Doc. 193. expedition to Drainesville, Va.
Colonel Bayard's report.
camp Pierpont, Va., Nov. 27, 1861.
sir: In obedience to orders, I started from this camp yesterday, at nine o'clock in the evening, for the purpose of marching on Drainesville.
We reached positions above and behind Drainesville shortly after five in the morning, after a very tedious and toilsome march.
Major Burrows advanced on the town by the northern pike, which leads to it, with two companies of the regiment, while I, with the other eight, gained the rear of the town and advanced by the Leesburg pike.
There were but two picketsmen in the town.
These were cavalry men belonging to Col. Stuart's Virginia Horse, and were captured, with their horses and arms, by Captain Stadelmann, Company B.
I arrested six of the citizens of Drainesville, who were known to be secessionists of the bitterest stamp.
Their names are as follows: John T. Day, M. D., Drainesville; R. H. Gannel, Great Falls, Va.; John T. D. Bell, C. W. Coleman, Drainesville; W. B. May, M. D., J. B. Fair.
Upon my return, some miles from Drainesville, a fire was opened upon the head of the column from a
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thick pine wood.
Assistant-Surgeon Alexander was seriously wounded, and private Joel Houghtaling, I fear, mortally wounded, and I had my horse killed.
Surgeon Stanton received a ball in his overcoat, and his horse was shot twice.
The woods were instantly surrounded, and the carbineers dismounted and sent within them.
We killed two and captured four, one of whom is shot twice and not expected to live.
I captured two good horses, five shot-guns, one Hall's rifle, and two pistols.
The names of the prisoners are as follows: W. D. Farley, First Lieutenant South Carolina Volunteers, Captain on General Bonham's staff; F. De Coradene, Lieutenant Seventh South Carolina Volunteers; P. W. Carper, Seventh South Carolina Volunteers; F. Hildebrand, A. M. Whitten, Thirtieth Virginia Cavalry, taken at Drainesville, on picket; Thos. Coleman, citizen of Drainesville, dangerously wounded.
We killed or captured all we saw. I cannot close the report without speaking of the splendid manner in which both men and officers behaved.
The fine manner in which Majors Jones, Byrnes, Second Lieutenant Fifth Cavalry, and Burrows acted, cannot be too highly appreciated.
All acted well, and I cannot but thus publicly express my admiration for their truly admirable behavior.
Very respectfully, General McCall transmitted Colonel Bayard's report in the following words:
General: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of Col. G. D. Bayard, First regiment Cavalry, Pennsylvania Reserve, of a very successful expedition made during the last twenty-four hours, in the direction of Drainesville, where I had ascertained that a picket force of the enemy was stationed. The men who were sent by the colonel for ambulances, reported to me a strong force opposed to the colonel, whereupon I put the first brigade of my division under arms, and, with Kirnes' battery, was marching to his support, when we met the colonel's command returning. The troops all evinced the most praiseworthy alacrity on the occasion.George A. Mccall, Brig.-Gen. Commanding Division.
