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 18
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" At this time, finding the flanks of the enemy rapidly closing round us, the only safety for my command was to retreat. In trying to extricate ourselves from the critical position in which we were placed, my command suffered severely. I was enabled to rally my regiment on a hill, in close proximity to the battle-field, under the shell of the enemy, where we remained in line of battle with several other regiments until ordered by the ranking officer to fall back to Centreville, where we joined the brigade the following morning. We remained here until Monday afternoon, September 1st, when orders were received to march with the brigade. Near sunset we halted and formed a line of battle and remained in this position until daylight, when we again took up our line of march to Fairfax Court House.
"I am under obligations to Captain Baker, Acting Major, who rendered efficient ser- vice after Colonel G. Mott and Major S. R. Gilkyson were wounded.
"I must also mention Adjutant C. F. Moore, who, throughout the different engage- ments, displayed unusual courage, rendering efficient service. Captains T. C. Moore, I. U. Crawford and W. William, and Lieutenants J. Howeth, Thomas Lee, B. Coley, C. Merriam, J. W. Cogswell, J. Tallow, West, Field and Joseph C. Lee, are deserving of great praise for gallantry displayed in these battles, as in former ones.
" With few exceptions, the non-commissioned officers and privates, conducted them- selves with that valor which has given our brigade and division the name we are proud of.
"It gives me pleasure to speak of the indefatigable exertions of Surgeon Jolin Wiley and his able assistant B. Hendry, and also Chaplain S. T. Moore, for their care and attention to the wounded.
" The casualties were as follows : Killed 18; wounded 46; missing 36; wounded and missing 2. Total 105.
" GEORGE C. BURLING,
"Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Sixth New Jersey Volunteers."
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THE SECOND BRIGADE.
for three years. He was made a General in April, 1862, being then about thirty five years of age.
On the 11th of December, General Burnside having matured his plans for a demonstration against Fredericksburg, the brigade- then commanded by General Mott-moved from its camp to the banks of the Rappahannock. Crossing two days after about a mile below the city, it was pushed forward, on the 15th, to the extreme front, companies from each regiment being detailed on the skirmish linc. Hooker's Grand Division, however, occupying the center of the line of battle, and only one corps being actually engaged, the New Jersey regiments escaped any serious casualties-only one man (in the Seventh Regiment) being killed. Late on the night of the same day, the brigade re-crossed the river, being among the last to leave the field, and occupied its old camp until the 30th, when, after a slight change of position, went into winter quarters.
The winter passed without any operations of interest. On the 28th of January, General Hooker was appointed to the supreme command, and the work of re-organizing the army was actively commenced. This being completed, an advance was again ordered. The New Jersey brigade, which at this time included the Second New York and One Hundred and Fifteenth Pennsylvania Regiments, as well as the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth New Jersey, all under command of General Mott, crossed the Rappahannock on Friday, May 1st. Two regiments, the Fifth and Eighth New Jer- sey, were detached to guard the pontoons, while the others were pieketed along the Rappahannock to its junction with the Rapidan, and thence along that river to connect with pickets thrown out by Carr's First New York Brigade. Soon after this disposition, how- ever, had been made, orders were received to withdraw the pickets and to advance the whole division to the front; but while waiting for the Fifth and Eighth Regiments to join the brigade, General Mott received further instructions directing him to guard the ford, Lieutenant Seeley's battery being placed at his disposal to aid in that duty. Pickets were accordingly thrown out to join those of General Humphreys on the Rappahannock, and along the Rapidan
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for a distance of four miles. The brigade remained in this position until five o'clock on the afternoon of the 2d, when General Mott received information that the Eleventh Corps, engaged at Chancel- lorsville, had disgracefully broken. Fearing that a cowardly stam- pede might ensue, General Mott at once placed guns in position to guard all the approaches to the bridges, determined to arrest, at whatever cost, the panic-stricken fugitives from the field. About an hour after, an aid from Major-General Berry, commanding the division, reached General Mott with orders to march the brigade, with the battery, immediately to the front. Hardly had this order been received when Colonel Dickerson, Assistant-Adjutant-General to General Hooker, came dashing up with an order to the same effect from the Commanding General. Owing, however, to the ex- tended line of pickets still remaining out, the brigade and battery did not get in motion, in obedience to this order, until nearly eleven o'clock at night, and the road being found blocked up by the First Army Corps, they did not arrive at Chancellorsville until about two o'clock on the morning of the 3d. Here it was joined by the Seventh Regiment, which had been detached for special duty, and the brigade stacked arms and slept. At half-past four o'clock, however, it was again placed under arms and put in posi- tion about one hundred and fifty yards in rear of a Maryland bri- gade which held a slight breastwork in front. In this position the right of the brigade rested on the Plank Road, connecting with the First Brigade of the division. At six o'clock, the battle opened with skirmishing on the left which soon extended along the entire front, accompanied by a hot artillery fire from the enemy, the first shot from his guns killing two men of the Eighth Regiment. Soon, the enemy advancing in force, the Maryland brigade was driven in, and about the same time the First Division of the Third Corps gave way. The Jersey brigade at once occupied the breastwork in front, and the engagement became general, the enemy hurling bri- gade after brigade against our position, but being each time repulsed with great slaughter ; losing also eight colors' and one thousand men
