ALL QUIET ON THE POTOMAC.

HISTORY

OF THE

INDEPENDENT LOUDOUN VIRGINIA RANGERS.

U. S. VOL. CAV. (SCOUTS)

BY BRISCOE GOODHART, CO. A.

WASHINGTON, D. C. PRESS OF MCGILL & WALLACE. 1896. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1896, by BRISCOE GOODHART, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. PREFACE.

As the basis of every great national achievement is to be found in the thoughts and feelings of the people, so the real history of a great army is founded upon the annals of the separate organizations of which it was composed. The "History of the Loudoun (Virginia) Rangers," as feebly set forth in the following pages, claims attentioh as a part, however small, in the history of one of the greatest wars the world has ever known. As the name of their organization indicates, they came from a State which was arrayed in arms against the authority of the National Government. No Governor, or Senator, or Member of Congress guarded their interests; nc,r was any State or local bounty held forth to them as an allurement. Their enlistment in the Union Army-their country's ari:ny-was the spontaneous outgrowth of a spirit of lofty patriotism. As they saw their duty they were not lacking in moral courage to perform that duty ; and with no lapse of years shall we ever fail to insist that the principles for which the Rangers contended were eter­ nally right, and that their opponents were eternally wrong. "\Vhile most of the events narrated in this work passed under the personal observation of the writer, he has also made use of reliable information fron1 every available source. He desires to express his grateful sense of obligation to those who have materially lessened his labors and largely contributed to the value of his work by furnishing useful materials, such as reports, letters, diaries, etc. Should these pages interest the reader the writer will feel that his labors have not been in vain. BG.

\VASHING'l'ON, D. C., 1896.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Early Formation of Loudoun County-Early En1igrants- Cavaliers-Germans-Quakers- Genesis of the Rangers. I-Io

CHAPTER II.

The Sece~sion Movement-Public Sentiment Against-A Convention Called-An Election Ordered - Methods Employed in Forcing Virginia out of the Union . . . 10-23

CHAPTER III.

Samuel C. Means goes to Maryland-Given a Commission to Raise a Company of Cava1ry-Re.cruiting at Lovettsville, etc.-Eleclion of Officers-The Fight at Waterford . 23-40

CHAPTER IV.

The Fight at Leesburg - The Confederate Army Invades Maryland ...... •· ...... 40-50

CHAPTER V.

The Attack upon Harpers Ferry-The Cavalry Cut Their Way Out-Capitulation of the Place-Battle of Antietam, 51-78

CHAPTER VI.

Camped at Point of Rocks-lVIoved to Brunswick-Lieut. Slater Resigned 011 Accoi1nt of "\Vounds-Ca1np n1oved to Bolivar Heights-To Berryville-Confederate Army Marches Northward ...... 78-91

CHAP'fER VIL

The Gettysburg Campaign-Frederick-E11icotts lVIills-Re­ lay House-Tennallytcwn-Camped atDrippingSpring­ The Fight at Gray's Farm. . 91-107 vi CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII.

Back to Harpers Ferry-Recruiting Company B-The Affair at Neersville-Camp Moved to Charlestown-Scouting in the Valley-The Fight at Charlestown-Recruiting Com­ panies C and D .. 107-u9

CHAPTER IX.

Back to Point of Rocks-In Winter Quarters-Gathering Hay-Moved to the Furnace-Ordered to West Vir­ ginia-Capt. Means Leaves the Service-The Second Fight at Waterford ...... u9-131

CHAPTER X.

The Confederate Army under Gen. Early Invades Maryland­ Battle of Monocacy-Frederick-Relay House-Ellicotts Mills-Washington ...... 131-144

CHAPTER XI.

Gen. Sheridan in the Valley-Battles of Winchester, Fisher's Hill-Tom's Brook-Cedar Creek ...... 144-170

CHAPTER XII.

The Fight at Adamstown-The Fight at Goresville­ French Bill-Tritapoe and Best-Downey's Mill-His- toric Shenandoah Valley...... 170-190

CHAPTER XIII.

Back to Harpers Ferry-The Raid to Upperville and Middle­ burg-Fight at Hamilton - Capt. Keyes Resigns on Account of Wounds-Capt. Grubb Commands the Bat­ talion-Keyes Switch-John Moberly-Lee Surrenders­ The War is Over-Retrospective-War Finances .

CHAPTER XIV.

Prison Experiences-Libby-Pemberton-Castle Thunder- Belle Isle-Andersonville-Roster, etc...... 204-234

HISTORY

OF THE LOUDOUN (VA.) RANGERS.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY FouMATION OF Lour)OU~ CouxTY-EARLY EMIGRANTS-OAVALIER·­ GERMA);::;-QuAKERS-GENJs1s oF THE RA:--GEHS.

President Lincoln's call for 300,000 troops in the sumrner of 1862 touched a responsive chord in the hearts of nearly 600,000 · patriots. Into this vast ag­ gregation of volunteer soldiers the Loudoun (\'irginia) Rangers cast their little 1nite. Possibly the Rebellion could have been suppressed without the111, yet that Grand l\.rmy that marched to the 1nusic of the Union, fro1n Fort Su1nter to Appornattox, was co111posed of just such mites. The co1nmand was recruited in Lou­ doun County, Virginia, and 1nustered into the United States service at Lovettsville, the 20th day of June, 1862. It was an independent co1n111and, organized in obedience to a special order of the Honorable Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, and was at first subject to his orders only, but subsequently 111erged into the Eighth Corps, con1111anded at that ti111e by the vener­ able Major General John Ellis Wool, hero of three wars­ the second war "With Great Britain in 1812, the !Vlexican War, 1847, and the Civil War, 1861-'65-an honor that has been enjoyed by co1nparatively few. Perhaps the reader n1ay inquire how the Rangers came to be arrayed on the side of the Union, coining as 2 HISTORY OF they did fro1n ,vithin the territory of the alleged South­ ern Confederacy. The answer is, '' Blood will tell.'' A 1najority of the citizens of Loudoun County cast their wavering- fortunes under the seductive folds of the Stars and Bars, and fought with a courage and a desperation worthy of a better cause. They, like thousands of other so-called " loyal sons of the South,'' were carried away by the plausible delusion of "States' Rights," to fight against the Goven11nent in which they lived, and which afforded the111 protection. But while a 111ajority of the citizens of Loudoun County was extre1ne Secessionist, a detennined and enthusiastic 1ninority was just as :fir1n in its loyalty' to the flag of its country as was any section of the Union. Owing to the 111eagreness of colonial history it is i111- possible to state the exact period this section of the State was settled. The first record we have of an atten1pt at settle1nent is in 1670, when Capt. Henry Batte organ­ ized an expedition fro1n the head of tidevvater on the Poto111ac (probab1y near i\lexandria), passing up that strean1 and crossing the Blue Ridge at or near Snicker's Gap, invading thu Shenandoah Valley. 'l'he Indians did not look with favor upon this intrusion of their territory, as a war of exter1nination against the fe,v settlers ,vas ,vaged ,vith great fury for the next five years, tenninating· in a great battle on the site of the City of \V ashington, resnl ting in a defeat of the red skins. In 1700 Gov. Sir '-iVillia111 Berkeley assu111ed a very friendly attitude towards the Indians, gradually extend­ ing settletnents on the vvestern frontier. In r 7 r6 Gov. Spotswood visited this section, and the visit is known in history as the "l\1arch of Spots,vood." In a list of his equipage is to be found eight kinds of wine. On the su1n111it of the Blue Ridge his party held a kind of banquet, or ''passover,'' ,vith the Indians. 'i-'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 3 The desire a111ong the early settlers to possess choice pieces of real estate developed slowly, consequently little progress was 1nade in settling the conn try, yet intercourse with the savages had been kept up, result­ ing in a better acquaintance, which gradually led to a partial yielding on their part to the inevitable-the onward 111arch of civilization. Per1nanent settle111ents began about 1725. What is now Loudoun County ,vas then a part of Prince \:V illia111 County, and owned by one 111an, I...(ord Tho111as Fairfax, Baron of _Ca111eron. The County ,vas divided in 1742, and Fairfax County created and na111ed in honor of the landlord, and in 17 57 Fairfax Conn ty was dividt=>d and Loudoun Countv.., created and 11a111ed in honor of Lord Loudoun, a pro111inent officer in the English .A.. nny, after\vards Co111111ander in Chief of the British forces in the A1nerica11 Colonies, and Governor of Virginia fro111 r758-r762. About the earliest settlers ,ve have any authentic record of (1725) were the English Cavalier stock, who located in the eastern and southern portions of the county, extending fro111 the Poto111ac River south to Middleburg and fro111 the Catoctin and Bull Run l\Ioun­

tains east to the eastern border of. the countv..., This stock was the first to introduce and foster slavery in the county. Froin 1725 to 1735, there ca111e fro111 Pennsylvania a sturdy and vigorous people vvho settled ,vhat is kno,vn as the Gennan Settle111ent, extending ,vest fro1n the Catoctin 11ountains to the Short Hill l\lountains, and from the Poto111ac !liver south to near Wheatland. In 1710 to 1720 this san1e people had co111e fro111 the Palatine States of Ger1nany, and settled in N e\v ·York and Pennsv.., 1 vania . The earliest date the Ger111ans settled in Loudoun County is not exactly kno,vn. If istory places the 4 HISTORY OF period at from 1725 to 1735. There is some evidence, however, that they came at an earlier date. The black­ heart cherry tree that has flourished for centuries in Germany has been grown in this German settlement to perfection, and the growths of the oldest trees show it to have been planted in 1720. This is presuming, of course, that the seed was brought fro1n Germany by these people. There came about the san1e tilne members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) from England and from Ireland and settled in the central portions of the county, extending fro1n Waterford south to Goose Creek. The tenn Quaker, originally given in reproach, has been so often used by friend as well as foe, that it is no longer a term of derision, but is the generally accepted designation of a me1nber of the Society of Friends. With this apology we shall use the word Quaker when­ ever we 111ay have occasion to refer to thetn in the course of this narrative. Both the Germans and Quakers left friends and all those pleasant associations that cluster around the place of nativity, and willingly assumed the dangers of a long and tedious voyage across the Atlantic, for the sake of liberty. When the French crossed the Rhine into Germany and waged a bitter war of persecution against those that dared to free themselves fro1n the Romish hierarchy, thousands of Germans, the adher­ e11ts of Luther, sought refuge in America, where they could worship God as their consciences dictated, with none to molest them or make them afraid. The Quakers were also the victi ins of a similar per­ secution in England on account of their religion. 1'1any· of this people were cast into prison because they in-;isted on their own simple form of worship, '' The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Men," and, because this was denied them, turned their faces THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 5 to America, where liberty of both 1nind and body was guaranteed to all. Mr. Asa Moore (great grandfather of Mrs. Samuel C. Means) was one of the earliest. e1nigrants of this people, one of the founders of ·Waterford, and he natned it after his native town in Irelan I. He built the first house in Waterford, which is still standing, and adjoins the residence of the late Capt. S. C. 11:eans. The Qt1akers also laid out the village of Han1ilton, which they nan1ed Harn1ony. The descendants of these people to a large extent still occupy the land settled by their ancestors. That por­ tion of the country settled by the Ger111ans and Friends, while it is no better, and perhaps not so highly favored as other sections, shows a higher development than any other section of the county. The well-tilled farms, the comfortable, though unpretentious houses, fine orchards, and all that pertains to a prosperous and happy people, are particularly noticeable. The inde­ fatigable industry of this people is especially commend­ able, as everybody works at something, and there is absolutely not a pauper amongst them. This territory of about 125 square miles contains n1ore churches, school houses, mills and factories than can be found in the same nu1nber of square miles else­ where in the County, and as a natural consequence the standard of intelligence and morality is exceptionally high. It is no disparagement to the thousands of others that came to this country to state that the Gern1ans came better fitted to battle against the inconveniences of a new country. To use a n10,1ern expression, " They came to stay." It is a re1narkable coincidence that those that settled in Loudoun County represented every branch of industry. To ascribe the many good qualities these early 6 HIS1~0RY OF settlers possessed entirely to the 1nen would be a great injustice to the f~ir sex. While the 1nen ploughed and planted, the wo111en wove and spun. The first sheep in the county were brought fro1n Gertnany by these people, and fron1 the fleece of these the nin1ble fingers of the housewife fashioned clothing for the fan1ily, dyed by the· barks and herbs of the forest into a diversity of colors, frotn which, by the ingenuity of the weaver, some gorgeous patterns were pro1 need. Many speci­ mens of their hand i \Vork 1nay be found a1nongst the early households. One of the 111ost conspicuous, as well as the most useful of these, is tlte counterpane, or cover­ let, of which \Ve venture the assertion that no other sec­ tion has produced this article in a 1nore durable and artistic design than is here n1ade. Many of then1 have been in use from fifty to one hundred years. Flax was also extensively raised, fro1n ,vhich threads and sum1ner fabrics were 111ade for the household. These people were pre-e111inently A111ericans by adop­ tion, if not by birth. When the American colonies were threatened with subjugation the Ger1nans did not hesitate to take up arms for their adopted country. Nearly every family had a representative in Washington's ar1ny. It is a well-known fact that Loudoun County was one of the n1ost densely populated counties in the State at that period, and at the close of the Revolution the county's militia nu1nbered r,750 rr1en. The county furnished the fifth President of the United States, in the person of Ja1nes Monroe, the father of the famous Monroe Doctrine. It was here his neighbors and fellow-citizens gave hirr1 his political send-off in life, by electing hi1n to the 1nodest office of justice of the peace, which n1odest beginning finally led to the White House. The census returns for fifty years previous to the war THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 7 of 1861 place Loudoun County in the first rank in im­ proved farms, live-stock, wheat, corn, and fruits; the county contains valuable 1ninerals, such as gold, iron, copper, salt, and 1narble. Son1e fine varieties of Lou­ doun 111arble were used in the construction of the Capitol at Washington. Those large col u1nns in the old House and Senate chain hers, of dark conglo111erate n1arble, were taken fro1n a Loudoun quarry. The county can also boast of an honor that has been enjoyed by but few counties in the United States, as it contained the Capital of the United States for a brief period. During our second war with G1 eat Britain, the Brit­ ish had captured Washington i\ugust 24, 1814, and laid some of the public buildings in ruins, including the White House, or rather the red house as it was at that titne. President Madison and his Cabinet loaded the archives of the Governn1ent into fonr four-horse wagons and hauled then1 to Leesburg, originally called George­ town, where they exercised the functions of govern- 1nent for several weeks. ,.rhe Declaration of Independ... ence was a111ong- the valuables thus hauled away. and saved. The conservative citizens of Leesburg were not en­ thusiastic over so 111uch pr~)lninence being thrust upon their quiet village, as they ,vere probably fearful of the consequence, should the British co111e thr s far. The President's wife ,vas a Quakeress and a native of this section-the popular Dolly- Madison. The first settlers, knovvn as the Cavaliers, ,vere firm advocates of slavery, and the inaugurators of State rights, and as a natural result their progeny grew up to espouse the cause of secessioil-in fact, they were '' last ditchers." While neither the Quakers nor the Ger111ans favored slavery, their interpretation of State rights was un- 8 HISTORY OF compro1n1s1ng allegiance to the Union of States and the flag of their country, purchased and 1nade sacred by the blood of their Revolutionary sires~ and, as a se­ quence, their descendants grew up to oppose secession with all their might and main. Ont of the loins of this people grew the Loudoun Rangers. The question of States' Rights is the rock upon which so n1any 111isguided State crafts have stranded, and it is deen1ed i1nportant to state the position of the Rangers on this all-iinportant subject in the beginning. They were believers in States' Rights to the fullest acceptation of the ter111. They believed each State a part and parcel of the National compact that found a fuller and n1ore permanent recognition of the United States of An1erica as the snpre1ne and governing power of this country, and it was the "State's right," and duty of the individual citizen, to render unfaltering allegiance to that power. They even went farther than this-they believed that when a State insisted on the right to secede fron1 the National Government it is the duty of the parent government to proceed with due sole1nnity and take the rebellious State across the right knee and administer a spanking that ,vould bring the adventurous and 111isguided n1e111ber back to a full recog­ nition of the authority of the parent gover11111ent. Capt. Samuel C. Means, Lieut. Edwin R. Gover, Quarter111aster Charles F. Anderson, Orderly Sergeant James A. Cox, Comn1issary Sergeant Edward T. White, Sergeants Flemon B. Anderson, David E. B. Hough, T. W. Franklin, Henry C. and Isaac S. Hough, Edward Bond, Sa1nnel, William, Joseph F., George vV., and Robert W. Hough, Fenton P. and Charles F. Rinker, from in and around Waterford, \.Vere, more or less, of Quaker lineage. Lieut. Luther W. Slater, Sergeants J an1es H. Beatty and John P. Hick111an, George \ 7• Kern, Sa111nel, Joseph, Capt. S. C. MEANS, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 9 and Peter C. Fry, Jacob Cordell, Satnuel E. Tritapoe, George C. Tritapoe, Jacob E. Boryer, Charles and George W. Baker, Sa111uel J. and W. J. Cooper, George P., John M., and Presley A. Davis, Thomas, Charles, and Henry Dixon, Artnistead Everhart, Briscoe Goodhart, Philip H. Heater, lVIahlon I-I. Best, Edward Jacobs, Joseph T. Ritchie, John Atn brose, Charles F. Moreland, Albert C. Mock, John Lenhart, George Swope, Charles Stout, Charles L. Spring, Charles I-I. Snoots, Willian1 Shoe- 111aker, John W., Charles vV., and Richard Virts, Frank Mor111on, Jan1es Stoneburner, Johnathan Myers, Jacob Long, coining fro111 around Lovettsville and Taylor­ town, were of Gennan ancestry. While a very large 111ajority of the co1nn1and belonged to the Ge.nnan and Quaker stock, there ,vas quite a sprinkling of other nationalities, principally Scotch­ Irish, cotnprising Lieut. D. M. Keyes, W. S. Keyes, Sergeants Ja1nes H. Corbin, Milton S. and James W. Gregg, Joseph T. Divine, Bugler John S. Densmore, l\1ichael McMullen, J.C. McCutcheon, D. J., George H., and Robert S. Harper, John W. Forsythe, Peter Miles, Charles McDade, George Welch, Jan1es W. and Sylves­ ter Shackelford, and Joseph T. Cantwell. The Quakers, on account of their religious faith, were strictly opposed to war, but ·when brought to the thresh­ old of their own ho1ne the flesh grew stronger than the spirit, and in the ]ate ,var quite a number laid down their lives that the Nation 111ight live. In one of the early battles of the late war one of that faith found hi111self on the skir1nish line, with the blood­ thirsty ene1ny in front. He selected his 1nan and raised his trusty Enfield. With the retnark, "Friend, it is unfortunate, but thee stands exactly where I atn going to shoot," he pulled the trigger, and when the stnoke cleared away the ene1ny had one less to draw rations.

General Jacob Brown > the "fi.o-htin°·b 0 Quaker" and IO HISTORY OF

Christian soldier, was a brigadier general in the second war with Great Britain, later a 1najor general, and finally Com1nander in Chief of the United States Arn1y from 1821 until his death in 1828. The hero of Chippewa, Niagara, and Erie, he was related to the ancestry of the wife of Captain Means and to 111any Quakers of Loudoun.

CHAPTER IL

THE SECESSION 1IovE1rnNT-PuBr.10 8ENTD1EN'r AGAINS'l' IT-A CONVENTION CALLED-AN ELEC l'I0~ ORDERED-\IE'J'HODS EMPLOYED IN FORCLNG V1RGINIA OUT Ob, 'l'HE UNION. In 1861 tl1e citizens of Virginia as well as several other Southern States found the111selves very 1nuch divided on the question of secession. An undoubted 111ajority was opposed to the new doctrine and had so expressed the111sel ves on various occasions. Governor John Letcher convened the legislature in extraordinary session January 7, 1861, for the especial purpose of de­ tern1ining what attitude the Old Dominion should take on that all-absorbing question. That august body decided to call a State convention to 111eet in Riclunond February 15, to take such action as would best represent the 1najority of the citizens of the Co111111onwealth. The Convention \Vas co111posed of 152 delegates chosen February 4, and as was anticipated a 111ajority of the delegates were opposed to the ordinance of secession. The convention convened February 15, and elected the Hon.John Janney, a citizen of Loudoun County, as president, who on taking the chair made a strong and vigorous speech in the defense of the Union of States. After debating the question for three weeks the con vent ion, April 4, rejected the ordinance of se­ cession by a vote of 89 to 45, lacking one vote of being two to one against the measure, which was a great ifHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. II disappointn1ent to the ultra secessionists, who had de­ termined on a policy of rule or ruin. A syste1n of threats and bribery was now resorted to that would cause a blush on the callous cheek of Cc:esar. Their leaders grew desperate in their frenzy to have Virginia arrayed on their side to assist in waging a cruel and unjustifiable war on the best government that ever existed. The Hon. R. lVI. T. Hunter and other rabid secession leaders visited the largest cities of the State and held tnass meetings, packed for the purpose of forestalling public opinion and adopting stereotyped resolutions, to be sent to the convention then in session in Riclunond, to encourage that body in passing the ordinance of se­ cession. A meeting for this purpose was held in Lees-• burg and addressed by J. M. Kilgore and others. Jeffer­ son Davis sent Alexander H. Stephens fro111 Montgon1- ery to Richmond to use his persuasive eloquence on the convention, and assist in whipping-in those that were inclined to be refractory. Roger A. Pryor and Ed1nund Ruffin were dispatched to Charleston to urge an attack on Fort Sun1ter, hoping that the shedding of blood would inflame the passion of the Southern people and that the excite1nent that ,vould follow would force Virginia to be arrayed against the National Government; and it did. The announcement in Rich111ond of the attack on Fort Su1nter was followed by the booming of cannon and the waving. of Confederate banners, yelling and parading of streets ; in fact, pande111oni un1 reigned and ruled supreme. Roger A. Pryor rose to be a 111ajor general in the Confederate ar111y. When taken prisoner, Jeff. Davis accused him of desertion and going into the Federal lines. Pryor denied the charge, resigned, and enlisted and served to the close of the war as a private soldier, and is now ( 1896 ), having joined the cohorts of Tan1- 12 HISTORY OF

1nany, a pron1inent judge of New York City. Ed1nund Ruffin pulled the lanyard and fired the fi~st shot at Fort Sumter. After General Lee surrendered, Ruffin comrnitted suicide by blo\ving the top of his head off, saying he wanted to die because the Confederacy could not live. Richmon

HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES, Riclznzond, va., May 30, I86I. Co1. F. H. SlVIITH, Rzchnzond, Va.: COLONEL: I sub111it below the infor1nation you ask for the council. It is, of course, not strictly correct, though I think it is not far out of the ,vay. It is im­ possible to get returns fro1n these vol nnteers: Norfolk, no returns, 7,000 conjectured; Ja1nestown Island,· no returns, fifteen co1npanies, r,050; Willia1ns- HISTORY 0:B"' burg and Yorktown, no returns, 3,500; Gloucester Point, no returns, 60'.); West Point, 250; Riclnnond, including Ashland and the Confederate States troops. 5,500; Fred­ ericksburg, including counties on the lower Happa­ hannock and Poto1nac Rivers, number not known, 2,700; Manassas Gap, no returns, 6,000; Leesburg, no returns, 500; Harper's Ferry, excluding Maryland troops, not known, and excluding Point of Rocks, 5,500; Grafton, no returns, r,ooo conjectured; Kana,vha Valley, no re­ turns, r,100; Abingdon no returns, 500 conjectured; Lynchburg, no retnrns, r,ooo conjectured; besides a few companies supposed to be at Staunton, Charlottesville, &c. Total, 36,200. I am, sir, very respectfully, &c., R. s. GARNETT, Adjutant-General. General Garnett was killed at Gettysburg, and, of course, his secret of counting election returns is lost to posterity. Whether any of the troops voted against the ordinance of secession we do not positively know; but we do know if they did it was not counted, as 36,200, the nu1nber of State troops in the field at that ti1ne, are returned as voting solidly for the ordinance of secession. It is known, however, that in so1ne of the troops that were recruited in the Shenandoah Valley; there was a ma­ jority of sotne -com1nands that vigorously opposed the ordinance of secession before and after election. This election began to bear fruit early. In less than twenty days the Union people of West Virginia, ,vho would not submit to such tyranny, met in convention at Wheeling (June 13), and organized a separate State government ; resolutions were adopted denouncing secession, and offering their services to President Lin­ coln, which were gladly accepted, and· a new State was created. The rebel government now had cotnplete control of the Old Dominion, and proceeded immedi­ ately to slay the goose that laid the golden egg. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

In order that the reader n1ay have a clearer concep­ tion of the 1nen and 111ethods en1ployed in forcing Virginia, as ,vell as other Southern States, out of the Union, a few extracts from the proceedings of the secession convention, also several Confederate orders relating to this section, is inserted.

Extract fronz proceedings of the ~4.dvisory Council o; the State o.f Virginia.

SUNDAY, April 21, 1861. * * * * * * It being considered desirable to ascertain the con­ dition of affairs and the state of public opinion in Maryland, the Governor is respectfully advised to appoint Col.James M. l\tlason a Comn1issioner to pro­ ceed forth with to that State, and to acquire and con1- n1 unicate to the Governor such information as he may obtain. * * * * * * MONDAY, April 22, 1861. * * * * * * A telegram fro111 John S. Barbour, Jr., confidential agent of the Government at Alexandria, asking for arms for the Maryland troops to enable them to resist the passage of Northern troops to Washington, who are said to be now concentrating near Baltimore, was submitted to the Council by the Governor for advice. Whereupon his excellency ,vas respectfully advised to s·end the following telegran1 to Mr. Barbour: "Telegraph recei \·ed. · Maj. Gen. Kenton Harper, in command at Harper's. Ferry, is hereby ordered to deliver to General Steuart, at Baltin1ore, one thousand of the ar1ns recently taken at Harper's Ferry. * * * * * * * It was also advised that the following telegra111 be sent to the Governor of Tennessee : '' The condition of affairs in lVIary land and Virginia 111akes it i111portant that we should know how far we 16 HISTORY OF

1nay rely upon the co-operation of Tennessee to repel an invasion of our conunon rights. Please con1n1uni­ cate fully and ,vithout reserve. Answer at once." * * * * * * * Ordered, That the Governor be respectfully advised to con11nunicate to the Convention, in secret session, the purport of the telegra1n in reference to the loan of artns to General Steuart, co1nmanding the Maryland troops ; and also the telegran1 advised to be forwarded to the Governor of Tennessee. ~i\dvised unanitnonsly that the following telegra111 be returned in ans,ver to Governor Harris : " Since telegra111 of 22d of April, Convention has formed provisional agree1nen t vvith Confederate States, placing troops of Virginia under control and direction of President of Confederate States. Those fron1 Ten­ nessee should be subject to satne rule, and at Lynch­ burg can be provided for as troops of Virginia by Colonel Langhorne. Advise hi 111.'' * * * * * * PETERSBURG~ VA., April 20, 1861. L. P. WAI.KER, Secretary "\Var, C. S . ...!\.. Colonel Owen, president of tl~e Virginia and Ten­ nessee Railroad, has just reached here fro111 Balti111ore by way of Norfolk. He witnessed the butchery of Balti111ore citizens by the Massachusetts regirnent yesterday. He states the city is in arn1s and a11 are Southern 111en now. He says bridges north cf Ba1ti111ore been burned, and no 1nore troops can co1ne fro1n the North unles-; they 111arch, .and in large bodies, as lVIary­ land is rising. Lincoln is in ?- trap. He has not 111ore than twelve hundred regnlars in Washington and not n1ore than three thousand volunteers. We have three thousand in Harper's Ferry. Our boys, nu111bering four hundred, went do\vn to-day to Norfolk to join the cotnpanies there and your forces co111ing fro111 Charleston. Yon know how 1nany \Ve ,vant. As leader we want Davis. An hour now is \Vorth years of con1111011 fight­ ing. One dash and Lincoln is taken, the country saved, and the leader who does it will be i1111nortalized. H. D. BIRD. BAPTIST CHllRCH. at Waterfo,-..i.-Tlle Ran~·ers' First Battle Cirot111.i.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

RICHMOND, .lkfay r, r86r. Hon. L. P. WALKER. Arrangetnents have been made to call out, if neces­ sary, 50,0:J:J volunteers frotn Virginia, to be rendez­ voused at Norfolk, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Alex­ andria, Harper's Ferry, Grafton, Kanawha, Parkersburg, and Moundsville. Convention has authorized a provis­ ional arn1y of ro,ooo. Our troops are poorly armed. Tolerable supply of powder; deficient in caps. ]NO. LETCHER.

RICHMOND, May 3, r86r. By the Governor of Virginia. A PROCLAMATION. The sovereignty of the Com1nonwealth of Virginia having been denied, her territorial rights assailed, hei-: soil threatened with invasion by the authorities at Washington, and every artifice etnployed which could inflatne the people of the Northern States and 1nisrep­ resent our purposes and wishes, it becon1es the sole1nn duty of every citizen of this State to prepare for the i111pending conflict. These 111isrepresentations have been carried to such extent that foreigners and natural­ ized citizens who but a fevv years ago were denounced by the North and deprived of essential rights have novv been induced to enlist into regiments for the pur­ _pose of invading this State, ,vhich then vindicated those rights and effectually resisted encroaclunents which threatened their· destruction. Against such a policy and against a force which the Government at Washington, relying upon its nun1erical strength, is now rapidly concentrating, it becon1es the State of Virginia to prepare proper safeguards. To this end and for these purposes, and with a determination to repel invasion, I, John Letcher, Governor of the Co1n- 111onweal th of Virginia, by authority of the Convention, do hereby authorize the com111anding general of the military forces of this State to call out and cause to be r8 HISTORY OF 1nustered into the service of Virginia, fro111 ti1ne to ti1ne, as the public exigencies may require, such additional n11111ber of volunteers as he may dee111 necessary. Given under tny hand, as Governor, and under the seal of the Commonwealth, at Richmond, this third day of May, r86r, and in the eighty-fifth year of the Co1n- 1non wealth. JOHN LETCHER. By the Governor : GEoRGE vv. MuNFoRD, Secretary o.f the Co1nnzonwealth.

HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES, Richniond, Va., May r, 1861. Col. T. J. JACKSON, Conuna7lding Harper's Ferry, [/a. : You are desired to urge the transfer of all the 1na­ chinery, 111aterials, &c., fron1 Harper's Ferry, as fast as possible, and have it prepared in Winchester for re111oval to Strasburg, whence it will be ordered to a place of safety. The 1nachinery ordered to this place 11111st be forwarded with dispatch, as has already been directed. rrhe retnainder will await at Strasburg further orders. .A..11 the 111achinery of the rifle factory, and everything of value therein, will be also re111oved as rapidly as your rneans \vi11 pennit. If the troops can be advantageously used in the ren1oval of the machinery, they will be so en1p1oyed. It is thought probable that so111e attack 1nay be 1nade upon your position fro111 Pennsylvania, and you will keep yourself as well in­ fonned as possible of any 111ove111ents against you. Should it beco1ne necessary to the defense of your position, you will destroy the bridges across the Poto- 111ac. You are particularly directed to keep your plans and operations secret, and endeavor to prevent their being published in the papers of the country. I a111, sir, &c., R. E. LEE, Major General, Conunanding. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. r9 HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES, R£ch1nond, Va., June Io, I86I. Col. EPPA HUNTON, Co1n1nand£ng, Leesburg, Va.: COLONEL : Your letter of the 8th instant has been received, and it is hoped that you have acco1nplished the destruction of the bridges upon the I"'oudorin and Han1 pshi re Railroad, and otherwise rendered the road unserviceable to the enemy. Unless any of the rolling stock can be transferred to the Orange or Manassas Railroad, it 1nust be destroyed inunediately. Sh_ould it not already be de11101ished, the gondola and flats n1ust not be per1nitted to fall into the hands of the enen1y. It is necessary to destroy the navigation of the Chesa­ peake and Ohio Canal, to prevent its being used by the ene111y, and yon will take 1neasures to do so effectually, by cutting the da1ns at Seneca and Edwards Ferry, and blowing up the Monocacy aqueduct. Respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General, Conznzandz"ng.

The bridges referred to in Gen. Lee's order were Shepherdstown, Harper's Ferry, Berlin, and Point of Rocks, and were burned Sunday, June 9, 1861. The election of l\1ay 23, on the approval or disap­ proval of the passage of the ordinance of secession by the convention had not been held, and of course the State was still in the Union, yet we see that the State had actually been turned over to the Confederate gov­ ern1nent, while her citizens were blindly deceived by being asked to vote on that very question. The State 111ilitia, which had been organized, drilled, and partly equipped t\iVO years previous, was now ordered into the field under a reorganization. The 56th Virginia militia, co1111nanded by Col. ,i\Tillia111 Giddings, was called out, and about 60 per 20 HISTORY OF cent, of the regiment that lived east of the Catoctin Mountain responded. The Goresville company, or rather the re11111ant of that co1npany that did not go to l\:Iary land, was ordered to Cheek's Ford to guard the river and keep the Yankees fro1n crossing at that point. It see1ns the captain of the co1npany, John Money, was absent, and Ca111pbell Belt, the quartennaster, was put in con11nand. Quarter- 1naster Belt was somewhat of an inventive genius, a kind. of a Col. Mulberry Sellers. If the Confederacy had given hi1n the slightest encourage1nent, no doubt he ,vould have invented a kind of an infernal 1nachine that would have de1nolished the whole Yankee nation in a jiffy; but war does not always recognize genius, as was· doubtless the case in this instance. Quartennaster Belt had ordered quite a nnn1ber of the far111ers' harrows and had the111 placed in the river at the ford, clai1ning that it would tangle up the Yankee ar1ny if they atte1npted to cross. The Yankee forces on the Mary land side soon learned of the harrovv schetne, and ordered out two co1npanies, raised the harrows, and knocked out the teeth and shipped the1n North, where they were sold at good price, as satnples of rebel weap­ ons of war. Less then half of the Waterford co111pany obeyed the call to be 111 ustered in to the rebel service. 'l'he company at Lovtttsville sent ten 111en, and but four n1en went fro111 the Hoysville co111pany. Those that refused to array the111selves und~r the rebel banner were Union 111en and courted the displeasure of the secessionists, and 111ust be severly disciplined. A bitter ,var of ostra­ cism and revenge was resorted to. Quite a number of Union 111en had been particularly de111onstrative and had not hesitated to express then1selves for the Union and its flag on every occasion. This class was threatened with punisl11uen t or arrest. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 21

It will be re1ne1nbered that a large portion of the citizens of Loudoun County were intense1y loyal to the National Governtnent. Many of the111 were \villing to and so1ne did suffer death rather than take up ar111s against the United States. They were generally con1- fortably situated, by industry and econon1y had accun1u­ lated a fair share of this world's g()ods, and in 111ain­ taining their unswerving loyalty to the Union neces­ sarily indicated a self sacrifice on their part of their property. Fron1 Union citizens, who preferred to leave the State and all that was near and dear to the1n rather than go into the rebel ar111y, their property, excepting their lands, was generally taken by that ar1ny. They left their fan1ilies in Loudoun, and if ever found visiting the111 they would be arrested and cast into a Southern prison, where their chances of life were vPry poor. In Dece111ber, 18-51, Willian1 S111ith, Ar1nistead Ma­ gaha, E1nannel Ruse, and Isaac C. Slater had co111e fro111 Maryland to visit their fan1ilies, and on returning had got to the ferry opposite Berlin (now Brunswick), where they were arrested as spies, taken to Richmond and confined in Libby prison, where they altnost starved to death. Slater, who was young and delicate, was re­ duced almost beyond recognition, and was years after his release regaining his heal th and strength. In April, 1861, the gal~ing yoke of secession was made still 1nore oppressive to the Union citizens of Lou­ doun. The Loudoun Cavalry (Confederate) visited the farmers in the German and the Quaker settle1nents, taking tea1ns for the Confederate arn1y. Fro1n many farmers a ·tean1 of four horses and a wagon were taken, but where fartners were found with less than that num­ ber, one or two horses, or even one horse would be taken, and a wagon fro1n others; thus making a complete 22 HIS1'0RY OF four-horse teatn fro1n one or two s111all fartners. This property was taken with the proi.nise that it ,.vould be returned ; but this promise, like other pro111ises of the Confederacy, was never fulfilled, neither did any of the citizens receive any co1npensation for the property thus taken. If a citizen was found that did not possess either horse or wagon, he was pressed into service as a driver. There was probably not a citizen in the territory above referred to whose property was not taken, and taken at a ti1ne vvhen the Confederacy had tnoney to pay for supplies, if they had been actuated by honest 111otives. The Confederate archives are clutnb with reference to this property. We insert Gen. Beauregard's fa111ous procla1nation, "Beauty and Booty," it will be re111e111bered by 1nany of Loudoun's citizens:

HEADQUARTERS DEPART1\1ENT OF ALEXANDRIA, Camp Pickens, June 5, I86I. To the good People of the Counties of Loudoun, Faiifax, and Prince Willianz : A reckless and unprincipled tyrant has invaded your soil. Abraham Lincoln, regardless of all moral, legal, and constitutional restraints, has thrown his abolition hosts among you, who are 111urdering and i1nprisoning your citizens, confiscating and destroying your property, and comtnitting other acts of violence and outrage too shocking and revolting to hutnanity to be enu1nerated . .i\Jl rules of civilized warfare are abandoned, and they proclaitn by their acts, if not on their banners, that their war-cry is "Beauty and booty." All that is dear to man, your honor, and that of your wives and daughters, your fortunes, and your lives, are involved in this mo- 1nentous contest. In the name, therefore, of the constituted authorities of the Confederate States, in the sacred cause of consti­ tutional liberty and self governtnent, for which vve are contending, in behalf of civilization and hu111anity itself, I, G. T. Beauregard, brigadier general of the THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

Confederate States, co1n111anding at Ca1np Pickens, Mana:;sas Junction, do 111ake this 111y procla111ation, and invite and enjoin you by every consideration dear to the hearts of free111en and patriots, by the na1ne and 1ne1nory of your revolutionary fathers, and by the purity and sanctity of your domestic firesides, to rally to the standard of your State and country, and by every 1nea11s in your power co1npatible with honorable warfare to drive back and expel the invader~ fro1n your land. I conjure you to be true and loyal to your country and her legal and constitutional authori­ ties, and especially to be vigilant of the 111ove1nents and acts of the enetny, so as to enable you to give the ear­ liest authentic infor1nation to these headquarters or to officers under tny co111111and. I desire to assure you that the ut111ost protection in 111y power will. be extended to vou., all. . G. T. BEAUREGARD, Brigadier GenPral, Conunandz"ng.

It is difficult to acconnt for this re1narkable procla- 1nation, but it is 1no-,t probable the general was suffer­ ing fro111 non-action of the liver.

CHAPTER III.

SAMUJ<:r... C. MEANS GOES 'ro lYIARYI.,AND-GETS A COMl\IISSION 'ro RAISE A COMPANY OF CAVAI.,RY-RECRUITING AT LOVETTS· VILLE, ETC. - ELEC'l'ION OF OFFICERS - THE Vv ATERFORD FIGHT.

