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 14
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THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
the rebels had made a desperate stand in the pine woods, and had succeeded in checking the advance of the First Division, and that the old First Jersey Brigade had suffered very heavily. We turned off from the road along the edge of a gully, and throwing out two companies as skirmishers, lay on our arms all night.
" In the morning everything was quiet, and we were preparing for our breakfast, when, suddenly, the report of a gun was heard, and a shell landed in the regiment next to us. This was followed by another and another, and we now saw that they came from the very hills we had taken the day before. The trouble was evident. We were being outflanked and surrounded. Immediately slinging our knapsacks, we fell into our places and moved off under a heavy fire from the rebel battery. Our own batteries, by this time, began to reply, and everything looked as if we might have a hot time; but after moving about nearly all the morning, from one position to another, we finally settled down in an open field, in front of which was a piece of woods. During the afternoon, everything continued quiet, until about five o'clock, when, after a little skir- mishing, the first line of battle, immediately in front of us, became heavily engaged. The firing came nearer and nearer, and shells and bullets swept past us. Soon the word came that 'the first line is being driven back.' Then came the order : 'Attention ! right face, double-quick, march !' and away we went past the broken regiments of the Third Brigade, and filing in front of a battery formed in a ditch about two feet deep, where we awaited the onset. Two hundred yards distant, on a knoll a little to our left, the yelling masses of greybacks came rushing on, driving before them the last gallant remnant of the first line. 'Fire !' shouted Colonel Martindale, who was now in command, and eight hundred rifles poured their contents into the closed ranks of the foemen. They staggered, as if struck by a tornado; only for a moment, however, and then, though in disorder and scattered, again advanced. They were now almost upon our flank, and it became necessary for us to change our position-for the men on the right, obliqueing their fire as the rebels came nearer, were almost firing into those on the left. 'Cease firing! By file left,
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march !' came the orders in quick succession. The first was obeyed by the whole regiment, and the second by the companies on the left of the line, but towards the right and center it was mis- taken, and the regiment broke. It certainly was not the fault of the men that it did so. No veterans could have behaved more coolly, until the order 'retreat' was given, and the example was set by one or two officers who ought to have known better. We were not the only regiment that was broken on that fearful Monday night, and when veterans were compelled to give way, we might well be pardoned for doing the same; but many look back on that moment with regret. Reaching a brush fence, the Twenty- sixth rallied. In the mean time, many of the men had fallen in with the Sixth Vermont, which lay behind a little rise of ground, awaiting the onset of the rebel hosts. Although the enemy was at least three times their number, for there was a whole brigade of them, the gallant Vermonters let them come on until they were actually within a few feet of them, and then, rising, poured in a volley which literally decimated the foe. They fled hastily, and the Sixth Corps was saved ! Now it was our turn, and the Vermonters, followed by the Twenty-sixth, pressed for- ward on the flying foe, until we reached the brow of the hill from which they had come. As we went, we took a great many pris- oners-among them, the Colonel in command of the rebel brigade in our immediate front. It was now growing dark, and we fell back into a new position, and several companies were thrown out as skirmishers.
" During the night, all was quiet, save occasional shots from a rebel battery, and now and then a little skirmish firing. Little by little we moved down towards the river, and about four o'clock in the morning crossed on the pontoon bridge which we had brought up a few nights before. Two hours' rest, and then the Twenty- sixth was sent down to help the engineers take up the pontoons. It was a tiresome work for men who had had no rest for twenty- four hours. But we got the boats out, hauled them up the hill, piled bushes over them to conceal them, and then went back into the woods. Being here disturbed by occasional shells from the
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THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
enemy, we fell in and marched about a mile further back." The total loss of the regiment in this series of operations, in which it displayed a heroism worthy of veterans, was seven killed, sixty- five wounded, and fifty-one missing.4
After remaining in a most uncomfortable position for a few days, the regiment moved to Belle Plain Landing, near which it went into camp. The time at which the regimental term of enlist- ment would expire was now near at hand, and it was not consid- ered probable that it would again be called upon to meet the enemy in battle. But the 3d of June, the day which, as the men believed, terminated their term of service, passed with no signs of release, and the dissatisfaction in the regiment became deep and loud- spoken. Some declared that they would not fight after June 3d.
