USA > Illinois > Yates phalanx : the history of the Thirty-Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Veteran Infantry in the war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 > Part 11
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
"BALLAD OF PARRIS ISLAND."
Dear General Hunter, my heart is full, Lamenting for my butchered bull: - The only bull our Island had, And all my widowed cows are sad.
With briny tears and drooping tails, With loud boo-hoo's and bovine wails, My cows lament with wifely zeal Their perished hopes of future veal.
Sad is the wail of human wife To see her partner snatched from life: But he-the husband of a score- For him the grief is more and more!
No future hope of golden cream! Even milk in tea becomes a dream: - Whey, bonny-clabber, curds and cheese Are now, ah, me! mere idle words!
79
"At half past two the Ball opened"
The cruel soldiers, fierce and full Of reckless wrath, have shot my bull; The stateliest bull-let scoffers laugh- That e'er was "father" called by calf! A bull as noble, firm and fair As that which aided Jove to bear Europa from the flowery glade Where she amidst her maidens played.
Dear General Hunter, accept my vows, And oh! take pity on my cows,- With whom, bereft of wifely ties, All tender hearts must sympathize.
Quick to Van Vliet your order send (By Smith's congenial spirit penned) And order him in language full, At one to send me down a bull: -
If possible, a youthful beast, With warm affections yet unplaced, Who to my widowed cows may prove A husband of enduring love.
Great attention was paid to the matters of drill and discipline while located on this island, the whole Regiment being exercised twice daily in field evolutions and the manual of arms. Two hours of the morning were spent in company drill, and the same length of time in the afternoon was devoted to battalion exercise. Great proficiency was attained in this manner, and the officers and men of the regiments enjoyed the proud satisfaction of being reported at Department Headquarters by an experienced U. S. General Inspector as the best drilled and disciplined Regiment in the Department of the South.
The leisure hours that were at our disposal, and when permission could be obtained, were spent in making excursions to Hilton Head or the surrounding islands. Hilton Head Island, the headquarters of General Hunter, was at this time quite a city in a business aspect if in no other. The general hospital was located here, together with the quartermaster's and commissary's depot, and the medical purveyor's store; and beside, there were scores of traders in all sorts of merchandise who had built large structures for containing and bartering goods. Several photographic galleries were in full operation and abundantly patronized. One in particular was conducted by a German by name of Hass, and some of us will remember the name distinctly for the reason that we reached his gallery just at a period when he was about sailing for New York on the steam ship Arago, to replenish his chemicals and other stocks. He was a burly and phlegmatic Teuton, and was slipping away without saying
80
YATES PHALANX
"goodbye" to his wife, who called out to him in sorrowful tones, "Ain't you going to kiss me, Hass, before you go?" The old chap, when thus reminded, removed the pipe from his lips and said, "It ish no time to sthop fooling now. I musht get aporad as quick as never I can. Vait 'till I gets back, my dear !! " and off he went in an excited flurry, under the midday sun and through the sand, to get "apoard mit the steamer."
Sometimes a trip was made up Broad River to Beaufort where the Sanitary and Christian Commissions had headquarters. This place was also the location of the "Freedman's Bureau," and there were two or three hospitals, one of which was under the matronship of Mrs. General F. W. Lander-more generally known as Julia Davenport, the actress.
In passing, this estimable lady is worthy of a more extended tribute for her disinterested devotion and care of the sick and wounded soldiers under her charge at not only this place, but at all other points where her sympathy or hand could reach them. It was our privilege to have the personal acquaintance of this lady, for she frequently visited the various troops in the department, and our Regiment, at one time under the command of her brave husband, entertained the greatest respect for one so lately bereaved and who still in her widow's weeds remained within the circle of the army, giving time, money and patience and the attributes of a sympathetic nature to the care of disabled men. Whatever laurels Mrs. Lander may achieve before the footlights as a tragedienne will never be brighter, fresher, or greener than those won in hospital service on a more tragic state-the bloody fields of the great strife for National existence.
