Regimental History of
Cole’s Cavalry Company “C”
John Allen Miller
The
First Potomac Home Brigade was made of
four Companies. Companies A, C & D
were organized at Frederick City,
Maryland and Company B at Cumberland,
Maryland, from August 10 to November
27, 1861. Company C known as
Horner’s Company was
mustered into service at Frederick,
Maryland on September 9, 1861. When
organization was completed, these four
companies were mustered into a
battalion, and Captain Cole was
promoted to Major and given command of
that battalion. The First Potomac
Home Brigade was then given the name
as “Cole’s Cavalry”.
Most of
the men in Horner’s Company of Cole's
Cavalry were from Western Maryland and
Southern Pennsylvania that included
the Emmitsburg area, the Taneytown
area, and the Gettysburg area. Most
of the men were farmers, planters,
young, unmarried, accustomed in the
use of firearms and the knowledge of
riding. This was a talent that most
cavalry companies were missing during
the first two years of the war. Most
of the recruits of Horner’s Company
even brought their own horses. Their
extensive knowledge of Western
Maryland, and the topography of the
Shenandoah Valley that runs through
Pennsylvania deep into southern
Virginia, which served as a great
asset to the Union cause.
Horner’s
Company went into winter quarters
along the Potomac River in Western
Maryland. During their winter
encampment 1st Lieutenant
John M. Annan was
accidentally shot and killed on
November 13, 1861. This was Horner’s
Company’s first casualty.
During
General Thomas Jackson’s Romney
Campaign in January of 1862, Cole's
Cavalry was among the meager defenders
who held Hancock, Maryland, and
checked Jackson's advance until a
stronger Federal force arrived. The
battle of Hancock was their first
baptism of fire.
In March
of 1862 General Bank's crossed the
Potomac River and proceeded toward
Martinsburg, Virginia. On the 5th the
battalion had a lively skirmish with
Confederate forces near Bunker Hill,
and on the 7th, in a fight between
Bunker Hill and Winchester they
suffered their first casualties, one
dead and two wounded, and Cole's horse
was shot out from under him; but the
rebels were driven from the field. On
the 11th Williams' Brigade, to which
the battalion was assigned, engaged
Confederates at Stephenson's Depot,
and on the 12th, as General Bank's
advance, made a cavalry charge into
Winchester, capturing a number of
prisoners.
On March
2nd Williams' Brigade left Winchester
to join General McDowell's command in
eastern Virginia, Horner’s Company
along with Company A accompanied
Williams, while Co.'s B and D remained
with General Shields' Division. That
very day General Jackson attacked
Shields at Winchester. Hearing the
gun fire from behind, Company A and
Horner’s Company turned about and
returned to Winchester to join the
other two companies in the battle.
Due to
personal reasons Captain John Horner
resigned his commission on June 2, and
Second Lieutenant
Albert Hunter became
Captain commanding Company C. It was
Captains Albert M. Hunter and Henry
Buckingham who officially succeeded
the organizer. However during 1863
Horner’s Company became known as
Hunter’s Company.
Cole's
Cavalry remained in the Shenandoah
until September of 1862, until the
Maryland Campaign as General Lee began
his first invasion of Maryland.
Cole's command attempted to impede the
Confederate advance. On September 2nd
the battalion engaged a superior
Confederate force at Leesburg. It was
at this time that Captain Albert
Hunter was then taken prisoner. They
managed to push back the Confederate
cavalry, at a severe cost; then fell
back to Harper’s Ferry. The casualties
for Horner’s Company are as follow:
George Cease (more likely Seiss but
misspelled, who was killed in action
September 2, 1862 probably at
Leesburg, Va.); Samuel J. Maxell (who
later became a Lieutenant on Cole’s
staff and was captured September 2,
1862, also probably at Leesburg during
the fiasco that followed Second Bull
Run; he was exchanged and fought with
the regiment until its final
muster-out June 28, 1865);
Samuel N.
