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 17
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cellorsville in Virginia. Officers on 1 men of the Thirteenth called upon the fleeing crowd to rally and join on our line but in vain. A Color Sergeant of one Regiment stuck his colors in the ground and drawing his sword called upon the men to rally around him and not give up the field, but the crowd surged past him and he grasped his colors and went to the rear with them. There was now a lull in the action. It was that great stillness we had often before no- ticed which precedes the breaking out of a storm. The line of retreat of the troops of the Fourteenth Corps made it necessary to change the position of the Regiment, so we fell back a short distance and proceeded to form a new line in the edge of a piece of woods on a hill bordering the ravine we had crossed, thus placing us at right angles with the rest of the Brigade. The Eighty-sec- ond Illinois Regiment of our Third Brigade came up to ns at this juncture on the double-quick and formed on our exposed flank. The boys cheered long and loud as this Regiment came promptly up. We demolished our
our old breastworks and thre y up the rails in our new posi- tion. We were thus engaged when the sharp " Ky-yi" of the advancing enemy was heard. They supposed that in foreing back that part of the Fourteenth Corps they had turned the flank of the army, and now came forward exultant in the expectation of routing us completely. In a few seconds we beheld them advancing on a run and yelling incessantly. They were confident of success and advanced boldly in three lines of battle. They were permitted to come within close range when we poured a volley into them with counter shouts which threw them into great con- fusion. On our right several batteries had been stationed which opened a relentless fire upon the enemy. As they approached it was seen that the tiring of the Regiment partly e iladed their line, and after a few well-directed vollies the enemy wavered and then beat a bast; retreat. They fell back in confusion, running helter skelter like a panie-stricken mob, leaving their dead and wounded on the
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field. We at once went to work strengthening our position in anticipation of another attack but we remained undis- turbed. Just after the enemy had fallen back from our front some one issued an order, which was heard only by a few, for the Regiment to fall back. A few officers and men obeyed the order but its uselessness was discovered almost immediately and they returned to their position. The action of the Regiment brought forth commendations from Division and Corps headquarters, and Col. Hawley. Bri- gade Commander said to Lieut .- Col. Harris when the latter applied to him for orders : " I have no orders for you ; your Regiment deserves the thanks of this whole army. for you have saved it from disaster." The most pleasing part of this engagement is the fact that the Regiment had no casualties, either of killed or wounded.
General Johnston had concentrated his whole available force, numbering 14.000 men, at Bentonville and the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps had sustained the heaviest part of the fighting which occurred on the 19th. The losses in the two Corps amounted to nine officers and one hundred and forty-five men killed, eight hundred and six- teen wounded, and two hundred and twenty-six missing One hundred and sixty-seven of the enemy's dead were buried and three hundred and thirty-eight prisoners had been captured. The aggregate Union loss, comprising both wings of the army, was 1,604 killed, wounded and missing.
When Gen. Sherman was informed that Slocum had run against Johnston's whole army he at once issued orders for all his troops to move to Slocum's support. He turned back the right wing from the Neuse river, ordered Schofield (who had arrived with the Twenty-third Corps) to push for Goldsboro, and instructed Gen. Terry to move to Cox's bridge and establish a crossing. By daylight, on the 20th, Gen. Howard's troops were on the way to Bentonville. At four o'clock in the afternoon both wings joined each other in line of battle. The following day the enemy's skirmishers were pressed along our whole front and Gen. Mower's
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Division of the Seventeenth Corps worked around on the flank of the enemy which movement, with the approach of Schofield's and Terry's troops from Goldsboro, caused Johnston to fall back in the night, leaving behind his pickets and the wounded of his army.
