LYNCHBURG RAID.
On the 22d of May, 1864, just previous to starting on this raid, the
General commanding issued the following order:
Headquarters Department West Virginia }
IN THE FIELD, NEAR CEDAR CREEK, May 22, 1864.}
GENERAL ORDERS. }
No. 29. }
It is of the utmost importance that this army be placed in a
situation for immediate efficiency. We are contending against an
enemy who is in earnest, and if we expect success, we too must be in
earnest. We must be willing to make sacrifices, willing to suffer
for a short time, that a glorious result may crown our efforts. The
country is expecting every man to do his duty; and, this done, an
ever kind Providence will certainly grant us a complete success.
I. Every tent will be immediately turned in for transportation to
Martinsburg; and all baggage not expressly allowed by this order,
will be at once sent to the rear. There will be but one wagon
allowed to each regiment, and this will only be used to transport
spare ammunition, camp kettles, tools and mess-pans. Every wagon
will have eight picked horses or mules, two drivers and two saddles.
One wagon and one ambulance will be allowed to Department
Headquarters, and the same to Division and Brigade Headquarters. The
other ambulances will be under the immediate orders of the Medical
Director.
II. For the expedition on hand, the clothes each soldier has on his
back, with one pair of extra shoes and socks, are amply sufficient.
Everything else in the shape of clothing, will be packed to-day and
sent to the rear. Each knapsack will contain one hundred rounds of
ammunition, carefully packed, four pounds of hard bread, to last
eight days, ten rations of coffee, sugar and salt, one pair of shoes
and socks, and nothing else.
III. Brigade and all other commanders will be held strictly
responsible that their commands are amply supplied from the country.
Cattle, sheep and hogs, and if necessary, horses and mules must be
taken and slaughtered. These supplies will be seized under the
direction of officers duly authorized, and upon a system which will
hereafter be regulated. No straggling or pillaging will be allowed.
Brigade and other commanders will be held responsible that there is
no waste, and that there is a proper and orderly division amongst
their men of the supplies taken for our use.
IV. Commanders will attend personally to the prompt execution of
this order, so that we may move to-morrow morning. They will see
that in passing through a country in this way, depending upon it for
forage and supplies, great additional vigilance is required on the
part of every officer in the command of men, for the strict
enforcement of discipline.
V. The Commanding General expects from every officer and soldier of
the army in the field, an earnest and unhesitating support; and
relies, with confidence, upon an ever kind Providence for a glorious
result. The Lieutenant General, commanding the armies of the United
States, who is now victoriously pressing back the enemy upon their
last stronghold, expects much from the Army of the Shenandoah; and
he must not be disappointed.
VI. In conclusion, the Major General commanding, while holding every
officer to the strictest responsibility of his position, and
prepared to enforce discipline with severity when necessary, will
never cease to urge the prompt promotion of all officers;,
non-commissioned officers and enlisted men who earn recognition by
their gallantry and good conduct.
By command of
MAJ. GEN. HUNTER:
CHAS. G. HALPINE,
Assistant Adjutant General.
[OFFICIAL.]
A. A. G.
At this time the 123d Ohio, with 116th and 28th Ohio, 18th Connecticut,
2d Indiana (P. H. B.) and 160th Ohio (N. G.), constituted the 1st
Brigade of the 1st Division; Col. Moore of the 28th Ohio Regiment
commanding, and Brig. Gen. Sullivan Division commander. The regiment was
then lying in camp at Cedar Creek, Maj. Kellogg being in command. During
the night of the 25th, Col. Wilson and Capt. Chamberlin rejoined the
regiment, just having been exchanged as prisoners of war. In compliance
with the order just given, each man was required to pack in his knapsack
one hundred rounds of ammunition, which in addition to the extra
clothing allowed, and four days rations of hard bread, caused some
grumbling among the men at being converted into a pack train as they
styled it.
