The story of a trooper

Dedication

I pE>,ic.-TE this book to llajor-General William B. Feaxklik, as, „, .light token of my respect for hhn as'a soldier, a gentlemau, and a patriot. Y. COLBURN ADAm\

THE

^TORY OF A TllOOPER.

Introduction

For more than forty years a timid old man, wlio never Iiad an established principle of liis own, had trafficked in political popularity and the opinions of others, until he found himself at the head of and guiding the destinies of a great people. The fears of this timid

^ old man were always uppermost, and where a long road

was open to wrong he was sure to take it, in preference to a short one leading to right. This timid old man

/ now^ sat trembling at tlie head of the nation, and ready

to yield it a prey to the revolution he had done so much

If to bring on. The Nc ;th regretted him, and the South

had used him. But when he had served her purpose, aided her in trampling upon the dearest rights of humanity, and insulting the manliness of the North, she cast him aside as a thing of no further use, to be looked back to and remembered by the people with a feeling of sorrow. This timid old man— now forgotten even in the contempt of his countrymen, and on whose tombstone some future hand should write : ''Died for want of a principle''— had hopes and fears in abundance. He was

S

4, THE STOKY OF A TUOOPliK.

unoc-rtmu in even thing, oort.in in Molhing- If l.e anol.orcd 10 ono tl.ing to-doy, l.o was snrc to slult 1... U-ronna and pl-.u'O irnnsoir upon auolhor t,o-n,orrow. Ti-aitovs use.- him a. Ih.-y xvouhi a mouUl : ho was ahvav. ready to be .hapod to their wi.ho. -and ,u>^^^ when the follies of the South, winch ho had done >o ,„„,,, ,„ oneoura:.e dnring hi. polit.oa bletune, h d In-on.^.i revolution and its attendant, horrors on the ,„„„l,v. he stood amazed and like a powerless cluld. W-vr was a stern reality, but the shocks it was produdnsouthe eonutry tailed to awake him Irom h,s tveaci.crous dream, lie still hoped, st.ll feared, ^t.ll

wanted to wait. ,

.\„d now this tiudd old n,an, dupe ot demagogue. and obieet of the patriot's pity, has passed from power .,l„,o.HVon. the thoughts of his countrymen, and 1. It Lis eouutrv to struggle for existence in war and confusion, lie has gone into unenviable exile, and sorrow bo to the historian who shall attempt to pnnfy Ins

"''"r"rnaer, tmt a n.an of higher purpose and bettor ohar-.cter had risen up and taken the destnues of ho • ' p u to his bauds, lie was to decide whether the ..adic should live or die, whether we should have on uatiou or a divided people. Hut scarcely had he t'kcu his place at the head of the nat.on. when t^he * al of arlus was heard in South Carolina, and ^umter f ■„ The uatiou-s flag had been insulted by those who had needed its protection most, and the echo of he • I It worked Sumter-s fall awoke the^>us„lted ; pie of the Xorth from their dull, deep dream of d.er s hfe was to be a feast of plon. uj K ' t'° " '-•"-' fi.e focus of tln-s ..oat ll-Scnt "",, ""'

iiiii- ill cvevv ^tron^- f] . • -* ^'1 ^'und drums beat-

goneiuto the busiueiof kL^^rof tr'""r" '"'^ endor.iug the lovaltv of t "der l.o 7 " '" '"'^ »«• to Washington. "The u iH n- . 1- "" ^ ■''*'"'- '•«" I'is^-i iudeed. and coin' ,' '■''''°"' °^ "'^" sonohtforbvat le." ' com.u.ssions were readv stock of honor „-i-,;, -^"^ tliev had a

the enemv I ,e Si '"'° '"^ field, to the ten-o- .of tl.eso gentle ,en fin H " 4 to t'T "•' '^'"""'•^" '' their own abiliiv , r ' '"^'^ '^' confident of

Q THE STOEY OF A TKOOPEB.

