Frustrated by the lack of intelligence about Lee’s movements, on June 16, 1863, Hooker ordered Pleasonton, “to give him information of where the enemy is, his force, and his movements.” On June 17, Pleasonton ordered Major General David Gregg’s division to seize and occupy Aldie, where the two roads converged, setting the stage for a cavalry engagement that afternoon.  

THE LIFE AND CAMPAIGNS MAJOR-GENERAL J. E. B. STUART, COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA. BY H. B. McCLELLAN, A. M., LATE MAJOR, ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, AND CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA. CHAPTER XVI PAGES 297-314: ALDIE; MIDDLEBURG; UPPERVILLE

After the battle of the 9th of June, Longstreet remained at Culpeper Court House while Ewell pushed forward into the Valley and conducted those movements which resulted in the capture of Milroy’s command at Winchester. On the 15^th of June Longstreet moved from Culpeper to occupy Ashby’s and Snicker’s gaps, in the Blue Ridge, and Stuart placed three of his brigades, Fitz Lee’s, W. H. F. Lee’s, and Robertson’s, in advance, and on the right of his column. Jones’ brigade and Hampton’s were left to guard the line of the Rappahannock until A. P. Hill’s corps had passed northward. The movements of the cavalry did not bring Stuart in collision with the enemy until the evening of the 17th, when a severe engagement took place at Aldie. Fitz Lee’s brigade, under Colonel Thomas T. Munford, had been sent forward to occupy the gap in the Bull Run Mountain at Aldie; while Colonel J. R. Chambliss, with W. H. F. Lee’s brigade, reconnoitered toward Thoroughfare Gap. Robertson was held near Rectortown, so as to move to the assistance of either as occasion might demand.

Early on the morning of the 17th, Colonel Munford, with the 2d and 3d Virginia Cavalry, moved from Upperville through Middleburg, and having established his picket posts east of Aldie, crossed over to the Snicker’s Gap road, and proceeded with these two regiments to procure corn at the house of Mr. Franklin Carter, about a mile distant. He expected to encamp that night in the vicinity of Aldie. Colonel Williams C. Wickham, with the 1st, 4th, and 5th Virginia Cavalry, the remaining regiments of the brigade, had moved from Piedmont through Middleburg and was about to place his men in camp at Dover Mills, near Aldie. The 5th regiment, Colonel Thomas L. Rosser, which arrived some little time after the 1st and 4th, was directed by Colonel Wickham to pass beyond Dover Mills, and select a camp nearer Aldie. In so doing Colonel Rosser encountered the enemy, who was rapidly driving back the pickets established by Colonel Munford.

The force of the enemy making this attack was the 2d cavalry division, commanded by General D. M. Gregg, and accompanied by Major-General Pleasonton. General Kilpatrick’s brigade, consisting of the 2d New York, 1st Massachusetts, 6th Ohio, and 4th New York regiments, supported by the 1st Maine Cavalry, from Colonel J. I. Gregg’s brigade, and by Randol’s battery, appears to have done all the fighting. The two other brigades of General Gregg’s division were closed up within supporting distance.

The arrival of Rosser’s regiment was most opportune. By an immediate sabre charge he drove back the enemy’s advance upon their main body in the town of Aldie. Having relieved the pressure on the pickets, Rosser stationed his sharpshooters, under Captain R. B. Boston, on the right of the Snickersville road, where a number of haystacks afforded some protection, and held the remainder of his small regiment ready for their support. Colonel Munford in the meantime arrived in person, and stationed Lieutenant William Walton, of the 2d Virginia Cavalry, with the reserve picket, fifteen men, behind a stone wall on the left of the Snickersville road, with orders to hold his position against any odds until the 2d and 3d regiments could come to his assistance. In the meantime, and while Colonel Wickham was stationing the 1st and 4th regiments and Breathed’s battery to dispute any advance on the Middleburg road, Rosser, single-handed, had met and repulsed two charges which were made upon Captain Boston’s squadron ; and believing that he could be maintained there with advantage, had ordered Boston to hold his position at all hazards. The result proved that this disposition was unfortunate; for during the subsequent heavy fighting Boston was so far advanced as to be beyond the reach of support, and he and his squadron were captured.

During all this time there was no force on the left of the Snickersville road except the picket posted by Munford behind the stone wall. Munford therefore moved Rosser’s regiment and the 4th Virginia Cavalry, with one gun from Breathed’s battery, so as to command this road, leaving Colonel Wickham with the rest of the guns and the 1st Virginia Cavalry on the Middleburg road. In the meantime, the enemy pressed heavily on Lieutenant Walton. He had repulsed two mounted charges, but being outflanked by dismounted men, had been withdrawn about fifty yards behind a house and orchard, in which position he commanded the only opening through which the enemy could attack. Here three distinct charges were met and repulsed in counter-charges by the 5th Virginia Cavalry, by the 3d squadron of the 4th regiment, led by Lieutenant A. D. Payne, and by the 2d and 5th squadrons of the same regiment, led by Captain W. B. Newton. These were the only squadrons of this regiment present at this battle, the 1st and 4th squadrons having been detailed early in the day to accompany General Stuart. In each of these charges the enemy had suffered severely at the hands of Lieutenant Walton’s sharpshooters, who poured volleys into their flank as they passed him in advancing and in retiring. As Walton’s party was, however, evidently small, the enemy determined to dislodge him, and was preparing a considerable force for another attack, when the 2d and 3d Virginia Cavalry reached the field. Two squadrons of sharpshooters were at once dismounted and placed on the left of the road: the squadron from the 2d regiment under Captains Breckinridge and Graves, that from the 3d regiment under Captain George D. White. Their line was advanced to the stone wall from which Lieutenant Walton had been withdrawn. Colonel Munford now felt that his position was secure against an attack of cavalry, and there was nothing he more desired than that the enemy should wear himself out against it. His flanks were secured by the Little River and its tributaries. The enemy must necessarily attack his front. The road by which it was approached was worn, as it ascended the hill, into deep gullies, which compelled an attack in column of fours and prevented the enemy from spreading out his front. Munford’s strong party of sharpshooters commanded the road. They were stationed in an enclosed field, with a stone wall in their front, a post and rail fence on their right, and another fence on their left. The fences to the rear were thrown down so as to give the cavalry access to the field. Munford felt that unless his cavalry failed in their duty his dismounted men were perfectly secure.

The 2d Virginia Cavalry, led by Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Watts, now charged the advancing enemy, who had penetrated beyond the position of the sharpshooters. The heads of the columns met in the narrow road in a hand-to-hand sabre fight. While this was in progress, Captain Jesse Irving threw down the fence on the right of the road, and bringing his squadron to the front, opened fire on the enemy’s left flank. Captain W. W. Tebbs executed a similar movement on the left of the road, while the sharpshooters were all the time firing into the enemy’s rear. Their attack was completely broken, and their leading squadron almost destroyed. Another support moved up during the confusion but was met and repulsed by Colonel Rosser. In this fight Lieutenant -Colonel Watts was wounded and permanently disabled. The command of the 2d regiment devolved on Major Cary Breckinridge, who moved the regiment off to the right to reform, carrying with him Colonel Louis P. De Cesnola and the colors of his regiment, the 4th New York Cavalry.

During all this time Captain Boston, of the 5th Virginia Cavalry, had been holding the haystacks, far in advance of his friends, where Colonel Rosser had placed him with such stringent orders. He was beyond the reach even of a recall but had been doing his utmost to aid in the fight. He was now charged by the 6th Ohio Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel William Stedman; and after losing three of his officers, including his junior captain, and a third of his men killed and wounded, he surrendered to the odds brought against him.

