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 28
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When Gillmore moved on Petersburg, the gunboats cooper- ated by an attack upon Fort Clinton, some six or seven miles up the Appomatox, and below the town.
Kautz moving with his cavalry, did his work well, capturing the intrenchments on the south side of the city, and almost reaching the very heart of the town itself. Gillmore however, satisfied himself by looking at the works on the City Point side, and then returning without making an attack. His failure
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was a matter of deep regret, and with the regrets, mingled an impression that Kautz was not properly supported.
On the evening of Sunday, June 12th, the Eighteenth Corps moved away from Cold Harbor, where the duty had been very severe. The Twenty-fifth Regiment had been in the trenches very near the rebel lines. At night details for picket duty were made, and marched to the extreme front, where they were obliged to remain until the next night. An attempt to relieve pickets by daylight, would prove a costly experiment.
At three o'clock, P. M., of the 12th, Captain Parkhurst, who had been sick in the hospital for some weeks, returned for duty in the trenches, and, as senior officer present, assumed com- mand of the regiment, promulgating an order to that effect, and naming Lieutenant Davis as acting adjutant. That evening at nine o'clock the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts began the movement to the rear. The success of the retreat depended upon the noiseless steps of the soldiers. As if to add to the danger of discovery, the moon shown out with all its wonted brilliancy, and the stars twinkled in the heavens, which gave appearance of no clouds to act as a curtain in concealing the important flank movement then commenced.
As the troops emerged from the trenches and took the roads for the White House, the dust was so thick as to be almost suffocating ; yet there was a feeling of relief as men came in sight of the open fields. They were happy as they moved away from the trenches of Cold Harbor. Happy, and yet sad, for they were leaving the fields where many of their late comrades rested beneath the sod. They were leaving the graves behind them, and they knew not how many open graves awaited them whither they were going. Happily, soldiers seldom look into the open grave.
White House was reached at five o'clock, A. M., of June 13th, and here Chaplain Dodd, recently appointed, joined the regiment for duty ; from this time on he shared the fortunes of the regiment, endeavored to lift up the sick and weary, comfort
WEARING THE BLUE. 343
the sorrowful and disheartened, and in every possible way tried to be and was, a helper of his fellow-men. About
3 eleven o'clock the regiment, mustering two hundred and twenty-five men, embarked on a transport steamer, and with the other battalions of the Eighteenth Corps, moved down the Pamunky and York rivers. The next day (June 14th) the corps steamed up the James river to City Point, thence up the Appomatox, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts debarking at Broadway landing, at nine o'clock, P. M. The regiment marched northward from the landing, and for a few hours, bivouaced in an open field, receiving rations and ammu- nition.
The flank movement to the James river was determined upon a few days after the battle of Cold Harbor, and the Ninth Corps was then posted between the Fifth and Eigh- teenth Corps. The Fifth Corps retired, and was posted on the flank covering Dispatch station on the York river rail- road. A line of heavy earthworks was erected a mile in rear of the line held by the troops in front, as a defensive point in case of emergency. On the night of June 12th, the movement commenced, the Eighteenth Corps marching, as we have seen, to the White House, the Fifth Corps to Long bridge, and there masking the movement; the Second Corps following the Fifth to Long bridge and thence to the James river, crossing in boats at Wilcox's landing; the Sixth and Ninth Corps moving via Tunstall's station and Jones' bridge, thence to Charles City Court House and then to the James. The pontoon bridge upon which they crossed was two thousand feet in length, the channel boats being anchored in thirteen fathoms of water.
When our army commenced the evacuation of the trenches at Cold Harbor, a line of dismounted cavalrymen, having their horses tethered in the rear, occupied the front as the infantry vacated, and these dismounted men continued the usual picket firing during the night of the 12th. Just before daylight they
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went noiselessly to the rear, mounted their horses and followed the infantry as fast as possible. Very soon the enemy became aware that there was no foe in his front, but Lee was deceived in believing that Grant intended to attack Richmond by the river roads, and, not until the 15th, did he become satisfied that the line of operation was transferred to the south side of the James, whereupon he hastened troops to Petersburg and those troops reached there on the night of the 15th.
