USA > New York > Cayuga in the field : a record of the 19th N. Y. Volunteers, all the batteries of the 3d New York Artillery, and 75th New York Volunteers > Part 15
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BRILLIANT RESULTS OF THE EXPEDITION.
ter a short march further on, the army bivouacked and enjoyed a general square meal all around.
On Saturday, the 20th, the artillery reached Newbern by a forced march with part of the infantry. The rest came in next day.
Our total loss in this expedition was, in killed and wounded, less than 400. The rebel loss was about 600 in killed and wounded and 500 prisoners. Their loss in bridges, railroad track and war material was great, and crippled them in North Carolina for many months. Foster's victory was a brilliant one in all respects and it gave to our country great heart in the pros- ecution of the rebellion. It was a ray of sunshine in a time of profound public gloom caused by the disaster at Fredericksburg.
December 26th, Foster issued his General Order, No. 81, as follows :
"The Commanding General desires to thank the troops in his command for the new proof of their courage and steadiness, af- forded by the recent expedition. The veteran brigade of Gen. Wessel's, and the troops of this Department, did their duty as soldiers well."
In his official report, Foster said of the artillery :
"The artillery forces under Col. Ledlie were well placed and well served, and the commanding officers and the batteries, without exception, did most excellent service."
Col. Ledlie's conduct (and of his artillery) on this expedition won for him his Brigadier's star. He received his promotion December 24th.
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3D NEW-YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
IX ..
NORTH CAROLINA IN '63.
Current Events-Ammon on Recruiting Service-Capt. Howell-Ledlie Promoted -His Order-Stewart in Command of the Regiment-Attack on Newbern- Rebels Repulsed-They Attack Washington-The Siege-Incidents-Enemy Again Foiled -Two Years' Men go Home-Reception in Auburn-Schenck and Howell in New York in the Riots-Col. Stewart on Recruiting Service -Current Events.
Before relating the next passage of arms in North Carolina, a few current events in the department and in the 3d Artillery will claim our attention.
It has been mentioned that in May, 1862, Capt. Ammon went home to New York to recruit for the regiment. He was assisted by a recruiting party detailed from the regiment. He made Au- burn his headquarters and published a call asking for 300 three years' men, offering $167 bounty for every recruit. In August, volunteers began to come in. In September he sent to Newbern 210, in October 149, raising the 3d Artillery to the proportions of 1,600 men.
In December, ninety-four marines were assigned to the regi- ment and scattered around amongst the batteries. They had mutinied and Gen. Foster broke up their organization in conse- quence. They were, however, withdrawn from the regiment by subsequent orders.
Capt. White having resigned the Captaincy of Battery M, September 30, 1862, Capt. John H. Howell was appointed to the vacancy, November 18th. Capt. Howell was a young man, who left an editorial chair in the office of the Utica Herald at
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COL. LEDLIE PROMOTED.
the outbreak of war and enlisted in the Ist New York Artillery. As Ist Lieutenant of Battery H of that regiment he took part in the siege of Yorktown and subsequent battles of McClellan's campaign, and at Fair Oaks, May 31st, 1862, received a severe bullet wound in the right arm while bravely serving his battery in battle. Gen. Naglee gave Howell a high testimonial of ap- preciation of the latter's service in writing and recommended him for promotion. He was appointed Captain in the 3d Artil- lery in consequence. He took command of Battery M, then at Hatteras, relieving Capt. Ashcroft, of Battery C, who was at the time commandant of the post. He remained at Hatteras till the latter part of February, 1863, when he was appointed on the staff of Gen. Naglee. He was relieved by Battery C.
The troops in North Carolina were in December, 1862, in- creased, and on the 24th, by order of the War Department, constituted the 18th Army Corps, under command of Maj .- Gen. Foster. The 3d Artillery, of course, composed part of the Corps.
Col. Ledlie was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and Chief of Artillery of the 18th Corps, December 24th. On the 31st of the same month, he bade farewell to the regiment he had served with so long and devotedly in the following order :-
" DECEMBER 3IST, 1862.
Special Order, No. 250 .- The Colonel commanding the regi- ment, upon entering upon the duties of his new position to which he has been assigned, desires to express the sincere regret which he feels in parting with those with whom he has been so long and so pleasantly connected. His earnest desire has ever been to promote the welfare of those in his command, and his highest ambition to secure a name for the 3d New York Artillery, of which its members might be proud. Its history has justified this .hope. Whatever may be the new honors won by it, the names of Fort Macon. Washington, Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro will shine brightly on its banners. Although his long existing connection with the regiment is finally dissolved, the Colonel commanding congratulates himself that it may still be in his power to advance its interests and witness its triumphs, and feels the utmost confidence that its tried and trusty men, under their brave officers, will win still higher renown.