The Federal cavalry were determined to carry the position if it were possible, and another charge was speedily organized. This was met by the 3d Virginia Cavalry, led by Colonel T. H. Owen, who took the road, supported on his right by the 2d regiment and on his left by the 5th. The sabre was the weapon used, and the enemy was again driven back. Colonel Munford pronounces this to be the most spirited charge of the day. Colonel Owen, however, pressed his success too far. He drove the enemy almost to the village of Aldie, where he was charged by a fresh regiment and driven back, losing many of the prisoners he had taken and some of his own men. Major Henry Carrington, of the 3d regiment, was captured at this point. Colonel Munford says in his report: —

Captain Newton, having rallied his small command and a good many men from other commands, was again ready to relieve Colonel Owen as he fell back, and by a timely charge repelled another effort to flank him. As the enemy came up again the sharpshooters opened upon him with terrible effect from the stone wall, which they had regained, and checked him completely. I do not hesitate to say that I have never seen as many Yankees killed in the same space of ground in any fight I have ever seen, or on any battlefield in Virginia that I have been over. We held our ground until ordered by the major-general commanding to retire, and the Yankees had been so severely punished that they did not follow. The sharpshooters of the 5th were mostly captured, this regiment suffering more than any other.

Colonel Munford reports that he captured 138 prisoners. His own total loss was 119, of which the 5th Virginia Cavalry lost 58, mostly from Captain Boston’s squadron.

There is a significant absence of reports of this battle on the Federal side. General Kilpatrick made no report of it. General D. M. Gregg devotes one paragraph to it, in which, in general terms, he claims a victory over ” the enemy, strongly posted, and in superior force to Kilpatrick’s brigade.” Lieutenant-Colonel “William Stedman, commanding the 6th Ohio Cavalry, makes a particular report of the capture of Captain Boston’s squadron, in which charge he lost “three men killed and eleven wounded, including Major Stanhope, who has since died of his wounds.” Colonel Stedman adds: “The enemy opened on us from the hill beyond with grape and canister; but we held the position until dark, when we were ordered to retire.” Colonel C. S. Douty, of the 1st Maine Cavalry, was killed on the field. He was succeeded by Colonel C. H. Smith, who, on the 31st of August, reports that “A portion of the regiment, led by Colonel Douty, charged, turned the enemy, and drove him from the hill and his stronghold among the stone walls. The regiment gained the position, secured our wounded, collected the trophies of the field, and were burying the dead when relieved just before dark. The casualties were as follows: killed, six; wounded, nineteen; missing, five.” No other statement of the Federal losses is to be found in the reports; but the records of the Adjutant-General’s Office show that the 1st Maine Cavalry and Kilpatrick’s brigade (exclusive of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, whose disaster at Middleburg will soon be noticed), lost 50 killed, 131 wounded, and 124 missing — a total of 305. This excessive loss will perhaps account for the silence of the Federal officers. It certainly testifies to the gallantry of the regiments which advanced so often against such a strong position held by so determined a foe.

The disparity of numbers was in favor of the Federal cavalry, on whose part five regiments were actively engaged. Only four regiments were engaged on the Confederate side; and of these the 3d and 5th regiments were small. Two squadrons were absent from the 4th regiment, and one from the 2d. The 1st Virginia Cavalry held the Middleburg road, but took no other part in the battle. The fighting was done by probably less than a thousand men on the Confederate side. Munford retired from the field about dark, by the Snickersville road, not because of any pressure that was brought to bear on him by General Gregg, but in obedience to the orders of General Stuart, and in consequence of events which had occurred at Middleburg. He brought off from the field all of his dead, and all of his wounded who could be moved. He established his pickets about a mile from the battlefield, and these were not molested until the following morning.((Writers on the Federal side who have given narratives of this battle seem to have accepted as authority contemporary newspaper accounts, samples of which are preserved in Moore’s Rebellion Record, volume VII. The official reports of Colonels Munford, Owen, Wickham, and Rosser, of Major Breckinridge, and of Captain Newton, on the Confederate side, are ignored. General A. Doubleday devotes pages 100 to 103 of his volume, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, to this battle; and it would be difficult to find in any other work claiming historical accuracy, within the same number of pages, an equal number of errors.))

On this same afternoon events of considerable importance occurred at Middleburg, where Stuart had established his headquarters for the day.

Early in the morning Colonel A. N. Duffie, with the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, had crossed the Bull Run Mountain at Thoroughfare Gap. His orders directed him to encamp at Middleburg on the night of the 17th, and to proceed the next day toward Noland’s Ferry, extending his march to the west as far as Snickersville. These orders seem to have contemplated a somewhat extended scout by this regiment on the left flank of General Gregg’s division, —a hazardous movement in the presence of an enterprising enemy. Colonel Duffie” reached Thoroughfare Gap at 9.30 A.M. and was somewhat delayed in crossing the mountain by the picket from Chambliss’ command. By eleven o’clock, however, he was fairly on his way toward Middleburg. At four o’clock p. m. he struck the pickets which Stuart had established for his own safety outside the town and drove them in so quickly that Stuart and his staff were compelled to make a retreat more rapid than was consistent with dignity and comfort. Having with him no force adequate to contest the ground with Duffle’s regiment, Stuart retired toward Rector’s Cross Roads. Munford was notified of his danger, and directed to withdraw from Aldie, and Robertson and Chambliss were ordered to move immediately upon Middleburg. The only hope for Duffle’s regiment now lay in an immediate advance upon Aldie, where he might have created considerable commotion by attacking the rear of the 1st Virginia Cavalry on the Middleburg road. But he did not know this, and his orders were positive, requiring him to encamp for the night at Middleburg. He therefore made the best of his situation by dismounting one half of his regiment behind stone walls and barricades, hoping that he might be able to hold his position until reinforced from Aldie, whither he sent Captain Frank Allen to make known his situation at brigade headquarters. Captain Allen reached Aldie, after encountering many difficulties, at nine o’clock p. m. He says in his report: —

General Kilpatrick informed me that his brigade was so worn out that lie could not send any reinforcements to Middleburg, but that he would report the situation of our regiment to General Gregg. Returning, he said that General Gregg had gone to state the facts to General Pleasonton and directed me to remain at Aldie until he heard from General Pleasonton. I remained but received no further orders.

Thus, Colonel Duffle was left to meet his fate. At seven o’clock in the evening he was attacked by Robertson’s brigade. His men fought bravely and repelled more than one charge before they were driven from the town, retiring by the same road upon which they had advanced. Unfortunately for Duffie, this road was now closed by Chambliss’ brigade, which surrounded him during the night, and captured, early the next morning, the greater part of those who had escaped from Robertson on the previous evening. Colonel Duffie himself escaped capture, and reached Centreville early in the afternoon, with four of his officers and twenty-seven men. He reports the loss in his regiment at twenty officers and two hundred and forty-eight men. This, however, was an exaggeration of the calamity; for other officers beside himself had taken to the woods, and succeeded in making their way back to the Federal lines on the 18th and 19th. Major Farrington, who was separated from his regiment on the night of the 17th, in Middleburg, thus brought in two officers and twenty-three men; Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson brought in eighteen men; Sergeant Palmer, twelve men; and Captain George N. Bliss, six men. Color-Sergeant Robbins, who was wounded and captured, was left in Middleburg and fell into the hands of his friends when Stuart retired from that place. This reduces the loss to two hundred. This regiment was composed of good materials, and it rapidly recuperated. On the 17th of August following it assembled three hundred men at Warrenton, and was attached to Mcintosh’s brigade of Gregg’s division.((For these facts I am indebted to Captain George N. Bliss, of Providence, R. I. There can be no doubt of their accuracy. I estimate the strength of the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, from Colonel Duffies’ report, at 300 officers and men. Colonel Duffie states his aggregate loss at 268. Four officers and twenty-seven men escaped with the colonel. This makes the strength of the regiment 300))

It was doubtless Stuart’s intention to occupy the gap at Aldie on the 17th, and there dispute any advance which the Federal cavalry might make. But it may be questioned whether he would have attempted to make a permanent stand on the line of the Bull Run Mountain, — a line which would have necessitated the separation of the three brigades then available, to guard as many gaps, upon any one of which the enemy might concentrate and force a passage, —a line which could, moreover, readily be turned by a movement toward the north. The force at his command was inadequate to hold this line, and the advance of Gregg’s division to Aldie, on the 17th, forced Stuart to adopt perhaps the wiser plan of holding his command west of the Bull Run Mountain, ready to oppose the enemy wherever he might appear.

