Showing posts with label 3rd NY CAV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3rd NY CAV. Show all posts

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Diary of Sergeant David L. Day: December 1, 1863

NEWPORT News, VA., Dec. 1, 1863.

On receipt of my furlough, which came promptly to hand at the appointed time, I, in company with eight others from the three companies, left Hill's Point for Massachusetts. I had 25 days at home, a part of which I used up on the lounge, with chills and fever, and listening to the expressions of sympathy from callers. Ordinarily, when a person is sick, it is pleasant to be surrounded by sympathizing friends, but a person with chills and fever does not want sympathy; that only makes him mad. What he wants is whiskey and quinine, and the more whiskey the better. I was asked if the disease ever terminated fatally. I replied that the most provoking thing about it was, there was not the slightest danger of dying from it. After recovering from the chills and fever, I enjoyed the balance of my visit very much, and reported back in New York the next morning after the expiration of my furlough.

Arriving in New York, I went directly to the New England rooms on Broadway. These rooms are a kind of free hotel for New England soldiers en route through New York, but will accommodate any others when they are not full. The rooms well fitted up and there is a spacious loft or hall which is used for sleeping with 100 or more single cots, on each of which is a good mattress, pillow, a pair of woolen blankets and white spread. In this room a man is in attendance day and night to attend to the wants of patrons, preserve order and look after things generally. The dining hall will seat about 200 persons, and the tables are well supplied with plain, substantial, wholesome food. Another room is used for a sick room or hospital, and is filled up few cots and lounges, and the tables are well supplied with books and newspapers. This room is presided over by a kind-hearted, sympathetic lady, who was formerly a hospital matron in McClellan's peninsular campaign. Besides, there is the office and baggage room, where one's knapsack or other baggage is put away and checked. The owner takes his check and gives no further thought or care of his baggage until wanted. In addition to these, are all other necessary conveniences. These rooms were fitted up and are supported by the patriotic generosity of New Englanders, residents in New York, and many are the thanks and blessings they receive from their beneficiaries. Here I found Spencer and Lewis, who were furloughed with me, and who had just arrived. The clerk told us we must report to a certain quartermaster up town for instructions. We reported; he examined our papers, endorsed on the backs "reported back all right and on time," and told us we must report at the transportation office with a down near the battery park. We reported, and were informed there was no transportation waiting, but we must report every morning in order to avail ourselves of the first boat that left.

RECLINING ON OUR MILITARY.

There were 100 or more soldiers waiting transportation to Newbern, besides hundreds of others for all parts of the army: The officer in charge of the office would no more than get his coat off and sleeves rolled up, ready for business in the morning, when we would appear to him. He would get rid of any of us by a wave of his hand and "No boat for Newbern." This continued for several mornings, until he became tired of seeing us and hung a card on the door with “No boat for Newbern.”

One morning the card was off and all hands made a grand charge inside. He gave us the cheering information that Gen. Foster had moved his old brigade from Newbern to Fortress Monroe, and he would give transportation by way of Baltimore to as many of us as belonged to that brigade. No one seemed to know just what to do, and no reply was made to the statement. After waiting a few moments, he inquired what we were going to do. As no one spoke, I ventured the remark that I had received no official information of the removal of the brigade or of my regiment and until further orders, I thought I had better stick to the order in my furlough and report in North Carolina. That seemed to clear away the cloud that hung over the boys, and we were soon on the street again.

The next morning, however, the clouds thickened again. The officer said he had reliable information that the 23d, 25th and 27th Massachusetts and 9th New Jersey regiments, together with the 3d New York cavalry, were at Fortress Monroe; he was going to give orders for rations and transportation by way of Baltimore to all those belonging to those regiments, and we could come in the afternoon and get them. I inquired if he was authorized to order us to report at Fortress Monroe. That gave him a sort of blind staggers. He said he was not really, but it would be all right enough, especially if we were anxious to join our regiments.

