General William H. Payne Signed Document/ 4th VA Cavalry/ Confederate for Sale

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General William H. Payne Signed Document/ 4th VA Cavalry/ Confederate For Sale

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General William H. Payne Signed Document/ 4th VA Cavalry/ Confederate:
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The BlackHorse Cavalry History

By ColonelJohn Scott

The BlackHorse Cavalry was organized, or rather first set in line, by CaptainD. H. Jones, United States Army, afterward a Confederategeneral, at Waterloo, on the Rappahannockriver, in Fauquier County, Virginia, on the 18th of June, 1859, theanniversary of the battle of Waterloo. On that day, so auspicious for libertiesof mankind, did this command come into existence which was destined to act sodistinguished and important a part in the prolonged effort to establish theindependence of a Southern Republic. Already had the storm-cloud began togather, the hurricane to lower in the distance, and the organization of theBlack Horse Cavalry was the first step which was taken in Fauquiercounty to meet the prognosticated war. The first captain elected wasJohnScott, a planter, residing in the neighborhood of Warrenton, and theauthor of “The lost principle.” RobertRandolph, a young lawyer of the Warrenton bar, was chosen firstlieutenant; CharlesH. Gordon, a planter, residing near Bealeton, was elected secondlieutenant. The noncommissioned officers were: WilliamR. Smith, first sergeant, who was during the war elected a lieutenantof the command, and was afterward one of the most distinguished captains of Mosby'sPartisan Battalion, but was killed, sword in hand, in a night attack on aFederal camp at Harper'sFerry; JamesH. Childs was elected second sergeant; RichardLewis was elected third sergeant; RobertMitchell was elected fourth sergeant. The corporals were: WellingtonMillon, MadisonTyler, N.A. Clopton, and M.K. James. These were all young gentlemen of the first respectabilityand were either themselves planters or the sons of planters. The rank and filewere composed of young men of the same social material with the officers. Amongthem were to be found JamesKeith, now well known as one of the ablest and most distinguishedjudges in Virginia, and WilliamH. Payne, a leading member of the Virginia bar, who, during the war,rose to be a brigadier general in Stuart'scavalry division. Another, a young lawyer of brilliant promise, was ThomasGordon Pollock, the son of the author of “The Exode,” a sublimeproduction, and on his mother's side was sprung from the heroic blood of theLees. During the war he was transferred, with the rank of captain, to the staffof BrigadierGeneral James L. Kemper, and fell in storming Cemetery Heights. Whenit was discovered, in the spring of 1860, that the law allowed a thirdlieutenant to the command, an election was held in the town of Warrenton to fillthe vacant post. There were several candidates, but the captain requested themen to elect A.D. Payne, which was done; for at that early period he discerned in himthose high military qualities which, in the field, he afterward displayed. Hehas survived the war and is now a distinguished member of the Warrenton bar.

The firstservice which the command was ordered to perform was to report to GovernorHenry A. Wise, at Charlestown,Virginia, at which point were being collected the volunteer companiesof the State to insure the execution of JohnBrown and his associates. When the command reached Piedmontstation, now Delaplane, on theManassas Railroad, it fell in with the “Mountain Rangers,” a cavalry company,which CaptainTurner Ashby, afterward so brilliant a figure in theConfederate army, had recruited in Upper Fauquier. Together these companiesmarched by night, fording the deep and rapid Shenandoah, andreported at daylight the next mooring to the Governor at Charlestown. Adetachment of the Black Horse escorted the prisoners to the place of execution,while the rest of the command was employed in keeping clear the streets, for itwas feared even at the last moment that an attempt would be made to rescue Brown. Uponthe return of the command to Warrenton, theladies of that patriotic town received them graciously, and gave in their honora handsome ball. So early was the strong and lasting covenant made between thewomen and the soldiers of the South!

The JohnBrown war, as the people called it, gave an immense impulse to thesecession sentiment of Virginia, andwhen SouthCarolina seceded and coercion was talked of, the captain of the BlackHorse immediately tendered his command to Governor Pickens. Thisact proved to be in advance of the popular feeling, and many murmurs wereexcited; but it was ratified by the command at its next meeting.

About thetime of the formation of the Southern Republic, at Montgomery, fearingthat Virginia wouldnot take part in the movement, the captain of the Black Horse relinquished hiscommand, and was commissioned captain in the army of the ConfederateStates.

On the16th of April, 1861, the day before the Ordinance of Secession was passed by Virginia, orderswere received by LieutenantRandolph, commanding the Black Horse Cavalry, and by CaptainAshby, to assemble their respective commands and proceed, withoutdelay, to Harper'sFerry. The object of this expedition was to capture the stores andmunitions of war collected at that place, so necessary to the Confederates inthe struggle in which they were about to engage. Success depended upon secrecyand dispatch, and every available means was employed to collect the commands.By ten o'clock at night the Black Horse had left their homes, not to return forfour weary years-many of them never. With light hearts they marched, in happyignorance of the future, until, when within a few miles of their destination,they heard the explosion of the arsenal. When this sound fell on their ears,they felt that they had been thwarted in the object of the expedition. But ontheir arrival things were found not so bad as apprehension had painted. The rifleworks on the Shenandoah, it is true, were destroyed, but the fire in the musketmachine-shops had been arrested after about a third of the machinery had beenwholly or partially destroyed. The building in which the manufactured arms weredeposited contained over twenty thousand stand of Minnie rifles and rifledmuskets, of which about seven thousand fell into the hands of the captorsuninjured, and many others in a condition that admitted of repair. A largeproportion of the hands employed were sent, with the uninjured machinery, to anarmory established in NorthCarolina. The Black Horse Cavalry, after remaining several days onpicket duty at Harper'sFerry, was ordered on similar service, to Berlin bridge, whichcrosses the Potomac from the county of London. It was while the command were atHarper'sFerry that MajorThomas J. Jackson, of the Virginia Military Institute, was ordered,by GovernorLetcher, to take command, and the high reputation which he had won inthe Mexican war inspired the volunteers with cheerfulness and confidence.

