USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 35
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On the night of this day we halted at Keyesville, and my company was sent out on a cross road to do picket duty. We made our headquarters at the house of Mr. Foster, whose wife, although she had been born in Ohio. appeared to be a very ardent sympathizer with the Confederates, and to be extremely anxious to obtain all the information possible as to the number of our force and the object of our raid, but I fear that the information she obtained was far from accurate, and she herself seemed to doubt our veracity. Nevertheless, we were here bountifully supplied with ripe cher- ries and a good supper, and about midnight a family of negro slaves prepared a turkey supper for us, which was a very welcome change from hardtack and pork. During that night a colored man came into our picket post and informed the sergeant in command that there were some teams containing provisions secreted some distance away in the woods, and I was ordered to take two men and bring them in. Experienced soldiers would have bee !! more careful. but. ignorant of danger, away we went, following our dusky guide through the gray of the morning, across fields and pastures and through woods, until at length, in a secluded spot. under the thick foliage of lofty trees, just at daybreak, we found several wagons laden with trunk- and furniture, and one small cart filled with bacon and corn meal, and an old roan horse tied to a tree near by. The provisions were the most valu able to us. so we told the negro to take all he wanted, and with a ph ut deal of pleasure he broke open trunks and appropriated so much of their
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contents as he saw fit, while we took a few knickknacks as mementoes of the occasion. The negro having harnessed the horse to the cart containing the bacon and meal. we started for the road leading back to Mr. Foster's. Just as we reached the road, our vidette stationed near halted a man in Confederate gray and took him in charge, and we escorted him back to the picket post. He claimed to be a Confederate mail carrier, and that he was exempt from military service, and exhibited a physician's statement as to his disability. He was, however, kept in charge until we joined our column in the morning, but what became of him I never knew. Our negro con- tinued along with us as driver of the team which we had confiscated, and this supply of provisions, later on, was all we had for several days to keep us from starvation. The bacon and ham we were glad to eat raw, although portions of it presented a very animated spectacle.
On this twenty-fourth day of June the weather was intensely hot, and the column for the most of the time was enveloped in a cloud of dust. We continued our march, destroying railroad stations and storehouses contain- ing valuable merchandise, as well as considerable portions of the railroad tracks near at hand. Late in the afternoon, as we approached a range of hills, we heard firing of cannon and the occasional rattle of musketry. Our regiment was formed under the shelter of a bluff, and the order given to "dismount and prepare to fight on foot." For many of the men this was the first time they had received such orders knowing that it meant business. The dismounted men. having formed in line by companies, were quickly counted off in sets of fours, and started on the double quick down the rail- road track. We had not proceeded far before the landscape between the hills was open to our view. We perceived on our left a deep creek, with steep banks thiekly fringed with trees and bushes, and beyond that a wide interval field stretching to a river of considerable width. Across this in- terval was a high railroad embankment. broken in one or two places. with wooden bridges across the openings. On the right of the road a wide interval extended to the river, and at the point on the river bank to which the railroad embankment extended we saw a long, covered bridge, and on the further side of the bridge extensive earthworks, with guns mounted in them. The advance of our forces on the right of the railroad had already engaged the enemy with a brisk fire, which was returned from the vicinity of the bridge and the earthworks on the opposite side.
Our regiment was immediately ordered to deploy to the left of the rail- road, with the creek before mentioned in our rear. While this movement was being executed as rapidly as possible, much of the time in plain view of the enemy, many of the boys for the first time found themselves under a brisk fire from the cannon and small arms of the enemy. The distance was not too great for them to use canister as well as shell, and several of our boys were wounded before we opened fire at all. The field in which we were deployed was traversed by a number of very deep, dry ditches, dug in the clayey soil and fringed with thick hedges of blackberry bushes, which made our movements disorderly and rendered it difficult to execute them.
