History of the Second Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry: Beverly Ford | Page 7

who had relieved us at such a critical moment by diverting the
enemy from our front, had crossed Kelly's Ford at daylight with little
opposition, and left General Russell with his infantry to guard the lower
fords.
Colonel Duffie's division was sent to Stevensburg, where they
encountered the enemy, and drove them through and beyond the town,
with our friends of the First Massachusetts Cavalry in the advance; and
here Colonel Duffie remained, according to the original plan.
General Gregg pushed on toward Brandy Station with Kilpatrick's and
Windham's brigades. The latter attacked the Rebel cavalry so promptly
that they were scarcely ready for him. Stuart's head-quarters were
captured and important despatches fell into our hands, with valuable

information as to the enemy's plans. Windham and Kilpatrick were
both hotly engaged as troops were withdrawn from Buford's front to
resist them.
Gregg's people fought hard, charging repeatedly with the sabre, and
gradually gaining the crest of Fleetwood Hill. The Sixth New York
Light Battery did their full share of work.
More troops were withdrawn from Buford's front; and, at last, General
Gregg, finding himself overmatched, withdrew to the foot of the hill,
leaving two guns in the enemy's hands. Colonel H. S. Thomas describes
the cannoneers reluctantly obeying the order to leave the guns, some of
the men actually shedding tears.
Meanwhile, General Buford continued to push the enemy toward
Fleetwood, and again the Rebels began to resist us more stubbornly.
Both sides charged repeatedly with the sabre, and at times dismounted
to fight behind stone walls, Ames' rifles making themselves generally
useful at various points in the field.
In one very spirited charge of the Second Dragoons, General Merritt,
then a captain, rode impetuously on, not hearing the recall, followed by
Lieutenant Quirk. He noticed a prominent Rebel officer, and, riding
toward him, bringing his sabre to a point, he innocently remarked,
"Colonel, you are my prisoner!" The officer made a cut at his head:
Merritt, dexterously parrying the cut, only lost his hat. His opponent
turned out to be Colonel, afterward, General Wade Hampton.
Lieutenant Quirk called out to Merritt, "We're surrounded!" and, sure
enough, a Rebel ring had formed to see the "Yankee" officer brought
down. But Merritt and Quirk had not been taught to ride for nothing,
and galloped safely back into our lines, amid a shower of pistol bullets.
General Rodenbough, then a captain, and many others of the cavalry,
had personal encounters, in which they proved themselves to be
excellent swordsmen.
As our two columns drew nearer together, both aiming for Fleetwood
Hill, the junction was at last accomplished; and General Gregg rode

into our lines, reporting a heavy force of Rebel infantry pouring into
Brandy Station from Culpepper by rail.
General Pleasanton not caring to encounter the Rebel infantry,
especially after a day of such hard pounding, ordered General Gregg to
withdraw by way of Rappahannock Station; and Colonel Newhall was
sent to tell Buford to stop fighting, and go home by way of Beverly
Ford.
The operation of withdrawal was accomplished without interference,
the enemy contenting themselves with looking on from a respectful
distance. As we approached Beverly Ford, the First Regular Cavalry
turned up, eager for the fray. They had been off on some detached duty
and were too late for any of the fun, so General Pleasanton had them all
deployed as mounted skirmishers to cover the crossing of the troops.
The scene at the ford was very picturesque. A lovely sunset shed its
cool light over the long columns of cavalry winding their way toward
the river, and the mounted skirmishers were thrown in bold relief
against the brilliant sky.
Captain Comey took his old position again, with his little band of thirty
men, on the north bank of the river, and remained there till morning,
when he rejoined the regiment.
Our bivouac the night of the battle was unusually cheerful, for we had
brought every officer of "ours" safely out of the fight alive and well.
Even Captain Frank Crowninshield, who generally got a bullet into him
somewhere, came off, like the Irishman at the fair, with only a hole in
the crown of his hat.
Many a fence rail was burned to give light to the conference which was
held over the events of the day. We had been so separated during the
fight that the experiences of each one had to be presented to the
assemblage in turn; and, with the assistance of some of the Third
Wisconsin officers, the comparing of notes was extended far into the
night.

Our forces had gained all they set out to accomplish. The momentous
cavalry schemes of the enemy were frustrated, and their troopers had
been severely punished by cavalry which they had always considered
inferior to their own.
The disheartening effect