The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-02-26
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What 0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
A GOOD RECORD.
Sketch Of the Services sc the LIST n. Y. Mounted
Rifles


this veteran regiment will take place Feb. %,
III the Merchants Hotel, Cortlandt street, New
York city, Much is written about the first
and the last regiment mustered In and mus
tered out and this one comes very near both
bonors. In nv possession is the first muster
roll of Co. D. and it states that the company
was raised by Capt. Judson Fitzpatrick, in New
York city, July, 1861. Marched thence 10 Fort
Monroe where il was mustered July 80, 1851,
for three years. Fitzpatrick, who was Cap
tain in the 9Th y. Y. Duryea's. after the bat
tie of Big Bethel was sent TO New York, duly
authorized by the Secretary Of War TO raise
squadron Of cavalry for duty on the Peninsula,
where New Norks first volunteer regiments
the Ist, I'd 3D. Ith. 9th, 9Th, and 1oth-were
sent He reached the fort on the night
Hampton burnt and marched up TO the
Seminary now the Soldiers Homel and placed
his Rickets: putting post No. j on top of the
cupola, As soon it was dark, that man
(James Moan) saw Magruder crossing New
Market Bridge. immediately there was
stampede, and Fitzpatrick and his command
sought safety within the fort. The next day
Gen. Wool ordered him out on reconnaiS-
sance 10 Fox Hill aud Back River. No enemy
was found. but few days afterwards he was or
dered TO the fort with his command. The Gen.
eIal, in his old glazed Mexican war cap came out
on the stoop and severely lectured him for rid
ing through cornfield belonging to ex-Presi-
dent Tyler. Fitzpatrick then left us never TO re-
turn He went TO New York, raised a regiment,
was sent 10 Washington, and made demand
for his companies on the Peninsula, but never
got them. They grew TO battalion that Win
ter BY gaining two companies from Van Wycks
fnow l.. :. Senatorl 10th LcgiOn-brave Sullivan
County boys-and the following Summer, after
the disastrous Peninsular campaign, TO full
regiment of 1,200 men. They enjoyed the
peculiar distinction, for cavalry, of taking
part in a
NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.
Gen. Wool ordered them up, under their
com mander Mai. Dodgc) to Newport News on
Saturday afternoon, March s, where they
ranged themselves along the bluff under cover,
and opened fire with their carbines on the
boas that came from the Merrimac to take the
prisoners off the Congress
Saturday night May 10, they entered Nor
folk at the head of Wool's army. Fifteen days
later they started their first raid, and, /
claim the first raid made by cavalry in the war;
Leaving Norfolk they struck south into North
Carolina, passing through South Mills; then
on to Camden, Elizabeth City, Edenton, Hart
ford. Gatesville South Quay, Franklin, Zuni,
Windsor Isle of Wight. and back by Suffolk,
having marched over 800 miles in 10 days
through the enemy's country, with large
amount Of horses. mules and over 100 prisoners
our battalion numbering but 200 at the time.
In June it went TO Suffolk and was raised to a
regiment under Col. Dodge Here it remained
till after that place was evacuated, VIXEN it was
transferred TO the Peninsula at williamsburg.
where it picketed and watched Richmond
along the Chickahominy. May it landed
with Butler at Bermuda Hundred and took
part in the engagements at Drewry's Bluff and
Petersburg During the Winter of 1S6i-65 1t
campcd near the Darbytown road, picketing
the roads 10 Richmond. Gen. Grant, in his
order unleashing his corps for their final and
victorious campaign against Lee ordered our
Colonel tE. V. Sumner) to take his regiment
over their old scouting ground by boat TO Nor
folk: then 10 march 10 Weldon. y. C., 10 de-
stroy the railroads there and be in the way
generally OF Joe johnston should he attempt 10
leave Sherman and strike for City Point,
Grants base. April we were tearing up the
railroad. when we learned that Lee had left
Petersburg ard Richmond. We immediately
returned, reaching Petersburg. and being or
dered into Richmond, which city we entered
by the back door from Manchester, crossing
the James on pontoon near Libby. On Sum
day morning. April 10, we marched up Main
street to Capitol Square, in which we dis
mounted, feeding our horses on the luxuriant
grass while we, seated on the steps OF the MON
ument. drew out cur writing materials, and on
the first page wrote +" Victory! Capital Square,
Richmond. Va"
After few hours we found our sick, lame
and lazy, which we had left behind. had en-
tered thes city with the advance of Weitzels
troops. In fact, il is not positively known
was said that our Quartermaster Lieut.. Corby,
who rode the best and feetest horse in Yir-
ginia-an old gray mare, of imported stock,
that be had captured three years before in
North Caroina-had slept at the picket on the
Darbytown road every night since We left
camp March "a, believing that Grant would
surely succeed this time; SO that when the
report came in that they were evacuating
Richmond he started, passing the 4th Mass Cav,
and hurrying on TO take possession of the stray
mules that the rebel Quartermasters might
forget III their hurry. Be this story true or
false, We found our QuartermasteT, with our dis
mounted men, camped on Church Hill, while he
had all his stores at Chimborazo Hill, in build
ings used by the Con federate Quartermaster, in
which there was large number of very lean
and sore-backed mules. In the afternoon we
were drawn up and the news of Lincon's death
was read to Us, when we were detailed in
squads Of 10 and patrolled the streets. The
regiment was kept in service-very much
against our will, our Colonel being a Regu-
lar-until Nov %, when we were mustered
out of the United States service at City
Point Va; then we were taken to Albany, n.
Y, and there formally disbanded few days
before Christmas There may have been some
regiments mustered out after this, but no cav
airy regiments were. During the war we were
the nearest to Richmond-Winter of 1861-62,
Camp Hamilton; 1929, Suffolk 1663'64,
Williamsburg; 1864 J65, Darbytown road.
we Uau lZD Kllleu, Z34 WOuDQSQ anu over
200 died from disease III the service out of 2 ,000
men that had served in the regiment at vari-
Gus periods The number of engagements we
were in no one man knows; proper record of
these events are seldom kept by regiment
that enlisted for the war. Our men were
killed while sitting on their horses during
dark nights on picket by the guerrila-soldier
by light and farmer by day; and Oh the scout,
and raid, and reconnaissance; in the early
morning, before daylight, while our stomachs
were empty and our eyelids heavy At night
they were blown up by tOrpedoes, and killed by
shell at Bottoms Bridge Petersburg, and Oar
bytOwn road. They charged the ford at the
Blackwater on the order of General who was
told the river was blockaded with trees, and
the enemy securely hidden. But down we
went, and received the fatal volley in our Gen.
ter. killing two brave German lads.
-Four years and four months we served con-
tinuously, and never disobeyed an order. II
the bareback was mouldy we STEPPED it in
coffee and fried it in fat; if the PaymasteI
was tardy and Secretary Chase short, we went
tick at the Suffers; if our time was nearly
ont, we re-enlisted. and that Immediately, not
dickering about the terms Nearly every man
In the regiment was a veteran, and his name
had the letters V. V. after it Oh the muster.
roll So we have right TO call ourselves
veterans. To-day our boys are scattered from
Caribou in Maine to San Mater in California
from Walla Walla in Washington Territory IL
Fort Meade in Florida; from Duluth in Min