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 29
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only to be again repulsed, hundreds falling at every discharge of our well-aimed muskets. Finding that it was impossible to force Heckman's position, the enemy now changed his front, and attempted to flank his extreme right, held by the Ninth, but here, too, the right wing having been reversed, they were met by a heavy fire of musketry, and again for a moment faltered. But soon they once more advanced in column by brigade, and the Ninth, being without artillery and withal vastly outnumbered, was compelled to give way. While this movement (involving a change in the position of the Ninth) was being executed, General Heckman, whose aids were engaged in other parts of the field, passed along the line to a point where the Twenty-third Massachusetts was sup- posed to be stationed, but where he found instead a rebel sergeant, with a squad of men, who at once demanded his surrender. With rare naivette, however, the General responded by bidding the " sergeant attend to his duty, saying, in reply to a further inquiry, that he was "Major Anderson of General Ransom's staff." This seemed to satisfy the sergeant, who at once marched off; but Heck- man was as yet by no means extricated from his predicament, the fog being still so very dense as to make it impossible for him to distinguish his whereabouts. However, he made a dash, and imme- diately found himself on a rebel line of battle, headed by the traitor Gracie, formerly of Elizabeth, New Jersey, who commanded an Alabama brigade. Gracie, at once recognizing the General, of course took him in charge, remarking with a leer, " Heckman, I am right glad to meet you under these circumstances, and am proud to say that I have been fighting Jerseymen all day." 21
The Ninth lost heavily in this battle, some one hundred and
21 " Before the General was captured, he said truly, and with bitterness : 'I am out- done this time, when with only two sections of artillery and with one regiment and a half of infantry, as reinforcements, I would have been able to prevent the sad catas- trophe.' According to subsequent accounts, made by rebel prisoners and rebel official reports, 'the loss of the rebels in front of this (Heekman's) Brigade doubled in number the whole of that brigade" The loss of the Ninth was ten killed, seventy-seven wounded and seventy-five missing; the loss on Thursday, when regiment left camp, and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, was two killed and twenty-three wounded ; mak- ing a total of twelve killed, one hundred wounded and seventy-five missing during this five days' engagement."-Diary of' Hermann Everts.
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fifty being killed and wounded. The regiment at the commence- ment of the engagement, had nineteen officers, thirteen of whom were killed and wounded, and three taken prisoners. From first to last the men fought with characteristic gallantry. At one time during the battle, the colors of the regiment being in imminent dan- ger of capture, the color-bearer, George Meyers, took them from the staff, and secreting them upon his person, seized a rifle, and killing two or three of the enemy, got away in safety. A member of Company H, being badly wounded, two comrades were ordered to carry him to the hospital in the rear. They had gone perhaps one hundred yards bearing their wounded companion, when a shell from the enemy exploding a few feet from them, severed their heads from their bodies, which were otherwise mutilated in the most hor- rible manner. The three died as they had fought, as " comrades in battle," always brave, always faithful to the flag. Among the wounded in this engagement was Colonel Abram Zabriskie, who, while encouraging his men, was struck by a ball in the front part of the throat, passing through the windpipe and lodging in the spinal column of the neck. The brave Captain Lawrence, who was near at the time, was directed to inform Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart of the circumstance, with instructions to assume command, but Lawrence also fell soon after, shot through the leg, which, being amputated, he died two weeks later. Secing that most of his officers were dis- abled, Colonel Zabriskie, although weak from loss of blood, went himself in search of the Lieutenant-Colonel, to whom he transferred the command, and then staggered to the rear, the gallant Captain Thomas Burnett, who had also been wounded some time before, and was now much exhausted, hastening to lend him all possible assistance. The Colonel, on passing to the rear, and seeing some of his men retreating, attempted to rally them, but his voice failed him, and he proceeded to the field hospital, where his wound was dressed by Surgeon Woodhull, who, though from the first consider- ing it mortal, did everything in his power to relieve the suffering of his brave commander. But the faithful Surgeon, with all his tender care, was not able to calm the mind of the wounded man, whose thoughts were still with his command, his lips murmuring
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continually, "Poor boys, poor boys; they are in a bad scrape !" On Tuesday, the 17th, the Colonel was sent to Chesapeake Hospital where he lingered until the 24th, when, with friends and relatives around him, he breathed his last. One who served under him in all his campaigns, says of him, that "he was not only highly esteemed by his officers, but they looked upon him with a reverence founded on a more noble, a more sublime impulse than that of mere rank-a reverence springing from a superiority of principle, of knowledge, and of virtue rarely found in one so young. The rank and file loved him no less sincerely, looking upon him as a father. Every man in the Ninth would cheerfully have risked his life to shield his Colonel from harm, and all felt his loss as that of a close personal friend."
