USA > Massachusetts > History of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, Mass., Volunteers, in the civil war of 1861-1865, with a comprehensive sketch of the doings of Massachusetts as a state, and of the principal campaigns of the war > Part 20
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The pickets were called in at daybreak Monday morning, and the men made an early breakfast preparatory to the mare !. While they were thus engaged a sudden and furious shower burst, tearing down tents and drenching everything in a flood of rain; but such experiences had become too common to elica more than passing remark. The exposed soldiers merely pre :- tected themselves and their possessions as well as they could ti !! the first fury of the storm abated, when the order to march w. - issued.
Passing to the westward of Centreville and taking the War. renton turnpike, the column pushed steadily forward all d.
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THE ADVANCE TO WARRENTON.
with no event of importance to thrill the jaded frames, though there was much in the region passed through to interest the members of the Thirty-seventh, covering as it did the scene of the two battles of Bull Run and so many minor encounters and strategic movements extending over almost the entire period of the war. In every direction were to be seen strong fortifications standing as they had been left by one or the other of the con- tending parties, wasting away by the slow erosion of time and storm; graves, marked or unmarked, were scattered everywhere; while skeletons of animals and even of men once partially buried dotted the neglected and desolate fields. Gainesville was reached near night and the men, well exhausted by the heavy march of 14 miles, had pitched their shelters, eaten their sup- pers, and were about lying down to sleep, when heavy artillery firing was heard at the left, and almost simultaneously the con- mand to "Pack up and fall in!" rang sharply forth. It was obeyed, the column made a rapid march of half a mile, stood in line for an hour, then returned to the former bivouac. It was merely " the cavalry again!" Kilpatrick had during the after- noon been pressing the enemy's rear guard sharply, inflicting considerable damage, but toward night was drawn into a trap and attacked from two or three directions by a superior force, driven back to and through the lines of the First Corps, the pursuers following so closely as to "gobble up" quite a number of the disordered infantry and take them away in triumph. Satisfied with what they had accomplished, the triumphant Con- federate horsemen wheeled about and the retreat of Lee was without further resistance continued beyond the Rappahannock.
Eight o'clock next morning, the 20th, saw the Thirty-seventh again on the road, and after a leisurely march till about ? in the afternoon a halt was made near New Baltimore, not far from the spot where they passed several days the previous fall at the time of Burnside's taking command of the army. About dusk, after the bivouac was well disposed for the night, the un- welcome order to "Pack up!" was once more heard. and the column dragged along through the darkness toward Warrenton. which was reached at 10 o'clock, the regiment halting for the
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AGAIN AT THE FRONT.
night about half a mile east of the town. There the following day and night were passed, but on the 22d camp was changed to the hills a mile or so to the northwest of the town, very near the point of the regiment's location at the time it was sum- moned to New York. Here the camp was more carefully located and a week of quiet ensued, with very little duty for the men, while the railroad was being repaired and other preparations made for the continuation of the campaign. At this time Gen- eral Meade wished to change his base to Fredericksburg by a rapid movement, but permission for the transfer was not granted by General Halleck.
Ten days passed with no other change than the visible waning of the year. While the days were generally pleasant and bright, the nights were frequently so cold as to make the duties of the pickets and guards anything but pleasant; and it was evident that whatever campaigning was to be done before winter must be undertaken soon. Nor wore other evidences of an intended movement absent. A brigade review and inspection was held on Sunday, the 1st of November, and the following day there was a division review by General Sedgwick. Tuesday the camp was changed about a mile, being located nearer Warrenton on the Salem turnpike, and then came another respite till Friday, the 6th, when definite orders were issued for a movement at an early hour next morning.
As before stated, the Confederate army had retired behind the Rappahannock, and was at that time engaged in building huts for the winter quarters of the men, Lee evidently anticipating no further trouble from the Army of the Potomac. General Sedgwick with the Fifth Corps in addition to his own, forming the right of the army, was directed to move against Rappahau- nock Station. while General French with the First, Second and Third Corps was to attempt a crossing at Kelly's Ford, a few miles to the south. The latter column moving from Warrenton Junction while Sedgwick advanced from Warrenton, the routes were almost parallel and of practically equal length, and the march being unopposed by the enemy, there was every proba- bility that the two crossings would be reached at about the same
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THE DESOLATION OF VIRGINIA.
time, and the importance of vigor in all subsequent proceedings was impressed upon all concerned. The initial operations were remarkably successful.