I replied, “We are anxious to join our regiments, but as everything in military has to run in its regular groove, and as order holds good until another is given, it would hardly look military to be acting on our own judgment and hearsay stories, and going off across lots, reporting somewhere else than where our orders say.”

"You seem to be right on your military. Do you always pay as strict observance to orders?”

“That is the way we have been educated, sir.”

That question settled, we were soon on the pave again.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A POLICEMAN.

During our long wait for transportation we had a fine chance of doing the city, an opportunity of which availed ourselves in the most thorough manner. We visited all places of interest and everywhere that there was anything to be seen or heard. One day Spencer and I, after a long ramble over the city, wandered into City Hall park, and feeling rather tired sat down on the City Hall steps to rest and watch the passing throng. We had not sat there many minutes when a policeman came along, and pointing to us with his cane, said: “You can't sit there," and passed along. We regarded that as a sort of camp rumor and kept our sitting. He presently returned, and coming up to us in a very imperious manner, said: "How many times do you fellows want to be told that you can't sit there?" I looked at him, and with all the innocence and simplicity I could assume, I said: “You see, sir, that we do sit here.” That shot struck below the water line, and he then said: “What I mean is, you are not allowed to sit there.” “Ah! in that case we will remove hence, as you will observe by our raiment that we are preservers, rather than breakers, of law”

Visit To BARNUM'S.

The outside of Barnum's Museum is always covered with immense show bills and people have become so accustomed to them that they attract but little attention, unless it is some new and curious thing he has got on exhibition. Noticing a picture of an enormous sea lion and railing glowing descriptions of him in the newspapers, I remarked to Spencer: "We had better take that in.” Now Barnum’s is a good place to go, as it is a highly moral show, and inexpensive—twenty-five cents giving one the whole range from basement to attic. Taking those things into consideration he thought we had better go, so one evening we went up.

Exchanging our quarters at the office for tickets we were admitted to the great show. After strolling around awhile and looking at some of the minor curiosities, we went down into the basement where is located the aquarium. We soon found the sea lion.

He laid on a large platform with his head towards the grating and about three feet from it. At the rear end of the platform was a large tank of water where he could bathe. He was a harmless looking lion enough and resembled a mule as much as a lion. He looked like pictures I have seen of the walrus, and laid there, a huge jelly-looking mass apparently dead, but on close inspection respiration was observable. We tried to start him up, but he seemed to prefer quiet, and no motion with our arms and caps had the slightest effect on him. I had an uncontrollable desire to see him go into the tank, and looked in vain all around the place for something to stir him up with. Presently a gentleman came along and stopped to look at him. He had an umbrella and 1 asked him to stir the creature up and see him go into the water. But he thought he had better not, saying it was probably against the rules for visitors to disturb him. I said that was probably the case, but we had paid our money to come into the show and wanted to see all the tricks, and if he would let me take the umbrella I would stir him up and take the responsibility. But he declined, and moved on.

A bright thought now struck me; I would fill his eye with tobacco juice and see what effect that would have. I chewed up a large piece of tobacco; filling my mouth with the juice and getting a beautiful range on his left eye, let drive, covering it completely, and to my utter astonishment that creature never so much as winked. I was dumbfounded at the result of my experiment, as this was the first creature I had ever seen which had eyes that a little tobacco juice in them would not make things lively for a few minutes. I can account for my failure in no other way than that, being a marine animal, there is probably some kind of film or covering over the eye that protects it from foreign substances while in the water. Spencer laughed at my discomfiture, and said perhaps we could find something else I would have better luck experimenting with.

Strolling around up stairs we came to the mummy cabinet. Now I like mummies and am always interested in them; they have a habit of minding their own business the steadiest of any class of people I ever met with, besides they are always civil to callers and are free from the disputes, quarrels, gossiping [sic], slanders and other vices with which our generation is afflicted. They are a very ancient people, and in their time were doubtless an intelligent and highly respectable class of citizens, but they don't amount to much now; they are too far behind the times and I don't think it would be of much use for them to try to catch up. In this cabinet was quite a large collection and they looked black and dirty as though they neglected their baths and toilets; they all looked so much alike it was difficult to distinguish their sex. I think if they could be taken out and washed and dressed up in fashionable clothing they would make quite a respectable appearance.

