USA > New Hampshire > A history of the Second regiment, New Hampshire volunteer infantry, in the war of the rebellion > Part 20
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HEADQUARTERS SEPARATE BRIGADE, Fort Pocahontas, l'a., Sept. 26, 1864.
Lieutenant-Colonel PATTERSON :
I desire that you will take 200 men from the Second New Hampshire and Sixteenth New York Heavy Artillery and twenty mounted men of the First U. S. Colored Cavalry, with two days' rations and forty rounds of ammunition per man, and embark at 3 o'clock to-morrow morning on the gunboat Mosswood and a barge, which she will take in tow. You will then proceed up the Chickahominy to Hog Neck and disembark on the left bank about ten miles above the mouth of the river. You will then push into the country some four or five iniles and sweep down to Barrett's Ferry, near the mouth of the Chickahominy, gathering such horses, mules, cattle, and sheep as may be useful to the army, and taking along with you such colored men and their families as desire to come within our lines. If you find any considerable amount of corn you may seize that also if you can find means to transport it to the boat. You are required particularly to examine the country, and especially along the river for torpedoes, which it is believed are concealed there, and to make diligent inquiry of all the people whom you may chance to meet in relation to a party of soldiers who, on the 19th instant, came from Richmond with torpedoes, as it is believed. You will not allow officers or men to enter the dwellings of the people for the purpose of disturbing the occupants, and you will take no other property but animals and grain wbich will be useful in subsisting the army and affording it transportation. The Mosswood, after you have disembarked, will drop down the river to Bar- rett's Ferry, where you will re-embark your command when you deem that nothing useful can be accomplished by prolonging your stay. At furthest, you will not remain absent more than two days. GILMAN MARSTON, Brigadier-General.
252
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
At 3 o'clock on the morning of the 27th the Second, with fifty men of the Sixteenth New York Heavy Artillery and twenty col- ored cavalry, were off according to program. After landing, the expedition was fortunate in meeting a colored boy who was perfectly acquainted with that
Charles E. Foster, Co. G.
Enlisted, from Bennington, at the age of 17, and served continuously from April, 1861, to December, 1865. He carried a musket nearly three years, when he was detailed to the Eighteenth Corps ambulance train, and on the consolidation of corps was made wagon master of the ambulance train of the Third Division, Twenty-fourth Corps. In 1865, under Gen. Patterson, he was forage master of the Sub-district of Essex. He now resides in Manchester.
section of the country. Taking him along as a guide, the force, after a march of ten miles, reached the village of Centreville, where it halted for dinner, after which it marched to Gum Springs, James City County, and camped for the night. The next morning it marched in the direction of Bar- rett's Ferry, passing several fertile farms well stocked with cattle and sheep. Of these, one hundred and fifty were collected and driven to the ferry, where the expedition re-embarked and arrived at Wil- son's Landing in the evening,
without loss or accident. General Marston complimented the troops very highly for the satisfactory manner in which they had accomplished the objects of the expedition, remarking that his command had captured their part of the twenty-five hundred head of 'cattle stolen by Lee's cavalry, a few days before, below City Point.
253
REJOINS EIGHTEENTH CORPS.
On the morning of September 29th, the Eighteenth Corps, under command of General Ord, achieved a signal success. Cross- ing to the north side of the James on the night of the 28th, it pushed rapidly forward to Chaffin's farm, and gallantly 'assaulted and carried Battery Harrison, the strongest and one of the most important points in the line of rebel defences north of the river. General Ord was wounded, and the command of the corps fell to General Weitzel. General Stannard, commanding the First Divis- ion, lost an arm, and Captain Converse of the Second, assistant provost marshal on Stannard's staff, was wounded by a musket ball in the mouth. General Marston was assigned to the command of the First Division, and turned the command of the Separate Brigade over to Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson in the following order :
HEADQUARTERS SEPARATE BRIGADE, Fort Pocahontas, V'a., Oct. 3, 1804.
SPECIAL ORDERS, / No. 24.
In compliance with the orders of the major-general commanding the department, dated Oct. 1, 1864, directing me to turn over my command to my most experienced officer, I hereby assign Lieut .- Col. J. N. Patterson, Second Regiment New Hampshire Volun- teers, to the command of the Separate Brig- ade, GILMAN MARSTON, Brigadier-General.
