USA > Massachusetts > Record of the service of the Forty-fourth Massachusetts volunteer militia in North Carolina, August 1862 to May 1863 > Part 10
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At last we all had the experience of an attack on the place. March 14 was the anniversary of the capture of New Berne. An elaborate programme had been arranged to commemorate that victory. We were to raise a flag on a new staff just erected; Belger's battery was to fire a salute; his officers and ours were . to provide a collation ; and we were anticipating a pleasant and mildly exciting celebration. Just before daybreak we were awak- ened by the sound of a cannon. We thought it early for the salute, but in a few seconds it was followed by another, this one evidently shotted. Thoroughly aroused, we sprung from our bunks, and going outside the barracks, could distinguish, in the gray of the morning, that Fort Anderson, on the other side of the Neuse River, was being attacked. Shot and shell were drop- ping into the water just opposite our camp, and occasionally one would reach the vicinity of the officers' stables. No reveille was needed that morning to induce the boys to turn out. There had been an affair of the pickets the previous evening, of which we were all aware, but none of us thought it was anything more serious than was happening frequently. Probably our officers knew more about it than we did. The men were ordered to put on all equipments, including knapsacks, and the morning was passed in waiting orders. The Ninety-second New York garri- soned Fort Anderson, and soon after the attack began were reinforced by the Eighty-fifth New York. A rumor was circu- lated that our regiment would be the next sent across the river ; but word came that they had all the men that they could use to advantage, - a fact for which we hope we were duly thankful. That night Companies A and K were sent out on picket, and the next morning were relieved by Companies I and H. The attack was not serious, although for a time the excitement among the men was intense and the air was full of rumors.
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
The next evening, Sunday, about 5 P. M., we received orders to go to Washington, and within an hour or two were on our way to the wharf. Our camp experience was ended, as imme- diately on our return we were assigned to provost duty and remained in town until we left North Carolina for home.
CHAPTER VI.
THE TARBORO' MARCH, AND THE AFFAIR OF LITTLE CREEK AND RAWLE'S MILL.
" Strike up the drums ; and let the tongue of war Plead for our interest."
0 N Sunday evening, Oct. 26, 1862, after an afternoon's ride on platform cars through a drenching rain-storm, we arrived at New Berne from the trans- ports. Only three days later the sev- eral companies were called out before their quarters for the distribution of cartridge-boxes and ammunition, when we were informed that we must make immediate preparation for a move in- to the interior; for early the following morning we were to leave camp in light marching condition, surrendering our knapsacks and their contents to be stored here until our return. The cooks were instructed to prepare five days' rations, and most of the night they toiled over their fires. Rumors and speculations regarding the duty to which we were so suddenly summoned filled the camp, and few eyes closed in restful slumber.
At four on Thursday morning we were turned out to draw rations. At six, regimental line was formed and we marched to the transports which were found waiting to convey a portion of the force to " Little " Washington, on the Tar River.
The First Brigade, under command of Colonel T. J. C. Amory, and the artillery, cavalry, baggage-wagons, and ambulances, had started early to march across the country. The Second Brigade,
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
under Colonel Stevenson, and the Third, under Colonel H. C. Lee, were to go by transports.
Six companies of the Forty-fourth, with the field and staff, went aboard the steamer " George C. Collins," and Companies A, B, G, and K, the remainder of the regiment, under command of Captain James M. Richardson, were taken in tow on the schooner " Highlander," which latter also carried two companies of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts.
We soon got under way, and sailing down the Neuse, passing the batteries silenced by Burnside at the capture of New Berne and the vessels sunk in the river as obstructions to his advance, entered Pamlico Sound about three in the afternoon, and after all day and night aboard found ourselves at Washington the next morning.
Disembarking about noon, we marched through the principal street, wide and shaded with fine elms, to an open cornfield on the east side of the town, where we stacked arms and encamped to await the arrival of the forces coming by land. The field and staff took possession of an old saw-mill on the field of our en- campment. This town, the capital of Beaufort County, about forty miles from the sound, we found neat and pretty. Its streets ran at right angles, were broad and well shaded, and bounded by many old-fashioned, pleasant houses with fine gardens of orna- mental shrubs and trees. In abundance were fig, aloe, Spanish bayonet, mulberry, magnolia, and large rose trees, and English ivy gave a cosey and charming. effect to many of the dwellings. One house was approached by a romantic arbored walk, over three hundred feet in length, of red cedars, the branches of which were so closely interlaced as scarcely to admit the rays of the sun.