Reveille broke the dark air at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 7th and the Thirty-seventh was soon in readiness for the orders to move, which were not received till 7 o'clock. The morning was bright and pleasant, but not even the rich sunlight could remove the gloom of desolation which hung over, the town of Warrenton, which had so long lain in the path of receding and advancing armies. The business which had formerly made its streets lively had entirely disappeared, and a large proportion of the inhabitants seemed to have gone with it. Many of the houses were uninhabited and more or less wrecked, while the few inhabitants who were visible seemed to have abundant cause for the sourness and sadness written upon their faces. Poor Virginia! She had taken the sword, and terribly was she perish- ing by the sword ; her homes shrouded in one universal pall of mourning, her fields desolate and her streets deserted. Brave indeed were her sons, and no less heroic her daughters in the cause of their mistaken espousal; the world will ever accord them that just praise, and none more cheerfully and fully than those who bore arms against them; yet none can look back upon those desolate scenes, even after the lapse of a generation, without a vivid realization of the wickedness and pity of human warfare.
The sharp chill of the night and early morning disappeared as the day advanced, and the column pressed steadily on till about noon, when the thunder of artillery but a few miles in advance showed that the head of Sedgwick's column had struck the Con- federate outposts. The pace was at once quickened, a strong wind and dusty roads making the movement anything but agree- able. "A part of the way the march was beside the railroad, or rather the road bed, for every rail and tie had been removed by the enemy, as a precaution against their use by the Yankee army. At 2 o'clock the scene of action was approached and soon the shells from the enemy's batteries began to explode in the vicinity of the Thirty-seventh. Close column by divisions was formed and the regiment advanced under the shelter of a slight hill,
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lving in the rear of a battery which was doing fine execution. The fight was already in earnest progress, and as the Thirty- seventh was moved to its place in the supporting line the ene- my's skirmishers were driven back, but it was not till dusk that the Confederate works were assaulted.
The position occupied by the detachment of Lee's army which Sedgwick now confronted was an unusual and as the result proved an unfortunate one. On the north bank of the Rappa- hannock at this point some earthworks previously constructed by the Union army had been taken possession of by the Confed- erates and altered and strengthened so as to form a formidable barrier in case the Federals should approach the river at that place. They could only be reached by a front attack over low ground swept for half a mile by the Confederate artillery. On confronting them, General Sedgwick deployed the Sixth Corps to the right of the railroad and the Fifth to the left, and obtain- ing possession of commanding ground near the bank of the river on each flank posted his heavy guns and endeavored by a severe artillery fire to drive out the defenders. This attempt, however, proved fruitless, as the Confederate guns sent back shot for shot with unabated vigor. The garrison in the works when Sedgwick's forces deployed in their front consisted of Havs's Louisiana brigade of Early's division of Ewell's corps, and Hoke's brigade of North Carolinians of the same division was sent over to reinforce them-making a force of about 2,000 men, and as the Confederate commanders believed enough to hold the position in the face of all the Yankees who could be brought against it.
General Sedgwick having command of the entire operations at this point, the Sixth Corps was in the immediate command for the first time in action of General Horatio G. Wright, of the First Division, General David A. Russell of the Third Brigade taking charge of the division. Russell, after a thorough inspec- tion of the ground in his front, decided that an assault was practicable, and ou receiving permission to make it selected his own brigade and the Second of the same division, commanded respectively by Colonels Ellmaker and Upton. Witha heavy
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BATTLE OF RAPPAHANNOCK STATION.
