Category Archives: cavalry

The Court Martial of Charles Bates

23 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in 1862, 4th U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, Charles Bates, Civil War, courts martial, edward fitzgerald, J.B. McIntyre

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I first started posting the exploits of Charles E. Bates of the 4th U.S. Cavalry here back in 2007. He initially enlisted in 1858 at the age of 14 without the consent of his parents and somehow managed not to be discharged. Unlike many who fled home to join the army, however, Bates was a relatively steady correspondent to his family about his exploits. Given that I have already posted several of his letters as well as biographical sketches of both his first sergeant and commander on the blog, when I learned of the existence of this court martial record I couldn’t resist adding this. Special thanks to Bob O’Neill, who was kind enough to retrieve the record from the National Archives.

Camp Lincoln, Va
18 June 1862, Day 4 9 A.M.

The Court then proceeded to the trial of Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th U.S. Cavalry, who being called into court and having heard the order convening the court read, was asked if he had any objections to any of the members named therein, to which he replied in the negative.
The Court was then duly sworn by the Judge Advocate, and the Judge Advocate was duly sworn by the presiding officer of the court, in the presence of the accused, and Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th U.S. Cavalry was arraigned of the following charge and specifications, viz.:
Charge: Violation of the 9th Article of War
Specification: In this that Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th U.S. Cavalry did positively refuse to take care of a horse belonging to Company “E” 4th Cavalry, when ordered to do so by 1st Sergeant Edward Fitzgerald of Company “E” 4th Cavalry, (the Sergeant Fitzgerald being in the execution of his office at the time) saying I will not take care of the horse, or words to that effect. This in camp near New Bridge Va on or about the 30th of May 1862.

(signed) J.B. McIntyre
Capt 4th Cavalry
To which charge and specification the prisoner pleaded as follows,
Not Guilty, to the Specification
Not Guilty, to the Charge
Sergeant Edward Fitzgerald of Company “E” 4th Cavalry, a witness on the part of the prosecution was duly sworn.
Question by Judge Advocate. What do you know of the prisoner, Corporal Bates, having refused to obey an order?

Answer. I am 1st Sergeant Edward Fitzgerald of Company “E” 4th Cavalry and on or about the evening of the 30th of May 1862 I ordered Corporal Bates to take care of a horse, he said he would not take care of the horse that I had mentioned, it was a horse that he had been recently riding that I had reference to.

Question by Judge Advocate. Were you both on duty at the time, and at what camp did this happen?

Answer. At camp near New Bridge to the best of my knowledge, and we were both on duty at the time.

Question by Prisoner. Is it not customary for surplus horses in the cavalry to be taken care of by the squads to which they belong?

Answer. According to the routine of duty I believe it is, and an enlisted man who rides a government horse is supposed to take care of him.

Question by Prisoner. Was the horse properly assigned to me and was I responsible for him?

Answer. He was not properly assigned to him to my knowledge, but it is my opinion he was responsible for grooming and feeding him as long as he used him.

Question by Prisoner. Would using a horse a week make a man obliged to clean him for the remainder of his enlistment?

Answer. According to circumstances or until he got another horse assigned to him.

Question by Prisoner. Did you not order me to see that somebody took care of that horse?

Answer. Yes I ordered him to see that somebody took care of the horse, and I afterwards ordered him to take care of the horse himself.

Question by Judge Advocate (note: miswritten, actually by prisoner): Did I not reply before he ordered me to take care of him, “the horse does not belong to my squad”?

Answer. I do not recollect about it.

Question by Prisoner. Did I use the horse on that day or not?

Answer. I do not know, I don’t recollect whether he used the horse on that day or not.

Question by Prisoner. Did I not express a desire to go and see the Captain before obeying your order?

Answer. I cannot recollect of having heard him say so.

Captain J.B. McIntyre 4th Cavalry a witness for the defense was duly sworn.

Question by Prisoner. What is my general character as a soldier in the company since you have been with it?

Answer. I am a captain in the 4th Regiment of Cavalry, Company “E” of which the prisoner is a corporal. I joined the company last August. Corporal Bates has been on duty with the company every day since. And up to this difficulty, no better soldier was in the company. The former captain of the company when I relieved him of the command of it gave his character the same as I have stated it. It is on record with the War department that he was the first man to pull down the secession flag in Arkansas.

The prisoner having no further testimony to offer made the following statement in his defense.

It was not my intention to disobey any order at all. When I was first ordered to see the horse taken care of I thought that the 1st Sergeant had made a mistake, by supposing that the horse belonged to my squad. He then ordered me to take care of him. I was taking care of another horse at the time. I expressed it as my intention to see the Captain before taking care of him, as I did not consider it my duty to take care of a horse until he was assigned to me.

The court was then closed for deliberation on the testimony adduced.

After mature deliberation the court finds the prisoner Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th Cavalry as follows.

Of the specification, Guilty.
Of the charge, Guilty.

And the court does therefore sentence him Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th Cavalry, to be reduced to the ranks, and to forfeit ten dollars of his pay per month for twelve months.

(signed)
Alfred G. Smith                                  W.H. Wood
1st Lt 8th Inf                                     Major 17th Inf
Judge Advocate                                Presdt G.C. Martial

The court adjourned at half past two o’clock P.M. to meet again at 9 o’clock A.M. on Thursday June 19th 1862.

Alfred G. Smith
1st Lt 8th Inf
Judge Advocate

The character of Bates’ service to date did influence the members of the court, it simply didn’t change the fact that he had, by his own admission, violated the 9th Article of War. The following was on the next page of the court martial file:

We the undersigned members of the General Court Martial in view of the good character given to Corporal Charles E. Bates of Company “E” 4th Cav by his company commander, beg to recommend that his sentence be remitted.

(signed by all)
W.H. Wood
Maj 17th Infty

J.B. McIntyre
Capt 4th Cav

James H. Forsyth
Captain 18th Infantry

R.T. Frank
Capt 8 Infy

C. Ford Trowbridge
1st Lt 16th Infty

While this seems like a pretty trivial matter to go to a court martial over, Bates at the time of this court martial was just barely 18 years of age, and firmly convinced that he was in the right. See here for his letter to his parents about the court martial after his sentencing.

For more information on Edward Fitzgerald, see here. For more information on John McIntyre, simply scroll back a few posts.

Quest for a Quartermaster

02 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in 1863, 2nd/5th Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, 6th U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, officers

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This post is proof once again that initial looks can be deceiving. It started when I came across the letter below.

“Headquarters 6th U.S. Cavalry
Camp near Falmouth
January 30th 1863

General,
I have the honor to very respectfully request that the appointment of 1st Lieut. J.W. Spangler, 6th U.S. Cavalry as Regimental Quartermaster of the 6th U.S. Cavalry be revoked and his position on the Regimental staff of this regiment be vacated in consequence of his inability to perform the duties appertaining to it on account of his absence from his Regiment and the duties of his rank in it. Lieut. Spangler having accepted the position of Division Quartermaster on the staff of Brig. Gen. Pleasonton Comdg Cavalry Division. I also have the honor to very respectfully recommend that in the event of a favorable consideration of the above recommendation Lieut. John A. Irwin of the 6th U.S. Cavalry be appointed Regimental Quartermaster of the 6th U.S. Cavalry.
This regiment from recent recruitment is nearly full situated as it is at this season, it is not only a matter of justice to it but essential to the completion of its internal organization that it should have a Regimental Quartermaster present with it.
Trusting that the above recommendation, made from a sense of duty to my Command will receive the favorable consideration of the War Department.
I am Sir
Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servt
G.C. Cram
Capt 6th U.S. Cavalry
Commanding”

Kentucky-born Lieutenant John W. Spangler initially made a name for himself as an enlisted man with the 2nd (later 5th) U.S. Cavalry fighting Indians in Texas. He was commended in dispatches several times for gallantry in action, and was first sergeant of his company when the regiment left Texas at the outbreak of the war. Shortly thereafter he received a commission in the newly authorized 6th U.S. Cavalry.

