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. 2 > Part 10
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: "This expedition that terminated so ingloriously occasioned us the loss of a great many men. Our seanty hospital accommodations were tried to the utmost, and num- Lars of the sick were forwarded to Washington, while many of our dead were con- signed to the earth. So numerous became the deaths that eracker-boxes, our only fumber, could not be emptied fast enough to furnish the thin shells to enelose these por wrecks of humanity. The severity of the weather added much to the sufferings of those forwarded to Washington, several of whom had the misfortune to have added frozen limbs to their already almost unbearable physical suffering. The awful state of fir roads, I doubt not, jolted out the last flickering of life from the disease-stricken . drune of many a poor fellow that careful nursing and comforts of a home would have saved from the stern elutehes of death."-Notes of' an officer.
* ** U'pon reaching our old crossing place and without waiting as before to establish Trulges, the gallant One Hundred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania was thrown into fast4, and under cover of Hexamer's Battery (those stern old Jersey guns, that were always ready to speak to the enemy,) made a landing in the face of a severe fire of the « army, charged up the steep banks, captured all in the rifle-pits and made easy work for the rest of us. We were hastily crowded into boats and rowed across, debarking * ! forming into line; then climbing the precipitous bluff before us, we were again face to face with the enemy. Here we lay for several days, each army watching the alber with unecasing vigilance; but with the exception of the frequent erack of the de on the skirmish line and the occasional whistle of a shell from some anxious bat- "ery on the Heights beyond, all was quiet."-Votes af n officer.
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the horrors of desperate battle were revealed to view. Soon the terrible fire of the enemy began to take effect in the ranks- Captain Severs, of Company C, being badly wounded, and a number of the men more or less seriously injured. On the right, the storming party was seen steadily advancing up the Heights ; and soon, breaking into a run, the whole line swept over the works, and turning the guns upon the flying rebels, commanded Fredericksburg and the Heights. The enemy thus driven from his position, the Twenty-third, with the brigade, was ordered to advance, and moving rapidly through Fredericksburg, proceeded some three miles along the plank road in the direction of Chan- cellorsville, steadily pushing the enemy before them until Salem Church was reached. A few rods behind this building, the main body of the rebels were preparing to make a stand-the church itself being converted into a sort of fortress and pierced with loop- holes. " Here," writes an officer of the Twenty-third, "our skir- mishers found it impossible to advance, and a charge being again ordered, we passed over the skirmish line, climbed a fence, and threw ourselves into the woods beyond and-a perfect hell of bul. lets. Here, owing to the confusion of crossing the fence, and the prevailing noise, a misapprehension of orders occurred, causing some delay, but General Brooks, apprised of the circumstance. promptly set us right, and at the command 'charge,' the regiment pressed forward with cheers, up to the very walls of the church from which our men had been picked off with unerring aim. The One Hundred and Sixteenth New York was on our left, with the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania on its flank. The charge was soo !! checked, but the fight continued, the rebels meeting us with un- yielding front, and answering our cheers with yells of defiance. The carnage was dreadful, our men falling rapidly. At length the extreme left began to give way and Zouave uniforms to mingle with our line. Still, however, other portions of the line continued to fight on, General Bartlett, covered with a gorgeous uniform which offered a shining mark for rebel bullets, spurring his horse up to the extreme front, and cheering us on as he passed to the front where the gallant Upton was holding his men steadily to their
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THE TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
work. But it was all in vain. Flesh and blood could not stand the storm of bullets; the gallant New Yorkers were gradually forced back, and we were soon inextricably mingled in one con- fused mass of fugitives over whom it was impossible to exert any control whatever. The officers used their utmost exertions to rally the men, threatening and exhorting, but both were alike unavailing ; those willing to make a stand were borne back by the current, and for nearly a quarter of a mile the rout was headlong and complete. Then a rally was made without reference to regimental formation, a line was formed, and a stand made, but only to be again broken. A second time, half a mile from the battle-field, the line was formed, and, after a sharp struggle, was finally held, the rebels falling back. It was now nearly dark; the officers were busily engaged in re- forming the regiments; pickets were soon thrown out and regi- ments detailed to hold the line, the remainder meanwhile retiring still further to seek needed repose.
