USA > Massachusetts > Wearing the blue in the Twenty-fifth Mass. volunteer infantry, with Burnside's coast division, 18th army corps, and Army of the James > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
IMPUDENCE.
As an illustration of the peculiar impudence some men pos- sess, we give an incident that occurred in the office of Captain Messenger, provost marshal, not long after the capture of New Berne.
112
TWENTY-FIFTHI MASSACHUSETTS.
A man entered the office stating that he was "a prisoner of . war, captured by you Yankees below the city," and that he had been permitted to remain in New Berne, which was his home, on his parole, until exchanged. He then stated that he was the owner of a jewelry store on Pollock street, and de- manded possession of his property. The provost gave the man some wholesome advice and directed him to leave the office. Going out, he passed the desk of a soldier detailed as a clerk, who, placing upon him a withering glance, said -" Look here, Jobnny, hadn't you better file a claim against Uncle Sam for the time you've lost as a prisoner of war? Reckon you'll have as good luck getting that as you will your jewelry store !" Although check-mated at New Berne, if the man survived the war, he would make a good representative southern claimant for damages before Congress.
FORT MACON - CAMDEN -WASHINGTON, ETC.
Four days after the capture of New Berne [March 18], the Third Brigade, under General Parke, proceeded to Beaufort. and on the 11th of April commenced the siege of Fort Macon, which protects the entrance to the harbor of Beaufort. This fort capitulated April 26th.
While Parke was pushing the siege of Fort Macon, Reno, with the Second Brigade, passed across Albemarle sound, landing [April 19], on the Pasquotank river, some three miles below Elizabeth City, for the purpose of marching on Camden. where the enemy were in some force, at a place known as South Mills. This movement was in part intended to cover the siege of Fort Macon, and also to threaten Norfolk in the rear. Landing in the night, Hawkins, with the Ninth New York. Volunteers. [Zouaves] and detachments of the Eighty- ninth New York and Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers, was ordered to proceed to near Elizabeth City to intercept and cut off a force of the enemy leaving that place for Norfolk. Haw-
WEARING THE BLUE. 113
kins, misled by a guide, marched ten miles and then found himself in rear of his brigade forming line of battle near South Mills. Marching, as it seems, in a circle, he had reached about the same position from whence he started. Reno was attacked by the enemy ; a warm combat ensued, during which Hawkins' Zouaves charged and were repulsed, losing fifteen killed, ninety-six wounded, and two prisoners. Reno retired from the field and marched to his transports. Dr. Cutter, surgeon of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, refusing to retire, remained on the field with the wounded, suffering himself to be taken prisoner with the others.
About this time Washington on the Pamlico river, near its juncture with the Tar river, was occupied by the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, and Plymouth on the Roanoke was occupied by Union troops.
The necessity of holding certain points, the troops required to garrison Fort Macon and to guard the thirty miles of rail- way between New Berne and Beaufort, to garrison the defences of New Berne, to picket the roads leading to that place, reduced the fifteen thousand men under Burnside to so small an available force for the field, that the project of moving upon the line of the Wilmington and Weldon railroad was of neces- sity abandoned. For the lack of troops Burnside remained inactive. It will be admitted that Roanoke gave us the key to Norfolk, but what is the use of a key without the power to turn it ? The positions conquered in North Carolina were val- uable only as a base for other operations. The Albemarle sound with its Chowan river, gave us easy access to the south of Petersburg and Richmond, but there were no troops to move in that direction. Something like this movement was contemplated by MeClellan in the instructions given Burnside as stated heretofore. The movement would have been feasible. Is it too much to say, that, had the government properly taken advantage of the points gained by Burnside, we could have fully controlled, with the aid of counter movements by the central
15
114 1
TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.
army, the southern communications with Richmond, and accom- plished in 1862 what was left to be done [and upon the same line of operations] in 1864-5 ? Let us sec.
The central army under MeClellan rested from the day of Bull Run until autumn and winter had passed, until the mud had dried up and dust had taken its place, until the summer heat had become quite as uncomfortable as the previous cold experiences in winter quarters. The army of MeClellan might have moved when Burnside landed at Hatteras. Thirty thou- sand. men could have been swung around into Albemarle sound to reinforce our army in North Carolina, which would then move on Richmond's southern communications. Sending an army of twenty or thirty thousand to City Point on the James, with Mcclellan moving from the Potomac or the Peninsula in earnest, the war would have soon closed. Instead of that, Burnside's troops were spread out thin, were compelled to hold positions which were of no practical advan- tage in the general conduct of the war. Such ideas as we have here expressed were entertained by many of our officers in North Carolina during the spring of 1862.
