USA > Maine > The story of one regiment; the Eleventh Maine infantry volunteers in the war of the rebellion > Part 30
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
.
324
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
Station and Farmville ; and, it might be, he could get such a start as to enable him to reach Danville.
On the night of the 5th, soon after we had reached Burkeville Junction, an order reached General Ord from General Grant (transmitted through General Sheridan) to send a force to seize and burn High Bridge, and, if possible, to destroy all the bridges at Farmville, thus preventing Lee from crossing to the north bank of the Appomattox. This undertaking was confided to General Read, of General Ord's staff, who took with him a small force of cavalry and infantry, about five hundred men altogether.
About sunset of the 6th the head of Lee's column-Longstreet's command-arrived at Rice's Station, a station of the Lynchburg Railroad between Burkeville Junction and Farmville. Lee arrived at the station later in the evening. Here Longstreet intrenched, and prepared to wait for the coming up of the other corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.
On the morning of the 6th, General Meade moved out from Jetersville with his three infantry corps to attack at Amelia Court House, and was surprised to find the position abandoned. Quickly making up his mind that Lee was moving around the left flank of the Union army, Meade changed the course of his advance, and soon falling in with the train-hampered Confederate rear guard, promptly attacked. The Second Corps fell upon Gordon's corps, and after a running fight of fourteen miles about nightfall forced Gordon to make a stand at Sailor's Creek, with the result that the Second Corps captured thirteen flags, three guns, 1,500 prisoners, and a large part of the train that Gordon's corps was convoying.
The Fifth Corps was not engaged during the 6th of April, but the Sixth Corps was. This corps was following Sheridan's cavalry when Sheridan overtook the commands of Ewell and Anderson. A general assault was immediately ordered, and Sheridan's force, infantry and cavalry, fell on, annihilating Ewell's command, cap- turing that officer and killing and capturing 3,400 of the 3,600 men of his command. Anderson, after a heavy loss, escaped with a portion of his command.
During the forenoon of this eventful day, General Grant was informed by Sheridan that the head of Lee's column was moving on Burkeville Junction. Grant sent orders to Ord to move for- ward and occupy Rice's Station, two-thirds of the distance from
325
THE PURSUIT AND THE SURRENDER.
the Junction to Farmville. At the station we would be directly in Lee's path, were he aiming for Lynchburg or Danville. Our brigades were soon on the march. As we started on our way mounted messengers were sent galloping to overtake General Read and his small command, and warn them that Farmville and High Bridge were already occupied by divisions of Lee's army. But it was too late to save Read and a large number of his com- mand from death, and the survivors from capture. We reached the vicinity of Rice's Station at about dark. Here we found Longstreet ready to receive us. As it was too late in the day to assault his works, we lay down before them and waited for morn- ing. When that came we found that he had crossed his troops to the north bank of the Appomattox, and was making for Lynch- burg by the road that goes through Appomattox Court House. Longstreet was followed by the remains of Lee's army.
The morning of the 7th, Ord moved on Farmville, taking the short-cut wagon road Longstreet had slipped away by. The Sixth Corps followed Ord. The Second and Fifth Corps were close on Lec's heels, the Second in advance. The Ninth Corps seems to have been left at Burkeville Junction. It was found that the bridges crossing the Appomattox at and near Farmville had been destroyed by the Confederate rear guard : all but one, and a detach- ment was destroying this bridge-a wagon-road bridge near High Bridge-when the Second Corps advance, under General Barlow, reached and saved it. The Second Corps crossed by this bridge, and pressed forward so rapidly that Barlow's division overtook the Confederate rear guard. So threatening was the Second Corps in its movements that Lee was forced to halt his force and take a strong position on the crest of a long slope of ground that cov- cred the stage and plank roads leading to Lynchburg. Here he threw up light intrenchments and put artillery in position. After riding along the ground taken up by Lee, General Meade ordered the Second Corps to attack, at the same time sending messengers to Ord to have the troops of the Twenty-fourth Corps and the Sixth Corps cross the river at Farmville, and assist in forcing Lee into a general engagement. But as there was no bridge near us to cross by, nor could a fordable place be found. this order could not be obeyed. The Fifth Corps does not seem to have as yet arrived.
The Second Corps attack, although unsupported, was a partial
.