" On the following morning, the 4th, we fell back, with batteries in line of battle and infantry in support, ready for the coming fight. All day we lay here, our part of the line not being attacked until late in the afternoon, when a fierce assault was made, with which, however, we had nothing to do. In this assault, the enemy suffered terribly from our guns, his line seeming to melt away before their discharges until nothing was left. Just before dark, one company from each regiment was ordered to be deployed as skirmishers and thrown out one hundred yards in advance of the line. This detail was intended to be sacrificed, if necessary, to the safety of the corps, for, just after dark, orders to begin the retreat were given. The Twenty-third was among the regiments honored with this detail as rear-guard. After the rest of the corps had proceeded the required distance, we saw the artillery which had been stationed with us, limber up and go to the rear at a round trot, disappearing presently from view. At length, our orders came, and at a double-quick we moved from the field. Once we were halted, deployed, and preparations made for a combat in the dark, but the rebels gave up the pursuit, being probably fearful of an ambuscade, when our headlong retreat was resumed and con-
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tinued until we arrived in the vicinity of United States Ford. Here the enemy came up with us, and during the remainder of the night maintained a desultory fire, but without any serious effect. So exhausted were the men on their arrival at the Ford that they threw themselves on the ground without shelter or blankets, and were almost immediately asleep.
"Just at dawn, on the 5th, we crossed the river, and about eight o'clock halted for rest, still in full view of the enemy, who soon opened fire, continuing it until noon-happily without inflicting any damage. Late in the afternoon, we received orders to return to the river bank, to prevent the capture or burning of the pontoon boats, which, though swung to our side, it was impossible to remove from the water, owing to the sharp pursuit of the enemy. Soon after taking position, rain began to fall, continuing during the entire night, and gradually increasing in volume until it seemed a very deluge. The men, of course, suffered the greatest discomfort, but with the morning the storm ceased, and a regiment appearing to relieve us, we marched to our starting point, whence. on the following day, we proceeded to White Oak Church, in the vicinity of which we encamped, and for a brief season were per- mitted to rest.5
"On the last day of May we went out for a final tour of picket- duty, returning to camp on the 3d of June. All thought was now turned homeward, and we were in hourly expectation of receiving
" The following is the official report of the regimental action in this movement :
"I have the honor to report that my regiment left camp near White Oak Church at three o'clock, p. m., April 28th, and bivouacked upon the bank of the Rappahannock .. which we crossed at daylight on the morning of the 20th. My regiment was deployed on the front at sunrise on the 20th, relieving the One Hundred and Twenty-first New York.
"On Thursday the regiment was relieved; nothing special occurred on Friday or Saturday.
" On Sunday, the 3d of May, I was again ordered to the front, and had one officer and two men wounded from shells. About noon was ordered to follow the brigade. and marched through Fredericksburg and about three miles out upon the plank road, when I was again ordered to the front, to support the Second New Jersey Volun- teers, skirmishing. As soon as my regiment emerged from the woods, I was opened upon by a battery posted in the road, the second shot from which wounded an officer and killed a man. Under the immediate orders of General Brooks, I advanced, keep ing but a few paces in the rear of the skirmishers, and came upon the enemy posted in a thick wood, and in a brick church. The nature of the ground was such that my Hut
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»ders to march for Washington. But hardly had we returned from picket, when it was rumored that we were again to be sent across the Rappahannock. At first this was deemed incredible but finally the inevitable 'three days' cooked rations' were pre- pared and orders came to march at daylight the following day. Then the mutterings of discontent broke into open violence, and threats of stacking arms were freely made. Early in the after- noon, the officers being assembled at Colonel Grubb's tent, he told us that the prospects of a mutiny had assumed such proportions that he could no longer refuse to take cognizance of it-that he expected firmness on the part of the officers, and that they would sustain him in the fullest manner in the discharge of his duty in the premises. He directed that when the assembly sounded, the men should be formed without arms and marched to the parade ground, there to be formed in hollow square, faced inwards, where- upon he would enter and address them. This was done, the men being for the most part sullen, some almost violent as they marched to the ground. Colonel Grubb entered and after alluding to the trouble, called their attention to the noble name the regiment had gained on hard-fought fields, said it was his duty to care for and keep untarnished this high reputation, and asked the men how they could meet their mothers, wives and sweethearts, when the hooting rabble should tell them they had twice been beaten by the enemy and the third time were afraid to meet them ? The appeal touched
was somewhat broken upon entering the woods, nevertheless my men engaged the enemy with great spirit.
