USA > Maine > The story of the Maine Fifteenth; being a brief narrative of the more important events in the history of the Fifteenth Maine regiment; together with a complete roster of the regiment , embracing the name of every officer and enlisted man serving > Part 12
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
98
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
tle before dark, and a few minutes prior to the demolition of the rebel line, our regiment-and brigade-pursued the rebels a considerable dis- tance beyond the troops on either flank. The enemy, though retreating, perceived our exposed condition, and made a desperate assault upon our right, the outlook appearing a trifle dubious. But we quickly re-formed our line, changing front, and after a brief yet severe contest the " Johnnies" vielded to the inevitable and took to the woods, leaving us in undisputed possession of the field, as victors in the very severe engagement ; but not un- til the coming of night had rendered it well-nigh impossible to distinguish friend from foe. The rebels, however, were " upon the run," and all who were able to do so made their way a long distance from the battle-line be- fore venturing to go into camp.
It was nearly 9 o'clock when the Fifteenth filed out of the woods, into the open plain, to " look over the score" and await developments.
Though the Fifteenth was in the thickest of the fight from its open- ing to the firing of the last shot, it was especially fortunate in the number of its casualties. Not a single member of the regiment was killed, and only twelve were wounded. A number of the latter died subsequently of wounds received. Appended is a list of the casualties. *
The tumult of battle having subsided, at a late hour the woods ad- jacent to the battle-field. were illuminated with torches of pine, and the sad duty of caring for the dead and wounded was as faithfully and carefully performed as was possible under the circumstances. It was a ghastly spec- tacle, such as not even the most unsympathetic nature could have witnessed without emotion, and one which the changing scenes of more than a quarter of a century have failed to efface from the memory of the survi- vors of that band of " Good Samaritans," who on that memorable April night, roamed the Western Louisiana forests in search the bodies of their comrades-the wounded, the dying and the dead. Every tree and shrub seemed to be the shelter for some mangled form, and from every hillock and ravine some poor fellow, wearing either the blue or the gray-there was in that hour, happily, no distinction -- might have been heard gasping a piteous appeal for aid -- a tender message for the loved ones at home-a call for a draught of water with which to moisten the parched lip or soothe the fevered brow-or, mayhap, an urgent call to the medical officers for professional aid in staying the rapidly-flowing life-blood while earthly aid
WOUNDED. - Adjutant Joseph A. Clark, in right arm ; Lient. John R. Coates, (Co. A) in leg ; Lieut. Patrick Noville, (Co. F) in ankle ; First Sergeant Henry S. Rich, (Co. D)) in hip ; Private Jonathan Randall, (Co. A) in right leg, Private Hilton B. Wright, (Co. A) in left arm : Private Richard Ryan, (Co. A) in left leg : Private James Koax, (Co. C) in loft side ; Private Alexander Graves, (Co. C) in right leg ; Private Albert Hatchinson, (Co. C) in neck ; Private Win. HI. Ward, (Co. G) in right hip ; Private John C. Libby, (Co. H) in left art.
------
99
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
might prove availing. The dead and maimed of both armies, strangely commingled, lay in winrows all along the front of the line, and indeed in all directions in the vicinity. As far as possible the wounded were takeu from the field and competent surgeons and assistants assiduously devoted themselves to their welfare during the night ; and such scenes as the hos- pitals presented where the large corps of operating surgeons pursued their labors, it is hoped the reader may never be called upon to witness. Un- fortunately the medical supply-train, with the necessary and indispensable appliances for surgical work, had gone to the rear in the morning-a stu- pendous blunder-and the physicians labored under very many disadvan- tages ; nevertheless they wrought faithfully, industriously, heroically, and are deserving of very great credit for what they were able to accomplish.
One of the incidents of that dreary night which under other cir- cumstances might have been regarded as a trifle barbarous, was the search of the well-filled haversacks of the rebel dead, by our hungry soldiers, and the " confiscation " of the dainty morsels of biscuit and cold-meats found therein -- a donation, it was learned, from the rebel ladies of Shreveport and Mansfield, who, doubtless, little dreamed that by their generosity they were feeding the hungry and thirsty soldiers of the invading Yankee army, as well as their rebel friends. Water was very scarce throughout that en- tire region, and it was found that the rebels had taken the precaution to guard against this deprivation by carrying in their canteens a liquid which it is not lawful even to look at in the dear old State of the Pine Tree. If any were so reckless as to imbibe, therefore, they were careful to close at least one eye while so doing.
