USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of the Twenty-fourth Michigan of the Iron brigade, known as the Detroit and Wayne county regiment > Part 20
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RON BRIGADE CHARGING UPON LAUREL HILL.
241
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
was a failure and our troops returned to their works for a more desperate struggle toward evening. At 7 o'clock P. M., the Second and part of the Fifth Corps moved to the attack. Our troops struggled up the slopes of Laurel Hill in face of a deadly storm of missiles, and even penetrated the enemy's breastworks, but this charge too, proved a failure, and our forces retired behind their earthworks for the night, after a hard day of fighting.
Wednesday, May II. Though the dead and wounded of both armies lay in thousands on the field, at 8 o'clock this morning, General Grant sent his characteristic dispatch to the Secretary of War, saying : " I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer," and the day was spent in preparations for another battle. During the day, the Second Wisconsin having become reduced to less than 100 men without field officers, it was detailed as provost guard of the Fourth Division to serve out its term and was no longer a part of the Iron Brigade. This simple statement of its reduced numbers by battle and service losses speaks more pointedly the praise of this noble Second Wisconsin than any language we can employ. To-day Major Edwards with seventy-five men of the Twenty-fourth Michigan was detailed to form an abatis in front. At sunset a heavy rainstorm came up, the first since the army crossed the Rapidan and the men were without shelter. At dark Hancock was ordered to move his corps around to the left between Wright and Burnside and assault at daylight. Warren was ordered to hold both his own position and the one Hancock left.
Thursday, May 12. At 4:30 this morning, Warren's Corps opened with all its artillery on the enemy in his front, and their skirmish line was pushed in. About 10 o'clock, the Iron Brigade and its Corps charged upon Laurel Hill for the fourth time, but failed to carry the enemy's works, the losses being heavy on both sides. The brush was thick and the marsh hay catching fire, burned some of our wounded not twenty feet from the works of the enemy.
THE SALIENT OR BLOODY ANGLE.
At 4:30 o'clock on this same morning, May 12, while Warren's guns were playing upon the enemy in his front, Hancock's Second Corps troops dashed noiselessly through the Confederate abatis towards the salient of an carthwork, north of the Brock Road and nearly north of Spottsylvania Court House, held by the enemy under Generals Johnson and Stewart. Then with loud cheers they dashed over into
242
, HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
their works; a desperate hand to hand conflict with the enemy was had, but the Salient was taken with those two generals, 4,000 troops, 30 pieces of artillery, 30 stands of colors, and several thousand small arms. General Hancock had been an old army friend of General Stewart and offered the latter his hand, but the haughty Southron refused it saying: "I decline, sir, under the circumstances to take your hand." Hancock instantly replied: "And only when you are my prisoner, sir, would I offer you my hand."
This was a well planned, brilliant dash and, in fact, about the only victory won over the enemy aside from gradually wearing them out, that our army had obtained since crossing the Rapidan, and the news of it greatly elated all our forces. However, the ground gained was not long held. The movement was made in a severe rainstorm and the enemy amid the smoke and rain instantly pushed large bodies of troops forward to regain the ground at all hazards. They made a sudden charge and reoccupied the Salient. Hancock's troops were forced over the breastworks which they then also used as breastworks outside the Salient.
In this narrow space of the Salient or Angle, captured before dawn and recaptured by the enemy, raged the fiercest battle of the war, so affirmed by both Union and Confederate authorities. It was the bloodiest spot in any battle since the use of gunpowder in war. In rear of the Salient breastworks, the enemy had completed a second line. On both sides of the Salient-breastworks and to the right and left of the Salient, the battle raged fiercely till far into the night. The Confederate dead were piled up several deep. It was known as the "Angle of Death." Five times Lee's troops dashed against his ' side of the Salient to drive away the Union forces. The fighting was from hand to hand over the breastworks and the flags of both were frequently planted on their top but a few feet apart, till the bearers were shot down and they were rehoisted by others.
