upon the ferry, which had the effect of driving the enemy's guns
from his ])osition: while entertaining him here, the main body
wheeled and moved hurriedly down to the ford below. The guard
on the upper side were all captured; l)ut high cliffs jutting from
the lower side, completely overlooking the ford, were discovered
to be lined with the enemy's infantry. "With this formidal)le
obstacle in our front, his artillery and cavalry moving down the
river, and a heavy body of infantry moving up behind, everything,
indeed, looked doubtful. But the quick eye of General Stuart met
this emergency by manoeuvering two pieces of artillery on an emi-
nence to the left that overlooked these cliffs, and a few well
directed shells thrown in their midst cleaned them out, and a
body of our dismounted sharpshooters were immediately thrown
in upon them, driving them entirely off. and held the cliffs while
our other pieces entertained theirs furiously, and also kept up a
fight on the upper passage. In the meantime the column was suc-
cessfully crossed over at this ford, and a few pieces of artillery
got in position on the high hills on the Virginia side, so as to cover
the other pieces in crossing; and just as they were relinquishing
their jiosition, a brigade of the enemy's infantry came double-
quicking down, but a few well-directed shots, thrown in their
midst, sent them skedaddling back in confusion. They again
reappeared, reinforced by another brigade, but only in time to see
our rear gain the other bank; chagrined and disappointed, thus
they beheld their so much coveted game so completely slip their
fingers — which was indeed a subject of congratulation to the
exhausted trooper as he threw his weary form down upon the
"green sward" of the Old Dominion to rest, having passed over a
most extraordinary circuit in the short space of three days and a
half, surpassing any former movement for celerity on military
record. In 1803 it is recorded that Wellington's cavalry in India
marched the distance of sixty miles in twenty-four hours. Lord
Lake, it is said, with his English cavalry, marched seventy miles
in twenty-four hours, which is the nearest approximation to this
march of General Stuart's from Chambersburg, Taking all his
circuitous windings to the Potomac, it was ninety miles in twenty-
two hours, bringing successfullv oft' with him a cumbersome train
112 Stories of the Confederacy
of captured horses ; and, what is more remarkable, passed through
the right wing, around the rear, and through the left wing of
McClellan's army, and for the most part through a deadly hostile
country, without a single casualty, capturing four hundred pris-
oners, destroying a million dollars' worth of Government stores,
and bringing off two thousand head of horses* This annoying
dash has given their own citizens a faint idea of the sweets of war,
and has taught them a wholesome respect for us, as their most
rabid sheet, the New York Tribune, candidly expresses: "That
Stuart's gang of horse thieves, notwithstanding the fact that they
all richly deserve the halter, made a favorable impression where-
ever they went. We all like pluck, dash, and boldness, even when
exhibited by highway robbers. The old farmers who lost all their
horses, and as firm in the support of the Union as the hills, could
not but admire the coolness, bravery, and discipline, which char-
acterized their every movement. Compared with Stuart's cav-
alry, our own sink into insignificance, and seem about as valuable
as the crowd of dandy ponies that gallop up Fifth Avenue every
pleasant afternoon."
We passed through the patriotic old town of Leesburg amid the
shouts and congratulations of her citizens ; similar manifestations
now greeted our entire course ; crossed the Blue Ridge at Snicker's
Gap, and reached our headquarters at Martinsburg on the 12th.
CHAPTEE VII.
EVACUATION OF MARTINSBURG AND WITHDRAWAL FROM THE VALLEY-
ENGAGEMENT AT BARBER'S CROSS-ROADS, AT GAINES' CROSS-ROADS',
AT LITTLE WASHINGTON, AT LAUREL MILLS— HARASSES THE REAR OF
THE YANKEE ARMY IN MOVING DOWN TO FREDERICKSBURG —
QUINTESSENCE OF MEANNESS.
Since the events of the last chapter, the command was quietly
keeping up the upper post of the Potomac. The river being the
line, brought the pickets of each party in speaking distance of
each other; and as there was an arrangement not to fire at one
another on foot, an exchange of civilities was not of unfrequent
*And so sure were the old farmers of Pennsylvania of our capture, that they had
come on after the pursuing column to prove and take charge of their horse property.
Sketches of Hampton's Cavalry 113
occurrence : such pithy dialogriies as the following would occur
between "Yank" and "Secesh'*:
Yank (derisively) : "How are ye. boys — don't you want some
coffee over on yer side?"
