USA > New York > An historical sketch of the 162d Regiment N.Y. Vol. Infantry : (3d Metropolital Guard), 19th Army Corps, 1862-1865 > Part 2
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The attack was commenced by the 1st Brigade, under Col. Clark of the 6th Mich., which. in a few minutes, was thrown into disorder. Tien. Dwight then ordered Col. Benedict to advance his Brigade, the 102d having the right, to the assist- ance of Col. Clark, and to march to the attack "in column of companies!" On reaching a level platean, upon which · the column entered from a wood, under cover of which it had
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formed, it was met by a terrific fire of shot and shell, and a little farther on it came under a cross-fire of artillery that was nearly insupportable. Passing Clark's Brigade, the colainn pressed on to the verge of the plateau, only, however, to find itself confronted by a ravine, made impassable by felled tim- ber, lying between it and the enemy's works, and exposed to a withering fire of all arms. Col. Benedict halted the column and ordered the men to seek cover; retreat, on account of their proximity to the enemy, threatening annihilation, while further advance was absolutely impossible. After coolly surveying the enemy's works from the edge of the ravine, Col. Benedict retraced the perilous road ; for, being without an Aid for the purpose, he reported in person to Gen. Dwight the critical situation of his command, who, recognizing the necessity of the case, ordered the Brigade to lie where it was until the darkness of night might favor its withdrawal. After report- ing, Colonel Benedict rejoined his men, having gone and returned on foot, through a hurricane of shot and shell, untouched .*
The sufferings of that day will never be forgotten by any who survived or witnessed them. From morning till night the men lay under a burning sun, exhausted by fatigue and hunger, maddened by thirst, and many agonized by wounds. The slightest manifestation of life made the exhibitor a mark for a volley from the sharp-shooters of the enemy, who crowded the works that commanded the field, and many, in efforts to simulate death, endured more than its agonies.
The attack failed elsewhere throughout the lines as it did here, and, as might be expected, the casualties were numerous and severe. In this advance the brave Col. Bryan, of 175th N. Y., was killed. The 162d led the Brigade, and lost in killed, wounded and missing 51, ont of 173, in action. Among the killed was Major Bogart, whose body was nearly
* NOTE .- For gallant conduct in this action, the Government, July 23. 1866, conferred on Colonel Benedict the rank of Brevet Brig .- General, to date from March 13, 1865.
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sundered by a shell, which also passed through a Sergeant, a Corporal, and then exploded, carrying away the leg and arm of another Corporal.
The gallant Lieut. Neville, of Co. I, was wounded mortally, dying in hospital, at Baton Rouge, on the 16th of July following. Lieut .- Col. Blanchard, commanding the regiment, escaped, though exposed to the hottest of the fire.
At 7 P. M. the Brigade was withdrawn, and the 162d was ordered to the support of a Mortar Battery, established about a mile to the right of the point it had assaulted in the morn- ing.
The following day, June 15th, in General Orders, Gen. Banks called for a thousand Volunteers, to form a column to storm the enemy's works. Officers who might lead were assured of promotion, and both officers and privates were promised Medals of Commemoration, and that their names should " be placed in General Orders upon the Roll of Honor."
The response of this reduced regiment to this appeal was creditable. It offered the largest contingent of Volunteers to the Forlorn Hope of any regiment in the Department, and had the only complete company furnished by any one to the Battalion. Colonel Benedict volunteered to lead a Battalion. Adjutant Robt. W. Leonard, and three of the four line officers of the 162d, fit for duty, and fifty privates, out of one hun- dred and forty-nine, fit for duty, also volunteered.
The names of these officers and men were :
Capt. William P. Huxford, Co. G. Private Patrick Ginety, Co. E.
Lieut. William Kennedy, " E.
Daniel Gray,
E.
Lieut. John H. Van Wyck, G. George Larimore,
E.
Serg't John H. McCormick, A. James McCall,
" E.
