USA > New Jersey > New Jersey and the rebellion : a history of the service of the troops and people of New Jersey in aid of the Union cause, Pt. 1 > Part 11
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again, went back, and this time succeeded in getting orders. Our regiments were ordered to a position in which they might serve partly as a support to a battery and partly as a repelling party, if it became necessary. This battle of Monday was one of the severest of the march, and lasted all the afternoon. Thic Jersey troops took no active part in it, although they were under a tremendous fire. In fact the storm of battle over them was furious-they were compelled to lay flat upon their faces, shelter- ing themselves behind logs as best they could, the whole afternoon.
"At about midnight the army was again put in motion, and marched down the road to our left-the road for which we had fought so desperately-towards the James river. We were obliged to leave our wounded behind to fall into the enemy's hands, but there was no help for it; we had no means of transporting them, and as our salvation depended upon our reaching the James river as soon as possible, we had to push on.
"Our division marched down the road over the battle field in perfect silenec-long lines of men-those whose turn it was to bring up the rear-being drawn up on either side as we passed through. This we went forward all night unmolested, at seven o'clock in the morning of July 1st, reaching a high hill or platcan of land, in sight of which was the long and ardently looked for James river. We rested on the brow of this hill about an hour and then again took up the march for Harrison's Landing- bearing down the river instead of going towards it. As we were leaving this hill the rebels came out of the woods to the brow of another hill some distance on the left and in the rear of us, and our brigade had hardly left the hill before they opened fire. Another battle-und the one in which the rebels confess to the greatest loss, that of Turkey Bend-occurred here, commencing but a short time after the New Jersey Brigade had left. We continued our march three or four miles and then camped in the woods by the side of the road until midnight, when we again pushed on, reaching this place (Harrison's Landing) about eight o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, July 2d.
"On arriving we were marched into a wheat field, comprising some six hundred or eight hundred acres, and immediately encamped. We now felt that our troubles were ended, for we were on the banks of the James, on the placid face of which, immediately in our front, lay the dreaded Monitor, the Galena and several other gunboats, under whose guns was assurance of perfect safety."
86
NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
Jackson, with a force of twenty thousand men, reached Cedar Mountain, in the vicinity of which he immediately offered battle, being confronted by Banks' Corps, numbering in all some eigh thousand men, who, after a desperate contest, were forced from the field with a considerable loss both of men and material. On the 11th, aware that his communications were likely to be broken, Jackson hurriedly retreated across the Rapidan, and Pope, ascer- taining some four days after, that the whole rebel army was rapidly assembling to overwhelm him, retired across the Rappahannock, and there, guarding and fortifying the fords, awaited the enemy.
Meanwhile, on the 3d, General Mcclellan had been ordered to withdraw his army from the Peninsula by water to Acquia Creek, but it was not until the 10th that he commenced vigorously to execute the order. Ten days later Porter's Corps embarked at Newport News, and on the 24th the entire force had landed at Alex- andria. Heintzelman's and Porter's Corps were at once pushed for- ward to the relief of Pope, the latter taking position at Warrenton Junction, and the former in the neighborhood of Bealton Station. Franklin's Corps landing on the 24th, the First Brigade was marched to Cloud's Mills, where it remained until the 26th. By this time, Lee having brought up nearly his entire army, struck our lines with great force at various points, inflicting heavy loss, and gaining positive advantages-Jackson, as usual, being in the advance, and having carried Manassas Junction with all its stores, munitions and supplies. Two Ohio Regiments, hearing of the disaster on the 27th advanced upon the Junction, but were soon beaten back with loss, the rebel cavalry pursuing as far as Fairfax. Meantime, the First Brigade, now reduced to eleven hundred men20 under orders from General Franklin, was sent forward (on the 27th) by rail to Bull Run bridge, where, debarking, two regiments, together with the Eleventh and Twelfth Ohio, were disposed to guard the bridge, and the remainder of the command pushed forward to the old bat-
30 The four regiments number now, fit for duty, one thousand one hundred men. The First has about three hundred; the Second two hundred and fifty ; the Third three hundred and seventy-five, and the Fourth seventy-tive men."-Letter to Newark Adver. tiser, July 25th.