. . Sa111uel C. Means, a pro1ninent citizen and a successful business 111an, owned and operated a splendid flour 1nill at Waterford, the largest in the county. He and his brother (Noble B. Means) owned and conducted a large 111ercantile business at Point of Rocks, Md., and in addi­ tion to this ,vas station agent of the B. & 0. R. R. at the latter place. He wagoned the product of his 1nill to Point of Rocks, and shipped it thence by rail, HIS1'0RY OF to Baltimore 1narket. There were very few 1nen in Loudoun County doing a better business than Mr. lvieans. He went frotn his 111ill to his store daily, at­ tending to his business as rnanufacturer, merchant, and railroad agent. The Confederates had repeatedly 111ade very con1pli111entary offers to 1\/Ir. Means, to enli~t his syrnpathy for their cause, but without success. They next tried a syste111 of coercion, with the same results. Fina1ly he was notified that he 1nust support the Con­ federacy or else he vvould be co111pelled to leave the State, and if he left the State, it vvould be presu111ed he was an ene1ny to the Confederacy, and his property would be confiscated. To all their coaxing and threat­ ening he e111phatically said: "No, gentle1nen; you are waging a cruel and 111alicious war, vvithout the slightest pretext, or excuse, upon the best gover111nent that ever existed. No, gentlernen, I will never take up anns against the United States; I will not be guilty of such disloyalty to 1ny country." lVIr. Means was a passion­ ate and a positive 111an, and when presenting a state111ent ·would often grow e111phatic, as was the case in this in­ stance. The Confederates now deter1nined to carry out their threats, and took a quantity of his flour for .which they pro111ised pay, but never paid. They also took so111e of his stock. The crisis had co111e. Mr. Means vvent to Maryland about July r, r86r, leaving his fa1nily behind. The Confederates took all his property that re1nained, consisting, in part, of 28 head of horses, 2 wagons, 42 head of hogs, large quantities of flour, 1neal, etc. It should not be forgotten that it was no s111all sacrifice on his part, and also let it be well under­ stood, it was for patriotisn1, for a lofty principle, that this self-sacrifice was 1nade. When Mr. Means left home he had no intention of going into the ar111y, he so stated to his wife, and so wrote her after his arrival in Maryland. He had a brother in the rebel ar1n y and THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. did not wish to appear in a personal attitude on that account. After the first battle of Bull Run, where the Union anny rnet with defeat, and the President called for ,)00,000 troops, the question of duty presented its­ self so forcibly that he could not resist. He broke the news first to his wife by letter, which ahnost broke her heart. Mr. Means 111ade Point of Rocks his headquar­ ters, attending to his private affairs. It had been reported, during the fall of 1861, that Mr. Means had crossed the Potornac into Virginia, in dis­ guise, and visited his hon1e in Waterford, and had been concealed in his house for several days at a ti111e. Capt. Willia1n Meade's con1 pany of the I...(oudoun Cavalry (Confederate), e11ca111ped in the latter village, received special instructions to capture lVIr. Means at all hazards. A picket ,vas stationed on l\,1ain Street, in full view of the Means residence, with orders to rigidly guard it. On October r8, at twelve o'clock, 111idnight, as there was noticed a di1n light going fro1n roo111 to roo1n, in the Means house, the officer of the guard dee1ned it of sufficient i1nportance to call Capt. Meade­ and there was also noticed a 1nan approach the Means residence and enter fro111 the back door. This was abundant evidence to Capt. l\1eade that Mr. l\1eans was at ho1ne, and that the ti111e to capture hi111 had arrived; SJ with a squad of 1nen he i1nmediately sur­ -rounded the Means residence, and when all was ready to enter and· make th~ capture, suddenly the back door opened and a person darted out through the garden in a so1newhat hurried manner. Capt. Meade and Lieut. Len Giddings, with cocked revolver in each hand, rushed like a Kansas cyclone upon this person, yelling, "Surrender! Surrender! Sain .. Means, ,ve have got you this ti111e.'' By the dashing and ferocious bravery of these two heroes of 1nany battles, the person was cap­ tured, slick and clean, and ,vithout a shot fron1 either HIS'I'OR Y OF side. The appetite for gore of these two battle-scarred veterans was abundantly satisfied. · Capt. Means ·was not at ho1ne. 1'he person thus captured was, it appears, a fe1nale nurse attending upon a 111e111ber of Mrs. lVIeans' fan1ily, who was busy 1naking arra11ge111ents to entertain a little stranger vvho had just co1ne to town. · Capt. lVIeade vvell earned the title of'' Granny Meade.'' The 28th Pennsylvania Infantry, in con1111and of Colonel, afterwards Gen., John W. Geary, lay at Point of Rocks, Md., and the 6th Ind<~pendent Battery, New York Artillery, lay at Brupswick. Mr. Means spent 111nch ot his ti1ne with these two co1n111ands. Col. Geary was fortnerly a large real estate owner of I-1ondoun, having o,vned a large interest in the Catoctin Furnace tract, opposite Point of Rocks. These co111111 1ands 111ade repeated raids into Loudoun during th~ fall and vvinter for the purpose of capturing bands of rebe1s that vvere scouting in the county and annoying Union people. In Dece1n ber the 6th Inde­ pendent New York Battery sent over into Virginia a raiding party of about twenty-five n1en, who crossed at Brunswick about 7 o'clock p. rn., went by Lovettsville, capturing two rebels there, and, having traveled east­ ~Nard, arrived opposite Point of Rocks about day1ight, where they surprised a rebel picket post, capturing four and killing one, by the natne of Orrison. While Mr. Means probably had nothing to do with these raids (Mrs. Means received a letter frotn her husband vvho was in Baltimore the night of the. raid), the Confed­ erates accused hitn of their origin, and charged that the da111age inflicted on the rebels was directly traceable to his hands. Consequently a reward of $5,000 was offered

bv.I the Confederate authorities in Richn1011d for the head of San1ue1 C. Means, ,vhotn they characterized as the renegade, Satn. Means. The epithet renegade was in exceeding bad taste. It should be re111e1nbered that THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

Mr. Means was si111ply one of a tnajority that refused to be defrauded out of his rights by the 111inority. A copy of the paper that contained the advertisen1ent of a reward was sent to Mrs. Means fro111 Rich111ond. During Jan.nary, 1862, Mr. Means received a letter fro111 the Hon. Edwin l\tL Stanton, Secretary of War, requesting hitn to call at the· War Depart111ent. On his arrival the Secretary offered hi111 a co1n111ission, with the request that he would raise a co111n1and for the Union ar111y. He infortned the Hon. Secretary he would be pleased to accept the honor but at present he could not, but just as soon as he could adjust his private affairs he intended to offer his services in defence of the Union. In the 1nean ti1ne he transferred his business to his brother. During the 111onth of March there was a forward 1nove of the arn1y all along the Poton1ac fron1 Washington to Cutnberland. Col. Geary crossed the Potomac with his regin1ent, the 28th Penn­ sylvania, at Harper's Ferry, with Mr. Means as_ guide, and took possession of Lovettsville and Waterford. This was the first ti1ne Mr. Means had returned to his ho1ne since he left it in July previous. He contin~ ued as guide to the arn1y until lVIay, when he returned to Washington and obtained a co1nn1ission as captain, with instructions to recruit a co111pany of cavalry to be known as the Independent Loudoun Guards. Capt. lVIeans was 111ustered into the United States service as captain, by Col. Dixo~1 S. i\1 iles, at Harper's Ferry, June 20, 1862. At the 1nuster the na111e Rangers was substituted for Guards. Headquarters were in11nediately established at Water1ord, where recruiting was begun. The first natne enrolled after that of Capt. !\leans was Jan1es A. Cox, of Ha1nilton, and that was followed closely by Charles F. Anderson, Fle1non B. Anderson, John S. De11s1nore, Jacob E. Boryer, Artnstead Everhart, Luther W. Slater, Daniel M. Keyes, J a1nes H. Corbin, 28 HISTORY 0:B-\ David E. B. Hough, Te111ple Fouch, John W. Forsythe, Joseph '"I'. Cantwell, 'rhon1as J. McCutchcon, Daniel J. Harper, Robert S. Harper, Henry C. Fouch, Jan1es W. Gregg and Milton S. Gregg, W. H. Angelow, Charles F. At,vell, J. W. and S. Shackelford, Michael Mullen, Ja111es T. Wright, Sa111ne1 C. Hough, William Hough, Henry C. Hough. About July r the co1npany 111oved can1p to the Valley church, near · Gore.-;ville, where about one dozen recruits were enrolled. Joseph Waters was accidentally wounded by the dis­ charge of a carbine while enca111ped here. This being our first 1nan wounded in the co1npany, the boys gath­ ered around Joe uttering sy111pathetic bravos. Secretary Stanton had given Capt. Means instruc­ tions to mount the co111pany on horses that belonged to parties that had gone into the rebel arn1y. While en­ ca1nped at the church Capt. Means learned of a stranger _at George S111ith' s residence, near Waterford, sick and apparently strande,i. A detail ·was ordered, with instructions to bring this stranger to ca1n p. He see111ed to be 111 uch pleased at the change, but being an entire stranger, he was sent to Col. Miles at Harper's Ferry, where he was questioned at so1ne length, when the oath of aUegiance was administered to hi111. He then returned to our ca111 p and offered hi111self as a recruit, giving the na111e of Charles .A. Webster. He was reticent· as to his· past history, but had evidently seen service before he came to us, being exceptionally well drilled in the cavalry tactics; was an excellent speci111en of 111anhood, about five feet ten inches high, weighing about one hundred and eighty pounds, rather light complexioned, and about 25 years old ; very quick and active, a splendid shot, and wielded a sabre with great skill and effect. Up to this ti1ne there was not a n1an in the con1pany that understood tpe first principles of drilling; so THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 29 Webster proved to be just the kind of a 111an that was needed, and he was im1nediately appointed our drill master. It having been learned that son1e parties were engaged in forwarding rebel supplies fron1 Baltimore and cross­ ing the Poto111ac near Leesburg, a detail was 111ade, with instructions to arrest those parties if possible. The squad started early in the morning, about 7th of July, crossing the Poto111ac at Edward's Ferry, where several parties were atte111pting to cross into Virginia with supplies for the Confederate army, consisting of anus, am1nunition, clothing, etc. The parties thus engaged were arrested, and with the goods loaded on a canal boat and taken to Harper's Ferry and turned over to Col. Miles' co111111and. The squad returned to the Valley church that evening, and having traveled about thirty-five 111iles that day, both 111en and horses were entirely exhausted. About July ro the company 1noved to Lovettsville and camped in the Gennan Refonned church. This proved to be a very popular camp, being situated in the center of the Ger111an settle111ent, amongst friends. About t,venty-five rec1 uits enrolled their na111es here. The co111pany now nu1nbered about fifty 1nen, and was entitled to elect its officers. Capt. Means having been appointed captain, an election of officers was held, with the following result: rst Lieut., L-uther W. Slater; 2d Lieut., Daniel M. Keyes ; Quarter111aster, Charles F. Anderson; First Sergt., J a111es A. Cox. There ·were no other officers elected, or appointed, on this occasion. Charles E. Evard, of Leesburg, had been with the co111pany for several weeks and was .a 1nodest candidate for first lieutenant. After this election he seen1ed to take little interest in the com111and, and finally left it entirely after the Waterford fight. About the 1st of August the con1 pany 1noved back to Waterford and ca111ped in the Baptist church. The 30 HISTORY OF co111pany continued to grow, and under the efficient dril1111aster, Webster, began to obtain proficiency in the n1anual of ar1ns. The coin pany was now engaged in active .scouting and succeeded in 111ounting all recruits on captured horses. The Union: ar1ny, under Gen. McClellan, had been compelled to retire fron1 before Rich111011d, and the rebel ar111y, s01newhat elated over its dearly purchased te1nporary success, was 111oving northward. Quite a nu111ber had already returned to Loudoun and adjoining counties for the purpose of recruiting. Capt. Richard Simpson, of the 8th Va.. Reg. Inf., with a detach111ent, was reported to be at Mount Gilead recruiting for that regitnent. Capt. Cole, with a detacl1111ent of the rst Md. P. H. B. C~v., can1e down fron1 Harper's Ferry on a conte111plated raid to Middleburg and U pperville. Capt. Means and about thirty 111en joined the raid and suggested the route via Mount Gile.ad. . The co111111and left Waterford late in the afternoon, and ca111ped for the night south of Clark's Gap. By 1naking an early start an advance guard, consisting of Lieut. D. 1\.1. Keyes, Charles .l\. Webster, Ja1nes H. Beatty, M. S. Gregg, and perhaps· two others, was hurried off in the direction of Mount Gilead and arrived at Capt. Si111pson's rendezvous about 6 o'clock a. 111. The building ·was surrounded, but the birds had. flown. Lieut. Keyes ordered his 111en to pro­ ceed at once to Capt. Si111pson's residence, located a half 111i]e distant in a hollow. As they approached the house Capt. Sini.pson 1nade his exit fro1n the back door and ran ae.rQss a field towards the ti1nber. He -vvas co1n- 1nanded to halt, but kept running. Keyes, Webster, and Beatty fired several shots at hi111, one of which struck him in the leg, causing hi111 to fall on his hands and knees, but he i1n1nediately ju111ped up and continued running towards the woods. K·eyes gave chase across the field, while Webster, Beatty, Gregg, and others went THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. around to head Sin1pson off at the woods. In the chase Keyes had e1nptied his revolver at Silnpson, who had two revolvers, one of which contained several loads; and as ,v ebster rode up he fired at Simpson, the ball taking effect in the body, bringing him to his knees, in which position he raised his revolver to shoot Webster. The latter, being_ very quick, wrenched one of Si1np­ son' s revo1vers fro1n his hand and with this weapon fired again, striking him, Si111pson, in the neck, and from the effect of these wqunds he soon died. Si111pson was brave to recklessness. Valuable Confederate papers were found on his person. Webster has been severely criticised, and perhaps to so111e extent justly, for the seemingly hasty 111ethods used on this occasion; but Capt. Si1npson had positively refused all demands 1nade on him to surrender. The advance guard waited for the column to co111e up, when the co111111and proceeded via .A..ldie to lVIiddle­ burg, where a squad of rebels was encountered and two captured. The colun1n 111oved on to Upperville ·where vve arrived soon after daybreak. This was a secession stronghold. The wo111en were even 111ore pronounced in their vie"vs than the 111en, and grew eloquent in their denunciation of the -Yankees. Capt. lvieans and Capt. Cole rode through the streets of the village, calling out to the citizens to prepare breakfast. The officers entered the sa111e house, but n1nch to their surprise no breakfast vvas visible. Capt. Means asked for a cup to get a drink of 111ilk. No heed was given to this request. finally, Ed. Jacobs discovered s0111e fine glassware on the sideboard and proceeded to pour out the 111ilk for the te111porary guests. This :-was 111ore than the landlady could endure. In her ·rage she exclai1ned: "Why, the very idea of a Yankee drinking out of a cut glass!" HISTORY OF

The co1n1nand tnovecl by way of Blootnfi.eld, Purcell­ ville, and Ha111ilton, back to ca111p at Waterford. The entire Confederate anny of Northern Virginia was now 111arching_ northward, threatening an invasion of Maryland. Our little ca111p at Waterford was so111e­ what exposed, we being the only Federal soldiers in this section of the State. Reports of the approa_ch of the ene1~1y were whispered around catnp, but as· the sa111e news had been circulated for several weeks pre­ vious no particular ilnportance was attached to the ru111or. Capt. lVIeans had received private inforn1ation that evening, August 26, which led hi111 to believe that an attack that night was possible, although not probable. The total strength of the co1npany at this period was about fifty 1ne11, but a portion of that nu111ber were absent on a raid. There were six public roads leading into the village, and a picket of four 111en was posted on each, taking just twenty-four 111en, leaving about twenty 111en in ca111p in the church, the latter being largely recruits, having quite recently joined fully half of the catnp had been enrolled less than thirty days. Capt. Means was vigilant that night, endeavoring to learn of the accuracy of flying ru111ors, and visited the church as late as twelve o'clock 1nidnight. When all seen1ed quiet he retired with his fa111ily, who lived in \Vaterford. Lieut. Luther W. Slater had been absent at his ho111e for several days, sick, and had returned to ca111p that evening, partially recovered. Owing to the s111a1l nn111ber of 1nen in ca1np First Sergeant Cox was having so111e difficulty in 111ounting the guard, and Lieut. Slater, who was a very popular officer, saw the e111barrass111ent of the sergeant and cast hi1nself in the breach by assu111ing double duty, acting as corporal of the guard as well as officer of the day. A few 1ninntes before three o'clock a. 111., August 27, the enetny, consisting of ~1aj. E. V. White's 35th Bat- Lieut. L. W. SLATER, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 33 talion, Virginia Cavalry, Ewell's Brigade, by being dis­ n1ounted, and piloted by citizens and crossing fields, evaded our pickets and succeeded in reaching our camp unobserved. The first apprehension we had of the approach of the enen1y was an unusual noise, caused by the enetny, ostensibly for the purpose of dra,ving our 1nen out of the church. The 111en rushed out in the front yard, ,vhere Lieut. Slater hastilv., fortned them in line. A body of 111en could barely be recognized on the bank in front and on each side of the Virts' house and in the edge of the green corn. I..,ieut. Slater's clear voice rang­ out on the early 1norning air in quick utterance, ''Halt! Who con1es there?" and in ansvver received a terrific volley fron1 the carbines of the enemy, ,vhich our 1ne11 gallantly returned, nothvvithstanding over half had been wound ed. The rebels 110,v took position behind buildings and in the green corn, and the Rangers fell back in to the .church. Lieut. Slater, although severely wounded, re­ tained connnand until co111pelled by the loss of blood to relinq nish that charge to Dril hnaster Charles A. Webster, who continued the fight to its final ter111ina­ tion, in a way that shed luster on his career as a brave and 1neri torious officer. The rebels continued firing through the "\-vindovvs and t·he porch or ve;tibule of the church, a lath and plastered· partition extending across ~he entire front. The bullets poured through this barrier as they ,,ronld through paper. · The Rangers returned the fire as vigorously as circn1nstances vvould pertni t. .A.. fter continuing the firing for about thirty 111inutes l\1aj. White sent in a flag of truce (by l\tirs. Virts) de111anding a surrender, ,vhich ,vas refused by Webster ·in rather e1nphatic language, that is not often heard in a church. The fight was continued, perhaps one honr longer, ,vhen the second flag of trnce ,vas sent in, 111aking the sa111e de- 3-R. 34 HISTORY OF 1nand and sharing the sa111e _fate as the first, notwith­ standing that one-half of the little band had been ,v·ounded and lay around in the church pe,vs weltering in their blood, 1naking the place look 111ore like ·a sl~ughter pen than a house_ of worship. Our annnunition ,vas ahnost exhausted, yet we hoped against hope that possibly assistance 111ight reach us. The cry of the vvounded for "v,rater! v\Tater! Water!" ·when there vvas no vvater to be had, will never be for­ gotten. ,-rhe :firing was kept up perhaps one hour longer, to about 6. 30 or 7 o'clock, ,vhen the third flag of truce was sent in, 111aking the sa111e de111ands as the first and second. .1.L\.'t this ti1ne our an11nunition was entirely exhausted, and as the.re was no possible ,vay of replen­ ishing that all-i'i11portant article, Weqster consulted Lieut. Slater as to what was best to do under the very precarious and unfortunate circutnstances. Lieut. Slater ,vas lying in a pe,v on the north side of the church, being very ·weak fro111 the loss of blood, vvhich was still ebbing away, his underclothes being entirely saturated, and fro111 the wound in his right te111ple his face ,vas entirely covered ,vith blood~ Bnt possessing great physi­ cal endurance he was able to dictate a reply to Maj. vVhi~e's de1nand for a capitulation, ,vhich ·was condi­ tional. The conditions as cle111anded by Slater and Webster ,vere that all should be paroled and released on the spot ; the officers to retain their side arn1s. These tenns were i1n111ediately accepted by Maj. '\Vhite. It was exceedingly fortunate for the Rangers at this juncture that the ene1ny 111ade this third den1and for a surrender, as it vvas i1npossible. to have held out any longer; and if he had only known it, he could have marched in agd taken all prisoners and 1narched them off to Rich1nond. Maj. White asked that Webster n1eet hi111 in the center of the street, under flag of truce, to arrange pre1i1ninaries. Webster drew his sword, and rrHE I~OUDOUN RANGERS. 35 placing a pocket-handkerchief, belonging· to John P·~ Hickman, on the point proceeded to the street to meet his antagonist. After exchanging greetings, White asked that Webster fonn his 1nen in line in front of the church and surrender their ar111s, when all should be paroled and released. After all those that forniecl i\n line were paroled Maj. White went in the church, ,vhere those ,vho were severely wounded were paroled. On approaching Lieut. Slater, he ren1arked : "I a111 sorry to see you so dangerously wounded, Lieutenant." Before the capitulation had taken place Maj. White sent a detach111ent down town, ,vhere our new ar111s and atnmunition were stored, and got that which we were so badly in need of at the church. After all had been paroled the ene1ny took the captured property and two prisoners, J. H. Corbin and Joseph Waters, a:qd i1n111e­ diately left town, going south. Corbin and Waters were captured outside of the church, and not included in t~1e terms of capitulation. The casualties of this engage111ent were : KILLED, Charles Dixon. vVouNDED : I-1ieut. Slater, five ,vounds-ten1ple, shoulder, ar111, breast, hand ; a carbine ball passed through the top of his hat, but did no datnage to his person. Henry Dixon, 111ortally wounded, died five days later, ball passing through his bowels. Edward N. Jacobs, -severely, ball passing through thigh bone. J am~s W. Gregg, in both anns. D. M. Keyes, in neck. Henry C. Hough, in knee. Ja1nes A. Cox, in ar1n. Robert W. Hough, in hand. Charles A. Webster, in side. Colored man, company cook, in neck.

Henrv., Dixon was taken to the residence of lV[r~ Chal- HISTORY OF tners, ,vhere he ,vas very tenderly cared for until death relieved hi111 of his sufferings Lieut. Slater was taken to the residence of l\1r. Dens- 111ore, where he re111ainecl one week ; fron1 there he was ren1oved to the residence of Mr. George Alders, '' Scot­ land," retnaining there three vveeks, when about ten of his neighbors ca111e and fastened a pole on each side of his rocking chair, in which position they carried hi111 to his father's residence, near Taylorto,vn. I-le ,vas kept there about two ,veeks, and re111oved to Gettys­ burg, Pa., vvhere he re1nained until his ,vounds healed sufficiently to allo,v hin1 to travel. I While at Gettysburg he ,vas again ,vounded, but by no 111eans painfully. While s1narting under the sting of "rebel bullets" he fell a victi111 to "Cupid's darts." The " Guardian i\.ngel " that so often and so tenderly dressed his ,vonnds and ad1ninistered to his wan ts after­ ,vards beca111e Mrs. Slater. Edward N. Jacobs was taken to the residence of John B. Dutton. The others, vvhose ,vounds were painful, but not such as to prevent the111 fro111 traveling, were taken to their various hotnes.·-~-~---- The following is the list of prisoners taken and pa­ roled:

rst Lieut. L. W. Slater, John W. Forsythe, Charles ...A.... Webster, T. W. Franklin, Jatnes A. Cox, San1uel Fry, Edward N. Jacobs, Joseph Fry, John P. Hick1nan, R. W. Hough, Henry C. Hough, George W. Hough, Ja111es W. Gregg, S. J. Cooper, M. H. Best, R. S. Harper, Charles H. Snoots, Charles L. Spring. Samuel E. Tritapoe, 'I'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 37 After the first volley 2d Lieut. D. M. Keyes, Joseph ,.r. Divine, Jacob E. Boryer, and Charles White succeeded in 1naking their escape by going down in the basen1ent and ju111ping ont of the rear ,vindow on the south side of the church. The venerable Dr. Bond very kindly and very ter1- derly attended all the wounded. The author, ,vho ,vas in the church at the titne, ,vas not paroled. He had enlisted three days previously, but Vfas so short _legged that a uniforni could not be found s111all enough; but he had dra\vn one and taken it down town t

KILLED.-Lie11t. Brooke Haves.; . Peter J. Kabrich, 111ortally ,vounded, died a fe,Y days afterwards. Those that were able to be 111oved ,vere taken South ; their 11u111ber and natnes have never been learned. While the fight was in progress lVIr. Kabrich ventured fro111 behind the house and undertook to get one of the Rangers' horses that stood near the ,vell. While he was untying the ani111al vVebste1." raised his carbine and fired and Kabrich fell, 111ortally ,vounded. IfIS'tORY OF

'------·--···•·· ~--~...... F C C

G --"-'"'-~ ...... ~~

C ----s A

Diagram Showing Attack, etc. A-Church. B-Virt's House. C-Street. E-Direction of the Rebel approach. F-Position of the Rebels when first volley. G-Position of the Rangers when first volley. ------•--···---- Many of White's 1nen and the Rang~rs had been schoohnates, and in so1ne instances reared around the same fireside; one brother following the Confederate banner with a pitiable and delusive blindnes~, while the other brother stood fir1n in his allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. In this fi.gh t brothers met. After the Rangers had been paroled W1n. Snoots, of White's con11nand, wanted to shoo~ his brother Charles, who belonged to the Rangers, but was fittingly rebuked by his officers for such an unsoldierly and unbrotherly desire. Charles, >tHE LOUDOUN R.ANCERS. 39 who had been deprived of his anns, keenly felt the ad­ vantage his brother ,vanted to take, and n1odestly sug­ gested to brother Bill that if he would unbuckle his arms and lay the111 aside he, Charles, would wipe up the earth with the cowardly cur in less than t,vo minutes. The official records fail to show any reports of this en­ gage1nent fron1 either side, the only tnention made is the following telegran1 ftom General Wool to Secretary Stanton : "HARPE:R'S FERRY, VA., Aug·ust 27, I862. '' Cqle' s Mary land Cavalry returned frotn Waterford. 'fhe enemy, under Capt. White, by crossing fields and avoiding the pickets, attacked twenty-three of Means' men in a church at daybreak this 1norning, who fought as long as they had atnmunition. Two privates killed, rst and 2d lieutenants and six privates wounded, fifteen surrendered on parole, t,vo engaged in killing Mr.Jones carried off to Rich111on

J. H. Corbin and] oseph Waters were taken to Culpeper Court House, where the latter was paroled, Corbin ,vas placed in prison, charged with killi11g a Mr. Jones, which occurred previous to Corbin1 s enlistment; the latter re­ tnained in irons about ten days, vvhen a loyal citizen ot that place assisted hi111_ in 111aking his escape. The Confederates, underco111111and of Maj. White, with White's co111111and, and Capt. Randolph, of the Black ij:orse Cavalry (4th Va.), and Capt. Gallaher, of ..Ashby's Cavalry, the latter as scouts, the entire cavalcade numbering perhaps two hundred, left the North Fork of the Rappahannock River August, 24, and 1narched through Fauquier County, entering Loudoun near Middleburg, taking the Mountain Road, and marched HISTORV OF direct to Waterford, arriving about 2 o'clock a. 111., i\.ugust 27, distnonnting near R.obert Hollings,vorth's barn, where the horses were left, and 1narched direct to the church and 1nade the attack. The conunand was piloted by about a half dozen citizens-Henry Ball, J. Sin1pson, and others, vvho 1i ved in L,oudoun. · A .fevv days before the fight there ca1ne to our catnp at Waterford a Mr. Robertson and joined the company; a very quiet fellow, but apparently had his eyes open . .A .. n entire stranger to all, the only person he seetned to cultivate the acquaintance of was Joseph T. Divine, whon1 he asked to acco111pany him to the residence of Gen. Robert L. Wright, near Wheatland. He re1nained around ca111p until about the ti111e of the fight, ,vhen he disappeared forever frorn the con1pany. It is believed that Mr. Robertson was a Confederate spy and belonged to the co111n1and of Capt. Gallaher, who acco111panied White on this raid, and that he after­ wards joined White's co111pany, as a 111an by that name joined that conunand in 1862.

CHAPTER IV.

THE L:BESBURG FIGH'.t-l'HE CONI<'EDERA'.tlt A R:i.\IY INVADES MARYLAND . .A .. fter the Waterford fight the Rangers established their ca1np at Catoctin Furnace, guarding the fords of the Potomac. The strength of the con1pany was novv re­ duced to about thirtv-five 1nen. Septetnber r the co111111and started on a raid through Loudoun. At Hillsborough we attacked and routed a body of White's Cavalry, capturing t,vo prisoners and several horses and equip111ents. The prisoners captured were present at Waterford four days previous. Our captives and horses were sent to Harper's Ferry. We were joined vvith parts of two companies of Cole's THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 41

Cavalry, 1111111 bering 125 111e11, and proceeded in the di­ rection of Leesburg. The conunand halted for the night at the palatial farn1-house of Gen. Robert L. Wright, C .. S. A., Co111111a11ding the Militia of Loudoun. The (;eneral always had plenty for the hungry, and both 111a11 and beast fared vvell that night. The next morning, Septetnber 2, the colutnn started for Leesburg, going by way of the Valley church, there to perfor111 the last sad rites over the body of our late con1rade, Henry Dixon, vv ho ·was 111ortall y wounded at Waterford A ngust i7th, and died Septe1nber rst. By so111e 1nisunderstanding as to the ti111e of the funeral, ·we arrived at the church about two hours be­ fore the ren1ains. After the funeral the n1arch was continued to Leesburg, ,vhere we_ arrived about twelve o'clock.. We captured the ene111y> s picket. Charles :F. Atwell, Peter lVIiles, and George W. Baker were put· on picket south of town, and Cole's Cavalry picketed the other roads leading out. In about tw·enty tninutes the picket on the Edward's Ferry Road was driven in by a large body of the ene1ny's cavalry. We 111et the111 with several volleys frotn our revolvers. Peter Miles' horse was shot d~ad, falling at the corner of the Court House Square, ,vhere Miles was captured. Secession senti111ent ,vas practically unani111ons in .Leesburg, and Union troops would be at great disad­ vantage in the streets in battle array, consequently Cole and lVIeans fell back on the Point of Rocks Road to the lVIile Hill, there entered a field on the west side of the road and fonned in line of battle, facing I-(eesburg. The enenrv also halted and entered a field on the ol east side of the road and forn1ed, taking position behind sorne wheat stacks. The Federal line now advanced towards the ene1ny in the direction of LeesburgA· As HISTORY 0:B"' we approached the top of l\1ile Hill a terrific yell.was raised in our rear ·by a heavy colutnn of the enen1y, approaching fron1 the direction of Big Spring, charging battalion front. We were completely surrounded ; our only hope lay in breaking through their lines. Our column charged by right flank, and we succeeded in extricating ourselves fro1n the very perilous situation in which we were placed t?Y overwhelming nu~nbers. As both parties had emptied their revolvers and there was no time to reload, sabers were drawn and freely nsed. We fell back in as good order as was pos­ sible under the circu111stances, the enen1y pressing us hard for about six miles, to near Waterford. Several of Means' and Cole's tnen received sabre ,vounds in breaking through the rebel lines. This force of the enetny proved to be the 2d Virginia Cavalry, com111anded by Col. Mutnford. It was Gen. Lee's advance, 111oving northward, preparatory to their first invasion of Maryland, which occurred three days later, crossing at Edward's and White's Ferries, about three 1niles fro111 Leesburg. As our comtnand entered to,vn this regin1ent lay east of the village, near where is now located the depot. Upon learning of our presence and ntunbers they divided their forces into t,vo col utnns, one going north of the village and taking a concealed rosition on the Point of Rocks Road, the route by ,vhich ,ve entered, the ·other cohunn to charge in town by the Edward's Ferry Road and drive us out (the Point of Rocks Road thus placing us between their two colu111ns) and crush us. Their sche111e was not as successfully carried out as it was. cunningly planned. In this fight our loss was: KILLED. -Fra1ik l\1onnan. WOUNDED. -.A.r1nistead Everhart, shot through right knee, bone badly broken. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 43 Jacob Long, shot through right thigh, leg badly broken. Jacob E. Boryer, shot through left hip, bone ba

The truth is that the people of western Mary land, ,vith few exceptions, were loyal to the National Govern- 111.ent, and did not hesitate to "prove their faith by their ,vorks.'' ,.rhousands of the111 died that posterity 1night enjoy the benefits of. a free and .undivided country. Frederick was an intensely loyal city. One of the shining exa1nples of its patriotic fervor vvas in the person of that patron saint, Barbara Freitchie, who ,vaved defiance in the face of that alleged Christian soldier, Stonewall Jackson. She died a few 111011ths after this event, and over her grave in the Frederick ce1netery is a 111arble slab with the si111ple but i111press­ ive words " Barbara Freitchie." . This inscription will tell the story of her patriotis111 to future generations. Hutnanity will never tire of reading the i1111nortal poetn of Whittier, the Quaker poet:

BARBARA FREITCHIE. J. G. vVHIT'tIER, Up from the n1eadows rich with corn, Clear in the cool September n10rn, The clustered spires of Frederick stand Green-walled by the hills of Maryland. Round about the111 orchards sweep, Apple an

In her attic window the staff she set, To show that one heart was loyal yet. Up the street came the rebel tread., Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.

Under his slouched hat left and right He glanced-the old flag 1net his sight. ''Halt!'' The dust-browned rank stood fast; " Fire!" Out blazed the rifle blast.

It shivered the window, pane and sash ; It rent the banner with seam and gash. Quick as it fell, from the broken staff Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf.

She leaned far out on the window sill, And shook it forth with a royal will. "Shoot, if you n1nst, this old gray head, But spare your country's flag!" she said.

A _shade of sadness, a blush of shame Over the face of the leader came ; The noblest nature within him stirred To life at that woman's deed and word.

'' Who touches a hair of yon gray head Dies like a dog! March on !'' he said. All day long thro' Frederick street Sounded the tread of marching feet ;

All day long that free flag tossed Over the head of the rebel host ; Ever its torn folds rose and fell

On the lovalJ winds that hved it well ;. And through the hill gaps sunset light Shone over it with a war111 good night. Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er, And the rebel rides on his raids no more.

Honor to her ! and let a tear Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier. Over Barbara .f<"'ritchie's grave Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!

Peace an_d order and beauty draw Round thy symbol of light and law; And ever the stars above look down On thy stars below in Frederick town ! HISTORY OF

.A.bout twelve years after the war so1ne ghoulish per­ sons attempted to break the force of Whittier's poe1n by declaring it was fiction, etc. ,.rhey had just as well clai111 Paul Revere's ride ,vas a 111yth, or Phil. Sheridan's black horse ,vas a hoax. Daine Barbara was there with her'' silken scarf,'' and did not hesitate to wave it in the face of treason on all . occasions. Frederick ,vas also the birth place of Francis Scott l(ey, the author of "The Star Spangled Banner." vVhile the rebels ,vere placing this procla1nation be­ fore the citizens, their soldiers were plundering the stores and driving off the cattle. ,.rhe" liberty and protection'' that Gen. Lee clai1ned to have brought ,ras evidently not the kind the Mary landers enjoyed. Gen. Lee's stay in Frederick ,vas brief, as he re111ai11ed there but three days dishing out his "liberty and pro­ tection '' to the citizens. Before he left, hovvever, he issued an order directing the future 1nove111ents of his anny in the State, a copy of which fell into the hands of Gen. McClellan two days later, Septe111ber 12. It vvill be re111e111berecl that the }'ederal troops, under connnand of Col. D. H. l\1iles, ,vere still in possession of Harper's Ferry. '"rhe ene1ny could not hope for any pennanent success ,vhile this force vvas allo,ved to 111e11- ace their rear, and issued the follo,ving order for its dis­ lodgen1en t. Gen. Jackson, ,vith three divisions, his o,vn, Ewell's, and ....\.. P. Hill's, ,vas directed to 111arch via Boonsboro, cross the Pototnac River belo,\r Willia111sport, capture the Federal forces under (~en. White at l\iartinsbnrg and attack Harper's Ferry fro111 Bolivar Heigh ts. Capt. JA,\\l:~ W. CilWBB, Co. 13.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 49

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REBEL MOVEMENTS ON HARPER'S FERRY AND ANTIETAM.

By Permission of'' Siege and Capture of Harper's Ferry." By W. H. Nichols, .3d. ~4 A-Jackson's march from Frederick to Harper's Ferry. C C-McLaw's and Anderson's march from Frederick to Maryland Heights. /JD-Walker's n1arch from the Monocacy to Loudoun Heights . .A CD-Enen1y's line of march from Harper's Ft::rry to Antietam. BB -Longstreet's march to Autietan1. .1-:l H -Franklin's rnarch fron1 Pleasant Vallev to Antietam. JJ-Line of march of the Un-ion Cavalry escaping fron1 Harper's Ferrv before the surrender. E 8 -Lee's li;1e of battle rluring the battle of Antietam.

Gen. Longstreet, acco111pa11ied by Gen. Lee, ,vas to halt at Boonsboro with the trains. Gen. McLaws, ,vith tvlo divisions, his own and .A.. nderson's, was to 1nove di­ rect and ascend the 111ountain at Cra1npton's Pass and attack lVIaryland Heights Gen. Walker, with one di­ vision, was to cross the Poto1nac River at Noland's Ferry and 111arch via Hillsboro and attack Harper's R-4 50 Ferry fro111 Loudoun Heights. The three ar111ies left Frederick the roth and were to be at their appointed· places the evening of the 12th, to open the attack the 111or11ing of the 13th, and after the place with its gar­ rison was captured, all to be reunited again at Boonsboro. The progran1111e of Gen.· Lee was carried out with but t,vo exceptions : Gen. Walker was prevented fro1n cross­ ing the river at Noland's Ferry by Gen. McClellan, but crossed 4 111iles further up, at Point of Rocks, and the entire Confederate ar1ny ,vns reunited at Sharpsburg in place of Boonsboro. This ,vas the golden opportunity of Gen. McClellan's life. The entire plan of his adversary ,vas co111pletely revealed to hi111; he should have fallen on Gen. Lee's divided Ar1ny and defeated it. in detail. There was absolutely nothing to prevent it. All authorities and critics agree on this po1nt. The distance from Fred­ erick to Harper's Ferry is about 20 1niles. The Con­ federates 111arched it in about t,vo clays, while Gen. ~lcC~ellan 1nade only -6 1niles a day.

,

- ✓, • '.,:: ~-:-:.,-~ -- ' ~.- 5r

CHA.PTER V.

'THE A'l"l\-\CK UPON HARPER'S FERRY-THB CAVAI.,RY Cu'r THEIR WAY Ou'r-CAPI'tULATION OF ']~HE PosT-BATTI,E OF AN'l'IE'rAM.

The troops at Harper's Ferry were parts of the :F'irst and Eighth Corps, and stationed as follows, Col. Dixon H. Miles, of the Regular anny, in conunand : On Bolivar Heights-39th New York, rrrth New York, r 15th New York, 15th Indiana Battery, 60th Ohio, 9th Vennont, 126th New York, Potts' Battery, Co111pany F, 32d Ohio, r 2th New York, four Co111panies 87th Ohio, Rigby's First Indiana Battery, and Co1npany i\, 5th New York Heavy Artillery. The forts contained twelve howitzers. On the hill next to the Shenandoah River were stationed four Parrotts and t,velve pounders ; the latter coin tnanded the Charlesto,vn pike and the approaches fro111 Sandy Hook. There was stationed on Maryland Heights-32d Ohio, rst 1\1.aryland P. H. B., a detach111ent of 5th New York Heavy i.\rtillery, two co111panies First lVIaryland Cavalry, Seventh Squadron, Rhode Island Cavalry, and about t,vel ve 1nen of the Loudo\tn Rangers. The· heigh ts contained so1ne of the best a~tillery in the service ; heavy siege guns, tvvo ten-inch Dahlgrens, one fifty­ pound gun, and four twelve-pound howitzers. The Dahlgrens could easily destroy a battery four 111iles away. At Sandy Hook there ,vere five co1npanies of the rst Maryland P. H. B., eight co1npanies of the 87th Ohio, three pieces of Potts' Artillery, and Cole's Mary­ land Cavalry_. The forces at Shepherdstown, Col. Downey in con1- 111and. These consisted of three co1npanies of the 3d 52 HIST.ORY OF Maryland P. H. B~, and the 8th New York Cavalry; and Gen. White was at Martinsburg with the 125th New York, 65th Illinois Infantry, 12th Illinois Cavalry, and Phillipp's 2nd Illinois Battery. ,.rhese troops had all re­ tired to Harper's Ferry, n1aking the entire force about 14,500. Gen. White ,vas 110\V the ranking officer, but waived his right .to co1nn1and in favor of Col. .\I iles. The Confederates. began shelling the place fron1 I.,oudoun Heights Saturday 1norning. lvfcLaws attacked Maryland Heights with infantry, ,vhere the fighting continued heavy during the forenoon, the e1Je1ny 1neet­ ing with a repulse. .A.. verbal order vvas received late in the evening by Col. Ford, purporting to co111e frotn Col. Miles, to abandon the heights. This order seen1ed so unreasonable that it ,vas obeyed with reluctance. Capt. ~r cGrath, vvho wns in co1111nand of the siege guns, cried like a child ,v hen ordered to spike and abandon his Dahlgrens, and he re1narked to Col. Ford that it was the act of a traitor to either give or obey such an order. Saturday night all the troops stationed on Maryland Heights and Sand·y Hook were ,vithdrawn to the Ferry and took position on Bolivar Heights. Strange to say, the Confederates did not take possession. of Maryland Heights for nearly tvventy-four hours after it was abandoned. The next. day (Sunday), about noon, Maj. \Vood returned to l\1aryland Heights with fou. con1- panies ,vithout opposition, and brought back four guns and large quantities of a1n1nunitio11. 53

HARPER'S FERRY AN"D SURROUNDI~G COUNTRY.

Before the Loudoun Rangers retired from ·Mary land Heights Saturday night, Capt. Means 1narched his n1en into a thicket of woods, and ·with pick and shovel began digging a hole about two by four feet. Many were the conjectures as to the object of this hole in the ground. When cotnpleted, Zack Robison and Webb Miner lifted a box fron1 the wagon containing the company books and papers, together with Capt. Means' papers, that he did not ,vant to fall into the hands of the ene111y, and buried thein, spreading dry leaves and brnsh over the spo~ to prevent detection. Then the co111 pan y retired to Harper's Ferry with the other troops. Saturday night, Co1. Miles ordered Capt. Russell, with ten cavalry1nen, to go out and endeavor to reach Gen. McClellan,s headquarters and infonn the General of the co1idition of affairs, and that the place did not contain rations for 1nore than four days. After several en­ counters with the ene111y's pickets, Capt. Russell arrived at Gen. McClellan's headquarters, near Frederick, at 9 o'clock Sunday 111orning. Early Sunday 1norning, Graha1n's Battery, on Ca111p Hill, Harper,s Ferry, opened on the ene111y's batteries on Loudoun Heights. The latter did not reply until the afternoon. In the 1nean ti111e the ene111y succeeded -in placing heavy gnns on Maryland Heights, and about 4 o'clock there began a heavy cannonading fro111 lvfary- 1and and Loudoun Heights, on Col. Miles' position on Bolivar Heights. The ene111y's guns being 111uch higher than ours were, of ~ourse, 1nore effective. Sunday night closed with every possible advantage in favor of the enetny, every con1111anding position having been surrendered to the111 without any apparent contest, and it 111ust have been evident to every one, -fro1n Col. Miles down to the high private in the rear rank, that it was only a question of tin1e, and a short time, too, when every n1an and gun at Harper's Ferry would be in possession of the enemy. · The next thing, then, was to save as 1nuch fro111 the debris as was possible. The cavalry was stationed on the island where was formerly located the Hall Rifle Works. This ar111 of the service was of no use in the defense of the place. In fact, it vvas a hindrance, as it con­ sumed large quantities of rations and forage which we_re absolutelv needed for those that were useful in defense .I ...• of· the garrison. THE LOUDOUN RANGBRS. 55 The Confederate authorities had previously offered a large reward for Capt. S. C. Means, who ,vell knew if he surrendered with the place what would be h1s doo111 ; he therefore concluded ·he could not afford to assu111e such risk, and i1111nediatel y began to organize a force of cavalry that would endeavor to cut its way out When the 1natter was first suggested to Col. Miles he was 111uch opposed to it, stating that he preferred to keep the entire forces together. Capt. 1\/f eans preferred to go out with Col. lVLiles' approval, bnt to go out if he disap­ proved. When it was found that the effort vvas vvannly seconded by Col. Davis, Eighth N. Y. Cavalry, Col. Voss, Twelfth Ill. Cavalry, Maj. Cole (Cole,s Md. Cav­ alry), Maj. Corliss, Seventh Squadron, R. I. Cavalry, then Col. Miles consented and issued an order accord­ ingly. Capt. lVIeans suggested that the cavalry cross the Shenandoah River, file left, taking_ the river road, around Short Hill Mountain, through Lovettsville and Leesburg, crossing the Poto1nac on the Chain Bri.dge and entering Washing-ton through Georgetovvn. Col. Davis, Eighth N. Y. Cavalry, wanted to go out by pass­ ing up the south bank of the Poto1nac, crossing at Boteler' s Ford. Both of these routes ,vere open to ob­ jection, as the 1narch vvonld be through the ene111y,s country all the way out. Either Col. Cole or Capt. Su111111ers suggested the route that was finally adopted, ·as set forth in Col. Miles' order. About 9 o'clock p. 111. ~unday, Septe111ber 14th, 2,000 cavalry crossed the Poto111ac on the pontoon bridge, filed left, crossed the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and took the Antieta111 furnace road. We had not proceeded 1nore than a 111ile ,vhen the ene111y' s pickets vvere en­ countered, with the nltj111atu111 : " Halt ! "\Vho coni,es there?" Above the clatter of hoofs atid the turbulent Poto111ac dashing against the rocks vvas heard the clear -v·oice of Lieut. Green, ·of Con1pany A, Cole's Cavalry, 56 HISTORY OF ring out, '' 'I'he advance of Stuart's Cavalry ! '' This answer was given to deceive ; it ,vas intended to th wart the vigilance of the picket, who see1ned co1npletely du 111 bfounded as we rushed past. A piece of artillery was in position by the roadside ; a few shots were fired, but did no da1nage to our side. As we approached ..A.ntieta111 Creek we suddenly rushed on the ene1~1y, who were cooking supper. Success now depended on bold­ ness and audacity, and we rode pell-111ell over the111, scattering their fires, roasting ears, and rye coffee in every direction, pouring a volley into the darkness· as ,ve passed. Their officers could be heard com1nanding, "Fall in! Fall in!" It was now every man for him­ self, and the " Devil take the hindn1ost.'' The column would occasionally halt where Cole's Cavalry was ac­ quainted and endeavor to obtain information concern­ ing the enen1y, as to location and ntunbers. We passed through Sharpsburg about 3 o'clock a. 1n. l\. halt was made here for a few minutes, principally to rest the horses and obtain infor1nation. The enen1y' s pickets were encountered quite often for about r5 1niles. Just after leaving Sharpsburg a small body of the enemy's cavalry was encountered, which we charged battalion front, and scattered then1 in the darkness.' We were enabled by the enetny's bivouac fires to avoid running into large ntunbers. The direction was now changed considerably to the west of north to avoid Lee's ar1ny, that was concentrating near Sharpsburg. ·Just about daybreak, Monday n1orning, was heard a rtnnbling of wagons in our i111111ed iate front ; a halt vvas 1nade to " take sounding.~' I111agine our consternation, which was finally turned into delight when it was found to be Gen. Longstreet's a1n111unition train, and escort of about 200 cavalry. Col. Voss ordered the entire colu11111 to form and charge, when about 2,000 men swooped down on the train and captured it with but slight resistance. THE LOUDOUN RAXGERS. 57 It ,vas a valuable trophy, consisting of about So ,vagons and 200 · prisoners. '"I'he wagons contained every con­ ceivable kind of death-dealing missile to fire from a cannon. The drivers were very aggravating and obsti­ nate when they ,vere 1nade prisoners, and ordered to change the direction of their tea111s, so1ne of then1 en­ deavored to.· upset their wagons by running the111 into fences, etc. l\. few of the 1nost refractory were prodded with the sabre, which brought the. balance to imn1ediate subjection. One case caused considerable annoyance and also cost the driver his life; he ran his teatn into the fence, cotnpletely wrecking it. As no ti1ne was to be lost getting it out, son1e of the boys jumped over the fence, gathered a few annsful of straw fron1 a stack near by, placed it under the wagon, set fire to it and left it to the 111ercy of the flan1es. As the col u1nn 111oved forwan1, perhaps 200 yards, there was heard a terrific explosion, equalling a thousand batteries 111asked and opened on our rear. Col. Voss in11nediately put the colu11111 in line to resist a supposed attack fron1 Longstreet's ar1ny that was near. As the s111oke cleared away the ground was strewn with fragn1ents of shell and splinters of a wagon-the attack was over. The wagon that ,vas stranded in the fence and set fire to ,vas loaded with shell, and ,vhen the flan1es reacped the powder it exploded, with a noise equa] to a hundted Dahlgrens, such as we had left on lVIaryland Heights. We took these \vagons_ and prisoners into Greencastle that rnorning by 9 o'clock, ,vhere the citizens gave us a royal reception and a bountiful breakfast .. rrhese wag-ons had originally belonged to· Uncle San1 and were captured fro111 Gen. Pope's ar111y at Second Manassas, just fourteen days previous. Our loss on this raid was probably not over 75 n1en. Several of that nun1ber can1e in and reported to their co1n1nands in the next fe,v days. Col. B. ::f. Davis, .HISf"fORY OF

Eighth N. Y. Cavalry, received a special co111pli1nent for bravery exhibited on this raid, and he \Vas reco111- 111ended for pro111otion. He was unfortunately killed at Beverly Ford, Va., June 9, 1863, while leading a brigade of cavalry against the ene111 y. We believe the conception of the raid belongs to Capt. Means and Charles A. Webster, of the Loudoun Rangers, while a large share of the successful execution belongs to Cole's (Md.) Cayalry. . The coln1nn was piloted through by a loyal citizen of Bolivar, by the na111e of Burkett. While the various officers did their duty nobly, the private soldiers are justly entitled to their full share of credit, for without the111 it would have been a disas­ trous failure. After reporting at Greencastle, Capt. Means 1narched his 111en to Baltin1ore, where he was sunnnoned to re­ port in person to Gen. Wool; giving a full account of the cavalr? 1naking their escape fro111 Harper's Ferry. He also obtained horses there for those' of his 111en who were dis111:::n111ted. The next dav \Ve went to Ellicott' s .I Mills, when those that beca1ne separated fro111 the co1npany a few days before we left the Ferry joined us, consisting of Joe. Divine, Dan. Harper, Jeff. lVIcCutcheon, and others. 'rhe entire co111111ancl 111arched to Frederick, and on past Middletown and Boonsboro, where we n1et the first a111 bulances bringing in the ,vounded fro1n Antieta111. The Rangers were assigned to duty on the right, bearing dispatches, and did good service during the battle, ,vhen they captured probably four ti111es their O\Vll 11u1nber of rebel stragglers fro111 Lee's anny. 'fl-IE LOUDOUN RANG-I<:RS. 59

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STREET SCENE, HARPER'S FERRY. [By permission of B. & 0. R. R.l

We ·will novv return to Harper's Ferry. Monday 111orning, Septe111ber 15, the ene111y opened their bat­ teries on Col. l\[iles' position fron1 Maryland and Lou­ doun Heights, and in front of Bolivar Heights. The cannonading \ivas terrific and very disastrous to the be­ leagured anny. The situation was 111ad~ 111ore galling by the fact that the Federal guns were not supplied with long-range a1n111unition. Our batteries on Ca1np Hill returned the fire of the ene111y in a vigorous 60 HISTORY OF

111anner, bnt ,vith little effect. Col. l\,Iiles called his officers together about 9 a. 111., as a council of war, and. after a so1ne,vliat protracted conference they voted that resistance under the circu111stances ·was useless. vVhile this body was in session, Gen. White ordered the massing of his batteries on Bolivar Heights, pre­ paratory to 111aking a charge on the ene111y's position. When Col. Miles learned of this he counter1nanded the order. At r r a. 111. Col. Miles ordered a white flag to be displayed where the Stars· and Stripes had pre­ viously floated, and suggested Gen. White to 1neet Gen. Jackson and arrange tern1s of capitulation. Owing to the rain that 111orning -there was a heavy fog, which prevented the enetny fro111 recognizing the flag of truce, and they continued firing. It is claitned that a shell from one of these guns struck Col. l\1iles, severely wound­ ing hin1, fron1 the effects of which he died the next day. It is perhaps just to those who survived the unfortu­ nate affair to state that the ·wounding of Col. Miles by the ene111y is denied. It has been asserted by those ,vho witnessed the affair that the fatal shot was fired bv an Indiana batterv. V ,/ Col. 1\1:iles would not pennit the destruction of any Governn1ent property; he per111itted it to fall into the hands of the ene1ny in good condition. He did not destroy the pontoon bridge after evacuating Maryland Heights, as he should have done ; it was left for the Confederates to use, and by the use of it Gen. Stone­ ,vall Jackson was enabled to put his army on the field of ~..\..ntieta111 at least eight hours earlier than would have otherwise been possible. Col. 1VI:iles' son-in-la,v ,vas an officer on the staff of Stone,vall Jackson. The enen1y's loss in killed and ,vounded, as reported by the1nselves, was about 500. The Federal loss in killed and wounded, strange to say, \Vas not over half of that of the enemv. ~ THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 6r

By the surrender of Harper's Ferry t~e. enemy came into possession of about r2,ooo prisoners, 47 pieces of artillery, r3,ooo s111all arms, and large quantities of supplies. The prisoners were paroled and 111arched to Annapo­ lis, Md. Military circles ,vere very 1nuch agitated over this unfortunate affair. The public press also contained crit_icis1ns that s01new~1at reflected on the patriotism and coura1{e of pro111inent officers that were present. (}en. Julius White, the ranking officer present, but ,vho ,vaived his right to Col. l\rliles, keenly felt that his own military record would 111ost probably be questioned, and · addressed the following letter to the Adjutant General:

" .A.. NN APO LIS, l\1D., "September 23, r862. '' Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOlVIAS, "Ad.yt. u--en.,,... [T, . s . A . "GENERAL: I have the honor to state that in mv .I judgment the public interests require an investigation into the causes of the recent surrender of Harper's _ Ferry with the garrison stationed there, a1id do there­ fore respectfully request that a court of inquiry be ordered for the purpose. _ " I a1n, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, "JULIUS WHITE, "Brig. Gen., U. S. A. l\. court of inquiry ,v':1-s convened in Washington, September 25, r862, and co111posed of the following persons: Gen. D. Hunter, Capt. Donn Piatt, A. A. G., Gen. G. Cadwalader, Capt. F. Ball, Jr., .A.. D. C. Gen. C. C. Augur, Col. J. Holt, Judge Advocate. The court re111ained in session forty days and exa111ined t,venty-eigh t witnesses. The testi111ony given is verj,. voluminous, covering several hundred closely-printed pages. Capt. lVIeans' testi111ony is given in full. For 62 HISTORY OF

the entire testi111011y of all other witnesses the reaclei· is referred to series 1, vol.. 19, part 1, Official Recotds · of the Re bellion.

