USA > New Jersey > History of the men of Co. F, with description of the marches and battles of the 12th New Jersey Vols. Dedicated to "our dead." > Part 3
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December 10th, broke camp for a move to the front ; the regiment all ready by 11 a. m., but no cars in readiness till 4 p. m., when a train of thirty-three cars, drawn by two. engines, came up, on which men and camp equipage were soon loaded; and, amidst a vast throng of citizens, gathered to say "good- bye," we departed for the front, over that crooked, winding road, where our long train made a continued S as we slowly wended our way to Washington over that single track, spend- ing most of our time on the sidings, awaiting other trains. We reached Washington at 3 a .. in. December 11th : marched to the "Soldiers' Rest," and were glad of a chance to lie down ; Were furnished breakfast at 7 a. m., as per bill of fare, table d'hote, American plan ; a long table, with large wooden
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The Men of Company F,
buckets of hot coffee every ten feet, a four-inch cube of cold boiled corned beef, and a two-inch slab of bread, on a tin plate, and a tin cup for each man ; no cutlery or silverware, no butter, no napkins, no tooth-picks, just wade in, help your- self, don't overload your stomach ; in the afternoon had in- spection of arms, with condemnation ; marched to the arsenal for an exchange, but were too late. December 12th, still boarding at Uncle Sam's hotel ; no change in bill of fare ; an- other inspection and condemnation of guns ; another trip to the arsenal, where we exchanged our Austrian rifles for Har- per's Ferry muskets, with buck and ball cartridges ; James S. Stratton, Richard Borton and William Moncrief, along with other sick of the regiment, were taken to the Patent Office Hospital. Men remained another night at the "Rest," the officers sought other hotels. December 13th, hurry and bus- tle in the regiment ; leave our "Rest ;" cartridges (cal. 69), ball screws, wormers and wrenches issued to the men ; Cap- tain Mattison and myself visit the hospital, find our sick much better ; marched at II a. m. via Navy Yard, where we crossed the eastern branch of the Potomac. The boys marched well for a few miles, when the heat and big knapsacks began to tell, some few falling out, myself being one of them. But, refreshed and rested by a few miles in the ambulance, we again took the road, through the shallow creeks and deep mud, with much laughter and amusement ; some straggling and foraging, at which Howard seemed to excel. Just before night we filed into an open field and stacked arms by divisions ; fires were soon lighted, and possibly some of the fences furnished the material. After supper, the men gathered leaves for bedding ; gum blankets made good sheets, and after our fifteen-mile march with those big knapsacks, these beds were soft and restful, and we pleasantly passed our first night in the big bedroom.
Sunday, December 14th. This is a beautiful morning, almost like summer ; the teamis come up and rations are being issued to the men, who seem full of life ; marched at Ir a. m., but only eight miles ; camped at 4 p. m. N. T. Stratton and Samuel White came on to Washington, but not finding us,
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
they hired a team and caught up to us at this camp. They, with James and Joseph White and myself, took supper and lodging at a nearby farmhouse, where we spent a pleasant night together. December 15th, marched at 9.30 a. m., our visitors returning to Washington, after seeing us off ; the roads are worse than before ; no bridges over the streams ; the roads are deep with sticky mud ; no side fences, but gates across at every farm ; camped at 4 p. m. in a green meadow ; I was very nearly sick. December 16th, we were awakened at 5 by a heavy rain falling in our faces, which soon brought the men to their feet; I was sleeping with Harker in his wagon. Marched at 9 a. m., a heavy, weary day, through creeks and mud, from eight to eighteen inches deep; the rains did not improve the roads; reached Liverpool Point at sunset, and many a tired boy was glad to rest ; passed a bad night on the banks of the. Potomac ; a cutting wind and our wet clothing gave but little sleep ; forty-five miles from Washington, so say the natives. December 17th, wagons came up at Io a. m. and delivered four tents to each company, and they were soon staked down, when orders came to cross the river immediately; down come the tents, we march to the wharf through a severe snow squall and take passage on the "Star," formerly plying between Red Bank and Philadelphia, and leave the Maryland. shore at 2.30 p. m .; the wagons and baggage, in charge of Lieutenant Trimble, on the "Eagle," formerly, as now, the consort of the "Star ; " reached Acquia Creek landing at four, marched a mile and a half and camped for the night; the Twenty-second, Twenty -ninth and Thirtieth New Jersey Regi- ments are camped near by ; many of those wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg are passing by our camp on their way to northern hospitals ; very cold weather. December ISth, last night was a very cold one-indeed some of the boys came near freezing ; many of their blankets were frozen so fast in the mud that it was difficult to get out from under them this morning : fresh beef was issued to-day-quite welcome ; Sergeant Sam- uel Williams promoted Second Lieutenant of Company H. December 19th, marched at 9 a. m. twenty-one miles to Fal- mouth, passing through the vast Army of the Potomac ; saw
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32
The Men of Company F,
Dr. Halsey and many other old friends ; we were many times asked, "What brigade is that?" ; our full ranks seemed as large as their brigades ; camped at sunset ; glad to rest, as my feet and ankles were chafed by contact with new boots ; I was officer of the day and kept busy bringing up the rear ; many callers from our Jersey regiments.