But Colonel Zabriskie and Captain Lawrence were not the only officers who fell on that bloody day. The regiment also lost Captain Edwin Stevens Harris and Adjutant Edward S. Carrell-the former a son of Rev. N. Sayre Harris, of Hoboken, and the latter a son of Rev. Mr. Carrell, Chaplain of the regiment. Both were brave and efficient officers, and fell with their faces to the foe." Among the wounded in the engagement were Captains Burnet, Hopper and Townley, Lieutenants Brown and Shepherd, and Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart, the latter being severely wounded in the thigh. The command of the regiment, the Major having been disabled by an accident, devolved upon Captain Hufty, who led it, at the close of the day, from the field. The repulse of the Ninth, however, disas- trous as it had proved to that regiment, had proved of little advan- tage to the enemy. It is true that having turned this flank, he for a time swept on unresisted, but presently encountering two regi- ments, fortunately moving into the break, he was hurled back with heavy loss, and did not again advance to the attack on that part of the line, though it subsequently fell back some little distance to a new position.
During the three following days fighting was continued along the front, but the Ninth was not engaged. On the night of the 20th, it was called twice to repel the enemy, which was handsomely done
22 Both these officers had been married but a short time before this battle.
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in both instances. In one of these movements the regiment cap- tured a large number of prisoners, including Major-General Walker and other officers. During the 21st, the cannonading was continued, out without decisive results. On that day, General Butler sent a flag of truce to the enemy, offering to exchange Major-General Walker for Brigadier-General Heckman, but the proposition was declined, the rebels being evidently disinclined to afford the New Jersey General another opportunity to unsheathe his sword against them. Indeed, the Richmond Examiner, of May 19th, made sub- stantially this admission, using the following language: "We con- gratulate Beauregard on his victory over Beast Butler, and have a lively satisfaction at the destruction of Heckman's Brigade, and the capture of its daring commander. His celebrated New Jersey Rifle Regiment has been completely destroyed-thus ridding, although at a late day, the bleeding Carolinas of a terrible scourge. Heckman feels his imprisonment keenly, but his indomitable spirit does not seem to be at all broken. At any rate, he is prevented, for a time, from making further raids upon our lines of communication with his 'foot cavalry.'" No language could constitute a better eulogy of Heckman and his gallant command than this from the bitter pen of an antagonist. 1
On the 22d, Major-General " Baldy" Smith having requested that four men be sent him from the Ninth to act as scouts within the rebel lines, privates James Van Buskirk and Robert White, of Company B, and Marshall Howell and Daniel Johnson, of Company H, volunteered and were dispatched on the perilous undertaking. The first two penetrated to a point only two hundred yards from Petersburg, where they were taken prisoners, and threatened with hanging, being, however, afterwards taken to Beauregard's head- quarters, whence they were sent to Andersonville, and afterwards to Millen and Savannah. At the expiration of ten or eleven months, they were paroled and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, where they were exchanged, rejoining the regiment in the spring of 1865. Both suffered much, while in prison, from scurvy and other diseases incident to the "hells" in which they were confined. Marshall Howell, who left camp at four o'clock on the afternoon of the 22d,
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finding himself observed on passing our outer cavalry-picket post, sought the shelter of the woods on the right, but had not proceeded very far when he came upon two rebel pickets, who fired at him, but without effect. Pushing forward and hiding himself in the woods, he finally got into the rear of the rebels, who were posted on the edge of an open field, about one mile from Adam's Mill. Here, taking position in a ravine, at a point which General Smith had described to him before starting, he made his observations. He saw the enemy engaged in re-constructing the track of the rail- road which our forces had destroyed a few days before; and after remaining some three hours, closely examining the ground, set out on his return, reaching camp in safety at six o'clock on the evening of the 23d. Two hours after, he reported to General Smith, who, satisfied with his exploit, furnished him a proper recommendation to General Butler, by whom, on the following morning, he was paid the promised reward, five hundred dollars in cash, for the infor- mation received.