·
CHAPTER VI.
PICKET DUTY - CAMP BULLOCK - MARCH TO TRENTON
CAMP OLIVER - ATTACK UPON LITTLE WASHINGTON -
GENERAL HOSPITAL AT BEAUFORT, N. C. - BAND
DISCHARGED - VARIOUS
MARCHES - GRAND ROUNDS.
N the 9th of May, [1862] the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts closed its city life. Since the capture of New Berne, the regiment had constituted the provost guard of the town. The companies occupied some of the best houses, and from the gardens were able to procure many esculents, some of which were almost ripened for the table at the time of the Federal occupation. From numerous stores and markets everything eatable was to be had, and from the wharves came an abundance of fish, chickens, sweet potatoes, eggs, etc., brought from the rivers and the surrounding country. Many, perhaps all of the companies, made large savings upon the regular ration, and, from the amount saved, such good things as were unknown in the government ration, could be obtained for the company mess, so that, in Now Berne, the soldiers were supplied with the best to be had in the market.
Except the regular guard mounting each morning, and guard duty for those detailed, no other duty was required, though the company drills were generally maintained. The guard mounting on Craven street cach morning, was an interesting feature of our life in the city. It is unnecessary to say that this duty, under the supervision of Adjutant Harkness, was
116
TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.
performed in exact accordance with the " Regulations.". Everything was in perfect order : every boot on the line possessed an excelsior shine, every strap, buckle and button was in its place; each cap-visor was square to the front, and the bayonets and brasses shone with a brightness that proved the industry and pains-taking character of the men of the battalion. These guard-mounts were often honored by the personal inspection of General Burnside, who seemed to enjoy the ceremony as much as any of the usually large crowd of spectators. Long continued duty in a city was not, however, desirable for a soldier. Its effect was very disastrous to a wholesome esprit du corps ; therefore, the order to march, on the 9th of May, to the Red house, a farm house located about thirteen miles westerly, owned and occupied by au inoffensive gentleman by the name of Bogey, was, to nearly all, a welcome command-welcome, because it was to return us to regular camp life-because the battalion would be again consolidated, and because all would be removed from the inertia and tempta- tions incident to a town garrison.
ARMY INFLUENCES.
Hinting at temptations surrounding soldiers in time of war, when absence from' hobie and its jufluences leaves them to a certain extent unguarded, it must not be understood that we are of the circle of croakers who believe that men are ruined in character or morality by army associations. Circum- stances surrounding soldiers are not always the most desirable, but it is our relation to circumstances that determines the weight we give them in moulding our characters. One writer has said-" The same wind that carries one vessel into port, may blow another off shore." Still another, Disraeli, has said with much force of truth --- " Characters never change, opinions alter-characters are only developed," and. so our army exper- ience, with its opportunities for observation, causes the belief that, while in the army, we readily develop character, it is such
%
MAJOR M. J. MCCAFFERTY.
5
117
WEARING THE BLUE.
a development as nature has implanted in us. Persons are like pictures : keep them in a dark corner where there is no opportunity for an exhibition of their defects and they are not discerned -bring them into the full light and all the blemishes are seen. Army life pours a flood of light upon men, and we see them as they are-see them as they give full swing to natural propensities. They are no worse than they would be at home, only they show more, because the light is greater and every disguise is thrown off. Take off the paint, and many a hideous blotch is discovered : cast away the cloak, and many a horrid form is seen. Paint and cloaks cover a multitude of deformities; army life strips a man of all these, and permits us to see him as he is.
REGIMENTAL CHANGES.
Several changes occurred in the battalion during its occu- pancy of New Berne, which we can best state by giving the following Regimental Orders :
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. · New Berne, N. C., March 28th, 1862.
General Orders, { No. 6.
In consequence of the resignation of Major M. J. McCafferty, the promotion of Captain Josiah Pickett to be Major, and of First-Lieutenant F. E. Goodwin to be Captain of Company A, the companies of the regiment will take position in line of battle in the following order : ---
H, D, K, I, C, G, E, A, F, B. By order of Colonel EDWIN UPTON. E. A. HARKNESS, Adjutant.