FromBerlin bridge, the Black Horse was ordered back to Warrenton, wherethe vacant captaincy was filled by the election of WilliamH. Payne, heretofore, as before stated, a private in the command. Thisgentleman was, at that time, a member of the Warrenton bar, and had been, alongwith CaptainB. H. Shackleford, a Secession candidate for the State Conventionwhich cut the ties which bound the Commonwealth to the Federal body. Hisgenius, gallantry, and recognized devotion to the Southern cause pointed himout for the vacant post. CaptainPayne marched his command to the Fauquier Springs, where it wasmustered into the Confederate service, and from that point conducted it to Manassas, where,together with a few other companies, it formed the nucleus of the Army ofNorthern Virginia, with which, through all vicissitudes, it remained until thefinal day of dissolution at Appomattox Court-House. At the time when a raid wasmade by CaptainTompkins, of the Federal army, on Fairfax Court-House, where thelamented CaptainJohn Quincey Marr was killed, the Black Horse, at the request oftheir captain, were ordered to that point, from which they performed mucharduous scouting duty, and became well known to the enemy. Upon the advance of GeneralMcDowell, the Black Horse rejoined the army at Manassas. On the4th of July, in an attempt to ambuscade a detachment of the enemy, two memberswere killed and several wounded by the mistaken fire of a South Carolinaregiment of infantry. In the memorable battle of the 21st of July, in which soabsolute a victory was won by the Confederate arms, the Black Horse Cavalrydistinguished itself in the pursuit of the flying enemy, and the next day werethanked by PresidentDavis in a speech. Soon after the battle of Manassas, the BlackHorse Cavalry was selected by GeneralJoseph E. Johnston, commanding the army, to be his body-guard. Inthis capacity it received Prince Napoleon and his suite, consisting of CountSartiges and others, upon their visit to the Confederate army,escorted them to the general's headquarters, and was, the next day, the escortat a review of the army at Centreville.

In thefall of 1861 the command was incorporated in the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, when CaptainWilliam H. Payne was promoted to be major of the regiment, and LieutenantRobert Randolph succeeded to the captaincy, but was soon afterdetached to form the body-guard of GeneralEarl Van Dorn, commanding a division at Manassas. When GeneralEarl Van Dorn was assigned to an independent command in thefurther South, he made an unsuccessful application to be allowed to carry theBlack Horse with him. In the spring of 1862 the command accompanied GeneralJohnston to Yorktown, and onthe march was employed as scouts in the rear, and as guides to the brigade anddivision commanders, on account of their familiarity with the roads,water-courses, and points suitable for camping. When the army reached Culpeppercounty it was reported that the enemy, under GeneralSumner, had advanced as far as Warrenton Junction. GeneralStuart ordered a detail of ten of the Black Horse to changeovercoats with the Governor's Guard, theirs being of a dark hue, and recrossingthe Rappahannock to report the movements of the enemy. This detail did notrejoin the command until the march from Richmond to thePeninsula. The Fourth Virginia Cavalry was kept behind the earthworks,extending from Yorktown to Jamesriver, until GeneralJohnston began to withdraw his forces. The regiment was then sent to Yorktown, andbrought up the Confederate rear from that point of our lines. As soon as McClellandiscovered that the rifle-pits in his front had been vacated, he pressedforward and overtook the Fourth Regiment about a mile and a half before itreached Fort Magruder. On this ground, the next day, the principal part of thebattle of Williamsburg was fought-one of the best contested of the war, thenumber of troops on the Confederate side being taken into account. The Fourthhalted and then slowly fell back, passing Fort Magruder. The Federals followed,and when they reached the edge of the woods, ran out Gibson'sBattery — to engage a Confederate battery in the fort. At the same time acompany of the Richmond Howitzers, stationed on elevated ground on the oppositeside of the road, also engaged the Federal battery, and a brisk cannonade wasexchanged. GeneralJohnston, who occupied a favorable position for observation,discovered that Gibson'sBattery was worsted in the encounter and ordered the Fourth Virginia to charge.The regiment was already stripped for the fight, and passing Fort Magruder in arapid charge, captured the Federal battery. Leaving a few men to take care ofthe capture, the regiment proceeded by that road into a dense wood, the land oneither side of it being too miry for the operations of cavalry. At about twohundred yards after entering the woods, where the road made a sudden turn, theregiment ran upon a large body of opposing cavalry, when ColonelWickham ordered it to fall back to the edge of the woods. In theexecution of this movement ColonelWickham was pierced by a saber, and a color-bearer had his flagwrenched from his hands.

After thebattle of Williamsburg the Confederate army continued its retreat on Richmond, thecavalry protecting the rear. The Black Horse participated in the dangers andhardships of this service, in performing which they were compelled to subsiston parched corn. Near Hanover Court-House, while on picket duty, the BlackHorse assisted in checking the pursuit of GeneralBranch's NorthCarolina troops by FitzJohn Porter, who had overpowered and badly worsted them, andin this effort lost many men wounded and prisoners. The command took part in Stuart's raidaround McClellan's armyas it lay before Richmond, whichwas esteemed at the time a brilliant and hazardous feat, and participated inthe fight at the old church in Hanover, wherethe gallant CaptainLatane was killed.

Theregiment to which the Black Horse was attached was now, for a time, camped nearHanover Court-House, and while here an interesting incident took place. AnEnglish officer, who warmly sympathized with the Southern cause, presented, at Nassau, to acaptain in the Confederate navy a rifle of beautiful workmanship, which hedesired him, on his return to Richmond, “topresent to the bravest man in the Confederate army.” The naval officer,embarrassed by the scope of his commission, and not knowing, to be sure, wherehe should find the bravest soldier in the Southern army, thought he could bestfulfil his commission by giving the rifle to CaptainRobert Randolph, to be by him presented to the bravest man in theBlack Horse Cavalry. But CaptainRandolph was as much embarrassed in the execution of this commissionas the naval captain had been, for how was it possible for anyone to say inthat command who was the bravest man2 RobertMartin was the first sergeant, and in that capacity had displayedthe highest qualities of a soldier, and had, in consequence, won the esteem andrespect of both men and officers. RobertMartin, too, was foremost in every fight. He appeared to courtdanger for itself, and it seemed there was nothing he so little valued as life.To him, by general consent, therefore, the rifle was awarded as “the bravest ofthe brave.”

