USA > Maine > History of the Thirteenth Maine regiment from its organization in 1861 to its muster-out in 1865 > Part 6
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Next morning, Nov. 7th, we marched down river about a mile aud occupied Fort Brown, which we found to be a dilapidated carthwork, apparently unimproved since the Mexican War. In the afternoon a detail of two hundred men was made from the regiment for pro- vost duty in town, and next day another large detail for pickets at Freeport Ferry, a few miles up river. As there was no drill, and not a large amount of guard or fatigue duty, the few men who were left in the fort had
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much leisure time. Much time was spent in bathing in the clear, sweet water of the Rio Grande ; and many of the younger men swain across the river for the sake of setting foot on Mexican soil. Nothing of particular importance occurred in Brownville while the regiment remained there ; but between the 5th and 9th of No- vember there were three revolutions in Matamoras, just across the river in Mexico.
During one of these revolutions, when the office of the United States Consul in Matamoras was threatened, the troops in Brownville were held in readiness to cross the river to protect it ; but as it was not actually mo- lested we were not called upon to invade Mexico. Gen. Banks was at Brownville during the most of our stay ; and it is possible that his being there, with an armed force, may have had some influence on the result of the third revolution in Matamoras, in which the successful party was hostile to Maximilian's French army and friendly to the United States.
Nov. 19th, we at last received our knapsacks, which had been leit at the mouth of the river, and also re- ceived orders to march next morning for Point Isabel. The men on detail having returned, the regiment left Brownville about 8 A. M., No :. 13th. The noon-day halt was made as Resaca de la Palma, and in the after- noon we crossed the plain of Palo Alto, both famous battle-fields of the Mexican War. At Resaca de la Palma there was a small spring, but where we stopped for the night there was no water, and we were obliged, as the plainsmen say, to make a dry camp. In the morning there was issued a small supply of water, which had been hauled from Brownville; and then the regi- ment started to cross a desert, where, for more than twenty miles, there was no water, and no vegetation but scattered bunches of prickly pear.
The seanty ration of water was soon gone, and for the rest of the day the men suffered the torture of thirst ;
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this being aggravated to the highest degree by the des- ert mirage, which for several hours was very brilliant. Beautiful lakes, surrounded by groves of trees, could be scen on all sides, some of them apparently but a short distance away ; and it required all the authority of the officers to keep some of the men from leaving the ranks to fill their canteens. When our march led us toward one of these lakes, it would fade away and another would be seen further on, and soon all realized how great was the delusion.
Just before dark, weary, thirsty and foot-sore, the reg- iment reached Point Isabel, where we found an expedi- tion organizing, in which we were to take part. We remained in bivouac, not far from Point Isabel light- house, till about noon the next day, Nov. 15th, when the regiment embarked on the steamers Matamoras and Planter, six companies on the former and four on the latter. The Matamoras was a light-draft, stern-wheel steamer, built at Pittsburg, Pa., for use on the Rio Grande, and had been Joaned Gen. Banks by the Mex- ican General, Cortinas ; the Planter was an Alabama River steamer, which had been captured by the block- ading fleet while trying to run across from Mobile to Cuba with a cargo of cotton.
The advance of the expedition consisted of the Thir- teenth and Fifteenth Maine, and two companies of the Twentieth Iowa, and was commanded by Gen. T. E. G. Ransom. After the troops were embarked, the steam- ers went down to the bar, where they remained till nearly night, and then crossed. Most of the men on the Matamoras were then transferred to the U. S. Steamer McClellan ; then the Matamoras was taken in tow by the man-of-war Monongahela, and the expedition started northeastward along the coast. Soon after noon of the 16th, the men on the MeClellan returned to the Mata- moras, and about sunset the expedition reached Corpus Christi Pass.
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It had been the intention of Gen. Banks for the Mat- amoras to cross the bar and land the troops on the in- ner side of Mustang Island ; but it was found that the water on the bar was not deep enough, so a somewhat difficult landing had to be made through the surf. The Thirteenth took the lead, Lieut. Col. Hesseltine being the first man ashore. As soon as the landing was com- pleted, which was considerably after dark, the troops started along the beach towards the northeast end of the island. The marching was very tiresome on account of the men having hal their feet and clothing wet while landing ; but only short halts were made till 4 o'clock the next morning, when the men were allowed to rest till daylight. The distance marched during the night was about eighteen miles.