On the night of the 17th Robertson’s brigade encamped about Middleburg, where Chambliss, with W. H. F. Lee’s brigade, joined it on the following morning. Munford was drawn back on the road to Union to a point about four miles distant. Stuart’s pickets east of Middleburg were attacked and driven through the town on the 18th; but the enemy did not pursue beyond, and the pickets were reestablished at night. On this day, Major John S. Mosby captured one of General Hooker’s staff who was bearing dispatches to General Pleasonton at Aldie. These dispatches informed Stuart that he was confronted not only by the large cavalry force commanded by General Pleasonton, but also by General Barnes’ division of infantry, three brigades strong. To oppose this force, Stuart had only two brigades, or less than eight regiments, on the road from Middleburg to Upperville, and one brigade of five regiments on the road to Union.

Early on the 19th Stuart’s position on the Upperville turnpike was attacked by General D. M. Gregg’s division, Colonel J. I. Gregg’s brigade being in the advance. The attack was resisted for a long time; but when the enemy had gained a considerable advantage on the Confederate right by a charge of dismounted men supported by two regiments of cavalry, Stuart withdrew to another line about a half a mile in his rear. This withdrawal was effected in good order, under the fire of the enemy’s dismounted men and artillery, and no attempt was made to charge the retiring lines. During this movement Major Heros Von Borcke, an officer of the Prussian army, who was serving on General Stuart’s staff, received a severe wound, which disabled him from future service. General Gregg claims to have captured a large number of prisoners but makes no specifications. Colonel J. I. Gregg re- ports a loss of one hundred and twenty-seven officers and men from his brigade. No attack was made on Stuart’s new position on this day, although hardly half of it was spent in this encounter.

Jones’ brigade reached Stuart on the evening of the 19th, and was posted at Union; Munford being moved still further to the left, to cover Snicker’s Gap. Hampton arrived on the 20th, having met and repulsed, near Warrenton, a body of the enemy’s cavalry which was making a reconnaissance in that direction. Hampton had been notified to expect a collision with the enemy, for the dispatches captured by Mosby had indicated such a movement. Hampton was now stationed on the Upperville pike, and Chambliss was moved over to strengthen the line in front of Union. Although Stuart’s five brigades were now in position, the necessity of guarding the three roads by which the mountain passes might be approached compelled him to divide his command into as many parts ; and forewarned that the enemy’s cavalry was supported by a strong force of infantry, he determined still to act on the defensive, and, if heavily attacked, withdraw toward the mountains, concentrating his cavalry at Upperville, after offering as much opposition as he could without involving his command in too serious a contest with superior numbers.

At about eight o’clock on the morning of Sunday, the 21st of June, the enemy moved out from Middleburg. Buford’s division, three brigades, advanced on the road toward Union, endeavoring to turn Stuart’s left flank; while Gregg’s division, three brigades, supported by Vincent’s infantry brigade, which alone numbered on the 19th of June an effective total of 1,545((Records of the Adjutant-General’s Office.)) advanced on the Upperville pike. General D. M. Gregg states in his report that his advance was at first intended as a feint to occupy Stuart’s attention in front, while Buford moved upon his left flank. But Buford found Chambliss and Jones so strong that he could do no more than make a direct attack upon them. General Gregg’s feint against Hampton and Robertson was, therefore, soon changed into a serious attack. Kilpatrick’s brigade of cavalry and Vincent’s brigade of infantry held the advance. Colonel Vincent, in his report, states with particularity the part taken by each of his four regiments up to a point west of Goose Creek, and reports a total loss of seven officers and men((ibid Records of the Adjutant-General’s Office.)) Pursuing the policy already indicated, Stuart directed Hampton and Robertson not to allow themselves to become too heavily engaged, and at the same time he ordered Chambliss and Jones, to retire toward Upperville, as the artillery firing on the pike receded in that direction.

The first position held by Stuart was about three miles west of Middleburg. Here he delayed the enemy as long as prudence permitted, and then retired en echelon of regiments, covered by his artillery. This order of retiring was maintained throughout the entire day, and at no time was the enemy able to cause any serious disorder in his ranks. In leaving his first position a Blakely gun belonging to Hart’s battery was abandoned. The axle had been broken by a shot from the enemy, and no means were at hand for its renewal. This was the first piece belonging to the horse artillery which had, up to that time, fallen into the enemy’s hands, and the only one lost on that day.

The second position held by Stuart was on the west bank of Goose Creek, and here the enemy was delayed for several hours. At this point General Gregg’s cavalry and Vincent’s infantry were still further reinforced by the reserve cavalry brigade from Buford’s division, and from this position Stuart again withdrew, to effect a junction at Upperville with Jones and Chambliss, who were retiring slowly before Buford’s advance. As the battle approached Upperville the enemy pressed with renewed vigor. When within a mile of the town General Buford, believing from the appearance of the field that General Gregg was outnumbered, disengaged himself from Chambliss’ front and moved rapidly to General Greg’s assistance. Having the shorter line to traverse, he thus cut off Jones and Chambliss from effecting a junction with Hampton and Robertson east of Upperville.

Perhaps the truest estimate of the situation north of the Upperville pike will be formed by a comparison of the reports of General John Buford and General W. E. Jones, proper allowance being made for the stand-points of these officers. General Buford says:

When within a mile of Upperville I saw a large force in front of General Gregg, who appeared to be outnumbered. I resolved to go to his aid. The column struck a brisk trot but ran afoul of so many obstructions in the shape of ditches and stone fences that it did not make fast progress and got out of shape. While in this position I discovered a train of wagons and a few troops to my right, marching at a trot, apparently making for Ashby’s Gap. I turned the head of my column toward them, and very soon became engaged with a superior force. The enemy brought four twelve-pounder guns into position and made some excellent practice on the head of my regiments as they came up. The gunners were driven from their guns, which would have fallen into our hands but for two impassable stone fences. The enemy then came up in magnificent style from the direction of Snickersville, and for a time threatened me with overwhelming numbers. He was compelled, however, to retire before the terrific carbine fire which the brave 8th Illinois and 3d Indiana poured into him. As he withdrew, my rear troops came up, formed, and pressed him back to the mountains. He was driven over the mountains into the valley.

