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 7
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The meaning of all this was only too obvious, and many a brave man's eyes filled with tears in the regiment at the un- merited insult, as in silence all awaited what was coming next.
Major Ledlie, attended by his staff, now came between the wings of the regiment, and addressed the men as follows :-
"Soldiers of the 19th Regiment, New York Volunteers :
" This is the 22d of August, the day on which your term of three months expires. But the President has made requisition for the further services of the 19th regiment, and the Governor has transferred you to the United States for the remainder of
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
the term of two years, for which you enlisted into the State ser- vice, which will be one year and eight months."
Adjutant Stone then read Special Order No. 323, and one or two Articles of War apropos to the occasion. The men, then stacking arms, marched a few paces to the rear and again faced inwards. No attempt was made to explain the matter to the men, nor was there any proffer of a new muster. Major Ledlie commanded all who were loyal to advance and take their guns. Every officer in the regiment stepped forward at the word. Ken- nedy's and Stewart's companies, B and G, were not a moment . behind. Smothering their feelings, they marched squarely up to the stacked arms. One man in Stewart's company only lingered behind. Companies C, H and K also moved up all but unanimously. The larger part of the other companies, however, resenting the fresh insult of the day, stood fast in their places. Their officers remonstrated without avail. Two hun- dred and eighty refused to serve a day longer. They declared that their time was out. It speaks well for the character of the 19th regiment that, under the circumstances, more of it did not refuse. In Gavigan's company, one man only took his gun, and he did so because, having enlisted at Elmira specifically as a three months' man, his time would expire any way in a short time. Col. Clark came down and reasoned with Gavigan's men against standing out, but failed to shake their resolution. " Well, they show their true Irish grit," he said, as he turned away and left them.
Col. Thomas at length put an end to the exciting scene by ordering the recusants under arrest. Capt. Stewart's company was ordered to guard them till he could bring up the cavalry. One of the company rebelled at this and threw down his gun, refusing to stand over his own comrades. The rest complied quietly but gravely. The cavalry then came up. The recruits hung their equipments on their guns and marched down hill to the camp of Col. Biddle's Bucktails, where they were quartered in the edge of a grove in the old "cow-pen."
The recusants were from the several companies, as follows : Company A, 27 ; Company C, 8; Company D, 65 ; Company E, 31 ; Company F, 51 ; Company G, 2, Company H, 6 ; Com- pany I, 17 ; Company K, I. Total, 203.
After the parade, the residue of the regiment returned to camp. The morale of the 19th never fully recovered from the wrongs of that bitter day. It was little consolation to learn from the Rhode Island boys, that had they been ordered to fire
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AUGUST 22D.
on the regiment, they would have put their cartridges shot first into their cannon. Our boys did not fear cannon shot. What they did feel was the moral wounds inflicted on them that day by distrusting their loyalty, and the brutal use of arbitrary power in place of reason and an appeal to pride. These gave them the keenest pangs.
Col. Thomas sent for Capt. Kennedy and Capt. Stewart, dur- ing the day, to congratulate them separately on the conduct of their respective commands, and to ask them about the motives which had actuated those who stood out. To Capt. Stewart he said, when he had heard the whole story of the regiment's hard- ships, "There is something wrong here, Captain. These men are not to blame. They have not been treated right." Stewart alluded to Thomas having placed him as guard over the recus- ants, and said it was " the hardest thing he had ever done in his life." Thomas replied, he "only did it to try his pluck."
Gen. Banks treated the recusants considerately. He gave them plenty of time to reconsider their action. On the 23d and 24th, various officers of the regiment visited them and made speeches and remonstrated with them on their conduct at a time when the country stood in such eminent need of their services ; and explanations were made, which should have been given to them at Kalorama, and, but for the imbecility of politicians, would have been. They were obstinate at first. They declared they would be sent to the Dry Tortugas, the prison pen of recusants, a fate which overhung them, rather than return to duty. They realized their position, however, gradually. Gen. Banks addressed them wisely and firmly on the 25th, and a hundred or more finally receded from their resolution and went back to camp. The endeavors of Father Creedon won back more. Others · came back from day to day. But twenty-three held out to the end. Nothing could move them. Even Father Creedon lav- ished argument on them in vain. They were retained in Col. Biddle's camp, under guard, until the latter part of September, when they were sent to Fortress Monroe, court martialed, and sentenced to hard labor for two years on the fortifications of the United States. At this place, through the agency of Gen. Wool, they were pardoned, in Special Order No. 107, Nov. 21, 1861, "on condition of serving out the time for which they were en- listed, honestly and faithfully," in the 2d New York Volunteers, Col. Carr commanding, then at Newport News. The men ac- cepted and went into the 2d Cavalry, and made a good reputa- tion there as soldiers. Their names and companies were as fol- lows: Company D, Michael Barrett, Wm. Buckley, Thomas
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
Burke, Daniel Doyle, James Downell, James Dwyer, Wm. Gal- vin, Thomas Green, Thomas Head, John Hogan, Patrick Kella- her, Michael Lacy, Francis McCarthy, John McKean, John O'Brien, James Tracy ; Company E, John L. Crounse, James Gaffney ; Company G, Morgan L. Joslyn ; Company I, Samuel Barr, John P. Barber, Walter M. Fowler, Morris Ryan.
