USA > Massachusetts > The story of the Thirty-second regiment, Massachusetts infantry. Whence it came; where it went; what it saw, and what it did > Part 4
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If there be on the face of the earth a place intended for breeding pestilence, the country about Harrison's and Westover was ordained to that use. One of our officers who had travelled the wide world all over, declared that the climate resembled no place except Sierra Leone on the African coast. Its reputation as an unwholesome spot is established even among the natives of Virginia, and whoever desires any additional testimony, need only to apply to one who has sweltered there through July and August.
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To the natural disadvantages of the locality, were now added those many sources of sickness which always accompany an army. The effect of the cli- mate was not only debilitating to the body, but was enervating to the will, and negligence of proper pre- cautions against camp diseases was added to all other predisposing causes in reducing the strength of the army.
The 32d, almost fresh from the sea air of New England, suffered undoubtedly more than those reg- iments which had been in some degree acclimated. Almost every officer and man was affected. For weeks over one-third of the command was on the sick list, and not less than a hundred and fifty men who then left the Regiment for hospital or on sick leave, never returned to our colors.
Such a mixture of moisture and drouth, of mud and dust, cannot be conceived. The air was filled at times with an impalpable dust which was actually a visible malaria. The marsh near our camp was beautiful to see, white with its vast numbers of plants like lilies which threw up great spikes of flowers, but the excess of perfume was so sickening as but little to be preferred to the odor of carrion, which came to us when the wind changed to the westward.
Men sickened and died in a day, and the whole Regiment lost its brisk military ways and degener- ated very nearly to the shiftless, listless level of the rest of the army. Drills could not be kept up, parades were discontinued, and the attention of the
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officers was concentrated upon the preservation of cleanliness in the camp, the improvement of the food, and the necessary duties. Here occurred the first death among our officers, for Lieutenant Na- thaniel French, jr., died August 9th of the malarial fever.
Large details were made from the Regiment for guards, our reputation for that duty having become unpleasantly good. Eighty men and three officers were at one time serving as guards over the quarter- master's stores, on the river bank. It was while they were there, that enterprising John Reb. brought some field pieces down to Coggins' Point, just opposite to us on the James, and opened fire about midnight, first upon the shipping in the river, and afterward upon our camps.
Two of the officers of our detached party, after the freshness of the alarm had passed, were sitting in their shelter tent with their feet to the foe, watching as they would any pyrotechnic display, the flash of the guns, and the curves described by the burning fuses, when one of the guns was turned and discharged, as it seemed, directly at our friends, who, dodging at the same moment, struck their heads together and fell, each under the impression that the enemy's shell had struck him.
It was on this occasion that Colonel Sawtelle, the officer in charge of the transportation-our quartermaster said he was the only regular officer within his experience who could do his duty and be civil too-emerged from his tent at the sound
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of firing and stood upon the bank gazing silently and sorrowfully upon his defenceless fleet, among which the shells were exploding merrily. Soon his silence broke into a shout to his superior, "Look here Ingalls, if this thing isn't stopped pretty quick, the A. P. is a busted concern."
In the regimental camp a half mile away, the shelling did no serious damage, but produced some commotion. One of the officers complained that every time that he got comfortably settled for sleep, a shell would knock the pillow out from under his head; in emulation of which story, a sailor in D Company declared that he slept through the whole affair, but in the morning counted twenty-three solid shot piled up against his back, that hit but had not waked him.
Nearly two months had elapsed since we left Massachusetts with the promise that the four Com- panies require to complete our Regiment should be speedily recruited and forwarded, but we heard nothing of them. The home newspapers told of the 33d Regiment as being full, and of the 34th and 35th as in process of formation, but the 32d seemed to have been forgotten. The Lieutenant Colonel addressed a letter to the Governor upon the subject, and forwarded a copy of his letter to the head- quarters of the Army of the Potomac. Within twenty-four hours an order was published in which, among others, was the name of our commanding officer as detailed on recruiting service. Upon application to Adjutant General Williams for an
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explanation of the detail, he learned that the order meant that he was to go for those four companies, and leaving Captain Stephenson, who for a long time had been Acting Major, in command, the Colonel went to Massachusetts on recruiting duty, from which duty, to the best of his knowledge, he has to this day never been relieved.