Aboutthis time GeneralLee,having heard that Burnside had beenmoved by sea from NorthCarolina, and was at Fredericksburg, sent abrigade of cavalry, which embraced the Black Horse, to make a reconnoissance inthat direction. The command saw active service and gained valuable informationfor the General, and on its return to Hanover Court-House, the battle of CedarMountain having been fought, it was ordered to join in the pursuit of Pope. TheFourth Regiment crossed the Rappahannock at Wallis' ford, and, marching throughfarms, regardless of roads, came into the main road from Culpepper Court-Houseto Fredericksburg, andturning to the right, attacked the cavalry protecting Pope'sextreme left and drove it across the Rappahannock at Ellis'mill.Turning toward BrandyStation, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, the command foundthat GeneralLee,with Longstreet's Corps,had established his headquarters at Willis Madden's house. Continuing itsmarch, it crossed the railroad and rejoined Stuart, who,with Jackson's Corps,pursued the enemy to the crossings of the Rappahannock at the railroad bridgeand Beverly's ford. Thus were the two armies again confronting each other, buton opposite sides of the river. In this situation GeneralLee,with the ultimate purpose of forcing an action, marched his army by the leftflank, and crossing the Hazelriver into what is known as the Little Fork of Culpepper, groupedhis whole army on the Upper Rappahannock, opposite the Fauquier Springs.

But Stuart'sCavalry, during this movement, had been detached from the army, and crossingthe Rappahannock at Waterloo, thefirst drill-ground of the Black Horse, passed through Warrenton, andattacked, in the rear of Pope's army,Catlett's Station at midnight, thus striking his line of communication with hisbase of supply. This brilliant exploit resulted in the capture of Pope'sheadquarter wagons, the destruction of large army stores, and the capture ofmany prisoners.

Upon thereturn of the cavalry to the army, across the Rappahannock, the Black Horse wasassigned to duty at the headquarters of Jackson, who wasabout to make his celebrated flank and rear movements on Pope's army,which culminated in the second battle of Manassas.

It hadbeen the purpose of the Confederate commander, when he took position on theUpper Rappahannock, to cross his army at the Fauquier Springs, and occupying Lee's ridgeand the adjacent highlands, to compel Pope todeliver battle at some point between Warrenton andBealton. With this object in view he had crossed Early'sBrigade, of Ewell'sDivision, on what is known as the Sandy Ford dam, a point two miles below theSprings, to protect the men engaged in repairing the bridge at the Springs,over which the army was to pass. But this able plan was defeated by heavyrains, which fell the night before, and swelled the river to such an extent asto interrupt work on the bridge. This enforced delay enabled the Federalgeneral to anticipate his opponent in the occupation of Lee's ridge,and secured to him the advantage of position which Lee had beenmaneuvring to obtain. Prompted by his military genius, Leedetermined to cross the Rappahannock higher up, at Hinson's ford, and marchingthrough Upper Fauquier to gain Pope's rearand compel him to engage battle on other ground than that on which the Federalarmy was so strongly posted. In pursuance of this plan, Jackson beganhis movement through the country above designated, until he struck Pope's lineof communication at Bristow Station and ManassasJunction, as Stuart hadbefore struck it at Catlett's Station. But the blow delivered by Jackson was afar more serious one; for, in order to regain his lost ground, the Federalcommander was compelled to fight the second battle of Manassas. When Jackson struckthe railroad at Bristow Station, where the sound of his cannon first apprised Pope of hiswhereabouts, he left GeneralEwell to guard the crossings of Broadrun.He then moved down the railroad to Manassas, wherehe captured, in addition to several trains of cars, a large amount of armysupplies, all of which were destroyed, except such as could be applied toimmediate use. When this capture was first reported to the enemy, it wassupposed to have been made by one of Stuart'sraiding parties, and in consequence a New Jersey brigade of infantry, stationedbelow Manassas, wasordered up to retake the place. Possessed with this belief, the command marchedto within a short distance of the fortifications, when it was found that it hadto cope with Jackson'sinfantry, instead of Stuart'scavalry. The guns from the fortification opened upon the advancing Federals infront, while on their left flank they were assailed by Braxton'sBattery. In this trying situation the brigade behaved in a soldierly manner andmarched from the field with ranks unbroken and colors flying. But when theyreached the woods they broke when they were charged by a detachment of twentyof the Black Horse, commanded by Jackson inperson, and many prisoners were taken.

At ThePlains, a village on the Manassas Railroad, about four miles east of Salem, LieutenantA. D. Payne, with thirty men, was sent back to guide andaccompany GeneralLee,who was with Longstreet's Corps,while CaptainRandolph, with the rest of the Black Horse command, remained with Jackson. Thelieutenant retraced his steps, and reported to GeneralLeeas he was crossing the Rappahannock at Hinson's mill. The troops were hurriedon in the direction of Salem, thetrack over which Jackson had justpassed, and encamped for the night between that point and Orlean. GeneralLeemade his headquarters at ProspectHill,the seat of the late Dr.Jaquelin A. Marshall, and was then the residence of his family. Withhis staff, the General found quarters in the house, but LieutenantPayne and his men camped in the yard. By some unaccountableneglect, the main highway, leading past ProspectHillfrom Orlean to Waterloo, andfrom thence to Warrenton, had notbeen picketed nor guarded, so that there was that night between the Confederategeneral and the Federal army, which lay scattered between Waterloo andWarrenton Junction, nothing but this open highway. In this exposed conditionthings remained for several hours, when it was discovered by ColonelCharles Marshall, the vigilant aide-de-camp of GeneralLee.About midnight, with consternation, he aroused LieutenantPayne, and communicated the fact to him, and that the nearestbrigade was a mile distant. With his whole force, all the roads in thedirection of the enemy were picketed; but fortunately, the enemy were notapprised of the General's exposed position, and the night passed without alarm.The next day, just before the head of the column arrived at Salem,information was brought to GeneralLeethat a body of the enemy's cavalry were approaching that place. LieutenantPayne, with his small detachment, was thrown forward toreconnoiter, for the rest of Stuart'scavalry were with Jackson. Hedashed into the village, but was soon driven out by overwhelming numbers, andhe endeavored, but without success, to entice them into an ambuscade preparedfor them by GeneralLongstreet. During the skirmishing which took place with the Federalcavalry, several prisoners were captured, from whom information was gained thatLieutenantPayne had struck Buford'sBrigade of Federal cavalry, who, having captured some of Jackson'sstragglers, had heard from them, for the first time, of his. movement. The nextday GeneralLeereached Thoroughfare gap, but did not succeed in forcing a passage through ittill late in the evening. During the entire day he was uneasy for Jackson'ssafety, and, in the evening, requested LieutenantPayne to send him a soldier who was acquainted with the passes of BullRun mountains. The man was stripped of all the indicia of asoldier, and dressed in the garb of a countryman, was mounted on a lame horseand a wagon saddle. Thus equipped, he was started with a dispatch for Jackson,concealed on his person, and was directed, at every hazard, and with allcelerity, to deliver it.