January 1, 1863, very cold this morning, pleasant at noon ; shelter tents issued to-day. January 7th, N. T. Stratton and James Plummer arrived this morning ; quite a surprise. Jan- uary 8th, our first battalion drill since reaching this place.
April 8th, drew five hundred rounds of buck and ball cart- ridges. April 16th, drew two hundred rounds ; turned in our extra clothing to brigade quartermaster for transportation to Washington, viz .: sixty-nine dress coats, two gum overcoats, one blouse, one pair of pants, three shirts. Emanuel Stratton and George H. Coles went home on furlough January 4th. April 28th, broke camp at 6 a. m., and joined the other regi- ments of the Second Corps in a grand move to the right and front.
Sunday, May 3d, my first and last battle ; found-a rebel bullet ; lost-a Union leg.
CHANCELLORSVILLE.
May 2d and 3d, 1863, was the first battle for the company and regiment, and gave the officers and men a new experience, with a chance to test their courage and patriotism. The three days' march from our winter camp at Falmouth, and the cross- ing of the Rappahannock River on a bridge of boats, had been . accomplished without undue hardships or fatigue, and we took our position (at 9 a. m. May Ist) near the country tavern and shop, which composed the town of Chancellorsville, without hearing a shot or seeing a rebel. But soon we were on the march, passed the Chancellorsville House, and out on the road towards Todd's Tavern, about two miles, where we formed line of battle, with Company F deployed as skirmishers. We advanced a short distance in the open field and halted, where we could see the little white puffs of smoke and hear the shots of the Fifth Corps skirmishers on our left. We were in a good position, on rising ground, and fully expected to have our Woodbury wish for a battle quickly gratified ; much impressed by a cautionary remark of Captain E. L. Stratton, "remem- ber, boys, you are now making history." But not yet, as Hooker issued that unaccountable order (which lost the battle) to leave this fine, open, strategic position (which was occupied by rebel batteries a few minutes later), and we returned to the lower ground and woods of Chancellorsville, closely followed by the rebel skirmishers, who at 2 p. m. made a spirited charge ' on the Third Corps, but were repulsed.
