Oneonta Herald, Oneonta, NY, November 6, 1861
Civil War Letter - Raymond L. Ford - 3rd NY Cavalry
Camp Bates Near Poolville, Mont. Co. Md. Thursday October 24th, 1861
I presume, by this time, you are looking for a letter with more than ordinary interest, as you have no doubt, learned from the paper, that our army has been in motion. I commenced a letter to you just one week ago today but did not write enough to fill one sheet before I was obliged to leave off, and this is the first leisure I have had since, and now that I have things of so much more importance about which to write, I have thrown that aside and begun entirely anew. Our Company returned to camp this morning, having been absent since about noon on Sunday last, and now I propose giving you a short history of the events of the intervening time.
Sunday morning about 10 o'clock, our company were relived from guard duty, and I had come to my tent with the intention of getting out my dirty clothing and taking it down to the brook to have a good wash, and indeed I had it all laid out ready to go, but sat down to re-read your letter that I had received the evening before and had but just finished when the Captain came along and ordered every man to saddle up his horse immediately and fall into ranks, for we were ordered to the river.
My horse had not been considered fit for duty for some days previously, and so I did not suppose I was expected to go until the Captain sent special order for me to get ready, and then I was so hurried that I did not have even time enough to put up my overcoat and blanket. We rode down to what is called Edward's Furry (about twelve miles from here) and took up our station on the top of a high hill that rises almost abruptly from the riverbanks and to the rear of a battery consisting of six rifle cannons. About 4 o'clock our men commenced throwing shells across the river from the cannon of which I have spoken, and also, from another battery situated at the foot of the hill and continued to do so for about an hour, when the firing ceased and a Regiment (the Minnesota 1st) was taken across to reconnoiter and remained for a short time when they were again brought back. About 2 o'clock Monday morning, our company was called up and a list of thirty names of officers and men were read off as being those who were selected to cross the river and act as advance scouts, among the names being those of Scott, Crosier, Foote and myself. When we who were selected were drawn up in line, our Major, who was to lead one party told us that we were about to engage in a difficult and dangerous enterprise from which some of us might never return, as we were about to go into the enemy's' county with no protection but our right arms, and if any man felt unwilling to encounter the risk, he might step from the ranks, as none were wanted who feared the reality. To the honor of Company D, be it said, not a man left the ranks and many even offered money for chances to go in place of those first selected, but without success, as the men first chosen were resolved to have the opportunity of doing the company honor, if it was to be found in the first dangerous enterprise they were called upon to perform.
Hot coffee was made for us, and the Major ordered more to be in readiness by 9 o'clock, as those of us who returned would be back by that time. When we had finished our breakfast, those of us who felt inclined laid down to get a little more sleep, being told we would be called at the proper time. I laid down and was soon fast asleep, being very tired and it was not till the first faint light of the morn betokened the approach of another day, that we were aroused and told to bring our horses into line, which being done, the Major addressed us, cautioning us under all circumstances, to be cool and calm as the safety of the entire party would depend wholly upon the conduct of the men themselves. Then he went around to each man and tied a strip of white cloth on the right arm of each, that the advance pickets of our own army, who were to cross at the same time as ourselves should know us when we returned and not fire into us as enemies. We then started for the river and after our side had thrown a few shells across to drive in the enemy's outposts we were taken over and placed on the Virginia soil for the first time. As the last man of our number was landed, we were formed in columns of two's and started in towards Leesburgh to make discoveries.
We rode along at a swift gallop for a distance, I should think of a mile and a half, without seeing a single human being, until we were passing through a piece of woods, when we discovered a darky skulking off and brought him up to the road while our Major questioned him. The poor nigger was so frightened that he shook like a leaf, and it was some time before we could get any information from him. But finally learned that the enemy had passed along that road the same morning, some seven or eight hundred strong. We again took up our gallop. As each one passed the darky, he shook his head ominously and repeated "take care! take care!" [We] had gone about half a mile farther when we came in sight of Leesburgh, and at the same time of an army wagon standing in the road, perhaps a quarter of a mile ahead, and saw a horseman leave the road and strike into the woods on our left. Just then our two men in advance of the party came to a halt and gave the signal that they had discovered the enemy, and the whole party had just time to ride up to them and come to a full stop, when a whole company of the enemy's infantry suddenly raised up from their concealment directly abreast of us and opened fire. They gave us two volleys, but not a man flinched or offered to run until the Major ordered us to wheel and rout into the woods, and himself set the example, that any of us made a move and then not until we had returned their fire and saw at least three of our enemy fall. We did not lose a single man, and stranger than all, not one of us received a wound sufficient to draw blood. One man had his horse shot so that he was obliged to leave him and another was thrown from his, but both joined us in a few minutes after we came to a halt, when we had retreated about a quarter of a mile. You may be sure that grass didn't grow under our horses feet for that quarter of a mile, as we were expecting to be pursued by the enemy's cavalry and as soon as we came to a curve in the road we halted and formed in ranks to give them a warm reception, but [for] some reason we were not followed.