I looked around to find some biographies of these people but could not. I called the attention of an attendant and inquired of him if there was any. He replied there was none that he knew of. I then asked: "Is Mr. Barnum about the place? I should like to see him.” He stated that Mr. Barnum was away and inquired my business with him. I said I wanted to suggest to Mr. Barnum that if he would hang a biography on every one of these mummies it would be the most taking thing he ever had, not excepting the What-is-it. This attendant somehow didn't seem to get interested in Barnum's interests, and dodged off out of the way. I pointed out the largest one to Spencer and said: “That gentleman was once a soldier and did provost duty in the city of Thebes 3000 years ago.” He made no reply but kept looking at it and presently I heard him muttering to himself: "Can that be possible? Brave old fossil!”

We got up into the exhibition room, near the close of the play; they were playing the ghost. I should think it might be a good enough play, but the acting was not all that a connoisseur would accept, but then it was good enough for soldiers and the price. I thought the ghost illusion was very cleverly performed, but Spencer said it was tame compared with the Gum swamp trick.

OFF FOR NEWBERN.

After waiting thirteen days a boat arrived and we were now off. The boat leaves in the afternoon and all hands go down to the transportation office to get our orders and say good bye to the genial officer in command: I noticed that my draft for rations was on the Park barracks. Now I had a dim recollection and a sort of instinctive horror of those barracks, and it occurred to me that I had seen down on the Battery park, near the water, a small building where was kept first class rations, which were dealt out to officers, and other attaches of the army as department and sutler's clerks and such like nobility. I suggested to Spencer that we go down there; we could fix up some kind of a story and perhaps succeed in getting our rations.

Now Spencer is a conscientious young man and objects to anything that does not dovetail in the exact line of right and honor. He objected to going, saying we should have to tell some extravagant stories and then get nothing, and perhaps get ourselves into some trouble. I said we would make only a plain statement of facts; that we are living in perilous times and that the end would justify the means.

We went down there and the only regalia the supervisor of the place had on that denoted any rank in the army was a pair of blue pants; just what rank he held we were unable to determine by those pants. We showed him our orders. He looked at them and said: “What are you here for? Go up to the Park barracks where your orders say.”

“Yes, I know; but we have just come from there; they are all full up there and are running short of rations; they sent us down here."

“Don't believe a word of it; they have no business to be short of rations up there and have no business to send you here anyway, and I don't believe they did.”

“You, sir, have a perfect right to believe just what you please, but here is an order for rations; the boat leaves in about an hour and if we don't have the rations we shall not go in her, and if we don't go it will be somebody's fault."

Thinking perhaps that tracing out faults might prove unpleasant, he pointed us to a tub of boiled corned beef and a basket of soft bread, telling is to take as little as would do us. To allay any fears he might have on that score, we said we did not care to burden ourselves with any superfluous freight. We not only took the meat and bread he told us to, but helped ourselves liberally to some boiled ham and raw onions that stood near by against his most emphatic protest. So, with some lying on our part and considerable swearing on his part, we succeeded in supplying ourselves with first-class rations.

When we came out, Spencer said: "I was shocked to hear you lie so.”

“But I have not been lying."

“Well, then, I should like to know what you would call it ?”

"What I said might possibly be twisted and contorted into something that would give it the appearance of lying, but I have only made few positive statements, and as I said before the end justifies the means."

That statement seemed to satisfy him, and a little while after we were aboard the steamer Albany, bound for Newbern. Standing on the quarter-deck as we steamed down the harbor and through the narrows,

We watched the big city with curious eye,

'Till the last towering dome had gone out in the sky.

We arrived at Newbern after a four days passage and reported to the provost marshal, Capt. Denny of our regiment, who welcomed us back and gave us the liberty of the city. He informed us the regiment was at Fortress Monroe, and if we had only known it while in New York, we could have saved ourselves the trouble of coming here and having to go back.