At 2 o'clock P. M., Cutler's Division moved around to the left about three miles to help Hancock, as the enemy was determined to retain the Salient at any cost. The skirmishers of the Twenty-fourth Michigan were left on picket for an hour and then rejoined the regiment. At 3 o'clock, the Iron Brigade formed on an elevation to the rear of Hancock's Corps. The Seventh Wisconsin relieved some of his troops who occupied the enemy's first line of intrenchments gained in the early morning attack and one side of the Salient- breastworks, while the enemy held their second line at the Salient. During the whole afternoon and night the Union troops kept up a
243
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
constant fire in one place to prevent the enemy from removing and using eighteen pieces of his artillery parked under and near a large oak tree which stood just inside the Confederate intrenchments within the Salient between his lines. The Seventh Wisconsin did duty there till dark when the Twenty-fourth Michigan and Sixth Wisconsin were sent down to take their places directly in front of that tree and the Salient, the left of the Twenty-fourth being about fifty feet from the enemy's works. The Twenty-fourth had instructions to fire on each side of that oak tree to prevent the enemy's guns there from being
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TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN AND SIXTH WISCONSIN AT THE SALIENT.
removed. The night was very dark and the flash of the enemy's muskets over their second line showed their line of earthworks at the Salient, and the oak tree was used as a guide to fire by.
Standing in deep mud and keeping up a constant fire for hours and till after midnight, the men's muskets became so foul that details were made to clean the guns while their comrades kept up the fire. The men were so weary (having been under fire night and day for a week), that some lay down in the mud under the enemy's fire and slept soundly amid the thunders of battle, despite all efforts to arouse them. During the night the remnant of the Twenty-fourth used up 5,000 rounds of cartridges at this spot. Lossing says :
Probably there never was a battle in which so many bullets flew in a given space of time and distance. Two years afterward full one-half of the trees of the wood, at a point where the fiercest struggle ensued within the Salient of the Confederate works, were dead.
244
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
The fighting at the Salient was continued till midnight when, after a contest of twenty hours, Lee gave it up and withdrew from the place altogether. In the War Department at Washington is the section of the trunk of the large oak tree, referred to above, which stood inside the Confederate Salient and under which were the Confederate batteries, which the constant musketry firing prevented them from getting and using. The section of the tree is five feet six inches in height and twenty-one inches in diameter, and had been finally cut off by the Union bullets fired that night from guns in the hands of the Twenty-fourth Michigan and Sixth Wisconsin. This section of said tree was on exhibition at the Centennial, and a picture of it is here given. Several eastern regiments are claimed in the "CENTURY" to have shot this tree off, Second Corps regiments of course. They undoubtedly helped; but it is a historical fact that the tree fell about midnight after several hours of shooting at it by the Twenty-fourth Michigan and Sixth Wisconsin. These two regiments stood nearest to it, fired at it SECTION OF TREE CUT DOWN BY BULLETS AT THE "SA- LIENT," FIELD OF SPOTT- SYLVANIA. longest, and were shooting away at it when it fell. This is the true account of that battle-field relic. But all the regiments which fired at it that day and night should share whatever honor attaches to this feat.
Friday, May 13. During the night Major Edwards, commanding the regiment, became tired and sat down to rest on what he supposed was a log, but it proved to be a dead man. At daylight the · Twenty-fourth Michigan moved up and found only one unharmed Confederate in the works, the rest having quietly left in the night. The Second corps men lay thick on the ground, riddled with bullets. Over in the Salient was the most awful sight ever witnessed on a battlefield-dead Confederates lay several deep, in all shapes as they fell-some piled up for breastworks to protect those still living. The trench by the Salient breastwork was filled with dead men and the burial party never removed them but turned the breastworks over upon them for a covering- thus they actually died in their graves.
The Twenty-fourth moved a short distance to the right and joined the rest of the Iron Brigade. After dark it went on picket though up all the night before. It remained out till nearly midnight when moving orders came, which proved to be another left flank affair.
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
245
SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE.
Soon after midnight on the morning of May 14, the Fifth Corps was on the march which was kept up till morning. It went via Shelton's, Landrum's and thence by a farm road to the Ny River
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which it forded. The column then moved across the country through fields to the Fredericksburg and Spottsylvania Court House road, along which it advanced, and re-crossed the Ny waist deep, and formed on the left of Burnside's Corps. This circuitous night march was only eight miles but very fatiguing. It was rainy and the darkness intense. Fires were built along the route but the rain and mist extinguished them. The mud was deep and the march slow; yet men lost their way and lay down exhausted until daylight enabled them to go on. Only forty-six men were up with the regiment when it halted at daylight, but the rest came up during the day.
