USA > New Jersey > The history of the Ninth New Jersey Veteran Vols. A record of its service from Sept. 13th, 1861, to July 12th, 1865, with a complete official roster, and sketches of prominent members > Part 17
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May 9 .- At half-past four o'clock this morning, after a sleep- less night and a light breakfast, Heckman's Star brigade again marched in a northerly direction from Cobb's Hill, to reconnoitre along the railroad, towards Swift Creek, a sluggish streamn run- . ning directly in front of Petersburg, and not very distant from that city. The Ninth's skirmishers speedily encounter the Confederates, who kick up a dust as they hurriedly fall back to a fortified position at Arrowfield church, situated on the turnpike near the junction of several roads-the railroad being a short distance away. Heckinan has formed his brigade in two lines-two regiments east, the other two west of the
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roadway. In his immediate front are five regiments from South Carolina, under General Hagood. The Twenty-seventh Mas- sachusetts and Ninth New Jersey, immediately in rear of the little church building, are impatient to open the engagement and be the first to enter the city, known to be but a short dis- tance beyond, but Heckman, busy examining the grounds in his front, fails to give them permission and they bide their time. An hour elapses ere the Confederates, who plainly see the small force opposed to them, advance with their long-practiced and peculiar yell from the cover of the woods, and only cease in their headlong charge when met by a pitiless storm of leaden hail. Brave to madness though they be, the fiery South Caro- linians quail before this fire from the deadly rifles held by men who have confronted danger for three years, and precipitately retreat to the opposite side of Swift creek. Had General Heckman been properly supported at this moment, nothing could have prevented the capture of Petersburg ; but the Eighteenth army corps was in another direction, "Baldy" Smith always taking good care to have it so disintegrated at the critical moment, that no matter what success General Heckman or any other honest subordinate commander might meet with, the effort would be futile. "Baldy " Smith had deter- mined that General Butler should not win in battle, and many precious lives were sacrificed in preventing it-the sad results of the sanguinary conflict at Drewry's Bluff, a week later, satis- fying the most incredulous that treachery and imbecility had succeeded. It was this that nearly destroyed the usefulness of the Eighteenth army corps, by sending half its best men to death or to prison pens in the south.
The engagement continued until darkness put a stop to the strife. Shortly before midnight the Confederates, having received reinforcements of infantry and artillery, renewed the attack, and although encouraged to make a charge upon the thin line opposed to them, they failed to dislodge the Union force, which remained on its arms until daylight, when the enemy opened with artillery, which had but little effect on the Star brigade, owing to the strength of the position it had mean- while taken.
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A MURDEROUS SCOUNDREL.
May 10 .- At ten o'clock, Wistar's brigade arriving upon the field, General Heckman marched his command to camp for needed rest, taking with him some two hundred prisoners. Had Petersburg been really wanted it could have been taken at this time with the troops that were near at hand. . But it was not to be.
An incident occurred this morning that created a ripple of excitement. A low-browed and repulsive looking member of Company H, a foreigner, unable to speak our language, who had recently enlisted to obtain the large bounty offered-and whose singular conduct had repeatedly attracted the attention . of his companions-in-arms, took advantage of the "rest," which the Ninth was temporarily enjoying, to end his miseries. Had his intention and calculation been fully realized, the tragedy would have had a mournful ending. The fellow, who was seated upon the ground, as many of the men were, moved him- self by degrees from the right to the centre of the company, before which Captain Lawrence was standing, as was his wont in time of danger. The brutish looking fellow was so quiet in his action that no particular attention was bestowed upon him, and only when his sinister eyes emitted fire and his frame shook with frenzy did those near by have a suspicion that something was wrong with him. He had kept the butt of his rifle on the ground, and suddenly placing it between his feet, and the muzzle in his mouth, it was discharged-the fatal bullet passing through his head, just grazing the shoulder of Captain Law- rence, who was unsuspiciously standing close behind him. The report alarmed the entire regiment, which sprang up instinctively, only to see the body of the villain topple upon the ground in death. The fellow's previous singular actions were now understood-he had attempted the assassination of his captain, who never had anything but kindness for his men. He had confidently counted upon one bullet accomplishing his double wicked purpose, but his villainy failed. His worthless body was quickly hidden in the ground which had become saturated with his murderous blood.
