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 13
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"In the withdrawing of the First New Jersey Volunteers they lost their gallant leader, Colonel M. W. Collett.
"All the regiments beliaved with the utmost gallantry, holding their ground against overwhelming odds, and when retiring, contesting every inch of the same. In this short fight, of some only two and a half hours duration, the brigade lost heavily in both officers and men. The brigade bivouacked for the night on the battle-field, when Colonel S. L. Buck, of the Second New Jersey Volunteers, assumed the command.
"During the morning of the 4th inst., the regiments of the brigade were assigned to various positions in line of battle and supporting batteries, but were not engaged. At sundown took up line of march for Banks's Ford, on reaching the banks of the river, occupied thie rifle-pits abandoned by the enemy, where we remained till near daylight on the morning of the 5th inst., when we crossed the river; during this movement Colonel S. L. Buck met with an accident which unfitted him for duty. The command was again turned over to Colonel Penrose. After crossing the river, moved down about two miles, where we went into eamp, remained there till the morning of the 7th inst., when we changed camp, remained there until the morning of the 8th inst., when we took up line of march for our present camp, arriving about two and a half p. m. Not being in command of brigade during action, I am unable to particularize in regard to regiments or officers, and I respectfully submit the enclosed regimental reports.
"Very respectfully your obedient servant, "W. H. PENROSE,
"Colonel Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers."
"HEADQUARTERS FIRST REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, !
May 12th, 1863. 1
"SIR: I have the honor to report, that on the 2Sth ult., orders were received by Colonel Collett, then commanding this regiment, to hold his command in readiness to move at three p. m., with the brigade. About two p. m., an order was received detail. ing the regiment to support two batteries of the Reserve Artillery, which were to be stationed near Grey Farm, about three miles below White Oak Church, on the river. The regiment accordingly proceeded with the batteries, until ordered by General Brooks, the division commander, to rejoin the brigade, which it did about two a. m., the day following; the division being then near the river below Falmouth, and about to cross. The crossing was accomplished at daylight, and the regiment remained on the south bank of the river until sunset, when it was ordered to the front with the brigade to occupy the pieket until the following evening; we were relieved by Bartlett's
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THE FIRST BRIGADE.
the 1st of July, General Meade having meanwhile succeeded to the command, the advance came up with the enemy at Gettysburg.
Brigade, and fell back to the second line. We occupied this position until Saturday, May 2d, when the line of pickets being ordered to advance, the regiment was thrown out on the extreme right of the line, and engaged the enemy's skirmishers, driving them back, being relieved after dark by the Thirty-third New York Regiment, and returning then to its former position.
"On Saturday, the 3d inst., the regiment was under arms at two a. m., and soon after sunrise, the brigade having been ordered to the front, we advanced some distance across the plain, taking up a position on the side of the old Richmond road, on the left of the heights, and in the rear of our batteries, where we remained under fire of the enemy's artillery until about noon.
"The heights above Fredericksburg having been carried, we now proceeded through the city, and passing over the heights, advanced along the plank road in the direction of Chancellorsville. The regiment was at this time in advance of the brigade.
"Having advanced some three miles beyond Fredericksburg, the regiment was formed in line of battle on the right of the road, the Second Regiment having been deployed as skirmishers in our front. The Third Regiment formed on our right, both being under command of Colonel Collett.
" Advancing in the rear of the skirmishers, the enemy opened upon us with artillery, being replied to by the batteries in our rear. The regiment advanced under fire from the enemy's skirmishers, until arriving near Salem Church, our skirmishers retired ; we advanced at a double quick, then the action became general, and we attacked the enemy, who was strongly posted behind brush fence and entrenchments, in a woods, on the right and left of the road, from which position destructive musketry fire was kept up on us. After severe fighting we were relieved, and fell back, having lost one hundred and five in killed, wounded and missing, besides the loss of our Colonel, M. W. Collett, who was killed while the regiment was retiring.
"The following day, the regiment remained in support of Battery G, Second United States Artillery, until evening, when we were ordered to fall back and to follow the road leading to Banks's Ford, where we crossed the river. The regiment returned to its old camp, at White Oak Chureli, on the Sth inst., with the brigade.
"Respectfully, your obedient servant, " WILLIAM HENRY, Jr.,
"Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Regiment. "JOHN T. WHITEHEAD, A. A. A. G.,
"First Brigade, First Division, Sixth Corps."
"HEADQUARTERS SECOND REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, CAMP NEAR WHITE OAK CHURCH, Va., May 10th, 1863.
