USA > Massachusetts > Reminiscences of military service in the Forty-third regiment, Massachusetts infantry, during the great Civil war, 1862-63 > Part 9
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The direct form that this obligation takes calls upon the colonel to remain standing while under fire, after all the men, even his associates the lieutenant-colonel and major, are com- paratively sheltered by lying down, or in some other way. The manner in which a sense of common danger and sacrifice in a great cause develops itself on the field of action forms one of the most interesting of my recollections. There is familiarity between officers and men without disrespect: a marked and impressive sociality rules the moments as they fly. No one knows but what at any instant the brittle thread of life may be shockingly sundered, and the possibility is sufficiently probable to impress even the most superficial with a certain unwonted elevation of demeanor. Col. Holbrook walked with the utmost coolness up and down the road the whole length of the regiment, or in front of the battery which we sup- ported, during the whole of the action at Whitehall. He must have been in plain sight, during most of the time, to the enemy. He was in frequent communication with us, and we with him. We had considered him cold and unsympathetic; but these opinions were permanently reversed by his conduct. Naturally somewhat undemonstrative in his nature, he rose into the kindest interest in our welfare, expressed more in manner than in words, but not lacking in the last respect.
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It would be useless to attempt to recall the details of this intercourse : it is sufficient to say that language which would appear utterly commonplace in print was really impressive .
in the highest degree, both in tone and manner, when uttered in such circumstances as those by which we were surrounded.
It should be said, that, in a less degree, this same obligation of self-sacrifice rests upon the officers of the line also. We had the evidence at Whitehall that its terms would be honora- bly and faithfully met. Lieutenants Colesworthy of our com- pany, and Nickerson of Company E, were upon their feet at once when private Smith was killed. It was thought at first that his injury was only to the arm, and they proceeded to obtain a tourniquet. But it proved that the missile had not only cut off his arm, but had gone also through his body, and buried itself in the ground, so that he had passed beyond mortal aid.
The final allusion that I wish to make is to the freedmen, as they were beginning to be called at that time; for the Emancipation Proclamation was soon to bring its blessings, and make its claims upon them.
One of the last siglits that I saw, as I looked back over my shoulder, when we entered the gloomy recesses of the swamp at Kinston, was a line of black faces behind us, out of the range of shot, making a good show for a battalion, at least. They were officers' servants and camp-followers, attached in various ways to the column. They were not at that time supposed to possess sufficient courage to fight. But time works changes; and in war it often does it quite rapidly. Four months afterward, Gen. Wild came into North Carolina, and formed the First Brigade of United-States colored troops among these same men. They were the pioneers of two hun- dred thousand Africans who were enrolled before the end of the war.
Very pitiable was the scene which I often witnessed as I sat or reclined by myself during the night by the camp-fires. These poor people were but slightly provided, and, for the most part, not provided at all, with blankets, or even coats. After they thought the men were all asleep, they would
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swarm in around the fires, shivering with the cold, pinched and cramped in their whole being, as the flies are in early autumn. The soldiers lay with their feet as near the fire as was allowable on account of the exposure of their blankets to the heat. Perhaps there was eighteen inches (half a yard) of space open. No white man could stop longer than a few moments in this opening, so intense was the heat of the blazing Southern pine; but into these narrow limits many of them would go without the least hesitation, and not only stretch themselves out at full length on the ground, but lay there quietly for hours. At first I did not interfere, thinking that they would not be able to endure the heat for any length of time ; but the men soon began to notice the cessation of warmth at their feet, and in some cases drove them away. Whenever I observed this, I prevented them from returning to that particular spot, holding them where I was myself, at the end of the rails in the vacant place of a few feet between the fires.
I have never heard or seen any statement in respect to the number of colored people who accompanied us on our return. It must have been quite large, if there were as many scattered along the route as there were that marched by the side of our battalion. Those in the vicinity of Company H were of a high character. Whole families were together. The parents carried the young children in their arms or upon their shoulders. I noticed that they were quite reserved. It was not easy to draw them out in conversation. This was a gen- eral peculiarity of the time, quite possibly owing to the rude chaffing which they often experienced.
