USA > New York > Disaster, struggle, triumph. The adventures of 1000 "boys in blue," from August, 1862, to June, 1865 > Part 11
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formed in line, and, with shotted guns and gleaming bayonets, charged down the slope into the bushes swarming with the triumphant foe. Soon, from thou- sands of muskets, poured death-volleys into either rank, which withered before that consuming fire. Yet, with their comrades falling thick around them, cold and still, or writhing in the death-agony, our men pressed on till they passed through the low woods and bushes to the open space beyond, where the enemy made his most desperate effort to repel our advance. At this critical moment our line wavered, when a voice that our boys had heard before was heard cheering on the enemy. It was BARKSDALE, the same whom they fought on Maryland Heights, who now, with oaths and imprecations, was urging on the rebels. A low cry, "Remember Harper's Ferry !" was heard in our ranks, and swelled into a shout from hundreds of voices. Remember Harper's Ferry ! rose above the roar of musketry and the clang of arms. The venom of that old taunt, "Harper's Ferry cowards !" which had so long burned in the veins of this noble Regiment, now excited them to fury. BARKSDALE fell with curses on his his lips, pierced by musket balls. With bayonets fixed, the 3d
Brigade rushed on, closing up their ranks thinned by shot and shell, and driving before them the late exultant enemy. Nothing could restrain them, nothing could resist them. Scores of their foes were killed or wounded ; many in craven fear fell on their faces and threw up their hands in token of
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surrender .* But when it was discovered that their own forces had retreated or surrendered, and that ours filled the valley, a battery was opened upon our front at fearfully short range, gashing the ranks with ghastly rents ; but such was the excitement caused by the cry that had electrified them, that it seemed as if they eagerly poured out their heart's blood to wash away that old stain upon their honor. Nor did they halt until ordered, and then in perfect alignment, carrying back with them through that valley of death some pieces of our artillery which had been taken by . the foe, and one brass gun taken by Captain SCOTT, with his command and a part of Company A. Colonel WILLARDt fell, part of his head being carried away by
* Some of them kept this position till they saw the backs of our men ; when they seized the muskets they had dropped and deliberately fired into our ranks. A few who were seen to do this were bayoneted on the spot ; but all the others were treated as prisoners of war.
+ Colonel GEORGE LAMB WILLARD was born August 15, 1827, in the city of New York, and early manifested an ardent desire for an appoint- ment as a cadet to the Military Academy at West Point, but his friends looked with disfavor upon his purpose, and he was sent to a relative in Ohio to become a practical business man.
Soon afterward the Mexican war broke out, and he enlisted in the 15th Ohio Volunteers, under Colonel GEO. MORGAN, and was appointed a Ser- geant in his Company. He was under General ScorT in the movement on the city of Mexico, and his Company was one of the first to scale the walls of Chepultepec Castle, and for his gallantry on that occasion he was, on recommendation of General ScorT, appointed a Brevet Second Lieutenant in the 8th United States Infantry, June 28, 1848; was promoted Second Lieutenant August 2, 1848; First Lieutenant December 31, 1853; Captain September 27, 1861 ; and Major of the 19th Infantry February 19, 1862.
He served with the 8th United States Infantry in the early part of the war, and through the Peninsular campaign of 1862, as its commanding officer a portion of the time, when, obtaining permission from the Secretary of War, he returned to Troy and was instrumental in raising a second *
* Colonel WILLARD had raised the 2d New York Volunteers, or Troy Regiment, and was appointed its Colonel, but was not permitted by the war department to retain the command of volunteers while an officer in the regular army.
126 NY VA
BACHELDER .
CHARGE OF THE 111th, 125th, AND 126th N. Y. VOLS. Gettysburg, July 2d, 1863.
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a cannon ball ; and Colonel SHERRILL took command of the Brigade, and the brave Lieutenant-Colonel BULL, of the Regiment .*
Nor is it too much to say that this charge of the 3d Brigade changed the fortune of the day on that part of the field, hurling back the columns which had forced themselves through our lines at that point, and, combined with other successes on our side, giving the 3d Corps opportunity to form on the ridge, where it should have been posted at the beginning. The enemy at night held possession of the advanced line assumed by SICKLES, which certainly was not worth the sacrifices that had been made by us to retain it; but the gaining of which was regarded by them as a
volunteer Regiment, the 125th New York Infantry, and was commissioned and mustered its Colonel, with rank from August 15, 1862.