He was barely gone before Company G reported, commanded by Captain Charles Bowers-Charles O. Shepard being First Lieutenant, and Edward T. Bouve, Second Lieutenant. When we got far enough away from the depressing effect of that infamous climate, and attained sufficient animation to joke, we used to call this Company our second battalion.
There may occur no better place than this for a brief dissertation concerning the high and deep mysteries which hung about quartermastering.
When we were at the Fort, the officers-who, by regulation, were allowed a certain number of candles per month-expressed a very unanimous preference for kerosene lamps, which had then recently come in vogue. Lamps, wicks, and oil were benignantly supplied by the quartermaster at the Post, but at the end of a month that officer presented for approval and signature, requisitions and receipts for many candles. We dreamed of a nice job at court- martial on the Q. M., but soon learned that by a fiction of the department, no light was recognized other than that of candles, and receipts given for candles covered lamps, wicks, chimneys, and oil.
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Whether the Quartermasters' Department has yet discovered the use of petroleum, who can tell? Our Quartermaster Pearson never joined the Regi- ment after it left Massachusetts, but was detailed principally in charge of matters at the recruiting post and camp at Readville. Lieutenant Hoyt of B Company was detailed and served for several years as acting quartermaster. When he was detailed the term of his detail was of course problematical, and there was too much uncertainty, as he thought, to justify the investment required for the purchase of a horse ; but he must ride. With that straightfor- wardness which comes from innocence and igno- rance alike, a requisition was made upon the proper officer for a saddle and horse for the use of the quartermaster.
If we had stolen the military chest of the army no greater outcry could have been made; the applica- tion was rejected with contumely. For the next day or two Quartermaster Hoyt appeared to be absorbed in the study of the rules and regulations, articles of war, and circulars of his department. From this course of reading he emerged with unclouded brow and a new requisition. This time it was for an ambulance, a horse, and a harness, to which every battalion was entitled, and the articles required were promptly delivered. Two days later he returned the ambulance and harness as not wanted, and kept the horse, which was always ridden by the quarter- master ; but was always known as the ambulance horse.
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It is a little in advance of our main story, but it may as well be told here how Hoyt flanked the Division Quartermaster. When the regimental prop- erty was unloaded from the transport at Acquia Creek, and only the afternoon before we marched, it was found that one of our wagons was sick in a hind wheel, and as it was almost sure to break down if the wagon was loaded, our quartermaster endeav- ored to turn it in to the Division Quartermaster, and to obtain a sound wagon in it's place. There were plenty of new wagons in the Division depot, but the officer was ugly and refused the exchange ; when it was persistently urged, the superior grew wroth and vowed vows, and told our quartermaster that he would n't get any wagon out of him, and that he might help himself if he could.
Hoyt did help himself that night by taking, under cover of the darkness, a sound wheel from a wagon in the Division train, and putting our rotten one in its place. There was a great row after we started next morning about the breaking down of a wagon, but our train was all right.
Not many days after our arrival at Harrison's Landing, July 8th, President Lincoln visited and reviewed the army. Having faith-in some respects resembling a mustard seed-we believe that he reviewed the 32d. What we know is, that after waiting in position with the whole of our division, from four o'clock in the afternoon until nine o'clock in the evening, during the last three hours of which time we mourned our delayed suppers, and pos-
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sibly spoke evil of dignities, we saw in the uncer- tain moonlight a party of horsemen ride along our front, one of whom sat his horse like Andrew Jack- son, and wore a stove-pipe hat, and then we were allowed to go to our camp and our rations.
Where there are no newspapers, rumors are always plenty, and the army abounded in rumors. One day it was reported that our corps was to cross the river and march on Petersburg ; another day we were told the army was about to move on Richmond, and that we were to assault Fort Darling. General Hooker made a reconoissance in the direction of Malvern, and it was immediately reported that he had penetrated the defences of Richmond.