Later, Lee directedLieutenantPayne to make a reconnaissance to the rear of the force opposinghim at Thoroughfare gap, and report without delay. Taking with him a party offive or six trusty men, the gallant officer made a detour to the right, andsucceeded in reaching the turnpike, which connects Warrenton with Alexandria, nearNew Baltimore, about nine o'clock at night. From that point, he proceeded downthe turnpike, and, mixing with the enemy, discovered that they were retiringrapidly toward Gainesville. Thishighly important information he quickly communicated to the Confederategeneral, at the residence of ColonelRobert Beverly. The next day, about noon, in advance of Longstreet's march,this detachment of the Black Horse opened communications with Jackson's Corps,near Groveton, a placeon the Warrenton turnpike, below New Baltimore. As soon as the two corps of theConfederate army were again united, LieutenantPayne, with his detachment, was ordered to report to his command.The Black Horse, thus consolidated, took part in the great battle of the 30th,the Second Manassas, in which GeneralPopewas as disastrously defeated as McDowell had beenon the same ground. In this engagement, many members of the Black Horse werefatally wounded, among them ErasmusHelm, Jr., than whom there was no braver soldier nor more charminggentleman.

Thesecond battle of Manassas continued through three days and was unsurpassed forseverity by any fought during this bloody war. The effect of the heavy rain,which had prevented Lee fromcrossing his army at the Fauquier Springs, was now experienced in all itsforce; for Pope, in thisprolonged struggle, was heavily reinforced from McClellan's armytransported from Harrison'sLanding, which could not have been done had the battle taken place inthe vicinity of the Rappahannock according, as we have seen, to Lee's firstdesign. The Federal army, having been routed from every position it hadoccupied in the battle, retreated into the strongly intrenched camp at Centreville, whosefortifications had been constructed by the combined skill of Johnston and Beauregard duringthe first winter of the war, and now a second time offered its shelter to abroken, defeated and demoralized Federal army. On Sunday morning, while thevictorious army was recruiting its wearied virtue and binding up its wounds, Lee and Jackson, sittingon a fallen tree, were engaged in close consultation. Their horses were grazingat a short distance, when an alarm was given that the Federal cavalry wereapproaching. The two generals sprang for their horses, but failed to securethem, and in doing so Lee fellforward and so injured his hands as to be compelled to ride in an ambulancethrough the ensuing Maryland campaign with his hands bandaged and in a sling.At this critical moment two privates of the Black Horse tendered their horses,and the officers were again mounted. But it proved to be a false alarm. At noonthe Confederates began to march to Pope's rear,at Centreville, passingSudley Church and Cubrunbridge, the object being again to interrupt Pope'scommunications, and compel a renewal of the conflict. When the Federal generaldiscovered this movement he moved out of the ramparts at Centreville, andwith disorganized masses recommenced his retreat toward the Potomac. From thecrest of a high hill Jackson saw theretreating columns, and, at the same time, observed a detachment of the Federalarmy as it was taking position behind the Independent and unfinished ManassasRailroad. This was evidently a force thrown out to protect the Federal retreat.Jacksonimmediately attacked it, but with an inadequate force, and the fight at Chantilly tookplace, which lasted until night. It is left to the future historian to inquirewhy the entire strength of the Confederate army was not employed against theretreating columns of the enemy. Perhaps it was because Fate had declaredagainst the establishment of the Southern Republic, and it was by such meansthat her conclusions were to be wrought out.

Flushedby this victory, it was determined to cross the Potomac and carry the war intothe enemy's country. If this military policy had been adopted as promptly afterthe first victory at Manassas, it isclear that the ConfederateStates would have been triumphant in the war. The sound policy ofsecession would then have been vindicated and have marked the beginning of agreat nation instead of being hawked at as a “perfidious bark built in theeclipse” that has wrecked the fortunes of a people.

The armymarched for Edwards' ferry.Along the route there was manifested by the people the greatest curiosity anddesire to see their great General-“StonewallJackson,” as he had been baptized on the battle-field. Groups wouldbe collected on the road, composed of all ages and both sexes, black and whitecrowded together. When Jackson would bepointed out to them they would send up a great shout, and the General, liftinghis cap, would gallop away from the applause. In this connection an amusingincident occurred which created no little merriment and exemplifies theliberties his soldiers would sometimes take with “Old Stonewall,” as theycalled their darling. The Black Horse sent forward one of their members to rideas near to Jackson asmilitary etiquette would allow. He was, by all odds, the ugliest fellow in thecommand; indeed, the Black Horse used to brag that he was the ugliest fellow ineither army. When the next admiring crowd was passed, and they demanded to seethe great captain, this soldier was pointed out to them. When they shouted andcheered, he halted, and, with the utmost complaisance, received theircompliments. Jackson, ofcourse, had galloped on as usual. When the General, turning in his saddle, sawwhat was going on, he was greatly amused, and the joke was repeated until thenovelty wore off.

The BlackHorse accompanied Jackson in hisexpedition to Williamsport, Martinsburg, and Harper'sFerry. At the latter place he employed the pen of LieutenantA. D. Payne to copy his order of assault to be delivered tohis officers-orders which were never acted on, as the place was surrenderedbefore the assaulting columns began their work. The General remained at Harper'sFerry till a late hour of the night, disposing of the prisoners andthe material of war which he had captured. He then started, escorted by LieutenantPayne, with a detachment of twenty of his command, to reach Lee'sheadquarters at Sharpsburg, leavinghis army to follow. At daybreak, a little out of the town, the party halted,and built a fire in a skirt of woods. Here Jackson sleptwhile a party was sent to discover the position of Lee'sheadquarters. As soon as this fact was reported to him, he joined the generalcommanding. The next day the battle of Sharpsburg was fought, during which theBlack Horse acted as aides and couriers. In Jackson's reportof this campaign he extols the conduct of this command, naming andcomplimenting its officers.

