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HISTORY
OF THE
SECOND REGIMENT
NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS:
ITS CAMPS, MARCHES AND BATTLES.
BY MARTIN A. HAYNES, PRIVATE OF COMPANY I.
We have shared our blanket and tent together, And have marched and fought in all kinds of weather, And hungry and full we have been; IIad days of battle and days of rest, But this memory I eling to and love the best, - WE HAVE DRUNK FROM THE SAME CANTEEN! - MILES O'REILEY.
MANCHESTER, N. H .: CHARLES F. LIVINGSTON, PRINTER. 1865.
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1865, by CHARLES F. LIVINGSTON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the State of New Hampshire.
8.744
Josh
THE BRAVE MEN OF THE SECOND,
WHOSE CONDUCT
REFLECTED SO MUCH CREDIT UPON
THEMSELVES, THEIR REGIMENT,
AND THEIR STATE, This Volume
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
)
PREFACE.
-
THE gallant men to whom this volume is dedicated have, by their heroic deeds upon a score of battle fields, engraven their his- tory in imperishable letters, upon tablets more enduring than marble-upon the memories of a grateful people. In view of this fact it were vain for the historian to attempt to add to or detract from their fair fame, and the author of the following pages, in presenting them to the public, claims only to give a plain, straightforward account of what the Second New Hampshire Regiment endured and accomplished while following the " Old Flag" over the hills and through the vales of Maryland and Virginia. He refrains from remarks of praise or censure upon the conduct of General Officers, whose sphere of action is so far above that of a private that it would be presumption to decry what was generally so little understood by those not high in authority.
The history commences with the organization of the Regiment in 1861, and is carried forward until the muster out of the origi- nal members, not re-enlisted, in 1864. Although the Second New Hampshire Regiment still existed as an organization upon the army rolls, and many of the old members still remained to officer it, the interest with which the people of New Hampshire watched its course sensibly diminished from that time, from the fact that by far the greater portion of those remaining in the regiment were men whose interests were not identified with those
VI
PREFACE.
of New Hampshire-substitutes from New York and Baltimore, importations direct from foreign ports, of every nationality and tongue, who cared little whether New Hampshire were honored or disgraced by their condnet.
For the members of the "Old Second " and their friends, this volume is especially intended. Errors and omissions have without doubt occurred, unavoidable from the scarcity of reliable doc- uments relating to the Regiment, and if, among the rock -bound hills of the Old Granite State, some rugged and stalwart veteran should read his own name in the list of killed, the author would assure him that the pleasure of taking his hand with the strong grasp of friendship would be far preferable to recording his death, and in apology for such error respectfully refer him to the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New Hampshire, to which the author is greatly indebted for the regimental roster and names of enlisted men, although making such corrections as his acquaintance with the facts would warrant him in doing.
If, by a perusal of the following pages, a smile is called upon the face of some old comrade for the pleasing recollections awak- ened of by -gone times, when "marching to the music of the Union," or a tear is dropped in memory of the fallen, who sealed with their life-blood their devotion to the "starry banner," and whose graves lie so thickly strewn along the banks of the Poto- mac, the Chickahominy, the Rappahannock, and the James, the author's highest ambition will be satisfied, and he will retire with the pleasing consciousness of having contributed his mite in memory of the " GALLANT SECOND."
CONTENTS.
- CHAPTER I.
PAGE. FROM PORTSMOUTH TO WASHINGTON, A 9
CHAPTER II.
ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA,
13
CHAPTER III. ·
BATTLE OF BULL RUN,. 18
CHAPTER IV.
RETREAT FROM BULL RUN,
27
CHAPTER V.
BLADENSBURG AND BUDD'S FERRY, 32
CHAPTER VI.
THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN,
41
CHAPTER VII.
THE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG, 50
CHAPTER VIII.
IN THE CHICKAHOMINY SWAMP, 62
CHAPTER IX.
RETREAT FROM FAIR OAKS, 74
VIII
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.
PAGE.
HARRISON'S LANDING, . 84
CHAPTER XI.
SECOND BULL RUN CAMPAIGN,
93
CHAPTER XII.
FROM ALEXANDRIA TO FALMOUTH,
112
CHAPTER , XIII.
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, 117
CHAPTER XIV.
FALMOUTH AND NEW HAMPSHIRE,
126
CHAPTER XV.
MARCH TO GETTYSBURG, 131
CHAPTER XVI.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG,.
