On McCook's Raid with the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry

For the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, McCook's cavalry raid at the end of July 1864 proved a disaster, costing the lives of two of its leading officers: Major Nathan Paine and Lieutenant Colonel William H. Torrey. 

    "General Sherman officially pronounces McCook’s raid “an important success.” A plain statement of facts shows how much the lieutenant colonel and major of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry contributed to that success. While we of the regiment mourn them as officers who sacrificed themselves but saved their commands, we look with pride upon the deeds which have made the names of Paine and Torrey an honor to the state," offered Colonel Oscar H. LaGrange. 

    Colonel LaGrange's letter first appeared in the September 8, 1864, edition of the Saturday Evening Press of Menasha, Wisconsin.

During the Atlanta campaign, the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry was armed with a mix of .54 caliber Merrill's carbine (pictured above), .52 caliber Sharp's carbines, .44 Colt revolvers, and a mix of both light and heavy cavalry sabers. 


Headquarters, Second Brigade, First Cavalry Division, D.C., Cartersville, Georgia

August 24, 1864

Captain S.V. Shipman, Madison, Wisconsin,

          I arrived here direct from Charleston on the 19th. After careful inquiry I am able to give you a correct statement of the death of Major [Nathan] Paine and the capture of Lieutenant Colonel [William H.] Torrey of our regiment McCook’s late raid.

          The 1st Wisconsin Cavalry crossed the Chattahoochee on a pontoon bridge about four miles below Campbellton on the morning of the 28th of July. Major Paine was ordered to proceed to Campbellton and, if possible, fight his way through to Fayetteville, a distance of 20 miles on a road parallel to that pursued by the main column from 3-8 miles nearer the main army of the enemy and within from 14-20 miles of Atlanta. The nature of the duty attests to the confidence reposed in Major Paine and his regiment by the general commanding.

          At Campbellton he encountered a strong outpost of the enemy which was constantly reinforced as it fell back, but was steadily driven with loss by repeated charges. He expected to find the main Rebel force behind rail breastworks and had ordered his advance in such a case to dismount and force an opening through which the remainder of the regiment might charge and use the saber. Three miles from town, the enemy made a determined stand and leaving orders for the remainder of the regiment to act according to circumstances, Major Paine charged at the head of three companies with such impetuosity as to break through the enemy’s line and crush his reserve column back upon itself in wild confusion. While fighting hand to hand, he was shot through the breast and as he fell, the motto of our state “Forward!” was the last word that passed his lips.

Major Nathan C. Paine
1st Wisconsin Cavalry
Killed in action July 28, 1864
Campbellton, Georgia

          In the confusion of the enemy, the regiment was withdrawn with the loss of the major, Lieutenant Warren wounded and captured, and 11 men and recrossed the river on the pontoon the same morning. On the following day, our men learned by flag of truce that they had encountered Armstrong’s brigade, 2,000 strong, and that Major Paine had been buried near where he fell. The object of the movement was accomplished. The enemy was deceived by the vigor of the attack and supposing he had met McCook’s whole force, remained in line of battle from noon till midnight. Meantime the main column passed in safety to its work. The action of our regiment was highly commended by the general commanding.

          Lieutenant Colonel Torrey, commanding the 2nd and 4th Indiana Cavalry regiments of the Second Brigade, marched in advance of McCook’s column to Palmetto where his command destroyed about two miles of railroad, thence in advance to Fayetteville, where, by his direction, about 2,000 mules were sabered to avoid the noise of firing and 300 prisoners, including 70 commissioned officers from the rank of major to brigadier general, were captured.

The main column plundered and burned about 600 wagons which Torrey had left to avoid alarming the Rebels at Fayetteville. So faithfully were his orders executed that they received no intimation of his approach until they were completely in his power. Seven barrels of whiskey found at this place were immediately destroyed by his order and to charge any portion of his command with drunkenness is worse than falsehood from the slander it implies upon one so determinedly opposed to the use of spirits in the army and one whose orders were always so implicitly obeyed.

At Fayetteville he urged the general commanding to return, saying that “to advance would be to lose what had been gained and probably sacrifice the command.” But orders would not permit and still in advance, he moved forward and struck the Macon & Atlanta Railroad 6 miles below Jonesboro, thence towards Newnan, near which place McCook’s command was surrounded by a mixed force of cavalry and infantry. Here the prisoners were abandoned and after cutting his way through to a road by which his command reached the Chattahoochee and escaped.

Lieutenant Colonel Torrey, having sent his aides and orderlies to guide the column through, charged without any personal attendant at the head of a small party to drive back a body of the enemy which appeared upon his flank. The charge was met by a severe fire and his horse came riderless out of the fight. The only reliable information we have concerning him was in a Rebel dispatch to General Clanton captured the next day by McCook which contained the following: “We captured two brigade commanders, one of them Torrey severely wounded.” All of our surgeons remained with the wounded. Dr. Persons of our regiment will no doubt attend Lieutenant Colonel Torrey. [Colonel Torrey died of his wounds August 2, 1864 at Newnan, Georgia and is buried at Marietta National Cemetery with a cenotaph at his boyhood home in North Turner, Maine . His last words were "Tell all my friends that I die perfectly happy."]

General Sherman officially pronounces McCook’s raid “an important success.” A plain statement of facts shows how much the lieutenant colonel and major of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry contributed to that success. While we of the regiment mourn them as officers who sacrificed themselves but saved their commands, we look with pride upon the deeds which have made the names of Paine and Torrey an honor to the state.

Yours,

O.H. LaGrange

Source:

Letter from Colonel Oscar Hugh LaGrange, 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, Saturday Evening Press (Menasha, Wisconsin), September 8, 1864, pg. 2

 


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