Tag Archives: 1st U.S. Cavalry

Fiddler’s Green: Samuel McKee

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

Posted by in 1st U.S. Cavalry, Fiddler's Green, officers

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, ,

It seems appropriate to feature this officer on the 150th anniversary of his death. Due to the heavy fighting in June 1864, there will be several of these features this month.

Samuel McKee was born in St Louis, Missouri in 1835. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy from Utah in 1854 at the age of 19, and graduated 13th in the class of 1858. Upon graduation, he was initially appointed as a brevet second lieutenant of mounted rifles, and served his initial assignment at the Cavalry School for Practice at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He was transferred to the 1st Dragoons on June 22, 1859, and conducted a party of recruits to join his new regiment at Fort Tejon, California.

He was promoted to second lieutenant in the 1st Dragoons on January9, 1860, and continued to serve with the parts of the regiment at Fort Tejon. Later that year he married Matilda Harris Finley, the daughter of Army Surgeon General Dr. Clarence A. Finley.

With the outbreak of the war, promotions accelerated rapidly. Samuel was promoted to first lieutenant in the regiment on May 7th, and appointed regimental adjutant on August 7th. In October tragedy struck the young family, as Matilda died in childbirth on October 31st at the age of 25. Their daughter was named Matilda Finley McKee. Samuel had little time to mourn, as he was relieved as adjutant when he was promoted to captain on November 14th. . The regimental headquarters departed by ship from Los Angeles for Washington, D.C. They arrived and established Camp Sprague in late January 1862, with Captain McKee in command of Company B.

The regiment spent the next two months drilling and preparing for the spring campaign as part of the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Reserve. A career fellow officer in the regiment later noted in his memoirs that McKee was “perhaps the best drill officer I have ever known.” He participated with his regiment in the spring’s fighting on the Peninsula, distinguishing himself in the skirmish at Williamsburg on May 4th.

The following month he departed on a leave of absence to serve as lieutenant colonel for the 77th New York Volunteer Infantry, but rejoined the 1st Cavalry in September in time for the Antietam campaign. He served with the regiment through the winter of 1863, Stoneman’s Raid and the Gettysburg campaign.

He was again detached from his regiment on special service with General Ayres at New York City following the draft riots from August 23, 1863 to January 14, 1864. After a brief sick leave in Washington, D.C., he joined the regiment at Mitchell’s Station in February. He was engaged in picket duty and reconnaissance for the remainder of the winter, serving as the regimental commander until April.

Captain Nelson Sweitzer resumed command of the regiment for the spring campaign, but Captain McKee served prominently at Todd’s Tavern and during the fighting during Sheridan’s first raid. He was mortally wounded during the cavalry fighting at Cold Harbor, Virginia on May 31st, and died on June 3rd. He is buried with his wife in Los Angeles, California.

He was well remembered by peers and superiors alike. Catain George Sanford wrote of him that his death “cut short a most promising career and deprived the regiment of one of the finest and best loved officers who ever followed its colors.” His brigade commander, Brigadier General Wesley Merritt, called him “a pure, unaffected, moderate man, a chivalrous, educated, accomplished soldier.” General Alfred T.A. Torbert, his division commander, wrote “a more gallant and accomplished soldier has not given his life for his bleeding country.”

 

Sources:

Cullum, pgs 704-705.

Hageman, E.R., ed. Fighting Rebels and Redskins. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1969.

Heitman, pg 438.

Jordan, F. “A Forgotten Captain.” Los Angeles Herald, Volume 37, Number 184, April 3, 1910, page 10.

Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Volume 36, part I, pages 806, 814 and 849.

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

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.

 

Starting the 1864 Campaigns

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in 1864, 1864 raids, 1st U.S. Cavalry, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, 5th U.S. Cavalry, manning, Reserve Brigade

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

150 years ago today, the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps engaged in its first battle of 1864 at Todd’s Tavern. Before looking at the battle itself, I thought it would be helpful to look at the state of the three regular regiments in the Reserve Brigade as the campaign began. Listing the numbers may seem tedious, but it will go a long way to help the reader visualize the effects of the year’s battles on these understrength regiments. 1864 was an absolutely brutal year for these regiments, and one would be combat ineffective by year’s end.