During the five days next ensuing, the Ninth was more or less constantly engaged in skirmishing, severe fighting at some times taking place, but the withdrawal of Smith's Corps being ordered for the purpose of reinforcing the Army of the Potomac, the regi- ment, on the 29th, embarked at City Point, and after some delays, caused by getting aground, proceeded to White House, on the Pamunkey River, where a landing was effected on the 1st of June. From this point, the regiment marched to Cold Harbor, where Grant's army was already taking position. Reaching the scene of action on the 3d, the Ninth was ordered to the front line, and almost immediately became engaged. The fire of the enemy being very severe, the Jerseymen hastily threw up a slight breastwork, using their bayonets and even their pocket-knives to loosen the earth, and their tin cups to scoop it up, (in the absence of spades and other implements,) and with this covering renewed the assault with unsparing vigor. Late in the afternoon, engineers arrived on the ground to build a new work, and the rebels anticipating their design, charged our lines with great fury, but were repulsed with heavy loss, the engagement lasting an hour. Subsequently, the
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combat was renewed and continued until darkness closed upon the scene-having been of the most murderous and desperate character throughout. Owing to the heavy firing, it was impossible to afford any relief to the wounded, and many perished miserably, crying for help and praying for only a drop of water to cool their parched tongues. On the 4th, the fighting was continued along the whole line, but the Ninth was not engaged. On the 5th, it was again ordered into the breastworks, but the army having already com- menced its flank movement to the left, the hostilities were not general. On the 6th, Burnside, who had been left to hold the right, arranged an armistice33 of two hours, during which the dead were hastily buried, being thrust into such graves as could be dug, and the wounded brought in and carried to the rear. Many of the latter had remained in the open air for three days, exposed not only to the burning rays of the sun, but to the fire of both armies, between whose lines they were lying. Upon the expiring of the armistice, the firing on both sides was renewed, and continued until the 11th, with more or less vehemence, but with less fatal results than before. On the 12th, Grant having determined to pass the Chickahominy far to Lee's right, General Smith's army gradually withdrew from its position-the Ninth covering the withdrawal,- and marched directly to White House, where it embarked and proceeded to Bermuda Hundred. The total loss of the Ninth during the operations at Cold Harbor, extending from the 3d to the 12th, was five killed and thirty wounded.
On the 15th, having reached Bermuda Hundred the evening previous, and reported to General Turner, nine companies of the Ninth New Jersey, with a part of the Twenty-third Massachusetts, being all that was left of Heckman's old brigade, were, with other troops whose organizations were lost, united under the title of Provisional Brigade, and attached temporarily to the Tenth Corps. This brigade, on the morning of the 16th, moving out from its breastworks, charged and entered the rebel fortifications, which it held during the day ; the Ninth participating in several skirmishes,
23 Surgeon Woodhull, of the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers, was in charge of the flag of truce.
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and on retiring, burning all the buildings which had been used by Beauregard as headquarters and for other purposes. On reaching the railroad, which had been destroyed on the 9th of May, but afterwards rebuilt by the enemy, the men again tore up the rails for a distance of a mile, at the same time leveling to the ground a carefully-built rebel redoubt. The enemy, who had been reinforced on the withdrawal of the Ninth, pursued nearly to the line of the breastworks, but was easily repulsed. The regiment during these operations, which formed a part of the assault on Petersburg, had marched a distance of thirty-five miles in twelve hours, and had all parts of Smith's army done as well, and moved as promptly, the center line of works which protected that city might have been carried. The fighting was continued for two or three days after- wards in this quarter, but the golden opportunity had been lost, the enemy taking up a new and stronger line of defences, and Peters- burg was not taken. On the 21st, the Ninth was advanced to a new position, crossing the Appomatox and taking possession of the rifle pits beyond the City Point and Petersburg Railroad, where, on the day following, it assisted in repelling a charge of the enemy, losing one man killed. At this time, the regiment was brigaded with the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massa- chusetts, Eighty-ninth New York, Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania and Fifth Maryland Regiments, but remained in the works, ( the other regiments retiring,) for some days longer, participating in several sharp conflicts brought on by charges of the enemy, who was in all cases repulsed. On the 25th, it was relieved, but again moved to the front on the 27th, and on the 29th, had several men severely wounded by the explosion of a shell. Here, in the front line, the regiment remained, with brief intervals of relief in the second line, until the 29th of July, losing several men, but not having any pitched engagement. On the 29th, marching orders were received, and the command proceeded to a new position to act as a reserve to the Ninth Corps, in front of which the "Burnside Mine " was exploded on the 30th. A day or two after, returning to its position, the regiment again went into the entrenchments, remaining for a fort- night, exposed to a steady fire from the enemy. On the 16th of
