USA > New Jersey > Reminiscences of the war, comprising a detailed account of the experiences of the Thirteenth regiment New Jersey volunteers in camp, on the march, and in battle > Part 16
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We rejoined our Brigade and Division at Blackville on the 10th of February and felt again at home. Blackville is a small station on the South Carolina railroad about twenty- five miles west of Branchville. It was also burned. The scenes of destruction at this place were suggestive. We had reduced the work of destroying railroads to a perfect system, and it was remarkable how expeditiously it was performed. A squad of men would begin the work of de- struction first by raising up a large section of track bodily from the road bed and throwing it completely over. This squad would march on past another section of men to a vacant place in the line and repeat the operation. Follow- ing the track raisers would be a large squad armed with axes, sledge hammers, hatchets, &c., with which they would separate the ties from the rails; another detail would follow them and pile up the ties. set fire to them and heat the rails, which were then twisted-one man turning the rail to the right, another to the left-thus effectively de- stroying their usefulness. We followed the railroad track to a place called Ninety-six Mile Turn-out where we halted for the night. The next morning, Saturday, February 11th. we broke camp and after a march of about twelve miles reached the south fork of the Edisto river early in the morning. Company A had been sent on a foraging expedi- tion and were very successful. They secured a large quan- tity of meat. meal and molasses or sorghum, filling six wagons. We were delayed in crossing the river, which at this point spread over a vast extent of territory, on account of the devastation of some of the bridges (there being nine at various intervals) by the enemy. We were delayed about six hours when we crossed to the north side and encamped. Geary's Division took the advance the next day, Sunday, and we did not move until about 8 o'clock. We had marched about nine miles when we heard consid. erable artillery firing. As we advanced the sound of mu- ketry became audible and we went into camp within a mile of the north fork of the Edisto river with mixed feelings of
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security and probable attack. Geary's Division encoun- tered a small force of the enemy at the river and at once gave them battle. It was reported that Geary lost four men killed and seven wounded. On the 13th the Third Division took the advance. Our Division moved about 8 o'clock in the morning and after crossing the north fork of the Edisto at Jephcoates bridge, we marched about five miles and encamped at 3 P. M. in the woods. For the past three days our provisions had run very low. Some days the foragers would come in camp loaded down with corn meal, bacon and poultry, and frequently enough food was left in our camps, which, if it could have been carried, would have supplied us a day or two longer. Just at this time, however, some of us were entirely out of food. Our forag. ers had not made their appearance for a couple of days and we began to manifest some uneasiness. When we received orders to " fall in " on the morning of the 14th (our Division being in the advance), Johnston Wade of my company and myself obtained permission from Orderly Sergeant More- house to go out with a foraging detail. Morehouse granted the required permission. and as we had heard that the Corps was to march toward Lexington Court House, we determined if possible to make a short cut in that direction ahead of the column. We accompanied the detail for about five miles and then taking a by-path through the woods struck off on " our own hook " and soon reached a large plantation where we obtained an abundant supply of corn meal, Hour, bacon, sorghum, beans, and two dozen eggs. We had heavy loads and after an hour's walk reached the Lexington Court House road about an hour before the Regiment came along. We made a fair division with the men who messed with us and had some to spare for others. The merching next day brought us with two miles of Lexington and on the 16th we marched within four miles of Columbia. We crossed the embankment of a new rail- road that I understood was intended to connect Columbia with Augusta, and when we first came in sight of it we
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supposed it was a line of earthworks. . About 8 o'clock on the night of the 17th of February we reached the Saluds river and halted on a high hill or bluff on the south bank. Shortly after we reached this point a bright light appeared on our right in the direction of Columbia, which grew brighter and brighter as the darkness increased. The whole heavens soon became illuminated and the report "Columbia is burning" spread rapidly among the troops. The First Brigule Bind began playing national airs. " Hail Columbia," " The Star Spangled Banner," and " Yankee Doodle." while the soldiers shouted and sang and indulged in boisterous fun. About 9 o'clock we moved down to the river and at midnight crossed on pontoons and encamped about a mile north between the Saluda and Broad rivers.
We were now in a rich and bountiful country. Our foragers met with abundant success and everybody was jubilant over the progress we had so far made in our march. On the 20th we crossed Broad river and soon afterward struck the Greenville and Columbia railroad near Alston. Our troops were busily engaged tearing up the track, burn- ing the ties and twisting the rails when we arrived. We marched on to within eight miles of Winnsboro where we encamped.