General Jones says: — Having arrived in rear of Colonel Chambliss’ position he was found retiring, and the advance of the enemy towards Upperville was such as to necessitate a deviation towards the mountain. This increase of distance rendered rapid movement necessary. The artillery of both brigades was put in the road, and the cavalry on the flanks, — Chambliss’ to the left, and mine to the right, — approaching rapidly the elevation on which stands the house of Captain Gibson, to secure a position for our artillery. We found ourselves anticipated by the enemy, who, taking advantage of his shorter line, forced us into an engagement with Buford’s whole division. The artillery, finding the struggle unavoidable, accepted with alacrity the part forced upon it by the enemy. The stone fence next the enemy was soon down, and the pieces in position were heard and felt by the enemy; but the hostile cavalry pushing on, a charge became necessary to save the artillery. The 11th Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel O. R. Funsten (Colonel Lomax being still in charge of the rear-guard), made the attack, checking the advance until the artillery could cross the lane, where it again took position.

In the meantime, the 7th Virginia coming up it was held in reserve. The leading squadron, under Captain H. R. T. Koontz, was sent to attack a body of the enemy approaching the road. The remainder of the regiment attacked the force to the front and left of the first position of our battery. The check thus given the enemy enabled our artillery and cavalry to cross the road

By this time the enemy was massed in force in our front, and our cavalry having cleared our battery it played with fearful effect upon their men and horses. The punishment here inflicted, together with the difficulties of the ground, soon caused the enemy to abandon his intention of preventing a junction of our forces in Ashby’s Gap. The difficulties of the ground brought Colonel Chambliss to my left in this engagement, our commands retiring together as soon as the pressure was removed.

While these events were occurring on the north of the Upperville pike, General Gregg was handsomely pushing his advance upon the town. Robertson’s brigade held the road, and the open fields north of it. As he retired through the town one of his regiments was thrown into some confusion, which was, however, instantly relieved by the splendid conduct of Hampton’s brigade, on the right. As the enemy followed Robertson on the road Hampton charged their flank with the Jeff Davis Legion. General Hampton gives the following account of this action: —

We repulsed the enemy, who threw a fresh regiment on the right flank of the Legion. I called up the right wing of the 1st North Carolina Cavalry, five companies, under Lieutenant Colonel Gordon (afterwards brigadier-general), and in turn charged. Another regiment charged the North Carolinians, when Colonel Baker, with the remaining five companies, struck them upon the flank. Baker was charged by a fresh regiment. Then I put in the Cobb Legion and broke the attacking party. The Cobb Legion was again attacked, and again with the Jeff Davis Legion I turned the flank; and this series of charges went on until all of my regiments named had charged three times, and I had gained ground to the right and front of more than half a mile. At this moment the 2d South Carolina Cavalry was brought up in good order from the rear, and under its protection I reformed my command, and retired in column of regiments, at a walk and without molestation. In the meantime, everything upon my left had given way, and the enemy were in Upperville. I came into the road beyond the village, and formed to support Robertson.((Philadelphia Weekly Times, July 20, 1878.))

Hampton brought off eighty prisoners from this fight. The enemy advanced but a short distance beyond Upperville. The last charge of the day was made by Colonel P. G. Evans’ regiment of North Carolina Cavalry, of Robertson’s brigade. This was the regiment which had become disordered in retiring through the town. Colonel Evans was determined to atone for this disgrace. Placing himself at the head of his column of fours in the narrow lane, and pointing with his drawn sabre toward the enemy, he cried, as with the voice of a trumpet, ” Now, men, I want you to understand that I am going through! ” He kept his word but fell mortally wounded in the midst of the enemy, whose ranks he had penetrated too far for the recovery of his body. A feeble attempt to follow this regiment as it returned from the charge was checked by Hampton’s brigade, and darkness closed down upon the scenes of this hard-fought day. Had a longer term of daylight permitted any further advance by the enemy they would have come into collision with Longstreet’s infantry, which had come down from the gap to Stuart’s aid. Of this reinforcement, however, General Pleasonton was ignorant. He acknowledges in his report that he was unable to follow Stuart into the gap, and, except that he assured himself ” that the enemy had no infantry force in Loudon Valley,” was able to transmit to army headquarters no other information as the result of this reconnaissance beyond that ” given by the negroes here.”

The Official Reports of Federal commanders and the narratives of Federal writers claim greater credit for the Federal cavalry than will be justified by a dispassionate study of all the records. The sum-total of results obtained in the way of information has already been indicated. As regards the fighting, it appears that Pleasonton, with superior force at his command, caused Stuart to retire over a distance certainly not greater than six miles, between eight o’clock in the morning and dark, on one of the longest days of the year. There is nothing in the details of the battle as given by the subordinate Federal commanders which would indicate any decided advantage gained by them in the fighting, and nothing which militates against the statement that Stuart’s defensive policy was successfully carried out during the whole day, and that his withdrawal from one position to another was executed in uniformly good order. If victory in any passage at arms is to be claimed by either side, it must be accorded to Hampton’s brigade, which at the close of the day relieved the pressure on Robertson’s two regiments, drove back the forces opposed to it, regained more than half a mile of ground, and retired from the battle at a walk, and unmolested. This success was mainly due to that personal influence which both during and since the war has marked Hampton as a leader of men. When the Jeff Davis Legion was counter-charged, its position seemed perilous. Hampton saw the danger and turned to Baker’s regiment. Drawing his sabre, and raising himself to his full height, he cried, ” 1st North Carolina, follow me! ” and those North Carolinians could as little resist that appeal as iron can fail to obey the magnet.

The duty devolving upon Stuart was one of the most difficult which belongs to the cavalry service, to retire in the presence of a superior force. He could oppose on either road only two brigades to the enemy’s two divisions and their supporting infantry, and even the Federal reports, while claiming victory in general terms, show how stubbornly he contested the field.

There was one feature of Stuart’s conduct on this day which attracted my attention. Until the battle reached Upperville he personally participated in it but little, remaining, however, in close observation of the field. I asked the reason of this unusual proceeding, and he replied that he had given all necessary instructions to his brigade commanders, and he wished them to feel the responsibility resting upon them, and to gain whatever honor the field might bring.

Stuart’s loss in the battles of the 17th, 19th, and 21st of June was 65 killed, 279 wounded, and 166 missing; a total of 510.

The Federal loss at Aldie and Middleburg, on the 17th of June, was 505. Colonel J. I. Gregg reports a loss of 127 in the battle of the 19th of June, and Generals Gregg and Buford report a loss of 188 on the 21st of June. Colonel Vincent lost 7 on the same day. The total Federal loss in these three engagements was, therefore, 827.

Mosby’s Rangers: A Record of the Operations of the Forty-Third Battalion Virginia Cavalry During the Battles of Aldie, Middleburg, Upperville June 17-21,1863

On the night of Thursday, June 18th, while Hooker’s army was in motion, Mosby, accompanied by Joseph H. Nelson, Norman Smith, and Charles L. Hall, penetrated the Federal lines, and at Birch’s house on the pike below Aldie, captured two Federal officers and an orderly. One of the officers was Captain Fisher, a signal officer, and the other. Major Sterling, who was the bearer of important dispatches from Hooker to Pleasonton, at Aldie, giving information as to his (Hooker’s) plans, with his letter of instructions to Pleasonton. These Mosby placed in the hands of Norman Smith, and by daylight on the morning of the 19th, Smith had delivered them to General Stuart, who made the following mention in his report:

“Major Mosby, with his usual daring, penetrated the enemy’s lines and caught a staff officer of General Hooker, bearer of dispatches to General Pleasonton, commanding U.S. Cavalry near Aldie. These dispatches disclosed the fact that Hooker was looking to Aldie with solicitude; that Pleasonton with infantry and cavalry occupied the place, and that a reconnaissance in force, of cavalry, was meditated toward Warrenton and Culpeper.”

Sending Nelson and Hall off with the prisoners, Mosby proceeded alone to within a short distance of the Potomac, gathered all the information he could concerning the location, strength and movements of Hooker’s forces, and started on his return.

