USA > New York > Camp and field life of the Fifth New York volunteer infantry. (Duryee zouaves.) > Part 22
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As we have seen, nearly all of Longstreet's command, lying in concealment, was south of the pike, facing the left wing and flank of the Union troops ; and, according to Con- federate reports, the general disposition of their troops was as follows : Law's brigade, of Hood's command, four regi- ments, was on the north side of the pike, his right resting on the pike. During the subsequent charge it crossed over to the south of the pike and joined Hood's Own brigade. Hood's Own, composed of the Ist, 4th, and 5th Texas, 18th Georgia, and the Hampton Legion, was lying south of the pike, its left a short distance from it ; and Evans' brigade, under the command of Colonel P. F. Stevens, was a little in the rear, with the left resting on the pike and in support of Hood. These three brigades were closely supported by Anderson's division of three brigades. On the right of Hood were the divisions of Kemper and Jones, three brig- ades each. The remaining three brigades were advantage- ously placed, and also took part in the action.
At the decisive moment of the repulse of the attack by Porter's troops on Jackson's right and center, Longstreet's phalanx commenced its terrible charge, under cover of a
* Pollard's History (p. 465) : "The infantry attacked Jackson, whose men were concealed behind an excavation on the railroad, two crack corps of the Federal army, Sykes' and Morell's, but it was not in human nature to stand unflinchingly before that hurricane of fire."
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heavy fire from all his batteries posted on the commanding ridges on his right and rear, and which played over the heads of the charging columns. This charge was only checked at night, after nearly all our whole army, and many batteries, had been engaged. The first to meet it was Warren's little brigade, which happened, by the exigencies of war, to be oc- cupying the position of a forlorn hope,* being pitted against overwhelming numbers, and obliged to hold on to the last to enable the rest of Porter's corps to withdraw from Jackson's front.
The enemy had kept so quiet on the left, that it struck the men that either some mischief was brewing, or that they were retreating. A few rifle-balls had struck the ground a little while previous, pretty well spent. It looked mysterious, as not a Confederate was to be seen. It was not long before some shots were heard close in front, fired rapidly. A body of the Tenth came in all in a huddle, excited and somewhat demoralized, breaking through the lines of the Fifth, on their left, and cried out that the enemy had come out of the ground, as it were, and were coming on in heavy force, and were right on top of them and on the flank. An order was given by Colonel Warren to change position, but the thoughts of the men were so intensely engrossed on the movements of the enemy, that their principal anxiety was for the Tenth to get out of their way as soon as possible, so that they could make their fire tell, and get to close quarters ; they pretended not to hear any orders, or did not wish to comprehend them.
The balls began to fly like hail from the woods, and the Texans were yelling like fiends ; their fire directly increasing into one unceasing rattle, the air was full of deadly missiles;
* Pollard (p. 46) : " In the meantime, Jackson's left had advanced more rapidly than the right, and were pressing the Federals back toward the turnpike. It was now the opportunity for Longstreet to attack the exposed left flank of the enemy in front of it."
Lee's Report : "Hood's two brigades, followed by Evans, led the attack."
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it was a continual hiss and sluck, the last sound telling that the bullet had gone into some man's body. On account of the companies of the Tenth who were in front of the left wing, and who had not all got away from their front, the Fifth returned the fire with difficulty, and that only by obliquing their aim, but Company I, on the extreme left, with their Sharp's rifles, and G Company, were doing well, and could not fail to bring their man every time, they were so close.
The Tenth having thus been surprised by overwhelming numbers, without any warning, were forced to fall back to save theniselves from annihilation or capture. The majority of them passed through the right and center of the Fifth ; but before they could extricate themselves from their perilous position they suffered a loss in a few short minutes, killed, wounded, and missing, of one hundred and fifteen. Owing to the very heavy fire, and being somewhat scattered in breaking out of the woods, it was impossible for them to rally and re-form on that part of the field. But no blame should be attached to them for retiring, as no regiment in the service would have hesitated to do the same, under sim- ilar circumstances ; moreover, they would have received the fire of the Fifth if they had not fallen back.
