USA > Delaware > Four years in the war. The history of the First Regiment of Delaware Veteran Volunteers, (Infantry,) containing an account of marches, battles, incidents, promotions. The names of all the officers and men who have been connected with the regiment from its organization in 1861, to the close of the war in 1865 > Part 9
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CHAPTER XIV.
COAL HARBOR.
COAL HARBOR is on the north side of the Chicka- hominy. The Federal lines extended from the Tolo- patomy Creek across the road from Coal Harbor to the Chickahominy. General Grant designed to push the enemy across that stream, and secure a place to cross his troops. The Second Corps was therefore advanced from the extreme right to the extreme left, and reached their position on the 2d of June.
On the 3d a terrific battle ensued, and our killed and wounded were numbered by thousands. On this day Colonel T. A. Smyth (afterwards General Smyth) lost one of his most gallant aids, Lieutenant B. Y. Draper; an officer who seemed to know no fear, and performed his duty in the most exposed positions and hottest fights apparently without thought of dan- ger to himself. We were not surprised to hear of his death, though all regretted it, and Colonel Smyth wept when his lifeless form was brought to his headquarters.
On the 4th of June General Grant sent a despatch
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to the War Department, in which he said :- " About 7 P. M., yesterday, Friday, 3d of June, the enemy suddenly attacked Smyth's Brigade of Gibbon's Di- vision. The battle lasted with great fury for half an hour. The attack was unwaveringly repulsed. Smyth's losses were inconsiderable."
On the 5th the enemy made another dash ou Colonel Smyth's Brigade. They met with a sharp resistance, and were soon repulsed with a dispropor- tionably large loss. For twelve days our army re- mained at or around Coal Harbor. Most of this time the First Delaware lay in the entrenchments within a few rods of the enemy's works. They dug holes in the ground, and threw the earth up towards the Rebels for a protection. In these they cooked their coffee and slept. During the whole time there was not a day of quiet-nor even one hour, day or night-without the sharp crack of the musket. Mortar shells and hand-grenades were freely used along some parts of the line, and everywhere, from right to left, the missiles of death were falling. Stretcher-carriers and ambulances were kept bu-y bringing in the wounded to the hospitals. Surgeons, nurses, and attendants had constant employment.
The nearness of the lines of the two armies made the battle-fields of the 3d disputed ground, and the
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dead remained unburied, and the wounded were un- relieved. An armistice of two hours was agreed upon by Generals Grant and Lee, during which the dead and wounded were carefully removed.
Whilst the battles were in progress in the Wilder- ness and at Spottsylvania, the wounded were sent to Fredericksburg, and that city was more densely populated for twelve days or a fortnight with the wounded than it had been before the war with its peaceful inhabitants. The churches, warehouses, stores, and many private residences were converted into temporary hospitals. Here, as at Gettysburg, the Sanitary and Christian Commissions found de- mands for their ample stores. We have often asked what would the wounded have suffered without these, and the other voluntary and independent organiza- tions ? No one can compute the amount of suffering which they prevented. I believe it is not overstating or exaggerating the truth to say that they did more to relieve the wounded and dying than the Govern- ment did, or could have done without greatly weak- ening the army; for after every great battle the voluntary laborers were numerous and efficient. Delaware, but more especially Wilmington, was well represented by the corps of volunteer nurses who came to labor for the sufferers,
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On the field each division had its own hospital, with surgeons, nurses, cooks, guards, and other at- tendants, with ambulances, wagons, &c. These were moved when the division moved, and, in time of battle, established in the rear, as near the field of action as was supposed to be safe. It often happened that we were too near to the front and hence wero obliged to remove further off, and sometimes with the greatest practicable expedition. Each man hay- ing a specific duty to perform, when an order came to remove, the wounded were put into the ambu- lances, tents struck, the wagons loaded and in motion in a very short time. When there was a general movement of the army each corps, division, and brigade was assigned, by orders, its place in the column. They who have never seen an army. in motion can scarcely form a correct idea of tho magnitude of the work of transferring from one point to another a hundred thousand men, with ar- tillery, cavalry, ambulances, and wagons. Stretched upon one road, the Army of the Potomac, with all its trains, would have extended nearly the whole length of the State of Delaware, and been several days in passing a given point. Usually, when the whole army was removing from one point to another, it moved by parallel columns and by several rout. ..
