USA > Maine > The story of one regiment; the Eleventh Maine infantry volunteers in the war of the rebellion > Part 21
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The Colonel answered that he got lost in riding out, and was try- ing to find his way into camp when he rode up to them. Drifting into a general conversation, each party covertly tried to learn a little something concerning the other's force on that side of the river, until the Colonel embraced a good opportunity to make his adieus. As he rode away with his eager orderlies riding at his heels, the Confederate officer, on whom the real purpose of the
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Colonel's mission had dawned, but who was too honorable to take back his given word, called out : " Remember this, you can't play at exchanging papers with me again." With this friendly warn- ing from the "good fellow," as General Hill rightly calls him, ringing in their cars, the little Union party spurred its horses into a magnificent burst of speed that quickly took it out of all pos- sible danger of having to obey a recall.
On the 16th of July the rebels ran guns into the battery at the head of Strawberry Plains and began shelling the gunboats, at the same time turning a couple of guns on the bluff. A shot that struck the gunboat Mendota killed and wounded several men, and a horse was killed at brigade headquarters. The gunboats soon got the range, and the guns were quickly withdrawn. But this desultory warfare was now to be superseded by operations ordered by General Grant. Foster's command was to engage in reconnoi- tering the enemy's front.
On the 21st of July the Eleventh crossed to Strawberry Plains under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, Colonel Plaisted having command of the brigade, while General Foster had that of the division and General Terry of the corps. General Brooks, who had been in command of the corps since June 18th, had resigned his commission on account of wounds and impaired health. The regiment pushed up along the creck and moved against the battery, on the river road, that had shelled our camp. Eleven prisoners fell into our hands. Then the surprised rebels showing in strong force, something like a brigade, the regiment fell back and returned to the bluff.
On the 22d the regiment again crossed to the Plains, and cap- tured the position it had retired from the day before, driving away about three hundred of the Hampton Legion. Colonel Hill's orders were to hold the position if possible. He sent Ser- geant-Major Morton to General Foster to report that he had cap- tured the position, but feared that it could not be held during the night unless a reenforcement of two hundred men was sent him. The Sergeant-Major returned with instructions to fall back if the reenforcement did not come by dark, and as it did not, the command retired to the fortifications on Strawberry Plains.
During this day the division commander issued the following special order to the division concerning the operations of the 21st and 22d :
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HEADQUARTERS, IST DIV. 10TH A. C., DEEP BOTTOM, VA., July 22, 1864.
Special Orders, No. 78.
The Brig .- Gen. commanding takes pleasure in acknowledging the value and importance of the service to the command, rondered by Lieut .- Col. Hill with the Eleventh Maine Vols., of the 3d Brigade (Col. H. M. Plaisted comdg.), in taking and occupying the position so near the Newmarket and Malvern Hill road, and in front of the enemy's position. This position, if maintained, is of like importance to this command and the enemy. It severs the enemy's communication with Malvern Hill, and prevents the in- terruption of navigation at this point, as well as preventing the annoyance caused by the enemy's batteries stationed near the road. It was accomplished with slight loss to us, and resulted in the capture of a number of prisoners, among them a commissioned officer.
By order of Brig .- Gen. R. S. FOSTER, (Signed,) P. A. DAVIS, Capt. & A. A. Genl.
Official : (Signed,) W. L. SAVAGE, Lieut. f . D. C.
On the 23d another advance on Strawberry Plains was made by our regiment. The enemy was out in force, but after a sharp fight we forced our way to the coveted position near the river road, losing two men killed and four wounded. Lieutenant-Colo- nel Hill sent Sergeant-Major Morton to General Foster to report that the enemy were assuming the offensive, and were pushing him hard, and he might not be able to hold the ground he had taken. General Foster sent him orders to fall back, but Colonel Hill held his ground until night, when, a regiment of the Nine- teenth Corps (a portion of which corps was landing on the river), coming to our support, we continued in position during the night, lying in line on our arms.
In the early morning of the 24th our force was moved rapidly forward by Colonel Hill, and, despite the determined resistance of the surprised but undaunted rebels, we drove them from their works, crossed the road, and forced our way for some distance beyond it, thereby completely severing their line of communica- tion with their forces at Malvern Hill. After accomplishing this. the object of the fighting we had been doing on the Plains, we retired a short distance to a strong position along the road, which
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we turned over to two regiments of the Nineteenth Corps, and returned to our camp on the bluff for much-needed rest.
