New York
2nd Mounted Rifles
Civil War Newspaper Clippings

LITTLE FALLS GAZETTE
Friday, April 22, 1864.
We publish below an interesting letter from Isaac Walradth, of the 2d Mounted Rifles. Our readers will be interested in its perusual, as he was familiarly and extensively known in this vicinity:
CAMP STONEMAN,
April 15,1864.
Friend Brand:-—I take the liberty to inform you how I am getting along; and first I will say that I am well and harty and hope to hear that you, like me, are in the enjoyment of good health, for it is one of the first and greatest blessings. There is a camp on the other side of the knowl called the 34th cavalry, where an affray took place between a Lieutenant and private. The Lieutenant drew his revolver, and the private told him he dare not shoot, when the Lieutenant fired, the ball passing directly through the privates' neck,—the poor fellow immediately placed his thumb over the wound and exclaimed, "I am a man of a family," and fell prostrate at the feet of his antagonist,—a few death struggles and he was gone. How his last words, " I am a man of a family " will ring in the ears of a family thus berefed, no tongue can tell, nor heart conceive, save those who have experienced the anguish of a like reality. This occurrence took place last evening, and the Lieutenant is not to be found this morning. It is supposed he has run away, but we all hope he may be brought back,--if so, I think it will go hard with him, for the privates in his company say if they get sight of him they will lynch him,—the company is very savage. The names of the parties I have not yet learned, but will do so, and write you, another letter. Please send me a paper once a week and I will forward you the money soon.

The Western New-Yorker
And Wyoming Mirror.
THURSDAY, OCT. 13, 1864.
A SOLDIER'S LETTER.
IN THE FRONT, NEAR THE DANVILLE ROAD.
FIVE MILES SOUTH OF PETERSBURG; Oct 4, '64.
MR. EDITOR: Believing that all, and especially those having sons, husbands and brothers here, are glad at any time to hear of our situation, and knowing that Wyoming is pretty well represented in the 2d Mounted Riflemen, I take this opportunity of giving a very limited account together with the political aspect so far as has come under my observation.
Since the 29th Sept. the front has advanced four miles from the Weldon road, southwest toward the Danville road under a heavy fire and with but small loss. On Friday, Sept. 30, passing Poplar Grove, some two miles out from the Weldon road severe shelling commenced on both sides. Our troops made one or two charges and were repulsed, but another charge took from the Johnnies their first line of breastworks, two pieces of artillery and about five h u n d r e d prisoners. Still following them we drove them behind their second line of works, some two and a half miles distant—but during this charge we met with a repulse which took from us a few prisoners, mostly from the 2d N. Y. Mounted Riflemen— among which were Maj. Wm. Maples, Acting Adj't Mansfield, Capt. Runyan, Lieut. Bush, and nearly all the commissioned officers of the regiment together with privates enough to swell the number to 92.
Co. B lost two killed; Albert Little, of Caneadea, Allegany Co., Earl F. Thomas, of Pike; and one wounded, Harvey Pierce.
At night we fell back to the works taken from the rebels, and Saturday, Oct. 1st, advanced again to within about 3/4 of a mile of their second line of works, where we commenced the fortifications upon which we are still engaged. We have perfect confidence that we shall hold this ground and soon take theirs. The Danville railroad is supposed to be about two miles in our front.
Courage and confidence universally prevail. Our skirmish lines have had some warm work to-day, and we have thrown a few shells. Since I have been writing, a sharp-shooter's ball passed within four feet of my head. Perhaps he objects to my sending a few lines to you; but to hinder it he must draw his line a little closer.
While in Lockport, Elmira, Baltimore and City Point, I canvassed a number of squads, companies and regiments for the coming election and in no case did Little Mac get a majority of legal voters, but on the other hand "Old Abe" ranged from two as high as six to Mac's one. The feeling is well summed up in a few words: "Old Abe" and National salvation versus Little Mac and destruction. When the soldiers say thus, what say you, citizens? Will you let our blood be spilled in vain?
- OSSAIN.

FIFTEENTH CAVALRY.—Capts. Auer's and Shearer's companies for the Fifteenth cavalry regiment are fast filling up. The prospect of an immediate draft impels those willing to enter the service to select the places they prefer. The cavalry branch is deservedly popular. The highest bounties are paid to only those in this regiment.

FIFTEENTH CAVALRY.--This regiment is in Gen. Hunter's expedition up the Shenandoah Valley, and was engaged in the fight at Staunton. It is probable that it will visit Lynchburg, which is an important depot of supplies for the rebels.

