USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifty-fourth regiment of Masachusetts volunteer infantry, 1863-1865 > Part 18
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horse, was rescued and dragged to the wood by the gallant Lieut. Thomas F. Ellsworth of his regiment. Captains Crane and Boynton were both killed after displaying fear- less gallantry. The One Hundred and Twenty-seventh New York supported this charge by an advance, but after the repulse retired also. On the right the Twenty-fifth Ohio and Thirty-second United States Colored Troops, swinging to the left, moved from the wood-road, forcing the enemy's left back to their works, but being met by a murderous fire, were brought to a stand, sustaining their position with great tenacity under severe losses for a con- siderable time. To this line the Battalion of Marines from the Naval Brigade was brought up later, forming on the right of the Thirty-second ; and the three companies of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts under Maj. William Nutt, which had separated from their regiment, formed to the left of the Twenty-fifth, while the One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York remained in support.
General Smith, on the part of the Confederates, was obliged to put his reserve into action when the full force of our attack was made. A Confederate officer wrote, when the action was at its height : -
" The noise of the battle at this time was terrific, - the artil- lery crashing away in the centre, while volley after volley of musketry ran down both lines and were reverberated from the surrounding forests."
It was 5 A. M. when reveille sounded for the Fifty-fourth, and two hours after, the regiment moved from bivouac. It was the rear-guard, and was directed to secure the communications for the division. The regiment marched rapidly over good roads with a bright sun overhead, mak-
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ing the morning hours delightful. Not a hostile sound reached their ears as the men moved at route step, with only the tinkle, tinkle, of pans and cups striking the bayonets, for music. After marching about two and a half miles, we came to the Coosawhatchie cross-road unprotected even by a picket. Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper, deeming it imperative that this important point should be covered, detached Captain Pope with Companies C, D, G, and K to remain there until relieved. He then moved on with the other companies to Bolan's church, where Companies A and I under Lieut. Lewis Reed were left to picket the road beyond.
Pushing forward again over a road clear of troops, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Hooper proceeded with only Companies E and H. Nearing the front, from which came sounds of battle, some stragglers and soldiers were encountered sit- ting on or about the fences at the sides of the road. As we approached, they took off their hats, and after hurrahing, shouted, " Here's the Fifty-fourth ! " Farther on the sailors were found halted. They were in good spirits, call- ing out, "Go in, boys ! No loading in nine times there !" Still farther onward at about noon Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper was met by Col. William T. Bennett, the chief of General Hatch's staff, to whom application was made for orders. Bennett scemed excited, according to the lieu- tenant-colonel's account, and said but little else than " Charge! charge!" pointing to the front. Lieutenant- Colonel Hooper naturally asked, " Where ?" but received no other reply than " Charge !" Desirous to render ser- vice, but realizing the folly of attempting to carry out such orders with but two companies when there was no con- certed movement, and the artillery just at that time not
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being served, Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper moved his men to the left of the road and attempted to enter the wood by company front. Vines and underbrush, however, offered so great obstructions that at last, pushing on ahead, the men followed him as best they could. He formed line not far from the road on wooded ground sloping to the creek, through the middle of which ran a fence. There the men were ordered to lie down, to avoid the enemy's fire, which at times was sharp, and to which they were directed not to reply, but husband their ammunition. Firing came in their direction too from the rear, and as it was found to proceed from the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh New York, stationed behind and somewhat to the left, Lieutenant- Colonel Hooper sent word of our position, and it was dis- continued. Hugging the ground, although the firing in front swelled out at times into volleys, we suffered com- paratively little. The whole left was paralyzed, in the position occupied, throughout the action. Such was the nature of the ground that it could have easily been held with a smaller force, and a part of the troops been spared for more enterprising work on the flanks.
Meanwhile at the Coosawhatchie cross-road the wisdom of having that point guarded was demonstrated. Captain Pope's account is, -
" I immediately threw out one company (K) under Leonard on the Coosawhatchie road as skirmishers, and with the others threw up a barricade across the road. Soon Leonard reported a body of cavalry coming down the road, and at the same time a naval ensign with two boat howitzers manned by sailors re- ported to me, sent back by Hatch from the main force. I was very glad to see them, and at once sent word to Leonard to fall back as fast as the Rebel cavalry advanced. This he did; and
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when within easy range I ordered the ensign to fire. He gave them shrapnel with good aim, and they were apparently sur- prised, as they had seen nothing of artillery."
