The Portland daily press., 1864-10-26
Letter from the Second Maine Cavalry.
cAA1p SECOND MAINE CAVALRY, [
RARRANcAs, FLA. Oct. 8, 1864.


n, the Editor Of the Press qs ~ Il
Various have been the rumors ahoat In re-
card to an engagement Of the Second Maine
Cavalry, when no such engagement took place.
Now that one has taken place and many lives
lost, I deem 1t due to the honored dead and
to the Regiment that true and impartial
statement be given. ,so f.t-1oo =
On the fifteenth day Of September an order
was promulg gated for a raid; troops to con-
sist OF the Fad Me. Cavalry, all the mounted
men Of the LIST Fla. Cavalry and what men
that could be mounted from the Sad U. S.
Colored Vols. Eleven companies OF the End
Me.-Co. A being at Mobile Point-mustered
about four hundred men, LIST Fla. two hundred
and Colored one hundred, making in all seven
hundred strong. . IS
:. Two companies of the 10th Iowal Infantry
md one section Of the 1st Fla. Battery went
IN the transport as guard. The landing was
completed at Dser Point Live Oak, on the
aight of the 18th. Oa the morning of the
10th the column took up the line of march
under command of Brig. Gen. Asboth. The
2ud Maine was commanded by Lieut.. Col.
Spaulding Woodman commanding the
Ind Brigade in camp. Sss5t&
After marching one hundred miles through
barren, sandy region, they came to the
town of Uchee Anna, county-seat of Holmes
Co. At this place there was stationed de.
tachment of Chisam's famous rebel Cavalry,
forcing the CONSUMPTION. A charge was or
dered. Lieut.. Col. Spaulding led the charge
with the End Maine yelling like demons, fright
euing the inhabitants and taking the camp by
surprise. A Lieutenant and some twenty
i've men we're token prisoners, also arms and
and equipments, camp equipage, horses, mules
and stores. This was on the morning of the
twenty-third. s.7
The expedition pushed on again, subsisting
on the country, which was now very fine and
productive, destroying and capturing every
thing that was Of any value. Contrabands
came in each day with horses, mules, carts,
&C., and gave much valuable information; al
ways much pleased to see the yankees"
After circuitous march Of another hun
dred miles or more, we came upon the city
of Marietta, county-seat of Jackson Co.. ard
rebel camp of instruction, and CONSUMPTION
depot They were anticipating the raid and
had made preparations for desperate resist
ance. The organized troops numbered about
4 one hundred and seventy-five men-Infantry
and Cavalry while some two hundred citi-
zens were armed with shot guns and rifles
| old men and boys. The End Maine, now un-
der the command of Major Miller-Colonel
Spaulding being on a scout--headed the col
umn and were ordered to charge into the
town, They received most CALLING FIRE in
which Lieut.. Dyer o. Co. I was killed and
| many wounded. The advanced companies
faltered under this fire, but others took their
places and the regiment dashed down the
principal street, led by Gen, Asboth in per-
son, Major Cutler. and Major Hutchinson lead
ing the advance. The streets were barricad-
I'D with carts, wagons and coaches, and a
steady fire was m lintained from windows,
aouse-tops, behind fences and from every
place where person could be secreted. Not
withstanding this, the regiment charged
through the town, driving the rebel Cavalry
out on the other side, and scattering the citi-
eens or militia in every direction. The troops
behaved, with very few exceptions, splendid
y. Eighty prisoners were taken, all tho
books, papers and official business and every
ming OF value in the town was destroyed.--
all the houses were burned where persons
we're seen firing on our troops, and the meet
ng house, where five or six persons persisted
n the flames rather than to surrender. Thu
resistance was desperate and the fire terrific.
IS will be seen by the following casualties:
General Asboth, wounded severely, Capt.
Young, of his staff, killed and Lieut.. Rowle,.
wounded severely in head. Asi
t Major N. Cutler, dangerously and left.
Major Eben Hutchinson, wounded, not dan
yerously. ~ " ttH k8t
Co. E-Private S. q. Pendleton, wounded
and lett, Corporal John Il. Deane, Slightly.
Go. F-Orderly Sergeant Stoddard, severe
y, Corp. David c. Whitney, dangerously and
eff, private Ansel Brackett, do, Silas Camp-
oell, killed, Corp. G.. w. Baker wounded
lightly. - - Ila13f
q Co. G-Luther M. Pollard, severely and left.
Co. Lieut. Ellis W. Aver, killed.
20. k-Sergeant A. s. Strout, wounded
Co. L-Lieut. Moody, wounded in left
thigh, Orderly Sergeant Clark, dangerously
and lett, private Orrin R. Evans, do, c. d.
1lough, Fad. do, Corp. John Pratt, slightly.
Corp. rhos. Evans, killed. sesi
Co. M-Leut. }. r. Adams, wounded dan
yerously and lett, Corp. j. r. Adams, foot,
corp. Edward Cushman, severely, private
Moses Simms, missing. 49, bsa
There are other casualties of which am
not informed, but the total numbers 29-1g
wounded, killed and missing.
The command evacuated the town at ii
o'clock that night, and those written "left'
we're too severely wounded to be moved
ruose wounded slightly, many OF them are
Win tneir companies; the others have all beer
brought here and are doing we'll. Maj. Hutch.
tnson and Lieut.. Moody are here, doing well
Major Cutler and Lieut.. Adams are in the
hands of the rebels who assured the Genera
that good care should be taken of them
Lieut.. Ayers body was also left behind. The
The regiment has met with great loss: al
these officers we're much respected and be
loved by their men. Major Cutler fell while
uooly leading the charge, and has we'll wo.
tne nonors of Majorship so lately conferred
upon nun. Lieut.. Adams was fine officer
anq served with distinction in the old 9Th Me
He ieh dangerously wounded in the breast
and fears are entertained for his recovery
Lieut.. Aver was recently promoted from O
M. Sergt. to End Lieut.. Co. I, and the news q
his promotion will be speedily followed bv thu
sad tidings of his death. He was a true 80,
der and gentleman.
The expedition retired to Point Washing.
ton, as it was not considered prudent to re.
main in town with the large number Of pris-
oners on our hands, where it was when last
| heard from, Oct. LIST. The results may b.
safely summed up as follows: 500 contra
oands, 400 cattle and as many horses and
~es' with wagons, carts and all manner Of
/ vehicles. Over ono hrnd.ad n-;,onoraf- ,vora