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 18
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about fifty. Its character was equal to that of any that ever left the State. Every officer and man was a volunteer; not one drafted man was in the ranks. The field officers each recruited a company as Captains, and were elected by the line officers to their positions. The staff was appointed by the Colonel, who was particularly fortunate in the selection of his Surgeon and Quarter- master. Quartermaster Israel Wells was esteemed by his depart- ment as the best Quartermaster in the brigade, and his services were highly prized by his commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel Honey- man. Adjutant S. A. Bristol was also highly esteemed in the regiment, which, while not enjoying enlarged opportunities of usefulness, yet fairly earned the approbation of the people.
us. It commenced raining, and the night was very dark. About ten o'clock, p. m., took up the line of march towards United States Ford, which was nearly reached when the order was countermanded, owing to the rise of the river. Marched back to former position, which was scarcely regained when ordered to march back again to the ford, which I crossed at daybreak, Wednesday the 6th, rejoining the brigade on Thursday, the 7th-the men of my command being nearly exhausted from fatigue, loss of sleep," &c.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-(Second Cavalry).
The Thirty-second Regiment, or Second Cavalry, was recruited in the summer of 1863, and left Trenton for Washington on the 5th of October of that year, reaching the Capital on the following day with eight hundred and ninety men. It immediately crossed into Virginia, going into camp at a point about midway between Alexandria and the Long Bridge, where, the horses and equip- ments soon after arriving, it was drilled for over a month in horse- manship and the use of the saber. On the 17th, the daily routine was broken for the first time by Captain Gallagher being des- patched with Company A, armed only with the saber, to escort one thousand horses to the cavalry camp of the Army of the Potomac at Fairfax Court-House. Captain Gallagher reached his destination without difficulty, but on his return was attacked by Mosby, and the company routed, the Captain, with two Sergeants and one man being taken prisoners, and one Corporal wounded and left on the field. This affair was followed on the night of the 18th by a move- ment of two companies (C and B) under Major P. Jones Yorke, with no other arms than the saber, with instructions to scout the country from their camp to Annandale by way of Bailey's Cross Roads, Major P. V. Vroom, with companies L and G, being dis- patched to the same point by another route. Fortunately, both detachments, no enemy appearing, accomplished successfully the objects of their movement, and returned to camp in safety, scarcely persuaded, however, of the propriety of seeking collisions with the foe without adequate arms. The regiment now remained idle until the 9th of November, when, having been ordered to the Southwest, it started by rail for Cincinnati, which place it reached
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
on the 15th, proceeding thence by steamer to Eastport, Mississippi.1 Here, disembarking, the regiment went into camp, and soon became actively employed, scouting parties being sent out almost daily, and
1 The following extracts from the diary of an officer of the regiment give the incidents of this trip :
" On Monday, the 9th day of November, 1863, the command broke camp and started for the Southwest. At ten o'clock, p. m., the entire regiment, men, horses, equip- ments, &c., were loaded on the cars and under way on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road; cold and snowing. On the afternoon of the 12th, reached the Ohio river oppo- site Bellair, disembarked the regiment and ferried it over to that placc. Here the horses received the first food or water since leaving Washington.
"On the night of the 13th, the command was again on the cars and off for Cinein- nati, which point thicy reached at six o'clock on the 15th, when they were marched to the Union Refreshment Saloon for breakfast, and from there to the levee at the foot of Broadway, where they were embarked on board the steamers Crickett, Charmer, Nellie Moon, Emperor, Silver Cloud, Melnotte, Princess and headquarters steamer Monsoon. The sutler's stores were, with the Quartermaster's property, embarked on the steamer Emperor by order of Colonel Karge, although the former was received by the Captain of the stcamer under protest as contrary to orders from the War Department. At this point the regiment lost some thirty men by desertion.
"At ten o'clock, a. m., of the 17th, the entire fleet was under way down the Ohio; and at six o'clock, p. m., was one hundred miles below Cincinnati. At ten o'clock, p. m., came to an anchor on account of a thick fog.
"November 18th. Under way at five o'clock, a. m., and at nine o'clock, a. m. hauled in at Louisville, Kentucky. At eleven o'clock, a. m., started through the United States and Kentucky Canal, which is over two miles long, with a fall of fifty feet. At eleven o'clock, p. m., anchored again on account of the fog.
