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 4
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ORDERS TO MARCH.
ed, if the rumor was true, the treacherous and unwarrantably arbitrary treatment of them by the authorities.
Many of them, doubtless, regarded a long service with pleas- ure, and all would, had it not been for the infamous shoddy uniforms. At home, the men had dressed in comfort and ele- gance. Now, they were clad in insufferable rags. Scarce a uniform in the regiment was without patches. And this disgrace existed in the midst of a splendidly equipped army. It mortified the pride and wounded the esprit du corps of the regiment more than words can tell. The feeling was, as a natural consequence, that the Empire State manifested a disposition to sacrifice and degrade her sons, and if it did not cease at once they should de- sire to quit her service.
These thoughts, entertained in a vague sort of way, vanished, however, for a while, in the excitement caused by the second ru- mor, above alluded to, which was that the regiment had at last been ordered to engage in active operations. There was no re- pining at Kalorama after that. Leaving the term of service question to be settled by time, all thoughts were bent towards preparation for the march.
Fourth of July was celebrated in and around Washington joyously. The grand feature of the day was the review of the New York troops, then under the command of Gen. Sandford, who had obtained permission to receive a marching salute from the twenty-three regiments of his division and had issued orders accordingly.
At 7 A. M., the 19th, with full canteens, fell into line, and. marched to Washington. Regiments simultaneously pressed in from every direction, their rifle barrels flashing in the bright sunlight and colors proudly floating on the morning air. All gathered on the great Pennsylvania Avenue leading up to the Executive Mansion and formed into a column of great length. Other shoddy uniforms were there, besides those of the 19th, that day, and Gen. Sandford had the rare privilege of calling the attention of the men who held the destinies of America in their hands, to the manner in which the opulent commonwealth of New York clad her volunteers. Near the White House, stood a beautiful pavilion, sheltering from the overpowering heat of the sun, the President and his family, Gen. Scott, Secretaries Seward, Cameron and Smith, Gens. Dix, Mansfield, Sandford, and other high dignitaries and commanders. Past this point, the column was finally put in motion. It was an hour and a half in passing.
The 19th marched, in its proper place in column, from Con-
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
necticut Avenue to 6th street, and then turned off and returned to camp, devoting the rest of the day to high festivity. In the evening, the officers of the regiment collected, by invitation, in the street of Company B, which was decorated with greens for the occasion, where they spent the evening in speech-making and feasting. Speeches were made by Col. Clark, Lieut .- Col. Sew- ard, Capt. Kennedy, Capt. Stephens, Hon. Theo. M. Pomeroy, M. C., and others. Fireworks and bonfires illuminated the scene, and the band of Col. Ernstein's Philadelphia regiment was present with inspiring music. Some of the men engaged in dancing, and there were games and general merriment and hilarity throughout the camp.
Late in the day, July 5th, the long expected orders to march came and threw the camp into a state of excitement.
Government had resolved on an advance upon Richmond of the Army of the Potomac, then encamped under Gen. McDowell opposite Washington. The plan was, while McDowell struck straight out for Richmond from Washington, Gen. Patterson should advance into Virginia from the village of Williamsport and demonstrate upon the rebel army of Gen. Joe Johnston, encamped in the Shenandoah Valley around Winchester. Johns- ton was to be met, beaten, captured, or at any rate to be held in check and kept from joining the rebels in front of Washing- ton, so that the latter might fall an easy prey to McDowell. But Patterson did not move with any very extensive alacrity. He crossed the Potomac at Williamsport, June 16th, but re-crossed on the 18th. Again had he entered Virginia, July 2d, but was wasting his time in idleness. Gen. Scott concluded to reinforce Patterson as a gentle stimulus to action. Gen. Sanford, of the New York troops, an active, wide-awake commander, consented to waive his rank and go on this mission. He was directed, therefore, to proceed immediately with the best four regiments he had to assist the lagging General of the Upper Potomac.
Gen. Sandford selected for this service the 5th and 12th Militia and 19th and 28th Volunteers.
Col. Clark, on the afternoon of July 5th, received the follow- ing order :-
"Col. Clark, 19th Regiment, New York Volunteers, is directed to be in readiness by noon, to-morrow, to march his regiment on special service, with three days' cooked provisions and three days' raw, which he will prepare forthwith. He will leave all extra baggage in his camp with sick and disabled men and suffi- cient tents for their use. Wagons for transportation will be at his
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ORDERS TO MARCH.
camp at 12 o'clock at noon. Col. Clark will draw forty rounds of ammunition early to-morrow. He will have all his tents and ordinary baggage packed by 12 o'clock.
