USA > Indiana > The soldier of Indiana in the war for the union, Vol. I > Part 42
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498
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
" We carried on a bone work manufactory, carving figures, letters, rings, and almost everything. We would often make a ring with a United States flag on the top of it, or some- thing else that was pretty and patriotic, and hold it up so that our lady friend, who was always sitting at her window, could see it. She would understand that it was for her, and would send her little negro girl into the street; the ring would be thrown out, the little girl would find it, and take it to her mistress. After dark, when we were locked up, and every- thing was quiet, some of the boys would let down a string from the window, and the little black girl, who would be there playing about with a newspaper under her apron, would tie the paper to the string when the guard's back was turned. We could not get the daily paper in any other way.
"Our rations were thirteen ounces beef bones, nine ounces pilot bread, and one pint soup, with a very small quantity of rice. Until the first of January, all that had no blankets had to sleep on the bare floor. Many had not a change of clothes. At this time a donation of clothing and blankets came to us from our regiment. There was an outrageous expressage to pay before we could get them, and as we had no money we determined to sell a part to redeem the remain- der. Just then we received a present of seventy-eight dollars from Hon. Schuyler Colfax. We paid the expressage and divided the remainder.
" While here I received one letter from home, and wrote one, which I sent North by Captain Worthington, of the First Michigan, who was exchanged.
" The last of February we were put on parole, and sent to Richmond. March 1st they came in with a parole to be signed by us. Every man grasped the pen with eager hand, and doubtful mind. By three o'clock in the afternoon every man had signed it. We were told we would leave for home in a few days. We hoped and waited, but days passed, and we did not go. Many went to the hospital sick, myself among them. Some died, the others recovered slowly. May 1st another parole came for us to sign. We doubted, yet hoped and signed it. Again days passed, and we did not go. At last, May 12th, we were put on the flag of truce boat, and
499
THE SCENE OF FUTURE OPERATIONS.
May 14th we arrived at Fortress Monroe. We reached Washington the 15th, were paid off the 24th, and started home the 27th, thanking God that we were on free soil, and under the glorious and will-be-victorious old flag."
The harbor at the entrance of Chesapeake Bay, between Capes Henry and Charles, is larger and finer than that of New York, and the country, to which it gives access, affords commercial advantages which are also superior to those of the metropolis. The mouths of five rivers, the Potomac, James, Rappahannock, York and Elizabeth, are included within a line not more than fifty miles in extent, and their branches reach to the vast coal fields of Virginia. The tide rolls up these rivers more than a hundred miles, giving to the State a thousand miles of tidal coast. The tide-water counties are low and flat, with much swamp land, which art has never attempted to drain. A wild, tangled forest grows in these. bogs, as in the days of Captain Smith and Powhattan. Tongues of sound land, which pierce the morasses, are warm and sandy, abundantly capable of producing fruit and grain, and in some cases are under cultivation. The most remark- able of the numerous tributary rivers is the Chickahominy. It rises north of Richmond, and lazily flows half round the city into the James. The swamp, through which it flows, is heavily timbered, and averages from three hundred to four hundred yards in width. The tops of the trees rise to the level of the tops of the highlands, and entirely screen from view bottom lands and slopes. The stream is sometimes in a single channel, oftener divided into several. When but a foot or two above its summer level it overspreads the whole swamp, and when a little higher it sweeps over large areas of the bottom lands, clear to the foot of the highland slopes. Even when not overflowed, the ground in wet weather is loose and spongy. The vegetation of this region is tropical in its luxuriance and splendor. Storms are also tropical in their violence and frequency. Dews are heavy, and skies are misty.
The growths of Virginia enterprise during two hundred and fifty years were Hampton near Fortress Monroe, York- town on the York, Williamsburg and a few other antique
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
settlements, too pretentious to be called villages, too stunted and too mossy to be ranked with American towns.
On a point of land, which is almost an island, being con- nected with the main land only by a narrow strip of sand, the United States Government built Fortress Monroe, one of the largest fortresses in the world.