We had just recommenced our retreat when a horseman came dashing up and attempted to pass, but the gentleman was suddenly brought to a stop by the ugly appearance of several revolvers in close proximity to his head and believing "discretion the better part of valor," surrendered. Our prisoner proved to be a member of the 4th Regiment of Virginia Cavalry, and you may be sure his arms and equipments speedily changed ownerships, so that our number of horses was kept good by this fortunate capture.
Instead of returning to Maryland at 9 o'clock, we found enough of dangerous enterprise to keep us in the saddle and on the alert all day long and several times we were drawn up in battle order to receive the attack which we expected the enemy's forces would make, for they were hovering all around us in the woods, and kept our sharp shooters busy enough in picking off the more daring of the rebels when they showed themselves outside a tree or fence. I had often heard of the deadly effect of a long range gun, when in the hands of a good marksman, but never formed an adequate idea of their efficiency, until I saw our sharp shooters bringing down their men at a distance of a mile and a mile and a half away, and one instance I must relate that elicited the applause of the sharp shooters themselves. Yesterday morning when our pickets had been extended, some were farther out. The sharp shooters were stationed where they could see the earthworks the enemy had thrown up in the direction of Leesburgh, distant from them at least two miles and a half. One of our men saw a horseman ride out in front of the earthworks and he thought he would try and pick him off, when he fired and sure enough, the man fell from his horse.
But to return to my own narrative - Monday night we built our camp fires and lay down to rest a little after the fatigues of the day, but I could not sleep much for it was very cold and we were entirely without blankets or overcoats, so that if we tried to keep warm at the fire, one side would be freezing while the other roasted. At last word came that our clothing had been sent across, and also, something for us to eat (by the way we had had nothing to eat since 2 o'clock that morning). So, with several others I went down to the river to bring the things up, and right cheerfully we worked, while visions of hot coffee and hard bread made our loads seem light. But alas for our fond anticipations of satisfying nature's call, for when we came to our station, the fires were all put out, and each man sat on his horse as still as a statue, while the order was passed in a whisper to us; put the bridles on our horses and fall into line as quickly and quietly as possible. The alarm was occasioned by the approach of rebel cavalry and we, a mere handful of men, only thirty in number, were sent out to check the advance, our orders being to fire on the enemy and retreat if they proved too strong for us.
We went outside our own pickets and so near the position occupied by the rebels that I could almost throw a stone into their midst, but they did not show themselves, and after being out nearly two hours we returned and again built our fires and laid down, going supperless to bed (what an idea, going to bed on the ground) rather than wait for coffee to boil or meat to cook.
I was called up again about 4 o'clock Tuesday morning and sent out to relieve the men who were acting as messengers from the outposts, and to add to the discomfort of my situation, it commenced raining early in the morning and it was not long before I was wet through.
Tuesday, we fared very well, having plenty of fresh meat, consisting of pork and beef, which our kind friend (a secessionist planter owning some six thousand acres of land) had been fatting for our use during the past summer. Our troops were brought across the river as fast as possible during Tuesday, but owning to want of proper means of transportation, not more than five or six thousand in all and two pieces of cannon were the entire strength that we had to maintain our position.
No demonstration was made by the rebels until about 4 o'clock, when they made an attack upon our outposts and drove in our pickets, and it was not until our cannon opened on them with cannister and shell that they retreated. Our loss was only one man killed, two wounded, while theirs must have been quite severe, as they were carrying off their dead and wounded all night and came in with a flag of truce in the morning to get permission to finish. And from prisoners we afterwards learned that thirty ambulances were actively employed all night. At the time the engagement commenced, at least 100 of our men were out in the direction of the enemy getting straw from several large stacks for their beds at night and our own company had only just finished their shelter and returned from the stacks, when the firing commenced, and we were ordered to fall into line in battle order, under the shelter of a convenient hill. My own horse had been borrowed by Gen. Lander that same morning, and had not yet been returned, so I stood on top of the hill to see the fight, until a horse came rushing past without a rider and was caught by some of the men, when I took him and joined the rest of the boys.
About dark, all was again quiet and after supper we laid down to get a little rest before we should again be attacked, as it was rumored that we were opposed by a large force and were in great danger of being cut off to a man. The night passed off quietly enough, however. The only time I was disturbed being when I was called up to take my turn as guard from 12 until 2 o'clock. You may be sure our friends were not idle during the night, for they sent us reinforcements so that our forces were increased to ten or twelve thousand and among the rest two companies of cavalry, so that our little company of horsemen were increased to a respectable number.