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CHAPTER VI.
THE TRENTON MARCH.
F OR three days after returning, we did nothing but rest : the ordinary duty of guarding the camp was all that was required. Many of us could only walk with difficulty for a week. Quite a number of the irrepressibles of the regiment found themselves without clothing and guns; and they were obliged to wait for a new outfit at their own ex- pense. This happened through their indiscretion in attempt- ing to combine pleasure with duty. Two or three youngsters would get together, and camp by themselves at a distance from others : they would all fall asleep around a blazing fire to be waked up suddenly by its spreading in the furze and dry weeds around them. It was said that some barely escaped with their lives, for the flames got such headway as to burn the black-walnut stocks of their guns to cinders. They were the subjects of the ridicule of their comrades, as they flitted, ghostlike, about the camp in their underclothes, while waiting for their new uniforms.
. Christmas Day was made a scene of festivity and fun, so far as our means allowed. For a short time, our officers of all grades were supposed to have resigned their positions, which passed into the hands of the rank and file of the regi- ment. Wooden swords and other strangely bombastic pro- ceedings were the order of the hour. . Orderly Edmunds gave his roll of the company into the hands of a worthy comrade ordinarily known as " Billy," and supposed to be a person of sufficient education and address for the place ; but the first thing that he did was to insist on calling the names of the company wrong end to, beginning at the bottom, instead of at the top, of the list. The men were so unaccus-
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tomed to this, or for some other reason, that they responded very disrespectfully, or not at all, and finally went tumultu- ously on to the parade-ground under the charge of another worthy private acting as captain, whom I shall call " Hop." His vigorous efforts to induce his command to "keep the cadence of the step," and other semi-military injunctions to which we were accustomed, signally failed to enforce disci- pline. The dress-parade under the command of a young corporal of Company B, whom I may with propriety designate as Col. Harum Scarum, was disorderly and ridiculous to a high degree ; his utmost efforts to prevail upon the men to " keep their hands down," and comply with the ordinary obligations of the exercise in cther respects, being derided to his face.
These comic proceedings finally came to an end by natural limitations, and we returned to the settled order of the camp. I deem it appropriate here to pass to the other extreme, and give a view of the moral and religious condition and privi- leges of the regiment, as delineated in an interesting letter from our chaplain to "The Boston Journal :" -
CAMP ROGERS, Dec. 30, 1862.
While sharing somewhat in the cvils common to all regiments, the Forty-third has given many cheering evidences of a moral and religious soundness much exceeding the average in this depart- ment. Its soldiers are, for the most part, of mature age : the plant of self-respect has had time to gain a certain deep-rooted steadiness within them, which renders them superior to the opinions of " vet- erans," and which disinclines them to be imitators, or influenced without good and patent reasons. Steps were taken at the outset to provide a chapel tent (the gift of the Old South Church, at a cost of seven hundred dollars). The influence for good this secured can- not be overestimated. It gives us, wherever we pitch our camp, one consecrated spot, one broad and white covering. - the holy and beautiful tabernacle of our God, -lifting itself ever into the view of the soldier when he goes out and comes in while parading and drilling, and as he busies himself with the almost numberless occupations of the camp. Into this place of sacred solemnitics we come on the sabbath morning at the very hour when our wives and
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mothers are worshipping God in more costly sanctuaries, and we feel, that, while going through our service there, that we commune with multitudes of the honored and beloved who are far away.
We have an excellent choir, and they sing the old standard hymns and tunes, for the most part ; and many of the soldiers who have had hymn-books furnished them help to swell the voice of praise. I have seldom heard better ".congregational singing" than within this " amiable " tabernacle of God : I certainly have heard far poorer, of which parishes in Massachusetts were becom- ingly proud. At the opening of our service we repeat the Lord's Prayer audibly in concert, very many of the soldiers, I am happy to say, devoutly joining. The Scriptures are read (always one or more of the Psalns) responsively ; the preacher beginning, and the soldiers reading in concert the alternate verses. After service, the soldiers linger for reading matter, which is always furnished npon a table in the centre of the tent, of such quantity and quality as the discreet generosity of friends at home has placed within our reach.
