On the 9th of June, 1863, occurred the battle of Brandy Station, in
which more cavalry were engaged than in any battle of the Civil War.
General Buford's division had crossed the Rappahannock River at Beverly
Ford early in the morning. General Gregg's division crossed at Kelly's
Ford, and General Duffie farther down the river, the latter being under
General Gregg's command and supposed to accompany him. As we were
approaching Brandy Station we heard the heavy cannonading of Buford's
attack, when General Gregg, with the brigades of Colonel Windham and
Colonel Kilpatrick, hurried to the battlefield. Around the station and
between Culpeper and the Rappahannock the country was open and favorable
for cavalry engagements. Indeed, there was one there at every advance
and retreat of the army during 1862 and 1863, I being present at three
of them.
As soon as we emerged from the woods near the station we saw the enemy
on a hill near the Barber House, which was General Stuart's
headquarters. We were approaching them practically in their rear; their
artillery, however, firing at us. General Gregg at once ordered Colonel
Windham to charge with his three regiments--the First New Jersey, the
First Pennsylvania, and the First Maryland; Kilpatrick's brigade at the
time was coming on the field to our right. Windham charged this hill in
columns of regiments, and it was a very thrilling sight to see these
troops going up the slope in the bright June sun, their sabres
glistening. As they neared the enemy General Gregg showed an enthusiasm
that I had never noticed before. He started his horse on a gallop toward
the house, swinging his gauntlets over his head and hurrahing, at the
same time telling Captain Weir to ride over and direct Kilpatrick to
charge at once. Captain Weir happened to be riding a horse that would
always refuse a fence unless another went first. At this critical moment
his horse shied twice, when mine took the fence and I started to carry
the order. As soon as my horse went over Captain Weir's immediately
followed. As he was the adjutant-general and directed to take the order,
I rode up the hill supposing that when Kilpatrick's brigade got there
the enemy would be routed and I might get a prisoner. On arriving at
Stuart's headquarters I found Windham's brigade in a hand-to-hand fight
around the house. Here I met a flanking party of the enemy, who were
driving back a portion of General Windham's command, Kilpatrick's men
not then having reached that point.
In the fight about these headquarters I saw a Confederate officer sabre
a man who I believe belonged to the Maryland regiment; and although the
man begged for quarter, I saw this officer strike him twice after he
offered to surrender. I tried to shoot him, but the ball from my pistol
missed him and struck his horse. This did not take immediate effect.
Finding that I was about to be cut off, as Windham's command had been
repulsed and Kilpatrick had not arrived, and having only one charge left
in my revolver, I had to allow the officer to ride up to strike me, so
as to be sure of my aim. As I presented the pistol, it missed fire, and
as soon as he could recover his seat in the saddle he struck at me. I
had, however, fallen down on the neck of my horse, so the point of the
sabre cut into my collar-bone, but the weight of the blow cut a
two-quart pail, that I had borrowed that morning to cook coffee in,
nearly in two. Before either of us could recover control of our horses,
I had gotten my sabre in my hand, which had been hanging by a knot from
my wrist, as was the custom. He then struck at me the second time, which
blow I parried. His horse then sank under him. I was then being crowded
in a corner, where a fence joined a building, by four of his followers,
one of whom was dismounted. The latter I saw shooting at me. Urging my
horse he jumped a fence and then a ditch beyond it. This enabled me to
escape with only the loss of my hat. I was particularly anxious not to
be captured, because before going into the action the General had
confided to me, for safe-keeping, all his despatches and instructions,
which it was my custom to carry about my person, as, wearing a private's
uniform, in the event of capture, there would be less liability of my
being searched than in the case of a staff-officer wearing the uniform
of an adjutant-general. I finally joined some of our men near the
railroad station, but could not find the General; so, for the time
being, I reported to an officer of the First New Jersey cavalry, whom I
knew, and remained with him until we were again cut off by a force of
the enemy. Later in the day I found General Gregg, who, I was told, had
been quite anxious lest I had been captured, for some one had reported
that he had seen me hard pressed by the enemy, and he supposed I was
captured, and the General knew I had his papers in my pocket.
My wound was not dangerous, though painful, and that night, after it was
plastered up by the doctor, I sat up and made out a list of the
casualties of the division during the day. When it was suggested by
Adjutant-General Weir, that I include my name, I remarked that I thought
I would not do it, as seeing it in the newspapers would needlessly alarm
my mother, and that it did not amount to anything serious, and wasn't
worth while. After the war, however, on the advice of friends, I
reported this circumstance to the War Department and had it certified by
both General Gregg and Colonel Weir,[1] who are still living, merely to
make it a part of my record there on file.
[Footnote 1: See Appendix B.]
Kilpatrick's men soon reached the house, capturing Stuart's
adjutant-general and his papers. The fighting was desperate; charges
being made, repulsed, and repeated by our men against a much larger
force, as Duffie's brigade had failed to report. Finally, the
Confederates bringing infantry from Culpeper, our commands were
withdrawn, without molestation by the enemy, across the Rappahannock,
the purpose of the movement being accomplished; which was to cripple
Stuart's cavalry, to prevent his starting on a raid to Pennsylvania
which was contemplated, and also to ascertain if Lee's army was still in
that vicinity. It was also a great benefit to our troops engaged, in
giving them experience in fighting in large bodies mounted, with sabres,
and added much to their confidence, as was demonstrated in later
engagements.
After the battle, meeting the man who loaned me his tin pail which had
been destroyed by the sabre blow I described, I explained to him how it
happened, when, to my surprise, he complainingly remarked, "Well, how do
you suppose I am going to cook my coffee?" Whereupon, I remarked,
"Well, I can't help it, but I will give you a new pail as soon as I can
buy one." Evidently the loss of his coffee boiler was of more
consequence to him than my narrow escape.