Last night of may 13 .
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246
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
The Iron Brigade was now about half a mile northeast of Spottsylvania Court House in the first line of battle with its corps the left of the Brigade resting on the Fredericksburg Turnpike. This Corps had been ordered to attack at 6 A. M. but it was so scattered that the attack was deferred. The armies intrenched, and faced each other for a week, each seeking an opportunity to gain some advantage.
Early on May 18, a fierce artillery duel took place, followed by an assault of the Second and Sixth Corps, which was repulsed. In the evening the enemy attacked and were in turn severely repulsed. This is often the fate of the attacking party on either side. It suffers the most. The Union losses on the battlefield of Spottsylvania were 15,722 killed and wounded and 2001 missing and prisoners, a total Union loss of full 33,000 since crossing the Rapidan only eight days before.
CASUALTIES OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN AT LAUREL HILL.
KILLED OR MORTALLY WOUNDED.
On May 8, 1864.
William Irving (in Battery), I.
Isaac L. Vandecar (in Battery), K.
John H. Fryer, K. On May 10, 1864.
Corp. John T. Paris, leg ampt'd, G.
Reuben Cory, D.
Horace Rofe, D.
Andrew J. Marden, G.
Charles A. Wilson, G.
John Matrie, I.
On May 12, 1864.
Sergt. John M. Reed, leg ampt'd, B.
William Floyd, E.
On May 8, 1864.
Sergt. George R. Welsh, leg, C.
Corp. Wm. D. Lyon, thigh, K.
Peter Batway (Battery), G.
John Orth (Battery), D.
Peter Vermiller (R.), A. Orson Westfall, shoulder, C.
John Danbert, D.
John R. Brown, hand, K.
Elijah Little, hand, K.
On May 9, 1864.
Frank Brennon, arm, A.
On May 12, 1864. Corp. George P. Hubbell, C.
Michael O'Brien, D.
Albert A. Wallace, D.
James T. Rupert, K.
Philip Blissing, with enemy, A. William Lawrence (R), B,
Lorenz Raiser, D.
Patrick J. Kinney, E.
Frederick Chavey, F.
George A. Neef, F.
Henry Coonrad, I.
August Lahser, I.
WOUNDED.
Err Cady, foot, B. William W. Coon, face, I.
On May 10, 1864.
Sergt. Jacob M. Van Riper, K.
Corp. Alexander Purdy, D.
John Passage, jr., hand, C.
Ralph G. Terry, arm, C. William T. Nowland, arm, D.
Henry Bedford (R.), G.
William Weiner, hand, G.
Artemas Hosmer, head, K.
247
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
On May 11, 1864.
John Frank, hand, E.
Hugh Murphy, leg, E.
On May 12, 1864.
Capt. GEORGE W. BURCHELL, B.
Sergt. Robert Gibbons, arm, B.
Shep. L. Howard, hand, D.
Corp. Roswell L. Root, C.
66 Walter Morley, D.
Charles Fellrath, leg, A.
Amos Abbott, arm, D
Ludovico Bowles, D.
Merritt B. Heath, D.
A. Brutus Heig (R.), D.
William Jackson, D.
Christopher Mayhew (R.), D.
John Stangc, D.
Cornelius Crimmins, E.
William R. Shier, F.
Joseph Jamieson (R.), F.
Daniel Donahue (R.), I.
The following casualties occurred near Spottsylvania Court House :
May 13. James F. Clegg, wounded in shoulder, H.
May 14. First Lieutenant MICHAEL DEMPSEY, wounded, A.
May 17. Sergt. Arthur G. Lynch, leg amputated and died, B.
There were no casualties at the Salient, in the regiment. The enemy fired over the heads of our men, or in another direction.
Summary :- Died on the battle-field, 24; wounded, 41 ; total, 65.
INCIDENTS-RECRUITS- MARCH TO NORTH ANNA.
This is but a tale of blood. Within two weeks after the regiment started on this campaign, its fighting force had been reduced from 320 to 149, from battle casualties. The beautiful flag which the people of Detroit presented to it three weeks before, was now tattered and riddled with bullets. One of the new color guard had been killed and three wounded.
