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 29
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As the Sixth Corps approached its destination it met the ad- vance of Smith's column, which had been hurried forward with- out waiting for its wagons or ammunition, but by a mistake in its orders had marched several miles out of the way, and was now coming in through the sultry heat in a fearful state of ex- haustion owing to its inexperience in heavy marching. Yet its spirit was as brave and true as any in the service, as it had just proved in one of the most ferocions contests of the war; and now it was only anxious to fight by the side of the veterans of the Army of the Potomac and win their approval.
A furious effort had been made that morning by Kershaw's division to drive Sheridan from his position, but the plucky
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cavalry leader dismounted his men and fought them as infantry with such address that the assailants with broken ranks were glad to retire. Meanwhile the Confederates had become aware of Grant's intention and when Wright's corps marched for Cold Harbor Anderson's did the same, while Lee's three divisions al- ready at or near that point closed down to present a strong front. As the Sixth Corps moved up the road leading from Old Cold Harbor to Cold Harbor proper it went into position on the left of the road, Ricketts's division next the road, Russell's on its left and Neill's covering the flank and in reserve. The Vermont Brigade formed the extreme left and was supported by Edwards's Brigade in one line. On the right of the road was Smith's column, Devens's division connecting with the Sixth Corps and Brooks's on its right, while Martindale's was refused to cover the Bethesda Church road, General Ames's being detached for other duty.
As soon. as the lines were formed and the men had rested somewhat after their severe exertions in getting there the order to advance was given and nobly responded to. The enemy was posted in a heavy forest behind the shelter of rifle-pits, to reach which it was necessary to cross a wide open field; but the firm battalions of Devens and the right of the Sixth Corps went across with a cheer, drove the rebels from their works and held them, capturing some 600 prisoners. The heaviest fighting was in the vicinity of the Cold Harbor road, naturally enough, but the shock was felt along the whole line. As the advance was made it was found that the Vermont Brigade was flanked by the enemy's extended line, especially endangering the Fifth reg- iment. The Fourth Brigade was at once hurried at double- quick to the threatened flank, throwing ont a heavy line of skirmishers and holding the enemy in check till night, when a line of riffe-pits was quickly thrown up. During this movement the Thirty-seventh lost Corporal Thomas J. Crandall of Com- pany H killed and five or six wounded.
Finding it impossible to carry the second line of Confederate works with the force at hand, Generals Wright and Smith took prompt measures to seeure what had already been gained, in-
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trenching strongly in the edge of the woods. The pickets fired incessantly and the artillery furiously from both sides, and even nightfall did not close the contest. Repeated efforts were made by the Southern soldiers, lasting far into the night, to regain what they had lost, but they found their purpose anticipated as often as repeated and finally they gave up the useless sacrifice of life.
The Union army was now concentrated for the inevitable trial of battle. The Second Corps was brought from its position far to the right to prolong the Union line to the left, and their ar- rival the following day relieved Neill's division, which passed to the right of the Sixth Corps and took the place of Devens's divi- sion. Throughout the Fourth Brigade there was the greatest anxiety to catch even a glimpse of General Devens, the former brigade commander, and after the commands separated there was renewed interest in the fact that Edwards's Brigade was brought close to Stannard's brigade of Martindale's division, in which were the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts regiments. The latter was composed of friends and school-mates of the members of the Tenth and Thirty- seventh, having been raised in the western counties of the state, and during the following days there was many a hearty greeting as acquaintances and relatives grasped cach other by the hand. This regiment had proved itself worthy of its origin, having done faithful duty whenever called on, suffering especially at Drewry's Bluff and severely in the action of the first day at Cold Harbor; but a still greater trial was in store for it on the following day, when it was to lose its gallant commander, Major Walker, and near half its remaining members in the vain attempt, thrice repeated, to penetrate the enemy's lines.
