USA > Massachusetts > Reminiscences of military service in the Forty-third regiment, Massachusetts infantry, during the great Civil war, 1862-63 > Part 11
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Not the least among the officials of our company was our worthy cook, William B. Bryant. To our extreme regret he passed away in 1866. We shall all remember him as long as we recall any of the circumstances of our unwonted life in North Carolina. Of course, everybody grumbles at the cook, - that is, nearly all, - and the man that can live it all down, and fairly stop the mouths of the querulous, is no common character. He must have the endurance of the ox in inces- sant labor, and the hide of the rhinoceros to ward off the flying shafts of the petulant and the particular. Our friend combined in an odd yet happy manner some excellent and kindly traits of character, with sufficient force to command respect. . When his patience was exhausted by complaints, he could make it as squally as he pleased all around the cook-house, and, after the atmosphere had cleared. would call the grumblers back in a deprecating tone, and give them a little more or a little less fat, etc., with as acceptable grace
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as if he had only his youthful brood at home to care for, instead of a hundred men.
Next in order to the culinary department of the regiment comes the sutler's tent. Mr. James Q. Gilmore of our city supplied our needs in this respect in a satisfactory manner. I can readily imagine that a low-bred and avaricious sutler can be a most efficient instrument of evil in a camp; but I know nothing about it, as the personal influence of the friend who filled this post in our battalion was the reverse of all this.
A sutler's tent is a country store, with all that relates abso- lutely and entirely to the feminine element of society left out. Mr. Gilmore was well supported by his help, most of whom were disabled soldiers of the Potomac army. We were uniformly as well treated as if there had been a rival "store" over on the other corner.
I will here supplement the statement of our chaplain con- cerning our moral and religious status, with some further details. I think that we escaped almost entirely the lower- ing influences of gambling. Nothing of this was public, at least. Those who were free from this demoralizing vice when they joined the regiment must have remained so. I do not know how deeply our armies were infected with this insidious moral malaria ; but I heard and saw more of it in North Caro- lina than I like to record. I was startled and confounded, on one occasion, to see a regiment at an outpost, under circum- stances where they might at any moment have been called into action, engaged in play. The paymaster was in camp ; and, just as quick as the officers and men got their money, they extemporized gaming-tables in the broad light of day, on stumps of trees, drums, knapsacks, etc., and the whole regiment went into the fearfully demoralizing excitement, piles of greenbacks being everywhere visible. The expos- ures and temptations of the officers and men of the regular army in isolated posts must be terrible. The practice should be as sternly prohibited among them as duelling is.
Another exposure of the soldier we did not so fully escape. In the extensive details from the brigade which were made
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to build earthworks. I am sorry to be obliged to say that the government took the place of the tempter by its issue of a whiskey ration. There was not the slightest reason for it. The labor was not hard; the day's work was short; and we were not driven. It was entirely optional with us whether to work or not. The principal reason for doing it. besides getting the drink, was to escape the ennui of drills : these, however, were seldom over five hours and a half per day. In my judgment, there is not sufficient reason for the issue of liquor by the government, except at the suggestion of the surgeon, and then, only under extraordinary circumstances, when warm coffee or tea cannot be supplied.
These remarks are not to be understood as implying the prevalence of drunkenness among us : on the contrary, we were as free from it as from gambling. Our surgeon, Dr. Webber, was entirely opposed to the liquor ration. It was not issued in the regiment. We had none on the severest marches we made. Our camp was an outpost with very restricted rela- tions to the rest of the world. Visits to Newbern were few, and far between. Martial law was supreme in the depart- ment, and it is practically prohibitory of the sale of liquor.
