Today in History:

514 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 514 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.


No. 154. Report of Lieuts. Albert G. Hague and John H. Nesmith, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, of operations October 3.

GUARD HILL, VA., October 9, 1864.

CAPTAIN: We have the honor of making the following report concerning the capture of part of the picket-post, commanded by Captain Jackson, at the bridge over the Shenandoah River near Mount Jackson, Va., on Monday morning, October 3, 1864:

The picket-post was taken by surprise about 4 a.m. Captain Jackson, of Company F, and First Lieutenant Murphy, of Company G, with forty-two men, were captured; six men were wounded-four men of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry and two infantrymen who staid with us over night (infantry stragglers from train). Lieutenant Hague, with nine men, escaped by way of bridge under cover of darkness to picket-post on the road; Lieutenant Nesmith, with three men escaped to picket-post toward New Market, and finding his retreat cut off toward New Market crossed the river at the bridge after daylight and joined Lieutenant Hague at Edenburg, where we found we had forty men left of the command; since we have ascertained by one of our men who was paroled, that sixty of the enemy pursued us as far as Edenburg, then ascertained our strength sent for re-enforcements and still pursued us on, but did not overtake us. At Edenburg we ascertained that we would likely meet an upward-bound train near Strasburg. We kept on the road in that direction, but did not meet any train, and as the men were out of rations and had been for several days, and the horses in a were out of rations and had been for several days, and the horses in a bad condition for the want of the want of shoeing and forage, and not knowing where our regiment was we concluded to go back as far as Winchester, where we reported to the post commander, Colonel Edwards, and the first opportunity we had we returned with train to Cedar Creek, and from there to this place, where we again joined our regiment.

Inclosed you will find plat of picket-post.*

The above we respectfully submit.

Your obedient servants,

A. G. HAGUE,

Second Lieutenant Company E, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.

JOHN H. NESMITH,

Second Lieutenant Company F, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Captain W. W. MILES,

Commanding Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry.


No. 155. Report of Major Thomas Gibson, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry,of operations October 23.

CAMP FOURTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY,

October 24, 1864

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with your directions, I left camp last evening with 300 men-detachments of the regiments composing the First and Second Brigades-at 7 p.m. I proceeded as far as Dry Run, and seeing fires, which I thought were

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*Omitted.

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Page 514 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.