When theConfederate army recrossed the Potomac, GeneralStuart made strenuous efforts to have the Black Horse restored tothe cavalry division. He wanted them to accompany his raid around McClellan's armyat Harper'sFerry, where it lay gathering strength for another invasion of Virginia. But Jackson wouldnot agree to Stuart'sproposal. He said: “I know the Black Horse and can employ the greater part ofthe command for staff duty.” In this raid Stuart tookwith him fifteen squadrons of horse, composed of details from his regiments,one of which the writer of this commanded. The raiders crossed an obscure fordof the Potomac, above Harper'sFerry, GeneralWade Hampton, with a battery of horse artillery, being in thevan, and camped that night at Chambersburg. Thenext day they passed through Emmetsburg on their return to the Potomac, and,marching all night, early the ensuing day reached White'sfordof the Potomac, below Harper'sFerry, having thus made the circuit of the Federal army. But here Stuartencountered a formidable force of infantry and cavalry, stationed to oppose hispassage of the river. Without hesitation, and with that undaunted courage whichhe showed on every battlefield, he drove the enemy before him, rapidly threwhis command over the river, without so much as losing a horseshoe, and marchedoff for the army headquarters as the artillery of the enemy was taking positionon the heights he had just evacuated. As he passed their camps the infantrycheered him, a compliment they were always slow to pay the cavalry.

When McClellan crossedthe river at Harper'sFerry, Lee wasencamped at Winchester. Jackson thenrestored the Black Horse to its place in the cavalry division, for Stuart wasordered to throw himself in front of the advancing columns of McClellan, anddelay his march until Lee couldagain interpose between the Federal army and Richmond. Inobedience to this order, Stuart crossedthe Blue Ridge into Loudoncounty, and heavily skirmished with the Federal advance through thatcounty and Upper Fauquier. At Union, near the dividing line of the counties, heheld his position so well that it was not until the evening of the second daythat he was compelled to relinquish it. At Upperville, Markham, and Barbee'scross-roads, Stuart madestands until compelled to retreat by the pressure of numbers. In the meantime, Lee crossedthe Blue Ridge, at Chestergap,and took position on the south bank of the Rappahannock. He wasthere informed that McClellan had beenrelieved, and Burnside promotedto the command of the Federal army, and that he had indicated his intention ofmarching toward Fredericksburg. Lee againput his army in motion, and posted it on the Spotsylvania Heights, at Fredericksburg, andconfronted Burnside on theopposite side of the river. The Union army again suffered defeat, and againchanged its general.

In thewinter of 1863, while GeneralHooker was on the north bank of the Rappahannock, theBlack Horse was detached from the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and ordered to LowerFauquier and Staffordcounty to report the enemy's movements to GeneralLee.During this time the command performed many brilliant exploits in its numerousencounters with the enemy, captured three hundred prisoners, and minutelyreported Hooker'smovements. Its services were handsomely acknowledged by GeneralLeeand GeneralStuart in general orders.

Anincident that occurred at this time illustrates the nature of this service. GeneralFitz Lee, with a brigade of cavalry, had crossed the Rappahannock, at Kelly'sford,and moving down the north bank of the river, had driven the enemy's pickets towithin three miles of Falmouth. AtHartwood church he captured a number of prisoners, and detailing a guard ofmen, whose horses were in a weak and crippled condition, ordered LieutenantA. D. Payne to take command and conduct them to the army,crossing at the UnitedStates ford. But he informed him that he would, in all probability,fall in with a company of Confederate cavalry which had been on picket. Afterproceeding about two miles, LieutenantPayne came suddenly on a body of cavalry drawn up in the road, anddiscovered, after calling to know to which flag they belonged, that they were asquadron of the enemy. He immediately turned about, and, ordering the guard toshoot any prisoner who should attempt to escape, endeavored to return to FitzLee.Finding himself rapidly pursued, he turned off the main road, but soonencountered, drawn up in line, another force of Federal cavalry. He passed verynear to them, and much to his relief, succeeded in reaching his brigade. Therehe informed MajorMorgan, of the First Virginia Cavalry, of the perils he had escaped,and, directed him to the place where he would find the squadron he had lastseen. MajorMorgan at once, with an adequate force, repaired to the spot,finding the enemy occupying the same position, who at once surrendered. When Morgan returnedwith his prisoners, LieutenantPayne inquired of their commander why he did not attempt to rescuethe prisoners. The officer replied, “I was only waiting to surrender, for wewere all too much excited to see that the greater part of your force wereprisoners.” LieutenantPayne replied: “I was not quite that far gone; but if you had madean attack, I should have been compelled to withdraw the guard and let theprisoners go.”

When FitzLeereturned to his position on the left flank of the army, CaptainRandolph, again in command of the Black Horse, gave permission to tenor a dozen of the men to follow the march of the enemy toward Fredericksburg and pickup stragglers and horses. This they did for some distance, but finding neithermen nor horses, the party returned. Two of them, however, “Old blaze” and JoeBoteler, concluded to follow the hunt yet longer. A narrative oftheir adventures may prove interesting and will at least show how such work maybe done. Near the Stafford linethey stopped at Mrs. H.‘s and applied to have their canteens filled withbrandy. This the old lady positively refused to do, saying: “You are in dangerenough, without adding to it by drink.” But she relented when they promised tobring her back “six Yankees.”

