USA > New York > Disaster, struggle, triumph. The adventures of 1000 "boys in blue," from August, 1862, to June, 1865 > Part 12
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point, were torn to pieces in the road, as they were passing, and died with that peculiar yell that blends the extorted cry of pain with horror and despair."*
We shrink from such details; and yet it is well to know what this war was ; a war between civilized and enlightened men on both sides; equally familiar with the "devilish enginery" of modern warfare. To such enginery was opposed, here, and at Fredericksburg, and at Petersburg, and in the Wilderness, and on countless other fields, not ramparts of iron and stone, but the flesh and bones of the very flower of our country's young manhood. By every drop of their sacred blood ; by every tear wrung from the heart of mother and sister ; by every gray head brought to the grave in sorrow, and every desolated home, let us pray that such a strife may never be witnessed again !
This grand "artillery duel" was kept up for an hour and a half, their fire being directed principally at the left center of our line. MEADE, becoming fully satisfied that the object of LEE was to demoralize our soldiers by the severe fire as well as to drive them back from their line, and perhaps silence the artil- lery, after which they could charge effectually upon us, thought proper to hasten their assault, and save our ammunition, by practicing a slight ruse. He ordered our artillery to slacken, and then cease firing, thus causing the enemy to believe that he had silenced our guns. The ruse was successful, and the grand
* The above extract is from an anonymous lecture on the battles at Get- tysburg. We do not vouch for its entire accuracy ; but it is spirited, and probably correct in the main.
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assault began. Seminary Hill, which had seemed as vacant of troops as that mountain side which Roderick Dhu's whistle peopled so mysteriously with his armed followers, suddenly became alive with serried files of soldiers. Never was "battle's magnificently stern array" more imposingly displayed than in the grand charge of the third day at Gettysburg. A mile and a half in front, three lines deep, with bayonets set, and firm step cadenced to the music, in full view of our expectant army, they swept down the slope into the valley.
"'Twere worth ten years of peaceful life, One glance at their array."
PICKETT'S veteran Corps of Virginians, freshly arrived on the field, led the van; PETTIGREW's Caro- lina troops followed, with other Divisions to the num- ber of at least 18,000 men. Even those upon whom they were advancing with deadly intent, could not withhold their admiration. One of our officers writes : "Their lines advanced steadily, as at a dress parade. Beautiful, gloriously beautiful, did that vast array appear in that lovely little valley."* Our infantry had been charged not to waste a shot, but to reserve their fire until they could make it "tell" on the foe. But our artillery, double shotted, was less reticent. With murderous aim it "tore great holes" in their ranks, which "closed right up," and moved unflinch- ingly on. HANCOCK, who, on that day, had the gene- ral command of the 1st, 2d and 3d Corps, says : "It looked, at first, as if they were going to attack the
* BASSETT.
BACHELDER.DEL
REBEL CHARGE ON CEMETERY HILL. Gettysburg, July 3d, 1863. THIRD BRIGADE, 3D DIV., 2D CORPS. Col. Sherrill mortally wounded.
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center of my line, but after a little they inclined somewhat to the left, as if their object was to march through my command and sieze Cemetery Hill, which, no doubt, was their intention. They attacked with wonderful spirit ; nothing could have been more spirited. The shock of the attack fell upon the 2d and 3d Divisions of the 2d Corps, assisted by a small Brigade of Vermont troops, together with the artillery of our line ; these were the troops that really met the assault. No doubt there were other troops that fired a little; but these were the troops that really with- stood the shock of the assault and repulsed it. The attack of the enemy was met by about six Brigades of our troops, and was finally repulsed after a terrific contest at very close quarters, in which our troops took about thirty or forty colors, and some four or five thousand prisoners, with great loss to the enemy in killed and wounded. The repulse was a most signal one, and decided the battle."*
At the risk of repetition, we will quote again from letters written at the time. Captain BASSETT says : "Friday, the 3d, the ball opened at daylight, with tremendous crashing. Our Regiment were deployed as skirmishers ; charged on an old barn and rid it of sharp-shooters; we skirmished all the forenoon. and lost three Captains ; and many men killed in Com- pany B.
We were then drawn up again to support a Battery on our right, when such an artillery duel as was scarcely ever known took place, lasting about two
* HANCOCK's testimony.
