THE ADVANCE TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
1862.--"All quiet along the Potomac."--Preparations.--Army of the Potomac
Moves!--Capture of the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville.--Return to
Defences.--Guerillas.--Their Attacks and Stratagems.--The Bovine
Foe.--Picketing; how it is done.--Sufferings.--McClellan to the
Peninsula.--Virginia Weather and the People.--General Augur's Advance
to the Rappahannock.--Lieutenant Decker's Bravery and Death.--Night
Charge on Falmouth Heights.--Fredericksburg Surrenders.--How Citizens
regard us.--Guarding a Train to Thoroughfare Gap.--Fight and Captures
at Flipper's Orchard.--Shenandoah Valley.--The Fifth New York
Cavalry, First Ira Harris' Guard.--Death of Turner Ashby.--Strange
Cavalry Tactics.--Personal Bravery of Captain Hammond.--End of the
Peninsular Campaign.
The winter was one of preparation, not of operation. Why we were kept
"all quiet along the Potomac," until the announcement, reiterated
through the press, elicited only disdainful merriment among our friends,
was never satisfactorily explained. The month of December had been
beautiful, the roads in excellent condition, the army well supplied and
disciplined, so that nothing but hesitancy in our leaders stood in the
way of army movements. The North and West, which had supplied myriads of
men and millions of money, were becoming very impatient with such a
state of things. This feeling was intensified by the fact that it was
known that the enemy was tireless in his efforts to increase his army
and to fortify his strongholds, while he was also gaining the sympathy
of foreign powers, and, by means of blockade-running, was adding not a
little to his munitions of war. The army shared largely this general
discontent. "Why do we not advance?" was every where the interrogation
of eager officers and men.
However, we were not wholly unemployed; for while we waited for
reinforcements and cannon, as demanded by the general in command, and
for the leaves to fall from the trees to facilitate movements in a
country so thickly wooded as is Virginia, we were kept busy with the
camp curriculum, namely, the drill, the guard, the inspection, and
parade. General Lee's plantation, on Arlington Heights, and the
surrounding country, was thoroughly trodden by loyal feet, as men and
horses were acquiring the form and power of military life.
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
But our quiet was to be broken by our grand advance, which commenced on
the 3d of March. The Harris Light broke camp at three o'clock in the
morning, and, with several regiments of cavalry, under the command of
Colonel W. W. Averill, led the advance, the Harris Light having the
position of honor as vanguard. We were ordered to move slowly and
cautiously, which we did, on the main thoroughfare known as the Little
River Turnpike, and, at four o'clock, P. M., we arrived at Fairfax Court
House, having marched only about fourteen miles.
What was our surprise to find the place entirely deserted by the enemy,
who had left the day previous with the design of retiring beyond the
Rappahannock. This change of affairs seemed so sudden as to be full of
mystery, and was wholly unknown even to our secret corps. We could not
doubt but that this movement was performed in anticipation of some of
our contemplated manoeuvrings, of which the Rebel leaders are
generally informed by their spies in Washington and all through our
lines, even before they are known to our army.
Our march was resumed the following day at ten o'clock A. M., and early
in the afternoon we captured the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville. The enemy
had actually placed in the earthworks or forts which commanded the road,
large trunks of trees, resembling cannon of heavy calibre, which frowned
down upon us from the heights. Had it not been for the information we
had received from contrabands on the march, that the enemy had evacuated,
a report confirmed by the curling smoke which rose from various parts of
the field, this formidable array of threatening cannon would have
terrified us all, and greatly retarded our progress. Indeed, it was not
till after the suspicious works had been thoroughly scanned with
field-glasses that we were ordered to advance, when the strong position
was carried without the snapping of a cap, or a sabre stroke. Chagrin
was written upon every face. Not a sign of the enemy was visible, save
the deserted remains of their winter-quarters, which fell into our hands.
