USA > New York > Camp and field life of the Fifth New York volunteer infantry. (Duryee zouaves.) > Part 8
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It is all over now, and having no fear of the guard- house before our eyes, or the contempt and execration of comrades, it will do no harm to explain. There was a tie among the men which led them to assist each other, and stand together, in their sympathies and interests. There were many among them who would as soon think of cutting their right arm off as to run guard themselves, or to permit anybody else to do so while on their beat, from a strict sense of military duty. But what transpired on the next post was none of their concern. If one of them was questioned by an officer, he never saw or knew anything that transpired on his neighbor's post. Very likely he did not ; for if he sus- pected that anything irregular was going on, he promptly turned his back and intently looked another way. Then there were others, and good men too, who, in an enemy's country, were always foremost at the post of danger; on picket were alive and alert, and all that a good soldier
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should be, who, in such a camp as Federal Hill, would themselves run guard and also connive in the escape of others. In extreme cases, men passed out at the main sally- port of the fort, and in plain view of the officer of the day, by putting on a bold air, and giving the Sergeant at the gate- way a slip of paper that looked like a pass, which he would pretend to scrutinize very closely, and then let him pass out. This, however, as I have said, was an extreme case. But to describe all the devices to get out of camp, which were many, would overtax the interest of the reader.
The men knew who they could trust, and some, who were a burden to the regiment, would be favored in their efforts by only a few. These generally took rough chances to get out, and sometimes made a bold rush for their liberty, trust- ing to their fleetness of foot, and running the risk of being fired at by a sentry. In all the guard-running during the protracted stay of the regiment in Camp Federal Hill and Fort Marshall, there was but one case in which a man was mean enough to betray a confederate. Out of all that suf- fered martyrdom in the guard-house, ball and chain, loss of pay, etc., by court-martial, only one proved treacherous to his comrades, and for the same offense he was himself thrust into confinement with ball and chain for thirty days. When he was released, he was shunned by all, and his life became so burdensome that he was actually driven to deser- tion. Above all things, soldiers despise a mean action among comrades. A regiment of men is like a large family-their interests are the same ; they rely each one on the honor of the other for effectiveness and mutual protection ; their obligations are reciprocal, and the tie is therefore very strong between them. They have no bolts and bars to lock up their slender effects ; and when one happens to have a larger share of worldly goods than another, he cheerfully shares it with his messmates or anybody else who needs his help. They all know the penalties of infringing a military
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rule, and when they break one, do so with their eyes open, and, if caught, are satisfied to suffer the penalty ; but they hate to be betrayed by one of their own number.
Who that was in Fort Federal Hill does not remember Joe Knott ? He was on one of the favorite guard-running points one night when the officer of the guard was startled by hearing a shot, followed by a loud call for the Corporal of the Guard, No. -. The officer, Sergeant, and all that could be spared rushed frantically to Joe's post, when they were accosted with, " There they go ! over in the ship- yard !" Down the declivity rushed the officer, sword in hand, followed by his men. They procured a lantern, and hunted and searched, but found no one. The truth of the matter was that Joe had let out about a dozen some ten minutes previously, when it occurred to him that he would have a sensation. He accordingly fired off his piece in the air and thus raised the alarm. He told the officer that while his back was toward camp, two men rushed by him like lightning, and he fired at them, and thought that he must have hit one of them, because he heard a voice cry out, "Oh !" The result of this vigilance on the part of Joe was different from what he expected ; for after that, until he was laid up in the hospital, nobody could have that post, when he was on guard, but the faithful Joe.
It has already been mentioned that there was an under- tone of dissatisfaction among the men, kept up by certain turbulent spirits, such as abound in all organizations, and it looked as if a storm was coming.