326
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
success, and enables General Humphreys, then in command of the Second Corps, to claim, with reason, that by the enforced detention due to the vigor and aggressiveness of the movement of the Second Corps, Lee lost the supplies awaiting him at Appo- mattox Station, and gave time for Sheridan, with his cavalry, and Ord, with the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Corps, to put themselves across his path at Appomattox Court House.
During the night of the 7th of April Lee moved toward Lynch- burg, with the Second and Sixth Corps moving directly after him. These corps kept up this direct pursuit until midnight, only halt- ing after making a march of twenty-six miles.
The morning of April 8th, the Twenty-fourth and the Fifth Corps marched out from near Farmville, and, accompanied by General Grant and staff, pushed towards Appomattox Court House by the shortest roads. All day long these corps pressed forward, the men, although tired and footsore, requiring neither urging nor command to put forth every effort to head Lee off from Lynchburg ; for all understood that it was Grant's purpose for us to march by Lee's army and head him off, while the Sec- ond and Sixth Corps should dog his heels and hamper his speed by taking every opportunity to force him to turn and defend him- self.
It was now a question of legs and endurance. On and on our men plodded, none falling out until worn out. All were too tired even to raise a cheer in passing General Grant as he was sit- ting on a roadside stone resting himself while enjoying a quiet smoke. And General Ord only secured this tribute when, in response to the cries of "Coffee !" that ran along the marching line he was riding by, to reach the head of the column, he halted it as soon as he gained its advance, that the tired, hungry meu might rest a bit while they cooked their coffee, every man his . own, setting his tin dipper on one of the hastily lighted roadside fires.
Ord was one of the general officers that knew the needs of men. "Get out of the road, men," shouted one of his staff as they rode along through a line of men resting in the dusty road. "Stop, sir," said the gray old general sternly ; "the men are tired. Rein to the roadside, and follow that."
As the day passed we found ourselves on the track of Sheridan. Prisoners, guns, and trains of wagons captured by his vigorous
327
THE PURSUIT AND THE SURRENDER.
advance lined the roadside, encouraging our tired men to put forth every exertion. Darkness found us still pressing on, and it was not until after midnight that we halted for a few hours' rest. We had now reached the advanced position of the cavalry, a position taken by it but a few hours before, when it had cut off a train from Lynchburg that was loaded with supplies for Lee's army. We moved into the woods aud lay down in line of battle for a few hours' rest.
Between three and four o'clock in the morning of the 9th of April we were on the march again. Shortly after daybreak we reached a large field in which Sheridan's headquarters tents were pitched. Ord rode away to consult with Sheridan, and our infantry stacked arms and breakfasted. The meal consisted of coffee and the hard bread remaining in our haversacks, with raw bacon dealt out to us from the captured supply train.
While we were enjoying this frugal meal, firing began a short distance in front of us, and we were ordered to fall in. The next order was, "Forward." We went on at a quick step ; then, as the firing grew fiercer and fiercer, the order was, "Double quick." Lce was trying to force a passage.
Up the pike we sped, to soon meet the cavalry falling back. Then swiftly swinging into line of battle to the right and left of the pike, our two brigades broke through the woods to where the dismounted cavalrymen were falling back, firing rapidly as they retreated, mounting as fast as they reached their horses. Among the cavalry regiments we were now rapidly covering was the First Maryland Cavalry, the cavalry regiment that was dismounted in the summer of 1864, and sent to our brigade to serve as infantry. They recognized the Eleventh as it rushed past them, probably from their recollection of Colonel Hill, who was riding at our head in his usual gallant manner. " Three cheers for the Eleventh Maine," shouted one of the mounted cavaliers, and they were given with a will ; and it was to this exhilarating music that we rushed on Gordon's advance as his men closed viciously with the resisting cavalrymen. The struggle was short and sharp, and within a few minutes the last Confederate onset of the war was turned into a rapid retreat. Beyond the woods we were driving the retreating Confederates through was a wide ox-bow-shaped field, beyond which, again, the roots of the hamlet of Appo- mattox Court House could be seen. General Foster, our division
328
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
commander, had ordered Colonel Hill to keep touch with the brigade on our right -- that of Osborn. The left of his brigade was on the pike, the right of our regiment closing on that thorough- fare.