By Order,
MAJ .- GEN. CHARLES W. SANDFORD. GEO. W. MORELL, Div. Inspector."
Communicated to the regiment, the orders were joyfully re- ceived, and the camp fell vigorously to packing and preparing for the march. Letters were hastily written home ; knapsacks were packed ; rations of meat were cooked ; surplus baggage was disposed of and everything made ready for an early start next day. The larger part of the night was devoted to this work.
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
1
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1
III.
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
The 19th New York Leaves Kalorama-By Train to Hagerstown-The First March-Fording the Potomac-March to Martinsburg-Kennedy's Exploit -Curiosity to See a Rebel-Webster and Tobias See too Many-The 19th New York has a Skirmish-Col. Clark Relieved of Command-Advance to Bunker Hill - Foraging - Anxious for a Fight - Patterson's Inertness - . Sandford's Activity-The Flank March to Charlestown-Patterson's Dra. matics-Feeling in the Army-Capt. Stewart Reports johnston's Movement -Mementoes of John Brown-Ledlie Shot At-At Harper's Ferry.
Pursuant to orders of the President, the 19th and 28th New York Volunteers set off July 6th, 1861, from Washington, to re- inforce dilatory Patterson, then supposed to be at Williamsport, Md. Gen. Sandford followed in person, with the 5th and 12th Militia, next day. .
At 6 A. M. of the 6th, "Strike tents " was proclaimed in Camp Cayuga. The once orderly camping ground became a scene of bustle, confusion and uproar for an hour or two, and the folded tents, with baggage and camp equipage, then lay packed on the ground and arranged in piles ready for loading into the wagons, which were to take them to the railroad depot. A small guard remained to watch the baggage and load the wagons. At 10 1-2 A. M., the regiment filed away from beautiful Kalorama and hastened in a pouring rain storm to the depot in Washington. Dr. Howard remained with ten sick in a hospital tent.
The depot was in confusion, owing to the embarkation of the 28th New York. This regiment was from Niagara county, N.
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ANOTHER RECEPTION IN BALTIMORE.
Y., and commanded by Col. Dudley Donnelly, a brave and competent officer. It had riffed muskets and good regulation uniforms. Delay arose at the depot, but finally, at 6 P. M., the 28th regiment had gone on, and the 19th was under way for Baltimore.
The day before, a thirty pound rifled Parrot cannon left this depot on a freight car, labeled "Capt. A. Doubleday, Williams- port, Md." It was part of the impedimenta of the 19th New York.
A cordial reception in Baltimore awaited the regiment on this occasion. The aspect and spirit of the rabid old city had mate- rially changed since the 7th of June. Gen. Banks's cannon on Federal Hill had done a marvelous work. Cheers were repeat- edly given by the populace, and fluttering handkerchiefs now waved graceful greetings from balconies. Freight cars were supplied at the Harrisburg depot, and, jammed unpleasantly tight in them, the regiment rattled away at nightfall at a fearful rate of speed toward the capital of Pennsylvania. There was little chance for "nature's sweet restorer " that hot night. The cars were packed to oppression, while the fearful rumbling and jolting so banished slumber from the eyes of the more volatile that they sat up, sang "John Brown," "Hail Columbia," and every- thing else an inventive imagination could suggest, and cracked jokes and plagued the sleepy, so that it would have defied Dick- ens's Fat Boy himself to catch a nap the duration of a wink. Fresh, cool air, the perspiring occupants of these veritable din mills ob- tained by jamming pointed Gothic windows through the car sides with their muskets. Other obstacles to repose could not be overcome.
The train made its shrieking entry to Harrisburg early Sun- 1 day, July 7th.
Here began a series of kind attentions which the inhabitants of every stopping place lavished upon the far from coy volun- teers. These generally took the form of presentations of first class food. No delicacies were too good to be lavished on the brave but insatiate defenders of our country. It is to be feared that the 19th left behind it a trail of empty larders in Pennsyl- vania. At Chambersburg, a church meeting dissolved for no other purpose than to bring a meat offering to the volunteers. Travel gave the Cayuga boys a wonderful appetite for luxurious fare. They took all that come. Salt pork and hard tack were shied at passing telegraph poles, and distended haversacks and tight belts told the tale of Pennsylvania hospitality. A stock of turkey, ham and cake was laid in for future emergencies.
