USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 11
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When the troops passed through here, after the rebs first came into Mary- land, they burned and destroyed a large amount of fence, as well as erops, hay, etc. After they were gone a board of appraisal was appointed by the military governor, to appraise all such damages, so that the owner might eventually receive his pay. The board spent some time in examining into these affairs, and compelled each man to take the oath of allegiance before they would investigate his claim. One old fellow brought in a claim; the oath was tendered him. He said he could not take that oath with a clear conscience. He left, but kept coming to see if something could not be done
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without his taking the oath. Nothing. Finally he compromised with his conscience, and one day came to the provost marshal's office, where the oath was administered to him. Then he came down to this office to get some of the board to go to his premises; but, alas! the board had closed, and the poor fellow could not get any sight for his pay. after having taken the oath. His neighbors joke him on it considerably. It was hard. Too bad he should have dirtied his conscience for nothing.
Another service was performed by the boys of the First Maine while there, which, though not strictly coming under the head of military duty, shows to some extent the morale of the men. A revival meeting was in progress in the Methodist church, soon after the regiment went into quarters there, in which many of the boys took an active part, leading in prayer, in singing, and in the general exercises of the meeting, and introducing many revival hymns, till then unknown to the people of that city, which gave new life to the spirit of the meetings, and received the thanks of the good people of the church for their services. Many of the boys will remember those meetings, held nightly in the church near headquarters, and what times of religious excitement they were, exceeding anything ever seen in their own state. Scores, whites and negroes, would be affected with a strange power, and there would be singing, and praying, and shouting, almost to the verge of hysterics, and wild excitement everywhere. Strong men would be stricken down in an instant, and prostrated on the floor. Now and then there would be half a dozen or more prostrate in the aisle or on the platform at a time. Although many of the boys went there only for the gratification of their curiosity, and could see nothing in these manifestations but food for mirth, their down-east training and reverence for sacred things prevented them from any unmanly conduct.
While the major part of the regiment was at Frederick, the two great battles of South Mountain and Antietam were fought, in which only the companies serving on detached duty took part. Co. G was at the first named, where it served as body-guard for Gen. Reno, who was there killed, and Cos. H and M served at Antietam, under Gen. Porter. The history of the companies serving away from the regiment is worthy of record, but cannot now be obtained, so the wanderings of one will suffice, and perhaps give some idea of that sort of service.
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Co. G was detailed as orderlies and escort for Gen. Reno on the seventh of September, and, as the regiment was in his division, its whereabouts and wanderings were nearly the same as 'those of the regiment, till Frederick was reached, on the twelfth. The company did not remain there, but, keeping with the general, moved to Middletown on the thirteenth, and on the fourteenth to South Mountain, arriving there after the battle began. The boys had a fine view of the battle from afar off, performing efficient services as orderlies when required, till about four o'clock in the afternoon, when there was a slight wavering of the lines, and the company was sent out to stop stragglers, which duty it performed till dark. In the mean- time Gen. Reno passed to the front, and took command of his division in person, till the enemy was completely routed. At this point the general was mortally wounded, and taken to the rear, and died ten minutes afterwards, at eight o'clock. The company escorted the brave general's body back to Middle- town that night, and the next day was detailed as orderlies and guard at Gen. Burnside's headquarter train. On the seven- teenth the company with the train moved through Boonesboro' to near Antietam, where they went into camp at dusk, know- ing nothing of the great battle which was fought and the great I'nion victory which was won that day, unless by reports and the sounds of the cannon and musketry, except that one or two of the boys went up to see the fight, one of whom had a horse shot under him while there. Till the twenty-ninth the company performed guard duty for the train, when a move was made half a dozen miles or so towards Harper's Ferry. and camp was pitched near Sharpsburg. Here they remained till October sixth. when another move was made, and on the seventh they went into camp at Knoxville, where they remained till the twenty-seventh, and moved to Lovettsville. November third another forward movement commenced. and marching became the almost daily routine.
As an evidence of the nature of the duty performed, and the hardships suffered during the few months the regiment had been in active service. it may be stated that from March to November first, some seven hundred horses were lost in action and worn out in service.
CHAPTER VI.
THE CAMPAIGN UNDER BURNSIDE.