As to the general balance sheet of the two days' battles, it is eren now difficult to make it up with accuracy. The prophet of old, who " said in mine haste, all men are liars," might generally have said this with delib- pration. as to the commanding generals of both armies, in making up their list of losses. Exaggeration and underestimates was the rule As near as can be stated. however, the Union loss at Sabine Cross Roads and Pleas- ant Grove, comprised one hundred and- ninety-five in killed, nine hundred in wounded and eighteen hundred in missing; a total depletion of twen- ty-eight hundred and ninety-five. The Confederate loss is estimated at three hundred in killed and twelve hundred and five in wounded ; a total of fifteen hundred and five. In property we lost one hundred and fifty wagons loaded with forage, rations, ammunition, etc .; eight hundred horses and mules ; the small arms left on the field ; and a large number of valuable guns. At Pleasant Hill we recaptured enough of the guns and batteries to render that part of the account about even. while our loss in killed is stated at but one hundred, with six hundred and eighty wounded and three hundred and eight missing; the Confederate loss being three hundred in
100
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
killed, twelve hundred wounded, and twelve hundred prisoners. To re- capitulate : the total casualties of the Confederates figure up forty-five hundred and five and the Unionists thirty-nine hundred and eighty-three ; or, on both sides, eight hundred and ninety-five in killed and four thousand and thirty in wounded. If the figures are correct it is only another illus- tration of the well-known fact, that in war, ancient and modern, an im- mense amount of powder is burned and vast quantities of lead and iron hurled promiseuously through the air, without accomplishing the murder- ous results designed.
The soldiers -- or, at least, those not otherwise engaged -- were or- dered into a comfortless bivouac for the night, soon after ten o'clock. Not- withstanding they were cold, hungry, and excessively fatigued, no fires were permitted anywhere on the line; no rations were accessible other than those referred to in the preceding paragraph, and, on the whole, very little of the refreshing repose so much desired, and which in fact seemed an ur- gent necessity, was extracted from the night's " lodgings" upon the cold, damp, blood-stained field of " Pleasant Hill."
As to the wounded, and the very shabby treatment accorded them, we shall speak in detail in a succeeding chapter, devoted entirely to that subject.
CHAPTER XX.
THE ARMY, WITH UNDUE HASTE, FALLS BACK TO THE LINE OF THE RED RIVER, AT GRAND ECORE.
ON THE MOVE, BEFORE DAY-BREAK, FOR GRAND ECORE. - NO WATER OR FOOD AND THE ARMY COMPELLED TO FALL BACK UPON ITS SUPPLIES. --- UNIVERSAL AMAZE- MENT AND INDIGNATION AT LEARNING THAT OUR WOUNDED AND UNBURIED DEAD HAD BEEN LEFT WITHIN THE REBEL LINES. - ARMY AND FLEET CONCENTRATE AT GRAND ECORE, FORTIFY, AND LAY BY A COUPLE OF WEEKS. - THE NAVY AND TRANSPORTS ROUGHLY USED ON THE RIVER, ABOVE GRAND ECORE. -- ADMIRAL PORTER AND THE NAVAL VESSELS THE " JONAHS" OF THE EXPEDITION.
AMORY'S Division having handsomely repulsed the enemy at Pleas- ant Grove on the evening of the Sth, and, with the aid of A. J. Smith's Division, won a substantial victory at Pleasant Hill on the 9th. it was natural to assume that the army's next movement would be towards the enemy, wherever found, or Shreveport, at all events. Sure-
---
-
101
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
Iv no one imagined that a hasty retreat was on the docket for the morning following our glorious victory at Pleasant Hill. But, alas! it seems to have been the logic of this decidedly illogical campaign to interpret victory as a reverse and defeat as a brilliant success.
As a matter of fact, however, it was found, at midnight of the 9th, an imperative military necessity that the army establish a connection with its supplies, on the transport steamers on the river, at the earliest moment practicable. The " larder " had become well-nigh empty. There was food for neither man or beast. The horses had been without forage for thirty- six hours ; there was no water to quench the thirst of the famishing beasts : and, to increase our grievous burdens, much of our transportation, in the shape of army wagons, had fallen into the hands of the enemy. It was in view of these exigencies-as well as to keep them out of the way during the fight-that the wagons remaining in our possession were dispatched to Grand Ecore, well-guarded, on the morning of the 9th ; and that the en- tire army was put in motion in the same direction early on the morning of the 10th. Couriers were also dispatched, at the same time, across the coun- try. to Red River, with directions for the fleet and the military forces ac- companying the vessels, to join the army at Grand Ecore.