After the 22d of August, camp was changed to the banks of Seneca creek, south of Hyattstown. On the 28th, Col. Thomas, being called to an important command in the West, relinquished the Ist Brigade to Col. Biddle, to the very general regret of the brigade.
On the 24th of September, Gen. Banks ordered the Cayuga regiment on special service to Muddy Branch, near the village of Darnestown, to relieve Col. Mann's 2d Pennsylvania Re- serves, which had been directed to proceed to Tenallytown. Marching to the point indicated, in a rain and over heavy roads, the 19th made its encampment just south of the turnpike, be- tween the village of Darnestown and Rockville, near Darnes- town, and within three miles of the Potomac river. The position was an important one. Over this turnpike were brought all sup- plies for Banks's army coming from Washington, and long wagon ' trains and bodies of troops were continually passing. On a side hill at Muddy Branch, a large brook crossing the turnpike half a mile from the encampment of the 19th, Gen. Banks had established a depot of distribution for the division. From one thousand to fifteen hundred loaded wagons were parked at this point all the while, and trains were arriving and departing every day. The ammunition and quartermaster and commissary stores contained in these wagons were immensely valuable. And as their nearness to the Potomac might tempt a . raid upon them, from some of the 12,000 rebels congregated at . Leesburg, it was essential to have a tried and steady regiment at hand to guard them. This was the duty imposed upon the 19th Volunteers. In its discharge they remained at Muddy Branch till December. Every day a detachment of from sixty to one hundred men, was sent up to the train. More than once, while here, there were alarms, caused by rebel dashes at our picket lines, the long roll being beaten on these occasions, and the whole regiment being called under arms. One time was on October 20th, the day of the bloody battle and massacre at Ball's Bluff. The cannonading in that fight was heard plainly at Darnestown. Another alarm was on October 30th, when six rebel regiments, with a force of cavalry and artillery, came down to the Potomac, at Great Falls, a few miles below the camp,
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GUARDING THE SUPPLY TRAIN.
made a menace of crossing, and then came up opposite to Muddy Branch and repeated the demonstration.
In addition to guarding the supply train, the regiment at various times while here performed other duties. A company was sent out to do provost duty in the village of Knoxville,- Capt. Ammon being made Provost Marshal of the place. On election day, November 6th, Capt. Schenck with fifty men went to Gaithersburg, four miles north- east of camp, to preserve the peace there. Lieut. Wall with fifty men was ordered to report , to Ammon at Rockville for the same purpose. A taste of en- gineering duty varied the monotony, a few days in November and December. In obedience to orders, Major Ledlie took out one hundred men and repaired the roads towards Darnestown, Rockville and Frederick, filling the holes with stone, brush and earth. In one place a small bridge was built.
As there was to be a long stay at Muddy Branch, camp was made as comfortable as possible. Floors were laid in the tents, trenches dug around them to drain off surface water, bunks made of poles on crotched stakes, and stoves and fire places in- troduced. The fire places were a great institution. The 19th regiment claims the honor of having invented those useful, though troublesome contrivances, and given them to the Army of the Potomac. The subject of having fires in the tents was often talked of by the principal officers, till finally, as cold weather came on, Dimon, Stewart, and others tried their hands at making fire places. They succeeded capitally. One day, Gen. Banks came into Stewart's tent. Major Giles was then the only one in. Spying the heating arrangement, he said, " Well, well, you have a nice thing there. I wish I had one." Giles offered to make him one and next day went up with some men and a wagon and did so. The newspaper reporters then got wind of the invention and the news was scattered broadcast. Before long, every tent in the 19th regiment, and in the army, had its fire place. They were easily made. A covered ditch, constituting a sort of flue, ran from the back of the tent five feet to the rear. Inside the tent, a fire box was constructed in the ground at the end of the flue, partly excavated and partly raised, covered on top with a broad flat stone. At the outer end of the flue, a cob chimney plastered with mud, or a barrel, was placed, and the work was done. Fires in these drew per- fectly. An infinite amount of comfort was derived from them, although they did, once in a while, set tents on fire.