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hours. Our batteries finally almost entirely ceased firing, which led the rebels to believe they had silenced them. Directly two lines of battle came out of the woods and advanced on a charge. This was the grandest sight I ever saw. They reached about a mile across the plain ; but they were mistaken about our Batteries being silenced ; for they opened upon them with grape and cannister, and gave them a lesson they will long remember. When they were within musket range, our infantry charged to meet them, and gave them too warm a reception, for the first line nearly all threw down their arms and gave themselves up as prisoners. * We ( ¿. e., our Regiment) also captured seven stands of colors, among which was one battle-flag, belonging to a North Carolina Regiment, with the names of twelve battles on it ; among which were Harper's Ferry, September, 1862, and Maryland Heights .* When the boys saw this there was some cheering, you may
guess. General HAYS took it by the staff and trailed it behind his horse, and rode along the front of our Brigade, the boys vociferously cheering. This closed up Friday's fighting." "The Regiment did not learn, until the fight was nearly over, that the brave and gallant Colonel, then in command of the Brigade, had fallen, mortally wounded, during the hottest of the
* This is a mistake. We copy, from Adjutant BROWN, a correct state- ment : " Captain MORRIS BROWN, JR., of the 126th, captured, with his own hands, a stand of colors, upon which were the following inscriptions : Sheppardstown, Malvern Hill, Manassas Junction, Sharpsburg, HARPER's FERRY, Manassas, Cedar Run, Mechanicsville, Hanover, Ox Hill, Cold Har- bor, Frazer's farm. It was taken, I believe, from the 14th North Carolina. Our Regiment alone captured five stands of colors."
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fight."* This was Colonel SHERRILL : "than whom," says Colonel BULL, who succeeded to the command of the Brigade after Colonel MCDOUGAL of the 111th New York was wounded, "a braver man and more faithful soldier never existed."+
Captain (now Major) RICHARDSON, one of the most cautious of narrators, writes : "On the 3d, the enemy made the most desperate effort of the war ; and there was undoubtedly the heaviest cannonading ever known on this continent; perhaps, in the world. The enemy advanced on our center, where our Brigade lay in three lines, when we opened on them with grape and cannister, reserving our infantry fire until they came within twenty rods, when we poured our volleys from rifled muskets so hotly that, although most desperately rallied by their officers, they came no nearer than twenty rods without breaking. They finally fell back in a rout, leaving the ground so thickly strewn with their dead that one could walk for rods on their dead bodies.
"On the 4th we had skirmishing, and lost severely from their sharp-shooters. Colonel SHERRILL, com- manding the Brigade, fell, mortally wounded, on the 3d, and died next morning. Colonel MCDOUGAL, of the 111th New York, next in command, was wounded, and the command of the Brigade fell on Lieutenant-
* ANDREWS' diary.
+ We have before us a paper giving an account of the funeral honors paid to Colonel SHERRILL in Geneva, to which place his body was brought for interment. Did our limits permit, we would gladly enrich our book with it; for he, to whom these honors were paid, richly deserved them. See Appendix.
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Colonel BULL, Captain COLEMAN commanding the Regiment. (Major PHILLIPS was at Washington dan- gerously ill.) Our Regiment lost sixty killed and 200 wounded, but they drove the enemy every time, took twice their number of prisoners, and killed and wounded at least their own number. The Regi- ment took a stand of colors, with seven battles inscribed on it, among them 'HARPER'S FERRY.' It also took several battle-flags.
"Our victory was complete. The enemy have fallen back. All of us are in good spirits. This battle is the greatest of the war, and, I think, the last great battle, if we are prospered a few days longer."
If there is some repetition in the above extracts, the reader must excuse it. The battle of Gettysburg was worth a good many descriptions .*
* Medals of honor were subsequently presented to Sergeant GEO. H. DORE, Company B, 126th Regiment New York Volunteers, and Private JERRY WALL, Company B, 126th New York Volunteers, who captured colors in the battle of Gettysburg.
