Doc. 21.-skirmish near Philomont, Virginia.
New-York times account.
Saturday morning, about nine o'clock, General McClellan's advance, comprising several regiments of cavalry and the Second artillery, battery M, all under command of General Pleasanton, broke camp at Purcellsville, and began the onward march. Our road lay through a most beautiful section of country. The road winds through picturesque forests, over hill and through dale, now over a pure and limpid brook which flows down from the mountain, now by some more picturesque stream which meanders through the meadow. The famous “Snicker's Gap” at which the enemy are collected in large numbers, can be seen a short distance to the right. The insignificant village of Snickersville is clustered around the base of the ridge, while the tortuous road, as it winds through the gap, is plainly visible. Still the scouts ahead report no enemy, and we press forward, reaching Philomont at half-past 11 o'clock. This is a small secesh village of some one hundred and fifty inhabitants, situated on the Winchester and Alexandria road, about five miles from Snicker's Gap.
Just before entering the town we halted, while the skirmishers went forward, ascertaining that some fifty of the enemy's cavalry had been there this morning, but had suddenly disappeared. On entering, pickets were thrown out on all the roads leading from the village. The town was in a terrible scare. On entering one house I found a girl of seven years old with her head under the bedclothes, while the mother was nursing a brother of full five years of age in order to keep him quiet. Lieutenant Krin, of General Pleasanton's staff, who was appointed Provost-Marshal of the village, immediately arrested all the male citizens of the place and assembled them in front of one of the stores preparatory to taking the oath.
Twenty-six comprised the number, consisting of old men, middle-aged and youths. They answered as their names were called. “I don't like to take the oath of allegiance on Southern soil,” responded the first one addressed. “What is the oath?” he further inquired. The Provost-Marshal then proceeded to read the oath to them, remarking that those who took it would receive National protection. “I should think you were premature,” spoke up one old man, of full seventy years. “This is a hard thing on us,” said a spruce-looking young farmer. “You will soon be gone and the confederates will come in and seize us if we take the oath,” remarked a third, and so they gave their excuses for failing to be loyal, one after another. But they proved of no avail. As fast as their names were called off, the significant dash was affixed which meant confinement and confiscation of homes. “No, sir,” replied Richard Wilmot, in an insolent and defiant manner, which will undoubtedly cost him a few weeks of extra imprisonment. Not one subscribed to the oath. Two who had done so under General Geary, were permitted to depart to their homes. The others were started off in a drove toward Berlin. Soon after twelve o'clock three masked guns of the enemy opened on two squadrons of the Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry, under [57] command of Major Keenan, which had been thrown out on picket in the direction of Union, three miles away. General Pleasanton, who was at the right of the village, immediately hastened to the front, taking with him two pieces of the horse battery, of which there are only four in the service. The enemy continued firing, and advancing their artillery from one position to another until one gun suddenly opened very near to the village. “Can't we reach that?” remarked one of his officers to Gen. Pleasanton. “Reach it? I guess I can,” replied the General, and in less than a moment's time one of the pieces was unlimbered, and a shell tossed in the direction of the rebels.
Another, and still another followed. But they all fell short, one setting fire to a meadow, which was soon burned over. By this time the cavalry on both sides had dismounted, and the sharp, quick report of their carbines indicated that a spirited engagement was taking place. The gallant Major Keenan (whose horse had been shot and exchanged for another,) seeing that the enemy were pressing on him in large numbers, sent for reinforcements, when the entire regiment (Eighth Pennsylvania) were sent to his support. The rebels were now plainly visible scouring through the distant woods and fields, evidently determined on disputing our advance to Union, which General Pleasanton had been ordered to occupy at all hazards, and the possession of which was necessary to the successful carrying out of General McClellan's programme. About half-past 2 our cavalry began to fall back, owing to the superiority of the enemy, and a courier was sent to the Sixth regulars, Captain Sanders, which was stationed three miles back on the road, ordering them to come up on the gallop, which they did. Reinforcements consisting of a battery and Doubleday's old brigade of infantry were also hurried forward from Burnside's encampment at Purcellsville, whither he had moved up his forces in the course of the day.
As our men fell back, the rebel cavalry followed until within range of our guns, when they were brought to a halt by the most splendid artillery firing of the war. The rebels soon got their guns into a position commanding our own, but in five minutes time it became too hot for them. They changed to another position, but were in less time driven from that. Finally they galloped over a meadow, our shells thickly flying after them, and planting their guns directly in front of the grove, one mile and a half distant. They had hardly fired a shell, however, before our Rodman tenpounders so ploughed the ground around them as to cause a skedaddle out of sight.
This ended the artillery firing for that day, having proved for the twentieth time the superiority of our artillery over that of the rebels. About half-past 3 o'clock all became quiet, and we supposed the contest had ended for the day. About five o'clock, however, the skirmishing was renewed in an orchard on the right, between the dismounted cavalrymen, and continued until dusk, the Sixth regulars in the mean time having come. During the night the infantry and artillery from Purcellsville arrived. In the morning it was found that the enemy had advanced their pickets to a considerable distance on the right. At precisely ten o'clock our artillery opened upon them and the infantry were thrown forward. The firing was, on the day previous, most accurate. One caisson was blown fully fifteen feet into the air, causing the rebels around the gun to retreat in double-quick. Such accurate shooting the rebels could not stand, and they accordingly commenced falling back; we, at the same time, following up and peppering them in fine style.
Thus we continued to drive them from hill to valley for several hours, their artillerists being compelled to abandon every new position as often as it was chosen. Several prisoners were taken, among the number two who rode directly into one of our own regiments, mistaking it for Col. Owen's Third Virginia cavalry. I conversed with prisoners from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Virginia cavalry, proving that we had been fighting General Stuart's force. From them as well as refugees, I learned that he had been on the ground all day; also that the bulk of the rebel army is on this aide of the Blue Ridge, retreating toward Gordonsville. A detachment of the Eighth New-York cavalry captured some eight horses, with equipments, and quite an amount of officers' clothing. An ambulance driver of the same regiment was accidentally killed.
