USA > New York > Chronicles of the One hundred fifty-first regiment New York state volunteer infantry, 1862-1865; > Part 6
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Wallace reported more fully from Ellicott's Mills in part as follows :
"The column of cavalry and artillery of the enemy worked rapidly around to my left and crossed the river in face of my guard and charged confidently upon General Rickett's Division. The general changed front and repulsed them, and charged in turn and gallantly drove them back. The enemy then advanced a second line. This the general repulsed and drove. Meanwhile, the enemy placed at least two batteries in position, so that when he made his final charge with four lines of infantry, abont 3:30 P. M., the resistance of Rickett's Division was under an enfilad- ing fire of shell really terrific.
"The moment I saw the third Rebel line advance, I ordered General Ricketts to make such preparation as he could and retire
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his connand by a country road up the river to the Baltimore Pike. This was accomplished with an extraordinary steadiness. These men were not whipped, but retired remetantly mider my orders. They bore the brunt of battle with a coolness and stead- iness which, I venture to say, has not been exceeded in any battle during the war. Too much eredit cannot be given General Rick - etts and these men for his skill and their courage. Each one of his (the enemy) four lines of attack presented a front greater than that of General Ricketts, men all deployed."
It is not necessary to recite the details of the battle, in the reports of General Wallace, but the following words may be quoted :
"It would be a difficult task to say too much in praise of the veterans who made this fight. For their reputation and for truth's sake, I wish it distinctly understood that though the ap- pearance of the enemy's fourth line of battle made their ultimate defeat certain, they were not whipped; on the contrary, they were fighting steadily in unbroken front when I ordered their retirement, all the shame of which, if shame there was, is mine, not their's.
"The nine regiments ( First and Second Brigades, Third Division, Sixth Corps) enumerated as those participating in the action represent but thirty-five hundred men, of whom over 1,600 were missing three days after, killed, wounded or prisoners-lost on the field. These facts speak for themselves.
"Monocacy' on their flags cannot be word of dishonor. As to General Ricketts, attention is respectfully called to the men- tion made of him in the report previous. Every word of it is deserved as it was bravely earned. It was also certain, as one of the results that nothwithstanding the disparity of forces the enemy was not able to move from the battle-field in prosecution of his march upon Washington until the next day about noon."
In the evening of July 11, 1864, the First Second Divisions of the Sixth Corps had arrived at Washington, and thus pre- pared were ready to meet any army that sought trouble.
Later in the year 1864 General Early met the Sixth Army Corps under Major General Philip H. Sheridan, resulting in the entire loss of "Early's men and guns."
Partienlars, especially of Co. F, during the engagement, are contributed by Philip Cooke :-
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"In the morning of July 9, 1864, our regiment had stacked arms on a piece of bottom land between the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Georgetown pike where the railroad bridge crosses the Monocacy river at Frederick Jmetion. We had been short of rations the last two days, and were waiting patiently to draw rations which were issued to us in a short time. Onr men were soon busy getting their breakfast, and taking a rest. I was sitting with my back against a stack of guns, when the ball open- ed ! Col. Emerson was about twenty paces back from our stacked arms, standing, holding his horse by the briddle, when a shell from a rebel battery zipped over our heads, and passed over the back of the Colonel's horse. I saw the horse flinch. A few paces from him one of regiment passed by carrying several canteens filled with water, the shell just grazed his back and the poor fellow fell down on his stomach not able to move. Several shells flew over our heads. The Colonet ordered us to take arms and we marched over near the Georgetown pike, we halted and our Co. F. was detached from the regiment. We were commanded that morning by Lient. Wolcott. We marched ont to the pike, and there found two Guns of Alexanders Baltimore battery. Co. I was ordered to support these two guns. The battery proceed- ed np the pike several hundred yards and where the pike turus to the left up the hill, the two gnus turned to the right to the top of the bank of the Monocaey river. The east bank there was considerable higher than the west bank and we had a good view of the surrounding conutry . The battery unlimbered their guns, pointing down the river. Our company was ordered to lie down in front of the guns. To our right the river bank was steep and long across it the land was level and we could see quite a long distance.