The great plain upon which we were located was the Champ de Mars of Newbern. Our drills at first took the impressive form of the sham battle, during which exercises the brigade went through the evolutions and firing appropri- ate to warfare in the open field. After the first month or two, however, firing was omitted, the drill of the brigade became merely mechanical, and was tedious in the extreme ; the only movement which I recall as relieving our ennui being that which for the mon ent transforms the three to five thousand men of the brigade into a disorderly mob ; for this is, apparently, the effect of a certain order. In an instant of time every man starts on the double-quiek, so far as the un- practised observer can see, without any reference to any one but himself. The scene is a surprising one. The men seem struck with a panic, and to be doing their best to get off from the field in a vehement access of terror; but really every man knows his duty. and place, and is held to it by a fine
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social instinct moulded into military forms. The movement takes several minutes ; and at its completion every soldier locates himself without the slightest hesitation or confusion, and each regiment forms part of a compacted line of battle entirely different from the original one. The scene, as the men moved over the undulations of the plain, was beautiful in the extreme.
These evolutions took their highest form in a grand re- view (on Feb. 25), for which I am indebted, for a full and interesting account, to the anonymous author of " The Cam- paign of the Forty-fifth."
" It was a beautiful sight to watch the long line of troops which filed over the bridge, their bayonets flashing in the sunlight. as regiment after regiment eame up, and took its place in line. The line was formed in brigades, four regiments deep, in the order of the brigades, our brigade holding the right, the artillery and cavalry occupying the extreme left.
" The thunder of the artillery announced the arrival of our gallant commander, Major-Gen. Foster ; and soon he appeared at our front, finely mounted, and attended by his full staff. Drums are ruffled, and arms presented, while the band plays . Hail to the Chief,' as he dashes along in his inspection of each regiment, the musie continuing while he is passing through the brigade, then the next band takes up the strain.
" After a long rest, and a lunch by all who had been prudent enough to bring a supply of hard taek in their pockets, our turn came for an active part in the proceedings of the day. Gen. Foster had taken his station on a slight eminenee, and sat faeing the eentre of the line, which, brigade deep, extended for full a mile. Surrounded by his staff, he was the objeet of attraction of a erowd of spectators who thronged about him, -from Mrs. Foster and her brilliant staff of ladies, down to the most ragged contraband in all that motley assembly ..
" As we wheeled by platoons, and marched in review, the sight which greeted us was one long to be remembered for its grandeur and beauty. Line upon line of unbroken ranks stretched on as far as the eye could reach. Over each regiment waved our beautiful flag, its eolors glowing with unwonted richness in the warm win- ter's sun, the bayonets throwing back flashes of light, and the
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artillery and cavalry relieving the scene from all monotony, while the Neuse, sparkling in the sunlight, and its distant bank covered with the forest evergreen, formed a perfeet background for this gorgeous picture. Then there was the long row of spectators, some seated in vehieles of all sorts and descriptions, others mounted on animals ranging from the finest charger to the scrub- biest donkey ; while on foot was a crowd composed of every age, sex, and color. In their midst sat our commander, patiently awaiting our approach.
" As we drew near, the band filed off to the left, and took its position directly opposite the general, where it continued playing till our brigade had all passed, when it was relieved by the next band, and once more took its place in line. As each platoon passed, the general saluted, while he honored the colors by remov- ing his hat, the band also giving the customary salute. Battalion after battalion, battery after battery, troop after troop, they came, till the first battalion, making the complete circuit, came upon the rear of the last troop, thus forming an unbroken cirele. As each regiment reached the place of starting, it halted until the long glittering array was once more in position ; then again the artillery thundered forth the salute, and the grand review was over."
During the winter the distinctive form of the drills of the companies during the mornings was that of skirmishing, and toward the close of our term we were practised in street- firing, with an ominous forecast of the July riots.
When we arrived at Newbern, we found a parapet earth- work located on the plain, close to the upper bridge across the Trent. It was armed with eight-inch cannon, and was called Fort Gaston. Its gunners kept themselves in practice by occasionally shelling the plain. Stakes were set at re- corded distances, say a thousand feet away, etc. ; and expe- rience in cutting fuzes was acquired by close observation of the point at which the shells exploded.