" Thursday, 19th. Under way at daylight, and at two o'clock, p. m., the entire ficet reached Cannelton where the steamers coaled, and Spencer carbines were issued to the regiment. Ten o'clock, p. m. Three steamers, having received their coal, got under way.
"20th. The home guards came into Cannelton to-day to be paid off; they dress and look like rebel cavalrymen. At four o'clock, p. m., steamer Monsoon under way, leaving the stcamer Charmer (Major Vroom commanding) and three others to follow at nine o'clock, p. m. Anchored off French Island Shute for the night.
"21st. Under way at daylight; at six o'clock, p. m., hauled in at Shawnectown to coal.
"22d. Unloaded our horses ; at four o'clock, p. m., re-embarked the horses.
"23d. Two stcamers, with a part of the Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry reached here to-day.
"24th. Part of the fleet got under way to-day.
"25th. At four o'clock, a mi., the remainder of the steamers got under way ; at one o'clock, p. m., passed tlic Nellie Moon-one of the flect-with Captain Van Renssalcer's squadron on board, sunk on a sand bar.
"26th. Reached Paducah, Kentucky, at seven o'clock, p. m., when Major Yorke was ordered to report the arrival of the regiment to the commander of the post.
"27th. At ten o'clock, a. m., got under way up the Tennessee river, with two gun- boats as an escort; at twelve o'clock, m., fired two guns at a party of the enemy on shore. Indications of the enemy being in force, tlie column was shortened by locking the steamers in pairs.
"28th. Passed Pittsburg Landing at forty-five minutes past two o'clock, p. m., and reached Eastport, Mississippi, at half-past seven o'clock, p. m."
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THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-(SECOND CAVALRY).
occasionally coming into conflict with the enemy, who held the country about Iuka. The first skirmish of importance took place on the 4th of December, when two companies of the regiment encountering a force of the enemy, attacked and drove them through Iuka, losing one man killed, the first lost in action. On the 6th (of December), a change in the plan of operations in that quarter having been determined upon, the regiment was transferred by steamer to Columbus, Kentucky, whence, on the 15th, it pro- ceeded to Union City, Tennessee, where it was placed in the cav- alry brigade commanded by Colonel Waring, of the Fourth Mis- souri Cavalry. From this place it moved on the 23d to Paris, Ten- nessee, on the line of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. Here it was employed in garrison duty and scouting until the 16th of Jan- uary, 1864, when it returned to Union City, reaching that point on the 20th. This expedition, in the depth of winter, caused great suffering in the regiment, over eighty men being rendered unfit for duty, and discharged on account of frozen limbs, and one hundred horses being lost from exhaustion. Two days after reaching Union City, the regiment was again on the march, being ordered to join General Smith, near Memphis, Tennessee, over one hundred and fifty miles distant. This march was, if anything, even more severe than any which had preceded it, the route being marked by dense swamps and unbridged rivers, which it was almost impossi- ble to cross; but pushing forward with all possible dispatch, these and all other obstacles were finally surmounted, and on the 8th of February, the command reached Coliersville, some twenty-five miles from Memphis. From this point, the sick having been sent to the rear, the regiment (on the 11th) moved out as part of an expedition into central Mississippi, the object being to make a junction with General Sherman, who was to advance from Vicks- burg, Mississippi, to a point on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and thence move against Mobile. The command moved forward
rapidly without encountering the enemy in any force, meeting, however, and dispersing small gangs of guerillas, until the 19th, when the Second Jersey, having the advance, came into collision with and routed a force of hostile cavalry near Aberdeen, Missis-
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sippi, the same evening occupying Prairie Station and destroying an immense quantity of corn, together with cotton and other property belonging to the Confederate Government. On the 20th, the regiment, still advancing, skirmished for some hours with Forrest's cavalry, reaching the vicinity of West Point-about one hundred miles north of Meridian, where Sherman's co-operating column had already arrived-about six o'clock p. m. Here the cavalry halted and bivouacked, but promptly at day-break on the 21st opened on the enemy, now gathered in large force. General Smith, however, feeling himself unable to cope with the force in his front, soon determined to retire by way of Okolona, which was done, his movements being hastened by a report that the rebels in strong numbers were crossing at Columbus on his flank. On the morning of the 22d, while passing Okolona, the enemy assailed the column with great violence, speedily routing the brigade