USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > The history of Newark, New Jersey : being a narrative of its rise and progress, from the settlement in May, 1666, by emigrants from Connecticut to the present time, including a sketch of the press of Newark, from 1791 to 1878 > Part 28
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During the summer of 1864, General Grant being now in supreme command, the Jersey troops of the First Brigade participated in the battles of the Wilderness, bearing themselves with wonted bravery. In the battle of the 8th, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles H. Tay (a gallant Newarker, formerly of the Second), was taken prisoner, with a large portion of his regiment. For fourteen hours, on the day of the 12th, a battle raged over the intrenchments, " the intense fury, heroism and horror of which it is impossible to describe "-as Pollard says in his " Lost Cause." Two days later, on the afternoon of the 14th, in a successful assault on the "Galt House," the brave Lieutenant-Colonel Wiebecke was killed. By superior merit, this noble Newark German rose from a captaincy, and, with his face to the foe, met a hero's death in the cause of his adopted country.
Its time having expired, the Second Regiment left the front on May 29th, 1865, and proceeded to Washington, whence it was ordered to Trenton to be mustered out. It arrived in Newark on Sunday, June 5th, and, in the language of Mayor Runyon, who addressed the regiment in front of the City Hall, was given a "welcome, thrice welcome to the homes" the gallant fellows had "honored by their patriotism and adorned by their distinguished
269
SERVICES OF THE SECOND-THE EIGHTH REGIMENT.
valor." " Never was welcome better deserved, never was welcome more heartily given." In three years' service the regiment had been thinned from 1,100 to 300 men.
We now return to the Second New Jersey Brigade. As already stated, it consisted of the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Regiments, and Beam's Battery of Artillery. The latter was designed to be attached permanently to the Eighth Regiment, but under a law consolidating the artillery, the connection was severed. Beam's Battery, however, was always the glory of the Eighth, and was bound to it too strongly for mere parchment decrees to sunder. It was in September, 1861, when the Eighth Regiment, with full ranks and hearts buoyant with patriotic aspirations, entered Wash- ington. With the other three regiments designated, the Eighth was brigaded under Brigadier-General S. Casey, of the regular army. The greater part of the Winter was spent in drilling and preparing for active work in the Spring.
The first action of importance in which the Eighth Regiment was prominently engaged was the battle of Williamsburg, fought on May 5th, 1862. It was one of the fiercest and most hotly con- tested engagements of the entire war. On the night of the 3d Yorktown was evacuated by the enemy. At Williamsburg, Hooker expected him to make a stand, his position there being very strong. The Jersey Brigade left Yorktown on the afternoon of the 4th. That night it bivouacked in a swamp some five miles from Williams- burg. The night was dark as Erebus, and the rain fell steadily ; the roads were muddy, and the men experienced great hardship in moving forward, being nearly worn out from exhaustion, labor in the trenches and loss of sleep. In spite of all, they were on the march at two o'clock in the morning, and three hours later emerged from a forest in sight of the enemy's works. These were of great strength, and were admirably protected with redoubts, which extended far away to the right and left ; also, in front, with rifle pits, and, nearer still, a formidable obstruction of tangled abattis. Immediately in front of the redoubts the plain was furrowed by winding ravines which were completely covered by the guns of the enemy. Hooker was resolved upon an attack, and at half-past seven advanced his skirmishers. He sent two batteries to the right, - with the Fifth New Jersey as a support. The Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Regiments he advanced to the left. They occupied a wood
270
HEROISM OF THE EIGHTHI AT WILLIAMSBURG.
in front of a line of field-works. The rain meanwhile fell in torrents, the men being over their ankles in mire and water; but rain and mire and water were last thought of in the absorbing eagerness of all to close with the enemy. Through the brush the Jerseymen pushed, and soon they came upon the foe. A vigor- ous fire was at once opened. The Eighth occupied the extreme left of the line of battle. The wood in which it was stationed was almost impassable because of broken timber. Just beyond were the plains of Williamsburg. Here, for five long hours, the regiment fought with consummate bravery. Against the left the fierceness of the battle raged, the enemy having early determined to turn it if possible. This feat, if successful, must have proved disastrous to the Federals. Knowing this, the men of the Eighth fought with desperate strength, repulsing every attempt to dislodge them. They were cheered and encouraged by word and example by their brave Colonel, the gallant Johnson. On going into the fight he had some misgivings as to the mettle of a few of his command, and he resolved to shoot the first man who blenched in action. His fears proved groundless ; not a man wavered. So close were the men of the Eighth to the enemy, that the orders given by the Confederate officers were distinctly heard. "Again, and again, and still again;" -quoting the words of one who was there-" six thousand of the enemy's fresh troops were hurled against the New Jersey Brigade of less than three thousand men; but each time they were driven back with terrible loss." Not even when their brave commander fell, badly wounded, so that he had to be removed to the rear, did the Eighth show a sign of wavering. "Commanding the ground at every point, the fire of the enemy was pitilessly destructive, and did not slacken for a moment. But the brave fellows into whose faces it was poured stood firmly and unflinchingly-sometimes, indeed, pushed back a little space, but as surely hurling the enemy, bleeding and shattered, back to his works." It was impossible, owing to the nature of the ground, to use the bayonet ; "but the rapid volleys of our heroic troops were scarcely less effective."
