USA > New Hampshire > History of the Twelfth regiment, New Hampshire volunteers in the war of the rebellion > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
But to the others it was an unexpected opening in camp of the fabled jar of Epimetheus, from which came nothing good but hope, and the hope, as expressed by one, was that these new recruits might all desert to the enemy, as the quickest and most effectual way of putting down the Rebellion.
Most of these recruits were called " subs." This nick-name was ap- plied to that class of the genus homo known on the army enrollments, under the draft act, as " substitutes": and considered, either as a con- traction of that word, or as a prenomen in the original language from which it is derived, was well chosen and peculiarly applicable.
The word sub, as is well known, is a Latin preposition and means, in the English language, under or below; but how far in that direction it is pos- sible for the human race to go on this mundane sphere before the final drop into the fathomless depths of perdition, no one can have any adequate conception who never had anything to do with those strange specimens of abnormal humanity that were sent out in the fall and winter of 1863-4 to fill up the skeleton ranks of the old regiments.
Congress had made a law, authorizing a draft to fill up the quotas of the different States, by virtue of which every man, with few exceptions, whose name was drawn, and was physically able, had to " play or pay,"
152
History of the Twelfth Regiment
as the phrase went, -go to the front and play ball, with the " Johnnies," or pay the sum of three hundred dollars, and stay at home with his neigh- bors.
This law, however necessary a draft of some kind, was both unwise and unjust. It was unwise, because the Government wanted men more than money, but got, of course, just the reverse ; and it was unjust, because it wrongfully discriminated in favor of the rich as against the poor, allowing him, who could best go, to stay, and obliging him, who had most need to stay and provide for his family, to go. Failing to get the men, the law was amended by striking out the commutation clause, and requiring men instead of money ; so that he, who should be drafted, must either go or send - stand up and face the music himself, or hire someone to do it for him. Hence the name substitute will be found to have had a military as well as a literary signification : for although the man of money had to stand the draft, it was his poor neighbor who had to " stand the racket."
Although the draft act, as amended, had the effect of putting more names upon the muster-rolls it compelled the poor man to do the fighting. And, since nothing can prove practically right that is morally wrong, it will soon be seen that the last law was quite as impolitic as the first ; and that while names may swell the list, the character of the persons to whom they apply has no little to do with the final result.
Almost immediately a brisk business of hunting up substitutes was started, the demand, at first. being far ahead of the supply, making prices high ; and soon there were found in every city, and many of the towns, one or more of those self-styled patriots who are always willing to serve their country when there is more money than danger in the business, and who were known as " substitute brokers." This business, as it was con- ducted, was much more lucrative than honorable.
It started even before the draft was enforced by getting men to enlist in towns that had voted enormous bounties for volunteers, although they might have never heard of the town before, the broker getting his subject for two or three hundred dollars - sometimes much less - and pocketing eight or ten hundred dollars for his part of the transaction.
After the draft act they became more expert in their profession than ever, often getting from three to five hundred dollars in exchange for the price of a few glasses of whiskey, and a few dollars for car fare and safe custody of their victim, until they could get him into the safe keeping of . the recruiting-camp guards.
These brokers ransacked the dens of infamy and crime in the larger cities of the North to find those, no matter how mean or degraded, who could be induced for money to enlist for three years, or during the time necessary to find a good chance to desert.
Many were procured by consent of state authority, the convicted crim- inal choosing to enlist and fight awhile for the nation at sixteen dollars per month, rather than work for the State a few years for nothing.
I53
New Hampshire Volunteers.
When the latter class could not be found, and the former were too high priced to leave a good margin on the profit side of the brokers' ledgers, resort was had to getting their victims drunk or drugging them; and by these means thousands were forced into the service. Many of this class were sailors, and some of them, aside from their habit of too often " doub- ling the horn," being neither vile nor vicious by nature, like those with whom they were thus unconsciously united, made very good soldiers.
