Wearing the blue in the Twenty-fifth Mass. volunteer infantry, with Burnside's coast division, 18th army corps, and Army of the James, Part 35

Author: Denny, Joseph Waldo, 1825 or 1826-
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Worcester, Putnam & Davis
Number of Pages: 1196


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 35


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As the thundering cchoes from Five Forks died away, all of our artillery in front of Petersburg opened fire.


At daybreak of April 2nd, following closely the bombard- ment, our troops moved to a general assault.


Ord's Corps on the Boydton road and Hatcher's Run, drove everything before it, and, swinging round to the right, moved up toward Petersburg. Sheridan's Cavalry and the other corps struck the Southside railway at three points, and Lee's commu- nications were cut and his retreat by that road, and ou the right bank of the Appomattox, was defeated. Forts Gregg aud Alexander, on the south side of Petersburg, were captured by Gibbon's Division of the Army of the James, and the enemy was confined to the inner line, almost within Petersburg. At ten o'clock, Lee ordered one more assault by Heth's Division upon works held by the Ninth Corps on Lee's left, but this assault was repulsed.


At this hour, Lee telegraphed to Jeff Davis, who was then in one of the churches of Richmond, for it was Sunday, -" My lines are broken in three places. Richmond must be evacuated this evening. Robert E. Lee." The chief conspirator imme-


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diately left the church, the services were closed, and the rebel capital was in confusion. As darkness came over the city, there was a hurrying to and fro, packing of boxes and trunks, anxious eyes peering into others just as anxious, as if to read the heart -- the heart many times lacerated by grief, now to be deluged by despair. The Confederate "Executive " departed --- the "Congress" fled from the doomed capital, and those who were left-those who could not go-citizens, women and children, remembering the threats that had been made to execute the cruel order of the Confederate congress, to destroy public property in case of an evacuation, looked on tremblingly. The city authorities, desiring to stay all acts of violence, ordered all liquors to be turned into the streets. This was done, but men scooped it up, and were maddened by the very means the authorities thought would avert excesses.


At three o'clock on the morning of April 3rd, Ewell ordered the warehouses to be fired. Citizens protested in vain, and the torch was applied. A mob of both sexes went rampant through the city, and ere long the greater part of the business portion of Richmond was in flames. The magazines were blown up, and so was the rebel ram Virginia, and finally, as the last retreating soldier moved over Mayo's bridge and the railroad bridges, they were fired and destroyed. Troops under General Weitzel entered Richmond, and the surrender of the city being demanded, the keys of the public buildings were placed in the hands of Major Atherton H. Stevens, Jr., of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, by Joseph Mayo, the Mayor.


General Weitzel took possession of the late residence of Jeff Davis. General Shepley was appointed Military Governor, and Lieutenant-Colonel Manning, Provost-Marshal of the city. . The work was not done.


Lee's army was retreating. He had issued orders to concen- trate at Amelia Court house, on the line of the Danville road.


Long trains of supplies for the army were ordered to this point. The supplies arrived Sunday afternoon, and were abso-


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lutely necessary for the sustenance of the Confederates. A stupid Confederate officer at Amelia Court House, receiving orders from Richmond to send the trains there, that the government might have the use of the empty cars, for luggage, etc., forwarded the trains without unloading the precious food! On, the trains went to Richmond, reaching there just in time to be destroyed, cars, food and all, by the conflagration eating out the heart of the city. In this way Lee and his army were absolutely destitute, and yet they fought several-engagements with our army or portions of it who were in hot pursuit of them.


Lee's men were starving. They were so reduced in strength that thousands of them could not carry their muskets, and so they dropped them in their tracks.


Lee succeeded in crossing the Appomattox at Farmville, and was on the plank road to Lynchburg. On the 7th of April he attacked the divisions of Miles and De Trobriand, of the Second Corps, with some success, and it was immediately after this that Lee received from General Grant a missive containing these lines : ---


"The result of the last week must convince you of the hopeless- ness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so; and regard it as my dnty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confed- erate States Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia."


