|
Captain Stump at New
Market By Tim
Sullivan While awaiting General
Breckinridge’s re-enforcements to come up, General Imboden was engaged in
a series of delaying actions against Major General Franz Sigel as he
advanced up the Valley.1 On May 14, Imboden’s brigade
formed a battle line across the pike, four miles below New Market at
Rude’s Hill. Sigel ordered Colonel Augustus Moor forward to ascertain
Imboden’s strength. At 3 P. M., Major Quinn’s cavalry, engaged the rebel
skirmishers, with Colonel Wynkoop’s cavalry quickly coming up in support.
The Confederates were steadily driven back until New Market was reached.
With the infantry and artillery now in support, Colonel Moor’s artillery
unlimbered and opened fire. Imboden’s battery returned fire but the
cannonading soon ceased.2 As the intense dark night
fell, it began to rain; Colonel Moor was now afforded the opportunity to
realign his forces more to the front along the Shenandoah River. The
Federals now arrayed in perfect order of battle were ordered to remain in
position. Around 8 P. M., Captain Stump’s Co. B was spotted crossing an
open field, directly in front of Major Edward W. Stephens’ 1st WV
Infantry. The 1st WV waited quietly in position until the
Confederates came within range of their muskets.3 About 9 P. M. General
Imboden summoned Lt. Charles W. Buchanan, Co. G, 18th Regt to
his headquarters. Imboden stated to the Lt. that he had good news and that
General Breckinridge was now encamped at Lacey Springs and that we must
fall back to that position to avoid the danger of a night attack. The
General went on to say that Captain Stump and his Co. were deployed to the
left of town as skirmishers and that the Lt.’s mission was to bring Capt.
Stump in. The Lt. feeling uneasy about the mission stated: “General, you
know Sigel occupies the hill just in front of us.” Imboden, well aware of
Sigel’s position eased the Lt.’s fears by stating that the mission was
both “difficult and dangerous” but through his “courage and discretion” he
would be able to accomplish the mission.4 The Lt. thanked the General
and rode off in search of Capt. Stump. The thick darkness, hindered the
Lt.’s search for Capt. Stump, forcing him to return to the main street of
town. Lt. Buchanan stood listening to the still of the night for but a few
minutes, when Colonel C. T. O’Ferrell, of the 23rd VA Cav. rode
up on him. The Colonel was also looking for skirmishers, but from his
regt. and after conversing for a few minutes, the officers departed their
separate ways. Shortly thereafter, Lt. Buchanan’s horse noisily stumbled
over some rocks, attracting a heavy volley of fire from the enemy. Capt.
Stump’s Co. immediately returned the fire and from their rifle blaze the
Lt. was able to ascertain Capt. Stump’s position, which was but a short
distance away. With Imboden’s orders delivered, Lt. Buchanan and Capt.
Stump’s Co. withdrew to headquarters.5 With Captain Stump’s
disengagement of enemy forces, Imboden withdrew south, to the excellent
defensive position on Shirley’s Hill.6 In the early morning on the
15th, Sigel’s aide de camp, Major Lang was ordered forward to
ascertain the night’s skirmish. Arriving at Colonel Moor’s position, Maj.
Lang learned that Imboden withdrew from the front during the night. The
Major, pushing the reconnaissance further and taking an elevated position,
witnessed the rebel skirmish line forming across the Valley floor. In but
a short time, Confederate forces had formed their first and second lines
of battle at leisure. Major Lang’s repeated messages for Sigel to push
forward with his entire army went unheeded. The day was lost when the
over-confident Sigel finally came up. The rebel assault hurled Sigel’s
forces down the Valley, inflicting some 600 casualties.7 1 Delauter, Roger U. “62nd Virginia
Infantry,” Lynchburg: H. E. Howard, Inc. 1988 pg. 28 2 Lang, Theodore F. “Loyal West Virginia 1861 to
1865,” Baltimore: The Deutsch Publishing CO.1895 pg.
112 3 Ibid 4 Potts, J. N. “Who Fired The First Gun At New
Market?,” Confederate Veteran., XVII 1909 pg. 453 5 Ibid 6 Delauter, Roger U. “18th Virginia
Cavalry,” Lynchburg: H. E. Howard, Inc. 1985 pg 19 7 Lang, pgs. 113, 114 |