4 The official report of Lieutenant-Colonel Martindale, says :
" In furnishing a statement of the casualties in this regiment in the action of the 4th instant, upon the Heights of Fredericksburg, I have the honor further to report that the duties assigned to the regiment were performed substantially in a manner creditable to the gallantry and personal courage of a majority of the officers and men. Although compelled to shift positions repeatedly, the regiment was successfully rallied three times, delivered its fire with telling effect, and recovered all the ground that had been lost, and advanced its skirmishers to the crest of the hill in front of the brigade, which had been crossed and re-crossed by the enemy. In the last advance made by the regi- ment it had the good fortune to capture many prisoners from the Louisiana Brigade, which had made the attack upon ours. Among these were Colonel Stafford, com- manding the brigade (as was stated), whose sword I had the pleasure of receiving from him; a Lieutenant-Colonel, a Major, and several Captains and minor officers,- all of whom were secured and sent to the rear.
"The total killed, wounded and missing in this action was one hundred and twenty- four, of whom there were known to be killed five, wounded forty-eight, and missing seventy-onc.
"I beg leave to mention in terms of high commendation for unflinching and faithful performance of duty, and the great assistance rendered to mne in the action, Major William W. Morris. Also, for gallant conduct, Acting Adjutant Terhunc, and most of the commandants of companies, and in particular Sergeant-Major Cummings, Ser- geants Sheridan, Untiedt and Mooney, and private MeLaughlin."
Colonel Grant, commanding the brigade, in his congratulatory order to the men, says: "You stormed and took the Heights of Fredericksburg, which, it is believed, was one of the most brilliant feats of the war. You took three pieces of artillery and many prisoners. And although you are not now in possession of those Heights, you were not driven from them, but left them to advance upon a retreating foc. At the battle near Banks' Ford you sustained the attack of a vastly superior force-no less than three brigades-and repulsed the enemy with great slaughter, taking many prison- ery'; among them were several Colonels, Majors and line officers."
The writer is mainly indebted for the particulars of the regimental action to the journal of Sergeant Nason, of Company F. Sergeant Nason was one of the bravest . men in the regiment. He afterwards went out as First Lieutenant in the Thirty-ninth regiment, and was killed in leading a forlorn hope at the storming of Petersburg.
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
The case was substantially this : When the regiment was gathered at Camp Frelinghuysen, the men were sworn into the service on the 3d of September, by a State officer, "for nine months, unless sooner discharged." On the 18th of September, they were again mustered into the service, and this time by a United States officer. The question was, from which muster did the enlistment date? It is easy to see that the opinion might be honestly entertained that the enlistment had been for no later a date than June 3d; but the Government took the opposite view, and the regiment was held until after the 18th.
At length, on the 5th of June, the movements of the enemy having been for several days of a somewhat mysterious nature, it became necessary to penetrate his intentions and ascertain his force on the right wing of his line. Accordingly, on the morning of that day, the Second Division was ordered to make a reconnoissance across the Rappahannock below Fredericksburg. The order to march was received on the 26th with a great deal of grumbling and even some talk of "stacking arms," but it amounted to nothing. Advancing with the brigade, the regiment soon stood for the third time on the plain before Fredericksburg. Skirmishers were thrown out, and after them batteries went into position on the river bank. These forthwith opened a terrific fire upon the earthwork on the opposite bank. The rebels had already sent down a strong support to their picket line, but the fire from our guns was too much for them, and those who could do so fled across the plain, though the most of them staid behind the earthwork, literally unable to leave. By this time the pontoon boats had commenced moving down to the river bank. A few minutes later the Twenty-sixth, with the Fifth Vermont, were ordered to fall in. The men started on a double-quick, following the pontoons, receiving as they neared the ·river a severe fire from the sharpshooters on the opposite side, but still rushing resistlessly forward. There lay the boats in the water. As they were filled by the men they were started across by the engineers who were in charge. All this time the bullets were spattering about in a most spiteful manner, but the moment the boats touched the opposite side, the men leaped out and without
1
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THE TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
even waiting for the order to charge, or for any one to lead them, dashed up the hill upon the rifle-pits, and in an instant they were ours and all the men in them prisoners. The whole affair was a most brilliant one, and reflected the greatest credit on the regiments engaged in it. The Twenty-sixth suffered heavily, for in the ten or fifteen minutes it was under fire, it lost fourteen killed and wounded, among whom was Captain S. Uzal Dodd, of Company H.3 The regiment held its position until the 7th, when, the objects
" Chaplain Morrill says of this exploit :
"When the rebels had been shelled out of their position, as was supposed, some boats were launched, and the Twenty-sixth New Jersey and Fifth Vermont were selected to lead the way. At the word of command they leaped iuto the boats with as much eagerness as men would start for a race; in fact there was a boat race to see which should first reach the opposite shore and rout and seize the enemy. The Twenty- sixth had this honor, reaching the shore first, and with the Fifth Vermont, driving out the rebels with a loss of many prisoners. Captain Dodd, who commanded the right company, was the first to enter the boat at the head of his company, and in this position received a mortal wound. For purity of character, integrity of princi- ple and unswerving patriotism, he was without a superior in the regiment."
