THE CAVALRY AT CULPEPER AND FREDERICKSBURG
1862-’63
The brief space of two days was all the time given to the men and horses
of Stuart’s command to rest and enjoy life at The Bower, before they
were again called out to active service. General McClellan had sent two
large forces of infantry and cavalry across the river to find out
whether General Lee’s army was still in the Valley or whether it had
moved east of the Blue Ridge mountains. After several skirmishes with
Stuart’s cavalry, these troops retired, convinced that Lee was still in
the Valley.
On October 26, McClellan crossed the Potomac and the weather continuing
fine, he advanced his entire army to begin an autumn campaign against
Lee. A week later, his forces began to advance toward Washington, a
little village northwest of Culpeper and near the headwaters of the
Rappahannock. This position was desirable because it would give an easy
route toward Richmond. General Lee, however, sent Longstreet at once
with some of the cavalry to head off the Federals at Culpeper, while
Jackson was to remain in the Valley and threaten their rear.
[Illustration: MAJOR JOHN PELHAM]
In the meantime, Stuart bade a final farewell to his pleasant camp
quarters and his friends at the Dandridge mansion. His force fell slowly
back toward Culpeper, contesting every inch of ground against the
overwhelming numbers of the Federal cavalry. Sharp encounters took place
at Union, Middleburg, and Upperville, in which the artillery under
Pelham did wonderfully daring and effective work. In these encounters,
the Federals lost nearly twice as many men as did the Confederates, but
it was impossible for Stuart’s small forces to hold any permanent ground
against the greatly superior numbers now marching against him.
At Ashby’s Gap, General Stuart came near being cut off from his own
forces. He had commanded Colonel Rosser to hold this gap while he,
accompanied by a few members of his staff, rode across the mountain for
a conference with General Jackson. When Stuart returned the next day,
after a hard ride over a little-used mountain trail, what was his
surprise on reaching a point just above what had been his own camp, to
find the place literally swarming with blue-coats.
Rosser had found it necessary to withdraw before the superior numbers of
the Federals and his couriers who went to inform Stuart of this fact had
missed the general who had returned by a short cut across the mountain.
He and his men were indeed in a serious predicament, and had they not
found a mountaineer, who knew the trails on the other side of the
mountain, there is no telling when or where General Stuart would have
joined his command. He was guided safely to Barber’s Cross Roads where
his forces had retreated and he made the simple and faithful mountaineer
happy with a fifty-dollar note.
On November 10, there was an engagement at Barber’s Cross Roads, and the
Confederate cavalry was forced to retreat through Orleans and across the
Rappahannock at Waterloo Bridge. That night Stuart received the news of
the death of his dear little daughter, Flora. For some time he had known
of her serious illness, and the doctor had written that he must come
home if he wished to see her, but he knew that his country needed him to
hold the Federal cavalry in check.
When the second urgent call reached him on the field of battle near
Union, he wrote Mrs. Stuart: “I was at no loss to decide that it was my
duty to you and to Flora to remain here. I am entrusted with the conduct
of affairs, the issue of which will affect you, her, and the mothers and
children of our whole country much more seriously than we can believe.
“If my darling’s case is hopeless, there are ten chances to one that I
will get to Lynchburg too late; if she is convalescent, why should my
presence be necessary? She was sick nine days before I knew it. Let us
trust in the good God who has blessed us so much, that He will spare our
child to us, but if it should please Him to take her from us, let us
bear it with Christian fortitude and resignation.”
Major Von Borcke, who opened the telegram telling of the child’s death,
says that when the general read it he was completely overcome, but that
he bore his loss most bravely, especially when Mrs. Stuart came to visit
him a few days later at Culpeper.
He never forgot his “little darling” and often talked of her to Von
Borcke, who says very prettily: “Light blue flowers recalled her eyes to
him; in the glancing sunbeams he caught the golden tinge of her hair,
and whenever he saw a child with such eyes and hair he could not help
tenderly embracing it. He thought of her on his deathbed, and drawing me
to him he whispered, ‘My dear friend, I shall soon be with my little
Flora again.’”
Yet such a father could put aside his own feelings when he felt that his
country needed him. Duty to God and his country were his watchwords, and
this high and unselfish sense of duty and patriotism was the foundation
of his greatness both as a man and a soldier.