On the morning of the 2d, Col. Wilson having assumed command of the
regiment, Gen. Hunter, with his whole command, started up the valley on
the proposed trip to Lynchburg. The regiment reported four hundred men
for duty. We marched fourteen miles, and went into camp. Next morning we
were routed out at 4 o’clock to see how promptly we could get into “line
of battle,” which was done in just five minutes. We remained here in
camp until Sunday morning the 29th, drilling some. One day the whole
regiment was ordered out as a foraging party; reported at Division
Headquarters for duty, when the order was countermanded and we were sent
back to our quarters. We now had ten commissioned company officers with
the regiment. Dr. Ferris was acting as Brigade Surgeon, and the Chaplain
as Postmaster. Sunday we marched to Rood’s Hill, and went into camp. The
next day details from each regiment were busy scouring the country and
bringing in all the provisions they could discover. A few men from the
regiment, under Capt. Dwight Kellogg, were placed in charge of a mill
near by, and began making flour as fast as possible, running night and
day. The 10th Ohio (N. G.), complaining very much of being taken to the
front, were sent back on the 30th. On June 1st, flour was issued to the
men for the first time since we entered the service. It took some time
for them to become accustomed to the use of it, but our hard tack was
exhausted and it was “slap-jacks” or nothing. At 5 o’clock on the
morning of the 2d, we again started, passing through New Market. We saw
a few Rebels once during the day, when we were halted and formed in line
of battle; but it amounted to nothing, and we soon passed on; about 3
o’clock P. M., we reached Harrisburg, a distance of twenty-two miles.
Our advance had a small skirmish with the “Jonnies,” but nothing serious
occured. The main force encamped about a mile from town, the 123d going
into camp just within the suburbs. In a few moments, Capt. Chamberlin,
with a hundred and fifty men, was sent into town with directions to
picket around the town, and with the remainder of the men to search
thoroughly for arms, provisions and every thing that could be used by
the army. Soon after, fifty more men were sent from the regiment and
quartered in the Court House. Lieutenants Leonard and Williams were in
charge of the pickets; and Lieutenants Keyes, Hustead and Willoughby of
the Provost guards, under direction of Lieut. Col. Starr, Provost
Marshal General, and at once destroyed the press, type, etcs., belonging
to the office of the _Rockingham Register_ then remained under arms all
night. Next day the men were divided into small parties, and searched
the town completely; the result of which was an accumulation in the
Court House yard of seventy-five barrels of flour, a lot of meat, sugar,
corn, wheat, tobacco, (the most plentiful article found), a bale of
sheeting and some arms and accoutrements. Capt. Chamberlin, at his
quarters, was bothered all day by men, women and children, who were
endeavoring to recover certain articles thus appropriated. Some
pleading, some demanding and others threatning what their friends would
do to “you’ns,” if they were at home. Three or four families were
excepted from the search on the account of their Unionism and kindness
to wounded Federal soldiers, who fell into their hands at the battle of
New Market, and who were able to designate with unerring certainty those
who should be thus excepted. During the day the remainder of the 123d
moved into town and took up their quarters near the Court House. Next
morning, Saturday, June 24th, we started for Staunton directly, distant
only twenty-four miles; but after marching two or three miles, we left
the pike to the right, and attempted to flank into Crawford, where the
pike crosses the Shenandoah; we reached the river about 1 o’clock P. M.,
and remained there some three hours, while the Pontoon Corps was
bridging the river. During this time our troops destroyed a large woolen
factory just across the river, in a small town called Port Republic;
then marching through the town just at dark, we went into camp in the
_brush_, the teams did not get up till midnight.