Maiden Lane tlnnking the Gove.n.^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^

extra regiment or so '^['^l^^'J. advertisement,

-^^^^r a"tt"\ttSo' Broadway,, for the proposing a meetu^ .measures to raise a regiment of purpose of c^" _^<^'"^ C^l^„,^ ,,as wanted, to whom volunteer cavali}. J^ vMiIp horse of srreat value, .ould be presented --arable ho s^ ^.^ ^^_^^^, .^^^ and a near relation to ^^tc hen. ^^^^

attractive about the .^^ver semen^ as t ^^^

about the wild, das^nng f ^H.^^anship being skillful horsemen weie to W y- ,. ^g

considered ne«^o a -fult^^^^^^^^^^^^^

remembered tha ^^^J^^^^ ,,,, of military dis- ,,e Government made tha^^ g ^ ^^^ ^^_^^ ^^^

coveries, that it is no ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^p.

ride before you - --^r^wi* carbine, sabre and „ents,a.id B-K^l^'" the enemy. There were pistols, in the field » ^= ^,,ler in jewelry

rntttynrrgentleman,toha.ardliisfor-

tuneonsodangerousanenterp^^^^^^^

When night came, I fo"'^'' ™5 s ^^ ^^^^

trance of a long, narrow P^^-g l^« ^\,,, ^^ed by ^est side of Broadway ai^adm,^^^. ^^ ^_^^^^_

a singing society. l^^J'^^^^:,,^,,, forth the oband began reading ^^^ ^^'S P°:;\ gentleman passed in,

jeet of tb«;f ^t"^8;^^.3^ twa about to go away, when then one of lean figm e 1 was ^^^^^_

a very tall man, in -j": f ^ a firm, military and booted and spurred, past^eci

THE STORY OF A TROOPER.

step. He presented a true figure of the melancholy man in black, a name we afterwards gave him. His gait and manner so attracted my attention, that I followed him into the hall, which presented a somewhat quaint appearance, considering the military object of the meeting. The two rows of benches on the floor were occupied by about a dozen and a half demure looking gentlemen, while on the raised platform in front a dozen or so of very unmilitary looking men sat in a semi-circle. For a time no one seemed inclined to speak, and the meeting had an appearance of passing off with remarkable quietness. At length the gentleman from Maiden Lane came forward and, with a defective intonation, stated the object of the meeting, and was elected president. A young, active and intelligent man, of the name of Bailey, and who has since distinguished himself in several encounters with the enemy, was chosen secretary. We were told that Colonel Baj^ard Clarke, a gallant officer, and polished gentleman, had gone to Washington to offer his services to the Government to raise this regiment ; that much depended on the encouragement he received there. He would return in a few days, when his report would be laid before us. Colonel Clarke had served in the regular cavalry, in the same regiment with Harney, and had distinguished himself for gallantry during the last' Florida war. He had also served his country in Congress, and was now prompted by the purest motives, in offering his services to the Government. It is fair to presume that such a man knew something of cavalry, and that his services would have been exceedingly valuable to the Government.

g THE STOKY OF A TROOPER.

There was now brought forward and introduced to ns a small, dark-visaged man, quick of speech, and ornamented with the title of Major. I rarely ever saw a more uumilitary looking gentleman. According to the many accounts he gave of himself he had served m several armies, was a particular friend and old acquamtance of General Scott, and had particularly distmo-uished himself in Venezuela, in the wars of winch he had brought off scars enough to satisfy us that he was a brave man. The Major had brought his sabre with him and after discoursing in detail on the various uses of cavalry, setting forth in glowing terms how tliey could break a column and throw the enemy's line into confusion, how in charging upon and capturing a battery they must first draw tlie enemy's fire, he went through a few exhibitions of his skill in the use of the sabre. Cavalry, with him, was the finest flower of our army, and he had given his life to the study of its uses. The Major was indeed clever with the sabre, and we becran to think we had a jewel of a trooper, under ■svhose leadership we were all to be made famous in the history of the war. But lie damaged his feathers somewhat by the wonderful accounts given of his own exploits performed in battles some of us had never heard of and with whioli he would have entertained us until midnight, each of his exploits far surpassing in boldness anything done by Mi.rat, Nolan, Cardigan, or Hodo-son, but for an ill-looking and irrepressible Scotchman who shuffled to the edge of the platforni and interrupted the speaker by requesting to know if a little time could not be granted him to relate his exploits in India, which he was quite sure would exceed in terrible interest anything the gallant Major bad done or indeed heard of in Venezuela. The Major yielded, and the chair gracefully granted his request.

