USA > Indiana > The soldier of Indiana in the war for the union, Vol. II > Part 58
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When Ransdall reached home he was frightfully emaciated. All who saw him supposed him to be dying, yet he said he had "picked up" on the journey.
683
FORCES IN THE VALLEY.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
O! here is seen a sight, might turn The palest cheek to ruddy hue, And cause the quailing cye to burn With patriotic fire anew .- James B. Black.
Early's destructive activity prevented the return of the troops borrowed from the Army of the Potomac, and neces- sitated their removal to Harper's Ferry. Here a large Union force was massed, mostly infantry, but with the intention that it should do cavalry service, and was put under the command of General Sheridan. It was composed of three corps-the Eighth, known previously as the Army of West Virginia, under General Crook; the Sixth, under Wright; the Nine- teenth, or rather the First and Second divisions of the Nine- teenth, under Emory, and two cavalry divisions, Torbert's and Wilson's, from Meade's army.
The Indiana troops in the Army of the Shenandoah were the Eleventh, Eighth and Eighteenth infantry, the detach- ment of the Third cavalry, about ninety men, under Captain Lee, remaining after the expiration of the term of service, and the Seventeenth battery. The detachment was detailed as escort to General Custer. Chapman, now Brigadier General, was in command of his brigade. Colonel Macau- ley was, for a time, also in command of a brigade, his regi- ment, the Eleventh, forming a part of his command.
Major Black, in detailing the fortunes of the Eighteenth, makes other history of the campaign almost unnecessary. Some slight alterations have been made in his narrative for the sake of brevity, and in order to notice the Eleventh, Eighth and Third.
684
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
" On the sixteenth of July the Eighteenth bade adicu to the soil of Indiana, which is never so dear to a man as when he has fought for it, and started again for the field. On the twenty-first it reported to Grant, who assigned it to Butler's department. It served in the trenches in Foster's division, nine miles from Richmond, until the last of the month, when it retraced its way to Bermuda Hundreds, embarked and re- turned to Washington. It was a quiet summer afternoon when the vessel went up the Potomac. The sun-browned veterans stood silent and reverent on the deck, and gazed at the home and burial-place of Washington till the windings of the river hid Mount Vernon from view, and brought out the dome of the Capitol. The regiment encamped two miles north of Georgetown. It was joined on the twelfth of August by the Eighth, arrived from Morganza Bend. The Eighth and Eighteenth, with the Twenty-Fourth and the Twenty-Eighth Iowa, formed a provisional brigade, afterward called the Fourth, of the Second division of the Nineteenth corps. The division was commanded by General Grover, and the brigade by Colonel Shunk, of the Eighth. The di- vision remained in the defences of Washington two weeks, the latter part of the time occupied in 'slashing' or cutting away the growth of bushes in front of the forts. August 14, it crossed Chain bridge, and marched to Snicker's Gap. The troops had searcely gone into camp here, after a long day's march under a scorching sun, when they were ordered to hasten on to join the army then falling back through Man- chester and Berryville. A full moon lighted them through the gap. Wading the Shenandoah river at midnight, they pushed on, and arrived toward morning at Berryville, where they cast themselves, hungry and tired, upon the ground, and slept. Soon after daylight they were armed and marched through town in a drenching rain. Taking the Charlestown road a short distance out, they joined the army on the march. Here they first saw the man whom they afterward learned to love, the gallant Phil. Sheridan. On his black charger at the head of his staff, unheeding the pelting rain, he looked, as he coursed over the field, like one born for the din of battle, and the rush of charging squadrons. The retiring army fell back
685
PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS.
that day to the neighborhood of Charlestown, and going into line on the west and south of that place, constructed barri- cades and intrenchments. On the second day the Rebels advanced in force upon the right, and darkness closed a spir- ited skirmish. The Federal army then again retired, leaving Shunk's brigade and the cavalry holding the Berryville road till midnight, when they, too, fell back. As they silently marched through the deserted streets of Charlestown, passing the dilapidated Court House and the old jail, with its grim iron-barred windows, all thought of old John Brown and " His soul is marching on."
Long before morning they arrived at Bolivar Heights, and lay down on their arms on the summit of the outer range of hills. The enemy followed, but retired, after a few inconsid- erable skirmishes, to Bunker Hill. The Union forces again moved out to their former position, west of Charlestown. Here they lay for several days, the cavalry of the opposing armies having daily skirmishes.