On the morning of the 5th, we started at 5 o’clock, our regiment being
at once deployed as skirmishers on the left of the Brigade. Our cavalry
videttes soon met the enemy and had quite a skirmish; they falling back
to near a little town called Piedmont, about nine miles from our camp of
the night previous. The 123d was soon placed along the wagon train as
guard. About 10 o’clock A. M.; our force attacked the enemy in their
position, which was a strong one; a heavy fight was kept up until 3
o’clock P. M., when a furious charge was made by both Brigades of
infantry, completely driving them out of their works, routing them
thoroughly, and capturing one thousand two hundred prisoners, among whom
was Gen. Vaughn. Rebel General Jones was killed. The loss on both sides
was very great, both Union and Rebel dead being found side by side all
over the field. The 123d was ordered up just at the close of the action,
but not in time to participate. Early next morning company A was sent
out to the battlefield to gather up and destroy the arms lying there,
some one thousand two hundred stands. While engaged in the performance
of this duty, under the direction of the Provost Marshal General, by
piling them up in large piles, first a tier of rails, then one of
muskets, muzzles all pointing one way, for many of them were loaded, and
although the men had been repeatedly cautioned by Capt. Chamberlin and
Lieut. Husted, not to go in front of the piles, Sergeant Baroff
incautiously did so; at this moment one of the pieces was discharged by
a rail thrown on the pile, the ball passing nearly through his right
leg, half way between the knee and hip, shattering the bone very badly
and rendering amputation imperatively necessary. He was at once taken
back to the Field Hospital, since which time nothing was ever heard from
him. The company immediately joined the regiment already on their march
toward Staunton, arriving there about 4 P. M., a distance of twelve
miles, being the first Union Infantry that had ever been there. We met
with no resistance whatever, the Rebels having fled in another
direction. We found several hundred of their sick and wounded here. The
regiment went into camp one mile west of town. Dr. Brisbine, who had
been promoted to Assistant Surgeon, joined the regiment while on the
march. Before leaving here our troops destroyed the railroad depot,
bridges, track and telegraph, in and near town.
We then started for Buffalo Gap, distant ten miles, marching in three
columns, cavalry and artillery in the road, and a brigade of infantry on
each side. We marched some five miles through woods and underbrush, then
halted and in a short time returned, and went into the same camp we had
occupied the night previous. An ambulance train was sent back to the
battlefield after the wounded, returning late at night. Gen. Averill,
with whom we were expecting to make a junction at this point, arrived
with his command, making us, now, quite a formidable little army.
In the afternoon of June 7th, three hundred and fifty men and eight
officers, under command of Capt. Chamberlin, were sent out to relieve
the 28th Ohio, then doing picket duty. Part of the men were stationed on
a hill where, just about a year before, they were permitted to rest for
a few hours, when on their way to Richmond as prisoners of war. The
contrast between their situation then and now was vividly appreciated by
the boys.
On the 9th the regiment returned to camp, and shoes were issued to those
of the men who needed them. The prisoners captured at Port Republic,
were sent to the rear in charge of the 28th Ohio—whose term of service
having expired—was going home. Here Chaplain Ferris resigned, his
resignation being accepted at once; and he left for home with this
return train. Our command left next morning, moving on three different
roads, Averill on one, Crooks on another, and Hunter on the Lexington
road. Our regiment marched in the rear as wagon guard. A very long and
dusty march, passed through Greenville—where a large mill was
destroyed—to Midway, a distance of eighteen miles, where we went into
camp very tired. In a few moments company A was sent out as a support to
a battery of artillery near the picket line, Saturday the 11th. We
started at 5 A. M., drew rations of flour just as we left, but no time
was allowed to prepare any of it; on this account, and the great heat
and dust, the men became very much fatigued before night, and very many
were compelled to fall back during the day. We marched seventeen miles
to within sight of Lexington. We found Gen. Crooks here in advance and
skirmishing with a small force of the enemy, who had burned the bridge
over the river, and then scattered some sharpshooters along the shore,
to harass our men, while constructing their pontoon bridge; but our
troops soon drove them back with but small loss on our part. While this
was being done, our division of infantry lay in position about two miles
from town from 2 to 6 P. M. We then went into camp about half a mile
from the river.
Next day we crossed the river and went into camp in the edge of town.
