Riding with Custer: Recollections of a Cavalryman in the Civil WarYears before his fateful stand at the Little Bighorn, George Armstrong Custer fought in the Civil War, a bright and shiny brigadier general of volunteers in the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. Riding with Custer and his "Wolverines" was Captain James H. Kidd, who saw action extending from the raid on Richmond to Appomattox. Riding with Custer is a rousing and vivid illustration of the tactical worth of cavalry in the army. Kidd raised his own company, engaged in more than sixty battles, rose to colonel in 1864, and after conspicuous valor in the Valley Campaign of that year succeeded Custer as commander of the Michigan Brigade. When he wrote these memoirs several decades after the war, his recollections were sharp and indelible-among them the experience of fighting with Custer at Gettysburg, Falling Waters, the Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, and Cedar Creek. He describes life on the move in all kinds of weather and terrain, the sensation of combat, the pleasure of a cup of coffee, and, besides Custer, such famous generals as Judson Kilpatrick, Phil Sheridan, and Wesley Merritt. A reprint of the original 1908 edition, this Bison Book features a new index. The introducer, Gregory J. W. Urwin, is a professor in the department of history at the University of Central Arkansas. His publications include Custer Victorious: The Civil War Battles of General George Armstrong Custer (Nebraska 1990), The United States Cavalry: An Illustrated History, The United States Infantry: An Illustrated History, 1775-1918, and Facing Fearful Odds: The Siege of Wake Island (Nebraska 1997). |
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE I A NATIONAL AWAKENING | 1 |
AN EVENTFUL WINTER | 12 |
RECRUITING IN MICHIGAN | 23 |
THE SUMMER OF 1862 | 29 |
JOINING THE CAVALRY | 35 |
IN THE REGIMENTAL RENDEZVOUS | 46 |
THE DEPARTURE FOR WASHINGTON | 69 |
THE ARRIVAL IN WASHINGTON | 72 |
THE BATTLE OF BUCKLAND MILLS | 212 |
WINTER QUARTERS IN STEVENSBURG | 227 |
THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN | 261 |
THE YELLOW TAVERN CAMPAIGN | 278 |
YELLOW TAVERN TO CHESTERFIELD STA TION | 307 |
HANOVERTOWN AND HAWS SHOP | 318 |
THE TREVILIAN RAID | 337 |
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY | 373 |
THE STAY IN WASHINGTON | 79 |
FIELD SERVICE IN VIRGINIA | 87 |
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN | 113 |
FROM GETTYSBURG TO FALLING WATERS | 161 |
FROM FALLING WATERS TO BUCKLAND MILLS | 191 |
THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK | 403 |
A MYSTERIOUS WITNESS | 434 |
A MEETING WITH MOSBY | 444 |
Common terms and phrases
adjutant advance army artillery attack battery bridge camp campaign Captain captured cavalrymen Cedar Creek charge Chilesburg Colonel Alger column command confederate crossed Custer Devin dismounted duty Early's enemy enemy's federal fence field Fifth fight fire Fitzhugh Lee force ford front gallant George Armstrong Custer Gettysburg Gettysburg campaign Gregg guard halted Hampton Hanover Haw's Shop horses infantry Kidd killed and wounded Kilpatrick Lee's left flank Lieutenant Colonel line of battle looked Major mand ment Merritt Michigan brigade Michigan Cavalry Brigade miles morning mounted moved movement never night o'clock officers pike position Potomac prisoners rear regiment Reserve brigade right flank river road rode Rosser saber saddle sent Seventh Michigan Shenandoah Valley Sheridan shot Sixth Michigan cavalry skirmishers soldier South Anna river squadron staff Stevensburg Stuart tion took Torbert Trevilian Station troop troopers union valley Virginia Washington Weber Wesley Merritt Winchester woods Yellow Tavern