Colonel WILLARD commanded the 3d Brigade 3d Division 2d Corps in the movement on Gettysburg, until killed by a piece of a shell while making a charge on the enemy in the afternoon of the 2d day of July, 1863. He was just emerging with his Brigade from some woods and bushes through which he had driven the enemy, when the fatal shell carried away a portion of his head and face. His body was taken from the field by his faithful attendant JOSHUA WISEMAN, an old soldier of the 8th Infantry, and forwarded to his late home in Troy. His funeral was attended by the appropriate military escort, the members of the Common Councils of Albany, Troy and Lansing- burgh, and by an immense concourse of citizens.
Colonel WILLARD was a brave and gallant officer and an estimable citi- zen, and he proved his devotion to his country by the sacrifice of his life to its service on the field of battle.
* In this gallant and almost desperate charge fell HENRY W. WILLSON, a son of JARED WILLSON, Esq., of Canandaigua. His sprightly conversa- tion, obliging manners, genial spirit and versatile talents, which he was ever ready to employ for the service or amusement of others, endeared him to his comrades ; and his unflinching bravery commended him to his supe- rior officers. Such a man could not but be feelingly missed, and sincerely mourned.
It is hoped that this slight tribute to the memory of a personal friend may be pardoned.
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signal triumph over us. Its saddest consequence to us, next to the terrible loss of some of our best and bravest, was that we were forced to leave our dead and wounded between our lines and those of the enemy .*
The Brigade held its position until dark, when it marched back to Cemetery Hill, a little to the right of its former position.
On the right of our curved line, near Culp's Hill, there was a fierce struggle in the evening between EWELL's Division and SLOCUM's Corps for the posses- sion of that elevation. For some time the contest was doubtful, both sides using their batteries with fearful effect, the cannoniers fighting, as Engineer HUNT says, when unable to use their guns, with handspikes, ram- mers, and even stones. But a Brigade of the 2d Corps coming up, decided that contest too in our favor, enabling us to keep our line intact at that point as well as at Round-top on our left. The only
* Respecting the enemy's losses in this conflict, SWINTON says: " A ter- rible price had been exacted for the success he had won. General BARKS- DALE, the impetuous leader of the boldest attack, was mortally hurt and lay within the Union lines, and many other confederate officers were killed and wounded." A Richmond Inquirer correspondent says (in an article of remarkable candor): "I have heard several officers say that they have never seen the enemy's dead cover the ground so thickly, not even at the first Fredericksburg fight, as they did on that portion of the field over which McLAWS' troops fought." (It will be remembered that BARKSDALE was in McLAWS' Division.) An officer, MORGAN, who witnessed, from Little Round-top, the long line of our men that went down with fixed bayonets and firm step into the woods and bushes of the ravine, and who heard the terrific roar of musketry while they were engaged there, and then saw the line, of only half its first length, but still firm and unflinching, that strug- gled up the other side, "stormed at by shot and shell," describes the spec- tacle as one of the most imposing of the day.
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part of the line assumed by HANCOCK and MEADE for our operations which the enemy wrenched from us on this bloody Thursday, was our extreme right, where Culp's Hill comes down to Rock creek; and had he gained this earlier in the day it might have been dis- astrous to us, for it might have enabled him to attack us "in reverse ;" an attack which, after our grievous losses, 20,000 in the two days' fight, we might have found it difficult, if not impossible, to repel. But night came opportunely to prevent the enemy from following up this success.
COLONEL JAMES M. BULL,
Of the 126th Regiment New York Volunteers, was one of the most loyal, brave and patriotic spirits that rushed to the defense of our flag in the hour of our country's peril. For the cause he sacrificed a cherished and lucrative profession, and gave himself to the work of raising men and means with indefatigable earnest- ness. Espousing the cause of his country with his whole heart, he advocated it with the eloquence of conviction, and maintained it during the war with undaunted courage. The line officers in his Regiment, as well as his superior officers, bear witness that he never flinched from duty, but that whenever called upon he was ready, at a moment's notice, for the most daring or desperate ser- vice. His enthusiasm communicated itself to his men, and often, when others hesitated, his Regiment rushed forward, and, by their very impetuosity, snatched victory where defeat had seemed inevitable.
James
JAMES MARSH BULL, COL. 126 N.Y. Vol. COMMANDING 3º BRIG. 3º DIV. 2º CORPS.
Engraved expressly for Bachelor's Füstur of vellyshig Hogy HP Hall Ji from a Photo by Addis
Published by Jno. B Bachelner. NEW YORK.