The place was garrisoned by a small number of Union soldiers, supported by gunboats which were anchored in the river. Quite a number of the buildings bore evidence of the recent Rebel raid, being seriously marred by shot and shells, and at certain dis- tances the streets were now barricaded by chevaux-de-frise to guard against a sudden dash of cavalry.
We were shown the place where the raiders entered the town through the field of one Grice, who was one of the few whites
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THE TARBORO' MARCH.
remaining since the occupation by our forces. He called him- self a Unionist, but was much suspected of sympathy with the enemy, and was accused by the garrison of covertly advising and assisting the raiders upon their visit.1
On the field of our camp were remains of the enemy's intrench- ments six or seven hundred feet in length.
Wandering about on the second day of our arrival, the explo- sion of a torpedo, which had lain in the bed of the river where it passes the town, reminded us that the occupation by Union soldiers was not originally welcomed. This engine of destruction had been planted before our forces took possession. Its prob- able location was pointed out by the blacks, and a number of fruitless efforts from time to time had been made to explode it by the sailors on the gunboats. On this day, however, the hulk of an old vessel, drawn for that purpose over the spot, caught the trigger and accomplished the object. The craft was blown into the air and the water strewn with débris.
Colonel Amory and his force did not arrive until late on Satur- day, having been delayed by obstructions placed in the line of their march and by skirmishes with a guerilla force. Meanwhile we fully improved our opportunity to explore the town and make friendships among the garrison. On Sunday, Nov. 2, we were awakened by a conflagration in the camp which deserves descrip- tion. Soon after we were marched on to this field, to camp until the arrival of the remainder of the force, our boys discovered in a building near by, which had evidently been used as a sugar- box manufactory, a large quantity of planed boards of convenient length for the construction of shelters, and in an incredibly short time most of these boards were transferred to the camp, and the field was covered with little wooden huts. Just before sunrise some of the guard, finding their fires low and the air frosty and cold, knowing we were to march, with a spirit of mischief took the boards of an adjoining hut and threw them upon the fire for fuel. The inmates, who had been wrapped soundly in slum- ber, awakened by the sudden admission of the frosty air, startled by the proximity of the flames, jumped to their feet, and, taking
1 He proved himself loyal just before the arrival of the Confederate troops to attack Little Washington, in April, 1863.
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
in the situation, showed their appreciation of the joke by per- petrating the same upon their neighbors, who in turn did the same, until soon over the entire field were roaring, soaring fires of dry pine boards, which afforded a weird and novel sight.
After fully enjoying the scene, we began to boil our coffee and make preparation to march from the town. Although deprived of our knapsacks, and the change of clothing which they con- tained, upon departing from New Berne, yet we had been per- mitted to take along our woollen blankets; but now that we were about to tramp, we were told that we must surrender those like-
wise, and leave them here to await our return, it being the inten- tion of General Foster to put us in the best possible condition to cover long stretches. Remembering the frosty nights, reluctantly we parted with them, and at five o'clock we took up our line of march in the direction of Williamstown, about twenty-two miles north, on the Roanoke River.
Our brigade (the Second), commanded by Colonel Stevenson, took the advance, the New York cavalry preceding as scouts, followed by the Tenth Connecticut as skirmishers; then came the marine artillery, with four guns ; the Fifth Rhode Island; the Forty-fourth Massachusetts and the Twenty-fourth; and Belger's battery, in the order named. Following us were the First and Third Brigades; the whole force consisting of about five thou- sand men and twenty-one pieces of artillery, under the personal command of General Foster.
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THE TARBORO' MARCH.
We marched out through an open field and entered the woods by a road leading from the north of the town, when we were halted and ordered to load our muskets. Continuing the march, we made the woods ring with "Coronation " and other hymns and songs, until about ten o'clock, when firing was heard ahead, - first volleys of musketry, then some artillery, and a column of smoke arose a quarter of a mile or more away to the left. We were stopped, and soon a cavalryman rode down the line lead- ing a wounded horse to the rear, and we learned that the head of the column had encountered and driven a company of the enemy's cavalry pickets, capturing one prisoner.