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I

SIGNAC STATION ON LOUDOUN HEIGHTS. [By permission of B. & 0. R. R.J

Capt. S. C lVIEANS, called by the Goven1111ent, and sworn and exatnined as follows : By the JUDGE ADVOCATE: Question. vVhat is your position in the 111ilitary service? 'I'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS .

. . A.nswer. Captain of cavalry. Question. In what regi1nent? .A.. ns,ver. An independent co111pany. We are not attached to any regi111ent at all. Question. Were you at Harper's Ferry during the late events there which resulted in its surrender? .l\nswer. Yes, sir; up to Sunday night. I was not there when the surrender ,vas 1nade. Question. Diel you leave on Sunday night? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Under what circu1nstances? .A.. ns,ver. Well, when Maryland Heights were sur­ rendered, I just thought ,ve 1night just as ,vell surrender the. Ferry. And I knew I would be hanged if I ,vas caught. Question. You are a Virginian? Answer. Yes, sir. I thought if I could get out I would, and I invited all who wished to follo,v 1ne to follo,v 1ne ; and there were a great 111any that did. Question. Diel you escape with the large body of cav­ alry, or in the advance? ..A.nswer. r ·,vas in advance of the ,v hole body. Question. You encountered no difficulty in effecting your -escape? .A.. ns,ver. We had so111e little skinnishing along the route; nothing serious. Question. Are you well acquainted with the geogra­ phy and topography of that region? Ansvver. On the Virginia side I a111. On the lVIary­ _lany side I can not say that I a1n, very ,ve11. I a111 ,vell acquainted, but not very ,vell. rrhere are a great n1any passes there I do not understand. Question. \iVill you give the Co111111ission your judg- 1nent as to ,vhether the infantry could have effected their escape the night the cavalry cut their ,vay through? Answer. I do not think there would have been anv clifficultv.., in the world. "' Question. You think they could have passed over the road you passed over ? .A.. nswer. Yes, sir ; the infantry could have done it ; the artillery could not. The infantry could have HISTORY OF done it well and easy. It ,vas through the mountain; a rough road. It would have been bad for artillery to have gotten over, it is very true, but infantry could ha,re done it. ,

Bv_, the COURT: Question. Why could not the artillery have passed over the road? .A.nswer. The artillery could not have taken that road on account of the noise they would have 111ade. I have no doubt they could have got over it. The only obstruction ,ve 111et with was ,vhen we 1net vvith the a1n1nunition train of Longstreet. vVe heard a con­ siderable noise, and drew up in line of battle in a field, tore down the fences, and got back into a field. But we had no skinnishing ; they surrendered at once. When ·we ordered the train to halt, they halted and gave thetn- ·selves up at once.

By General WHI1'E : Question. You have stated that you thought there would have been no difficulty in the infantry going out at the tin1e you did. How long, in your opinion, \Vould it have taken the infantry to have crossed the Potomac? Answer. I think there ,vere, perhaps, ro,ooo 111e11 there, and it ·would, perhaps, have taken them three hours, I think. Question.. A .. fter crossing, ho,v long, suppose there had been no interruption v.rhatever-how long would it have taken the1n to have 111arched where ·they would have been perfectly clear of danger of attack and being surrounded by the ene1ny? .A .. nswer. Well, sir, three hours 111ore ,vould have taken them out. Question. When you say "out," do yon 111ean clear around the ene111y's left flank? ~t\.ns,ver. Yes, sir; I 111ea11 entirely out of their 1ines. Question ..A .. nd how far ,vonld that have been? .l\.nswer. Twelve 111iles. Onestion.-- Is not that 1nore than three hours' 111arch? JOHN BROWN'S FORT-JHFFERSON ROCK-RATTLING SPRING. [ By Permission· of B. & 0. R. R.]

THE LOUDOUN ·RANGERS.

Ans\ver. ·A forced 1narch could have done it. "Stone­ ,vall" Jackson could have done it, I know. Question. You say you had so111e little skir111ishing ,vith the ene111y? Answer. Very little ; we expected to have a skir­ n1ish with the guard that was with the an1111unition train, but they showed no fight ; they surrendered. Question. You had so1ne with the pickets? Answer. Occasionally a shot; not a skinnish, but a shot now and then. Question. With infantry, tnarching as a colu11111 of in­ fantry would, what• is your opinion as to their being attacked by the ene1ny? Answer. I think if we had left a rear guard of cavalry, we could have protected the1n and carried the1n out of all that. I think that by all 1neans every 111an that could get a horse should have gone out. There were 2, ooo horses left there. ~uestion. Who had the1n ? ...L\nswer. They were artillery horses and captured horses. I had captured a great 111any myself and left them there. Question. You are 1nistake11 about the ntunber, I think. Answer. I guess you will not find any officer there who will not say what I do. I do not think there was less than 2,000. · Of course, I guess at the 11un1ber.·

By the JUDGE-A.. DVOCATE : Question. The horses were of no use whatever in the:::. defense of the place? .A.. ns,ver. No, sir.

By General WHITE : Question. How 111uch force do you suppose the enen1y had on the north side of the Potomac at that ti1ne? Answer. Fron1 the best.infor111ation I could get, they had about 7,000 111en. Question. I 1nean their entire force? -Answer. Do you 111ea11 over in lVIaryland? R-4 66 HISTORY OF

Question. Yes, sir. Answer. About 135,000, I reckon. Question. And you, in passing out with the cavalry, turned the entire left flank of that force ? An ~wer. We did not turn the flank at all. We were on one side of the tnountain and their force was on the other. At that tin1e there were none of them beyond Pleasant Valley, and we passed up on the- southern side of the· Blue Ridge, as we call it in Virginia, until we passed thP111. They were in Maryland, though, but by going on as far as Chatnbersburg we got entirely around then1. Stuart took pretty n1uch the same route, only he crossed the Poton1ac higher up, and came around a week ago and a little over. Question. Suppose the infantry had been started out at the time the cavalry started from Harper's Ferry, when they were passing up that road what would have pre-· vented the force under Jackson in the valley fro1n attack­ ing our column ? Answer~ Jackson at that time w·as in Pleasant Valley. Question. You are n1istaken in that ; he ~Tas in front of us at Bolivar Heights. Answer. He had not crossed over the 1nountain. Question. On Sunday night? Answer. No, sir. Question. We fought his troops on Sunday afternoon before you left. Answer. I do not know where in the world he could have been. -~ Question. In passing up that road with the entire ~co1n111and, if the lines of the enen1 y were stretched around to the Pototnac at Shepherdstown. would it not have been probable that they would have known of our departure and attacked us there? Ans,ver. There is a probability of it ; but at night, that way, I do not think we would have had anything 111ore than their pickets to have attended to. - Question. You think they would have allowed our entire conunand to have gone out without an attack? Ans\ver. I think they would. Question. Why ? THE LOUDOUN· RANGERS.

Answer. We had seen no indication of anything else when we went, ne,thing like showing fight in any force. Question. That was because your passage up the river was pretty rapid? Answer. That was so ; we were going along moder­ ately fast. Question. Did you go about ro 111iles an hour? Answer. I think we went at least that. I do not want it understood that I looked upon Colonel Miles as a traitor. I never did. I served under him too long. I think he was a loyal n1an. By the CouR1~ : Question. \Vhat is your op1n1on in regard to the· capacity of Colonel Miles for that con1mand? Answer. I think he was entirely capable ten days be­ fore the surrender of Harper's Ferry. Question. You n1ade the re111ark a few 111inutes ago that in that conversation you discovered what was the 111atter. What was the n1atter with Colonel Miles? Answer. That is a thing I did not care about telling; but as you have asked n1e I suppose I 111ust. I think he had taken too 1nuch to drink. I never had seen it the case before, but that was 111y i111pression at the titne. I had been serving under hi1n before for three or four 1nonths, and I never saw that the case with hin1 until that tin1e; therefore I paid no attention to what he said. Question. Did he continue in that state during the retnaining_portion of your stay? Answer. Yes, sir; that was the Thursday week be­ fore the evacuation of Harper's Ferry. That was the first I ever discovered in, hi111 anything of the kind. By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE: Question. How did his condition 1nanifest itself; was it in confusion of ideas? Answer. Not at all. Question. In excite111ent? Answer. No, sir ; he see1ned to be stubborn, nothing else. In the fix he was in then, he would not believe anything you would tell him. 68 HISTORY OF

By General WHITE : Question. Do you 1nean to be understood that during the siege of Harper's Ferry Colonel Miles was not intox­ icated all the time, but he seemed to have enough to 1nake hiln stubborn? Do you think he was drinking? Answer. I think he was. I had been reporting to hitn once or twice a week for at least two or three months, and I had never found him anything else but perfectly straightforward in every respect until about that time.

As Col. Miles was dead, the court could not take any action towards hi111, except that it was shown that he ~cted with utter incapacity, which led to the shameful surrender. Col. Ford was dis1nissed fro111 the service. Gen. White was found to have acted ,vith capacity and cour­ age. Gen. McClellan was 1nildly censured for not march­ ing over 6 1niles a day ; and that he could and should have rescued the garrison at Harper's Ferry.· ~rhe affair 1nay be briefly sununed up as follows: Col. Miles should not have vacated Maryland Heights, and of course should not have surrendered, as by remain­ ing there he could have held the place until the arrival of Gen. ~IcClellan. Col. lV[iles was found guilty of drunkenness by a prevons court of inquiry at the first battle of Bull Run. In bidding adieu to this unfortunate affair, an extract is given fro1n a Southern historian, John Esten Cooke, ,vho served on the staff of Gen. R. E. Lee : '' Harper's Ferry had fallen-fallen at the- 1110111ent ,vhen ~TcClellan was only a short 111arch fro1n it, with ahnost nothing between ; at the 1no1nent ,vhen Miles could ahnost hear the shouts of the troops coining to his relief; when in a few hours NicI...(aws on Maryland Heights vvo1lld have been captured ; Jackson ·would have been cut off frotn a junction with the 111ain body, and Lee would have been defeated-swallowed up in the Poto- 111ac like the Egyptians in the Red Sea." 'rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

A few days before the cavalry left Harper's Ferry four of the Rangers, Joseph T. Divine, D. J. Harper, T. J. McCutcheon, and Charles White _,vere doing special picket duty with the 87th Ohio regin1ent at Sandy Hook. As the enenry advanced on Harper's Ferry this squad beca111e separated fron1 the regi1nent and went out through Niaryland and Pennsylvania, capturing three rebels on the way, and took then1 into York, Pa. These were the first ''Johnnies " the citi­ zens had seen, a11.d, of course, they were a kind of curiosity. The Rangers were lionized for this heroic achieve111ent and escorted to the hotel, where an ova­ tion was given the111, and a grand dinner which the boys enjoyed. We vvill now turn to Gen. nlcClellan' s arn1y that ca111e up fro111 Washington in pursuit of Gen. Lee's ann y and to give it battle. The ·union ar111y arrived at Frederick, Md., Septe1nber 12, and ca111e into possession of the ger.eral order of Gen. Lee previously referred to. When l\1cC1el1an learned the plans of the Confederate co1n111ander. he set his annv. in 111otio11 to thwart thetn. He ordered Gen. Franklin's corps to pass through Cra111pton's Gap and relieve Harper's Ferry. The corps of Reno and Hooker, under co1111nand of Gen. Burnside, were to tn~ve through Turner's Gap. These 111ove111ents were executed rather slowly. They arrived at the Gap September 14, and were within 7 1niles of Harper's Ferry when it surrendered. '-' So near and vet.., so far !" Gen . Lee had recalled Longstreet and Hill fron1 Boonsboro and Hagerstown to check the advance of McClellan and had taken position behind trees and ledges of rocks on South Niountain. As the Union troops advanced they \Vere tnet by a terrific fire fro111 the ene1ny, vvho was entirely concealed fron1 vievv. This Indian 1node of fighting continued all day, the Union troops gaining step by step, until about 6 o'clock a final charge carried HISTORY OF the slopes ofthe1nountain, completely routing the enemy and capturing nearly two regituents. This engagement, fought September 14, is known in history as the " Battle of South Mountain;" and should not be confounp.ed with Antietam, as it often is. The Union troops lost in killed and wounded over 2,000, Gen. Reno, of the Ninth corps, being; killed. Among the wounded was Lieut. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes, of the 23d Ohio, who did good service there, and did· good service in after years as President of the United States. The enemy lost in killed and wounded 1,920: and 200 prisoners, one cannon, and three battle flags-General Garland being a111ong the killed. The Union troops fought with sublime bravery, having great obstacles to surmount, cli.1;nbing a steep n1ountain and driving the enemy from behind trees, rocks, and stone fences, where they were strongly posted, and at nightfall rested on the summit of South Mountain. The next. morning, Septe1n ber 15, the Union army pressed forward through the passes into the valley of the Antietam, ·where the enemy was found strongly posted on a high and commanding position. The day was largely consumed by Gen. McClellan in reconnoitering for position. That night he learned of the capitulation ·of Harper's Ferry. This satne enemy that was now in his front had a few weeks previously baffled and driven him from the Peninsula. It had also defeated Gen. Pope on the plains of lV{anassas, and had compelled the- surrender of Harper's Ferry. The question had been asked in great seriousness " could this army be defeated?'' It had now been on Maryland soil eight days. Thus far it had avoided a practical t~st of strength with its adversary ; that issue could not be deferred any longer; a great battle . . must be fought to settle that question. The battle of South Mount~in had been a victory for Gen. McClellan ; THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

jt was also a victory for Gen Lee, as it enabled hin1 to hold the Union army back two days, thereby enabling his own army to be reunited, and it was now ready to settle the question wether it could re1nain on Northern soil or whether it would be compelled to seek refuge in the land of its conception. September 16 found Gen. Lee's anny in position on the. west bank of Antietan1 Creek, his left resting on the Potomac, and right on the creek, facing east. The stream was crossed by four bridges and a ford, all except the northernmost being strongly guarded. Gen. lVIcClel­ lan 's plan of action was to cro~s at the upper or north bridge, attack the ene111y' s left wing with vigor, and while this was in progress force the passages of the lower bridges, and attack the ene111y's right. There was perhaps no especial strategy in this plan; _in fact, it was about the only course to follow, since the ene1ny had choice of position and was of necessity on the defensive. There had been considerable cannonading during the day, and if there ·was any advantage resulting from it, it was in favor of the Union position, owing, perhaps, to the superiority of guns. Late in the evening, Gen. Hooker crossed at the upper ford, and with Gen. Meade's division attacked the Confederate left. Owing to the early appr~ach of darkness little was accotnplished, both belligerents resting on their arn1s for the night. Early on the morning of September 17 Gen. Hooker opened an attack on Jackson's corps, which was forced back in great disorder, losing ·bvo guns and about 800 prisoners ; while Hooker advanced his lines to hold the position thus obtained a little too far and was at­ tacked on both flanks with great vigor by fresh troops, and was in_ turn compelled to retire. Gen. lVIans:field's corps that ··crossed the strean1 duriug the night was or­ dered to the relief of Hooker. Mansfield's troops had just gone into position ,vhen that commander was mor­ tally wounded (he died the next day); a few rnoments 72 later Gen. Hooker ,vas borne frorn the field, seriously wounded. Gen. Su1nner's corps that crossed at early 1norning­ ca1ne up with fresh troops and drove back the enen1 y beyond the .Dunkard church, capturing nearly 2,000 prisoners and five guns and several battle flags. The enenTy sent fresh troops fron1 their right, consisting of McLaw's and Walker's corps which had just arrived fro111. Harper's Ferry, and threvv Sumner's troops into some confusion, co111pelling then1 to relinquish the ground around to the Dunkard church. About 12 o'clock Gen. Franklin arrived fro111 Cratnpton's Pass, just in ti1ne to check the advance of 111ore fresh troops sent over fro111 the Confederate right. While this 1node of seesaw fighting continued thE: en­ tire forenoon and was exceedingly stubborn and dis­ astrous on the Federal right, the left and center re­ mained quiet as uninterested spectators.

BURNSIDE'S BRIDGE AT ANTIETAM CRHEK. Gen. Burnside had been ordered at 8 o'clock to bring for,vard the center and left and force a passage of the bridges in his front and attack the enemy's right._ By 'l'I-IE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 73 so111e 1nisunderstanding of orders that 111ove1nent was not executed until 2 o'clock. By 3 o'clock the ridges in front of Sharpsburg were carried, capturing a rebel bat­ tery. At this juncture there appeared the last of Lee's arrny from Harper's Ferry (A. P. Hill's corps). These fresh troops and other reinforce111ents fro111 the ene111y' s left fell upon Burnside's force and drove the1n from the crest of the hill, retaking the battery. As operations under Hooker had ceased on the right, this was practi­ cally the· end of one~ of the tnost hotly contested and bloody battles of the war, and probably the 1nost dis­ astrous to both sides, considering the ti111e occupied and numbers engaged. Every man of Gen. Lee's forces had been actively engaged, while Gen. lVIcClellan had 35,000 n1e11 in sight of the battlefield all day that were idle spectators. T'he enen1y's forces ought to and could have been an­ nihilated, or captured. It was not because Lee, with his anny divided for three days in presence of his enemy, had not invited destruction, nor because the 70,000 act­ ing in concert could not have overw heltned the 40, ooo ; nor was it for lack of courage of 1nen, or ar1ns, or oppor­ tunity, but because the attack had been 111ade by regi- 111en tal front, disjointed and unsupported, instead of heavy colu111~1 and both wings siinultaneously. By the latter tnethod McClellan, with troops at hand, could have prevented the ene111y fron1 reinforcing at any point. On both sides the troops fought with a coure;1geo1~s bravery and determination that baffles description. It is doubtful if it was surpassed by any battle of the war. A few illustrations of regin1ental and brigade losses will show the unparalleled severity of the fighting: One company of recruits of the 12th Massachusetts went in with 72 men-but two escaped unhurt. The 16th Connecticut, also recruits, went in with 940 n1en­ lost 432. On the Confederate side Drayton's Brigade, with 1,150 men, lost 554, including five out of six of their 74 HISTORY OF regimental co1n1nanders; while Hood's Brigade lost 325 out of 550, including every regi1nental and staff officer. The Confederates lost three generals killed and eight wounded, while Gen. McClellan lost two generals, lVIans­ field and Richardson, killed, and six wounded. Gen. McClellan reported his losses at-killed, 2,010 ; wounded, 9,500; missing, r,043-total, r2,553. The Confederate reports are fragmentary. The best authorities place their losses fro111 20,000 to 25,000, in­ cluding. over 7, ooo prisoners. Gen. McClellan reports the burying of 2,700 of the enetny's dead. A.s already stated, Antieta1n was the bloodiest battle of the war of the rebellion. lVIore 1nen were killed on that one day than on any other one day of the war. There were battles with greater loss of life, but they were not fought out in one day as at Antieta1n. At Gettys­ burg, Chancellorsville, and Spottsylvania, the fighting covered three days or 1nore ; at the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Shiloh, Stone River, Chicka1nauga, and .A.. t­ lanta, the losses were divided between two days of fight­ ing ; but at Antieta1n the bloody work con11nenced at sunrise and by 4 o'clock that afternoon it was over. A table showing the losses in the principal engage111ents of the war presents these facts 1nore definitely. - - - - [ I I :,.: . i .... A ~ -!) i:" 0~ I ci Cl z ;:.: ~ I z ..... ~ ~ ...:i (/J f"' ...:i ::> (/J ~ -( ..... 0 ... (!) A ! ~ ~ ~ < ' I . ! - Antietam. . Sept. 17, 1862. . Il 2,108 9.549 753 12.410 Gettysburg. . . July 1-3, 1863. . . i 3,070 14,497 5,43,t 23,001 Spottsylvania. . May 8-18, 1864. . i 2,725 13,416 2.258 18,399 I Wilderness. . . May 5-7, 1864. . ' 2,246 12,037 3,383 17,666 Chancellorsville . May 1-3, 1863. . . I r,606 9,762 5,919 17,287 Chickamauga . . . . . Sept. 19-20, 1863 . . • i r,656 9,749 4.774 16,179 Cold Harbor .. . June r-4, 1864 .. 1,844 9,077 1,816 I2. 737 Fredericksburg Dec. n-14, 1863. ' 1,284 9,600 1,769 12,653 . ' Manassas . . . Aug. 28-30, 1862 . : 1,747 8,452 4,263 14,462 Shiloh ...... April 6-7. 1862 . . I' 1,754 8,40'- 2,Xb5 13,047 Stone River. . . Dec.31,1862; Jan.2,1863. ! 1,730 7,~02 3,717 13,249 Petersburg . . . June 15-19, 1864. . . . . I 1,688 8,513 1,185 II,386 Atlanta, includ ing Peach Tree and Ezra Church and the battle of Jt 1ly, 22 July r-31, 1864 . l,IIO I 5,915 2,694 9,719 Chattanooga ...... Nov. 23-25, 1863. 687 4,346 349 5,382 i _,.rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 75 The percentage of loss on the Un ion side was over r 5 per cent. of the entire-strength of the Army and fully 20 per cent. of the troops under fire. Many brigades lost one-third to one-half the 111en taken into action, and twelve regi111ents lost 1nore than 50 per cent., the 12th Massachusetts heading the list with 67 per cent., while the lowest of the twelve, the 14th Indiana, lost 56 per cent. Wellington lost 12 per cent. at Waterloo; N~poleon 14.Yz' per cent. at .A.usterlitz and 14 per cent. at Marengo. The average losses of both armies at Magenta and Sol­ ferino, in 1859, was less than 9 per cent. .A.. t Konig­ gratz, in 1866, it was 6 per cent. At Worth, Mars-la­ Tour, Gravelotte, and Sedan, in 1870, the average loss was 12 per cent. The 1narvel- of German fighting in the Franco-Prus­ sian war was by the Third W estphalian Infantry at Mars-la-Tour. It took 3,000 1nen into action and lost 40.4 per cent. Next to this record was that of the Garde-Schiitzen battalion, 1,000 strong, at 1\1etz, which lost 46. I per cent. i\.s striking as are these figures on the Union side they are equalled if not exceeded by those of the Con­ federates. It is impossible to give the figures with en­ tire accuracy, for in making up their ·returns they in­ cluded the losses at Harper's Ferry, South Mountain, and Antietam, aggregating 1,886 killed, 9,348 wounded, and 1,377 missing, a stun total of 12,601, or, according to Gen. I-1ee' s report, over 20 per cent. of the troops vvhich he took into Maryland, and the greater part of ,vhich loss was sustained at Autietam. 1"he terrific nature of the contest sustained by them 111ay be judged fron1 the fact that 111any brigades lost one-half the 1nen engaged, and in three at least this pro­ portion was exceeded. Out of 42 Confederate regiments given as sustaining a loss in any one battle during the IIIS'l'ORY OF entire ,var of over 50 per cent., ten 111ade this record in one day at Antieta111, headed by the First Texas, of Hood's di vision, which lost 82. 3 per cent., the highest recorded for the ,var. These figures on both sides attest the bravery and ob­ stinacy with \vhich the opposing lines in open field, without breastworks of any kind, stood and tore each other to shreds.

GE;N. McCI.ELLAN.

The political questions \vhich were involved in the contest ought not, under ordinary circumstances, to en­ ter into consideration ; but .A.. ntieta111 for111s an excep­ tion, for upon the result on that field depended the great­ est po1itical stroke of 1nodern tin1es, the pro111ulgation of the policy of e111ancipatio11 by the President of the United States. When the sununer of 1862 brought dis­ aster after disaster to the Union cause, finally cultninat­ ing in the invasion of Maryland by Gen. Lee, .A.. braha111 THE LOUDOUN RAXGERS. 77 Lincoln detennined on the e1nanci pat ion of the slaves. " I 1nade," said Mr. Lincoln, " a sole11111 vow before God that if Gen. Lee was driven back from Maryland I would crown the result by the declaration of freedo111 to the slaves." Gen. Lee ,vas driven fro1n Mary land, and on Septen1- ber 22, 1862, President Lincoln issued the procla111ation. Gen. McClellan, unquestionably, should have re­ newed the attack on the 111orning of ·the 18th. That clay both conunanders agreed to eight hours' ar111istice to bury the dead and care for the wounded. Instead of burying his dead Gen. Lee's ar111y was engaged cutting trenches through the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and that night crossed the Poto1nac into Virginia, leaving their dead unburied and wounded uncared for. If the reader will consult history he ,vill find this is not the first ti111e Gen. Lee violated a pledge of honor. The Confederate ca111paign in Maryland had ended. It lasted just two weeks. Inaugurated as a triutnphant invasion, ,vith flying colors, it ended in a skedaddle between two days, with their 111eagre supply of" Liberty and Protection " entirely exhaustetl. While this battle was in progress the cavalry did val­ uable service guarding the flanks and doing scouting duty, capturing nearly 2,000 prisoners fro111 the ene111y's anny, in which the I-1ot1Clon11 Rangers bore a conspicuous part. The co111pany ,vas now put to active duty, bearing dispatches and scouting for the ar111y while it lay along the Poto111ac fro111 l'donocacy to Shepherdstown. The last of October Gen. lVIcClellan began to cross the Po­ to111ac at Bn111s\vick, the Rangers acting as guides. Nove111ber rst we enca111ped at Waterford, where the arn1y rested for tvvo days. vV. S. Keyes joined the con1- pany here, the first recruit ,ve had since the Waterford fight. vVe continued as guides until the .A.rn1y of the Potomac went into winter quarters on the Rappahan­ nock, when the Rangers were ordered back to the Eighth Corps, which lay along the Potomac. Our camp was established at Point of Rocks, in the old warehouse be­ tween the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the river. Those who were captured and paroled at Waterford were now exchanged and returned to duty; Lieut. Slater re­ turned, carrying his ar111 in a sling, and being unfit for field duty he was ·appointed Provost Marshal of Point of Rocks. His extensive acquaintance enabled hitn to decide who_ was entitled to take goods through the hlockade.

CHAPTER VI.

CAMPED AT POINT OF RoCK3-MOVED TO BERLIN-LIEUT SLATER RESIGNED ON ACCOUNT OF WOUNDS-CAMP MOVED TO BOLIVAR HEIGHTS-TO BERRYVILLE-CONFEDERATE ARMY MARCHE:S NORTHWARD.

It was evident to all who saw Lieut. Slater that he ,vould never be fit for active duty, which would 1nake the place of rst lieutenant vacant. The question of his successor had been n1entioned around ca111p. Charles A. Webster was ambitious and wanted the place, and perhaps it is but fair to state if it had been left to the con1 pany he would have been chosen. On one occa­ sion, when Capt. Means was absent, Webster took the bull by the horns (as was his 1nethod of doing things) and concluded to hold an election for rst lieutenant. He called the· cotnpany in line and declared the office vacant, and announced his candidacy, and concluded by saying, "All in favor of ~ebster for rst lieutenant step two paces to the front,'' when nearly the entire con1- pany stepped to the front; he declared hirnself elected 1st lieutenant. Such an election was without prece- THE LOUDOFN RANGERS. 79 dent, and was, of course, revolutionary in the extreme. On Capt.· Means' return he was furious, and declared the election a 11surpation of both 1nilitary and civil rights. 1\-Teans never liked Webster, and had been en­ deavoring to get rid of hi1n in a quiet way, but he was no longer very quiet about it. Webster's connection vvith the co111pany ceased late· in N oven1ber. While encamped in the warehouse Albert C. Hawk, Robert Zee, J a111es Monegan, Peter C. Fry, John Mc­ Devitt, Charles Peka1n,John Lenhart, Phillip H. Heater, James Daily, J. N. Johnson aud Jacob Dixon joined the company. Early in Dece1nber the camp was moved to the old Catoctin Furnace across the river in Loudoun. In Dece1nber a stnall squad of the co111pany went on a raid to Waterford, where White's command was en­ ·countered again. As our nu1nber was so s111all we fell back toward L-ovettsville. We captured one prisoner, Ned Moreland, and lost two, W. S. Keyes and McMullen, the latter being wounded-Li~ut. Keyes was slighty wounded in the arm. The prisoner we captured took the oath of allegiance to the United States, and served the Rangers efficiently and faithfully to the close of the war '' as chief cook.'' The camp was changed to Heater's Island, in the Potomac River, about the 15th of December, where we enjoyed our first grand treat of the war; ~ve got p~id off in brand new greenbacks. The 1nost of the boys got six 1no11ths' pay. The last of Dece111ber tl).e catnp was 1noved back to Point of Rocks, in the old warehouse. The latter part of January, 1863, a portion of the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry, in co1n111and of 1\/Iaj. Byrne, and the Rangers started on a raid in Virginia ; the first stop was 1nade at U111baugh' s still-house wherf: the entire com1nal)..d for111ed in line. George U 111 baugh, with bucket and cup, went fro111 1nan to 1nan and quenched the thirst of all with good, fresh apple brandy. The column 1noved 80 HISTORY OF on, arriving at Leesburg about ro o'clock a. tn., charg­ ing in King street. The porch of the old Picket Hotel, \vhere is now located the palatial Leesburg Inn, was full of rebels, who ran through the house and out the back ,vay. The co1npany dis111ounted, entering through the hall to the back yard, but all had disappeared. Fresh tracks ·were noticed leading to a small stable, which was entered by a lieutenant of the 13th Pennsylvania Cav­ alry and one of the young Rangers, both clin1bing up into·the hay loft. The lieutenant ordered the Ranger to draw his sabre and thrust it down through the hay. On giving this order the hay began to quiver, and showed untni~takable signs of being inhabited. At the first thrust the fonus of two rebels sprung fro111 under the hay at the other end of the loft. They proved to be two of White's men, Charles Cooper and John Tay­ lor. The first thing they discovered was two revolvers leveled on the111, with the den1and to " surrender." The request vvas tneekly cotnplied ·with. The rest of the Johnnies did not risk a hay 1110,v, and tnade good their escape. The co1111nand tnoved on through Water­ ford and Hillsboro back vz"a Harper's Ferry and down the tow path to Point of Rocks. The rst of February the co111pany tnoved to Brnns­ ,vick and encatnped upon the hill near the old ce1netery, going into winter quarters. Gen. Hancock's Second Corps was enca1nped _here in the fr~ll, and had cut ti111- ber and erected excellent ,vinter quurter~, but had 1noved away about the ti1ne they ,vere finished. We readily transforn1ed the111 into quarters for the Rangers. Our first recruit here was ,.rhos. W . ...L\.gan, who was i111111ediately appointed "horse farrier." Webster gives the definition as '' horse doctor.'' The dictionarv., is vvrong or else the Rangers ,vere 111ost outrageously deceived in this appointtnent. 1'0111 ,vas a first-class fello,v, but probably kne-w less about a horse than any Capt. D.\'.\iEL .\•\. KEYE..;, Co. A.

Serg-t. JOSEPH T. OIVl:'1:1:, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. Sr

other n1an in the company. On one occasion a horse got loose and wallowed in yellow n1ud. That evening as we went to feed, Agan wanted to kno,v where that new dun horse ca111e fro1n. Aside fro111 the horse To111 ,vas well posted, particularly on politics. .A. sad and irreparable loss 110,v befel the Rangers, Lieut. L. W. Slater was finally discharged February 19, 1863, on account of his wounds. He was not only obeyed and respected, but loved by all ; a l_arge, physi­ cally well-built inan, a true type of .A.. 1nerican soldier, and as brave as a lion. Lieut. Keyes was pro1noted to rst lieutenant. Instead of pro1noting the Orderly Sergeant or any other ser­ geant to be 2d lieutenant, the saddler was elected 2d lieu­ tenant. On the 1norning of February ·20 Capt. Means fonned the co111pany in lh1e, back of his tent, in a deep snow, for the purpose of electing a 2d lieutenant. All those who were in favor of E. R. Gover for second lieu­ tenant were asked to ~tep two paces to the front, when a few 111ore than a 1najority stepperl out. All who favored Orderly Sergeant Ja1nes A. Cox for second lieu­ tenant were asked to step two paces to the front, when· the re111ainder stepped out. A 1najority having voted for Gover, he \Vas d_eclared elected. The boys dubbed hi111 "Four Eyes.'' He was a kind and pleasant officer, but perhaps a little old and slow for the position. The following- recruits were 1n uste.red here: Thos. W. Agan, John Atnbrose,Joseph B~gent, W111. Bull, Edward Bond, George P. and Presley A. Davis, Peter Dorherty, W. H. Hoov½.r, Michael Ryan, and Edward Snyder. Geo. W. Hough died in camp, of fever. We took hi111 to Waterford and buried him ,vith the honors of war. Pay111aster-JVIajor Brighatn gave us a very pleasant call March r, and left with us four tnonths' pay. Every­ body enjoyed the call, especially those to yvhon1 we were indebted. R-5 82 HISTORY OF

.A.. bout February 20, Sergt. F. B. Anderson got a leave of absence to go to Taylortown, Va., to attend a ball, in which he and his sister, Miss Mollie, were to take a pro111inent part. The ball was held at the resi­ dence of James Filler. While on the floor dancing, about r r o'clock p. 111., Lieut. Marlow and squad of White's Confederate cavalry entered the ball roo111, and ,vith about a dozen revolvers pointing in Sergt... A .. nder­ son's face, demanded a surrender, which was very reluc­ tantly complied with, but the next step, a trip to Rich- 1nond, vvas still harder, as it would last 111uch longer. His sister, Miss Mollie, can1e to the rescue. She threv.r her ar111s around Marlo,v's neck, weeping bitterly, plead­ ·ing only as wo111an can plead, to spare her brother a trip to Libby, which was ahnost sure death. Marlow wilted. He told her if she "'ould dance "the next set" with hin1 he would parole her brother. She gladly con­ sented. What can1e so near being a tragedy was now suddenly turned into a co111edy. The Johnnies took partners, Sergt. Anderson took the violin and played "The girl I left behind 1ne." Lieut. Marlow and Miss Mollie led off, "Balance to your partners,"-" Ladies to the right,"-" Pro111enade all." It ,vas hard to tell who ,vas the hero of the evening. When the set ended Marlow and his 1nen departed, taking Mr. Stout Wil­ lia111s with the111 to Rich111011d as a witness in the Web­ ster case_, which we shall speak of later. Sergt. Ander­ son went to Point of Rocks next day, and ,vas sent from there to Ca111p Parole, at Annapolis, Md., remaining until exchanged. The first of lvlarch the co111pany 1noved to Bolivar Heights-early in the 1nonth while the company ·was raiding in Virginia-and on their return about twelve of the boys left the cohunn to call on so1ne lady friends, and in consequence did not reach ca1np until the next day. For this offense of leaving the conunand without THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. leave, and in the ene1ny's country, Capt. Means declared them worthy of severe punishn1ent, and had the1n ar­ rested and put in the lockup. This was the boys' first experience behind the bars and was 801newhat htunili­ ating. .A.fter retnaining there several hours Capt. Means infor111ed the1n that this being their first offense he ,vould release the111, and gave the111 a severe lecture on n1ilitary discipline. While a portion of the co111pany ,vas returning fro1n a raid in Loudoun, and when between Waterford and I~ovettsville, Sergt. James H. Corbin was shot fro1n a111bush and killed, about ro o'clock at night. This was a sad loss, as Sergt. Corbin was a 111ost excellent soldier, and one of the first to cast his fortune with the Rangers. The last of March the cotnpany, with three co111- panies of the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, in co111mand of Maj. Daily, were on an extended raid in the direction of Snicker's Gap. When west of Purcellville a still­ house in operation was pass.ed, and quite a nu111b~r of the Pennsylvanians stopped and filled their canteens and drank freely, while the whisky was yet war1n, being only a few hours old, and it soon took effect. It ,vas with difficulty the conunand was gotten back to can1p safely. i\.pril rs; 1863, Jacob E. Boryer was discharged on account of wounds received at Leesburg. The last of the 111onth_ the co1npany n1oved to Berry­ ville, in the Shenandoah Valley, and was actively en­ gaged in scouting and carrying dispatches to Win­ chester. There had been considerabla con1plaint about Con11nissary-Sergeant Willia1n S. Keyes being absent and not providing the men with i·ations. These com­ plaints had becon1e so loud that Capt. lVIeans was forced to recognize the1n, and at roll call ordered an election. Everybody yelled "Milt. Gregg," and that gentleman HISTORY OF

,vas declared elected. This was especially compli- 111entary to Gregg, as it was the first and last ti1ne the con1pany was called upon to choose its 11011-conunissioned officers. It was a popular selection. Gregg always provided the boys with so111ething to eat, and occasion­ ally s0111ething to drink, if nothing 1nore than black coffee. l\. few days after our arrival at Berryville the ,vrit('f had his leg broken by his horse falling. The Rangers not being provided \\ri th a doctor, an a111 bulance of the 67th Pennsylvania Infantry was sent for and the patient taken to the hospital of that regi111ent, where the broken bones ,vere skilfully set and the patient tenderly cared for. April 22, Capt. Means, "vith t,venty of the Rangers, acco111panied by I-tieut. Wykoff, 1st New York Cavalry, and Lieut. Povve11, with forty 111en of the 12th West Virginia Infantry, crossed the Shenandoah River at Snicker's Ferry, and attacked a ca111p of Confederate cavalry, capturing Capt. I.,eopold and six 111en, and took the111 to Winchester. May 6 Maj. Thayer, Pay1naster, ca111e up fro1n Harper's Ferry to pay the troops stationed at Berryville. Dan Harper was sent to Winchester with dispatches to Gen. Milroy to have his troops in readiness to receive ·their pay. The next day the Rangers escorted Maj. Thayer to Winchester, staying all night and returning the next

dav.; . We had two recruits while catnping at Berryville; Richard Virts and George Wilt, two loyal citizens of Loudoun, then cast their fortunes with the boys. The .i\nny of the Poto1nac had changed co111111anders t\,vice since the battle of Antieta111. Gen. McClellan had so cotnpletely exhausted the patience of the Nation by his campaigns of "masterly inactivity" that the President felt con1pelled to relieve .,. ;tHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 8J hin1 of the co111111and, and on N ove1nber 7 appointed Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside as his successor. In \Vest Point theory McClellan was well equipped for a great general, but ,v-hen he confronted the ene1ny on the field of co1nbat he lacked confidence in his own ability. He also lacked aggressiveness, \\7hich was in so tnuch detnand during the Civil War. Gen. Burnside was also a graduate of West Point, and had 111ade a good reputation as a corps co1nmander. He fought the great battle of Fredericksburg, but was defeated. His career as conunander of the Artny of the Potomac ,vas too brief to be fairly judged. At his own request he was relieved.

GEN. BURNSIDE.

\tVith the Ninth Corps he ,vas transferred to the ..A .. rn1y of the Cu1n berland, and in the East Tennessee can1 paign he made a brilliant reputation as an able co111111ander, a successful fighter~ and a strategist of the highest order. 86 HISTORY OF

January 25, r863, Gen. Joseph Hooker was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Ar1ny of the Potomac. He had commanded a corps in the Arn1y of the Poto111ac from the beginnirig, and was popular, and earned the title of" Fighting Joe Hooker." He was a fine looking officer, and he knew it. Perhaps he was a little too

n1tich inclined to vanitv.,; In his annunciamento he characterized his arn1y as the "finest army on the planet." President Lincoln acco1npanied the appointlnent with a private letter to Gen. Hooker, ,vhich illustrates the peculiar genius and practical life of the great President. He wrote: '' I have placed you at the head of the Arn1y of the Potomac. Of course I have done this on what appears to me sufficient reason, and yet I think it best for yon to know there are some things in regard to which I an1 not quite satisfied ,vith you. I believe yon to be a brave and skillful soldier, which, of course, I like. I also be­ lieve you do not 111ix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in yourself, which is a valuable, if not indispensable, quality. You are a111bitious, which within reasonable bounds does good rather than har111, but I think that during Gen. Burnside's co1nmand of the arn1y yon have taken con~1- sel of your an1bition, and thwarted hi111 as 1nnch as you could, in ,vhich you did a great wrong to the country and to a 111ost 111eritorious and honorable brother officer. I have heard in such a ·way as to believe it, of your re­ cently saying that both the .A.. rmy and the Govern111ent needed a dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the co111111and. Only those generals ,vho gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is n1ilitary success, and I will risk the dictatorship. The Govern111ent will support you to the utlnost of its ability, which is neither 1nore nor less than it has done and will do for all co111111anders. I n1uch fear that the spirit which you have aided to in­ fuse into the Ar111y, of criticising their con11nander, and withholding confidence fro111 hin1, ,vill now turn upon >tHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. you. I shall assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor Napoleon, were he alive again, could get any good out of any ar1J.1y while such a spirit prevails in it; and now beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance go forward and give us victories.''

GEN. HOOKER.

