Report of Col. Russell A. Alger, 5th Michigan Cavalry

I find letters written by me to my wife of the following dates, giving our movements quite fully: Fairfax Court House, Va., June 24th, 1863; Frederick, Md., June 26th, 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., June 28th, 1863; Hanover, Pa., July 1st, 1863; Emmettsburg, Md., July 4th, 1863; Boonsborough, Md., July 8th, 1863; Frederick, Md., July 10th, 1863.

I have also official copies of the reports of General Custer commanding our brigade, and General Kilpatrick commanding our division, covering the same period, kindly furnished me by your office. I have also had the assistance of General L. S. Trowbridge, then a major in my regiment, and afterwards colonel of the 10th Michigan Cavalry, and brevet major general.

June 25th, 1863, at 3 o’clock A.M., my regiment which was brigaded with the 6th Michigan Cavalry, Brigadier General Copeland commanding, marched from Fairfax Court House, and during that afternoon crossed the Potomac river at Edward’s Ferry, and encamped during the night at Poolsville, Md.

June 26th. March to Frederick, Md., where we received a grand and loyal welcome from the citizens, thousands of whom were on the streets and in their windows, waving Union flags and making other demonstrations of joy.

June 27th. We march from Frederick to Emmettsburg, Md., and encamped.

Sunday, June 28th, we marched from Emmettsburg to Gettysburg, Pa., where I arrived with my regiment in the morning, capturing a few straggling rebels, and learned that the enemy’s cavalry had just vacated the town, and that their main army was supposed to be moving towards the interior of Pennsylvania. General Copeland, with his staff and the 6th Michigan Cavalry, arrived a few hours later.

Such demonstrations of joy as we witnessed, made by the good people of Gettysburg upon our arrival, it has never been my privilege to witness, either before or since; they almost literally covered my soldiers with flowers. How little they realized the terrible scenes that were to be enacted near their homes so soon thereafter. My regiment was greatly delighted with the honor of being the first to enter that place and learn definitely of the whereabouts of the enemy.

June 29th. We marched back to Emmettsburg. During the day General Copeland was relieved of his command, which was turned over to me temporarily.

June 30th. We marched to Littlestown, Pa., where the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, being 2d Brigade, 3d Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, consisting of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan Cavalry, and Captain Pennington’s Battery of the U. S. Regular Artillery, was formed and placed under the command of Brigadier General G. A. Custer. From Littlestown we marched to Hanover, Pa., where my regiment had its first serious encounter with the enemy. General Stuart’s cavalry being near that place, I was left with my regiment to intercept him, should he move upon the road I was left to guard. Towards evening the enemy attacked me in quite a large force. I charged him, driving him some distance, dismounted my command fought him on foot, killing and capturing quite a number. My loss was quite severe.

It is proper here to state that my regiment was armed with the Spencer rifle, being the only regiment in the brigade, and I think in our division, then provided with that weapon. Consequently I was then and afterwards required to do very much fighting on foot.

July 2d. Was at the fight at Hunterstown, Pa., but I was not engaged, except in slight skirmishing; sustained no loss.

July 3d. At 10 A.M. our brigade, being on the right of the army, the enemy’s cavalry under General Stuart appeared in our front in large force. I was ordered to dismount my regiment to dismount and attack him, which I did, driving him back about half a mile and into a thick wood. Here he rallied, and attacked me and was repulsed, but with a heavy loss to my regiment as well as to him. Again he attacked me, moving round on my left flank, but was again repulsed. In this last attack I also sustained a serious loss, including the gallant Major Noah H. Ferry (brother of U. S. Senator Ferry), of my regiment.

Being unable to hold my position any longer, my ammunition being nearly exhausted, and while the enemy were diverted by a charge of the 7th Cavalry, Colonel Mann, on my right, I fell back and mounted my regiment. While mounting, the enemy charged past my right flank about forty rods distant, driving the 7th Michigan back in confusion; at that moment, having mounted a portion of my command, I directed Major Trowbridge to take it and charge the enemy, which he did gallantly, having his horse shot and killed under him in so doing.

A few moments later the balance of the regiment was engaged, and the enemy checked and driven from the field, only, however, to rally and come down upon our brigade in still greater numbers. This charge was met by Colonel Town with his 1st Michigan, which had been held in reserve until now, who charged, checked, and broke the enemy’s ranks, driving him from the field in confusion, assisted by the other regiments of the brigade.

