Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1913-08-15
Whites Battalion
At Gettysburg.

| Editor Montgomery County Sentinel.
Dear Sir While the 5Oth an
niversary of the battle of Gettys-
burg is attracting the attention
of the entire country it very
naturally excites and refreshes
memories of that occasion as we'll
as the spirited campaign pre-
ceeding it.
While some of my comrades
are averse to joint reunion upon
that field, many like myself in
d ,rse it. We are proud of the fight
we made against great odds and
almost nsurmountable obstacles,
being the attacking party all
three days, iuflicting upon the
enemy as great loss as we sus-
stained; while on the fourth day
we challenged them to attack us,
but it was not accepted. Under
the circumstances it was a drawn
battle, and on the night Of the
4th and the morning of the 5th
lowing to our depleted ordinance
ammunition) 1--WE Withdrew in per-
feet order, marching leisurely
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 35th battalion of Virginia
cavalry, familiary known as the
"Comanches," and commanded
by Colonel E. V. White, than
whom no drawer or more sue
cessful soldier served our cause,
having won the highest encom-
iums from Lee, Jackson, Ewell,
Stuart, Hampton and Rosser.
After the battle of Brandy
Station. June 9th, 1868, in which
the battalion took a conspicuous
part, during which Col. White,
though painfully wounded. con-
tinued with the cammand through
the entire campaign receiving
General Stuart's highest praise.
Colonel White with about 125 of
his command, leaving sufficient
number of men to guard the diff
ferent passes of the Blue Ridge
between Smokers Gap and the
Potomac, at 9 A. M. June 18th
crossed the Potomac river three
miles above the Point of Rocks:
there he divided the command,
sending Lieutenant Joshua r.
Crown with about 20 men to the
Frederick City and Point of
Rocks roads, while he with the
remainder moved down the tow
path with the intention of form
ing a junction 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, charging them with
his accustomed impetuosity and
driving them within six miles of
Frederick City, killing, wound
ing and capturing a number. In
the meantime, Col. White routed
Means company, capturing his
camp cquipage, wagons, ETC., in
Guiding train of eighteen cars
and an engine, all of which were
burned. In this engagement we
killed 4, wounded n and cap.ur-
ed over 100 prisoners, including
one captain and two lieutenants.
We cut the telegraph wire, tore
up some of the railroad track a nd
recrossed the Potomac at 10 A.
M. of the 10Th, thus making the
trip of 81 miles in about twenty
five hours.
On the 22nd of June the COM
mand was ordered to report to
General Ewell to take the adj
vance of the army in Pennsyl-
vannia; and, upon reporting, was
ordered to duty under General
Early and to take the advance Of
General John B. Gorden's bri.
gadc, taking the road to Cashtows
and Gettysburg, where on the
Goth the command met, defeated
and drove through and beyond
the town the 10Th Pennsylvania
militia, capturing about ITS
This was five days before til,
battle was opened, and White,
battalion became the first bodJ
of Confederate troops to entel
| and occupy the now histori,
| Gettysburg. It was occupied
te1 n NJ r. a. ~ Aa4sn 4