But taking the substitutes together, it can be truthfully said, that such another depraved vice-hardened and desperate set of human beings never before disgraced an army. To send such vile rubbish to take the place of the fallen brave, and fill up the ranks of the veteran heroes who still remained, was an insult to them, and a desecration to the memory of their late comrades. It was what neither the cause nor the occasion either justified or demanded.
They represented the lowest class of almost every nationality, though some of the worst were of good birth and education, and, lacking neither courage nor wit, were naturally the instigators and leaders of every scheme and effort to evade duty or desert the service. Some of their plans to effect the latter and main purpose, to grab the bounty and jump the serv- ice- as many had repeatedly done before, and hence called "Bounty Jumpers "- in shrewdness of conception and boldness of execution were worthy of a better motive, and had well been imitated, on a larger scale, in the strategy and tactics of more than one of our commanding generals.
Two or three, here given as illustrations, all happened in one car, loaded with " subs," and en route for the front, in charge of an officer who had stationed a guard at either door.
Although a free ride, it was in the wrong direction to be enjoyable ; and some had taken the precaution to take with them a thinner suit, of any color but blue, to put on whenever the climate get too hot for them.
One of these fellows, with citizen's pants under his others, improved the first chance to change and exchange as follows: Noticing that the officer had become so much annoyed by persistent efforts of the news- boys to get into the car at a certain city that he threatened to kick from the platform the next one that came on, one of the " subs" saw with a quick eye of perception that his time had come. Reaching out of the window, he bought the whole stock in trade of the first news-paper boy that came along. Then quickly pulling off his outside pants and turning his coat and cap inside out, with a bundle of papers under his arm and one half spread out in his hand, he started for the door crying out, " Times, Herald, Tribune," and running purposely against the officer who, thinking he had got into the car at the other end, and being thus rudely jostled, actually grabbed him by the shoulders and with a shove and a kick gave Mr. " Sub " a very acceptable send off, while a roar of laughter arose from his comrades inside which the officer did not just then fully appre- ciate.
I54
History of the Twelfth Regiment
Another took off his coat and hat, rolled up his sleeves, and stepping into the middle of the car, while the guard was not looking, and when it was getting about dark enough to light up, he climbed upon the seats and, taking a lamp in each hand, walked boldly out past the guard into the streets of the city.
A third one went up to the guard at the door, and said he wanted to see the lieutenant ; and while the officer comes in on one side, he, with a quick push and a spring, goes out on the other into the darkness of night, while the sword and the gun, thus so quickly discomfited, were left to discuss their individual stupidity and relative responsibility. Again, as the cars were starting, a "sub" entered the saloon at the end of the car where immediately a window was heard to crash, and while the guard jumped for the coat tail going out of the window, two or three more coat tails went out of the door. And thus from one closely-guarded car, half a dozen or more of these recruits escaped on their way to the front. It is safe to say that of this class of recruits as- signed to New Hampshire regiments, not less than thirty per cent deserted before joining their respective commands, and one half as many more before the close of the war.
According to the Adjutant-General's reports over thirty per cent of all the recruits, including volunteers and drafted men, were deserters, most of whom were substitutes, who did not constitute much more than one half of the whole number of recruits. From this it will be seen that the above estimate of forty-five per cent of this class being deserters, is prob- ably much below the correct figures. Fortunately, or rather unfortu- nately - for they were not worth the trouble of keeping - Point Lookout, with the narrow neck of land, double guarded, was not a good location for bounty-jumping. Yet quite a number tried it, and while some cleared the line, others, not so smart, fell short.
One day a coffin was made by one of the carpenters in which to bury, as he supposed, a comrade who had just died in the hospital. At the next morning's roll-call one of the new recruits was not present, nor could he be accounted for, until it was discovered that the coffin, which had been left outside over night, had also disappeared. To use a coffin as a boat was a novel idea, and although not exactly according to the original design, answerd the new purpose well enough to flank the guard and land its living occupant safely across the inlet that helped hem him in.