The entire command was on the move as early as 4 o'clock, no pre- vious notice having been given, and no opportunity afforded even for in- quiring into the condition, or learning the whereabouts, of our wounded comrades ; the tidings first reaching us, on the march, that the poor fellows had been left within the rebel lines, though in charge of some of our medi- cal officers detailed to remain with them. Lieut. Neville of Co. F, though badly wounded, nevertheless pluckily beat a retreat from the hospital, mounting a stray cavalry horse and following our rear-guard within the Union lines. The soldiers were amazed and indignant at the apparently unnecessary abandonment of the wounded, and some of the expressions in- dulged in savored strongly of those sometimes construed as tending " to the prejudice of good order and military discipline," in which it was deemed very imprudent for soldiers to indulge.
The column continned its march leisurely, and without notable in- cident, going into camp at noon. The next day the march was renewed. the army reaching Grand Ecore at about noon. The distance from Pleas- ant Hill is from thirty-five to forty miles. Here our regimental teams and sapply-trains awaited us, and the boys were very glad of the opportunity to draw rations, pitch. tents, and prepare for a night of refreshing, undisturbed slumber -- a luxury in which we had not before indulged since the night of the 6th. The five days and nights intervening, as some may remember, had not been entirely devoid of stirring incident and exciting events in the aimils of the veterans of Emory's Division ! We here remained quietly in
102
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
camp for a couple of weeks, surrounded by all the troops of the expedition excepting Kilby Smith's Division, which was still exercising a military pro- tectorate over the naval vessels and transports a few miles up the river. We were the recognized masters of the situation save in one very essential particular -- the waters of the Red River still stubbornily refused to indulge in the annual spring freshet. The rebels had diverted important sources of supply of this river to other channels, and for the first time in twenty years the stream was unnavigable above Alexandria. The army might at any time have taken possession of Shreveport-that is, the army as a whole, its vari- ous detachments within supporting distance of each other -- but to have done so with the naval vessels aground would have been at the risk of surren- dering to the enemy a fleet of vessels constituting the bulk of Admiral Por- ter's Mississippi squadron, and much relied upon in that important section of military and naval operations. Useless and even burdensome as the ves- sels had all along been to us, there seemed very little disposition to encum- ber the rebels with any of them, they being supposed to have a sufficiency of troubles of their owm !
And speaking of the Navy, what of that portion of it which ascend- ed the river in conjunction with the military movement against Shreve- port ? Like the army they found " the Red " a hard road to travel. Gen. T. K. Smith, with about two thousand soldiers, had taken charge of the river transportation, with directions to conduct it up the Red River to the mouth of Loggy Bayou, opposite Springfield, at which point Gen. Banks expected to be able to connect with the boats and obtain necessary supplies, overland from Mansfield. There were twenty-six large vessels, most of them drawing six and a half feet of water, loaded with supplies, fixed and loose ammunition, siege guns, etc., besides the smaller vessels and the naval convoy, the whole constituting a very large, a very unwieldy and yet a very valuable "caravan." The fleet moved slowly up the river April 7th, en- countering snags in the river innumerable, and frequently debarking troops to drive away detachments of rebels on shore. They reached Loggy Bay- ou April 10th ; debarked the troops, making a reconnoisance towards Spring- field ; and were moving to secure an important bridge at Bayou Pierre at the moment when the courier arrived with tidings of Gen. Banks' Sabine Cross Roads disaster and his orders to fall back upon Grand Ecore. The rebels had seriously obstructed the river just above, sinking a large steamer across the channel. rendering the river impassable. The vessels at once commenced moving down the river. But very soon the rebel troops and batteries commenced to appear upon either bank of the river, opening upon the boats with musketry and artillery. On the 12th a force of 2500 men and a battery appeared upon one shore, while on the other, and near at hand, was most of the force which had fought us at Pleasant Hill. While a
-
103
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
number of our steamers were aground a rebel cavalry brigade, (Gen. Jack Green's, from Texas) with a four-gun battery, formed upon the bank and put their pieces in battery within point-blank range of one of our boats, and opened fire. The boat quickly moved out of range, and with the guns of several of our light batteries and the siege guns from the decks of a number of vessels. Smith opened a terrific fire upon the rebels. The battery- horses of the enemy were speedily killed, but the position of the pieces was changed by hand. the rebel sharpshooters deployed behind the timber lining the banks, and a most incessant fire was continued. Our soldiers were upon the hurricane decks, protected by cotton bales, bales of hay and sacks of oats, covered by soldiers' blankets kept constantly wet with the hose of the steamboats, which furnished adequate foil against riffe bullets. The gun- boats soon came up and took a hand iu the fray. The enemy's batteries were quickly silenced, and the entire force beat a precipitate retreat. The rebels had a reserve force of four or five thousand three-fourths of a mile away, which was reached by our heavy guns, and many were killed at that distance. The rebel loss is believed to be seven hundred. The rebel commander, Gen. Green, had his head blown off in the fight. Gen. Smith's loss was less than fifty. The next day, a few miles further down the river, the rebels opened upon the fleet from a two-gun battery, and, a number of the vessels being aground, the boats were under shell about five hours. Reinforcements were on the march from Grand Ecore, however, and the rebels soon moved away. Gen. Smith was able, therefore, on the 15th of April, to report his valuable charge to Gen. Banks, in tolerably fair con- dition-his only loss being in men ; and as men were no longer " property," that, in some quarters, was regard as of but trifling importance.
