On the morning of June 1st, 1863, the brigade marched from the Valley for Gen. Stuart’s camp in Culpeper county, the battalion having the following officers: Lieut.-Col. White, Major Ferneyhough, Adjt. Watts, Dr. Wootten, Quartermaster White, and Sergeant-Major Stephenson, in field and staff; Co. A, Lieuts. Barrett and Conrad; Co. B, had her full corps of officers; Co. C, Capt. Grubb and Lieut. Grubb; Co. D, had all her officers present; Co. E, Capt. Grabill and Lieut. Grubbs; Co. F, Lieut. Watts. Capt. Myers and Lieut. Marlow, Co. A, were left sick in the Valley; Lieut. Dowdell, Co. C, was on detail there to settle up the quartermaster’s business, incident to the change just made in that department; one Lieutenant of Co. E, and one of Co. F, had been removed for misconduct on the raid to West Virginia.
Soon after the brigade reached the army, the grand review of all the troops begun, that of the cavalry being held on the 8th of June, in which General Stuart brought a division of full fifteen thousand troopers, in fine condition for service, but all the Generals confessed that Jones’ was the peer of the best brigade in the line.
181The morning of June 9th, while the men, worried out by the military foppery and display (which was Stuart’s greatest weakness) of the previous day’s review, were yet under their blankets, the enemy sounded for them the reveille from the smoking muzzles of carbines and revolvers, as they drove the 6th Regiment vedettes from their position on the river, and it was very soon discovered that a heavy force had crossed at Kelly’s and Beverly’s fords for the purpose of continuing the review, but in a different style, and but for the prompt action of Gen. Jones, would have had all of Stuart’s artillery almost before that officer waked up. The regiments moved rapidly to the front, as soon as the men could obey the boot and saddle bugle call, and with the first that came, which were the 6th and 7th Regiments, Gen. Jones met and checked the enemy, and arrangements for the battle, which was now inevitable, were made as quickly as possible. Col. White was ordered with his battalion, to support the 12th Regiment, which was ordered forward to make a charge; and he at once began to form his men in line of battle, but before it could be completed, Gen. Jones called to him to charge, which he immediately did, riding at a gallop towards the point where the firing showed that the 12th was into it heavy, but after going about two hundred yards, was met by that regiment in full retreat, and whose disordered ranks threw the right wing of the battalion in 182confusion, and checked for a time the advance of the “Comanches,” but order was quickly restored, and again dashing forward they threw themselves upon the enemy, whose column, flushed with their successful charge on the 12th, was rapidly advancing, but after a sharp fight of a few minutes were compelled to retire before the irresistible onset of White’s men. The Colonel says, in his official report, that not a man faltered, but with yells that a “Comanche” might envy, they pressed forward, each man striving to gain the foremost rank and ride with his commander.
The Yankees were driven over the field and about a hundred yards into the woods, where they met fresh troops coming up, and White’s people were in turn compelled to retire, but rallying at the edge of the woods, they again charged upon the overwhelming forces of the enemy, and not only checked their advance, which was all the Colonel hoped to do, but completely routed them and drove their demoralized line for half a mile through the pines.
In this charge they captured about forty prisoners, and killing General Davis, who was vainly endeavoring to rally his flying troopers, and also a brave Major, who, after a fierce sabre fight with Wm. Shehan, of Co. B, in which both were severely handled, was compelled to surrender to the gallant Confederate.
While the battalion was thus occupied in front, 183a regiment of the enemy came in their rear and attempted to charge, but wheeling his left squadron, the Colonel met and drove them back in splendid style, the men all fighting with the greatest enthusiasm, but Lieut. Crown, Co. B, especially distinguishing himself.
About this time, Gen. Jones became aware that a strong party of the enemy had succeeded in flanking Stuart’s position, and were approaching from the direction of Culpeper Court-House, and he at once sent the information to General Stuart, who said to the courier, "Tell Gen. Jones to attend to the Yankees in his front, and I’ll watch the flanks."
When this reply was communicated to Jones, he remarked: "So he thinks they ain’t coming, does he? Well, let him alone; he’ll damned soon see for himself." And he did see, for about one o’clock the flanking force appeared exactly in rear of, and very near Stuart’s headquarters; and again Col. White was ordered to follow and support the 12th Regiment in case of need; but on arriving near the house, Gen. Stuart ordered White to form his battalion on the right of the road leading to the Court-House and charge the squadrons of the enemy on the high ground around the General’s headquarters, and here again, just as Col. White commenced to move, a squadron of the 12th, which had met the enemy and been defeated, broke the line of the battalion, badly deranging 184its right wing, and causing the loss of valuable time, but the Colonel ordered Major Ferneyhough to charge with the first squadron (Companies A and D) which had not been broken, upon those squadrons of the enemy in front of the house, while with two squadrons (Companies B, C, E and F) he charged a regiment in rear and to the left of the building. Both charges were successful, the enemy being driven down the road towards the Rail Road, but while the Colonel with his party was pressing them, a regiment passed between him and the hill, cutting off the first squadron and again occupying the ground from which they had just been driven.
As soon as the Colonel discovered this situation of affairs, he withdrew all but twenty men from the pursuit, and renewed the contest for the possession of the hill, which, after a spirited fight, he succeeded in gaining, driving off the regiment and killing its Colonel.
In this fight around Stuart’s headquarters, Lieut. Barret was wounded and captured, and Captains Grabill and Anderson made prisoners.
The battalion was now reinforced by a company of the 6th Va. Cavalry, and ordered by Gen. Stuart to charge a battery which had been playing on White’s men during all the fighting on the hill. Without a moment’s hesitation the charge was made, and the wreath of glory which White’s battalion had been weaving and twining around 185its name, during all that long summer day, was completed.
The gallant fellows at the battery hurled a perfect storm of grape upon the “Comanches,” while from the supporting cavalry a rain of bullets fell in their ranks, but with never a halt or a falter the battalion dashed on, scattering the supports and capturing the battery after a desperate fight, in which the artillerymen fought like heroes, with small arms, long after their guns were silenced. There was no demand for a surrender, nor any offer to do so, until nearly all the men at the battery, with many of their horses, were killed and wounded.
While most of the men pursued the flying cavalry that had supported the battery, Col. White with a few others attempted to turn the guns, and work them on the Yankees who were rapidly closing in upon him in heavy force both on the right and left, not doubting for a moment that General Stuart would support him, but nothing seemed further from the General’s intention, and feeling that he was being wantonly sacrificed, Col. White rallied his men, and charging with desperation upon the enveloping ranks of the foe, cut through to safety again, but the deliverance cost half the number of the battalion.
In the battle of Brandy Station, the battalion had captured and brought out two regimental standards, ............