My initial thought was that this was simply another example of Captain Cram whining, something which happened frequently in various letters during the first half of 1863. The 6th U.S. Cavalry’s picket line was over fifteen miles from its camp, and moving supplies for the regiment was a challenge even with an officer dedicated to it full time. Brigade and division staffs were pulled from regimental officers, and Captain Cram wanted his lieutenant back. A reasonable issue and request, but one common to many regiments. It would have helped Spangler as well, who was performing a captain’s duties or more for a lieutenant’s monthly pay.

The request, however, was endorsed recommending approval all the way up the chain of command. General Pleasonton wrote, “It is respectfully recommended that Lt Spangler receive the appointment of Captain in the Quartermaster Dept to fill the office of Division Quartermaster.” Most of Pleasonton’s responses to queries from Captain Cram that I have seen were somewhat less than positive. Even Army of the Potomac commander Major General Joseph Hooker’s endorsement read, “Respectfully forwarded to the Adjt General of the Army, approved.” Surprisingly, however, the request was not approved.

Lieutenant Spangler was relieved as regimental quartermaster for the 6th U.S. Cavalry on February 1, 1863. One of the companies was short an officer, but the regiment was able to assign an officer to attend to its logistical needs. And Captain Cram’s request was granted – that officer was Lieutenant John A. Irwin, another former first sergeant. Spangler remained on the regiment’s rolls, and continued to work as an acting assistant quartermaster in the Cavalry Corps through the end of the war.

Several months of hard campaigning later, the issue was still not resolved. It wasn’t simply a problem for the Cavalry Corps, but for quartermasters across the Army of the Potomac. In a letter to Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs in August 1863, Army of the Potomac Chief Quartermaster Rufus Ingalls submitted a request for additional quartermaster officers. He submitted a list of “officers who have for a long time been doing duty in the QMaster Dept as Acting Asst QMasters. I respectfully request that the officers be appointed Asst QMasters Vols with the rank of Captain and be ordered to report to me for assignment to duty with this Army.” Among the officers listed was First Lieutenant J.W. Spangler, who was then working as an acting assistant quartermaster for the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

“I beg leave to call your special attention to Lt. J.W. Spangler 6th US Cavly now acting Chief QMaster Cavly Corps,” Ingalls continued. “Lt. Spangler has been acting in the QMaster Dept with the Cavalry during the Peninsula Campaign, and has been with this army since its return, serving with different commands in the Cavalry Corps. He is in my opinion one of the best officers in the service and I cheerfully recommend him for the appointment of an Asst QMaster in the regular army.” Despite this, once again the request was not approved.

There weren’t enough assistant quartermasters of volunteers in the various armies to support the various staffs. This does not appear to make sense. Quartermasters in the regular army were of course capped by the total number authorized by Congress for the army. These positions, if authorized, would continue in the army once the war was over, thus constituting a long term problem with army size and funding. Volunteer ranks, however, were authorized in support of volunteer formations, and lasted only as long as the position and formation lasted. The chief quartermaster of the Cavalry Corps, for example, would no longer be an authorized position once the Cavalry Corps disbanded. That individual would revert back to his regular army rank and position.

John Spangler served again as the regimental quartermaster for the 6th U.S. Cavalry after the war, from November 5, 1865 to July 28, 1866. He was paid as a lieutenant throughout the war, and was not promoted to captain and command of a company until July 28, 1866. Despite spending the majority of his commissioned career in the quartermaster field, he never did officially work in the quartermaster corps. The issue of additional authorized volunteer assistant quartermasters was not resolved.

Sources:

Arnold, James R. Jeff Davis’ Own. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 2000.
Caughey, Donald C. and Jimmy J. Jones. The 6th United States Cavalry in the Civil War. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2013.
Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1903. Page 437.
National Archives, Record Group 94, Letters Received by the Office of the Adjutant General, 1861-1870.
National Archives, Record Group 94, Letters Received by the Commission Branch, 1863-1870.
National Archives, Record Group 94, U.S. Returns from Regular Army Non-infantry Regiments, 1821-1916: 6th U.S. Cavalry.
Price, George F. Across the Continent with the Fifth Cavalry. New York: D. Van Nostrand, Publisher, 1883.
Utley, Robert M. Frontiersmen in Blue. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1967.

150 Years Ago: Todd’s Tavern

12 Monday May 2014

Posted by in 1864, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, Casualties, cavalry, Reserve Brigade, Spotsylvania Court House

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After the two days of heavy fighting in the Wilderness, General Grant decided to move around Lee’s flank toward Spotsylvania Court House. In order to get there, his cavalry would have to clear the Brock Road and take the crossroads at Todd’s Tavern to cut the Confederate route to Spotsylvania. General Lee, divining Grant’s intent, tasked his own cavalry to protect the Confederate route to Spotsylvania and slow down the Union advance. This would lead to some of the most intense cavalry combat to this point in the war.

Ironically, Major General Sheridan’s Union cavalry had held Todd’s Tavern during the previous two days of fighting in the Wilderness, but withdrew them on the night of May 6th toward Chancellorsville. This allowed General Fitzhugh Lee’s Confederate cavalry to reoccupy the crossroads and make improvements to earthworks previously constructed by Union forces.

Sheridan planned a two-pronged attack which would meet at the crossroads on May 7th. The First Division would advance south and clear the Brock Road from Catherine Furnace, while the Second Division would advance west up the Catharpin Road. Once the crossroads was seized, the Second Division would continue west and seize Corbin’s Bridge over the Po River, further hindering Confederate efforts to reach Spotsylvania.

General Alfred Torbert required surgery for an abscess in his back, so Brigadier General Wesley Merritt commanded the First Division, while Colonel Alfred Gibbs assumed command of the Reserve Brigade. Major General David McM. Gregg commanded the Second Division.

The Union plan was initially successful. Merritt’s division met Fitz Lee’s Confederates at 3 p.m. about a mile north of Todd’s Tavern. Gibbs, whose Reserve Brigade led the division, dismounted and deployed his lead regiment, the 6th Pennsylvania, as skirmishers to the left of the road. Gibbs’ official report describes the deployment of the rest of the brigade:

“Finding the enemy to be in force, consisting of, it is believed, Fitzhugh Lee’s division of cavalry, the First U.S. Cavalry and First New York Dragoons were deployed as skirmishers, on foot, to the left of the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry. The Fifth U.S. Cavalry was deployed similarly on the right side of the road.”

As Merritt engaged the Confederate cavalry, Gregg’s division arrived on their right flank, near Piney Branch Church. Lee conducted a fighting withdrawal to the south. Once Merritt had driven the Confederates south of the crossroads, Gregg advanced as planned toward Corbin’s Bridge. He was met a mile west of the crossroads by Rosser’s brigade of Confederate cavalry from Wade Hampton’s division. In heavy dismounted fighting, Gregg was able to force Rosser back to the bridge, but withdrew to the tavern after Hampton’s remaining two brigades moved to Rosser’s support.

In the meantime Merritt, aided by Davies’ brigade of Gregg’s division advancing on Lee’s right flank on the Piney Branch Road, forced Fitzhugh Lee’s division farther south. Two miles south of the tavern, Lee established a new defensive line in some existing log barricades. Merritt attacked him there in the late afternoon in the deadliest phase of the battle. The Reserve Brigade’s deployment remained the same, adding, “The Second U.S. Cavalry was held mounted on the extreme left, while Williston’s battery came into position on a high ridge in rear, where they did excellent service, silencing the enemy’s battery and killing and wounding several of their men and horses. After a sharp engagement, lasting until dark, the enemy were driven off, leaving many of their dead and wounded upon the field.”

400px-Spotsylvania_Court_House_May_07

***The map of the fighting taken from Hal Jespersen’s excellent map site at http://www.cwmaps.com/freemaps.html

Merritt succeeded capturing the fortifications at dusk, but withdrew back toward Todd’s Tavern after dark, concerned for the security of his flanks. Fitzhugh Lee lost no time in reoccupying the position. Gregg encamped his division at the crossroads.