" And thus the battle raged, the enemy, reinforced again and again, directed against these three regiments all the fury of their attack; but still for hours the little column stood immovable. At last, however, the enemy, now driven to desperation, rushed forward in overwhelming numbers, pouring a terrific fire into our whole line.
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PRAISE EXTORTED IN PLACE OF SNEERS.
Then at last that brave line gave way slightly. . Their ammunition
these heroes of the day, before this last overwhelming attack, fell terribly thinned, enervated by want of food and a difficult march, exhausted, their muskets rusted by the drenching rain, their ranks
slowly back. But they were not defeated. They had held the enemy in check, had frustrated every attempt to flank their position
and thus saved the Division, which, but for this stubborn resistance,
questioned. Praise, high praise, was extorted where sneers were courage and grit. After Williamsburg Jersey mettle was no longer 500 !- a ghastly but thrillingly eloquent proof of its marvelous The Eighth entered the battle with 660 men. It came out with mainly due to the brave and steady bearing of the left of his line. day. That the day was saved, as General Hooker admitted, was other commands arrived and securely turned the fortunes of the secured to enable reinforcements to come up. Phil Kearny's and would have been swept in disaster from the field." Time had been
and soil sacred for all time in the dark hours of the Revolution." our day are worthy descendants of the heroes who made her name and the conflict at Williamsburg proves that the Jersey Blues of time, adding: "Men never stood up more bravely to their work, this battle," wrote a Philadelphia newspaper correspondent at the wont to prevail. "New Jersey may well be proud of her sons in
his regiment, his wound, however, far from being entirely healed. fatally wounded ; but after four months' absence he was able to join " had proved himself of chivalrous courage," was believed to be Colonel Johnson, who, as a participant in the engagement states, fought like tigers, driving back the enemy with great slaughter." Another press correspondent said the " brave boys (of New Jersey)
After he had left the field Major Peter M. Ryerson assumed com-
died afterwards. A few days after the battle, stung by the injustice There were about one hundred and fifty wounded, many of whom The day after the battle he buried thirty-six officers and men. " fearlessly rushed into danger to assist in bearing off the wounded." true soldier of the Union, but a true soldier of the Cross-that he Chambré-who in all his service bore himself as became not only a Co. C, " cannot be too highly commended." It was said of Chaplain said the conduct of Captains William A. Henry, Co. B, and Tuite, dead, pierced with several bullets. In his report, General Patterson mand. An hour afterwards, while rallying his men, Ryerson was shot
.
272 CHAMBRE'S TESTIMONY-BRAVERY OF JERSEY TROOPS.
done the Jersey troops in certain newspaper accounts of the engage- ment, Chaplain Chambre wrote a letter to the New York Tribune in the course of which he strongly protested against the appropriation to others of the hard-won laurels of the Jerseymen. "The Jersey troops," said he, "behaved most nobly and gallantly, as is freely and fully and repeatedly acknowledged by both Brigade and Division Generals-Patterson and Hooker." "I can positively affirm," he continued, "that the New Jersey boys did not give way-nor did they at any time fall into disorder. On the contrary, with unflinch- ing fortitude and bravery, and to the admiration of our Generals (freely expressed to me personally) did they stand their ground under the pressing columns of 6,000 fresh troops of the enemy who attempted to crush down our Brigade, worn and weary, and number- ing less than 2,500 men !" "Our men stood even after all their ammunition was expended. They would then have given cold steel. They never thought of retiring, giving way, or falling into disorder. But we went into action with ranks thinned by sickness, and by a long and terrible march over roads that were frightful. In my opinion, the day was saved by the New Jersey Brigade. The heaviest work of the battle was done by the New Jersey Brigade under its noble commander Patterson. And the hardest fighting of. the Brigade was done by the Eighth New Jersey Regiment, which occupied the left of the line, and met and turned back repeatedly the swelling forces of the enemy that were thrown against it to turn its flank."