These occasions would call us all from our tents ; and, after they were over, the experts in eluding the guards would go out, and bring in the fragments of iron. Terrible things they were, some of them, to be burst in the midst of human beings. I had supposed that cast iron would break with a clean,
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square fracture; but I found, to my surprise, all sorts of diabolical angles and spear-like forms in the specimens which the boys brought in. We passed them round the tents with various comments and grim jokes, something, as I apprehend, like those with which Artemus Ward's stage-driver beguiled the time as they were riding along the edge of the precipices in the Sierras of California ; that is, in telling about those who had been killed by them.
Some of the most necessary avocations of life are carried on with tolerable freedom in a camp. There is little or no difficulty in getting the services of a barber. Such jobs as the repairs of shoes or clothing, which require more time in the execution, are readily done in the intervals of duty. Carpentering, or other work calling for large or costly tools, is not so easily accomplished ; but needs in that direction are met, in a rough way, by requisitions on the pioneers or cooks for planes, axes, knives, etc. Artistic work, like that of the dentist, is more difficult to obtain. We were favored, how- ever, by the presence of " the doctor " (S. R. Adams) among our number, whose well-earned reputation extended through- out the department, and brought many a poor sufferer with an aching jaw from distant regiments, into our street, to depart a happier man.
Generally speaking, however, a camp of Yankees is a jack- knife paradise. We skilled workers in wood and iron could do nothing for lack of our accustomed tools. The amount of brierwood pipes, and various " bric-a-brac " articles made out of beef-bones and the horus of cattle, to say nothing about silver coin converted into medals, was enormous. Jus- tice compels me to say that much of our work was of a high order. Many a memento of Camp Rogers is in existence in some of these forms, and they will go worthily down to pos- terity as pleasant memorials of the days which tested the highest qualities of manhood.
My next chapter will begin with a letter written two days after the one with which I shall close. Gen. Foster had evidently been warned that a large force, composed of Long- street's best troops, was on their way to North Carolina, and
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he was on the alert to give them a suitable reception. The notice came none too soon ; for, in ten days after its arrival, it thundered and lightened all around Newbern, and from that time to the end of our term there was no lack of inter- esting events and stirring excitement.
CAMP ROGERS, NEWBERN, March 3, 1863.
I visited Newbern yesterday for the second time since I was here; the first being on the 9th of December, when I happened to light upon just the moment that it was all astir with the prepara- tions for the march on Goldsborough, and there was altogether too much excitement for me to enjoy myself. But yesterday it was quite the reverse. My eyes were delighted with sights to which for four months they have been almost entire strangers. I found myself walking the streets among citizens, - women and children, - heard gentle voices, and saw them engaged in shopping, garden- ing, etc. I felt myself moved with gratitude to God, that hitherto he had preserved me, and now, with submission to his will, allowed me to begin, with the opening of the beautiful spring, -for nature here is all astir, - to look forward to a glad re-union to the home circle. . . . How tremendous the crisis in our national affairs! It seems to me that if I could have foreseen, when I volunteered, the disasters that have happened, my faith would have failed me. Of one thing, however, I feel assured, -however this great contest may end, the North is to be freed from its complicity with the curse of slavery. If there is a shade of doubt in these remarks respecting the success of our efforts to preserve the Union, you must not look upon it as a settled or willing conclusion on my part, but to my narrowness of perception, surrounded as I am by influences so forbidding as the present are in some important respects. We seem as a nation to be brought to the brink of the Red Sea. If the Almighty by his providence calls us to go forward, we must, trusting to him to heap the waters so that they overwhelm us not.
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CHAPTER VIII.
ATTACK ON NEWBERN.
CAMP ROGERS, March 5, 1863.
A MAIL for the North closes at seven, and, as our circum- stances are a little unusual, I thought I had better drop a few lines to you. To-day, at noon, we received verbal orders, or, rather, word, to be ready at an hour's notice to march in light order, and for the cooks to be prepared to cook three days' rations. We were given reason to suppose that we should receive definite orders on dress-parade, but they did not come ; and we are told instead to keep ourselves in readiness to march at any moment. The rations, however, have not been issued to the cooks; and when Lieut. Bradbury, who has a large force of pioneers at work on a road, went to Gen. Foster this afternoon to know if his men were to go, the general told him that the Forty-third had no orders yet, and of course he had not, and so sent him about his business.
