SENECA was pleased as Punch that he could write home about the Union success at Piedmont, but there was a problem even in victory – what to do with the all those captured rebels. Come to find out, the New York 1st Veteran Cavalry and the 28th Ohio Infantry were ordered to transport the prisoners over the mountains to the nearest railroad junction in West Virginia. It was a tough march.
marching through the mountains from Staunton to Beverly
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in 1864:
From the Veteran Cavalry.
BEVERLY COURT HOUSE,
W.VA., June 15, 1864.
FRIEND STOWELL: – If you will look upon a map of Western Virginia you will find snugly ensconced away up among the mountains of the Old Dominion, the quiet little town of Beverly, the County Seat of Randolph. There the Veterans are encamped, resting after one of the most fatiguing marches often [sic] made.
On Friday morning the 11th inst., we suddenly received orders to strike tents and proceed to the Baltimore and Ohio R.R. with the 28th Ohio Infantry in charge of the prisoners captured at Mt. Hope or Piedmont, as it is now called. There were nearly twelve hundred of the “greybacks” and as it was rather dangerous to endeavor to force our way down the Shenandoah with so large a charge upon our hands, we were ordered to march across the mountains one hundred and ten miles to Beverly, thence down to the railroad forty or fifty miles further.
“High Knob on Shenandoah Mountain”
The rising sun saw us “upon our winding way” over the mighty hills and thro’ the narrow passes of the great North Shenandoah mountain. Gen. Stahl, who was wounded at the last battle, accompanied us with his body guard. Part of a Battery, several small squads from different regiments, and all of our wounded who were able to ride or walk, were also with us, so that we made up quite a cavalcade. Besides all these, was an immense number of refugees and contrabands “going north,” which gave the rear of our columns rather a motley appearance.
By Saturday night we had passed through Buffalo Gap, over the great Shenandoah mountain, across Bull Pasture Mt., Cow Pasture Mt., Big and Little Calf Pasture Mt., Jack Mt. and the Devil’s Back Bone, and reached the queer little town of Monterey, the county town of Highland. Thus far nothing serious had occurred. A few guerrillas had paid us their respects as we marched along, but fortunately no damage was done.
View from atop Spruce Knob, highest point in the Alleghenies, Pendleton County, West Virginia
On Sunday morning we commenced ascending the principal range of the Allegany mountains with the pleasing information that we must climb nine miles ere we reached the top and then march nine miles down again. However the ascent was at last accomplished, and the sight that burst upon our wondering eyes from the summit of these lofty hills, more than repaid us for all the toil of reaching there. Range after range of mighty hills arose in awful grandeur. Peak upon peak, “Ossa upon Pelion piled,” towered to the skies. We halted here a little while to enjoy the magnificent scene, and gathered a few flowers from the mountain top. Many a one turned his thoughts homeward as we stood here, and I heard one of the rebel officers singing to himself the Hymn commencing “A charge to keep I have.”
On Sunday night we encamped upon the old battle ground at Green River, where Gen. Reynolds, who fell at Gettysburg, defeated Gen. Lee the present commander-in-chief of the rebel army. On Monday Col. Platner with our Cavalry advanced, accompanied by Gen. Stahl, crossed the Green River and Cheat mountains and entered the town of Beverly, having marched thirty-five miles since morning, and made the entire march from Staunton in three days and a half. Here we are resting for a few days, and when our horses are sufficiently recruited, we move on north to the Baltimore and Ohio R.R.
Our command has been exceedingly fortunate during the march, although we have been compelled to abandon and shoot sixty of our horses, we have not had a man killed, and but one wounded, who I am sorry to say is Sergt. Vinton F. Story, of Co. K. He was shot through the left arm and right thumb on Sunday afternoon, by a couple of cowardly bushwackers, who escaped into the mountains, although our boys tried hard to hunt them out.
MARTINSBURG, June 24.
The above was written at Beverly, but before I had finished we received orders to march, so I have been my own mail carrier for a couple of hundred miles.
On Friday night we encamped near Phillippi, on the very hill where the first gun was fired in Virginia, when Gen. Kelly drove the rebels under Garnet back to Laurel Hill, where he defeated them and forced them back to Rich mountains, where McClellan gave them such a drubbing. – We passed all of these localities rendered famous at the very commencement of the war, and on Saturday reached the railroad at Webster. Here we left our prisoners in charge of the infantry and took the cars for Martinsburg, which place we reached this morning. We should probably remain here some time, as we need fresh horses before taking the field again. The regiment is in good health and very fine spirits. The boys from Seneca Falls and Waterloo are all well, and excepting those already noticed are ready for action.
Yours ever, SENECA.
I think SENECA got the wrong General Reynolds. It was probably Joseph J. Reynolds
According to the Wikipedia link above, the 28th Ohio took the prisoners to Camp Morton in Indiana.
Brian M. Powell’s photo of Shenandoah Mountain is licensed by Creative Commons. Ditto for Aneta Kaluzna’s shot from Spruce Knob.