McNair, wounded in action September 2,
July 1862 and discharged for
disability though the Roster
mistakenly carries is him on the rolls
until January 7, 1865; and Samuel
Wolfe was also taken prisoner.
Confederate forces under General
Stonewall Jackson soon surrounded
Harper’s Ferry. On September 14th,
when it became apparent that it was
the intention of the garrison
commander to surrender the garrison,
Major Cole informed the commander,
Colonel Miles, that he would not
surrender his command. Miles then
authorized any cavalry within the
garrison to attempt a breakout if they
choose to do so. That night, Cole's
Cavalry along with the 12th Illinois
Cavalry, 8th New York Cavalry, Rhode
Island Cavalry and 1st Maryland
Cavalry, slipped out of Harper's
Ferry, crossed the Potomac River into
Maryland, and through the Confederate
lines. It so happened that his
breakout put them between Jackson and
Lee's forces that were concentrating
near Antietam. General Lee had
earlier sent General Longstreet north
to investigate rumors of a Federal
column advancing toward the
Confederate Army from Chambersburg.
The Federal cavalry column, while
moving around Lee's flank encountered
Longstreet's ammunition trains moving
south to rejoin the main body of the
Army of Northern Virginia. The
cavalry was able to capture a large
portion of the wagon train and
escorted it to Federal authorities.
In
November Cole's Cavalry was assigned
to the 12th Army Corps, and was at the
head of General Geary's Division as
advance reconnaissance when the 12th
began its march up the Shenandoah
Valley in December. The battalion was
engaged the Confederate forces at
Charlestown on the 2nd, Berryville on
the 3rd and Winchester on the 5th. In
mid month the 12th was directed to
move east, but Cole's Cavalry was
ordered to remain in the Shenandoah
Valley. On the 20th a portion of the
12th Virginia Cavalry attacked the
Marylanders in an attempt to drive
them from the Valley or destroy them.
But Cole had caught wind of the
attack. He placed two companies on
his flanks out of sight before the
attack, and once it commenced, these
companies came in on the 12th Va.'s
blind sides. The Virginians were
driven off, and their Commander,
Captain Baylor, who was wanted for
violating a flag of truce, was
captured.
The
Battalion continued to patrol the
Shenandoah Valley through the spring
of 1863, skirmishing with partisans.
On June 13th, in pursuit of
Confederate Cavalry, Cole's Cavalry
stumbled into the advance of General
Rodes' column as it advanced toward
General Milroy's position at
Winchester. Maryland scouts slipped
through the Confederate lines to warn
Milroy. After Milroy was driven from
Winchester, Cole's Cavalry provided a
rear guard for the fleeing Federal
troops who managed to break out of
Winchester. Cole then took the
offensive. Hanging on Rodes' flanks,
he continually used the tactics of hit
and run raids on the Confederate
column as it marched north. When not
engaged in raids, Cole's Cavalry
provided reconnaissance for the
Federal Army as it sought out General
Lee's army.
During
the Gettysburg Campaign, the battalion
fought at Martinsburg on June 11th,
Berryville on the 13th, Williamsport
the 15th, Catoctin Creek, Maryland, on
the 17th, Frederick City June 22nd,
Fountain Dale, Pennsylvania, June 28,
near Frederick, Maryland on July 4th,
and at Harper's Ferry and Falling
Waters on July 6th. The most
significantly action during the
Gettysburg Campaign was that Company
"C" burned the pontoon bridge on July
4th that General Lee had
had built across the Potomac south of
Hagerstown.
During the months that followed the
Battle of Gettysburg the battalion
rested and recruited to refill it's
ranks. On September 14th the
battalion surprised and captured much
of a Confederate company of Cavalry
near Leesburg, Virginia. On October
18th, General Imbodden and Harry
Gilmor's Maryland Battalion of
Partisan Rangers successfully attacked
and defeated a large portion of the
garrison at Harper's Ferry. Among the
units sent to the relief of the
arsenal, Cole's Cavalry suffered
severe losses throughout a daylong
engagement. Private John M. Morritz
("Moritz") died November 15, 1863 as a
result of these engagements. In
December the battalion participated in
a raid into the Shenandoah Valley
towards Staunton. For fifteen days
the cavalry rode through grueling
winter weather and suffered greatly
for it.
