USA > Illinois > Yates phalanx : the history of the Thirty-Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Veteran Infantry in the war of the rebellion, 1861-1865 > Part 21
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"We had been in this prison from the 13th till the 20th, when the rolls were complete for exchange. These 400 for exchange had occupied the four floors of the building. During this time, on the first floors of at least fifteen had died. On each floor the Confederates had a detail of four or five able-bodied Union soldiers to act as nurses for the sick and wounded. These nurses were not included on the roll for exchange. I must state these nurses were very kind and attentive, and did the best they could for our men, considering they had but very little to do with. One of these nurses dropped on a plan to get away in this manner:
"On the night of October 20 was to commence the transfer of the sick and wounded prisoners from Castle Thunder to the boat to go down the river. The rolls had been called two or three times during the afternoon. Just before night, on a cot near me was a Pennsylvania soldier (I cannot now recall the name) who was delirious, and about ready to answer the roll-call from on high. Presently he pulled his remnant of blanket over his head-and died. Those around him could not tell just the time, within an hour, when he passed away. Shortly after, one of the able-bodied nurses came around and raised the blanket and discovered the lifeless form. No one around recollected his name, although they had heard him, but a short time before, answer to it when the exchange-roll was called. The nurse then examined his memorandum-book and found his name; he then took possession of the contents of the deceased man's pockets, requesting those nearby to keep quiet. He then covered the man over with the blanket, and went away. Shortly, the hospital steward came around. This nurse returned, and, in an innocent way, discovered the dead man-the steward could not learn his name. The remains were, by steward's orders, removed to the dead-house and given a number as one of the 'unknown.'
"Just after dark this nurse came and laid down on the cot lately occupied by the dead man, and covered up his head. About midnight the transfer commenced. The officer would call a name; they would answer 'Here!' 'Are you able to walk?' 'No.' 'Send him a stretcher.' Then the nurses would place the soldier on the stretcher and carry him out to the ambulance. After awhile they reached the name of the dead soldier that occupied this cot. The name was
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called; the nurse made a faint reply, 'Here!' 'Are you able to walk?' 'No.' 'Send him a stretcher.'
"They lifted the form on the stretcher. He was 'not as light as the usual loads,' they remarked, as they lugged him away; 'this fellow has not fallen away much! Guess we had better leave him till he gets thinner!' But they did not happen to detect the game, and placed him in the ambulance. When I was taken on the boat I happened to be placed by the side of this nurse, and when they carried him off to the Union boat the same remarks were made about him being so heavy. Just as soon as the boats separated, the Union boat returning down the James, and the Confederate up towards Richmond with a load of able-bodied men in return for our lot of invalids, there was one of our number that very suddenly bounded on this feet and turned a hand-spring, to the delight of those interested in the successful scheme of escape.
"The nurse now declared that as soon as he could obtain a furlough, he would go to the family of the deceased prisoner and deliver to them the articles taken from the body, and also give them the number he was buried under. You may judge how happy this fellow was to get away from prison.
"Our reunions are to recall the unwritten incidents of our active service; to mention the valor of those that bravely fell on the field of battle, some of whom are sleeping in unmarked graves.
"Far from their own proud land's heroic soil, which should be their fitter tomb!"
"Color-Sergeant George W. Yates, Company A, who sleeps in the cemetery near by, that day received his fatal wounds and was made prisoner. I was transferred in the same ambulance with him to Richmond, blood from his wounds trickling along the pike the entire distance from Darbytown battlefield to the city, he having received four severe wounds that proved fatal a few days after our parole and arrival at Annapolis, Maryland.
"You will recollect that just before the order came to make the assault our mail arrived and was distributed. Company A was on the skirmish line; their letters had been handed to Sergeant Yates, of the color-guard, who placed them in his left breast coat-pocket. In the assault he received a bullet which pierced those letters and also his watch, and penetrated his side, the letters turning the bullet from the heart. The next day I noticed those letters saturated with blood, and I have often wondered if they ever reached the parties to whom they were addressed, or whether the writers ever knew that their letters had helped to turn a rebel bullet from the heart and for a brief period spared the life of one of our brave men."