We passed the afternoon quietly in the field near a small house used as General French's headquarters. Just before night we moved to the right towards Rapidan, and formed a line of battle in an almost impenetrable thicket of briars and small poplars, so dense that the pioneers cut a path ten feet wide and the length of the regiment, in which we formed our
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34
The Men of Company F,
line, and quietly passed the night, with our pickets out on front and right. Next morning, at 10 o'clock, we returned to the open field, and remained quiet until 2 p. m., when the whole brigade was massed in the woods, near the big house, as a support to a threatened point in the Third Corps' lines, but not being needed we returned to the open field, where our band began to discourse sweet music, and some of our boys climbed the tall trees and got a view of a lively skirmish on the Third Corps' lines ; but soon some of the shells, attracted no doubt by the sweet music, came whistling through our tree-tops, when like unto old Zaccheus, of Bible fame, we came down, and the band, which was playing "Yankee Doodle," stopped right in the middle of the tune, played "Yankee " but missed the "Doodle." This was at 5 p. m., just when that unfortun- ate break in the Eleventh Corps took place, and soon all was in confusion ; their teams, batteries, ambulances and men came rushing back in the wildest confusion, and for a few minutes our line was in greater danger of being carried back by their wild rush than from rebel assault, but our lines stood firm, and they passed through us, leaving a vast hole in the battle line, which we were quickly ordered to fill. We piled up our knap- sacks and left them in care of a guard (but never saw them af- terwards) and struck a double-quick down the plank road, towards the advancing rebels, elated with their easy victories over General Howard (not his men). We were soon halted, and lay down in the road, with a rebel battery in plain sight in front, and one of our own batteries on the rising ground be- hind us, exchanging their dangerous compliments of shot and shell in most uncomfortable proximity to our heads. Many of them almost scraping our backs, whilst their hot breath fanned our ears, but the only casualties was caused by a burst- ing shell, which wounded two men in Company H ; whilst owing to another line in front we could not fire a shot, but were trying to see who could get the closest to the ground, and were fighting that first terrible battle of courage against cow- ardice, to keep from running away. Oh, how our hearts did beat ! How we trembled ! How we shrank and hugged the ground, as those frightful shells went whistling and screant-
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
ing just over our backs ! Were we scared? No; that word don't express it ! But we held our ground, and after thirty minutes of this trying ordeal the firing ceased and we moved to the right into the woods, and took position beside a little stream, so bright and tranquil now, but in a few short hours ran red and crimson with our Northern blood. We lay down in line of battle with restored confidence, we were now sol- diers, we had been under fire ! And we slept soundly with our guns in hand, with a lullaby of picket firing in front and some heavy cannon firing in our rear.
1758013
The next morning was Sunday (May 3d), and the services began while it was yet dark, with a few spattering shots in front, then the long, steady roll of our skirmishers as they fell back, the bullets began to whistle over our heads, clipping the limbs and bark from the trees ; sharp flashes of fire through the darkness in front, and almost before we knew it, we were engaged in our first battle. The smoke of our first volley hung low and thick over our heads, and much of our first fir- ing was at random, or the flashes of their guns in the smoke and darkness ahead of us, which soon lifted, and we caught sight of the grey-clad rebels about sixty yards in front, and were able to pick our man with a fair degree of certainty, somewhat marred by the fact that they would shoot back, and our joy or sorrow often depended on who got the first shot. We were in open sight, without earthworks or protection of any kind, save a few trees. We were new, green, untried. troops, vet we checked that fierce onslaught of Stonewall Jackson's Veterans, flushed from their easy victory of yesterday; we held them at bay, and were fast driving them back, when an un- fortunate break to the rear of the regiment on our right left a vast hole in our line, through which the rebels, unseen by us, got in our flank and rear, and rolled our line up endways, just like a piece of ribbon, and Company F, being the right of the regiment, was the worst sufferer by this mishap, being brushed back with the quickness and force of a cyclone, leaving our dead and badly wounded right where they fell, whilst we moved back to the open field, near the house, where our bat- teries were massed, re-formed our shattered lines, supported
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The Men of Company F,
the guns, and were much gratified to see those exultant rebels swept back by the grape and cannister of Arnold, Brown and Cushing, in a manner that repaid them for our rough usage a few minutes before ; and on Monday night, in the darkness, rain and mud we fell back and re-crossed the river. To us the battle of Chancellorsville had passed into history. Our losses were :
Killed or mortally wounded-Robert Adams, Richard Borton, John Connor, Samuel S. Greenwood, William S. Moore, Adam Marshall, Jo- seph Pierson, James L. Plummer, Albert J. Weatherby and Charles K. Wood.
Wounded-George H. Coles, James Eacritt, William B. Gleason, Joshua C. Grice, William Dermitt, William P. Haines, William B. Hutchinson, Samuel Iredell, Charles D. Lippincott, George Meley, B. Frank Mattson, William F. Pierson, Edward L. Stratton, Emanuel Stratton, Isaac H. Saul, Miles S. Turner and William Moncrief.
THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
BY CAPTAIN AZ. STRATTON.