But notwithstanding the desperate situation, which was enough to demoralize almost any regiment, particularly un- der the heavy fire they were receiving, and their own men falling like autumn leaves, not an able man in the Fifth left the ranks, and the regiment stood as firm as a stone wall. In fact, they had so much pride in their organization, and were so well disciplined, that they did not require any offi- cers to urge them on.
About this time Sergeant Andrew B. Allison, formerly a soldier of the British army, who carried the United States flag, received a ball through his wrist, and gave the flag to one of the color Corporals, but immediately took it again,
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and fell shot through the heart, the colors falling with him .* They were immediately raised again, and how many took them during the seven minutes that the regiment stocd alone, to be slaughtered, and before they were brought off the field, will never be known. Lucien B. Swain, of Company K, was the brave hero who brought them off, holding them on high, but was wounded in the attempt, and went to the hospital, where he remained until mustered out. The flag came to the regi- ment the next day. Around the colors nearly all were cut down ; it looked like a slaughter pen. Four of the color guard besides Allison were lying dead ; two others of the eight were wounded, and the color Company K was almost wiped out ; the men kept closing up toward them, trying to fill up the gaps, but it was in vain ; they were swept down as if mown by a scythe. Sergeant Francis Spellman, of Com- pany G, who carried the regimental flag, was bleeding at every pore, yet regardless of pain or his own life, still clung to his flag.
All along the line the fire was murderous; the enemy were on the front and flanks, and were pouring in a terrible cross fire on the men, and were endeavoring to surround and take prisoners the remnant of the regiment. Captain Winslow, in command of the regiment, who was acting nobly, fell with his horse, which had received seven wounds, but fortunately the brave Winslow was spared. Captain Lewis, of Company D, acting as field officer, who a few moments before had been begged by his men to dismount, fell from his horse, dead, while one foot was still in the stirrup, and his body was being dragged over the field. Lieutenant Wright, of the same company, its only remaining officer, had received his mortal wound. Adjutant Fred Sovereign and Captain Hager, of Company F, and its only remaining officer, were both dead.
* It is to be regretted that a likeness of Sergeant Allison could not have been preserved in this work, as he was equally deserving as Spellman. But all efforts to obtain his photograph were futile.
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Lieutenant Martin, of Company G, and its only officer, was wounded in the leg, but scorned to leave his command. Lieutenant Raymond, of Company H, wounded, and with Captain McConnell, the remaining officer, soon to become prisoners. Captain Boyd, of Company A, wounded, and soon to become a prisoner. Lieutenant Keyser, the re- maining officer of the company, wounded and left the field. Captain Montgomery, of Company I, also soon to become a prisoner, and Lieutenant Hoffman, the remaining officer of the company, suffering from three wounds. The forego- ing include, with Colonel Warren and one other officer, all the officers that were present with the regiment. Colonel Warren still stood by the regiment which he had cherished with so much care, and was not the man to forsake his troops in the hour of need, although he would have been justified in doing so, as he was only exposing his life to no purpose, before as murderous a fire as ever fell to the lot of soldiers to endure. It was not in his power to aid them, and he was forced to look on and see the flower of his regiment swept away. Nearly all of the new recruits who had just joined had fallen, and the remainder broke out to the rear. Some of the non-commissioned officers at first attempted to shove them in again, until Sergeant Forbes sung out : "Let them go ! let them go !" and the men were receiving deadly vol- leys from an unseen enemy on their left and rear, at close quarters, as well as on their front, into their faces, from Hood's brave, but ragged, barefooted, half-starved Texans, who now swarned in their front within twenty paces, yelling like fiends. Had the Fifth not been overwhelmed by such vastly disproportionate numbers, they would have shown them a trick with the bayonet which they did not under- stand. Our men had such confidence in themselves from the rigid training in the practical use of the bayonet, first in- troduced by Colonel Warren, and such pride in the honor of
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their regiment, that it never entered into their heads that any force could drive them, nor could they have been forced. except under the circumstances in which they were placed. Here was a regiment of 490 men standing alone, without sup- port, against two choice brigades of Confederate troops, meet- ing the first onset of Longstreet's famous charge, that drove several divisions of our army before it was finally checked on Henry House Hill by Sykes' regulars, who were the bul- wark of the army on many a field. They belonged to the Fifth corps, General Fitz John Porter, who had saved the Army of the Potomac by his skill and obstinacy in fighting at the battle of Gaines' Mill. His military sagacity had saved his corps from useless slaughter, and perhaps annihi- lation, on the afternoon of the 29th, only to be ordered for- ward the next day, without support, to be slaughtered, while the efforts of the innocent victims were treated by those re- sponsible with slight and disparagement. If General Porter committed a fault on the 29th, who was responsible for the disaster of the 30th, when a small force was ordered to attack an enemy supposed to be retreating, while an immense re- serve was held back in the rear at a safe distance ?