"In our front one-half or three-quarters of a mile away was a wooded hill, in our immediate front was a large pasture where three colts were running wildly about. We lay in front of our battery until the rebels planted a battery across the river and opened fire on our guns which was returned and lasted for some time. While the firing was going on I became tired of lying in the hot sun, and walked up near the battery to get a good view of the rebel guns, when one of their shells struck the ground about twenty feet in front of me and filled my face full of dirt,
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and bounded over my head. This satisfied my curiosity, and [ very soon took my proper place in the ranks. These batteries fired a good many rounds at one another but there was no one hit on our side. Abont this time the enemy formed a line of battle on the wooded hill in our front. The line was soon advanced down the hill, our battery commenced firing over our heads as they advanced at one of their shots a piece of wadding struck Chris. Dechow on the back of his head and he commeneed to yell. Ile was taken to the rear his head rubbed, and he soon returned to the ranks. As the rebel battle line advanced down the hill and was getting close enough for on guns to do good exeention, the battery limbered up and skipped out. The last I saw of them they were crossing the railroad leaving Co. F alone. Lientenant Wolcott ordered ns in line, we double- quicked until we came to a fence near a field of corn. The rebel skirmish line was behind this fence. They got up and fired a volley at ns then ran back through the corn. That volley killed John R. Taylor who was on my right and wounded John Trank- le who was on my left. We were then ordered back to our old position. Near the pasture fence was an old road that was washed out leaving banks about two feet high. In going back ont company got consideralley scattered as the rebel battery across the river had good range on ns, and they kept up a steady fire, all the time on the advance. As we were falling back a shell passed a few feet in front of me knocking a hole in a rail fence to my right, on the other side of the fence was down hill, and I would be ont of range I instantly thought they can't put another hole in the fence, so I threw my gin through and crept through after it. Several of our company got together in the old road on one side of the pasture, the rebel line of battle had advanced to the other side of the pasture and took their stand in a shallow ditch. We fired upon one another until I had fired forty rounds. Bill Burk and Tom Green were wounded near me. As the men got wounded they drifted back toward the railroad, and all the company had gone except Charley Furse and myself.
"I saw Col. Emerson on the pike several hundred yards away, and he beckoned ns to come back. That was the last time I ever saw Col. Emerson.
"The rebels had worked along under the bank of the river, and
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were getting in our rear, they called to us to surrender, but Charley Furse and I thought we would run them a race. We jumped up and ran at a right oblique down the hill toward the railroad the rebs firing and yelling stop yanks, stop yanks! but we kept going. Charley was one of the best runners in the regi- ment and he soon ont ran me, and by the time I reached the rail- road the rebs were ahead of me, and it was surrender or be shot. I threw down my gun, the game was np. The rebels kept picking up prisoners, and slightly wounded men all the after- noon, and I think by night they had together about four hun- dred men. They established a camp near the Georgetown pike putting a strong guard around the prisoners. As they brought me in I heard my name called by some one near the road. I ran to him and found Jolumy Brooks of our Co, badly wounded, and near him I saw Dan Kelly and Ed. Brown lying dead. I gave Johnny my canteen of water and the guard hurried me away. Fom men of Co. F, were taken prisoners that day viz. Sergi. Henry C. Willard, Corp. W. T. Disbrow, John Silk and myself. We lay there all night, a tired and Inigry lot; most of the men had lost their haversacks and canteens during the battle and the rebels offered us nothing to cat."
At the battle of Monocacy, the 151st lost 24 enlisted men killed, 1 officer and 44 enlisted men wounded and 23 missing. Total loss of Union forces engaged 1294.
Col. Emerson's anthontie report of the action of the Ist brigade under Col. Truas follows :----
Captain :- -
"In compliance with circular this day received from Division headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken in the battle of Monocacy by this brigade under the command of Col. Wm. S. Truax. After crossing the creek that empties into the Monocaey, and while awaiting orders, the enemy opened with a piece of artillery at about 8:30 A. M., the first shot fired mortally wounding two men of the 151st N. Y. V. Orders coming to change position the 151st was moved to the support of Alexanders battery on the hill west of Georgetown pike. A heavy skirmish line of the enemy's cavalry, and in- fantry appearing on the left and front, the balance of the brigade was moved into position on the left of 151st N. Y. V., extending
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in the direction of the Thomas house and Buckeystown road, the 10th Vt. being held in reserve.
