USA > New York > Camp fires of the Twenty-Third: sketches of the camp life, marches, and battles of the Twenty-Third Regiment, N. Y. V. Added to these are statistics of enlistments and all valuable information connected with the regiment > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00822 4682
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/campfiresoftwent00maxs
Camp Fires
OF THE 23rd
TWENTY-THIRD:
SKETCHES OF THE
CAMP LIFE, MARCHES, AND BATTLES OF THE
TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT, N. Y. V ..
DURING THE TERM OF TWO YEARS
In the Service of the united States;
ADDED TO THESE ARE
STATISTICS OF ENLISTMENTS, ELECTIONS, PROMOTIONS, SICK, DIS- CHARGED, KILLED AND - WOUNDED, AND ALL VALUABLE INFORMATION CONNECTED WITH THE REGIMENT.
POUND STERLING. DSRud. BY
W.P. Maxson (william)
New York : DAVIES & KENT, PRINTERS, No. 188 WILLIAM STREET. 1863.
1757954
PREFACE.
THAT is always most dear to us in which we have acted a part or borne a hand. So the incidents of our camp-the picket-the excite- ment and suffering of the march-the stories around the camp fires- the wild excitement of the battle-field-have a deep, stirring interest to us who have acted our part in the drama ; who have stood shoulder to shoulder through all their terrors, in victory or defeat, in hope or fear. No outsider can tell us of our own peculiar interest in them- none can feel for us the joy or sorrow, the dejection or exultation, as unitedly we have toiled and fought against the enemy.
It is with this conviction that your companion-in-arms has heaped together these familiar incidents, that when we have laid aside the musket and "harness of war"-stripped off the blue-donned the citizen-returned to our peaceful homes, and joyfully, thankfully joined the circle of loved ones around the old hearth-stone, we can bring up the past years of absence and peril, and make the present brighter and happier.
To the Twenty-third Regiment, then, this little book is affection- ately dedicated.
April 25th, 1563.
£.
INTRODUCTION.
"How sweet when Night her misty vail Around the weary soldier throws, And twilight's golden skies grow pale, And wooing winds invite repose- To sit beside the watch-fire's blaze, Where friendly comrades nightly come,
To sing the song of other days, And talk of things we love at home."
WE are a motley crew, we of the Twenty-third. Farmers, mechan- ics, merchants, clerks, students, doctors, lawyers, LOUNGERS- tall, medium, short-rich, middle, poor-thin, full, fat-good, bad, indif- ferent. But what matters occupation, position, wealth, size, or stripe, when our country is at stake ? Each and all had somewhere in the heart the germ of patriotism, and could say, with a kindling eye, " My country !" "My native land !" So when the accumulating wrongs and aggressions of the slave oligarchy had culminated in the tragedy of Sumter, and the proud old flag had been trodden down, we were aroused with indignation. Then the call, "To arms !" rang through the land, and we "rallied around the flag," and gave ourselves without stint to the nation.
The ties of home were strong and hard to break. Our father's tightened grip as he bade us "God speed," and "Never yield to a traitor, my son," told how the parting wrung his loyal heart. Mother
1*
vi
- INTRODUCTION.
could not, for grief that choked her utterance, speak the good-bye that her tearful eyes looked ; and sisters clung to us as if to shield us from the dangers that awaited. But the parting word must be spoken, for while we linger the decisive blow may fall and all be lost.
`The " old gentleman" had paid those little bills of ours, and lined our pockets with "the needful." Mother and sisters had filled the satchel with numberless little knicknacks that we never before knew that we wore or needed. "Jane" had given us a pocket Bible, or some other keepsake. Neighbor Cartwright, whose father was a Seventy- sixer, and who had inherited his patriotic blood, brought over a fine Colt's revolver, " because," you know, "he had always taken a likin' to Harry." Then we were off-off for the wars. .
We shall always remember those busy April, May, and June days at Elmira. How we crowded into the halls and churches-wrote letters home of hardships, etc. How the patriotic and kind-hearted people took us into their own homes and cared for us. How we drilled in the streets and field, and made our feet sore and joints sorer. We remem- ber the sword presentations and speeches, the flags intrusted to our keeping, the round of gayety, the hearts lost and won, the joy and sadness of those days of preparation.