BY ORDER, &C., &C."
The command of the regiment was assumed by Lieut .- Col. Stewart, who was promoted to the Colonelcy from January Ist, 1863. Maj. Stone from the same date became Lieutenant Col- onel. Capt. Jenny became Major.
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3D NEW-YORK VOLUNTEER . ARTILLERY.
In the latter part of January, 1863, Gen. Foster took 12.000 of his best troops from North Carolina to the army of Gen. Hunter, operating against Charleston. Among them were parts of eight Batteries of the 3d Artillery. But of this another chapter will speak.
On the 6th of March, 1863, an expedition to Onslow county, N. C., left Newbern, composed of the brigades of Gens. Spinola and Jourdan, Riggs's Battery of the 3d Artillery, Battery F, Ist Rhode Island, and 500 cavalry. The expedition was under the command of Gen. Prince. Maj. Stone commanded the artillery. The column was out four days, its advance guard going as far as Swansboro. It came back without a fight, though some skir- mishing took place with small patrolling parties of the enemy. The rebels had withdrawn from that section of North Carolina.
Gov. Vance had been insisting to Jeff. Davis and the Confed- erate Government upon the recall of enough troops from the rebel armies to hold North Carolina against Foster. The demand was granted. In March, hearing that Foster had weakened his forces in North Carolina to reinforce Hunter at Port Royal, Gen. Lee sent Gen. D. H. Hill's whole corps of twenty-three regi- ments, 20,000 strong, to Gov. Vance, to drive Foster out of the State, if possible.
March 13th, the day before the anniversary of its capture, Hill made an attack upon Newbern. The main body made its appearance on the Trent road, in front of our pickets at Deep Gully, who, being promptly reinforced by Palmer's brigade and Riggs's and Belger's Batteries at Newbern, the rebels did not attack. A second column advanced upon the city on the south side of the Trent, but also refused to attack. Both were waiting for the success of a third column, under Gen. Pettigrew, armed with twenty pieces of artillery, which had been sent to attack Fort Anderson, an unfinished earthwork on the north bank of the Neuse, opposite the city. The Fort had not a single gun on wheels, and was garrisoned only by the 92d New York Volun- teers.
At daybreak of the 14th, Pettigrew appeared before the Fort and demanded its surrender. It was declined. He then planted his guns within 100 rods of the Fort in the edge of the woods and bombarded the Fort furiously for three hours, occasionally stopping to demand a surrender, which he did not get. The 92d took the matter coolly. They laid down behind their works and only had two men wounded. The gunboats Hunchback, Massasoit, Phenix and others opened fire on Pettigrew at the
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ATTACK ON FORT ANDERSON.
beginning of the attack, while every field gun that could be spared in Newbern was brought down and ranged along the river side in Newbern and followed their excellent example, with good effect, too, though at long range. Portions of Batteries E, F, H and I of the 3d Artillery, and Lee's and Ransom's Bat- teries composed the line. An assault was meditated by Petti- grew on the Fort, but it was withheld. The bombardment went on. The rebels now brought batteries down to the river to bombard the gunboats and town ; one was nearly a mile above Fort Anderson. The Hunchback saw this latter movement, but being aground could not bring her 100 pounders to bear on the battery. Her officers shouted the fact to Gen. Foster, who was on shore. Foster asked Col. Stewart to do something about it, and he accordingly took some of Ransom's Wiards up the river to a point opposite the rebel battery and opened fire on it. He sighted the first gun himself, pointing it with the aid of a pocket level. It was loaded with a solid shot and was so well aimed as to dismount a rebel gun. The shattered wheels and axle were afterwards found on the ground. After a few shots, the rebel battery retired.
Pettigrew's shells came over the river into our position quite frequently during the firing, but exploded harmlessly. One shot spilled over the coffee of one of our batteries. The kettles hung in a row over the camp fire. The shot struck the ground and bounded and raked the whole row of kettles off the pole, to the intense disgust of the cook, who was covered with ashes and coffee from head to foot. Once, while Gen. Foster, Col. Stew- art and others were on the shore, watching the operations across the river, a long shell from a Whitworth gun, called from its shape a cucumber shell, struck the smokestack of the Hunchback. It lost its rotary axial motion and came on end over end direct- ly over the party of officers, and near their heads, making such a startling flutter in the air that everybody dropped to the ground. No one was hit.
