USA > New York > A brief history of the Twenty-Eighth Regiment New York State Volunteers, First Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac, from the author's diary and official reports. With the muster-roll of the regiment, and many pictures, articles and letters > Part 6
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General Pope, in a report to General Halleck on the 11th, said, "The fight was precipitated by Banks, who attacked in- stead of waiting, as I directed him." General Crawford states in regard to this controversy between Generals Pope and Banks that " it was evidently Pope's inten- tion that the enemy should be checked un- til he was ready to attack, and that no general battle should be fought until his forces were in hand. But Jackson would not wait, and Banks could do no more than he did" Also "that General Gor- don, on our right flank, did not move up the Third Brigade promptly in line, and make the attack with him.'
In regard to the fighting of the brigade, General Pope writes to the War Depart- ment, "No greater gallantry and daring could be exhibited by any troops." Gen- eral Ilalleck responded in the following congratulatory address, which was read to each regiment in the army : "General
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FLAG OF TRUCE- THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
Pope, your telegram of last evening is most satisfactory, and I congratulate you and your army, and particularly General Banks and his corps, on your hard earned but brilliant success against vastly superior numbers. Your troops have covered themselves with glory, and Cedar Moun- tain will be known in history as one of the great battlefields of the war."
Signed, H. W. HALLECK, General in Chief.
General Pope added that he was " de- lighted and astonished at the gallant and intrepid conduct of General Banks' Corps." He does not state the grounds for his "astonishment."
No soldier of the Twenty-eighth New York can refer to Cedar Mountain without feelings of sadness, as every member of the regiment here lost a personal friend or close companion.
The list of the dead and wounded con- tains some interesting facts. In Company D were three pairs of brothers who fought side by side, and in each, one fell and the other escaped death, but suffered wounds or capture. David Sanderson was killed and his brother Frank escaped. Perry Gilbert was shot and Martin was desper- ately wounded. Royal White also met a hero's death, while Newton was captured and sent to Richmond.
On the second day after the battle, un- der a flag of truce, details of men who were sent to bury the dead, were amazed to find the Union wounded not yet cared for. They had lain on the field, in the terrible heat, with little shelter, and no medical attention or food for more than thirty-six hours. The sufferings and horrors of this time before relief came cannot be described nor fully realized.
The enemy had possession of the battle- field and had cared for their own wounded, but left the Union men lying where they fell. Some humane Confederates had brought water, and built shelters of boughs to protect a few of the wounded from the hot sun. While others, more ghouls than human, had robbed both dead and wounded of all their valuables, shoes and clothing, leaving many nearly naked.
It is hoped this was not done with the knowledge of the Confederate officers. They must have known, however, the Union wounded had not been cared for, and the only excuse for this criminal neg- lect is that a large portion of the Southern
army had withdrawn from the field the day after the battle, and had left only suf- ficient numbers to maintain a show of force in front of the Union lines.
Under the truce, the wounded were cared for and removed to the hospitals at Cul- perer. The dead were buried in one large grave. Many of them had become so discolored by the intense heat that they could not be recognized. Instances of mistaken identity occurred here. The members of Company G, who were look- ing for Lieutenant Kenyon, found a body supposed to be his, and buried it, marking the grave with his name. Later he returned with the paroled prisoners, and it was found the body was that of Lieutenant Dutton of the Fifth Connecticut, son of Judge Dutton, who had the remains removed to his native State. In this man- ner many absent comrades were sought for among the wounded and dead, and when not found were supposed to be prisoners. But when the months passed away, and the missing ones did not return, the sad truth that had been feared from the first was forced upon all, that they had fallen on the field of their heroism, and were buried with the unknown.
" Alas ! how few came back From battle and from wrack ! Alas ! how many lie Beneath a Southern sky. Who never heard the fearful fight was done, And all they fought for won. Sweeter, I think, their sleep, More peaceful and more deep, Could they but know their wounds were not in vain."
With saddened hearts and thinned ranks the regiment retraced its steps to its old camp ground north of Culpeper Court House. Here the wounded were gathered in the churches and other buildings, used as hospitals, and here Colonel Donnelly died from his wounds on August 15th. His body was escorted to the station by the few who remain'ed of the regiment. Only sixty-four were left to perform this sad duty to their loved commander. He was buried in Lockport three days later. in the beautiful cemetery where subsequently the survivors of the regiment erected a suitable monument to his memory.
