History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 20

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840

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thirteen hours marching and fighting, hungry, thirsty, weary, and continually encountering fresh rebel troops, without seeing even a company hurry- ing to their support, became suddenly dismayed and panic stricken. Elzley's and Early's fresh battalions filled the woods on their right, extending rapidly toward its rear, firing on them from under cover, and seeming by their shots and cries to be innumerable. Two or three of our regiments re- coiled and then broke, rushing down to the Run. Johnston again ordered Ewell to advance and attack, which he did, but was received by the 2d Brigade ( Colonel T. A. Davis ) with so rapid and spirited a fire of grape and cannister that he precipitately re- treated.

There were still more than three hours of good daylight when the rebels saw our routed right rush- ing 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 Centerville, and eager- ly expecting their advance. But they appear to have been aware that their victory was a lucky accident, and they did not choose to submit its prestige to the chance of another fray. Our 5th division, constitut- ing the reserve, now became the rear guard of our army, and remained in position till after midnight, when, under peremptory orders from Gen. Mc- Dowell, it commenced its deliberate retreat to the environs of Washington. Although the retreat from the battle field of Bull Run, was a panic- stricken flight on the part of a considerable number of raw and undisciplined troops and a multitude of stragglers and spectators who went out of Washing- ton on that fine Sunday to witness the battle, yet a portion of our army retired in good order. Says Major Berry, our chief of Artillery in the battle :

" The army having retired upon Centerville, I was ordered by General McDowell in person, to post the artillery in position to cover the retreat. The bat- teries of Hunt, Ayres, Tidball, Edwards, Green and the New York Sth regiment (the latter served by volunteers from Wilcox's brigade) 20 pieces in all, were at once placed in position ; and thus remained till 12 o'clock, r. M., when orders having been re- ceived to retire upon the Potomac, the batteries were put in march, and covered by Richardson's brigade retired in good order and without haste, and early next morning rëoccupied their former camps on the l'otomac."

The 12th Regiment during this expedition was brigaded with the ist Massachusetts and the 2d and 3d Michigan, under command of Col. J. D. Richardson. On Monday, the 22d of July, they

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

returned from Bull Run, as rear guard of the re- treating army, and on the 24th occupied a portion of the camp of the 8th Militia at Arlington Heights, where they remained a few days and then encamped upon the flats near the Long Bridge turnpike. On the 13th, they removed to Fort Albany and relieved the 25th New York Militia, and thence on the 30th to a camp south of the Arlington House, and con- structed Fort Craig-one of a continuous line of fortifications from Alexandria to Chain Bridge. On the evening of August 26, three companies under Captain Barnum, were detailed on picket duty to- wards Upton's Hill, and had a lively skirmish with the rebels lasting nearly all day. They were re- pulsed by the rebels to Ball's Cross Roads. Ser- geant-Major Estes and private Hitchcock were wounded, the latter mortally, and Fred. Darby, of Company D, taken prisoner. On the 27th of Sep- tember, a general advance was made upon Upton's Hill, and the 12th Regiment established permanent camp in which they remained till early in the month of February.

On the 3d of February, 1862, the regiment was consolidated with the 12th New York Militia, so called, a body of 550 recruits raised by Henry A. Weeks in the city of New York. Up to this time the 12th Regiment had been about nine months in service, and through losses in the field and sickness had been reduced to 450 officers and men. When General McClellan was at this time making up the Army of the Potomac, this remnant of the 12th Volunteers was to be left out and kept for garrison duty in the defences of Washington, to serve as heavy artillery under command of Lieutenant-Col- onel R. M. Richardson. Colonel Richardson did not feel satisfied with this idea, and being desirous that another regiment should be put in active ser- vice at the front, he obtained leave of absence, went to New York and found Henry A. Weeks with 550 recruits, called the 12th New York Militia, made arrangements for the consolidation of these recruits with the remnant of the 12th New York Volunteers, on condition that Mr. Weeks should be Colonel of the new regiment ; thus relinquishing the command of his own regiment in order to effect the new or- ganization.