Military Institute, which is located here, was destroyed. On the 13th we
still remained in camp. Some canal-boats were captured with artillery
and ammunition which were destroyed. Next morning we were early on the
move again, and although it was extremely warm and dusty, we succeeded
in making a distance of twenty-four miles to Buckannon. We passed within
two miles of the natural bridge, but there was no time for hunting
curiosities. Our march was along an old plank-road. The Rebels had
endeavored to destroy many small bridges, and thus obstruct our
progress; but we were so close on them, they succeeded in doing but
little damage, until we reached Buckannon, where we found the bridge
over the James River in ruins, and we were compelled to cross in canal
barges. Two companies of the regiment were guarding prisoners, under
command of Lieutenants Leonard and Keyes. Our “hard-tack” was all gone,
and flour getting scarce, but fresh beef and mutton still plenty. The
next day we were on the road about 9 A. M., and went to the edge of
town, where we laid until after dinner, when we again started in the
direction of Lynchburg. We crossed Otter Peak, a very high mountain,
with a very narrow, rough road over it. In many places our way was
obstructed by trees that had been felled across; undoubtedly done by
Bushwhackers, for in one place there lay the dead body of one, who had
been caught in the act and slain by our advance. We went into camp, for
the night, at 9 o’clock, about halfway down the mountain.
The following morning we started at 5 o’clock, marched through Liberty
to a point five miles beyond where we went into camp. While halting in
the town, several men of the “5th Heavies” were pillaging a large
dwelling house—in which the family were still residing—of pictures,
books, and other articles that could be of no use to them. A squad of
men from company A, were sent into the house with orders to clean them
out at the point of the bayonet, which was promptly done. The 123d was
all on picket again at night.
On the 17th we started as usual very early. After marching two miles, to
the creek, we found the bridge burned, and had to wait some three hours
for the Pontoon corps to repair damages. We then moved on through New
London. Generals Crooks’ and Averill’s commands met the enemy, and had
quite an engagement some three miles from Lynchburg. They drove the
Rebels from two different positions, capturing some artillery and
prisoners. We arrived at the front about dark, and relieved the advanced
line. Company F was immediately sent out on the skirmish line. This
morning a part of the wagon train was detached and sent to the rear. Two
“One-Hundred-Day” regiments accompanied them as escort. We had marched
twenty-four miles, and, it being very hot, many of the men gave out. On
the morning of the 18th company F was relieved by company D, under
command of Capt. Shawhan, the former having lost three killed, Sergeant
Dunn, and Privates Kiehl and Savage, and six wounded. The Rebel skirmish
line was composed of sharpshooters, many of whom were armed with
long-range rifles, and stationed in tree-tops, doing severe execution.
All night we could hear the trains running into Lynchburg, bringing
reinforcements from Richmond, and the next morning skirmishing commenced
at once, and fighting, to some extent, continued all day. Company D,
while on the skirmish line, was under a sharp fire nearly all the time,
which, however, resulted in no loss to them.
Company G had one man, private Stokely, wounded by the explosion of a
shell. About dusk it was decided to fall back, and at 8 o’clock P. M.,
we commenced our retrograde movement; we marched all night, reaching
Otter Creek the next morning, the 19th, after a very tedious and severe
tramp; the boys being very much exhausted and needing rest, a great many
dropping down by the side of the road, would fall asleep on the road,
and it would be almost impossible to arouse them. We encamped two miles
beyond Liberty, where we rested a couple of hours, and then moved on.