Then we were organized and went to the barracks. Cruel, wasn't it ? More letters home of hardships. Here we drilled in battalion, had dress parades and spectators, grumbled at the fare, ran the guard and down town, had big dinner, big speeches, and grand Fourth of July parade.
One day there was a great hurry and bustle, gigantic knapsacks strapped upon our backs, a great multitude, the cars, a sea of beads, a sea of flags, deafening cheers, the oft-repeated "Good-bye, God bless you !" the wild neigh of the iron horse, the warning bell, and again we are off-off' for certain.
With grateful hearts we remember all these. These days of prep-
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vii
INTRODUCTION. .
aration were necessary to fit us for the labors now finished. We are grateful to the people of Elmira, for their kindness nerved us to per- form our duty earnestly and well.
The following pages are written in no spirit of egotism. We have seen too much of bloodshed, and had too many encounters with grim death, to hold to any false notions we may have entertained. Some regiments have fared much worse than we on the battle-field, but this is the result of the fortunes of war, and not (as some suppose) of superior courage or bravery. At times it has been the fortune of the Twenty-third to hold the flank in line of battle, or reserve, but when it has. been called to the thickest of the fight, it has gone with such cheerfulness and conducted itself with so much gallantry, that it has won the admiration of generals high in command, and of the regiments with which it has fought. General Howard, on the field of Antietam, pointed to the Twenty-third as an example to his own fiying men ;* and General Doubleday subsequently remarked, that "the Twenty- third is decidedly the coolest regiment on the field that I have."
They are written, however, as a remembrancer-a record that when in the social circle we turn over the leaves of the past, and live again in these days of war, we can refer to this little book as to a chart, and point out our position.
We now entered upon the onerous duties to which we had pledged ourselves. From this our history dates, and follows the tortuous windings of the campaign, down to the "welcome home" by friends and relatives from the perils of two years of war. If there be credit que for this little history, it is due to the entire regiment-each man bas given it hearty support. He who has superintended its collection and publication has only performed his simple duty. We've shared the burden; we'll share the honors. Our thanks are especially due to
* See Colonel Hoffman's report.
viii
INTRODUCTION.
Sergeant Hoyt, of Co. F, who has had charge of the statistical depart- ment-its completeness does him honor ; and to Colonel Crane, Colonel Hoffman, and others, for valuable papers that they have furnished. We are indebted, also, to Dr. Stillwell for his able report of the Hos- pital Department.
This history is not elaborate. Where there is so much of which to speak, brevity is necessary. Many thrilling incidents have been left out for want of room. Many interesting private histories of comrades wounded and slain can be told only in the table of statistics. We have selected those of more general interest, with an eye to outline- the vacancies can be filled up as we read around our own home fire- sides.
.
.
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9,10
CONTENTS.
Chapter
Page
D
I. " Breaking In "
11
II. Arlington
21
III. Upton Hill and Dale.
25
IV. The March
36
V. Bristo
40
VI. Falmouth
43
VIL. After Jackson
49
VIII. "Camp Rufus King"
53
IX. Reconnoissance
58
X. Rappahannock Station
62
XI. To Cedar Mountain
68
XII. Sulphur Springs 72 XIII. Gainesville 74
XIV. Bull Run-Second Friday 77
XV. Bull Run-Second Saturday 81
XVI. Maryland Campaign. 96 XVII. Variety 106
XVIII. Battle of Fredericksburg
114
XIX. Belle Plain Landing
126
XX. "Homeward Bound "
129
Part Second.
Statistical History of the Twenty-third Regiment, N. Y. V. 139
Medical Department 183
CAMP FIRES
OF THE
TWENTY-THIRD.
CHAPTER I.
"BREAKING IN."
"Now the roused nation bids her armies form, And screams her eagle through the gathering storm."
WE were a little sad when the cars hurled us so rapidly away from home and friends, but the people along the route were so enthusiastic, flouted flags, and shouted so like wild, that few, very few, were moody. Those weeks of drill and preparation were not in vain, and these ardent young men were more than half sol- diers already. True, the future looked anything but bright, but with our united strength we were to help make it brighter. For this purpose the people had sent us out, and the very shouts that cheered us on the way re-echoed the obligation.
