USA > New York > Camp and field life of the Fifth New York volunteer infantry. (Duryee zouaves.) > Part 26
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The " status" of the men under this state of things, fromn the long-continued use of their garments without change, is more appropriate for the recollection of the sufferer, than for description by the historian. It is enough to say that part of the daily employment of the men, in the retirement of the woods, stripped of their clothing and hunting for vermin, was more picturesque than poetic, and is left to the imagination of the reader.
On Saturday, Oct. 4th, an order came to discharge all who were physically disqualified for effective service ; a few of the original men of our regiment were of this class, and some of the latest recruits. An order had also been pro- mulgated from the War Department, directing that all who had not been accounted for during the past sixty days, be dropped from the rolls as deserters. This placed the word " deserter" against the name of many brave men who lost their lives in battle. There may have been a "military neces- sity" for such an order, but it worked a great injustice to many who died alone and unknown in by-places where they lingered out weary hours, perhaps days, of pain before their
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Camp near Sharpsburg.
eyes were closed in death, beyond the relief that never came -and others who died unrecognized in the hospitals or the prisons of the enemy. It is past now. God grant that no such "necessity " may ever again overshadow the republic. An order to shoot deserters and cashier absentee officers would have strengthened the army materially, and saved money as well as many valuable lives.
Near our camp was a farm-house, whose occupant was supposed to be a good Union man. The enemy had cleared out all his horses, cattle, wagons, etc., and the Union troops burnt his rail fences for fuel ; so that between the two armies, he was a heavy sufferer. Near this house was a spring which supplied the regiment, and one day a dilapidated-looking turn- out, driven by a countryman, made its appearance. Some of the boys were there filling their canteens from the spring, when they asked him what he had in the wagon ; for, being a covered one, they could not see into it. He stopped and said that he and the old woman had concluded to go into a bread spec- ulation, and he had his wagon full to sell to the "sojurs." Bread being a great luxury compared with the hard-tack, two or three of the boys got around him and asked the price. "Let's see the size of the loaves ? is it fresh ?" said one of them, as he bit off a large piece from a loaf. Just then the old man's attention was drawn to the rear of his cart, by see- ing about a dozen hands, each clutching a loaf of bread. He skipped around, when the boys in front made a levy, and so it was kept up, until in sheer desperation he sprang into his wagon and drove off down the road at his best speed. One of the boys called out : " Here, mister ! aint you going to stop for your money ?" But he only went the faster, and one called out : "Well, if you aint got time to wait, just send in your bill to Company J, it's all the same."
The decline of the year was bringing the autumnal change in the season. The weather was becoming colder, and we were visited Sunday, Oct. 12th, by a rain-storm, which add-
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ed nothing to the comforts of the camp. The regiment was under arms, and the men ordered not to leave their company streets, as Stuart's cavalry were in the rear of the army.
On Thursday, the 16th, we marched at 1 P.M. to Black- burn's Ford, on the Potomac, for picket duty. Detachments from the corps made a reconnoissance on the other side of the river. It rained hard during the night, and the men passed a disagreeable tour of guard duty. The following day we were relieved from picket at 6 P.M., after being on duty for thirty hours, and we returned to camp.
A detail from the regiment went on picket again on Sun- day, the 19th. The Lieutenant-Colonel was absent again sick, and Major Winslow was in command. The men were happy, having received a supply of clothing, and confidently went through a general inspection. Captain Burnett, senior Captain, and Lieutenant Agnus, had resigned, the latter to accept a Captaincy in the 165th New York, 2d battalion of Duryée's Zouaves. Adjutant Marvin was on a visit to New York to recruit himself and the regiment.
On Friday, the 24th, we were visited by a severe storm of rain, which lasted for two days, but the men were all in fine spirits notwithstanding, as they had received four months' pay, and could purchase some luxuries (so-called) from the sutlers, who had been patiently waiting to relieve them of their spare cash.
