USA > Massachusetts > Historical sketch of the old Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, during its three campaigns in 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864 : containing the history of the several companies previous to 1861, and the name and military record of each man connected with the regiment during the war > Part 12
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Besides the above, one was killed and one wounded, . of those detached from the regiment into another depart- ment. B. F. Leighton, of Cambridge, aged twenty-five, was killed by the explosion of a caisson in Follett's Bat- tery, to which he had been attached.
In the Seventh Battery, every tenth man was injured or killed, - a literal decimation.
Oficers higher in rank than any in our own regiment spoke of the Sixth to me in terms that would bring the same glow of honorable pride on their cheeks, and
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those of their friends at home, that I felt on my own. Oficers and men, with scarcely an exception, honored the state they represented.
Col. Follansbee was complimented on the field by Gen. Corcoran ; and Lieut. Col. Beal, Major Stott, and Adjt. Allen were just where they should have been, and their conduct was perfect. Nor do I know of a line or non- commissioned officer or private who failed to do his duty. Indeed, when we went up to support the battery, we were ordered to follow a certain New York regiment. We did so till it halted short of the post of duty, when we pushed by it, and obeyed the order given us.
At daybreak, our whole force pursued the enemy some eight miles further, till they escaped over the Black- water. One or two infantry engagements accompanied the pursuit, and several casualties occurred, none of which were in the Sixth. Thus our boys performed. the task of marching some thirty-six miles through mud and mire, and of undergoing the terrible ordeal of hours of silent submission to shell and cannon-shot, and all within the brief limits of twenty-four hours. This surpasses in danger, hardship, and loss all our previous military experience combined.
At this fight occurred one of those blunders which have destroyed so many lives during the war, because necessity placed men without military knowledge high in position. Gen. Corcoran stationed the Sixth in support of the Seventh Battery, in a swamp, at right angles in-
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stead of parallel with the Battery, so that any one shot might have riddled the regiment, had not Col. Follans- bee taken the responsibility of arranging his men as they should be placed.
There were not many unpleasant features, aside from the casualties, to mar the expedition. One colonel was in a state of beastly intoxication, and was made to sur- render his sword, and come home in the rear of his regi- ment, under arrest. The habit of rum-drinking was most wretchedly abused - if such a practice is ever not abused - by officers in Peck's division. If a private got drunk, he was punished, and was not allowed whiskey, except in case of excessive fatigue ; but officers gener- ally used it, and very often to excess. And there was too great a disposition on the part of officers to screen each other when they drank to intoxication. It was the cause of a great deal of disaster to the service.
The enemy had fourteen guns, the largest of which were twelve-pounders, to our twelve guns, the largest being ten-pounders. Our infantry undoubtedly exceeded theirs ; and, had they not got far in advance of our forces at daybreak, we should have given them the fate that ought to befall all traitors.
Thus the Sixth Regiment lost six men, - Lieut. Sawtelle, G. W. Blodgett, Alanson Withington, Au- gustus Reed (morcally wounded), and F. I. Howard, of the Groton company (B), and B. F. Leighton, of Co. F. (Cambridge), detached to Follett's Battery ;
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and the Seventh Battery lost three ; namely, J. P. Huntington, H. G. Craig and John Keegan. On ampu- tating Huntington's leg, no less than nine balls, probably from a case-shot, were found in the limb. Craig's port- monnaie, containing a roll of bills, two daguerreotypes, and his knife, were driven through his leg by the force of the shot. Sad were we all at the death of these noble men.
I fear I have not said enough of the perilous position in which our regiment was placed, and the cool bravery with which they sustained themselves, field and staff, line officers, non-commissioned, and privates. Infantry against infantry, or even charging a battery, is infinitely less try- ing than to lie, as they did for hours, silent and unflinch- ing targets for death to bombard. But from the time that Col. Follansbee said, " Now, boys! we are to keep this position till we are ready to charge on the battery ; remember and sustain the credit of the old Sixth !" till we pursued the flying foe, they did their duty like vet- erans. A New York adjutant told me, " They sustained the national reputation which the regiment enjoys !" And these were not veterans, but raw militia.