GEN. MCCLELLAN RELIEVED BY GEN. BURNSIDE. - RESIGNATION OF COL .. ALLEN. - CROSSING THE POTOMAC ON PONTOONS. - " ON TO RICH- MOND" AGAIN. - Co. L ON DETAIL. - CO. F IN A SKIRMISH. - ONCE MORE AT WARRENTON. - AT SULPHUR SPRINGS. - FORAGING A FINE ART. - AT RAPPAHANNOCK STATION. - " GREASED HEEL."-FOR FRED- ERICKSBURG. - CAMPAIGNING IN A COLD STORM. - SHORT RATIONS AND FORAGE. - Co. K ON A RECONNAISSANCE. - BROOKS' STATION. - COLD SNOW STORM. - FALMOUTH. - COLD WEATHER AND SCANTY CLOTHING. - BAREFOOTED BOYS. - THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG. - SUPPORT- ING A BATTERY. - BIVOUAC UNDER FIRE. - DEATH OF GEN. BAYARD. - IN " WINTER QUARTERS."
A FTER the successes at South Mountain and Antietam, Gen. McClellan was relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac, and Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside assigned to that position. Gen. McClellan turned over the command to Gen. Burnside on the tenth of November, at Warrenton, Va., which the latter accepted "with diffidence for myself, but with a proud confidence in the unswerving loyalty and determination of the gallant army now entrusted to my care, and with a steadfast assurance that a just cause must prevail." On the same day Gen. Mcclellan bade farewell to his troops.
On the second of November the regiment was relieved from provost duty at Frederick, and ordered to report to Gen. Reynolds at Rectortown, Va., to serve with his brigade. Col. Allen and the staff officers of the military governor were left on duty in that city. where they remained till the follow- ing January, when Col. Allen and Adjt. Stevens resigned. on account of ill health, and went home, and Capts. Smith and Boothby rejoined the regiment. Under command of Col. Douty the regiment broke camp, and marching through Jeffer-
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sonville and Petersville, halted for the night near the Potomac, and next morning reached Berlin, on the banks of the river, at an early hour. Here a pontoon bridge was constructed (the magnificent bridge across the Potomac at that place having fallen a victim to the ravages of war), on which the boys crossed, with a feeling of mingled curiosity and insecurity. carefully leading their horses along the frail roadway, and half expecting all the time that the whole thing would go to the bottom the next moment. Such was the impression received on crossing a pontoon bridge for the first time, as the boats swayed to and fro with the current, or rose and sank under the tread of the horses, and men and horses reeled as if drunken. All got over safely, however, and had a better opinion of the efficacy of pontoons when they again stood on solid ground, though that was "sacred soil," than when in the centre of the river on the bridge. After a pleasant march of half a dozen miles the regiment went into bivouac, and the next day marched through Willow Mount and Philomont (where shat- tered buildings, demolished fences, trampled fields, fresh graves, and frightened people told a sad tale of a fight that took place there three days before) to Union, a little town some five miles east from Snicker's Gap, in the mountains, where it camped that night. The next day it continued the march, halting for a time at Upperville, where the boys had a view of Gen. MeClellan and staff as they passed by, and slept that night in the woods. Another inroad was here made on the strength of the regiment by detailing Co. L, Capt. Taylor, for duty at First Army Corps headquarters, where it remained for some time. On the sixth the regiment marched to Salem, which place the enemy left the day before, and there took the advance of the army in that direction. Co. F was sent forward as advance guard, and when within three miles of Warrenton (thirteen miles from Salem) came up with the enemy's rear guard, attacked and drove them through Warrenton, and then fell back upon the artillery. . During this skirmish several prisoners were captured. AA portion of the advance guard had given chase to the rebels, and the others were waiting for the main body to come up. While thus waiting, they espied a
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MARCHING, PICKETING AND FORAGING. 101
mounted rebel a little ahead of them, to whom they gave chase, but he proved to be well mounted, and they gave it up. In escaping from them, however, he ran directly into another portion of the party, and was captured and put under guard of two men, to be taken to the rear. As they were on their way they saw two more armed rebel horsemen approaching them. Instantly placing their prisoner in front, they leveled their car- bines and ordered the men to "Halt, dismount, advance, and deliver up your pieces, breech first !" The order was obeyed, and the two men reported with their prisoners, who belonged to the Third Virginia Cavalry.