General Devens's division was placed on the right of Smith's line, the Second Corps was moved down to connect with it, and the Ninth placed in Warren's rear. The Union army was thus made compact and strong and orders were issued to each corps commander to assault with his entire force next morning at half- past 4. The night of June 2 was marked by a severe rain storm, which was rather welcome as affording a grateful relief
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from the terrible heat and dust which had lately prevailed, and the men had long since ceased to regard a drenching as of auy consequence. All night long the sputter and crack of the picket firing could be heard through the storm, and sometimes a line of battle would for real or fancied cause send its volleys hurtling through the darkness. It was a wild, restless night, fitting pre- lude for the day which was to come.
It may be doubted if the history of modern warfare contains a parallel of the battle of Cold Harbor on the morning of June 3, 1864, in the briefness of the struggle, the extent of the move- ment, the bloodiness of the repulse and the want of definite purpose in the attack. General Lee's position was some six miles in front of the main line of the Richmond defenses. His right rested on the marshy bank of the Chickahominy, whence his lines ran in nearly a straight course over favorable ground a : little to the west of north, his left covered and protected by the swampy regions about the head-waters of the Totopotomy. At- tack was therefore only possible in front and the entire space between the two lines was swept by a cross fire of the Confed- erate artillery and infantry. The corps of Warren and Burnside were practically out of the conflict, for the line of the former was so long and weak and the ground in his front so difficult that he was doubly estopped from offensive operations, while the Ninth Corps had been thrown to the rear of the Fifth as a pro- tection to the weak Federal right flank. The ground to be fought over was almost exactly that of the battle of Gaines's Mills during the Peninsular campaign, with the difference that Lee now occupied the ground which Mcclellan then held, though the line of battle of the latter had faced nearly north with his left resting on the Chickahominy.
Upon Hancock, Wright and Smith, therefore, devolved the task of attempting to break the enemy's lines and drive him back into the strong works about Richmond, and at the appointed hour, almost at the moment designated, the three corps swept over the works in their front, into the valley of death. The Federal artillery behind them was worked with desperate energy, but it could not at once silence the Confederate batteries, which sent
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their mangling storms through the advancing ranks, while the flashing ripples of the still more deadly musketry fire lighted up the crests of the breastworks for miles away to right and left. How the crash and roar of innumerable cannon resounded and echoed ! How the missiles of every description tore through air and forest and earth ! How the great clouds of white smoke rose like a friendly veil to shut ont the sights too horrible for mortal vision !
In a few minutes-minutes which seemed ages-the struggle was over. Everywhere the result had been the same. The main intrenched line had been found too strong for human valor to penetrate ; great numbers of the bravest and best of the Sons of Freedom had laid down their lives in the unequal contest, and then the shortened and decimated lines had fallen back. But only for a few yards-only to the nearest point where the brave fellows, lying prone upon the ground, could burrow themselves into the sheltering earth and hold fast to what with such sacrifice they had been able to gain. How quickly with the most inade- quate tools this work was done ! How perfect the heroism which, halting within a stone's throw of an enemy's impregnable posi- tion, from which they had just been bloodily repulsed, enabled men to perform such work ! All through the remainder of the day these advanced positions were held, in some cases not more than 15 yards from the enemy's lines, though the Confederates made strenuous efforts to dislodge the persistent occupants. The day passed without further attempt to advance, and after dnsk some of the more exposed detachments were withdrawn to more favorable positions, and a furious counter attack by the Confederates met with a firm repulse by the troops of Han- rock's and Wright's corps.
During the engagement of the 3d the Thirty-seventh was in the supporting line, Edwards's Brigade being formed in the rear of Wheaton's in two lines, and when the latter pushed forward impetnously Edwards's advanced and occupied the line which Devens's division had charged on the first day of the fight. Here the regiment remained through the day, exposed to a severe fire which was almost incessant, losing Erastus B. Pease of Company
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I killed, with 13 wounded, several fatally. The night was de- voted principally to strengthening the lines, and the following day passed without other excitement than guarding against the bullets of sharp-shooters, who had now become so active and numerous that momentary exposure on any part of the Federal lines was an invitation to wounds or death. Even the hospitals were placed behind rifle-pits, and the whole canip became one vast system of burrows. At night of the 4th the Thirty-seventh were relieved by the Second Rhode Island, went a short distance to the rear and enjoyed one night's sleep freed from the burden of equipments and undisturbed by flashing muskets and hissing bullets.