George Schriver received a four-day
furlough allowing him to spend
Christmas with his family. George
reported for duty on December 29,
1863. For the next several days’ 250
members of Cole’s Cavalry engaged
about four hundred of Colonel Mosby’s
men. When the fighting ended, Cole’s
men returned to camp with the loss of
three killed, six wounded, and seven
taken prisoner.
When
the raid was over the battalion
returned to its winter quarters on
Loudon Heights, over looking Harper's
Ferry. On numerous occasions Cole's
Cavalry had crossed swords with
Colonel Mosby's Rangers. Lt. Colonel
Mosby, learning that Cole's exhausted
men had returned to their camp,
resolved to drive them from Virginia.
He led his command to within several
miles of Loudon Heights, then his men
advanced on foot leading their horse
through the snow, until they were
hidden in the woods outside of Cole's
camp. Without warning Colonel Mosby
attacked the camp. But his plans soon
went airy. Cole's men, stumbling from
their slumber into a blazing fire
fight managed to put up a stout
defense and drive Mosby from their
camp. Mosby's losses were quite
significant. Among the casualties of
Horner’s Company were Theodore Fites
(or Fitez), who was taken prisoner on
January 1, 1864 by Mosby’s Rangers
whom the battalion was fighting near
Upperville, Virginia and he died in
prison December 10, 1864. Sergeant
George W. Shriver, was also captured
and died on August 27, 1864 at
Andersonville Prison Georgia; Edward
Wenchoff, taken prisoner but obviously
exchanged for he is carried on the
rolls until June 6, 1865.
Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant
on January 14, 1864 Oliver A. Horner,
of Emmitsburg who was originally a
private in Horner’s company, rose to
rank of Major on the regimental staff
on August 20, 1864. He achieved
greatest individual fame with it and
came to be known as the outfit’s
leader.
Later in
the month the Cole’s Cavalry marched
into West Virginia to help repel
Confederate raiders. On February 13th
most of the men in the battalion
re-enlisted for the duration of the
war, marched to Frederick and enjoyed
a well-deserved 30-day furlough.
Cole’s Cavalry then began the process
of recruiting new men to bring its
ranks back up to strength. During
their recruitment, they was assigned
to General Franz Sigel's command and
sent back into the Shenandoah Valley.
Not fully reorganized, many of its men
without mounts or proper equipment,
because of this the new recruits
suffered significantly during Sigel's
campaign.
When
General David Hunter replaced Sigel,
the mounted portion of Cole's Cavalry
marched with Hunter to Lynchburg,
participating enroute in the Battle of
Piedmont on June 5th, and skirmishes
at Tye River Gap on June 12th,
Lexington June 13th and Buchannon on
June 14th. General Hunter arrived at
Lynchburg on the 18th and was driven
back into West Virginia by General
Early. When Early marched north so
far completing his objects of
clearing the Shenandoah Valley of
Federals and was now beginning his
famous Washington Raid. The dismounted
portion of Cole's Cavalry participated
in the defense of Leetown on July
3rd. Remounted, part of this
detachment was able to join up with
General Lew Wallace's small command at
Monocacy Junction.
In
1862, Samuel Maxell sons Samuel Jr.
and Thaddeus joined Cole's Cavalry.
Samuel Maxell Sr. a staunch
abolitionist and owner of the mill
located just upstream of Four Points
Bridge. Samuel was a passionate
advocate of the Union and was very
influential in changing the sentiments
of the local population with regard to
slavery. During their advanced to
Piedmont, Virginia, they collided with
a Confederate army under the command
of Jubal Early. While charging a
breastwork, Thaddeus Maxell was
fatally shot by a Confederate
sharpshooter. Samuel Jr. accompanied
his brother's body home where
Emmitsburg witnessed his burial at the
Lutheran church where his father
served as both a deacon and an elder.