Our march to Goldsboro was not interrupted again. On the 24th of March we entered that town and as the head of column reached the main road the troops formed " Com- pany front" and marched in review past General Sherman and other officers high in rank. We had passed through the severest campaign of the war. A good portion of our route had been through a poorly cultivated and impov- erished country, and we suffered very much at times for want of food. As for clothing the men were obliged to wear any- thing and everything. When we entered Goldsboro many of the troops were barefoot, our clothing in shreds and our hats of the nondescript pattern. Not one of the Thir- teenth would have been recognized by his dearest friend, from personal appearance. As soon as we entered the town I left the column for the purpose of ascertaining the whereabouts of the Ninth New Jersey Regiment in which I had a number of friends. I espied one of the members of the Regiment who accompanied me to a large building (formerly a hotel) near the depot where the command was quartered. I found a great many friends of my school boy days all of whom i cannot now call to mind. I purposely avoided making myself known at first, but after a few minutes conversation the boys discovered who I was, and then we had a royal time. I have never forgotten the hearty manner of their greeting. It was worth a good deal to me, just at that time, and I cannot refrain making mention of it here as one of the most pleasing (if le ist im- portant to the reader) of my personal reminiscences of army life. Ispent nearly two hours with the boys talking over old times, and interch inging questions about friends an l acquaintances in Newark. The Thirteenth went into camp near the railroad and as we had been given to understand
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that a rest of some little duration would be given us in order that we might get clothing and once more enjoy the luxury of full rations of coffee, hard tack, etc., we proceeded to erect a comfortable camp. What a sweet rest that was at Goldsboro! We had marched over four hundred miles ; crossed innumerable swamps; built miles of corduroy roads ; destroyed miles of railroads, and thousands of bales of cot- ton ; passed through two battles of more than usual im- portance to us, and endured severe hardships. The joy in store for us was as yet concealed. We did not then know that our last battle had been fought and that in two months time we should be on our journey home.
CHAPTER XX.
Reorganization of Sherman's Army-The Capture of Richmond- March- ing Orders-" Pushing Johnston "-The Surrender of Lee and his Army-Entering Raleigh-Death of President Lincoln-Surrender of General Johnston and his Army to General Sherman-The March to Richmond-Grand Review of Sherman's Army in Washington.
T he whole of Sherman's army, with the Tenth and Twenty- third Corps, encamped at Goldsboro and along the line of the railroad running to Wilmington. It was a mag- nificent sight, and there is scarcely a likelihood that a simi- lar scene will ever again be witnessed in this country. The combined armies were reorganized for another, and, as we believed, final campaign. Gen. Schofield was to command the centre, the right wing to be composed of the " Army of the Tennessee." Gen. Howard, and the left wing the " Army of Georgia." Gen. Slocum. The left wing, comprising the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps, had borne this name during the march through Georgia and the Carolinas, but was always considered by General Thomas as still a part of his old Army of the Cumberland, on detached service. Gen. Joseph A. Mower, formerly a Division commander in the Seventeenth Corps, was appointed to the command of the Twentieth Corps. Gen. A. S. Williams being returned to the command of our Division, the First. Col. Carman, who had been granted a leave of absence at Savannah, returned to the Regiment and was at once ordered to
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Nashville on detached service to look after certain goods, etc., belonging to the Corps, in that department. The command of the Regiment still devolved upon Lieut .- Col. Harris, with Capt. Arey acting Major. For the promotions and other changes in the Regiment I refer the reader to the Roster at the end of the book.
On the 6th of April the joyful intelligence was communi- cated to us that the enemy had abandoned Richmond, and that Gen. Weitzel's command of the Army of the Potomac was then in possession of the city. The news spread rapidly and shouts and cheers rent the air. Bands began to play, and the men grew wild with joyous excitement. Cheers were given and renewed again and again for the grand old " Army of the Potomac," with whom we passed our first year of service, then for Gen. Grant, President Lincoln and everybody. We well knew that marching orders would soon be received, and anticipated one more desperate struggle with the combined armies of Lee and Johnston. which, happily was prevented. On Monday, April 10th. we broke camp and moved under command of Capt. Arey (Lieut .- Col. Harris having an attack of typhoid fever and being unable to accompany the Regiment had been ordered to hospital at Newbern) for Smithfield, where Johnston's army was known to be concentrated. In ac- cordance with Gen. Grant's instructions Sherman proposed to push Johnston to the wall. The Confederate General, however, abandoned Smithfield and we entered with little opposition. There had been a slight skirmish with the enemy. during which Martin V. B. Ingram, of Co. D. an Orderly on Gen. Mower's staff. was shot through the body and killed. He was the last man in the Regiment and possibly in the army who was killed in action with the enemy. While here the news of Lee's surrender, with his whole army, was received. and then ensued a scene that defies description. Hats, caps, muskets, swords, canteens, equipments, even food, were thrown up in the air and the whole army, from the dignified Major-General to the private
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in the ranks, expressed hilarious joy at the great event. Everybody felt that the war was over. Whether Johnston would stand at Raleigh and offer battle seemed too ridic- ulous for discussion. As we neared the city the enemy re- treated, opposing our progress only bya slight skirmish line.