The army tarried at Grand Ecore about a week after the arrival of the transports, seemingly undetermined in which direction to move; or, at all events, very careful to so dispose its forces as to give the enemy the im- pressiou that the Shreveport plan had by no means been abandoned. By a singular coincidence the army commenced the construction of fortifica- tions about Grand Ecore upon the same day that the gunboats and trans- ports reached us -- a branch of industry which was energetically pursued for several days. Whether the object was in the line of rebel mystifica- tion, or through fear that Admiral Porter, in his wrath at the adverse crit- icistas to which he was constantly subjected, might turn his guns in our direction, did not appear. At all events there seemed to be no reason for any apprehensions of an attack from any other source. The enemy were in force all about us, but. nevertheless, they were sufficiently discreet to avoid precipitating an engagement in any position where they were likely to encounter our entire army, as would have been the case here.
During the week following the arrival of the fleet the army was in
104
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
line of battle nearly every day ; and for several days preceding the evacu- ation of Grand Ecore the command was under marching orders-but whether for front or rear, was entirely enveloped in mystery.
Adjutant Clark was, unfortunately, among our wounded left in the hands of the enemy at Pleasant Hill, and was a prisoner-of-war for several months. Lieut. H. A. Shorey (Co. B) was appointed Acting Adjutant, serving in that capacity until September, 1864.
CHAPTER XXI.
FIFTEENTH BOYS AS PRISONERS OF WAR-AT PLEASANT HILL HOSPITAL AND IN A TEXAS STOCKADE.
A DIGRESSION TO LOOK AFTER THE POOR FELLOWS LEFT WITHIN THE REBEL LINES. --- THE DESERTION OF THE WOUNDED AT PLEASANT HILL WHOLLY INEXCUSABLE. - ASSISTANT SURGEON HIGGINS' HOSPITAL. - THE GENIAL DOCTOR TAKES A HAND AT "BLIND-MAN'S BUFF" WITH THE REBELS. - THE DETACHMENT AT TYLER, IN TEXAS. - THEY EKE OUT THIRTEEN MONTHS OF A MISERABLE EXISTENCE IN A PRISON-PEN. - A NARRATIVE OF THEIR PRISON EXPERIENCE.
EFORE leaving Grand Ecore-through the medium of special mes- sengers, under the protection of flags of truce, and through various other sources-some information was obtained concerning the fate of our men left within the rebel lines; and, in the case of those at Pleasant Hill. of contributing in some measure to their relief. In the light of the intelligence thus obtained, the desertion of these poor fellows can be characterized as nothing less than criminal neglect. There appears to have been a reasonable excuse for leaving the wounded behind, inasmuch as there was absolutely no transportation by which they could be conveyed forty miles, over a rough road, without imperilling life ; but their heartless abandonment without timely notice or necessary provision for their care and comfort, was so cruel, and even culpable, that under our civil code, the crime of manslaughter might easily have been sustained. As the rebels were then in full retreat, there appears to have been no occasion for haste in falling back upon Grand Ecore; indeed, with our right well-covered by the gunboats on the Red River, the left of the line might easily have sus- tained a hospital protectorate at Pleasant Hill for a few days, or at least until the dead had been decently interred and the wounded conveyed to
---
2
3
4
5
6
7
S
1 3
15
I Capt. J. B. Nickels, Co. Il
2 Capt. J. B. Wilson, Co. H 3 Capt. Alonzo Coan, Co. 11 ; i.t. H. G. Prescott, Co. H
5 1.t. T. II. Wentworth, Co. H
6 Lt. W. H. Carr, Co. H . To Capt. M. Boyce, Co. I 7 L.t. Peter F. McCann, Co. HI I Capt. W. H. Bovce, C). I S Lt. T. A. E. McClusky, Co. 1 12 Lt. James Story, Co. I
9 Capt. J. K. Callaghan, Co. 1 13 L.t. W. H. Morey, Co. K If Lt. Gen. Capen, Co. K 15 Capt. Z. Washbara, C .. K 16 Lat. E. A. Berry, Co. K
17 L.t. S. C. Wilson, Co. K
105
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
the rear. Viewed in the most charitable light imaginable, this seems to have been the champion blunder of a blundering campaign.