General Meade, meanwhile, had begun his army’s advance toward Spotsylvania, with Warren’s Fifth Corps leading the march. Orders to Sheridan to clear the Brock Road all the way to Spotsylvania apparently miscarried, and he reached the tavern about midnight to discover Gregg’s troops encamped there. Furious, he ordered Merritt to finish clearing the road to Spotsylvania Court House and Gregg to seize Corbin’s Bridge and hold it to protect the army’s right flank.

Advancing, Merritt discovered that Fitz Lee’s troops had made good use of the night’s hours to reinforce their position of the previous afternoon. Attacking dismounted on both sides of the road, he eventually forced Lee’s men from the position but was unable to advance further. His men’s carbine ammunition was exhausted, and they were reduced to firing their pistols. The heavy woods prevented the employment of the battery.

General Robinson’s infantry division of the Fifth Corps passed through them and pushed the Confederates back to within two miles of Spotsylvania before they were reinforced by the lead elements of the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. The Confederate cavalry had delayed the Union army long enough for Lee to win the race to Spotsylvania.

Losses were heavy, particularly in Merritt’s division. “In this severely contested action our loss in both officers and men was heavy. Ten officers were wounded and 4 taken prisoners, besides 141 enlisted men killed, wounded, and missing,” wrote Gibbs of his brigade. The Reserve Brigade suffered 198 of the 315 casualties in the division, compared to 62 in the First Brigade and 55 in the Second Brigade. The relatively inexperienced 1st New York Dragoons suffered the highest loss of any cavalry regiment in a single engagement during the war, with 20 enlisted men killed in action and 91 total casualties. This was a source of some bitterness during the remainder of their service with the brigade, but the other regiments were hard hit as well. The 6th Pennsylvania had three officers wounded, including their commanding officer, and 31 enlisted casualties. Two of the regular regiments suffered losses of almost 10 percent. The 2nd U.S. lost one officer wounded and 24 enlisted men killed, wounded or missing. The 1st U.S., suffered 45 casualties, including six or the eight officers present for duty wounded. Only the diminished 5th U.S. was relatively unscathed, with one officer killed in action and two enlisted men wounded.

Declaring a victor for the battle is somewhat problematic. Both sides lost heavily. While the Confederate cavalry was forced to yield its positions successively to the Union cavalry, it did fulfill its mission of delaying the Union advance and enabling Lee to reach Spotsylvania first. The Union cavalry’s tactical successes, however, made the race a near thing and denied Lee the opportunity to improve his position before the next battle. They also inflicted heavy casualties on the Confederate cavalry it could ill afford.

Sources:

OR, Vol. 36, Pt. 1, pages 115, 128, 811-812 and 845-847.

Price, George F. Across the Continent With the Fifth Cavalry, pages 123-124.

Rhea, Gordon. The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House and the Road to Yellow Tavern, pages 30-42.

Rodenbough, Theophilus. From Everglade to Canyon, pages 304-305.

Welcher, Frank, The Union Army, pages 531- 532.

 

Carlisle Barracks and the Mounted Recruiting Service, part 4

27 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by in 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, 3rd U.S. Cavalry, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, 6th U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, officers, recruiting

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In all, the Mounted Recruiting Service operated recruiting stations in nineteen cities during the war.  Although it was not required, in most cases the officers recruited soldiers for their parent regiments.  This meant that at various points during the war, some cities provided soldiers to multiple regular cavalry regiments.

Boston, Massachusetts.  This was the first war-time station established.  Lieutenant Napoleon B. McLaughlin of the 4th U.S. Cavalry opened the station on July 5, 1861.  He was promoted to captain before he was ordered to report to his regiment over a year later on October 1, 1862.  He was relieved by Captain Abraham K. Arnold of the 5th U.S. Cavalry, who was ordered to close the station at the end of the following month.  The station did not reopen until June 10, 1863, when Lieutenant Copley Amory of the 4th U.S. Cavalry assumed command.  He operated the station until he resigned in December, and it was not reopened again during the war.

Cincinnati, Ohio.  Lieutenant Edward M. McCook of the 4th U.S. Cavalry opened this station on July 24, 1861.  In September, he was placed on leave to take service in the state forces of Indiana.  He earned five brevet promotions for gallantry in action as a volunteer officer during the war, the last to major general of volunteers.  The station was vacant for two months until McCook was relieved by Lieutenant Robert S. Smith of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry on November 6, 1861.  A native of Ohio, Smith as previously mentioned spent over three years in Cincinnati before he was relieved by Captain David S. Gordon, also of his regiment, on September 5, 1864.   Gordon was transferred back to his regiment in December, and replaced by Lieutenant Robert S. Sweatman of the 5th U.S. Cavalry.  Lieutenant Sweatman served only two months before being transferred back to his regiment in February 1865, and Captain Isaac R. Dunkelberger, of the same regiment, finished the war in charge of the station, making it one of the few stations continuously manned throughout the war.

New York, New York.  Lieutenant William W. Webb of the 4th U.S. Cavalry opened the recruiting station in New York City on October 3, 1861.  He wasn’t relieved to join his regiment until February 7, 1863.  His replacement was Captain Arnold of the 5th U.S. Cavalry, only three months after finishing his recruiting duties in Boston.  Arnold finally returned to his regiment in September, and was replaced by Lieutenant John B. Johnson of the 6th U.S. Cavalry.  Lieutenant Johnson was transferred back to Carlisle Barracks on August 22, 1864, and Lieutenant Stanwood of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry commanded the station for a mere two weeks.  Former prisoner of war Lieutenant Tattnall Paulding of the 6th U.S. Cavalry relieved him on September 4, 1864, and stayed there for the remainder of the war.

Wheeling, Virginia.  Captain Milton T. Carr of the 1st U.S. Cavalry opened this station on August 22, 1862.  Lieutenant Judson Haycock was sent to assist him on September 8th, and relieved him on December 7, 1862 so he could return to his company.  Lieutenant Haycock closed the station on March 4, 1863.  Lieutenant William Webb of the 4th U.S. Cavalry briefly served in the town as a mustering officer for volunteer regiments from June 6 to September 23, 1863, but the recruiting station did not reopen during the war.

Buffalo, New York.  Lieutenant Charles McKnight Leoser of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry opened this station on July 13, 1862 to assist in recruiting troopers for Companies A, B and D of his regiment.  He closed the station when ordered back to his regiment on April 8, 1863, and it did not reopen.

Norristown, Pennsylvania.  A native Pennsylvanian and former first sergeant of John Buford’s Company B, Lieutenant Thomas Bull Dewees of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry was the sole operator of this recruiting station from July 13 to November 17, 1862.

Cleveland, Ohio.  Lieutenant William Blanchard of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry opened a recruiting station in Cleveland on August 7, 1862. He was relieved by Captain Robert E. Clary of the same regiment on October 4th, who closed the station when transferred back to his regiment on December 7, 1862.  Captain Thomas Drummond of the 5th U.S. Cavalry reopened the recruiting station on October 15, 1863 and conducted recruiting there until transferred back to his regiment on December 21, 1864. Interestingly, Drummond left command of his regiment in the field for recruiting duty, and resumed command when he returned.  Lieutenant John Mix of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, another former prisoner of war, commanded the station from January 4, 1865 through the end of the war.

Indianapolis, Indiana.  Lieutenant Edward T. Benton of the 1st U.S. Cavalry opened a station in Indianapolis on August 22, 1862.  Captain Charles W. Canfield of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry took charge of the station on January 15, 1863, and Lieutenant Benton was transferred back to his regiment on February 6th.  Captain Canfield was in turn ordered to close the station and return to his regiment to take command of his company just three weeks later, on February 26, 1863.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Lieutenant Theophilus F. Rodenbough of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry opened this station on September 4, 1862.  It was probably established in the same National Hotel that the 6th U.S. Cavalry used during recruiting the previous year.  Rodenbough closed the station when transferred back to his regiment on December 7, 1862.  Captain Clarence Mauck of the 4th U.S. Cavalry opened a new station in December 1864.  He was relieved on March 1, 1865 by Lieutenant John B. Johnson of the 6th U.S. Cavalry, but returned to the station before the end of the month.