Our Scotch friend was evidently an honest, simpleminded man, who spoke in a broad provincial accent, which, with a total disregard of Mr. Murray, and his rules of speech, afforded us much amusement. His figure, too, was not such as to produce grave misapprehensions, for he was a thick, solid man, excessively short of leg, and with a flat, bald head, and an inexpressive face. Indeed, he must have cut a sorry figure when mounted, either as a heavy or light horseman. But, according to his own account, he had been a terror to the natives of Oude, as well as Affghanistan. I noticed also that the dark-visaged Major listened to his stories with a solemn countenance, as if his feathers had fallen. Our Scotch friend was proud of the service he had seen, of his horsemanship, and of his skill with the sabre. He had served in her Majesty's heavy horse, also in the Bengal cavalry. As to the war in Affghanistan he had been all through it, and won laurels enough to make a hero of any man all the rest of his life. The Major might show his scars; they were the jewels every brave soldier wore ; but he would show him more scars on a single leg. What he had done in battle was not all. He had had combats with tigers while serving under Hodgson, in Oude. On one occasion two of the desperate brutes attacked him, one at each leg, and would have unhorsed and devoured him but that his boots came off, and tlie hungry beasts ran into 1* a jungle tliiuking they had got his legs. A brisk Irish gentleman of the name of O'Mara, interrupting, wanted to know if tigers were not remarkably fond of breakfasting on one of her Majesty's fat troopers? This was rather too much for the sturdy trooper, who paused, rested both hands on his big stick, and for a minute seemed counseling his wits for an answer. "It is neither here nor there, gentlemen,'' said he, regaining confidence. " What I have said is God's truth, and I have letters enough to prove what I have said, at home." Here he changed the character of his discourse, and began giving us a few lessons on the best mode of securing a good seat, how to keep the bridle hand during a charge, and how with a swift back stroke of the sabre we could displace the head of an enemy at one blow. He now commenced flourishing his big stick with wonderful agility, making sundry strokes, until at length he brought it in contact with the young secretary's nose, much to the amusement of the audience and alarm of those in his^immediate vicinity. The young secretary was not inclined to lose his temper, and taking the ancient trooper by the arms kindly assisted him into his seat, begging him to subside.

Mr. O'Mara, the bold Irish gentleman, now came forward as the next speaker. I must here say that this gentleman afterwards held a commission in the Tammany regiment, and behaved with great gallantry in the battle of Ball's Bluff. Mr. O'Mara had heard gentlemen who had served in the jungles of India, and gentlemen wlio liad seen wonders in South America talk before ; but he could tell them there was no place like tlie plains of America for a trooper to show his pluck. They might tell about breaking the euem3^'s columns, charging upon and capturing batteries, and all that sort of thing; but had either of them been out on the frontier fighting Indians ? Here he cast a look of admonition at the ancient trooper and the little Major. He had served in the mounted rifles, and had an honorable discharge. He had been a Ranger, too, in Texas and knew what it was to do good fighting on the plains. If any gentleman present thought he did not, all he had to do was to afford him an opportunity of satisfying him. The audience here laughed heartily, and the speaker becoming conscious that he had thrown down a challenge made a pleasant apology. O'Mara, was a good soldier and sensible man. He gave us some good advice in regard to the dangerous services cavalry had to perform, what had been done on the plains, how also to take care of horses, and indeed much more that was valuable relating to the internal economy of the service. " Gentlemen," said he, in "conclusion, " I am an Irishman; but I love my adopted country, have served her faithfully, and am ready to serve her again. If you want a trooper, O'Mara is your man."

