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 7
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My regiments were immediately formed, the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania on the right, the Twenty- eighth New York and Fifth Connecticut in line to the left The Tenth Maine was advanced through the woods on my extreme left, under the immediate direction of a staff officer of the major-general com- manding the corps, and was some distance from the other regiments I then gave the order to ad- vance to the edge of the woods, to fix bayonets, and to charge upon the enemy's position. Steadily in line my command advanced, crossed the fence which skirted the woods, and with one loud cheer charged across the open space in the face of a fatal and murderous fire from the masses of the enemy's infantry, who lay concealed in the bushes and woods on our front and flank. Onward these regi- ments charged, driving the enemy's infantry back and through the woods beyond. The Twenty- eighth New York, Fifth Connecticut and part of the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania entered the woods and engaged in a hand-to- hand fight with vastly superior numbers of the enemy, reaching the bat- tery at the heart of his position; but the reserves of the enemy were at once brought up and thrown upon their broken ranks. Their field officers had all been killed, wounded or taken prisoners. the support I looked for did not arrive, .and my gallant men, broken, decimated by that fearful fire, that unequal contest, fell back again across the space, leaving most of their number upon the field.
The slaughter was fearful. The field officers of the regiments which had driven the enemy back were killed, wounded or prisoners. Most of the company officers had fallen by the side of their men, and the color guards had been shot down in detail as they attempted to sustain and carry forward the colors of their regiment. The Wisconsin regiment which advanced on my right, unable to sustain the terrible fire from the bushes and woods retired to the woods in rear, where it was reformed some distance beyond and brought again into action. The Tenth Maine Regiment of my brigade, acting under direct orders from the commanding gen- eral, through one of his staff, advanced to the middle of the open space, and sustained a most severe and galling fire from the concealed enemy beyond.
In the Twenty-eighth New York its colonel ( Donnelly ) had fallen mortally wounded, and was borne from the field. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown had his arm shattered. Major Cook, after being wounded, was made prisoner by the enemy. Out of the 14 company officers in action there is not one remaining able to do duty. All are either wounded or prisoners. Of the Forty-sixth Penn- sylvania its Colouel ( Knipe ) was twice wounded and carried from the field, Lieutenant-Colonel Self- ridge had his horse shot under him, and Major
Mathews fell dangerously wounded Of its 20 company officers who went into action 17 were killed, wounded, or missing, and 226 of its rank and file. Of the Fifth Connecticut, Colonel Chap- man, Lieutenant-Colonel Stone and Major Blake are gone. The first is reported a prisoner in the hands of the enemy. The latter two were seen to fall, and have not since been heard from. Out of 18 company officers who went into the action IO are killed, wounded or missing and 224 of the rank and file. Out of 88 officers and 1,679 men taken by me into action 56 officers and 811 men are killed, wounded and prisoners. The batteries attached to my brigade did most excellent service. Knap. Roemer and Muhlenberg directed their operations in person, and their fire was most effec- tive. A special report of the operations of their batteries was made to the chief of artillerv. In Muhlenberg's regular battery ( Best's ) of the Fourth Artillery, one non-commissioned officer was killed and two non-commissioned officers and two privates wounded.
It is customary at the close of a report like this to mention those whose conduct has merited com- mendation, but I point the general commanding to the vacant places of my officers and the skele- ton regiments of my brigade to speak more eara- estly than I can do of the part they played in that day's contest. Colonel Donnely of the Twenty- eighth New York; Colonel Knipe of the Forty- sixth Pennsylvania, and Colonel Chapman of the Fifth Connecticut, sustained by the field officers of their regiments, led them into the action. These regiments alone and unsupported reached the op- posite woods, and fought hand-to-hand with the enemy. Lieutenant Sprout, adjutant of the Twenty-eighth New York, was killed at the side of the enemy's battery, and the gallant conduct of the men was sufficiently attested by one of the generals of the enemy himself, as we stood together upon the battlefield twenty-four hours after the action amid the mingled bodies of the dead of both sides The conduct of the color guards of these regiments is beyond all praise. The colors of the Fifth Regi- ment from Connecticut were three times shot down. and as often raised again and borne on into the fight. Of the Maine regiment but one, the color sergeant, who bore the colors from the field, re- mains.