Lee answered : -


"Though not entertaining the opinion yon express on the hopeless- ness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood. and, therfore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender."


Writing thus, Lee recommenced the retreat.


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TWENTY-FIFTHI MASSACHUSETTS.


On the morning of April 8th, Grant received Lee's reply, and the former sent a messenger with this response : --


" Peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, namely, that the men and officers surrendered, shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the Government of the United States, until properly exchanged."


And then Grant pushed the whole army after Lec.


Sheridan moved swiftly to flank' the enemy and cut off his progress towards Lynchburg.


Lee, hoping to keep ahead and reach the mountains, sent back this answer to Lieutenant-General Grant's last note : ---


"In mine of yesterday, I did not intend to propose the surrender 'of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender of this Army; but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate States forces under my command, and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at ten o'clock, A. M., to-morrow, on the old stage road to Richmond, between the picket lines of the two armies."


In this matter of surrender, Lee's officers had already acted. A council of war had been held, at which Lee was not present, and it had been concluded to advise the General-in-Chief that the time had come when he should make the best terms possible.


It was a singular coincidence, that Pendleton, who was Lieutenant-General at Vicksburg, and who surrendered that place to Grant, now acting as a Colonel, was made the bearer of this conclusion of the Confederate officers to their commander. Lee pretended to believe the time for surrender had not arrived. and hence dispatched the note to Grant which we have just given.


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On the morning of April 8th, Lieutenant-General Grant replied that he had no authority to treat upon general terms of peace, and therefore was of opinion, that a meeting between them would do no good.


Sheridan settled the question.


He pushed forward Custer on a forced march, who succeeded in getting upon the line Lee was marching over, reaching Appomattox Court House, on the Lynchburg railway, before the Confederate advance had come up. Sheridan hurried up the remainder of the cavalry and dismounted them, and there they stood in serried lines directly across the path that Lee must take in order to escape. Four trains of cars loaded with provisions for the Confederates were captured and sent to the rear, thus knocking away the last hope the starving Confed- erates had of obtaining something to cat.


The Confederates came up in force, and Lee determined to make one more struggle. At daybreak of April 9th, he ordered his troops to assault and break the Federal lines at all hazards. Sheridan's men gradually fell back, knowing that infantry supports would soon arrive. The corps of Griffin, of the Army of the James reached Appomattox station, and though weary from marching, formed a line of battle in rear of the cavalry. The latter immediately mounted and formed on the left of the infantry, whereupon, Lce advancing, was astonished to find a long line of infantry in his front. Lee believed that the cavalry alone had time to reach a position to impede him. Hearing the bugles sounding a charge, a white flag was advanced to the Confederate front, and movements were suspended.


Just at this interesting moment, when Lee found himself checkmated, he sent a letter to Grant, as follows : -


"I received your note this morning on the picket line, whither I had come'to meet you, and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of yesterday, with reference to the surrender of this army. I now ask an interview, in accordance with an offer contained in your letter of yesterday, for that purpose."


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Grant consenting to this interview, the two chieftains met that day, [April 9th] Sunday, at two o'clock, P. M., at the house of Wilmer McLean. It is a very singular coincidence, (as stated by Lossing) that Mr. McLean had a residence upon the Bull Run battle-field. He was so disgusted with war and its alarms, that he sold out his homestead and left that locality, saying he would settle where he could be free from the marchings and fightings of contending armies. He settled at Appomattox, and here heard the last guns of a war that had desolated Virginia, and was finally compelled, in his own house, to witness the surrender of the brave army of Northern Virginia. McLean saw the first and last battle in Virginia, the Alpha and Omega of armed rebellion.


Grant, at the conference, was magnanimous. He asked nothing that could not be granted without dishonor.


Lee appreciated the generosity of his conqueror.