In turning the command over to Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson General Marston acted in strict compliance with his orders, although it left Patterson in command of officers who were his superiors in rank-colonels of regiments in the Separate Lieut. George Stevens, Co. H. Brigade. These, however, took the situation in such good spirit that there resulted none of the unpleasant relations which might otherwise have been expected.
Enlisted in Company A. Wounded at sec- ond Bull Run, and severely at Gettysburg. He re-enlisted, and was promoted through the several grades to second lieutenant of Co. H. Now lives at Troy, N. H.
The Second Regiment, also, was ordered to rejoin the Eight- eenth Corps at its new position north of the James, and on the evening of October Ist embarked under command of Maj. Cooper,
254
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
landed at Aiken's Landing, and immediately marched to the front, being assigned to the Third Brigade of the First Division, consisting of the Twenty-first Connecticut, Fortieth Massachusetts, Second New Hampshire, Fifty-eighth and One Hundred Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania. Lieutenant-Col. Patterson rejoined the regiment on the 14th of October, and at once took command of the brig- ade, as ranking officer during the temporary absence of Col. Guy V. Henry, of the Fortieth Massachusetts.
Capt. Albert J. Hanson, Co, H.
The first man to enlist from Somersworth. He re-enlisted, and rose to the command of his company. At the close of the war he was appointed provost marshal at Spottsylvania Court House, Va. He went west in 1867, settling in Kansas City, Mo., where he was very successful in business, and where he died September 8, 1892.
The Eighteenth Corps was now employed in strengthening its works, in close proximity to the rebel lines, and for a time no picket firing was indulged in. Friend and foe were on the best of terms, papers were exchanged, and the daily news received from Richmond.
On the 27th of October, the Eighteenth Corps made a heavy demonstration against the ene- my's extreme left, the movement being simultaneous with the Boydton Plank Road (or Hatcher's Run) operations of the Second and Fifth Corps at the other end of the lines, and designed to give the rebels on the north of the James so much to look after that they would stay at home. Preparatory to the movement, on the afternoon of the 26th, the First Division, with two brigades each from the Second and Third Divisions, and two four-gun batteries of artillery, were withdrawn from the works and assembled on the Henry Cox farm, on the Varina road, some distance to the rear of Fort Harrison.
At 5 o'clock, sharp, on the following morning, the column was in motion. It passed in rear of, and then beyond, the works
255
ITILLIAMSBURG ROAD.
of the Tenth Corps-the extreme right of Grant's infantry lines- along the network of roads and cross-roads to the north, entering the Williamsburg road, about 1 p. m., at Hooker's old position at Fair Oaks. None of those with Weitzel, at the head of the column, were familiar with the locality, and word was sent to Lieutenant-Colonel Patter- son to come to the front. He knew the ground at once. " This is the Williamsburg road," he explained. "These are Hooker's old intrench- ments, and there was the camp of the Second New Hampshire. You will find the rebel works just beyond the woods, there."
Skirmishers were at once thrown out, and the column pushed up the Williamsburg road toward Richmond. A mile beyond, the advance came Capt. Frank W. Morgan, Co. F. in sight of the heavy works of Enlisted in Company B, from Hopkinton. Pro- moted to corporal and sergeant ; re-enlisted, and was promoted to captain of Company F. Now resides at Sutton. the enemy. They were at this time very lightly manned by a small force of artillery and dismounted cavalry, which could have offered but slight resistance against an immediate assault. But Weitzel, if he was to attack at all, took too much time to reconnoi- ter and get into position. It was half-past 3 o'clock before he was ready to attack, and in the meantime Field's division, sent up from Ewell's lines, with Gary's cavalry brigade, had arrived and occupied the works.
It was perfectly apparent, now, that an assaulting column would have a rough reception. "Will you volunteer to charge those works with your brigade?" General Weitzel inquired of Lieutenant- Colonel Patterson. Patterson-the only officer on the field who remained mounted throughout the whole affair-had been looking
256
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
the ground over and noting the filling up of the rebel works. He was well satisfied what the result would be, and did not propose to share in the responsibility. "No, sir," he promptly replied, " I will not volunteer, but if you order it, I will take the brigade in and we will do the best we can." When, finally, two brigades (Cullen's of the First Division, and Fairchild's of the Second ), assisted by the fire of a batte- ry, were sent forward, they met a bloody repulse, losing heavily in killed and wounded, and also in prisoners, who reached a position from which they could neither advance or re- treat. Six stands of colors were lost, among the number being those of the Tenth New Hamp- shire. In his official report, General Weitzel says : " I did more than I was ordered to Capt. Thomas E. Marshall, Co. I. do. I knew that my orders The original second sergeant of Company G. Was wounded at Gettysburg, re-enlisted, and promoted to captain of Company I. He resides at Greenville. were simply to make a demon- stration. I probably made a more lively demonstration than was intended, but at the same time I did not wish to march sixteen miles and then come back without finding out exactly what the enemy had there."
