USA > Maine > The story of one regiment; the Eleventh Maine infantry volunteers in the war of the rebellion > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
193
IN BERMUDA HUNDRED.
hour. It is probable that it was Beauregard's purpose to aggra- vate our batteries into replying, that he might gather an idea of their positions and the number of their guns.
Morning came at last, and the daylight broke. As soon as the light was strong enough to see clearly, Lieutenant Maxfield made a tour along the line of D from right to left. He found Corporal Weymouth wide awake and in readiness to go out to meet his rebel friend when he should appear coming over the rebel works. "There he is, Corporal," said someone, as a form darted over the rebel line. "But he has a gun in his hand," Weymouth answered ; and, sure enough, Lieutenant Maxfield saw that the man they were looking at had a gun in his hand, and that he was accompanied by a long line of other gray-clad men, reaching out from his right and left, all with guns in their hands, too, and all moving swiftly toward our works. In a moment the Lieutenant had shouted the alarm to his men, and as the sharp word of command rang out, every man, were he asleep or awake, sprang to his feet, every gun was to a check, and a rapid and effective fire was opened upon the now swiftly approaching enemy. So sure and cool were our men, so far from being surprised, that in less than a minute the long line of the enemy in front of D was gone, those of them not fallen back to cover, lying on the ground dead or dying, the not too desperately wounded slowly crawling for spots sheltered from our fire.
The new rifle of Private Bridges was especially effective that morning, every shot from it seeming to tell. His usually half- closed eyes were wide open now and sparkling with joy. As he fired he would peer after his flying shot, and " I have hit him," he would triumphantly shout, and then proceed to reload his rifle with cool care. We were jubilant, for we had beaten the enemy off, but we speedily found that the pickets on our left had not been so fortunate. We could see them falling hastily back, and then over the open space before us that we had just cleared of one rebel skirmish line, a heavier one came rushing.
We fell back to a reserve pit on the run, entering it pell mell. Here we found Captain Lawrence and his Company H, and at his command a smart fire was opened on the pursuing enemy, driv- ing them to cover. But unfortunately there was an unoccupied reserve pit to our rear and left that the enemy entered, and from which they poured a galling fire on our rear. Captain Lawrence,
--
200
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
as commander of our little force, was ably assisted by Lieutenant Thompson of his own company, and by Lieutenant Maxfield, of D. These officers exposed themselves recklessly while urging the men to keep up their fire on the enemy in their front, not for- getting those in the reserve pit behind us.
Of course we could not stay where we were unless we proposed to go to Richmond before its evacuation. A hasty council of war was held by the officers, and it was agreed that the plan should be to fight desperately until a lull in the attack should give an opportunity to gain the woods behind us, then that we should break for cover with a sudden and combined rush that would carry us right through the enemy of the reserve pit should they sally out as we ran by them, which we must, and within a few feet of them. The rebels in our front made several vain rushes at us. Once a sergeant of theirs led his men almost to the muz- zles of the guns on the left, at a moment, too, when most of the guns there were uncharged. Corporal Weymouth was on the extreme left. "Shoot that sergeant, Weymouth," was shrieked at him, and like lightning Weymouth's gun was pointing straight at the gallant rebel, and Weymouth's sharp eye was looking down the barrel as if to give the death stroke. Even rebel human nature, probably fighting for a commission, could not stand it. and the sergeant turned and fled, his men flying with him, not knowing that Weymouth's gun was as empty as a last year's bird's nest.
A movement of the rebels in our front that checked the fire of their men in the reserve pit indicated a coming onslaught. The moment for retiring had come. "Now, all together," said Lieuten- ant Maxfield, as he ran along to the left ; "pour it into them when Captain Lawrence shouts ' Fire,' and then run for the woods." " Fire," the order came ; a crash of rifles answered it, and then we ran like deer for the sheltering timber. The enemy in the reserve pit was nonplussed for a moment, for it looked as if we were charging straight upon them; but, catching the idea, in a moment they arose and ponred a sharp fire into us as we ran by. Within a minute those of us not killed, made prisoners, or too badly wounded to be carried from the field, had rejoined the Eleventh, which we found in line of battle not many rods in rear of the scene of our desperate defense.
