USA > Indiana > The soldier of Indiana in the war for the union, Vol. I > Part 48
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The Rebel gunboat Cotton, which fired on us when we first entered Berwick bay, was a constant annoyance, and its destruction was repeatedly attempted by General Weitzel's
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
force. At last, after a two days' battle in Bayou Teche, the Confederates were defeated, and destroyed the vessel to pre- vent her falling into Union hands. In several attacks on the Cotton the Twenty-First had taken an active part, but in the last decisive engagement the regiment was in reserve, and did not participate.
The year 1862 closed with the Twenty-First Indiana regi- ment still at Brashear, advanced like a sentinel on the extreme southwestern point held by the National forces.
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GENERAL POPE.
CHAPTER XL.
GENERAL POPE'S CAMPAIGN IN VIRGINIA.
'The true hero of the war is, after all, the American people."-Thomas Hughes.
· JUNE 27th, 1862, Major General Pope entered upon the command of the Army of Virginia, which was formed of the right wing of the old Army of the Potomac, the corps of Fremont, Banks and McDowell.
A mischievous boy, thrusting a stick into a yellow jacket's nest, could not have made proportionately a greater stir or stinging than this western commander on his introduction into his new and lofty position.
The first to take offense was General Fremont, whose skin was thin and doubtless sore. Regarding the appointment of a personal enemy, and a subordinate, to the position of his immediate superior as a suggestion that his services were no longer desired, he resigned.
The army on the James was the next party offended. Gen- eral Pope's more frank than gracious introduction of himself to the Army of Virginia was the occasion. He said:
"I have come to you from the West, where we have always seen the backs of our enemies,-from an army, whose busi- ness it has been to seek an enemy, and beat him when found, whose policy has been attack and not defence. I presume I have been called here to pursue the same system, and to lead you against the enemy. In the meantime, I desire you to dismiss certain phrases I am sorry to find much in vogue amongst you. I hear constantly of taking strong positions and holding them, of lines of retreat and bases of supplies. Let us discard all such ideas. The strongest position a sol- dier should desire is one from which he can most easily advance against the enemy. Let us study the probable line
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
of retreat of our opponents, and leave our own to take care of itself. Let us look before us, and not behind. Success and glory are in the advance-disaster and shame lurk in the rear."
The zealous General further offended the army on the James by declaring his headquarters to be in the saddle, which was understood to be an assumption of superior activity. He offered a reward of five cents for the return of an officer who was absent from duty on account of a cut in the finger. Offi- cers who were visiting their homes, and officers who were on the point of requesting furloughs, regarded this issue as the . unkindest cut of all.
But by far the most deadly affront given by the porcupine General was to the Confederacy, which instantly pronounced him an unchivalrous foe, declared him and his officers not entitled to be considered soldiers, ordered such as were captured to be held in close confinement, without hope of exchange, and directed that a commissioned officer should be hung for every citizen killed.
Stringent orders of General Pope in reference to citizens within his lines formed the direct occasion of the Confederate indignation. These orders were to the effect that the army should be subsisted on the country if proper officers could collect sufficient supplies; that the inhabitants should be held responsible for injuries to railroads, telegraph lines and routes of travel, and for the acts of guerrillas, and that all disloyal citizens within the lines of the army should take the oath of allegiance or be conducted to the South, to return at the peril of their lives. As citizens within the lines were almost with- out exception in the enemy's service, and as such orders had long been the law of the whole South, the Confederate indig- nation might be called extreme.
People like grit, provided they themselves are safe from exposure or injury, and a loyal citizen of Fredericksburg, a South Carolinian by birth, expressed a wide spread opinion when he said, "I had begun to despair, but at last I see a gleam of light." General Pope's own troops were generally satisfied. His messengers were chiefly Indianians, of the First cavalry, who, while they were Fremont's escort, had
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INDIANA TROOPS.
often felt themselves half rewarded for sleepless nights and restless days by the kind consideration of their commander. " General Pope treated us like dogs," said one of them, as he thoughtfully reviewed the Virginia summer campaign of 1862; "he never noticed us except to give us an order. But we liked him. We thought him a great man."