It was under the shadow of Fortress Monroe that the Twen- tieth went into winter quarters. The men were supplied with everything they could need, were made happy by boxes of good things from home, and were almost transformed by decent clothing. They were treated with kindness and atten- tion by soldiers from other States, whom they in turn admired. No mean jealousy was felt on either side, yet it was with some complacency the Indianians discovered that they could not be excelled in light infantry battalion drill, nor equaled . in target-shooting, and that they heard a compliment inci- dentally paid by General Mansfield, who was a favorite com- mander. "The soldiers of the Indiana Twentieth," the General remarked, "could do without food longer when they had to; eat more when they had got it; suffer more without being disabled; get into line of battle quicker; stay there steadier, and swear harder than any men he ever saw." Pity truth required the last clause!
An event which was talked of in every tent, for at least one evening, was the arrival of Mrs. Bison, the wife of one of Captain Shannon's men. She had walked from Laporte to Baltimore, and endured more hardship on her solitary jour- ney than her husband on the beach of Hatteras.
New regiments arrived continually from the North and departed towards the South. Mason and Slidell were brought into port by Captain Wilkes, and taken out again. Several gunboat fights, with no important result, took place. Inter- vention on the part of England and France was a constant topic of conversation, but always pronounced improbable. Wesley Kemper writes to his father: "You speak about going to war. You had better hold off until the young men are whipped out; then you can come out and take their place. I think England and France will stay at home. I don't think they are such fools as to put their men in our way to be killed
Eng d by G. E. Penne & COPY
J'aihan Kimball
BRVT MAJ GEN. NATHAN KIMBALL U S VOLTY
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THE MERRIMAC.
off. But if they do pitch in, we'll have to fight like sixty, and I'm one of the boys that will give the last drop of blood to save our country. I will not come home until the war is over, or I am killed. If I die on the field I will die an hon- orable death. If I live I will see the pleasures we are fight- ing for."
Time passed on. The great naval expeditions accom- plished little or nothing. The grand Army of the Potomac dug ditches and piled up sand. The huge men-of-war in Norfolk harbor chased little fleets of musquito gunboats around among the willows. Discouragement or vexation began to prevail. Harvey Bassett writes, " Yes, the war will be over at last in sixty days, with the great tree of liberty left lying on the ground, uprooted and branchless."
Opening spring found the shores of Hampton Roads and of the James and Elizabeth rivers bristling with batteries. On the northern shore an almost continuous line extended from Fortress Monroe, nine miles, to Newport News. The Confederate batteries, beginning at Sewall's Point, the ter- mination of the southeast boundary of Hampton Roads, extended farther along the southern shores. It was rumored that the Merrimac, one of the largest of the vessels scuttled and sunk in the spring of 1861 in the Norfolk navy yard, had been raised and was repaired and clad in iron.
As early as November, a vessel cased in iron steamed out of Elizabeth river, down to Sewall's Point, and, turning, dis- appeared again. But as weeks and months passed without other demonstrations, it was asserted that she was a failure, and wooden ships of war continued to guard the line of Union troops and batteries.
On the morning of March 8th all was quiet as usual in this warlike region; the guns of Fortress Monroe pointed silently over Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay; the mag- nificent ship Minnesota lay before the Fortress; the guns of the Rip Raps guarded the center of the channel; the Roanoke and St. Lawrence lay before the Rip Raps; the batteries of Newport News guarded the mouth of the James, and before. the entrenched camp at Newport News, where our Twentieth: lay, removed within the last fortnight, rocked the Cumberland
33
502
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
and the Congress, both vessels of large size. In the neigh- borhood of each of these ships of war was a number of war steam tugs. What was hidden by the distance, and by the windings and the batteries of the opposite shore, no one knew or seemed to care, until about noon a steamer deliber- ately came out of Elizabeth river, passed down before the Point and turned. She was an immense, black monster, and was recognized at once as the Merrimac. Slowly and steadily she steamed up the channel, the attention of ship and shore, of friend and foe fixed upon her. The Minnesota and sev- eral tugs left the fortress to follow. The Roanoke, although with a broken shaft, was towed along some distance behind. Taking no notice of her followers, the hostile vessel steered in the direction of the Cumberland and the Congress, Rebel steamers and tugs in her wake, Rebel steamers coming down
the James to meet and support her. The Congress saluted her with a broadside, she returned it, but without pausing, and moved on towards the Cumberland. Coming close up to the waiting wooden vessel, she suddenly stopped, baeked off, pointed her bow, and ran forward again, cutting into the Cumberland below the water mark with a sword-like iron snout twelve or fifteen feet long. The trembling ship stooped until her top sail yards touched the water, but she righted again, and all hands poured fire upon the enemy. The Merrimac repeated the maneuvre, backing off, rushing forward, and inflicting an other deadly wound. "Surrender!" demanded the iron clad. "No!" responded the wooden ship, and her firing went on, and her flag fluttered, until with all her wounded she went down. The sailors and marines who could climb into the rigging, or could spring from the decks, alone were saved.