137
CHAPTER XVII.
PURSUIT OF LEE, .147
CHAPTER XVIII.
POINT LOOKOUT,
154
CHAPTER XIX.
BUTLER'S CAMPAIGN ON THE JAMES, .
163
CHAPTER XX.
COLD HARBOR, .173
APPENDIX.
ROSTER OF OFFICERS AND NAMES OF ENLISTED MEN, . . . . . 179
.
CHAPTER I.
-
FROM PORTSMOUTH TO WASHINGTON. -
NDER the call of President LINCOLN for seventy - five thousand three - months men, which immediately followed the fall of Sumter, New Hampshire's quota was one regiment. But such was the alacrity with which the people sprang to arms, that the First Regiment was soon filled, and still the companies and squads of eager, patriotic men . came pouring in to the rendezvous. Accordingly a new camp was established at Portsmouth, and active prepara- tions made for the organization of the Second Regiment. THOMAS P. PIERCE, of Manchester, a man of great popularity and who had seen severe and honorable service, in the Mexican War, was appointed Colonel. The old
1
10
SECOND N. II. REGIMENT.
rope - walks in the southern part of the city were fitted up as barracks, and it was but a short time before more than the requisite number of men were in camp.
These men were all enlisted for three months, but before they could be thoroughly organized or mustered into the service, the President's call for three hundred thousand three - years men was made, and the further enlistment of three - months men discontinued. This was a contingency entirely unlooked for. Go for three years or not at all, was the imperative command. The business of some would not admit of so extended an absence, while others, perhaps, thought that three years out of the prime of their lives was too much to give even to their country ; but, to their credit be it said, the mass of the men put their names down for three years. Col. PIERCE resigning his position, Hon. GILMAN MARSTON was appointed Colo- nel, with FRANK S. FISKE as Lieut. Colonel, and JOSIAH . STEVENS, JR., as Major.
It is not my design to enlarge upon the camp life at Portsmouth. For information on that subject I would refer the reader to the papers of the time or to the good citizens of Portsmouth. They can tell of the "rag - hash war," in which the entire company of " Abbott Guards" were confined in their quarters two days for "mutinous conduct ;" specifications-that they wouldn't cat the hash ration furnished at the Commissary's, but marched to the city in a body and procured more palatable food, &c. They can also tell you of the numberless pranks of the boys in gray swallow - tailed coats, and how patiently they were all borne, because their authors were brave fellows and were going to fight the battles of their country. These are all interesting in their way, but have been
-
11
FROM PORTSMOUTHI TO WASHINGTON.
written and re - written until they are as familiar as house- hold words. My province is, rather, to give the record of the regiment's glory-its fierce conflicts, its weary marches, and reminiscences of those whose lives were given up beneath the shadow of its flag.
On the 20th day of June, 1861, the regiment left Portsmouth for the seat of war. The joy of the men was only tempered by the thought that many were taking their last farewell of friends and relatives. They had entertained great fears that they would not be sent on in season to help crush out the rebellion, but now their long- ings for active service were to be gratified.
Arriving in Boston we were treated with open - hearted hospitality by the "Sons of New Hampshire." After being reviewed upon the Common by Governor ANDREW a collation was spread in Tremont Temple, where we listened to patriotic speeches from prominent sons of the Old Granite State.
We were also handsomely received in New York, and presented with a beautiful flag, the same flag which for so many months braved the powers of the elements, which was borne through battle - flame and smoke, until its bright colors were faded and its folds rent and torn, but was never deserted or disgraced by those who fought beneath it.
At Jersey City, to our infinite disgust, we were placed on cattle cars, two - days rations of not over - sweet beef were dealt out to us, and we went whirling off for Balti- more. The cattle cars and bad beef were, of course, the cause of a great deal of grumbling, but the reception we met with while passing through Pennsylvania restored good humor to the crowd. The sturdy Dutch farmers
·
12
SECOND N. H. REGIMENT.
along the route, wherever the train stopped, brought forth their kegs of " lager," while their wives made a generous distribution of bread and other edibles, all "free for notting, because zey was good Union men all overs."