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
At 5 1+2 P. M., the train halted at the terminus of the railroad in the village of Hagerstown. The companies debarked. Gen. Patterson's Quarter-master here supplied Col. Clark with wagons for the transportation of camp equipage and officers baggage. While five men from each company were loading up, the regi- ment stretched its limbs in the village, where fresh attentions from the citizens made it happy and put strength into it for the march now before it.
Col: Clark ascertained here that Gen. Patterson had crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and advanced to Martinsburg in the Shenandoah Valley, sixteen miles from Winchester. All reinforcements he had left orders for, to follow him thither. Before departing en route to the front, Col. Clark received instruc- tions to bring on to the army under the protection of his regi- ment, Doubleday's thirty pound rifled cannon before spoken of. As it had not come, up to eight o'clock, the Colonel ordered Capt. Kennedy to remain with Company B, until it did come and bring it on. The regiment was then assembled and put under way to reach Williamsport, six miles distant, that night.
A soldier on the march is a curious looking object. Baggage dangles from every part of his person. Knapsack and haver- sack, blanket, cup and canteen, added to the regular equipment of musket, belts, bayonet scabbard, and cap and cartridge boxes, give him a singular appearance. The weight of this parapher- nalia is considerable, seldom less than 40 lbs., and as much more, ranging as high as 70 or 80, as the soldier chooses to make it. Green soldiers invariably carry all they can stagger under and such was the case with the 19th on this occasion. A thousand unnecessary knick-knacks and a heavy surplus of provisions in- cautiously laid in, fairly burdened the men down, and to such an extent, that when, after a hot and dusty march, they reached Williamsport at 10 1-2 o'clock, they were thoroughly fagged out. They learnt discretion very rapidly after that experience.
Reaching a pleasant hill, back of the village, a halt was or- dered for the night. The 28th N. Y. lay there in a large mea- dow, by the side of the road. The 19th went into bivouac on a grassy campus opposite them. Filing into the field, the order, habitually given when preparing to camp, was uttered : "By companies ; by the right flank; to the rear, into column ; march." The head of each company broke off, that is turned square to the right, and marched off a few rods at right angles, then, halting, faced to the front, forming the regiment into col- umn by companies. The weary men stacked arms and dropped to the ground and slept soundly in their places pillowed on their
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ON THE "SACKED SOIL."
knapsacks and blankets, while a guard kept watch over the bivouac.
The drums beat an early reveille next morning. Blankets were hurriedly rolled up. "Sling knapsacks," commanded the Colonel. A long march being in prospect, some of the men, rather than carry those weighty knapsacks another day, did sling them with a vengeance-over the fence. . A few were fortunate enough to obtain permission, as a special favor, to have them carried in the wagons. As fifteen wagons only were allotted to the regiment, many permissions of this sort could not be granted.
The 28th New York took the advance as usual and marched on down through the village and crossed the river ; the 19th New York followed. Between verdant and romantic banks, the Potomac flows here in a current half a mile wide-not over three feet deep. Adjutant Stone leaped into the stream first ; the column followed manfully in after him, and strode through the gurgling water with the nonchalance of regulars. A few took off their shoes, that they might resume the march with dry feet. Others rolled up their baggy pants. All held up their cartridge boxes. Emerging from the Potomac, the 19th New York stood on the "sacred soil " of rebeldom and at the entrance to one of its fairest regions-the far-famed Shenandoah Val- ley. It was a lovely vale-broad, gently undulating, dotted with groves and farms, and yielding such prolific crops of grain and nich fruit, that it was called the granary of Virginia. On either side, ranges of blue mountains stretched away into the remote distance till lost in view in the gathering haze which perpetually overhangs this region, giving it magical beauty and making its mountain ranges of so soft and ethereal blue that they seem the creations of enchantment. The silvery Shenandoah wound through the valley, gleaming between dark groves.
On the bank of the Potomac a halt was ordered, and the dripping regiment improved the opportunity to wring its gar- ments and eat breakfast. At noon Capts. Schenck and Stewart with their companies were left at the ford to wait for Kennedy and Doubleday's gun, and the regiment went on towards Mar- tinsburg. At Falling Waters, six miles on the way, the scene of the late brush between Patterson and the rebels, a pause was made. The havoc of war, present on all sides, was viewed with curious eyes. Fences were, for miles, down ; trees shattered with cannon shot ; crops trampled to the earth ; farm houses were in ashes; here and there dead rebels dotted the fields ; arms and equipments were scattered everywhere. One farm D
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
house had a cannon shot hole in it. A Federal flag fluttered from a stick projecting from the hole.
