David G. Cooper Interesting War Experiences
Narrow Escapes #29
Ironton Register 2 June 1887
Submitted by Diane Sparling
We met David G. Cooper of Company H., 6th Ohio Cavalry, the other day and asked him for a “Narrow Escape.” The 6th Cavalry was where there was plenty of fighting and a gallant Regiment. Mr. Cooper said he didn’t like to select himself of the Regiment as having any particularly hazardous experience but was not unwilling to give us a little of the doings that the Regiment of which he was a part, so he took as his subject the fight his Regiment was in at Aldee in Virginia, a very exciting combat, in which several boys from this county took part.
“It was the 17th of June 1863. We started from the Alexandria railroad at 2 a.m. Our Regiment belonged to the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division of Kilpatrick’s Cavalry Corps. We made a forced march of about 70 miles that day, and the sun was hot enough to roast a fellow. At 2 p.m., we approached the town of Aldee.
“We had been having some little intimations when we approached Aldee that there was going to be a brush before the day was over, and sure enough, when we got through the town, the skirmish began, and we were drawn up in line of battle on the right side of the road. Ahead of us, perhaps a half mile — the summit of a hill, and between the Battery and us was rolling or hilly.
“Our Regiment formed under cover of a hill; 2nd Penn., I was on our right. Soon the bugles sounded for the attack, and we started with banners flying. Never did our Regiment start on an attack with a straighter line. It was as true as if on parade. We were to charge that Battery on the hill, and towards it, we went. But we didn’t get there as easily as expected.
“The rolling ground between the Battery and us was covered with high grass, which obscured a deep gully that ran athwart the field, about 200 yards from where we formed. The gully or ditch was filled with armed men, which presented a line of gleaming bayonets when we got within fifteen paces of the gully, and at the same time, opened fire. It was a terrible moment for us, and more terrible because unlooked for.
“Several of our comrades fell at the valley, and many horses tumbled with their riders. But on we went, into the line of blazing steel. We were on a charge and couldn’t stop if we could. It looked like a death trap, sure enough. I was on a splendid horse that plunged ahead and leaped the ditch, right over the rebs who kept up their fire vigorously. Just before I reached the ditch was Gus Reckard, who commanded the platoon.
“He was a noble fellow. He was mounted on a yellow mare, which had just risen to spring over the ditch when a ball pierced Gus’s heart, and he fell at the side of the gully, and his horse sprang forward, cleared the ditch, and ran onto the enemy’s ranks beyond. I was within three feet of Gus when he fell. Wilson Bruce, another brave soldier from Lawrence County [Ohio], fell there, mortally wounded in the abdomen.
“But frightful as it was, that gully was not our only terror. About 75 feet beyond the gully was a stone wall, behind which lay a rebel force that opened up on us with fury. Having got over the ditch, our Regiment immediately formed and charged the stone wall, which we carried and put the rebs to their heels.
“We then whirled about and captured several hundred men who had taken positions in the ditch. The reb Battery had been several hundred men who had taken a position in the ditch. The reb Battery had been silenced by Captain Tidball’s Battery, though the brave Captain himself fell that day. We had beaten the enemy and made heavy captures, but it was expensive.
“The charge across the fully is terrible to think of now. Think of charging over a ditch full of men banging away at you. To many, it was a leap of death. After the day’s fight, I returned with some other comrades and found poor Gus Reckard lying near the ditch. We took him up tenderly and buried him beside the road under a permission tree.
“Poor Bruce was removed to the field hospital, where he lingered for a few days and died. We took his body down by the roadside, where we buried Gus, put the bodies in these coffins, and gave them a decent burial. We put up headboards to the graves and engraved thereon our noble comrades’ names, company, and regiments and left to sleep in the graves that duty assigned them.
“That fight was the beginning of three days’ conflict which included combats at Upperville, Middleburg, and Snickers Gap. Every day was full of excitement and danger, but the 6th Ohio never flinched a duty.
“There were many boys about here that took part in those sharp contests. Let’s see – I wouldn’t want to miss anyone from the county – there were W.G. Lambert, W.H. Donohoe, Wm. Bazell, H.C. Gillett, Thos. Hamilton, U.S. Hamlin, Jack Stevenson, Ed and Josh Rhodes, Wm. Akers, Geo. Bradford, I.P. Cross, Jas. Day, Jos. Harley. Any of these boys will say that my account of the fight at Aldee is not overdrawn, for they were there and smelt the powder. Our old Colonel, Wm. Steedman was a grand officer. When he said, “come, we went.”
“But excuse me – you asked for a little talk, and now you have it.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cooper,” said the Register man, “your talk is decidedly interesting. Did you notice that the Sons of Veterans at Proctorville named their camp after Gus Rickard?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Cooper, “and they honor themselves by it. They preserve the memory of the grandest boys in blue.”
0 Comments