USA > New York > Camp and field life of the Fifth New York volunteer infantry. (Duryee zouaves.) > Part 14
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The regiment resumed the march, and after a tedious stretch of thirteen miles, running well into the night, we sud- denly struck the camp at Cumberland, on the banks of the Pamunkey River. It was a magnificent sight as it burst upon the view of the weary men.
Below theni, stretched over an immense plam, were en- camped an army of eighty thousand men. Innumerable camp-fires could be seen in every direction, which became smaller as the eye scanned them in the distance, until at the outline they seemed like mere star points of light. We ar- rived in camp about II P.M., and immediately went into bivouac. A storm which lasted two days canie upon us, which made the men extremely uncomfortable, as they were without shelter. On the 15th, all the troops were drawn up in an immense square, and reviewed by Secretary SEWARD. It was a splendid spectacle, notwithstanding the rain.
The country through which the regiment marched to this camp was desolate and deserted. Not a cow, horse, or cart were to be seen on the farms, nor indeed a living animal of any kind. Many of the houses were dismantled and deserted, and the few that were occupied were inhabited by old men,
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women, or invalids, who hung out a white rag for protection ; but not an able-bodied man or a grown boy was to be seen. They were all in the Confederate army. Very few negroes were found, nearly all having been driven into the interior by their owners. While staying in this camp, considerable traffic was kept up by a few soldiers of trading dispositions. They obtained passes to the landing on the river, and laid out their money in cakes, cheese, and butter, and on their return disposed of their commodities to their comrades at a profit of five hundred per cent. So eager were the men to buy, at any price, that they fought, pushed, and shoved their way through the crowd, with their money in their fists, and exchanged it for the coveted luxuries without regard to long or short measure. Their principal anxiety was to get some- thing, reckless of cost. One of the men managed to buy a barrel of cider, on which he cleared about fifty dollars when it was only two-thirds gone. A raid was made upon it by some of the "red devils," who tumbled him, with the cider and all of his customers, into a promiscuous heap, and in consequence none of the raiders got enough to wet their lips with.
On Saturday, the 17th, we marched five miles, and bivou- acked near the White House. General Sykes' division of regulars, including the Fifth, were assigned to the Fifth Army Corps, under command of General Fitz Jolin Porter. Seven wagoners were killed by guerrillas between New Kent and Cumberland.
Who were the guerrillas? When the army was marching along a road, occasionally an old, grizzly-bearded man might be seen hoeing away at a patch of ground near his cabin, ap- parently so much absorbed in his work as to scarcely notice anything else ; nor did he attract any attention in return. But the main body having passed along, were followed by the stragglers, at first numerous, but gradually decreasing in numbers until now and then only one perhaps might be seen
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at considerable intervals. Now, that apparently harmless old man has dropped his hoe for his rifle, perhaps the same that his grandfather used in the Revolutionary struggle for in- dependence. He is lying in wait, behind some stone wall or convenient clump of bush, or perhaps near his barn, where some belated or sick soldier may seek rest for the night.
At the company roll call in camp next morning a man is reported missing. He is never heard of again by comrades, family, or friends. He is on the army records as a " deserter." That is all that will ever be known of him on this earth ; but that old man could solve the mystery if he would.
One morning, just before the regiment started on its day's march, Colonel Warren said he had a remark to make to the men, which was about as follows: He had noticed on the previous day a great deal of straggling, and it must not oc- cur again. "Now, to-day," said he, " I intend to act as doctor, and for such as are disposed to lag behind, I have some pills which are a sure cure," and he tapped his revolver significantly as he said it. It is needless to say that there were very few sick men that day, and it was astonishing how well the regiment kept together.
To those who have never been in the army, and may chance to read this, it may be said that on a march there are many who drop out from choice as well as from exhaustion. The surgeons and some of the field officers always follow in the rear of a regiment, brigade, or division ; the former ex- amine those who are sick, and if, in their judgment, they are not good enough for a few steps further, they are put in ambu- lances and brought along. But there are some men of strong wills who would not give in even when dangerously ill, until compelled to do so by a surgeon. The camp guard are also in the rear, and they drive the stragglers along; if they es- cape them, they are liable to be picked up by the brigade, division, or corps provosts ; and last of all comes the Pro- vost-General of the army, with at least a regiment of reg-
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ular infantry and a squadron of cavalry, who scour both sides of the road, looking into farm-houses, barns, etc. In an en- gagement, all of the provost guards pick up the men who fall to the rear, and form them into battalions, and they are marched again to the front and assigned a position, often the very worst that can be found.