At other times we would gratify our passion for fishing and hunting by proceeding up the island to a large plantation house which had been turned over to the Freedman's Bureau and the plantation worked by giving a certain percentage on the sale of products to the Negro, or else paying him or her so much a day for labor. There was a school established there, but we were never fully satisfied that the Negroes appreciated their advantages. The Negroes on this and adjoining islands were the most obtuse and thickheaded that we came in contact with. They came regularly to camp each morning with something for sale-sweet potatoes, oysters, clams, shrimps, etc., and such gibberish, such unintelligible mutterings were never heard before. We might as well have attempted the translation of the "Congo" dialect as try to understand the "lingo" of these "mokes" of both sexes. It must be confessed that we had some respect for the Negro as we had seen him in Virginia and at home, but here, there was nothing but approximation to the monkey tribe, and call the thick-lipped, monkey- faced Negro with his gibberish, a fellow "well met" on all occasions was more than could be expected.
At the plantation house before mentioned, we would secure a boat and a guide and sail down the inlet to the sea. On the way and while passing through the rice swamps we often found wild ducks and reed birds for our sport, and with the use of a trolling hook and line would manage to catch good fish, to say nothing of the crabs fastened to the line at each haul.
In the latter part of the month of March 1863, we were called upon to make preparations for a move, and on April 1 we embarked on steamers to take part in General Hunter's expedition to Folly Island. For several weeks previous to starting the men had been drilled in the management of surf boats. On the morning of April 3 we arrived opposite Stono Inlet, but the storm, which had been furious during the night had not abated, and we were compelled, together with the balance of the
81
"At half past two the Ball opened"
fleet, to lie-to for several hours; and besides, several of the transports had lost their surf-boats during the gale. We were in close proximity to the blockading squadron off Charleston Harbor, and the scene presented at this time was novel and exciting. Matters began to look like business again, and we were all glad to have the dull and monotonous routine of camp-life dissolved. About noon of this day we steamed up to Edisto Island and soon came to anchor in the quiet waters of Edisto River, where we found seven monitors and five gunboats, aside from other craft. During the day the steamer Ben DeFort came in and anchored near us, bring General Hunter and Admiral Samuel Francis DuPont. Early the succeeding morning we got under way again and had a comparatively smooth passage to Stono Inlet, at the mouth of which we found a tug Harriet Weed in waiting to pilot us up the river to Cole's Island, where we commenced disembarking by means of the surf-boats and rafts. The men made rather bungling work at first in handling their oars, but soon came down to work. The Thirty-Ninth was the first to reach the island, where we found the 100th New York Volunteers already in camp. The Sixty-Second Ohio, Sixty-Seventh Ohio and Eighty-Fifth Pennsylvania Infantry soon followed us.
We made our encampment near the shore and close to Folly Island, which was in possession of the rebels. The entire camp equipment was landed before sunset, and the tents soon pitched, and supper, the first decent meal of the day, partaken of. Near the camp were several old forts and entrenchments, and during the evening some of us took up position on the parapets of a fort where we could plainly see the campfires of the rebels-their signal lights and rockets, which were flashing out intelligence of our approach.
April 5, the Brigade commenced the work of throwing up rifle-pits, and otherwise fortifying the position, for an attack at any moment was possible. From the head of the island, a mile or so distant from camp, the rebel pickets could plainly be seen, together with squads of men here and there, busy in perfecting their line of earthworks, and mounting cannon. At seven p.m. of this day an order came to put out all lights, as General Ferry was under the impression that we would be shelled by the rebels. At ten p.m. orders came to strike tents and move to the landing, and at midnight we got on board the tug Harriet Weed and were ferried over in detail of companies to Folly Island. On landing, the Regiment stacked arms and lay down for a little rest. At sunrise the following morning we commenced moving up the sea-beach, preceded by a large body of skirmishers, and two pieces of 12- pounder artillery under the charge of marines and drawn by hand. Several halts were made in our progress, which were necessitated by the slow movements of our skirmishers, they being spread out across the island in order to make a clean sweep. The slow movement was mostly attributable to the dense undergrowth, trailing vines, hedges, etc., that had to be cut away by the pioneers before progress could be made. At noon the Regiment halted in a palmetto grove for dinner, and a siesta was taken until three p.m .; then we started on again and continued until four p.m., when an order came to bivouac. There was an implicit order against building fires, and a cold lunch of ham and hardtack sufficed for supper.