As soon as it was light the march was continued, and after going about three miles further, some of the en- emy were discovered. The Thirteenth was deployed as skirmishers, and rapidly pressed back the enemy, who were much inferior in force. They soon fell back to the end of the island, where they had a battery of three heavy cannon, built to command Aransas Pass. They soon saw it was useless to oppose such a superior force and surrendered unconditionally. One of the enemy lost an arm, but none of our men were injured.
The captures were nine officers, cighty-nine inen, three heavy cannon, about a hundred small-arnis, one schooner, ten boats, one hundred and forty horses, one hundred and twenty-five head of cattle. The prisoners belonged to the 8th Texas Infantry and Srd Texas State Militia. Both the Thirteenth and Fifteenth were highly complimented for their conduct, on the march and in the skirmish, by Gen. Ransom ; both in a short speech after the surrender and in his official report. He also included the men of the 20th Iowa in his commen- dation, but not the major who commanded their battal- ion, charging him with showing great unwillingness in
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the performance of his duty. Soon after the surrender, several other regiments arrived ; some marching up the island and others coming through the pass on steamers.
Our forces remained at Aransas Pass five days, re- ceiving reinforcements and supplies, and also reorgan- izing to some extent. The 34th Iowa was brigaded with the 13th and 15th Maine instead of the battalion of the 20th Iowa, Gen. Ransom remaining in command of the brigade. While here a detail of a Lieutenant and fifteen men from the Thirteenth was placed on board the steamer Matamoras, and a similar one on the Planter. Their duty was to take charge of some light 12-pound howitzers, two of which were on each boat. Men from the Thirteenth were selected for this duty on ยท account of the skill in the handling of artillery which they had acquired during their long stay in the forts.
In the night of the 19th, a norther came up without warning and blew with almost the violence of a hurri- canc, causing the soldiers much suffering. In the after- noon of the 21st, the regiment embarked on the Planter to be carried across the pass to St. Joseph Island ; but. for some reason, after remaining on board a short time, it was ordered to disembark instead of crossing. Next day the regiment was ferried across the pass, and, with the rest of Ransom's brigade, led the advance of the ex- pedition for the capture of Fort Esperanza. That af- ternoon the brigade marched about eight miles and halted for the night at a ranch.
About noon of the 23rd, the brigade reached Cedar Bayou, the pass between St. Joseph and Matagorda Islands. Here the advance guard had a slight skirmish in which a sergeant of the Fifteenth Maine was wound- ed and a Confederate major killed. The rest of the day was spent in constructing a ferry on which, as soon as possible, the troops were taken across. Crossing was prevented on the 24th by a high wind ; but on the 25th, the troops finished crossing, and, after marching about
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seven miles, halted for the night at a ranch, where they were joined soon after midnight by another brigade, commanded by Col. Henry D. Washburn of the 18th Indianna. The expedition was commanded by Maj. Gen. Cadwalader C. Washburn, a native of Maine. Nov. 26th, they marched twenty miles, and halted for the night about ten miles from Fort Esperanza, a pow- erful earthwork commanding Pass Cavallo, the entrance to Matagorda Bay.
About 11 A. M. of the 27th, the enemy's advanced pickets were driven in. The rest of the day was spent in reconnoitering and skirmishing. That night a severe norther sprang up which almost entirely prevented mil- itary operations the next day. It caused the men much suffering, and also prevented the arrival of the gunboats which were to co-operate in the movement.
In the night of the 28th, batteries were placed in position, and the 29th was spent in cannonading, with some slight skirmishing ; while preparations were made to cross a force to an island in the rear of the enemy, so as to cut off their ictreat. Owing to lack of boats this could not be done in season ; and about midnight of the 29th, the enemy evacuated, after spiking their guns and exploding part of their magazines. They were pressed so closely by our skirmishers, that the men left to fire the trains were captured. By this capture, the gov- ernment obtained control of Matagorda Bay, which could be entered at all time by vessels drawing eight feet of water.