Nothing of special interest occurred for a week, and we were beginning to wonder what the warning meant, when occurrences transpired sufficiently impressive to quicken the dullest comprehension among us.
CAMP ROGERS, March 18, 1863.
Last Friday afternoon, the 13th, just after supper, we were startled by a dozen or more artillery-discharges, fired with such rapidity as to indicate the extreme of danger, - very different from the slow shelling of the woods which we have been accustomed to hear on our marches, or the artillery-practice of the forts, which has been going on more or less since the expedition to Charleston went off.
This firing appeared to be out on the Kinston road, some miles to the north of us. It appears that Gen. Foster had proposed something on the next day, the 14th, in the shape of a celebra-
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ATTACK ON NEWBERN.
tion of the capture of Newbern ; for during the evening we re- ceived orders to be ready to march into town in the morning in our dress-coats ; but we were told to take forty rounds of ammunition with us, as our pickets on the Kinston road had been driven in two miles, and it was uncertain what the developments of the day might be.
During the night, about one o'clock, there were unusual noises and moving about in camp, rousing us from sleep. The long roll was beaten, and we soon learned that it was in connection with fresh orders to have our breakfast at three o'clock, and march immediately after with one day's ration.
We got off about daylight, and went across the Trent by the upper bridge, going over to the Kinston road, and striking it about a mile to the north of Newbern. As we approached the road, we came out of the forest, bringing Newbern into view about two miles off on our right. We found that Fort Totten was ac- tively engaged in firing. We supposed it was a salute to the day, but were mystified to observe the frequent explosion of shells close to the fort itself, and we were still further confused, as we marched out away from the town, to hear that the firing continued.
[This was one of the finest sights that we saw ; but it came so unexpectedly that we did not realize it at the time. The fort was nearly hidden by the dense volumes of smoke from its own guns : they were heavy pieces, aimed directly at the enemy ; and the animus with which they were being worked was entirely different from what we supposed. The great white cloudy rings from the bursting shells in the air above, strangely mingled with the light- ning-like flashes which were vomited from the black folds of smoke below, with the national colors defiantly waving from a tall staff over them all, were impressive in the highest degree.]
We had gone about three miles from Newbern when we sud- denly received countermanding orders, and were marched back to our camp by the same road we came. The firing at Newbern continued until noon, and we also heard, about eleven, rapid firing again out on the Kinston road. At three in the afternoon, at ten minutes' notice, we again fell in, resmining our march in the same direction, but reaching, this time, a place about six miles out, relieving the regiment which had been attacked, - the Massa- chusetts Twenty-fifth.
I should here state that we learned during the forenoon that the
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enemy were trying to shell Newbern from the north bank of the Neuse. The river is so wide, however, - two miles at this point, - and the gunboats were so active, that they did not accomplish much. Those that we saw bursting over Fort Totten came from this source.
As we marched out, we met returning soldiers, who all agreed in their statements that the enemy were in force a short distance ahead ; but on we pushed, reaching our camping-ground about seven, with the understanding that at least two brigades of the enemy were only two miles off. We could sec their camp-fires burning brightly across the plantation.
We were put for the night into a narrow gully through which a brook ran, and told to kindle small fires low down toward the water, so as not to draw the fire of the encmy. The Twenty-fifth soon withdrew, marching back to Newbern, leaving us with one company of cavalry and two pieces of artillery. We composed ourselves' to sleep - those of us who could. I made a poor piece of work of it, as my pillow was a stump of a tree just as the woodman left it standing in the ground ; and the gully was so steep, that my lower limbs were literally "two feet" lower than my head. Those of us who were awake had the pleasure of seeing ouz old " Merrimac " friends of the Forty-sixth file in on the other side of the brook about eleven o'clock. We were glad enough to meet them.
