MILITARY: Sabre Strokes of the Pennsylvania Dragoons in the War of 1861-1865 - Chapter 5 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/1picts/dornblaser/sabre-strokes.htm ________________________________________________ SABRE STROKES of the PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS in the WAR OF 1861-1865. INTERSPERSED WITH PERSONAL REMINISCENCES By T. F. DORNBLASER 48 SABRE STROKES. CHAPTER V. MARCH TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. AT four o'clock on the morning of the twenty-seventh the bugle sounded the call "To horse." The blue-coats issued from the tents like bees from the hive. The fall of the white "Sibleys" was like that of the Midianites before the trumpet-blast of Gideon's band. We were obliged to leave behind a number of our comrades who were sick and disabled. My bunk-mate, Corporal Hayes, met with an accident a few days before, and to our sincere regret, was sent to the hospital to nurse his injuries. Orderly Sergeant McGhee and several others were unable to endure the hardships of a march in mid-winter, and were accordingly sent through by railway. Many others were scarcely able to steady themselves in the saddle; the ambulances were soon filled, and the stern order of the colonel was to "Tie the men in their saddles if they are not able to sit erect." The first night we went into camp ten miles south, on the road to Munfordsville. Snow fell several inches deep that night. Lay in camp next day to be mustered for pay. PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 49 March the first opened with a driving sleet, followed by a disagreeable rain, which continued all day. We pitched our tents on a hill side, eighteen miles further on our way. Next day was Sunday, March the second. The company officers plead with the colonel to let the men rest in camp that day. But the colonel declared he would move if it would rain "fire and brimstone." The secret of his obstinacy, doubtless, was the fact that several other regiments of cavalry were ordered to report at Nashville about the same time, and each colonel tried to anticipate the other in reporting his command for duty. The First Kentucky, Third Ohio, and Seventh Pennsylvania cavalry regiments were marching against each other. Each commanding officer was guided by the "star" which he confidently hoped would alight on his shoulder soon after his arrival at the front. The more rapid his marches, and the more casualties he could report, the better, he supposed, would be his chances for promotion. This was Sunday, and it was particularly unfashionable to lie still on that day. "Break camp," was the relentless order. Under a drenching rain the tents were struck. Before leaving camp a soldier was buried in the corner of the field, who had died, so to speak, in the saddle. The column moved forward. All day we sat in the saddle; the rain pouring in torrents, the heavens 50 SABRE STROKES. rent with lightning, and the earth trembling like an aspen under the shock of God Almighty's thunderbolts. Notwithstanding all the rigorousness and inexorableness of military authority; notwithstanding the constant dash of orderlies back and forth - making the mud fly in every direction; in spite of all the cursing of teamsters, the cart-whipping and the birching of mules, there was no perceptible move among the heavily-freighted and mud-bound wagons. At nightfall, shivering and hungry, the column filed into a swampy camp-ground just two miles and a half from where we started in the morning. There we stood in mud and water shoe-deep, without shelter, without cooking utensils, without fire, and with strict orders to use no rails, which was the only fuel that was come-at-able. Some were foolish enough to stay there, and shiver and worry through the live-long night, while the majority scattered themselves among the log shanties and stables of that neighborhood; and after breakfasting on corn-bread and hot biscuits, they reported themselves for duty. No arrests were made, as most of the officers had stowed themselves away in the same boat. The road across the ridge to Munfordsville was pronounced impassable for loaded teams. An order was issued to carry the tents, tent-poles, ropes, and sheet-iron stoves on horse-back. All day we were filing PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 51 across the blue hills, and either walking or riding, we dared not for a moment, let go our grip upon the baggage. We arrived at Munfordsville about four p. m., and with ravenous appetites we waited impatiently for our teams. Some came into camp at a late hour, but our company wagon unfortunately took a turn on the driver, upsetting our cook shop, and spilling our commissary stores down the hill side. After a halt of a few days to take on new supplies, we set out again for Nashville. The enemy were retreating from middle Tennessee southward, with Grant, Sherman, and Thomas in hot pursuit. We crossed the railroad