A very brief halt was here made, and, hurrying our steps, we soon
crossed the memorable Bull Run, and came up with the rearguard of the
retiring army at Manassas Junction. Here we pitched into them, and
kicked up a little dust on the road to Bristoe. This expedition, or
wild-goose chase, was continued to Warrenton Junction, where General
George D. Stoneman found the enemy in force, but returned without
attacking them. Having loitered about these historic fields a few days,
our whole force began to fall back towards its old position on the
Potomac, establishing our advanced picket-lines, however, as far forward
as Centreville, with Fairfax Court House as headquarters. Our line of
pickets intercepts the Leesburg turnpike at Drainesville and extends to
the Potomac, a distance of about twenty miles.
GUERILLAS AND BUSHWHACKERS.
As guerillas and their brethren, the bushwhackers, infest the country
more or less, picketing is dangerous as well as difficult. Between the
Rappahannock and the Potomac lies a vast territory which abounds in
creeks, marshes, deep, dark forests, with only here and there a village
or settlement. A little to the west of this plain extend the Bull Run
Mountains, with their ravines and caverns. This is a very fit
hiding-place for mischief-makers. The guerillas consist mostly of
farmers and mechanics, residents of this region, who, by some means, are
exempt from the Rebel conscription. Most of them follow their usual
avocations daring the day, and have their rendezvous at night, where
they congregate to lay their plans of attack on the pickets.
They resort to every stratagem which a vile and savage spirit could
inspire. Sometimes a picket is approached by the stealthiest creeping
through the dark thickets, when the unfortunate sentinel is seized and
quickly despatched by a bowie-knife, or other like weapon, which a
Southron can always use most dexterously. When mere stealth cannot
accomplish the task, other methods are used. For instance, on a dark
night, a vedette, stationed by a thick underbrush, heard a cow-bell
approaching him, and supposing that the accompanying rustle of leaves
and crackling of dry limbs was occasioned by a bovine friend,
unwittingly suffered himself to be captured by a bushwhacker. But the
boys soon learned to be suspicious of every noise they heard; so much
so, that one night a picket, hearing footsteps approaching him, cried
out, "Halt! Who comes there?" His carbine was instantly brought to a
ready, and as no halt occurred nor answer was made, a second challenge
was given; but failing to effect any thing, he fired in the direction of
the noise, when he distinctly heard a heavy fall, and then groans, as of
somebody dying. The sergeant of the post, running up to ascertain the
cause of the alarm, found that an unfortunate ox, that had been grazing
his way through the forest, lay dying, with his forehead perforated by
the faithful sentry's bullet. The incident caused considerable
merriment, and the pickets were supplied with poor Confederate beef
during the remainder of their term of duty.
But the attacks are frequently of a more disastrous character, resulting
in the killing of men and horses, in wounds and in captures. The utmost
care and strictest vigilance cannot secure us perfectly from
depredations. Our general plan is as follows: The major part of the
regiment or picket detail establishes what we denominate the "main
reserve" within a mile or two in rear of the centre of the line of
vedettes, or at a point where their assistance, in case of an attack,
can be secured at any place in the line, at the shortest possible
notice. About midway between the main reserve and the picket line are
stationed two, three, or four picket reliefs, so situated as to form,
with the line of vedettes for a base, a pyramid, with its apex at the
main reserve.
PICKET DUTY.
The boys will not soon forget the long, dreary, dangerous hours they
spent along this line. Here we find ourselves shivering around a
miserable fire among the sighing pines (though in times of special
danger we are not permitted to have even this slight comfort, for fear
of detection), often compelled to sit or lie down in snow or mud, or to
walk about smartly to prevent freezing to death. Sometimes, when much
exhausted, we have laid ourselves down on the damp and muddy ground,
which was frozen stiffly all around us when we awoke. Frozen fingers and
toes are no uncommon things.
In this wretched plight we hear the summons to get ready to stand post.
We go out upon our shivering horses, to sit in the saddle for two hours
or more, facing the biting wind, and peering through the storm of sleet,
snow, or rain, which unmercifully pelts us in its fury. But it were well
for us if this was our worst enemy, and we consider ourselves happy if
the guerilla does not creep through bushes impenetrable to the sight,
to inflict his mortal blows. The two hours expire, relief comes, and the
vedette returns to spend his four, six, or eight hours off post, as best
he may.