At ten a.m. we were awakened with a muffled order to "fall in" and march, and were soon enroute again, with nothing to disturb the quiet except the song of the mocking bird and the thud-thud of the many footsteps along the level beach-the clatter of canteens against the knapsack or the gun; but all this was drowned, except to the participants in the march, by the dull and monotonous cadence
82
YATES PHALANX
of the ocean, whose waves often washed over our footsteps. We reached the head of the island at daybreak without meeting the enemy. Our fears had been greatly excited at times from the fact that the skirmishing party would exercise us by firing of their guns, and at one time we thought that we had been attacked in the rear, all occasioned by the careless handling of firearms. At the head of the island we reconnoitered Morris Island by peeping through the thick foliage that skirted Light House Inlet.
Folly Island is some seven miles in length and was densely timbered with palmetto, pine and magnolia trees, together with a dense growth of underbrush throughout the greater portion. There was no habitation except at the foot of the island, consisting of a two-story frame house and one or two outbuildings, all of which were later used for our accommodations-the house for the General's headquarters and the out-buildings for hospital purposes.
CHARLESTON
R.
IND
PP
15 /
R
O
O
S
O
CASTLE
PINKNEYI
MT PLEASANT
S
-L
AND
IT RIPLEY
FT JOHNSON
A MES'
BATTERY SIMPKINS
. SECESSIONVILLE
SUMTERD
BATTERY BEE
BATTERY' )
BATTERY GRECCY?
TRIE
SULLIVAN'S
1
OLLY
. ANGELA
TWAONER
FOLL
MO
BENDON HOUSE
A
1.
NIWW
T
LANTIC
LIGHTHOUSE
ØLCT
OCEAN
NORTH CHAN.
STONO INLET
-
1
- IRONSIDEY
1.
-- SWAIN CHAN.
SCENE OF OPERATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
In our position at the head of the island we had a full view of Forts Sumter, Moultrie, Johnson, and the various sand batteries on Morris and Sullivan's Islands, and in the foreground were numerous "graybacks" perched on the sand hills intently engaged in looking in our direction. At times they would approach the water's edge on the opposite shore and fire their muskets toward us. We had an unobstructed view of the blockading squadron seaward, and the monitor fleet that was entering the ship channel to engage the various harbor batteries. At two p.m. the monitor fleet, led by the New
CUMMINGS P
SWAMP
-
H N
LECAREVILLE
83
"At half past two the Ball opened"
Ironsides, were seen in motion, with the Weehawken as skirmisher to dispose of obstructions. After the Ironsides came the Passaic, Montauk, Patapsco, Catskill, Nantucket, Nahant, and Keokuk. The fleet paid no attention to the batteries on Morris Island, but pressed forward to the northwest face of Fort Sumter.
At half past two o'clock the ball opened, the first shot being fired from Fort Sumter. Soon the batteries on Sullivan's Island and Morris Island opened most fiercely, followed by broadsides from Sumter, and the din and roar was deafening, which together with the flash and smoke from each gun made up a scene that was deeply interesting to distant spectators; but when we consider the animosity that pointed each gun from the fort that inaugurated the rebellion we pause to contemplate the fiendishness of it.
FORT SUMTER AFTER BOMBARDMENT.
Through some mistake of orders the Weehawken missed her course and the line of battle became confused so that the whole power of our fleet was not manifest for a long time. It was impossible for the monitors to get nearer than 800 feet of the fort because of the numerous floating torpedoes, yet the monitor Keokuk succeeded in gaining a nearer position, and in consequence was completely disabled, having received ninety shots in the course of half an hour. By means of her pumps she was brought out from the fray, and finally sank near the entrance of the harbor-her smoke-stack reaching just above the surface of the water. The other monitors were not essentially damaged.
At half-past four p.m. the whole fleet withdrew and, with the exceptions of the Ironsides, proceeded to Hilton Head or Port Royal. The number of guns that had been brought to bear upon this little squadron was fully 300, and for rapidity of fire and weight of metal they were never surpassed.
84
YATES PHALANX
We watched this combat with the greatest interest, even climbing trees for a better view. Fort Sumter seemed to be a sheet of flame from the successive discharge of her numerous guns. About once a minute there would be the discharge of a gun from the turret of a monitor and we would watch the effect of the heavy ball as it struck the fort. All that we could discover was a cloud of dust and a fall of debris-no breach being apparent. We have ever considered this naval duel as one of the most novel and exciting episodes of our life and never shall forget it, in any of its details. The wounded in the engagement were principally on the Keokuk, and they were put on board the hospital ship by her own crew.