The fort was a very powerful earthwork, its walls being 12 feet high and 15 feet thick ; and it mounted eight 24-pounders and one 128-pound columbiad. On- ly the lack of boats for placing a force in the rear of the fort prevented the capture of the garrison. The loss of the enemy was unknown, but probably small, and on our side it was very light. The enemy used only solid shot in their cannon, and only one Union soldier was injured
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by artillery fire. This was a man in a Western regi- ment, who, seeing an apparently spent cannon ball roll- ing along on the sand, foolishly tried to stop it with his foot, and had his leg broken by it. The men suffered severely from cold and hunger, and were highly com- mended in the official reports for their good conduct.
After the capture of the fort, camps were established, a few regiments were placed across Pass Cavallo on De Crow's Point. the extremity of Matagorda Peninsula, and preparations were made for further movements. The troops were very far from being comfortable, as fuel was scarce and water poor, and for some time they had very short rations. At one time they had nothing to eat for three days but fresh beef, and scant rations of that. The Thirteenth suffered also from having no tents, and, until they were furnished, the men were obliged to dig holes in the sand and cover themselves with the hides of slaughtered cattle.
During this time the men on the Matamoras and Planter also had some experience in the way of adven- ture. In the norther in the night of Nov. 27th, the Planter dragged her anchor and was blown ashore, re- maining aground till the 29th, when she was pulled off by the steamer Warrior. On the 29th the Matamoras started with a load of supplies, intending to go to Mat- agorda Bay, inside of the islands but ran aground ; and Dec. 1st, the Planter, going to her assistance, approached too near, and being of deeper draught, ran aground her- self.
Both boats were short of fuel at the time, and during the afternoon exhausted their stock, leaving them help- less. All hands, soldiers, sailors and firemen, then went to work collecting fuel on shore ; and by the 5th, had obtained enough for use of one boat back to the Pass. On that day a boat from the Planter made soundings and staked out the channel ; and on the 6th, both boats got clear by kedging. All the fuch was then put upon the
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Matamoras, which took the Planter in tow, and next day they returned to the Pass.
It was afterward learned that a party of over a hun- dred of the enemy, learning the situation of the steam- ers, had made preparations to attack them on the night of Dec. 7th ; so they got clear none too soon. As there was no coal at the Pass, fuel had to be picked up; so after collecting all the drift-wood in the vicinity, the supply was completed by tearing down some abandoned houses on St. Joseph Island. Next day, Dec. 18th, the Planter went to Matagorda Bay, and was soon fol- lowed by the Matamoras.
Some reinforcements arrived after the capture of Fort Esperanza, and were mostly placed on De Crow's Point ; but no further movement of importance was made. Much time was spent in drill, and there were several reconnoissances in which the Thirteenth took part. One of these, which occurred in the last days of the year 1863, can perhaps be best described by giving in full Lieut. Col. Hesseltine's official report. The reconnois- sance was made by the available men of companies C, H'and K, and was conducted by the Lieutenant Colonel. The following is his official report :
LIEUT. COL. HESSELTINE'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
Headquarters Thirteenth Maine Regiment, N Fort Esperanza, Texas, Jan. 1, 186-4. $
General :- I have the honor to report that in accor- dance with instructions received through you from the Major General commanding Coast Expedition, I. em- barked on the evening of the 2Sth ult. with one hun-
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dred men of my regiment, on the gunboat Granite City, and proceeded that night outside up Matagorda Penin- sula, to a point seven miles from the head of it. In the morning we landed in small boats through the surf on a reconnoissance, intending to return on board when our object was attained; but shortly after our debarkation, the surf was so increased by a strong southerly wind, as to cut off all communication with the gunboat.
A detachment under Lieut. Ham, having returned from a scout up the Peninsula, I deployed a line of skirmishers nearly across and moved down under con- voy of the Granite City, driving back the rebel skirm- ishers cut off by our line, Our progress was so impeded in the night (on the right ?) by bayous from the lake that by two o'clock P. M. we had advanced only seven miles and were obliged to shorten the line of skirmishers.
At this time I was warned by the whistle of our con- voy, and the shells from the 30-pounder Parrott, of an enemy in the rear. Soon, by aid of my glass, I was able to discern the head of a body of cavalry moving down the Peninsula under a heavy fire from the gunboat. Their line stretched steadily towards us, and without seeing the last of it, I made out a force of from eight hundred to a thousand cavalry. Throwing the reserve in advance of the skirmishers, we moved forward as be- fore. In a half hour their skirmishers were swarming close up to mine, slightly heeding the shell and shrap- nel, which, by reason of the heavy sea, only now and then emptied a saddle for them.