We entered Raleigh about noon on the 13th of April and marched through its beautiful streets to the Lunatic Asy- lum. a large and handsome structure, and went into camp on the grounds surrounding it. As we marched passed the building, I noticed a large crowd of soldiers in front. listening very attentively to one of the inmates who was urging them to release him claiming that he was perfectly sane and unlawfully imprisoned. His story was about as follows: He said his name was. Lavender, that he was a New Yorker, his family living in Bleecker street, from which place they moved into North Carolina. When the rebellion broke out his father wanted him to join the Southern army, but his heart revolted at the idea, and he refused. His father threatened him in various ways, but he said he would rather suffer any wrong than fight against his country. He was then incarcerated in the Lunatic Asylum where he had suffered every torment, and he pleaded most piteously to be released. His speech pro- duced a marked impression in his favor, and a few days later he received his freedom. He was first given the liberty of the grounds with orders to report at a certain hour each day, which he did. He was put under a rigid examination by a board composed of medical officers in the army, and was eventually released. He found some friends in a New York Regiment and left Raleigh with the army a few days later.
Gen. Sherman's policy of permitting his soldiers to visit the different cities captured at the close of a campaign pro- duced an excellent effect on the men. Though they roamed the streets of Raleigh, day after day, singly and in squads, no arrests for disorderly conduct or breach of military dis- cipline were made. The people of Raleigh manifested as
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great a degree of joy at the prospect of peace as the sol- diers, and when the paroled veterans of Lee's army began to arrive in the town, the story of the surrender was told over and over again to interested listeners. One Confed- erate soldier with whom I conversed expressed his gratifi- cation at the close of the war, and said that when Gen. Grant made his appearance with the Army of the Potomac, the Confederates gave three cheers for Gen. Grant and the Union army, the compliment being returned by the Union troops.
On the 17th of April, the news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received in Raleigh. There was intense excitement in the city. Soldiers gathered at the corners of the streets and were harangued by excited speakers. Threats of burning the town were freely made. Citizens passed nervously through the streets, and the scene at a newspaper office on the main street was suggestive of the deep feeling of the soldiers. They thronged the office and demanded the full particulars. They shook their fists in the faces of citizens and muttered deep threats of ven- geance. Abraham Lincoln was worshipped by the soldiers of the army as no other man could have been. His assas- sination appealed for redress to almost each individual's heart. and had not Gen. Sherman promptly ordered a large patrol to march through the streets and send every soldier to his regiment. there is no doubt but Raleigh would have met the rate of Columbia. When the news of the death of the President reached the various camps, a deep and heavy salness pervaded the whole army. Could it indeed be true? one asked the other, and all felt that. perhaps. the news would yet be received that he was not mortally in- jured. Vain hope. The fuller particulars which reached Rueigh the following day only confirmed, too strongly, the sad intelligence.
Negotiations for the surrender of Johnston's army were begun on the 17th when Gen. Sherman went to meet that officer at Durham's station. Gen. Kilpatrick. with a squad-
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ron of cavalry, received Gen. Sherman, and they all moved forward, in rear of a flag of truce, until they met Gen. Johnston riding side by side with Gen. Wade Hampton. The two leaders went into a small farm house near by and discussed the situation. On his return to Raleigh that day Gen. Sherman published an order to the army announcing the assassination of the President, and the attempted murder of Secretary Seward. After an interview with his officers, Gen. Sherman the next day returned to Durham's station and had another interview with Gen. Johnston when a basis of surrender was agreed upon, the armies to remain in statu quo, until an answer could be received from President Johnson. On the 23d information was received that the President could not accept the terms proposed, and the next day word was sent to Johnson that the truce or sus- pension of hostilities would cease in forty-eight hours after the receipt of the letter by him. A formal demand for the surrender of his army on the same terms as were given to Gen. Lee at Appomattox was also sent at the same time. These papers were shown to Gen. Grant who had arrived in Raleigh and he approved them.