In regard to our religious service on Sunday, we differ from many regiments around us, adopting neither the compulsory nor the purely optional plan. The chaplain cannot be too grateful for the aid and co-operation which he has had from his fellow-officers in managing this most delicate and difficult point. All, from the colonel down, have, I believe, both by precept and example, impressed it upon their commands that it is neither soldierly, nor loyal to the spirit of our government, to negleet the culture of the soul. This deseending and surrounding influenee, not amounting to a necessity, but hardly leaving the will of the soldier to the " liberty of indifference," bears very wholesome fruits. Our chapel is well filled ; and the preacher has the comfort of knowing that he speaks to an assembly gathered from desire, and not by sheer military authority.
Having in our regiment several officers and men of the Masonie order, the chapel is assigned for their meetings two evenings each week. They have covered the ground of the tent with a beautiful white sand, which lights up most brilliantly in the evening, and is as dry and soft to the tread as a tapestry carpet. They have also provided a stove, and fitted up certain desks and benches, all covered with a dark red cam! vic, giving to the whole tent a very homelike and inviting appearance., [Comfortable seats were after- wards added. ]
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The evening meetings of a strictly religious character held here are much the same as at home, - a prayer and conference meeting on Sunday evening, and one on Thursday evening, at both of which the chaplain presides. There is also a meeting for practice in singing every Saturday night. Recently a literary society has been organized, with most promising auspices, which will probably occupy the chapel the two -remaining evenings of the week. I have learned with great satisfaction, that beside these more general meetings, - all tending directly or indirectly to the moral elevation of the soldier, - company prayer-meetings are held regularly and frequently in some of the streets ; and in some of the tents, at the suggestion of men not professedly pious, there is Scripture-reading and prayer by some pious comrade before retiring. There was an unusual degree of interest and solemnity in the meeting of last Sunday evening ; the chapel being nearly full, and many eager to pray and speak, with a fervency and humility not often witnessed under any circumstances.
Our company was second to none in the regiment in respect to character and intelligence, and contributed its due share to all the above developments. I will say, in addition, that, during the early spring, considerable numbers of the religious men of the regiment went to Newbern on the sab- bath to teach in the colored schools. This was at the request of the colonel and chaplain. The presence of the rebel col- umn put a stop to this.
We found ourselves associated with two somewhat remark- able religious characters, each one of them being sufficiently peculiar to draw attention outside of the company, and so connecting themselves with its history as to call for allusion. One was that of a man in middle life, decorous and upright in his relation to all the proprieties and moralities, fluent, also, and outspoken in advocacy of religion, but who failed entirely to command the respect of his comrades, for the fol- lowing cause. Concealinent is impossible in a camp. All sides of a man's character come to light in its searching and comprehensive trials. Men who are acting habitually on the highest lines of natural sacrifice in the constant surren- der of individual desires and preferences to the common good
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(and all soldiers are in some sense called upon to do this) are not inclined to regard with favor a religious man who is always on the outlook for his own interests, making him- self unpleasantly conspicuous by the constant assertion, at all times and in all circumstances, of an offensively selfish individualism.
The other case was far less objectionable morally, but even more marked with eccentricity. We had among us one whose countenance was deeply impressed with a strong reli- gious cast, - one of those faces which carry demonstrative evidence, to all shrewd observers, of the utmost sincerity. Strange to say, this worthy man found himself under arrest one day, -- held to answer before the highest regimental au- thority for no less an offence than this; namely, knocking down a sentry. The circumstances were as follows : -
The peculiar mental and spiritual condition of our worthy associate was such, that the government issue of rations was entirely inadequate to his sustenance. It was really a neces- sity with him to obtain, in solitary devotion, a daily supply of that " living bread " which is sent evermore from heaven to replenish the wasting energies of the soul. He was in the habit of going out of camp for this purpose; and being too straightforward to use any artifice about it, and finding himself opposed by one of the guard, he incontinently struck out from the shoulder with such force as to knock the man heels over head.