He stopped at a farm house (Mr. John Coleman’s), for the purpose of making some inquiries, when hearing a noise in his rear, he turned and perceived two Federal cavalrymen picking cherries from a tree. Riding to where the two men were standing, he asked, “What regiment do you belong to?” The waterproof which Mosby had thrown over his shoulders to protect him from the drizzling rain, hid his gray uniform, and the cavalrymen, not suspecting who he was, answered that they were from the Fifth New York. He told them who he was and demanded their surrender. As they were unarmed and had only straggled from their camp nearby, there was no alternative and they yielded.

Coming in sight of the pike he discovered a long train of wagons passing, guarded by Federal cavalry. Turning to his prisoners, he told them he was in a tight place and meant to get out; that if either showed the slightest sign of an intention to’ betray him he would instantly shoot him. Having thus cautioned them, he tied their horses’ heads together to prevent their parting, and trotting along at a brisk gait, passed through the train and made his way safely to General Stuart’s headquarters. The train guards no doubt mistook Mosby for one of their own officers and the prisoners for his orderlies or escort. The boldness of his action threw them completely off their guard.

While Hooker was in front of Washington, awaiting the advance of Lee, the latter was moving his forces north by way of Culpeper, thence across the Blue Ridge and down the Valley to Maryland and Pennsylvania. Milroy was driven out of Winchester, and the greatest excitement existed along the border. The President of the United States issued a proclamation calling for 100,000 men from the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia to repel the invasion.

The Army of Northern Virginia, under General Lee, had been reorganized into three Army Corps: the First Corps under Lieutenant-General Longstreet, the Second Corps under Ewell, and the Third Corps under A. P. Hill.

The Second Corps, under General Ewell, the first to move, crossed the Shenandoah River, near Front Royal, on the 12th of June 1863, and was followed by Gen, A. P. Hill, with his three divisions, composing the Third Corps. General Longstreet, with his Corps (the First), marched by Ashby’s and Snicker’s Gaps into the Valley, on the 17th of June.

General Stuart with his cavalry covered these movements and guarded the approaches to the Gaps. For several days there was sharp skirmishing between Stuart’s cavalry and the Federal forces under Pleasonton, who were endeavoring to penetrate the mystery which surrounded the movements of the Confederate Army. Baffled in his efforts, Pleasonton, being heavily reinforced, attacked Stuart with his entire force on Sunday, June 21st.

The morning of the 21st was cloudy and threatening. Booming of cannon in the direction of Middleburg warned us that a fight was going on. As the sounds approached nearer, mingled with the rattle of small arms, we knew that our cavalry was falling back towards Upperville, where the hardest of the fighting took place. The battle, in which the whole of Pleasonton’s cavalry was engaged, lasted until night, when Stuart fell back to Ashby’s Gap.

During the excitement of a battle, one does not so fully realize the terrible effects as when going over the field afterwards. On the morning after the fight (Monday, 22d) white men and negroes were engaged in burying the dead. One poor fellow lay in a fence; corner, his brains spattered over the rails, while another had one-half of his head carried away by a shell. Another looked as if calmly sleeping, death had come to him so quickly. In one field, in front of the house at Ayreshire (the residence of Mr. Geo. S. Ayre), where Stuart made a desperate charge to save his train of wagons and ambulances, I counted 31 dead horses. The ground in many places was torn up in great holes and furrows by shot and shell. Roads through the fields in all directions, and big gaps in the stone fences, showed where the cavalry and artillery had ploughed through. The country around presented a scene of desolation; wheat fields trodden down and cornfields in many places looking as though they had never been planted. A poor horse that had one of its hind legs shot away, had grazed around in a circle. I thought it an act of mercy to put a ball through the head of the suffering creature. ((Williamson, James Joseph. Mosby’s Rangers: A Record of the Operations of the Forty-Third Battalion Virginia Cavalry, From Its Organization to the Surrender (p. 44-47). Lector House.))

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LIFE AND LETTERS OF HENRY LEE HIGGINSON BY BLISS PERRY – THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS, BOSTON COPYRIGHT, 1921 THE CIVIL WAR: FIRST PHASE – PAGES 195-198 ALDIES GAP JUNE 17 – MAJOR HENRY LEE HIGGINSON

On the following afternoon, June 17, Kilpatrick’s brigade reached Aldie Gap, a narrow opening in the hills, through which roads ran to Snicker’s Gap and Ashby’s Gap in the Blue Ridge, and so on to the valley of the Shenandoah. Pickets of the Second Virginia Cavalry had been posted all day at the village of Aldie, and four other regiments of Virginians, with one battery, were close at hand, hidden by the woods. As Kilpatrick’s troopers rode noisily into the little village, which lay drowsy in the June heat, shots were fired from behind a stone wall. Kilpatrick ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Greely Curtis to ascertain the enemy’s force, and Captain L. M. Sargent’s squadron, Lieutenant Fillebrown commanding the first platoon, was sent forward. This squadron charged the outposts of the Second Virginia Regiment, and drove them back, but in the excitement of the charge, failed to stop at the point indicated by Curtis, who now ordered Major Higginson to halt Sargent’s squadron. As this order was being carried out, a regiment of Virginia cavalry probably the Fifth, under Colonel Rosser charged down the rough winding road upon the Massachusetts men. For a moment there was fierce hand to-hand fighting with sabres and pistols. Major Higginson fell, severely wounded, Captain Sargent lay apparently dead, and Lieutenant Fillebrown was shot through the body. Lieutenant Parsons, reforming the squadron, bore the enemy back an instant, only to find himself cut off from his regiment. Kilpatrick’s brigade was not in effective position, while the Virginians knew every foot of ground. The Fourth and Fifth Virginia drove back Captain Tewksbury, who was striving to support Captain Sargent’s men. Captain C. F. Adams’s squadron was holding its ground, but nothing more.((“My poor men were just slaughtered and all we could do was to stand still and be shot down, while the other squadrons rallied behind us. The men fell right and left and the horses were shot through and through, and no man turned his back, but they only called on me to charge, I couldn’t charge, except across a ditch, up a hill and over two high stone walls, from behind which the enemy were slaying us; so I held my men there until, what with men shot down and horses wounded and plunging, my ranks were disordered and then I fell slowly back to some woods. A Cycle of Adams Letters, vol. 2, pp. 36, 37. This letter, while sketching vividly the fortune of Colonel Adams’s immediate command, gives a most inadequate account of the engagement as a whole.))

The Fourth New York Cesnola’s regiment refused to follow their colonel in the charge, and he was captured with the colors. Colonel Curtis now ordered Lieutenant Davis’s squadron of the First Massachusetts to charge up the narrow road. But dismounted sharpshooters, hidden behind the stone wall, opened a murderous fire, and Davis’s whole squadron was killed or captured. Among the prisoners was Lieutenant James J. Higginson.

Then the currents of this confused battle turned. The four squadrons of the First Massachusetts, which had borne the brunt of the fighting, had lost more than half their men killed, wounded, and captured. But Gregg now brought up the First Maine, and Kilpatrick swung the Second New York and the Sixth Ohio into action. That did the business. As the sun went down over Aldie Gap, the Confederates fell back along the Snickersville road, under Stuart’s orders.

