History of the Second Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry: Beverly Ford | Page 3

sixteen miles, we were allowed a comfortable
rest, while the cavalry occupied the road.
Resuming our march at ten o'clock next day, we reached Bealton about
sunset, and were carefully concealed in the woods. Lighting of fires
was absolutely forbidden; and, as the night closed in upon us, the staff
remained in the saddle, stationed at different points, silently watching
us; and, as morning came again, there they were still on the watch.
Meantime, General Russell had marched his infantry to Hartwood
Church, and thence to a point near Kelly's Ford, where General Gregg
was concentrating two divisions of cavalry.
The night of the 8th, we moved down very near Beverly Ford into the
woods again,--cold suppers and no lights. The men were exceedingly
restless at these unusual orders about light and noise. In a letter from
one of my men since the war, he says: "The men thought we were

being humbugged, and there were many signs of dissatisfaction. They
complained because we were not allowed to have fires. Dave Orne was
punished (ordered to stand at attention) by you, for snapping a cap
upon his gun. It was exceedingly galling to his soldierly pride, as it was
the only time he was punished during his term of service. Hyde was
particularly insubordinate; and you were placed in arrest, because
Company 'D' was so disorderly."
I remember this very well, and my servant standing at a respectful
distance, holding my sabre while I was under this temporary cloud. The
gallant commander of the "Irish Brigade," as we called Company "H,"
shared the cloud with me; for he was placed in arrest at the same time.
Our sabres, however, were returned to us before we got into the fight;
and, in the evening bivouac, our commander made us a most graceful
apology over a tin mug of "commissary."
Buford's whole column was now concealed in the woods. The cheerful
clank and jingle of the cavalry was, by some means, suppressed; there
was no merry bugle breaking upon the still hours of the night; and, as
the moon threw deep shadows across the quiet country road, there
seemed no trace of "grim-visaged war."
At three o'clock in the morning, Captain Comey, with thirty picked
men from the Second Massachusetts, crept down to the river-bank, to
see that all was clear for the advance. He reported a large force of
cavalry in bivouac on the south side of the river, quite unconscious of
Buford's stealthy approach. Indeed, Jones' Rebel cavalry brigade was
only a short distance from the Ford, while his wagons and artillery
were parked even nearer to the river. Fitz Hugh Lee, Robertson, and W.
H. F. Lee were in bivouac at various points within supporting distance
of Jones; while Wade Hampton was passing the night in picturesque
reserve at Fleetwood Hill.
The spot was admirably adapted for a cavalry battle, the country rolling
along, with an occasional clump of woods and fine open fields, toward
Brandy Station, where the Rebel cavalry-chief, Stuart, had pitched his
head-quarters.

The close proximity of Stuart's troopers was a little unexpected. Their
movement to Beverly Ford, it seems, was simultaneous with our own.
The plan was to have the enemy remain somewhere near Culpepper,
while Gregg's column advanced from Kelly's Ford, and Buford's from
Beverly Ford, the first bearing to the left, the latter to the right, the two
columns to form a junction near Brandy Station. General Pleasanton
then, having our entire force well in hand, would make a determined
attack upon Stuart's squadrons. But it is the unexpected which must be
looked for in war, and the necessary tactics were quickly decided upon.
Nearly the whole of Stuart's force was in our immediate front; but they
would be exposed to the disadvantage of a surprise, and, having no
infantry with them, our little brigade of rifles would be doubly
effective.
General Pleasanton would be unable to control and harmonize the
movements of his two columns, being completely cut off from General
Gregg; but the latter was so well known as an able commander and a
hard fighter that the enemy was certain to be treated again to a surprise
in flank and rear, and would be thus diverted from our front. And it
seemed as if we might still succeed in breaking up the enemy's cavalry.
The situation had its advantages, in spite of the opinion of some
distinguished cavalry men; and "Forward!" was the word.
As the hazy June morning dawned upon us, troopers appeared to rise
out of the ground and swarm out of the woods, till the whole country
seemed alive with cavalry; and Ames' picked rifles took their place in
the column.
The early morning mist, hanging upon the river banks, concealed our
approach.
"In both our armies, there is