Throughout the combat massive iron balls from the colum- biads on the shore, and from every Union vessel in the river, fell on the Merrimac, but fell as harmlessly as hailstones. Now, as if first noticing their firing, the iron clad turned to give her attention to the shore batteries. But she could not get a position that would command them, and after but little delay she addressed herself to the Congress. In a few minutes every gun on land and water was engaged. In thirty minutes
·
503
SKILL AND GALLANTRY.
the Congress was in flames. She struck her colors, but Gen- eral Mansfield ordered Colonel Brown to keep the enemy from boarding her. Immediately Captain Rayburn and Captain Read deployed their companies, which were twice as large as usual, at the water's edge. Shot and shell passed over the heads of the men, fanning their faces, and cutting off the tent tops behind them, but not injuring a man, or rendering a single arm unsteady. With new Enfield rifles they took unerring aim at the steam tug which was boarding the Congress, and "paid the Rebels well for all their Hatteras · tronbles."
The surgeon of the Congress, in a description of the fight, says: "To the skill and gallantry of the sharpshooters of the Twentieth Indiana alone do officers and crew of the Con- gress owe their deliverance."
Delaying at this point no longer the Merrimac went down the harbor to the Minnesota, which was aground, but only accomplished a sort of introduction preparatory to a fight on the morrow. She had done enough for one day.
"About ten o'clock at night the flames burst through the deck of the Congress, and, igniting her rigging, spread a luminous glare over the heavens and across the harbor. Her tall masts resembled columns of fire. Her shrouds, ropes and sails looked like silver threads. Before midnight her guns became heated and discharged their loads all around, but did no damage beyond sinking a small sloop. Shortly after her magazine blew up, throwing cinders far heavenward amidst clouds of sparks and flakes of rope; then the mass sank beneath the waves, carrying down the burned and charred bodies of many a gallant tar." (Bassett.)
The night of the 8th of March was full of gloom. Between two and three hundred brave patriot hearts were under the yellow waters of the James; the majestic ships which had long been guardians of the army and shore were sunken and blackened ruins; the doom of the Minnesota was spoken; the whole Union fleet, the land forces, stores and magazines were at the mercy of a monster whose scaly sides seemed impenetrable to the heaviest missiles. If Hampton Roads were cleared what would hinder the enemy from sinking all
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
the blockading vessels, and what would preserve Baltimore, Washington, New York even?
The sun of the 9th scattered a morning mist, and disclosed the stage of action and the actors to the eyes of soldiers, sailors and civilians. The Merrimac steamed saucily out from Craney Island, and, followed by two steamers loaded with soldiers, moved towards the Minnesota. As she approached, a black craft, contemptible in size and form, announced herself as champion of the challenged vessel by moving in her front, and gliding swiftly towards the Merrimac. The new-comer was the Monitor, a short-lived and unfortunate vessel, but. now nobly opening her career. She had two guns, while the Merrimac had six; but her size was in her favor. It enabled her to skim round and round her enemy, to assault her in an unexpected quarter, to escape pursuit, and to be swift and to come close in chase of her antagonist. After a combat of four hours the Merrimac was driven off, and the Monitor remained in possession of the field.
A curious illustration of the force of the concussion of exploding shells and guns was found in the large numbers of birds which were scattered dead over the plain.
