USA > New York > History and personal sketches of Company I, 103 N.Y.S.V., 1862-1864 > Part 2
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23 CHARLES M. CAREY 14 Feb 4. 1964
:4 REV ABSOLAM CAREY
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Company I Holds an Election.
In obedience to Special Order No. 542, Depot of Volun- teers, State of New York, dated New York, March 12, 1862, Captain Crosby held an election in his company on Friday, March 14, 1862, which resulted in the unanimous choice of William M. Crosby for captain : of George T. Dudley for 1st Lieutenant; and of William L. Dudley for 2d Lieutenant. The enlisted men of the company at that time numbered 85. To complete the organization of the company the following were appointed by the Captain as . non-commissioned officers :
Simeon E. L. Wilbur. 1st Sergeant.
De Witt C. Wilbur, 2d Sergeant.
Henry Magee, 3d Sergeant.
Homer S. Case, 4th Sergeant.
John A. Carey, 5th Sergeant.
Orville S. Kimball, 1st Corporal.
Horace H. Bolt, 2d Corporal.
Henry O. Wilbur, 3d Corporal.
William Kress, 4th Corporal.
James H. Stoughton, 5th Corporal. Moses L. Dean, 6th Corporal. Isaac T. German, 7th Corporal.
Daniel J. LaDue, 8th Corporal.
Milton T. Tyrrell, Ist Musician.
Daniel W. Carey, 2d Musician.
John P. Johnson, Wagoner.
Lieut. Dudley Presented With a Sword.
On March 15 the boys of the company presented 1st Lieutenant Dudley with a sword. Sergeant John A. Carey made the presentation speech on behalf of the com- pany, to which the Lieutenant feelingly and eloquently replied.
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Company I Ordered to Washington.
On March 21, 1862, in obedience to orders from Regi- mental Headquarters and also Special Order from Thomas Hillhouse, Adjutant General, State of New York, Captain Crosby with Company I, numbering ( officers and men) 93, took the 6.30 afternoon train of the Pennsylva- nia Central Railway for Washington, D. C., via Harris- burg, Pa., arriving at Baltimore, Md., about 9 o'clock, a. m,, next day. After visiting Fort McHenry as a com- pany again boarded the cars, arriving at the Nation's capital at 6 o'clock. The next day (Sunday ) was spent in the city, and on Monday the nine other companies of the 103d Regiment marched to the city to receive Com- pany I and escorted it to their camp at Meridian Hill. One day only was spent in this camp, supplying the men with camp and garrison equippage, arms, accoutrements, etc., and on Tuesday, March 25th, marched to the rail- way station. On the way we were halted at the resi- dence of Secretary of State, William H. Seward, whose name the regiment bore, who addressed us, presenting the regiment with a beautiful battle flag; also a State flag. At dark we left Washington for Annapolis, Md., arriving there on the morning of March 26th, and were issigned quarters in the mess hall of the United States navy school, awaiting transportation. On the 27th we were taken on board a small vessel and transferred to the large ocean steamer Ericson, lying three miles down the bav. Our course was out into the Atlantic ocean and south, dropping anchor off Hatteras Inlet, N. C. A small stemmer, Ocean Wave, transferred us to the sands of the shore. This ocean trip was a new experience to our com- sony boys, and we had a very pleasant introduction !o sea-sickness, which most of us undoubtedly still re- member. The same day we went on board another river -teamer, Ocean Queen, a very pleasant boat with com-
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fortable quarters, and on April 1st steamed up the Neuse river to Newberne, North Carolina. This place having been taken from the enemy only a short time previous was really on the outposts of the army, and here we were introduced to a soldier's life, a soldier's fare, and soldier's duty in every sense of that term, and this without scarcely any drill or training. Our camp was pitched in a field opposite Newberne, between the railroad and the Trent river. In addition to the camp guard and drill, outpost picket duty, and scouting parties of 100 to 150 men were ordered. Colonel Egloffstein was very fre -. quently on some of these expeditions with varied success. During these raids from April 7th to May 27th, 1862, it is recorded that there were killed four men, wounded three officers and six men. On May 27th Colonel Egloff- stein was severely wounded by a shot in the leg, which resulted in amputation. Hewent to the hospital at New- berne for treatment, but was some time after sent North and never again returned to the regiment.