Gen. Hooker fought the bloody battle of Chancellors­ ville, where he was severely ,vonnded and defeated . ...t\fter the battle of Chancellorsville, a village of but one house, the Confederate anny felt sufficiently elated to attempt a second invasion of the North. The rebel cavalry attacked our pickets at Winchester May 19. Gen. Milroy 111ade short work of this raid, driving the Confederates south of 1\1:ount Jackson. ..A.. 11 was quiet for about two weeks. June 6 Rosser, with his Confed­ erate cavalry, attacked our pickets at Berryville, but ,vas driven south of the Shenandoah River, ,vith a loss of about twenty. The first brigade of the Eighth Corps, Gen. McReynolds co111111anding, ,vas now concentrated at Berryville. June r2, at 4 p. 111., Gen. E,vell's Con- 88 HISTORY 0:B" federate Corps attacked Gen. McReynolds sharply~· the fighting lasting until dark, Gen. McReynolds losing about forty killed and two hundred wounded. ·That night our forces forn1ed a junction with Gen. l\i~lroy _a_t Winchester. The next day, June r.~, Ewell attacked Milroy with great fury, the latter being behind fortifi­ cations; the rebels were slaughtered, losing over ·two hundred killed. The Confederates threw shells into the fort at intervals during the night, perhaps not enough to n1ake it very dangerous, but just enough to keep those on the inside on the tip-toe of expectation ; this cannonading was kept up at intervals during the entire day of the 14th. During the night Gen. Milroy evac­ uated the fort and took up a position east of Winchester, to keep communication open with Harper's Ferry. Ewell attacked our forces fiercely on the morning of the 15th with infantry and artillery in large numbers, gradually forcing Milroy to fa11 back to Harper's Ferry. In this last engage111ent Milroy lost between three and four hundred killed and about twelve hundred prisoners, including Alexander's Baltilnore Battery; the prisoners lost were mostly wounded. The Union arn1y, though defeated, 111ade a heroic fight. Milroy had about seven thousand troops at Winchester, while the enemy haq.. near twenty thousand. The Union forces under Gen. French concentrated on Maryland Heights. It vd11 be re111en1bered that this ar111y that defeated Milroy at Winchester was what historians have been pleased to term the flower of the Confederacy, on their way to Gettysburg, where the rays of the July sun severely scorched that Southern posy. For the last few weeks the Rangers had not re111ained long enough at any one place to ca11 it a ca1np, although the ca111p equipage was between Weverton and Bruns­ wick, while a portion of the co111pany was at Harper's Ferry. rtHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 89 Gen. French, in co111111and of the latter place, ordered Capt. Means to send three reliable and cool-headed 1nen into Virginia, east of the.Blue Ridge, as scouts to locate and ascertain if possible the strength and 111oven1en ts of the enemy, who were supposed to be on the eve of cross.., ing the Potomac into Maryland. Sergt. Jas. H. Beatty, Joseph T. Ritchie and Co1nmissary Sergt. Milton S. Gregg were selected. They crossed the Poton1ac above Brunswick Ferry, going south in the direction of Snickersville, where they obtained valuable inforrna­ tion, returning through Loudoun. When near Water­ ford they learned that five rebels were in town. They took advantage of the situation; charging into town, t_hey completely routed those five rebels, who prov~d to be White's men, and captured one by the na1ne of Leslie, and two horses, taking the1n into Harper's Ferry, arriv­ ing about rr o'clock at night. The writer, who had his leg broken at Berryville and had been taken to the hospital, returned to the co111pany while at Harper's Ferry and reported for duty. It was reported the rebels were crossing the Poton1ac into Maryland, near Noland's Ferry, and the Rangers were ordered to ascertain the correctness of the report. The co1n111and went down the river _as far as Monocacy, but were not able to learn of any troops crossing near there. That night the cornpany forded the river to Heater's · Island to obtain forage for the horses. Capt. Means ordered the 111en to lie down and take a little rest while the horses were eating. As we had been ahnost con­ stantly in the saddle for several days, everybody was · sound asleep directly. .A.. bout bNelve o'clock Zack Robison, Capt. Means' servant, aroused the rnen and told the1n a squad of rnen vvere leaving the island, going towards the Virginia shore ,vi th horses. Our 111en rushed to their horses, but to their consternation and surprise found quite a ntunber missing. .l\11 that could HIS,.rORY OF be n1ounted started in pursuit. About a n1ile fro1n the river, on the Virginia side, we struck a body of rebel cavalry, and charged and scattered the1n in every direc­ tion in the darkness, recapturing ail our horses and several 1nore, and severely wounding one man, shooting him through the body. We returned to the Mary­ land side about daylight and can1ped in the edge of the mountain, north · of Point of Rocks. That even­ ing our teamster, Geo. H. Divine, arrived from above Brunswick with ca111p equipage. Some of the men had gone to the Point of Rocks, so1ne were prepar­ ing supper, ,vhile others were taking a 1nnch needed sleep ; while in this condition our ca111p was attacked about sundown, the enemy capturing thirteen o_f our boys and wounding John W. Virts, who was shot through the breast. The ene1ny proved to be Col. White's Confederate cavalry, who crossed the Poto1nac River at Grubb's Ford, below Brunswick, June 17. Company B, Lieut. Crown coni1nanding, was sent across the country to attack our can1p frotn the north, while Col. White, with Co111panies .l\.., C, D, E, and F, 1narched down the tow-path and attacked from the. south. The successful achievement of White and Crown on this occasion is attributed to the fact that their advance guards wore Federal nnifortns, and were taken for our ovvn men. John W. Virts, who was severely wounded and taken prisoner, had fonnerly belonged to the rebel ar111y, was a metnber of the Loudoun Artillery, and wounded at the first battle of Bull Run, who, ,vhen he was able to be n1oved, was sent hotne to recuperate, and v-vho, when he recovered, instead of rejoining his battery, bade adieu to the Confederacy and ,vent to Maryland and took the oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States. Afterwards he joined our con1pany. When taken prisoner so1ne of White's 111en ,v ho had THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 9r been his for111er neighbors, and evidently possessed of a devil, instead of trying to con1fort a wounded soldier, though an enemy, whose life's blood was apparently slowly but surely ebbing a\vay, did all they could to 1nake his short stay on this earth 1niserable by preferring charges against hi111 for alleged desertion, and tried to have hirn executed. One of Milroy's 1nen taken at Winchester a fe,v days previous, who belonged to an Ohio r_egiment, changed uniforms with hin1, which to so1ne. extent disguised him. When taken to Richmond he gave his na1ne as Ji111 Davis, and clai1ned to belong to an Ohio regin1ent, and adopted that 11a1ne. While there, on Belle Island, the rebel officer, Sergt. Haight, tried to find hi1n by pretending to have a letter fro1n friends at ho1ne, but the scheme would not work, and Jack Virts was finally exchanged as Jim Davis.· i-\.1- though he lived until the ,var ,vas over, yet his wounds ca_rried hin1 to an unti111ely grave. The 18th of June the Rangers 1noved to Harper's Ferry, and soon afterwards to Frederick, Md., where they were assigned to active duty scouting and bearing dispatches for the· Eighth Corps, at· that ti1ne 1n co111- 111and of Gen. Schenck.

CHAPTER VII.

THE GETTYSBURG CAl\IPAIGN-FREDERICK-ELI~ICOTT'S MILLS­ RELAY HousE-TENNALLYTOWN- CAMPED _.\T DRIPPING SPRINGS-THE FIGHT AT GRAY'S FARM.

June 22 the Confederate arrn y crossed the Poto111ac at Shepherdstown and Williatnsport, and 1narched direct to Pennsylvania. By the 28th that ar1ny was in pos­ session of Cha1nbersburg, York, and Carlisle, Pa., and threatening Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and, perhaps, Ne,v York. HISTORY OI<"'

Gen. Hookers' Annv., of the Pototnac crossed the river at Edwards' Ferry the 25th and 26th of June, and con­ centrated at Frederick, Md. Owing to so1ne slight dis­ agreement between hi111self and Gen. Halleck, Gen. Hooker tendered his resignation as Conunander of the .A.. nny of the Poto111ac June 27, and it was imtn~diately accepted, and the next 1norning Gen. George G. i\'Ieade was appointed as his successor. The army, under Hooker, had been unsuccessful, and that this change proved to be the right thing at the right tirne all careful readers will admit. ·

GEN. MEADE.

Gen. Meade was a graduate of West Point, had served in the Mexican War, and had been in the Anny of the Poto111ac since its organization ; co111n1anded a corps under McClellan, Burnside, and Hooker, and, of course, brought valuable experience to his nevv position. He _,visely on1itted the usual sky~scraping announce111ent, 'tHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 93 and ,vent to ,vork in a fatniliar and business-like wav., . The day after his appointtnent the ar111y was in 111otion. The cavalry, under Gen. Pleasanton, was hurried for­ ,vard to engage and delay the ene111y until the whole anny could co111e up. The enemy was encountered by (-;en. Buford June 29 near Gettysburg, but the vigorous attack by Gen. Reynolds ·with the First Corps July r at Gettysburg settled the question as to the place where the great battle was to be fought. When Gen. Lee invaded the North for the second ti111e and tnarched into Pennsylvania, Gov. Curtin called ont the 1nilitia to assist in repelling the intruder. Lieut. L. W. Slater, ,vho was discharged fro111 the Rangers on account of wounds three 1nonths before, and who was living in Gettysburg, having attended school there, was one a111011g the first to respond. rrhe ,vounds he re­ ceived at Waterford were still unhealed, yet, with artn in sling, he, ,vith his regi111ent, the 26t_h Pennsylvania V. M., Col. Jennings co111111and.ing, arrived at Gettys­ burg at 9 a. 111. · on :F'riday, June 26, 1863, and was or­ dered to advance ,vest of the town, on the Chan1bers­ burg pike, for the purpose of holding the ene111y in check. Against this order Col.Jennings earnestly pro­ tested, as his co1n111and was cotnposed largely of 1nen who had never before been in service, Con1pany A being 111ade up of students fro111 Pennsylvania College, and the position was a very exposed one. However, he took up the indicated po~iti_on and posted his pickets. Early in the afternoon the rebels appeared in force and captured the pickets, about 40 in 1111111ber. Col. Jennings, who had on fonner occasions proven himself a skillful officer, as cool as he was brave, saw the danger of the position and divided his con1mand into several detachn1ents, in order to 111ake as for111idable showing as possible. The tnanceuver was successful, in that the enemy did not risk a direct attack upon the regiment, 94 HISTORY OF but contented himself with following at a n1ore respect­ ful distance and firing an occasional volley, except at Hunterstown, where the reghnent made a decided stand. It was ·here that CorpL D. H. Yount, in the 111iddle of the road, just in front of the enen1y, working with n1ight and 1nain to bring his wet gun into action, ·was heard to say: '' Oh, bless the gun, it will not go off." ·The regiment was forced to again retreat, with a further loss of r20 1nen. The pursuit was continued until the regitnent arrived at Harrisburg on the n1orn­ ing of Sunday, June 28, after having 111arched 54 dut of 66 continuous hours. Too 111uch credit can not be given Col. Jennings for this 1nasterly retreat and the saving of his conunand from annihilation, for if the rebels had known it was only one n1ilitia regi111ent opposing them such a fate would have overtaken the gallant T,venty-sixth. A bronze monument has since been erected at the head pf Chan1bersbnrg Street to co1nmen1orate the fact that this regi1nent 111ade the first opposition to the rebel arn1y occupying the town of Gettysburg. Nearly at the very beginning of the battle Gen. Rey­ nolds fell a victim to his own gallantry and bravery. As was his custom during an engage111ent, he rode, as on this occasion, at the head of his troops, urging and encouraging the111 to press forward, when he was shot by a rebel sharpshooter, and died shortly afterward. After the fall of Gen. Reynolds the con1111and devolved upon Gen. Doubleday until the arrival of Gen. Howard ,vith the Eleventh Corps. Two divisions of this corps went into action at once, while the re1naining division, through the forethought and wise generalsliip of Gen. Howard, ..was ordered to occupy Cen1etery Hill, on the south of the to\vn, which provided for the contingency that occurred. only three hours later. Son1e time before it becan1e apparent to THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 95 the ordinary observer that the Union forces would be compelled to retreat before the superior nu111ber of the rebels, Gen. Howard had the heavy artillery removed to Ce111etery Hill, where, ,vith the support of the division of the Eleventh Corps, it furnished sufficient re-enforce1nent to enable the Union forces to check the further advance of the rebel ar111y. During the night additional troops arrived, and in the early morning of July 2, Gen. Meade, arriving, approved of the position selected by Gen. Howard the evening before, and made the best possible disposition of his forces to ~eet the rebel 1nanceuvers of that day. July 2d opened clear and bright. Gen. Lee attacked the Union right, but soon the entire line was :fiercely engaged. It was blow for blow. The :fighting was exceedingly stubborn during the entire day, the night closing the co111bat with the advantages favoring the Union ar1ny. During the night Gen. Lee placed his artillery in position for an onslaught the next day, which he felt sure would be final. Gen. Meade, in coun­ seling his con1111anders that night, insisted that that was the ti1ne, and that was the place the final test should be 111ade, and he believed the n1orrow would decide. J nly 3d opened clear and hot. Gen. Meade lost no time in attacking the enen1y early, and succeeded in forcing back part of their lines. The rebels did not renew the battle, and suddenly everything became as quiet as a graveyard, which lasted until about r o'clock when there suddenly began one of the greatest artillery duels ever known in the historv., of battles. The ene111y opened with about 125 guns fro1n Semi­ nary Ridge, which was replied to by 80 (all there was roon1 for) fron1 Cen1etery Ridge. This cannonading was continned for about two hours, when Ge1i. Hunt, Meade's Chief of Artillery, ordered his guns to cease firing, partly to cool the111, and partly to save the am- HISTORY OF

1nunition for shorter range, which he knew was sure to come. Gen. Lee, thinking he had silenced the Union guns, imn1ediately advanced a heavy line of infantry, about 18,000 111en, in co111111and of Gen. Pickett-hence Pickett's charge. This colu11111 had to advance about one mile to reach the Union position on Cemetery Ridge, and every step was taken with tlie Union guns pouring shot and shell into their faces, ploughing bloody s,vaths through their already depleted colun111s. The gaps would be i111mediately closed up, and on they ,vould ~01ne, with the steady step of veterans. During all this terrible ordeal there was not a shot fired fron1 their cannon, or fron1 their advancing cohunn. When v\rithin a fe,v feet of the Union guns our infantry, ,vhich had been lying flat on the ground, arose and poured volley after volley into their thinned ranks, which 1it­ tera1ly 111elted away. Of that 111agnificent colu11111, truly "the pride of the Confederacy," only a few broken frag111ents returned. Nearly every officer, except Gen. Pickett, wc1.s either killed or wounded. This ended the great battle, as it should. That night Gen. Lee retreated towards the Poto111ac, leaving his dead unburied and his wounded perishing for want of attention. Gen. Lee marched to this field with 70,000 111en of all ar111s, while the force of Gen. Meade was 82,000. After the first day's battle, in which the Union ar111y lost over 5,000 prisoners, the annies were about equal in nu111bers.

'rHB LOUDOUN RANGERS. 97 Conzparative Losses by Corps and Brigades. UNION CORPS. CONFEDERATE CORPS. Firs t-8 brigades . . 6,052 First-13 brigades . . 7,354

Second- I I brigades . 4,351 Second-r4'brigades . 6 1912 Third-7 brigades . 4,198 Third-15 brigades . 6,649 Fifth-9 brigades. . . 2,186 Cavalry and reserve ro, 706 Sixth-ro brigades . . 242 Eleven th-7 brigades 3,Sor Total . . . . . 31,621 'fwelfth-7 brigades . 1,082 Artillery reserve . 425 Cavalry, etc . 849

Total .. . · 23, r86 The above figures include killed, ,vounded or 111iss­ ing. The killed and ,vounded in both ar111ies a111ounted to 54,807. The brigades that suffered the 111ost were- Arn1stead's, C. S. A. I, 191 Iron brigade, U. S. A. . . r, 153 Pittigrew's, C. S. A. . . . r, 105 Robinson's Brigade, U.S. A. 1,041 Artillery, \Vadsworth's . . r,002 The following regin1ents sustained the heaviest losses: 26th N. C.~ Confederate 702 149th Pa., Union. . 336 24th Mich., Union . . 397 157th N. Y., Union. . . . . 307 151st Pa., Union. . , . 337 The highest per cent. o.f losses. Per Per cent. cent. 26th N. C., Confederate . 88.5 24th Mich., Union . . So rst Minn, Union 86. Each regiment 111entioned above-over ...... 70

Though larger forces had contended in battle, Gettys­ burg has fe1V parallels in history. .i\..t Leipsic-'' The Battle of the Nations"-The nu1nbers were greater, the Allies having 330,000 and Bonaparte 175,000. Boro­ dino was the bloodiest battle since the introduction of gunpowder in war; there the killed and wounded were nu111erically greater than at Gettysburg, or at Waterloo, yet the per cent. of loss ,vas 111uch less. The two great R-7 HISTORY O.B. battles of this century were Waterloo and Gettysburg, and a striking co111parison is shown between the111. At Gettysburg the Unionists had 82,000 111en and 300 guns; the Confederates, 70,000 men and 250 gnns. The Union loss was 23, r86 1nen; the Confederate, 3r,62r 111en. At. Waterloo the French had 80,000 111en and 252 gnns ; the Allies, 72,000 111en and r86 guns. Bonaparte's loss was 26,300 111en ; Wellington's, 23,185 1nen. Gen. Meade's loss at Gettysburg was three ti111es as great as Gen. Washington's loss during the entire Rev­ olutionary War of seven years. The con1 bined Union and Confederate loss at Gettys­ burg ,vas about double the co1nbined A111erican and British loss during the Revolutionary War. While the battle was in progress the cavalry on each side took a pro111inent part on the flanks and rear. Stu­ art's Cavalry was continually annoying Gen. J\1eade's wagon trains and threatening his conununication. The Third Separate Brigade of the Eighth Corps was ordered to guard the bridges and keep open co111111unication with Balti1nore and Washington. The brigade was in co111- 1nand of Col. Sa1nuel Graha111, 3d Deiaware Regi1nent, and co111 posed of the following troops : 3d Delaware, 3

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARIVIY, " Washz'ngton D. C., Ju~v , 1863. '' Capt. S. C. MEANS, " Comdg. Co. Va. Ra1~R'ers, Relay House, B. & 0. R. R. : ''CAPTAIN: You will, as soon as you have a sufficient nu1nber of your 111e11 re1nonnted, proceed to the region threatened by the rebel forces, and take possession of and drive off into the nearest depot all horses suitable for cavalry, artillery, or baggage trains which are in a_ny danger of falling into the hands of the ene111y. Give receipts to the owners of these horses. "The receipts should contain a description of the horses, stating age, size, and whether fit for cavalry, artillery, or trains. These seizures should not be 1nade in the i1111nediate vicinity of the railroads unless there is i1111ninent danger of the stock being taken by the ene111y. The irritation inseparable fro111 such operations would cause, perhaps, atte1npts to obstruct the track. "Captain [Henry B.] I-(acey, assistant quarter111aster, vrho will ·hand you a copy of this ord'er, will be account­ able for the property thus taken, and will sign the receipts, which should also, when practicable, be coun­ tersigned by yourself. He will acco1npany you. (( H. ,v. HALLE.CK, '' General-z'n-C½ief."

In co1npliance with these orders the co111111and 1narched to Washington and ca111ped at Tenallytown. We 111arched n p the Poto111ac, through Montgo111ery County, in carrying out the above orders. If a fanner had but orie horse it was not taken. These horses were taken without regard to ownership. Vouchers were given on the Quartennaster' s Depart- 111en t, where the 111oney could be obtained on presen­ tation. The question of loyalty to the United States did not enter into the case. Maryland, although so111ewhat divided on vvar issues, did not secede. Therefore, her ICO HISTORY OF citizens were presu1ned to be loyal to the National Govern111ent. So111e citizens at first refused to part with their stock, but, when shown an order fro111 the Co111- 111ander-in Chief of the Ar111y, 111ade no further objec­ tions. By the 15th of July the Rangers established ca111p at Dripping Springs, near Point of Rocks. This was a 111ost delightful ca111p, and proved to be the 111ost enjoy­ able during our entire service. Located in a dense forest on the eastern slope of the Catoctin l\1ountain, it ,vas laid out by clearing away the underbrush, 1naking a street about 75 feet wide by 200 feet long, with ro,vs of tents on each side of the street, and the officers' tents at the western end, or up against the 111ountain, 111aki11g a beautiful court or grand boulevard. The court ,vas studded with shade trees. This court was largely used for 1norning roll call and general reception roo111 for the co111pany's nu111er~n1s lady visitors. With such a pleasant place for a ca111p, it ,vould see111 the Rangers ought to be at peace with all 111ankind, but they were not. Our first parents ,vere not contented in the Garden of Eden, neither were the Rangers con­ tented in this Garden of Eden of a ca111p. ~' Chef de cuisine'' Moreland announced dinner. Coffee ,vas 111ade in large catnp kettles, and set out for every one to help hi111self; 111eat was cooked in large pans and set out in the sa~ne way. Bread was also served in a si111ilar 1nanner. The boys would get a tin cup full of coffee, take brea

------... ---:::--=- .. - •--:- -• • - H-~

ARMY CROSSING'l'HE POTOMAC ON PONTOON BRIDGES AT BRUNSWICK.

The Rangers returned to catnp at Point of Rocks the last of July. ' As has been previously stated, the Rangers ,vere not so fortunate as to have a hospital or even a doctor, and as a result, --when any of the boys needed pills, or quinine they had to be sent away to be dosed. About August r, Sergt. Joseph T. Di vine and Daniel Harper were on the sick-list, and were sent to the hospital at Frederick, and placed in the sa111e ward with Lient. Charles Beatty, of Cole's Cavalry, and Isaac Walker, of Co1npany I, 1st Maryland P. H. B. .A. few doses sent the boys to Con­ valescent Hospital at Patterson Park, Balti111ore. When the boys had sufficiently recovered to be sent to Ca111p Distribution, 1iear Alexandria, they were taken out late one evening and 1narched fro111 the park to the Union Relief Building, near Ca111den Station, in Balti111ore, where they were given an excellent supper. This ,vill be pleasantly re111e111bered by 111any old soldiers of the Anny of the Poto1nac as the place where they were sup­ pl iecl with a square 111eal free. 'f.here see111ed to be no provision 1nade for sending the boys away until the next day. What to do with the111 that night was not a very great question for the nation, yet it was an i1111nense question for the boys. The pro­ vost 111arshal solved it by locking the111 up in jail until 1norning. Sergt. Joseph Divine says when the jailer turned his ponderous key the clanking of the lock sent a chill down his spinal coln11111 that vvill be ren1e1nbered to the end of his days. The next day they were put on cars and sent to Ca111 p Stone1nan, near Washington, and fro111 there forwarded to their con1n1ands. The rst of August a squad of the Rangers crossed the Poto111ac on foot, going to Taylortown and Downey's Mill; crossed the Catoctin Mountain, going back by the Furnace. In the rounds we captured two rebels, one of then1 Charles Dawson, of the 8th Virginia. Dawson had just co111e fro111 Gettysburg; and had as 111uch of the Confederacy as he could digest. He did not vvant to be sent to prison, because in due ti111e he would be ex­ changed and sent to his regi1nent again, bnt ,vanted to ren1ain in lVIarylaud without taking- the oath of alle- l-IIS1"'0RY OF giance. His sisters ca111e and visited hi111 at our ca111p. He was fina1ly sent to Fort McHenry. Septen1ber rr the R.a•ngers, acco111panied by Cole) s Cavalry, ,vere ordered to Loudoun on an extended raid. The night of the 12th we catnped at Waterford. While here Capt. Means learned fro111 a friend ,vhere Co111pany B of White's Confederate Cavalry ,vould be the next day. We left Waterford about daylight, Sunday, the 13th, 111arching direct to the top of the Catoctin Mountain, where the co1n111and was divided, J--(ient. Atwell, of Co111- pany B, with about twenty 1ne11, taking a path do,vn the 111ountain, entering the Gray far111 fro111 the north, ,vhile Capts. Means and Cole, ,vith Sergt. Edvvard White in con11nand of the advance guard, single-filed dovvn the 111ountain and ca111e out a little southwest of the Gra,, residence. About 125 111e11, 1nostly of Co111pany B, of White's Confederate · Cavalry, were in the woods roo yards west of the Gray 111ansio11, asleep, having arrived just before daylight. It was their intention to rest all clay and at night cross the Poto111ac into Maryland and take forcible possession of tvvo nevv stores that had been. recently opened. By this 1nethod the goods could be obtained on "long ti111e "-but the Rangers played

_ havoc ,vith their plans. 1 The squad with Lieut. Atvvell arrived about 9 o'clock a. 111. Entering through the barnyard, ,vhere t-wo rebels ,vere sitting, Gatton and Broyles of Point of Rocks, Atwell picked the111 up, vvhile Sergt. Ji111 Beatty, He1iry Houg-h, Sain Tritapoe, John Densn1ore, Sergt. Flem Anderson and others rushed i1111nediately to the spot where "our friends, the ene111y," were quietly napping. The boys vvent in, yelling and shooting, cotnpletely taking the111 by surprise, scattering the111 barefooted, bareheaded, and s0111e of thetn barebacked, in every direction. Many of the111 left th<:"ir horses tied to trees, darted through Ser_g-t. .I< JW; \N. FCWSYl Iii:. Co. B.

;I

J.\.\\ES w. H ..,1.m1so:s:, Co. B.

'rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 105 the bushes and escaped. Capt. Means' crowd, ap­ proaching fro111 the southwest, were about two 111in­ utes late, otherwise we would have bagged the whole lot. Lieut. Crown, who was in co1111nand of the rebels, was at the Gray residence and endeavored to escape through the garden, but was wounded in the leg and was captured. We captured both of their offi.cers­ Lieuts. Crown and Dorsey-and 16 privates, wounding one severely-'ro111 Tilton-and three or four slightly. Dorsey and Tilton were. captured at the Swan residence. Dorsey was a dyed-in-the-wool Maryland rebel and of a very haughty spirit. When 1nade prisoner he swelled up like a turkey gobbler and proclaimed, "I a111 a gen­ tle1nan and an officer, and wish to be recognized and treated as such.'' He was slightly deformed; his left ar111 was a little the shortest., and the fingers on that hand were about one inch long, although he had per­ fect use of the111. This co1npany was fro111 Maryland, and clai111ed to be fighting for their ho1nes. Their po­ sition was 1nade ridiculous by the fact of their being fugitives fro111 the laws of both State and Nation during the entire ,var. Corporals Robert W. Hough, J. T. l\1c­ Cutcheon, Charles Snoots, and others, gave chase to a squad of the fugitives, who took refuge in Fort Hill, that was erected in defense of Leesburg early in the war, by Gen. D. H. Hil]. Three of White's 1ne11 were cap­ tu1:.ed in the fort-one, a brother of Lieut. Crown-who, in his haste to get away, -was wearing but one boot. He had a slight defor111ity-a hair lip. .While each 111e111ber of the Rangers present on this occasion did his whole duty, yet we think the following deserve special recognition for their conspicuous bravery and aggressiveness, viz. : Sergts. J a1nes Beatty, Edward T. White, and Fle111on Anderson; Privates Henry Hough, John Densmore, Corp. Sa1nuel Tritapoe, Charles Snoots, and Mike Ryan. In addition to the prisoners ro6 HISTORY OF we also captured about thirty horses and equip111ents, with about the same ntunber of s111all anns. We also captured several pairs of wo111en'·_s shoes, so111e - dry goods, and a copy of Shakespeare, left by the fleet­ footed lVIarylanders. Several of our.. boys were hurt in charging through the thick woods. Charles Snoot's horse fell, giving hi111 a painful wound. While this fight was in progress, Col. Lige White, ,vith four 111e11, was at his farn1, about two 1niles east, near White's Ferry. This affair was J1u111iliating to Col. White, be­ cause it was one of his best co111panies that was caught napping, without the slightest sign of a picket or ca111p­ gnard posted. After this affair was over our col un111 111oved on to near Ball's Bluff, where a band of rebels was routed, capturing two. We passed on through Lees­ burg and west over the 1nonntains, through Waterford, to Harper's Ferry and down the towpath to catnp at Dripping Springs. Sergt. M. S. Gregg, Joseph T. Ritchie, and others, who were captured at the Point of Rocks June 17, vvere exchanged and retu~i1ed to the co111pany. The pickets on the Poto111ac had rigid orders not to allow any one to approach fro111 the Virginia side vvith­ out clismounting before reaching the shore. One even­ ing Capt. Means went over to the Island, re111aining until after dark. On co111ing back " old Sain '' Fry was on pjcket. He challenged Capt. Means, de111anding­ '' Dis111ount ; advance and give the countersign.'' Means yelled out, "Oh, you know 111e ; let 1ne ride out." Old Sain roared out: '' I know nobody while on picket ; dis- 1nount quickly ; advance and give the countersign." It ·was no use to parley with old San1. Capt. Means dis- 111ounted and waded out like a little 111an. Septe1nber r, 1863, Lieut. Joseph E. Thrasher, rst lVIaryland P. H. B., and about twelve of the Rangers, were ordered to near Lovettsville to look after a rebel 11'HF, L(HJDOUN RANGERS. picket post. On our arrival ,ve found the ene1ny had vacated about twenty-four hours before. We can1ped for the night at Lovettsville. Here happened one of the 111any unfortunate and deplorable incidents of the war. Charles Spring was on picket. About 12 o'clock 111idnight a horse111an was approaching. ,..rhe picket challenged, but he kept advancing; as there was but one person approaching Spring did not shoot but called Lieut. Thrasher, ,vho challenged the horsen1an three tin1es, but still he kept advancing. Lieut. Thrasher fired with his revolver, when the rider fell fro111 his horse into the road. He proved to be Peter Hick1nan, who did not understand the 111eaning of the challenge. He was a Union 111a11 and a n1ost exe111plary citizen. The affair was greatly regretted by the Rangers and their friends.

CHAPTER VIII.

BACK TO HARPER'S FERRY-RECRUI'tING COMPANY B-THB AF­ FAIR AT NEERSVILLE- CAMP MOVED TO .CHARLESTOWN - SCOUTING IN THE V AI,I~EY -- THE CHARI~ESTOWN FIGH'l'­ RECRUITING COMPANIES C AND D.

Sept.e111 ber 20 the conunand 1noved to Harpers Ferry, ca1nping on Magazine H-eights, Ca111p Hill. The 30th, Lieut. Gover, with 30 tnen of Co111pany A and six 111en of Co1npany B, went over "Between the Hills," (Blue Ridge and Catoctin Mountains). At N eersville the nn- 111erous horse tracks in the road showed evidence of a body of cavalry in that section. As ours were the only Federal troops near, the inference was that the ene111 y was near. After scouting around for about t,vo hours our colun111 started back towards Harpers Ferry. F. P. Rinker anrl Jan1es Stoneburner hitched their horses to a fence and went into an orchard to get apples. Sergts. Robert Graha111, Ja1nes W. Gregg, John P. Hick111a11, io8 privates Charles H. Snoots, Jolin S. Dens111ore, Joseph T. Ritchie, and the ,vriter started in the direction of the Blue Ridge, where the horse tracks see111ed to lead. We ca111e to a place where a negro 111an was 1naking cider-a gen­ uine rebel neg-ro. He knew all about the rebels, but would not tell, even when Sergt. Graha111 threatened to kill hi111 if he did not reveal their whereabouts, but he was i111movable. The boys drank freely of cider, and Hick111an and the writer filled their canteens. On going back to the colun1n we had left on the road going towards Harpers Ferry we ran across a stnall squad of rebels. J a111es W. Gregg and Charles II. Snoots vvere so111e distance in the advance, and opened fire.. The rebels retired slowly into John Grubb's barnyard, where Gregg and Snoots rushed in after the111. The rebels now halted, but kept shooting at Gregg and Snoots, who were also shooting at very close range. Suddenly a coln111n of rebel cavalry ca111e out of the woods east of the barn in perfect line and opened fire on Gregg an

,vho captured three of the New Y orkers-Jero1ne Bell, Dick 1\1:oran, and Frenchy. These three were afterwards t entn1ates of s01ne of the Rangers on Belle Isle . .A.fter this brush with I111bode11, Capt. Lefferts went to Charlestown and reported this Confederate force to Col. Si111pso11, who refused to fall back to Harpers Ferry. The colonel did not believe this force would attack Charlestown ; and, if· they did, he felt sure he could hold his own against cavalry, as he ,vas not aware the en e111y had infantry and artillery. At early dawn, Sunday, October 18th, Sergt. Beatty's picket (M. H. Best) vvas driven in. A bout ten or tvvelve shots were fired, and one 111inu te later that harsh and discordant, yet old fa111iliar rebel yell was heard east and north of town, particularly on the Harpers Ferry pike. To the old soldier no explanation ·was necessary ; he too well understood the significance of this early 111orning call. '"rhe town was surrounded by Gen. l1nboden's brigade, of the following troops : 18th Virginia Cavalry, about 500 111en ; 62d Virginia Mounted Infantry, about 47 5 1nen ; 41st Virginia Cavalry, Robert White, about 200 111en ; Harry Gihnore, about 325 1nen ; 12th Virginia Cavalry, about 250 111en ; McClanahan's Battery, 150 111en. Total, r,900. The Rangers 111ounted and reported to Col. Si111 pson, at the court-house, for orders. · The colonel infor111ecl Lieut. Gover the infantry was fortified and ,vould re111ai n in the court-house, and, as a 1natter of necessity, the cavalry would be cotnpelled to take care of the1nselves. These s0111ewhat vague orders left the future action of the Rangers entirely discretionary with Lieut. Gover. The 9th Maryland had cut portholes through the walls of the court-house and jail and were prepared to receive their tnorning callers. In the 111eanti1ne Gen. I111boden had sent in a flag of THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. III truce, detnanding an imtnediate surrender of the town. Col. Si1npson sent ,vord back if he (Gen. I1nboden) wanted the place to co111e in and take it. The lVIary­ land boys ,vere co111fortably housed in their citadel and did not borrow trouble over the situation ; but the cav­ alry ,vere not quite so co111fortably situated. Lieut. Gover fonned his 30 1nen in fours and ordered a charge do\ivn the Harpers Ferry pike, endeavoring to cnt their way out. In a strip of ...voods, on the out­ edge of town, we encountered the 18th Virginia Cav­ alry and part of the 62d Virginia Monnted Infantry, ·who poured volley after volley into our coh111111. Most of the horses in the front fours were shot, which sotne- ,vhat blocked the pike and caused the colu1nn to slightly oblique to the left. This was slightly to our advantage, as the ene1ny see1ned fewer to the left. On we went, e111ptyi11g our .revolvers at the ene1ny. We finally suc­ ceeded in breaking through their lines, but not wi thont considerable loss. Ont of our thirty 1ne11 ··we lost 17 ,vonnded and, prisoners, as follows : .A.. J. Cox, A. C. Hawk, J. H. Beatty, George Nogle, J. T. N.IcCutcheon, S. Shackelford, Joseph 1\1:agaha, Richard Virts, Ja111es Daily, H. Stewart, H. W. Hoover, George Swope, Joseph Waters, P. A. -Davis, W. H. i\ngelo,v, Briscoe Goodhart. Thon1as Dixon, Nearly every horse in the con11nand was shot going out. Sergt. J a1nes H. Beatty was shot twice, and his horse three ti1nes. Daniel Harper was very badly ,vounded in the thigh and left on the field by the ene111y. Sergt. Fle111011 B. Anderson was wounded in the hand, but ,vent through to Harpers Ferry. II2 HISTORY OF

George Davis had his shoulder painfully hurt by fall­ ing against a tree when his horse was shot. He also got a bullet through his boot, his horse got up and carried hi111 to the Ferry and died. Joseph T. Ritchie's horse ,vas shot, but carried Joe about four 111iles and died. George W. Nogle was dangerously hurt in the shoulder, neck and face, his horse ,vas shot, and both horse and rider were run over bv., the t,vo sets of fours follo,ving. John lVIcDavitt got a bullet through his hat, but he ,vent through. John P. Hick1nan' s horse ,vas shot dead at the first volley, and fell at the edge of the woods. J. P. H. ,vent back to the 9th lVIaryland and got a horse and ,vent out vvith Col. Si111pson and others.

"Report ef Capt ..S ...aJJzuel c--.. Jl([eans, V/rg·inz"a ( Un/on) Rangers. "HARPEHS FERRY, w. VA. "October 20, 1863. "SrR: I respectfully report the loss in the fight at Charlesto,vn, on Sunday, October 18, as 17 1nen pris­ oners and r wounded ; also r 9 full sets of ar111s and horse equi p111ents, r ,vagon, 4 sets of harness, and 23 ~1orses killed and taken, besides several badly shot, no,v 111 ca111p. "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " SAML. C. MEANS, "Captain, Conzdg. Independent l/z"1:R·inia Ran,gers. "To General SULLIVAN."

vVhile the Rangers were taking care of the111sel ves, as inti111ated by Col. Si111pson, Gen. I111boden had sent in the second flag of truce, de111anding a surrender, and had planted four pieces of artillery 200 yards north of the court-house, and inunediately began thro,ving shells into that building. This sealed the fate of Col. Si111p- Corp. 0. J. HARPER, Cu. A.

THE LOUDOUN\•RANGERS. 113 sort. · The l\iiaryland boys were now co1npelled to· leave their stronghold and go into the streets. The rebels ha:d the other two pieces of McClanahan' s battery planted on Main Stret1t west of the court-house to open on the Marylanders when thev left the court-house, but the streets \\1ere now filled with citizens, which so1ne­ w hat changed the progra1111ne. Col. Si111pson 111arched his 1nen down the Harpers Ferry pike and fon11ed iii line. of battle in the field where John Brown was hung (Dece1nber 2, 1859), their line facing the \Voods where the Rangers had 1net with such a war1n reception a few 1ninutes before. The ene1ny had tnassed the 1nost of its forces in these woods and opened a heavy fire on the l\1arylanders, who were 1narching in that direction. The battle was of short cl nration. After two or three ro'unds the 9th Mary land surrendered with 365 111en. The regi 1nent I:as been so1newhat criticised for surrendering thus early in the fight, yet no one knew better thal'l. Col. Si111pson that he did not have a ghost of a chance of success without artillery and over five to one against hi111 . .A .. fter the regi1nent had surrendered, Color Sergt. Benjan1i11 Swearer took the National colors fro111 the flagstaff and wrapped· it around his body, under his clothing, and carried it to Rich1nond unnoticed by the rebels. While the prisoners were disrobed and being searched in Petnberton prison, by a clever trick the sergeant el nded the searchers and carried the National banner to Belle Isle, where he secretly but quietly guarded his precious treasure during that 111e1norable ,vinter. On being paroled in lVIarch he carried it away fro1n Richmond. .i\.fter being transported from the rebel stea1nboat "Wm. Allison" to the Union steatner "City of New York," and not until the latter had de­ parted for Annapolis, Md., did Sergt. Swearer 1nake his secret known, displaying the en1ble111 of liberty to his R-8 HISTORY OF fellow priso·ners, with cheer after cheer for the star spangled banner. 'rhis was the first titne the regiment was ever under fire. Having been 111ustered in at Baltimore August 17, just sixty days previous. Col. Si111pson's action about the ti111e the regiment surrendered is open to cri ticis111. Col. Si1n pson, Lt. Col. Clawdsley, lVIaj. Church, Surg. Morgan, Ast. Surg. Ken1p, Chaplain Gray, of the 9th l\1aryland, and John P. Hicktnan of the Rangers, by a dash to the left, crossing the pike and through fields ip the direction of Duflields, suc­ ceeded · in getting through the line unnoticed, and arrived at the Ferry in safety. The cannonading was distinctly heard at Harpers Ferry, eight 1niles east, where the troops were preparing for dress parade. The 17th Indiana Battery of six guns, in co111111and of Capt. l\1inor; Cole's Cavalry, one com­ pany of the 6th Michigan Cavalry, and what was left of the Loudoun Rangers, 1naking in all about 300 men, i1n111ediately started for the scene of action. Fifty 111in­ utes fro1n the ti111e they left the Ferry they had opened fire on the rebels south of Charlestown. The Confeder­ ates would 111ake a stand until our troops would advance to clo£e quarters when they would fall back and take a new position. This fire-and-fall-back :fighting was con­ tinued all day. Our cavalry and artilery fought like Trojans, ·but djd not have sufficient ntunbers to recap­ ture the prisoners. The r 7th Indiana Battery did 111ost excellent service on this occasion. They went into action eight ti111es dur­ ing the day, firing 810 shell and case shot, and 30 rounds of cannister. They also ca111e near losing two guns, being saved by the dash and stubborn fighting of Cole's Cavalry. Our force ~Nas in co1nmand of Col. Wells, of the 34th i-iassachusetts Infantry, who hurried on with the cavalry and artillery. Ilis regiment did not arrive THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. IIS until, about 5 o'clock p. 111. near Berryville, having marche4 18 n1iles. Our force was now about 700. The Confederates 111ade a final stand just before sundown. The 34th Massachusetts went into action and did most excellent service, co1npletely routing the enetuy, who were saved by the approach of darkness. The 34th Massachusetts lost about 12 killed and quite a nu1nber \-vounded in this final charge of the day. The roth 1"1aryland Infantry, encatnped on lVIaryland Heights, started early for the scene of action, but hav­ ing four 1i1iles further to n1arch did not get further than Charlestown, retnaining there until the next day, Octo­ ber 19. This regitnent saved Charlestown from destruc­ tion by fire during the night of October 18. Col. Wells' co1111nand returned to Harpers Ferry that night, arriving about 12 o'clock (111idnight), with 2r prisoners. In addition to this, the ene1ny left about 40 dead and badly wounded on the field. Our loss during the day, after the arrival of the troops fro1n Harpers Ferry, was 22 killed and about 50 wounded. ' We captured during the retreat of the ene111y five wagons and one battery forge. Cole's Cavalry lost one of their best officers, Capt. Honk, Co111pany H, killed, and several of that con1pany wounded. Co111pa11y ]{: lost four killed, and several ,vounded. Col. Si1npson felt that he had been unjustly criticised about the affair and requested a court of inquiry to de­ tennine his responsibility in the pre111ises. In co1npliance with this request, Gen. B. F. Kelley, Co1n111ander of the Departtnent, convened the court Novetnber 13, at Harpers :Ferry, which vvas co1nposed of the following persons : Col. W. P. Maulsby, rst Maryland P. H. B.; lVIaj. Frank A. Rolf, 1st lv1assachusetts Heavy Ar­ tillery; 116 HISTORY OF

Maj. W. B. Curtis, 12th West Virginia Infantry. The court exa1nined the case at considerable length, and reported that Col. Si1n pson should not be held re­ sponsible for the disaster that befel the regi1nent and the other co1111nands present on that ·occasion, and the papers were forwarded to the Departn1ent Con1- 1nander for his approval. Gen. Kelley reviewed the case, but could not approve of the findings of the court, and forwarded the same to 8ecretary of "\Var, Edwin M. Stanton, with the reco1n- 1nendation that Col. Sitnpson be disrnissed fro111 the service of the United States. The Hon~ Secretary of War referred the entire affair to Judge Advocate General Holt, who reviewed it frorn a legal-111ilitary standpoint. Gen. Holt concurred in the reconunendation of the court of inquiry, and, upon this report, the Secretary of War ordered Col. Sitnpson to be assigned to duty, which ended the case. Col. Si111pson and those officers who escaped with t,him fro111 Charlestown were 1nustered out February 23, 1864. It is but fair to state that Col. Si1npson was one of the few early Balti111ore loyalists who were unn1ovable in their loyalty to the flag of the country. He rendered valuable service to Gen. Butler early in 1861, when the latter took possession of Baltitnore. October 19th, George H. Waters joined the co1npany. His brother Joe was captured the day before at Charles­ town. October 26th, Lieut. Keyes with 20 111en was ordered on a scout to Leesburg to intercept and capture a squad of rebels who were engaged in collecting supplies for the Confederacy. Approaching Big Spring the ene1ny was routed ; Sa111uel E. Tritapoe and M. H. Best, the two Invincibles, were in the advance and captured two Johnnies, Gen. Rust and Capt. Suttle. These two offi- >tHE L0Ul)0UN RANGERS. cers :belonged to the Confederate Quartennaster Depart­ n1ent. Gen. Rust was a graduate of West Point and a classmate of Gen. Sherman. As this squad approached· Leesburg, the enemy was encountered again, and one prisoner was captured, John Rinker, who was believed to belong to the Loudoun Cavalry. On this raid Samuel E. Tritapoe's horse fell while jumping a ditch, painfully injuring Tritapoe's hip.

'l. he Gene.sis of Oornpany B. The first effort put forth to recruit a battalion took tangible shape in the spring of 1863, while Company A was ca1nped at Brunswick. Capt. Patterson, of Mary­ land, a former drillmaster of Con1pany A (related to the Emperor Napoleon I. of France by 1narriage), was con1- 111issioned captain; Mr. Lovett, of Jefferson County, vV. Va., was 1st lieutenant ; William Bull was to be first ser­ geant. Recruiting offices ,vrre opened at Martinsburg-, W. \Ta. There was issued to the company anns and uni­ fonns for 50 1nen. Capt. Patterson was offered a better position in the Quartermaster Depart111ent. Lieut. Lovett becan1e involved in so111e stock contracts, and the recruits, about 12 1nen, disbanded. The only one re-enlisted in Co111pany A was Willian1 Bnl1. H~ can1e to Company A wearing first sergeant stripes. .A.lthough a private in Co111pany A he was generally known as Sergt. Bull, or Patterson's Bull. After the Gettysburg can1paign, while Co111pany A was camped at Dripping Springs, near Point of Rocks, Md., the effort to recruit a battalion ,vas renewed. Late in July Michael Mullen and Charles M. Atwell, both of Company A, began to recruit Cotnpany B, and opened recrni ting offices at Harpers Ferry and at Sandy Hook, and recruited about 20 1nen ; August 20 Charles F. An­ derson, of Con1pany A, began to recruit Con1pany C, and established headquarters at Lovettsville, Va., where he· 118 HISTORY OF recruited George H. Hickn1an, Thon1as Dewire, Phil Prichard, Hira1n Casaught (Irish John), S. W. Good­ hart, Peter W. Fry, George W. Loy and Sa1nuel White. A bout the same ti1ne Sergt. J an1es W. Virts and Corporal Ja1nes W. Grubb, both of Cole's Maryland Cavalry, began to recruit Con1pany D, and opened re­ cruiting offices at Frederick, Md., where they secured about 30 recruits. In September Companies B, C and D were ordered to ·Harpers Ferry. Sergt. Virts was taken sick and ren1ained so for about one month, and on his recovery Capt. Vernon ordered him back to his old command, Company .lt, rst Mary­ land P. H. B. Cavalry. Nove1nber r, ·while camped· on Magazine Heights, Camp Hill, Bolivar, Capt. At\.nderson slipped and fell over the heights, about 200 feet, and was killed. S01ne weeks after this Capt. Mullen was taken pris­ oner, and died on his return to Can1p Parole, at Anna­ polis, Md., which left all the companies without con1- manders and in son1ewhat a confused state. Jan1es W. Grubb, in the 111eantime, had recruited quite an addi­ tion to Co1npany D, and Atwell held ·company B to­ gether, while Co111pany C was left without a con1n1is­ sioned officer. Luther W. · Slater, f or111erly of Co1npany A, still suf­ fering fro111 the wounds he received at Waterford, who had shown hi1nself a patriot on 111ore than one occasion again ca1ne to the rescue and cotnmanded Company C' until they recruited sufficient ntunbers to elect a cap­ tain. He did this without any cotnpensation whatever, si111ply to keep.the co1npany fron1 disbanding. In November Capt. Means ordered Co1npanies B, C, and D consolidated, and out of this trio grew Co1npany B anew, electing the follo,ving officers : Captain, J a111es W. Grubb; rst Lieut., Charles M. Atwell ; 2d Lieut., Augustus C. Rhodes ; First Sergeant, George H. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 119

Hickman. As wa.s anticipated, the new consolidation was a disappointment to son1e, and a few recruits frotn companies B and C withdrew and left the service. The new company was officered with first-class ma­ terial, all having had experience in the service. They numbered about 60 men, and presented a bold front to the enemy on all occasions. Nove1nber I George V. Kern.joined Company A. Kerri was of excellent _1naterial, and made a good soldier. Early in Decem~er the cotnmand moved to Bruns­ wick, establishing depots for the reception and purchas­ ing of hay from the citizens of Virginia for Uncle Sani.

