country arouud, in tin- bend
For the d H Iswel plain, with gently rising
hill- | - of the liver, overshadowed By till.
behind which tin- shrewd Yankee general had
b fully Incited and laid out his numerous camps.
itural advantageous surroundings to intercept our
einy commenced his grand begira from the .limes
I. - their prisoners and deserters say), on
ly morning, the L5th. The first intimation our cavalry had of
it m - turday night, the liith. Early Sunday morning Gdner
ral Hampton ordered <>ut the North Carolina »cavalry to make a
under his immediate command. He advanced •
lirection of the enemy's camps, Feeling the way
be approached through the thick woods. The outer
w 1 to have been im-iily and recently deserted,
behind them a good quantity of commissary stoics. The
i were hit in a nmilar situation. dust as tie'
king, moving slowly down a gradual descent, in an trip of heavy timber in front, beyond which n, in the edge of a corn-field, the enemy's pickets. General II opi mi immediately formed the menl into separate detach- » Ii, preparatory to a charge- Skirmishers
re throw ii out. The advance charged the first post, and alter a the picki driven in. The enemy had drawn up
ud the corn, at the farther aide of an open wheat- General Hampton's clear, calm voice rang out ; 1 rea \<- tped from their scabbards, ami the
whole reginienl by squadrons wenl dashing through the standing
• 1'i'n field, but soon saw thaj the "skedaddling"
pro; of our enemies were predominant, by their nastily
[heir backs in a precipitate nigh! towards their only ark
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Hampton's cavalry. 13
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of safety, the cowardly covering of Yankee gunboats. The pursuit
was* continued on till within a mile of the gunboats, and here
formed a line of battle about dark. The command quietly awaited
an advance of the enemy's forces — General McLaws' division being
in reserve in supporting distance, deeming that the proximity of
our presence would certainly draw them out. Night wore on, but
nothing disturbed the quietude, save the smuggled ringing of an
occasional bell of the gunboats that lay off in the river. Sabres
were finally returned ; the men dismounted and lay down on the
bare ground, with bridle in hand, and slept for an hour or two.
When our scouts returned, having ascertained that the enemy's
main body had gone, or in other words had "changed his base,"
the regiment was immediately set on in pursuit, dashing over
broken down bridges and through deserted camps, and marching*
till nearly daylight ; halted and took a few moments' repose ;
mounted again and took, up the pursuit. In passing through a
deserted camp was descried on a board posted in a conspicuous
place, written in a tolerably legible baud, the following malevolent
notice :
"Farewell rebels, we leave you a while to your salubrious clime, and if you follow us up we will g^ve you a repetition of Williams-, burg, Fair Oaks, Mechanicsville, Gaines' .Mill, and .Malvern Hill. We intend to conquer and restore you to the Union yet. We will then hang Jeff. Davis, Beauregard & Co.; and take your men for a standing army to defend tin- Union for all time."
ned) FIRST ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
What a compliment the latter clause ; as by the time they sub- jugate ue their skedaddling army wont have virtue enough to defend that glorious old institution, and hive to entrust it to the "ragged rebels'" they so much deride. Recoil the com-
mencement of the war that same boastful spirit gave out " that tie' nations o| fiurope may rest assured that Jell'. Davis & Co. would be swinging from the battlements at Washington at least before the } !, ,,[' July. We spit upon a later and Ion,-'!- deferred justice." Many such repetitions a- the above have been giveri; and -tlul author and his conjurors of copperhead- may spit
and continue to spit their venom, to the ejlhausti >f the last drop
of hi 1 in their vie . ,i ! on the Cm , m of
lent we will mentiop.
witli itii <>l«l sign-board pointii
* • mmediately underneath, was
l; ■ hn i I nty-five mites, bood be
I monument of derision. We would sup- virtue to lead them vie- the Southern Pbilisth
companied that
ii that delivered God\a choeen people from the
: 'liili.-tinic Krani
I pnrsnil pi np rapidly till about noon, when near
I :i ivalry was oaptnred, and also some
,.n the Charles City ami James Stiver
rtaiiitil that the enemy's main body wai too for
my further pursuit practicable. A halt was
... McOlellan's worfaa I jin's
and M . In approaching the last line <»l fbrtifica*
rtained that the evacuation was complete. II
id another d< « >l Yankee ingenuity and strafe
ling, could be Been bn those distant works sentinels
gnlar intervals, with full equipments clearly visible,
ition finally betrayed them ; and, upon
mnd how nicfl'. they had duped us.
'I thorn from their long stand, con-
bust proportions of rags and straw to the four
iid appropriating their other equipments to Confederate
l i n try, wh a few days before swarmed
,, Yankee Boldiery, was now ridden of their hateful presence,
only h< ' station w il gunboat patrol*
Ung 1 1 r tin- once bappy but now forsaken country
the frightened b n to flv ; and farther np from tin- river
in families in carts and wagone returning to their
polled hoim bwithfttanding the desolation that would
• t them thei leerfui and -delighted at the idea
. beholding the t where their once happy associ-„
cluster. Hut what a sad seme would await
m their ri dismantled, fences' destroyed, every living
domestic animal disappi crops laid iraste, and not
."oin the overtroddt.ii beds to welcome tliem back
Hampton's cavalry. 15
again. A people that can be cheerful under such circumstances,
are certainly imbued with principles of a cause that can never be shaken from its base.
Here ingloriously ended the last act in the drama of the Young Napoleon's favorite Peninsula route to Richmond, giving a most ample commentary upon the {rite old couplet,
"That he ^\ho fights and runs away, Will live to fight another day."
CHAPTER III
HAMPTON'S COMMAND WITHDRAWS FROM THE CHICKAHOMINY — PUR- SUES THE RETREATING ENEMY FROM MANASSAS — PROCEED^ TO THE POTOMAC.
What a contrast this juncture presented in our affairs. Here, from the outpost below Richmond, our cavalry had been watching the movements of the enemy upon our beleaguered capital, but were soon to be transported by the sudden rush of events,-and hurled against the retreating columns of another portion of his over-confident army, and to vidette almost at the gates of his own capital. At Cedar Mountain, on August 9th, Jackson's never wavering columns met and victoriously thrust back the immense columns of the braggart Pope ; and on the 29th and 30th, on the memorable plains of Manassas, his combined forces were again -defeated and routed by the masterly strategy and energy of oar generals. All our cavalry division, except our brigade, which was hit on the outpost below Richmond, nnder the immediate command of General J. E. B.Stuart, was actively engaged amid these stinii -. In the meantime we, too, were withdrawn
from <>ur line-, with our horses' beads borth ward, and by forced marches cam i up in.time to join in tic pursuit of the enemy from the scene of his last d the 30th. Accordingly, on the
morning of the 2d of September, Qampt >n'a fri sh troopers, with a pari . with Hart1 battery oi Horse Artillery,
y, under the imm-di-
liieftain, General Stuart, Bmiling with
411 id. The col-
uni ion ol ! I '. II. JVhen within a
ing along a by-way down
thickly timbered hills. Winding
■ the woods, the column
the thick timber on the hill-
i -mall reconnoitering party was led by Generals
the bills to within a short distance of
. ia road, three miles' above Fairfax 0. II.
ered about a mil m open
latter, with thick, In-. ivy tim-
'I te road leading from Fairfax
Mill be; "ii which it was presumed
ng. A body of dismounted
i \.;hy. under Captain
the wood mi tin- right to tully
: in the rear and bag the
Geld I renerals Stuart, Bampton, and
1 ;i point tion on a little knob in the edjge of
■ 1 on this side of the run. Bere a little occurrence took
: I Bampton his life. General
tie pile of timothy hay. and his wear
moments' repose. General Eampton
w ith his glass, when a tall, staf-
1 trooper on the track <>t the party just passed,
with "1- in one hand and an old Mississippi
il from his bronzed brow, turning
, . up hi blue 6) es, panting for breath,
I Bumpton: " Well, Gineral, I'm a leetle behind!
Did > - ihi< way ?" < lontinumg :
p tin's a monstrous good hand with a rifle,
and when y< iwn thar foi started, every feller with
h w e had got a smart chn n]i the inll from kind, the captin tuck my rifle and told
6 I had nuiliin' but -the. -e tWO old tellers
e pistole I bad a mine to go on
taw. Altho' the
captin.'ri a m vith a gun, I can hold one jest
HAMPTON'S CAVALRY. 17
about as plum as the common run ; and so yee see I run back and gathered up this old rifle from one nv the boys, and that's how i cam to be behind." The general, smiling, replied : " It don't mat- ter, just stay \mve with me ; the captain is gone too far for you to overtake him now." But he stil icontinued. with the earnestness of a true heart: " Gineral. jist pint out the course and 1 kin ketch up yit. I can't stand it to sec the boys go into a frakus 'thout bein' along with them too." The general, taking his gun, asked him if it was loaded. Ascertaining that it was not, he handed it back, and ordered him to charge it with a good cartridge, and pointed out to him the Yankee position on the further side of the held, instructing him to go round cautiously through the wood on the left, across the run, and creep up in the timber; and when he heard his party attack on the other side he could have a chance, should any run out that way, and also to find a crossing for artil- lery over the run. He stealthily hurried olf with an earnest, determined tread. General Hampton, to satisfy himself as to a' crossing, rode directly across the field* to the run through a thick undergrowth of ivy and laurel, to the point indicated to the scout. who came hurrying back in the meantime, and with an earnest and inquiring look asked for the general. He was answered by one of his aids that he had rode down there (pointing \fhere he came from). "What was it?'' "Well, yee see, as 1 was down thir slipin' along thru the bushes, I hears a man riden along on the tttther side uv me. The bushes was moustPOUS thick, and I jist could see the glimps uv a person, and so I thought be was after some devilmeijt, so I laid my old rifle by a tree, awaiten Cor him to show himself a lee tie plainer. - My bead was sot, and I was about to pull down as the bushes waved a leetle, and I cotched a plainer glimpse nv his clothe-. I thought they didn't look blue enough to pica-' me, and the hat, too, looked a leetle like the gie.eral's 0kl broad un (General Hampton wears a broad brimmed black felt hat with a simple Palmetto device on the underside of the brim, as familiar to his men as In- ad so 1 dropped my finger from
tip.- trigger. And if il wasn'l the gineral nor i i of "in boys, I
didn't want I . and mi you ait
and run up : t, then I'd go
on him yit." In tic meantime General Hampton came riding up from He- sane- direction. With a smile of the m itis-
teebmpanted by an anxious nod, he added; "Well, the 3
1 *
11 ef thingi ie fli nl! • I of
; | ited it mi my
ap." In the meantime the i iddled at tin- top oA i ?iler retui r making tl. - ay
that the enemy's columns were p i II. about a mile and a half dis- tant n liis fli \ lingly about fonr o'clock, P. M. i moved u|> frem th<
q the highest hills that run up from the
little run, and opened suddenly and furiously apon
be X : kee army, which oadeed no
litti in their discomfitted ranks. Mending their par
they plunged on to gel beyond the reach of our mur-
that wei rough their ranks. Heavy
: ike wen i From their rear —
1 1 artillery i
inonading with good effect until nearly Bun-
ivalry was sent on in pursuit, the North Carolina
When opposite the OootI House, the com-
'/.I a down to the village and the
■ the main ro . capturing a consid-
iy about a mile up this road, while a con-
i't Souse. The whole body
then in up tins road after the retreatii of the
• f prisoners all along the road. Nigtrt
on. The pursuit w - pushed on till
■ k, when one of those unfortunate occurrences took
pursuits. B ith sides of the road were
. timber. While moving on down to the
lnu-ketiv was suddenly poured down
nit- behind the timber on both sides. This sudden
I falter, bul the cool and en-
ihein. and they were prepar-
w hen ti. artillery, from an advanta-
d upon US, and eping the road with
the wood from all sid. I to be
have attempted any furtl would h u Balaklava rashness. Thecom-
Hampton's cavalry. 19
mand was wheeled about and drawn off in good order about two hundred yards back from this position, and were drawn up in an open field for an attack, but no sooner than formed the enemy's firms; suddenly ceased. A reoonnoitering party was sent out, who reported that the enemy had moved off and were making good time Up the Alexandria road. Our loss in the affair was miraculously slight. Any further pursuit, under the circumstances of darkness and the superior advantages of an ambuscade, was deemed imprac- ticable : and the command was withdrawn, and bivouacked for the night near by the road. Early next morning the pursuit was again taken up, and pushed on vigorously to within five miles of Alexandria, during which time we captured several batches of pris- oners ; then turned to the left up the Drainsville turnpike, followed the road a few miles, then turned to the right. Passing above Georgetown, we bivouacked on the banks of the Potomac. Next day scouted near Georgetown, where a body of Yankee cavalry were encountered, and dispersed them after killing and capturing a number. The next day, September 5th, took up the line,of march, and passed through Drainsville, on to Leesburg.
CHAPTE R I V .
THE POTOMAC INTO MARYLAND- CAPTURE OF POOLSVILLE YANKEE scons CAPTURE IMPORTANT DESPATCHE9 — OUR CAVALRY RECAPTURE THEM HBTANOES ALTER CABE8 FIGHTS IX FRED-
ERICKTOWN, MIDDLETON, OH. RFCKETTSVlLLE ROAD, k.HD SOUTH Mo! \- TA1X I IPTURE oF HARPER'S FERRY— THK BATTLE OF ANTIBTAN .\ REMARK ABLE COINCIDENCE — AFFAIR AT BOTELER's MILL.
In approaching Li sbur£, the different Commands of ir army had halted and were I3 ing in the vicinity : and tin' immense clouds of dust risinLr from tin' different roads converging t" that poinl .from the south, indicated that tin- others were on the qwi • ■
ing up. Our column fil « -< 1 on pasl and rested a few hOurs-on
tin- skirts of the town ; and j son
a >inkiiiv. behind tl- , lull.'', the advai mnded,
•
and • street* of
tin- h : debouching to the right, filed down the last
hills that OverlOo !' I ted on its banks,
vi' the I i leven months before
The conjectures as to our
Tit— wen The Potomac was
to b( music both from the Virginia and
■lK-k op, and continued discoursing their most in-
•liiil airs. The v .1 worn soldier momentarily
cherished hopes lay
re him. The moot) and stare never shone more brightly
on th* plncid rolling • . this classic Btream — though many ;i
heart silently beal with ind< finite longings and sad forebodings, as
i iJiat thai same bright moon would shim' on
this. Her gentle rays were soon t<>
play ny a cold pale face, the gurgling waters alone to hum
ithout any interruption, as our advance had a small body of cavalry that lied at
their approach. The march was pursued without any obstacle to ight miles from the river, where our advance en-
tl unsunpectil - of Yankee cavalry, and after a.
. -h in the Btreets succeeded in entirely routing and _r thrin. killing, wounding and capturing thirty. Here baited and i d for the rest of' the night, and
imed the march early next morning (September 6th), with the Irv in the advan \ sing through
the ' le, bearing to the right of u range of moun-
knuwn as tl " we were quietly pursuing
.1 by-way leading around the base of these moun- tains, when an alarming incident occurred, that (Mine well nigh iously the ensuing campaign. The Government de- the matter relative to the present- campaign upon which the Confederates had just entered, were entrusted to
our cavalry, who, with a courier, had incau- T i • . 1 1 - 1 y rO l« "ii ahead of the advance -nard a Bhort distance, when they were assailed by a small party ol Yankee cavalry springing suddenly upon them in the bdnd of the road. The bearer a;id all the despatch ! ; the courier succeeded in escaping
back tO the advance guard, who under Captain liuilili were led on
Hampton's cavalry. 21
in instant pursuit, which was anxiously and vigorously kept up for four miles, when tlie objects werJP suddenly overtaken, being only an officer and private of the Yankee signal corps in charge of the prisoner. They, strange to say, had not examined the portman- teau conspicuously appended to the pommel of the saddle, but had leisurely called at a farm house on the roadside, not dreaming that their quiet would be so suddenly intruded upon. The officer, as the affair turned out, being a romantic youth, while on signal duty oa these mountains had signalized to Cupid, who had exchanged his mischievous darts between him and the old farmer's daughter, a bouncing lass of "sweet sixteen," and had doubtless called in his course to have a tete-a-tete, to relate the adventures of the moraine
o
to his lady love. But he found his romance broken in upon as our dusty troopers dashed up to the house and led him out from the cozy embraces of his mountain Delilah, who had plowed so deeply into his affections as to have shorn him of the bright hon- ors which would have awaited him from his sensational masters at Washington from the circumstances of such an important capture. The weeping lass mingled her sobs with his further mortification as General Stuart, who had just rode up, inflicted the right of search upon his person, extracting something more than love docu- ments, which was found to be a matter of some military importance to us. After this occurrence we pursued our march quietly on to the* little village of Urba.ua, where Generals Stuart and Hampton iblished their headquarters. Our sudden advent into the State of Maryland caused no little surprise to the inhabitants. One particular instance moves us t o give ;in amusing incident. Just before reaching iTrbana, General Hampton's quartermaster sent forward a man to procure forage for the coqamand, wh<> calli d, a Bhoel distance above the town, upon a wealthy old Union farmer, who niei him at the gate and kindly in- vited him to conic in. The dusty trouper asked Id be excused, and
informed him that he wished to buy some corn for his command. The old farmer very frankly responded that he really did not b it to spare; but sympathizing]}- continued: "The war must 1:0 on, the Government must be kept op, and the horse- must be i'ad. and so I must let you have the quantity you aak for. JiA, here Jim," lie called to a group of sleek 1 little and big, young and old,
who bad swarmed oat from their cabins and were standing ni
I -ity upon the booted an d Bpur
. likely wing his ivory between his
W.-ll. .1 i in. | rn will your wagOU hold?'
tinif r.'inarki1 .it hauled tut to camp).
I could go two times II : waul folks anybo
W < anothei roup wb r as
much will your wagon bold?" "i hold ton oarls — more an Jim
•• W< the other, aubduing his ji kin 'vid*3 it.
and :
cp your teams quiok, boys, and load up the corn." To
which tl - suited the action to the order. Turning to the >ol-
with an air of indwelling satisfaction, "Well/my friend, let me
here I -hall deliver this norn;and I will have it taken right
I am a man that gdea in for accommodating the
former, turning and pointing to a column of dust rising at
tin- vill ige, " I 86 ■ iv C Miiinaiid moving up iu>\\". and will gallop down and ascertain where General Hampton will locate nip."
"Halloo!" i' nervously replied; "stop! stop! What?
• ral Hampton ?" oeral Wade Elampton, of South Carolina ; it's his cavalry yonder ; it'- him you sgree i" feed." " lint 1 can't, I can'1 : I ve got no corn to span- ; circumstances alt' G to my neighbor Johnston, over there.! 1 aim got
none to! 1:1 let any more ■■ stock will Buffer."
"Ah! my old fellow," the* former sternly replied,"] have you now The ' "in mutt coma, the contract must be rilled."
Well,1 icratohing his heed and resuming a calmer tone."! he if this aiut tukin' a fellow by the nap#withonl letting him ▼ anything about it." SuflS Id " F^d'- " oorn was duly delivered by the time
our hungry borseu were unsaddled.
i thifl point our lines ran to the Potomac helow Poolsville.
Hampton on the left and the other cavalry on the righl picketed
down towards Washington. Uur
Hampton's cavalry. 23
lines here were repeatedly and vigorously assailed by the Yankee cavalry — especially that part held by the braVe and gallant Fitz. ( Lee. He was attacked on two occasions, of the details of which we are unable to speak ; but sufficient to say, those veteran troopers gallantly repulsed them, and held the line against overwhelming odds of the enemy. That part of the line held by General Hampton was loss interrupted. However, the enemy assailed that part of the line on the main Washington road late in the evening of the 10th; but by the timely reinforcements of the North and South Carolina Cavalry they were immediately driven off.
In the meantime our whole army having come up, halted and rested on the tfonocacy River near Fredericktown up to the 8th inst., and had now all passed on over the Blue Ridge to play their programme in the capture of Harper's Ferry. Their thinks requir- ing no further protection from this quarter, the cavalry was accord- ingly drawn in. The enemy was found to be moving up in several columns on the different roads leading from Washington city, and had advanced to within a few miles of Urbana. Late in the after- noon of the 11th the command moved slowly off from this point in the face of the enemy, and reached Fredericktown, nine mile* dis- tant, and bivouacked hen- for the nighl without any interruption. From the eminence on which Fredericktown stands the enemy's cavalry was seen early next morning upon our rear, closely followed by his infantry and artillery in solid .-olumn.
A detachment of one hundred and fifty men. under the imme- diate command of General Hampton, was formed as a rear guard, while the main body and the trains moved out, filing to the left on the Eagerstown turnpike. The rear guard, led by Hamilton in person, met about noon, ai the skirts of the town, the advance of a considerable body of Yankee, cavalry,* when a' sharp hand-to-hand conflict ensued, which resulted in driving them back agninsl their main body. They were rallied and followed our Little band, who slowly retired, filing to the left behind the corner, wheejed abbot and prepared to receive the confident, unsuspecting enemy, who e dashing on up to the corner in line style, led by a portly Pennsylvania colonel, mounted on a splendid black chai aouTHged by an occasional wavo of linen from some female Union- ist,™ l flap fi .i soi snt huskstjc old shoei tprop as he
passed. A- he nettted the corner, waving In- aabre, he -hoi me on, boys, let' em h— 1." Hampton's little band stood
ablems from the bal* 0 1 at them at tin* oor-
I by the plash of - ib •I had the usual effect on 5? i our little 1 » « » ■ 1 v . bad
their main l ciug*in n ptd
1 1 isurely drawn off. En pu
cowardly miscreant fired [lamp! p issed. Our loss was
• til mis ring. The enem Bve
kill .1 wound ight captured. Amongthel
lantly I * ■ < I ii 1 i capture was
: : il courage and daring worthy of
A- b< « •• nearing the corner at the head of hia column, a
impetuously dashed at him with drawn
. off and liis Babre wrung
;- p irry of his expert antagonist.
t Yank was raising the Qua] blow, the trooper1
■ thai of the other : darting under the descend'
fell harmlessly over him, and before his blow was
■ . I. with. instantly seized his antagonist by the
ml wrenched him from his saddle violently upon the
Yankee - ing out, " I'm your
B w \n ■ ured and placed in
II imp ton's livers, which since bea carried hia rebel rider
lv( uture.
h many left behind the loyal oitizena of this
lojourii bad contributed freely of their
aforts "l our wearied and worn soldiers. The
tr.n airy and the rumbling ol hia numerous ar
mi ted a sad bul pleasing contrast, as the gentle
. ■• vent in i lie sweetesl tones to
the tune uf Di B uieBluel we retired, and, wav-
ih the pari G u." True, our fondest
if their entering t ; yet
«.ut ,,< i . b will state, that five hundred young
f the first ur Btand ird and followed us
from their bop it ami an- still fighting our bat-
ties- And b >v i uls will be exiles Heaven only
km- I : a free land ; and although their
Hampton's cavalry. '25
mother home may be derided and her private motives spurned, the tyrant's grasp must one day relax, and then Maryland must rise redeemed. • ,
Onr march was pursued without any immediate pursuit on the part of the enemy. They seemed content with marching and counter marching through the streets as though the whole army was on simple patrol duty. Late in the evening his immense col- umns could be seen debouching out from the streets and covering the open fields on both sides the turnpike. Passing en before him through this beautiful valley, we gained the base of the first range of mountains beyond Fredericktown, known as the "Catoctin Range." The gap through which the turnpike passes is ap- proached by a gentle acclivity nearly on a straight line fr an the base to tin1 summit. The extreme summit of the gap is overlooked by high ridges rising on the right and left of the road, still running up to loftier proportions as it recedes from the pass. On the sum- mit in this pa^s two pieces of artillery were placed in position, and a detachment from the "Jeff.Davw Legion," under Colonel Martin, was left behind to picket and keep a watoh out on the movements of the enemy, while the main body moved on down the raountaii^ through Middleton, a dingy mountain hamlet at the base, on Catoc- tin Creek, on. the other side of which the brigade bivouacked for the night. Early next morning the enemy advanced and attacked Colonel Martin, who was making a vigorous defence with his little body, when General Hampton joined him with the rest of the brig- ade, with orders to hold it as long as practicable that day. Part of the command were dismounted, and placed along the clilfs that overlooked the road as sharpshooters : two more pieces of artillery were placed in position on the extreme ridge. Early, about mid* way bet icktown and the mountain, the Immense ool.
iiinii '»r tii- enemy, with his long lines of cavalry in front, followed by \n> artillery, anil the road* as far back ty seemed t<> be
one moving mass ol iufauiry, were on the advance. From this point the grand je ; thasubjacenl country stretches out to
the view: e.i tai acts dashing from the mountain sides, swelling into riven and sweeping in their course through the green Gelds thai ornate tho valle ; neat white cotl iverhu'ng by the
clustering vine, .lotted the subjacenl country around] Hut tfa
5 to the unhallowed shoe'
war. The enemy's columns came moving; on. up the valley about
1
SKI !• I!! - PBOM
vnlry in rtil-
3 in immediate supporting distance, arrived at the the mouotaii . ed to within a mile and a half of
1 1 • ■ Blake)}1 pi< tied from
the summit with good effect, plunging their solid balls into their ranks, driving him back down the mountain Bides, when his artillery broughl to the front, A lively, duel was kept up for two hours, doing do damage, the projectiles of bis heavy field pieces plowing nntain Bidet, below 08, or just over the ridge, falling harmlessly in the valley beyond. Hia cavalry made several at- tempts to advance, but weT I back by our well directed shot i r advance skirmishers came round on the righl to flank the position held by the North Carolinians, but their trust} rillc cai lit them skedaddling back, killing and wounding ■ ml of their number. The enemy accordingly about one o'clock a Btrong force in fronl at the base, as if to carry the4 ult. and commenced the ascent. But our few pii
skilfully woH i check and considerably
rd their ]>r< Our diamounted skirmishers fought and
! tilt-in hack till all our pieces were drawn off, and retired al two </.Li.-k- down tin- western Blopes of tin- mountain, makin stand at the eastern Bkirta ol If iddleton, with only Hampton's airy at that point. A few miles beyond lay tin- South Mountain iiirh the road passi to Sageratown through a nar- row and difficult 'pass, known aa " Boonsboro' Gap." To the h-t't. in the direction ot B erry, is another pass, known aa
tmpton'i I
\.iv dow sweeping around and environing llar- and the enemy with anxious tread was bending on to th.- relief of thai beleaguered place. Stuart's cavalry had for era! daj - past I 1 1 d banging in bis front, impeding his progi
p. All the reat^of our army lay beyond the mountain up in the dire< tion <>f Hagerstown : and so the enemy had t.. be held in thia valley that day, till our infantry could gel hack and take position in th< meet the advancing hosts ol
IfcGleJlan. About four o'clock in the evening the enemy came teeming through the bad just evacuated, and with exulting
ata came pouring down the slopes. The North Carolina' airy, under Colonel Baker, was posted on the eastern skirls oi tho
village to oppose them; the other regiments of Hampton'fl cavalry
Hampton's cavalry. 27
being withdrawn across Catoctin Creek and drawn up on the other side, with the artillery. The enemy's cavalry advanced
♦ down upon us with files of infantry sharpshooters on each side ; the'3 were met by a squadron of mounted and dismounted men under Captain Siler, a brave and daring officer of the North Caro- lina cavalry, who gallantly fouglit and repulsed the advance. The whole regiment was exposed to a most murderous fire of the enemy's artillery from the mountain sides above. Our brave bo)rs were falling, and the enemy were attempting to flank the body from above and below, and to hold the -place any longer was im- practicable : and by the brave and admirable conduct of Captain Siler, who formed the rear guard, notwithstanding his thigh had been shattered by a ball, he stood firm against the overwhelming odds, and held the enemy in check in front, while Colonel Baker, with the remaining squadrons, with great coolness and decision successfully repelled the enemy's movements to intercept him at the creek, and safely withdrew the regiment across Catoctin Creek under a most terrible converging artillery fire from the mountain slopes above, while Captain Hart dashed with his Horse Artillery to an immediate hill that commanded the pike on the Middleton Bide, and worked his favorite Blakelys with powerful energy and effect upon the enemy's advancing columns, holding them in check until ordered to retire. Our loss in these engagements was mostly in wounded, while the enemy's loss must have been considerable, from the visible effect of our sharpshooters and artillery on his ranks,
The whole brigade moved off, turning to the left down the Bnck- ettsville Road; Having proceeded about five miles, in passing
through a thick wood where a road runs up from the left at right angles to OM road, a large body of Yankee cavalry was seen Bud- denry dashing upon ua from this road. Just at thai time the rear of the Cobb Legion was passing. The quick eye of Colonel Young perceived tins Midden dash, and immediately wheeled and led his
'men impetuously against them; and after a short but desperate conflict, succeeded in routing them. His gallant men set upon them, cutting them down as they broke and fled in the wildesl confine Their officers attempted to rally them, bal that savage rebel yell ead clashing added an impetus to their flight. It was with
■ nity that General Hampton could call the impetuous troopers oli. as it was important that the next mountain pass should be
rCHES f"R<
- possible. The ei ttiy.'B loss waa forty killed and wounded, an officer and sevefa] privates captured. Our loss was m ded ; among 'lie wounded was the gallant and* i Colonel Soung, who had his leg shattered by a ball in the latteV pari of the engagement.
1 • being now near lundown, bhe confmand was moved on without any farther interruption to its destination, a pass on South Moun- tain. Here we bivouacked for the bight on our position. This - formed the extreme right flank of our forces. On the ensu- ing day (Sunday, tbe 14th), the forces of D. H. Hill were moving up. and had occupied the Boonsboro' Pass, while a small detach- ment of MeLaws' division bad, during the night, moved- up and occupied Crampton's Pass. Our brave, weary, foot-sore infantry quietly slept on their arms, oblivious of the near and frequent vol- oi their fellow comrades, skirmishing at intervals during the night. All nighl the approaching tramp of the enemy could be heard nearing the position of our army. The day at length — a calm Sabbath day— opened auspiciously. A bright sun, as the fog of the valley early lifted itself away, rose and reflected its rays cvn a cloudless sky. Prom the, little hamlets in the foreground, between the two hostile parties, could early be Been the terror- stricken inmates rushing out and precipitately hurrying to and fro to .-cape the coming missiles ol destruction that had already com* menced at "long taw" hurtling through the air. The narrow val- ley below seeiind to be one moving mass of Yankee soldiery. The grant and freshly recruited armies of McClellan and Burcside now stood out in skirmishing distance, and their long lines were still* pouring from the south through the Catoctin Pass, and pitted againsl this immense and well apportioned host, were only. eight thousand Confederate soldiers, worn down by lasting and oyer- "marching. Led by thai cool, intrepid Christian, 1). H. Hill, of Bethel lame, on whom the God of Battles had so visibly smiled.
< If the details of this hard foiml.it bailie we shall not attempt to
Bpeak. The enemy appreciating the difficulty in approaching our
position, an assault was early and furiously made on the position at Boonsboro.' Gap by his heaver artillery, and then, continued ill along the line. Mueketrj I general about two o'clock. Up to that
time all of his assaults on OUr little band had been successfully met and repulsed, except the position held by the brave and lamented Garland, whose brigade had been thrown on an advance position
Hampton's cavalry. l!(.»
on the side of the mountain, that fought more furiously, and prob- ably did more execution, on that desperate day, than any other troops. An epitome of their noble conduct may not be out of place here. Early in the action this gaEfent officer fell. His de- voted men, composed entirely of North Carolinians, alter they saw him borne lifeless off the field, unflinchingly held their position. Five of 'the best brigades of Burnside's corps closed around this brigade. A remnant of them cut their way through. The Twen- tieth Regiment K. C. T., of this brigade, made its way out, and gained a position on a steep side of the mountain, behind a rough stone fence, and with their- unerring rifles were dealing death by the wholesale into the ranks of the enemy as they would attempt the ascent. Their position gave the enemy's artillery below no chance at them ; they, hmvever, succeeded in rolling a piece by hand through a thick timber on the right, and unobserved had placed it in position, so as to command the space behind the stone fence. Here Captain .1. B. Atwell took out his company and1 secreted them in musket range behind a ledge of rocks, picking the gunners off as fast as they could take position around their gun ; they, however, seemed nothing daunted at the fate of their comrades, but promptly took their places, only to make the lifeless heap higher. But while this effective work was going on, the .enemy's infantry clambered up on the mountain sides and came. pouring round in disproportionate numbers on the little band. Here the noble Atwelt fell mortally wounded. His men succeeded in bearing his body off, cutting their way back to the main body at the gap. Our position was a strong one, on which to manoeuvre a small body of men ; and skilfully did the gallant Hill handle his little handful, holding his position on the ridge and slopes around iiie pas.-,, against, the shock of "Overwhelming odds, sheltering his men behind the 'cliffs and stone fences, with comparatively small loss, exj-eot the brigade above mentioned. In the meantime that pari of McLaws' division were gallantly contending on the right at Crampton's Fass. Here only a part of Cobb's Georgia brigade, with tb« Sixth and Twelfth Virginia Regimenlte, held the pass till late in the evening against nine brigades of Franklin's grand Fed- eral division, and retired <»nlv after the ammunition had been entirely exhausted.
Our cavalry w ,•.! during the day in desultory skirmish-
ing on the extreme right. The -grand Yankee army corps *' of
10 BOM
Hooker and Burnside, with Heintzleman in reserve, came pressing
up in the evening, hoping thereby to throttle our little band by
• numbers. But our artillery from the summit raked their
advancing columns with such immense havoc, while our deadly musketry I'rom the dill's beneath were dealing such destruction into their faltering ranks, as to cause them to break for more wholesome coVer. They would reform and throw fresh troops for- ward with much the same results, till night put an end to the bloody Bcene.
About i<n o'clock that night General Hill evacuated the posi- tion, and. without any show of pursuit on the part of the enemy, withdrew his forces in the direction of Sharpshurg, his object on Sunday being accomplished — to hold the enemy in check till the Harper's Ferry programme was carried out.
Our cavalry withdrew in the latter part of that night in the direction of Harper's Perry, picketing on the road leading over the .Maryland Heights to that place, from which point we will indulge a glance at this notable spot, so conspicuous both before and in the history oflhe present war.
From a stand-point on these Maryland Heights, that run up from the north bank of the Potomac, spreads' out to the view per- haps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature. " On your left comes rushing flown, the Shenandoah, having ranged along the north base of the Blue Ridge for a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your right rolls down the Potomac, seeking a passage also. In the moment of i heir junction they rush together Vigainst the moun- tain and rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea." These two rivers at the junction form an obtuse angle, at the immediate in- iction of which (he little town of Harper's Terry is situated, ranging up the narrow banks of each river, over.hung by terrible precipices in jutting fragments. Op the Potomac banks extend the immense dismantled armory works. At the entrance still stands the old engine house of John Brown notoriety — a monu- ment of that old recreant's treason. The upper town runs up on a high eminence, which is overlooked by a still higher one, encir- cled by precipitous ascents, both of which the enemy had bas-» tipned around withji line of strong Works. On the south banks of the Shenandoah rise the Loudoun Eleights.and in front the Boli- var Heights, Which, with the Maryland Heights, completely over- look the place.
Hampton's cavalry. 31
Up to Saturday the Yankee garrison were entirely ignorant of our investing movement, Jackson, with his ubiquitous corps, had left Haaerstown on Thursday, and bearing round, had crossed the Potomac at Williamsp*ort, passing through Martinsburg on Friday, whence the enemy, under General White, had retired to Harper's Ferry the night before, and sweeping on around, he arrived in front o"f Harper's Ferry about noon on Saturday.
In the meantime McLaws' division was moving up and occupy- ing the Maryland Heights, and Walker the Loudoun Heights, while Jackson's corps had spread out and were closing up the space between the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers, which in- cluded the Bolivar Heights; thus the line -of investment was a complete triangle, with our favorite Stonewall as the base — soon to demonstrate to General White, the Chicago tailor, that he might cut coats, but to cut himself out of this angle would be a bamboo- zling problem to his unsophisticated military genius.