The Army of Virginia, when General Pope assumed com- mand, numbered forty thousand. He partially concentrated it by removing General Banks, and General Sigel, Fremont's successor, to points east of the Blue Ridge, posting them so that no considerable body of the enemy could enter the valley without being intercepted. He advanced Ricketts' division of McDowell's corps to Waterloo bridge over the North Fork of the Rappahannock, leaving King's division at Fredericks- burg.
The Indiana troops in the Army of Virginia were the Seventh, Nineteenth and Twenty-Seventh infantry regiments, the Third cavalry, Sharra's and Majthenyi's companies of the First cavalry, the Sixteenth battery, and the battalion of the Sixty-Third infantry, which, until the lastof May, had guarded the prisoners of war in Indianapolis.
The Nineteenth spent the first year of its military life in drilling, building forts, making bridges, repairing roads, doing picket duty, and in suffering measles, small pox and all other ills the soldier is heir to; in consequence its number was much diminished. In May it moved with McDowell's corps to Fredericksburg, and the same month marched as far west as Warrenton. Returning to Fredericksburg, it encamped on the opposite side of the river. It was in Gibbon's brigade, King's division.
The Seventh Indiana, with the other regiments of its bri- gade, was united to General Ricketts' division of McDowell's corps on the departue of Shields to join the army on the James, and remained at Alexandria.
The Twenty-Seventh was still in Gordon's brigade of Williams' division of Banks' corps, which had a season of rest after the departure of General Jackson from the valley.
The Sixteenth battery, under the superintendence of Charles A. Naylor, one of the best, and most beloved citizens
1
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
of Lafayette, was organized in Indianapolis in February, and encamped in Washington in June. In the same month it was attached to Banks' corps.
The Third cavalry marched from Bristow station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, the 7th of July, to report to General King. It went into camp at Falmouth, and was immediately engaged in picketing and scouting.
Sharra's and Majthenyi's companies were Sigel's escort, but were chiefly employed as messengers.
The Cabinet, of which General Halleck, now commander of all the land forces of the United States, was a member, weighed the question of uniting the armies of McClellan and Pope, as, in its present condition, the old Army of the Potomac was split into two parts, between which was the entire force of the enemy. After much consideration McClel- lan was ordered to unite with Pope on the Rappahannock, and to effect the purpose, all the vessels in the James and the Chesapeake, together with the transports which carried the corps of General Burnside from Newport News to Aquia creek, were placed at the disposal of McClellan.
About the same time Mr. Lincoln issued an order, calling out an additional three hundred thousand men to serve nine months; and the Confederate Government determined to abandon the defensive policy by recovering Tennessee and Virginia, invading Kentucky, freeing Maryland from the National authority, and capturing Washington, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.
The removal of the army on the James, without involving the destruction of the army on the Rappahannock, was a problem which required that the commanders should work not only with skill, but in harmony. It was necessary that Pope should threaten the north and northwest approaches of Richmond in order to draw attention from the embarkation of McClellan, and equally important that the latter should unite his forces with the Army of Virginia before Lee could mass his troops in its front.
Twelve days after McClellan received his orders he set his army in motion towards Yorktown. The Twentieth Indiana was a portion of the flank guard; the Thirteenth and Four-
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SCOUTING AND SKIRMISHING.
teenth, as part of Sumner's corps, protected the rear. These two regiments had seen hard times on the peninsula, having been employed, during twenty days as outlying pickets, with- out tents, or other covering, and almost night and day in contact with the enemy.
Late in July General Pope advanced beyond the Rappa- hannock, General Banks moved to the neighborhood of Cul- pepper, and two bodies of cavalry, under Bayard and Buford, to the fords of the Rapidan, the south branch of the Rappa- hannock. The cavalry kept a sharp lookout, and none were more active than the Third Indiana, before Pope's extreme left at Fredericksburg. On the 21st, Lieutenant Moffitt and six enlisted men were captured, about twenty-five miles from Fredericksburg. The next evening a detachment, about one hundred and thirty strong, under Major Chapman, with an equal force of Harris' light cavalry, the whole under the com- mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Kilpatrick, was sent out with orders to proceed to Mt. Carmel church, some thirty miles distant, on the telegraph road to Richmond, and break up a camp reported to be there. The same evening the column marched fourteen miles and halted. Early in the morning the march was resumed, and Mt. Carmel was reached at eight. A squad of Rebel cavalry had been encamped near the church, but had withdrawn to the south side of the North Anna river, and taken position on the Virginia Central railroad, at Ander- son's Turnout. Colonel Kilpatrick, accordingly, after consul- tation with his officers, determined to continue the recon- noissance.