artillery fire from both flanks covering the movement, the assault- ing column advanced through the gathering dusk, crossed the ditch, scaled the parapet and poured into the works almost before their intent was comprehended. General Russell went over the works with the men of his command, and in the fierce hand-to- hand fight that briefly followed one of his colonels, thinking his general in too dangerous quarters, called out to his soldiers to. " Rally on the General !" To which the brave leader replied, " Rally on the rebs, men, rally on the rebs !" The Sixth Maine and Fifth Wisconsin led in the principal attack, supported by the other regiments of their brigade, while the One Hundred and Twenty-first New York and Fifth Maine of Upton's brigade carried the rifle pits to the right and completed the occupation. The skirmish line of the Fifth Corps, also, catching the en- thusiasm of the moment, broke through on the left of the rail- road, and almost in a moment more than three-fourths of the garrison were killed, wounded or captives. the remainder having succeeded in escaping across the ponton bridge to the south side of the river, including General Hays, who escaped by his horse taking fright after the general had been made a prisoner. The total Union loss was 371 in killed, wounded and missing, while General Early reported his loss at 1,672 men, four cannon and eight battle flags. Considering that the defenders fully equaled in numbers the assaulting column, and that the attack was everywhere successful at the first attempt, the capture of Rappahannock Station must be regarded as one of the most brill- iant actions of the war.
The mission of General French had been equally successful. Arriving in the vicinity of Kelly's Ford about noon, he found the crossing guarded by a detachment from Rodes's division of Ewell's corps posted behind rifle-pits on the south bank of the river. The Third Corps, commanded by General Birney, while French had the general command, was in advance, and acted with commendable vigor. Posting his artillery to sweep the sonthern bank, where a wide plain was commanded by the higher ground on the northern side, Birney forded his First Division across the river, the water up to. their waists, and immediately
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charged the rifle-pits with six regiments, capturing 500 prisoners with next to no loss on his own part. The initial operations had thus been eminently successful at both points; the Confederates had sustained a loss of over 2,000 men, and the crossing of the river had been accomplished under circumstances to inspirit the Federal soldiers in the highest degree. But the early promise was not to bear its fruit.
The Thirty-seventh, remained during the night in about the position it had taken on reaching the field. Late in the even- ing, after the fighting was over and the fruits of the victory secured, permission was given to build fires sufficient for the making of coffee, and the little warmth which they were thus enabled to obtain was very grateful to the chilled, weary and hungry soldiers. With rapid wings the news of the good work in front traveled to the supporting lines, which could only judge of the progress being made by the sound of the firing and cheer- ing, and presently squads of prisoners came trooping back to the rear, showing that the favorable reports were in no wise exaggerated. "Where is your army going now?" asks a good- natured Yankee as the long string of captives files past. "Going to see Father Abraham and get some soft bread," replies one ; "To see the drafted men from New York!" retorts another with a little bitterness in his tone.
Daylight of the 8th found the Thirty-seventh again on the march, making its way down the river toward Kelly's Ford, from which the additional good news of French's success had been received during the night. Before noon a halt was made in the woods not far from the Ford, the men improved the op- portunity of fuel and freedom to cook as good a dinner as their stores of provision would allow, and then waited all the after- noon for further orders. These came near sunset when the regi- ment was moved a short distance and assigned the duty of pick- eting the road leading to the Ford, in which position it remained during the night. and, contrary to all expectation. for two days and nights ensuing. Lee had again escaped, fearing to await the attack of Meade's elated army, and retired beyond the Rapi- dan, making Gordonsville his base of supplies.
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WAITING AT BRANDY STATION.
Early Wednesday morning, November 11, the regiment re- traced its steps to Rappahannock Station, crossed the river on a bridge which had been constructed by General Meade's ponton corps on the site of the one burned by Early after his disaster, advanced some six miles to the vicinity of Brandy Station, where camp was pitched and the men directed to make them- selves as comfortable as possible, as they would remain there for at least two weeks and perhaps more. This intelligence was not greeted with cheers, since the location was scarcely an ideal one for a camp, the situation being exposed and wood having to be brought a long distance. But the days wore away with their dull rontine, the chills of early winter sharpened the air more and more, cold, heavy rains made day and night alike uncom- fortable, and November approached its close, while uncertainty and expectation hung over the camps. Yet there was no indi- cation of an intention on the part of General Meade to put his army into winter quarters till he had again crossed swords with his wily antagonist. A regimental inspection on the 16th was had by Captain Young of the Second Rhode Island, the brigade inspector, and on the 20th a review of the Sixth Corps was held by General Sedgwick. Meantime the paymaster had visited · camp, but brought little money to the members of the Thirty- seventh, as their extra expenses for clothing and other supplies while in New York had drawn heavily upon their allowances.