In the consolidation the ten companies of the 12th Regiment were reduced to five, the 12th Mili- tia furnishing five. The companies of the 12th New York Volunteers, which retained their or- ganizations were companies A, G, H, I and K, offi- cered respectively by Captains Root, Randall, Wood, Truesdell and Coombs. The field officers were Henry A. Weeks, Colonel; R. M. Richard-

son, Lieutenant-Colonel ; Henry A. Barnum, Ma- jor ; George W. Watson, Adjutant ; Porter R. Alger, Quartermaster ; A. B. Shipman, Surgeon ; George B. Todd, Assistant Surgeon. The officers rendered supernumerary by the consolidation were mustered out of the service. Most of them rëen- listed, and in other organizations attained consider- able distinction during the war.

On the 13th of March, 1862, Gen. McClellan organized the Army of the Potomac. At that date the 12th Regiment was attached to Gen. Butter- field's brigade, consisting of the 12th, 17th and 44th New York, the 16th Michigan and the 83d Pennsylvania regiments ; and thus organized ac- companied the Army of the Potomac under Gen. McClellan to the Peninsula. They were engaged in the siege of Yorktown, daily furnishing a large detail of men to work in the trenches, and on the 14th of April, engaged in a sharp skirmish with the rebels who had attacked our picket lines.

On the 4th of May, General Magruder evacuated Yorktown with his forces. McClellan had been thirty days in front of the works, and was intending to open the siege on the 6th of May, but lie found, two days earlier, that Magruder had abandoned his works, including Yorktown, during the preceding night, and had retreated up the Peninsula. While the pursuit of the rebels was prompt and energetic under Stoneman and Hooker to Williamsburg, where Hooker's division withstood 30,000 of the rebel force during an entire day without rëenforce- ments, General McClellan remained at Yorktown supervising the embarkation of Franklin's, Butter- field's and other troops, including our 12th New York Regiment, for West Point, whence they moved up the Pamunkey River and thence across to New Bridge on the Chickahominy. Here the 12th Regiment was in the 3d Brigade, under General D. C. Butterfield, Ist Division (General Morrell's) 5th Corps, commanded by General Fitz- John Porter ; and so remained throughout the service. On the 24th of May, fighting commenced on the Chickahominy, near New Bridge. The 4th Michigan (Colonel Woodbury) waded the stream and assailed and drove off a superior rebel force, losing but 8 men in all, and taking 37 prisoners, of whom 15 were wounded. Directly afterwards Gen. Fitz-John Porter, commanding the 5th Corps, on our right, was ordered to advance from New Bridge via. Mechanicsville to Hanover Court House, in order to facilitate and render secure Gen. McDowell's expected junction from Fredericksburg. Starting at 3 A. M, May 27, in a pouring rain, our cavalry advance, under Gen. W. H. Emory, had reached, at

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

noon, a point two miles southward of the Court House, where the road forks to Ashland, and where the enemy were found in position to bar our further progress. The 25th New York and Berdan's sharp- shooters speedily coming up, they were deployed by Gen. Emory, with a section of Benson's battery, and thus advanced slowly towards the enemy until re- enforced by Gen. D. C. Butterfield, with four regi- ments of his brigade, when the enemy was charged and quickly routed, one of his guns being captured by Col. Lansing's 17th New York. The cavalry, Benson's battery, and Gen. Morrell's infantry and artillery, keenly pursued the fugitives while Mar- tindales's brigade with a section of artillery, advanced on the Ashland road, pushing back the enemy in his front, until ordered to reform his brigade and move up the railroad to the Court House. One régiment having taken that course, Gen. Martindale was left with but two and a half regiments and one section of Martin's battery, when he was attacked by a superior force and compelled to main- tain the unequal contest for an hour. Meantime Gen. Porter, at the Court House, learning that his rear was thus attacked, faced his whole column about and moved rapidly to the rescue, sending the 13th and 14th New York, with Griffin's battery, directly to Martindale's assistance, pushing the 9th Massachusetts and G2d Pennsylvania, through the woods on the right to take the enemy in flank, while Butterfield with the S3d Pennsylvania and 16th Michigan hastened through the woods, still further to the right, and completed the rout of the enemy. Their loss is stated by Gen. MeClellan at 2,000 killed, 730 prisoners, including wounded, one 12 pound howitzer, many small-arms, two railroad trains, and their camp at Hanover Court House captured and destroyed. Our loss was 53 killed and 344 wounded. The rebel force thus defeated consisted of Gen. Branch's division of North Caro- lina and Georgia troops, estimated at 9,000 strong.

