USA > Maine > History of the Fifth regiment Maine volunteers, comprising brief descriptions of its marches, engagements, and general services from the date of its muster in, June 24, 1861, to the time of its muster out, July 27, 1864 > Part 13
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"Our ambulance system was also very perfect, so complete, indeed, that after a year of trial in the army of the Potomac, Congress adopted it as the ambulance system of the United States. To Doctor Letterman, also, belongs the honor of originating this system.
"The ambulances of each corps were under com- mand of.a captain, who acted under directions from the medical director of the corps. A lieutenant com- manded the ambulances of a division, and a second lieutenant those of a brigade. To each ambulance was assigned a driver and two stretcher-bearers; and to three ambulances, a sergeant mounted. The ambu- lances of a division always went together behind the division, and, on the march, were attended by a sur- geon, an assistant surgeon, a hospital steward, a cook. and three or more nurses, who were to attend to' the wants of the sick in the ambulances, and, at night, if any were unable to return to their regiments, to ereet tents for them, and to supply them with food and bedding. In an engagement, the stretcher-bearers of each regiment, with the sergeant, reported to the as- sistant surgeon in attendance with each regiment. As soon as a man was wounded, he was brought to the medical officer, put in an ambulance, and taken to . division hospital. By this means, ordinarily, every man was carried to the hospital of his own division.
"The improvements in the quarter-master's depart- ment were nearly as great; and we have already alluded to the abundant supplies furnished by the commissary departments."
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CHAPTER XXI.
Ordered on picket. Orders to the advance. Battle of second Frederiesburg. Crossing the Rappahannock. On picket. Drying blankets and throwing np breastworks. Charge of the heights. Glorious success. Fight of Salem Church. Ter- rible position of the Fifth. Falling back. The Fifth the last to cross at Bank's ford. List of killed and wounded. Close of the campaign.
Ox the morning of the twenty-eighth of April, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, our regiment was ordered out on picket; but, as it proved, only for a brief season. We were aware that portions of the army were already upon the move, that the time was near at hand when we must be at work, and hence we were every moment expecting marching orders. Camp-life had become irksome, and many were sigh- ing for more active duties than those of the mere camp routine. The argument used was, that. so long as we were soldiers, and had got a work before us, we wanted to be about it, and get it done. If a man had got to be wounded, he seemed to reason that he might as well get that wound one time as another. There was nothing to be gained by delay. Again, if a man could get free from a soldier's life by having the rebel- lion closed, the sooner the fighting was done and over,
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the better he would feel. There was considerable sense in this; but whether the reader may think so or not, it was, at least, the feeling of the greater portion of the army.
About noon our final orders came to move at once in heavy marching order. At once here meant, as soon as you get ready; and though three o'clock in the afternoon was the very latest hour indicated for the movement, yet we did not take up our march until an hour later. We moved out of our encamp- ment at a rapid pace, and marched to the banks of the Rappahannock river, resuming the same position that we occupied in the campaign of the previous Decem- ber. Here we bivouacked for the night.
The next morning opened very foggy. The weather, certainly, was not very inspiring for the work which we realized that we had before us. Man's ardor is not generally very warm, when all of one's surroundings are cold and dampening. But I suppose that it was intended that action should warm us up. The various busy movements around us indicated speedy work ; and, at an early hour, we commenced our own prepara- tions for the general advance. So heavily did the fog lie around us, that one could see only a very short distance in advance. If fog was to be of any protec- tion, we certainly had plenty of that kind of protec- tion upon that morning. For some time we waited, though, from the sounds which reached us, we knew some portions of our troops were upon the move. We were within gun-shot of the enemy's picket-lines
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upon the other side of the river, and we knew not with what sort of a reception our forced early morn- ing call might experience. Warm, no doubt, it would be to us, and yet secretly we believed it would be repulsive to our feelings, especially if any of their sal- utations should happen to hit us fair. We were all ready to go down the banks of the river, when a full chorus of bullets from the other side, whistling their infernal songs, skipped over our heads, informing us that some portion of our division were near the enemy. Such dodging for a moment,-the flying of teams to the rear,-the speedy lying down of the troops,- a general scare,-a wanting to run, and yet held back by temporary courage, was seldom seen. The fact was simply this; it was unexpected, and so first im- pulses ruled for an instant. But only for a moment. for order was almost immediately restored, and we felt sure, that, if opportunity presented itself, the rebs would " get just as good as they sent," and with inter- est, if possible.
