USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of the Twenty-fourth Michigan of the Iron brigade, known as the Detroit and Wayne county regiment > Part 22
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Theodore B. Thomas, I.
WOUNDED, JUNE 17. Corp. Anthony Bondie, thigh, F.
WOUNDED, JUNE 18.
Capt. GEORGE W. BURCHELL, B.
Ist Lieut. MICHAEL DEMPSEY, A.
Corp. Barnard Parish, A.
264
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
Corp. Amos B. Cooley, groin, F. " Orville W. Stringer, I. Joseph Aff halter (R.), A. Henry Hanstine, thigh, A.
William Vandervoorts, I. Gurdon L. Wight, leg amputated, K.
WOUNDED, JUNE 19.
Major WILLIAM B. HUTCHINSON.
WOUNDED, JUNE 18.
WOUNDED, JUNE 20.
John Parish, (R.), A.
Stephen Prairie, A.
Herman Krumbach (R.), F. WOUNDED, JUNE 21.
Ferdinand Stark (R.), A.
Jst Lieut. GEORGE H. PINKNEY, K.
Joseph E. McConnell (R.) leg amp., B.
Sergt. Charles H. Chope, neck, G.
Robert Towers, arm, C.
Charles D. Minckler, leg, B.
William Kells, C.
Thomas Robinson (R.), F.
Ralph G. Terry, C.
William Bigsley (R.), D.
Michael Brabeau, head, G. WOUNDED, JUNE 23.
Andrew J. Bucklin (R.), F.
Charles B Cicotte (R.), F.
Anselm Ball (R), I.
Oliver Dubey (R.), F.
WOUNDED, JUNE 29.
Bozile Vallade (R.), F.
James Murphy, A.
Summary :- Killed and died of wounds, 11; wounded, 38. Total, 49.
DEATH OF ADJUTANT CHILSON. - PERSONAL REMINISCENCE.
In the Petersburg battle, the Twenty-fourth Michigan lost one of its bravest and most promising young officers-Adjutant Seril Chilson who was killed while serving on General Cutler's staff. The fatal ball severed the jugular vein and came out near the eye. He fell forward on his horse which bore him back to his lines and which became drenched with his blood. Chaplain Way thus wrote of the sad event at the time :
All mourn his loss, but our mourning is not without hope. During the latter part of the winter he felt the justice of God's claim upon his affections and for , some time before breaking camp he fully consecrated his heart to God. In conver- sation three days before his death he gave the happy assurance that all was well, and said that if he fell in battle it would only be to exchange this for a better state of ex- istence. He freely gave himself to his country and God took him home.
Recording this incident recalls sad reminiscences. This noble young officer and the writer of these pages had been friends in youth, as students and teachers. Each had enlisted in the same company, unbeknown to the other until they met at Camp Barns. Neither joined in the scramble for positions and received none. On mustering day, our young comrade was too weak to stand to be sworn in without leaning upon the support of his friend. Captain Speed of their company, whom neither knew before coming into camp, after the muster, assured both of his regret that no non-commissioned positions were left unfilled, but their promotion should follow their soldierly
265
GRANT'S CAMPAIGN-1864.
merits when vacancies occurred. Such words inspired both with a friendly rivalry for advancement. The day of battle came and found one sick with pneumonia at Brooks' Station, Virginia, sixteen miles from the field of Fredericksburg. Knowing that absence from the ranks in the engagement might be misconstrued and result in being outranked by others in the promotion list, he hastened from a sick bed to find his own regiment, and failing to do this became mingled with another in the battle and came out both maimed for life and all chances for promotion forever gone. His comrade on that battleday won promotion on the field by volunteering to help man a battery and establish a dangerous picket line. In due time his reward came as Adjutant of the Twenty-fourth Michigan. While under twenty years of age, and having won an honorable record, he was cut down in the harvest of death, on the threshold of early manhood -a martyr to his country. Farewell, friend of our youth ! May his comrades revere his memory as they pass his grave on the banks of the Huron.
OUR WOUNDED BURNING UP IN THE WILDERNESS.
CHAPTER XIII.
SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864
PROGRESS OF THE CAMPAIGN-BROOKS' EXPEDITION.