In that charge the Thirty-Ninth lost one-third of the number engaged. There Lieutenant Wilder, of Company H, fell; also Sergeant William E. Steele of Company E. The latter fell near me. A bullet struck him in the center of the forehead, and when he fell on their works he retained a firm grip of his musket at "charge bayonet," with his eyes firmly set on the enemy dying in the perfect attitude
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of a brave and fearless volunteer soldier yielding up his life in the defense of and for the perpetuation of the Union.
The writer's experiences at this battle were unusually disagreeable. On the 7th he had established a hospital at Temple Hall Church, about one mile in advance of the Tenth Corps field hospital, which was located at Chaffin's Farm, in charge of Surgeon S. W. Richardson, Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers. On the morning of the 13th, he with other surgeons of the First Division of the Tenth Corps was ordered by the Medical Director to take the field and follow the command, with strict orders to keep within 300 yards of the line of battle. When the First Brigade were preparing and forming to assault the rebel redoubt, he took the position behind a corn-crib in the yard of the Gerault house. As the Brigade advanced, there was a painful hush, like that of an audience awaiting some terrible denouement. Then came the roar and rattle of guns and a rain of shell and grapeshot in a most careless manner, shattering the old crib and scattering splinters and debris in all directions. One ambulance horse was killed and the driver wounded, and much other damage done. The wounded soon came back in numbers, and among them Captain George Heritage, Company B. Finding our position untenable, we felt justified in transgressing orders and removed to the left and rear inside an old earthwork, where at last we could give our undivided attention to our work without fear of being either killed or wounded. The wounded, as fast as they were temporarily dressed, were sent back to the corps hospital some three miles distant. At about four p.m. our troops fell back, and having sent all the wounded to the rear, the surgeons retired to the Corps Hospital. On the way back the writer met Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Pineo, Medical Inspector Army of the James, who said, "Doctor, you have anticipated my wishes, for I have already sent an order for you to report to the operating theater, where your services are much needed; and," he continued, "I shall make it my first duty to inquire if surgeons are to be compelled to stand as targets on the field of battle, or be placed in a position where they can do some good."
Captain Heritage had received two wounds, one a slight flesh wound of the side, the other more serious, the ball entering at the outer border of the left scapula, passing through to the left shoulder, where it lodged and was cut out. In its passage it had struck the spinal column slightly, and today Captain Heritage is much disabled from the results of that wound, suffering attacks of epilepsy.
Lieutenant Nathan E. Davis, Company E, had received a ball in the right shoulder joint, destroying the head of bone and a portion of its shaft, so that resection of the joint with removal of four inches of the humerus was necessary. He was sent to Chesapeake Hospital, where hospital gangrene attacked the wound, and by reason of having been in poor health at the time he was wounded, he soon died from blood-poisoning.
James G. Hamilton, Company G, was so badly wounded that amputation of the leg was required. George Howell, Company E, and John Larking, Company C, each suffered the loss of an arm.
William H. Jenkins, Company C, received a wound of the thigh which two years later required amputation.
Lieutenant Charles J. Wilder, Company H, was killed.
The loss in this assault was fifteeen officers and men killed, and forty-seven officers and men wounded and taken prisoner. The losses to the Regiment on the 7th of October had been one man killed, fourteen wounded, and one taken prisoner. Among the wounded was E. J. Thayer, Company
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D, who received severe wounds in both legs. The main strength of the Regiment present after this battle was less that 300 men, and there were but three officers left to command them-one Captain and two Lieutenants.
There is one incident connected with this battle that will bear relating. While the doctors were located back of the corn crib, near the house before mentioned, there was great consternation and excitement reigning therein. It was occupied by a German family, consisting of man, wife and child, named Gerault. We found them huddled together in a room that they had fortified by placing barrels and sacks of potatoes and furniture around the exposed sides. As the battle waxed warmer and the shells and bullets screamed and whistled loud and fast, the woman and child took refuge under a big feather bed. But alas! a shell exploded directly over the house and the fragments penetrated to the room, scattering feathers in all directions and severely wounding the woman in the leg so that amputation became necessary back at the hospital, which was performed by Surgeon M. S. Kittinger, 100th New York Volunteers, assisted by Miss Clara Barton. In conversation with Mrs. Gerault shortly afterwards, she seemed to deplore the loss of her feather bed more than the loss of her leg.