Soon our time came to move. Cautiously we proceeded down the banks of the river, and embarked in pontoon boats which were to convey us over, and? which were so arranged as to receive an entire brig- ade. Each boat carried some sixty or seventy men. The river at this point was narrow, and hence our transit would be brief. All being in readiness, we pushed off, and rapidly neared the opposite shore. Before we had effected a landing, another body of troops had gained a foothold, and, forming at once in
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line, charged up the opposite banks, and reached the enemy's picket line ahnost before he was aware of their presence. At once they opened a hot fire which was speedily checked by our men ; but not until a full volley had been received by our men in the boats, which resulted in a loss to us of two men killed and nine wounded. We all now felt that the time for action, work, and terrible duty had arrived ; and there were none who were not now nerved and prepared for the work. In less time than it requires to write this, our boats reached the shore, and the men were at once in line of battle, and moving forward to the front. Having secured the enemy's picket line, scarcely one escaping, a line of skirmishers were de- ployed, and the advance commenced. All of our operations were now upon the same ground as were those of the last campaign. Slowly we advanced across the plain which we knew to be in our front. Now the line of skirmishers would advance a few rods, halt, while a brief cavalry reconnoisance would be made, supported by a battery of field-pieces wheeled into line, then an advance of the infantry, expecting every moment an attack from the foe. In this man- ner of advance, marching and counter-marching, ready for work at any instant, we spent nearly three hours, until about ten o'clock in the morning the fog sud- denly lifted, and we saw plainly where we were. We had approached near the ravine and road spoken of in a previous chapter, a little more than midway across the plain. The enemy's advance skirmishers were
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within a short distance of our own; and, by seemingly mutual consent, each force halted, forming of the skir- mish line a picket line, the troops making themselves as comfortable as they could. There in plain view lay the Union army, and yet all day long the enemy made no demonstration, though their long line of rifle-pits and batteries admonished us to be careful how we trifled with rebel patience. Having secured a cross- ing and a foot-hold, that seemed to be the entire desire or aim of our commanders for that time at least.
The succeeding day proved to be one of quiet. Our regiment moved out from their temporary camp of the day before, and performed picket duty on the extreme advance. The picket lines, the Union and the rebel, were so near together, that conversation between the two could be easily carried on. Some trading of cof- fee for tobacco was indulged in, coffee being as great a luxury to the Reb, as good tobacco was to the Yank.
Night came on, and with it special instruction was received regarding our duty. Never shall we forget the experiences of this night's picketing. Strict orders were issued prohibiting fires or conversation above a whisper in our own ranks, while both officers and men were enjoined to keep the sharpest lookout, as the rebel pickets were but a few yards off on an open and unobstrueted plain, and we knew not what whim might seize their faney. Back and forth we paced on the designated beats, with our eyes constantly on the ghost-moving sentinels of the foe. Anticipating a
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night attack from a powerful enemy, with the deep Rappahannock cutting off our retreat to a great extent in our rear, the anxiety was but intensified, when, toward morning, a heavy fog coldly enveloped us in complete gloom. Chilled through and through, never was daylight and the rising sun hailed with greater joy by the boys than on that morning. By seemingly mutual consent, there had been no pieket firing for some twenty-four hours. Early in the forenoon, we were relieved by the noble Sixth Maine and some other troops, who soon opened a severe and rapid fire upon the enemy, apparently for none other reason than "to stir up the rebs." The fire was returned with energy. A deep, wooded ravine on which rested our right flank, ran up and by the rebel line to the foot of the heights. A small force of Union troops were quietly sent up this ravine, and reached a position just in rear of the enemy's left flank, without discov- ery. All at once the enemy received a deadly fire in flank and rear from an unseen foe, and without wait- ing for an investigation, gave way in confusion, and, as we may imagine, in dismay and terror. Our own picket line, no less astonished, perhaps, than the rebs, at this unexpected turn in affairs, improving the oppor- tunity afforded by the confusion of the enemy, dashed forward with a cheer, and drove the whole line pell- mell under cover of their fortifications. This closed all fighting in our immediate vicinity for that day. Upon our right, however, we heard the sound of severe fighting, and we learned that evening that
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"Fighting Joe " had engaged the enemy, and had met with a success. This, of course, gave great satisfac- tion to the boys in blue. I may say here that the force which had crossed the Rappahannock at this place, consisted of the First and the Sixth Corps of the army under General Sedgwick. The balance of the army under Hooker were some miles away upon our right. The First Corps was also soon sent to Hooker's support, leaving the Sixth Corps as the great actor in the second battle of Fredericsburg.