Thirteen men deserted on the capital they had obtained, having money enough to pay their way. Monday, the 27th, was clear and cold, after the storm, blowing hard, and nearly all the men were full of spirits. During the night, the officers were surprised to hear an unusual noise in the usually quiet camp, and the officer of the day, as well as the guard, were astounded. It was very evident that the men had procured whisky somewhere, and in large quantity. The sutlers were not allowed to sell it, and the men had not been out of camp ; there had not been any suspicious persons about, and
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Camp near Sharpsburg.
where did they get the whisky ? Such a complete demoral- ization had never happened before, not even in Baltimore, where the facilities of a large city afforded every opportunity for a debauch. Fighting, singing, and general uproar pre- vailed, even "taps" being almost entirely unheeded. The next morning empty quart bottles were lying about in pro- fusion. The officers never knew the secret of it ; but a party, being no other than the well-known " Nicaragua Riley," had been around a little while before with a wagon-load of bread, and a part of the loaves had been cut open and examined, but nothing had been found inside of them. Yet this was the man who had supplied the liquor used the night before. Two barrels containing quart bottles of whisky were sold for two dollars a bottle in that very camp. It had cost him thirty- five cents a gallon, and he had come around to get his money "in a lump," as much as to sell his bread; it was handed to him by an Orderly Sergeant.
The clear and bracing morning of Tuesday, the 28th, found us under marching orders. We had been drilling hard every day under Major Winslow, who followed in the steps of his predecessors. But the exercise kept the men warni, and they liked it on that account.
While staying in this camp one of the regiments in our corps, and, moreover, one of the best fighting regiments in the service, between whom and our own great respect was recip- rocated, came over to drill on a field next to that which the Fifth used for the same purpose. They were doing their best. Our Major looked upon the proceeding as a challenge-the men certainly did. Accordingly the drill-call was sounded. and after forming, we were marched out, and were soon going through the movements like clock-work. It was not five minutes before the commanding officer of the other regiment was so much interested in the movements of the Fifth that he ordered his men to a rest, and they remained spectators, and drilled no more. At the guard-mount of the Fifth there was
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always a concourse of officers from different regiments to witness it.
The benevolent party who sold the bread to the men came around again to sell pies, which, however, were in a greatly demoralized condition, having suffered fearfully by the trans- portation ; the materials were there, but somewhat mixed. It was dealt out at twenty-five cents for a handful of the mush, which consisted of about a dozen different kinds of pastry, and there was great pushing and scrambling to pur- chase it. He was closely watched, but that did not prevent the necessary arrangements from being made for another smuggle of whisky, under the cover of darkness.
It was clear and pleasant the next day, the 29th. The officers and men were light-headed. We had company drill in the morning, and battalion drill in the afternoon, to straight- en up. A great deal of drunkenness was noticed in camp the previous night, the underground railroad having evidently been running its train again. But the engineer made no money by this venture. When he came around for it, having nothing to sell, he was told by the orderly, who had acted on the previous occasion, that the stuff had been seized, and that he was suspected and ordered to be arrested. On hearing this, he left in a very disrespectful and hasty man- ner, without waiting to hear any further explanations. He had tasted military justice before, on at least one occasion, and wanted no more of it. The orderly quietly pocketed the money, and went into his tent to take a drink.
We left camp on Thursday, the 30th, at 4 P.M., at the close of a warm and cloudy day, marched until 2 A.M. of the 31st, and bivouacked in Pleasant Valley, near Brownsville, after a slow and tedious march of nine miles over the mountains. The night was cold and disagreeable, but the morning was clear and warm. We started again, moving at 6 A.M. about three-quarters of a mile, when we halted four hours on the road. Orders to advance being given, we again fell in, and
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Snicker's Gap.
after marching about eight miles, passing through Brownsville, we bivouacked near Weverton, Md. We had a bayonet drill on dress parade. We were mustered in for two months' pay, and Captain Prime's resignation was announced, to enable him to accept a Lieutenant-Colonelcy in another organiza- tion.