A small scouting party of the Rebels, coming in contact with the advance, gave notice of the approach of a hostile force, and the squadron was found drawn up under arms. Major Chapman, with about forty men of his command, charged and routed them, taking several prisoners, and cap- turing and burning all their camp and garrison équipage.
The column now started on its return, and reached camp the same evening, having marched seventy miles in about twenty-nine hours.
On the 5th of August the Third cavalry and Nineteenth infantry formed part of a force which was directed to damage
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the Virginia Central railroad. General Gibbon was in com- mand. The Third cavalry skirmished slightly with a consider- able body of the enemy at the Matta river, but the expedition was not successful.
August Sth General Jackson began a reconnoissance in force, with his own troops, and portions of Ewell's and Hill's, to discover the strength of Pope's army about Culpepper. Forcing Bayard to retreat, he crossed the Rapidan, and during the night took possession of Cedar or Slaughter mountain, on the cleared slopes, wooded sides and ravines of which he advantageously posted his forces.
Early in the morning of the 9th, General Banks, who, on the previous day, had sent forward Crawford's brigade to support Bayard, moved, with the rest of his corps, south of Cedar run, and towards the base of the mountain. He moved cautiously, as, whatever the force of the enemy, his position was such as to render him formidable, and as he approached he formed in line of battle.
Gordon's brigade had the extreme right; Crawford's was next; Geary and Prince had the centre, and Green the left. The chief of artillery had a large number of batteries at his command, but could find position for only four, one of which was the Sixteenth Indiana.
Late in the afternoon General Pope at Culpepper was reading a message from Banks, assuring him that there was no prospect of a battle, when a sudden increase in the rapid- ity of firing, which had continued at intervals through the day, made him spring on his horse, and, with Sigel and McDowell, hasten towards the swelling sounds of conflict.
The battle was brought on by the drawing together of the opposing lines of skirmishers, and was taken up by Geary's brigade, which advanced to meet the enemy's advancing front. Prince followed Geary, and both, fighting sturdily, moved on steadily. General Crawford's brigade moved from a grove, in the shade of which it stood, into an immense field, and over the stubble of newly reaped wheat, towards the enemy's left, which was silent and dark in the thick woods of the mountain. All at once the woods were ablaze with musketry. Crawford poured back as hot a fire, but the enemy
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CEDAR HILL.
was protected while he was exposed, and he could not stand. As he retreated, out of the woods, into the wide stubble field came the Third Wisconsin, the Second Massachusetts and the Twenty-Seventh Indiana, making their way over dead and wounded towards their own death. Thirty minutes they stood unflinching under a steady fire. The spot that had witnessed the decimation of Crawford's brigade, seemed des- tined to see the destruction of Gordon's; but a flanking move- ment of the enemy warned the commander, and a retreat was ordered.
When General Pope reached the ground, he ordered Rick- etts to the right of Banks, and moved Gordon's broken regi- ments to the centre, but twilight put an end to the battle.
General Milroy's brigade arrived at the front after eight o'clock, and was posted on the left of Banks, his cavalry in line, under protection of the woods near the enemy. Milroy advanced alone and reconnoitred.
A Confederate battery suddenly opened on the batteries of Banks, near which fires had been incautiously made. The Seventh Indiana, which was standing far in the front on guard, had discovered the battery not fifty yards to the left of the regiment, but its report was regarded as a mistake and received no attention. Under a well directed fire, the Seventh fell back over the brow of a hill, and formed again in ranks; but a general alarm, out of all proportion to the cause, was produced, and infantry, cavalry and artillery rushed headlong to the rear. The confusion was not controled until two o'clock.
At daylight the Union piekets advanced slowly, supported by Milroy's brigade. Within two hundred yards of the Rebel skirmishers they came to a stand until noon, the enemy occa- sionally firing by companies, and Milroy occasionally sending out a few shells. During the afternoon the Confederates were pushed back three-quarters of a mile, and late in the day Milroy succeeded in getting and carrying from the field about a hundred of the wounded.