When the army fell back from Culpeper, Colonel Brown, Captain Warren and many other wounded of the Twenty-eighth. unable to be moved, were left in the hospital, with the severely wounded of the
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TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS.
division in charge of Surgeon Helmer. When the Confederate army occupied this place, they were taken prisoners and later sent to Richmond.
Among the few army surgeons was the patriotic and noble citizen, Dr. S. F. Ben- jamin, who had left his home at Medina, N. Y., to care for the wounded. He vol- untarily remained with them, and was also taken to Richmond as a prisoner. He had a severe experience there, being tried as a civilian prisoner under suspicion of being a spy, but was finally released.
The following reports of the engage- ment are printed from the official records of the War Department.
REPORT OF BRIG .- GEN. ALPHEUS S. WILLIAMS, U. S. ARMY, COMMANDING FIRST DIVISION, SECOND CORPS.
HEADQUARTERS IST DIVISION, 2D CORPS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA. NEAR CEDAR RUN, VA., August 16, 1862.
Major,- I have the honor to submit the follow- ing report of the operations of the division under my command in the action at this place on the 9th instant :
My division, since the transfer of Geary's brig- ade, is composed of the brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Crawford (Twenty-eighth New York. Colonel Donnelly ; Forty-sixth Pennsylva- nia, Colonel Knipe; Tenth Maine, Colonel Beal, and Fifth Connecticut, Colonel Chapman), and of the Third Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-Gen- eral Gordon (Third Wisconsin, Colonei Ruger ; Second Massachusetts, Colonel Andrews, and Twenty-seventh Indiana, Colonel Colgrove). The Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania, nominally attached to this brigade, has been on detached service some months. A battery of artillery is attached to each brigade, and on this occasion Crawford's brigade, which had been some time in advance at Culpeper, had, in addition, four pieces (Parrott's) of Knap's Pennsylvania battery.
With Gordon s brigade I reached Culpeper about midnight on the Sth instant, and on the following morning received orders to move to the front with- out trains, and unite my division in the position taken up by General Crawford the previous even- ing. I arrived on the ground about 12 M., at the moment that the enemy opened with his artillery, which was speedily silenced by the fire of Knap's battery. I dispatched a messenger at once to the major-general commanding the corps, with a brief account of the condition of affairs and of the nature of the position held From this time to 3 o'clock P. M. there was very little demonstration on the part of the enemy, except some cavalry movements to- ward his right and an occasional interchange of shots with the cavalry under Brigadier-General Bayard.
In the meantime Gordon's brigade had arrived with Cothran's New York battery, and taken a strong, elevated position on our extrenie right, front which, through the open field, any movement of the enemy in that direction could be observed and checked. The major-general commanding the corps
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also came up and assumed command. The arrival of Gen. Augur's division, taking up position on the left of the main road, relieved two regiments of Crawford's brigade, supporting batteries, and they were transferred to the right
At this time (soon after the enemy had renewed his artillery firing) my division occupied nearly a continuous line along the bottom-land of Cedar Kun, from the road to the elevated ground spoken of as the position of Gordon's brigade, a distance of from Soo to 1.000 yards. A densely wooded ridge in front masked the whole line from observa- tion, and the entire division lay almost without loss during the heavy cannonade which preceded the infantry attack. Skirmishers from both brig- ades occupied the wood in front and on the right flank.
About 5 o'clock, by direction of the major-gen- eral commanding the corps, I ordered Crawford's brigade to occupy the woods in front, preparatory to a movement which it was thought might relieve the left wing, severely pressed by the enemy, especi- ally by a heavy cross-fire of artillery, one battery of which would be exposed to our infantry fire from the new position. Five companies of Third Wisconsin, deployed as skirmishers, were by same orders attached to General Crawford's command for this advance. The remainder of Gordon's brigade was held in the original position to observe the right flank, and especially some woods a half mile or so on the right (which it was thought was a cover for rebel cavalry), as well as to be in readiness to re- enforce Crawford's brigade in case of necessity. Observing horsemen moving out and into these woods, I dispatched my personal escort (Company M, First Michigan Cavalry, Captain Dennison) to report to General Gordon, to be used in reconnoit- ering in that direction. Receiving urgent direc- tions to hasten the movement of Crawford's brig- ade, I dispatched Captain Wilkins, assistant ad- jutant-general, with orders to General Crawford to begin his advance as soon as the brigade was in line.