On the 13th day of May, 1862, Company "I" was or- dered on outpost pieket duty. Captain Crosby being sick in camp the command devolved on 1st Lieut. George T. Dudley, whose record here follows:
On Thursday, May 13th, 1862, I was detailed as officer of the guard, but after gnard mount an order was received from General Nagle, commanding our brigade. for company "I" to relieve Capt. Bender of our regiment, who was on picket duty at Evans Mills, about six or eight miles from Newberne I find an entry in my diary May 10th, "Capt. Crosby is still sick." I had been in command of the company several days on account of his sickness, and as he was still under care of the regimental surgeon he was toremain incamp. Ireported toGen. Nagle for orders, and after dinner, with sixty-nine men, took up the line of march across the railroad bridge for our desti- nation, and after a hot and dusty march reached there
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GEORGE J. SIMSON.
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about six o'clock p. m. Second Lieut. William L. Dudley had returned to New York to be mustered into the ser- vice, as Maj. A. T. Lee, mustering officer at Elmira, had refused to muster him before leaving there. This will ex- plain why I was the only commissioned officer on duty with our company at the time, With Orderly Sergeant Wilbur, I took up my quarters in a shed near the bridge crossing the race, on the banks of a large sycamore swamp, the water of which was black, brackish and full of malaria. Many of us learned this to our sorrow, as the hospital records of Hatteras Island show. The boys found shelter in an unfinished frame building which was evidently meant for a storehouse. The mill was a one story shed building with two or three run of stone for grinding corn, and, I think, wheat. In our front was a ditch about four to six feet deep and ten or twelve feet wide running from the swamp on our left to the swamp and race on our right. The swamp on our left extended nearly to the river some miles away and that on our right some miles to our right through dense woods com- pletely protecting our right and left flanks. Our front was protected by the deep ditch crossed by a narrow bridge. The approach in front was down a long lane about one-fourth of a mile, separated from a large cotton field by a high rail fence. At the end of the lane were located the slaves' quarters, now unoccupied. Here the road turned sharp to the right, running into Onslow county. Down this road about half a mile a small bridge crossed a narrow stream running from the swamps on either side of the road. This bridge was an outpost. Capt. Bender's men had taken up the planks of the bridge and built a barricade so that a few men could keep a large force at bay long enough for the main force at the mill to prepare for an attack. Leaving a sergeant I think with three or six men at this post, I posted another of three men at the turn in the road, giving instructions
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that if they heard the report of two guns on the outposts to hire two shots, wait for the outpost pickets to come up and with them fall back to the mill. Across the bridge at the mill we placed, crosswise, a large logging wagon with immense wheels, and then built breastworks breast high by placing hewn logs or timbers on top of each other. I now felt able to repulse any force of cavalry that would be likely to attack us-viz: the two regiments of N. C. cavalry, the only force known to be in our front. I had just returned from our outposts, when Capt. Ben- der drove ap to my quarters and reported that the guard at the house situated in our rear, about three-fourths of a mile, had failed to halt him. I at once visited the guard who stated that he cried "halt" three times before the Captain would stop and then not until he had cocked his piece and was about to fire, and that he called so loud he awakened the relief who were sleeping in the house. The Captain was intoxicated and I ordered him back to Newberne, telling him I would arrest him if he came there again in the night-time. The next day (the 14th) the 2nd Maryland regiment came out from Newberne on a scouting expedition. The rain had fallen all day and they looked like drowned rats. About midnight we heard a shot from the picket at the negro quarters, and within five minutes company "I" was in line prepared to defend the camp to the bitter end. Some of the boys were barefooted, some without coats, some without caps, and one or two, I think, were so anxious to win glory and undying fame that in their haste they forgot their cartridge box. But to their credit be it said they were all there, every man of them, ready to do their full duty and if necessary lay down their lives in defense of "old glory." Hearing no farther alarm, with Orderly Sergt. Wilbur. I visited the picket and learned that Private Eddy thought he saw someone coming out of the woods, called "halt," and then fired at him. The "somebody" proved to be a
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pig, which was seen the next day running wild in the woods. The night was very dark, and with the rain fall- ing incessantly the tramp to the picket post was most unpleasant. Sergeant Teneyck, who was in charge at the mill, gave the boys corn meal and many of them tried their skill in making hoecake. Some of these, under the circumstances, were pretty good.
