Summary:
Confederate Cavalry General Wade Hampton reports to Assistant Adjutant-General
Fitzhugh on the role his men played in Jeb Stuart's October, 1862, cavalry raid
into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Hampton describes the surrender of Chambersburg
to his forces by prominent citizens of the town. He also discusses the
destruction of the railroad depot, a store filled with arms, and other supplies.
He also mentions finding and paroling 280 wounded Union soldiers in the
town.
Maj. FITZHUGH,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
MARTINSBURG, W. VA.,
October 25, 1862.
MAJ.:
In obedience to orders from Maj.-Gen. Stuart, I proceeded, on October 9, with 175 men from the Second Regiment South Carolina Cavalry, under command of Col. M. C. Butler; the same number from the First North Carolina Regiment, under Lieut.-Col. J. B. Gordon; 150 from the Tenth Virginia Regiment, under Maj. J. T. Rosses, and 150 from the Phillips Legion, under Capt. Dunlap-in all, 650 men-to the neighborhood of McCoy's Ferry, on the Potomac, where I halted the command soon after nightfall.
Having received orders to cross the river at day light the next morning, I detailed 25 dismounted men, placing them under the command of Lieut. H. R. Phillips, Tenth Virginia, and stationed then on the bank of the river above the ferry at a point I had selected for this squad to cross over. At 3 a. m. Lieut. Phillips took his men over, wading the river. His orders were to attack any force he might find on picket, and Col. Butler, with his command, was to dash across the river as soon as the attack was made on the opposite side. This plan was most successfully carried out, Lieut. Phillips attacking the pickets of the enemy, driving them in after wounding 1, and capturing several horses. As soon as possession of the ford was obtained, my brigade, accompanied by a section of the Washington Horse Artillery, under command of Capt. Hart, passed over the river and stuck out for the National turnpike. As my advance guard reached this road, they fell in with a few of the enemy, who belonged to a large column of infantry which had recently passed up the pike. Capturing these (about 10), I sent a party to endeavor to take the signal officers who were near that point. The officers escaped, leaving their flags, glasses, and tents, which were taken by my men. The brigade then moved on through the narrow strip of Maryland into Pennsylvania, and made direct for Mercersburg. This we entered without opposition, and, passing through continued our march toward Chambersburg, taking in our route the villages of Bridgeport, Clay Lick, and Saint Thomas. At the latter a few shots were fired by some of the Home Guard, who were taken prisoners. Leaving this place about 5 p. m., we pushed on toward Chambersburg, in the hope of reaching that city before dark; but this could not be accomplished, and when we discovered the lights of the town it was so dark that no reconnaissance could be made. Not being able to ascertain if there were any troops in the place, and having heard that some were there, I deemed it prudent to demand the surrender of the town before taking my command into in. Placing the guns then in position to command the place, I dispatched Lieut. T. C. Lee, Second South Carolina Cavalry Regiment, with an escort of 25 men, to demand that the town should be given up. In reply to this summons three citizens, on the part of the citizens at large, came forward to ask the terms proposed. I demanded the unconditional surrender of the town, assuring them at the same time that private persons should be protected and private property unmolested, except such as should be needed for the use of our army. These terms being agreed on, I moved the brigade into the city about 8 p. m., and immediately made dispositions to establish a rigid provost guard. This guard was placed under the command of Capt. J. P. MacFie, Second South Carolina Cavalry Regiment, and I am happy to say that good order was maintained during the whole of our stay in the city.
On Saturday morning, the brigade was ordered to bring up the rear and to destroy such public stores as could not be removed. Capt. Cowles, First North Carolina, was detailed to burn the railroad depot and a store in which a large supply of arms was found. As soon as the brigade left the town, Capt. W. H. H. Cowles fired the depot, destroying a very large amount of arms, ammunition, clothing, &c. Many revolvers were taken by the men and quite a large amount of clothing brought off.
Following in the rear the division, no matters of interest occurred during the march of Saturday and Saturday night.
On Sunday morning, when I reached Barnesville, orders were sent from Gen. Stuart that I should place gun in position to command the road from Poolesville, while the other gun, with two of my regiments, was sent to the front. The pickets of the enemy appeared in Barnesville while I held this position, but no advance was made on me. The firing in front had been going on for some time, when I was ordered up. Moving rapidly toward the river, I sent the gun that was with me to the ford, while I placed the South Carolina regiment and Phillips' Legion so as to cover our march to the river. As soon as the two brigades in advance of me, together with all the led horses and wagons, had crossed the river, Gen. Stuart ordered me to put my command across. We were under the fire of the artillery of the enemy while their sharpshooters were engaging mine. Placing one gun so as to command all the approaches to the ford, and calling in my skirmishers, I moved my column to the river and commenced the crossing. Large bodies of the enemy (infantry and cavalry) appeared in my rear, but were held in check by the gun I had put in position and my rear guard. As soon as my leading regiment had crossed, I sent the gun over under cover of a fire from one of the guns of Lee's artillery, and brought my rear guard down to protect the crossing of this last-mentioned gun. All passed over in perfect safety and without the slightest confusion. Not a man or a horse was lost, and the passage of the whole command was made rapidly and quietly. About 290 horses were brought over by my brigade and about 60 of my own horses left, broken down.
I was most ably aided during this expedition by my officers, while the conduct of my men met my entire approbation.
Besides the officers commanding regiments whom I have named as having assisted me so materially, I beg to commend the conduct of Capt. Macfie as provost-marshal, and that of Capt. Cowles, who, after destroying the stores in Chambersburg, acted with his company as a rear guard until we had crossed the Potomac, rendering in this position most important services.
Lieut. Phillips, who first crossed the river into Maryland, conducted the affair most successfully and behaved with great gallantry. On this as on every other occasion the members of my staff-Capt. T. G. Barker and Lieut. Hamilton-discharged their duties admirably and assisted me greatly.
To the officers and men of my command I have only praise to bestow, for all deserved it. Hoping that the have been fortunate enough to obtain that of the general commanding,
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WADE HAMPTON,
Brig.-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 19, Serial No. 28, Pages 57-59, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