Readers at a distance may wonder why, in the battle of " Deserted House," our forces did not proceed with more dash and elan. They will find the explanation in the topography of the country : an almost continu- ous forest and swamp extend from the Nansemond to the Blackwater. Through this dense growth runs the
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narrow road, and an occasional opening occurs, just about frequently enough to afford a good position for batteries to be stationed. At the " Deserted House," the clearing is some twelve feet above the general monoto- nous level of the country, and the approaches to it are by this narrow road. Of course, our forces were as much exposed while advancing as though crossing a bridge, swept by hostile cannon. Cavalry cannot be made effective ; and artillery and infantry can only ad- vance literally into the cannon's mouth. This ours did gloriously, effectually, till they drove the enemy from altogether the best position between the rivers. Had our forces been large enough, we might have flanked them. But with nine miles front to defend, and the pos- sibility that the rebel attack was a feint to cover an entrance into our works, we had to be content to give the enemy a fair flogging in a regular stand-up fight. Our casualties in all were twenty-six killed, and eighty wounded.
How many more of these precious lives must be given, we asked, as the price of our national honor and salva- tion ? We know that not one of them shall be given in vain. Every drop of blood now shed shall be coined into blessings for the generations to come, who shall count the humblest one who dies to-day as worthy of more honor than a score of those ignoble beings who live to old age, incapable of such sublime self-sacrifice as is being made by these noble sons of a heroic lineage.
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" Oh, where can dust to dust Be consigned so well, As where Heaven its dews shall shed, On the martyred patriot's bed ?"
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ANOTHER DEATH.
Elbridge Conant died February 10, of brain fever, contracted at " Deserted House." He was an excellent member of Company E, and was from Acton.
SMUGGLING.
All sorts of methods were adopted by those who de- sired to smuggle contraband goods from Dix's realms to 'Dixie, and a good deal of ingenuity was needed to - foil their schemes. I am sorry to say that the most suc- cessful cheats in this line were of the feminine persua- sion. The younger and fairer they were, the more likely . they were to succeed ; for it is hard for a gallant officer, however keen and loyal he may be, to distrust a lady's declaration, - when she is handsome ; and I fear that many a one has " pulled the wool " over the eyes of provost marshals elsewhere, as well as in Suffolk. Not- withstanding that, a good deal was captured by Major Smith, our provost.
On one occasion, one was arrested who, under her feminine garb, wore two full suits of male attire, and who, in addition, was able to conceal a small haber- dasher's variety, for the aid and comfort of her friends in Dixie. And, just before we left, Gen. Peck re-
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ceived a telegram, stating that a lady was in the train then on its way from Norfolk, with passes, who had complete sketches of all the defences of Suffolk screwed into the handle of her parasol.
A YOUNG HERO'S DEATH.
On the 27th of February, the whole camp was sad- dened to hear of the death of Augustus Reed, of company B. "Gussy," as he was affectionately called, was but nineteen years old, at the time of his death. His arm was amputated at the battle of "Deserted House; " but secondary hemorrhage set in twice, and the loss of blood made so great a drain on his system, that, after lingering nearly a month, he died. He was a brave, gallant boy ; and, having done 'his duty nobly, he only asked that he might go home to his mother and die. A few minutes before he died, he prayed a brief sentence ; and, from the blood-stained cot of the hero, he went to the hero's final home.
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THE LONG ROLL.
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The same night, for the first time, the long roll was beat throughout our regiment and camp. At about nine o'clock the alarm commenced, and, in a camp as large as Suffolk, the effect of that wild alarum is strange and startling. First one drum rolls, then another, and' an- other, and at length the entire camp resounds, far and near, with the rapid pulsations of hundreds of them. Then comes the " limbering up" of artillery, the clatter
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of cavalry horses and sabres, the rumbling of artillery wheels, the gallop of orderlies, the " thunder of the cap- tains, and the shoutings," until the entire force is in posi- tion to meet and repel any advance. Our own regiment was promptly in line, and desirous of nothing more than that the enemy should attack us, instead of compelling us to move against him. The alarm was caused by a return- ing body of cavalry, that was mistaken for a rebel force. After a couple hours of watchfulness, the cause trans- pired, the " voices of the night " subsided, and
" Silence, like a poultice, came, And healed the blows of sound."