Miss Clara Barton was present at the Corps Hospital at this time and rendered most effective and grateful service in ministrations to the wounded both day and night. She was a "Florence Nightingale" in her devotion to the sick, wounded and dying that came and went from the hospital during the following winter. She was placed in charge of the "light diet department," and furnished with untiring zeal delicacies and appetizing dishes for the many sick. She only left us when we were again ordered to advance "On to Richmond." After these many years, her memory is still fresh and green with us; and we wish her Godspeed in her philanthropic mission as President of the "Red Cross" Association of America.
The last of our wounded was sent away on the afternoon of October 14, when the writer returned to his old quarters at Temple Hall Church.
On the morning of October 15 the surgeons and attendants at the church suffered a big scare-in fact, became somewhat demoralized for the time.
Several companies of Kaautz's cavalry who were on picket duty in our front, came flying back in the greatest excitement and disorder and cried out to us, "The rebels are coming!" and from appearances we thought it must be a fact, and at once prepared to vacate. Looking up the road toward the front could be seen a mass of disordered and tangled-up cavalry in a wild stampede; some horses were riderless, with saddles turned and the stirrups swinging and flapping about, which served to increase their speed. Troopers, hatless, with hair flying, rushed frantically by, whooping and cursing; scabbards and canteens swinging and clanging amid the clatter of hoofs, made up the scene of a most disgraceful rout. There seemingly was no one to command, and the horses were as frantic as the riders. Hospital Steward DeNormandie of the Thirty-Ninth, with his assistants, soon had our equipment aboard the wagon, and the six-mule team in place and speedily joined in the retreat, the surgeons bringing up the rear. We had not proceeded more than 100 yards, however, when an officer made his appearance and succeeded in checking the retreating cavalry.
It seems that the enemy in considerable force had made a sudden and unexpected attack on that portion of our line guarded by Kaautz's cavalry, and had routed them and created a panic. The First Division, Tenth Corps, were soon in line, however, and turned the rebels back with some considerable
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loss. On visiting the scene of the attack soon after we found a large number of dead rebels lying promiscuously around.
On the 18th we heard of the death of our Corps Commander, General David B. Birney, who was a brave and efficient officer, and his loss was deeply felt and was deemed irreparable. General Terry, who had previously commanded the Corps during the illness of Birney, now succeeded to the full command.
October 20, the writer was permanently detailed to the flying hospital of the Tenth Corps as Chief Operating Surgeon, and was succeeded by Surgeon Samuel Kurtz, Eighty-Fifth Pennsylvania, as Brigade surgeon. He therefore took up quarters at the Corps Hospital located at Chaffin's Farm. On the evening of this day, the Corps celebrated another victory of Sheridan's in the valley of Virginia, and salvo after salvo of artillery at our front proclaimed or emphasized the fact to the rebels opposite.
October 25, a grand review of the Tenth Corps took place on a broad "plateau" near the hospital. President Lincoln, Secretary Stanton, Secretary Fessenden, Surgeon-General Barnes and many other notables from Washington were present to witness the "fighting stock" of the Army of the James. The old Corps never appeared to greater advantage, and everything passed off creditably. Our Division had been almost decimated and did not present the same appearance as regards to numbers that it did when the President last reviewed us, some six months previous. The Thirty-Ninth at this time numbered only 225 men for duty and had but two commissioned officers with it, aside from medical staff.
