Bivouac 7th Mich Cav. White House Va. March 20th /65 To Our Folks. In accordance with my usual custom I today seat myself to let you know how the world and myself are getting along. Since my last of Feb 26th we have been separated from every body and everything that owned allegiance to Uncle Sam. You will, doubtless feel some little interest to know what we have been doing and I can perhaps. gratify your desire in no better way than by copying from my daily chronicle of our proceedings. So to commence. Feb. 27th Turn out at 4 A.M. and commence training down and packing. and saddling up . preparatory to bidding adieu to Camp Russell. The brigade is formed in field adjacent to camp. at 7 A.M. and in due course of time the bugle sounds “forward” and we are off up the “Valley” The day is clear and beautiful but the ground other than on the hardest pikes. a perfect sea of mud. Pass the villages of Middletown, Newtown, Stras burg, Old Town and Wooodstock and go into camp two miles from the latter at dark after marching 35 miles 28th We turn out at 5 A.M. pass through Edinburgh and [illegible in original] Jackson. lay pontoon 2 over Shenandoah river and camp at 10 P M about 3 miles from Harrisburg. Passed through new marker after dark which appears to be quite a large town for Va Day cool and road good. March 1st Turn out at 4 A.M. morning cloudy and cool. not very encour aging. Yet with a good breakfast and a belly full for the horses. do not feel like grumbling Pass. Harrisonburgh a pleasant little village and hear a little shooting ahead and soon pass a carriage. [an?] army wagon and ambulances horses gone harness cut. and contents spilled over the ground. Pretty soon pass ten or 15 prisoners, one or two have their heads tied up; more wagons. Mt Crawford a small village dismounted, wagons in street Mt. Sydney another small village where a little woman displays an engraving of the Union Volunteer boys give her cheers more wagons. cross a small stream 4 or 5 miles from Staunton, where command goes into camp. Our regiment. goes on picket Releived about 10 P.M. and join brigade which has been ordered to take Staunton Do it in fine style. Somebody fires one shot. take one prisoner and we [occupy?] the town. It is now midnight but yet we do not stop. but continuing on march over roads such as Michigan never saw we proceed 5 miles in the direction of Waynesboro, burn R R bridge and countermarch. reach Staun ton and form in a field near the town at daylight and just as the advance of the column comes up. After marching 40 miles without feeding. Just as we form in field the clouds break and we are “blessed” 3 with a shower. It comes down steadily and none too gently. and the soil (an old corn field last year) soon becomes about the consistency of mush and something less than a few feet deep. Tear down fences and build fires. make coffee fry ham and bake pancakes. by standing over the fire to keep rain off. After breakfast sit down on [rail?] pull my cape over my head smoke a pipe and go to sleep. When I wake up find my overcoat has accumulated weight very rapidly. Disconsolate looking crowd around me yet all try to smile. Feel as though a smile would do no harm: take a smoke Custer, meanwhile, has passed by and marching to Waynesboro meets Early and his cannons are booming forth their fearful notes as we mount and moving into the road move out to support him. Roads are so muddy that we can not overtake him and we camp. about dark three miles from Waynesboro. near a small station on R.R. called Fishersville. Eat supper and to bed and to sleep feeling rather tired but wake up to “listen to the patter of the soft rain overhead” not however on the shingles of the roof of some pleasant cottage but upon the rubber blanket which covers us. after laying a short time the side nearest the ground feels queer. so make an investigation and find that a small river is flowing beneath us. Soon Revellie sounds and we crawl out and get break fast. saddle up and get into line. 1st Sergts are called and an official report from Custer is read announcing the results of yesterdays fighting it reads 1175 enlisted men 87 officers 11 pieces of artillery. 13 battle flags 120 wagons and one train of cars. We give it to the men and as the column moves off the air rings with cheers for Custer. This is March 3d We marched ten miles the day before and now continue the route that Custer followed. The rain still continues and we wallow through mud in which our horses sink almost to their bellies at every step. Some are grumbling. and indeed it is anything but pleasant. yet hoping that Uncle Abe will allow us credit for this in our account with him and knowing that “it is all in three years” we move on Reach Waynes boro: see 3 or four dead Johnnies part of the captured artillery. prisoners and wagons. After passing town we pull up and form brigade by road side to let column close up. While waiting hear a few shots fired and four or five men come dashing out of woods by roadside no one follows them and all is quiet once more. some dismounted men go to a house to fill canteens and one is behind the rest. On his way back he meets a mounted man in blue. who stops to talk awhile then demands his arms which are given up and he is driven away towards the woods. Soon he determines to escape and darts away his captor firing 3 or 4 shots at him and finding himselfe pursued flees to woods and escapes. Bold trick. Move on again. cross Blue Ridge via Rockfish Gap. Custer being the first of our army who had even s crossed there and his, the