The Battle of Piedmont – An After Action Account of the Tragic Sights of the Battlefield

The Battle at Staunton, Va.—The Fifteenth Cavalry in the Reserve.
The following is a copy of a private letter to Hon. R. Woolworth, from his son-in-law, a member of the Fifteenth Cavalry, who is detailed upon Gen. Stahl’s staff.
IN THE FIELD, STAUNTON, VA.,
June 8, 1864.

We came along our route very comfortably and with but little opposition, until we reached Piedmont, about twelve miles north of this, on Sunday last, (5th inst.,) in the morning about seven o’clock. Met the enemy in full force, and they pitched in, expecting another New Market affair. Very soon the ball commenced with artillery, and very soon the whole army on both sides were hard at it; and continued so until 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when the battle was ended by some of the rebels throwing down their arms and others running away, leaving their killed and a portion of their wounded on the field. Among the killed was the rebel Gen. W. E. Jones, a brother-in-law of Dr. Brown, at Saltville. I went to see him, and sure enough, it was him, with a rifle-ball through his head, entering at the corner of his right eye. He is a horrible looking sight. The battle-field I visited, and never wish to visit another, as it was the worst looking place I ever saw. The part occupied by the rebels was literally covered with the dead; officers and privates lying side by side, and not a bit of difference between them then—one as good as another. Their loss was immense, and their killed alone must have been certainly three or four hundred, and possibly more, and their wounded, no one knows how many, as they took with them all they could and left a large number on the field. Every house and barn between the battle-field and Staunton is a hospital.

Our troops entered this place and took possession of it without firing a gun. We captured in the fight about nine hundred rebels, and have them yet (many commissioned officers) in a large yard that they had just prepared (I have been told) with a high fence for the purpose of keeping us in, but we are not there yet. They are a curious looking set of beings, hardly two in the whole lot dressed alike, old and young mixed together, and all in all, they are a miscellaneous looking set.
This town is very finely situated in a valley, and a person can hardly see it until he gets to it, but the majority of the residences are of the first- class and are very tasty, and the grounds, which are large, are laid put with much taste.

The General Hospital of the Confederate States is located here and is a beautiful building, very large and spacious, and the grounds, they say, are magnificent; but I have not visited it, and probably shall not. The railroad and its buildings, bridges, and all the freight stored in them, have been burned by our folks, and all the Government stores here have been destroyed that could not be transported. The cars left here the night before we came, with a large train of supplies, but a very large amount was left behind and is destroyed. They have not been in regular running order for two or three weeks, but occasionally making a trip for stores. They run from here to Lynchburg and then to Richmond, but their direct route is from here to Gordonsville, and then direct by the Virginia Central Railroad, but they do not, I suppose, consider it safe just now.

During the engagement on Sunday, General Stahl was slightly wounded in the shoulder, but is improving rapidly, and soon, I hope, will be able to take his saddle again. You need not think, by any means, that in the fight our men all escaped; but our loss, I do not think, is near as large as the rebels, and in fact I know it is not, but as yet the result is not ascertained.
The 15th Cavalry was not engaged that day, being on duty as rear guard to the train, so they all escaped.

I write this on rebel paper so you can see it, but don’t think that we have no other, as we have a plenty.

Yours, A. W. D

For more on the Battle of Piedmont and Hunter’s Raid on Staunton see:

 

Cedar Creek – Attacked in Camp

The Eighth Corps

A West Virginia Soldier Talks of Cedar Creek

I have read with interest in your issue of December 29, a sketches from Serg’t George W. Toms, 5th N. Y. Cav, in regard to the battle of Cedar Creek. I have also read in your valuable paper communications from many different pens in regard to that battle, and think that Serg’t Toms gives a very correct account of the affair.

My regiment, the 15th W. Va. Belonged to the Eighth Corps as did all of the West Virginia infantry, except the 7th and 5th, and there may have been one other. We were attacked about 3 o’clock a.m., Oct. 19, 1864, long before daylight. The morning was aas dark as it could well be. There was a New York regiment [5th, Heavy Artillery] in our front on picket, and in some way the enemy got the countersign and relieved all the pickets on our front. As we were on the extreme left, the enemy got into our camp while we were all in our shelter-tents asleep. When the alarm was given and our boys began to show fight, the rebels that were inside our fortifications shouted out not to shoot-that they were our own men; but there was several volleys fired, although the only light we had to show us they were rebels was by the flash of our guns, which disclosed the fact that our camp was full of them.

