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 4
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42
The Men of Company F,
every man thought we would whip them. Their lines had been formed and advanced quite a distance to the front before the cannonading ceased. We had no time to care for our wounded: W. H. Park was lying under our feet groaning with pain ; he had been hit with a stone out of the wall he lay behind ; no one wanted to carry him to the rear, for the rear had become a dangerous place ; in fact, there was no rear, it was all front, and our attention just then was centered on the advancing foe. As we looked, I think the grandest sight I ever witnessed un- folded itself to our view, as the different lines came marching toward us, their bayonets glistening in the sun, from right to left, as far as the eye could reach; but on they come, their officers mounted, riding up and down their lines, apparently keeping them in proper formation. The lines looked to be as straight as a line could be, and at an equal distance apart. Everything was quiet until they had advanced about half the distance, when pandemonium seemed to be let loose among our artillery ; the ground fairly shook under us. From the Round Tops to Cemetery Hill, the cannon hurled forth death and destruction in the advancing lines ; we could see our shells burst in their lines, and it looked as though they had all been cut down in that place, but they would close up the gap and come on again. At last they are within range of the infantry, or those that are armed with the rifle, and they take a hand in it, but we still hold our fire; they soon reach the fence, their ranks thinned but their formation unbroken, and then the real tug of war commenced. Like a sheet of fire the Twelfth New Jersey hurled the buck and ball at them ; they climb the fences, with their lines all broken; they come on in companies and squads quite up to our lines (as many fell within twenty paces of us).
At last the firing ceases, the battle is over, and we have a chance to look around. As the smoke lifted, what a horrible sight : dead and dying everywhere, the ground almost covered with them ; their wounded and prisoners coming into our lines by the hundreds ; some crawling on their hands and knees. others using two muskets as crutches ; they are no longer our foes -- the last drop of water or the last hard tack was freely
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43
Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
given to them. What had become of those rebel lines that had advanced so bravely across the fields ? The first line had been annihilated ; the second was retreating, all broken and shat- tered, one-half left behind; the third, falling back in good order. Now we have time to look to our own company and sum up our casualties. Albright is dead, shot in the head ; W. H. Park still lay on the ground, but now he is sent to the hospital ; all the other wounded were able to care for them- selves. The great battle of Gettysburg is ended, but the army of the Potomac is so crippled that it is unable to reap the full benefit of the victory. Company F has done its whole duty, and has helped to make a good record for the regiment; its loss in this battle is not exceeded by any other company.
Saturday, the 4th. The rebels still occupy the same line ; picket firing is kept up on both sides, but the day passes with- out any other demonstration of a hostile nature. In the even- ing we bury our dead (except George Adams, he is buried the next day). Sunday morning we find that the rebel army has retreated during the night. Now we have a chance to go over the field in our front ; the ground was literally covered with arms of all descriptions ; during the morning the rebel dead were collected together and buried. On Monday our Corps was withdrawn from the front, back across Rock Creek, on the Bal- timore pike, and went into camp ; then we scoured the country for something to eat, but could find very little, as all the pro- visions had been cleaned up. We stay here one day and then we are on the road after Lee again, by way of Taneytown, direct to Frederick City ; then we turn to the north, towards South Mountain. After leaving the city a short distance, we saw a man hanging to the limb of a tree who had been hung by Stoneman's cavalry for being engaged as a rebel spy. Our route now was by way of South Mountain, through Crampton's Pass on across Antietam Creek and the old battlefield, until we came up with the rebels, intrenched near Williamsport ; two days were spent here skirmishing with the enemy, and then we wake up the morning of the 14th and find them gone. We are soon on the march up and through their breastworks (which are very strong), following them around to the Poto-
44
The Men of Company F,
mac, and then take to the towpath along the canal on our way to Harper's Ferry, where we arrive in two days, and go into camp in a pleasant valley on Maryland Heights. Here we get rations, of which we are in great need. We are soon on the march again; cross the Potomac, turn to the left and cross the Shenandoah at its mouth, on around Louden Heights, up the valley of the same name, and night finds us camping in what we called the Blackberry Patch. We had berries for supper and berries for breakfast ; and on up the valley we went to Manas- sas Gap, where we stopped for the night in a woods which was enclosed by a high fence. Here we found some cattle ; we made a pen, drove them in and slaughtered some of them. What a feast we had; no dividing into rations ; every man had all he wanted. We sat around the fire half the night toasting and eating beef without salt. I don't think there was a cracker in the company, but, like the berries, it filled the bill for the time; but in less than twenty-four hours some members of Company F were using bad words, on account of the laxity of the Government-and our stomachs-in having rations at the right time and in the right place. The next morning we leave the valley-and most of the beef-and strike across the country towards Warrenton. This was one of the longest day's marches we made during the service ; it was all day and all night, and some of us did not join the company until the next morning.
