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 23
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It was a singular coincidence, that in this engagement, the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regiments were brought face to face with the regiments of South Carolina bearing the same numericals, and forming a brigade together.
Neither party had any advantage of position, and the struggle was a fair test of brave endurance. The sons of Massachusetts manfully met the onset, and the misguided sons of South Carolina were "hurled back in the greatest confusion leaving their dead and wounded upon the field." [Colonel Pickett's official report.]
The Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh South Carolina battalions met the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts and melted away as the dew melts before the rising sun.
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WEARING THE BLUE. 279
Among the killed was First Lieutenant Charles E. Upton, in command of Company I.
Lieutenant Upton was probably the youngest officer of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, for he was but twenty years of age, yet he had lived long enough to make himself the idol of many hearts in the home-circle, long enough to make himself honored and respected by his brother officers, as he had been, and was at his death, by all connected with Company F.
He was one of the first to enlist in that company, and having about him the elements of a true soldier, Captain Foss at once made him a Sergeant. In that position he secured the love of all his comrades. We have heard many of them speak of Charlie Upton in the most tender terins. He was early pro- moted to be Second Lieutenant and this was followed by his promotion to a First Lieutenancy. One of the members of Company F wrote the following words about the dead lieuten- ant, in a letter published at the time in the Worcester Spy :-
" In Lieutenant Upton's death we have met with a severe loss. Though we shall miss the kind and genial comrade, the brave and vaillant soldier, the true and affectionate friend, yet we bow in humble submission to His holy will."
In his official report, Colonel Pickett thus speaks of Lieu- tenant Upton: -
"Young, brave and patriotic. he was among the first to offer his services to his country, entering into all the trials and hardships of a soldier's life with a cheerfulness of disposition and buoyancy of spirits which gained for him the respect and confidence of his superior officers. Prompt in the performance of, and attentive to all his duties, kind and affectionate to those under his command, he won the esteem and love of all who knew him. He met a soldier's death, dying at the head of his command as victory crowned our efforts."
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From an intimate acquaintance with young Upton, we cannot feel justified as to the discharge of duty to the memory of a brave friend, without adding a personal endorsement of the official panegyric. Others died upon that field who held no commission, men who are affectionately remembered by the writer and by many others who will read these pages. We only regret that in a work of this kind we are unable to devote a page, or at least a paragraph, to such personal notice of each, as their characters deserve. Such general personal review and minute detail however, is - out of the question.
Immediately after the charge, the ammunition being nearly expended, Sergeant White of Company H was ordered to take two men from cach company and go to the rear for ammunition. In performance of this duty, the Sergeant passed to the front to reach the road, and in doing so passed over the spot where most of the enemy fell dead or wounded. In one place he counted five Confederates literally piled one upon the top of another, all of them dead. This was the spot to which it was said Captain Hammond's Company of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina charged. One of the wounded Confederates lying there, said he belonged to Hammond's Company.
Among the wounded in this action, was Lieutenant Drennan, then Acting Quartermaster of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts. Though pot holding a fighting position, the Lieutenant made it a. point to be well up to the front, and being there on this day, was discovered by General Heckman who requested him to act as bearer of dispatches. He had just conveyed an order to Colonel Pickett at the time of the charge of the South Caro- lina Brigade, and when the enemy came down, stood there encouraging the soldiers to stand firm. Lieutenant Upton was by his side when killed, and Drennan caught him in his arms as he fell. Upton, shot through the head, did not speak. It was immediately after this that Drennan received a wound in his right knee from a spherical case
COLONEL JAMES M. DRENNAN.
Helwtype Printing Co. Boston.
WEARING THE BLUE. 281
shot. After the wound had been bandaged by Assistant Surgeon Hoyt, Drennan kept on his duty with the aid of a rudely made crutch, improvised on the field.
The enemy had been punished so severely that he did not again attempt to force our lines. Pickets were thrown out, the men sheltered themselves in the woods as well as they could, and lay on their arms. During the night there was constant firing between the pickets, and several times a momentary attack was expected. We held the extreme right of the line at this time. Brooks held the left, and during most of the night, his troops had warm work in holding the position. There was little sleep that night, and the next morning at ten o'clock the soldiers, much exhausted by the heat, the effects of the preceding day's effort, and the untiring vigilance required through the night, and being out of rations, were relieved and marched to the rear to obtain rest and an opportunity to make coffee, but, in consequence of an attack upon the Tenth Corps, the Eighteenth Corps fell back to the lines at Cobb's hill. The action of the 9th is known as the battle of " Arrowfield Church."