A squadron of the regiment stationed in line nearest the railroad, under command of fapt. A. M. Benson, undertook to charge, for the purpose of reaching and burning the covered bridge. They were met with a terrible
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fire of musketry and canister, and were obliged to relinquish their attempt to reach the bridge. Later Capt. Chase, with several men of his com- pany, undertook to reach the bridge. Crawling cautiously alongside of the embankment. they reached a point where they were obliged to expose themselves, and scarcely one of the whole squad escaped uninjured. Capt. Chase being seriously wounded. A brisk fire was kept up on both sides until dark, when gradually our forces were withdrawn and the return march commenced. The forces crossed the creek before mentioned at a ford a short distance in the rear of our line. A considerable number of our regi- ment remained behind on the field to guard this ford. At dawn the enemy's battery opened a heavy fire upon the troops then crossing the ford. I was one of those who remained upon the field all night. and I distinctly remen- ber watching the flash of the cannon, and seeing the black speck of the approaching shells, which passed over us and exploded a short distance in our rear. Here and there upon the field range stakes had been driven by the enemy. It seemed a mystery to me that while so few of us were left behind, the enemy did not advance to engage us. This affair was known to us as the engagement at Staunton River. Lieut. Col. Conger, who com- manded our regiment, was wounded in this engagement, together with several other officers and a considerable number of men.
From this point the regiment proceeded towards Stony Creek, marching with a large number of negroes in the column, who vainly fancied that free- dom was at hand. I cannot speak for other portions of the regiment, but I know that at dusk. on the night of the twenty-seventh. the regiment halted in the road, which at that point entered the thick forest. We fed our horses with corn on the cob, and many of the men were obliged to refresh themselves with the same food as that which they gave their horses. Shortly after, the order was given to mount and to prepare to fight mounted, and that no man should speak aloud. The column started forward at a quick trot, and then increased its pace to a gallop. We entered the forest, it then being so dark we could scarcely perceive our file leaders. Advancing along this road we soon saw the flash of the fire-arms of the rebel pickets in the woods close at hand, but the column charged forward in the darkness. until soon we came to a place where bright camp-fires'were lighted. and approached the bridge across Stony Creek. Down to our right. across the creek, we heard a continual and heavy firing of musketry, with an oeca- sional boom of heavy guns, which showed that our forces were holding the bridge to enable us to cross the creek. Turning to the left we proceeded along the road, riding all night. officers and men in many instances being sound asleep, and the men of various companies being intermingled. the strongest and most active horses leading the way. Shortly after daylight word came back that the enemy was in force not far from our front. Soon we approached the borders of a plantation, where the regiment was halted and orders given to dismount and prepare to fight on foot.
I cannot say that there was much enthusiasm among the boys, for we were hungry, weak. and exhausted. The first battalion then dismounted. formed, and marched out in the open field in the vicinity of the farm house. . which was located in the midst of an orchard, on rising ground, near the centre of a field of considerable area. No sooner were they formed than
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the enemy opened fire upon them with canister from some unseen battery. Taken by surprise at this warm reception, the line instantly broke, but the boys in a few moments rallied and came back to the orchard near the house. From that point they espied a considerable number of the enemy lying behind a rail fence a few hundred yards away, and at once poured a scatter- ing fire into them. Soon here and there many who were sheltered by the trees began to cry out that they were hit, and we discovered that the enemy in considerable numbers was concealed in the house and its outbuildings. Thereupon Capt. Howe, with several of his men, advanced to the door of the house and kicked it open. while others were shooting in at the win- dows. As Capt. Howe kicked open the door a tall rebel levelled his musket and a bullet whistled in close proximity to his ear. Capt. Howe, before he entered the service. had been a Baptist minister. and the language which he used just then might have been extracted piecemeal from some Scriptural text, but in it some of the boys recognized a "d-n." which was empha- sized by a shot from his pistol. Thereupon some eight or ten tall. gaunt rebels gave themselves up as prisoners, and were sent away to what we con- sidered our rear.