There was, in the first place, a slight misunderstanding between the two and three years' men, and they all wanted their pay, three months or more being due. Some of their fimilies were suffering for the means to live, their only sup- port being taken from them. Moreover, all of the regi- ments lying in the neighborhood of the city had been paid some weeks before, and the men were possessed with the
5
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erroneous idea that their pay was kept back by design of their commanding officer. On the contrary, he was using his utmost endeavors and influence with Gen. Dix to have the men paid. The great majority of the men were anxious to get hold of it in order to spend it while in the city. Some of the Captains and Lieutenants had been promoted to higher grades in other regiments. Capt. Bartlett received an appointment in the regular service ; Major J. M. Davies, the Colonelcy of the 2d New York Cavalry ; Capt. Kil- patrick, Lieut .- Colonel ; Capt. H. E. Davies, Jr., Major in the same, and Capt. Swartwout had been appointed Ist Lieutenant in the 17th U. S. Infantry. Of course they left, being all first-class officers, and consequently the regiment was not in the best state of organization at the time. The nneasy feeling in the regiment at last culminated in an ont- break, which, however, was as short-lived as it was violent. The Captain of Co. E, (W.), who resigned on the 9th inst., which company was on the left of the line, made a visit to his old company. He was somewhat under the influence of liquor, and not on the best of terms with the Colone !. He made some remarks to his old command, and was cheered by the men. The Colonel approached him and ordered him out of camp. There was a little scene, but he obeyed. In the evening the men began to make a great deal of noise. Suddenly some one cried out, "Clothes, money, or New York." It had an electrical effect, and the cry was taken up along the whole line throughout the camp. The officers looked distressed and anxious. The Colonel made some remarks, which the men listened to attentively, when the men of Co. E, and some others, cried out, " Three cheers for our old Captain," and "Three groans for his enemies." This made the excitement more intense. At this stage of the proceedings, Adjutant Hamblin, who was very much beloved by the whole regiment, and had not an enemy in the ranks, went through the different companies,
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and said that the Paymaster had gone to New York to get les drafts cashed, as there were no Government funds in Bal- timore at the present time ; and that requisitions had been made for clothing, all of which they should have as soon as possible. He pointed to his own uniform, and said that he needed a new one, but was willing to wait, as he knew the authorities were hard pressed with business, fitting out so many new regiments. This quieted the storm, and this slight unbending from the customary martinetism satisfied the men, and they quietly dispersed to their respective quar- ters. This affair was one of those sudden outbursts that will sometimes occur, in even the best regulated assen- blages ; it was all on the surface, and not the effect of a premeditated design ; and when the excitement had abated, the men were all heartily ashamed that they had allowed themselves to be betrayed into such an exhibition of their feelings.
The next day the Paymaster opportunely arrived, and paid the men up to July Ist, with the promise to pay again on September 3d, or thereabouts. We had two drills daily, one in the morning, company drill for three hours, and a bat- talion drill in the afternoon with knapsacks, which were packed with all our extra clothing; overcoats, with blank- ets and ponchos rolled ; after which we marched for an hour through the streets of the city, which were thronged with people, who showed a great deal of respect, either through fear or patriotism. In some localities we were greeted with cheers and the waving of handkerchiefs.
Baltimore was all right as long as the Zouaves commanded the. Hill. At least this was the theory of the Unionist journals. It was divided into sections of Unionists and So, essionists. In the latter localities the feeling was intense minst the Government, and even the little children cried , " cheers for " Jeff. Davis" when a soldier happened to (']>> them. The ladies drew their skirts closer for fear of
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being contaminated, by the mere touching of their dress by a Yankee. In other sections, where the people loved the old flag, it was seen flying everywhere, and the Zouaves were often invited into handsome residences and offered refreshment, and were cheered by words of sympathy for the Union cause.
On August 19th, the regiment had been recruited up to 1,046 men, and five of the ten Captains had resigned, which made opportunity for promotions. The regiment was now drilled in street-firing almost daily by Col. Duryee, who had no superior in these tactics, and the men were very pro- ficient in the exercise. (Col. Duryee was the author of several treatises on street-fighting. The latter was adopted by the New York State Legislature in the fall of 1857).
On Wednesday, the 2 1st of August, the Fifth was reviewed and inspected by Gen. Dix, and marched through part of the city with him, presenting a fine and soldierly appearance. Preparations were going forward for building a strong fort on this hill, which would undoubtedly serve to keep the men from demoralization by the ennui of camp life. But the prime object of erecting a strong work on the hill was pru- dential, as it would serve to overawe the secessionists in the city, and prevent them from attempting an uprising in con- junction with any attack that might be made by the enemy, if our arms should meet with a reverse ; and also as a de- fense to the city itself in connection with the other forts.