The two following papers made up the terms of surrender :--


Appomattox Court House, Va. April 9th, 1865.


General :- In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit : - rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate ; one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such other officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Govern- ment of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority, so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they reside.


General R. E. LEE.


U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.


Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, April 9th, 1865.


General :- I received your letter of this date, containing the terms of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, as proposed by you. As they are


DAVID B. BIGELOW.


WM. L. LYON.


JOSEPH HT. THOMPSON.


NELSON TIFFANY.


LLOYD G. MANNING.


COMPANY A.


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substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.


Lieutenant-General U. S. GRANT.


R. E. LEE, General.


By this capitulation twenty-six thousand men of the Con- federate army, of which number however, only about nine thousand had arms, were paroled. A large number deserted on the retreat to Appomattox, and thousands of others, too much weakened by hunger and fatigue, left their muskets by the side of the roads. These were gathered up, and with those stacked on the field, amounted to sixteen thousand. There were also surrendered, one hundred and fifty pieces of artillery, seventy colors, over a thousand wagons and about four thousand horses and mules.


Lee lost in this campaign of fourteen days, thirty-nine thou- sand men, twenty-five thousand of whom were prisoners in our hands.


As soon as the capitulation was announced, the Army of the Potomac, that, during all the war had fought the Army of Northern Virginia as vigorously as it had been led to the combat, gave way to the wildest demonstrations of joy. Cheer upon cheer resounded all along our lines, the bands joining in the general acclaim with the soul inspiring National airs that had so many times given new life to the soldiers in their camps.


But these brave men who had been wearing the blue for three years and more, in this moment of their proud exulta- tion, forgot not that heaven-inspired sentiment of Abraham Lincoln-" With malice toward none"-and the demonstra- tions of joy ceased, that they might feed the half-starved, attenuated men who stood before them. Now these two armies mingled together. The men in blue and those in homespun, looked into each others' faces, and they were enemies no more!


Thus, on the 9th of April, 1865, ended the great civil war! For some months thereafter, isolated detachments of the army,


:-


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in ignorance of the capitulation of Lee, maintained belliger- ency, a regiment of colored troops [Sixty-second United States C. T.] firing the last gun of the war on May 13th, in Texas.


MUSTER OUT.


We left the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers at Char- lotte, N. C., where it remained until, by order of the War Department, it was to return to Massachusetts to be mustered out of the service of the United States. The regiment com- menced its journey home, moving to Petersburg, passing over the fields where many a sanguinary struggle had been witnessed and in which, many of these returning veterans had partici- pated. Coming up from the South, before reaching the town, Colonel Tucker stopped the train and gave the soldiers an opportunity to visit and examine the localities with which they were familiar. This inspection ended, the. troops entered Petersburg, and after a short stop, moved down to City Point and from there proceeded by steamer to Baltimore, thence homeward, reaching Boston and proceeding immediately to Readville, where they arrived on the 13th of July, 1865, and, on the 21st day of that month, the officers and men, having performed honorable duty, were formally mustered out, and from that day ceased wearing the blue and returned to the occupations of civil life.


As we close this record, tender memories of our comrades who gave their lives for the Union -- one country, and one flag-crowd upon us, and we picture upon our mind's mirror the places where they sleep beneath the sod, -


" And ever there the sunbeams wait, And ever there the shadows fall, The beams are from the pearly gate - The shadows from the golden wall."


!


APPENDIX.


ORGANIZATION OF COMPANY D.


Some papers concerning the organization of Company B, reaching us too late to be embodied in the main part of our work, we have determined to utilize them in the appendix.


The idea of enlisting a company for national service from the town of Milford, was first suggested by George Draper, Esq., a patriotic and public spirited citizen of Hopedale, in Milford. It was not only his idea, but he fur- nished a liberal supply of funds to meet the expense, and induced other patriotic citizens of the place to unite with him in the effort.


