Kellys Ford and Brandy Station

[deardoff]

I am looking for info on the role LBH participants had at the Battles of Kellys Ford and Brandy Station and also the Winter Encampment of 1863-64. Marcus Reno was present at Kellys Ford; apparently Custer was an aide to Pleasonton at BS. Was Miles Keogh at either? Anybody else?

[elisabeth]

Yes, Keogh was at both Kelly's Ford and Brandy Station.

[harpskiddie]

deardoff:

Can you please be more specific as to which actions at Kelly's Ford and Brandy Station you are asking about? There were several at each place.

Gordie

[deardoff]

I have Marcus Reno present at the March 17th Battle of Kellys Ford (where Pelham was killed). April 15 (16th?) there was an attempted crossing at Beverly's Ford by Stoneman. THE battle, of course was June 9th, 1863. But there were some actions after Gettysburg in October and November. I am part of the Brandy Station Foundation and we give tours of the area. Since the LBH is better known than many of the actions here, I'd like to be able to tie in people who were at both.

[harpskiddie]

George Yates, who was a young Lt. in the 4th Michigan Infantry, was mentioned in Pleasonton's report for distinguished service as an aide, as was George Custer.

Yates, Captain of F Company, died with Custer at LBH, on Custer Hill.

Gordie

[deardoff]

Thanks! Ulrich Dahlgren and Elon Farnsworth were also aides to Pleasonton - he seems to have surrounded himself with star-crossed men.

[TopKick1833]

Deardoff,

Sounds like we are neighbors. I work down at Quantico and I am a member of the RVCWRT. The believe the round table has members that do stuff with the BSF as well. Small world.

I plan on making some of the tours and lectures at Brandy Station this year.

TopKick

[deardoff]

Topkick:
Check out The Brandy Station website for the lecture series. We have tours every other weekend leaving the Graffiti House at 10AM. This Saturday (5/5) I'll be leading the one dealing with Fleetwood Hill.
Deardoff

[TopKick1833]

Deardoff, I couldn't make it this past Saturday. I had to travel to Kansas on business. I did however make it to the U.S. Cavalry museum and the Cavalry Association's archives at Fort Riley on Tuesday. The museum store has been renamed "Custer's Cottage". Nothing wrong with mixing business with pleasure ehh?

I did make the 1st Brandy Station tour in last month on that snow covered day. The staff did a really great job of interpreting the opening stages of the battle in the area of Beverly's Ford.

I plan on making some of the lectures and tours this year. There is a good bit of buzz going on in the reenacting community about the 2008 Brandy Station reenactment. ;D Are you involved in the planning of that event?

R/S

TopKick

[deardoff]

Sorry to have taken so long to reply. Yes, there are plans to have a reenactment on June 9 - the property owner at Beverly's Ford (where Buford crossed) has given permission for a crossing there "at earliest dawn". At present it appears this will not be a spectator event.

[TopKick1833]

Awesome, thanks for the update. Chance and I plan on attending.

TopKick

[TopKick1833]

Any new word on the Brandy Station event?

[ericwittenberg]

Regarding Reno at Kelly's Ford....Reno was in command of the 1st US Cavalry and three squadrons of the 5th US, totaling about 750 men. He actually performed quite admirably there. His en were actively involved in the fighting for most of the day, making several mounted charges, and doing very difficult rearguard duty after Averell decided to break off and withdraw. It was tough duty, but Reno and his command did quite well.

However, Reno lost his horse during one of these stands. When the mortally wounded animal fell on top of him, the captain suffered a hernia that caused him considerable pain and forced him to take sick leave in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Averell praised Reno’s performance: “Captain Reno, whose horse was wounded under him, handled his men gallantly and steadily.” Reno received a brevet to major in the U. S. Army for his “gallant and meritorious service” at Kelly’s Ford.

I hope that helps.

Eric

[conz]

Eric,

Welcome to these boards! My cavalry friends and I can't get enough of your books...keep up the great work.

Do you miss Brian Pohanka as much as we do?

Clair

(PS...thought this was an appropriate place to mention BP, as he did so love these actions!)

[ericwittenberg]

Clair,

Thanks for the welcome--I really appreciate it, and I likewise really appreciate your kind words about my work. The next one will be out in May. It's titled One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863. There's tons of cavalry stuff in there, and lots of GAC stuff as well. It's being published by Savas-Beatie, and includes two driving tours, complete with GPS coordinates, 16 maps, and over 100 photos/illustrations. I first started researching the retreat from Gettysburg in 1992, so this is the culmination of many, many years of work.

To answer your question, I miss Brian terribly. I miss his wise counsel, I miss getting together with him whenever I'm in Washington on business, I miss getting his comments on my work (which always, always made my work better), I miss smoking a cigar and having a whiskey with him. He was more than just a friend--he was very much a mentor, and I think of him often.

Eric