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During the month of August the regiment lost a number of men by muster out of three months' recruits, by desertions on
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
furlough, and discharge on account of disability. By September Ist it had been reduced to six hundred and thirty-nine men. September 2d, Capt. Kennedy was ordered home to Cayuga County on recruiting service.
September 13th, Lieut .- Col. Seward, reluctantly compelled by ill health to resign his commission, announced the fact to the regiment, to the general regret of the men, who had loved and admired him from the beginning.
To fill the vacancy, an election was held by the line officers on the 14th.
It was rumored at that time that Col. Clark had it in contem- plation to resign also. The election accordingly proceeded on . the supposition that he would do so.
For Lieutenant-Colonel, to become Colonel as soon as the way was open, there was but once choice. Major Ledlie re- ceived a unanimous vote for the office. For Major, to become Lieutenant-Colonel on Ledlie's promotion, five Captains were prominently thought of as candidates, viz : Captain Kennedy, second captain in the regiment, who, by good rights, should have been senior captain, an old, experienced, energetic drill officer, and in every way deserving the promotion ; Capt. Schenck, brave, studious, competent, and a disciplinarian ; Capt. Stewart, an old military man of Cayuga county, and Captains Giles and Ste- phens, men of ability and ambition. Owing to the operation of regimental rivalries, then all powerful in the 19th, the choice rapidly narrowed down, and Capt. Stewart, most unexpectedly to himself and to his entire surprise, was honored with election as Ledlie's lieutenant. After a sharp contest for future Major, be- tween Captains Giles and Stephens, the former was designated for that office.
Next to the promotion of Ledlie, the choice of Capt. Stewart for Major was one of the most fortunate things that had hap- pened to the Cayuga regiment. Ledlie was away from camp a great part of the time. To Stewart was left the drill and gene- ral management of the regiment almost entirely. He was prac- tically its commander from September 15th to the end of the war. Promotion made him so in fact after the winter of 1862-3. Stewart was a cool, intrepid, devoted and excellent officer, and a disciplinarian with few equals in the volunteer army of the United States. He had the honor to command a regiment of intelligent men, not the riff-raff of cities, but the best blood of the Empire State, and his only ambition was ever their good. Resolving at the outset to make the regiment one of the best in the service, he brought to the work remarkable firmness and
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THE BRIGADE RE-ORGANIZED.
equability of temper and unusual executive talent, qualities that made him a valuable commander, and entirely successful in his work. In personal appearance, he was a plain appearing, rather thick-set man, with piercing blue eyes, sandy beard, and a face full of energy and determination. He always enjoyed the love and fullest respect of his command.
These were the last promotions in the regiment, determined by the votes of the line officers. Thereafter, they came by ap- pointment and commission from the Governor of New York. Capt. Kennedy, who was home recruiting, finding his claims for promotion disregarded, resolved on the muster in of a battery of artillery he had been raising to be attached to the 19th as an independent command, with the design of severing his relations with the regiment.
September 25, the Ist brigade was reorganized and the 19th and 28th Volunteers were transferred to the 3d Brigade, under command of Col. Geo. H. Gordon, of the 2d Massachusetts Volunteers. The Brigade comprised the 2d Massachusetts, 19th and 28th New York ; 5th Connecticut, Col. Ferry ; 46th Penn- sylvania, Col. Knipe, and Tompkin's Rhode Island battery.
The condition of the 19th regiment now required that some- thing should be done to bring up its spirit and discipline. Stewart began regular battalion drill at once. Reorganization and recruiting up to the full proportions of 1,000 men were pro- posed. A first step was taken towards this on the 28th of Sep- · tember, by the consolidation of Companies F, H and K with other companies, compacting the regiment to a battalion. The bulk of Company F went into A ; of H into I, of K into G. Capts. Stephens and Angell, and Lieuts. Squires, Parker, Carr, Forsting and Field were mustered out at their own request. Capt. Angell went home to re-enlist and raise a new com- pany, and in due time rejoined his comrades in command of it. Lieut. Squires, highly recommended by Lieut .- Col. Ledlie, went to Ohio and raised a regiment of his own, which did good ser- vice as sharp-shooters in other campaigns.