It now became apparent that the only hope of saving a inan was to fly and run the gauntlet, for in three minutes more there would not have been a man standing. The only alternative was to fly or to surrender. But the men of the Fifth did not understand the latter movement ; they had never been taught it by their officers. All hope having van- ished, and being without officers, the remnant of the once proud regiment broke and ran for their lives. They were nearly annihilated, but not conquered or disgraced, and bore away with them all of their flags, and many of their wounded. Their heroic stand had not been in vain. Butterfield on the right had been enabled to withdraw, as well as Hachtt's battery, which the regiment was supporting. "The latter
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had greatly impeded the enemy's movements on our right by an enfilading fire."*
As soon as Colonel Warren saw that his men were trying to save themselves, which he had ordered them to do before, he put spurs to his horse and escaped by dashing down the slope and jumping him over the brook at the foot of the hill, but turned again as soon as over to meet his men.
When the remnant of the regiment turned toward the rear, the enemy were coming on in a long line without a break, and were not over twenty feet distant, with others pouring out of the woods that ran along on the left and rear of their position. It was ascertained afterward from wounded men left on the field, and who subsequently returned to the regiment, that they were followed closely by a second and third line. On the right toward the turnpike was another long line of Confederates, led on by their officers. But here and there were some of the Fifth who scorned to turn their backs or to surrender, and fought to the last. They were all shot down.
The Confederates came charging on, a division strong. with yells and cheers for Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy, and giving vent to all kinds of profane and ob- scene epithets. All this time they were pouring in their deadly fire at short range, picking out their victims as they ran down the slope to the brook; men were falling on all sides, canteens were struck and flying to pieces, haversacks cut off, rifles knocked to pieces, and still the enemy came on and swept everything before them.
Alluding to General Butterfield's attack, General Sykes says :
"The enemy seeing its failure, and that our weak point lay on my left in front of Warren, poured upon his little command.
* A. H. Guernsey says, in " Harper's Pictorial History of the War" : " Warren's desperate stand had not, however, been unavailing. To all seeming, it saved the defeat from becoming a rout. '
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under cover of the forest, a mass of infantry that enveloped- almost destroyed-him, and completely pierced our line."*
Captain Smead, a regular officer and a graduate of West Point, who commanded one of the batteries, was killed. Hazlitt's battery, which the regiment was supporting, and which the enemy expected to capture, was saved while our men were standing, receiving their fire ; but the artillerists suffered severely.
There were about ten men of Company H who were among the last to fail back, among whom was Sergeant Wil- liam H. Chambers, formerly a soldier of the British army and of the Crimean war. He saw Color-Sergeant Spellman ( Regi- mental), while coming off the field, very badly hurt, with one of his hands pressed to his side, his body turned half around, with his face looking toward the rapidly-approaching enemy, who, with vile epithets, were calling upon him to surrender. With the other hand he was holding up his flag, and looking the very picture of distress. When Spellman saw him. he called out, " Chambers ! For God's sake don't let them take my flag !" and to use the words of Chambers himself (who,
* Swinton (p. t9r) : " Warren occupying the important point he had seized, held on stoutly and against a fearful loss till all the rest of Porter's troops had been retirod, and only withdrew when the enemy had advanced so close as to fire in the very faces of his men."
Compte de Paris (p. 297) : " There remained only about 1,000 men. Warren's brigade, to form the left. The young chief of this brigade, with that war instinct for which he was always distinguished, had not waited for orders to place himself at the most important point of the line, which Reynolds had stripped by moving toward Bald Hill. In this position when Porter made his great attack, Warren had stubbornly covered the left flank of his chief. But the reverse sustained by the latter obliged him to fall back with the remainder of the corps."