May 11th, General Heckman promulgated a general order indicating his appreciation of the brigade he commanded : -- .
Headquarters First Brigade, Second Division, Eighteenth Corps. In the field, May 11th, 1864.
General Orders, Į No. 24.
The General Commanding takes great pleasure in returning to the gallant officers and men of his command, his thanks for the noble man- ner in which they have discharged their duties since the opening of the present campaign. The enviable reputation which they had attained has been sustained in a noble and creditable manner, and the Commanding General would not only be doing great injustice to his feelings, but to the officers and men of his com- mand, did he fail to notice it. The fatigue and privation suffered without a marmur, are but characteristic of the brigade, and the punishment inflicted upon the rebels is one of the many lessons that will cause them ever to remember and fear the STAR BRIGADE.
By command of Brigadier-General C. A. HECKMAN.
W. IT. ABEL, A. A. G.
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LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS AT ARROWFIELD CHURCH, VA., MAY 9TH, 1864.
Killed.
Lieutenant Charles E. Upton, Company F; Corporals Nathan B. Garfield, Company I; Warren O. Collester, Company K; Privates Albert Cook and Charles A. Horton, Company B; Timothy Megery, Ephraim Smith, Edward Doulan, Company E; Milan B. Waite, Hiram Gates, Company F; Frank Miller, Company G; George Greenwood, J. H. Orr, Company I.
Wounded.
First Lieutenant M. B. Bessey (contusion of chest), First Lieutenant J. M. Drennan, Acting Regimental Quartermaster (leg); Sergeants T. M. Ward (leg), Company A ; William J. Bond. (breast), and Luke T. Drury (arm) Com- pany K; Corporals S. A. Rockwood (arm, since amputated), and F. L. Moore (head), Company F; Charles J. Tenny (leg, severe), and A. W. Clark (thigh), Company K ; Privates, Company A, Lyman J. Prentice (groin, died), Augustus Stone (arm amputated), Nelson Tiffany (severe), Charles H. Knowlton (hand), Charles A. Mayers (leg), James White (leg, died), James Kerwin (leg). Com- pany B, Charles A. Horton (mortally), James Comce (arm), Eli G. Ball (head). Company C, George J. Fayweather (arm), A. L. Bush (leg). Company E, Patrick Burk (eyes), Hugh Kenny (side), Edward Roberts (leg), Richard Donovan (leg), Joseph Lightfoot (shoulder), James Gahegan (hand), James Molley (hand), Owen Finnegan (hand), Felix McCann (slight), Ross McCann (forehead), Ambrose McKenna (arm), Peter Kenny (arm). Company F, O. W. Brown (leg). Company G, George Rausher (head). Company H, J. S. Cook (hand). Company I, G. A. Gleason (arın, severe), Thomas E. Greenwood (severe), Thomas Fallon (severe), S. F. Jillson (arm), Leander Hathaway (hip), S. Frost (kuee), J.W. Blood (arm). Company K, Augustus G. Demonil (eg), John II. Devereaux (face, died), Samuel Preston (leg), Albert Stockdale (leg), Henry HI. Bellows (body), Myron W. Davis (leg).
One officer and twelve men killed, two officers and forty-seven men wounded. Total killed and wounded, sixty-two.
CHAPTER
XIV.
FORT DARLING - A LINE TOO LONG AND THIN - DREWRY'S BLUFF -- KILLED, WOUNDED AND CAPTURED - BUTLER BOTTLED UP, AND WHY-MOVEMENT TO WHITE HOUSE LANDING -FIFTEEN MILES OUT OF THE WAY-DUST AND DEAD MULES.
& N the 12th of May, after two days of inaction, a general advance was made in the direction of Rich- inond. At noon of that day, Heckman's Brigade commenced skirmishing with the enemy, pressing him back over Proctor's creek, where our troops bivouaced for the night. On the morning of the 13th, the brigade again moved forward, foreing the enemy into his intrenchments at Drewry's bluff.