While the Eighteenth was at this place Colonel Washburn, who had been nominated for Congress in the Seventh Dis- trict of Indiana, obtained leave of absence, and went home to canvass his district. The command devolved on Licuten- ant Colonel Charles. On the third of September the army was quickly transferred southward, to Berryville, where the advance was attacked in the evening by a considerable force. A spirited engagement was continued into the night. Dur- ing the entire night, which was dark and rainy, and all the next day, our men were engaged constructing defensive works of logs and earth. This sudden movement produced a corresponding advance by the enemy from Bunker Hill, and early on the morning of the fourth his skirmishers made their appearance. Intimidated by the defences, they did not venture an attack, but the next day withdrew to Winchester, whence the greater portion returned to Bunker Hill. Gen- eral Sheridan extended his lines to the right, and lay here for two weeks, with his left resting on the Berryville and Charles- town turnpike. The position excluded the enemy from his true line of retreat, south-east, through the gaps of the Blue Ridge, and gave Sheridan opportunity to inflict a series of
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
quick and heavy blows. The transportation of the army had been reduced at Bolivar Heights, one wagon only being al- lowed to each regiment, and even this was left behind when the advance was made from that encampment. After a few days at Berryville the regimental wagons came up, and camp life was resumed, nothing occurring save an occasional en- counter between reconnoitring parties of cavalry till Sunday, the eighteenth of September, when the baggage wagons were sent to the rear, to Harper's Ferry, not to be seen again for a month and a half.
At two o'clock on the morning of the nineteenth the Sixth and Nineteenth corps, preceded by cavalry, marched south- ward to the Berryville and Winchester road, and pushed for- ward toward the latter place. Soon after daylight the out- post of the enemy was reached at Opequan creek, and driven in confusion. Crossing the creek and closely pursuing, our army came upon the Rebels in force a short distance east of the town. Line of battle was immediately formed, the Sixth corps on the left, the Nineteenth on the right, Grover's divis- ion occupying the extreme right. There was little prelimi- nary skirmishing, as it was important to attack before all the forces of the enemy could arrive from the north, and while those already arrived were yet taking position. The First brigade, of Grover's division, forming the first line on the right, advanced across a large opening, comprising several fields, and entered a belt of woods. The rattle of musketry told it had met the Rebels there in force, and Shunk's brig- ade was ordered up. Quickly but steadily and silently the long, gleaming blue line moved forward into the fields, with ranks well dressed on war-worn banners, which proudly showed their battle scars in the morning sunlight. The Eighteenth, on the right centre of the brigade, led on by dash- ing Colonel Charles on his white horse, looked every man a veteran. Firm steps and tightly pressed lips told of deadly purpose, yet, with the provident care which is born of expe- rience, the soldiers carried knapsacks and camp kettles, coffee pots and frying pans, into the rushing charge of battle. The second line in the face of a terrific shelling, and followed closely by a third line, had gotten well down into the fields,
687
BATTLE OF THE OPEQUAN.
when, casting away cooking utensils and griping its guns, the Eighteenth, with a loud yell, swept forward at double- quick. It gained the middle of the opening. It pressed toward the woods and rocks which sheltered the Rebels, and from which poured a terrific front and enfilading fire. Ont from that woods came a dark blue line, struggling back slowly at first, then breaking, and flying in fragments to the rear. The Eighteenth, opening its advancing ranks, let the fugitives pass. Not till the third line had fallen back, and the order to retreat had been given to Shunk's brigade, and the Eighteenth had been left alone in that shower of death, did those veterans turn from the foe. Three times they ral- lied around their flags before they repassed the field and re- gained the woods from which they had started. Here they found a single regiment, which had not entered the field, but none of the fugitives; yet here they planted their colors, and for two long hours held the enemy back.
There is in almost every battle a crisis, the instant recogni- tion of which marks the successful general. Fortune for a short time held out her hand to Early, but the shadowy palm was hidden from his dull sight. A broken line of shattered regiments, making a mere show of resistance, held him in check, till the Eighth corps, which had been kept in reserve on the extreme right and rear, came up to decide the day. At sight of the tall, sturdy Western Virginians, advancing erect and fresh, and eager for the fray, the tired Hoosier boys sent up a shout of joy, and filing through their opened ranks went to join their brigade, then stationed in a neighboring ravine, guarding against a flank movement. The cavalry, having closely pursued the enemy from the north, was now ready on the right and charged down upon the Rebel left si- multaneously with the advance of the line. The prolonged battle cry announced the success of the movement, and hur- rying up to participate in the final onset, Shunk's brigade, with that exultant pride which swells the heart in the moment of dear bought victory, saw the enemy flying in wild disor- der, a dozen batteries pouring on him an avenging fire, and galloping squadrons, with flying sabres, charging into his midst. Away through the town of Winchester, unhecding
688
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
the reproaches of citizens, whom they had promised to de fend from the Yankee rowdies, the discomfited Confeder ates hurried. Night closed the eager pursuit, and our weary yet exultant army lay down on the south side of town and slept till daylight.
