USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume III > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
May 2nd. Well, the army has liad a fight at Chancellors- ville and got whipped. The 6th corps captured the works back of the city of Fredericksburg. My regiment had a fight at Salem Heights. Our Co. had none killed and but five wounded, two from Spencer: John Beaumont slightly in the head and Anson Collier was pretty severely wounded in the arms. I have not heard how much the loss was to the regiment.
May 7th. I am with the balloon yet. Henry M. ("Biney ")* Jones has gone off to Washington again wounded slightly in the leg. Gen. Devens has left our brigade. He was appointed to the command of a division in the 11th corps which ran so at the battle of Chancellorsville. The General was wounded in the foot. I saw him after he was wounded and he said that he would give more for his old brigade than he would for the whole 11th corps.
May 14th. One of the balloons has gone to Washington to be repaired and the other one has no gas in it and we have nothing to make any out of.
May 27th. I saw a teamster killed today. His team ran away with him and he was thrown off and the loaded wagon passed over him. He was almost instantly killed.
May 28th. Our Col. is in command of the brigade and Lieut. Col. Parsons commands the regiment. Col. Brown of the 36th N. Y. did command the brigade until he was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville. He was wounded in the leg and was carried to the hospital. There the doctor was going to am- putate it, but he drew his revolver and told the doctor that lie came there to have his leg dressed, not to have it amputated and he would put a ball through any man that tried to take his leg off. It is doing well now.
June 5th. There is an appearance of a move at an early date. The pontoon and artillery have moved down to the river. The rebs appear to be on the move over there.
June 19th. Well, here we are at Fairfax Courthouse, fifteen miles from Alexandria. We have had to do considerable march- ing since we left Falmouth. We brought the balloon part way
* A nickname.
5
66
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
with us, then we let the gas out of it, packed it up in a wagon and sent it on to Washington, and I rejoined the regiment. We reached here yesterday morning. The rebs are heading towards. Maryland so we will not be very apt to make a long stop here.
June 25th. Well, after marching and countermarching pretty much all over Fairfax County we yesterday brought up here at Centerville Heights. We are sixteen miles from Bull Run Mountains and twenty-two from the Blue Ridge. There- are several earthworks here built by the rebels more than two years ago, but they are used now to protect Washington. I went on guard last night. Today we moved camp a little ways.
WILLARD A. FRINK Co. H. 25th Mass. Vols. Born at Brookfield, July 14, 1836, Killed at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 16, 1864.
June 26th. We were 'called up at two p. m. but did not march till daylight. We marched twenty-three miles and stopped for the night at Drainsville.
June 27th. We started at daylight this morning and marched. till noon when we reached this place called Edward's Ferry .. We are to start tomorrow morning at three o'clock for Frederick ..
June 28th. Started this morning and marched near to the
67
DIARY OF THEODORE SARGENT
town of Frederick. We had a hard march. The rebs are put Rebels on the Run for Pennsylvania.
ting for Penn. It is nip and tuck which will get there first, they or us.
June 29th. We marched to Westminster today. The 36th N. Y. regiment started for home today. Their time is out.
June 30th. Marched from Westminster in Maryland to Manchester in Penn. We are but a little way from Hanover.
July 1st. We have laid here all day in the woods. We hear that there has been fighting at Gettysburg between the 1st corps, Gen. Reynolds, and the rebels. They say Gen. Reynolds is: killed. We have orders to march as soon as we can get our sup- per.
July 2d. We marched all night last night till about two o'clock this afternoon. We marched at least thirty-eight miles. They were fighting right smart when we got here. We got our dinner and then were moved forward close by the field. About five o'clock word came for us to report at little "Round Top" as. soon as possible. We could hear them firing pretty sharply. We went on the double quick, loading our guns as we went. When we got there we found that our men were getting the worst of it on the left. We went in and the rebs soon went back. We had one man killed and two wounded. One of them was Capt. Fred. Barton. He was shot through the thigh but would not leave the field until the fight was over for the night.