Reveille started us from our slumbers at 2 A.M., on Mon- day, the 19th. After bolting some coffee and hard tack, we started off on our march, and at the end of two miles we halted to await the construction of a bridge. While patiently tarrying for this purpose, we were visited by a heavy shower of rain. After several hours spent like chickens under the bushes to keep as much sheltered as possible, we resumed the march, and at night halted in a swamp near Tunstall's Station, about five miles distant from our starting-place. The men built slight shanties and slept on the muddy ground, but endeavored to convince themselves that they were com- fortable. This effort required too vivid an imagination, and they finally gave up in disgust and fell back on their fortitude.
On Tuesday, the 20th, we remained in camp, and dined luxurionsly on boiled beans, not overdone. At dusk we were favored with the usual music of heavy firing in the distance. On the 21st we marched seven miles and bivouacked for the night. On the 22d we marched six miles and bivouacked at Cold Harbor. It was reported that General Sykes' negro servant was shot dead by guerrillas while watering a horse. The latter wandered back without its rider, and two cavalry- men, who went to see what had become of him, were fired at. It occurred about half a mile from camp. On Saturday, the 24th, it commenced to rain, and the men built shanties, but had scarcely completed them when they received orders to pack knapsacks, which was done in the midst of a beating storm. We marched five miles through the mud and water, and halted at Old Church, where a cavalry skirmish had taken place during the previous night.
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The men are beginning to feel severely the effects of sleeping on the ground without any covering except a blanket or overcoat, exposed to the mists and heavy dews. There are about one hundred sick in the regiment, a few cases being sun-strokes, but the majority are suffering from malarial diseases.
During the march lately the regiment passed some beauti- ful residences and flourishing farms, all seemingly abandoned and deserted except by a few negroes. It is a well-wooded country, and most of the marches have been made over roads through the woods. There was no scarcity of water, the country abounding in fine springs ; but, on the other hand, the bill of fare clearly showed that there was no danger of being overfed. Sometimes "Yankee Doodle" was served for breakfast, " The Red, White, and Blue" for dinner, and " Hail Columbia " for supper. The roll calls took the place of sandwiches to fill up with, all day long while in camp, and a general inspection of arins every night at 6 P. M.
Colonel Warren was now in command of a provisional brigade, consisting of the 5th New York, the Ist Connecticut Heavy Artillery (at the time acting as infantry, about 1,000 strong), the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Rush's Lancers), and Weeden's R. I. Battery. In all the marches of the Fifth, either before or after this period, the Ist Connecticut was the only regiment, besides the regulars, that put their endur- ance to a test, and between them and our boys it was a close . match.
On the 25th, Colonel Warren rode into camp in great haste, and the brigade was put in readiness to march ; but after lying on their arms a couple of hours, three companies of the Fifth were ordered on picket, and the rest of the troops were dismissed.
The position which Warren's brigade now occupied was on the right and rear of the army, to guard against guerrillas and detachments of the enemy from cutting off supply trains.
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We were obliged to be very vigilant to avoid a surprise or to be ready if attacked, and pickets were detailed in all directions.
On one of the recent marches during the night, the Col- onel gave strict orders for the men to make as little noise as possible, on account of the nearness of the enemy ; but he had hardly ceased speaking when a jackass, on which the band-master was riding, having scented water somewhere, set up a discordant "he-haw." It is needless to say that the Colonel was excited ! in fact, that word would not do justice to his feelings ; and he did not stop to place the few words which escaped from his lips in the most studied and graceful language. To make matters worse, "Saxey " and another of the drummer-boys, who could not resist the opportunity for a frolic, managed to apply some horse- chestnut burs to the flanks of the brute, who made a jump for the woods, and threw his rider into the brush, from which he emerged with his face and hands much scratched and clothing torn, besides losing his rosinante.
CHAPTER IX.
THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN-(Continued).
