USA > New York > Disaster, struggle, triumph. The adventures of 1000 "boys in blue," from August, 1862, to June, 1865 > Part 16
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* Of the death of this General, COPPEE says: "There was a temporary break in our line. Into this, with characteristic impetuosity, rushed Brigadier-General ALEXANDER HAYS, with the 2d Brigade of BIRNEY's Division, to repair it. He was shot dead while gallantly leading his com- mand into the thickest of the fight. * * To ardent patriotism General HAYS added the noble ambition of an educated and experienced soldier. Frank, brave, quick and energetic, he was the model of a commander. His men loved him, and followed him because he not only commanded but led them; and although not in the highest position, we sustained no greater loss on that day than that of the noble HAYS."
t As a specimen of the terrible experience of " the Wilderness," we give one soldier's narrative of what happened to him there. It was taken from his own lips, and is confirmed by other witnesses. The soldier's name is JAMES P. FULTON, Company F, 126th Regiment New York Volunteers. A bullet entered his knee, and splitting the thigh bone came out at the hip. He, with about 300 others, after lying twenty-four hours in the woods, were carried about a mile from the burning forest and laid down. While lying there a tall rebel, seemingly a Texan, came up to FULTON and demanded his money. FULTON told him he must help himself to what little he had, as he was wounded too badly to aid him (or resist him). He then demanded his watch. FULTON told him he had none; but the fellow chose to search him, and in doing so came across his diary. FULTON begged hard for this, urging that it could be of no possible use to his captor, but the latter coolly took it, saying he guessed he would like to read it. (It is a curious fact, that the rebels always stole diaries and photographs if they could get a chance.) FULTON had on a new, warm jacket, just sent from home. The rebel said he must have that. FULTON said, "No! not while I have life will you get that." "That is pretty talk," said the Texan ; "do you know you are my prisoner ?" " Yes," said FULTON, "I know I am, but I am a prisoner of war and have a right to honorable treatment." Just then
246
THE ADVENTURES OF
especially in officers ; LONGSTREET, among others, dreadfully wounded, through mistake, by his own men, and so lost to the service for many months. Saturday morning found both armies entrenched, but neither seemingly disposed to attack the other. Both commanders seem to have had the same design, to proceed to Spottsylvania Court-house. GRANT, in pur- suance of his purpose to cut off LEE from his Capital, LEE, seeming to penetrate GRANT's design, and deter- mined to thwart it. The two armies moved on parallel roads, but some of LEE's forces reached the point a few minutes in advance of ours, and immediately com- menced fortifying themselves. On the march, which continued through Saturday afternoon and Sunday, there were several encounters between the different
Divisions of the armies. "LEE, turning aside and delivering sharp blows, which were returned with inte- rest." The weather was intensely hot, which increased the fatigue of our men ; yet at Alsop's farm, parts of the 5th and 6th Corps drove the rebels and captured 1,500 men. A Brigade of Hancock's Corps also gained a splendid advantage at Corbyn's Bridge ; and BURN- SIDE on the 9th, drove a Division across the Ny. On FULTON saw a knot of rebel officers, and said to the Texan, "Do you see those men ?" The Texan looked over his shoulder, and started off on the double-quick. When the officers approached, FULTON asked them if they allowed their men to rob wounded prisoners. They said they did not, but it would happen sometimes.
FULTON and his companions were removed three miles farther, and laid upon the ground, shelterless, and so lay six long weeks ! exposed to the sun by day and the chills of night, visited by Surgeons occasionally, and sup- plied sometimes with drink and coarse food. Can we wonder that most of the 300 died ? FULTON said, "It was pretty rough; but I thought I wouldn't die and I didn't!" But he is crippled for life.
247
ONE THOUSAND BOYS IN BLUE.
