USA > New York > Camp fires of the Twenty-Third: sketches of the camp life, marches, and battles of the Twenty-Third Regiment, N. Y. V. Added to these are statistics of enlistments and all valuable information connected with the regiment > Part 13
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Four men were wounded by accidents, two of which were flesh wounds of the arm, one by a musket-ball striking then inth rib, passing around and making its exit under the arm. One lost his right index finger. All of these recovered.
About this time Dr. Madill was presented with a beautiful sword by the members of Company K, in rec- ognition of their appreciation of his services as Assistant-Surgeon.
Sept. 28th, we advanced to Upton Hill ; took pos- session of the rebel works ; found them in a very dirty condition. The camp was situated on a side hill and a ravine. Typhoid and typhus fever here made its ap- pearance in a most malignant form. The most rigid police regulations were enforced, but failed to stay the progress of the pestilence ; but it increased in number of cases and severity of disease. Eight of these cases were lost while at this camp. Our hospital was first situated in a small house until it became full, when the sick were removed to the large Baptist church in the village of Falls Church. The camp was also re- moved, the ground having previously been carefully prepared, streets graded, and log huts four feet high erected. Fifteen men died at this camp from disease contracted at Upton Hill, but no new cases occurred after removing the camp. We remained at this camp three winter months. At the advance of the army, the sick of the brigade were left at Falls Church Gen- eral Hospital, in charge of Surgeon Churchill; and afterward, on the retreat of the army, the sick were removed to Bailey's Cross Roads.
We remained three weeks at this camp. The weather was very rainy, and the men had no protec- tion except that afforded by their shelter-tents. Diar-
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rhea of a very violent character weakened the men ; but no cases of fever occurred. One man died at this camp of congestion of the brain. At camp at Briston, where we remained ten (10) days, was a rough, rocky hillside. The men still had nothing but their shelter- tents to protect them from one of the most violent storms that ever visited this part of the country. For sixty-two consecutive hours the rain, hail, and snow fell unceasingly. Fevers and diarrhea in great num- bers invested the regiment after this storm. On the march to Fredericksburg, which immediately followed, there were more men unable to march than our ambu- lances could accommodate. The camp before Fred- ericksburg was a side hill, and the weather was cold and stormy. Malignant fevers increased, and diarrhea diminished. No evidence of acclimation appeared until the weather became settled. We remained at this camp two weeks, during which two deaths occur- red-one of apoplexy, and one of typhoid fever.
From this time the weather became more settled, and the health of the regiment increased. Our regi- ment crossed the river to Fredericksburg and went into cantonments, where we remained one month. The general health continued good. One man was killed by the explosion of a torpedo in the rebel arsenal.
The regiment moved to Massaponix Creek, camped three days, and returned to Catlett Station, when Dr. Churchill resigned, leaving the regiment in sole charge of Assistant-Surgeon Madill. As the regiment moved to Haymarket they suffered much from the intense heat, and four men were sun-struck. At this place Colonel Hoffman was taken sick, and had to be con- veyed in an ambulance. To Warrenton, thence back to
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Catlett Station, thence to Dry Saw Mill, where we en- camped two weeks, and thence to camp before Freder- icksburg to Camp "Rufus King." During all this time the health of the regiment continued good. Our camp in a few days was removed to the bank of the river, in a dirty camp on the George Washington farm. Fevers again appeared. While at this camp one man died of impacted bowels, one was drowned, and one man lost a finger by accidental discharge of fire- arms. We had one week of steady rain, and then removed to camp at Fredericksburg, on the Bowling Green road, where we remained two weeks. At this place Colonel Hoffman became so ill that he had to be sent to the general hospital at Washington. From thence we marched to Culpepper under Lieutenant- Colonel Crane, where we remained four days, thence to Cedar Mountain. At this camp Dr. Madill received his promotion to Surgeon of the Twenty-third New York State Volunteers.
The army commenced a retreat from this point. At the commencement the health of the regiment was good, and continued so until we reached the Rappa- hannock Ford. Here we remained two days, during which we were engaged in skirmishing, losing one man killed and four wounded. We were here ordered to send to the general hospital all who were unfit for duty. About thirty men were sent in compliance with this order, most suffering from foot-galls and diarrhea. Thence marched to Warrenton, where we remained over night, and sent off five more with sore feet to general hospital; thence to the battle of Sulphur Springs, where the regiment was engaged, but escaped without injury ; thence to Gainesville. Our brigade went into battle, but the regiment was not directly
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engaged. Here it became necessary to retreat to Ma- nassas Junction, and here we sent off about ten men disabled by sore feet and diarrhea. After a rest of four hours we went to the field of Bull Run, where we arrived at four p.M .- the battle already raging, and our brigade acting as reserve ; and about ten p.M. we removed to the front during pitch darkness, and were actively engaged, skirmishing all night-but none of this regiment were injured ; many were taken prison- ers. The next day (Saturday) about three p.M. the brigade entered the field and opened the fight, and were engaged two hours.