CHAPTER XXIII.

TWELFTH REGIMENT CONTINUED - MECHANICS- VILLE-RETREAT ACROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY -FLANK MOVEMENT TO THE JAMES-MALVERN HILL-HARRISON'S LANDING - SECOND BULL RUN-ANTIETAM-FREDERICKSBURG - RETURN HOME - LIST OF PROMOTIONS - THE 10IST REGIMENT.

O UR Corps returned to camp at Gaines's Mill, and on the 26th of June were ordered up to Mechanicsville to support the l'ennsylvania

reserves, under Gen. McCall. This force which had recently been sent down to reenforce Gen. McClellan, and had never till now been in action, were posted on advantageous ground across Beaver Dam Creek. The supporting corps of Gen. Porter consisted of Morrell's Division and Sykes's Regu- lars, about 27,000 men. Prior to the opening of this series of battles Gen. Robert E. Lee had suc- ceeded to the chief command of the Rebel Army, and had cautiously concentrated about 70,000 men on the Chickahominy. The movement on Mechan- icsville was to have been made early on the morn- ing of the 26th of June, at which time the batteries on the southern bluff of the Chickahominy were to open fire. But the rebels were delayed by the non- arrival of Stonewall Jackson, and did not attack our lines till 3 P. M. His advance had been discovered three hours before, so that our pickets were called in before it, and the regiment and battery holding Mechanicsville fell back, fighting, to the strong po- sition held by the Pennsylvania Reserves, and Por- ter's (5th) corps. This brought the reserves and 5th corps into action against the great body of the rebel force under the two Hills and Longstreet, which came rapidly on attempting to turn our left flank, but were repulsed with fearful carnage. " Night," says Greeley, " fell on a decided and ani- mating success of our mainly green soldiers, though the fighting did not cease till after dark, and the rebels remained in force not far from our front. Our total loss in this affair was less than 400, while that of the rebels must have been many times larger ; and when near the close of the battle, fresh troops came up to relieve the exhausted reserves, they refused to give place, but, replenishing their ammunition, lay down on their arms to await the encounter of the morrow."

On the 27th, before daylight, an order from Gen. McClellan ( who had learned, meantime, that Jackson was approaching,) directed the evacuation of our strong position and a retreat to Gaines's Mill. This was a very difficult movement to effect, as the rebel attack was renewed a few minutes afterwards. Still, the enemy was repulsed, though our men were re- tiring at the same time, Meade's, Griffin's, Rey- nolds' and Morrell's commands moving steadily off the field, as if on parade ; our dead all buried, our wounded and arms brought away, with the loss of no caisson, hardly a musket, by a little after 7 A. M., leaving the rebels unaware for the moment that there was no longer an enemy before them. Before noon the splendid retreat was completed ; cach regiment and battery had taken the new position assigned it at Gaines's Mill, our brigade (with the

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

12th Regiment,) under command of Lieut .- Colonel Richardson, forming the extreme left, resting on the Chickahominy.

Soon after noon on the 27th, the rebels arrived in front of our new position. A. P. Hill, who had been awaiting Jackson's arrival, opened the battle at 2 P. M. Sykes's regulars received him with heroic bravery. They were staggered and temporarily

repulsed. At this juncture, Longstreet, D. H. Hill, Jackson and Ewell, came into the battle, with the whole of Lee's forces ; a general advance from right to left was ordered and made, under a terrific fire of cannon and musketry from both sides.