Among the killed of the Eighteenth, was Captain Silas A. Wadsworth, of company E, who fell in the midst of the fight sword in hand, shot through the head by a rifle ball. Gen- eral Chapman was wounded in the battle of Opequan creek.
With the dawn, the troops of Sheridan, having dispatched a scanty breakfast, started up the valley in the pursuit. Pass- ing the villages of Kernstown, Newton and Middleton, they crossed Cedar creek at three o'clock in the afternoon, and came upon the enemy, strongly entrenched at Fisher's Hill. Taking position and posting pickets consumed the remain- der of the day and the early part of the night. The Sixth corps occupied the right, the Nineteenth the left, Shunk's brigade being on the extreme left, while the Eighth corps was held in reserve. At nine o'clock on the morning of the twenty-first, began an artillery and infantry skirmish, which lasted all day, while our army gradually pressed closer to the Rebel lines, constantly moving further to the right beyond the town of Strasburg. The next day, in like manner, was spent in driving the Rebels within their works and closing in upon them without any important encounter, till late in the after- noon, when the Eighth corps, which, with great difficulty, had climbed the mountain in the night, while the Sixth and Nineteenth engaged the enemy in front, fell like an avalanche on the Rebel left flank, throwing the whole army into the wildest disorder, capturing eighteen pieces of artillery and eleven hundred prisoners. Grover's division had early been moved far to the right, and close to the enemy, and during the day had been engaged constructing a strong breastwork of logs and brush on the crest of a timbered hill, to be used in the event of the failure of the Eighth corps in its flank movement, and the probable assault of the enemy on our front. This division was now ordered in the advance of the pursuit, and while darkness was gathering over the heaps of dead and wounded, it moved at double quick across the nar-
689
NIGHT ATTACK ON SHUNK'S BRIGADE.
row river, and with echoing shouts, hurried along the broad highway closely followed by the remainder of the army.
Burning ambulances and wagons, and overturned caissons, told of the haste and terror of the fugitives, and excited the eager pursuers to increased speed. About ten o'clock, while three regiments of Shunk's brigade were marching by the flank side by side on the turnpike, completely filling it from ditch to ditch, there being in front of them but one regiment, deployed as skirmishers, and General Emory, with his staff, suddenly from a clump of trees on the left of the road, imme- diately in advance, flashed the blaze of a volley of musketry. The volley was not repeated, but two pieces of artillery, planted on the road a hundred yards in advance, opened on Shunk's brigade. The men, by instinct, obliqued to the right and rear, leaving the dangerous highway unobstructed. For an instant all was confusion. The brigade was composed entirely of veteran regiments, yet belonging to each regiment were numbers of recruits, who began to discharge their pieces in every possible direction. The partial panic was quickly allayed by the example of the more experienced, and the ef- forts of the officers, and, in almost as short a time as is re- quired to tell it, the brigade was rallied, and placed in line of battle on the right of the road. In the meantime the skir- mishers captured thirty or forty of the infantry of the ambus- cade, who reported they had been sacrificed to save the re- treating army. The artillery, after firing once, limbered up, and rapidly retreated a few hundred yards, when it fired again, and again retreated, and so firing and retreating, it re- tired beyond range. Many were killed and wounded in this affair, as well by being ridden down by the horsemen of Emory's staff, as by the fire of the enemy. Nothing is more trying to the nerves of soldiers than an unexpected night at- tack on unfamiliar ground. Yet the troops behaved remark- ably well, every man keeping his place in the slow and cautious advance in line of battle, till the doubtful district was passed.