Willard Clark, William Emery and William F. Draper united in the enter- prise, and commenced recruiting on the 6th of September, 1861, and, in thirteen days their efforts were crowned with success, a full company being recruited and ready for service. On the 18th of September those who had enlisted were sworn into the service by T. G. Kent, Esq., of Milford. The company was daily drilled in the manual of arms and company movements, until ordered into camp at Worcester, each man receiving one dollar per day for his time.


On the morning of September 25th the company paraded with full ranks, and was escorted to the depot by the Milford band and a large number of the citizens of Milford. At the depot, they received the first practical proof that they were soldiers, by being compelled to take passage for South Framingham in freight cars. It was really better transportation than they always had during the three years of their service, but it must be said, that the soldiers did not consider themselves very much flattered by that mode of conveyance. At South Framingham, the company was transferred to passenger cars and pro- cecding on, reached Worcester at nine o'clock, A. M. They marched to the Agricultural Grounds, afterwards Camp Lincoln, and was the first company of the Twenty-fifth Regiment to go into camp. The company had an aggregate of one hundred and three men. That night, the company quartered in Agri- cultural Hall, and next day, receiving tents, pitched them upon the camp line, and entered upon the regular routine of camp duty.


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TWENTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS.


Not long since, Mr. Draper, the father of the Milford Company B, furnished to Captain Emery an interesting account of the formation of that company, which we take pleasure in giving a permanent place in history.


The letter is as follows :--


HOPEDALE, (Mass.) September Ist, 1879.


Captain WM. EMERY,


Dear Sir :- In answer to inquiries in regard to the early history of Company B, Twenty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, recruited in September, 1861, I accept the opportunity of saying, that my first thoughts in regard to enlisting a company from Milford, were the result of the expressed determination of my son, William F. Draper, to enter the service for the Union. I determined if possible, with such assistance as I could obtain, to raise a company of volunteers from Milford and its vicinity. I made a proposition to Messrs. A. C. Mayhew, Samuel Walker, Charles F. Claflin and Elbridge Mann, some of our patriotic citizens, that if they would contribute fifty dollars each and lend me their influence, I would contribute an equal amount and as much more as might be necessary, and give my entire time towards the accomplishment of the object. They cheerfully responded to the proposal, and, in addition to the pecuniary aid, furnished by them, gave also their much valued personal assistance, which enabled me to succeed in the work.


Having determined to raise the company, I went with Captain Willard Clark to see Governor Andrew and received the necessary authority to proceed. Captain Clark, yourself, and my son, Wm. F. Draper, entered immediately upon the enterprise. I gave all my time to the work, and it was prosecuted by all interested with a zeal worthy of the cause. Those who enlisted were patri- otic and earnest and joined in efforts to fill up the company. Under these circumstances, success was certain, and I am glad to say that we succeeded in putting the first company into Camp Lincoln, to unite its fortunes with the Massachusetts Twenty-fifth.


The alacrity of the young men to enlist was such, that the entire cost of recruiting the company, outside of the amount paid by the State, including . something of a company fund, so far as I know, was only six hundred dollars in addition to the two hundred and fifty dollars subscribed as before stated, which I paid cheerfully, and have always felt it was one of the best investments I ever made. In regard to the sums of money paid, I write from memory, and if I make any mistake I shall be glad to have it corrected.


The history of this heroie company and the glorious regiment of which it formed a part, is written in blood upon many battle fields-the character of the company and the regiment was never stained with dishonor, and, reflecting upon the brave deeds of those who formed that company and the regiment, the fact that I assisted in forming the company, is one of the incidents in my life that I love best to think of. To mne, it is a source of pride, that in doing what I could to send heroic Company B into the National service, I rendered that company and my country then imperiled, and which it so gallantly defended,


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some little service. Accept for yourself and all who formed a part of glorious Company B of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, my most sincere gratitude.


GEORGE DRAPER.