The line was again set in motion, and we soon arrived at the place of the skirmish. By the side of the road stood a horse with its hoof mangled by a bullet, and close by it another with a shattered leg. There were many evidences of the hasty departure of the enemy. Fires still burning, haversacks hanging upon branches of the trees in the grove where they were surprised, and blankets, quilts, and other articles scattered along the road. Their quarters were in a mill near a bridge, which latter, set on fire to cover their retreat, caused the smoke we had seen. The prisoner was a youth of about seventeen years, armed with a double-barrelled shot-gun. He appeared pleased to have been taken without being injured.
Our five days' rations, distributed on the morning of departure from New Berne, lasted but three, and provisions being short, permission was given to forage, and the deserted houses and outbuildings scattered along our route were searched for food. A number of horses and mules were found, confiscated, and made to do service with the Yankee force. Chickens, geese, and turkeys were run down and captured, and many hives of honey emptied of their contents to tickle the palates of hungry soldiers.
Soon we reached fine plantations. About one o'clock we passed a planter's house where the family were all seated upon the piazza, reminding us of the peaceful Sunday at home. Here we were filed off into a large field for rest and dinner, and we cooked our poultry and boiled our coffee over fires of fence-rails. After a short stay we were ordered to fall in once more and resume the march.
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
The sun had become quite hot, and the roads, of fine, loose sand resembling the sands which border our sea beaches, were hard to walk in and extremely dusty. There were many swampy places where the water flowed across the road from a few inches to two or more feet in depth, and sometimes three hundred yards in width. Wading through these, our shoes took in the dry sand beyond, which, held by the water, worked through the woollen stockings and blistered and lacerated our feet. Some of the deeper of these wet places had along one side rude foot-bridges constructed of a single line of hewn logs raised upon upright posts, which, though convenient for a lone traveller, were of no avail whatever unto us. Being inviting, however, to the weary and now footsore men, Colonel Lee was for some time kept busy in vigorously discouraging those who, contrary to his orders, persisted in mounting the logs to cross the water.
When the sun was setting, we approached a bend in the road turning to the left, within a few miles of Williamstown. Our advance was here fired upon from the woods, and two of the pieces drawn by the sailors were unlimbered and brought to bear upon the spot where the enemy seemed to be. Our regiment being now the second in the advance, the Tenth Connecticut, which was leading, was filed off to the right into a field and formed in line of battle, and our right flank companies, H and C, under Captain Smith, were detached as skirmishers and started at the double quick. Passing the Connecticut boys, they were encouraged by such kind exclamations as "Bully for the Forty- fourth ! "-"Go in, boys !"-"Give 'em hell!"-"Drive them out !" etc. Coming to where the sailors stood at their guns, they found a creek called Little Creek, about fifty yards in width, crossing the road. Here they received orders from an aide to Colonel Stevenson to advance through the water and hold one company in reserve upon the other side, deploying the other forward until they met and felt the enemy's force.
Captain Smith, therefore, after ordering them to drop their overcoats and rubber blankets, advanced them down the slope into the water. Before they had got over, and while most of them were submerged to their waists, out of the blackness of the woods which surrounded them suddenly there came a flash, as a volley
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THE TARBORO' MARCH.
of musketry opened within a few yards. There being no sus- picion that the enemy had remained so near our artillery, our boys were thrown into momentary confusion, and the command, " Fall back !" being given by an officer upon the bank, a portion of Company C, which was in the rear, obeyed; the others, not hear- ing, pressed on with a cheer, gained the opposite side, and shel- tered themselves under the bank formed by the edge of the road. Here they opened fire to the right and left up the road, valiantly keeping their position against a brisk fire of musketry. It was soon discovered that much of their ammunition had become wet in crossing, and the firing on our side was consequently light. Word was sent that they had been ordered back; and, still sub- jected to the volleys of the enemy, slowly they made their way across the creek again, firing as they retired. Here they shel- tered themselves in a shallow sand-pit on the right of the road, and, as far as their wetted ammunition would permit, kept up their fire until, finding that they were endangering the gunners on the left in front, they were ordered farther back to guard the overcoats of Companies E and I. Had the enemy directed his fire lower, the casualties would have been very great. As it was, private Charles E. Rollins was killed, and Lieutenant Briggs, Sergeant Pond, Corporal Smith, and Privates Peakes and Small- idge of Company C, and Privates Parker and Jacobs of Company H were wounded.