Baltimore, Maryland.  This station was also opened on September 4, 1862, by Lieutenant Anson O. Doolittle of the 4th U.S. Cavalry.  He was ordered back to Carlisle Barracks on November 29, 1862, and recruiting was not resumed here until Captain John B. McIntyre opened another station on April 6, 1865.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This station opened and closed three different times during the war, odd for one of the largest cities in the nation.  Lieutenant Charles H. Gibson of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, a native Pennsylvanian,  was ordered to open a station here in October, 1862.  It may well have been the same location at the Girard House on Chestnut Street used by the 6th U.S. Cavalry until that February.  He was transferred back to his regiment on September 13, 1863.  Lieutenant John H. Nichols of the 1st U.S. Cavalry operated a station here for two weeks in April 1864 before returning to his regiment for the spring campaign.  He was killed in action just two months later at the battle of Trevillian Station.  Captain T.F. Rodenbough of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry opened the station for the final time during the war on November 18, 1864, less than two months after losing his arm at the battle of the Opequon, or Third Winchester.  He turned the station over to Captain William Hawley of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry when ordered to rejoin his regiment on April 25, 1865.

Chicago, Illinois.  The records concerning this station are curious.  Captain John Feilner of the 1st U.S. Cavalry was ordered to open a station in Chicago on October 4, 1862.  However, Feilner was dropped from Carlisle’s post return at the end of the month,  which would normally mean he had completed his duties and been sent back to his regiment.  I also have not yet come across a single soldier recruited by Captain Feilner in Chicago, which leads me to believe the order was countermanded before the station could be opened.

Detroit, Michigan.  Lieutenant and former first sergeant Thomas McGregor of the 1st U.S. Cavalry was the sole operator of this recruiting station from October 16, 1862 to January 20, 1863.  This was his first assignment after receiving his commission.  He later received a brevet promotion for gallantry at the battle of Todd’s Tavern.

Elmira, New York.  Captain William McLean of the 5th U.S. Cavalry was the sole operator of this recruiting station from November 1, 1862 to February 19, 1863.  Severely wounded and captured during the Peninsula campaign, he opened the station once paroled and left it to take command of his newly organized Company M.  Unfortunately, he died of fever just two months later, on April 23, 1863, in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.  Captain Samuel H. Starr of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry recruited many men for his regiment here in October 1862 after resigning his volunteer commission, many of them prior volunteers from his New Jersey brigade.  Interestingly, I found no record of him being assigned to the Mounted Recruiting Service, though he definitely served this duty.  Lieutenant Elisha W. Tarlton of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry operated the only official recruiting station in the city from November 1, 1862 to March 1, 1863, when he was transferred to his regiment.  A native of Kentucky, he later earned a brevet promotion for gallantry in action at Tuscumbia, Alabama.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Captain Marcus A. Reno of the 1st U.S. Cavalry was ordered to open a recruiting station in Harrisburg while recovering from injuries sustained at the battle of Kelly’s Ford on March 17, 1863.  Other than a brief absence serving with Pennsylvania troops during the Gettysburg campaign, he operated the station until September 23, 1863, when he was relieved by Lieutenant John McDonald of his regiment.  Lieutenants Reuben Bernard and William Pennock, also of the 1st U.S. Cavalry, were assigned here as mustering officer in July and August of 1862, and probably operated from the same office.  Lieutenant McDonald, another former first sergeant,  was transferred back to his regiment on November 26, 1864, and the station remained closed until opened by Lieutenant (and yet another former first sergeant) Dean Monahan of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry on March 12, 1865.

Madison, Wisconsin.  Lieutenant Anson O. Doolittle of the 4th U.S. Cavalry, assigned again to recruiting duty, was the sole operator of this station from January 8 to May 1, 1864, when he was ordered to report to the adjutant general.  The assignment is understandable, as Doolittle was appointed to the Army from Wisconsin, and briefly served as a lieutenant in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry prior to receiving his regular army commission.

Rochester, New York.  Lieutenant Thomas Simson of the 6th U.S. Cavalry opened this station on May 12, 1864.  Badly injured at Franklin, Tennessee, he had finally reported to his regiment the preceding month, but was not yet fit for field duty.  Lieutenant Frank Stanwood of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry relieved him on December 21st, when he was transferred back to his regiment.  Lieutenant and former sergeant major Tullius C. Tupper of the 6th U.S. Cavalry relieved Stanwood in turn on February 7, 1865.

St. Louis, Missouri.  Captain John A. Thompson of the 4th U.S. Cavalry was the sole operator of this station from August 13 to November 1, 1864, when he closed it and returned to his regiment.  He had received a brevet promotion for gallant and meritorious service at Hoover’s Gap, Tennessee the previous year.

References:

Heitman, Francis B.  Historical Register of the United States Army, volume 1. Washington, D.C.: The National Tribune, 1890.

Henry, Guy V.  Military Record of Civilian Appointments in the United States Army, volume 1.  New York: George W. Carleton, 1869.

NARA, M617, Returns from Military Posts, 1806-1916 (accessed online, 2013)

Price, George F. Across the Continent with the Fifth U.S. Cavalry.  New York: Antiquarian Press Limited, 1959.

Rodenbough, Theophilus F.  From Everglade to Canyon with the Second United States Cavalry.  Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2000.

Tousey, Lt. Col. Thomas G.  Military History of Carlisle and Carlisle Barracks.  Richmond: The Dietz Press, 1939.

Carlisle Barracks and the Mounted Recruiting Service, part 3

15 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by in 1864, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, 3rd U.S. Cavalry, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, 6th U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, cavalry depots, officers, recruiting, resignations

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As 1864 opened, the only four operating recruiting stations were Cincinnati, Cleveland, Harrisburg and New York.  Lieutenant Anson Doolittle of the 4th U.S. Cavalry added a fifth in Madison, Wisconsin on January 8th.

In April, the growing controversy surrounding repairs to the post reached a head.  There were a number of issues concerning the contracts and materials needed to repair the post after July’s attack, and then-Captain Hastings wrote on several occasions for guidance and clarification from the Quartermaster General concerning the repairs.  Naturally enough, those who did not receive contracts or orders for material were disgruntled.  As post commander, Hastings was of course at the center of the storm.  Unfortunately for him, he had unwisely pursued repairs without the specific approval of the Quartermaster General, and found himself in a great deal of trouble as a result.

Hastings, who had been promoted to major in the 5th U.S. Cavalry in September, was relieved of command on April 21, 1864.  Charges were subsequently preferred, which led to a conviction by a General Court Martial.  The sentence was initially very severe, but was later commuted to six months suspension of pay and benefits, causing a Congressional investigation.  In December, Major Hastings was permitted to retire “for incapacity resulting from injuries received, or from exposure in the line of duty, in conformity with an Act of Congress, of August, 1861.”  Lieutenant Hancock T. McLean of the 6th U.S. Cavalry, assigned to the post the month before, briefly assumed command of the post.  Thomas Tousey, in his book Military History of Carlisle Barracks and Carlisle, provides a thorough discussion of the issues surrounding Hastings’ dismissal.

On May 19, 1864, Major William B. Royall of the 5th U.S. Cavalry assumed command of the post.  Like the two officers who had preceded him, Royall was another very experienced cavalryman.  He initially entered service as a volunteer officer at the beginning of the Mexican War, and had been assigned to the 5th (then 2nd) U.S. Cavalry when it was formed in 1855.  He was severely wounded during fighting at Old Church, Virginia on June 13, 1862.  He received six saber wounds in hand to hand combat, including “two sabre-contusions on the right side of the head; a cut two inches long on the forehead; a long cut on the left cheek which bled profusely; a cut on the right wrist, dividing a tendon; and an incised fracture, four inches long, of the left parietal bone.”  He received a well-deserved brevet promotion for his conduct in the battle, but recovering from his many wounds took many months.  He came to Carlisle after serving two months at the Cavalry Bureau in Washington.