At two o'clock on the morning of June 15th, "Fall in!" rang down the thin line of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, and soon after the regiment crossed the Appomatox upon the pontoon bridge at Broadway landing. The Twenty-fifth Mas- sachusetts led the column of the Second Division, taking the river road to Petersburg.
Hinck's Division of colored troops were with the Eighteenth Corps, and also a division of cavalry, under Kautz. The force moved forward with the following dispositions, viz: Kautz to threaten the enemy's lines near the Norfolk railroad, pro- tecting also the left flank of the main column : Hineks to move and occupy a position next to Kautz, bringing him on the left of the infantry line : Brooks' First Division to follow Hineks, and Martindale's (Second) Division to hold the right, occupy- ing the river road at Petersburg and striking the intrenchments at and near the City Point railroad, between that point and the Appomatox river.
Marching for some distance upon the road by the flank, the Second Division deployed about daylight and advanced in line of battle, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts having the right of the line. It was at five o'clock in the morning, while marching orer a slight elevation through a field, that the Division was saluted by the first shot from the enemy's pickets. This first shot wounded a man of Company G. The line continued to move forward slowly, receiving an occasional shot from the enemy, until half-past six o'clock, when the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts came to a dense thicket of small trees covering
Major MERRITT B. BESSEY.
Lient. GEORGE BURR.
Major FRANCIS F. GOODWIN.
Capt. JAALAM GATES.
Cald. H. H. PRATT.
COMPANY A.
Heliotype Printing Co. Boston.
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the left wing of the regiment. Captain Parkhurst ordered a flank to the right, clearing the thicket, and then advanced through a cornfield for some forty rods, reaching a point nearly opposite the line of the woods, where the regiment was assailed by a well directed fire of schrapnel from a battery located upon a hill, about half a mile distant upon the left front. By the flank movement to the right, a wide gap was created between the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts and the right of the division, and at this point, Parkhurst moved the regiment by the left, thus closing the space. Then advancing again, they crossed a deep, wide ditch between the wood and cornfield. Upon this position the enemy had complete range, and poured in a rapid succession of shot and shell from the battery on the hill. In order to escape the effect of this fire, Parkhurst moved forward double-quick, placing our regiment some thirty rods in advance of the rest of the brigade, but out of range of the shot, which passed harmlessly over their heads, much to the general satisfaction, because, within a very few minutes, one man, Private Stephens of Company B, had been killed, and two officers and sixteen men wounded. It was upon this advance that Captain Francis E. Goodwin, a young and intrepid officer, was wounded, losing an eye, which incapacitated him for further service during the war. Lieutenant M. B. Bessey, serving on Stannard's Brigade staff, was also wounded, (as usual) making the third wound for him within a short time. The regiment was now ordered to lie down, and in doing so obtained relief from the burning sun by pulling up the corn-stalks which were about fifteen inches high, and placing them over their heads. Here, under protection of tlie youthful corn- stalks, the regiment'remained during the day, receiving shots frequently from a two-gun battery located about a mile to the front and right, upon the plain. A rebel musketeer connected with the hill-battery before mentioned, amused himself by shooting at those of the regiment who exposed themselves,
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and finally obtained such excellent range upon Captain Park- hurst that he concluded very wisely, that it was wisdom to move regimental headquarters, which consisted at that time, of the Captain commanding and a good sized carpet-bag, containing pen, ink, blanks and the customary sticks of red- tape. This carpet-bag was a fixture in the regiment, and, like Mary's little lamb, wherever the captain went, the carpet- bag was sure to go. Regimental headquarters could always be found by discovering the locality of that bag.
At about twenty minutes after six on the evening of this day, [June 15th]. the sudden booming of cannon was heard upon the left of our line. It came from a battery of the First Division of Hancock's Second Corps, (the first division of that corps to arrive in front of Petersburg.) The cannonading soon became general. Our guns poured a terrific fire into the battery upon the hill which was soon silenced, after which, the two-gun battery on the plain was attended to with the same result, and at seven o'clock, P. M., our line advanced, having remained inactive in the field, without firing a gun, for twelve weary hours.
Reaching the fortifications of Petersburg early in the morn- ing of the 15th, it is, perhaps, true that Smith found the works stronger than bo bad anticipated. He saw. well built trenches, and redans protected by ditches and ravines, the approach to which on the right, was over a long, flat, open space, the troops having no protection, and exposed to the well-directed fire of the artillery in the works. The centre presented a stronger line of earthworks, and attempts to place our batteries in position were defeated by the enemy's closely directed fire.