On Sunday our forces On this base line prepared to invest the place — A. P. Hill on the right, on the Charlestown road; Ewell's division in the centre ; and -Jackson's old division completed the line across from river to liver. Our artillery from the right opens with its heavy pieces, which startles the Yankee commander ; his long caravan of wagon trains is hurriedly drawn out and move in haste across the Potomac, and being fairly stretched out in the narrow defile (hat winds along the base of the Maryland Heights, the garrison commences forming to follow; but a few unsuspected shells' from these heights gave them to understand that their plan of escape was balked in this direction. Tho frightened teamster 8 suddenly wheeled and went rattling and crashing, belter skelter, over one another back to the ferry, which Whs now growing too hot from the streaming missiles from both the Loudoun and Mary- land Heights : then re-crossed, turning down the Shepherdstown road, and after stretching out and winding down this road a short distanoe, mel the same unexpected reception, and came plunging back in the wildest consternation to their former p
The siege now opened, and was kept up from all Bides slowly but regularly during the day, the enemy feebly responding. The sun had now sunk behind the western hills ; yet the glaring flash of the booming artillery from the mountain Bides litefally light- ened up the darkened horizon. Night wears on. and still the streaming mefeor.s from the adjacent BlopeS fly arolmd tin' terror-
SKETCHES PfcOM
stri E &€ j irrison. Morning " and aa
with >H" nl the hills salute the rising sun, with bombs burst?
i. the air :" and jusl aa our forces od Jackson's line prepan nit the place, on the right, the gaudy folds of their mammoth garrison Sag (measuring fortj yards in length) is run down, and the 7 white run up in its place. The air rends with
Bhouts from our victorious forces. Lii utenant Chamberlayn< Genera] A. 1'. Hill's staff, goes forward, and at ten o'clock receives the Bword of the Yankee commander, who had fallen a few minutes before the surrender. Thus ended the career No. - <>l' the abolitionists at Harper-.- Ferry. General IJill remarked to Mie commanding Yankee officer, who was wonderrng al our remarkable skill and energy in capturing the place ; "That he would rather take the place 'twenty times than undertake to hold it once." Eleven thousand eighi hundred and fifty prisoners were captured, immense stores of nil 'kinds, vast supplies of ammunition, large numbers of splendid cannon, field and Jight pieces, vast supplies small arms and ammunition, and a great many horses and negroes. Our cavalry was posted in the place till the next day, foraging our famished horses on the vast quartermaster garners. On the day following all the troops were hurried up the river, and crossed at
Shepherdstown, rejoining Longstreel on the Antietam Creek, near rpsburg, Maryland. Early nexl morning our d corps, sadly reduced by pres&i
k position on the north side of the Antietam
1 the enemy being drawn up along the base of the mountain
on the other Bide, and early began advancing in force* upon our iqn, Aje ti:'- -mi rose, his gay blue uniforms arid bright and. glittering weapons contrasted" strongly with the dusty, threadbare apparel and unpolished weapons oi Lee'# " rebel array." The bat- opened with a \'\-r<' use of artillery on Both sides, soon followed by a general roar of musketry along the entire lino. The em massed heavy forces and Bore down with al.l his fury, on our left ; bul the indomituble Jackson met him with his usual coolness and determination, repulsing and driving him back a mile and a half. In the centre the intrepid [iOngstreet,"with D. H. Hill's corps, after a desperate and bloody struggle, drove him back, too, from this point, with heavy slaughter.' On our right, about three o'clock in the afternoon, General A. P. Hill was advancing from- Harper's Perry, i od came op jus! in lime to meet the enemy as he was mak-
Hampton's cavalry. 33
ing a bold demonstration in that direction, which was held only by Jenkins' and a part of Toombs' brigades. They had driven this lit- tle force before them, and were dashing across the Antietam with every 'show of success ; but at this juncture the timely arrival of the latter corps changed the fortune at this point, and after an ob- stinate contest, that lasted from five o'clock till dark, the enemy was driven into and across the creek with great loss. During the fight the Federal sharpshooters had picked off and disabled nearly every man of a battery of the Washington Artillery, which had been conspicuously effective in the fight. General Longstreet being near, and discerning the cause of its silence, he dismounted, ml with the assistance of his staff worked one of the guns until the crisis was over. As it has been remarked, " To see a general officer, wielding the destinies of a great fight, with its cares and re- sponsibilities upon his shoulders, performing the duties of a com- mon soldier, is a picture indeed worthy of the pencil of an artist." The sun set upon one of the most desperate and bloody fields of the war, the Confederates resting that night on their arms at every point considerably in advance of their position in the morn- ing. And the question may be asked : Why did we not pursue the enemy up? Simply because from the topography of the coun- try, where he was driven against the mo an tail/? sides, would have given him signally the advantage over u* disced, from the causes above mentioned, our forces were too muno- oiduced to have relin- (pushed their hold and attempt a flank nicnqiuent. On the next day, Thursday, from our position of the day ► ore, the challenge was early thrown out to renew the engagement, but the beaten foe let the gauntlet lie- It is no exaggeration -to say our army went. into this battle re- duced fifty per cent., worried out by fisting, incessant marching" and tight ing. Not more than thirty-five thousand of our brave troops could be counted on that desperate day; for as the col- umns of many of the commands had to be rushed in almost double- quick marches in order to gain their respective' positions at the proper time, many a willing comrade fell out for miles along the road from sheer exhaustion. And it, is a base slander upon our brave and noble soldiery to say that Lee's army "straggled on that day." No; to have seen the pale, emaciated soldier, seem- ingly with nothing but an invisible spirit bearing him on, dispens- ing wiili every incumbrance, save his musket and cartridge box, 5
:; 1 skkh ii
ES FROM
halting nlong, flinching al everj step, as he hesitatingly set his bleeding feet flown apon the Btonjr surface, and then sink down under the goading effect, was a rare comment upon heroism! Yet pusillanimous newspaper generals and army critics called this u straggling." No j if your unfeeling hearts possessed an infinites- simal part of your victim's virtue, then you might with some ree of assurance criticise behind your paper walls and staff parapets. n
McClellan, with an army already four times as large as our own, and with reinforcements coming up, a retrograde movement was deemed expedieul under the circumstances, as every day would strengthen the enemy, and in our present position the means for adding anything to our strength was sadly beyond our reach. Ac- iingly our forces were withdrawn late Thursday night and Fri- day morning, in the face of our foe, and safely re-crossed the Poto- mac near Shephefdstown, at one single ford. . This important feat was accomplished in the space of twelve hours,' sustaining no material loss, and without any interruption on the part of the enemy. , •
In this short but eventful campaign, our whole loss was inside of -even thousand n~'-n, while the enem}r, according to his own con- ion, lost over i^uv tnousand killed, wounded and taken prison-' era. Uut, as is usir'1, Jhe case, our loss was mingled with some of our bravesl and $K ""::iicers — the brave and heroic Garland, the noble Starke, and • \f "'■all.int Branch, of North Carolina, laid down their lives upon til 'altar of their country.
And with sucli proud record of your fame,
Your bodies may Bleep wrapt in gore, But aa Long aa liberty bears a name,
Your spirits will be cherish'd evermore.
V. • there was still a bloody episode to mark the close of this campaign. The enemy, about ten o'clock on Friday, had with his heavy Parrott guns at long taw commenced a show of pursuit, and on Saturday morning commenced crossing in heavy force. Our troops on the opposite side were seen hurrying, as Under -sem- blance of a retreat, out on the different roads leading from Shep- hei Istown, but really retiring covertly behind the adjacent "hills ; while the rear guard, three brigades of infantry, under Brigadier General Pendleton, were posted on the right bank of the river,
Hampton's cavalry. . 35
near the passage at Boteler's Mill, commanding which wo had masked thirty-five pieces of artillery, and with five or six pieces exposed in advance, making a taint show of resistance, falling back slowly from one position to another, before the advancing enemy's batteries, that were being furiously plied from the opposite side. Late in the evening a large force of the enemy, consisting of nearly three" entire divisions, came pouring over with flaunting colors and defiant shouts ; and when" fairly across, our Ifatteries were uncov- ered, and with A. P. Hill's division pounced suddenly down upon his confident legions, driving them like chaff .before the. wind, down into the narrow passage, where the enfilading fire *>f our b'at- teries were plowing and raking his ranks in a most frightful man- ner, and from the crowded gorge frightened masses would indis- criminately break panic-strickei* uy the banks of the river, only to find themselves hemmed in from that, quarter, and in man}- in- stances' In escape the bavonets of our impetuous soldiery, they would plunge wildly over these precipitous bluffs, shattered oh the rocky masses beneath ! The scene was truly appalling. The wide, shallow fording was filled with dead bodies, and the woundecl, who would chance to fall in the stream, were suffocated in the water by the hurrying, heedless tread of the living. All organization was destroyed, and as the broken remnants would reach the opposite bank they would continue in the -wildest disorder across the hills; and why no token of surrender .was hung out to stop this fearful slaughter, was a question with the conscience of the commander of this ill-fated movement.
Our loss was only two hundred in killed and wounded, while the Yankee loss must have been at least two-thirds of their number in killed, wounded and' prisoners. Thus ended this bloody campaign, leaving the enemy .crippled and beaten on his own soil, from which he lay cowering, unable to move for months.
It is but candor to say, that in entering Maryland the Confede- rates had two objects in view: First, to give her pent up sympathy a chance ;<> hurst forth and join us in physical resistance ; and iiowever much we aro disposer] to revere that sympathy, which has always and still exists there for our cause, the reluctance and tardiness of.her people failed to meet the occasion — for "they who would be free, themselves must strike the blow.'" In the secqnd place, our victorious arms had just driven the enemy before us behind the walls at Washington, and, by threatening his country,
(SKETCHES FROM •
ild draw him out and bring the matter to a nearer issue. The surrbtmded by circumstances over which we .had no trol : and how fer we controlled thte circumstances of the latter^ the facts of the campaign have rally demonstrated to the world.
I. •uisi;iiii:iiis, while on picket near Boonsboro', encountered a Yankee bcouI and killed him. One of the party being ;i little
ly in the way of pan te, exchanged with the unlucky man. at the same time obsetvingHhe name John I>. S., very plainly wrought with red silk thread on the lining of the waistband. However, thinking nothing more of* it, nor none the less of himself for wear- ing Yankee blue, on going back to camp the party called at a neat, little farm house, where milk jar.-, peace and plenty seemed to reign, and called For some milk. They were answered, as they info the little vine-bdljnd piazza, by a repugnant, elderly looking lady, "Thai she had no milk for rebels, and that she would giVe it to the neighbors' pigs iirst : and that it would be her heart's desire to give every rebel that crossed the Potomac a good drink of poison." "Which sharp vents of caloric elicited retorts of similar character frond the personage who had donned the unlucky man's panttfl : and after concluding a volley which had mutually raged betwcn them, the latter drew near and coolly remarked :
" Madam, you fight so well with your tongue, it is a great pity you aint a man. to 6ght for your ' glorious Union.' "
•• 1 thank you, sir. 1 have an only son there fighting for it, and I only wish 1 had twenty."
"Well, madam, you are the worst Union case I've met in Mary- land, and 1 want to take your name, as a contrast to some kind peo- ple [Ve Det, and let me have it as a remembrancer."
Still with wrathful emotions she continued : "My name I never concealed from friend or foe; it's Mary Ann S. ; and I wish my son was here with his ritle, and he would give you something to remember. ■ *
The latter, with gathering interest : "What's your son's name?"
" I can give yon his name, tot), and only wish he could give you rebs a bullet for every word that has passed between us." En» phasizing, " His name is John I). S."
"Well, madam, he'll kill no more rebels, for I killed him this merning, and these are his pants I now have on," at the same time exposing the name from the inside of the waistband. The name was readily recognized. The cloud of angry passion that had
Hampton's cavalry. > 37
swelled in every feature of the woman's face was swept off by a sudden gush of despair; and, with her glaring eyes riveted for a moment upon the name that read the fatal message, the unhappy woman swooned and fell on the floor.
The day after the Antietam fight, our cavalry were placed on duty, tome distance to the left up the river, and in the evacuation were cut oif from the fording at Shepherdstown. But on Friday' night, by a circuitous route up the river, passing round a large body of Yankee forces, winding down steep and dangerous cliffs, that seemed impassable for man and beast, helt&r skelter, down the rugged acclivity, we plunged into the channel of the river — a fording that an Indian pony would snort at and turn away from — our horses, after blundering over rocks, then plunging through eddying whirlpools, dripping and chilled, we reached the Virginia side. Following up the train of our narrative, Ave proceeded to Mavtinsburg, from whence, a few days after, General Stuart dashed across the Potomac into Williamsport, and drove the enemy from that place, killing a number and capturing a quantity of prisoners and arms with a small loss ; returned again, and established head- quarters "at Martinsburg, where, a few days after this affair, the Yankee cavalry undertook to pay him back. They came dashing up the Shepherdstown road, driving in our pickets and scouts to the skirts of the town. Hampton's cavalry was falling back before them, while Lee's was clashing round to get in their rear ; perceiv- ing this»they suddenly wheeled and broke back ; Lee immediately^ set after them, supported by Hampton, killing and capturing. sev- eral, and it was by making the fastest possible speed that the whole expedition saved themselves from capture.
SKETCHES PROM
i'IIAP r i: B v.
STUART'S CAVALRY EXPEDITION INTO PENNSYLVANIA — PREPARATION FOR
THE EXPEDITION TROOPS COMPOSING THE EXPEDITION — CROSSING THE
POTOMAC— SURPRISING TH1 ENEMY'S !'l< KETS — THE SUCCESSFUL PAS-
M THK i:I<;i!T WING OP MCCLELLAN's ARMY — PASSES OUT
OF KABYLAJTD WTO PENNSYLVANIA — HORSE PRESSING ORDElt- ]>-
bd — Capture op bt. thomab and chvmbersburg.
Our oommand was quietly laying around Martrnaburg, picketing on Che upper lines of the PotOmap, and having to a considerable iit recruited the nervea of both man and horse, which had u seriously drawn upon by the incessant and arduous labors of land campaign, we were here in this beautiful and roman- n of the Old Dominion, enjoying ourselves with as much "otium cum digrtitate" as a soldier's life would admit of. The first leaves of autumn had just begun to fall; the neighboring moun- tain peaks were doffing their Brimmer green and last assuming the bronzed hue : and as the bugle's unwelcome morning sound would cause the soldier to peep from his blankets, the first traces of Jack
mid be Bfeen upon the half crisped, fallen leaf; while the weather-worn trooper with repeated strokes of his currycomb to smooth the rough hair of bis faithful steed, would soliloquize to himself: "Well, l do wish old Stuarl and Hampton was a/ tired uv these ere parts as I am, we'd -it ' a little further inter Dixie than this : as these ere cold morriin' wind- from the mountins blows our fen the fare places a little cuttin', and our toes peeps a leetle too impidentty thru our old shoes for this ere white thiug o^ii the leaves uv mornins, and oul uv 4-cspect fur us they orter con- sider the policy. And besides, jisl tu think uv our poor dum brute-. Why. thar was Jackson's army passed thru these parts last roasting-ear time, and they cleaned the cornfields afore the milk filled the grain, and so horse stuck can't stand it much longer. And bo it's policy to'git' further South any way you look at it. Hut I reek, ,n old Stuart ami Hampton knows best." Such rude surmises were frequent from the humblest private in the com- mand, and even the "reliable -entle'men " from headquarters would quaintly give out that a backward move was under way.
Hampton's cavalry. 39
*
In fact, all outward appearance's seemed indicative of a "fall back." "While we were regaling ourselves over the idea of getting where we could hear a railroad whistle again, or open communica- tion with home once more, orders were issued to the different com- mands of the division for a detachment of picked men, mounted on the besb horses, to prepare five days' rations for a scout on the ensuing day, yet still the idea of covering a "fall back " was entertained- by officers and men.
On the ensuing day, October 9th, at two o'clock, we "fell in" and took up the line of march, l^ut found our horses' heads turned northward. The whole force was comprised of detachments from Hampton's, Lee's and Mumford's cavalry, and a small detachment from Scotfs partisan corps, with one section of mounted artillery accompanying each, all toldi twenty-five hundred men, led* by Stuart himself, dashing along on his little dark bay favorite, in his usual don't-care, dare-devil style, while the cheerful, deep cunning- expression of his features betokened some one of his favorite " tricks " ahead, while Hampton rode along at his usual easy trot- ting style, as though he was just going out to loolt over his broad cotton fields. Leaving the. town of Martinsburg to the right, and passing along the base of the north range of the Blue Ridge, which breaks off into tills as it nears the Potomac, we passed through Hedgesville and beyond our outer picket post,' where the column was halted and rested till dark, within ear-shot of the roaring waters of the Potomac. After good dark the command resumed the march, and was advancing cautiously over a narrow by-way in the direction of the river, to within a mile of the crossing, and here we were halted for the night. Two reconnoitering parties were thrown out, one under Sergeant R. C. Shiver, of the Second South Carolina cavalry, and the other under Lieutenant Harrier, of the North Carolina- cavalry, Jed. by Hampton in person. After a successful recflbnoissance, it was ascertained that the enemy had no pickets on this bank of the river, but we discovered their posts immediately ett the ether side of the ford, beyond the culvert of the canal, which opens to the ford. Here, content with our discov- eries, (he party bivouacked the remainder of the night on this side behind the cliffs that overhang the banks above tin* ford, until nearly daybreak, when General Hampton detached fifteen men from the party md placed them under Lieutenant Phillips, and despatched them across the river on an old fish dam, a quarter* of
BKlfCfU
an. the post at the ford^
.nit Barrier, were posted among the cliflV along the I i >p< »rt . in case the party on the oppo-
•\ a- j 1 1 ~ t dawning ; our bom;
>eping under cover of the canal banks,
_ their w illy without any interruption to the
ilveYt. One more dash and tin' game is in their
!-. Bill suddenly out dashed a grim \m\\ terrier dog, \\- i 1 1 1
pnte the passage of the culvert, which merely
•iinicl to scamper off without even firing his
B, while th- was innm diitely OOslaUghted, and the
quick and bo of our carbines, and the excited escla*
" kill them] here goos the d — d blue backed rascals,"
whi la to understand that our support was no long< r re-
quired, and every inali to horse. ;uid acrOSS W6 da>hed. and found
while earnest leg bail had sue- 1 1 in^r off" hi comrades, which caused a stampede along irhole line, and had it oot.been for, the timely notice of their faithful dog in the culvert, the body would have been nicely .: the time tl ■'• were regaling themselves near
by in a little Bbanty &1 "seven up," little dreaming that their game • .irly in the morning would be ." trumped* by»rebel intrusion. ii and difficult ford tip- whole command, artillery and lily and safely i over; and <>n we hurried over a
narrow and difficult denle fchrougli the hills of the western part of county, capturing the balance of their Btampeding poo ran into our column before they were aware of our Having pursued this road about Bve miles, where it the turnpike leading from Hage'rstown to Cumberland, w» found that we had run against the rear of • division of Yankee in- fantryl4moving on to Oumberland. Just at this poftit our advance came upon their rear guard and took a hatch of them prisoners, and also captured stand of colors, which Midden and unex- pected onslaught put their whole command ti> confused commo- tion, and caused them to make fast time down the pike in the
ctioo of Oumberland. Their burning vehicles behind g full evidence, that the skedaddling manoeuvre was inactive play; hut ■ t- business did not lay on their route, they were per- mitted to "double-quick" along uninterrupted from their own lows. Here we crossed this pike and pursued our march
Hampton's cavalry. • -fl
along a narrow, difiicult by-way. following the north side of n range of mountains through a rocky, bleak, and almost barren region, with here and there a lonely cabin to relieve the wild scenery. Having moved on some ten miles through this wild region, we found ourselves crossing the last ridge of ihis range, emerging out
' down into a beautiful and expansive valley, known as "Blair's A'al- ley," surrounded by an extensive r^nge, known as the ''Short Hill" range, which breaks olf gradually into lesser hills as the Blue Ridge nears the Potomac, which to the eye of the casual beholder seems as steps to the summit oXher lofty peaks. The day was nut a bright one : thin, vapory ctouds were overspreading the heavens ; the sun's pale face looked dimly through the gathering clouds, and the distant ridges seemed wrapped in a misty blue,- and the "sear and yellow leaf" at every breeze was losing its hold and came rustling down around us. Such a scene was indeed truly calcu- lated to engender melancholy feelings. But as the "broad acres" of Pennsylvania stretched out. before us just" at the foot of the last hill, although we were impressed with our hazardous situation, hav- ing jusl passed through and were in the rear of the right wing of
' McCiellan's grand army, yet every soldier's face betokened emo- tions of inward joy, and with our backs on the last fugged hills, we were beyond the limits of Maryland. The "ultima thule" of Southern invasion was passed. We were indeed on the hostile soil of proud and defiant Pennsylvania, who. sixteen months before, was going to -.lake a light breakfast out of the South, herself alone. But the rebel key had unbolted and roiled away the keystone of the "glorious old arch " wide enough for Stuart's rebel cavalrv to pas-;. No demonstration whatever marked the event, as the col- umn moved quietly forward from the borders of Franklin countv, where we entered, h seemed that a simple reflection- on our situation would call forth misgivings in the bosom of the most gnine : but the overweening confidence in our true and tried leader would chile any such a thought, and nerve it with stronger confidence and deeper determination.
ivate country road, through the secluded entrance of ihis valley, th il had never been trampled by an armed ither friend or fee. The unsuspecting. inhabitants met and hail' id no asset t ion to I lie contrarv was
likely to disabuse their minds of the facl that we were rebels, and even when the horse pn ssing orders were put in execution against
q they would look incredulously after de as we were leading their their ej es. A - . n instance, * e will h amusing io< occurred n an old Dutch
and a party of our boys, who were Bcourjng the country . stance from the road. They rode up unceremoniously to hi.- large brick barn, thai stood b fehorl Sistance from the dwelling, dismounted a( the l>arn-> w< . and wen- proceeding to the .-ta-
ll and bis fat better-half were standing in the piazza watching the movemenl at tne barn in astonishment, and as the
bles, ho^liuii ied down, and in almost breathless excitement i $tea the party: " Gude mornint,
men, gade mornint. Vy, vot dash dis mean?" He was informed that we just wanted his horses. Betraying feelings of smothered r and vexation, he exclaimed: "Mine bosses! mine hosses ! i shoust can't hav tern agin. Vy, ven you tarn Home had tern afore, you shoust keep tem vnn veek over do time, and yen you did'pring dem home mit der packsall sore and skint dp." Continuing in*a more vehement strain: "I -v'uuld Bhoa old Shacksori vould cum tish vsy and take de last
tarn \un uv you Home Guards as tu let you hav mine hosses vim time more. Vot vur you vanl tem eny how?'' Qe was apprised, 1 humoredly, that Jeff.. Davis wanted them this time. With emotions of the wildest surprise and amazement, hardly awai rticulate one word before he'd catch another: " Sueff. Tavis ! vis! Mine (lot ! Vot isb Sheff Tayis got tu du mit mine In*-- Mine Grot! He vill never send tem pack!" In the
meantin >ck was haltered and moving off. Old Dutch had
: that his protests and reinonstrations were unavailing. He immediately ran violently towards the house, hallooing to his bet- ter half, who was. too, vehemently joining her protests, exclaiming in an earnest vent : "Old vomanl old vomanl plowdehon!" She hvd down the old tin instrument hanging at the door, and with her dabby jaws inflated to their fullest tension, she blew most lustily, striding the piazza from one'end to the other, and kept blowing till we wen- out of hearing. What this strange- proceed- ing meant, was a question, unless i1 ! of the old Scottish
* When our Cocoes threatened Pennsylvania from Maryland, the border counties resolved themselves Into an organisation called the Home Guards, and had pressed the to transport their I
HAMPTON S CAVALRY. $6
idea of winding the horn when the realm was invaded, and her tin horn reverberations were to call to arms those valorous Home Guards the old man so much derided when his horses were brought in question ; but those modern lords of war did not heed her horn incantations ; as this little detachment, without any in- terruption, joined the command at Mereersburg, on the turnpike leading from Greeneastle to Chambersburg. Here a faint resist- ance was made by those valorous Home Guards, who retired at our approach, and secreted themselves in an old wood-shop at the further end of the town, from which, about fifty yards from the main street, they poured a volley into our advance. The old shop was onslaughtod. and without any farther demonstration, the whole party were captured, except one who attempted to escape by jumping out of a window,' but a bullet from one of our carbines took him "on the wing" striking him lifeless in his leap; whom, doubtless, the sickly sentimentality of his burghers would range on the calendar of Northern heroes. This belligerent- party proved to be rather hard looking specimens of humanity, and when they saw our full columns moving up, they betrayed terrible emotions of childish /right, and were surprised at not being dispatched forthwith ; and others, coming out to the rescue, .when taken, even with guns in, their hands, denied having any complicity in the affair. With such spirits as these, it was not a matter of wonder that old Ihitch's " horn incantations " had no charm. The column here halted a short time, and about two o'clock resumed the march on the turnpike leading to Chambersburg, some eighteen miles distant. On our way we captured St. Thomas, a considerable town, which made no resistance. We pursued our march on through a cold, drenching rain, swelling our " led-horse '* train as we moved on, which presented the appearance of additional reinforcements.
About live o'clock, P. M., we found ourselves before the city of Chambersburg, and demanded its surrender. This inland city is beautifully situated in the midst of a rich and productive valley. on a line of railroad running from II igerstown, Md., to Barrisburg- and contains about ten thousand inhabitants. At this point large quantities of the enemy V army stores were deposited, which ren- dered it a prize worth} of Stuart's notice. The demand for the
surrender was a oompl< te tbaoderslipck to the astounded Mayor —
the whole population Beemed confounded at cur' presence. Houses,
BKETCHJ
public :nitl private, were immi diately closed. A considerable par-
j the city authorities, at which General
i tin' ball dered into position and the
dry into line for the attack, which demonstration booh brought
tin-in i-> a decision, the terms immunity to private persons
ami property .
I tin- army taken in charge, which consisted
• quantities of commissary and quartermaster store-, also heavy and light ordnance stores, Til'' quartermaster's depart menl was duly drawn apoo in the way of clashing, whije the bora attired in gay Yankee trappings, and our old. Misty armor was Immediately exchanged for tin* bright, glittering cav- alry arms that were (ossed in profusion from the numerous
city was placed under martial law. The command was moved out and bivouacked for the night a short distance < he city ;
and after a most disagreeably cold, rainy night, we decamped early
• morning, and countermarched back through the streets and were halted, and in looking round, a large Union flag was seen floating from the third story of a private house, which unwelcome
lera was Bpeedily removed by J. M. Rea, Company 0, and Ed. liuenhammer, Company P, of the .North Carolina Cavalry, which, hov. | ;n a little issue. On accosting the proprietor,
In- demurred to their admittance, which was immediately forced,
followed closely by tie- surly proprietor to the last flight of stairs.
where i ined, from an a Ijacent room, by another grim, de-
i looking personage, where surly's suspicions movements
wen B i. who coolly gave them to understand that
any interference on their pari would be readily met; and in tho
two devotees the flag was torn down,, but they failed
like Jackson to seal their devotion with their blood. Doubtless
these two characters were as brave in nerve as our prototype mar«
t\ r, Imt. that indwelling determination faltered, as the cause was
not the same which their favorite emblems bespoke.
Tin- observer would meet many a scene'calculated to keep his
intion in active At every comer could be seen
ips of old and young, conversing in an undertone, evincing
symptoms of the deepest mortification. - The sighl of the new blue
clothing that dotted every company in the command, and the
bright Onited. States weapons dangling at our sides, was indeed a
lax upon their pride. But notwithstanding this, not the least
■
Hampton's cavalry. 45
ineult was offered us. An assemblage of elderly ,„en ,vas over. Heard m a discussion, asserting that if they had just known our number was p0 more thai! they now proved to be, they never would have surrendered, and that it was , disgrace that could never be wiped out; while some were chafing with wrathful ex predion* that our audacity « the moat unparallelled recklessness, and that .eertanly before night the -telegraph would welcome our capture or deetruet,on ; and the Mayor publicly expressed himaelf
la','/""' ' ,'T "e,'e "0t CaptU,'ed befure l™ Wrt tile Potomac ,1 wo«ld he a stigma npbn the Union army that
■ could never be effaced. A young Carolinian drew up and Zo ted
a venerable one of these old street deciders, who L r, ,c
paring 0 h,s anathemas against the rebels, and enquired 111
when he thought we won), ve peace?" With a, as ,,„ ,.
c iu«,ued. Well, sir," rephed the first speaker, "do you with ,11
ndidi ::: vn ois';tee" ^W»»S»
candidly-really think thai that matter can be done ?" •• Well-, "
es, a,„,,l,v- we think-a-SO," ,,„,,,„. ,„ .- ,,,„„ 0f ,,,,„,,„;„;!! ^
don t then expect to treat yon as conquered Subjects but vc • ■ -llhngto throw the veil of charity .over all this, a , e' ,
- ,cth,cn. Erring brethren," indignantly interrupted the voune
-:;'"-».«•,, h,e eyes flashing fire; sarcasticall : "BreS
don I, pray, call us brethren, blinded old hypocrite Go ,, I '
:;'"■ *"*•»*. ■ I wasted fields, in the v^L ,r , IZ
,„..■', y<»t»rday, and has ether suffered Ire, r pres- ence? IWog nervously round, he remained silent •■ \
ro^T^Sr.! "-"t!-1— '■ -I--.,",:,
and are " ',„ '"V " "- ""■' »" »••■' '"«■- I.-- bee,, ,, • ' "' >.'"" POyef, 1 we can sc ely realize the feel
"', " "' -V""" "■,'Ii-r^ '"»U»-tic ' demands ,1,,,,':
nw to as* th6 ,,,,, ,,„„,. wl.v it is your .
BKBTCH1
diers, thus among us, adhere so strictly to the principles of g lucl : ie it from the string upline of your officers?" lfr
• '1 : "Simply because we are gentlemen at home, and ob-
- ■in.- abroad." This latter fact suggested to our mind the i the difference of the valor between the Northern and
Southern soldier.-, and that moral principle is the basis of true courage — ope fighting with valor and vigor for their liberties, and. the other with indolence and neglect for the power of his ppppes- - and men from the same grades of society, contending for their equal rights, one as much impressed with the principle as the other. And in this connection, let it be said, should an ollicer, under tie' garb of military discipline, become so indifferent to the principles of equality as to assume an unwarrantable relation of arrogance toward his men, he, mosl assuredly, is an enemy to him- self and the cause. In the first place, when this war shall have passed away, with our independence established, and the days of "shoulder straps" numbered with the things of the pa>t. society will sink back into its former peaceful channel ; this unjust bear- ing will never be forgotten ; it will be far better for such an one had he occupied the position ol the humblest private in the ranks. And, in the second place, if tends to promote an unprincipled aristocracy, contrary to the genius of our institutions.
Bui to return to the narrative. On the streets could be seen many able-bodied young men ••rutting the gent."' as in peaceful times; and if they had but been imbued with that country pride that they so boastfully assume, their mortification must have been extreme. We raptured telegraphic despatches in the Office at that place (which had remained as duplicates), to the Governor, up to a few hours of our arrival, which staled that we were reported to have entered tie- State, but that they had no. apprehensions that Stuart's " rebel gang " would come that way, and if they did have the assurance to .hi BO, they had, a regiment of infantry and one battery of artillery in reach that would take care of them amply ; and, besides, they had plenty of arms, and that the citizens would turn out to a man. and .would give them such a reception as would BCatter them to the four winds. But when the test came, what be- came of their "' regiment of infantry and battery of artillery/'' and the boasted reception that was to meet us at the hands of their " lb.iue Palladiums," this deponent saith not ; but it seemed that, ''Bob Acres like." their valor gently oozed out at the sight of tuart's little rebel baud.
Hampton's cavalry. •47
CHAPTER VI.
EVACUATES CHAMBERBBURG — PASSAGE THROUGH THE VALLEY — CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS AT STEVENS' GAP — PASSES SAFELY OUT OF. THE STATE INTO MARYLAND — JOYOUS RECEPTION AT EMMETTSBURG — SUCCEEDS IN PASSING THROUGH THE ENEMY'S FORCES DURING THE NIGHT AND REACHES THE POTOMAC — PERILOUS SITUATION, BUT AFTER SHARP SKIRMISHING SUCCEEDS IN CROSSING AND. REACHES OUR LINES. •
About ten o'clock, A. M., the command took up the line of inarch, turning down the turnpike leading to Gettysburg. After setting fire to the spacious building containing the army stores, we retired. The flames wrapped the building, and for an hour ihe explosions were terrific, shaking the very earth. Pieces of shell, fragments of timber, brick, and stone, rent the air for hundreds of yards around. In moving on, the occasional bursting of a bomb that had resisted the first impressions of the fire, would strike the ear, and give a parting salute over the dying'embers of the charred remains of this proud edifice.
The march progressed along without any marked interest, save considerable accession to the " led-horse column," and astonishing the natives to utter discomfiture. Our approach to the neighbor- ing farm houses on the road was heralded with a gathering in and an immediate closing of the doafs, as if «i menagerie of wild beasts had been turned loose upon the country. To give a further in- stance of the terror in .which we were held by these unsophisti- cated people : In passing by a neat log house, immediately on tho roadside, a full, good humored looking face of an elderly lady, whose features bespoke mingled emotions of curiosity and fear, was peeping out of a half closed door. Turning to a very old lady ling a tew paces back, who gave every expression of fright, and seemed remonstrating with her to desisl from her rash, smiling with advancing satisfaction : " Why, I will look. Why, Ann! Sally, they jist look like our kind of folks ; tho' they do look mighty dirty and devilish, I don-1 believe they'll hurt a body.'' wras, thereupon, assured we would not harm her, but to open
the door and take a look ; whereupon the door was confidently opened- -she n0\ Aunt Sally's corporeal dimensions jammed tho
its firth Hit, and Btood gazing on the passing
with the most intense cariosity. W 1 through a
little mountain namlet called L town, at the foot 'of the. moun- tain, at the up| of the valley, through Stevens' Gap, called from an extensive iron furnace at its entrance, owned by is, of ab ilition notoriety. His ample stalls lay on the itributed more generously to the horse power of the expedition than any of hii gro-loveism constituents that lay in <>nr r< <n J i-. Through this gap we passed without any interruption, and. en« ! as it was in many places by Bteep, rugged, overhanging cliffs, a small body of resolute men could have effectually held as inch tny of these nature-provided points. A,t the north en- trance we tamed off the pike, immediately to the ri.uht. on a pri- :p1 passed within four miles of Gettysburg, where a heavy lore of the enemy wore reported to be stationed to make a movement to inter ce pi us; but we completely foiled their vigilance by winding around by obscure roads. When be- yond their lines w ■ fell into a public highway running along the • of Miller's Valley, on the north side of the "Short Hill" ran 1 oul of this valley through Fairfield, a small country villa then across the Short Hills, which passed uj over the Pennsylvania State line, into Maryland-near Emmettsburg, a pleas- ant and handsome [jttle village, at the foot of these hills.
The san was nearly down, Men and horses, jaded almost beyond endurance, having been on a continual move for the past three
\t this place wo expected to meet a Yankee cavalry fo win. were reported to have been there dnripg the day, supposed to be "ii the look out for as. The command was halted within a mile
and an advance sent forward. So worn down were the men, that this little halt found nearly hall' the column asleep on their Inn
bat their Bnatohed ap repose was suddenly interrupted by a suc- ion ol shouts that rang along the whole line of the advance ; the main bod}' took it to be the usual signal for a charge, and as quick as thou i ry man braced hynself in his saddle, and the column was hurried on to (heir support. But what an agreeable surprise awaited us. In- meeting the Yankee columns in
deadly strife, the old and young were thronging tne streets and bailing our advent with sh*outs ol the wildest joy, while clu6tei fair women and bevies of Bparkling maidens greeted us with ex-
Hampton's cavalry. 49
pressions of the most heartfelt welcome. Refreshments and bev- erages were profusely borne out and distributed into the ranks by their own generous hands to our wearied and hungry soldiers, which seemed to act as a charm to the dull spirits and exhausted frames of the most way-worn. When one of the troopers would chance to dismount, he was caught and embraced by these lovely ones as a brother, but he would pay the penalty bv finding himself minus the last button on his'old coat ; the fair little rogues would dart off and tauntingly twirl them between their delicate little fingers to their unfortunate companions who had failed to secure a rebel relic. This sudden heartsome ovation from this down-trod- den people will -ever call forth emotions of pleasing and grateful recollections in the bosoms of every recipient ; for, emerging as we had, from a deadly hostile community, where, could even woman's looks have been daggers, we would, the last one of us, shared a worse than Siscran fate ; and then, so suddenly to find ourselves in an atmosphere of such congeniality, indeed inspires feelings that can but be imagined. But as the deepest joys are shortest, we must pass hastily on, with misgivings and heartbodings, to leave these noble patriots behind in the tyrant's grasp.