During this interval of inaction General Meade had not been idle. While waiting for the completion of the railroad to Rap- pahannock Station, which was made his base of supplies, he had gained pretty accurate knowledge of the position of Lee's army, which he found to be spread out for some 20 miles over the country beyond the Rapidan, with the fords of that river imper- fectly guarded. Meade's plan of operations contemplated a rapid movement of his own army by different routes, penetrating be- tween the separated corps of his antagonist and fighting and defeating them in detail. Orders were issued on the 23d for a movement the following morning : the men were provided with several days' rations, as the plan contemplated the moving of the army without wagon trains or any incumbrance which could
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AGAIN AT THE FRONT.
by any possibility be avoided. The morning of the 24th brought a cold, disagreeable storm, which lasted most of the day, and though camps were struck before daylight and the men in shiv- ering squads awaited orders to fall in, none came during that day or the next. The storm had caused a delay till the roads had opportunity to settle somewhat, but the orders were renewed for the 26th, and that morning knapsacks and haversacks were slung and the "Mine Run movement" began.
It was Thanksgiving day in Massachusetts, as the sons of that State well remembered-was that a fortunate omen for their ex- pedition? Before setting forth the men were cheered by news of the success of General Grant in the West, and there was need enough of whatever encouragement they could receive at the outset, for they found little enough afterward. The roads were still muddy, and as the Sixth Corps followed the Third they found the way more trying than it would otherwise have been. Making slow progress, though at great expenditure of physical energy, the column toiled along all day and far into the night. The latter portion of the journey was the more unpleasant as it was through a dark wood where the uncertain road was rough and extremely muddy. The movement had now become very spasmodic, the column halting and starting at uncertain inter- vals but with no indication of approaching bivouac. The woods were filled with stragglers who had issued their own orders for a halt, kindled fires and were cooking their suppers and making themselves generally comfortable. Finally at about 10 o'clock the Rapidan was crossed at Jacob's Mill Ford and a mile beyond the thoroughly exhausted regiment came to a halt. those who were not too much exhausted making fires over which their "Thanksgiving Dinner" of coffee and "hard tack" was pre- pared. The most sumptuous repast could not have been more welcome. An early start next morning was expected, and the camp was astir betimes, but the entire day wore away, as well as the early part of the night, with no change of the regiment's position. Heavy firing could be heard in front at intervals, giving evidence that the advance was being contested, but only surmises came back to the listeners. The situation was terribly
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A BUGLE CALL AT NIGHT.
uncomfortable. The weather was cold, chilling and almost freezing the men, especially at night, while the momentary ex- pectation of orders to continue the march precluded the possi- bility of making themselves more comfortable.
Silence at last reigned over the forest, the men were sleeping and the fires had generally burned out, when at 1 o'clock the bugle rang its unwelcome call, the men scrambled to their feet, packed their frozen blankets as best they could, and presently moved forward. Under the circumstances the march was nec- essarily slow, but it continued till daylight when a halt was made for breakfast, followed by a rest of an hour, after which the slow toil was resumed and continued till near noon. The route followed-if route it could be called-was an extremely diffi- cult one, leading through the forest, often filled with under- growth which the column could with difficulty penetrate, gener- ally along some obscure by-way and often through regions where apparently the foot of man had never before wandered. A con- siderable conflict was evidently going on in front, and the regi- ment had reached a point in the immediate rear of the Union lines from which the men expected each moment to be ordered into action, though the all-enveloping thicket prevented any view of what might be transpiring in the immediate vicinity, when a heavy, cold rain began to fall and the firing very soon ceased, with the exception of an occasional cannon shot and the inevitable fusillade of the skirmishers. The Thirty-seventh fell back into the forest for a short distance, built fires and remained through the afternoon and part of the night. Let us see what had been transpiring in the mean time.
