USA > New York > Camp and field life of the Fifth New York volunteer infantry. (Duryee zouaves.) > Part 20
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The loss during the seven days, in Morell's, Sykes', Mc- Call's and Slocum's divisions, the same that fought the battle of Gaines' Mill, was 8,500 in killed and wounded alone. If
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The Seven Days' Retreat-Malvern Hill.
all the divisions in the army had lost in the same proportion, it would show a total loss of over 25,000 men.
One instance, out of many, will serve to show the straits to which the men were reduced on the retreat.
One of the drummers saw Drum-Major John M. Smith, of the Fifth, sitting on a log at the side of the road, completely worn out and not able to go any further. He told the drummer that he was starving, not having eaten a mouthful in three days. The latter was possessed of a few crackers, and gave him two or three, and told him not to move a foot from where he was, and he would get him some meat. The drummer started off with not the slightest idea where he was to obtain it ;. but fortunately he saw a colored man toasting a piece of bacon over a fire. He immediately accosted him, and asked him whose servant he was ; to which the negro replied, giving the name of a well-known General. J., nothing abashed, said that he was a cousin of General Mc- Clellan. "Shuah ?" said the cook. "Shuab," said J., " and I would be very much obliged to you if you will fill my can- teen with water, as I am wounded in the leg, and it is hard work to move ; in the meantime, I will toast your bacon." Off went the innocent on his errand to do a favor for the cousin of the General of the army, and, of course, as soon as he was out of sight, off went J. with the bacon. Smith ate the whole of it, and it probably saved his life.
The following is the report of Colonel Duryea on the service of the regiment.from June 26th to July 2d :
REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL HIRAM DURYEA, Commanding the 5th Regiment-Seven Days' Retreat. HEADQUARTERS 5TH REGIMENT, N. Y. V., -
CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING, Fuly 4, 1862. 1
SIR :- I have the honor to respectfully submit the following re- port of the movements of this regiment from June 26th to July 2d, inclusive.
11*
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
Thursday at 4 P.M. moved out of camp to the support of McCall's division on the Mechanicsville road, bivouacked that night in line of battle in an open field, where we remained until about half-past four on Friday morning, when we returned to our camp, slung knapsacks, and moved on the road toward Coal Harbor. About daybreak formed a line of battle on the skirt of a wood in rear of Gaines' Mill, where we remained for about two hours, then moved.forward in the direction and to the left of Coal Harbor, where we formed line of battle in an open field about half-past IO A.M. Here we rested until about noon, when, in accordance with your order, we changed our position forward, our line resting under the crest of a hill about two hundred yards from a piece of woods, where, after remaining about half an hour, the enemy ap- peared in force opposite our right, advancing in successive lines of battle. Shortly after making their appearance they posted a battery on our right and opened fire through an opening in the woods, throwing shrapnel, shell, grape, and canister with ac- curacy and effect. Company E was then ordered to the front as skirmishers, to pick off the gunners from the batteries, which was done with considerable effect ; they were driven in by an ad- vance of the enemy in force, which was met by a fire by com- panies along the whole regiment, followed by fire by file, which had the effect to check the enemy and drive them back into the woods. They did not appear again for about an hour ; the bat- teries meanwhile continued to play upon us, thinning our ranks perceptibly. Agreeable with your orders, we again changed po- sition, forming line of battle in the road. Shortly after the enemy emerged in force from the woods on our left, and we then resumed our former position on the crest of the hill. Of the charge which the regiment then made, in which Colonel Warren and all the field officers, mounted, took a part in leading, it is unnecessary for me to report. Suffice it that the enemy were driven in con- fusion from the field, and the fugitives were nearly annihilated by our fire. The enemy with fresh troops now opened with musketry from the woods ; the most deadly fire being carried on by both sides, they several times appearing on the field in force. They fought bravely and contested the ground with great stubbornness ; our line was several times forced to yield, which it did in good order, before a greatly superior force, but as often advanced and
1
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Report of Lieut .- Col. H. Duryea.
regained the ground at the point of the bayonet. We occupied the ground till reinforcements came to our support and held it ; when we were relieved and ordered to support batteries of field artillery on our right, which we did until 812 p.M., delivering an effective fire whenever the enemy approached, and suffering con- siderably. Night having set in. and firing having ceased, the batteries were withdrawn, and we retired from the field. We were in the engagement about eight and a half hours, the greater part of the time under a very severe fire.