We were somewhat surprised at this intelligence, and disappointed at not knowing it while there, and saving ourselves all this unnecessary trouble and delay. But, however, we must put up with it, and take the next boat back which leaves for Fortress Monroe.

After a four days' visit here we went aboard the little steamer Vidette, bound for Fortress Monroe. We had aboard about 200 soldiers and about 100 Confederate prisoners. We left in the afternoon and the next morning were at Hatteras inlet. The sea was pretty rough, and in crossing the swash we fouled with a schooner, carrying away her bowsprit and losing one of our anchors. The old captain, who by the way was a jolly old fellow, said he never had so good luck before in getting through the inlet; he had only lost an anchor and taken off a schooner's bowsprit. As we went past the battery, he yelled out to them to fish up his anchor against he got back.

The following morning we were at Fortress Monroe and here learned that our regiment was at Newport News, at the mouth of the James river. We re-shipped on another boat, and an hour after were receiving the ovations and congratulations of our comrades, after an absence of nearly two months.

SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 103-9

Monday, April 19, 2021

Diary of Corporal David L. Day: April 19, 1863

EVACUATION.

The steamer Thomas Collyer arrived last night, bringing dispatches of some kind, but just what we were unable to find out. This morning, however, the mystery was cleared up. The 12th New York battery was on the wharf, the 46th Massachusetts and the other detached companies were breaking camp, preparatory to going aboard the boat. This meant evacuation and going to the relief of Foster. The 25th of course is to be the last to leave, and we cast the last sad, lingering look on Plymouth. That is always our style; the first in and last out, and never lost a battle. But just here, the uncertainty of all things human is again illustrated. Just is the troops were aboard, the old Massasoit comes putting up the river, bringing the welcome news that Foster has run the blockade and the order of evacuation is countermanded. Cheer after cheer rends the air, smiles light up every counterance and hope takes the place of despair. But won't there be larks now, though? If there is anybody hanging around Washington who does not belong there, they had better be getting away.

COLONEL SISSON.

It seems that after Spinola's abortion and the troops' return to Newbern, the brave Col. Sisson of the 5th Rhode Island was so disgusted with the whole thing that he proposer going with his regiment alone to Foster's relief. He and his regiment went aboard the steamer Escort, and on the evening of the 13th, under cover of a heavy fire from the guboats on the batteries at Hill's Point, seven miles below Washington, he successfully ran the blockade, arriving at Washington with his troops and supplies. The next evening, with Gen. Foster aboard, he again ran the gauntlet, landing the general safely in Newbern. But it is said the Escort looked like a pepper-box from the shot holes made in her while running the gauntlet. On this perilous trip only one man (the pilot) was killed. The little garrison at Washington held out bravely. It consisted of only eight companies of the 27th and the 4th Massachusetts regiments, two companies of the 1st North Carolina, one company of the 3d New York cavalry and one New York battery, aided by two or three gunboats on the river. Against this small force was opposed some 12,000 of the enemy as near as we can learn. After Gen. Foster got away they did not seem to care to wait for his return, but folded their tents and silently stole away.

SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 89

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Diary of Corporal David L. Day: May 16, 1862

WE GO OUT MAKING CALLS. 

For some time past the pickets of the 17th Massachusetts have been a good deal troubled by being fired on in the night. The enemy's cavalry would come down, a few of them dismount and creeping up would fire on them. They would sometimes have cow bells with them, in order to divert attention and get nearer. But the boys soon learned that dodge, and when, they heard a cow bell, would draw their straightest bead on it and let fly. In this state of affairs it was thought best to make those fellows a call, and if they wanted anything of us to give them an opportunity to take it. So, yesterday morning, we marched out to the Trent road, where we joined the 17th Massachusetts, with five companies of the 3d New York cavalry and a section of a battery, the whole under command of Col. Amory, of the 17th. The cavalry taking the advance, we marched up the road a couple of miles, coming to a deep gully or ravine; crossing this, the advance cavalry guard soon came upon the enemy's pickets, driving them in and beyond their station into a swamp, where they formed an ambuscade, thinking there was only a small cavalry force and that they might capture them. By this time the infantry had come up to their rendezvous, which was a large, nice house, with ample barn room for their horses. Thinking this was too good accommodation for them and too near our line, it was set on fire and burned. We now heard firing ahead and hurried on. They had closed around the advance cavalry guard, and commenced the fight. The other companies being close by soon took a hand in it and were giving them about all they wanted when the infantry came up. When they saw the infantry and artillery they took to their heels towards Trenton, a small village a few miles distant. 