The following day saw the brigade line further shortened by the departure for home of the Second Rhode Island, their term of service having expired, leaving behind the re-enlisted men and recruits which were temporarily attached to the Thirty- seventh and formed into an independent battalion of three com- panies under Captain Rhodes, a veteran and an excellent officer.
Large details from the regiment were now kept continually on the picket line, where the duty was especially dangerous and considerable losses were sustained. On the 5th Robert Elder of Company H and Clarkson H. Decker of Company I were killed and several wounded, including Captain Donnelly of Company I and Lieutenant George N. Jones, at that time serving on the staff of Colonel Edwards,-the former in the head and the latter in the arm. More perhaps to be dreaded than the bullets was the stench of the unburied corpses lying between the lines in the hot sun, but it was not till a change in the wind bore the efflu- vium to the Confederate nostrils in full force that they would consent to a truce for the purposes of burial. Assent was finally given on the afternoon of the 6th, picket firing ceased for a few hours, and the entire region between the lines was filled with a throng of wearers of the Blue and the Gray, shaking hands cor- dially and conversing as they proceeded with the horrible work which had brought them together. They would return to their works in a short time and immediately resume their best efforts to kill each other, but there were thanks for even this rift in the
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horrible cloud of war. Finally the men were separated by threats of opening upon them with the artillery from both sides, and the work of slaughter was resumed.
During the night of the 6th the regiment was relieved from duty at the front and went back again for rest, which continued through the 7th, the men being well supplied with rations and clothing during the day. The army was at this time well pro- vided for in every way from the new base on the Pamunkey, and but for the terrible dead-lock at the front, the incessant scream- ing of shot and shell and the sharp-shooting, together with the stench inseparable from the vicinity of the great battle-field and the malaria from the marshes, which seriously affected the health of the men, the position would have been quite satisfactory. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the Sth the regiment was again called up and relieved the troops at the front, sending three companies on the fortified skirmish line while the remainder were posted as a reserve in the next line of works; the following night the relieved troops came back and exchanged places giving the Thirty-seventh another opportunity for rest, and thus the days wore away.
In the mean time more or less attempts were made by the Con- federates to drive away the hated Yankees, but they invariably ended in disaster. The Federal intrenchments had been carried forward by regular siege approaches till they were close upon those of the enemy, but there was no probability of the army being able to accomplish anything at Cold Harbor and preparations for a move still further southward began to be made and noised about the camp. "The attack at Cold Harbor," said General Grant in his report, " was the only one in the entire movement from the Rapidan to the James which did not inflict damage to compensate for its cost." In fact the General-in-chief freely referred to the battle of Cold Harbor as one of the three great mistakes of the war.
On the night of the 10th, just after the Thirty-seventh had been relieved from a tour of duty at the front and the men had settled themselves to sleep, the brigade was called up and moved to the left a short distance, where it occupied the works vacated
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by the troops of the Vermont Brigade, next to the First Division. The fire of the sharp-shooters was found to be very annoying and dangerous at this point, and during the following day the regi- ment lost John Maloney of Company K killed, James Davis of Company E fatally wounded, and two men from Company I who received disabling wounds. Davis was struck by a sharp-shoot- er's bullet while drawing rations nearly a mile from the enemy's line in a position of supposed safety, and other casualties occurred in like manner. Thus steadily and sadly was the regimental line wasting away, the loss at Cold Harbor having now reached 35 officers and men, though the regiment had not been engaged in the thick of the fight.
