USA > Massachusetts > Clippings pertaining to the history and reminiscences of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry > Part 3
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January 16th we received orders to be ready to march at 1 P. M., but as the order to marchi did not come for several days we had a plenty of time to pack up.
I had just returned to the regiment from Division Headquarters, where I had been on duty about a week as orderly for division commander. I remember that while on duty there one of Newton's venerable and most respected citizens, called to inquire where the 32d Mass. Regiment was en- camped. I gave him tlie desired informa- tion and he proceeded to the camp a mile beyond. He had come to care for his son, (Willie H. Rice) a comrade of our company who was very sick, and had a few days previous been sent to a hospital in Wash- ington, where he died January 14th, soon after his father's arrival there.
January 20th orders to march were re- ceived, and we broke camp for the third time in twice as many weeks. I do not know as I can better describe my ex- perience during the few succeeding days, thạn by copying from one of many of my old army letters now in my possession :
CAMP STICK IN THE MUD, Jan. 24th, 1863. 5
MY DEAR SISTER :- I wrote you on the 16th that we were under marching orders. We did not start however for several days. On the 20th, about noon, orders were given to strike tents. We were soon in line ready to march, but owing to delay in moving troops ahead of us, we did not leave camp
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for several hours, and only marched two miles before we encamped for the night. Fortunately for us we pitched our tents, for it rained hard during the night. The next morning we marched again, but-Oh! such marching-mud from three to thirty inches deep. Wherever we went the mud was over our shoes, and in the road the mud seemed to be bottomless. You can form somne faint idea of our situation when I say we have miles of artillery, pontoon and supply trains stuck fast in the mire, and we marched but three miles during the day. We bivouaced in a thick woods where we are now en- camped. I suppose we were to surprise the enemy at the ford on the Rappahannock, but I guess the greatest surprise was this side of the river,-for owing to our unavoid- able delay the enemy are no doubt fully ap- prised of our movement, and fully prepared to meet us. I presume (under the circum- stances) that the campaign will be aban- doned, and we shall return again to our old camp. To return with all our artillery, pontoon and supply trains is no small un- dertaking.
Our division went out yesterday about two miles to build corduroy roads. (I call them railroads) for we build them of oak rails. It is no uncominon thing for soldiers to make charges, but they are seldom blood- less, as was the case with the charges of our regiment that day, and I am sure you would have laughed could you have witnessed the 32d Mass. Infantry. as with the genuine Yankee cheer we swept across the open field, (in the face of the owner,an old rebel) carrying everything before us,-capturing his splendid rail fences which we placed in the mire instead of in the fire, where most of the Virginia rails were deposited by our army. We not only cleared the farms of rails, but of the timber also, from which they might have been refenced again by years of toil in rail-splitting. But such is the result of war.
I am writing this letter in my little tent in the woods, or what was woods three days ago, but is now almost an open field. I don't know how long we shall stay here, but presume we shall remain till our artil- lery and trains are safely returned."
I said in the foregoing letter that I did not know how long we were to remain where we were, but I had scarcely finished writing before orders came, "strike tents," and we returned to our old camp once more, where we arrived about dark, January 24th.
February 5th we received orders to be ready to march at a moment's notice. Our company which four months before num- bered one hundred men, could at the above
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date muster but fifty men present and fit for duty. Our severe marches and expos- ure consequent upon a winter campaign, had made sad inroads in our ranks.
February 8th we were still in camp, but under marching orders. Several of our regiment were made happy a few days be- fore by the receipt of boxes from friends at home. Mine contained neither " hard-tack nor salt pork," but was filled with good things to eat and wear.
February 9th we marched about ten miles through the mud, halting in the woods near the Rappahannock, where we pitched our camp. I was one of four only of our com- pany who came into camp with the brigade. We went out to build more corduroy roads, but instead of charging on rail fences, we skirmished for tall pines, of which there were many in that vicinity. While we were there a severe snow storm fell, delay- ing our work and making it difficult to get rations to us. As we were surrounded with wood we did not suffer for the lack of fire. One night while we were there the rebel cavalry made a raid on our work and de- stroyed a bridge we had built, capturing several of our pickets.