HAPTER PTE XJJJ.
N the evening of the 2d of July the Union officers held a council, and unanimously agreed that the line of battle they occupied was the best that could be chosen, especially considering the decimated condition of their forces; and that, to use an expres- sion afterward coined by GRANT, "they would fight it out on that line." Indeed, as we look at it now, it seems strange that LEE should have decided to attack that fortified hill; especially with our ill suc- cess in a similar case at Fredericksburg, to warn him against it. But LEE evidently over-estimated the advantage gained over us in driving back SICKLES' Corps; and, besides, he knew that behind our extreme right flank an entering wedge had been forced which he trusted would be driven home. But MEADE attended to that little matter, as we shall see.
At the risk of repetition we will let one or two of the men tell the story of the second day's fight in their own way. It will be found that they add some incidents.
EXTRACT FROM ADJUTANT BROWN'S ACCOUNT- SOMEWHAT CONDENSED.
"We are in the 2d Corps (General HANCOCK's), 3d Division (General HAYS'), 3d Brigade (Colonel WILLARD). July 1st, we marched through Taneytown and halted, at eleven P. M., within
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six miles of Gettysburg. At three A. M., July 2d, wearied and sore, we took up our line of march. It was rainy and had rained every day of our march. Many of the men were foot-sore. At eight A. M. we had reached the extreme front and halted near the Cemetery, but soon moved farther to the left. On our right lay the village; in front a little valley, bordered on the further side by woods. We were on a crest of ground. Rickett's Battery was on our right, at first, and other Batteries disposed around. Our position had, as it were, no flanks; front all round, and we could move to any point without marching three miles ; to do the same thing the enemy must march ten miles. We had here the advantages the rebels had heretofore possessed, the ground rece- ding from us on every side. In our front was a low stone wall, and an old rail fence, of which we hastily constructed breast- works. As we were on the crest, every form was clearly defined against the sky. Bear this in mind.
" The enemy began a lively cannonading, doing little damage, and we retained our position nearly all day. The battle was progressing around, but in our front was comparative quiet. The 3d Corps, under SICKLES, was on our left, and sustained a repulse. A Battery was captured by the rebels. The 3d Corps was driven back. The enemy advanced with triumphant yells. The 3d Corps wanted help, and the 3d Brigade was ordered to 'fall in.' This was half an hour before sun-down. The Brigade, under WILLARD, left-faced and marched a mile to the gap formed by the defeat of a portion of SICKLES' Corps. * * Then, upon the evening air, rang out the last word I ever heard Colonel WIL- LARD speak: 'Forward !' And here, one word as to the temper of the 126th. Once before they had done bravely, but had been maligned; and the most infernal lies told by those who should have had their honor in their keeping. A general order had been issued convicting them of 'cowardice,' of 'mis- behavior before the enemy,' the soldier's unpardonable sin. The Regiment panted to remove that stigma. Colonel SHERRILL said to me: 'I want to lead these boys once more !' And every one was determined that half, aye, that the whole Regiment should die on the field, but that their record should be clear; and those who so cruelly lied about them can have the satisfaction of knowing that their falsehoods drove the 126th to even more certain death
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than that which would have awaited them. Raising the battle- cry Harper's Ferry! they threw themselves upon the enemy as the floods sweep through a valley. The rebel line was broken in less time than it takes to write it. Backward, over the hill, fled the host that a moment before was victorious, pursuing ; and above all the roar could be heard the shout : 'Boys, remember Harper's Ferry !'
"Passing too far, our Brigade was suddenly opened upon by a rebel Battery, with grape and canister, at very short range. Now the carnage was fearful. Colonel WILLARD was instantly killed ; Colonel MCDOUGAL had two horses shot under him, and was wounded. Colonel SHERRILL assumed the command, and as the rebels were gone out of sight, withdrew the Brigade a few rods, to be out of range of that terrible Battery. We had beaten the rebels (at that point) and recaptured our Battery. Harper's Ferry was avenged, but at what a fearful loss. That night we slept on our arms."
[EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF LIEUTENANT R. A. BASSETT.]
" As soon as we arrived, eight A. M., the 39th were deployed as skirmishers, and the rest of our Brigade, consisting of the 125th, 111th and 126th, supported a couple of Batteries on the right of the line of battle. After a little, Companies B, H and K charged upon an old stone barn and cleared it of sharp-shooters, who had been picking off our gunners, when J. K. P. HUSON was killed and three of our Company wounded.