After this repulse and some time had elapsed, Captain Pope was relieved by the Thirty-second United States Col- ored Troops, and moved on. Halting at the church for dinner, just as fires were lighted, heavy volleys were heard, and he again moved forward at the double-quick. Nearing General Hatch and staff, the enthusiastic Capt. T. L. Ap- pleton of "ours " flung up his cap, shouting, "Hurrah ! here comes the old Fifty-fourth !" The road was found blocked with ambulances, caissons, and wagons causing the men to be strung out. It was about 1.30 P. M. Cap- tain Pope continnes, saying, -
" I saw General Hatch speak to Colonel Bennett, chief of staff, who at once rode to me and said, 'Follow me.' I replied, ' I would like a moment to close my men up, Colonel,' when he said in a most excited manner, 'General Hatch's orders are for you to follow me.' . . . Well, after Bennett's remark I had only to follow, which I did. Arriving near the section of artil- lery posted at the intersection of the roads, he halted, and said, 'Go to the rear of that battery, file to the left, and charge.' I obeyed orders, all but charging. Arriving on the right of the battery, I looked round for the first time and found only Lieut. David Reid and eight men. How the shot tore down that hill and np the road ! I could see where the Fifty-fifth had charged, and their dead lying there. I went back, and only two men followed me."
Lieutenant Reid and Corp. R. M. Foster of Company C were there killed. Captain Pope joined Colonel Beecher, Thirty-fifth United States Colored Troops, in the front battle- line, and after nearly an hour, hearing a familiar cheer on
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the right of the Thirty-fifth, found his companies there. Captain Homans's account is that the four companies were following Captain Pope, when, owing to the blockaded road and the passage of a light battery at full gallop, few were able to cross the road and they lost their leader. In conse- quence, the column halted, uncertain where to go. Homans took command and led to the right along the wood-road and formed on the right of the Thirty-fifth United States Colored Troops. Adjutant Howard, the colors, and guard, owing to a mistaken order, did not follow Lieutenant- Colonel Hooper's companies, but joined the four com- panies when they came up. In the position taken, Homans ordered the men to lie down. Color Sergeant Lenox, writing of that time, says, -
" We were hurried up and went into the woods on the right side of the road, and took our position near where there were, I think, three pieces of artillery. The gunners had a hard time of it. I believe two of the cannon were disabled. I saw two of the horses struck by shells, and an officer pitching out car- tridges with his sword, and in a few minutes the caisson blew up. The woods were so thick in front that the movements of most of the force could not be seen. . . . Wagner always seemed to me the most terrible of our battles, but the musketry at Honey Hill was something fearful. The so-called ' Rebel yell' was more prominent than I ever heard it."
It is probable that the battery at full gallop which Cap- tain Homans refers to was Battery F, Third New York Artillery, relieving Battery B, which Lieutenant Crocker had fought long and gallantly, although wounded.
Our last regiment to reach the field was Col. H. S. Chip- man's One Hundred and Second United States Colored Troops. That officer took command of the Second Brigade.
TE
NFF DERA
LOS E, MASS
Rola
BATTLE OF HONEY HILL
NOV 30.1864
James & Gardner 44 Nas
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After a severe contest our right fell back to the line of the old dam. Reconnoissances made from this force to the right front found no enemy. As the afternoon wore on, the sounds of battle sometimes stilled down to scattering shots, to rise again into crashes of musketry and cannon dis- charges. After a while the musket ammunition ran low ; and as the supply received was small, it was sparingly used to repel attack. It was reported to General Hatch by de- serters that the enemy was receiving reinforcements by railroad ; and indeed Gen. B. H. Robertson arrived with the Thirty-second Georgia, a battery, and a company of artillery.
Our Fifty-fourth companies on the wood-road held an angle of the line much exposed to the enemy's fire. They at times blazed away into the woods they fronted. Lieu- tenant Emerson was severely wounded in the face; and Lieutenant Hallett in the left thigh. Captain Homans received a severe contusion on the inside of the left leg, a pocket-book with greenbacks therein saving him from a mortal wound. Besides the officers, one enlisted man was killed, twenty-one wounded, and three missing. Ser- geant-Major Wilson states that sometime in the afternoon, with Sergt. H. J. Carter, Corp. John Barker, and Privates J. Anderson, Thomas Clark, and Peter J. Anderson, all of Company G, he went out from Captain Homans's posi- tion, and brought back Lieutenant Reid's and Corporal Foster's bodies. The former was killed by a grape-shot.