HAPTER XJY 1
HE Sanitary Commission ! Like the bow in the cloud after the storm, this blessed commission hovered on the retreating clouds of war, bringing relief and hope to thousands of sufferers. It was its office to receive, at the various stations, the vast car loads of supplies sent by sympathizing friends all over the country to the wounded and sick, and to dis- tribute them to the camps where they were needed. We stayers at home knew that every city, village and hamlet poured out from its abundance (or its poverty) with unstinting hand whatever was known to be needed by the sufferers ; but none except those who at the great depots received the vast supplies, had any idea of the magnitude of the work of the Sanitary Commission. Those who wish a detailed account of its proceedings after the Gettysburg battle, should read a letter from a Secretary of the commission, J. H. DOUGLAS, to F. LAW OLMSTED, its general secretary, dated August, 1863, and now published in the Rebel- lion Record. . He states that the largest store in the village of Gettysburg was used as a place of deposit. This became the center of the busiest scene he ever witnessed in connection with the commission. Car load after car load were emptied here ; "till the store
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was filled, the sidewalk monopolized, and the street encroached on. These supplies were the outpour- ings of a grateful people. This abundant overflow of the generous remembrance of those at home to those in the army, was distributed in the same generous manner as it was contributed. Each morning the sup- ply wagons of the Division and Corps hospitals were before the door, and each day they went away laden with such articles as were desired to meet their wants. If the articles needed one day were not in our posses- sion at the time, they were immediately telegraphed for, and by the next train of cars thereafter, they were ready to be delivered. Thus, tons of ice, mutton, poultry, fish, vegetables, soft bread, butter, and a variety of other articles of substantial and delicate food were provided for the wounded, with thousands of suits of clothing of all kinds, and hospital furniture in quantity to meet the emergency. It was a grand sight to see the tender care of the people for the people's braves. It was a bit of home feeling ; home bounty brought to the tent, and put into the hand of the wounded soldier. I feel grateful that I was per- mitted to participate in such a work."
" With the transfer of our material to town (Gettys- burg), the irregular organization was changed to a permanent working basis. Doctor W. FITCH CHENEY, who arrived on the 10th, was placed in charge of the camp. He brought with him, from Canandaigua, seven assistants, Messrs. LATZ, COOLEY, MCGUINNESS, CHESEBRO, BLAKELY, SHERWIN and FRESHOUR. * -X Cooks had arrived, a large shed for a kitchen was
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built, and full preparations made for feeding any number. * * * A store tent was placed near the hospital tent, and given into the charge of two New York ladies, whose long experience made them familiar with all the requirements of this camp. * During the ten days subsequent to our establishment here, over 5,000 soldiers, Union and rebel, received food here. * This lodge was continued until all the wounded capable of being removed were transferred from the Corps hospital to the general hospitals of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Harrisburg and York."
The labors of the commission were those of inquiry and relief. The labor of inquiry required constant visitation of the hospitals, and consultation with the medical officers as to the kind and amount of relief needed ; and that of relief consisted in issuing from the store-house supplies in bulk to the hospitals, and. also in removing all patients capable of removal. Twenty-four camps of the wounded, spread over an area of eight miles, and containing 5,452 persons, were of the confederates. These, from a lack of Surgeons among them, had to be cared for, in a measure, by our Surgeons and nurses. Mr. D. adds : "The labor, the anxiety, the responsibility imposed upon the Sur- geons after the battle of Gettysburg, were, from the position of affairs, greater than after any other battle of the war. The devotion, the solicitude, the untiring attention to the wounded on their part, were so marked as to be apparent to all who visited the hos- pitals. It must be remembered that these same offi-
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cers had endured the privations and fatigues of the long forced marches with the rest of the army ; that they had shared its dangers, for one medical officer from each Regiment follows it into battle and is liable to the accidents of war; that its field hospitals are often, from the changes in the line of battle, brought under the fire of the enemy ; and that, while in this situation, the Surgeons are called upon to exercise the calmest judgment, to perform the most critical and serious operations, and this quickly and continuously. The battle ceasing, their labors continue. While other officers are sleeping, renewing their strength for fur- ther efforts, the medical staff are still toiling. They have to improvise hospitals from the rudest materials, are obliged to 'make bricks without straw,' to sur- mount seeming impossibilities. The work is unending both by day and night, the strain upon the mental and physical faculties unceasing. Thus, after this bat- tle, operators had to be held up while performing the operations, and fainted from exhaustion when they were finished.