Aside however from the artillery of the enemy, the defenders behind the earthworks were not numerous. There were very few soldiers present for the defence of Petersburg, not a single brigade of Lec's army having crossed the Appomattox until late on the evening of the 15th. Those behind the enemy's works were mostly the militiamen and boys, pushed into the intrench-
CAPTAIN V. P. PARKHURST.
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ments upon the emergency. The morning of June 15th was evidently Smith's golden opportunity; but he hesitated and waited for reenforcements. Hancock crossed the James river early on the morning of the 15th, and rested quietly in the green fields bordering its right bank. It was possible for him to have had his advanced divisions at Petersburg before noon. Hle states that the order he that day received from Grant, was the first intimation he had that he was to assist in Smith's movement upon Petersburg.
The three divisions of the Eighteenth Corps advanced about seven o'clock, as before stated. The Twenty-fifth Massa- chusetts moved forward nearly a mile, halting where a road crossed the fields. Parkhurst moved forward to reconnoitre and thought he saw evidence that the two-gun battery, now but a short distance in front and to the right, had been deserted. The firing from those guns had ceased. Stannard having given his consent, Parkhurst directed First-Sergeant Sam'l H. Put- nam, then commanding Company A, to move forward. The company went at double-quick over the field where the shells were bursting and the shot was falling like hail ; but " for- ward " was the word, and over the breastwork they went, only to find that the enemy, demoralized, had deserted their guns, which proved to be two Napoleons and caissons complete. Officer Putnam sent back word to Parkhurst that he had taken two of the enemy's guns, whereupon Captain Harrington was ordered forward with a number of men, and the guns were drawn into our lines. These guns had annoyed our soldiers all day, and it gave our regiment not a little gratification to see them turned against the enemy. The capture of these guns occurred at about nine o'clock, P. M. The moon, nearly at its full, cast a mellow light over the scene, while the carly evening dews and the cooler night air was refreshing to men who had been prostrated all day under the burning rays of a hot June sun. At half-past nine o'clock, a steady roll of musketry was heard at some distance to the left, and then everything was
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silent, and at half after ten o'clock, the Twenty-fifth Massa- chusetts retired some distance and sank down into the wet grass, anxious only for a little rest and sleep. But this was not to be, for the regiment, with a Pennsylvania battalion, was ordered upon the picket line, Captain Parkhurst being appointed officer of the day.
LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OF TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS
VOLUNTEERS 'AT PETERSBURG, VA., JUNE 15TH, 1864. Killed. Private Elliot A. E. Stephens, Company B. Wounded.
Captain Francis E. Goodwin (face.and arm), Company A.
First-Lieutenant M. B. Bessey (foot), Company A.
First-Sergeant G. V. Ball (thigh), Company F.
Sergeant Robert S. Crane (arm), Company H.
Corporals-Chas. A. Miller (arm, amputated, died July 9th, 1864, Hampton, Va.), Company F; C. R. Hill (foot), Company D.
Privates - Company D-Benajah Hodge (knee) ; J. O. Bartlett (arm) ; Com- pany E -- Martin Hearney (side) ; Ambrose McKenna (hand) ; Company F- John Gleason (shoulder) ; Sidney L. Reed (arm, amputated) ; Company G- Bernard Brockerman (leg) ; Frederick Wenning (arm); Company H - Win. H. Metcalf (thigh) ; Company I -- Jas. Davis (side) ; Company K-Edward B. Clark (arm and head) ; 'Albert Stockdale (arm and head).
1 man killed ; 2 officers, 16 men wounded.
As a result of the movement between six and nine and one- half o'clock, P. M., when the divisions of Martindale, Brooks and Hineks pressed forward, the enemy was driven from his riffe-pits, four redoubts and a line of intrenchments two and one-half miles in extent, twenty guns, three hundred prisoners and a battle-flag were captured.
Having secured those results, it is probable if Smith had pushed on, Petersburg, defended by a weak line of infantry, might have been taken. Smith, however, as he says in his report,
"deemed it wiser to hold what he had, than, by attempting to reach the bridges [that spanned the Appomattox at Petersburg ] to lose what we had gained and have the troops meet with disaster."