John E. Burke, B. Thomas Perry,
E.
Henry Landt,
.. C. Patrick Sweeney, " E. " E.
Matthew Mullen,
F.
William F. Fisclo,
C. Private John J. Thallman,
.. John Engel,
Sorg't George W. Gibson,
G.
Alexander Hermann,
C.
= Edmund Nourse,
44 G.
Lco. Kalt,
« C. Private William Ferguson,
G.
Conrad Seagel, William Keating,
.
G.
·
Frederick Schellhaus,
Private Anton Blustein, C. Corp. Gustavus Norman,
F.
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Serg't William Kelly,
Theodore Churchill,
D. Private David Hart,
I.
Corp. Thomas MeConnell,
" D. Max Miller, .€
I.
Serg't James Stack,
" E.
" Joseph Martinese,
I.
George W. Keily,
E. George Welsh,
I.
Corp. James Ball, 66 " E. E. Private James Brady,
Corp. Peter Sherry,
K.
Daniel D. Dunn,
K.
Lorenzo Lally,
E. Eugene Dietrich,
K.
John Mclaughlin,
E. Jolın Frazier,
K.
George W. Waite,
E.
Joseph Gity,
K.
Private Peter Corbett,
E.
Fleming Knipe,
K.
Thomas Clary,
E.
Dominick McConnell,
K.
Thomas Duff, E.
Lewis Young,
" K.
Co. D. Corp. Edward Murphy,
Co. I.
June 20th, the 162d, under command of Lt .- Col. Blanchard, was sent to garrison Springfield Landing, on the Mississippi River, four miles below Port Hudson, the depot of supplies, which was threatened by raiders. On the morning of July 2d, about 300 of Logan's Cavalry made a descent upon the Land- ing. They captured the pickets before they could give an alarm, and nearly surprised the garrison. The 162d formed quickly, however, and, after a short but sharp contest, the enemy retreated with the loss of 2 officers killed, and upward of 20 privates killed or wounded. The 162d had but 190 men fit for duty at the time, and lost in killed 1, wounded and missing S.
The 162d found this a most unwholesome locality, the necessities of the situation requiring it to encamp on swampy ground, an unfailing canse of fever throughout this country.
July 5th, Col. Benedict was relieved of the command of the Brigade and joined the 162d at Springfield Landing, on the 6th. On the morning of the 7th, information of the fall of Vicksburg was communicated to Gen. Gardner, the Rebel commander at Port Hudson. On the Sth, negotiations were entered into which resulted in the formal surrender of the works and garrison of Port Hudson on the 9th, to Gen. Andrews, Chief-of-Staff to Gen. Banks. This led to the dis- banding of the Forlorn Hope and the breaking up of its eamp, and the men composing it were returned to their respective · regiments.
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July 14th, the 162d left Springfield Landing and returned to Camp Nickerson, within a mile of Port Hudson, doing picket duty there until Aug. 224. The health of the regiment improved here, its eamp being on elevated ground. The sick list declined to an average of 70 per day.
About the middle of Angust, Gen. Banks reorganized the army, and the 162d, 110th and 165th N. Y., and 14th Maine, were constituted the 1st Brig., 3d Div., 19th Army Corps. Col. Benediet, who was serving at the time on Courts-Martial in New Orleans, was assigned to command the Brigade.
Aug. 22d, Lient .- Col. Blanchard and a detail, consisting of Capt. Huxford, Lient. Seaman and six enlisted men, went North to receive the quota of drafted men allotted to the 162d.
At the same time the 162d marched to Baton Rouge and reported to Gen. Franklin. The camp of the 162d was unfavorably located, and again it was smitten by discase. Pestilential exhalations from the swamp in which the men lay, the extreme heat and hard duty, soon left scarcely a hun- dred effective men in the regiment.
At this place Adjutant Leonard was commissioned and mustered in as Major of the 162d.
