HDQRS. 3D BRIG., 1ST DIV.,
DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Martinsburg, W. Va., February 4, 1864. Maj.
WILLIAM BELL, Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry: You will proceed at
daylight with 150 men of your own regiment and a detachment of the
Fifteenth New York Cavalry up the valley, avoiding Winchester and
Strasburg. You will proceed as far as Woodstock. At the most
convenient point on this side of Winchester you will detach a
reliable officer and 25 men, who will proceed direct through
Winchester and Strasburg and join you at Woodstock. He will be
directed to seize all the mails in the post-offices and collect all
possible information. You will be supplied before marching with
three days' rations and forage. All papers are to be brought to
these headquarters without examination. R. S. RODGERS, Colonel,
Commanding.
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HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, In the Field, July 4,
1864--10.30 a.m. Captain BURLEIGH: The enemy is advancing in
stronger force than I will be able to hold in check much longer. The
heaviest line of skirmishers to left of pike. Infantry supported by
cavalry. WILLIAM BELL, Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Twelfth
Pennsylvania Cavalry.
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HEADQUARTERS, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., July 4, 1864.
Lieutenant-Colonel BELL, Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry: COLONEL: If
your pickets are attacked, take the necessary steps to re-enforce
them, and report to these headquarters the strength of the enemy.
Lieutenant Titus will send no more communications personally to
these headquarters. They must be signed by you and directed to the
assistant adjutant-general. Respectfully, &c., H. M. BURLEIGH,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
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MARTINSBURG, W. VA., February 4, 1864. Captain BOONE, Assistant
Adjutant-General: Major Bell left with 200 men at daylight as
ordered. Any news? R. S. RODGERS, Colonel, Commanding.
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MARTINSBURG, W. VA., February 4, 1864. Lieut. F. A. NIMS, Acting
Assistant Adjutant-General : Is Major Bell to go through Winchester
and Strasburg or to avoid them, and is he to go to Woodstock? Is the
small party to go through Winchester and join Major Bell or to
return here from Winchester? R. S. RODGERS, Colonel, Commanding.
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HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., February 4, 1864. Col. R. S. RODGERS,
Martinsburg, W. Va.: Major Bell will not go through Winchester and
Strasburg, but will send a small detachment through those places to
rejoin him above. He will go to Woodstock. The small party will go
through and join Major Bell, and will not return until the whole
scout is performed. F. A. NIMS, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
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HDQRS. 3D BRIG., 1ST DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Martinsburg,
W. Va., February 4, 1864. Maj. WILLIAM BELL, Twelfth Pennsylvania
Cavalry: You will proceed at daylight with 150 men of your own
regiment and a detachment of the Fifteenth New York Cavalry up the
valley, avoiding Winchester and Strasburg. You will proceed as far
as Woodstock. At the most convenient point on this side of
Winchester you will detach a reliable officer and 25 men, who will
proceed direct through Winchester and Strasburg and join you at
Woodstock. He will be directed to seize all the mails in the
post-offices and collect all possible information. You will be
supplied before marching with three days' rations and forage. All
papers are to be brought to these headquarters without examination.
R. S. RODGERS, Colonel, Commanding.
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MERCERSBURG, July 5, 1863. Before receipt of your dispatch of
this date, I sent 200 select cavalry of First New York and Twelfth
Pennsylvania, in command of Captain Jones, First New York Cavalry,
in the direction of Williamsport. He captured near Greencastle 100
wagons, 3 pieces of artillery, and 500 prisoners. The enemy
attempted a rescue, but were repulsed. Enemy lost considerably. Our
loss, 1 killed and 3 wounded. Will report fully to-morrow. Most of
my infantry here. L. B. PIERCE, Colonel, Commanding.