first assailed, a second which was sent to its assistance meeting the same fate, and losing all its artillery. The First brigade, to which the Second Jersey was attached, was then thrown into line across the road, the Jerseymen holding the center. Reserving their fire until the enemy approached to within fifty yards, the men suddenly opened with their Spencers, delivering a terrific volley right in the faces of the assailants, who, staggered and bleeding, at once fell back in confusion. They had approached, flushed with victory over two brigades, one of which was in part formed of regulars, and evidently did not expect much resistance; but the Jerseymen very speedily convinced them of their mistake. The enemy hav- ing retired, orders were now given by General Grierson directing the Second Jersey to act as rear-guard of the column, which re- sumed its march, reaching the vicinity of Memphis a few days after, the Second having skirmished with the enemy, more or less, briskly for a considerable distance on the line of retreat. In the action at Okolona, Lieutenant James E. Montgomery, of Company C, was badly wounded and taken prisoner, while Captain Pannowitz, of Company L, Lieutenant Meeker, of Company G, Lieutenant Swartz, of Company A, and cleven men were wounded, some severely, but none fatally. The loss of the enemy in men and
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THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-(SECOND CAVALRY).
horses, under the severe fire of the Jerseymen, was very consider- able, while the damage inflicted by the expedition was irreparable, both in the destruction of property and the interruption of impor- tant communications.
The Second Jersey was not again engaged until the 5th of April, when it again met a force of the enemy, defeating them handsomely, with a loss of four killed and five wounded. The day after, Captain Gallagher rejoined the regiment, having succeeded in making his escape from Libby Prison. On the 10th, Major Yorke, with a force of three hundred men of the regiment, was sent against the enemy in the vicinity of Raleigh, some distance north of Memphis, and coming up with the hostile force bravely charged into their midst, driving them into their brigade camp, after inflict- ing severe loss in killed and prisoners. This officer, who had served with distinguished credit in the First Cavalry, never lost an opportunity to strike the enemy, and seldom failed to deliver crushing blows, no matter how great the odds against him.
While these operations had been in progress, the rebel General Forrest had been committing depredations and outrages of every description, almost without check, in South-western Kentucky and West Tennessee-among other exploits, capturing and massacreing the garrison of Fort Pillow, in the latter State. Baffling all attempts at capture, he had finally, after this last atrocious deed, retreated rapidly into Mississippi, where, early in May, he concen- trated about Guntown, on the Mobile Railroad. It being deter- mined to prevent, if possible, any further operations by his troops north of the Mississippi line, or their transfer to Johnston in Northern Georgia, on the 30th of April a force of infantry and cavalry, under command of General Sturgis, was sent out from Memphis, with instructions to push on until the marauder was found and beaten. Breaking camp on the day named, the Second Jersey, late on the night of May 2d reached Somerville, whence a demi-brigade, under Colonel Karge, composed of this regiment, under Major Yorke, the Tenth Missouri, and a section of artillery, was ordered forward to attack the enemy. Moving rapidly on, the column found the enemy in possession of earthworks on the
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heights of Bolivar. Captain Gallagher's squadron was at once impelled against the left of the enemy's line, but a deep ravine arresting the progress of the troopers, the charge was not success- ful. Meanwhile, the rest of the command, opening fire, kept up a vigorous assault, and after a combat of some two hours' duration, the Second Jersey, boldly charging the works, drove out the enemy, who retreated in great confusion through the town. Night coming on, the pursuit was not continued, the regiment garrisoning the town. The loss of the regiment in the action was two killed and six wounded. The rebels were much demoralized by their defeat, and rapidly retreated. The expeditionary force thereupon moved, by way of Ripley and Holly Springs, to White's Station, below Memphis, where, on the 10th, the First Brigade went into camp .? On the 1st of June, Major Yorke was appointed Acting Assistant Inspector-General of the cavalry of the Sixteenth Corps, performing creditably all the duties of the position. About this time, the effectual dispersion of Forrest's command being still
: The following is Major Yorke's report to the Adjutant-General of New Jersey :