PAMUNKEY BRIDGE-CROSSING THE BRIDGE-KILLED AT HIS BIRTHPLACE-THE REBELS RETIRE-REBEL COMMUNICATION BROKEN-AN ASTONISHED NEGRO- A DESCENDANT OF PATRICK HENRY-RETURN TO CAMP-HANOVER COURT HOUSE-CAPTAIN GRIFFIN'S BRAZEN PET-AFTER THE BATTLE-BURVING THE DEAD-RESULT-A RAID AND A CAPTURE-A RECONNAISSANCE-BACK TO OLD CHURCH-WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR AT HANOVER-THE CHICKAHOMINY-NEW BRIDGE -A DONATION OF FLOUR -A SPECULATION IN DOUGHNUTS - S.1U ERATU'S AND WHAT SHE DID-A PAIR OF SHOES-SLEEPING UNDER ARMS- GENERAL MCCLELLAN'S ADDRESS TO THE ARMY-GENERAL SYKES' SPEECH- PICKET AT NEW BRIDGE-REVIEW BY GENERAL PRIM-MASKING A BATTERY AT NIGHT-STUART'S CAVALRY ON A RAID-WHAT THEY DID
Monday, May 26, 1862 .- Four companies of the Fifth, A, G, H, and-, in company with a squadron of Rush's Lan- cers and a section of artillery, under the command of Col- onel Warren, marched early in the morning from camp near Old Church to a place called Pipping Trees, Pamunkey River, a distance of nine miles. As the Lancers approached the river they were discovered by the enemy, who were a detachment of the 4th Virginia Cavalry guarding the bridge at this point. A skirmish immediately ensued, in which two of the enemy were wounded. The detachment of the Fifth hurried forward and drew up in line of battle on the high ground overlooking the bridge. The enemy commenced firing on them, but with defective aim.
Company H, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel H. Duryea, was ordered to charge the bridge. They ap- proached as near as possible under cover of the woods, and then made a dash for it on the double-quick. The enemy's cavalry on the bridge, who were dismounted and acting as infantry, retreated to their reserve on the other side of the river. One of them halted at about the center and took
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deliberate aim, but before he could discharge his piece there were half a dozen shots fired at him almost simultaneously, and he fell shot through the body, mortally wounded. He was picked up and carried to a farin-house that stood near the approach to the bridge, which proved to be the same in which himself and his father were born. He died like a brave man, fighting for what he probably thought the right, and literally in defense of home and fireside.
Private Woodfall, of Company H, was wounded by a shot at about the same instant that this man received his death wound. The company, followed by the cavalry, kept on over the bridge, and the latter deployed in battle array for a charge. The rebel cavalry in the meantime kept up a run- ning fire, and were flying like the wind on splendidly mounted horses ; the Lancers followed, but were left far behind in the rear.
After a portion of the battalion were stationed as pickets to avoid a surprise, and as a guard over the stacked arms, the rest of the men commenced the destruction of the bridge. It was substantially built of oak and pine timber, and was of great benefit to the Confederates, as it con- nected the great highway used for the transportation of supplies to Richmond from that part of the country.
Colonel Warren directed the men how to pull it down in a scientific manner, and under his instructions there was soon nothing left of it but the fallen trestles and supports, floating in the rapid current. F'ires were built on each shore to burn portions of the timbers. An old slave stood look- ing on in wonderment, rubbing his hands together, in evi- dent glee, when finally he spoke up and said, that the "Squires were ten years in argufying about, and buildin' dat dar sucumstructure, but yuse massa Lincums' sojurs had dun gone and spiled it in ten minits." When its destruction was completed and the battalion were making preparations to march again, it was discovered that James R. Murray, of
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Company A, was left on the other shore, but luckily he was able to work his way over by jumping from one piece of floating timber to another.