General Porter had a strong position on the side of a ravine formed by a small creek and screened in part by trees and underbrush. with Morrell's and Sykes's divisions in front, and McCall's forming a second line behind them. His cavalry, under P. St. George Cooke, in the valley of the Chicka- hominy, watched the rebels in that quarter. His siege guns, which had been withdrawn across the Chickahominy during the night, were planted in battery on the right bank of the stream, so as to check the advance of the rebel right and prevent their turning our left. He could have presented a formidable covering of abatis on his front and right, had he been supplied with axes, but these were unaccountably wanting. His request for them to General Barnard reached McClellan too late. He finally received some without handles, and while these were being supplied the opportunity for using axes was past. His first call on McClellan for rëenforcements likewise miscarried. His next was made at 2 P. M., when Slocum's Division of the 6th Corps was ordered to his support, arriving on the field at 3:30, after our position had been assailed in force at every point, and after McCall's Division had been ordered up to support our sorely pressed front. So urgent and instant was the pressure that Slocum's Division had to be divided and thrown by brigades and even regiments to the points where the need of aid seemed greatest. Reynolds, with one brigade of McCall's Reserves, having reached the front and driven the enemy before him, hearing the noise of a terrific con- test on his left, moved immediately to that point where his assistance seemed necessary. And thus the battle raged for hours ; repeated charges on our lines being repulsed, but fresh brigades advanc- ing promptly to replace them, until our wasted reg- iments, having exhausted their amunition, were obliged to retire and replenish it. Porter, though he had lost little ground, telegraphed to McClellan for rëenforcements, who ordered forward French's and

Meagher's brigades of the 2d corps ; but, before they could reach the field, the rebels, rallying all their forces, just at sunset, stormed our entrenchments right and left, driving back their brave defenders with mutual carnage, and capturing several of our guns.

" General Porter, seeing his infantry beaten, now called into action all his reserved and remaining artillery, and thus bringing at once some So guns into action, was covering the retreat of his infantry and dealing fearful retribution on their assailants, whose advance was suddenly checked ; when Gen. Cooke, without orders, undertook to charge with a battalion of cavalry, the right flank of the rebels advancing on our left, and still covered in good part by woods. This charge being met by a withering fire of musketry, amidst the roar of a hundred belch- ing cannon, resulted in instant rout; the frightened horses, whether with or without the consent of their riders, wheeling abruptly and crashing through our batteries ; leading our gunners to suppose, for the moment, that they were charged by regiments of rebel horse." " To this alone," says Fitz-John Por- ter, in his report, "is to be attributed our failure to hold the field, and to bring off all our guns and wounded."

" In another moment the cheering shouts of French's and Meagher's men were heard, as they advanced rapidly to the front. Rallying behind these two fresh brigades, our wearied, decimated regiments advanced up the hill, down which they had recently been driven, ready to meet a fresh attack, had one been attempted. But the enemy, perceiving that they were confronted by fresh com- batants, and not knowing our force, halted for the night on the field they had so hardly won."*

During the night our forces were withdrawn across the Chickahominy, leaving 19 guns on the battle field and three run off the bridge into the stream. Our losses in this action have been esti- mated at 6,000 killed and wounded : Greeley foots them up to " hardly less than 8,000 men," the rebels losing probably "about two thirds as many." Our 12th Regiment lost heavily, among whom were Captain Truesdell, severely wounded, also Captain Crombie, Lieut. S. A. Estes, Lieut. Fisher, mor- tally ; Lieut. Barton, killed ; Lieut. Paul A. Oliver, severely wounded in the scalp, but not fatally. Quite a large number (144) of this regiment were killed and taken prisoners.

McClellan having now determined on a flank movement through White Oak Swamp to the James, our regiment followed the next day to Sav- age's Station, crossed White Oak Swamp on the 29th of June, and on Tuesday, July Ist, were en- gaged in the battle of Malvern Hill. The rebels, as soon as they had discovered McClellan's move- ments, crossed the Chickahominy and pursued after

Greeley, vol. ii, p. 157.