"Together with Colonel Upton, of the One Hundred and Twenty-first New York, immediately upon my left, I made several efforts to drive the enemy from their posi- tion in and around the church, but (such was the severity of their fire) without sue- ces; and several regiments upon my left giving way, I was compelled to fall back.
" U'pon emerging from the woods, the fire was exceedingly deadly, and some confu- tion ensued, but I succeeded in re-forming, in rear of a battery, some five hundred yards from the woods. My regiment was not actively engaged again, and the next evening re-crossed the river at Banks' Ford.
" My officers all behaved nobly, but I desire to mention as conspicuous for their roviness and gallantry, Major W. J. Parmentier and Adjutant Downs, also First Lieu- Inant F. L. Taylor, commanding Company H, who exhibited the most brilliant cour- age, leading his men several times to the front, under a most galling fire. Captain I enton, Company B, who in the absence of the Color-Sergeant bore the national colors, also acted with the utmost coolness and courage.
"E. BURD GRUBB, Colonel Twenty-third New Jersey Volunteers."
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the men. Cries were made, 'We will go'; 'We are not afraid :' ' Three cheers for Colonel Grubb.' These were given with a will, but the Colonel ordered silence, telling them he did not appear there for cheers or applause; he came to remind the regiment of their duty, to inform them he had received orders to march to again meet the enemy ; and he hoped it would prove an occasion that would eter- nally efface past defeats and reflect new honors on the command. Finally, he declared that, having received his orders, the regiment, or such of them as refusing to obey the order might be left alive, would march at daylight of the coming morn.
" The regiment did march, as the Colonel said, proceeding to the banks of the river, where it remained until the following day, when it crossed, and under cover of the ensuing night threw up a breastwork extending along the entire front of our position, in front of the city and Heights of Fredericksburg. The enemy. immediately upon discovering us, opened fire, but without inflicting any loss. Each day still further strengthened our works, and a couple of sandbag batteries for the mounting of some heavy guns were fast approaching completion, when, finally, orders came for our return to Beverly, to be mustered out. Accordingly, we re- crossed the Rappahannock, and marched directly to Falmouth, going thence by rail to Belle Plain Landing, and from that point by steamer to Washington. In due time, Beverly was reached. amid general acclamations, and the men separated on furlough, awaiting the completion of the preparations for muster-out."
But the Twenty-third was to see further service before it was finally disbanded. Late in June the country was startled by the news of Lee's advance into Pennsylvania, and the supposed danger of Harrisburg, the Capital of the State. Then, a few days later. came the stirring proclamation of Governor Parker, appealing to the people and regiments not yet disbanded, or in process of for!na- tion, to hasten to the aid of a sister State. When this appeal was issued, less than half of the members of the Twenty-third were in camp, but Colonel Grubb promptly ordered the "assembly," and asked all who would follow him to step two paces to the front. Not a man hesitated. Transportation was at once telegraphed for,
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but it was late in the day before it was furnished. In the dusk of the evening, the regiment landed at Walnut street wharf, in Phila- delphia; and preceded by a band, marched through the crowded streets, greeted at every step by peals of cheers, to the Harrisburg lepot, whence, it being impossible to procure transportation, it proceeded to the corner of Twenty-seventh and Market streets, where it was quartered for the night. On the following morning, after some delay and a great deal of trouble, Colonel Grubb suc- ceeded in procuring a train of coal-cars, in which the men were stowed as comfortably as possible, and so carried to Harrisburg, now supposed to be closely menaced by the rebels. Reaching the city, however, the men who had been so eager to get on, found no excitement whatever, much to their surprise. The Twenty-third was the first regimental organization to reach the city, but strangely enough, it was coolly rather than enthusiastically received by the people whom it had made such haste to defend." Soon after arriv- ing, the regiment was taken out to the river front and set at work in throwing up rifle-pits to prevent the passage of the river, which at this time was very shallow. Here the men worked steadily, from the Colonel down, but before the labor was completed, orders were received directing the return of the regiment to Beverly, and accordingly, the command, without regret, quitted the inhospitable Capital. Reaching Beverly, it remained until the 27th of June, when it was finally dissolved, and the men who had fought and suffered in its ranks, went their several ways.