9 The whole number of flags taken during the day was fifteen.
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THE SECOND BRIGADE.
in prisoners. Here for two hours, around this position, the fight continued, the heroic brigade stubbornly and gallantly holding the breastwork. During the contest, General Mott was wounded, when Colonel Sewell, of the Fifth, assumed command. At length, how- ever, the men having almost exhausted their ammunition, and no supports, although repeatedly sent for, being advanced to their aid, the command reluctantly withdrew to the rear of the Chancellor House, where it reformed. Soon after, finding that the enemy had taken possession of some works thrown up for the protection of artillery, Colonel Sewell, though the brigade was terrible thinned, gallantly led it to another charge, driving the rebels clear out of the works, and planting his colors right on the parapet.10 Finding, however, that an attempt to hold the position would only result in
10 A writer in the Washington Chronicle gives the following description of the grand charge of the brigade :
"Now came one of those splendid achievements seldom occurring in this war so far, but which, when occurring, cover a soldier's career with imperishable glory. A mass of men from twenty different regiments had gathered along the line where the Jersey Brigade was formed, as if uncertain what else to do with themselves. Colonel Sewell, who commanded the brigade, (General Mott' having been wounded,) with the quick Instinct of a true soldier, at once took them in hand, and rallying them around his colors, ordered the whole line forward. At the time, the rebels were swarming out of the woods, and moving rapidly across the low ground and up the declivity, and it seemed madness to advance. But Sewell wanted to recover the hill in order to plant our artillery there again, should it succeed in procuring ammunition. Seeing the line hesitate, Sewell himself galloped a hundred feet to the front, and waving his sword, called upon 'the Jerseymen, at least, to follow him.' His gallant example was irre- »istible.
" With a rush and a cheer, amid a storm of bullets forward the whole line went, on the double quick, planted every one of their regimental colors on the little earth- works that crowned the crest of the hill, and repulsed every attack that the swarming rebels dared make upon them. Sewell gallantly held thie positions, until satisfied that the artillery would not again come up, and then steadily, in good order, fell baek and rejoined the division in the rear of Chancellorsville-the battle soon after eeasing. This gallant feat was witnessed by many officers high in rank, and is but another of the illustrious deeds of valor that erowd the history of Hooker's old division. Well may General Hooker call it his 'Old Guard.' In the past it has never failed him, and in the future he may rely upon it implicitly 'every time.'
"The Jersey Brigade that day won lasting renown. The long and careful training that General Mott and his predecessor, General Carr, had given it, met with its appro- priate reward. Its praise was in every mouth, and its splendid valor was the pride of the army.
"Sewell's fine soldierly conduet, and his eminent capacity for command, were com- plimented on the field, and the brigade looks to him to-day as the fit successor to the gallant Mott, who, by a long course of meritorious services, has won the right to com- mand a division. Hooker is not the General to forget a valuable man. He believes in the sensible maxim of Carlyle's, 'The tools to him" who can use them.' "
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the sacrifice of his command, he withdrew under a severe fire. losing men at every step, and took position in the new line in the rear of the Chancellor House.