A new spirit was infused into the 3d brigade, October 8th, by Gen. A. S. Williams assuming the command. He ordered ad- ditional battalion and skirmish drills and exerted himself ener- getically to improve every means to bring his brigade to a state of high efficiency.
In spite of efforts to the contrary, during October and Novem- ber, the 19th regiment rapidly ran down. Monotonous and irk- some duties in mud and rain, told on men whose elasticity of spirit was broken. They began to run away from camp for
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY
home. Sixty-seven deserted in October. In November, after pay day had supplied the regiment with funds, fifty went in one night, "that fearful night" as ever after it was called. And though guards were vigilant and Major Stewart, Capt. Schenck and others scoured Maryland to head off those who had deserted, and did recover some of them, placing them under guard to be tried by Court Marshal, by December Ist the regiment mus- tered only 542 men, with only 425 present fit for duty. Novem- ber 5th, Capt. Baker resigned the captaincy of Company A and left the regiment also.
A proposition was made to consolidate with the 28th New York Volunteers. It came from Col. Donnelly. It was first heard of through Dr. Dimon. Major Stewart, who, since his promotion, had instituted battalion drills in the regiment and was rapidly fetching up its proficiency, and Lieut .- Col. Ledlie wrote to Gov. Morgan, Gen. Williams and others to stop it. Gen. Williams had never seen the 19th, and Stewart wanted him to come up and look at it. A few days after, when the regi- ment was out on battalion drill, Williams rode to a point near the camp where he could see it and not be seen. The regi- ment went through several difficult movements, changed front to rear, deployed as skirmishers, &c. The General then rode down. Stewart took him into his tent, and asked him about this idea of consolidation, and told him he was going to oppose it with all his influence and power. Williams made no particular reply, but complimented the proficiency of the regiment highly.
The plan for consolidation with the 28th New York never went any further. But it awoke the officers of the 19th to a new sense of the obvious importance of hastening forward the work of recruiting. On the 5th of November, Capt. Giles, Lieut. Boyle and Sergt. Barnes were detailed to proceed to New York and make a special effort to obtain men, which they did. Capt. Giles labored faithfully and incessantly in this work, for several · months, and' had the honor of being concerned in raising 700 men. The fruits of his labors, however, were not specially man- ifest till some weeks after he went home.
A new turn was given to affairs by the resignation and re- tiracy of Col. Clark. Since promulgation of the order relieving him from command, Col. Clark had been importuning Gen. Banks and the War Department for a Court Martial. But Banks declared the charges frivolous and improper. They were dismissed without a hearing. Col. Clark being ill, the matter rested there for a while, until one day he received the following note :
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RESIGNATION OF COL. CLARK.
" HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE DIVISION, NEAR SENECA CREEK, MARYLAND, November 4, 1861.
My Dear Sir :- The designation of Major Perkins as Chief of my Staff by Gen. McClellan, enables me to complete a purpose I have long entertained.
The unfortunate condition of affairs in the 19th regiment, New York Volunteers, placed me in a position at the time, as General of the Division, that I should not have occupied had I been able to direct its affairs from the commencement. 'I appreciate fully your course and feel that it contributed to a settlement that will place the regiment ultimately upon a sound basis.
As an evidence of my feeling, I have the pleasure to inform you that you are hereby relieved from any official disability in connection with your regiment and free to act on your commis- sion as you may desire. If it should not be your purpose to join your regiment again, I should be pleased to offer you such a po- sition upon my staff as may be acceptable to you and to your friends. Some further communication on this subject may be necessary if this should be your choice. Leave of absence, if you desire it, will be granted.
With regrets for your accident and continued indisposition, I Very Truly Yours,
am
N. P. BANKS,
Major-General Commanding Division.
. Col. JOHN S. CLARK, 19th New York Volunteers."
The restored commander of the 19th replied next day. "As to assuming command of the regiment," said he, "I can say I have not the slightest desire to do so." He accepted the offer of a staff position, and a few days after, while at Auburn, N. Y., received his appointment and was announced as Aid-de-Camp to Banks with the rank of Colonel. He immediately tendered his resignation of the Colonelcy of the 19th Volunteers. It was ac- cepted November 18th. The Colonel served on Banks's staff through all the memorable campaigns of that General, and per- formed distinguished service in them all. In Pope's Virginia campaign, he won great laurels. At great personal hazard, he ventured out to a mountain between the Union and Confederate lines near the Rapahannock, and with his field glass discovered Stonewall Jackson's famous secret flank march to get in Gen. Pope's rear. He watched it long enough to determine its meaning, and then took the information to Gen. Pope. The F
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19TH NEW-YORK INFANTRY.
timely warning thus given actually saved Pope's army from anni- hilation and he mentions Col. Clark honorably four times in his official report of that campaign.
