Civil War, Summer to Early Fall, 1864

Sheridan started his movement up the Shenandoah Valley August 10, 1864, preceded by the cavalry. The First Cavalry Division was ordered to travel on the direct road through Berryville and take up a position at White Post. Arriving at Berryville, the Reserve and Second Brigades were ordered to make a reconnaissance to the west toward Winchester as far as Opequan Creek.

At the point where the main column made the turn to the right toward Winchester, the regiment ahead failed to leave a guide at the crossroads. When the Second came along, Captain Gordon continued with the regiment on the direct road. Thinking the rest of the command was ahead a short distance, he provided no advance guard in front. Suddenly the regiment was fired upon from a point directly down the road. A quick estimate of the situation told Captain Gordon what had happened and he put the outfit into a defensive position. Realizing that he must follow the rest of the Reserve Brigade, he soon withdrew and after a short counter march found his place in column. As soon as the regiment reached the main body, firing commenced in the front. This was a severe skirmish in which a brigade of the enemy cavalry was driven back upon Winchester. The command went into camp on the battlefield.

The reconnaissance was continued on August 11 toward Winchester as far as Opequan Creek, the First Brigade, under Custer, going on farther. The infantry soon came up and relieved the cavalry, as Sheridan hoped to bring General Early to battle in this vicinity. Merritt now swung to the left and marched toward Front Royal in three columns, the First Brigade on the right, the Reserve Brigade in the center, and the Second Brigade on the left. Near White Post the Second Brigade, under Devin, met the enemy on a ridge posted between breastworks. After a stubborn fight in which the whole command participated, General Merritt’s division drove the Confederates across the pike and toward Newton. The march was now continued toward the latter place, which was on the main macadamized valley road a few miles to the west. The enemy infantry was soon encountered, but in a severe engagement Merritt was unable to drive them away. From Prisoners it was learned that the Union cavalry was engaged with the rear of Early’s army which was retreating up the valley.

CEDAR CREEK, FISHER’S HILL, SHEPHERDSTOWN

At this time word was received of the destruction of the regimental trains by Moseby’s guerillas near Berryville, Virginia, while under escort of recruits. This occasioned much embarrassment to officers of the regiment for many years after the war. As company papers and various returns had not been made out for some time and all but three officers were absent from duty with the regiment, it was difficult to comply with the regulations about property and accounts.

On August 12 Merritt resumed the march up the valley and came upon the enemy rear guard at Middletown as it crossed Cedar Creek. The cavalry was soon relieved by the infantry and took no further part in the skirmish. The next day the Reserve Brigade went on a reconnaissance up the valley to Strasburg, where the enemy was found on Fisher’s Hill. When Sheridan heard of reenforcements reaching Early, he decided to retreat up the valley to Winchester. During the movement, the First Cavalry Division acted as rear guard. On August 16, the Confederates attacked this force severely at Cedarville with two brigades of cavalry and one division of infantry. In this engagement the First and Second Brigades held the enemy at bay with their repeating carbines until dark when they withdrew, while the Reserve Brigade was kept in reserve.

In compliance with orders from General Sheridan, the First Cavalry Division began the devastation of the Shenandoah Valley on August 17, between Cedar Creek and Berryville. All livestock was seized and grain and hay destroyed, but houses were spared. General Merritt kept a list of the property destroyed at this time and later in the fall, and it was estimated to be $3,304,672 in value. To offset further the activities of Moseby’s guerillas, the Second Cavalry was ordered, on the 19th, to seize all male civilians of age in the vicinity of Berryville. On the 21st the enemy drove in the pickets of the Third Cavalry Division. In this same attack the First Cavalry Division was attacked while slowly falling back to Charlestown, West Virginia.

SMITHFIELD

Merritt’s force now moved to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where it remained until August 25. On this date it made a reconnaissance toward Kearneysville in conjunction with the Third Cavalry Division. Here the enemy’s infantry was met and it drove the Union cavalry back to Shepherdstown. At this place Custer’s brigade became heavily involved with the enemy and was forced to retire across the Potomac. After this action the rest of the division took up a position on the right of the main army.

