History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 16

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 16

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

* Also called the Jersey Brigade.

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

bly large number of our officers were wounded at this point, but none fatally, nor even very severely. (In the morning the casualties among officers had been few and severe, Hosford being killed, and Fenn and Gregory losing each an arm.)

" The enemy attempted to rally behind another fence, a little farther back, but after a moment or two gave it up and 'retired.' Not only in front of our regiment, but all along as far as the eye could reach, both to the right and left, were they flying over the uneven country in precisely the same kind of disor- der that we had exhibited in the morning. The shouts and screams of victory mingled with the roar of the firing, and never was heard

"'So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.'

The sight of so many rebel heels made it a very easy thing to be brave, and the Union troops pressed on utterly regardless of the grape and canister which, to the last moment, the enemy flung behind him. It would not have been well for them to have fired too much if they had had ever so good a chance, for they would have been no more likely to hit our men than their own who were our prisoners and scattered in squads of twenty, squads of ten, and squads of one all over the vast field. At one time they made a deter- mined stand along a ridge in front of our brigade. A breastwork of rails was thrown together, colors planted, a nucleus made, and both flanks grew longer and longer with wonderful rapidity. It was evident that they were driving back their men to this line without re- gard to regiment or organization of any kind. This could be plainly seen from the adjacent and similar ridge over which we were moving, the pursuers being in quite as much disorder (so far as organizations were concerned) as the pursued. That growing line began to look ugly, and somewhat quenched the ardor of the chase. It began to be a question in many minds whether it would not be a point of wisdom to 'survey the vantage of the ground' before getting much farther. But just as we descended into the intervening hollow a body of cavalry, not large, but compact, was seen scouring along the fields to our right and front like a whirlwind, directly towards the left flank of that for- midable line on the hill. When we reached the top there was no enemy there! They had moved on, and the cavalry after them. Thus the chase was contin- ued, from position to position, for miles and miles, for hours and hours, until darkness closed in, and every regiment went into camp on the identical ground it had left in such haste in the morning. Every man tied his shelter tent to the very same old stakes, and in half an hour coffee was boiling and salt pork sput- tering over thousands of camp-fires. Civil life may furnish better fare than the army at Cedar Creek had that night, but not better appetites ; for it must be horne in mind that many had gone into the fight di- rectly from their beds, and had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours.

" Late in the evening, after many were sound asleep, the regiment was ordered to be formed in line with- out arms. When the command to ' fall in' was heard the general question was, ' Well, old Jubal hasn't for- gotten anything and come back after it, has he ?' The clause, 'without arms,' however, showed that he had not, although the soldiers expressed their perfect wil- lingness to fight him in that way if he found himself still unable to restrain his pugnacity. The line being formed, Capt. Jones-now in command of the regi- ment-said, 'Soldiers, I have just received a dis- patch from Gen. Sheridan's headquarters which an- nounces that we have this day taken not less than two thousand prisoners, forty-seven guns and caissons, a large number of battle-flags, all the wagons and supplies taken from us this morning, besides horses, mules, wagon-trains, and material of all kinds in un- known quantities, and that our victory is complete. I now propose three cheers for Sheridan, ourselves, our army, and the Union !' They were given with indescribable heartiness, while all the camps far and near joined in full chorus. The battalion was dis- missed, and thus ended the day that had witnessed a battle which was, in many respects, without a par- allel in ancient or modern history.

" The killed, wounded, and missing of the Sixth Corps were two thousand two hundred and fifteen, of which the Second Connecticut had its full share. Men from every company started out the first thing after reaching camp to look for our dead and wounded, many of whom lay not fifty rods off. The slightly wounded who had not got away had been taken pris- oners and sent at once towards Richmond, while the severely wounded had lain all day on the ground near where they were hit. Some of the mortally wounded were just able to greet their returning comrades, hear the news of victory, and send a last message to their friends before expiring. Corp. Charles M. Burr, of Company E, went into the fight with Company B (his own company being on picket), and was shot above the ankle just after the battalion had risen up and started to retreat. Both bones of his leg were shat- tered, and he had to he left. In a few minutes the rebel battalion, which I have already mentioned, came directly over him in pursuit, and was soon out of his sight. Then, being alone for a short time, he pulled off the boot from his sound leg, put his watch and money into it, and put it on again. Next a merciful rebel lieutenant came and tied a handkerchief around his leg, stanching the blood.

"Capt. Benjamin Hosford was shot in the morning through the head and instantly killed. His brother and other men of Company D carried the body about half a mile on the retreat, and were compelled to leave it there. At night it was found that the rebels had taken a ring from his finger, the straps from his coat, and the shoes from his feet. Corp. Henry L. Vaill, of Company C, was found alive stripped of everything, and so were many others.