Pollard (p. 46t) : " Hood's brigade charged next the turnpike. In its track it met Sickles' Excelsior brigade, and almost annihilated it. The ground was piledl with the lain." *- [* He is in error ; it was Warren's brigade. Sielle,' brazil- 14s composed of five regiments-in Hooker's division of Heintzelman's corps, which held the extreme right at least two miles from Warren, who was on the extreme left. See Pope's Campaigns, Heintzelman's Report (p. 56) : " General looker's dividen now advanced into the woods near cur right, and drove the enemy back a short distance," etc.]
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
as all of the old members of the Fifth know, was a brave man and could appreciate a brave deed), he replied : " I won't if I can help it," and brought it off safe, but, as he says, " It was the narrowest escape I ever had in my life." He had been a soldier all his life ; when he enlisted his profession was recorded as that of a soldier. Chambers yet bears the scars on his face and body where he was scratched by the bullets of the enemy. Flave Carr was the only Color-Cor- poral that came off the field. After the men crossed the brook they saw a few regiments in a kneeling position, and further back a battery, but they were, from appearances, beginning to receive a deadly fre .*
In fact, there was little to stop Longstreet, who was per- forming one of those flank movements for which the Con- federates were ever famous, and had force enough to walk over the few troops that were ready to oppose him.t
The men of the Fifth kept on after they got across the brook, but the bullets followed as they went. Many of them
* "Pope's Campaigns " (Report No. 13, p. ror) : " Colonel N. C. McLean, com- manding 2d brigade, Ist division, Sigel's corps, four regiments of infantry and a battery, occupied the Bald Hill. 'I could, by this time, see the enemy advancing on my front and a little to the right, driving; before them a regiment of Zouaves. . . .. They came on rapidly, when some troops advanced to meet them from behind a hill on my right ; these troops were also driven back in confusion,' etc. After fighting hard a short time, the enemy were on his flanks and rear, and he was compelled to fall back."
Colonel Anderson, commanding Jackson's brigade of Reynolds' division, four regiments, and a battery of four gun-, to the right and in advance of McLean, was overwhelmed, and lost his battery. Some other regiments were also driven.
t McDowell's Report (No. 2. p. 4) : " The attack on the Bald Ridge line had been too severe for the troops to hold it long under the hot fire the enemy main- tained upon it. Jackson's brigade. of Reynolds' division ; McLean's, of Schenck's, and Towers' two brigades, of Rickett's division, were, after heavy losses, little by "little compelled to yield it, Genera! S hen k and Tower receiving severe wounds."
Pollard (p. 4(2): " Hood has alres !" advanced his division nearly half a mile at a double-quick. the Texan:, Georgien., and Hampton's Legion loathing and firing as they run, yelling all the while like m alan."
" The din was almost deafening, the heavy notes of the artillery, at first deliberate. but gradually increasing in their rapiity, mingled with the sharp treble of the small arms, give one an idea of some diabolical concert in which all the furies of licll were at work."
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now endeavored to assist their wounded comrades who had succeeded in getting thus far.
The remnant of the regiment rallied on Buchanan's brig- ade, in the rear of the plateau of Henry House Hill, where they found their regimental flag, the staff of which was planted in the ground by Chambers, who was standing on guard at its side, with Colonel Warren, who was dismounted, his horse having been disabled from wounds. The Colonel formed the men in line as they came up, but there were only about sixty of them that got together. The remainder were mostly en- gaged in assisting the wounded to the rear. They were joined by lost members of other organizations, and Colonel Warren took command of them again, saying every few moments, as the shell and bullets came over their heads, " Don't dodge, men ! don't dodge !" They were glad to see their colors safe, with the remnant of stout hearts yet left, rallying around them. There were a few of the Tenth whom Lieu- tenant-Colonel Marshall was exhorting and encouraging, with tears in his eyes, to be brave and resolute, come what will. . . .