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Cavalry led the advance and protected the rear, whilst a line of infantry marched a few rods from the columns as flankers.
Sunday, June 12th, was a bright and beautiful day. After holding religious services with the wounded in all the hospital tents, I rode to the front to preach to the Regiment, which had been relieved from the entrenchments where they had been for more than a week, near to the enemy. On the way I fell in with a surgeon of the - Regiment, New York. We were personally strangers, though we had often met among the wounded. He expressed the wish that he was at home to attend church with his family, and said that he seldom attended service in the army, and assigned as a reason that the chaplains were not what they ought to be. I told him that I had often heard general complaints of that kind, and had taken a good deal of pains to observe and in- quire into their character; and, with two or three exceptions, had found them unexceptionable in cha- racter, and faithful in the performance of their duty, that general charges were more easily made than substantiated by reference to individuals to specific instances of dereliction, and that, so far as my obser- vation went, chaplains in the army, as a class, since the law requiring them to bo regularly ordained
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ministers of some denomination had been enforced, were as worthy and faithful as ministers in civil life, or as military officers. I asked him if he had not heard the same kind of complaint against surgeons, colonels, and other officers, and whether it was just " to condemn a class because individuals were not what they might and ought to be. He had the candor and justice to acknowledge that his prejudices had been hastily formed and not well founded. Wo afterwards became the best of friends. He often re- ferred to our first interview, with great good humor, as the time when he was handsomely "flanked." I must always remember Surgeon Plumb as a genial friend and among the most efficient and faithful medical officers whose acquaintance I formed in the army.
Upon my return to the hospital, I found every one busy preparing to move. The wounded and sick were sent off to the White House. At night the First Delaware, though they had not been relieved twenty-four hours, were sent back to the entrenchments to hold that part of the line whilst the army withdrew from Coal Harbor to march to the James River.
We marched rapidly in double column. During the night, a portion of the troops became separated
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FIRST DELAWARE REGIMENT. 1 173
from the rest and got on the wrong road. This caused a delay, and left us considerably in the rear. At length we struck the trail of the col- umn guided by the blazed trees in the woods.
In the early dawn a panic occurred, which was as laughable, when it was over, as it was without reason. We had been speaking of an attack on our flank by the cavalry of the enemy as not improbable, and once when there was a brief halt of the head of the column in the road, the troops crowded up, as was common when the halt was unexpected. I was riding a young horse, which invariably stepped back when there was a halt in the regiment in advance. This time he stepped upon the foot of a soldier, who jumped back with a shout. The effect was electrical. One fell back upon another, and the column flew apart to the right and left, to the sides of the road, as if it was about to be swept by a squad of Rebel cavalry, or cannon balls. Horses were frightened as well as the men, and dashed over the fields with their riders in wild confusion. An Irishman, who fell as he tried to escape over the fence, cried out, "Och ! I'm struck, I'm struck." One cool fellow cocked his piece, and called out, "Stand in your place and get ready to receive them."
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On the night of the 13th we encamped at Charles City Court House, and the next night crossed the James at Wilcox's Landing. We bivouacked during the night of the 15th within the Rebel entrenchments, which the colored troops had wrested from them. In the morning we saw Confederate and colored soldiers lying near together, oui the plains death hath made for all. Whatever distinctions there may be now, the time is coming when we shall lie on the same level. The preju- dices against negro soldiers began to give way before Petersburg. Once soldiers were unwilling to have them associated with them in the same army, but after the experience in the battles on. the north of the James, in charging upon fortified positions, they were very willing-yea, glad to have the colored troops come up before the entrench- ments around Petersburg and lead in the charges. If they would only do this-they might have all the honor and glory that might accrue. The veteran troops had lost their enthusiasm in charg- ing, and officers were heard to say, "Our men do not charge as they once did." Raw recruits and the colored troops who had less experience were said to charge better than others, though for a regular battle the veterans were more reliable.
