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 3
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P. S .- Eleven P.M .- The guard are just discharged. cooks are routed to cook three days' rations, and this battalion expects to hear the music
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
of the drum-major to the time of " Yankee Doodle" ere daylight You may bet that one long-legged corporal is happy, and each fellow awake is jubilant.
UPTON'S HILL, VA., Tuesday, October 8th, 1861.
EDITORS ADVERTISER : Though items of a " thrilling" order are some- what scarce in this matter-of-fact community. who have undertaken the task of chopping their way to Richmond. the quill-pushing propensity of an idle corporal is prompted by the faint hope of some long-sought idea or event occurring between this and the end of this sheet which may be of common interest.
A fatigue party of us, two hundred strong, lately returned from a half-day's labor with pick and shovel in the trenches of a fort in course of construction near by, with stomach and appetite well qualified and appreciative of an excellent afternoon's repast (collation, I think you editors and literary men call it). I will give you the bill of fare from memory. First in the course :
Soup-of pork, bean-flavored.
(No fish-sutler is out of herrings. )
Beans-à la mode-pork-sauce-nutritious and healthful.
Coffee-plain.
Water -- per canteen.
Bread-baker's.
Butter-(of our good sutler) aromatic and odoriferous, and tasting much like " thirty-(s)cents" per pound.
Vegetables - potatoes - Virginian - by private forage train (not " Hawk-stricken," we presume).
Dessert-sugar, pepper. salt. vinegar.
Pastry -Baltimore pilot-bread.
Fruit-chestnuts, from the leveled rail timber hereabout.
Ei cotera-cigars. pipes, tobacco, etc.
After doing justice to the hearty meal just served up to us, this com- pany, I feel, are on a war footing. and need some exercise to keep the blood in circulation, for the winds which threaten to overthrow our humbie habitations are cold to-day, and although pleasant and refresh- ing, are keenly felt now after the very warm weather of the past few days.
The heat had been a source of discomfort for abont a week until last night. when a few thunder-showers passed along the lines of the Fed- eril army, accompanied by high winds and pelting the poor sentinels on duty with bail-stones or slugs of ice of almost fabulous size-some were found larger than goose eggs. .
Chaplain Crane was aroused in the midst of the drenching rain about
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two o'clock this morning by the downfall of his protecting canvas ; bnt, soldier-like. he submitted to the mishap with commendable stoicism until with the assistance of his boarder, William Robinson, the cotton walls of their residence were in position. The tent occupied by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Crane, our adjutant and sergeant-major, did not fall, but the friction and cohesion of sand and oak pins would not hold the cotton canvas back, and it went bodily, carrying the " regulation" and fighting wardrobe of its occupants. Imagine, Mr. Editor, the flight- the night was very dark-the rain some.
The axmen have so leveled the forests that the view to the front from this point is much less obstructed than it was ten days ago : and while the routes open to the advance of an attacking force are lessened in numbers. our artillerists have now ample scope and range. General McClellan. in an order read at dress parade. complimented the men of the advance line hereabouts, and Wadsworth's brigade particularly, on the performance of more labor in the construction and establishment of the chain of works of defense than had ordinarily been accomplished by like numbers in double the time since the general advance, etc., etc.
A few Confederate pickets and horsemen are daily visible with the aid of the glass on the high grounds toward Fairfax Court House, at a distance of two or three miles, from which direction they fired a few cannon-balls at the Thirty-fifth on Saturday evening at sunset. They were " promptly" answered by a round shot from one rifled gun here- a waste of powder on both sides. probably.
Everything is quiet in this vicinity but the wind, which sounds hoarse notes on tent-flaps and sings shrill songs on a high key with foolscap.
New York papers still find their way into camp. their astute disqui- sitions and reports of plans of campaigns and military operations being taken at a discount. It is not true, as they state, that Smith's division first stationed pickets at Falls Church, a duty assigned to Company " D" of this regiment and a few scouts of United States cavalry. The advance sentinel of the enemy on that occasion was a gallant old con- traband shivering on horseback.