July 3rd. We were called up at daylight this morning and sent up to the right as it was feared that the rebs would be too much for our troops there. We acted as a support till nearly noon when we went into a piece of woods and got our dinner ; then we had orders to report at the left center as it was feared that the rebels were going to try and break through. The rebels; had about 150 pieces of artillery and we had about the same number and they commenced firing on each other about noon and it was one of the most severe artillery fights of the war. We had to march in rear of our batteries to get to the position as- signed us. The 37th Mass. led off the brigade and we followed them and the other two regiments behind us. The shells were bursting all around us at the rate of about 400 per minute. The air was full of pieces. With us it was legs do your duty. After we got to our positions we were somewhat sheltered from the shells and took account of stock. The 37th Mass. lost some twenty- five to thirty killed and wounded. The other regiments only had three or four wounded each. The reason the 37th lost so much heavier was that the Col. kept his men massed together and when a shell would go through their ranks it would knock
68
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
out three or four men. The other regiments scattered all over the field and went every man for himself. We knew our desti- nation and all but three or four got there. A shell struck in the
Those Rebel Shells.
ground under my feet and threw the dirt all over me but luckily the shell did not burst or I should never have written this. Silas T. Chamberlain was knocked down by the wind of a passing shell, but it did not hurt him much. Just as the shelling ceased Gen. Longstreet made a charge on our lines with three heavy divisions. He charged three times but was driven back every time with heavy loss. Our regiment lost no men in this fight but some of the regiments lost very severely.
July 4th. Our regiment was sent to the front line early this morning. We took up a position about sixty yards in ad- vance of where our lines were yesterday. Here is the ground that Longstreet had to cross when he made the charge yesterday. The ground is covered with his dead. The rebels are very quiet in front of us but to the left they are skirmishing some and they threw a few shells over our heads. Everything has been pretty quiet today. There was a little firing just at dark to make our 4th of July fireworks,
July 5th. We were ordered to advance at daylight and bring on an engagement. I began to feel pretty scary but felt better when I found that the rebels had retreated in the night. The army started in pursuit and we followed on as far as Jinks- town where they made a stand and threw up some rifle pits.
July 8th. Our cavalry had a fight here yesterday and whipped the rebs severely.
July 16th. The army is now under the command of Gen. Meade. He relieved Gen. Hooker just before the Gettysburg fight. We all like him very much indeed. We are to go 011 picket to-night.
July 17th. When we got up this morning we found the rebs had skedaddled across the river at Williamsport. The cavalry immediately started in pursuit and came up with the rear guard of the rebels and had quite a fight. They captured 2000 prisoners besides what they killed and wounded. Among the killed was Gen. Pettigrew. We wounded and took him pris- oner at Fair Oaks. Our corps marched down to Berlin ready to cross into Virginia.
July 25th. Well, here we are at Warrentown, Va. We left Berlin the 18th and have been on the march every day since ex- cept one. While the rebels were in Penn. they stole everything they could lay their hands on and since the army has been in Virginia this time we have taken everything we wanted if we
69
DIARY OF THEODORE SARGENT
could find it. The first night we were in Virginia this time one of the batteries was out of forage and went to a plantation and tried to buy some, but the agent (the owner was away) said that 10 Yankee could buy hay of him and some of the boys tried to buy eggs and milk, but he would not sell them. Said that he would throw them on the ground first. Some of the boys said they would have some water anyway and took some out of his well. As soon as they were gone he took the chain out of the
The General Thought He Would See About It.
well-it was a chain pump. There was no spring near, nothing but a little brook. The boys reported to the General how the man acted and he told the battery boys to go and get some hay for their horses and to bring some for his and if there was any good horses in the barn to bring them in and let him see them. When the rest of the soldiers saw the battery boys going back they knew well enough what was going on and a lot of them went too. They took what hay they wanted, turned all his horses and cattle out of the barn and drove them into camp, took all the poultry they could find and there was a lot of it especially ducks. They went into his cellar and took all the eggs they could find, filled their canteens with milk and spilt the rest on the ground. Then they thought as he had obliged the boys to go to the brook for their water he should do the same and as there was a wall standing very closely to the well the boys took hold and in ten minutes the well was full of stones. The cattle we killed part of them that night and the rest we drove along for some other time. The horses were taken to replace some that were worn out in the battery. For the last three or four days we have had to march the ground has been covered with blackberries and such berries. They average four times as large as they are at the north and the fields are covered with them, so that it is al- most impossible to step without stepping on them. They are luscious.