After the battle of Chancellorsville, the regiment moved from their old camp to near General French's headquarters ; there we spent the latter part of May and the fore part of June, doing picket and camp duty, until the 14th, when the Gettys- burg campaign commenced. We broke camp and started north by way of Stafford Court House, which we found burning when we arrived there ; we halted, got dinner, and several of us went down to Acquia Creek and took a bath. From here our route led up through Dumfries, on and across the Occo- quan, at Mussell shoals, on to Fairfax and then Centerville ; from there down to Bull Run, across the stone bridge, through the old battlefields, to a place called Gum Springs. Here we made a halt of two or three days. While here we captured a citizen who could not give a satisfactory account of himself, so we took him in. From here we turn east and cross the Po- tomac at Edward's Ferry, then north again up through the village of Urbana on to Monocacy Junction ; here, Saturday the 27th, we draw rations. Sunday we crossed the Monocacy River into Frederick City ; here the regiment was detailed to guard the wagon train, Company F at the head of it. We went east, re-crossed the river above the city, and out in the country that had not been overrun by any other troops before us. What a picnic we had ; cherries everywhere ; the trees were soon blue with the boys ; the wagon train was forgotten ; the boys scattered all over the fields, in groups and in squads ; some to the houses, and they especially fared well ; but when each one got all he could, he would plod on. About 1001 we passed through the village of Liberty ; the people stood on the sidewalks and handed us bread and butter ; we shall never for- get their kindness. On we go ; the afternoon is wearing away and we see no signs of a halt ; night comes, we are footsore ;
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The Men of Company F,
at last we cannot go any further, and lay down by the roadside and sleep the sleep of the weary. But, hark ! we hear a horse- man coming ; it is Major Hill ; he is arousing the boys, telling them it is but a short distance to camp, and we try it again. After traveling about four miles, we join what was called the regiment ; but the regiment was not there until the next morn- ing. This place was called Union Bridge. We spend the 29th and 30th here. July Ist finds us on the march, but soon halt again, at Uniontown ; about noon the news comes to us that there is a battle being fought at the front somewhere, and we are started at a quick march for Taneytown, five miles away ; there we turn to the right and are on the road to Gettysburg. Couriers bring the news that our forces are being whipped, and soon we hear the boom of artillery in our front .; we quicken our pace, but night is near ; then we meet some of the wounded of the First Corps, who tell us of the fight and of the disaster, but we are too late to take any part in it. When we arrive on the field it is night ; we are turned off the road to the right, in the rear of the Round Tops, and bivouac for the night. The morning of the 2d we moved to the front and were placed in position in the rear of the cemetery, facing the town : near noon we were changed to the position we held during the re- mainder of the battle; that is, the right of Company F resting on the Bryan House.
The enemy's skirmishers and sharpshooters grew very trou- blesome. They occupied a set of farm buildings, known as the Bliss buildings, right in our front, from which they kept up an annoying fire, and at 5 p. m. General Hays got tired of their deadly work, and asked our brigade commander, Gen- eral Smythe : "Have you a regiment that will drive them out?" "Yes, sir ; the Twelfth New Jersey will do it :" and turning to the regiment, he called for volunteers, the whole regiment responding. "But I don't want all of you : Major Hill, send four companies." And the detail fell on B, H, E and G, under command of Captain Jobes, of Company G, the ranking officer. They moved to the front, right faced, passed the little barn on our right, formed column of companies, gave three cheers for General Smythe, three more for little Jersey.
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
and in plain view of our whole army, and a target for the con- centrated fire of the rebels. they swept across that field like a cyclone, surrounded the barn and house, capturing seven offi- cers and ninety-two men, and brought them back to our lines ; not, however, without serious loss, as Captain Jobes was wounded, Captain Horsefall killed, and forty out of the two hundred men were stricken down. This gallant charge, in open sight and a clear field, gave the regiment a reputation, which it never lost.
Our company was not actively engaged during the day, but had a splendid opportunity to see another open field fight (without much danger of getting hurt) between Humphreys Division, posted along the Emmittsburg road, from the Codora House on up to the Peach Orchard, and the rebel troops op- posing them. Our troops, falling back across the fields, and the rebels pressing on to the Emmittsburg road ; but here night closed the contest, and as darkness settled down, it was a beau- tiful sight to witness the picket firing. We could look down both lines as they converged towards us.