The ruins of no less than seven dwellings with their outbuildings, destroyed by incendiary torches, besides fences and barns partially de- molished, present themselves to the eye of the beholder from our parade ground within the circuit of a mile-a vandalism which order- loving soldiers are happy to hear the people and the authorities dis- countenance and reprobate, though some extenuating circumstances ought to be promulgated in connection with the verdict of popular con- demnation and abhorrence. It must be recollected that volunteers have for several weeks been detailed to guard the property and homes of supposed loyalists against the depredations of soldiery on the bor-
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
ders, which duty is of course attended with some risk of personal safety, and in a majority of cases these same " Unionists" have, Breckenridge- like, when no further benefits were needed. availed themselves of the earliest opportunity to remove within the lines of the Confederates with information, aid, and comfort for the enemy, and all they could steal from that government which sought their protection. It was the duty of an advancing force, on September 28th, to search honses for pirates and contraband articles, and if strychnine. hams, and pork had no: been found on the premises of Major Nutt, bis house and furniture would to-day remain intact, although he is now in the Southern service. working for the overthrow of the nation which formerly fed him in office.
The weather has been too pleasant of late for mortal combat ; but . the present bracing and wholesome atmosphere stimulates the general desire of the rank and file to reduce a battalion drill to practice, and rach philanthropist longs for that national millennium when this broad land shall be inhabited by a wise and virtuous " people whose God is the Lord," who will appreciate the blessings of free institutions, and have sense enough to know when they are well off. F. B.
1757954
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CHAPTER IV.
.
THE MARCH.
THE great plan of advance being now perfected, orders were received to march. The knapsack drill had accustomed us to carrying " our burden," and the art of putting up the little shelter tent was soon ac- quired.
All things being now ready, at three o'clock on Monday morning, March 10th, General "Yankee Doodle" called us into line, and we set out in the darkness for Centreville-more properly, Richmond. It was a rainy march and a weary one, but as we encountered no enemy, it was uninterrupted. We expected to find them at Fairfax-we found deserted earth-works and a dilapidated village. We expected to find them at Centreville-Fairfax ditto Centreville. The cavalry had searched for them at Manassas and could not find them, but were in hot pursuit toward Warrenton. The great bubble had burst. Manassas, the " bug-bear," was caged. The wooden gun, how- ever, remained ; we saw that with our own eyes. We camped two miles north of Centreville, and until the 15th. On the 12th, Gen. Wadsworth, know- ing the anxiety of the men to see the fortifications of Centreville, took the brigade out there to drill.
All will remember that grand charge upon the earth-works. Our men scaled them at a bound. The plan of these works is formidable, but the works
4.
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
themselves hardly better than rifle-pits. We returned highly pleased.
The following extract is from a soldier's diary, and as it expresses the idea exactly, we reproduce it.
Tuesday, March 11th, 1862.
I awoke about one o'clock, almost perished with cold, and going down to the fire, which was built in the hollow of a huge stub, dried my feet and clothes, then slept warm until morning. Reveille aroused us very early, and we struck tents and ate our breakfast. No advance being ordered, I went forward to an eminence, and obtained a view of the fortifications around Centreville and the mountains beyond Manas- 12. Hearing a loud cry in the direction of the Fourteenth Brook- lyn, I looked up and saw a troop of horse emerging from the wood. " Mcclellan !" " Hurrah for Mcclellan!" was repeated from mouth to mouth and from camp to camp. Just then, they made a graceful curve beyond the hill, and entering the main road dashed forward toward Centreville. He was accompanied by General McDowell. We mide a grand rush for the road, and as he came up I obtained a good view of his features. His portraits are untrue. His mustache and imperial are of the what-di-ye-eall-it color, between sandy and dark, his complexion sandy, hair auburn, I should think. His eye is very piercing. one of those eyes in which one discovers latent fires and, when aroused, flames. Its color I could not discover. As he passed. the dense crowd parted and sent up peal on peal of applause, which echoed, re-echoed, and echoed again, as it died away in the depths of that ancient forest of oak. He gracefully raised his hat, but discovering our own General Wadsworth among the crowd, reined up his steed, smiled, and heartily shook hands with him, asking after his brigade. Mcclellan is a great general.