The great disappointment of the trip was in getting through Baltimore without having a fight with the rabble, but the city was by that time well under the control of the United States authorities. At about noon of the 23d, we were landed safely in Washington, and by 10 o'clock at night were in camp at Calorama Hill, a mile or so to the north of the city, as weary a set of men as could well be found, but elated with the idea that at last we had reached our goal, "the seat of war." The only thing which had seriously marred the pleasure of our trip was an accident, by which, while we were passing through New Jersey, Lieut. CHARLES W. WALKER of Co. B. fell from the cars and was so badly crushed that he died soon after. He was the first victim from our ranks, and his memory is cherished as fondly as those who have fallen upon the field of battle.
CHAPTER II.
-
ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA.
-
AMP was laid out the morning after our arrival, and in a short time the hill - side was covered with the canvas residences of a thousand men. Camp guards were posted, piles of hard bread, beef, pork and other " commissaries" fur- nished, and we went into a course of training for coming campaigns. The new camp was named "Camp Sul- livan," in honor of New Hampshire's celebrated Revolutionary general. Our routine of drill was the same adopted with all green regiments. Long drills were the order of the day and long rolls the order of the night. The camp was in a continual furore over stories of spies seen lurking about, and woe was sure to betide the unfortunate peanut ped- dler or trinket vender who came near our sentries after tattoo. All this vigilanee was more conducive to the good of the service than to the comfort of the victims, some few having been severely injured by the excitable sentries.
14
SECOND N. H. REGIMENT.
Nearly a month of this experience was gone through with before we had the pleasure of being led into Vir- ginia against the boasting rebels. In the meantime we were brigaded with three as gallant regiments as ever wore army blue - the First and Second Rhode Island and the Seventy - First New York, all under command of AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE, then Colonel of the Second Rhode Island. The Second Rhode Island Battery was also attached to the Brigade, and a battery of two Dahlgren boat how- itzers, served by men from the Seventy - First New York.
On the 16th day of July we marched from camp to participate in the short campaign which ended so suddenly and so disastrously at Bull Run. The regiment had hardly ever shown as full ranks as on that morning. Men who for weeks had been regular attendants at the Surgeon's call for "ye halt, ye blind, lame, sick and lazy," became suddenly rejuvinated, and would not think of such a thing as being left behind when the "death blow" was to be given the rebellion. So, with full ranks, and overflowing with patriotism, we marched across Long Bridge into Virginia, the band playing "Dixie" with might and main, and the soldiers making the air resound with their songs and shouts of mirth.
The day was hot and sultry, and many men fell from the ranks exhausted as we toiled over Arlington Heights. The woods along the road had been cut down to give the gunners upon the forts an unobstructed view of any hos- tile approach, so that when at length we entered the shady little glen where Arlington Mills were situated, it was indeed a sudden transition from perfect misery to soothing comfort. A picturesque little spot it was then, such as an artist would not fail to find room for in his sketch
15
ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA.
book. The dilapidated mill was mossy and gray with age, and the water that fell in glistening cascades over the motionless wheel was so clear and cool that one involun- tarily peered into the depths of the pool below, expecting to see the spotted sides of the active trout in so favorable a haunt.
Our camp that night was at Bailey's Cross Roads, and the march was resumed carly the next morning. Evidences of the recent occupation of the country by the rebels soon began to appear, for at various points the road had been obstructed by felled trees, the removal of which cost the pioneers much hard labor. At about eleven o'clock in the forenoon the word was passed down the line that the advance had come upon a rebel earthwork, and that the chances for a fight were promising. The column was halted and formed in sections. For a minute, the ring of rammers driving home the charges in thousands of guns was heard, and then the column pressed rapidly on. We soon came in sight of the work, a heavy battery of sand- bags, but it was deserted. No cannon belched- defiance from its embrasures, no bristling line of rifles rattled death into the advancing column. All was quiet as the grave, until we entered the deserted work, when shout after shout arose over our " bloodless victory." Immedi- ately to the rear was a camp of bough huts, which had been deserted in such haste that many valuable articles were left scattered around. About a mile beyond was the little village of Fairfax Court House, which we entered as was becoming great conquerors, with flaunting banners and serried columns, while the bands played patriotic airs for the edification of the few secesh who remained. The brigade marched into the village green and stacked their
16
SECOND N. H. REGIMENT.
arms, while the flag of the Second was flung out from the most conspicuous point in the vicinity -the cupola of the Court House. No sooner were the ranks broken than the entire brigade resolved itself into an army of foragers. The deserted rebel camps in the vicinity were thoroughly ransacked for hard-tack, bacon, &c .; the squeals and shrieks of suffering porkers filled the air, and little clouds of smoke in various quarters indicated where hives of bees were suffering " martyrdom at the stake," their stores of sweets proving their ruin. But sometimes the bees had their minute of revenge, for we saw more than one fellow with honey dripping from his hands, making across the fields with strides more vigorous than elegant, and leaping five - rail fences with apparently no more trouble than if they had been so many straws, followed by clouds of the vicious little insects, who not being thoroughly smothered, had revived and attacked their enemy with a vigor which admitted of nothing but an inglorious retreat.