The reported loss of the Eighteenth Corps in this movement was over one thousand, of whom more than six hundred were "captured or missing," many of the latter being stragglers who subsequently rejoined their commands. The Second Regiment had one man wounded-the only man hit in the Third Brigade.
During the night the corps was withdrawn as far as the Charles City road. Rain (which set in about noon), the deep mud of the roads, and a night of inky darkness, made this a most trying march, and the troops were badly scattered. On the 28th they were
JOAB N. PATTERSON, Colonel 2d N. H. V. and Bvt. Brig. Gen.
257
OFFICIAL REPORT.
returned to their original positions in the intrenchments. Lieut .- Colonel Patterson's report was as follows :
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FIRST DIV., 18TH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, October 29, 1564.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the operations of this brigade as follows:
Broke camp on the morning of the 26th instant and marched about one mile down the Varina road, where the troops formed in column of regiments, and there rested for the day and night. Left this position on the morning of the 27th at 5 o'clock, following the Second Brigade. Continued the march till we reached the Williamsburg road, about 3 p. m. Here the brigade formed in close column by divisions and marched about half a mile down the road, when, by order of the division com- mander, 1 deployed to the right of the Williamsburg road, with the Second New Hampshire Volunteers on the right, extend- ing into the woods, with the One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers on the left, resting on the road. Here we came under the fire of the enemy's artillery. The Second Brigade was deployed about 200 yards in my front in line of battle, with the First Brigade on their right. When the Second Brigade moved forward I advanced my line some 500 yards, where 1 remained till dark, when ordered to retire to my for- iner position. Here fifty men from the Second New Hampshire Volunteers and twenty-five from the Fortieth Massachusetts were thrown out on picket and remained until the whole army retired. One hour after received orders to retire in silence. Arrived at White's tavern, on the Charles Henry L. Jones, Co. G. City Road, about :I p. m., where my com- mand bivouacked.
Enlisted from Washington, his native town, and died of disease at Hill Top, Md., November 14, 1861.
At daylight on the morning of the 28th instant the brigade was formed in line of battle on the left of the First Brigade, which rested with its right on the Charles City road. Here we remained in line of battle till noon, when I received orders to return to our old camp, where we arrived about 6 p. m.
A list of casualties I have already forwarded. Most of the men reported missing fell out of the ranks on our return, from exhaustion, and will doubtless soon rejoin their commands.
The behavior of both officers and men was everything that their commander could desire.
I am, sir, &c., J. N. PATTERSON,
Lieut .- Col. Second N. H. Vols., comdg. Brigade.
Capt. GEORGE A. BRUCE.
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Tuesday, November 8, the legal voters in the New Hampshire regiments cast their ballots for President of the United States, under the soldiers' voting law of the State, with the following result, by regiments, in the Army of the James :
I 7
258
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Second Regiment, Lincoln, 65
McClellan, 4
Tenth
14
66 46
Twelfth 66
86
66 39
Thirteenth
104
4I
About the middle of November the Army of the James was reorganized. The white troops of the Tenth and Eighteenth Corps were consolidated, under the style of the Twenty-fourth Corps, with Major-General John Gibbon in command; and all the colored troops of the two corps were designated the Twenty-fifth Corps, under General Weitzel. The brigade to which the Second was attached became the Third Brigade, Third Di- vision, Twenty-fourth Corps, and Colonel Guy V. Henry returned about this time and resumed command.
The brigade being held in reserve in rear of the corps, was encamped in a favorable position, with wood and water in abundance, and every fa- cility for building comfortable quarters for the winter.
During the season much Abial A. Hannaford, Co. H. attention was paid to compa- Enlisted from Manchester, re-enlisted, and served to the end. Present residence, Worcester, Mass. ny, regimental and brigade drills. The discipline was such that the brigade was ranked among the best in the Army of the James. Weekly inspec- tions were instituted by the corps commander, at which the best regiment was excused from all outside duties for a week, and it was ordered that the neatest soldier in the division should receive a twenty days' furlough. At several examinations the Second was announced as the best regiment in the brigade, and several mem- bers received furloughs as being the neatest and best soldiers in the division.
