Front Royal

June 18^th 1862    

                                            

Dear Marshall

                        My last letter was written at Fredericksburg we left there after a stay of two or three days to march back again to the valley two days march from F. we first heard of the big scare which Jackson had created at Catlett's Station on the Orange & Alexandria R.R. there was a perfect panic. Duryeas Brigade had gone up to Manassas trains were busy taking the stores to a place of safety and from the stories we heard we made up our minds that it was pretty near up with us. we reached the station at night after a march of nearly 20 miles and expected a good night of rest but the first thing we heard after halting was a request from Gen^l Shields that we should reach Manassas that night. this was a pull back to men tired, foot-sore, and with empty haversacks a little later the order was countermanded this was welcome news. still later our company was ordered out on picket this was not welcome news to compy D. next morning we started for the Junction when we arrived in the afternoon we saw some earthworks, log huts, a little station, a few whiskey shops and what the proprietors call Refreshment saloons. the scene was desolate and I was glad to leave it. dead horses and mules were plentiful and filled the air with a perfume a la "Jockey Club"

 

            in passing through the old camps we saw a number of burial grounds some of which contained hundreds of graves marked with their little head boards. most of the graves which I saw were of those from the extreme Southern states. we camped 5 miles from the Junction started next morning passed through Thoroughfare Gap and camped at White Plains. marched at 6 a.m. and after going 10 miles camped at the east end of Manassas Gap during the afternoon heard heavy firing to the westward marched at night again leaving all but our ammunition waggons after going 8 miles bivouacked in the gap. marched for Front Royal at sunrise reached it in the afternoon the first brigade had a skirmish with a lot of Rebels left to guard the post 200 of the secesh were captured, 12 waggons, 1 gun, some small arms &c before the secesh left they set fire to the depot and a train of cars in which was the property arms &c which they captured at this place when they cleaned the 1^st Maryland out. Our boys were in time to save some of the cars the depot and 3 cars were burned the stampede was so rapid that they did not have time to burn the bridge. the following day one of our Brigades had a skirmish with an equal number of the enemy resulting in the capture of more prisoners and waggons. the next day we marched southward very heavy firing heard from the direction of Strasburg. we camped at Luray two days. heavy rain all the time bridges over the south fork burnt by the enemy two days before which prevents us from joining Fremont in the other valley from Luray the 4^th & 3^rd Brigades started for Port Republic 42 miles south and at the lower end of Luray valley. on the 8^th inst the 4^th Brigade reached Port Republic in the morning. they were then in the rear of Jackson who was then engaged with Banks on the other side of the river. Col. Carrol of the 8^th Ohio was in command of the Brigade and if he had burned the bridge he would have cut off Jacksons retreat. he was vain enough to think that he could hold it and keep Jackson where he was. the enemy came up with two or three batteries and soon made Carrol lite out on the double quick, and so the bridge changed hands again and Jackson was safe at this time the 3^rd Brigade was 10 miles distant and we were floundering along through mud and water doing our best to get to the front and lend a hand. late in the afternoon we reached the field. all was quiet on our side the enemy did not seem to care about us so long as we let the bridge alone during the evening our Reg^t made a reconnaissance toward the bridge. we went through the woods and got so close to it that we could hear the conversation between some of the men belonging to a brigade which was guarding the bridge along with a large number of cavalry and several guns at one time 2 companies of secesh cavalry came up along the edge of the wood so close that we could nearly tell the color of their eyes. if we had fired we could have emptied every saddle in the crowd but you see our circumstances at the time would hardly warrant such a rash mode of proceeding. we got out of that locality as quick as we could and came in to camp at 10 P.M. having marched 32 miles during the day. at night we saw the camp fires of Jackson very plain. from prisoners we learned that the two compy^s of cavalry which we saw during the afternoon were Jacksons body guard and that he was among them at the time he had come over to take a look around before moving his force over during the night. as he wears plain clothes we could not tell him from the others when we reached camp we found that there had been a panic among the teamsters and that they had run back seven miles before they could be stopped, leaving us without rations. flour had been issued the night previous and I was fortunate to have enough to make bread for supper at daylight we were up and ready, had breakfast and soon a gun at Clarkes Battery (Regulars) told us that the enemy were coming for us. on looking to the other side of the river we could see Jacksons force and trains moving toward the river and over the bridge. on our right lay the river at a distance of half a mile, on left a ridge of hills covered with thick woods between the hills and river the land is flat farming land mostly in wheat. after some artillery firing we saw a large force of secesh coming toward us along the flats supported by two guns our Brigade advanced to give them show and when within range let go on them and still kept advancing on them. at last their left broke and run and soon they all gave way. some of them tried to halt and form again but they did not get fairly stopped before they had to go on again. they ran into the woods and were lost sight of during our charge one of our Reg^t a man named John Gray alias Scotty ran up to a secesh gun which had been deserted jumped on the lead team and brought out the gun, waving his hat at the secesh gunners who were breaking for the hill. she is a fine brass 10 pdr. and so we whipped the bully brigade of Louisiana which contained 1 Battalion of Louisiana Tigers 3 companies of which were from New Orleans. During the time we were doing this another Brigade of secesh attacked our left from the woods and we had to reform and go there. before we got there our left was driven in and three of Clarkes guns left as the horses were all killed belonging to them. the gunners of this battery fought like tigers when the enemy were close on them they put in armfuls of grape and canister, stones chains and every thing they could put into their 10 pdr parrots and at every shot mowed down heaps of the enemy. A bold secesh came up to one of the guns presented his bayonet at the gunner and said "you damned Yankee give up this is my gun" the gunner pulled the string and away went the man who said he owned the gun back to his comrades with three or four stand of grape after him Col Daum of the artillery came to our Col and asked him to save the pieces. we went up supported by the 66^th Ohio and took the guns and kept them until we found that they could not be taken away for want of horses when we were ordered back. our retreat had begun before this, and we were nearly surrounded before we could get out. the Reg^t was in disorder on account of the nature of the ground and we had to get out the best way we could in the last brush near the guns I collared a live Louisiana Tiger with all his fixings and brought him out as a trophy his rifle was loaded but I saw him before he did me, and I had the satisfaction of turning his gun on his comrades. he told me that if I had been 25 yards to the left that I would have been a prisoner instead of him as there was 800 of his brigade in ambush among some scrub oak which we could not see a dozen feet through the secesh cavalry formed for a charge but it was not effective as there was only one road and on each side dense woods they shelled us as long as they could without much damage we kept back their cavalry with little trouble. some of our cavalry and volunteer artillery created a panic among the retreating crowds by rushing pell-mell through them a great many of the timid ones got scared through threw away their guns and equipments and made some splendid double quick practice. I gave my prisoners rifle and equipments to the chaplain of the 66^th Ohio who was dividing his time between shooting secesh cavalry and comforting the wounded and those who were nearing their last. I like the man he is a good soldier and a christian. I think if he ever cursed in his life it was when he was trying to stop the runaways which he was very effective in doing. I know that he felt in anything but a good humor at that time 