The colonel found he had a case before him somewhat out of the usual line of culprits. The simplicity and earnestness of the man were too evident to be rudely repressed. Our friend escaped with a gentle admonition to "go and sin no more ;" and the affair had a happy ending. By the exercise of a little discretion he managed thereafter to find occasions for private devotion; the case being so well understood throughout the regiment, that even Catholic sentries came to a common understanding, with the rest of us, in respect to the Protestant "saint " in Company H, and took good care not to see too much when he was in the neighborhood.
From my own letter of the date already quoted, and others
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following, I make the following selections, to indicate the course of our experiences at this time : -
CAMP ROGERS, Jan. 1, 1863.
. Rumor is quite rife as to the destination of our regiment. . If the unreliable dame is to be believed, we shall shortly be on the wing. How this will be, I cannot, of course, tell ; but the indica- tions are, that we shall not accompany the expedition which another batch of reports from the same delusive souree say is slowly fitting out against Wilmington. All that I can do in these matters is to give you the atmosphere. as I may say, of the camp at the moment, or for a few days previous to, writing.
I cannot say too much in praise of the winter climate of North Carolina. It is truly delightful. We have as yet seen nothing eolder (in the daytime) than we had in Readville, and not steady cold at that. Just now it is a little sharp ; but we have had no ice over a quarter of an inch thick. There have not been more than three or four days when the sky has had that gloomy, leaden aspeet so peculiar to it in our Northern homes at this season of the year. The clouds are warm and rosy in their character, and appearanees of rain are soon dispelled. We have had but two continuous rain- storms sinee our arrival, though it is said that there will be a change for the worse in this respect as the season advances. I find it very difficult to realize your situation in Chelsea in respect to weather, and also to believe that this is New-Year's Day.
CAMP ROGERS, Jan. 5, 1863.
We have had two quite interesting occurrences in camp lately, - one public, the other private, in its character. The first was the appearance among us of Mr. Bond, who is associated with Mayor Fay in kind efforts to relieve the necessities of the soldiers. He is a merchant who has two sons in the Forty-fifth, and he was sent out by Gov. Andrew immediately on hearing that we were on a mareli. He was present at Chapel Tent service last Sunday a week ago, and, although no orator, he made a very feeling address to us, assuring us of the interest and influence of the State gov- ernment and people in our behalf. What made it peculiarly pleas- ant to me and to others of Company H who were present was the fact that he was very complimentary and pointed in his remarks concerning Chelsea and her citizen soldiers. It was the most pleasing address of a public character that I have heard since I
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volunteered. At its close he invited us to come to him with any request that we had, or any parcel to deliver to our friends. I had the satisfaction of shaking hands with him.
I had almost forgotten to say that about a fortnight ago, while I was busy sewing the string on to the flap of our tent, who should walk into our street. but Charlie Farnum, the former carpenter of the ferry, and Capt. Dale, who used to run the coaches. They are now on the United-States steamer " Maple Leaf." I should not have been more surprised if the " Trimountain " had thrust her bow round the sergeant's tent into Company II's street. They left Chelsea in September; but their faces were as welcome to us as if they had just come from home. You had better believe that I made a pump-handle of Charlie's right arm for a spell, and there were enough to serve the captain the same way.
. . . I can well imagine how desirous you are to hear from us ; and as I read your letters last night, only five days from home, I could not but rejoice in the facilities for rapid intercourse now existing. As I wrote you in my last, there seems every indication that Amory's Brigade, including, of course, ourselves, will remain for the defence of Newbern. This, of course, is not certainly known, and, even if it is the present intention of our general, he miglit very suddenly alter his mind. It is now, however, thoughit probable, by those who desired and expected to go, that we shall remain here. So far as I can ascertain, re-enforcements have been pouring in upon us to such an extent that our general can well afford the necessary number to hold Newbern while he makes the advance on Wilmington. [All this gossip about Wil- mington was finally dissipated by the ultimate direction of the force to Charleston, S.C.]
MONDAY, A.M., Jan. 12, 1863.
