History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 21

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 21
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 21

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For several days our regimental headquarters were in a piece of woods just south of the Williamsburg road, about a mile in the rear of the position occupied before the battle. These days were passed in waiting orders. We daily ex- pected to move forward towards Richmond, and in turn attack the enemy, confidently expecting to sweep the Re- bellion and its armed forces into the " last ditch," and to shout the final triumph of national law and authority. Each successive day brought its disappointment, as no order for battle came. While waiting these weary days of suspense, we had some unpleasant experience in ascertaining the true character of a Virginia rain. Such showers as we had never witnessed at our more northern homes came dashing upon us, as though the very windows of heaven were opened and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. The whole country was literally flooded, the small streams were swollen to rivers, and the ravines were converted into a sea of muddy waters. We had unfortunately lost our tents in the late battle, and many of our men had only the leaves and sky for their covering. Sights and scenes of discomfort and suffering were witnessed and experienced, such as can scarcely be credited only by actual observation and experi- encc. Tired nature became sufficiently worn and weary to sink down and seck rest in spite of the rain, though falling in torrents, and nearly the whole regiment could be seen stretched full length, with their bodies partially immersed in the water, sleeping soundly. Strange and quite impos- sible as this may seem to the unexperienced, it was not an unfrequent chapter in the soldier's history who did duty at the front. Marching orders finally came while we were in the midst of one of these miniature floods, but, to our dis- appointment, the orders faced us towards the rear, and at early day we commenced for some five or six miles a battle with the elements, and with the swollen streams and flooded ravines. It was not a little amusing to sce how the men made music out of their very misery ; especially was this true when Lieut. Fritts, acting quartermaster, plunged his mule into a swollen stream, and was swept away, mule and all, some distance down the rapid current, and found the shore only by abandoning his bcast and entering into a hand- to-hand contest with the tide. Quartermaster Sanborn having been temporarily disabled by a wound, rendered an acting officer in his place a necessity. We were finally halted at White Oak Swamp, most thoroughly drenched with water and smeared with mud, and commenced to make ourselves as comfortable as possible, with little or nothing to do it with, and in a place where malaria seemed to thicken the very atmosphere we breathed. The reason of this re- trograde movement we had no power to divine. It seemed to us like yielding the contest for Richmond, and the com- mencement of a retreat. Here we were doomed to another scason of delay, while the prey of those deadly discases which held high carnival in those low swamp-lands.

Picket duty, and caring for and sending to hospitals the great numbers who fell a prey in rapid succession to the deadly swamp malaria, wore away the days and nights until the 26th of June, when Mcclellan's seven days' change of base commenced. To us, as to the army generally, those were days of weary marchies, battles, victories, and retreats. During the retreat Capt. Hindes, having been ordered with

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

a squad of men to guard a bridge, was left unrecalled until the enemy came upon him with overwhelming force, and he was compelled to surrender and take up his line of march for Libby. In the gloomy prison his masterly powers of song were a source of no little cheer to his companions in want and suffering. He was, after some months, exchanged and returned to the regiment, greatly to our joy. The return to us of either officers or men who had been prisoners in the hands of the enemy was always an occasion of mutual congratulation and rejoicing. When those bloody days had passed, and Mcclellan's army was finally recalled from the Peninsula, what remained of our worn and shattered ranks were detached and left at Fortress Monroe to do guard duty and recruit our wasted numbers.

CHAPTER XX.

MILITARY HISTORY-(Continued).

The Ninety-sixth Regiment-(Continued).

IN a pleasant camp near Hampton Hospital we enjoyed a few days of comparative ease and rest, for once out of range of rebel shot and shell. September 18th came marching orders, and about midnight found us at Suffolk, about sixteen miles out from Norfolk, where we tried the uneven ground of a corn-field for our bed, while mosquitoes in full chorus serenaded the would-be sleepers. This proved to be the place of our destination for some weeks, during which we had experiences which tested both constitution and courage. It was while here that Col. Fairman, from failing health, felt forced, though with great reluctance, to resign his commission and seek the quiet and comfort of home-life. The officers of the regiment assembled and passed resolutions of high appreciation, and presented him a sword as a testimonial of esteem. The command, as it had done during the colonel's sickness, devolved upon Lieut .- Col. Charles O. Gray, who subsequently received a colonel's commission, and bore the honors and performed the duties of his office in the most satisfactory manner. Capt. Wood- hull was commissioned as lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. Burhans as major, and Lieut .- Col. Woodhull soon resigned and was succeeded by Capt. MeKenzie .*