The officers are determined to keep the men from run- ning guard-the military vice of a city camp-or at least from staying out two or three days at a time. Handcuffs and the chain and ball were resorted to, but the officers found they had an erratic set of men to handle. But the majority of the guard-runners proved to be among the most efficient, and amenable to discipline when in active service in the field. One of them was asked by the Colonel, why he ran the guard, to which he replied that he could not resist the temp-
Life at Baltimore.
tations of the city while they were in plain view of it; " He enlisted to fight the enemy, and not to be cooped up in a fort."
The guard-house was a long, low building, formerly used as a bowling-alley. It was situated on the northern part of the hill, or bluff rather, for on this side it is almost perpen- dicular, more than one hundred feet. The other side is the parade-ground. The entrance was on the west end of the building, and there were windows in the side looking to the parade-ground and camp, which were barred with thick tim- ber. Sentries were also stationed along that side. Toward the bluff there were no openings in the building, and con- sequently no sentries. On that side several men escaped who carried balls and chain, with the collusion of the other prisoners. They knocked a hole in the wall with the balls, while the others sung and talked loudly, so that the noise of the pounding was not heard, filed their irons, crawled out, and in some way found a path down the steep bluff.
The officer of the guard, and the guard reserve, had their quarters at the west end, and the prisoners generally har- bored at the opposite extremity, but roamed up and down at will, to within a certain boundary at the west end. One day they purloined a lot of candles that happened to be too near their boundary-line. The prize lay in a box for the use of the guard. They were cut up into halves and quarters ; and at night, when the officer in charge had gone to supper, each prisoner having his post allotted to him, placed them in rows each side of the long alley, and on a given signal, when they thought it was about time for the officer to return from supper, they were simultaneously lighted. It is easy to imagine the look of astonishment on the officer's counte- : ve; as he entered and saw the illumination, while the pris- chers were all sitting in a very orderly manner at the other ci! of the building, singing, " Hail to the chief!" Some- times they sang so loudly, the Colonel threatened to fire into
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them to make them desist. On one occasion the prisoners watched their opportunity when the guard was laying off, except the sentry on duty at the entrance, and at the order, " Charge," all rushed yelling down the alley, as if to force their way out. The guard jumped up in a hurry, seized their muskets, and charged bayonets, when their leader called out, "Retreat," and the reprobates scampered back to their quarters.
We had one man who defied all restraint when he wanted to go. The boys gave him the name of " Jack Sheppard." The last time he escaped, he was ornamented with bracelets to the extent of two pairs of handcuffs ; a chain and ball were pendant from a leg, the chain being gracefully looped to the handcuffs. He told the officer of the guard that by Io o'clock at night he would be free, a prediction which was taken as braggadocio. But he kept his word-at the time specified he was gone.
On Saturday, the 24th of August, active work was be- gun on the works to be built on the hill, under the superin- tendence of Col. Brewerton, of the U. S. Engineers, assisted by Lieut .- Col. Warren. Men were also detailed from the regiment to make drawings and profiles.
Captain Hiram Duryea, with a detail of forty men, had been sent out on duty on the 21st, and returned on the 24th. They had been to Point Lookout, at the mouth of the Poto- mac, St. Mary's County, where most of the inhabitants were bitter secessionists. It was learned that under pretense of having an excursion down the bay, some of the rebel element of Baltimore intended to carry down a body of recruits for the Confederate army, in the steamboat Hugh Jenkins ; and at the same time to deliver the steamer over to the Confeder- ates. The detail of the Fifth went aboard just before she sailed; after landing the passengers at Point Lookout, she steamed off the shore about one and a half miles and anchor- ed. During the night they were approached by several sus-
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picious-looking boats, but they were ordered off; and a steamer, supposed to be the St. Nicholas, which was seized by the Confederates some time previously, came over from the Virginia shore and displayed signal-lights of a suspicious character, but receiving no answer, put back. There could be no doubt that the rebel plans were thwarted in every way, in consequence of the presence of the Zouaves on board, and the reinforcement of the Confederate army was post- poned. The Hugh Jenkins had a large share of patriotic interest taken in her good management after that date.