Colonel Warren having charge of the brigade, left but two field officers to the regiment, and Captain Cleveland Winslow, of Company E, was detailed to act as Major. During the action the following changes took place in the commands of companies :
Lieutenant C. S. Montgomery, of Company C, was assigned to the command of Company B. The two remaining officers of Company C being subsequently wounded, Lieutenant Eichler, of Company H, was assigned to the command of that company ; Lieutenant Lounsberry, of Company K, was assigned to the command of Company E.
I wish to mention the gallant conduct of the following officers : Major Hull, Captain Winslow, Captain Partridge,' Captain Duryea, Captain Burnett, Captain Cambrelling, Captain Lewis, Captain Boyd, First Lieutenant Montgomery, Lieutenant Sargent, Lieutenant Hager, Lieutenant Cartwright, First Lieutenant Eichler, Lieutenant McConnell, Lieutenant Lounsberry, Second Lieutenant Prime, Second Lieutenant Wheeler, Second Lieuten- ant Agnus. Their coolness was particularly shown in preparing for the last charge, just previous to which, the regiment being very much thinned, the ranks were closed and told off with great coolness under a most terrific fire.
Captain Wm. T. Partridge, of Company I, behaved with great bravery and coolness, commanding the admiration of the entire regiment. He was nearly the whole day advanced with his com- pany as skirmishers in a very exposed position, and was killed while gallantly leading his company in a charge.
I must also call attention to the following non-commissioned officers and privates whose meritorious acts come under the notice of myself and officers :
Color-Sergeant Andrew B. Allison, who bore the National
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
Flag, which was pierced by eight balls, one of which nearly severed the staff.
Color-Sergeant John H. Berrian, who bore the Regimental Standard, which was pierced by eleven balls, one of which entered the staff. Color-Corporal George L. Guthrie, Company D. Or- derly Sergeants Patrick Gilligan, Company A ; John H. Reilly, Company D; John Frie, Company E. Sergeant Thomas R. Martin, Company D. Corporals John McKenna, Company D; Jos. H. Pierce, Company D. Sergeant John S. Raymond, Com- pany E. Orderly Sergeants Andrew Whitehead, Company H ; Wm. McDowell, Company G. Sergeant Wm. H. Chambers, Company H. Privates Wm. H. Manderville, Company F ; James E. McBeth, Company H ; John McGeehan Company E ; Drum- mer-boy Robert Daly, Company D.
We went into action about 450 strong.
[For list of killed, wounded, and missing, see Appendix].
You will observe that our loss amounts to thirty-six per cent. of the number that we took into the field. Dr. Owen Munson, Assistant Surgeon, remained with the sick and wounded at Savage Station, and no doubt fell into the hands of the enemy. He is the officer reported missing.
Of the missing enlisted men, some are supposed to have been wounded and left on the field, and all are supposed to have been taken prisoners. After leaving the battle-field, we proceeded to near Woodbury's Bridge, where we bivouacked and remained until three o'clock Saturday morning, 28th, when we crossed the Chickahominy and remained supporting the artillery, defending the passage of the stream till about 5 P.M. We then pro- ceeded in the direction of Savage Station, marching all night, crossing the White Oak Swamp on the morning of the 29th, halting on the Charles City Cross-Roads in the direction of Rich- mond. Monday morning took up the march and halted about noon at Turkey Creek, near James River. Here we took a position on the Richmond road along the river. About 3 o'clock P.M. the enemy appeared in force of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The latter opening fire upon us, we prepared to give them battle, advancing our skirmishers along the edge of the woods ; when the enemy being fired upon by the gun-boats and artillery on our right, he retired.
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Report of Lieut .- Col. H. Duryca.
We remained on the ground that night, and in the morning were reinforced by a section of artillery. About noon the enemy, force of cavalry and infantry, again made their appearance ad- vancing along the Richmond road. We opened fire on them from our battery, and succeeded in driving them back ; they afterward appeared several times during the day, but were as often driven back. In this position we were very much exposed, shell often falling inside our lines. The entire regiment re- mained on picket till I o'clock Wednesday morning, July 2d. Marched through a cold and drenching rain to near Harrison's Bar, where we arrived and bivouacked about 5 P.M.