"I have the honor to report that on the 20th of April a force under the command of Brigadier-General Sturgis, left Memphis in pursuit of General Forrest. On the 2d of May we reached Somerville, Tennessee, and halted. It being ascertained that a force of the enemy held the town of Bolivar, on the Hatchie river, a distance of twenty- three miles from Somerville, Colonel Karge, commanding the First Cavalry Brigade, was sent forward with a force consisting of two hundred of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry, four hundred of the Second New Jersey Cavalry, and a section of guns belonging to the Tenth Missouri Cavalry. Starting at half-past one o'clock, we made a forced and very rapid march. We found the enemy eight hundred strong, under command of General Forrest, in position behind strong entrenchments and fortifications about one mile from Bolivar. After a severe engagement of two hours duration, we routed the enemy and drove them from their entrenchments and through the town, and but for he lateness of the hour (it being after eight o'clock, p. m.,) and our utter ignorance of the country through which the enemy had retreated, would have captured or de- stroyed the entire forec. The loss of our regiment in this action was two men killed and five wounded, and twenty horses killed and wounded. The names of the killed are Orderly Sergeant E. E. Cooper, Company F, and private Jolm Switzer, Company H. The wounded are Francis Malone, Company A; Oscar Rudolph, Company A; Michael MeSerly, Company F; Martin Perman, Company F; and Jolm Egan, Com- pany H.
"The regiment behaved nobly, and especially I would mention Company E, under command of Lieutenant Louis Rainear, who opened and took the brunt of the action. I am happy to say that the Second New Jersey enjoys the best reputation and esteem, not only of the commanding General, but all the troops in this department.
"I have the honor to be, General,
" Very respectfully your obedient servant,
" P. JONES YORKE, Major Commanding Second New Jersey."
THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-(SECOND CAVALRY). 595
urgently desired, another expedition was organized to go in pursuit of him-the command being once more entrusted to General Sturgis, notwithstanding the evidences of his incapacity. The force engaged in this expedition numbered about nine thousand infantry, including most of General A. J. Smith's Corps, and three thousand cavalry, the latter being under command of General Grierson-Colonel Waring commanding the First Brigade. In the movement, the cavalry was kept in the advance, and on the morn- ing of the 10th of June came up with and engaged the cavalry of the enemy near Guntown, a small railroad station on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The rebels fell back until they gained the protection of their main body, which was now found to be posted in force and ready for battle. "Our infantry was now five or six miles behind the cavalry. General Sturgis, on learning the dispo- sition of the enemy, ordered it up on the double-quick, and directed the cavalry to engage him until it should arrive. The enemy, under Forrest, was about equal in number to our forces, and was strongly posted on the crest of a semi-circular hill or ridge, in front of which ran a small creek, which had but one bridge, and was
otherwise impassable, except in a very few places by footmen. The day was very warm, and when the infantry regiments came up they were exhausted and disordered, having double-quicked the whole distance from the point at which they received the order to march forward. By another great blunder, close up with them came rushing the train, of more than two hundred wagons, and it was hurried over the bridge and parked in a field within easy range and sight of the enemy's batteries. If there was ever one time, more than another, when the attacking force should have been well organized and disposed with particularly careful skill, it should have been here, where the enemy had so great advantages in position ; but as fast as our infantry came up, tired and disordered as it was, it was hurried into the fight, already opened by the cavalry, and soon and completely beaten. The division and brigade and subor- dinate officers made strenuous efforts to check the tide of defeat, but without avail, and the whole army was soon in full retreat, the greater part of it in utter confusion. The rebels, rejoicing in their
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easy victory, pursued with unrelenting vigor, capturing the entire train at the first step, and cutting off our weary infantry men in great numbers. It was some time before even an attempt at order in the retreat was made, and then the second brigade was ordered . to act as rear-guard and cover the retreat, it being the only organ- ized force in the whole command. The First Brigade (of the cav- alry division) had been divided, a large part of it being taken for an escort to the General commanding, and other detachments being broken off for different purposes. It was not attempted to keep the infantry in order, and it hurried along as best it could, a fleeing mob. So, back towards Memphis rushed the ruined army, its rear covered by Winslow's brigade of cavalry during the terrible night's march of June 10th, and through the next day until Ripley was reached. Here the enemy pressed so hard that the running skir- mish swelled into a sharp engagement, which, as it gave our troops some advantage, checked the ardor of the enemy's pursuit, and it was thereafter not so harassing, though continued until within a few miles of Memphis. General Sturgis made no positive attempt to re-organize or control the troops after the retreat had begun, and he should be directly and alone responsible for this great dis- aster. Our losses were about four thousand men killed, wounded and captured ; the entire wagon-train of two hundred and fifty wagons, captured ; the entire ambulance train, except a few ambu- lances belonging to the cavalry division, captured ; and every gun except two."3