Col. Benedict returned to the regiment Sept. 1st, and, according to orders, embarked it at Baton Rouge, on the 2d, on the steamer North America. This eraft had been built, originally, for the navigation of the Hudson River, and many years before had been pronounced unsafe for even its placid waters. In the fitting out of the Banks Expedition, this old hulk had been imposed on the Government, and actually brought troops to New Orleans! On this occasion the 162d, by incessant pumping, kept her afloat until New Orleans was reached, when, Col. Benedict refusing to proceed any farther in her, a survey was called which condemned her, and soon after she sunk quietly at the dock. The regiment was trans- ferred to the steam-hip R. C. Winthrop, belonging to an expedition then preparing, the destination of which, however, was kept secret.
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Sept. 4th, the ship sailed for the place of rendezvous for the vessels of the Expedition, off Berwick Bay, which made it apparent that Texas was the quarter in which it was to oper- ate. The land forces consisted of the 19th Army Corps ; and the fleet was convoyed by a naval force of four light-draft gunboats, the Arizona, Clifton, Granite City and Sachem, the whole under command of Maj .- Gen. Franklin. It turned out that the expedition was designed to capture and occupy Sabine City, at the month of the river of that name, and the entire fleet was ordered to arrive off Sabine Pass by midnight of the 7th, in order that the attack might be made early on the morning of the sth. This, however, was not accomplished, because, owing to the absence of the blockading vessel, which was relied upon to indicate the point, the fleet ran by in the night, and the attack was finally made toward evening on the Sth. The Pass seemed to be well fortified and was certainly audaciously defended, so that after the total loss of two of the gunboats, the Clifton and Sachem, the most serviceable of all considering the shallowness of the water, the fleet returned to New Orleans. It is said this ill-fated enterprise was not favored by the most experienced soldiers in the Department, and that the Commanding General, as well as Gen'ls Emory and Weitzel, preferred Brownsville as an objective point.
On the 11th, the 162d went into camp at AAlgiers, where Col. Benedict assumed command of the Brigade, Gen. Nicker- son repairing to New Orleans. On the 15th, the 162d left Algiers for Brashear City, whither it had been preceded by a portion of the Army, and was followed by the remainder. Two divisions of the 13th Corps had come down the river and were attached to the 19th Corps, in order to strengthen it for a second Campaign through Western Louisiana. On the 15th, the 162d crossed to Berwick City, and on the 24th, the 19th Corps moved up to Camp Bisland, about a mile above the remains of the fort of that name. The ground seemed not to have been trodden by human foot since the battle there nearly six months before. Skeletons of horses lay where they had fallen, immense flocks of carrion birds hovered over the place,
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a luxuriant growth of weeds, ten feet high, covered the cane- fields, the sugar houses remained unrepaired - the whole scene was one of utter desolation. Oet. 2d, the Army moved toward Opelousas, where it arrived on the 14th, having marehed leisurely, occasionally skirmishing. At Opelousas, Grover's Division occupied the town, and Weitzel's Division and the 13th Corps, Barre's Landing. Nov. 1st, the Army fell back to Carrion Crow Bayou, the object of the march being accomplished ; which was to create a diversion in favor of another portion of the Army sent to seize Brownsville on the Rio Grande, by drawing Confederate troops from Texas to oppose the advance of this one.
After an unimportant skirmish at this Bayou, the 19th Corps moved to Vermilion Bayou, leaving the 13th Corps behind, which was surprised by the enemy a few days after, and lost a number of men and one piece of artillery. Weit- zel's Division was at once sent to the rescue, and brought the 13th Corps to Vermilion Bayou, where it was put in a position of safety.
Nov. 11th, it was reported to Maj .- Gen. Franklin that a large force of the enemy was concentrating at or near Carrion Crow Bayou, and he directed Brig .- Gen. A. L. Lee. Chief of Cavalry, to make a reconnoissance in force with all his avail- able Cavalry, in order to ascertain the numbers and position of the enemy.