While waiting here, the volunteers picked up many mementoes of the fight to carry with them. A sabre and a revolver from a dead rebel, who lay with pallid, upturned face in the grass, were among them.
At 2 P. M. Schenck and Stewart were ordered up, and Lieut .- Col. Seward was dispatched to Hagerstown to ascertain the cause of Kennedy's delay. Col. Clark then put the regiment in motion again for Martinsburg, nine miles distant. Company A, the leading company, pushed rapidly ahead and caught up with the 28th regiment three miles ahead. The others followed briskly, marching a large part of the way on the double-quick, the men in good spirits and singing "John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave," "Star Spangled Banner," and other patriotic choruses. As the day was hot and marching swift, the heavy equipments of the volunteers again oppressed them. They endured it as long as they could and then scores threw away knapsacks, others blankets, and some pairs of fine boots, anything for relief. It was a severe thing for green soldiers to march fifteen miles under a hot sun. The manner in which they endured its discomforts showed their excellent grit.
On this march, as in all others when not in presence of the enemy, the regiment moved in loose, open order, the men tak- ing the sides and middle of the road as they chose, and carry- ing their arms at will. This is called taking the "route step." It is only required that companies maintain their relative posi- tions and distances. At the command "Attention," the men run together and form in compact order, the drums beat giving them the cadence, and in less than a minute's time the apparent chaos resolves itself into the beautiful, orderly, regular column of warfare. A regiment on the march is always a magnificent spectacle, and whether in open or compact order, impresses the beholder with its moral power. The field and staff, we might say here, always ride at the head of the column. Further in advance, is the Officer of the Day with a guard to close taverns and liquor stands. In rear are the wagons and provost guard to pick up stragglers.
The regiment entered Martinsburg at II P. M. Camp fires burnt in all directions. Passing through the village by Gen. Patterson's order, the regiment marched out on a road easterly about a mile, and then climbed a steep bank and a stone wall, ar- riving in a field, on the extreme right flank of Patterson's army. The men were excessively tired. As they jumped over the stone
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JOINING PATTERSON.
wall, some of them knocked off stones which rattled down amongst those behind. Some murmurs were uttered at this. At Kalorama, some disorderly spirits had once groaned at Col. Clark. The Colonel on this occasion is said to have made an uncharitable remark about their groaning at the stone wall, as having now something to groan for. After stacking arms, the men fell immediately to the ground and slept, such as could sleep. The excitement of the situation kept some awake. They were in the presence of an army of 20,000 rebels, commanded by a General of consummate ability. The picket guards of the ยท Union army not far away, out in the fields, were firing all night, firing at nothing as it proved, but still stimulating the imagina- tions of the soldiers bivouacked around Martinsburg and making them think gravely of the possibilities of the morrow.
Gen. Patterson was informed in the night that the 19th New York was uniformed in gray. He sent, forthwith, to have strips of white cloth tied around the arms of the men to distinguish them from rebels, in the event of a night attack. Patterson was always partial to white rags. The 19th was not. It is singular how many of these disgusting badges were " lost " next day.
Next morning, the baggage wagons came. Tents were pitched and the Cayugas made their second camp on rebel soil. Strong pickets were thrown out all around the camp to guard its front and the right flank of the army.
Capt. Kennedy's brave company, proud of the distinction con- ferred on it of being detailed to perform the first dangerous service of the regiment, remained at Hagerstown awaiting the arrival of Doubleday's gun and ammunition stores, two nights and one day. It bivouacked at night on sidewalks and in the depot. The gun came, on the 8th, on a platform car. Ten horses being hitched to it, it took its place in a train of 70 wagons, which, the Quarter-Master at Hagerstown informed Capt. Ken- nedy, he was required to escort through to the army. Lieut .- Col. Seward was present to facilitate matters. About 7 P. M. all was in readiness. Kennedy gave the order "forward," and the column pushed out of the village and made a rapid march to Williamsport, designing to ford the Potomac that night. It moved on a double quick nearly the whole distance, reaching the village at 10 o'clock. The officers went forward to inspect the crossing. They found the bridge over the Ohio & Chesa. penke canal near the river to be unsafe. The train bivouacked till morning. Meanwhile the bridge was repaired by soldiers guarding the ford. At 4 A. M. bivouac was broken. A hasty breakfast was snatched. The river was forded at sunrise and a
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
forced march was made through the enemy's country to Martins- burg. On passing Falling Waters, it was ascertained that 300 rebel cavalry, Stewart's, had laid there in the woods, the night before, awaiting the arrival of Kennedy and expecting to capture him and the train, which they could easily have done, had he crossed the Potomac as he had intended in the night. The train was half a mile long and a single company of soldiers only guarded it. Arriving at Martinsburg at 6 P. M., the cannon and wagons were turned over to the Quarter-Master. Company B's boys went on to camp, proud of their achievement but tired as they were never before in their lives. This meritorious little affair called attention in Patterson's army to the 19th New York Volunteers, and was one of the many acts which gave it its great reputation for daring. Old army officers shook their heads, however, over it, for its venturesomeness.
