USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb County, Illinois > Part 16
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There was evidently no prospect of an advance of the army before spring, but frequent scouting parties of our regiment were sent out, in which we generally exchanged shots with the rebels, and captured some of them.
On the 19th of March the long inaction of the army was ended, and we were ordered to advance upon the enemy. We started at five o'clock, and marched in the cold rain nineteen miles upon that day. The movements of our vast army, as from some favorable height we occasionally caught sight of it, was a spirit-stirring spectacle, and at night its thousands of camp-fires, lighting up the country as far as the eye could reach, was beautiful indeed. Next morning we moved forward to Langster's Station, and there learned that the enemy had evacuated Manassas, and retreated toward Richmond. March- ing on to Bull Run, on the 12th, we found abundant evidence of the hasty retreat of the enemy,-their burned wagons and camp equipage being strown around.
A portion of our regiment was now ordered to Gen. How- ard's command, another portion to Gen. French's, and a part remained to guard the wagon trains at Union Mills. Scout- ing through Centreville, we found its famous fortifications mounted with wooden guns, and the village of Manassas burned to the ground.
The roads were terrible, and it being found impossible to forward provisions so far in advance, we were moved back to Fairfax Station, where we encamped in a grove in the midst 27
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of a pitiless rain storm. The horses were knee-deep in mud, and without forage. Soon after we were ordered back to Union Mills in the night, and the railroad having been re- paired, so that supplies could be forwarded, the greater part of the regiment remained on the plains of Manassas with Gen. Howard, occupying the deserted rebel huts. Here we re- mained ten days.
On the 28th we moved forward in advance of a strong re- connoisance under Gen. Howard, and drove a considerable force of rebels, who burned a large quantity of forage and stores to prevent their falling into our hands. We retraced our steps to Warrenton on the next day, and found that our Adjutant, Lumbard, Sergeant Major Raysworth, and three privates of our force, were missing. We moved back over the ground next day in search of them, and found that they had been captured in a house at which they had stopped, after making a lively resistance, in which one of their number was wounded.
On the 31st scouts came in, reporting the advance of a brigade of rebel cavalry. Our regiment started out to attack them, when, much to our annoyance, they proved to be a party of our own regiment, loaded with bundles of hay.
April 2d our scouting parties had a lively skirmish with a force of rebels, wounding several of them. Lieut. Hotop, while alone in advance, narrowly escaped capture by a display of great gallantry.
April 7th the third battalion of our regiment, under Major Dustin, with five companies of infantry and two pieces of ar- tillery, were ordered forward on a mission which we understood to be a surprise upon the enemy. Col. Lucas was in command of the expedition, but lost his road; and arriving late at the Rappahannock, we drove some rebels across, and threw some shells into their fortifications, scattering them, when we re- turned to our camp in a drenching rain, and with roads almost impassable.
During the previous two weeks Mcclellan's grand strategic
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movement on Richmond, by way of the peninsula, had com- menced, and we who had been retained as a kind of rear guard were now ordered back to Alexandria, to embark for the pe- ninsula.
The march to Alexandria was one of the most difficult in our experience. We were everywhere surrounded by streams swollen by the long-continued rains till they had become im- passable torrents. The bridge at Cedar Run had been burned by the enemy, but we connected a few floating timbers, so that, by unremitting labor, we got our numerous sick men across, and then the regiment was marched to the Junction, where the stream was forded with difficulty; and we proceeded as far as Owl Run, which we found could only be crossed by swimming. A part had succeeded in gaining the opposite shore, when Lt. Col. Gamble gave the order to countermarch, as it was impossible to get our baggage across, and dangerous for the troops. The scene of a thousand horsemen floundering in the turbid water of a rapid and dangerous stream was one that we never desired to see again. Back we turned to our former camp, which we reached as the rain had turned into snow, and in the midst of darkness. To add to our discom- forts, we found that the slight means of shelter which we had there provided, by piling up logs, driving stakes and fastening on them our rubber blankets, had been appropriated by other troops, and nothing but destitution greeted us. We built fires with difficulty, gathered snow to make coffee, and sat up all night, trying to dry our clothing. Notwithstanding our desperate situation, which was increased by our being short of rations, an universal shout of joy went up when we received the news of the capture of Island No. 10, and we were in- spired with fresh courage. Next day the storm still raged, and weary and exhausted, with scanty rations and no shelter but our blankets, the horses shivering as if they would fall in pieces, our distress was extreme.