The Cavalry Division, consisting of two Brigades of eight hundred each, started from Vermilionville for Carrion Crow Bayon, (distant twelve miles due North), at 6.30 A. M., and soon commenced driving the pickets of the enemy back to their reserve of six hundred. A running fight then ensued for some eight miles, ending in General Lee's charging them vigorously and driving them in confusion into a dense wood. Niuun's battery of light flying artillery was quickly brought up, and, after shelling the wood-, General Lee advanced his whole force in line of battle through the woods, and found the enemy also drawn up in line of battle on the opposite side of a prairie, about two miles in width, numbering, as near as could be
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estimated, about seven thousand. Upon discovering that the enemy outnumbered his force four to one, and having aecom- plished the object of his reconnaissance, General Lee ordered his Cavalry to retreat.
The enemy, apprehending his intention, sent a large force to make a demonstration on Lee's left flank, upon which the Gen. dispatched the 1st (Col. Lucas') Brigade, to protect the left flank, while he himself, in person, remained with the main column on the road.
Col. Benedict had been ordered to advance with his Brigade about a mile beyond Vermilion Bayon, and hold himself in readiness to support Gen. Lee. After having been about an hour in position, an order came from Gen. Lee that the Bri- gade should proceed up the road. About four miles up, Col. Benedict was met by a message that Gen. Lee was retreating before a superior force, and directing him to take a position where his troops would be masked, in order that Gen. Lee might turn and make a dash at the enemy's cavalry. The Colonel selected the East side of a prairie about 1,200 yards wide - posting the men in the ditches, Nimm's Battery in the rear of the left flank, and Trull's of the right - a position in which his eight hundred and odd could have fought five thousand. Gen. Lee retired behind him, in order to entice the enemy into the open prairie, but they were too wary, and opened with artillery. This was replied to with vigor, and for an hour the fire was pretty hot; the Rebels suffering severely. Then, after failing in an attempt to outflank, they sought cover behind fenees and in ditches, and retired. The Brigade was so well protected that it had but 1 killed and 4 wounded ; one of the latter belonging to the 162d.
Dec. 1st, the 162d went into winter quarters at New Iberia. It having been greatly reduced by disease and casualties, and the 174th N. Y. being also in a similar condition, an appli- cation was made to consolidate the two regiments.
Dec. 5th, Lieut .- Col. Blanchard returned from the North, bringing with him Capt. Frank T. Johnson and a company of drafted men. These men, 46 in number, were drafted in the
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18th Congressional District, N. Y., August 11, 1863, and joined the 162d at New Iberia, La., Dec. 10, 1863. (See mnem. on Mnster-out Roll of Co. II.)
Dee. 13th. the 162d went to Franklin, La., to relieve Col. Fearing of the Sth N. II., Lieut .- Col. Blanchard taking com- mand of the post.
Feb. 17th, 1864, consolidation took place under Gen. Order No. 47, II'd-Qrs. 19th Army Corps, of that date, by which each company of the 174th was merged in the corresponding company of the 162d, thus raising the effective strength of the regiment to 576 officers and men ; 914 present and absent.
By this consolidation, the services of Surgeon William B. Eager, Jr., were lost to the 162d. He had earned the appro- bation of Gen. T. W. Sherman, at the Parapet (Defenses of New Orleans); of Gen. Dwight (at Port Hudson), and of Maj .- Gen. Franklin (on the Teche). Upon leaving the regi- ment he received a written testimonial from Col. Benedict, who affirmed, that for " skill, energy and faithfulness," he had not met the equal of Surgeon Eager, neither " in the service here, nor in the division to which he was attached on the Potomac."
From the same canse the retirement of the faithful and popular Major Robert W. Leonard proceeded.
Early in Jan., 1864. the Army was concentrated at Frank- lin, La., and what is known and generally deplored as the Red River Expedition, was organized. The 162d was assigned to the 3d Brig., 1st Div., 19th Army Corps, Col. Benedict commanding. Maj .- Gen. Franklin commanded the Corps, and Gen. Emory the Division.