July 29th. We are encamped about a mile from the town of Warrentown in a westerly direction. Wates Mountain is about half a mile from our camp. We have a signal station on the top of it. To the north of us is what is called the Free State Moun- tains and they are full of guerillas. Capt. Young was out today and was fired at. There were sixteen of them together. The Captain then made tracks lively. There were most too many of them. He would not have run from two or three rebs. There was a party of us out today to see what we could find. We managed to get a little live stock. We got eight head of beef, two horses, four sheep, two hogs and a calf. We turned the rses into the provost marshal and the other stock we ate.
70
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY
Aug. 22nd. We are on picket today. We have gay times on picket. There are enough of us so that the duty is not hard and the neighbors are all kind. We live on bread and milk while we are on picket. I generally go to a house owned by a man by the name of Captain Edwards. He was a captain in the war of 1812. He has got a very pretty daughter. I have to pay twenty-five cents a canteen full when I pay in money but they rather have coffee, sugar and such like than money.
Aug. 27th. I went on patrol today. We had a very good time.
Aug. 28th. We have the best times here that we have had
GARDINER M. GAGE Co. E, 34th Mass. Vo's. Born at Monson, Feb'y 4, 1820, Killed at Berryville, Va., Oct. 13, 1863.
Relief From Arduous Duty.
since we have been in the army. We do not have much of any duty to do except picket and patrol duty and we had rather do that than to stay in camp. There is one place where the boys go that they call the seven stars from one of the girls wearing a band over her head with seven silver stars in it. There is an old
71
DIARY OF THEODORE SARGENT
gentleman, his wife and two girls. They are all Secesh. The girls have a brother who is one of the guerillas who infest this neighborhood. The girls are very good company and are good nice girls. There are a good many places around here which the boys visit to get milk, vegetables and pies. There is one negro woman whom the boys call Aunt Aggy. She took quite a fancy to one of our boys, Horace Prouty. She always called him Mr. Sprouty. She would bake him all the pies he wanted if he would only bring her a little coffee once in a while.
Sept. 1st. Our cavalry are having a fight today out near Orleans.
Sept. 2nd. We had a big scare today. The General had issued orders that all the men having loaded guns should fire them off between the hours of one and two. The orders were sent around to the different company commanders and among the rest one was sent to Capt. Ives. He was on picket. The or- derly did not suppose that the pickets would fire off their guns but Capt. Ives supposing that it meant one man as well as another had the pickets all fire off their guns. We in camp certainly thought the pickets were attacked, but we did not get any order to fall in and soon found out that it was nobody but Capt. Ives making a fool of himself.
Sept. 3rd. Wrote to Annie and cleaned my gun. It is the same old gun that I drew in Springfield, Mass.
Sept. 4th. Capt. Ives was taken prisoner on the picket line today. There is a brick house on the right of the picket and a young girl lives there who is sweet on a fellow by the name of Morley of Co. D. Capt. Ives thought that he would go over to the house and get a dinner. When he got there he found Morley. The Captain had been there but a few minutes when who should ride up but a squad of guerillas. Morley saw them first. He told the Captain that if he told the rebels he was in the house he would boot him. He then ran upstairs and got into bed between the ticks and the girl laid down on the outside of the bed. The poor Captain had no one to hide him and was taken prisoner and the boys are all glad of it.
Sept. 5th. Went on picket. I wonder if the rebs will get me.
Sept. 7th. The guerillas came down on us last night. They captured the signal station on Wates Mountain and might have got some of the pickets if I had not received warning that Mosely was coming that night, thanks to Capt. Edward's daughter. I am satisfied that her husband is one of the guerillas.
Sept. 12th. We have had a foot race here today, distance 400 yards, 1st prize $6.00, 2d, $4.00. The first was won by An- drew Hazelton of Co. E, the second by Ed. Reed of my Co. Just after the race there came up a severe thunder shower and hurri-
72
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
cane. It blew all the tents down from the privates' to the Gen- eral's. It did not even spare the hospital tent. There were five or six sick ones in it at the time. Received a letter from home.
Sept. 15th. We left Warrentown this afternoon, marching in: the direction of Culpepper. A part of our boys are on picket. We expect that they will join us tonight.
Sept. 16th. Our boys who were on picket joined us last night. We marched all day towards Culpepper.