During the day General Foster communicated with Department Headquarters, as follows, receiving the answer we print with his communication :
HEADQUARTERS, U. S. FORCES, DEEP BOTTOM, VA., July 24, 1864.
LIEUT. - COL. ED. W. SMITH,
A. A. Genl. 10th A. C.
Sir : I have the honor to report that this morning at daylight the Eleventh Maine (Col. Plaisted), acting under my orders, advanced and took possession of the enemy's battery, and now hold it with their picket line about fifty yards beyond and across the Newmarket and Malvern Hill road.
I endoavored to take the place yesterday, but it was held by a strong force, and I could not drive them out without losing more men than I thought the place worth. The Eleventh Maine Jost yesterday two (2) killed and six (6) wounded. This regiment is one deserving of great credit, having been continually engaged for three days and nights, and although confronting a superior force, driving them in every instance.
I am, respectfully, Your obedt. servt., (Signed, ) R. S. FOSTER, Brig. - Gen. Comdg.
Official :
(Signed,) P. A. DAVIS, Capt. & A. A. G.
UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH.
BY TELEGRAPH FROM DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS. Dated July 24, 1864. To GENERAL R. S. FOSTER.
The General commanding understands fully the importance of the service rendered by the Eleventh Maine, and has given them credit on his book for the full amount. I telegraphed Genl. Grant last night that I felt confident you would take and hold that battery now.
(Signed,) G. WEITZEL, Brig. Gen., Chief of Staff.
Official : (Signed,) . P. A. DAVIS, Capt. d. A. A. G.
The following paragraph appeared in the newspapers through- out the country, dated the morning of the very day we were
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contesting the possession of Strawberry Plains with a body of the enemy that had overwhelmed the troops that had relieved us on the 24th :
From the Army of the Potomac --- Important Position Held by the 11th Maine. NEW YORK, July 26. The Army of the Poto- mac correspondence in the morning papers states that there are repeated renewals of artillery firing at different points along the line. -
The important position at Strawberry Plains is successfully held by the 11th Maine regiment, thus effectually preventing the erection of a rebel battery at a strategic point.
Just before midnight of the 25th of July the rebels assailed the regiments of the Nineteenth Corps, that we had left in possession of the ground we had taken on the 24th, and drove them into the works that covered the ponton bridge landing. Our brigade was aroused by the firing, and the regiments went into the works on the bluff in anticipation of a general attack. In the early morn- ing of the 26th, the Eleventh was ordered over the creek, and, with the Tenth Connecticut in support, moved in skirmish order through the woods along Deep Run. As senior officer, Colone! Plaisted was in command of the two regiments engaged in this movement, having returned to the command of the Eleventh, General Foster having resumed that of the brigade and Terry of the division, as Major-General Birney had assumed command of the corps on the 23d of July.
Colonel Plaisted gave Lieutenant-Colonel Hill command of the advance, keeping the Tenth Connecticut within supporting dis- tance; and although the enemy was in force and determined to hold their ground, so judicious were his arrangements, and so vigorously were the skirmishers of the Eleventh advanced by Colonel Hill, that we forced the enemy steadily back, while the gunboats shelled the woods beyond us, and a battery in the redan swept the woods to the right.
The firing was very severe. and in the afternoon the supply of ammunition became so low that Sergeant-Major Morton was sent across the bridge to the camp of the First Maryland Cavalry, dismounted and serving in our brigade as infantry, for a fresh supply. By night, although we had not retaken the lost position, still we had forced our way so far forward as to command the road with our rifles, and to alarin the rebels to such an extent that they were engaged all night in active preparation to assault
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at daylight, little thinking that Hancock with his three divisions of infantry, and Sheridan with two of cavalry, were then march- ing from Petersburg to Strawberry Plains. At dusk, after losing one man killed and twenty-one wounded, we were relieved by the Tenth Connecticut, and, retiring to the redan on Strawberry Plains, we lay in support for the night.