For two weeks orders were received almost daily with regard to the removal of the sick, and the dis- posal of camp equipage and all extra baggage, and rumors grew more and more wild and contradictory. After the fearful ordeal of the malarial sickness, it is not surprising that the intimation that the army was about to enter upon a new campaign was hailed with something akin to delight, even by those who realized the dangers of battle, and the toil of more active service. At last the orders came for the movement, and it was not upon Petersburg, or Fort Darling, or Richmond, but toward Fort Monroe.
The orders found us ready and exceedingly will- ing to leave a spot crowded with sad and bitter experience, such as we can not even now recall with- out a thrill almost of horror.
The marches of the 32d Regiment might claim quite as much place, if not more, in its history,
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than the battles in which it took part, but they would hardly be as attractive to the reader. At all events the incidents of a march, exciting or not, stand a much better chance of accurate narration than those of a battle where haste may obscure the memory, and passion confuse the description.
In military campaigns as in civil life, patience and endurance will win as against courage and clan. The first are the qualities of highest value in marches, the second are those conspicuous in battle. And it may be safely said, that the qualities in soldiers which make good marching, are rarer than those which make good fighting. At least the troops which the General will prize the most are those which march the best : i. e., those in whom either esprit- du-corps or discipline is strong enough to prevent straggling on toilsome marches. Those who marched in good form, and came into bivouac at night with full ranks were sure to be ready and available at the moment of battle, whether they fought well or not ; and per contra, it was frequently observed that those regiments that straggled most upon the march, were conspicuous among the great army of "bummers" at the rear in the time of battle, and, if engaged with the enemy, were the first to break into rout and dismay.
Now as the 32d Massachusetts was on many occa- sions rather conspicuous for good solid marching, that fact should not be forgotten in its history.
On the morning of a march the question usually was, "Who has the advance to-day?" In a succes-
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sion of days' marching, the regiments took turns in leading, according to an established rule. Break- fast over, the bugle sounded, first at Division-head- quarters, then at brigade, and last at each regi- ment, everybody fell into his place, and the bugle sounded again "forward." After many halts and hitches, unless we happened to be at the head of the column, we finally swung into the regular marching gait. This was not fast, rarely exceeding three miles an hour and oftener two miles or thereabouts, including halts.
The manner and method of the march,- with its object there was seldom any disposition to meddle, - were often severely criticised both by men and officers. For instance, a day's march of which the objective point might be quite distant, say 25 or 30 miles, would be begun before daylight, and then conducted in great part as though there was no fixed intention of going any where at all. This would be a ground for grumbling. Marching out of a comfortable camp at midnight, moving only a little way, and then halting and lying round without orders for hours, then moving again at day-break at a snail's pace, without having broken our fast, and keeping on in this way until near noon, with no orders for halt and breakfast; and thus on through a whole livelong day of heat or dust, or it might be of snow or rains or chilling winds, until late in the afternoon ; horses not fed or unsaddled, men with blankets and equipments on. flinging themselves on the ground at every wait as if in disgust. Here
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was more ground for grumbling. At length late in the afternoon, when patience and strength were all but exhausted, we would strike into a pace of three miles or more an hour, which would be kept up hour after hour without a moment's rest. Then would begin the straggling, men would throw away their overcoats and blankets as too burdensome to carry, although the loss might be bitterly regretted at the next bivouac, and would make their fires, rest and cook their coffee, under the very guns of the enemy, in defiance of danger of death or cap- ture, and in spite of command or threats of court- martial. The regimental column would be reduced to the size of a company, and the men would be found strewed along the roadside, sick or used up, many not rejoining their companies until the bugles sounded "forward" on the following day. This style of marching was frequent in the earlier campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, but was afterwards much amended and improved upon. An excellent rule adopted at a later period was to march the col- umn steadily for one hour, and then call a halt on the bugle for ten or fiften minutes. But the' impor- tant point of so ordering a march that the column should move rapidly during the cool hours of the morning and evening. halting for an hour or two at noon, was seldom reached. It is presumable that in many, perhaps in most cases, marches were made loitering and toilsome, (as above described,) by unavoidable and obvious causes. The insufficiency of the roads, there being but one, or their bad
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condition, crowding the way with cattle sometimes driven in the line of march ; troops going to the rear with prisoners, or passing to the front; skirmishing with the enemy ; difficult fords, or broken bridges, or the laying of pontoons ; all these, or any of them, might cause delay. Or orders might require the troops to be hurried forward. and the march, too has- tily begun. would be impeded by crowding or by the necessity of cavalry, artillery, or ammunition being sent forward.