Just before the regiment started from near Culpepper upon this campaign, the men discussed their chances in the battles which they knew were before them. Two comrades, Arthur G. Lynch and John M. Reed, of B, declared they would rather be killed than to lose a leg and have to hobble around for life. Laughingly, each agreed to kill the other, should he lose a leg. Both of them, within two weeks, had been in battle, both were wounded, both lost a leg, and both were dead !
On May 19, the regimental band returned and was disbanded the next day, the members returning to their companies. May 20 was occupied by the regiment in building a strong abatis in their front.
Though there was some cannonading at intervals, as well as one or two unsuccessful attacks of the enemy. The week following the fighting about Spottsylvania was comparatively quiet, affording opportunity for burying the dead and removing the wounded to hospitals. The houses and streets of Fredericksburg were but a vast
248
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
hospital for Union wounded, and all the way from the murmuring rills in the Wilderness could be seen, here and there, freshly heaped piles of earth where soldiers were resting from all strife.
At the same time, the losses in Grant's army were made good by 25,000 veteran recruits and 30,000 "hundred day" men. The fortifications around Washington were stripped of troops who had for two years done nothing but garrison duty. These were sent to the front and Invalid Corps men put in their places. Thus strengthened, Grant resumed his "left flank movement." Lee, divining the next move, took up his line of march for the North Anna, twenty-three miles distant, and went into some intrenchments previously constructed on the south side of the river. The rival armies moved southward by parallel roads without annoying each other. The country was fertile and beautiful, abounding in rich plantations free heretofore from the ravages of war. The houses were grandly surrounded with ancestral elms dating far back into colonial days.
Saturday, May 21. At I o'clock P. M. the regiment with the Iron Brigade moved out of its works in front of Spottsylvania Court House, crossed the Ny and took a south-easterly course down the north side of that stream some distance and then across to Guinea's Station on the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad; thence south on the track one mile; then west about a mile where they bivouacked.
Sunday, May 22. Moving with the Iron Brigade at 4 A. M. while the rest of the Corps was sleeping, the Twenty-fourth crossed the river at Guinea's Bridge below the junction of the Po and Ny, and marched three miles due west to Madison's Store on the road from Spottsylvania, arriving there about four hours after the enemy had . passed, and threw up earthworks across the road at I P. M. During their construction, Grant, Meade and several other Generals came up. Here the Iron Brigade remained as guard until the Fifth Corps, led by the Sixteenth Michigan, passed with its trains. The Brigade then followed in the rear, moving west by Madison's Ordinary to the Telegraph Road; thence across the Ta at Thornburg and on south to Nancy Wright's; thence east towards Milford Bridge on the Mattapony, some distance and halted at sunset for the night, at Bethel Church, near the Mattapony River. Early the next morning, the Twenty-fourth under Lieutenant-Colonel W. W. Wight started westerly and soon struck the Telegraph Road and followed it below Bethany Church, then turned back as it was on the wrong road, and took a road southeast from the church, leading to Jericho Mills on
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ROUTE OF IRON BRIGADE FROM SPOTTSYLVANIA TO NORTH ANNA.
250
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
the North Anna, the Iron Brigade arriving there only one hour behind the enemy. On the way an old darkie told them: "De udder fellows right ahead of you-you'll catch up wid 'em."
BATTLE OF NORTH ANNA.
The banks of the North Anna are very precipitous here and the bed rocky, very high bluffs skirting the south shore. Bartlett's Brigade at the head of Warren's Corps boldly waded the stream, armpit deep, and covered the construction of the pontoon bridge. About 4 P. M., of May 23, the divisions of Cutler and Crawford and the balance of Griffin's crossed the river to the south side. After the Iron Brigade crossed the stream, they wound up the steep bank and formed on a plateau of cleared fields about a mile square. There were woods on the west and south and the river wound about the north and east of the field. Halting a short distance from the river the men stacked arms and commenced preparations for supper. Down in the southwest corner of the woods, some troops were observed moving about and were at first supposed to be our own men, but the error was soon discovered by the commanding officer, and the Division ordered to fall in at once. .