As the history of Company F, at Gettysburg, was made on the third day of the fight, also the third of July, I will relate the part we took on that day : The morning was clear and warm, everything in our front was quiet, except an occasional picket shot. This continued until about nine o'clock, when there was an artillery duel between batteries posted in Ziegler's Grove, on our right, and some rebel guns in front. It was about this time that Major Hill received an order for some troops to drive the rebels out of the Bliss barn. Captain Thompson was detailed to command the detachment, com- prising Companies F, A, C and K ; they were formed in the order named, in column by companies, just beyond the En- mittsburg road. Where we formed the column we were pro- tected by a slight rise in the surface of the ground, but as we moved forward over this rise, Company F, being the leading company, was exposed to the concentrated fire of the whole rebel picket line. Here Lieutenant Trimble was slightly wounded, and W. H. H. Stratton, G. W. Adamis and W. H. Johnson were mortally wounded ; all were hit so near the same
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The Men of Company F,
time that I am unable to tell which was wounded first. Henry, when hit, sprang to the front and ran to the right, out of the way of the advancing column, and lay down ; George ran by the rear of the company, the same way, and lay down also ; Will ran out to the left, quite a distance, and lay down along the fence. We were at a double-quick, and did not stop to see how badly they were hurt, but continued on to the barn. The barn was built with an overshoot, projecting toward us, which we ran under and then climbed up through the stables to the main floor ; the door was open to the rear, and here was where A. K. Shute was wounded, through this door by some one concealed in the orchard in the rear of the barn. How long we remained there I am unable to tell, but think it was about one-half hour, when, taking our wounded, we started back for the main line ; not, however, just on the same line we came, but near to the fence. After we got a short distance from the barn the rebels opened on us with their artillery, the shot and shells fell thick and fast for a while, but I do not think anyone was hurt. When we got near where we left our wounded, I ran out to them ; George was already dead, Henry was able to stand with my assistance, but could not walk ; I called to the boys, and three or four ran to my assistance, and we carried him back with us ; others carried Will Johnson, but George was left on the field. Henry died on the way to the hospital, and Will died the same day. Did we go to the barn to burn it, or did we go to drive out the sharpshooters, as a part of our regiment did the day before? I am positive that none of our · company knew of any orders to burn it, or it would have been done, but as soon as we got back the question was asked, " Why didn't you burn the barn ?"
Io o'clock a. m .- Company F has been in battle, suffering a loss of four killed or mortally wounded, and two others wounded ; it was enough for one day, but no, we are called upon to make another sacrifice. One, two, more hours pass by ; twelve o'clock comes, the time for dinner, and we make preparations for it ; but before we are through, the rebels ob- ject, by landing a shell in our midst ; it fell on the rock we were sitting on, and bursted, scattering the little balls it was
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Twelfth Regiment Neu' Jersey Volunteers.
filled with all around us, but they seemed to have but little force ; one of them struck Sergeant White's canteen and dented it; others rolled down towards the stone wall. That was the initial shot that opened the final struggle at Gettysburg.
In less than a minute the shot and shell were flying in all directions ; the air was full of them. I want to say right here, that we were not long in clearing the table. I don't think we washed the dishes, but just packed them up until we had more leisure, and then made ourselves just as little as possible. W'e lay flat on the ground, but could not lay long in any one posi- tion, so we turn over on our backs, look up and trace the course of the shells ; we could see a dark line flit across over- head and others cross this towards every point of the compass. They had their batteries placed along their lines from the Peach Orchard, all the way around to and across Rock Creek, which was in the rear of us. I almost tremble yet when I think what an awful din it made, the shrieking shells bursting everywhere and the solid shot tearing through the house and barn on our right, cutting the limbs off the trees in our rear, and some striking the stone wall that covered some of our company. How we hugged the ground behind the hog pen, thinking it might stop a shot or shell. I believe, in times like this, each individual thinks that every shot he hears coming near him is going to hit him. I wondered that no more of us were hurt. While this artillery battle was being fought, one of our caissons blew up, near the left of our regiment, a great column of smoke rising up several hundred feet. Almost immediately after, the same thing occurred in one of their batteries in our front. This battle lasted about an hour and a half ; it stopped as suddenly as it started. What a relief to be able to get on our feet and stretch ourselves ; some of us may have thought the battle of Gettysburg ended; but, "Look! do you see them coming?" was the cry on every side. General Hays (I can see him yet) rode along in front of our line shouting, "They are coming, boys ; we must whip them , and you men with buck and ball. don't fire until they get to that fence ; " pointing to the fence along the Emmittsburg road. That act of General Hays' caused every man to determine to do his part, and I think
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