While this affair was taking place, the column had advanced to within a few rods of the ford, and was greeted with a shower of bullets which went whistling by unpleasantly just over our heads. Thereupon we were ordered to lie down; and, footsore and tired, we gladly threw ourselves upon the ground. The remainder of the brigade was filed off to the left, aides galloped back and forth, the artillery at the rear was brought forward, and Belger's battery and the Napoleon guns were soon pouring shot and shells thick and fast into the woods. Volley after volley of musketry came from both sides, and the wounded went by on stretchers and were laid in a little grove near by, where the surgeons and aides were busy with instruments, lint, and bandages.
Companies H and C having been ordered back, Companies E and I, under Captain Spencer W. Richardson, were ordered to
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
relieve them. Company I was stationed on our side of the creek as a reserve, and Company E, first loosening cartridge-boxcs that they might hold them above the water, pushed across and de- ployed at once in the woods to the right and left. Advancing gradually up the declivity, exchanging shots with the enemy, they dislodged and drove him before them.
A signal officer sent up a rocket to inform the general that the enemy had fallen back, and Companies E and I were then with- drawn, having lost one killed, Private Charles Morse, and one se- verely wounded, Private Charles E. Roberts, both of Company E. They brought back with them three prisoners, captured severally by Parsons, Tucker, and H. T. Pierce, of Company E. Private De Peyster of Company H, the colonel's orderly, while bravely attempting to recover the body of an artillery man in front of our lines, was so badly wounded that Surgeon Otis was obliged to amputate his arm in a cabin upon the field.
The remainder of the regiment was now ordered to " fix bay- onets " and cross the stream ; so, holding up our cartridge-boxes, silently and slowly we marched down and into the ford. It was pitchy dark, and, heated and perspiring as we were by our long and hurried tramp under a scorching sun, the water seemed an Arctic current.
The firing had ceased for about half an hour; but while in the stream, some of us to our middle, we were again opened upon, this time with artillery, and crashing through the woods sur- rounding us came their shells, tearing down trees and branches, and bursting all about and near by. We now got through as quickly as possible, and were ordered again to lie down in the road. They had quite accurate range, many of their cannon- shot burying themselves in the bank of the road close above our heads, their shells bursting uncomfortably near, and small trees and heavy branches tumbling among us where we lay.
We did not reply to their fire, but after they ceased and re- treated we were ordered up and on. The enemy had retired to Rawle's Mill, about a mile beyond, where they made another stand. The Twenty-fourth was now thrown forward as skirmish- ers, and obstructions having been placed at every practicable point, our progress was greatly delayed, and the advance made
Bridge
0
# RAWLE'S
a
MILL
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9
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Open Field
11
10
+++
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1. GEN. FOSTER & STAFF.
2. REGIMENT HALTED WHEN SKIRMISHERS SENT FORWARD. ,
3 WOODPILE
4. HOSPITAL
S ROLLINS & MORSE BURIED
6 ROLLINS KILLED
-
7 MORSE KILLED
@ LONG HALT
, AMBUSHLD STEBBINS WOUNDED
14 BATTERIES
II REGIMENT DIVQUALED
12 REBEL BREASTWORKS
IS HEAD QUARTERS AFTER SKIAMISK
NoY. 2 1862 Arranged by J.8 DAQUINER, CO.D.
ATLISTIPE PRINTING CO BOZTOM
To Washington
Sketch of Skirmish at Rawle's Mill:
To Washington.
Smitherick's
TO JAMESVILLE M
To Williamstown
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THE TARBORO' MARCH.
very fatiguing. Word was quietly passed that we were expected to take some works on the left. Line was to be formed upon the field, our regiment to deploy on the right and left of the road, with the Tenth Connecticut on our right flank and the Twenty -. fourth on the left, and we should first deliver one round and then charge.