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The next morning after arriving before Petersburg, a little Confederate boy was found lying dead with his gun beside him. He had a clean white handker- chief in his pocket, which had not been unfolded, and looked as if it was the last thing his mother gave him-except, we may suppose, a kiss, as he hurried from his home to go to the entrenchments. He returned to her no more, and she must now feel that he died, as thousands of others, "in vain." Who required this sacrifice at her hands ? During one of the early skirmishes before the city, a col- ored soldier getting the advantage of a Confederate called upon him to surrender and go to the rear. The Confederate replied, that "he would never surrender to a negro." "I'll not persuade you," said the negro. "Go to the rear, or-stay-there." So saying he pulled the trigger and the Confederate fell where he had stood.
The fighting continued from day to day through all the summer months, and our hospitals were kept filled, though the wounded were sent off to the General Hospital at City Point as soon as they were in a condition to move after being properly cared for. Among the wounded in the early battles before Petersburg was young Groves of Company I, First Delaware. He was a stretcher carrier, aud was
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struck whilst assisting to carry off the field a wounded officer. I saw him soon after he was brought in. His wound was mortal, and it became my painful duty so to inform him. At first he was a little startled, but soon recovered his composure and spoke calmly and hopefully of his future pros- pects. He had not put off the concerns of his soul till the last, as many others had done. I had but just come from another dying man who in calmness and hope was waiting for his time to come to depart this life, and enter upon another state in which there is neither sickness, pain, nor death. Groves told me that his trust was in the same God, and the same hope sustained him. In a little while afterwards he died as calmly as if going to sleep. The officer whom he was removing from the battle field at the time he was wounded had been brought in, and was lying in a house near by. I found him restless, and apparently suffering very much. I asked him of his wound, and how he felt. "Oh," said he, "I'm going to die, of course." I said to him I hoped he would not. "Yes," he said, "I shall die." I then said to him that I supposed he had made pre- paration for so solemn an event. He replied, "don't talk to me about that. Go away. This is no time to prepare for death." His manner was so violent
ـخدمة
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and earnest, that after trying to make him more comfortable by arranging his blankets I left him -- breathing a silent prayer for his poor soul. The chaplain of his regiment afterwards went to sce him; but he ordered him off, and told him if he was a gentleman he would not talk to him about religion and death. The chaplain replied that it was his duty to try and save his soul. But he would not hear him, and said that he knew as much about religion as he did; that he knew that hell would be his portion. What became of him I cannot say. He had been a professor of religion and an active church member, and, according to his own account of himself, had lived three years without sin. But he deceived himself, and the truth was not in him. "Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest ho falls."
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CHAPTER XV.
DEEP BOTTOM.
Ox the 27th of July two divisions of our Corps (Second) with other troops and cavalry, after march- ing all night, crossed the James River at Devp Bottom, with the view, apparently, of marching upon Richmond from the north side. Our success at first was decided but the enemy were heavily reinforced, and our further advance prevented; the enemy having sent troops from Petersburg. Thus frus- trated, about four hundred empty wagons were driven over to the north side of the river in view of the enemy, as if a heavy force was about to advance upon Malvern Hill. The design was to draw the enemy from Petersburg, thus weakening his lines, that a successful assault might be made in front of the city, in connection with the explosion of a heavy mine in front of the Ninth Corps. To meet this supposed advance General Lee sent a large number of soldiers in cars from Richmond. Our forces were then withdrawn after dark on thu
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night of the 20th, and, having marched all night, arrived near the mine about daylight on the 30th. Our corps was held in reserve to support the assail- ants. About 5 o'clock A. M. we heard a heavy, smothered sound. The earth trembled, and then there arose huge clouds of earth and smoke, in which were mingled the whole contents of the fort-guns, cais- sons, timbers, and soldiers who manned them-and all were buried together in the great crater.
An acting adjutant-general of the Confederate army, who was wounded at the time of the final assault upon their lines, told me that there were over six hundred soldiers, most of whom were South Carolinians, buried alive on that day. The wholo line was panic stricken, and it required the greatest effort of the Rebel officers to keep the soldiers from flying in wild confusion, as they expected other forts along the line to be blown up. Yet on our part it was a failure and great disaster. After dark we re- turned to our former camp at the left, near the Southall House.
The military history of the Third Brigade, in- cluding that of the First Delaware, from the 17th of May to this time (July 30th), will be found in the official report of Colonel T. A. Smyth (afterwards
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General Smyth) to the Commanding General of the Army of the Potomac which is as follows :
HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION, ? SECOND CORPS. In the field, August 29th, 1864.