On the 10th we started again, and by another road. After narrowly escaping drowning in Broad Run, we reached the
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old Bull Run battle-field, but finding that stream still too dangerous to cross, we encamped on that memorable ground, amid the bleaching bones of our fallen braves. Next day, after several abortive efforts to cross, we found a rickety bridge, over which we passed, and moving through Centreville and Fairfax C. H., reached Alexandria. It was just one month since we started out, with good health, high spirits and admirable equipments. We had marched hundreds of miles, endured untold hardships, and now returned, jaded and ex- hausted, two hundred less in number.
In Alexandria we took our old quarters, and commenced to recruit, preparatory to our peninsula campaign. Here we again had difficulty with the new Military Governor, Col. Viele, an abusive, intemperate man, which was ended by Col. Farnsworth ordering his guard to shoot him if he attempted to abuse or interfere with his command.
On the 24th our regiment embarked for the voyage to the peninsula. Two steamboats, one steam tug, and twenty transports were required for our conveyance, and we made a large fleet by ourselves. Anchoring each night for greater safety, it was not till the 27th that we arrived at Shipping Point, our place of disembarkation, where an immense fleet of all kinds of vessels made a scene of life and animation long to be remembered. Our turn to land did not come till the 29th, and was not completed till the 1st of May. The horses were pushed overboard and swam ashore, and the stores and men passed on a dock formed of canal boats. The coun- try was all low, and the water we used came from springs that were overflown at high tide. It was very poor and brackish, and numerous cases of diarrhea were caused by it among our men.
The army was now stretched across the narrow peninsula, between the York and James rivers, besieging Yorktown. Zig-zag trenches were dug at night, in which our men lay during the day, and earthworks were constructed at intervals, mounted with heavy guns. The cannonading was constant
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and terrific. We were attached to Gen. Richardson's division, of Sumner's Corps.
On the morning of May 4th the enemy evacuated York- town, and our regiment was soon in pursuit. We passed among their frowning earthworks, where hidden torpedoes, left by the base foe, occasionally exploded, killing and wound- ing some of our army, and where the ground was strewn with overcoats, which our infantry, owing to the heat, had thrown away. Pushing forward over muddy roads, we were formed for battle at Lebanon Church, where our advance cavalry,- a regular regiment under Stoneman,-had been ambushed and repulsed. But we were soon ordered back to make way for artillery and infantry, who engaged the enemy. At night Lebanon Church was full of those of the wounded who had not fallen into the hands of the foe, and our medical staff spent the night in operating on them, the surgeon properly in charge being intoxicated and incapable.
Next day, May 5th, occurred the famous battle of Wil- liamsburg, in which, after long and desperate fighting, Hook- er's gallant corps, reinforced after long delay by Kearney, drove the enemy from their thickly wooded position, and cleared the way to Richmond. But alas, our advantage was not vigorously followed up. Cavalry not being suited to this battle, we were in the rear. One company was employed in overturning army wagons to permit the advance of Kearney; and in the afternoon we were moved to the right of the linc, where the balls from Magruder's batteries came tearing in among us. Hancock's grand charge finally put an end to the fight, and moving back, we encamped for the night. Our horses, without food for two days, were very restive, and, breaking their fastenings, ran frantically about. Every building was filled with wounded, whose shrieks could be heard over the sound of the raging storm. It was a fearful night.
Early next morning we advanced over the battle-field, among the piles of dead, and occupied Williamsburg. The medical director was without bandages and dressings for the
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wounded, the supply not having come up, and was in great distress for want of them. We supplied him from the stores packed for us by the good ladies of St. Charles, and their bounty no doubt saved many valuable lives. Lieutenant and Commissary Chamberlain, and three of our men, were here captured, while out in search of forage, and for years after suffered the horrors of Libby prison.
The army remained four days inactive, and our regiment was employed in scouting, capturing many prisoners.
On the 9th we advanced five miles, and were just going into camp when we were ordered to the relief of Gen. Stone- man, who, with one regiment, was twenty miles in advance. It was a terribly weary and exhausting night march.
