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 41
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The Thirteenth remained at Goldsborough until April 10th engaged in various duties, and re-fitting preparatory to a further movement. On the 26th of March, Major Harris was mustered in as Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment, and Sergeant Bodwell, of Company E, as First Lieutenant of his company. On the 28th, 45
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the regiment participated in a forage expedition, which resulted very successfully. About this time, Colonel Carman rejoined the command, but was detailed by General Slocum to proceed to Nash- ville, Tennessee, and secure the property belonging to the corps, remaining at that point. Lieutenant-Colonel Harris being ordered to the hospital at Newberne on account of fever contracted during the last campaign, the regiment was placed in command of Captain Arey, now commissioned Major. On the 10th of April, the news of the fall of Richmond having reached the army, Sherman, whose plans were already matured, he set all his columns in motion against the enemy, then concentrated about Smithfield, the Twentieth Corps entering that place, Johnston withdrawing across the Neuse River on the following day. Dropping all trains, Sherman marched rapidly in pursuit to and through Raleigh, the Thirteenth reaching that place on the 13th in a heavy rain, and thence pushing on to Martha's Vineyard, near Cape Fear River, Johnston, meanwhile, retreating rapidly on the roads from Hillsborough to Greens- borough. But here the advance was suddenly arrested. On the 14th, after all the dispositions for an advance on Raleigh had been completed, Sherman received a communication from Johnston, by a flag of truce, requesting an armistice, with a statement of the best terms on which he would be permitted to surrender the army under his command. Sherman at once dispatched an answer to · this request, and a meeting of the two commanders being had, terms of capitulation were agreed upon, both armies meanwhile lying idle. The memorandum or basis thus agreed upon was immediately sent to Washington, where, upon due consideration by the President and Cabinet, it was disapproved, and General Sherman directed to resume hostilities at the earliest moment. The latter, accordingly, (April 24th,) notified General Johnston that at the end of two days the truce must terminate; but on the day following, a renewal of negotiations was asked for, and on the 26th final terms were con- cluded, and the second grand army of the rebellion was surrendered to the power of the Union which it had hoped to destroy.
The Thirteenth had fought its last battle; the war was ended : peace was orce more smiling over the land. Now all that remained
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was to march homeward, and lay off the laurels so bravely won. On the 29th, the Thirteenth moved out from its camp in the direc- tion of Richmond, reaching that city May 9th; thence proceeding to Fairfax Seminary, where it remained until the 24th, when, after participating in the review of "Sherinan's Army," in which it attracted much attention, it marched to Bladensburg, about four miles from Washington, and went into camp. On the 6th of June, General Williams having left the division, Colonel Carman, now Brigadier-General, was placed in command, Lieutenant-Colonel Harris having command of the brigade, and Major Arey of the regiment. On the 9th, transportation having been provided, the regiment took cars at Washington for Newark, reaching the latter city on the 10th, and after a welcome from the Mayor, proceeded to the " Ward" United States Hospital, where the men deposited their arms, and then separated to their homes. On the 15th, the regiment paraded the city, at the request of a committee of the municipal council, and subsequently partook of a dinner provided by the citizens. On the 26th, the last man of the command was mustered out, and the Thirteenth Regiment, which on so many fields bad fought bravely and well for the flag of their Fathers, ceased to exist. But the memory of its deeds remains as a legacy to the State it honored ; and this will grow brighter and brighter as the nation learns more and more the real value, the inestimable preciousness of the results it helped to achieve.
