Evening journal., 1914-07-02
Gallant DASH Of
Captain CORBIT
General ]. H. Wilson Dis
cuSSeS the Charge on
Westminster, Md.
DELAWAREANS HAD
ACTIVE PART INIT

to the correct history of the war i'm
an article IN the Journal of the
United States Cavalry Association on
Corbits charge at Westminster, Md
In leading up to this Gen. Wilson
makes very luminous description
OF the maneuyers of the campaign
which eliminated at Gettysburg. He
points out many facts of great value
to the student of war history, par
ticularly the blunder of Lee and
Stuart in separating Stuart from Lee
at the most critical time. thus de-
priving Lee of the information that
he should have had in conducting a
great aggressive campaign. BY this
blunder Lee was kept for week in
ignorance Of the maneuvers and posi-
tions of the Army of the Potomac at
a time when it was all important that
he should have the fullest knowledge.
The responsibility for this blundcr is
divided between Lee and Stuart The
credit is given 10 the Union cavalry,
which then began 20 come TO its own,
ana by it's skilful and vigorous hand
ling did much to frustratc Lees plans
and throw him on the defensive.
From first TO last wherever the Union
cavalry met the Confederate cavalry
il drove il and greatly changed the
movements of the Confederate infan-
try which the cavalry covered.
The particular incident which has
CCcasioned the article was the gallant
dash of Capt Charles Corhit Troop
c. lst Del Cav. az Westminster Md.
AT the beginning of the war Delaware
had tried to raise q full regiment of
cavalry, but this was too much for
the slender population of the State
ana only seven companies we're
raised which were finally consoll-
dated into four. under the nominal
command Of Mai Napoleon b. Knight.
These companies. under what Gen.
Wilson calls the "pepperbox policy"
of Halleck. we're kept scattered thru
Maryland. guarding the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad and the telegraph
lines. At the time of Lees march 10
Gettysburg Co. C., under the command
OF Capt Charles Corbit. with three
officers and 80 men. and Co. ID. under
First Lieutenant Caleb Churchman,
one officer and 43 men. making a
total of four officers and 125 men,
were at Westminster. Md. under the
I J.
Gen. J. ID. b. Stuart, the noted
cavalry leader. was IN command of
about 5000 men and was intended to
cover the right of Lees army and
keep him informed of the movements
oe the Union army Stuart had
gained much reputation in the Soutl
by his exploits Of riding at vii
around the Union army, and probably
was intoxicated with the idea of re
peating that sensational performance
He found the Union cavalry in diff.
forent temper from what IL had been
II checked and threw him css at every
point. and he was at last compelled
to make wide circuit thru the coun-
| try 10 get back to his proper place
/ on Lees right In doing this he
came near Washington, threw that
city into somewhat of panic, crossed
the Potomac near Poolesville and
succeeded in capturing and burning
a wagon train near Rockville, which
was the only damage he inflicted in
his long raid.
From Rockville he struck for West.
minister, Md. TO come into cOniunc-
ton with Ewell. whom he understood
had been detached and was in the
peighborhood Of York. Pa. The mo
ment that his head of column. which
was the 4th Va Cav. appeared neal
Westminster Capt Corbit drew his
men together and made a swift. de
termined charge upon IT, The al
Va. Cav. was thrown into confusion
and forced back upon the remainder
of the column The little band o
dashing Union cavalry was quickl.
overwhelmed by the mass of Con
federates, but not until after a savag
little fight, in which several on boil
sides were killed Corbit's hors
was shot under him and he was cap
tured, pistol in hand astride his deal
charger Most of the Delawarean
were captured. A few Of them sue
ceeded in making their escape an
rallying on a small detachment O
the 1st Conn Cav. at Reistertowr
There were probably so or 60 o
these. Corbit and his men wer
paroled by Stuart. after receivin
from him compliments for their gal
lantry and being told that they ough
TO be fighting for the Confederac
rather than against t. The Con
4 fcderates that two officers of the AL
Va Cav. and a number OF men wer
killed and we're buried by the ladie
{ o. Westminster.
The point that Gen. Wilson make
is that this vigorous attack halte
Stuart and compelled delay. whic
! enabled Kilpatrick's Division to GO
IN his front, check him and greatl
embarrass his return TO Lee BY IA
time that Stuart could shake off XII
patrick and get near York he foun
4 that Ewell had left that place,
obedience TO Lees orders, for concar
tration on Gettysburg. Then Stual
y had to make a long ride to Carlisl
4 and again was disappointed by fin,
. ing that Lees army had left tn;
Il place and was gathering in the neigl
borhood OF Gettysburg. Stuart
Il once started his jaded horses an
e men back for that point. and arrive
there only in time to take part
the operations of the third day.
Capt. Corbit was ordered back
d duty. on account of the irregulari
s o, his parole, but he protested that
had given his word of honor an
a should not be obliged 10 break il. r
"A served in the Sixth Corps in Grant
n final campaign. There is no doul
n that his fight delayed Stuart's cavall
"a hours and prevented its getting
q Lee In time TO be OF service.
81 Corbit had such a sense of hon,
q that he refused a commission or Llel
tenant-Colonel on the ground that
would acknowledge the rightfulnes
9 OF making him disregard his parole.
Gen. Wilson tells his story in
81 lucid. fascinating way. that wi