While here we had occasional experiences in marches and skirmishes, which severely tested the physical endur- ance of the men as well as their courage. In the evening of October 2d we received marching orders, and in a few moments we filed away in the direction of Black Water. We marched with but brief halts until four o'clock next morning, and then rested only two hours, when we re- sumed our march, pressing on with only one short rest until one o'clock, when we struck the railroad leading to Petersburg, and found ourselves confronted by a rebel battery stationed down the railroad at short range. It

opened upon us in a most spirited manner, but fortunately for us it was handled in the most inaccurate and bungling way, as the rapid firing clear of our heads gave us most satisfactory evidence. We stood in line of battle facing the battery, with our right resting near the railroad, for some half-hour in easy range and open view, and, though shot and shell shrieked madly over and burst about us, not a shot struck the regiment. If the guns had been handled with skill and precision, we must have suffered most seri- ously, or have gotten away in haste. We finally crossed the railroad to the right on the double-quick, and formed under the shelter of a piece of woods still farther in ad- vance. Shells tore into the timber in mad fury, but this we did not mind as long as they persisted in missing us. We were soon ordered to divide the regiment, placing a part at the right and a part at the left of the railroad, and to move cautiously forward and feel out the enemy. At this movement the rebel battery fell back, keeping up its wild fire, and we advanced until we discovered the enemy posted in strength. On reporting the fact, we were ordered to fall back, and it was soon evident that we were faced towards Suffolk for our return march, which was kept up until near seven in the evening, halting, as we supposed and hoped, for the night. About nine o'clock we were again ordered to fall in for a march, which continued until four o'clock the next morning, when the command, consisting of the 96th New York, the 103d Pennsylvania, and 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry, halted for rest, thoroughly exhausted, having marched and manœuvred the most of the time for nearly one day and two nights, while the excessive heat of the day added to the fatigue. About noon we resumed our march, and reached Suffolk, our starting-point, at early even- ing. In this expedition our loss in the entire command was only two killed and two wounded.

The affair proved more noisy and fatiguing than de- structive. To exhausted nature our tents and temporary couches seemed palaces of comfort, while we tested the sweetness of rest to the foot-sore and weary. We were en- gaged in several expeditions of this character, and on the trenches and forts about Suffolk, until December 5th, when, in obedience to orders, in company with several regiments, we marched in a southerly direction, not knowing the pre- eise object or destination. The first day we marched in a drizzling rain, which increased at night to a heavy storm. We halted in a piece of woods and wore the night away, for the most part unprotected from the drenching rain, and as thoroughly uncomfortable from the wet and cold and fatigue as could well be imagined. In the morning the march was resumed, and at night we camped near the Chowan River. The cold had increased until that night ice froze to the thickness of half an inch or more on the pools by the side of which we lay on the frozen ground. In the morning we reached the river, and embarked on board of the steamer " Northerner," for Newbern, N. C. Near day- close, some officer of the party on board suggested "a sun- set at sea," and we all left the cabin for the deck to watch the sun to rest on the bosom of the ocean. It was such an evening as one would choose as best favoring the view. The sky was clear, the ocean scarce ruffled by the gentle breeze. Gently the fiery orb of day pursued its downward

# October 15th, Lieut. Breed resigned. He was a young officer of great merit and high standing in the regiment, but was forced from failing health to resign his commission, being advised by the best medical counsel that his life depended upon his speedy return to a more northern climate, and the comfort and quiet of home.