Having drawn them to within good rifle shot, by al- lowing them to pepper away at us liberally, at command, half the skirmishers faced about and gave them a volley with apparently good effect, as it sent them, some hug- ging their horses, others being supported, out of range. They all hastily chose the other side. Having reached a narrow neck some two hundred yards wide, made by a bayou from the lake, as the boys were anxious to see
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the parade, I assembled the skirmishers, and counter- marching so that they could face the foe, formed line of battle across the neck. I knew my men ; they were cool; and determined rather than the rebels should meet the first encouragement of this campaign, that they would die there, with as many of their foes lying about them.
They would not meet us in front. They were ford- ing the bayou and gaining our rear. I gave orders to move back, quick time, and rode ahead to select another spot for a stand. They were closing around us. Has- tily communicating to the officers my plan to throw up from the drift, branches, logs and stumps-a barricade --- first a face to the enemy, then on each flank, I wheeled the men in on the beach. As if by magic, and while the men were forming their line for attack, there arose, with knarled roots and branches projecting, a rough re- dan, its pan coupe on a sand ridge, its gorge out in the surf. They formed, advanced, hesitated, halted ; a party rode up to reconnoitre and rode back with minie balls to report. They moved stronger to the right to charge obliquely the left face, which speedily looked too bad for them.
While they deliberated, darkness came with a heavy mist. For a ruse, or a threat, we rung ont three hearty cheers and a tiger. Two fires on each flank gave our position to the gunboat Sciota which came in from a reconnaissance up the coast. The Granite City goes to send reinforcements. With the expectation of an at- tack, the men were kept at the barricade all night. Their scouts approached to learn from our rifles that we were awake. Soon after midnight, the picket fired and ran in to report a strong body moving to the left onto the beach. This force came up, but a sharp fire sent them to the rear as the gunboat Sciota, which had slipped her anchor, ran round and poured in a broad- side. They retired for the night.
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The morning was very foggy. Bodies of cavalry were occasionally seen, and about ten o'clock A. M., a considerable force was seen on the right, but made no demonstration. As it was uncertain what more the en- emy might bring, the work was further strengthened by digging pits with bayonets and wooden spades and filling the barricade. Blankets were used for sand-bags. By noon it cleared away, and the rebel gunboot J. G. Cass ran down inside opposite our work and com- menced shelling it with her 20-pounder Parrott, mak- ing some very good shots, but injuring no one.
At three o'clock P. M., the men being without food and water, the gunboats expected to our relief having failed by reason of the fog, to find us, and concluding that the enemy had driven back our reinforcements, af- ter some hesitation we moved secretly out to cut our way down the Peninsula. The rebel boat shelled the abandoned work, and, as they report from the Sciota, kept baek a body of their own cavalry. Our advanced skirmishers drove before us a few of the enemy's scouts. Night came with a heavy fog and we advanced can- tiously. At ten P. M., the severest norther of the win- ter struck us. At one A. M., we bivouacked for the rest of the night. The next day, at two P. M., twenty iailes below our work, we were discovered from the Sci- ota, and with great difficulty taken aboard. On the march the sick and exhausted soldiers had been nobly aided by their comrades. so that not a man, musket or equipment. was left for the enemy.
The rebel gunboat J. G. Cass was driveu ashore in the norther ; and Capt. Strong, of the Monongahela, who came to relieve us, reports that she was abandoned and destroyed. The loss of this boat, the information secured concerning the enemy and Peninsula, already given voa verbally. with the lesson taught our enemies. make the reconnaissance not altogether valueless. To the officers with me, First Lieut. J. S. P. Ham, com-
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manding Company C; Second Lieut. Robbins B. Gro- ver, commanding Company H : Second Lieut. John D. Felton, Company K ; and Second Lieut. Augustus C. Myrick, Company C, the highest credit is due for the energy and pluck they manifested, aiding and arousing their men to endure aud die sooner than surrender. I would respectfully suggest that they are worthy of no- tice, as a mark that the country honors those of her sons who are valiant in upholding her honor.