In the evening it commenced raining, and soon came down in torrents, flooding the roads, and making the walking so bad that the boys became exhausted ; they could not go any far- ther, so they fell out in squads and lay down in the fields un- til the morning, when they rejoined the company, at Warren- ton. Here we got plenty to eat and we were happy. Here the Gettysburg campaign ended. Lee had escaped up the valley, and placed his army on the line of the Rappahannock again.
August Ist to 31st, was spent very quietly in summer camp at Elk Run, doing light picket duty. August 28th, we were formed in " hollow square," and witnessed the military execu- tion of two deserters. August 31st to September 2d, on that gun-boat raid, we marched down the river nearly to Falmouth, in support of the cavalry, who captured the boat ; we only
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
saw the smoke of its burning. Then we went back to our old camp, and remained until September 12th, when we crossed the river, marched out past Brandy Station and Cul- peper, to do picket duty on the Rapidan and Robison rivers, beyond Cedar Mountain.
BRISTOE STATION.
The 14th of October, 1863, was one of our busy days ; in- deed, I doubt if any other day in our whole military life was more fully and completely filled with marching, battle, skir- mish and satisfactory excitement than this ! For two weeks, previously, we had been doing picket duty on the Rapidan River, several miles beyond Culpeper, when it was discovered that Lee, with nearly his whole army, had given us the slip, by passing around our right flank, and was rapidly moving up the sheltering valleys of the Blue Mountains, for what? To capture Washington ? To cut us off at Bull Run ? Or to win a more favorable position for a battle? Thus retrieving the defeat at Gettysburg ! This was our duty to find out. Leav- ing Cedar Mountain at 3 o'clock a. m., October 11th, we marched through Culpeper, Brandy Station, crossed the Rap- pahannock, and on to Bealton ; but a sharp cavalry skirmish at Brandy Station led to the belief that the rebels were yet in that neighborhood, and after a very few hours' rest, we turned back and re-crossed the river on the morning of the 12th; marched several miles, then formed the whole army in column of divi- sions, and in this order advanced to Brandy Station, reaching there at dark, only to find the rebels absent. Where were they ? We threw ourselves on the ground, and were soon fast asleep ; but, at 10 p. m., word came of their crossing the Rap- pahannock at Sulphur Springs, ten miles above us ; then an- other weary, all-night march back again ; re-crossed the river, on through Bealton to Fayetteville, halted a short time to make coffee at noon (no stop for breakfast), then back to Beal- ton and up to Auburn (no stop for supper), reaching there at II p. m .; and while the Third Corps, ahead of us, were ford- ing that difficult stream, we dropped down by the roadside, and were so fast asleep that the order to move forward was un-
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
heeded until about 2 a. m. next morning (14th), when we were roused up, made our hasty breakfast, and at 3.30 were again on the march, somewhat hurried by the impatient rebels, who were on three sides of us. We had unknowingly spent the night in their midst, and they very foolishly thought to rattle the old Second Corps, or catch us asleep ; but Car- roll's fighting brigade fell in as rear guard, and in their accus- tomed gentle manner cautioned the rebels not to push them too hard.