CHAPTER IX.

BACK AT POINT OF ROCKS-IN \VINTER QUARTERS-" GATHERING HAY "-MOVED TO THE FURNACE-CAP'l'. MEANS LEAVES TH R SERVICE-ORDERED TO WEST VIRGINIA-THE SECOND FIGHT AT WATERFORD.

Early in January the con1mand n1oved to Point of Rocks, going into winter quarters. A depot for purchas­ ing hay was also established here. The presses for bal­ ing were located on the Virginia side of the Potomac. Every day· that the weather and the condition of the roads would ad111it, tean1s, with an e·scort, were sent in to Virginia to collect hay and corn for the Quartermaster's Departn1ent. Citizens \ivere given vouchers on Uncle Sain for their supplies. .This \' hay soldiering'' proved exceptionab1y pleasant for the boys; while they were very diligent in collecting" forage for the Governtnent, they were equally diligent collecting infonnation as to when citizens of Loudoun "Tonld give dances and various other entertain111ents. The Rangers had a weakness for such a1nuse1nents~ Nearly all the young men were in the war, but the sup­ ply of young ladies, both as to quantity and quality, 120 HISTORY_ OF seerned aln1ost · inexhaustible. Under these . circum- - ~ stances, and with so1ne slight effort, the Rangers were sure of lady friends. Perhaps it would be w_earisome to relate the nu1nerous episodes of these parties during the winter. One is too good to be lost, and it may serve as a pointer for the actors in the next war. A ball was to be given at one of the 1nany pleasant farin houses of Loudoun. Six of the Rangers were invited to be present, namely, James W. Gregg, John P. Hickman, F. B ..A .. nderson, Daniel J. Harper, George Hickman, and Henry C. Hough (" by daggy "). It was understood, of course, that certain young ladi<:s,_ especial friends to the above, would be present to trip the fantastic toe ·with their "friends." During the night a deep snow fell, making. traveling impossible without son1e kind of a conveyance. It was war times. Horses and sleighs were as scarce as white blackbirds. How the ladies were to get home the next day was perplexing to the fair sex. Finally the Rangers happily solved the question. They proposed to take the ladies µonie on horseback. The suggestion was popular. Each fellow adjusted his saddle blanket to n1eet the necessities of the occasion; and taking up his '' best friend '' behind hi111 started for their ho111es. The ladies were not provided with riding costnn1es, and, of course, good etiquette suggested single file. It was rather a picturesque procession, but as the snow was deep there ,vould probably be no one out to witness the caravan. When about half wav ho111e with their .I precious uurdens Lieut. Keyes, with a portion of the co111111and, was encountered going on a raid. In passing, the lieutenant very politely recognized each of the dancers with a '' Good 111orning,'' calling each by na111e. This was taken up by the entire co111111and, with. a "Good 111orning, Jin1," " Good 111orning, J. P. H.," etc. The dancers blushed. altnost be:yond recognition. The. Corp. GEORGE V. l

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. I2I ladies hid their faces from view. Daniel J. Harper said it seemed to him they were about three hours in passing the company. The ladies were safely taken to their homes, and the boys then followed the comn1and, over­ taking thetn near Milltown. While Capt. Means, with a portion of Companies A and B, was raiding in Loudoun in February, he learned of a detachtnent of Mosby' s men being near Wheatland. An advance guard, consisting of Flemon Anderson, George Hickman, Dave Hough, Sergt. Forsythe, Com­ pany B, and William Bull, was sent out. It was learned the enemy was at Washington Vandeventer's enjoying a dance. The advance was sent to the house while the captain and squad ren1ained near the barn. William Bull and Flemon Anderson entered the front door, when thev. ., 1eceived the fire fron1 seven men. concealed in the hall. These two men opened fire on the rebels, dri v­ ing thetn out in the garden, where one, by the name of Braden, was killed, two wounded, and four made pris­ oners. One of the ladies, a Miss Braden, was slightly wounded. The sn1a1l-pox broke out in our can1p late in Feb­ ruary. John P. Hickman, George P. Davis, M. H: Best, Ed. Snyder, Charles Stout and Wilson Shackelford were attacked with the disease. Stout and Shackel­ ford died in the s1na1l-pox hospital near Weverton,

Md.. The others recovered and returned to dutv.I in the spring. Wilson Shackelford was buried near the hospital. After the war · his body was re111oved to the National Cemetery at Antietan1, Md. Charles Stout was buried in the fa1nily burying ground of John Brown, near the Valley Church. During the month of January Capt. Me?,ns went to Washington. While at the War Office he heard Sec­ retary Stanton inquiring about a fresh cow. _The cap- 122 HIS'l'ORY OJ:? tain · modestly suggested that Loudoun County pro­ duced some of the finest stock in the State, and if the Secretary would allow him he would send him a fine 1nilch cow. The suggestion met with Mr. Stanton's ap­ proval. On Capt. Means' return to ca1np he sent a small squad to Loudoun, with instructions to have one of the best cows to be found purchased and delivered to hin1 at the Point. The animal was delivered according to directions and loaded on the express car to be sent to Washii:igton. Willian1 Bull, ot Cotnpany A, who had formerly lived in Washington and was well acquainted with the streets, was ordered to go on the same train and deliver the ani1nal at the residence of Secretarv., Stanton. Capt. Means stepped into the telegraph office and wired the Secretary, as follows : "I send you to-day Sergt. Bull with cow and calf. ' ' Very respectfu11 y, " Capt. S. C. MEANS."

By an annoying blunder in trans1nitting the telegra111 the word "sergt." was 0111itted, 1naking the . telegra111 read: "I send you to-day bull with cow and calf. " Very respectfully, " Capt. S. C. ME:ANS."

In due titne Sergt. Bull presented hi111self at the War Office, and on 111aking hin1self known, the Secretary broke into a furious rage and asked, '' What kind of a captain have you? What do I vvant with a bull? Take them all back ; I will receive none of the1n." This brusque reception s01newhat weakened the sergeant's knees, but he atte1npted an explanation. The Secre­ tary broke out 1nore savagely then ever: " Don't want 0 any explanation. Take them all back." The sergeant retired to the corridor, where he rnet a 'f HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 123 lieutenant on duty there and explained matters to that officer. The lieutenant ·went in and assured the Secre­ tary there was no bull in the case ; that the sergeant's name was Bull, and that a fine cow and calf ·were deliv­ ered at the Secretary's residence. Mr. Stanton was glad to learn the true state of affairs, and called Mr. Bull in­ and presented hin1 with ten dollars, and asked him to present his acknowledgn1ents to Capt. Means. Early in February t~e ca1n p was 111oved to the Catoe­ tin Furnace, where the following recruits joined Com­ pany A: John Coats-(Coats-a-mish), Charles Virts, Charles E. Curry, Charles F. Moreland, Jonathan Myers, Will­ iam H. Hardy. In the spring of 1864, Gen. Franz Sigel was assigned to the con1mancl of the Department of West Virginia, with headquarters at Cun1herland, 11d. The I)epart:- 1nent embraced all the troops west . of the Monocacy River in Maryland and east of the Ohio River. The last of March Capt. Means was ordered with his conunand to Parkersburg, W. Va., to be consolidated with the 39- West Virginia Cavalry, when the regiment ,vas to 111ove to Charleston, W. Va., and be ~ssigned to duty under Gen. Crook. -Capt. Means refused to co1nply ,vith this order, because it was in direct violation of the instructions of the Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, ,vhich was that the Rangers were recruited for special service, and to be subject to his orders only. This order led to quite a spirited correspondence cov­ ering dates fron1 i\pril I to 26, and participated in by Gens. Crook, Averill, Sigel and Weber, and Capts. Means and Ba111ford, and as a result Capt. l\.feans left the service April r .~, 1864. Whether Capt. Means was right or ,vrong, it is grati­ fying to know he was sustained by the Secretary of War. (See final dispatches to Capt. Ba111ford and Gen. Crook.) 124 HISTORY OF

" HEADQUARTERS, . "Harpers Ferry, April 25, -1864. '' Captain BAMFORD, " Provost-Marshal, Point of Rocks : "Lieut. Keyes, co1111nanding Independent Virginia Rangers, will re1nain as at present until further orders, the order for their movement having been counter­ manded. "By order of Brig. Gen. Max Weber: " SAML. F. WooDs, "Assistant A_.d:futant-General."

"CUMBERLAND, April 26, I86.4,. '~ Brigadier-General CROOK, " Charleston : "The orders directing Capt. Means' companies to proceed to Charleston have been revoked under instruc­ tions frotn the Secretary ·of War, they having been recruited for conditional service. The companies form­ erly at Buckhannon left some days ago to report to you. "By order : "T. MELVIN, '' A sszstant A d:futant- General.''

Lieut. Keyes was pro1noted to captain ; 2d Lieut. Gover to 1st lieutenant; First Sergeant Flemon An­ derson was in the line of promotion to 2d lieutenant, but Capt. Keyes wanted Sergt. Robert Graham for that position. The Lovettsville and Taylortown boys wanted Anderson. An election was held, and Sergt. Graham was declared elected 2d lieutenant by a slight n1ajority. The Anderson 1nen reluctantly accepted this edict, yet not without son1e slight .n1urn1uring, as it seems the four men in the hospital 'Nere enthusiastic Anderson 111en, and would have more than elected hi111, but Capt. Keyes declined to allow their votes to be counted. However, Graha111 proved to be a popular officer, and rendered good service. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 125

The Great Unknozvn - '' 7ne Go,1ernnient Mule.'' .

A 1nost excellent authoritv.,. has declared had there been no n1ule there would have been no war. This statement,. though somewhat reckless, contains 111uch 1 truth. The fact is the ar1nv., 111uTe in war is as effective as the army 111usket-both have good "kicking quali- ties," and when actively engaged have been known to create desolation and · woe. Of the two, perhaps the mule is 1nost to be dreaded ; he is al,vays loaded and ready for action, and will let fly without the slightest pretext or excuse. While gathering hay the cotnpany picked up a large 111ule, bearing Uncle Sa1n's fan1iliar trade-111ark, "U. S.'' To the boys this was "pri1na facie '' evidence of ownership; so we brought hi1n along. When near the Catoctin Furnace the colu11111 halted to feed and get son1ething to eat. While the horses were eating Sergt. Ed. White, a good judge of horsef}.esh, and somewhat of a horse jockey, and a good rider, saddled up the niule and 1nounted hi1n, with a view of testing his adaptability to cavalry service. The 1nule refused to go, when Sergt. Ed. White ga,.re hitn a tap with a stick. In less than two seconds the sergeant was sent flying through the air like a con1et through space. "Blacky," an expert in horseback riding, was the next victim. He 1nounted, and as the 1nule began jumping and whirling he threw Blacky, but not quite so easily as the sergeant. The 111ule was beginning to attract so1ne attention. Corporal Tritapoe rushed into the arena with the re­ mark, " Let 1ne show you fellows hovv to ride that mule; you don't know anything about n1ules." The corporal was a 1nost excellent rider and tough as a pine knot. The boys gathered around enjoying the fun, with the remark, "I'll bet my old shoes that the corporal rides that mule.'' The corporal n1ounted; and the HISTORY OF mule began tossing like a ship in a storm. The corporal endeavored to " hold the fort '' by driving his spurs into the tnnle's ribs. The effect was tnagical. The 1nule kicked and jutnped, and finally threw the corporal about 15 feet in the air, and he ca111e near falling on the roof of a corn crib. · 'l'his seemed to de1nonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt · that the aforesaid n1ule "was not built for cavalry." The co111111and 111oved on, leading a very quiet 111ule to can1p. Sunday 1norning, May r6, Capt. Keyes, with 30 1nen, crossed the river at the Point of Rocks, on the ferry boat, the river being too high to ford, and started to Leesburg. As we passed the Big Spring a part of Mosby's co111111and was attacked. Capts. Keyes and Grubb led the charge, and after a brisk encounter the enemy was routed, retreating in the direction of Lees­ burg. We captured three prisoners in the charge. Sergt. James H .. Beatty's fine bay horse, "Milroy," was badly shot in the leg and left on the fi~ld, and Sergt. Beatty picked up the first old plug he ca111e to and fol­ lowed the conunand. We passed through Leesburg and on to Waterford.

We learned that the river had swollen so that the ferrv_, boat could not cross with safety.· _We passed through Hillsboro and on to Harpers Ferry, where we found the pontoon bridge washed avvay, and we sent the prisoners over in a skiff; and started back by way of N eersville. On entering Hillsboro we ran into quite a squad of Mosby's 111en. We struck then1 hard, capturing four prisoners. Company B h1d a horse shot. The prison­ ers were sent back to Harpers Ferry, taking the111 over the river in a skiff. Then we pushed on down the valley, through Morrisonville and Wheatland, on to good old Waterford, where the Rangers were always made wel- THE LOFDUON RANGERS. 127 come. We arrived after dark, going into ca1np at the ho1ne of Sergt. Dave Hough. The boys had a good supper on n1ilk and sausage, and c1itnbed up in the hay mow where all, except the pickets, enjoyed a first-class snooze for the night. Monday morning-, 1viay 17, the con1111and went into Waterford for breakfast. While the co1npany was son1e­ what scattered, getting s01nething to eat, our pickets were attacked by about 150 of Mosby's 1nen. The pickets on the Hatnilton Road were decoyed into a trap, killing Mike Ryan and Jatnes :\ionegan, of Company A, and dangerously wounding Sergt. Charles Ste\.vart, of Company B. Sergt. Stewart had four bullets through his body. He was taken to Rachel Steers, a kind Quaker lady, who nursed hin1 back to life. l)r. Bond kindly dressed his wounds twice a dav., until he recovered. The vener- able doctor_ said his only a111bition in life was to live lo1ig enough to 1nake another he1 l for the 1nan that shot Stewart aft€r he surrendered. Capt. Keyes hurriedly fonned his little band on a hill north of tl,ie town, where he received the onslaught of the enetny. We had· to :fire and fall back, fighting in this 1nan11er for about three 111iles, and in this engage- 1nent we lost five prisoners, viz.,· Willia111 Bull, John i\.n1brose, Peter Doherty, Henry Fouch, and Sergt. Jan1es H. Beatty. We tnade a final stand about three 1niles fro111 Water­ ford, but the ene111y did not attack again. We had several horses· shot, principally of Cotnpany B. We believe that co111pany had two 111e11 slightly ,vounded, a1so. Those of our boys that were 111ade prisoners were 1narched back through Waterford. 11iss ---, one of the 111any loyal ladies of that burg, and perhaps the most demonstrative, kissed Sergt. James H. Beatty, which 128 HISTORY OF n1ade the n1onths of Mosby's 111en ,vater, but it was to·no avail, as Miss --- was a little particular who she kissed. The prisoners were 111arched on through Ha1nil ton and Upperville. That night, near Pied111011t Station, Sergt. James H. Beatty 111ade a break for liberty. He darted through the woods in the darkness like a greyhound. A.bout a hundred shots were fired after hi1n, but he went faster than the bullets. It ,vas less then two 1nonths since he returned frotn Belle Isle Prison, that "hell on earth." 1.'he thoughts of so soon returning nerved hi111 to outrun greased lightning. He traveled all night and part of the next day, and the next night arriveq. at Waterford, greatly to the delight of his friends. He repaid Miss --- with double co1npound interest, the kiss she so ungrudgingly bestowed thirty-six hours before. It was a clear case on Miss ---'s part of casting '' bread upon the ·waters." · June 17 Mosby' s tnen went to the residence of Sydnah Willia1ns, near Taylortown, taking two loads of corn and then setting fire to his barn, wheat and hay stacks. The flames spread to the dwelling-house, entirely consutning all the buildings on the place. They also took Mr. C. F. Myers' horse and wagon, the worthy 111ail carrier be­ tween Point of Rocks and vVaterford, while on his way ho1ne fro111 the Point of Rocks. . During the early su1111ner the rebels 111ade n1unerous raids· into the German and Quaker settlements for the purpose of collecting grain and supplies for that army. June 10, Ca pt. I{eyes with 30 men (of A and B) crossed the Poton1ac at Heater's Island, going direct to Waterford, where 40 of lVIosby's 111en had passed about t,vo hours before, going in the direction of Wheatland, with fifteen teams loaded with corn taken fro111 the Union people of Loudoun. Capts. Keyes and Grubb marched their men directly to the Moore farm, near Sergt. J.-\.\\ES H. BE:\TTY, Co. A.

Corp HE~RY C. H.-\UL,H, Co. A.

,.l"HE LOUDOUN 'RANGERS.

Wheatlarid, where Mosby's n:1en were to c·o11gtegate ·a11cl take the tea111s all together Sou th under an escort.· -' It had been raining all day. Our boys had put their gtt111 blankets over them, co1npletely hidin:g their uniforn1s. As ,ve approached their 111eeting place ten tea111s, witl:f an escort of Mosby's 111en, were approaching slowly. We let the wagons pass until the last one ca111e up, the Johnnies behind it, when all parties halted, with a· "Good· evening,"- and began inquiring about the balance of the· 111en. At a give·n signal our boys pushed drawn re.:,· volvers in the faces of our friends" the ene111y," and cap.,. tured the entire lot without firi11g a shot. The tea111s ,vere turned out the pike towards Lovettsville. Near the residence of Gen. Wright we struck another squad, capturing two rebels and four 111ore teatns loaded ,vith corn. After passing ·Boling-ton, we encountered another-lot of rebels and tea1ns loaded, capturing four 111ore prison~ ers. It ,vas no\v dark. -we ,vent to Lovettsville at1.d on to Brunswick. All the tea111s \Vere sent back to their ho111es intact, 111.uch to the- joy of the dri,~ers. During the day we captured about 15 or r8 prisoners and about 20 splendid horses. George H. Harper's dun.horse ,vas in the lot. A11101-igst the prisoners was one wo111an, traveling with Mosby' s 111e1~. So1ne ,vo111en are very easy to please. Much credit of the day's ,vork is due to Sergt. Ed. White, Sergt. James H. · Beatt:~•;, l\1ahlon Best, George H.· Harrer, John Forsythe, George Hicktnan, Sa111uel Tritapoe, Joseph Fry, Joseph Ritchie, John Dens111ore, Fle1non Anderson, and Joseph T. Di vine . .A few days afterwards a squad was sent to Loudoun to look after Mosby's 111en that ,vere again taking corn fro111 Union citizens for the Confederacv. When our bovs . ~ ~ arrived ·at Waterford they learned that so1ne of Mosby's 111en had an appointinent at Ja111es Walker's farn1 that R-9 130 HISTORY OF night to take a load of his corn. Our boys concealed then1selves near the farn1 and awaited develop111ents. Mosby's men soon appeared fro111 the direction of the 1nountains. When near the barn our squad attacked them, killing one (B. F. Barton) and capturing two others, and saved Mr. Walker his corn. The rebels were not contented by taking grain and tean1s from lJnion citizens, but would, ,vith slight provocation, take the citizens as ,ve11. On one occasion three young 111en of Waterford, Charles Hollingsworth, Frank Rinker, and, ,ve believe, lVlr. Hough, while out sleighing, were captured with their tea111s and taken to neat the Blue Ridge and released and allowed to walk back ho111e. On one occasion a detach111ent of Col. White's 111en entered Waterford, clai1ning to have an order from the Confederate authorities for the arrest of Asa Bond, William Willia111s, and Robert Hollingsworth, three prominent Union citizens (Quakers). If any such an order had ever been issued it had been lost and one trtnnped up in its place. This order for their arrest was presented by Jan1es Mock and three other rebels. "fhe spelling was a regular give-a-way-'' acy bond bil Willia1ns bob Hollinsworth." lvirs. Capt. lVIeans and her sister, Miss Laura Bond, ,vere absent, and on re­ turning found the rebels at their father's, .A.. sa Bond, clai1ning to have co111e to arrest Mr. Bond and others, to be taken to Riclunond and held as hostages for Henry Ball and __others, who ,vere confined at Fort McHenry, Balti111ore. These bravehearted wo1nen openeq. a sav­ age attack on the rebels with broo1nsticks, rollingpins, and clubs-wo111an's favorite weapons. lVIrs. Means ran to her residence, a few yards distant, rang the large be11, got her revolver, and fired two shots, when the terrified rebels fled in confusion. These plucky won1en saved their father a trip to Riclunond, and perhaps his life. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 131

The same fellows, however, arrested Willia111. Will­ iams and Robert Hollingsworth, taking then1 to Rich- 1nond, where they were confined in Libby Prison for several 111onths. The physical syste111s of both of these gentle111en soon gave way under the barbarous treat­ n1ent they received. By the intervention of the Quaker citizens of Richn1011d botJ1 \vere transferred to private prisons. By the kind .attention of Miss Van Lew, a Quakeress, ,vho111 President Grant afterwards 111ade postlnistress of Richn1.ond, both ge1~tle111en were 1nade co1nfortable until exchanged.

THE CoNFEDERA'rE ARMY uNDER GEN. EARLY INVADES MARY­ I,A~D-BA'I'l'LH OF MONOCACY-FREIW:RICK-Rin_,AY HoUSE­ Er.... I,ICO'l''rS lvin,r,s-Vv.ASHING'rON.

At this period of the war Gen. Grant ,vas slowly but surely fastening his iron grip on the throat of the Con­ federacy. It ,vas only a question of time when the en­ tire fabric would cru111ble beneath the tnighty sledge ha111111er that V\ras raised to deliver the final blow. The ,vay of diverting the onco1ning disaster that seetned the 111ost plausible to Gen. Lee, was to have the Federal anny withdrawn fro111 around Petersburg and Ricl1111011d. The way sought to acco111p1ish this pur­ pose ,vas to send an invading anny into l\t1aryland and attack Washington fro111 the north. The Confederacy had also a s_econdary object to acco111plish by this 1nove, that of gathering supplies for its anny. i\. so111ewhat erratic 111ove by the i\.nny of West \Tirginia also invited the Confederates' third and last invasion of lVIaryland. Gen. Hunter111arched up the Shenandoah Valley with considerable enthusiastn and even suc2ess, until he ar­ rived before I-'ynchbnrg, vvhere he found hi111self with- 132 HISTORY OF out, a1111nunitio1i and rations, and over 200 111iles fro111 his-base of supplies. By the aid of railroads the ene111y threw a fonnidab1e force in his front and rear, 111aking it i111possible for hi1n to. return by the route he came. He ,vas co111pelled to cross the 111ountains and retire by ,vay of the Kanawha \Talley to the Ohio River. This 1nove111ent on his part entir~1y withdrew all Federal troops fro111 the Valley, leaving it clear for the Confed­ erates to 111arch down into l\!Iary land. To Gen. Jubal A. -Early was intrt~sted- the 111ission of carrying out the plan. He n1arched rapidly down the Valley to the Po'"" to1nac. Gen. Franz Sigel, \vith a few hundred 111en, was stationed at lVIartinsbnrg, guarding the Balti111ore and Ohio Railroad, keeping open co111111unication with the West. He was not able to cope with the force of the . . . . . eneiny, but fell back into Maryland. Ge11. Max Weber, in com111and at Harpers Ferry, withdrew to Maryland Heights. Gen. Early's ar1ny of 25,000 111e11, for1ned into four di visions,· co1n111anded by Gens. Rhodes, Re1nseur,­ McCausland, a1_1d Bradley T. Johnson, crossed the Poto- 111p;c at Wi1lia111sport and at Shepherdstown July 3. July 4 Col. Mosby's co111111and of 400 111en, with three pieces of artillery, attacked our ca111p at Point of Rocks, Md. The artillery was stationed on the Virginia side of the Poton1ac. The attack began about 2 o'clock p. 111., by the ene1ny throwing shells into our ca111p, while a large body of cavalry crossed the river be1o,v Brunswick and can1e down the towpath to the Point. The ene111y's infantry was posted on a stnall island below the bridge, to make it possible for their cavalry to cro:3s· the· canal and enter the village. The place ,vas garrisoned by two con1panies of the rst Maryland P. H. B. (Capts. Ba111ford and Hardesty), and Con1panies A and B, Loudoun Rangers, in con1- 111and of .Capts, Keyes and .Grubb, 111aking, all told, ffHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. abottt 225 n1en. As ,ve had no artillery, our forces fell back beyond the range of their guns and for1ned in line of battle, bn t the enen1y entered the village, pl nndering stores and railroad trains, which seemed to be their principal mission on this raid. Their troops, stationed on the island, kept up a pro1niscuous firing into· the Point, one shot striking Miss Hester . Ellen Fisher, a young lady, while standing on her porch, killing her instantly. Our con1111and sustained but slight loss fro111 this raid. Capt. Keyes was shot in the foot and one horse killed. That evening our forces fell back to Frederick, ,vhere Gen. Tyler was in con1111and with about r, 200 troops, and for the next two weeks the Rangers were under fire every day. July 5 Gen. Early's ar111y occupied Hagerstown, Md., where they de111anded $20,000 fro111 the citizens, with the threat that the town should be burned if the 111011ey was not produced. The 1nonev was raised and their . ~ city spared. July 6 Boonsboro, Md., was visited by the Confed­ erates. They obtained $20,000 fron1 the _citizens by the same 1nethocls that were e111ployed at Hagerstown. July 7 the· ene1ny visited Middletown, ,vhere they also de111anded $20 1 000. The citizens asked for time to e.onsider this extraordinary de111and. The enemy re­ f used tin1e to consider the de1nand, but allowed the citizens four hours to raise . the 111011ev..; While the citi- zens were going down in their pockets for the cash the rebel cavalry was riding through the streets singing, "l\iaryland, My Maryland." The words of the first verse would ahnost bring blood out of a turnip-

'' The despot's heel is on thy shore, Maryland, n1y Maryland; His torch is at thy temple's door, Marylam1, 111y Maryland." r34 HISTORY OF This 111usic evidently grated harshly on the ears of the Middletowners July 7 Maj. Yelliott, :J:St Maryland P.H. B., ,vith three companies of that regin1ent, and Co111panies A and B of the Loudoun Rangers, left Frederick, Md., about 7 o'clock, going in the direction of Middletown, to reconnoiter the position of the enetny. We marched until about r o'clock a. 111., halting for the night on Catoctin Mountain, near Solo1non's Gap. At early dawn we found the rebel pickets stationed near where we rested for the night. T·he enemy had telegraph lines stretched across the pike in several places. We cut the111 down, and advanced to near Middletown, where we ?truck a body of cavalry. Maj. Yelliott ordered Corporal George V. Kern and Robert Zee to advance about 300 yards to dra,v the fire of the enemy, which was returned by Kern and Zee. The enen1y advanced within 50 yards of our line, when Capt. Grubb ordered a charge, driving thetn pell-111ell into l\:Iiddle­ town, wher_e we ran into a brigade of Early's army. We fell back in good order. While the ene111y's bullets produced a tornado over our heads, we had but one man wounded-Isaac S. Hough was shot in the arn1 and leg. 'rwo n1e11 of Co111pany B .,vere also "rounded, and several horses wounded. The enen1v., for111ed in line of battle to n1eet an attack. They supposed we were the advance of the Federal Ar111y that had co111e to dispute their invasion. We fell back to Solo111on's Gap, where we met the 8th Illinois Cavalrv., and Alexander's Batterv., of 6 guns. The enen1y advanced in force. Our forces 111ade considerable noise to i111press the ene1ny that there was a large ar1ny in their front. The ruse worked well. The ene111y could have n1arched into Frederick City in three hours, whereas we kept them out for forty-eight hours. The ene111y advanced cautiously; our battery would >tHB LOUDOUN RANGBRS. 1 35 throw a few shells into their advancing colun111s, which caused them to slack up. A courier was sent into Fred­ erick to inform Gen. Tyler of the situation. Col. Gilpin, of the 3d lVIaryland, was sent out, which brought our force up to about 1,100 men. Our forces had fallen back until we were within five miles of Frederick. Here a splendid position .suggested a check of the enemy. We held the position until nearly dark, when Col. Gilpin ordered a charge. Alexander's boys turned their artillery loose on the Johnnies. Our infantry ad­ vanced and drove the rebels back to Catoctin Mountain . .l-\.fter nightfall our forces withdrew to Frederick. Col. Gilpin' s loss during the day was about 12 killed and 50 ,vouncled. The loss of the ene1ny was about the san1e. It was learned that night that the ene111y was concen­ trating at Monocacy Junction. Gen. Tyler ordered the entire garrison to put themselves in marchi_ng condition. The streets of Frederick presented a scene of great ac­ tivity and s01ne confusion. It was known to both sol­ diers and citizens that a large Confederate army was camped within 10 n1iles of the city, and that a battle was inevitable in probably less than 24 hours, and possibly in their own beautiful city. Gen. Tyler's troops 1noved out on the Balti1nore pike, about 9 o'clock p. tn., cross­ ing the stone bridge over the Monoca·cy River and turn­ ing sharply to the right, continued down the stream to the Junction. The 1nove1nent was 1nade as quietly as possible, and, of necessity, was tedious. Several stops were made during the night, so the infantry and trains would be well up. We arrived about r o'clock a. 1n., and lay down on the ground, holding our horses by their bridles. We had been under fire for six days and nights, and as soon as we struck the ground were sound asleep. The sun rose clear and beautiful on the morning of the 9th. Looking west across lVIonocacy River, about one mile distant, lay Early's army, having arrived during HISTORY OF the night. 1t vvas no\v settled be:yond a doi1 bt-both annies were encatnped on ground vvhere ,vas to be fought a battle. Gen. Le,v Wallace arrived fro111 Balti111ore the day before with a fe,v recrni ts and took co1n111and in person. Gen. Ricketts follo,ved with the first and second bri­ •gades of the Third I)ivision, Sixth Corps, 1naking Gen. Wallace's entire strength about 5,500 111en of all · anns. We had our light field battery (i\.lexander' s ), six ·guns, and two 20-ponncl siege guns. The latter \vere in the fort near the railroad bridge, and 111annecl by a dctach- 111en t of the 8th Ne,v York Heavy f\.rtillery . . Gen. Lew Wallace 111ade disposition for battle as fol­ lows : His ann y occupying the eastern bank of the strea1n, while the ene111y lay on t11e western bank of the sa111e strea111. ,-I'he river was about 50 yards wide, and contained about three to four feet of water. The railroad bridge ,vas in onr in1111ediate front ; the pub­ lic bridge. about 500 ~lards belovv the railroad bridge, at the ·crossing of the Washington turnpike; the ston.e .bridge about one 111ile above the railroad bridge, at th.e crossing of the Baltin1ore turnpike. Gen. Tyler vvas on the right vvith· portions of ()hio and Maryland troops. Col. Bro,vn, with 149th Ohio, vvas stationed at the stone bridge, with instructions to hold it at all hazards. Gen. Ricketts, with the Sixth Corps troops, on the left, consisting of parts of r 4th N e,,T Jersey, 87th Pennsy 1- vania, 106th Nevv York, 138th Pennsylvania, rroth, 122d, 126th Ohio, and three pieces of .AJexander' s Battery. Gen. Lew Wallace in centre, ,vith head­ quarters near railroad bridge, with the follovving troops: r5rst N e\v York, roth Vennont, parts of 149th and 159th Ohio, 9th New York Heavy Artillery as infantry, and three pieces of Alexander's Battery, and t,vo guns of the 8th New York Heavy Artillery. In addition to this, Col.. Ciendenin, 8th Illinois Cavalry, 400 111en, and I..(on- Jo~l:PH T. RITCH II', Co. A.

Capt. J:\1\\ES W. VIRTS, Co. D.

. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 137 doun ·Rangers, two co1npanies, about 80 1nen. The bat­ tle was openeq by artillery. _The enen1 y · began by shelling our troops statio1~ed near the railroad bridge .. · _. _Their sharpshooters took position in a large barn .on the west side of the. stream, belonging to Mr. Best. __ }\. few well-directed shots fro111 our artillery set tl-ie barn on fire, v.rith several wheat and hay stacks, burning the pre111ises and cotnpelling the ene111y to see~ other quar­ ters. Our skirn1ish line was thrown across the strea1~1, and advanced through a cornfield. This brohght on a general engagetnent, which .lasted u11til about rr o'clock, ,vhen our line becan1e heavili pressed and fell back to near the bridge on the Baltirnore pike. The enenrv 111ade a detennined effort to cross at this ..I point, but was repulsed. The fighting ,vas so stubborn that the water below the bridge was a cri111son color fro1n the blood of the dead and wounded, of both arn1ies, that fell there. The fighting novv beca1ne general all along the line. The enen1y's artillery, eighteen pieces, in a co111111anding position, kept np a constant cannon­ ading on our line, particularly after r o'clock, which was to cover the final assault that was soon to be made. About 3 o'clock the ene111y, v1ith 12,000 troops with two batterie·s, crossed the river two 111iles below the rail­ road bridge,.and advanced against Ricketts' left with four heavy ·c6lu11111s, co111pletely crusl~ing it. The fighting at this final assault was excessively heavy and destruc­ tive on both sides. Our 1nen .held their ground to the last, and were literally run over and tran1pled under foot by superior nu111bers. Ortr bro~en lines fell back six 111iles to New :iv.rarket, where they retnained for the night. The 6th Maryland and the 67th Pennsylvania d_iq not arrive until about 5 o'clock, and joined the ar~1y-the!e._ ... :' -_Q11-r~ lQS~~_s_ duri'ng- the tjay we!e, killed, 102; wo1111deq; 65q,.a1J0,-_c,1:3-00 .. p~isoners. · -The ent111y's loss is reported . - HISTORY OF' at 400. The Ne,v Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio troops lost heavily. Probably the greatest loss fell on the r4th N e,v Jersey. Every officer, both staff and line, was either killed or "\\rounded. Of the 350 1nen

CJ- 6

MAP OF MONOCACY. Light lines, Union ; heavy lines, Confederate. present 250 were either killed, wounded or prisoners, but 95 reported for duty the next day. As onr 1nen fell back across the river they burned the bridge at the Washington pike crossing. While the ene1ny ,vas mak- THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 1 39 ing the final assault, their cava1ry endeavored to gain our rear, but was unsuccessful. Onr cavalry, under C,.ol. Clendenin, repelled their final assault, capturing the colors of the 17th Virginia Cavalry near Urbana. . Gen. Lew Wallace n1ade a patriotic stand. He did not entertain a belief of winning in a contest ,vith an enen1y ,vhose nu111bers were six ti1nes greater than his own. He fought sin1ply to gain tilne, and abundantly acco1nplished that object by detaining the ene111y forty­ six hours on their march to the Capital of the Nation­ just the time required for the balance of the Sixth and the Nineteenth Corps to arrive fron1 City Point. The positions occupied by the Rangers duri11g the fight were : first, near the railroad bridge· fron1 there to the wagon bridge on the Washing-toi1 pike, then guarding a ferry beyond Ricketts' left, then in support of three pieces of Alexander's Battery on Ricketts' left. The day after the battle, July 10; the Co~federates \Vent back to their old tricks, they fleeced the City of Frederick out of $200, ooo in cash by the satne methods as were employed on other ilaryland cities. the week before. July IO Gen. Lew Wa1lace's ar111y fell back in the defense of Washington and Balti111ore, the Loudoun Ra11- gers can1ping at Ellicotts Mills. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was an in1portant factor in this cam­ pa·ign, as will be seen fron1 the letter fron1 Gen. Lew Wallace to John W. Garrett: "HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE DEPARTMENT·, "Baltinlore, Md., July I8, I864. "Hon. JOHN W. GARRETT, "President Balt£n.zore and 0/zzo Railroad.

"DEAR SIR: I avail tnvself.., of the first leisure n101nent to express to you and Mr. W. P. Sn1ith n1y most sincere acknowledgn1ent for the very great service rendered to 1ne and n1y little. army before and after the battle of l\'1onocacy. To su1n it a11 up in a fe,v words, I say HISTORY OF frankly, that without yo11r road," under yottr energetic and zealous 111anagen1ent, it would have beerf i1npossi­ ble for 111e to have 111aintained 111y position for five n1in­ ntes in the presence of. the force that attacked 111e on ~hat occasion. Therefore, please accept 111y thanks and believe 111e, 111ost truly and gratefully, your friend and servant. · " LEW \VALLACE, "Maj. Gen., Conz' dg E-ighth Ar1ny Corps, '' Middle Deparhnent."

The ar111y 111arched direct on Washington, arriving in front of Fort Stevens, on the Seventh Street Road, late on the evening of July Ir. Thaf night the balance of the · Sixth and the Nineteei1th Corps arrived on trans­ ports at the Seventh ·Street W:harf and 111arched direct to Fort Stevens. At the br_eak of day, July 12, Gen. Early was preparing an assault on the Capital, when ·he discovered the slopes in his front covered with dense lines of blue. The Sixth and Nineteenth Corps' skirn1- ish lines ,vere thrown out. · Both sides were co1nparatively quiet until after four o'clock p. 111., when the Sixth Corps attacked the enemj,, dri_ving thetn back two 111iles. In this attack there ,vas killed and wounded on each side a~ou~ 300 111en-the ene111y losing 200 pt'isoners. : ·Gen. Early no,v began to retreat, and the next day crossed the Poto111ac at Edward's Ferry (Leesburg) with his booty, consisting of nearly half a 111illio11 in cash, nearly 3,000 head of cattle, and large quantities of 1ner­ chandise taken fro111 stores and warehouses. The cash vvas ·principally obtained by levying contributions on towns as they passed through. It was the old higlT\vay- 111an 1nethod of 111aking a raise. With weapon in hand he attacks his unsuspecting victi111, with the threat, ", Your n1011ey or your life.'' ·. Th_e Legislature of Maryland esti1nated that this ra_id. cost the State o·ver $2,000,000. ,-£HE LOUDOUN RANGERS .

. Conspicuous characters on this raid of ·burning and pillaging were two Marylanders, Gen. Bradley T. John­ son, of Frederick, and lVIaj. Harry Gil 111ore. They clai111ed to be fighting for their ho1nes, while trying to destroy the State in which they were bori1 and educated. Ten days later, July 30, Gen. McCausland, ,vith Brad­ ley T. Johnson and Harry Gihnore, crossed the Poto111ac ,vith a brigade of cavalry near Willia111sport. _Going di­ rect to Pennsylvania, at Chatnbersburg, they de111anded $100,000 in gold or $500_,ooo in greenbacks. The 111oney ,vas not produced, and the torch was applied and the beautiful city burned. Over 200 houses were destroyed and 1,500 persons rendered ho111eless. _ The Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, under Gen. Wright, followed Early through Leesburg to Snicker's Gap, vvhere a battle was fought, about one hundred being killed on each side. Gen. \Vright pushed on into the Shenandoah Valley. In the _111eanti111e the Rangers 111oved up the Poto111ac, establishing ca111p at the Brick church, one 111ile north of Point of Rocks. A few clays afterwards a squad of the Rangers crossed the Potomac, going to Lees burg, where we found sotne of White's 111en. As ,ve charged into town they fled south, going out the Dry lVIill road. We captured two prisoners, Ed. Wright being one. We also captured several of their horses, including a beautiful s1nall gray 111are, a rapid pacer. This handso1ne ani1nal had been taken by Early's 111en fro~n a citizen of Montgo111ery Conn ty, lV[ary land, a fe,v weeks previous, on the recent raid. -August 19 a squad of the Rangers was sent to Loudoun, in conunand of Lieut. Atwell, to look after John Moberly, a notorious guerrilla. Ile belonged to White's con11nand, but had assun1ed 111ore the character of a bandit. He was annoying the citizens of Loudoun County al1nost • beyond endurance. We crossed the Poto111ac at Mock's HISTORY OF

Ford, going to near Leesburg, crossed the 111ountain at Gray's Gap. We learned that ·Moberly and· 20 1nen ,vere at Waterford, taking horses fro111 everybody that possessed the111, both Union and Secessi0nist. We ar­ rived there about 12 o'clock noon. ...J\. colored 111an had just co111e in on the Taylorstown road, bringing the in­ forn1ation that Mobei;-ly and his gang were at the far1n of Charles Ja111es, getting their dinners and their horses fed. Lieutenant Atwell endeavored to ·capture the entire band by div~ding his conunand into two squads, one to go out the Taylorstown road and enter the Ja111es far111 frorn that road, ,vhile the other squad was to go through the Alder far111, "Scotland," and enter the J an1es fann fron1 the south, thus cutting off their retreat to the 1nountai11. As the first squad was entering fron1 the Taylorsto\vn road Moberly and his 111en had 111ounted and were preparing- to leave. They halted and ap­ parently prepared for a fight. By a pre111ature discharge of Bilt Hardy's carbine, who was in th~ second squad, and fully half a 111ile away, l\1oberly was 1nade aware that he was about to be trapped, and his gang dashed away to the 111ountain before either of our squads had arrived near enough to 111ake his capture sure. The only hope now re111aini11g was to overtake hi111 before he got to the woods. In the chase we captured four prisoners and ,vounded Moberly in the ann. We captured all but three of their horses. When Moberly and his gang arrived at the 111ountain they dis111onnted and escaped in the thick underbrush, where our cavalry could not follow. The only casualty ,ve had was Sergt. J. N. Johnson's horse falling, pain­ fully injuring hi111. We recrossed the Poto111ac at Heater's Island. That night we guarded our prisoners in the Brick church, probably the first titne they were ever in a church. The next day the prisoners were sent to Fort McHenry. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 143 The boys seetned to enjoy our ca1np in this church n1ore than they did in so111e other churches we had camped in. ,.I'hey also endeavored to exercise a decoru111 that was appropriate to the place ; the only exceptions being when sorne one put bun1ble bees in Sam Fry's bed, and when Joe Ritchie and Dr. Lenhart got into a fisticuff about a saddle blanket. In obedience to orders fron1 Gen. Stevenson at Har­ pers Ferry) L,ieut. i\.t,vell in co111111and crossed the Po­ to1nac near Point of .Rocks, Sunday n1orning, August 21, with 38 111en of Cotnpanies .A. and B, on a raid to Aldie . .At Leesburg a squad of White's and the 1st \lirginia Cav­ alry was encountered and routed. Three of the ene111y were captured, and all being badly wounded they were paroled and left at Leesburg, where one of then1, Edwin Drish, died several days later. The co111111and continued by Dry Hollow and Grove Meeting House, near the latter place. While 1narching through a strip of woods, a 1nan was noticed sitting on the fence, holding his horse by the bridle rein, evi­ dently waiting for the connnand to pass. Lieut. .A.. twell rode up and began to question hin1. The fact was soon developed that he \Vas a .rebel quar­ ter1naster, by the na111e of Balthrop. He ,vas collecting supplies for that arniy. In his possession was found valuable papers. In a pair of saddle pockets attached to· his saddle was found $200 in specie, $700 in green­ backs, and $2,000 in Confederate 111011ey. One of the Rangers recognized hi111 as belonging to Ashby's Cav­ alry, while ca1nped along the Poto111ac early in 1861, as q uarter1naster. Passi~1g on about two 1niles our advance guard ran into a squad of l\!Iosby's 111e11. We drove then1 through Ha1niiton at a lively gait. ,.rhis sa111e gang ran across a paroled Union soldier east of Hamilton early in the day and wilfully and 1naliciously 1nnrdered hi111. He 1 44 HISTORY OF told s0111e of the citizens that he vvas on his ,:vay '·hoine to the North. He was buried near \Vhere he was killed, in a piece of woods east of the village, about 50 yards north of the pike. If we had caught any of l\1osby's rnen that day it would have gone roughly with the111 on account of 111urdering this defence1ess soldier. A s1nall board was planted at the head of his grave, bear­ ing these 111elancholy vvords: "Unknown Union Soldier.'' • No doubt s01ne fohd 111other has waited tidings of her boy for lo, these· 111a11y years. Our prisoner ,vas turned over to headquarters1, with his 111011ey, at Harpers Ferry. '

CHA.PTER XI.

GEN. SHERIDAN IN THE VAI.,LEV--BAT'rLgs OF \VINCHgSl'ER, FISHER'~ HILL, TOM'S BROOK, CEDAR CREEK.

,.rhe frequency of the Confederate raids into lVIarv­ land and Pennsylvania had been a source of great an"'.· noyance to the authorities at Washington, as by thenr the ar111y of the ene111y was largely supplied with forage. Every recurrence of these raids gave the111 that 111uch longer lease on life. Another aspect of the case ,vhich perhaps was not as far-reaching in results, though equa1ly as annoying-the loyal citizens of l\:Iaryland and Pennsylvania had bitterly co111plained of their houses .and barns being pl underecl and burned, and their accn111ulations of years entirely svvept a-,vay by the ene111y.