April 8 opened up gloriously as far as sun, sky and good temperature were concerned, but the want of food from the failure of the commissary to report was intensely felt, and a pall as thick as mud fell like an incubus on our spirits. We had some hardtack left which was washed down with the mere apology for coffee. During the forenoon heavy cannonading was again heard, but mostly confined to remove the rust from their guns. On bring our glasses to bear on Fort Sumter, three flags were seen-one the National flag of the Confederacy, one the State flag bearing the Palmetto, and the third one was made out as a black flag, or looked like one. At two p.m. orders were received to remove our camp back some three miles for a permanent position. We picked out a suitable site and finally pitched the tents agreeably to army regulations, and soon were in quarters for a sleep, with the roar of the ocean for a lullaby.
April 9, General Vogdes came with authority from General Hunter to assume command of the forces on this island, thus superseding Colonel Howell, who had been acting as Brigadier-General. General Vogdes, prior to the war, was a captain in an artillery regiment and a graduate of West Point. At the battle of "Bull Run" he was taken prisoner and lingered in prison at Richmond for some thirteen months. When exchanged he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General.
General Israel Vogdes will long be remembered by his command on Folly Island for his remarkable eccentricities of manner and speech. He was a great stickler for discipline and exacted from the soldiers all the honors due his rank and position. Although it was his invariable habit to saunter around camp in a blouse or in his shirt-sleeves, yet he was so puffed out with egotism that he excused no one for not recognizing him as the Commanding General. The soldiers had taken a dislike to him on general principles and neglected no opportunity to annoy and vex him. One night he was caught out while near the head of the island without the "word" or "countersign," and was delayed some two hours on one pretext or another, although it was well-known who he was.
At one time when Private Lankinaw of Company D, a stalwart German who had seen service in the Prussian army, was on guard duty near headquarters, the General happened to pass just at sundown and Lankinaw paid no attention whatever. This was so gross a breach of discipline and respect that Vogdes could not pass it by, and the officer of the day was sent for. Colonel Howell, of the Eighty-Fifth Pennsylvania, a very suave and polite old gentlemen, was on duty, and when he reported, Vogdes said: "Colonel, these damned Western volunteer soldiers do not know their duty, sir. I was passing the sentinel just know, sir, and he did not salute or pay the least attention to his commanding general, and you will at once relieve and punish him, sir."
"Yes, sir; great disrespect to the commanding officer," said Howell. "Will see to it at once, sir, at once!" and he started to interview Lankinaw.
85
"At half past two the Ball opened"
"Soldier, the general commanding reports that you did not 'present arms' when he lately passed you. Don't you know your duty?"
"Vell, Colonel Howells, I shalutes no man, by tam, ven it pees sundown."
"Sundown, was it? If so, you were in the right, sir, and will so report."
Colonel Howell returned to the General, saying: "General Vogdes, the soldier says the sun was down when you passed him, and according to the army regulations, you know, the sentinel is not obliged to pay salute to anybody."
"Yes, yes, I know; but I do not think the sun was down, at least, I do not think that it was quite down. However, let it pass; but see to it that these volunteers are better instructed in their duties."
The Regiment by detail was kept constantly busy in throwing up entrenchments and building forts, and from this severe labor, in connection with the miasma of the marshes, a large number of men constantly reported on the "sick list." Many were sent to the hospital at the foot of the island, and when accommodations failed, or they could be benefited by a change, they were sent aboard the hospital ship Cosmopolitan and transferred to Northern hospitals. The Cosmopolitan came each month to receive our sick and wounded. It was under the charge of Surgeon Otis, United States Volunteers.
April 11, under cover of the dark night, some 300 of the enemy approached the island in boats in the endeavor to surprise our outposts, but were discovered and driven back, but not until they had wounded one man of the 100th New York Volunteers and captured two others.
General Truman Seymour had succeeded General Vogdes in command of the whole force, and on the evening of this day there was a detail from the Thirty-Ninth to deploy as skirmishers across the island. General Ferry went to Port Royal and the fleet of transports there sailed for the same destination, taking with them the whole force with the expedition of five regiments under command of Vogdes.