They would have easily captured nearly all of the Eighth Corps, if it had not been that they went to pilfering our camp. We retreated back down the valley until we formed when Gen. Sheridan came up…

Thomas Roseberry, 15th West Virginia
Dallas, WV

National Tribune: January 12, 1888

Cox’s Brigade at Third Winchester Update

Alfred Young of Pennsylvania has conducted decades of research on casualties in the Army of Northern Virginia in the 1864 Campaigns. His study of the Overland Campaign will soon be published by LSU Press. He was kind enough to share his findings on Third Winchester with me. We have corresponded and spoke on the phone many times over the years and I am very happy that his work is coming out soon. He his a dogged research and a first class gentleman.

As a footnote to Capt. Galle’s account of Third Winchester, Alfred’s research revealed that Cox’s brigade lost 278 men killed, wounded and captured at Winchester. The 4th and 14th North Carolina regiments lost 152 of the brigades total loss. Cox carried no more than 1,000 men into battle that day.

Brig. Gen. William R. Cox’s Brigade at the Third Battle of Winchester

Captain Seaton Gales served on the staff of Brig. Gen. William R. Cox, a North Carolina brigade commander in the division of Maj. Gen. Robert Rodes. Gales relates the course of action for Cox’s Brigade on September 19, 1864 at Winchester and freely and accurately describes reasons for the Confederate defeat. He also expresses the grief felt throughout the army at the death of Rodes during the battle.

September 18, 1864: We tarried at Bunker Hill in the morning, while Gor

Brig. Gen. William R. Cox

don moved to Martinsburg and repeated the comedy of ejecting Averell. We

returned to Stephenson’s depot at night, while G

ordon retraced his steps to Bunker Hill and bivouacked for the night, as after events proved a most lamentable error.

September 19, 1864: Early this morning a rapid cannonading in the direction and vicinity announced the enemy had evidently advanced in force. Ramseur was at the immediately menaced point, Breckinridge was a few miles off, we were lying at Stephenson’s Depot, five miles off, and Gordon was at Bunker Hill, twelve miles away. We were immediately and rapidly moved forward the noise of the incipient conflict increasing and deepening as we proceeded.

As the various divisions would reach the field, they had, of course, to be put in by detail. At a point about 1½ miles from Winchester, we first attacked the enemy, the left of the 19^th and the right of the 6^th Corps confronting us. The men went to their work in splendid style, and almost in the first dash, succeeded in driving the yankees in great confusion before them. Though our losses were quite heavy-not however to be compared to theirs. It was in this first collision that our gallant Major General Rodes fell, pierced through the head. I was quite near him when he was struck, and cannot describe my feelings of regret and dismay when I witnessed his fall. Cool, brave, cautious, sagacious and skillful, he commanded the full confidence and affection of his troops to the fullest extent. I regard his death as one of the severest losses which our cause has sustained during the war.

At almost every other point as our forces successively came up and engaged the enemy, victory seemed to incline in our favor. Towards noon there was a pause of several hours in the conflict or rather I shall say a cessation of general fighting, and we all began to fondly hope that the foe was too badly crippled and demoralized to resume it. But their great numerical superiority not only gave them the power of reinforcing their lines, and then by restoring confidence, but also to extend them beyond so far as to overlap our left, where we had cavalry protection alone. It is a well known principle or at least experience of warfare, that cavalry, even where the advance of numbers rest with them, are incompetent to cope with infantry, and accordingly when the enemy bore down in force upon ours, they were swept away like chaff, our left of completed turned, and the enemy came rushing in like an avalanche upon our flank and rear.

This of course necessitated a rapid falling back upon our part for new position and dispositions, almost inevitably engendering confusion-a confusion which was converted into a panic, and became with some few and isolated glorious exceptions, so general that all efforts to rally, reanimate and reform the men were unavailing. The army retreated in disorder thro and beyond Winchester, losing a number of prisoners, slowly pursued by the enemy, who however, were frequently confronted by our veterans, who, indignant at the flight of their comrades, would turn with heroic desperation and deliver a volley.

Our own brigade behaved as well as could be expected under such disheartening circumstances. At one moment when it was on the point of giving way, Gen. Cox seized the colors, and he and I, side by side, rode far in advance of the men, cheering them back by the example. God’s mercy alone prevented our being killed, as a storm of bullets greeted our conspicuous presence. Night soon intervened to prevent further pursuit, and we continued to Newtown, near which, we lay the greater portion of the night in line of battle, while thro the night, our stragglers were constantly coming in. And so terminated for the present, a most disastrous affair.

