The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-09-18
From the First Michigan Cavalry.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST MICHIGAN CAVALRY,
NEAR ALEXANDRIA, VA,
September, s, 1862.

inst, from Hall Hill, near Falls Church.
The whole Brigade are mere, (Bufords,)
and will probably remain some
days in order to re-organize and re-
eruit.
You are probably aware, ere this, of
the frey ordeal our Brigade has passed
through in the recent battles in this
vicinity, and doubtless have learned OF
the casualties sustained in our regi- |
ment, but lest you might not have been
furnished with the full details, will
herewith give those as far as my knowl-
edge extends:
In our company there are six men
missing who were sent on despatch
duty and have failed to return. As
they have. now been absent some ten
or twelve days, there is no doubt but
that they have been taken prisoners.
Their names are as follows.
Privates-Mathew Dopp; Henry A.
Rimer; John Crush Myron G. Tice
Enos B. Wilcox and Albert ii. Lewis
Sergeant Sidney G. Morse, of our
company, who was at the time acting
I'd Lieut.. of Company X, was killed in
the charge. He was shot in the neck,
and fell before he reached the enemy.
He was brave and efficient soldier,
and We deeply deplore that he should
be thus cut down in the early morn of
his usefulness. While his friends at
home will be bowed down with grief
by the sad tidings of his death, we
hope it may tend somewhat to soothe
and mitigate that grief, to know that
he died like brave soldier and true
patriot, while at the head Of his com
pany leading them on one of the most
fierce and desperate cavalry charges of
the war.
The regiment in the charge sustained
a loss of 1873 men, all told Among
those are the following officers Col.
Thornton F. Brodhead, wounded and
taken prisoner. He was severely
wounded in the charge by two buck
shot, and has since died. His remains
are to-day being escorted from Alex
andria to Washington by our officers.
Major Atwood, prisoner and un-
hurt. Maj. Town received six wounds
three sabre cuts and three buck shot,
two of which were i'll his head and a
third in his wrist. He is now in Wash
ington and doing well.
Capt. Howrigan, a prisoner and un-
hnrt; Capt. Haskell the same. Lieut..
Merriam, wounded and prisoner; Lieut..
Beelman, a prisoner and unhurt Lieut..
. prisoner and unhurt; Lieut..
Wells, prisoner, unhurt.
The above may be relied upon as
correct, as / have taken pains to con-
suit official reports for the deductions
arrived at. Maj. Paldi is now in com
mand of the regiment, while Major
Town, we understand has been promo
ted by Gov. Blair to the Lieutenant
Colonelcy.
Duringthe recent hard battles fought
near here, Bufords Brigade of cavalry
have been constantly on duty. Day
after day have the men been in their
saddles, supporting batteries, guarding
our tanks or the river fords where the
appearance of the enemy was antici-
pated, or in pitched battle. Now We
are expecting little rest, which, l as
sure you, both men and officers are
sadly in need. We do not expect, how.
ever, to remain idle long, for the rebels
are too near at hand to admit of that.
Much bitter feeling exists throughout
the entire army against Pope and Nc
Dowell, more especially the latter.
Pope Is severely censured for allowing
the rebels TO get in his rear in such
force, and Mcdowell for falling back
from ThOroughfare Gap, and allowing
the rebel Gen. Longstreet and Lee tc
pass through and reinforce Jackson
Again he (McDowelD is censured for
Withdrawing portion of his Division
on the left, and thereby weakening his
force to such an extent as to be unable
to maintain bis position, and thus ne
cessitating the falling back of the en-
tire army, to prevent being fanked by
Jackson. The fact is very apparent
that our Generals were completely out
generated, and i am not inclined to
make our subordinate generals shoulder
all the blame, so long as it is not known
that they have violated a single order
More probable it is that the blame rest.
with officials higher in command-witl
Balleck or Pope, and if SO, let not 9th
ers be held responsible for their DIES
crepiencies or shameful blunders.
The whole army is in high glee since
Mcclellan has assumed command. N,
man stands SO high in the opinion o
the whole army as does Mcclellan.