During the day we had been reenforced by Companies A and H, these companies gallantly volunteering to go to the assistance of their comrades. An unhappy incident of the day was the burst- ing of one of our gunboat shells among our men. It exploded prematurely and just behind our center rifle pits-hastily scooped out pits, unconnected, shallow, with logs forming half their front ; exploded at just the most dangerous distance, throwing its fragments among the men, wounding twelve, all mortally or very seriously.
Chaplain Trumbull, of the Tenth Connecticut, tells in " The Knightly Soldier " of the work done by the Eleventh on the 26th as it appeared to the members of the supporting regiment : " After a night under arms in the Deep Bottom intrenchments, the Tenth moved over Four Mile Creek to Strawberry Plains, near Haxall's Landing, on the morning of July 26th, to assist the Eleventh Maine in retaking a line of rebel rifle-pits on the Mal- vern Hill road captured by the latter regiment, and yielded by a portion of the Nineteenth Corps. The sun and fire, both artil- lery and musketry, were extremely hot that day. The fighting was Indian style, man to man, from tree to tree, the Union skirmish line pushing the enemy's back steadily, or rather forcing a way, wedge-shaped, into it. When evening came the handful of mou from General Foster's command held a salient angle in the woods, running into the enemy's position of the morning, where they were fronted and flanked by a superior force." Then he tells the story of the night the Tenth held the ground we had wrested from the enemy during the day : " The opposing picket posts were for a portion of the way within a few yards of cach other ; so that even a heavily drawn breath could be heard across the line, and conversation in an ordinary tone was distinctly audible. General Grant had telegraphed an order, just before night, to hold every inch that had been gained, he promising help before morning. The pickets of the Tenth lay concealed in the low underbrush. If they discovered themselves by the crackling
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of a twig, they were liable to be silenced by a shot from just in their front ; and the preparations for the morning, which they could hear the enemy making, were anything but encouraging. Artillery was brought down, and so planted that the pickets could almost have looked into the gun-muzzles ; while a single discharge of grape from the battery could sweep them away like chaff from the enfiladed picket line. They could hear the braggarts' threats of annihilation of the venturesome Yankees when the daylight came, and they realized their danger ; yet all who were unwounded remained there firm and true."
The operations of our regiment on Strawberry Plains were preliminary to a movement General Grant had planned against the enemy's left flank, resting on our side of the James, and directly in our front. General Walker, Assistant Adjutant- General of the Second Corps, says in his history of that corps that General Grant's plan was that the Second Corps and two divisions of cavalry under Sheridan, making an all-night march across Bermuda Hundred, should cross the bridges over the James, and break the enemy's line, which was not supposed to be held by any considerable force, driving the Confederates back to Chapin's Bluff. In the event of Hancock's success, Sheridan was then to push across the James, and attempt Richmond by a sudden dash. If, however, as was most probable, the works defending the city were too strongly held to allow its capture, Sheridan was to pro- ceed to the north of Richmond, and thoroughly destroy the two railroads on that side as far as the Anna Rivers. He was to be reenforced by Kantz's cavalry division, from the Army of the James. And Grant thought, too, that Hancock's movement to the north of the James might draw away from Petersburg a large part of its defenders, and prepare the way for exploding Burn- side's mine.
It was Grant's plan, says General Walker, that the infantry should cross by the upper bridge, and move at once on Chapin's Bluff, while the cavalry, crossing by the lower bridge, should be making its way towards Richmond. When, however, General Hancock arrived at Foster's headquarters, he ascertained that the enemy had drawn a line of works around the upper bridge, which was held in considerable force. As it seemed undesirable that the movement which had been embarked upon should begin, and perhaps end, with an assault, General Hancock reported the
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situation by telegraph to General Meade, who authorized the infantry to cross by the lower bridge, the cavalry to await their turn. This, however, constituted a very different situation from that which had been contemplated. It placed Bailey's Creek between Hancock and his objective point, Chapin's Bluff. Should the stream be found to afford a good natural line of defense, a force which could not have fought Hancock an hour on the other side of the creek might be enabled to resist him, on this side, long enough to defeat the first purpose of the expedition. Hancock on his part, appreciating the situation, sought to cross his troops rapidly, and to push them vigorously up the course of the stream, with a view to seizing if not one, then another of its crossings. General Foster, meanwhile, undertook to threaten the enemy bolding the works against the upper bridge, and thus prevent their being detached to move up the creek.