Probably no engagement in which the brigade was ever engaged was more severe and bloody than this. It is certain that, bravely as the men had fought on other desperate fields, they had never displayed greater heroism and sturdy obstinacy of purpose than on this occasion. Without exception, every regiment engaged fought with the utmost possible gallantry and spirit. During the day, General Mott had two narrow escapes; a ball at one time passing between his bridle-arm and body, while afterwards, being dis- mounted, he was struck with a musket ball in his left hand, which penetrated the forefinger and fractured the bones of two other fingers. After receiving this wound, he remained on the field for some time, the wound bleeding freely, but was compelled at length to retire. Among the incidents by which the battle was marked, one at least, as illustrating the spirit with which it was fought. deserves to be recited. At one period of the engagement, a section of artillery belonging to Dimmick's Regular Battery, First Artillery, being in danger of capture, all the cannonneers and horses having been killed, General Mott dispatched Captain Nichols with a detachment of men from the Eighth New Jersey Regiment to bring it off by hand. This was attempted under a perfect hail of shot from the enemy. The detachment faltered for a moment, but only for an instant, when General Mott ordered the colors to be brought up, and declared that he himself would lead the detach- ment. The men with loud cheers rallied in a moment, and the General led them through the leaden hail for a considerable dis- tance, when his Assistant-Adjutant-General, Thomas W. Eayre, of Burlington County, took his place and led them to the battery under a most galling and terrific fire. The battery was rescued, and the gallant heroes of the Eighth, with the brave Captain Nichols, dragging it off, brought it safely into our lines. The losses of the brigade during the day amounted to three hundred and seventy eight men, as follows : Fifth Regiment, twelve killed, one hundred and four wounded, nine missing; Sixth Regiment.
-
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six killed, fifty-nine wounded, eight missing; Seventh Regiment, six killed, forty-three wounded, four missing; Eighth Regiment, twenty-one killed, ninety-six wounded, ten missing.11 Among the
11 The following is an extract from Colonel Scwell's report of the action of the brigade :
"* * * May 2d, marched to the front, at ten o'clock, p. m., reaching the advance line at two o'clock, a. m., where the Seventh New Jersey joined the command. At half-past four o'clock, a. m., May 3d, the brigade was under arms, and immediately afterwards was placed in position in the second line, its right resting on the plank road, and connecting with the First Brigade of this division. At six o'clock, a. m., skirmish- ing commenced on the left, and soon extended along the whole front, accompanied by a hot artiilery fire from the enemy, which was very destructive to regiments in the second linc. At half-past six, a. m., the enemy advanced to the attack, driving in our skirmishers, and soon afterwards a part of the first line nearest the road. The position vacated by the first line was taken by the Fifth and Eighth New Jersey Regiments of this command, when the engagement became general, the enemy advancing in such strength that the second line became engaged in fifteen minutes after the first line was attacked. It has been the fortune of this brigade to have participated in many hard- fought actions, but former experience was nothing in comparison to the determination of the enemy to carry this position. Battalion after battalion was hurled against our ranks, each one to lose its colors, and many of its men taken prisoners. The Seventhi New Jersey here took five of the enemy's colors, the Fifth New Jersey three-the bri- gade at least one thousand prisoners. At half-past eight o'clock, a. m., I was informed by Captain Eayre, Assistant-Adjutant-General, of General Mott being wounded, as. also Colonels Burling and Park, which left me in command of the brigade. General Mott, up to this time, had been wherever his presence was necessary-his gallantry in this, as in previous actions, inspiring confidence in all. I now rode to the right of my line, and, crossing the plank road in search of General Berry, found that he had been killed some time previous. My ammunition was nearly out, and the enemy on my right flank. I herc found the Eleventh New Jersey, of the First Brigade, and re- quested Colonel McAllister to advance for the protection of my flank, to which he very gallantly responded, driving the enemy and relieving me from an enfilading fire ; but to hold the position longer, it required reinforcements. I sent Captain Eayre to Major-General Sickles, to state my condition, but did not receive any encouragement. Immediately afterwards, I went to him myself, but with