bridge over Green river, which had been partially destroyed by the rear guard of the enemy. On the south side of the river we passed a long line of rebel breastworks, and in our march we were frequently reminded of the presence of hostile forces. Several times we came to blockades of trees felled across the way. Deserted camps were seen on every hand. At Bowling Green we crossed Barron river on pontoons - all the other bridges being destroyed. At Mitchellville, Tennessee, we spent a night in the deserted barracks of the enemy. Mammoth Cave lay within a mile of our line of march. A few left the ranks without permission and satisfied their curiosity; while others, wishing to see it equally as much, possessed yet too vivid a recollection of 52 SABRE STROKES. former guard-house experience to make the venture. Another Sunday we marched eighteen miles, and all that weary day we were confronted by the painful spectacle of two soldiers of Co. "A," being led, like wild beasts, at the end of a lariat-rope. Their offense was that of wilfully and deliberately killing a pig. Several members of the regiment, we were informed, had wandered too far from the moving column, and were picked up by bushwackers, and either shot or hung. The first place in the line of march was contested daily with the 3d Ohio Cavalry. If they, by an earlier start, would pass our camp in the morning, we would pass their camp-fires at night. For a number of days we were in the saddle from five a. m. to nine p.m. The day before reaching Nashville, we went into camp one mile in advance of the "Ohio boys," and about thirteen miles from Nashville. Orders were given to put up tents, and make preparations for a few days' rest. The "Buckeyes" were not sharp enough to see through this piece of strategy, and therefore lay down and slept soundly until daylight next day. At midnight, the orderly sergeants of the "Seventh" passed quietly from tent to tent, roused the sleeping soldiers, and whispered, "Prepare to move out in one hour." At two a. m. the column was in motion. It was a still, moonlight night. The voices of laughter and song were hushed, the PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 53 clatter of hoofs in measured and solemn tread was all that broke the stillness of the midnight stars. When the "Ohio boys" were ready to mount their horses next morning, the "Seventh" was dismounting on the banks of the Cumberland, awaiting the good pleasure of the ferrymen to transfer them to Nashville. The old ferry-boat was badly handled and badly out of fix. It consumed nearly the whole day to transfer our regiment and our wagon train. On the eighteenth of March, Col. Wynkoop reported for duty to Brig. Gen. Negley, in command of the forces in and around Nashville. Our regiment marched through the streets of Nashville in column of fours, headed by a mounted band of musicians. The pavements on either side, and the doors and windows, were crowded with multitudes of negroes, smiling upon the "Yankees" with their mouths and eyes wide open; and intermingled with this cloud of witnesses was a fair sprinkling of white faces of women and children, from whose mouths were heard, here and there, mutterings of wrath, and from the eyes of haughty maidens in the upper windows shot daggers like forked lightning, followed by an occasional shower of labial expectoration. But the light of this cloud shone in the darkest faces, from whose ebon lips escaped the constant ejaculations of prayer and praise, "Bress de Lord!" "Moses am a comin' to deliber Isrel from bondage!" "Glory hallelujah!" 54 SABRE STROKES. That night we went into camp in a beautiful grove on Franklin pike, three miles west of Nashville. The Ohio boys were obliged to bivouac on the north bank of the Cumberland. The grounds on which our camp was located were owned by a wealthy and influential citizen, whose son was a colonel in the Confederate army. According to the peace policy which was then in vogue, it became necessary, first of all, to detail a strong guard to protect the fences, young timber, fish-pond, chicken-coop, horse-stable, negro-huts, and dog kennel, belonging to this rich secessionist. To kindle a fire with a loose rail, to scare a chicken, or to look sideways at the tempting fish in the meadow, was an offense punishable with forty-eight hours on a dead beat, with the sharp edge of a rail on your shoulder. In consequence of this prohibitory law, our boys at times actually suffered for want of fire-wood, when an abundance of dry cedar rails were within arm's reach. In the year 1862 we protected this man's property; but in the winter of 1864, Hood's army camped on the same ground, and nothing from a rail to the upholstered furniture in his parlor was too sacred for the use of Confederate soldiers. A battery of heavy guns was planted in the yard, and a heavy line of breastworks was thrown up among the evergreens; the shrubbery was trampled under foot of man and