As Colonel Hill had been instructed that he must close and hold the pike at all hazards, he gave his personal attention to that duly. While we were getting our alignment, a horseman in the dress of a Union officer rode up to our regiment and called out, in a tone of authority, "Charge that battery," pointing to a Confederate battery that stood on the crown of a ridge running across the field, and at some distance in our regimental front. The well-served guus were annoying our men. Our regiment sprang eagerly forward, broke through the wood, pushed into the field, faced a storm of grape, and charged the guns. The right of the regiment came to a few log houses situated near the pike. Here a number of the men took position to drive off a force of Confederate cavalry that resisted their advance. And, unfortu- nately, the left companies obliqued sharply to the left, carrying all the right companies with them except A and B, the extreme right companies.
. As the troops on our right had not charged, our right flank was entirely in the air. Colonel Hill's voice was no longer heard. He had been wounded, and had fallen into the hands of the enemy. They lifted him to a horse, seating him behind its rider, with the intention of carrying him away. But as we were pressing them sharply, they dismounted him, and, taking his sword and watch, left him on the field, to be subsequently removed from it by his own men.
Finding that they were getting between two fires, the com- manders of Companies A and B held a short consultation and decided to try and rejoin the main body of the regiment. Order- ing their men to cease firing, they then ordered them to double- quick down the field to the position the regiment could be seen occupying, one close to the battery, but protected from its direct fire by a slight rise behind which the men were lying. From here they were firing at the battery and its supporting line of infantry. Unfortunately, several men of the different companies had sought cover behind the log houses and had not advanced beyond them. Captain Maxfield, who was in command of a wing of the regiment, had observed them, and was endeavoring to
.
4 **
329
THE PURSUIT AND THE SURRENDER.
withdraw the men from their untenable position, when he received orders from Colonel Hill to have the men fall back in rear of the fence which was at the edge of the field. This order was exe- cuted, and when over the fence they found themselves con- fronted by a strong line of Confederate cavalry that had pressed into their rear by way of the unguarded right, and were taken prisoners.
When Companies A and B appeared running from near the log houses towards the position held by the regiment, the battery and its supports gave them their particular attention, showering them with grape, canister, and bullets. Several men of these companies were killed and wounded before they reached the regi- ment. On reaching it, it was seen that their position was at the head of a gently descending valley that apparently wound around the hill to the rear. A hasty council of war was held by the new comers with Captain Norris, who was in command of the men of the regiment now with the colors. It was decided to retreat by way of this valley. The men were ordered to follow it around the hill while holding back the rebel cavalry that were now advancing on our flanks. Brushing all obstructions aside, and followed by shot and shell from the battery, the movement was successfully accomplished, and we were soon united with a body of our men that Captain Adams, who was commanding a wing of the regiment, had placed in a strong position, and the whole regi- ment now came under his command.
There was very little difficulty in reforming the regiment, the new men behaving handsomely, as they did throughout the cam- paign. Of course, it was not quite as prompt a reforming as we expected in the last months of the campaign of 1864 from the seasoned soldiers of whom the Eleventh was then composed. As soon as the line was reformed, Captain Adams reported to the brigade commander, and was directed to march the regiment to its place in the new line of battle. Our position was now to the left of that we had charged from, and at something of an angle to it. A skirmish line was ordered out, and Companies A and B were ordered out from our regiment. The skirmish line was formed and instructed to cross the field at a point somewhat to the left of the enemy's batteries, and to take position in the edge of the woods beyond the field, and there await the coming up of the line of battle.
S. h
330
THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
During the time we had spent in charging and reforming, and quite unknown to us, the negotiations for the surrender of Lee's army were going on.
Moving into the field, our skirmish line moved steadily forward. The right of the skirmishers from the Eleventh soon came to a bit of woods bordering a ravine. Here we found a number of Ohio men under command of a sergeant. They had sheltered themselves here during the confusion of the first onset, and, unable to learn the direction their regiment had taken, were awaiting developments, while standing off such bodies of Confed- erate cavalry as showed too inquisitive a spirit. They were ordered to fall in on our right, and we welcomed this strong reenforcement, as the right of our regimental skirmish line was that of the whole line, while to the left we could see a line of men extending to the far left of our division.
We were well beyond the ravine, and were getting so close to the edge of the woods that we were beginning to wonder what sort of a reception we would meet with, when a tremendous vell sounded in our rear, and then a terrible rifle fire broke out from the same quarter. Looking back to where our line of battle ought to be emerging from the woods, we saw a scene of confusion as of a battle-firing, cheering, yelling, men moving to and fro, with spirals of gunpowder smoke rising and drifting away. No wonder the men of our skirmish line wavered, one thought in the minds of all, officers and men -- that the Confederates had attacked, and were between our slender skirmish line and our army. What was to be done ? A swift exchange of opinion took place among the officers, and it was determined to push to the edge of the woods we had been ordered to reach, and from there take observations. " Forward, forward. It's none of your --- business what's in your rear ; forward," was the gist of the orders now hurled at the excited men. And forward it was, with anxiety filling the mind of each responsible officer.
