Headquarters Army Of Potomac
Between The Rappahannock And Rapidan
September 17,
1863
Having again got “home,” I find leisure and paper to write you
a rather longer letter than you have got of late. Perhaps you would like to
hear about our little cavalry performance. Of course there was not hard
fighting, and a hundred or so will cover all the killed and wounded;
nevertheless, as the whole was new to me and as the operations covered a good
deal of country, they were interesting and instructive both. The whole Cavalry
Corps (a good many thousand men) had been massed the day before, and had orders
to cross the Rappahannock early next morning. I was to ride down in time to
join General Pleasonton. The distance to the river is some eight miles, so I
was up at 4.30 — rain pitchforks! dark as a box — thunder and lightning —
everything but “enter three witches.” However, in my india-rubber coat and
much-insulted large boots, much of the water could be kept out, and, by the
time we were saddled and had had some tea, behold it stopped raining and away I
went, quite thankful, and with a tail of six orderlies and a corporal. The
ground was very wet, and we went slipping and sliding, in the red mud, till we
drew near the river, when, behold, the whole country alive with train-waggons,
columns of infantry, batteries, and ambulances; the latter with the stretchers
fastened outside disagreeably suggestive of casualties. The rear of the cavalry
had just crossed, when I got there; and General Pleasonton was on the opposite
bank, where I presently joined him, crossing by the railroad bridge. He had
with him a good many aides, besides orderlies and escort. Just at this point we
held the southern, as well as the northern, bank and the pickets were some two
miles out. The country is rolling, but not quite hilly; there are very large
open fields (now filled mostly with weeds) and again, considerable woods. In
these last our cavalry were hidden, so that you would have said there were not
300 of them all together. This I found, presently, was a great point, to
conceal men, behind woods and ridges, as much as possible.
We all now rode to our extreme picket line and took a view;
and there, sure enough, was Mr. Reb with his picket line, about one
third of a mile off. We could see a chain of mounted videttes, and, behind
these, on a little knoll, a picket reserve, with their horses tied to trees. We
waited some time to give a chance to General Gregg who had crossed on our
right, and General Kilpatrick on our left, to get into the proper positions.
Then General Pleasonton ordered an advance, and, in a few moments, quite as if
by magic, the open country was alive with horsemen; first came columns of
skirmishers who immediately deployed and went forward, at a brisk trot, or
canter, making a connected line, as far as the eye could reach, right and left.
Then followed the supports, in close order, and with and behind them came the
field batteries, all trooping along as fast as they could scramble. It was now
between eight and nine and the sun was bright, so that the whole spectacle was,
to a greenhorn like me, one of the most picturesque possible. Not the least
remarkable feature was the coolness of Mr. Reb under these trying
circumstances. Their videttes stared a few moments, apparently without much
curiosity, then turned tail and moved off, first at a walk, then at a trot, and
finally disappeared over the ridge at a gallop. We rode on about a mile,
keeping a little behind the skirmishers; General Buford and his Staff being
just ahead and to the left. To the left we could hear cannon, General
Kilpatrick having got into a skirmish there. Presently I saw a puff of smoke,
on a ridge in front of us, and then hm-m-why-z-z-z, bang! went the
shell, right by General Buford's Staff, taking the leg off a poor orderly. Much
pleased with their good shot, they proceeded to give our Staff a taste; and
missiles of various kinds (but all disagreeable) began to skip and buzz round
us. It was to me extraordinary to see the precision with which they fired. All
the shot flew near us, and, while I had gone forward to the crest of the ridge
to get a better view, a shell exploded directly in the midst of the Staff, wounding
an orderly and very neatly shaving a patch of hair off the horse of Captain
Hutchins. However, two could play at that game, and Captain Graham soon made
the obnoxious guns limber up and depart to the next ridge, where they would
again open and stay as long as they could. By the time we had got a few miles
further, the enemy had brought forward all his cavalry and began firing with
rifles, to which our men replied with their carbines.
We now entered a wooded tract, interspersed with mudholes
and springy ground, and here the enemy made quite a hard stand, for the town of
Culpeper lay a couple of miles beyond and they wished to gain time to get off
their stores by the railroad. The advanced regiments were therefore dismounted
and sent into the woods, while the artillery tried to find some place whence
the guns could be used. It was at this place that I first heard the yells, for
which the Rebels are noted. They were the other side of a high bank, covered
with bushes, and they yelled to keep their spirits up as long as possible. But
they were soon driven through the woods and then we came on an open country, in
full view of Culpeper. This was a very interesting sight. The hills are,
hereabout, quite large, and on the one opposite us stood Culpeper, very prettily
situated, the railroad running through the lower part of the town. Just in the
outskirts the Rebels had planted two batteries, as a last check, and behind
were drawn up their supports of cavalry. Our cavalry were coming out of the
woods, on all sides, moving on the town in form of a semi-circle, while the
guns were pelting those of the enemy with might and main. Suddenly we were
aware of a railroad train slowly leaving the depot, and immediately several
guns were turned on it; but it went off, despite the shells that burst over it.
