Cedar Montain.
The Hero of the
Federal Attack.
General Samuel W. Crawford, here seen with his staff, at
Cedar Mountain led a charge on the left flank of the Confederate forces that came near being disastrous for
Jackson.
At about six o'clock the brigade was in line.
General Williams reported: “At this time this brigade occupied the interior line of a strip of woods.
A field, varying from 250 to 500 yards in width, lay between it and the next strip of woods.
In moving across this field the three right regiments and the six companies of the Third Wisconsin were received by a terrific fire of musketry.
The Third Wisconsin especially fell under a partial flank fire under which
Lieut.-Colonel Crane fell and the regiment was obliged to give way. Of the three remaining regiments which continued the charge (Twenty-eighth New York, Forty-sixth Pennsylvania, and Fifth Connecticut) every field-officer and every adjutant was killed or disabled.
In the Twenty-eighth New York every company officer was killed or wounded; in the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania all but five; in the Fifth Connecticut all but eight.”
It was one of the most heroic combats of the war. A Leader of Cavalry.
Colonel Alfred N. Duffie was in command of the First Rhode Island Cavalry, in the Cavalry Brigade of the Second Division of
McDowell's (Third) Corps in
Pope's Army of Virginia.
The cavalry had been used pretty well during
Pope's advance.
On the 8th of August, the day before the
battle of Cedar Mountain, the cavalry had proceeded south to the house of
Dr. Slaughter.
That night
Duffie was on picket in advance of
General Crawford's troops, which had come up during the day and pitched camp.
The whole division came to his support on the next day. When the infantry fell back to the protection of the batteries, the cavalry was ordered to charge the advancing Confederates.
“Officers and men behaved admirably, and I cannot speak too highly of the good conduct of all of the brigade,” reported
General Bayard.
After the battle the cavalry covered the retreat of the artillery and ambulances.
On August 18th, when the retreat behind the Rappahannoc was ordered, the cavalry again checked the
Confederate advance.
During the entire campaign the regiment of
Colonel Duffie did yeoman's service.
