The Comanches: A History of White's Battalion, Virginia Cavalry

by Frank M. Myers

After reaching the top of the mountain, about two and a-half miles from the object of his expedition, he dismounted five men, to wit: T. S. Grubb, John Tribbey, R. Ferro, C. Cooper, and F. M. Myers, and putting the last named in command, sent them forward along the backbone of the Blue Ridge, as a forlorn hope, with instructions to get as close as possible without being perceived by the enemy, and then to fire and dash upon the houses, telling them that he would support them with the balance of the company, which now numbered about thirty-five men—and boys. The advance guard moved off, thinking that whatever their Captain said was all right, and that his orders must be obeyed at every hazard. They were deployed as skirmishers, the commander keeping as near the line of the mountain summit as possible, while on the right and left were two men, the first ten steps from the leader and the second the same distance beyond the first. In this manner they moved quietly along, with the understanding that as a signal their leading man, in case of need, should whistle once to cause them to lie down, and two notes from the natural bugle meant forward again. While on the way, Cooper asked to be allowed to shoot at the first Yankee he saw and as soon as he saw him, to which Myers objected, but finally agreed that if he was near enough to see the white of his eye he might shoot.

Almost before they knew it they were at the edge of the clearing around the blockhouses, and the Yankees were close by them, upon which the leader whistled and all lay down to look at the situation; but soon a tramp was heard, and looking to the right they saw a sentry walking his beat, which would bring him within ten feet of the forlorn hope, if he kept on, and on looking at Cooper he was seen with his gun across a stump, cocked, ready to fire, and aiming at the Yankee, the white of whose eye was plainly visible certainly, and it required all the signs in his power to make for Myers to prevent him from shooting the sentry, who passed on unconscious of treading so close to the heads of five rebels. There were about eight hundred infantry and five pieces of artillery at the blockhouses, and three of the guns were pointing exactly in the direction of the scouts. Here was a beautiful piece of work; thirty men to assault such a force as this; but they were going to do it, and the five only waited for the others to get in supporting distance, to commence the attack. It was not made, however, for while lying there they heard a shot in the rear, and crawling back through the bushes until out of sight of the enemy, they got up and traveled as fast as possible to the rear, and finally reached the Captain, who only pointed with his hand down towards the valley, and wheeling his horse dashed away. Looking in that direction they saw a force of cavalry and infantry moving up the grade, and already they were beyond Neersville, while in their rear some forage wagons were going along the grade.

They at once conjectured that their Captain was going to attack this party and hurried back faster than ever to get their horses, and as soon as all his people were together White dashed down the mountain and charged the foragers, but they were too fast for him, and after following them under the guns of the blockhouses he turned about and gave up the chase.

The company then returned to their quarters, and for several days did nothing but picket, the force being divided into two parties, one under Henry Moore and the other under Frank Myers, who would relieve each other every six hours.

This was soldiering with the gilding off, and many were the homesick boys, as during the stormy hours of those winter nights they sat on their horses peering through the dark for the enemy who threatened them always, but never came to drive them away, although their cavalry came near to us many times; on one occasion going to the old schoolhouse at Rehoboth, which had been occupied by the Southern cavalry as a shelter for their pickets, and burned it down, although they knew they were advancing and it could no longer be used for that purpose.

On another occasion some of them made a valiant descent upon Taylortown and captured “Stout” Williams’ Mill at that place, carrying off his books and papers, along with his flour and almost everything else that was moveable about the premises.

However, the hard duty performed by the little garrison at Waterford was soon to change now, for matters drew to a crisis very rapidly after McClellan’s army commenced to advance from the lines around Washington, and one evening Capt. White came up from Leesburg and informed his company that the time had come when the border would no longer be on the Potomac, for Generals Beauregard and Johnson were going to fall back from Manassas in order to draw McClellan into a battle away from his base.

The boys all thought the movement was a good one, and by midnight their wagons were loaded and everything in moving order, but all felt very sure they wouldn’t be away more than a month at farthest, for one more battle would, in their opinion, about end the war.

About 2 o’clock in the morning the pickets were called in, and the wagons started for Leesburg, while the companies of White and Graves prepared to guard them.

This ended the pleasant experience of camping in Waterford, and closed the Winter campaign for 1861 and ’2, the first in which Capt. White’s company had been engaged, and from this time forth they were no longer to play soldier, but act it out in sober earnest.