I remained upon the battlefield until dark, direct- ing the removal of the wounded, when I returned and reported to the general commanding, who directed me to move with the remnant of my com- mand to the rear of the woods on Cedar run, at the center of our position. Moving up to it with my staff, I found it occupied by the enemy's cavalry, who open fire and charged upon us, killing two of my escort. I then reformed my regiments in the. neighborhood of Colvin's Tavern, north of the battlefield.
Of the officers of my personal staff who accon- panied me on the battlefield I would mention Captain F. De Hauteville, assistant adjutant-general. who from the first rendered me especial and import- ant service, attended with great personal ex- posure.
Captain Cogswell, Fifth Connecticut, and Captain Duggan. First Michigan Cavalry, acted as my aides during the entire day, and rendered me great assist- ance. First-Lieutenant A. M. Crawford, aide-de- camp, was left by my order in charge of the camp of the brigade, and in forwarding supplies to the
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44
TWENTY-EIGHTIL REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS.
command, which had been without rations thirty hours, and in the organizing and sending to their regiments detachments who came in from the field, rendered important service to the brigade.
Brigade Surgeon llelmer also remained with me upon the field until a call was made for his profes- sional services, since which time he has been unre- mitting in his attention to the wounded.
The complete list of killed. wounded, and missing is respectfully submitted.
The greater proportion of those reported missing are supposed to be killed. The bodies found on the
field were so much disfigured that recognition was impossible. This report imbodies positive infor- mation only.
I am, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant. S. W. CRAWFORD,
Brigadier-General, Commanding First Brigade.
Maj D. D. PERKINS,
A. A. A. G., Second Corps, Army of Virginia.
F. DE HAUTEVILLE, Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General.
-
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE LOSSES IN THE FIRST BRIGADE.
KILLED.
WOUNDED.
TAKEN PRISONERS.
PRESENT IN ENGAGEMENT.
COMMAND.
Officers.
Enlisted Men.
Officers.
Enlisted Men.
Officers.
Enlisted Men.
Officers.
Men.
28th New York.
I 20
6
73
IO
103
18
339
59%
5th Connecticut.
3
IS
8
63
2
143
21
424
535
46th Pennsylvania.
2
28
8
94
8
104
23
481
10th Maine
2
22
5
140
I
3
26
435
37℃
Total
S
88
27
370
2 J
353
88
1,679
52%
CHAPTER VIII:
POPE'S RETREAT -ANTIETAM.
AUGUST 13TH TO SEPTEMBER 19TH, IS62.
C OMPANY E, of the Twenty- eighth regiment, which had been Provost Guard at Cul- peper, returned to the regi- ment soon, and still but a battalion was present. The men were consolidated into four companies, some of which had to be commanded by sergeants. On the 13th all that was left of the brigade was reviewed by General Craw- ford, the Twenty-eighth mustering only seventy-eight men. The general made an address on the heroism displayed by the brigade in the recent battle, and did not deem it unsoldierly nor unmanly to shed tears, in speaking of the dead.
Division review followed the next day, and on the 18th with three days' cooked rations the regiment left Culpeper, with the Army of Virginia, in Pope's retrograde movement toward Washington.
On this campaign the Twelfth corps was in reserve, or guarding immense
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baggage trains, and consequently was not engaged in any important battle. Part of the forces, however, had several skirmishes while supporting General Sigel's Corps.
On the 19th the regiment crossed the Rappahannock, and for many days moved up and down that river. On the 23d, while halted in a field, General Sigel's troops passed. It was a very amusing sight to see his "Jackass Batteries." There were " Jacks " of all sizes and col- ors, each had a curious device that looked like a saw-buck strapped to his back, on which was the gun of some two pounds calibre. These did not prove very suc- cessful, and were not generally used by the army.
From a German, who was leading one of the animals, on inquiring if this style of artillery was effective, was learned that it was, " If de tam mule did not go off be- fore de gun did."
August 24th the command moved to Sulphur Springs, and the next day to
PER CENT OF LOSS TO No. ENG'D.
GENERAL POPE'S RETREAT.
45
Waterloo Bridge. Soon the march was continued via Warrenton Junction and Catlets Station to Manassas, which place was reached August 30th. The weather during this march was exceedingly hot, and the suffering was great.
On arriving at Manassas, the regiment was ordered back to Bristoe Station to protect the cars there. Sounds of the heavy firing at the battle of Second Bull Run, but three miles away to the north, could be plainly heard, and the news came that a severe engagement was in progress.