•
. But let fetters ne'er so tightly bind,
The limbs of those who would be free; 'T would be madder to 'tempt to gyve Ihe mind, Than to stop the rising tide of the sea. ■
So long as the tyrant 'tempts to bind
The oppress'd people of such noble soul; Tim' he may gyve, they will be free in mind
As long us the ehangiug tide may roll.
No I let us not, when our bright sunny land
.,!• the vile tyrant's grasp se1 free, Mori; tbee with Maryland I my Maryland I
But ungyve your limbs, as your minds, so free, Then hail ; viand! my Maryland!
The last rays of the setting sun fell upon this devoted little vil- as we reluctantly turned' and bade her a sad adieu. A body of Yankee cavalry bad I" ■ n here during the day. awaiting, up to a tew momenta of our arrival, bat* they broke and skedaddled at our approach, and we were left to pursue our onward march without interruption. We turned to the right on the turnpike leading to 7
BKHOHEB i
ktown, Borne tw< nty-five miles distant, which roa4, Sift©'
.. miles, we left, Mini tun,. 1 to iho left on a private
M Ettyer twfcej and, baring again to the
left, through the village of W Isboro* shortly after dark,
where we also met a warm reception from her sympathising citi- - : but not calling a bait, we turned to the left and] jpassed through Liberty, a vill i ',• miles distant from the latter
place. Sere (it beii were bailed us Onion troops, 'ip
pursuit of tie' rebel Stuart. ■ A Fankee officer, who seemed to be at home, "ii his. oars, with hat flourishing in hand, encouraged the
column, and hoped they would catch " old Stuart and his rebel gang" before (lay light : and concluded by foisting upon the
to light and take some refreshments with him, who, for want of time, asked t" be but broke a few bottles of
champagne in the Baddle with him. He was then politely in- formed that lie was General Stuart's prisoner, and that then1 was a position in the "rebel - him. He, however, reluctantly
" fell in/'^ind mounted a Lave hack " Cenestoga pony," and was taken along. Hero we v. ing into "'hot water," as the Yan-
forces were on the move after us on most of the public roads. We here turned down the Baltimore highway, and passed en to within twenty-five miles of the latter place. Leaving this road to tle> left, we hoic round in the direction of Fredericktown, but learning that a heavy force was at that place, wo left it live miles to the right, and by circuitous by-ways successfully evaded the enemy's pickets, passed throngh Newmarket about three o'clock A.M., captured the telegraph office and recfint despatches from tie- Government, all enjeining tie- strictest watcb out for the reb- els. 'General Stuart passed d< ^patches over the line to the au- thorities at Washington that the rebel command had gone up in' the direction of Barper's Perry, and that it was not necessary to ! any more troops below. The wires were thru destroyed and tie- railroad track obstructed. After hajting an hour, the com- mand was again put in motion. General Stuart, however, de- tached a pari of tip- North Carolina cavalry, under Captain Bar- ringer, and turned, with this separate command, to the right, on the road leading to Urbana, while the main body moved straight forVard on the public highway to Brattstown, without any inci- dent save the capture of several army wagons moving after their commands, which were evidently on the move for us at the dif-
Hampton's cavalry. 51
ferent fordings below — just* missing the whole train by one hour, thence by a by-way to Burnsville. General Stuart, with his de- tachment, moved on and reached Urban a before daybreak. Here he halted for an hour, and breakfasted at his former headquarters. This sudden and unexpected advent was a matter of great surprise and congratulation to these sympathizing people, whose warm hos- pitality we had a few months before enjoyed. However rejoiced, they evinced the greatest solicitude for General Stuart's safety, being in the midst of the Yankee forces. One body had just passed down in the direction of Poolsville, and another had camped just a mile above, and were moving behind, thus placing him between the two columns. He moved leisurely off down the .
Washington highwav. At the far end of the town General Stuart
. . . . •
and some of his officers were riding in advance of the column,
when they were accosted by an individual running out from a harnessed up vehicle (it was just light), who rudely said to them : "Hey. my lads, which way this morning?" General Stuart indig- nantly drew up, and said : *' Who are you, and what are you doing here this time in the morning?" He assumed a more obedient and respectful toner " Why, excuse me, Major, I did not know it was really ye, sir. I do hope ye will not think hard of me, Major, as I jist thought ye were sotne o' the boys passing, and so I hailed ye. You see these infernal teamsters got scared that Stuart's rebel cavalry was coming this ere way, and so the}' skedaddled oft' last night and left me and one.wagoiralone, ye see. Why, these d — d rebel cavalry are iverywhere, and that d — d old rebel Stuart gives us more trouble than a little; but I think they will stop him this trip, as sure as fate." Here, to his trembling astonishment, he was informed that he was General Stuart's prisoner, and to drive out liis wagon, which proved to be a well assorted supply of sutler's stores. General Stuart with the detachment joined the main body at Burnsville, having passed through the enemy's lines without encountering his pickets.
The command was moved on cautiously in the direction of Pools- ville, where there was a heavy force to intercept us OD thai road (it being about six miles from tliis point to the river). But after advancing to within two and a half miles of the latter place, turned (.If the road and beret round bo the right, along a fresh, open way through the woods and fields, where there had never been the sign of a road before. Skirmishers were thrown <»ut. on the right and
who luckily captun of the enatny they
with. The tnain column movec| on slowly, feeling . till within right ol the Pot*
it of the expedition, the recrossing. [mmedi* y in front of ns lay Edward 'a Perry, also used as a fording; .-till four miles t" the left lay an obscure crossing, called Cheek's I. The ' narded by artillery and cavalry ;
latter was supposed not t I ! at all, or at I
.tly. while hra\\ forces wen- moving down from PoolsviUej idden dash ires made by a detachment ol artillery and cavalry upon the ferry, which had the eilecl of driving the enemy's guns from his position : while entertaining him here, the main body wheeled and moved hurriedly down to the ford below. The guard on the upper Bide were all captured ; but high dill's jotting from the lower side, completely overlooking the ford, were discovered t'. be lined with tbeenemy's infantry. With this formidable obata* In our front, his artillery and cavalry moving down the river, and a heavy body of infantry moving up behind, everything indeed, looked doubtful. Btfl the quick eye of General Stuart met this emergency by maneuvering two pieces of artillery on an emi» nence to the left ftiat overlooked these cliffs, and a few well <li- belle thrown in their midst' cleaned them out, and a body or dismounted sharpshooters wire immediately thrown in upon them, driving them entirely oil', and held the cliffs while our other atertained theirs rariomly, and also kept up a fight on the upper | In the meantime the column was successfully
at this lord, and a lew pieces of artillery got in posi- tion on the high hill- on the Virginia side, s<> as to cover the other o crossing : and ju>t as they were relinquishing their posi- tion, a brigade of the enemy's infantry en me double-quicking down,
but a lew well directed shot-, thrown in their midst, sent them
skedaddling back in confusion. They again reappeared, rein- ed by another brigade, hot onl} in timu to see our rear gain the other bank; chagrined and disappointed, thus they beheld their so much ooveted game so completely slip their fingers — Which was indeed n subject grattilation to the exhausted
lie threw his weary form down upon the "green sward " of tin? old Dominion to rest, having passed over a most
extraordinary circuit in the short space of three days and a half, Surpassing any former movement lor celerity on military record.
Hamilton's cavalry. 53
In 1803 it is recorded, that Wellington's cavalry in India marched the distance of sixty miles in twenty-four hours. Lord Lake, it is said, with his English cavalry, marched seventy miles in twenty- four hours, which is the nearest approximation to this march of General Stuart's from Chambersburg. Taking all his circuitous windings to the Potomac, it was ninety miles in twenty-two hours, bringing successfully off with him a cumbersome train of captured horses ; and, what is more remarkable, passed through the right wing, around the rear, and through the lfeft wing of McClellan's army, and for the most part through a deadly hostile country, without a single casualty, capturing four hundred prisoners, de- stroying a million of dollars worth of Government stores, and bringing off two Miousand head of horses.* This annoying dash has given their own citizens a faint idea of the sweets of war, and has taught them a wholesome respect for us, as their most rabid sheet, the New York Tribune, candidly expresses : " That Stuart's gang of horse thieves, notwithstanding the fact that they all richly deserve the halter, made a favorable impression wherever they went. We all like pluck, dash, and boldness, even when exhibited by highway robbers. The old farmers who lost all their horses, and as firm in the support of the Union as the hill*, could not but admire the coolness, bravery, and discipline, which characterized their every movement. Compared with Stuart's cavalry, our own sink into insignificance, and seem about as valuable asthe crowd of dandy ponies that gallop up Fifth Avenue every pleasant after- noon."
We passed through the patriotic old town of Leesburg amid the shouts and congratulations of hef citizens ; similar manifestations now greeted OUT entire course ; crossed the Blue Ridge at Snick- er's Gap, and reached our headquarters at Martinsburg on tho 12th.
* And M rare were the old farmers of Pennsylvania of our capture, (lint ti < y had come or. after 1 1 1 * - pursuing column to prove and take charge of tlnir horse property.
SKETCHES IUOM
CHAPT i: B vii.
(WITHDRAWAL FBOM THE VALLEY—
• ■ LB YASHIN > LAUREL MILLS BABA8SE8 THE REAB. OP THE
V.SNKKK \liMV IN MOVING D tNTESSENI B
01
Smco ti - of the last chapter, the command was quietly
ping up the upper posl of the Potomac. The river beiug the
line, brougbl the pickets of seen party in Bpeaking distaste of
m an arrangement not to fire at one i of un frequent li pithy dialo the following would occhr
betwten " Yank " and " Secesh :"
5? ik — (derisn "How are ye, boys — don't yon. want Borne
(aptly). "Not any. thank yee ; gol plenty fromPenn: sylvan! »
Yank — (gathering and coBfc "D< a'1 yod want Borne
clothing over thei
\ 't a stitch : we got a good Bupply at Harper's Perry and over in Pennsylvania.**
— (sneeringly). '"Why do yer fellers wear our blue clothes; you've gol a&ranm rnment, why don't it furnish
you m its owi '//■(/// '/"
E • ay, egad ; we el youn so much cheaper." akee curiosity seemed satisfied at this game, ami as- sumed a !i. tl'ul tone, and then gave the confab a more i ipkee finally concluding by proposing to meet half way in the river and settle the pending difficulties ovVr a bottle of whiskey, which would be accepted, meeting in a noncha- lant air to th' ' the hostile parties on each bank.
On I Lsl N mber> down on the right, on Pitz. Lee's line in fronl of Harper's Perry, the frequent pounding of Pelham's horse artillery gave us notice thai the petal up columns of Model- Ian were seeking a vent through the mountains to make another '• On to Richmond." Our maid army in the meantime were laving
Hampton's cavalry. 55
quietly up in the valley around Winchester, and by the enemy's demonstrations on the extreme left passes, he was leaving our. army to the right and moving in the direction of Warreriton, making " that masterly movement" through the mountain down the north bank of the Rappahannock, that the boastful, parasitical Northern press gave- out was to thwart the "Rebel Lee." and give them aii easy occupation of Richmond. This beautiful programme was to be carried out not exactly by lighting, but to bent the vary Lee there by a foot race. But if circumstances had placed Rich- mond as a goal of refuge from rebel bayonets, the gallant soldiers of the " Young Napoleon," doubtless, from their Bijll Runfsh pro- clivities, would have won at that game ; but, as the sequel of events will show, a sad accident befel his novel programme— that either the Young Napoleon had not carefully examined the track before setting his couriers on, or that the new rider, who relieved him, did not spur fast enough.
The enemy, in debouching' from his base through the mountains, gave oar caValry and horse artillery active work, both to keep their clrValrv, which was largely superior to us in numbers, to the lines of their main body, and from dashing against the flanks of our army that was also on the move. This called in our cavalry from its lines. On the 3d of November we took up the line of march, leaving behind us our good, loyal population to be again cursed by the hateful presence of the Yankees— -for no one can hate them so deeply as those who have been in immediate contact with them. On our first day's march we met with nothing of Special interest, save the wistful looks ol many a longing old man or fair maiden as we passed along. The command bivouacked at the east end "I the valley beyond Berryville.
next day we crossed the Shenandoah River it au obscure ford at the fool of the Blue Ridge, jusj below where the Mana railroad and crossed over the ridge at Manassas Gap.
Hi re the enemy's cavalry dashed ilpon our advance, but a few volleys sent them skedaddling down the mountain in the wildest confusion', leaving behind Beversil dead and wounded. Here we tamed to the right from the main road, and pursued an obscure
track along the eastern t\o\ f the mountain,' and baited late in
the night tea miles beyond the gap, at the foot of the mountain near Barber3 m proximity to the enemy, who
Were reported to be advancing from the direction of Snick.
■■
irown out daring the niirht, and early
.in the morn ii ivalry and artillery w< ad-
in the direction of tl ds, with infantry or die-
ivalry moving in it nana down the mountain
ust behind. <>ui him al tliis point w
only Eampfc Iry, ;m»«1 not more than three-fourths lit for
doty, and ■ portion of the Ninth Virginia cavalry and one battery
tillery, with General Stuart in command. Our fori were kepi I behind the bills till about eleven o'clock,
when the enemy were Been advancing slowl^fand cautiously to- w-roads. Their | :h t<> this point was throu a wide lain-, with a running on bach side. At the
i- stood an old store boose and some other dilapidated build 1 iiu .ill - lee were undulating open Gelds, checked off
with rough stoni Tl illowing disposition was made of
our little 0 I i irtillery on the right at the ci
roads, supported by a squadron of the North Carolina cavalry ; another in the otntre, and another on the left, supported beta por- tion of the Georgia cavalry, the remaining lour siptadroflsfof the th Carolina cavalry in advance on the left, and the South ( il'ma cavalry on the Bztreme left flank; the Ninth Virginia on the main road leading by the store house, with a small body of dismounted sharpshooters, under Lieutenant J, .M. Morrow, posted behind the buildings at the cross-road-, and also a small body of the Q is cavalry as sharpshooters, on the extreme right ilank. Our batteries opened vigorously upon the i Demy's
advance, which - licit 1 B Worm response from theirs. The duel was kept up an hour and a hilt. In the meantime the enemy's
sharpshooters were i up under cover <>\' the stone fences
leading from their column to the crOSS-roads, and also behind some
bone I'ip.- on the hit. The battery at the cross-roads, firing it> hot r» and of ammunition, was, 'with its support, with- drawn. Their cavalry, on seeing this, came dashing down the
lane to follow and capture the piece, hilt a well directed volley from Lieutenant Morrow's little aquad checked their advance, and
continued pouring it into then- contuse^ ranks, and drove them back: they, however, rallied and completed the charge upon the htiildings, when the sharpshooters retired, after again emptying a I number o\' saddles, with several of the party wounded. Im- mediately at the crOSS-roads the Virginia cavalry mot and drove
Hampton's cavalry. 57
them back under cover of their sharpshooters. In the meantime the enemy's* cavalry had advanced on the advance squadrons of the North Carolina cavafr on the left, where Colonel Gordon gal- . lantly met and was driving them before him, but ran into an am- buscade of the enemy's sharpshooters behind a stone fence, where a Dumber of our men were captured ; retiring, he was charged by the Yankee cavalry, in which the sabre was used quite freely, driving them back again, and following them up vigorously, recap- tured most of our men and bore off a number of theirs. The South Carolina cavalry came to their support and held the posi- tion. After this an artillery duel was kept up briskly for two hours, when all our wounded were taken off and the- command with- drawn without any interruption to the Front, Royal turnpike, and bivouacked for the night at Gaines' cross-roads. Our loss was ascertained to have jpeen fifty killed, wounded and missing.
The next day there was some skirmishing of the other cavalry on the left, but our command was not engaged. We bivouacked the ensuing night in the same place, in a thick timber, behind some bills — a most bitter cold night, without axes to prepare fire- wood— the North Carolina cavalry being the farthest down the road on the advance position. The next morning fouud the snow falling thick ami fast, and continued until the afternoon. About three o'clock, while shivering around our stinted camp fires, calling down anything but blessings upon the head of Mars for introduc ing such a cruel modi s operandi for settling difficulties between mortals, the ominous cracks from our well known carbines at the nearest picket posl of the last named regirrent, and tin* rushing in of a courier, rief notice of the untimely approach of the
enemy. Every man to his horse, ami down into the road dashed. Our pickets were falling back hurriedly, and were now at the edge of the camp ; a large body of their dismounted men were attempt* ing to flank and surround us on the right, and a heavy body of his cavalry was advancing up the mad. Colonel Gordon met the emergency by placing the cavalrx' in the road, and tin-owing a body of dismounted men ouf 00 the right, under Lieutenant Siler, who boldly and vigorously met apd drove them back from bill t<>
hill, and held them against their mam body until a pieco of OUT artillery was brought up. when they were finally driven back, and retreated precipitately down the road. Their artillery v quite freely, but without any effect. Tins regiment was the only I
58 SKETCHES FROM
N ras orden the repulsed was too
-.■ | arty, th< i tits o( the bygade,
up the road, and the onset bein
up in time to make pursuit. The enemy had
. hilt- Lhe success of this spirited little
: parcbaaed with de. Lientenanl J.
K. from M County, N. C, fell while
dismounted Bkirmishers in the last charge.
In him i. a valiant and u ible soul : cool brave, gen-
1 kind, his i 1 him like a hn>tl#r. A few of his
tn when be fell, Utre bim off, while the remainder
s until the affair wae over. Sad, indeed, was the
when his weather-bronzed men wept around bis life!
i, >ned the fresh fallen snow. But dder. the home scene, when that manly form lay be- 1 friends, a fallen sacrifice for liberty. Father. mot] r country's altar could pot h
had a more worthy sacrifice, and may you and yours live to enjoy that sacrifice.
"They who for tln-ir country die, Shall till an hoi:.
- tomb, And beaut; brave."
ling day, November 8th, the enemy, with a strong ralry, made a Budden dash upon tl* camp of the at, which was' situated some three miles Prom Gain* the turnpike mar Littfe Washington. They
led the pickets al th< and came in a fry-way from
the i mill- and a halt' from thu camp), where a small Jbody of
men, nod L ml Wm. Dial, of the Georgia cavalry, with
only ten men, were picketing, who gallantly met the onset, falling hack slowly to a narrow lane, stubbornly contesting the ground, bore up band to -hand, with their pressing assailants. The com- 1 at the camp heard it and were hurrying out to meet the :n. Colonel Deloney, putting spurs to his borse, left the Col- umn behind and dasbed up into the melee, and hand to hand with his brave b • all of whom had been cut down, was de-
bis hl<>\\ ind left, when ah athl< tic Yankee trooper
tiled him just as be was raising his dripping Babre from its vie-
Hampton's cavalry. • .59
tim. His new antagonist's blows weje dexterously dealt, and an instant parry saved his head ; a quick, heavy blow, partially ward- ed off, fell broadside and deadened his sword arm, causing it to fall helpless by his side ; one more deadly fhrust at heart, but luck- ily a silver-eased flask in the breast coat pocket turns the weapon's sharp point, and it glides by, only grazing- the skin. Exasperate^ at his foiled attempt, the furious trooper, with knit brows and com- pressed lips, was raising the filial blow', at the length of his power- ful arm — the column comes thundering up in hurrying tread — out- stripping the foremost dashes a small boy on a little keen black charger ; his darting eye catches his beloved Colonel's awful dilem- ma, and with upraised gleaming sabre, arrests the fatal blow, by cleaving the confident antagonist's head in twain, and half raising it for another stroke, apistol shot sends the noble lad, too, reeling" from his saddle, dangerously wounded.* The last one of the gal- lant ten had fallen, killed or wounded.' Hand to hand the. support- ing party furiously took up the rencounter. Old United States regulars had been met, but Southern impetuosity was too much for them; they began to yield and give ground, when a body of our dismounted men gained their flanks, when they broke ; here our artillery came dashing up and completed the success and sent them scampering down the road at a most inconvenient speed. They were pursued a short distance, but the pursuing party was called off on account of its weakness. The enemy's loss in killed; and wounded, and captured was seventy-five ; our loss was twenty-five killed and wounded.
From this point General Hampton assumed the aggressive. He made two successful dashes on the enemy's position at Laurel Mills, fourteen miles above Culpeper C. H., succeeded in routing and driving them entirely from that region, killing, wounding, and
* Wo deem it worthy to si ite that this noble boy, JImmie Clanton, scarce sixteen years old, ig the son of a highly respectable and influential citizen of Augusta
isly wounded in the body, but has since recovered. His devoted father,
on hearing of his situation, hurried on out to visit him, ami repaired to the place where
poor .limmio by in the most precarious situation. On entering- the room, the solicitous
ig his suffering I 1 out an his back, after f-aluting him, not
even waiting to Inquire of his welfare, but looking anxiously into his pale features:
boy, my boy, tell m< g the foe or with your beck to him."
Jimmie showed the wound in front. "All right, my brave boy," with hi* venerable face sparkling with joy. " I'd with far greater pride buried yon with that wound in front than for you to have saved your life by running."
I I i:OM
;• : which riil the t'arin ■ • rs of the presence
.mining • - of
ling down to robbing the roosi of the
beo, thus giving no vidence of the thieving brigand
era lighting for princ i daily reconnoiesam - found tlmt the whole fori
idly moving on down, and on the night of the neral Hampton, whh a detacbmenl from the North and th Carolina cavalry proceeded cautiously toward his camps, which were found to be \ I ronnoiasance waa pushed u Broad Run to within eight miles of Warrenton, where their pickets were d 1 and driven in, and after skirmish- ing with and harassing their main body a g 1 part of the day,
: back across Broad Ran, losing one killed and three wounded; the enemy's 1 n killed and wounded. Early
D< \t morning another, reconnoissance was made in the same direc- tion, and all the camps were found to have been deserted during We kept on their track through Warrenton; here n slept iii the identical bed Burnside had aJepI in the it before, occupying for bis headquarters the bouse where the young Napoleon bad turned bis command over to Burnside. Here the celebrated Black Horse Cavalry pursued and captured in the farther .-i<lt- of town, a part of their rear guard. We followed •lv on their heels. The conduct that characterized their track through the country was enough to demoralize the soldiers of Pe- 1' iiiii- wantonly laid waste, houses pillaged, not i living domestic animal nor a.graio for bread, left for these unfor- tunate i . nevertheless, our presence would seem to cheer them int oi their situation, which augurs that no earthly power can ever Bhake their faith from our cause.
In passing through the desolated region of Fauquier County wo in instance of me. hum---, in the way of Yankee trickery, that should be set down to the account ol that people who arc laboring that they may not "escape A certain Yankee General
• bis headquarters at a Mis. Bowman's; as he said, lie went, there ..in ol' kindness, to protect her property ; lnt rather gave it the protection the wolf gives the lamb. On leaving, he politely requested his hill for aelf and .-tall*, which was objected to ; dock ing it one-half, he g lv< the poor woman an order on the hank at, Washington, winch BJie protested would Jo her no good, and in
Hampton's cavalry. 61
lieu of which she asked to be allowed to draw some necessaries from his commissary, which was reluctantly granted, allowing her among some few items a barrel of sugar, which was rolled up to the cellar door,' the industrious Brigadier superintending the plac- ing it in the cellar, calling the lady's attention to the fact that the barrel staves were rather open, and that the sugar was working through the crevices, but he had examined and found the sugar in good condition. A few days after the gallant General and his cortege had left, Mrs. Bowman had the barrel opened, and instead of the refined saccharine crystals, it had been packed with the com- monest dirt of the orchard, the crevices being smeared, alone con- tained any of the article bartered for. And the only satisfaction the poor doped lady had was a side-wipe retort upon one of this wooden-nutmeg General'* Aids, who called a few days afterwards for his dinner ; and in the course of his conversation at the table, remarked that she had fine lands, and on asking what such lands sold at, -lie curtly answered, " that it had sold for thirty dollars per barrel," (the price of the bogus sugar.) Whereupon he insisted on an explanation. She simply referred him to his General, whose conscience doubtless
Shame could never reach, Tho' it strove with the power Of the mightiest catapult.
t We bivouacked near Warrenton Springs, and next day made a reconiioissance out north of the Springs, when it was ascertained that the enemy's force was moving off from the direction of the upper fords of the Rappahannock, down through Fauquier and Stafford Counties in the direction of Fredericksburg. Our com- mand then bore down and crossed the Rappahannock at Lawson's Ford, and thence moved on to Brandy Station and went into camp in that vicinity.
Here our brigade was posted and held the upper lines of the Rappahannock in front of the enemy's extreme right picketing and guarding the different fords. From this point General Bampton, mad'' frequent and successful raids within the enemy's lines. On the last "i November, with a detachment of four hundred men. ho crossed the Rappahannock and penetrated into Fauquier and i tured an entire Yankee cavalry camp, se< tiring and bearing nil' a large number of prisoners, aud the camp equipments, without the
SKFTCIlFs FROM
pieman. He made several daring and e il raids,
1 I ;■! in, surprising and de- many prisoners, large trains of wagons which generally proved rich and valuable, l w the I the 8] oils. ( ' rod
moked beef tongues, Westphalia
hams r. lemons, or lams, note, and in fine a little
thing thai a well assorted confectionery on Broadway
would contain ; an'd then — which is hardly thinable — "Thomas and
nihil." :ui(l brandies and wines of the mbst approved brands.
Out fine brands was called a gaudily painted cask,
labelled in the m A Ohbistmas I to
A. I'.. Bubhbidb," which waj pi teed under Bpecial deposit for
I I. Doubtless 1 he donor of this micerried
would, under the regime of Abraham I., be bastiled for
instilling spirit into the rebellion. <>n one or these sudden dashes
into Occoquan, Gfeneral Hamilton capture*d the notorious Virginia
traitor and Bpy, J. C I'nderw 1. These raids were made during
rigoron d of the winter, traveling day and night,
amid tb torms <»f Bleel and snow, which was boms
rfully, as our noble and beloved commander, sacrificing every pleasure, never tailed to share with ua the mosl extreme privations. These .ii]ii"yit'.L.r raids so Beriously affected the enenn 's communica- tion, that the line between Alexandria and Fredericksburg was suspended. The enemy attempted several times to lore- a pas-
rds above, hut in every instance were successfully Iriven hack.
Hampton's cavalry. 63
CHAPTER VIII.
stuart's raid on burnside's rear — crosses the Rappahannock — makes a descent upon dumfries and occoquan — meets and disperses the yankee cavalry most handsomely — captures a large train of wagons and sutlers' stores — captures berk- ley station — prisoners and supplies.
The battle of Fredericksburg had been fought under the regime of its new-fledged general, who had, to use their own favorite phrase, "met a damaging repulse." He had stolen back, with his shattered force8, across the river on his pontoons, which had he, Caesar like, burnt behind hi in, his beaten, demoralized army would have been completely gobbled by the wary Lee. But he had suc- ceeded, under cover of night, in doggedly drawing them back again, and lie lay cowering between the Rappahannock and Po- tomac, which presented an opportune occasion for a mischievous prank in his rear by our "light, dashing dragoons." • Accord- ingly, a little oyer a week after this event, on Christmas morning, December 25th, that season once flie signal of joy and mirth, the weather-beaten trooper, if he had any anticipations on that event, they were blasted by the bugle's importunate notes, summoning "boots and saddles." In every camp ho could be seen cheerfully busying himself in packing his haversack, adjusting hfs lull com- plemenl of cartridge rounds, belting his sabre, and flinging on his far bine, in' pursuance of an order of the night previous, to be ready early, with jive days' rations, en route for some point un- known. About ten o'clock the whole brigade moved oil' in full trim in the direction of the Rappahannock, Where we joined the other cavalry of the whole division, with its accompaniment of two tillery. ;uid bivouacked for the night Oil the south bank. Early nexl morning we crossed the river at Kelly's and rds, moving up on the Elktown road,* wjth Generals Stuart, Hampton, and the two Lees nt our head— which betokened some triok of more than ordinary import— with the brigade of each stretching along the narrow road a considerable disti hind. We passed through Elktown, and pent dar river without any interruption, when, alter dark, the command
BOfORBB KROM
•
:u<] bivouacked on this Bide of the river, below Brents- villc : when oexl mornii ring at Bow*
in. in'.- ford, It I entsville to the lefl ; thei tin,
in. -veil on in tli«- direction of Occoquan ; ami when within eight latter pi G 3tuarl detached the brig i lea of
tin- two I. i • ■ Hi'- right, and moved down upon Dumfries.
where some recent cam pi of the enemy had been established aince
ipton'u 1 le iving Hampton with his
brigade to move on Occoquan, where a body of the enemy's cav- alry were posted, and attack the two places simultaneously. One column, after movihg on a short distance, the advance met a -mill body "i Van,. Irv, ami. after an exciting chase, captured the
whole party : then m >ved np to within three mile- of Occoquafl, and halted. 9oon the booming of cannon from the right ajave ua notice that Stuart was at work on Ins point. The command moved
dlyon, and when within about a mile of our point, the 'enemy's
ir\ lint the advance, ami after a few -harp 'Ticks thev broke and lied, the whole column in full pursuit after them, chasing them through Occoquan, killing, wounding, and capturing twenty-five, and driving the other- aero-- the river : some breaking down the river in the direction «[' Dumfries. We captured a train ol twenty ms, mules, and a good lof of sutlers' stores, which proved a
we|< H' prey to u-. We will relate a little experience with tie
unfortunate vtctii Tin- first wa- a short, ehnll'y. black, lager-beer Dutchman, toiling
with a heavy laden tWO-horSti Vehicle, JU8< turning OUt of the road
ke up camp. Our advance dashed up, and hailed him to sur- render. The astounded driver, dropping' his reins, with In einnit over his roini I features, and with a despairing look, iimed: •' Veil. veil, de rebels ish got me. Got tam sich a peoples. \'ot for ish oar srmy vort, any how. if dey can'i keep van tam leetle pit ov rebel hosse off vol lee tie guds a body ish £ot in de behind here ; vy, dey ami vort vim copper zent, to let yon leetle pit nv men vip ten off, and cum vay pack here and take our leotle tinga from us tish vay." With a deeper gHn <>l despondency, he continued: "Every ting 1 ish got, der' it goes. Veil," extend- ing his hand-, with open digits, ■<]<>.? is vive fingers On da! hand, and vive on dish, and I iflfa join' to home and go to vork vid tem
hand-, and vot I letle I I ly der mit it de rest of mine
.. I vill risk viju cent in tish tam concern vuu time more ;
Hampton's cavalry. 65
if old Sho Hooker would give his poud agist de rebels, and old Lincklion to poot." Three other vehicles with their rolling stock had halted behind. From the foremost, an Irishman, the driVer leaving his boss, a merchant-like personage sitting on the box, was accosted by one of our officers riding up: J' Well, Pat, I am glad to see you.'* " An' sure ye 've missed it ; its Mike this time. An' faith, captin, ye 've a right to bay glad, since I've brought so nicely intu yer hands three sich loads as those." "Have you any boots?" he impatiently asked. "Ah, anJ plase yer honor, a fine lot, ( but as yer foot is kinder like me own. it 'a outgrown the. rest of yer body, (the foot of the interrogator being greatly disproportionate,) I doubt ye could be fitted out o' this lot ; but if ye '11 say so, I '11 take yer measure now. an' have ye a pair made to orcTer, an' whin ye come agin, I '11 deliver them. Ye 've dun so well this time» ye '11 be afther prowlin1 around here agin : and as we 've disposed uv the stock so easily this time, we '11 be afther drivin' to the same market agin."
The wagons were hurried off, amid the dolorous sighs of the ruined sutlers — Mike lively cracking his whip and jesting to the contrary.
The command held this place till ten o'clock in the night, and then retired about eiijht miles back on the road we came, where ire joined the other brigades, who in the meantime had made a successful descent upon Dumfries, killing and capturing one hun- dred and fifty of the enemy, charging arid driving them irom their first line of camps, which were held and destroyed, and cannonad- ing a Large body of infantry for two hours, bringing off forty army and autlei -' wagons, with only the loss of'six killed and wounded. ", at a late hour in the night, the command baited and rested till morning. In the morning it was asci rtained that a large force of the enemy's cavalry was punning us. General Stuart wheeled the column, and led it back to meet them; and after advancing about three miles, met their advance. The enemy, anticipating our movements, had drawn up three brigades* in line acrot tensive old field, fronting the road, approached by a steep hill, the up this hill through a deep cut. General Stnart, with the first Virginia cavalry (his old regiment) in advance, with the other ("Junius in Buppooting distance. The enemy's was
charged and dm _rht forward in, andjual as the end of the
cut was reached, General Stuart gave t lie command, "At them, 9
56 BKBTi
LVO it to them in t& '.'" And at it, with that
i-h yell, shower
ii bail, the pallai V jinians dashed — clash went their
delving into the enemy's r oke they plunged. The first
[when their front line broke. Plying
the onset with ad >port also Lrave wuf, and tin*
contusion be ! wild flight : their il;
columns glutting the road — parties indiscriminately breaking
through 1 field — the continual pop of our pistols and clash
•ir Babr< — pinning the hindmosl up — blockading the road
with horse and rider— < p marking the road with a bleed'
body.
This exciting chase was thus kept up tor two miles, driving
them on through their camps, below Occoquan city, and never
stopped till within tin' lirj I trge body of infantry, who v.
moving up. from Dumfries, and after entertaining this body with
ial rounds of shell, tin- command withdrew. ha\ ing killed and
wounded two hundred, with tie- 1 - of only Bixteen killed and
wounded. I 0 >oquan river, and proceeded to Burke
tion, on the () a railroad, capturing the tel-
■pb and operator, and some supplies. Sere General Stuart
oramunication with old Abe, and elicited set.
lul responses; when he concluded by remonstrating with him
Qg the interior qualities of his nudes, in the following
B8IDEHT Lincoln: The last draw of wagons 1 Vejusl made d. hut the mules are inferior Btock, scarcely able to haul off the empty wagons; and if you expeel me to give your lines any further attention in this quarter, you should furnish bet- I i had to born I valuable wagons before
them in my li J. B. 1'.. STUART."
•\. 1.
I1 troying the telegraph and obstructing the railroad, moved
on all nighi in tip' direction of Fairfax, hut finding a strong force. ha«l been concentrated at that point, passed immediately around it,
Ifng their force- who were on tin- m&ve to intercept us, and bore round up to Vienna, and sw.pt on round the enemy without any interruption duriug the day ; crossed Bull Run and bivouacked
Hampton's cavalry. 67
near Gainesville; thence through Warrenton, where a body of Yankee cavalry came across to intercept us, but the ubiquitous Black Horse alone met and dispersed them ; re-crossed the Rappa- hnanock at Warrenton Springs, and proceeded leisurely to camp, and reached it on the 31st. In this raid General Stuart doubtless carried out his most cherished plans, capturing three hundred pris- oners, besides killing and wounding at least one hundred, securing and carrying off a large quantity of valuable property, and inflict- ing serious damage upon the enemy in destroying his camps an 1 supplies. In the meantime the enemy's cavalry attempted a raid on our rear, proceeded to the Rappahannock, crossed at Kelly's Ford, overpowering the small picket force, and was proceeding in §the direction of our camps. But General Stuart had left Colonel Baker, with part of Hampton's command, for such an emergency: who gallantly met them, and by skillful manceuvering of the small force he had under him, he drove them back across the river, severely chastising them in their retreat. Their force outnum- bered ours five to one, but the promptness of this gallant officer in having his small fiorce at the right- place and at the right time saved us from an untold disaster.
Thus ends ourcrude and imperfect sketches of the humble part we have borne in the summer, fall, and winter campaigns of 1862. And to-night as we lay down our pen, the chilling wintry winds chant a sad requiem of the parting year that has entombed so many fond* hopes. We hear the lone step of the sentinel on his weary* round, as his steady tread rustles over the incrusted, frozen ground; he breathes in silence against the cutting blasts, and fond memory carries him back to the once happy scenes of peaceful association.
