Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-07-18
Whites Battalion At Gettysburg.
Editor Montgomery County Sentinel.

| Lear - w TIC OOtH anniversary
of the battle of Gettysburg is attracting
the attention of the entire country it very
naturally excites and refreshes memories
of that occasion as well as the spirited
campaign preceding it.
While some of my comrades are averse
to joint reunion npOn that field. many
like myself indorse it. We are proud of
the fight we made against great odds and
almost insurmountable obstacles, being
the attacking party all three days. infiict-
ing upon the enemy as great loss as we
| sustained while on the fourth day we
challenged them to attack us, but it was
not accepted. Under the circumstances
it was drawn battle, and on the night of
the 4th and the morning of the 5th lowing
to our depleted ordnance ammunition) we
withdrew in perfect order marching leis-
urely back to the Potomac.
The object of this letter is to recall to
many of my comrades the part taken
in that campaign by the 35 battal-
ion of Virginia cavalry, familiarly known
as the "Comanches," and commanded by
Colonel E. " White. than whom no drawer
or more successful soldier served our cause,
having won the highest encomiums from
Lee, Jackson, Ewell, Stuart, Hampton and
ROSser.
AilcE Tic DdttiC vi DEdHuy Oult
9th, 1868, in which the battalion took
conspicuous part, during which Col. White.
though painfully wounded, continued with
the command through the entire campaign,
receiving General Stuart's highest praise,
Colonel White with about 1875 of his
command, leaving sufficient number
of men to guard the different passes
of the Blue Ridge between Smokers Gap
and the Potomac, at 8 A. M. June 18th
crossed the Potomac river three miles above
the Point of Rocks there he divided the
command, sending Lieutenant Joshua X.
Crown with about 70 men to the Frederick
City and Point of Rocks roads, while he
with the remainder moved down the tow
path with the intention of forming juno
ton at the Point where Captain Samuel
Means company of Federal cavalry was
stationed. Before Lieut.. Crown reached
the Frederick road, he encountered Major
Coles battalion, double his number, charg- |
ing them with his accustomed impetuosity
and driving them within six miles of Fred
erick City, killing, wounding and capturing
a number. In the meantime, Col. White |
routed Means company, capturing his camp !
equipage, wagons, etc, including a train OF
eighteen cars and an engine, all of which
were burned. In this engagement we killed
4, wounded 81 and captured over 100
prisoners, including one captain and two
lieutenants. We cut the telegraph wire,
tore up some of the railroad track and re-
crossed the Potomac at 10 A. M. OF the
18TH thus making the trip of 81 miles in
about twenty-five hours.
On the 22nd of June the command was
ordered to report to General Ewell to take
the advance Of the army in Pennsylvania
and, upon reporting, was ordered to duty
under General Early and to take the ad-
vance of General John b. GOrdon's bril- |
gade, taking the road to Cashtown and
Gettysburg where on the 26th the COM
mand met, defeated and drove through and
beyond the town the 26th Pennsylvania
militia, capturing about IFS. This was
five days before the battle was opened,
and Whites battalion became the first
body of Confederate troops to enter and
occupy the now historic Gettysburg. 1t was
occupied from p M. of the 26th to 10 A.
NJ of the 9th, when the command was
temporarily detached to move on and de-
strOy Hanover Junction on the Northern
Central Railroad and all bridges in that
vicinity, then unite with General Gordon
at York, destroying enrOute all intervening
bridges; on the 28th they moved on
Wrightsville, for the purpose of securing
Columbia bridge over the Susquehanna at
that point (Which was Ia miles long)
that Early's division might cross on its
way to Lancaster and Harrisburg. Upon
reaching Wrightsville. however. the militia
regiment fled across the bridge, destroying
il as they retreated, thus frustrating plans
that beyond dispute would have given us
Lancaster and Harrisburg, which would
have resulted in incalculable benefit to our
slyal,K .hnV In Hnn
result; for with nothing but militia in our
front and Lees army between us and the
Federal army there was nothing to stop us.
On the Goth Of June orders were received
to rejoin the main army then moving on
the road to CashtOwn and Gettysburg This
was accomplished on the morning of July
1, when some of the advance troops were
engaging the enemy and driving them back
on Gettysburg With the three days str1g-
Gle all are familiar. Though greatly out
numbered you will bear in mind that we
were the attacking force for three consecu-
tive days. On the fourth, opportunity was
offered the enemy to attack us, but they
declined acceptance, and in silence the
two armies faced each other. That night
and the following morning our forces lels-
urely withdrew in consequence Of depleted
ordnance ammunition. On the evening of
the third days battle. Col White with
three or four men was ordered by General
Lee to penetrate the rear of the Federal
army and learn Of their plans. etc. Reach
ing the pike, he sent the men back under
cover of some woods with the horses while
he concealed himself close to the pike to
watch their movements. and. to his sur
prise. found every preparation being made
for retiring, some wagons and ordnance
having already started While watching
them, day broke and he was for hours cut
off from his men and from returning to
report. In the meantime General Lee re-
ceiving no news and thinking Col. White
had been captured, preparations were be-
gun for the retirement Of our army and the
enemy learning Of il remained on the field.
At 2 A. M. July 5th our army was on the
road with General GOrdOn's brigade Of in
fantry and Whites battalion of cavalry as
the rear guard. They entered the enemy's
country as the advance guard OF Lees
army and now they occupied the place OF
honor when retiring, station they may
well be proud Of.
Subsequent events in which this famous
command participated with ever-increasiD9
brilliancy are too numerous to describe on
this occasion. They form an unbroken
chain Of achievements eclipsed by no
other.
At last. as the Star Of Hope was setting
at Appomattox, Col. f. v. White, com
manding the famous Laurel Brigade" cut
his way out and, reaching Lynchburg, dis
banded his command. Well may every man
attached to that command be proud Of it
well may every relative Of those men be-
equally proud. and well may the old county
Of Montgomery rejoice in claiming such a
hero and such a native.
A tablet is erected at Wrightsville, Pa,
on which is inscribed the following This
is the farthest point north reached by the
Confederate troops"
Respectfully,