Soon, being re-enforced by other men of the regiment. we moved forward to the borders of the field. the rebel forces retiring. Upon this line we lay till about noon, occasionally exchanging shots with the enemy. Many of the men were so exhausted that they fell asleep. and it required consider- able effort on the part of their officers to make them realize the dangers of their situation. Later on, no enemy appearing. I went back across the field to the house before mentioned, and then down to a skirmish line stationed at another part of the field, at the foot of a hill, a few hundred yards distant from the out-houses. There being no officer in command at that point. and seeing no apparent necessity for remaining there. in a short time I started to go up to the house to get some water. I had traversed about half the distance to the smoke-house, located in the midst of a patch of thick weeds, when I heard the "zip" of a bullet close at hand. As I proceeded these sounds grew more and more frequent, varied by an occa- sional " whew!" As I approached the smoke-house, though I had not per- ceived any men around it. I heard a voice cry: " Get down on your hands and knees!" This I was not inclined to do, but I increased my speed to a double quick. The " zip" and " whew " of bullets increased tremendously. and I perceived that, as I ascended the hill. I had come into view of the rebel skirmish line, from which I was before hidden, and when I reached the smoke-house I found the weeds full of our boys, while some were con- cealed behind the structure. There was some swearing because my advent had brought upon them a very heavy fire. It seemed very strange to me that it did not appear to make any difference on which side of that smoke- house I went -the bullets came "thudding" into the logs in a perfect shower all over it. I then became conscious that we were in a field bor- dered by woods, with the enemy upon three sides of us in forces heavier than our own. It was but natural, when this firing disclosed the presence of forces sufficiently large to easily effect our capture, that we should start to retire: and forthwith we did start, on the double quick, to pass the house and through the orchard to the further side of the field, where we had left
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our horses. As we reached the house we looked to the left across the field toward the rail fence, where but a short time before many of my company had been lying down, when up from behind it a long line of rebel infantry arose and started on a charge across the field toward the orchard. to effect our capture. It seems that some distance above, behind a little piece of woods that jutted into the field, a battalion of Pennsylvania cavalry, mounted, had been stationed, and at this instant, in column of fours. with sabres drawn, they came charging down upon the flank of this line of rebel infantry and speedily swept it from the field, affording us an opportunity to retire to our horses. an opportunity of which we at once availed ourselves.
We had been with our horses but a few moments when the order was given to throw away everything but our saddle equipments and arms, and we then realized that our situation was desperate. Forthwith the rapid firing of a battery, stationed out on the road by which we had reached this field, was heard, with heavy musketry firing and the yell of a heavy force of charging rebels. In a few moments the battery had ceased firing, and we saw the approaching guns, which were drawn by six horses, come galloping in at a speed which seemed almost inconceivable, and the rebel forces were closing in upon us on all sides. On receiving orders we speedily mounted, and the regiments of our brigade, in single file, started to move out through one corner of the field. where the rebel line was weakest. My company was selected by Gen. Kautz for his body-guard. We rode through fields and pastures and swampy woodland for a long distance. I remember at one time passing near a creek and seeing upon the further side, but a few rods distant. - so near that we talked with him, -a rebel picket, while further back, through an opening, we could see a column of cavalry, which the picket told us was Fitz Hugh Lee's command. By-and-by we reached the edge of a deep cut. through which the Weldon Railroad was built. the sides of the cut being steep and sandy, with some twenty feet of slope. A short distance up the wall. on either hand, our boys were holding back the rebel forces, while Gen. Kautz, with compass in hand to direct his course, led the way across the road. Many of the horses were too weak to climb the further embankment. though the most of us succeeded in crossing and entering the thick forest beyond. A short time before dark we came out into the main road, along which we had travelled towards Reams' Station on the second day of our raid. With much regret I found that my horse could no longer keep up with the column, and just at dark it gave out entirely. I did not like to abandon it, so dismounted and unsaddled at the roadside, near a corn-field from which I gathered some fodder for the exhausted animal, and wrapping myself in my saddle blanket, I speedily went to sleep.