Secesh (aptly): "Not any, thank ye; got plenty from Penn-
svlvania."
Yank (gathering and coming again) : "Don't you want some
clothing over there?"
Secesh : "Not a stitch ; we got a good supply at Harper's Ferry
and over in Pennsylvania."
Yank (sneeringly) : "Why do yer fellers wear our blue
clothes ; you've got a brand new Government, why don't it furnish
you in its own glonoits grayf'^
Secesh: "Economy, egad; we get yours so much cheaper."
Here Yankee curiosity seemed satisfied at this game, and
assumed a more respectful tone, and then gave the confab a more
sociable cast: the Yankee finally concluding by proposing to meet
half way in the river and settle the pending difficulties over a
bottle of whiskey, which would be accepted, meeting in a non-
chalant air to the gaze of the hostile parties on each bank.
On the 1st of November, down on the right, on Fitz Lee's line
in front of Harper's Ferry, the frequent pounding of Pelham's
horse artillery gave us notice that the pent up columns of
McClellan were seeking a vent through the mountains to make
another "On to Richmond.*' Our main army in the meantime
were laying quietly up in the valley around Winchester, and by
the enemy's demonstrations on the extreme left passes, he was
leaving our army to the right and moving in the direction of War-
renton. making "that masterly movement"' through the mountain
down the north bank of the Rappahannock, that the boastful,
parasitical Northern press gave out was to thwart the "Rebel
Lee.'' and give them an easy occupation of Richmond. This beau-
tiful programme was to be carried out not exactly by fighting,
but to beat the wary Lee there by a foot race. But if circum-
stances had placed Richmond as a goal of refuge from rebel
bayonets, the gallant soldiers of the "Young Napoleon," doubtless,
from their Bull Runish proclivities, would have won at that
game: but. as the sequel of events will show, a sad accident befel
his novel programme — that either the Young Napoleon had not
8 — s. c.
114 Stories of the Confederacy
carefully examined the track before setting his coursers on, or
that the new ridei\ who relieved him, did not spur fast enough.
The enemy, in debouching from his base through the moun-
tains, gave our cavalry and horse artillery active work, both to
keep their cavalry, which was largely superior to us in numbers,
to the lines of their main body, and from dashing against the
flanks of our army that was also on the move. This called in our
cavalry from its lines. On the 3rd of November we took up the
line of march, leaving behind us our good, loyal population to be
again cursed by the hateful presence of the Yankees — for no one
can hate them so deeply as those who have been in immediate
contact with them. On our first day's march we met with nothing
of special interest, save the wistful looks of many a longing old
man or fair maiden as we passed along. The command
bivouacked at the east end of the valley beyond Berryville.
The next day we crossed the Shenandoah River at an obscure
ford at the foot of the Blue Ridge, just below where the Manassas
railroad crosses, and crossed over the ridge at Manassas Gap.
Here the enemy's cavalry dashed upon our advance, but a few
volleys sent them skedaddling down the mountain in the wildest
confusion, leaving behind several dead and wounded. Here we
turned to the right from the main road, and pursued an obscure
track along the eastern slope of the mountain, and halted late in
the night ten miles beyond the gap, at the foot of the mountain,
near Barber's cross-roads, in close proximity to the enemy, who
were reported to be advancing from the direction of Snicker's
Gap. A strong picket was thrown out during the night, and early
in the morning a large force of cavalry and artillery were seen
advancing in the direction of the cross-roads, with infantry or
dismounted cavalry moving in strong columns down the mountain
slopes just behind. Our forces to meet him at this point were
only Hampton's cavalry, and not more than three-fourths fit for
duty, and a portion of the Ninth Virginia cavalry and one battery
of horse artillery, with General Stuart in command. Our forces
were kept concealed behind the hills till about 11 o'clock, when
the enem}^ were seen advancing slowly and cautiously towards
the cross-roads. Their approach to this point was through a
wide lane, with a stone fence running on each side. At the cross-
roads stood an old store house and some other dilapidated build-
Sketches of Hampton's Cavalry 115
ings, and on all sides were undulating open fields, checked off
with rough stone fences. The following disposition was made of
our little force : One section of artillery on the right at the cross-
roads, supported by a squadron of the North Carolina cavalry;
another in the center, and another on the left, supported by a
portion of the Georgia cavalry, the remaining four squadrons of
the North Carolina cavalry in advance on the left, and the South
Carolina cavalry on the extreme left flank; the Ninth Virginia,
on the main road leading by the store house, with a small body
of dismounted sharpshooters, under Lieutenant J. M. Morrow,
posted behind the buildings at the cross-roads, and also a small
body of the Georgia cavalry as sharpshooters, on the extreme
right flank. Our batterias opened vigorously upon the enemy's
advance, which elicited a warm response from theirs. The duel
was kept up an hour and a half. In the meantime the enemy's
shar])shooters were creeping up under cover of the stone fences
leading from their column to the cross-roads, and also behind some
cross stone fences on the left. The battery at the cross-roads,
firing its last round of ammunition, was, with its support, with-
drawn. Their cavalry, on seeing this, came dashing down the
lane to follow and capture the piece, but a well directed volley
from Lieutenant Morrow's little squad checked their advance, and
continued pouring it into their confused ranks, and drove them
back; they, however, rallied and completed the charge upon the
buildings, when the sharpshooters retired, after again emptying
a good number of saddles, with several of the party wounded.
