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1864
Early in July, 1864, General Hunter, in command of the main
Union force in the Shenandoah Valley, having been driven from before
Lynchburg, into the Kanawha Valley, General Early, with an army of
twenty thousand men, advanced rapidly towards the Potomac, and
driving Sigel, who was in command at Martinsburg, crossed the
Potomac into Maryland, on the 3rd. The First Brigade of the cavalry
division under Colonel Blakely, was commanded by Colonel Bell, of
the Twelfth, and in opposing the advance of the enemy, and in
harrassing him on every hand, was kept constantly engaged. In the
actions at Solomon's Gap, Pleasant Valley, and Crampton's Gap,
Colonel Bell led his brigade with gallantry, in which the Twelfth
bore a prominent part. In Pleasant Valley, " says Blakely, " Colonel
Bell held Rhodes' rebel division, until the Second Brigade was
brought some three miles to his assistance. Colonel Bell and the
Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, behaved very gallantly upon this
occasion. Early, finding only a feeble force to oppose him, drove
Wallace at the Monocacy, and approached the defenses of the City of
Washington. Here he was met by the veterans from the Petersburg
front, and driven precipitately, retreating through Snicker's Gap to
Berryville. Supposing that Early was in full retreat towards
Richmond, the veterans of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps retired to
Washington, with the design of returning to Petersburg. Thereupon,
Early about-faced, and again advanced towards Maryland. General
Averell, in command of the Cavalry, met him at Winchester, on the
20th, and gained a signal advantages killing and wounding three
hundred, capturing two hundred prisoners, four guns, and several
hundred small arms. But, four days later, the forces of Averell and
Crooks were attacked, in turn, and severely handled. In this
engagement, Colonel Tibbits, who commanded the Cavalry brigade to
which the Twelfth belonged, says: "at five A.M., on the 23d, a sharp
firing being heard in the direction of Kernstown, I formed the
brigade in line of battle, in front of the camp ground occupied the
previous night. The Fifteenth New York Cavalry, by order from
division headquarters, I sent to picket the Cedar'Creek road. Soon,
by order of the General commanding division, the brigade moved in
line of battle to the northern border of the village of Kernstown.
The Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with the exception of one squadron
on picket, was immediately thrown forward as skirmishers,
dismounted. One squadron of the Tweuty-first New York Cavalry, went
to the support of our artillery, in position on a hill in rear of my
brigade, and the detachment of Cole's Maryland Cavalry was sent to
support the skirmish line of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, which
was advancing, with orders to push fowrard as far as possible.
Firing increasing in the front, one squadron of the Twenty-first New
York Cavalry was sent forward, as an additional support to the
Twelfth then succeeded in driving the euemy's skirtmishers to their
supports. By order of division commander I moved the brigade through
the village, formed again in line, and then advanced, keeping the
right of the road, the Twelfth in front as skirmishers, and the
detachment of Cole's Maryland Cavalry, with the squadron of the
Tweuty-first New York moving in line on the left of the roads
Advancing thus about one mile, the force of the enemy was met and
some severe skirmishing ensued. At night the brigade bivouacked upon
the field, but at early morn the battle was renewed, the enemy
coming on in heavy force. Colonel Tibbits brought aid his disposable
force to the support of his skirmish line and called loudly for
reinforcements. Colonel Mulligan came up and took position on the
right and rear of the dismounted Skirmishers, but in less than
twenty minutes fell back. Generals Duffic and Crook were now up, and
had their artillery and infantry in position. The cavalry was,
accordingly, ordered to fall back, and take position at rear of the
infantry. This was completed in good order, but the infantry was
unable to hold out against the overpowering forces of the enemy, and
were soon retiring in considerable disorder. Seeing this, and
knowing that the anbulance train upon the pike would be exposed,
Colonel Tibbits ordered a charge by his entire brigade, and
succeeded in checking the enemy's advance. In this charge, two
officers of the Twelfth were severely wounded. Finding it impossible
to hold the ground, the brigade fell back slowly, repeatedly facing
the enemy, and holding him in check, while the army made the best of
its way to Harpers Ferry. The loss in the Twelfth in this battle was
heavy, Lieutenaut Milton Funk being among the killed. " The
commandiug officers of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, Lieutant
Colonel William Bell, and the Fifteenth New York Cavalry. Lieutenant
Colonel Bott, " says Colonel Tibbits, in his official report, "are
deserving of much credit, for the brave and effcient manner in which
they commanded their regiments, especially when their commands were
dismounted on the skirmish line. "
Upon the accession of General Sheridan to the
chief command of the Army in the Shenandoah, the Twelfth was
assigned to General Torbert's Division. On the 18th of August,
Sheridan fell back to Berryville, to foil an attempt to flank him by
a force of the enemy sent up through Front Royal, and on the 21st he
was attacked near the Potomac, but held his ground. The Twelfth
suffered some loss in this engagement. On the 8th of October
Lieutenant Colonel Bell was honorably diseharge, and Major Congdon
was promoted to succeed him. The hard Service of the summer months
had bore heavily upon the animals of the command, whereby it had
become nearly dismounted. Some time was given to recruitiug and
remounting, and when ready for the fields became part of General
Stevenson's Brigade. About the 1st of November, Colouel Pierce
resumed command, and regimental headquarters were
established at Charlestown. In the operations in the valley during
the fall, the regiment participated being stationed along the Blue
Ridge. In an encounter with the enemy, while advancing along a
narrow roads without two abreast, Captain M'Allister, who had the
advance, charged and carried the summit in gallant style. On the day
following, the regiment returned to camp, and resumed its routine of
guard and garrison duties.
Information from [Samuel P.
Bates]
"History of Pennsylvania volunteers,
1861-1865"]
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