Col. Upton wanted to follow them up and give them some more, but Col. Amory being in command, thought we had accomplished our purpose and had better return. In this skirmish the enemy lost eight killed and two prisoners, one of them wounded. Our cavalry had two wounded. The wounded men were brought out and loaded into an ambulance. When they brought out the wounded rebel they put down the stretcher on which he was lying near where I was standing. He was a smooth-faced, fair-haired boy, and was moaning piteously with pain from a bullet wound in his head, and asking himself what his mother would say when she heard of it. His thoughts turned on his home and of his mother. I pitied the boy, but could not help thinking, as a cavalryman told him, he should have thought of that before being caught here... We arrived back in camp late in the afternoon, tired, hungry and covered with mud. I reckon they will not disturb our pickets any more at present in the way they have done. Creeping up in the dark and firing on a lone picket is mean and cowardly. If they want anything of us let them come in force and get it; that is proper and honorable. 

SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 58-9

Monday, September 8, 2014

6th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, August and September, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., September 23, 1861. Duty at Park House and near Old Soldiers' Home till December. Assigned to 3rd New York Cavalry as Company "I" and Joined Regiment at Poolesville, Md., December 9, 1861. (See 3rd New York Cavalry.)

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1481

3rd New York ("Van Allen") Cavalry

Regiment organized by Companies as follows: "A" at Rochester July 17, "E" at Syracuse July 30, "C" at Rochester August 4, D at Albany August 12, E at Elmira August 22, "F" at Rochester August 20, "G" at Boonville August 21, "H" at Rochester August 27, "I" at Syracuse August 27, "K" organized as Company "G," 13th New York Infantry, at Elmira, N.Y., May 14 (attached August 23); "L" at Cincinnati, Ohio, September 13, 1861, and "M" at Albany September 10, 1862. Regiment organized at Meridian Hill, Washington, D.C., September 9, 1861. Attached to Banks' Division, Army of the Potomac (5 Cos.), and Stone's Division, Army of the Potomac (6 Cos.), to December, 1861. Stone's Corps of Observation to March, 1862. Defences of Washington, D.C., to April, 1862. Unattached, Dept. of North Carolina, to December, 1862. Unattached, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to May, 1863. Cavalry Brigade, 18th Corps, to July, 1863. Defences of New Berne, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to October, 1863. Heckman's Command, Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to December, 1863. Heckman's Command, Portsmouth, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April 1864. 1st Brigade, Kautz's Cavalry Division, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to December, 1864. Norfolk, Va., to January, 1865. Portsmouth, Va., to March, 1865. Suffolk, Va., to June, 1865. Norfolk, Va., to July, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty In the Defences of Washington, D.C., and on the Upper Potomac till April, 1862. Operations on the Potomac October 21-24, 1861. Near Goose Creek and on Leesburg Road October 21. Ball's Bluff October 21. Near Edward's Ferry October 22. Bunker Hill, W. Va., March 5, 1862. Winchester March 10. Ordered to Dept. of North Carolina April 6. Haughton's Mills April 27. Near Burnt Church May 7. Reconnoissance toward Trenton May 15-16. Trenton Bridge May 15. Young's Cross Roads and Pollocksville May 15-16. Tranter's Creek May 30 (Co. "I"). Greenville Road May 81. Tranter's Creek June 2, 5 and 24 (Co. "I"). Swift Creek Bridge June 28 (Detachment). Tranter's Creek July 10. Expedition to Trenton and Pollocksville July 24-28. Trenton and Pollocksville July 25. Mill Creek July 26 (Co. "K"). Pollocksville July 26 (Co. "K"). Reconnoissance to Young's Cross Roads July 26-29 (Detachments. Near Young's Cross Roads July 27. Trenton and Kinston Road August 6. Reconnoissance to Swansboro August 14-15. Washington, N. C., September 6 (Cos. "D," "G," "H," "I" and "L"). Tranter's Creek September 9. Washington October 5 Pingo Creek October 29. Expedition from Newberne October 30-November 12. Rawle's Mills November 2. Near Tarboro November 5. Demonstration on Newberne November 11. Core Creek November 18. Foster's Expedition tp Goldsboro December 11-20. Kinston Road December 