An incident of this fight dwells with most painful impression upon my memory. While engaged in rapidly transmitting orders, just as the retrograde movement commenced, a wounded officer, lying on the field most piteously besought me to take him up behind me on my horse, to prevent his falling into the hands of the enemy. To have stopped to do this would have involved almost certain death for both or at least would have delayed or prevented the communication of most important orders, and I was compelled as gently as possible to refuse his prayer. But I shall never cease to remember the imploring and agonizing express of his countenance.

Source: Journal of Capt. Seaton Gales, contained in Our Living and Our Dead,

Newbern, N.C., March 4, 1874.

To learn more about the Third Battle of Winchester or Opequon Creek, order a copy of my upcoming book from Savas Beatie. It calls upon 20 years of research using sources like Gales’s account to weave together the story of Third Winchester in detail for the first time.

Book Review: Another Day in Lincoln’s Army: The Civil War Journals of Sgt. John T. Booth; 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Gen. George Crook

Marie Mollohan has done the Civil War community a great service by publishing this book. It is so much more than the title indicates. Aside from 21 pages of photographs, it is nearly 700 pages of raw Civil War source material from the soldiers of the 36th Ohio. You see, Booth was supposed to have written the regimental history of the 36th Ohio but never quite got around to putting it together. Like many of us modern day Civil War historians, he found it hard to stop researching and finalize his project. The result was a box of material known as the John T. Booth Papers at the Ohio Historical Society, a veritable treasure trove of detailed accounts of the Civil War by soldiers of the 36th Ohio. It includes Booth’s journals and those of other members of the regiment, letters, memoirs and newspaper clippings.

The 36th Ohio has never been mentioned in the same breath of more famous units such as the Irish Brigade or the Iron Brigade, but it was indeed a crack combat regiment that was melded together by no less a man than General George Crook. The regiment quickly became known as Crook’s Regulars and like their modest commander, the men never took to bragging about their accomplishments in the post war years. Their feats on battlefields as varied as South Mountain, Antietam, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Cloyd’s Mountain, Opequon Creek, Fisher’s Hilll and Cedar Creek make them a most unusual regiment to study as they do not fit into any of the normal eastern or western theater pattern of operations.

This book is great for anyone who loves to research and delve into primary accounts of the Civil War. The regiment’s diverse experience means that it will have something to interest almost everyone. I am also grateful that instead of writing the usual cookie cutter regimental history, Ms. Mollohan decided to share with everyone this fine collection of primary source material. In essence, she has let the soldiers of “Crook’s Regulars,” as the regiment was known, tell their own story. She has arranged it chronologically so that readers can easily compare the accounts of the same event by various participants. While this may not sit well with those looking to just sit down and read a story, this book is a researchers dream. The only drawback is that at nearly 700 pages, the cost is $50, but then again some publishers are selling Civil War books at higher cost than that for much smaller books.

Ms. Mollohan, you have nobly honored the fighting men of the 36th Ohio and fulfilled Sgt. Booth’s assignment to publish their story.

 

Battle of Wilson’s Creek Missouri – 150th Anniversary – Soldier’s Account of the Kansas Regiments

The Kansas Regiments at Wilson’s Creek.

The Kansas Chief – August 29, 1861

At the risk of repetition, we lay before our readers a portion of a communication to the Missouri Republican relating to the action of the Kansas boys in the recent
battle: The First Missouri Regiment was deployed as skirmishers, until it reached a hill near the enemy’s camp, when it closed up and began the fight in earnest. The firing now became heavy; the cannon opened on both Bides; the balls whistled over our heads, knocking branches from trees, and pounding the rocks beyond us in an unmerciful manner, but hurting no one. The enemy’s musketry, however was better directed and did much havoc with the Missouri boys, who stood it bravely. The First Kansas regiment was now ordered to their support, six companies in front and four as a reserve. Just now the Missouri boys were compelled to fall back, having sustained a galling fire for a half hour, and then the Kansas fellows came in with a yell. After firing a few rounds, Capt. Chenoweth’s, Clayton’s and a part of Capt. McFarland company under Lieut. Malone the Captain having been previously wounded were ordered to charge.

Headed by Col.Deitzler, they drove the enemy from their position, but soon found that their ardor was likely to cost them dear, for they got into the rebel lines so far that they were almost surrounded, a large body showing themselves on either flank and pouring in a fearful fire. They were obliged to fall back, and in doing so Col. Deitzler was severely wounded, and his horse killed. Capt. Chenoweth was slightly wounded in the arm, received a ball in his boot, and had his hat shot off.