MILITARY HISTORY.

course, dropping to the ocean like a burning gem from the eternal throne. Nearing the ocean, the waters glowed and burned as though on fire. As the sun's lowest edge first touched the smooth, flaming surface of the deep, a broad, burning base rose suddenly to view, exceeding in apparent length the sun's greatest width. Still it gently sank, ex- tinguishing its fiery base and narrowing its broad disk, as the waters opened to receive and wash out its flames. Still it sank ; now appearing but a ridge of fire, now but a flick- ering light, and now extinet, as though the waters of the ocean had indeed drowned all its glories. We landed at Newbern the morning of the 9th, and halted just at the west edge of the eity, making, as is usual at sueh times of marehing, the earth our eoueh. One, at least, having gathered some wild hay for a mat, slept sweetly, and dreamed of home,-a quiet, happy home! How lovely it appeared in those fond night visions, while hall and kit- ehen and parlor swung open to view, and the familiar forms of loved ones were moving here and there, busy as of yore ! The morning reveille dispelled the dreams, awaking us to the realities of soldier life. The expedition we had been sent from Suffolk to join, consisting of some fifteen thousand infantry, one thousand cavalry, and a number of batteries, under the command of Maj .- Gen. Foster, left Newbern about eight o'clock on the morning of the 11th. We took a westerly direction, moving off quietly for the first ten miles, when our advanee-guard of cavalry eneoun- tered a company of rebel eavalry, and after a sharp eontest sent them flying before them. The rebels lost three prob- ably mortally wounded, and three prisoners. As we came to the ground on which this skirmish took place, just at the left and near the road lay a rebel, wounded seriously, and two prisoners standing by. Gen. Foster was in conversa- tion with one of them. A little farther on, in a poreh, where he had been carried, lay another rebel, shot through the head, but still he breathed, though his breath was labored and heavy, and he uneonseious. Still farther, on another poreh, lay still another rebel, shot through the head, and like the former he was apparently uneonseious, but still breathing. We met near here another prisoner being taken to the rear. We saw no more of the enemy until near night, when our advanee cavalry encountered and captured some rebel piekets. Just here the enemy had ob- strueted our way by felling trees aeross the road, and we halted and bivouacked for the night on a large eorn planta- tion. Though guards were posted in every direction, with the apparent purpose of preventing foraging, that night chickens, fresh pork, sweet potatoes, and honey were quite plenty in the 96th, and doubtless in other regiments. The means employed to secure these luxuries in spite of the guards, whether justifiable or not, were sometimes most amusing. Near our regiment was a pen, with some fine speeimens of well-fattened pork. A sentry paeed his appointed beat hard by. One of our corporals put on his straps, and taking one of the men with musket and fixed bayonet, marched to the pen as relief guard. The guard thinking it all right, and glad to be relieved so soon, left without a suspieion, when a sudden and ample supply of fresh pork told the story. It was equally laughable to see a guard placed over a huge pile of sweet potatoes doing his

duty with great apparent promptness, charging bayonets furiously upon those who had stolen stealthily elose on his heels, and while he was marehing leisurely to the farther end of his beat, hastily filled their eaps and hands with the coveted booty. While these were charged away, a more hungry swarm, if possible, followed elose behind from the opposite direction, filling their eaps in time for the return eharge.

The road having been eleared during the night, at early morning the column was pressing forward. We moved on without interruption until afternoon, when it was found that the enemy had destroyed a bridge aeross a stream in our front. A detour of some miles to the left was made, and a erossing effeeted at a bridge which the rebels evidently thought too far from our line of march to be of service to us. We struek another road leading directly on to Kin- ston, and continued our mareh until into the early part of the night, when we turned to the right into a field, and, as usual, made the earth our bed. At daylight we were on the move again. An hour's mareh, and we were brought to a sudden halt. The enemy had planted some artillery on the opposite side of a small stream to dispute its passage. A battery of our guns were wheeled into position, and opened a furious fire. A charge of infantry soon captured two of the rebel guns, and put the remaining foree to rout. The bridge was repaired, and we moved on, perhaps a mile far- ther, and eneamped for the night. We were now about four miles from Kinston, and all expected serious work on the morrow. Morning eame,-a morning of sad memories in our regimental history, as the sequel will show. About eight o'eloek we took up our line of march for Kinston. To reach the place, the Neuse River must be erossed over a bridge some three-fourths of a mile from the town. We advaneed perhaps a mile or more, when musketry ahead

