Organization of troops in the Middle Department, Eighth Army Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert C. Schenck, January 10, 1863. RAILROAD DIVISION.(*) Brig. Gen. BENJAMIN F. KELLEY. Second Brigade. Col. N. WILKINSON. 1st West Virginia Light Artillery (one battery). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Middle Military Department (or Eighth Army Corps), Maj. Gen. Robert C. Schenck, U.S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1863. ROMNEY, W. VA.(*) Capt. GEORGE T. WORK. 1st West Virginia Artillery, Battery E, Capt. Alexander C. Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MIDDLE DEPT., 8TH ARMY CORPS, Baltimore, Md., March 27, 1863. The following named troops of this army corps will constitute the First Division, charged especially with the protection of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (*) from Monocacy Bridge to the Ohio River, and to the command of which Brig. Gen. B. F. Kelley, U.S. Volunteers, is assigned: Fourth Brigade, Col. Jacob M. Campbell, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding.-- Battery E, First Virginia Volunteer Artillery, Capt. A C. Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APRIL 6-7, 1863.--Skirmishes near Burlington, and at Purgitsville and Goings' Ford, W. Va. MECHANICSBURG GAP, April 8, 1863. CAPTAIN: Upon learning that on the morning of the 6th instant a foraging party of the Ringgold Battalion, with a squad of 40 men, under command of Lieutenant Speer, of the Lafayette Cavalry, had started out, I immediately ordered Lieutenant Myers, with 50 men, to re-enforce the guard, but before Lieutenant Myers came up, Lieutenant Speer was attacked near Burlington by a largely superior force of rebel cavalry, under Captain [John H.] McNeill, who succeeded in capturing Lieutenant Speer, with 11 of his men and 5 teams. Learning that Speer had been attacked, I promptly dispatched all my available cavalry, under command of Captain Work, out on the Moorefield road, followed by 400 of the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers and 200 of the First Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and one section of the Upshur Battery, Captain Moore, all under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Linton, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers. Near Purgitsville, about 15 miles from this post, Captain Work met Lieutenant Myers, falling back before a force of about 300 of the enemy's cavalry, who were rapidly advancing. Captain Work concealed the main body of his men off from, but near, the road, and as they advanced along the road charged upon them, throwing them in confusion, killing 3, capturing 3, and wounding 14. Three of our men were wounded, but not dangerously, in the gallant charge, the enemy being fully two to one of our men. The rebels beat a hasty retreat in the direction of Moorefield. The infantry and artillery came up as rapidly as possible, but the rebels were in full retreat before they arrived, and ii being by this time quite dark, the whole force encamped for the night. At daybreak the next morning the command started toward Moorefield. A short distance beyond Goings' Ford they found about 200 of the enemy encamped on the opposite side of the river, but at a point where it could not be forded. Captain Moore immediately brought up his section, and sent a few well-directed shells into their camp, causing the rebels to leave precipitately, leaving behind in their flight a quantity of stores, grain, and forage, with the wagons they had captured from Lieutenant Speer. A small force of the cavalry and 150 infantry crossed the river, the infantry crossing in small boats, and totally destroyed the rebel camp with all their stores, and the wagons, which they could not bring off. As the infantry could not be made available in a farther pursuit of the enemy, and it not being deemed prudent to go farther with the cavalry alone, the whole command returned to camp, where they arrived during the same night. Our loss is as follows: In the affair at Burlington we lost 1 lieutenant and 11 men captured, 5 wagons (which were subsequently recaptured and burned by us), and 25 horses. At Purgitsville we had 3 men wounded. The enemy lost at Purgitsville: Killed, 3; wounded, 14; captured, 1 officer and 2 men and 4 horses. It is to be regretted that Captain Work, in command of our cavalry, did not permit the enemy to pass him when in pursuit of Lieutenant Myers, so as to place the enemy between him and the infantry, which was rapidly coming up, and within less than 2 miles of him at the time. Had Captain Work restrained his men for a short time, the whole rebel force would have been captured, as escape would have been impossible. It is due Captain Work, however, to say that he alleges his men charged on the enemy without his orders, he being unable to restrain them. And in this connection I feel it due myself to say that the foraging party under Lieutenant Speer left camp without my knowledge, and, in direct violation of a standing order, divided his force, and hence he, with part of his men, fell an easy prey to the enemy. I have information, which I deem reliable, that the rebels, about 800 strong, 500 cavalry and 300 infantry, are now encamped about 15 miles above Moorefield, on the south fork of the South Branch. The force that came in contact with us was composed of two companies of the Seventh, two companies of the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, three companies of Imboden's force, and McNeill's command. I am, captain: very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. M. CAMPBELL, Colonel, Commanding Fourth Brigade ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Middle Department, Eighth Army Corps, Maj. Gen. Robert C. Schenck, U.S. Army, commanding, May 31, 1863. FIRST DIVISION. (++) Brig. Gen. BENJAMIN F. KELLEY. Fourth Brigade. Col. JACOB M. CAMPBELL. West Virginia Battery (E), Capt. Alex. C. Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Department of West Virginia, Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U.S. Army, commanding, June 30, 1863. SEPARATE COMMANDS. Campbell's Brigade.(§) Col. JACOB M. CAMPBELL. 1st West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery E, Capt. Alexander C. Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Department of West Virginia, Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U.S. Army, commanding, July 31, 1863. SEPARATE BRIGADES. Campbell's Brigade. Col. JOHN M. CAMPBELL. West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery E, Capt. Alexander C. Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Department of West Virginia, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Kelley, U. S. Army, commanding, August 31, 1863. SEPARATE BRIGADES. Campbell's Brigade.(++) Col. JACOB M. CAMPBELL. 1st West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery E, Capt. Alexander C.Moore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOVEMBER 16, 1863.--Skirmish near Burlington, W. Va SPRINGFIELD, W. VA., November 20, 1863. LIEUTENANT: Your communication of the 19th instant, directing me to make a full report of the action taken by me on the telegram of the colonel commanding of the 16th instant, specifying the very minute when I left Springfield, the distance marched, &c., has just been received. In reply, I have the honor to state that I received the colonel's first telegram while at Green Spring, visiting the troops along the line of the railroad belonging to this brigade. I immediately telegraphed Colonel McCaslin the message, directing him to act at once and order out the troops; I received the colonel commanding’s dispatch at 2.10 o'clock, and at 3.30 p.m. the same day, November 16, 1863, the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieut. Col. J.P. Linton, two companies of the Fifteenth [West] Virginia Volunteers, Major Wells, and one section of Captain Moore's battery, were on the march. The second dispatch of the colonel commanding was received a few minutes after the command had left Springfield, and was sent to Colonel Linton by courier. Lieutenant-Colonel Linton pushed on through Romney, having sent a detachment across the river at Hanging Rock, with orders to proceed on the west side of the mountain to Burlington. Linton reached the junction in the evening, where he was joined by the detachment he had sent to Burlington, and then proceeded up the Moorefield road, on the side of which he bivouacked for the night. Early next morning he pushed on to near Reynolds' Gap, a distance from this camp of 28 ½ miles, where he learned that the enemy had crossed near that place. He waited, expecting the cavalry would drive the rebels back in the direction of Moorefield, having previously sent a detachment, with orders to proceed on in the direction of Petersburg until they met and communicated with our forces from that place. This detachment, following his instructions, pushed on to Petersburg, where they arrived at 12 p.m. the 17th, having traveled a distance from this camp of 46 miles, where they found Colonel Thoburn, who informed them that his forces had all returned and given up the pursuit. The detachment returned the same night and joined the main body near Reynolds' Gap. On the morning of the 18th instant, Lieutenant-Colonel Linton, having ascertained that the cavalry (Third [West] Virginia) had returned by way of Romney, sent a detachment out in the direction of Wardensville (and which proceeded to within 5 miles of that place), returned with the main body to camp, bringing in with him 1 horse and 1 mule, as was supposed, belonged to the train. The command arrived here at 11 a.m., November 19. Linton has seen nothing of any rebels during the whole march. The detachment he sent to Wardensville arrived here at 7 p.m., this 20th instant, bringing in 5 horses but no prisoners. Total distance traveled by main force, 57 miles; by Petersburg detachment, 92 miles; by Wardensville detachment, about 90 miles. I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. M. CAMPBELL, Colonel, Commanding First Brigade ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Troops in the Department of West Virginia, Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U.S. Army, commanding, December 31, 1863. SECOND DIVISION. Col. JAMES A. MULLIGAN. First Brigade. Col. JACOB M. CAMPELL. 1st West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery E, Lieut. Francis M. Lowry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, Cumberland, Md., February 24, 1864. LIEUTENANT: In obedience to your letter of the 23d instant, directing me to report "what damage was done to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, or any part thereof; where the troops of your (my) brigade were stationed; what bridges on said road were destroyed or injured; whether such bridges were protected by blockhouses or otherwise, and through whose fault, if any, the injury occurred; also what, if any, losses of men, animals, transportation, ordnance, quartermaster's and commissary stores, in the last two movements of the rebel force in West Virginia, and also, as far as you have the means of knowing, the captures from and losses to the enemy in these operations," I have the honor to report as follows: At the time of the first rebel raid--January 4, 1864--I was stationed at Springfield, W. Va.. with the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, and Battery E, First Virginia Volunteer Artillery. At 6 p.m. on that day I received orders from Brig. Gen. B. F. Kelley, commanding Department of West Virginia, to move to Cumberland, Md., by way of Patterson's Creek, but which was afterward changed, directing me to move by way of Green Spring at once. This last dispatch was received at 8 p.m. My orders were to reach Cumberland at daylight. I immediately began the movement. My supply train had that evening arrived from Green Spring with a load of supplies. This materially reduced my means of transportation, and I had no time to send out to press teams, if, indeed, I could have found any in the neighborhood. Yet I took off all my stores except a few sacks of grain and some other stores of but little value, which were concealed in the night and afterward recovered by a scouting party sent out for that purpose. I arrived at Cumberland about daylight, January 5, having lost neither men, animals, or stores. I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. M. CAMPBELL, Colonel, Commanding First Brigade. |
Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Page One... |