About noon some of our cavalry went to the front to look after the 2nd Maryland Regiment which had got in a bad fix by the rebels getting in their rear, and about 7 o'clock, p. m. one of Gen. Reno's staff with an escort re- turned to Newberne for reinforcements. During the night we had one of the most terrible thunder and rain storms I have ever witnessed. The night was intensely dark and at intervals the rain fell in torrents. The thunder was louder than heavy artillery, with now and chen a sharp report as though the sky had fallen, while the lightning seemed an almost continuous flash. Pri- vate Deland Hall was on guard on the bridge over the race and flume by the dam, and about midnight, follow- ing an unusually sharp peal of thunder, and bright flash of lightning we heard the report of his gun. Rushing to the door of my shanty I heard him shriek, and calling to Orderly Sergeant Wilbur, who had quarters with me, I rushed to the bridge to find Hall on his back, his hands tightly clasped and insensible. We carried him to my quarters and laid him on the floor. An examination showed that he still breathed, and moreover, we could And no signs of injury. Not knowing what else to do, I h u his shoes and stockings removed and we began rub- bing his feet and pouring water on his head, chest, and wrists. In about half an hour we had the pleasure : seeing him open his eves. He could only remember Minst he had his gun at "secure arms," covered with his rubber blanket when a flash of lightning blinded him, dis- charged his gun and knocked him down. He seemed to
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be uninjured at the time but his system was injured, as he was pale and rather delicate ever afterward. The next day the water was so high that the wheels of the mill were flooded. About 5 o'clock, a. m., the 21st Mass. regiment and the rest of the 3rd N. Y. cavalry under command of Gen. Reno, came out to help the 2nd Md., but returned a few hours later, having met then coming in. The stragglers kept coming in all day, and as they reported that the 2nd Reg't. North Carolina cav- alry had followed them to within a short distance of my outpost pickets, I feared an attack that night, so I kept about thirty-five of them with me. However the night passed quietly. Knowing that daylight would be time for an attack, I sent Sergeant Homer S. Case with two men out as a patrol. They went out about five miles through the pines and returned without seeing any rebels. During the forenoon Gen. Ferro of the 51st N. Y. Vols. came out to see how things were going and told me that there should be a large force there and that he would send out two companies the next day and relieve me. Quartermaster Hall from headquarters came out and wanted me to build a bridge across the creek below the mill so that troops could be crossed without fording and that he would send me a team to draw the timbers also axes for the men. The next morning we commenced work on the bridge and about nine o'clock two compan- ies of the 11th Reg't. Conn. Vols. came out and relieved us. I took our boys to the house for quarters and con- tinued our work on the bridge which we finished the next day about nine o'clock aided by a demijohn of good com- missary which Q. M. Hall sent out as extra pay. Soon after finishing it Lieut. Blake of Company D, who had been appointed aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Nagle came out with a company of cavalry and twenty bag- gage wagons for a foraging expedition. He and the other officers complimented the bridge and the boys for
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their work. We returned to Newberne in the afternoon in time to receive our pay. The same day we received orders to go to Hatteras Island and the next day, May 22nd companies I. E and K of the 10th regiment board- ed the steamer "Massasoit" and about seven o'clock p. in., landed on the sands of Hatteras Island. After a night spent at the inlet, Company I marched to Camp Winfield and relieved the 4Sth Reg't. Pa. Vols. Here we were to occupy the forts, guard the government prop- erty on the island and prevent the rebels from sending a force from the mainland opposite the upper end of the island to seize the forts and prevent our vessels from crossing the bar into the sound and river. This port was of great value to the Union cause, for by using Newberne as a base, an invading army could flank Wilmington, and by opening that seaport the way would be open for an invading army to strike Charleston, S. C. in the rear. Looking on the field at this day it seems to me that when Gen. Burnside took Newberne in April 1862, our government to concentrate a large force at that point might thereby force the Confederates to weaken Gen. Lee's army in front of Richmond. To some extent this was the case. We found quarters in the hospital build- ings, then nearly deserted as the four companies of the +Sth Regiment which we relieved had become acclimated and had but few sick men. Companies E and K were as- signed to duty in the forts at the Inlet, Capt. Rommel of Company K being in command of the Post. Com- pany I was assigned to outpost duty at Camp Winfield, about three miles up the island. At eight o'clock next morning we took up the line of march through the hot sand, and as the sun was very hot, the sand deep and the boys loaded with knapsacks filled to repletion, a musket and forty rounds of ammunition, our progress was slow. The head of the column reached Camp Win- field about ten o'clock while the rear end came in about
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noon. I doubt if company I was ever a longer company than on that march, being over two miles long. Imme- diately Orderly Sergeant Wilbur with a detail of two cor- porals and seventeen men was sent to the Cape Hatteras Light House, some ten miles farther up the island to relieve the members of the 4Sth Pa. Regt.on duty there. The next day I rode up to the light house in a government wagon and found matters in good shape. Men were engaged putting in a new lantern, the old one having been stolen by the rebels after Gen. Burnside had captured the post at the inlet. The tower stands 160 feet high, an octagon in shape, each side eight (S) feet at its base. The assent is made by about 132 steps or stairs inside. It was built about the year 1800. The stolen lanterns were worth fifteen thousand dollars and the new ones twelve thousand dollars. The guard took quarters in the keeper's house, which was then unoccupied, and with the soft side of the floor for a bed were pretty well situ- ated. The guard duty at the light house was merely nominal, not at all fatiguing with good quarters and fairly good rations the men enjoyed this station. But notwithstanding this the sands of Hatteras Island, the want of good water, the intense hot weather were not conducive to the good health of the boys of Company I. Seven of the company died viz:
Private Oliver H. P. Babcock, June 25, 1862.