Next day we moved to New Kent, were divided into two columns, and one under Col. Farnsworth had a sharp skirmish with the enemy, who retreated. The other, under Lieut. Col. Gamble, also encountered the rebels, and drove them, without loss. On the 11th a part of our regiment moved forward, and drew the fire of rebel batteries, and on the 13th reached the "White House," on the Pamunkey.
The infantry in immense numbers now came up, and we moved to Black Creek, where we remained till the 17th, the entire army delayed for want of a bridge over that stream. The West Point engineers had taken a survey of the spot, made a profile view of the structure to be erected, with esti- mates, etc., and had sent this to headquarters for approval. When Col. Farnsworth learned the cause of delay, he went to Gen. Stoneman's headquarters, and learned that several days would yet be consumed in constructing the bridge. "With my Western boys I can build a bridge in six hours," said Col. Farnsworth. "Will you do it?" said Gen. Stoneman ; "if you will, take all the men you can use." "I want no men but my own regiment," said Col. Farnsworth.
In two hours and a-half a squad of our 8th Illinois Cavalry had constructed a substantial bridge of logs, over which we passed, and soon captured some prisoners. Stoneman's troops
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followed, and he immediately sent word back to Gen. McClel- lan that he was beyond Black Creek, and moving on to Rich- mond. The whole army crossed without difficulty, but the engineers, who soon after arrived, were incensed because they had not been permitted to construct the bridge according to the rules of their profession.
On the 19th we advanced to Coal Harbor, driving the rebel cavalry before us. The First Battalion, under Major Clen- denin, near here captured eighty-five mules and horses, with ten loaded wagons. Many negroes joined us. The better class of whites had fled, and the poorer were so abject and ignorant as to be objects of pity.
On the 20th the 6th U. S. Cavalry, which had just arrived, took the advance which we had previously held, and, advanc- ing without the precaution of throwing out skirmishers, they were ambushed, and had several killed and wounded. Our regiment moved forward to the scene of conflict, and encamped at Gaines' Mill. On the 21st Companies E and K had a smart skirmish with the enemy, driving them still nearer to Richmond. On the 23d all advanced with Gen. Smith's di- vision till within six miles of Richmond, when a rebel battery opened on us and scattered shell among us, killing some horses, but fortunately none of our men. One of our batteries came up and silenced the rebel artillery. Our men stood to horse all of that night.
May 24th occurred the battle of Mechanicsville. This village is five miles from Richmond, a half-mile north of the Chickahominy. The fight was a desperate one, and the little village was almost torn in pieces. Our Second Battalion, under Major Dustin, supported both flanks, and the remainder of the regiment were engaged in picket duty. After the rebs were driven across the river, Capt. Rapelje, with Company I, performed the perilous task of destroying the bridge by which they crossed. Four of our men chopped off its timbers, and escaped unharmed, although rapidly fired upon by the enemy's sharp-shooters. The First Battalion destroyed a portion of
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the railroad and burned a bridge, and in an encounter with rebel cavalry killed and wounded several. The rebels seemed to fear our carbines, which were more efficient than theirs.
We were now in sight of Richmond, distant five or six miles, and the Chickahominy was the dividing line between the forces. A large number of our regiment were now em- ployed as orderlies and scouts under Gen. Keys. On the 11th we captured fourteen rebels, without losing a man. On the 23d another advance of our army brought on an engage- ment, in which the enemy were forced back beyond Savage Station. The line of our army was now about ten miles in length, crossing the Chickahominy, which here ran south- easterly, and the 8th occupied the right flank. On the 27th Fitz John Porter's Corps moved toward Hanover C. H., and had a severe engagement. We followed in supporting dis- tance, and captured a train of cars trying to escape from HIanover to Richmond. We ran it up the road some distance, to reconnoiter, then returned and burned it. We tore up the road,-the Virginia Central,-and then were ordered in the thick darkness of the night to proceed ten miles to the Rich- mond and Potomac road, and destroy that. In the murky darkness, without guide or compass, we soon came upon the rebel pickets. We had been ordered not to fire, but capture pickets if possible; but soon they fired on us, roused their camp, and we were forced to retire from our perilous expedi- tion. We slept in the storm beside our saddled horses, several miles in advance of the main army, and only escaped capture by good luck.