MUSTERING CAVALRY.—Col. Marshal is now at Syracuse mustering in four companies for the 15th Cavalry.

THE WESTERN NEW-YORKER
OCTOBER 13, 1864
A SOLDIER'S LETTER.
IN THE FRONT, NEAR THE DANVILLE ROAD.
FIVE MILES SOUTH OF PETERSBURG; Oct. 4, '64.
MR. EDITOR: Believing that all, and especially those having sons, husbands and brothers here, are glad at any time to hear of our situation, and knowing that Wyoming is pretty well represented in the 2d Mounted Riflemen, I take this opportunity of giving a very limited account together with the political aspect so far as has come under my observation.
Since the 29th Sept the front has advanced four miles from the Weldon road, southwest toward the Danville road under a heavy fire and with but small loss. On Friday, Sept. 30, passing Poplar Grove, some two miles out from the Weldon road severe shelling commenced on both sides. Our troops made one or two charges and were repulsed, but another charge took from the Johnnies their first line of breastworks, two pieces of artillery and about five hundred prisoners. Still following them we drove them behind their second line of works, some two and a half miles distant— but during this charge we met with a repulse which took from us a few prisoners, mostly from the 2d N. Y. Mounted Riflemen— among which were Maj. Wm. Maples, Acting Adj't Mansfield, Capt. Runyan, Lieut. Bush, and nearly all the commissioned officers of the regiment together with privates enough to swell the number to 92.
Co. B lost two killed; Albert Little, of Caneadea, Allegany Co., Earl F. Thomas, of Pike; and one wounded, Harvey Pierce.
At night we fell back to the works taken from the rebels, and Saturday, Oct. 1st, advanced again to within about 3/4 of a mile of their second line of works, where we commenced the fortifications upon which we are still engaged. We have perfect confidence that we shall hold this ground and soon take theirs. The Danville railroad is supposed to be about two miles in our front.
Courage and confidence universally prevail. Our skirmish lines have had some warm work to-day, and we have thrown a few shells. Since I have been writing, a sharp-shooter's ball passed within four feet of my head. Perhaps he objects to my sending a few lines to you; but to hinder it he must draw his line a little closer.
While in Lockport, Elmira, Baltimore and City Point, I canvassed a number of squads, companies and regiments for the coming election and in no case did Little Mac get a majority of legal voters, but on the other hand "Old Abe" ranged from two as high as six to Mac's one. The feeling is well summed up in a few words: "Old Abe" and National salvation versus Little Mac and destruction. When the soldiers say thus, what say you, citizens? Will you let our blood be spilled in vain?
OSSAIN.

Narrative of the Campaign of 2nd N. Y. Mounted Rifles, from the time of their leaving Camp Stoneman until their lying in the Entrenchments in the Front of Petersburg— By one of their Members.
Having agreed to act as Infantry for a limited period, we left the dismounted camp, near Washington, the 12th of May, and proceeded by steamer down the Potomac River, passing Alexandria, Mount Vernon, and other places of note, and arrived at Bell Plain Landing, 10 miles below Acquia Creek. Here our steamship got aground, and we had to wait sometime before we got off, which was finally effected by another vessel pulling us off. This is only a temporary place of landing for our supplies; we remained till morning, and got additional rations, and then commenced our march to the Front, via Fredericksburg—distant about 14 or 15 miles. The whole road was crowded with supply—wagons going to the Front, loaded or returning. About half way we met with a column of rebel prisoners, numbering about 9,000, escorted by a regiment of cavalry, a large number of infantry, and a battery of artillery, these had been taken in the battles of the Wilderness; and we met men wounded, plodding along their weary way to the rear, to get transportation to Washington. We encamped for the night on a plain, about a mile and a half from Fredericksburg, the whole country on our route, being one scene of desolation; next day we resumed our march and crossed the Rappahanock by a Pontoon Bridge, at the city; the other bridge having been destroyed. The whole city about the size of Lockport, being deserted by all, but sick and wounded soldiers, and every house, more or less injured by shot or shell. We did not halt, but pressed on to the hights, the scene of the bloody battles of last year, where we rested for a time, and had some hard tack and coffee, then on to the Front; the roads deep in mud, and encamped in the edge of some woods, with a heavy rain all night. Marched again next day, Sunday, and at night halted in the woods, at Gen. Grant's headquarters, near Spotsylvania, C. H. Next day we went to Gen. Burnside's quadquarter's, in the front; and Tuesday morning, about 4 o'clock, having formed line of battle, we lay down; the enemy's guns sending a perfect hail storm of shot and shell, which, however, did us little or no harm, as they had not got our range, their projectiles falling short or going over our heads—this they kept up for 8 hours— our guns replying all the time, and heavy fighting going on in the front line, which, however, was not forced; we then entenched ourselves, and on Wednesday, about 2 o'clock in the morning, moved to the left, and then our whole Corps d'Armee marched to the front on an open plain. A beautiful sight could the eye take in at a glance—about 40,000 men in position. The enemy threw 4 or 5 shells over us, as we lay down, but doing no damaged. We then commenced to erect a set of field works, comprising two distinct lines of breast works with traverses, and a line of rifle pits, for our pickets, in the front--these we advanced in the course of the night—but for two days all was quiet. Guns were placed in our works, which we extended and strengthened.