During all these trying scenes the men under my command have maintained a spirit of cheerfulness and determination, yield- ing none of their discipline or soldierly pride.
Very respectfully, Your obedient servant,
H. DURYEA,
Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding 5th N. Y. Vols.
To Lieutenant A. S. MARVIN, JR., Assistant Adjutant-General, 3d Brigade, Sykes' Division.
The following letter from Surgeon Jos. S. Smith speaks for itself :
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF POTOMAC, July 28, 1862. -
COLONEL G. K. WARREN :
Dear Sir :- While within the Confederate lines I was much gratified at often hearing the highest praise bestowed upon your gallant regiment by the enemy.
From their Generals down through all grades they all coin- cided that they never had seen the superiors of the " red legs" for unflinching courage and coolness.
Yours, with respect, JOS. S. SMITH, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A.
July 29, 1862.
The above was sent to me by Colonel Warren, then Acting
!
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
Brigadier-General, I being in command of the regiment in the actions referred to.
H. DURYEA, .
Lieut .- Col. Commanding 5th N. Y. Vol. Infantry.
HARRISON'S LANDING.
Wednesday, July 3 .- In the morning we were saluted soon after reveille by the report of cannon, and some shell dropped into camp. The regiment was ordered out into line of battle, and after advancing and standing under arms for some time, the firing ceased. The battery was charged and captured by the 5th Maine, and was found to consist of two rifled pieces. The cannoneers and an officer were taken prisoners.
The next day, the 4th, a salute was fired in honor of the day at sunrise, and in the afternoon we were reviewed by General McClellan and staff, and a Major-General's salute fired by the artillery in each corps. His address, which was very eloquent and patriotic, was read to the men.
Some of the companies in the Fifth were in command of non-commissioned officers and Second Lieutenants, most of the officers having resigned, or were on the list of sick and wounded. This loss of officers made room for many promo- tions. Many of the officers and men had contracted the fever peculiar to the swamps of the Chickahominy, which made a large portion of them invalids for life. Three of the former were under arrest. and awaiting trial by court-martial, for their unsoldierly conduct in the late retreat. The regi- ment numbered in Baltimore, when in the height of its organ- ization, 1,000 ; only about two months previous. We mus- tered on the 4th for duty only 350 men.
Harrison's Landing was favorably situated for a large camp. easily defended, and supplied with the necessary pro- visions and forage by way of the James River. The Fifth was encamped about two miles back from the river, on the
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Harrison's Landing.
borders of a narrow strip of timber, through which flowed Herring Creek, a narrow stream which emptied into the James River, suitable for bathing and washing clothes, if the men had any to wash. But there was one great deficiency: the cause of constant delay, trouble, and vexation-the ab- sence of pure water for consumption. Much of the time was spent in waiting turn on the line at the only spring in the camp. Most of the men had lost their knapsacks in the recent " change of base," and were obliged to bivouac with star-rays for mantles, and pillows of turf from the sacred soil. Requisitions for knapsacks, clothing, etc., were made, but some time elapsed before their arrival. Many of the men had scarcely anything left of their uniform but rags, and there were very few who did not carry these fluttering badges of their late hardships. All they had was in daily use, and if they wanted to wash a shirt or pair of socks, they were obliged to go without until they dried ; or, if ordered on duty, put them on wet and let them dry on their persons. They had, however, already become accustomed to these laundry eccentricities.
The enemy was now at some distance, and the remnants of the bands played at times, and the drum was heard for the first time since the evacuation of Yorktown.
General McClellan complimented Colonel Warren, and said that men never fought better than his regiment did, and that they did their share toward saving the right wing of the army at Gaines' Mill. General McClellan's address was read at parade on Sunday evening. It was eloquent and true. But eloquence and eulogy were swallowed up in the stern realities of the dead and dying, the wounded on the road, the sick and wounded left behind to be made prisoners, the unknown and unremembered graves, and the individual suffer- ing of every survivor. Each man had an experience of his own. and the battle of a life-time is epitomized in a short ten days of such experience.