" His musket falls plack, his face dark and grim, ntle wjtli memories dear."
His reveries break, and his heart litters a silent prayer lor peace. Ah ! how many hearts it this momenl are anxiously throbbing for that much coveted blessing. Yet boar up, God in his own good time will deliver us, ami amid the dark, frowning clouds of war a full gleam of hope peera through the gloom, I from a just
and holy .-an-", still en souraging u t" strike.
Stri!,
Strike — i- ye have struck, once more Determined to be f;
68 sk
'I iay run through anotl
of Buffering, and the
• ig purer the met J. And when the long pent
• \ ill shine the brighter ; amd
s to sit do\yn under the green tree of peace, the
holier will 1 i ell. Y< pure impulse of the heart —
y ln.lv emotion of the bouI — ami every fond hope of the future
i strike on with redoubled blows,
'■ f : our sires!
itlvc land! "
CHAPTEK I X . l.vi: IS TO the SIMUN-; campaign OP 1863.
We shall now attempt a continuation of the line of events through which our command lias passed in the eventful campaign of 1863. We propose to trace a faithful narrative of the move* menta where we were engaged separately, or in conjunction with tli-- whole or part of the army. The many gallant dashes, uard fought fights, and brilliant successes that have characterized the igementa of thi> branch of the troops, will lend a thrilling in- terest to our «history when the Impartial historian Bets forth all the facts of this war to posterity ; ami the daring ami brilliant achieve- ments of our gallanj Stuart ami bis subordinates, Hampton and the I i oourled by a brave ami indefatigable Boldiery, to Bay
nothing of their cavalier compeers of the West, will add lustre to the military renown ol the grand achievements' of the other nohle arm- ol the -
The dose of the campaign of 1862 left us in mid-winter on out" post duty on the upper lines of the Rappahannock. Our camps lay 1-aek on the hills in the vicinity of Stevensburg. The severe
winter privations around this old dingy hamlet wilL long be re.
membered by Hampton's men as anything but an oasis in life's desert. Rain, rain, sleel .v, alternately, seemed to
HAMPTON'S CAVALRY. - 69
be the unrelenting programme of old Hiems' majesty. Deeming this a permanent location for the rest of the winter, the busy clang of the axe gave token that va^t improvements were under way ; and in a lew days rudely constructed shelters of every conceivable description dotted the camps ; and, from the different modes of construction, one would have supposed that the confused builders of Babel's tower had taken the contract. Variegated modes of ar- chitecture could be seen, to suit the energy and convenience of the builder ; the regular conical Indian wigwam, covered with earth ; a few poles braced up at three sides, covered with a tent fly ; and the regular woodman's cabin, with the crib chimney topped off with a barrel, puffing its fumes haughtily up in the air. What joyous comforts in fruition, as well as in anticipation, as these camp denizens would see the long, taggy icicles hanging from the rude roofs, or sit around the sparkling, cheerful fires, and hear the Bleet rattling on the boards overhead, and in these cozy comforts exclaim, "Let the storm howl ou." '
The usual routine of camp' duty was interrupted only once or twice by the enemy appearing in front of our lines across the Rap- pahannock, and sending at long range a few shells over, which would be duly responded to by Captain Hart's battery, with no other seeming purpose than to remind us that the doors of Janus were not opened ; while we in turn would remind, them of the same idea by the active enterprise of our indefatigable scouts, who, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, were contin- ually penetrating their lines, carrying off batdj after batch of pris- oners. In one instance Lieutenant R. C. Shiver, a cool and daring -young officer, of the Second South Carolina cavalry, with a few nun, crossed the Rappahannojk in a boat, and surprised and cap- tured a number of prisoners. This young officer made several lucceasful raids, killing and capturing a number" of the enemy.
The first Bnow storm that had christened our winter quarter!
had scarcely incited away, when an unmerciful order came, precip-
ain out ot door8. The darling comforts of our rude
ides, and t]i<- little domicHe Maociationa that had just begun to
entle one's nature, were reluctantly left behind. With bag and
now in the middle of February, the brigad I ou4 for
lome point unknown. Striking in a westwardly din I bi-
von:, i. d tlf first night on tie- historic Blopea of (\ dar Mountain.
Tie- last raw of the 3etting sun played lingeringly upon the old
KERCH]
I. The lay profusely around.
ell ; a rusty bayonet here and there, and
:id crushed timber on the western
marked tin- furious tracks of the - , A sad int.
•• dmvn in the valley. Near by the little run that takes its
• 'in tin- mountain, tin- npfa jta on the bosoms of
our fallen patriots of tin.- well fought field /resting quietly in one
Lik** trui
p liard hv \\hi-r<- they All, Striking DOblj
Kor the homes they lov'd go well.
•
Our bivouac urea, as we enaconsed under our blankets, were ted with a calm, clear sky. betokening an opportune occa- sion lor . iny-side calculations were sadly doomed to disappointment, as on ti,.' ensuing morning, raiting our blankets from round our heads, the accumulating snow Hakes came avalanching down around the bare neck. Looking out on the the snow already several inches deep and still falling thick and fast, nothing told that a bivouac ever rested there, save the trembling horse- thai stood up to their knees iu snow; while aiscuons groups of sleepers thai lay along the of encampment -till slept, insensible of the warring elemental beneath the -now mounds that had accumulated over each, which presented the appearance (if one vast bprying ground, resting Bnugly from the storm without. How suggestive of that long P that has but one awakening. The similitude goes further : the morning bugle trumps them from their couches, breaking the smooth surface, they pome forth from their snowy graves like apparitions rising from the earth, which was indeed a picture for
the pencil of an artist. IJut the BCene assumed more of a real oast
tot! we mounted and moved forward amid the cutting
blasts, through ice, snow, and mud, on the miserable roads of the
Imoni region, which reminded one of the roads Sam Slick trav- eled over iii I '.here the bottom had fallen out. Our OOU had turned southward, and the move was no longer a military
,i the command was despatched to the lower counties on the important mission of recruiting, which proved to be rather a strange commentary on recruiting stock, which is rather better expressed by Bill A.rp on tie Bubjec^; we went from one
Hampton's cavalry. 71
point to another, "whippaty whoppaty, flippaty Jloppaty, riding around over the land," and after wandering" over several of the lower counties of Virginia, the command was ordered back, aqd re- ported for duty about the last of May, and was assigned our origi- nal position on the outpost, which General Fitz. Lee had held in our absence, on which in the meantime at Kelly's Ford, on the 17th of March, the enemy crossed, and attacked and captured the small picket force ; they were met by only a portion of Fitz. Lee's brigade and a buttery of Stuart's horse artillery, with General Stuart in command. Pleasanton's whole cavalry division had crossed and was advancing, when a most severe and obstinate fight ensued ; and after the most skillful manamv.ering and hard fighting against overwhelming odds, the enemy by night was badly crippled that he retired from the field, and fell back across the river, having suffered a heavy loss in killed and wounded. Our loss was also severe. Among the killed were some of our best and
most promising officers — Major Puller, of Virginia ; Harris, of
, and Major John Pelham, of Alabama, chief of Stuart's horse
artillery. The latter had won for himself the reputation of being one of the most skillful and successful young officers of the army, of whom the immortal Jackson, on the occasion of the battle of Fredericksburg, awarded the extreme compliment, "That with a Pelham on each flank, I could vanquish the world." and to whose memory we will take the liberty to submit the eloquent drippings from the pen of another. »
CHAPTER X.
Tin: GALLANT PELHAM;
(in the morning of the 17th of March, A.verill'a Federal cavalry, three thousand in the saddle, crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Foid. and attacked about eight hundred G !
command, who faced, without shrinking from the* Ids, and
fought them stubbornly at every point throughout the entire day.
9 FROM
ie bud, on that tranquil ev< nking slowly
bind the <\w nnstirred by the least breath of wind.
facided, the enemy retiring'
idly hurt :*' and Gent ral Stnarl added in hi> despatch', M We
r him. II I men andftoi ■ the roads." No harder
battle has been foughl daring the entire war, and never have the i back in ter i n before Southern steel than
here. Our heroes won the day by bard and desperate fighting, in charge* after charge; but lost in the struggle some of .the most val- iant hearts that ever beat. Puller. Harrisand Pel ham were among the number — the "gallanl Pelham" of the battle of Fredericks- burg. Be was in the performance of his duty a- Chief of Artil- lery, and was riding towards bis General i ment of cavalry
pi by him in the charge. He was waving his hat aloft and cheering them bn, when a ball from a carbine struck him on the
I, mortally wounding him. He lingered till after midnight on
the morning of the 18th, when G< i eral Stuart telegraphed to Mr.
I Manama : ••The noble, the chivalric, the gallant Pelham
: he was killed in action yesterday. His remains will
1 - < -.iit to yon to-day. How much he was beloved, appreciated,
ami admired lei - n\ we hi i. and the gl p
oi mourning thmu-Jioul my command bear witness. His irreparable." The body oi' the young officer was sent to Rich- mond, laid in state in the capital of Virginia, and we are told,
me tendi r hand deposited the evergreen wreaths, entwined with white flowers, upon the case thai contained all thai was mortal of the fallen hero." His family received the soldier's remains, they were taken to his southern home ; Virginia, the held of his fame, had surrendered him t<> Alabama, the land of his birth.
The following is the General Order issued by General Stuart on the occasion :
Hfii-DQi ■ RTBRfl CAVALRY Division-, Ap.my of Northern Virginia, March 21, 1863. GBNBB \h ORDERS No. 9. .
The Major General Commanding approaches, with reluctance! the painful duty of announcing to the Division its irreparable in the death of Major John lYlham. commanding the Horse Ar- tillery.
Hampton's cavalry. 73
He fell mortally wounded in the battle of Kellysville (March 16th), with the battle-cry on his lips, and the light of victory beaming in his eye*
To you, his comrades, it is needless to dwell upon what yoit have so often witnessed, his prowess in act inn. already proverbial. You well know how, though young in years— -e mere stripling in ap- pearance— remarkable for his genuine modesty of deportment, he yet disclosed on the battle-field the conduct of a veteran, and dis- played in his handsome person the most imperturbable coolness in danger. His eye had glanced over every battle-field of this army, from the first Manassas to the moment of his death, and was, with a single exception, a brilliant actor in all. The memory of " the gallant Pelham," his many virtues, his noble nature, and purity of character, is enshrined as a sacred legacy in the hearts of all who knew him. His record has been bright and spotless, his career brilliant and successful. He fell the noblest sacrifice on the altar of his country, to whose Lrlorious service he had dedicated his life from the beginning of the war.
In token of respect for his cherished memory, the horse artillery and division staff will wear the military badge of mourning for thirty days; and the senior officer of staff, Major Von Borcke, will place his remains in the possession of his bereaved family, to whom is tendered in behalf of the division the assurance of heartfelt sympathy in their deep tribnlation. In mourning his departure from his accustomed post of honor on the field, let us strive to imi- tate his virtues, and trust that what is loss to us, may be more than gain to him.
By command of Major General J. E. B. Stuart.
R. CHANNING PRICE, Major and, A. A. G.
* •
Thus passed away a noble, lofty soul — thus ended a career, brief it is true, but amongthe most arduous, glorious, and splendid which the history of this war contains. Young, but immortal ; a boy in l, but heir to undying lame, he was called away from the scene of his triumphs and glory to a brighter world, where neither \^irs nor run. '•:> of wars can nunc, and wouuds, and pains, and suffering are unknown, where
" Iftalii e domestic, foreign lei y, nothing Can touch him further."
10
T I
*
th of this noble youth has
I i cast a Bhadow on the very
n\\ colder and more dreary
unit away, It vvaa hut yesterday almost that he was in
tent, and I look bu frank, hi 9, and heard his
kind, honest voice. There ia the w at he occnpied a> we conversed,
; cohere hi lept with me, prolonging his gay talk deep
into the night ; there are the lie read, the papers which tie
wrote : at this table he once sat. and here where my own hand
the hand of the dead, Every object thus recalls
him - be lived and moved be* le me but u few d
his very woi still eel the air, and the dreary gamp
is lull ot mce. «
\ • am I the only one whose be ir! has bled lor the youn dier. MXi who. knew him loved him for his gay, sweet temper they admired him -for his unshrinking courage. I have seen no
rer which 8> sort of a shadow did not pass at the annou ment, " Pelham is dead."
only another mode oC say it.-- " Honor is dead : Courage is
d«-ad: 1 kindness, courtesy, the inborn spirit of the true
tleraan, the nerve ol the soldier, the gaiety of
mpanion, the kindly In-art. and the resolute soul— all «i
and never more to revisit us in pe
'l'h.-.- words are not dictated by a blind partiality, or mere per- il regard tor the brave youth who has fallen in front of the foe in defence <>t the Bacred liberties of the South. . of his matchless unshrinking] I utter coolness in the hour of dead-
liest peril, let the name of " the gallant Pelham," given by General I lericksbnrg, hear witness. Of his noble, truthful na-
ture, th08e who knew him hot will -peak. He had made for hiln- 04 It ', in, mortal name." at) ! he was only I w eiity-foiir when
lie di(
\ •■ of Alabama, and descepded from an old
and honorable familj there, he had more than the courage of his pact and clime. He chose anna a- hi- profession, and entered \W-t Point,. where he graduated just as the war commenced. He lost
no time in oilerin- hi- services t . . the South, and received the ap-
pointment ol 1st I. utenant in the Confederate States Army ; pro-( ling I 'l! y, when General Johnston was in command
there, le id to duty as drill-officer of artillery, and in
Hampton's cavalry. 7.">
the battle of Manassas commanded a battery, which he fought with that daring and obstinate courage which afterwards rendered him so famous. He speedil}7 attracted the highest Generals of the army, and General J. E. B. Stuart entrusted him with the organi- zation.of the battalion of horse artillery, which he subsequently commanded in nearly every battle of the war upon Virginia soil. Here I know him first.
, From the moment he took command of that famous corps a new system of artillery fighting seemed to be inaugurated. The rapid ity. the rush, the impetus of the cavalry were grafted on ils m deliberate brother. Not once, but repeatedly, has the horse artil- lery of Pelbam given chase at lull speed to a flying enemy : and far in advance of all infantry supports, unliinbered and hurled its thunders on the foe. It was ever at the point where the line was Weakest ; and however headlong the charge of the cavalry, the whirling guns were beside it, all ready for their part. ''Trot march'* had yielded to "gallop" with the battalion ; it was brought into position and put into action with a rush ; and in and out among the guns where the .bolts fell thickest was the brave young artillerist ; cool and self possessed, but as one? of the officers sai(] the other day, "as gay as a school-boy at a frolic." He loved his profession ior its own sake purely, and often spoke to'the officers above alluded to of the "jolly good fights", he would have in the present campaign. But I anticipate my subject.
Once associated with the command of General Stuart, he secured the warm regard and unlimited confidence of that General, who employed his services upon every occasion. Thenceforth their for"1 tunes seemed united like their hearts, and the name of the young man became noised abroad as one of the moat despdPate Bghtera of the whole army. He was rightly regarded by General Jackson and others as possessed of a very extraordinary genius for artil- lery, and when any movement ofunusual important ied, Pelbam jned to the artillery to be employed, lb- ca was a bri<t one. but how glorious! How crowded with great ts that arc history now. Let ue glance al it.
When oar forces fell bark from Manassas in 1861, his batteries bad their part in covering the movement^ guarding the ford the Rappahannock. Daring the campaign of tb< Peniusuls his Blakely was . iexl tie and at tie battle
of ^ and ^kill transform* d raw militia into
SKETCHES FBI
-. In th lays' battles iround Richmond he won
laurels. With one Napoleon he engaged three heavy bat- 1 fought them with a pertinacity and unfaltering nerve which made the calm face of Jackson glow; the pressure of that. heroic band, warm and eloquent of unspoken admiration. Soon af- terwards al the White Bouse he id a gunboat, and driving it away after a brief but hoi encounter, proved how fanciful were the terrors of these " monsters/' as they were then called. After that work in the Peninsula the young man was famous. His .greatest achievements were to come, however^ and he
1 to record them on the enduring tablets of history. From the moment when his artillery advanced from the Rappahannock to the time when it returned thither, to the day of Fredericksburg, the path of theyoung leader was deluged with the blood of battle. At Manassas lie rushed his guns'into the very columns of the enemy almost, fighting their sharp-hooters with canister, amid a hurricane of balls. At Sharpeburg he had command of nearly all the artillery on our leit, and directed it w'ith the hand of the mas- ter. When the arm)- crossed back into Virginia, he was posted at Shepherdstown, and guarded the ford with an obstinate valor, which spoke in the regular and unceasing reverberation of his deep-mouthed Napoleons, as 'they roared on hour after hour, driv- ing bark the elieinv.
01' the days that succeeded that exciting period many persons will Ion-- hold the memory. It was in an honest old country house, whither the tide of war bore him for a time, that the gay, Doble nature of the young soldier shone forth in all its charms. There in the old hall on the banks of the Opequon, surrounded by warm hearts who reminded him. perhaps, of his own beloved ones in far Alabama] there in the tranquil days of autumn, in Chat beautiful country, he seemed to pass some ,,i his happiest hours. All were charmed with his kind temper-, and his sunny disposition, with his refinement, his courtesy, his high breeding and simplicity. Modest' to a fault almost — blushing like a --ill at times — and wholly unas- suming in his entire deportment, he became a favorite to all around him, ami Becured that regard of good men and women which is the proof of high traits and line instincts in its possessor. In the beautiful autumn forests, by the stream with its great syca- mores, and under the tall oaks of the laWn. he thus wandered for a time from his own land of Alabama, admired and cherished by
Hampton's cavalry. 77
warm hearts.in this. When he left the haunts of the old bower, I think he regretted it. But work called him.
The fiat had gone forth from the- imperial closet at Washington that another ''On to Richmond " should bo attempted, and where the vultures of war hovered, there whs the post of duty for his horse artillery. The cavalry crossed the Blue Ridge, and met the advancing column at^AJdie, and Pelham was again in his element, hurling destruction into the ranks of General Bayard. Henceforth, until the banks of the Rappahannock were reached by the cavalry, falling back in order, as was designed, from that instant the batte- ries of horse artillery disputed every step of ground. The direc- tion of the horse artillery was left with unhesitating confidence to the young officer ; and those who witnessed during that arduous movement the masterly handling of his guns, can tell how this con- fidence was justified — it was the eye of the great soldier and the hand of the born artillerist which was evident in his work during those days of struggle; he fell back neither too soon nor too late, and only limbered up his guns to unlimber again in the first posi- tion he reached. Thus fighting every inch of the way from Aldie round by Paris and Markham's,'he reached the Rappahannock, and posted his artillery at. the fords, where he stood and bade the enemy defiance. That page in the history of the war is scarcely known, but those wdjo were present know the obstinacy of the eon- tests, and the nerve and skill displayed by the ypnng officer. That may be unknown, but the work done by Pelham on the great day of Fredericksburg is part of history now. All know how stub- bornly he stood on that day — what laurels encircled his young brow, when night at last came. Tliis was the climax of his fame — the event with which his name will be inseparably connected. With one Napoleon gun he opened the battle on the right, and in. stantlv drew upon himself the fire at-close range of four batteries in front, and a heavy enfilading fire from thirty-pound Parrotts across the river. But this did not daunt him. That Napoleon gun w;is the same he used at the battle of Cold Harbor; it waa taken from the enemy at Seven Pines, and in the hands of the young offi- cer it had won a lame that must not be tarnished by def<
grim voice mu-t roar, however great the*odds — its reverberating defiance must roll over the plain, until the bronzed war dog was silenced. So it roared on steadily, with Pelham beside it. blowing up caissons, and continuing to tear the eneinv'fl ranks. General I
78
it from the hills imed, with i
I mi ration : " I ich courage in om
u to see t 1 - mi. placed in ah
t position, hold .its ground with a fin • aoflinching
• • -■ ■ b beardh sa !■• \ sternly standing in th.it horri- ble hurricane of shell, with iron resolution, and a soul as immova- ble N until hii ind of ammunition was Bhol away < 1 i * 1 l*»-lli:»tii retire, and then only after a peremptory order had been sent to him. He afterwards took command of the entire artillery on the right, and foi until night, with a skill and courage which were admirable. II advanced his guns steadily, and at nightfall was thundering on the dank of, the retreating roe, who ho longer replied. No answering roar came back from tl batteries he had foughl with his Napoleon so long. He had tri- umphed*. Thai triumph was oomph te, and placed forever upon ird, when the great commander-in-chief, whom be loved and ad- mired so ardently, gave him the name in his report of" the gallant Pelham."
Supreme tribute to bis courage, immortalizing him in history] To I ile nam.' mentioned in all that host of heroes, and men-
tioned as " the gaNant PelhmDa I" Thenceforward there was little for him to desire. He nevey ed for iv 1 1 ]< , only longed for glory; and now his name was deathless. It is £rue thai he sometimes said, with modesty and noble pride, that he thought it somewhat hard to be considered or promotion, when they gave him greal commands, as at Sbarpsburg and Frederioksburg, and called on him when the hardest work was to !><• dour. But he never desired a mere title" he had #>; won. and did his soldier's duty thoroughly, trusting to time. So ooble and important, however, had been his recent ser- vices, thai prom »tion was a mutter of course. The Preaidenl had appointed him a lieutenant colonel, and it only awaited a formal confirmation of the Senate, when he fell on the Rappahannock. His fall was a public calamity to the nation, but none to him. It lit thai such a Bpiril should lay down his greal work before the bard life of the world had dimmed the polish of the good knight's Bpotless shield. He wonted no promotion at the hands of men. He bad won. if not worn, the highest honors of the greal soldier;' and having finished his task, the gentle spirit took its flight, pro-
Hampton's cavalry. 7^t
moted by the tender hand of Death to other honors in a brighter world.
In this hasty tribute to one whom 1 knew well and loved much, it is hard to avoid the appearance of exaggeration. rFhe character of this young soldier was bo eminently noble — his soul so brave, so true, So free from any taint that was mean, or sordid, or little — that the sober words of truth may be doubted by some, who will only regard them as that tender and poor flattery which friendship accords to the dead. This sentiment will be experienced only by strangers, however. Those who knew him will recognize the true portrait. His modesty, his gentleness, his bearing — almost child- like in its simplicity — made his society the most charming I have ever known. This modesty of his deportment was observed lev every one. and strangers often referred to the singular phenom- enon in a youth bred in the self-sufficient atmosphere of W Point, and whose name was already famous, He never spoke of himself: one might live with him for a month, and never know that he had been in a single action, lie never seemed to think he rved any applause for his splendid courage, and was silent upon all subjects connected with his own actions. In his purse was found, folded away, alter his death, a slip from a United Slates officer, once his friend, which contained the words : " After a long silenoe I write. God bless you, dear IVlham, I am proud of your tticoess." But he had never oven alluded to the paper. Distin- guished unmistakably by the affection and admiration of his imme- diate' General : rendered famous forever by the magnificent praise of the Commander-in-Chief at Fredericksburg — he never exhib- ited the least trait of self-love, remaining .-till what he had always boen/aa modest, unassuming, and simple as a child.
Tins and other winning trait* come to my mind a- J write, and I
could speak at length of those charming endowments which en-
d him to every one around him. I could dwell on his nice
• of honor, bis devotion to his family — on that prisca fide* in
his feelings and opinions, which marh' a irreat. trim type «»f the
Southern gentleman, attracting the attention and r< ' I the moat eminent his time lint with the recollection
of those eminent social characteristic* the memory
of hie l"i' - . h ird work in th< I havi him en*
. ii that work, whi him In-
10 TCHES 1
-<> of tl ter obtrrj If, rounding • v
uli.it obstinate, unyield ige he fougftl with r dar-
how splendid, how rich in th jtion of the antiqu
11 entered upon a battle with the - • I resolution <
id trained i , and .fought hie guns
with a fury aitd • ' "i' his horsemen,
tract of the ground, do i I ol the enemy, ever escaped hit
With an inborn genius for war — which West Point had merely developed, and direotod in its proper channels — he had that rapid comprehension— intuition, almost — which connl much in a leader.' Where th st, and the ]
Bure heaviest, there was Pelham with his guns ; and the broken* Lines of infantry or caval ground before irresistible num-
bers, heard with deep v ring, a"nd Baw the rank- of the
enemy, torn and scattered. Of le waited for ho orders, but took the whole i bility, and opened his batteries where he
saw that they were needed l»y the ties of the moment.
Bui what he did was always the very best thai could be done. Ho struck at the right momi liin arm was heavy.. Many
had felt it, and the knowledge thai Pelham, with his hone artil- lery, was in frpnt, did not give them much heart Cor the encounter. T v knew that the announcement was another manner of inform-
a thai skill, daring, and stubborn courage were to be dealt
with; that wounds, disaster, and death awaited them from the
hands of the young leader. Wh ■■■ terrified the foe was the gauge
men. T roar of Pelham's Napoleons was
iund. When the deep-mouthed thunder of those guns
1. t he fiint. •■ heart, and the contest assumed a new
phase to all, for thai sound had pi ived on many a held the harbin-
ictory.*
le those guna was the ch isen post of the young artillerist,
the gaudium oerlami I to fill his being at such moments ;
and however numerous the batteri< - which he threw into action,
he never remained behind mmand of the whole held." He
" The rumor obtain* I a M ijor Pelham lost one or mora of bis
I foil baok from the mountains. The report is entirely without
Though he fought his pieces with pacta " ■ tiiKiov t!i:it the enemy more than once charged within ten yards of the muzzles of the gun*, In klwayi drove them back, und brought his artillery off Bafely.
Hampton's cavalry. 81
told me that he considered this his duty, and he never shrank he might have done, in, performing it. He was ever by the guns which were under the hottest fire, and when the enemy shifted their fire to other portions of the field, he proceeded thither, riding at full speed, and directed the fresh batteries in person. His men will remember how cheering and inspiring wis bis presence .to them; how his oooli idied them in the most exciting mo-
ments; and his brave, cheerful voice was the herald of sun " He was the braves! human being I ever saw in my life," Baid one of his officers I conversed with recently; and all who have seen him will bear similar testimony. His coolness had something in it heroic, and almost terrible at times. It never descried him, or was affected by those chances of battle that make tin.' bravest men nervous.. He saw guns shattered and dismounted, <>v men torn to pieces, without changing color, or exhibiting any nigns ol emotion. lb- nature seemed strung, and every muscle braced, to a pitch which precluded the possibility of faltering. The cause he fought forgave him nerves of iron, and the ghastliest spectacle of blood and death left his soul unmoved, the stem will unbent as before.
That unbending will had been tested often, and had never failed him yet. At Mn - - Williamsburg, Cold Hnrbor, Grove ton, Ox Hill, Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown. Kearney sville, A.ldie, Union, Tp- perville, MarkhamV. Barber's, Hazel River, and Fredericksburg, at all these and many ol her places he fought his horse "artillery, ami handled it with such heroic contempt of danger, One day. when I led him to speak of his career, he counted up something like sixty battle- id ~mdl, which be had been in, and in every
had borne B prominent part. Talk with the associates of the youii i in those hard-fought battles, and they will tell you of
a hundred instances of his dauntless courage. Ai M he took
position in a place so dangerous that an officer who had folio him up to that moment, rode away with the on that "if
Pelham was fool enough to itay there, },< -." Bui General
thanked him. a- he had thanked him at Cold II.' when the brave you r came I I with dust from
nting lo- N i, the liuht of victory in >■ Mark-
ham's, while he was Gghting the enemy in fronl i cir-
cuit and 1 him in tin- it he turned
and fought them ai before, and with nii**Fren< singing aloud the triumphant M< OS Napoleon
11
•, tfaei sk. All that whole great marvel of hard fighting, however; and Pelham the Btoul struggle, as he was of the hoi con*
jri( ksbu chief of artillery
-•■hi his men in, leaving the direction of the gone to inch offi brave Captain ffenry; bul this did not suit
;ict't;iiii. Be musl go himself with the one gun sent forward, and beside thai piece be remained until it was ordered back — directing his own men to lie down, bul himself sitting on his own horse, and intent solely npon the designs and movements of the enemy, whollj - "1 the "fire of hell" hurled against
him. It was glorious, ind G declared, to see such
oism in the boyish artillerist ; and well might General Jackson speak of him in terms of " exaggerated compliment," and ask Gen- eral Stuart "if he had another Pelham to c:ive him" On that greal day the son of Alabama covered himself with glory; but no one who knew him felt any surprise at it. Those who had seen him at
work «in other lields. knew the dauntless resolution of his brave young soul — the tough and stern fibre of his courage. That hard libro could bear any strain upon it an 1 remain unmoved.
In all those hard sombats no ball or shell ever struck him. The : the blue • »m#d to conquer danger, and rei
death powerless. Se seemed to bear a charmed life, and to | amid showers ol bullets and even projectile, without peril or fear of the result. It was doI from the en< tny's -artillery alone that he ran the greatesl danger in battle. He was never content to re- main at his guns if they were silent. His mind was full of the contest ; ponderi - though he had command of the
whole army himself, he never rested in his exertions to penetrate the designs of the enemy. Thus he ventured systematically into the very pre the foe, reoonnoitering his positions, and en-
11 bis strength or weakness. Upon such occa- sions he was the mark at which the sharpshooters directed their most dangerous fire; bul they never struck him. The balls passed to the righl or left, or overhead — his hour had not yet come.
It came at last upon the hard fight upon the Rappahannock, and the famous youth lies low at last. He fell "with the battle-cry upon his lips, and the lighl of victory beaming in his eye." In the words oi the General Order which his beloved commanded issued, " his record has been bright and spotless ; his career brilliant and
Hampton's cavalry. <s;>
successful ; he fell the noblest of sacrifices on the' altar of his country."
The theme grows beneath the pen, which at first attempted a slight sketch only, and my paper is growing too long. A few words are, however, necessary still to complete the outline of this young soldier. His name will remain connected forever with great events; but it will live perennial, too, in many hearts who mourn bitterly his untimely end. All who knew him loved him"—1! believe no human being disliked him. His character was so frank,' and open, and beautiful — his bearing so modest and full of simplicity — that lie conciliated all hearts, and made everyone who met him his friend. His passions were strong, and when he was aroused, fire darted from the flint, but this was seldom. During all' my acquaint- ance with him — and that acquaintance dated back to the autumn of L861 —I -never had a word addressed to me that was unfriendly, and never saw him angry but twice. "Poor boy," said one who loved him, "he was angry with me once;" and the speaker had known him longer than 1 had. He had rare self-control, and I think this sprung in a great measure from a religious sense of duty. He Would sit and read his Bible with close attention, and though be had never made a profession of his religious convictions, it is cer- tain that these convictions shaped his -conduct. The thought of death never seemed to cross his mind, however; and he once told me that he had never felt that he would be killed in this war. Alas! the brief proverb is the comment: "Man proposes, but God disp<
Thus — modest, brave, loving, and beloved, the soldier, the charming companion — he passed away from friends who cherished, leaving a void which no other being can till. Alabama lent him to Virginia for a time; hut. alas! the pale face smiles no mon as he returns to her. Many moon hi- early death her.: where his glory w;is w<m. as in the Southern land from which he came. To these — the wide circle who loved him for his great qualities, and his kind, good heart— his loss i- irreparable, as it is to the whole land. The "breed of noble minds" like his is not numerous, and when such
form- di the gap is hard t . till — the el ruggle for our liber-
ties h more arduous than before. Bui the memory of thi * '
young soldi* r still i smaini with as : hi- name is immortal in history as in many hearts which throbbed at In- death
BK1 ;:0M
P •!!.- I !•■ : ■ - I try to strew tin tho
ible soul, lint the I"-- is ton recent, and the
rid has not yet healed, The hearl -till bleeds u the pen ill words on the p
" Mourn for him ! Lot him be regarded
r lid
i follow i" bia on
Strange words, it may be - lid, for a boy little more than twenty ; ted est . the words arc not strange; the loss is not exaggerated; for the name ef this youth was John Pelbam.
The great victory of Chancellors ville over "the finest army on the planet," clouded by the uniimriiy fall of the peerless Jacbfeou, lia<l opened auspiciously the spring campaign; Stoneman's grand raid at the same juncture, was a ridiculous counterpart of the over confident Xankee commander's sanguine programme to "gobble"
- army. \V;th his powerful columns of infantry, he proposed to attack and rout it in front, and to bis dashing cavaliers he had
-iied the important part of cutting the communications in the rear, and thereby secure its, certain. destruction. This part of the
gramme, however, was the only redeeming feature in "fighting Joe's " maiden effort, which truly caused some little sensation for
the moment, but really did little more than make a basty circuit by the tread of their hurried column- : and the only apology for the impunity was the broken down condition of the cavalry on the npper part of the line, and the absence of EXampton's command, and the circumstance of a battle going on at the same time, which warily demanded the immediate presence of General Stuart and all the other cavalry, which in battle, as well as on the out- is the eves and ears of the army ; and simply because this; raid was allowed to pass unchaatised, many narrow minds, far in the rear, who will have themselves heard, dealt many heavy blows
upon the character of tin- devoted patriot and noble officer, who had shown himself upon this DCCS .on. as well as every other. nobly at his post, doing his duty in the thickest of the fight; and all such undue imputations are more than answered and put to lasting silence in the circumstance of the wounded hero Jackson delivering over to him bi's command at that critical period of the
Hampton's cavalry. 85
raging battle-, who placed himself at the head of his devoted men,' and sending for his dispositions and plans, the suffering hero confi- dently exclaimed : " Go back to General Stuart, and tell him to act upon his own judgment ; I have implicit confidence in him."
The Yankee authorities had spared no pains in reorganizing and perfecting the efficiency of the cavalry arm of the service for the operations of the spring campaign. Paring the winter they had recruited and organized four full divisions, each commanded res- pectively by Averill, Kilpatrick, Buford and Gregg, which con- stituted a corps under Major General Stoneman ; l>e<io!es, a regi- ment of mounted rifles, armed with a superior gun. known as the '" Spence repeating rifle," accompanied each brigade — thus from their own estimate! outnumbering our cavalry three to one, and besides the double facility of at once remounting their men when dismounted. With this superiorly equipped and organized force, under their most able and sl'illful cavalry officers, they vauntingly boasted that they would at once "ride down and demolish Stuart's rebel cavalry."
After the battle of Chancellorsville, General Stuart, too, was active in organizing- and disciplining his comparatively small force, comprising Jones', Hampton's, Wm. H. and Fitz. Lee's, and Robin- son's brigades (the latter only Comprising two regiments, the Fourth and Fifth North Carolina cavalry).; and about the first of June these commands were all collected and massed on the. Upper lines- of the Rappahannock, near Brandy Station, in concert of a 'formation of new combinations that were to initiate1 an important movement against the enemy. In view of the same considerations, the corps of Longstreet and Fwell moved up a weej< after, in the vicinity of Culpeper C. II., some eight miles from this point.
86. SKETCHES FROM
CHAPTER XI.
BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION,
Storieman, dripping with the anguent of praise lavishly poured upon him by the sensational Northern presa in accomplishing, as it termed it, "one of the grandest feats known to ancient chivalry or modern cavalry," after resting a few weeks under the pressure of his lately won laurels, wheeled his columns and quietly passed them round on the night of the 8th of June, and massed them be- hind the high hills in rear of Kelly's and Beverly's Fords, prepar- atory to an open tilt with Stuart on the south banks. Our usual picket force extended around the different crossings of the river, while the camps lay but a few 'miles back, near Brandy Station.
The battle field was most splendidly adapted to cavalry fighting, being a range of extensive open fields, that IJears off in an almost level plain for four miles from the river, nearly back to Brandy Station, and then rising in a range of gently sloping hills, broken here and there with small rivulets from gushing springs that head at the bottom of these slopes ; and as you near the latter place", flanked at intervals on each side by bands of woodland. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad runs through, bisecting the plain into two nearly equal parts. The station — a small village around the depot— is approached from the south by two public roads : one leading from Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan, through Steveiislmig, and the other directly from Culpeper C. 11., and another from the sonth-wesl from Rixeyville — all converging into each other at the station, and leading on to the north-west, forks a mile beyond, the left leading off to Beverly's Ford; the right runs a short distance; and crpsses the railroad, crossing the river at Rap- pahannock station. On the lasl line of thest eminences, overlook- ing the whole plain, a half-mile west of the station, stands the Fleetwood House, General Stuart's headquarters.