Tuesday, the 10th, the enemy was entrenched at Spott- sylvania ; our line was complete; a dense forest cov- ered our front ; batteries protected us on the right and left. Several assaults were made upon the enemy's position, but it was found too strong to be forced. But in the afternoon, the gallant Colonels UPTON and RUSSELL, made a successful charge, and took 1,000 prisoners. The situation may be understood by GRANT'S despatch to the Secretary of War, dated May 11th, 1864. It reads thus :
" We have now ended the sixth day of very heavy fighting. The result, to this time, is much in our favor. Our losses have been heavy. * And I think those of the enemy must be greater. We have taken over 5,000 prisoners by battle, while he has taken from us few, except stragglers.
"I PROPOSE TO FIGHT IT OUT ON THIS LINE, IF IT TAKES ALL SUMMER."
The last sentence has too much the ring of true metal to be lost, and has passed into a proverb.
The morning of Thursday, the 12th, was veiled in fog. The 2d Corps was formed in two lines, having BARLOW'S Division (in which was the 126th Regiment) in the center, ployed by Battalions, in double columns, at half distance. The daring project of this Corps was to storm a salient angle of earthworks, held by JOHNSON'S Division of EWELL's Corps. In silence the lines were formed ; in silence they passed through the dense forest, until, with a storm of cheers, they reached and scaled the enemy's works, and captured EDWARD JOHNSON'S entire Division, with its com- mander; two Brigades of other troops, with Brigadier- General STEWART; and thirty guns. The gallant
248
THE ADVENTURES OF
Adjutant LINCOLN, of the 126th, shall tell the story. He was one of the first to get inside their works, and, with some of his men, wheel around a gun shotted and aimed at us, and send its iron messengers full into the ranks of its former owners. His penciled letter is dated, on the battle-field, May 13th, 1864 :
" We have been fighting six days, and are nearly all worn out, but we have the satisfaction of knowing that the rebels are as badly off as we. They had over thirty guns in position behind formidable works. The 6th Corps charged them a day or two since unsuccessfully. Night before last (the 11th) we were taken from our position and marched all night, and formed in line just at daylight. Now the old 2d Corps were to try their mettle again. Just as day was breaking, we moved on their works, formed in double column, at half distance. So surprised were they that some of their artillery men were killed in their works. Some were cooking, and some were asleep. We scaled their works, under a pretty heavy fire, captured over thirty guns, four Generals, and about 7,000 prisoners .* Within three minutes from the time we got into their works we had their guns turned against them. From this time until dark last night we fought terrifically, without five minutes cessation. Our loss has been very heavy, but theirs greater. We now have in our Regiment eight officers and seventy-two men fit for duty (this does not include the provost guard) ; but we are in the best of spirits, and ready to attack them again. Keep praying for our success, and
* Writing on the battle-field, in the first flush of triumph, an over-state- ment of our success was natural. Four thousand prisoners and two officers were captured. These officers were EDWARD JOHNSON and Brigadier-Gene- ral GEO. H. STEWART. "When HANCOCK heard that these Generals were taken, he directed that they should be brought to him. Offering his hand to JOHNSON, that officer was so affected as to shed tears, declaring he would have preferred death to captivity. HANCOCK then extended his hand to STEWART whom he had known before, saying : 'How are you STEWART ?' But the rebel, with great haughtiness, replied : 'I am General STEWART, of the confederate army, and, under present circumstances, I decline to take your hand.' 'And, under any other circumstances, General, I should not have offered it.'" [GRANT and his Campaigns, p. 313, by COPPEE.]
S
N
Wid Sea
Tally's Mille
Witt
·Chewning
Fought May 8th - 2.1 st 1864.
Glady Run
Grapes
-
Intrenched Lines.
Jones
WARREN
Le
Dr. Hicks'i.
=
Perry
Dr. Dirt
Scott
B.'S Shop
Mc Coot
Cruchfield
E
SPOTTSYLVANIA S
Xandrum
C.H. X
*
Dabney
Crismani:
W.