After the l)illao·ino-b b and burnino·b of Chatnbersburo-b) Pa·., July 30, 1864, .by the ene111y, the vVar Depart111ent took decisive steps to stop these raids. Gen. Grant took the 1natter in hand. First, the Shenandoah \lalley should be cotnpletely canceled fro111 the theatre of vvar. The 111ountains that flanked it 111ade it a sure path,vay Lieut. AU(,USTUS C. RHODES, Co 13.

Serg-t. GEORGE H. C. HICK,\\A;s.;, Co. B.

THE LOUDOUN RAKGERS. 1 45 down which the Confederates could be sent at altnost any ti111e to invade the North, while the fertile fields largely contributed to the feeding of that ar111y. It was an important work, and great care should be· exercised in the selection of a connnander to carry it to a successful tern1inati on. Gen. Hunter was in con11nand of the Departtnent and was satisfactory to Gen. Grant, but owing to a lack of harmony between Gen. Halleck and Gen. Hunter, the latter, at his own request, was relieved from this com­ mand. Gen. Grant now selected Gen. Phil. Sheridan, who 1net with so1ne slight objection fro1n the War De­ partment, as Secretary Stanton thought he was rather young (thirty-three years) for a co1nn1a11d so i111portant. It is alleged that Gen. Halleck objected on account of '' Bad grammar," as he tenned it, as Sheridan had a kind of "Wild West" style of giving orders, using such expressions as u Licked them out · of their boots ; " "Ham1nered the stuffing ont of the111," etc. Such ex­ pressions see1ned to grate harshly on the cultured ear of Gen. Halleck. President Lincoln said he did not know that grannnar cut 111uch of a .figure in fighting, as he re111en1bered the worst licking he ever got was fro111 a lad who did not know the alphabet, and if gra111n1ar was the only objec­ tio~ he thought it safe to try Sheridan. Phil. H. Sheridan had not been a Cicero at West Point, standing thirty-four in a class of fifty-two. He had also been suspended for one year for quarreling with his tutor. Gen. Grant's judgn1ent in the selection of a subordinate had never failed him, and in this case he was allowed full s,vay, and Gen. Sheridan was appointed August 7, · as Com1nander of the Ar1ny of the Shenandoah. Subsequent events practically de111onstrated that the selection was ,vise-an excellent strategist of rare mili­ R-ro HISTORY OF tary judgment, a brave and aggressive fighter, and a well­ poised co1nmander. The instructions originally prepared. for Gen. Hunter were transferred to Gen. Sheridan, as follows : '' On pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, where it is expected you will have to go first, or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to invite the enemy to return. rrake all provisions, forage, and stock wanted for the use of your com1nand, and such as can not be consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that the build­ ings should be destroyed ; they should rather be pro­ tected ; but the people should be informed that so long as an army can subsist amongst then1 recurrences of these raids must be expected, and we are detern1ined to stop them at a11 hazards.· * * * Make your own arrange111ents for supplies of all kinds, giving regular vouchers for such· as will be taken from loyal citizens in the country through which you 1narch. "Very respectfully, ,, u. s. GRANT, '' Lieutena.nt General.''

'' HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE DEPARTMENT, "Balti1nore, Md., July I8, I864-. " Brig. Gen. E. B. TYLER, U. S. Volunteers, " Conzd. First Separate Brigade. "GENERAL : I an1 directed by Maj. Gen. Wallace to request you to return the Loudoun Rangers (Virginia Cavalry) to Harpers Ferry, and to report to Maj. Gen. Hunter. '' I a1n, very respectfully, your obedient servant, "SAMUEL B. LAWRENCE, " Lieut. Col. and Asst. Agt. General."

In obedience to the above orders, the Rangers n1oved with the rest of the brigade, and took position on the left, camping on a steep hillside overlooking the Shenandoah River. THE LOGDO-C:N" RAKGERS. 147 The A!tny of the Shenandoah was ca111ped fron1 Harpers Ferry to Halltown, and composed of the following troops : 1"'he Sixth Cqrps, co1111nanded by Gen. Wright ; · The Nineteenth Corps, commanded Gen. Emory ; The 8th Corps (known also. as th~ Army of West Virginia), commanded by Gen. Crook. Gen. Sheridan put the army in n1otion, 111oving up the valley to Strasburg, where Gen. Early had .received reinforce1nents and attacked our forces. Gen. Sheridan had not beco1ne sufficiently acquainted wit1:i his army and the country to justify hi1n in 1neasuring steel with the ene111y, consequently. he fell back to Halltown, where the greater portion of his army re1nained for several weeks. So far the ca1npaign, had been on the defensi ye. There had been skir1nishing every day, principally by the cavalry. Gen. Grant visited Sheridan at Halltown early in September, and was in thorough accord with the latter's plan of campaign, which frotn this time· forward was to be aggressive. The cavalry now ·found plenty to 9-0, as there was not a day, or an hour, but there was a clash of artns in that branch of the service. Several engagen1ents rose. to the dignity of a battle and ~re worthy of 111ention : Front Royal, August r6 ; · Win­ chester, the 17th ; Sun1111it Point and Berryville,. the 21st; Halltown, the 24th ; Kearneysville, the 25th ; Hall town, the 26-27th ; S111ithfield, the 29th ; Berry­ ville, Septe1n her 3d-4th ; Locks Ford, the r 3th ; . Mar­ tinsburg, the 17th. In these preliminary engag-etnents our forces lost about 600 1nen, and the ene111y's loss was about. the same. Saturday, Septe1nber 17, Gen. Early 1noved- a large portion of his ar111y to Martinsburg, threatening an in­ vasion of Maryland, while the 111ain portion of his arn1y HISTORY OF lay at Winchester and Bunker Hill. The bulk of our army lay near Berryville. Sheridan's opportunity had arrived and he knew it. He put his arn1y in motion at 4 o'clock a. m., September 19, in the direction of Winchester. The cavalry, under Torbert and Wilson, ·opened the way by forcing the passage of Opequon Creek. There was but one good road, the Berryville pike, and the country hilly. It was 10 o'clock before the troops had crossed the stream and got into position on the west side. This delay gave the enen1y titne to recall his ~wo divisions from Martinsburg. The Sixth and the Nineteenth Corps advanced nuder a heavy artillery fire. Our line i1n1nediately became en­ gaged, and fought with a desperation that has rarely been equalled. There was a total 19:-ck of earthworks, or protection of any kind, hence the :fighting was des­ perate and bloody. About r r o'clock the enetny 1nade a counter charge, striking our center, and forcing it back about a quarter of a tnile. Gen. Russell's division of the Sixth Corps was thrown against the new 1nove of the enemy, and in turn drove him back and re-estab­ lished our old line. Crook's Eighth Corps was still kept in reserve to be thrown on the left and south of Winchester to cut off retreat, but thP heavy fighting on.the right, by the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, com­ pelled a change of programme. The Eighth Corps was hurriedly transferred to that point and attacked the ene1ny's left with such vigor as to double then1 back in a confused n1ass, from which they did not recover, but fled in confusion. Simul­ taneously with this the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps were ordered forward. At the san1e tin1e the cavalry, Wilson on the left and Torbert on the right, charged, when their whole army fled through Winchester and on up the valley, panic stricken. Darkness alone saved Early's army from capture by our cavalry in the battle >t.HE LOUDOl;N RANGERS. 149 of the Opequon, or Winchester. Gen. Sheridan lost 5,000 n1en. Gen. Early lost ab_out 4,500. The Sixth Corps lost.. 1699 The Eighth Corps Th e N i n e t e e n t h lost ...... 800 · Corps lost . ·. . . 2074 The Cavalry Corps lost ...... 450

The enemy lost Genls. Goodwin and Rhodes, killed, with five guns and nine battle flags, and r,500 prisoners. Sheridan lost Gen, Russell of the Sixth Corps, killed. The following regiments lost heavily : Sixth Corps. 2d Connecticut Heavy I 1th Vermont ( 1st Artillery . . . . . I 38 Heavy Artillery) .. 99 37th Massachusetts In- fan try ...... 91 Nineteenth Corps. 114th New York In- 22d Iowa ...... IOS ' fantry ...... r85 3d Massachusetts Dis- 12th lVIaine . . . . . 112 mounted Cavalry. ro6 26th Massachusetts . 139 156th New York ... III 14th New Hatn pshire. 138 Eighth Corps. 34th lVI

3d New Jersey. . . . 21 18th Pennsvlvania., . . 20 HIS'l0RY Olf

The nu1nber of troops engaged on both sides ,vas abont e,1 ual. Early's army being. on the defensive and on chosen ground gave him the advantage by fnlly 5,000 111en. While the battle was in progress Sheridan was con­ stant1 y at ~he front ~nfusing his troops with his powerful enth usias111 and valor.

This victorv., of Sheridan's. created unbounded en- thusiasri1 throughout the North, and especially in Washington. The. imaginary ·doubt that lingered around the War Departn1ent, on account of age or "bad gra1nmar,'' was entirely dispelled. President Lincoln's heart was so full of enth usiasn1 and approval of Sheri­ dan's 111ethod of fighting that he wired him the fol­ lowing:

,, EXECUTIVE MANSION, " lVashington, Sefte1nber 20, r86f-. "Maj._-Gen. SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va. " Have just heard of your great victory. God bless you all, officers and men. Strongly inclined to cotne np and see you. "A. LINCOLN."

''WAR DEPARTMENT, '' Washington, Sefte1nber 20, r864. ~' Maj. -Gen. SHERIDAN (in the field). "Please accept for yourself and your gallant arn1v the thanks of the President and this Department for your great battle and brilliant victory yesterday. The President has appointed you a Brigadier-General in the Regular Army, and you have been assigned to the per- 111anent command of the Middle Di vision. One hun­ dred guns were fired here at noon to-day in honor of vonrJ victorv.., "EDWIN M. STANTON, '' Secretary of T¥a r.'' . 'tHI<~ LOUDOUN RANGERS.

· Sheridan,s n1ethod of fighting was not to allow his antagonist time for recuperation, and by early dawn, September 20th, his ar1ny was in 1notion in pursuit of the enemy, who were overtaken at Fisher's Hill, an aln1ost impregnable position, especially from the north. This is the narrowest point in the Valley, four n1iles from mountain to tnountain. Gen. Early had previ­ ously erected works of defence across the Valley, and on exceptionally high ground. Late in the afternoon Sheridan established a heavy skir111ish line, and kept up firing until after dark. During the night the Eighth Corp:-; was concealed in heavy tiinber on the extreme right in this obscure position during the 21st, while the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps were placed in the front center of the enerny's position, drawing a brisk fire fro111 their line, which in turn was partly attacked by Ricketts' and Getty's divisions of the Sixth Corps (thus holding the close attention of the enemy), while Torbert, Wilson and Merritt, of the cavalry, were ordered through Luray Valley, to get in the enemy's rear near New Market. During the night of the 2 rst the Eighth Corps was quietly 111oved into the timber at the foot of Little North Mountain, entirely obscured from view of the enerny. Ricketts' division of the Sixth Corps was tnoved with Averell's Cavalry to the right, and attacked the enemy's left, while Crook suddenly swung his corps out of the woods, and sprang upon the unsu~pecting enen1y's left and rear with the vigor of a tiger, throwing thern into utter confusion and rout, and in quick succession the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps burst upon the Confe

In the battle of Fisher's Hill, Gen. Sheridan lost 500 rnen and the enemy lost r,500, besides r 5 pieces of ar­ tillery, a large portion of his wagon train and nearly all his tents. The Sixth Corps lost . 238 ,.rhe Eighth Corps lost. 162 ,.rhe Nineteenth Corps The cavalry lost . . . 14 .· lost ...... r 14 Sixth Corps regi111ents lost heavily- 2d Connecticut, heavy 139th Pennsylvania. 26 artillery ...... 20 r 26th Ohio...... 32 .1.Vineteentlt C~orps R eg·inzents. 128th New York ...... 20 Ez:g-hth Corps Regz"ments. 34th Massachusetts . . r8 91st Ohio . 16 Gen. E:trl y' s report of th is battle is vague, as usual.

He savs:., '' Late yesterday the ene1ny attacked my position at Fisher's Hill and sncceedei in driving back the left of 1ny line, which was defended by cavalry, and throwing a force into the left of 1ny infantry, when the whole of the troops gave way in a panic, and could not be rallied. This resulted in a loss· of tvvelve pieces of artillery, though 111y loss in 1nen is not large.'' · Sheridan followed up this victory by continuing after the ene111y until after 1nidnight. For the next ten days our cavalry was continually on the heels of the enemy, capturing stragglers, trains, and supplies. On the 25th the infantry halted at Harrisonburg, while the cavalry proceeded on to Staunton, where large quantities of arn1s, am111unition and commissary stores was captured. i\.11 railroad bridges were burned and the rolling stock destroyed. October 5th Sheridan began to n1ove down the valley and to carry out the orders issued-'' t~ leave the valley untenable for an ar111y.'' >_rni,: L,OUDOUN RANC~ERS. 153 . The infantry 111oved first w: Ci the wagon trains, while tµe cavalry for1ned across the entire valley, burning every particle of grain and forage that an ar1ny could subsist on. Every flour mill and grist tnill, and every­ thing that contributed to the aid or con1fort of the Con­ federacy was destroyed. All live stock, horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs were taken. Gen. Early received rein­ forcements fro1n Longstreet early in October, and his cavalry followed in the wake of Custer, keeping a few 1niles behind. At Woodstock they attacked Custer's division, skirmishing as far as Toms Brook, where Sheridan halted the infantry one day and told his cav­ alry "they 111ust whip the ene1ny or get ,vhipped them­ selves." October 9th Custer and Merritt's divisions turned back and attacked the enen1y' s forces of 5,000 n1en under Gens. Rosser, Lotnax, and Bradley T. Johnson, and 9:fter a short but stubborn engagement the enemy was disastrously defeated, with the loss of nearly 400 prison­ ers, all their artillery, eleven guns, and their entire trains-Sheridan said in his report " everything they had on wheels." This was one of the 1nost cotnplete cavalry victories of the war. The ene111y was driven 25 miles. Sheridan,s loss was 9 killed and 48 wounded. Gen. Rosser's army was known as the Laurel division. Each person wore a bunch of laurel in his hat to typify great bravery. A good story that grew out of this battle is told at the expense of Gen. Rosser. Gen. Imboden, who co111n1anded a brigade in Early's army, had only been moderately successful as a comn1ander, and Rosser never lost an opportunity to taunt In1boden about his record as a soldier. After this battle (Ton1s Brook) Imboden sent word to Rosser, asking how he -would trade laurel for cannon. 154 HISTORY OF

-0 ~ OF MILE'S :..;Jfff.,~ "'"''~ 20 - - ___-il!..__ MAP OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. >-.rHE LOUDOUN RANG1.:I{S. 1 55 rrhe Sixth Corps was ordered to return to the A.nny of the Poto1nac near Petersburg, while the cavalry con­ tinued its raid, 1naking ~he Valley untenable for a crow without rations. Sheridan's work in the Valle}· was ap­ parently finished. A wish had been expressed fro111 the War Departn1ent that Gen. Sheridan should establish a "base of supplies " near Manassas Gap, with a view of a further advance on Gordonsville and finally Richmond. Sheridan opposed this scheme, not because he was op­ posed to supplies, but he could see no need of a '' base " as long as· there were rebels rnnning around loose shoot­ ing at people. He was sent to the Valley to destroy '' bases of supplies,'' and not to establish them. Finally this subject called hin1 to Washington on the following tel egran1 : "WASHINGTON, D. C., October IJ, I864-. "Maj. Gen. SHERIDAN. '' [Through Gen. Augur. J '' If you can come here, a consultation on several points is extremely desirable. I pro.pose to visit Gen. Grant, and would like to see you first. "E. M. STANTON, " Secretary if War.'' On Gen. Sheridan's arrival at Front Royal the 16th, he received the following from Gei1. Wright at Cedar Creek: '' HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION. '' October 16, I864. "Maj. Gen. P. H. SHERIDAN. '' I enclose you dispatch which explains itself. * * * If the enemy should be strongly re-enforced by cavalry he might by turning our right give us a great deal of trouble. I shall hold on here until the enemy's move- 1nents are developed and shall only fear an attack on ·n1y right, which I shall strongly resist. . " H. G. WRIGHT, "Maj. Gen. Coni'dg·.'' 1-IIS'r0RY OF

" Lieut .. Gen. EARLY. ~, Be ready to rnove as soon as 1ny forces join you, and we will crush Sheridan. " LONGSTREET, " Lieut. Gen." This tnessage was taken fro111 the rebel signal station on Three Top Mountain, and was thought at first to be a ruse, but other events had partly confirmed it. Sheri­ dan therefore ordered his scattered forces concentrated at Cedar Creek. "Maj. Gen. H. G. WRIGHT, " Conzmanding Sixth Corps. "GENERAL: The cavalry is all ordered back to you. Make your position strong. If Longstreet's dispatch is true, he is under the impression that we have largely detached. I will go over to Augur, and tnay get addi­ tional news. Close in Col. Powell, who will be at this point. If the enemy should make an advance, I know you will defeat hin1. Look well to your ground, and be well prepared. Get up everything that can be spared. I "Will bring up all I can, .and will be up Tuesday if not sooner. '' p. H. SHERIDAN' '' Maj. General.''

Gen. Sheridan left for Washington, arriving at day­ light the 17th. After a conference at the War Depart­ ment and the White House about two hours, he imme­ diately left for Martinsburg. By the night of the 18th he was at Winchester on his return. Early next n1orn­ ing artillery could be heard up the Valley. As that was a daily occurrence no especial significance was attached to it. When Gen. Sheridan left for Washington he placed G~n. Wright in co1nn1and of the army in his absence, which was encamped on the.north bank of Cedar Creek­ the Eighth Corps on the left, the Nineteenth Corps in center, and the Sixth Corps on the right rear. The THE LOUDOUN RA.~GERS. 1 57 enemv was encamped at Fisher's Hill. During the night of the 18th a Confederate force, under Gen. Gordon, crossed North Fork, passing between the moun­ tain and the river, until below the junction of Cedar Creek, and recrossed at Bown1an's Ford, striking the Eighth Corps in flank and rear, throwing them into dis­ order. This was imn1ediately followed by Gen. }:arly with the remainder of· his force crossing Cedar Creek and striking the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps in cen­ ter, driving the whole line back in confusion~ The enemy's line was moving northwest in the direction of the Valley pike, threatening our rear. The Sixth Corps lay one and a half n1iles to the right and rear of the Nineteenth Corps. By the time the ene1ny reached the line of the Sixth. Corps the latter was fonned and at­ tacked the oncoming hosts of Early and temporarily checked them, but the stan1pede that so early set in could not be stopped. Gen. Wright ordered his troops to fall back to take better position. Gen. Getty was ordered to cover the retreat. Gen. VI right n1ade sev­ eral stands with his troops, and partly succeeded in checking the pursuing enemy. During the early 111orn~ ing our army lost 18 guns and I ,300 prisoners. About 8~ 30 o'clock, while Gen. Sheridan was leaving Winchester, the distant roar of artillery convinced hin1 that a battle was being fought. He had not proceeded 1nore than one n1ile when the head of the colun1n of fugitives ca1ne in sight. Whereupon Sheridan thun­ dered out- " Face the other way and go back ! " He ordered the two brigades at Winchester to form across the Valley and turn all stragglers back, while with an escort of twenty 111en he started at full speed for the front, riding his famous black horse " Winchester," arriving at the scene of action, near Middleto,vn, at r r o'clock, accompanied by three 111embers of his escort, HISTORY OF the horses of the others having given ont. As he rode up he delivered that short but inspiring oration that will live as long as the Va11ey lasts : '' Face the other way, boys ; we are going back to our camp; we are going to lick then1 ont of their boots."

· The return of Gen. Sheridan ·was 1nagical. As soon as his presence was known a complete transformation took place. Where a few minutes before doubt and un­ certainty prevailed, now unbounded enthusiasm and confidence was apparent everywhere. Sheridan made so1ne slight changes in his line of battle. Soon the ene1ny came forward to attack, and was handsomely repulsed. It was reported that the enemy was moving a heavy colun1n north on the Front Royal pike, in the direction of Winchester. trhis rtunor caused Gen. Sheridan to defer an immediate advance on the enemy, but he soon learned that no such 1nove1nent was being made by the enemy. Every nerve was now bent on an immediate attack. At 4 o'clock our entire line n1oved forward to the at­ tack. The enemy, well protected behind stone fences, gave some te1nporary trouble. The First Division of the Nineteenth Corps (Gen. McMillan) 1nade a gallant charge, co1npletely dislodging the enemy, and fro1n this time until night our troops swept everything before them. Our invincible cavalry now fell upon both flank and rear of the enemy, capturing c~nnon, trains and pris­ oners by the score. The retreat of the enen1y became d~sorderly, and degenerated into a skedaddle. The cav­ alry charge by Custer's Di vision was especially brilliant and successful, forcing the passage of Cedar Creek, driv­ ing the terror stricken ene1ny beyond Strasburg, recap­ turing the r8 guns lost in the m.ornit~g, and capturing 26 additional ones from the ene1ny. .A.lso 20 caissons, THE LOUDOUN RAKGERS. r59 30 wagons, 38 ambulances, over 300 horses and n1ules, 4,000 stand of arms and I, 500 prisoners. There was little difterence in the loss of the two armies. Gen. Sheridan's loss was 5,500, including the 1,300 prisoners lost early in th~ n1orning and hurried off South. Gen. Early's loss was probably about the same as Sheridan's.

Losses by Corps. Sixth Corps . . . 2,126 Provisional Division.· 102 Nineteenth Corps. · . 2,383 Cavalry ...... 200 Eighth Corps . . . 860 Regin1ents suffering heavy losses, were : Sixth Corps. 2d Connecticut Heavy 15th New Jersey In- Artillery . . . . . 190 fantry...... 85 9th New York Heavy 102d Pennsylvania In- Artillery . . . . . 208 fan try...... 92 11th Vermont ( 1st Heavy Artillery) . 107 Eighth Corps. 5th New York Heavy 11th West Virginia In- Artillery . . . . . 309 fantry...... 77 23d Ohio Infantry~ . 7z Nineteenth Corps. 29th Maine Infantry . 127 12th Connecticut In- 30th Massachusett's 108 fantry. . . . . 172 114th New York In- 47th Pennsylvania In- fantry...... 115 fantry...... 154 8th Vennont Infantry. 106 Prov£sional Division. 6th New York Heavy Artillery . . . . 93 Cavalry. 1st Michigan . . 28 2d Massachusetts 7th Michigan .. 35 2d New Yotk .. 160 HISTORY OF

Our anny lost four brigade com111anders killed : Gen. Bi

Gen. Wright, ~ixth Corps, says : '' I felt every confidence that the ene1ny could be proniptly defeated. In this anticipation, however, 1 was sadly disappointed. Influenced by a panic, which often seizes the best of troops (and sotne of then1 I have seen behave admirably under the hottest fire), the line broke before the enen1y ca1ne in sight, and under a scat- BRISCOE GOODHART, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 161 tering fire retreated in disorder down the pike. * * * Everything having been prepared and the men some­ what rested from the fatigue of the morning, au ad­ vance was ordered by Gen. Sheridan of the entire line."

Gen. McMillan, Nineteenth Corps, says : '' * * * Had there been concert of action through our whole forces, I believe there was no time, after we fortned on the position of the Sixth Corps, that I could not have driven the enen1y in my front without diffi­ culty. * * * When Gen. Sheridan made his ap­ pearance, he was most heartily cheered along the whole line, so far as I could observe. The officers and men seemed at once to recover from a kind of lethargy, * * * . and by the tilne the comn1andi11g general had perfected his arrangements for attacking the enemy the n1en ,vere in as good mental condition to fight as at any period when victory encouraged,'' etc.

The battle of Cedar Creek put the cap-stone on Sheri­ dan's career as a soldier, n1aking him the n1ost gallant and brilli1nt military hero of the day. Sheridan's ride from Winchester to Middletown is a living ·reality. The A1nerican public never tires reading it. R-II HISTORY OF

-~;:::_::;:~:;:;;'.=·::·:·:·:~:.K.,,,. ------

GE~. SHERIDAN, AS HE APPEARED ON THIS RIDH.

SHERIDAN'S RIDE.

T. B. READ. Up from the south at break of day, Bringing to ,vinchester fresh dismay, The affrighted air with a shudder bore, Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door, The terrible gru111ble, and rumble, and roar, Telling the battle was on once more, And Sheridan twenty :::niles away.

And wider still those billows of war Thundered along the horizon's bar, And louder yet into \IVinchester rolled The roar of that red sea uncontrolled, Making the blood of the listener cold As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray, ,vith Sheridan twenty 111iles away. THE LOl•DUON· ·RANGERS.

But there's a road fron1 vViuchester town, A good broad highway leading down; And there, thro' the flash of -the morning light, A steed as black as the steeds of night \Vas seen to pass as with eagle flight; As if he knew the terrible need, He stretched away with the utmost speed ; Hills rose and fell-but his heart was gay, With Sheridan fifteen miles a way.

Under his spurning feet the road Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed, And the landscape flowed away behind, Like an ocean flying before the wind; And the steed like a bark fed with furnace-ire Swept on with his wild eyes full of fire ; But lo ! he is nearing his heart's desire, He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray, With Sheridan only five miles away.

The first that the General saw were the groups Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops; What was done-what to do-a glance told hin1 both, And, striking his spurs with a terrible oath, He dashed down the line 'mid a sto!m of hurrahs, And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because The sight of the master compelled it to pause. \Vith foan1 and with dust the black charger was gray, By the flash of his eye and his nostril's play He see~ed to the whole great army to say: '' I have brought you Sheridan all the way From Winchester town to save the day!''

Hurrah! hurrah! for Sheridan! Hurrah! hurrah! for horse and n1a11 ! And when their statues are placed on high, Under the dome of the Union sky- The American soldiers' temple of fame­ There with the glorious General's name, Be it said, in letters both bold and bright: "Here is the steed that saved the day By carrying Sheridan into the fight Fron1 Winchester, twenty miles away!" HISTORY ·op

President Lincoln, the War Depart1nent, and . the . '. . American Congress vied _with each other in honoring Sheridan, as the following will show : "EXECUTIVE MANS~ON,. ,, Washington, October 22, I864. "Maj. Gen. SHERIDAN. "With great pleasure I tender to you and your brave army the thanks of the nation, and 1ny own personal adn1iration and gratitude, for the month's operations in the Shenandoah Valley, and especially for the splendid work of October 19, 1864. '' Your obedient servant, . "ABRAHAM LINCOLN.,,

"WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, '' Washington, November 1"4-, I864. "[G~neral Orders, No. 282.J " Ordered by the President * * * 2. That for the personal gallantry, 111ilitary _skill· ~nd just confi­ dence in the courage and, ratriotism of his troops, dis­ played by Philip H. Sheridan on. the 19th day of Octo­ her, at Cedar Run,. whereby, under the blessing of Providence, his routed ar1ny was reorganized, a great national disaster averted, and a brilliant victory achieved over the rebels for the third tin1e in a pitched battle within thirty days, Philip H.Sheridan is appointed major general in the United States Army, to rank as such from the 8th day of November, 1864. "By order of the President of the United States. " E. D. TOWNSEND, '' Assz'stant Adjutant General."

"[Public Resolution, No. 13.], " Be z't resolved by the Senate and House of Representa­ tives of the United States ofAmerica in Congress assem­ bled, That the thanks of Congress are hereby tendered to Major General Philip H. Sheridan,. and the officers and men under his con1mand, for the gallant military 1-'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. skill. and courage displayed in the brilliant series of y~~tories achieved .by them in the Valley of the Shen­ andoah, and especially for their services at Cedar Creek on th~. 19th day.of October, 1864, which retrieved the fqrtunes of the· day ahd thus averted a great disaster. -- · SEC. 2~ · -And be £t fltrther resolved, That the President of.the'United States be, and hereby is, requested to com­ municate this resolution to Ivlajof· General Sheridan,. and through him to the officers and soldiers under his command. . "Approved· February 9, 1865. · "By order-:of the-Secretary of War. "E'. D. TOWNSEND, '' Assistant Ad:futant General.''

f he battle of Cedar Creek practically ended the cam­ paign in the Valley. The. enemy had been defeated an~ humiliated beyond n1easure. The Valley, where their intrepi

in heaven. " Yes," said the good parson, "and the horse that Phil Sheridan rode from Winchester to Cedar Creek will have the front seat.'' The fragments of Early's army, with the exception of ~tnall roving bands, were soon drawn towards Richmond, where the final battle was to be fought, while Sheri­ dan's cavalry completed the work of destruction in the Valley. In performing a mission of this kind, where the w·ork of destruction was intrusted to so n1any hands, it 'Yould naturally be expected that 1nany acts of lawlessness would be con11nitted. There may have been some, but history fails to record a single case wh~re private prop­ erty was perverted to personal gain, or where tribute was detnanded from any source.

NOVEMBER 24, 1864. Maj. Ge~. H. W. HALLECK, U. S. Army, Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of property captured and destroyed and lost by capture by the Middle Military Division during the catnpaign cotnmencing August 10 and ending November 16, 1864, in accordance with telegraphic orders received fro111 you. I a1n, general, yours, respectfully, P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General Co1?t11zanding. 'rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

Report. of property captured and destroyed (from the enemy) by tlie Middle Mz"lz"tary Division, Maj. Gen. P. H. Slzeridan, co,nnzanding, duting the can-zpaign . commencz"ng August Io, I86¢, and endz"ng· Novenzber _I6, I864.

Pieces artillery . 94 Barns .... 1,200 Caissons . . .. 89 Furnaces . 7 Limbers ... 8 Tanneries . . 4 Forges . . 6 Railroad depot . l Battery W agou . . 1 Locomotive l Ar.ti 11 er y am n1 u 11 1 - Box cars . . . 3 tion . . rounds . 23,ouo Wheat . bushels . 435,802 Ar-my wagons 13.1 Oats .

Pieces artillery . . 24 Medical_ wagons . . . . 2 Caissons .... . 19 Harness . . . . . sets . 726 Forges ...... 16 Horse equipments.do• 52 5 Battery wagons ... . 3 Small-arms...... r,849 Ar ti 11 er y a 111 mun i - S n1 a 1 l - a r n1 a 111 m u - · tio.11 ·. . . . rounds . uition . . . rounds . Army wagons .. Horses .. Ambulances...... l\1ules . . . I68 HISTORY OF

Most of the articles under the heading ''lo..;t by-cap.­ ture '' were recaptured subsequently. The twenty-four pieces of artillery were all recaptured. Sheridan's career in the valley accomplished a double purpose, as he not only banished the enemy, but taught our own Governtnent a valuable lesson. Some of the early pron1inent generals of the war; and others that were high in authority, declared the cavalry to be of little value in modern warfare, and doubted if it could ever be n1ade efficient. Sheridan's Valley campaign den1onstrated beyond question that when efficiently lerl the cavalry was the most valuable arm of the service. The greater portion of the Army of the Shenandoah lay for about five weeks near Winchester, enj_oying a brief respite. Decen1ber r the Sixth and a portioJ.?. of the Nineteenth Corps returned via Washington to Gen. Grant's anny around Petersburg, while the ,Eighth Corps re1nained in the Valley to the close of the war. The cavalry under Torbert remained in th_e Valley until the last of February, 1865, when it marched over­ land to Petersburg, Va.

STRENGTH OF SHERIDAN'S ARMY IN THE VALLEY. Sixth Corps. . . . 13,322 Military District of Nineteenth Corps . 13,025 Harpers Ferry 4,815 Eighth C9rps(army of West Virginia) 7,5°7 Total. . . . 45,487 Cavalry Corps. . . 6,818 Losses. Sixth Corps . . . 4,899 Provisional. Divi- Nineteenth Corps . 5,020 SlOn ...... 732 Eighth Corps .. 2,885 Cavalry Corps . . 2,184 Total. . . . 16,721 Prisoners captured by Sheridan, 13,000. 1'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 169 The .strength. of Gen. Early's: army· was not. over 30,000 at any one tin1e,. but being on the q_efensive could throw. almost his entire strength against his antagonist. A.s Gen. Sheridan advanced up the Valley he was cotnpelled to leave a strong force along the route to protect his communications. During the greater portion of the campaign the Rangers were on special service in the 1nilitary district of Harpers Ferry, under Gen. Stephenson. Their former brigade con1n1and·er, Col. Wells, 34th Massachusetts, was killed near Fisher's Hill, October 13, 1864 . . Many t:hat followed the fortunes of Sheridan in the Valley distinguished themselves in after years. Col. R. B. Hayes, comn1ander rst Brigade, 2d Division, Eighth Corps, rose to be President of the United States-.1877- 1880. He had a horse shot under him at Cedar Creek, and was hhnself wounded. Capt. R. A. Alger, of the Custer· Brigade, .became Governor of Michigan. Lewis l\.. Grant, of the Vermont Brigade, Sixth Corps, was Assistant Secretary of War under President Harrison's Administration.. J. W. Keifer, a division con1n1ander of the Sixth Corps, served as a 1ne1n ber of Congress and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Ri~hard W. Blne, 6th West Virginia, W. A. Calderhead, 126th Ohio, of Kansas, E. F. Loud, 2d Massachusetts Cavalry, of· California, L. J .. Fenton, 9 rst Ohio, of 0Qio, and B. B. Dovener, ofWest Virginia, all members ofJhe 54th Congress, served under Sheridan in the valley.. William McKinley, A. A. _G., First Division, Eighth Corps, has been .a member of Congress and Governor of Ohio, and a host of others have been pro1ninent in private.·_ life: Many that followed. the fortunes of the Lost Ca.use in the Valley have been heard from since the war. Gen. John B. Gordon, a corps c.omn1ander, has been Governor of Georgia and United States Senator. Capt. John W. 170 BIS1'0RV. OF

Danie], of Early's staff, is United States Senator fron1 Virginia. Governo.r O'Ferrell and ex-Governor Ca111- eron served under Early. Qhite a number of Con­ federates who followed the fortunes of Gen. Early in the Valley have gone into the ministry since the war. '' While e'er the lamp holds out to burn The vilest sinner may return."

CHAPTER XII.

THE ADAMSTOWN FIGHT·-GORESVII-,LE-FRENCH BILL, TRITAPOE, AND BEST-DOWNEY'S MILL-HISTORIC SHENANDOAH VALLEY . .

. October 14 the Rangers' patrol, from the Monocacy, ca111e in about 10 o'clock, and reported to Capt. Henry Bartnete, provost 1narshal, that a force of about 300 rebel cavalry had crossed at Cheek's, or vVhite' s Ford, and 1noved in the direction of Frederick. A few n1inutes later sever~l boatmen came rapidly u.p • the towpath and reported that Mosby's men had pillaged and burned five canal boats, taken the stock, and moved in the direction of Adam$to-,:vn. Capt! B. Spence,-1st Pennsylvania L. A., Battery G, was in cotnmand of the post, and ordered Capt. Grubb, of. the Rangers, to move in the direction of Adan1stown and attack Mosby and force hi111 back to the river, while ·he, Capt. Spence, wou14 march with ·two con1- pa,nies of infantry down the river and await the return of the raiders. As the latter drew nigh the river Capt. Grubb was to charge their rear, while the infantry was to attack in front . . _Capt. Grubb, with Sr men (all there was in camp at the· time), 1noved promptly to A_dan1stown and attacked Mosby's force, under Maj. Chapn1an, and drove the1n three n1iles to near the river. l\tiuch to our surprise, Capt. Spence did not show up; but we were in for it, and 111ade the best of a bad bargain. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 171 The Rangers charged and poured several volleys into the raiders, who fell back to a strip of woods near the river, where they were re-enforced by two co1npanies under Col. Mosby in person. This force now fell upon Capt. Grubb, who, in turn, fell back, endeavoring. to save the conunand from as 1nuch damage as was pos­ sible. In this charge and countercharge Company A lost George Waters, killed ; Robert W. Hough and

Joseph Bagent1 badly wounded. Sergt. J. N. Johnson and John Coates were made prisoners. Company B lost Sergt. John W. Forsythe and Daniel Burnett, 1nade prisoners. Mosby reports his loss as two missing. These despatches, taken from the Official Records, vol. 43, refer to this raid : " PO!NT OF ROCKS, " October.I4, I864. '' Brig. Gen. STEPHENSON. '' SrR: The rebels reported crossing at White's Ferry and moving towards Frederick, the boatman says, with a large force. I have sent the Loudoun Rangers to 1neet the111. "B. SPENCE, " Captain Co1n1nanding·."

'' HARPERS FERRY' " October I 4, I864. ' ' Ca pt. SPENCE, "Point o.f Rocks, Md. "Move out with all your infantry force to assistance of Capt. Grubb. If there are not 1nore. than 2 50 cav­ alry you ought to whip them easily. "JOHN D. STEPHENSON, "Brigadier-General.''

'' POINT OF ROCKS, " October I4, I864-4 p. m.· '' Gen. ST~PHENSON. " I 111oved down the towpath to cut them off. '' B. SPENCE, '' Captain Conznzanding. '' . liIS'tORY OF

.Nove.mber-27th Mosby's, command was r~ported. to be near Leesburg. with a large force. Lieuts ... Graharn and Rhodes, with 39 men, crossed the Potomac late in the evenin:gi and 1narche.d until. about 2 o'clock a. m., rest-­ ing until 8 o'clock a. 111., N ove1n ber 28th. We ad vanc;ed towards, Leesburg, which was found to be occupied by a detaGhtnent of Mosby's .men. . Lieut. Rhodes led a charge-into town by the Winchester pike. On our ap.; proach Mosby's men· concealed the1nselves. in the town~ Two Confed.erate officers; mounted on fine horses, _en .. deavored to escape by going out the •pike. east.of town·~ Sergt. -Ed. T. \Vhite, John· S. De_nsmore, Joseph T. Ritchie and M.· II. Best gave chase.- CoL Cole1nan, of the 5th Virginia Cavalry, was soon· overtaken. The other officer,: riding a.lo.ng, gaunt, roan horse, bid fair to escape.· • While crossing the railroad his horse fell, pinning the rider to the ground. . As- our boys rode· up the officer cried out : '' Gentlemen, won't you please get thi's horse off of n1y leg?" Densmore; Ritchie, White·, and Best dismounted, and soon extricated Capt. Stn~th', A. A. G., of Gen.. Early's staff. He was a son of ex~ Governor " extra-Billy '' Smith. Our brief acquaint­ ance was exceptionally pleasant. As we took them back through ·I"'eesburg, some young ladies presented then1 with several friendly greenbacks to "cheer the.m on the way." Lieuts. Graha.~ and Rhodes marched their men for camp, going out _the Point of Rocks-road. • ' , ' , • I After we had passed the· Limestone the men began to. straggle-it was about 2 o'clock. : The 1nen had been in the saddle ever since :early morning, and would fall out of line, endeavoring to get something to eat. The col­ umn was stre~ched out about one tnile in length. As the head of the colu1nnapproached Paxton's Store, about 50 yards in their front, in a slight hollow on the Point of Rocks road, was .formed in line of battle 250 of Mosby' s men. They raised a yell and the firing began. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 1 73 rrhey recaptu1·ed our two prisoners and captured several of our boys beside. While this straggling in most .cases would have proved disastrous; yet in this case it saved· the companyfron1 heavy loss. Those who ·were near enough in front to go out.the Taylorstown road;were all captur~d, ·except Sam. Fry, who rode bnckski11 and escaped. · Those that were further in the rear escaped, with perhaps one or two exceptions.· . Sergts. James H. Beatty, M~, ·S. Gregg, and privates M. H. Best;. Henry Cole and others went out through the Whipmore farni, and were closely pressed by Mosby's men, led by Capt. Mountjoy~ , This force had captured M. S.·Gregg and were in close pursuit of the others. · M. H. Best turned in his saddle, took deliberate aim, fired, and killed Mountjoy, the ball en­ tering his· brain. This ·ended the -contest for the· day. In the confusion that followed, M~ S. Gregg ·escaped. Our loss in prisoners was Lieuts. R_hodes and Graham, John M. Davis, Webb Franklin, P. H~ Heater, Peter Fry, John Lenhart ; wounded,· Grahan1, Lenhart, Peter :Fry, andJacob Cordell. The latter was not captured. Mosby lost one killed, Capt. Mo1.1ntjoy, and four wounded. , After Sheridan· had n1ade the Shenandoah Valley tintenable for an ar111y, 1nany of the Confederates sought refuge in Loudoun, where · forage and supplies were tnore plentiful. The citizens in the German settlement had been greatly annoyed by raiders, principally Mosby's and White's 111e11, under John Moberly and French Bill. Th_is band generally had from t~o to twenty 1nen, and would entirely disappear when any number of Federal troops was 11 ear. Gen. Sheridan had instructed the co1n1nander at Harpers :Ferry, Gen. Stephenson, to break up this band if possible. · The matter was placed in the hands of the Range.rs, and had to be done by sn1all squads. Corporal S. E. Tritapoe, Joseph T. Ritchie, Joseph Fry, Company ll, HISTORY OF and Wilson Lathen, of Co1npany B, were ordered to Virginia N oven1 ber 30 for that purpose. It was learned that the band of maurad.ers was near Lovettsville. By the· aid of a light snow newly-1na:de horse tracks ,vere followed to the residence of Charles Johnson, a Union 1nan, where one of the rebels was found; he wa~ full of fight and began shooting at his captors. Finally, Tri­ tapoe and Ritchie clubbed the revolver out of his hand and 1nade hin1 their prisoner. This rebel was none other than French Bill, the uotoriou·s freebooter and 111urderer. He was a deserter fron1 both the 28th and the 6rst New York Infantry, a professional bounty ju111per, and was finally caught up with and fled and joined White's command, and became a boon con1panion ·of John Moberly, the guerilla. He and Moberly captured the surgeon. of the 6th Pennsy1 vania Cavalry and brutally murdered him. French Bill .was taken · to Point of Rocks and turned over to Capt. H. Bartnete, provost n1arshal, who had him taken to Harpers Ferry and placed in the custody of Gen. Stephenson. The following telegraphic co1~respondence, taken fron1 Offi­ cial Records, volun1e 43, part 2, pages 721-727, fur­ nishes the tragic climax of the case, as well as the swiftness of cold-blooded military law :

" POINT OF ROCKS, '' Decenzber I, I864-. " Brig. Gen. STEPHENSON. " * * * French Bill, of Ivioberly's freebooters,. was yesterday taken by Keyes' 1nen, I understand. If so, he is an in1portant capture, as he is a deserter fron1 the 28th New York Infantry. * * * · * Col. Root, of the 15th New York Cavalry, now at Pleasant Valley, will furnish you evidence against French Bill. Also a clerk in employ of Mr. Bush, who was sutler for 28th New York Infantry. I will bring hitn to Harpers Ferry. " D. HENRY BARTNETE, " Capta£n, etc." THE LOUDOUN 'RANGERS. 1 75

,, HARPERS FERRY, "December I, I864, " Maj. Gen. SHERIDAN. " * * * I caught French Bill yesterday, a 110- t

. "HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, '' Decenzber I, I864-I.45 p. nz. '' Gen. STEPHENSON. " Conzrnanding Distr1:ct of Harpers Ferry. "As soon as you can have fully ascertained that yon have French Bill as your prisoner, take hi111 out and hang hi111. · This will be your authority .. '·' p. H. SHERIDAN' " Major General Co1nmanding."

"HARPERS FERRY, December I, I864. "Maj. Gen. SHERIDAN. "I have, undoubtedly, French Bill. He will be hanged at 2 p. m. to-111orrow. · "JOHN D. STEJ>HENSON, " Brigadier General."

'' HARPERS FERRY, Deceniber 2, I864. " Gen. SHERIDAN. "French Bill has been hanged in accordance with orders. "JOHN D. STEPHENSON, "Brigadier General." - . HISTORY OF

The affair is thus mentioned in headquarters corres­ pondence:

« BERI~IN, December 6, 1864. '' Brig. Gen. JOHN D. STEPHENSON. " * * * Corporal Tritapoe, who took French Bill, shot one of Mosby' s men yesterday. He died this morning at Lovettsville. He is out again for more. " D. H. BARTNETE, " Capt. and Asst. Frovost Marshal.''

The old worm-eaten story that "one rebel can whip five Yankees" was made ridiculous by the following incirlent Sunday, December 4, 1864. Corporal Samuel E. Tritapoe and Mahlon H. Best obtained permission to visit their homes in Loudoun. This was the ground on which they obtained a pass to cross the river.· Their true 1nission was a sparking expedition. It is presu1ned the reader· is 1noderately well posted as to the nature of such expeditions, so that a fuller explanation is deen1ed unnecessary. They crossed the river on the ferry boat about one o'clock, going through Lovettsville, where the young ladies waved a "God bless you" at thetn. About one 111ile beyond, two men on horseback were noticed approach­ ing. Best jocularly re1narked, '' There co111e two Johnny rebs." As they met, all parties halted, with a pleasant " good afternoon." Corporal Tri tapoe asked then1 where they were going, etc. The reply was, '' we are hunting some cattle that disappeared while Sheridan was raiding and burning in the valley." Tritapoe began to get a little nervous, as he always did when going to see his best girl, and suggested to Best they had better ride on, but. Best was not in a hurry. In fact, he was never known to be in a hurry. He was sotnewhat of an investigative turn of n1ind. It was just like him to inquire what kind of tails the cattle Corp. S.-\.\\UEI. E. Ti?IL\POE. Co. A.