May II .- The following order was read to the Ninth, which remained in camp to-day :
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HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
IN THE FIELD, May 11, 1864.
General Orders, No. 21.
The general commanding takes great pleasure in returning to the gallant officers and men of his command his thanks for the noble manner in which they have discharged their duties since the opening of the present campaign. The enviable reputation which you have attained, and so richly merited, has been sustained in a noble and creditable manner, and the commanding general would not only be doing great injustice to his feelings, but to the officers and men of his command, did he fail to notice it. The fatigues and privations which you have suffered without a murmur are but characteristic of your previous conduct, and the punishment inflicted upon the rebels is one of the many lessons you have taught them, that will cause them to ever remember and fear the Star brigade. By command of
BRIGADIER-GENERAL C. A. HECKMAN. W. H. ABEL, Captain and A. A. G.
May 12 .- Sunrise found the Ninth leading the Star brigade and Eighteenth army corps in the forward movement on Fort Darling, a strong position at Drewry's Bluff, on the right bank of the James river-a few miles distant. At nine o'clock the Ninth's skirmishers commenced popping away at the Confed- erates, who fell back upon a strong body of infantry and artillery, advantageously posted in a heavy woods along the turnpike. Several attempts were made during the day to dislodge the enemy, but he held fast with wonderful tenacity, and refused to allow the Unionists the right of way without first earning it. Most of the figliting to-day was done by the artillery, which kept at it incessantly until dark, when a cessa- tion of the hostilities took place. The Ninth, with the remainder of the army, rested upon its arms all night, which was rendered all the more disagreeable by a heavy rain-fall, which continued with but little intermission for two or three days.
May 13 .- Up and at it again as soon as gray streaks light- ened the eastern horizon. The Confederates contested every foot of the ground, but the superiority of our forces enabled us to dislodge them from every position. The Ninthi had seen desperate fighting in the Carolinas, but had never witnessed such dogged persistency and stubborn bravery. It was a fine sight, however, to see General Heckman leading his brigade
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FIGHTING OUR WAY.
hither and thither, oftentimes passing through a wall of fire while endeavoring to find a vulnerable spot in the enemy's lines. He seemed omnipresent, giving most of the orders him- self, rather than make use of his staff, who, however much they tried, were unable at times to keep apace with him. Wherever the fight was thickest Heckman (whom his brigade believed bore a charmed life) was sure to be found-his constant presence with his command often enabling him to shield it from danger, if not annihilation. It can be as well said of him, as of his fighting prototype-the gallant and lamented PHIL KEARNY-
" When the battle went ill, and the bravest were solemn, Near the dark Seven Pines, where we still held our ground, He rode down the length of the withering column, And his heart at our war-cry leaped up at a bound. He snuffed, like his charger, the wind of the powder, His sword waved us on, and we answered the sign,
Loud our cheer as we rushed, but his laugh rang the louder, ' There's the devil's own fun, boys, along the whole line.""
The Tenth army corps was meanwhile endeavoring to get around the right flank of the Confederates, whose line extended from Petersburg to Fort Darling, on James river, but owing to procrastination, enforced or otherwise, the Confederates were enabled to concentrate against the Eighteenth corps, engaged in vigorously assaulting the centre and attempting to flank tlie enemy's left on the James river, and then return to the left to prevent an advance in that direction. About the middle of the dark and disagreeable afternoon, a rumor reached our brigade that the Tenth corps had got to work and was pushing the enemy, who were in full retreat towards Richmond. This cheering news stimulated the Eighteenth corps, which at once made a determined attack in its front, but the response made by the Confederates speedily satisfied us that whatever had been done on their right, there was no intention on the part of those on the left to give up the turnpike leading to Richmond without a further struggle.