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Again he says :-
" Heavy darkness was upon us, and the troops were placed so as to occupy the commanding positions and wait for daylight."
A year after this, Grant writes, in his report of this affair :-
"The night was clear, the moon shining brightly and favorable to further operations."
He also says he threw forward the Army of the Potomac by divisions "as rapidly as could be done." Lossing, in his work, says, in regard to the evening-" the nearly full moon shining brightly until past midnight." This occurred on the 15th of June, and the moon was full on the 19th June, 1864. We have been particular in stating what might seem to be minor details in regard to hours, minutes and the moon's position, because it has been a matter of dispute. Upon the point of time, there is a wide variance of statement, the Lieutenant-General reporting that " the enemy's pickets were confronted near Petersburg before daylight." That would be about four o'clock in the morning. General Smith declares that the attacking force did not reach its assigned position until after eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and all of the troops did not arrive until noon.
The facts we have given in regard to the time of movements were furnished by Captain Parkhurst from memoranda made at the time, and those who know his exactness in all such things, will not question the accuracy of the statement. After, or about midnight of the 15th, a fog came up, and the balance of the night was quite dark.
During the night of the 15th, Petersburg was strongly reenforced from Lee's army, the division of the enemy under General A. P. Hill having reached the vicinity of Fort Darling, about the time that the Army of the Potomac began to cross the James river. Beauregard was in command in
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that vicinity, and, with the cooperation of Hill's Division, was ready for any advance that Grant might attempt upon Rich- mond from the south. As soon as Smith moved to attack Petersburg, the Confederate troops were hastened forward to that place. All night of the 15th, the enemy poured into Petersburg, and on the morning of the 16th, the strong works that environed the place, were filled, not by the unpractised militia and unbearded youthi of the day previous, but by the veteran soldiers of Lee's army.
On the evening of the 16th the greater part of Grant's army had arrived, and were in position around Petersburg.
During the day and night of the 16th, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts remained in the position it had taken late ou the evening previous.
Upon the evening of the 16th our artillery opened fire upon Petersburg. The fire was maintained with great rapidity all night, and Hancock with the Second Corps and Burnside with the Ninth Corps, made several futile efforts to break the enemy's lines. Birney's Division of the Second Corps, did however, by a gallant charge, carry and hold a ridge in its front, and Potter's Division of the Ninth Corps made an onslaught upon a portion of the enemy's works in front of the Ninth Corps. The division carried the works, captured four guns and nearly five hundred prisoners. This position was however, recaptured by the enemy before morning. Both the Second and Ninth Corps lost very heavily.
Taking advantage of this general movement at Petersburg, Terry's Division of the Tenth Corps, moved on the same day to destroy if possible, the Richmond railroad at or near the point attacked early in May, as before stated. Beauregard did not prevent Terry from reaching the road, and the object of the movement might have been accomplished but for the fact, that Pickett's Division of Longstreet's Corps, just at that hour, happened to be marching from Richmond to Peters- burg, and so joined in the general melee against Terry.
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Supposing that Terry might find himself in hot water, the Eighteenth Corps, excepting Martindale's Division, was re- lieved in the front at Petersburg, by the Sixth Corps, and hastily marched to the other side of the Appomattox. But our corps arrived too late, for Terry had retreated back to the works at Bermuda Hundreds. The enemy now took full possession of the line of works in front of the intrenchments at Bermuda Hundreds, and were as well prepared to defend this line, as the more extensive one at Petersburg. By the 17th of June, the position of the enemy was impregnable, and the capture of Petersburg depended entirely upon the length of time the Confederates could stand a constant hammering, and the number of times the Richmond government could fill up the gaps made by death, disease and desertions.
On the morning of the 17th, the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts made an advance, and about noon, reached the intrenchments which had been thrown up on the plain near the river. At this point the regiment was detached from the brigade, and Captain Parkhurst was ordered to report to an officer near the bank of the river. The regiment marched by flank to the right, into a little ravine, where the men lay down to obtain shelter from the enemy's shot, which continually swept over the plain. Parkhurst, reporting as directed, was ordered to take the regiment under the bank of the river, which at this point rose abruptly for about fifty feet above the water, and at an angle of about sixty degrees, the upper bank being fringed with a line of bushes and small trees. Beyond this, the formation presented a perfectly level plain to the intrench- ments of the enemy, this plain being commanded by the rebel artillery and musketry. Upon the opposite side of the river, the bank was but a little elevated above the high water mark, maintaining that level to a considerable distance, ending in a hilly background.