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. New Berne, N. C .; April 12th, 1862.
General Orders, { No. 14. 1
In consequence of the resignation of Captain Willard Clark of Co. B, and the promotion of First-Lieutenant William Emery to be Captain, the companies of the regiment will take position in line of battle in the following order :
H, F, E, A, K, I, D, B, G, C. By order of Colonel EDWIN UPTON. E. A. HARKNESS, LAdjutant.
118
TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.
It would be out of place to state here, if we were able to do so, the reasons impelling Major McCafferty to resign his commission. It is enough to say that a misunderstanding existed, and many regrets were expressed that the difficulty could not be arranged so as to secure his retention in the service. He retired voluntarily, and afterwards during the continuance of the war, rendered valuable service by his eloquent and earnest speeches, in enlisting recruits for the armies in the field.
On the 8th of May, the following order was promulgated : -
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. New Berne, N. C., May 8th, 1862.
General Orders, ¿ No. 2.
The regiment will march to-morrow morning to the Red house, New road. The line will be formed in front of headquarters, Craven street, at seven o'clock, A. M.
One team will report to each company at six o'clock, A. M., at which time everything must be in readiness for loading. Commanders of companies will exercise great care that the men do not overload their knapsacks, and nothing must be taken as company property that cannot be transported by a limited wagon train, when the regiment advances still further into the country .*
By command of Colonel EDWIN UPTON.
E. A. HARKNESS, Adjutant.
Before noon of May 9th, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers was at the
RED HOUSE,
a retired locality between the Trent road and Bachellor's creek. This position covered Tuscarora, about four miles beyond, where the Confederates had a camp. The Twenty- third Massachusetts had been ou duty here and was relieved upon the arrival of the Twenty-fifth. Before dusk the picket lines were established, tents pitched and camp life again commenced.
119
WEARING THE BLUE.
The regiment was provided with Sibley tents, and the encampment was known as Camp "Bullock," in honor of Hon. Alex. H. Bullock of Worcester, Mass. The field and staff occupied the Red house, only a few rods from the camp, which was isolated from town or hamlet. Only two or three houses were within a radius of a mile. Three little roads here converged, the one on the left flank leading towards New Berne, another on our right flank leading to Bachellor's creek, distant three miles, the third road leading from our front to Tuscarora and " Dixie."
.Besides camp, guard and picket duty, the company com- manders were often called upon to furnish details for scouting parties.
On the 22nd of May, Company I of the Seventeenth Massa- chusetts Volunteers, [this regiment, commanded by Colonel Thomas J. C. Amory, reached New Berne from Baltimore, where it had been on duty for a considerable time, during the month of April,] went out upon a scout on the Trent road, and, when marching near Pollocksville, was surprised by the enemy in ambush. Three men killed and eight wounded was the result of the negligence of the captain in not having flankers, or any advance or rear guard. The captain ordered a hasty retreat without firing a guu.
Becoming wonted to it, our soldiers liked rural camp life. At the Red house we had full enjoyment of nature clothed in the loveliness of early summer, for music, besides that furnished by our band, we listened to the warbling notes of the numerous mocking birds, to the stormy rattling of the drums calling to duty, and the sweet soft music of the winds breathing through the pines. There were real delights in our country camp and its surroundings-the fields, groves and innumerable paths winding through the forests. Many a time, the chaplain, who was a great lover of rustic nature, and the writer, have sat together on a log near Camp Bullock, conversing, and listening to the wonderful trilling of a mocking bird that daily came to
120
TWENTY-FIFTHI MASSACHUSETTS.
one particular tree and showered into our delighted ears such dulcet notes as could only ccho from nature's great songsters of the southern forest. We believe the chaplain richly enjoyed the still hours of Camp Bullock.
May 13th, a large scouting party of the Twenty-fifth Massa- chusetts was sent out from the Red house camp, finding a company of Confederate cavalry near Tuscarora. Upon the approach of our party, the enemy retired without giving an opportunity for exchange of shots.
[May 14th, the gunboats Ceres and Lockwood pursued the rebel steamer Alice up the Roanoke river and captured her about two miles below Williamston. She was loaded with bacon for the Confederate army, and had on board the church bells of Plymouth to be cast into field-pieces. At Plymouth, Captain Flusser, of the Commodore Perry, found the lantern taken from the light-boat at the mouth of Roanoke river, concealed in the custom house.]