Once, at least, during the night, we are visited by the grand guard,
which consists of the officer of the day, accompanied by others, whose
duty it is to make a thorough, though usually swift, inspection of the
picket line. Most of our time is spent in this duty.
_March 29._--Considerable excitement prevailed among us to-day, as
Colonel Bayard was dispatched with a detachment of his regiment to
repulse a dastardly raid made by some of General J. E. B. Stuart's men,
on the house of a Mrs. Tenant, a Union lady, residing near Difficult
Run, about six miles from Chain Bridge. Colonel Bayard reached the place
a few moments too late, and the raiders succeeded in taking Mrs. Tenant
as a prisoner, and making off with their prey.
For several weeks the main portion of our grand army has been sent by
transports to the Peninsula, with the evident intention of moving upon
Richmond by shorter land routes than by way of Manassas. This change in
our plans of attack was probably known by the Rebels before they were
matured at Washington, and we now understand why they so quietly
evacuated their positions on our front.
General McDowell remains in command of the defences of Washington, with
a force sufficient, it is believed, to give safety to the Capital, and
to harass the Rebels who continue before us. With the departure of
General McClellan to the Peninsula, our picket lines were withdrawn to
Annandale and Falls Church, within a few miles of the fortifications of
Washington.
THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE PEOPLE.
_April 4._--The Harris Light and the First Pennsylvania Cavalry were
recalled from the picket lines and sent out on a reconnoissance in
force, with a division in command of General McDowell. Our march led us
through Fairfax Court House and Centreville, near which we bivouacked
for the night.
Already, at this early spring time, a luxurious vegetable growth of
green is beautifully carpeting the fields through which we pass and in
which we halt. Flowers of great beauty and variety of hues and sweetness
of perfume greet us on every hand. It would seem as though Nature were
struggling to hide the desolations which war has made, and were weaving
her chaplets of honor around the graves of our fallen brothers. And it
really seems as though Destruction himself had contributed to this
lavish growth. Thus,
"Life evermore is fed by death,
In earth, or sea, or sky;
And, that a rose may breathe its breath,
Something must die."
On the fifth we continued on our march to Bristoe Station, on the Orange
and Alexandria Railroad, where we encountered one of the most furious
snow storms ever known in this region of country. The wind which bore
the snow was cold and cutting. It was a season never to be forgotten by
those who were quartered in mere shelter tents, or had no tents at all.
So sudden are the changes of the atmosphere here that "no man knoweth
what a moment may bring forth." Yesterday we sought shelter from the
sun's heat under the budding trees, while grass and flowers and singing
birds indicated settled weather. To-day the storm howls music through
the bending pines, and snow several inches deep covers the earth.
We are thoroughly convinced that the character of the people here
greatly partakes of the nature of these surroundings. Is not this the
case everywhere? But we see it here more plainly than we ever did
before. The people are fitful, and their spasms are terrible; and yet we
find them at times to be as kind and hospitable as any we have ever
found elsewhere. After one has witnessed their beautiful days, cooled
with a gentle sea-breeze, which generally blows from about nine o'clock
in the morning till six at night, and then their cool, calm evenings, he
can see why there are so many lovely traits in the nature of the people.
But if he experience some of their sudden and terrific snow storms and
showers, when the thunder and the lightning are such that a Northerner
feels that all the storms he has ever witnessed are only infantile
attempts, he is inclined to extenuate, on mere climactic principles, the
outbursts of wrath, and "fire-eating" propensities of the people. He who
is gendered of fire and brimstone must have some vim in his composition.
We believe this study is not unworthy the Christian philosopher and
philanthropist.