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The men had captured some half a dozen citizens of the upper class, at various houses on the march, to avoid intelli- gence of the movement being made known to the enemy. One of them, a Doctor Henry, who wore a high silk hat and a black frock coat, was a fine old Virginia gentleman. He was questioned by the Adjutant as to the whereabouts of the enemy and other matters that might have afforded valuable information ; but he was self-possessed and secretive to the utmost. Finally he was informed that he would be shot if he did not answer. He drew himself up, and raising his hat, said : "I am an old, gray-haired man of sixty years. My name is Henry, a direct descendant of PATRICK HENRY, of Roanoke. I was born and reared near this spot, where the illustrious patriot spent his youth and manhood ; and I will say, that I have never been guilty of doing a dishonorable act in my life, nor can you compel me, with all the force at your command, to do so at the present time." He was taken to Colonel Warren, who treated him in a noble and generous manner, and soon put him at his ease. The object of the expedition having been accomplished, the detail re- turned back to camp, having marched about eighteen miles.
Several of the companies were sent out on picket at dark, one of which was Company F. The latter constructed shan- ties while the rain fell heavily. At midnight the outposts were ordered to fall back on the reserve. The night was so dark it was impossible to see a yard ahead ; the mud was knee deep, and they floundered back, slipping, sliding, growl- ing, and cursing. They had no shelter from the heavy rain, but nevertheless managed to catch a little wretched sleep. sitting with their backs against the trees. In the morning they floundered back to camp in a miserable condition, and
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had coffee made, but had scarcely touched it, when they were ordered to duty with the rest of the command.
Early on the morning of Tuesday, the 27th, the regiment was ordered to fall in, in light marching order, which was significant to them of prospective fighting, and they felt at this time that a brush with the enemy would be a great relief to their unquiet temper, for they were not in the most ami- able mood. They moved from camp near Old Church, through a heavy rain, and over bad roads, on a route leading to Hanover Court-house, parallel to the Pamunkey River. After marching some miles, Colonel Warren took the Lan- cers and pushed on some distance to the northward, and destroyed some bridges leading over the Pamunkey, and captured a number of prisoners and rejoined the command.
The force kept on their march to join General Porter and a portion of the Fifth Corps. On arriving at a large field, we were halted and ordered to load, and the cavalry were sent forward to reconnoiter. They had scarcely returned when, at a little distance, the booming of cannon was heard. They built a bridge over a creek, crossed, and moved at a quick step in the direction from which the sound came. But for the inevitable delay occasioned by building the bridge, the brigade would have been among the first to engage in the battle of Hanover Court-house.
General Emory, with the 5th and 6th U. S. Cavalry, Ben- son's 2d U. S. Artillery, and General Butterfield's brigadc, had come upon the enemy, who were composed of North Carolina and Georgia regiments, under the command of General Branch, at a point about two miles from the Court-house, where the road forked to Ashland. General Emory was joined by the 25th New York and Berdan's Sharp-shooters. These regiments deployed with a section of the battery, and advanced slowly toward the enemy until re- inforced by General Butterfield, with four regiments, when
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the enemy was charged and routed, the 17th New York cap- turing one gun of Latham's New Orleans battery, which had become disabled by the fire of Benson's battery. The firing here lasted one hour. The cavalry and battery were ordered in pursuit, followed by Morell's infantry and artillery, with the exception of Martindale's brigade .*
At this stage of the battle, the 5th New York came up, and followed on after Morell's division in the direction of the firing, over an immense field of wheat about one and a half miles in width. A wooden farm-house stood at about the center of this field, which had been the scene of a severe struggle. They advanced as far as Hanover Court-house. Suddenly aides, on horseback, came flying by, and the troops were ordered to return. General Porter and staff passed by, and ordered us to quick-march. A Major of the staff informed our Lientenant-Colonel, H. Duryea, acting in com- mand of the regiment, that we were ontflanked by the enemy in force.
The Fifth faced about and hurried back again to the wheat- field. They were immediately formed in line of battle, fac- ing toward the south-west, and advanced by the double-quick.
The san had come out in the meantime with scorching heat, and the men were exhausted by their fifteen-mile march in the morning, over execrable roads in the rain, and a few fell down in the field from sun-stroke. It appears that Con- federate troops had come up on cars from Richmond as rein- forcements, and were formed in line of battle near Peake's Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, and on the Ash- land road, near the scene of the first engagement, and were in the rear of the troops following the enemy.
It is not my purpose to describe all the movements of General Porter's command, but he immediately ordered all the troops in the pursuit to face about and retrace their steps.
* See General Mcclellan's Report (pp. 206-7.)