horse, the fish-pond was dried up, the walls of the PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 55 handsome brick residence were riddled with cannon-shot; and when Hood retreated before the victorious army of Thomas, that once magnificent suburban residence lay in the dust, scorched and blasted by the besom of war in the hands of his own friends. During the latter part of March, the roads leading south from Nashville were lined with columns of infantry and artillery moving toward Pittsburgh Landing. On the ninth of April the news of that desperate battle reached us. The disaster of the first day was retrieved by the gallant fighting of the second; but the impression made on our minds was, that the war was only rightly begun, and no fears were entertained that we should be mustered out before we should hear the whiz of a rebel bullet. The country around Nashville was infested with bush-whackers, guerrillas, and detachments of Morgan's raiders. It was the business of our regiment, during the summer of 1862, to hunt up these fellows, and turn them over to the infantry garrison at Nashville. We had scarcely got rightly settled in this camp, called "Camp Worth," until the work commenced in good earnest. Almost daily an expedition was sent out to capture some rebel officers who were home on furlough, or to seize some contraband goods or arms belonging to the Confederate government. On one of these expeditions it was my privilege 56 SABRE STROKES. to accompany the adjutant, with fifteen men of company E. We reported at head-quarters in Nashville for instructions. We marched south on the Murfreesboro pike eight miles, then we turned east and proceeded nine or ten miles through dense forests, and over bad roads. At length we arrived at Mr. W.'s residence. Information had come to head-quarters that the Confederates had left some clothing, arms, and pork, in his possession. One-half of the men stayed with the horses and stood guard, while the rest went into the house to search for the contraband goods. The man of the house was absent. The adjutant then inquired of the lady if anything was left with them by the Confederate soldiers. She positively, and upon honor, declared that nothing was there. The unpleasant duty of searching the house was then imposed by the adjutant. The carpenter shop adjoining the house was first searched - nothing was found there but one pistol; then the upstairs of the house was inspected, and three dozen artillery collars were discovered; then the beds were examined, and sixty-eight pairs of drawers were concealed in the chaff-ticks. The lady almost fainted when the drawers were pulled out of their hiding-place and counted upon the floor. This family had two sons in the rebel army, but nothing was injured or molested that rightly belonged to them. The collars and the drawers were divided among the boys, and brought to camp. PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 57 On our way back we noticed a man leading a mule having a U. S. brand on its shoulder. The man made his escape by running into the swamps. The mule was seized and brought to camp. During the month of April the regiment was very much scattered. The first battalion was stationed at Franklin, Tennessee, the third was sent to Gallatin, and ours, the second battalion, remained in the vicinity of Nashville. The rebel General Morgan was threatening all these points with sudden incursions with his cavalry. Several times the alarm was given that Morgan was about to make a night attack on our camp. In a few minutes the battalion was in line, and headed by Col. Wynkoop, we charged down through the woods, across an open field, and formed line of battle a mile west of camp. With sabres drawn, each polished blade flashing in the moonlight, each fiery steed chafing his bit, we sat in silence, awaiting with pretended impatience the onslaught of Morgan's bloody troopers. After a brief reconnoissance it was ascertained that the imagined troopers were nothing more than a few riderless mules and asses, amusing themselves in racing through the pasture. On our return to camp we were instructed to whet our swords to a keen edge, and keep our arms and accoutrements in readiness for any emergency. In addition to the sabre, we were now equipped 58 SABRE STROKES. with Smith's breech-loading carbine, and a six-shooter-called the "Savage" revolver. Owing to the absence of the rest of the command, our duties increased with the supposed danger impending. For several weeks in succession the able-bodied men were required to go on picket duty every night. They were posted in squads, on the roads leading to Nashville, and from sunset to sunrise they were required to sit in the saddle with carbine advanced, and to keep the eye steadily fixed in the direction of the foe. No respite was permitted by way of relief. The night was spent in watching, and snatches of the day were seized upon for sleep. The nights were damp and