87
THE FIRST BRIGADE.
tle-field. At this time it was supposed that no more formidable body of the enemy than gangs of guerrillas would be encountered at that point, but this was soon found to be a mistake. As the column neared the battle-field, the officers descried through their glasses considerable bodies of troops in front, showing, however, the American colors, and at first firing only blank cartridges. This, however, proved to be only a stratagem to draw our forces into their power; and discovering the deception, General Taylor at once determined to charge and carry the enemy's battery, now in full view. Hardly, however, had he come within charging distance, when he was opened upon with a distructive fire from two other batteries on the right and left, which up to this time had been masked. At the same time the rebel infantry opened, and for an hour the little column was exposed to a fire of grape and balls, which produced fearful havoc in the ranks-the men, however, stand- ing bravely up to their work, until it was no longer possible to en- dure the leaden storm.21 Even then, they fell back deliberately and in good order, though sorely pressed by the enemy, with both artillery and cavalry. Reaching the Bull Run bridge, the battle was again sharply renewed by the wasted regiments, who, however, were presently relieved by the Eleventh and Twelfth Ohio. About this time General Taylor was severely wounded in the leg, several officers and a large number of men had fallen, and the enemy press- ing down in overpowering force, the field was abandoned-the command marching to Fairfax Station, and thence to Cloud's Mills, where it arrived at noon on the 28th.
Few engagements of that memorable and disastrous compaign were more hotly and desperately contested than this, and in nonc were the Union forces so largely outnumbered. Not only was General Taylor without cavalry and artillery, but his men were ex- hausted by rapid marching under a scorching sun, and were, more- over, at the very outset of the engagement surprised and ambushed by the enemy. It was said at the time by some carping critics.
"1 Stonewall Jackson, who was present on the field, afterwards said that he had rarely seen a body of men who stood up so gallantly, in the face of overwhelming odds, as did the Jersey troops on this occasion.
أحمد سـ
88
NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
anxious to find a target for their malignity," that General Taylor was criminally in fault in having undertaken such a movement without artillery and cavalry supports, but he did precisely as he was ordered, and the responsibility of the blunder, if blunder it was, rests elsewhere than with him. He, as brave a soldier as ever went a-field, fell a sacrifice to his habit of obeying orders, however unwelcome or perilous the service they imposed ;?? and mayhap, had the sneaking grumblers who then and all through the war dashed with venomed pens the reputation of every commander who failed to achieve the impossible, been with him in the ranks, in- stead of skulking out of reach of danger, on that bloody day, the field had been won instead of lost. The losses of the brigade during this engagement were nine killed, one hundred and eight wounded, forty-five missing, and one hundred and sixty-six taken prisoners-the latter being subsequently paroled.23
At other points of the field the battle still raged with growing
2º General Taylor died at Alexandria September 1st, from the effects of the amputation of his wounded limb.
23 The following is the official statement of losses :
Killed.
Wounded.
Missing.
Paroled.
General and Staff.
2
-
1
First Regiment.
1
47
2
78
Second
8
39
31
45
Third
14
7
43
Fourth
6
5
-
Among the officers wounded were Captains Wildrick, Bishop and Stalil, of the Sec- ond Regiment, Captain Stickney and Lieutenants Carr and Taylor, (the latter a nephew ' of the General, ) of the Third, and Captain Nippins, of the Fourth. Captain Nippins had just been released from prison in Richmond, and reached the camp of his regiment only the night before the advance.
A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press says of the operations of General Taylor's force: "Their orders were to take the position held by the enemy, at all hazards, but they were not provided with a single piece of artillery. When General Taylor ap- proached the rebel batteries they pointed their guns in another direction, causing him to suppose they were our forces firing on the enemy. He then moved forward to sup- port them, when two batteries opened on him and disclosed their true character.
" Finding out their true character, General Taylor gave the order to charge and take the battery by storm. They proceeded to within three hundred yards of the rebel battery, when the fire became so murderous and our men fell so fast, that Taylor found it would be impossible to take the battery, and therefore gave the order to march off the field in line of battle. This was done in an excellent manner. # During the whole of the charge on the rebel battery, the New Jersey Brigade did not fire a single gun, although they were under a murderous fire for an hour and a half. General Taylor wanted to take the place by the bayonet. Had he been supplied with a battery of artillery he could, no doubt, have driven the rebels out of their entrenchiments."