On Saturday our picket line was attacked, and supported by our first line, while we, from the second, immediately occupied their places, but we were soon ordered to abandon the works. The guns were limbered up and removed, and we were off at the double quick; this the enemy could see, but speedily as we left the works another corps came up and re-occupied them, and we started off towards the enemy's line. The rebels, now thinking to take us in rear, dashed at what appeared to them to be abandoned works; but were piled by grape and cannister from our cannon and minnie muskets, while our brigade actually cooked our coffee within their lines; and starting off, marched all night, turning their flank and getting in their rear, so that all the fortifications, which were so formidable at Spotsylvania, C. H., had to be deserted, and it became a race between us whether we would not get across the North Anna, and cut them off from Richmond or not. We marched night and day, till many of the men had to fall out, but on we kept, and with only one night's rest, we reached the river after dark, on the 24th of May, at Chesterfield. There was very heavy firing in our front all that afternoon, as the rebels were ahead of us, and disputed the passage of our troops at the different bridges.
Next day we went to the front and crossed the river where there had been a mill, and only some of the timbers to be seen; the stream, rapid; the bottom, rocky, and the water about waist deep. We had the comfort of hearing the cannon and musketry going on briskly on the high rocky banks above us; and we met the wounded of a brigade of Massachusetts troops, who had passed the river before us, making their way to the rear.
We climbed the heights and found a plain country, and took a position to protect the fords, when the other brigades were driven in; well, we let them pass through our line, and then stood ready to receive them, but thought better of it and fell back to their works; we again began fortifying our position, while another party were building a log bridge, which was completed before morning; and more of us skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, while an artillery duel was kept up by the two parties on the opposite sides of the river. No more troops crossed at this point; and we lay in momentary expectation, of an attack, but none came; and, in the evening of the second day of our occupation, we fell into line, were ordered to move at a given signal, not a word to be spoken, and so we remained till after dark; our pickets and those of the enemy exchanging shots, while we could hear the bands of the rebel regiments playing at their headquarters. Well, the word was whispered along the line, and we moved in the greatest silence, all the 14th N. Y. Heavy Artillery and the 24th passed, then we crossed the bridge, the pickets coming last that was cut away; and the river, now swollen with a two days' rain, was impassable. Our object was gained, the enemy were led to believe that a large portion of our army should cross at this point massed a large body of their troops and planted a battery of 30 pieces of artillery on the bridge; but ours had passed the river higher up while our two brigades occupied their attention; and we, whom they made sure to capture, were off where they could not catch us.
Next day we started off again for another forced march, and just as we moved, a random rifle ball came across the river, hitting Capt. Stevenson, of Co. K, in the leg, who has gone home to Buffalo. Our march, this day, was dreadful, the heat tropical, the dust, as fine as flour and nearly a foot deep; thousands of men keeping as well closed up as possible to prevent straggling, while the road all along was strewed with carcasses of horses and mules, causing an insufferable stench; along the sides of the road would be seen some hospital attendants around men struck down by coup-de-soleil, several of whom died. To stop was impossible, a rear guard and a cavalry patrol forced up the stragglers. But towards night, however, and after dark, hundreds straggled into the woods, and the different regiments got mixed up together, still they struggled on till about 2 o'clock in the morning; weary worn and hungry, we reached the pontoon bridge across the Pamunky, and bivouacked about a mile from the river, where we rested our weary limbs, but too tired to cook anything. Our regiment was about 300 men short, and all the others in the same proportion; but they continued arriving as fast as their wearied limbs would bring them. About 5 o'clock in the morning, the artillery having moved off an hour before, we breakfasted, and then started on our way.