The day following the storm, the sun came out warmly, and the snow
suddenly disappeared, but left us in a bed of mud. The soil, naturally
rich and tender, consisting of a reddish loam, trodden by many feet, and
cut by the wheels of heavy vehicles, became almost impassable. But it
has this advantage, that it soon dries. So the soil, as well as the
atmosphere and the people, is suddenly changeable.
_April 7._--To-day our expedition continued its march to Catlett's
Station, a few miles south of Bristoe. General Augur commands the
advance, which consists of a brigade of infantry and two regiments of
cavalry.
On the eighth of the month a detachment of the Harris Light was ordered
out on picket at six o'clock P. M., and we enjoyed a quiet, pleasant
trip on this usually unpleasant duty. Here we spent a few days picketing,
scouting and patrolling, and on the seventeenth we advanced from
Catlett's in the direction of Falmouth, on the Rappahannock.
DEATH OF LIEUTENANT DECKER.
Our march was rapid and lay through a country altogether new to us,
which, however, presented no very interesting features. The Harris Light
had the advance, and was followed by the Fourteenth Brooklyn. As our
infantry comrades became foot-sore and weary, we exchanged positions
with them, for mutual relief, until at last one half of the regiments
were bearing one another's burdens. This incident paved the way for a
strong friendship to grow up between us.
Seventeen miles were travelled quietly, when a sudden fire on our
advance-guard brought every cavalry man to his horse and infantry man to
his musket. Every thing assumed the signs of a fight. Kilpatrick, who
was in command of the regiment, ordered his band to the rear. This
precaution of the commander was no sooner taken than the vanguard, in
command of Lieutenant George Decker, was making a furious charge upon
Field's Cavalry, which was doing outpost duty ten miles from Falmouth.
On the very first assault Lieutenant Decker fell from his horse, pierced
through the heart with a fatal bullet. He was a daring young man, well
formed, light complexion, blue eyes, and about twenty-three years of
age. He was much lamented by his many friends. His fall, shocking as it
was to the command, being our first fatal casualty, only seemed to nerve
the men for bold revenge. And we had it. Like chaff before the whirlwind
the outpost was quickly scattered, and the whole regiment entered upon
its first charge with a will, a charge which continued for several miles
with wild excitement. Picket reliefs and reserves were swept away like
forest trees before the avalanche, and we fell upon their encampment
before time had been afforded them for escape. Here we captured several
men and horses, with large quantities of stores, and then rested our
tired steeds and fed them with confederate forage. The men enjoyed the
captured rations. It was near night, and as the sun disappeared the
infantry force came up to our newly-possessed territory.
The cavalry was ordered to "stand to horse," and a strong picket was
thrown out to prevent any surprise attack or flanking movement of the
enemy. In the early part of the evening one of our pickets was surprised
by the friendly approach of a citizen of Falmouth, who had come, as he
said, "to hail once more the 'old star-spangled banner,' and to greet
his loyal brethren of the North."
Such a patriotic and fearless individual among the white population of
that section of country was a great rarity, and his protestations of
friendship were at first received with some suspicion. He was, however,
brought to General Augur's headquarters, where he gave satisfactory
proof of his kind intentions, and then gave the General a full
description of the position and strength of the enemy.
NIGHT ATTACK ON FALMOUTH HEIGHTS.
A plan for a night attack was thereupon laid and committed to Bayard and
Kilpatrick. Our instructions were conveyed to us in a whisper. A
beautiful moonlight fell upon the scene, which was as still as death;
and with a proud determination the two young cavalry chieftains moved
forward to the night's fray. Bayard was to attack on the main road in
front, but not until Kilpatrick had commenced operations on their right
flank by a detour through a neglected and narrow wood-path. As the
Heights were considered well nigh impregnable, it was necessary to
resort to some stratagem, for which Kilpatrick showed a becoming
aptness.
Having approached to within hearing distance of the Rebel pickets, but
before we were challenged, Kilpatrick shouted with his clear voice
which sounded like a trumpet on the still night air.
[Illustration: NIGHT ATTACK ON FALMOUTH HEIGHTS.]
"Bring up your artillery in the centre, and infantry on the left."
