Three Years in the Federal Cavalry — Chapter 14 - Kilpatrick's Gunboat Expedition Part 1

KILPATRICK'S GUNBOAT EXPEDITION.

1863. --Escape of Lee into Virginia.

--Reasons.

--Cavalry Advance into the Valley _via_ Harper's Ferry, and Fight.

--Riot in New York and other Northern Cities.

--Again Across the Potomac on "Sacred Soil."

--Blackberries and Discipline.

--Mails.

--Battle of Manassas Gap.

-- Mosby Again, and His Bands.

--Author's Birthday.

--Kilpatrick's Gunboat Expedition on the Rappahannock.

--Cavalry Captures Navy.

--Complimented by Superiors.

--General Advance of the Army.

--Third Cavalry Battle at Brandy Station.

--Stuart's Cavalry Worsted at Culpepper Court House.

--Sharp Artillery Practice at Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan.

--Special Duties and Special Dangers.

--Good Living Along the Hazel and Robertson Rivers.

--Important Reconnoissance and Raid.

--Hard Fighting and Narrow Escape.

--Needed Rest Received.

--The Paymaster.

--Rebel Plan of Attack Foiled by a Citizen Informer.

--Suspicious Activity on Our Front.

This sudden and masterly movement of the Rebels was a cutting surprise to General Meade, and a source of mortification and chagrin to all.

Gloriously successful as we had been, it was evident that hesitation and indecision had greatly detracted from our laurels.

We had won a world-renowned victory, but we had failed to reap all the legitimate fruits which our situation placed within our reach.

General Lee had been terribly punished, but his escape was quite marvellous.

One writer says: "When his shattered columns commenced their retreat from Gettysburg, few of his officers can have imagined that they would ever reach Virginia with their artillery and most of their trains."

And though their trains were severely handled and greatly injured, yet the old Rebel army of Northern Virginia, with nearly all its artillery, made its exit from soil too sacred to freedom for a Rebel victory.

Their losses, however, had been immense, and they were only too glad to escape in a manner very unlike the audacious way in which they had advanced but a few weeks previous into the Northern States.

It now became the policy of our leader to follow the fugitives as closely as the changed circumstances of affairs would permit, and to give the Rebels no rest, while he endeavored to press them determinedly, and watched them by means of scouts and signal-stations with a jealous eye.

"There is, however, a limit to the endurance which men and horses are capable of, and, beyond this, the overtaxed powers give way, and exhausted nature claims her rights.

Few there are, except those who have had experience, who know how much privation the brave soldier and his general suffer in the toils of the field, on the rapid march, the hasty bivouac, the broken slumbers, the wakeful watchings, and the scanty fare."

It must be remembered, also, that our army had made many forced marches, describing in its route a line somewhat resembling the circumference of a great circle, as a careful survey of the map of movements will show; while the route of the enemy, who had several days the start of us, was more like the diameter of that circle.

Our cavalry had not only fought and defeated the Rebel cavalry on many sanguinary fields, but it had met the serried lines of their infantry also, as at Gettysburg, where the brave Farnsworth fell.

Owing to this fatigue of our forces, our pursuit of the enemy was not as vigorous, it would seem in a cursory glance, as it should have been.

As soon as it was ascertained that the Rebel army was in full retreat, a force of our cavalry was sent across the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, bivouacking, the night of the fourteenth of July, on Bolivar Heights.

Early the next morning we advanced on the Winchester Turnpike as far as Halltown, where we deflected to the right on the road to Shepherdstown.

We had not proceeded far before we encountered the enemy's cavalry under Fitzhugh Lee, with which we were soon involved in a spirited contest.

At first our troopers were worsted and driven back a short distance.

But, having found a good position, we rallied, and repulsed several desperate charges, inflicting heavy losses, until the Rebels were glad to give up the game, and consequently retired.

Colonel Drake (First Virginia) and Colonel Gregg were among the Rebel slain, while on our side the highest officer killed was Captain Fisher, of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania.

The fighting was done principally on foot.

While these things were transpiring, Kilpatrick moved his division from Falling Waters to Boonsboro' by way of Williamsport and Hagerstown.

Sad evidences of the recent battles and marches, in dead animals and general _débris_, were seen all along the way.

Having reached our bivouac near Boonsboro', our men and horses came to their rations and rest with a wonderful relish.

During the day we have been reading of the murderous riots made in Northern cities, especially in New York, where men in mobs have ostensibly leagued against the authority of the Government.

The bloody accounts are stirring the rank and file of our army terribly.

A feeling of intense indignation exists against traitorous demagogues, who are undoubtedly at the bottom of all this anarchy.

Detachments from many of the old regiments are now being sent North to look after Northern traitors.

This depletion of our ranks we cannot well afford, for every available man is needed in the field.

Many of our regiments are much reduced.

The Harris Light now musters but one hundred men fit for duty, scarcely one tenth the number with which we entered upon the campaign.

Our horses are also much used up.

Hundreds of them have been killed and wounded in battle, and not a few have "played out," so that they are utterly unserviceable.