The people of Williamsport gave us a hearty wel- come. They must be the " good sheep" spoken of, for we were "strangers and they ' took us in ;' hungry, and they gave us cake ; thirsty, and they gave us ice-water
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CAMP FIRES OF
and lemonade." They gave us such a welcome as would cheer us in the years of toil and hardship before us. Those cheerful manly faces, smiles of lovely women-sad when they remembered our mission- the merry laugh of blooming girls, mingled and sweet- ened the feast they had so lavishly spread for us. They gave us speeches, toasts, music, laughter, and cheers, and again we are rushing on to our destination.
There was a grand halt at Sunbury. What for ? None could tell, but it gave us time to see the sights and.be seen. ( There was no heart in that dumb show. There were long lines of the gayest crinoline, capped with pretty faces, white, rosy, and dark, and popping above and amid these, wide mouths and astonished mustaches showed themselves. We laughed at them, they laughed at us. Again we dashed forward. The night was moonlit, the morning lowery, the day rainy.
Ten miles out of Baltimore we halted in a lonely place enough, and Colonel Hoffman, in his clear and ring- ing voice, commanded, "Load at will-load." What was up? True, we must go through Baltimore, but would Baltimoreans serve us as they did the Massa- chusetts boys ? Would they shoot, and stab, and club, and brick-bat us ? Should we all get through safe and sound ? Thus speculation was rife, and indeed caution was necessary. We drew up in line before that great town, fixed bayonets, primed our pieces, and passed on. Grim-visaged men, like caged tigers, frowned sav- agely at us and our flags ; women followed the example of the tigers ; little boys and girls " hurrahed for Jeff. Davis and Beauregard," but we were not molested, and were soon rattling away for Washington.
It was a long rattle, however, for the slow old go-
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
cart was not accustomed to roll such a heap of live- stock so closely packed, and he crept along at a snail's pace, wheezing and blowing as if every breath was to be his last, and often, in going up hill, he would stop short, out of breath, exhausted. The drizzling, lazy rain that had set in now became a storm. It made the night gloomy, the following morning dark, and the day disagreeable. This storm and trouble was the oc- casion for fun. Fun drowns trouble as a pebble drowns a cat. At Annapolis Junction swarms of troops passed us for Hagerstown.
While waiting here, a party of four strayed away from the cars, and at a distance of about a mile from the Junction encountered an old farmer standing on the veranda of a farm-house. Some fine black cher- ries near the house were very tempting, and one of the party quite civily called out :
"Hilloo, stranger ! will you sell us some of those cherries ?"
"No !" snarled the old man addressed as " stranger."
"Will you then give us a few to eat ?" asked the soldier.
"No! I've no cherries for Union soldiers," he re- plied.
The four men then consulted. This sounded like secesh. They had volunteered to fight that species of animal, and now that they had found him should they back down, and like cowards go back without the cherries? That would never do. This philosophy prevailed, and placing a rail against the tree, the most daring of the party made ready to climb. The son pi the farmer now came out, gun in hand, and cried out :
"Climb that tree, sir, and you're a dead man !"
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14
CAMP FIRES OF
Turning to his comrades, the foremost said :
"See to your revolvers !"
Then, addressing the son, he added : " You have re- fused us the small gift of a few cherries simply because we are Union soldiers. From this we conclude that you are a d-d rampant secesh, and were you not a coward you would now be in the rebel army. So we know that you dare not harm us. And should you attempt to shoot me (pointing to his comrades), you have seen your last sunrise. So, then, if my life is worth more to you than your own, shoot me."
Saying this, he vaulted into the tree, and the boys loading themselves with cherries, returned. The story soon got wind, and before the train left, not a cherry remained to the old fellow who would not give a cherry to Union soldiers.
It was approaching the " small hours" of the night when the tired old jade of a train landed us in the mud, in the dark, at Washington. And such dark- ness ! our eyes were of no use at all. It had ceased to rain. We made our way under a train on all-fours, and then proceeded to take - the streets of Wash- ington. The flood of soldiers which had poured into the city for the two previous weeks had exhausted all the accommodations that the town afforded, and the best that they could give was declined by many of the Twenty-third, who took the pavement instead. This gave rise to the letters written home at that time, which were so misunderstood.
Meridian Hill, two miles north of the city, was our camp-ground for a few days. They were sultry, op- pressive days, only made tolerable by that cool, refresh- ing spring down by the road-side, and the bath in the crystal brook. Here we commenced to learn the
15
THE TWENTY-THIRD.
routine of camp-how to spread our blanket upon the ground ; to cook our salt junk, beans, and coffee ; to grumble at the ration ; to wash our dirty linen. The hardest of all was " getting used" to the food. The number was very small who came down to it "naturally."