On the following day, General Wadsworth placed the command of the brigade into the hands of Col- onel Rogers, of the Twenty-first, bade us an affec- tionate good-bye, said "it would be his choice to remain with the brigade and lead them to battle, but he must obey orders," then set out for Wash- ireton, to take the post of military governor of the District of Columbia, to which he had been assigned. This good-bye of the General cast a shade of sad-
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ness over the brigade which he had cared for so long and so like a father.
Early on the morning of the 15th we were on our way to Alexandria, for the purpose of shipping upon transports. Rain had fallen all the previous night, and during the day it poured down. 'Twas a sorry march, twenty miles before us, without rest or food, and in such a storm. Our feet were already sore from traveling over this rough macadamized road, and our soaked garments, adding much to our load, chilled our limbs. Major Gregg and Colonel Crane, with their usual kind-heartedness, relieved many a poor fellow of his load long enough to get rested, so as to continue the march and keep up. We passed one regimeut who had set fire to a deserted house, and flocked around it to get warm. Just be- fore night we halted at "Four Mile Run." This little stream had suddenly become a lake, and im- passable. All attempts to bridge it proved futile, and the Twenty-third took "lodgings" in a thicket near by. The rain continued nearly all night.
An attempt was made the next day to bridge the stream, but to no purpose, and the brigade returned to its old quarters on Upton Hill. The boys re- turned to these rude cabins after this brief absence with as much apparent joy as the wanderer returns to a cherished home after years of separation. WVe remained but two days and moved again, but this time only about one mile, and camped at Bailey's Cross Roads, with the expectation of being shipped down the river very soon. Mr. Judd (regimental sutler) had shipped a cargo of sutler's stores, and was waiting to accompany us; but for some reason then entirely unknown, we remained in this encamp-
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
ment until the 4th of April. While here General Patrick took command of the brigade and drilled it daily, when the weather would permit. He expressed himself much disappointed in the efficiency of the brigade as to drill. He "thought General Wads- worth had spoiled the brigade." In one particular he had, for he had taken such firm hold of their affections that, from this fact alone, the man who took his place was looked upon as a usurper.
Nothing of more than ordinary interest occurred while here, unless the grand review by General Mc- Clellan accompanied by several foreign functionaries, which took place near Alexandria, may be said to be interesting. Such reviews may be a very fine sight to spectators and newspaper reporters who have no musket or knapsack to carry, but to the private soldier they are very tiresome and very useless.
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CHAPTER V.
BRISTO.
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT, BIVOUAC NEAR BRISTO, } PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA., April 6, 1862.
DEAR THURSTON : Contrary to all expectations we left our camp on the Leesburg pike last Friday at three P.M., and took up our march to Richmond (as is supposed) by the overland route. Although many were taken by surprise at this right-about move, I have heard none complain. All feel satisfied that at last we are to enter upon duties long and unnecessarily delayed. We camped for the first night three miles east of Fairfax Court House. Colonel Hoffinan and myself in the old and somewhat celebrated tavern stand of the late Billy Gooding. It is kept at this time by one of his daughters, whose husband is now in the secession army. We were told by an old citizen that Uncle Billy had kept this place nearly sixty years, that he was the owner of six hundred and fifty acres of land and from sixty to one hundred slaves, and could not raise corn enough upon the estate to furnish them with bacon and bread. Uncle Billy had not been much of a traveler, having never been to Alexandria but once, once to Winchester, and once to Leesburg. The landlady complained of hard times. I tried to give her comfort by telling her that if she would cash her slaves by the pro- cess which the President has recommended, sell one half of her land to . & live Yankee, and sit quietly down for ten years, she would be worth more than Uncle Billy was in his palmiest days. But it's no go ; they will hang to the incubus which year by year has dragged them down until they are but little, if any, the superiors of their fellow-mortals whom they buy and sell.
Saturday morning we took up our march toward Manassas. We halted for dinner at the camp we had left three weeks before for Alex- andria. We crossed Bull Run before dark, and camped for the night upon its south bank, leaving the Quaker guns of Centreville, which we all saw, and passed jokes upon the controversy going on in the news- papers at home with reference to this subject. This morning at eight o'clock we left Bull Run, passed through the place once known as Ma- massas Junction, but now a mass of charred ruine, and arrived at this
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
place at three P.M., fording Road Run, a stream about the size of Bull Run. We expect to remain here until the entire division commanded by General McDowell comes up. Our men are in fine spirits, and impa- tient to go forward. General Patrick (Lucius Robinson's old friend) is our brigadier, and General Rufus King our division general. They are both accomplished officers.