The Ninth had had plenty of marching and fighting all day, and the men being hungry and pretty well exhausted, late in the afternoon were given permission to make coffee, upon
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which task they proceeded with great delight: In a few moments small fires, built from rails obtained from an old fence near by, were blazing, over which each man placed his cup. Careful attention was bestowed on these diminutive vessels, as they were likely to upset or boil over, and as soldiers think more of "government Java" than any other article of diet, they seldom run chances of losing the fruits of their endeavors. It was while thus engaged, and before the coffee was in a condition to be enjoyed, that Companies D and G were ordered to deploy, and move forward into a dense woods, a few yards in front of where the brigade had halted. The poor fellows had no alternative except to obey orders, and reluctantly pouring the aromatic liquid upon the ground, fastened the empty utensil to their haversacks, and speedily taking " distance on left file," were in the act of springing over a fence separating the woods from the open field in which the troops stood, when a western regiment, armed with sixteen-shooting rifles, marched along in their front, causing them to halt. For a moment the men of Companies D and G entertained the hope that their services were to be dispensed with, but when the western regiment halted, faced to the front, opened its terrible fire for a few moments and retired, they again received the order to proceed, and into the now fast darkening recesses of the lonesome woods the two companies disappeared to keep faithful watch while the army slept. The writer well remembers the experiences of that night. His company had not marched more than two hundred or three hundred yards before it became too dark to distinguish any object at five paces, when a halt was quietly ordered and the men directed to "rally by fours," which formation they maintained until daybreak, when the deployment was again made. Although the Confederates were but a few yards away, those of us who were in the swampy woods knew they would be unable to move, owing to the nature of the ground, and the uncertainty of our location, as well as the strength of our force. The rapidity of the fire delivered from the Indiana regiment just before we moved into the forest, must have frightened the Confederates, as neither they nor ourselves had ever before heard anything approximating to it. It was a
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COLOR-SERGT. GEORGE MYERS.
PRIVATE WILLIAM P. AMERMAN, COMPANY E.
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NEARING THE STRONGHOLD.
continual rattle until every man in the command had emptied his magazine rifle, and the shower of bullets must have greatly accelerated the flight of the enemy from that particular spot. Evidently, from the wide berth which the Confederates gave us that night, they must have been under the impression that nothing less than army corps was firing at that moment. On the whole, I cannot say that any of us regretted the delusion or their ignorance of our situation, which we deemed so critical that none dared step about or so much as whisper to the other. There were no "reliefs" or "grand rounds" that night-not the slightest movement, not even the breaking of a branch or the rattling of a canteen-every man feeling that safety depended upon his absolute stillness. While Companies D and G had thus disposed of themselves, one hundred men of the Ninth had volunteered to accompany Captain Samuel Hufty, who had been requested to reconnoiter the enemy's works. The detach- ment made its way to the river, then northward along its right bank for some distance, until it was ascertained that the enemy had not only no disposition to vacate the massive works, but were actually hilarious over their prospects for driving back the invader.
May 14 .- When the slightest streaks of light were discernable in the east, gallant Adjutant-General Abel, ever alert, made his way to the skirmish line and inquired for Colonel Elwell of the Twenty-third Massachusetts, whom, he said, was field officer of the day. When informed that that person had not visited the line during the night, Captain Abel indulged in language that is not especially defined in Webster, and ordered the skirmishers forward, with instructions to "watch things very closely, as the fort is not far away." Company D moved squarely to the front, Company G, commanded by Lieutenant Peters, being thrown to the right and rear as "flankers." It was not long, however, before the enemy's works were discov- ered, when both commands, some distance in advance of the brigade, were halted. Lieutenant Drake notified General Heckman of his discovery, and accompanied that officer on the personal reconnoissance which he made. While observing the movements of a large force of Confederate infantry in an open
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space outside their fortifications, the general and. his young subordinate were fired upon by sharpshooters, posted in trees. As the "Johnnies " fired with remarkable accuracy, and as the general had obtained all the knowledge that would be of present help to him, they withdrew and returned to the rear. Company G changed front forward, when both commands again advanced through a low, swampy place, and only halted on reaching the edge of the high and dry ground, three hundred yards beyond which were the Confederate embattlements, over which peeped many brazen-mouthed dogs of war. So skill- fully and quietly had this manoeuvre been executed that with the exception of a few shots by sharpshooters, no alarm had been raised.