Amid the noise and confusion of the constant firing of musketry and roaring of artillery, the order of retreat was not heard by Capt. Clayton, who continued to advance until he came to the brow of the hill, where he discovered a regiment of men whom he supposed from their uniform to be Sigel’s regiment, advancing toward him at right angles. Their Colonel asked the Captain where the enemy were. He replied by pointing in the direction of the retreating rebel forces, and immediately commended aligning his company on the right of the regiment. All at once Capt. Clayton mistrusted that be was in a trap, and looking towards the Colonel he recognized in him an old acquaintance, being no less than Col. Clarkson of Kansas Border Ruffian notoriety, ex-postmaster of Leavenworth City. The Captain then gave the command, “right oblique, march 1″ When he had moved his company a distance of about thirty paces away from the enemy’s line, the Adjutant of the rebel regiment rode rapidly towards him and commanded him to halt. He did so and immediately brought his command to an “about face,” fronting the enemy’s line. The Adjutant asked “what troops are these ?”

“I belong to the First Kansas Regiment,” replied the Captain; “who are yon ?” “I am Adjutant of the Fifth Missouri Volunteers.” “What; Confederate or United States?” “Confederate.” “Then dismount, God damn you; you’re my prisoner,” said the Captain, presenting his pistol. He obeyed, and upon the demand of the Captain delivered over his sword. “Now” said the Captain, “order your men not to fire, or you’re a dead man,” and commenced moving backward with his company, holding the Adjutant between himself and the rebel forces.

The Adjutant ordered his men to open fire, which they did, and the Captain shot the Adjutant with his pistol. At the same moment a sergeant of Captain C’s company thrust his bayonet through the’ body of the Adjutant, pinning him to the ground and leaving his gun sticking in his body. The Captain then ordered his men to run for their lives, which they did, forming again upon the brow of the hill. Meanwhile Maj. Halderman was gallantly leading the reserve of four companies which were now engaged. The Second Kansas regiment had come into action; their brave commander, Colonel Mitchell, was shot severely, and now Lieut. Col. Blair was acting like the true man ha it, is cheering as and directing his men. Maj. Clark with his long hair reminding one of Col. May, was riding up and down the line as cool as if nothing unusual was happening. Capt. Steel, with his brigade, was pouring thunderous volleys into the scoundrels, while Capt Totem’s battery was outdoing itself in its murderous belching. Wherever his guns were turned, solitude was made. Gen. Lyon had fallen, and Maj. Sturgis was now in command.

The grape shot began to rattle about us like hail, and then
we knew that Col. Sigel had lost his battery, and that his guns were turned upon us, for the enemy had hitherto fired no grape. Just now Capt, Chenoweth rode to the right of the Second Kansas, and pointing over the brow of the hill, called for cannon observing that the enemy were approaching .from that direction. There they’ came, fifteen hundred men, in an unbroken line. Two field pieces were brought to the right and opened upon’ them with ‘terrible effect, but still they advanced, evidently thinking that the cannon would prove their prey. Little they knew of the thousand unflinching men who lay in’ the grass before them.
They opened a terrible fire, but received no answer save from the artillery. The bullets whistled, rattled, banged, whirred over our heads, striking the trees and
bushes two or three feet from the ground. If our men had stood up, hardly a man would have been left. At last the order to fire was given, and such a terrific volley as followed was never before heard by any man on that field. It is folly to try to describe it, or to search for a comparison. The enemy broke and fled their
train was seen to be on fire and they in retreat, but we could not hope to hold the field with our small force, for they would not fail to return with overwhelming
numbers. We were therefore ordered to retire. The Second Kansas Regiment was the last off the field; wheeling into column and marching off in prefect order.

We halted about two miles from the battle-field to wait for stragglers and collect our forces, thinking it hardly possible that the enemy would not harass our
rear with his cavalry, of which ho had great numbers. It afterward proved that he was clad to bid us a final adieu. Our whole train was brought away in safety Thus a little army of five thousand men rescued an immense and valuable train from a force more than five times its number. The officers who directed the fight acted with the utmost coolness and bravery. When Col. Deitzler was obliged to retire wounded from the field, ho called Adjutant Nash to his side and directed him to take command of the battalion. He did so for some time, until he could get the attention of Capt. Chenoweth, the ranking captain, when he requested him to take command, he meanwhile assisting in directing the movements of the battalion. Captains Chenoweth, Clayton and McFarland, and Lieutenants Barker, Malone, Tucker, Spicer. Stafford and Spaulding as well as Col. Deitzler, Maj. Halderman and Adjutant Nash, behaved gallantly throughout the battle, and should be honorably mentioned in the official reports.