As spring turned to summer, activity increased around the depot.  The Madison recruiting station closed, and a new one opened in Rochester, New York.  Since the regiments were involved in active campaigning, officers from Carlisle were ordered to conduct parties of recruits to their new regiments.  If annotated on maps or in reports, these detachments were labeled with the regiment of the officer leading them.  A detachment of recruits bound for the 1st U.S. Cavalry led by an officer of the 3rd, for example, would be noted as a detachment of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry.

Lieutenant Hancock McLean of the 6th U.S. Cavalry conducted a detachment of recruits to the 5th Cavalry in late May.  Lieutenant Frank Stanwood of the 3rd Cavalry led a detachment of recruits to the 5th & 6th U.S. Cavalry in late June.  During Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early’s advance on Washington the following month, Lt. Stanwood was ordered by the commander of the Department of the Susquehanna to scout south toward the Potomac.  This seemingly errant band of regulars of the “3rd U.S. Cavalry,” which never served in the eastern theater during the war, has caused confusion among researchers, including this author.

The remainder of the summer and fall passed unremarkably.  Captain Thompson of the 4th U.S. Cavalry opened a recruiting station in St Louis in August.  Lieutenant Stanwood conducted another party of 155 recruits to the 5th U.S. Cavalry in October.  An additional 135 recruits were transferred in November, and 142 more in December.  Captain Thompson closed the recruiting station in St Louis in November, while stations reopened in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as the year’s campaigning drew to a close.

During the early months of 1865, the depot continued to forward recruits to the field: 129 in January, 134 in February, 123 in March and 94 in April.  It is doubtful this last group reached its destination before the cessation of hostilities.  At the end of the war, recruiting stations were still operating in Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Rochester.

The careers of several officers other the commanders were significantly affected by recruiting duty.  Copley Amory of the 4th U.S. Cavalry was appointed a second lieutenant from Massachusetts on August 5, 1861.  He returned to Carlisle from May to December 1862, when he was returned to his regiment.  He was again assigned to the depot in June 1863, this time forwarded to the recruiting station in Boston.  After six more months of recruiting duty, he resigned in December 1863.

Irish-born John McDonald enlisted as a private in Company K, 1st U.S. Dragoons in 1857, and was promoted to first sergeant prior to his appointment as a lieutenant in the same regiment.  He was assigned to the depot in October 1862, remaining until ordered to rejoin his regiment on February 6, 1863.  On June 15, 1863, he was ordered back to the depot, and remained on recruiting service the rest of the war.

Next is the oft-mentioned Frank Stanwood of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry.  He joined at Carlisle as a new second lieutenant on September 27, 1861.  He remained until transferred to his regiment as a first lieutenant on August 21, 1862.  He served as the regimental quartermaster from his arrival until January 15, 1863.  In April, he was ordered back to the mounted recruiting service, where he remained until February 1865.  In all, Stanwood served only twelve months with his regiment during the war.  Ironically, he received a brevet promotion to captain on March 13, 1865 “for coolness, energy and skill in battle.”  He also received brevets to major and lieutenant colonel the same day for what was probably a more accurate description of “faithful and meritorious service during the war.”

Finally, Robert S. Smith was appointed a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Dragoons on May 4, 1861.  He remained on recruiting service through promotions to first lieutenant and captain.  Smith did not actually join his regiment until September 5, 1864, over three years after his appointment!  Two weeks later he saw his first combat while leading his company at the battle of Opequon, or 3rd Winchester on September 19th.  Interestingly, his testimony of valor observed on the field in his first fight was later significant in the award of the Medal of Honor to First Sergeant Conrad Schmidt of Company K.

The concluding post of this series will discuss the recruiting stations and list the sources used to compile the article.

Carlisle Barracks and the Mounted Recruiting Service, part 2

12 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by in 1862, 1863, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, cavalry depots, manning, officers, recruiting

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Recruiting continued normally until the spring of 1862.  A number of recruits were provided to Company L, 5th U.S. Artillery and Companies H and M, 4th U.S. Artillery from April to June.  Part of the mandate of the Mounted Recruiting Service was also to recruit for horse artillery batteries, but this is the only mention of them or appearance of artillery officers at Carlisle in a professional capacity during the war.

During the summer, manpower shortages in the older regiments reached the point where they had to be addressed.  The 2nd U.S. Cavalry acted first, distributing the privates from Companies A, B and D among the rest of the regiment in July.  The officers, noncommissioned officers and buglers were sent to Carlisle to raise new companies.  The 1st U.S. Cavalry followed suit the following month with Companies A, E, F and K.  Beginning in October, one new company was raised for each regiment as well, Company M for the 1st U.S. Cavalry and Company L for the 2nd.  Recruiting for these companies continued through the end of the year.

Several additional recruiting stations were opened to meet the increased demand.  During the summer and fall, stations opened in Buffalo, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Detroit, Elmira, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

December saw the departure of most of the companies.  1st U.S. Cavalry Companies A, F and M departed under the command of Captains Richard S.C. Lord and Milton Carr and Lieutenant Cesar Fisher respectively.  The four companies of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry marched south under Captains Robert Clary and Theophilus Rodenbough, as well as Lieutenants Thomas Dewees, Robert Lennox and James Potter.  In all, 667 new recruits were forwarded to the two regiments during the month.

A great deal of recruiting from volunteer regiments, usually infantrymen, took place from October to December 1862 in Washington, D.C, in Maryland near Harper’s Ferry and in Tennessee near Nashville, but this was not affiliated with the mounted recruiting service.  The enlistments were accomplished by regimental adjutants or their designated representatives.

In February 1863, Companies E and K finally returned to the 1st U.S. Cavalry under Lieutenants Edward Benton and John McDonald.  In preparation for the opening of spring campaigning, more recruits were pushed south to the regiments.  Lieutenants Cesar Fisher and Judson Haycock led 89 to the 1st U.S. Cavalry, Captain Thomas Canfield and Lieutenant Daniel Flynn took 86 to the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, and Captain William McLean led 87 to the 5th U.S. Cavalry.

In June 1863, the war came to Carlisle.  As the Confederate forces crossed into Pennsylvania, Captain Hastings dispatched mounted scouts south to ascertain their position and intentions.  On the morning of June 18th, they were fired on by enemy pickets just south of Chambersburg. Unable to resist with only a garrison company at his disposal, Captain Hastings was forced to abandon the post.  As he wrote in the post return, “Vacated in the face of the enemy June 25, 1863, having no means of defense.  Brought off all munitions of war and moveable public property.”

As soon as the Confederates began their retreat to Virginia, Hastings reoccupied the post and resumed normal operations.  Many of the buildings had been burned, so troops lived in tents while repairs were initiated.

Companies D and G of the 1st U.S. Cavalry arrived in July to reconstitute.  They were the last companies to refit at Carlisle, as the new cavalry depot at Giesboro Point started operations in October.  They were transferred back to their regiment in October under Lieutenants Reuben Bernard, William Pennock and David Perry.  Sixteen recruiting stations continued to operate during the year to provide new recruits.

Surgeon J.J.B. Wright was placed on detached service in New York from October to December 1863.  Surgeon G.S. Palmer was temporarily added to the staff during his absence.  Palmer administered Lincoln Hospital in Washington, D.C. prior to coming to Carlisle.

The winter of 1863-1864 was relatively quiet, as repairs to the post continued and armies went into their winter quarters.

