History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 16

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922

USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 16
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 16

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About a week after the departure of the first company of Plattsburgh volunteers a second company was formed and ready to go forward. The officers were John S. Stetson, Captain ; Ransom M. Pierce, Lieutenant ; Charles H. Bentley, Ensign. Before leaving Plattsburgh they were presented with a beautiful stand of colors by the ladies of Plattsburgh.

Another company formed in Mooers, Clinton Co., N. Y., left for Albany soon after. The officers of the third com- pany were William W. Wood, Captain ; John McFadden, Lieutenant ; Henry J. Carlton, Ensign.

On their arrival in Albany these three companics were united with a company from Malone, Franklin Co., N. Y., whose officers were Joel J. Seaver, Captain ; Frederic F. Wead, Lieutenant ; Milton E. Roberts, Ensign ; and with six other companies from St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., whose officers were as follows:

Company A .- David A. Nevin, Captain ; Peter L. Van Ness, Lieutenant ; Charles L. Jones, Ensign.

Company B .- James M. Pomeroy, Captain ; Wilson Hopkins, Lieutenant ; George L. Eastman, Ensign.

Company D .- George Parker, Captain ; Albert M. Bar- ney, Lieutenant ; Robert P. Wilson, Ensign.

Company F .- John C. Gilmore, Captain; John A. Vance, Lieutenant ; Joseph Holbrook, Ensign.

Company G .- Martin N. Curtis, Captain; Simon C. Vedder, Lieutenant ; William S. Best, Ensign.

Company H .- Warren Gibson, Captain; Alanson M. Barnard, Lieutenant ; Archibald S. Tucker, Ensign.

Capt. Palmer's company was Company C, Capt. Stetson's

Company E, Capt. Seaver's Company I, and Capt. Wood's Company K.

The staff officers of the regiment were Thomas A. Davies, Colonel ; Samuel Marsh, Lieutenant-Colonel ; Buel Palmer, Major ; William B. Crandall, Surgeon ; John H. Mooers, Assistant Surgcon ; Rev. Royal B. Stratton, Chaplain ; Joseph Howland, Adjutant; Arthur D. Wurt, Quarter- master.

The routine of their daily life at Albany is given in a letter from that place :

"We rise at five; make ourselves as tidy as possible; drill until seven o'clock, then breakfast, study, and write; drill from ten to twelve, then dinner; drill from three till five, dress-parade from five to six, tea at six, bed at nine.

"On Sabbath have services at 2} P.M., when all the troops in the barracks-some three thousand-form in solid mass to participate in the services. The appearance of the men, drawn up, company suc- ceeding company, heads uncovered, all quiet and attentive, is very impressive."

A letter dated Camp Morgan, Albany, May 23, 1861, says,-

"My men improve very fast in all things that go to make up a good soldier. I like our colonel very much; he is a strict disciplinarian and a gentleman, which is enough to say of any colonel. Lieut .- Col. Marsh is a kind, gentlemanly man, and is constantly busy for the benefit of all. He is indefatigable in his exertions to learn as fast as possible. Every man in the regiment will think kindly of him when they come to know him perfectly.

"We have received no pay yet, or clothing, except one flannel shirt, one pair of drawers, socks, and shoes, and a cap; not enough for a change, but the men expect to get their uniform every day."

From Camp Morgan, June 10, 1861, we have the follow- ing :

"FROM COMPANY C TO THE LADIES OF PLATTSBURGH AND VICINITY. " LADIES,-Permit me to acknowledge the receipt of the stockings, shirts, and havelocks forwarded to us in care of Mr. Palmer. Please accept our heart-felt thanks for your most liberal and timely contri- bution to our comfort. We left home-most of us-hurriedly, with no outfit, and expecting to receive immediate attention from State authorities. We have been here now a month and a half, but have received no uniforms, and many of us are in a state of almost entire destitution. You may judge, then, of the opportuneness of your gift, and how gratefully it will be remembered. The articles of clothing are all the more acceptable because they came from our homes. They are not only comforts, but mementos. They assure us that hearts are feeling for us, and hands working for us in places where we most care to be remembered. To the young misses, whose thoughtfulness has supplied us with needles, thread, etc., we beg leave to express our particular obligations. God bless every kind heart that prompted and every fair hand that aided this good deed. For ourselves, we hope that our conduct, both out of battle and in battle,-if we ever come to it,-will be such as not to make you sorry that you have done something for our comfort.

"FRANK PALMER, Captain Co. C."