In the evening the regiment advanced to Warrenton, making further captures, and held the place till Gen. Bayard arrived with his command and relieved it. As the boys again found themselves in the pretty town of Warrenton, they could not help recalling their first visit, by moonlight. seven months before, and the several visits since that time; and as these thoughts brought back to their minds all the events of that summer, they may be pardoned if they wondered whether they were always to be marching back and forth in this way, as it were on one continual round. And they had occasion for simi- lar thoughts many times after that.
Upon being relieved the regiment moved out and encamped on the road leading to White Sulphur Springs, and as the weather had become cold and the snow was beginning to fall. the boys pitched their tents for the first time since leaving Frederick. Next morning the regiment went on picket at the springs.
The regiment remained in this vicinity, with headquarters at Sulphur Springs, till the eleventh. picketing, patroling, scouting and foraging for the horses, though it would not be surprising if some of the foraging was for the men themselves, and if occa- sionally the horses ranked second in these expeditions. They had by this time become used to foraging, and could take any- thing they wished to. for horses or men, without a compunction of conscience. and their experience had taught them to find articles hidden in the most unthought-of places. In fact, some of the boys had developed a genius for discovering hidden
NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICADO
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things that far excelled the genius of those who did the con- cealing, and had raised foraging to a fine art.
Lieut. Charles W. Ford, of Co. K, at the reunion of the regi- ment at Portland, September 9, 1874, told these stories of foraging as having occurred at about this time : -
Late one stormy day we went into camp and had no rations. Our teams were behind. and I was in temporary command of the company. I sent for the sergeant, who had a hesitaney in his speech, and never would forage. but I told him he must. He said if I would give him a detail of ten men he would do what he could. I told him to make his own detail. He took them and a team, and in two hours he came back with the team and men loaded down; but instead of being elated at his success, he came in and seemed to be in great trouble. He came to me and said. " Lieutenant, I just realize w-what I have d-d-done, and if I get e-e-caught you must protect me." He said he went out with his men, and after a while he sighted in the distance a house and two stacks of hay, and saw a squad of infantry guarding a hill. Said he. " Boys, when I motion to you, come on." He immediately rode up and said. " Sergeant, what regiment do you belong to?" "One Hundred and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania." " Your regiment is ordered to move imme- diately, and you are ordered to report to your company." The infantry left. and as soon as they were out of sight this sergeant says, "Come on, boys."
and they drove up. loaded, and came in. Col. Douty was in command of the regiment at the time. In two or three days the adjutant sent over, saying our boys were to be mustered, to see if the infantry sergeant could identify the man who gave him the order to report to his company. I immediately went down and informed this man, and he said I must protect him. The inspection was made, but the sergeant could not recognize the man. Our sergeant? Well. there wasn't any sergeant - he was cook over at headquar- terx.
The second or third day our regiment was ordered to take four days' rations, which used to last about a day and a half when on one of these raids. When coming out of the woods my company sighted a smoke-house or ham- house. They saw it first. as they usually did these things, and a detail was made to go over. If I remember right. Capt. Chadbourne was sent over to see that they did not get more than they wanted. They made a rush and went in. The captain sat on his horse near by. The old man who owned the smoke-house came out and said, " For God's sake. leave me some." 1 man from Co. I sang out. " Hoe in, you old fellow you, and get your share:" The old man saw the point, and ran in and brought out two hams and his wife another. " There. old man." said a member of Co. I, "you have got your share - keep away now !"
On the eleventh the regiment again broke camp, and marched to Rappahannock Station, where it remained, performing the usual variety of duty, until the seventeenth. While here a disease made its appearance among the horses called the
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THE MOVEMENT ON FREDERICKSBURG.
"greased heel." It was doubtless caused by wet weather, hard usage, short rations of improper food. and, perhaps more gener- ally, from want of good care ~ A large number of horses in the regiment were disabled with this disease, some of them perma- nently, and some had to be killed ; but as a whole the regiment suffered less from it than did some other regiments. Good care soon brought the lighter cases back into good condition, while the worst cases were taken away. Its duration was but short. and the regiment suffered none from it after this time, com- paratively, though other regiments had more or less of it for a long time.
