The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-22
CEDAR MOUNTAIN,
The Gallant Part Taken by Crawford'S
Brigade.
BY H. A. TRIP, co. F, 10TH Me, BLUEHrLL, ME-

battle of Cedar Mountain had much influence
upon the disastrous campaign that followed it,
and will ever remain as one of the most stub
bornly contested fields of the war, from which
neither side can reap much except the credit
for hard fighting.
July % 1852 Crawford's First Brigade OF
Williamss First Division Of Banks's Corps
Second CORPS, Army of Virginia. reached Iul-
pepper Courthouse, on the Orange y Alexandria
Railroad, and. with the cavalry Of Bayard and
Buford and thee batteries of artillery, consti-
tuted the outpost Of the army. The brigade
was commanded by Brighten S ". Crawford,
who secuted constantly the whole country from
Madison Court-h house on the right to Germanla
Ford on the Eapidaa, and held the fords of
that stream. Gen. Pope was IN command of
the Army Of Virginia.
On the 29th of July he left Washington, and
after reviewing Ricketts's (SecoHd) Division Of
McDowell's Third Corps Army Of Virginia,
at Waterloo Bridge, he repaired to the head
quarters of Gen. Banks, few miles southeast
of Little Washington. August Gen. Banks
was ordered 10 move forward and take post at
the point where the turnpike from Srcrryville
crosses Hazel River. Gen. Mcdowell had been
ordered the day previous to move forward with
Ricketts, Division from Waterloo Bridge TO
Culpeper Courthouse, so that on the 9Th of
August all the infantry and artillery forces OF
the Army of Virginia were assembled along the
turnpike from Sperryyiie TO CulPeper and
numbered about 2S,000 men. This does not in
Clude Kings First Division of McDowell's
Corps, which was on the lower Rappahannock
opposite Fredericksburg.
The cavalry forces covering the front of the
army on that day were distributed as follows:
Gen. Bu:ord. with five regiments was posted
at Madison Court house. with his piclic;s along
the line of the Rapidan. from Burnatts Ford
as far west as the Blue Ridge. Gen. Sigel had
been directed to post a brigade Of infantry and
I.t4 e -bg,,
road from Madison Court house 10 Spcrryyille
crosses RohertsoH's River, Is 4 support TO Ten.
Bufords cavalry, IN front of him. Gen. Bay
ard, with f0ur regiments of cavalry, was posted
near Rapidan Station, the point where the Or
ange & Alexandria Railroad crosses the Rapi-
dan River, with his pickets extending As far 10
the east as EGccoon Ford, and connecting with
Gen Bulord on his right at Bunetts Ford.
From Saccoon Ford 10 the forks of the Kappa
hammock above fredericksburg, the Rapidan
was lined with cavalry pickets. On the top of
Thor0u-hlare Mountain. about halfway be-
tween Gems. BG!ord and Bayard, was estaj-
lished signal station. which overlooked the
whole country as far south as Orange Court
house.
Gen. Pope inspected Gen. Sigcl's Corps at
SperTyvilie Aug. :, receiving reports from the
front that the enemy WIS crossing the Kappa
hammock al several points between the railroad
bridge and Liberty Mills He lrft Sperryviile
at p. r., Aug. Z, and reached Culpeper on the
morning CT Aug. s. Gen. Bayard was slowly
falling back in the direction of Culpeper be-
fore tie advance Of the enemy, and Gen. Btu
ford reported the enemy ad vancing in the di-
reclioa OF Madison Court house. Jackson was
moving in force, with Eweli's Division OF three
brigades, his own division, also of three bril-
gados, commanded by Brig. Gen. c. S. Winder,
and the Light Division of A. P Hill of
seven brigaaes
Gen. Pope ordered Gems Banks and SiCel to
march TO Culpeper. Gen. Banks arrived at II
e'clocl; that night At $50 p 10. Sigel sent
courier from Sperryville to Culpeper, a distance
of 20 miles, TO ask what road be should take.