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
But such is a soldier's life ; he accepts it as a part of the inevitable experience that he must pass through sooner or later ; and he can say with R. H. Dana, Jr., from his expe- rience of two years of sailor life, and his view of it, will apply in one sense to that of a soldier's life in the field, viz. : " It is at best but a mixture of a little good with much evil, and a little pleasure with much pain. The beautiful is linked with the revolting, the sublime with the common- place, and the solemn with the ludicrous."
The regiment dragged ont the weary hours of camp life, one-third on the sick-list, and the rest half sick, while faith and hope kept them up, and that is about all that could be said, for there was no enjoyment in the mode of living at that time. The ringing laugh was seldom heard, but men slowly paced along with sad and care-worn faces, with noth- ing to do but to kill time, answer roll calls, or occasionally do a little fatigue duty, each man doing as little as possible. The weather was intolerably hot and water was difficult to obtain.
The men all had great confidence in General Mcclellan, and would fight to the last and die under him if necessary, but they knew that the army needed strengthening by new re- cruits, and that Richmond would never be taken unless we were reinforced. The Confederates fought desperately, and were on their own ground, and had an extensive territory to maneuver in. The union forces were compelled to go through a country where every man, woman, and child was opposed to them, and as they advanced they grew weaker and their opponents stronger. They were obliged to look well to their communications for the army supplies, and this necessity demanded the care of a large fighting force. .
On Friday, July 12th, the whole army was reviewed by President ABRAHAM LINCOLN, who made us a brief visit. The men were all glad to see him, and noticed that he was a keen observer, and asked a great many questions of the
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Harrison's Landing.
officers in his escort. He left a good impression with the rank and file, and convinced them that the " powers that be" took some interest in their welfare.
The regiment had a thorough inspection to-day by Lieu- tenant. Colonel H. Duryea. The sick were also inspected. We went out at 9 A.M. and the work lasted till noon. The sun was very hot, but the men considered only three hours' standing nothing at all. The weather continued very hot. The time was occupied quietly with company drill in the early morning, and then continual details. Knapsacks and uniforms in part, with a change of underclothes, were dis- tributed on the 21st, making nearly a month since we had a change of underwear.
We had moved our camp the day before about one hun- dred yards, to a better location, and were hard at work all day, grading and ditching, to keep the camp dry as possible when a rain-storm set in. There were two companies in line which were called a division, and between them and the next line of two companies was a space, to assemble for roll call or other duty. We built temporary arbors over each division to screen the shelter tents from the sun, which gave the camp a pleasant and inviting appearance. In fact, not to be outdone by other regiments in this respect, under the superintendence of Colonel Warren, we succeeded in making our camping-ground, all things considered, the most inviting of any in the army, with one exception.
On Saturday, the 27th, the division passed in review be- fore General McClellan, and the following day the whole corps was reviewed. Captain Cambrelling resigned on ac- count of ill health. He was much beloved by all, and the men felt that they had lost a good friend.
He had not an enemy in the regiment, and that fact is a high testimony to his conduct as an officer and a gentleman. At this date there was only one of the original Captains, with the exception of our Lieutenant-Colonel, who entered
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
at the organization of the regiment-Captain Winslow, and only two or three of the original Lieutenants. The health of the army improved somewhat in the new encampment, as we were not living in the miasmas of the swamps ; but there were funerals every day, and the three rounds of musketry told that the last ceremony was performed, and another soldier had been mustered out of the service of his country.
Lieutenant Fowler resigned, having been sick for some time. Lieutenant-Colonel Duryea was on the sick-list, not having been able to be on duty for several days, and Cap- tain Winslow was in acting command of the regiment.
During one of the heaviest thunder-storms that we ever witnessed, one of the regimental hospital tents blew down ; in it were patients suffering with typhoid fever and other complaints, who were too weak to help themselves, and they were obliged to lie still until the tent could be put up again. There was great mortality in the hospital, and the tents under the personal superintendence of Colonel Warren were removed to higher ground further to the rear of the camp, where the sick were in good condition and com- fortable.