Our hospital was at the old stone house, where all the surgeons were busy until the order came to retreat. The wounded who were in a condition were placed hastily in ambulances and removed, while a number of the surgeons remained to care for those unable to be moved. Our retreat continued to Centreville. On this road every house, shed, and stable was converted into a temporary hospital, and still the streets were filled with wounded, as they continued to pour in during the whole night. The wells were soon exhausted, and the cries of the wounded for water to allay their thirst were dreadful to hear.
The next day we started for Chantilly, where we arrived at dark, and the enemy were soon on our heels and engaged us at this place; but again our regiment escaped uninjured, although actively partici- pating. Marched to Upton Hill, where we remained three days near our old camp-ground. Eighteen more sick were sent from this place, mostly afflicted with sore feet, diarrhea, and miasmatic fevers. Then we proceeded through Washington City to Frederick City, Md., Middletown to South Mountain, occupying about
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five days. On our passage through Frederick we left about ten men disabled. During this march the men were very illy provided with shoes, causing violent and painful galls on their feet, and the long marches and exposure caused diarrhea of a stubborn nature to be added to their sufferings.
On arriving at South Mountain, we marched directly to the battle-field, and engaged the enemy after dark for three hours, during which time our loss was very small. At the stone church a hospital was stationed. The regiment moved by way of Boonsborough to An- tietam, where we arrived about daylight of the morn- ing of the battle, entered the field immediately, and were engaged all day and until after dark. Our hos- pital was stationed at the block school-house in the rear of Sharpsburg, where Surgeon Madill remained to care for the wounded. About thirty of the regiment suffered in this fight.
The enemy retreated, and our men, being too ex- hausted to follow, went into camp near Sharpsburg. The field was the site of an old rebel camp, as all the fields in the vicinity had been used by the enemy. We had not remained long before the whole brigade was visited by deserters from the enemy in the shape of vermin. It was only after days of care that they could be got rid of. The graves on the field of Antietam soon became washed by heavy rains, exposing the bodies there buried; and the stench from this field seriously interfered with our comfort. Before long, the decomposition so poisoned the air, that the whole regiment began to suffer in the shape of diarrhea, which we were unable to check while at this camp, and eleven were sent to general hospital previous to moving. T. H. Stillwell, M.D., of New York city,
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1st Assistant-Surgeon, here joined the regiment. From Sharpsburg we removed to Bakerville, where we re- mained a few days, and the diarrhea was soon checked. The health of the men improved. With the exception of two cases of fever and slight diarrhea, the regiment continued in good condition through a term of two months, during which we changed camp about every week.
At Purcellsville, Dr. William Taylor, of Madison - County, N. Y., joined the regiment as 2d Assistant- Surgeon.
While at Fayetteville, a man shot himself in the arm by accident, causing only a flesh wound. At this camp we remained six days; men were furnished with fresh meat, which caused a general diarrhea of a slight character, and which was easily checked.
Dec. 10th. The whole army was massed, preparatory to crossing the river to Fredericksburg. We were surprised to notice that many who had for a long time been on the sick list reported for duty, anxious to enter this battle. We were in the left grand division, and our brigade was drawn up in line of battle three whole days, sleeping on their arms at night, engaging at in- tervals as skirmishers. We lost two killed and sixteen wounded. Both of the killed and most of the wounded received their injuries by solid shot and shell. All of them were flesh wounds, but of a very severe char- acter. Daniel Beckwith, of Company K, the second day of the engagement, was wounded by a solid shot striking him about four inches below the knee-joint, mangling the flesh and shattering both bones, and also the knee-joint, making it necessary to amputate at the lower third of the thigh. We deem it due him to mention the superior courage evinced by this young
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man. While lying awaiting his turn for the attention of the surgeons, surrounded by men with wounds of a less severe nature who were groaning, he spoke encouragingly to them, and seemed more as a mourner and consoler than a sufferer.
Doctors Madill and Taylor cared for the wounded of the regiment at this battle, Dr. T. H. Stillwell having been detailed as Acting Surgeon of the Thirty-fifth . N. Y. Vols.
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We joined in the retreat, and continued until we reached the bank of the Potomac River, where we en- camped in winter quarters near Belle Plain, Va. Here we remained until April 29th. During this winter, notwithstanding the severe guard duties required, the health of the regiment was in a remarkably good con- dition. Lost two men by disease-one consumption, . the other by chronic diarrhea.
April 29th. On the opening of the spring campaign we removed camp, our regiment assigned to garrison forts Nos. 1, 2, and 3, of the defenses of Aquia, where we remained without accident or disease until, our term of service expiring, we returned to our homes.
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A few days before the publication of this work, I was requested to furnish a brief record of our MEDI- CAL DEPARTMENT. After hastily collecting such docu- ments and statements as would assist me, I have pre- sented them to the reader as a simple, unembellished account, prepared in great haste, and from incomplete
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data. I feel, therefore, that these papers are entitled to that lenient reception that the circumstances of the case demand.
THOMAS H. STILLWELL, M.D.
ERRATA.
In consequence of the absence of the gentleman who prepared the copy for this book, a few trifling errors have crept in. They are, how- ever, of such a nature that the reader will have no difficulty in correct- ing them. Chapters X. and XI. should be transposed. In first line on page 82, the word "charges " should be " changes." In page 83, third line from bottom, the word " center " should be omitted.
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