On April 28th, the regiments of the Reserve Brigade moved out of their winter camps near Mitchell’s Station and encamped about 1.5 miles from Culpeper. At this time the brigade consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 5th U.S. Cavalry, the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and the 1st New York Dragoons. Colonel Alfred Gibbs, commander of the 1st New York Dragoons, commanded the brigade, as Brigadier General Wesley Merritt was in temporary command of the First Division.

The 1st U.S. Cavalry was commanded at the beginning of May by Captain Nelson B. Sweitzer. This Pennsylvania native was the most experienced of the three commanders. An 1853 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, he had served in the regiment his entire career. It had 8 officers and 487 enlisted men present for duty of an authorized 42 officers and 1,189 enlisted men. Its twelve companies averaged 40 enlisted men each. On the April 1864 return, the regiment requested 356 recruits to bring it up to full strength.

The 2nd U.S. Cavalry started 1864 campaigning under Captain Theophilus F. Rodenbough. A civilian appointee from his native Pennsylvania in 1861, Rodenbough was by now a veteran, his only absence from the regiment a brief stint as a prisoner of war after Second Manassas. The regiment had eight officers and 271 enlisted men present for duty, with another 131 enlisted men on extra duty. Its twelve companies averaged only 21 enlisted men each. On the April 1864 return, the regiment requested 559 recruits to bring it up to full strength.

The 5th U.S. Cavalry was commanded at this time by Captain Abraham K. Arnold. Another Pennsylvanian, Arnold graduated from West Point in 1859. He missed the regiment’s ill-fated charge at Gaines Mill, serving as an aide de camp to General McClellan until March of the previous year. He distinguished himself multiple times during the Overland Campaign, earning a Medal of Honor. Only seven of the regiment’s twelve companies were present for duty, as Companies B, F, K and L served as escort to General Grant’s headquarters, and Company D served at Point Lookout, Maryland. Indeed, the regiment had 23 of its assigned officers and 263 enlisted men on detached service, at army headquarters and elsewhere. The seven companies present mustered only 6 officers and 206 enlisted men, an average of 29 men each. On the April 1864 return, the regiment requested 630 recruits to bring it up to full strength.

Unfortunately, I don’t presently have unit strengths for the 6th Pennsylvania and the 1st New York Dragoons. The 1st New York a relatively inexperienced unit, but the 6th Pennsylvania had served in every 1862 campaign of the Army of the Potomac, and its numbers reflected its veteran status.

The three regiments combined for a present for duty strength of 22 officers and 964 enlisted men, of an authorized strength of 126 officers and 3,567 enlisted men. Officer strength was 17.4% and enlisted strength was 27%. And the hardest year’s campaigning was about to begin.

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

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 2

12 Saturday Oct 2013

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

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

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 23rd Illinois Infantry and the 1st U.S. Cavalry

02 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by in 1862, 1st Cavalry, recruiting

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

On a cold winter’s day in New Creek, Virginia, Lieutenant Haycock made the recruiting discovery of his career.  Dispatched to recruit soldiers for Companies E and K of the 1st U.S. Cavalry, he hit the jackpot when he visited the camp of the 23rd Illinois Infantry.

The Timothy O’Connor inquiry (see previous post) turned out to be a thread that was very revealing about recruiting for the 1st U.S. Cavalry in the winter of 1862.  One member of the 23rd Illinois Infantry became 31 as I toured the regimental muster rolls, which fortunately are available online.  Looking up the regular enlistment records of those 31 revealed another 24 that were not specifically annotated as “transferred to 1st U.S. Cavalry” in the state muster rolls.

Fellow blogger and historian Damian Shiels has already done yeoman’s work with the 23rd Illinois and their nativity.  If interested please look here.  I made only a cursory look into their past to see the demographics of this group who chose to leave their comrades for a new beginning.