The conduct of the Second New Jersey in this unfortunate affair was creditable in the highest degree. Both in the main action and in the retreat, it behaved with the greatest gallantry, the men fairly gnashing their teeth with rage at the mismanagement of the move- ment and the consequent impossibility of chastising the enemy as he deserved. Had General Sturgis been other than the imbecile he was, he might easily have redeemed himself from disgrace, by merely permitting the Second Jersey to gratify its longing for a fresh encounter with the foe. As it was, the regiment contributed
" Ingersoll's " Iowa and the Rebellion."
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THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT-(SECOND CAVALRY). 597
as largely as any other to preserve the little army from complete annihilation, and in the accounts of the time, its efficiency and intrepidity received just recognition. . It aided in covering the retreat, and at one time two companies held an important position for three hours against a greatly superior force. The regiment suffered heavily, losing eight officers and one hundred and thirty men, out of seventeen officers and three hundred and fifty men taken into action. The Color-Sergeant of the command was shot through the head, but the colors were saved by the gallantry of the men, who, amid the prevailing panic, remained perfectly cool.
On the 25th, the Second Jersey was deployed in squadrons along the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, between Moscow and La Grange, for the purpose of keeping open the communi- cations of General A. J. Smith's command. Ten days later, with the other regiments of the brigade under Colonel Karge, it was transferred to a new field of operations, proceeding by steamer to Vicksburg. losing one man on the passage from the fire of guerillas. Reaching Vicksburg, July 6th, the regiment, after marching sixteen miles inland, reported to General Slocum, and was assigned to the command of General Elliott, of the Marine Brigade. On the 11th, with other troops it moved in search of the enemy, encountering him on the 15th at Port Gibson, Mississippi, and losing in the combat which ensued, through alleged mismanagement, two men killed, and Lieutenant Braun, twenty-six men and two guidons captured. Two days after, at an early hour in the morning, the enemy, who was in some force, made a sharp assault upon our picket line, pressing it with equal vigor along the entire front, but our troops, promptly meeting the assailants, after an hour's fight- ing, drove them in confusion. In this contest, Lieutenant A. D. Hamilton, of Company C, while in command of a picket, behaved with conspicuous gallantry, his men also displaying the finest soldierly qualities. The accuracy of their aim was throughout especially remarkable, every rebel found dead in their front after the action proving to be shot between the eyes. The object of the movement in this direction being now accomplished, the command was ordered to return to Memphis, which it did, reaching that point
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on the 24th. Meanwhile, General A. J. Smith, who had advanced with an infantry column to Tupelo, Mississippi, and there encoun- tered and worsted the forces of Forrest, had also returned to Mem- phis, whence, on the 7th of August, he once more advanced with ten thousand men by Holly Springs to the Tallahatchie, but found no enemy to fight, save a very small body of cavalry-Forrest's main body having been drawn off for service elsewhere. The Second Jersey took part in this expedition, with two hundred and ninety men, but on the 31st (of August) returned to Memphis, with the rest of the expeditionary corps, without having been seriously engaged. And now the regiment, for a period of two months, remained comparatively idle, recruiting its strength and adding to its numbers, in preparation for the fall campaign. Early in September, Major Yorke was mustered in as Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the regiment, Colonel Karge having com- mand of the brigade-Phillip Van Renssalaer becoming Major and reporting for duty on November 11th. By this time the regi- ment had increased to fourteen hundred men, and was in splendid condition for effective campaigning.
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