"JOHN T. WHITEHEAD, A. A. A. G. :
"SIR: The movements of this regiment since breaking camp, April 28th, 1803, are as follows :
"Broke camp at two p. m. on Tuesday, the 2Sth ult., marched about three miles in the direction of the Rappahannock River, and about one mile from Fredericksburg, when the regiment halted and bivouacked for the night.
" Wednesday, 29th, struck tents about one o'clock a. m., and lay on our arms till morning ; at six o'clock we advaneed to and crossed the river in pontoon boats, formed line of battle on the river bank, remaining in the same position until sundown, when the regiment went on picket, relieving the One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers.
"Thursday, 30th, remained on picket until evening, when the regiment was relieved by the Twenty-Seventh New York Volunteers. We marched to the rifle pits in our rear and bivouacked for the night.
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
The First Brigade, which prior to this movement, had participated in various apparently aimless marches in Virginia, was at this time attached to Wright's Division of the Sixth Corps, and consisted of the First, Second, Third and Fifteenth Regiments and Hexamer's Battery-the Fourth Regiment being detailed for provost duty in Washington. The brigade crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry on the afternoon of June 27th, and marched rapidly forward to Manchester, where it arrived July 1st. On the following day, by
"Friday, May 1st, all day and all night in the rifle pits.
"Saturday, 2d, still in the rifle pits.
"Sunday, 3d, regiment under arms at three o'clock a. m. About eight a. m., the regiment was ordered to the front, and formed on the left of the First New Jersey Volunteers, where we were under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, but met with no casualties.
"About twelve a. m., six companies of the regiment were ordered to the right, the other four companies remaining as pickets, under command of Major Close. The six companies marched by way of Fredericksburg out on the Gordonsville road, where they deployed as skirmishers on the right and left of the road. Advanced about two miles, gallantly driving the enemy's skirmishers before them, and making several charges ; discovered and marched to within fifty paces of the enemy's line of battle, when they took an active part in the engagement, they being in front of our lines of battle, and picked off a number of the enemy's officers.
" While the battle was raging the other four (4) companies of the regiment, under Major Close, arrived from the left in time to take an active part in the engagement, and I mention with pride that they behaved with the greatest bravery, checking the pursuit of the enemy when the other regiments were compelled to retire. As regards the con- duet of the officers and men, I would state that it was all that could be desired. Where all exhibited such determination and gallantry it would be invidious to particularize, but private Richard M. Blake, of Company C, deserves special mention for his gallant and noble conduct in the engagement, and richly deserves to be rewarded. In the evening the regiment formed on the left of the road, being in excellent condition and ready for another engagement.
"Casualities during the day: Commissioned officers, killed none; wounded five; missing none. Enlisted men, killed three; wounded thirty-one; missing seventeen. Aggregate loss, fifty-six.
"Monday, 4th, remained in the same position until five p. m., when we were ordered to the left of the Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers, where we remained until seven p. m., when we fell back towards the Rappahannock River. Marched to within three- fourths of a mile of Banks' Ford, when the regiment was ordered to the front, as a reserve to the pickets.
"Lieutenant Whitehead, of Company I, and A. A. A. G. of the First Brigade, received a slight wound in the wrist.
"Tuesday, 5th, the regiment was withdrawn about two a. m., and crossed the river at Banks's Ford. Marched about one mile, and bivonacked in the woods.
" Wednesday, 7th, still in same place.
"Thursday, 7th, about three p. m. changed camp; moved about a mile.
"Friday, Sth, ordered to march at seven a. m. ; started at eight, and marched back to our old camp, near White Oak Church-found it occupied by artillery.
1
1
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THE FIRST BRIGADE.
a forced march of thirty-six miles, it reached Gettysburg, with only twenty-five men absent, and was at once sent into position on the left of the line-being drawn up in two lines in reserve. In this
"Ordered to occupy the old camp ground of the Fourth New Jersey Volunteers ; arriving about five p. m.
"Very respectfully your obedient serrant,
" CHARLES WIEBECKE, "Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Second Regiment, "New Jersey Volunteers."
"HEADQUARTERS THIRD NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, { May 9th, 1863.
"CAPTAIN JOHN T. WHITEHEAD, A. A. A. G.
"SIR: Report of the movements of the Third Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, attached to the First Brigade, First Division, Sixth Army Corps, Colonel H. W. Brown Commanding Brigade.