11-12. Southwest Creek December 13-14. Kinston December 14. Whitehall Bridge December 15. Olive Station, Goshen Swamp and Whitehall December 16. Dudley Station, Thompson's Bridge and Goldsboro December 17. Core Creek January 8, 1863. Reconnoissance to Pollocksville, Tranter's, Young's Cross Roads snd Onslow January 17-21. Pollocksville and Northeast River January 17. Near Tranter's January 18. Young's Cross Roads January- 18-19. White Oak Creek January 19. Near Jacksonville January 20. Sandy Ridge and near Washington February 13. Near Newberne February 27. Expedition to Swann's Quarter March 1-6 (Co. "F"). Near Fairfield March 3 (Co. "F"). Skeet March 3. Near Fairfield and Swann's Quarter March 3-4 (Co. "F"). Demonstration on Kinston March 6-8 (Cos. "A," "E" and "H"). Core Creek March 7 (Cos. "A," "E" and "H"). Dover March 7 (Co. "H"). Expedition to Mattamuskeet Lake March 7-14 (Co. "F"). Deep Gully New Berne, March 13-14 (Detachment). Siege of Washington March 30-April 20 (1 Co.). White Forks April 3. Gum Swamp April 4. Swann's Quarter April 4. Rodman's Point April 4-5 (1 Co.). Near Dover, Core Creek and Young's Cross Roads April 7. Little Swift Creek April 8. Blount's and Swift Creek April 9. Expedition to Swift Creek Village April 13-21 (Detachment). Trent Road April 13-14. Near Newberne April 15. Peletier's Mills April 16. Expedition toward Kinston April 16-21 (Co. "H"). Expedition to Little Washington April 17-19 (Detachment). Railroad Crossing, Core Creek, April 17-18. Big Swift Creek April 19. Sandy Ridge April 20 (Co. "H"). Expedition toward Kinston April 27-May 1 (Detachment). Wise's Cross Roads and Dover Road April 28. Near Core Creek April 29. Core Creek April 30. Evans' Mills May 5. Peletter's Mills May 5 (4 Cos.). Stony Creek May 7 (4 Cos.). Demonstration on Kinston May 20-23 (4 Cos.). Gum Swamp May 22 (4 Cos.). Bachelor's Creek May 23. Washington May 24. Tranter's Creek, Jacksonville. May 31-June 2. Plymouth June 16. Scout to Ccre Creek June 17-18. Raid on Wilmington & Weldon Railroad July 3-7 (Detachment). Trenton July 8. Hallsville July 4. Warsaw and Kenensville July 5. Tar River Expedition July 18-24. Swift Creek July 18. Near Greenville July 19. Tarboro and Rocky Mount Station July 20. Sparta July 20. Hookerstown July 21. Swift Creek and Street's Ferry July 22. Scupperton July 22. Pollocksville July 26. Near New Berne October 7. Camden Court House and Dismal Swamp November 3. Operations about New Berne against Whiting January 18-February 4, 1864. Wistar's Expedition toward Richmond February 6-8, 1864. Bettom's Bridge and Baltimore Cross Roads February 7. Kautz's Raid against Petersburg & Weldon Railroad May 5-11. Wall's Bridge May 5. Stony Creek Station, Weldon Railroad, May 7. Nottaway Railroad Bridge May 8. White's Bridge, Nottaway River, May 8-9. Kautz's Raid on Richmond & Danville Railroad May 12-17. Flat Creek Bridge, near Chula Depot, May 14. Belcher's Mills May 16. Bermuda Hundred May 17-30. Near Hatcher's Run June 2. Near Petersburg June 9. Baylor's Farm June 15. Assaults on Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16-December 1, 1864. Wilson's Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad June 22-30. Roanoke Bridge June 25. Sappony Church or Stony Creek June 28. Ream's Station June 29. Deep Bottom July 27-29. Malvern Hill August 1. Yellow Tavern August 19-21. Ream's Station August 23-25. Lee's Mills August 31. Reconnoissance to Sycamore Church September 5-6. Prince George Court House September 15. Jerusalem Plank Road and Sycamore Church September 16. Prince George Court House September 22. Chaffin's Farm September 28-30. Charles City Cross Roads October 1. Derbytown Road October 7 and 13. Johnson's Farm and New Market Road October 7. Chaffin's Farm October 8. Charles City Cross Roads October 20. Fair Oaks October 27-28. Charles City Cross Roads November 1. Darbytown Road November 15. Moved to Norfolk, Va., December, and duty there till January, 1865. Operations about Broadwater Ferry, Chowan River, December 11-19. Duty at Suffolk, Portsmouth and Norfolk till July. Scout to South Quay January 2, 1865 (Cos. "A," "B," "C," "H" and "L"). Expedition to Murfree's Depot, N. C., March 10-11. South Quay March 11. Consolidated with 1st New York Mounted Rifles July 21, 1865, to form 4th Regiment Provisional Cavalry.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 45 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 150 Enlisted men by disease. Total 199.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1372-3