The Eighth subsequently participated in all the great engagements of the Peninsula, and it is the simple truth to say that it was always among the foremost in the advance, and among the rear-guard in the retreat. In the engagement at Bristow Station, July 27th and 28th, 1862, Lieutenant-Colonel William Ward, formerly Captain of Company D, had his arm shattered so that it had to be amputated. He was also wounded in the side. Captain John Tuite, of Company C, was killed. Shattered by many conflicts, the Eighth never lost the high morale it had attained under the soldierly eye and affectionate solicitude of Col. Johnson-certainly not while he was at its head. During March, 1863, Johnson was forced by his unhealed wound to resign his command. Subsequently he was able to labor in the service of the nation as Colonel in the Veteran Corps. With Colonel Johnson also resigned from the Eighth
273
BEAM'S BATTERY-THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
Chaplain Chambré, the effects of a severe fever, contracted while the regiment was in the swamps of the Chickahominy, compelling the step. The Eighth returned home in September, 1864, and was received as it deserved-most warmly. Beam's Battery, shorn of its gallant commander, who met a soldier's death at Malvern Hill, returned soon after to Newark, under command of Capt. A. J. Clark. Although the battery was in every battle of the Third Corps, its entire loss during its three years' service was only fifteen men. It went out with seventy-five men and came home with sixty.
It does not come within the scope of this work to attempt a complete history of the Newark soldiery during the civil war"; but, following up what has already been set forth regarding the military, it is proper that some mention should here be made of a few organ- izations and individuals whose deeds have richly increased the halo of martial glory which encircles the brow of this, the New Jersey metropolis.
On August 25th, 1862, the Thirteenth Regiment was mustered in at Camp Frelinghuysen, with Ezra A. Carman as Colonel ; Robert S. Swords, as Lieutenant-Colonel; Samuel Chadwick, as Major ; Charles A. Hopkins, as Adjutant ; Dr. John J. H. Love, as Surgeon ; Dr. I. H. Freeman, as Assistant Surgeon ; Garret S. Byrne, as Quartermaster ; and Rev. T. Romeyn Beck, as Chaplain. The Captains were: A-S. V. C. Van Rensselaer; B-John Grimes ; C-David A. Ryerson; D-George A. Beardsley ; E- Frederick H. Harris ; F-Alexander Vreeland ; G-John H. Arey ; H-James Brannin ; I-Charles Mackey ; K-H. C. Irish; First Lieutenants-C. H. Bliven, Robert Bumstead, W. A. Bucklish, T. B. Smith, E. D. Pierson, F. W. Sullivan, Thomas C. Chandler, James Henry, Henry Reynolds, J. W. Scott ; Second Lieutenants- George M. Hand, J. L. Carman, Peter Field, C. N. Canfield, Ambrose Matthews, Charles Guyer, H. F. Nichols, Robert G. Wilson. On the 3Ist the regiment started for the front, reached Washington September 2d, and was sent into camp at Fort Richardson, Arlington Heights. Before the mild September had passed, the regiment was under fire, and, at Antietam, bore itself so as to command the high praise of General officers. Captain Irish was shot dead at the head of his Company (K), in this battle. The command participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, and '- subsequently did brave service in Tennessee, finally marching with
274
GENERAL HAWLEY'S COMPLIMENT-THE TWENTY-SIXTH.
Sherman from Atlanta to the sea. Its action in the last battle of the war was heroic. "You are entitled to the thanks of this whole army, for you have saved it," said Hawley, the Brigade commander, addressing the Thirteenth. The regiment returned to Newark June 10th, 1865, and received the heartiest of welcomes.
Another Newark regiment was the Twenty-sixth (nine months' men), which was mustered into service at Camp Frelinghuysen on September 3d, 1862, and three weeks later left for Washington. It was, according to one of its officers, " composed of the flower of Essex County." "The great body of the regiment was composed of young, active men, mechanics and farmers, men of character and intelligence, for the most part." Newark supplied six companies, and Orange, South Orange, Bloomfield and Caldwell the other four. Most creditably did the Twenty-sixth bear itself at Fredericksburg, its first battle. It fairly earned the honors paid it by the citizens of Newark, upon its return home on June 19th, 1863. The officers of the regiment were: Colonel, Andrew J. Morrison; Lieutenant- Colonel, Martindale; Major, William W. Morris; Adjutant, John C. White; Quartermaster, John H. Bailey; Surgeon, Luther G. Thomas ; Chaplain, D. T. Morrill ; Captains, Stephen C. Fordham, William H. Halsey, Samuel H. Pemberton, Henry M. Bush, John Hunkele, Walter H. Dodd, George W. Harrison, Samuel U. Dodd, John McIntee, Thaddeus Smith; First Lieutenants, Rochus Heinisch, jr., Mark Sears, Cornelius McCleese, Henry C. Terhune, Robert J. Beach, George W. Nixon, Brittain Haines, Peter F. Rogers ; Second Lieutenants, William H. Meldrum, James A. Linen, George Hogan, Moses A. Hoage, Ira Meeker, William R. Taylor, Joseph A. Dunnell, John I. King, Albert Allen.
