Aug. 28,* 2 p. M., Charlestown.
Every morning I am waked at 3.30, and since we started on
the campaign I can remember but two nights in which I have slept over two hours
consecutively. At this moment I have half my men out on reconnoissances towards
the front, and am constantly receiving and expecting reports. Every day but one
for the last ten, we have had more or less fighting, and as my command is a
very mixed one, — the largest regiment (25th N. Y.) having only joined four days ago, and having had its horses
only seven days before that, — only time to march from Washington, — I have my
hands full. You will be sorry to hear that Captain Eigenbrodt is killed, and
Lieutenant Meader; Captain Phillips wounded in the arm by a guerrilla; several
of our best sergeants and men are gone too. The Second has been more fortunate,
too, than either of my other regiments. Day before yesterday, we made a nice
dash on the Rebs, killing two, wounding four or five, and capturing 70,
including a lieut.-colonel, three captains, and three lieutenants, — all of a
South Carolina Infantry Regiment. Yesterday, if I had had a little more pluck,
I think I might have sent you a battle-flag, but Caspar thinks it more likely I should have gone to Richmond.1
To-day we are trying to find out what the enemy is after, whether really
retreating, or only feigning. Berold is right in front of me eating oats.
Two orderlies since I began to write this page, and General
Sheridan is the most restless mortal, — he would like a report every five
minutes, if he could have one.
It is one thing to be one's own master, as at Vienna, and
another to be a small part of a large body,—as I am now. I like it, but I
should be sorry to have it continue more than four weeks longer. I sincerely
hope that Lee will find he needs Early near Richmond! That's “demoralization,”
only disguised in a patriotic dress.2
_______________
* In the first part of the war, it was held that the day of
charging infantry with cavalry had ended with the introduction of the rifle.
But by 1864 this was sometimes done with effect; moreover the cavalry, with
excellent carbines, constantly skirmished on foot. Lowell evidently made a
mistake of one day in dating this letter. It should have been August 27, for on
August 25 Torbert reported that his cavalry met Confederate cavalry in a wood
near Leetown. From all the information he could get, there appeared to be only
cavalry in his front. He at once made dispositions to attack. “Soon after the
attack was made, it was found that we were fighting infantry, a division of
Breckenridge's corps on the march. . . .
The attack was so sudden and vigorous, the division was thrown in complete
confusion and back three quarters of a mile. The enemy lost 250 killed and
wounded, together with one brigade commander.” Torbert then fell back, followed
by enemy's infantry and artillery, to his position. Sheridan reported: “This
evening General Crook made a dash and drove in their heavy line of skirmishers.
. . . Colonel Lowell took advantage of
it to make a cavalry charge, capturing 7 officers and 69 privates of Kershaw's
division.”
2 August 28, Torbert reports that Merritt's
Division (Lowell's was Third Brigade) moved out towards Leetown, met enemy's
cavalry in force, and gallantly drove them with the sabre through Smithfield
and across the Opequan, a distance of five miles.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 329-30, 460
