Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-13
Brilliant Cavalry Charge Mt Front
ROYAL.


The following extract from letter to the
Providence Press describes brilliant cavalry
charge at Front Royal, on the Both ult. 1t
was led by Capt. j. L. Thompson, lately of
the bar of this city, with his two lieutenants,
followed by Capt Ainsworth, who was killed,
Capt. Sweat and Capt. Prentiss, with their
several companies, under the command of
Maj Nelson
FRONT ROYAL, VA, June 1, 1S62.-Here
the battalionS of our regiment meet again in
the streets of Front Royal, this morning, with
what joy and copious tears will presently eX-
plain. First, our marches here. The LIST and
Sd battalions left Centerville on the 29th ult.,
and by forced marches, in connection with
regiments and brigadeS too numerous to men
ton, or even to count, pressing up by rail and
road, by day and by night, we passed through
the mountain gaps, amid splendid scenery, but
by awful roads, sleeping in the fields and for
eStS aud this morning descended into the val
ley Of the Shenandoah. Our I'd Cor New
Hampshire) battalion left Fredericksburg with
General Shields, and acting as his advance
guard, and Major Nelson holding the rank of
chief of cavalry for the time, reached the gap
of the Blue Ridge, and encamped in it
on Thursday last. With the early morn
lug they pressed down the mountain to
a CORY field Of fame for them. Front
Royal is pleasant town Of perhaps six hum
dred inhabitants, lying north and south in the
rich valley, on the east bank of the Shenan-
doah, out of which a broad road leads towards
the northwest, across both branches of the
river, Just above the fork, to Strasburg, par
allel for short distance with the railroad that
winds through the gap. The army came down
the mountain to the town at its southeast Dor
der. No federal force had visited the town
since the retreat OF General Banks, and the
slaughter of our Maryland regiment and it
was held when our battalion entered by the
18th Georgia regiment of infantry, one full
troop Of Ashby's cavalry, and a section of ar
tllery.
About ten o'clock A. NJ, Friday, 30th ult.,
when within about two miles of the place, our
second battalion received orders to charge
through the town to dispense the enemy and
to save the Shenandoah bridges from rebel
flames. The four troops, worn and exhaust
ed from more than a week of forced marches,
could muster but Just one hundred effective
men. They were instantly formed by tours
under their officers, under Major Nelson. As
they descended the hills on a trOt, four adj
monitory Parrot shells from guns on the
mountain swept over lHC place. hedCHl0p
the plain our troops took a gallop, and with
drawn sabres and charged pistols dashed into
the town, throwing the inhabitants and rebel
forces into panic. The enemys artillery
and Ashby's seventy odd cavalry men fled
at speed, and the regiment of infantry
with trains of wagons followed as rapidly as
possible, on the Strasburg road. Though
they set fire to the depot, and tried to burn
the bridges, they had but little success. One
of our boys rushed into the flaming depot,
mounted the engine and run it out with a train
of stores and grain. The troops charged
through the town, sweeping all before them,
demanding at the sabre's point the surrender
of all they met; sometimes squads of full
armed soldiers double the number of our
| little parties, would throw down their guns
as though they had already been shot. In
one instance, lieutenant, corporal, and
n private, took seven men having loaded
muskets. Yet balls and buckshot were UNI
comfortably abundant. In the midst of the
| greatest perils our men knew notth least fear.
however, their foaming horses, glittering sa-
bres and drawn pistols, struck dread on every
side. On they pushed the enemy through the
streets of the town and over the different
bridges. The infantry and artillery however,
triedto make stands beyond the bridges, but ali
IN vain till they had crossed the third bridge
about three miles from the town, and even
here they stood but a little time. But as they
retreated they continually fired on our horse