first Union^ 5 soldiers ever seen by the inhabitants About half way up the mountain side we meet an old man with hair white as snow. who takes off his hat to the “Old Flag” and as the boys' request gives three cheers. for “Old Abe” with all his strength. Wagons are strewn along the road to the top and down the other side of the moun tain at the foot of which we find Afton station where the train of cars and 5 pieces artillery were captured. We continue on towards Charlottesville. finding indication of the route of Early's forces at every step a short distance from Afton pass Early's damage. a magnificant coach and al most unhurt. At a small station on Mitchum river find warehouses burned also bridge over river. which we ford at night fall and marching till ten O. clock go into camp. It has rained nearly all day and still continues so we put up tent and think we'll sleep dry. Have marched 20 miles. March 4th Wake up a short time before revellie and find about 3 inches of water under me blankets wet. clothes ditto. Crawl out. build a fire. get breakfast and saddle up. Feel same as Jonah did when he swallowed the whale After breakfast. smoke. sun rises and clouds break away. feel better. move out and find my horse very lame. March about a mile then stop to wait for wagons to come up. mud every where without bottom where we halt change for extra horse and find mnyself all right. Train comes up and we move into Charlottesville when we go into camp. Day proves beautiful 6 At Charlottesvile we find the University of Va and school of Cadets. the most extensive and beautiful building of the kind I ever saw. Foragers bring in flour. ham. eggs. butter and currant wine. Have good dinner con sisting of pancakes. and molasses. ham eggs and coffee. Custer arrived and passed thru yesterday with no opposition. marched five miles today. March 5th 1st, 6th and 7th ordered out to destroy R.R. towards Lynchburg. Custer has destroyed three or four miles and commencing where he left off. we tear up six or seven move. Foragers bring in flour, hams, meal. corn. apples. preserves. molasses and sundry other things. Sergt Major brings in canned peaches and he and I take dinner. Middle of P.M. stop work and return to camp. Wagon train has come up and 8 days rations of coffee, sugar and salt are issued. Have'n't eaten Hard Tack for two days. Day fair and pleasant March 6th Turn out at 3:30 A.M. and at day light move out. Go to Scottsville in James river when we strike the Canal and burn factory and ware house and boats. and destroy lock. thence to Howardsville. and go into camp at midnight having marched 30 miles Day beautiful; roads improving. March 7th Turn out at 5. A.M. and after saddling up move down to the canal where we find two boats loaded with flour ham. bacon.beef. some hospital stores. and ware houses filled with tobacco. cotton saddle [illegible in original] and butter. Help ourselves to everything we want including the contents of two barrels of Apple Jack, burn ware houses. and boats and break 7 lock and canal. Then taking the tow path we marched to New Market and went into Camp at 7 P.M. Day beautiful March 8th Turn out at 4 A.M. and march up the towpath to a small town fifteen miles below Lynchburg then counter march and return to New Market and go into camp. Rains nearly all of the afternoon and till after we get supper. so. to bed on three round poles. and although it rains nearly all night sleep dry. Destroyed every bridge and lock on canal. March 9th Turn out at 4 A.M. and march at daylight take towpath and march to Scottsville and go into camp at midnight having marched 25 miles. Our regt was in advance of wagon train and was the only one that went into camp. the roads were very muddy and the train moved very slowly. besides the advance being retarded by burning bridges and locks. March 10th Turned out at day light but did not march till noon then took towpath and marched to Columbia and went into camp at 3 O'clock in the morning After cooking supper. we turned in to catch a few minutes sleep just as day was breaking in the east. March 11th We got up about 7 A.M cooked breakfast. saddled up and moved about two miles, then went into camp. sent out foragers. drew 8 days rations of coffee, sugar and salt. had inspection of arms. then saddled up again and crossing the Ravenna river on the Aqueduct of the canal and went into camp a mile from Columbia. 8 After going into camp took 9 men and started to find corn for our horses. Found a barnfull about 3½ miles from camp and returned to camp about 9 P.M. and found. a supper of ham eggs pancakes and molasses all ready for me. March 12th Turn out at 5 A.M. march at 8 A.M. in direction of Louisa C H. and after march.g 25 miles go into camp six miles from Louisa C.H.. In afternoon I take 15 men and go foraging. A mile from road find flour, ham, molasses and grain load our selves and return. Day beautiful. roads good. March 13th Turn out at 3:30 A.M march at sunrise. our squadron advance guard of column. Find my horse about played out. and dismount. walk about 2 miles when we reach Tolersville station on Va Central R.R. where advance captures one Johnny. and foragers bring in two or three more. Column comes up and commences to tear up R.R. track Our regt ordered to Louisa C.H. 8 miles distant to burn bridges and perhaps catch train that went up to Gordonsville Sunday Follow them 2 miles. can't keep up. learn that played out horses are to be left at Tolersville and return. [illegible in original] with wagons. and marched to Frederick's Hall