The Red Clubs (First Division) took the lead, crossed the stream, moved a short distance to the left, towards Greenwich, halted and lit fires to make their coffee. Our brigade, Smythe's, came next ; we found the crossing difficult, the stream swift and rocky, the banks high and slippery ; but we were soon across, and turned to the right, towards Catlett's, when sud- denly, out of the thick fog in our front, a rebel battery opened its fiery jaws, the shells passing over us and bursting amongst those First Division coffee makers, causing sad havoc in their ranks. This unexpected fire caused some little confusion in the head of our column, but General Alexander Hays galloped to the front, deployed the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth New York Regiment as skirmishers, and the Twelfth New Jersey Regiment as supports; we dashed forward, met the rebel cavalry, shoved them rudely out of the way, and the road was clear for that long swinging march to Catlett's, then up the railroad towards Manassas. The rebels took a shorter route on our left by a parallel road, and often for miles both armies Were in plain sight, toiling along over hill and stream, in that grand race for the oft-fought fields of Bull Run. Our Corps, Second) acting as rear guard, delayed by the skirmish at Au- barn, and by guarding the rear, was unable to keep up with the others, the First, Third, Fifth and Sixth Corps, who had a dear road and no enemy to contend with ; so that we were woon left behind with the whole of Lee's army, a part of which cuit across the country and took up a good position at Bristoe Station, where they awaited our approach, while we slowly : Sal along in the hot sun and dust, weary from the need of I'vep and cooked food, never thinking of danger, until near 3
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The Men of Company F,
o'clock, when the quick boom of cannon in front, and sharp rattle on the line of our flankers, spoke of urgent business ahead ; and as we came out in the open field, we found the rebels in battle array beside the railroad, waiting to wel- come us.
And, oh ! what a sight. Rebels everywhere, line after line, batteries in position ; all ready. How can they help but cut our thin blue line, marching by twos, strung out on the road ? But look ! Here comes Warren, our gallant commander, gal- loping wildly to the head of the column ; his eagle eye takes in the situation, and as the brigades swing by they "close up !"' " by the left flank !" "double-quick !" And the unexpected audacity of the movement so surprised the rebels, that we swept them back like chaff ; took our places in the slight cut of the railroad, repelled their grand charge, and sent them flying over the hill ; greatly assisted by the splendid batteries of Ar- nold and Ricketts, who came in position on our left, and gave us the finest display of cannon practice we ever witnessed. We saw one shell dismount a gun, explode the caisson, and kill every horse in the team. Their shells flew so fast, and burst so true, that the rebels seemed panic stricken, and with wild cheers we dashed forward and gathered up the trophies-over six hundred prisoners, five cannon and two battle flags ! Smythe advanced our brigade so far beyond the others, that General Hays had to send an aide to bring us back in line. Fight? Why, the men seemed full of it! "Let us at them ! Haven't we whipped them twice already to-day ? Going to surprise us? Strike us in the flank, and cut us in two, are you? Guess not ! Not the Second Corps !" And I never saw the men fight better, no skulkers, or stragglers ! no cow- ards ! Every man a hero, and fighting like a soldier ! Indeed. we had to, or go to Libby ! Only two divisions, Red and Blue, (the White was guarding the trains), less than ten thousand men, against Lee's whole army, and we stood them off until after dark ; then quietly slipped away without their knowing it ; and next morning, at sunrise, we were crossing Bull Run. where the rest of our army was waiting for us. We threw our weary bodies on the green sward, where a long sweet sleep
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
brought us around all right, after four days' and nights' con- tinuous march and excitement. Proud? Well, I rather guess so ! We didn't do a thing but whip them before break- fast, all day, and after supper, then slipped off and left them to "catch snipe !"
October 19th, we again advance and follow the retreating rebels back to Bristoe, where we bury some Union dead ; see many rebel graves, dead horses and other evidences of that fierce conflict. Then on through Greenwich, where a shot was fired from an upper window of a fine house, just missing one of our general officers, who halted his troops, surrounded the house and set it on fire ; three scared women came rushing out, but house and contents were completely burned. This day's march was notable for the number of creeks and streams we had to cross. The rebels had destroyed all bridges, so we had to ford all the streams, many of them from two to four rods wide, and from one to four feet deep; we go splashing through the chilly waters, then out in the fresh October air for a few miles, repeating this seven times during the day, and at night we camped on a fine plantation, where game was very plentiful ; the boys called it venison, but it tasted like mutton. Next day we moved to Turkey Run, where we camped until November 7th ; then crossed the Rappahannock to Brandy Station, and on the 26th went on that fruitless Mine Run cam- paign, returning here December 2d and put up stockades. December 8th, moved two miles nearer the Rapidan and again built winter quarters, only to leave them December 12th, when we moved over to Stevensburg, and in a few days we had another very fine set of stockades, and felt sure we would oc- cupy them all winter ; but we only slept in them two nights when, on December 27th, just after morning roll-call, we were very much chagrined to hear our brigade bugler sounding that unwelcome order of "Tear down, tear down ; double up, double up, double up." And we marched out to Stony Moun- tain and, in a very few days, we built our fourth set of winter quarters, and picketed the Rapidan River until February 6th, when we crossed the river at Morton's Ford, by wading in that swift and icy water up to our armpits. We made a sharp re-
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The Men of Company F,
connoisance of the rebel lines and crossed back again in the night on a temporary bridge built by the pioneers, and returned to our pleasant camp and duties of picket, drill and reviews, until April 30th, when an order was given to tear down our stockades and live in our little tents, so as to toughen us for the approaching campaign. But very fortunately, we were spared all this trouble by a sharp little cyclone that passed over our camp that same evening, blowing down our chimneys and unroofing nearly every shanty in the brigade, and left us all ready to sleep and live outdoors until the grand movements of the 3d of May.