We were present at the crossing of Hancock's troops, and saw the skirmishers of Mott's division -- three regiments from General Miles's brigade accompanied by himself --- as they moved across the fields towards the enemy's position on the river road, and, attack- ing by the flank, drive them away, capturing the four 20-pound Parrott guns brought down in the night for the destruction of our little force. The captors were materially aided in securing these guns by the Tenth Connecticut, whose men, from their position covering the river road, opened such a hot fire as to make it impossible for horses to be brought down to haul the guns off.
General Walker goes on to say that, after the enemy were driven from this position, and from one on the right toward Malvern Hill, and the way was cleared to the investment of the Bailey's Creek line, they were found in well-constructed works, appar- ently well manned and covered by abatis. The position as devel- oped was one of great natural strength, the creek itself, as stated by General Morgan (Chief of Staff of the Second Corps), being an obstacle that could not be passed by a line of battle, while the intervening ground, being perfectly open, could be swept from end to end by both musketry and artillery fire. A close inspec- tion showing that the result of an assault would be doubtful, everything was now bent to turning the enemy's flank. To this end the cavalry moved out on the right, and after a spirited fight found that the enemy's lino was sharply refused beyond Fussell's Mill. Then Gibbon's division was left to hold the front, while
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Mott's and Barlow's divisions moved to the support of the cav- alry. Barlow made a vigorous reconnoissance along their right, but could not find the extreme flank of the enemy, who was now being heavily reënforced.
While these operations were going on, General Grant rode over the river, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, and visited the front. Owing to the great length of the Union line he failed to find Hancock, but left a note telling him that he had ridden along the line and did not see that much was likely to result from the movement, but still desired the cavalry to be released for its movements against Richmond, if possible. Then in the evening, after reaching City Point, the Lieutenant-General telegraphed General Meade, who forwarded the despatch to General Hancock. This is a copy of the dispatch :
CITY POINT, 9-10 P. M.
The position occupied by Hancock would give Sheridan no pro- tection in returning by way of Bottom's Bridge. I do not want him to go unless the enemy is driven into Chapin's Bluff, or back to the city, otherwise he would be compelled to return north of the Chickahominy, and it would be two or three weeks before his cavalry would be fit for other service. I do not want Hancock to assault intrenched lines, but I do want him to remain another day and, if he can, with the assistance of the cavalry, turn the enemy's position and drive him away. It looks to me as if the cavalry might move well out and get in rear of the enemy.
(Signed,) U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
But the enemy were now too heavily reenforced to allow Grant's hopes to be realized. And they were inclined to assume the offen- sive, for on the morning of the 28th Kershaw's division attacked Sheridan, and at first drove his cavalry ; but they dismounted, advanced, and beat the enemy back, capturing three hundred prisoners and two colors. There was considerable fighting all through the 28th, and on the 29th Hancock and Sheridan, although weakened by the withdrawal of Mott's division, the night before, to Bermuda Hundred to enable the Eighteenth Corps to move to the scene of the expected explosion and assault- all through the day, these officers kept up such a series of bold demonstrations that Lee felt certain that it was the intention of the Union army to force its way to Richmond by way of the north side, and kept reenforeing his force there until five-eighths of the
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rebel army, infantry and cavalry, lay before us. When night fell, the infantry of the Second Corps took up a line of march for Petersburg, the cavalry followed, and when day broke on the 30th our brigade was the only force on the north bank confronting several divisions of Lce's army.
While the Second Corps and the cavalry were crossing the bridge on the morning of the 27th of July, the Eleventh remained near the redan, and it was from here that we watched Miles's skirmishers flank the rebel position on the left and capture the four 20-pound Parrotts, and saw the spirited attack made on the right by another force, which resulted in the withdrawal of the enemy from that position. Hancock and Sheridan established their headquarters at the redan, and for a time sat on horseback among our men watching the progress of the attacking detach- ments. Hancock was then a tall, slender officer, with longish light- brown hair, mustache, imperial, and chin-whiskers, while Sheri- dan was short, rotund, darker, and close cropped. Both sat their horses as only perfect horsemen and hard riders can, and both puffed away at their cigars, and both seemed as flattered as amused by the admiring glances and the not always low-spoken remarks of our men.