We entered Winnsboro on the 21st, and in one of my letters. detailing our march. I find the following : " A rebel courier was captured at this place with despatches to Wheeler from Beauregard. The courier stated that Beau- regard desired Wheeler to keep the enemy in check at Winnsboro and he would send him reinforcements. Whee- ler sent word back that it was impossible to hold Sherman's foragers in check let alone the main army." Shortly after daylight. on the 221, we again took the road. We were now in a beautiful rolling country and the weather being fine we made good progress. At dusk we reached Rocky Mount on the south bank of the Catawba river. having marched over seventeen miles. We crossed the river the following day and went into camp. The 24th of February
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it rained very hard. The roads were soon in a dreadful condition, and the Catawba rose so rapidly that the pontoon bridge was carried away leaving the Fourteenth corps on the south side. We had broken camp and were marching along through the wind and rain when we came across the Seventeenth Corps at a place called Liberty Hill. We halted near there and remained still for two days. The rain fell quite steadily during the whole of this time, and when we were ordered to move on the 26th, the roads were almost impassable. We moved at 5 o'clock in the after- noon and after a march of six miles in the direction of Hanging Rock, finally halted about 1 A. M. for the remainder of the night. The morning of the 27th was clear but the roads were still in a bad condition. We moved soon after daylight and came to Hanging Rock Creek, passed by Hanging Rock and encamped for the remainder of the day about three miles from that spot. We were mustered for pay during the afternoon.
A new system of picket duty came into vogue on this march. On the morning of the 28th of February details for pickets were made before the column moved. We were sent forward to the right of the line where we marched all day as the advance guard of the Division, halting about half-past four in the afternoon when the picket line was established. We were almost as fresh at the close of the march as when we started in the morning. We marched at an easy gait during the day, rested frequently, and while the troops in the rear were hurrying along to close up the gaps made in the column by the crossing of Little Lynches Creek, we were marching unconcernedly along far in the advance. By this plan the picket details reached camp and were posted three and four hours before the last of the troops came up. When camp was reached the several com mands had nothing to do but get their supper and rest It was a decided improvement over the old plan of waiting until the troops were all in camp and then detailing tired and hungry men for all-night duty. On the morning of
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March 1st. we were called in from the picket line and waited on the Chesterfield Court House road for the Regi- ment to come up, when the details from the several com- panies reported to their commands. We marched about fifteen miles this day, crossing Lynches Creek at Miller's bridge, and encamped for the night about five miles north of the creek. The Regiment broke camp at daylight and with the Division marched within two miles of Chesterfield Court House where a force of the enemy were encountered. The First Brigade was in the advance and were engaged skirmishing with the Confederates when we came up. The One Hundred and Fiftieth New York and Second Massa- chusetts Regiments were formed in line of battle, the left of the line resting on the road. The Thirteenth marched by the flank along the road as a protection to the left of the Brigade, as it advanced. We pushed forward steadily. the enemy giving way as we advanced, and finally we entered the town. The Regiments of the Brigade formed in column. company front. on entering the town and after marching thus a short distance halted. formed in line and stacked arms. In a few minutes Col. Hawley ordered the Thir- teenth to move in light marching order to the support of the Second Massachusetts, who were deployed as skir- mishers. and assist them in driving the enemy from a bridge over Thompson's Creek. Leaving our knapsacks and haver- sacks under gaard we started on our mission, two pieces of artillery being sent with us and placed in position on a hill commanding the bridge. These movements were made in plain view of the enemy who cut the timbers of the bridge and hastily withdrew. We then returned to town, pro- cured our things and moved with the Division across the creek, encamping about a mile from the stream on the opposite side. We rested at this place until 4 o'clock the next day when orders to move were received, and we marched on the Cheraw road for about two miles when we turned to the left and encamped for the night on the Sneedsboro pike. The roads were execrable and we were
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delayed a great deal. We did not move until about 4 o'clock the next day, March 4th. when the whole Brigade was put to work " corduroying" the roads so that our wagon train could get along. We marched and repaired roads until one o'clock the next morning when we halted near the North Carolina line. On the morning of March 5th we heard cannonading on our right in the direction of Cheraw, but contrary to expectation we remained still all day. Just before we started on the march the next morn- ing we were startled by two heavy explosions which we found on reaching Cheraw to have been occasioned by the carelessness of a soldier. Cheraw was full of stores which had been sent there from Charleston, among which were twenty-four cannon, two thousand muskets, and thirty- six hundred barrels of gun-powder. It was the explosion of a large quantity of this powder that occasioned the noise we heard. Several soldiers were killed and maimed and there was barely a whole pane of glass left in the town. We remained at Cheraw until 8 o'clock that night when we moved down to the Great Pedee river, which we crossed on pontoons, and went into camp four miles north-east of the town. We resumed the march next morning breaking camp about half-past seven, and entered the State of North Carolina, the land of tar, pitch and turpentine. We marched full fifteen miles this day encamping along the
line of the Charlotte & Rutherford railroad. A severe rain storm set in on the 8th of March and though the roads were heavy and the men soaked through with water we marched thirteen miles. encamping in a thick pine woods. The weather was very stormy at this time, our marching was slow and tedious, the roads were muddy and swampy so that we were unable to go more than five miles the next day. The country through which we were marching was sparsely settled and we experienced to the full what it was to "live upon a country" where food was scarce. There were many nights when the men went supperless to bed and started on the march the next day without breakfast.