February 21st we returned again to our old camp, fortunately just in time to escape another severe snow storm.
March Sth, Sunday, was the first time since our enlistment that we had religious services in our regiment, as we had no Chap- lain. Rev. J. W. Alvord, formerly of New- ton Centre, then connected with the Chris- tian Commission, preached to us that day.
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March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, was duly observed by the 9th Mass. Regiment (in our brigade.) In the morning they had a burlesque dress parade, then the climbing of a greased pole, the catching of a greased pig, bag-races, mule-races, lorse-races, &c., &c. About the middle of the afternoon tlie sport came to a sudden and sad termination. Several officers of our brigade were having a scrub race on the track near our camp, when a collision occurred between two horses,-one of which belonged to the Quar- termaster of the 9th Mass., and the other to our Assistant Surgeon. They were going in opposite directions, and running at the top of their speed, when they struck their heads square together, instantly killing both horses, fatally injuring the Quartermaster. and serionsly injuring the Surgeon, thus ending the sports of the day ..
Chancellorsville
A grand review of the Army of the Po- tomac by our Commander-in-Chief, (Presi- dent Lincohi) occurred April Sth, 1863, near Falmouth, Va. The sight of a hundred thousand men drawn up in line for review was a magnificent one to behold, and the occasion was one of special interest to us as indicating the speedy inauguration of the Spring campaign, and also an appropriate epoch from which to continue mny reminis- cences.
April 14th, or within a week from the time we were reviewed, we received orders to be ready to march at a moment's notice, with eight days rations,-five to be packed in our knapsacks and three in our haver- sacks. All baggage except a change of 1In- derclothes and a rubber and woolen blan- ket, to be packed in boxes and turned over to our Quartermaster for safe keeping .- Having by sad experience learned the value of an overcoat most of us clung to them as long as possible, and fortunate were those of us who had them to wear during the next ten days.
April 26th (Sunday) our regiment went on picket. We returned to camp the next day and received orders to be ready to break camp immediately. At 12, M., we marched towards the Rappahannock, arriv- ing at Hartwood Church about dark, (dis- tance eight miles) and encamped for the night. The next day we continued our march (making about ten miles) halting at 7 P. M., within four miles of Kelly's Ford, where we encamped again.
Wednesday morning, the 29th, we ad- vanced to the river, crossing it on a pontoon bridge about 9 A. M., and continuing our march through the day arrived at Eley's Ford on the Rapidan about 6 P. M., and immediately forded the river, which was not only rapid (as the name indicates) but deep, -the water reaching above our waists, making it necessary to carry our cartridge boxes on our bayonets, (fixed) in order to keep our powder dry. On reaching the south side of the river we halted for the night, building fires to cook our coffee and dry our clothes. Having now trespassed upon the enemy's ground we could not ex- pect to proceed far without a collision with them.
Early the next morning the advance troops of our corps surprised the picket reserve in their camp, capturing quite a number of prisoners and driving the rest back to their main force. About 11 A. M. we reached Chancellorsville, our brigade halting within stone's throw of Chancellorsville House.
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Perhaps a description of the place will be interesting to some. The village contained one house and the chimney of another that had burned down. It had two streets cross- ing each other at right angles,-one was the Gordonsville turnpike, thre other was the Culpepper and Orange Court House plank road. We remained there two hours or more, during which time we received our mail, which brought me several letters. As I lay there and perused them I little dreamed that the very field in which we had halted was to be the historic battle-field of Chancellorsville.
About 2 P. M. our division was ordered to make a reconnoissance towards Freder- icksburg, and our brigade led the way. We marched about four miles when we dis- covered the enemy strongly entrenched .- As our mission was simply to discover their whereabouts, we returned to Chancellors- ville without even a skirmish with them. We arrived there about dark and took our place in line of battle on the road that led to Bank's Ford. Early the next morning the enemy made a desperate assault upon the 2d division of our corps (regulars) which held the road leading from Fredericksburg, driving them back towards the Chancellors- ville House, and past the road we occupied, through the woods towards the ford, thus cutting off our brigade from communication with the rest of our army, and placing us in a very unpleasant, not to say perilous, situa- tion,-for had the enemy known our dilem- ma no doubt they would have compelled us to fight against heavy odds, or surrender. It was our good fortune however, to be left alone (not) in our glory, but in our misery, for I think we never spent a more uncom- fortable night than the one which followed- during which we marched and counter- marched I know not where, but to use an old and appropriate adage, should say, "around Robin Hood's barn," rejoining our army after daylight the following morning.