Of the 55 soldiers identified, I found regular enlistment records for 53.  I was not able to find John Kernan or James Haher.  Of the 53, 34 were born overseas and 19 in the United States.  Of the immigrants, 23 were born in Ireland, four in England, three in Germany and two each in Prussia and Scotland.  Interestingly, only four of the natives were born in Illinois, with five from New York, three each from Michigan and Ohio, and one each from Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

An examination of their service revealed that only eighteen of the 53 served out their enlistments, though two deserted and returned.  Sixteen of the new regulars deserted and did not return, one the following day.  Seven were discharged for disability.  Three were listed as missing in action, believed to be taken prisoner.  Of the eight who died, three were killed in action, two died of disease or wounds in Union hospitals, two died in Andersonville prison, and one died in a Richmond hospital while a prisoner of war.  The final soldier, incidentally the one from Pennsylvania, transferred to the Navy in 1864.

In addition to the members of the 23rd Illinois, the enlistment look-ups (which are listed on register pages) revealed 64 other volunteer enlistees into the regiment in November/ December 1862.  Out of curiosity, I looked into the demographics and service of this second group as well.  No birthplace was listed for four of the soldiers.  Only 19 of the remaining 60 were foreign born, as opposed to 41 natives.  Eleven were born in Pennsylvania, nine in New York, 6 in Massachusetts, four in Ohio, and two each in Virginia and Indiana.  One each was born in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Vermont.  Of the 19 immigrants, 11 were born in Ireland, three each in England and Canada, and one each in Scotland and Germany.

Interestingly, the second group had a much higher rate of service than the men of the 23rd Illinois.  Nineteen of the 64 served out their enlistments, but a further 11 re-enlisted in early 1864.  Three from New York transferred back to volunteer units, and one was released by an order from the Adjutant General’s Office, possibly for the same reason.  (I have encountered the transfer issue before with the 2nd and 6th U.S., and it was the 60th and 70th New York Infantry on all occasions, involving an appeal to General Joseph Hooker.)  Seventeen of these soldiers deserted, and six others were discharged for disability.  Of the six who died, one was killed in action and one died in Andersonville prison.

Amongst the other nuggets turned up, this research also revealed 19 volunteer enlistees into the 2nd U.S. Cavalry during the same time period.  And I find myself curious about young Lieutenant Judson Haycock as well.  Thanks again for the query that started the ball rolling, Jimmy Price!

Sources:

Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois, Illinois Military Units in the Civil War, 1962.

NARA, RG 94, Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914

Regimental roster, accessed on June 27, 2013 at http://civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org/reg_html/023_reg.html

Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, 9 vols., 1900-1902, accessed on June 27, 2013 at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/reghist.pdf

Medal of Honor – Timothy O’Connor, 1st U.S. Cavalry

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by in 1864, 1st Cavalry, battle of Deep Bottom, medal of honor, research, volunteers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Special thanks to Craig Swain and Jimmy Price for bringing this man to my attention.  There’s all too little data out there on the 1st U.S. Cavalry in the Civil War, so every bit of detail unearthed is a victory.  Readers will see more on the 23rd Illinois and the 1st U.S. Cavalry shortly.  This is another of those threads that lead far afield once it is pulled and followed.

Timothy O’Connor was born in County Kerry, Ireland on August 15, 1842.  After immigrating to the United States, he settled in Chicago, Illinois.

At the outbreak of the war, O’Connor joined one of the many volunteer units forming in the Chicago area.  He enlisted in Company F, “somebody’s Guard, Rifles, etc” 23rd Illinois Infantry at Camp Douglas, Illinois on March 15, 1862. The regiment was raised entirely in Cook County, Illinois.  He was mustered in by Captain Moriarty when the regiment officially mustered in Chicago on May 14, 1862.  Like so many soldiers, his name is incorrectly entered in his enlistment documents.  Timothy “Conner” is described in his enlistment papers as 22 years old, 5’9” tall, with light hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion.  He reported his residence as Chicago and his occupation as a laborer.

The regiment was assigned to Colonel James A. Mulligan’s “Irish Brigade,” not to be confused with the Army of the Potomac storied unit of the same name.  The regiment initially operated in Missouri, near Jefferson City and Lexington.  At the time O’Connor joined the regiment, it was guarding prisoners at Camp Douglas.  In June 1862 it was ordered to Harpers Ferry, where its duties principally involved guarding the railroad lines in the area until the end of the year.