Immediately at the cross-roads the Virginia cavalry met and
drove them back under cover of their sharpshooters. In the mean-
time the enemy's cavalry had advanced on the advance squadrons
of the North Carolina cavalry on the left, where Colonel Gordon
gallantly met and was driving them before him, but ran into an
ambuscade of the enemy's sharpshooters behind a stone fence,
where a number of our men were captured; retiring, he was
charged by the Yankee cavalry, in which the sabre was used quite
freely, driving them back again, and following them uj) vigor-
ously, recaptured most of our men and bore off a number of theirs.
The South Carolina cavalry came to their support and held the
position. After this an artillery duel was kept up briskly for two
hours, when all our wounded were taken off and the command
116 Stories of the Confederacy
withdrawn without any interruption to the Front Royal turnpike,
and bivouacked for the night at Gaines's cross-roads. Our loss
was ascertained to have been fifty killed, wounded and missing.
The next day there was some skirmishing of the other cavalry
on the left, but our command Avas not engaged. We bivouacked
the ensuing night in the same place, in a thick timber, behind
some hills — a most bitter cold night, without axes to prepare fire-
wood — the North Carolina cavalry being the farthest down the
road on the advance position. The next morning found the snow
falling thick and fast, and continued until the afternoon. A.bout
3 o'clock, while shivering around our stinted camp fires, calling
down anything but blessings upon the head of Mars for intro-
ducing such a cruel modus operandi for settling difficulties
between mortals, the ominous cracks from our well known carbines
at the nearest picket post of the last named regiment, and the
rushing in of a courier, gave brief notice of the untimely approach
of the enemy. Every man to his horse, and down into the road
dashed. Our pickets were falling back hurriedly, and were now
at the edge of the camp ; a large body of their dismounted men
were attempting to flank and surround us on the right, and a
heavy body of his cavalry was advancing up the road. Colonel
Gordon met the emergency by placing the cavalry in the road,
and throwing a body of dismounted men out on the right, under
Lieutenant Siler, who boldly and vigorously met and drove them
back from hill to hill, and held them against their main body
until a piece of our artillery was brought up, when they were
finally driven back, and retreated precipitately down the road.
Their artillery was used quite freely, but without any effect. This
regiment was the only one engaged. No pursuit was ordered, as
the repulsed was too strong for the repulsing party, the other
regiments of the brigade, being situated some distance up the
road, and the onset being so sudden, did not come up in time to
make pursuit. The enemy had several killed and wounded, while
the success of this spirited little affair was not purchased without
loss on our side. Lieutenant J. S. Siler, of Company K, from
Macon County, N. C, fell while bravely leading the dismounted
skirmishers in the last charge. In him his regiment lost a valiant
and noble soul : cool, brave, generous, and kind, his men loved
him like a brother. A few of his men, nearest him when he fell,
Sketches of Hampton's Cavalry 117
bore him off, while the remainder fought like tigers until the
affair was over. Sad, indeed, was the scene when his weather-
bronzed men wept around his lifeless corpse, as his warm blood
crimsoned the fresh fallen snow. But sadder, far sadder, the
home scene, when that manlj- form lay before his devoted friends,
a fallen sacrifice for liberty. Father, mother, brother, and sister,
your country's altar could not have had a more worthy sacrifice,
and may you and yours live to enjoy that sacrifice.