At another time three from the Twelfth had by some means evaded the guard, got up into Maryland, and well started, as they thought, for the North ; but they were apprehended by the mounted patrol, and started on the back track. One of them, not relishing so sudden and unexpected a "right about face," took vengeance on his captors with his tongue, using the most insulting and abusive language. Being repeatedly warned, without effect, he was brought back to camp very silent and submissive, and buried the next day. His name was John Lee, and he was shot by Peter Gravlin of the Second Regiment.
155
New Hampshire Volunteers.
The old soldiers of the brigade were not, at this time. in a very good- natured mood toward their semi-barbarous allies ; nor was there any rea- son why they should have been. Before their advent, common toil, hardship, and danger, for months and years, had made them a band of brothers. Between the officers and men there existed the most perfect confidence and friendship. Punishment was uncalled for, as disobedi- ence, demanding it, was unknown; and camp guard had long been a thing of the past. The men went and came almost at their pleasure, subject of course to such restrictions of time and place as their duty re- quired ; and the roll-call was more a matter of form than necessity, for if one was absent it was understood that he would be on hand when needed.
The all-perverting " sub" came and everything was changed. No pleasure or privilege for the boys in camp any more, for the hard lines and severe discipline of military necessity apply with a rigidness never before required.
The little boats - mostly " dug-outs "- that had lined the shores, and in which they used to row, sail, fish, and gather oysters at their leisure are all " contraband" now. And the short pleasure trips up into the country, even to the little villages of St. Mary's and " The Pines" to have a home-reminding chat with the girls, and get a wee sip of " apple jack " as an appetizer, are no longer had, except at long intervals, for they now have the double duty to perform, of guarding the " subs" as well as the " rebs." But to keep them from running away was by no means the worst part of the job that these new comers furnished. To make them obey orders and perform duty, neither the patience of Job nor the wisdom of Solomon could avail without severe discipline, and even then some of the obdurate and case-hardened proved more than a match for their company commanders. Punishment, however severe, was utterly futile, either to reform the offender or as an example to his comrades.
The writer remembers one fellow that stood on tip-toe, tied up by his thumbs, until so near death as to be past all suffering, rather than consent to return a watch that he had stolen, or even tell what he had done with it ; and although suffering the most excruciating pain of reaction, after being cut down, he was ready to repeat it and die rather than give or own up by a single act or word.
Though these attempts to compel obedience by punitive measures were generally as useless as they were common-the recipients taking them like their rations, as part of the regular bill of fare -yet it was deemed necessary, in order to keep up a show of discipline : and the ingenuity of the officers was heavily taxed to find ways and means of punishment commensurate with the multifold and daily increasing offenses.
Some days one might see two or three of them sitting astride the ridge- pole of an officer's quarters with a weight attached to each foot, so they could keep their balance and not be blown off, while they were permitted to enjoy, to their heart's content, a cool, refreshing breeze from the bay.
156
History of the Twelfth Regiment
At the same time, perhaps, could be seen as many more marching up and down the company street or regimental parade ground, in heavy marching order - their knapsacks filled up with rocks.
Now and then there would be a squad drill of the offenders in slow time : so slow in fact that there would be but one beat to the measure, and that a "dead beat," and the measure being a barrel with both of its heads knocked out, and a " dead-head " put in, and having written upon it the crime or offense that its hooped-up incumbent had committed.
These were but a few of the many ways devised to punish for minor offenses ; but the " buck and gag," tying up by the thumbs, and standing, heavy weighted, on the chimes of a barrel, were among the more severe methods of compelling obedience. Sometimes the nature of the offense would suggest its own correction : as when one day Captain Bedee dis- covered that some of the " subs" of Company G had turned boat-makers, two boats already completed being found in their tents and used as bunks to secrete them until a favorable opportunity to test their capacity by a trial trip across the Potomac. Determined, after so much patient care and toil, that they should not miss their ride, as they had their calcula- tions, he compelled four to carry a boat, two at each end, while two more rode in it, dextrously plying the oars as if pulling for their lives on the water, as they probably would have done a few nights later. Then he would reverse the order, letting two of the carriers ride and row awhile, and the riders take their places, thus making them lug or tug, until, like the frogs in the fable, what was fun for the boys was death to them.