An agreeable change was made in the entire police guard regulations on the 28th, by which duty of the camp was to be performed by a single company in turn, instead of by de- tails from each, as had previously been the practice.
Our regiment enjoyed a great advantage in having a very convenient and attractive bathing place, in the Patapsco, which was the source of much pleasure and delight to the men. The water was clear as crystal, flowing over a smooth sandy beach, and was the scene of uproarious mirth, as the different groups, under charge of non-commissioned officers, disrobed and plunged into the waves. Their games and races on the beach were invigorating, while the physique of many of them reminded one of the gladiators of old. This secluded spot was the scene of many a tough mill in the ring, fought according to the rules of the code, in a fair stand-up fight, to settle some rivalry or grudge that had been engen- dered in camp. A pass was never refused for such a pur- pose, but fighting about camp was strictly prohibited.
On one occasion, however, Colonel Warren permitted a little brush. It happened in this way : One day as he was passing by the pump, he saw two of the men wrangling as to who was entitled to fill his pail first, and he stopped and told them, if they couldn't agree, to put down their pails and fight it out. They accordingly, without any further words, clinched. In the course of the fight, the larger one attempted to take
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an unfair advantage of his opponent, when the Colonel, as umpire, interfered, and put him into the guard-house. Such little incidents tended to make him popular with the men, notwithstanding the strict discipline he always main- tained in the path of duty, for as a body they liked fair play.
While on this subject the memorable battle between "Butch" Myers and H. may be mentioned. The former, some of my readers will remember, was not a very heavy or large man, was always quiet, a good friend, and well liked ; H. was considerably taller and heavier, besides being a pro- fessed fighter. One day, by appointment with their seconds and a few friends, duly armed with passes, ostensibly to take a bath in the Patapsco, they sauntered out of camp, and near the beach, in a selected. spot, fought for an hour and a half, the battle resulting in a victory for "Butch." His op- ponent had the most science, but could not conquer over the indomitable game of " Butch," and was obliged to throw up the sponge. They were both terribly bruised, but the con- queror was punished the most ; his features were not recog- nizable to his most intimate associates, and he was obliged to lay up in "ordinary " for some days, by permission of the surgeon.
These and other similar incidents were only the by-play to the more earnest work of the pick and shovel, in which the men were obliged to take their part on the works which were being built. Each man's turn came every three days ; it was hard work, as the great majority were not accustomed to it. The hours were from 7 A.M. until a few minutes be- fore 6 P.M., omitting the usual dinner hour. After the day's work was over, the men were obliged to clean up and dress for evening parade. The clay soil was very hard and heavy to dig in some places, especially as there had been consider- able rain, and the laboring forces were obliged to stand in mud and water ankle deep. Nevertheless they took it good- naturedly, and considered it all in the line of duty. As the
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different squads assembled to get their implements of labor, and before the word "Attention " was given, they had a great deal of amusement among themselves, by giving absurd orders, such as, "Right shoulder shift-Arms !" " Fix-pick- axes !" " Secure-spades !" Others would inquire very soberly what ground there was for such grave proceedings, when some one would answer, that "it was owing to fort- uitous circumstances. When the different squads passed each other on their way to work, they would salute one another after the manner of the New York firemen, with a " Hi-hi- hi!" The author has been favored with the following note by' MIRON WINSLOW, of Company E :
"The occupation of Baltimore by the Federal troops, in the years 1861-2, was not, for the 5th New York at least, a mere idle or unlaborious task-a mere dwelling in barrack with no duties but those of drill parade and guard duty, as is apt to be the case with soldiers in winter quarters. The regiment from nearly its first arrival was engaged in the work of throwing up fortifica- tions on Federal Hill, and it was some months before the soldier had any rest from the, to many of them, unaccustomed task of handling pick and shovel and spade from morning till night in digging the trenches, throwing up the ramparts, grading the glacis, forming the sally ports, the counterscarps, the bastions of that large and well-constructed fort, and mounting the heavy guns on its barbettes and in its bastions.