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Scouting near Winchester.


CHARLESTOWN, Va., March 12. – The town of Berryville, Va., was occupied by our troops yesterday, General Gorman directing the advance.  The enemy had 5,000 cavalry here on our arrival but the signal ordered a charge of the New York 3d cavalry upon them, supporting the onset with a sufficient force of artillery and infantry.  The enemy did not wait to fight, but ran helter skelter towards Winchester.  Twice last night were the pickets of Gen. Gorman’s brigade compelled to fall back by charges of Aspoy’s Cossacks.

This morning Gen. Gorman made a reconnoissance in force to within two miles of Winchester and drawing the rebels into a trap, they were again charged upon by our cavalry, losing four men.  Several prisoners have been taken from the enemy, while our total loss up to this time is one man and one horse.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 3

Monday, November 7, 2011

From Washington

WASHIGNTON, April 2.

Tribune’s Special.

A reporter sent to the other side of the Potomac, assured us this morning that secretary Stanton had issued an order forbidding newspaper correspondents, as well as all others not actually connected some way or other with the service from accompanying any of the corps de armes.  Very many correspondents are with the army, and it is understood that an order was dispatched yesterday that the whole of them be cleared out and sent back, under penalty of immediate arrest and confinement if they attempt to stay.

Blenker’s brigade has been assigned to Fremont’s command.  Carl Schurz is to have command of a division under Fremont.

Col. Van Allen resigned his command of the 3d N. Y. Cavalry yesterday.  Lieut. Col. Mix will succeed him.


Times’ Correspondence.

It is not yet positively determined who will succeed Carl Schurz as Minister to Spain.  No nomination will be made to the Senate by the President until Schurz is confirmed as Brigadier General.  Hon. Geo. Ashman, of Mass., is talked of for the place.

Major Donaldson, chief of the quartermaster department in New Mexico, arrived at Washington to-day.  He brings much important information in regard to the rebel raid into that Territory.  He says the rebels hold every position of value, except Forts Craig and Union.  The latter, which is the most important fort in the far West, containing millions of dollars worth of government stores, is now safe beyond peradventure, and garrisoned by fifteen hundred soldiers.  It has water within the fortifications, and provisions for an almost unlimited siege.  It will be the rallying point for the ample Union forces now marching to expel the invaders.  Major D. relates many incidents of the late battle near Fort Craig, and says that Major Lockridge, of the Nicaragua filibusters, fell dead at the head of the Texas Rangers in the terrible charge on McRae’s battery.