Wednesday was a day of constant alarm and all day long we expected an attack from the enemy. As the wind was very high and the river was up, it was very slow work crossing troops, so that not more than a thousand were brought over in all day and our officers feared we might have the enemy upon us in as much as they could not fail to know our disadvantage, and had it not been for the batteries protecting us from the opposite shore, I should not be writing now.
The thirty cavalry who first came over had been promised that they should recross the river and have a chance to recruit after the unusual fatigue of the three days they had been in active service. But Wednesday night came and so far as we knew, we were like to remain for a much longer time, and when I laid down to sleep, I expected to be called up in the night by the unwelcome sound of "stand to your horses," and so far I was not mistaken. But about 11 o'clock all the men were awakened and told to prepare their horses as quickly and silently as possible, and stand by his horse's head until further orders and I was fully expected to hear next that we must be prepared to repel the enemy until I saw the cannon being taken down to the river, when I began to suspect we were all about to recross, as I had learned a little while before from hearing a dispatch that was brought in to Gen. Stoner that Johnson's forces had completely outflanked and surrounded us, leaving only the river between us and certain defeat, if indeed there was yet time to bring off all our forces in safety. Happily for us, the retreat was accomplished and before daylight on Thursday morning, not one of our men were left on the Virginia shore.
I know you will feel proud to learn that the thirty, of which I was one, received the praise of all the Generals in command and the special commendation of Gen. George B. McClellan himself, for the gallant manner in which they behaved during the difficult and dangerous duty entrusted to them on the preceding Monday. Thursday we all came back to camp and were received by our comrades with three hearty cheers and after getting something to eat, I was glad enough to lay down and get one good sleep without expecting to be awakened to meet an enemy in mortal combat.
I have given you quite a lengthy description of my own adventures and you may feel inclined to know how I felt when we started off on such a dangerous enterprise, expecting to leave some of our number either dead or prisoners in the enemy's hands. You may be sure my first thoughts were of my dear wife and child, and selfishness would naturally have prompted me to let others take the risk, but I knew you would have said go if you can best serve your country thus, and so far as my own feelings were concerned, I felt perfectly willing to take the chances of losing my life if it came to that, and when we were fired upon by the rebels, I did not feel in the least excited, indeed not half as much as I have at some little trivial thing when there was no danger.
I cannot pretend to answer for the private feelings of all, but you many know from the compliment paid us by our leader, the Major, a man accustomed to all kinds of danger and noted throughout the whole army for his coolness and bravery (I mean Major Mix) that none of his men showed the white feather. He said to us after we had got back to a place of comparative safety, that we had exceeded his most sanguine expectations, and were in reality much better soldiers than many who had been repeatedly in battle. You will have learned, ere this reaches you, the unpleasant news from Conrad's Ferry (about four miles from where we were and the sad loss of life at that place.
It seems very strange that our commanding officers should have sent so small a force to cope with an enemy vastly superior in numbers and that, too, without providing means for their safe retreat across the river, and I can only account for it by supposing that the attack was merely a feint, made to attract the enemy's attention from some other point and was not intended to be a battle.
The Tammany Regiment, who have been encamped near us ever since we have occupied this ground were in the fight and were badly cut up, having lost between three and four hundred men, many of whom were drowned in attempting to swim the river, when they were driven back by the enemy. An incident is related of one of the Captains, that will bear repeating - He had been standing behind a tree and when the rebels had driven our force back, one of them came along and said he wanted a chance to shoot another of the d--d Yankees, when our Captain stepped from behind his tree, and drawing his revolver, told him he was one and at the same time fired at and killed his man, and it was not until he had killed at least three, that he was himself shot. One of our men, the only one we lost, was at first only wounded, and when the rebels came up to take him as a prisoner, drew his revolver and killed one of them, and then fought so desperately with his bayonet, that it was broken before they could dispatch him. The brave fellow belonged to the Minnesota 1st.
R.L. Ford
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Adjutant General Report - 3d New York Calvary
FORD, RAYMOND L.: Age, 25 years. Enlisted July 25, 1861, at Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY]; mustered in as private, Company D, August 12, 1861, to serve three years; appointed quartermaster sergeant May 18, 1862; reduced to the ranks July 17, 1872; transferred to Company G, October 10, 1862; borne as first sergeant April 12, 1863; mustered in as second lieutenant July 24, 1863; assigned to Company B, September 6, 1864; mustered out October 13, 1864 at Varina, Va.; commissioned second lieutenant June 24, 1863 with rank from June 11, 1863, vice Kromer, promoted.
Raymond L. Ford died 22 October 1914 in Washington DC at the age of 78 years. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Refer to post of April 28, 2026 for obituaries.