The regiment moved to a position under the bank of the river, and then cautiously up the river, to a point about half
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- way between the line held by our army and the intrenchments of the enemy, remaining there during the night, and until about noon of the 18th. Parkhurst had been informed that a charge was to be made that afternoon upon the rebel lines, and that the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts from its position under the river bank, was to flank the enemy's left, if possible, and the desire was, that this might be accomplished by moving up under the bank of the river. Parkhurst however had made a personal reconnoissance, and found a deep, impassable gully near the flank of the rebel works. The movement under the bank being impracticable, the regiment was ordered to join the general charge when the Union troops should reach the point it occupied. The charging column moved while Park- hurst was engaged in reconnoitring and before he had time to return, and Harrington ordered the regiment forward, and led the way, keeping as near the river as possible, in order, if the enemy's line was reached, to flank it on the bank of the river. The men of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts sprang up from their position and tried to advance. They were met by a terrific fire of shot and shell against which none could stand and live. Men fell, killed and wounded. An advance was impossible : a retreat to the position just left was ordered and made as soon as it could be accomplished. In this move- ment which occupied but a very few minutes, a large number were killed and wounded.
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LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS AT PETERSBURG, VA., JUNE ISTH, 1864. Killed.
Private Joseph L. Delaney, Company A; Sergeant Chas. E. Holbrook, Com- pany C; Privates-Orlando Holman, Company F; Michael Suess, Joseph Eppler, Company G; Charles J. Witherell, Company I.
Wounded.
Captain James Tucker (arm), Company C.
Sergeants -Charles E. Buffington (thigh), Company B; Thomas J. MeKeon (head), Company E.
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Corporals -Chas. F. Wiun (leg), Hezekiah Davis, John D. Hall (hip fractured), Company D.
Privates - E. B. Fairbanks (leg), Company A; Robert Fleming (head), Company C; George Newell, Company D; Wm. Roach (leg amputated), Win. E. Battles (arm), Company F; Gotfried Speisser (face, severe), Company G ; Wm. L. Eddy (arm), Company K.
6 men killed. 1 officer, 12 men wounded. Total loss, 19.
At the time this charge was made, the Massachusetts Twenty- fifth was not more than twenty rods from the enemy's line, holding a more advanced position than that held by any other organization. The regiment remained under the river bank that night, but the next day at two o'clock, P. M., retired to the line of works which had been thrown up near the river by our troops. That afternoon, another member of the regiment was killed, viz. : Private John D. Pierce of Company D. On June 20th the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts with the Second Division, crossed the Appomattox at Point of Rocks, and mov- ing to a field about half a mile from Butler's headquarters, bivouaced for a night. This was the only night that the regi- ment was not under the enemy's fire, from the 15th of June to the 1st of September. The next day, June 21st, the regiment returned to Petersburg, reduced to one hundred and twenty- five guns. That was all that could be mustered of the seven hundred who landed at Bermuda Hundreds on the 5th of May. Five commissioned officers were with the regiment. The regi- ment lost one-third of its number between the 15th and 20th of June by casualties and sickness. Company organizations were nearly obliterated, some companies having only six to eight men left. The regiment was formed into four com- panies.
Now commenced the terrible life in the trenches, and they were no places a man would choose for comfort. These trenches were shallow earthworks with parapets formed of the earth thrown out, with loop-holes made usually of sand bags. They were generally provided with little canvas
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shelters to protect from the sun. In many cases men dug caves in the earth, which afforded protection against pieces of shell and other missiles thrown in the frequent artillery duels. In the trenches officers and men lived for days, weeks and months. Food was brought to them by the com- pany cooks. While our army occupied these trenches, the enemy occupied similar ones only a few rods away in front, and each lay watching the other, watching a chance to get a shot that would send some one to his death or to the hospital. Our men sometimes took delight in fooling the wary Johnnies by elevating a cap upon a stick over the parapet, thus instantly drawing the fire of the enemy, generally getting a hole through the cap, for the Confederate soldiers were good marksmen.
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