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On Friday, March 10th, we reached Lumber river, where we joined the Brigade and drew rations of sour rice and decaved sweet potatoes, which no one could eat. On Saturday, March 11th, we did not move until about 10 o'clock the next morning. and the report was circulated that we were to reach Fayetteville. about twenty miles dis- tant, that night. The name Fayetteville produced a marked sensation among the troops. We had been without a mail or the chance to send letters home since the 1st of Feb- ruary, and as it had been reported that we would have communication with the coast from that place, the prospect of getting letters and papers from home and possibly receiving rations of hard tack. the countenances of all brightened up. We crossed Rocky Fish Creek and after a march of about eight miles came to the plank road between Rockingham and Fayetteville when we struck up a lively gait, pushing ahead for about nine miles without a halt. The men kept well closed up and the marching this day was the best ever performed by the Regiment .. At night when we encamped within one mile of Fayetteville there was not a man of Company F absent, and I do not believe there was a straggler of the Thirteenth anywhere on the road. Straggling had become a very uncommon thing with us the past year, but the marching on this occasion was so severe that it might, perhaps, have been excusable in some instances ; but every man kept up nobly and the entire Regiment stacked arms together when camp was reached.
The Regiment remained still the next day, Sunday, and on Monday afternoon was ordered to move. The com- panies of the Regiment were equalized-the smaller com- panies being supplied with men from the larger companies -as a review of the Corps by Gens. Sherman and Slocum was to take place in Fayetteville. As we neared the town the breastworks recently erected commanded our attention. They were formidable in appearance. but no attempt to defend them was made. When we reached Hay street the order " By company into line" was given and, unfurling
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our flags, we thus marched in review through the town. We crossed the Cape Fear river on pontoons and encamped about four miles from the city. A gunboat lay at anchor in the stream when we crossed, and that night, or the next day, conveyed our mail matter to Wilmington. Gen. Sher- man made the Arsenal building his headquarters during the occupation of Fayetteville; it was an immense brick structure, and on the 14th he ordered its destruction. A detail of the Thirteenth assisted in the work of demolition.
