The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-04-28
cEDHR CREEK.
Pennsylvania Comrade Tells Of Cavalry
DoinSs There.

| DOinSs There
| Editor National Tribune: / have beer
reading the story of 1.-The Cannoneer,
and have been very much interested in it
| especially that part that refers to the cam
| paign in the Shenandoah Valley.
In comparing the losses of the Sixth
| Corps with those of the cavalry at Ceda
Creek he says that there were three divis
| ions of cavalry there. Now, in fact, ther,
were only The First and Third Divisions o
Cavalry from the Army of the Potomac ant
Col Moore s Brigade of PowelPs Division o
the Army of West Virginia.
No one expects the cavalry to lose as
many men in fight as the infantry, TO
The cavalry generally makes charge
| which is over very quickly, while the in
fantry will fight for hours. 1t is not neceS
sarily the regiment that loses the most
men that does the best fighting; the posi-
ton 1t is thrown into must be cen,
Our regiment was in that fight from II
a. m. until p. M, and it never lost a man
killed, but some horses and men were
wounded, and it was under fire most OF the
time. "a
Col. Moore's Brigade, lin which was in
Icktons Ford on the Shenandoah River,
picketing the left flank, of the army. The
other two brigades of, PowelPs Division
were stationed at Front Royal, to keep
Gen. Lomax's cavalry from gaining the rear
OF the main army. So 9
Our regiment was camped in a piece of
woods about mile from the ford as re-
serve picket. About o'clock in the
morning of Oct. 10, 1864, we were aroused
by the report that the rebels were in our
camp. The orders were Tor every man to
saddle his horse as soon as he could, and
be prepared to move at moment s notice,
and no one to speak above whisper. 1t
was very dark on account OF a heavy log.
Each man saddled his horse. We formed
in line on a little knoll, and remained there,
dismounted, until the break of day. We
mounted and moved up ravine, expect
ing every minute to meet the rebels. We
were entirely cut off from the main army by
GEN Gordon's Division of infantry. After
wandering around in the ravineS and woods
for some time we finally arrived at the PIKE
about 10 a. m.
When we arrived at the pike only one
regiment of infantry was in sight. That
was said to be the 61st Pa, which was
stationed behind a stone fence on the right
of the pike; but it soon retreated to the
rear OF the wagon tram, which was on the
right OF the pike.
Just as they arose from behind the stone
fence and commenced to retreat the rebels
poured shell into them. When our regI-
ment arrived at the pike part OF 1T was
ordered to dismount, tear down ran fence
and to build breastworks of theTaiis. we
there but a short time, as the
rebels got too good a range OF us.
Then we moved down into a ravIne, out
of rance of the rebel fire. After remaining
there for some time, we moved up INTO a
strip of woods east of the pike. We then
marched across the field on which we
built the breaStworks, to the pike. Inns
we did twice in succession.
The rebels were Smelling us all the time,
but their shells would strike the ground
i'm front of us and bound clear over us.
One time when we were marching across
that field, we halted in the middle OF 1t Tor
a little while, when q shell went over us
and lit among Gen. Torbert's stall, and ex-
ploded. Then we were ordered back into
the woods.
1t was always a mystery to me what good
was derived by us marching across THIS
field in front of a rebel battery SO often,
and in all that time we never fired a shot.
Another order was issued there when was
also a mystery. Why was the Lincoln
Cavalry ordered to charge, mounted, against
the infantry stationed behind stone fence
and battery on a knoll in the orchard?
counted II saddles emptied in about tive
minutes.
The woods that we were stationed IN
we're being continually shelled by the
reDel battery IN the OEcndfu, dIu tiio hiuOS
Of the trees were falling all around us.
| was quietly sitting behind a tree hold
ing my horse; shell struck the tree and
exploded; so got away from that tree i'm
mediately. -
The "Cannoneer'f says that the Sixth
Corps was not centralized, and if it had
not been for it the army would have been
beaten. ~ -
make the same assertion for the cavalry,
Tor it withstood tho attack OF the rebel
and kept them back without the
aid of the infantry, for three hours.
This is proved by Gen. Early's report to
Gen. Lee the day after The battle, in which
he says: $50 many RI our men had STOPPED
N the Union camp to plumber, and the
was so open, and the Union
cavalry so strong, that | did not deem it
prudent to press further"
And in the same report he spoke OF the
inability of his left to adj
vance when ordered to do SO. Word was
sent to Gems. Gordon and Kershaw to adj
vance with their divisions, but they sent |
yord back in reply that heavy force of
cavalry was in their front, and that they
could not advance.-Joshua Graft, Ser
seant, Co. M, 14th Pa. Cav, Wakeeney,
Kan.