CHAPTER XII. THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
THE Fourteenth Regiment was mustered into the service of the United States on the 26th of August, 1862, and left Freehold for the field, nine hundred and fifty strong, on the 2d of September. The regiment was composed of excellent material and was finely officered, William S. Truex, who had been Major of the Fifth, and subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel of the Tenth Regiment, being Colonel, and Caldwell K. Hall, who had been Adjutant of the Fifth, Lieutenant-Colonel, while among the officers of the line there were men of the very highest courage and soldierly qualifications.1 Reaching Baltimore, the regiment was dispatched by rail to Fred- erick Junction, fifty-eight miles distant on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, for the purpose of guarding Monocacy Bridge, a costly iron structure across Monocacy River. Here, almost immediately upon its arrival, information was received that the advance of Lec's
1 The roster of the regiment was as follows : Colonel, William S. Truex; Lieutenant-Colonel, Caldwell K. Hall; Major, P. Vred- enburg, Jr. ; Adjutant, F. Lemuel Buckalew; Quartermaster, Enoch L. Cowart; Sur- geon, Ambrose Treganowan; Assistant-Surgeons, Joseph B. Martin, Herbert B. Cham- bre; Chaplain, Frank B. Rose. Company A-Captain, Austin H. Patterson; First Lieutenant, Frederick W. Kerner; Second Lieutenant, Charles M. Bartruff. Company B-Captain, Benjamin F. Craig ; First Lieutenant, Budd S. Bodine; Second Lieutenant. Tenadore Woodward. Company C-Captain, Chauncey Harris; First Lieutenant, Ebenezer Mnddell; Second Lieutenant, Joseph W. Waker. Company D-Captain, James W. Conover; First Lieutenant, Henry J. Conine; Second Lieutenant, William H. Craig. Company E-Captain, James L. Bodwell; First Lieutenant, Isaac S. Ting- ley; Second Lieutenant, James O. Bedell. Company F-Captain, Ralph B. Goudy :, First Lieutenant, John C. Patterson ; Second Lieutenant, Samuel C. Bailey. Company G-Captain, John V. Allstrom ; First Lieutenant, George W. Patterson; Second Lieu- tenant, William W. Conover. Company HI-Captain, Symmes H. Stults; First Licu- tenant, Marcus A. Stults; Second Lieutenant, William D. Connolly. Company I- Captain, Samuel Ross ; First Lieutenant, Joseph J. Hawk; Second Lieutenant, They- dore J. Green. Company K-Captain, Jacob J. Janeway ; First Lieutenant, Henry D. Book, taver; Second Lieutenant, Lewis A. Hoffman.
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THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
army had crossed into Maryland and was moving upon Frederick. The Fourteenth was at once ordered to fall back, and a coal train being seized, the command was transferred to Elysville, twenty-one miles from Baltimore, where it remained for ten days, doing guard and picket-duty. The withdrawal from Monocacy was not effected a moment too soon, the advance of the rebels reaching that point only one hour after the departure of the regiment. As he advanced the enemy burned the bridge at Monocacy aud laid waste the country, but being overtaken and beaten at South Mountain and Antietam, he was compelled on the night of the 18th to retreat across the Potomac. Meanwhile, the Fourteenth Regiment was ordered to return to Monocacy and rebuild the bridge, and reaching that place on the 17th, the work was vigorously commenced and soon completed to the satisfaction of those in command. Here, for nine months, the regiment remained inactive. During the winter, a great deal of sickness prevailed among the men, and seventy-five deaths occurred, the rations being poor, and the sanitary condi- tions of the camp unfavorable. The regiment, however, steadily improved in drill and discipline ; and as the men grew accustomed to the hardships of the soldier's life, the number of the sick grad- ually diminished and the efficiency of the command proportionately increased. During the month of January, 1863, two companies were detailed as guards along the railroad, one (E) being stationed at Monrovia, seven miles from the camp, and the other (K) at Mount Airy, fourteen miles from camp. About the same time, Colonel Truex was appointed Acting Brigadier-General, with head- quarters at Frederick City, and the Third Delaware Regiment and Purnell Legion being temporarily brigaded with the Fourteenth, all were placed under his command, Lieutenant Colonel Hall com- manding the latter. Early in the spring, six companies were detached from the regiment (Companies B and G being left at Mon- ocacy) and sent to Martinsburg, for the purpose of reinforcing General Milroy, who was threatened by the enemy, but no attack being made, the detachment six weeks later returned to camp. But the regiment was not to remain much longer inactive. Lee's army having again moved, after the battle of Chancellorsville, in the
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direction of the Potomac, the Fourteenth was early in June ordered to the front, and proceeding to Harper's Ferry, took position on Maryland Heights. Here it remained for two weeks, the men working on the fortifications and performing other duty. General Meade, however, immediately upon his succession to the command of the Army of the Potomac, ordered the evacuation of the Heights, and on the 30th of June the division in possession (commanded by General French) abandoned the position and proceeded towards Frederick City, whence, after various unimportant movements, it was ordered to march to the relief of Meade's army, now engaged ' with the enemy at Gettysburg. Reaching Boonsborough Gap, by way of which it was supposed the rebels, now in retreat, would retire, the division formed in line of battle, but, Lee having pur- sued another route, did not become engaged.' On the 9th of July, leaving the Gap, the division, now assigned to the Third Army Corps and designated as Third Division, marched to the front, join- ing the main army, whose fortunes it shared from that time forward to the close of the war.