89
1
THE FIRST BRIGADE.
fury. On the 28th, Pope, who had awakened at last to a sense of his danger, pushed forward all his available forces upon Centreville, whence General Kearney's Division was on the following morning advanced against Stonewall Jackson, then near Gainesville. Here a large part of both armies became engaged, Kearney fighting with magnificent gallantry, and sweeping the enemy's first line clear from the field, being, however, later in the day, repulsed in turn, and night closing with both armies resting on the field. Pope, however, was really beaten, and from that time forward, expected reinforcements not arriving, struggled against hope. On the 30th, Porter making a feeble attack, was repulsed, and the enemy pursu- ing his advantage, joined battle along the entire front, so crippling our recoiling columns, that at eight o'clock in the evening, the army was directed to withdraw, which it deliberately did, taking position near Centreville, where Franklin's Corps had by this time arrived. Lee, determining upon striking our right, advanced Jack- son toward Fairfax Court House, where, on the evening of Septem- ber 1st, he was confronted by two divisions of Sumner's Corps, and subsequently, also by Kearney's Division, the latter closing the fight by driving the enemy from the field. The victory, however, was a costly one-General Kearney, while riding forward on a reconnoissance, being shot dead, when almost within the rebel lines, while General Stevens and other gallant officers had also fallen. But Jackson's repulse secured the safe withdrawal of our shattered army, which, no longer annoyed, drew back within the entrenchments on the south bank of the Potomac-the First Bri- gade resuming its old position at Camp Seminary.24
" The following is Colonel Torbert's report of the operations of the brigade, after Colonel Taylor's death :
"HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS, November 26, 1862.
"SIR: I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by this brigade in General Pope's campaign in Virginia. The brigade, about sixteen hundred strong, marched from Alexandria August 29th, and camped at Benton's Tavern, (on the Little River Turnpike, ) about seven miles. August 30th, marched to Fairfax Court House ; there received orders from General Slocum to leave four companies and picket all of the roads running out of that place, and to encamp with the balance of my brigade and Captain Hexamer's Battery on the Centreville pike, about two miles from Fairfax Court House. Left four companies of the First Regiment, under command of Captain Baker, 12
90
NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
But the weary and footsore soldiers were not yet to find rest. Lee, immediately upon Pope's retreat, dispatched Hill's fresh division, in the rear of his army, to Leesburg, thence crossing the Potomac and moving on Frederick, where his entire force was con- centrated on September 8th. General McClellan, who was again in supreme command, at once brought his several corps across the Potomac, and advanced upon Frederick, which he entered on the 12th, the rebels having already moved westward, a portion to- wards Harper's Ferry, and the remainder towards Hagerstown. On the 13th, our advance came up with the enemy in force before Tur- ner's Gap of South Mountain, where, on the 14th, he was assailed and steadily pushed back, until the crest of the mountain was won, and the day at all points was ours. Meanwhile, Franklin's Corps had advanced cautiously by way of Rockville and Burkettsville, towards South Mountain, reaching, at noon on the 14th the pass
who carried out the above instructions. Eneamped as above ordered and sent one company of the First Regiment to Germantown, on the Little River Turnpike, and picketed from there across to the Centreville pike, and half a mile beyond, with de- tachments from my four regiments-the picket linc running about half a mile in front of my position. August 31st, relieved the four companies of the First Regiment at Fairfax Court House by six companies of the Second Regiment, under command of Major Duffy, with orders to act as Provost Marshal and picket strongly on the Flint Hill and Vienna road, Falls Church road, and Fairfax Station road, and guard a number of prisoners there. Early in the morning I doubled my pickets, extending them to the right of Germantown and about a mile up the Little River pikc.
"About three p. m., I was in Fairfax Court House, where a dispatchi was sent me that the enemy liad captured Captain Highit's Second Cavalry, on the Little River pike, about three miles from Germantown, and were advancing on my pickets. I immediately started to my camp, and near the town met a few of the company above referred to and Lieutenant Harrison, of the cavalry, whom I took with me. I then took half of the Fourthi Regiment, under Colonel Hatch, to reinforce the pickets, and arrived very opportunely at the picket line, as the enemy's cavalry were advancing on the Little River pike, but seeing my forec, halted, and then retired. About dark, I received orders from General Pope to send two regiments and two pieces of artillery as a guard to the trains en route to Alexandria, as far as Cloud's Mills. I sent, accordingly, the First and Third Regiments, leaving me two regiments and four pieces of artillery. .