"Well, but, Colonel," replied an honest, though rather obtuse captain,
"we haven't got any inf----"
"Silence in the ranks!" commanded the leader. "Artillery in the centre,
infantry on the left."
The pickets caught and spread the alarm, and thus greatly facilitated
our hazardous enterprise.
"Charge!" was the order which then thrilled the ranks and echoed through
the dark, dismal woods, and the column swept up the rugged Heights in
the midst of blazing cannon and rattling musketry. So steep was the
ascent that not a few saddles slipped off the horses, precipitating
their riders into a creek which flowed lazily at the base of the hill;
while others fell dead and dying, struck by the missiles of destruction
which at times filled the air. But the red field was won; and the enemy,
driven at the point of the sabre fled unceremoniously down the Heights,
through Falmouth, and over the bridge which spanned the Rappahannock,
burning the beautiful structure behind them to prevent pursuit. Quite a
number of prisoners and various materials of war fell into our hands.
Kilpatrick and Bayard were both highly complimented for their personal
bravery on the occasion.
_April 18._--This morning, at eight o'clock, General Augur took peaceful
possession of Falmouth; and here, with military honors, the remains of
Lieutenant Decker and about fifteen others, who fell in the late
struggle, were interred. Later in the day, and after considerable
hesitation, the mayor of Fredericksburg formally surrendered the city to
the Yankee General, whose guns on Falmouth Heights commanded obedience.
A bridge of canal boats, similar to a pontoon, was constructed across
the river, and we took possession of this beautiful, proud city. This
was the first appearance of Yankees in this Rebel locality, and we were
the subject of no little curiosity. Many of the people, who, by the
misrepresentations of their licentious press and flaming orators, had
been led to believe that Yankees were a species of one-eyed cyclops, or
long-clawed harpies, or horned and hoofed devils; who had been deceived
into the notion that President Lincoln was a deformed mulatto,
degenerated into a hideous monkey, and that all his followers were of
that sort, on seeing us, expressed great surprise and wished to know "if
we were specimens of the Lincoln army." They had forgotten that our
fathers fought side by side in our common country's early struggles, and
that now we, their children, as brothers, ought all to sit unitedly
under the tree of liberty which they had planted in tears and nourished
with blood.
But it is painful to observe how the spirit of secession has blotted out
the memories of past days and deeds, and filled their hearts with
bitterness toward us. A few Union families in these parts, whose
acquaintance we have made, assure us that their neighbors, who were
formerly most hospitable and humane, have become, through this Rebel
virus, incarnate fiends. To secede from the Union was evidently to
secede from the God of virtue and charity.
_April 25._--After spending a few days of tolerable quietness on the
banks of the Rappahannock, with our camp near the Phillips House,
Falmouth, a most lovely spot, we were to-day ordered out as escort or
guard to a train destined for the Shenandoah Valley. Such a job is
generally any thing but pleasant to a cavalry force, for the movement is
altogether too slow, especially when bad roads are encountered. And in
case a team becomes balky or gives out, or a wagon breaks down
(incidents which occur frequently), the whole column is in _statu quo_
until the difficulty or disability is removed. And so we are halting,
advancing, halting and advancing again, with this monotonous variety
repeated _ad libitum_, while the halts are often longer than the
advances. But our slow motion gives us some opportunity to scout the
country through which we pass, and to obtain any quantity of rations and
forage for man and beast. By this means we are not compelled to consume
much, if any, of the contents of our train.
On the twenty-eighth we reached Thoroughfare Gap, through which the
Manassas Gap railroad finds its way over the Bull Run mountains. Here we
met a force from General Nathaniel P. Banks' army, to whose care we
delivered the train. We remained a few days to scout through the
country.