Lieutenant-Colonel Martindale's official report of this affair, says :
"This regiment and the Fifth Vermont had been ordered to cross the river together, but the right of the Twenty-sixth New Jersey having reached the river bank a little in advance, its first two companies were the first to enter the boats, eross over, and charge up the opposite bank. A portion of our right company, H, was the first of our regiment to enter the enemy's entrenchments, which they did at the same moment with the head of the Fifth Vermont, capturing a considerable number of prisoners. A line of skir -. mishers was immediately pushed out to the front, and the whole regiment was deployed in and beyond the Bowling Green road until the morning of the 6th instant, when it was relieved, placed in line of battle, and so continued until the evening of the 7th, when the regiment was ordered back to the left bank of the Rappahannock. * * Among the killed, I am deeply grieved to be compelled to mention Captain S. U. Dodd, who fell a sacrifice to liis gallant and conscientious devotion to his duty while bravely leading his company in the first boat across the river.
* * # It gives me particular pleasure to call attention to the fidelity and good conduet of Major Morris in every requirement of duty, both in the crossing and in forming upon the opposite bank, and especially upon the exhausting and trying duty of the skirmish line. Of the line officers. while many are justly entitled to great praise for meritorious conduct, I desire to call particular attention to the conspicuous gallantry and spirited conduet of Captain Stephen H. Fordham, of Company A, who distinguished himself both in the attack upon the enemy's entreneliments and the advance to the extreme front of the line of skirmishers. Also to that of Lieutenant John Dodd, of Company H, who distinguished himself in like manner and was the first man of either regiment to plant his foot upon shore in crossing the river."
Captain Dodd, who fell in this movement, was one of those who went afield from the purest patriotism, leaving a large cirele of friends, and an influential position in . society, for the hardships of army life and death on the battle-field. While with the Twenty-sixth he was known as one of its best and bravest officers, and as a noble- hearted Christian man.
It must be mentioned as an incident which marred the satisfaction over this exploit, that a number of men of the Twenty-sixth failed to eross with the regiment; and to
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
of the reconnoissance having been accomplished, the troops were withdrawn.
One week after this handsome achievement, the regiment broke camp at Falmouth and marched to Washington, where it arrived on June 17th. Thence it proceeded by rail to Newark, reaching that city on the afternoon of the 19th, and being greeted by a grand demonstration of welcome, in which the military, firemen, munici- pal authorities and the populace alike participated. The men had for the most part faithfully performed their duty, and the ovation which thus greeted them on their return, was only a proper recog- nition of their efficient and patriotic service.