MILITARY HISTORY.

" Company D mustered only nineteen muskets, and its commanding officer was Sergt. Hough. The other companies were reduced to nearly the same extent. The loss in officers was so great that for a few days there were but six officers ou duty with twelve companies ; while little short soldiers who had always been at the left end of the companies suddenly found themselves corporals and sergeants. We re- mained at Cedar Creek until the 9th of November, when, on account of the scarcity of wood, and the long distance from our base at Harper's Ferry, the army was moved to Camp Russell, near Kearnstown, about four miles south of Winchester, where it re- mained until the 2d of December. The morning re- port for November 20th showed three hundred and seventy-nine men and seventeen officers present for duty, and the regiment was recruited daily both in numbers and condition.

"Now that the rebels had been thrice defeated in the valley, there remained no temptation for another invasion of the Northern States. It was absolutely certain that it would not be again attempted; and therefore the Sixth Corps was ordered to City Point again. On the 1st of December, Wheaton's Division marched to Stephenson's Depot and took the cars for Washington, en route to City Point. The regiment went into camp at Parke Station.

"From this time until the 6th of February the regiment had no fighting to do, and no very startling experiences of any kind. Some mention, however, of the more noteworthy occurrences of this period will be acceptable, at least to my soldier readers ; and it will perhaps be well to transcribe them direct from some of the diaries in my possession. The following entries are copied, mostly without alteration, from the diaries of several officers and men, besides my own :

" Dec. 11. Twenty-nino convalescents returned.

" Dec. 12. Fifty convalescents returned.

" Dec. 13. Capt. A. H. Fenn returned and reportod for duty, although It is not seven weeks since he lost his arm at Cedar Creek. What hus become of the adjutant's desk ? It was turned over to the quartermaster at Camp Russell, but does not come.

" Dec. 14. Good deal of anxiety In.camp about Sherman'e march const- ward. A Richmond minister toll bis congregation Inst Sunday that God had a hook in Sherman's nose, and was lowling him to destruction. Nous verrons !

"Dec. 15. Wo now have to furnish four officers and one hundred und twenty-five mon dully for picket. They are posted ont by the robel lend mines. They frequently see the Johnnice and talk with them.

"Dec. 16. Heavy cannonading. Sorgt. Soule and aqnad of curpentors detailed for duty at division headquarters. They will fix things up gor- geoue. This is the regiment they have to apply to when they want things done nice.

" Dec. 18. One hundred guns from Fort Sedgwick In honor of Thomas' victory over Hood. They must enjoy the saluto lu Petersburg.

" Dec. 21. Ruin played lullaby on the tent all Inat night. Quarters well ventilated this morning, because rain washed mud off logs. Put It on again. l'lenty of water to mix mortar with. Kelley, MicKinney, Tuttle, Twiss, nud Jo Fonn mustored as first lieutenants by Capt. Tyler, commissary of musters.

" Dec. 23. Went clear up to Hancock's Station, ria corduroy, to have a brigado drill under Mackenzie.

" Dec. 26. Sherman presents Lincoln with a X-mas gift of Savannah, one hundred and fifty guns, and twenty-five thousand bales cotton.

Much rejoicing thereat. Story afiont that Lee is going to do something surprising on New Year's day.

"Dec. 21. Muster day. Very busy with the pesky rolle. Capt. Marsh's rolls first in, of course.

"1865.

"Jan. 1. Gad Smith and John Wheeler returned.

"Jan. 2. Wheeler mustered as first lieutenant, and goes on brigade staff as A. A. A. G., vice Ed Ilubbard, who is discharged and goes home.

"Jan. 3. Eight companies on fatigue duty. News received of Butler'e fizzle et Wilmington.

"Jan. 4. Three inches snow. Good many men sit by their fires all night because too cold to sleep.

"Jan. 5. Maddy. New Springfields came to take the place of En- fields. Farewell, old Enfields! Every one of you could tell thrilling tales if you could speak. And you can epeak !

" Jan. 6. All our division moved down corduroy, a mile to left, and formed square to witness execution of Peter McCox, deserter front Com- pany A, Fourth New Jersey, First Brigade, First Division, Sixth Corps. Stood 'in place rest' an hour, waiting. Prisoner unable to walk, brought clear round the square in ambulance, preceded by band playing Dead March in Saul. Coffin placed on the ground in front of open grave. Prisoder eeated on foot of coffin. Proceedings, findings, and sentence of court-martial read in front of each regiment. Prisoner blindfolded, and firing party of twelve men drawn up in front, in single rank, about twenty paces off. Captain of provost-guard gave the order "Fire!' Good many men turned away their hends. Prisoner fell back and off ou the ground, leaving one leg on the coffin. Division then wheeled into column by companies, marched by the coffin, and then home.