On the afternoon of the 17th, Lee having safely effected his with- drawal, the Fourteenth (with its division) crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry, and after various movements reached Bealton Station, where it went into camp, not having been engaged in any of the conflicts which attended the pursuit of the enemy. The brigade was now the largest in the corps; the Fourteenth numbered eight hundred men ; the Tenth Vermont, nine hundred men, com- manded by Colonel Henry ; and the One Hundred and Fifty-first New York, nine hundred men, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen, in all two thousand six hundred men. The troops remained in camp along the Rappahannock for five weeks-the rebel army meanwhile lying quietly in camp at Culpepper. On the 15th of September, however, the calm was again broken, the corps crossing the Rappahannock and Hazel Rivers, and taking position near Culpepper Court House, where it remained until October 10th,
2 At this time, the Fourteenth was brigaded with the One Hundred and Fifty-first New York, Sixth New York Heavy Artillery and Tenth Vermont, commanded by Brigadier-General Morris.
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THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
when, the enemy advancing from Madison Court House on our right, Meade fell back across the Rappahannock. Here the Four- teenth was detailed for picket-duty, but the rebels still advancing in heavy force, it was withdrawn after a day's service, and with the army, continued the retrograde movement to Centreville Heights, lossing forty men taken prisoners during the march. Lee, however, failed in his movement, and having in turn fallen back, our army again advanced, the Third Corps reaching Catlett's Station on the 21st of October. On the 30th, the corps again moved forward, marching seven miles and encamping near Bealton Station, where, on November 7th, it advanced to the Rappahannock, along which the enemy were constructing formidable works, and with the other corps engaged, effected a crossing, driving the enemy from the river with considerable loss. After a halt of a few days at Brandy Sta- tion, the corps again advanced, crossing the Rapidan, and overtak- ing the enemy at Locust Grove, a dense forest of pine trees, where he was strongly posted. At this time the brigade to which the Fourteenth was attached (the First of the Third division,) had the advance, and skirmishers being sent out, it soon became engaged, the men fighting bravely for four hours, at one time charging with great gallantry, and driving the rebels from their position with a loss of several prisoners. The Fourteenth, which had never before been actively engaged, fought with great steadiness through- out. Two companies (B and K,) being on the extreme left of the line, became separated from the regiment, and not having the order to fall back when relieved, remained in action for a full hour longer than the rest of the command, only retiring when their ammunition was exhausted. The loss of the regiment was sixteen killed and fifty-eight wounded (one report says fourteen killed and forty-nine wounded,)-its first losses in battle.3 Darkness coming on, the
3 " General Morris rode to the front, congratulating the men for their bravery; in a few words .he told them that as new troops, a brigade never fought better; that they had accomplished all that was desired of them."-Sergeant Terrill's History of the Fourteenth Regiment.
Among the killed were five members of Company H, that company suffering more heavily than any other in killed, while Company A lost most severely in wounded. The killed were Nathaniel W. Hawkinson, Barzillai Taylor, Henry C. Wilson, Michael Laven, Robert Farron, John White, Elliott Fields, Alfred Carman, Elwood Silvers,
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enemy retired to their position at Mine Run, towards which our forces at once advanced, but his works being found of a most for- midable character, an assault, at first contemplated, was abandoned. General Meade, on the 1st of December, ordered a withdrawal across the Rapidan, which was at once effected without serious molesta- tion, and four days after, the Fourteenth went into winter-quarters at Brandy Station-occupying an old rebel camp. At this time, the regiment numbered but six hundred men fit for duty-three hun- dred and fifty less than when it entered the field. Nearly one hundred had died, sixteen had been killed in battle, some were on detached service, some were in hospital, while a few had deserted. During the winter a deep religious feeling was awakened in the regiment, and many, under the faithful counsels of Chaplain Rose, were brought to a saving knowledge of Christian truth. Regimental churches were built of logs, covered with tents furnished by the Sanitary Commission, and tracts, books and papers were freely distributed daily by men interested in the cause.+
Cornelius Booræem, Peter Rue, Thomas Vanhise, Jefferson Rogers, Abraham Perdun and David Gallagher.