They moved before the men had time to drink their coffee or eat their hardtack. Some of the men carried their coffee pails on sticks, others carried frying pans containing their partly cooked pork, just as they had snatched them from the fire. The line of march was towards the southwest corner of the woods. Crawford had formed his Division with its left resting on the river-and Griffin next. These two . Divisions had advanced a short distance in the woods and halted, when Cutler was ordered to form his Division on the right of Griffin, continuing the line in a westerly direction.
The Iron Brigade led the advance of the Division and when the left had passed Griffin's right, line of battle was formed and the Iron Brigade pushed into the woods about two rods when they were halted to allow the balance of the Division to form on the right. In the formation of the Brigade, the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin were on the left, the Twenty-fourth Michigan in the centre and the rest on the right. Before the balance of the Division could be put in position the enemy attacked both the front and flank of the Iron Brigade.
This sudden onset of the enemy on the flank of the Brigade broke the right and compelled it to fall back in some disorder, hotly pursued by the enemy. At the time of the attack Bragg's Brigade was passing
251
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
in the rear of the Iron Brigade to take position further to the right, but on the recoil of the Brigade, Bragg's and the balance of the Division went to the rear.
Suddenly from the left came a rifled battery of four guns, followed by another battery a short distance in the rear. The first one swung into position and opened fire on the enemy that had flanked the Brigade and were now in the open field not six hundred feet away. The second battery opened on the enemy in the woods farther to the left. At this juncture, Captain Wood, the Assistant Adjutant-General of the Iron Brigade, together with Captain W. R. Dodsley, Lieutenants E. B. Welton and George A. Ross, Sergeants C. H. Chope and Robert E. Bolger of the Twenty-fourth Michigan rallied about fifty men of the Iron Brigade, mostly of the Twenty-fourth Michigan, and forming on the right of the battery, assisted in driving back the enemy from the field in as much disorder as they had driven Cutler's Division a few moments before. The other two Divisions had been attacked at the same time as Cutler's, but held their ground, and after a sharp contest, the enemy were repulsed all along the line. About 1,000 of the enemy were made prisoners. Lieutenant-Colonel W. W. Wight was in command of the Twenty-fourth Michigan dur- ing this fight, and conducted himself with his usual gallantry.
The prisoners captured on the right declared that the rapid retreat of the Iron Brigade was a " Yankee" trick to draw them under the fire of our batteries. During this campaign it seemed to be the misfortune or hard luck of the Iron Brigade never to have its flanks properly protected. In this case, the right flank was " in air." There were not even skirmishers on the flank to give warning of the near approach of the enemy.
General Mcade issued an order complimenting the troops engaged in the repulse of the enemy. After the failure of the enemy to drive our men into the river as they expected, the Union lines were reformed in about the same position as before the attack and strongly intrenched before night.
On Tuesday morning, May 24, the Iron Brigade moved out towards the Virginia Central Railroad near Noel's Station and built new works. During the afternoon numerous prisoners from the enemy came into camp. On Wednesday morning, the 25th, the Iron Brigade left its new works at 4 o'clock and moved back to its Division which moved down the south bank of the North Anna, halted and formed in line on the center. After driving the enemy's skirmishers back half a
252
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
mile to their works, the Division built a good line of works in the woods and rested for the night. On Thursday morning, May 26, breakfast and spades came before daylight. A heavy rainstorm came up which lasted all day, driving the men from their works, in which the water was knee deep. Excessive firing was kept up all the time by the enemy. During the day a woman was captured dressed as a Confederate soldier.
The Army of the Potomac was now in great peril. Its wings were separated by the enemy on one side of a stream difficult to cross, and liable to a sudden increase by rains. The enemy's flanks were thrown back to allow such a Union position, while his centers powerfully menaced Grant's center on the opposite side of the stream. It was a grand opportunity for Lee, being on the inner lines, first to strike one of the Union flanks and then assail the other. But Grant at once resolved to get his army out of this perilous position, and at dark re-crossed his forces to the north side of the North Anna, earth having been spread over the pontoons to prevent discovery by the enemy.
There had been fighting by the other Corps but the scope of our work forbids a recital of every field movement. The following were the losses of the Twenty-fourth Michigan at the battle of North Anna (or Jericho Ford) from May 23 to 26, 1864:
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