"They who for their country die.
Shall fill an honored grave;
For glory gilds the soldier's tomb.
And beauty weeps the brave."
On the ensuing day, November 8th, the enemy, with a strong
force of his cavalry, made a sudden dash upon the camp of the
Georgia regiment, which was situated some three miles from
Gaines's cross-roads, on the turnpike near Little Washington.
They evaded the pickets at the f ross-roads, and came in a by-way
from the right (a mile and a half from the camp), where a small
body of men, under Lieutenant William Dial, of the Georgia
cavalry, with only ten men, were picketing, who gallantly met
the onset, falling back slowly to a narrow lane, stubbornly con-
testing the ground, bore up hand to hand, with their pressing
assailants. The command at the camp heard it and were hurrying
out to meet the alarm. Colonel Deloney, putting spurs to his
horse, left the column behind and dashed up into the melee, and
hand to hand with his brave boys, nearly all of whom had been
cut down, was delivering his blows right and left, when an
athletic Yankee trooper assailed him just as he was raising his
dripping sabre froni its victim. His new antagonist's blows were
dexterously dealt, and an instant parry saved his head; a quick,
heavy blow, partially warded off, fell broadside and deadened
his sword arm, causing it to fall helpless by his side; one
more deadly thrust at heart, but luckily a silver-cased flask
in the breast coat pocket turns the weapon's sharp point, and
it glides by, only grazing the skin. Exasperated at his foiled
attempt, the furious trooper, with knit brows and compressed lips,
was raising the final blow at the length of his powerful arm —
the column comes thundering up in hurrying tread — outstripping
118 Stories of the Confederacy
the foremost dashes a small boy on a little keen black charger;
his darting eye catches his beloved colonel's awful dilemma, and
with upraised gleaming sabre, arrests the fatal blow by cleaving
the confident antagonist's head in twain, and half raising it for
another stroke, a pistol shot sends the noble lad, too, reeling from
his saddle dangerously wounded.* The last one of the gallant ten
had fallen, killed or wounded. Hand to hand the supporting
party furiously took up the encounter. Old United States
regulars had been met, but Southern impetuosity was too much
for them; they began to yield and give ground, when a body of
our dismounted men gained their flanks, when they broke; here
our artillery came dashing up and completed the success and sent
them scampering down the road at a most inconvenient speed.
They were pursued a short distance, but the pursuing party was
called off on account of its weakness. The enemy's loss in killed,
and wounded, and captured was seventy-five; our loss was twenty-
five killed and wounded.
From this point General Hampton assumed the aggressive. He
made two successful dashes on the enemy's position at Laurel
Mills, fourteen miles above Culpeper C. H., succeeded in routing
and driving them entirely from that region, killing, wounding,
and capturing a large number; which rid the farmers of the
presence of these notorious scamps who were committing every
species of depredations, from negro stealing down to robbing the
roost of the last old hen, thus giving more evidence of the thieving
brigand than soldiers fighting for principle.
From daily reconnoissances it was found that the whole force of
the enemy were rapidly moving on down, and on the night of the
17th, General Hampton, with a detachment from the North and
South Carolina cavalry, proceeded cautiously toward his camps,
•We deem it worthy to state that this noble boy, Jimmie Clanton, scarce sixteen
years old, is the son of a highly respectable and influential citizen of Augusta, Ga.
He was dangerously wounded in the body, but has since recovered. His devoted
father, on hearing of his situation, hurried on out to visit him, and repaired to
the place where poor Jimmie lay in the most precarious situation. On entering the
room, the solicitous parent seeing his suffering boy lying stretched out on his back,
after saluting him, not even waiting to inquire of his welfare, but looking anxiously
into his pale features : "My boy, my boy, tell me, were you shot facing the foe or
with your back to him." Jimmie showed the wound in front. "All right, my brave
boy," with his venerable face sparkling with joy. "I'd with far greater pride
buried you with that wound in front than for you to have saved your life by
running."