Companies F, E, and K were not engaged, the enemy not mak-
201
IN BERMUDA HUNDRED.
ing a demonstration along the front they covered. General Hill, then Captain of Company K, commanded the right of the line, and was near Warebottom Church when Colonel Spofford fell. Hastening to his side, he was directed by Colonel Spofford to take command of the regiment, as the next in rank, and told to expect the weight of the attack from the left. General ITill thereupon took command of the scattered companies, and rallied them in a strong position as they fell back, quickly presenting so bold a front to the advancing enemy as to check his final advance. In a short half-hour he had proved himself to be a most efficient field officer -- his bravery had long been known-and from that day he advanced in rank as he grew in military reputation, ad- vancing steadily from Captain to Major, to Lieutenant-Colonel, to Colonel, until he wore the star to which his gallantry well entitled him.
The Eleventh had able commanders, and the stars fell thick among them, but none found their way to the hearts of its rank and file as did General Hill. What Naglee was to its earliest years, Hill was to its latest, and the regiment never took a prouder step, nor stood higher in the opinion of its fellow regi- ments, than when it followed the fortunes of its colonel with the empty sleeve.
We lost brave men in this fight, but the great loss to the regi- ment was that of Lieutenant-Colonel Spofford. He was taken from the field, and sent to Fortress Monroe, where he died on the 17th of June. The regiment was but just learning to appreciate the best qualities of Colonel Spofford. As brave as a fearless child, as gentle as a woman, without an unreasonable ambition, only intent in carrying out his orders to the letter. Colonel Spofford marched us from point to point, sometimes, at least once, with a speed that was exhausting, only intent on reaching the position he was to occupy, and reaching it, to hold it faith- fully until relieved by authority. His last words to General Hill showed the quick intelligence of the soldier and the thoughtful- ness of the commander, for even while suffering from a mortal wound he thought of his men rather than of himself. Not until he had turned his command over to his successor, and given him the results of his morning observation did he suffer hinself to be taken from the field. His epitaph was well written by Sergeant- Major Morton when the news of his death reached the regiment :
202
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
" In Colonel Spofford we have lost a brave soldier and a Christian gentleman."
On learning of the death of Colonel Spofford, the following order was issued from Brigade Headquarters by Colonel Plaisted :
HEADQUARTERS, 3D BRIGADE, IST DIVISION, 10TH A. C., DEEP BOTTOM, VA., June 22, 1864.
General Orders.
It is with deep regret and sorrow the colonel commanding an- nounces to the brigade the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Winslow P. Spofford, late commanding Eleventh Maine Volunteers. Ho died in hospital at Old Point Comfort on the 17th inst. of wounds received in battle.
On the 2d of June, his regiment being on picket, the enemy attacked our outposts in force. Colonel Spofford was among the first to fall, shot through the thigh, at the beginning of the action.
Colonel Spofford entered the service in the fall of 1861 as Cap- tain in the Eleventh, and won his promotions by the zeal and faithfulness with which he performed every duty. He entered the service of his country from the highest motives, ready and willing to give his life, if need be, in his country's cause. That life has been given, and to him belongs the merit of having died for his country-to have died for others-the noblest, the divinest, of all human actions.
In the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Spofford our country has lost a brave and faithful soldier and Christian patriot. Long may his name be remembered and honored by a grateful posterity.
By order of H. M. PLAISTED. Colonel Eleventh Maine Vols., Comdg. Brig. (Signed,) CHARLES B. AMORY, Capt. and A. A. General.
- The losses in this action were as follows :
Field .- Wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Winslow P. Spofford, mortally.
Company A .-- Killed, Private Horace W. Brown ; wounded, Sergeant James Andrews, Corporal George W. Thompson, Pri- vates Daniel A. Bean, Daniel O. Butler, William S. Buswell, Thomas D. Cook, Aaron Gomery, William HI. Hartford, Joseph D. Jewett, Daniel X. McFarland, Thomas MeFarland, Asa L. MeIntire, Mitchell Neddo.
Company C .- Wounded, Lieutenant Lemuel E. Newcomb, Cor- poral Melville Cole, Privates Elijah S. Kelley, Coffin S. Leighton.
203
IN BERMUDA HUNDRED.
