Valuable Services Rendered

Wherein a scout through no-man's land contains tantalizing hints of a lost drama

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At 3:30 am on February 22, the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry headed out again. Two weeks earlier, the unit had set off to clear the road between Flint Hill and Hunter's Mill and run into more difficulties than they had expected, but still come home with valuable information about the Confederate position. This time, Colonel Max Friedman was leading the mission himself, but the regiment was again accompanied by that indefatigable Brit, L.D.H. Currie, from division headquarters.

There's unfortunately not a lot of information readily available about Friedman's ride, but the colonel's account is well written, and not quite as stiff as some of his fellow officers, so I'll run it in its entirety (which, unfortunately, takes two screenshots).

The horsemen were most likely again from the 1st North Carolina Cavalry, who were responsible for picketing that section of the Confederate line, but if there's a Confederate account, I haven't found it.

The expedition has a curious footnote. When forwarding the report on to the commanding general, Friedman's superior, Brig. General W.F. "Baldy" Smith noted  a "decided difference of opinion with reference to artillery being seen near Fairfax Court-House." Commanding officers were required to forward reports up the chain, but more often than not did not add any commentary of their own. And since Smith was not on the scout himself, his opinions would have come from Currie.

Smith also believed that some individuals should be particularized, and included in his endorsement three staff officers by names who he says took prisoners. He concluded with the additional observation that "Captain Currie, as usual, was everywhere to direct and make successful the expedition."

Friedman would leave the army in just a few more weeks over disagreements about his approval of a Jewish chaplain for the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry, but reading the report of his last action in command of his regiment, it's hard not to suspect that McClellanites Currie and Smith played a role in driving away what otherwise seems to be a pretty good officer.