It is an adage that the wise man looks out for pos- sible dangers, and so acting upon this idea, the work of throwing up breastworks was considered necessary, in case the enemy advanced upon us. But how was this to be accomplished in the face and eyes of the enemy? A novel plan was hit upon. Our blankets had, from exposure to the fog and mist, become very wet. It was necessary that they should be dried. So a long line of guns were inserted, the bayonets stick- ing in the ground, thus answering as poles, and upon these the blankets were hung up to dry, forming, of course, a perfect screen. Behind these, with shovel and pick, our men worked with a will, and succeeded in throwing up quite formidable intrenchments to our great satisfaction, and of which the enemy were in blissful ignorance. Our blankets did us good service then; and had we been attacked, we might have had occasion to be very thankful that the fog wet our Mankets, and that the opportunity was offered to dry them, accomplishing what otherwise might have been impossible.
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Saturday, May second, the day following, was a beautiful and quiet day for us, until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when we began to assume a threat- ening attitude. The sky was clear, the air soft and still, when, about the time above indicated, from the rebel lines came the clear notes of a band playing the air of " Dixie," a favorite tune with the confederates. Three or four times they played it through, and then stopped. In a moment, a band in our own army com- menced the "Star Spangled Banner." Once through, and midway again, when, as if with a sudden impulse, the picket lines opened a severe fire upon each other. In another moment our boys charged the foe, driving him a long distance, and seeuring thereby quite an ad- vantage for us by advaneed ground. In the next few moments, our entire force was in motion, deploying lines to the right and to the left, and presenting every appearance of immediate attack. The orders were, I believe, to make demonstrations, but not to bring on, at that time, a general contest.
Thus in making demonstrations, but in reality af- fecting nothing definite or useful, we passed the time until night settled around us, and we were once more at rest. Yet the most ignorant man in the command fully realized, that, from the nature and character of the movements and demonstrations of the few hours previous, that another day could not pass without severer work than we had seen.
The counter-marching of the day previous had brought us to the river-side of the ravine which has been alluded to.
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Sunday morning, between one and two o'clock, the quick but whispered commands of our officers aroused us from our slumbers, and bade us be ready for action. It was a beautiful night, almost too lovely in which to engage in blood and carnage; yet we were not the arbiters of our own fortunes or movements; and so we must put aside the sentimental, in order that we might engage more faithfully in the real. It did not require long to get us ready to move wherever the powers directing should see fit. We soon found our- selves massed in heavy column with other troops, and, immediately, musketry commenced upon our right. Troops had been sent up to the city, where it seems that they had found the enemy in considerable force, and now the fight of the second Frederiesburg, so called, was opened in earnest. About this time, a message was received from Hooker stating that all was going well. This was received with great cheer among the men, and if any spirits were low or droop- ing, the message revived and invigorated them. Our artillery threw a few shots, and then our lines seemed to be somewhat deployed. After remaining about two hours in our position, we moved forward abont sunrise into the ravine, and took up a new position. Here we received a severe fire from the enemy, but without material damage. But the ravine was not our place. We could never crush the rebellion there. We stood a much better chance of getting crushed than hurting anybody else. So about eight o'clock in the morning, orders came for us to move about half a
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mile to the left. So up out of the ravine we moved rapidly by the flank. Scarcely had we exhibited our forms, before the enemy opened his batteries which were placed near the base of the heights, with a fear- ful fire upon us. That won't do, was probably the thought of the Union commander of artillery, for in a moment, our parrotts, ten guns in number, were pour- ing into the enemy's batteries such a fire, as caused them to be glad to flee in hot haste. Perceiving their batteries crippled, the infantry supports were at once broken, and those who could get away, seemed to fly almost on the wind. I think they were demoralized. Their business to the rear was probably as important and as pressing as was ours at Bull Run No. 1; and. so far as that is concerned, Bull Run No. 2 gave us no opportunity to remain long in that country. But we did enjoy the prospect hugely, as the Johnnics seemed to be competing with each other as to who could gain some cover of safety first. They made good time, and fully demonstrated the fact that they had leys.