"Jan. 7. Inspection. Mackenzie appeared in stars. Cleanest man in cach regiment to go to division headquarters to compete for a twenty days' furlough. One man from each of B, D, K, E, and M Companies ecnt to brigade headquarters. Sam Terrell, the lucky man out of the whole division.

" Jan. 9. Rebels made chargo on Third Division picket-line, a little to our left. Promptly met and defeated. Caused no disturbance in camp.

"Jan. 10. Snowdy returned. Our daily picket detail is now five offi- cers and one hundred and five men. Pretty rough. Makes a man's turu como pretty often.

" Jan. 11. Got eighteen potatoes from brigade commissary. Maj. Jef- frey Skinner appointed to con mand the Sixty-fifth New York while Col. Fisk is absent on lenvo.

"Jun. 12. Nolsy picket Aring. Curtis made regimental ordnance officer. Capt. Cleveland ordnance officer on WhicatoD'e staff.

" Jan. 14. l'icket firing in our front.

".Jan. 15. Commenced to have brigade guard-mounting. Gen. Mac- kenzie rode over to inspection on his nankeen, In that new gawky hat, and Inspected the regiment ot a support. NIram Burtolph, of Company G, sent to divisjon headquarters, and gut the division furlough. Gen. Wheaton sald he was the handsomest suldler ho ever saw. Cleveland and Fenn aro majors.

" Jan. 16. Received four hundred and eighty-nine sets of ' Mann's I'ntent Accontrements.' Boys don't like 'em. C'all'em " belly trunks." Company F ls at Fort Mcdlahon.

"Jan. 17. Salute of one hundred gune for Terry'e capture of Fort Fisher nud twelve hundred prisoners. Capt. Woodman made A. I. A. G., and Johnny Wheeler A. A. D. C.

"Jan. 18. Llout. Oscar I'latt discharged. Ab. Dunham and Mr. Powell arrived. Their goals are at City Point, awaiting transportation. Thirty-eight convalescents und suletitutes arrived In evening.

" Jan. 20. Mackenzie on fifteen days' leave. Lieut .- Col. Olcott, One Hundred and Twenty-flist New York, commande brigado. Lleut .- Col. Skinner returned to regiment.

" Jan. 22. In the evening went with Copt. Marsh and chapinin to Maj. Jones' quarters to hear n large discussion on the resurrection. Later, wont over to Capt. Marsh's end talked of war, loro, and the kin- dred destructive arts ..

"Jan. 23. Large lot of deserters came In on the left. They como thicker since the fall of Fort Fisher, Charleston, and Savmannh. Won- der what Is going on nt the right? Furious cannonnding, hearlest we ever heanl ; fairly shook the earth.

"Jan. 21. It was the battle of the moonltorn. Rebels tried to take C'hty Point. Wo should have been In a pretty fix If they had succeeded! ! Inspection. Grannla (of D Company) sent to brigade headquarters as

· Curtis' diary. (Of course.)

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

cleanest man, but Olcott villainously threw him out, and sent a One ITundred and Twenty-first man to division headquarters.

"Jan. 26. Hubbard minstered as colonel, and relieves Olcott in cool- mand of brigade. Skinner mustered as lieutenant-colonel, and commands regiment.

"Jan. 29. Inspection. Zelotes Grannis got it this time. Iselton, of If, Dagette, of L, Atwood, of A, and a B man also received furloughis.

"Feb. 1. Orders received at three A.M. to be ready to move at a ino- ment's notice. Ed Sedgwick mustered as second lieutenant of Company C. Somebody checkmated.

"Feb. 2. James W. Dixon, son of Senator Dixon, has been kindly given to the regiment, and mustered into a vacant lieutenancy, to serve on the staff of Gen. Wright. Gen. Wright must have a poor opinion of his corps if he cannot by this time find timher in it good enough to make aides-de-camp of without going to Connecticnt. There are plenty of men in this regiment yet nucommissioned, and yet unkilled, as re- spectulle, as able, and probably as brave, as can be found anywhere, and they deem it rather shabby treatment, after they have marched through fire and blood for months, after many of them have been perforated with rebel bullets, and are now on duty with scarcely healed wounds, for Gen. Wright to fill n vacancy in the Second Connecticut by the ' dona- tion' (that is what they call it) of a boy who has remained with his mother all through the war, until the fighting is all over, and the whole world knows that the Rebellion is in the article of death. But then, you know, his father has been of enormous service to the country. Sokliers must take what they can get. They must put their heels together, keep their eyes to the front, and ask no questions. If I ever get home with a whole cuticle, I will be grateful evermore.