" Near S p. m., the enemy brought three picces of artillery into position at the edge of a wood, between the two turnpikes, about three hundred yards from the pickets and the same distance from the Centreville pike, where the trains were moving. They tired six shots into the train and my camp, killing two or three horses and stampeding the train. Drivers deserted their wagons and the greatest confusion prevailed. My guards, stationed on the road to arrest stragglers, by great exertions stopped the train and re- stored order, forcing men to take charge of the wagons and drive them to Alexandria and towards Centreville.
" I immediately advanced a part of my picket line opposite the (rebel) artillery, which retired ; prepared my own artillery for action, and sent the Second Regiment up on the
91
THE FIRST BRIGADE.
through Crampton's Gap, just beyond Burkettsville, and several miles southwest of the point at which our advance was already en- gaged. Here, General Howell Cobb, with three brigades, was advantageously posted. The road at this point is narrow and winds up the mountain in long reaches ; and the enemy had availed himself of every advantage of his position, every crag, and tree, and rock, affording shelter to his men. At the foot of the most precipitous part of the hill his infantry was posted behind stone walls, while along the slopes were detachments of sharp-shooters, and the only point at which an attempt to scale the heights could possibly be made, was swept by eight pieces of artillery. Notwith- standing, however, the great strength of the position, it was de- termined to attack without delay, and Newton's Brigade of Slo- cum's Division was ordered up to strike the initial blow, while the New Jersey Brigade, now commanded by Colonel Torbert, was directed to support Newton's advance. Simultaneously with this movement, General Brook's Brigade of Smith's Division, was sent to skirmish the mountain, and advance upon the extreme right flank of the enemy. It had, however, a long distance to traverse,
Centreville pike, opposite the point where the train was shelled. Then sent a staff officer to report to General Pope the state of affairs. General Pope ordered a brigade, five regiments, under command of Colonel Hinks, and two batteries from the rear to report to me that night. None of them arrived, however, until next morning (Septem- ber 1st) about - o'clock, when I put two regiments on picket, and the others in position, with the right resting on Germantown, the latter place being about half a mile from my headquarters. About nine a. m. the enemy's cavalry pickets wounded one of mine; a few shots being exchanged they retired.
"Late in the afternoon, I received orders from General Pope to move my brigade to Germantown, with a notification that General Hooker had command of all troops at that point and Fairfax Court House. I then reported to General Hooker at the above mentioned place, where I remained in line of battle all night, the most of the time in a drenching rain. As I was going to Germantown I received a despatch from General Pope to send back on the road to Washington and hurry up all troops on the way to the front, and order up those in camp on the road. I at once started a staff officer to carry out the order, which he did, leaving the dispatch at General MeClellan's headquarters.
" My other two regiments, and the six companies, under Major Duffy, from Fairfax Court House, joined me next morning, (September 2d,) and that afternoon and night my brigade was marched to Fairfax Seminary, near Alexandria.
"Much credit is due to Major Duffy, Captain Dunham, A. A. A. G. ; Lieutenant Wilson, of the Third Regiment, A. A. D. C., and also Lieutenant Harrison, of the Second Cavalry, who acted as aide de camp till September 2d.
"A. T. A. TORBERT."