On the first of March, the gardens were smiling with crocuses, snowdrops, and hyacinths, the advance guard of the hosts of summer ; and, on the trees, the swelling buds already prophesied the speedy birth of the leaves. And this reminds me of "a little joke" which was in circulation. " The regiment has a long march ahead, it seems," says one. "Ah, what is it ?" "The month of March," was the reply.
A FAUX PAS.
During March, the mud was so deep, that but very little movement was attempted. On the 17th, however, a cavalry and artillery force of about five hundred returned from an expedition that turned out rather unsuccessfully, though under the circumstances our forces escaped re- markably well. Two sections of the Seventh Massachusetts
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Battery, under command of Capt. Davis, and six com- panies of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, all com- manded by Col. Spear, left camp at midnight of Monday to reconnoitre a position near Carsville, where the rebels were reported to have thrown up a redoubt, and to have a force of seven hundred, with one gun. The expedition reached the place without adventure, and Col. Spear immediately ordered three of his companies to charge the redoubt. His boys obeyed, as they were always glad to do; and they went with a will till they were within twelve feet of the works, when a wide ditch in front forbade further progress, and a furious discharge from some four or five guns, in- stead of one, and a flank movement by at least three rebel regiments, met them. Determined not to give it up so, Col. Spear ordered his other three companies to charge, and the same result ensued ; but the flank movement of the rebel infantry by this time looked rather formidable, and Capt. Davis considered himself lucky in being able to extricate his guns in safety. Before withdrawing, however, Lieut. Farrar gave the enemy seventeen rounds, which must have damaged them a good deal ; and then our forces made a somewhat rapid exodus from the limbo in which they found themselves.
IN STATU QUO. 4
On the 20th and 21st, we had a severe snow-storm, fully up to the New England standard, and well calcu- lated by its hyperborean character to keep us from home-
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sickness ! A similar storm took place as late as April 5th. During this time, there was little done or apprehended from the enemy, for the state of the roads embargoed all military movements. The time was passed quietly, and the quantity of correspondence with home, manufacture of bone rings, rustic furniture, and the like, was quite extensive. Time at length began to lay heavily, and most of the men were anxious for something stirring to - transpire.
A SOUTHERN WEDDING.
A unique performance came off on the evening of March 24th, at a rough log-hut very near our camp. This was nothing less than a wedding, the ceremony of which was performed by the chaplain of the Sixth, between a gallant young artillery-man, attached to a regular bat- tery, and a fair damsel of Isle of Wight County, Va. Of course she belonged to one of the first families, for all Virginians do that I have ever met; though it did strike me a little oddly to see her roll the sweet morsel of tobacco under her tongue, during the ceremony, and eject the brown juice with surprising accuracy into the ample fire-place that occupied nearly one end of the room. Indulging in a little conversation at a bridal call, made next morning, with my wife, I ventured to suggest that it was well for kindred souls to be united, to which she responded in the vernacular that I have found general among Virginians of all colors : " Yaas ! I ollers thought, when a gal loved a feller, she'd better have him soon's
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.she could git him !" When the refreshments were passed at the close of the ceremonies, I was not a little taken aback to see that they consisted of hot flour biscuits (a rare dish where corn bread is the regular food, for in Virginia the staff of life is a cornstalk), and sausages, and sugar candy! But maugre the oddities of the oc- casion, the main thing - the union of two kindred hearts, (though the mudsill was a great ways superior to the daughter of Virginia) - was at length consummated, an act typical of what is now rapidly transpiring, - the union of North and South : -
" A union of hearts and a union of hands, A union of fates none can sever."
ORDERS COUNTERMANDED.