L ESS THAN two months had passed when this campaign against Richmond had cost the Union army over 65,000 men in killed, wounded and missing, or more than the entire number in Lee's army during this period. This disparity resulted largely, as noted in the last chapter, from the Confederates fighting behind intrenchments, while the Union troops were the assaulting party against whom the hazards of battle are usually greatest. Witness Lee at Malvern Hill, Gettysburg and the Bloody Angle at Spottsylvania ; Burnside at Fredericksburg, and Grant at Laurel Hill and Cold Harbor, not to mention examples in the wars of history.
The nation and world stood aghast at this deluge of blood. Gold, to some extent the barometer of national success or failure, reached its highest quotation, while criticism of the General of the age was shared not alone by those whose wishes were manifested by their oft lamenting expression, "If Lee only had the men."
But these sacrifices were required to save this nation. While · ability managed the southern army, the statesmen of the South (if it had any) should have insisted, in the interests of humanity to their own people, that the war terminate after Gettysburg, Vicksburg and Port Hudson. But no, the "last ditch" must be reached, and their last man (their own persons excepted) must be sacrificed. Already "the cradle and the grave had been robbed" for recruits. Those loudest in the continuation of the war were not in it. Scarcely a man of the traitors who brought on this war and plunged the whole land into a sea of blood ever perished on the field. It is usually so.
The military resources of the South had to be exhausted, its armies subdued, annihilated or captured. Every man rendered useless to fight, brought the rebellion so much nearer its close. Grant knew this. He knew his available resources and his reserves. He knew
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SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864.
that even at that late day, foreign recognition of the Confederacy was possible and probable, unless the suppression of the rebellion be accomplished without delay. This required a large outlay of blood for the restoration of national authority, and he possessed the cool, indomitable fortitude to pursue a course and the course to that end, leaving political matters to others.
The terrible battles of the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Salient at Spottsylvania, North Anna, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, each embracing several days of carnage-all fought inside of six weeks-caused no greater bloodshed than an equal number of battles of the war fought by other generals and covering a period of many months. Something had been accomplished. The insurgent army had been greatly reduced and hemmed in about Richmond and Petersburg never to come out again except for a chase and capture.
What is known as the Siege of Petersburg now began, having for one object an investment of the Eastern insurgent army in a firmer grasp, by a system of forts and intrenchments from which there was no escape, while General Sherman was exhausting the Western Confederates, without either Southern army receiving reinforcements from the other. And thus the close of this wicked, cruel and cause- less rebellion was apparent.
After the Petersburg battle a company of thirty-two men from the regiments of the Iron Brigade, under Adjutant E. P. Brooks of the Sixth Wisconsin, was sent out to destroy some bridges at Roanoke on the Danville Railroad. The men were picked, well armed and mounted. On the morning of June 22, they found a Confederate officer at a house, "sick." They paroled him and rode on. At mid-afternoon the company halted at a farm house, dismounted and stacked arms for supper, without throwing out any guard. Soon after they were surprised by a demand from the paroled officer of the morning to surrender. He had gathered a lot of farmers who with shotguns went in pursuit. Deploying his squad over a hill so that only the heads of their horses and men could be seen, they appeared more numerous than they were. He demanded of the Brooks Company a surrender to his "superior force," which was complied with. All their horses, accoutrements and arms were taken from them and the whole command made prisoners of war. Five of this company belonged to the Twenty-fourth Michigan: Anthony Long, of A; Samuel W. Foster, of C; Shelden E. Crittenden, of F ; George Martin, of G, and Corporal Frederick Bosardis, of I.
268
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
THE SIEGE. - PETERSBURG MINE. - PROMOTIONS.
During the coming months of the siege, the intermitting blasts of battle and the ebb and flow tide of war heaved around Petersburg like ocean swells. Occasionally there was an hour of stillness, but usually the air was broken, night and day, by the sharp concussions of nearer guns and the boom, boom of more distant ones.
During the next few weeks the Iron Brigade alternated with its fraternal Second Brigade in the rifle pits, about twice a week. When out of the trenches, the Twenty-fourth Michigan withdrew to the woods for a day or two of rest, glad of an opportunity to stand up
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269
SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864.
without getting a bullet through their heads. Monday, July 4, was remarkably quiet. Every few days a heavy detail was made when not in the rifle pits to work on the new forts and fortifications. On July 13, several of the fatigue party, while picking berries, were captured by the enemy, including Charles Martin, of G, of the Twenty-fourth. On Sunday, the 17th, several deserters came in and reported an intended attack that night on our lines. The Iron Brigade after dark moved out to near the front line, and in an hour had thrown up new works, but no enemy came, and at daylight they returned to camp. Tuesday, the 19th, was noted for the first rain fall in forty-three days. There had become a great dearth of surface water. While in camp good water was obtained by digging wells a few feet in depth. By reason of the rain, the Iron Brigade did not relieve the Second Brigade in the rifle pits that night, but did so at 9 o'clock the next morning without disturbance from the enemy. On Sunday, the 24th, about six hundred from the Iron Brigade took up a railroad track and converted it into a wagon road.