Monday was spent by bothı armies on the battle-ground, in burial services and attending to the wounded, who had lain
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
all Sunday under a burning sun, with no companions but the dead.
The loss was heavy, more than fifteen hundred killed, wounded and missing out of eight thousand engaged.
On the evening of the 11th Pope was reinforced by the whole of King's division, except the Third Indiana cavalry, which was left in front of Fredericksburg. He immediately pressed on towards the South, driving the Confederates in full flight. On the 15th, strengthened by General Reno, with eight thousand men from Burnside's corps, he advanced his whole army to the Rapidan, placing the right, under Sigel, on Robertson's river, where the road from Cedar mountain to Orange Court House crosses the stream; the centre, under McDowell, on both flanks of Cedar mountain; and the left, under Reno, near Raccoon ford, and covering the road from the ford to Stevensburg and Culpepper. Cavalry guarded the front from Raccoon ford to the base of the Blue Ridge. The position was excellent, the troops were buoyant, the Gen- eral felt strong.
At an early hour on the morning of the 18th, three Gen- erals, Pope, McDowell and Reno, met in the tent of General Reno on the bank of the Rapidan, and discussed the situation. While they quietly talked, and reckoned on McClellan's carly arrival, they stood unconsciously on the brink of a vast dan- ger. Beyond the low range of hills which bounded their vision on the further side of the river, rapidly massed and overwhelming hostile forces were even now harnessing their horses, and sounding the call for advance.
The conference was interrupted by a note from General Buford, calling their attention to a man who accompanied the bearer, and who, dripping wet, and in his shirt sleeves, impatiently waited to impart intelligence.
To understand the intrusion, it is necessary to go back a month, and give the adventures for that period of an indi- vidual.
Sometime about the middle of July, while the first corps of the Army of Virginia was still at Newtown in the valley, Captain Sharra, of the First Indiana cavalry, called for a man to carry an order from General Sigel to a small detachment
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ONE STEP LEADS TO ANOTHER.
on Lost river, thirty miles southwest. There was a little delay before any one accepted the service, as a solitary jour- ney through Virginia mountains required more than ordinary courage; but the delay was terminated by Thomas O. Harter, an active and faithful scout. In accepting the service he probably became a candidate for the higher and more dan- gerous duty he was shortly after called to perform. An order for the withdrawal of the exposed troops was given him, and he set out, reaching Lost river at two in the morning, without meeting a danger of which he was aware. His return was as unmolested and as prompt.
July 21st, headquarters having been removed meantime to Sperryville, Harter was summoned to the presence of Gen- eral Sigel, who smilingly asked him if he would like to go to Richmond. Harter was surprised, and not knowing what to say, he laughed. He had an innocent, boyish way of laugh- ing. He had, besides, a very fair complexion, and the wide, open, clear blue eye often associated with extreme simplicity. His glance was steady, his forehead broad, and his manners easy and indifferent, with, perhaps, a touch of audacity. A heavy yellow beard covered the lower part of his face.
General Sigel resumed: "I must have information in regard to the reinforcements and movements of the Rebel army, and I want a man to go to Staunton, Stannardsville, Gordons- ville, Charlottesville, through Central Virginia indecd, as far, if possible, as Richmond." He then detailed minutely what he desired, spoke also of the consequences of discovery, but added, "I could do such a thing myself, and I think you can." The soldier reflected; he was not an imaginative man, but involuntarily he saw the crooked path of the spy leading under the gallows, into the noose, down into the open coffin, down further into shame and ignominy. But it was for his country, and was it not somebody's duty? How was he better than another, that he should shirk it? Few could be spared so well, for his parents were dead, and he was not married. What had he enlisted for? Death, if it came in his way, certainly.
· What was this, but the very thing, right in his way? And, after all, it was only risk, not certain death; many spies escaped, and he was as sharp as anybody. He liked the
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
exercise of ingenuity and skill; it was worth something to see the inside of the Confederacy, and besides he justly felt complimented to be chosen for a service which required rare intelligence and coolness.