Let us now return to Major Higginson, whom we left in the road with a sabre-cut across his face and a pistol bullet at the base of his spine. Many a time, in later years, did his friends persuade him to tell the story of that rough-and-tumble fight: how “the one who struck me across the face was a fine handsome-looking fellow,(( Major Higginson’s son, Mr. A. H. Higginson, tells me that his father supposed that the Confederate officer who gave him the sabre cut across his face was Colonel, afterwards General, Rosser. When the Hooker statue was dedicated in Boston, a delegation of Confederate veterans was invited to attend, and among them was General Rosser. Major Higginson and his son were dining in the University Club that evening, and one of these Confederate officers, who, Mr. A. H. Higginson thinks, was General Rosser, came over to their table and, touching Major Higgin son’s shoulder, remarked genially: “I want to see how good a job I did on your face, that day at Aldie.” The Major gave him both hands, and the two old men fraternized until the small hours of the morning)) and the one whom I hit on the head was a bad-looking chap”; how Rosser’s men left him to die, taking with them the gray horse, wounded though it was by four bullets;(( The gray was recaptured, and served Major Higginson as a riding-horse for many years)) how the Major painfully pulled off his shoulder straps, the only distinguishing mark between him and a private; how he took out his diary to “make a memorandum or two and say good-bye to my father”; and having done this, proceeded to crawl through the woods and down to the brook, and so on and on until his men found him.

But it is better to quote a few paragraphs from the Reminiscences.

“It had been a hot, tiresome ride. The men came along in pretty good order, although one of the regiments belonging to another brigade galloped about to get water and acted in a foolish way. Just as we came to the town of Aldie, we heard a little firing, and were ordered to the front. As we rode through the town, we saw a little fighting going on in front of us a little charge by some men of another regiment. We turned to the right, went up by a little wood, and our regiment was put into a field close by a farmhouse and close by the road. There, Colonel Curtis, in command, left me with two squadrons, and went to attend to something else. I rode up to this farmhouse, and saw one or two soldiers’ jackets hanging at the door, and was looking about, when I saw a regiment coming down at full tilt on the road towards us. I immediately ordered one squadron into the road and we charged these men. They turned straight around and ran away. We came very near their rear but could not reach them. They went down a hill and at the top I ordered a halt. Captain Sargent, with two or three men, rode straight on down into a valley after a few of the troopers we had been pursuing, and began fighting them. I yelled to him to come back, but he would not do so, and fearing that he would get into trouble, I rode down to give him the order, when right behind us came a whole regiment of Confederate cavalry at full speed. I shouted to Sargent and the two or three men with him to ride for their lives, and we galloped up a hill in front of us, where we lost one man through the balking of his horse. We reached the top of the hill, and the Confederates had stopped, as we were not worth pursuing, Sargent turned around in his saddle and made faces at them with his fingers, whereat they pursued us, and we rode down another very steep hill, and at the bottom they caught us, and we had a little shindy. Sargent was knocked from his horse and shot, as he thought, just above the heart. One of our men was killed, and one lieutenant was shot through the side. In striking a man opposite to me, who was using improper language, I was knocked from my horse, and found myself in the road. Over me was standing a man whom I had unhorsed, and who struck at my head. He then proposed to take me prisoner, but I told him I should die in a few minutes, for I put my hand under and found a hole in my backbone. He took what he could get of my goods, and rode off, leaving my horse, which had been shot with four bullets.

So, in five minutes the shindy was over, and three of us were wounded and one dying. When they were out of sight, I induced Captain Sargent to get up off the ground and come under a tree, where I left him close by a little house. He declared he could go no further and should die in a few minutes. I crawled along to a brook, where I lay down and drank a pail full of water, then crossed the brook and got up into a wood. When I had nearly reached a fence, I heard some noise, and lay down in the leaves and made a little memorandum in my notebook. Just then a solid shot came down close by me. Presently, when all was quiet, I got up again, climbed over the fence, and walked in the direction where fighting was still going on, and presently came in sight of our men, many of whom had been killed or wounded. I lay down on the ground, was presently put on a horse, which I could hardly bear, and taken to the hospital, where Dr. Osborne looked at me, and began to patch me up. He made a little slit in my back to see if he could find the ball, but could not; as a matter of fact, I had a pistol ball in the sacrum, a good slash across the cheek, a punch in the shoulder, which was of little account, and a bad whack on the head, which also turned out to have no results except a sore. Then I was taken down to the village by Colonel Curtis, some men carrying the litter, and put in a house with one or two other prisoners, and there left for the night. I heard that my brother had been captured, and a good many of our men had been killed or wounded; in fact, we had lost about half of our regiment. But we had beaten the enemy back….

THE CAVALRY FIGHT AT ALDIE.; Full Particulars by Our Special Correspondent. One of the Sharpest Cavalry Battles of The War. Two Brigades of Rebels Defeated by Gen. Gregg’s Advance. Stuart Commanding the Rebels in Person. Gallant Charge of the Harris Light Cavalry. The Enemy Driven Out of a Very Strong Position. THE WOUNDED. New York Times, Saturday June 20, 1863

ALDIE, Wednesday, June 17, 1863.

The advance of Gen. GREGG’S cavalry command reached this place at about 2 o’clock this afternoon, where two brigades of the enemy, commanded by Gen. STUART in person, were found in possession. After three hours’ hard fighting, they were forced to retire. The fight, while it lasted, was one of the sharpest that has occurred during the war, and as a consequence the loss of officers and men on both sides is very heavy.

The enemy’s pickets were first encountered a little east of the village by Companies H and M, of the Second New-York (Harris Light) cavalry, under the command of Lieut. DAN. WHITTAKER, and were by them driven through the town back to a ridge of hills half a mile to the west, extending across from the Middleburgh and Snicker’s Gap Road, where the rebel force was in position ready for action. The advance brigade, under Gen. KILPATRICK, immediately moved through to the westerly edge of the town. The First Maine, Col. DOUTY, was sent off to a point half a mile to the left, and the Fourth New-York, Col. CESNOLA, to the right, to support a section of ANDREWS’ battery placed on a rise of ground north of the Snicker’s Gap road. The enemy at this time occupied the hill, as before stated, where they had four guns in position; a line of their skirmishers occupied a fence on the eastern slope, and a long ditch, just in front of which were half a dozen stacks of hay – thus commanding both Middleburgh and Snicker’s Gap roads. A stronger position could not well have been selected.

When the exact position of the enemy had been ascertained by drawing; their fire, Gen. KILPATRICK rode up to the Second New-York (Harris’ Light.) and said then was the time for them to wipe out the reflection cast upon them for their alleged misconduct in the fight of last week, at Brandy Station. He ordered them to charge into the valley and secure the hay-stacks – the ditch or ravine at the rear of this position had not then been discovered. Companies H and M, accompanied by Lieuts. WHITTAKER, RAYMOND, MARTINSON, HOMAN and STUART, moved off down the Middleburgh road, the fence to the right was quickly thrown down, and with a dash, this forlorn hope rushed up to the hay-stacks. For the first time their fire was opened from the ditch a little to the rear of the hay-stacks. This was filled with rebel cavalry – many of them armed with rifles. Capt. GRINTAR, with Lieuts. MATTISON and SHAEER, and Company K, dashed up immediately to the support of these companies, F, I, D and G, went to the right up the Snicker’s Gap road a piece, turned to the left, crossed the field, and reached the scene of conflict in time to take an active part. The contest for twenty minutes at this point was about as spirited a scene as is often witnessed on a battle-field. The Sixth Ohio, Maj. STEADMAN, was sent up the road to the left to support the Harris’ Light, when the whole command, with the Major at its head, dashed into the fight just in time to decide the unequal contest. The rebels were forced to abandon their position, and all who were not killed or captured fled precipitately up the hill. They made a short stand behind the fence, when a dash from a battalion of the Fourth New-York, called in from its position behind the battery, together with the other regiments already named, drove them pell mell over the hill. The First Maine, at about this time, was called in from the left, and with the First Massachusetts, stationed on the Snicker’s Gap road, to a position held by the Second battalion of the Fourth New-York. The rebels, at this time, charged down the same road and drove before them a squadron, when Gen. KILPATRICK ordered the First Maine, Col. DOUTY, First Massachusetts, Lient. Col. CURTIS, and a battalion of the Fourth New-York, under Col. CESNOLA, to charge up the road. There was a little hesitancy at first, when Gen. KILPATRICK, accompanied by Col. DOUTY of the First Maine, and Capt. COSTAR of Gen. PLEABANTON’s Staff, went to the front and called upon the troops to follow. There was no hesitancy then. The Maine boys gave three cheers for Gen. KILPATRICK, and the whole column made a dash up the road in the face of a terrible fire from carbines, rifles and cannon, sweeping everything before them. This virtually ended the fight. The rebels, after a little more skirmishing, fell back, and our forces to-night occupy their position.