Our regiment now guarded the right wing of the army for ten miles along the Chickahominy and the Virginia Central Railroad, having picket stations and reserves at various points.
On the 31st and the following day was fought the battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines. On the morning of the 31st Major Beveridge crossed the Chickahominy to take command of his battalion on that side of the stream, but before joining his men heard rapid firing, and advancing, found Gen. Carey's
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troops falling back before an impetuous attack of overpowering numbers, and Gen. Keys advancing to their support. He supported Gen. Keys, and was directed to keep his men well in hand, and as near him as possible. Companies D and F acted as orderlies, were much exposed, and highly compli- mented for their bravery. Two were killed and one wounded. These companies lost all of their clothing, camp equipage and stores. The loss to our army in this terrible battle was 5739; the enemy acknowledged a loss of 4233. Reinforcements enabled us next day to remain victors of the field.
Our boys, while on this picket line, kept up a lively trade with the ignorant people of the country, who were anxious to get Confederate currency, but would not take greenbacks. Our boys got hold of a supply of the rebel currency, and lived high upon their purchases with it. Capt. E. J. Farns- worth one day gave a splendid dinner party at his picket post, which was an elegant mansion, splendidly furnished, and where all the luxuries of high life, together with costly wincs, were served up by colored waiters; and the Captain subsc- quently took his guests back to their stations in elegant car- riages.
Gen. Sumner's opinion of the daring of our boys may be learned from the following incident:
A Lieutenant commanding a New York battalion was or- dered to go to the front, and if possible ascertain the position of the enemy. "How far shall I go?" said he. "As far as you dare go," was the reply; "and you will there find the boys of the 8th Illinois miles ahead, stealing horses !"
On the night of June 3d our army repulsed a severe assault of the enemy, in which our regiment was engaged, but with- out loss.
The news-boys circulated frequently among our men, selling New York dailies at twenty-five cents each, filled with rumors of a grand advance, and the speedy capture of Richmond, but no advance was made.
Passing the battle-ground of Fair Oaks on June 10th, we 28
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found hundreds of the rebel dead festering in the hot sun, and the stench from their bodies was intolerable. The rebel prisoners had been ordered to bury them, but had thrown only a few shovelsfull of earth on them, and this had been washed away by the rains, leaving them exposed and putrefying,-a horrible sight.
Our army had now lain nearly a month in about the same position, fighting some terrible battles, but gaining no marked advantage. Supplies were with difficulty brought from the White House, twenty-five miles distant. Stonewall Jackson, victorious in the Shenandoah, had now returned to the defence of Richmond.
On June 26th occurred the memorable second battle of Mechanicsville, and the first of the famous seven-days fight, in which the army, cut off from its base of supplies at the White House, executed a change of base to the James River, at Harrison's Landing,-a movement among the most import- ant of the war. Upon the morning of this day, Major Dus- tin's battalion was on picket duty, with reserve posts at Atlee's Station, Mrs. Crenshaw's farm, Shady Grove Church, and the Cross Roads; and at an early hour the Major, in company with Captain Hooker and Orderly Armsby, left Atlee's Sta- tion, and after visiting Company H, rode beyond the videttes toward Hanover C. H. Half a mile on they passed through a gateway toward a farm-house, then, starting to return, they were fired on by what proved to be the advance guard of the rebel army, in ambush. Captain Hooker was shot through the body, but clinging with difficulty to his horse, the party endeavored to reach the reserve post by a circuitous route. After gaining about half the distance, his strength failed, and he was assisted to dismount. Major Dustin ministered to. his wants as well as he was able, but despairing of getting him within our lines, and knowing that his duty required him to reach his command as soon as possible, he told the suffering man that he must leave him. But in vain the Major urged his imperative duty to his battalion. "Oh, Major!" he cried,
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.. I would not leave you if you were in my situation." Prom- ising to return for him, if possible, Major Dustin hurried back to the Cross Roads, ordered out a line of skirmishers, and sent men to bring in the wounded Captain. But the enemy advanced so rapidly that this was found impossible. The Captain fell into the enemy's hands, and was placed in charge of a Dr. Overton of that neighborhood, and died soon after. Thus the 8th Illinois received the first fire and made the first mortal sacrifice in the memorable seven-days battles.