At this instant our brigade, having completed its move to the left, was ordered forward toward the front. Now commenced hot work. From the heights in various directions, the enemy opened a number of guns, and all the fire seemed to be concentrated upon our devoted brigade. We moved forward, perhaps an eighth of a mile, under a terrible fire, when, to per- feet our lines, it became necessary to move by the flank again, and pass through a narrow ravine ex-
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tending to our right. Perceiving our movement, the enemy literally showered shot and shell in upon the opening of the ravine, which was in direct range of their guns. The opportunity for them to slay our men was too good to be lost. They would at least, make the attempt; and although our regiment was not over two minutes in passing through the opening to the ravine, yet we lost in killed and wounded, in a place not twenty feet square, eighteen of our number. Never did mortal witness a more fearful fire or more severe destruction in such a brief space. Nobly our batteries worked to save us. Nobly did our men press forward. The ranks seemed mown down, only to be closed up again by as brave soldiers as ever car- ried a musket. On they pushed through that pass of death, without a break or a halt. General Bartlett, sitting on his horse near by amidst bursting shells, watched the movement, and could only exelaim, as he saw these men rushing into the very jaws of death, yet undaunted-knowing-feeling-realizing only one thing, their duty, "Noble men, noble men." Aye, they were noble. and they won for themselves upon that day, trne honor and glory.
Filing at once under the bank of a stream which ran near by, the regiment halted, while the remainder of the division assumed their positions. Shielded in a 'measure from the screaming shells which seemed to fill the air, we listened to the roar which was, indeed, terrible and deafening. But we were by no means fully protected, for, almost every moment, some poor
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fellow received the terrible assurance of the presence of shot and shell. Several officers and men were killed and wounded, even after we had reached our shelter. And here I must introduce a little incident connected with our brief sojourn here.
Under the banks of the stream, which were, per- haps, ten or twelve feet high, lay the boys all in heavy marching order. Down through the ravine tears a solid shot, and in its progress, it struck the knapsack of a soldier, tearing it off from his baek, and scattering its contents, a part of which was his rations of pork and hard bread, on every hand, and the force of the blow rolling the soldier over two or three times. Picking himself up, he looked around, examined him- self to see if he was all right, and, looking up with a half grin upon his usually rigid features, quietly re- marked, as he contemplated the general smash-up of his knapsack's contents, "golly, boys, five days' ra- tions gone to thunder." A roar of laughter greeted this coolness, and made us forget, for a moment, the awful danger to which we were exposed.
It was at this place that the writer was severely wounded in the head by a piece of a shell, from the effects of which he was absent from the regiment about three months. To follow the command in its . services during that period from such data as I am able to obtain, and which is somewhat limited, will be all that I shall be able to do.
But to resume. The troops remained in this post- tion until late in the forenoon, when, all being in
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readiness, the ever-memorable charge upon St. Marye's heights was commenced, made, and proved a success. Although our own regiment and brigade were not exactly members of the charging party, yet I cannot resist the temptation to introduce from the pen of our eye-witness, the grand work which was accomplished in capturing these heights. About the time the charge commenced, our regiment was ordered out of the ravine, and was engaged in the work of watching any offensive movements of a rebel battery near by, and hence was exposed to and received a terrible fire. Surgeon Stevens thus writes :-
"At half past ten, the arrangements for storming the heights were completed, and Newton's batteries opened upon the enemy. At the sound of Newton's first gun, General Howe ordered his batteries to direct their fire upon the heights, and then ordered the storming columns forward.