Drewry's bluff on the river side, formed a bold eminence two hundred feet in height, about nine miles below Richmond at a point where the river was narrow. The river itself was protected by spiles and sunken vessels, while the water batteries and heavy ordnance in the work known as Fort Darling, which crowned the summit of the bluff, commanded the James as far down as Chapin's bluff' on the left bank.
Upon the land side, Fort Darling frowned upon all assailants. It was a remarkably strong position, and this is proved by the fact that during all the war, it successfully withstood the assaults of the combined army and naval forces of the United
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States. A deep ravine encircled the fort, and there was also a deep and wide dry ditch, through which rifled batteries com- manded a full sweep. The surface of the earth about the bluff was rough and broken, difficult at any time to pass over with ease, the difficulties of the passage at the time of which we write, being greatly enhanced by fallen timber and lines of abatis. Seen at a little distance, the earthworks and cannon of Fort Darling appeared formidable ; a nearer approach only made manifest the fact, that the extensive works covered with shotted cannon, did not impose the severest task to be sur- mounted in the attempt to capture the position. It was in front of this stronghold of the enemy, that our troops worked their way and drove the enemy into his outer intrenchments. Hold- ing this position, constant skirmishing was maintained for two. days and nights, and, to a certain extent, the enemy was prevented from working his guns.
We now come to the 15th of May, and find the troops posted with Heckman's Brigade on the right, and on its immediate left, the Eleventh and Twenty-first Connecticut, Second New Hampshire and One-hundred-and-forty-eighth New York Volun- teers, of Wistar's Brigade. There was a surprising inactivity as to a movement forward, but the men, as if aware that the position was full of danger, extemporized their bayonets, tin cups, and in many instances their tin plates, into intrenching tools, and threw up such earthworks as they could as a protection against rebel bullets. The skirmish line was ad- vanced to the brow of the abrupt declivity, at the base of which flows Palmer's creek, and beyond which rose a gradual slope, formerly timber land, but which at that time had been cleared. Upon the crest of this slope was the enemy's second line of earthworks, and behind them, frowning Fort Darling. The day was one of clouds and drizzling rain, adding to the discomfort of the men. The Confederates made a furious demonstration against our brigade, and firing, more or less sharp, was kept up until four o'clock, P. M. During the day.
WEARING THE BLUE. 285
the men of Wistar's Brigade employed their spare moments in winding telegraph wires around the stumps and so extending them to the right and left, as trippers for the enemy if they charged in that direction. And then, as the day waned, the sun stole out from below the western clouds, lighting up the faces of weary men, many of whom would never see another setting, while its rays illumined the forest trees, making each branch and leaf radiant with flashing rain drops.
Later in the evening came orders for a general advance at five o'clock the next morning.
Beauregard was in command of the Confederate forces. His army consisted of the brigades of Barton, Corse and Terry at Drewry's bluff, and the brigade of Whiting, who .commanded at Petersburg. The Confederate government at Richmond, satisfied that Petersburg could not be successfully defended and held, on the 15th of May, ordered General Whiting to evacuate the place and move his troops to Drew- ry's bluff. Beauregard countermanded the order, and di- rected Whiting to move his brigade into position to fall upon Butler's left flank, and cooperate in an attack upon the front and right, which he designed for the morning of the 16th. Whiting was ordered to strike Butler's left flank and immedi- ately seize the line of retreat, holding the roads leading to Bermuda Hundreds. The plan of Beauregard was well devised-nothing could be better arranged for him, provided his lieutenants obeyed orders. Here was the trouble. Whit- ing, for some unexplained reason, entirely failed to make any movement, thus disobeying the orders of his superior.
Heckman's Brigade, as on the 15th, held the right of the army; towards the left, the line was extended by the remainder of the Second Division of Weitzel, by Wistar's Brigade and the brigades of Brooks' First Division. The left of the line was held by Gillmore's troops of the Tenth Corps. The line was very long and too thin for safety. There was more than a mile of country between the right of Heekman's Brigade and
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the James river, a part of which was held and guarded by only about one hundred colored cavalrymen. . Heckman, as we believe, understood the weakness of the right, and endeavored to have the lines strengthened in that direction, but without success. His own line, already very weak, could not be extended. Fortunately, during the night, Butler caused the Ninth Maine and One-hundred-and-twelfth New York Volun- teers of Ames' Division of Gillmore's Corps, to report to General Smith, and these troops, coming in the morning at the critical juncture, met the enemy as he made the attempt to take possession of the cross road to Bermuda Hundreds. The appearance of those two regiments at the right moment, alone defeated the enemy's turning movement.