At daybreak I was aroused by a Federal cavalry man, who warned me to "get out of that." as the rebel cavalry was liable to appear there at any moment. Saddling my horse, I started along the road in the direction the column had moved on the preceding night, and after travelling a couple of miles came up with the regiment, which was then about to resume its march. I kept along with it a short distance until we reached an infantry picket, when my horse refused to move another step. Dismounting I unsad- dled, and on looking at the horse could scarcely believe it was the same one
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with which I started on the raid, as at the start it was plump, spirited. and in the best condition, but now was thin and hung its head. a picture of utter exhaustion, and it was evident that its usefulness was gone, and that I must follow along on foot.
Since leaving Point of Rocks I had not removed my boots, but my feet were now so swollen that I was obliged to remove them and proceed bare- foot. I remembered the road by which we came out and followed it, but the regiment had taken a nearer way, which I did not know. Hungry. exhausted, and alone, I plodded wearily along, occasionally soliciting food at houses along the wayside, and invariably being refused. After a time I came up with Private Wilson, of my own company, and a private from another company, and we travelled along together. Late in the forenoon we saw in the distance some horsemen, whose appearance gave us consider- able alarm, for we were a long distance to the left and in rear of our infantry line. then investing Petersburg, and in a dangerous country. Soon some of the advance guard of the force which we saw rode towards us, we being hidden in the bushes. The blue uniforms. however, relieved our fears, and we came out from our hiding, and the cavalry men informed us that it was Sheridan's force coming out to meet Gen. Wilson, who had commanded our cavalry division. We proceeded forward to the column, meeting Gen. Sheridan and his staff. who made some inquiries as to the occurrences of the previous day, and received from us a description of our disasters. In this column I met the First Maine, a few of the men and officers of which I knew. They gave us some hardtack, of which we were sadly in need, and soon moved on, while we resumed our weary march for the pontoon bridge at the Point of Rocks. The day was intensely hot, the road sandy, and now and then the woods on both sides were on fire. To pass these places we were obliged to run for considerable distances. After travelling several miles we neared the vicinity of Prince George Court House, where we found colored infantry pickets keeping strict watch and evineing considerable anxiety, saying they were momentarily expecting the rebels to appear in their front. After resting a short time we started along, and after receiving some directions from teamsters whom we met, they telling us of the loca- tion of a second pontoon across the Appomattox River, we followed the road which they pointed out. Just at night we reached the river, only to find that there was no pontoon bridge at that point, but the only bridge was two miles further up the stream. We had travelled some thirty miles that day. barefoot, and being completely worn out. we lay down on the river bank to sleep. Soon some teamsters came down to water their horses. and found us there. Having learned of our hardships, they very kindly placed us upon their horses and took us to their camp. They were too kind: for they furnished us with bean soup, hardtack, and cakes in abun- dance, and with the imprudence of men who had been half starved we ate most voraciously, and then went to sleep on a pile of hay.
The next morning our appetites for breakfast were not good, but we ate because of the opportunity offered us, and once more started to reach our regiment, which had passed the pontoon bridge on the previous day. This we succeeded in doing shortly after noontime. the regiment having gone into camp near Jones' Landing, on the road leading from Point of Rocks to the pontoon bridge across the James River near Deep Bottom.
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MARCHING. SKIRMISHING. PICKETING.
The whole Army of the Potomac was now in front of Peters. burg, and was entrenching in the direction of the South Side Railroad. With the exception that one of the companies was on duty in Fort Pride, the history of the regiment, for the next few weeks, is little else than a history of alternate rest and drill. Once or twice it was ordered out on reconnoissance, and once on foot to repel an expected assault, which, however, was not made.