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August, Major Hufty was wounded in the left arm, and the staff of the regimental State colors was cut in two by a shot from a rebel sharpshooter-nine bullets passing through the colors. On the 25th, the regiment, after various movements on the right, crossed the Appomattox, having left the front of Petersburg, and proceeded to Point of Rocks. Up to this time, the Ninth had been sixty-four days before Petersburg, fighting forty days in the rifle pits, from which it was dangerous to move owing to the contiguity of the rebel sharpshooters, and performing other service no less arduous or perilous. Often, when in the breastworks, the men were obliged to remain for two or three days without being relieved, it being impossi- ble to advance fresh troops to supply their places except on the very darkest nights. At the Point of Rocks, an agreeable surprise awaited the command. General Heckman, having been exchanged, had just arrived, accompanied by General Butler, and the brigade being formed in line, cheering him as he came to the front, he pro- ceeded to address them, though at first too much overcome by emotion to speak with much freedom. It was no wonder that his eye filled and his voice failed him as he looked along the thinned ranks. The commanding form of Zabriskie was no longer seen at the head of the gallant Ninth; the faces of Lawrence Harris and Carrell no longer shone along the line; Brown and Hobart, with many others, equally brave and true, of the rank and file, were missing, disabled by wounds, while Drake and Peters and a hundred of their comrades, whose voices would have swelled that day's welcome, were still lingering in rebel prisons-victims to all the torments of rebel ferocity. Heckman would have been other than he was had he not wept at the pathos of the scene and the memories it evoked. But finding voice at last, he pledged himself, as the best evidence he could furnish of his appreciation of their kindly reception, to use his utmost endeavors to secure the return of the brigade to its old "tramping ground" in North Carolina; and with that, as a fresh gust of cheers swept along the line, took his old place at the head of the column and with it moved forward to its destination.
The fighting of the Ninth in Virginia was ended. On the 17th
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of September, it proceeded to Bermuda Hundred, and with the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts, embarked for North Carolina, reaching Morehead City on the 21st, and proceeding at once to its old camp at Carolina City. Here the regiment was rejoined by Colonel Stewart and Major Curlis, and for the first time in ten months the men were paid. About this time, the yellow fever broke out in Newberne, introduced, as afterwards appeared, through the devilish ingenuity of Doctor Blackburn, who had trunks, filled with infected clothing, sent to the city for distribution. For a time, the epidemic prevailed to a fearful extent among the citizens, some one thousand nine hundred of whom died, but the soldiers, though seriously affected, generally escaped fatal consequences. The army surgeons were unremitting in their exertions to stay the pestilence, and some thirteen of their number fell victims to it. Several members of the Ninth, whose term of service had expired, and who had stopped in Newberne on their way home, died of the disease-Corporal John S. Parkhurst, of Company K, being among the number. This brave soldier had been badly wounded at New- berne, but, although incapacitated for active service, refused a dis- charge, resolved in some way to serve his country. This he did for two years in the capacity of Chief Clerk in the Foster General Hospital, where he earned the esteem of all with whom he came in contact. Sergeant Pulaski IIines, who served for two years in the Signal Corps with Lieutenant Edward S. Moffatt, also fell a victim to the epidemic. The Sergeant possessed fine literary abilities, was a brave soldier and had many friends. Both Parkhurst and Hines were from the city of Elizabeth. The Ninth was also exposed, about this time, to another scourge, the small pox, which prevailed in a regiment of negro troops encamped near Carolina City, but by cutting off communication and isolating each case as much as pos- sible, the loathsome disease was fortunately excluded from the camp of the "Star Brigade."
On the 21st of October, one hundred and eight men of the Ninth, whose term of service had expired, left the camp for Trenton, where they were mustered out. The party was accompanied by Color Sergeant George Meyers, with the worn-out colors of the regiment.
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which Colonel Stewart had directed should be delivered to the State authorities, with the following letter :
"HEADQUARTERS NINTH NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS, CAROLINA CITY, } NORTH CAROLINA, October 15, 1864.
