June 13, 1862

June 13, 1862: Gen. Stuart’s Wild Ride, Day 2 - On this date, Stuart’s troopers right eastward. Just west of Hanover, they encounter troopers from the 6th U.S. Cavalry, who in turn withdraw. The Union cavalry officer informs his superiors that it is only a squadron of Rebels and nothing to worry about. Later in the morning, the Rebels surprise a few Yankee pickets at Haw’s Shop. Later in the day, they encounter a larger force of Federal cavalry, perhaps regiment-sized, and give pursuit as the bluecoats turn to retreat. Near Old Church, Stuart finds that the Federals have formed a line with the clear intent of stopping his raid. Stuart sends a squadron of horsemen forward to engage the Yankees, and Capt. William Latane has his men draw sabers and dash directly down the road at the blue line. Capt. Latane is shot dead out of his saddle, but the Yankees are sufficiently alarmed that, after exchanging a few shots, depart hastily. Stuart orders their camp burnt, and pauses to consider: he has already obtained the information Gen. Lee wanted–that is, that McClellan’s right flank is "in the air" and might be vulnerable to attack. Stuart ponders whether to go back the way he came, and risk being trapped by Union forces that certainly must be giving chase by now—or, to continue on and ride entirely around the Union Army—a bold stroke that would pay off in great morale dividends. He decides on the latter. His men ride on, picking up their pace. Along the way, they pass close enough to the Union army that they are within eyeshot of McClellan’s headquarter tents, but they ride quietly by. The Rebels also capture and burn a large supply wagon train, as well as a few schooners on the river. Meanwhile, the Yankee pickets are back in camp giving wildly exaggerated reports on Stuart’s force. A hastily-assembled Union cavalry force is assembled by the commander of the Reserve Cavalry (whose responsibility is the security of the behind-the-liines regions), who is Brig. Gen. Philip St. George Cooke (former commander of the Mormon Battalion in 1847-48), a Virginian who refused to support the Rebel cause—and who also happened to be Stuart’s father-in-law. Cooke and his troopers give chase. 

At Old Church, Gouverneur K. Warren deploys his infantry brigade astraddle the road to catch Stuart on their way back. (No one dreamed that he would try to ride all the way around the Union host.) At Tunstall’s Station, where the road crossed the main railroad from White House (McClellan’s main supply port) to Richmond, Stuart’s men attack a Union army train as it goes by—loaded with Union infantry. The Confederates fire a couple of volleys, but the train continues on toward the Union camps. Some soldiers jump off, but are immediately made prisoners by Stuart’s men who, by this time, have already captured a large number of horses and mules, and so mount the Yankee prisoners on the latter. By dark, Stuart’s men have made it to Talleyville, and stop for a brief few hours of sleep. At midnight, they are off again, heading to the uncrossable Chickahominy River.

Gen. Stuart, same pose.

Brig. Gen. Philip St. George Cooke, his hapless father-in-law

—President Lincoln, now recognizing that his commanders in the Shenandoah Valley are retreating from the imagined threat of what Jackson might do to them, writes a rather testy telegram to Gen. Fremont, detailing the situation (which Fremont and Banks surely already knew), and offering with restraint some rather elementary military advice (which Fremont and Banks surely already knew) and thus how he and Banks ought to be able to trap Jackson and bring him to battle:

Washington City, D.C.--June 13 1862

Major Gen. Fremont:

We can not afford to keep your force, and Banks', and McDowell's, engaged in keeping Jackson South of Strasburg and Front-Royal. You fought Jackson alone, and worsted him.* He can have no substantial reinforcement, so long as a battle is pending at Richmond. Surely you and Banks in supporting distance are capable of keeping him from returning to Winchester. But if Sigel be sent forward to you, and McDowell (as he must) be put to other work, Jackson will break through at Front Royal again. He is already on the right side of the Shenandoah to do it, and on the wrong side of it to attack you. The orders already sent you and Banks place you and him in the proper positions for the work assigned you. Jackson can not move his whole force on either of you, before the other can learn of it, and go to his assistance. He can not divide his force, sending part against each of you because he will be too weak for either. Please do as I directed in the order of the 8th. and my despatch of yesterday, the 12th, and neither you nor Banks will be overwhelmed by Jackson. By proper scouts-look-outs, and beacons of smokes by day, and fires by night, you can always have timely notice of the enemy's approach. I know not as to you, but by some, this has been too much neglected.

A. LINCOLN

[*Or so Fremont erroneously reported about the battle at Cross Keys, which was a Rebel victory.]

—George Templeton Strong, referring to the United States Sanitary Commission’s efforts to improve the sanitation, feeding, and medical care of soldiers in the field, writes with frustration in his journal:

Nothing new. Letter from [Frederick Law] Olmstead this afternoon at No. 498, ten pages long, giving a fearful, sickening account of the weakness and inefficiency and imbecility of Dr. Tripler and his subordinates on the Peninsula; of carloads of wounded men dumped on swampy river shores without food, medicine, or attendance; of men with fractured thighs lying neglected and forgotten forty-eight hours in two inches of water, struggling to raise themselves so as to pick the maggots from their rotting wounds and fainting after the effort, and yet keeping a good heart through it. God propser Ellie [Mrs. Strong, his wife] in her mission!

—Lt. Col. Edward Porter Alexander, 27 years old, a Confederate artillery officer, writes home to his wife. Among other things, he advises her not to return to Richmond for the time being, expressing the common alarm in Richmond about being defeated by McClellan’s formidable host:

I don’t think, Darling, that it will do for you to come back to Richmond at all. I could see very little of you, & the city is hotter & more uncomfortable & expensive every day, & moreover I am now much afraid that we will lose it. You had better stay at Farmville till something turns up – which must happen soon.