June 11, 1863, The New York Herald
The Cavalry Fight on the Rappahannock.
WASHINGTON, June 10, 1863.
The cavalry engagement in the vicinity of Beverly Ford, on the Rappahannock (a brief sketch of which we published yesterday), was a desperate hand to hand encounter, both during the advance and retreat of our forces. The enemy’s cavalry was driven back upon their reserve of infantry and artillery, strongly posted. No official advices have yet been received, but the following statement from wounded participants in the fight now here is probably the most correct and detailed at present accessible: –
From an officer who participated in the fight it is ascertained that yesterday morning two brigades of General Pleasanton’s cavalry, under the command of General Buford, made an important reconnoissance towards Culpepper, and had one of the most obstinate cavalry fights that has occurred during the war.
The force was composed of General Buford’s brigade and another cavalry brigade, under the command of Colonel B. Davis, supported by two batteries of artillery and two regiments of infantry as a reserve.
At half-past twelve o’clock on Monday night the cavalry bivouacked near Beverly Ford, on the Rappahannock. At three o’clock in the morning the men were called, the horses fed and saddled, and at four o’clock they crossed the ford.
Beyond the ford was a semi-circular belt of woods, with a range of rifle pits near the edge of the timber, and a line of pickets guarded the ford and the southern bank of the river.
The Eighth New York regiment of cavalry crossed first, and drove the pickets back to their rifle pits, and after a desperate combat cleared the woods, the enemy falling back upon their artillery and maintaining their position until twelve o’clock, when our artillery came up, and they were driven back six miles in the direction of Culpepper Court House, when our forces returned and recrossed the ford in good order.
Nearly all the fighting was done by the cavalry, and it was of the bloodiest character, mostly hand to hand with sabre and pistol, and in the woods. The heavy timber was not very dense, so that horses could advance through it; but the underbrush was thick, and when a trooper dropped he was effectually concealed.
Our own loss was considerable, and the slaughter of the rebels fearful.
The approximate number of the casualties on both sides is not yet reported.
The following are reported among our casualties: –
Colonel B.F. Davis, Eighth New York cavalry, killed.
Colonel Wyndham, First New Jersey cavalry, wounded.
Lieut. Colonel V. Broderick, First New Jersey cavalry, wounded and prisoner.
Lieut. Col. Wm. Irvin, Tenth New York cavalry, killed.
Major Morris, Rush’s Lancers, wounded and missing.
Major John Shelmire, First New Jersey cavalry, reported killed.
Capt. Davis, Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, killed.
Captain Canfield, of the regular cavalry, killed.
Lieut. Cutler, Eighth New York cavalry, killed.
Lieutenant Reaves, Eighth New York cavalry, mortally wounded.
Lieutenant Vane, Eighth New York cavalry, severely wounded.
By this sudden and brilliant dash of our cavalry into the enemy’s lines their plans have been frustrated and the intended raid of Stuart’s forces prevented.
WASHINGTON, June 10, 1863.
General Lee, it was pretty well known, had assembled his cavalry, supported by artillery and infantry, between Culpepper Court House and Beverly Ford, with a design to send them upon a raid; and this fact is further substantiated from a document that fell into Pleasanton’s hands, by which it was ascertained that Stuart was to have started on his journey within an hour or two of the time our force came up with him. General Pleasanton, in view of the information above stated, was despatched with portions of the divisions of our cavalry, commanded by Generals Buford and Greggs respectively, to prevent the consummation of the programme.