October 26, orders were received to prepare for an advance which was to commence in the early morning, and there was every prospect for more bloody work. The following morning, the 27th, the Corps advanced to the front again, near the scene of the late engagement on October 13, where they met the enemy, and for two days more or less fighting was done. The Thirty-Ninth were not at this time compelled to take a very active part, and hence the losses during these days to the Regiment were small. The Corps suffered to the extent of some four hundred officers and men, 311 of whom were brought back to the hospital, and the number of severe and serious casualties was greater than in any other fight of this campaign. Out of this number it was necessary to perform ninety capital amputations and twenty-three excisions of bone, chiefly of the femur and humerus and the inferior maxillary.
After this battle a large number of deserved promotions were made for brave and gallant conduct on the field. Among these was our friend Colonel N. M. Curtis, of the 142nd New York Volunteers, who was in command of a brigade at the time. The Colonel took the field when he was scarcely able to stand from illness, and strange to say, was knocked down four different times on the 27th by spent balls. His escape from death was simply among the greatest of marvels.
At this time there seemed to be a general cessation of operations at our front, and the whole army prepared to go into winter quarters.
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WINTER QUARTERS AT CHAPIN'S FARM.
Pleasant camps were selected near our line of works, which were very heavy and complete, and the men, when off duty, went vigorously to work in building log houses. Timber was cut and hauled to the ground, and layer after layer of logs arose until the desired height was obtained and then covered with their shelter tents or boughs from the pines. The interstices between the logs were filled in with clay; the door hung with leather hinges, or, if possible, with stronger ones from the doors of the many vacant houses in the vicinity; and the same source supplied the necessary window-sash for the soldier's dwellings. The huts or cottages were arranged in conformity to army regulations and presented a very interesting appearance. The men built like structures for some of the officers, and the regimental medical officers were thus favored. Each little building was furnished with a fireplace or else a sheet-iron stove, and many of these buildings were very cozy and comfortable.
The headquarters of the Brigade and Division were under canvas shelters, but with good frames of timber to support them in lieu of poles, and besides had good flooring.
OFFICERS' QUARTERS. CHAPIN'S FARM.
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The Thirty-Ninth's Band, which had a position at Brigade headquarters, were prolific in putting up shelters and digging wells, and theirs was among the best.
About this time, (October 31) General Butler left his command for a few days' recreation at Fort Monroe, leaving it in charge of General Terry.
Butler was quite popular with his command, winning our respect and confidence by unwearied attention to the details that make up the sum of a soldier's comfort. He was better at planning than executing, yet his record in this capacity will compare well with that of other Generals who were placed in the same position. He was no friend of those who did not perform their duty in all and every respect, as the following orders show, which we have copied for insertion in order to exhibit the character of the man:
"Headquarters
Department of Virginia and North Carolina,
Army of the James
In the Field, Virginia, October 29, 1864
ORDERS
I. It having been certified to me by Colonel Abbott, commanding Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers; Brigadier-General Hawley, commanding Brigade; Brigadier-General Ames, commanding Division; and Major-General Terry, commanding Tenth Army Corps, that Captain Joseph E. Clifford has tendered his resignation in the face of the enemy, and that he is guilty of "skulking" in the face of the enemy, and of absence without leave, he is hereby dishonorably dismissed the service of the United States, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances.
II. Citizen Joseph E. Clifford, having declared that he desired to get out of the service, and was bound to do so, either honorably or dishonorably, is hereby ordered to set at work under the charge of the superintendent of prison labor at Norfolk.
By command of Maj-Gen'l Butler. Ed. W. Smith, A. A. Gen'1.
ORDERS
Special Orders, No. 372
III. David B. White, late Major of the Eighty-First New York Volunteers, who has left the service, cannot be elected as Sutler in this Department. Field officers leaving the service voluntarily cannot take the place of bootblacks here. If they have no more respect for the
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service which they have left, they will find that officers here have. David B. White will at once leave the Department.
By command of Maj-Gen'l Butler. Ed. W. Smith, A. A. Gen'l
Other orders of a like nature could be given, but the foregoing will suffice.
Matters remained quiet at the front during the months of November and December, with the exception of some artillery practice occasionally, and now and then a little musket firing. Colonel Osborn returned to the front during the month of November, after a "leave of absence" home, and was soon placed in command of the First Brigade of the First Division.