Secretary Stanton will probably proceed to Fort Monroe to-morrow, to give matters there his personal attention.


WASHGINTON, April 3.

It is now conceded among the rebels that the Virginia troops are equal, if not superior, to any in the army, notwithstanding the brag of the South Carolina chivalry. -  It is charged upon them that they were the first to break ranks and run at the battle of Bull Run.  A large number of desertions from the North Carolina and Georgia regiments are reported to have taken place lately.  The time of the London troops expires on April 23d.

The teamer King Phillip arrive from the lower river last night, bringing up four refugees from Richmond and Westmoreland county, Va., who came off from Kinsale on Saturday last.  They state that the rebels are pressing every man between the ages of 18 and 48 into the service, and they have been closely hunted by the press-gangs for a week or two.  The rebels had nearly all  left the neighborhood of London, but a few squads of their cavalry roamed through the country, pressing into service all able to bear arms.  The refugees also say that late secession papers state the Federal loss in the conflict with the Merrimac was fifteen hundred men.  Also, that the shots of the Monitor had no more effect on the sides of the Merrimac than hailstones.

Our loss in the engagement on Saturday and Sunday, March 22d and 23d, was 86 killed and 424 wounded; fifty have since died.


– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, April 4, 1862, p. 1

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Peter E. Borst, First Lieutenant, 3rd New York Cavalry

Company D.

Cobleskill — Farmer; single; age 24; enlisted August, 1861; injured by dislocation of right shoulder, while on drill at Poolsville, Md.; wounded by gunshot through right elbow joint, during the "Wilson raid;" treated at Foster Hospital, Newberne; rejoined his company on detached service at Deep Gulley, N. C; received sabre cut on left shoulder at Little Washington, N. C; discharged as corporal, for re-enlistment, December 15, 1863; promoted to sergeant, to second lieutenant, to first lieutenant and to captain; mustered out as first lieutenant, July 12, 1865, at Suffolk, Va.; Albany, N. Y.; capitol orderly; married. Children, Lyra, Lansing, Guy, Kittie, Leland, Carlton.

SOURCE: George H. Warner, Compiler, Military Records Of Schoharie County Veterans Of Four Wars, p. 182-3

Peter E. Borst, 3rd New York Cavalry

Age 23 years. Enlisted June 10, 1861, at Cobleskill; mustered in as private, Company D, August 13, 1861, to serve three years; appointed corporal, no date recorded; re-enlisted December 16, 1863; promoted sergeant, date not recorded; mustered in as second lieutenant, Company K, January 9,1865; mustered out July 12,1865, at Suffolk, Va.; also borne as Peter E. Bust; commissioned as second lieutenant, December 7, 1864, with rank from November 30, 1864, vice Jeffries, discharged.

New York State Legislature, Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Volume 13,  p. 742

Only One Volunteer

A paper published at the county-seat of Schoharie county, N. Y., speaks of Peter Borst as the only volunteer from that town in the army.  We hear a great deal about Democrats making up our army, some saying there are 500,000 of that stripe in the service – others, more modest, claim twenty-five to one, two-thirds and a bare majority.  Here is a commentary on these pretensions.  One of the strongest Democratic counties in the State of New York, which can always be counted on by that party, furnishes one man from its county-seat for the army.  Now, we have no desire to underrate the patriotism of Democrats or any other portion of the people; men of all parties and factions have rallied to the help of the Union, and we would cast no reflections on any.  But Democratic papers are continually harping on the number of their party friends in the army, and casting slurs on the patriotism of their political opponents; and Republican papers, anxious for the success of our arms, and having no desire to create party bickering in the army, have allowed these insinuations generally to go unnoticed; knowing that time would show their falsity.  But in order to remind the partisan press that they are not invulnerable to criticism, we submit to their consideration the above item.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, February 17, 1862, p. 2