 

Our Co^l who was in the rear all the time was told to surrender several times and as many times told them to go to hell and about that time the boys would get up from behind some cover and pour in a few 2 ouncers and that would be the last of the cavalry for another spell. at last we met Jimmy him self alone in the road speaking to every man that passed him and wanting to know what was the matter, telling them that they were only repulsed and not whipped, every one felt safe again when they saw Shields a little farther on his aids were forming the runaways into a line of battle. Shields had been detained near Luray with the 1^st & 2^nd Brigade to keep some of Longstreets force from cutting us off and was just now coming down. At Conrads store we found the two fresh Brigades in position and we formed on them. the retreat was now over and we were ready for another trial but secesh declined to come within range all the wounded that were brought off the field were attended to and things straightened up we have not had a fight since, but we just took our time about retreating and are now here. The loss of our Reg^t is about 200, our Adjutant and several other officers were killed. 21 of our company are missing and 8 wounded some of those missing were wounded. Fremont shelled the battle field after we left it and cleared the secesh out of it. Jackson burned the bridge after he got over it.

           

My opinion about all this is this. Shields had ought to have remained in the valley Carrol should have burned the bridge and when it was not burned should have retreated in the night and when he did not do that he should have retreated in the morning which he could have done without losing a man, instead of staging where he could not get a position for a single gun and giving battle to Jacksons whole army with our two broken down Brigades not numbering in all 4000 men. some one has blundered I was not hurt in the fight but I caught a bad cold afterward which settled in my bones and has caused some aching but I am still able to knock around if I get some rest I will be all right soon.

 

Remember me to all hoping you are all well I am Yours Ever James Clarke 

 

I forgot to tell you about our colors in the fight over the guns the colors were separated from us and the bearers told to surrender. they tore the colors off the staffs and put them under their blouses, made their way to the river made a raft crossed it went to Fremonts army then up the other valley to Strasburg and then here they came in day before yesterday and our flags are again waving over what remains of the Reg^t our 1^st Lieu^t Rob. Kirkup was in the mountains 3 days with two men they had hard scratching to get away. They brought in 4 secesh prisoners I have told you but a small part of what I could tell you but I have given an outline up to date if it is hard to read you must excuse as I dont feel like being very particular about any thing just now           

 

J.C. /  write soon

 

[note in another hand, upside down]

 

Jan 18^th 1962

SOURCES