Capt. Perkins of the Sciota excited my admiration by the daring manner in which he exposed his ship through the night in the surf till it broke all about him, that he might, close to us, lend the moral force of his 11-inch gun and howitzers, and by his gallantry in bringing us off through the gale.
To Capt. Lamson of the Granite City, great credit is due for his exertions to retard and drive back the en- emv. By the loss he inflicted upon them, it is clear, but for the heavy sea, he would free us from any exer- tion. Information comes in that the attacking force was Green's cavalry, from twelve to fifteen hundred strong.
I have allowed myself to be too miunte in this report that you may know how one hundred of your "Yankees" baffled, beat back, and cluded so large a body ef rebels, and the rebel gunboat, without loss.
I have the honor to be,
Very Respectfully, your Obedient Servant, FRANK S. HESSELTINE Lieut. Col. Commanding. Brig. Gen. T. E. G. RANSOM, Commanding Srd Brig., 2nd Div. Army Corps, Fort Esperanza, Texas.
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The foregoing shows signs of having been written in great haste, but is substantially correct. Even the Confederate Official Reports agree with it very closely, except in two particulars, viz : First, they do not admit the loss of a gunboat, but report the driving ashore and burning of a schooner. Second, they estimate the num- bers concerned in the affair very differently, calling our foree three hundred, and their own the same. Now, as to our force, it was but little, if any, over one hundred men ; while theirs, according to their own reports, con- sisted of the whole of Brown's, and half of Buchel's reg- iments of cavalry, and, therefore, Col. Hesseltine's esti- mate of their number is probably very nearly correct.
The enemy admit a loss of two men, and two horses wounded, and several men and horses missing ; but, as our men took no prisoners, the question of what became of their missing, is one which the Thirteenth boys would like to have correctly answered. Probably they were killed or wounded. Col. Hesseltine, the officers and the men were all highly praised for their conduct by Gen. Washburn, who was then commanding the Thir- teenth Corps.
On the 10th of January, 1864, Col. Rust, who had been relieved from duty in Louisiana a few days before, arrived at Fort Esperanza. As he was the senior col- onel in the brigade, he became brigade commander, leaving Lieut. Col. Hesseltine still in command of the regiment.
Jan. 17th, the brigade embarked on the steamer Planter, to cross from Fort Esperanza to De Crow's Point on the east side of the pass. Unfortunately, the whole brigade was put upon the boat at once, so that the men had barely standing room, and the boat was badly overloaded. Hardly had the boat left. the wharf, when it ran aground and stuck fast. While trying to work off, a steam-pipe burst, which came near being a fearful accident. Fortunately, there was a valve be-
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tween the break and the boiler which was closed as soon as possible, but not before the boat was so full of steam that the men could hardly breathe.
The men had to remain standing on the boat till the middle of the next forenoon, when they were taken off and carried across the bay by other steamers ; the Thir- teenth being carried across by the gunboat Estrella, a captured blockade-runner. After encamping on De Crow's Point, the brigade was the Second Brigade of the Fourth Division, and consisted of the 13th and 15th Maine, 18th Ohio, 130th Illinois, and 34th Iowa. Col. Rust commanded the brigade, and Gen. Ransom the division. Co. E of the Thirteenth was at this time de- tailed as guard at division headquarters.
About this time, I am unable to give the date, Lieut. Col. Hesseltine with two hundred men of the Thirteenth, went up the bay on a boat expedition for the purpose of cutting out a rebel gunboat ; but the pilot, either through treachery or incompetence, failed to reach the destination, so they returned unsuccessful. Jan. 20th, the detailed men on the steamers Matamoras and Plan- ter, were relieved from detail and returned to the regi- ment.
Jan. 21st, the whole regiment, except Co. E, em- barked on the gunboat Sciota, and went up the coast about forty-five miles, where they landed the next day at noon, and were joined at night by a brigade which had marched up the Peninsula. The object of the ex- pedition was a more complete reconnaissance of the Con- federate fortifications at the mouth of Caney Bayou, and was successfully accomplished ; but next day a most unfortunate occurrence took place-it could not be called an accident. A sailor from the Sciota, who was trying to shoot a beeve, with inexcusable carelessness fired directly toward some of the regiment. His bullet went through the head of Capt. Charles R. March of Co. F', and also wounded Private Samuel Heald of Co.
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