After the exciting interruption of the naval battle, camp life returned to its monotony. Bassett writes:
" We have just been driven into quarters from battalion drill by a storm of sleet and rain, which has set in to give the privates rest and rust, and the officers vexation. I sit down to write you a forced letter; I say forced, for I have vainly waited for some event to transpire which might give me a paragraph. When you see in the telegraph column that all is quiet round Yorktown, you may rest assured that we have either been pent up within our tents by one of the numerous showers by which we have been supplied of late, or that a beautiful clear day has passed, and we have formed many a ' hollow square,' and 'closed column on the center division' times innumerable, or have tramped weary miles in brigade drills, and probably, as to-day, for instance, have worked in the trenches, throwing up breastworks. We have built a long redoubt across our water-front, in anticipation of a visit from our old friend, Mrs. Merrimac, but she has failed to make her
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THE LAST OF THE MERRIMAC.
appearance. The only incidents which serve to enliven our camp are the arrival of contrabands, who come in daily. I will tell you how they get here, it is quite a scene. All along the opposite shore are numerous oyster beds; you recollect "De floating scow of ole Virginny,' and the 'negroes collect the oysters in small sail boats. Every morning quite a fleet is seen. Presently one boat moves out a little further from the shore, and edges off until it is almost beyond reach of the enemy's guns, when suddenly it puts about, crowds on all sail, and makes for our shore. Instantly a secesh steam tug gives chase, and then commences a race for life. When within range of our guns, one of our Dahlgrens administers a sharp rebuke to the tug, and she puts back with a flea in her ear. The darkeys make for shore with loud hurrahs, and . claim protection of the Stars and Stripes. We had two such cases day before yesterday within an hour.
" The forest trees are clothed in verdure; swallows, martins. and innumerable water fowl flit around our camp; and we have given our tents a very homelike appearance by planting wild flowers, rose bushes and forest trees in our quarters."
At last events began to culminate. Yorktown was evac- uated. The battle of Williamsburg was fought. Sewall's Point was successfully bombarded. Norfolk was forced to surrender.
On the 10th of May the Twentieth, nearly a thousand in number, and in excellent health, set out on a moonlight march, preparatory to taking possession of Norfolk. On their arrival eight companies were immediately taken across the bay to Willoughby Point, while two, unable to obtain passage, lay down under eave-troughs and board piles for the night. It was a wonderful night. Earth and sky were illuminated with dock yards, ships and Confederate quarters, set on fire by the retreating enemy. Just before dawn a terrific explosion rever- berated along the many lines of shore. The Merrimac, the. monster monarch, that was to sweep the seas, had been filled with combustible materials and set on fire. Only her black- ened masts remained above the waters, more bare than the masts of her victim, the Cumberland, which still spread their sails to the sky-
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
The two companies, left behind at Fortress Monroe, em- barked early in the morning, and were the first Federal troops which landed at the wharf. The flag of the Twentieth was the first to wave over the Rebel city.
President Lincoln, Mr. Stanton and other members of the Cabinet, visited Norfolk the same day, and were received with enthusiasm by the soldiers, while the countenances of the citizens looked as black and ugly as their city.
Norfolk is a dirty place, with high, unpainted houses, nar- row, crooked streets, and broken pavements. The only inter- esting spot in the city is the grave-yard, where moulder in unmarked graves forty physicians and nurses, who, in 1855, when the city was suffering from yellow fever, and was for- saken by her native physicians, left their northern homes and gave their services and their lives to their southern country- men, as they then considered them, certainly their fellow creatures.
The fortifications were strong, and several miles in extent. The navy yard was still burning when the troops entered, and Elizabeth river, between Norfolk and Portsmoth, was of a deep coffee color, on account of the quantity of tobacco which had been thrown into it.
The Twentieth encamped near Portsmouth. The following letter was written while there, by the Sergeant-Major of the regiment. It shows something of the strictness with which the soldiers were kept within their camps. They did not approach or even pass the houses of citizens except on special business:
"I have been to Fortress Monroe on business. They waved the American flag at me from the first house I passed after leaving camp. I saluted it. A little further on I saw two ladies talking at a gate; they looked very hard at me, but did not speak. I passed through the market house in Portsmouth. Everybody looked at me in wonder, glancing at my sword and then at me, as much as to say, what is he going to do with us? One lady seemed badly scared, but I never let on that I saw her, until I got to the end of the house, when I asked a man what was the matter with her. He said that she was afraid of me, that people had told so much about the
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JOINED THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Yankees that everybody was afraid of them; he added that I had a wicked looking eye. I just smiled a little at him, then I asked him if I had a wicked eye. He said that I did not smile as I came through the market, or I would not have scared the lady. I went on, and made up my mind to smile at all the ladies I met. So I did, and they would remark to each other, 'He is in a good humor.' At Norfolk I found myself in the midst of secessionists, who made faces at me, and said, 'There goes one of Lincoln's plug uglies.' I never said a word, but considered the source, as the fellow said when the jack kicked him."