On the first of May we started back toward Falmouth, but stopped several
days at Bristersburg, a small town, where we spent our time very
pleasantly, scouting through the country and living upon its rich
products. Here we are very much isolated from the rest of our army. We
seldom get a mail or receive any papers, except from rebel sources, and
these are so meagre of literary taste and especially of reliable army
news, that we dare not put much trust in their representations. However,
we are satisfied from what we read, that our grand Peninsular army is
making some telling demonstrations toward Richmond, and that the Rebel
General Thomas J. Jackson, surnamed "Stonewall," since his famous defeat
by General James Shields at Kernstown, near Winchester, is still in the
valley.
_May 25th._--We reached Falmouth to-day and took possession of our old
camping ground in front of the Phillips House. We have but little to do
except to graze our horses in the surrounding fields, and to recruit our
strength. We also have the usual camp work, namely, policing, drilling,
etc. This department is very quiet, though we hear of active movements
elsewhere.
On the thirtieth we had a severe rain storm, with thunder and lightning,
_a la Virginie_. The streams were greatly swollen, and mud was abundant,
so as to retard movements before Richmond.
_June 6._--The Harris Light crossed the Rappahannock and advanced six
miles beyond Fredericksburg, where we got only a glimpse of some of
Field's cavalry, who had not forgotten us. They kept themselves at a
very respectful distance from us, and made themselves "scarce" whenever
we made signs of an attack. For several days we bivouacked on that side
of the river, and on the twelfth we returned to our old camp at Falmouth
Heights. On the sixteenth we were again thrown across the river, and
made a reconnoissance several miles south, without finding any force of
the enemy.
Nothing of importance occurred until the Fourth of July, when the Troy
company of the Harris Light, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Loudon, was
sent out to celebrate this national holiday by a reconnoissance on the
Telegraph Road, south of Fredericksburg. We left camp at eight o'clock
in the morning, and soon came in sight of a detachment of Bath Cavalry,
doing patrol duty. After following them for some time, though not
rapidly, we halted a few moments, and they lost sight of us, concluding
doubtless that we had retired. This was just what we wanted.
ATTACK AT FLIPPER'S ORCHARD.
On the south bank of the Po river, about twenty miles from
Fredericksburg, was a beautiful orchard, owned by a Dr. Flipper. This
lovely spot had been chosen by our Bath friends for their outpost, their
main reserve being a few miles farther south. On arriving at the
orchard, with its luscious fruit and inviting shade, the squad we were
still pursuing unsuspectingly unsaddled their horses, began to arrange
preparations for their dinner, and to make themselves generally
comfortable. Of this state of things we were informed by a contraband we
chanced to meet. We then resolved either to share or spoil their coffee;
so, moving forward at a trot until in sight of them, we swooped down
upon the orchard like eagles. The surprised and frightened cavaliers
fired but a few shots, and we captured twelve men and nine horses, and
escaped with our lawful prey without having received a scratch. It was
my good fortune to take prisoner Lieutenant Powell, the officer in
command, and to receive as my own a fine silver-mounted revolver, which
he reluctantly placed in my hand. It will be a fine souvenir of the war
and of this Fourth of July.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Sometime in May Colonel Bayard with his regiment and a large portion of
General McDowell's division were sent to the Shenandoah Valley to share
in the shifting military panorama which was there displayed. With the
removal of the Army of the Potomac to the Peninsula the Confederate
authorities despatched General Jackson to the Valley, to threaten the
upper Potomac and Maryland, thus making it necessary for a large Federal
force to remain in these parts. General Banks was in command of that
department.
After the battle of Kernstown, in which Jackson received the sobriquet
of "Stonewall" and a sound thrashing, General Banks, who had set out for
Warrenton, returned to the Valley, and pursued Jackson, but was unable
to bring him to bay. The enemy's cavalry under Colonel Turner Ashby was
frequently attacked by the Union Cavalry under General John P. Hatch. On
the sixth of May, the Fifth New York Cavalry, First Ira Harris Guard,
had a hand to hand encounter with Ashby's men near Harrisonburg, where
Yankee sabres and pluck had established a reputation. A portion of the
same regiment under Colonel John R. Kenly, at Front Royal, added new
lustre to their fame, on the twenty-third of the same month, during
"Stonewall's" flank movement on General Banks at Strasburg, and fought
bravely during that memorable retreat to Maryland.