The night of May 15th was clear, with occasionally a light cloud crossing the path of the moon, and there was nothing, unless it was the general quietness of the enemy, to indicate the pending disaster as our troops lay upon their arms. Three times during the early night, the soldiers were called to arms to repel assaults of the enemy, but soon after midnight, everything became quiet and the men fell asleep. For more than a mile, as we have said, our flank was unprotected. Beauregard saw the weak place. He saw that somebody had blundered, and he proposed to take advantage of it. Towards morning, as if to aid the designs of the enemy, a thick fog enveloped the army of the James, an impenetrable fog that hung down upon the reposing soldiers like a curtain, so that nothing could be seen at the distance of a few yards. Beauregard worked his troops silently into the unguarded space ; slowly they stole to the right of our line and soon they were covering the rear of Heckman's Brigade. The colored cavalry over somewhere on the right, saw nothing -- heard nothing. The brigade pickets and guards stood silently at their posts and heard nothing but the crickets and the owls, and the heavy breathing of the army of sleeping men around them. But, like a serpent coiling about its victim, the army of
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WEARING THE BLUE.
Beauregard noiselessly wound itself about the right of our line. Then, at daybreak, they came crashing along without word or sign of warning. The Twenty-fifth Massachusetts made the best fight it could. The soldiers jumped to the other side of the intrenchments, pouring in volley for volley, inflicting upon the charging columns of the enemy the most terrible slaughter, until finally
" surrounded, and their ammunition exhausted, they were faced by the rear rank, charged the rebel lines, throwing the enemy into such confusion as to enable the regiment to extricate itself from one of the most perilous positions in which troops ever found themselves placed, reforming the line of battle, a short distance to the rear, checking any further advance of the enemy during the day, and at night, the column withdrew to their original lines." [ Colonel Pickett's report to the State Executive.]
In this engagement the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts lost six- teen men killed, one officer and fifty-nine men wounded, and sixty-nine captured -- a total loss of one hundred and forty- five. Other regiments of the brigade lost heavily, some of them having scarcely officers and men enough left to retain an organization. Our total loss was about four thousand men, and that of the enemy, a little over three thousand. The dead, and wounded also, unless able to get away without help, were left upon the field. General Heckman was captured by a Georgia regiment, commanded by a former Jerseyman who recognized the General at sight. Colonel Horace C. Lee, in command of the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts, was also captured, whereupon the command of the brigade de- volved upon Colonel Pickett, who issued the necessary orders for reforming the regiments in the rear of the late field of battle ; Lieutenant-Colonel Moulton assuming command of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts.
During the night of the 15th, those of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers who had served on the picket line,
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expended their ammunition, and on the morning of the 16th, just before the enemy made the attack, Captain Foster reported to Colonel Pickett that his Company D and others of the regimeut were without ammunition, and a detail of eight men each from Companies C and D, was ordered to go to the rear under charge of Lieutenant Woodworth, to procure ammunition. This detail went back through the woods, and were met by General Smith, who, after speaking with the Lieutenant, sent an aide to the ordnance train with orders to hurry up the ammunition with all possible speed. Soon after, the wagon arrived, and General Smith ordered the Lieuten- ant with his men to escort it to the Twenty-fifth Regiment. Before marching any great distance on the return, the firing being incessant at the front, and stragglers hastening to the rear with thrilling stories of disaster-"regiments all cut up-nothing left of anybody or anything," "Twenty-fifth Massachusetts gone up!" " Heckman and all his staff killed ! " and like stories which were of course much exag- gerated, (as usual), Lieutenant Woodworth concluded to halt where he was. He told the men that they had heard the order to go to the regiment, and he proposed to obey the order and join the regiment, and, saying that he wanted no unwilling service, asked how many men would stand by him in finding the regiment and furnishing them needed ammunition. Fifteen men stepped to the front, "One pace forward !" and only one man declined to step forward. Woodworth told him to go to the rear, as he did not want any man with him who had any fears. With the fifteen true men of Companies C and D, he moved forward, hoping to be able to reach the Twenty- fifth Regiment and supply its wants. General Weitzel soon appeared and halted the Lieutenant and his party, saying that if they went on further, they would bring up in Richmond. He ordered Woodworth to hasten with the men and wagon to the rear with all speed. The order was obeyed, and after wandering about under many difficulties for some little time,
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Lieut. JAMES C. WOODWORTH.