So quietly conceived were the movements of the enemy during the night behind the hills in our front, that no intimation of an ad- vance was discovered by our pickets till about daybreak, when a heavy column of the enemy's advance came suddenly pouring over the opposite hills, dashed simultaneously across both fords at Bev-
Hampton's cavalry. 87
erly's and Kelly's, about eight miles distant. The different brig- ades were hurried forward and took their positions — W. H. F. Lee and Jones on the left at Beverly's Ford, Fitz. Lee and Hampton on the Beverly Ford road, on the-- west end of Brandv plains, and Rob- inson on the right on the obscure road leading from- Kelly's Ford ; and the Second "South Carolina Regiment and the Fourth Virginia, under Colonel Butler, were despatched back beyond Stevensburg on the main road leading from Kelly's Ford.
The enemy hurried a heavy force of cavalry, supported by in- fantry, across both these fords, and pushed rapidly forward his advance from Beverly's. Dividing his column, one advanced straight out to the front, and the other deflected to Jhe left down the road leading to "Brandy. The Second North Carolina Regi- ment, of W. H. F. Lee's*brii2;ade, were thrown forward to meet the advance of the former, which had driven our pickets back upon Elkwood, about half a mile. The enemy gradually pushed them back from this position to a stone fence that ran across a bottom a short distance on this side of Elkwood, where Captain S. J. An- drews had posted a squadron of sharpshooters, which proved a serious annoyance to the enemy's advance. His sharpshooters at- tempted .several time* to carry the position, but were repuls'ed ; a body of cavalry attempted to charge it, and after a desperate effort wire driven back, leaving the greater part of their number victims to the unerring aim of the North Carolinians. The fight here finally quieted down till later in the day into a long range skirm- ish. In the meantime the other column had pushed forward rap- idly, following the retiring pickets closely, came dashing up in heavy advance, with the'main column supporting it at a short dis- tance. It was with the utmost energy that our advance could cheek "them long enough for Jones' brigade to form ; and after an indiscriminate skirmish. General Jones retired slowly before them, and drawing them on to the last point of woods that skirted tin- plains from the west, drew them on into the plain where a bat- tery of our artillery had taken position, when he charged them with the Eleventh and Twelfth Virginia Regiments, and after a
hotly contested hand to hand fight for several minute-, the ene- my's lino Bwerved and broke back into the Woods, and were pr< -sed till they reached a heavy snppoii ,,| infantry and cavalry, when our dismounted men advanced, and after a hot contest driv- ing them still further back upon the ford. Baffled in his advame
•
re his forces round to the right
nr flank, ■ od about baliF ■
II 8 brigade ^ afl advanced at •
gallop with d ' be enemy, but thej
imli drawn out into an open Geld fight. In the mean*
time they uric tadl) picking the mounted men off with their long
\ iquadron ol - rs were dismounted from
■it. and w< re thrown into the woods, which was found
Lo be infested with di>na Iry and the knapaaok gentry
.and tli« \ were at once charged with that ! yell, and driven hack a considerable distance, our men aking thi i in regular Indian style,- and £ghtink
on against the heavy lineeof the enemy, whose thick and bu<
Iv from one end ol the line to the other, with a coolness and determination that caused but few shots from
;. 1 n- instance a poor Carolina boy is
•. ith the fatal $huak from a Miiiie m< ; with a low,
groan he shivered in almost splints, from
under htm as he fell, patient)} raising the helpless limb in as
mid admit, i: led his rifle and
Laid»up against a .-tump, and kept on delibi iving the enemy
the beat he had. In the me General Jones and the other
dry OQ the left were .still he;, tin-- the enemy hark down Upon
: I inforced in front of < leneral
I. , about noon attempted to turn our extreme left Hank. Their
was met by the Second North Carolina, under Colonel Williams. \ ev< re hand to hand fight ensued. Old United . been met ; the enemy swerve back and j a short distance ; a fresh column is thrown forward to their sup- port; in turn tl Hi North Carolinians are pressed back, Blowly, Btubbornly cone /ery inch of ground, wheq the whole bi ip to its assistance, and the whoh Yai
. • i and break back beyond their former position, leav. as undisputed ai I this part of the field, with all his
; and wounded, which lay profusely around, and several pris- oners in our hands. Our loss w in officers. General W.
II. 1'. I. .rely winded, and Colonel Williams, of the
; N h Carolina, fell, lending his men on in this despi charge- au able and skillful oflieer and an accomplished gen- tleman.
Hampton's cavalry. 89
The. enemy, thus driven in at this point, and Hampton also steadily driving him down upon the ford at Rappahannock Station, Was about to bring the matter-to an immediate favorable issue on this part of the field ; when about one o'clock,, suddenly large clouds of dust were seen rising in the direction of Brandy Station. A large force of the enemy's cavalry, with rapid strides, were sweeping' down upon our rear.
Here, in connection with this juncture, the events transfer fls to another part of the field. In the meantime, while the enemy had been engaging our left mainly in front of Beverly's, he had crossed Kilpatrick'a division and artillery at Kelly's Ford, moved far to flic left, and had advanced on Stevensburg. The small force, already mentioned, placed on this road, met the enemy on Dagget's farm ; a charge was ordered, in which only part of the 2d South Carolina Regiment participated, at which the enemy's advance recoiled, and only by the mere stress of overwhelming odds that little hand- ful was borne back, retreating, fighting, through Stevensburg — making frequent stands — charging back upon the advancing col- umns of the enemy. It) one of these last desperate charges Lieu- tenant Colonel Hamilton (brother of General Hampton)' fell, gal- lantly leading his men, and Colonel Butler had '.his leg shut off by a cannon ball. Slowly and sullenly they fell back, contesting the ground against the overwhelming odds — delivering deliberate volleys as they retired back on Brandy station. The enemy came pushing eagerly his columns on our rear, approaching the Fleet- wood House, where our batteries were in position. The position now assumed a most critical feature; this new and daring move- ment on the pari of the enemy placed our forces in a perilous situation. Nearly all the troops had been sent down to pf6S€ OUT advantages at the fords, from two to three miles distant. The only available force, at hand wen- two Virginia Regiments, whom irt dispatched to meet and hold the advance till other troops could hasten to their support. Tic long lim of the • - dusky columns were sweeping in dashing style up i\ir pi that approa< I enveloping our
from Fi li their i and are v >rk< 1 with the
utmost vigor and rapidity; plunging the sfa ■unsteady and arrest the advance. The little handful of Virginian! are uo^ resolutely hurled stly disproportionate op-
. which i I iry pause. The enemy
12
SKETCH'
flank, hurlingit back by the
tmtnl" ' ched to
II .::.;• d to report immediately to this suddenly menaced point.
ilf bigh in his saddle, from the ¥\ I Hill, eagerly looks out for the much-needed reinforcemeotai A i break with cosnSdenl si
.1. which belches at them rapid »d caniato eping through the ranks with
terrible effect. Y> I dn they < Another h< av> column
dbliqnery round to the right. Just at this juncture rising clouds of dost are Been rapidly approaching from the plains above. Thia phenomenon lightens up Stuart'.- anxious features ; he shouts to the gunners, with his face kindling with the highest satisfaction, "Give it to them, my boys; t) h imptoiiandhiegUn
i 'lljiijltt ll,nn." The enemy's advance had now reaohed the first pieces, the canuoniers boldly met them, shouting "boysltfs "—hand to hand, with their swabsticks and ram* mere, they stand op against the crowding Yankee troopers. At thin critical moment, the Oobb Legion, a short distance in ad- other troop-, with its dashing and feat id at the head, came up at the top • '-. and dashed to
te, yelling like d( Yankee ranks arc immedi-
j hurled hack at the point of the sabre, and thrown into hi roul toward.- tho station- hotl} pursued — falling at every Btep beneath the clashes oi th ml troopers. The Yankee gun^
that had been Mindly thundering amid the Bmoke and dusl I
hill, suddenly ved. by a hearty shout- the
pri/ bG ni- have cleared the field, leav--
iag the track Btrew n with bin. -clad \ i,ctims — among them a colonel
and thr< \o\ the line capturing a major aud seyeral'other
prisoners.
In the meantime, the other column Bwung round to the right,
eting the other portion of Hampton's men, the Jeff. Davis Le-
gion, First North Carojinaand South Carolina Regiments, just on
the w< ri -*!•• of the railroad on an open plateau of ground, where
a most handsome tournament ensued — each regiment tilting at
its antagonist as it ent< red the lists — a few furious surges, and his
line breaks : officers and men burry across the railroad, and on there
heels the commands dashed, precipitating the rout, when unfortu-
|y our own artillery opened a furious short-range fire upon our
Hampton's cavalry. ; 91
columns, mistaking, amid the smoke and dust, our columns for the Yaukees, causing a momentary pause, which gave the closely pressed columns of the enemy time to gain on us, who weremnking the fastest possible time for the woods, half a. mile beyond. We, however, pushed on through a. storm of shell and canister, and suc- ceeded in killing a good number, and capturing a lot of prisoners; among t]icm"a major and several other officers, and a stand of regimental colors. Our loss was comparatively small.
Here a gallant little episode, emanating from this part of the fight, is worthy of special notice. In this last charge Colonel Baker ordered Captain Cowles, of Company A, and Captain Wood, of Company G, First North Carolina cavalry, to charge and cap: ture a body of the enemy that seemed to have lopped off from the main column. These officers dashed at them, killing and capturing must of the party, and pursuing the rest to the woods. The cir- cumstance of our guns firing into and pausing our column, placed. the party fir in advance, just as the whole flying mass was reach- ing the wood. Notwithstanding the mere handful under this com- mand, the opportunity could not be lost — the little party, number- ing not over twenty-five men, spurred on after them, cutting, and slashing, and taking prisoners as they went, goading on the rear of at least two thousand Hying Yankees, running at a break-neck speed, thinking the whole rebel cavalry upon them. Depleting their little party al different stages of the race to take prison' era back to the rear, who had accumulated by scores, yet on these two daring officers dashed in the exciting chase, till the fugitive column was brought to a bait by jamming down im narrow p issage in a creek ; where from the. c ited,
not more than half a dozen men rem lined with these two officers; yet tie' panic-stricken enemy did not wait to feel the force in the rear. At this point a real down-easter looking personage, dres in a slnat sack ami baggy pants of broad check standing OH tin- roadside attempting to arrest the trail! "I ftigi- flying past him. at the top of his V LI ring them that.
there were no rebels near ; when the chivalrt found C
tain Coles' pistol at In- breast, demanding his ram i ler. He trenv blingly " went up ig his ad gallant
Captain aa M . Bo I the New Toi k 11
who, with another off the oppo of the road, <
in the same chii conduct, were safely borne to the rear.
SKK: OM
«
bty communication from the his
• t be Libbj . I
little party now becoming encumbered with prieonerej and
just ther heavy column w< tog in tbe rear of them,
dashed out with prisoners and all. and bj a circuitous mute eluded
a body who i it in pursuit of them, and safely joined their
mand late in the evening, having captured and secured more
than twice their number in prU
This last gfrand chai —inn of nearly every part
the field thai had been occupied by the epemy, except a point far down upon the railroad, where the enemy had several pieces of artillery posted, where an artillery duel was kept up by the teries of each party till late in the evening, when it was driven off, and then Colonel Baker was ordered to advance, supported hy the brigade. Advancing al a brisk pace, the rear of the enemy was overtaken, and after an exoiting chase, capturing Beveral of the number, the, main body was driven precipitately across the river. The buh set upon* us undisputed masters of the field. Tin.1 enemy, ae usual, termed it "only a rs usance in forceVand after ac-
complisbing their purpose, retired across the river." Our loss was pretty severe in killed and wound)< i. «\ bile the enemy's loss was at I double ours. Three pii splendid artillery and four
hundred prisoners fell into our hands.
The importance of this victory cannot be f<><> highly estimate^, not only in punishing the < verely^but had be gained a]
on this Bide ol tbe river, it would have seriously affected our sub- sequent movements. As it was, he gained do foothold, and failed to unveil iiiy'moveiiieii; of our army. This brilliant and iln-. victory over the enemy's far better equipped and organized c airy, gave full satisfaction to General Lee, ae be expressed in his official pap.
in the 7th of June a large forci of Federal cavalry, stronglj supported by inland 1 the R ppahannock at Bevi rly's and
Kelly's Ford.-, and attacked General Smart. iL severe engagement ensued, continuing from early in the morning nhtil late in the af- ternoon, when the enemy w-< ! to recr.0SB the river, with lnavy losSj leaving four hundred ; . three pieces of artillery, and Beveral colors in our hand-.'
Hampton's cavalry. 93
CHAPTER XII.
THE PENNSYLVANIA CAMPAIGN — CAPTURE OF WINCHESTER — EWELL's FORCE CROSSES THE POTOMAC — STUART'S CAVALRY FIGHTS AT MII>- DLEBURG AND UPPERVILLE — OUR WHOLE ARMY ENTER PENNSYLVA- NIA— BATTLE , OF GETTYSBURG — LEE RETIRES FROM GETTYSBURG
CAUSES OF THE RETROGRADE MOVEMENT.
We will attempt a brief review of, the Events that turned for a short space the tide of invasion against our haughty invaders, who had come with all their boasted paraphernalia of war to put the last traces of the rebellion under their merciless tread, little dreaming that the despised perpetrators of that rebellion would ever tread so far upon their own precious soil, striking terror into the hearts of the powerful North. Fruitless as this short and inde- cisive campaign may be regarded in its immediate results, yet when duly considered will go far to make up events that will con- tribute to the prestige of our arms, and will add additional glory to our former achievements.
After the' grand rebuke administered to the Federals at Chan- cellorsville, our army lay scarce four short weeks, recuperating around the hard trodden hills of old Spottsylvania, until it was to take up the line of inarch to distant fields. The enemy still lay on the opposite bank of the Rappahannock, recruiting his shatti columns, 'occasionally making a spasmodic demonstration with his long range guns on Lee's front.
In consideration of the unwilling leral commander
in assume offensive operations, General Lee proposed to iriau rate a movement that would draw him from hie old upapprou able position at Fredericksburg, as he b< >' in his
ial papei
" The position occupied by the enemy opposite Fr< d< ricksburg being one in which he could not be
determined to draw him from it. The execution ol this purp embraced the r< lief of the Shi h valley from tl i
occupii d the lowe/ pari of it during the wint< I, if
practicabje, the transfer of the hostilities oortb of the
Potomac
I
The movement actuated by these considerations began by mov- ing up I. ind E well's corps to Calpeper C. H., reacbing this point on the 8th of Jane. " Get • ral Jenkins with his cavalry had been ordered toward Winchester to cooperate with the infantry in the proposed expedition into the lower valley, and at tin- same time Greneral Imboden was direeted with his com* mand to make a demonstration in the direction of Romoey, in order to cover a movement againsl Winchester, and prevent the enemy at that place from bejrig reinforced by the troops on tho line of lhe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad." Both these offi in their respectiv us before the movement commenced from Calpeper C. H.
On the 10th of June Ewell's corps were placed under inarching orders, and moved up the- south side of the Blue Ridge, crossed al Front Royal, and passed on to Millwood. Here llhodes' division was despatched to Berryville. General Ewell, with the divisions of Johnston and Early, moved Btraight on to Winchester, and he appeared suddenly before the place on thy evening ol the 13th of June.
Winchester, the preliminary object of the opening campaign, had beeii occupied and held, since our evacuation the Tall before, by a Yankee garrison, under the notorious Milroy, who had been carrying a high hand in the valley, where his thieving brigades had ventured, making indiscriminate war upon helpless women and children, carrying off all the negroes and household property of loyal eiti/eiis. and hail ako iruelly burned down several dwell- in-- of those who had sent their negroes South before his regime. and failed to produce them in accordance with a certain abolition proclamation he had issued to the people of his military district.*
* Iii one Instance he demand* Colston, a wealthy and highly respectable
citizen of Frederick County, to return his refugeed negroes within a specified time, which was an impossibility. A party was accordingly sent to burn his dwelling. On reaching the place they found Mrs. Colston < onfined to bed in a precarious situation, enabled tcTbe moved without endangering her life. The officer in charge, being some- what of a humane disposition, returned without accomplishing his purpose, and re- ported the circumstance to his unnatural master, who placed him immediately under arrest, ami commissioned a ruffian character to carry out the brutal order, who re" paired at once to the place. An elderly lady being the only attendant on the helpless woman, plead in vain ; the torch was applied without attempting to remove the poor woman, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the old holy could prevail upon one of the party to assist in moving her out upon her eOueli before the flames reached her chamber.
Hampton's cavalry. 95
This modern autocrat, deeming bis location here permanent, had his delectable family' brought out, and pompously condemned the best furnished house'in the place to their use, driving out the former occupant, sending him a,nd his interesting family adrift upon the told charities of the world, thus reveling in the ease and luxury contributed by the former owner. Mrs. General Milroy certainly had ill-forebodings, as from time to time she selected the best furniture and had it shipped to hei»home in Pennsylvania.
In the meantime this •modern satrap had proceeded to secure his authority over this defenceless region by erecting an extensive line of fortifications, frowning down with a full complement of field and siege gUns on the approaches to the place. Surrounded by this strong cordon of massive forts, this vain military hauteur confi- dently boasted in devilish sentimentality, "That he icould stay here till hell froze over, and then fight' across on- the ice!'J But in all such fancied human security, verily " Man proposes, and God disposes."
The sudden appearance of Ewell's troops thus before Winches- ter, precipitated the Yankee garrison in the wildest excitement; couriers aroused from their cozy shades were seen spurring from post to post; bodies of troops were hurried out in different direc- tions. The self-conceited commander had dismissed the reports of his flying pickets, and treated the affair 'as a guerilla excursion. So much so was he lulled in this opinion, that his skirmishers were met by Nichols' Louisiana brigade (the advance of the corps) nearly at the skirts of the place, and after a short skirmish, they were driven back into the town. Johnston's division moved im- mediately up and took position on the road near Shawnee Springs, throwing his line of skirmishers forward, corresponding to the ene- my's. Early's division following Jojn*ton to within a mile of his position, deflected from the road to the -left; obliquing across the fields, reached the valley turnpike near Kernstown, encountering and driving in a small picket force of the enemy: crossed this road obliquing still further to the left, bearing round the Etomney
turnpike, gained the left flank of flu- enemy's sf geBl work.
Skirmishing in front and on the flanks. Early Bwung >till further round to the left, and at night gained fairly the rear of the works. Thus night closed with all the point.- on the Bputh, east, and west closely invested, <>n tie next morning, 1 1th. the formidable 'works mi Early's front, thai he bad \ ftjt, had I tted
during the night. From this point he opened at 01 the
96 om
of the iy, which w isponded
thunderii Iy, and als i paying hia compliments to
the t"V ■ ' - ; inded to the fire
:y at intervals. Throughout the day the artillery g \. venl
ontinnaJ belchings, intermingled with occasional volley a of small arm- as onr forces would press the lines of investment until late in the evening. G< rly's division was placed in
position lor an assault upon the enemy's works.* during an interval of incessant cannonading, forming the brigades in echelon, with I. luisiana brigade in ad) ! S lith's Virginia brfgade
supporting, swung round, and amid the excitement of the heavy caunonading the) I ii ining the rear of the main fortifi-
in, in which the enemy had i mcentrated his best guns, and glided quietly un I brushwood to within a few pa<
ol the works, and then charged with an alacrity so characteristic of these troops, rushing over the works, carried them at the point of the bayonet, capturing the entire garrison with an inconsiderable This position commanded the whole line of works, which were evacuated after dark. General Ewell anticipating this event, in the meantime senl Johnston's livision round to the rightj and by means of byways gained a point four miles nortb ol Winchester on a road leading to Harper's Perry, just in time to intercept a la body of the escaping n; quietly maintaining this position,
roll after roll of the fugitives i ame pouring into the nicely inter*
d meshes, b welling the list to three thousand. Early had captured aronnd the forte some two thousand. General Jenkins1 tituting the advance of Swell's corps) were si nt on in further pursuit, catching up numbers flying 6n the way : but none of the batches produced A. ir i i chid', who, as the affair
turned out, uol waiting to d< b aufn der, or even to con-
duct the retreat, bul doffing his glittering regimentals, and Scotch cap and cloak like, exchanged them for an humbler garb, obtained
tide, and then be twees, sun- put spurs with an elan that even outdistanced bis trim itives, trailing through ytood
and glen, clamberiug up hills and winding through vales in a man- ner that would brtve done credit to the wildesl gray-fo? of the mountains; and instead of i ng his bombastesfurioso assertion
of maintaining Ids darling position "till hell fro: \<v." etc., etc.,
from the manlier of bis wihd-splitting flight, one would rather sup- that the Prince of Tartarus had failed in the freezing contract,
Hampton's cavalry. 105
when both parties mutually rush to occupy the disputed point, but the enemy succeed in reaching it first, and pours into our ranks such an effective fire, already being sadly thinned, as to com- pel us to retire ; but on rallying again, the enemy arc forced to yield, and leave us the hotly contested point. The enemy's lines are again steadied, and the battle rages with Increasing fury; the enemy gives back, stubbornly contesting every inch of ground ; late in the evening his reserves come up. our columns steadily press on, throwing the whole force slowly back. In advancing, a space is left uncovered between Early's and Rhodes' divisions; the enemy attempt to take advantage of it and throw a heavy force at the point, when the flank of one of the divisions is wheeled and deploys around, while the other obliques to its front and turns upon it with a fury truly grand ; they rush upon the menacing force with yells above the battle-roar, and closing round it, the whole force surrenders, numbering about four thousand, be- sides leaving the space strewn with the dead, and several pieces of artillery also falling into our hands. Here the tide was signally turned against the enemy — he was. by night, beaten and driven before our columns with terrible slaughter. Our forces pur- sued him aYnile beyond the town, and nothing but night saved his columns from an entire and complete rout; leaving General Reynold-, one of their best officers, dead on the field — five thou- sand killed and wounded, six thousand* prisoners, and several pieces of artillery. Our loss did not exceed' two thousand, mostly in wounded. General Archer and five hundred of his brigade were captured. Many valuable field and line officers were killed. Among those who nobly fell that desperate evening, in no feelii of partiality allow us to drop a tribute to the memory oi Major E. A. Ross, of the 11th (B( the]) North Carolina Regiment, a promis- ing young officer. At a point where- the battle was raging d furiously, this regiment < iing on unquailiag in the face of a
fearful iron and leaden storm, when the colonel fell1 severely wounded, be dashes to hia place, and in gallantly leading on in the di mortal wound and falls,
shouting bis men on to victory. !n the first battle he had won his maiden laurels. With " Bethel " emblazoned upon
•The «i'li a con
to the bappj fortua » «f 1 U
14
ental flaj State, he bad it wave
soil of li ~ ite.*
Jl. uit olh tattered folds wore
wavering over the lir~t victory in the enemy'* land, gloriously
dying "with ?\ upon his lips and the blaze of victory
in bi • ps his long uleep on the enemy's soil ; and
do fanatical I - the sacred Bod upon his bosom'.
when the final shout of spiritual victory ''shall swell land and
" liny his nobla spirit, and the many others who have died for
human liberty*, go ap washed in the blood of Him who died for the
spiritual liberty of mankind.
Another incident connected with the same regiment is worthy
of notice, as a grand comment upon the rare devotion to 6ur cause.
In tl •■rate charge, just before the
young hero fell, the color-bearer was killed while nobly waving the
colors in front of the regiment ; at which event the regiment
r. The Adjutant, Lieutenant 11. Lucas, a mere
boy, caught up the colors, and amid the leaden showers ffom the
heavy lines, dash< - ahead, waving the Favo-
ounting, calling on the men: 'For God's sake, follow the
Bethel flag." The words had scarcely escaped his lips, when a
fatal hall -ends him, too, reeling to the ground. The men catch
the inspiration, and rush by as be faintly throw.- the colors again
np to the breeze, and shouts with faltering voi< /" row to
I'm played out." Buffi ce it to say. this gallant chi contributed in do small d< ol issue of the day.
Ti. had lerii- d to a high range of hills a mile south-east
<.t the town, and there, during the night, had concentrated the en« tire force of hit army. From Marsh' Creek, south of Gettysburg, . unbroken and continuous eminence, extending for sev- eral miles around to the DOTth-eust — the principal of which is
known:- M r n's heights — which highly advantageous line
Ie had occupied, and had thrown op several, lilies of fortifica- tions on tne different heights; which commanded the plains for miles iii front. The enemy's lines - ^tending his left from an emi- nence a short distance from a point on Marsh Creek, embracing the heights in front of Gettysburg — his left resting near Hunti rs- town — something in the shape ol an arc, with the curvature from u.-.
^% *
• The buttle Of Whit* Hull, N. 0.
Hampton's cavalry. 107
The remainder of Ewell's and A. P. Hill's corps having arrive^, and two divisions of Longstreet's, the preparations for the attack were completed about two o'clock. Our lines were drawn round to correspond with the enemy's. Longstreet, with the divisions of Hood and McLaws, on the right ; Hill in the centre, with Heath's division on his right, Anderson in the centre, and Pender on hie left; and Ewell on the left, with Rhodes' division on his right, Johnston in his centre, and Early on his left; with each respect- ive division moving up on the most favorable position. Sharp and heavy skirmishing-, intermingled with frequent shots from long range pieces, was kept Up between the parties until about four o'clock, when the dull, increasing booming of the cannon from' each line, announced the. battle begun. Steadily our lines move forward, driving the enemy's heavy skirmish lines back against his first lines at the bottom of the slopes. The incessant pounding of artillery along the entire length of each line, commingled with the continuous rattle of musketry, told that the bloody work had now opened in earnest. Amid this steady work, a shout goes up above the battle's din ; a charge breaks From the centre ; an ad- vanced battery of t lie enemy in a point of woods up one of the slopes, is the point. Anderson's division moves up to the work, Wright's brigade leads the way. On they dash, in a style truly grand — through an open field, both in the face of rtie fire, of the battery immediately in front and the converging fire from batteries on the right and left — sweeping through their bleeding ranks ; shells bursting thick in wild fury fill the air, and solid shot pl< along in its monotone sound, and grape and canister belched forth in deathly sweeps, all with tearful effect, on the rapidly advancing columns ; and as they Dear, quick and incessant discharges Leap from the enemy's fust Line, terribly thinning our ranks. With a ~t< onward they are furiously hurled back .'it the point of our bayoi leaving the battery ol six pieces in our hand-: and the enemy driven from a strong position. Only lor ;i tew moments these no- ble veterans, now a thinni d handful. • ho the shout ol tory. The unusual celerity with which the i placed them tar beyond tie- supj with then flanks
entirely exposed. T
Intely throws a darkened mas* on their right and left. Oh;. rappoi t. Behind conld i ! nl the
of the terrible onset I Us! the g
ROM
t— the much d reach at the criti-
They • .llcnly. fighting their" way down the
hill, their lines to the other division. The battle l
little advantage at I ither party.
In front 'of General L I the enemy held an elevated
ind. He in the raeai '. moved his troops to attack the
ition, while Ewell attacked the fortified high ground on the lay's right. The battle, I with unrelenting fury on
their Urn \ -lit comes on and w< irs on Jtill tire can-
's continuous roar, and the I rattle of musketry, especi*
ally on tin- right ami left, arc kepi up. Some splendfd char
have 1 11 executed from these parts of the line, and with g
>r following the sound ess broods over the terrible
scene, it is clearly perceivable thai the two curves and points of the arc are being brought closer and closer together. Longstreet lias driven the enemy a considerable distance, and occupies the ired ground in his front; Ewell, too, has | liim back on
the left. By this impressioq on, the enemy's extremes, his position snmed the shape of the letter V. with its point towards us. A.bou1 eight o'clock the awful storm ceased, which lulled as sud- denly as the Tiberian storm, as if by the mutual consent of hostile parties; The battle smoke slowly cleared away, and the clear sky looKed down upon the battle-rent field, The gay waver* ing field of grain now lay trampled under foot, bespattered with human gore ; gently gliding rivulets mingled their murinurings with the cries and groans of the wounded and dying — of friend and foe that lay stretched along their green hanks. The stars
peered out and Bhone brightly u| the awful scene, kissing the
many cold, pah- faces that lay ov< i the ensanguined held.
The brave and intrepid Barksdale, of Mississippi, fell mortally wounded in the last cha ith the enemy's*works, and was
left in the hands of the enemj ■•- bis men were forced suddenly back by the enemy's overwhelming numbers; of whom a lying Yankee correspondent palms off in hellish glee, "that this once proud and haughtj rebel, s damnable type of the slave aristo- cracy, lay the picture of remorse, aud craved as a dying boon a cup of water and a stretcher from an ambulance hoy;" when, really, the dying moments of the brave and generous "»;|" insured tin- reaped of a Yankee officer, who testifies of the glorious man- ner of his death, and enjoined noon him to inform his friends that
HAMPTON'S CAVALRY. 109
t,
"he died at his post, fighting for his country, and that his country- . men were invincible." Major General Hood and General Pender were severely wounded, leading their men in the thickest of .the fight. Many gallant officers were killed and wounded, while our general loss was quite heavy all along the entire line.
Friday morning dawned ; the rising s*un cast his bright morning rays from the frowning hilltops upon the Confederates below, each party early busying themselves for another hostile shock tha]t was to mark one of the bloodiest days of the army of the Potomac.
The partial successes of the day before encouraged General Lee to renew the attack. Longetreet was reinforced with three brig- ades of Pickett's division, and Heath's division and two other brig- ades of Hill's corps were ordered round to his support. His batte- ries were advanced to the position gained by him the day before. Hill merely lay threatening the centre, while Ewell again set his- command in motion for the attack. The movements on the other partsof the line were to depend on Longstreet's success. Immedi- ately in frcmt of Longstreet lay the principal height, which the enemy had strongly fortified during the night, and massed a large quantity of his artillery, from which every movement of ours was distinctly seen, and he prepared to meet it*. From about bine o'clock the slow booming of the cannon, intermingled with tie- sharp crack of the skirmishers, was the principal feature fill about twelve, o'clock, the morning being spent in manoBUvering the troops to the position-. The height- in front lay across open fields covered with growing crops, upon which Pickett's division is thrown forward and moves up to the di work, which is
graphically described by a correspondent ;
'' The fight at this time opened with that fierceness and despera- tion which told that both were battling desperately to win the victory which had bee:: as it were poising in the balance.
Favorable information comes from Ewell. Mill holds them in centre. On the extreme right L round:
hill on the right, the sti hold they have, must be carried.
The undertaking to cany it by isoaull ie irdous, but tl
is no other The hill i~ alive with men lour I
deep in support of the powerful )■ » 1 1 < ri< - there. Tin- point is the key to the position of th d army — their for tifii mutt
be charg d, and with the support ol our artillery we moaf their batteries, and i ai ry their heights.
lin sKFTcnr^ rr.oM
irk. They commence .■lily, and in beautiful line, I h upofl the fatal spot. 1
with the yell and rush thai gene- rail) T - "ii through fields, over and ditches. Tl all our movements, and ire double-quicked dp to mee! as. Our noble boys ch on through Bhol end shell, their ranks melting away as they ad- vance under the murderous artillt enemy. Our artil- lery performs excellently. The batteries I II;, Haskell, Alex- ander of this . P ram of Hill's, at one time almost sil< those of the enemy. Their three rear ranks are broken and almost annihilated by the well dm i ted 6re of these batteries ; press to within forty yards of their breastworks, when lived from their concealed front rank a 6re. the mention of which almost makes the heart sicken. Surely none can escape ; all must perish before Buch a murderous volley.
"Not 10. Out men rise, many wounded, from the cloud of Bmoke, and press on with their ranks sadly thinne/1 ; £ome reach the breast works and capture many of the guns. A. dark cloud of Yankees Bhow themselves; thej have been heavily reinforced with infantry and artillery. What «n awfu] moment ! Where are our reinforcements? What a momentous question. Alasl we have none at hand! They ha^ too slow. No help at hand, and
we are driven out ol the fortifications and forced back by over* w helming numbei
These noble men retire beneath the enemy's breastworks. The eneiii\ iii some instances attempt to follow, hut are hurled hack with terrible BlHUghter and chased into their works.
Ewell has pressed the enem\ hard on the left, hie whole line charging simultaneously with thai of the right, driving the anoov* I columns ol the enemy before him, who have attempted a de- moostration on Liia Hank. They are driven back to their works, and are assaulted with a buy Beldora ever witnessed. The firsl line i< carried about dark, and a ' eavj line in front of the second work meets the second 01 ur impetdous troops. Their furi-
ous vol;. or "in- column-, who with q renewed yell press on.
The flashes of the gure of each line Dearly reach each other. A heavy, darkening mass oC reinforcements move down upon our thinned ranks; they are forced to relinquish their hard earned toils; they tall back, sheltering themBelvea behind the shelving
Hampton's cavalry. ■ 111
rocks along the slopes, and stand and 6ght in parties, firing in the darkness at the flashes of. the enemy's volleys, until in many in- stances their ammunition is exhausted, or they are Hanked and captured.
Here in one of these last charges occurred one of the gr little episodes of the war. In the darkness- during the charge, the Sixth North Carolina, Eighth and Ninth Louisiana Regiments, many of them found themselves mingled with the Yankee col- umns. Some surrendered, and others with great coolness glided Out in the darkness, and made their way down to the foot of the heights, where Captain W. B. Montgomery, of the Ninth Louis- iana, accidentally ran against the color bearer of the Sixth North Carolina, who had safely borne his colors out of the terrible melee, and rallied .some broken squads around it to the number of not nmre than fifty men, and posted them behind a stone fence about forty yards from the base of the hill. The Yankee column, about a brigade, thrown forward from the heights, were hastily moving down the hill towards the position where the little squad lay; on they come with heavy, hurrying step, the whole brigade moving in three or four lines. Not a gun has broken the silence for several minutes. The field officers, mounted on horseback, wen' riding up and down the advancing lines, in low times encouraging th< ir men to keep steady, and to make one more charge and the day would be theirs. With unsuspecting tread they have reached within forty paces' of the fence, when the Cool, intrepid captain whis- pered, "fire, boys." The unerring flashes leap along the .-tone fence, terribly dealing death in the enemy's advancing ranks ; many of the tinsel chid riders bite the dust, as riderless horsee seen dashing wildly indifferent directions; quick, su< vol-
l witn the same fatal effecl - their coin
cover from the fii>t shock ; the contused ranks bi theastotn break in disorder back up the nonntains. leaving their d< wounded behind them. The ground was found strewn with I dead, among them Beveral field ot I illant little ps
safely made its way back and joined their sj.>lumn on the lines, who to their country's pride may well claim the I fir-
ing the las! gun, and administering the last repulse on th< gained field ol Gettj -
her remarkable incident thai last charg< -,'is wort '
I 12
I lompany
obly borne his in the last of these desperate
charges. A g li i n i -• • 1 1 cut off from his regiment,
fter severs] ineffectual attempt at with his colerai he
lay down behind a ks, detached the colors from the
tied them in In- bosom just as he surrendet During the night he pn * I quilted it in tin- hack
of' his shirt. f)( ware, au'd kept it OOBCealed
all the while from tin' guard and tin- numerous deti that
.-warm the prison. II'- ■ i ! returned tne
identical "hi bunting to i who have laid it up as one of
the sapred relics oi tip- war: riddled and torn, it associates with it h11 tin- hard fought battles of the army of Virginia* 1' to this -all tnt regiment on leaving home, by the fair daughters of Louisiana, and consecrated by the blood of its noble defend) may it yet wave over men worthy of freedom's happiest boon.
Our loss in this ■! ■; ement was quite heavy— G<
Garnett was killed, and General- Kemper and Afmistead severely
wounded. The enemy's i llso heavy, as his troops at i:
points were crowded on the hillsides and exposed to em- terri artillery lire, which evidenth devoured them, by the wholesale, and at every attempt at an op< n assault on our lines, he was punished with heavy loss.