Carlisle Barracks and the Mounted Recruiting Service, part 1

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by in 1861, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, manning, officers, recruiting, training

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While I’ve covered bits and pieces of regular cavalry recruiting in the past, an in depth look at the post returns for Carlisle Barracks during the war revealed a wealth of information on how and where this recruiting was accomplished.  This not the be-all, end-all for this topic.  It’s a blog post, after all, not a journal article.  There are several bits of information that could be of tremendous help, such as the location of the recruiting station in Buffalo, and any newspaper coverage of it.  But I think it is the most comprehensive examination of the process to date.

The theory behind cavalry recruiting changed little with the advent of the war.  The process was relatively simple.  Mounted regiments were tasked to provide officers, noncommissioned officers and sometimes musicians to man recruiting stations at selected cities in the United States.  Periodically these recruits were forwarded from the recruiting stations to Carlisle Barracks.  Here the “Permanent Company,” a training cadre, provided them basic instruction as a cavalryman.  Once the troopers could demonstrate a reasonable aptitude in both the mounted and dismounted tasks of the “School of the Trooper,” as defined in the Cavalry Tactics manual, they were dispatched in detachments to their designated regiments.  This movement was frequently supervised by the same officers and soldiers who originally recruited them.  While this process did not change noticeably in substance during the war, it changed significantly in scope.

Whereas prior to the war only one or two recruiting stations were active at a time, during the course of the Civil War nineteen different cities had stations active at various times.  These were in addition to the stations utilized for the initial recruiting of the twelve companies of the 6th U.S. Cavalry in 1861, which did not fall in the purview of Carlisle Barracks.  It also did not cover the recruiting of volunteers in their camps which occurred near Harpers Ferry in the Eastern Theater in October 1862.  It did, however, include the additional companies, usually designated L and M, added to existing regiments during the war, as well as companies consolidated within the regiments and sent to Carlisle to refit.

Recruiting for the mounted regiments was the responsibility of the “Mounted Recruiting Service.”  This was a purely administrative command, as Congress had not authorized such an organization outside the scope of the existing regiments.  As with all such taskings, the required officers and soldiers were taken “out of hide” from the regiments in the field.  The post commander of Carlisle Barracks had the additional title and responsibilities of the “Superintendent, Mounted Recruiting Service.”  Before the war, this was a major’s position, but during the war it was held by a captain and briefly by a lieutenant.

The commander at the outbreak of the war was Major Lawrence Pike Graham of the 2nd Dragoons.   Graham was something of a legend in the mounted forces.  He was appointed a second lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoons in 1837, and spent the next several years in the Seminole Wars in Florida.  During the Mexican War, he commended the other company in Captain Charles May’s squadron during the famous charge at Resaca de la Palma.  During the Sioux campaign of 1854-55, he commanded a squadron of his own.

Other than the post commander, only the surgeon and the chaplain were permanently assigned to the post.  Surgeon Burton Randall served as the post surgeon until September 1861, when he was assigned to a hospital in Annapolis.  A Maryland native, Randall graduated as a physician from University of Pennsylvania in 1828.  He entered service as an assistant surgeon in 1832, and was promoted to surgeon in 1838.  He served as one of the principal military surgeons of the Mexican War while assigned to the 5th U.S. Infantry.  Surgeon and assistant surgeon were ranks for doctors, and this denoted pay grade, not level of skill or ability.  A civilian physician, D.A. Mahon, served as post surgeon until May 1862, when he was replaced by Assistant Surgeon Joseph Jefferson Burr Wright.  J.J.B. Wright was appointed an assistant surgeon in 1833, and served as the medical director for the Department of Missouri prior to his assignment to Carlisle Barracks.  James A. Ross served as the post chaplain throughout the war.

At least two lieutenants were placed on extra duty from their regiments and assigned temporarily to Carlisle Barracks.  One of these normally served in charge of the permanent company, and the other was in charge of the current group of unassigned.  Equally important, and probably consuming far more of their time, were their additional duties.  One served as Acting Assistant Quartermaster and Acting Assistant Commisary of Subsistence for the post, while the other served as the post adjutant.

1861 was a relatively quiet year for the depot.  The regiments were too busy trying to reach their assigned destinations to worry about replacements, and there were too few experienced officers and noncommissioned officers present to detach many for recruiting duty.  Three recruiting stations were opened in 1861, Boston, Cincinnati and New York City.  Training at the depot continued and small detachments were forwarded once trained.  Only three events of significance took place at Carlisle.

The first was the arrival of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry in April following their exodus from Texas.  They spent April and part of May remounting the regiment and filling their ranks, gaining 174 recruits from the depot in April.  They temporarily emptied the depot, but it put a nearly full strength cavalry regiment into the field near Washington D.C.

The second was the assignment of newly appointed cavalry officers to Carlisle Barracks to undertake their initial training as well.  New subalterns who were experienced noncommissioned officers remained with their regiments, while those appointed from civilian life reported for various lengths of time to receive their initial training as well.  While veterans like John Mix, Thomas Dewees and Samuel Whitside stayed in the field, others like Theophilus Rodenbough, Isaac Dunkelberger and George Sanford were put through their paces by the permanent company.

The third event was the first wartime change of command at Carlisle Barracks.  On September 4, 1861, Major Graham was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers, and reassigned to Washington.  He was succeeded by Captain David H. Hastings of the 1st U.S. Cavalry.  Hastings was another seasoned veteran.  An Irish immigrant, he enlisted in 1837 and worked his way through the ranks to serve as a first sergeant in infantry, artillery and engineer companies prior to receiving a commission in the 1st Dragoons in 1848.  Severely wounded near Mexico City and again severely injured when his horse fell pursuing Indians in New Mexico in 1857, Captain Hastings was of far more use to the Army for his mind than his body at this point in his career.

The 4th U.S. Cavalry at Stones River

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in 1862, 1st/ 4th Cavalry, 4th U.S. Cavalry, battle of Stones River, cavalry

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(Originally printed in the Lancaster Daily Evening Express, January 28, 1863)

The Story of a Cavalry Soldier

The Fourth Regular Cavalry at Murfreesboro – Feeling the Position of the Enemy – A Brilliant Charge – A Brigade of Rebel Cavalry Routed – A Personal Adventure – A Hazardous Reconnaissance, &c, &c

Correspondence of the Express…

Murfreesboro, Jan. 14, 1863.

                Proud of the deeds of the regiment to which I belong – deeds that I will ever make memorable the battle of Murfreesboro, and that have added new luster to the name of “the Fourth Regular Cavalry,” I undertake, as best I can, to describe the battle of Murfreesboro, at least as far as the 4th Cavalry were concerned.

The vast army under Gen. Rosecrans started from Headquarters on the 20th ult.  Our regiment marched twelve miles and encamped at six o’clock the same evening.  We remained here over the 27th, while the advance kept skirmishing with the advance guard of the rebel army.  On the 28th, we moved three miles further.  On the 29th our heart was made glad by the familiar faces of many old friends in the Seventy-ninth P.V.  After a chat of an hour we moved six miles.

On the 30th we left our teams and started on an old-fashioned jump, making six miles more in a very short time, and were soon in the front, in the presence of our commander, General Rosecrans.  The hero of hard-fought battles was gazing ardently upon the surrounding scenery, and with anxious thought contemplating the chances, and so distributing his grand army to secure a glorious victory.  A shell exploded on the brow of the hill, killing a member of Company K.  After remaining with the general awaiting orders, he sent Companies G and I down the road to find out the position of the enemy.  Off we galloped, and the first thing we knew we were right on top of them; wheeling around, we reported and were ordered to ascertain the position on the left, and also to select positions for our batteries.  We returned at dark, and the occasional flash of musketry; and the rolling thunder of artillery, indicated a fierce struggle on the extreme right.  On the following morning we were ordered to the front, and to us was assigned the honor and weighty task of rallying the broken ranks of Gen. Johnson’s command, which were returning in great disorder.  Having checked them somewhat, we entered the woods, where we found many stragglers, who on our approach endeavored to escape.  Some took courage, and the remnants of two regiments were rallied by their Colonels.