Meanwhile Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper with Companies E and H maintained their line unchanged on the left of the main road. During the afternoon Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper made a personal reconnoissance of the ground in front, and returning, sent two notes to General Hatch, say-
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ing that with two regiments the enemy's right could be flanked. His suggestion was not acted upon. Lieutenant Chipman was wounded in the left arm, and thirteen enlisted men wounded. At one time that day Colonel Beecher, Thirty-fifth United States Colored Troops, who was wounded, came along in rear of our line acting in a dazed sort of way. Fearing he would be killed, Lieutenant- Colonel Hooper sent two men to assist him to the rear.
At about. 3.40 P. M., Battery F's section was relieved by two of the heaviest naval howitzers under Lieutenant-Com- mander Matthews. In hauling back the army guns by hand, the One Hundred and Second United States Colored Troops lost a number of officers and men. When the naval guns began firing, the sailors worked their pieces in a lively manner on their hands and knees. The enemy's fire slackened at 3.30 P. M. They made no serious attempt to advance at any time; neither did we make further aggressive movement. Preparations were made for re- tirement at dark by General Potter, who bore himself with conspicuous gallantry at the front throughout. He caused a reserve of two regiments supported by artil- lery to be first posted half a mile in rear; and when darkness covered the field, the retreat began and was executed by means of successive lines. One section of the naval howitzers fired until the ground was abandoned about 7.30 P. M. The retirement was effected without alarm or loss.
When the order came for the Fifty-fourth to move, Cap- tain Pope filed off, meeting Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper's companies, which were coming into the road from the left. Our few ambulances, crowded with sufferers, had departed; and as many wounded remained, the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-
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fifth were broken into squads to remove them. Stretchers were improvised from muskets, shelter tents, and blankets, by which means and bodily help the Fifty-fourth alone carried one hundred and fifty wounded from the field. When we came to Bolan's church, the whole vicinity was weirdly lighted by great fires of fence-rails and brush- wood. A confused turmoil of sounds pervaded the night air, from the rumbling of artillery, the creaking wagons of the train, and the shouts of drivers urging on their ani- mals. The church, cleared of seats, afforded resting-places for the wounded, whom Surgeon Briggs of the Fifty-fourth and his assistants were attending there or outside. Stores of every description were strewn about to make room in the vehicles for their further conveyance to the landing. General Potter arrived at Bolan's church about midnight. Having disposed troops to cover it, he addressed himself to the task of further retirement, and did not cease therefrom until 3 A. M., December 1.
After moving back to the church, the Fifty-fourth took a large number of wounded onward, many men making more than one trip. Our regiment bivouacked on the ground occupied the night before. General Hatch's front line was kept at the Coosawhatchie cross-road, where the guns were placed in position, supported by the Naval Brigade and the Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth United States Col- ored Troops.
Regarding this battle, General Potter reports of the troops : " Nothing but the formidable character of the ob- stacles they encountered prevented them from achieving success." Capt. Charles C. Soule, Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, a participator, in his admirable account of the battle in the Philadelphia " Weekly Times," says: "The generalship
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displayed was not equal to the soldierly qualities of the troops engaged. There appears to have been a lack of foresight in the preparations." He gives our loss, from official sources, as eighty-eight killed, six hundred and twenty-three wounded (of which one hundred and forty were slight cases), and forty-three missing: a total of seven hundred and fifty-four. Of the Fifty-fourth (with six companies engaged, numbering sixteen officers and three hundred men), the loss was one officer killed and three wounded ; and of enlisted men, one killed, thirty-five wounded, and four missing : a total of forty-four. Lieu- tenant Reid, who was killed, fully expected his fate. He gave last injunctions regarding his family before leaving Morris Island to a brother officer. At Hilton Head he purchased an emblem of the Freemasons, with which order he was affiliated. Lieutenant Chipman wrote : -
" I can remember poor Reid that morning before we broke camp at the landing. He was blue enough, and said to me that it was his last day on earth; that he should be killed in the fight. Lieutenant Reid was a faithful, experienced, and brave officer, and met his death in the forefront of battle, his body lying in advance of the artillery pieces until brought back."