Yet another regiment, one of the bravest that ever faced an enemy, is fairly entitled to be enrolled among those accredited to Newark-the gallant Thirty-third. This regiment was raised during the Summer of 1863, and was composed almost entirely of officers and men who had already been " at the front." It was a "veteran volunteer " regiment-the first veteran regiment raised in conformity with the laws of Congress, just then enacted. Essex, Morris, Passaic and Hudson counties furnished the men. Newark, however, had the lion's share of the quota. "The command was in all respects a superior one." It was armed with the best Spring- field rifles, and was dressed in the picturesque Zouave uniform. The following is the original roster of the regiment :
275
THE THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
Colonel-GEORGE W. MINDIL. Quartermaster-JAMES B. TITMAN.
Lieutenant-Colonel-ENOS FOURATT.
Surgeon-JAMES REILEY.
Major-DAVID A. PELOUBET.
Assistant Surgeon-J. HENRY STIGER,
Sec. Ass't Surgeon-CHAS. W. STICKNEY.
Adjutant-WILLIAM M. LAMBERT. Chaplain-JOHN FAULL.
Company A-Capt., Wm. G. Boggs; First Lieut., G. M. Harris; Second Lieut., W. L. Shaw. Company B-Capt., J. R. Sandford; First Lieut., J. A. Somerville ; Second Lieut., J. Warner. Company C-Capt., A. S. Taylor; First Lieut., H. F. Sherwood ; Second Lieut., C. A. Sutton. Company D-Capt., C. J. Courtois ; First Lieut., J. T. Gibson ; Second Lieut., W. A. Miller. Company E-Capt., John Sandford ; First Lieut., Charles J. Field ; Second Lieut., J. L. Miller. · Company F-Capt., Thomas O'Connor; First Lieut., G. L. Begbie; Second Lieut., A. Eason. Company G-Capt., H. C. Bartlett ; First Lieut., J. J. Toffey; Second Lieut., W. H. Harrison. Company H-Capt., Barent Frazer, jr .; First Lieut., T. H. Lee; Second Lieut., J. P. Couse. Company I-Capt., Samuel F. Waldron; First Lieut., J. W. Kitchell; Second Lieut., F-Childs. Company K-Capt., William McCoy; First Lieut., Wm. H. Cochran; Second Lieut., F. Tully.
Mindil, the Colonel of the regiment, was one of "the bravest of the brave," and, though a boy in years, had already commanded the admiration of such soldiers as Generals McClellan, Kearny, Banks, Heintzelman, Birney and others. He had most creditably com- manded the Twenty-seventh New Jersey Regiment, and had scarcely reached his twentieth year when, on the 8th of September, 1863, he left Newark for the front, at the head of the Thirty-third. Within a week the regiment was in Virginia. It was not its destiny, however, to face the enemy there. On the 25th the regiment returned to Washington, and thence was ordered to a point near Chattanooga. On November 22d the regiment moved beyond Chattanooga, and bivouacked. Next day a battle was begun. Throughout the engagement the Thirty-third displayed great gallantry. At the outset, Captain Boggs fell fatally wounded. Soon after, Captain Waldron, while bravely moving on the extreme right of his Company (I), was shot dead. At Citico Creek, in the same fiercely contested fight, Captain Thomas O'Connor won for himself a high reputation for coolness and courage. Under him were Companies F and A. Inspired by O'Connor's utter fearless- ness, his men pushed on, and many of them dashed across the creek to the opposite bank. But for being prematurely ordered to with- draw, O'Connor's command would have achieved a brilliant and substantial success. In conveying the order to Captain O'Connor to withdraw his men, Adjutant Lambert displayed great bravery. The heaviness of the enemy's fire was such that the regiment was ordered to lie close to the ground. Through a leaden storm, Lambert fearlessly rode forward towards O'Connor. Midway, his
276
A BRAVE ADJUTANT-A TERRIBLE MARCH-ATLANTA.