Col. CESNOLA was under arrest at the commencement of the action, but set such a gallant example to his men, by leading the first charge without his sword, that upon returning to the road, Gen. KILPATRICK released him from arrest, and placed upon him his own sword. He immediately after participated in the charge with the First Maine, First Massachusetts and Fourth New-York, and has not been seen since. A sergeant of the regiment asserts that he saw the Colonel fall, and is sure that he was killed, and some of the rebel prisoners confirm this report. But the report of his death is not generally believed. In this charge Gen. KILPATRICK had a horse shot under him, and Col. DOUTY, of the First Maine, was killed. When returning from the charge, the body was found by Capt. VAUGHN, who had it properly cared for. Two shots struck him – probably at about the same time. The First Massachusetts captured the battle-flag of the Fourth Virginia cavalry.

More than 100 prisoners were captured – members, principally, of the First, Third and Fifth Virginia cavalry. They say they were under the command of Gen. STUART. Among the prisoners is on Colonel, three Majors and a lot of line officers. The Major and sixty men, who were stationed behind the hay-stacks, were nearly all captured. The Major considered his position impregnable, not believing that any cavalry would dare make a charge upon the place, swept as the whole field was by three lines of guns.

The meeting of Gen. GREGG’s command was entirely unexpected by the rebels. STUART had arrived thus far on a forced march into Maryland – having marched 25 miles this morning and expecting to be on the road again in the evening. Two regiments had entered the town and had pressed into their service all the blacksmith tools to be found; and when our advance guard approached, they were busily engaged shoeing horses. To-day, the command of Col. DUFFIE passed through Thoroughfare Gap after a brief fight, and to-night occupies Middleburgh, five miles from Aldie, and in the read of STUART’S army. STUART will have a fight tomorrow at a disadvantage, or what is more probable, sneak off to-night. Capt. ALLEN, of the Fourth New-York cavalry, came through the rebel lines with this news.

During the engagement to-day, Gen. GREGG managed affairs in a manner reflecting the highest credit upon his profession. He was fortunate not only in having an efficient staff but able commanders under him to execute all orders received.

E.A. PAUL Second New-York Cavalry (Harris Light.)

THE WOUNDED
Washington, Friday, June 19.
One hundred and six of the wounded from the fight at Aldie, Va., arrived at Fairfax Station last night.

Washington, Friday, June 19-P.M
The wounded in the cavalry fight at Aldie were brought here today and placed in hospitals. Many of them severely injured.((THE CAVALRY FIGHT AT ALDIE.; Full Particulars by Our Special Correspondent. One of the Sharpest Cavalry Battles of The War. Two Brigades of Rebels Defeated by Gen. Gregg’s Advance. Stuart Commanding the Rebels in Person. Gallant Charge of the Harris Light Cavalry. The Enemy Driven Out of a Very Strong Position. THE WOUNDED. New York Times, Saturday June 20, 1863))

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Advance of the Cavalry-Middleburgh and Philomont Occupied-Incidents of the Fight at Aldie: New York Times, Thursday June 22, 1863

DOINGS OF THE CAVALRY

Letters from Our Special Correspondent

MIDDLEBURGH, Va., Thursday, June 18, 1863.

An advance was made upon this town to-day, the Tenth New-York cavalry in front. The enemy, after the sound threshing received yesterday, fell back during the night, leaving only a strong picket force behind. This was driven beyond the town after a brisk skirmish to-day. The enemy are now a little to the west of the town arranging, it is presumed, the preliminaries for another general engagement, having received reinforcements. Fortunately, we have fresh and well-tried troops to throw against them; provided they do make a stand, no one here for a moment doubts what the result will be. Our cavalry, as at present managed, has proved its invincibility; the men have confidence in themselves and their officers have confidence in them, and experience has taught them that they are fully equal to any force the enemy can bring against them.

After the action at Aldie yesterday, the bodies of some 27 privates and three officers, belonging to STUART’S command, were found upon the field and buried. Seventeen dead bodies were found near the haystacks. It is known that the rebels carried off many of their dead during the action, by balancing the bodies across horses. Their loss in killed and wounded must have been very heavy. The reports of the different regiments to the Medical Director, as I am informed by Surgeon PHILLPS, makes our loss in wound alone 121. We lost but a few prisoners. The enemy at one time had fifty or more at one point, but they were recaptured in the charges made up the Snicker’s Gap road – in which work the New-York Fourth particularly distinguished itself. Some of these prisoners assert that the rebel officers in several instances ordered their men to show no quarter – this at times when they happened to get a squadron of our men surrounded by a superior force. One officer who repeatedly gave this order – when subsequently the table were turned, was among the first to ask for quarter – before, in fact, there was any real necessity for it. This officer was Col. ROSSEAU, of the Fifth Virginia cavalry, and the remark was heard by Corp. WICKMAN, Fourth New-York cavalry, then a prisoner. Fortunately, for the cause of humanity, the inhuman order was generally disobeyed. While the officers in the rebel service seem to be inspired by a demoniacal spirit of revenge, and particularly so in the late actions, I am happy to say that this feeling finds but little sympathy among the rank and file. In fact, a majority of the privates captured rather like the opportunity to get out of the service into which they have been forced, against their will, in most cases.

Complaints have frequently been made that Surgeons are not numerous enough near the front in time of action, to render immediate assistance to wounded men. No such complaints can be made of the medical men in Gen. KILPATICKS’S brigade, as one instance will show. Surgeon STREETER was up with the Fourth New-York cavalry under a heavy fire, attending to his duties, when the enemy made that last and desperate charge of the down Snicker’s Gap road to capture RANDALL’S section of artillery; he was at once surrounded by rebels, who having just then no respect for his calling, fired several shots at him before he had time to mount his horse, jump a fence and get beyond range of their pistols. In a previous letter I erroneously called RANDALL’S, ANDREWS’ battery. I have before stated that Col. CESNOLA was released from arrest on the battle for heroic conduct. When Gen. KILPATRICK passed his own (Gen. KILPATRICK’S) sword to him, he said: “Bring it back bloody.” In the next charge Col. CESNOLA was captured, but though he did not bring back the sword, there is abundant evidence that the sword was covered with blood, for just before he was captured, he thrust it clean through the body of a rebel who had fired at him with a pistol.

The first Massachusetts has the credit of capturing a battle-flag; but in this connection the whole truth has not been stated. A member of the Fourth New-York killed the flag-bearer, when a man of the First Massachusetts rode up and seized it. I make this explanation in justice to all parties.

The total number of prisoners captured yesterday was 150. Twenty or thirty more were brought in today.

Gen. BUFORD moved up the Snicker’s Gap road as far as Philomont, 10 miles, without meeting any other work to do than driving before him a pretty large picket of the enemy.