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During the 11th Lieutenant-Colonel Montague returned to the regiment and resumed command, having recovered sufficiently from the wounds received at the Angle a month before to again take the field, and he received a warm greeting from his com- mand. At the same time there was keen regret at parting with Lieutenant-Colonel Harlow, who during the four weeks in which he had been in command of the regiment had won the high re- gard of its officers and men. The esteem had been mutual. "I look back to the brief period during which I had the honor to command the Thirty-seventh," said Colonel Harlow many years after, "with the most perfect satisfaction of any portion of my military career. No matter in what position they were placed. they could be depended upon to do all that mortal man could do." Such words of praise from such a source, spoken in the confidence of friendly conversation, will not be lightly regarded.
The loss of the regiment in officers had been quite as marked as in enlisted men. Besides the casualties of battle and sickness, several were at this time on detail, including Captain Hopkins before mentioned, Captain Tyler upon General Neill's staff, and Lieutenant Jones on Colonel Edwards's. Few of the companies, consequently, had more than a single commissioned officer present with them for duty, and frequently they were found in the charge of sergeants for considerable periods. Many of the latter were in these trying days winning promotion which was well deserved, and which was to come in due time.
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CHAPTER XVI.
GOING TO MEET EARLY.
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG. - AT REAMS STATION .- EARLY IN MARYLAND .- FORT STEVENS. - THE "SPENCER RIFLE."
No sooner was it evident to General Grant that the Confeder- ate position at Cold Harbor was impregnable than he resolved upon a continuation of the movement "by the left flank " which had now become a by-word in the army as well as else- where. In accordance with this plan his right was gradually re- fused and shortened, the Ninth Corps relieving the Fifth and the latter taking position beyond Hancock on the left, extending that flank till it rested on the York River railroad at Dispatch Station, within ten miles of Long Bridge, at which it was his purpose to cross the Chickahominy. Once across that famous stream two courses were open to the Union commander-to ad- vance against Richmond up the peninsula in the tracks of McClellan's movement of 1862, or by crossing the peninsula and the James River to operate against Petersburg, the strategic key to the Southern seat of government. The latter was the one selected.
The movement began soon after dark of the 12th of June, and was conducted with celerity and skill. General Warren's corps was thrown across the Chickahominy and deployed in line of battle covering all the roads leading to Richmond, while be- hind the strong front thus displayed the other corps marched directly across the peninsula. General Lee discovered the with- drawal next morning, but made no effort to follow. He evi- dently looked for an attempt to pass his flank and strike another blow for the possession of Richmond, and this suspicion was strengthened when a reconnaissance down the New Market
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road by a body of his infantry came upon Warren's line of battle checking further investigation in that direction.
The Thirty-seventh regiment had been resting through the day and the indications of an intended movement had been so unmistakable that no surprise was felt at the final orders to pack up everything and fall in. The Second Corps having followed the Fifth on the most direet route, the Sixth and Ninth took a course more circuitous and farther to the rear, while General Smith's command, marching back to White House, took trans- portation for Bermuda Hundred, and was again placed under command of General Butler. All night long the columns plod- ded on, the moon, which was at the quarter, lighting them indif- ferently till midnight. The weather was cool, and in that re- spect the men were comfortable, but the dust was terrible. . 1 drought had set in, not a drop of rain having fallen for some ten days, and the condition of the region through which the march extended may be easily imagined when it is borne in mind · that the country was generally a sandy plain through which the roads at such times greatly resembled beds of ashes.
At daybreak a halt of some ten minutes was made, fires were lighted and coffee hurriedly prepared, after which the journey was resumed. All day with brief intervals of rest the monoto- nous tramp was kept up through a region presenting little of in- terest. The York River railroad was crossed at Summit Station, above Tuntsall's, and Hopkins Mills were passed, then followed a monotonous toiling along all day till near night when the Chickahominy was reached and crossed at Jones Bridge and about a mile beyond bivouac was made for the night. The march was resumed early in the morning of the 14th and before noon a halt was made in the vicinity of Charles City Court House, where the regiment remained during the rest of the day and the succeeding night. On the 15th a move was made of some two miles only. bringing the regiment within a mile of the point selected for the crossing of the James River, where the brigade remained till late in the afternoon of the following day. it having been selected to form the rear guard for the artillery and trains of the corps.