" Heavy skirmishing was kept up until about 2 r. M., when orders were received to occupy the erest of the hill. The sharp- shooters were deployed to cover the 87th Penn. who were order- ed to charge up to the Thomas house, which they did in gallant style, driving the enemy before them and occupying the house.
"The 151st N. Y. and 106th N. Y. were there ordered to charge while the 14th N. J. attracted the attention of the enemy by a brisk fire.
"In this charge there were captured 1 lieutenant colonel, 2 lieutenants and several enlisted men.
"The 10th Vt. were removed to the left to prevent our being flanked, the enemy having pushed two regiments in that dirce- tion. Orders being received to hold the position at all hazards, word was sent back that it could not be done, without more men, when 300 of the 2nd brigade were sent to our assistance.
"Skirmishing was kpt up until 3:30 P. M., during which time Col. Truax again sent for more men, but none were furnished. At about 3:30 P. M., under cover of their artillery, the enemy came down upon us with a heavy skirmish line and two lines of battle that overlapped us, both on our right and left Blanks.
"We held the position abont 30 minutes, stirring the enemy's ranks materially, when the command fell back to its former posi- tion, which it held an hour, repulsing their skirmish line and the first line of battle twice in their efforts to dislodge us, when their third line came up, which we held in cheek until our anmmmition gave out, and we were ordered to retire to the Baltimore pike. In doing so the command fell into considerable confusion after crossing the railroad.
"The officers and men did their duty, and their whole duty. It would be invidious to partienlarize individuals.
"The casualties amounted to 564 killed wounded and missing, as follows, killed 68, wounded 260, missing 236."
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CHAPTER XH.
Prom Monocacy, to Fall of Petersburg.
J. Charles Gill's account of events after the battle of Mon ocaey, covering the later engagements, is of great interest.
Ile has rendered most excellent aid in contributing records of the regiment, after the ranks had become so depleted that few are left to tell their experience.
"After the fight at Monocacy Junction July 9th, '64 the forces under Gen'l. Lew Wallace fell back to Baltimore, where they remained for a short time, then were sent by train back to Frederick, Md., at least the first brigade was. They remained in that vicinity for some time, until Gen'l Grant came up to look over things for himself. Genl. Sheridan came while Grant was there, then things began to move. The third division, Sixth Corps went by train to Harper's Ferry, the men wore debarked from the train on the Maryland side of the river, and marched
Line of Troops, Miles in Length, Resting after the Battle of Winchester, Va.
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. across the Pontoon bridge to the Virginia side, through the town of Harpers Ferry to some open ground where they went into camp. Stayed there for a time, marched from there to and through Charlestown, the bands playing, ".John Brown's body, lies mouldering in the grave," and the boys shouting it at the top of their voices. Moved out about a mile west of the town, made camp. While there a skirmish ocenred, it was nothing more. While Sunday morning inspection by company, was in progress, firing on the picket line was heard. The Picket was about half a mile from camp, it put an end to inspection mighty quick. The Ist Brigade was hustled into line and started on the jump for the firing line, The enemy was found, posted at the edge of a small clearing, which was bordered with dense under- growth a rail fence ran along the onter edge of the brush, behind which the rebs were lying mighty close to the ground. The Brigade formed in single line on the opposite side of the clearing behind another fence, about three hundred yards from the enemy. The woods where they were was that thick you couldn't see what force they had, and it is likely they couldn't tell what force we had, so both kept snipping at each other all day, there was no general engagement. When it became dark our men were withdrawn.