Lient. WILLARD CHENEY, JE.
Major N. H. FOSTER.
Corpi Juries D. Hit ....
CHARLES H. ASHBY.
COMPANY H.
Heliotype Printing Co., Bouton.
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WEARING THE BLUE.
the remnant of the regiment with what was left of Heckman's Star Brigade was found at the White house, in rear of the woods.
Of the sixteen men who marched with Lieutenant Wood- worth, fifteen of them came out safe and sound, the only one wounded being the man who hesitated in the performance of duty, and left his comrades to their fatc.
Colonel Pickett, commanding the Star Brigade, made report to Division Headquarters, as follows :-
.
On the 15th, at the suggestion of General Weitzel, a small work was thrown up in our front, composed of logs, branches of trees, etc. Throughout the day brisk firing was kept up between the skirmishers, two companies of each regiment being constantly on duty, relieved at intervals of two hours. During the day our position was visited by Generals Smith, Weitzel and Heckman, and by order of the former, one company of the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers was ordered to occupy and hold a house situated in a field on our right, about six hundred yards from our line. Rifle pits were dug in the field diagonally from the line to the house and from the house to a point of woods still further to our right, where they connected with the cavalry piekets commanded by Colonel Cole. In . the afternoon, the Eighth Maine, Twenty-first Connecticut and Ninety-eighth New York Volunteers were ordered to report, and were placed in positiou, extending our line still more to the right. The company stationed at the house in the field was attacked several times during the night but repulsed each assault. On the 16th we were aroused at four o'clock, A. M., by a heavy skirmishing. A thick fog existed at the time, so dense that it was impossible to discern objects at the distance of twelve or fifteen yards, and before we were aware of it, the enemy in overwhelming numbers and well sup- ported by artillery, swept down upon our right and almost at the same instant attacked us in our rear. Notwithstanding every precantion had been taken to prevent a surprise, the enemy succeeded with the help of the dense fog in eluding our pickets, and posted a strong force on our extreme right and rear, only awaiting the first streak of dawn to dash upon us. The Ninth New Jersey Volunteers being on the right, received the first shock, and, being attacked on all sides by a large force, were compelled to fall back, stubbornly fighting and contesting every inch of ground, pouring volley after volley into the rebel ranks with terrible effect. The attack on the right seemed to be the signal for a general assault along the entire line, for in a few moments the whole line was engaged and that which before was perfect darkness, was now a brilliant illumination from the fire of the artillery and infantry. The men fought with great determination and at some points of the line it was almost a hand to hand conflict. Three unsuccessful attempts were made to gain posses-
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sion of the works in front of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts ; as often did the rebel colors fall, the enemy repulsed with slaughter. The Ninth New Jersey and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts having lost all their field and most of their company officers, and the Twenty-third Massachusetts having but one field officer left, fought their way out, bravely. The Twenty-fifth Massachusetts finding themselves surrounded, faced by the rear rank and delivered a tremendous volley into the rebel ranks. Their ammunition being expended, a charge was ordered which threw the rebels into confusion, thereby enabling the regiment to march out by the flank, retiring in good order. Thus, the brigade being overpowered by greatly superior numbers-the enemy in our front, on the flank and in the rear; with no support whatever, was compelled to fall back.
At this juncture, while marching my regiment through the woods to the rear, I was informed by Captain W. II. Abel, acting adjutant-general of the brigade, that General Heckman and Colonel H. C. Lee were both reported missing. Being senior officer, I was ordered by General Weitzel to assume command, collect the remnants of the regiments and form the brigade in line of battle in the open field in rear of the woods. The brigade was then ordered by General Smith to an elevated piece of ground on the right, in order to check the further advance of the enemy on our right flank. Remaining there about an hour, the brigade was ordered by Lieutenant Graves of General Weitzel's staff to move at a double-quick to near the turnpike, a short distance to the
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