The cavalry fell back from Waterloo Bridge to join Longstreet at
Culpeper, but every day it was engaged in sharp skirmishes with the
Federal cavalry. In one of these engagements, General Stuart had an
amusing experience that narrowly escaped being a serious one. Major Von
Borcke tells us that while his cavalry was being forced back under a
very heavy fire, Stuart in endeavoring to make it hold its position,
uselessly but according to his custom, exposed his own person on
horseback by riding out of the wood into an open field where he and his
aide were excellent targets for their enemies. Von Borcke remonstrated,
but the general, who could not bear to have the day go against him,
curtly said to his young aide, “If it is too hot for you, you can
retire.”
Of course, Von Borcke remained in his position at the general’s side,
but he did shelter himself from the rain of bullets, behind a convenient
tree. From this position, a few moments later he saw Stuart raise his
hand quickly to his beloved mustache, one half of which had been neatly
cut away by a whistling bullet.
As a result of their heavy and continuous marching, the horses of
Stuart’s troops were in bad condition, many of them having sore tongues
and a disease known as “grease heel”; in spite of this and the absence
of many men who had gone home to procure fresh horses, the services now
rendered by the cavalry were invaluable. General Lee said in his report
of this campaign that the vigilance, activity, and courage of the
cavalry were conspicuous, and to its assistance was due in a great
measure the success of some of the army’s most important operations.
While General Lee was awaiting the movements of the Federal army, an
event happened which changed the entire aspect of military affairs.
General McClellan was removed from command and General Burnside was put
in his place. General McClellan had been too slow and cautious to suit
the authorities at Washington; so, much to the delight of the
Confederate government, this able general was removed just as his
campaign had begun.
General Burnside remained at Warrenton ten days in order to reorganize
his army into three divisions. Then he began to move his forces toward
Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock river. This movement was at once
observed by Stuart and reported to General Lee who immediately began to
move troops toward Fredericksburg. When Burnside’s forces reached the
northern bank of the river, they found the town in Lee’s possession and
the heights to the south of it crowned by his artillery.
General Lee now ordered General Jackson to come from the Valley to join
him. While waiting for this reenforcement, he began to construct
earthworks for his artillery and to dig rifle-pits for his infantry on
the range of hills extending in a semicircle for five miles south of the
river. Here with Hampton guarding the left wing of the army and Stuart
the right, the Confederates camped in comparative quiet until early in
December.
During this period, there were several heavy snowstorms which the
soldiers enjoyed like so many schoolboys. Major Von Borcke tells of a
snow battle when several hundred men of McLaws’ division charged across
a snow-covered plain half a mile wide, on the quarters of Hood’s
division. Suddenly Hood’s whole division, led by its officers with
colors flying, advanced against the attacking party which was driven
back some distance. Then receiving reenforcements from their own
division, the men rallied and threw up entrenchments behind which they
made a stand. The air was white with flying snowballs, and the contest
waxed hottest just at Stuart’s headquarters where he stood on a box and
cheered the contestants. Hood’s men finally drove their opponents from
the snow entrenchments, and would have routed them utterly, had not
Anderson’s division come up to assist their fleeing comrades. With these
reenforcements, McLaws’ men suddenly turned and drove Hood’s division
back home. From these sham battles, the army turned soon to real
warfare.
General Burnside had posted guns on Stafford Heights opposite
Fredericksburg and on December 10, he shelled the town. Then his
splendid army of 116,000 men crossed the river on pontoon bridges, and
on the morning of December 13, it stormed Lee’s position. The battle
raged all day, but the Federals were repulsed at all points and when
night closed, the Confederates were still holding their position.
This battle of Fredericksburg offered little opportunity for cavalry
charges, but General Fitz Lee kept watch over the fords on the
Confederate left, while General W. H. F. Lee was posted on the right.
Stuart also remained on the right as it was the weakest part of the
line, and was in constant conference with Lee and Jackson.
As the Federals made their first advance against the troops of Jackson
at Hamilton’s Crossing near the extreme right, Major Pelham of the
Stuart Horse Artillery in an exposed position opened a cross fire with
one gun and caused them to halt for over an hour. Five Federal batteries
opened upon him, but he continued to fire until withdrawn by Stuart.
Both General Lee and General Jackson were on the extreme right and
witnessed the wonderful work done by Major Pelham’s gun. Both of them in
their reports of this battle mentioned the genius and bravery of the
young Alabamian.
General Jackson asked General Stuart, “Have you another Pelham, general?
If so, I wish that you would give him to me.”
General Lee expected the battle to be renewed the next morning, but
Burnside remained quiet, and, on the night of December 15, in a violent
storm of wind and rain, he withdrew to the opposite bank.