The next morning came the order to fire the trains and destroy all regimental wagons, except two ambulances. This action told too plainly the result of the desperate battle fought the day before. The goods destroyed were greatly needed, still the command must be obeyed.
Many locomotives, a hundred loaded cars, extending down the track for half a mile, with all their contents of army pro- visions, ammunition, and hospital supplies, costing the Government millions of dollars, were consigned to the flames. When the fire reached the cars of ammunition, the explosion could be heard for miles. The burning of the railroad bridge over the Broad Run by the enemy on the 27th had prevented the withdrawal of these stores. A force of engineers had been busily en- gaged rebuilding this bridge, but had not yet completed it.
Undoubtedly the Confederates secured much from the half-burned cars, as they were wet from recent rains and it was difficult to destroy them. Even after the cars were on fire, many of the soldiers climbed into them and by using their bayonets, opened boxes, and carried from the wreckage inany articles of clothing. It was a comical sight to see the cavalry use the government trousers as saddle- bags, which they stuffed full, and carried away astride their horses.
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Leaving this scene of destruction, the regiment marched to Centerville, where the defeated army of General Pope was concentrated. The next day, September ist, the retreat continued to Fairfax.
1 1
At Chantilla, during a terrific thunder- storm the left wing of General Pope's army had a severe engagement with the Confederates, who were following closely.
It is said this battle was stopped for a time when the guns could not be dis- charged on account of the rain. When one of General Jackson's officers sent for
permission to retire, saying, "The guns of his men would not go off," the answer was returned, " Neither will the enemy's ; give them the bayonet."
Here the gallant and lamented General Phil. Kearney lost his life. The Twelfth corps being in reserve was not called into this engagement.
September 2d the army marched from Fairfax to Alexandria, and the Twenty- eighth New York camped at Fort Albany. The men experienced on this retreat more of the hardships of a soldier's life than ever before. It would be difficult to describe their suffering«. Often they were destitute of rations, subsisting entirely on green corn. Much of the water to drink or for coffee was obtained from stagnant puddles. The men were forced to sleep on the ground, witnout covering. Most of the time they were under arms, doing the same duty as large regiments.
After two days rest at Fort Albany, on September 4th, the Twenty-eighth crossed the aqueduct bridge to Georgetown, and moved to Tennallytown, Maryland, a dis- tance of eight miles. On the 6th the march was continued ten miles to Rockville, where the regiment remained four days
Changes were made in the commanding officers, both of the army and of the regi- ment. To the great joy of the men Gen- eral Pope had been superseded by General McClellan. From the day of General Pope's unfortunate order of July 14th in taking command, he had lost the confi- dence of the men, and, whatever military critics may now say of General Mcclellan, the army was perfectly wild with joy, and the men shouted themselves hoarse when they learned that " Little Mac " was again in command.
General Banks was assigned to the command of the troops in the immediate defences of Washington, his successor in command of the corps being General Mansfield, who was appointed on the 15th and within two days lost his life in sight of the regiment at Antietam.
Several officers of the Twenty-eighth, who had been on detached service, now returned, the ranking one, Captain Mapes. having been on recruiting service, assumed the command, which position he occupied from September 4th to November Ist. The four companies into which the regiment had been consolidated. were commanded by Captains FitzGerald, Fenn, Waller and Judd.
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46
TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS.
General Crawford made an effort at this time to have the Twenty-eighth. and the other regiments of his brigade, "sent to the rear to be rested, recruited, and reor- ganized." He stated " that the very ex- istence of the organizations demanded it. That captains were commanding regi- ments, and corporals. companies, that the severe service endured, the exposures suffered, and the deprivation of proper food the men had been subjected to, had sent many to the hospital. That men never known to fall behind on previous marches, were compelled to now from ab- solute want of muscular tone." The request was forwarded to the General-in- Chief, but no "rest" ever came to the Twenty-eighth except that. given to the other regiments in the army. .
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A feeling of confidence soon pervaded, order was restored, and needed supplies of all kinds were furnished. September 10th the march was resumed to Damascus, six- teen miles, and on the 12th and 13th to Frederick City. The Confederate army had passed through the city two days previous, and an encounter with it was daily expected. Many "Barbara Fritchies" were found who showed the Stars and Stripes, as the Union army marched through. Whether they had been as bold in the presence of the enemy as she is not known. Undoubtedly a better Union feeling prevailed than the year before, when the regiment encamped near this place.