Company D .- Killed, Private John E. Bridges ; wounded, Ser- geant Robert Brady, Jr., Corporal James E. Bailey, Privates Sumner M. Bolton, Samuel A. Bragdon, Melin Conforth, Richard W. Dawe, Hudson K. Dyer, Moses E. Sherman, Zelman B. Smith ; prisoners, Captain Albert G. Mudgett, Sergeant Gardiner E. Blake, Privates Sumner M. Bolton, Martin V. Bryant, Law- rence Kelley.
Company G .- Killed, Private Sewall L. Chamberlain ; wounded, Corporal Thomas J. Holmes.
Company HI. - Killed, Privates Valentine S. Cumner, William F. Rogers ; wounded, Lieutenant James M. Thompson, Private William Green.
Company I .- Wounded, Sergeant Arthur V. Vandine, Private Francis Winn.
Killed, 5 ; wounded, 32 ; prisoners, 5 -- total, 42.
The importance to our regiment of this handsome little engage- ment was its demonstration that the rank and file of the regiment could be depended upon to stand their ground against large odds, and that among the line officers were many brave and capable men-men who could meet sudden changes of conditions with the intelligent celerity that so often changes the tide of battle. We ran, to be sure, but no farther than it was necessary that we should in order to gain ground on which to turn and face our assailants. And I am not sure but General Plaisted, who assumed personal charge of this defense, is right in his claim that the stub- born resistance offered the enemy by his brigade, and by our regi- ment ospecially, saved the main works from a general assault. For once in full possession of our outer line, as they would have been had our regiment followed the retreating regiments into the main works, the temptation to go further would have been strong with so bold and sanguine a soldier as was General Beauregard.
.
CHAPTER XXI.
DEFENDING THE BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT.
The Gillmore Fiasco --- Our New Position-Private Haegan's Dilemma -- The Coming of Grant-The Assaults on Petersburg-Beauregard Evacuates Bermuda Hundred Lines-An Adventure of the Tenth Connecticut-The Arrival of Lee and the Flight of the "Hundred Days " Men-A Joke on Myself-Lee's Veterans Assault our Front. while Those of Grant are Assaulting Beauregard's Position at Peters- burg -- Cessation of Attacks-Casualties.
'THE picket skirmishing, that had died out to a large extent during the last week in May, became continuous again from this attack of June 2d. Our own regiment, when not on the picket line engaged in this desultory sort of warfare, was lying in line of battle behind the heavy inner works of Bermuda Hundred. These works consisted of strong redans, or batteries, connected by infantry parapets. all with ston+ abatis in front, and with slashings wherever possible. From Beauregard's report, his men lay behind their somewhat similar works as anxiously as we dil behind ours, both we and they in continual expectation of an assault. The truth is, that both Butler and Beauregard were afraid that their long and thinly manned lives might be assaulted and carried at any moment, each knowing his own weakness full well, and magnifying the strength of his opponent. Beauregard had the best ground for his fears. As the strongest numerically and occupying the inner and therefore the shorter lines of the opposing works, and with a strong fleet of gunboats in the river to fall back to the shelter of, in case of disaster, the initiative be- longed to us. And, indeed, a force did move out from our line the 9th of June to attack Petersburg. General Gillmore with 3,000 infantry, accompanied by General Kautz with 1,500 cavalry. crossed the Appomattox on the ponton bridge at Port Walthall in the early morning. Gillmore moved out on the City Point Road, and Kautz moved to the left four or five miles to reach the Jeru- salem Plank Road. Gillmore finding the works before him strong ones, and apparently well manned. did not attempt to assault
205
DEFENDING THE BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT.
them. returning to Bermuda Hundred that afternoon. Kautz attacked on the plank road with indifferent success at first, but finally flanked the enemy's line, forcing them out of their works, then marched on the city; but reenforcements coming to the enemy and Gillmore not supporting him, Kautz was forced to withdraw.
We may as well note here that General Gillmore was removed from command of the corps the 14th of June, the day General Grant arrived at General Butler's headquarters. General Terry was placed in command of the corps provisionally.