But however much they were found wanting in almost every element of honor or manliness, with one thing they were well supplied, and that was " greenbacks."
With no relatives that they cared for, and no friends they dared trust, they took their bounty money along with them. and, judging others by themselves, dared not carry it in their pockets, but concealed it about their persons in every way conceivable. Some kept it in their stockings, others in the lining of their boot-legs, and a few sewed it up in their neck- ties ; but the most of them carried the larger part of their greenbacks in a waist belt that they wore next to their bodies. Despite all these pre- cautions many had their money, as well as their watches, stolen by their brother comrades. But while stealing from each other was common, gambling was their pastime. A single instance will illustrate both.
A poor simple-minded German, who had been drugged or lied into the service, had three hundred dollars stolen from him one night, and sus- picion rested upon a " sub " in the same company by the name of Curley who was one of the meanest and toughest specimens of his class. He was arrested and a drumhead court martial instituted by the company commander to try him. In the course of the investigation, although no adequate proof of his stealing the money was educed, it was ascertained that he had gambled his comrades out of several thousand dollars that he
157
New Hampshire Volunteers.
had sent in separate packages to different banks in the North, not daring to keep it with him.
From what has already been written it will be easy for the reader to believe that there were many desperate and dangerous criminals among them who would not hesitate to commit any crime that passion, avarice, or revenge might incite them to.
The same Curley, just mentioned, made a cowardly attack upon Cap- tain Barker on the night of the landing of Butler's troops at City Point, and might have seriously injured or killed him, but for the quick interfer- ence of one of the lieutenants who discovered his purpose before he could effect it.
Another one stabbed Lieutenant Gale of Company B, the arm that received the knife thrust, saving the body that was aimed at from a dan- gerous wound. The next moment the assaulting " sub " was subverted and subdued by a stunning blow from the fist of the great and strong Sergeant Piper of the same company. Several felonious assaults were also made upon members of the Second and Fifth regiments.
November 22d a detachment of two officers and forty men from the Twelfth, accompanied by a gunboat went up the Potomac to St. George's Island to capture some Confederates said to be encamped there, and returned the next day with about thirty rebel deserters and blockade run- ners. The day following the return of this party, there were several colored refugees and escaped Federal prisoners arrived in camp from Richmond. The refugees and prisoners had helped each other in their flight ; but the latter were under the greater obligation, as they would never have gotten away but for the assistance of the former.
One day more, the 26th, and the three regiments were all enjoying a good Thanksgiving dinner; for parents, wives, and children in New Hampshire had not forgotten those of their own blood and kin in the army who could now be quickly reached by express transportation.
As they partook of the stuffed chickens and other good things from home, they could not help thinking of the many thousands in the army less privileged than themselves ; and memory helped draw the contrast between this and their last Thanksgiving at Falmouth.
Every few days a fresh supply of " subs " or "rebs" would arrive in camp, but the latter were by far the more welcome.
December 23d, as a climax of several preceding days of severely cold weather, came the first snow for the season, followed that night by Gen- eral Butler and staff, who, after inspecting the encampments, departed with the snow the next day, taking with him six hundred rebel prisoners for exchange.
On Christmas day there was much sport among the boys of the regi- ments, a regular programme of amusements being very pleasantly carried out at the encampments of the Second and Fifth, in which the Twelfth participated. Among other things to make sport, were the greased pig
158
History of the Twelfth Regiment
and pole, wheelbarrow and sack races, and wrestling ; Walter Libbey of the Twelfth winning the belt as champion wrestler.
On the 12th day of January, 1864, a force of about three hundred infantry, half as many cavalry, and a section of a Rhode Island battery left the Point at 5.30 A. M., under convoy of two gunboats, for a raid into Virginia. This force was made up from the three regiments ; the detail from the Twelfth consisting of Captains May and Bedee, Lieuten- ants Smith and Sanborn, six sergeants, eight corporals, and one hundred privates.