Later in the war, a rebel Captain told Capt. Stewart that the rebel cavalry were still actually in that vicinity when Kennedy passed. Concealed in a piece of woods they saw the train pass by. They were only deterred from pouncing on it by the belief that a large force of Union infantry must be following close at hand, which would have prevented them getting away with their booty.
Just as day was breaking on the Ioth of July, Gen. Sanford arrived at Martinsburg with the 5th and 12th New York Militia. He had marched all night to come up from Williamsport. Filing into a lane to the left of Camp Cayuga, the 12th pitched tents in the next field. The 5th followed suit near by-camping near the 28th New York.
These four regiments, viz: 5th New York Militia, Col. Schwarzwalder ; 12th New York Militia (Zouaves), Col. Dan Butterfield ; 19th New York Volunteers, Col. Clark, and 28th New York Volunteers, Col. Dudley Donnelly, with a Rhode Island Battery of six 12 pound guns, were brigaded on 11th of July as the 8th Brigade, under the command of Col. Schwarz- walder. This brigade, with the 7th, under Colonel, afterwards Gen. Stone, killed at Ball's Bluff, comprising the forces from New York, 8,000 strong, constituted the 3d division of Patter- son's army, and were under the command of Maj .- Gen. Sand- ford. On the 13th of July, Col. Schwarzwalder was relieved from command of the 8th brigade, owing to ill health. He was succeeded by Col. Butterfield, under whom the 5th, 12th, 19th and 28th New York went, shoulder to shoulder, on the North Virginia campaign.
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CURIOSITY TO SEE A REBEL.
The army of Patterson comprised thirty regiments, 23,000 strong, and two batteries. It lay at this time in the fields and on the hills south of Martinsburg, with a front to the enemy a mile in length. It confronted 20,000 rebels under Gen. Joe Johnston, encamped at Bunker Hill, a little village a few miles up the valley towards Winchester. The rebel pickets were in our immediate front, and small bodies of the cavalry scoured the country on all sides, occasionally making a dash at a. Yankee picket post they thought they could capture.
Camp Cayuga, on the extreme right flank of the Federal army, held the post of danger. It was compelled, therefore, to be in constant readiness for emergencies, particularly at night, when the rebel pickets stealing up under cover of the gloom would keep up a perpetual succession of alarms by firing on our lines. The position of the camp required heavy scout and picket duty in front of and around it, and the 19th New York did more of this duty in this campaign than any other in the brigade, and perhaps than any in Patterson's army. In spite of guard duty and wakefulness at night, however, the regiment enjoyed several good days' rest and recovered from the fatigues of its late ardu- ous march.
General curiosity was felt by the newly arrived regiments to wc a rebel and any effects of the war. Of the latter, there was etough in Martinsburg, where, previous to the evacuation, Gen. Johnston had destroyed a large quantity of railroad cars and locomotives and a splendid bridge. All who could obtain a pass from the camp, went down and inspected these.
The field officers of the 19th were not only anxious to see the rebels, but to capture some. The men were lured out beyond the picket lines by this feeling, sometimes, and went on their own responsibility, hoping to come across a stray gray jacket, and capture him. One day, the 11th of July, Corporal Martin Webster and private S. J. Tobias, of Company I, were out in this way, foraging, and were captured by a squad of fourteen of Stewart's cavalry. The men were returning to camp on the highway. The cavalry rode up from behind and ordered them to halt. They ordered arms when the cowardly rebels fired on them, wounding Tobias in the hip. Webster returned the fire and dropped a rebel from his horse, and then both the Cayugas ran for the fence which was of stones, and got behind it. The rebels charged on them ; for a few minutes there was a lively melce, both parties thrusting and slashing fiercely, but without doing much damage. The rebels jumped their horses over the fence and the 19th boys had to surrender. Ropes were put
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