is William Van Houton, July 30, 1862.
2nd Lieut. William L. Dudley, August 5, 1862. Private Isaac V. Seely. August 11, 1862.
1st Sergeant Simeon E. L. Wilbur, August 11, 1862.
Private Wheeler M. Eddy. August 15, 1862.
John E. Ames, August 30, 1862.
Many others were sick, among them Ist Lieut. Geo. T. Dudley, who went to the hospital June 6th and never re- joined the company again for duty.
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September 5th, 1862, the three companies of the 103d Regiment on Hatteras Island were relieved and ordered to join the regiment, then near Washington, D. C. Com- pany "I" was relieved by company M, 3rd Regiment N. Y. Artillery, Capt. James White commanding, and next day we went on boat on Albermarle sound and steamed northward. Our route was up Pamlico sound, touching at Roanoke Island for two hours, on through the Ship Canal to Norfolk, Va., and Fortress Monroe, where we arrived September 9th. There was a heavy storm at sea, the water being very rough, and here we lay till Thurs- day, the 11th, then started out, but had gone only about eight miles when the Captain of the small steamer put about and went back into the harbor. The next day, however, we started again, steamed up the Potomac, arriving at Alexandria, Va., on the 13th, where we land- ed; but on learning that the 103rd Regt. had gone on through Washington, we steamed to the capitol city that night, only to find our regiment was two days march up the Potomac river. On the 14th we landed and found quarters close by in an empty barn (at 6th Street, East.) while waiting for our stores and further orders. On September 16th Capt. Crosby placed (21 ) twenty-one sek men in Armory Square Hospital on 7th Street and the next day three more in the same hospital. Here we made requision and received some clothing; also camp tid garrison equippage, &c. Here only nineteen men of wapany I could be mustered for blank cartridge drill- wpt. 19th-only six months since leaving Elmira. Here these three companies lay awaiting orders till Sept. 28th. In the meantime all surplus baggage, arms, &c., were turned in and the men made ready for marching. On the 4th of September we joined the regiment in camp at Vitietam Creek, Md., near the battle field of the 17th fast.
Marching orders came soon, and Oct. 7th, 1862, we
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broke camp and marched to Pleasant Valley, about five miles north of Harpers Ferry. This march was a hard one, and when the regiment came to a halt and went into camp there were only eight muskets to stack in company I's line, the other companies being no better. The only non- ยท commissioned officer was a corporal. It was a beautiful country and a pleasant camp. On October 28 began our long march from Pleasant Valley, Md., to Fredericks- burg, Va. That day we came to the Potomac river near Knoxville; thence down the river to Berlin, where we crossed on a pontoon bridge, on through Lovettsville, Va., camping in a hickory grove. After one day in camp we marched abont eight miles to Katoctin Creek, where we were mustered for pay. We were brigaded with the 89th Regt. N. Y. Vols., the 9th Regt. N. Y. Vols. ( Hawkins Zouaves, ) and the 10th Regt. N. H. Vols., with Col. Rush Hawkins of the 9th Regt. as brigade commander, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps. Marched again November 2nd, hearing cannonading in the distance ahead. After an all day hard march we encamped on the field of the fight, the artillery having driven the enemy from their position. The next day we crossed Goose Creek and took the pike leading through Ashly's Gap of the Blue Ridge mountains. All along this march the ad- vance guard were almost constantly engaged with the enemy. On Thursday, November 4th, while camping near Upperville. Va., Lieut. Col. Kretchmar of our regi- ment, having been absent sick some time came to the regiment to say good bye, having resigned. On Novem- ber 5th in our march we crossed the Alexandria, Orange and Manassas Gap Railroad near the village of Rector- town, Va., and encamped for the night in a grove near Salem, Va.