"Feb. 4. Brisk firing on right. Officers' recitation at brigade head- quarters two evenings per week.

"On the morning of February 5th we had orders to be in readiness to move with four days' rations, leaving our piekets out, and leaving the minimum force necessary to hold the lines. Companies A, K, and portions of H and E were detailed to remain (which was not an unpleasant 'detail'). The Fifth Corps was fighting on the left, in the vicinity of Hatcher's Run, and it was guessed (and truly) that we were to go in that direction. After remaining in readiness until four o'clock in the afternoon, the First Division moved off to the left, and after going about five miles bivouacked for the night. It was bitter cold sleeping that night,-so cokl that half of the men stood or sat around fires all night. In the morn- ing the movement was continued, and the day* was mostly consumed in manoeuvring. We were there for the purpose of protecting the left flank of the Fifth Corps, which had been fighting all day. A little before sundown we crossed Hatcher's Run, and moved by the flank directly into a piece of woods, the Second Brigade, under Hubbard, leading the division, and the Second Connecticut, under Skinner, leading the brigade. Wounded men were being brought by to the rear, and the noise just ahead told of mischief there. As the brigade was moving into the woods, staff-officers came riding along the column with the order, 'Load your pieces, load your pieces without halting.' Col. Hubbard filed to the left at the head of the column, along a slight ridge, and about half the regiment had filed, when troops of the Fifth Corps came running through to the rear, and at the same moment Gen. Wheaton rode up with, 'Oblique to the left, oblique to the left!' and making energetic gestures towards the rise of ground. The ridge was

quickly gained, and fire opened just in time to head off' a counter-fire and charge that was already in progress; but between the 'file left' and the ‘left oblique,' and the breaking of our ranks by troops re- treating from in front, and the vines and underbrush (which were so thick that they unhorsed some of the staff-officers), there was a good deal of confusion, and the line soon fell baek about ten rods, where it was re-formed, and a vigorous fire poured-somewhat at random-a little to the left of our first position. The attempt of the enemy to get in on the left of the Fifth Corps was frustrated. Our casualties were six wounded (some of them probably by our own men) and one missing. The position was occupied that night and the next day, until about sundown, when the brigade shifted some distance to the right and again advanced, under an artillery fire, to within a short distance of the rebel batteries and built breastworks. One shot on this occasion was particularly memorable. The regiment was moving across a cleared field, by the flank, when a solid shot came through the woods from directly in front, and passed the column ap- parently so near as to singe the left ears of the whole line. If it had come ten feet farther towards the right it might have 'flanked' the entire regiment and eut a swath from one end to the other. The rebel picket-shots whistled overhead all the time the breast- works were building, but mostly too high to hurt any- thing but the trees. At midnight the division moved back to quarters, arriving at sunrise. Again we found our domiciles appropriated, this time by a regiment of engineers,-but out they went, and in went we; and, having taken a ration of whisky,-which had been ordered by Grant or somebody else, in consideration of three nights and two days on the bare ground in February, together with some fighting and a good deal of hard marching and hard work,-the men lay down to sleep as the sun rose up, and did not rise up until the snn went down.

" It was now the 24th of March. The weather was fast improving, and signs of coming great events mul- tiplied. No positive orders of a very important nature had been received ; but the discontinuing of furloughs plainly meant something in the aggressive line, while the condition of things on the other side, as revealed by the tattered and cadaverous deserters who now came over to us not only in the night but also in broad daylight, made it evident that Lee must do something of dreadful note or else give over the contest.

" What would be the particular manner of his coup was a question much discussed, but not settled until the coup occurred. Very early on the morning of March 25th, after a noisy night all along the pieket- line, heavy firing was heard on the right, but there was nothing uncommon about that, and little notice was taken of it until orders came from brigade head- quarters to ' move out instantly.' Shortly after, Gen. Hamblin arrived to expedite matters, and in a few

* February 6th.

MILITARY HISTORY.

minutes the brigade was on the corduroy moving rapidly to the right, which was of itself quite a note- worthy circumstance, for we usually went to the left when mischief was brewing. 'Oh, we sha'n't get into a fight,' said the men ; ' we always have to go the other way to find our fighting.' These remarks were of course made in a partially jocular vein, but they were, nevertheless, entirely true. Indeed, that very day proved both parts of the proposition,-viz., first, that the Second Connecticut never fought to the right, and, secondly, always did fight to the left.