At this time this brigade occupied the interior line of the strip of woods in front of its original position. A field, varying from 250 to 500 yards in width, partly wheat stubble and partly scrub-oak under- brush, lay between it and the next strip of woods. In moving across this field the three right regiments and the six companies of the Third Wisconsin were received by a terrific fire of musketry, both from the underbrush, from the wheat field, and from the woods. The Third Wisconsin especially fell under a partial flank fire from the underbrush and woods, which swept its right companies with great destruc- tion, and under which Lieutenant-Colonel Crane fell, pierced with several fatal wounds, and the regi- ment was obliged to give way. The enemy was, however, driven out of the open field by the other regiments and some distance into the woods, where, being strongly re-enforced, their fire became over- whelming. No better proof of its terrific character can be given than the fact that of the three remain- ing regiments which continued the charge ( I'wenty- eighth New York, Forty sixth Pennsylvania, and Fifth Connecticut) every field officer and every ad- jutant was killed or disabled. In the Twenty- eighth New York every company officer was killed or wounded ; in the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania all but five ; in the Fifth Connecticut all but eight. A combat more persistent or heroic can scarcely be found in the history of the war ; but men of even
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GENERAL WILLIAMS' REPORT.
this unequaled heroism could not withstand the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, especially when left without the encouragement and direction of officers.
While the regiments were thus engaged. the Tenth Maine, Colonel Beal, had advanced across the fields nearer the road, and engaged the enemy with great vigor. Though suffering less in loss of officers than regiments tarther to the right, its list of killed and wounded abundantly testifies to the persistent gallantry with which it fought, as well as to the outnumbering forces of the enemy it had to encounter. Anticipating the necessity of using Gordon's brigade in support of Crawford's, and yet reluctant to move it from its strong and most im- portant position until the necessity was apparent, I had arranged with General Gordon a signal for his advance, and with a staff officer of the major-gen- eral commanding 10 await orders before giving the signal.
This signal was given as soon as orders were re- ceived, but observing some preparatory movement at the time, I dispatched two staff officers to hasten up the brigade. General Gordon put his brigade in movement at double-quick as soon as the order was communicated. I had myself moved toward his posi- tion, but on my way, finding Colonel Ruger, Third Wisconsin, rallying his broken regiment, I joined him in the effort, and had soon the satisfaction of seeing his command united to Gordon's brigade, and the whole moving promptly and gallantly to the support of their overpowered companions of the First Brigade.
As Gordon's brigade reached the interior edge of the first wood it was received by a tremendous fire of the enemy from the opposite woods and from the undergrowth to the right and front. It wasevident that the enemy had been strongly re-enforced, and greatly outnumbered us The brigade, however, firmly maintained its position and checked the far- ther advance of the enemy, with a terrible loss, how- ever, in officers and men, especially in the Second Massachusetts, Colonel Andrews, which fell under the heaviest fire of the enemy, and maintained its position with marked coolness and courage. Satis- fied that it would be impossible to hold, especially after dark, our advanced position, which was ex- posed to be outflanked by the greatly superior num- bers of the enemy, I went in person to the major- general commanding the corps with explanations, and receiving his instructions, I ordered the brigades to withdraw.
It was already dusk General Gordon brought off the remnant of his brigade and took up his original position, which he held until relieved by General Ricketts' division. General Crawford's brigade, having lost in three regiments every company of- ficer, necessarily withdrew in broken ranks, ยท
. and without officers, rallied and fought with a heroism hardly found in the records of war. The commander of the brigade was amongst the last of his command to leave the field. He subsequently collected the thinned regiments of the brigade in rear of its original position, and afterward by su- perior order took post for the night in rear of the re-enforcing column.
I inclose herewith a list of casualties in the di- vision, and a tabular statement of the number taken into action, showing a loss of 78 officers and 1, 144 enlisted men, nearly one-third of the number on- gaged. This record is the strongest commenda- tion that can be presented of the gallantry and good
conduct of both officers and nien." Among those reported missing some wounded probably have fallen into the hands of the enemy. Most of them, I regret to be compelled to believe, must be num- bered with the killed.