E.A. PAUL((Advance of the Cavalry-Middleburgh and Philomont Occupied-Incidents of the Fight at Aldie: New York Times, Thursday June 22, 1863))

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THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.; ANOTHER GREAT CAVALRY BATTLE. A Brilliant Victory Won by Gen. Pleasanton Over Gen. Stuart. The Enemy Driven Eight Miles, from Middleburgh to Asby’s Gap. Desperate Hand-to-Hand Fighting. Artillery and Infantry Also Engaged. The Enemy’s Losses Very Heavy and Ours Very Light. OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL PLEASANTON. THE WHEREABOUTS OF LEE. His Army Massed in the Shenandoah Valley. New York Times, Thursday June 23, 1863

FULL DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR.

Dispatch From Out Special Correspondent.
Washington, Monday June 22.
Mr. E.A. Paul sends the following to this Bureau:

Upperville, VA, Sunday June 21 – 5 P.M.

This has been truly a glorious day for that portion of the army commanded by Gen. PLEASONTON.

On Saturday but little advance was made, our forces in front bivouacking at night in a piece of woods but a short distance west of Middleburgh. At 8 o’clock this morning active hostilities were resumed, and there has been a running fight up to several miles west of this town. The contest as well as the result, must be particularly gratifying to the Commanding General, for he has met the famous Gen. STUART in pitched combat, half a dozen times, and in all cases defeated him, and caused his forces to fall back precipitately.

STUART, all along the road between Paris and Middleburgh, told the inhabitants that he would certainly drive our forces back to Manassas, and there whip them. Per contra, he has himself been driven back to the Blue Ridge, and from the stone where I am seated penning these lines, I can see the smoke of his guns fired in defense of Ashby’s Gap. So hard pressed was he, and so fearful that his defeat might result in an entire rout, that at common or Hatch’s Run, three miles west of Middleburgh, he sent an express messenger ordering up a brigade of infantry to meet him at Rector’s Cross Roads. The wished-for assistance came, but it availed him little. Our men nerved themselves to the task, and drove everything before them – the enemy, in their haste, throwing away their accoutrements, provisions, clothing, wagons, cannon and camp equipage. Three cannon have been captured, a number of horses, and more than one hundred prisoners, representing nearly every State in the Confederacy.

Moving out of Middleburgh this morning, the troops under Gen. BUFORD took a road to the right, leading to Unionville, while Gen. GREGG moved up the main road direct toward Ashby’s Gap, passing through Rector’s Cross-roads. Col. VINCENT, with the Eighty-third Pennsylvania, Sixteenth Michigan, Forty-fourth New-York and Twentieth Maine infantry, also moved up this road in advance, two companies in advance of each regiment deployed as skirmishers, while other companies acted as supports. FULLER’S regular battery was placed in the first favorable position west of the town and fired several shots before receiving any response. The enemy finally opened fire with two guns, and a brisk cannonading of one of the enemy’s guns was exploded by a shell thrown from a section of FULLER’S battery, commanded by Lieut. KELLY, and another shell broke the limber of another piece. Both guns were captured by the cavalry. The rebels at another point abandoned a brass howitzer and caisson.

They fell back from one position to another, until they reached their present one on the mountain. The strongest resistance was made at Comell’s River, Goose Creek, and just above Upperville bridge, over Goose Creek. The enemy had made every arrangement to destroy the bridge, but Gen. KILPATRICK, whose brigade was in the advance – in fact, it was during the whole day, pursuing the retreating forces – ordering a charge to be made as he reached the bridge, completely frustrated the design. Capt. COONS, of the Harris Light cavalry, led this charge, while the Fourth New-York advanced as dismounted, enfilading the bridge.

Arriving at Upperville, two squadrons of the First Maine were ordered to charge through the town, which they did in the most gallant manner. The rest of the First Maine and the Fourth New-York acted as supports. Just beyond the town considerable force of the enemy was massed. The First Maine, Sixth Ohio, Tenth New-York, Second New-York, and Fourth Pennsylvania charge upon them furiously. The resistance was greater here than at other point. Two of our regiments were in the road, and one on each side. They charge and were repulsed. Several charges were made with the like results, until the two forces became jammed together, and a regular hand-to-hand conflict took place, lasting more than twenty minutes. In the first charge the enemy placed sharpshooters along the stone walls at the side of the road, and our troops suffered from their fire. Gen. KILPATRICK also arranged a similar reception for the enemy, and thus the two forces swayed to and fro under a galling cross-fire. The officers and men on both sides fought like fiends, and in the excitement many of the enemy were killed who might have been taken prisoners. Gen. KILPATRICK nearly lost his own life in attempting to save the life of the Colonel of a North Carolina regiment. Finally, the enemy yielded, and fell back, hotly pursued by Gen. KILPATRICK’S bloody brigade, until the concentrated fire from a battery warned Gen. GREGG that it was time to withdraw his men. The brigade of regulars which had been sent up as support, much to the amusement of all about, wheeled and hurried out of range. The Harris Light and First Maine marched out of range as slowly and deliberately as if going upon parade. No troops in the world ever stood such a terrible fire more unflinchingly.

From Rector’s Cross Roads to Upperville was almost a rout. The enemy turned at bay near Upperville. The Fourth New-York charged, with Gen. KILPATRICK at their head, and, breaking, retired, leaving Gen. KILPATRICK a prisoner. The Fourth, however, promptly rallied, charged again, and the General was rescued. The troops, with the single exception noted, all behaved well, as did most of the officers. Gen. KILPATRICK, commanding the centre, was always in the right place, and inspiring the men under him by his dashing example. He led several charges in person, the most dashing of all being the onset west of Upperville. Col. GREGG, commanding the left, discharged his duties promptly and like a brave man. Gen. GREGG, commanding this division, and Gen. PLEASANTON, were near the front all day, carefully watching every movement. The former had a horse killed under him by a round shot. The conduct of Col. VINCENT, commanding the infantry, is everywhere spoken of in the highest terms. Capt. ARMSTRONG and Lieut. ESTES, of Gen KILPATRICK’S Staff, on two occasions, after delivering an order, led a column against the enemy under a most terrific fire, and excited the admiration of all for their gallant conduct and excellent example.

While the centre and left were engaged with Gen. STUART in person, Gen BUFORD, with varying success, was fighting “Alphabet” Lee on the right. At this hour he has the enemy in front forced back to the mountains.

The Rebels along the line of march are completely chopfallen at the ill success of the favorite Gen. STUART, and they predict that he will yet pay us off.

Strange as it may appear, while out loss is comparatively trifling, that of enemy is very heavy. We already as many dead rebels in our possession as our entire loss in killed. Besides, it is known that they carried off several ambulances loaded with their own dead. Out loss is about ten killed and one hundred wounded. Among the enemy’s killed is Col. WILCOX, of the Ninth Virginia cavalry. The Colonel of a South Carolina regiment is a prisoner, and the Colonel of the Fifty-ninth North Carolina is seriously wound and a prisoner.

E.A. PAUL((THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.; ANOTHER GREAT CAVALRY BATTLE. A Brilliant Victory Won by Gen. Pleasanton Over Gen. Stuart. The Enemy Driven Eight Miles, from Middleburgh to Asby’s Gap. Desperate Hand-to-Hand Fighting. Artillery and Infantry Also Engaged. The Enemy’s Losses Very Heavy and Ours Very Light. OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL PLEASANTON. THE WHEREABOUTS OF LEE. His Army Massed in the Shenandoah Valley. New York Times, Thursday June 23, 1863))