When the last speaker sat down, a tall, long-jointed and squint-eyed man, of the name of Carr, rose and made some very sensible remarks concerning cavalry and its use. It was no trifling matter to raise a regiment of cavalry, and the first question to be determined was, whether we could get skillful riders enough in New York to do it. There were men enough who could do fancy riding in the Park, but the kind of riding necessary for the field, was a very different thing. No doubt, a majority of men would prefer going to the war a-horseback. It was a pleasanter way than tramping through the mud with a knapsack and musket on one's shoulders; but he could tell us there was not one man in ten you could ever make a trooper of. You might mount men in the saddle and call them cavalry, but unless they were expert riders, and trained to fight in the saddle, it was the readiest way in the world to get them killed off. And it was not pleasant to be killed for want of experience necessary to defend one'sself. Beside, unless cavalry were well drilled, it was a useless expense to the Government, and a costly incumbrance to the movements and efficiency of an army. He had lived in the South, and knew southern men to be very expert riders. Here he recounted what he had witnessed many of them perform in the tournament, and referred particularly to Ashby. He regarded it madness to go into the field until we were in a condition to cope with these men. Let, however, the regiment be raised, and he would take hold and assist. But we ought to first know whether the Government wanted cavalry.

The last speaker was succeeded by a gentleman in the body of the house. Mr. Briggs, for such was his name, took occasion to say that what the gentleman last up had said, was very discouraging to young men anxious and ready to enter the service. He knew from what he had read of the great hardships cavalry had to undergo, of the dangers of the service, as well as its attractions. But he had great faith in the adaptability

Q of tlie American character. Americans could learn to do anything and everything, perhaps not so thoroughly as some other people, but well enough for all necessary purposes, even war. If they undertook to make tliemselves familiar with the business of cavalry, they would do it, and quicker than any other people. Tliis was the first attempt to raise a regiment of volunteer cavalry for the war, and he would have every man present brace up his patriotism, and put his shoulder to the wheel. We must learn the art of war, just as we had learned the various professions men followed. There was in Westchester county a gentleman of the name of Yan Allen, who had made a move towards raising some cavalry. We had better open a communication with him, and see what our joint efibrts would result in. He was for raising tliis regiment, and showing what could be done with volunteer cavalry. But he had understood from good authority, tliat the Government at Washington regarded cavalry with indifference.

Here the melancholy man in black, whom I had followed into the hall, rose, and laying aside his cloak, begged permission to say a few words. He did not come here to be the teacher of veterans, nor to take exception to what had been said by troopers who had served in India and Venezuela. He had traveled in Labrador, in Newfoundland, and Canada, where he had resided for many years. He did not know anything about this Mr. Van Allen, and would like a gentleman present to tell him if he knew anything about cavalry. Because, if he did not, he was sure to want to be Colonel of the res-iment. He thought we had better let Mr. Van Allen raise his own regiment. He would, however, like to know if this Mr. Van Allen was a bold, dashing man. For, without a bold, dashing leader, cavalry must be a dead weight about the neck of the army. A gentleman on the platform interrupted the speaker, by saying that this Van Allen had shown remarkable courage in an encounter (over a dinner table) with a famous Russian Count, and would, doubtless, when in battle, show himself a true man and a soldier. This did not seem to carry the popular sentiment, which was evidently against having anything to do with Van Allen and his troopers.

The melancholy man in black continued. He would have the regiment mounted on Canadian horses. They were touglier, and better adapted to stand the severity and exposure of a Virginia winter. He had seen some service himself, and had served in South America. In trutli, he belonged to a cavahy family, and had a sabre of great weight and age, which had come down to him from his forefathers, and had a remarkable history. If he only had it with him, he would show them what could be done at a single stroke with the sabre. (This queer sabre afterwards became celebrated in the regiment, and was captured and returned to him by one of Imboden's officers.)

The night was now far advanced, and some eighteen or twenty persons having enrolled their names, the meeting adjourned to meet at Palace Garden, on the following night, and hear a report from Washington.