The Rebels had selected an excellent place for the ambush, before the entrance of a, hollow, through which the road
44
690
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
passed between timbered hills for nearly a half mile. By this manœuvre the Confederates gained two hours, which advan- tage they preserved throughout the night. As daylight was breaking in the east the Union forces, having passed through the town of Woodstock, and gone into line in the suburbs, threw themselves upon the ground, and in a moment were asleep, happily unconscious of rain, which soon fell. The supply train, which had arrived at Fisher's hill too late the evening before to distribute its contents, now came up, and rations were issued to the men, who had gone supperless the night previous,-not to bed, but to fight and follow the enemy. At noon they again set forward, marched five miles, and went into bivouac. Early the next day they were again in motion up the beautiful valley. About noon, at Mount Jackson, they overtook the Confederates, who quickly de- camped, leaving their wounded in the 'hospitals, and a rear guard at the crossing of the river. A few shells cleared the opposite bank, and our troops plunged through the water. At Newmarket they again overtook the Rebels, who, to save their train, which could be seen slowly winding along the valley pike, were compelled to make a show of resistance. The position of Shank's brigade, marching by the flank on the top of the ridge on the west, gave the Eighteenth a view of the whole valley. Such a sight even a soldier is rarely privileged to see. The undulating valley, shut in by towering mountains on the east, and a line of hills on the west, open from side to side in rich farms, with small groves surrounding old mansions, and a bright, little river meandering northward, stretched away as far as the eye could reach. The two armies, formed in order of battle, stretched across the valley, the Union forces steadily and eagerly advancing, our battery moving along the western hills, continually hurling its shells, the Rebels now standing till the opposing skirmishers be- came warmly engaged, then breaking by the right of regi- ments to the rear. Thus they continued, advancing on the one side and retreating on the other, without coming to an engagement till the sun went down behind the hills, when the Rebels made a stand at a sunken road running across the valley, and constructed a temporary barricade from the
691
PURSUIT FOLLOWED BY RETREAT.
rails of the fences on either side. Lying down in the road, they poured volley after volley into their pursuers till dark- ness enabled them to continue their flight, and allowed Sher- idan's troops to lie down on their arms. Shunk's brigade, by chance, bivouacked apart from the rest of the army, on the top of the hills on the right flank, near a wealthy farm house. It was fortunate, on this campaign, for a small body of troops to be encamped in an isolated position, for the abundance of one plantation, when divided among the troops of a whole army, in the language of economical housekeep- ers, does not go far.
On this occasion, but few minutes had elapsed, after stack- ing arms and stripping off accoutrements, till all along the line of the brigade bright rail fires lighted up the night, and grim veterans sat around, forgetful of the toils and dangers of the day, eating dainty morsels of roasted fowls, and crackers spread with new-made apple-butter, finishing the repast with mellow apples. Their suppers over, they lay down on beds of hay from the barn, and slept till roused by the cheerful reveille. The next day brought the army to Harrisonburg. Averill's cavalry had gone up the valley on the west, with the intention of intercepting the Rebels here, and of delaying them, if possible, till the arrival of our in- fantry. But they had passed before the arrival of the cav- alry, and turning to the left, had hastened to the hills of central Virginia by way of Brown Gap, whither it was im- prudent to follow them. The infantry encamped at Harrison- burg while the cavalry proceeded to Staunton and Waynes- boro, destroying many miles of railroad, all the flour mills, forage and government property, within their reach. After remaining in camp a few days, the Sixth and Nineteenth corps were moved forward six miles to Mount Crawford, and the next day returned to Harrisonburg. When the army had remained a week in this region, far from its base of supplies, and the enemy had shown signs of emerging from his fastnesses, the camp at Harrisonburg was suddenly broken up, and a rapid march down the valley commenced. The third day brought our forces to Fisher's Hill, where the enemy's cavalry overtook the rear guard. An engagement
692
THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
was interrupted by nightfall. In the morning, General Sher- idan completely routed the horsemen, driving them back up the valley, toward their infantry, and capturing eleven pieces of artillery and all their baggage-in the words of his report, "everything on wheels." During this day, our infantry lay in camp in the vicinity of Strasburg. The following after- noon, the army moved back five miles, encamped on the north side of Cedar creek, the Eighth corps on the left, near Massanutten Mountain, the Nineteenth in the centre, with its left resting on the valley turnpike, and the Sixth on the right. Here they rested till the afternoon of the eleventh, when the Rebel army, having arrived at Fisher's Hill, a re- connoitring force came down and shelled the camp of the Eighth corps, and sharply engaged a brigade sent out to meet them. Night coming on, the Rebels retired to their intrenched camp at Fisher's Hill. The Sixth corps, which had reached Ashby's Gap, on its way to Washington to join the army of the Potomac, was recalled, and on the next day arrived and again took up its position on the right. Shunk's brigade had been moved into reserve the night before. It now returned to its place in the second line. Up to this time our forces had occupied their camps on the hills, with- out artificial defences, but now long lines of breastworks were constructed with substantial abatis in front. In a few days the position appeared almost impregnable. Thus the two hostile armies lay in sight of the smoke by day, and the fire by night, of each other's camp, nothing occurring to break the sameness, save an occasional skirmish between pickets and reconnoitring parties. The Federal lines lay along the hills on the north side of Cedar creek, which, run- ning diagonally across the valley in a south-easterly direc- tion, empties into the west fork of the Shenandoah, near Massanutten Mountain. The Nineteenth corps, in the centre, overlooking the valley, and undulating upward and beyond the creek, was separated from the Sixth corps, on the right, by a deep ravine through which a rivulet ran to Cedar creek, and from the Eighth corps, on the left, by the valley turnpike.