92
NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
and thus the engagement was a single straightforward attack by Slocum's Division, with a contingency on the rebel flank in case the resistance was insurmountable. Steadily the men of Newton's Brigade advanced to the charge, pushing the enemy before them, and leaping all the obstructions in the way.23 Then, at the word of command, Torbert's Brigade moved promptly forward, pressing up to the foot of the steep declivity. Here the flying enemy ral- lied behind the wall, evidently expecting to hold it, and check our advance. But he was mistaken. Again the Brigade, with a cheer, rushed resistlessly forward, carrying the position ; and dash- ing up the rocky slopes, in the face of a perfect storm of balls, drove the enemy, crouching at every angle, from the very summit of the hill far down on the further side,26 the pursuit only pausing when night closed upon the scene. During the pursuit a large number of prisoners were taken, 27 especially from Cobb's Brigade, nearly the whole of the Cobb Legion being captured, with their colors, bearing the inscription, "Cobb's Legion-in the name of the Lord.""" The colors of the Sixteenth Virginia Regiment were also taken, and the enemy, whose dead were thickly strewn along the stony slope, lost also one gun-saving the remaining pieces only with the greatest difficulty, so sudden and resistless was the charge of the Jersey veterans. The total loss of the Brigade during the day, in killed and wounded, was one hundred and seventy-four, Adjutant Studdiford, of the Fourth Regiment, being among the former .??
" These obstructions consisted of six rail fences and two stone walls, all of which were held by the enemy's infantry.
26 Ellis's "Diary of an Army Surgeon " says of this charge: "It is hardly possible to conceive how this position could have been carried; but it was, with little delay and loss by our men. After the battle, it was found that it was a work of no small difficulty to climb the precipitous side of the hill."
Major-General Newton informs the writer that this was one of the most gallant charges he ever witnessed, and others who witnessed it uniformly bear the same testimony. Had a force of cavalry been at command, the whole opposing force might, it is believed, have been captured.
" Our aggregate trophies were four hundred prisoners, one gun, and seven hundred small arms.
" The Cobb Legion, commanded by the General's brother, was terribly cut up; but few of its number came out of the action alive. Besides the fire of our advance col- umnn, they suffered from an enfilading fire on both sides. Several rebel officers were killed, and many taken prisoners."-Diary of an Army Surgeon.
" The following were the losses by regiments : First Regiment, killed 7, wounded
93
THE FIRST BRIGADE.
We have seen that a part of Lee's army, upon its arrival at Frederick, had been detached to operate against Harper's Ferry. On the 15th, that post, after a show of resistance on the part of General Miles, who there held command, was surrendered to Jack- son, who, fearing that Lee was pressed, at once marched with his command to rejoin his chief, which he did on the following morning at Antietam. Meanwhile, McClellan pushing forward his advance,
34; Second Regiment, killed 13, wounded 42; Third Regiment, killed 11, wounded 29; Fourth Regiment, killed 9, wounded 27. Total killed, 40; total wounded, 132.
A letter from the Second Regiment to the Newark Advertiser, dated the day after the battle, says : "We pursued the enemy until we were so fatigued we could go no further, and achieved a complete victory-the rebels throwing down their arms and begging for merey. A little squad of six, under the Adjutant of the Third Regiment, took a lieu- tenant and eleven men prisoners." Another correspondent, writing to the same paper, says: "When we relieved Newton's Brigade, and opened fire on the enemy, they were at the foot of the mountain, some three hundred yards from us. We had not fired over a dozen rounds, when Colonel Torbert ordered a charge over the fence, and at it we went, across the field at a double quick. The rebels stood their ground until we got within twenty yards of them, when they broke and ran like sheep, and we after them. At some points the hill was so steep that we had to go upon 'all fours,' but we gained the top. Here they were reinforeed by another brigade, but our boys were too much for the entire lot, and we soon got them running again, and kept right on in pursuit until we gained the opposite side of the mountain."
The following is Colonel Torbert's congratulatory order to the brigade :
" HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, ) SIXTH CORPS, CAMP IN CRAMPTON'S PASS, MARYLAND, September 15, 1862.
General Orders.
"Soldiers of the First New Jersey Brigade :- The [14th day of September, 1662, is one long to be remembered, for on that day you dashingly met and drove the enemy at every point. Your advance in line of battle, under a galling artillery fire, and final bayonet charge, was a feat seldom if ever surpassed. The heights you took show plainly what determined and well disciplined soldiers can do.
"You have sustained the reputation of your State, and done great credit to your officers and yourselves. While we lament the death of our brave comrades who have fallen so gloriously, we can only commend their souls to God, and their sorrowing friends to his sure protection. May you go from victory to victory is the hope and wish of the Colonel Commanding Brigade.
A. T. A. TORBERT, Colonel Commanding.
Colonel Torbert's official report of this brilliant affair, dated September 16th, is as follows :
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