The First Division moved out again on the 28th in the direction of Leetown to reconnoiter the enemy. This movement was made in connection with all the cavalry, which marched in parallel columns under General Torbert. Upon approaching Leetown the Second Cavalry was detached under Lieutenant Harrison to go to Smithfield. Hardly had it started when it encountered a superior force of enemy cavalry. General Merritt soon reenforced the regiment and then the combined forces charged the Confederates, driving them beyond Leetown. The division now continued the march but in a few minutes again encountered the enemy cavalry. The First and Second Cavalry drew sabers and charged at once. In the combat that followed there was much hand-to-hand fighting, but soon the Union troops had the enemy on the run and drove them across the Opequan River at Smithfield. That night the cavalry camped on the heights overlooking this town.

The Confederates threw a strong force of infantry across the river on the morning of August 29, and speedily drove in the Union pickets. The First Cavalry Division was quickly driven back for a mile before it was able to form a stable line. In the Reserve Brigade, the Second Cavalry covered the retreat. The enemy soon penetrated between the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry and the main skirmish line. To prevent the entire regiment from being captured, the Second Cavalry made three desperate charges to intervene between it and the enemy. This was finally accomplished and the Sixth Pennsylvania withdrew behind the screen formed by the Second. The last regiment was now in rear of the rest of the division and was ordered to withdraw through Custer’s Brigade, which had thrown up hasty barricades. Late in the afternoon the Third Division of the Sixth Corps came to the support of the cavalry and the latter then began an advance back to Opequan, which it reached that same evening, crossing the river and establishing pickets on the opposite bank.

After doing picket duty until September 18, 1864, the cavalry moved out early on the 19th as a part of the advance of the whole army toward Winchester. In this movement the First Cavalry Division was ordered to cross the Opequan at Seivers’ and Lockes’ Fords. Stiff opposition was met at once but the enemy pickets were driven in along the river bank. The Reserve Brigade, now commanded by Colonel Lowell, crossed at Seivers’ Ford. The Second Cavalry, led by Captain Rodenbough, who had just returned from the hospital, charged across the creek in the face of a strong enemy fire coming from behind a railroad cut. Here the regiment took several prisoners with but very little loss in its own ranks. At the same time Custer forced a crossing with his brigade at Locke’s Ford. The attack was now pushed vigorously against the Confederates under Breckinridge to prevent him from joining with Early at Winchester. There was a general advance of the whole division about 1:30 p.m. to keep the Rebel’s engaged in this quarter, but it was found their infantry had withdrawn and had been replaced by cavalry. A charge of the Second Brigade disposed of this force and the division again advanced toward Winchester. A little nearer that town the enemy cavalry was again met and this time driven through their infantry and was not again seriously used in this sector. Coming now upon the enemy infantry, the Second Brigade charged with sabers, throwing them into confusion and capturing 300 prisoners. The Reserve Brigade formed on the left of the Second Brigade and rode in formation within 500 yards of the Confederate line of battle. Although reduced to about 600 men, the order was given to capture a nearby battery. The brigade moved forward led by its new commander, Colonel Lowell, and soon came under a withering fire. It passed the guns and came to grips with the enemy in a general melee, driving him from the field. In his first fight after rejoining the regiment, Captain Rodenbough here lost an arm. When the Captain’s horse was shot from under him, First Sergeant Conrad Schmidt, Company K, went to his rescue, mounted the officer behind him and brought him back to the Federal lines. For this brave action the Sergeant was decorated with the Congressional Medal of Honor. The First Brigade next made a gallant charge led by Custer. The enemy soon gave way in every direction. In all, six charges were made by the division and in the last all three brigades rode side by side. The enemy abandoned Winchester and hastily retreated up the valley.