" While his duties are as arduous, his exposure as great, and the mortality from disease and injury as large as among other staff officers of similar rank, the Surgeon has no prospect of promotion, of a brevet, or an honorable mention to stimulate him. His duties are performed quietly, unostentatiously. He does his duty for his country's sake ; for the sake of humanity. The consciousness of having nobly performed this great duty is well nigh his only, as it must ever be his
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highest, reward. The medical corps of the army is well deserving this slight tribute."
We insert this tribute with the more pleasure, that none better deserved it than the Surgeons of the 126th New York.
"The 2d Corps hospital was on the banks of Rock creek (partially), in tents. It contained about 4,500 wounded, of whom 1,000 were rebels." But this was a secondary arrangement, as will be seen by a private letter of Doctor PELTIER, written at the time: "After our first day's fight I worked in the hospital till three in the morning; slept an hour on the ground, among the wounded ; was awakened by an awful cannonading, the shells flying all around us. This frightened the wounded, and was not very agreeable to us who were not wounded. It lasted about an hour, and in the afternoon we made preparations to move our wounded to a less exposed situation, about two miles down in the woods. We had hardly com- menced when another shower of shells came over into our midst. Our hospital was struck, but no one was hurt, though the shells filled the air over our heads. The oldest soldiers said they never saw such terrific cannonading. It was during this that our Division made their gallant charge," &c. From another letter from the same: "I was with the Regiment when the first battle opened, but was ordered back to duty as operating Surgeon. Had to pass through a hail-storm of shells, to get to the hospital ; were soon shelled out of that, and have now been in the woods forty- eight hours, with the wounded."
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Chaplain HARRISON, of the 126th, who, like other Chaplains, was much employed in hospitals, and in caring for wounded on the fields, writes: "July 4th. Two hundred and forty-six of our Regiment are killed or wounded. The battle-field is covered with the slain. The hospitals overflow with wounded. Scores are cry- ing for help. All over the field ghastly corpses stare at: you." "July 6. Ordered to follow the Regiment. The sick and wounded to be removed." This was made necessary by the tremendous rains of the 5th and 6th July. The tents were overflowed and every- thing movable carried away by the water. The severely wounded were in actual danger of drowning, and had to be dragged out; others walked, crawled or " wriggled " out, as they best could. The Sanitary Commission was most serviceable at this time.
In the details of battles, it is mournful to read of numbers killed and wounded, and our sympathy is apt to be confined to such sufferers. But in this con- test of ours a new feature was added to the horrors of "grim-visaged war." Incredible as it seems, there is yet no doubt that the spite felt toward northerners by their southern enemies was wreaked upon the prisoners that fell into their hands. And there is also overwhelming evidence that cruelty to our prison- ers was part of a system which was to render our sol- diers unserviceable in case they should, by exchange, be placed in position where they might be called on to fight the rebels again. We do not wish to dwell on this painful subject; but our attention is called to it by a letter written by a poor fellow who was one
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of the victims ; taken prisoner at Gettysburg. As a specimen of the uncomplaining spirit with which the enlisted men bore their hardships, we will insert it. here.
ANNAPOLIS, MD., August 31st, 1863 ..