April 12, the Thirty-Ninth went to the head of the island to relieve the 100th New York, which was ordered to Cole's Island to relieve the Sixty-Second Ohio, ordered back to Folly Island.
A great deal of sickness was prevalent at this time, and as a prophylactic measure whiskey and quinine was ordered to be given the men each morning.
April 13 was the anniversary of the capture of Fort Sumter by the rebels, and we notice that they are having a jubilee not only at the fort but on Morris Island. We occasionally see officers accompanied by women that must have come from Charleston, and from our point of observation the officers were engaged in pointing out the position of the "Yanks," and doubt less remarking to their lady friends how easy it will be to dislodge them when the proper time arrives (?).
Soon after the occupation of Folly Island a post hospital was established in a vacant two-story building near the head quarters of General Vogdes, and Surgeon Clark was placed in charge.
There was considerable sickness among the soldiers at this time from the incessant fatigue and exposure attending the erection of batteries and the constant picket duty; and besides, men were continually being wounded by the enemy's shells or by accident and carelessness. It is remembered that among the first to be admitted for wounds were two men belonging to the Sixth Ohio Volunteers. They, it seems, had found a shell when they were on duty and had brought it with them to their quarters, and when about to cook their dinners had utilized it as a support for their wood fire.
86
YATES PHALANX
They had not, in their stupidity, ascertained whether it was loaded or not, but were soon informed, for it exploded with great force, wounding four men, two of them very seriously, one having to suffer amputation of a leg.
April 15 the steamer Cossack arrived, bringing a company of the First Maryland Cavalry, in command of Lieutenant Holt. On the 16th Quartermaster Friedly of General Ferry's staff, arrived on the steamer Secor, bringing an order for the Thirty-Ninth to report at Hilton Head; but toward evening, on the arrival of the steamer Nellie Baker, the order was countermanded, much to our satisfaction, as we wished to remain until after the assault on Morris Island, for which we had long been making preparations.
Work was steadily progressing in fortifying at the head of the island, under the direct superinten- dence of Captain Crusoe, of the New York Engineer Battalion, and the rebels apparently had no idea of our plans, so well were they guarded and screened from observation by the thick undergrowth and sand dunes. The rebels were also active in throwing up batteries on the opposite shore of the inlet. Each day brought some new excitement to enliven the dullness of the camp. Either the rebels would open up a lively artillery fire, or the gunboat stationed in Stono River (the Pawnee and McDonough) would proceed, in company with the mortar schooner, up the Stono to Folly River and shell the woods and adjacent islands, accomplishing very little, but invariably provoking the enemy to respond in our direction.
Majors Moore and Mason, Paymasters, U. S. A., put in an appearance about this time, and were gratefully welcomed, and we did what was proper in the matter of entertainment, and received "Uncle Sam's" promises-to-pay in the shape of crisp "greenbacks." The Paymaster was always a welcome visitor, and especially to the sutler, who then received payment for the truck he had credited the soldiers at most exorbitant prices.
The Thirty-Ninth had a sutler at this time who was a most singular character, but possessed of active and energetic qualities for business, often bringing schooner loads of merchandise into the department and disposing of the same, at a great advance from New York prices, to his more impecunious brothers in trade. He had two great passions. One was his intense love for barter, in which the desire for gain often led him to be unscrupulous; it was only the "monish," as he expressed it, that he wanted. The other was his passion for a periodical spree, which generally lasted for a week or ten days, dependent on circumstances and associations. The periodic habit of exalting himself with "schnapps" came near ending his career on several occasions. It will be remembered that when we first reached the department after leaving St. Helena Island, the captain of our transport had permission to proceed up to Beaufort for a supply of coal, as the bunkers of the steamer were about exhausted. On reaching Beaufort we made fast to the schooner having the coal, and which was moored to the wharf, there being a space bridged over by a single plank from the vessel to the shore. As we were to remain overnight, a party of us, in company with the sutler, proceeded up into the hotel, where found a gay and jovial assemblage of officers, mostly "regulars." Something to drink was in order, which was continued in force during the evening. The sutler, in the meantime, had become quite exhilarated, loquacious and combative, and soon was quarreling with a captain on the staff of General O. O. Howard, over the relative merits and bravery of the volunteer and regular soldiers. The sutler was insisting, and would maintain at any cost, that the volunteers who had
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.