Chapter II. The Second Meeting, And The Question Of Funds

When we met at Palace Garden tliere was a large increase to our numbers, many of them young men of the right kind to give a successful turn to our enterprise. We had got rid of her Majesty's talkative trooper and a few others, who were calculated to interrupt rather than advance any enterprise. At that time the 2^ress was a powerful aid to recruiting, and it had generously lent us its power in attracting attention to our undertaking. Among those who now joined us, and who afterwards figured honorably in the fortunes of the regiment, I will mention Joseph Stearns, Daniel Harkins, and a young man of erect figure, and remarkable for his beauty, of the name of Henry Hidden. There also joined us at this place a huge politician — a character so remarkable for his eccentricities, that I venture to assert this war has produced nothing to compare with him. His stories of himself were as entertaining, if not as reliable, as anything written of Don Quixote. No matter how absurd a story you told, he could beat you in one told with himself as the hero. His adventures in love, war and politics were numerous as tlie stars. He had served in the Mexican war, but up to this day none of us have been able to discover in what capacity. He disclaimed ever having been a surgeon, and hints were thrown out that he might have been a sutler. He knew (at least he said he did) and was on intimate relations with all the great men of the country. In truth. General Scott always shook hands with him when he met him, and no man ever made him a bow who was not a particular friend. As I liave said before, he was a man of ponderous figure, with a small, unintellectual head, crowned with a mat of bushy hair. He was excessively vain of his appearance, knew and attended to everyone's business but his own, lived and flourished in an atmosphere of perpetual trouble, and could no more keep from making mischief than a duck could keep out of a neighboring pond. In a word, he was a sort of cross between Turvydrop and Paul Pry.

We now numbered about sixty enrolled names and, forming into squads, commenced drilling, with O'Mara, the melancholy man, and a fine looking young corporal of the name of Myers, of the regulars, and who was kindly permitted to act in this capacity by Captain Eagle, then on recruiting service in New York. There was also a Lieutenant Charles Ogle, formerly of the regular cavalry, a man of rare genius, and an efiicient officer, who, with one Sergeant Ditcher, who had followed Nolan in his desperate charge at Balaclava, rendered us good service as instructors in cavalry tactics. Ladies came to witness our drill, friends offered their assistance, and things went on with every appear-

THE STORY or A TROOPER. , 17

ance of a bright prospect for several nights. Tlien a dispute arose in regard to the kind of drill that should Le adopted. The smart young corporal, who had become a favorite with us all, and O'Mara, were for adopting the American system. The big politician, althougli innocent of any and all systems of cavalry tactics, wanted to instruct them all. He could gallop a liorse or swing a sabre with any of them, and thought that all these new-fangled notions about cavalry could but result in confusing the ideas of the men, as they had his. The melancholy man in black did not agree with any of them. He had brought his huge sabre with him, and would show them what he could do with it after drill. He would drill in his own way, and it was not his fault if they did not understand it. Lieutenant Oo-le listened and looked on with silent contempt, while the dark-visaged little Major was willing to let them have it all their own way, and was so kindly disposed towards a neighboring bar, that he took occasion to pay his respects to it while others were disputing. The Balaclava man would obey orders, and drill according to the system we would be required to light under. He was a poor man, did not look for a commission, and expected pay for what he did, for he had a family with open mouths, and but little to put in them. It was a soldier's duty to serve his country, and he could do that best by obeying orders. This was said in rebuke of the big politician, who had evidently given what little power of study he possessed to the reo'ulations rather than to the tactics. He was one of those persons this war has produced too many of; who believe in first taking care of themselves, and doing as little as tliey can for the country afterward. He would make himself master of the regulations, for only by that could a man know exactly what he was to get for his services. What was the use of a man exposing his life, unless he knew what he was to get for it. There was no romance in being killed for thirteen dollars a month, rations thrown in. In this manner the big politician would have entertained us every night until midnight, throwing himself back on his dignity, and frisking his fingers through his bushy hair. As for Ogle, he was a man of great good sense, and blessed with an even temper. When, therefore, he had shown his contempt for these disputes and the ignorance betrayed in them, he would sit quietly down to his pipe, write sonnets to his lady friends, of whom he had a number, or make merry over the names of those who presumed to know so much more about cavalry than he did.

Chapter III. Bad News From Washington

Our number had increased to about one hundred, of as good material as Avas ever got together. We had held our regular drills nightly, in the great hall, the outside grounds being occupied by Blenker, then organizing his 8th New York Volunteers, made up chiefly of Germans, who were making themselves happy over great heaps of bread and Bologna sausage.