the same result; there were no reserves at his disposal. The enemy still advancing in great force, I fell back slowly in rear of the line of batteries, where, under the orders of General Sickles, and with the assistance of Lieutenant-Colonel Hayden, of his staff, I reformed the remnants of the brigade. Previous to this time, Colonel Francine had retired from the field, (un- well,) having fought his regiment gallantly up to that time; but, unfortunately, now taking with him some four hundred of the brigade, under the impression that I had been wounded, which left me with about three hundred men and the twelve colors of the brigade. The batteries soon retired, their position being immediately occupied by the enemy's infantry. The fire became so hot here, that, to remain in that position, would be only to sacrifice my men, and, having no orders to retire, I advanced once more on the double-quick, again driving the enemy, taking possession of the small works thrown up for the protection of our guns, planting the colors of the brigade on the parapets. My last round was fired here, and no sign of support coming up, I re- tired from the field, under a severe fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry, losing men at every step. Joining the division in the rear of the Chancellor House, I re- ported to Brigadier-General Carr, and was assigned a position in the third line of the new position. In this action, the brigade lost five officers killed, forty-six wounded, Afty enlisted meu killed, three hundred and seventy-four wounded, and forty-eight
20
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
killed were Lieutenants Sawyer and Moore, of the Fifth, while among the wounded were Colonel John Ramsey, of the Eighth,
missing, most of which are supposed to have been killed or wounded when falling back.
"May 4th, the enemy shelled our position, wounding two officers and four enlisted men.
"May 6th, marched toward United States Ford, re-crossed the river and arrived in camp the same day. To mention any number of officers in this brigade for gallant conduct would be an injustice to the whole, where all behaved so nobly. To have fought with this brigade on the 3d of May, 1863, is an honor which time cannot efface : and the proud satisfaction of having performed their duty to their manhood, their country and their God, is their reward.
"W. J. SEWELL, "Colonel Fifth New Jersey Volunteers, "Commanding Brigade."
The following are some of the regimental reports :
"SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith a report of the part taken by this (Fifth) Regiment in the movements and actions of this army from the 28th ultimo to the 16th ultimo, inclusive.
"On the evening of the 28th ultimo the regiment started from camp and marched to the left about four miles and bivouacked. The following morning (29th) changed posi- tion and encamped for the night. Next day marched up the river from our bivouac to one mile beyond Briar Church, a distance of eleven miles, where we rested for the balance of the night.
"On the morning of May 1st, 1863, crossed the Rappahannock, and took up a posi- tion in support of a battery guarding 'United States Ford;' returned and went on picket; drew in our pickets and returned to our former position in support of the bat- tery and slept on our arms that night. In the morning (May 2d) went on picket south of the Ford, and immediately after posting our picket line, were re-called and marched to the front, arriving on the advanced lines after midnight and slept on our arms.
" May 3d, at daybreak, the regiment stood to arms, and soon after were advanced a short distance to the support of the line immediately on the left of the- plank road. where, after laying under fire about an hour, the enemy advancing in superior force. caused the line in our frout to give way, when, Colonel Sewell leading the regiment. charged the enemy, repulsed and drove him from the breast-work, up to which he had advanced, and he twice afterwards, on being repulsed, endeavored to take, but was each time driven back with great loss. During this time we captured three stands of colors and a great number of prisoners. The loss of the enemy in our immediate front was at least three to one. This occupied about three hours, during which time the regi- ment was under incessant fire.
" During the action Colonel Sewell was called to the command of the brigade, when Major Angel assumed command, but, being shortly after wounded, the command devolved upon mc.
"The regiment went into action three hundred and twenty strong, and lost, during the engagement, as follows; Killed and wounded 116; missing 8. Total 124, (a list of which I forwarded to you through Major Smith.)
" I have to speak in the highest terms of the conduct of both officers and men during theengagement. Their courage and coolness was admirable under the most severe fire that the regiment has ever experienced.