Foster had now reinforced Fort Anderson with infantry. The fire of our batteries was becoming irksome and Mr. Pettigrew had nothing more to say. Three of his guns had exploded. He limbered up the rest and made off on the double quick. The two columns confronting us at Deep Gully and south of the Trent drew off at the same time, and beat an inglorious retreat. The whole attack was a complete failure.
Pettigrew's colored body servant was left behind in the retreat. He was an intelligent and well educated man. Gen. Foster built him a school house and set him to teaching the contrabands.
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3D NEW-YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
Baffled at Newbern, Gen. Hill turned with all his force on Washington on the Tar. On the 17th of March, the woods on the south side of the Tar, opposite Washington, suddenly be- came alive with rebel regiments, constituting his advance guard. They were fired upon by the United States gunboat Louisiana. After nearly two weeks' of hesitancy, Hill then brought up his whole corps, with fifty guns, and on the 29th beleagered the place.
Washington is on the north bank of the Tar. The river is three-quarters of a mile wide at that point. A causeway, or bridge, crosses to its south bank and connects with the turnpike to Newbern, thirty-five miles away. In March, '63, the garrison numbered only 2,200 men, viz : Battery G, 3d New York Artil- lery, Capt. Wall ; 27th Massachusetts Volunteers ; 44th Massa- chusetts Volunteers ; Capt. Lyon's Company, North Carolina Volunteers ; one company 3d New York Cavalry, and two or three hundred contrabands. The defenses of the town were of a sort to give efficiency to a small garrison. A line of entrench- ments encircled it from river to river, protected by additional abatti, with block-houses and redoubts at the three roads run- ning out of the town and another, designated as No. 4, on the river side below it. In the center of the line, acting as the key of the whole situation, was Fort Washington, a small, but strong field fort, quadrangular, bastioned, strongly sodded, and surrounded by a ten-foot ditch and a row of heavy abatti. There was also a redoubt, a small one, guarding the causeway, and other of larger size on the river's edge, below block-house No. 4, called Fort Hamilton. The armament of these works was-Block-house No. 1, above the town, one 6-pounder ; Block- house No. 2, one 6-pounder ; Fort Washington, four 32-pounders, two 6-pound Wiards, two 12-pound Napoleons ; Block-house No. 3, one 6-pounder, one 32-pounder ; Block-house No. 4, one 12. pounder ; Fort Hamilton, two 12-pound Napoleons, one 30-pound Parrot, one 32-pound Rodman ; redoubt at the bridge, one 30- pound Parrot, two 6-pounders.
To be considered as forming a part of the south side defenses were the gunboats Louisiana, Eagle and Commodore Hull, and liter in the siege the Ceres. The 6-pound guns in the block houses belonged to Battery G, 3d New York Artillery.
Learning of the intentions of the enemy, Gen. Foster threw himself into Washington with his staff before the enemy could surround it, coming up on a steamer, leaving orders for Prince's brigade to follow by water, and Spinola's by land. He arrived March 30th, and came at once to Fort Washington, which had
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HILL LAYS SIEGE TO WASHINGTON.
been garrisoned since the previous summer by Battery G, under Capt. Wall. He made the Fort his headquarters. Dispositions to resist an assault were immediately made. By Foster's order, the barracks in Fort Washington were at once torn down and every available man in the whole garrison was ordered out to work i 1 strengthening the lines. Shovels being scarce, shingles from the dismantled barracks and other buildings were used. Traverses to protect guns from cross fire were begun, and the abatti was made thicker in front of all positions exposed to as- sault. The 44th Massachusetts was disposed along the line of intrenchments west of the Fort; the 27th Massachusetts east of it. Battery G manned the Fort, and also had a detachment at the redoubt at the causeway and at Fort Hamilton.