Under one of the strongest of the Confederate forts a mine had been constructed, consisting of eight magazines in which were placed 8,000 pounds of powder. The magazines were connected with the Union lines 200 yards away by a tunnel four and a half feet high and the same in width. At 5 o'clock on the morning of July 30, the explosion occurred, when the fort, its guns and garrison of 300 men were blown up and annihilated. The explosion made an excavation in the ground two hundred feet long, fifty feet wide and thirty feet deep, and it was a signal for all the Union guns to open a heavy cannonade. A charge was made at the same time by the Ninth Corps troops, to capture a hill in the rear of the destroyed fort, which commanded the city of Petersburg. They went no further than the crater just formed, and a division of colored troops went forward to the charge of the hill. They pushed well up towards the crest but were twice repulsed and fled in confusion to the crater, where they and the Ninth were unmercifully slaughtered by the enemy. It was death to remain and death to try to escape. The Union loss was about 4,400 men and the Confederate 1,000-a most lamentable failure. In this . affair the Iron Brigade occupied the first line of works and opened a musketry fire as the mine exploded within their view. During that night the Iron Brigade was relieved from the trenches. The Union dead and wounded were still lying between our lines and the ruined fort. The enemy refused a flag of truce for their relief.
270
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
At 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon July 31, the Iron Brigade left camp for a new one on the left of the army, guarding its left flank and rear. The new camp was within 150 yards of a strong fort and a line of breastworks in front. Here the regiment enjoyed a much needed rest for two weeks, the location being a pleasant one. It was called "Camp Chilson " and was near the Suffolk and Norfolk Railroad.
About this time several promotions occurred in the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Wight had resigned in June and now Major A. M. Edwards was promoted to Leiutenant-Colonel. He had commanded the regiment since the former left, Colonel Morrow still being absent because of his Wilderness wound. Captain Hutchinson became Major. First Lieutenants Connor and Haigh became Captains; Sergeant Lewis A. Chamberlin became First Lieutenant and Adjutant ; Quartermaster Sergeant Alonzo Eaton, Sergeant George W. Chilson and Corporal Albert Wilford became First Lieutenants. Captain John M. Farland resigned in July, 1864. The regiment was now but a remnant of its former proud array. But few of the original officers were left, most of the present ones having risen from the ranks. Numerous also were the promotions among the non-commissioned officers and privates. Surgeon Beech had charge of the Iron Brigade hospital and had nearly exhausted himself in amputation duties during the campaign from the Rapidan. Being a skillful surgeon his services were in great demand in the Division. Divine services which had been suspended during the marching and fighting, were again established by Chaplain Way. The regiment tarried here until Sunday August 14th, when it received orders to move.
It halted on ground which Hancock's Corps left. Towards the middle of August this Corps (Second) had been sent north of the James River near Deep Bottom to attract the attention of Lee and get him to weaken his forces about Petersburg. This accomplished, Warren's Corps was moved around to the left to seize the Weldon Railroad and cut off one of the main feeders of the Confederate capital and army. The excessive fall of rain compelled a slight change of camping ground on the 16th.
BATTLE ON THE WELDON ROAD.
Thursday, August 18. At 4.30 A. M. the Twenty-fourth Michigan with the Iron Brigade moved with Warren's Corps out on the Jerusalem Plank Road and then about six miles off to the west to Yellow ( or Globe) Tavern on the Weldon Railroad, and destroyed a
271
SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864.
long piece of it. Warren left Griffin's Division to guard the point seized, and forming the rest of the Corps in an east and west line, advanced north towards Petersburg about a mile and halted when it found the enemy in front. About 1.30 P. M., when Warren attempted to advance, the enemy suddenly massed on his left and in the fight, the 5th Corps lost several hundred men, but Warren held the field and had possession of the coveted Weldon Railroad. The Iron Brigade was not actively engaged. The line advanced to the edge of a piece of woods and built earthworks.