About noon our company was sent on picket. Having had but little sleep the previous night we were in a poor condition to stand sentry, as we did for twenty hours without relief. Under other circumstances we should have found it difficult to keep awake, but with the enemy so near that we could hear them give their orders, and ex- pecting every moment to see them advanc- ing upon our line which extended through the thick woods, we were not only wide- awake, but constantly on the alert to pre- vent surprise.
That night about 11 o'clock, by the clear light of the moon, a short but sharp engage- ment took place on our right. A battle to me always seemed dreadful, and especially so was that midnight encounter. The time
and place combined to make it more terrific than anything I had ever experienced be- fore. About daylight the following morn- ing (Sunday) the fighting was renewed. I was still on the picket line, and shall never forget my experience on that beautiful Sab- bath morn. The roar and crash of artillery and musketry that echoed and re-echoed through that dense wilderness, was terrific beyond what we had ever experienced, and continued more than four hours without any apparent cessation.
At 9 A. M. we were withdrawn from the picket line and returned to the place where we left our regiment building. breastworks the day before. Instead of finding them there, we found their place occupied by troops belonging to the 11th Corps, and learned that our Corp had gone to the right. We halted there long enough to cook our coffee and eat our breakfast, when we started in search of our regiment, which we found in the front line of works, near the Chancellorsville House, which was the enemy's objective point,-the place of all others most desired by them, as it was the key to our position.
That day was spent by us in fortifying and strengthening our works, which ex- tended entirely across the open field in front of the Chancellor's House, and was occu- pied by artillery supported by infantry. (As I remember) the guns were about twen- ty-five feet apart, and we were sandwitched in between. That night we hoped to get some sleep, but the frequent firing of our pickets brought us repeatedly into line of battle to resist an expected attack,-but as no attack was made the morning found us still in possession of our works which we continued to strengthen by a free use of the pick and spade. As the enemy lay between us and Fredericksburg, and therefore was liable to withdraw from our front a large portion of his army to operate against our troops at that place unless closely watched, our brigade was ordered early in the after- noon of Monday to feel his strength. It was about 2 o'clock when we climbed over our breastworks in full view of the enemy, where we reformed our line, then charged across the field to the woods, where we met the enemy's skirmishers, who fired into our advancing column, then retired to their main line of defense. Although subjected to a heavy fire of artillery as well as mus- ketry, we pressed forward close up to their works, which we found occupied by a strong force, as was evinced by the warm recep- tion they gave us. Having accomplished our purpose, namely : To learn the position and strength of the enemy, we retired in good order to our works, when we were highly complimented by our Division Com-
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mander for the splendid manner in which we executed the movement,-keeping our line when under fire, as steady and perfect - almost as if on dress parade. Our loss was slight, none killed, and only two or three wounded.
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No sooner had we retired to our works than the enemy attempted to carry our po- sition by storm. Vain attempt, however, for no sooner did they advance from the thick woods into the opening in our front, massed in double column, than our batteries which extended across the field in a semi- circle, opened on them with a cross fire of grape and cannister, mowing them down like grass, and not only covering the ground with their dead and wounded, but to use the words of one of our officers who mount- ed our works, and with a field glass ex- amined the effect of our artillery fire in their ranks, said " their dead and wounded lay on the field in winrows." No number of troops, though massed in double or treble columns, could withstand the terrible fire that we could bring to bear upon that field- a fact which (I doubt not) the enemy un- derstood, and having learned it by sad ex- perience, did not venture another assault upon that part of our line.