MARCH TO TRENTON.
At three o'clock on the morning of May 15th, the Twenty- fifth Massachusetts left Camp Bullock in light marching order. Reaching the Trent road loading from New Berne to Trenton and Kinston, the battalion joined the Seventeenth Massachu- setts Volunteers, seven companies of the Third New York Cavalry, and the Third Rhode Island Artillery, This forec was under command of Colonel Amory of the Seventeenth Massachusetts. The recent rains had swollen the creeks. which we were obliged in some cases to wade, while the roads, in no way improved by the cavalry horses in advance, were soft and yielding to every step. The march was towards Trenton, and the object was to drive away a force of Confed- crates there stationed, and about to ereet intrenchments. The cavalry in advance found the enemy, and a sharp fight of ten minutes left the field in our possession. The enemy lost nine killed, one being Lieutenant Rogers, and two prisoners, one of whom was wounded. Our cavalry had two wounded.
WEARING THE BLUE. 121
Before dark, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, after a hard march of twenty-five miles, and no opportunity to expend any ammunition, reached its camp at the Red house.
PICKET FIRING.
On the night of May 19th, Camp Bullock was twice alarmed by the firing of pickets, followed by the "long roll.".
It seems that Mr. Bogey, the proprietor of the Red house farm, was the owner of a white mare, a gentle animal, not swift-footed and nimble-jointed, like those the field- and staff rode upon, yet a good beast, always inclined to peace and the observance of all military rules. This animal had been turned out to feed, and during the night approached the line at a point held by a picket of Company G. The mare was properly challenged, but heeded not the inquiry in the sweet German accent, whereupon Mr. Sentinel blazed away. The mare, dis- gusted, turned aside. The camp was alarmed, for, all along our lines went the bang ! bang! bang ! of the vigilant guar- dians of the camp. After everything was quiet, the mare approached the picket a second time, and for the second time , was interrogated, "Who comes there ?" Answering not, again Mr. Sentinel fired, but without success, for Mr. Bogey found his mare safe and sound the next morning. An enemy might safely approach that picket -at least such was the thought of the soldiers when the facts became known. Com- pany G was ordered out to scout after the second alarm, and. remained on duty the balance of the night.
¢
Alarming the camp, even thus foolishly, was not without its compensation, for the soldiers became accustomed to the "long roll," and to a speedy assembly in battalion line in the darkness of night.
[May 31st Lieutenant Allis, with a party of the Third New York Cavalry had a sharp combat with Confederate cavalry on the Greenville road, eight miles above Washington, N. C.
16
122
TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.
The enemy was defeated, losing three killed, six wounded, and two prisoners. Allis lost but one man, wounded.]
Camp Bullock came to an end May 29th, by an order which removed the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts to Now Berne, where a new camp was formed at the west end of the town north of the Trent road, and a quarter of a mile in rear of Fort Totten. This encampment, upon somewhat elevated ground, was named
CAMP OLIVER,
in honor of General H. K. Oliver, formerly Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, and since the war Mayor of Salem. As Colonel Upton was a great lover of psalmody, he may have adopted the name of "Oliver" in honor of the author of that exquisite composition known as "Federal Street," composed under the inspiration of General Oliver, many years ago.
But all the regiment did not remove to Camp Oliver. Col- onel Upton was directed to leave two companies at the Red house camp. Not wishing to designate the captains to remain, he directed a drawing by lot, and the lots fell upon Captain Wagely of Company G, and Captain Denny of Company K., the latter, as senior, being in command.
The new encampment at Red house was named Camp Up- ton, and at night a detachment of twenty cavalry, under command of a sergeant, reported for duty. The next day, the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Volunteers at Bachellor's creek, guarding our right flank, and the Seventeenth Massa- chusetts Volunteers at the Jackson house on the Trent road, guarding our left flank, were removed, so that our little force of two companies of infantry and twenty horse, was left thir- teen miles from the main body, and in a position easily flanked.
The same day the videttes reported the enemy reconnoitering the position. The meagerness of the force on duty could not he concealed, as citizens were possessed of the fact, and could
123
WEARING THE BLUE.
easily communicate with the enemy. The troops were vigilant, and those in camp lay on their arms at night, ready for instant duty.
