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 7
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
as I sit here writing this, the scenes of that day pass before me as in a panorama.
I cannot close this article without praising my old regiment, the Twelfth (which I had the high honor to command for nearly a year before the war closed), for their bravery under all circumstances, their cheerfulness in doing camp and other duties incident to the life of a soldier. The regiment was re- cruited from the counties of Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Camden and Burlington. They were as fine a body of men as. ever left the State, nearly seven hundred of them being native born Jerseymen, out of nine hundred and ninety-two officers and men. We had a number of young Quakers in the regi- ment, and let me say, though the Quakers are a peaceable sect, when warmed up they can fight as well as any others. I often look back over the old war days, and a feeling of sadness comes over me as I call to mind the brave boys we left on many battlefields. To speak of any one act of bravery of any one individual would not be doing justice, for all were brave, true, loyal boys of the Twelfth.
The war over, the men returned home, well satisfied that they had done their duty to the country, some of them occu- pying at this time honorable positions. Among the number are : Rev. D. B. Harris, Presiding Elder of the Camden Dis- trict ; Captain N. M. Brooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails ; Captain F. M. Acton, Assistant Cashier Salem National Bank ; Captain F. M. Riley, Cashier Cumberland National Bank ; A. S. Emell, Cashier of Glassboro National Bank ; Captain C. P. Brown, ex-Treasurer city of Trenton ; J. S. Kiger, Deputy Adjutant-General of New Jersey ; Rev. Mr. Tullis, G. R. Dan- enhower, wholesale grocer, Camden ; Colonel W. E. Potter, Bridgeton ; Captain E. L. Stratton, ex-Judge of Gloucester County Court ; Colonel J. Howard Willetts, ex-Senator of Cumberland county, and many others.
We naturally feel proud of the old Twelfth New Jersey, Third Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. Long may her survivors live to enjoy the hon- ors they so nobly gained in fighting for our country and the glorious Stars and Stripes, the emblem of the greatest nation on the earth .- Reprint from N. J. Gazette, August IS, 1894.
REAMS TO APPOMATTOX.
After this, for a few weeks, we enjoy a welcome respite from tiresome raid or march. At times, in the front line on picket, then in the rear building forts and earthworks, or slash- ing timber, our lines are all the time pushing, extending to the left, or south ; and as they advanced the telegraph and railroad closely followed. A deep ditch or cut was made in the rear of our main line, so deep and wide that the trains ran by the most exposed places with nothing visible but smoke and steam, which served as a target for the rebel forts ; and every passing train called forth a shower of shot and shell, but we never knew of the trains being hit. September 6th to 11th, we occupied the front line, relieving some Fifth Corps troops in Fort Hell, a strong enclosed fortress or earthwork, built across the Jerusalem plank road, in one of the most exposed parts of the line ; and so close to the rebels, that deep ditches and roadways were built for the protection of men and teams passing in and out. The fort was well armed with heavy cannon and mortars, worked by a crew of trained artillerists ; equipped with all known engineering appliances for strength and safety-gabions, sand-bags, bomb-proofs, ditch, abattis, loop and port holes ; and a head shown above the works was certain death. Yet our week's stay passed pleasantly, with- out a fatal accident, and we again took position in the rear line. September 16th, the rebel cavalry, under Fitz Hugh Lee, (our present plucky Consul to Cuba) made a daring and successful raid. By a swift and silent night march, they passed around our left and rear, so far outside of our pickets as to cause no alarm, then swept down to the army pasture- fields at Sycamore Church, on the James River, fifteen miles away, where they routed our cavalry cattle guards, cut out a little drove of three thousand of our choicest steers, and were
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
well on their road back again, when our brigade was hurried out to cut them off. We made almost cavalry speed for six miles, to Prince George's Court House, where our road inter- cepted theirs, but were too late; they had passed by several hours before, and were now in their own lines with the whole drove, except a broken-legged steer and two played-out horses, captured by us. We stayed here at the Court House more - than a week, building a small fort, resting, and boiling our clothes in salt water, thus reducing our large stock of grey- backs. Our sutler came out with a fresh stock of tip-top (priced) goods, and many of the boys laid the foundation for a growl at the paymaster.