New Jersey may well be proud of the record of the gallant regiment whose services are here but imperfectly narrated. In every action in which it was called upon to take part it exhibited distinguished gallantry, and in its ranks, sadly thinned by the casu- alties of the field, were soldiers whose names deserve to be written
"We were very coolly treated, and if we wanted to purchase anything, were charged extra prices. Our men were refused eanteens of water by the citizens, and "he person who did not conceal his seeession proelivities eame very near being 'torn vat,' so exasperated were our troops at his undisguised sympathy with the rebels. It required all Colonel Grubb's influenec to prevent violenec. The fellow at last procured fag, hung it out, promised to behave himself in future, and was finally let off, a pretty tadly scared man, who took good care not to ventilate any more disunion sentiments daring the oeeupaney of the city by the Jersey Blues."-Notes of' an officer. .
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side by side with the best and noblest of the Republic. Many of the officers and men again, in other organizations, met the nation's foe and fought through the war, some attaining high and deserved promotion. The Thirty-seventh New Jersey was largely composed of members of the Twenty-third, and numbers would have joined the Thirty-fourth had Colonel Grubb accepted the command when it was tendered to him. The Fortieth also drew many of its mem- bers from the same noble organization. The Third Cavalry took many more, while numbers still re-enlisted in the older regiments, and earned fresh distinction on later fields.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
THE TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
THE Twenty-fourth Regiment was mustered into the United States service at Camp Cadwallader, Beverly, on the 16th of September, 1862.1 Four companies of the regiment, B, F, G and II, were from the county of Cumberland ; three, A, C and K, from Salem; one, (E,) and parts. of D and I, from Gloucester, and the remaining men of the two latter companies from Camden. Of the members of Company B, about an equal number were enlisted from the city and township of Millville and the township of Maurice River. Of Company F, the city of Bridgeton furnished about thirty, the township of Greenwich fifteen, while the re-
1 The original roster of the regiment was as follows : Colonel, William B. Robertson ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Franklin L. Knight ; Major, Joel A. Fithian; Adjutant, Thomas F. G. Cooper; Quartermaster, Samuel R. Fithian ; Surgeon, William S. Newell; Assistant Surgeons, Alban Williams, Thomas G. Rowand; Chaplain, William C. Stockton. Company A-Captain, Howard Bassett ; First Lieutenant, Milton Wright; Second Lieutenant, William N. Hancock. Company B-Captain, George E. Dunlap; First Lieutenant, James Smith ; Second Lieutenant, B. Recd Brown. Company C-Captain, John T. Garwood; First Lieutenant, Thomas Simpkins; Second Lieutenant, Jonathan E. Moore. Company D-Captain, Aaron Ward; First Lieutenant, David W. Bartine; Second Lieutenant, George D. Brittain. Company E-Captain, Augustus Sailer; First Lieutenant, Edward C. Cattell; Second Lieutenant, Charles W. Wilkins. Company F-Captain, Samuel Harris ; First Lieute- nant, Elijah Husted; Second Lieutenant, William B. Pepper. Company G-Captain, James R. Hoagland ; First Lieutenant, Charles M. Pease; Second Lieutenant, Robert B. Potter. Company II-Captain, Henry Neff; First Lieutenant, Alexander Robeson ; Second Lieutenant, James J. Reeves. Company I-Captain, William C. Shinn; First Lieutenant, John O. Crowell; Second Lieutenant, James S. Woodward. Company K-Captain, John S. Locke; First Lieutenant, Daniel Brown; Second Lieutenant, James P. Butler.
It must be recorded to the credit of the county of Cumberland and more especially of the city of Bridgeton, that the promptness with which they responded to the call for volunteers was beyond all precedent. It is doubtful whether any company, outside of our large cities, was ever raised so rapidly as Company H, of Bridgeton. The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin made mention of this fact as follows :
"TROOPS RAISED SPEEDILY .- The Evening Bulletin, of Monday, contained an item claiming peerlessness for the town of Lawrence, Massachusetts, for having raised a
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mainder, with the exception of one from Deerfield, were equally divided between Hopewell and Doune. Of Company G, not less than twenty were from Bridgeton, thirty from Deerfield, ten from Stoe Creek, while the rest hailed from Doune. Company H, officered exclusively by Bridgeton men, comprised about seventy- five from the city of Bridgeton, while the remainder were from Hopewell, Deerfield and Stoe Creek. In Companies A and C, there were a large number of men from the city of Salem; the surrounding townships, however, were nearly all represented in them, and also in Company K. Company E comprised men principally from Woodbury, Paulsboro', and the upper townships of Gloucester. Company D had men from Camden, Gloucester City, and Glassboro', and Company I, mainly from Clayton town- ship, in Gloucester County, and several of the townships of Camden County.