This stand was made on one of the camp-grounds, and as a proof of the rapid advance made by the enemy, the camp- kettles were boiling over the fires. Lest the meat therein might be wasted, a few of the Zouaves picked out pieces and stowed them in their haversacks, not meaning to starve to death, whatever else might happen, notwithstanding the bullets were continually flying around and overhead. Among these provident men was " Jake" Lowns, of Com- pany G, at present in the regular army, where he has been for eight years or more, who filled the writer's haversack with the meat, his own having been shot away.
At this time the wounded came limping along in squads, covered with blood, some being assisted by comrades and others carried in blankets, a man holding each corner, and all intensely excited.
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
The field everywhere presented to us, at least, one of the worst pictures of the chances of war. The wounded reeled about from one place to another, some of them groaning with pain ; infantry and artillery flying, the horses galloping as if they were mad, with drivers bewildered; officers with drawn swords and revolvers, shouting, cursing, threatening in the confusion, striving in vain to rally their commands ; bullets were flying and shells bursting ; the rattle of musketry and the roar of artillery made a fearful din, while everything was enveloped in smoke, and aides and orderlies rode back and forth in wild confusion, or endeavoring to convey the orders of their chiefs. This was, in fact, what is called a " rout." All this commotion was as sudden as a storm at sea after a calm. We stood here excitedly looking on all this scene, in an agony of suspense as to the fate of our army, and what the effect would be on our cause. The little band stood with but one will, to obey orders ; but minutes were ages. Finally, they saw General McDowell, with some other officers, ride along the front amid the storm of bullets. After making some motions with his hand, he dashed away again. Soon a long line of men were seen through the smoke advancing rapidly along the ridge in front. The men went onward at double-quick, and with a cheer ; at the end of the line was one of the Fifth going with them, although he had no business there. It was never ascertained who he was, and he probably left his body on the field, and his name is on the rolls as missing in action, or, mayhap, among the names of the deserters, as many another man who lost his life in the service of his country stands to-day. This line of troops was a brigade of Sykes' regulars, who were sent to the rescue. The fate of the army, and, for all we then knew, perhaps that of the Union, depended upon their success in staying the onward rush of the enemy."
* Pald Ridge having been carried by the 'enemy, they were making an attempt to capture Henry House Hill, the key to the Union position. Lieutenant-Colone!
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A general officer's voice rang out clear and loud above the din, " Let there be no faltering in this line !" Immediately after, a fearful rolling crash, as the whole brigade poured in their volley, succeeded by a fierce yell, told that the brigade had commenced the work of death ; at the same time sev- eral batteries stationed on the hills opened with grape and canister on the Confederate hordes. But darkness was fast spreading her mantle over the scene, and the army was saved. The regiment now only a company, with the rest of
Chapman, commanding the 2d brigade, regulars, and a volunteer brigade and bat- tery, held that vital point for three-fourths of an hour ; Sigel's corps and other troops were also engaged at this time on other parts of the field. The regulars were deserted by some of the volunteer troops and the battery, but they succeeded in keeping the enemy from flanking the position and in checking their onward career. Meade's and Seymour's brigades also came up and did valiant service ; but the lat- ter, being hard pressed, about six o'clock Lieutenant-Colonel Buchanan's ist brig- ade of regulars was ordered forward.
Swinton (p. 191) : " Longstreet kept on and carried the 'Bald Hill,' held by Reynolds and Ricketts ; and it then became doubtful whether even the . Henry House Hill' could be maintained so as to cover the retreat of the ariny over Bull Run, for Longstreet had thrown around his right so as to menace that position. The regulars saved it, until relieved by the brigades of Meade and Seymour and other troops, that maintained the position and permitted. the withdrawal of the army across Bull Run by the stone bridge."
Compte de Paris (p. 29$) : " Hill, crowned by the Henry House, checked by Buchanan's brigade of regular infantry, whose unfaltering stand under a terrific fire, vindicated the reputation of the troops d'elite, of which it was composed. They were afterward reinforced by Tower's brigade of Ricketts' division, Meade's and Seymour's brigades of Reynolds' division, forming a nucleus around which grouped regiments and batteries that had preserved their organization amid the disorder" (p. 299) : " In checking the offensive.movement of Longstreet, the gal- lant defenders of the Henry House had saved the Federal army from a terrible disaster. They held their ground until night."
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