Not the least interesting of the captures was a rebel mail bag. The contents were most decidedly Southern, the letters being filled with those inordinate boastings and conceits with which the rebels plumed themselvs until Yankee steel had taught them to respect Yankee valor. The recent dashing charges which Lieut. TOMPKINS and his dragoons had made into the village, over and through their whole force, was often spoken of, and they always found much consolation in the idea that their thousands gave the few Yankee squadrons " as much as they could handle." Well, those were days when each party mis- judged the other: while they looked upon us as arrant cowards, we were equally confident that the campaign which we had inaugurated was to end in the defeat of the
17
ADVANCE INTO VIRGINIA.
rebel armies, the capture of Richmond, and the complete overthrow of the Confederate Government. We could not foresee the four years of terrible war then but just begun, during which armies should be raised in which the " Grand Army of McDOWELL" would hardly form a respectable division.
Early Thursday morning, the eighteenth, the march was resumed, and we felt our way slowly and cautiously, towards Centreville. The woods along the route we found to be swarming with swine, those gaunt, savage nonde- scripts peculiar to the South, which are allowed to run wild and subsist upon such acorns, nuts and reptiles as they can find. The numerous halts gave the boys plenty of opportunities to hunt these uncivilized Confederates, and they improved them to such an extent that our line of march might easily have been traced by the slaughtered porcines that lined the road.
It was. on the afternoon of this day the first serious encounter with the rebels was had, in which a portion of the First Massachusetts regiment encountered a heavy force of rebels near Blackburn's Ford, on Bull Run creek. After a sharp little fight, in which several men were killed and wounded, they retired. Persons a little out of the noise and confusion of our column could distinctly hear the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry. The excitement in our ranks grew as we advanced, and when, that night, in camp near Centreville, we heard from some of the wounded the story of the engagement, the fighting spirits of our boys arose to fever height.
CHAPTER III.
-
BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
-
OR two days we lay in our camp near Centreville, chafing with impatience to be let loose upon the enemy, and at length the orders came. At one o'clock on the morning of the ill-fated twenty - first of July, our brigade was roused from its slumbers, blankets were hastily rolled, and we erept off in the bright starlight in the direction of Centreville. We passed many regiments by the roadside all up and in readiness for the march, and when the morning sun arose the heights of Centreville were far to our rear, and we were leading the brave, light- hearted division of HUNTER in the direction of Bull Run. The plan of this day's work is, perhaps, better known than that of any other of the war. In a few words, it consisted of a strong demonstration upon the enemy's front, while the main attack was to be made upon the rear of his position which was to be gained by means of a road making a wide detour to the right, and coming upon the extreme left.
19
BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
Arriving at the point where the two roads converged, HUNTER'S Division took the one to the right while the other troops kept steadily along the main road.
The forenoon was by this time well advanced, and the sun was pouring his rays down fiercely upon the toiling columns. Far away to the left, in the direction of Manassas, clouds of dust were arising where the Confed- erate troops were marching to meet the new movement of our forces.
We got our first "reliable information" of the pros- pects ahead from one of the natives, a female, who probably classed herself as one of the whites, and who possibly might have been after a vigorous use of soap and water. She stood in the door of a dilapidated log hovel, and took delight in informing us that there were enough Confederates a little ways ahead to whip us all out, and that her husband was among them. And hardly were we out of her sight before the roar of a heavy gun came from the direction the left column had taken. We all felt that this was the prelude of a conflict to come, and scores of watches were drawn to note the precise time when the first gun was fired.
We toiled on over the narrow, uneven road, expecting every moment to hear the sharp crack of our skirmishers' rifles. At about half - past nine, while the men were improving a short halt by filling their canteens from the muddy waters of a little creek, an aide of General BURN- SIDE dashed down the line with the information that the enemy had been discovered in strong force but a short distance ahead. We proceeded nearly half a mile further when the ominous dispositions for battle, which we afterwards learned to read so well, were made. The
20
SECOND N. II. REGIMENT.
two Rhode Island Regiments suddenly filed from the road into the fields at the left and disappeared in a belt of woods to the front, but we kept steadily on up the road.