"Next morning a skirmish line of the 151st was advanced across the clearing but the Johnmies had flown. The affair at Leetown was purely a cavalry fight between Torbert and a force of rebel cavalry. Torbert drove the enemy back, and followed them up to a small place named Smithfield. Early sent a force of infantry to help his cavalry out, Torbert was getting worsted. The third division was sent to assist him, they pushed the enemy baek without much trouble and with small loss, leaving Torbert in posession of the ground he had been fighting for. The infantry was then withdrawn. So far as I know, there were no cansalties in the 151st.
"From that time on the general advance of the whole army for the Opeqnan, on the night of September 18th, 1864, was made next morning September 19th, while o nthe march the 151st was thrown out as flankers on the right of the marching column. Most of the way was through a wooded country, the men were strung out in single file, and did not rejoin the division, until it
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had passed through the gorge to the high ground and was in line. The whole regiment was at once put on the skirmish line quite a distance in advance of the line of battle, where they re- mained until the firing became pretty warm. When the line of them then formed in the rear. Co. B, had one man killed and one wounded on the skirmish line. The 3rd division, 5th corps was on the right, or nearly so, of our line. Early had reinforced his left with the intention of flanking on line, but the 6th corps was faced to the right and moved so as to check the flank movement of the enemy. This movement to the right nearly created a panic in our line to the left, they thinking the right had given away and was retreating. Order was soon restored, and the same of l roar of battle went on. We were holding the enemy in check when our cavalry charged their left flank and began to roll their line up. After the rout began, our infantry ceased firing. The country was so open that we had a splendid view of the whole affair. The cavalry was right among the enemy, we could see the men fairly standing up in their stirrups entting right and left with their sabers, now and then a horse with an empty saddle would break out of the melee and gallop widly over the fields. Col. Emerson had his horse shot under him during the fight that day, and next morning was riding a stray cavalry horse which one of the boys had picked up on the field. The route was complete, the enemy fled through Winchester in confusion, with the union cavalry at their heels. Our division did not pass through the city, but skirted it on the east side and struck the Valley Pike above the City. By that time it was getting dark, the infantry was halted and bivouaced for the night, but the cavalry kept on after the enemy who were fleeing for their lives up the valley. Next morning we followed after the cavalry, but saw nothing of the enemy until we found them intrenched on Fisher's Hill, a high ridge running across the vally south of Cedar Creek. The union line lay on the north bank of the creek, which was both high and steep, while the ground on the south side sloped quite gradually up to the erest of fishers Hill and had at one time been heavily tinbered, but had been slashed, no doubt, to give their guns a fair sweep as well as to create a formidable obsticle to a direct assault on the works crowning the ridge. The distance
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between the mion line and the rebel works was abont seven- hundred yards. The 3rd division lay to the west of the Valley Pike with the 2nd division to their right. The first brigade was on the left of the division line, a lower stone wall covered a part of the line, the remainder of the line was practically meovered. On the morning of September 22nd the Sixth Corps was formed in line of battle, and stood in line nearly all day without moving in full view of the enemy, it was a great conundrum to the men why they were not making a move of some sort, there was no fir- ing on our front. In our front a little to the right of where the 151st stood, was a rebel battery, we could see a large brass gun glisten above the works. We found out afterwards that it was a smoothbore Napoleon which does bad work at short range with grape or canister. Directly opposite the gim in our line was a section of a battery, sometime in the afternoon the sergeant in charge of the section took a shot at that brass gum, the first shot was a little too high but he had the line all right, the second shot struck the gun fair on the muzzle and threw it off the carriage. Then nearly opposite the left of the 151st Regt. was a six gun battery. When Crook made his attack on the rebel flank and rear and threw their whole line into confusion we got the order to charge on their frout, and the way the men led by their gallant officers went down the bank and across the creek was a caution. But after we struck the slashed timber on the face of the hill there was no line, it was a seramble, crawling under logs, and over them as best they could, every man for himself. By that time the enemy was leaving their works, which were strongly built, with batteries at intervals comected by strong breastworks for infantry.
The 151st went over the works between the brass gun, which was lying on the ground about ten feet from the carriage, and the six gun battery.