During the forenoon our regiment returned to the bluff, and under command of Major Baldwin moved out in front of our works, with the other regiments of our brigade, and made the threaten- ing demonstration General Foster had promised General Han- cock. We did not become seriously engaged, nor was it intended that we should, but that we should keep the enemy anxiously expecting an assault that would not be delivered. In this way we kept a heavy force in our front, so far relieving Hancock's.
In the evening our brigade retired behind the works, where we lay on our arms for the night. In the morning of the 28th our brigade moved to its front again, to continue its demonstration. In the afternoon the Eleventh was ordered over to Strawberry Plains, and was stationed near the redan, to serve as a headquarters guard and special reserve. While we were occupying this honor- able position, General Graut and his staff crossed the bridge, and rode to the front, returning later on, and after making a short stay at headquarters recrossed the bridge, and rode away towards City Point.
A large number of rebel prisoners were brought down to head-
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quarters in the afternoon, where they were halted for a while. One of these prisoners told Sergeant-Major Morton that their loss on the 26th, while fighting our regiment, was very large, and that in one of the sudden and unexpected assaults Colonel Hill led, they lost full forty men in ten minutes. He said that their losses during the operations of our regiment against them were thought to number full 300 in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The troops we had confronted were of Kershaw's division of Longstreet's corps, then commanded by Anderson, Longstreet not having yet recovered from the wound he received in the Wilderness. Kershaw's whole division had occupied the works at Deep Bottom for some weeks.
We remained at headquarters during the night of the 28th, and on the morning of the 29th returned to the bluff, remaining in camp during the day, although still under arms. About sunset we went on fatigue duty, strengthening the works and adding to the slash- ing, working all night-a bright moonlight one ; this, as Hancock and Sheridan were retiring, and it was expected that daylight would be the signal for an onslaught by the heavy rebel force in our front. In the early morning of the 30th we returned to our works, and, taking position with the regiments of our brigade, awaited an attack ; but none coming, we finally went into camp, thoroughly tired out with our ten days of continuous service in skirmishing, fatigue, and picket duty.
The casualties of the regiment during these operations on Straw- berry Plains were as follows :
July 21st.
Company E .- Wounded, Private Charles H. Bean.
July 23d.
Company C .- Wounded, Corporal Nelson HI. Norris.
Company F .- Wounded, Private Ira D. Toothaker.
Company I .- Killed, Corporal Charles G. Warren ; Private George H. Spiller. Wounded, Private Justus E. Huff.
Company K .- Wounded, Private Stephen Thurston.
July 26th.
Company C .- Wounded, Privates James R. Ash, James N. Leighton, John H. Parker, George H. Robinson.
Company E .- Killed, Private Moses M. Burse. Wounded, Cap- tain Francis W. Wiswell ; Corporals Kenney, C. Lowell, Lacassard
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Lassell ; Privates Horace H. Burse, Parker W. Leach, George A. Beals, Robert H. Nowell.
Company G .- Wounded, Corporal Horace S. Mills; Privates Charles A. Douglas, Frank Johnson, Samuel B. Norton, Charles W. Royal, Everett B. Small, Archibald Taggart, Simon Wood. Company H .- Wounded, Private Joseph Meader. Company I .- Wounded, Private Charles H. Corson. Killed, 3 ; wounded, 26-total, 29.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
THE BATTLE OF DEEP BOTTOM.
The Tenth Connecticut Attacked -A. Night Attack-Volunteers for the Dutch Gap Canal-A Military Execution-Marching Orders-The Coming of Hancock -- Baldwin Leads the Attack-Hill Assumes Command as Baldwin Falls-The General Assault -- We Capture the Enemy's Outworks-The Second Corps Repulsed-Casualties.
THERE was complete quiet in our front during July 30th and until in the afternoon of August 1st, when the enemy attacked the picket line, held by the Tenth Connecticut. After a severe fight, this attack, evidently a reconnaissance in force, was beaten off by the Tenth. We manned our works in anticipation of a general attack.
In the early evening of August 3d a hundred men of the Eleventh went on board a gunboat to make a night attack on a rebel position, but by some mismanagement they were not landed in time to make the attempt successful, so returned to camp in the morning, leaving one man, George C. Gould, Company K, a prisoner in the enemy's hands.
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