These were pleasant days, indeed. Such a relief to get away from dirty ditch and dangerous fort, from singing bullets and screeching shell, to rest amidst these grassy fields and shady groves. But all too soon is our picnic over, and again we take our week of duty in the front line, where the rebels taunt us by bawling and bellowing like cattle ; asking the price of beef, and how soon will we have another drove fat and ready ? Every night we had a grand display of fireworks, the mortar batter- ies on both sides exchanging their huge rocket-like shells ; crossing and re-crossing above us like meteors, requiring close mathematical calculations to keep out of their way. Those that burst in air, just in front, being the most. dangerous, the broken, jagged pieces often rattling like hail around us. They were not noticed so much in day time, being scarcely visible until they dropped beside you; then it was too late to get scared. October 26th, our corps was withdrawn from the front, and massed in rear for another quick movement and extension southward. Just before night, on the 27th, we moved to the extreme left of our lines, and at 3 a. m. on the 28th, moved out through the woods, pressing back the quarrelsome Johnnies, who resisted stoutly. The wounded began to come limping back ; we see some dead ones. The Vaughn Road is soon reached, where we find large trees felled across to block our way, but the pioneers soon open a path for the batteries, and we come in sight of Hatcher's Run at 7 o'clock. Here our regiment is deployed, and by a sharp dash
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The Men of Company F,
reach the stream, two or three rods wide. No time to pick a crossing place, ie jump in ; some places knee deep, often up to the armpits, while some of the lucky ones (writer included), strike a hole and are "out of sight ;" but our more fortunate color-bearer, Elwood Griscom, passed dry shod on a fallen tree, and thus outran us poor water-soaked sinners, and was the first man on the rebel earthworks, where he stood proudly waving the flag, shouting defiance at the fleeing rebels, and yelling for us, who had just received the ordinance of bap- tism, to hurry up ! get a move on !
Here we emptied the water from our shoes and pants, re- formed the line and passed out through a thick woods for sev- eral miles, until we struck the rebels at Fussell's, or Dabney's Mills, where the Boyden Road again crosses Hatcher's Run. Here we had a spirited engagement, lasting all the afternoon, known as the "Bull Pen" (we playing Taurus), the rebels appearing on all sides of us. Our regiment at one time was fight- ing both ways at once; the skirmishers firing to the front, while the reserves " about faced " and fired to the rear, at the time Captain Slater and others were taken prisoners. We re- tired during the night and enduring the heavy rain, mud and darkness until daylight found us back where we joined the Baptist Church twenty hours previously, with over six hundred prisoners and three rebel flags. Here our lines were fortified and held ever afterwards. We had extended two miles. Dur- ing November we were in and out of the front line; sometimes in the trenches, on outposts, building forts or throwing up earthworks. December 8th, we settled down in winter quar- ters, at Hatcher's Run, near the terminus of the military rail- road, where we quietly passed the winter months. Near the last of February we were called out to witness the military ex- ecution of a recaptured deserter from a New York regiment (the Thirty-fourth), of our division. The whole corps was formed in hollow square, facing inward; the prisoner, on foot and under a strong guard, followed his coffin clear around the square to his open grave. Here, seated on his coffin, his feet were tied together, hands tied behind him, eyes bandaged, and after a short prayer by the Chaplain, twelve men selected ' for this duty, their guns being previously loaded by an officer.
Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. 87
unseen by them, eleven of the guns had bullets, the twelfth only powder; so that any compunctions about shooting a man were supposed to be quieted by not knowing who had that harmless gun. They formed in single rank about twenty yards in front of the culprit, over whose heart a two-inch square piece of paper was pinned. The Chaplain held up a hand in benediction. Ready! aim! fire! He fell sideways across the coffin, with his head hanging over the grave. Every one of the eleven bullets had pierced his breast inside of a six-inch circle; but to make sure of the work, a surgeon examined the body, and with a pistol put a shot through his head. The body was placed in the coffin, lid nailed down, put in the grave, and quickly covered up, while the troops marched back to quarters strongly impressed with their own fate if caught deserting.