AZ this, as there was but one, and that broad
smooth turnpike Gen. Pope naturally felt sur
prised.
At noon Of the Sth Crawford receives an
order from Gen. Pope to proceed to a GER
taiE 1Oili5 south of rGuipeper on the Madison
CoifFt-koise road with his brigade and camp
Within 80 minutes thereafter another order
comes 10 him from Pope, directing him to
push on toward the Rapdan and support Gen
Bayard, who Is falling back before the enemy"
and al the same time report from signal Off
Ger Is shown him TO the effect that a. long col
umns OF the enemys infantry, cavalry and artil-
lery were seen approaching by the road from
Barnetts Ford TO the mouth Of Crooked River"
1t about $50 p. IN. Our briGade line is formed
We leave our tents standing, in charge of guards
bands cocks, etc. aud in light marching order
We are of for the front. The day is very hot
and sultTy. and before we even reach Culpeper
the men feel the heat. Marching through the
village we straighten up and try 20 look like
soldiers How well we succeeded let Porte
CIsyon' answer. In Harpers Magazine for
August, 1867, after speaking of the advance of
stragglers 10 Culpeper, he says:
As we entered the streets Of the village, however
met superb dramatic contrast to tins sliyelinC
crowd This was Crawlord's Brigade moving TO
the front with drums beating and coiors flying
We waited 20 see the brigade pass. 1t was the
most ins.iT!.ing sight ever There were four
Regiments o. infantry and two batteries. ThcrcG-
Inents were the 10th Pa. 5ih Conn, 10th Me, and
2Sth y y, with Rocmer and hnapp's batteries.
That brigade never marched under a hotter
Sun, nor had SO many stragglers in so short a
march Very many were entirely Frustrated by
the heat. and the column almost stretched the
entire distance from Culpeper to Cedar Run,
about six miles
After marching past Caivin's Tavern where
road from Madison Courthouse intcrsects the
road from Culpeper to Orange Court house some
three miles from Culpepcr, we found sOnle of
Bayard cavalry halted and at Cedar Run
Six miles from Culpeper, we found Gen. Bayard
Gen. Crawford ordered him to halt.
Cedar Rnu crosses the road III advance of a
belt OF woods running cast and west a thousand
yards beyond the run, and extending OH both
sides OF the road is a ridge running in an clip
teal FORM which afforded good position for
artillery. Here Gen. Crawford aud Mai. Hus-
ton, u. ). Engineers, an officer Of Gen Mellow
ellis stan, posted the artillery-four 1G-pound
Parrots Of knapp's battery Go. Z, fst Pa l..
A. being on the left or south of the road SID
ported by the 5th Conn and 10th Ne, while
Roemer's battery Of three-inch rifles Go. l., I'd
n. \. l.. A. was on the right or north OF the
road, supported hy the 25th n. /. aud 10th Pa
The cnemy's pickets were to be SEEM and
Gems Crawford and Bayard went to the front
TO reconnciter. Gen Crawford received an
order from Gen. Pope, directing him 10 take
command Of all forces at the front upon which
strong cavalry pickets were thrown out, especi-
ally TO the left, toward Cedar Mountain as the
enemy's movements and manuvers were tend
ing in that direction. Infantry pickets were
thrown out 600 yards in front to the road lead
ing from Mrs. CrittendenS farm house TO the
Cuipepcr road, and the command bivouacked
for the night
The sun has gone down. our stragglers have
come up, and a refreshing GOODNESS has taken
the place Of the intense heat Of the afternoon
We eat our supper, fill our pipes, and then
stretch out on the soft, sweet-scented clover at
the foot OF the ridge, in rear of the batteries
and speculate as soldiers will of the morrow. of
jackson, of Pope, of Sigel, and Mcdowell The
moon shines clear and beautiful 1t is pleas
ant evening, and the scene is an impressive
one.
For many it is their last night on earth. At
length, knocking the ashes out of our pipes, we
put away the cards, take a last look at Knapp's
battery III our front, roll up in our blankets
and soon fast asleep