He was a Christian man, and death has been his gain. The loss is all to those who remain behind—to his parents, who have lost a devoted son; to his acquaintances, who have lost one of friendship’s greatest treasures; to the Confederacy, which has lost one of its most valuable defenders. But more than this—morality has lost one of its best examplars, and chivalry one of her noblest sons. His influence for good in his command, who can supply?
Many soldiers and many citizens will mingle their tears on his grave, to water the flowers which friendship and affection will plant there; and when flowers shall wither, his memory will continue to bloom in many hearts.
A VIRGINIAN.
Hampton having been assigned to the command of the cavalry, in the place of Stuart, he on the 12th of June, with four thousand five hundred sabres, met Sheridan at Trevillian’s Station with thirteen thousand. The First Maryland was posted on Hampton’s extreme left to support General Rosser. The first charge of the enemy was made by the dashing Custer, at the head of his brigade, and he went through Hampton’s centre, creating terrible confusion among the led horses and ordnance wagons; but the daring and intrepid Rosser was in his way, and charging him in turn with his brigade and the First Maryland, he cut him in two, and pursued him to his very wagon train, capturing his private papers, and effectually breaking up his brigade. This charge of Rosser’s is pronounced one of the most brilliant of the many made during the war.
The battle of Trevillian’s lasted two days, and was the hardest cavalry fight of the war, and although Hampton fought great odds, Sheridan suffered a terrible defeat. During these two days, the Maryland battalion was in the thickest of the fight, and fought as though to avenge their comrades who had fallen at Pollard’s Farm. And they were avenged, for in that bloody struggle many a Federal soldier felt the weight of their sabres or fell at the crack of their unerring revolvers, and two hundred prisoners and horses fell into their hands.
During the winter of ’63–4, Colonel Johnson originated a plan for capturing President Lincoln, which he suggested to General Hampton, who, after several conversations with Johnson upon the subject, gave it his approval, and entered heartily into the undertaking.
The Confederate spies in Washington had kept General Lee thoroughly posted as to the disposition and force of every command of the enemy in and around his capital. To carry out this daring enterprise then, Colonel Johnson was to take the Maryland battalion, numbering two hundred and fifty sabres, and cross the Potomac above Georgetown, make a dash at a battalion of cavalry known to be stationed there, and push on to the Soldier’s Home, where it was well known Lincoln lived, and after capturing him send him across the river in charge of a body of picked men, whilst the main body was to cut the wires and roads between Washington and Baltimore, and then move back through Western Maryland to the Valley of Virginia; or if that means of retreat was cut off, Johnson was to go up into Pennsylvania, and on west to West Virginia beyond Grafton. It seemed, indeed, a most desperate undertaking, but everything promised its successful accomplishment. Indeed, so sanguine was Hampton that the plan of Johnson would succeed, that he wanted to undertake it himself at the head of four thousand horse, and was only prevented by Sheridan’s advance upon the Confederate capital.
After the fight at Trevillian’s, then, he gave Johnson orders to prepare for the trip. The best horses in the cavalry command were selected, and the best men in the battalion picked out, but whilst shoeing his horses and recruiting his men in Goochland county, he was prevented from carrying out his much cherished plans by an order from General Early to join him at once with his battalion in the Valley, and cover his rear whilst that General went after Hunter, who had marched upon Lynchburg.
In a week Early returned to Staunton, and it was then that Colonel Johnson received his long delayed commission as Brigadier General of cavalry, and was at once assigned to the command of the brigade formerly commanded by W. E. Jones, who had been killed at the battle fought near New Hope.
Much to his gratification he was given permission, on the 3d day of July, to attach the First Maryland to his brigade, and then ordered to take the advance of Early’s army, moving on Martinsburg. At Leetown the brigade encountered Mulligan’s advance, and after a severe fight the enemy was driven back with loss. In this affair the First Maryland fought with its accustomed vim.