" When do you want me to start?" "To-night." "I will go. When do you want me to be back?" "Within three weeks." " You will fit me out with a citizen's suit?" " Yes, and an unbranded horse; of course there must be nothing in your appearance to show that you have been in the service of the Government."
At nine in the evening, Harter started on his perilous jour- ney. Crossing the dark wildernesses of the Blue Ridge, he reached the western side of the mountains by morning, and he rode solitary and undisturbed along the crooked highways, which in that region are called nigger-paths, until he arrived at Luray. Enquiring how he might avoid the Federal lines, he was directed to the Sheriff, who shut all his doors and windows before, in frightened whispers, he ventured to point out a mountain road to Honeyville, which was in possession of the Confederates. After pursuing the road designated two hours, and passing Honeyville without seeing it, Harter stopped at the house of some Germans, who were violent secessionists. Here hè discovered, what he afterwards had abundant occasion to verify, that women are more suspicious or keener of vision than men. The mistress of the house, after sharply eyeing him, denounced him as a spy to a party of soldiers who entered. They instantly arrested him, and conducted him back to Honeyville. On the way he managed to destroy the pass given him by General Sigel. It was a very little piece of paper, hidden in the lining of his drawers. An examination produced no proof, but did not allay suspi- cion, and he was sent the next morning across the river to Ashby's cavalry, by whom he was forwarded to Horrisonburg. Here he boarded himself a few days, but had no other lib- erty. Time was precious, and he urged the authorities to set him free, or to send him to Richmond.
At length he was ordered to join twelve prisoners from . Sigel's army, and go with them to Staunton. He met the party with some trepidation, but fortunately the prisoners
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TOWARDS RICHMOND.
were all strangers. At Staunton he was brought before the Provost Marshal, Captain Avis, the executioner of John Brown, and a man who looked the executioner. "To what regiment do you belong?" he asked, in a surly tone, and being answered evasively, without a word more, he put the prisoner in irons.
The next day Harter was set to work to assist an Irishman at the depot load and unload flour wagons. 'The second day of this work, he stepped on an engine, and entering into con- versation with an engineer, said that he had formerly been engaged on railroads, and would like to be employed in the same way again. The man advised him to make application to H. D. Whitcomb, superintendent of the Virginia Central railroad. Whitcomb was at hand, and learning that the applicant had been employed on the Terre Haute and Alton railroad, questioned him as to the names of the officers of that road, with some of whom he was acquainted, and closed the interview by giving Harter a recommendatory letter to Captain Avis. As railroad men were in such demand in the Confederacy that they were exempt from military duties, and received high wages, it was not thought strange that a North- erner should seek a situation on a Virginia road.
Harter gave his guard a silver half dollar to put the letter in the hands of Avis as if it came directly from Whitcomb. In consequence he the next day received an examination. Nothing could be proved against him, but Avis, still regard- ing him with suspicion, sent him under guard to Richmond.
The day before, General Pope had cut the Virginia Cen- tral railroad at Frederickshall, and the first Richmond train, forced to return, entered Gordonsville just as the train con- taining the prisoner arrived. Taking advantage of the confusion, Harter stepped on the engine and looked on at the frightened and wrathful crowd, amusing himself with the anxiety of his guards, who sought him in every direction. When the train had retraced its way thirty miles to Char- lottesville, he showed himself, laughing, to his keepers, and they, from that moment, had no further suspicion as to his character. He invited them to a hotel, gave them supper and lodging, discussed with them the propriety of going back
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
to Staunton, or on to Richmond, and influenced them to proceed.
The route they now pursued took them through Lynchburg, and brought them into Richmond on the Danville road. The guards received a receipt for the delivery of the prisoner, shook hands with him cordially, wished him his freedom, and left him standing alone at the door of the Provost Marshal's office. As the marshal was much engaged, and had given him only a careless glance, Harter determined to dispose of himself, accordingly he went to a hotel and enjoyed a com- fortable night.
" Here's the very man we are looking for!" exclaimed the neglectful officer, as Harter, the next morning, entered his office, with an indifferent air. " What does this mean sir?" " What?" asked Harter, innocently, though he could not but know that soldiers had been looking for him all night; " I'm not under arrest now, am I?" "Certainly you are!" was the indignant reply. "Why, I didn't know it," said Harter, "you must really excuse me."
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