While here our rear had some severe skirmishing with the enemy, who were
endeavoring to harass our troops and cut off part of our train, but were
repulsed and driven off. About 2 o’clock A. M., on the 20th, we rested a
couple of hours, then moved on till 8 o’clock A. M., when we halted an
hour for breakfast. While here Gen. Hunter, in person, asked for two
companies of the regiment to destroy a large pile of wood and a water
tank on the railroad near by, which was done effectually. We went into
camp at noon, having marched forty five miles in forty hours and on very
limited rations, in fact nothing but fresh beef and mutton. We had
rested only a few moments when there was some skirmishing in our rear,
and we were ordered to move forward again. We marched on all night, this
being the third night without any sleep, through Conyer Springs and Big
Lick to within one mile of Salem, arriving there on the morning of the
21st, where we found skirmishing again in progress; the Rebels
endeavoring to get in our front. Two companies of our regiment were
immediately sent out as skirmishers, but met no enemy. We rested there
until 10 o’clock, when we moved on through Salem about two miles, where
we found the enemy had attacked the train and captured sixteen pieces of
artillery and some men, but being closely pressed only succeeded in
disabling six pieces, taking none away with them. We then made a forced
march of seven miles, which we did in one hour and twenty minutes, to
overtake the train. We rested there two hours, and were highly
complimented by Col. Wells, our brigade commander, for our close and
rapid marching with no straggling. We moved on again at 4 o’clock P. M.,
marching on a regular “back and forth” road, over a mountain, and went
into camp twelve miles from Salem, having marched twenty-four miles in
twenty-four hours. Meat and coffee in small quantities were issued to
the men at this point.
On the morning of the 22d we were ordered into line and maneuvered
around some, but did not get fairly started until 1 o’clock P. M. We
marched in the rear of the column all day, encamping at half past ten in
a very stony field at New Castle Court House; just before arriving there
we forded Craig’s creek three times. The men were completely jaded, many
dropping down where they stood, when the regiment halted, and almost
instantly falling asleep.
We were aroused at 2 o’clock for an early start, but were delayed by the
wagon train until 9 A. M. Our entire brigade acted as train guard, one
company to every ten wagons, and a heavy escort for the artillery. This
was the hardest day’s march in our experience, not on account of its
length, but that it was over three mountains—we were now crossing the
Alleghanies—one of them being eleven miles over, and a portion of the
time we had to march very rapidly to keep up with the train. Horses and
mules were “playing out” in great numbers, and had to be pushed from the
road, over the side of the mountain, in order that the train might pass.
The weather continued very hot and dry, and the road very dusty; we made
a halt of two hours at half past 10 in the evening, for coffee and
mutton, nearly all being too tired to prepare it for eating; then on
again for six miles, going into camp at half past 3 in the morning at
Sweet Springs. We remained there until 4 P. M., when we started for
“White Sulphur” Springs. The road was very rough, and the night quite
dark, making this a very severe march; we arrived there at half past 3,
the next morning, June 24th.
This was the place where the southern aristocracy, before the war, came
to air their wealth and gamble for darkies.
It must have been a very pretty spot then, with its living springs of
clear, cold water, and fine mountain scenery on all sides; but to us, it
was simply a place to rest our wearied limbs for a few hours. We now had
nothing but meat to eat, and very little of that.
We started again in the afternoon, passing through Lewisburg, and going
into camp four miles beyond at mid-night. Just at sunset we waded
Greenbrier River, where it was about fifty rods wide and waist deep. We
crossed in three columns, forming a beautiful sight to one placed where
he could view it. The sun shining on the water and on the polished
gun-barrels made it dazzling to the eyes, while every now and then some
unfortunate fellow would make a miss step and get a complete ducking,
thereby creating a laugh at his expense.
On the 26th, we marched all day, resting once for a little time, when
the men drew some beef. We had a nice little shower in the afternoon,
the first rain since leaving Staunton. Next day we marched eighteen
miles, our regiment taking the advance. It rained hard after we went
into camp, and we put up our “Dog-Tents,” the first time we had done it
for ten days. We here met a small train, from which was issued
three-fourths of a day’s rations of hard bread, bacon, sugar and coffee.
The men slaughtered a few straggling porkers they discovered near camp,
and then managed to have a real jolly supper in the rain.
We were on the road early on the morning of the 28th, and, at noon, met
another train, and drew two days’ rations of hard bread.