Timothy took quickly to the life of a soldier, earning promotions to corporal and sergeant within months of enlisting.  By December, O’Connor had apparently had enough of guarding railroads.  On December 24, 1862, he took advantage of a War Department order issued after the battle of Antietam which authorized volunteer soldiers to join regular army regiments.  Given the experience of the year’s campaigning, hundreds of volunteers chose to join cavalry regiments.

Sergeant O’Connor was enlisted as a private into Company E, 1st U.S. Cavalry by Lieutenant Judson Haycock at New Creek, Virginia.  Four others from his company and at least three others from other companies in his former regiment joined the 1st U.S. Cavalry the same day.  His new enlistment documents described him as 22 years old, 5’8 ½” tall, with fair hair, gray eyes and a ruddy complexion.

During fighting at the first battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia on July 28, 1864, Private O’Connor captured the regimental colors of the 18th North Carolina Infantry.  He was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor in General Orders dated January 5, 1865.  His citation reads “for extraordinary heroism on 28 July 1864, while serving with Company E, 1st U.S. Cavalry, in action at Malvern, Virginia, for capture of flag of the 18th North Carolina Infantry (Confederate States of America).”

Private O’Connor was discharged from the army at the expiration of his enlistment on December 24, 1865 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  He returned to Chicago, where he lived the rest of his life.

Timothy O’Connor died in Chicago on March 26, 1915, at the age of 72.  There is a memorial headstone at Arlington National Cemetery because he is a Medal of Honor awardee, but his remains are in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago.

Sources:

Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois, Illinois Military Units in the Civil War, 1962.

Dyer, Frederick, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion

NARA, RG 94, Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914

Regimental roster, accessed on June 20, 2013 at http://civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org/reg_html/023_reg.html

Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, 9 vols., 1900-1902, accessed on June 19, 2013 at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/reghist.pdf

Reserve Brigade Attrition in the Gettysburg Campaign

20 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in 1863, 1st Cavalry, 2nd Cavalry, 5th Cavalry, 6th Cavalry, battle of Brandy Station, Casualties, Gettysburg campaign, manning, Reserve Brigade, Stoneman's Raid

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

BufordLoC

Few would dispute the performance of Gen. John Buford on July 1st at Gettysburg.  He did an excellent job of fighting his division, especially since he was short one brigade.  The Reserve Brigade, without question his favorite in the division, was miles away guarding the wagon trains of the Army of the Potomac at the time of the biggest fight of his career.  The fact that he accomplished all that he did on that July day is not only a tremendous credit to Colonels Devin and Gamble, but to Buford’s ability to employ unfamiliar commands effectively.

It is an established fact that Gen. Buford preferred regular units to volunteers.  While the performance of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry during Stoneman’s Raid went a long way toward changing his mind about volunteers, there can be little doubt that he would have preferred to have the Reserve Brigade with him on July 1st.  Indeed, he requested their return several times prior to that morning. (OR, Vol. 27, pt. 1, pgs. 923-924)

Why was the Reserve Brigade guarding wagon trains?  The answer is simply attrition, of officers even more than enlisted men.  By the end of June 1863, the brigade was simply fought out, and needed a day or two to reorganize before returning to the fight.  During the preceding two months, each of its regiments averaged losses in excess of 15% of their enlisted strength and nearly half of their officers.

At the end of April 1863, just prior to Stoneman’s Raid, this was the strength of the regiments of the Reserve Brigade.  Data for the 6th Pennsylvania is not shown.

Regiment         Officers           Enlisted            # Companies

1st US               10                    371                  7

2nd US              17                    304                  10

5th US              12                    424                  10

6th US              13                    498                  12

Total                52                    1,597               39

A full strength cavalry regiment was authorized 12 companies, including 42 officers and 1,100 enlisted men at this point in the war.  The companies present with the brigade averaged 1.3 officers and 40.9 enlisted men.  The brigade was commanded by a major, and each of the regiment’s by a captain.