The author of these records has worn out completely two horses since he had a second horse shot under him in the cavalry fight near Upperville.

_July 16. _--"Boots and Saddles" sounded at four o'clock, and before daylight we were on our way toward Harper's Ferry.

We revisited Rhorersville, crossed Crampton's Gap, and at last reached the Potomac at Berlin, where the division was separated, a portion of it moving to Harper's Ferry, where they bivouacked at night in the yard of the destroyed United States arsenal.

Pontoons at Harper's Ferry and Berlin were used for crossing the army into Virginia.

The crossing was being effected as rapidly as possible, yet for so vast an army it is always slow and tedious.

Our troops are daily crossing and advancing, but all is otherwise quiet.

We are now receiving an issue of clothing, which we greatly need.

Our ranks are putting on a new-revived appearance.

The first sergeants of the Harris Light have received orders to finish their pay-rolls.

General Lee is reported to be falling back to the Rappahannock.

_Sunday, July 19. _--Our cavalry left Harper's Ferry at two o'clock P.

M.

, crossed the river on pontoons at Sandy Hook, and advanced into Virginia.

Monthly returns for June were made before our march commenced.

The weather is very warm and sultry.

On the twentieth we resumed our march at ten A. M.

, and advanced to Leesburg, where we fed our horses and rested.

In the decline of the day we marched to Goose Creek, on whose grassy banks we bivouacked for the night.

The whole cavalry force is moving towards the Rappahannock.

On the twenty-first we advanced _viâ_ Gum Spring and Centreville to Manassas Junction.

The boys have had some gay times to-day after blackberries, which we found in great abundance all along our line of march.

General Gregg was compelled to dismount several men in the forenoon, and ordered them to march on foot, for the offence of leaving the ranks for berries, without permission.

A command would soon be totally demoralized, if such tendencies to unsoldierly conduct were not checked.

And though at times discipline seems severe, yet, especially with us, it is absolutely necessary.

_July 22. _--To-day we marched to the vicinity of Gainesville.

We fell in with Scott's Nine Hundred as we were marching across the old field of Bull Run, among whom we found several old acquaintances.

We spent a few very interesting moments together.

_July 23. _--Our command was cheered to-day by the arrival of a large mail, which brought a message to nearly every man.

During active campaigning, as in the invasion of Pennsylvania and Maryland, it is difficult to keep up postal connections with the civil world, and, with the very best efforts which can be made, our mails are greatly delayed, sometimes even for weeks together.

But when they do come, they are hailed with a delight which is almost frantic.

The post-boys are cheered as far as they can be seen, as they wend their way from camp to camp, with their horses loaded down with the enormously swollen mail-bags.

Several bushels of letters are sometimes brought by one carrier, as was the case to-day.

FIGHTING AT MANASSAS GAP.

During the day we have heard very heavy cannonading in the direction of White Plains.

It appears that General Meade, misled by the information brought by some of his scouts, expected to engage the Rebel army in Manassas Gap, or west of that, where General Buford found the enemy in force.

Our army was accordingly concentrated upon this point.

The Third Corps, under General French, which occupied Ashby's Gap, was sent forward rapidly to Buford's support, where its First Division, commanded by General Hobart Ward, pushed through the Gap, driving the enemy before it, but with mutual loss.

Here the New York Excelsior Brigade, General F. B.

Spinola commanding, greatly distinguished itself, by making three heroic charges up the frowning steeps, where the Rebels were strongly posted.

Their general was twice wounded.

But the effort was a success.

On the morning of the twenty-fourth our soldiers pushed forward as far as Front Royal, but found no enemy.

They then learned that they had been fighting only a portion of Lee's rearguard, which in the night had slipped away in the trail of their main army southward.

By this move General Meade's army lost about two days' march; and when again we reached the bank of the Rappahannock, the old foe was facing us in threatening attitude from the opposite shore.

This afternoon the Harris Light was sent on a scout to Thoroughfare Gap.

From the heights beyond the Gap we saw the wagon-train of the Eleventh Corps moving toward Warrenton.

This was a portion of the force which had expected a fight at Manassas Gap.

_July 25. _--Our cavalry force reached the vicinity of Warrenton Junction, when we went into bivouac.

The second squadron of our regiment, under Captain O. J.

Downing, moved to Thoroughfare Gap and returned to Gainesville, where it joined the regiment, and then marched with us to the Junction _viâ_ Bristoe and Catlett's. Before night we were sent out on picket in the vicinity of Catlett's Station, where we relieved the First Virginia Cavalry.

We continued on picket through the twenty-sixth, but all was quiet along the lines.

An inspection of horses was made this morning, when a large number were condemned as utterly unserviceable; and they were started off toward Washington, to be exchanged for better ones.

_July 27. _--I have the responsibility and honor of being in command of a company.

This afternoon a detachment of our forces was sent out on a sort of bushwhacking expedition.

A portion of Company F was captured by the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, while patrolling the road near Bristersburg.

We are not doing much these days, except picketing, scouting, recruiting, resting.