An assault was expected daily, and the little garrison worked like beavers to prepare for it. But Hill hesitated for three whole days. On the 3Ist, having planted batteries on the south side of the Tar, at Rodman's point, nearly opposite, but below the town, and at Hill's point, six miles below, so as to command the approaches by water, he showed in force on the hills in front of Fort Washington, and sent down a flag of truce, demanding a surrender, stating that he had completely surrounded the town and it was now in his power. Foster would not allow the flag to come within our lines, but sent out officers to meet it. He was in Fort Washington when Hill's demand was brought to him. Officers of Company G heard him say, "Go back and tell them, if they want Washington, come and get it. We'll fight them as long as we can man a gun." All now made ready to resist the expected assault. Two companies of infantry were brought into the Fort. Two hundred contrabands were armed, and every man that could sight a rifle was stationed at the breastworks.
With his 20,000 men, Hill could have taken Washington with one strong rush, though Battery G and the infantry would have made it a bloody business for him had he tried it. The assault, however, did not come. Hill saw we were ready for him, and it is said that his men, when ordered to advance and storm our works, refused to obey.
The rebel General then decided on a siege. The erection of batteries was, on the 3Ist, begun on the hills north and east of Fort Washington, in the edge of the woods. The Fort shelled the rebel position to annoy the working parties.
The river side of the town was its vulnerable point. On the 30th, Capt. Lyon's company had been sent to Rodman's point, with orders to entrench, and secure it against the enemy. But he was driven off at daybreak, next day, in spite of the attempts K
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3D NEW-YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
of the gunboats to drive back the rebels by the fire of their heavy guns. The rebels erected a battery on the point, and April Ist opened fire on the town and on the Commodore Hull, which was aground in the river. The boat received a hundred shots, and was completely riddled. Foster was determined to repossess Rodman's point. By his orders a strong detachment sallied across the causeway, supported by two guns of Battery G, and strove to get in the rear of the rebel redoubt. But the road beyond the causeway was obstructed by a barricade, with infantry and artillery, and after a short fight, the sortie re- turned. On the 4th, under cover of a fog, an attempt was made to storm the point by crossing in boats. But the gunboat Ceres. which had the storming party on board, ran aground, and the assault failed. The Ceres was well pelted with shot before she could be gotten off.
The bombardment of the town and our river side redoubts by Rodman's point, began on the Ist. The cannonade was mutuai and very heavy, but void of especial result. The Commodore Hull had several guns dismounted. Block-house No. 4 was riddled, and some damage was inflicted on houses in the town.
The transports bearing Gen. Prince's brigade from Newbern came in sight of the town that day, but were stopped by the rebel batteries on Hill's point. Foster ordered Prince to land and storm the point. He replied, "It is impracticable," and never even made the attempt.
Fearful that the rebels on Rodman's point would destroy the Union gunboats, Foster now had a breastwork built on Castle island, a little island in the middle of the river, to put their guns into it if necessary, and those of the Commodore Hull and Eagle were landed in the town. The heavy guns in Fort Ham- ilton were from the Eagle. This Fort derived its name, by the way, from Lieut. Hamilton, of Battery G, who with his men gar- risoned it.
The bombardment of Fort Washington fairly opened from the batteries east of the town, on the 3d, and lasted with varying in- tensity for seventeen days.
On the 4th, a new voice was added to the roaring of the rebel batteries. and missiles came flying down towards block house No. 4, from a twelve-pound battery on Blount's plantation, east of the town. The battery was masked behind a hedge fence. As it took the river side redoubts at this point in reverse, the two Wiard guns of Battery G at the causeway redoubt were ordered up to block house No. 4 to engage the battery. After firing two hours, one of the rebel guns was knocked over, and the other
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163
BOMBARDMENT OF WASHINGTON.
silenced. Two of Battery G's men at Fort Hamilton, Horle and Shaufeller, were injured that day by a premature explosion. Horle had just rammed home the charge, when it went off, the blast carrying him bodily right over the breastwork.
On the 5th, the firing on Fort Washington began to grow heavy. Work after work was thrown up on the hills in front of it. Nearly every day, new guns were mounted in them, until at length eight siege batteries were arrayed against the Fort and rained into it daily a terrific converging fire from ten rifled and four smooth bore guns. The Fort was ploughed in all directions by the shot and fragments of shell, but the garrison went through the appalling ordeal to which it was subjected almost without harm. The ramparts were good and strong and shelter was af- forded against cross fire by large traverses built between the guns by the contrabands. Fort Washington answered the bat- teries on the hills with as heavy a fire as was consistent with economy of ammunition. After three days' firing, the supply of ammunition was nearly exhausted, and it became necessary to fire slowly, paying more attention to accuracy and depending less on silencing the enemy by a torrent of fire. Battery G's gunners in the Fort thus made beautiful shots, and frequently dismounted rebel guns. The only way Foster had of obtaining ammunition was by means of row boats and sail boats running the blockade of the Hill's point batteries in the night. This was successfully done and each night enough was generally se- cured to carry the garrison through the next day.