"Toward night the battle raged furiously ; the rebels got the best of us and captured one of our Batteries. Our Brigade was ordered down to retake it. We drew up in line of battle and charged across the ravine, which is covered with a thick growth of trees and bushes, and up the hill on the other side, and took the Battery, under a terrific fire of grape, canister, and shell, driving the rebels off at the point of the bayonet, a great deal of the time within one rod of them, our comrades falling thick and fast around us. Still on swept the gallant 3d Brigade. Yes, the gallant 3d Brigade, alias Harper's Ferry cowards. When we started on the charge, I occasionally glanced my eye toward the colors, and noticed that they were kept about a rod in front of the line of battle; but while we were crossing the ravine, I
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noticed they faltered, and finally fell ; directly they were raised again and went on. I then knew that my dear brother had fal- len. The boys were falling all around me and appealing to me for help, but I could only give them words of encouragement, and charge on. In looking over the field after the battle, I found my brother, dead; shot first through the thigh, and then through the heart.
"I have not time to give many particulars, neither do I feel inclined to say much at present; my heart is too full and sad to say anything ; and I do not know what to say to console the afflicted, for I am as sorely afflicted as any one.
"We expect to give the rebels another time to-morrow. There are ten killed and twenty wounded in Company B. Promotions are rapid now a days. If you come, you will find many of our boys in hospital, with Doctor PELTIER and Chaplain HARRISON."
[EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH OF MAJOR RICHARDSON AT A REUNION.]
* " And when at Gettysburg, on the 2d of July, we went to the rescue of the 3d Corps, and met the advancing rebels at the muzzles of their muskets and the points of their bayonets, and were checked for a moment in the death struggle,-the cry, ' Remember Harper's Ferry !' rang out along the line; and every living man, with fatal resolve, sprung forward with new effort, and the rebel ranks fell prostrate where they stood, killed, wounded or captured. Then it was that BARKSDALE bit the dust."
"All night," says Adjutant BROWN, "some of the officers and men were, by special permission, employed assisting the Surgeons in hunting for the dead and wounded .* 'Twas a dark, cloudy night, and the
* Nothing could be more dismal and appalling than searching over a battle-field in a dark night for a friend or comrade. To turn up one dead cold face after another to the glimmering light of a lantern, and see it marred with wounds and disfigured with blood and soil, the features, per- haps, convulsed by the death-agony, the eyes vacant and staring,-surely that friendship must be, indeed, stronger than death which would prompt to such an office, yet it was often undertaken, and even by women! Dis- mal, too, the sight of the dark battle-ground, with lanterns twinkling here and there, "like the wisp on the morass !"
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search was difficult. General BARKSDALE beggeď. Lieutenant WILSON, of Company A, to bring him off, but our own men must be seen to first. He was: brought off next morning, and lived but a short: time."* "The survivors of the 126th lay encamped all night in a belt of scattering timber, to the right of' their former position, supporting a Pennsylvania Bat- tery. Colonel SHERRILL was in command of our Bri- gade, and Lieutenant-Colonel BULL of our Regiment."+ On the morning of the 3d LEE found that if he had carried our advanced line, he had only brought him- self face to face with a far more formidable one on the ridge in the rear of it.
MEADE, knowing the importance of dislodging the. enemy, who had effected an entrance into our lines at: the right of Culp's Hill, massed some powerful guns; near that point in the night, and at four in the morn- ing saluted the foe with a terrific cannonading. Some detachments of the 2d and 1st Corps, who had rushed to the aid of the 3d the afternoon before, now returned and commenced a savage struggle for the ground the enemy had gained. For four hours the battle raged. fiercely here. A part of the 126th were deployed as: skirmishers, and charged on an old fence to rid it of .* sharp-shooters who were picking off the artillery men .. Until ten A. M. the battle surged round Culp's Hill, the rest of the lines remaining quiet, except some firing directed towards our left. At half past ten we had regained the lost ground, by enfilading their
* Others say, however, that BARKSDALE died the same night. + G. I. ROSE's diary.
12
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attacking lines, and all became quiet save the con- tinuous cracking of skirmishers' rifles in front .*
Early that morning Captain SCOTT had been detailed, with Captains SHIMER, + WHEELER and HERENDEEN, and their respective commands, as skirmishers, to skirmish with the enemy posted in front of Cemetery Hill. This is admitted by all to have been the severest service the Regiment was ever engaged in. Three of these Captains were killed, and Captain SCOTT, the survivor, received two bullets through his clothing. Lieutenant BROWN, of Company C, was severely wounded, and many of the rank and file were killed and wounded.