On the morning of the 15th of March we broke camp and moved out on the plank road, marching about thirteen miles, when we bivouacked at dusk at a place called Bluff Church. The day had been stormy, with fierce lightning and thunder, and the roads were in a very bad condition. We remained at Bluff Church about two hours, and had made every preparation to encamp for the night Camp fires were being started, tents were up, but before we could get our coffee cooked an aid came dashing excitedly down the road, and in a few minutes orders were issued to " pack up and move immediately." There was evidently work ahead. In a twinkling we were on the road again, pushing forward at a rapid gait. The road was a perfect "sea of mud " and though at first we hugged the margins of the wood on either side, marching along in single file, this became tedious and wearisome-the night was intensely dark. At last the men plunged along through the mud and after a march of about five miles we came up to Kilpatrick's cavalry who had encountered the enemy in force, and was com- pelled to halt. His command had thrown up a barricade of rails while an aid was despatched back to Slocum for assistance. We built fires, cooked coffee and retired for the night. Early in the morning we were ordered into line. skirmishers were sent out. and as we advanced in line of battle brisk firing began in our immediato front. The enemy gradually fell back for about a milo when they halted and manifested signs of vigorously resisting our advance. The line of battle halted, Gen. Kilpatrick moved
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his cavalry on the blanks of our Brigade, and superintended affairs until the rest of the Division should arrive. While thus waiting, a new detail was ordered to relieve the skirmishers who had been steadily engaged up to this time and had expended their ammunition. Captain Pierson was detailed, with men from each company, for this duty. among them being the writer. We advanced to the skir- mish line under a severe artillery and musketry fire, and took up position in a piece of woods among some small saplings and scrub oaks. The enemy were in strong force in our front. Their whole line was visible to us through an opening in the woods. To our left the enemy had posted a battery on their skirmish line which was kept actively at work, while in our immediate front, and to our right, a strong musketry fire was maintained. A number of their troops were dressed in light blue uniforms and we mistook them for Union soldiers, but as their fire came unmistakably in our direction we were soon undeceived. We remained on the skirmish line about two hours when a detail of men from the Third Brigade of the Third Division came to our relief. Marching back we found that the Regiment had moved to the rear a short distance. the Third Division having relieved them. The Regiment, with the rest of the Brigade, remained in the rear line about one hour. when the Third Brigade of our Division came up. Gen. Jackson commanding the Division, directed Col. Hawley, our Bri- gade commander, to bring up the Brigade on a line with the Third Division. We moved to the right. formed in line of battle, and with three men from each Company thrown forward as skirmishers, advanced up to the line, the left of our Brigade joining on the right of the Third Division. The Third Brigade marched up into line on our right, and the whole line moved forward, relieving the cavalry. The skirmishers became engaged at once, but the Third Brigade moved on some distance further and meeting with no opposition pushed ahead until they came upon the ex- posed flank of the onemy. They poured an enrilading fre
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down their line which caused them to fall back from our front and we were ordered forward, as it was believed a good opportunity offered to capture them. We moved forward to a deep swamp covered with thick under- growth and briars which impeded our progress, and when we crossed this spot orders were given to lie down. We remained in this position about an hour, when we were again ordered forward and this time we drove the enemy's skirmishers into their works and became engaged with their main line not more than two hundred yards distant. The rattle of musketry became deafening, and the shouts of the men and the sharp crack of rifles mingling together told too plainly that a desperate engagement was being waged. About 5 o'clock that evening, after an engagement lasting full an hour and a half, we were relieved by part of the Fourteenth Corps, and went into camp in the rear line. One of the first men killed in this fight was Wickliffe Hardman, of Company F. He was shot through the fore- head when the Regiment was ordered forward after cross- ing the swamp. Henry Steep, a recruit, and Johnston Wade, also of Company F, were wounded. The Regiment lost in this action two killed and twenty-two wounded as follows :
Killed-Co. B-First Sergeant Orem Warren. Co. F-Private Wickliffe Hardman.
Wounded -- Co. A-Privates Joseph C. Stephens, Thomas Murphy, Pitrick Gibney, Job Hurlmin, Richard Vardie.
Co. C-Corporal Arthur Donnelly, Privates James Gra- ham (died March 17th, 1865), James H. Parliament, Cor- nelius Westervelt, Benjamin Huffman, Jacob White, David Bogart.
Co. E-Privates Samuel Stephenson. Robert Erpenstino Co. F-Privates Henry Steep, Johnston Wade.
Co. G-Corporal Arthur Morgan, Private Thomas Brad- ley.
Co. H-Captain Charles H. Bliven, Private Amos Bart on Co. I-Sergeant Alexander Henry, Johu Roa ch.
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That night I was detailed with three others, Sergeant James Clark I believe being one of the number, to bring off Hardman's body. He was a large man, weighing full 180 pounds, and we discovered him lying about twelve yards in advance of the Fourteenth Corps picket linc. Hardman always carried a largo knapsack and his woolen blanket was strapped neatly on top. This we unrolled, after taking off his knapsack, and succeeded by dint of hard labor, in placing his body upon it. His clothes had become water-soaked which added largely to his weight, and we staggered under the burden as we sought to bring the body inside of the lines. We finally succeeded, and placed it in charge of the Ambulanco Corps by whom it was buried. His grave was marked with his name, company and Regi- ment.