"The division advanced toward the bold bluffs, which, bare of trees as well as the plain below, al- lowed the enemy an excellent view of all our move- ments. A railroad traversed the plain near the bluffs, and in a deep cut, through which the road passed, were the rebels. They rose up as we advanced, and poured showers of leaden hail into our line; but one of our batteries, getting an enfilading fire on the road, sent the gray-coated occupants hurriedly to the rear. For a moment we halted, the batteries on either side playing into each other with spirit.
" It was a moment of contending emotions of pride,
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hope, and sadness, as our gallant boys stood face to face with those heights, ready to charge upon them. At double-quick and in splendid style, they crossed the plain. Our line was perfect. The men could not have made a more orderly appearance had they been out on drill. The matter was taken as coolly, as though they had been on parade.
"Just in rear of the division, three batteries of par- rott guns were playing into the works of the enemy, while, from the heights above, all of the opposing bat- teries poured a terrible and destructive fire upon the advancing lines. Having gained the rifle-pits at the base of the hills, they pushed forward to capture the heights.
"A more grand spectacle cannot be imagined. There were the hills, enough to fatigue any man 1) climb them without a load, and with no one to oupes . At the foot of the hills were thousands of the enemy pouring into them volleys of musketry, and on the heights were their lines of earth-works with their artillery, from which they poured grape and canister in a frightful storm. But the boys pushed nobly on, the rebels steadily retreating as the division moved up in splendid style. Yet it required a mighty cour- age, an iron will to face that leaden storm. Our men were falling in every direction, but the lines were im- mediately closed, and, as they passed, with shouts and cheers that almost drowned the roar of artillery, the noble division, with bayonets fixed, mounted the heights, the rebels retreating in confusion. Seareely
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had they been gained, when upon our left, from an earth-work of strong profile, the rebels turned their suns upon us. Against this the column turned, and soon it was in our possession. A third stronghold then fell into our hands, and we were in undisputed possession of the heights.
"It was at the signal of the first gun in Newton's front, that General Howe had ordered the charge of the Second division. The Third and the Light divis- ion had not been idle while the events which we have described were going on. The ascent in front of the Third and the Light divisions though steep, was less precipitous than in front of Howe's column, and a good road led to the heights. But a stone-wall skirted the base of the hills, behind which the rebels swarmed in great numbers.
"Under the fire of the rebel batteries, Newton's and Burnham's regiments lay, some in the outskirts of the town, some in the cemetery, until General Sedgwick gave the order to advance. When, almost at the same time, both the commands moved up the glacis toward the heights. The Seventh Massachusetts and Thirty-sixth New York pushed forward up the tele- graph road, against the stone-wall bearing to the right of the road. Their haversacks and knapsacks were left behind, that they might be unincumbered with useless burdens. As they approached within about three hundred yards of the wall, a murderous volley checked the advance, and threw the head of the col- umn into disorder. In two minutes the men were
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rallied, and again they approached the wall, nearer this time than before. A third time they rallied ; this time they pushed straight forward to the works.
"Another column under Col. Spear started briskly forward, divested, like the others, of knapsacks and haversacks. Sallying from the town at double-quick, in column of four ranks, they crossed the bridge just outside of the city, when its gallant leader received his mortal wound, and fell at the head of his men. The Sixty-first New York, which led the column, shocked at the death of their beloved leader, broke, and in confusion turned toward the town. This unfortunate confusion spread to the men of the Forty- third New York, who, checked by the disordered mass in their front, and submitted to a galling fire, also commeneed falling back. But speedily both com- mands rallied, and bounding forward, they reached the heights, scarcely behind the columns on the left. capturing a gun and many prisoners. The line of bat- tle under Colonel Burnham advanced on the left of the road. Leaving everything behind them but guns and ammunition, they started forward, encountering a shower of bullets, grape, and canister, as soon as they rose above the slight knoll which had concealed them. We of the Second division looked with ad- miration upon the advancing line; our flag-it was the flug of the SIXTH MAINE-in advance of the others, its brave color-gaard bounding forward, then halting a moment while the men came up, then dashing for- ward again, and finally gaining the heights before us
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