At this time a society was organized by the ladies of Plattsburgh to furnish aid to " Our Volunteers." The offi- cers clected were Mrs. A. C. Moore, President ; Miss Lizzie Blake, Secretary ; Mrs. M. K. Platt, Miss Julia Palmer, Corresponding Committee; Mrs. G. H. Beckwith, Miss Lottie Moore, Miss Julia Palmer, Purchasing Committee ; Mrs. E. Hathaway, Mrs. A. C. Moore, Mrs. C. F. Norton, Mrs. Samuel Carter, Mrs. Morehouse, Mrs. F. L. C. Sailly, Mrs. G. V. Edwards, Mrs. S. F. Vilas, Mrs. S. Gorham, Mrs. W. D. Morgan, Mrs. W. H. Morgan, Committee for Cutting Garments; Mrs. J. Westcott, Mrs. P. F. Gates, Mrs. P. G. Ellsworth, Mrs. Robertson, Mrs. Orvis, Mrs.

MILITARY HISTORY.

P. D. Moore, Mrs. M. Bixby, Miss Jennie Dodds, Miss Pauline Cady, Miss Eliza Sherman, Miss Emma Bonner, Miss Eliza Cooley, Distributing Committee.

Other friends of the regiment in the southern part of the State were also busy, as the following letter from Col. Davis will show :

"HEADQUARTERS 16TH REGIMENT, " CAMP MORGAN, June 20, 1861.

" MRS. CAROLINE SARGENT, President, etc.

"MADAM,-I beg you will present the very sincere thanks of the 16th Regiment to the Relief Committee of the women of Matteawan and Fishkill Landing for their very valuable present of clothing. It is a very acceptable gift, and your thoughtful kindness will ever he rememhered hy the regiment.

" It will certainly be a pleasure to the kind hearts which have inter- ested themselves in our welfare to learn that the condition of my regi- ment has greatly improved ; the men are now well clothed and pro- vided for, and the sick-list is only one-third what it was two weeks ago.

" I am, Madam, very respectfully, " Your obedient servant, " THOMAS A. DAVIES, " Col. 16th Regiment."

Matteawan was the home of Adjutant Howland, and Fishkill Landing the birthplace of Quartermaster De Wint.

The regiment received its uniforms, and was presented with the United States flag, and equipped with muskets furnished by the State.

Col. Davies strongly urged the State authorities to fur- nish the regiment with the best rifles that were made, giv- ing as a reason that the regiment contained a great number of fanious marksmen, and they could do much more efficient service if armed with rifles ; but as there was great scarcity of rifles at this time, the regiment was not furnished with them until later.

They left Albany the last of June. Arriving at New York they marched through that eity to Union Square, where they were presented with an elegant silk flag bearing the arms of the State. This flag was the gift of Mrs. Howland (wife of Adjt. Howland) and her sisters, the Misses Woolsey.

They procceded from New York by rail to Washington, passing through Baltimore en route. Before the train reached Baltimore it was stopped, and fixed ammunition was issued to the men. Happily, there was no occasion to use it in passing through the city. They marched quietly and unmolested from one depot to the other in the early gray of the morning.

They reached Washington the 29th June, and went into camp about a mile from the Capitol, near East Capitol Avenue, naming their camp " Camp Woolsey."

The regiment, together with the other troops in and about Washington, was reviewed by President Lincoln on the 4th of July.

They left Washington, July 11th, for Alexandria, Va. One of their number writes from that place July 13th : " Having served as ' officer of the day' for the past twenty- four hours, I am relieved from active duty this morning, and take the opportunity to write you. The companies are out drilling on the green sward in front of the tents, leav- ing it comparatively quiet in and about the tents. We arrived here day before yesterday (about two miles out from Alexandria and close by Fort Ellsworth) at about sunset, pitched our tents by the side of the railroad track, which

leads to Fairfax Court-House (which is about six miles farther on), cooked our supper of coffee and bread, sta- tioned our piekets and guard, seized innumerable bundles of hay that were in the field we camp on, and slept soundly until morning. Yesterday we sent out two full companies as skirmishers, straightened out our camp, after which those who were able to get passes from the colonel paid visits to the various camps about us and to Fort Ellsworth. We number now seven hundred and sixty-five. We had a niee time last night for a short time. About eleven o'clock the drums beat the call to arms, and such a flying about and ordering for about four minutes you or I never saw before ; but at the end of that time each company in camp was drawn up in line of battle on the color line, ready to give a good account of itself. All expected the enemy were on us, and when we broke into column by company and com- meneed marching, if it had been daylight I have no doubt a looker-on would have seen some pale faces but no shirk- ing. The colonel marched us to the end of our line of camp, and then wheeled us into our old position again, halted us, and dismissed us to our quarters without a word of explanation. At two o'clock this morning we were called out again in the same manner. It took us seven minutes to get into ' order of battle' at the second call.