Most of this country is traversed by small streams, running into the Chickahominy, and lined with swamps thickly covered with timber and underbrush. The roads, running parallel with the main river, thus crossed alternate woods and open farms. Our pickets were thrown out at the edge of the woods and swamps, to watch the approaches of the enemy. The men of Companies C, G, and HI, thus thrown out, sent many a leaden messenger of death into the ranks of the foe as they slowly advanced, and the other companies on the other roads pursued the same course, as all retired before the advancing. army, also falling trees to retard their march. By noon the infantry had reached the front and engaged the enemy, retard- ing their further approach till three o'clock.
Company B was on the road leading to Pole Green Church, and vigorously resisted the approach of the enemy, in which resistance William Chambers was shot through the heart; but one of his comrades instantly avenged his death by shooting his adversary. This man's horse was now killed and he se- verely injured by the fall, and reported killed. As the rebels advanced he adroitly counterfeited death till the rebels passed ; then arose, and escaped to our lines. As our regiment was drawn up in line awaiting orders, we were surprised at the appearance of the venerable ex-Governor John Wood, of Ill- inois, who, equipped in captured rebel accoutrements, contin- ued with us during all the long and memorable series of en- gagements, exposing himself to the bullets of the enemy, and cheering us by his courage and devotion.
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We were soon ordered to support a battery near Pole Green Church, but the expected enemy did not attack us, but directed their attacks to Mechanicsville, where the fighting was terrific, and our troops gradually gave way before superior numbers. They were finally stopped for the night by a stub- born resistance near Beaver Dam Creek, in which the slaugh- tered rebels were piled in heaps, and the fight did not cease till nine o'clock at night. A little before dark our position became critical; a cannon ball struck the anvil of McGregor, our old Scotch blacksmith, our camp was broken up, our hos- pital evacuated, and with one ambulance, a two-wheeled cart, and one army wagon as our only means of transportation, we loaded in such of our numerous sick ones as were unable to walk, and moved four miles across the creek, near Gaines' ยท mill. Before our hospital was cleared of its sick, a cannon ball had struck it and shattered it severely.
Early next morning we shipped our sick and wounded to White House Landing, on the last train that passed over the road before that base of supplies was captured.
Next day occurred the battle of Gaines' mill. Our forces were admirably posted, and long and bravely resisted the enemy. But Stonewall Jackson's forces came up in the after- noon, with his fresh troops, and our reserves under General Slocum were advanced, and for the time drove back the foe ; but fresh columns of rebel troops were pushed forward; our lines became thinner and weaker; thousands of wounded and stragglers poured to the rear, and the day seemed lost. Colonel Farnsworth now formed our regiment across the field, and ordered that none but the wounded be permitted to pass. We soon had a compact line formed, and they moved forward, cheering, with but the bayonet as a defence, and held the ground till darkness put an end to the carnage.
Detachments of our regiment under Captain Kelly and Lieutenant W. M. Taylor had been sent out, and had severe skirmishes with the enemy, succeeding in destroying our sup- plies to prevent their capture.
.
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In the morning of the 28th we found the railroad had been cut in our rear. A train loaded with wounded was being unloaded and laid on the ground, covering several acres, and our regiment was ordered to take the advance in the retreat to Harrison's Landing. We selected our own wounded, and placed them in ambulances, but were forced to deny the re- quest of hundreds of poor fellows who piteously begged to be taken with us, so that they should not fall into the hands of the enemy.
General McClellan, now desiring to prevent our immense accumulation of stores at the White House from falling into the hands of the foe, sent to our regiment for three discreet men to penetrate to that point, through the intervening coun- try now occupied by the enemy, and bear orders for their destruction. Colonel Farnsworth selected Sergeant Bushnell, Private Beckwith, and another of our men, who, guided only by the stars and a pocket compass, swam the Chickahominy, threaded the forest, and after an arduous and dangerous night march, reached the White House in safety, and delivered their message. The sick and wounded were speedily placed on steamers, millions of dollars' worth of stores were loaded upon transports, and millions more committed to the flames, just as the enemy's advance, who had counted much upon their capture, made its appearance.
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