heralded the approaching confliet. The rebels were driving in our piekets. They had formed their line of battle a mile and a half from the river, with a foree estimated by some at ten thousand, and proposed to dispute our further ad- vanee. Our brigade was in the advance, and must meet and endure the first shoek of battle. Our regiment was sent in on the extreme right, driving the enemy in front of us, after a sharp contest, aeross an open field in the direc- tion of the river. We moved across the field to a road that ran along on the river-bank. At our left, the rebels were being pushed sharply baek. When we struek the road, and eame in sight of the bridge, it was filled with rebels, erossing to the opposite side of the river. Col. Gray faeed the regiment towards the bridge, and ordered a charge. The men sprang forward at the word, led by their gallant colonel, and rushed full up to the bridge, eutting the column of retreating rebels in twain, capturing a large number of prisoners. The rebel fire from the opposite side of the river was terrifie. Just as Col. Gray reached the end of the bridge, breaking and, parting the rebel line of retreat, a bullet passed direetly through his left lung. He turned, walked a few steps, and sank into the arms of some of our officers. He was borne to the rear, and lived only about two hours. His loss was most sincerely mourned by both officers and men, as he was held in highest esteen. The eliaplain was ordered in charge of his remains, in-

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

structed to bear them to his home and friends. Lieut. Morrison was severely wounded, as likewise many of our brave men. When the last of the rebels left the bridge, it was instantly fired, as it had been prepared with combus- tibles for that purpose, in case they were forced to retreat. The flames were soon extinguished, and the retreating rebels pursued to and beyond the town, ten pieces of artillery falling into our hands. The next morning the body of the colonel was lashed to an army stretcher, and placed upon a caisson which had been captured the previous day, and put en route for Newbern. Nearly two days were consumed in the journey, and several more in reaching his home in Warrensburgh, N. Y., where sad hearts and affectionate hands laid the precious remains to rest in the home-ceme- tery. The multitude who crowded to the funeral services evidenced the high esteem in which he was held in home- circles. The expedition continued its march to Goldsboro', sweeping before it all opposition, and having accomplished its object, retraced its march to Newbern. Edgar M. Cul- len, a young officer of the regular army, was commissioned, and sent to us as colonel, assuming command under the disadvantages of a general impression that, among our own gallant officers, were many whose shoulders could bear the eagle with dignity and grace.

The winter and early spring were spent in camp about a mile from Newbern, on the south side of the Trent River, encamping just upon its banks. The time was occupied largely in the usual rounds of guard and picket duty, and repelling, for a change, an effort of the enemy to recapture the place by land approaches. It was largely, as far as we were concerned, a bloodless repulse. The regiment also assisted in raising the rebel siege of Little Washington. On the 26th of May, 1863, we broke camp, took transports, and soon found that Plymouth was our destination, a town of a few hundred inhabitants on the Roanoke River. The 96th were employed for the most part in building a fort on the river, a mile or more above the village. Capts. Moffitt and Pierce were detailed to do duty as provost-marshals at Plymouth, while the chaplain served as chaplain of the post and superintendent of the colored schools in progress in the place, inaugurated by the chaplains who had pre- ceded us there. In the performance of these duties the summer passed quietly, though rumor said that the rebels were constructing a dangerous craft of some indescribable kind somewhere up the river, with which they designed to make us serious trouble in due time. It was while here that we lost one of our most capable and efficient orderly sergeants by a sad accident. He, with others, were bathing in a deep creek near the camp, when the sergeant, who was supposed to be a good swimmer, was noticed to suddenly sink. At first it was thought to have been purposely done, in order to swim some distance under water, but when the water smoothed over where he went down, and no sign of his coming to the surface was anywhere discovered, the awful truth became apparent that he must be drowning. Efforts were made to reach him by expert divers, but to no avail. The suspense and anxiety of those moments cannot be told. Efforts were made for the recovery of his body, which for hours proved of no avail. All hope of recover- ing the body had nearly died out, when, just at nightfall,

the persistent and determined efforts of Capt. Hindes were crowned with success. His remains were tenderly borne to the cemetery at Plymouth, and he was buried with the honors due to a soldier such as Sergt. Chisholm had always proven himself to be. Another soldier came to his un- timely end by drinking chloroform in mistake for some medicine which had been prepared for him. He entered the medical dispensary early in the morning and took the fatal draught, went immediately to the surgeon's tent, and awakening him told him what he had done, then stepped out and fell near the tent. The skillful efforts of Dr. Davignon succeeded in rousing him to consciousness again. He lingered until night and expired.