"Broke up camp near White Oak Church, Stafford County, Va., April 28th, at two and half o'clock, p. m .; at three o'clock, with three hundred and thirty-three (33S) rifles, formed with the brigade and moved towards the Rappahannock River; arrived to within about three-fourths of a mile of the same at near eight o'clock, and bivouacked with orders to be ready to move at eleven o'clock. April 29th, at five o'clock, a. m., received orders to move forward. Arrived at the river, erossed over in pontoons, and by seven o'clock were in line on the south bank, where we remained until five o'clock, p. m. We then moved to the front to relieve part of the first line (a regiment in Russell's Brigade), and threw out skirmishers.
" April 30th, at six o'clock, p. m., we were relieved by the Ninety-Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and moved back to line in rear of riffe pits on the banks of the river, where we remained until Sunday morning, May 3d, when we moved to left of front line in support of a battery; at eleven o'clock received orders and commeneed move- ment towards Fredericksburg; passed through that town, then moved in a southwest- erly direction; having advanced about three miles, fell in with the enemy, formed in line of battle, advanced about two miles to a piece of woods, where we met them in considerable forec and gave them battle, our engagement lasting about two and one- half hours, at a loss on our side of ninety-nine killed, wounded and missing, including four commissioned officers ; the Colonel commanding brigade, being elose to our colors, was also severely wounded. Our men fought bravely, and it were useless to attempt to particularize among the officers, when all seemed determined to excel.
"Having expended all our ammunition, we were ordered to retire ; fell baek about one - half mile and bivouacked for the night. Next morning (May 4th), at about seven o'clock, moved out to left front; remained until sundown, when, by order, we retired towards Banks's Ford; arriving near there, were ordered to the front in support of the outer piekets, where we remained until three o'clock, a. m. of May 5th; then retired over the river, near Banks's Ford, to the north side, about daylight; marched down the same about two miles, and, by order, bivouacked in a wood. May 7th, received orders to change camp. At noon, moved out about one-half a mile and bivouacked until next morning (May Sth), when, by order, took up line of march for White Oak Church, where we arrived about half-past one o'clock, p. m., and went into carp in and near old headquarters.
" Very respectfully, "JAMES W. H. STRICKNEY,
" Major Commanding."
The official reports of the Fifteenth and Twenty-Third Regiments are given in con- nection with the history of those regiments.
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
position it remained until the morning of the 3d, when it was de- tailed from the corps and advanced to the front centre of the line, strongly picketing the front-connecting on the right with the First Corps and on the left with the Fifth. The fighting being mainly on the right and centre, the brigade did not become engaged on this decisive day except on the picket line, where it sustained a loss of eleven men wounded. During both the 3d and 4th, when the brigade held the same position, the picket line was in charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Wiebecke, of the Second Regiment, who displayed throughout the utmost coolness and skill in the diffi- cult command. On the 5th, the enemy having fled from the field, the brigade joined in the pursuit, marching several miles in line of battle, covered by a heavy line of skirmishers. Late in the after- noon, the lagging rear-guard of the enemy was overtaken near Fairfield, when a sharp skirmish ensued, the rebels being driven in disorder a distance of two miles, with a loss of two killed and six prisoners, two of whom were officers-the brigade losing one killed and two wounded. From this point the brigade slowly advanced to the vicinity of Hagerstown, where, on the afternoon of the 11th, it again engaged the enemy, driving in his pickets, losing in the affair three officers and four men wounded. On the 14th, the march was renewed, and on the 19th, the Potomac was crossed at Berlin, the brigade reaching Warrenton on the 25th, and taking position on the Sulphur Springs Road. During all this time the men suffered uncomplainingly the rigors and severity of the march, and under all the circumstances in which they were placed dis- played the high soldierly qualities for which the brigade had become conspicuous.35
The brigade remained in camp near Warrenton until the 15th of September, when it removed to Culpepper Court House. During the month of October it participated in the movements along the Rappahannock, but subsequently again went into camp at Warren-
33 Colonel Torbert, in his official report, says : "Too much praise cannot be given to officers and men for their patience and endurance on this long and tedious march of about two hundred and fifty miles. There was by far less straggling than was ever known in this brigade before."
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THE FIRST BRIGADE.
ton, whence it moved to Rappahannock Station, being constantly in an exposed position but fortunately escaping loss, though shar- ing, as a part of the corps, in the splendid successes which attended this demonstration against the enemy. Early in December, the brigade encamped near Brandy Station, where it remained in win- ter quarters until late in April. During this time, Major Henry succeeded to the command of the First Regiment, and Colonel Torbert being assigned to the command of a cavalry division, Colonel Brown, of the Third, took charge, temporarily, of the brigade, to which the Tenth Regiment was added before the grand advance under Grant.