R: GH
EN
16
4TH
Bevert
Ny River
Harris
Clark
13 :
·|Jett
1
1
Anderson
1
To Fredericksburg +
1
1
-
- Confederate
Old C.H.
Perry Spindle
=
1
Wrigg
Harrison
. Mc. Kinney
ANCOCK
Brown
LONGSTREET,
Strong
Quisenbur
18 TN
Gayle 2 .
1
PLAN OF THE BATTLE AND LINES SPOTTSYLVANIA COURTHOUSE
1
Scale of Miles.
ANCOCK
249
ONE THOUSAND BOYS IN BLUE.
we will keep fighting for it. With a very few slight checks, we have whipped them every time. It would have done your heart good to have heard us yell and hurrah. To-day BURNSIDE makes an attack on them. Borrow no trouble about me, for I am stand- ing it as well as the best. We are engaged this morning in get- ting our Division together, and preparing for another blow. Six or eight stands of colors were taken yesterday. EWELL's, their crack Corps, was opposed to us.
" Your brother, "S. F. LINCOLN."*
HANCOCK was naturally in great spirits. His pen- ciled dispatch was: "I have finished up JOHNSON, and am now going into EARLY." He stormed and took the second line of rifle-pits ; but the enemy, who had been surprised in the morning, made such despe- rate resistance, that other Divisions of the army were called up to HANCOCK'S assistance, and the battle became general. The charges of our men were despe- rate, and seemingly irresistible ; but the enemy's position was impregnable. Fourteen hours the carnage raged, and the losses on each side must have been at least 10,000. General MEADE's commendatory order to his troops, dated May 13th, shows what work had been achieved. We give extracts : "Soldiers ! The moment has arrived when your commanding General feels authorized to address you in terms of congratula- tion. For eight days and nights, almost without
* We should have mentioned, in its place, that Captain WINFIELD SCOTT, whose wound, received at Maryland Heights, had never healed, commanded the 126th Regiment, together with the 125th (which had been commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel MYERS until his death), throughout the battles of the Wilderness, Po River, Todd's Tavern, and Spottsylvania Court-house, where he was hit over the breast by a ball. He owed his life to having on two blouses and a testament in his side pocket, which broke the force of the ball.
250
THE ADVENTURES OF
intermission, in rain and sunshine, you have been gallantly fighting a desperate foe, in positions natu- rally strong, and rendered doubly so by intrenchments. You have compelled him to abandon his fortifications on the Rapidan ; to retire, and attempt to stop your onward progress ; and now he has abandoned the last position so tenaciously held, suffering a loss of eigh- teen guns, twenty-two colors and eight thousand prisoners, including two general officers.
We shall soon receive reinforcements, which he can- not expect," &c., &c. (It is refreshing to read these brave and hopeful utterances of our suffering soldiers in the field, in contrast with the whining and fault- finding articles of the leaders in the army of critics at home.)
As a historian remarks: "Our army was now out of the woods," literally as well as metaphorically. GRANT and LEE had measured strength, and seem to have understood each other. LEE found in GRANT no rash, spasmodic leader, risking all on the results of a battle, and retiring after ill success, to try other plans ; but a persistent, determined foe, whom no amount of resistance would compel to abandon his fixed purpose. The Army of the Potomac was now to follow LEE. To fight him wherever found; to flank him if pos- sible ; to beat him in pitched battle if possible ; but in any event to make him and his army the "objective point." In short, "continuous hammering" as GRANT called it, was to be the new order of things in the Potomac army. MEADE, too, with GRANT, instead of a council of war, to advise and direct him, was found
251
ONE THOUSAND BOYS IN BLUE.
to be what GRANT called him, "the right man in the right place." GRANT found in LEE an equal in cour- age, determination and persistency, and possibly a superior in tactical manœuvres. This, however, can- not be known, since it must not be forgotten that in forming his plans LEE had the immense advantage of knowing the ground, which to our leaders was foreign soil ; terra incognita. Had the position of the two commanders been reversed, this circumstance would probably have given to GRANT that appearance of superior skill now enjoyed by the rebel leader. Another element of success possessed by LEE was the intelligence he constantly received from traitorous informers, of every plan of his antagonist. Humili- ating as this statement is, there is every evidence of its truth.