At the end of May 1863, after Stoneman’s Raid and prior to Brandy Station, this was the brigade’s strength.  Data is unavailable for the 6th Pennsylvania. (National Archives, RG 94, Returns from Regular Army Cavalry Regiments, 1833-1916. Hereafter “Regimental returns”)

Regiment         Officers           Enlisted            # Companies

1st US               14                    322                  7

2nd US              16                    334                  12

5th US              12                    421                  11

6th US              13                    468                  12

Total                55                    1,545               42

Despite the addition of three officers and three companies, enlisted strength was down by 52 men.  Many of the losses were to the dismounted camp near Dumfries for mounts to replace those lost in the raid.  Each company still averaged 1.3 officers, but only 36.7 enlisted men.  The regiments were commanded by one major and three captains.

At the battle of Brandy Station, General Buford used his 1st and 2nd Brigades primarily defensively after crossing the Rappahannock and losing Colonel B.F. Davis early in the battle.  Once his lines were established, he used the Reserve Brigade for the majority of his attacks on the Confederates, first at St James Church, and later on his right flank.  These attacks resulted in correspondingly higher casualty rates for the brigade.  The 1st U.S. Cavalry picketed north of the river for the majority of the battle, and saw very little fighting.  The Gettysburg Campaign in Numbers and Losses by J.D. Petruzzi and Steven Stanley provides an excellent roll-up of regimental strengths and losses by engagement for the campaign.  Their numbers for the battle of Brandy Station are listed in the table below. (Petruzzi and Stanley, The Gettysburg Campaign in Numbers and Losses, pgs. 5-6. Also, OR, Vol. 27, pt. 1, pg. 905.)

Regiment         Strength   Killed  Wounded   Missing       Total    % Strength

1st US               350            1           1                 0           2             .6%

2nd US              435          11         29               26          66          15.2%

5th US              330            6         17               15           38          11.5%

6th US              510            8         26               32           66          12.9%

6th PA              310            5         25               78         108           34.8%

Total              1,935          31         98              151        319          14.5%

Total strength for the brigade may be conservative, as Gen. Pleasonton’s official report lists their strength on June 9, 1863 at 1,857. (Ibid., pg. 906)

Total losses for Buford’s right wing in the battle, including the infantry brigade, were 471.  The Reserve Brigade losses of 319 were 67.7% of this total.  As devastating as these numbers appear, they may be conservative.  The commander of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry during the battle, Wesley Merritt, later reported 8 of 14 officers were killed or wounded, and 68 killed or wounded of only 225 engaged.  These equate to losses of 57% of officers and 30% of enlisted men in this regiment. (Rodenbough, From Everglade to Canyon, pg. 290.)

The campaign continued, and the brigade rode north with the rest of the division.  Less than two weeks later, on June 21st, the division engaged in another battle at Upperville. (Petruzzi and Stanley, pgs. 33-34.)

Regiment         Strength   Killed  Wounded   Missing      Total    % Strength

1st US               345            1         13               39         53          15.4%

2nd US              372

5th US              301            1                                            1             .3%

6th US              463                         6                 3            9            1.9%

6th PA              240

Total              1,735              2         19               42            63

Again, these numbers may be conservative, as Captain Cram of the 6th U.S. Cavalry claimed in his official report, “The regiment marched out 12 commissioned officers and 242 enlisted men strong.” (OR, Vol. 27, pt. 1, pg. 947.)  This would increase the regiment’s loss to 3.6%.  During the battle, Gen. Buford again employed the Reserve Brigade as his primary attack force, and they paid commensurately. The 1st U.S. Cavalry, who had missed much of the previous battle, figured prominently in this one.  Division losses for the engagement totaled 115.  The Reserve Brigade, composing 39.8% of the division’s strength, suffered 54.7% of its casualties.  Two more officers were lost, one each from the 1st and 6th U.S. Cavalry. (Ibid., pg. 922.)

By the end of June, conditions within the brigade had changed dramatically from just one month before.  Regular regiment strengths as reported on their monthly returns for June 1863 are listed below. (Regimental returns.)

Regiment         Officers           Enlisted            # Companies

1st US                 8                       313                 8

2nd US                5                       505               12

5th US                9                       441                11

6th US                9                       461                10

Total                32                    1,720                 41

While enlisted strengths remained roughly the same per company, primarily due to replacements from the dismounted camp as mounts became available, officer strengths had plummeted.  Over the month, 21 of 52 officers were lost killed, wounded or missing, a loss of 40%. (Ibid.)  This left less than one officer per company.  Despite the continual reinforcements, companies remained at 40% strength on average, with near-constant disruptions to the ranks.  Additionally, the brigade received its third commander of the month on June 30th in the person of newly-promoted Brigadier General Wesley Merritt.