Our cavalry scouts assured us the next morning that the enemy had retreated. We lay in camp until about three o'clock P.M., expecting orders to return. But this was not to be ; for two briga- diers, Amory and Potter, came out to us, and we marched on till after dark, again encamping, and posting our pickets. As soon as we could see, on Monday morning, we were off again, as silent as if we had been so many thieves. This time we went as far as our first camp-ground on the Great March, - some fifteen miles from Newbern, and nearly half-way in a direct line to Kinston. We saw evidence all along the road that a large force had just pre- ceded us ; and when we halted we formed in line of battle across the road, with our cannon pointing down into Deep Gully: We waited here an hour, not knowing but that any moment might begin an action, as the place was one of the most defensible on the whole road. During this time the cavalry advanced cautiously some miles ahead, accompanied by Gen. Amory, and returned
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ATTACK ON NEWBERN.
with the report that the enemy had really disappeared ; whereat we turned our faces joyfully homewards about nine A.M., leaving a few companies of the Forty-sixth at the picket-posts, and reach- ing Camp Rogers about four in the afternoon of Monday the 16th, having marched over twenty miles that day.
We found that the invalid guard had been badly frightened during our absence, as it was so definitely reported, as almost to compel belief, that the enemy were out in force to the south and west of us ; that they had captured and burned the posts on the railroad between here and Beaufort, and torn up the road, - all of which proved afterward to be wholly untrue. In short, it was a time of excitement and alarm. But all is well that ends well, and we feel as reasonably assured as ever that Newbern cannot be retaken, except by a large force.
There were some incidents of interest which came under my notice as we were going out. I happened to be close to Chaplain James of the Twenty-fifth just as he was describing the heroic valor with which the rebels charged upon and captured a Quaker cannon, to find out at their leisure that it was a pine stick charred black by fire. The chaplain could hardly sit on his horse for laughter. This little affair has pleased us all. Just after we had passed him, and got well out toward our Saturday night's camp by the brook, who should we meet but a charming lady on horseback in company with several officers of high rank. Some said she was an officer's daughter; others, that she was a fast woman from Baltimore : of this I do not know, but it was a most unusual sight.
This was the only time that we were brought into direct relations with the brave Twenty-fifth Regiment. It origi- nated in the city of Worcester, in social and military circles familiar with the struggle in Kansas which preceded the war. No record can be found more heroic than its history. Some of its experiences in the last campaign in Virginia demon- strate that truth is stranger than fiction.
The Forty-third stood in line opposite to them, a few moments, in a narrow road and in darkness, on the evening that we relieved them : they had been under fire all day. The trees gave evidence, as we passed the spot the next morn- ing, of the accuracy of the rebel aim. Their spirits had risen
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to the occasion : they were bound to resist the rebel advance till the last moment, and our presence was welcomed with gratitude and patriotic affection. As I stood in my place in the line, I heard a soldier right opposite to me, but whose face I could not see, break out, in a subdued yet impressive manner, with Scripture words of salutation and thanks to us. I am sorry that I preserved no note of them; but the tone and spirit was that of Isaiah, " How beautiful upon the moun- tains are the feet of those that bring good tidings!" To the credit of our own regiment, I will say that there were no rude or unseemly comments in reply.
In explanation of the preceding letters, it should be stated that Fort Totten, which we found enveloped in smoke from its own guns, as well as from the bursting shells of the enemy, was the central and largest earthwork of the defences of Newbern : these fortifications extended at least five miles, - from Fort Anderson on the north bank of the Neuse, to what was known as the "Block House," at Brice's Creek, near Camp Rogers, south of the Trent.
Fort Totten had a peculiarity which made it quite a con- spicuous object in the level scenery of North Carolina. In- side of the work, a few feet in the rear of the guns, a high palisade was erected. It was composed of large trees set close to each other, in two rows a number of feet apart. The space between the rows was filled with earth. The palisade must have been at least thirty feet or more in height.
It was erected, as I judge, to protect the gunners from a fire in the rear, to which they would have been much exposed if the enemy had obtained possession of the plain on the south of the Trent, upon which our regiment, with others, was encamped.
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