"It was the work thus performed by the soldiers, and the natural spirit of disinclination to that kind of labor, which was sometimes manifested by some of the men, which led to the com- posing of the two following parodies for amusement in the bar- racks after the hours of work, and though no merit is claimed for them on the ground of originality of thought or expression, they are reproduced here simply as a part of the barrack-life of the Fifth while quartered at Federal Hill."
5*
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Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry.
WORK IN THE TRENCH. A Parody on " Mickey Free's Lament."
BAD luck to this grading, This picking and spading, While summer suns heat, And winter rains drench ; I'm not come for a digger, I'd as lieve be a nigger
As spend all my days At work in the trench.
Then though we work well, The why I can't tell, The divil a farthing
We've ever yet seen ; Some say if we wait, 'Twill come soon or late-
On my faith, I think They're confoundedly green.
From reveille beat Till the welcome retreat, They keep us at work With our picks and our spades ; Let us long as we may To join in the fray,
They give us no chance To try our good blades.
Once done with this work, And back in New York, I'll stick to my trade, Be it field, bar, or bench, Not the Indies nor Spain Could tempt me again To enlist for a soldier And work in the trench.
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Bad luck to this grading, This picking and spading, While summer suns heat, And winter rains drench- There, the drums are calling ! The sergeant's a-bawling ! Och ! the divil fly away With this work in the trench !
M. W.
THE SONG OF THE SPADE. A Parody on Hood's "Song of the Shirt."
WITH limbs all weary and worn, His temples throbbing with pain, A soldier sat in unsoldierly mood Chanting a sad refrain- Work ! work ! work ! From morning till evening parade ; And still, with tones in which sorrows lurk, He sings the "Song of the Spade !"
Work ! work ! work ! When the drums their reveille beat ! And work ! work ! work ! Till we hear the welcome retreat ! Oh, I'd as lieve be a slave Along with our Southern foe, Where one might at least find a grave, And an end to all his woe !
Work ! work ! work ! Till the brain begins to swim ; Work ! work ! work ! Till I ache in every limb :
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Spade, and mattock, and pick, Pick, and mattock, and spade Till I sigh for the rest that Death would bring, And wish in my grave I was laid !
Oh, ye who rule the war ! Ye who have children and wives ! It is not the foe you're fighting against, But your brave soldiers' lives ! Work ! work ! work ! From morning till evening parade, We dig at once a·trench and a grave, For here will our bones be laid.
But why do I talk of death ? Can the thought any terror yield ? I would not fear his grizzly shape, If I meet him in the field -- If I meet him in the field, For there is the soldier's grave ;
O God ! that I should be prisoned here, To work like a galley slave !
Work ! work ! work ! Our toil no resting knows ; And what are its wages? A paltry sum, Made up in curses and blows ; From one in authority dressed, With his epaulettes and sword, Strutting about behind the redout, As if creation's Lord.
Work ! work ! work ! From morn till dewy night, Work ! work ! work ! Like a slave in its master's sight ! Pick, and mattock, and spade, Spade, and mattock, and pick, Till my limbs grow tired, and my arms are numbed, And my very heart grows sick.
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Work ! work ! work ! In the cold December day, And work ! work ! work ! In the sunlight's hottest ray, When the air is like an oven's breath, While the sun like fire glows, And as we bend to our toilsome task, We sigh for an hour's repose.
Oh, but to breathe the air, And to taste the joys of home, To tread once more my native sod, Never again to roam ! To live as in days gone by, To be free as I once was free, To wander whither I would, In childhood's sportive glee !
Oh, for a single day, A furlough however brief ! Not time to spend in pleasure or love, But only a moment's relief ! A glimpse of home would ease my heart- One hour of its peaceful rest Would remove a share of the leaden care That burdens my wearied breast.
With limbs all weary and worn, His temples throbbing with pain, A soldier sat in unsoldierly mood, Chanting a sad refrain : Work ! work ! work ! From morning till evening parade ! And still in a tone in which sorrows lurk, He sings the song of the spade. M. W.
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