The following complimentary order was issued by General Morris, under date of December 1st :
"The Brigade commander deems it his gratifying duty, to express to the officers and men of the Fourteenth New Jersey Volunteers, commanded by Colonel William S. Truex, his appreciation of their bravery and endurance throughout the engagement on the 27th of November.
"The occasion was one which presented the perils of the battle-field in the most discouraging form. It was necessary to form the line of battle in a dense woods, and at the base of a hill, with the enemy in position on its erest, protected by breastworks. The regiment was under fire for three hours, and for a portion of that time the cross- fire of the enemy's rifles made rapid and terrible havoc in the ranks. Its duty being to hold the line without advancing beyond a limited distance, the regiment performed its entire mission, drove the enemy from the crest, and held it until their ammunition was exhausted, and the veterans of the First Division arrived to relieve them.
"Our distinguished division and corps commanders, have spoken of the regiment in terms of high commendations.
"The brigade commander is proud to lead such gallant and patriotic hearts.
Brigadier-General MORRIS." " By command of
+ Sergeant Terrill in his history of the Fourteenth says :
" A great many who were converted were killed in the ensuing battles of the coming campaign, which was destined to be the hardest ever witnessed. Tools were furnished the men in abundance, and tents and churches rapidly erected. A pioneer corps was also organized for cach brigade. The tools were packed in boxes, and carried on mules, slung across their backs. During active service they were to march ahead of the troops, elearing the way ; also to bridge streams and ditches ; build officers' tents, and to make themselves useful in various ways. The troops were now taught to
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THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
Nothing disturbed the monotony of winter-quarters until the 6th of February, when the corps moved out and engaged the enemy at Culpepper Ford, but was unable to effect a crossing of the river, Lee being discovered in position, with his line extending from the Rapidan to Orange Court House. During the month of March, General Grant having been placed in chief command, the army of the Potomac was re-organized. . The Third Corps being broken up, the Third Division (to which the Fourteenth was attached) was placed in the Sixth Corps, being at the same time reduced to two brigades instead of three. The Fourteenth still remained in the First Brigade, now consisting of the Tenth Vermont, One Hundred and Sixth and One Hundred and Fifty-first New York and Eighty- seventh Pennsylvania. .
At length, on the 3d of May, 1864, orders were issued for a for- ward movement, and on the following morning the whole army commenced its grand advance against the enemy, now concentrated at the Wilderness. Here, early on the 5th, our advance under Warren met and engaged the enemy, the battle raging furiously all day, Sedgwick's Corps, reaching the field, went into action shortly after noon, the Third Brigade of the Third Division being sent to reinforce the center. Here the Fourteenth was engaged for several hours, fighting gallantly and losing heavily. On the following day, the enemy attempting to turn our right flank, the battle was renewed and continued with great fury-the First Brigade still holding its position near the center, but losing few men. During the night, the enemy retired, when Grant advanced his columns with a view of concentrating around Spottsylvania Court' House. Upon emerging from the Wilderness, Warren's Corps became actively engaged on the Sth with Longstreet's veterans, who sought to delay his progress, and the Sixth Corps going to his relief late in the afternoon, the Fourteenth again went into action, the enemy being driven back with a loss of one thousand five hundred men.
manœuvre by brigades and divisions; each afternoon was brigade-drill and dress- parade, the officers and men presenting a fine appearance, having lain in camp long enough to get fixed up. Clothing was issued in abundance, and everything that was needed for an army was forwarded to the men."