JVL\HLO:'\ H. BE~T, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 1 77 . had and if they \Vould have the same kind oftails when found, and if not, what kind of tails would they have, and a thousand of just such questions. On this occasion, however, he developed. a -freak .for trading. One of the rebels had a· new ·United States horse blanket,and Best bantered_ hi111 for a trade. ~rhe rebel· accepted, both dismounted and unbuckled· their saddles and traded blankets, even up:. The other rebel held Best's saddle while he arranged the blanket. In the meanti1ne, Tritap6e had ridden some little dis­ tance ahead. When everything was adjusted Best mounted and galloped off to catch up with Tritapoe ; greatly to the latter's annoyance, the two rebels were following then1. Tritapoe turned around aiid retnarked to the tw<) strangers if they continued·to follow them they would be arrested and taken to Harpers Ferry. The rebels did not heed this threat, but continued to follow. There was a sharp turn in the road and a barn standing on the extre111e angle, entirely obstructing the view beyond. One of the rebels rode up by the side of Best with a cocked revolver, heretofore concealed under his coat, and suddenly pushed it into his face, with the prompt de1nand to surrender, or he- would blow 'Best's head off. Both parties stopped still. . Best at first played possum, saying, ''Now, you wouldn't· shoot me, would you?" and as quick as a cat grabbed the rebel's revolver wi_th a grip of Hercules. N O\V the battle began in earnest, and there and then was brought on one of the liveliest and toughest -rough-and-tu in ble general engagements of the war. Tritapoe and the other rebel were having a lit­ tle private shooting match of their own. Whjle Best and the first rebel were pulling and heaving at the revolver for dear life-bang, bang-it vvas nip and tuck to keep the bullets from hitting the wrong 1nan, with the ad­ vantage decidedly favoring the rebel, because he held the butt end, while·. Best froze on to the end that shoots. R-I2 178 HISTORY OF The rebel would say, "Let go of 111y revolver, y.ou Yankee.". Best n1ade no reply, but pulled, and tussled; finally they pulled each other off their .horses,: both fall­ ing in a heap in the: road, bu_t neither let loose. of.-1the revolver. They wrenched, they pulled,· they twisted.

The rebel swore, but Best saved his wind an~. -pulled~ r. Both parties rallied to their feet but co.ntin.ued. th~ "tug of war'' with renewed vigor, ·Best made a des­ perate · pull-twist-jerk, and wren~hed the revolver fro111 the rebel's hand. The latter jutnped behindi .t~e barn, barely escaping a shot frotn his own weapon. Best now turned his guns on the forces- shooting at Tritapoe, the third shot bringing down his 1nan, wh? was 1nortally wounded ; he died the next day. Best and Tritapoe now turned their attention to the athlete that. jumped behind the barn, but he had escaped. This ended the battle. The Bavarian arn1y at Blenhie1n lost one-fourth of that army ; the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo lost one­ third of his army ; Gen. McDowell at first Bu.ll Run lost one-tenth of his arn1y; Gen. Lee at Gettysburg· lost .less than one-third of that army-but this engagement of Best and Tritapoe stands without a parallel. The ~ne111y lost all their horses, arms and munitions of war, one-half of their army was slain, while the other half escaped bare­ headed. . Best had his thn1nb terribly lacerated by the hammer of the rebel's revolver, and his paper collar smashed up generally. Tritapoe had two bullet holes- in his clothes ; neither was in a presentable condition to visit ladies, and they returned to can1p that evening with their booty~ It was a shot from Tritapoe's revolver that did the killing. . Capt. Keyes presented each of these heroes with the horse he captured as a partial recognitiqn ofhis bravery. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 1 79 . About the_first of Dece111ber Lie1:1t. G?ver, with 401nen, lef~ camp, crossing at Harpers Ferry, and going "Be­ tween·· the •Hills." · On :entering ·Hillsboro we· ·struck Company ·c, _•·Wh.ite's baftalio~; in co1nm~nd · of Capt. Sa111. E. Grubb. Lieut. Gover ·ordered a charge, driving them· through the village. In the· charge we captured fou~_of their ~en, including the commanding officer, who was wou11'ded. · One was killed, by the 11an1e of W. D. Gooding. Several of our horses and otie or two of the boys were hntt cp.arging over a stone fence. · We passed on through Wheatland, W at_erford and 'Lovettsville, re­ crossing the rivet' at Harpers Ferry. Th~- Capt. Grubb above refer~·ed to is the same one we. encountered at N eersville in September, 1863, pre- VlOUS. Dece111ber 24 Capt. Grubb, ·with· 20 men (Companies . . ·. A and B) disinohnted, crossed· 011 the ferry boat at 4 o'clock p. 111. to n1ake a reconnaissance _in Virginia. Geo. H. · Harper, Joseph Fry, Dan. Harper and Jack Virts, stopped for the night in the 1nountai11. Sergt. Fle111011 B. An_d~rson and Sergt. John P. Hick111an, Com­ pany A, _and Sergt. Geo. H. 'Hickn1an, Company B, · stopped at Taylorstown. Briscoe Goodhart and M. H. Best went to visit home folks. Capt. Grubb and the bal~nce of the squad continued on to Waterford, arriving at 7 o'clock p. 111. There were 200 of White's Confederate cavalry ca111ping one 1nile out of town. Mrs. Anderson, near Taylorstown, was giving a social party at her residence that evening. Her son, Sergt. .A .. nder:-;;on, John and George Hickman were present with other yo1111g folks, enj'oying the111selves. Sergt. Ander­ son was sitting beside a young lady, that rumor had was to be Mrs. Anderson so1ne day. About 9 o'clock the house was surrounded by r6 of "\¥h1te's and Mosby's n1en. Ten of· thetn entered the front door,·, ,vith drawn ·revolvers. Sergt. Anderson· 180 HISTORY OF atte1npted to escape by the back door, being n~ar. there. As he_ arose his saber hook caught the chair back.__ In attempting to make his exit the chair caught on tl~e door casing. While extricating-himself.about ten shots , ' ' . were fired at him, three taking effect. With revolve_r in h.apd he was :fighting like a tiger. As he gained_ the outside. of the door he wa$ shot through the head. In falling, his mother caught him in her arms, and. he p to further bulldozing. Both of the Hickmans were excellent soldiers. _In this affair the rebels. had three wonnded-_Lieut. <;:;.hew, mortally, who died a few days afterwards. - Eben Si1npson was badly wounded. A sleigh was_ taken fro1n Jule Fry, in which their wounded were conveyed to Mount Gilead that night. The Fry house was ~earched twice for George H. and D. J. Harper, Joseph Fry, 8:nd Jack Virts, who had left a few minutes before. _ Capt. Grubb left Waterford on his return at 10 o'clock, arriving at Col. Giddings' at 12 o'clock mid­ ~ight, where he retnained for the night, and left the next morning, Decen1ber 25th, at daylight. - Before a_rri ving at Taylorsto,vn they learned of the sad and >:r'HE LOUDOUN RANGERS. r8r. unfortun~te affair at Mrs. Anderson's. While stopping" to view for the last time the retnains of Sergt. And~r- - son, who had n1arched by his side only a few hour?: be­ fore, the tears rolled down Capt. Grubb's cheek., Sergt. - Fletnon Benjatnin Anderson was buried in Union Cemetery at Waterford, the next day, Monday,· December 26th. The balance of the squad returned to camp' at r-r o':clock, with heavy hearts. ·As has been intimated in the course of this narrative, th_e Rangers were a 1noderately favored class wit4 the fair sex. All those that developed the slightest interest in m:1tritnonial lines could with sotne slight ·effort enjoy reciprocity in that direction. In fact, each had his lady love. The old adage, '' True love does 1i'ot ru1i smooth," had, however, no exception in war ti1nes, dt among the Rangers.· One of the fighting corporals of Cotnpany A 9:ad, been very aggressive in his ca1npaign with Cupid. He h8:d,

, often contended against great odds, but his st,rategy1 con:ibined with his "-staying qualities" ·when atTIOJ.?-g. the ladies, had never failed him. Nearly every 111aq· brought encoul:'"agement to his heart, until ·during Jan­ uary, i865, he received a letter that seemed to b1ast all hopes forever. His best girl had evidently been liste.11_~ ing to so1ne rebel. . She wrote: '' In view of the uncer-· tainty of the war, and in_ case we get married and the Confederates are succe;;;sful,. as recent develop1nents · seen1 to indicate, you would not be allowed. to· re1na~i1 at horne, and under such circumstances I dee1n it be~t for all concerned to sever our engage1nent." This letter seen1ed at first to bring disappointinent to . . \ . all hi~ plans ; but, as has been stated, he possessed_ staying qualities in an i1n111ense degree, and res,olv~d: anew that the rebellion should be pnt down if he_ 9-ad, 182 i-{ISTOR Y OF to do it hi1nself, as that see:ned to' stand in his road · to future happh1ess. Subsequent develop111ents see1ned to indicate that the corporal showed this letter to his confidential friends, and it soon got to be the news o.f t_he camp. By s0ine unknown way it fell into the hands of Sergt. Ja1nes ·H. Beatty, who i1n1nediately pinned it on the front -of· the corporal'.s tent. The boys1 _ supposi11g it ·was .a bulletin from s0111e recent battle, gathered aroun_d to _read. About this time the corporal appeared, very angry, and then the entire C:l111p yelled, " The corporal's .gi~~l has gone back on hi1n." He dre~ his revolver and threat­ ene_d to shoot the one who had put th~ letter on _his te_nt ; but, of course, no one knew. _ It is_ but fair to state that the corporal dealt the Confederacy sotne ~1eavy blows afterwards, and when peace re~gned. snpre111e _he c1ain1ed his bride, and ,vas 111arried, and to-day enjoys the company of several younger "corpor~ls," that h~ve co1ne to call hin1 ·papa. During the 111011th of February, Sergt. Jn111es H. Beatty, ~enry Hough, Joe Ritchi~, and George Davis obta1ned pern1ission. to go to I-1oudoun. The river was high nn~ roads were 1nuddy, so the boys left _their horses at ca111p and went on foot. Near Downey's still-house they struck the trail of four of Mosby's guerillas. The rebels had arrived at the still, disn1ounted, and gone into the house and filled their canteens with whisky. _Sergt. Beatty and his 1nen took position in the wagon· shed. Whet~ the rebels catne 011:t to get on their horses, Sergt. Beatty's crew r·ushed out of the shed and opened . fire on the enen1y, capturing all four before they had ti1ne to draw their revolvers. Fro1n their foes our boys got eig~t re­ volvers and four exc·enent horses. One of the rebels-was dubbed "Maj. Hibbs." He was one of Mosby's despe-r­ ate characters, but ·not an officer, si1nply plain '' Bill Hibbs." Another ,vas Capt. Jan1es-a lieutenant-:a 'rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. judge-these titles were all assumed.- Our boys mouht~d their· ·horses and marched the four rebels ten ·paces in -front, and iti this order they were taken to camp. · ·

! · ll: few weeks later Sergt. Beatty, Henry Hough and Johi1 -Hickmall' went to Downey's. On entering the patlor, orte of· Mosby's men was sitting talking to Mrs. Downey. Our boys took charge of hin1 and asked him where his arins •-were, when he pointed to a chair ·in a cor·ner· of· the · room and -said, '' There they are." · He never tried to get then1, and did not seem to care whether the school kept, or not rr-he-·first of March the comn1and 1noved again to the Shenandoah Valley, ca1nping near Keyes Switch,_ on the· Shenandoah River. This section was first brought to public notice by George Washington, who established the first arsenal in• the United States at Harpers Ferry (originally called Shenandoah Falls), soon after the Re vol uti'onari War. There were kept here, before the wa"r, abot1t75,ooo 1nuskets. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal• was• I for • n1any years the only 1neans of transporta-• ' tion: to -and frotn Washington. The Harpers Ferry Arsenal,' or Annory, was estab­ lished· 1 in r 796, ,v hile George Washington was serving his second term as President -of the United States.

There was purchased -nearly r,700 acres of · - ground -at a :cost of ...... $45,477 The impro.ven1ents, consisting of buildings, water power, da1ns, etc., cost . - . . r, 787,430

Total .... -. . . $1,832,907 Machinery and tools . $379,795 Material ·and patterns 193,616 A-rms, etc.·; in store . 285,146

Total U. S. property . HISTORY· OF

, N. ear Charlesto\\n1 there lived a trio of officers in the R·evolutionary War whose histories were sadly sitnilar­ Horatio, .Gates, Charles_ Lee, and Adan1 .Stephen--all three were with Washington at Braddock's defeat, all were wounded, all heca111e general officers in the Con­ tinental ar1ny, all were court-1nartialed -for 1nisconduct on the field of battle and-all-found guilty. Near Harpers, Ferry, on the Poto111ac, there was in­ vented by Jan1es Ramsey", in 1785, the first steamboat in the world, the machinery of which is now on exhibition in the National M useun1 at -yv ash'ington. The fa1nous Shenandoah Valley, an Indian 11a111e·, was originally called .'' Gerando. '-' The Valley was first set­ tled in about .r730, or 1732. This_ section drank long and d<=ep of the bitter cup .of war, in fact it was one con­ tinuous battle field for four long years. _ The traveler passing fro1n Harpers Ferry, or Shepherdstown, to Staun­ ton, a distance of 150 111iles, is never out of sight of a bat­ tlefield. The second battle of the war was fought here at Harpers Fe~ry, April r8, r86r, six days after Pert Sum­ ter was bon1barded, and one day before the 6th Mass­ achusetts was n1obbed in the streets of Baltin1ore. There ,vere no less than r 75 -battles fought in the Valley fro1n r86r to 1865. S01ne localities can -boast of as 1nany as fourteen engage1nents, Wi11chester having had that num­ ber, and in ten of those battles artillery was used. Front Royal, Berryville; Charlestown, Harpers Ferry, and Shepherdstown lay claim to one dozen batt-les each. Shenandoah Valley is often referred to in history as the "Valley of Humiliation " and the ''Valley of Death," which is literally true in hundreds of cases. It was the valley of hutniliation to Gen. Banks at Front Royal, to Gen. Milroy at Winchester, but doubly so to Gen. Early at Cedar Creek, at Fisher's Hill, and at Waynsboro. Why this valley should be selected as the stage where bloody and dratnatic scenes of war were enacted was, probably, 'rHE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 185 because of its importance-a goodly land, that litera1ly flowed with milk and honey. ·. Previous to the war the farms produced forty to fifty bushels of wheat to the acre, and .will do the sa1ne to­ day with proper tillage. It "·as also studded with flour a~1d grist mills and factories, and the choicest of fruits in great abundance. Many Federal soldiers who served here during the war were so favorably impressed with this Garden of Eden of Virginia, that after the final act at Appo1nattox, where the curtain rolled down and shut out forever, let us hope, the bloody scene~ settled here and are to-day enjoying the· fruits of their labors under their own vine and fig tree. As to the Confederacy, their choicest blood was poured out here like water that they 1night retain possession of this goodly laud; and how well they succeeded, the hun­ dreds and thousands of grassy 111ounds between Harpers Ferry and Staunton will testify .. It was also the natural gateway between the North and the South ; the Confede­ rate arn1y always passed through this valley going to, or coming from, invading the North. · Both after .A.n tietan1 and after Gettysburg their shattered anuies sought refuge a1:1d recuperation in the Shenandoah Valley. The fight­ ing in the ·valley was exceedingly aggressive when cav­ alry and light artillery took a prominent part. The ten cavalry regiments that Eiuffered the greatest loss of any n1ounted troops during the war, na1nely, rst l\'.Iaine, rst V.ermont, 1st New York Dragoons, rst New Jersey, 5th a11d 6th Michigan, 2d New York, 11th Pennsylvania, and 8th Illinois, won their laurels in the valley with Sheridan and Custer. The future historian vyill find 111uch here to repay for research. We turn in vain to fiction to find where the I • hun1an mind in all its fertility of in1agination has por- trayed anything to compare with the battles of Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill. Sheridan's ride stands without 186 HISTORY OF a- para.Ile 1.. That which- was actually· fought out and demonstrated, the poet, artist- ~rid dramatist have lov~d to dw·ell on this scene, and hav·e given to poetry and song s'ome of its brighest gems. · Trowbridge says the Shenandoah Valley was st1p­ posed to have been. a vast lake, . or inland sea, that poured its majestic waters over the Blue' -~idge, ·at Harpers Fetty, forming a catara·ct that dwarfed·Niagara Falls •into ·insignificailce. As this is beyond· 'the ·scop·e of this work, we shall not present :evidence to substan­ tiate the · above claim, but ·leave the .. reader to investi­ gate for .hin1self. Charlestown is loaded down with war history.· Gen. Braddock's ar1ny bivouacked here a~t'er its defeat in vveste~n Pe,nnsylvania. '' Brad~ock's Well/' abotit half a 1nile west of town, is pointed out to the strai1get, ··a11d had it been anything else but ·a well would have be~r1 carried off long_ ago as a ,var relic. D1u{ng. the '1ate war both F·ederals.and Confederatei·slaked their thirst fro1n this fountai11. Tradition ·says this well was dug at the suggestion of Gen. Braddock's chief Of. staff,: who vvas 110 · other than Col. Washington, afterwards Geil. Washington and President George Wash1~g'to'~1. · The town was natned after the colonel's brother, Charles._ ' It was also the 1~0111e of -that talented ~Col., D. H. Strother, "Porte Crayon,;' historian and artist~ the pro­ genitor of illustrated· 111agazine articles which are now so popular ; he was colonel of the 3d W. est Virginia ' . ' . Cavalry Regiment. President Andrew Johnson ap- pointed hi111 Minister to Mexico in 1866. He died in 1886, rich in honors. It washereJohn_.Brown was brough_t fro1n Harpers Ferry for trial, here convicted, ai1d µere executed. for alleged treason, by being publicly hanged in an .open field adjoining town, Dece1uber 2, 1859. ffHE L6UDOUN RANGERS.

'' The case dismissed, the record closed, The court adjournecl, yet his soul

Went marching 011."

The cause for which he died grew stronger and strong~r ,vith every pulsation of the great An1erican heartr until .it finally crushed out and expunged for­ eyer ,fi-:01;n .the Consti_tution that foul blot of slavery. Tp_ere lived ~ very interesting character about three 111iles south of town, on the Berryville pike, by -the na1ne of- Jin1 Roper, who had quite a ren1arkable war history. : Perhaps- the word war 1night be less en1phatic ; in -reality, he did not have any \var history. The story is. a. kind of a co1npro1nise between a tragedy and a romance. · · During the Mexican War every able-bodied 111an in this -section was ordered to t?.k·e up ar1ns and 1narch with.Gen. Scott to Mexico. This 1nan, Roper, vvho was of E11.glish ;descent,· had in1n1ense possessions, and it grieved his heart to leave thetn. He had a very dark co111- plexio1T, and to escape going to war he swore he had African blood in his- veins. The schetne \vorked like a char1n:; in fact, it worked a little too well; it not only kept hi1n out of th~ war, bnt it kept hi111 and his fa111ily out of society the rest of their days. Notwithstanding his g-reat.wealth his i1eighbors shunned hin1 as they would a · case of s1nall pox. · He had severalfine-looking daughters, but t~ey found no admirers in the neighborhood~ So far as co111pany was concerned, they had just as well lived in the desert of Sahara. The ·old gentlen1a11 ·had several fine far1ns and offered one with each of his _daughters to any 1nan that would 1narry one, but the induce1nent did not prove 'sufficient for investors in live stock, . until the 'close of the late war, one of E. V. White's Con- federate guerrillas, by the na1ne of Charles Cooper, 188 HISTORY OF

1narried one of the daughters and got his fann .. About the same titne a German; by the name of William $hultz, who belonged to a New York regiment and "fit 1nit Sigel,'' married the other daughter and. got his farm also. The old gentle111an was shrewd enough to deed the farms to his daughters and their children. The last we heard of Cooper he had sold off all the good timber fro1n his farm to raise a little cash~ without "".Vork, and had squandered that and was about strapped. Shultz, co1ning- from a race that had practiced great econo1ny and industry, and had not forgotten these 1naxitns in his new ho1ne, is now one of the successful farmers of the valley. The old gentleman died· jn 1870.: Berryville is another interesting old town, also known as Battletown. This place was the scene of a number of severe e11gage1nents. Gen. Geary crossed . swords here with Turner Ashby ; later Banks contended for s11pre1nacy with Jackson ; next co111es ~~Iilroy and Jack­ son, then Crook and I1nboden. Wilson and Early fought a desperate battle here in the fall of 1864, nearly 8,000 cavalry being engaged: It was near here that Maj. Chap111an surrendered Mosby's co1nmand, ~pril r7, 1865, to Gen~ Hancock's con1mand. Less than a dozen miles fro111 here his command murdered six men1bers of the 5th Michigan cavalry about six months before. ·After such a career for.four years they were allowed to go in peace. Verily, the fragrance of the apple blosso111s at Appo- 1nattox _cast their mellowing influence to Berryville. Sacred Writ furnishes the only parallel, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crin1son, they shall be as wool.'' Berryville was also the home of John Esten Cooke, the Confederate historian, also a n1e1n ber of Gen. Lee's staff. He wrote the lives of Gens. Lee, Stonewall Jack­ son, Jeb Stuart, etc., and he wrote quite a. number of ·works of fiction founded on the late war, of which t];ie THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 189 principal was " Surrey of Eagle's Nest," a work of considerable 1nerit and of a wide circulation, particu­ larly in the South. A·bout five 1niles southwest of Berryville in April, 1862, occurred one of the darkest, saddest and most in­ excusable' blunders of the entire war. ·Gen. Banks' army lay in the Valley near White Post. Blenker's division was at Paris, east of the Shenandoah River, · near Snicker's Gap, and was ordered to Mill­ wood, west of the river, and to cross at Berry's Ferry. The stream was sw·ollen and very deep at this point, ,vith swift current, ,vith one old scow about 25 feet long to ferry them across. Gen. Bohlen's Brigade was cross­ ing, the 54th and 58th New York and 74th Pennsyl­ va.nia had crossed. Gen. Bohlen become itnpatient at this slow process, and in his rage, forgetting the old 111axin1 of his own people (Ger1nan), "slow bnt sure," proposed to take the short but very dangerous road {o fame, and ordered his own regi111ent, the 75th Pennsyl­ vania, to cross, putting 60 1nen of Co1npanies ...~ and B on board, when only 15 men had been taken over be­ fore ; and to· economize space, as he clai1ned, he ordered· every man to strap his knapsack on his back, packed the n1en on as closely as they could stand, and started for the other shore. This excessive load caused the boat to begin to dip water from the start, and as .the craft struck the current it sank, and 60 patriots went down to a watery grave. Every one of them was drowned, none of then1 · ever rose to the surface, and not a body was ever recovered for respectable burial. Had not Gen. Bohlen borne such an excellent reputa­ tion as a soldier, thoroughly infused with the spirit of patriotism, he would have been sum1narily dealt with ; as it was, considerable loud talk v;:as indulged in against hi111. The feeling was such that his usefuluess in the brigade was ended, and at his own request he 190 HISTORY OF was transferred immediately and assigned to McDowell's division, where he comn1anded a brigade on the Rappa.;. bannock. Driven by re111orse on account. of the fatal, error he committed on the Shenandoah, he. resol.y~.dr to redee111 himself in the confidence of his· countrymen, and, in leading a gallant charge at F.reeman's Ford on the Rappahanno~k, four months later, August 22, 1862, he ,vas riddled with rebel bullets and fell, a com:.. plete· sacrifice, on the altar of his ·country. Let it be said to his credit he died facing the enen1y, and.· his exan1 ple ought to have been follo,ved by son1e of the other early co111n1anders of the Anny of the Potomac, whenever an error was 1nade. J:i'ive 111iles southwest of Millwood is White Post, a very interesting locality, now a s1nall vil1age, -which takes its name from a large white post erected by Gen~ George Washington. This ancient land1nark stands in tl1e cei;iter of the road, three feet thick at base and run­ ning up 15 feet in height to a -point. It is inclosed by a· chain railing for protection. It was erected to mark ·the center of that vast estate of Lord Fairfax, nearly six n1illion acres, granted by the English Crown/ e1nbrac­ ing- the territory between the Potomac and the Rappa­ hannock Rivers, and east C?f the Alleghany Mountains. General Washington surveyed this estate when he was less than twenty years old. This was his introduction to public notice. Lord Fairfax erected near -here his residence·, known as "Greenway Court." It was one of the hau!lts of Washington. When the news of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to Gen. Washington reached Lord Fairfax, who was very 111uch attached to the _British 'Cro'-'rn, he said to his body servant, '' Put 111e to bed, Joe ; ·it is tin1e to die," and it was his death bed. He u·ever rallied, and died December 10, 1781. THE LOUDOUN. RANGERS. r9r

CHAPJ'ER XIII.

BAcK i'o HARPERS FERRY-THE RAID To ·UPPERVILLE AND MID­ DLEBURG-FIGHT AT HAMILTON-CAPT. KEYES RESIGNED ON ACCOUNT OF WOUNDS-( APT GRUBB COMMANDS THE BATTALION -KEYES' SWITCH-JOHN MOBERLY-LEE: SURRENDERS-THE \VAR IS OVER-RETROSPECTIVE-WAR FINANCES.

-March -.20 an expedition ,vas started from Harpers Ferry on an extended raid into Virginia, under sealed orders-that is, the expedition was to go to Upperville, Fauquier County, where the orders were to be opened, etc. The raid was to be made with the following troops: Companies A and B, Loudoun Rangers, Capt Grubb ; :five con1panies of the r2th Pennsylvania Cavalry, con1- -manded by Col. Reno ; eight. co111panies of rst United States Infantry, comtnanded by Lieut. Col. Bird, and t\ivo pieces of light artillery.. Col. Reno was in con1- mand of the expedition. We left Harpers Ferry about 1 o'clock, crossing the Shenandoah River, going ~, Between the Hills." .A:t Hillsboro we struck a squad of rebels, capturing five who :were sent back to Harpers Ferry. The expedition 1noved on, and stopped for the night near Wood Grove. Our· pickets were fired into several tin1es during the night. The next 111orning, lVIarch 2r, we 1narched to Pur­ cellville, where the rebels were encountered in son1e force; ·opened a bushwacking engage1nent on all sides, but woul9- not co111e·near enough for our forces to strike with -effect. The colun1n 111arched do,vn the pike to­ wards Ha1nilton, and the rebels marched along para1lel ,vith our colu1nn, but kept about half a 1nile aw~y. They were also in s>Ur advance and rear about the sa1ne distance. Whenever a hill or ravine would protect them they would cra,vl near enough to the road to bush- HISTORY OF

,v3ck us, and we kept out a skin11ish line on each side and rear, and an advance guard to prevent a surprise. At Hamilton the rebels made a stand and endeavored to draw our forces into a trap. There is a crossroad run­ ning due south. On this road the enetny attacked our skinnish line, driving them in. The rebels slowly fell back into a piece of woods where their 1nain force was concealed. As our cavalry advanced to a small rise of ground in the woods, the e11en1y suddenly charged from their ambush and drove our cavalry back in s0111e con­ fusion to near t1ie pike, when our infantry opened on the rebels, driving the111 pell-111ell in every directioh. In this engage111ent we lost nine killed and about twenty wounded and five prisoners. The rebels left three killed on the field and an artillery officer, named Chew, dangerously wounded. Their wounded that could be 111oved were taken with the111. It was learned after­ wards they had two deaths among their wounded. The rebel forces engaged were 1\ifosby's, White's, and Early's co111n1ands. The rebel officer left belonged to Bradley T. Johnson's brigade of Early's corps. Our forces camped for the night in Hamilton. We buried our dead that evening in the graveyard adjoin­ ing town. It rained hard during evening and the early part of the night. Our pickets were fired into during the night, as usual. The next tnorning, l\tlarch 22, our colu1nn 1noved back to Purcellville, with the same bushwhacking crowd on our flanks and rear. V:J" e continued on the pike to Snickersville, ,vhere we turned south, stopping for the night near Bloon1.field. Here the bushwhackers 111ade sotne demonstration, particularly in noise. March 23 we n1oved into U pperville, where the rebels were found in so1ne force, but they withdrew on our ar­ rival. We picked up two stragglers in the streets. The direction was changed here to east. The bushwhackers \,VHITE POST.-Erected by George Was!Jing·ton and Lord Fairfax. to mark the center of that vast estate granted to Lord Fairfax by the British Crown; also to direct the traveler to "Greenway Court."

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 193 v-Vere n1ore annoying than ever. They would attack our force with terrific yelling and fire a few shots, but would· not venture near enough to get hurt. While our column was crossing Goose Creek bridge Mosby 1nade an unsuc­ cessful effort to capture our wagon train, or run it off in­ to the creek. The enemy was concealed in a hollow near the bridge, and after our troops had crossed they were to rush upon the train and capture or destroy it. There were several squads of the enen1y stationed on the hills in full view of _the bridge, and at the proper time they were to signal with looking glasses for their main force to charge. The Rangers crossed about ten 111inutes in advance of the other troops anLoudoun Valley to capture or kill Moberly and his THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. r95 band. The band had, at 111ost, about twelve men, although generally only three or four. . 'rhis squad of the Rangers learned where Moberly was expected to be, and endeavored to catch him atthat place. They concealed thernselves and waited, and it was not long before he approached, coming down the road, with dra\\"11 saber, chasing a negro boy who was driving a cart. The boy was badly frightened, which Moberly seemed to_ enjoy. . As he approached, our boys rose to their feet and de111anded a surrender. Moberly lay down in his saddle) put spurs to his swift-footed horse, and, n1aking a sharp turn in the road, darted out of sight. Every one of our boys fired-at him at close range, but did not strike hi1n. We were on toot and could not follow, but returned to camp without the coveted game. A few days aft~r, Capt. Keyes resigned, on account of a broken leg, and Lieut. Gover acted as captain of Com­ pany A, while Capt. Grubb, of Con1pany B, commanded the battalion to the close of the war.- April 1 news arrived that Petersburg had fallen. Five days later the same wires brought news of the evacuation of Rich1nond. This news was enjoyed by all. The co1nmand was ca1nped on the Shenandoah River, while twenty men of Company A were detailed on special duty at the provost marshal's office in Harpers Ferry. · · April 5 parts of Con1panies A and B were absent on a raid, leaving the can1p in charge of Lieut. Gover, with fragments of both co1npanies. The Confederate army had been defeated at every recent engagement, and we ,vere daily expecting to hear of its collapse. In such a state of expectancy 1nilitary discipline was at a low ebb. April 6 the com1nand, or rather what few were at the c·a.1np, were taking their ease when a body of about 250 men in blue unifor111 approached fron1 the north­ west, or the Charlestown pike ; little attention was HISTORY OF given, as it was supposed this was a body of Custer's cavalry, that was known to be in the Valley. The column came ~p to less than 50 yards, when they dashed into onr camp, capturing the majority of the few that were there. This force proved to be Mosby's co111mand, who thus approached onr camp under the guise of Fed­ eral troops. We had about 20 broken-down horses in camp, and 1nost of thetn were taken. As they undertook to recross the Shenandoah River our pickets, that were stationed there in charge of George V. Kern, opened fire on them, wounding several. One picket, Frank Kid­ well, of Cotnpany B, was dangerously wounded, and left on the field for dead. Rich111.ond having fallen into Federal hands, these prisoners ,vere kept in custody by l\!Iosby about one week and paroled. Eleven days after this event this sa1ne co1nmand (Mosby's) surrendered to the troops of our corps (Eighth) near Berryville. April r r the news flashed over the wires that Gen. I"'ee's army had surrendered. This was no great sur­ prise, as we were daily expecting such news. April 15, while this country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, was happy ·in the thought that the ,var was about over, the people were suddenly cast down in great sorrow over the unfortunate and untitnelv., death of the i u1n1ortal Lincoln. Vice-President Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, vvas sworn in as President of the United States. During the spring of 1865 the guerilla, John. Moberly, and his gang had become such a terror to that section of Virginia that to stand him longer was impossible. They n1nrdered citizens and took their property and converted it to their own use with­ out cause or provocation. Th_ey also gathered up negroes and. took the1n to parties ,vhom he asked to take them into the Union lines and enlist them in THE LOUDOUN RAXGERS. the Union anny and get the bounty and divide with him. Gen. Stephenson, commanding at Harpers Ferry, fully determined to break up· this outrageous business. .. April r son1e of the citizens of that section proposed to Gen. Stephenson that if the Government would ,com­ pensate them liberally, and also furnish them with means to live away from hon1e, they would pilot a squad of soldiers to Moberly's retreat, where he and his gang could be either. killed or captured. Gen. Stephenson referred the matter to Gen. Hancock, who was in comma1id of the department. Gen.· Han;.. cock opposed offering a reward openly, but stated in ·a cotntnnnication that the parties would be liberally re­ warded in proportion to their services, .and- approved the measure . . . Monday, April 3, Gen. Stephenson 0rdered the co1n­ mander of the Rangers to send to his headquarters a squad of three men. The men selected were Sergt. Charles B. Stewart,· Company B, Joseph Waters and lVI. H. Best, Company A, and they with three citizens proceeded to Virginia on foot. _ . The general informed Sergt. Stewart that he was to ·proceed, with a guide, to the 1nountains, where Moberly would probably be found, and capture, or kill hin1, and bring hitn to the Ferry. Stewart proceeded to the Short Hill, where he learned from reliable citizens that Moberly would be at a ce.rtain rendezvous some time the next day. Stewart's party rested for the night in a barn, and the next day proceeded to the appointed place, concealed then1selves in a hay loft, and_ waited devel­ opments. In the afternoon of April 5, Moberly, ac­ COtJ?-panied by one man, approached directly towards ~here Ste·wart's 1nen were concealed. Moberly ro~e into the barnyard, and under a shed, Stewart's men noiv revealed themselves, with drawn revolvers, when Mo­ berly _was hear_d to proclain1, '' Oh, Lord, I a111 gone." HIS'l'OR y· OF

....i\.11 fired, and Moberly fell fro111 hi~; horse, dead, thus ending his career. The other rebel, vvho was some distance behind him, turned his horse and escaped. On Moberly's tombstone, erected by his lady friends, is found this epitaph: " Ire has fought his last battle, He sleeps bis last sleep, No sound on earth can awake him to glory again.'' The next-day the dead rebel's boon con1panions vis­ ited the place where their leader was killed, and bnrned the barn and contents of hay, grain, etc., and Uncle Sam paid the owner, Luther H. Potterfield, $2,500. The parties received $1,000, besides their expenses while living at Harpers Ferry, but the Rangers gqt no part of it. The following correspondence, on file in the War Department, refers to the case :

'' HARPERS FERRY, April 5, I865. "E. M. STANTON. "I sent out, on Monday, a srnall party to wipe out the notorious guerilla, }Ioberly, and his band. They returned to-day with the body of Moberly, and in the fight tnortally wounded his right-band 1nan, Riley. "Respectfully, "J. D. STEPHE~SON, '' Brig.- Gen. l,01nnzand-ing·."

''WAR DEPARTMENT, " Washington, April 5, 1865. " Brig. -Gen. STEPHENSON, Harpers. Ferry. '' Accept the thanks of the Department for your dili­ gence, skill, and success in the achieve1nent mentioned in your telegratu of this date. "EDWIN M. STANTON, '~ Secretary o_f War.,> THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 199 . About the 20th of April Capt. E. W. i\.ndrews (5th New York Heavy Artillery), provost marshal at Harpers Ferry, received a dispatch from Washington stating that parties supposed to be implicated in the assassination of the late President Lincoln were near Hagerstown, J.\,ld., and to proceed. in1111ediately to that point and arrest all parties under such charge. Capt. Andrews, with- a11 escort of 20 of the Rangers, under Sergt. Joseph T. Divine, start~d fron1 Harpers Ferry about 3 o'clock p. 1n., and ar­ rived at H_agersto,vn about 7 o'clock p. n1. · He went four n1iles into the country and arrested the suspected parties and lodged then1 in the Hagerstown jail. We ren1ained all night at Hagerstown. During the early part of the night, John Mc Devitt imbibed a .little freely of '' co1nmissary," and climbed up on s0111e boxes in front of the Washington House, and went to sleep. While in this condition he rolled off and fell to the siqewalk, a distance of about twelve feet. The fall nearly killed him, but he recovered sufficiently to be taken to Harpers Ferry the next day, where he was laid up for repairs for several days. _.A .. pril 26 Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Gen. Shern1an. May 20 Gen. E. Kirby Sn1ith surrendered. This was the last of the organized forces of the·Confr,deracy. The Federal troops began to be mustered out of . se_rv1ce. May 30 the Independ~nt Loudoun (Va.) Rai1gers were 111ustered out at Bolivar, West Va., lacking twenty . i days of serving three years. They were glad the war was over; glad that the prin­ ciples for which they fought had triu1n phed ; glad that the question \Vas settled forever-that this is a Nation and not a confederation of States ; glad that the arbitra­ men_t of arn1s, the court of last resort, had decreed that slavery should ~10 longer degrade American labor; glad 200 HISTORY OF they were part and parcel of a Nation that shall stand without a parallel on the face of the earth.

Re tros_pective.

If you ask the veteran of either side when the war · began he will tell you r86r. That is correct, so far as open hostilities js concerned; but in reality th~ war began with the first i111portation of African slaves in 1619, over eighteen months before the Puritans landed on Ply1nouth Rock. It was not the difference in people that fostered slavery in America; neither was it the climate. It was the chosen methods rather than either. The English Cavalier an

TVar Finances.

vVhen President Lincoln ca111e into office, the 4th day of March, r86r, he found the public treasury e1npty, the National debt over $76,000,000, and the Govern- 1nent borrowing 1noney at 12 per cent. In less than sixty days public confidence had been sufficiently re­ stored to enable the Administration to negotiate a loan of over $5,000, ooo at 6 per cent. Aft<::r the co1n111ence­ n1ent of the war public credit became temporarily itn­ paired, which necessitated an additional loan of $7, ooo, - ooo, at ro per cent. The tariff was low, producing an incotne of but about $30,000,000 annually. The Presi­ dent convened Congress July 4, r86r.. That body passed an act July 17, r86r, for the issue of nearly $300,000,000 Treasury notes. "The baby was born, and its name was Greenback." . The National Banking Law was enacted by this Co:1gress. The Govern111ent \.vas now provided with an1ple funds to carry on the war, although the ter­ rible strain on the country depreciated the currency to a considerable extent. The private soldier's pay was $r3 per month, with rations and clothing, and it cost the Government over $r,ooo per year to maintain each sol­ dier in the field . .l\.t th.e beginning of 1862 there ,vas a pre1niu111 of 2 202 HISTORY OF' per cent.· on gold; at the end of that year it was '33 per per cent.; Dece1nbet, 1863, it was $1.50; June, 1864, it was $2, n1aking the greenback dollar worth just 50 cents July 11, 1864. When the rebel arn1y of Gen. Early was encan1ped at Silver Springs, a suburb of Washington, preparing to attack the Capital, gold touched.its high-water 1nark, $2.85. By the census of 1860 the real and personal property of the United States was over sixteen thousand million dollars. The actual cost of the war, not including pen­ sions, was about half of that amount, or, in other words, the cost of the war placed a tnortgage of 50 cents on every $r in the United States. A protective tariff was enacted. Congress also passed a direct, or income tax, whereby the enonnous expense of carrying on the \var was to be obtained by an equita­ ble distribution of the burdens an1ong the 1nasses. All luxuries ·were heavily taxed, while the necessaries of life were n1oderately taxed.

Confederate Finances. ,.rhe Confederate finances vvere erratic and adventurous from the beginning. There appears to be no record, or report to be found an1ong the rebel archives giving the arnount of n1oney issued by that governn1ent, yet there is evidence that the a111ount far exceeded the co111 biued value of the real and the personal property· in the seceded States. It was issued by the million in Mont­ gomery and Rich111011d; and in addition in the Southern States, s01ne county courts were em powered to issue such an1ounts as '' were necessary '' to n1eet the " various wants" of the authorities in support of the Confederacy, etc. In fact, the only lin1it to the volu1ne of Confed"" erate money was in the capacity of the presses to print it. On one occasion the Secretary of the Confederate Treas­ ury sent to their congress a report in which was stated the THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. outstanding debt. The next day the report ,vas with­ drawn on account of a trifling error-the erro~ was $400,000,000. What the stun total · must have been would baffle the i111agiuation of a Wall street 111agnate. · Thjs money .rapidly depreciated· until there was. but little, i(any, value to it, aside fro111 what it was worth for old paper. After the battle of Chancellorsville, when Confederate hopes seemed brightest, their n1oney went beg-ging in Richn1ond at $1 for ten cents in greenbacks. At the close of 1864 it took $500 in Confederate money to buy $1 in greenbacks in Richtnond . . The following story will illustrate the value the 1,ub­ lic placed on that money : A countryman was riding a con1mon scrub through their catnp, when an officer hailed hi111, offering hiln $50,000 for the anitnal. The rider gruffly rep1ied, " No, sir; I just paid $r,oo8 to have hitn curried this 111orning. '' The South largely abandoned raising cotton and farming during the war, and, \Vith but few factories, there was cotnparatively little revenue to be derived from any source. The governn1ent was not de111ocratic in forn1, but rather had 111onarchical tendencies. The edict of their President was altnost supren1e. They never had a Su­ pren1e Court, or a Judiciary, as a check on the Executive, or Legislati Ye branches. There was no question raised _as to constitutionality. Might was right ,vith the111. It was co111n1on to argue and settle questions at the point of the bayonet ; in short, 111ilitary law was the law of their land. President Dayis vetoed thirty-eight bills during the four years of the Confederacy's exist­ ence, but one, an unimportant tneasure, \Vas pa~sed over his veto. The bill provided for carrying news­ papers to the soldiers without the pay111e11t of postage. During the san1e· period President Lincoln vetoed but three bills. 204 HISTORY OF

CHAPTER XIV.

A DARK CHAPTER - PRISON EXPERIENCES - LIBBY - CASTI.,E THUNDER-PEMBERTON-BELLE ISLE-·ANDERSONVILLE.

'' Whether in the prison pen, Or in the battle's van, The noblest place for tnan to die Is where he dies for man.''

This work would be inco111plete without giving at least a brief account of those of the Rangers who suf­ fered, as well as those that died, in Southern prisons. We have no apology to offer for the recital of the re­ volting details of this chapter. It is a matter of history, and history has no value unless it is correct. An etninent artist presented for inspection a picture of Rome he had just finished, and son1e of the critics pronounced it a work of fine art, but concluded by say­ ing it was rather dark, whereat the gifted artist grew eloquent, with the remark that a "true picture of Rome 1nust be dark, as it \vas a dark subject." So with the picture of Southern prisons. The Confederate prisons for1n the darkest chapter in the blood-stained annals of this nation, and conclusively prove that a people of a section guilty of such barbari­ ties to those within their power were totally unworthy of, and unfit for, separate nationality. All those that were so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of the ene1ny, as prisoners, received bad enough treatment ; some were treated like brutes, w bile ·others fa red worse than brutes. As it "1ill be itnpossible to give the individual expe­ rience of all, the writer will give the _actual experience of those who were made prisoners at Charlestown. It is perfectly reasonable to presu1ne that others received THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. equally as bad, while many received much worse treat­ ment. The first of the Rangers taken prisoners and not pa­ roled were J. H. Corbin and Joseph Waters, at Water­ forq, Au.gust 27, 1862. Corbin escaped at Culpeper Court House, while Waters was taken to Rich1nond and. confined in Libby prison, where he remained about three weeks and was exchanged. Those taken prisoners at Leesburg, September 2, r862, wereJacob Cordell, Jacob Long, George W. Baker, Charles Baker, Peter-Miles, Ar1nistead Everhart, George Welch and William Shoemaker ; and of these, Everhart and Long were badly wounded and paroled. George W. Baker and Jacob Cordell gave their names as belonging to Cole's Cavalry and were ex­ changed at once. Charles Baker, Peter l\Iiles, William Shoemaker and George Welsh, who gave their names as belonging to the Rangers, were confined in Castle Thunder, to re111ain during the war. Baker, Miles and Shoe1n1ker died there, actually starved to death ; Welch remained until Richmond, in 1865, was evacuated, when he ,vas released by the Union troops. Charles F. Anderson, Joseph T .. Cantvvell, John W .. Forsythe and W. H. Angelow, having been paroled at _Waterford, August 27, except Anderson; all vvere ar­ rested at Point of Rocks, or Leesburg, and taken to Rich- 111ond. They gave their na111es as belonging to Cole's Cavalry and \Vere soon exchanged. Charles A. Webster, who left the corn pany in No­ ven1ber, 1862, soon thereafter was reported to be in the hands of the ene111y. It 'was reported he ,vent there as a spy ; . another report states he vvent there and gave hiinself up and offered to furnish inforn1ation concern­ ing the Union army, etc. Both of the above reports 206 HISTORY OF

came through rebel sources. A letter fro111 a pro111i- 11ent historian, now in the possession of the writer, states that Webster was captured in Loudoun County, Va., in J?ece111ber, r862. It has also been clain1ed that he went there with the in­ tention of shooting Col. White and escaping, as nothing . was too risky for him ; the reward for this he knew would be a pron1otion. The fact that Col. White had had Webster bucked and gagged, against the protest of every one of his officers, see111ed to furnish a reason for this report. Webster was taken to Richn1ond and confined in Castle Thunder. It was not long before he had his entire floor organized into a plan of escape. As usual, there was a Judas in the crowd, and the plan was revealed to the rebel authorities. For this offense Webster was hand­ cuffed and secured by a chain to a post in the center of the roon1. One afternoon in January, r863, while the prisoners were permitted to go to the lower floor for water, etc., \Villia1n Bensinger, of the 22d Ohio, a fellow prisoner, who was confined there for being one of the parties (Andrew's raiders) who captured a locon1otive at Big Shanty, Ga., and ran it to Chattanooga, 111ade a bone key and unlocked Webster's handcuffs and hurried hi111 down stairs with. the other prisoners, and concealed hi1n in the basement, by covering him with tobacco stems, where he was to re1nain until evening, when he was to escape. When the other prisoners returned to their roon1 Webster was missed by the Confederates and a search instituted, he was found and again handcuffed. A black?mith was brought in and riveted irons on his ankles that would not allow hi111 to step over twelve in­ ches. In ,about ten days he was ren1oved to the third floor, his irons re111aining on him. He 111anaged in so111e way to slip his handcuffs and break the irons fron1 his legs, and after dark jumped fro111 the third-story ·window THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 207 and fell in a pile of rubbish, breaking both legs. He dragged himself into a lumber yard near and hid. The next day he was n1issed fro1n prison, and late in the day he was found concealed in a pile of lumber, and was again shackled and placed in a dungeon.. Early in March, 1863, he was taken out of prison for trial, being charged with the murder of Capt. Simpson (see page 31), of the 8th Virginia Infantry, and also for violating his· parole. · Gen. R. L. Wright, Isaac Van Deventer, John Ross, and H. S. Williams, Sr., of Loudoun, were summoned as witnesses against hi1n. It ,vi11 be noticed that Web­ ster was not allowed any witnesses, or even a defense of any kind. H. S. Willia1ns, of Taylorstown, testified that Webster came to his n1il1, bearing ar111s, in charge of a squad of the Rangers, after flour. The arn1s he carried were those Col. White pern1itted hi1n to retain in the terms of the capitulation at Waterford. As a matter of course, he was convicted, and by the sa1ne kind of -a trial he might have been convicted of crucifying the Saviour. April ro, 1863, he was executed, by hanging, at Can1p Lee (old Fair Ground), Riclunond. About two thou­ sand prisoners fron1 Castle Thunder and Libby were marched out to witness the hanging. \.Vebster was taken to the place of execution in a closed carriage, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Brown al:11 detectives New and Capehart of the Confederate service. On account of his broken legs he was unal,::::: to stand, and was carried, seated in a chair, to the scaffold, vvhere he was given an opportunity to say a fevv words, ,vhich he delivered in his usual clear, ringing voice, ,vhile sitting erect in the chair. He denonnced the Confed­ eracy in unmeasured tern1s, also Jeff. Davis, Col. Alex­ ander, keeper of Castle Thunder, and Capt. Capehart, the Confederate detective. He declared his innocence of the 208 HISTORY OF· charges, and finally declared his undying allegiance to the United States and the Stars and Stripes. At his own request, he gave the signal by tossing his hat amongst his fellow-prisoners. The drop fell and Web­ ster \iVas no more. The story, given currency by the rebels, that he con­ fessed the charges and that five women called at th_e. prison, each clahning hin1 as her husband, was a wilful. and malicious falsehood.