A lamentable mistake occurred in the roth Regiment. A bottle containing sugar of lead and whisky, used as a prescription by a member of the regiment to bathe his limbs, was left exposed. It caught the eye of three of the men, who drank out of it, and one of them died in conse- quence. A new spring was discovered on the banks of the creek, and a cracker-box was sunk, as a basin, to hold the water. It was of service only during low tide, as it was flooded when the water rose. The loathsome insects which dropped down into the spring, from the bank above it, at low water, were scooped away from the surface.
The general health of the men slowly improved with rest and better diet. They fared well for soldiers, occasionally
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Harrison's Landing.
having a stew made from fresh beef, potatoes, and onions ; sometimes cabbage, beets, and vinegar. For breakfast and supper we had nothing but "hard-tack" and coffee ; occa- sionally rice or stewed dried apples were served for supper. These variations in our bill of fare were very gratifying to the " Boys in Blue " as well as to the "Boys in Red" in our regiment.
The whole army was aroused at midnight on the Ist of August, by the thunder of very heavy cannonading in the direction of the James River. At first it was supposed that the Confederate rams had come down from Richmond and attacked the gun-boats. For about an hour there was a tremendous noise. The fire of the Union gun-boats could be easily distinguished, by their loud reports dying away in the distance with a long roll, like thunder. The reserve artillery lying by the river also opened, and the enemy's bat- teries soon ceased their work. They had posted forty-one guns under the command of Colonel W. N. Pendleton, at Coggins' Point, on the other side of the river, and their fire killed ten men and wounded fifteen, besides killing some horses. The shell looked very grand going through the air. as the night was extremely dark ; but the spectators would have been just as well satisfied if they had not opened the performance, as they did not know but that with the morn- ing's light an attack would be made in front.
At this time two Corporals of Company I. were returned to duty from the hospital ; but the officer in command of the company was convinced that they were not strong enough to drill. On the second day thereafter, which was the 25th of July, when their company came in from evening parade, they found one of them lying dead in his tent ; he had breathed his last while they were out on parade.
One of the men saw an apparition in the woods moving along toward the creek, and not being superstitious, he went over to make an investigation, and discovered one of
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
the hospital patients, who was delirious with fever, making his way to the water to drown himself. Besides the patients in the camp hospital, there were two hundred and fifty ab- sent, sick and wounded. This left only a small number able to perform the necessary duties, but it was noticeable that at dinner-time there was a pretty large muster.
" Sunday, August 10 .- The weather is now oppressive, and the steady heat, day after day, without rain or clouds, is very trying in its effects on the troops.
"On Friday last several companies were detailed to cross over to the south side of the James River to cut down trees and work on the batteries. Men have been sent over every day since the rebel bombardment of the shipping. After a pleasant sail across the river on the steamer Long Branch- which reminded several of the men of a sail on this same steamer in former years on a more auspicious occasion- they set about their work, but could not continue it more than three hours in the pine woods. The temperature was over one hundred degrees, and some of them fainted. We arrived at camp about 7 p.M., having suffered more from the heat than at any time or place in all our experience."
On Monday, the 11th, our knapsacks were sent away, which was premonitory to us of an early movement. This took place on Thursday, August 14th, when we left Harri- son's Landing at 9 P.M., in our accoutrements, with a blanket looped, tied at the ends and thrown over the shoulder ; we did not see our knapsacks again for ten weeks. We marched till midnight, and after resting about two hours at Charles City Court-house, we resumed the march, crossing the Chick- ahominy at Barrett's Ferry, near its mouth, over a pontoon bridge nearly 1,000 feet in length. We limped into a biv- ouac in the woods two miles beyond the river, at the side of the road, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 15th. This was one of the most trying marches the regiment had at one stretch, being about thirty miles. The men tried to sing and
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On the March to Manassas.
be cheerful, but toward the latter part of the march, the fatigue and strain had a very marked effect upon their tem- pers, as they had not yet, mounted their marching legs. On a long march, when the men get tired out, they will move along for half an hour, or longer, at times in perfect silence, but let one of a company happen to stumble and only touch the man next to him, then it seems as if bedlam is let loose. He is asked if he is too lazy to hold himself up, and if he wants to ride on somebody's back ? This brings a retort, and in five minutes the whole company are likely to be engaged . in a " war of words," the formula of which are not usually found in dictionaries or works on military tactics.
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