Like most new regiments, we were " expecting an attack at any moment," and as a natural consequence the guard duty was very strict and vigorous. The sen- tinel was often startled at night by a rustling in the leaves or the breaking of a twig, and with hair erect and musket ready, gazed intently into the dark ; mean- while a score of imaginary gray-backs are prowling for his life. Soon an innocent pig shuffles along, or a bird hops from branch to branch.
'Twas here that we received our colors-the colors we have followed so long and faithfully -- which are shreds now, but whose bright folds have been pierced and torn by the leaden and iron hail. The people who said, " Go and fight for your homes and your firesides, your country and your sacred honor," did not forget among its many kindnesses the best of all gifts-a banner. A delegation, consisting of the Hon. A. S. Diven and his two daughters, brought them. They were accompanied by the President, Secretary of State, and other eminent men.
On the afternoon of the 17th of July this party appeared before the regiment drawn up in line on the parade ground. President Lincoln and Secretary Seward first reviewed the regiment, passing down the length of the line. They seemed much pleased with the appearance of the men and the promptness of their evolutions in drill. We give verbatim the ceremonies of the presentation, taken from an Elmira daily :
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CAMP FIRES OF
CEREMONIES ATTENDING THE PRESENTATION OF A STAND OF COLORS TO THE SOUTHERN TIER REGIMENT, JULY 17TH, 1861.
The interesting ceremony of presenting the stand of colors procured by the ladies of Elmira for the Twenty-third Regiment, took place in Washington on Wednesday afternoon last. It is described by our cor- respondent as being among the most interesting scenes which have occurred in the Federal capital for many a day. President Lincoln, Governor Seward, Senator Harris, Governor Bigler, Senator Wilmot, Hon. Robert J. Walker, Hugh Tyler, together with a large number of other distinguished citizens from this State, as also from Virginia, Ken- tucky, and Maryland, were present. In addition, the occasion was honored by the presence of a numerous delegation of ladies and gentle- men from Elmira, the friends and neighbors of the officers and soldiers of the Twenty-third Regiment. The evening was beautiful, and nature seemed to lend an additional charm to the scene. The officers and sol- diers never looked better. and they went through the evolutions with an ease and grace which elicited the applause of the spectators. The citizens of Elmira have every reason to feel proud of Colonel Hoffman, his subordinate officers, and the splendid body of soldiers under their command. Throughout, the scene was animated and brilliant. On the arrival of President Lincoln, the regiment was drawn up on three sides of a hollow square, the spectators and those who took part in the cere- monies occupying the remaining side. Everything being in readiness, Mr. Diven delivered the following speech :
"Neighbors, Friends, and Soldiers-The dearest of your friends that you left behind when you responded to the call of your country and rallied in its defense, are desirous of presenting to you some me- mento of their respect and affection. They have resolved to present to you the standard of your regiment and the flag of your country, and surely no gift could be more appropriate. Well do I know whither the mind of a soldier distant from his home, when undergoing the hardships of the camp and the dangers of the battle, reverts. I know that the dream of the soldier on his pallet of straw is of the home he loves-of the wife, the sister, the mother. I know also that it will be a gratifica- tion to the soldier, in the hour of danger, to look upon some memento of those dear ones ; and it was therefore well conceived in the ladies who remain at your homes to present you this memento. Soldiers, the ladies have desired me, in the presentation of these colors to you, to offer an expression of their sentiments.
" And let me say to you, that I think I know the sentiment of these ladies, and I think that while they give up their husbands. their brothers, their lovers, without a murmur, while they fondly anticipate the hour that shall welcome their return-I think I mistake not the
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4
THE TWENTY-THIRD.
sentiment of those ladies, when I say that they had rather see you re- tura, your corpses enveloped in these colors, than to see these colors dohonored on the field of battle. But they have no such fear. They doubt not your courage. I doubt it not. I will say nothing that will Impeach it or bring it in question. But I will say this : Most of you are my friends, my neighbors, and I will take the liberty with you that I would not take with strangers. I will not question your courage, for I know it is beyond question ; but I will say, that among all the neces- »sry requisites of a good soldier mere physical courage is the smallest. There are other attributes of a good soldier besides courage.