The Confederates fought steadily and gallantly. But their position more than counterbalanced our preponder- ance of numbers. It is doubtful, however, if we had more than thirty-five hundred men engaged. Lieut .- Col. C. C. Jones, Jr., in his "Siege of Savannah," gives their loss as four killed and forty wounded. But the Savannah " Republican " of Dec. 1, 1864, stated, " Our loss was be- tween eighty and one hundred killed and wounded." Our defeat lost us results which are thus summarized by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Jones : " The victory at Honey Hill re-
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leased the city of Savannah from an impending danger, which, had it not thus been averted, would have necessi- tated its immediate evacuation."
As Sherman's army on November 29 was about Louis- ville, Ga., threatening Augusta, it would seem now that if our movements had been delayed a week, when Sherman was near Savannah, Hardee's whole army might have been captured, as the enemy then would not have dared to de- tach against Foster, and our force could have cut the rail- road, thus preventing escape of the Confederates by the only available route.
It would seem with the light of the present that our position was as strong for us to hold as was the enemy's. This granted, the natural criticism is, Would not the battle have been better fought to have held the position with a portion of our troops and pushed out the main body well on one flank or the other, drawing the enemy from his work to fight us and preserve his communications ?
CHAPTER XIII.
OPERATIONS ABOUT POCOTALIGO.
A BOUT Boyd's Landing on the morning of December 1, the wounded were being gathered for conveyance to Hilton Head. In the forenoon the division moved out to the cross-road, where with the other troops, the Fifty- fourth maintained a line of battle for some time. It was formed in the woods, a small stream and swamp covering a portion of the front. The Twenty-sixth United States Colored Troops having arrived, its colonel, William Silli- man, assumed command of our Second Brigade. During the day Companies A and I with Captain Homans as brigade officer of the day went out on the skirmish line. A few of the enemy were seen, but they made no demon- stration, though reinforced since the battle by Brig .- Gen. James Chestnut, with three hundred and fifty South Caro- lina Reserves and Baker's brigade of two thousand men. Their Georgia State troops returned to Savannah that day.
A quiet night followed ; but at 7 A. M. on the 2d the enemy opened with field-pieces, forcing the skirmishers back and then shelling the centre of our line, to which our guns replied. An intrenchment was ordered constructed covering the cross-road, and the Fifty-fourth completed its allotted work rapidly. Trees were cut and laid to form a foundation for the parapet. As the ground was wet in places, large areas of the surface had to be taken to procure sufficient earth. Rations were not procurable ;
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but our quartermaster borrowed hard bread from the naval force, and secured three head of cattle. Good weather pre- vailed on the 3d, when the Fifty-fourth moved to the right for work on a prolongation of the fortifications. In the af- ternoon the Thirty-second and One Hundred and Second United States Colored Troops and part of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts and two guns went toward Bolan's church, and after light skirmishing returned with but one casualty. That night there was much wild picket firing by men of new colored regiments ; and Capt. Alonzo B. Whitney, Twenty-sixth United States Colored Troops, was mortally wounded by our own people.
Except occasional shots from the outposts and gun dis- charges from the naval howitzers on the left to try the range, the forenoon of the 4th passed quietly. Later, a reconnoissance was made by the Thirty-fourth and Thirty- fifth United States Colored Troops, the One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York, and some artillery four miles to- ward Coosawhatchie, driving the enemy's skirmishers to a battery, with which cannon-shots were exchanged. That day the Twenty-fifth Ohio went by water to Blair's Landing, advanced on the Beaufort road, and flanking a work of the enemy, compelled its abandonment and captured two guns, one of which was brought away, and the other spiked. Our naval vessels were daily reconnoitring up the rivers and shelling hostile works when discovered.
From the cross-road on the 5th two reconnoitring par- ties went out, - the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts and two naval howitzers to the left as a diversion, while General Potter, with part of his brigade, moved upon the battery found the previous day, which was again cannonaded. Important information was received from a "galvanized Yankee,"
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who deserted from the Forty-seventh Georgia to Potter's force. His regiment had a considerable number of men like himself, - Union soldiers who enlisted to escape starva- tion when prisoners-of-war, - numbers of whom deserted to us subsequently. That evening the outposts were drawn closer in, and dispositions made to hold the line with the Second Brigade only, as the remainder of our force, with a part of the artillery, moved at midnight to the landing. Just as daylight broke on the 6th the Fifty-fourth marched to the extreme right of the intrenchments near Merceraux's Battery B, Third New York Artillery. That day the car- alry made a short reconnoissance ; and at sunset our guns shelled the woods vigorously.