" The firing subsided after we had gone a mile or so, but there was much moving of troops, and evi- dently something the matter ahead. The rebel bat- teries had range on portions of the column, and fired at us as we were on the corduroy, dropping several shots only a few feet away. One struck within a rod of our regiment, splashing into a small puddle of water and burying itself in the earth directly under a soldier of the division who was sitting on the ground and fixing his shoes. He did not stir for a second or two, but then, picking up his musket and shoe, he started on half a dozen double-quicks, and it is to this day a mooted question with our men whether that man has stopped running yet. After moving a little farther, a staff-officer rode up with the informa- tion that the rebels had surprised and captured Fort Stedman, on the Ninth Corps front, and a quarter of a mile of breastworks, including three batteries ; but that they had been retaken, together with eighteen hundred prisoners, and that therefore our assistance would not be required.

" After a rest of half an hour the division moved homeward. But instead of going into camp there was an ominous halt of a few minutes in rear of our quarters, and then the march was continued towards the left, where a brisk artillery fire was going on. Grant knew that the massing of troops for the assault at Fort Stedman must have left the rebel lines with little or no protection in some places, and he resolved at once to find the weak spots. Accordingly, an ud- vance was ordered in front of Fort Fisher, near the tall frame lookout, about a mile to the left of Warren's Station. Our troops were posted under cover during nearly all the afternoon, while the large guns threw shot and shell at each other over our heads. At length a train of ambulances moved up from the right, and halted just in rear of the division. There was no mistaking that symptom.

"The sun had already begun to grow large and red with its nearness to the western horizon when the brigade was moved down in front within twenty rods of the rebel picket-line, and halted behind a slight rise of ground, just high enough to intercept their fire. After standing there for some ten minutes wait- ing for orders, Col. Hubbard rode slowly along to the right flank of his line, and said in a low tone to the writer, 'If they don't put us in soon, we sha'n't have much fighting to-night.' After he had gone back,

Sergt .- Maj. E. Goodwin Osborne stepped up and asked what the colonel said, and was informed. 'There is time enough yet,' he replied, in a low but foreboding tone. The parting sunset ray had not vanished before his lifeless form was borne on a rub- ber blanket towards the rear, across the very spot where he had uttered these prophetic words.

" The fire from our batteries suddenly ceased. Gen. Hamblin rode up to Hubbard, and said, 'Colonel, move directly forward. Conform your movement to the Second Division, on your left.' The front line, consisting of the Second Connecticut and the Sixty- fifth New York, advanced on the rifle-pits as steadily as though on a battalion drill, while the rest of the brigade followed in a second line. There seems to have been a vacant space in their line of rifle-pits, or else the Second Division and the greater part of our brigade must have entirely flanked their piekets on the left. At any rate, the only part of our regiment that went over any rifle-pits was the extreme right, -- perhaps one or two companies. When we were with- in fifty feet of them the rebels jumped over in front, threw down their muskets, threw up their arms, and yelled, 'Don't shoot, don't shoot !' and then passed through to the rear in large numbers as fast as they could move. The right flank was a little demoralized by its success in taking these rifle-pits, and by the fire which came from the pits farther to the right, which the enemy still held; nevertheless, the regi- ment moved on, across a swampy run, then over as- cending ground, among stumps and scrub-oaks, for twenty or thirty rods, and there halted and lay down. This distance was all traversed under a combined artillery and musket fire, the former coming from a battery about half a mile to the right and front, which was very effectively served. It apparently had three guns in use, and the air was blue with the little cast- iron balls from spherical case-shot, which shaved the ground and exploded among the stumps just in rear of the line at intervals of only a few seconds. Prob- ably the musket fire came entirely from the enemy's pickets, who still remained on the right. Twenty of the Second Connecticut were wounded-seven of them mortally-in reaching, occupying, and aban- doning this position, which, proving entirely unten- able, was held only a few minutes. The line faced about and moved back under the same mixed fire of solid shot, spherical case, and musketry, across the swampy run, and halted not far in front of the spot whence it had first moved forward. Other troops, on the right, now engaged the battery, and captured the rest of the picket-line, and after half an hour the bri- gade again moved forward to a position still further advanced than the previous one, where a permanent picket-line was established. Thus ended the event- ful 25th of March. Its dawn ushered in the surpris- ing attack on Fort Stedman, and its close found miles of the rebel picket-lines in our possession, thousands of prisoners in our hands, and the grip of the Union

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 16

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532