General Meade's intention, as we have said, was to pass the right flank of Lee's army, penetrate between the corps of Hill and Ewell before they could unite, and defeat them in detail. Lee's front at that time extended from Barnet's Ford, northeast of Orange Court House, down the Rapidan to Mine Run, a small stream entering the river at a point almost due south from Kelly's Ford on the Rappahannock. Leaving the Rapidan there. the Confederate line bent sharply to the south along Mine Run. ocenpying a strong position which had been well fortified for
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AGAIN AT THE FRONT.
some miles back from the main stream. Evidently considering this a sufficient defense of his right flank, Lee had left the fords of the Rapidan from that point to its junction with the Rappahannock undefended, save by small cavalry outposts. South of the Rapidan and nearly parallel to it, at a distance of six or eight miles, run the old turnpike and the plank road lead- ing from Fredericksburg to Orange Court House and passing to the rear of the rebel intrenched line. Meade's programme was for the Army of the Potomac to cross the Rapidan at the dif- ferent fords, push quickly by the cross roads to these highways, and joining forces press rapidly westward, scattering the dif- ferent sections of the Confederate army as they were encountered. In pursuance of this plan the Third Corps, followed by the Sixth, was to cross at Jacob's Mill Ford, a mile or two below Mine Run, and proceed to Robertson's Tavern on the turnpike. There the Third Corps, whose movements were to time those of the others, was to be joined by the Second under General Warren, which was to cross at Germanna Ford, some two miles below Jacob's Mill Ford. The Fifth Corps, followed by the First, was to cross at Culpeper Mine Ford, still further down the river. push on to Parker's Store on the plank road, at that point some two miles south of the turnpike. Such was the well-laid plan : like many another it was to meet unexpected obstacles in the execution.
In a scheme so complicated it was essential that there should be a perfect execution of the plans. The Third Corps, upon which so much depended, failed at the start, being behind time in reaching the Rapidan. Then it was found that the engineers had miscalculated the length of bridge necessary for the crossing and time was wasted in piecing out the structure with poles. At best the approaches to the bridge were so ditti- enlt that the artillery of the two corps was obliged to go down the river, cross at Germanna Ford and make its way back on the south side of the stream to rejoin the column. It was mornin: of the 24th. therefore, when the army found itself across the Rapidan. The Fifth Corps pushed forward with the cavalry along the plank road, reaching Parker's Store in the middle of
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READY TO "GO IN" AT MINE RUN.
the forenoon, encountering there the enemy's outposts, which were steadily driven back for several hours till New Hope Church was reached, where the cross road from Robertson's Tavern on the turnpike intersects the plank road. Here Sykes was directed to halt his command and await co-operation. The Second Corps had reached the Tavern shortly after noon, en- countering the Confederates in considerable force, and the op- posing forces were quickly thrown into line of battle, but hours passed with no tidings from French and the two corps under his command. In fact, he had proceeded but a few miles from' the crossing when he became confused in regard to the road which he was expected to follow, took the wrong one, came upon the enemy, who made vigorous demonstrations against his flank, creating apprehensions of an attack in force, so that the entire day was wasted withont sufficient advance on his part to allow the Sixth Corps to take the road at all, as we have seen. Finding it impracticable by the roundabout communication which alone was possible to bring the Third Corps forward promptly, General Meade sent a dispatch to General Sedgwick to move his command immediately to Robertson's Tavern, and French was directed to follow the Sixth Corps. Sedgwick needed no second bidding; hence the midnight reveille and the consequent march which had brought the Thirty-seventh so near to the front.
The Union army was at last in position. the demonstrations in French's vicinity having ceased, allowing his corps to come for- ward ; but it was a position which should have been occupied at least 24 hours before, and those hours had not been wasted by the Confederate chieftain. Early apprised of the movement of the Army of the Potomac, and divining its intent, Lee had rapidly strengthened his line in the rear of Mine Run, ex- tending it so as to fully cover the turnpike and the plank road. Having by the preliminary skirmishing gained time for this pur- pose, he now withdrew to his main position and with smiling confidence awaited the onset of his antagonist.
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