Two couriers during the afternoon and evening were sent to brigade head-quarters through Colonel Upton, giving informa- tion of the position in which the detachment was left, and asking to be removed to a more tenable point, or to be rein- forced ; but brigade head-quarters had no time to attend to so small a matter. During the time the detachment was thus exposed, nearly all the men and all the officers were on duty night and day. Finally, a message was sent directly to Gen- eral Foster which was received by him at ten o'clock, P. M., and in less than an hour, Lieutenant-Colonel John Mix and a squadron of the Third New York Cavalry was on the march to Camp Upton, reaching it at two o'clock, A. M. General Foster expressed surprise that the detachment was left at the Red house after the flanking supports were withdrawn.
The next day at noon orders were received to remove to the Trent road, where, at the Jackson house, camp was formed, known as
CAMP SPRAGUE.
Mix and his cavalry remained, occupying a field upon the other side of the road, and near the infantry camp.
Here the detachment remained, guarding the roads for a mile and a half beyond, until July 8th, when a remove was made two miles nearer New Berne, camp being established at the Harrison farm, where the companies were located very pleasantly until August 21st, when it rejoined the regiment at Camp Oliver .*
* Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Camp Oliver, New Berne, N. C., August 20th, 1862.
Special Orders, Į No. 42. 1 Pursuant to orders from Brigade Headquarters, Companies A and C will proceed to-morrow morning at five o'clock, A. M., to Harrison's place, to relieve Companies G and K now on duty there, who will return to this camp. The tents of all will be left
124
TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.
A CONFEDERATE VISITOR.
For those upon outpost duty, the reception of flags of truce furnished exciting incidents to relieve the monotony of camp life.
During our first tour of picket duty, such " flags " were frequently received. On the 8th of June, a flag came to our lines in charge of Captain Tucker, of the Forty-first North Carolina Cavalry. Going to town and transacting his business with the commanding general, he returned, and remained with us during the night, sleeping in the same room with the writer, at the Jackson house.
Captain Tucker was a good specimen of the better class of Southern people. Before the war he was a merchant in Raleigh. He was liberally educated, gentlemanly in deport- ment, and we noticed that he declined all invitations to indulge the social glass, though he said he would give a fabulous amount of Confederate paper if he could provide such a " mess " as we enjoyed. Upon retiring at night, after our visitor had reverently gone through with his devotions, we had a long " talk " upon public affairs. Of course we could not agree, and yet neither employed language that was person- ally offensive. He was one of many others, Union at first- but compelled to " follow his State." There was no National Government to command respect-no supreme law of the
standing. No fixtures or improvements will be taken from the tents of either company, so that when the companies return to their respective quarters, all will be found as they leave it. By order of
Lieutenant-Colonel SPRAGUE, Commanding.
/E. A. HARKNESS, Adjutant.
Headquarters Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.
Camp Oliver, New Berne, September 22nd, 1862.
Special Orders, Į No .. 47.
Companies B and I will march at six o'clock, A. M., to-morrow, to relieve Companies A and C, now at Harrison's ; the latter companies will return at once to this camp. They will take all camp equipage, etc. Transportation will be furnished at five o'clock, A. M.
By order of
Major JOSIAH PICKETT.
E. A. HARKNESS, Adjutant
Corp'I G. E. BATCHELOR.
Compl II. C. DUNTON.
A. H. FISHER.
ORLANDO F. CARPENTER.
ALBERT COOK.
COMPANY B.
Plintype Printing Co., Baston.
2
125
WEARING THE BLUE.
land - no Constitutional obligations : it was simply -the State! What a fallacy was here ! That contained the gist of all this trouble. Shall it be State sovereignty or national supremacy ? That was the question, and we might have talked about it until we were talked to death, and then the question could only be disposed of, through the arbitrament of the sword and bayonet.
The next morning, [June 9th] after a wholesome breakfast and many shakes of the hand, he left us for poor deluded Dixie. In spite of all his obstinacy about secession, he was a good fellow, and we heartily wished he might live to see his error.
ET CETERAS.
On the evening of June 11th, as we find fully recorded in 'our diary, our camp was enlivened by an impromptu musical soirée, consisting of a performance upon one instrument, an accordeon, under the skilled fingers of Corporal Wilson of Company G, and some vocal music, furnished by the Germanic talent of that company.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.