all appearance they fell behind, not through cowardice or inability to keep up, but deliberately, because they thought that there was no obligation on them to fight after the 3d of June. Some of these were afterwards tried and sentenced for insubordina- tion, but escaped actual punishment through the intercession of Mr. Marcus L. Ward.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
THE Twenty-seventh Regiment, raised from the quotas of Morris and Sussex Counties, and rendezvoused at Camp Frelinghuysen, near Newark, was mustered into the service of the United States for nine months, on the 3d of September, 1862'-but a short time subsequent to the disastrous termination of General Pope's cam- paign in Virginia. The regiment, which consisted of eleven com- panies, was largely composed of representatives of the agricultural districts, and officers and men alike, in physical strength and robust capacities of endurance, were equal to any in the service. The total strength of the regiment, when fully organized, was one thousand and eighty-eight, officers and men.2
1 The original roster of the regiment was as follows :
Colonel, George W. Mindil ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Edwin S. Babcock; Major, Augus- tus D. Blanchet; Adjutant, William H. Lambert; Quartermaster, James B. Titman ; Surgcon, John B. Richmond ; Assistant-Surgeon, J. Henry Stiger; Chaplain, John Faull. Company A-Captain, Charles F. Fernald; First Lieutenant, -;
Second Lieutenant, Robert M. Pettit.
Company B-Captain, John T. Alexander ; First Lieutenant, Jacob M. Stewart; Second Lieutenant, George Hance. Company C -Captain, David S. Allen ; First Lieutenant, Ferdinand V. Wolfe ; Second Lieutenant, Henry A. MeLanghlin. Companj D-Captain, Thomas Anderson; First Lieutenant, Nathaniel K. Bray; Second Lieutenant, John B. Grover. Company E-Captain, George W. Crane; First Lientenant, James Peters ; Second Lieutenant, David B. Muchmore. Company F-Captain, Daniel Bailey; First Lieutenant, George W. Cook; Second Lieutenant, George Forbes. Company G-Captain, James Plant; First Lieutenant, George S. Estin ; Second Lieutenant, Joseph A. Proctor. Company I-Captain, Samuel Dennis ; First Lieutenant, John M. Rosencrance ; Second Lieutenant, Jesse Rosenerance. Company I-Captain, Alfred HI. Condict; First Lieutenant, Peter Churchfield ; Second Lieutenant, David HI. Ayres. Company K-Captain, Edward S. Baldwin; First Lieutenant, Robert W. Simpson; Second Lieutenant, Jacob MeCon. nell. Company I-Captain, Henry F. Willis; First Lieutenant, Stephen HI. Marsh ; Second Lieutenant, Joseph C. Bower.
: New Jersey's quota, under the present call, being one hundred and sixty men in excess of ten full regiments, and the Twenty-seventh being the last to leave the State. received the catra complement of men, thus rendering it when in the field one of the largest regiments in the service.
1
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
Having been supplied with arms, equipments and clothing, the regiment, about the 3d of October, received orders to prepare for the field. Up to this time, however, no Colonel had been selected, it being impossible for the officers to choose from the numerous applicants for the position. Finally, however, Captain George W. Mindil, who had already attained distinction in the field, was, upon the strength of testimonials and representations from gentlemen who knew his eminent capabilities for command, elected to the post,3 and on the afternoon of the 9th, the regiment left Newark . for Washington, where it arrived on the morning of the 11th, being assigned a temporary camp on East Capitol Hill. Here, large Sibley tents being obtained, a fine, regular encampment was estab- lished, and the regiment was put under the discipline and course of instruction and drill necessary to render it efficient in time of action. The officers, without exception, were compelled to attend schools of instruction, to recite lessons in tactics, and to listen to lectures on the more practical duties of the soldier. On the 29th of October, the regiment crossed into Virginia, and, after a few days' encampment near Fort Albany, proceeded to a point on the 'lendale road, about one mile and a half from Alexandria, where went into camp on elevated ground.3 Here, the Twenty-seventh was temporarily brigaded with the Twenty-fifth New Jersey,
3 The circumstances under which Colonel Mindil was chosen are as follows: The officers being unable to make a selection from the numerous applicants, applied to Cortlandt Parker, Esq., for advice. That gentleman in his correspondence with his intimate friend, General Kearney, had often heard of Captain George W. Mindil, one of the General's Aids, as having greatly distinguished himself at Williamsburg and elsewhere. Subsequently, when General Kearney was killed, Captain Mindil met Mr. Parker at Newark, and the latter feeling an interest in the career of the young officer, naturally watched his after progress. When, therefore, he was consulted as to the Coloneley of the Twenty-seventh, he at onee thought of Captain M., then on MeClel- lan's staff, and immediately summoning him to Newark, accompanied him to the camp of the regiment. Here he was presented to the officers in some flattering remarks, embodying General Kearney's estimate of his talent for command, and was at once honored by a unanimous election. Colonel Mindil was at this time but one month over nineteen years of age, but his splendid testimonials from Kearney, MeClellan, Bauks, Heintzelman, Birney and others, were justly considered. conelusive as to his soldierly qualities.