About half of the wounded at Sabine Cross Roads were brought off. but of those maimed at Pleasant Hill only such as could walk away. The medical officers were busy all night in caring for the wounded, but had ta- ken the utmost precaution to ascertain the contemplated movements of the army ; despite which, between six and seven o'clock on the morning of the 10th, they were surprised to see drawn up in front of the hospital a squad of cavalry, whose commander informed Medical Director Sanger that it was the rear-guard of our army, about leaving the place ! Gen. Franklin and Gen. Banks' adjutant-general had both given positive assur- ances not only to keep the medical officers posted, but also that the medi- cal supply train should be ordered back to the hospital with all possible dispatch. Dr. Sanger could ouly hurriedly voice his amazement and indig- nation, give a few hasty instructions to Assistant Surgeon Higgins, of the Fifteenth Maine-who was left in charge -- mount a horse and ride away, in the wake of the retreating army. He was able subsequently to return, under flag of truce, with some supplies and surgical implements very much ner ded.
Besides the genial and skillful Assistant Surgeon Higgins, in medi- cal charge, the Fifteenth was represented at this Union hospital within the rebel lines by Adjutant Joseph A. Clark, Lieut. John R. Coates, and Pri- vate Libby, of Co. H., all severely wounded. The entire number of the wounded left behind, in hospital and on the field, was about one hundred and seventy-five. The reports received represented that neither rations, medical supplies, or any of the furnishings of a hospital, were at hand ; sach being improvised as could be supplied by foraging parties made up by the surgeon and his attendants. They found themselves, for awhile at least, in supreme control. Both armies were running away ! During the forenoon tidings were sent to the rebel clans on the Mansfield road of the situation, and in the afternoon a rebel cavalry force occupied the place, ap- parently very much surprised to find Pleasant Hill garrisoned by a solitary assistant-surgeon, the wounded, and the unburied dead of both armies still lying exposed upon the battle-field of the day before ! Col. Jack Green's Texas cavalry first entered the place, tarried several hours, and then struck out for the Red River, to harrass the gunboats and transports; a large force of rebel infantry following during the night. But it was not until late at night of the 11th, that a relief party from Mansfield put in an ap- pearance, bringing provisions and necessary assistance. Early on the morn- ing of the 12th the work of gathering the wounded from the battle-field was undertaken. The wounded of the Union army were placed in the two large brick buildings on the left of the battle-fickl, the Confederates occu-
106
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
pying the buildings to the right, nearly in front of the fence from the rear of which the Fifteenth made its gallant fight on the evening of the 9th.
Among the poor fellows brought in near night of the 12th was Private John C. Libby. of Co. H. Fifteenth Maine. His right arm was terribly shattered, and was successfully amputated by Dr. Higgins, on the 18th. at the shoulder. He died of diarrhea and exhaustion on board a rebel steamer going down the Red River, ten weeks later. when within but a day's journey of the Union lines. Three dreary nights and days of a lingering death upon the battle- field, supplemented by the privations of hospital life, with its lack of nourishing diet for the debilitated patient. was a severe strain upon the constitution even of those in robust health.
About the 13th-the fourth day after the battle-the Union hos- pital may be said to have been placed in fair working order. The surgical force was increased by the addition of two surgeons and an assistant sur- goon, who were duly installed as medical and surgical staff, ward-masters, hospital nurses, cooks, burial squad, etc. The diet comprised musty corn- meal, and salt and very routen bacon. Three tin plates, picked up on the battle-field, were the only cooking utensils. The physicians, under parole, were given the liberty of the town, and the wounded the freedom of the hospital grounds-when the poor fellows had sufficient strength to crawl so far. During the ten days sneceeding the battle a large number died ; in- deed, it was found well-nigh impossible to sustain the lives of the severely wounded on the fare afforded. Of medical and surgical stores there were virtually none to be obtained. Happily, however, at about this time a ray of sunshine enlivened the hitherto gloomy horizon overshadowing the un- fortunate sufferers, in the form of an incident which is graphically sketched in a privare letter to the author, from an inmate of the hospital, an extract from which is here appended. *
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.