While the army was thus posted and the Rebels seemed inclined to remain quiet, Sheridan made a flying visit to
693
" BUT LOOK ! WHY PALES THE GUARDSMAN'S CHEEK ?"
Washington. On the night of the eighteenth he slept at Winchester on his return. On that evening Captain Black was detailed for picket duty, and accompanied the numerous guard to the line of posts about a mile in front of the centre of the army. The pieket force had been somewhat reduced, but still consisted of several large reserves, a line of posts of three or four men each at a short distance from one another, besides a number of single infantry videttes. The night was cool and most beautiful. The perfect stillness was broken by an occasional shot from a picket post on the left of the turnpike. About ten o'clock, three horsemen came down to a point a hundred yards in front of our vidette, halted a mo- ment, then turned away toward the left. There was a stand- ing order requiring the entire picket force to be on the alert at four o'clock every morning, and the whole army was ac- customed to stand under arms, in line, from five till broad daylight. During the night the pickets had been notified that a division of the Nineteenth corps would pass the line about daylight to reconnoitre the enemy. At half past three their reveille was heard. At this time, too, the pickets on the line of posts occupied by Shunk's brigade, were aroused and placed under arms. This had scarcely been done, when away on the extreme right, far beyond the infantry line, at the camp of the cavalry guarding the right flank, was heard a volley of musketry, as from a platoon or company, followed at short intervals by volley after volley. It seemed at first but a morning surprise of the cavalry camp, yet the videttes were reinforced and strict vigilance was enjoined. The firing on the right ceased after about a quarter of an hour from the first volley. Not many minutes elapsed, when, on the ex- treme left, on the flank of the Eighth corps, were heard shots which soon became incessant, intermingled with the wild yells of the battle charge, and the dull boom of artillery. The flash of musketry, the blaze of artillery and the fiery curves of flying shells penetrated the fog, through which was visi- ble but the faintest appearance of dawn. The variations of sound told that the Eighth corps was retiring before the ter- rific onset, and that its forsaken artillery was being turned upon it. While the piekets in front of the centre were
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THE SOLDIER OF INDIANA.
watching the red glare, a vidette came running to the officer's place in line of posts, with the intelligence that a strong col- umn, preceded by skirmishers, was near at hand. A man was dispatched to inform the reserves. The men were put in readiness, when information came that the Rebels were in our rear. Every man stood with rifle ready, peering with anxious eyes and listening for the word of command. Sud- denly, as the thickly set skirmishers appeared over the brow of the hill, a hundred steps in advance, loud from the centre of our line sounded the word, "Fire!" A hundred rifles blazed. Without answering a single shot, the Rebels rushed forward to capture piekets, as had been done on the flank of the Eighth corps. Our men, turning and firing on their yell- ing pursuers as fast as they could reload their pieces, re- treated in good order. When the Rebels found their plan of capture frustrated, they let out a storm of bullets upon our retreating pickets, who thus skirmishing, at length reached camp. Here everything was in confusion. The First and Third brigades of Grover's division were occupying the trenches unaware of the approach of an enemy in front, all attention being directed to the fighting on the left, whither the remainder of the corps had been sent to support the Eighth. Horses, with riders and riderless, were flying hither and thither. Commissary men and headquarters men were throwing their stores and baggage loosely upon the wagons. Wagons with frightened horses and terrified teamsters were hurrying in disorder to the rear, losing at almost every rod something of their badly loaded contents. Over all resounded the loud roar of battle, while the sulphurous smoke mixing with the heavy fog, rendered every object indistinct and made the air almost suffocating. The Rebels had now brought up their own artillery to the hills in front, lately held by the Nineteenth corps pickets, and the roar that brought Sheridan down from Winchester, began. In every quarter of the camp shells were bursting and scattering destruction where an hour before thousands were sleeping in fancied security. The Rebel line on the left extended northward from the left flank of the Eighth corps, where the great part of their forces were massed, to the village of Middletown, running parallel
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