The weather was unusually severe during this winter en- campment. Many cold storms, snow, sleet and freezing weather rendered our picket duties very unpleasant. No moves of importance until February 5th, when we again ad- vanced to the run; but farther down and much nearer the rebel works than on our previous visit. The cavalry and Fifth Corps advanced on our left, but came back in a great hurry, with the Johnnies right on their heels. Smythe's brigade soon gave them the "right about," and they retired to their works in the woods. We fortified and held this new line until some time in March, when a general activity seemed to pervade both armies, preparing for what we all felt must be the final struggle. The picket firing grew worse. No more friendly chats with the Johnnies; they seemed angry and excited, like a nest of hornets. The bombardment and cannonading grew heavier, often lasting nearly all night. The mortar shells, with flan- ing trail and graceful flight, passed back and forth in beautiful curves, superbly grand at a distance, but infernally dangerous at close quarters.
March 25th, the rebels, under General Gordon, broke through the Union lines at Fort Steadman. As a diversion, our divi- sion made a sharp reconnoisance and captured their intrenched picket line, which their best efforts failed to re-take. But in the skirmish we lost one of our best men, Allen Baker, the last man killed in the company-a grand soldier and comrade, who
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The Men of Company F,
had passed unscathed through so many terrible battles, only to fall with victory in sight. March 29th, the Twenty-fourth Corps relieved the Second and Fifth in the intrenchments. We moved to the left, near our old "Bull Pen," while Sheridan, with his splendid division of cavalry, supported by the Fifth Corps, made a grand push for the South Side Railroad, which they reached March 31st. The decisive battle of Five Forks was fought April Ist, in the mud and rain, which fell so un- ceasingly that the bottom dropped out of the roads. The fields and woods were a quagmire. MUD, in capital letters, reigned supreme. The poor disheartened rebels could neither reinforce nor run. While Fighting Phil Sheridan, to whom mud and rain had no terrors, kept his cavalry and artillery on the jump, through mud up to their bellies, and gained such a glorious victory, coupled with an advance of our whole front, that the rebels were forced back, their lines shattered and broken in many places. Our regiment broke through near the Crow House, at 8 a. m., April 2d, and soon the whole rebel lines were in our possession, except a few enclosed forts, near Peters- burg, which held out till after noon. General Lee, with his whole army, retreated during the night. Next morning, April 3d, Richmond and Petersburg were occupied by our troops, and that long and weary siege was ended. With hardly a halt, we pushed the fleeing Johnnies up the south bank of the Appomattox River to Farmville, where they crossed over the high bridge, which they partly burned; but the low wagon bridge was saved, and we were again at their heels, with no thought of pity, pushing and shoving them back, capturing their artillery and wagons. Their men, weak and faint from lack of food and rest, fall out by the roadside, unable to hold out any longer. We took them prisoners by twos, tens and hundreds. We found two of their brass pieces in the woods, covered with leaves, their horses too weak to haul them any further. We found their guns everywhere: by road, tree and fence. Men too weak to carry them further. Yet that plucky remnant kept up a bold front, the rear often turning and facing us with all their old-time valor; checking our columns and driving back our skirmishers, until outflanked, they fall back to the next hill, and turn again like some wild beast at bay.
!
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
Pity or mercy we had none; we knew we had them on the run. We kept them going until April 8th, when Sheridan, with his cavalry and the Twenty-fourth Corps, by a long de- tour to the left, got in front of their retreating columns and planted his troops squarely across the path of the fleeing rebels. On Sunday, April 9th, with this impregnable line in front, and the Fifth, Sixth and Second Corps pushing and shoving their rear, they began to realize that they were whipped. The white flag was shown on their lines, though not in our imme- diate front. Our brigade continued skirmishing until 9 o'clock, when the order was given to halt and cease firing. We soon knew that they were negotiating with Grant for a surrender; but our position, far to the right and in the woods, kept us from seeing what was going on. Our first certain knowledge of a surrender was gained at 11 o'clock from the headquarters' band, who began playing "Home, Sweet Home," and the long agony was over. Immediately all discipline was relaxed. Our lines were broken up. and confusion reigned supreme; with hats, coats and shoes flying through the air, we whooped and yelled like wild men, till, perfectly exhausted, we dropped down; while tears of joy flowed down those sun-burned cheeks, before too tough for tears. This wild demonstration was shared by all, both rebels and Yankees, and kept up for hours. A wild, delirious mob, drunk with joy! Many of the rebels, but rebels no longer-now comrades, came over among us looking for something to eat; and they got it. Everything we had was theirs. No boasting or taunting about being whipped; they were too good soldiers for that. Such plucky, brave fighters had won our respect, and we gladly shared with then our hard-tack and coffee, as we swapped reminiscences of the times when we were foemen-now friends.