While the men of Companies D and G lay flat under the brow of the rising ground, intently peering over the surface, awaiting the arrival of the brigade, Commodore Jupiter Pluvius opened his flood-gates and deluged the army and the earth. It was impossible for the men to protect their rifles, (the only thing they now cared for) from the rain, so thoroughly was everything drenched. The only consolation we had was in the reflection that the enemy were being treated in precisely the same manner. The brigade being at length in position, imme- diately in rear of the skirmishers, the latter were ordered to advance and drive the enemy within his works. The skirmish- ers had no sooner risen to their feet than firing commenced and the battle of Drewry's Bluff was opened .. The Confederate skirmishers were posted in the abattis, which fronted their works as far as the eye could reach. Immediately behind them were frowning cannon and a heavy force of infantry. Com- panies D and G labored at a disadvantage, inasmuch as they were compelled to advance over an open space for some distance before they could obtain cover-a highly desirable thing for skirmishers to have. But on reaching a line of large trees, standing equi-distant, and opening fire in earnest, they felt confident of driving the enemy within his fortifications. Obtaining a perfect view of the enemy's situation, and believing that it was within the range of possibilities to make the Con- federate skirmishers give way, our boys entered the abattis by
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IN FRONT OF FORT DARLING.
crawling underneath-sometimes over-the huge trees which lay in every conceivable way, and feeling comparatively safe, continued a well-directed fire. It was only when Companies D and G had succeeded in reaching this point that the enemy within the works took a hand in the fight; but they acted too late, as we could now prevent the Confederates from firing their artillery, having a most excellent range, and were, besides, comparatively free from danger-the prostrate timbers affording us desirable protection.
Lying on the earth and firing from the rests which the timber conveniently afforded our deadly rifles, the Ninth's skirmishers had things pretty much their own way. True, they were wet and hungry, having had no coffee in over thirty hours, but the shooting was "so good," as Orderly Hulsart said, that all thought of hunger and thirst was banished from their minds. There was considerable sport in picking off "Johnnies" who had the temerity to expose any part of their persons over the breastworks, and it was impossible for the enemy to discharge their artillery after our skirmishers had gained the covert in the abattis. The writer saw many Confederates fall along the front of his company, especially at that point where a regiment lay behind a five-rail board fence-two hundred yards from the front of Fort Darling.
About two o'clock in the afternoon, the one hundred and thirty rounds of ammunition which each skirmisher had gone into the fight with, having been nearly expended, Lieutenant Drake made his way through the labyrinth of fallen trees to the ravine in the rear, where the Ninth, with the remainder of the brigade, was temporarily encamped, and asked to be relieved. Colonel Zabriskie, who was masticating a roasted fowl, referred the young officer to General Heckman, by whose orders, he said, the detail had been made. Drake speedily found the general, who was standing with his staff, a short distance away, and reported his command as nearly out of ammunition.
"There's plenty of ammunition, lieutenant, and you shall have all you want," replied the general, smiling.
"It isn't ammunition, general, that we need so badly, but something to eat, and a chance to clean our guns," said the
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lieutenant. "We have had no coffee since yesterday morning at daybreak, but plenty of work to do ever since."
"That's so," replied General Heckman ; "you have done well, and deserve a rest. Tell Colonel Zabriskie to relieve you."
In a few minutes, Company E (Captain Hopper) and Com- pany K (Captain Townley), deployed under cover of the hill, and advanced across the open space into the abattis-Companies D and G firing briskly as they saw the long-expected " relief " nearing them. The Confederates evidently understood what was transpiring, as they, too, opened a vigorous fire, with a view of demoralizing the companies which were making their way with great difficulty through the entangled timber. The men of Companies D and G crawled out and returned to the ravine, and were speedily enjoying fragrant coffee, for which they long had suffered. After satisfying the wants of the inner man, the men cleaned their rifles which had been in almost constant use since the previous morning, and were terribly leaded inside and rusted outside, in order to have them in per- fect condition for future service, of which any amount stood in fair and immediate view.