Lieutenant R. A. BASSETT,
DEAR SIR: I embrace this opportunity to write to you, being the very first one I have had, for I have been lying on Belle Island and Libby Prison hospital since the 21st of July, most of the time on Belle Island. After you gave me a pass on the field at Gettysburg, on the 2d of July, to go to the rear, I went a little to the rear of the line, and was not able to go any farther than the well, about half way to the road, and lay there until just in the edge of the evening, and, feeling some better, I thought I could get to the hospital, but our right was driven back just at that time, and just as I got to the road our artillery were chang- ing position, and I, not being able to get out of the way, got struck with the end of the pole, and they picked me up and put me in the Battery ambulance with one of the wounded men of the Battery, and they took us to a stone house in rear of where the Batteries were planted on the new line, across a small brook. Shortly our men regained their old position on the right, and the Batteries were moved again to the front. We were well cared. for by the people of the house, and the doctor dressed the Bat- tery man's leg and my back, and said we must make ourselves as; comfortable as possible. After dark our cavalry pickets were- posted at the house, and at midnight they got orders to report, to their Company at daylight, so they ordered an early breakfast .. When it was ready, they woke me up to eat with them. As soon as one of them had done breakfast, he went out on the stoop, and came hurrying in and spoke to the other one. Says he, the rebel cavalry are upon us, we will go and give them a brush, and off they went, but soon came back and told me to make for our trains as fast as possible, so we started through the woods for the train. About the time we got in the center of the woods, nine rebel cavalry came dashing down on them, and they, seeing they stood no chance, put spurs to their horses and away they
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went, firing their carbines as they went, killing one and wounding two of the rebels, but the two cavalry of ours got off all right. They went to the house, but the artilleryman was so bad they could not get him on the horses, so they left him. This was just at daylight. They took me to their reserve picket post, and kept me there until about ten o'clock, then moved us to the rear of Gettysburg. Early Friday morning we started for the Potomac, and went three days without anything to eat, and when we did we only got half a pint of flour and a little piece of fresh meat. After we got to Williamsport I found JOHN BULLIS, of Company H, and CADY, of Company K. After we got to Belle Island, a few more from the Regiment. There was old STROUP, of Company E, and SMITH, of Company H, MADISON, of Company E, and an ambulance driver by the name of NUTT. Most of them are still starving on Belle Island. Three of us came away on the hospital boat, and thank our lucky stars that we got here alive. When with the Regiment I weighed 160 pounds, now I weigh 1234. I saw harder times at Richmond than I have time to relate. The suffering of prisoners is horrible to think of, much more to par- take of. I will give you a full account of our usage as soon as I hear from you.
Yours truly. R. B. SUTTON, Co. B, 126th N. Y. S. Vols.
E. T. MATTHEWSON, a private in Company D, was a victim of the rebel cruelty of which we have spoken. He was a fine young soldier, eighteen years old, and after passing through several battles, was taken by MOSBY, imprisoned at Belle Isle and Libby, and died in hospital January 27, '64.
HAPTER XV.
IN the third day's fight at Gettysburg, LEE massed his columns (as we have seen) against our left center on Cemetery Hill, consisting principally of the 2d Corps, by which, mainly, he was repulsed. The other Corps of the army were held in reserve in their positions along the ridge ; and it was undoubt- edly MEADE's intention that the repulse of the enemy's grand charge should be followed by an assault of our whole reserve line. General MEADE says : "As soon as their assault was repulsed, I went immediately to the extreme left of my line, with the determination of advancing the left, and making an assault upon the
enemy's lines. * * I gave the necessary orders for all preparations to be made for the assault." It seems to us now, as it seemed to many in the army then, that such an assault by our men, flushed with success, upon theirs, foiled in their supreme effort, must have resulted in the more complete overthrow of LEE'S army, and the capture of immense numbers of it. But the truth is, that some of the most spirited fighters among the Corps commanders were killed or wounded, and the carnage, during the three days, had been fearful among all ranks. SYKES, who seems to have received General MEADE's orders, was very slow in
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transmitting them and getting the men in line, and darkness came on before anything important had been done. And, after all, the three days' work had been glorious : they had an assured success ; should they now attack and fail, the loss would be of all they had gained. This was a grave risk.
On the night of the 3d, LEE began his retreat, actively but silently. It was continued on the 4th, his movements being masked by keeping up constant skirmishing in his front and sharpshooting all day. Besides their rifle-pits, a stone barn, with long, narrow windows, afforded them a safe covert, whence they could pick off our officers and men with unmerciful precision. General HAYS ordered the barn to be taken. Colonel BULL, as Brigade commander, called on the Regiment to do it; but no response came imme- diately ; the risk was too deadly. Lieutenant GEDDIS started up and volunteered, asking Company D, of the 126th, to follow him. They did so, as did men
from most of the other Companies. A high post-and- rail fence ran along the Emmittsburg road, which must be crossed. Five of these volunteers were shot while getting over the fence. Nothing daunted, the little Spartan band advanced, keeping along the side of a rail fence which ran toward the barn. But such a deadly and continuous fire met them from the barn and rifle-pits as forced them to abandon the attempt; and now the object was to secure the wounded and get back as best they could. Keeping in a furrow turned out by a plow, near the rail fence, and taking advantage of any kind of cover they could find, the
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