Friday, August 19, Lee was determined to regain the Railroad, so important to the Confederates, and during the night sent heavy reinforcements for that purpose. The Iron Brigade was deployed as skirmishers, its right extending from the right of the Fifth Corps to the left of the old line and covering a frontage of over a mile in length. The Twenty-fourth Michigan held the center and the entire line run through dense woods. About 3 o'clock P. M., the enemy massed a division on the right center of our line, made an attack and drove back the Nineteenth Indiana veteran volunteers on our right. Lieutenant-Colonel Edwards immediately moved the Twenty-fourth Michigan by the right flank and covered the ground vacated by the Indiana troops. This new line was held for a few moments only, as there were no supports. But by holding the ground for that brief time, it saved a large portion of the Iron Brigade from capture. As it was, Mahone's Confederate Division struck the advance skirmish line of the Twenty-fourth Michigan and captured twenty-one of its men. They were not four rods in front of the regiment, but owing to the dense woods the enemy came upon them by surprise.
Immediately there was great confusion as the enemy had nearly surrounded that part of our line, capturing the sharpshooters and part of the Seventh Indiana. Every man then took care of himself, and there was a lively foot race amid shower after shower of bullets, as the men had no desire to visit Georgia and other Southern prison pens. A volume might be written on the narrow and often laughable escapes of the men at this time. A couple of brigades of the Ninth Corps opportunely came up, enabling Warren to reform his lines and regain the lost ground, compelling the enemy to fall back to his intrenchments. At night there were but fifty-four men left in the Twenty-fourth Michigan besides the officers, and but one hundred and seventy men left in the Iron Brigade.
Saturday, August 20. The Iron Brigade Headquarters were established near the Yellow or Globe Tavern, and during the day the (18)
272
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
scattered men came in so that it had five hundred men and the Twenty-fourth Michigan seventy-six. At noon the Iron Brigade crossed the Railroad, formed a line and built strong earthworks running north and south. During the day the Seventh Wisconsin came up. This regiment lost but very few men and held its ground out on the extreme right of the skirmish line.
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BATTLE-GROUND ON WELDON RAILROAD, AUGUST 21, 1864.
Sunday, August 21. About 9 o'clock A. M. the enemy opened with thirty pieces of artillery, crossing their fire at right angles over the heads of Warren's troops. After an hour's diversion of this kind, they advanced to the attack on front and flank in three lines of battle and met with a most terrible reverse. Two of their lines were almost entirely killed or captured. In front of the Union earthworks was a cornfield, back of which were some woods from which the enemy
273
SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864.
charged in good style. They were allowed to come up pretty close, when a general rattle of musketry and artillery cut them in pieces. Some concealed themselves in a ditch near by, and it being death to advance or retreat, they dropped their guns and, waving their hats or anything they had in token of surrender, rushed pell-mell over the Union works as if Satan would get the last man. Our men took them by the hand in many instances and helped them over the works. At night the enemy fell back from our front, leaving his dead and wounded.
This was the first time the Twenty-fourth Michigan had ever fought from behind breastworks. Frequently it had built them but came out in front to do its fighting. On this occasion they doubly welcomed the enemy's attack. The Iron Brigade captured nearly the whole of two Confederate regiments. The Twenty-fourth Michigan was credited with capturing twenty-six prisoners, including one Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel, one Major, five line officers and the flag of the Twelfth Mississippi. In this day's affair, but one man was wounded in the Twenty-fourth Michigan. Lieutenant-Colonel Edwards asked the captured Colonel to what troops he was attached. He replied : " The troops that have whipped you so often-Mahone's Division - but they did not do much of that thing to-day." This timely victory left Warren in full possession of the Weldon Road which cut off this important line of the enemy's supplies.
Monday, the 22d, was spent in burying the enemy's dead and bringing in his wounded which were thickly scattered over the cornfield. Among their killed was a Major who was buried where he
BURYING THE DEAD.
274
HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
fell, and being disinterred was recognized by an enlisted man of the Second Brigade of this Division as being his own son.
The following were the casualties of the Twenty-fourth Michigan at the Battle of the Weldon Road, in August, 1864:
Corporal Rufus J. Whipple of K, mortally wounded, August 21.
WOUNDED, AUGUST 18:
WOUNDED, AUGUST 19:
Charles Daney (R.), I.