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1
MINE RUN.
AS TOLD IN A WAR-TIME LETTER BY JAMES S. STRATTON.
CAMP, NEAR BRANDY STATION, Evening, December 4, 1863.
My Dear Father :- It is with sincere pleasure that I seat myself to write you a few lines. I should have written you sooner, but the two days that have elapsed since we returned to our old camp, have been spent in the erection of comfortable stockades, all hoping that it is to be our privilege to enjoy them during the present winter.
Perhaps a word or two respecting our march and manœuvres -our advance and retreat-will not be uninteresting to you.
. On Thursday morning, the 26th ult., the Army of the Po- tomac was in motion, and at noon the Second Corps had reached Germania Ford, and at once made preparations for crossing. To our great delight, the enemy had abandoned his long line of rifle pits and his very formidable defensive works. But little delay occurred after gaining the south bank of the Rapidan, and having followed our advancing cavalry a dis- tance of four miles, we were halted and permitted to spend the night in line of battle. Daylight came peeping forth to find the Second Corps again in motion, and as the pickets of the enemy fell back unresistingly before our cavalry, we continued still to go forward. At noon we were double-quicked into line of battle at Robertson's Tavern, or Locust Grove, where the enemy made a strong effort at resistance throughout the remainder of the day.
Although not during that day engaged with the foe, yet the hostile bullets and shells whistled over and around us, and the expectation of every one was that the Twelfth would soon be called upon to strike as she did at Chancellorsville, at Gettys- burg and Bristoe.
One brigade of our division skirmished the entire afternoon
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The Men of Company F,
52
and part of the night with the enemy, and, on Saturday morn- ing, spread out in line of battle, we advanced upon the slowly receding line of rebels-through dense pine thickets and over ravines, small and great, we pursued-but soon found that they had selected a choice and most favorable position. And there, only one mile in our front, in plain view, they stood ranged in two lines, daring us to come on ! In that position the entire day was passed, both sides shelling ; and the First Delaware of our brigade skirmishing until nightfall. At day- light, on Sunday morning, we were relieved by the Fifth Corps and ordered to the left, which position we reached about four o'clock in the afternoon, forming line of battle under a heavy shelling from the enemy, and afterwards spending the night in the erection of breastworks.
Before daylight on Monday our corps commenced silently to form in proximity to the position of the enemy, and shortly afterwards we all comprehended that a monster task was be- fore us. First we noticed a grouping together and a whisper- ing among the field and staff of the several brigades, and shortly we were informed of what had been resolved upon, which was nothing less than one grand, simultaneous charge of the entire Union line of thirty thousand upon the frowning and apparently impregnable works of the enemy. The part assigned to the Second Corps was in all probability the most difficult of all, and the report is current that General Sedg- wick, to whom it was first assigned, refused the undertaking. The Twelfth was in the first line of battle, and Colonel Smythe's orders were, "I don't want a man in the Twelfth to fire a gun until the works of the enemy are reached."
Two hundred pace of sloping plain-over which the enemy could sweep with grape and canister-was the distance to be passed. 8 a. m. was the appointed hour, and it was at 6 that we were notified.
No brain is mighty enough to imagine the feelings, the thoughts, that came rushing through the minds of all upon whom so weighty a task was imposed. There was hardly a man who thought of escaping without a wound. Many dared not to hope to see the setting of the sun; and, oh, the thoughts
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
for those at home! The morning was damp and chilly, and the men kept moving briskly around their stacks to warm their blood and drown desponding thoughts.
