A Rebel Cavalryman : With Lee, Stuart and Jackson by John N. Opie

Description: Includes a description of activities of the 6th Virginia Cavalry Regiment (Confederate) in the following battles or localities: Hainesville, Va.; 1st Manassas, Va.; McDowell, Va.; Cross Keys, Va.; Port Republic, Va.; Cedar Mountain, Va.; 2nd Manassas, Va.; Harper's Ferry, Va.; Sharpsburg, Md.; Shepherdstown, Va.; Martinsburg, Va.; Jones' and Imboden's West Virginia Raid (April 1863); Brandy Station, Va.; Upperville, Va.; Gettysburg, Pa.; Hagerstown, Md.; Culpeper, Va.; Wilderness, Va.; Spotsylvania, Va.; Cold Harbor, Va.; Piedmont, Va.; Lynchburg, Va.; Monocacy, Md.; 3rd Winchester, Va.; Fisher's Hill, Va.; Cedar Creek, Va.; POW--Old Capital Prison, Washington, D.C.; POW--Elmira, N.Y. Opie's delightful memoirs of army life compare in style to those of John Casler (Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade) in the sense of being a light and enjoyable narrative. However, Opie had a more accurate eye for facts and unusual powers of recall, thereby creating an unusually good blend of humor and heroism. As a soldier, Opie took part in the major Virginia campaigns as well as raiding in West Virginia. Opie's sometimes opinionated accounts of crucial events combine with these to create a valuable story of one man's adventures and experiences in the Civil War. A member of the Stonewall Brigade (Virginia 6th Cavalry Regiment, Company I) until his 1864 capture, Opie traveled extensively in the eastern theater of the war, taking part in the major Virginia campaigns. He raided in West Virginia, was at Sharpsburg and Gettysburg, and followed Jubal Early to the outskirts of Washington. He was captured in the Shenandoah Valley on his return and was imprisoned at Elmira, New York, until the end of the war. This memoir recounts his experiences during the war and at Elmira prison.Excerpt:Our brigade was marched to Culpeper Courthouse, where General Stuart was assembling all of the available cavalry force in Virginia. I suppose we could muster about 9,000 men, forming five brigades, those of Fitz Lee, Hampton, Jones, Robertson and W. H. F. Lee. On the 8th of June, 1863, Gen. R. E. Lee notified General Stuart that he would review his cavalry. This review was held on the level plain below Culpeper, regardless of the growing crops of corn, wheat and oats, which were heedlessly trampled under the iron heels of our galloping chargers. The reviewing officers, General Lee and his subordinate generals, took position upon a slight eminence, in passing which we charged in squadrons (two companies forming a squadron). Meantime the horse artillery kept up a constant firing with blank cartridges, which converted the review, seemingly, into a real battle, making all the noise and clamor and presenting every appearance of a battle except the danger. My horse evidently considered it a real charge and a real battle, for when our turn arrived to charge by the reviewing party, regardless of my caresses and expostulations, and although I had a heavy army bit and curb upon her, she shot out like an arrow, overtaking the squadron in front, made a rear attack upon it, and broke it in two. This episode turned this part of the review into a ridiculous farce. The review, however, was a brilliant affair, and it was a grand sight to behold this splendid pageant, in which nearly 10,000 horsemen, well mounted, and fairly well dressed, took part under one of the greatest cavalry leaders known to history.In spite of the horrors of Elmira, Opie kept a positive attitude. At one point he recounts:The prisoners caught all of the rats and cats that they could find about the prison, and ate them. I ate rats, myself, several times, and found them really very palatable food.Some of the prisoners caught a big Newfoundland dog that belonged to the commandant, who fairly raised Cain, in his anger, and offered a big reward to anyone who would inform on the caninenabals. Men also fished bones, crusts of bread, and other trash out of the barrels. I also frequently saw men pick up quids of tobacco, and put them in their mouths, which others had chewed and thrown away.The book ends with a delightful account of his return home riding a little mule the called “Quartermaster” which would go up to a farmhouse along the way and refuse to budge, braying at the top of his voice until he was fed.

Price: 100 USD

Location: Stockton, California

End Time: 2024-08-24T18:12:18.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4 USD