Sept. 17th. We reached Stone House Mountain tonight. We are four miles west of Culpepper. A squad of rebs charged on Gen. Howe and his body guard today but they did not succeed in taking the General prisoner. That was their object.
Sept. 18th. Gen. Wright was fired at this morning by guer- illas, but they did not hit him.
Sept. 19th. We laid in camp all day and rested from our march.
Oct. 1st. We have marching orders today. We don't know where we are going.
Oct. 2nd. We started last night at eleven o'clock on our inarch. We find today that there is nothing but our division on the march so we are satisfied that the movement does not mean fight. It has rained all day. We are marching down the rail- road toward Alexandria. We stopped at Rappahannock station for dinner and left the third brigade. We marched a little be- yond Bealton's Station and stopped for the night.
Oct. 3rd. Started again this morning and took dinner at Cottlett's Station and left the first brigade. Our brigade went as far as Bristow Station. Got here about sundown. We had. just laid down to sleep when my name was called for picket.
Oct. 4th. We were relieved from picket today.
Oct. 5th.
Worked on my bunk all day.
Oct. 6th. Went over to Brentsville today after some brick to make a chimney for the General. It was about four or five miles over there. We had to take our guns with us and keep a pretty sharp lookout as the rebs were scouting around. Brents- ville is the county seat of Prince William County. It has a court house, jail, recorder's office, tavern, store, church and a few dwelling houses. There are but three families living there now. The rest have all gone to " Dixie. "We tore the jail, court house and recorder's office down to get what brick we wanted. It might not have been necessary to tear all of these buildings down,. but we did not stop to inquire whether it was or not. The re- corder's office was full of old papers and accounts of all kinds.
War Brings Wanton Destruction of Property.
They were all strewn around and set on fire. Some of the deeds and such like were dated as far back as 1623 and from that time
73
DIARY OF THEODORE SARGENT
until the breaking out of the war. I brought off two or three papers with me as curiosities.
Oct. 12th. Gen. Lee has outflanked Meade and the army has been obliged to fall back from the Rapidan to Rappahannock Station. Our division was ordered up there today. We offered Lee battle but he would not accept it. The cavalry had a little skirmishing. We found that Lee was trying to get through Thoroughfare Gap. We immediately fell back and marched towards Centreville.
Oct. 13th. We marched all night last night, but stopped for breakfast this morning and let the rest of the troops go on and we protected the rear, but we were not troubled any, though we saw some rebel cavalry. Stopped for the night at Wolf Run Shoals.
Oct. 14th. The 2d Corps was in the rear today. They had a little fight with the rebs ; captured five guns and 450 prisoners. We got to Centreville today. We have got some good rifle pits with abattis in front.
Oct. 15th. The left of our line is at Wolf Run Shoals and the right is three miles to the west of Chantilly. There has been a little fighting on the left today but nothing very serious I guess as they are not firing very rapidly. Capt. Fred Barton and an orderly were taken prisoners this afternoon. His father had been here to see him and Captain thought he would accompany him as far as Fairfax on his return. They reached Fairfax all right but were captured on the way back to the brigade. The captain was on Gen. Eustis' staff. The rebels also took some mules and their drivers and left the wagons standing beside the road.
Oct. 16th. Everything is quiet today. Here is where Gens. Kearney and Stevens and Lieut. Bemis were killed a year ago last Sept.
Oct. 19th. Started on the march this morning. We got to Gainesville tonight at the foot of Thoroughfare Mountain.
Oct. 20th. The rebs charged on our pickets last night and drove them in. We fell into line and started for them but they cleared and we posted a stronger line of pickets and went to sleep for the night. This morning we started again and got as far as New Baltimore at 3 P. M. At that time Warrenton was full of rebel cavalry. It was about four miles from New Baltimore. Our cavalry dashed into the place and drove the rebs out. We then started and marched until 9 o'clock and found that we were. very near our old camping ground before we went up to Cul- pepper.
Oct. 29th. I went up on Wates Mountain today just to look around. There is a signal station on the top of the mountainl.
74
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
The officers are very pleasant and gentlemanly. They are per- fectly willing to loan their glasses and to point out all the places of interest. The rebels are in plain sight, though distant about ten or twelve miles. The right of their army is at Stafford Court House and the left at Beverly Ford.