I cannot pass the notice of this charge of the 1st Cavalry without adding a word to its already recorded well-earned praise. I do not believe it had its equal during the war, if ever. The squadrons, with almost faultless alignment, were hurled upon the largely superior numbers of the enemy, and as each squadron came up it was broken and forced out on either flank of the succeeding one, which filled its place, until over one-half of the regiment was broken up. But the rebels could not stand such terrible and rapid blows, and were forced to leave the field in haste and confusion, while the broken squadron of the gallant 1st formed as best they could in the rear of their regiment and joined in the pursuit.

This left our brigade in possession of that hotly contested field, and night having closed in, this terrible battle ended; and at our left, where the roar of cannon and musketry had been kept up all day, all was now quiet except occasional desultory firing along the line. My loss in killed and wounded was very severe. Major Ferry, who was cheering his battalion to hold its ground, was instantly killed. His death cast a deep gloom upon the whole brigade. He was a gallant soldier and an exemplary man, and his loss was a great blow. July 4th at 10 o’clock A.M, our division marched from Gettysburg battle-field to intercept the enemy, who was retreating along the South Mountain road towards Williamsport. We marched via Emmettsburg up the road leading to Monterey, a small place, as it appeared in the night, on top of South Mountain range, the 5th Michigan Cavalry being in the advance. As we approached the summit of the mountain about midnight (the night being very dark) we were surprised by the enemy opening fire upon us with two howitzers, charged with grape shot, at close range. The confusion following was only for a moment, and they were soon driven off and the command moved forward. Arriving at the summit of the mountain, the trains of the enemy could be distinctly heard moving along down the road which intercepted the line of our march—the road leading down the west slope of the mountain toward Williamsport. Near the junction of the two roads and between us and the trains of the enemy, was a bridge over a deep stream swollen by the heavy rains of the afternoon of the 4th, which was guarded by one thousand of the enemy’s infantry. This bridge the 5th Cavalry charged across, forming its line on the opposite side of the bridge by the flashes of its guns (the regiment being dismounted) and moved forward at a double quick upon the enemy, and was followed by the mounted escort of General Kilpatrick. This charge resulted in the capture of about fifteen hundred prisoners and a large train of wagons, the latter extending from the top to the base of the mountain, which were mostly burned, and the mules attached to them turned over to the quartermaster. I cannot speak in terms of too high praise of the behavior of my regiment in this engagement. It was the most trying place it had passed through up to that time, if not during its organization.

July 5th. We had some skirmishing with the enemy’s cavalry, who followed us, but nothing serious. We camped near Boonsborough, Md.

July 6th. We marched with the division to Hagerstown, Md. Had some skirmishing with the advance of the rebel army. From that place we marched down the turnpike to near Williamsport. My regiment being in advance, I was ordered by General Kilpatrick to charge into Williamsport, but just as we had drawn sabers and I had given the order to “Trot, march!” the order was countermanded and I formed my regiment in a sheltered place behind some rocks on the left of the road, and at the same time the enemy opened fire upon us with a battery of artillery in front. Near this place we remained until near night, skirmishing some in front with dismounted men, when it was discovered that the advance of the enemy’s infantry was close upon us.

At that moment orders were received to fall back at once, which we did under cover of the twilight, passing along within two hundred yards of the enemy’s infantry for more than a quarter of a mile, while they, with stacked arms in the road where we had passed down, saw us march by unmolested, evidently supposing we belonged to their army. This moved away much earlier, but being on our extreme right the orders had not reached me until was found that my command was missing. I was holding a position to guard the front only, supposing others were attending to the rear. We marched back to Boonsborough that night and encamped.

July 7th. We remained in camp.

July 8th. About 10 o’clock A.M. we met the enemy in large force between Boonsborough and Hagerstown, about three miles from Boonsborough. Here, again, on account of some stone walls, I was ordered to dismount my command and charge the enemy who was strongly posted in a piece of wood. We attacked him vigorously, driving him out of his lines and far beyond. In this last charge I was seriously wounded and carried from the field and did not join my command again until September, on the day our cavalry drove Stuart’s command out of Culpeper Court House.

My regiment participated in the engagement at Hagerstown on the 12th, when Lieutenant Colonel Gould was seriously wounded while leading a charge at Falling Waters July 14th, and at the subsequent battles and skirmishes had with the enemy during is retrograde movement.

I regret exceeding, that my official report, made soon after this campaign, is missing. It contained many accounts of personal bravery and daring which I cannot now relate, and to particularize at this remote date might do much injustice to many whose names would not be mentioned as they deserve.