The National tribune., 1883-11-29
CEDAR MOUNTAIN
And the Gallant Behavior of the LIST Pennsylvania
Reserves.

CEDAR MOUNTAIN
And the Gallant Behavior of the LIST Pennsylvania
Reserves.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
! have Just read Comrade J. f. Starcher's
account of experiences at Cedar Mountain, and
by your permission, / would tell the many
readers of your paper what the LIST Pennsyl-
vania reserve cavalry did at the battle of
Cedar Mountain. The duty on the Rapidan
was very heavy. As our regiment was about
twelve miles from the advance of the army for
ght days, guarding all the crossings of the
river for several miles at low stage of water,
and at the same time watching at all points in
land for the enemy's approach from above and
below, making constant scouts to watch the
country around US. it was severely tried and its
endurance tested to the utmost.
When Jackson finally advanced in force, his
first attempt on crossing the river was to take
our whole party before we could reach assist
ance, as he was fully aware Of our location and
force. On the night Of August Z, 1862 the
enemy crossed at several places and made at
tempts in the darkness to surprise and capture
our piekets. but was so skillfully baf1ed in his
undertaking as to succeed in capturing but
two men. The outposts, raliying upon the
reserve held the enemy in check till morning,
when the regiment withdrew some three miles,
and another stand was made to cover the cross
ing OF the brigade over the Robinson River.
Here again the enemy was delayed by the
skillful management of the gallant General
George d. Baya-d until our camps were cleared
and our wagon train removed to a safe distance
to the rear. when we slowly retired, although
subject to q brisk fire of artillery and pursued
by strong force of infantry and cavalry, sup
ported, as we afterwards learned, by Jaeksons
whole force. General Bayard, By his skiHful
maneuYering and by the good conduct of our
men, bafTied the enerays advance in force SO
completely that nearly the whole day was oc-
cupied in returning 10 Cedar Mountain, dis
lance Of but seven or eight miles from the
point OF attack on the previous evening. Here,
as a prelude to the bloody battle of the next.
day, we formed, and by holding the position
until General Banks force arrived and de-
ployed in battle order, traced the memorable
line and measured OF the ground where, before
another day was half spent, more than
twenty thousand men met face TO face in
mortal combat. 4 cool and determined front
was kept continually toward the enemy. and,
as squadron after squadron fled off to the rear,
the next in succession opened its front to the
attack until the preceding one had again taken
up position, thus slowly and stubbornIy giving
ground inch by inch as the weight of the enc
mys overwhelming force pushed Us back For
this mastery retreat General Bayard and his
men received public compliment and thanks
from the commanding general on the field next
day.
DESPERATE CONTEST.
The regiment was in front of the battle next
day at Cedar Mountain as advance skirmisheTs,
and the 1st battalion after skirmishing, was
placed as support of knappis battery, which
was making sad havoc with the enemy. A
| charge of full division upon this battery
| placed it IN imminent peril, but the 1st bat
talon dashed upon the enemy, broke three sue
cessiye lines of infantry, turned, and fought It's
way back, and of one hundred and sixteen men
who started only seyenty-fye formed their
line again by the side of the battery The adj
vance OF the enemy was completely checked by
this daring charge and the battery saved I
viii here give an extract from r. + Falls Off
cial report TO General Bayard Of the charge
he made with companies A, b, G and D, of
the LIST Pennsylvania reserve cavalry I" / was
directed by Brigadier-G General g. D. Bayard
to charge through the enemys lines at point
where they were supposed to be forming for a
charge on our batteries. My command consisted
of companies A, b. c and D-A and B form
ing the LIST squadron, C and d composing
the I'd sqnadron,-the LIST squadron COM
manded BY Captain VIM. Litzenbere: the Cd
/ squadron commanded by Captain John p Tay-
/ Tor; company a commanded by First Lieuten-
ant VIM. L. McEwen; company 3 commanded
/ by Lieutenant Z. s. Lawsha company c com
manded Lieutenant r. J. McNitt; company D
commanded by Captain A. H. Mcdonald First
Lieutenant w. l.. Holbrook and Second Lieu
tenant w. III. Butcher until the former was
| severely wounded and the latter killed when
/ the command deYolved entirely on Lieutenant
| w. l.. Holbrook. After getting in front of
the point designated, and forming in column of
tours, Immediately formed squadron, nv
command being already under FIRE. l moved
forward at q rapid gait until within fifty yards
| Of the enemy's lines, which found in great
force and three lines in number, when | gave
the command Charged" when, with loud and
terrific cheering, my command charged through
their lines, cutting, running down and scatter
Ing them ia every direction causing sad havoc
and discontinue in their ranks, as prisoners
taken testify. After charging back and re-
forming found my command reduced from
one hundred and sixty-four, rank and file to
| that Of seventy-one the remainder having been
killed and wounded, our little band there
proving themselves true sons of the old Key
| stone State.o
The fatigue of the previous twenty-four
hours unremitting and exhausting service,
with the heat of an August sun and the clouds of
! dust and arid winds stirred from the parched
earth, had well nigh overcome the men, so that,
as the suns last rays vanished from the west
and the enemy withdrew his pressing columns,
| they sank down at their horses feet rein In
| hand, and were soon lost to surrounding dan
ger and the demands of supperless stomachs in
the unconscious embrace of that sweet restorer
exhausted nature SO much needed.
MOMENTS OF SUSPENSE
But the feet hours of the brief night passed
before the tired soldier had half finished his
grateful repose. Morning dawned calm and
beautiful, and opening day, as its approach was
heralded by the golden streams that flooded
the eastern horizon, appeared--as though con-
seious of the awful scene about TO be enacted
to draw the rising msts as a veil of sorrow
around its opening splendors and shed so1nber
hue oyer the face of nature The first streak
of morning light was the signal for the soldier to
shake OF his slumbers aud prepare for the
coming conflict. A cracker with cup of
coffee hastily prepared from the muddy water
of brook hard by, made our breakfast and
we were ready. During the night the infantry
and artillery had taken their respective posi-
lions, the cavalry stretching along from right