One of the batteries supported by our regiment having suffered severely in the first of the engagement, was unable to man their guns, when volunteers from our ranks assisted them in their work of death and destruction. That night and the following day (May 5th) we held that position. There was no fighting except by skirmishers and sharp-shooters. I remember a General who had ventured close up to our front line of works, (dismounted but standing by his horse) was spied by a rebel sharp-shooter who sent a bullet into his breast, giving lıim a mortal wound.
General Hooker had on the evening of Apr. May 30th issued a congratulatory order to: his troops, which was in substance as fol- lows :
" It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the General commanding announces to the army that the operations of the last three; days have determined that our enemy must ingloriously fly, or come out from behind their defences and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits then."
The General had now, after four days hard fighting just cause for anxiety as to the result of his campaign. And knowing the vital importance of holding the position we occupied at all hazards, (should the enemy again assault it) kept vigilant watch over that part of his line of defense. I
well remember how he looked, as with am eld slouched hat and amed uniform which had the appearance of having passed through more than one campaign, and with- out any show of trappings to indicate his rank, save the little stars on his shoulders, he walked back and forth along the line, cheering us by his presence, and inspiring us by word and deed,-not ashamed or afraid to put his shoulder to the wheel of a gun carriage and assist the men to run it into position.
I said onr situation was such as to give our Commander just cause for anxiety. It was very evident that he thought so at least, for that night at dark he ordered the army to retreat across the river,-which owing to the heavy rain was much swollen, threatening to carry away our pontoon bridges, and thus cut our communication, not only with Washington, but with the 6th Corps, which had re-crossed early in the morning at Bank's Ford. Our retreat across the river, like our advance a week before, was successfully accomplished,-the entire army (except our corps which covered the retreat) having crossed before daylight.
That was one of the nights never to be forgotten by our regiment, -and not ours only, but others, especially of our division, which although ordered to be ready to march at a moment's notice, and in line with knapsacks strapped upon our backs at dark, did not move from our fortifications till nearly three o'clock the next morning. The darkness of the night and the condi- tion of the road (through the wilderness) over which we marched to the river made it impossible for men to keep their places in the regiment to which they belonged, consequently at daylight we found ourselves badly mixed, and when I arrived atgthe bridge at the United States Ford, I found myself in a crowd of men and officers from every company in our division, but where our regiment was I did not know,- nor did I find them till after we had all crossed the river, when I learned by my companions that our brigade was ordered to form in line of battle in the woods, near the river, to cover the retreat of our corps, for the enemy having discovered at daylight that our army had withdrawn from their front, had followed close upon our rear, but were too late to do more than harass us, as our artillery on the opposite side of the river was in position to cover the bridge and the open field adjoining, where the last of our army found shelter until they could cross, which they did at 8 A. M., unmo- lested, save by a few random shells thrown by the enemy at long range which did us no harm.
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After recrossing the river our regiment marched through mud and water from four to six inches deep to our old camp at Fal- mouth, where we arrived at about noon on the 7th of May, nearly exhausted by our ten days and nights of almost constant marching and fighting Although our reg- ment was most of the time in the front line of battle, and frequently under fire of musketry and artillery, we lost but one killed, four wounded and two prisoners.
May 18th we broke camp again, and marched, not to engage the enemy, but to engage in " a soft job, " which it was said " would be permanent if we were faithful in the discharge of our duty," which was to guard the supply station at Stoneman's Switch, and the railroad bridge near by, on the railroad from Falmouth to Aquia Creek. Four companies, A B E and K, under com- mand of our Colonel were stationed at the former place, and five companies, D F G H and I, under command of our Lt. Colonel at the latter, while Company C guarded our ammunition train. The four companies at the depot where I was stationed numbered 117 men, besides 20 Corporals and 12 Ser- geants for duty, making our work very light and easy, as far as guard duty was con- cerned, but we worked exceedingly hard fitting up our quarters during the ten days We were permitted to stay there, hoping to be allowed to remain and enjoy them. But our hopes were doomed to disappointment, when at 4 P. M., the 28th inst., orders were given to " strike tents," and before dark we were ready to march. About 7 o'clock we fell into line and bid farewell to our cosy c.unp, and abandoned "our soft job "-the first and last one the 32d ever received.