Saturday, November Ist, found us in marching order at 7 A.M. ; we crossed the Potomac on a pontoon bridge at Harper's Ferry, where we stopped, and were supplied with knapsacks, which we had not seen since leaving Harrison's Landing, two and a half months before ; we picked up the genial " Butch " and some others, who had been sent from the former camp to labor on the public works, to pay for a " frolic." We resumed our march and crossed the Shenan- doah, and after tramping eight miles through Loudoun Val- ley, bivouacked on the Leesburg turnpike, near Neversville. We were joined by the 140th New York, Colonel O' Rourke. a regular officer and a graduate of West Point. He was a fine officer, and was subsequently killed at the battle of Gettysburg, in the terrible hand to hand conflict with Hood's Texans on the summit of Little Bald Top. They were a fine body of men generally, but new to the service ; they were enlisted from the northern part of the State, and were at this time about 850 strong. Sunday, November 2d, marched at 7 A.M., passing through Hillsborough and Snickersvile, and relieved Sumner's corps at Snicker's Gap, arriving there about II P.M., after a tedious stretch of sixteen miles. We bivouacked in line of battle behind stacked arms, on top of the mountain. It was a very cold, windy night. Sykes' division was ordered to hold the pass over the Blue Ridge through the Gap. The roads over which we had marched were rough and stony, water was scarce, and the last two miles being on the ascent all the way, was very tiresome work after a full day's marching. At one time before reach- ing the foot of the mountain we were deployed in line of
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battle, expecting a skirmish with the enemy who were in the vicinity. Three men dropped out on the last two miles to make their coffee, after which they kept on. An officer on horseback halted them by a sudden challenge, and asked thein where they were going and what regiment they belonged to. It was so dark he could not see their uniform. When they answered him, he told them they would soon be in the hands of the enemy on that road, and gave them proper di- rections. He had been placing pickets. They lost their way in the darkness, and lay down by a stone wall to rest. While dozing into sleep, one of the pickets close by made a chal- lenge, and receiving no answer, fired his piece. They heard a cry, "I am shot !" and "Corporal of the Guard!" A straggling soldier who failed to answer the challenge had been fatally shot. Our boys found they had made a narrow escape. The 3d was a cold, blustering day, and we were still in line of battle, with strong pickets posted, expecting an attack. The men killed a lot of sheep found running at large about the mountain tops, and had plenty of mutton for the first time in eighteen months. Boxes of crackers were carried three-fourths of a mile by details of men on their backs from the wagons, as they could not ascend any further. One of the companies went down the mountain toward the Shenandoah River, and had a brush with the enemy's pickets who were on the other side of it.
The following morning broke clear and we had a pleasant day. The enemy was in sight in the valley, and heavy firing was heard in the east in the direction of Warrenton. A reconnaissance was made down the mountain, under the command of Colonel Sargent, of General Porter's staff, to Castleman's Ford, Shenandoah River. He had with him a squadron of the ist Massachusetts cavalry (Captain Pratt), two battalions of the 14th, and battalions of the 6th and 7th U. S. Infantry. When they had proceeded about two miles they were fired on by a masked battery of ten guns
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Snicker's Gap.
posted on the other side of the river. After some prelim- inary skirmishing, Captain Pratt was shot through the heart, a Lieutenant of the 14th Infantry was wounded, and about forty of the men were killed or wounded; but they ad- vanced to the river. The Fifth were ordered under arms at the first firing, but their services were not required.
The regiment was on picket duty on the 5th, and we could see the enemy, and were obliged to be extremely vigilant. Very heavy firing was heard in the direction of Ashby's Gap, south of us. In the expectation of a night attack, double pickets were posted. The night fell on us cold and cloudy. Notwithstanding the apparent preparations for an attack, everything remained quiet during the night, and at 7 A.M. on Thursday, the 6th, we commenced a march of about eighteen miles, passing through Middleburgh, and bivouacked about one mile distant in the woods. While passing through the town, which was thoroughly secessionist, an old lady stood at her door leaning on a cane, and called out very earnestly, in a cracked voice, and shaking her head, that "it was no use to go that way, you will all come back again."
No males were seen in the town except cripples, paroled and wounded prisoners, in Confederate uniform, awaiting exchange. All the other male inhabitants were in the Con- federate army.