Just then a mounted Union officer was seen galloping from our rear towards us, waving bis cap over his head as he spurred his horse to his full speed. We halted our men, and as the officer, a staff one we now recognized, came flying on, full of some great news-that was plain by his abandon-he swept into calling dis- tance and shouted, " Halt, boys ! halt ! Lee has surrendered, and the war is over !"
331
THE PURSUIT AND THE SURRENDER.
CASUALTIES AT APPOMATTOX, VA.
April 9, 1865.
Field and Staff .- Wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan A. Hill ; Sergeant-Major Alexander Von Siebold.
Company A .- Killed, Private Robert Douglas. Wounded, Ser- geant Samuel Frye; Privates Frederick G. Harris, Joseph S. Sites, John Stratton, Prisoner, Private Abel Mahomet.
Company B .- Killed, Corporals Joseph H. Crosby, Charles C. Davis. Wounded, Lientenant Fred T. Mason ; First Sergeant L. W. Campbell ; Corporal William Rushton ; Privates John Black- barn, Manuel Raymond. Prisoners, Corporal William Rushton; Privates James II. Campbell, James Graffam, John McGibbons.
Company C .- Wounded, Sergeants Lovell L. Gardiner, Charles A. Davis ; Private John Reed. Prisoner, Private Thomas John- son.
Company D .- Killed, Private Moses Sherman. Wounded, Licu- tenant Ellery D. Perkins ; Privates John Burns, John F. Curtis.
Company E .- Killed, First Sergeant. Charles F. Wheeler. Wounded, Corporal John L. Lippincott ; Private Amos Fitzher- bert. Prisoners, Corporal Charles Sullivan ; Privates George Gig- gey, Bartholomew Nealon, Charles Reinbold, Charles Trask, John Walker.
Company F .- Wounded, Privates Otis B. George, Thomas Kneelan, William H. Noyes.
Company G .- Wounded, First Sergeant Thomas T. Tabor. Prisoner, Private Charles E. Fish.
Company H .- Wounded, Privates James H. Drown, William Powers. Prisoners, Captain Albert Maxfield ; Privates William O'Brien, Louis Trepanier.
Company I .- Killed, Sergeant Charles Mead. Wounded, Ser- geant John A. Monk ; Corporal William HI. Dunham ; Privates Richard M. Duncan, Edmond Harthorn. Prisoner, First Sergeant Amaziah Hunter.
Company K .- Killed, Private John R. Chesley. Wounded, Ser- geant Augustus D. Locke ; Privates John Murray, John Tye. Prisoners, Privates Thomas Dolan, Alonzo Dyer, John Ryan.
Killed, 7; wounded, 32 ; prisoners, 20-total, 59.
1
CHAPTER XXXI.
AFTER. THE SURRENDER.
The Formal Surrender --- Our March to Richmond-Our Life There -- Ordered to Northeastern Virginia-Incidents of Life in Fredericks- burg-Ordered to Reunite-We Meet at Fredericksburg and are Sent to City Point -- Mustered Out-Sent to Augusta-Paid off and Dis- banded.
THE skirmish lines of the two armies were now turned into picket lines, and, although Lee had surrendered, his army retained its organization until its regiments had turned their arms and colors over to the troops designated to receive them. These consisted of the Fifth and the portion of the Twenty-fourth Corps that had participated in the campaign. The designation of these troops for this honorable duty was in recognition of their arriving, through severe night-marching, on the ground in time to prevent Lee's army breaking through Sheridan's cavalry. The Second, Sixth, and Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac had marched away immediately after the surrender. And when the last regiment of the beaten, but not at all cringing, Confed- erate army had laid its colors on its stacked guns, and, breaking ranks, had followed its comrades homeward, the Fifth Corps moved northward, and the troops of the Twenty-fourth Corps set out for Richmond to rejoin the Army of the James.
We moved towards Richmond by casy marches, and in the highest spirits. The weather was delightful, the country beauti- ful, and the inhabitants curious. From every house a white flag floated in token of acquiescence in the surrender, the entrance to every country lane had a group of white and black spectators, the streets of every village were lined with onlookers. And at the fires of our bivouacs could be seen gray-clad men exchanging army experiences with their late opponents.
