Chasing Ashby: A Connecticut Trooper Recalls the Fight at Harrisonburg

     During the first week of June 1862, Stonewall Jackson’s army was being pursued up the Shenandoah Valley by two Federal armies. On Jackson’s right shielded by the Massanutten Mountains, General James Shields’ and Edward O.C. Ord’s divisions marched up the parallel Luray Valley aiming to cut off Jackson’s exit while General John Fremont’s Mountain Department followed Jackson up the Valley Pike.

          Colonel Turner Ashby, commanding Jackson’s cavalry, covered the army’s retreat but on June 6th near Harrisonburg he fell into a sharp fight called the Battle of Good’s Farm with the Pennsylvania Bucktails that cost him his life. The popular story is that Ashby was gunned down by one of the Bucktails (or by friendly fire), but the author of the following account, serving with the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, was also there and claimed that Ashby was gunned down by a German serving in one of Colonel Julius Stahel’s New York regiments.

          The following letter was written by a trooper serving in the 1st Connecticut Cavalry who signed his name as K.T.B.; no soldier with those initials was found in checking the state roster. The letter was initially published in the June 18, 1862 edition of the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer.

 

This depiction of the death of Colonel Turner Ashby shows him expiring at the head of the 1st Maryland, exhorting them "Charge men, for God's sake, charge!" He was shot through the right side just above his hip, the ball passing out under his left arm and he died instantly. Our correspondent claims that the fatal shot was fired by a German soldier serving in one of Colonel Julius Stahel's New York regiments, not a member of the Pennsylvania Bucktails. 

Harrisonburg, Virginia

June 8, 1862

 

          Believing that it will give you pleasure to read a correct description of the battle at Harrisonburg, I will endeavor to describe that portion of it which came under my immediate notice. Our battalion was engaged in the fight which will render the account the more interesting to you.

          After many days journey, we reached Harrisonburg, Virginia on Friday June 6th at about 2 p.m. where our spirits were enlivened by the first patch of clean sky we had seen in nearly two weeks. On that day we were commanded by our gallant chief of cavalry Colonel Charles Zagonyi and as skirmishers we had the first chance to encounter the rear of Stonewall Jackson’s army comprising two companies of cavalry which had brass enough to take position on a hill just below Harrisonburg in the face of our advance.

          In pursuance of our orders, we then went back to our chief and reported the enemy’s position now however without receiving souvenirs of secession in the form of bullets whose whistling was as harmless as that of a girl of sweet sixteen. We fairly burned to turn and charge on them, but orders are orders and have to be obeyed. Ten minutes after we reported to Colonel Zagonyi the cavalry again advanced, increased in number to 1,500 troopers. Meanwhile, the enemy had retreated, leaving bushwhackers concealed in the woods. Understanding that Jackson was retreating in that direction, we took a branch road about half a mile distant from the main road, the cavalry being sent out into the woods on both sides as skirmishers. The road was execrable, full of swampy ground and mud holes. We had been marching through the woods about five minutes when we overtook the enemy and all at once the dance commenced. Shots were exchanged and the balls flew in quite a lively manner; the enemy having about two regiments of infantry and a body of cavalry commanded by the Rebel General Turner Ashby.

Colonel Charles Zagonyi

          Great bravery was here displayed by the German cavalry of General Stahel’s brigade, a New York regiment. The enemy had reason to know that they were not dealing with children. One of the German sergeants made a very good hit, killing General Ashby. But cavalry is seldom successful against a superior force of infantry. After 15 or 20 minutes of hard fighting, our cavalry was compelled to retreat with considerable loss. After proceeding a mile, we halted, and I am proud to say the Connecticut Cavalry commencing with Co. B were the first who turned upon the enemy. They were determined to make a stand and defend their colors. This had a good result for when the Secesh perceived it, they gave up the idea of pursuit and halted upon the opposite hill.

          Shortly afterwards we were reinforced by two regiments of infantry. The Rebel infantry were advancing through a valley on our left. Our infantry immediately attacked them and after firing about 16 rounds caused them to skedaddle on double quick time. It was now about 5 p.m.; the enemy had disappeared and having found a good place to rest our weary bones in a grassy meadow, we were soon locked in the arms of Morpheus and fighting over in dreamland the battle of the day.

 

Source:

Letter from K.T.B., 1st Battalion, Connecticut Cavalry, Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Virginia), June 18, 1862, pg. 2

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