46
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During the night the men hastily threw up breastworks, and during the whole of the following day heavy skirmishing was kept up. but without any decisive results. General Morris having been wounded, Colonel Truex had now been placed temporarily in com- mand of the brigade. During the 10th and 11th the skirmishing continued, being followed on the 12th by a magnificent dash of Hancock's Corps and a desperate engagement along the entire line, the fighting being more murderous and deadly than in any previous battles, and resulting greatly to the damage of the enemy. The six follwing days were occupied in manœuvering and skirmishing at various points. On the night of the 21st, General Grant com- menced a flanking advance to the North Anna, and on the 24th, the Fourteenth crossed (with its corps) at Jericho Ford. Thence the brigade proceeded five miles to Nole's Station, forty miles from Gordonsville, and thirty from Richmond, where it destroyed the Virginia Central Railroad for a distance of eight miles, and returned to the corps without loss. General Grant having meanwhile found the enemy's position invulnerable, determined upon another flank movement, and accordingly, on the night of the 26th, cautiously withdrew from Lee's front, re-crossed the river unassailed, and. after pushing well east to avoid a demonstration on the flank of our long columns, while extended in movement, again turned south- ward and took the road to Richmond. In this movement the Sixth Corps had the advance. "Crossing the Pamunkey, the army steadily advanced with heavy skirmishing to the Hanover Court House and Cold Harbor road, developing the enemy's position north of the Chickahominy. Here, on the 31st, a general advance was ordered, resulting in the capture of a good part of the enemy's advanced line of rifle pits, our troops holding and bivouacking or the ground they had gained. During this engagement the Four. teenth was on the skirmish line, and lost several in killed and! wounded-Orderly Black, of Company I, being shot through the heart and instantly killed, while Colonel Truex was slightly wounded in the hand, but did not leave the field.
On the morning of June 1st, the army resumed its advance, the Sixth Corps again in the rear. After a march of fifteen miles, the
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enemy's position at Cold Harbor was reached, and at five o'clock . assault was delivered, the Third Division being in the advance with the Fourteenth, in the front line. The enemy at this point was posted in a wood -- which concealed his strength .- facing a level, open field. Across this field our men advanced with great spirit, under a heavy fire, and a terrific battle ensued, the losses on both sides being very heavy. The Fourteenth3 suffered severely losing in two hours two hundred and forty in killed and wounded- Lieutenant Stults, of Company H, and Lieutenant Tingley, of Com- pany E, being among the former. The enemy being in overwhelm- ing force, our lines was obliged to fall back a short distance, en- trenching strongly during the night. Other corps being held in readiness now came up, getting into position for an attack on the
" Captain John C. Patterson supplies the following in reference to the fighting at Cold Harbor :
"We moved out from our position at Crump's Creek on the evening of May 31st, marching all the night in the direction of Cold Harbor, and reaching there a little past twelve o'clock, m., June 1st, wewere immediately formed in line, and our corps (Sixth) ordered to get ready for a charge. The bugle isounded at about a quarter to five o'clock, p. m., and we dashed forward, my company on the right. We suffered severely, but getting through a slough we were soon upon the enemy, leaping the works, and putting him to route. I being on the right direeted the movement. We pursued the rebels some sixty paees beyond their works, when I ordered a halt, finding that we were alone. (When I say alone, I mean companies D, F and a part of A. ) I then formed the line, and passing to the left, found that we were broken from the rest of the regiment; I then faeed left, and moved off obliquely to rejoin the rest of the regiment to the left and rear. In moving along the enemy's works, I found the cause of the break in the regiment to be a bend in the works. As we sprang on the works, just at the bend, we saw the enemy in pretty strong force just above the bend firing at the rest of my regiment. I immediately called to the men to follow me, but the noise of battle, I suppose, prevented my call being heard. I then called for volunteers, and in answer fourteen brave boys sprang over the works, led by young Rodman M. Clark. I ordered the boys to fire a volley into the rebels as they stood packed together, which they did, and the most of them threw down their arms. At this point young Clark displayed great gallantry, dashing in among the rebs and comneneing to disarm them. Some of them still kept firing at us, but all the while we were disarming others. I ran up to the one I judged to be a superior oflieer, and placing my pistol at his head, told him if he did not have his men stop firing I would shoot him, whereupon he ordered them to cease. Before they did so, however, one »camp fired at me so closely that I felt the heat of the explosion in my faec. The rebel officer proved to be a Major. I ordered him to pass to the rear, and then pro- ceeded, assisted by young Clark and the other boys, to seenre as many prisoners as possible-our time being short, as we were feeling the fire of rebel reinforcements. In about ten to fifteen minutes, I secured and turned over to the Provost-Marshal one hundred and sixty-six men, including one Major, threc Captains and three Lieu - tenants. I had one man killed and one badly wounded.
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