CHAPTER XVII.
MARCH 3 TO DECEMBER 25, 1865 .- THE BRIGADE ASSIGNED FOR SECRET SERVICE-EXPEDITION UP THE RAPPAHANNOCK-A RAID THROUGH THE NORTHERN NECK-MEETS SHERIDAN'S CAVALRY AT WHITE HOUSE-MARCHES WITH SHERIDAN TO REJOIN THE ARMY- THE CLOSING SCENES-THE SECOND ENTERS RICHMOND-SUBSE- QUENT ASSIGNMENTS TO PROVOST DUTY-THE FINAL MUSTER OUT AND RETURN TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ARCH 3, 1865, the brigade, now under com- mand of Brevet Brigadier-General Roberts, received orders to report to Lieutenant-General Grant, for secret service. With many regrets the men packed their belongings and left their pleasant, homelike camp, on the 4th. A six miles' march, in a drenching rain and through mud knee-deep, brought the command to Deep Bottom Landing, where, after a few hours' wait, it embarked on transports to await further orders-the Second Regiment on the steamer " Northerner."
The next day, at noon, the fleet arrived at Fort Monroe. Thence the expedition, convoyed by four gunboats, proceeded to the Rappahannock river. When opposite the little village of Urbanna, a few rebel cavalry made their appearance on the bank of the river, but were quickly dispersed by a six-pounder on one of the gunboats. On the evening of the 6th the expedition anchored for the night about six miles below Fredericksburg. Here a detachment of the First New York Mounted Rifles were landed, and proceeded to Hamilton's Crossing, about four miles from the city, to destroy the bridge of the Richmond and Fredericksburg railroad and all railroad stock found in the vicinity, and prevent any property being sent off.
.
260
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
On the morning of the 7th the fleet steamed up to the city, where the troops quietly disembarked and threw out pickets around the town. The brigade was so far successful as to cut off twelve cars loaded with tobacco and other Confederate government prop- erty. It also captured fifty mules and ten army wagons complete, which were immediately loaded with tobacco, brought into the city, and put on board the fleet. The object of the expedition, so far as that locality was concerned, had been suc- cessfully accomplished, with- out the loss of a man, and the brigade re-embarked for Fort Monroe.
Capt. James E. Saunders, Co. E.
Among Peterborough's earliest volunteers, enlisting under Weston in Co. G. Took in all the battles, and re-enlisted. Passed through the several degrees of promotion, and was mustered out as captain of Company E. He was taken prisoner at second Bull Run, but escaped and got back into the Union lines inside of two weeks. To his faculty for sketching we are indebted for a number of the pictures in this work. His pres- ent P. O. address is West Peterborough.
Arriving at Fort Monroe, the captured stores were unloaded, and the brigade awaited further orders. The results of this foray were so satisfactory that the brigade was soon ordered on another raid. On the 11th of March the expedition sailed for the Potomac, and the next morn- ing landed at Kinsale, on Wicomoco creek, for a tour of the neighboring country.
Six miles from the landing they met a force of Mosby's men, who were then collecting in that part of Virginia known as the Northern Neck, preparatory to the opening of the campaign. After a slight skirmish they retreated, leaving five prisoners, and having wounded five of the Mounted Rifles. The force retraced their steps to Kinsale the same evening, bringing with them over one hundred head of cattle and sheep. As the troops had been subsisting on salt pork, a change of diet was now very acceptable. A sufficient
261
MEETS SHERIDAN AT WHITE HOUSE.
number of the captured animals were slaughtered, and the air of Kinsale was fragrant that night with the savory odors of broiling beef and mutton. Pickets were thrown out around the landing, to prevent any surprise by the enemy during the night; and before daybreak the command embarked again for Fort Monroe.
Arriving off Point Lookout, a stop was made for the purpose of taking in water. Several officers of the Second went ashore, and had an opportunity to observe the many changes which had taken place since they left there, a year before. While here, a special messenger arrived from General Grant, with orders to the officer in command of the expedition to proceed to White House, on the Pamunky, to establish a depot of supplies for Sheridan's cavalry, which had been riding rough- shod over the enemy's country for the previous three weeks, and was then heading to join Grant before Petersburg.