The march this day was much the same as yesterday, only there was tremendous cannonading in our front all the afternoon. While, as we neared the scene of action, the spattering of picket firing and the rattling of the musketry became distinct. At dark, we came up to a supply train; unloading hard tack; a welcome sight; but, alas! it was not the train of the 9th corps; so, other two days went till our own train came up, without bread. We entered some thick woods, where the troops were building breastworks, dark as Erebus, and could only see by the light of the pitch pine fires. Our first battalion was immediately ordered to the front to relieve the pickets, and were soon engaged; they remained out 24 hours, having several men killed and wounded; but our company this time escaped without a casuality. The second battalion went on picket on the left, while the third remained with the rest of the brigade, to defend the road and as a line of support for the pickets. Here we remained till the 2nd of June, when we marched from our position, covering the rear of the army, now on the march towards Cold Harbour. We had only proceeded about 2 miles, when we were ordered to halt, and brigade after brigade passed us. About this time a thunder storm, with a heavy shower, came on; just as it ceased we formed on the road, and expected to continue the march, when we heard a rattle of musketry from our rear videttes. We immediately formed a line across the open clearing, and the whole advanced towards some woods. We had just passed the 3rd Maryland Infantry on our left, the 20th Michigan extended as skirmishers. We reached the breastworks at the edge of the woods, and as the skirmishers were driven in, commenced firing; but by some fatality, either from the enemy being dressed like our men, or from the fact that many of our men will insist upon wearing all sorts of clothing, they pass for rebels as often as any thing else. The officers mistook them for our men and ordered us to cease firing; the enemy, as insiduously creeping up, and for nearly 2 hours firing upon us on the right, while all was comparatively quiet. On the left, in the meantime, the 3rd Maryland got engaged, and sneaking up to the breasworks behind us, began making off to the rear by files, their commander stating to our officers that he was ordered to the right, this left our flank exposed; and the enemy, taking advantage of it, took possession of a house, from which he could fire down upon our line and using it as a point d'appui, get into our rear; so sure was he now of his prey, that he came out of his works and formed line of battle to attack our front. We immediately offered an oblique fire that decimated them, and had our flank been supported and covered, would not only have held our own, but might by a dash have taken their line; but alas! our flank was open, and the rebel shots coming from our rear, rendered it necessary for us to fall back, which we did by companies; a beautiful move; but in this instance, the move was made rather too rapidly, as it looked rather like a skedaddle; in short, we went to the rear at the double quick, all the brigade having to do the same. Our regiment rallied on the road from which we had started, and nothing daunted, on we went alone, the 24th having kept in the woods all the time. Well, we marched down as coolly as at first, expecting every moment to be fired on; but not a shot was fired till we reached the works, when Capt. Williams of Co. T, ordered the men on the other side of the works to come on, had they been our men they would have done so, they did not, however, so we fired on them 3 or 4 shots, still they hesitated, except one, who was made a prisoner by John Gibson; they either took us for their own men in the dark, or tried to keep us in play till they could surround us, when Capt. Williams told them we were Yankees. Then came a rattling volly, to which we as rapidly replied; and the fighting went on for some time; when having no support, we had to fall back again with a heavy loss in killed and wounded, among the latter Capt. Williams. We again rallied, formed line, threw out skirmishers and got into their breastworks, about a quarter of a mile, where we lay down on our arms for the night.
Next-day it took a whole division of the army to do what our regiment tried to do the night before, and we had the credit of being the only regiment that tried it a second time. This day, there was heavy fighting, we remaining in the works of the first line, where we had been the night before, and this was held by us for another day and a half; when, on Saturday, we marched through an ugly piece of woods, and came to a position between Cold Harbour and Gaines Farm, where in a rain storm we lay on the ground all night; but were awakened about 4 o'clock by the dropping of shells among us. At this time we had no bread, and as some of the men had begged some of the other brigades, who had hard tack, we obtained a little, though the enemy threw shells among us all the time, which did us little harm. We remained till near night, when having got some rations again marched; and after dark arrived at Games' Farm, where we began again to entrench. Worked at this all night, and in the morning found ourselves surrounded on all sides by earthworks. The engineer corps were busy building strong forts for heavy artillery. The appearance of things in this position was anything but promising. We erected traverses and threw up another line of entrenchments, facing the contrary way from those we erected the night before, thus each company was in a little fort of its own. Well it was for us that we took this precaution, for scarcely were our works completed when, a perfect storm of shell, solid shot and case shot came among us, such as the oldest soldier among us had seldom seen equalled, well protected as we were, we suffered considerable loss in killed and wounded; the enemy having a complete range of us from three sides of our position, which was shaped like a battle with the communication without the White House Landing, through the Neck, by which our supplies arrived, and which the enemy tried to stop. Were transfered to Gen. Potter's division, and moved off back to to where we had been the Sunday before, in order to capture a battery that had annoyed us greatly; but fortunately for us some of their batteries had not got their range, and the guns were withdrawn, leaving only two caissons with ammunition, which probably from the loss of horses, the rebs could not carry off. There we again entrenched ourselves, and our whole division occupied the ground with artillery supports, so the enemy missed the chance of corking us up in our bottle.