Of course, the vanquished were sad, but not as yet vindictive. For myself, I, with Captain Small, passed an evening at a pictu- resque house, reached by a long, tree-lined avenue, where were hos- pitality, a good supper, the indispensable jug. with the corn-cob
333
AFTER THE SURRENDER.
stopper, tobacco, and a couple of pretty and jovial maidens, who played, sang, talked, and flirted under the eyes of a grave old Vir- ginian, who was truly glad the war was over, and of a stalwart brother in gray, wearing the insignia of a lieutenant, whose only regret was that his pockets were too utterly empty to allow his saddling a horse and accompanying us to Richmond to show us the town, and especially the glory of the Spottswood. But per- haps had " Billy " Small not been with me the reception might have been less flattering. He, as we know, held the " open ses- ame " to the hearts of all mankind.
Our division reached Manchester, opposite Richmond, on the 25th of April, where it encamped for the night. On the 26th it entered Richmond, crossing the river by a ponton bridge, and was received by the remainder of the Army of the James. The city was held by troops of this army, its mayor having, as will be remembered, surrendered the city to General Weitzel, commander of the Twenty-fifth Corps.
There was a marked contrast in the appearance of ourselves and the receiving comrades-they as spick and span as if just turned out of military bandboxes, we ragged and dust laden ; but as we marched along between their drawn-up lines, it was plainly expressed to us that they would gladly change places with our division, to bear its prestige of endurance and intrepidity. Nor did the crowds of people thronging the streets we marched through -- the sidewalks, steps, doors, windows-seem to think that our dusty line suffered by comparison, the many military-looking men in these throngs watching the soldierly swing of our march- ing column with manifest though silent approval. And the Eleventh, with its one-armed colonel riding at its head, its bullet- tattered banners floating over it, and its men of '61, '62, '63, and '64, attracted no little attention as it kept step to the audacious declarations of its band-" That in Dixie's land it took its stand, to live and die in Dixie's land." " Yes," drawled one ex-Con- federate officer to another, "they say this regiment was in the advance at Fair Oaks. Mcclellan's old boys -- none better !"
We went into camp in a grove back of the city. Here we remained for several months, doing such duty as was necessary in an occupied city.
Detached service was the order of the day. Until the State was again in the hands of the civil authorities, all the posts of author-
334
"THE STORY OF ONE REGIMENT.
ity were held by our officers, and many of our men served in the Provost Marshal's department as city police and elsewhere. Colo- nel Hill was on special duty in Richmond for a while, then he received his brevet as Brigadier-General and went to take con- mand of Lynchburg and vicinity. Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin, who also received a brevet as Brigadier-General on rejoining the regiment, was almost constantly on special duty. Major Adams was in command of the regiment most of the time, but served for a time on court-martial ; Captain Sellmer was A. A. I. G. of the Department of Virginia ; Captains Maxfield and Norris and Lieu- tenant Nelson H. Norris were members of Courts Martial and Inquiry Boards ; Captain Scammon was on special duty ; Lieu- tenant Charles II. Scott was in command of the city prison ; Lieutenant Daggett was an Assistant Street Commissioner ; and other officers were more or less engaged in other than regimental duties.
Now that the war was over, Captain Rolfe felt constrained to return to civil life and his long-neglected business, so allowed himself to be mustered out with the men of 1862, who were mus- tered out at Richmond. I think a large proportion went north wearing chevrons, for we had filled non-commissioned vacancies with deserving '62 men for some time. When they were gone; we could fill the vacancies caused by their departure from among later comers. The " Veterans " had been already provided for, so far as was desirable.
A warrant is something to be proud of when won in service. I was as proud of my warrant as Sergeant as of my commission as Lieutenant, and could sympathize with the hero of the following little incident, I assure you. In Company B was a most excellent and deserving soldier, the company cook, a '62 man. He had never failed to have his beans and coffee ready, and to the front, and neither bullet nor shell could keep him from his hungry boys. We made him Corporal, and within half an hour he had his chevrons sewed on his sleeves, had abandoned the cook-house, and was walking the company street with authority in voice and eye. HIe made a most excellent non-commissioned officer, too. A sum- mer or so after we had returned home, I met my old friend on a Penobscot River boat, and the pride with which he spoke of " we officers " showed that his promotion had made his life the better worth living.
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.