Then there suddenly appeared a body of our cavalry, quite on the left of the
town, who made a rush, at full speed, on three cannon there stationed, and took
the whole of them with their caissons. This was a really handsome charge and
was led by General Custer, who had his horse shot under him. This officer is
one of the funniest looking beings you ever saw, and looks like a circus rider
gone mad! He wears a huzzar jacket and tight trousers, of faded black velvet
trimmed with tarnished gold lace. His head is decked with a little, gray felt
hat; high boots and gilt spurs complete the costume, which is enhanced by the
General's coiffure, consisting in short, dry, flaxen ringlets! His aspect,
though highly amusing, is also pleasing, as he has a very merry blue eye, and a
devil-may-care style. His first greeting to General Pleasonton, as he rode up,
was: “How are you, fifteen-days'-leave-of-absence? They have spoiled my boots
but they didn't gain much there, for I stole ’em from a Reb.” And certainly,
there was one boot torn by a piece of shell and the leg hurt also, so the
warlike ringlets got not only fifteen, but twelve [additional] days' leave of
absence, and have retreated to their native Michigan!
The Rebels now retreated in all haste, and we rode at once
in, and found a good many supplies at the depot with a number of rifles and
saddles. As we rode up, the building was beset with grinning dragoons, each
munching, with great content, a large apple, whereof they found several barrels
which had been intended for the comfort of Mr. Stuart's dashing knights. I was
surprised at the good conduct of the gypsy-looking men. They insulted no one,
broke nothing, and only took a few green peaches, which, I fancy, amply
revenged themselves. Culpeper is a really decent place, with a brick hotel, and
a number of good houses, in front of which were little gardens. I send you a
rosebud, which I picked as we rode through the town; there were plenty of them,
looking rather out of place there, in the midst of muddy batteries and
splattered cavalrymen! A queer thing happened in the taking of the three guns.
An officer was made prisoner with them, and, as he was marched to the rear,
Lieutenant Counselman of our side cried out, “Hullo, Uncle Harry!” “Hullo!”
replied the captain uncle. “Is that you? How are you?” And there these two had
been unwittingly shelling each other all the morning!
After resting the horses we pushed on to the south, towards
what is called Pong Mountain, for you must know that this region is more hilly,
and Pong Mountain is about comparable to the Blue Hills (not quite so high,
perhaps). . . . We drove the enemy five
miles beyond Culpeper, making fifteen miles, in all, and there a halt was
ordered and pickets thrown out. Our Headquarters were a wretched house, of two
rooms, inhabited by two old women. We gave them one room and took the other
ourselves. And now I loomed out! The Staff had, in the way of creature
comforts, nothing but sabres and revolvers. It was dark and raining guns, and
the Chief-of-Staff had the stomachache! I took from my saddle-bags a candle and
lighted the same, prepared tea from my canteen, and produced a loaf of bread
and a Bologna sausage, to the astonishment of the old campaigners, who
enquired, “Whether I had a pontoon bridge about me?” Then I rolled myself in my
coat and took a good night's sleep on the floor.
The next morning we started for Raccoon Ford, on the
Rapidan, five miles distant. The enemy were mostly across and only opposed us
with a few skirmishers. As we got in sight of it, the prospect was not
cheering. The opposite bank, partly wooded and partly covered with cultivation,
rose in steep, high hills, which completely commanded our side of the river. It
was a fine sight to see the column splashing along the wood road, lying between
fine oak trees; but the fine sight was presently interrupted by a shell, which
exploded about 100 yards ahead of me and right among the horses' legs, without
touching me! The General rode into the open field to reconnoitre the position,
and I with him, because he wanted my glass; but Mr. Secesh has a sharp eye for
gold cords round hats, and, in a minute, wh-n-n-g, flwp! wh-z-z-z! a
solid shot struck just in front of us, and bounced over our heads. The General
ordered us to disperse about the field, so as not to make a mark; but, as I
rode off, they sent a shell so near me that a facetious officer called out: “I
guess they think you're somebody pretty distinguished, Kun'l.” However, there
may be a good deal of cannon shooting, without many hits; in proof of which I
will say that we had a brisk fire of artillery from 10.30 to 2.30, together
with a sharp spattering of rifles and carbines, and that our loss was five
killed and fifteen wounded! Shells do not sound so badly as I expected; nor did
I feel as I expected on the occasion. There is a certain sense of discipline
and necessity that bears you up; and the only shell I “ducked” was the first
one.
After some difficulty we got some guns in position and drove
off those opposed. Then General Kilpatrick's division went to a better ford
below, and tried to get over there; but the Rebels opened on him with fourteen
cannon and silenced his guns after a hard fire. So we concluded the fords were
not practicable for cavalry, which I think might have been apparent from the
outset. Whereupon both parties stopped and stared at each other; and we heroes
of the Staff went to a house (much better than that of last night) and partook
of mutton which, during the day, we had valiantly made the prey of our bow and
our spear. On our right General Gregg had driven the enemy beyond Cedar
Mountain and nearly to the river, but was there brought up by a heavy force of
artillery in position. All day Tuesday we lay doing nothing. I rode over with
the General to Cedar Mountain, passing close to the battlefield, and ascended,
thus getting a fine view of the Rapidan valley, which is very beautiful and
would, in the hands of good farmers, yield a thousandfold. . . . We have taken on our reconnaissance in
force about 150 prisoners, three guns, and five caissons. Yesterday the entire
army crossed the Rappahannock, and I got orders to return to Headquarters,
which I did.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 14-20