4 Colonel Mindil, in honor of his former chief, gave this camp the name of "Camp Philip Kearney," the Colonel establishing his headquarters at the very house which had been occupied by General Kearney one year previous, when in command of the First New Jersey Brigade.
----
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THE TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT.
Fifteenth Connecticut, and two (nine months') regiments from Maine, the whole under command of General Silas Casey, then commanding the provisional troops in front of Washington. In this camp, the regiment remained about a month, performing con- stant and laborious duty. Drills, reviews and inspections were frequent, and actual picket duty was carefully performed.
On the 1st of December, the regiment received orders, in con- nection with the Twenty-fifth New Jersey, Thirteenth New Hamp- shire, Fifteenth Connecticut, and some other brigades of new troops, to report to General Burnside as a re-inforcement, preparatory to his attack on the Confederates then occupying the heights of Fred- ericksburg. On the evening of the 10th, after a march of much hardship, the regiment reported for duty within the Union lines, and was at once assigned to the Second Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps-the division being under the temporary com- mand of Brigadier-General W. W. Burns, and the corps under Brigadier-General O. B. Wilcox. Thus far, the Twenty-seventh had known nothing of the conflicts and perils of the field ; it had come now into the very thick of the danger, and was to engage in actual hostilities. But a single day had passed, when orders were received to cook three days' rations, supply each man with sixty rounds of cartridge, and prepare for actual service on the day fol- lowing. The foe swarming along the opposite heights was again to be assailed.
On the night of the 11th, the regiment left camp and bivouacked in line of battle in an open field near the place of crossing opposite the city. On the morning of the 12th, it was one of the first to cross the Rappahannock on the first bridge laid, and as soon as over was assigned to an important position in the second line, behind the gas-works and gasometer, to act as a support with the other regi- ments of the brigade to the main part of the Ninth Corps, already fiercely engaged beyond the town with the enemy who had retreated to a stone wall, behind which they made a stand, and from which they poured such a destructive fire into our advance that further progress seemed impossible. The position of the Twenty-seventh, although removed and partially screened from the musketry of the
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enemy, was plainly visible to 7:3 artillerists on the crest beyond the plain, and these lost no time :. sending their compliments in the shape of shot and shell. Fortunately, however, although exposed to this annoying fire from moming until night-many of the shells exploding within the lines of the regiment-none were either killed or wounded, the men remaining cool and collected through- out. During the night the regiment rested on its arms in the posi- tion it had taken, whence, on the morning, of the 13th, it was moved, together with the Seventy-ninth New York (Highlanders) and the Second Michigan, still further to the left, so as to connect the right of the army with the left (General Franklin), which had crossed during the night and taken position. The duty of the Twenty-seventh in this position was to remain on the defensive, holding the connection while troops on either side made the attack. This duty was satisfactorily performed, the regiment holding its position with ease, while the battle raged furiously all around it. Late in the afternoon, the left of the line appearing to be driven back, the Twenty-seventh was moved forward at the " double- quick," for a distance of half' a mile, where, under a heavy fire of shell and musketry, it formed line of battle with parade precision, coming on the right by file into line (a difficult movement under fire), with the utmost regularity. The enemy, however, deeming " discretion the better part of valor," promptly retired on the approach of re-inforcements to our weakened line, and the Twenty- seventh was again deprived of an opportunity for a close encoun- ter, bivouacking on the plain, under arms, for the night. On the morning of the 14th, it took up its old position in the center, and the same night, the attack having been abandoned, retired with the army across the river, reaching its old encampment just before dawn on the 15th.
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