Tin- day'- fight ended th< ami indecisive battle of Get-
tysburg. T!i'- next day, Saturday, the 4th, our troops lay on the Bame lines "f the day before, the enemy continuing in our front far back on the slopes and on the heights, neither party making any hostile demonstration, but lay all day in easy gunshot <>f each other. Our troops, wearied by continual watchings and fighting, but not dispirited', lay all day still expeoting again to hear the on- ward command given. And why was it not given? It remains now no longer a secret. The three days fighting had so hopeles reduced our ammunition, that a renewal of the engagement could not in- hazarded, which is now established by the evidence of . >■• rij ordnance officeqjpt the army ; ami besides, t he difficulty ^i' ob- taining supplies rendered our present situation exceedingly criti- cal— -henee ;i r< it movement on the part of General Lee one absolutely i . Be commenced withdrawing his army late in the evening of the 1th. and'" the rear of the column
Hampton's cavalry. 97
and that his majesty had been forced to plume his congenial companion with the wings of hi* own Sable personage, that he might place safety between his own precious self and the wary rebels.
In the meantime Rhodes' division, that had been detached at Millwood, proceeded directly to Berry ville, capturing four hundred prisoners and that place, pushed on to Martinsburg ; entering the latter place on the 14th, he captured seven hundred prisoners, five pieces of artillery, and a considerable quantity of stores ; making the total of these operations sum up six thousand one hundred prisoners, twenty-nine pieces of artillery, two hundred ami 8ev< nty wagons and ambulances, with tour Hundred horses and mules, and besides a large amount of military stores. Our loss was about fifty killed and wounded. Thus was wrested, for the third time, from, Yankee grasp, this historic point, clearing the valley to our future operations. »
In viewing the happy results of this event, it evidently bears prominent traces'of the genius, skill, and energy that were so char- acteristic of the late lamented leader of this veteran corps, show- ing that his mantle had truly fallen upon one next worthy to wear it. The skillful and successful manoeuvering ol each division of the corps, and the nice calculations of lime and chance of bringing each into its respective position just at the nick of time to meet the emergency, go, indeed, to establish that the wishes of our Dead Jhin</re have not been misplaced in giving a leader who will 1 his own old glorious i orpa "alter his owu way."
Longstreet moved from Culpeper Court Bouse on the 15th, crossed the Blue Ridge nl Ashby's and Snicker's (laps, (general Stuart, with his cavalry, moved in front of Longstreet with the brig inson and Jones, while Hampton was thrown fur-
ther round on the think to WRtch the movements of Hooker's inns thai were dow moving up from Fredericksbui
The adv. live of General Stuart— Jones' and Robinson's brig- ades—moved in front "I Longstreet ' i !' : »nl l>' • il and then
turned to the right, moving down to M in Loudoun
County, ancj met a I • of. the i artillery
on Thursday evening. 18th, moving up from Aldte. Late in they a| 1 Middlebui . •< skirmish c
menced bel hV dismount* d skirmishers ami I
uiehers of I my, which, just after di in two
18
- ; the < me distance, killing;
ii'l captnrii • re. The enemy ivaa
night : our l< re Withdrawn to
[is tarn the villa
morning the enemymoved apiod i the engagement, which
: up hotly during the da\ betwi i n the dismounted mei
. party, with o artillery at intervals. The cool
coarage and deadly aim of tl Carolinians of Robinson's
brigade held in c I Irove back largely disproportionate
numbers of the enemy. We held our position until night put au
end i Earl; ori Saturday morning Hampton's brigade,
which had come up late tin' previous evening, was placed on the
lines in front of Middleburg, and .Jon*'- to the left, and lay
all day in li >f battle amid a dr< nching rain, with nothing tirahs-
piring save - 1 picket Bring. X i :_c 1 1 1 wore on, the soldier,
.v.i t and weary, lay with bis head i»n his arm-, in trqubled Bleep until tin- approaching dawn. Many a one that rose from his wet! ruin'!: that gloomy Sabbath morn was soon to sleep on a bloody, conch, to rise no more till the dav n of a brighter day. During the night the enemy had been reinforced with a lai ol cavalry, artillery, and several brigades of infantry, mov- ing up nearer our lines early in the morning under rover of the heavy timber and thick fog. (l r position lay two miles above MiddJebung, m i l> tor's cross- <!-. The ground was most illy adapted to oavalry purp Dg rolling and breaking o£f in
ed hills', the fields chi with numerous ston and
broken by rippling runs, jutted on each side by rugged, precipitous banks. Our line lay on each side of the turnpike leading from Middleburg to Ashb I 1 on an eminence each side
of the pike beyond the stone brid e over Rector 'b JEtun. Ilimp- t. m's brigade held the right, sup po ted by Robinson — the left by ,i..i es and the i .
AI"Uit sunrise II •"- artillery, planted in the mad, opened on the heavy lines of the enemy's advancing skirmishers; which elicited a vigorous from the enemy's batteries. The
sharpshooters of each paoty becan ed, hotly at it they went
all along the whole line, the incessant peals resembling the work of r regular battle. Our artillery plunged its discharges into the advancing ranks, Qg their progress. The enemy replied
sullenly and slowly— telling, however, that he had his best guns to
Hampton's cavalry. 90
bear upon us — blowing up one of our caissons. A Btrong column of infantry were ascertained to be moving round upon Hampton's flank, held by the sharpshooters of the First North Carolina cav- alry, under Captain Win. Houston, who after a stubborn resistance were outflanked and overpowered. Captain 'Houston fought to the last, and fell, nobly eticottraging his men- a braver, fearless man, a truer and more perfect gentleman never liv. ■<}.
Our line was now withdrawn in good order beyond the stone bridge, and loll back as the enemy's infantry column gained our Hanks: now from. hill to hill disputing his advance, principally with our artillery, until beyond Goose Creek, where all our artillery .were massed on a high eminence on each side of the road, when a most desperate' artillery duel was kept up for two hour-. Our artillery unflinchingly held its position against the superior odds of the enemy's guns, causing him frequently to shift his position. The enemy brought up and massed all his artillery Upon us. num- bering thirty pieces, nearly trebling ours, which was worked with terrible energy. Hound shot went ruthlessly hurling, ami shell screaming through the air — plowing the earth up for yards — bursting in' the air. scattering its devilish fragments fearfully around — often sending both horse and rider reeling t<> the ground. Finally the long, heavy lines of the enemy's forces come pouring down the turnpike on the opposite hill, filing out through the fields. Our well charged grape and canister administer freqtfc checks to his progress, while the well-directed aim of our sharp- shooters, who lay under the hill, pour volley after volley, and waver back his teeming ranks.
The enemy's old flanking process causes us 'again to withdraw
and take, a position a mile further back. In withdrawing <>ur forces back through the Belds, the enemy bad got his artillery in a favorable position, from which we were < I to an awful I
eping the hills with. ] canister, while shell and solid
ball cane ling in storms of metal hail through the air, laying
many a horse and rider Jow i neath. Our
batteries took position on the last em Q I ttd
opened furiously, silencing tnsofthu
this position toward- (Jppervill* after cr< m slmosl «*■
itself for more than a mile, clover, skirte^l on tb by a long band ol
l BO
through which the turnpike i the farther end of this plain,
slily plowed cornfield, which - the Dpi er surface quite ; on
the right, open, undulating pasture lands, and near the skin> of the toWi ' enclosure of thick undergrowth. Uppen
little hamlet at tin- junction ol tb< Snicker's and Ashbys (.laps Turnpik
Our artillery, after entertaining the enemy lor a ahorl time from its last positiori, were withdrawn, aud the whole column of Samp* tun's brigade moved ofl directly across this plain to th the
!. and tl B ibinson's, J I the L
moved to the right through 1 field. When about midway,
of this plait I d Smart wheeled the columns as they* moving, in line of battle, challenging the haughty columns of the enemy I peo field fight, who were moving hi> splendidly
equipped columns with exultant Bhoi the eminence wejiad
vacated. The "rold steel" order was given, wh'ich ran like tricily down the whole line, brae er in hi
and lighting up lus eye tor the coming charge; but the • w my, not
lepting Stuart's open challenge, filed liis columns through the band of woods, and halted, moving up bis infantry, and began sweeping the plaius and shelling the woods with his Ion guns.
The commands were withdrawn still further hack. Robinson, .Junes, and the Lees to the skirts of [Jpperville — the former occni pying the turnpike, the three latter the space round to and on the Snicker'* Gup road, on which, too, the enemy was advancing. Bam p ton moved straigbi serosa the plain through the cornfield, moving to the far side of the field. The enemy evincing a dis] iiuii to press us, Hampton wheeled bis men to receive them, when they came dashing in fine Btyle .; u . Placing the Jeff. Davis ],<- gion in t'runt un the edge of a little strip of woods near the corn- field*, the other regiments of the brigade wen- moved back a short distance near an orchard at tin- skirte of the town. On the enemy dashed against tin- JeflF, o, who bore up nobly sgainsl
the heavy shuck. The First North Carolina then charged in -
I its right, while the. other regiments followed in the same order with the yell. General Hampton at the head rang out,
• if to them, my foot* boys,giix if tothemC The two columns
met about midway in the cornfield — the Confederates with sabre
Hampton's cavalry. 101
alone delved into the Yankee column, the enemy meeting them for the most part with the pistol* popping like a fired canebrake; but a few well plied surges of the keen blade soon told who were tho masters of the field ; bis ranks break, and arc impetuously hurled back to the wood, from whence they had emerged from his infan- try. who were strongly posted behind a stone fence in anticipation of Such an emergency, who opened a galling fire upon ns, in conse« quence of which we retired, bearing off a Dumber of prisoner's, bo ■our former position. Across the Bame ground another fresh column of the enemy in heavy numbers dashed to punish our succes.8. The column gallantly wheels, and again me tf them on the same Bpot, and hand to hand the two columns plunge fearfully into each other. The assault is again met with the shim- happy results, and 1 lie- back broken arid cringing to their supports in the woods, who too keep up a galling fire upon us, leaving the ground again dotted with blue coats and several prisoners in'our hands. The brigade is. formed on the same ground for another onset, but the foe seemed satisfied at this open game, and did not venture again on this part of the field from under his darling supports, but contented himself by bringing up his artillery and raking the plains with a palling tire. Under these unfavorable circumstances the command was withdrawn, bearing off all our wounded and prisoners. In the meantime that part of the field on the right of the road was boldly assaulted, and for a short time the enemy gained some little advan- s, but by bold and desperate charges made by the North Caro- lina and Virginia brigades, the enemy were repulsed, leaving the ground covered with his killed and wounder), and capturing many prisoners. Our loss in killed Mid wounded jn th<
was quite sev< re, mostly in wounded, among th'iii g ane \ officers! Colonej P. G. E vast, of the Fifth North Carolina, tell mortally wounded while leading his men in one of those d< charges. N wa> a most gallant and _ icer.
Although the enemy fought us with largely superior numbers and advantage in infant ry, the loss inflicted upon them in I
much larger than our- in kilh d nnd w sides the pri I iki d. AJtbough Btuaii met the numl
were brought to be. i( him, he finally, by superior coui
and hard fightii I in repulsing them, thus foil
enemy in his tin] mission ol m ' i
in the i. ir army, which v
v puzzlii authi ril - M I v morn*
tnraed u iy, who retre ited rapidly before him. aid
>ut bringing them to ao
innection with tl - another spirited and suc-
iful little affair o The Phillips Legion, u Major
trucked, had been left behind th le on detached duty, and
were moving up to overtake the command. On the 21st, al New a irrentoo turnpike, the legion me1 a body of kee 'i\ ilry, largely superior to bis force, who bad deployed in line by ?-« ni;n 1 1 < >; i to r< eeive liim. M j ir Pucked advanced his little command by fours, and gallantly daubed upon tfaem hand to hand. w Rlrioi broke 1 1 1 . - i t- lines, and In- Bent them bel-
ter ^krlt.r before him in wild confusion, killing and woundin number, and capturing thirty-five prisoners with their equipments, with .1 \ • the I 'ii.
The following i- General Lee's official notice of these operations: "The cavalry, und al Stuart, was thrown out in trout of
i. _ eel to watch the enemy. re| orted to l>e moving in Loudoun. On the 17th his cavalry encounten I two brigades of ours, under eral Stuart, near Al-Ile. and was driven back with loss, day th< aenl was . • I I' lei I o ivalry being
strongly supported by infanti General Stuart was in turn
compelled to retire.
T enemy advac ir aa UpperviUe, and then fell hade.
In these engagements General Smut took about tour hundred prisoners and a considerable Dumber of horses and arms/'
How the course of events : in the meantime General Ewell had crossed the Potomac, part ol bis cor] ungat Williams*
port and pai - i pherdstown, and re-united al Bagerstc^wn' oa
the 20th. Jenkins1 cavalry had been thrown forward scouring the country in bis front, while General [mboden had moved on his left, "driving off the forces guarding the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, destroy ing all the important bridg< - on that route from Cumberland to ftfartiuaburg, and seriously damaged the Chesapeake and Ohio 1 '■ aeral Ewell moved on and arrived at Chambersburg
on the evening of the 22d. B tis troops one day, he pushed
on to Carlisle, eighteen mile Generals Loogstreet and
A. 1'. lliil had crossed the Potomac, and were moving on the same
route, and reached Chambersburg on the 27th.
HAMPTONS CAVALfcY. 103
. General Stuart with the cavalry continued to follow the move- ments of the Federal army, hanging on his flank and rear, har ing him at every opportunity, and by extraordinary vigilance and energy shielded the movements of our army from the surveillance of the enemy's reeonnoitering parties that attempted night and day to break through onr lines to unveil Lee's movements of um%8- ehievous mystery."* Geneml Stuart continued on after tin- enemy's columns. His advance between Fairfax and Alexandria met a body of the enemy's cavalry, called " Scott's Nine Hundred," who engaged our advance with terrible desperation, and stood up hand to hand until the whole party were all cut to pieces and captured Major Whittaker, of the First North Carolina, a brave and accom- plished officer, fell mortally wounded in leading the advance in the first charge. Stuart here turned to the left, obliquing towards the Potomac.
In the meanwhile Hooker had withdrawn from Stafford, en the Potomac at Washington, and moved on through Maryland, so as to covet- Washington and Baltimore: and at Frederick City, for some unexplained cause, relinquished his command to Meade, w -In- turned up the east side of the South Mountain, and moved rapidly towards Gettysburg, throwing Reynolds with his corps consider- ably in advance of the main body.
General Ewell was threatening Harrisburg from Carlisle; but from the recently di 1 Combinations of the enemy, on the
29th, he was directed to proceed towards Gettysburg, and also the corps of Longstreet, and on the 30th A. P. Hill was instructed to move in the same direction. Heath's division of Hill's corps moved on in advance, and ci S utli Mountain at Stevens' Gap. The
advance of Swell's corps had encountered t\u> Pennsylvania militia, which affair may be better described by an eye witnesi
" Our boys hearing that there was a chance for some fun with the militia hurried on to Getty sbnig, high in anticipation of an i victory. Many were. their regrets when they saw the "melish."
: ducted, thai
ed tlio 9hen*nd< former ba
commander-in-chief - "» of it bail 1< e
ami the (1
ired by M all hit mighl th • I
104 ski
pursuit t the height of folty,
1 1 .- 1 < 1 th.i ng, if possible, their
rity by sendiug ■ volley after them. Oar infantry was utterly dut of i y, with nimble b ime, and
after s good chas ring ap Borne three or four
hundred of the fright
I ie flight i- said to tly ludicrous. When they
began to run they h;id the nn ■ -; « quipments, and no doubt the many little notions I u tliera by their grateful wi\
l.nt in ■ little while, one by ted them
that taped* '1 their progress, and c ime down to it in a way worthy 0f their ' I :,s- cartridge-boau
,,,,.,,, I in their famous flight, which did
not end till they put a river bel ■■• en themselves and danger, the bridge over which was burnt, aod while inolames, caught to several houses, which shared the san*
i, i; .in. Id-, on the morning of the 1st of July, reached
and mov( d on and mel General Heath's division a few
miles west, dn the Chambersburg Turnpike ; skirmishing a phort
time] the battle opened generally, the whole Yankee corps bearing
ii furiously on this division, and were met with ;i Bteatfy ad- vance <>n tin- pari "I' our troops', who seemed inspired with a \ n>n- onward movement, driving the enemy back rapidly bel them, to within a short distan e of the town, where we encoun-
1 a Larger lour. EweJI coming up with two ,ii his divisi and Early's, by the Beidlersburg road; took position on the
run- left. The battle now joined along the whole line. The
dv's artillery opened furiously from many favorable positions, to which oin> readily resj Our columns moves Bteadily
upon these favorable positions, in tin- face ol incessant discharges of iron and leaden bail, driving the enemy Bullenly hack al some minor points, still stubbornly holding his main positions. A desira- ble jio-ition had been occupied in our front, from which the enemy were enabled to inflict serious punishmenl upon our advancing*col- umns, which * mce charged and taken, hut the enemy being
heaVily reinforced, our ! mpeljed to yield it back; it
was ngain charged and retaken ; ami in turn the enemy rushes upon it again and thrusts us back in m it the Becond time, hut fell hack immediately as our forci i drying to the third assault, when
they as ->»un retire, fallii [ distance, and turning again
Hampton's cavalry. 113
did not leave Gettysburg until after daylighjb of (lie 5th,"* carrying; • off with us five thousand prisoners, besides paroling two thousand on the field.
How was it with our enemy, who afterwards claimed a great vic- tory? Why did Meade sit quietly ami look down upon Lee with- drawing his army, and not pursue him? The tale is simply told — he had commenced a retrograde movement six hours before Lee ' commenced leaving his position, ;is one of the Washington sheets bulletined to the public that Saturday afternoon General Meade was withdrawing to another tine of defence; to which is also added the captured despatch of a courier, stating that Meade's head quar- ters on Saturday night would be at Westminster, the next favor- able line of defence from Gettysburg ; besides our scouts state that the citizens of the vicinity of Meade's position testify that the troops in the rear were withdrawing early in the evening of the 4th, but as soon as Meade fully ascertained the fact of Lee with- drawing, he wheeled, faced about, and played conqueror over the debris .of a battle field where he had been beaten in every uncov- ered action. . '
The enemy's entire loss in casualties is estimated at eighteen thousand, and in prisoners seven thousand, making the sum total twenty-five thousand, while our loss, frightful enough, did not foot up more than half that number, and nothing but the superior ad- vantage in position the enemy had assumed after his first, day's defeat, and his large preponderance, of artillery, saved him from utter and hopeless roul ; yet in the faee of all these facts a grand victory is claimed and heralded on .the bulletin boards of the North, and that the Baboon dynasty, scenting among the slimy sloughs of despondency, had jumped up another Napoleon, who had beaten and routed " the audacious reb< Is," leaving then- credu- lous subjects anxiously gaping to hear in the next despatch that their new i\ Qedged chieftain would have the rebel Lee and his entire army c«We-«ac, before he could reach thePotoinac; which to follow ti • fits, We will see how sadly they had
calcul to the- probabilities of such a moment
1:.
1M SKETCHES FROM
C II A VT ER.XIII.
btuabt'b dbtoub round in captures several oanal
BOATS, A LARGE NUMBER Qfl BBS, AND AN [MMENSB TRAIN OP'
WAG< ■ CIRCUIT I\ MEADE'S REAR, AND REACHES GET-
TY8BURG DESPERATE I W.\I.I!V FIGHT AT HUNTERSTOWN— -GENERAL HAMPTON SEVERELY WOUNDED IN CHECKING Till: i-:\-
EMY— THE AKMV CROS rAIN — A GALLANT AFFAIR IN
Illi: PASS i:v a DETACHMENT FROM ROBIN80N's CAVALRY.
During these terrible engagi monts, our cavalry had by no n
ni.K tive, but had acted it- pai I in these tr\ ing scenes. Stuart, with Ins cavalry, on the enemy's Hank, above A.lexan« dria, having seen the enemy's r< n pass, dashed in and destroyed raJ of his wagon trains ; and on tin' 27th, crossed the; Potomac at £ Palls, eighteen mil'- above Washington, moved down
tin' Chesapeake ami Ohio Canal, ami captured several boats. <>ne, a splendidly rigged craft, With the stars ami stripes flying pro- fusely over it. and freighted with a live tar-", in the Bhape ef Yankee officers and officials, « - anchored and taken in. to their i surprise and mortification. The others werfl richly laden with commissary freight, which was destroyed. lie then dashed down within four miles of Washington City, pouncing dn several
Officials of the Babo lynasty en pleasure excursions in the vicfiv
using the trenibling4cuetd tyrant to barricade the streets
with bai against :i rmi/, tl, nmiii of this " ener-
getic rebel :" of which circumstance he i< reported to have said. after his nerves had become Boinewhat steadied? "Some of my Cabinet were a lee tie frightened, bul I warnl scared a lm<>t<r." However, the lynx-eyed Jeb contented himself with a naked-eye view "I' the steeples and apises of this modern Sodom, dashed on up the main Washington and Frederick road, captured two hun- dred and seventy wagons and teams, attacked and repulsed, with the Second North Carolina regiment, after a desperate hand-to,- hand fight, a large body Of the enemy's cavalry at Hanover, who
attempted to rescue the train. Moved on. ami met another body of cavalry at Rock vi lie, D&osl of which W. II. P. Lee's brigade
killed and captured. Dashed uu round, pickiug up and paroling
Hampton's cavalry. 115
numerous prisoners in the rear, and reached Carlisle on Wednes- day evening, bringing up with him his enormous captured train — paving swept round the entire rear of Meade's army — making the first communication with General Lee since leaving Ashby'e Gap. Late on Thursday evening, the 2d, the enemy's cavalry were dis- covered to be moving round on our left, with the supposed inten- tion of reaching our trains at Cashtown. Hampton, with his command, was ordered hack to meet them. Cobb's Legion were thrown forward, and met a body of Yankee cavalry near Buntera- town, who were posted along the road in largely superior numb Colonel Young made a tearless dash at them, and alter a desperate fight, in winch the sabre was mainly nsed, the gallant Georgians handsomely repulsed them, killing and wounding upwards of one hundred, and capturing several prisoners — losing sixty-five in killed and wounded, among them nearly every commissioned officer was killed or wounded. Doubtless no affair of this war was char- acterized with more fierceness and desperation.
The enemy retired that evening beyond Hunterstown, and early next morning had concentrated a heavy force of cavalry, mounted infantry, and artillery at that point, and was bearing round on our left flank. Stuart advanced with his command to meet them: They had learned his intention to attack them, and they threw themselves on the defensive, and took a favorable position near Hunterstown, with their cavalry drawn up under some hills, their artillery in the edge of some woods on the hill behind, with heavy lines of sharpshooters well thrown out in front. In our Front we were impeded by numerous stone and bar fences, with only one open passage, a narrow lane, leading to the enemy's position. Jenkins moved up on the right, Chambliss (commanding W, EL F. Lee's cavalry) and Fit/.. Lee 00 the left, and Hampton in the centre at the mouth of the lane. Sharpshooters from the commands chiefly on the right were thrown ^forward, when the fight opened 1 roualy, and the artillery o( each party open ami keep up a i
furious dnel. A lii I our sharp- Idenly b<
pressed by a body of Yankee cavalry emerging from a w< General Fit/. I. ith the Brsl Virginia Regiment dashes for'
and meets them in the open field, with -word in h sharp fight repulsed them. General Fity. Lee in this affair at the bead of his column 1 into the : in
crossing values he encounter ' V
lit', BKBTCHB8 FROM
,.rf,il arm ring top DMch For him, but tlie timely inters
ference of his Adjut ! lahing to his side, Bhot
intagonist jost as b< the confident thrust at him.
j 1 1 the meantime Hampton, in moving ap ' inpport,
was ordered to charge another large body moving from the wood ; no prellminarieahad been made m removing the fence obstruct* between oat position and the enemy's, who occnpied an oj.cn held t beyond a Line of bar fence. The narrow lane was the only means by which they could 1"' reached; which was raked by the artillery of the enemy. Through this narrow passage, amid the e raking fire, Hampton's column dashed, with its fearless leader at the head. The open field is gained at the end of the lone; he quickly deploys his column. The enemy arc formed under the hill and approach in splendid ordefc 1 1 mpton, cool, with his noble eye flashing fire, rings out: fhem,my brain boysvchargeikim,n
On hie fiery troopers dash, with gleaming sabres uplifted, with a wild, deafening yell. The two hostile columns tilt together, with
aa dashing of sabres, intermingled with the popping of piefc horses and riders lock together in the dread mefee, friend and foe fall and an- crushed beneath the angry tread. The lines of each party are swinging to and fro, backwards and forwards, finally the enemy's begin to waver, and are b< ing'thrust hack Blowly at the point ol th<- sabre'. But at this fortuitous juncture a fresh column of Y.mk'c reinforcements dash forward over the,hill ; our column in torn is borne back, fie otesting every inch of ground. <
Hand tO hand they hear Up against the Opposing "dds. The tall
form of Hampton is conspicuous iu the fight, be too plies his sabre with his men, at the same time encouraging the men to stand firm. The whole Xankee column bears down upon us with all its energy and fnry, still the line bears np against the renewed shook.- Tho whole li J to be striving with his man. and more of the
enemy pressing on ; two have d ished at the gallant Hampton, but pay the penalty, before bis dexterous arm; another fresh squad rush from the line and bear upon him. The flashes from the mua- zle of hi> pistol keep them at a moment's hay. Two filississip. pians, Privates More and Dunlap, of the Jeff. Davis Legion, fear- lessly dash to In- rescue with sabres lifted high in the air, bringing their sharp edges down upon the heada of the pressing assailants, but sadly they go down beneath the angry tread. < Now still gleam- ing sabres from several arms are playing over his head, already
Hampton's cavalry. 117
spirting- with gore, his unerring pistol sends another reeling from his saddle; frantic with rage they press him back against the fence, just as the colum# is too being borne back ; two brave men, Sergeant Nat. Price, Company A. First North Carolina, and Private Jackson. Company B, Cobb Legion, descrying the awful dilemma of their beloved commander, recklessly dash into the unequal con- test; a sure shot from the pistol of the former blows the nearest, one through just as he is repeating a blow upon the general's bleeding head. Throwing-themselves between him and the press- ing antagonists, still chafing for their victim, the former earnestly shouted, " General, general, they are too many for us; for Cod's sake leap your horse over the feuce ; I'll die before they shall have ^ou." The spur is suited to the suggestion ; his noble steed clears the fence amid a shower of balls that shred the air, one Beverely wounding him in the side. The party furiously dashes at the de- liverers, just as they too are wheeling to follow, and with uplifted sabre one is coming down upon Price ; another barrel sends him reeling from his saddle. The next in van raises his vengeful arm to cleave him down, his uplifted arm receives the blow, and before another is raised'to finish the work, his faithful steed follows in the leap and safely bears him along side his coadjutor on the other side of the fence.
The general was now borne off. bleeding from two frightful sabre cuts across the head, fracturing the skull, and a severe wound from a pistol shot in the side. On leaving he requested Colonel Baker, of the First North Carolina'cavalry, to take com- mand, and encouraged the men to fight on and not give up the field. They catch- 1 1 j « • inspiration from the wounded hero, to- gether with the encouragement of tin- gallant officer at their bead, and turn upon the pressing foe with a renewed energy.. They spur back deeper into tfa< 's ranks; bis columns wav
after a short but terrible onset of these impetuous troopers, they br< ak against the renewed charge, and are hurled back a. ; field, falling beneath our vengeful Bt< ■ : at every step. Tb terii 11- columu it illy. The enemy fpequently
rally. Several 'i Major < nnor, of
the .bit'. Davi L 'i. a ii»- ► — T gallanl and dan
in a rash attempt to : II .ivy
columns of reinforcei
our men hold their position after the recall is St
H« SKETCHED FROM
I
storm of grape m of the more impetn
.. them* in advance of where t he
iron reined pp, spurri tit battery, wrapping the
; in Uvid flames. To have seen thee - 1 . i ^- 1 1 i 1 1 «^ into it
truly grand : and lei the admirers of heroism know tin' name
,f the ; -Privute J. 6. M Reynolds^of Phillips' -Legion.
Spurring almost nnder the win: • of the guns, more like
Bome demon phantom, he Bhonts bac^, "Come on, boys, come on I
My God; let's take the b I ling Ins column retiring, he
dashed back without a scratch, «m id the missiles large and .-mall
that were shredding the air.
After tins desperate ch i ing the Yankee columns back to
the months of his numerous and well served guns, heavily pur- ported by infantry, our 'columns retired hack, holding the first dis- ci point; the other parts ol the line were not so fiercely tiled, but in all tin- efforts of tin- enemy he" was promptly re- pulsed. This point in Hampton'- front was the hardest contested part of the 6eld. The enemy having concentrated his main force hero, attempted by desperate <•: »rta to break our centre, in which In- was effectually foiled by the Bup< rior courage of Pit; Lee's ami Hampton's veteran troopers. His cavalry l>cinur thus Beverely
punished in an open hand to hand contest, attempt. (1 to drive as
from our position by his numerous and well posted artillery, in which a most teSrible artillery duel was joined. Our batteries of
horse artillery, aided l.y foot mder Lieutenant Blaif of the
leson battery of Ewell's corps, furiously kepi up the 6gh1 the remainder of the day. without any decided ©fleet, each party hold- ing its same position at night. < hi r loss was quite heavy, particu- larly in officers. The enemy'd must have been equally as much of mors bo. General Stuart was particularly conspicuous in the fight, dashing from one point to another, encouraging the point that re- quired hi* presence the BBoat, entirely reckless of his personal
iy. In thus maintaining Ins position, he effectually held in oheckand repulsed the moat desperate effort of the enemy's cav- alry to turn our left Hank, who with the additional incentive were burning to wipe out the disgrace Stnart had just inflicted upon them by his' daring and mischievous pranks upon their rear. He Btill maintained his position the following day, and was among the i leave the Geld, bringing up the rem- of our retiring army.
HAMPTONS CAVALRY. 119
On the evening of the same day, the 3d, a detachment of about four hundred men, under Colonel Black, First South Carolina cav- alry, met a body of Yankee cavalry advancing from Emmet tsburg, who were attempting a demonstration against our right flank, with the support of a regiment of infantry, ambuscaded and drove them back with heavy loss.
Late in the same evening, farther round on our -right, beyond Marsh Creek, Jones* cavalry, supported by Robinson, encountered another heavy body o\' the enemy's cavalry, and after a desperate, hand to hand conllict, repulsed them, killing and capturing a great number.
Our trains moved from Gettysburg on two routes, one by wav of Cashtown through Stevens' Gap, guarded by Imboden ; the other by the road through Fairfield, leading across the South Mountains. General Robinson was ordered on in advance on this route; he sent forward a small squadron of about thirty-five men, under Captains McKellar and Shaw of the Fifth North Carolina cavalry, to picket this Gap in advance of the column, on Jack Mountain. The | on the top of the mountain is quite narrow and makes a slight bend from the south. The enemy's cavalry, in the meantime, by remarkable energy had moved vround to the left and crossed the mountain on some obscure road and were hastening up to occupy this pass. Just as this small force was being posted at the point, an entire regiment of the enemy's cavalry were seen advancing rapidly up the opposite side of the mountain. Our little body of pick n wen- thrown forward to the best advantage along the n advantageous positions near the bend. The enem} came dash up by Mpi idrons, and jusl as they turned the bend our little party met them with a galling (ire, causing a temporary recoil. Their officef in command rallied a small body, calling on the others to follow, he gallantly, with a few of Ins men. succeeded in dashing by; he stdl kept on at the top of his speed and was tallud. and his party captured by a small party in tie- rear. The whi cut
made Beveral bold dashes to carry the position, but were buo- mllv repulsed in every attempt, leaving the p trewn with their dead and wounded. They retired, baffled and two bold and intrepid officers. And to them and their breve men the greatesi en dit is due for defending and hold in tool
.. u inch, had they BOOCeedod in I 1} OCCU| 'lid
have at least subjected I 0U1 aim I to untold
disaster.
1 •_'< »
ciiapti:i; xiv.
9 A BOLD ATTEMPT TO CAPTUBB OUB WTLLIAM8PORT — \!: IV ROUTED BY GENERAL
• - GENERAL I.Ki: TAKES
POSITION AT H I RIGHT NEAR FUNK8TOWN— AT
BBNYIOLA — THJ WHOLE ARMY I ' THE POTOMAO-^-PTlZ. LEE'S
\l.i:V FIGHT AT LEETOWN; R01 - rHEJBNEMT— THE ARMY WTTH-
n n:"M Tin: v m.i.kv. AND ORIGINlL UNI
THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
Our columns mov< ' on without any further interruption, z dash of the cavalry on some wagons thai had lagged be-
hind, capturii in w I led.
Our vast trains of wa ptu red property, and prisoners had
. ted VVilliamsport on Monday even:
the 6th, under charg General Iraboden, with bis cavalry/One men.l of infantry, and a Large b !y of " Company Q,"* from all the cavalry, a> an escort,
The enemy's cavalry, by forced ru irches, had dashed round and placed themselves between our army and the trains, and held the road at Hagerstown, throwing forward a heavy fore dry
and artillery, under Opatrick. They suddenly came dashing down upon General Imboden al Williamsporl for the prize
collected at tli it point, i r, with consummate energy,
promptly met them, by throwing forward his hom igeneous fori "Company Q and his small body of reg-
ular fori ••!• a Bharp fight of artillery and small arms, the
enemy was graduall) driven from his first position; when, about dark, tip' whule line moved forward with a yell. The enemy re- laxed his hold, and retreated precipitately in the direction ^oonsboro', leaving killed and* wounded -behind, in-
flicting a very small loss upon as.
In the meantime General Stuarl hi d fallen upon the other body at II iwn, in which Robinson's and Jones' brigades dri
them through the town in a m -: gallant style. They were fol-
• l - the soubriquet given to that part of the cavalry who had unserviceable
horses, which coutituted a graud cortege of limpJDg horses after the wagon trains.
Hampton's cavalry. 121
'lowed up by an advance of the former under*Colonel J. B. Gordon, commanding the Fifth North Carolina cavalry; and after pursuing them about a mile, they succeeded in rallying, posting themselves In a strong position in the road, where they had posted a battery of artillery raking the road. This gallant officer, however, advanced at a sweeping pace almost to the mouths of the guns ; but from the galling fire his command temporarily recoiled. Rallying, he completed the charge, repulsing the enemy; and it was only by the utmost speed of the artillery horses that the guns Were sa*ved from capture. In this and the engagement at Williamaport the enemy were punished severely, while our loss was comparatively small! '
Our army all arrived in*Hagersto\vn by the 7th, and halted in the vicinity. In this retrograde movement, in which the enemy subsequently proclaimed that Lee's forces were hopelessly de- moralized and routed, Meade had not made the least show of im- mediate pursuit, but had allowed Lee to leisure^ march to Hagers- town, where he halted and assumed a position, and awaited patiently the approach of the self-styled victorious army for the space of six long days-
In the meantime sharp occurrences^took place between the cav- alry of each party. On the evening of the 8th, General Fitz. Lee dashed upon a body on the national turnpike, near Funkstown, killing and wounding several, and capturing one hundred and fifty with all their equipments. The next morning Hampton's brigade, under Colonel Baker, was sent forward to reinforce the latt* r. A. large body of the enemy, both cavalry and infantry, Were moving up from Boonsboro!. They wero met in the afternoon beyond Benviola, on an extensive open plain at tin- font of South Moun- tain. A sharp skirmish npn,ed, followed by artillery. The skir- mish increased, and was kept up with the fury of a battle. The enemy ware driven back a considerable d 3evi ral ineflG
tnal attempta were made to bring bis cavalry out to an open ei ni'iit . I'Ut in • v. i y ii -tance he declined. The artillery 1 kept op till mar sun down, when a heavy body ol try
had moved round ai i far upon our left flank as
to compel us to fall back to a position. In with*
drawing from thi plain, tie ika off into nil
which t!
uiiiii ill drawn in and i
10
121 ROHBB v
when tl - Captain J. H. Barry, bring-
ing up the i i op •!! furiously by the Fankee c*f>
nlry, who wheel illant ]y met them : hand to hand th§y
bore Hi' againsi their i ints in tin' most gallant stylo.
ind returned the well,plied Bteel of the Yank horses and riders intermingled recklessly with each other; for ten minutes the red, drippii ; party are unflinchingly
parried and throated in deadly strife; a furious yell and redoubled rt on the pail of the unqoailing South Carolinians; the enenty >il and breaV the line of their flanking column, who are
hurrying up, and pour into <»ur columns from the hill above a most galling fire, which from his heavy supports in the rear, we retired slowly, and fighting them till dark from the next bill. Our was pretty -uing day our dismounted skirmishers
skirmished with the advancing enemy, attempting tq draw them Oil to our general lines along the Antietam. but without sue<
We skirmished hotly on t he epsuing day. holding the enemy in •check in front of General Lee's position near Hagerstown. Gene- ral 1. - rdnance supplies having reached him, he awaited day r day for the enemy to advance, hut he cautiously Btands off, as if determined out to risk a lyit 1 1< • . The difficulty of obtaining sup* plies for the army, and the non-combatting disposition of the enemy, General Lee quietly withdrew on the morning of the 13th, and crossed the Potomac ;it Williamsport and F.«11jhlt Waters, with- out any serious interruption <>n the part of the enemy. Brigadier General Pettigrew, bringing up the rear at Palling Waters, while ting his men who had been toiling all night in the mud and rain, a small body of the enemy's cavalry was unfortunately mis- taken i'^r our own, and penetrated our line and mortally wounded this gallant and accomplished officer, "ho died a few days after- wards.