The force under General Buford consisted of portions of the First, Second, Fifth, and Sixth regular cavalry, and the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, and that under General Gregg of portions of the Eighth and Ninth New York, the Eighth Illinois and the Third Indiana cavalry. General Buford’s force, which was on the right, first met the enemy’s pickets half a mile south of the ford, when a severe engagement immediately commenced – the rebels being in heavy force, and resisting the advance of our troops with continuous hand to hand fighting. When Gregg brought his force up to the fight and became engaged, the enemy gradually gave way, disputing every inch of the ground desperately, however. In this way our men made more than a dozen charges into the midst of the rebel ranks, relying almost entirely upon the sabre, which they used with terrible effect. The enemy, on the other hand, repeatedly charged, also relying on their revolvers for the most part, however. Both sides were repeatedly driven back in the course of the battle, though we succeeded in driving the rebels – Fitzhugh Lee’s and Wade Hampton’s divisions of cavalry, with artillery, all commanded by Major General J. E. B. Stuart – back to a point about six miles southwest of where their pickets were first encountered, where Pleasanton found the enemy so heavily reinforced with infantry and artillery as to make it prudent to return to this dies of the river.
This commenced at about four P.M., General Pleasanton bringing off about two hundred prisoners, his own wounded, and the bodies of his officers who had been killed in the engagement. The Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, which was in the advance, under Buford, lost heavily, including six officers killed, wounded and missing.
Of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, Captain Davis was killed by a shell, Major Robt. Morris is missing, and Lieutenant Lennig is also missing. Lieutenant R. Ellis had a revolver shot through his leg and Captain Lieper was cut with a sabre.
The Eighth New York had the advance under General Gregg, and, under the immediate command of Colonel Davis, who was killed on the field, after slightly wavering, acquitted themselves with much gallantry. Among the casualties of that regiment were Captain Foote, Company E, and Lieutenant Cutler, Company A, killed: Lieutenant Reeves, Company C, and Lieutenant Elper, Company I, mortally wounded.
On the return to this side of the river the enemy skirmished frequently with our rear guard, doing us no damage to speak of, however. Our loss has not been definitely ascertained. The proportion of horses killed on both sides in this almost unexampled hand to hand cavalry battle was very large. The field from where General Buford and Gen. Gregg first became engaged, throughout the whole distance of five miles, over which the enemy were driven before getting back to their reinforcements, was strewn with dead and wounded rebels.
We had two batteries of artillery engaged, and the enemy the same. Much credit is give our artillery for bravery and efficiency.
A train arrived here today bringing about one hundred and seventy wounded officers and men from the engagement of yesterday. The following are the names of the wounded officers who have thus far arrived: –
Adjutant G. S. Taylor, 8d Indiana cavalry, right leg.
Lieut. F. W. Dickinson, 5th United States cavalry, head.
Lieut. Gustavus Urban, 5th United States cavalry, thigh.
Lieut. Luther Howick, 9th New York cavalry, shell, right thigh.
Captain A. Clark, 8th Illinois cavalry, right shoulder.
Capt. J. G. Smith, 8th Illinois cavalry, left thigh.
Lieut. C. McK. Loeser, 2d U. S. Cavalry, right side.
Lieut. E. B. Wells, 2d U. S. Cavalry, abdomen,
Surgeon Isaac Walburn, 17th Pennsylvania cavalry.
Lieut. D. P. Smith, 4th Pennsylvania, left knee.
Lieut. R. Lennox, 2d. U. S. Cavalry, through the knee.
Lieut. P. Quirk, 2d United States cavalry, left leg.
Capt. G. A. Forsyth, 5th Illinois cavalry, right thigh.
Major G. L. Beveridge, 8th Illinois cavalry.
Lieut. John W. Hanshaw, 124th N. Y., thigh.
Lieut. W. M. Phillips, 6th N. Y., left leg, amputated.
Lieut. J. E. Reeves, 8th New York, through the throat.
Lieut. B. C. Egner, 8th New York, in hip and stomach.
The bodies of Colonel Davis, of the Eighth New York cavalry; Captain Canfield, of the Second United States cavalry, and Captain Davis, of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, and private Supple, of the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry, reached this city this morning, and will be forwarded to their friends.
Among the officers wounded are Lieutenant Leissene, of the Second United States cavalry, wounded in the breast; Lieutenant Madison, Sixth United States cavalry, wounded in the back by a fragment of a shell; Lieutenant Irwin, Sixth New York cavalry, wounded in the leg.