"Then came the dove of peace, serene and white, And hovered o'er us with glad wings of light ; Strong men, with nerves of steel, shed tears that day, When gentle peace swept want and war away."
In the evening the Johnnies went back to their own lines, and we established our pickets, just as usual; but no spiteful shots or wild alarms disturbed our happy dreams. Sweet peace had come to stay.
APPOMATTOX TO MULLICA HILL.
The day after the surrender, we held our position in line of battle, with pickets thrown out in front, so that we saw noth- ing of the ceremonies incident thereto, which were quietly con- ducted on the following terms, viz .:
APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE, April 9.
General R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A .:-
In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the Sth instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, on the following terms, to wit :
Rolls of the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officers as you may designate.
The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regi- mental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands.
The arms, artillery, and public property, to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage.
This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their parole, and the laws in force where they reside.
Very respectfully, U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
The parole, signed by each officer, with a list of the men in his command, for whom he was held responsible, was as fol- lows :
We, the undersigned, prisoners of war, belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia, having this day been surrendered by General R. E. Lee, commanding said army, to Lieutenant-General Grant, commanding the Armies of the United States, do hereby give our solemn parole of honor that we will not hereafter serve in the Armies of the Confederate States, or in any military capacity whatever against the United States of
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
America, or render aid to the enemies of the latter, until properly ex- changed in such manner as shall be mutually approved by the respective authorities.
The number of men paroled was nearly twenty-eight thou- sand, the number of prisoners captured between March 25th and April 8th was over thirty thousand, the known number of killed and wounded during that period was nine thousand, eight hundred and ten, and the deserters and stragglers who took French leave during the retreat and surrender will never be known, but presumably twelve or fifteen thousand ; show- ing conclusively that General Lee had at least eighty thousand men when we routed him from the intrenchments of Peters- burg and Richmond, yet they claim less than fifty thousand !
April 11th, we unloaded our guns and cleaned them up, and at 10 o'clock started back for Richmond by short and easy marches; but on the second day halt at Burkville Junction, awaiting news from Sherman, who had another section of the rebel army confronting him in North Carolina. Here, on April 15th, the news came of the murder of President Lincoln, and our joy was turned to sorrow. We grew distrustful of our rebel friends, thinking this was a part of some vile scheme to undo our good works ; but our rebels seemed just as sorry as we were, and denounced the assassin in the strongest terms ! On the ISth, the whole army held divine service, in memory of our martyred President, with minute guns firing all day of the funeral. 28th, word came that Joe Johnson's forces had surrendered. On May 2d, we broke camp for the homeward march, by easy stages ; no need for hurry now ; no skirmish- ers, no flankers. We reach Manchester, opposite Richmond, on May 5th, where we camp for the night; and, next morning, cross the James River on the pontoon bridge, getting our first view of Belle Isle, Castle Thunder and Libby Prison, those vile hell-holes, where so many Union prisoners were tortured and starved to death ! Much of the city had been burned, and the only citizens visible were the colored folks with buckets of ice water, which they kindly offered to us in unlimited quan- tity. We passed Jeff Davis' house, but he wasn't at home ; though we heard later that he was down in Georgia helping
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The Men of Company F,
his wife wear out her petticoats. We made no stop to see the city, but moved right on through those once formidable earth- works, out in the country, by many of our old battlefields- Tolopotamy, North Anna, skirting Cold Harbor and Spottsyl- vania, over those storm-swept heights of Fredericksburg; cross again the familiar Rappahannock, and camp at night by the historic Lacy House ; then on past Acquia Creek, and up through Virginia to Munson's Hill, eight miles from Wash- ington, where, on May 15th, we make our last camp. May 24th, we are a part of that grand review, said to have been the greatest military pageant ever seen in this country ; no play soldiers, but every man an experienced fighter ; yet we saw but very little of it, our business was to be seen. Maybe we didn't hold our heads up, and step proudly ; but I think we did ! And as we passed the White House, what keen grief and expressions of sorrow, that grand old "Father Abraham " was not there to greet the boys who loved him so well. After the review, while marching back to our camp, we saw two four-mule teams (drawn up by the road-side to let us pass) loaded with fresh bread, going out to some of the camps, and, being hungry, we hailed the teamsters to know who owned the bread. They replied, "Uncle Sam," and as we belonged to him likewise, we assimilated that bread until not a loaf re- mained.