To give a glimpse of the life of our heroes during the months of May, June and July, 1864, we quote some passages from Doctor HOYT's diary :
May 16, 1864 .- No fighting to-day. Wounded looked up and sent off. Twenty-four thousand new troops joined us to-day.
May 18 .- Battle opened this morning at sunrise, on the right. Our Corps engaged. Up to this time (noon) 300 wounded were brought to our Division Hospital.
May. 21 .- At eleven o'clock last evening our whole Corps was put in motion; at daylight crossed the Fredericksburg and Richmond railroad, a short distance above Guiness Station. Our course then lay south, through a fine cultivated country. Passed Bowling Green, and at two reached Milford Station. Crossed the Mattapony river and went into camp, having marched twenty-four miles since breaking camp. Our Corps has been strengthened by 10,000 men from the heavy artillery. Our movement is evidently made to flank LEE, by seizing and holding Hanover Junction. Weather intensely hot.
252
THE ADVENTURES OF
May 23 .- At daylight the whole army put in motion. At three P. M. arrived at the North Anna river; found LEE strongly intrenched on the other side, at Hanover Junction. At six P. M. cannonading commenced; the fiercest I ever heard, not even excepting Gettysburg. GRANT seems determined to force the river before night sets in. Our line of battle must extend six or eight miles. While the cannonading is going on, sharp musketry rings along the whole line. At twilight no cessation; the firing continues fiercer than ever ; the air seems filled with shot and shell. Established Division hospital to-day, to rear of line about one and one-half miles. The day has been intensely hot, and the troops have suffered greatly.
May 24 .- Heavy fighting all day. Our entire army crossed the river during the day. Banks steep; crossing effected with great difficulty. In the P. M. cannonading very heavy. At night all the wounded sent off to Washington. We have communication across the river by a pontoon bridge.
May 25 .- Division hospital at Mr. HACKETT's house. Across the river lies the Major DOSWELL farm of 1,200 acres. The line of battle of our Corps, in full view, extends over this farm. We form the extreme left of the army. The troops are strongly posted in rifle-pits; and Batteries are mounted along the whole line. Some of the heavy guns are on this side of the river. During the day our forces destroyed the railroad bridge over the North Anna, and tore up the track for miles to our rear toward Milford Station.
May 26 .- At six P. M. the rebels made a fierce attack on our pickets on the right, but were driven back, and at seven our whole picket line was attacked. Fierce fighting for an hour, when darkness closed the conflict.
May 27 .- To-day our whole Corps re-crossed the North Anna, and took position behind the earthworks there, &c., &c.
June 3, 1863 .- At daylight the battle (of Cold Harbor) opened furiously along the whole line. The fighting in the 2d and 5th Corps was the most obstinate of the campaign. The loss of the whole army to-day is not much less than 5,000. At dark the. enemy made a desperate attack on our Corps, charging the rifle- pits. They were met by canister, musketry and grape, and driven back with terrible slaughter.
Hays
Henderson
·Thatcher.
HANOVER JUNCTION
NEW MARKET
VIR
T
L
R. R.
Wyatt
ANDERSON'S STA.
. River
North
WR
G. H.T
25TM-267
Maj. DawsonH A N
CK
Ox Fords
1 Chesterfield
1
Bridge
STA
Matthews
J.B. Mattews
:
Chandler
I Lowr
THAN!
1
uiarles Ford 2
Fountain
WARREN 23:
Jericho Mills & Ford
1
FREDE
·dam
CKSBU
Ure
Quarles.
Intrenched Lines
Union
Confederate
R.G. R. R
Telegraph R.
II
3/4
Scale of Miles 7
0-
N
PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF THE
NORTH ANNA Fought May 23ª - 26 th 1864.