On the 9th, the attention of the garrison at Washington was caught by the sounds of battle far away to the south-east. All surmised that relief was at hand and that our troops from New- bern had attacked the rebel rear. But the sounds soon died away and nothing came of the demonstration. The cause of the firing was an attempt by Brig .- Gen. Spinola, with 7,000 infantry, and Riggs's, Ashby's, Howell's, Belgers's and Ransom's Bat- teries, to break through the rebel circumvallation of Washing- ton and raise the siege. He encountered a strong force of the enemy at Blount's bridge, fifteen miles from Washington, and tried to drive them without success, and then fell back to New- bern.
The bombardment of Fort Washington was very hot on the roth, and the top mast of the flag staff was shot away. The flag came down on a run. But David Myrick, of Battery G, gallantly climbed the mast under a heavy fire and nailed the flag to its place. Shots struck the pole above and below him while he was up there and one of them jarred him down. The rebels fired
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1 164
3D NEW-YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
about zoo rounds an hour into the Fort on the 10th, requiring a sharp look out to prevent casualties. Battery G worked its guns steadily in reply and won the admiring comments of Gen. Foster and his staff for its coolness and intrepidity, and for the accu- racy of its shots. Fort Hamilton, too, was well served and made some remarkably close shots. One day, one of its gunners sighted the 32-pounder at a man across the river, who was mak- ing signals, and shot him.
A hotter fire than ever was rained upon the town on the 12th, but without shaking the steadfastness of the garrison. Our re- turn fire was so well directed that the rebels were kept hard at work repairing their breastworks ploughed up by our shot. During the day, a To-pound Parrot shell dropped into Fort Washington beside a gun in command of Sergt. Goodrich. The Sergeant instantly picked it up and threw it aside to a place, where, had it burst, it could not endanger the lives of his men. Fortunately it did not burst at all. It may be mentioned here, that Sergt. Goodrich won a proud name during this siege for his cool daring and soldierly conduct. Every time his gun was fired, he exposed himself above the parapet to watch the effect of the shot, and Gen. Potter's attention was so drawn to it that he inquired for Goodrich's name and said, "That's my idea of a perfect soldier."
On the 14th, the steamer Escort came up the river, having run the blockade, bringing the 5th Rhode Island Volunteers, with a store of provisions and ammunition. The next day the Escort started back again. Gen. Foster was aboard, determined to go to Newbern, and bring a relieving column to the rescue. The Escort ran the blockade again in safety, though forty-seven shots were sent into her on passing by the Hill's point batteries. She reached Newbern that evening. Foster immediately ordered the whole force to prepare for action, and at daylight of the 17th started overland for Washington. All the artillery that could be spared from Newbern accompanied it.
Meanwhile, an attempt was made in Washington to create the belief that reinforcements had been received. Troops were shifted from point to point, empty camps were pitched, and bat- teries of cannon were drawn here and there.
On the night of the 15th, the rebels ingloriously stole away from their lines and retreated. Fort Washington tossed a few shells into the redoubts on the hill in the morning. But the hill was mute. Our pickets then charged up to find the enemy had flown. It is hardly necessary to say that the intelligence was received with hearty cheers and considerable enthusiasm. Our
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165
INCIDENTS OF THE SIEGE.
officers went out to view the rebel works and examine the effect of our firing. The hill was strewn with our shot and the ruin they caused visible everywhere. Hill's point was occupied by a detachment of Battery G and a company of infantry on the 17th.
Foster came up on the 18th. His cavalry attacked and cut up the enemy's rear guard. His forces did not all come on to Washington. Finding the rebels were gone, they were nearly all sent back.
The success of Foster's gallant little band of 2,200 in keeping at bay a whole rebel corps for twenty days, and withstanding an aggressive siege of twelve days, has been justly regarded as unparalleled in the war. The merit of the achievement is prom- inently and perhaps principally due to Battery G of the 3d New York Artillery.
April 24th, Gen. Foster issued General Orders, No. 63. Enumerating the troops comprising the garrison of Washington during the siege, he says: "They have all incurred by their steadiness, courage and endurance, the honor of inscribing on their banners, "Washington, April, 1863."
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