A Letter About the Loss of 118th Regiment Officers at the Battle of Shepherdstown

From SparedShared13.Wordpress. "1862-1863:  Edward Everette Coxe to family.

Camp Addicks

Near Tennallytown

October 3, 1862

Dear Bob,

The loss of Capt. [Joseph W.] Ricketts is a severe one both to his family and his friends --  particularly to his company of which he was a faithful member.  Lt. McKeen is a gentleman & I hope his wounds will soon heal & enable [him] to be fit for duty.  I was scarcely acquainted with [Lt.] J. Mora  Moss or J. Rudhall White.

"Capt. Ricketts I consider never acted in a straight forward, honest manner to me or else I would have been in his company when the regiment was formed, or I would have gone with him.  Had I gone, maybe today I would have been among the killed or wounded and perhaps  it was well I did not go at that time or with the regiment.

"I consider the order sending them into the fight so little prepared as they were as one of the most fatal blunders of the war & hope  the same thing will never happen to us."

--Old Secesh

Death of Lt. J. Rudhall White-- Part 2: An Eulogy

From "History of the 118th  Pennsylvania Volunteers: The Corn Exchange Regiment."

"White was a handsome, soldiery young man of scarce twenty summers.    A native of Warrenton, Virginia, at the breaking  out of the war, he was a young lieutenant in the Black Horse Cavalry, a command subsequently famous in all the campaigns  of Virginia.

"Differing in sentiments among his friends and his family, sacrificing the ties of home and  friendship, he was determined to defend his convictions with his sword.  Firm in his belief that the unrighteous attempt to disrupt the Government should be suppressed, imbued with the purest and highest patriotism, he sought service in the Union  army.  (Even though a native of Virginia and with all his family and friends siding with the Confederacy, he determined to go with his country.)

"Instinctively a soldier by principle, his sad and early death interrupted a career that promised the brightest prospects.  His short service had secured him the confidence of his superiors and respect of the soldiers."

A Loss.  --Old Secesh

Virginia's Black Horse Cavalry

From the Encyclopedia Virginia.

In the last post, I mentioned that Lt. J. Rudhall White who was killed at the Battle of Shepherdstown as a member of the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry was a native of Warrenton, Virginia, and had been a member of the famed Black Horse Cavalry before he threw in his lot with the Union. 

The Black Horse Cavalry was conceived by a gathering of Warrenton lawyers in 1858 and was among the local militia groups called to active duty by Governor Henry Wise in 1859.

The Black Horse Cavalry led a successful charge against Union forces at the First Battle of Bull Run, winning the special praise of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.  Known as Company H of the 4th Virginia Cavalry, the unit served as  bodyguard, escort  and scout for generals Joseph E, Johnston and  Stonewall Jackson.

Following the war, a number of men from the group became prominent  leaders in the state.

--Old Secesh

Death of Lt. J. Rudhall White at the Battle of Shepherdstown: 'Thank God I Am Over At Last'

From the October 8, 2008, AotW "On the  trail of the Corn Exchange Regiment."  These guys went to the battle site, and retraced the steps of the hapless 118th, even crossing the Potomac River on foot.  Now, there's some dedication.  Well worth going to it and reading.  Lots of pictures.  Too bad John Burns was not with them.  This would be right up his line/

One of the saddest incidents on this disastrous day happened  after the action was really over.  Lieutenant J. Rudhall White had passed through the desperate dangers of the contest and had safely landed  upon the Maryland shore.

As he reached the top of the river-bank he stopped and said, "Thank God I am over at last."

His halt attracted attention and a musket ball, doubtlessly aimed  from the other side by a skilled marksman, plowed through his bowels.  The wound was almost instantly fatal; he died as he was being borne away.

White was a handsome, soldierly young man of scarce twenty summers.  A native of Warrenton, Virginia, at the breaking out of the war, he was a young lieutenant in the Black Horse Cavalry, a command subsequently  famous in all of the campaigns in Virginia.

Differing in sentiments from his friends and his family, sacrificing  the ties of home and friendship, he determined to defend his convictions with his sword...."

So Here Was a Man Who Was from Virginia But Fighting for the Union.  --Old Secesh

Second Day at Shepherdstown-- Part 6: Heavy Losses for the 118th

The 118th's dilemma.  Crossing the Potomac under the combined enemy and friendly fire seemed less dangerous than staying and most of the Pennsylvanians decided to risk it.  Some waded right into the water, while others threaded their way across the mill dam, which in places were knee-deep.  

Musket balls tore splinters from the slippery planks as Colonel Provost was carried across. Many men were shot down before they got to safety.

Lieutenant  J. Rudhall White only ha time to give thanks to God for reaching the other side safely when a musket ball fatally  struck him.

This is when Lt. Lemuel Crocker got involved with his rescue mission.

The 118th Pennsylvania entered the fight with 737 men.  When the fighting died down around 2 pm, three officers and sixty men had been killed, 101 were wounded and 105 were missing.  Their 269 casualties constituted the bulk  of the 361 Union men lost at the battle.  

A.P. Hill was satisfied that the Yankees had been driven back across the Potomac and made no attempt to follow them.  Confederate losses numbered 30 dead and 261 wounded.

--Old Secesh