Potter's and the Naval Brigade landed on the 6th at Devaux's Neck, and with the howitzers pushed toward the railroad, which, crossing to the Neck by means of a bridge over the Coosawhatchie, ran over the peninsula and left it by another bridge spanning the Tullifinny River. Potter, leading his skirmishers, forced back the enemy's light troops, making a few captures. Brig .- Gen. L. H. Gartrell, the Confederate district commander, sent the Fifth Georgia, supported by a body of Georgia Reserves and a battery, to oppose us. They took position in the woods along the State road, between us and the railroad, and delivered a sharp musketry fire as we advanced. After some prelim- inary movements, a charge of the Fifty-sixth and One Hundred and Twenty-seventh New York was made, which nearly enveloped the Fifth Georgia, and secured some prisoners and its flag. The enemy, on retiring, left twenty killed and wounded, and partially destroyed the Coosaw- hatchie Bridge. Our loss was about twelve killed, and perhaps one hundred wounded. Potter, first destroying
D
JOSEPH T. WILSON. Pvt., Co. C.
HARRISON LEE, Prt., Co. D. RICHARD GOMES, Pvt., Co. H.
CHARLES A. SMITH, Pvt .. Co. C. ARTHUR B. LEE, Com'y Sergt.
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Mason's Bridge on the State road, over the Tullifinny, and throwing out a skirmish line, intrenched, awaiting rein- forcements.
December 7, orders came for the abandonment of the cross-road at Boyd's Neck. General Hatch directed the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, the cavalry, and some artillery to remain and hold the landing covered by the gunboat " Pon- tiac." About midnight the pickets were drawn in by Captain Emilio, brigade officer of the day, and joined the Fifty-fourth, which had marched to the landing. From its arrival until nearly daylight, the regiment was embark- ing amid a heavy rain-storm on the steamer " Mayflower," on which were General Hatch and Colonel Silliman. Our transport started out of the creek when day dawned, ran up Broad River, and into the Tullifinny, where she grounded. Small craft were brought, and the command was ferried to the lower landing, while rain still poured down. Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper without delay, soon after 2 P. M., marched to the front, where the regiment formed division column and bivouacked.
General Jones, upon receiving news of our invasion of Devaux's Neck, gathered a force to attack ns. Col. A. C. Edwards, Forty-seventh Georgia, with his regiment, a bat- talion of the Thirty-second Georgia, Major White's battalion of South Carolina Cadets, and the German Artillery (four guns), was to move from the Tullifinny trestle-bridge, and give battle. General Gartrell. with the Coosawhatchie force, was ordered against our left. At 7 A. M. on the 7th, covered in their advance to within sixty yards of our front, by a heavy growth of timber and foggy weather, the enemy moved to surprise us. He first struck the Thirty-second United States Colored Troops, causing severe losses ; but
17
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the regiment repulsed the foe. The attempt was renewed, but we were then better prepared, and our infantry and artillery beat them back with loss. Our left was then assailed by Gartrell's force, when the same result fol- lowed. After an action lasting about three hours the enemy called back his troops, with a loss which we esti- mated at one hundred; ours was about eighty. That day a detachment from the Coast Division landed at Mackay's Point across the Tullifinny, marched up, and took post opposite Gregory's plantation, where it in- trenched. Gregory's was made the landing-place on De- vaux's Neck for all our supplies and stores.
So near were the troops to the railroad that the rumbling of trains and whistling of locomotives could be heard. The position was in an open space surrounded by woods, the main body well intrenched, with pickets in the forest confronted by those of the enemy. Our attempts to reach the railroad on the Neek having failed, the purpose now was to destroy or command it with artillery. It was also important to keep as many of the foe in our front and from Sherman's as possible, for the coming of the Western army was daily looked for. No change occurred in the position of the Fifty-fourth from that first taken up until 6 P. M. on the 8th, when, carrying boards for intrenching, it moved to slightly higher ground in rear of the right of our line, and worked all night by reliefs.
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