On the enemy's side, preparations were evidently
" As skirmishing is a most important feature in war, and as few unmilitary people have a correct idea of it, we will insert some descriptive notices of this peculiar mode of warfare. So important is it, that skirmish drill is part ·of the training in every well drilled organization. The men are trained to use every wile and manœuvre to conceal their own persons, while they watch every opportunity to pick off their antagonists. To run with a dodg- ing, irregular, zigzag motion, so as to foil the eye of a marksman; to crawl like a reptile among vines and bushes; to hide behind trees, or rocks and stones, or in rifle-pits ; to keep the eye stcathily but steadily fixed upon the foe; in short, to imitate in every possible manner the cunning of the savage or the beast of prey, these are the accomplishments of the skirmisher. No trick is thought disgraceful; no stratagem to throw the enemy off his guard is thought unmilitary, if only successful ; and, when he takes his murderous aim, the skirmisher is fully aware that, at the same moment, an unseen foe may be taking equally fatal aim at him.
In such deadly work were the skirmish parties of the two armies engaged on this forenoon, cheered on by their officers, who rode boldly among them in defiance of the sharp-shooters, General HAYS being specially conspicuous.
+ Captain SHIMER was killed while lying down in line, with the men of his Company to the right and left of him. As he raised his head an instant, it was struck by a sharp-shooter's bullet. Four soldiers near him rolled him upon their guns, and, waiting an opportunity when the enemy had just fired their pieces, they seized their guns, with the body resting on them, and hur- ried to the rear. He was buried the next morning on Cemetery Hill.
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making for some supreme effort. On our side reigned the stillness of expectancy. Suddenly, at twelve min- utes to one, two signal shots were fired. Instantly, from 130 rebel guns, came a storm of shot and shell heavy enough, as it seemed, to blast everything that had life on the opposing hillsides. Our gunners sprang to their pieces, and soon eighty guns sent back a murderous reply. Words are powerless to convey an idea of the tremendous uproar of more than 200 cannon, sending through the air every variety of missile, grape and cannister, shell and chain-shot, bolt and slug, with whirr and hiss, and screech or rumbling thunder, mingled with the shouted orders of the. Captains, and the sudden death cry of wounded artillery horses. Only a MILTON could find and put language together that would give even a faint idea of the "confusion worse confounded" of such a scene, which, Heaven grant, may not be wit- nessed again on this poor war-cursed planet.
" Immediate in a flame
All heaven appeared; but soon obscured with smoke
From those deep-throated engines belched, whose roar Emboweled with outrageous noise the air, Disgorging foul chained thunderbolts, and hail Of iron globes. * Infernal noise !
-
War seemed a civil game to this uproar;
Horrid confusion heap'd upon confusion rose;
Bolts amid the air encountered bolts Hurled to and fro in jaculation dire.
Now storming fury rose,
And clamor such as heard till now was never. * Dire was the noise of conflict :
Overhead the dismal hiss
Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew,
And flying, vaulted either host with fire."*
* Paradise Lost; book VI. We have taken some liberties with the blind bard.
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"During this outburst the troops crouched behind what slight cover they could find, thankful for the rude breast-works they had made in the morning ; but the musket was tightly grasped, for each man knew what was to follow; knew that this storm was but a prelude to a less noisy, but more deadly shock of infantry." PICKETT'S Division had come up in the morning, and was appointed to lead the grand attack upon our lines. Many of our batteries lost very heavily, especially the Keystone; and volunteers were called from the 126th to help work the guns. Several of this Regiment were also killed. "In the emergency a dispatch was sent to General MEADE that they could hold out no longer. General MEADE mounted his horse, dashing through the dreadful storm of iron missiles. On coming up to the batteries he cried out : ' Men, you must hold these Batteries! Stand by your guns, though every man should perish at his post !' He remained among them awhile, riding from Battery to Battery, until the crisis had passed, and they were relieved. General MEADE's head-quarters were in a small house, sixteen by twenty feet, situated on the Taneytown road; which during this cannonading was once under one of the most murderous fires. Every size and form of shell of English and American manu- facture, shrieked, moaned, and whistled, as many as six in a second, and burst near the head-quarters. Horses reared and plunged in terror. One fell, and then another, until sixteen lay dead and mangled ; and many with their heads only dangling in the halters where they were hitched. Soldiers, at this
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