" Col. Davies has been put in command of a brigade of four regiments, two of which are eneaniped on either side of us, about fifty rods distant. The other is expected to reach here to-day, and ours will make the fourth. My men are all pretty well, as last night's roll-call after our turn-out for battle testifies. Every man, except those on guard, was in the rank and answered to his name. They were in perfect marching order, being divided off in their respective platoons, sections, etc. We are in hourly ex- pectation of orders to march to Fairfax Court-House."

The orders which they were expecting came soon. At the close of June, 1861, one hundred thousand Union troops were on the Potomac, and probably as many of the rebels. The middle of July the rebel army was coneen- trated at Manassas. The cry of the rebels, " On to Wash- ington !" was growing daily more feeble, and the ery from Washington and the North of " On to Richmond !" was daily growing louder, and yielding to the pressure, Gen. Scott ordered Gen. MeDowell to move forward.

Accordingly, he put his army of thirty-two thousand men in motion towards Manassas.

The 15th New York, which was in Davies' brigade, and Miles' division (the 5th) was included in this command, and they left camp, near Alexandria, the 16th July, and reached Centreville the 18th, having to forec their way through the enemy's pickets most of the way.

All are familiar with the events of the 21st July,-the day of the battle of Bull Run.

Gen. MeDowell's plans were well laid and well carried into exeention, but after gallant fighting by our troops, after brilliant charges and steady, persevering effort, after driving their enemy two miles from behind their intrenehed position, victory was plucked from his banners and given to the enemy because Gen. Johnston reached the field with reinforcements for the rebels, and Gen. Patterson failed to reach it with his army to assist Gen. McDowell.

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

Greeley, in his " American Conflict," says,-

" The 5th Division (Miles') was held in reserve at Centreville, not only to support the attacking columns, but to guard against the ob- vious peril of a formidable rebel advance on our left across Black- burn's Ford to Centreville, flanking our flank movement, capturing our munitions and supplies, and cutting off our line of retreat.

" Before three P.M. there had been fitful cannonading and skirmish- ing but no serious engagement on our left, but when our defeat on the right became manifest, Gen. Johnston again ordered Ewell to advance and attack, which he did ; but was received by the 2d Brigade, Col. T. A. Davies, with so rapid and spirited a fire of grape and canister that he precipitately retreated. There were still more than three hours of good daylight when the rebels saw our routed right rushing madly from the field like frightened sheep, yet their pursuit amounted to nothing. They came across Bull Run, preceded by their cavalry, and seem to have taken a deliberate, though rather distant, survey of the 5th Division, drawn up in good order along the slope west of Cen- treville, and eagerly expecting their advance. . .

"Our 5th Division, constituting our reserve, now became the rear- guard of our army, remained in position until after midnight, when, under peremptory orders from Gen. McDowell, it commenced its de- liberate retreat to the environs of Washington."

Gen. J. E. Johnston, in his official report of the battle, says, ---

"The apparent firmness of the United States troops at Centreville (who had not been engaged) checked our pursuit ; the strong forces oc- cupying the works ncar Georgetown, Arlington, and Alexandria, the certainty, too, that Gen. Patterson if needed would reach Washing- ton with his army of thirty thousand men sooner than we could, and the inadequate means of the army in ammunition, provisions, and transportation, prevented any serious thought of advancing against the capital."

Abbott, in his " Civil War in America," says,-

" After the battle of Sunday, this force (Wilson's brigade) in con- nection with Davies' brigade and two batteries, repulsed the enemy in his attempt to attack the retreating army in the rear at Centreville, and thus exerted incalculable influence in arresting the disasters of that sad day."

From the muster-rolls of the 16th Regiment the follow- ing is copied :

"The regiment was engaged in the battle of Bull Run, being on the extreme left of our army, stationed there to prevent the enemy from outflanking us, which they attempted to do about four p.M., but were held in check and driven back by us. About five P.M. the regiment was ordered to retire. The members of the regiment all behaved gal- lantly, both under fire and in the advance and retreat. The men acted with coolness and courage, not one shirking his duty, and were obedient to all orders of their superiors. The officers and men are all equally entitled to credit for good behavior in the face of the enemy."