REV. HORACE JAMES. 1


Chaplain James remained in service during the war, and was one of the last officers to be mustered out. Returning to his home, he became connected with the publication of The Congregationalist, and was also settled over a parish in Lowell. His health, however, was broken, and he at last succumbed to disease, retiring to Hillside Cottage, in Boylston, where he died June 9th, 1875.


On the 8th of February of that year, the Tenth Reunion of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Regimental Association was held, the Chaplain remembering the occasion by forwarding the following letter, the last from his pen, which was read at the table : ----


HILLSIDE COTTAGE, January 22nd, 1875.


J. W. GOULD, Esq., Secretary Twenty-fifth Regiment Association.


Dear Comrades :- It really pains me to think that I shall be so near to your approaching reunion and unable to be with you. My state of health is such that my only safety consists in keeping myself surrounded by an atmosphere of tropical warmth and extreme purity, and in using the most sedulous care about every kind of exposure. I hardly expect to ride to Worcester all winter.


Be sure to present to my comrades of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, one and all, assurances of my unchanging regard and esteem. I rejoice in their welfare, and pray God to give them success in every enterprise of industry, and in every department of just endeavor. The disease which is holding me with the grasp of a giant admonishes me that the ties of our association are to be severed, and that death-bearing shafts are flying about alnost as freely as did the leaden rain and iron hail of the battle-field. This is our Tenth Reunion. Who will be here on the Twentieth ? Who on the Thirtieth ? We can foresce the day when not a man will answer to the roll-call. We shall have gone over the river. Not even a sentinel left on guard upon the hither shore. Will we not hold our reunions then in the fields of Paradise ? Following our great Leader, will we not aspire to that promotion which will attach us to His person and His service forever ? With respect to all my comrades in the dear old Twenty-fifth, this is iny warmest wish and my profondest longing.


Trusting that everything may coaspire to make this "Tenth Reunion" just as pleasant as anything can be which has connected with it of necessity some saddening associations and memories,


I am, as ever, most faithfully yours, HORACE JAMES.


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At the Eleventh Reunion in 1876, the death of Chaplain James was appropriately noticed. General A. B. R. Sprague, General Pickett, Colonel D. M. Woodward and Quartermaster Wm. O. Brown were appointed a committee to draft resolutions. The following series were reported and cordially adopted : -


Resolved, That in the death of Chaplain James we are again reminded that "we nightly pitch our wandering tents a day's march nearer home ;" and while we recognize our Father's hand in all our joys and all our sorrows, we do especially now look upward to the cloud that overshadows our pathway, assured that though we see it not, it bears a silver lining.


We acknowledge and bear testimony to the faithful service he rendered as a comrade in the line of duty, in the camp, the field, the hospital-whose voice, and pen, and armi were ever ready in the cause of loyalty and human rights- whose inspiring presence and cheerful greeting have served to help us bear the discomforts and discouragements incident to army life.


Now that his name is added to the long roll of comrades "Not lost but gone before," we will ever cherish his memory with theirs, grateful that we have had for fellows in life's sterner duties, such as these who lived and died.


We deeply sympathize with his loved ones in the family circle, and confi- dently commend them to Him who is able to comfort and sustain his sorrowing children.


An incident connected with the sickness of Chaplain James, we find noted in onr diary nnder date of September 4th, 1875: " A few days before the death of Mr. James, our late Quartermaster, Wm. O. Brown, between whom and the Chaplain, a warm personal friendship had long existed, called at his sick bed to extend his sympathies and look once more into the beloved face that would soon be seen no more. The Chaplain was much emaciated, and, as he raised his arm, the shirt sleeve slipped down over the bones, whereupon, he said- 'There, Quartermaster, you see I'm getting into light marching order!' The remark was a happy one and entirely characteristic of the Chaplain. If, physically, he was in 'light marching order' and ready for the call that would relieve him from suffering, his mind was fortified by that faith which he had eloquently preached to others, and which enabled him to wait with calm serenity for that 'assembly call' which would muster him again with the many dear comrades who had gone before."




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