On the seventeenth the regiment again broke camp. Gen. Burnside's movement on Fredericksburg having commenced. and marched to Freeman's ford. on the Rappahannock, again joined Gen. Bayard's brigade, and went on picket in the rain. The enemy's pickets were on higher ground, and could be easily seen by the boys, while the latter were comparatively safe from their observation. Taking advantage of this fact, Sergt. Bryant, of Co. K. with three men. crossed the river twice for corn for the horses, narrowly escaping capture on the second visit by a squad of rebel soldiers, who had been informed of the presence of the Yankee foragers by the owner of the corn.
On the twentieth the regiment was relieved. reported at Gen. Bayard's headquarters at seven o'clock that evening, and was ordered to report to Gen. Reynolds, near Stafford Court House. After a march through thick woods, swamps, mud and mire, at one o'clock the next morning a halt was ordered, when the boys, tired and weary, threw themselves on the wet ground and slept till daybreak. A second day's march in the rain closed with a second night of the same sort. On Thursday the storm was more furious than ever ; the rain fell in torrents, accompa- nied by fierce gusts of wind that drove it in the faces of the boys and through their clothing, in spite of rubber ponchos. The regiment forded streams and rivers, made its way up and down rough and rocky hills, passed through woods and corn- fields, and had a most uncomfortable march throughout till it reached Gen. Reynolds' headquarters, when it turned round and went back over the same road several miles, going into
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camp in the woods near Aquia Creek. Blankets, overcoats. and all clothing, were wet through, the men were cold, wet. hungry and worn down with fatigue, and with no rations; the horses were in the same condition as the men, with no forage but a little miserable hay, which, as was said at the time, no Maine farmer would gather into his barn. It was conceded by all to be the most uncomfortable night yet experienced, save those three terrible nights at Warrenton Junction the April before.
Friday Cos. D. E. I, and K, under command of Capt. Taylor, were sent out to reconnoitre the railroad from Aquia Creek to Falmouth. Small rations of hard bread, sugar, and coffee. but no beef or pork, salt or fresh, were drawn, and the men made the best of matters. At a house near the camp milk could be procured for twenty-five cents in silver per quart, or in exchange for sugar, coffee, or salt, -one dipper of either for two of milk, - the daughter of southern chivalry averring that she would milk it on the ground before she would give a drop to a Yankee soldier. This remark, as the boys looked at the Union soldier on guard at the house for the protection of persons and property, caused them to wonder at the justice of the army furnishing guards over secesh property, while the owners might be in the rebel army fighting against them at the time. But they were not supposed to reason why anything was so or so.
Sunday, twenty-third, the regiment marched, in rear of the First Army Corps, to Brooks' Station, five miles from Aquia Creek, where it remained, picketing at various points, scouting. ete .. till December tenth. There were at this time, out of a total of thirty-nine officers, twenty-one absent on detached duty, on furlough, or sick. Among the many reconnoissances made while there. Co. B went out some fifteen miles, but found no enemy, - nothing but a deserted country. On the fourth Co. G, which had been doing duty at Gen. Burnside's headquarter train since September fifteenth. rejoined the regiment. On the seventh the boys had a taste of home in the shape of a cold show storm, which lasted from eight o'clock in the forenoon till eleven o'clock in the evening. While picketing in this vicinity. Theodore J. Batchelder, of Co. D, who was noted for
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BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
foraging and scouting on his own hook outside the lines of the army, passed out beyond the videttes, and was absent a day or two. On his return he found another regiment on picket; and as he had not the countersign, he not only could not pass in, but was in danger of being arrested. With a fertility of resource that had come to his aid frequently when outside the lines, he took position in the road as an advanced vi- dette. Soon an officer appeared, who wished to pass his post. Batchelder halted him in the usual manner, and at the answer " Friend," he of course replied. " Advance, friend, with the countersign." It was given him by the officer, when Batchelder rode to another part of the line, and giving the countersign, passed in, and in due time rejoined his company.
December eleventh the regiment was once more (and for the last time it proved) assigned to Gen. Bayard's cavalry brigade, and marched to near Falmouth, stopping that night in the woods near the river. The weather was intensely cold, and the worn-out uniforms of the men were but little protection for them. By some means the requisitions of the regimental quartermaster for clothing, especially for overcoats, had not been honored, and the men were in poor condition for living out of doors in such weather, many of them being barefooted. and not only without overcoats, but with jackets and trousers so worn out and torn as to be but slim protection from the inclemency of the season.