It was at this juncture that our artillery, or a good part of it, was taken.  While dashing through the woods an officer reported to our Colonel the presence of the rebel cavalry in our rear, and had taken one of our hospitals and three hundred prisoners.  Quickly moving round by the right in a half circle we neared an open field on the opposite side of which we beheld a brigade of Rebel Cavalry.  We dared not stop to count numbers.  We must fight.  Our Commander gave the word, “Front, into line, charge!”  And such a charge!  I have been in several before upon the Indians, but the splendor of this eclipsed them all.  Our column, small in number, consisting of but a few companies, closed up, and in good order we advanced.  When we neared them they broke.  On we came, yelling like so many savages, and scattering them like chaff.  Two-thirds of our men were fresh recruits, but nobly and well did they march with the regulars.  We recaptured three hundred of Johnson’s men, and brought back with us one hundred and seventy Texas Rangers and Ashby’s Cavalry.  Owing to the sudden belching forth of a masked battery, they were enabled to retake their wounded.  The rally was sounded, and we formed for another charge, but just then an order came for our Commander, Otis, to move his cavalry on the Murfreesboro pike, the rebels having taken the train in the rear.  The Volunteer Cavalry were left in charge of the place of our first encounter, and were compelled to retire.  Thus the rebels retook some of their own men and a few of ours.

The brave Captain Long was shot in the arm, but brought up his prisoners.  When we came on the pike we found five hundred wagons, one battery and any amount of men, in the hands of the rebels.  But when they saw the colors and guidons of the 4th flying they broke, finding temporary shelter in the woods, and leaving all again in our possession.  From this time until Sunday morning we were kept watching the rebel cavalry, our horses being under saddle ninety-six hours.

While at the hospital, several rebels endeavored to give us the slip, and your humble servant was under the necessity of putting after three.  The first one overtaken proved to be a recaptured Union soldier; the next quietly submitted, but the third was about aiming his revolver and placing me in a dangerous position, which compelled me to do likewise, and, putting my pistol close to his head, I snapped it.   I then expected to have my light put out, but the fellow dodged, and when he raised in his saddle found me on the other side with my pistol again at close quarters, and he wisely concluded to give up his pistol and return with me.  Pardon this digression, but it shows into what close quarters soldiers are sometimes brought.  My rebel acquaintances thought the regulars were thoroughly experienced, and related to me several interesting incidents illustrating the fact.

While we were watching the rebels, the Colonel ordered Sergeants Murphy and Harner to take Company G and get between the rebel pickets, so that they could not see us, and find out their position by their camp-fires.  At midnight we mounted the company, while the rain was pouring down on us.  Having successfully entered their lines, we were enabled to have a fine view of their camp, although under dangerous circumstances.  The little expedition, after two hours’ absence, returned and were reported with honor to Gen. Rosecrans.

On Monday we drove the rebel rear guard two miles, and the fighting was severe.  They had two pieces of artillery in the woods, and our skirmishers were dismounted, but kept up a brisk fire until we supported them.  Several casualties occurred during this time in our company.  Between a raking fire of artillery we had to stand until again supported by a battery, and a regiment of infantry, who, forming in line of battle behind our skirmishers, thrashed the rebels finely.  The rebels ceased firing, and we were waiting for something to do, when who should come up but Robert Huay, with his gun upon his shoulder, having before done good service and ready to do more.  We are now brigaded for the first time, and our old and faithful Captain is acting Brigadier, and will soon we hope be one.

I have this endeavored to give an account of the doings of the 4th Cavalry, which even to-day, as it passes the line, elicits rousing cheers from the whole army of the Cumberland.

–          Regular.

Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to determine the author of this article.  More than likely, of course, he was from Lancaster, but he certainly was not the only member of the regiment born there.  I was unable to determine anything about Robert Huay either, but I did discover some information on the two sergeants of Company G mentioned in the article.

Martin Murphy was born in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1832.  He was working as a porter in New York City when he was enlisted into Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry on December 22, 1856 by Captain Gordon Granger.  His enlistment documents describe him as 5’9” tall, with gray eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.  He was promoted to sergeant during his first enlistment, and was re-enlisted by Lieutenant Warner at Fort Wise, Colorado Territory on November 1, 1861. Sergeant Murphy was killed in action near Ringgold, GA on September 16, 1863 while still serving as a sergeant in Company G, 4th Cavalry.

John Harner was born in Lancaster, PA in 1835.  He was working as a carpenter in Rock Island, Illinois prior to his enlistment.  Lieutenant Elmer Otis enlisted him into Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry on November 29, 1856.  His enlistment documents describe him as 5’5” tall, with blue eyes, sandy har and a ruddy complexion.  He was promoted to corporal during his first enlistment, and to sergeant sometime before December 1862.  He was also re-enlisted by Lieutenant Warner at Fort Wise, but five days after Sergeant Murphy, on November 6, 1861.  He also fell afoul of bad luck, as he was serving as a paroled prisoner of war at Camp Parole, Annapolis, Maryland when his enlistment expired on April 3, 1865.

The 1st U.S. Cavalry was re-designated as the 4th U.S. Cavalry in August 1861.  The officer alternately referred to as the Colonel or Commander was actually Captain Elmer Otis, who commanded the regiment during the battle.  As the author describes, the cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland, under former 4th Cavalry officer Brigadier General David S. Stanley, was reorganized in late 1862 and early 1863.  The 4th U.S. Cavalry was ultimately assigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Colonel Robert H.G. Minty.

Stoneman’s Raid – Buford’s Report

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by in 1863, 1st Cavalry, 2nd Cavalry, 5th Cavalry, 6th Cavalry, cavalry, Reserve Brigade, Stoneman's Raid

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BufordLoC

Report of Brig. Gen. John Buford, U.S. Army, commanding Reserve Brigade.

Hdqrs. Cavalry Reserve, Deep Run, May 15, 1863.

Sir: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to instructions from corps headquarters, the brigade, composed of the First, Second, Fifth, and Sixth U.S. Cavalry, left camp at Falmouth at 8 a.m. on April 13, and marched to Morrisville, 21 miles, where it encamped for the night. Elder’s four gun battery joined the column at Hartwood.

On the 14th, at daylight, the brigade was in front of Kelly’s Ford, where it remained until 4 p.m. The object in view at Kelly’s Ford was to make a demonstration in favor of the portions of the corps that were to cross the river higher up. The demonstration was a success, as it has since been ascertained that all of the forces at or near Culpeper were hurried to Kelly’s Ford. While at the ford, the enemy opened upon the brigade with two 10-pounder Parrotts; fired 13 shots. Lieutenant Elder replied from his four guns, firing 12 shots, and drove the rebel guns out of sight. The enemy occupied the rifle-pits on their side of the river and fired upon us, doing no damage, save wounding 3 horses of Captain Clary’s squadron, of the Second Cavalry. The enemy had 5 men hit during the day about their rifle-pits. Not a man of the brigade was touched.

At 6.30 a.m. on the 15th, the brigade was at Rappahannock Bridge, ready to cross. Here orders were given to await further instructions.

At 11 a.m. the ford was swimming. At 10 a.m. Lieutenant Walker, of the Fifth, unaccompanied, crossed the river, in easy range of the enemy’s picket guard, 35 strong.

At midnight of the 15th, the Sixth was ordered to Morrisville to guard the trains. The country at that hour was like a sea. The regiment reached Morrisville on the 16th, having had Marsh Run to swim.

The brigade bivouacked near the Rappahannock Bridge until the morning of the 18th, when it moved up the railroad to near Bealeton. The enemy threw a few shells into the bivouac just after the command had marched.

On the 20th, the brigade marched to near Fayetteville, and picketed the river.

On the 22d, the brigade marched to Warrenton Junction; remained there until the 28th, then started for Kelly’s Ford; was prevented from reaching Kelly’s Ford by bad roads and fog.