On the 29th our march was over quite a hilly road, along the New River,
through mountain gorges, and over rushing streams, crossing Gauley River
at Gauley Bridge—no bridge however only in name—where the Gauley and New
Rivers unite and form the Kanawha. Near this spot is a view of natural
scenery, almost rivalling Niagara in some respects. Upon a ledge of
rocks overhanging the river, you can stand and look directly down a
distance of two hundred feet to the bed of the river, then cast your
eyes directly in front of you and see the other river coming down
through the mountain gorges and emptying into the New, while all around
the mountains tower up in all their majesty and grandeur. We went into
camp about one mile beyond the bridge.
The Lynchburg raid may now be called completed, for we have again
reached our supplies. This march was very severe on our regiment, and
many were now sick and worn out. Our rations were exhausted before we
were fully started, and, a large portion of the country through which we
passed, being very sparsely settled, we found great difficulty in
procuring food, as the country had nothing in it to eat either for man
or beast. For four days the regiment marched day and night, not halting
over two hours at any one time. For nine days we had nothing to eat but
fresh beef and mutton, and a very little coffee. With all this the heat
was intense, the roads very dusty, and the men became so completely
exhausted, that frequently when the command halted, they would drop down
just where they stood, and to get them started again, it was necessary
to arouse every man, and not only arouse him, but get him on his feet,
and even then they could often be seen in the ranks, marching along,
sound asleep. Had there been anything in the country to subsist upon, we
might have taken it leisurely, but as it was—it was simply a march for
rations, and this fact the men all understood, for it was so stated in a
general order from Army Headquarters, and read to each regiment, hence
there was little or no grumbling at the severity of our marching.
As the result of this raid—we marched five hundred miles since leaving
Martinsburg, destroying a large amount of property, captured fifteen
hundred prisoners, over a thousand head of cattle, a large number of
sheep, besides living—if it could be called living—off the country
through which we passed. Several hundred negroes came through with us,
many of them remaining with the various regiments as servants. On the
other hand, we lost about one thousand horses and mules that gave out,
and nearly one hundred wagons, that we were compelled to destroy, and
lost quite a number of men, who were “played out,” and undoubtedly fell
into the hands of the enemy. The men’s shoes were giving out some
partially, and occasionally one would be seen entirely bare-foot,
trudging along with the rest, for it was sure capture to straggle, and
the men knew it. The main object of the raid, which was doubtless to
threaten Lynchburg, and thus cause Lee to weaken his forces in front of
Richmond, by sending reinforcements to Lynchburg, was fully obtained.
The regiment was mustered for pay on the 30th, and remained in camp
until July 2d, when we started for Camp Piatt, a distance of
twenty-seven miles, there to take boats for some place unknown. It was a
very warm day, and by 1 o’clock, we had marched fifteen miles, barely
stopping once, a few minutes for rest. The men appeared to suffer more
from this day’s march, than any previous one. Each man had three days’
rations in his haversack, and eating very freely, nearly every one was
afflicted with that terrible camp disease, dysentery. Resting two hours,
we then moved on four miles and camped for the night.
Next morning we were on the way again, reaching Camp Piatt at 5 o’clock.
On the morning of the 4th, company A with a portion of the “5th Heavies”
(5th N. Y. H. Artillery) and the Pioneer corps were loaded on the
steamboat, “Mattie Roberts,” and moved down the river slowly, the
remainder of the regiment following in other boats. At Gallipolis the
regiment was changed to the “Anglo Saxon.” Then moving up the Ohio, we
soon had to change to the “Inno,” a light draft boat, on account of the
low stage of water in the river. Opposite Blennerhasset’s Island, we
found we could get no further and were compelled to land and march into
Parkersburg, a distance of six miles. At 10 o’clock of the 6th, the
regiment was loaded on cars and started for our old home again, the
Shenandoah Valley, arriving at Cherry Run on the 8th of July and went
into camp.