Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-15
FROM, THE FIRST VIRGINIA
4 B7,i5sBgy CAVALRY. 40.
BooNsBoRo, Washington Co., Nd,
.raE yl.gs july 9th, 1868,

4 9l,l535yg CAVALRY. 90.
aid BooNsBoRo, Washington Co., Nd,
lglanss yl.gs 100 July 9th, 1868. J "
Editors LnteLIigeglcer: sfH .s1ral tEag 49,,
500 Thinking that short resume Of the
operations of Gen. Kilpatriek's Cavalry
Division, to which the First Virginia Cav
airy is attached, would not be uninterest-
ing to your readers, will give them from
the time we entered MRryl9nd; ae-
On arriving at Frederick Gen. Stahl was
relieved Of the command Of our division
and we were placed in the Third division
of the First cavalry corps; the cOrps under
the command of Gen. Pleasanton and our
division commanded by Gen. Fitzpatrick,
while our brigade was commanded by Gen.
Farnsworth. Our first move from Fred
erick WAS to Hanover, whore we engaged
and repulsed a rebel brigade, the report
of which sent you. From Hanover We
went to AbbottstoWn and Berlin, where
we encountered small party of rebel
cavalry who fed towards York. Our pres
ence in that vicinity eaused the rebel force
to avacuate and retire to Carlisle. Having
cleared that part of the country of the des-
peradoes and horse thieves, we came back
to AbbottstoWn, and advanced on Hun
terstoWn, where we engaged the enc
my's left wing, taking quite a number of
enemy's right wing, their centre resting at
Gettysburg. General Kilpatrick's orders
were of great Importance, and it remained
in great measure with him to decide the
day in our favor, for it was known to us
that Lee had ordered his right wing TO
break our left, which, If it had been done,
we certainly would not have won the day.
At noon we met their advancing columns
of infantry; we engaged them for four
hours, and not having any infantry with
US we began to think We would be driven
back. The General seeing this ordered
charge, which was made over two stone
fences, and on we went through three OF
their battle lines. When it is taken into
consideration that but one brigade of our
division was engaged against q whole di-
vision of infantry and artillery, it is with
out parallel. General FarnsWOrth led the
charge in person and was killed. Colonel
Richmond led the first Virginia in the adj
vance of the brigade. The booming can
non, the rattle of musketry, the clank OF
sabres, parrying the bayoDet, together with
the cheering of the men, made it seem as
though all the powers of hell were walked
to madness; finally they were repulsed,
but receiving reinforcemeuts they came
back and occupied the battle field, and was
content with remaining there. We lost
several brave officers and men. General
Meade, through Gen. Fitzpatrick, thanked
the ''noble brigade" who in so great q man
ner had secured the victory of one Of the
hardest fought battles Of tn e rebellion. On
Saturday morning Gen. K called all bis
division together and addressed them brief
ly. 1t was no studied speech for 4th of
July, but one of warrior to his victorious
men. He spoke tenderly of the many brave
and noble men who had fell while dischsrg
i ing their duties, and down over his cheek
stole tear of sympathy. he said they
would start Immediately to engage the en-
emy's rear, and that he knew enough of
them to know that success would be ours
He assigned Col. Richmond of the frst
Virginia cavalry 70 the command of the
| first brigade of his division; andwe passed
down the enemy's right 70 Emmitsburgs
thence through q mountain gap 70 Monte
rey, where We met the enemy in considerable
I force guarding the wagon train of General
EARLY g. division. AS the second brigade was
in the advance they fought them for over
an hour, when Gen!K.-sent back to Major
\ @. Capehart, who now commands the first
| Virginia, to bring his regiment forward
| and charge the enemy aud capture the traip.
The night was dark and stormy, the rain
fell in torrents, but tue t'big thing" ahead
| was incentive enough; onI they charged
with deafeniUg yells. When With1nfWo nun.
dred Yards of the trainth rebels opened ont
! a terrible ere from cannon and musketry,
! and a perfect sheet Of DIRE 'enVeiOped the
whole for the moment; but as that is the
element of the FIRST Yirgiuia, they charged
I in upon the rebels and eaptpred themi but
I they did not stop here--they charged for
i eight miles, capturing 1850 prisoners and
1 over 100 wagons. This feat has no patal-
iIel in history, Ole company of the fret
Ohio cavalry was all the assistance they
had, and the first Virginia did pot number
over two hundred nen,9s It would require
1.-TWO much of your columns % speak oi
each one who evinced such daring as COM
GIefely Snonpiussedt the rebels, although
4 they had four TO our one. Aajor CapehaEt,
together With capt. Farabee, led the charge
and fought like Spartanss Sergeant 8,
Grim. company b., Sergeant =, u, Wirt
company @, and Sergeant v N. d. iFonlkel
II company d, all deserve @spseial mention
i for their bravery an1 coolness,- A pistol
lbaiI passed through the,coat collar of Capt
j bFarabee, ,lightly touching his neck. Quite 4
knnmber of the wagons captured bad been
! taken from the citizens of Maryland and
\ lPennsylv vania, aud were Of enormous size
I they were well filled with goods Of every
possible kind, from Q dutch oven 20 q jews
harp. aIcauSot state the number of horseI
u and mulea which were captaredf bat It 4
yerT larse.. We lost bat one man killed
II and 5GoneI eIWounded in the whole engage