Arrived at and crossed Kelly’s Ford on the 29th, and marched about 4 miles, when the advance was fired into.

On the night of the 29th, Captain Drummond’s and Lieutenant Walker’s squadrons, of the Fifth, dashed off to Brandy Station to communicate with General Averell. At Brandy Station they found the Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry and a battery opposed to General Averell. No communication could be made with General Averell. The squadrons returned during the night, having accomplished their mission in a most handsome manner. The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry joined the brigade at Kelly’s Ford, and served with it up to the present time. While halted at the forks of the road near Stevensburg, my pickets were fired upon on four different roads. They all behaved handsomely, and dispersed the foe opposed to them.

On the morning of the 30th, the packs were sent to General Slocum, and the column started for Mitchell’s Ford, on the Rapidan. The leading squadron, Lieutenant Mason’s, of the Fifth, swam the river at Mitchell’s, and scoured the country up to Morton’s and Raccoon Fords. Mitchell’s Ford was found impracticable. The command moved up to Morton’s, and there crossed the river, one squadron of the Sixth Pennsylvania taking the lead, and joining Mason’s squadron on the south side of the river. These two squadrons scoured the country up to Somerville Ford, and drove off some of the enemy’s forces, capturing some 15 prisoners. Lieut. Peter Penn-Gaskell drove the rebel pickets from Raccoon Ford, and found the ford a practicable one. The brigade bivouacked at Raccoon Ford, and marched at daylight to Verdierville, crossed the Plank road, and encamped on the south side of the North Branch of the North Anna. General Gregg pushed on to Louisa Court-House.

On May 2, the brigade passed through Louisa Court-House, and proceeded to Yanceyville. At Louisa, Captain Lord, with his regiment, the First Cavalry, was detached toward Tolersville and Frederickshall, to destroy the railroad and to burn the bridge over the North Anna, on the road from Fredericksburg. He accomplished all that he was sent to do thoroughly.

May 3 found the brigade at Thompson’s Cross-Roads. Captain Lord returned. Captain Drummond, with 200 men of the Fifth, was detached for a special purpose, which he accomplished. Captain Harrison, with the remainder of his regiment, went to Flemmings’ Cross-Roads.

On the morning of the 4th, Captain Harrison was attacked by over 1,000 of the enemy’s cavalry. He made a determined stand; met this overwhelming force with 30 men, and checked it until he could get in his detached parties and save his led horses. His loss in the engagement was 2 officers (Captain Owen and Lieutenant Buford) and 30 men, all supposed to be prisoners from this date. He brought off his wounded. Captain Harrison speaks in the highest terms of the officers and men with him in his engagement, and he deserves the highest praise for his coolness and gallantry displayed in extricating his command from the clutches of a force that was more than ten times superior in numbers. I feel confident that had he had the 200 men of his regiment with Captain Drummond, he would have disposed the force that attacked him.

May 5. – At Flemmings’ Cross-Roads all of the strong horses of the brigade were selected, 646 in number, and the command started to Gordonsville. After crossing the South Anna at Yanceyville, my intention was to go across the country, keeping south of the railroad and Gordonsville, but soon found it impracticable, from the broken ground and impenetrable forests. The only alternative was to march by Louisa. At Louisa I found telegraphic communication had been restored with Gordonsville. The wires were again destroyed, the post-office seized, and the command started down the railroad to Gordonsville. At Trevilian’s Station we destroyed the pumps and water-tanks, 2 hand-cars, a large supply of subsistence stores, and 2 wagons loaded with ammunition and arms. The wood and ties along the road were burned, and the telegraph destroyed by taking out long pieces of the wire. When within 2 miles of Gordonsville, the enemy’s infantry and artillery were found in position awaiting our arrival. The command then turned north, and marched until nearly daylight, and stopped safe on the north side of the North Anna, near Orange Springs. The water in the North Anna was rising fast when the head of the column struck it, and before the rear of my short column passed it was swimming. The rear guard found it impassable, and crossed it on rafts.

General Stoneman, with General Gregg and the rest of my brigade, came up early on the 6th, just as I was about starting for Raccoon Ford.

Toward evening the command marched again, and arrived at Raccoon Ford about 2 a.m. on the 7th. The brigade was all across at 4 a.m.

At the crossing of the Plank road, the Second was sent to Germanna Mills to hold that ford against the enemy. Here we received the first reliable information that General Hooker had recrossed the Rappahannock. The command reached Kelly’s Ford in the night, and found the river swimming. The brigade was all posted on the approaches to the ford, and remained standing to horse until daylight, when the brigade began crossing. The crossing was effected without losing a man. Two worn out horses were lost.

On the 8th, the brigade encamped near Rappahannock Bridge and drew forage.

On the 9th, moved to Bealeton for supplies.

On the 10th, started for Falmouth, and reached Deep Run, where instructions were received to picket the river from Rappahannock Bridge to Falmouth, which duty the brigade is performing now.

From the time that the brigade struck the river at Rappahannock Bridge on the 15th, up to the crossing of the river on the 29th, it seemed as though the elements were combined against our advance; such rains and roads I had never seen. During the whole expedition the roads were in a worse condition than I could have supposed to be possible, and the command was called upon to endure much severe discomfiture. The men’s rations were destroyed almost as soon as issued. No fires could be lighted to cook or dry by, and the dark, cold, wet nights that the men were compelled to march wore them out; but all, without exception, were full of enthusiasm, ready for any emergency, and did their duty with hearty good-will. I have not heard of a complaint or murmur. Each regiment has had about the same amount of duty to perform. The Fifth probably had a little the most, and most nobly have they all responded when called upon.

There were a number of men from the brigade left whose horses had to be abandoned. It will be impracticable to get the names of these men or the number until the brigade is again concentrated. The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Major Morris, had its equal share of trials and exposure, and has been more than equal to any task imposed upon it. A number of animals of inferior quality were captured, which served to bring out of the country the men whose horses had failed.

At Thompson’s Cross-Roads a train of 15 new wagons was captured and destroyed by Captain Keough, one of my aides, and Lieutenant Walker, of the Fifth. The mules, 60 in number, were distributed to the dismounted men of the command.

I have not received the reports from the regimental commanders of the operations of their respective commands, except from Captain Harrison, of the Fifth, and Captain Lord, of the First Cavalry; these are transmitted herewith. Captain Harrison speaks of his officers and men in most flattering terms. He himself has behaved most heroically throughout.

All of my staff – Captains [Myles W.] Keough, [Joseph] O’Keeffe, and [Theodore C.] Bacon; Lieutenants [John] Mix, Peter Penn Gaskell, [Philip] Dwyer, and [William] Dean – have been severely worked, and have rendered valuable service to me. Untiring and zealous, they have relieved me of much anxiety, and have promoted good feeling through the brigade.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Jno. Buford,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.
Lieut. Col. A.J. Alexander,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Corps.

Source: OR, Vol. 25, pt 1, pgs 1087-1090

150 Years Ago: 5th U.S. Cavalry, May 1863

07 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by in 1863, 5th Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, cavalry, Stoneman's Raid

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James E. Harrison
At the beginning of May 1863, the 5th U.S. Cavalry’s regimental strength was 12 officers and 424 enlisted men in ten companies. Although authorized twelve companies, the regiment had not yet attempted to recruit and organize the other two. This was partly due to the need for heavy recruiting to make up the losses sustained at Gaines Mill the previous June. The regiment was commanded in May by Captain James E. Harrison.

All ten companies with the army participated in Stoneman’s Raid, and Captain Harrison’s official report on the raid will appear here next week. The monthly return shows only 130 unserviceable horses in the regiment, somewhat better than their sister regiments. Average company strength was only 42 of an authorized 95. Not a single company had its full complement of officers. Of the ten companies, two were commanded by captains, four by first lieutenants and four by second lieutenants. All four of the second lieutenants were former noncommissioned officers.

Source: NARA, Returns of Regular Army Regiments, 5th U.S. Cavalry, April 1863, images 335-337.