The writer of the above was about eighteen years old, and though he had little education, he had an intelligent and really beautiful and refined countenance. It was certainly not his "wicked eye" which frightened the Southern lady.
On the 8th of June the Twentieth joined the Army of the Potomac, and encamped near Fair Oaks, on the York river railroad. It was assigned to Jamieson's (afterwards Robin- son's) brigade, Kearney's division, Heintzelman's corps.
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE ARMY OF TIIE POTOMAC.
"When the last trumpet shall bring forth the dead, between fifty and a hundred thousand will rise from the fields and swamps of the Peninsula, witnesses to the cruelty of a conservative campaign."-II. W. Beccher.
THE announcement, on the 25th of July, 1861, that the departments of Washington and Northeast Virginia would constitute a geographical division, under General McClellan, though General Scott was thus practically superseded, gave universal satisfaction. The loss of the battle of Bull Run was ascribed to the inefficiency of the old Lieutenant-General, while the restoration of West Virginia was set down to the credit of the young aspirant for public trust and honors. The latter was known as an observing traveler, an accurate engi- neer, and a correct writer on military subjects; he was also recommended by a modest and reserved, yet manly and affa- ble manner; but perhaps the most efficient agent in the pro- motion of his popularity, after the brilliant campaign of West Virginia, was the eminent need of a leader, and an almost religious faith on the part of the nation that for such a need there must be a corresponding provision.
General McClellan found the affairs that were placed under his supervision in almost hopeless confusion. Washington was defended on the Virginia side of the Potomac by earth- works, but was open to any force which might ford the river a few miles above. The army was reduced by defeat, deser- tions and the withdrawal of the three months' men to less than fifty-five thousand. The patriotism of many inferior officers and men had effervesced, and, incapable of any prin- ciple which could produce a steady attention to the perform- ance of monotonous duty, such individuals spent their time and themselves in places of dissipation.
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THE GRAND ARMY.
The first act of the new commander was to order idle sol- diers out of the city, and to direct their services to their appropriate duties in their respective commands. He then gave assiduous attention and undeniable skill and talent to the fortifications of the capital, and to the reorganization of the army. He was seconded on every hand. Recruiting and equipping began anew. Troops poured into Washington, and were assigned to camps of instruction, where the most rigid observance of military exercises was required of them.
McClellan's observation of the European soldier assisted him in acquiring a thorough understanding and appreciation of the American, and a confident reliance on the united flex- ibility and independence which fit the latter to gain easily and without loss of self-respect, the characteristics of the soldier. Therefore, while he required of him severe applica- tion, and expected from him a rare degree of excellence, he showed him unvaried respect and kindness.
In a wonderfully short time, from the chaotic mass of raw, rude, roaring volunteers in and around the capital, emerged a noble and beautiful army. At the first grand review seventy thousand soldiers appeared, clothed with neatness, taste and comfort, in every respect well equipped, bearing themselves in a soldierly manner, and performing with accuracy and readiness all required military evolutions. So large an army was never before concentrated in America. Perhaps in the world so large an army in so short a period had not reached equal attainments. Not only the spectators, the whole nation was gratified and proud, and very grateful to the man who had achieved the work.
From this review may be dated the assignment to the high- est place in public estimation of the Army of the Potomac. However fondly scattered communities or individual States might turn to regiments on the ocean or the gulf coast, in . Kentucky, Missouri or the distant wildernesses of Arkansas, the nation, until the last year of the war, set its strongest interest and its warmest admiration on the army of young men who lay in camp on the borders of Virginia, or who engaged in battle in the swamps and forests of Virginia. It was not, however, to so little a circumstance as one review
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