Thus ended a campaign in which, by transferring hostilities ta the enemy's soil, our troops had promised themselves the most happy results. They went not for rapine and plunder, but solely for striking for freedom on the I toman's soil, and how far that matter may have heen ai-eomplishrd, an impartial survey of events will show that the immediate results are not altogether negative. Our troops met the enemy en his own soil, whipped and drove him from his first-position, crippled and held him in a position in which nothing but the position itself saved him from immediate and
Hampton's cavalry. 123
hopeless tpnt; while nothing but the sad exhaustion of ammunition compelled us to retire from a victory Just within our grasp ; when in realitv the enemy hadcommerfced a retreat from the horrors of an imaginary fatal blow that they expected from Lee, who quietly retired, and after replenishing his ammunition, took another posi- tion; cramped for the want of transportation for supplies, he lay for six days and invited the enemy to fight, and retired only when his supplies were entirely exhausted, having inflicted on the enemy a loss in battle in killed, wounded and prisoners over twice his own, to say nothing of the immense amount of captured prop- erty secured — thus falling short of the hoped for results by ex- traneous causes over which our authorities, from the. extreme nature of circumstances, had no control; and by this bold demon- stration in striking the enemy in the heart of his own country, we have given him a higher appreciation of the valor and courage of the Southern troops, which tends really to depreciate confidence in themselves.
The few days' repose iu the valley was interrupted by only one excursion of the enemy's cavalry, who advanced from Shepherds- town on a reconnoissance upon our lines. Fitz. Lee met them at, Leetown, about five miles above Shepherdstown, completely rout-' ing and driving them pell mell .through the latter place, killing and capturing about two hundred. The movements of the enemy down the other; side of the Blue Ridge required a corresponding movement on the part of Generpl Lee, aud the two armies again found themselves confronting ea"ch other on the old Rappahan.il lines. The Yankee General had poshed his columns with remark- able rapidity, as though he intended to gain Richmond by a 1 rape ; but finding himself confronted by the ubiquitous columns of Lee, he was content to pause in the old, beaten war-path on the north banks.of the Rappahannock. He took up his headquarl upon the estate of Sir. Joseph Do wnman, where, instead of push- ing on alter the demoralized army of Lee, hi I his laurels, and went to working Op all the cedar in the vicinity in de< and embellishing his Muarters. A grand ovation was given, at which, from a cedar-wroaght throne, in the presence <•■ abolition notables and olftcer sented him a .-word lor his meritori
Our army halted and Lay be] ' EL, while tie
airy occupied the front. The Yankees had thrown their lines
SKETCH KS FliOM
i 1 down I . uth
v tain Run, i from tin- river,
Our lines ran sound c to#theirs, a abort distance
it.
CHAPTER XV.
I
A GLANCE AT ICOSin AND HIS MK.V.
Jbfata Singleton Mosby is the Bon of Alfred D. Mosby, formerly of Albemarle County, Ara., but now in the vicinity of Lynchburg. lit- is the maternal I Mr, James MoLaiirine, Br., late of Pow- hatau Oounty>Ya.i and his mother was Miss Virginia J. McLau- line.
The subject of our sketch Was I irn in Pownatan County, S (be 6th of Hecember, 1833. Be ei tared the Dniversity of Virginia at a ad graduated with much distinction. Shortly
thereafter be was married to I ly daughter of the Hon. B
erly Clarke, late mini I al America*
mencemenl of hostilities Between the North and thvourhero i istol, Washington County, 7a., where
I in the practice of law. He immedi- ately gave up his profession, end entered fche army as a private, becoming a member of a company raised in Washington, and com- manded by Gap tain Jones, nbw Genera] Jones, in which position he setfved twelve months. Upon the promotion of Captain Jones to the colonelcy of the First Virginia cavalry, Mosby was chc
I jut ant.
He continued in this position bul a short time, for upon the re- organization of the regiment, from some cause the colonel was thrown out, and consequi adjutant was relieved from duty.
M ,,-l.v was then chosen bv General Jeb Stuart as a sort of an inde- pendent Bcout. lh- first ittracted public attention when General 1",. Johnston fell back from Manassas. On this occasion Gene- ra] Johnstoi I n 'whether the "movement (A' M.o* i feintj or if he really intended to maroh his army to
HAMPTONS CAVALRY. 125
the Peninsula, sent Mosby to ascertain the fact, who, in company with five others, went to the rear of McClellan's army, and re- turned to General-Johnston with the desired information. Cap- tain Mosby was the first to make the circuit of the enemy while in front of Richmond, thereby enabling General' Stuart to make the celebrated raid around the entire Yankee army, on which occasion Mosby went in advance. His personnel is described as "alight, mus- cular, supple and vigorous; his eye is keen, penetrating, ever on the alert; he wears his sabre and pistol with the air oft man who sleeps with them buckled around his waist, and handles them habitually almost unconsciously. The captain is a determined man in a charge, dangerous on a scout, hard to outwit, and prone to ' turn up ' suddenly where he' is least expected, and bang away with his pistol and carbine." %
His exploits since the last service as an independent scout have become a part of the history of the war. No partisan has in so short a time, and with such small material, won a more solid repu- tation in the peculiar and effective mode of -warfare. With a small command in the winter of 18(i2 and 1863, he greatly annoyed the enemy's camps and communication between. Washington city and Warrentom On one occasion in the latter part of last winter, with thirty men he penetrated the enemy's lines, and proceeded to Fair- fax Court Hpuse ; slipping through the pickets of the outposts, he led his party after dark without observation to the inside pick and surprised and captured the whole Plumber. With a few cti' his picked men he proceeded into the village to the headquarters of General Stoughton, and made prisoners sf him and staff in their beds, and passed quietly out with the prisoners through the dark- ness. In passing Gentrevilie in the dark, he came within seventy- live yards of the enemy'.- redoubts, and was raddenly hailed bi I sentinel, but hi* resourcee ever ready, he | the im-
pression that they we]-,- Y-m!. ,ut on duty, and m re al-
lowed unsuspectingly f< This valuable requisition on the
Yankee offi< j
forwarded to Richmond. This brilliant exploit elicited the foil ing complimentary order : I Stuart :
GENERAL ORDERS N'o.
Captain John 8. M
tion of hie
layed in his numerous forays U] >n the invaders of his native
. \ qi knew hii daring enterprise and dashing heroism bett than those foul invader.-, though strangers themselves to such noble trail
His late brilliant exploit,* the capture of Brigadier General
Stoughton, Unite I 3 iptains, thirty other prison'
and fifty-eight horses, justifies this recognition in Genera)
i a. unparalleled in the war, was performed in the
midst of the enemy's ti Fairfax C. EL, without loss or
injury.
The gallant hand of Captain M iftby share the glory, as they did
the d worthy of Bucb a leader.
J." E. B. STUART, Mqj al Commanding.
On the 1st of last April, with a detachment of only sixty-live men, he encountered and was at; icked, near Drainsville, by two hmdnd picked Yankee cavalry, who were scouting lor him. Be at onoe placed himself at the bead of twenty-five '>;' his men, hold- ing the others in reserve, ami charged the two hundred with sm-h impetuosity that In- succeeded in completely rousting them, billing wounding twenty-five, and taking eighty-three prisoners. Among the killed and wounded were furs officers. Mosby'a lo inly one killed, and a few wounded.
About tie' first of May the Yin;.. General Strahl with a body &Tttlry had moved up near Warrentoo Junction, and placed the First Virginia 1 aard the Junction. Mosby was
ever hovering round -found out their position, and with the commands of Captain Paitoo, thirty men. and Sergeant Mickler, eleven, and with his own detachment, numbering in all about one hundred, he resolved to attack the point, lie rendezvoused on the bight of the 2d of May, on Payne'i farm, and proceeded to Gerjnantown, where he run on a party of infantry and captured them. From thence, traveling that eight, he proceeded to War- renton Junction, run in the pickets. The moil of the enemy had dismounted and posted themselves mi a firm bouse. Mosby formed , his men under a most galling fire, with himself and Sergeant Mick- ler in the lead, charged tic pain outside the house, sabring them down as they ran in. Then the most desperate lighting ensued.
Hampton's cavalry. 127
Our men jumped from their horses and made a fierce onset on the house, which had t;he lower doors barricaded, while every small aperture from above and below was bristling with rifles, Hashing their deadly volleys incessantly into the little band below, who stood umpiailingl}^ returning the fire at every exposed aper- ture. The gallant men were falling. The intrepid Mosby, chafing like a tiger, and tiring whenever a head would show itself, shouted with infuriated tones, "Break the door down." Privates J. M. Sloan and W. P. Parks, scouts from the First North Carolina cav- alry, gallantly dashed to the door and smaellfed it in and leaped in the passage, amid the Hashes of pistols'in their faces, shooting the crowding foe down right and left, and then using the butts of their pistols in the melee, which was now becoming general, as others dashed in the entrance ; for a few moments the dread strife raged. They were crowded and thrust back, when the cry of "surrender'* eagerly went up from all sides. Nearly twice Mosby'i entire num- ber surrendered. Mosby's loss was several wounded and a few killed. Among the killed was Private G. T. Thornwell, son of the celebrated J. H. Thornwell, D.D., LL.D., of South Carolina brave and noble lad as ever drew sabre. Mosby was hotly pursued by a heavy bod}T, but succeeded in eluding his pursuers and bring- ing out nearly all the prisoners.
In June following, while Hooker's army was in motion, Captain Mosby. with three men, penetrated twenty miles into the JTai lines, capturing two officers and eight or ten privates, and secured Hooker's despatches to Pleasanton, containing valuable in- formation. The despatches and the prisoners were placed in charge of two privates who accompanied him, and sent back t<> the Confederate encampment. lie then proceeded alone to the hank of the Potomac, and after learning that Hooker was i
ted on his return te General I. kdqnarters. Ou his route
he >tnpped at a farm house for the purpose of making some inqui- ries ; when, hearing noise in his rear, he turned and per ceived two soldiers picking cherries from a tree. II" imo mounted hia horse, and, riding to w\ men were ntand- (ng, inquired to whal the} belonged. The}
\ J ■ . . ilry.'" Mosby then said : I am M M jby, of the Coufed< oners.'' The men immediately Bun party started on their pray to '
i 28 8KHCHBS FROM
ing to fche main pil I ■ long trainrof Federal
■H-. guarded by cavalry. He al once turned into tbe wo >da with hii prisoners, and told them that ho was in ua tight plice, and must get out. B 1 entirely on them for his escape ; if
either of them showed the slightest Bign to betray him, he would
instantly .-hoot hiiii." Having thus cauti< 1 them, he tied their
horses' heada together to prevent their escape, and starting them in a gallop in front of him, passi I the long train, and arrived
safely at General Lee's headquarters with his two prisoners, wh uniform.' had prevented tie- Yankee * cavalry guarding the train from capturing him. The following special order from General Lee shows the high estimation in which this brave, and successful partisan is held :
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 82.
His Excellency the President h sd to show his apprecia-
tion of the good services and many daring exploits of the gallant .1. S. Moeby, by promoting the latter to a Captaincy in the Provis- ional Army of the Confederal The G-eneral commanding is confident that this manifestation of the approbation of his supe- riors will but serve to incite Captain Mosby to -till greater efforts to advance the good cause in which he is engaged. Ho will at once proceed to Organize his command as indicated in the letter of instructions this day furnished from these headquarters.
By command of R. E. LEE.
W. W. Taylor, A. A. G.
Mosby performed the important service of reconnoitering tho countrv in advance of General Ewell on the Pennsylvania earn-' paigm While waiting for fahe advance guard of General Ewell, he engaged and routed a superior body of Yankeo cavalry at Sem Falls.
After returning from the Pennsylvania campaign, he betook him- self again to his old haunts, harassing the enemy's line of commu- nication, and BWOOplng down upon any small party that should isolate itself from the main body. He was severely wounded in one of these skirmishes^ but lias recovered.
In MeaoVa last advance across the Rapidan, Mosby was again at work. On the night of the 28th of November he. pounced down upon the enemy's rear at Brandy Station, whipped and drove off a
Hampton's cavalry. 129
superior body of the enemy, captured several prisoners, destroyed twenty-five wagons, and brought safely off one' hundred and twenty of the finest class of mules.
CHAPTER XVI,
SECOND CAVALRY FIGHT AT BRANDY STATION — REORGANIZATION OF THE . CAVALRY— WE EVACUATE OUR LINE ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK — EN- GAGEMENT AT JACK'S SHOP — THE SPLENDID PLANS OF THE ENEMY THWARTED.
That part of the line held by Hampton in front of Brandy Sta- tion was advanced upon by the enemy's cavalry, early on the morning of the 1st of August. After driving our pickets in a mile below Brandy, his column, a whole division that had crossed over in the night, commenced advancing rapidly, and were promptly met by Colonel Baker, commanding the brigade, when a sharp fight opened between the dismounted skirmishers of each party. The enemy's superior numbers gave him greatly the ad- vantage in flanking, which compelled our men to relinquish our' first position. We withdrew back about half a mile upon a line below the station. In the meantime tlje enemy came pressing on. Captain Hart was withdrawing his batteries to the slopes in front of 'the Kennedy house when a column of Yankee cavalry came dashing down the west side of the railroad, evidently with the view of reaching it. when the Jeff. Davis Legion was wheeled, supported by the Cobb Legion, and met them in fieri md
drove them back. At the same time another column was <hllect- ing around 00 the east side of the railroad, attempting to gain our fight think before we could get into position, who i by
the First 9outo Carolina, supported by the Phillips Legion, ina most gallant Style, driving them back in a most handsome manner. At this juncture the whole plain, stretching out back to the slopes at the station, presented the app< nance of one moving i Y . horsemen.
17
180 -ox
Colonel Baker, with great ajtolness, formed the brigade to mi the coming shock ot these immense odds, as they rapidly moved up. Our battle line extended from the Kennedy house on the right, across the plain to B tote1 farm on the left. The fight had 110% been provoked, and the enemy saw from cur spirit, that, not- withstanding their superior numbers, the ground was to be hotly 1. On they ciinic with thundering tread as their long lines swelled out over these oid historic plains. Hart's battery had taken position and was playing b< lutifully upon their ranks. The lines of skirmishers of each party were being taken up for m fearful work. The w<»rd "charge " is given- The whole line leap forward Bquarely, with sabre.in hand, raising the battle yell ; at it they go, intermingling the clashing steel with the popping of pistols. The opposing ranks commingle, obscured by the dust and smoke, horses and riders go down in the dread strife. The enemy's heavy columns recoil and give back before the well plied Babres of our intrepid troopers, when a heavy fresh column advances on our flanks, and rolis us of the bard-earned advantage. Our line is dexterously withdrawn and slowly retires beyond the point of the flanking columns, when it 'again wheels and strikes the
Yank ilumn right and left, and under the same circumstances
is compelled to retire before the overwhelming columns of the
pressing foe ; Parthian:like dealing blows as we retire. An exten«
b flank movement is attempted on our right flank to gain our rear. OolOnel Baker rallies the men, who are almost worn down from the extreme heat, and sweeps at the head of part of his troops iii tne charge to the fight, bul the brave hero falls severely
wounded at the first onset, and is borne off the field. Colonel
Young, of Cobb's Legion, dashes to the front and gallantly leads
the shattered and torn columns forward; they dash, yelling, upon the eiieinv, whose first lines bfeak hack upon the second. Our line then falls back .-lowly, contesting every inch. of ground. The gallant Young too IS borne from the field severely wounded, shout- ing to his men as he fell to tight on. Colonel Black, of the First, South Carolina, then takes command, ho too receives a wound and is compelled to leave the field. Lieutenant Colonel Lipscomb, of the Second South Carolina, gallantly fights the wearied and shat- tered columns over the smoke-wrapped held, and only stubbornly yields when forced back by the weight of numbers ; he too is in- capacitated by a severe wound. The command then devolves
Hampton's cavalry. 131
upon 1 , who still leads the men to the best advantage
against the enemy, who are fast becoming weary of the fight. This little column has borne up all day wi (limit any assistance. Late in the evening a brigade of infantry moves up to their sup- port at a double-quick, and rush upon" the Ifankee troopers, firing deadly volleys into their ranks,, emptying many a saddle The Yankee columns break, and a grand skedaddle ensues. Pursuit <>n foot becomes the height of -folly, yet the Yankee troopers' speed is none the least abated until he reaches the farthest end of the plain, near Brandy Station. Our loss was heavy, while we int!: cording to their own reports, a loss of three to one upon the enemy. No fight of the war has been conducted so long and so fiercely against such overwhelming odds — fighting with one small brigade against two full divisions, with his mounted rilles as sharp- shooters, and several pieces of artillery-— conducted in an open field throughout, where no advantage in position could be offered to either party. Captain Hart's battery was nobly worked against the enemy's: but his ammunition became exhausted about the middle of the fight, and he was compelled to retire. The following eloquent order was issued to the brigade from our cavalry chief a few days afterwards :
Headquarters Cavalry Division. Army Northern' Virginia, August 6, 1m'-3. GENERAL ORDERS No. 27,
The gallant and spirited resistance offered by Hampton's brig- ade, Colonel L. S. Baker commanding, to a body of the enem cavalry, greatly superior in numbers, on the 1st instant, d the highest commendation at the hands of the division commaader.
The good'condurt of the officers and men of tb in such a conflict, reflects the highest credit upon I and gobd soldierly qualities, and is worthy ol the i •■' the
entire division.
In this contest the horae artillery as usual perform* equal in heroism to its already brilliant pi and bill for the
supply of ammunition on the field !
mv's loss, confessedly more than three times Oflr 0WB, tVOttld I been far greater.
The division moaroi the I me bravi
wounded who for a time have lefi as, will, it i - be
i:;2 sketch1
! to our ranks, to etriki agmio for independence and
rv.
Let the sons of C irolinjji and the Gnlf in Virginia continue
to rival the beroiam of their noble comrades of Yieksburg and
Charleston, remembering tint every blow struck at the enemy, no
matter where, is a blow Tor Itomc and its haUowd righU,
J. I!. B. STUART, Major Gerund.
The cavalry of the army about the 1st of September underwent a reorganisation. Comprising only one division heretofore, it was divided into two, composing a cavalry corps, still under the o>ni- mand of its skillful and gallant chieftain, General J. E. B. Stuart. General Hampton, promoted sine, receiving his wounds to Major General, was placed m command ol the firal division, and Genera] Fit/.. Lee. also promoted to Major General, was assigned to tho second division. The former wa.- composed of Young's brigade, consisting of tho First and Second South Carolina Regiments, the Cobb Legion, the Jeff. Davis Region, and the Phillips Legion; Gordon's brigade, consisting of the First, Second, Fourth and Filth North Carolina Regiments: and R laser's brigade, consisting ot the Eleventh and Twelfth Virginia Regiments; General Pitz. I. division was composed of W. II. 1'. Lee's, Wickham's and Lome brigades.
General Lee, a few days after this affair, withdrew his army south of the Rapidan, with the view, in case, Meade should ad- vance, of offering him battle on this favorable line, leaving tin cavalry to picket and watch his movements <hi his front lines. Tie- enemy lay remarkably quiet until the 13th ot September, when he commenced a general advance along the entire lines held by the* cavalry, who, in accordance with a preconcerted plan, fell back before them, however hotly contesting the advance where a
favorable opportunity offered, ojm horse artillery performing nobly
its part "in checking the enemy's columns, but unfortunately lie rashness lost us three pieces by attempting to hold them too Ion-. The gunners oobly worked them to the last, causing the enemy to pay dearly for the prize.
The differenl commands fought their way slowly, checking the enemy's advance, an 1 at dark safely retired across the Rapidan. The following day the enemy's cavalry and artillery appeared at sonte of the different fords, in which mutual shelling engaged each
Hampton's cavaley. 133
party with little effect. Q.ur cavalry was thrown on each flank, Hampton's division holding the position on the left along the Rob- inson River up to Madison C. H., Fit/,. Lee the right on the Rapi- dan. In vain General Lee Tay and awaited the approach of Meade, who had advanced as far as Culpeper C. H., and began putting up winter quarters by pulling down all the untenanted dwellings in the vicinity, converting them into numerous huts for his soldi' not even churches ^vere spared, but were sacrilegeously dismantled for this purpose ; nothing but'the framework of the finest mansions were left standing, the monuments of vandal wantonness.
While quietly picketing the line of the Robinson River, the ene- my's cavalry suddenly advanced on the upper part of the line near Madison C. H.> held by Colonel Funsten, commanding Jones' brig* ade, on Monday evening, the 21st September. The three divisi of Gregg, Buford and Kilpatrick were ascertained to be moving in this direction. Colorfel Funsten skirmished with their advance, and fell back that night to. Tack's shop, on the Madison and Ora'l turnpike, some six miles below.the Court House. General Stuart with the three brigades of Hamptofi's division and several pieces of his horse artillery, took position at the shop next morning. During the night the enemy hnd moved Gregg's division round to our left, Buford's moved down the pike and occupied our front, while Kilpatrick had by a forced march bore undiscovered far round to our right. Against these superior odds and well laid combinations only three small brigades of our cavalry could be brought to bear. Our forces met Buford a shod distance beyond Jack's shop, where the sharpshooters and artillery of each party became actively I. Our men were gallantly holding the
positioB, when the enemy, fron In- superior numbers, was disi ered throwing a heavy body round through the woods to QUI lift, which caused as to fall hack and take anothi r position, below the village. Tie- ruga-rineiit u -.is continuing hotly round the vill with but little advantage to eithei party, when infortnati that Kilpatrick had gone round and the Ka: Wil-
hite'a ford, had reorossed at Libert} M M ciisoii pike m our rear. G a< - to withd
hit- I 'lietly from ]. nth
>lina reginnnt to hold him in i Buford had ap f'"1
a. id attempted to pi Colonel 1
134 •
comb, of the Second S >uth Carolina, gallantly met him; a stubborn hand to hai aed, checking and driving him hack, and
then slowly retired after the column, that had roel Kilpatrick about two miles below. The command wan novi completely surrounded, and no recourse but to fight out or surrender. The former alter- native was resolved upon. <> >de up ami down their linei
. apprised the men of their awful situation, encouraging; them to do their best. The confidenl enemy began to press in front and rear — then was presenter the novel Bight of fighting the
!my m front and rear at (he Bame time. Our gons from the same hill pointed both ways, opened vigorously upon the circum- venting* columns of tli«> enemy. A portion of J Brigade, the Phillips Legion; Fourth North (' irolina and the Cobb Legiou, w ordered to charge the enemy in front, which was performed in a most gallanl Btyle, breaking their col umus, driving them across the
iidan at Liberty Mills, capturing about one hundred and fifty prisoners. Buford was held in check in the rear, formerly our front. Kiljiatriek was closeIy*followed up od the Orange Bide, and after 1 Bharp fight above the Mills he was driven back across the river about dark, losing several prisoners. Oar loss in this en-
■ in. -t.t was aboul one hundred killed, wounded and missing. Colonel Wm. Deloney, of the Cobb Legion, was Beverelj wounded and fell into the enemy's bauds — one ot our most gallant officers.
The enemy's loss was taiued to have I a upwards of three
hundred killed, wounded and captured. Among the captured I
Ivilpatiiek's Adjutant, a Captain Irwin — who had been eaptnred at tysburg, and had violated his parole. •
Gregg's Division, that had gone round on the right, mad.- a dash
at OUT e mips, near the junotioh of the BobinSOO and Knpidan
Etivers on the neck knowaasthe Boras Shoe, where alone the First South Carolina Regiment and the Jeff. Davis Legion boldly met the in, and gave 1 1 1- in such ii warm reception, as to satisfy them that bhey could make nothing in that quarter) causing them to
retire in the direction of .Madison C. II.
On the following morning, Genera] Stuart having received rein- forcements trom Pitz. Lee's division, followed alter the enemy and drove them lata that evening precipitately across the Robinson River. The enemy had started provisioned with several days' rations, and doubtless proposed an extensive raid upon our com- munipation in rear, in which old pet object he was toiled by the
Hampton's cavalry. 135
superior courage and hard fighting of our men. The enemy had the plans on us, but sadly lacked the pluck to carry them out. Colonel j3t. Leger Grenfell, a British cavalfy officer, who was pres- ent on the occasion with Stuart, expressed himself at the surpri- singly happy termination of this affair "as one of the' most brilliant on record. The depressing influences that usually attend troops when they know they are surrounded, were not evinoecLin the' slightest manner b^T the men, but each man when being appri of the situation, only gritted his teeth the more savagely and grasped his sword the firmer, and that under such circumstan- ces the best Continental cavalry would have thrown down their arms;"* but these ragged sons of freedom, "who feed their horses on weeds, and pay a dollar a piece for horse shoe nails," presented the striking anomaly of turning, a whip into a whip by shaking an enemy twice their numbers off their back, and kicked him far enough to the rear so as. to deal a stunning blow to another of equal size in front, and kept it up till he was sore of the job he had undertaken.
B KETCHES FROM
CHA Pf B B XVII. QBHBBAL l.Vi [JPON MEADEB FL \\K— BT0 LBTB BPLHHDID
with Gordon's \m> rotJNo's brigades at bobibsob an
>RDtB POJ LOWS DP THJ kXD attacks THEM BEAR OULPEPBB
• COURT HOUSB,AND ^GAIN ROUTS THEM— FITZ. LEI ATTACKS IB ATXOBTOH LOT RACCOON FOBBfi 3EVERE FIOHT ENTIRELY
ROUTS THKM— THI'V STAND AND GIVE FIGHT AT 8TBTEN8BUB(|, BUT IBB AGAIN ROUTED — BTUABT \\I> KIT.'.. I IK MAKE A JUNCTION AT BB STATION— ANOTHER BEYEBE DAY ' B8, AND T11K BNBMT
AGAH ROUTED AND DRIVEN '• B IE RAPPAHANNOCK — JONBS'.BRIG-
ADH BBOOUNTBB GBEGG?8 CAVALB1 DIVISION AT JEFFERSON, WD AFTER "A SEVERE FIGHT, DRIVES HIM ACROSS THE RIVKU WITH HEAVY LOSS — GENERAL YOUNG BLUFFS THE BNBMY AT CULPEPEB- ITS BUBs
ROUNDED AT AUBURN — CUTS HI- W \V OUT — THE AFFAIR AT HRISToW — STUART PUSHES THE KXEMY's BRAE AND ENGAGES HIM AT M WASSAS-"- MEADE MAKES HI.- B8CAPE — OUU ARMY RETIRE AFTKK DESTBOYING THE RAILROAD — STUART DRAWS HLPATRICK ON EH PURSUIT TIHNS UPON HIM AND ROUTS 1HM WITH HEAVY I."—. CAPTURING SEVERAL WAGONS AND AMBULANCES AND A GOOD NUMBER OF PRISONERS RETIRES LFTBB THE ARMY ACROSS THE RAPPAHANNOCK — TAIDI OHIVALBI VI. WOMEN.
The circumstances surrounding tne enemy's occupancy of Cul-< peper pave ntt tokens of active operations upon our lines on the Rapidan. Accordingly General Lee resolved 6 a Hank movement upon his position, hoping thereby to draw the enemy ou1 and com- pel him to an open engagement, or failing in this event, by rapid marches to bead him off before he could reach his fortifications in his rear, and force him to an issue. His plan being to throw Mi forces across the upper lords of tin- Rapidan and move unobserved on hisrighi Hank, hie fori withdrawn from their position on
the Rapidan, and crossed above the junction of the Robinson Etiver
early on the morning of the 8th of < Ictohrr, and proceeded in the
direction of Madison Court Boose. A bLow of force in front of the enemy was still kept up on the Rapidan by burning beavycamp fires, and by keeping our regular picket force in front, and the bet. ter to conceal our advance, our forces were led along meandering
HAMPTONS CAVALRY. 137
by-ways, evading all high grounds, so as Jo keep concealed from the enemy from their lookouts on Thoroughfare Mountain and their other elevated points.
Late Friday evening General Stuart advanced with Hampton'! cavalry division, bearing considerably round to the right, resting on Friday night beyond Madison Court Hon I |0nel Cham-
bliss,*commanding General W. II. F. Lee's brigade was ordered to cross the Rapidan River at Peyton's Ford, and pieket Robin River and keep up the line of pickets unbroken till he could swing round by Madison Court House, and cross the river some where in that vicinity.
Early the following morning, the 10th, Genernl Stuart cr the Robinson River above James City. Throwing forward Cor- don's brigade in front and Youngs to the right, the enemy's line of pickets were charged and captured. The supports, a body of cavalry and infantry, were discovered near Bethesda Church. Lieutenant Dandrell, of the Jeff. Davis Legion, making the recon- noissance, reported the fact to General Stuart of the enemy's infan- try being there in force. He turned with a smile of nervous satisfaction, " they are the very bucks I want," ordered a r< giment from each brigade forward to charge them. Our eager troop fell upon them* soon confusing and putting to flight the whole force, capturing nearly the whole of the One Hundred and Twenti- eth New York infantry, the rest breaking with the fugitive cav- alry, escaped by reaching the thick wood and tlyi e moun- tains. It was really diverting to have witnessed I - of our dismounted boys chasing the fugitive infantry, bar] iug sad yelp* ing like a pack of hounds in close chase after a f around, occasionally one would jump from his biding plaoe with ponderous knapsack and well packed haversack; with shout, and vociferations the pursuit would join: "Unlimber I (knapsack). Oh. you might as well throw down thai : 1 know you h k little bl dangling from the belt I ; til have It. Yon 'd ji I
lew unhealthy Minie m§* would have the sal;. ing to bay Yankee, coffee sod all.
aing up tie General 1 th his
briga le to the right to Thoroughf Stuart with Gordon't lirectly
road l(
18
!i th.it pi ice. E ? morni! -ininand \v:is
id forward after the retre I emy, and overtook a body of
Iry a Bborl distance from the Courl House, whom Genera]
q to ch u -"• : he led with the F. urth th Carolina, comm inded by Golonel » i. D. Ferebee, in advai He it'll upon them in a most gallant style, rooting and driving them in wild confusion, capturing a pood number. Our I small. The colonel of the reg severely wounded, nobly
discharging his <luty al the head ol his column.
While tins flank movement ffcac g,in the meantime the
my Bad d 1 a change in our front, and had Belf-compla*
c.-ntlv supposed that Lee was retiring and falling hack npoo ELich- mond; and to fully ascertain this fact, Buford had taken out his division on Sunday morning to make a reconno beyond the
Raptdan, and was crossing at Morton's Ford, when Fitz. Lee, who had been left at these f< ked him and drove him immedi«
ately back across the river, crosB< d his command, and {pressed after .him; he attempted to stand on the Stringfellow Farm, hut was beaten and routed with heav] nd driven in the direction of
Stevensburg, where he rallied hi ea and fought desperately
for some time, hut Fit/. ana compelled him to yield,
leaving the ground strewn with dead men and horses. Pit s. I.
ime gallant spirits, among them Cap- tain W. B. Newton, commanding the Fourth Virginia— a pure and (generous spirit ;.. I a brave and noble officer.
Qeneral Stuart had left Fouog's brigade behind at Thoroughfare Mountain, and despatched Funster round on the left on the Etixey* ville Road; and with Gordon's brigade, after routing the enemy at the last named point, moved directly on Olllpep< r, cap! urine.- >ev- eral prisoners. The main body had retired in the direction ot Brandy, destroying what commissary stores there were left behind, where the divisions of Opatnck had reached, and Buford waa^att beating a retreat before Fit/.. Lee. General Stuart pushed on rap- idly to effect a junction with the latter at or near that point. The whole plain Boutb of Brandy wis a moving mass of Yankee ho men, dashing in a confused pace that seemed to be inclining over to the left, as if beating a retreat in that direction. Gordon's brig- ade alone had reached Botts' fcrm, about 8 mile distant. Stuart anxiously stretches his gaze to the south fort lUmnsof Fit/.
Lee, and then upon the retreating masses of the Yankee?, impa-
Hampton's cavalry. 1:19
tiently, and soliloquizes to himself, "Oh, that Fit/,. Loe only was dp to time." Immediately the dust of hii advance is Been rising, and hia guns thundering far on the right against a broken column of Yankees that he is driving rapidly before him in the direction of Brand}'. The Yankees betray a nervousness, and still hear to the. left. A portion of Gordon's brigade, the Fourth and Filth North Carolina regiments, under that gallant officer, led by Stuart in person, are thrown forward and meet the advan.ce of the Yankee column just .beyond John Minor Butts', and were charging this body with evidence of success, when suddenly a heavy column of the enemy pours over the hill upon their flank ; it is with the ut- most dexterity the command is withdrawn, and Generals Stuart and .Gordon, who were mingling in the charge, barely escape capture.
In this affair it is due, to relate an incident of coolness unrivalled. As these two regiments were driven back, Private II. W. Ahwin- der, Company F, of the Fifth North Carolina, being mounted on quite an inferior charger (favoritely known in the company as Billy Patterson), in wheeling suddenly to make the retreat. Hilly losing his equilibrium, fell with his devoted master under him. In this uncomfortable position a part of our column ami the entire Yankee column passed over miraculously without hurting either. The un- fortunate rider lay unable to i himself from Billy- rous weight, who quietly lay stretched out his full length, making no efforts f" rise. The Yankee column was being in the meantime beaten back in another direction, and those who were dismout in the light were making their way back. One of the. dismounted party was running down the, road inwards our entangled hero, - poising himself on his elbow, drew up hii t.i his shoulder and coolly demanded a surrender. The Y-mk' down his arms and acknowledged himself taken iii wet." The firmer extended this mortification still further by hold- ing his bead on the game, compelling tie- p tricating hia From hii un protean 1 Bittu
At this juncture the coluo T \
hastily fprm on the first hue of i
artillery i- thrown forward and worked with U
while the enemy's guns respond with a
The sharpshooters ol each part3 bill bl
Our columns with drawn trot across th<
140 SKETCHES FROM
old l>;it tie-ridden plains, rocking with the thunders of artillery raking op and plowing the earth in devilish fury; as they near the enemy's column the trot is b purred to a gallop, accompanied with the demon yell that lives the Southern troopers to tie/ wildest fury ; they, with raised sabres unquailingly dash into the Hashes .if the Yankee pistols that greet thctn in successive volleys. The two hostile columns interlock : the Yankees are forced back from their position upon heavy supports behind; our renewed efforts still push them back, and at last at twilight the field is cleared — the smoke-wrapt plain of Brandy is again ours! The enemy made a most stubborn resistance, and it was only by straight forward, hard fighting that he was compelled to yield, leaving; a large Dum- ber of killed, seventy-five wounded, and three hundred prisoners in our hands. Our loss was, about eighty killed and wounded. The enemy during the night, under cover of his guns, crossed the .Rappahannock.