It soon became evident that Burnside had no intention of renewing the
combat, but was preparing to pass the winter on the Stafford hills on
the northern side of the river. General Lee’s army, therefore, went into
winter quarters along the south bank of the Rappahannock. The infantry
and artillery built snug log huts, and began, in spite of the want of
good rations and warm clothes, to enjoy the rest from marching and
fighting.
The cavalry, however, had no rest, for upon its vigilance depended the
safety of the army. It observed the Federal movements, watched the fords
of the river, and made continual raids to the rear of Burnside’s army.
On December 20, General Stuart set out with 1,800 men under the command
of his tried and true generals, Hampton, Fitz Lee, and W. H. F. Lee, on
what is known as the “Dumfries Raid.” They were to pass by different
routes to the rear of Burnside’s army, to cut his line of communication
with Washington city, and to destroy all wagons and stores that they
could not bring off.
[Illustration: From a war-time photograph
CONFEDERATES DESTROYING RAILROAD]
Stuart led his forces between various army-posts that guarded the rear
of Burnside’s army, avoiding the strongest and attacking others which he
knew to be weak or ignorant of his approach. He at last marched north to
Burke’s Station, where his keen sense of humor caused him to play a joke
on the authorities at Washington.
He surprised the telegraph operator at the instrument, just as he was
receiving a message from headquarters at the capital, telling of
measures which were being taken to capture Stuart’s command. Having thus
gained important information, Stuart put one of his own men in the
operator’s place and sent a message to Meigs, the quartermaster general
at Washington.
“I am much satisfied with the transport of mules lately sent, which I
have taken possession of, and request that you send me a fresh supply.
J. E. B. Stuart.”
This message produced great consternation in Washington, where the
people were as afraid of Stuart and his cavalry as they were of the
whole Confederate army.
After thus revealing his whereabouts, Stuart marched quickly back to
Culpeper Courthouse, which he reached on December 30, having lost on the
raid, one killed, thirteen wounded, and fourteen missing. About twenty
wagons and some stores had been captured. This was the fourth raid that
Stuart had made around or to the rear of the Federals, without capture
or serious loss.
[Illustration: From a war-time photograph
FEDERALS REPAIRING RAILROAD WHICH CONFEDERATES HAD DESTROYED]
The Rev. Dr. Dabney in his _Life of Stonewall Jackson_ tells us that
during this winter, General Jackson had for his headquarters a hunting
lodge near Moss Neck. Here he was often visited by General Stuart on his
rounds of official duty. These visits were always welcome to Jackson who
admired and loved the young cavalry leader and they were the signal of
fun for the young men of the staff. While Stuart poured out “quips and
cranks,” often at Jackson’s expense, the latter sat by, silent and
blushing, but enjoying the jests with a quiet laugh.
The walls of the lodge were ornamented with pictures which gave Stuart
many a topic for jokes. Pretending to believe that they had been
selected by Jackson himself, he would point now to the portrait of a
famous race horse and now to the print of a dog noted for his hunting
feats, and remark that they showed queer taste for a devout
Presbyterian. Once Jackson, with a smile, replied that perhaps in his
youth he had been fonder of race horses than his friends suspected.
One day, in the midst of a gay conversation, dinner was announced and
the two generals with their aides passed to the mess table. The center
of the table was graced by a print of butter upon which was impressed
the image of a rooster. It had been presented to Jackson by a lady of
the neighborhood and had been placed upon the table in honor of Stuart.
As the eyes of the gay young general fell upon it, they sparkled with
glee and he exclaimed, “See there, gentlemen! We have the crowning
evidence of our host’s sporting tastes. He even puts his favorite
gamecock upon his butter!”
The dinner, of course, began with merry laughter in which General
Jackson joined with much zest.
In patriotism, in bravery, and in military skill, says Dr. Dabney, these
two men were kindred spirits, but Stuart’s cheerfulness and humor were
the opposites of Jackson’s serious and diffident temper.
Though bitter cold weather had now set in, General Burnside resolved to
make an effort to turn the right of General Lee’s army and drive him
from his winter quarters at Fredericksburg. This attempt, however, was
unsuccessful, and General Burnside’s failure at Fredericksburg caused
him to be replaced by General Joseph Hooker, called “Fighting Joe
Hooker.”
Hooker reorganized the army into corps; and made one corps of the
cavalry, with tried and skillful officers. He also provided the cavalry
with the best horses and equipments that money could procure. He
realized that the Federal cavalry had never been fit to contend
successfully with Stuart and the forces under his command, and so now
did all in his power to strengthen this branch of the Federal service.
By the early spring, Hooker had his army completely reorganized and
ready to begin a campaign against General Lee.