July twenty-seventh orders were received to be ready to move at six o'clock in the evening, with three days' rations. The whole cavalry force, together with the Second corps of infantry, had been ordered to the north side of the James. The object was to draw the enemy from Petersburg, where an assault was to be made in connection with the mine explosion. The head of Gen. Sheridan's column arrived from the west side of the Appomattox at nine in the evening. At three o'clock the next morning the First District of Columbia joined the rear, and after marching to Jones' Landing, halted for the command to cross the pontoon bridge. Late in the day the crossing was effected, and the regiment bivouacked for the night.
Some skirmishing occurred on the next day, in which Lieut. McBride, of Co. C, was wounded. On the thirtieth the regi- ment returned to camp, and on the same afternoon marched to the west side of the Appomattox. On the second of August it was ordered on picket near the enemy's lines, on the extreme left of the army.
The main line of the Union works in front of Petersburg conformed very nearly to that of the enemy, on the left bend- ing southward so as to face the Weldon Railroad. A picket line extended from the left of the line of fortifications, in an easterly direction, through Prince George Court House, Lee's Mills, Sycamore church, and Cox's Mills. On the third of August the headquarters of the regiment were established at Sycamore church, Maj. Baker commanding. This place was about ten miles southeast from City Point. From the eighth to the twenty-first of August the regiment was on picket duty on the Weldon Railroad, four miles from Petersburg.
On the eighteenth, while a demonstration was made on the
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north side of the James, in front of Richmond, by Gens. Gregg and Hancock, with their respective commands of cavalry and infantry, and while a portion of the rebel troops were with- drawn from the front to meet the emergency, the Fifth corps of infantry advanced and took possession of the Weldon Rail- road. Desperate but fruitless efforts were made by the enemy to recover it. Severe fighting occurred on the twenty-first. in which this regiment participated. Dismounted and deployed as skirmishers on the left of the Fifth corps, they participated in the capture of a brigade of rebel troops, with three stands of colors.
After picketing again on the twenty-second, the regiment became engaged with a body of rebel troops the next morning, and drove them four miles, destroying a quantity of army stores. In the afternoon Hampton's Legion was encountered. It was "Greek meeting Greek." It was impossible, however, for him to stand against the sixteen shooters, and he was driven back, leav- ing his dead and wounded on the field. Some prisoners were taken. During this last engagement, Capt. Sargent, of Co. M. was killed while charging the enemy. This regiment lost two men beside.
On the twenty-fourth the fighting was resumed at various points, and at some was severe, but with no decisive results. On the twenty-fifth this regiment met the enemy in three dis- tinct engagements, repulsing him in each. At four o'clock there were indications that he intended a flank movement. and this regiment was ordered to the extreme left of the line and ยท dismounted to fortify against the expected attack at that point. After the hard and almost incessant fighting of the day, the men could hardly have been in the best working condition, and yet. in momentary expectation of an attack, they wrought with a will. Without entrenching tools, their own hands ministered to the necessities of the hour. Logs, stumps, brush, roots, what- ever movable material the forest afforded, was brought into requisition. The extemporized breastwork was hardly com- pleted when the enemy opened on them with artillery. Against this the works were no protection. But the men stood firm. Only one man was killed, and one wounded. There was no enemy in sight, but all understood what this shelling boded.
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The men had received their orders, and all was silent along do. line. Every man was at his post. Every eye was open and .Very ear attentive. No sound was heard but the roar of the enemy's artillery, and the scream and crash of shells around them. This, however, had continued but a short time when the . Bemy was seen in strong line of battle advancing through the woods. No sooner had they discovered the position of this jegiment than they raised a yell and rushed on to the charge. Bat they paid dearly for their temerity. The men reserved their fire - coolly waiting till the enemy was sufficiently near. Their sist volley told with startling effect. Many a poor fellow drew hort breath and never breathed again. Another and another volley followed in instantaneous succession, and the enemy was -wept from their front. Unfortunately, however, the infantry on the right, pressed by superior numbers, had fallen back and the enemy was on the flank. The regiment held its position till dark, and was the last to leave the field. The next day it returned to Sycamore church and resumed picket duty.
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