It was during the period of this abortive expedition that we moved to the left and took position along the line that Howell's brigade had occupied, that brigade making part of Gillmore's inglorious expedition. While they were absent, the task of hold- ing not only the line of his own brigade, but that of Howell's, was intrusted to General Plaisted. We occupied this position from nine o'clock in the evening of June Sth until the night of the 10th, when we were relieved by the Third New Hampshire. We found ourselves in a very exposed position while on this part of the line. Our own camp was in a position of the line that was well refused. thus keeping us out of the line of rebel fire, the advanced picket line at Warebottom Church being a full quarter of a mile beyond our camp ground. But here the main lines were not far from each other. In "The Knightly Soldier" it is quoted from a letter of Major Camp that he visited a redoubt on this part of the line, commanded by Major Trumbull (a younger brother of Chaplain Trumbull), of the First Connecticut Artil- lery : " Major Trumbull invited us this morning to the top of the parapet to examine the rebel works with greater care. The inter- est of the view was increased by his explanations. 'Just beneath are our own rifle pits. Vonder in the woods are theirs. Their sharpshooters post themselves in the woods and much nearer. 1 don't know how it will be to-day, but yesterday no officer could show himself here without finding himself a mark immediately. You'll see, if we get a shot, it will come from the thicket on the lott. Between where we stand and that traverse [a few rods dis- tant] eight men have been picked off since Sunday'"
It was here that Private Peter Hacgan, of D Company, stood his at the time famous all-night picket guard. The picket posts were in an open field, and in full sight of the enemy. So close were
206
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
they to the rebel line that, to avoid the danger of a relieving party being mistaken by the enemy for an advance, the pickets were posted by threes, with orders to relieve each other during the night, two to sleep and one to stand post. Peter went on post first, and his two comrades rolled themselves in their blankets, lay down a few rods to his rear, and went to sleep. After some hours, Peter thought it time he was relieved, and tried to attract the attention of his comrades by hemming and coughing. He did not dare to cry out, for a rebel picket post was stationed a few rods beyond him, and he feared he would draw a shot by doing so. But hem and haw and groan as he would, he could not seem to awaken the sleepers. They slept through it all, and it was not until daylight, when the outposts were withdrawn to safer quarters, that Peter was relieved. He was ferociously angry, not the less so because, as he declared, while he was suffering agonies in trying to draw their attention and escape that of the rebels he could plainly hear them snickering and laughing together. They denied and denied, but never again would Peter go on post with either of the two.
Before the battle of Cold Harbor was fought by the Army of the Potomac and the portion of the Army of the James sent to General Grant under General Smith, Grant bad about given up all hope of breaking through Lec's defense on the north side of the James, and bad planned, if this last effort failed, to move across the James to a position before Petersburg, hoping to be able to move so unexpectedly as to effect the capture of Petersburg and the turning of Beauregard's Bermuda Hundred line, and lo cut off Confederate communication with North Carolina before Lee should realize Grant's object sufficiently to checkmate it by throwing the Army of Northern Virginia across the James and into the Confederate intrenchments at Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg in time to save them. No sooner was the result of the Battle of Cold Harbor plain to Grant than he began to prepare for this movement. Briefly, the orders now issued directed Gen- eral Smith to march the portion of the Army of the James with him to the White House, there to embark on the transports that had taken them from Bermuda Hundred in the last days of May, and to steam directly for Bermuda Hundred ; to land his men as soon as they arrived, and to move on Petersburg immediately.
The Army of the Potomse was to concentrate at Wilcox's Land- ing, on the James, by different routes, and cross the river by a
207
DEFENDING THE BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT.
ponton bridge laid down between this landing and Windmill Point, one just below City Point. As soon as a division was across the river it was to march directly to Smith's support, all the move- ments being so timed in the orders as to make them supporting ones. These movements were to be made under cover of cavalry movements, and a demonstration by the Fifth Corps, which was thrown boldly to the neighborhood of the White Oak Swamp battlefield, to give Lee the idea that Grant's movements were made with the intention of assaulting Richmond by the north side of the river, with his base protected by gunboats.
The orders, as you have seen, gave the initiative of the move- ment to the part of the Army of the James under General Smith. Hle marched his troops to White House, reembarked, and sailed for Bermuda Hundred, arriving in the afternoon of June 14th. The next morning Smith's force crossed the Appomattox by the ponton bridge at Broadway Landing, two miles from Port Walthall and eight from Petersburg. Assaulting the works they found in their front, they succeeded in carrying a long line of them. Divisions of the Army of the Potomac began to reach Smith's position that afternoon, but owing to the exhaustion of troops, missent orders, and various other causes, the success of the forenoon was not followed up, and the 16th and 17th were spent by our forces in making assaults on the strong and, though mainly defended by artillery, still well-defended rebel works before Petersburg. The results were varying during these two days, but Beauregard beld his ground, and on the 18th was heavily reinforced by Lee's veteran troops.