Early winter found our regiment removed to Coinjock, on the Currituck Sound, between Albemarle Sound and Norfolk, Va., where it remained doing guard duty without events of particular moment until near spring, when, having re-enlisted as a veteran regiment, it was accorded a veteran furlough and returned to Plattsburgh, and joyfully dispersed for a time to visit home and loved ones. Only to a soldier, worn with long and weary marches, imperiled in many fierce and bloody battles, with many a long month of ab- sence from the comforts and endearments of home, sweet home, can the full joy of such a privilege as was now en- joyed be fitly realized. We went our several ways to look upon familiar home-scenes of other days, to greet the loved ones who had long missed us at home, and sometimes feared we might never again return. Alas! many did not return who two years before marched with us to the fiery front. A peculiar sadness shaded many homes, while many were returning for this brief greeting and their own dear ones came not. Some were pining in Southern starvation prisons, while many were sleeping the sleep that knows no earthly waking. Capt. Moffitt, on detached service as provost-mar- shal at Plymouth, passed through some perilous and painful experiences. In April the mysterious up-the-river-monster came steaming down as the iron-clad ram " Albemarle," and joined with an overwhelming land force in the subjugation of Plymouth.

Though our forces fought with the greatest gallantry, with the " Albemarle" belching death on one side and over- powering numbers charging on the other, a surrender be- came an unavoidable necessity. Among the prisoners marched away was our esteemed Capt. Moffitt. Months of rebel prisons, and an experience with those who were placed under the fire of our own guns at Charleston, S. C., awaited him, through all of which he was preserved to return to us again, greatly to our relief and joy.

The days of our brief furlough passed swiftly, and April 11, 1864, just two years and one month from our first departure, saw us again embark for the seat of war. Another scene of parting, lamentations, and tearful fare- wells, and we were away for the front once more. After some haltings and delays on the way, we reached York- town on the 18th, where we remained while forces were being concentrated at that point for an advance movement in some unknown direction. May 4th we embarked, steamed down to Fortress Monroe, then up the James River, and landed at Bermuda Hundred, on the south side of the James and just west of the Appomattox. The Monday

MILITARY HISTORY.

morning following we moved out in the direction of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, striking it and tearing up the track ; then facing toward Petersburg, the rebels falling back at our advance. Our force consisted of the 18th and 10th Army Corps. In the afternoon the enemy made a stand, and seemed inclined to accept battle, and opened with their artillery on our advancing columns. As we advaneed in line of battle our skirmish line engaged in a brisk fire, and soon the rapid fire of musketry told that our line just at the right were fully engaged. The firing steadily increased, until the musketry became a constant roll, interspersed with the rapid and heavier booming of the cannon. Above the general din a shout arose, giving evidence that a charge had been ordered, which proved to be a charge of the enemy, which was repulsed with fearful slaughter. Our regiment had swung in, and were lying partly on the flank of this desperate fighting, and captured some of the retreating rebels. Soon after the charge all firing ceased, and it was evident that the enemy were sat- isfied that they were outmatched in the contest. The chaplain, who was accustomed to accompany the regiment in all its engagements, received a close call for his life that day. Being out at the skirmish line, he by mistake got between the two lines, and almost on the rebel skirmishers, when one from behind a tree, only a few yards away, fired, the shot passing between the left arm and side of his in- tended victim. The chaplain thought he was somewhat compensated for the peril of the day by capturing and leading in by the collar a rebel captain in command of some skirmishers, greatly to the amusement of the men. After the charge and repulse referred to, the field of deadly conflict presented a ghastly appearance. In gathering up the rebel wounded who fell into our hands, a scene of sad interest occurred worth mentioning. A fallen rebel lay at the foot of a large tree, moaning piteously. The chap- lain asked, " Are you wounded bad ?" He replied, " My arm is broken, and I am wounded in the body." An ex- amination was made, and it was ascertained that a bullet had passed through his body in a downward direction, passing out at one of his hips. "You are badly wounded," said the chaplain, " and doubtless cannot live long, and the only thing you can do in this sad hour is to trust in the Lord, and look to him for mercy." This was the first intimation he had received as to the fatal nature of his wounds, and fully realizing his situation he cried imploringly for merey to prepare him for the inevitable change, while the chaplain eommended him to God in prayer. In further conversation he said, " It is terrible to be killed fighting against my own will. If I had been fighting voluntarily it would be dif- ferent, but I have been forced into the army, and compelled to fight against my wish, and now I must die." So re- morseless was rebel conscription.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 21

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