June 4th, we were formally mustered out of the United States service, and on June 11th, we were furnished transporta- tion for Trenton, N. J., in fine Pull-man cars ; that is, the en- gine did pull-the-man, in a train of shabby old freight cars. Most of us made the passage on the upper deck, reaching Trenton at 10 a. m. on June 12th, hungry, tired and penniless; but nobody seemed to know we were coming ; no arrange- ments for anything to eat. Somebody had blundered, and our first day back in little Jersey, "God's Country," as we had been calling it, came near witnessing a bread riot, being only quieted by the kindness of Colonel Chew and other officers, who had some money, buying the whole stock of cheese and soda crackers from the nearby groceries, thus quieting our hunger and the fears of the Governor and merchants that we
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Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
were about to carry off the town. Next day the Governor thought to appease us by giving a State dinner, which we swallowed down, but not the remembrance of his action in vetoing that bill allowing us to vote while in the service. We were paid off and discharged on June 17th. At 4 p. m. took the train to Camden; then hired a stage and reached Mullica Hill at 2 o'clock in the morning, Sunday, June 18th. No recep- tion committee, no fuss, no brass band, everybody asleep, whilst we quietly shed the name and clothes of soldier, and took on those of citizen.
"SECOND RELIEF."
LIFE SKETCHES, MEN OF CO. F.
WILLIAM H. ADAMS
Was one of that squad of men who were recruited at Beverly, for the purpose of forming a company in the Twelfth Regi- ment; but they failed to complete their organization until after our ten company letters were all taken. Then about forty of them were brought down to our camp, at Woodbury, and di- vided up; a part in Company I, part in Company E, part in Company D, and eight of them in our Company-F; and those eight men composed our "Beverly Squad." William H. Adams was the bright and shining star of the lot-the only one always with us. Never sick or off duty, except when wounded; and ready to whoop and yell at Appomattox. He enlisted August 9, 1862, having just completed his seventeenth year. He was a farmer boy-of neat appearance, medium height, light complexion, slender form and rugged health. He seemed to enjoy our camp-life, and labored earnestly to master the mysteries of drill, guard and manual of arms. He quickly made friends in the company and gave cheerful obedience to all orders. He took his full share of danger and duty, and kept that smiling face and happy disposition right with him through all our trials and hardships, our battles, skirmishes, camps and marches, during those three thrilling years. He was slightly wounded at Morton's Ford, February 6, 1864, but did not leave the company. At Cold Harbor he was struck by a heavy limb, cut from a tree in front of us by a passing cannon-ball; and so badly stunned as to be taken to the rear for dead. But a few days in the hospital put him in good shape, and he continued on duty until after Lee surrendered and we had marched back to Munson's Hill, Va. Here he got in a hurry to see his "best girl," and got a twenty-days' fur- lough. It had not yet expired when we were mustered out of
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The Men of Company F, .
the United States service, June 4, 1865, which explains why he appears on the rolls as, "Discharged at Trenton, June 19, 1865." He is now a prosperous farmer, near Burlington, N. J. He holds the confidence of his friends and neighbors, and greatly enjoys the friendship of his old comrades at his happy home, where four stalwart sons stand ready to follow in their father's footsteps-in support of our own grand old flag, or that of poor suffering Cuba.
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