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BLOODY RUN, BEDFORD COUNTY, PA., June 29, 1863. SIR: Most
respectfully I submit the following report of the doings and part
taken by the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry in the late engagement at
Winchester, Va.: Friday, June 12, the regiment was ordered out on
the Front Royal road, to proceed to the river. According to order,
they proceeded to within about 3 miles of the river, where they
found a large rebel force, consisting of cavalry, infantry, and
artillery. After skirmishing with them awhile, and ascertaining
their strength, the regiment fell back to Winchester. Two men
wounded. On arriving at Winchester, we were again ordered to go out
on the Strasburg road, to re-enforce the Thirteenth Pennsylvania
Cavalry. Did not proceed far before the regiment met them returning
with some prisoners. Both regiments returned to camp. At about 7
p.m. the regiment, by order from General Milroy, left camp on scout
for Strasburg, or to go as far as Middletown. We proceeded to
Middletown and beyond. Saw no rebels, and returned to camp about 2
a.m. Saturday morning, about 7 o'clock, by general order, we took
the advance on the Strasburg road to Union Mills (I think is the
name), about 4 or 5 miles from town. We found some infantry there.
We proceeded on the Strasburg road about 3 miles farther. Remained
an hour or so; then fell back to the force which had collected and
was in line of battle near the mill. We were placed on the extreme
right of the line. About noon, action commenced on the Front Royal
road. Our regiment took the advance on the Strasburg road near the
mill; sent out skirmishers. Found the rebels in large force in woods
to the left of the Strasburg road. After some skirmishing, and the
woods shelled by our artillery, the rebels fell back, and changed
their position to the right of the road. During the skirmishing, we
lost 1 man killed and 2 wounded. The fight soon became quite general
on the right of the road, but our infantry and artillery sustained
their ground, and drove them back until dark, when the regiment was
ordered back near to Winchester; there remained in line with the
Thirteenth during a heavy thunder-storm until about 12 o'clock, when
we were ordered to camp, which was located on the Martinsburg road
about 1 mile from town, and to remove everything out of camp,
excepting tents, to the west side of the fortification, and for the
regiment to locate on the Pughtown road, about 1 mile west of the
main fortification. On the morning of Sunday, we placed pickets on
the rise of ground on the extreme north and west of the
fortification, and sent out scout of two companies on the Pughtown
road, and also to cross over to the Strasburg road. They returned
about 1 or 2 o'clock; reported no rebels in that direction. During
the day the woods were shelled from our fortification in every
direction, a small force of rebels appearing on the Front Royal road
until about 5 o'clock, when the rebels came up in the rear in large
force; took possession of the hill west and north of our
fortification. Commenced throwing -the shells in every direction. We
moved along the Pughtown road to the front or south of our
fortification. Remained there until ordered to leave. About 3 a.m.
of Monday [15th], we were placed as the advance guard. After
proceeding about 4 miles out of town on the Martinsburg road, our
advance guard was stopped by rebel pickets. We sent re-enforcements.
Drove the pickets into the woods, when firing commenced on our
advance guard from both sides of the road, which was returned with
great spirit and determination, not only by our advance guard, but
the right of the regiment, which had advanced to their relief or to
sustain them. In this position we remained about fifteen or twenty
minutes before the infantry came up. When they came, they flanked
the rebels right and left; opened the most deadly and terrific fire
I ever witnessed. Our regiment retired in good order a few rods
until the rebels opened up their cannon, throwing their shell among
us, so that we were compelled to leave. Our regiment (the Twelfth
Pennsylvania Cavalry) left in good order, losing 3 killed and a
number wounded and missing. We proceeded to Bath and to Hancock:
then to Bedford, and here. Respectfully, your obedient servant,
DARIUS TITUS, Major Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Maj. JOHN O.
CRAVENS,
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HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, Charlestown, W. Va.,
February 4, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to report that the party
which ran the train off the track on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
crossed at or near Keyes' Ford. I had timely information of their
crossing and their whereabouts, and would have succeeded in
capturing some of them had my orders been obeyed. About 10 p.m. I
sent out two parties under command of Lieutenants Guild and Chase.