On the 4th of May, 1864, Grant having fully matured his plans, set all his columns in motion, moving straight across the Rapidan into the Wilderness, a broken table-land, covered with a dense under growth of hazel, with but few clearings, and intersected by numer- ous cross-roads, generally narrow, and bounded on either side by a thick growth of low-limbed and scraggy pines, stiff and bristling chinckapins, and scrub oaks. Grant hoped, if possible, to pass through the Wilderness without encountering the enemy, and con- centrate upon Spottsylvania Court House, thus turning Lee's posi- tion on the Rapidan; but the latter, keenly on the alert, though de- ceived for a moment, soon became aware of our purpose and pre- pared vigorously to frustrate it. Crossing the Rapidan without opposition, the Fifth Corps rested on the night of the 4th five miles from Germania Ford, General Sedgwick with the Sixth Corps resting between Warren and the river. At this time the First Jersey Brigade formed part of the First Division of this corps. On the morning of the 5th, the head of the Fifth Corps being near Parker's Store, on the Orange and Fredericksburg plank road, information was received that the enemy were coming up in force on the Orange Turnpike, and disposition was at once made to meet the assault, or to attack as might be required. Sedgwick, meanwhile, was ordered to move up and support Warren by taking
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
position on his right. Soon, the columns of the enemy under Hill and Ewell struck Warren heavily in front, the battle immediately becoming general. 'The battle-field in front of Warren at the time of assault, may be thus briefly described : In front was a brook, flowing northeasterly, spanned by a bridge at the turnpike-the road there rising to a ridge. On the southern slope was a house in the midst of a lawn and green meadows-beyond which were wooded hills and cedar thickets. On the right of the turnpike, by which the enemy advanced, the pines and cedars were thickly set, while still further to the right a ravine ran through-forming a ground of broken, irregular surface and almost impenetrable un- dergrowth. On either side of this ravine, the lines of Warren and Ewell were posted for battle. The Sixth Corps, moving into position, was attacked shortly after noon by Ewell's Corps, and the First Brigade being in the first line for a time sustained the brunt of the onset, expending one hundred rounds of ammunition before the conflict closed, and suffering severely. In this engagement, the brigade was formed on a ridge on the edge of the woods, the left resting on Warren, and the right curving off to the rear, winding up in a skirmish line. At the time the brigade came up, Warren had lost two guns, and was hard pressed by the enemy. The posi- tion of the. Jerseymen was in some respects almost impregnable, the wilderness in their rear being of the densest description ; the briers in some places being so thick that it was necessary to tramp them down before the men could pass through. Shortly after three o'clock, the enemy, who fought with the utmost desperation, was compelled to give ground, but our advance was again pushed back on the right, and though a later charge was made by our troops, no important advantage was gained. During all the operations of the day, the Jerseymen behaved with the greatest steadiness, Colonel Brown, of the Third Regiment, being in command. At length, darkness fell upon the scene. The losses on both sides had been severe, the fighting had been of the most stubborn character ; and most commanders would have been content merely to act upon the defensive. But Grant had other plans, and meant, at whatever cost, to "fight it out on that line." Accordingly, having received
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THE FIRST BRIGADE.
the reports of his commanders, he issued orders for a general attack at five o'clock on the morning of the 6th, each corps to assail what- ever force might appear in its front. At this time, the entire strength of the opposing armies was in close contact, and in one place so near were the lines that the combatants drew their water from the same stream.