Scarcely had we entered the leafy cover of the woods when, without any previous warning, a cannon ball came screaming and crashing through the trees many feet over our heads. This was the first time our ears had been greeted with the sound of a rebel missile, and not a man in the regiment but made an involuntary obeisance to the hostile messenger. Its harsh voice had scarcely died away in the depths of the forest when another followed directly in its wake, and almost at the same instant we heard the fierce rattle of rifles just ahead. The Rhode Islanders had found the enemy. The excitement was now wild and unbounded. Off from our shoulders went blankets and other superfluous baggage (we intended to come back for them when the little job ahead was finished,) and we went tearing up the road at a speed which in a few moments launched us from the depths of the woods upon the field of Bull Run. A grand panorama of the opening scene of the battle was spread before us. The Rhode Islanders, in the field to the left of the road, were having it hot and thick with a body of rebels in a strip of woods about three hundred yards to their front, and scores of wounded were streaming from their line to the rear. The Rhode Island battery was thundering into position on the right of the infantry line.
We filed into the field upon the right of the road, fired a few scattering shots at a line of skirmishers which opened on us, and then threw ourselves upon the ground to escape the fire of a rebel battery upon the opposite slope which had begun to pay its attention to us. By
21
BATTLE. OF BULL RUN.
this time the Rhode Island battery was in position and opened fire. Its first shot was directed against the battery which was annoying us, and with splendid accuracy. The shell struck right upon the little work behind which the gunners were protected, and the demoralized artillerists streamed to the rear like ants from an ant hill, but they were rallied by the officers and led back to their work.
They soon got a good range upon us, and many a poor fellow was carried gasping and bleeding to the rear. For half an hour we suffered this merciless pelting, when the enemy showed themselves in great numbers in front of the Rhode Islanders, evidently intending to charge the battery, and we were ordered to the left of the road to assist in repelling the threatened attack. Col. MARSTON was at this moment consulting with Col. BURNSIDE. " Attention ! left face- double - quick -march !" shouted Colonel FISKE, who, in his shirt sleeves, and with per- spiration pouring from his face, had been striding up and down the line.
As we rushed past the battery we were exposed to the concentrated fire of the entire rebel force then in action, and the sounds of their missiles, running through the whole seale of warlike music, from the savage rush of twelve pound shells to the spiteful "pish" of the minie bullet, was ruinous to weak nerves.
We reached our position amidst this galling fire, and threw ourselves upon the ground to await any demon- stration. It soon came. Along the edge of the woods some three hundred yards in front of the battery, the rebels appeared in strong force. The two howitzers of the Seventy - First opened with grape and shrapnell, while we rose from the ground and rushing with the Seventy - First
22
SECOND N. H. REGIMENT.
over an intervening fence and through a cornfield, engaged in a sharp fight with the rebels. It was hot work for a short time. They were under cover of the woods, -we fully exposed to their aim. They soon fell back, but not until the green leaves of the growing corn had been dyed red with Northern blood and the ground strewn with corpses. Col. MARSTON was wounded at this point. He had hardly given the word " Attention!" -for us to rise from the ground, when he fell with a rifle ball in his shoulder and was carried to the rear.
A body of United States marines now took an ad- vanced position upon the left of our brigade, looking, with their white cross - belts and well - polished brasses, much like a company of playday soldiers at a country - muster, and at the same time HEINTZELMAN's eraek Divi- sion arrived upon the field. It was a gallant sight to see them as they rushed on to the fight shouting and cheering like madmen. Regiment after regiment poured from the woods, rushed by the position we had held so long unaided, and halting hardly a moment to form in line, pressed down through the little valley to the front of our position, along the edge of the woods and up the opposite slope. Now some of the most desperate fighting of the day took place, of which BURNSIDE's brigade were allowed to be spectators. The brigade had already lost heavily, but was still well formed, in good spirits, and capable of doing much hard fighting. We saw the regiments charge gallantly into the woods, we heard the furious roar of musketry, and then the broken lines eame pouring back into the fields to reform and go at the work again. We licard the loud shouts of victory as our gallant fellows pressed the rebels back from their positions, and we had
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