Upon reoccupying the field of battle it was found necessary from the intense heat to hurry the burials, and most of the dead were interred by details of men who did not know or could not recognize them.
I refer to the reports of commanders of brigades and regiments and to that of Captain Best, U. S. Army, chief of artillery, for further details of the action, as well as for such commendation of officers and men as especial instances of good conduct merited. The prompt, ready and zealous co-operation of Generals Crawford and Gordon, commanding brigades, demanded especial com- mendation.
I beg leave also to bring to the notice of the major-general commanding the corps the efficient and valuable aid of my personal staff-Captain William D. Wilkins, assistant adjutant.general, who, I regret to add, was taken prisoner near the close of the action; of Captain E. C. Beman. com- missary of subsistence; of First Lieutenant Samuel E. Pittman aide-de-camp; of Captain B. W. Mor- gan, Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, division provost-marshal and volunteer aide-all of whom were untiring in their efforts to forward promptly my orders. I desire also especially to bring to your notice the very valuable services of Surgeon A. Chapel, division medical director. At the com- mencement of the action he selected and prepared as far as possible a general depot for the wounded at a house near General Gordon's position. At this depot were collected several hundred of our wounded, who received during the night the able professional services of Surgeon Chapel and his as- sistants, and early the following morning were carefully sent back to the hospitals in Culpeper. The prompt and judicious conduct of Surgeon Chapel has been the subject of praise by officers and men.
Nor can I close my report without a reference to the sad record of the killed and wounded of the field officers engaged. In the Twenty-eighth New York Volunteers, Crawford's brigade, Colonel Donnelly is mortally wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Brown severely wounded, Major Cook severely and a pris- oner. In the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Colonel Knipe severely wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Self- ridge twice slightly though not reported, Major Mathews severely. In the Fifth Connecticut Colo- nel Chapman wounded and a prisoner, Lieutenant- Colonel Stone dangerously and a prisoner, Major Blake wounded and a prisoner. In Gordon's brig- ade Lieutenant-Colonel Crane, Third Wisconsin, killed, and Major Savage, Second Massachusetts, wounded and a prisoner. More faithful and valua- ble officers no service can boast of. The loss, temporarily, it is to be hoped, in the cases of wounded and prisoners, will be severely felt in the divisions. Of the subordinate officers who have fallen or suf- fered from wounds a record will be found in the re- ports herewith forwarded. Many of the wounded are disabled for life. It is to be hoped that a grateful country will not forget their services nor their sufferings.
In conclusion, I congratulate the major-general commanding the Second Corps on the substantial success which followed the efforts of his gallant
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TWENTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS.
command to arrest and hold in check the confi-' dent advance of a greatly superior force of the enemy.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, major, your obedient servant,
A. S. WILLIAMS,
Brigadier-General, Commanding Ist Division.
REPORT OF BRIG .- GEN. SAMUEL W. CRAWFORD, U. S. ARMY, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS IST BRIGADE, IST DIV., 2D CORPS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA.
August 14, 1862.
Major,- I have the honor to submit the following report of the operation of the force under my com- mand in the recent engagement with the rebel forces near Cedar Mountain, Va. :
At noon on Friday, the Sth instant, while en- camped with my command at Culpeper Court House, I received an order from the major-general commanding the Army of Virginia to proceed immediately to the support of Brigadier-General Bayard, whose small force was retiring before the enemy. My command consisted of four regiments of infantry (the Twenty-eighth New York, Colonel Donnelly ; the Forty sixth Pennsylvania, Colonel Knipe : the Tenth Maine, Colonel Beal, and the Fifth Connecticut, Colonel Chapman), together with Roemer's battery of six 3-inch rifle guns, and two sections of Knap's battery of 10 pounder Parrotts.
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My brigade was soon under arms and on the march, and passing through Culpeper took the road leading toward Orange Court House. By four o'clock in the afternoon I came up with General Bayard's force between Colvin's Tavern and a small stream, known as Cedar Run, and which crosses the road in advance of a belt of woods running east and west. Passing to the front I discovered the enemy's pickets, and beyond, on the road to Crooked River, a portion of his cavalry.