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Reorganization
In December the work of reorganizing the Tenth and Eighteenth Corps was commenced, comfortable to the following order:
War Department Adjutant-General's Office Washington, December 3, 1864
GENERAL ORDERS NO. 297.
By direction of the President of the United States, the following changes will be made in the organization of the "Army of the James.".
I. The Tenth and Eighteenth Corps will be discontinued.
II. The white infantry troops of the Tenth and Eighteenth Army Corps, now with the Army of the James, will be consolidated under the direction of the Major-General commanding the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, and will constitute a new corps, to be called the Twenty-Fourth Corps.
III. The colored troops of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina will be organized into a new Corps, to be called the Twenty-Fifth Corps.
IV. The present corps staff and the artillery of the Eighteenth Corps will be transferred to the Twenty-Fourth, and the present corps staff and artillery of the Tenth to the Twenty-Fifth Corps.
V. Major-General E. O. C. Ord is assigned to the command of the Twenty-Fourth Corps, and General Godfrey Weitzel to the command of the Twenty-Fifth Corps.
By order of the Secretary of War. E. D. Townsend, Asst. Adj't-General.
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December 3, the Twenty-Fifth Corps was ordered away, and also a portion of the Twenty-Fourth Corps. The surmise was that they were going to aid Sherman, but their destination proved to be Fort Fisher; and on January 15, 1865, we had the pleasure of knowing that the expedition had been successful, the fort having yielded to our old commander, General Alfred H. Terry, and Admiral Porter, but not without severe loss, the casualties amounting to some 900. The loss in the land forces under Terry amounted to 691; the Navy losing a little more than 200 in killed and wounded.
Three of our best and most active surgeons lost their lives by disease contracted during the operations against Fort Fisher. They were Surgeon A. J. H. Buzzell of the Third New Hampshire, acting Chief Medical Officer of the Division; Surgeon Palmer of the Fourth New Hampshire; and Surgeon Washburne of the 112th New York Volunteers.
Our winter quarters were fully completed at this time and we commenced a life of partial hibernation. Even at the field hospital we had completed a system of permanent wards for the sick, constructed of pine posts set upright in the ground and covered with hospital tent-flies. Three wards, each 100' in length by 25' wide, were constructed on this plan, while hospital tents joined together and supported by inside frames made two other wards for surgical cases. The smallpox hospital consisted of a single hospital tent which was located 100 yards in the rear. Walks were laid, ever greens planted, and everything was done to embellish and add comfort. At the front we had erected a large flagstaff which flaunted the hospital flag and could be seen from all the camps.
A Medical Examining Board had been instituted, consisting of the Chief Medical Officers at the hospital, which met in session each week for the purpose of examining all applicants for furlough or discharge from service, as well as those presenting for the position of assistant surgeon.
Our work on the Board was decidedly heavy and lively, for a large number of both officers and men were making applications for either a "leave of absence" or a discharge from the service by reason of disability. We are sorry to say that many presented who had not the least claim to this indulgence, and they were sent back to camp, "disapproved."
A large number of men who had been drafted and forwarded to our Corps gave us more trouble and annoyance than all the old soldiers put together. Men were drafted in New York City who had but lately landed from emigrant-ships, and pushed forward to the front. They, on reaching the army, would malinger and feign all sorts of disorders.
We remember meeting with two persons of this class who were sent to the hospital for examination. They both claimed to suffer from acute rheumatism, and had suffered for years with the complaint until their limbs had been contracted. They were brought in an ambulance to the hospital and placed in bed. On examination day they were conveyed on stretchers to our room, and a thorough investigation was made. Both protested that they could not walk by reason of the contraction of tendons and muscles, and in fact our efforts to bring the limbs into normal position caused a great outcry. We placed them on a table and administered chloroform, when lo and behold! they each, during the exciting stage of the drug, moved their limbs as vigorously and with as much suppleness as we could wish to see. After they had regained consciousness their limbs relapsed back to the former condition with a power of will that was astonishing. We all agreed in pronouncing them a fraud, and so told them; but instead of confessing, they persistently clung to the falsehood they had agreed upon.
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