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A HALT IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG.
While resting here during the 15th the Seventh Massachusetts withdrew from the brigade line and marched toward home, their term of enlistment having expired. The recruits and re-enlisted men of the regiment whose time had not expired remained be- hind as a detachment temporarily attached to the Thirty-seventh, the whole numbering nominally ?6 men, of whom but a small part were present for duty.
Shortly before dark the order to march was received, the column filed down the river bank to and across the ponton bridge, then away into the darkness and dust on that most disa- greeable of all duty, a night's march with the trains. Morning brought no relief save that of light, and with it came the terri- ble heat of the sun and increased discomfort from the dust. The command accompanied the trains till they reached their destina- tion at noon, when the Fourth Brigade marched away toward Petersburg, halting during the afternoon within some three miles of the city. Supposing that they had reached bivouac for the night, the weary men were not long in wrapping themselves in their blankets to sleep.
In fact the exhausted brigade had merely halted in front of what was to be the most famous and deadly of all the Confederate intrenched lines, over and about which for 42 long weeks strug- gle and battle and siege were to rage. Petersburg, at which the Federal blow was aimed, was situated on the south bank of the Appomattox River, ten miles from its . junction with the James and 20 miles south of Richmond. Apart from its relations to the latter place, the city was an important center on account of the railroads and turnpikes which radiated from it. The prin- cipal of these may be thus briefly described: The Appomattox River runs in a general easterly direction at this point, bending to the northeast after passing the city, and practically parallel to it lies the City Point railroad, running to the station of- that name on the James River which was henceforth to be Grant's base of supplies. Leaving the line of the City Point road just cast of the city limits. the Norfolk railroad ran to the southeast. Over the roads between these two lines of railway Grant's army had approached the city. South from Petersburg extended the
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Weldon railroad, passing directly through North Carolina to Wilmington, with numerous important connections en route. The Jerusalem plank road ran nearly parallel three or four mile. to the eastward, the Halifax road followed the railroad closely. the Vaughn road branching from it some four miles south of Petersburg and running to the southwest. The Squirrel Lewd! road ran for several miles nearly parallel with the Vaughn : mile to the westward, finally connecting with the latter at a westward bend in its course. Three or four miles still further to the west ran the Boydton plank road, its course being in the same general direction. Some nine miles southwest of the city White Oak road branched from the Boydton and ran nearly due west, while crossing the latter near this point of junction and extending in a southeasterly course across the Vaughn road also was Hatcher's Run, a small stream which farther on its course · connected with Gravelly Run forming Rowanty Creek. West- ward from Petersburg, parallel to the river, ran the Southside railroad and the Cox road, leading into the heart of the Con- federacy. To the north extended the Richmond railroad and the turnpike, threatened by Butler's force at Bermuda Hundred and strongly defended by Beauregard.
Before the arrival of the Sixth Corps important movements had taken place about Petersburg. On the 9th of June General Butler sent a force of infantry under General Gillmore, accom- panied by a small cavalry force under General Kautz, to the south side of the Appomattox to attempt to seize Petersburg and destroy the railroad bridge across the river; but these force: moving by the City Point and Jerusalem roads respectively, en- countered fortifications manned by Wise's brigade and such other defenders as he could get together at short notice, pre- senting so formidable an appearance that no attack was made. On the return of General Smith's command from Cold Harbor . on the 14th it was at once set in motion on a like expedition, crossing the river seven miles below the city on a ponton bridge. Early on the morning of the 15th the column pushed forward and at a distance of two miles from the river encountered a litr of rifle-pits which was soon carried by General Hinks's colored
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