Captain Charles Seiper, of the Sixth Pennsylvania, was beaten on the head with a pistol stock, and was twice taken a prisoner, but escaped in the charges made by our own men.
Lieutenant R. Ellis, of Philadelphia, Adjutant of the Sixth Pennsylvania regiment, received a painful wound in his left leg, partially shattering the bone.
These officers represent this as the fiercest and bloodiest cavalry fight of the war. They are both in Washington.
WASHINGTON, June 10, 1863.
Yesterday our cavalry force crossed the Rappahannock – Gen. Buford at four A. M., near Rappahannock Station; Gen. Gregg at seven A. M., and Gen. Dufler at eight A. M., at Kelly’s Ford. One brigade of infantry (Russell) accompanied the cavalry.
As soon as Gen. Buford crossed he encountered the enemy, and sharp hand to hand fighting occurred. General Buford succeeded in driving the portion of the enemy’s forces he engaged two miles. Generals Gregg and Dufler were sent as flanking forces.
It soon became apparent that the forces of the enemy, both in cavalry, artillery and infantry, outnumbered our own, being nearly two to one, with the advantage of position. The force of the enemy in cavalry alone is estimated at quite 50,000.
General Dufler was ordered to get in the rear of the enemy, and advanced for that purpose; but was recalled when the true state of the enemy’s position and force became known. Then our forces attacked the enemy immediately in his front. Colonel Percy Wyndham, commanding the Second brigade of General Gregg division, made three successive and successful charges on Brandy Station and the heights adjacent, where the headquarters of Gen. Stuart were situated. On account of the reserves of the enemy being handled so expeditiously he was compelled to retire. He captured, however, a large quantity of papers of the rebel General Stuart, containing valuable information as to the intentions of the rebels, and many prisoners. While retiring before a superior force, and during the three dashes upon Brandy Station and the headquarters of Stuart, Colonel Wyndham’s brigade suffered severely. Our infantry suffered but little.
General Buford, who was on the extreme right was engaged heavily all day, and must have sustained considerable loss. The fighting in the centre was not severe; Colonel Kilpatrick lost but a handful of men. The Second brigade, General Gregg division, lost pretty heavily in killed, wounded and missing.
General Dufler’s brigade suffered slightly. The First New Jersey cavalry lost several of its officers. All of our forces are now on this side of the Rappahannock, having crossed without loss at six o’clock yesterday afternoon.
I have obtained the following additional names of killed and wounded.[…..]
It has been ascertained from the order books captured at the rebel General J. E. B. Stuart’s headquarters, and from prisoners captured, that the rebel force in the recent battle at Beverly Ford consisted of twelve thousand cavalry, nine thousand infantry and twenty-six pieces of artillery. The orders also show that Stuart was directed to cross the Rappahannock with this force to-day, and assume the offensive. Stuart’s adjutant general was among the prisoners taken. The rebel generals in the field were J. E. B. Stuart, the two Lees, Wade Hampton and Jones, who had moved down the valley.
General Buford formed his brigade by regiments, and made ten successive charges, each regiment charging and wheeling right and left to make room for the next. In this way the enemy was driven for two or three miles. The charges were made with splendid effect.
General Pleasanton is justified by the military authorities in returning to this side of the river. It is believed that the object, in arresting the contemplated attack of the rebels, has been accomplished, at least for the present.
The brigade of regulars lost in killed and wounded twenty-one out of ninety officers present. In the Second United States cavalry seven officers were killed and wounded. The horse of Captain O’Keefe, of General Buford’s staff, having been shot down, fell upon and fastened him to the ground, and while in that position Captain O’Keefe was wounded by a pistol shot from a rebel and subsequently taken prisoner. Lieutenants Stahl and Ward, of the Sixth United States cavalry, were both killed. General Ames’ infantry brigade was engaged.
The cavalry fight opened at 4:30 A. M. and closed at six P.M.
Judging from the number of their dead and wounded on the field the rebel loss must have been quite heavy. No accurate estimate can be formed of it. The slaughter of horses was immense, and unlike anything ever before seen on any battle field during the war.