The time for which many of the regiments had enlisted having expired, it was dcemed expedient for the army to take up its old position near Washington and reorganize. Troops were concentrated on the Potomac, Arlington Heights were strengthencd, the army meantime looking and longing for some onward movement. The enemy were strongly posted at Fairfax Court-House, and were strength- ening their position every day.

The 16th went into its old camp ncar Alexandria, Va., called Camp Lyon. The month of August was spent in drilling, in felling trees and throwing up earthworks, the men being engaged in the construction of Fort Lyon. It was a dreary time of waiting. The warm weather was very debilitating. The regiment had received no pay from the time of its organization until the middle of August, and consequently the men had no means of adding any little luxuries to their ordinary rations. Officers and men

fared alike. Coffee, bread, meat of some kind, rice, and sugar-when the commissary department happened to have them-were the daily rations; and in the language of an officer of the regiment, "it requires a great amount of un- civil engineering to cause the food to make its appearance on our table (old box turned upside down)."

During the months of August, September, and those following, while the regiment was in camp, many of the officers were sent home to regain their health and to obtain recruits for the regiment.

In August, Col. Davies was relieved from the command of the 2d Brigade, and appointed acting brigader-general, commanding 7th Brigade. Adj. Joseph Howland was ap- pointed, Sept. 17, 1861, assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Gen. Slocum; and Robert P. Wilson, ensign of Company D, was appointed adjutant of the regiment.

On the 3d of October, Capt. Palmer, with a command of a hundred men, was sent to Pohick Church for the pur- pose of breaking up the camp of the enemy's pickets stationed there. The object was accomplished, with a loss of two men on the rebel side. No loss to the regiment. In October, on the reorganization of the divisions of the army, the regiment left Camp Lyon, and moved about two miles up the Potomac to Camp Franklin.

Nov. 11, 1861, Capt. Seaver, of Company K, was pro- moted major of the regiment in the place of Buel Palmer, resigned. Rev. Andrew M. Miller, a Presbyterian clergy- man from Chateaugay, N. Y., was appointed chaplain of the regiment, Nov. 11, 1861, in the place of the Rev. Royal B. Stratton, resigned. Adj. Howland was, March 7, 1862, promoted colonel of the regiment, in the place of Col. Davies, who was appointed brigadier-general. Gen. Davies was, March 23d, relieved from duty with the Army of the Potomac, and sent to join Maj .- Gen. Halleck, com- inanding the Department of the Mississippi. In the spring of 1862, Capt. Stetson, of Company E, resigned, and was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 59th New York Volun- teers.

CHAPTER XVII.

MILITARY HISTORY-(Continued.)

Sixteenth Regiment-(Continued).

THE Army of the Potomac remained encamped near Washington until March, 1862, and the 16th Regiment re- mained in Camp Franklin up to that time. The army now numbered two hundred thousand mon, eager to be actively engaged. The eyes of friends at the North were strained to see, and their ears to hear, some report of an advance. Weary of waiting for Gen. McClellan to give an order to that effect, President Lincoln, Jan. 27, 1861, ordered a forward movement of all the armies by the 22d of Feb- ruary. To Gen. McClellan he issued a special order that his army should be pushed forward towards a point on the railroad southward of Manassas Junction on or before the 22d of February.

But Gen. McClellan had planned to advance on Rich- mond by way of the Peninsula, and after much discussion

MILITARY HISTORY.

and delay President Lineoln consented. Further delay oc- curred in proeuring the boats necessary to transport the army to the Peninsula. In the mean time the rebels evac- uated Manassas ; and while waiting for boats to transport his troops, McClellan ordered the army to advance towards Manassas. In obedience to these orders, the 16th Regi- ment left Camp Franklin and marched in the direction of Manassas. The following letter from a member of the regiment gives an account of their movements at this time :

" CAMP NEAR FAIRFAX, VA., March 13, Evening.

" You sec by the heading of this where we are. We left camp Monday morning at five A.M., fully equipped for a campaign, and reached eur present camp on the same day at one P.M. The camp is about a quarter of a mile from the court-house from which the village takes its name. The village is quite small, not over one hundred houses. The people, with few exceptions, have all left. The same day we left our camp some of our troops went though to Centreville and Manassas, and found both places evacuated by the enemy. Some of our officers have been there since, and report the strongest works of the enemy to be on Centreville Hill, a place we took possession of last summer without encountering resistance. The immense fortificatious about Manassas are all a farce. We are lying quietly in camp here at Fairfax, as though we had been here for a year. All the roads lead- ing from the river to Manassas are crowded with troops, and fine troops, too, but the enemy has flown, where, no one can tell, but sup- pose towards Richmond. Whether we move forward, or back to the river to take boats and cars, or remain here for another nine months, is unknown.