Since arriving here I received your letter, together with Elmira and New York papers, by which we learn that the army of the Potomac is divided. It is my opinion that General McDowell intends to find the rebels (if there are any between this and Richmond) at the earliest pos- sible moment. With kind regards, I am, etc., Wx. GREGG.
The above letter is introduced here, not only for the facts contained, but for its reference to the con- dition of society in this portion of Virginia. The con- dition of what is here termed the " wealthy class" is even pitiable, while the " poor" are of that wretched type of poverty which stalls with the brutes. They are worse than the " squalid poor" of our large cities, the scum of groggeries and brothels. The day after ar- riving at Bristo a severe northeast storm visited us. The following is what an eye-witness thought of it :
"To the close of life Bristo will be remembered by General Patrick's brigade. A blinding storm of snow and sleet and rain pelted down upon us for three long days and nights. The severity of General Patrick's orders in reference to the camp guard added much to the suffering of the men. This region is desolate enough in summer, but now, when field and forest and every thing is bound by snow and ice, when the trees groan under the masses of snow and bow to the earth, when earth and air is chilled by a savage northeaster, gloom and desolation are profound. Huge fires are burning in front of each little cloth cover, denominated tent, and infases a little warmth into the chilled limbs of the drenched soldier boys. But sleep refuses to visit our weary eyes till nature is exhausted, then we lie down
.
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CAMP FIRES OF
upon the wet ground, to be soon awakened by the cold and rain, to find our limbs stiff and numb. This is no overdrawn picture. It is my opinion that the heroic fortitude that can endure all this must be good stuff. The camp guard, whose line stretches a circuit of two miles in length, stalks his lonely round while his wet and icy garments flap in the wind or freeze to his flesh. Another thing that will compel us to remember Bristo was the shooting of young Up De Graff, of Company K, by the patrol. The man who shot him was a member of the Twenty-fourth New York. The act can be des- ignated by no milder term than murder, as Up De Graff offered no serious resistance, though he was inju- diciously bantering with the patrol. He was a prompt and sprightly soldier and a genial companion. But I need not speak of him further. He can never be for- gotten by you, or me, or his comrades."
Joseph M. Up De Graff, referred to in the above, was buried with military honors in a private cemetery near the railroad, but his remains were subsequently removed to Elmira, in care of Rev. Mr. Crane, former chaplain of the Twenty-third, and deposited in the "Evergreen" Cemetery.
.
..........
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
CHAPTER VI.
FALMOUTH.
THE east bank of the Rappahannock, opposite to Fredericksburg and south of Falmouth, stretches away for half a mile in a plain, then rising abruptly, reaches the level of the surrounding country. These are the hights from which Fredericksburg was subsequently bombarded. In a large field at the foot of these hights General Patrick's brigade bivouacked on the afternoon of the 19th of April.
King's division had been ordered to advance rapid- ly upon Fredericksburg ; accordingly on the 16th we went forward to Catlett Station, and from there on the 1Sth set out for F -. We made twenty-two miles on the first day, though we encountered a severe storm of rain in the evening, which rendered the roads very bad and drenched the men. We marched sev- eral miles after the storm opened, and the night was well advanced before the place of bivouac was reached. Many of the men were so tired that they laid down in the rain without tents or supper.
An amusing feature of this march was the swarms of " contrabands." They flocked around us like a swarm of hungry flies, picking up the clothing .thrown away by the men. The day was a sultry one, and a large amount of clothing was thrown away to relieve the burden.
They said they were told by their masters to gather
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this clothing, which was undoubtedly the truth. They seemed anxious for freedom, but did not seem to un- derstand how to obtain it. One would think that some of them suspected a bloodhound under the promise even of the Union soldiers. This " indefati- gable negro," "irrepressible darky," "abolition plat- form," " shade," "cullud pusson," "contraband," has mingled largely with our campaign.
While on this march a rebel deserter delivered himself up to General Patrick and was taken into cus- tody. He said that he had served under the General in the Mexican war.