The attack on Fredericksburg commenced on the eleventh. but the regiment was not engaged till the next morning, when it crossed the river at seven o'clock, on the lower pontoon, and was in various positions during the forenoon, exposed to a heavy artillery fire most of the time. About noon Cos. G and K were detailed to support a section of flying artillery, which was in turn supporting the advanced line of skirmishers. While on this service the two companies advanced to the foot of St. Mary's Heights, but before the engagement became general they were relieved by infantry and rejoined the regi- ment, which, drawn up in squadrons, was supporting Gibson's battery, Third United States Artillery. Scarcely had these two companies got into position when the enemy opened a
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vigorous artillery fire, which was kept up for some time, the shells passing over and bursting all around the regiment. It was a fearful ordeal, but the men stood their ground bravely and without flinching, though there was an irresistible ten- dency to make polite obeisance when the peculiar ouiz, ouiz, ouiz of the shells was heard in the air. But one or two of the regiment were wounded, which was almost miraculous, con- sidering its exposed position all day long. At dark the regi- ment went into bivouac, still under fire, expecting to remain there all night; but about ten o'clock it, in obedience to orders, recrossed the river, and marching six or seven miles below Falmouth, went on picket, relieving the Second New York Cavalry, where it remained quietly during the thirteenth and fourteenth, till the great battle of Fredericksburg was over. During the battle Gen. Bayard was killed, and Col. David MeM. Gregg, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry (afterwards general) was put in command of the brigade.
On the fifteenth the regiment was relieved from picket and went into camp, and on the seventeenth moved to near Belle Plain Landing, where it went into winter quarters, the camp being named " Camp Bayard," in honor of the general.
CHAPTER VII.
THE WINTER AT CAMP BAYARD.
WINTER QUARTERS. - UNPLEASANT SURROUNDINGS. - WINTER DUTIES IN THE FIELD. - MILITARY METHOD OF DOING WORK. - PICKET DUTY ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK. - A VISITOR FROM THE NINTH VIRGINIA CAV- ALRY. - REBEL DESERTERS, CONTRABANDS, ETC. - PLEASURES OF PICKET DUTY. - FATIGUE DUTY AT BELLE PLAIN. - CAMP DUTY. - ORGANIZATION OF THE MULE TRAIN. - EXCELLENT RATIONS. - BOXES FROM HOME. - DESERTERS PUNISHED. - FORAGING EXPEDITION ON A LARGE SCALE. - REVIEW BY THE PRESIDENT. - CARE OF THE HORSES. - HEALTH AND SPIRITS OF THE MEN.
C AMP Bavard was not the pleasantest place in the world for winter quarters, nor was the life there such as to leave behind it the most agreeable memories. Had the camp-ground been named - Camp Mud," all would have agreed that it was more appropriate. The men, not expecting to remain there longer than a few days, had upon first going into camp made no preparations for comfort, but pitched their little shelter-tents and made up their beds on the ground. As it became evident that the regiment was to remain there, a few of the more energetic of the men built up walls of logs two or three feet, and by ingenuity made themselves quite comfortable quarters. But the majority contented themselves by laying a log or two on the ground, as a foundation for the tent and pro- tection from water, and by digging out the front portion of the tent could sit quite comfortably on the bed, with their feet in this hole: and by digging a fire-place under ground and making a chimney of stones and mud, barrels, etc., in front of the tent, they managed to live through the winter, how, they do not exactly understand as they look back upon it now, though there was an unusual number sick, and typhoid fever raged with some severity. Before spring the number of good comfortable quar-
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ters increased to some extent, and the men began to get an idea of how to live in camp in winter, which they did not afterward forget. Once or twice during the winter these " dog-holes " were filled with water, driving their occupants out, and once or twice some of the men awoke to find their cloth roofs down upon them, and held down by several inches of snow. But such incidents served to give variety to the life, and to make the men better appreciate what good was in the common course. if they did no other good. Mud ruled supreme, and as nasty, sticky mud as Virginia ever afforded. The weather was at times cold and raw, and snow, rain, drizzle, and even hail, made fre- quent unwelcome visitations. There were but very few days that could be called comfortable.
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