Noze; as to his True Nanze. Fro1n the beginning to the end he was known to the Rangers as vVebster, but that was not his 11a111e. His true 11a111e was Charles Bro\ivn. · He was born in New Ha111pshire and moved with his parents to Weld, Maine, where he grew to 111anhood. On the discovery of gold in California, his father went to the Golden Gate to dig out his anticipated fortune, leaving Charles to care for hin1self. On the breaking out of the war, Charles en­ listed in the United States anny, whether as Brown or Webster we are unable to state. He, however, took the natne of Webster fro111 his 1nother, who was distantly re­ lated to Daniel Webster, the great Senator and orator from Massachusetts. Soon after the battle of Antietam, while the roth Maine Infantry lay near Brunswick, son1e n1e1n bers of that regiment, who knew Brown in Maine, recognized him with the Rangers and addressed hin1 as Charles Brown. It was said by his acquaintances · n Maine that he took the nan1e of Webster because b iE ather was a n1alignant Copperhead (anti-war De111oqrat). The re­ n1ains of Webster (Brown) are buried in the National Cemetery at Richmond, Va. Webster n1arried Miss Alice Downey, of Lo11doun, in the fall of 1862. She died some time thereafter, his widow. CHARLES A. WEBSTER (Brown), Drill Master.

Corp. GEOl{Gc H. HARPEi~, Co. A.

THE LOUDOUN RANGERS.

June 17, 1863, Joseph T. Ritchie, M. S. Gregg, Chas. Pekam and John W. Virts were taken prisoners at Point of Rocks. They were confined in. Pen1berton and on Belle Isle ; their sufferings were severe. Charles Pekam died there, the others were exchanged in August. At Neersville, Septen1ber 30, F. P. Rinker and Ja111es Stoneburner were 111ade prisoners. They were confined on Belle Isle all the fall and winter of 1863-4. In March they were sent to Andersonville, where they both died, actually s_tarved to death. At Charlestown October 18, 1863, 18 of the Rangers ,vere taken prisoner and perhaps suffered the greatest of any, as 14 out of the 18 literally starved to death. We shall briefly ·give their experience. Fron1 Charlestown they were 111arched up the Valley to Staunton, where they were placed on cars and taken to Richmond, arriving one ,veek fro1n the date of cap­ ture. On being made prisoners the first thing detnanded was their artns. The next, their 1noney and other val u­ ables, although quite a number 1nanaged to save their 1noney, watches, etc., by concealing them inthe seams of their clothing and in their stockings. Their treatment ,vas very bad fron1 the beginning. The rations furnished en route to Rich111ond were about half enough in quan­ tity and of a very poor quality. They arrived in Richn1ond Monday evening, N ove111- ber I, and were placed in Pemberton prison, a three-story brick building ( tobacco warehouse) on Cary Street, op­ posite Castle Thunder. The prison was in con11nand of Maj. Turner, assisted by Erastus W. Ross. It was dif­ ficult to tell which of these two speci111ens of humanity was the 111ore brutal, v.:ith the chances favoring Ross. He was ·very sn1all in body, and still s111aller in soul, if he had any. · On Tuesday the prisoners were all put on the upper floors, one being brought down at a ti111e. The name, R-14 2IO HISTORY ·oF'. company, and regiment of each man was taken, and he was caused to disrobe himself, and while in this nude condition his clothes were turned, the seams and pockets all examined and thoroughly searched, his watch, n1oney, pocket-knife, and all other valuables taken and placed on a table, with the guileless promise that these articles would be returned when the prisoner was ex­ changed. This pro1nise, like all other pron1ises of the Confederacy, was never fulfilled. From the 9th Maryland and the Rangers and rst New York Cavalry, about 375 men, the rebels obtained over $1,200 in greenbacks, and about sixty watches. This was an average of about $3 fro111 each prisoner, and a watch from every sixth n1an. The ~onfederates cap­ tured during- the war about r 80,000 Union prisoners ; and, taking the above as a basis, the Confederates ob­ tained no less than half a 1nillion dollars in greenbacks and thirty thousand vvatches and thousands of pocket­ knives, etc., fron1 their prisoners. 'rhis estimate does not include what was taken fro111 the prisoners on the field of battle and en route to prison, which was at 1east half of their possessions, and generally a11 of the1n. What becan1e of this property? The Confederate archives are si!ent on this point. This Ross, above mentioned, took charge of this property in Richtnond. The few vears he lived after the war were vears of ~ J plenty. He lost his life by the burning of the Spots- wood Hotel in I{ich1nond in 1869, his body being entirely consun1ed by the flames. All prisoners that were so unfortunate as to pass under his hlighting touch were unani111ons in the belief that eventually he would be consumed by everlasting fire, but were loth to believe he was to receive a fore­ taste so soon. Their stay in Pemberton \Vas brief, though long enough, just one week, and they ,vere taken to Belle THE LOUDOUN . RANGERS. 2II

Isle, in the James River, opposite Richtnond. So far as natnre is concerned, it is a beautiful landscape. It con­ tains about thirty acres. The ground rising rapidly at the upper end, fonning a ridge, or sma:11 mountain, while on the lower end it is a level, sandy plain, where the pris­ oners vvere confined in a square enclosure containing about two acres, surrounded by an etnbankment, or para­ pet, 5 feet high. There was a ditch on the outside, 4 feet wide, and on the outside of this tli tch the guards walked to and fro. On the inside of the parapet was a ditch 4 feet deep and 6 feet wide, which was known as the " dead line,'' and woe be to him w·ho ventured near. The stockade, or prison pen, contained a few old tents sufficient to accomn1odate 3,000, although there were double that nun1ber crowded into them. Eleven thou­ sand was the greatest number of prisoners on this two acres at any one tin1e, by which it wi11 be readily seen several thousand were without shelter to protect them fro1n the cold winter blasts. Generally, when cap­ tured, the prisoners "\Vere deprived of .their blankets and overcoats, and in consequence 111any were actually frozen to death. During the 1nonth of December the United States was per111itted to send a few blankets and some clothing to the prisoners, who were in great need. These supplies were sent in charge ofa young man, who distributed them to the prisoners. This young man was D. L. Moody, now the great evangelist. The ration vvas a piece of corn bread, 1nade from unsalted and unsifted n1eal, and about ~wo inches square, which was generally furnished t\vice but often once a day, and sometimes once in two or three days, with occasiona1ly a very s111a1l morsel of meat, or half a pint of bean soup. On several occasions it was weeks that they did not receive anything but corn bread. On this ration the prisoners became reduced rapidly in flesh. Without 1neat or salt, scrofula set in, and before spring 212 HISTORY OF no less than 5,000 actually perished, frozen and starved to death. Capt. Bosson a French gentle111an, was conunandant of the Island, assisted by Lieut. Haight. The 1atter had the 1nanage1nent of the prisoners and proved to be 111ore of a tyrant then Ross, who111 they were glad to leave over in Riclunond. The numerous friends of the prisoners in the North forwarded hundreds, yes thousands, of boxes of provi­ sions and clothing to Richtnond, but not 111ore than one in t\venty-fi.ve was ever delivered, the rebels appropri­ ating their contents to their own use. Several boxes vvere shipped fro111 Point of Rocks to the Rangers in prison. In sotne instances two and three b')xes vvere addressed to the sa1ne person. John Heater forwarded three boxes to his son, Buck, but not one was ever de- 1ivered. Lieut. Maginnis, of the 18th Connecticut, af­ ter\vards killed in battle, recognized a snit ot citizen's clothes, sent hi111 fro111 the North, 011 the back of one of the pri_son officials ; he pointed out his ow11 na111e worked on the watch pocket by his 111other. According to the report of Col. Ould, Confederate Conunissioner of Ex­ change, he received nearly four thousand of such boxes at Riclnnond alone. He received three hundred boxes one \veek in January, 1864, and delivered six of then1 to the owners. Early in January, 1864, a large box was sent over fro111 Richn1011cl to Be1le Isle. I~ieut. Haight infor111ed the prisoners it was fro111 "God's Country," he ordered a squad to co111e out and open and carry in the contents. rrhe box was frorn the United States Christian _Co1nn1ission, which society had forwarded quite a nu1nber of boxes filled with delicacies to the fa111- ishing prisoners, which were greatly enjoyed, and in this case they knew it contained so111ething extra good ; such as sugar-cured ha111s, dried beef, cheese, etc.,just \Vhat the starving prisoners were ,vishing. All eyes were turned THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. with bright anticipations upon the opening of this box, but instead of the ha111s, etc., rolling out, it contained nearly one thousand copies of the New rresta1nent. It would be i111possible to describe the sad clisappointinent of the prisoners, a cold-wave flag was apparently visible 011 every countenance. It ,vas the physical 1nan that was perishing for bread on Belle Isle, and not the spiritual. H6wever, the pris­ oners accepted their Testan1ents, with the· wish that each had been a piece of 1neat as large. There was 110 danger of the rebels appropriating the contents of this box to their own use . .LL\.s winter rolled on the prisoners becatne weaker and weaker, until death by starvation and exposure relieved thousands fron1 suffering. It was a con11non occurrence to see poor fellows lie down and die in a few tninntes. The following experience fairly represents what ·was constantly occurring : Three of the Rangers, P. .1..L\.. Davis, Ruben Stypes, and the writer, slept together on the sand. We were n1ore fortunate, perhaps, than 111any of the other prisoners, as we had two blankets for the three-one under and one over us. Stypes was rather deli~ate, and it \Vas with some difficulty that he could eat what little corn bread he received. I-le slept in the 111iddle, being . better protected from the cold. He had been con1plaining for several days, and that e.vening, January 20, he cut the crust from his bread, gathered up a few splinters, toasted it, tnade a cup of coffee and enjoyed it: We all lay down at dark and endeavored to sleep. .1..L\.bout 12 o'clock (111idnight) Stypes got up and remarked how "bright and beauti­ ful" the night was (being a moonlight night), and look­ _ing down, he said, "Boys, I have slept in the 111idd1e all winter, and an1 very much cra1nped up. One of you sleep in the middle and let me take the outside, where I can stretch out." Davis got in the 1niddle, Stypes HISTORY OF lay down, with his left hand folded the blanket back on Davis, straightened himself out, gasped for breath three or four tin1es, and expired ; actually starved to death. We could not take out the body and report the death until the next day, but slept as co1nfortably as was pos­ sible on the sa111e blanket with our dead cornr~de until morning, when all above seen1ed "bright and beau­ tiful,'' let us hope, he SR\V the light breaking from the other shore. The next n1orning Joe Waters, P. A. Davis, arid the writer; of the Rangers, and three members of the 3d Vermont Infantry, carried S types out in a blanket, gi v­ ing natne, company and regitnent, and piled hi1n up with about 200 others waiting burial. The dead would often lie a week, or ten days, before burial. The weather was very cold, and the bodies would freeze stiff in a few minutes. Wood was issued to the prisoners for fuel but three ti1nes during winter, three sticks to ten men. There was an excuse of a hospital on the Island, where patients were taken for treatn1ent, although when one entered its portals· it was practically bidding adieu to all earthly hope. While it is true the supply of n1edicine in the Confederate dotnains was sonie,vhat li1nited, yet there seemed to be an1p1e to save life, if properly ad1nin­ istered. Every one of the Rangers ,vho was taken to the hospital on the Island died, .with the single exception of George Nogle. Presley A. Davis was taken there in Jan­ uary 1864, and died in a few days. Tho1nas Dixon was taken there the last of January, 1864, and died February 6, 1864. Jeff. McCutcheon was shot by the rebel guard for being outside of the dead line. He was taken to the hospital and died frorn his wound, March 7, 1864. .A .. C. Hawk was taken to the hospital and died March 31, 1864. Henry Ste,vart ,vas taken to Danville, Va., with other prisoners, and died January, 25, 1864. THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 215 lviarch r, J. A. Cox, Richard Virts, Joseph Magaha, James Dailey, and Henry Hoover were taken to Ander­ sonville, Ga., where all of then1 died. Joseph Magaha died April 5, 1864. Richard Virts died May 23, 1864. Ja111es Dailey died June 17, 1864. Henry Hoover died June 30, 1864. J. A. Cox died July 14, 1864. A great 1nany priso_ners were sent to the Island about the 15th of January, 1864. Very few of then1 were pro­ vided with shelter. ·They would walk to keep warm, until entirely exhausted, and all lie down in a huddle on the sand to keep fro1n freezing. Every morning quite a number would be carried out to the dead lot, having perished during the night. While the suffering was so intense and the 1nortal­ ity so great, the prison authorities would tell us of stupendous Confederate victories, point out the Con­ federate flag, that was displayed everywhere, as the flag that would soon wave over this en tire country, artd then give us a very kind invitation to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate Government and enlist in its army, and have plenty to eat and be liberated. The plenty. to eat part was te1npting to the starving . pnsoners. Out of the r 1,000 prisoners confined on the Island less than fifty availed the111selves of this invitation. Be it said to the credit of the Rangers that every one of them spurned this invitation, and was e1nphatic in his detennination to stand by the flag of his country, even if it cost him his life in a Southern prison. Men who \vould offer life upon the battle field for their country gave way under the weight of helpless im prison1nent, brutal treatn1ent, cold, filth and starva­ tion. Many were reduced to the border of imbecility and deliritun. Is it strange that the instinct of self- 216 HISTORY OF

preservation should ovennaster stern dnty? We pity and ahnost excuse the shipwrecked 111ariner, ·who, crazed by thirst and hunger, slays and drinks the blood of his weaker brother. In a like gracious spirit, let there be charity and forgive~1ness for those who stopped short of heroic 111artyrdo111 in the hour of sore trial. The verv fact that of the 1nen -who had stood bv the ~ J Flag ,vith snch :fidelity and courage, even so s111a1l a nun1ber consented to live at such a sacrifice, is the 1nost 111elancholy proof that could be offered of the horrible suffering which they endured. Over five thou­ sand, faithful unto death, sank down beneath the filth and ruin of that horrible pit. The few that clung to this delusion of a shadow of a hope by swearing allegiance to the Confederacy did so to get out of prison, and deserted at the first opportunity and went into the Federal lines. The prisoners were allowed to ,vrite ho1ne, provided the letters did not give inforn1ation concerning the rebels. .i\.ll letters ,vere deposited in a box, unsealed, and exa111ined before they were per111i tted to start on their 111ission northward. Probably not more than one letter out of a hundred ,vas ever pennitted to go. It was in1possib1e to resist the suffering from hunger. One of the 1nany revolting acts_ of starving hu1nanity will be related, vvhile others are too horrible to appear in print. The latter part of January, Lieut. Haight, with his custo111ary pomp and display, entered the prison on an inspecting tour, accompanied by his dog. The prison­ ers had longed for an opportunity to waylay this canine, and now the coveted hour had arrived. As Haight 1nade his exit from the stockade, he 111issed his dog ; he called long- and loud but his boon con1panion did not show up. Not even a bark ,vas heard. Haight grew furious and threatened the prisoners with total annihilation if his JACKSO:'\ 0. BR.-\"SHEARS, 65 Ind. Mt. Inf., fellow prisone1 of the Rangers on Belle I slan~l.

'THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 217 dog was not produced. Every 111an was 111arched out and searched. The process consu1ned an entire day. This investigation did 11ot reveal even the "hairs on the dog's back" which are said to be very nntnerous. Haight kne,v the fate of his "purp" but wanted to find and punish the guilty parties. The tt nth :is, · some of the ravenous prisoners killed the dog and parceled out the meat to their chun1s, and he was eaten up before the search began. Haight got .partial revenge by refusing the prisoners any rations for twenty-four hours. He never ventured in the stockade again with a dog. The prisoners were divided into squads of 100 eacl 1, to facilitate the issuing of rations, etc. After January 31, 1864, roo prisoners would be taken out every 111orning and sent to Andersonville, Ga., although the prisoners did not know that :was their destination, they supposing they were going to be exchanged, and sent North. Every morning, when a squad would be called for, Lieut. Haight, would call the captain of the squad to identify his own 111en. He and Haight would take their. position on the parapet beside the gate, and when any attempted to go out that did not belong to t~at hundred the captain -would point the111 out to H9-ight, when down would co1ne his big club and knock the111 back to starve a little more. . The Rangers naturally put considerable stress on lib­ erty, and willingly assu~ed the risk of running the gauntlet in order •that they might get out before the squad they belonged to was called. On one occasion the writer endeavored to get out by passing hi1nself off as belonging to the squad that was passing out, and had almost succeeded, when he was de­ tected. Haight brought down his big club and knocked him into the dead-line ditch, that contained about eight inches of water with thin ice over it. He fell in this water, 218 HIS'TORY OF and without any fire to dry his clothes, TvVith the n1ercury about zero, he ahnost froze ; l?e lay for one week ap­ parently at death's door, but finally rallied sufficiently to l~ave the Island with his squad, Monday, March 21, 1864. We were so weak that it took an hour and a half to march fron1 Belle Isle to Richtnond, three-fourths of a 111ile. Our squad, like others that preceded us, was doomed for Andersonville. We were to leave Rich­ mond Marc~ 22 for that place. During the night of the 21st a dispatch was received from City Point, "Send one hundred Yankee prisoners to be exchanged for one hundred Confederate prisoners just arrived from the North." "And why should you fear that the future Has such disappointments in store ? Perchance the band which guides us Will open some other door.'' Our squad being ready for i1n1nediate ship1nent, the orders tor Andersonville were revoked, and we were ordered to march to the boat early Tuesday n1orning, March 22, 1864, to e111bark for City Point. The news was first broken to the prisoners a few min11tes before the tin1e of departure, and created un­ bounded enthusias111. S0111e cheered, vvhile others sang patriotic airs. As we had received si1nilar news on sev­ eral occasions, all did not accept it ; finnll y the doors swung opei1, and we were ordered to n1arch out, and as we did so the rebels gave each prisoner a s1nall corn pone, about as large as the botto111 of a s1nall tin cup and one inch thick. As we ca111e in sight of the boat that was to carry us down the river the boys gave their corn pones a toss down the hill into the Jan1es. ·When all had been safely packed on the little steam­ boat, Willian1 Allison, Joseph VVaters, the writer, and several others crowded in to the engine room in their eagerness to get warm. What a delightful transition, to rtH:E LOUDOUN RANGERS. get thawed out after being frozen all winter. But, like most good things, it ca111e at a sacrifice, as the thawing­ out process n1ade us very sick. We ,vere put out on deck, n1uch to our relief, vvhere we soon froze up again. At 4 o'clock in the evening, we ca111.e in view of onr steamboat, " City of New York," and the first object sighted ,vas the A1nerican Flag, the Stars and Stripes. We wish 'Ne could convey to the reader the beauties of that dear old Flag as it appeared to the prisoners. Those physically able cheered the dear old en1ble1n of liberty, a grand privilege that had been denied the1n for nearly seven 1nonths. Others tried their best to yell, but were so overcon1e with joy that they could not speak, but wept like little children ; it floated majestically from the 1nast of the ~tean1er, bidding defiance to its foes, it seemingly said, " Come, all ye oppressed of every clime, beneath my folds, and you shall be forever free." " Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream !-:

'Tis the S·r.A_R SPANGLED BANNEn.1 oh, long may it wav::i O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.'' The Rangers included in this exchange were James H. Beatty, Joseph Waters, W. H. Angelow, George Nogle, George Swope, and the writer. The strong and vigorous constitutions of Beatty and Waters enabled them, to son1.e extent, to better resist the hardships of prison life than otliers, and, while both were greatly reduced in_ flesh, they gained rapidly and joined the com1nand in April,. r864. Angelow and Nogle were both sick, and ,vere sent to the hospital at Annapolis, Md., re1naining for two months, returning to the con1pany in May. George Swope died, a few days after his arrival at An­ napolis, fro111 the effects of prison exposure. The writer vvas a physical wreck from prison life, as both feet vvere badly frozen, and, having partially lost 220 HIS1'0RY OF

the use of one side, he was confined in the hospital at Annapolis, ~1d., for four 1nonths, returning to the co111- pany in July, although it was over one year before he recovered. · Jackson 0. Brashear, Co111pany D, 65th Indiana In­ fantry, whose picture is to be found in this book, was a pri'soner on Belle Isle, and belonged to the san1e squad with the Rangers, exchanged at the same tin1e, and was a patient in the hospital at Annapolis, Md., with the111. The photograph ·was taken two weeks after he was exchanged, and _published in Frank Leslz"e's fVeeklJ,', June 18, 1864, and also printed in the 11-e­ port of the United States Sanitary Co111mission in the su1n111er of 1864. His e111aciated condition is a fair average of the returned prisoners fro1n Belle Isle and Andersonville. He is no\v a successful fanner in Indiana. Of those of the Rangers taken prisoner near Water­ ford, May 17, r864-Ja111es H. Beatty, Willian1 Bull, Peter Dorherty, John A111brose, and II. C. Fouch-Ja1nes H .. Beatty 111ade his escape the day of capture, while An1brose, Dorherty, Bull, and Fouch were taken: to Richn,ond. Ambrose was exchanged in five 111onths. Bull, Dorherty, and Fouch were taken to Andersonville, Ga., ·where Fouch died ·September r8, 1864. Bull and Dorherty re1nained there until, after the surrender of Gen. Lee, when the Confederates hastened to release the Union prisoners. A train load of nearly 800 was started for Vicksburg, Miss., with t,vo of the Rangers, Bull and Dorherty, on board. When about 200 111iles fro111 Andersonville, by some unknown cause, there ,vas a disastrous railroad accident, resulting in the killing and wounding of nearly all on board. Peter Dorherty was killed. Bull was badly bruised, but was taken on to Vicksburg, where he, with over 2,000 paroled prisoners, . were THE LOUDOUN RANGERS. 221

·placed on board the steamboat "Sultana," and started up the river for Cincinnati. At n1e111phis the boat unloaded a quantity of freight and took on a supply of coal and continued the jour11ey. Six 111iles above Me111phis, April 27, soon after n1idnight, her boilers exploded with terrific force, and the vessel was burned to the water's edge and sank. There were r,443 of the paroled prisoners scalded, blown up, or drowned, at once. Of those rescued 300 soon died of scalds and ex­ posure, 111aking the total loss of prisoners over I, 750. Of 27 lady passengers only one was saved. Willia111 Bull, the only one of the Rangers on board, was blown the Lord only knows where. He was picked up the next 1norning about nine 1niles below the scene of the disaster, near the Arkansas shore ; be had crawle9- 011 a piece of board, a fragment of the vessel, and was endeavoring to reach the shore. Ile was in the water five hours when rescued, and was taken to the hospital in l\1e1nphis, Tenn., where by kind and devoted attention bv., the ladies of the United States Christian Co111mis- sion he was nursed back to life. When able to travel he was sent to Ca111p Chase, Colu111bus, Ohio, and 111us­ tered out. On his arrival at Harpers Ferry he found the war over, the Rangers 111ustered out and busily en­ gaged endeavoring to build up the ,vaste places made f desolate by the ravages of war. No one kne'\\:" the exact cause of the disaster. It was charged that Charles Dale, a Confederate blockade run­ ner, placed a torpedo in a lu1np of coal and laid it on top of the pile, while the vessel ,vas taking coal at Me111phis. Wi1lia111 Streeter, of St. Lon1s, l\'.Io., c1ai111s Dale told hitn he did it on purpose to destroy the vessel. Of those taken prisoners October 14, 1864, at .A.. da111s­ town, lVId., John Coates died in prison, and is 1111111bered a1nong the unknown in the National Ce111etery at Rich- 222 ITTSTORY ·oF n1ond. In February, 1865, Sergt. John W. Forsythe and Dan Burnett, Con1pany B, and Sergt. J. N. John­ son, of Cotnpany A, were exchanged. Sergt., now Rev., John W. Forsythe, of Lu Verne, .Io,va, has published an exceedingly interesting pamph­ let of 50 pages, entitled, '' Guerrilla Warfare, and Life in Libby,'' in which he gives a thrilling account of some of the perilous experiences of the Rangers, to­ gether with a n1in ute and reliable account of the priva­ tions and hardships of those taken prisone~s at Adan1s­ tow11 and confined jn Libby Prison. His story is founded on personal experience, and is worthy of perusal. Of those taken prisoners November 28 at Goresville, Peter Fry died January 27, 1865. The records show hi111 to be buried in the National Cemetery at Rich­ mond, in grave No. 109 r. . The sa1ne records shovv h11n to have died in prison at Salisbury, North Carolina, and to be buried in the National Cemetery, at the latter place, in grave No. r 164. The date, name, con1pany and regin1ent is the san1e in both places, the only difference being in number of the grave. Of course it is impossible to state in which place he is buried. The error probably occurred in keeping the record, or in getting- it printed. The others that were taken prisoner ,vith hi111 ,vere exchanged in February, 1865. Those taken prisoners at Keyes Switch, April 6, 1865, were released in a few days.

In Conclusion. The unparalleled severities of a four years' campaign have told upon the constitutional strength even of the fortunate soldier who marched to the n1usic of the Union, and slept only beneath the folds of the Flag for which he fought ; but they whom· fickle fortune cast in THE LOtrnoUN RANGERS, 223

Southern prisons, where they lay for long dreary 1nonths, when gaunt famine stalked by noonday, and pestilence ,valked by night, returned-if they returne

ROSTER OF COMPANY A.

------·--·----- ~-. ------· ···-·------· -- Mu-.tered in- rH CJl No. Rank. Names. Remarks. Date. Place.

------·.----·------I - I Captain .... . Satn uel C. Means .. . June 20, 1 862. Harpers Ferry ... ➔ 2 Do ...... Daniel M. Keyes ...... do ...... Lovettsville ...... Resigned on account ot ::q I p:j wounds. ~ 3 1st Lieut. .. Luther W. Slater ...... do ...... do ...... · Resigned on account of 0 wounds. d tj 4 Do ...... Ed win R·. Gover ...... do ...... do ...... 0 5 2d Lieut. .. Robert Graha111 ...... do ...... Waterford Wounded near Fairfax C. q H., Dec., 1864 ; dis­ z charg-t'd on acco1!nt of ~ ;:i... wounds. z Drill } 1 h I 1 ...... 0 6 M t IC1 as. A. Webster .... do .. Valley Church .. . Hung- at Richn1ond, Va., { 1 as er p:j by the rebels, April 10, ~ (I) i 1863. 7 1st Sergt ... 1 Jas. A. ·cox ...... 1 ..... do ...... l Lovettsville ...... Wounded at Waterford, Aug, 27. 1862; died at An­ dersonville.July 14, 1864. 8 Q. M. S.... Chas. F. Anderson ... I ••••• do ...... 1 ...... do Killed at Harpers Ferry, Nov. I, 1863. 9 Do ...... Edward T. White .... 1 ...... do ...... :...... do N N U1 N IO C. S ... ·...... Milton S. Gregg...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... N 0\ II 1st Setgt ... Jas. H. Corbin ...... do ...... do ...... 1 Killed near Lovettsville, Va., f March 1863. 12 Do ...... l Joseph T. Divine .• .. 1······do .. ········1 Waterford ...... 13 Do...... F. B. Anderson ...... do ...... Lovettsville ...... Wounded at Charlestown, Va., Oct. 18, 1863; killed at Taylorstown, Va., Dec. 24, 1864. 14 2d Sergt... D. E. B. Hough ..... -1 ...... do ...... · 1 · ...... do 15 3d Sergt ... Jas. W. Gregg ...... do ...... do Wounded at Waterford Aug. 27, 1862, and Neers­ ~ ville. Va., Sept. 30, 1863 r.nH 16 4th Sergt ... John P. Hickman ...... do ...... do ...... o·8 j 17 5th Sergt ... J an1es H. Beatty ...... do ...... do ...... Wounded at Charlestown,. ~ Va., Oct. 18, 1863. i< 18 6th Sergt. ... J. N. Johnson ...... -1 ...... do ...... I Point of Rocks .. 0 r:rj 19 Corporal ... Robert vV. Hough ...... do ...... Waterford ...... Wounded at Kevs Switch, April 6, 1865; wounded, Waterford, Aug. 27, 1862 ; Adan1stown, JVId., Oct. 14, 1864. Do ...... Henry C. :Hough ... •1· ..... do ...... , ...... do ...... 20 I 21 Do .... ,. Daniel J. :Harper ...... do ...... do ...... Wounded at Charlestown, Va., Oct. 18_, 1863. 22 Do ...... T. J. McCutcheon ... 1...... do ...... 1...... do ...... Died fro111 wounds at Rich­ n1ond, Va., Mar. 7, 1864. 23 Do ...... George V. Kern ...... \ Nov. r, 1863 j Harpers F_erry ... 24 I Corporal. .. [ Jacob CQrde11 ...... I June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... / Wounded at Leesburg, Sept. 2, 1862, and at Gores­ ville, Va, Nov. 28, 1864. 25 Do ...... George H. Harper... Aug. 24, 1862 Waterford ...... 26 Do ...... Samuel E. Tritapoe.. July 23, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 27 Do ...... T. W. Franklin ...... July 1, 1862 ...... , do ...... Wounded at '.J\T aterford, Va., Aug. 27, 1862. 28 Do...... Sa1nuel C. Hough... June 20, 1862 ...... do ...... 8 29 Bugler...... John S. Densmore ...... do ...... do ...... ::ti' 30 Privates ... Agan, Thon1as W ... Feb. 12, 1863 Berlin, Md ...... trj 31 Do ...... An1brose, John ...... Mch. 1, 1863 ...... do ...... r1 Do...... Angelow, W. H ...... June 20, 1862 Lovetbville ...... 0 32 c:j' 33 Do...... Arn1~trong, John ...... , ...... t:1· Do . . .. Atwell, C. M...... June 20, r 862 Waterford ...... 0 34 Transferred to Company B. 0 35 Do ...... Bagent, Joseph ...... April 2, 1863 Berlin, Md...... Wounded at Adamstown, z Md., Oct. 14, 1864. ~ 36 Do ..... · 1 Best, M. H ...... •June 20, 1862 I Lovettsville ...... ;:t.- Do...... Baker, Charles...... do ...... do ...... z 37 Wounded at Leesburg Sept. 0 2, r 862 ; died in prison, trj ~· Richn1ond . r.n·. 38 Do ...... Baker, George W ..... j .••••• do ...... 1...... do ...... Wounded at Leesburg, Sept. 2, 1862. 39 Do ...... Bull, Willfam ...... , Mch. 1, r 863. , Berlin, Md ...... 40 Do ...... Bond, Edward ...... do ...... do ...... Died at Point of Rocks, Md., . Feb. 5, 1864. 41 Do ...... Bory er, Jacob E ..... I June 20, 1862 I Lovettsville ...... Discharged · on account of N· wound~ received . Sept. ~ 2, 1862, at Leesburg. '-l tv 42 Privates ... I Cantwell, J. T ...... , June 20. 1862 / Lovettsville ...... / Discharged on account of tv disability. c,:;, 43 Do ...... Coates, John ...... Feb. 10, 1864 Pot. Furnace ..... j Died in rebel prison. 44 Do ...... Cooper, W. J ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 4:; Do ...... Cooper, S. J ...... - ...... do ...... do ...... 46 Do ...... Curry, Charles E..... Dec. 2 r, 1863 :i;:> oint of Rocks .. 47 Do ...... Dugan, Henry...... Au~. I 5, 1862 ...... do ...... Transfe1red to Cornpany B. 48 Do ...... Daily, James...... Oct. 25, 1862 ...... do ...... Died in rebel p1 ison, Ander- sonville, Ga., June 17, 1864. 49 Do .... •· 1 Davis, George P ...... Mch. 3, 1863 Berlin, Md...... p:l· Do ...... Davis, Presley A ...... do ...... do ...... 1 Died -in rebel prison, Rich- H 50 UJ 111ond, Va. ~ 0 SI Do.-..... \ D~vis, John M ...... ····:··· ...... ~­ ~ 52 Do...... Dixon, Tho1nas ...... 1 June 20, 1862 1 Lovettsville ...... Died in rebel prison, Rich­ rnond, Va., Feb. 5, 1864. 0 1:11. 53 Do ...... I Dixon, Charles ...... J ...... do ...... , do Killed at Waterford, Va., Aug. 27, 1862. 54 Do ...... / Dixon, Henrv., ...... /...... do ...... /...... do Killed at Waterford, Va., Aug. '27, 1862.

55 i Do...... Dixon, Jacob ...... Sept. 1, I 862 Waterford ...... Transfen ed to Con1pany B. 56 Do ...... Dorherty, Peter ...... Mch. 1, 1863 Berlin, Md ...... Killed in Alaban1a, 1865. 57 Do ...... Divine, George ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville .... ~. 58 i Do...... Everhart, Armistead ...... do ...... :...... do ...... Discharged on account of wounds, Leesburg, Sept. 2, 1862. 59 ! DJ ..... / Fry, Samuel ...... _.. /...... do ...... / ...... do ...... 60 / Privates ... , Fry, Joseph ...... ~·· June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 6r Do ...... Fry, Peter C ...... Jan. 2, r863 Point of Rocks ... I W onnded at Goresville, Nov. 28, 1864; died in rebel prison, Richn1ond, Jan. 27, 1865. 62 Do ...... , Fouch, Ten1ple ...... 1 June 20, 18621 Lovettsville .... . 63 / Do ...... Fouch, H. C ....· ...... do ...... , ...... do ...... Died in rebel prison, Ander­ I ' sonville, Ga., Sept. 18, 8 ~ 1864. tzj 64 Do ...... Fouch, Thomas ...... July 27, 1863 Point of Rocks .. . Wounded at Point of Rocks, ~ Md. 0 65 Do ...... Forsythe, J. w ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... Transferred to Company B. d tj 66 Do ...... Good.hart, Briscoe ... Aug. 22, 1862 Waterford ...... Wounded, leg broken at 0 Br>rryville, Va., April, d 1863. z 67 Do ...... Hough, William ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... ~ 68 Do...... Hough, Joseph F ...... do ...... do ...... z> 69 Do...... Hough, Georg~ W ...... do ...... do ...... Died at Berlin, Md., 1863. 0 p:j 70 Do .. , .. Hough, Isaac S .. ·•••1·•·················••1-••···················· Wounded at Middletown, Md., -July 7, 1864. ~ 71 Do ...... ! Hawk, A. C ...... I Nov. 17, 1862 I Point of Rocks ... Died in rebel prison, Rich­ mond, March 31, 1864. 72 Do ...... l Heater, P. H ...... Jan. -27, 1863 ...... do ...... 73 Do ...... Hoover, H. W...... lVIch. 1, 1863 Berlin, l\1d ...... I Died in rebel prison, Ander, sonvipe, Ga., June 30- 1864. l\:), Do ...... 1 Harper, R. S ...... I June 20, 1862 Waterford ...... l\:) 74 '° t.\) 75 Privates .... , Hardy, w. H ... u •••• Dec. 2I, 1863 Point of Rocks .. . w 76 Do ...... Jacobs, Edward N .... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ..... , I Discharged on account of 0 wourids r e c e i v e d a t Waterford, Aug. 2 7, 1862. 77 Do .... "I Keyes, W. S ...... Nov. 1, 1862 do ...... 78 Do ...... Long, Jacob ...... July 15, 1862 do ...... , . Wounded at Leesburg, Va., Sept. 2, 1862. 79 Do ...... 1 Lenhart, J. W ...... Feb. 3, 1863 Point of Rocks ... Wounded at Goresville, col­ lar bone broken, Nov. 28, 1864. . P:: 80 Do ..... 1 Magaha, Joseph ...... ! June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... Died in rebel prison, A-nder­ H rn sonville Ga., April 5, 8 1864. 0 81 ~ Do ...... 1 Miles, Peter ...... \ June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... Died in rebel prison, Castle >< Thunder, Richn1ond. 0 >-It 82 Do ...... 1 Morman, Frank ...... ! ..... do ...... do ...... Killed at Leesburg, Va., Sept. 2, 1862. 83 Do ...... 1 Monegan, Jan1es ...... \ Dec. 8, 1862 Point of Rocks ... Killed at Waterford, V,L, May 17, 1864. 84 Do······· Moreland, C. F...... Feb. 24, ·1864 ...... do ...... 85 Do ...... Myers, J. R ...... do ...... do .... -.... . 86 Do, .... . Mullen, ·Michael ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ..... I Wounded at Waterford Dec.', 1862 ; died at Annapolis, iyrd., 1863. 87 Do .... ··1 Mock, Albert C ...... July 25, 1863 Point of Rocks .. . 88 Do...... McDade, Charles ... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 89 Privates .... I McDevitt, John ...... Jan. 25, 1863 Point of Rocks .. . go Do ..... Nogle, W. George ... July 15, 1862 Waterford ...... Wounded at Charlestown, Oct. 18, 1863. 91 Do ..... I Pekam, Charles ...... Jan. 25, 1863 Point of Rocks .. . Died in. rebel prison, Rich­ n1ond, Va. 92 Transferred to Co111pany B. 93 ~~:: :: : : 1 ~i!t~~·. :: r:::: :: ··1 J~-~~ -~~.- -~ s6~--1 ·L~~~~t~;1ii~- :: :: :: Wounded at Lovettsville ; died in rebel prison, 8 ~ Andersonville, May, 8, 1zj 1864. t""f Do ...... Rinker, Charles E .... Feb. 24, 1864 Point of Rocks .. . 0 94 q 95 Do ...... Ritchie, Joseph T ..... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... t, 96 Do...... Ryan, Michael...... Mch. 8, 1863 Berlin, Md ...... Killed at Waterford May 0 d 17, 1864. z 97 Do .... ··1 Stoneburner, James .. June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... Died in rebel r>rison. Berlin, Md .....· .. . Died in rebel prison, Dan­ ~ 98 Do ...... Ste·wart, H ...... Aug. 29, 1863 ~ ville, Va., Jan. 25, .1864. z Died at Annapolis, Md. Q 99 Do...... Swope, George ...... Oct. 12, 1863 Harpers Ferry .. . Pi Do ...... Shores, George W ... Aug-. 20, 1863 Berlin ...... ~ JOO U) IOI Do...... Snoots, Charles H... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 102 Do . ... . Spring, Charles L ...... do ...... do , ...... 103 Do...... Shakelford, J. W ...... do ...... do ...... Died at small pox hospital W everton, Md. 104 Do ...... Shakelford, S ...... f.••••• do ...... do ...... Wounded at Leesburg-, Sept. 2, 1862 ; died in rebel prison, Andersonville, N v,) Ga., May 7, 1864. H .t-.) v,.) 105 I Privates •··I Stout, Charles E ...... 1 June 20, 1862 ] Lovettsville ...... j Died at small pox hospital, l·..) Weverton, Md. 106 I Do ...... 1 Shoemaker, Wn1 ...... \ ..... do ...... I ...... do ...... 1 Died in rebel prison, Cdstle Thunder, Richmond, Va. 107 Do ...... Snyder, Edward...... Mch. 14, 1863 Berlin, Md ...... 108 Do ..... Tritapoe, George C .. June 24, 1863 Relay House... .. 109 Do ...... Taylor, John ...... June 3, 1863 Berlin, Md ...... 110 Do..... Thon1as, Notly W ... Aug. 1, 1863 ...... do ...... III Do ...... Virts, John W ...... Jan. 1863 Waterford ...... , I Wounded at Point of Rocks, June 17, 1863. 112 Do ... · J Virts, Charles W..... Feb. ·24, r 864 Point of Rocks ... ' , ::r:: H 113 Do ..... Virts, R. A...... Mch. 3, 1863 Berryville ...... I Died in rebel prison, Ander- U). 8 sonville, Ga., May 23, 0 1864. ~ ~ 114 Do ...... l White, C. w ...... l June 20, 1862 Lovettsville .. •.:. .. 0 IIS Do...... Waters, Joseph...... do ...... Lovettsville ...... I Wounded at the Va 11 e y >zj Church, Ju 1 y , 1 8 6 2 ; wounded at Adamstown, Md. I 16 Do ...... ! Waters, George H ... 1 Oct. 29, 1863 Harpers Ferry ... ! Killed at Lick:•;ville, Md., Oct. 14, 1864. 117 Do ...... Wright, James T ...... June 20, 1862 Lovettsville ...... 118 Do ...... Welsh, George ...... do ...... do ...... 119 Do .. ~ .. . Wilt, George...... Mch. 3r, 1863 Berryville ...... 120 Do ...... Zee, Robert...... Dec. 1, 1862 Waterford ...... I, Total enlistments Company A I 20 ; total loss 44.

~ Comparative Losses. I H O"I Per cent. Per <:!ent.. Range1-s ...... ·...... o. 36 10th New York Cavalry ...... o. r 7 1st Maine Cavalry ...... ~ ...... 0.18 8th Indiana Cavalry ...... 0.21 rst Vern1ont Cavalry ...... 0.20 rst Mi<'higan Cavalry ...... o. 16 ➔ 2d New York Cavalry ...... , ...... 0.14 5th Michigan Cavalry ...... 0.23 ~ ti1 8th New York Cavalry...... o. 15 6th Michigan Cavalry ...... •.. 0.24 t-t 1st New Jersey Cavalry...... o. 15 0 -d tj 0 dz ~ z:;i.. Q ti1 !;d r.n.

.1.\:) CN w 234 HISTORY OF TIIE I~OUDOUN RANGERS.

Having been unsuccessful in · getting a copy of the muster roll of Company B from the War Department, the present roll is reproduced from memory, and there may be omissions.

Captain- Edward Dean. James W. Grubb.* Jacob Dixon. First Lieutenant­ Thomas Dixon.* Charles M. Atwell.* John Dillon. · Second Lieutenant­ James Delaney. Augustus C. Rhodes .. Henry Du~an. First Sergeant- J an~es Foreman. George H. Hickman. Willian1 Forsythe. Sergeants- W. J. Gore. Fenton D. Paxton. J. W. Harrison. John W. Forsythe. Tho1na-.. Harrison .. Thomas Dewire. Jan1es W. Hawk. Charles Stewart. John vV. Hawk.* Corporals- William Harduat. } ohn Chamblin. Henrv Haines.* Randolph Nichols.* John ·Kidwell.* Hiram Lathan1. Mark Kiverler. Noble Dean. Benjamin Matthews. Phillip Pritchard.* Willia1n Marby. Thomas Coates.* George .Monday. Privates- Thomas Morrisey. George Allen. John Mock. Jacob Allen. James McKinney.* J. C. Ayton. Franklin Null. James Ault. William N unberger. John Arkison. John Orrison. Abraham Atkins. Harry Peters. G. W. Bachus. Charles Rice. Georg-e Ball. N. B. Riley. G. W. Bentz. G. W. Rippeon. Ed ward Butt. Ewell Rose. Daniel Burnett. Joseph Ryton. J. F. Cantwell. John Scarlett. John Cason. John Sponceller. John Canall. Mathias Spong. C. Creswell. R. H. Wallace. Henry Cole. James Wilson.

*Dead.