The object of this expedition, which was led by General Marston him- self, was to capture a small force of rebels that were stationed, as under- stood, near the Rappahannock river, and to do such other damage to the material supplies of the enemy as might be found practicable. Although the rebel encampment did not in any way contribute to the success of the Yankee enterprise, its occupants concluding to run rather than fight, yet the raid was not entirely a vain effort, saltworks and tanneries being destroyed, and several rebel soldiers, among whom were a major and captain, who were at home on furloughs, were captured.
Nor was this all that was captured, for when the command returned on the afternoon of the 15th, the quartermaster's and commissary's stores were increased by a fresh supply of horses, mules, and cattle, to the number of fifty or more, that had not been raised on the Maryland side of the Potomac ; while the company cooks were amply supplied for a few days with fresh meat of various kinds, besides beef, to cook for a rich change of rations for the men. In fact, the whole thing proved to be but little more than an organized foraging expedition, which the officers and men enjoyed so much that they all, who still survive, relish the memory of it even to this day.
Though the infantry marched thirty-five or forty miles from the river and back again in less than three days they were but little fatigued, for every man, for much of the way, was mounted - some on horses, some on mules, some on jacks and jennies, and some on the seats of sundry kinds of two and four wheeled vehicles, drawn by anything of loco- motive power, no matter whether it was a brindle steer or a jackass.
This was not quite General Marston's way of conducting a campaign ; but he, as presiding officer, had but little power to shape the action of the committee on ways and means, especially when that committee was self- constituted, and comprised his whole command.
In number the gain and loss of this movement was about the same, one man being accidently killed, and ten or twelve of the " substitutes" de- serting ; but in rank and worth the exchange was all, excepting the man killed, to the advantage of the raiders ; for one rebel soldier was a greater loss to his army than a dozen deserting recruits was to ours, to say noth- ing about the rebel major and captain.
159
New Hampshire Volunteers.
On the 23d of February the Thirty-sixth Regiment of United States Colored Troops arrived to take the place of four or five hundred men of the brigade who were furloughed to go home and vote at the state elec- tion on the second Tuesday in March.
The next day the home-bound veterans left the Point about noon on board the steamship " Admiral Dupont," an English built vessel, intended and used - until captured by our navy - for a blockade-runner, and finally lost at sea in the summer of 1865. It was indeed an ill-fated steamer from its launch into the water to its last plunge beneath the waves.
The first look at its black hull, as it lay off the Point that morning, was enough to raise apprehensions of danger in the minds of some who were about to embark upon her for the longest sea voyage of their lives ; and, before two o'clock at night, they found themselves struggling for life in the dark, cold water of the ocean.
While in or near Hampton Roads, whither it proceeded before steering direct for Boston, it run into or against a sailing craft of some kind, the bowsprit or jib-boom of which raked its hurricane deck, tore off one of the wheelhouses, and swept several of its boats, in which a number of the soldiers were lying, into the water. The tearing, crashing noise heard by those below, who had just sought their berths for a night's rest, was startling in the extreme, and caused for a few moments quite a panic. It seemed to them as if the great steamer was being crushed and shivered from stem to stern.
Some, who were asleep in the small boats, swinging upon the davits, when the vessels collided, were thrown with sudden violence into the water before they knew where they were or what had happened. By the prompt action of the two boat crews all except two were rescued from the imminent peril of a watery grave. That more of the many on top of the steamer were not either killed or drowned was certainly not less strange than fortunate.
All were glad when, after a rough and sea-sick voyage up the coast and around Cape Cod - with one night's delay at Holmes's Hole on ac- count of the weather - they found themselves at last safely anchored in Boston harbor. Though glad indeed to escape the perils of the sea, and to be where they could breathe fresh air once more, they were still more so at the brightening prospect of soon being in the arms of mothers, sis- ters, and other loved ones who impatiently awaited them on the hills of old New Hampshire.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.