The 4th South Carolina at Manassas: Critical Delaying Action under Shanks Evans

Without the swift movement of gen. Nathan “Shanks” Evans to confront McDowell’s flanking column on Matthews Hill, Thomas J. Jackson might have never had the opportunity to earn the name “Stonewall” on Henry Hill.

Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch – August 8, 1861
Fourth South Carolina Regiment.

Camp Pettus, 7 miles North of Manassas,
Aug.5, 1861.

In reading the letters of your numerous correspondents with regard to the late battle at Stone Bridge, I see they nearly all allude to particular regiments, and the prominent parts enacted by each of them in achieving that great victory. Though I have been glad to see the gallantry and prowess of each regiment and legion thus chronicled to the world, I have been surprised to see that the very first regiment and battalion which were engaged in that conflict, and who sustained the whole shock of the enemy, unsupported for two hours, have been scarcely mentioned at all. I allude to the Fourth South Carolina Regiment, under Col. J. B. E Sloan, and the Louisiana Regiment, under Maj. Wheat As I am a member of the ” Fourth,” I speak of what I know. Our regiment, with Major Wheat’s command, and two six-pounders of Latham’s Artillery, had been encamped for four or five days previous to the battle, within a few hundred yards of the Stone Bridge, waiting and watching for the enemy. Before daylight on Sundaymorning, 21st, we were aroused by the firing of our pickets. Being formed in line of battle, our regiment by sunrise was lying upon the ground directly in front of the bridge, and covered by the brow of the sharp hill to the left of the road. Soon after sunrise, the long straight turnpike upon the opposite side of the Run was filled with the columns of the enemy as far as the eye could reach. They came within five hundred yards of us, threw out their skirmishers, and opened a battery upon us, feeling with ball and shell around and over the hill to find our position. Our regiment remained here with no other firing except between our skirmishers and those of the enemy, until about eight o’clock, under the immediate supervision of Gen. Evans, whose headquarters were within one hundred yards of our position.

At about 8 o’clock we received a message that the enemy had crossed the Run in large force about three miles above, and were marching down to flank us on our left. With drawing without the knowledge of the army in our front, and which was composed of eight or ten thousand men, we commenced a double quick to meet the column which had crossed above. After accomplishing a mile or more, we came in sight of their long line of bayonets, glistening in the morning sun. Halting, we formed in a small hollow or ravine, with Maj. Wheat’s battalion on our right and a little advanced from our position. The enemy formed on a commanding hill, four or five hundred yards in front, and opened upon us with a heavy fire of musketry, and grape-shot from the Rhode Island Battery. Both the Louisianians and our regiment returned the fire with spirit, and several of our men were killed and wounded thus early in the day, or before 9 o’clock.

Soon afterwards, we received an order to form under cover of a wood to our right, and somewhat nearer the enemy. Here we remained for some time, in the edge nearest the enemy, keeping up our fire, and having many of our men killed and wounded. The first reinforcement of which we were aware joined us here, and arrived at 9½ or 10 o’clock. It proved to be the 4th Alabama Regiment and some other companies, under command of the lamented Col. Bee.

With this noble regiment, which has been deservedly spoken of for its gallantry, we retired when the fire became too hot to be withstood. We, however, soon rallied, and returned to the fight, remaining in it through-out the day. A large portion of our regiment were in the first charge made upon Sherman’s Battery; and many eye-witnesses will avow that the regimental flag, presented to us a few weeks ago by the patriotic ladies of Leesburg, was the very first planted upon one of those guns. It was done by Major Robert Maxwell, our gallant color-bearer. These pieces were, I believe, taken several times before we finally succeeded in holding them. This much I have thought should be said, in justice to the 4th Regiment and the Louisiana battalion, without in the least intending to detract from any other command. Where all did nobly, comparison would be odious. History will, however, record that we were first in the fray, and, with about 1,000 men, (as four of our companies remained at the bridge as skirmishers and a reserve,) kept 30,000 of the enemy in check for one and a half or two hours.

After the day was ours, and victory had perched upon the new-born banners of the South, our regiment returned to its former camping-ground, now a portion of the battlefield, and, for the first time that day, partook of a soldier’s meal. Our tents and blankets had also been sent off, and, without either, we were exposed that night to a drenching rain, catching what we could of sleep, and dreaming of the thrilling incidents of the day. The loss of our regiment in killed and wounded was 102 men, out of 700 fit for duty. Among the gallant dead was our Adjutant General, Sam, Wilks. of Anderson, South Carolina.–Our army boasts no more chivalric and accomplished gentleman. Himself and horse fell within fifty yards of our encampment, pierced by more than a dozen bullets

S. S.C