Not a man was there who did not comprehend his trying situation ; yet no man flinched. With nerves of iron the , Twelfth would have sprang to the task. The hour arrived, and nothing but the signal from the right was awaited. A little later and knapsacks were ordered to be unslung, and a man from each company left to guard them.
At this time General Warren left his staff and, riding as far to the front as he dare, dismounted and, glass in hand, pro- ceeded still nearer to and commenced to inspect the fortifica- tions of the enemy. In plain view were the earthworks for artillery and infantry, and in front of this were felled trees with pointed boughs. For some time our commander viewed the situation, walking alone and in deep thought. It was evident to all that he too was not unanxious. Even General Hays, who seemed to love battle more than any man I ever before beheld, was then unusually quiet and thoughtful. Hour after hour rolled away, and still the bugle did not sound the charge. At 12 m. we were told that Warren had telegraphed to Meade that he could take the enemy's position, but another corps would have to hold it, as there would be no Second Corps, What glorious news it was to us all, the countermanding of the order for the charge! Our noble country would have known of a greater slaughter than that at Fredericksburg, and men and officers felt thankful that we resumed our position be- hind the breastworks.
MORTON'S FORD.
AS TOLD BY LIEUTENANT JAMES WHITE, IN A WAR-TIME LET- TER TO A WOUNDED COMRADE IN SATTERLEE HOSPITAL,
PHILADELPHIA.
CAMP OF TWELFTH NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS,
STONY MOUNTAIN, VA., February 9, 1864.
Dear Comrade :- I greatly desire to hear from you, and have long intended to write you a letter ; but more from absence of anything particularly interesting to write about, than any other cause, I have, until now, failed to do so ; and, although a poor hand at letter writing, perhaps I may find something that will interest you, especially as it comes from your old Company F.
We have just returned from another trip across the Rapidan and have passed through another battle with the " greybacks," but I am happy to say that this time none of Company F were seriously wounded, although several of them were struck by spent balls. This affair was gotten up rather unexpectedly to us ; the first that we knew of it was at 4 o'clock on Saturday morning, February 6th inst, when we received orders to. be ready to move at 7 o'clock, and at 8 a. m. we did move, march- ing down to the ford, which is about one mile from our camp. Here we lay for some time. At II o'clock, or near that time, the Third Brigade (Owens') crossed the river, wading it, cap- turing the rebel pickets at the ford. They then advanced about three-quarters of a mile, meeting with but little opposition, for the rebels were taken completely by surprise ; but they soon got their artillery in position and began to shell them, without doing much damage, however, as all, except the skirmishers, were sheltered by a ravine, in which the main body of the troops lay.
At 12 o'clock the First Brigade (Webb's) crossed, followed by the Second (Smythe's), that also wading the stream, with its swift and icy waters up to our armpits. As our regiment was crossing a knoll on the other side, the rebels began to shell
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
us ; one shell struck in front of Company D, and another burst in the left of the regiment, wounding two of Company C. Sev- eral passed over our heads, doing no damage, as we soon got in behind a hill out of their sight. Here we lay until near sun- set (in reserve), when they again began to shell us, at the same time advancing in line of battle, and drove in our skir- mishers ; but they in turn were driven back. By this time it was quite dark, and the firing ceased, after which the wounded were taken off and carried across the river. I heard General Hays tell the ambulance officer to have all the men he wanted detailed, for, says he, "I don't want a single man left behind!" and I don't think that any were left. The Fourteenth Con- necticut did well in this fight ; it's a fine regiment now, since it has been filled up. They lost a great many men-I don't know the number; their color-sergeant was killed, but his body was brought off and buried on this side of the river. Their Major (Coit) was wounded ; also, many of their line officers. Lieutenant-Colonel Pierce, of the One Hundred and Eighth . New York, was badly wounded in the temple, destroying the sight of one eye. Lieutenant-Colonel Sawyer, of the Eighth Ohio, was badly wounded; also, Colonel Lockwood, of the Seventh West Virginia. The First Brigade lost heavily, being in the advance. Our regiment did not get to discharge their pieces, although we were at one time within range. Jesse Os- burn, of Company A, was wounded in the head and died yes- terday; he is, I believe, the only one killed in the regiment. I hear that Corporal Buzby, of Company C, has lost his eyesight by the bursting of a shell. Danny Harris, of the band, was wounded in the leg by a piece of shell. Enos Hann, of Com- pany H, was wounded again.
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