We marched the next morning at seven o'clock. It com- menced snowing at nine, and continued through the day. We marched about eight miles, and, after the usual inspec- tion of arms, encamped near White Plains. Company A was sent on picket to the rear, to guard against a surprise by Mosby and his men. The night was bitterly cold, from which the men suffered severely, but they kindled large fires, and, with the addition of hay from some stacks near by, made themselves as comfortable as circumstances would permit.
A squad of the new regiment, who had not yet become
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accustomed to the grindstone, made a foray on a sutler's wagon which happened to be near General Warren's quarters on the road. He sprang among them and whacked them well with his sword, much to their astonishment. They became well toned down, after a little training, like the rest of us.
On Saturday, the 8th, the reveille woke us at 4.30 A.M. We marched at eight o'clock, advancing nine miles over bad roads through White Plains, and bivouacked near New Balti- more. The next day, Sunday, the 9th, we marched at S A.M., about two miles through Thoroughfare Gap, and bivouacked within one mile of Warrenton, and in sight of the spires of that strong secessionist town. The weather was fine, but clear and cold. We were drawn up in line on the beautiful morning of the 10th, but our hearts were sad. We had a farewell review from General McClellan. The men received him with nine hearty cheers, as he always had their entire confidence, and all were sad at parting with him.
At evening parade the farewell address of our beloved Commander-in-Chief was read off, which was as follows :
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
CAMP NEAR RECTORTOWN, November 7, 1862.
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC : -An order of the President devolves upon Major-General Burnside the command of this army. In parting from you I can not express the love and gratitude I bear you. As an army, you have grown up in my carc. In you I have never found doubt or coldness. The battles you have fought under my command will proudly live in our nation's history. The glory you have achieved, our mutual perils and fatigues, the graves of our comrades fallen in battle and by disease, the broken forms of those whom wounds and sickness have disabled-the strongest associations which can exist among men-unite us still by an indissoluble tie. We shall ever be comrades in supporting the Constitution of our country and the nationality of its people.
G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General U. S. Army.
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On the March to Fredericksburg.
The regiment did not expect to make a halt so soon, but were not sorry to have a litte rest. A supply of straw had been appropriated by the men, which they were fortunate enough to discover, thereby adding much to their comfort. The wind was blowing a gale from the north, and the sky was overcast with clouds, giving promise of another snow- storm.
The men endured the weather very well, but the horses suffered severely. The 11th was a clear, pleasant day ; another review was held, and General Fitz John Porter took leave of his command. He looked pale, and evidently was anxious and ill at ease. The men gave him nine hearty cheers, and the common remark among them was, "Another good General gone."
On Wednesday, November 12th, General Ambrose E. Burnside took command of the army. On the 13th, the 146th Regiment, New York Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Garrard, a regular officer, joined the brigade. It was a fine body of men, enlisted from the Western and Central portion of the State, and about 850 strong. This regiment made for itself, by its active service with the Army of the Potomac, to the close of the war, a splendid war record. Their long list of killed and wounded tells the story of the hard fighting they did at Gettysburg and during Grant's great campaign, which closed with the capture of Richmond.
On Saturday, the 15th, the Fifth was visited about dark by General A. Duryee and aides. As soon as he was rec- ognized by the men, they turned out and gave him a fitting reception, to which he responded by a short and appropriate speech.
On Sunday, the 16th, Colonel Hiram Duryea left us on account of prolonged ill health.
The 17th we left camp in a cold rain-storm, and after a march of twelve miles, passing through Warrenton, went into
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bivouac about 10 P.M. at Warrenton Junction. The roads were in a very bad condition, which occasioned much delay, but when the wagons and artillery got on clear ground, we were obliged to make up the distance on a half run, which was more fatiguing than a steady, uniforin step. At dusk there was no sign of going into camp, and at the halts the men sat down in the mud of the road to rest. Finally we were ordered into a field to camp. The prospect was dreary enough. It was cold and raining hard; wood was at a dis- tance, which we were obliged to feel out in the dark. The men rigged up shelters as best they could, fastening them to the rifles for want of better supports, and slept on the cold, wet ground.