On Tuesday, the 25th, we received marching orders, and at 7 o'clock in the morning started in pursuit of Johnston. There was a mixed feeling among the troops concerning the refusal of the President to accept the terms proposed, of which we knew very little at that time. After a short march we halted at Jones's Cross Roads, and encamped, We remained at that place until the evening of the 27th when the announcement was made that Johnston had agreed to surrender and we at once returned to Raleigh. To Gen. Schofield was assigned the task of granting the parols and making out the muster rolls of prisoners, inventories of property. &e., of Gen. Johnson's army. On the 30th of April we broke camp at Raleigh and started on our home- ward march. About three miles from the town we crossed Crabtree Creek and entered into a beautiful country. We marched about fifteen miles encamping a mile and a half
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north of the Neuse river. Our second day's march brought us near the Tar river where we encamped for the night after an eighteen-mile journey. We crossed the Tar river next day and marched twenty-four miles, halting for the night at a place called Williamsborough. We moved at half-past six the next morning, passing through Williams. borough, and when we reached the Roanoke river, halted for two hours. We drew rations and cooked dinner after which we crossed the river and encamped once more on the sacred soil of old Virginia. At daylight we took the road again, and crossing several small creeks bivouacked near the Meherin river, having marched twenty-two miles. We moved steadily forward day by day until the 9th of May when we arrived in Manchester, opposite Richmond, having made the entire distance from Raleigh, about 190 miles. as we marched, in ten days-an average of 19 miles a day. Some days the marching was very severe, and the men kept up with difficulty. There was a spirit of rivalry between the Twentieth and Fourteenth Corps to see which would enter Manchester first. It was a useless contest and both Corps reached the city at about the same time.
On May the 11th we formed in line again and passing through Manchester came to the James river, which was crossed on pontoons. We entered Richmond, the Capital city of the Confederacy. at Seventeenth street. and marched up to Cary street, passing Castle Thunder and Libby Prison. when we formed " By Company into line." moving up to Twenty-first street, through the burnt district, past Jeff Davis's mansion, and entered Capitol street. We marched past the State Capitol on to Grace street, from thence to Brook avenue, when we moved by the flank at rout step going into camp three miles north of the city. The march through Richmond was a severe ordeal. The sun was very hot and the marching over the paved streets intigning. A large number of men were compelled to leave the ranks and rest on the stoops and along the curbs. A severe lightning and thunder shower visited us at night,
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and though the wind blew down our tents and we became soaked through with water. the change in the air was a welcome relief.
At daylight we resumed our journey, crossing the Chick- ahominy river, and after a long march over a swampy road reached Ashland where we crossed the railroad. We pushed on to the north side of the Pamunkey river and went into camp. The country now began to grow attrac- tive. We were nearing the scenes of some of our former exploits and an increasing interest developed itself day by day. After crossing the Mat. Ta and Po rivers we en- camped on the 14th of May inside of the old Confederate line of works at Spottsylvania Court House. On the morn- ing of May 15th we passed through the town, and marching about two miles halted in an open field between the Union and Confederate lines of works. The Confederates had a commanding position and the skirmish pits of the Union army were in some places within fifty yards of the Con- federate line. Several graves of the latter were seen on a knoll near their main line. The men of the Brigade strolled around the battle-field and a party of us discovered the bodies of two Union soldiers of the old First Corps lying on the ground unburied. Going farther to the right and entering the woods we saw the bones of a large number of men belonging to the Second Corps, who fell during Han- cock's charge on the Confederate works. Their bodies had lain where they fell a year before, unburied. Nothing but their frames remained, the flesh having been absorbed by long exposure, or devoured by carrion. Skulls and bones lay scattered promiscuously around. There were over two hundred bodies at this one spot and farther to the left another similar spectacle was found. It was an awful scene and we then realized most forcibly the real meaning of the " Bivoune of the Dead." We remained on the battle- field about one hour. when the march was resumed. Atter a march of about nine miles we entered upon the battle- field of Chancellorsville. The ruins of the old Chan