" Soldiers, when you unfurl this standard, you will see upon it the arms of your native State. In these arms you will see the figure of Liberty, and side by side you will behold the figure of Justice-both reposing upon the same shield-at the base of which is inscribed the · word . Excelsior.'
" Friends, you have not left your homes and come here in pursuit of conquest. You are here, not as soldiers of the State of New York, to make conquests upon the State of Maryland, Virginia, or any other State ; you are here as soldiers of the Republic-called hither in defense of the Constitution of our common country. The Virginian is as much your countryman as I, or any other citizen of New York. The Carolinian is your countryman, and wherever the duties of war may !vad you, remember this, that you are not to invade the rights of any citizen of the United States, loyal to our Constitution and our laws. No part of your duty is to subjugate any State ; to impair. or impede the laws of any State. I desire this to be understood. I know I am ad- dressing intelligent gentlemen who will understand me. Your duty is tot subjugation ; your duty is not to impair the rights of any State in this confederacy ; your duty is not to impair the property, liberty, or right of any American citizen ; but your duty is to put down the rebel- liva at all hazards and at every sacrifice. (Applause.) I am often asked the question, 'Do these troops meditate the subjugation of the rebel- Tous States?' and my answer is, ' No ; but they meditate the exter- maination of the rebellion.' (Applause.) It is no subjugation. It may be a war of extermination. So long as rebels breathe or stand before Jou, so long it is your duty to war upon rebels. Never, however, war upon loyal citizens ; never war upon the rights of the people of any State of this confederacy.
" Now. fellow-citizens. I said I do not doubt your courage ; I also wed, that mere courage was the smallest among the necessary attri- bates of' a soldier. You want justice, bumanity, sobriety. That is what characterizes a good soldier. There are worse enemies than you will be likely to encounter on the field. Dissipation will be.one of the
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CAMP FIRES OF
worst ; and if at any time you are tempted to yield to this enemy in any of its forms, look at these colors, wrought by the care of loved mothers, sisters, and wives, and ask yourselves if you will disgrace them by yielding to the temptation. Now, soldiers, as I cast my eye over this line, and see among you friends from the school, who have surrendered your strife for academic honors ; as I see among you men from the office, who have surrendered your hopes for distinction in your profession ; as I see among you men from the counting-house, who have. given up your hopes of gain : as I see among yon men from the farms : as I see among you men in all departments of life, I am prepared to concur in the remark made by our President, in his message to Con- gress, that from regiments forming the army which has come together in response to the call of the President, can be selected presidents, cabinets. and congresses. I can say of this regiment, that if that re- mark be true of any, this is not an exception. I know that some impu- dent critic has said, that that was no great compliment after all ; but so far as Congress is concerned, I think the criticism is malicious-as to how it is so far as the President and Cabinet are concerned, I will form my opinion after I find how they appreciate the fine appearance of this regiment. (Laughter and applause.)
"Now, fellow-soldiers, I desire that you receive from the hands of the ladies of Elmira this stand of colors. In placing it in your hands, I will remark, that, while the ladies who present it lift their hands to the God of battles, invoking His protection for the right. let your hands be strong in the defense of those rights, and never return to your homes with this flag disgraced. No, never! A thousand times better that these banners be folded around your corpses. than that you return alive with these colors dishonored. (Applause.) Will you, from the citizens of Elmira. receive these colors ?"
At the conclusion of these remarks. Lieutenant-Colonel Crane and Major Gregg, accompanied by the ensign of the regiment and a guard, approached the carriage containing Mr. Diven and the Misses Diven, and receiving the colors from the ladies, gracefully nnfurled them (the. drum corps performing a lively air at the time), and then placed them in charge of the ensign, when Colonel Hoffman returned the thanks of the regiment in the following language :
": Mr. Diven, Friends. and Neighbors-I have repeatedly before this felt sorry for my command in having in me so poor a represent ative on occasions when speeches seem necessary : but never did I feel such embarrassment for them as on this occasion, for this is the most important one which we have ever witnessed-one which, if the full gratitude would be made known, requires more to be said than I can say. I am perfectly aware that any effort I might make would fail to
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
enlighten anybody. yet the attempt might amuse many. Even though I were a speech-maker, ladies and gentlemen, I would not be guilty of tu tisgrant a breach of etiquette as to occupy the valuable time of the Tery distinguished citizens who have conferred upon us the high honor of their presence this afternoon.
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