Captain A. H. Embler, A. A. A. G .:
Captain :- I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Third Brigade, Second Division, Second Corps, from May 17th, 1864, the date upon which I assumed command, to July 30th, 1864, divided into four epochs, pursuant to Special Order No. 209, Headquarters of the Army of the Po- tomac.
1. I assumed command of this brigade by order of Brigadier- General Gibbons, May 17th, 1864, the army then being in the vicinity of Spottsylvania Court House, about 8:30 P. M. I wis ordered to mass the brigade in front of the Landrum House, and near the vacated line of the enemy's entrenchments before daylight, which was accomplished, the brigade being in coluinn of battalions between the Landrum House and the road. Sub- sequently it was deployed into line by battalions in mass, and I was ordered by Brigadier-General Gibbons to move forward in support of the Corcoran Legion.
At daylight the Legion moved forward, and I followed at a short supporting distance. The first line was repulsed, and my brigade, taking a position in a ravine, covered their retreat. I at once deployed a line of skirmishers and held this position until 12:35 P. M., when, in obedience to orders from General Gibbons, I withdrew to the second line of entrenchments wuerd my command formed line of battle and rested. At 10 P. M . the brigade moved to Anderson's mills where it took posities.
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On the morning of May 19th the command went into camp, the First Delaware Volunteers being detailed for picket. At 6 P. M. an order was received for the brigade to march at once. The brigade moved quickly to the Fredericksburg road. The order was soon countermanded and the command returned to camp at Anderson's mills.
II. May 20th I received an order to move with my command at 11 P. M. I moved at 11:20 P. M., taking the road toward Mattapony Church, continuing the marching May 21st, passing Grimes's Station, passing through Milford and Bowling Green &c., crossing the Ny River, where the command went into position, and threw up entrenchments, the Eighth Ohio Volun- teers being detailed for picket.
May 22d I received orders from General Gibbons to take my brigade and make a reconnoisance to develop the strength and position of the enemy. The regiments composing the force were the Fourteenth Connecticut, Seventh Virginia, Fourteenth Indiana, Tenth New York, Twelfth New Jersey, Fourth Ohio Volunteers. The First Delaware and Tenth New York Volun- teers were employed in erecting earthworks. I deployed the Fourteenth Indiana and Fourth Ohio Volunteers as skirmishers. One Lieutenant and twenty men of the Tenth New York Vol- unteers were placed on the right and rear of the skirmish line to protect that flank, and two companies of the Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteers were similarly placed to protect the left flank.
Colonel T. G. Ellis, Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter, Fourth Ohio Volunteers, were assigned respectively to the command of the left and right wings of the skirmish line.
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Two companies of the Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteers were sent to reconnoitre the Hanover Junction road.
The Twelfth New Jersey and Tenth New York Volunteers were placed in support of artillery near the Cross Roads, ami the Seventh Virginia stationed near the Cross Roads. The skirmish line was then pushed forward about two miles, finding nothing but cavalry or mounted infantry to oppose them.
About 3 P. M. I received orders from General Gibbons to - halt, and I was subsequently ordered to assemble my command and return to camp. On May 23d, the command marched at 7 A. M. to the North Anna River where the enemy were dis- covered to be posted in force. At noon my brigade was massed behind a ridge of hills. At 4 P. M. the Fourth Ohio Volun- teers was deployed as skirmishers and moved to the river bank, where it became engaged at once with the enemy on the oppo- site shore. It was relieved at dark by the Seventh Virginia Volunteers. At 7 P. M. I was ordered by General Gibbons to make a demonstration against the railroad bridge across the river. I moved the Eighth Ohio and Fourteenth Indiana Vol- unteers to the bridge, where they opened fire on the enemy's skirmishers during the night. My brigade entrenched itself.
Shortly after midnight the enemy succeeded in burning the · bridge. At 7 A. M., May 24th, I received an order from Gen- eral Gibbons to construct a rough bridge and cross a regiment as skirmishers. About 10.15 A. M. the bridge was completed, and the Eighth Ohio Volunteers moved to the opposite side, de- ployed and advanced to the enemy's earthworks, which they occupied-the enemy having fallen back.