A remarkable instance of individual courage and daring oc- curring in one of the desperate charges is here worthy of notice. Joe Loving, a fearless and intrepid soldier of the First North Carolina, in the charge, sprang far into the enemy's ranks, boro out a Yankee otlicer and halted a few paces from the column — the bullets were whizzing thick through the air — he made the Yankeo rein up at his side, who betrayed the greatest impatience to get out of such a hot place, coolly unslung his carbine and went to picking off- blue-coats with as much nomckalanM as though he was shooting gray squirrels in the woods. The frightened tinselled begged and implored to be taken to the rear, but cool Joe still continued to level and bring down his victim. " My God," he -ex. claimed, "we will both be killed, let's get away from here." " Wh ,t. leave here?" the former retorted, "imrv time — thar's a fair acre of you blue-bellies overthar, and I 've got'to see it cleared first." Joe continued to give them the best he had, till he had the satisfaction of seeing his favorite '' acre" cleared, and safely bore off his trembling prisoner, of whom he averred that even after the danger was over "he still continued to be scared into three fits <u minute."
The next morning General Stuart resumed his march and crossed the Hazel River, and proceeded on to Jeffersonton on the Rixey- ville road in front of General Ewell's corps. Colonel Funsten, com- manding Jones' brigade, had moved on in front and came up with
Hampton's cavalry. 141
Gregg's whole cavalry division at Jeffersonton, where he had post- ed liis forces in a strong position, behind houses, hills, and the stone walls of a church. The Eleventh Virginia regiment was in advance; the other cavalry was still behind. This regiment was dismounted as sharpshooters, and promptly charged the enemy, and after a most gallant attack had to fall back with loss. Ram* seur's brigade, of Rhodes' division, now came up and appeared in the enemy's front, opening a brisk skirmish with him ; while Gen- eral Stuart, with the Twelfth* Virginia, bore round to the left and led a bold and successful charge on the flank, and routed them in confusion, driving them over the Rappahannock. The enemy posted a strong guard of infantry and dismounted cavalry to hold the ford. Lieutenant Colonel Massie, of the Twelfth Virginia, was ordered to charge it, which he did in the most gallant style, under a most galling fire qf artillery Bnd musketry. After crossing .he Vigorously followed, charging another body that had rallied. Le cleared the hills beyond. In this engagement we killed and wounded upwards of two hundred, capturing about five hundred prisoners. Our loss was pretty severe, mostly in wounded. These charges were made under the eye of General Lee and General Rhodes, who witnessed with the highest satisfaction the result--. declaring that no troops could have behaved better.
It seemed that the Yankees were, up to Monday morning, in doubt as to the real proportions of our demonstrations. And Mon- day morning, after Stuart left Brandy, he^ sent bark across the Rappahannock, at Kelly's Ford, two divisions of cavalry, the second, third and sixth corps, to make, a reconnoissanoe. They pushed on to Brandy, where Colonel Rosser, with about two hun- dred men and one piece of artillery, had been left to watch out for any movement from below. The enemy appeared suddenly in the evening; Colonel Rosser dismounted his command and deployed them as sharpshooters; with these and his gun he fought them, retiring from hill to hill, in the direction of Qulpeper 0. II.. wl a large train of A. P. Hill's wagon train had arrived. In tho meantime General Younir, with his brigade that had I I he-
hind at Thoroughfare Mountain, receiving Colonel 1; sage, hurried up and took-p-isition beyond the Court House, lb- dismounted nearly his entire brigadi
hhmee of an extensive front, and boldly skirmished with then and opened his few pieces of artillery with a vim upon the enemy's
1 LJ SKETCH!
advance; which was vigorously kepi 114 > till night. He had his men to build uj> ■ camp fires along the entire front, and
bad his brass band brought to the front and played every martial air that could be thought of till lat.' in the night. This gal- lant young genera] thus adroitly baflfed ami kept the enemy off; who deeming this bold, open-banded, defiant proceeding as ema- nating from a heavy force, quietly withdrew in the latter pari <>f the nfght and recrossed the Bappahannock, who trotted doggedly mi the tracks of their retreating comrades, who had, by this time, learned something of the extanl of Lee's movements', asd v making Gilpin speed to evade him.
The enemy had now become lull sensible of his poeitton, and was running with all his might for 1ms works near Washington : his columns were puehing along the line of the Orange and Alexandria Bailroad. Ewell was moving rapidly in his rear; Hill was bearing round so as to gain his front before reaching Manassas ; Stuart placed between She two columns. •
After defeating the enemy al Warrenton Bprings, General Stuart moved on to Warrenton, clearing Swell's front, and bivou- acked near that place. Next m ing abonl ten o'clock, he tooh
L'unax's. (iordon's and Funsten's brigades and proceeded in the direction of Catlett's Station to make a reconuoissance. Grossing the road Leading from Warrenton Junction to Greenwich.be le*ft Lomax's brigade as a guard in bis rear, and was proceeding with the others on in the direction of Catlett's Station in order to gain the llank of the enemy passing there. In the meantime the enemy passed a column of theirs round on this Greenwich Road, and in its course accidentally placed itself between Genera] Stuart and the force4 ai the cross-roads, and ah. 'in dark he found himself com* pletery cut off. This column moving on his left and the one down the railroad on his right, he found himself suddenly in an uncom- fortable angle, with the base also a moving mass of Yank- Fully ascertaining his position afcoul dark, he turned in to the left a short distance off the road pear Auburn, and quietly masked both brigaides, Gordon's and Funsten's, and Major Beckham's artil- lery, under a hill as close as man and horse could conveniently be packed, and there went into silent, cheerless bivouac for the night. The darkness of the night Beemed to favor the forlorn situation, which, however, to the minds of the mosl sanguine, without some outside "relief, would be bul a prolongation of the disaster that
Hampton's cavalry. 143
seemed awaiting; us on the coming morning, should the enemy still occupy his position, or in more hopeful moments could we, Micaw* ber-like, hope for something in the night to turn up and relieve us from the unpleasant dilemma. The strictest silence was enjoined ; a correspondent fully delineates the situation dming the night. "Not a word was allowed, except in a low whisper ; not a spark of fire could be struck, while the long night we stood there listening to the confused sounds of that mighty column of armed foes pass- ing by us a few hundred yards off. We could distinguish by the sound everything that passed — the murmur of infantry, the hoof* music of the cavalry, the heavy rumbling of artillery, the rattling of wagons, and the shouts of the cattle and sheep drivers. Anx- iously we waited, the morrow. A few laid down, and shivering, slept : many watched and wondered ; many whispered thpir con- jectures of the result: of our strange situation. All were quiet — the horses seemed to feel the necessity of it, and the verv mules of the ambulances, though they had not been fed since morning, re- strained from their usual demonstrative cries. All waited wonder* ingly for morning ; and oh, the wild waking of that morning. Shortly after daylight the enemy en masse were seen bivouacked on a hill about four hundred yards olT, making fires and preparing to cook breakfast."
The morning was quite foggy, from which it was still hoped that the enemy would pass us unobserved ; hut the firs! rays of the SUB lifted it away. Yet the enemy still remained with .-tacked arms, laughing and talking in high glee over their coffee and hard tack, perfectly unconscious that a rebel was near. General Stuart or- dered everything in readiness. The artillery waa suddenly run up to the top of the hill, and all seven pieces opened at once on the astounded foe, who quickly deployed in line of battle. Our guns continued to pour it into their ranks. General Gordon with First North Carolina, commanded by Colonel Thos. Etaffn, ordered forward to charge and break the enemy's line-. The enemy had formed in three lines ;it the threatened point. 'I brave veteran, troopers went down npon them bysqaadn u fearless yell, dashed against the first line a:,! bn the
point of tli'' sabre, hurling it back ii
which in turn is like* i with
lling fire into tie .inn,
causing a temporary recoil. Their noble cominai
144 f-KETCHEs 1-ROM
front, and with bis tall form raised high in the stirrups, hie noble ©ye Hashing tire, he earnestly calls oul : " My men, all 1 ask pf you is to folio iv me," and had scarcely closed his lips when, a fatal hall pierced him through and reeli d him from his saddle. His men, as though inspired with his invincible spirit, with vengeful shout rush with redoubled fury upon this compact line of the enemy and with a few terrible surges throw it back in confusion on the last line ; which is likewise broken and scattered before the clashing sabres of these fearless troopers. This successful ell'ort now opened a way for our pent up columns. The artillery and all passed on safely out. General Gordon, who had borne himself most nobly in this light, had captured a whole infantry regiment, but a superior force of the enemy arriving compelled him to release it. This charge has scarcely a parallel for gallantry and sin- ful daring, and may well rival the most brilliant of Murat's gallant dashes. General Gordon had the heel of his boot shot away, ami a spent ball struck him a hard blow on the side of the nose. Col- onel Baffin was left mortally wounded, and died ; he was a most gallant officer, adevoted patriot, and a gentleman in the highest traits*of character ; our other loss was small. The enemy's must have been considerable, as our troopers cleaved many down in the charge, and the artillery played upon them With good effect.
General Stuart made a detour still further round and came on the rear of the enemy's Last corps. Keeping well upon its rear, captured a number of prisoners, and bivouacked near Warren ton.
On the same evening, A. P. Hill dashed for the enemy's front at Bristow Station — but who had made such extremely fast time for the last eight hours— but struck only his real, which, though a small affair, failed to add anything to that officer's laurels.
The Yankee army now, by its remarkable celerity, had placed itself beyond the reach of Lee. He, however, was followed up by our cavalry the following day. General Fitz. Lee, with his cavalry followed up and? attacked the enemy at Blackburn's Ford, on Bull Run, the scene of the battle of the 18th July, 1861, where .he skirmished and drove them off. General Stuurt, with the other division, in the meantime, proceeded to Bates' Ford to cut off their wagon. train ; coming up with tbe enemy, had a severe light, which continued for some time in the night, driving the enemy steadily before him across Bull Run. Here once more these old beaten plains were greeted by the faint notes of battle, which doubtless
HAMPTONS CAVALRY. 145
to our retreating foe conjured up the terrible scenes of the past, and placed them far from wishing to cross arms with us again upon those ill-omened plains.
The entire command bivouacked for the night on these waste and desolate plains, which from its thoroughly desolated appear- ance reminds one* that it had really been plowed and sown in salt. Even the birds seemed lost in Hying aCross it. ' •
Meade now, by his remarkable speed, had placed himself beyond pursuit, from which 'our army now turned and gave its attei jtion to interrupting his line of communication, in destroying the fail road, bringing it on with them as they leisurely retired to the Rappa- hannnock.
On the next morning, the 16th, General Stuart left Fitz.Lee at Manassas to watch the movements of the enemy in front, and with Hampton's division he sot out to make an expedition in their rear: At Groveton he met the enemy's picket, which was driven in, and then moving to the left by Gainesville, he crossed the Catharpin and Little Rivers, and fell into the turnpike below Aldie, and then proceeded to the rear of Frying Pan. where he encountered a con- siderable body of infantry and skirmished with them for two hoc driving them back a short distance, he found himself Cpnfroi by the Sixth Corps, who encamped there, busily entrenching against an attack from Lee's army. General Stuart boldly pushed forward several pieces of his artillery, an<b complimented them With a number of shell and round shot, and then quietly withdrew, and marched back without any molestation, leaving the dumb- founded enemy standing off at long rang'', shelling the empty wood long after he had gone. If has been since definitely ascertained that "this expedition induced the enemy to retire his vohHU force fron n&e to F Court Ho der the tmj 'hut
ul gotten in his r< ■ bout i<< attack
On the 18th, General Stuart still was hovering- round, watching the movements of Meade, who hail n abort fl
1,,. had asc taii d otfr ■ my#had retired. This 1 • of this
lightfooted retrograde movement >■ ■• had thus slowly with-
drawn, and fully persuadi d that his track was cold, with I apparently contradictory to his conduct, in bitt< ported to have used the "pungent expression," "that it was like pulling an eye tooth not to have 1, d I I to
keep up an apparent
r.i
1 10 BK]
: about to relieve ie pain
ui cunning, unfeeling Jeb with bid cavalry stiU in his r( tot illy ignorant of the homoeopathic
rion of hia dashing cavaliers, projected a mischievous man* ..■in tits of which, doubtless, relieved but li
the pungent grief df the disappointed Yankee chieftain.
General Stuart having left Fit.-. Lee behind below Gainesville,
nth all the other cavalry ! efore Kilpatrick, who v
ivmg like a hyena, boasting to a citizen on the io.nl that
larl had. been boasting of driving him from Culpeper, and how
ras going to drive Stuart." He ia described as abont sitting
down to an ercellenl dinner that he had ordi ase
the remark, when the sound 61 our guns from bhe direction Gainesville attracted hjs attention ; he unceremoniously took his leave, and with a few rapid strides be gained his horse, and in i fused has.te dashed dinner! ess away. The preconcerted signal from Fitz. bee was announced, whe/J General Stuart, who .had Retreated before the- enemy two miles below New Baltimore, who with Kil- patrick'a whole division, with Custer's brigade in advance, v. pushing rapidly alter him, he faced Hampton's division abbnt, throwing Gbrdon'i brigade in advance, with the other two brig- . Young's and [Josser's, moving up in support. Pushing back rapidly he appeared suddonlj ; I thai had de-
ployed just this hide of the village to receive us, with bis sharp- shooters thrown forward, awaiting a leisure Bkirmish, thai usuallj precedes a cavalry action, but Genera] Stuart was not disposed to await formalities. The old veterans of the First North Carolina, led by Colonel Unfit- Barringer, was ordered immediately to chs the Yankee column, who vn up in a beautiful line, with
the stars and stripes flaunting gaily in the breeze. Down upon •a our columo furiously pounc< d, and in the face of leaden hail from their p ad oarbinea, after ibre clashes the ene-
my's line d and broke helter skelter down the pike ; <l
ening yeHs rent the air, adding an impetus to'their flight ; on they went pell mell in one flyi ded on by the aabre poittl
their eager pursuers. Their offic ime points attempted to
rally th.eir men, 1 C vies, a most gajlant and dashing
officer, who with the i : utstripp . _ ive
them no time to make a rally, would dash recklessly upon th
r»o
HAMPTONS CAVALRY. 147
sabring them down or taking them prisoners, Oa the race wenl for several miles, driving them across Their broken line
here again attempted to rally. It was indeed an amusing seen have witnessed the efforts nf the Yankee offi< they reached
the opposite hill, flashing through their confused, jumbled up ranks, attempting to steady and rally their men, with curses and oaths in- termingled with their buglers' corifused fiotes, giving their varie- gated footings more the domestic sound of a covey of cackling 'Guinea hens than inspiriting martial airs. Our gallant captain, who still had a portion of the most fleet of the advance up with him, dashed upon them, adding chaos to confusion, cleared the hills, capturing a number of prisoners.
■ In the meantime Fitz. Lee had tapped the enemy's flanks from the right. They broke to the left at Buckland down Broad Run. and were so hotly pursued that they deserted their ambulanee and
wagon train that was captured in crossing the run. The f>Ul ■was still kept up Vigorously for two miles further, picking up * frightened batches of prisoners all along the. route. Dark now came on; still General Stuart pushed on, driving them back on their infantry near Ilavmarket. The moon was shining brightly. Genera] Stuart w ith a small body of dismounted men went for to reconnoitre. The conversation in their infantry camp could be distinctly heard. Our sharpshooters wen I ■shelled the woods all an. and. • All demonstration finally c< our part, when a ri< h m urred. The enemy thinking had entirely withdrawn, sent out a company to pickel on the Back- land Road. After pro< ding some disl vu the i
officer in charge of the major, rode up to oui \
quiring for General Webster, who it
to place the picl 3 iyt, with the liitl-
or fifteen men with him, was lying in tie by. Oar vi-
dettes whom the major accost leywithnim,
when til will ]
find General W He •■• v me wl
picket" V*
'• Here, hei i ' ' ■
Whereupon the little party b
With hi- C > apaiiv iniine'li-it'";-
to the i
1 1- SKETCH]
»
This incident closed the"Buokland R Cilpet rick's divif
• in the whole Federal was killed, captured, and
dispersed. In this affair about tine • hundred and fifty prisoners and a Urge proportion killed and wounded. Our a Inconsiderable. And to cap the climax to this Yankee cava- lier's misfortune, he 1os4 his celebrated rac* horse, li seems he has a passion for racing, and kept a favorite thoroughbred mare, called "Lively," which in this famoua < ing led by one of his order-
lies, somehow flew the track and took to the wends and fields, and was a few days after picked up k ' M sby's men, and also
two of his soldiers whom lie had sent to scour the country for i and Livtdv's chagrined master may not be surprised Bhould Bhe 'cause him to fly the track before this war is over.
In the same connection there is another happy incident coa- ted with this affair. The Yank e < reneral Custer,* who led Kil- patrick's advance after Stuart from Buckland, is .-described as being quite exquisite in hie person — long, curly, flaxen hair, dripping with unguents, flowing down round his shoulders, chap lued with a high Hack felt, freighted with an undue proportion of feathers, dressed in ldue velvet, trimmed with a profusion of gold lace, with ening patent leather boots op to his knees, bedecked with silver spurs, dashing along with a similarly exquisite staff at the head of his column. He reined up with a pompous air at a lady's doo'r on the roadside near \e\v Baltimore, and inquired i! all Stuart's cavalry had retreated beyond that point. The lady re- plied thai she thought not. And in the mosl r spirit he onded: ''Well,d — n 'em, they had better be a making quick time, for we 'II put the ragged aboun Irels before us faster than they came down,'" and then spurred off in. dashing style to over- t be head of his column, which he had iched, when bad tiie presurqption lb give him notice that they were in his fronl him and stall" soon to exercise » that form of tactics anything but complimentary to hie boasted '.v. Leaning forward, digging bis spurs into his horse al every
jump, hat in hand, curls streaming wildly in the air, staff and all dashed through the town (as a little urchin standing by describes
it, " j tin"). Every rebel yell from behind but increased his
«
• " This officer acknowledged, on the entire expedition, a loss of three thousand horses from his command.
Hampton's cavalry. ' 140
pace to such a pitch as to challenge the devil to take the hind- most, and where the poor tarletan stopped there is " no telling ;" probably he may have had himself expressed to some experienced barber on Broadway, to have his disheveled curls arranged for another onward to punish the"ragged scoundrels *' for their rude- ness in so badly disarranging • his toilet. But the "unkindest cut of all:" Among the wagons captured .was the headquarters bag- gage of this exquisite officer, containing his papers, clothes and everything. The papers gave us some interesting facts connect d with their cavalry, showing much heavier loss in the recent cam- paigns than we expected.
With the "Bitckland Races '^terminated the cavalry part of the campaign, which was one unbroken series of sn >m the
time it crossed the Rapidan and Robinson Rivers till the last fin- ishing stroke at Buckland. alone placing -kors de combat between two and three thousand of the enemy.
The excellent plans of our cavalry chieftain — the nice calcula- tion of time, chance, and material, and the manner in which they were so beautifully executed by those entrusted with them, ig in- deed remarkable* and the frequent sudden emergencies that ai and the manner in which officers and men met them, will not fail to challenge the respecj of the country. An excellent comment upon the services of the cavalry in this < ampaign is given from the pen of another :
''They have met and fought the enemy all along the roods from the Rapidan to the Rappahannock, advancing upon the Federals by two routes. They guarded the flan) he
.marched bo intercept Me^de, doing the work so perfectly that
leral general never at any time could ascertaii * in
relation to Lee's moi ei T
and final stm I the Rappahannock ; they
did the sam< I iy at Warrentoi 3|
retreating "columns seriously, I .inn: ; tl
drove them BuH Run. and took p sin
front of Centreville : they p< I to the
ing Pan, and mad" them fall b i '
II. and oi it 1 <
ir rear : they gol Kdpali ick
and broke ; bis en tin nd, killing, captui iriv-
ing them back on their infantry
150 SKETCHES FROM
whole Federal bi Tl y effected these results, besides fu^
rushing General Lee with thorough and reliable information of every movement and design on the part of the enemy.
"And yet. these services of the cavalry have not been Cnore im- portant than upon other occasions. The'high reputation for cour» age and efficiency which they have received has not been the re- Bultof bette '-hip on the part ofHhe commanders, or
gallantry on the perl ol the met. [I has resulted from the circum- Btanee that the infantry of thenar my had ar/opportunity to set the cavalry at work, and observe //■■■ *.*.** -' Far from the
field of cavalry operations, which ate generally on the flanks of the army, or in the rear or front, some honest minded men repeated sneers emanating from some regiments, and ended by believing every calumny that was circulated. The only explanation thai be given for the naive and enthusiastic applause thai greeted the charge at Warrento'n Springs — a gallant and dashing little affair, it is true — but only one of many Buch which occur on every expedi- tion of the cavalry. The infantry broke out in rapturous plaudits on that occasion, and evidently thought that such things ran ly occurred — that the cavalry had 'turned over B new leaf.'
"We repeat, that the misfortune has been heretofore that the brave buys of the infantry did not see their comrades of the cav- alry at work, and not finding them prominent in the big battles, believed they preferred the rear, and did no fighting. It is fortu- nate this hall il ei nation is exploded. The gallant hlood of the noble hearts which Hows in every cavalry light cries aloud against this cruel calumny. While the infantry are resting after their toils, the cavalry are fighting ; and it. would astonish some of those who have been in the habit of repeating the sneers alluded to, if they coirld know how much precious blood of field officers, company officers, and noble men in the ranks is shed in almost every skirmish which occurs on the outposts.*'
Our command withdrew at its leisure, and recroased the Rappa- hannock wit hou t the least molestation, and was placed on the upper fords of the Rappahannock and Ila/.el Rivers.
"There is a 'plan! most fragrant when trampled on," has a most beautiful aptitude in the following instance of the devoted heroism .of one of Culpeper's noble daughters. After vacating Culpeper, General Kilpainck made his headquarters at the house of Mr. H. Triplets, near Stevensburg. The mother and two interesting daugh-
Hampton's cavaliit. 151
tera comprised the family, whose rare devotion to bur cause ex- tended by no. means a free-willed hospitality to such guests, whoso special kindness had been lavished upon the oilier party far be- yond their means, and will be remembered by many a grateful Confederate soldier long after the war is over. Their Yankee guest is represented ms one strictly after the Puritan sehool — stern and unrelenting in his decrees — and his name was a terror to the helpless man or woman whose open expressions of "disloyal sentiments'" should reach his e.irs. Notwithstanding his well known character for severity, the eldest daughter, Miss Eliza* w;is far from being unnerved at his presence, and gave frequent and unreserved expressions of her devotion to our cause before these Yankee lordlings, of which the Yankee general was duly ap- prised ; and in punishment of such open heresy, he ordered the "stars and stripes '* to hang from the young lady's chamber win- dow. The officer anfl party entrusted with the execution of tho order were proceeding to execute it, when the young lady met them at her door, and defiantly forbade them entrance. The affair was immediately reported to the chivalrom Yank, who perempto- rily ordered the execution of his order, and if the young lady per- sisted, to arrest her and ship her to Washington. The officer returned, and found her still as obdurate as before, and in fori her of General Kilpatrick's decree. She sternly declared thai the hated flag should not float from her window, and she was willing to resign herself to her late, and nothing but the tears and entreat of her mother could persuade her to desist from her purpose. The hated emblem was unfurled from the window, and the V j cials \ ere chuckling over their victory over this ' rebel she add when the noble girl's mortification gave way to despi
rushed up stairs, and was proceeding to tear down the hated embh m, and was only prevented by a Yank in, who
capitulated by removing it himself. The V •• officer indul the insult, which finally resulted in challenj
- rhis s '■:•' ] o ing l.i'lv, duri _ tillci'v dm I
wounded in an 00 ly near the spot— the poor man f« after him I
■
.. mad fmy hard by.
152 BKETCtES FROM
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR AT RAPPAHANNOCK STATION — THE i:\ AVI- ATION OP CULPBPER COUNTY — fe*ENERAL HAMPTON RETURNS TO HIS COMMAND AND COVERS THE RETREAT — TAKES THE OLD LEV THE RAPlDAN — GENERAL HAMPTON MAKES A SUCCESSFUL FORAY IN THE FNEMYS LJNES, SURPRI8H&'' AND CAPTURES \ CAMP— MEADE ADVANCES AND CROSSES THE RAPIHAN— OIK CAVALRY HABA8S HIS FLANK AND REAR — HE PRECIPITATELY RETREATS BACK ACROSS THE RIVER — AN UNKNOWN HERO— CONCLUSION.
After forcing the enemy Hack upon his works near Washin our army took up its old line on the Rappahannock, and Lay quietly
lor several weeks. Detachments were engaged, in the meant inn-, in tearing np the railroad beyond the river. On one occasion the Yankee cavalry made a reconnaissance toward the river and came on the party at work, who promptly met them and drove tlieiu back with considerable loss, while our loss was trifling. A brigade of infantry was kept just on the north hank of the river, in the old works of the enemy. Here a most unhappy episode occureti. Suddenly, on the 6th of November, an overwhelming force of the enemy mad'' their appearance in front of the works, which were held by the veteran brigades of Hays and Hoke, and drove in the pickets, who- were stationed but b short distance from the main body. The main column of the enemy moved on rapidly, and be- fore ^reinforcements from the camp — about six miles distant on the other side of the river — could reach, the enemy, with his heavy columns, had completely invested the works, and gradually closed in upon them^ and after a most desperate resistance the greater portion of these two gallant brigades wen- killed and captured. Bui the enemy paid mosl dearly for his advantage— his first lines were literally torn to pieces. Our men displayed the utmost he- roism : niter their ammunil ion had become exhausted they clubbed their guns, and not till they were hopelessly overpowered did they surrender— really killing and wounding more of the enemy than their own number. The enemy were allowed to cross over Satur- day night without any opposition. Our forces fell back to Stevens-
Hampton's cavalry. 153
burg and awaited them in line for two days. The enerriy showing no disposition to attack, our forces retired across the Rapidan.
To the cavalry was entrusted the bringing up of this retreat. They gallantly met the enemy's advance, and held them in check. General Young's brigade encountered a heavy body of* the enemy on the right, near Stevensburg. General Hampton arriving from his long absence, in consequence of the severe wounds he received at Gettysburg, General Stuart ordered him to his favorite old com- mand, and he immediately repaired to that part of the field. The- skirmish was in full blast as the old scarred hero coolly rode along the battle line amid the welcome shouts of his devoted men, and the whistling of bullets that were shredding the air. The enemy made nothing in that fight, Hampton's boys showing their cherished leader
That the valor shown on former fields, With the true hero never yields.
The cavalry too moved over with the rest of the army and resumed the picket lines.
The Yankees were not doomed to rest with impunity in their regained limits. On the night of the 17th November, General Hampton, with a detachment of about five hundred picked men from each brigade, crossed over at Ely's Ford, penetrated tin- ene- my's lines, and surprised and captured a par.t of the Eighteenth Pennsylvana cavalry, among them an adjutant and one lieutea two flags, one hundred horses and mules, several wagons, mid all the camp equipage. General Rosser's brigade pursued the re- mainder, and drove them back upon their main body near Stevons- burg. In this gallant exploit we lost only one man killed. The command was withdrawn by way of I'l'imanna Ford safely, with the prisoners and the other captor
The yahoo authorities at Washington had, been vainly m^tinc; about for some success from / or from torn
reasonable hope of their radical rebellion-crashing ideas U| in solemn conclave they ordered Meade With his grand army to cross the Rapidan for that favorite purpose; and how fiir ceeded in satisfying the yahoo's wishes, the sequel will show.
The grand advenes reached the lower fords of the EUpidail on the 25th of . November, and were all r with little
opposition: l>ut in the little opposition shown them, oar artill< worked terrible havoc at every passage tin y m 20
I.M - KETCHES FROM
General Lee Bwtmg back his army, resting the right at Yidiors- ville, on the Orange and Fredericksburg Plank Road, -eight miles from the river, and the left on aline fronxVidiersville to the river, coursing along a little stream known as Mine Hun ; thus as it v politely opening a door for his iagn 38. On Friday, the 27th, while Johnston's division was going down to take position on the right, thev were suddenly attacked by two full corps of the enemy. The column was wheeled by the left flank, and charged the enemy at • •. Th6ir lieree onset broke the enemy's entire lino, and drove them back a mile and a half, leaving the ground strewn with his dead and wounded ; and also several hundred prisoners fell into our hands. Our loss was about five hundred in all, mostly wounded. No affair of the war ran lay claim to higher gallantry, for promptness and fierceness of tho onset, which successfully ried the enemy in most overwhelming odds in confusion before them. General Lee strengthened himself in his position, and awaited the attack. The lines of the enemy were advanced in close proximity to ours on Sunday, giving every indication of an early battle.
Our cavalry, in the meantime, were thrown round on their right Hank. Gordon and Young attacked them on Saturday, and alter a sharp engagement, making a successful reoonnoisance of their position, they withdrew their commands back up the plank r<
On the same d;iy Genera! [Josser, with his brigade, made B dar- ing circuit round on the enemy's rear — fell upon a large wagon train — captured and destroyed about sevent\-,:. and
brought off one hundred and fifty line mules and several prisoners.
On*Sunday, General Hampton took the whole division and made another circuit round on tho rear of their left, dashed on Greg Division, severely using it up, driving them through and beyond their camps, capturing the ontire camp equipage, some two hundred prisoners, and a large number of borsi
The command was moved back and resumed its position on our right flank, and on Monday, joined in with our infantry, and was iged in hot skirmishing throughout the day. All day Tuesday the usual monotony of long-ranged skirmish firing was wearing away the patience ot officers and men, and General Lee determined to await the attack no longer, and prepared his columns for action on the ensuing day. His advance was set in motion, when, lo! and behold, nothing but a thin line of skirmishers could be seen re-
Hampton's cavalry. 155
treating rapidly before him. The main colomn had quietly with- drawn during the night, leaving the outside pickets in our front. Their columns had doubled-quicked beyond pursuit, and had com- bined to place the Rapidan between •themselves and Lee's forces. Meade certainly came to fight, but made a poor apology to the God of War, and left in indecent haste. This movement, from the statement of their own prisoners, including the havoc our artillery played among them at the different fords in crossing, cost him over two thousand men. Our loss, with the exception of the engage- ment, was trifling.
In passing over that portion of the ground where our advance skirmish lines had engaged the enemy, one of our soldiers was found lying in a lonely nook of pines, a victim to the sharpshooter's fatal ball. A faint beam of the sun's rays peered through the um- brageous pines, playing dimly in his cold, pale face. His ha some features still wore a calm, sweet, earnest expression, with his pale hands gently folded, and his lustreless eyeballs heavenward, as though in his last moment his dying gaze had lingered on the far- off spirit land. Ho was sleeping death's noblest sleep, an unknown hero.
On the field of strife,
» Battling for his country's dearest rights. «
Which elicited from General Young, as the party was "in mute grief" on the sad spectacle, the following 1 soliloquy :
" There sleeps the true hero. Who knows but he has an anxious father, a fond mother, and teiul-r Bister, or a dear little brothel perhaps a loving young wife at his far-off sunny home, wl hearts at tin- moment are anxiously throbbing for his well While here he 'lies in this wild nook, tar f(pno home and frii weltering in his blood on the frozen ground ; no fond face him in his dying throes — no tender hand soothed his death-1
Turning sadlv away. ;ry him
the best yon can.''
With their sabn it aloBS I vfully dug D1
gave him the soldier's rude buna,
ohaunting his requiem through the tope oi the thick
pines.
156 SKETCHES FROM
No name niark<.l the I
.us war's poor virtini fill; Lot it never, no i • "frot,
down in that lonely « 1« -11 A In n ithout an urn,
Buddy rest, unknown to fame. B orifice will ever burn.
Ah long an liberty beai - i name.
•
The Yankees, during their short visit, perpetrated every species of outrage upon the district of country their army occupied. Says a correspondent : "They re-enacted the 9cenea oflasl December at Fredericksburg — fields were made desolate, houses first sacked and then bnrned, and negroes carried oil' tied ; in a word, everything that devilish malice could BUggest or do was perpetrated upon tho peaceful and non-combatant denizens in their line of march. A lew outrages I will mention. Captain Beate* Mr. Lockwood, and Captain Dick Johnston were seized arid carried off to prison. They burned the houses, kitchens and barns of Reuben Gordon, besides taking all his cattle and grain ; theyjuirned and destroyed many other booses in the vicinity; they sacked the houses of Mrs. Willie and Colonel Etowe; the Locust Grove house was several times
Lbut the lady in it managed to put it out. A most resp able gentleman^ who has been over the entire ground overrun by the enemy, tells me he thinks they carried off eve^y living four- footed animal. To such straits were the people brought by the arts of the enemy, that a gentleman whose character Jor veracity is undoubted, tells me that he Bawsome poor children pulling off
the fat. from the thrown away entrails of slaughtered animals, in order to subsist, and I have heard of one of-the leading citizens of that section, once in great affluence, who was compelled to make application the day after the Yankees left to General Hampton's
commissary lor bread and meat to feed his family. 1 also heard of
a well vouched ease of rape upon the person oi a negro child eleven years old, with other disgusting recital's of the barbarous
luot of this loathsome race, who carry fire and sword in this
cruel crusade, more, if anything, against unarmed and unoffending
women and children and non-OOIBDatant men than our soldiers in arms, whom they are by no means anxious to meet in the field in honorable eonilict."
Hampton's cavalry. 157
This brings us to the close of another year's campaign. The in- creasing vindictiveness and malignity of our cruel and unprinci- pled foe, only foreshadows the hellish intentions that in the event of his success he has in reversion for us, which instead of goading our spirits to despair, only adds additional strength to our disgust, and new energy to our resistance — such a resistance as knows no end, save in success.
We now close our sketches of 1863 ; which leaves us much the same in relation to an early termination* of these troubles as at the end of the campaigns of 1862. The preponderant material and mighty appliances of our foe have been brought, with all his en- ergy, to .bear against us, but we have manfully stood the terrible shock. Entirely relieving our own Capital, we have twice flaunted our battle-flag around his own, and carried it far upon his own soil, and only withdrew it when compelled by extraneous causes. And we can justly congratulate ourselves that we are still "unterrifled, unbroken, and unbent," while the boasted armies of the tyrant at Washington have done but little more than add destruction in their former beaten tracks, and their most advanced outposts ex- tend but little beyond those of the preceding year.
The blood of the best of our land has flown again upon our numerous battle fields ; but the Moloch of war seems not yet satis- fied with the holocaust of death —
But still frowning sits, And with his red right hand He breaks the bloody wand —
Calling for more victims still.
»
The heart upheaves an anxious wish for something to hinge a onable hope for an early peace upon ; bill it returns again, like Noah's dove, and reata in the ark of <>ur holy cause.
Our foe still adheres to the hell-gotten principle of Bubjug and is seemingly resolved to push us 1" the 1 nnty. which
must be met with deeper corresponding spirit. We bare that all outside influence h tin sad illusory — clearly
demonstrating, in our case, that "they wh.» would be free, n themselves strike the bio
The cheerless scenes of winter privations are again on us. The cutting blast, with aching fierceness, plays* over the \* sheeting around us. The third winter our bivouac fin
158 SKETCHES FROM HAMPTON'S CAVALRY.
lighten up our border hills; and the sweet comforts of homo seem distant still. Had we not better live a lifetime thus, in holy hope, contending to preserve ourselves from slavery the most hateful to be conceived?
When we reflect that our foe gloats in devilish satisfaction upon the event of enslaving us and placing us beneath the negro in the social scale ; "better far would be a slavery to the English, for they are noble and brave ; bettor Blavery to the French, for they are gallant and chivalrous ; aye, even to our own negroes, for they at least know what labor is, and wouM have some compassion as task- masters." But should we be but (rue to ourselves, no contingency of this sort need ever overshadow our anticipations. Listen to nothing that the desponding may say, or any proposition that would tend to lure us from the stern path of duty, although that path may be tracked, like that of the heroes of Valley Forge, with blood and suffering. Let us press on, resolved that the past suffer- ings of our ragged soldiery — and all the toil and blood of the past three years — shall lose none of their hallowed influence, and show to our foes
"That a breath of submission we breathe not — The sword we have drawn we will sheaihe not; Its scabbard is left where our martyrs arc laid. And the vengeance of years has whetted its blade ; That they shall never, no never, make us slaves; If they rule it will be over our nshes and graves. Accursed may his memory blacken, If a coward there be that would slacken 'Till we 've expelled our foe, and show ourselves worth, Beings sprung from the God like of earth. Strike home, and the world shall revere us, As heroes descended from heroes."
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