On the 14th the command started very early and marched through the fields - that the ammunition trains might have the roads-to South Mountain, where Gen- eral Burnside, with Generals Hooker's and Reno's corps, was engaged nearly all day. As the men pressed forward, over fences and brooks, and through fields and woods, they could. see and hear the en- gagement up the mountain side. They halted late at night after a long and very severe march.
The enemy retreated, abandoning the mountain during the night, and the next morning the pursuit was continued, pass- ing the scene of Burnside's fight of the day before, where the brave General Reno was killed, and where the dead of both sides covered the ground. On over the mountain, strewn with articles abandoned by the retreating enemy, the Union forces followed to Boonsborough, where on the 15th they bivouacked, and on the 16th
marched to the vicinity of *Antietam. Here was heard the news of the disgrace- ful surrender at Harper's Ferry, but none believed it.
During the night the Twenty-eighth New York, in command of Captain Mapes, moved with the corps, into position on the right of the army near the Poffenberger farm, in the rear of the Dunker church. The Twelfth Corps was held in reserve to General Hooker's forces which were in line of battle confronted by the enemy. Early on the morning of September 17th the engagement opened.
The wounded were seen coming from the front. Soon the regiments of General Hooker's corps, which had forced the enemy back, were in turn forced back themselves, calling for help. The Twelfth Corps was formed in close column, and moved forward, pouring a steady fire into the enemy's lines.
General Mansfield in command, was a conspicuous figure as he rode his horse rapidly about the field. His actions were nervous and excited like those of a young man rather than one far advanced in life. He wore a bright new uniform, and his long white hair was streaming behind as he fearlessly reconnoitered the position of the Confederates. He soon became a target for the enemy and fell, mortally wounded, in front of the First Brigade, and was carried to the rear. A few members of the Twenty-eighth were wounded at this time.
General Williams' brigade had the right and extended to the Sharpsburg Pike. After a long struggle for the woods and cornfield, in which the musketry fire was very severe on both sides, the corps was relieved by General Sedgwick's division of General Sumners' forces, which filed into position, and the Twelfth Corps withdrew to Miller's woods, the position held in the morning. Here ammunition was replen- ished and the men rested on their arms. About noon the enemy made an advance to gain possession of the woods, but was driven back and the regiment was not again called under fire. The Twenty- eighth suffered a loss in this engagement of two killed, nine wounded and one prisoner. This seems a small loss, but only sixty-five men were in line, and in comparison to the numbers engaged, it was fully equal in proportion to the loss of other regiments in the brigade. The men did their duty nobly and well and
47
ANTIETAM, PLEASANT VALLEY AND MARYLAND HEIGHTS.
responded promptly to every call made upon them.
The enemy in front of the Twelfth Corps was again Stonewall Jackson and his forces. The Twenty-eighth was ever fated to meet them in battle.
September 1Sth the Twelfth Corps lay in the woods in line all day expecting the bat- tle to be renewed. But except the picket firing and the boom of artillery on the left, there was no engagement. A truce to go between the lines and bury the dead was arranged. The scene was a horrible one, indeed. Nearly four thousand men had fallen, and in the cornfield they lay so thick that for rods the ground was entirely covered. While in the rear, lying on straw, in the open fields, awaiting removal to hos- pitals, were nearly twenty thousand Union and Confederate men suffering from wounds.
In the afternoon orders came for an at- tack the next morning, but when the morning of the 19th dawned, the enemy was gone; and the country was asking the serious question why General McClel- lan had allowed the Confederate army to escape.
Two of the best corps of the Army of the Potomac, the Fifth and Sixth, num- bering 25,000 veterans, were held in re- serve and took but little part in the en- gagement.
Could they have been thrown in at the proper time, they would have achieved re- sults that would have been more worthy the heroic devotion exhibited by the other corps.