Daniel Donehue (R.), I.
George W. Segar, breast, D. John McDermott, E.
CAPTURED AUGUST 19.
First Lieut. ALONZO EATON, B.
Henry H. Ladd, D.
Sergt. John Roach, E.
Samuel Reed (R.), D.
66 Eugene F. Nardin, I.
William Bruskie, E.
66 B. Ross Finlayson, K.
William Powers, E.
Corp. John A. Sherwood, C.
Daniel Bourassas, F.
Thomas G. Norton, E.
Robert E. Bolger, H.
Charles Willaird, A.
August Gillsbach, H.
Err Cady, B.
Francis Hynds, H.
William A. Herrendeen, C.
John Chapman (R), K.
John Passage, jr., C.
FORTIFICATIONS- SIEGE DUTIES-PEEBLE'S FARM, ETC.
Immediately after the Petersburg battles of June 17-22, the army settled down to fortification building but a short distance from the enemy. Portable sawmills were set up along the Blackwater and forests of oak and pine converted into timber, etc., and the work of fort building went on from Fort McGilvary near the Appomattox around to the south side of Petersburg. To prevent this fort building the enemy nightly resorted to artillery and musketry firing which was very excessive in some places. In the Fifth Corps line near where the Iron Brigade had charged with such fatal results on June 18, was Fort Sedgwick-but so hot a place did it become from the enemy's bullets that it was nicknamed "Fort Hell." This new victory of Warren on the Weldon Railroad now required an additional amount of fort building and the work was pushed forward with alacrity.
To supply the necessaries of the army a military railroad was constructed from City Point running off towards Petersburg and just outside the reach of the enemy's guns, extending clear around to the south side. It went up grade and down grade and over trestles. These forts, fortifications and the military road were all constructed and operated by enlisted men of the army.
During the next few weeks the Iron Brigade was engaged in siege, picket and fatigue duty, making forts and earthworks. Its
-
Clark W. Butler, (R.), H. . Thomas Burnett (R.), H.
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SIEGE OF PETERSBURG-1864.
numbers were greatly reduced and the numbers of the Twenty-fourth Michigan present for duty were the fewest since it left Detroit. Company K, Captain Dodsley, had now but two men left, Sergeant Ira W. Fletcher and Elijah Little, and during this period it afforded amusement to witness the evolutions of this company. Colonel Morrow had so far recovered from his Wilderness wound as to go to Michigan on recruiting duty in which he was fairly successful.
On August 23, the Iron Brigade strengthened its works on the Weldon Railroad and built an abatis in front. The next day it erected works for a couple of batteries. About noon the Twenty-fourth Michigan moved to the east side of the railroad and went into camp, fitting it up with shades, etc. On the 25th, the Iron Brigade was ordered to go to Hancock's assistance at Reams' Station. After marching half a mile, they returned to camp as the enemy were repulsed. The Fourth Division was this day broken up and merged with the Third under General Crawford. The Iron Brigade will now be known as the First Brigade, Third Division, Fifth Army Corps. On the 26th, Crawford's Division formed a new line facing the rear of Yellow or Globe Tavern. On August 31, the camp was moved over into some woods affording a far better location, and the men engaged in the usual pastime of fort building.
On September 1, Morris L. Hoople of H was captured by the enemy. Two years ago this day the Twenty-fourth Michigan arrived in Washington from home-then over 1000 strong; this day less than 100 men gather about its flag ! At 2 A. M. of the 2d, the Iron Brigade was aroused and marched down the railroad and massed with its Division until daylight, to resist an expected cavalry attack. The Division was then moved back and massed near Yellow or Globe Tavern until evening, when all repaired to camp. On the 12th a brisk picket firing was kept up all day, caused by the Union forces attempting to strengthen their lines. On the morning of the 14th the camp was again moved so as to bring the Iron Brigade together. This camp was very inferior to the former one. Some recruits had begun to arrive for the Twenty-fourth and they were drilled eight hours each day. On the 22d, General Warren reviewed the Iron Brigade, complimenting it upon its appearance. On Sunday the 25th, General Grant, Secretary Seward and other notables came to the front, and eight officers of the Twenty-fourth went off without leave to see them. While gone, the Iron Brigade received orders to move into the front line of works and the regiment started off without the absent officers, whom they met as they were on their way to camp. Lieutenant-
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