From Fredericksburg, 1862, to the end of the Gettysburg campaign, July 31, 1863.
The
Fredericksburg field offered little opportunity to the cavalry.
In the
Chancellorsville fight, at Burnt Furnace, and Ely's Ford, as
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well as in the delicate task of screening the last flank movement, of
Jackson, effective work was done, of which few reports were made.
Following these fights, came the battles of
Kelly's Ford, March 13, 1863, and ‘
Fleetwood Hill’ of June 9th, 1863.
These deserve a fuller notice than can be given.
At the last fight, one of the severest cavalry engagements of modern times,
Munford commanded the 1st, 2nd and 3rd regiments.
He was at
Oak Shade, seven miles from
Fleetwood when the action begun, and owing to conflicting orders received, was delayed in his march.
He arrived in time to render valuable assistance, and his sharp-shooters repulsed the enemy on the left of our lines.
He has been blamed for the delay.
I marched with him, heard the orders he received, and commanded his sharp shooters, losing three men killed, and eighteen wounded in a very few minutes after getting into the fight.
I have not been able to find his official report but the statement made from memory is very nearly corroborated by
McClellan in his life of
Stuart.
In this fight known as ‘
Fleetwood’ about 10,000 cavalrymen on each side, were engaged all day. The Confederate loss was over 500, and the
Federal over 900 killed, wounded and missing.
I wish that some of these infantry soldiers could have stood on the hill at the
Barbour house and been lookers on. It was a ‘glorious sight to see, for him who had no friend, no brother there.’
The fights at
Aldie,
Middleburg and
Upperville were spirited affairs.
Colonel Munford commanded the 2nd and 3rd regiments.
He reports the capture of 138 prisoners, while his own loss was 19.
We find few reports from Federal officers in these battles.
In the three engagements,
Stuart reports a loss of 65 killed, 279 wounded, and 166 missing.
McClellan in his life of
Stuart gives the
Federal loss at 827.
On the 12th of June
General Stuart began the hazardous movement of crossing the
Potomac and marching around the
Federal army.
He selected
Hampton's,
Fitz Lee's and
W. H. F. Lee's brigades, leaving those of
Robertson and
W. E. Jones to accompany the army into
Pennsylvania.
These, with
Jenkins' brigade, must have numbered 4,000 sabres, and yet we have often heard, and most men think, that
Lee's army was left without cavalry.
Verily, it will take an hundred years to correct the errors of our history.
Do you ask who will be enquiring about it at the end of the 20th century?
All students of military tactics, the descendants of these sons of veterans who will be tracing their history back to the men who rode with
Stuart and
Hampton, and marched under
Lee and
Jackson.
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The inexorable law of heredity will quicken this study.
Though generations of
Virginians have been on the inquiry as to where they came from, giving little attention as to where they may be going.
The members of
Stuart's cavalry grow weary when you speak of the
Gettysburg campaign, during the long days and sleepless nights that attended our long march, in rear of the
Federal army, on to
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and back to
Gettysburg, where we fought on the 3rd of July.
Colonel Munford commanded
Fitz Lee's brigade, after
Hampton was wounded, and
Fitz Lee was given the division.
On the 3rd of July all of this brigade, save the 4th Virginia was engaged; the opposing forces being commanded by
Gregg and
Custer.
The former reports a loss of 295, and the latter, 502, which clearly indicates the magnitude of the fight.
Time will fail to tell of the
Bristoe campaign, the fights at
Jack's shop and
James City, the Buckland races, and
Kilpatrick's raid.
As I mention the names the old cavalrymen of
Wickham's brigade will recall many a scene indelibly fixed in their memory, as well as the noble bearing of the soldier whose portrait is added this night to the splendid array of heroes surrounding these walls.
During the winter of 1863-64 while our army was in
Culpeper county and the cavalry guarding all the fords of the
Rappahannock,
Colonel Munford,
Colonel W. R. Carter (who fell at
Trevillian's),
Captain Fox, of
Gloucester and
Captain Hammond of the 2nd regiment and myself, served on a court-martial, occupying the same hotel with
Colonel Munford, and often consulting him upon trying and distressing cases that came before us, I learned to know and love the man, and there began a friendship that lasted throughout the war, and has continued to this day. Many of us were anxious to see
Colonel Munford promoted.
When I guardedly referred to this no word of complaint fell from his lips.
Only the good of the service and an ardent desire to contribute all in his power to this end seemed to move him.
The Wilderness campaign opened in May, 1864, and our deliberations at Orange Courthouse were ended by a summons from headquarters to join our respective commands.
I can never forget a prophetic remark of
Rev. J. C. Hiden at
Orange.
As we mounted our horses he said; ‘I hear the guns now. The next thing I expect to learn will be that you gentlemen are killed.’
In a few days we saw
Captain Fox, and
Hammond—than whom I never knew more gallant men—fall near the glorious
Stuart at
Yellow Tavern.
At
Trevillian's the noble-hearted
Carter fell, leading
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the 3rd regiment, boys whom he loved so well, and every one of whom he could call by name.