troops and negroes. ([illegible in original] whom there are about 1500) tear up track all the way. Custer burns large tobacco factory at Frederick's Hall and continues tearing up track towards Richmond Went into camp about 3½ P.M. near Fredericks Hall regt comes in about 8. Had slight skirmish at Louisa (9) one man wounded. Day warm and pleasant. March 14th Reported to regt in the morning and was ordered to remain with “played out” squad. Command moved off towards Richmond while we remained in camp about two hours and then followed them. After a march of 15 miles went into camp 1½ miles from Beaver Dam station. Part of com mand and negroes tear up track nearly all the way. Two brigades of Custers division and two brigades of Our Div moved rapidly down R.R toward Richmond. Day cloudy. March 15th Soon after daylight we started out and marched to a few miles from Hanover Junction. met command coming back. had been to Taylorsville 19 miles from Richmond custer went farther had fight with Lomax's Cavalry. captured 2 guns. 2 flags and nearly 200 prisoners with but little loss. 5th Mich had been sent to burn a bridge some little distance from main column had brush and one man killed. Turned back and marched 8 miles along R R. then turning towards Fredericks burg. crossed North Anna river and went into camp near Chesterfield station on Richmond and Fredericks burg R.R. about midnight. Rained some during night. but slept dry. 16th No hurry about moving early. and crossing R.R. at Chesterfiel'd turned our faces towards White House. Marched slowly and leisurely and went into camp near the small (10) village of Mango Lick. having made 15 miles before sundown. Rained during night but slept dry. Brigade camped nearby March 17th Marched early. and quite fast. passed Elliott on the Mattaponey and camped near King William C.H. about 4 P.M. Received orders to join regiment and never felt so happy in my life “almost” Day pleasant but roads poor. March 24 miles March 18th Turned out at 4 A M. and after an easy march of 8 miles reach White House Landing at noon. where we find a brigade of infantry and one regiment of cavalry. three gunboats. and several transports loaded with supplies. and receive grain for horses. but no rations for ourselves. for which we are not lacking as we have plenty of Potatoes. ham. flour. molasses and coffee and sugar. There Nell you have the account of the hardest. longest and most destructive raid ever made by our cavalry. The result may be summed up to this 75 miles of canal about the same of R.R. and provisions without [illegible in original] end destroyed 1600 prisoners. 13 guns. 15 flags. 150 wagons and one train of cars captured, and with the smallest loss ever sustained by so large an expedition in so long a time. Our loss through the entire corps will not exceed 50 men in my opinion. At Waynesboro. Custer had but one man killed and ten or twelve wounded. Two men of my company are missing and have [11 been for three days. They were doubtless captured while foraging.. We found no supplies of note before reaching Staunton. where there was quite a large supply of government stores which were burned. Staunton is the terminus of a branch of the Va Central R.R. and quite a place. It is the seat of the western Penitentiary. Deaf and Dumb and Insane Asylum and a High School. All of which are buildings of great extent and beauty. both in design and architecture. The country around is rich and beautiful and Staunton was once an important Depot of supplies and I was much surprised to find it so poorly defended. The force opposed to Custer at Waynesboro consisted of 3000 infantry and 6 pieces of artillery. com manded by Early in person. The battle did not last out an hour. Custer dis mounted the greater portion of his command and made no efforts to drive them until by a successful maneuver he had gained their left flank with three regiments when making a charge both in front and flank he scattered them in great confusion. Early himself only escaping by the “skin of his teeth” succeeding in getting aboard a train of cars waiting for him which immediately steamed off followed by shells from our artillery. Custer then sent a part of his forces through the Gap and succeeded in intercepting a train at Afton with 5 guns on board. 12) At Waynesboro. or rather Fishersville one regiment of our brigade (the 25th N.Y.) was dismounted and sent back with the prisoners and artillery captured at Waynes boro. while those guns captured at Afton were destroyed by bursting them. The R.R. in passing through Rock fish [leap?] runs through a long tunnel said to be three miles long. As we were the first wild Yanks. ever passing through this part of the country the citizens exhibited some interest in us. and being some what unsophisticated in Yankee tricks our boys found plenty of everything for themselves and horses. and we lived on the top shelf during the whole raid. The destruction of the canal has inflicted upon the confederate government an irreparable loss. Running as it does through as fertile a part as the state of Va can boast of: it was a causeway over which an immense amount of supplies was transported. and taking it in conjunction with the destruction of all roads with the excep tion of the Southside R.R. will greatly aid in bringing them to terms They had burned every bridge over the James to prevent our crossing that river and we had not pontoons enough to cross on and I do not think Sheridan's object was to cross unless he could join Stoneman and Busbridge whom we beleived to advancing