"Some twenty-five steamers reached Washington to-day, which has the appearance of some of us taking to the water. Our regiment has beautiful camping-grounds in a pine grove, on high ground over- looking the village and the surrounding country, and as far as the eye can reach the fields are covered with our troops. Gen Mcclellan's headquarters is close by our camp, within one hundred rods. The men all feel well and anxious for a sight of the enemy, though it will probably be some time before their wishes will be gratified."

The regiment was at this time in Slocum's brigade (2d), Franklin's division (1st), McDowell's eorps (1st). The division of Gen. Franklin was ordered April 3d to Manassas Junction, thenee beyond to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, to relieve Brig .- Gen. Sumner's corps ; Franklin's headquarters to be at or near Warrenton Junction.

A letter from Manassas Junction, April 6, 1862, says,-

"We reached here yesterday, having come out by cars. Troops bave been arriving every hour since we arrived; I think about the whole of Gen. McDowell's army are here now. We have orders to march to-morrow morning at 7.30. Do not know where we are going. We cannot hear of any rebels about here. The men have taken great pleasure in going on the old battle-ground. The fortifications here are all a sham, few half-finished eartbworks are all I can find."

They went out as far as Catlett's Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. It had been arranged that all of the 1st Corps was to be left to guard Washington, but owing to Gen. McClellan's urgent request that more troops be allowed him on the Peninsula, Franklin's division was detached and sent baek by ears to Alexandria, to go thence by steamers down the Potomac. On the 31st of March the regiment was again at Camp Franklin, and was ordered, the 16th of April, to embark on board the steamer " Web- ster" to go down the Potomac.

The muster-rolls show them at Ship Point, April 30th. A letter, dated " On shore, Ship Point, May 4th," says,-

" All is astir in camp this morning. We havo just received word that the enemy left their fortifications at Yorktown last night and are retreating rapidly, pursued by our troops. Wo have ordors to embark immediately.

" May 4th-Evening .- Our division is aboard the steamers again, ready to start. Our cavalry has gone after the rebels by land. We shall probably go up the York River."

" Monday Morning, May 5th, off Yorktown, on the River .- We reached here at 7 A.M .; have a fine view of the enemy's works. They have left in our hands all their siege-guns and a large amount of camp-equipage and baggage. Tho banks of the river here, on either side, aro lined with earthworks, with guns mounted on them very thickly. It seems to me if a Northern army had held them they would not have been taken as quickly. The position is excellent for defense. The rebels must be demoralized, or we would not drive „them from such strongholds so easily. We are lying at anchor just abreast the village of Yorktown. Shall try and get ashore to obtain a closer view of the rebel works. It is raining quite hard.

" Tuesday, 9 A.M .- We are still lying off Yorktown, but expect to weigh anchor every moment and go farther up the river. Geu. Kearney, with his division, was skirmishing with the enemy all yes- terday afternoon. The enemy were pretty strong, and would not be driven too fast. They are about eight miles above us here. We could hear the firing quite plainly. We may have a big fight here yet. The colonel says our destination is about ten miles this side West Point ; the position must be in rear of the enemy this morning. The sky is clear and the weather pleasant, men in fine spirits; have now ninety-two officers and men in my company.

" Thursday, May 1-4 P.M .- We have just cast anchor off West Point, and my company is getting aboard the pontoons to land. A few rebel cavalry were ashore on the south side of the river, where we are about to land, but some shells from one of our gunboats sent them back to the woods about three-quarters of a mile off.

" 7 p.M .- Our brigade is all landed without loss, and we have sent our pickets into the woods in front of us. The place we now hold is a clearing of about two hundred acres, ground level, surrounded on the south, east, and west by pine woods ; is swampy in spots. Most of the clearing is under cultivation. Our camp is a wheat-field,- wheat a foot high, and of fine quality. Everything is quiet this evening. Now and then a shot is heard from the pickets. We hear the enemy is in full force in the woods, not over a mile from us; so we shall probably have some warm work to-morrow. Five of our companies are out on picket duty, and other companies of the 27th New York, 5th Maine, and 96th Pennsylvania Regiments.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 16

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 922

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922