These parties were about fifty strong. Lieutenant Chase was ordered,
with his command, to cover the roads leading to the different fords
through Bloomery. Lieutenant Guild was ordered to overtake and head
oft the party, attack them, and drive them back. After he left camp,
instead of following them up, he thought he had better move toward
the river, the diametrically opposite direction from his orders.
Lieutenant Chase (with good reason) did not expect our own men in
that direction, and fired into Lieutenant G.'s command. I regret to
say that one man, Private Hogeland, Company D, was wounded. I have
placed Lieutenant Guild in arrest and now report him for immediate
dismissal, as he is solely responsible for the miscarriage of my
plans. I do not design that he be court-martialed, as that would
occupy more time than he is worth. He is entirely unfit for a
commission, inasmuch as he takes no pains to improve himself, nor
does he study to render himself worthy of his position. He, although
never what you could charge as drunkenness, is always full, and when
not stupefied with whisky he is with opium. His performance last
night is sufficient evidence against him to hang him. The scouting
party which brought the information lost cue of their number. He was
taken prisoner by the rebels, but in returning over the same ground
his dead body was found in the road, evidently murdered after
capture. Upon receiving Lieutenant Guild's report I immediately
dispatched parties to Duffield's and Smithfield, as it was evident
to me they had gone in that direction. They report that, after
throwing off the train, the enemy separated into small parties and
made toward the Shenandoah. They were unable to come up with them.
As far as I can learn they numbered about thirty men. Very
respectfully, M. A. RENO, Colonel, Commanding Twelfth Pennsylvania
Cavalry. Capt. J. P. ROCKWELL, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General,
Harper's Ferry, Va.
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HDQRS. TWELFTH PENNSYLVANIA VOL. CAVALRY, Charlestown, Va., March
29, 1865. I have the honor to submit the following report of
operations in the Valley of Virginia, in pursuance to instructions
from Middle Military Division headquarters, dated March 17, 1865:
The command--First [U.S.] Veteran [Volunteer Infantry],
Lieuten-ant-Colonel Bird; Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, Captain
McAllaster, and Loudoun County Rangers, Captain Grubb--left the
bridge at Harper's Ferry at 9.30 a.m. March 20, and that night
encamped at Hillsborough, the cavalry moving by way of Lovettsville,
destroying what forage could be found in the possession of disloyal
persons. 21st, marched to Purcellville, moving the cavalry by way of
Leesburg, Waterford, and Wheatland, with the same instructions; the
cavalry reported to me at Purcellville, and, with the whole command,
I moved to Hamilton, near which point I attacked Mosby's command,
who was posted on the road leading to Middleburg. The enemy
succeeded in throwing the cavalry into some confusion, but they were
easily driven away by a volley from the infantry. I followed them as
far and as fast as I could until dark, and encamped for the night on
a branch of Goose Creek. My loss was 9 killed and 12 wounded; the
enemy lost about the same, including three captains killed, and four
commissioned officers wounded, and six prisoners. I did not succeed
in bringing him to close quarters again. 22d, marched to Bloomfield,
via Snickersville, and encamped, the cavalry destroying what forage
could be found. 23d, marched from Bloomfield, via Upperville and
Middleburg, to Goose Creek, sending the cavalry to destroy what
could be found. I was skirmishing all day with the enemy who, by
this time, had congregated some 500 men. He had some few casualties.
At this point met Colonel Gamble with command, Eighth Illinois
Cavalry and section artillery, in pursuit of Mosby; marched thence
to Purcellville, via Philomont and Union; arrived at Harper's Ferry
March 25. My return was hastened one day by the upsetting of a wagon
in Goose Creek, in which were the short rations of Colonel Bird's
command. I found a good deal of information about Mosby, and think
he can be ousted, but it would take some time to effect it. Colonel
Bird and his men behaved most handsomely. I inclose nominal
statement of casualties in the command. Very respectfully, M. A.
RENO, Colonel, Commanding Expedition. Brig. Gen. C. H. MORGAN, Chief
of Staff.