A very sudden change of programme took place on the 9th of April, when " Special Order No. 99" came, re- quiring the colonel to have his regiment in readiness to move at a moment's notice, with all its ammunition, and 'camp and garrison equipage. Extra baggage was rapidly sifted out, and started for home. Among the superflui- ties, several women and children were prominent; for it was reported that we were destined for New Berne. The men on detached service were returned; the fixtures of cabins, furniture, windows, doors, and the like, were given away, until camp was stripped quite bare ; and we were even loading the train to convey us to Norfolk, when the order was countermanded. Col. Foster, our
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brigade commander, sent a very complimentary special order to the officers and soldiers, thanking them for the fidelity and cheerfulness with which they had obeyed all commands ; and, in parting with them, he gave them his hearty good wishes. But information had reached head- quarters, that Gen. Longstreet, with 40,000 men, was de- tached from his recent field of operations, and was rap- idly approaching Suffolk, as though to make a formidable attack. In a brief space of time, the regiment resumed its statu quo, minus the "improvements " given away, and all were on the qui vive for what should next occur. Other regiments that were to go with us received orders to move, and some were already in the cars, to start for their destination. A rebel mail was captured on the 10th, which divulged the rebel plans, and changed the movements of the loyal forces.
TICKETS OF LEAVE.
On the 11th, Gen. Peck ordered all women and children to leave Suffolk. Some of the fair Yankees present were strongly disposed to disregard this edict ; but their friends among the officers were unwilling to incur the risks that might follow ; and accordingly by railway train, and in transports down the Nansemond River, the precious loads were sent away. Before they left, however, the advance of the enemy was briskly engaged in skirmish- ing with our videttes, and the cannonading from the wharves on the river began as some of them were leav-
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ing. Their desire to remain, and their coolness and pluck under the unusual circumstances in which they were placed, gave an excellent example to some of the sterner sex.
HOW THE APPROACH WAS LOOKED AT.
One lady from Lowell was taking care of her husband in the hospital ; and she refused point blank to go away until her husband was better. Dr. Burnham told her that the enemy would be shelling the camp in a short time. " Let them shell !" was her quiet answer.
In contrast with her spirit was the conduct of an agent of a certain philanthropic commission, who called on me a day or two before the alarm, and who professed a very earnest desire to go where he could look after the spirit- ual interests of the soldiers. The sick were transported to Norfolk ; and, while the train was being made ready to convey them away, I went to see about the preparations for our own sick. There was a long train of cars, on which, as yet, but a solitary person could be seen, and he the one so anxious to be of service, availing himself of the first opportunity to have that "enchantment" which " distance lends to view."
Both in and out of the regiment, there were notable instances of sudden indisposition, at the prospect of an attack ; soldiers and officers were taken lame, or remem- bered slight wounds that other people, and even them- selves, had pretty much forgotten ; and weakness of the
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spine was manifested on the part of those who had pre- viously kept a fair perpendicular. They were but exceptions, though ; for the regiment generally desired nothing so much as a rebel attack, so confident did they feel in their ability to hold their position, and each man went into his designated place with the utmost alacrity ; and on Saturday afternoon our pickets on the "South Quay " and " Petersburg " roads were driven in.
The writer of this, with his wife, was on horseback about three miles from camp, when the long roll began to sound from the further side of the town, and orderlies began to fly to and fro, and officers on horseback were seen dashing furiously to their positions, and all the " hot haste " appropriate to an attack appeared. Inquiry was answered by the tidings that the enemy was coming on the Somerton Road, double-quick, and were already within a mile or two of camp. The reader can perhaps imagine the John-Gilpin speed with which we ran our horses to camp, across ditches and fields, when he con- siders that three little children were left alone in quarters, and that imagination already heard the shrieking shells dancing and exploding among them. They were soon found, and placed in a temporary shelter, and on the morrow conveyed to Fortress Monroe, and thence home.
It had never seemed to the writer of these pages, that the rebels designed a formidable attack, or a siege. At that time they had never assaulted fortifications, and it seemed unreasonable that they would jump out of the
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frying pan of scarcity into the fire of our fortifications. Accordingly, in his correspondence with the New York " Tribune," he wrote : -
" There are several considerations that look like some- thing besides a serious attack on us here : -
"1. We have been very lenient to the people all about here, and a few days' sojourn among them of the rebel forces from Petersburg would give large accessions to the enemy's commissariat.
" 2. We had a large detachment of troops that were about leaving Suffolk when a rebel mail was somewhat ostentatiously captured ; and the approach of the rebels prevented their departure, and may have been designed to that end.