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cellor House presented the same appearance as on the 3d of May, 1863, two years before. Our Brigade was marched down and drawn up in line at the exact spot where the Regiment engaged the enemy that memorable Sunday. Our dead lav where they had fallen, and a man of Company H picked up a skull which he recognized as his brother's, who had been killed. Some pretense of burial had been made by the Confederates. dirt having been thrown over the bodies where they lay. The rain washed a good deal of it away and the bones of many of our dead pro- truded out upon the ground. In the woods, where the Confederates had their line of battle, were hundreds of graves, unmistakable evidence that they had suffered se- verely in the three day's fighting. After an hour's exami- nation of the battle-field. we formed again in line, took arms, and moved down to United States Ford where we encamped for the night. The next morning we crossed the Rappahannock and entered upon our old haunts. The march to Alexandria was without interest. except that part where we passed over Bull Run battle-field. which exhibited no traces of the sanguinary struggles that took place there. We reached Alexandria on the 19th of May. encamping near Fort Worth. having marched from Raleigh. a distance of about two hundred and seventy-five miles in twenty days.
The scenes about Alexandria were exciting. Every day troops kept pouring in from all directions. Friends from home began to arrive. Officers on leave of absence and sick leave returned to their commands, and visits to old regiments were frequent. Lieut. Col. Harris rejoined the Regiment here and took command. On the 24th of May Sherman's army was reviewed in Washington by the President of the United States and his Cabinet. Gen. Grant and other high civil and military digni taries. We moved near the city on the afternoon of the 234. and on the morning of the 24th marched by the flank up Maryland avenue. Nearing the Capitol the Regiment formed company front and assuming
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the cadence step marched around that imposing structure. As we came in view of the building, a banner on Penn- sylvania avenue inscribed
We welcome the Heroes of the Country. Honor to the Brave,
first attracted attention. Seated on the Capitol steps and around the building were the scholars of the several schools who presented a charming and beautiful appearance. Penn- sylvania avenue was a compact mass of human beings from the Capitol to Seventh street. Flags. banners, hand- kerchiefs, scarfs. boquets and wreaths of flowers were thrown up in the air and shouts and cheers broke forth from the assembled multitude from time to time. The scene down Pennsylvania avenue was magnificent. The solid mass of soldiers marching in perfect unison. the thousands of bright bayonets glistening in tha sun, and the immense crowd of spectators from every State in the Union. formed a scene of unrivalled splendor. The flags of the Thirteenth Regiment, which had been worn to shreds by hard service, were frequently applauded by the enthu- siastic multitude. A banner inscribed
We welcome our Western Boys. Shiloh. Vicksburg, Atlanta. Stone River. Savannah and Raleigh.
drew forth cheers from the soldiers as they passed beneath it. There were scores of Jerseymen in the Capital and we were on the watch for familiar faces. Major S. V. C. Van Rensselaer and Lieut. ol. Swords, who formerly belonged to the Regiment, were espied in the throng. At the Treasury Building the command . Shoulder. Arms," passed down the line. We were nearing the reviewing stand. At the White House a large platform had been erected on which the reviewing officers were stationed. The scnee bere was grand. The troops presented a magnificent ap-
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pearance, marching in perfect time like the movement of a pendulum. The sidewalks and booths were thronged with spectators and nothing was visible to us but a vast ocean of faces. surrounded by flags. ribbons, flowers and ever- greens. On the right-hand side of Seventh street. opposite the reviewing stand. booths had been erected by the differ- ent States. We saw the names of Ohio. Massachusetts and Connecticut, but when the banner of New Jersey, which was stretched over the walk, greeted our sight. a spon- taneous cheer broke forth throughout the Regiment. Hearty cheers were given for Lieut. Col. Harris and the Thirteenth Regiment, by the assembled Jerseymen. After the review we moved out on the Bladensburg road. about two miles north of the Capitol. and went into camp.
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