At this juncture of affairs, a division of General McDowell's forces,
under General Shields, was dispatched to the valley to intercept
Jackson, while General John C. Fremont was ordered by telegraph to the
same scene from the Mountain Department. But unavoidably detained by
almost impassable mountain roads and streams enormously swollen by
recent rains, Fremont reached Strasburg just in time to see Jackson's
last stragglers retreating through the town. His pursuit was very rapid,
though no engagement was brought about until the fifth of June, at
Harrisonburg. Here Colonel Percy Wyndham, on our side, and Turner Ashby,
now a general, on the Rebel side, distinguished themselves in the
cavalry. Ashby was killed. His loss was greatly lamented by his
comrades. He always fought at the head of his men, with the most
reckless self-exposure, and for outpost duty and the skirmish line he
left scarcely an equal behind him in either army. His humaneness to our
men who had fallen into his hands caused many of them to shed tears at
the intelligence of his death. Men of valor and kindness are always
worthy of a better cause than that in which the Rebels are engaged; but
their merit is always appreciated.
Upon the heel of this fight followed the battles of Cross Keys, and Port
Republic, where Jackson eluded the combined Union forces which had been
directed against him.
During this memorable campaign, a curious military _modus operandi_ had
been resorted to in the Luray Valley, in which the cavalry had made
itself doubly useful. A small force of our infantry and cavalry were
surrounded by the enemy on the south bank of the Shenandoah River, which
was so high as to be unfordable. As a last resort the cavalrymen plunged
into the stream, swimming their horses, and towing across the
infantrymen, who clung to the animals' tails!
A striking case of personal daring in this Valley campaign, is worthy of
record here. During Banks' retreat from Winchester, on the twenty-fourth
of May, four companies of the Fifth New York Cavalry, under command of
Captain Wheeler, were moving on the left flank of our retreating
columns, to protect them from any attacks by the Rebel cavalry, which
infested the wooded hills that lay along our route. Emerging from a
thick wood, Captain John Hammond, who had the advance with eight or ten
men, suddenly came upon a squad of mounted Rebels, and immediately
called on them to surrender. However, they fled, firing as they went,
but were closely pursued. Captain Hammond was riding a powerful horse,
which he had taken from his home, and as his blood was up, he determined
to capture one of the party at least, at all hazard. He soon came up to
the hindmost, a strong man, with whom he exchanged several shots at
close quarters, but without effect on either side, owing to their
fearful gait through the timber and down a hill. Hammond's pistol became
fouled by a cap, and the cylinder would not revolve. The Rebel had two
charges left. Quick work was now necessary. Another spurring of his
horse brought him within arm's length of the flying Rebel, whereupon he
seized his coat collar with both his hands, and dragged him backward
from his saddle. Holding firmly his grasp, both horses went from under
them, and they fell pell-mell to the ground. Luckily Hammond was
uppermost, with one hand at the enemy's throat and the other holding the
band of the pistol with which the Rebel was trying to shoot him. As the
two men were powerful, a fearful struggle ensued for the mastery of the
pistol. Meantime up rode one of Hammond's boys, who, by his order, fired
at the upturned face of the obstinate foe, the ball grazing his scalp
and causing him to relinquish his hold of the revolver, when he was
forced to surrender. Thus ended one of the roughest yet amusing contests
of the war.
The prisoner proved to be one of Ashby's scouts, and the remainder of
the party were all captured. But notwithstanding the personal bravery of
our men, disaster and defeat had attended our operations in the Valley.
Nor was this the only field of disastrous changes. On the Peninsula
sieges had been laid and raised, terrible battles fought, won, and lost,
and thousands of our brave comrades had succumbed to the impure water
and miasmatic condition of the country. The rebel General J. E. B.
Stuart had astounded every body by a raid around our entire army,
cutting off communications, destroying stores, and capturing not a few
prisoners. On the second of July this jaded army found a resting place
at Harrison's Landing on the James River.