The command of the regiment devolved on Lieut .- Col. Ledlie, who was promoted to .Colonel, November 18th. Major Stewart became Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Giles, Major ; though their full rank did not obtain till the battalion had been recruited up to the proportions of a regiment again.
More ambitious plans now began to be rife in the regiment. A proposition made for conversion into artillery met with universal favor. Col. Ledlie, who was very popular in the army, and had great influence at Washington, undertook the delicate responsi- bility of seeing what could be done at the Capital about it.
Repairing to Washington, he met Gen. McClellan and Gov. Morgan, one day at dinner, at Mr. Seward's. The conversation turned upon the needs of the army, and the heavy fortifications then being built for the defense of Washington. A necessity for additional engineers to build and artillerists to man these forts had then recently been made manifest to Gen. McClellan by Gen. Barry, of the Engineers. Advantage of the fact was taken by Ledlie, who with infinite tact brought forward the claims to notice of his regiment. Gen. McClellan said :
" Colonel, how would you like to have your regiment converted to engineers ?"
He replied, "If you want to do anything for me, General, I can tell you something I would like better than that?"
"What is that ?"
"Give me authority to raise an artillery regiment."
Gov. Morgan heartily seconded the proposition, promising to do everything in his power to aid in raising the regiment, and Sec'y Seward presented a number of forcible suggestions on the subject. The subject was dismissed with an invitation to Ledlie to call and see McClellan next day.
At the appointed hour Secretary Seward accompanied him to the headquarters of the General. After a brief interview, it was arranged that an artillery regiment should be raised in New York State, 1,900 strong, with the 19th Volunteers as a nucleus, and the Adjutant-General was given instructions to make out the necessary papers. Col. Ledlie communicated the pleasing news to his officers, and on December 4th went North to raise his command.
When Gen. Williams heard of the unexpected manner in which the jayhawking 19th had been taken into favor of the Government, he was incredulous. Stewart went down one day
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AT FREDERICK.
to tell him about it and receive his congratulations. Williams said he did not believe the 19th would ever wear the red stripe. " Stewart replied good naturedly. "You will never see anything larger than calibre 69, Colonel," said Williams. "Yes, I will." "No, you wont!" Stewart was a little afraid the General might have some scheme of his own in the matter and did not answer; but the General had the pleasure of issuing an order on the subject himself afterwards, giving effect to the wishes of Government.
By Thanksgiving day, wet fall weather and continual wear had reduced the roads to Washington, Harper's Ferry and Fred - erick, from Darnestown, to such a state that it became absolute- ly necessary to move Banks's division to a point where it could be more easily maintained with supplies. It was accordingly ordered to the city of Frederick for winter quarters. The move- ment began by the Ist of December-regiments and brigades vanishing from the Potomac lines as fast as they could be sent off. The 19th New York remained to guard the supply train, under orders to march with it; the rest of the 3d Brigade march- ing on the 4th. The 19th struck camp on the morning of Monday, December 9th. Capt. Schenck with his company was left in charge of the baggage. The condition of the roads certainly justified the fear that the Muddy Branch camp might be mud bound. They were in a horrible state, cut into deep ruts and half frozen, and it was only by superhuman exertions that officers kept the regiment from straggling. Marching six- teen miles, the 19th camped at Hyattstown that night. Next day it moved twelve miles to Frederick. Passing through the city, it found the 3d brigade in a picturesque encampment three miles out on the Hagerstown turnpike, near the base of the Catoctin range of mountains, not . far from the little village of Fairview. The baggage was behind, so the regiment bivouacked the first night on rocks and stones in a piece of woods. Roar- ing camp fires were the go that night. A better camp ground was looked up next day, and occupied on the 12th. It lay on a hill, in a forest, with a fine stream of water close at hand. The other regiments of the brigade were camped all around. The Ist Maryland lay not far distant on another hill The camp here was of a substantial character. Huts of logs were made three or four feet high, plastered with mud, upon the top of which the tents were placed. Floors were laid and fireplaces built.
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