towards Lynchburg from Tennessee. It was thought that the reason Sheridan accompanied the expedition which consisted of two divisions of cavalry alone. and was also accompanied by Gen Merritt commanding (13 corps. was to form a junction at or near Lynchburg. with Stone man and Busbridge and then assume command of the com bined forces. We could form no opinion as to the general course of our march from one day to another as we did not follow one road two days at a time scarcely. We have lost heavily in horses which were generally rather indiffer ent in qualities and condition when we left camp. and the bad roads hard marches. and poor care soon wore them out. None of them suffered from want of food unless the rider was too lazy to procure it. but the mud caused scratches hoof rot and grease heels and a great many have been left on the road from these causes. and a still larger number condemned since reaching here. My company started from camp with 28 horses called serviceable and reached camp here with 17 horses ten of which were condemned and ordered to be turned off over yesterday leaving me 7 good horses. The actuall loss in horses in my company was nearly twenty horses as several were picked up after abandoning others 14) Nearly one half the entire command are dismounted, or have unserviceable horses It is expected that these will be sent away. from here on transports to City Point while the rest of us will go overland after laying here six or eight days to rest and recruit up. I am in no wise anxious to lay idle long at this time and in this place. I know it of old. and have no very pleasant memories con nected with it. We lay in a wide open field and knee deep. and the sun coming down with all the force of a June day and any thing more than a blouse is uncomfortable. Our Camp Equippage was all left behind and I was just foolish enough to leave my extra clothes. Stationery and other little extras in my company desk. and here I am with the same suite of clothes that I started from Camp Russell with and no very fair prospect of getting others very soon. As this is only a temporary hold we can not expect to get our baggage before reaching our base. We are anxious only for mail and promise ourselves numerous letters when it arrives. Mail leaves here at 8 A.M. but I can not send this by today's mail. so I may receive your letters before this leaves me. A few letters and then I am ready to take the highway again. We have seen none of our papers of a later date than March 16th by which we learn that the prisoners sent back by from Waynesboro had arrived safely at Harper's Ferry. I found a Richmond paper of the 10th in a house where we went foraging which contained about as much news as any I have seen [15 The most surprising feature in the whole raid was that we found no force to oppose us. We started up the Valley confidently expecting a fight before passing Mt. Jackson. and a most stubborn fight before gaining possession of Staunton. but here we are after 20 days in the heart of Va. and I have not been under fire and have not seen but few “wild Johnnies” We never moved hurriedly that is not Sheridan's style forced marches he never makes and had Lee felt disposed to attack us he would have had no difficulty in finding us. No private property was destroyed only such as were used for good purposes. Several mills along the canal were burned out barns and dwellings were untouched. Wherever we went the negroes came flocking to us. and came all the way many of them walking 150 miles. Scarcely any remained behind. They seemed to have little idea of where they were going. but any where to escape from slavery. Their answer to our question of “Well you Sam: where are ^ going.” was. “Dunno; going with you all” They were of both sexes and all ages from the very youngest that could be carried to the old gray headed men and women. Many of the women carried a small child in their arms and a larger one on their backs. They have all been sent away from here on transports and will soon become inmates of the Freedman's Home. at Arlington [illegible in original]. The infantry found here is a brigade of the 24th A.C. the same that went from Chapins Farm to Fredericks burg and destroyed the tobacco collected 16) there to exchange for [illegible in original] We received much information concerning the feeling in the south from captured letters of which we got a great many. Our Sergt Major got quite a large mail at Scottsville. Almost every letter spoke of Lee's soldiers deserting in great numbers. A great many came to us. I remember two brothers who came to us at Howardsville. one of whom was conscripted last July and had been at home sick all winter. the other had been hiding in the woods for thirteen months to escape the same fate. A rebel Captain and his wife came in at Howardsville or New Market and have been with us ever since. The weather for the past four or five days has been dry and warm. although it seems to be threatening a storm this morning. Every exertion is being put forward to refit the command as soon as possible Blacksmiths are working day and night to shoe the horses and we shall probably be leaving these parts ere long. Cant leave too soon for me But I have spun this out long enough and will close. Graham and Alexander are both well. Alex is dismounted and Graham has an unserviceable horse. If any one should enquire after me you can tell them I'm still alive but too poor and lazy to write to any one. Write soon and accept the best wishes of your Aff. Son and Brother Edwin R Havens