To sketch a march is an exceedingly difficult thing because there is presented to the observer such a multitude of features, none of which can be slighted or left out ; and these features are so varied, and pre- sent themselves in such endless succession and con- stantly changing interest, that the mind becomes confused.
On the occasion of our first march with the Army. of the Potomac, the men, in the worst possible con- dition to support fatigue, weakened by sickness, softened by six weeks of inaction, and enervated by a debilitating climate, were marched out of camp at about midnight, then halted and kept in expectation of immediate departure for seven hours, then when the mid-summer sun had attained nearly its full heat, were put upon the route, and with no formal halt, but with much hesitation and frequent delay, were kept in the column fourteen weary hours.
At eleven o'clock at night, on the 15th, the Captain commanding reached the end of the day's march on the left bank of the Chickahominy, and encamped
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with less than thirty men, who alone had been able to keep up with the column. All night long the men came toiling in, and by the next daylight nearly all had again joined the command.
From this by easier marches, passing Williams- burg, Yorktown, and Big Bethel, we arrived August 19th at Newport News. Each day's march showed better results-officers and men gaining in health and strength as they increased their distance from West- over, and when the first breeze came to them over the salt water, the refreshing sensation was quaintly declared to be like breathing ice cream.
An amusing incident is recalled of our start from Yorktown. We broke camp at 7 A. M., 18th August. The headquarters officers' mess of our Regiment had been fortunate enough to confiscate a "muell " on the previous day ; his temper proved to be not child-like nor yet bland. Upon this creature's back was loaded the kit, consisting of pots, pans, kettles, plates, etc., etc., with whatever bread, sugar, and other rations were in stock. The whole affair was in charge of a darkey. The kit was packed in two large sacks, to be hung across the mule's back, like panniers, and on top of these were piled a few bulky articles. camp-chairs, and such like nick-nacks. When fully loaded little was to be seen of "the insect," except his ears and his legs. The darkey being discouraged in the legs had made up his mind, as soon as it could be done without being seen by the officers, to mount upon the top of this pyramid of pots and pans, and to have a ride.
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The mule, however, had other views. As the column filed off down the hill, rough with stumps, and ending in a morass, we looked back and saw Mr. Mule arguing and expostulating, mule-fashion, with Mr. Cuffy. At length, however, he apparently yielded to the superior forensic skill of the latter, and allowed himself to be mounted. Yet, as the sequel showed, there was a mental reservation. After wheeling round and round several times, as if to look the ground over thoroughly and examine this new question on all sides, the mule laid back his long ears, stretched his neck, and bolted straight down the hill. He stopped suddenly at the edge of the swamp, planted his fore-feet, raised his hind- quarters, and sent the other contraband-of-war some distance into the swamp, while the kettles, and coffee, etc., of the headquarters mess strewed the ground in all directions. Thereafter it was remarked that that darkey invariably led that mule; also, that several little utensils, such as cups and saucers, were missing from the table of the mess.
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IV.
CAMPAIGNING UNDER POPE.
A T Newport News the Regiment immediately em- barked on the transport steamer Belvidere for Acquia Creek, thence by railroad it was forwarded to Stafford Court House, near Fredericksburg, and on the 22d of August encamped in a pleasant grove not far from Barnett's Ford, on the upper Rappahan- nock, in which agreeable and comparatively salubri- ous locality we enjoyed a welcome rest of several days, but we were very hungry. Our position was at too great distance to receive regular supplies from Burnside at Acquia, and General Pope did not con- sider bases of supplies of any importance.