March 15th, the Division moved to enter upon the Red River Campaign, and. traversing the rich flats of Lower Lonisiana, reached Alexandria on the 25th, - a distance of one hundred and sixty miles, -skirmi-hing lightly on the way. On the 27th, the march was continued to Natchitoches, where the Army encamped on the 31st, to await the arrival of the pro- vision transports. Gen. Banks, and Com. Porter with his . fleet, were at Grand Ecore, four miles above. A reconnois-
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sance having been made in order to ascertain the strength and , position of the enemy at and beyond Pleasant Hill, the whole Army marched from Natchitoches on the morning of April 6th. After a tedious march through rain and mud, the Brigade arrived at Pleasant Hill on the evening of the 7th, and biv- ouacked, the wagons not having come up. At 8 o'clock, the next morning, the march was resumed, and in the afternoon it encamped at Mill Spring, some 11 miles Northwest of Pleas- ant Hill. At 4.30 P. M., the men being engaged in cooking rations, orders came to prepare to move forward; and the Brigade, third in the Division column, soon commenced a march at double quick toward Sabine Cross Roads, near Mans- field, a distance of six miles, arriving there at 6 P. M., just in time to cover the retreat of the 13th Corps, which had been routed, and check the advance of the enemy. On approach. ing the position chosen by Gen. Emory for these purposes, the Brigade was met by a demoralized mass of flying Cavalry, infantry, artillerymen and camp followers, crowding together in the midst of wagons and ambulances, which indicated the serious condition of affairs. Entering the field to the left of the road, the troops were instantly deployed in line in the fol- lowing order : the 162d, under command of Lt .- Col. Blanchard, on the right of the Brigade, resting on the left of the 2d Brigade; the 173d N. Y. on the left of the 162d; both regi- ments being on the erest of a hill, the enemy behind a similar crest opposite. The 30th Maine was deployed in the rear of the 173d N. Y., with the 165th N. Y. on its left and a few rods in advance. The Brigade was scarcely in position when it received the fire of the enemy, who, encouraged by previous successes, came on, as if already the field was won. They were received, however, by such a fire as put further advance out of the question, although they con- tinued the attack with bravery and perseverance, at a great cost of life. The maintenance of his position by Emory was indispensable to the safety of the Army, of which emer- gency the enemy appeared to be as conscious as himself. Hence their desperate determination to turn his left, held by
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Col. Benedict's Brigade. One vigorous effort that was made towards night, was so bloodily repulsed, that the Rebels not only recoiled, but fled, leaving their dead and wounded where they fell. In this repulse the 162d and the 173d New York were mainly instrumental, and it closed the fighting at this point.
The glory of saving the day was then, and still is. conceded on all hands to Emory and his Division of the 19th Corps, and was earned by as desperate fighting as was witnessed during the war. Col. Benedict was much commended for the manner in which he fought his Brigade.
Toward midnight the Army took up its march for Pleasant Hill, a better position ; and it was understood, besides, that Gen. A. J. Smith's command, the 16th Corps, had reached there, while it was obvious that the forces had better be con- centrated as much as possible. Arriving there early the next morning, the Brigade took its final position behind a ditch at the foot of a slope in front, another slope rising in the rear, and awaited the coming of the enemy. It was not until after 4 P. M. that the skirmishers were attacked and driven in, and very soon after, the Brigade, which was posted 500 yards in advance of the second line of battle, with its left in an open field and wholly unprotected, received the brunt of the Rebel charge. Outflanked and outnumbered, slowly but steadily, the men were forced back and up the acclivity, suffering heavily from the fire of the enemy, until they filed in behind Gen. Smith's men, where they re-formed. The Rebels, confi- dent in their numbers and exhilarated by success, came on exultingly, but were met by a tempest of shot, shell and bul- lets, that nearly annihilated their first line of battle ; and, before they had recovered from the shock, Gen. Smith's men and ours were upon them in a charge led by Gen. Mower. The Rebels recoiled - they were pushed down the slope and up the opposite arelivity, until they reached the woods, when they broke and fed, the Brigade pursuing them some miles.