Following his brother's funeral,
Samuel returned to his unit and played
a key role in what was known as a
Union victory at the Battle of the
Monocacy for keeping General Early’s
Army held down in which brought
valuable time for the defenses in
Washington to be re-enforced.
After
the Battle of Monocacy on July 9th,
Early moved on toward Washington, but
eventually re-crossed the Potomac back
into Virginia. Cole's Cavalry
participated in the pursuit and the
Battle of Snickers Gap on July 19th.
Richard N. Gilson died August 3,1864,
of wounds received in action in the
post-Monocacy fighting that chased
Gen. Early back across the Potomac
River.
In late
July General Early again crossed the
Potomac into Maryland near
Cumberland. His army crossed at
various places to give the impression
of a large-scale invasion. The
maneuver was a faint to draw attention
away from the Confederate Cavalry
column that streamed across Maryland
to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A
portion of Cole's Cavalry engaged
Confederate Cavalry engaged in this
operation on July 26th, and
participated in the pursuit of this
column after it burned Chambersburg.
On
August 5th General Early
again crossed the Potomac River into
Maryland, moved through Sharpsburg
toward Boonsboro. Approximately half
of Cole's Cavalry engaged the head of
Early's column and was subsequently
driven back, suffering heavy losses.
With the
appointment of General Sheridan over a
combined infantry and cavalry command
directed to take control of the
Shenandoah, Cole's Cavalry was
assigned to Merritt's Cavalry
Division, Tolbert's Cavalry Corps, and
participated in the subsequent
campaign to dislodge General Early
from the Shenandoah Valley. In the
winter of 1864 General Rosser, C.S.A.,
led a raiding party into West Virginia
to collect horses and forage. Cole's
Cavalry was moved to West Virginia to
protect that region. Subsequent
attacks against the B & O Railroad in
the winter and spring of 1865 by
Mosby's Raiders, forced the cavalry
command to remain in West Virginia
until the end of the war.
Cole's
Cavalry was mustered out of service on
June 28, 1865 at Harper's Ferry. The
cavalry command then rode to Baltimore
to be formally discharged. It is
estimated that the command rode over
7000 miles during its four years in
the saddle.
The
exploits of Cole’s Battalion were
among the most heroic and spectacular
of any organization in the Eastern
theater of the Civil War. The men
themselves stuck together as a
fraternity long after the war. As late
as 1892 they were holding reunions at
the local Grand Army of the Republic
headquarters, banqueting at the old
Western Maryland Hotel, and holding
"campfires" where they relived their
old days in the field and camp.
Helmans History of Emmitsburg
also lists those from Emmitsburg who
are buried in Emmitsburg’s local
cemeteries, but states nothing else.
It only identifies these men:
Major 0.
A. Horner, IA. John M. Annan, Enos
McDannels, Presbyterian; Isaac Heagy,
Noah Koontz, Thadeus Maxell, Benjamin
Cehrhart, Joseph Wills, John Shields,
James Peoples,
James Mcllhenny,
Jeremiah Stranesbaugh, Lutheran; C. W.
McPherson, Jacob Settlemyer, James
Arnold, Peter Cook, Augustus Little,
John Murphy, Theodore Cook, Jacob I.
Topper, Nicholas Seltzer, Catholic;
John Constant, Nathaniel Millsbury,
John Rosensteel, Joseph Shorb, Henry
Taylor, George Seiss, College; Jacob
Reeves, John Spence, Philip Long,
Mountain View; John Kipe, George Kipe,
Sabillasville; Frederick Nindle,
Fairfield; John Hunter, Gettysburg;
Joseph Davidson, Rocky Ridge; Peter
Glasser, Mt. Joy; Joseph Zech, Henry
Gelwicks, Joseph Coombs, Andersonville;
Emory Gilson, died in prison; Newton
Gilson, killed in battle.’
Want
to learn more about Cole's Cavalry?
Then try our archived edition for a
complete listing of names:
The Solders of Company C, Cole’s
Cavalry 1861-1865
Read
other civil war articles by John
Miller
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