MerrittLoC

Fortunately, 21 of the remaining 32 officers were former enlisted men in the regiments. (Ibid. Also, National Archives, RG 94, Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914 and Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, Volume 1.)  The brigade was still an experienced, battle-hardened formation, it simply needed a couple of days to reorganize.  This was proven on July 3rd and throughout the pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia following the battle of Gettysburg.

To some extent, however, the loss of the Reserve Brigade may have done much to reveal Buford’s battlefield acumen.  Had they been present, it seems very likely that he would have relied on them heavily once again.  Instead, he was forced to utilize the tools he had at hand, specifically his other two brigade commanders.  Both were very capable cavalry leaders, they simply had not yet had a good opportunity to demonstrate their ability to their division commander.  They proved themselves in the crucible on July 1st.  The lessons that Gen. Buford learned about them and their commands in this fight greatly enhanced his ability to fight his division through the rest of the campaign.  A look at Gen. Buford’s reports from the campaign will show that he maneuvered the division differently before and after the fighting at Gettysburg.  Following the battle, they appear to have much more autonomy in their movements.

 

Private John Saville, Co. K, 1st U.S. Cavalry

09 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

,

I had a request recently to see what I could find out about this gentleman, and thought I’d post it here in case anyone’s curious.  He was a much more difficult nut to crack than most queries I attempt. I certainly learned a few things, most of them unexpected.  It is very likely that John is featured in the banner photo for the blog, as this was his company in early 1864 near Brandy Station.

John Saville was born in County Limerick, Ireland about 1841.  He immigrated to the United States, and was living near Chicago when the Civil War broke out.  He enlisted as a private into Company G, 23rd Illinois Infantry regiment on June 15, 1861 at the age of 21. He served with this unit for the first year and a half of the war, in what appears to be a singular experience.

The 23dr Illinois was mustered in the same day John enlisted, June 15, 1861.  Upon completion of their training, they marched to garrison Lexington, Missouri in September.  After a brief siege, they surrendered the town to militia under Confederate General Sterling Price and were captured and paroled.  The regiment was mustered out by order of General Fremont on October 8, and ordered restored by General McClellan on December 10th.  For the first half of 1862, the regiment guarded prisoners at Camp Douglas outside of Chicago.  In June they moved to Harpers Ferry, where they served as part of the Railroad District, 8th Corps, Middle Department.  They served at various locations in the vicinity of Harpers Ferry for the duration of the year, marching to the relief of Parkersburg and Clarksburg in September.   

On December 24, 1862, he transferred from his volunteer regiment into the regular army at New Creek, Virginia.  He was sworn into Company K, 1st U.S. Cavalry by Lieutenant Judson Haycock.  His enlistment documents describe him as 5’ 11” tall, with blue eyes, black hair and a dark complexion.  He served the remainder of the war in the company without any major issues.  He was discharged at the expiration of his enlistment in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 24, 1865 as a private.

John returned home to Chicago, but must not have been too pleased with his homecoming.  On January 27, 1866, barely a month after he left the army, he re-enlisted.  He was sworn into company A, 18th U.S. Infantry, which later became Company A, 36th U.S. Infantry, by Lieutenant Kirkland.  This enlistment did not go well at all.  He deserted on July 3, 1867, only to be apprehended six days later.  Apparently things continued to go poorly, for he was dishonorably discharged as a private on January 27, 1869, per General Order 38, Department of the Platte at Camp Douglas, Utah.

John returned to Chicago, where he worked as a laborer.  He evidently suffered the effects of his military service.  He was admitted to the Northwestern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1877 for disability due to rheumatism.  He was expelled a few months later on February 28, 1878 with the note, “refused to work.”   He filed a pension as a veteran invalid on May 3, 1879.  He was in and out of the Northwestern Branch and the Western Branch for the next several years, then disappeared from records after December 1889.  I could locate no marriage records, and he was listed as single in the National Home entries.

So ends our tale of John Saville, a common soldier.