At the order-" forward," we marched out into the road and halted directly in front of the Commissary Quarters, where each man received a loaf of soft bread (as a reward for faithfulness in the discharge of his duties I suppose.) The regiment fixed bayonets, and each man placed his loaf of bread on the point of the same, then came to the shoulder and right shoulder shift arms. Then the order, "forward " was given, when with " three cheers and a tiger" for the soft bread, we marched in the direction of Hartwood Church, (distant eight miles) where we arrived at midnight and encamped. The next day we marched to Kemper's Ford where we remained about a week, doing picket duty along the north- east bank of the Rappahannock, while the Johnnies picketed the opposite bank .- There as by mutual agreement, we cracked jokes instead of rifles, and drew our rations (of fish) from the same stream, whose width alone separated us.
June 5th we marched to Kelly's Ford where we remained till the 9th, when we crossed the river to support our cavalry in the figlit at Brandy Station, where we were drawn up in line of battle,but not engaged, as our troops were victorions. At night we re-crossed the river,-fording it as we had done in the morning, and bivouaced in our old camp till the 13th, when we started on our summer campaign.
We broke camp at 8 P. M. and marched to Morrisville, seven miles, where we joined our division about midnight. The next day we marched to Catlett's Station,-distance ten miles.
Monday, 15th, at 5 A. M., we resumed our march, passing through Warrenton Junction to Manassas Junction, where we arrived at noon, having marched about twelve miles. There we encamped on the old battle-field, where still remained the forts and earthworks built and occupied by the enemy in 1861.
Early the 17th we continued our march, crossing the dry, dusty plains of Manassas, (under a scorching sun, which, with the scarcity of water, prostrated many of our men) through Centreville and over the Bull Run battle-field, (places made historic by the early events of the war) arriving at Gum Springs about 5 P. M., having marched abont twenty miles. I think fully one half of the men in our Corps fell out of the ranks that day. The following day was ex- cessively hot, but fortunately for us we did not march.
Friday, the 19th, we marched to Aldie Gap, one of the passes through the Bull Run Mountains. We arrived just at night, after an easy march of five miles. Our regiment encamped near the road that led through the Gap, pitching our tents as quickly as possible, but none too soon to shelter us from the terrific thunder storm that burst upon our camp. We remained there the following day, (Saturday) and un- til 2 o'clock Sunday morning, when we were awakened, and in fifteen minutes from the time we were called our regiment was in line, in light marching order. We marched immediately, and passing through the Gap with our division, reached Middleburg, which is in Loudon Valley, just before day- light. Passing through the town we halted about a mile beyond, and threw out pickets to protect our column from surprise. We had scarcely got into position in line of bat- tle before we heard heavy firing in the di- rection of Upperville. It was our cavalry,
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under command of General Kilpatrick, en- gaging the enemy's cavalry, which they drove towards the Blue Ridge. We re- mained there during the day to protect our column advancing to Aldie Gap. Having accomplished our mission we fell back to- wards Aldie,-all of our division except our regiment passing through the Gap, while we formed in line of battle in the woods, near the entrance of the pass through the mountain, to support our cavalry which was retiring, followed closely by the enemy who shelled our position, but without effect, save to put us on our nerve, and in a posi- tion to receive a charge, should they make one on our troops bringing up the rear. But instead of the enemy charging us, our cavalry charged and repulsed them, when we fell back, joining our brigade in the mountain pass which we were ordered to hold.
The next day about noon we returned to Aldie, where we joined our division and spent the afternoon preparing for inspection. Just before the time came for inspection our regiment was ordered to go on picket. And again we marched to the summit of the pass which we guarded that night and the following day, returning to camp the night of the 24th, where we lay till the inorning of the 26th, when, with the army we advanced north, arriving at Leesburg about noon, where we halted for dinner, after which we marched into 'Maryland, crossing the Potomac on a pontoon bridge, at Edward's Ferry,and arrived at Poolsville at 10 P. M. where we bivouaced for the night, having marched sixteen miles.
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