" After coming out of the engagement I formed the regiment in rear of a line already formed, resting on the main road near the headquarters of General Hooker. I had. at this time, several men from other regiments that I had collected together, and seeing Colonel Francine, of the Seventh New Jersey Volunteers, whom I had just learned had
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THE SECOND BRIGADE.
Colonel Burling, of the Sixth, Major Angel, of the Fifth, and a large number of subordinate officers. The brigade remained on
assumed command, (he having heard that Colonel Sewell was wounded,) taking a party of men to my right, I joined him with my command, when he marched us to the rear, as far as the United States Ford. Shortly after arriving there, we received an order from Colonel Sewell to proceed again to the front, which we were proceeding to do, and had got within a few hundred yards of our destination, when we were again marched to the rear by Colonel Francine, but being overtaken by an order from General Carr, then commanding the division, to return, he turned the command over to Lieu- tenant-Colonel Olmstead, Second New York Volunteers, and we again proceeded to the front, where we joined the balance of the brigade and bivouacked. -
"VIRGIL H. HEALY, " Captain Fifth New Jersey Volunteers, "Commanding Regiment."
The following is the report of the commanding officer of the Seventh New Jersey Regiment :
"I have the honor to submit the following as the proecedings of my regiment in the late movement against the enemy. At ten o'clock, p. m., Tuesday, (April 28th, ) having Just returned from pieket line, the regiment joined the brigade and marched to the left and bivouacked near 'White Oak Church' early the next morning. At daylight we were massed to support troops in front of us. We remained in that position until one o'clock of the afternoon of the 30th, when we retraeed our steps and erossed the river at the United States Ford carly on the morning of the 1st of May.
"We remained at or near the ford doing picket duty until the following morning about right o'clock, a. m., when I received an order to report my regiment to General Humphreys, commanding Third Division, Fifth Army Corps. I did so without delay, and he assigned me a position on his extreme left to cover the approaches by the Mott or River road to the United States Ford. Early in the afternoon of the same day he (General Humphreys) ordered me to take a small body of pieked men from my regiment and reconnoiter the position of the enemy in my immediate front, to note the topography of the country, and the apparent strength of the enemy, and the means of their approach to our lines ; this I did, penetrating the country for two miles in one direction and a tuile and a half in another. My report was highly satisfactory to the General. I am indebted deeply to Captain James MeKiernan and Daniel R. Burrell of my regiment for valuable services rendered upon that occasion. At midnight, I moved my regiment la the right of our line, by order from General Meade through General Humphreys, and joined the brigade, arriving there at about two o'clock, p. m. The following morning (Sunday) at about five o'clock, a. m., my regiment was again detached from The brigade, and under orders from Major Tremain, of General Siekles' staff, filled up > mp occurring between Birney's right and our immediate front. After a short time why regiment advaneed into the woods in front of the breast-works, and by maintaining > Manking position under a very heavy fire for over three hours, captured five stands of colors and over three hundred prisoners; among the latter, one eolonel, one major abd several line offiecrs. The colors were taken from the Twenty-first Virginia, 1.ghteenth North Carolina, First Louisiana, Second North Carolina, and the fifth front . the Alabama regiment. The Second North Carolina Regiment we captured almost foto. At about nine o'clock, the ammunition giving out, and the muskets becoming full, I ordered the regiment to fall back from the woods; after this a regiment having fallen back from our breast-works, and the enemy coming close upon them (Second Worth Corolina State troops), my regiment charged and captured their colors and Tramelves almost wholly. Again we fell baek slightly, and confusion occasioned by + 4 lines in front getting in disorder, threw my regiment farther back to the rear. At Els time, through exhaustion, my voice left me entirely, I being scarcely able to speak
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
the field until the 6th, when it re-crossed and occupied its old camp.
The invasion of Pennsylvania by General Lee, followed close upon the battle of Chancellorsville, and in the fighting around Gettysburg on the 2d and 3d of July, the Second Brigade again suffered heavy loss. At this time the One Hundred and Fifteenth Pennsylvania and Second New Hampshire Regiments were attached to the brigade, which was under the command of Colonel Burling, of the Sixth Regiment, General Mott not having recovered from his wound received at Chancellorsville. The Corps (Third), com-
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