RICHMOND
1
Pa Lowry Pontoon Br
WARR
25
NOEL'S
River
I
5
E
Lowry
E M. Anderson
Anna
0
,1
253
ONE THOUSAND BOYS IN BLUE.
June 13 .- Rumor says we are to cross the Chickahominy, and make the James river our base. Passed St. Peter's Church, where WASHINGTON was married. The altar is still standing. The church has been used as head-quarters, and is much dilapi- dated.
June 15 .- Continued the line of march, after crossing the Chickahominy, and encamped at three A. M. on the north bank of the James, four miles from Charles City Court-house.
June 16 .- Crossed the James, and arrived at Petersburg ; put hospitals in order for the wounded.
June 17 .- Terrible fighting all day ; victory for us.
June 18 .- Battle opened again. This has been one of the hardest fought battles of the war. Losses in the 2d Corps alone not much short of 3,500.
June 21 .- The Corps moved south. At noon met the ambu- lance train, with sick and wounded. Put up tents, dressed wounds and encamped for the night.
June 22 .- Our hospital is five miles from Petersburg, and four from the Weldon railway. Captain MORRIS BROWN killed.
July 2 .- Hottest day of the season. Water very scarce.
July 5th to 10th .- Cannonading heavy. Our forces engaged in building earthworks. News of rebel invasion of the north.
July 12 .- Last night received orders to move our hospital without delay. We had over 200 sick. Sent 100 to City Point.
July 16 .- During the week all the heavy fortifications which we have captured in front of Petersburg have been leveled to the ground.
July 24 .- Have had a fine rain, and the weather is cooler.
July 26 to 30-Contains an account of the expedition to Deep Bottom.
July 30, 31 .- Account of the blowing up of the fort. Twelve thousand pounds of powder were used in the mine.
But we are anticipating events, and must retrace our steps.
PTE XX.
UR plan in these simple details, which do not aspire to the dignity of history, has been to fol- low the fortunes of the 126th Regiment, omitting those operations, however interesting, in which that Regiment bore no part. Therefore we must pass with little notice the co-operative movements set on foot by the Union commander, in furtherance of his grand design : such as SIGEL's operations in Western Virginia, splendidly conceived, but ending in disaster ; BUTLER's large demonstrations, promising a final check to BEAUREGARD, but ending in what he called his own effectual "bottling up" at Bermuda Hundred ; KAUTZ' raid, brilliant, but of no special ser- vice; and even SHERIDAN's magnificent and extremely serviceable exploits with his cavalry, destroying millions of confederate property, and rescuing from the enemy many of our prisoners, who otherwise would have been doomed to the horrors of southern prisons. Fascinating as are these details, our limits will not allow us to dwell on them. As a final result of the movements of SIGEL, BUTLER, and KAUTZ, LEE was reinforced by 15,000 men ; and BEAUREGARD's troops, very few of whom were necessary for a cork to General BUTLER'S " bottle," were free to operate against GRANT.
256
THE ADVENTURES OF
The exhaustion of the troops, and the condition of the roads, made it necessary to remain quiet for a season, and the time was spent in caring for the sick and wounded. Many Surgeons and their assistants had been sent by the Sanitary and Christian Commis- sions, by the way of Acquia creek, and truly they were ministers of mercy to the sufferers.
On the 20th of May, General GRANT, perceiving that the enemy was determined to await an attack behind his works, resolved upon another step in advance which should place his army between LEE and Rich- mond. SHERIDAN, under General GRANT's orders, had, by the 25th of May, seized the ferry at Hanover town, fifteen miles from Richmond, and thrown a pontoon bridge across the Pamunkey, over which the grand army passed on the 27th and 28th of May. Next came the heavy skirmish at Tolopotomoy creek, a point which SHERIDAN held all day against vast num- bers, his men suffering heavily, until HANCOCK with the brave 2d Corps came up, relieved SHERIDAN, and drove the enemy to the other side. This was on the 30th of May. At about five o'clock of that day, WARREN'S advance was violently attacked by a Divi- sion of EWELL's Corps. "HANCOCK instantly advanced BARLOW, whose Division had skirmished all day, to the attack, drove away the enemy's skirmishers, cap- tured their rifle-pits, and held them all night in spite of the enemy's midnight attack to recapture them." Here the bravery of many of the 126th was signally distinguished. Sergeant GREEN, for example, carried a number of dispatches to the commanding General in the
. 257
ONE THOUSAND BOYS IN BLUE.