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The enemy attacked General Martindale, who had with him the ad Maine, 25th and 44th New York, with a section of Martin's battery, on the New Bridge road facing his own posi- tion of the morning, and who held his ground against large odds until reinforced by the 13th and 14th New York and Griffin's battery.
The " Fighting 9th " Massachusetts, and the 62d Pennsyl- vania, of McQuade's brigade, pushed through woods on the right (our original left) on the flank of the enemy. Butter- field, with the 83d Pennsylvania and the 16th Michigan, ad- vancing by the railroad and through the woods, further to the right, completed the rout of the enemy.
When the 5th New York arrived near the scene, it had be- come quite exciting ; batteries dashed along the roads on a sharp run, and the infantry were going at a double-quick through the fields, and they were surprised to see so many troops, and wondered where they had all come from, not knowing when they started from camp in the morning where they were going or what was required of them. All was ex- citement and activity; they were moving on in quick time to attack the enemy, who had just shown themselves on the edge of the woods that skirted the field to the southward. Presently the music commenced, with the prolonged rattling that continuous musketry-fire produces. The artillery had not yet got to work, nor was it needed until the enemy had got on the retreat. General Butterfield came dashing up in front of the Fifth as they were going on the double-quick in line of battle, battalion front, for the woods. He took off his cap and waved it above his head, and said : "Go in, boys ! and I'll see you supported !"
In a few moments they had reached the wood, which was entered with a Zonave cheer. The sulphurous smoke hung so thick that it was almost impossible to see any distance. They relieved the 25th and 44th New York, who had stood the brunt of the engagement, and had suffered severely.
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The last regiment (Ellsworth's Avengers) was one of the finest bodies of picked men in the service, morally as well as physically. The men advanced through the woods, step- ping over the Union and Confederate dead and wounded, who lay thick, and out of the woods to the Ashland road ; down the road to the railroad cut, and after some difficulty climbed up the bank and advanced over an open field. The enemy had reached the cover of a wood the other side of the field in full retreat, and the men could not get at them. Night coming on, they were recalled, and marched back, very much disappointed at losing the opportunity to grapple with the enemy as compensation for their long and laborious tramp. As the regiment passed the men who had been in the thick of the fight in the woods, just in advance of the Zouaves, some of them said that as soon as the enemy saw our red breeches coming through they beat a hasty retreat, and a Confederate officer who was taken prisoner also stated that when they saw the Zouaves charging in a steady, un- broken front toward them, they thought there was too much steel for them. The sight no doubt hastened their move- ments.
As the men passed down the Ashland road after coming out of the wood, they saw Captain (afterward General) Grif- fin, of the 5th United States Artillery, sighting his guns per- sonally, and was patting one of them on its side, which had just blown up one of the enemy's caissons, and killed several horses at the same time. He exclaimed, " \\ good shot ! now another like that." In the wood and at the side of a fence on the border of the road by which the enemy retreated, the dead and wounded were very numerous. Some of them had ghastly wounds and were still struggling with death. Others lay dead without the sign of a mark on them, with faces up- turned, their stony eyes glaring at the sky. A father and his son were found lying side by side, wounded and bleeding freely ; the old man was crying, while the son endeavored to
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console him. In another place two or three were found dead, whose appearance led one to think they had died talk- ing to one another ; others reclined against the fence, among whom was a powerful fellow, with a portion of his forehead turn away and his brains exposed, who was still breathing. A splendid bay horse lay rigid in the road ; he had cleared his last fence. All night long we could hear the groans of the wounded and dying at the temporary hospital in a house near by. That night we bivouacked on the field, and as the men were without ponchos or blankets, and the ground damp and cold from the heavy dew, we passed a wretched night.
On the morning of the 28th. when the men awoke, some of them found that they were lying among the dead; it was after dark when they laid down the previous night, and what they supposed were soldiers sleeping with blankets over them, were dead men. Details were made from some of the regiments, including the Fifth, to bury the dead. Trenches were dug large enough to hold twenty-five. The detail from the Fifth buried twenty-five Confederates as decently as their circumstances would allow. They were all placed in a single trench with an Orderly Sergeant at their head, the post he occupied when alive; at each corner of the plot they placed stakes, and at one end of it, cut on the trunk of a tree, " 25 N. C. X killed."
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