The remainder of the brigade was then crossed and took po- sition in line of battle. At & P. M. I was ordered to advance
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and ascertain the position of the enemy. The First Delaware and One Hundred and Eighth New York Volunteers were de- ployed as skirmishers, and advanced about a half mile, the left swinging forward. At this point the enemy offered a strong resistance, and I deployed the Fourteenth Connecticut Volun- teers to strengthen the line.
I then moved forward again, but as the enemy were posted in rifle-pits in the edge of a wood, while my skirmishers were obliged to pass on an elevated ploughed field, the line was again brought to a halt. I then addressed the Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers to charge the enemy's rifle-pits, which was done in fine style, the enemy being driven about five hundred yards. The enemy having been reinforced I brought up the Seventh Virginia and Tenth New York Volunteers to strengthen the left centre of my line. The pressure still continuing strongest at this point, and the Nineteenth Maine Volunteers having re- ported to me I ordered it also to that part of the line.
Learning that the enemy were moving troops towards my right, I directed the Eighth Ohio, Fourth Ohio, and Fourteenth Indiana Volunteers to take position to cover the right flank of my line of battle. At 5:30 P. M. the enemy made a determined attack on my centre.
The Sixty-ninth and One Hundred and Seventieth New York Volunteers, which had reported to me, were brought in to strengthen this part of the line, and the Fourth Ohio, Eighth Ohio, and Fourteenth Indiana Volunteers were moved from the right to the centre. This attack of the enemy was handsomely repulsed. The Fifteenth and Nineteenth Massachusetts Volun- teers having reported to me, I directed them to form on the right, relieving the Twelfth New Jersey, First Delaware, One
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Hundred and Eighth New York, and Seventh Virginia Volon- . teers, which regiments were formed in the rear and re-supr! ! with ammunition. The Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers reporting to me at this time, was formed on the left of my line of battle.
Just at dark a vigorous attack was made by the enemy on my left which threw the Sixty-ninth and One Hundred and Seventieth New York Volunteers into considerable disorder, which resulted in their falling back. I succeeded in rallying them, however, and formed that part of the line at right angles with the main line. During the night my command threw up entrenchments. On the morning of the 25th the first line was pushed forward with but little opposition, and on the right breastworks were erected in advance of the previous position. The first line now consisted, from right to left, of the Seventh Virginia, One Hundred and Eighth New York, First Delaware, Eighth Ohio, Twelfth New Jersey, Fourteenth Connecticut Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania, and One Hundred and Seventh New York Volunteers. The Fourth Ohio, Fourteenth Indiana, and Tenth New York Volunteers were in the second line. At dark the Fourth Ohio and Fourteenth Indiana Volunteers were moved by me to Doswell House to cover the left flank of my position. At 5 P. M., May 26th, I received orders from General Gibbons to advance my skirmish line by swinging forward the left, and to dislodge a force of the enemy who held a salient near the left of my line. At dark I pushed forward the Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania, One Hundred and Seventieth New York, and two companies of the Fourteenth Connecticut Vol- unteers, who charged the enemy and drove him from his po-i- tion, Soon after I received an order from General Gibbons to be
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prepared to recross the North Anna. At 8 P. M. the brigade moved across the river and bivouacked until morning.
III. On May 27th the command marched to within a mile of Haunquartus Creek, where it bivouacked for the night. At noon, May 28th, we crossed the Pamunky River. At 1 P. M. I received an order to fall on the cavalry, which was subsequently countermanded, and my brigade filed into the field on the left of the road and took position in two lines of battle. On May 29th I was directed to swing forward the left of my command, now about a half mile to the front, from line of battle and retrench. Subsequently I was ordered to hold the command in readiness to march at short notice. At 5:30 A. M., May 30th, the com- mand marched, acting as a reserve. At 9:25 A. M. I was or- dered to move further to the front. My brigade was then formed in line of battle near the Jones' House. The Seventh Virginia Volunteers was directed to drive the enemy's sharp- shooters from a house about five hundred yards in front of my left flank, which they quickly accomplished. On May 31st I received orders to be in readiness to support the First Brigade. At 1 P. M. the command was marched across Tolopotomy Creek and massed in rear of the First Brigade. At 2 P. M. the One Hundred and Eighth New York and Seventh Virginia Volunteers were sent to the support of the right.
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