On the twenty-ninth our entire brigade was marched to within three miles of Warrenton, and then countermarched to the old camp; and on the last day of the month we advanced to Warrenton in heavy force, where General Meade has had his headquarters for several days.

_August 1. _--To-day General Meade moved his headquarters to Rappahannock Station.

The heat is excessive.

Two men of the Harris Light were sunstruck during the day.

We left Warrenton at seven o'clock A. M.

, and moved very slowly.

At night we bivouacked not far from New Baltimore.

On the following day we were sent out on picket, which here is neither difficult nor dangerous.

Our Colonel, Otto Harhaus, is ill, and is awaiting his documents for a leave of absence from the regiment.

_August 3. _--The colonel received his papers to-day, and started forthwith for New York.

Captain L. H.

Southard, the senior officer, is in command.

The regiment was sent to Thoroughfare Gap, where we encamped in an apple-orchard.

Our infantry lines now extend down the Rappahannock as far as Fredericksburg, which we hold.

The cavalry is picketing and patrolling all this territory.

However, as there are so many regiments to engage in this work, the duty is comparatively light.

"Many hands make light work."

_Sunday, August 9. _--We still continue near Thoroughfare Gap.

Occasionally, as our turn comes, we picket along the Manassas Gap Railroad.

Major E. F.

Cooke, who has been absent for some time, returned to us to-day and took command.

My old company, E, shows the following report: Present, thirty-two; fit for duty, twenty-two.

On Monday the regiment left camp at nine A. M.

, and, separating into several detachments, moved upon White Plains and Middleburg from different directions.

These places have been occupied for some time past by Mosby's guerilla bands.

We did not succeed, however, in bringing them into an engagement, as they were sharply on the lookout, and studiously kept beyond the reach of our carbines.

Occasionally our pickets are attacked by them, and some lively times are experienced.

_August 13. _--I was detailed by the adjutant this morning to act as sergeant-major in place of Sergeant Temple, who is assigned to the command of a company.

Very few commissioned officers are with the regiment at present.

This leaves the command of several companies to enlisted men.

Some of our officers are out on detached service, while not a few, during the lull of army operations, have asked and received leaves of absence, and are visiting their friends in the North.

It might indeed be said that we are all rusticating; and, were it not for the guerilla bands that infest the country, attacking our outposts, and frequently disturbing our lines of communication with our bases of supply as well as the outer world, our condition would be one of pleasing rest.

On the fourteenth a little excitement was afforded us, to relieve us from the monotonous life which we are spending.

A detachment of the regiment, commanded by Captain Griggs, made a bold dash upon an ill-starred portion of Mosby's band, near Aldie, where we captured three men and twenty horses and equipments, most of which had formerly belonged to our service, having been taken by these wily guerillas.

Nearly every horse had the familiar "U. S."

upon his shoulder; and the saddles, with very few exceptions, were of Northern manufacture.

_August 15. _--The Harris Light moved from Thoroughfare Gap at ten A. M.

We reached Hartwood Church at eight in the evening, _viâ_ New Baltimore and Greenwich.

A considerable halt was made at Warrenton Junction, where we drew rations and forage.

Henry E. Davies, Jr. , just promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment, joined us at the Junction, and took command.

He is immensely popular with the men, especially with those who admire bravery and heroism, and who covet to be thoroughly drilled and disciplined.

_August 17. _--We continue at Hartwood Church, with our camp located very near General Kilpatrick's headquarters.

During the day Colonel Davies appointed me second lieutenant, and assigned me to the command of Company M, as both the captain and first lieutenant of the company are absent on detached service.

Late in the evening I received orders to report, with my company, at an early hour next day, to Captain Meade, division quartermaster.

At five o'clock on the morning of the eighteenth we made our bow to the captain, who despatched us as an escort or guard to a train from Hartwood to Warrenton Junction.

During the march we made an exciting dash upon a band of guerillas, who were watching for us, expecting to make some captures.

But they were disappointed, for we were not only prepared to resist them, but would have captured them but for the superior fleetness of their horses.

After accomplishing the work we were sent out to do, and resting one night, we returned to the regiment.

_August 22. _--This is my natal day.

I find myself twenty-two years of age.

I am not surrounded on this anniversary, as in former years, by the friends of my childhood.

But memories of the past come trooping up in such vivid lines, as to make the day one of deep interest.

_August 28. _--My company, which forms a part of Captain Mitchell's battalion, is doing picket-duty at present with the battalion on the Rappahannock between Banks and United States Fords.

My company is at the captain's headquarters, and acts as grand guard.

_Sunday, August 30. _--To-day I accompanied the division and brigade officers of the day in their visit to and inspection of the pickets along the Rappahannock.

Our ride was very pleasant.

Captain Barker, of the Fifth New York Cavalry, dined with Captain Mitchell and myself.

He is a lively companion; was in the hands of Mosby last Spring; and has a fund of amusing and interesting incidents of army-life with which to enliven his conversation.

On the last day of August, Captain Mitchell was ordered to report to the regiment at Hartwood Church, with his reserves.

The pickets are to remain on the river until attacked by the enemy or recalled by orders from division headquarters.