The enemy, however, did not wait for our assault. Before five o'clock, Sedgwick was attacked with great vigor, the rebels seeking to turn his right flank, held by the First Division, including three regiments of the First Brigade in the centre, with part of General Seymour's Provisional Division still nearer the Rapidan. The fighting at this part of the line was of the most sanguinary charac- ter, and as before, the Jerseymen were exposed to its greatest vio- lence. At one time, seven Louisiana regiments charged through the woods, pouring a raking fire into the ranks of the division, but not shaking the line of the brigade, nor indeed, of the division, although a part of the line of the Second Division, still further to the right, was broken. Later in the day, the First, Fourth and Tenth Regiments, lying on the left of Neill's Brigade, were several times attacked with great ferocity by the rebels, but at nightfall still held substantially the ground occupied by them in the morn- ing-a heavy assault by the rebel General Gordon just at dusk, which at first promised to destroy the whole right wing of the army, being repulsed with heroic gallantry. The losses in killed, wounded and prisoners were very heavy. Among the killed of the two days were Colonel Ryerson, of the Tenth, Captain Henry H. Callen, of the Second Regiment, and Lieutenant Swan of the First, -the former falling while leading his company into action. Cap- tain Callen entered the service in June, 1861, as Sergeant, and was subsequently promoted for gallant behavior. He was taken pris- oner during the Peninsular campaign, but was exchanged after a brief imprisonment. He was wounded in a subsequent engage- ment, but soon recovered, and had but just rejoined his command, after a brief leave of absence, when the forward movement com- menced. Among the wounded were Major Way, Captains Warner, Sitgreaves, Blythe, and several Licutenants of the First Regiment ;
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
Captain Bogart of the Second; Lieutenant-Colonel Van Syckel of the Fourth; Captains Vanderveer and Hamilton of the Fifteenth, with many others. In fact, the brigade was left with only a hand- ful of officers and with terribly decimated ranks, the First Regiment especially being greatly thinned ; but it was as firm and indomitable on the morrow as when it first marched into the tangled thicket, where so many of its brave and noble ones gloriously fell. On the night of the 6th, Colonel Campbell, of the Fifteenth Regiment, took out the skirmish line of the division, establishing it in a new position which, before morning, was strongly fortified.
Early on the morning of the 7th, the enemy finding our position of the day previous abandoned, sent a reconnoitering force towards the ford, supposing we had retreated, but finding that this was not the case, he felt cautiously all along our front, the skirmishers coming in contact shortly after daybreak. Hostilities at once be- came animated, our artillery opening on the rebel position; but it was soon found that Lee was abandoning his entrenchments, and moving down rapidly by his right, on a road parallel to a move- ment ordered by Grant, in order to give the latter check at Spott- sylvania Court House. Desultory fighting continued during the day, both armies moving forward, but no general infantry engage- ment was had. The Fifth Corps, marching by the Brock road, with the cavalry in advance, and pushing the enemy before him, arrived on Sunday, the 8th, at Alsop's Farm, where the road crosses the river Po, and just beyond found the Corps of Longstreet, pre- pared to dispute the crossing of the river Ny. After some skir- mishing, posting his batteries, Warren advanced a division to the assault, but the column was repulsed, the enemy developing a strong line of works which it seemed impossible to carry. Later in the day, the Sixth Corps having come up, the First Brigade was ordered by Warren, to whom it had been sent, into a piece of woods, whence, subsequently, it was ordered to feel of the enemy's posi- tion. Accordingly, after some playing at cross-purposes, the Third and Fifteenth Regiments were advanced, the former, under Captain Duboise, deployed as skirmishers, and the latter under Colonel Campbell acting as a support. The enemy, who had not as Warner
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THE FIRST BRIGADE.
supposed, abandoned his line, held his fire until the skirmish line was within fifty yards, when he opened with great vigor. The Fifteenth, advancing, was met at the same distance by a storm of bullets, but undismayed, swept up gallantly on a charge. The rebel position being on the edge of the woods, with a swamp in front, was naturally strong, but the assailants, dashing through the swamp, rushed straight up to the earthworks, dashing themselves against them with headlong fury, and breaking the first line of battle. But that was all. They were no match for the enemy, posted in an impregnable position. Within five minutes, one hundred and one men of the Fifteenth Regiment were stretched dead or dying upon the ground, and with one solitary prisoner, the column, exposed to a fire on both flanks, fell back. Warren, how- ever, did not desist from his purpose with this failure. Later in the evening, another column of assault was organized, composed of the First Division of the Fifth Corps, part of the Second Division of the Sixth, and the Tenth New Jersey Regiment. At this time, the enemy was posted, with three lines of battle, across the creek. Forming to the left of the point first assaulted, the heavier column moved out bravely, being met by the enemy in advance of his works. Pushing on, however, we carried his outer fortified line ; but recovering, the rebels again advanced, and striking the column in the flank, compelled it to give way in turn, which it did in good order. In this movement, we took some two hundred or three hundred prisoners, but the Tenth Regiment had a large number of its men captured, including Lieutenant-Colonel Tay and several other officers.36 After falling back a distance of perhaps one hun- dred yards, the column halted, and kept up a heavy musketry fire for some hours. The loss of the brigade during the day was again severe, one company (D) in the Fifteenth Regiment losing six killed and eleven wounded. This regiment, which commenced the cam- paign with four hundred and twenty-nine muskets, had now been
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