On Sunday, just a week from the time we had come to this place, within seven miles of Richmond, the whole line of fortifications were abandoned, and we were off for another forced march; all night and all day, with scarce any interval of rest, till we crossed the Chickahominy, and then on we went for the James River. When we came within 2 miles of it, we halted and waited till the pontoon bridges were erected, and until some of the other columns should pass; then at night we started off, crossed the river; and by another forced marched of about 30 miles, came the next afternoon, the 6th of June, in front of the outworks of Petersburg, where we arrived and halted in some woods; and so much were the men done up, that the whole brigade of seven regiments did not muster over 1,000. We cooked a little and commenced again to entrench, when a charge was made in our front, in which the second corps suffered severely, and which was only partially successful. After dark, we moved out from where we had been, halted, and now rein forced, by a good many of the stragglers, having come up, we moved along from one line of works to another, sometimes laying concealed for a time; then again moving on, pickets sometimes firing; the enemy throwing grape, and other things, til after passing upon the shelter of some of the works abandoned by the rebs, which we could not then hold; we formed line; a small ravine, near a house and orchard, where there was a line of breastworks and a rebel battery to take which now became our works. We formed the center of the line and advanced to the crest of the ridge, drew the enemy's fire, and then fell back to draw them from their works. They kept up a heavy fire for a time, but did not come out as we expected; so we at once took the bull by the horns and dashed at their works, with a shout and cheer, in less time than it takes to write it, the works were taken by the brigade, 4 cannon captured and 400 prisoners, 100 of whom fell into the hands of our regiment, who also assisted in the capture and removal of the guns; had we been better acquainted with the nature of the ground, we should have captured the whole of the enemy's brigade and the caissons. As it was we got the thanks of Gen. Grant, in "general orders," for the brillant charge of the 7th of June.
We held the works all day and all night, and buried our dead on the field where they fell. Our regiment losing about 35 or 40 killed and wounded. We then moved forward to some woods in our front, about a mile from the city of Petersburg, and 4 or 5 rods from the Petersburg and Suffolk railway.
After a time we advanced, and crossing an open clearing, gained the railroad in a deep cutting, where we halted for a short time, and then were ordered to advance; a dash was made to gain a ravine in our front, and we suffered severely in the charge, which was but partially successful. Capt. Williams, Lt. De Long and others being among the killed. Our loss was heavy, and we were relieved in the morning.
More than a month has elapsed, and we are still occuping the same lines, now forming along the front one great battery; while on the opposite side of the river the enemy's works are stronger than ours. What plans are in progress, are little known, and what we do know it would not be for the benefit of the service to disclose. We go the advanced line 48 hours at a time, and the same time on the second line; but in the latter we lose as many men as in the former, being so near to each other that the rifle balls fall in the rear and killed as effectually as in the front. Lt. Atwood has been killed since we come here, and Lt. Bedell mortally wounded; Morrison killed at Games' Hill; Lt. McAllister, wounded yesterday; and not a day passes but some one is called away, by the grim tyrant, or sent to the rear maimed. The majority of our men are now shot in the head, and from the intense heat, such wounds generally prove mortal.
What our next move may be no one can tell, but we all hope it may prove successful, and that this campaign may close a war of which the country may, by this time, be well nigh tired. We have not yet got any pay, but expect some shortly, and I may say that the Regiment is greatly dissatisfied with the manner in which they have been treated, still they have submitted to it as cheerfully as possible, considering all the circumstances, and I think their friends at home and the public generally, if they have an opportunity to peruse this paper, will concede that the Regiment, though not yet mounted, have at least done their duty, in every place they have been called upon to act, and I have sent it, thinking it would be a gratification to their friends to know something of the visisitudes to which this Regiment, as well as all others, are necessarily exposed in war. Hoping you will give this a place in your paper and by so doing confer a favor on a great number of the members of the 2nd Mounted Rifles.
I remain yours, respectfully,
KEETH T. McKENZEE,
Color Bearer.
July 20th, 1864.

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