We reached Falmouth on the 18th, in time to see the smoke of the smoldering ruins of the bridges, the shipping and the cotton, and the rear of the rebel wagon train trailing down the Bowling Green road and over the hills to the west, out the plank road. Their cavalry videts also showed themselves on the hights watching our movements. A part of our divi- sion had had a fight with them the night before and drove them into Falmouth, when they became panic- stricken and destroyed everything. Twenty-three steamers and merchant vessels were destroyed, valued at more than $125,000, besides the large amount of stores they contained ; besides this, there was nearly $20,000 worth of cotton burned at the warehouses in Fredericksburg.
The Government immediately commenced the re- construction of the railroad bridge and the repair of the road through to Aquia. Pontoon bridges were soon thrown across. Though parties of both infantry aud cavalry visited Fredericksburg almost daily (but with great risk of being captured), the town was not occupied by our troops till the 2d of May. On that
1
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THE TWENTY-THIRD.
day General King and staff, accompanied by General Patrick and staff, passed over the canal-boat bridge and took a survey of the town. They took with thein Company D, Twenty-third New York State Volunteers, Captain Todd, and stationed pickets at important points. The company occupied the large warehouse near the river.
While we lay in this encampment, General Wads- worth visited General Patrick and the old brigade. He was discovered and recognized by some of the men when half a mile away, and the cry was imme- diately raised, "Waddy's coming!" " Old Waddy's coming !" It ran rapidly along the line. Then a grand rush was made. Men jumped from their tents capless and coatless. Those who had caps swung them, and all shouted, "Hurrah for General Wads- worth !" As he came galloping into camp accom- panied by his staff, the brigade instantly surrounded him in so dense a mass as to hem him in entirely. He shook hands with all whom he could reach, asking after the health and fare of the men, then forced his way out of this press, vainly endeavoring to hide the tears that gushed unbidden to his eyes. He did not expect such a greeting, and indeed such a greeting is vouchsafed to but few men in the army.
On the 7th of May, the Twenty-third crossed the river and occupied Fredericksburg, raising the "stars and stripes" for the first time above this rebel town. General Patrick had been appointed military gov- ernor of the city, and had detailed the Twenty-third as guard and patrol. Colonel Hoffman established his headquarters in a brick building near the railroad dépôt, and the various companies were assigned their respective posts above and below the town, A line
3*
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CAMP FIRES OF
of pickets was thus formed, half a mile out, that com- pletely hemined in the city.
The following is what the Fredericksburg Christian Banner said of the Twenty-third at this time :
Pursuant to orders of Brigadier-General Patrick, on Wednesday, the 7th of May, 1862, the Southern Tier Rifles, Twenty-third New York State Volunteers, Colonel H. C. Hoffman commanding, took up its line of march from camp near Falmouth for the occupation of Fredericks- burg, arriving in the city at nine o'clock A.M. Such respectful regard was paid to the sensitiveness of the inhabitants of our town as to dis- pense with martial music usual upon such occasions, the regiment marching to its quarters with fine and soldierly bearing. Companies were immediately detailed and dispatched to outposts guarding the various approaches to the town.
The officers of this regiment-field, staff, and line-are gentlemen of the highest respectability and of dignified and courteous demeanor, and such has been the respectful deportment of this entire command as to elicit the most unbounded admiration and confidence of all the inhabitants of our town.
By order of Colonel Hoffman, Sergeant-Major Deroe and Color-Cor- poral Crocker flung the time-honored flag-the good old " stars and stripes" -- to the breeze, at headquarters, opposite the railroad depot, immediately upon their occupation. This regiment, we learn. has been chosen for the occupation of the town on account of its high character for respect, ability, and rigid discipline ; and from what we have seen. we are confident a more judicious selection could not be made. Witnessing, as we do. the preservation of all personal rights and privileges, the protection of private property, and the unrestricted conduct and continuance of the accustomed business pursuits of our citizens, we can not but conclude that this war is waged by the general Government upon principles infinitely transcending in mercy all otbers which the world has ever known, and of which history affords no prece- dent or parallel.
The townspeople treated the " Yankees" as South- ern people generally do the Union soldiers. The men looked savage at ns. The women wore secession badges, and would invariably turn their backs upon a blue uniform. The children would do what the parents dare not-they would " hurra for Jeff. Davis
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