About four o'clock A.M. the men were aroused from their restless slumbers by the blast of the bugle; the sky was cloudy and the sun not visible. We fell in line and marched about eight o'clock across fields, swamps, gulleys, up hill and down, through bushes, woods, and streams, crossing the same stream of water no less than four times, the fording of which did not make one's feet and legs feel any more com- fortable, and this march certainly had no attraction. It was raining all the time, and we tramped on in this manner until dark, when the patience of the men was about exhausted, and there was plenty of grumbling, cursing, and groans.
Finally we were turned into a field to rest, after sixteen miles of marching ; the ground was rough and uneven, and so thickly ornamented with stones and lumps as to make one feel as if he was lying on a picket fence. This place was Spotted Tavern. One of the men remarked that it ought to be named " Devil's Rest."
On Wednesday, the 19th, marched at daylight through the rain five miles, and bivouacked near Hartwood Church.
The two succeeding days we remained in camp. It rained continually, and the men's clothing was soaking wet day and night ; some of them laid with the water running under
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On the March to Fredericksburg.
them, and had a complete, if not satisfactory, experience of that delightful sensation. We started on the march, but encountered an endless train of wagons blockaded in the muddy roads, and were ordered to camp again. The tribu- lations of the men thus far had not served to increase their joy at the prospect of a " winter campaign."
On Saturday, the 22d, we left camp about 3 A.M., went nearly four miles, and bivouacked near Stafford Court- House. On Sunday, the 23d, marched at 2 P.M. about three miles and encamped near Henry House, in the vicinity of General Hooker's quarters. The night was very cold, and the men were obliged to get up frequently to warm their feet ; the water froze in their canteens.
Thursday, November 27th, Thanksgiving day, the men dined on salt pork and hard-tack. For recreation they had a drill in the afternoon to aid digestion. 28th, the division was reviewed by General Sykes, and had a brigade drill un- der General Warren. 29th, the corps was reviewed by Gen- eral Hooker, commander of the center grand division of the army. New uniforms were issued, being the first time since February, 1862. On Sunday, the 30th, we passed for inspec- tion in heavy marching order before General Hooker's quar- ters, the regiment displaying their new uniforms.
On Monday, December Ist, Colonel Hiram Duryea's res- ignation was read off on dress parade, the regiment thereby losing a brave and accomplished officer, whose absence was keenly felt during the remainder of their term of service. lle was a very strict disciplinarian, and no holiday soldier, and it was greatly owing to this fact that the excellent state of discipline and perfection in drill, to which we had been brought by Colonel Warren, was maintained.
December 3d. a detail from the regiment went on picket with two days' rations. Saturday, December 6th, wis a clear, Cold day, with snow on the ground five inches deep. The regiment was prepared for a review by General Butterfield,
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acting in command of the corps. But the order was coun- termanded.
On Saturday, December 6th, a detail was ordered from the regiment for picket duty, in heavy marching order and two days' rations. After considerable delay in making up the details from the different regiments, they marched over miserable roads and two or three streams about three miles · from camp, and about 3 P.M. were in the position assigned them in the rear of the army. The prospect at first was gloomy. The fields and trees were covered with snow, and not a green thing was to be seen ; but they were agreeably surprised when they reached their position. A Corporal and six men were assigned to each post, where they found generous fires in front of rude shelters made of rails and boughs of trees, built by the 4th Michigan boys, whom they relieved, and all they had to do was to take their place and keep the fires going. The reserve was posted further to the rear in a hollow of the pine woods, and made themselves comfortable. A man was posted from each squad of six men further to the front in the woods, for two hours at a time. Of course, it was a severe task to stand quietly on duty in the snow, peering around on the watch. But on the other hand, it was a pleasure for the solitary sentinel to oc- casionally cast a glance to the rear at the gleaming of the picket fires in the woods, and to enjoy in anticipation the comfort that was in store for his chilled body when he should be relieved from his vigil. The weather was very cold, and water froze in the canteens a few feet from the fires. The blankets and overcoats were frozen stiff from previous dampness. Sunday, the 7th, and the succeeding day continued clear and cold, and the snow was still on the ground. The picket was relieved on the evening of the 8th.
Major Winslow was read off on evening parade as Colonel of the Fifth, and Ensign Winslow, his brother, as First Lieu- tenant ; John S. Raymond was promoted to a Captaincy,
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