During this time we, the lines of Bermuda Hundred. wore in hourly expectation on the 16th and 17th of the Army of Northern Virginia assaulting us, it having to pass so near us in moving down the pike and the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad to Beauregard's assistance, that it might casily hurl an assaulting column on our lines and, breaking through the inadequate force with which we held them, assail Grant on the flank.
While Beauregard, thoroughly alive to Grant's real purposes through the stories of scouts and spies, and the sifted admissions of the prisoners he captured on the 15th, was showering telegrams on Lee and sending his aids with personal messages to Richmond, Lee was still on the north side of the James throwing out recon- noissances in every direction in search of Grant's real course.
¥
20S
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
This delay of Lec forced Beauregard to hold his lines with a very small force against a constantly augmenting one. But these lines were formidable ones. A born engineer as well as one in educa- tion, Beauregard had from sheer restlessness already intrenched every practicable position around Petersburg, planting enfilad- ing batteries on all commanding points, and generally had already planned and arranged the lines of works that, with little modifi- cation of position, held Petersburg so long against our armies. .
Knowing that the force in his front was steadily growing as divisions of the Army of the Potomac came on the ground and went into position, and that the 16th would be a day of trial to him, the night of the 15th Beauregard determined to abandon the Bermuda Hundred line, trusting to the coming of Lee's troops to regain them. That night, under cover of a threatening demon- stration, he withdrew the force that held the Bermuda Hundred lines, leaving only a mask of pickets, virtually abandoning his whole line from the Howlett House to the Appomattox. He says that he had the guns and caissons of the Howlett House Battery removed and buried, the ground above them rearranged with sticks and leaves so as not to arouse any suspicion, and that this prize remained safely hidden until the Confederates had regained their line.
Chaplain Trumbull, of the Tenth Connecticut, who was with his regiment on the picket line at the time, tells the story of the enemy's hasty evacuation : "Soon after midnight word came to the reserve that the enemy had planted cannon so as to sweep the main road across which was the picket line, that he was massing troops for an attack at the right, and that he had ad- vanced his vedettes as if to make room for an attacking column.
That there was unusual activity on the part of the enemy there could be no doubt. The rumble of moving artillery and army wagons was distinctly heard ; and the clatter of swift- ridden horses, with the voices of officers giving orders, close at hand, mingled with the rattle of trains over the Petersburg track from far beyond. But whether all these movements indicated an evacuation, or an arrival of reinforcements for an attack, was an undecided but interesting question to the waiting listeners in the advanced rifle pits." Colonel Voris, of the Sixty-seventh Ohio, division officer of the day, received similar reports from all along the line. Orders were given for an advance at daybreak to learn
209
DEFENDING THE BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT.
what was going on in front, and just in the gray of the morning the vedette line was reenforced and pushed forward to feel the enemy, who could still be heard, although not so plainly as a while before. Still, there was every reason to fear a warm reception. But the slender line passed over the pits so lately occupied by the enemy's picket posts, reached the abatis, tore a passageway through, and mounted the rebel intrenchments without opposi- tion.
The captured works were soon occupied in force by our men, and General Terry pushed out with a body of troops to cut the Petersburg & Richmond Railroad. The Tenth Connecticut had the honor of occupying the Howlett House Battery, and it was there that they had a new experience, that of hoisting a white flag. Chaplain Trumbull tells the story.
" Upon the river bank stood a house, once the residence of Dr. Howlett, a pleasant place still, with a magnificent prospect over the river, which wound two hundred feet beneath. From its roof, the spires of Richmond are plainly to be seen. The house had been riddled with shells from our gunboats and moni- tors, which had made it, and a battery close beside it, their especial targets for weeks past. . Near this house we sat down to rest. The ice-house attached to it, still partially filled, furnished us with an unwonted luxury. The trees shaded a soft, grassy turf, and we thought ourselves well off in our temporary headquarters. We strolled about the place examining the effects of shot and shell. One of the latter, a 15-inch play- thing from a monitor, lay unexploded half way down the steep hillside. Our boys amused themselves with rolling it to the bottom.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.