On the 28th of September, the regiment was equipped with Belgian rifles and other necessary accoutrements for service, and on Tuesday, the 30th, broke camp and departed for Washington, going
company of one hundred and thirteen men in a day and a half. I beg leave to make the statement that Lawrence has been outdone by Bridgeton, New Jersey, a town of less than one-fourth the population of the very patriotic New England city. On Fri- day morning last, a recruiting station was opened for the formation of a new company, officered as follows: Henry Neff, Captain ; Alexander L. Robeson, First Lieutenant ; and James J. Reeves, Second Lieutenant. That day eighty men-many of them fine, stalwart fellows from the iron factories-enlisted under their banner, and by the next evening their company numbered one hundred and ten men. While this was being done, two companies were rapidly filling up in the same town. It is a question whether Bridgeton can find its peer among all the towns of its size in the loyal North."
Three of the members of this company were brothers, sons of Mrs. Elizabeth Ayars, a widow lady residing in Bridgeton, who had five sons and two sons-in-law in the . Union army.
In Company G there were five brothers, sons of Mrs. Martha Cobb, a widow, re-i. ding in the township of Dounc.
For two weeks previous to the date of muster at Beverly, the several companies of the regiment found temporary quarters in unoccupied buildings in different portion. of the town ; some in private houses, others in the Beverly Bank building and other- still in an old brick factory near the railroad. During this time the commissioned officers were elected and the non-commissioned officers appointed, as above given. The headquarters of the commissioned officers of the regiment while at Beverly, wer at the fine mansion in the westerly part of the village, kept as a military boardin; house by Mrs. Hardcastle. Here they received all the attention and care that this e.t. mable lady and her kind-hearted daugliters could bestow. During the mouth, several excursions were made to the regiment from different localities, bringing friends from home, and the season was one of great enjoyment.
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by steamer to Philadelphia and thence by rail. Both at Philadel- phia and Baltimore, the men were handsomely entertained at the Union Refreshment Rooms. The regiment remained in Baltimore, without other resting-place than the brick pavements, from mid- night of the 30th until ten o'clock on the night of October 1st, when it proceeded to Washington, reaching that city on the morn- ing of the 2d, and going into camp on East Capitol Hill. Its en- campment at this place was named "Camp Ingham," in honor of an esteemed and patriotic citizen of Salem, Jonathan Ingham, Esq. Here the regiment was temporarily brigaded with the Twen- ty-second, Twenty-ninth and Thirty-first New Jersey Regiments, under the charge of Brigadier General Abercrombie, and parti- cipated daily in regimental and brigade drills until the 14th, when it moved into Virginia, encamping near Chain Bridge," whence, on the 18th, it was transferred to a more eligible position a few miles distant. Here the camp, known as " Camp Kearney," was located on the summit of a hill, at the foot of which on the one side rum- bled the rapids of the Potomac, while on the other side run the Leesburg pike, winding its way through forests of chestnut, hick- ory and red oak. The regiment was here brigaded with the Twenty-eighth New Jersey and One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiments, under the Colonel of the former, acting Brigadier-General Abercrombie having command of the division- the Twenty-fourth occupying the extreme right of the brigade on the Leesburg road. On the 20th, the first detail for picket was made, and on the 22d, a school of instruction for officers was insti- tuted by Lieutenant-Colonel Knight. Up to this date the regiment had lost but two men by death, and in both cases sickness had been brought on by imprudence and self-neglect. The regiment remained at this point, doing picket and fatigue duty, including the digging of trenches at forts Ethan Allen and Marcy, until Satur- day, the 25th, when it again moved its camp to a point some two miles southward-naming the encampment, in honor of the county which furnished the largest number of troops in the regiment,
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