Just as we had assembled for drill one night, it was announced that Colonel Clarke had returned from Washington, and would report what he had and had not done. The Colonel soon niade his appearance in the body of the hall, and was received with three cheers. But it was not difficult to see by his manner, that what he had to say was not of an encouraging nature. Forming around him in a circle, he began by complimenting us on the progress we had made, and then gave us a detailed account of his experience in Washington. He had been received cordially by the President, who admitted that there would be a necessity for cavalry during the war. But he expressed alarm, when told that as many as twelve or fourteen new regiments would be needed. The}^ might be needed, but he did not believe the country would stand the expense. He was not skilled in the profession of arms, but he wanted to meet the expectations of the people, who would hold him responsible if he did not adopt the best and most efiicient means of putting down the rebellion. But he had intrusted the organization of the army to General Scott and his Secretary of War. Colonel Clarke then proceeded to the War Department and obtained, after some delay, an interview with Mr. Cameron, who was tlien, unfortunately for the country, the ruling spirit of that institution. Mr. Cameron was too much of a politician to have any very deep sympathy or respect for a soldier educated to his profession. Indeed, so lively was his distrust of every officer who had been in the regular army, that he would, at times, treat with indifference, and even discourtes}^, men whose services tlie country needed most.

He was inclined, also, to underrate the merits of his own countrymen, and to give precedence to foreigners, who have since shown how little they were worth in this war. Mr. Cameron, as well as his successor, was unfortunate in falling into the popular error of his party that fighting battles and gaining victories was the business of politicians and reformers, and that if you gave a soldier an odd job now and then when his sword got rust}^ it was merely to liave him shovv^ liow far lie was behind the spirit of the times. All history teaches that the badly educated politician lives in continual fear of the overshadowing figure of the soldier. The good soldier m^ay be a very useful thing to have at hand when there is immediate danger, when liis firm nerve is necessary to the politician's safety. But once the danger is over, the politician will mount his feathers and seek for a closet where he can keep the soldier until it suits his convenience to give him another job. The man who has sought and gained political power over a road both crooked and muddy, who never had a conscience to accuse him when selling the souls of some men and buying the votes of others, is not the man to appreciate the spirit of chivalry which rules in the heart and controls the acts of every true soldier. His thoughts are fettered, and his actions narrowed by the very means he was forced to use to gain his position, which he holds without finding any real favor in the hearts of the people, such being secured only where there is true worth. So it was with Mr. Secretary Cameron. But I have made a diversion from my subject.

The reception Colonel Clarke met from Mr. Secretary Cameron was not what he had a right to expect. He refused authority to raise the regiment, was undecided as to the necessity that would arise for cavalry ; had his prejudices, and so had General Scott. General Scott, he said, had no faith in volunteer cavalry ; it was a very expensive arm of the service ; it would open an immense field for fraud and corruption. Nor was he certain that in such a wild, rugged, and wooded country as we should have to advance through during the war, cavalry in large bodies could be used to advantage. We could not always depend on the country we advanced into for forage, and the necessity of a supply large enough for the animals would so increase the trains as not only to impede the movements of the army, but to quadruple the cost of transportation, and render it extremely dangerous to advance far beyond its depots. General Scott was of opinion, also, that this war would have to be fought chiefly by riflemen and artillery, and Mr. Cameron shared his opinion. He advised keeping up the organization, but could give no encouragement as to whether the regiment would be accepted or not. Colonel Clarke was sorry he had nothing better to report. As the Government had no need of his services, there was nothing for him to do but retire into private life. He retired, wishing us every prosperity in our undertaking. This news fell heavy upon our feelings, and several were ready to give up the enterprise, and would have done so, but for the appeals of the more sanguine. We needed a leader to lean upon and respect, and Colonel Clarke was the man. There were young hearts, full of fire and spirit, such as Bailey and Hidden, engaged in our enterprise. But to make it successful we needed a directing head — a man of experience, indomitable energy, and a will to overcome such obstacles as the Government was sure to throw in our way. Colonel Clarke saw, also, that Mr. Cameron's thoughts and feelings were wedded to Pennsylvania. If the Government should need cavalry, he (Mr. Cameron) said, why go so far as New York for it, when there was Pennsylvania nearer. Mr. Cameron had not then (and I doubt if his successor has now) discovered that there is some difi'erence between the value to an army of a clever horse-thief and a skillful trooper. But if you compel