Cautiously and noiselessly we moved. After midnight we en- tered a side-cut road, having an extensive cornfield on its left, and came to a halt just at a little bend. The stillness was pain- ful, for we felt ourselves to be near the enemy. Suddenly a volley of musketry was poured into us at the head of the column, seemingly from no greater distance than a couple of rods. There was a rush upon our front, and tumbling into the narrow road where we were cooped up came horses and men of the marine battery in wildest confusion. Lieutenant Stebbins of Company D was wounded, Colonel Lee was knocked down, and those for- ward were thrown back in great disorder; but the word "Steady !" being given by the lieutenant-colonel, the men at once recovered and stood firm. The colonel, regaining his feet, gave the order to fall back, and we retired to a position farther back in the road, while Belger's battery and a battery of the Third New York Artil- lery Regiment, drawn up in the field, commenced shelling the enemy. The roar of the guns and screeching of shells gave to us a grand experience, and the woods shook with the fearful din.
The enemy replied at first with his artillery, but soon ceased ; and it being ascertained that he had fled, burning the bridge as he crossed, at about two o'clock on Monday morning we were permitted to lie down on our arms and sleep in the field, in line behind the batteries.
Cold, wet, and exhausted as we were, with nothing over us but our rubber blankets, in that frosty field under the open sky, after twenty hours of almost constant marching and engagement, we were thankful for the privilege, and in a short time were soundly wrapped in slumber.
The general established his quarters at a small house adjoin- ing Rawle's Mill, a little in advance of our position, near to the bridge which had been burned at our approach. The dead were gathered, and solemnly and hurriedly buried by the light of
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FORTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.
lanterns in the grove of pines on the left, before crossing the creek.
During the latter part of this day's experience many became so tired that they slept while standing in the road during the numerous little halts when we were cautiously advancing; and when softly the order "Forward !" was given, they would topple like tenpins before they could recover themselves. Whenever permitted to lie down, in spite of the roar of cannons, the rattle of musketry, and bursting of shells, most would be asleep in an instant, only to be awakened by that recurring "Forward!" which seemed to be the only sound that reached their compre- hension. There was something so curious about this that it ex- cited universal attention. On the Goldsboro' march, a soldier, sleeping, tired, and weary, with his feet to the burning stump of a tree for warmth, rolled over upon it and set his clothing afire. Two or three of his comrades seized and vigorously shook him, shouting themselves hoarse in trying to awake and warn him of his danger; but he rolled like a dummy in their hands, and slept on as placidly as if undisturbed, until one mischievously uttered the command "Forward!" when he was on his feet in an in- stant, rubbing his eyes, and gathering himself together ready to march.
About three hours later we were awakened, and stiff and sore we got on to our feet. The water in our canteens was frozen, and a thick white frost covered our rubber blankets and such parts of our arms and equipments as had been exposed. We were obliged to move about briskly for a while to take the stiffness out of our joints and give circulation and warmth to the blood. The pioneers had rebuilt the bridge during the night. With little delay we fell into line, Companies A and G being placed at the right, and moved on toward Williamstown, passing some of the enemy's dead lying torn, ghastly, and unburied where they fell.
At about twelve o'clock we marched into the town and halted for breakfast, stacking arms in the street before a fine mansion. The inhabitants had deserted at the sound of our guns the night before, taking with them much of their furniture and goods. Like Washington, the streets were broad and finely shaded, bor- dered with residences having enclosures containing many pretty
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THE TARBORO' MARCH.
trees and shrubs. We found that several gunboats had sailed up the Roanoke and arrived here, waiting to co-operate with us. Blacks in great numbers had joined us on our march and soon began to ransack the deserted houses. Some of the soldiers partook too freely of discovered apple-jack, and under its influ- ence joined in pillage and destruction of furniture and orna- ments, until forcibly prevented by the provost-guard. With pleasure I relate that the Forty-fourth took no part in such depredations.
Our object in coming here was to attempt the defeat and cap- ture of a force of the enemy which had gathered upon the river below, near Plymouth, threatening to attack and retake that town garrisoned by United States troops. They had already con- structed a bridge over which to transport their artillery; but, warned of our approach, a portion went up to Rawle's Mill to hold us in check, while the remainder passed to the interior. Their rear-guard passed through Williamstown very early this" morning in full retreat and much demoralized. We also expected to intercept large convoys of provisions which the Rebels were transporting from the section to the east and south of Plymouth. This we failed to accomplish.
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