chilly; with shivering limbs and longing eyes we welcomed with exultant joy the increasing light of the morning star. It was quite a relief from this dreadful monotony to have the enemy's scouts advance upon our outposts and exchange a few random shots with our pickets. This unreasonable service began to tell unfavorably upon the health of some of our strongest and most faithful men; - men who would never shirk any duty, who would never ask to be excused unless they were unable to stand on their feet. On the twenty-eighth of March, we buried Thaddeus Longwell, a Corporal of Company "E," who died of camp fever. John Hull, Wash. Smith, Henry Ohl, Benjamin Seyler, and others, were sent PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 59 to the hospital. The three former soon after died, and were buried in the Soldiers' Cemetery at Nashville. Wash. Smith was my tent-mate, and a noble Christian soldier he was. His only regret, in the hour of death, was that he could not breathe out his life in the bosom of his dear family. Henry Ohl was my school-mate, the companion of my youth. Before we enlisted he said to me - "If you will go to the army, I will go with you." The first four months his health was remarkably good. Suddenly he was cut down. After he was removed to the hospital in Nashville, I called to see him for the last time. He was very cheerful. He was then hopeful of a speedy recovery; but his mind was fully resigned to the will of providence. He was a good Christian boy, and a regular attendant of our camp prayer-meetings. It would have been a sadder parting had we known that we should not see each other again. The next day we were sent out to intercept Morgan at Lebanon, and after an absence of five days we returned to find our friend and comrade already gone to his rest. It was with a sad and lonely heart that we sought his grave in the silent ranks of the dead. A sharp pang of bereavement shot through me, as I looked for the last time on the plain head-board, inscribed with his familiar name. In closing this chapter the reader will pardon me for alluding to a few items of personal experience. 60 SABRE STROKES. During the month of April it was my distinguished honor to receive the appointment of "post-messenger," to Adjutant Wynkoop. What duties were required in such a position I was not prepared to say; but as the office had sought the man, I presumed that my qualifications for the position had been fully considered, and therefore, without any special urging, I accepted the position. The first few days my duties were very light, consisting of a ride to town with the major and adjutant, and to hold their horses while they dismounted in front of general head-quarters. In a few days the adjutant proposed also to utilize his "post-messenger" as a hostler. He set him to work washing and poulticing his sore-heeled horses. He sent him to the fields in search of fresh bovine excrement. For the sake of the suffering animals, the messenger obeyed the order. He brought the poultice, and applied it to the fevered joints. A few days later the orderly again accompanied the adjutant to town. He held the horses while the adjutant made his report at post-headquarters. From here the adjutant visited several saloons, and soon became considerably intoxicated. When I urged him to return to camp, he ordered me to go instanter, and he would come when he was ready. On my way to camp I resolved to be no longer "orderly," or "post-lackey" - I determined to re- PENNSYLVANIA DRAGOONS. 61 aurae my place in the ranks. At eleven o'clock that night the adjutant rode up to my tent and called for his "orderly." He managed to dismount, but he was too drunk to stand straight. "Orderly," said he, "take my horse and unsaddle him." "No," said I, "I have decided to resign my position as your orderly." "You go and unsaddle my horse," was the imperative command. "No sir, I cannot do it." "Why can't you do it?" "Because it would be encouraging drunkenness in an officer if I should do it." "Then you refuse to obey me?" "Yes sir." "Then I shall have you arrested and tied to a tree in less than five minutes." With a swaggering gait he led his horse to the colonel's quarters; but when his father, the colonel, saw his condition, he was not disposed to give him any encouragement, He then staggered into Captain Schaeffer's tent, where he sought aid to enforce his order; but his efforts were fruitless, and at last he was obliged to unsaddle his horse himself. Next morning he came up, like a gentleman, and apologized for his conduct, and urged me to retain my position. But the fascination attached to the office of "post-messenger" was broken - the charm 62 SABRE STROKES. was completely annihilated by a few days' experience as "regimental groom." After a friendly conference in the adjutant's tent, we agreed to part good friends, and both we trust were wiser and better for having passed through this humiliating experience.