I ought to state that the abattis, notwithstanding its apparent safety for a man after he once got fairly into it, was not a place where one could act with impunity, and this fact Captain Townley soon learned to his cost. The captain never liked the idea of going into battle without keeping both eyes open and seeing all that was transpiring about him. There were such men in every regiment, and their curiosity frequently attracted the enemy's fire. On this occasion, Captain Townley, than whom no braver man ever lived, stood up to count the cannon on the earthworks, and while thus engaged invited a shot from a sharpshooter, who sent a bullet through his wrist, which compelled him to drop his sword and return to the rear to seek a surgeon. It was ever after a source of regret to the captain that he was sent to the hospital and not permitted to engage in the great battle which followed.
Every hour during the balance of the day two companies went into the abattis, and at night the line was made doubly
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MISDIRECTED LETTERS.
strong to prevent a surprise visit from the Confederates. There was more or less firing between sunset and sunrise on the part of the enemy, caused, no doubt, by the frequent desertions which were made, also by the desire to prevent us from obtaining needed rest. It isn't the most delightful feeling to sit upon the ground holding a heavy rifle all night, in order to be ready for something in the way of the unexpected, but this soldiers were often required to do in the campaign of 1864.
A number of deserters crawled into the Union lines during this and the succeeding night. As a rule they were a hard looking lot, but expressed themselves as heartily tired of the war.
May 15 .- Sunday, but no rest for either army, as each was preparing for the encounter-the deadly grapple-which could not be much longer delayed, owing to the surrounding order of things. The arrival of, a large mail for the regiment this fore- noon was the only pleasurable event of the day. Despite the dangerous surroundings and imminent peril in which the men found themselves, they eagerly perused missives from loved ones at home, from whom many of them were destined never again to hear. The writer received a number of letters addressed to him "care Ninth New Jersey volunteers, Rich- , mond, Virginia," the senders evidently believing the Ninth would be in possession of the Confederate capital by the time the mail reached the army. Less than twenty-four hours afterwards letters bearing that superscription would have found the writer a prisoner of war in "Libby."
The day passed without any exciting event, other than the continued firing between our skirmishers and the Confederates, admirably posted behind their works. Occasionally the monotony was ruthlessly disturbed by the passage of a screeching shell over our lines into the woods in our rear, but as our brigade was shielded under the brow of a hill, and by earthworks hurriedly thrown up, the missiles did but little damage. It was the Minie bullet, coming from a long distance, and doing its work quietly and effectually, that was most dreaded.
It was just at dusk that the brigade was relieved, and as the
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Ninth moved along by the right flank towards the road, which we knew ran through the woods, a feeling of joy took possession of our souls, anticipating, as we then did, that we were marching to the rear to obtain rest and recuperate. But, alas, for human expectations. We soon discovered that instead of retiring we were simply prolonging the line of battle-taking ground to the right, towards the James river. Half an hour after the movement had begun it was completed, and the Star brigade again faced the enemy, but in a far more dangerous position than it had previously occupied.
Between the Ninth New Jersey, (which occupied the extreme right of the Union line,) and the river, was a distance of more than one mile, which had been, and was still, unguarded, ex- cept by a squadron of colored cavalry, which had taken position in the woods during the afternoon. As this space was open, and admirably calculated for a flank movement by the enemy, nothing less than a division of infantry, with proper artillery support, would have been sufficient to hold it against the Con- federates. This was the most important point in the whole line, as it covered the shortest route to our base of supplies, and on its retention depended the safety of the Union army. Our false position invited attack. Beauregard's advance, if not unexpected, was totally unprovided for.
General Heckman had repeatedly called the attention of General " Baldy" Smith, commanding the corps, to this glaring oversight, but that officer failed to remedy the matter, except by sending the squadron of cavalry as before stated. During the early evening, when it was known to every man in the Star brigade that the Confederates were massing in its immediate front, General Heckman again reported the matter to head- quarters, saying that without reinforcements his brigade would be sacrificed. General Smith said he would attend to it, and he did so by sending a section of two batteries over to General Heckman, who placed them where they would be of most service. When the two first lieutenants who commanded the sections, met, they compared notes, and as each maintained that he ranked the other, and as neither would give in, the batteries limbered up, and went to the rear, and that was the
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