In the conflict down the slope, and while rallying the men to the charge, Col. Benedict fell. His conspicnous bravery
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made him a mark for the enemy, and, according to their tac- ties, he must have been the target for a volley. He received five balls ; one through each arm, one through the leg, above the knee, one in the left foot, and one through the head. A superior officer said truly, " Of those who fell that day at Pleasant Hill, there was no one so universally regretted. His great gallantry in the field and his courtesy in camp had won him many friends, as well among the troops he commanded as the officers with and under whom he served."
The 162d lost, also, Capt. Frank T. Johnson, Co. H. a true patriot and most efficient officer; 2d Lieut. T. A. Scudder, Co. D; Color Serg'ts James Ball, Co. E', and John A. Homann, Co. K.
Capt. Engene S. Eunson, Co. C, was wounded; also 1st Lient. Henry P. Fisher, Co. I, and 2d Lient. Madison K. Fin- ley, Co. F.
George W. Gibson, 2d Lieut. Co. G, and Serg't-Major I. P. Fitch, were taken prisoners.
The loss of the 162d in this action was 7 officers and 114 men, killed, wounded and missing.
At 3 .1. M., of the 10th, the line of march was taken up for Grand Ecore, which was reached on the second day there- after, where the army reposed some days; the Brigade, mean- while, building a superior breastwork.
April 20th, the army left Grand Ecore on its return to Alexandria. Everything necessary in order to a prompt evacuation of the place having been prepared, at 5 P. M. all moved at onee; Gen. A. J. Smith's, the 16th Corps, bringing up the rear. The Army marched all night. The next day the rear guard skirmished with the enemy. All the mills and barns on the route were given to the flames. The next day, 230, marching five miles, to the ford of Cane River, a Rebel force was found posted on a high bluff on the opposite side, commanding the ford, which made it impracticable to lay the pontoons. The Brigade was ordered to ford the river about a mile above and attack the rebels in the rear; which was done. The position was one of great natural strength, but
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our men bravely pressed forward. At the commencement of the action, Col. Francis Fessenden, of the 30th Maine, was badly wounded in the leg, and the command of the Brigade devolved upon Lt .- Col. Blanchard, who gallantly led the charge. The enemy were driven from the hill, and the Colors of the 162d, closely followed by the 30th Maine, planted on the works. Lt .- Col. Blanchard retained command of the Brigade until Seminesport was reached.
Here Sergeant Williams, another color-bearer, was badly wounded, after having placed his colors on the summit of the hill. Lieut. Wm. C. Hawes, Co. I, a brave and intelligent officer, was mortally wounded; and Lient. Stack, Co. E, severely. The loss of the 162d was 2 officers and 35 men killed and wounded.
Remaining on the field that night, the next morning the march to Alexandria was resumed ; encamping there the next day in a position to protect the gunboats, which were hard aground above the rapids. This fleet was finally extricated by the genins and skill of Lieut .- Col. Bailey, (since Brevet Brig .- General), who threw a dam across the river, which raised the water and enabled the vessels to float. On May 13th, the retreat was continned toward the mouth of Red River, with incessant skirmishing. On the 16th, the enemy were encountered at a small town called Mansura, in a posi- tion provided with heavy batteries. An artillery duel was kept up for some five or six hours, when the enemy retreated, the infantry on neither side having fired a shot. The march was resumed, and, on the 17th, Semmesport, on the Atchafa- laya, was reached, and the 162d assisted in building a bridge of steamboats, on which the army crossed. From Semmes- port the route was to Morganzia, on the Mississippi, which was reached on the 224; and the 162d went into camp on the bank of the river, and remained there until the evening of the 2d of July.
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