Selecting, with the assistance of Major Houston, U. S. Engineers, of General McDowell's staff, a suitable position, I brought up my artillery, draw- ing up the infantry regiments in close supporting distance on the low ground of the run, completely concealed from the view of the enemy. Knap's bat- tery, with two pieces from Roemer, was supported on the left by the Tenth Maine and the Fifth Con- necticut Regiments, while the Twenty-eighth New York and Forty-sixth Pennsylvania supported Roemer's remaining guns on the right. The cav- alry were ordered to the front and flank to watch the enemy. Strong pickets were thrown out within a short distance of those of the enemy, and the command bivouacked for the night.
Early next morning General Bayard reported to me that the enemy were advancing. The command were immediately under arms. It proved, however, to be a maneuver upon the part of the enemy toward our left flank. His cavalry were moving in the direction of a range of elevated hills on our left, known as Cedar Mountain. The movement was intended to conceal the passage of three pieces of artillery, which he succeeded in placing in position at the foot of the slope. Our cav- alry were drawn up in our front across our po- sition.
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timber near the base on our left, opened fire upon our cavalry. Several shots were fired, when another battery opened a short distance in the rear. I directed Captain Knap to reply, which he did so effectually, that at the third shell from his guns the enemy's battery ceased to fire and shortly afterward withdrew.
An order now reached me from the major-general commanding the Army of Virginia directing me to resist the advance of the enemy, and that General Banks was advancing to my support. Lieutenant Muhlenberg, of Fourth U. S. Artillery, with Bat- tery F of that regiment, now arrived upon the field. and was assigned position upon the right and left. The artillery fire was kept up occasionally at long range for some time, when at 12 o'clock Brigadier-General Williams arrived on the field with Gordon's brigade, of his division. Between I and 2 o'clock Major-General Barks arrived upon the field with the division of Augur and assumed command.
I reported to General Williams my position, and soon after received an order to move my entire bri- gade upon the right of the road, that position having been assigned to Williams' division. . The brigade of Brigadier-General Gordon was directed to occupy my right. Upon receiving the order I directed the Tenth Maine and Fifth Connecticut regiments, who were supporting Knap's battery, to move by the flank across the road to the right of the other regi- ments of the brigade, supporting Muhlenberg's and Roemer's batteries. The movement had not been accomplished when an order was received to deploy one of my regiments on the right as skir- mishers into a thick woods directly in advance of our right wing. The Tenth Maine Regiment was halted to support the center. Roemer's battery was advanced to a position on the left of the road. The Fifth Connecticut Regiment had passed to the right, and with the Twenty-eighth New York and Forty-sixth Pennsylvania had advanced into the woods.
The enemy at this moment opened with all his batteries, one of which he had established in an open field on our left. We had thrown forward omr center, and had advanced a regiment of infantry, which deployed as skirmishers, were lying upon the ground and supporting the battery in the field on the right of his position. Just at this period I received an order from the major-general command- ing the corps to advance my brigade through the woods and prepare to move upon the left flank of the enemy, and that the movement would be sup- ported by the brigade under Brigadier General Gordon.
In passing to the right I received from Brigadier- General Williams, commanding the division, addi- tional instructions in regard to this movement, and passing forward, I formed my regiments into lite of battle directly opposite to the enemy's left. A thick belt of woods skirted an open wheat stubble field on three sides; a road running across formed the fourth. To the right a thick undergrowth of scrub oaks and bushes covered the space. In front of the line the field sioped downward toward the woods directly opposite, the point of which termi- nated at the road.
Beyond this point, and concealed by it, the enemy had established a battery which stood in echelon near the road. After examining the position and finding that a space of nearly 300 yards had to be
At II o'clock the enemy, being established upon the slope of Cedar Mountain at the skirt of the | passed over by my infantry before we could reach
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GENERAL CRAWFORD'S REPORT.
the opposite woods, I sent a staff officer to the general commanding. requesting that a section of the battery of Napoleons under Muhlenberg might be sent to me to clear the woods in front and on my flank. Before the officer could return Captain Wilk- ins, assistant adjutant-general of the general com- manding the division, came up and urged the move- ment at once as the decisive one of the day. An order was given by him also to Colonel Ruger, com- manding the Third Wisconsin Regiment, to join his command to mine and move with it upon the enemy.
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