It is some time since the above was written ; but no mails have left Newbern in the interim, as is supposed on account of the prepa- rations for the great expedition, which it is desirable to conceal as far as is possible. I am in complete ignorance as to when this will go, though I shall keep it open until the last moment before our departure, of which you will probably hear before you have the reading of this letter. Last night, orders were read to cook three days' rations, and to take two days' in addition, and to be prepared to march within forty-eight hours. Our three companies have been called in, though one, Company I of Cambridge, was
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sent out yesterday. So far as we are informed, this order only extends to three regiments of our brigade, -the Forty-third, Forty- fifth, and Fifty-first. We have the impression, from the shortness of the time covered by our rations, from the fact that our knap- sacks are not to leave our tents, and from some words that would seem to have come from the officer who brought the order, that we are the only infantry who are to go just. at this particular time ; that we are not destined to Wilmington, but that this is a recon- noissance to ascertain, before the main army starts, whether the enemy are in force in our vicinity.
Capt. Hanover's feet were still in such a condition that the surgeon detained liim in camp. Lieut. Bradbury had assumed the direction of the pioneers of the regiment ; so that we went under the command of Lieut. Colesworthy. Four pieces of artillery were with us, and a battalion of cavalry.
The march proved, in fact, to be mainly for the purpose of burning mills, which were used to supply the rebel army with food, and in other incidental ways - such as stampeding the slaves, etc. - to render the territory lying between us and the Wilmington and Weldon road unserviceable to the ene- my. The presence of our forces in the State actually accom- plished this, as had already been evident to us ; for we had found the large plantations overrun with weeds, the slaves either having made their escape to the seacoast, or been removed by their owners to the interior.
Our departure on the march was delayed by threatening and rainy weather until the morning of the 17th, when we started for Trenton, a small town on the river upon whose banks our camp was located : it was twenty-five miles distant in a north westerly direction. We marched across Brice's Creck, and on the south side of the Trent, by an entirely different route from our former one. For the greater part of the way the land was low, and heavy with the recent rain. We were not hurried, however, and the distance was so short, that the trials of the Great March were not to any extent repeated. We had dispensed with boots, and had substituted army shocs in their places. As we approached Trenton, we were nearly to our ankles in sticky mud, and we strained the
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cords of our legs severely, besides chafing the soles of our feet. The ground was frozen for several hours during the mornings; and the army shoes were so thin as to be but little protection against this exposure. We also suffered from the lack of the support which a boot gives to the instep and ankle. If the march had been as long as the other, I do not think we should have been any better off: but there is one point in favor of the shoe which decides the opinion of sol- diers almost unanimously ; namely, it can be taken off at any moment, and replaced with but little trouble. This is not true of the boot: it is next to impossible to adjust swollen feet and wet boots to each other while burdened with the equipments of the march. The refreshing easement which comes from an occasional wringing of the wet stocking, and cleansing of the muddy skin, is out of the question where boots are worn.
Those of our number who were observant of natural scenery had an exquisite pleasure of a mystical character, which is thus graphically described by our chaplain in one of his letters, the freedmen and women sharing also his notice : -
" Near Trenton we passed a striking specimen of the Southern swamp. The imagination of Dante could not picture a scene more ghostly and dismal. The black noisome pool spreading away through the leafless forest ; the trunks of the trees rising cone- shaped out of the miry depths, like dumb and motionless sentinels of lost spirits below ; the unearthly stillness ; the cold twilight ; the long branches covered and festooned with the pendent and swaying gray moss, - the effect of these sights on our unaccustomed minds was dreary and startling in the extreme. I could understand the remark of Buckle, . that superstition loves the vicinity of the gloomy and terrible in nature.' It would hardly have surprised me had I seen Charou's boat pushing off from the shore, beating back crowds of shadows pressing in vain for a passage over the Styx- like waters, heedless of the pleas of unburied Palinurus, gliding with his spectral freight beneath the spectral trees, away into recesses fit only for the habitations of spectres. For myself, I must confess a strange fascination in this spot. I left it reluctantly,
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