Sketches of Hampton's Cavalry 119
Avhich were found to be vacated. Tlie reconnoissance was pushed
on across Broad Run to within eight miles of Warrenton, where
their pickets were discovered and driven in, and after skirmishing
with and harassing their main body a good part of the day. we
retired back across Broad Run, losing one killed and three
wounded : the enemy's loss was fifteen killed and wounded. Early
next morning another reconnoissance was made in the same direc-
tion, and all the camps were found to have been deserted during
the night. AVe kept on their track through Warrenton ; here
General Stuart slej^t in the identical bed Burnside had slept in the
night before, occupying for his headquarters the house where the
young Napoleon had turned his command over to Burnside. Here
the celebrated Black Horse Cavalry pursued and captured in the
farther side of town a part of their rear guard. We followed
closely on their heels. The conduct that characterized their track
through the country was enough to demoralize the soldiers of
Peter the Hermit. Farms wantonly laid waste, houses pillaged,
not a living domestic animal nor a grain for bread left for these
unfortunate people; nevertheless, our presence would seem to
cheer them into a forgetfulness of their situation, which augurs
that no earthly power can ever shake their faith from our cause.
In passing through the desolated region of Fauquier County .we
met an instance of meanness, in the way of Yankee trickery, that
should be set down to the account of that people wdio are laboring
that they may not "escape history." A certain Yankee general
made his headquarters at a Mrs. Bowman's; as he said, he went
there out of kindness, to protect her property ; but rather gave it
the protection the wolf gives the lamb. On leaving, he politely
requested his bill for self and staff, which was objected to ; dock-
ing it one-half, he gave the poor woman an order on the bank at
Washington, which she protested would do her no good, and in
lieu of which she asked to be allowed to draw some necessaries
from his commissary, which was reluctantly granted, allowing her
among some few items a barrel of sugar, which was rolled up to
the cellar door, the industrious brigadier superintending the
placing it in the cellar, calling the lady's attention to the fact that
the barrel staves were rather open, and that the sugar was working
through the crevices, but he had examined and found the sugar
in good condition. A few days after the gallant general and his
120 Stories of the Confederacy
cortege had left, Mrs. Bowman had the barrel opened, and instead
of the refined saccharine crystals, it had been packed with the
commonest dirt of the orchard, the crevices being smeared, alone
contained any of the article bartered for. And the only satisfac-
tion the poor duped lady had was a side-wipe retort upon one of
this wooden-nutmeg general's aids, who called a few days after-
wards for his dinner ; and in the course of his conversation at the
table, remarked that she had fine lands, and on asking what such
lands sold at, she curtly answered, "that it had sold for thirty
dollars per barrel," (the price of the bogus sugar). Whereupon
he insisted on an explanation. She simply referred him to his
general, whose conscience doubtless
Shame could never reach,
Tho' it strove with the power
Of the mightiest catapult.
We bivouacked near Warrenton Springs, and next day made a
reconnoissance out north of the Springs, when it was ascertained
that the enemy's force was moving off from the direction of the
upper fords of the Rappahannock, down through Fauquier and
Stafford Counties, in the direction of Fredericksburg. Our com-
mand then bore down and crossed the Rappahannock at Lawson's
Ford, and thence moved on to Brandy Station and went into camp
in that vicinity.
Here our brigade was posted and held the upper lines of the
Rappahannock in front of the enemy's extreme right, picketing
and guarding the different fords. From this point General
Hampton made frequent and successful raids within the enemy's
lines. On the last of November, with a detachment of four hun-
dred men, he crossed the Rappahannock and penetrated into Fau-
quier and captured an entire Yankee cavalry camp, securing and
bearing off a large number of prisoners, and the camp equipments,
without the loss of a single man. He made several daring and
successful raids, penetrating as far as Dumfries and Occoquan,
surprising and destroying camps, capturing many prisoners, large
trains of wagons and sutler's stores, which generally proved rich
and valuable, and would give the boys a gay time over the spoils.
Candies, syrups, i^ickled oysters, lobsters, smoked beef tongues,
Westphalia hams, coffee, sugar, lemons, oranges, plums, nuts, and
Sketches of Hampton's Cavalry 121
in tine a little of everything that a well assorted confectionery on
Broadway would contain; and then — which is hardly thinkable —
"Thomas and Jeremiah." and brandies and wines of the most
approved brands. Out of these fine brands was culled a gaudily
painted cask, labelled in the most fancy characters, "A Christmas