horse was shot from under him. Perfectly self-possessed, the gallant Adjutant extricated himself from the prostrate animal, bounded forward afoot, and succeeded in delivering his orders. That night, when the regiment bivouacked under Nature's star-lit dome, Lambert was the toast of the Thirty-third. General Howard com- plimented the regiment "on its splendid behavior." The next day, and the next, the regiment added to its reputation for valor. The following December, in connection with other troops, it moved towards Knoxville to the relief of Burnside, who, with twelve thousand Federal soldiers, was seriously menaced by Longstreet's army. "General Burnside," wrote an officer of the Thirty-third in his diary, " warmly thanked the troops who saved him and his · important stronghold." The march to Knoxville was one hundred and twenty miles, and the sufferings of the Thirty-third were terrible. " Never have I seen or even read of troops who suffered like these," wrote an officer. "They endured hardships that seemed unbearable, with a cheerfulness that appeared superhuman. We read of the sufferings of the patriots of '76 at Morristown and Valley Forge, and they were terrible ; but even this was as nothing to the pains endured on the road from Chattanooga. The weather often wet, still oftener bitter cold, the woods deep with mire or frozen into sharp jagged points-all without blankets, tents, and many without shoes, with no regular rations, the men pressed on, eager to overtake Longstreet. Had the ground been covered with snow, the march of the Thirty-third might might have been traced by the bloody footprints of its patriot rank and file."
Next came, early in the Summer of 1864, the memorable Atlanta campaign, in which the. Thirty-third was a conspicuous participant. At Dug Gap, which has been styled a Georgian Gibraltar, the regiment behaved with great bravery. Captain Bartlett, a cool, courageous, experienced veteran officer, fell at the head of his Company, charging the foe. So did Lieutenant Joseph L. Miller -- another brave son of Newark. At Dallas, Captain Charles J. Field, still another hero, received his death-wound. Pine Knob, fought on June 15th, cost the Thirty-third dearly. Captain Cochran, a most chivalric young officer, the successor of Bartlett, was shot dead. " His only fault," said Col. Enos Fouratt, the gallant commander of the regiment-Mindil being absent on sick leave-" was too much bravery." He was the third officer
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HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES-THE LOST FLAG.
killed during the campaign, while in command of Company G. Near Kenesaw mountain, a few days afterwards, Adjutant Pierson, a highly esteemed officer, and Captain Charles Jules Courtois, of Company D., passed through hairbreadth escapes. Captain Courtois was in the front ranks of the skirmishing line, and was wounded in the shoulder. The ground was open, and he was com- pelled to crawl back "on all fours," a distance of half a mile, exposed all the way to the fire of the foe. Frequently he arose and tried to push forward rapidly, but a discharge of Confederate musketry invariably rewarded each effort. Every time he dropped, the enemy, supposing him killed, would raise a loud cheer. Fortunately he succeeded in safely running the terrible gauntlet.
Thus far the total loss of the regiment during the campaign was eight officers and one hundred and thirty-nine enlisted men. By the 7th of July the Thirty-third had encamped near the Chatahoochee river, in sight of the steeples of Atlanta. After a rest of ten days the troops moved again, and on the 17th crossed the Chatahoochee. Nances Creek was crossed next day and Peach Tree Creek the day following. Still the troops advanced, the enemy's outposts falling back the meanwhile. The 20th came, on which memorable day the Thirty-third bore for a time the brunt of an attack by Hood's whole army. The regiment covered itself with glory, albeit it lost its beautiful State flag which had been forwarded the previous January by the authorities at Trenton. Not till he was shot dead did the color-bearer yield his precious charge, the guard being destroyed. The national colors, however, were saved, and Colonel Fouratt was warmly assured by the Brigade commander (General Jones) and General Geary that there was no disgrace whatever in the loss of the State banner, the circumstances considered ; the surprise was that the command was able to preserve its national flag. "Colonel," said General Hooker, addressing Fouratt, "it is no disgrace to lose a color under such circumstances ; I only wonder that a man escaped capture." Within two weeks' time Atlanta had fallen and the Thirty-third was among the first of the troops to enter the city. Out of the five hundred men it had on leaving Chattanooga, it now had one hundred. Three hundred were either killed or wounded ; the rest captured. What a certificate of regimental heroism !
And now came that most brilliant among the military strategic movements of the war, the marvellously successful march of Sher-
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278
SHERMAN'S MARCH-SPLENDID REGIMENTAL RECORD.
man "from Atlanta to the sea." To no single regiment was the success of this movement more largely due than to the Thirty-third. A month and a day later than the entrance into Atlanta the Thirty- third marched into Savannah. To an officer of the Thirty-third- Captain Courtois, the same who had such a narrow escape near Kenesaw, and who was now attached to the staff of General Patrick H. Jones, commanding the Second Brigade, Second Division, Hooker's-is ascribed the honor of being the first Union officer to enter the Georgian metropolis.
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