The brigade arrived at White House on the 14th, and it being the day of the New Hampshire election, the Second voted for Members of Congress. Reports were current that Longstreet had left Richmond to oppose Sheri- dan's crossing at White House, and a line of intrenchments was thrown up immediately around Adjutant Charles E. Plaisted, the landing. With these, and Entered the service, from Portsmouth, as a private in Company K. Re-enlisted, and was promoted through various grades to be captain of Company B, but was not mustered. Was mustered out as adjutant, with the regi- ment. Died at Portsmouth, April 25, 1874. several gunboats in the river, no anxiety was felt as to the results of an attack by any force Lee might be able to send over. Great quantities of forage and other stores were accumulated here ; and a force of mechanics arrived and set to work repairing the railroad bridge across the Pamunky.
On the evening of the 18th the approach of Sheridan was her- alded by the arrival of his advance guard on the bank of the river
262
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
T
The Army Chaplain, 1865.
The Minister of Peace, 1895.
Chaplain John W. Adams.
For two full years (with a few days to spare) Rev. John Wesley Adams served as chaplain of the Second Regiment. His faithful devotion to his high calling, and his kindly care for the material interests and bodily welfare of the men as well, won him a place in their respect and affection not always given to army chaplains; an appreciation which, as the hour of separation approached, found spontaneous expression in the Testimonial which appears on a later page. He was a native of Townsend, Mass., born May 23, 1832. He is in the seventh generation from Henry Adams, the ancestor of the presidents. He was educated in the common schools of Law- rence, Mass., and was licensed to preach by the Garden Street M. E. Church in 1856. In 1858 he joined the New Hampshire Conference, and has had a dozen or more successful pastorates. For four years (1877-80) he was Presiding Elder of the Concord District, and has received at the hands of his conference other high appointments.
December 5, 1863, he was commissioned chaplain of the Second Regiment, and remained with it to the end, always at the front. On Fast Day, June 1, 1865, he preached a memorial sermon to his brigade on the death of Abraham Lincoln, from I Cor., iv: 9, " Cast down, but not destroyed." In July, 1865, he inaugurated a school for colored children in Fredericksburg, Va. He is widely known as a man of fine literary accomplishments, his talents finding a field on the lecture platform. At the present time (1895) he is pastor of the M. E. Church at Methuen, Mass.
opposite White House, and soon after his army arrived, with tired men and horses. The next morning they crossed the river, and were employed until the morning of the 24th in recuperating, refit- ting, and preparing for a march across country to City Point. In the meantime all the dismounted men of Sheridan's cavalry, with
263
MARCHIING WITH SHERIDAN.
Capt. Edward D. Bean. Co. C.
A resident of Haverhill, Mass., who enlisted as a private, was promoted to corporal, then to sergeant, re-enlisted. and at the end was captain of Company C. Since the war he has been connected with the Lovell Arms Co., Boston.
about two thousand contrabands, were sent to Fort Monroe on the transports which had brought the expedition up on the 14th, and the brigade was directed to accompany Sheridan on his march to the James, and then rejoin the corps. The line of march was taken up, with Sheridan's cavalry in the advance, on the morning of the 24th, and that day the brigade made a march of fifteen miles, halting for the night at Jones' Bridge, on the Chickahominy. The march was resumed the next morning, passing through Charles City Court House, and by night the command reached the James at Harrison's Landing.
On the morning of the 26th the brigade left Harrison's Land- ing, and in the evening reached its old camp on Signal Hill. It found the camp occupied by troops from the Twenty-fifth Corps,
264
SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
who had been withdrawn from the front and were under heavy marching orders. All the troops in the Army of the James were ordered by Grant to the left of the lines at Petersburg, excepting the Third Division of the Twenty-fourth Corps and one division of the Twenty-fifth, which were left, under command of Weitzel, to hold the lines north of the James, with orders to advance upon Richmond the moment a break might be made in Lee's lines before Peters- burg. The Second was ordered to occupy Signal Hill, where the Eighth Maine had been in camp, that regiment belonging to the portion of the corps sent to Petersburg.
Mighty events were impending. Lee's army was in its death struggle, and the Confederacy tot- tering to its fall. On the Ist and 2d of April the troops north of the James listened to the terrific Sergt. Alba C. Haynes, Co. G. cannonading around Pe- tersburg, biding the time An early recruit, who re-enlisted, and was the color-sergeant of the regiment for the last year and a half of its service. He is now a freight conductor, and resides at Lancaster. for their own advance. Spread out thin, to cover the line recently occupied by two full corps, the sharpest watch was maintained and the greatest possible display made in order to hold Longstreet from reinforcing Lee.
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