And thisis how they complied with their engagement. Between Spotted tavern and Hartwoodchurch, the scouts charged with a yell a small party of the enemy and succeededeach in capturing a mounted cavalryman. These prisoners were disarmed anddismounted and ordered to remain on the roadside until the captors shouldreturn. To induce them to do so, they were told that there was a force in thewoods who would capture them if they attempted to escape. Depositing the armsand horses with a citizen, the scouts continued their ride in the samedirection. Soon they came in sight of the rear guard of a cavalry force, and,taking advantage of a body of wood to conceal their numbers, charged with ashout. This hurried the retreat, and two of them, who had straggled, were takenprisoners. A little further on they met a soldier in blue, who proved to be anIrishman, and not suspecting an enemy, was easily added to their list ofcaptures. Retracing their steps, they called for the horses and arms they hadleft, and, to their surprise, found their first capture waiting for them by thewayside. Remounting them on their own steeds, they met a little boy, whoinformed them that there were “three Yankee cavalrymen” at his uncle's, wholived a mile from the road. The horses were a temptation which the scouts couldnot resist, but the difficulty was how to dispose of their five prisoners whilethey went to secure them. Knowing two ladies zealous for the cause, theyprevailed upon them to furnish a supper for the captured soldiers, but to delayin its preparation until their return. As fortune would have it, there were atthe house two citizens who were charged with having taken the oath. Thecaptured horses and arms having been secreted, with the exception of twocarbines, these were loaded and given to the suspected citizens, and they wereordered to stand guard at the door. They were frankly told of the suspicionthat attached to them, and that if they allowed the prisoners to escape, theywould be sent to Castle Thunder. The scouts followed their boy guide to hisuncle's gate. One of them entered by the front door while his companion wentaround to the rear. As he entered the sitting-room on the first floor he foundthree Union soldiers. They sprang for their arms, which they had left in thehall, but the other scout coming to his companion's assistance, they wereforced to surrender. One of them proved to be a courier of ColonelKellogg, of the Eighteenth Pennsylvania, and had on his personvaluable dispatches. The next step was to secure the horses, which having done,the Confederates returned with their additional prisoners and relieved thecitizen guard. Supper over, the party started for the Confederate camp, butstopped at a house on the road, where the prisoners were allowed to sleep untildaylight. Passing Mrs. H.‘s, where they had been supplied with their brandy,they exhibited their eight prisoners, two more than they had promised to bring.As they entered camp with their captures, they were warmly congratulated bytheir comrades, and sent forward by CaptainRandolph to GeneralStuart's headquarters. When told of the adventures of the scouts,the General expressed great satisfaction, but remarked it was the first time inhis experience he had ever known whisky or brandy entitled to be put on thecredit side of the sheet.

In theensuing campaign of 1863, the Black Horse constituted a part of Stuart'scavalry division, and participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, thesevere fight at BrandyStation, and in all the movements conducted by Stuart to maskthe movements of Lee's armyin the Valley of Virginia as it was being marched for the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania. At Aldie, in thecounty of Loudon, theBlack Horse, under command of LieutenantA. D. Payne, covered itself with glory. The Southern cavalryhad been pressing the pursuit from the direction of the Blue Ridge, during theday, and had brought the enemy to a stand at a point on the Middleburg road twomiles from Aldie, and atan equal distance from that place on the Snickersville road,these two roads converging at Aldie. ColonelMumford was in advance with the Fourth Regiment, the Black Horsebeing the leading squadron. He halted his command, and taking with him twopieces of artillery, he ordered LieutenantA. D. Payne to follow with his command. He posted theartillery on a prominent point in the angle formed by the two roads andcommenced firing on the enemy who were advancing in large numbers on theSnickersville turnpike. To capture the guns placed in this exposed position theFederals sent forward a regiment of Massachusettsinfantry. In this critical position of his guns, ColonelMunford ordered LieutenantPayne, who had not with him more than thirty of his men, the restbeing scattered as videttes, to charge the advancing column of cavalry, butnever expecting, as he afterward said, to see one of them return alive. LieutenantPayne formed his men in the turnpike in a column of fours, and downupon the enemy he rode with a loud cheer, the dust concealing the insignificantnature of his force. The regiment, thus deceived by the boldness andimpetuosity of the attack, fired at random and was thrown into confusion. Anumber of prisoners were captured before they discovered their error andreturned to the attack. But the object of the cavalry charge had been attainedand the guns were withdrawn in safety, and the timely arrival of the rest ofthe brigade saved the detachment from destruction.

When Stuartdiscovered Hooker'sintention to cross the Potomac at Edwards' ferry,he left two brigades of cavalry posted between Lee and theFederal army to continue to perform outpost duty, while with the rest of hisdivision he moved to the rear of the enemy's cavalry, and placed himselfbetween the Federal army and Washington. This heeffected, crossing the Bull Run mountain, and, after raiding through PrinceWilliam and Fairfaxcounties, recrossed the railroad at Burk's Station, where he found a largestore of forage of great value to his tired animals. From this point he marchedto the Potomac, at Senecca falls, where, as the fording was deep, the caissonswere emptied, and the bombshells carried over by cavalrymen in their hands.After capturing a canalboat laden with commissary stores, Stuartproceeded to Rockville, in thedirection of WashingtonCity.Here a large Union flag was flying, which he would not allow his men to pulldown, saying he was not fighting the flag, but his real motive was that hewanted it as a decoy. From Rockville severalregiments were sent in the direction of Washington, whocaptured the long wagon-train so often spoken of in connection with thiscampaign. It was drawn by more than an hundred mules, and seemed a rich prize;but it proved in the end a serious disadvantage, for it retarded the movementsof the command, beside requiring a large detail of men. This raid producedgreat consternation among the enemy, and drew from Meade's armyall his available cavalry to oppose it. But for this encumbrance Stuart could tobetter advantage have engaged the enemy, and destroyed, or, at least,interrupted the communications with Washington and Baltimore. At Westminster,eighteen miles west of Baltimore, theFourth Virginia Regiment charged a regiment of Federal cavalry, driving aportion of it toward Baltimore, and therest toward Frederick. Fromthis point Stuartproceeded to Hanover, in Pennsylvania, wherehe engaged a large cavalry force under GeneralKilpatrick. In this fight the Second North Carolina Regiment wascommanded by LieutenantColonel William H. Payne, formerly captain of the Black Horse. Hebore himself with conspicuous gallantry and was taken prisoner in a chargewhich he led, the regiment sustaining considerable loss in killed and wounded.The effort of Kilpatrick todetain Stuart wasfoiled by this fight, and he moved on to Carlisle barracks, which, with hisartillery, he set on fire. From Carlisle theSouthern cavalry marched to Gettysburg, andtook position on Lee's left,near Huntersville. Theytook part in the battle on the memorable 3d of July 1863, in which the SouthernConfederacy received its death wound. Upon Meade'sadvance into Virginia, Lee retiredto the south bank of the Rapidan, withheadquarters at OrangeCourt-House, where he remained until October 11th. He thendetermined to assume the offensive.