The Johnnies had intended to give us Hail Columbia, and would have done so had it not been for Crook's turning move- ment with the 19th Corps. The ammunition for the guns was laid loose by the gims, so it would be right handy, there was a shelf along the inside of the breastworks, and on it was placed at short intervals, boxes of rifle cartridges, English make. Each box holding one thousand rounds, the lids were off so the men
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could help themselves, the gunners were loading the guns in the battery when the 151st strnek the works but did not stay to finish their job. One of the guus had the charge ramned partway down and the rammer left sticking in the gun.
Some of the boys tried to turn the guns on the enemy, but not being up to the work they could not manage it. The rebs had limbered up one gun and tried to get it away, but one of the horses was shot so they had to abandon it right there. One of Co. B boys named Robinson, gave chase to a Johnney, who was making off, and called on him to " halt," but instead of doing so he turned on Robinson with his musket clubbed and showed fight, when Robinson raised his gun and shot him dead.
As soon as the men could be got into some shape we were started down the back of the hill through the bush in pursuit but. there was no more fighting that day by the infantry, the cavalry kept the rear guard of the enemy stirred up until it became too dark to follow any farther. The Sixth Corps was bivonaved in line, for the night.
Next morning the men were turned out in time to make coffee before daylight. As soon as it was light the advance began, with the guns captured the day before following in the rear of the marching colinnn ..
One of the guns had the same horses, and drivers that was captured with it. The 151st was thrown ont in strong skirmish- ing order on the left flank of the marching eohunn, with them was one light field gun, the country was open, and quite rolling. It kept the men on a trot to keep up with the gun, they would run it to the top of a ridge, unlimber, and send two or three shel s into the rear of the fleeing rebels who could be seen a mile or more ahead. As we topped one ridge, a small squad of the enemy's cavalry, evidently a reconnoitering party showed up o. the hill a half mile, or more to our left, the seargent in charge of the gun wheeled it around and took a pot shot at the party, and landed a shell right among them, which caused them to scatter mighty quick. Nearly all day long we kept on going that way, until night closed down when the colum was halted for rest, and refreshments! Next morning the enemy had disappeared and we (the infantry) saw no more of them as far as we went up the valley to Harrisonburg. The infantry lay at that place for
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some time, the cavalry scouring the country in all directions gathering in all the horses and cattle they could lay their hands on, and Gen. Sheridan was Imnting for millers among the men of the 151st and other regiments to grind out the wheat stored in the mills along the Shenandoah. There were three large stone mills filled with wheat at Edenburg, near what is called " Narrow Passage," the north and south forks of the Shenandoah river approach each other so closely that there is not much more than room for the valley pike to pass between them. General Sheri- dan had the wheat made into flour, which was issued to his men. It was while the army lay at Harrisonburg that Lient. Meggs, Sheridan's chief topographer was murdered inside our lines, and Sheridan retaliated by burning a number of buildings in the vicinity of where the murder was committed.
When the forces moved back down the valley, the men were allowed to take things very leisurely until Cedar Creek was reached, the Sixth Corps went into position on identically the same ground it occupied before the battle of "Fishers Hill," in- fact, the 151st was on exactly the same ground, of course our cavalry knew that Early was following ns down, but even they did not know that his whole force was following. We of the in- fantry felt quite safe, we could, occasionaly see a few men in the old rebel works on Fishers Hill, but no force to speak of. Every- thing was so quiet that General Sheridan left for Washington to consult Headquarters as to future movements, before going away he put Gen'l Wright of the Sixth Corps in command of all the forces, and Cen'l Ricketts of the Third Division took com- mand of the corps. Things kept so quiet that the Sixth Corps was drawn quietly out of the line and started for Washington, on its way to rejoin General Grant at Petersburg, but had not gone very far when General Wright recalled it. Things were be- gining to look suspicious in his front, the corps shipped baek into its old place in the line, after dark, on the night of October 18th, and was there when the storm broke on the morning of the 19th. The Sixth Corps was on the right of the line, and did not get the first brunt of the attack which was made on the extreme left where the 8th, and 19th corps were. When we of the Sixth were wakened by the roar of battle on the left, the men tumbled ont and into line. They had no time to roll their shelters but had
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