On June
17th the 4 companies of the 1st Maine joined the battle up the Snickersville Turnpike near Aldie VA pushing back Confederate
cavalry that were threatening a gun position and had just decimated companies A and B of the 1st Mass cavalry.
Major Boothby formed the men as Colonel Doughty
brought them back together. Kilpatrick rode up and implored Boothby to charge. The 1st Maine set off up the turnpike
in a cloud of dust. Doughty rode in the field to the right of the road and the charging column angling towards a break
in the wall between them. The 4 companies negotiated the 'S' turn in the road receiving fire from the dismounted Confederates
behind the wall. Three men were killed outright including Captain Summat, and several were wounded. Doughty
rode onto the road trailing to charging column when he too was hit by fire from the wall. Two bullets pierced his side
and he fell dead in the road near Captain Summat.
Today the site is marked by a monument to the
1st Mass cavalry who suffered grievous losses at Aldie, but no marker recalls the actions of the 1st Maine Cavalry.
We think there should be.
To initiate an effort to place a marker near the Mass cavalry marker at the site where Doughty
fell the recreated 1st Maine Cavalry is selling VMM stickers.
 The stickers are vinyl for outdoor use. They measure 6" wide by 4" tall and
are white with large black "VMM" and "Volunteer Maine Militia" below.
They are $3 each, 2 for $5 and $3 each after
2 (3=$8, 4=$11, etc) 1st class mail is included. All proceeds will initiate a fund to erect a stone marker on the Snickersville
Turnpike in Aldie VA to commemorate the actions of those men of Maine.
To order send payment to:
Gerald Todd
c/o
1st Maine Cavalry, Inc.
4774 Baughman Mill Road
Lineboro MD 21102-3109
or via PayPal to SgtTodd@mainecav.orgBe sure to send you mailing address and state how many stickers you want.
Thank
you for your participation.
Gerald Todd
http://mainecav.org
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