With thisintent he ordered GeneralFitz Lee, with whom the Black Horse was serving, to cross the Rapidanat Raccoon andMorton's fords, where he found himself face to face with Buford'scavalry division. In the fight which ensued, the Black Horse lost some of itsbravest men, and the Fourth Virginia two of its most gallant officers. Thisspirited attack, combined with an attack by GeneralLomax's Brigade, compelled Buford'sretreat to the direction of Stevensburg, closelypursued by Lomax. CaptainRandolph, in command of the Black Horse, with some other men from theregiment, arrived at Stevensburg as theThird Virginia Cavalry had been repulsed. Being in line of battle he chargedthe Federals with great spirit and drove them back on their dismounted line. CaptainRandolph then ordered his men to fall back a few hundred yards in anopen field, and there rallied them around their colors, under a heavy fire ofthe enemy. By this gallant conduct a large number of the Third Virginia, withtheir lieutenant colonel, were rescued. For this service GeneralFitz Lee complimented CaptainRandolph in high terms, and said it was the most beautiful sight hehad ever witnessed. This commendation was greatly valued by the command, but ithad been dearly bought by the loss of many of its bravest members. GeneralFitz Lee continued the pursuit of Meade as faras Bullrun,who, occasionally, turned upon his pursuers, and punished their audacity, as atBristow Station. GeneralR. E. Lee fell back to the Rappahannock, GeneralFitz Lee on the railroad, and Stuart, with Hampton'sDivision, on the turnpike, bringing up the rear. As soon as FitzLeecrossed the river he sent two of the Black Horse back to watch the enemy'sadvance, and report his progress in rebuilding the railroad, but withpermission to take any other men with them they might select. They crossed theriver and recruited SergeantJoseph Reid, of the Black Horse, a man remarkable even inthat army and in that command for sagacity, calmness in the moment of danger,and a lion-like courage. Having collected much valuable information the partyreported to GeneralFitz Lee, who ordered SergeantReidto take command of his scouts operating in Lower Fauquier, PrinceWilliam, and Staffordcounties. So well did he perform this hazardous service, that he has left withthe people of those localities many a thrilling tale of his daring andhair-breadth escapes. In consequence of information sent by SergeantReid,that the Federal army was moving toward the Rappahannock, furnished with eightdays cooked rations, and sixty rounds of ammunition, GeneralLeewithdrew to the south side of the Rapidan. During this movement Meade advancedto Minerun,in Spotsylvania, wherean undecided affair took place between the two armies, the Fourth VirginiaCavalry holding Roberson's ford on the Rapidan and repelling the efforts of theenemy's cavalry to effect a passage of the river at that point. From this pointthe Black Horse, with the exception of SergeantReid'sparty, were sent to Upper Fauquier and Loudoncounties to observe and report the enemy's movements, on which dutythey remained during the winter, at the close of which they were ordered toreport to the regiment at Orange Court House. In the spring of 1864, before Grant, who nowcommanded the Union army, began his forward movement, GeneralSedgwick made a reconnaissance in force in the direction of MadisonCourt-House, and was met by A.P. Hill's Corps. In the collision which ensued SecondLieutenant Marshall James, one of the most gallant officers of theBlack Horse, with a small detachment, greatly distinguished himself. In thelatter part of April the cavalry corps marched to Fredericksburg and tookposition on the right of the Army of Northern Virginia. In May they broke campto meet Grant'sadvance from Culpepper into theWilderness by way of Germanna ford.

On the4th and 5th of May were fought the battles of the Wilderness, after which Grantcommenced upon Richmond hiscelebrated movement by his left flank. The Black Horse engaged in the desperatefighting which lasted for several days, in which the cavalry was employed tostem the torrent of Grant'sadvance until the infantry could be marched around to his front. During theseengagements the Black Horse lost heavily in killed, wounded, and prisoners.Among the latter was a young Englishman by the name of Alston, who hadcrossed the sea to join this command. He was as gallant, in army phrase, asthey make them, and true to the cause for which, he had staked his life. Whilein prison his friends in England soughtto procure his release, and the Federal authorities were willing to set him atliberty upon condition of his returning home and taking no further part in thewar. But Alston wouldnot consent to be separated from his comrades. He was, in due course of time,exchanged, but died in Richmond beforehe could rejoin his command.

OnSunday, May 8th, the Southern cavalry were driven back to a position nearSpotsylvania Courthouse, where they formed a thin screen, behind which theinfantry was concealed. The enemy advanced in full confidence of encounteringonly the force they had been driving, from cover to cover, since earliest dawn,but they were met by a murderous fire from a long line of battle, which sentsome of them to the rear, but stretched most of them on the field. The dayafter the battle of Spotsylvania Court-House, CaptainA. D. Payne ordered two of his chosen scouts to report forduty to the general commanding. They were directed to approach as near Chancellorsville aspossible and report whether the troops that had been stationed at that pointhad been moved toward Spotsylvania Court-House, and to discover, if possible,at what point Grant wasconcentrating his army. The scouts, being entirely unacquainted with thecountry, were sent to GeneralEarly, in the hope of obtaining a guide. But while Early couldnot furnish them a guide, he concerted with them signals, which, beingcommunicated to the pickets, would enable them to re-enter his camp at any hourof the night, and himself conducted them through the lines of GeneralJoe Davis' Brigade. Protected by the darkness, they soon foundthemselves in the midst of Grant's movingarmy, and made the discovery that the troops from Chancellorsville had beenmoved up to Spotsylvania Court-House, and that the center of Grant's campwas south thirty degrees east from a particular house which had been marked on GeneralLee'sdiagram of the country, and furthermore that the Federals were throwing upearthworks. As soon as this information was communicated to GeneralLee,he turned to his map, and, drawing the line as the scout had reported, appearedgreatly pleased. He said to the officers around him: “I am in the rightposition.”

On theevening of the 9th, the cavalry followed Sheridan in hisraid on Richmond, and haddesperate fighting with his rear guard. On the 10th, the Black Horse, undercommand of CaptainA. D. Payne, charged a party of the enemy and captured anumber of prisoners. On the 11th, the Confederate cavalry, still in pursuit of Sheridan, renewedthe fight at the Yellow tavern, near Richmond, inwhich GeneralStuart was mortally wounded. On the 12th, they engaged the head of Sheridan'scolumn, at Meadowbridge, on the Chickahominy, but, overwhelmed by the weight ofsuperior numbers, were compelled to withdraw. In the execution of this order, LieutenantColonel Randolph, a former captain of the Black Horse, wasinstantly killed. A braver and more beloved officer never perished on thefield.

On Grant'sarrival near Richmond, adesperate engagement occurred near Harris' shop,in which the Southern cavalry behaved with great gallantry, fighting for manyhours as infantry, and for the greater part of the day resisted and obstructedthe advance of Grant's wholearmy, until Lee hadtime. to get his troops up from his line of battle and deliver the heavy blowwhich the next day he inflicted on the Federal army at the Second Cold harbor.In this sanguinary engagement the Black Horse lost more than half the men takeninto action.