"3. The enemy knows our strength perfectly, and if, as the rebel mail and captured prisoners assert, they do not number more than 25,000, they do not intend to assault our works, but are on a ruse to conceal other move- ments, - perhaps the capture of Foster.
" Still, the enemy may be stronger than I suppose, and may be carrying out the threat frequently made by secesh residents, to attempt to flog us. If so, be sure he will have a good time of it ; for a strong fort will meet him at every angle in the breastworks that circumvallate us, while a string of gun boatsdefends the river, with guns that can not only toss huge projectiles far into their lines before their field-batteries can damage us, but, should they get within our lines, would make them hasten out as fast at least as they entered.
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" Be that as it may, on Saturday our scouts and outer pickets were driven in, and the signal-station in sight of our works, and about a mile from us on an air-line, was taken by the enemy ; and yesterday they were in plain sight of our camp. Our cavalry has charged on them, and taken a few prisoners in return for our pickets cap- tured by them, and we have now and then dropped a shell among them ; but our sharpshooters have done a driving business with their telescopic rifles, manifesting great daring and enterprise, and have picked off quite a number of adventurous rebels from incredible distances. Further than this, nothing as yet has been done, and we are all waiting with everything ready for the enemy. If it is a ruse, when he leaves he will find somebody on his track ; if he intends to assault us, he will find a large-sized flea in each ear.
" He threatens us on an arc of a circle three miles long, - about one-third of our front, - where, should he approach, he will be subjected to an enfilading fire from forts and field-batteries, and infantry behind breast- works, such as would be terrific and unendurable by any troops, and more especially by such as have always kept behind defensive works themselves. The day on which they make the attempt will be a dark and bloody one in their annals."
WHAT WHISKEY DID.
A melancholy episode occurred one night in the very
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beginning of the siege. Hawkins' Zouaves, whose time had nearly expired, arrived in Suffolk to reinforce the garrison ; and Lieut .- col. Kimball, a very brave officer, attempted to stop the progress of Gen. Corcoran, who with his staff was riding to inspect the disposition of the forces, when the latter drew his revolver and shot him. The general opinion in the camp was, that that worst en- emy of the country, whiskey, was at the bottom of the sad affair, as indeed it was of most of the insubordina- tion, crime, violence, blunder, and disaster that occurred within my knowledge during the term of our service. I have seen every grade of officer and soldier, from brigadier-general down, drunk, and often under circum- stances requiring the possession of all the powers, - such as the ambulance officer at the head of his train of wounded ; and the ambulance driver, in the night, on rough and strange roads, with wounded men in his charge ; the surgeon in the hospital and on the field ; the officer in command ; and the soldier on the march, in the enemy's country ; even the vidette stationed at the very front, - and I am sure that no one cause has done so much damage, and so retarded our progress, as the use of whiskey. If it could be entirely discontinued, it would at any time have given our army a reinforcement of more than 100,000 men.
THE SIEGE COMMENCED.
On the night of each day after the rebel advance, the open fields lying around our works were blazing with
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burning houses, set on fire accidentally by our shells, or purposely, because they interfered with the range of our. guns, or would be a cover to sharpshooters.
- At the time, I wrote in the Boston "Journal": "Early Sunday morning the rebels could be distinctly seen at a distance of about a mile from our works, and squads of them came in sight all day (rather ostentatiously, if a regular attack on us is intended), and several of them were picked off by our sharpshooters. Our cavalry made several charges, during the day, on the rebel skirmishers, and brought in prisoners ; and once or twice we dropped a peppercorn, in the shape of a shell, among them. But so far, it has failed to elicit any response from them. Of course they have succeeded, by crawling around our out- posts, in capturing a few of our pickets. But further than this, as yet, nothing important has transpired.
" Scarcely ever was an army more ready or desirous for an enemy to come on ; and I still think, as the rebels know the strength of our position, that the whole thing must be a ruse to cover other movements ; for it seems too good to be true, that their forces (which are not sup- posed to be more than twenty-five thousand) can be so foolhardy as to depart from their usual policy of defence, and assault an army nearly as large, behind such works as ours. Still, I may be mistaken. We shall see. If they do, look out for good news."
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