The entire command was greatly disap- pointed. In later years of the war, under other generals, the result would possibly have been different. The losses in this battle were very heavy. The official report shows twelve thousand four hun- dred and ten as the entire Union loss. The Confederate reports give their killed and wounded as ten thousand two hun- dred and ninety-one. This does not in- clude the missing, which would undoubt- edly make their loss the greater. Fox, in his "Book of Losses in the War," an acknowledged authority, says : " Antietam was the bloodiest battle. More men were killed on that day than on any other one day of the war. There were greater bat- tles with greater loss of life, but they were not fought out in one day as at Antietam." The desperate fighting here may be in- stanced by reference to the losses of a few Confederate regiments. The First Texas lost eighty-two per cent. The Sixteenth Mississippi sixty - three per cent. ; the Twenty-seventh North Carolina sixty-one per cent. The Fifteenth Virginia fifty- eight per cent. The Eighteenth Georgia fifty-seven per cent. The losses in a few of the Union regiments in the Twelfth corps were as follows : The Twenty- eighth Pennsylvania, two hundred and sixty-six. The Twenty-seven Indiana, two hundred and nine. Third Wisconsin, two hundred. The regiment in the Union army suffering the greatest loss was the Fifteenth Massachusetts, which lost in this battle three hundred and forty-four killed, wounded and missing.
CHAPTER IX.
ANTIETAM TO CHANCELLORSVILLE.
SEPTEMBER 19TH, 1862, TO APRIL 27TH, 1863.
N SEPTEMBER 19th the Twenty-eighth New York left the scene of carnage at Antietam, and moved towards Harper's Ferry, camping on the way. On the 20th the march was continued to Pleas- ant Valley. Here the regiment remained two days, and then moved on Maryland Heights. Returning, September 26th, to Pleasant Val- ley, the men commenced to build log
houses. October 2d they again marched to Maryland Heights and started a fine camp, which was named in memory of the late Colonel Donnelly.
The regiment did heavy picket duty on the river, and fatigue duty on the moun- tain. The men were soon quartered in log houses of their own construction. Great rivalry was shown in building them. It was generally conceded that Sergeants Coleman of Company G, and Palmer of Company D, had the finest in the camp.
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48
TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS.
The historic school house, where John' Brown had stored his guns, was on the mountain side, near this camp, and was nearly destroyed by the men, who used the material in the construction of their houses. The usual scramble to appropri- ate anything that would add to their com- fort was thus exhibited.
At Camp Donnelly a long needed rest of several weeks was enjoyed. The itin- erary of the regiment showed a march of over a thousand miles since leaving the car's at Hagerstown, Md., July 7, 1861.
Here, too, the regiment regained some- thing of its old-time strength of numbers ; the paroled prison- ers from Winchester VIRVLIVY WEIGHTS. and Cedar Mountain rejoined, led by Col- onel Cook and other officers. Their ar- rival was the occa- sion of great rejoic- ing ; - a happy meeting of old com- rades, relating their experiences and hardships. The anxi- ety of many was re- lieved by the return of some comrades who had been marked missing.
Valley, five miles long and two miles wide, full of camps. The regiments could be plainly seen as they marched out to dress parade, or on drill. The Potomac and Shenandoah rivers were below like threads of light, while the opposite Heights of Loudon and Bolivar, with the old town of Harper's Ferry nestled on the side and at the foot of the latter, seemed but a stone's throw away. It was a panorama of great extent and beauty.
The regiment remained on the moun- tain until October 31st, when the men re- luctantly left their fine houses, and again changed camp to Pleasant Valley. This
EAST SLOPE OF BOLIVAR HEIGHTL
HARPER'S FERRY AND THE SURROUNDING HEIGHTS.
Captain Bowen was one of the officers who here returned, but he soon left the Twenty-eighth, having resigned to take the position of Lieuten- ant-Colonel of the One Hundred and fifty- first New York Volunteers. He carried with him, not alone the respect, but the love and best wishes of the regiment.
Colonel Brown was often in camp, but did not take active command, owing to his wound not being healed. He could not stand the exposure of camp life, but stood by the members of his old regiment to the last.
Many visited the Signal Station above the camp on the highest point of the mountain. This was fourteen hundred feet above the sea and one thousand above the Potomac. From the place of observation, on a clear day, could be seen without a glass all the towns in the Shenandoah Valley as far as Winchester ; up the Poto- mac River, to the Antietam Iron Works ; Sugar Loaf Mountain toward the east, and many other places : a circle of forty miles in diameter. Just below was Pleasant
made the fifth march within six weeks. either up or down that long, winding road to Maryland Heights. But they could not have been sent to a more "pleasant valley." Here the Twenty-eighth went into camp in an orchard,-the one occu- pied on the first camp at this place. It had since been used by the Twentieth Connecticut. After cleaning the grounds, and a few days' delay, to see whether the regiment was likely to remain long enough to warrant the labor, log houses were again built. These proved very service- able, as the weather was cold, and many snow storms occurred before the command started into Virginia.
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