rear ; under the direct range of the enemy's infantry, who made him a target for a shower of minnie bullets every time he passed and repassed. The same Sergeant recovered the body of a comrade, . CHARLES WHEELER, killed in the early part of the day, and the Chaplain buried him with suitable services. This was the second brave soldier of the name of CHARLES WHEELER which the Regiment lost, the first having been killed at Gettysburg, and buried with the funeral honors he deserved, at his home in Canandaigua, New York. "During this skirmish, Colonel BAIRD, wishing to encourage and personally direct his men at a time which seemed to him a critical one, put spurs to his horse, an iron grey, and ran the gauntlet of the rebel bullets which flew in a shower around him, to the very front line, surveyed the position, gave his orders, and returned safely to his post."
Many brave men of the 126th were killed or wounded on this 30th of June. Lieutenant LINCOLN says ; "It is rather a sad sight to look upon our little band when they are drawn up in line for an advance, or for the deadly charge. Small in number, but as brave hearts as ever beat in human breasts. One hundred and twenty of our Regiment lie between this and the Rapidan, or suffer from wounds in the hospitals. The Sanitary Commission are hard at work, and endear themselves to every one by their benevolent deeds. LONGSTREET is in our front; we like to meet him, but it has generally been our lot to fight EWELL." At two o'clock of the 30th WARREN was violently
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THE ADVENTURES OF
attacked, and as usual HANCOCK came to the rescue. BARLOW, with his Division, (the 126th included,) drove away the enemy's skirmishers, captured their rifle-pits, and held them all night although the enemy made a fierce fight for their recapture. LEE's force was now disposed so as to cover the Chickahominy, Richmond, and the Virginia Central railroad. GRANT, designing to move his whole army to the left, dispatched SHERIDAN in advance to secure Cold Harbor.
At this point, which was merely a junction of rail- roads, occurred, on the following day, one of the deadliest battles of the war. Our whole army and that of LEE, lay confronting each other in nearly par- allel lines, ours stretching from Cold Harbor, where HANCOCK'S Corps was posted, to Bethesda Church on our right, occupied by the 9th Corps, under BURN- SIDE. It seems that nothing but the necessity of secur- ing this point for the crossing of the Chickahominy, would have induced General GRANT to offer battle here ; for it was on his part an assault along his whole line against an enemy partially intrenched. All that desperate valor could do was done in the short period that the battle lasted. In spite of a tremen- dous artillery fire, the Divisions of GIBBON and BAR- Low attacked with such impetuosity as to push the enemy back from his first to his second line of works ; but before the 126th, which, with some other troops, had been held in reserve, could second the attack, a terrible enfilading fire drove our troops from the works they had carried ; not so swiftly, however, says Cop- PEE, but that they carried with them 300 prisoners
PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF
o Gaines's Mill
River.
WEW COLD HARBOR
Foster
E
& Johnson
Intrenched Lines.
===
±
ason.
Union-
- Confederate
A
R
Shirley
"Bowles
-12
Barker's Mit
COLD HARBORT Moody
WARREN 72-12:4
Elde,
Lesby-
Tyler
. Wadą
· Kelly
Gibson
Tucker
Hay
Bosher
Mo rew's.
Banks
Gilmans Mijt
W A
REN
Allen
Alleri's Mill
Leary
N
Scale of Miles
3
2
io miny
Chica
N
"3!
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