In Sherman's Memoirs the result of this engagement is thus succinctly stated : "Near Averysboro Hardce had taken up a strong position, before which Gen. Slocum de- ployed Jackson's Division " (the First) "of the Twentieth Corps, with part of Ward's" (the Third). "Kilpatrick was on his right front. Coming up. I advised that a brigado should make a wide circuit by the left, and, if possible, catch this line in flank. The movement was completely successful, the first line of the enemy was swept away, and we captured the larger part of Rhett's brigade, two hun- dred and seventeen men, including Captain Macbeth's battery of three guns, and buried one hundred and eight dead. The deployed lines ( Ward and Jackson's) passed on, and found Hardee again intrenched; but the next morning he was gone. in full retreat toward Smithfield. In this action, called the battle of Averysboro, we lost twelve officers and sixty-five men killed, and four hundred and seventy-seven men wounded; a serious loss, because every wounded man had to be carried in an ambulance."
The following incident of this battle was recently related to me by an officer of the Regiment who witnessed it. Soon after the Brigado had formed in line of battle, Gans.
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Sherman, Kilpatrick. Slocum an I Jackson, with their staffs, congregated directly in front of the Thirteenth Regiment and were discussing the situation. Finally Sherman turned to Kilpatrick and said :
"Gen. Kilpatrick, I wint you to move your cavalry to the left and develop the enemy's line."
The dashing cavalryman looked sharply at Sherman and asked, "How do you propose that I shall do it?"
Sherman replied in his laconic way, " Move your men to the left and engage the enemy. Develop their line-make a damn big time -- you know how to do it, you know how to (lo it."
Kilpatrick started without more ado and in a short time the process of development was energetically going on.
The next morning was a beautiful one for St. Patrick's day. The sun shone with unusual brilliancy and the woods were fragrant with delightful odors. Hardee had retreated during the night and at 10 o'clock we received orders to move. Passing through the abandoned works of the enemy we marched about two miles and encamped near Black river. At 7 o'clock the following morning we were again on the move, beginning the day's labor by wading Black river some distance, the water up to our knees, before we reached the bridge, when we crossed the remain ler of the stream without difficulty. We had to " corduroy" the roads a good deal this day and only marched abont eight miles when we went into camp. The next day, the 19th of March, was a memorable one. The Regiment fought its last battle on that day and crowned its honorable record by a glorious achievement, the result of circumstances, but none the less brilliant and heroic. Our Brigade had the " head of column." or right of the line. The Division moved at daylight. and while engaged repairing the roads the sound of artillery firing was heard some distance ahead. Wo movel steadily forward and as we advanced it bee une more and more dis- tinet. When we reached the Smithfield and Goldsboro cross roads the firing was rapid and loud. The column
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rested here for about half an hour in order that the gaps in the line might be closed up, when we took the Goldsboro pike and moved up to the sound of action. We soon reached the hospital of the Fourteenth Corps, and Gen. Williams was approached by a company of fcragers or " bummers" who imparted to him the information that a Division of the Fourteenth Corps had been badly defeated about a mile in front and on our left, and that they were in full retreat. Gen. Williams at once disposed his forces to resist the advance of the enemy. The Thirteenth formed in line of battle in a cleared field by the edge of a piece of woods, and loaded their guns. Moving by the left flank the Regiment crossed the field and came to a ravine through which ran a stream of water. This ravine was also crossed, when the Regiment entered an old corn-field and halted. A piece of woods was in front of the Regiment, with a ravine and piece of woods on its right. The Brigade formed in line of battle, the Thirteenth being massed. close column by division, in rear of the Second Massachusetts, which had the right of the line. We assisted the Second Massachusetts Regiment in the work of erecting a line of breastworks, and while thus engaged heavy and continuons firing broke out in the woods on our right, and increased so loudly in volume that it was apparent that part of the Fourteenth Corps was being driven from their position. Col. Hawley ordered Lieut .- Col. Harris to take the Thirteenth Regiment across the ravine on our right and occupy the most advantageous position which pre- sented itself. We crossed the ravine and entering another large open field formed a line on the brow of a hill, and began throwing up a barricade of rails. We had a com- manding position, a piece of woods and ravine being in our front. Our works were about quarter done when the firing became furious; the troops of the Fourteenth Corps were forced back and the vast field was soon covered with men, horses, artillery, caissons, &c., which brought vividly to our minds a similar scene at the Battle of Chan-
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