On Saturday, the 23d, distant firing was heard in the direction of the upper fords of the Rappahan- nock. On Tuesday, the 26th, one wagon came up for each regiment, and early on the 27th we moved along the river, past roads leading to Kemper's and Kelly's Fords, as far as Bealton, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, then up the railroad track towards Manassas. The sound of artillery was often audible in advance. ·
This march was made through a country parched by the heat of a Southern mid-summer, the troops
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always enveloped in clouds of dust, the few wells and watering-places constantly in possession of a struggling crowd which barred out the weak who needed water most, and it cannot be a matter for surprise, but indeed it was a matter for grief, that hundreds of the soldiers fell exhausted by the way- side, to die in the fields, or in prison to suffer what was worse than death.
That evening we bivouacked near Warrenton Junction, in a large wood, the men as they came in throwing themselves upon the ground, hastening to get their needed sleep. The officers (who could not draw rations) felt the want of food even more than the men. The field and staff mess could offer only some wretched cakes of corn bread.
On the morning of the 28th, before many of us had fairly tasted sleep, we were aroused with orders to prepare for the march. The night was yet intensely dark and it was difficult to find the way out from the wood. The staff officers who, guided by our camp-fires, came to lead us out upon the road, a distance of three hundred yards-were obliged to acknowledge their inability to do so. At last a negro servant of the Surgeon, escorted by soldiers having lighted candles in the muzzles of their rifles, guided the Regiment and the brigade out of the wood to the roadway. Here we found the way blocked by a battery, and resort was had to torches. by whose light the men, in single file, picked their way through the obstructions. Then there was a long wait for Sykes' division, and after his files had
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flitted by like shadows in the darkness, there came a grey daylight through the fog, by which, with great trouble we were able to move slowly on our route, winding in and out among the wagons which also had been impeded by thick darkness. At length we moved pretty rapidly in the direction of Manassas, following the line of the railway. At Catlett's a train of cars was seen which had been fired and partially destroyed ; near by we passed a headquarters camp, said to have been General Pope's, which had evidently been raided by the
enemy. At intervals we could hear the sound of fighting, at the north and northeast, sometimes pretty near, and we were hurried forward as rapidly as possible. At Kettle Run we saw evidences of the battle which Hooker had fought there with Ewell's corps, and saw many prisoners and wounded men. Here the fighting seemed to be northwest from us ; as we crossed Broad Run, about sundown, it was nearly due north.
A day of hot sun and stifling dust was this 28th day of August ; on every side were evidences that there had been heavy fighting. The railroad track had been torn up and its bridges destroyed, clearly by the rebels. The trains of wagons, the batteries, the troops of all arms that we passed or that passed us this day, were wonderful for number.
We encamped upon a large plain, a half mile beyond the Run, while the sound of artillery and musketry on our left was very distinctly heard.
At dawn next morning, Friday, August 29th, we marched toward Manassas Junction. Rapid and
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fierce fighting on our left, in the direction of Bull Run. At the Junction, what had been a long train of luggage cars, loaded with army equipments, clothing, and supplies, was found a heap of smoul- dering ruins, and the track and bridges had been destroyed and were yet burning. Looking to the north the smoke of battle could be plainly discerned. marked by white puffs of bursting shells, and the sound of artillery was faintly heard ; a long line of dust extended from Thoroughfare Gap into and apparently beyond the field of battle.
After a brief halt on the heights of Manassas, we countermarched and took the road to Gainesville, which here is nearly parallel to the Manassas Gap Railroad ; we passed McDowell's corps, lying along the roadside a mile or so from the Junction. They cheered and told us to "go in" and said that they had enough of it, etc. All this time we had had no chance to eat or drink, and nobody seemed to understand our movements. The wildest rumors were afloat ; now that Pope was cut off and captured -now that Jackson was surrounded, pressed by Siegel, and trying to escape by Aldie-now that there was a large force in our rear, and that we were cut off from Washington. Then, and this seemed true, that Lee or Longstreet was bringing up rein- forcements to Jackson by Thoroughfare Gap, and that Siegel, or McDowell, or Banks, or somebody unknown, was trying to prevent this movement.
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