" To His Excellency, Joel Parker, Governor of New Jersey :
"SIR :- I herewith have the honor to forward to you for safe keeping in the archives of New Jersey, the National and State colors of the Ninth Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Three years ago they were entrusted to our hands. How well we have performed our trust, our past record must show. In every engagement they have been with us, and battle-worn and bullet-riddled as they are, we can proudly look upon them with the consciousness that not upon a single thread is there the least speck of dishonor or shame.
"At the expiration of original term of enlistment we now return them to the authorities of our State, well assured that they will sacredly cherish them as priceless relies of the brave men who have fallen, as well as the most precious deposit of those who remain.
"Corporals Delaney, Company K; Hand, Company C; Hubner, Company A; Garthwaite, Company G; Smith, Company D, the bearers of the State colors, were severely wounded while bearing them at the battles of Newberne and Goldsborough, North Carolina, and Drury's Bluff, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, Virginia.
"Color-Sergeant George Meyers has carried the National colors for the whole of the three years, and by singular good fortune his life has been spared, and doubtless he has known no prouder day than that in which hic safely replaces them in the Capitol of our State. Understanding it to be your intention to furnish the regiment with new National and State emblems, we can only say we shall be gratified to receive them, and it shall ever be our utmost endeavor to preserve them as unsullied as are those we now place in your hands.
I have the honor to remain, your Excellency's obedient servant,
JAMES STEWART, JR., Colonel Commanding.
On the 27th of October, Major Hufty rejoined the regiment, having entirely recovered from his wounds, and one month later, Color-Sergeant Meyers returned from the North, bringing new colors, together with a very complimentary letter from Governor Parker. On the 5th of December, the regiment proceeded to Newberne, and embarking on gunboats, was transferred to Plymouth, at the head of Albemarle Sound, near the mouth of the Roanoke River. Plymouth, during the previous summer, had been taken from us by the rebels, but had been re-occupied by us late in October. About the same time, the rebel ram Albemarle, lying in the Roanoke River, had been destroyed by an expedition under Lieutenant William B. Cushing. On landing at Plymouth, the Ninth at once took possession of the town, the men quartering in the houses,-which had been greatly damaged by the bombardment by our fleet a few weeks previous,-and making themselves as
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comfortable as possible. On the Ninth, the regiment, with detach- ments of several other regiments and two pieces of artillery, advanced from the town in the direction of Gardner's Bridge, where, the enemy's cavalry being met in some force, the Ninth, with the gallant Stewart at its head, charged on a double-quick, speedily dispersing the rebels, who left several of their wounded behind. Still advancing, the Ninth bivouacked for the night about a mile from Foster's Mills, and the next morning, resuming the march, encountered the rebels strongly entrenched near Foster's Bridge. A fierce engagement ensued, lasting over an hour, when the enemy again withdrew, destroying the bridge as he retired. In this affair, the Ninth had two men wounded, but took a number of prisoners, including a Lieutenant, who took the oath and followed the column several days. After repairing the bridge, the troops crossed and took possession of the mill, in which they found a large quantity of flour, and after a brief halt, pressed on towards Williamston, on the Roanoke, discovering a force of the enemy on the way, but being unable to overtake them. Late on the following night, (11th,) the column reached Spring Green Church, in the direction of Rainbow Bend. Here it was ascertained that a strong force of infantry and cavalry, with several pieces of artillery, were posted some distance ahead, at Butler's Bridge, and Colonel Stewart was ordered to take the Ninth New Jersey, Twenty-seventh Massachu- setts, and Third New York Light Artillery, and by a flank move- ment gain the enemy's rear, while the remainder of the force should hold the enemy in front. The undertaking was known to be a perilous one, but Colonel Stewart entered promptly upon it, passing noiselessly down Butler's Creek, and, at the designated point, stealthily crossing his men in single file upon the floating logs which bridged the stream. Pushing on, the command soon reached Fort Branche, grimly guarding the Roanoke, its garrison all unconscious of their peril. Soon the fort was passed, but still the enemy gave no sign. Hastily disposing his forces, two companies of the Ninth were ordered to advance, and a moment after swept upon the rebels, capturing couriers, cooks, pickets and detached parties of the enemy, who did not so much as dream of danger. Indeed, the surprise
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