Nov. 6th. We broke camp at Warrenton today and marched to Rappahannock Station. Just before we got there we deployed as skirmishers and did not have to go far before we found the Johnnys. We drove in their pickets and then stationed a battery
EDWARD A. LAMB Co. H, 60th Mass. Vols. Born in Spencer, Oct. 16, 1843. Died at Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 31, 1 64.
and began to throw shells over to the forts at the station where the rebs were. The 6th Maine and 15th Wisconsin made a charge and carried the fort. They captured two earthworks, one battery of four guns, over 1500 prisoners, four stands of colors and 2000 stands of small arms. The 6th Maine lost over 200
The Sad Ending of a Brave Soldier.
killed and wounded. Our Regt. lost one man killed and two wounded, all of Co. I. The man who was killed was named Smith. He was struck in the leg with a shell. It shattered the
75
DIARY OF THEODORE SARGENT
bone so that the leg only hung by a little flesh and skin. He took his handkerchief and tied around the stump, put his bayonet in and twisted it tightly, then took his knife and finished cutting the leg off, but he died soon afterwards.
Nov. 18th. I have been at work building chimneys at bri- gade headquarters.
Nov. 23rd. Thanksgiving Day. We left camp this morn- ing and crossed the Rapidan river at Jacob's Ford.
Nov. 24th. We lay near the bridge all day. There has been quite a little fight this afternoon but we did not get engaged very severely.
Nov. 27th. We had quite a brush today but did not bring on a general engagement. Reserved that for tomorrow.
Nov. 28th. We laid down expecting all day to fight but did not get into one. Went on picket tonight.
Nov. 29th. We started for the rear this morning at four o'clock. We reached Gold Mine Ford at ten. We marched 17 miles in six hours. After crossing the river we halted and had our breakfast and then started and marched nine iniles further and stopped for the night.
Nov. 30th. Marched back to our old camp today. We were tired and hungry
Dec. 11th. I went out as guard for a wagon train to get some boards for the General. We went in the first place to a saw mill but there were no boards there so we tore the mill down, that is took the boards all off. The man begged us not to but the general wanted them for his house so we pulled them off ; also off of his barn and shed. These filled up part of the wagons. We then went and tore the boards off of a barn to help fill up the rest of the wagons.
Dec. 12th. We are building our winter quarters now. John Worthington, Daniel Rowell, John Beaumont and myself chum together. We have got us a good house all connected. Dexter Bullard and John Moore are out here now.
Dec. 15th. We were reviewed today by Gen. Meade and the Russian officers. I was excused from duty by the doctor as I had one of "Job's Comforters " on my leg.
Dec. 16th. Mr. Bullard and John Moore have gone home.
Dec. 25th. Christmas Day. I witnessed a cockfight this forenoon between a cock belonging to Capt. Young of Gen. Eustis' staff, and Old Crummy, the butcher of the regt. Old Crummy's
Christmas Once More.
rooster got whipped. He then wrung his neck. For dinner I bought a liver of the commissary. Alf. Midgley presented our bunk with a cake and John Beaumont had a box come from home
76
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
with goodies in it so we had a good dinner. This afternoon I saw a sparring exhibition on the parade ground.
Jan. 1st, 1864. We had marching orders this morning but they are played out now.
Jan. 3rd. Re-enlisted for three years more to date from 21st of Dec. 1863.
Jan. 14th. The 1st Brigade commanded by Gen. Shaler has gone to Sandusky, Ohio, to guard the rebel prisoners at Johnson's Island, and the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Gen. Wheaton has gone to Falling Waters to guard the railroad. Our brigade is attached to the 2d division, commanded by Gen. Howe.
Jan. 16th. The mud is so deep that we can't do anything but answer roll call twice a day and write letters.
Jan. 23d. The Col. is at home on a furlough and the Regt .. is under command of the major.
Feb. 9th. Received my furlough today. I am going home. for 35 days. Feb. 10th. Left Brandy Station about 9 o'clock this morn- ing. We did not get into Washington until nearly night. We got our transportation papers and then found we were too late to go north that night so we stayed in Washington. In the morning we found that we, that is John Worthington and myself, had overslept and could not take the first train as we intended to, but had to wait until 11 A. M. We then started and kept right along and got into New York about 10 o'clock at night. We stayed at one of the relief associations.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.