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On the 6th our march was disputed by the enemy and the 103d Regiment was on the skirmish line. The sever- ity of the continuous marching caused blistered feet, and
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Captain Crosby and some of the menm arched with their feet sewed up in rags instead of shoes. The next day the snow on the ground made it even worse, and we camped that night one mile east of Gaskins' Mills, where we rested a few days. This camp went by the name of "Camp Starvation," fo: the reason we did not get ra- tions of any amount for about five days, the capture of a supply train being given as the reason. While at this camp, Captain Crosby was detailed by General Getty (division commander, ) as Provost Marshal of 3d Divis- ion, 9th Army Corps, and on November 14th took with him Company I (22 duty men ) leaving five sick men with Company E of our regiment. We took quarters on the right of the Brigade with the provost guard. Marching again on the 15th we encountered the rebels at Lawson's Ford or Sulphur Springs, near Fayetteville, Va. After a sharp skirmish and some artillery firing they left our way undisputed and we went into camp near the place, only to start out again the next morning at daybreak, passed by Bealton Station and encamped about two and a half miles south of Warrenton Junction. The march from here was to Hartwood, to Falmouth and Fredericksburg, Va., camping near the river opposite the city.
The march from Antietam Creek, Md., was a hard one, and all the more so to Company I, as we had not been used to continuous marching. Many of our boys were footsore and almost tired out, others had given out and were sent away to hospitals. Our shelter tents that we received for the first time at Pleasant Valley, Md., we found almost indispensable, as we could not keep the larger ones with us. These were carried in our knapsacks, each man supposed to have but one piece, four pieces making a closed tent. Two pieces were used for the two ends, all buttoned together. Four soldiers occupied one tent, the space inclosed being fully covered by the four men lying down. Here our provost guard was reorgan-
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ized and reduced in number, from 200 to 50 men, 25 men from each brigade. We encamped in a grove in rear of General Getty's headquarters. Here these two great armies lie on opposite sides of the Rappahannock river, the pickets within talking distance of each other, both armies being largely reinforced and made ready for the great struggle which must soon come. Burnside's army during the long march had become much in need of clo- thing and shoes. These were supplied and everything place on a footing for active campaining.
On December 11, 1862, the movement to cross the river was begun with an attempt on the part of the engineer regiments to put down a pontoon bridge, followed by a most incessant cannonading of the city from the Union batteries, which were ordered to the river front.
On the 12th the provost guard, including Company 1, marched down to the river, and joining our regiment crossed the pontoon bridge into the city. The next day, Saturday, about sundown, we marched out in line of bat- tle toward the rebel line near Marves Heights, under a heavy fire from the rebel batteries to the railroad, and after dark charged the works in our front. It was hot work, but our regiment lost in killed, wounded, and miss- ing only 25 men. We lay on the field all night and the next day till after dark, when we were relieved and marched back to the city.
On the 15th, after dark, we recrossed the river on the same pontoon bridge, and returned to our camp at Gen- eral Getty's headquarters. December 17 we were re- lieved from provost guard duty by a company of the 21st Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, and went back to our regiment.
Picket duty along the Rappahannock river now occu- pied our attention, and the duty was exacting. Inter- change of compliments with the rebel pickets, who were stationed on the opposite bank, occasionally took place.
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the rebels sending over tobacco on a rudely constructed float, also Richmond papers, asking us to send in return coffee and papers. This was soon after stopped by a General Order.
"Burnside stuck in the mud" was the next campaign ( Jan. 18, 19, 20, 1863), but the 103d did not move from camp. We lay in camp ready to fall in line at a moment's notice, but the impassable condition of the roads ren- dered it out of the question and it was abandoned. Feb- ruary 5, 1863, the 9th army corps was ordered to pro- ceed to Acquia Creek, and from there by boat to Fortress Monroe. We started on the 6th by rail, and arriving at Fortress Monroe were ordered to proceed to Newport News, Va. Here we were assigned barracks fairly com- fortable, and the warm Southern sun was such a contrast to the bleak hills of Stafford County, Va. February 15th Lieutenant George A. Hussy was introduced to the com- pany as our 1st Lieutenant.
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