Soonafter, at Trevallyan’s Station, GeneralHampton fought, perhaps, the bloodiest cavalry fight of the war, inwhich the Fourth Virginia Regiment behaved with conspicuous gallantry,sustaining again a heavy loss. Sheridan was nowcompelled to retire upon the main body, harassed by the Confederate cavalry, bywhom he had been completely foiled in his attempt upon the communicationsleading to Richmond by wayof the Virginia Central Railroad and James River canal. Returning to Lee's army,the Black Horse were occupied in arduous picket duty, and engaged in dailyskirmishes, taking part, also, in the overthrow of Wilson'scavalry raiders.

InAugust, 1864, GeneralFitz Lee's cavalry division was sent to reinforce Early in theValley, who had fallen back after his campaign against Washington. In thefight at Waynesborough theBlack Horse was the leading squadron of the Fourth Regiment, and was especiallycomplimented by GeneralEarly. After driving the enemy through the town, the Confederatecavalry halted on a hill in the western suburbs, when an officer in the Unionservice, CaptainJ. A. Bliss, faced his squadron, and, placing himself at itshead, ordered a charge. But his men followed not their gallant leader. He, notlooking to see, or, as it appeared, caring whether he was accompanied by hiscommand, dashed alone into the midst of the Black Horse. No one fired at him,the men not wishing to kill so brave an officer. With his saber he woundedseveral of the command, and someone knocked him from his horse, and might havekilled him but for the interposition of CaptainHenry Lee, a brother of FitzLee,who, observing the dismounted officer to make the Masonic sign, went to hisassistance.

Duringthis campaign, and after the affair just mentioned, GeorgeW. Martin and Campbell, of theBlack Horse, with a member of the First Virginia Regiment, were returning froma scout late in the evening. It was raining, and the soldiers had theiroilcloths thrown over their shoulders, which, in a great measure, concealedtheir uniform. On looking back, they saw three mounted men coming up behindthem, whom they inferred were Union soldiers, as they were in the rear of Sheridan'sforces. Drawing and cocking their pistols, they rode slowly, that they might beovertaken. The Federals--for such the party were-had had their suspicionsaroused, and also prepared for the fight. As soon as they came alongside ofthem, the scouts wheeled and demanded a surrender, when they were fired upon bytheir opponents. They proved to be LieutenantMeiggs, of Sheridan's staff,and two orderlies. LieutenantMeiggs' shot passed through Martin's body,but he braced himself, returned the fire, and killed Meiggs. Theother two scouts captured one of the orderlies. The other made his escape, andreported to Sheridan that hisparty had been bushwhacked, who, in retaliation, ordered the burning of everyhouse in a radius of five miles. JoshuaMartin was carried to the house of a farmer, where he was tenderlynursed until sufficiently recovered to return to his home in Fauquier. Afterthe war closed, GeneralMeiggs, believing that his son had been assassinated, sought to haveMartin arrestedand tried by a court-martial for murder; but when the facts, as above stated,were certified to him by CaptainA. D. Payne, the matter was dropped, for LieutenantMeiggs had been slain in open and legitimate war. GeorgeW. Martin is now at home, a prosperous agriculturist, and one of themost respected citizens in the community in which he resides.

In themonth of December, the Black Horse was ordered into tardy county, and performedhazardous but thankless service among the “Swamp Dragoons,” as the disloyalelement in that county named itself. They suffered severely from cold, butconsumed large quantities of pork and apple brandy, in which, at that season,that inhospitable region abounds.

Returningfrom this duty, the command proceeded to Richmond, whereit remained until the beginning of the final act in this stupendous tragedy.They fought side by side with their brethren of the cavalry at FiveForks, who never displayed a more indomitable spirit than in theseclosing scenes of the war. They were in the saddle day and night, marching andfighting without food, and without sleep, in the vain endeavor to protect theConfederate trains from the swarming hordes of the enemy's cavalry. At Highbridge, the Black Horse shared, with their comrades of FitzLee'sDivision, the last rays of glory that fell on the Army of Northern Virginia,capturing an infantry brigade, and slaying its commander on the field. Near Farmville, thecavalry repulsed a division of Gregg'scavalry, which came upon them unawares, and nearly succeeded in capturing GeneralLee.But, instead, in this collision, GeneralGregg was taken prisoner. On April 9th, GeneralFitz Lee was ordered to hold the road from Appomattox Court-House to Lynchburg, whichhe did, in spite of repeated efforts by the enemy's cavalry to wrest it fromhim, until a flag, conveying the intelligence of a truce, compelled him topause in his advance upon the enemy. Thus, sword in hand, the Black Horse,which had formed the nucleus of the Army of Northern Virginia, was found at thepost of duty and of danger when that army of tattered uniforms and brightmuskets surrendered to overwhelming numbers and resources. Of this army itmight be said: “Vital in every part, it could only by annihilation die.” Thedivision of GeneralFitz Lee did not surrender until sometime afterward; but, being cutoff from the main body of the army, the Black Horse patiently awaited theapproach of night, and, under its friendly cover, sought their various homes,which, four years before, they had left to fight for and protect. But thecommand was again collected at the Fauquier Springs, by order of LieutenantFicklin, CaptainA. D. Payne being then a prisoner of war. They had resolvedto repair to Johnston'sstandard, which was still, as they thought, flying in NorthCarolina. But the writer of this article repaired to their rendezvous,and informed LieutenantFicklin that GeneralJohnston, too, had surrendered, and that the cause for which they hadall fought had been lost. The Black Horse Cavalry was then disbanded, on themargin of the same river on which it had been organized, and but two mileslower down the stream.

The BlackHorse Cavalry may now be found settled, for the most part, in their nativeseat, Lower Fauquier, asdiligent in peace as they were courageous and faithful in war. But members ofthe command may be found scattered among the States, assiduous, in all thefields of enterprise, to catch the golden six miles of fortune. Of the BlackHorse it may be said, as it was said of Cromwell'sIronsides, except that they tread the higher walks of life: “That, in everydepartment of honest industry, the discharged warriors prospered beyond othermen; that none were charged with theft or robbery; that none were heard to askan alms; and that if a baker, a mason, or a wagoner attracted notice by hisdiligence or sobriety, he was, in all probability, one of Oliver's oldsoldiers.”