13*

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

him. Without recounting the battles and hard- ships of this march, the terrible conflict of the 30th of June, in which a portion of our army was en- gaged on the road leading from New Market to Long Bridge, we shall follow more directly the for- tunes of the 12th Regiment, which reached Malvern Hill at 9 o'clock A. M., June 30th. Gen. Porter, with his corps, had been delayed in crossing White Oak Swamp, and hence did not reach Malvern Hill till the time above stated. The entire wasted and way-worn army had been concentrated on the bat - tle ground on the ist of July, the rear guard arriv- ing that forenoon, closely pursued by the converg- ing columns of the rebels. "The anxious days and sleepless nights of the preceding week ; the con- stant and resolute efforts required to force their forty miles of guns and trains over the narrow, wretched roads which traverse White Oak Swamp ; their ignorance of the locality, and exposure to be ambushed and assailed at every turn, rendered this retreat an ordeal for our men long to be remem- bered."

General McClellan had reached Malvern Hill the day before the battle, and selecting his position, left orders with General Barnard to post the troops as they arrived, while he went down the river on the gunboat Galena to select a position at which he pro- posed to terminate his retreat. The rebels con- sumed considerable time in getting into position and bringing up the artillery necessary to respond to our heavy and well placed batteries. At length the battle was opened by D. H. Hill's division at 3 P. M. on our left, and directly in front of that portion of our army in which the 12th Regiment was stationed. The order of our troops is thus described : " Porter, with Sykes's and Morrell's divisions, held our left, with Couch's division next, then Kearney and Hooker, forming Heintzelman's corps ; next to these Sedgwick and Richardson, under Sumner, with Smith and Slocum, under Franklin, on our right ; while McCall's shattered Pennsylvania Re- serves and our cavalry were posted in the rear, near the river. Batteries above, batteries along the brow of the hill, rendered the attack little less than mad- ness." Yet, as we have said, the attack on Porter's Corps was made at 3 1'. M, under general orders to break our lines by a concentric fire of artillery, and then "charge with a yell" on our entire front with columns of infantry, which should rush over our defences, as they did in the final assault at Gaines's Mill, and drive our fugitive army into the James. The infantry attack was made with great spirit, amidst fearful carnage, and for some time raged along nearly our entire line ; but Hill, being

unsupported by the general advance which had been ordered, was hurled back with heavy loss.

At the opening of this action just as our 12th Regiment was taking position, Major Henry A. Barnum was wounded by a rebel shot, the bullet passing through the left hip, inflicting a very criti- cal and dangerous wound, which kept him many months out of the service.

After the first fruitless attempt of the enemy to break our lines, a considerable pause ensued during which both sides were getting ready for the main battle of the day. The sheltering woods enabled the rebels to form their columns of assault within a few hundred yards of our batteries. At about 6 p. M., when the attack was renewed, they emerged upon a full run, and rushed upon our lines in utter recklessness of their withering fire, assault- ing in such desperation, that Sickles's brigade of Hooker's division, and Meagher's brigade of Rich- ardson's division, were ordered up to the support of Porter and Couch, who now held our right front, which Jackson was charging furiously ; but not one of our guns was temporarily captured or seri- ously imperiled throughout the fight. The loss of the rebels is supposed to have been treble that of our own-in this battle over 10,000 killed, wounded and missing. Gen. McClellan reports the aggre- gate losses of his army in the seven days fighting, from Mechanicsville to Harrison's Landing, at 1,582 killed, 7,709 wounded, and 5,958 missing ; total, 15,249.

After the battle of Malvern Hill, our regiment, together with the army, removed to Harrison's Land- ing, on the James River. The rear guard moved into camp on the evening of the 3d of July, and the army was at rest, after their hard fighting and marching. During the night of July 31st, Gen. French, having been sent by'Lee with 43 guns, to approach Harrison's Bar stealthily on the south side of the James, opened a fire on our camp and vessels, whereby 10 of our soldiers were killed and 15 wounded. Our guns were brought to bear upon him and he fled before daylight. His cannonade lasted only about half an hour. This is the only incident of any importance that occurred while in camp at this point.

Left Harrison's Landing on the 14th of August, and came down the river, halting at Yorktown, camping on the same ground occupied by our regiment during the siege. General Porter was under orders to halt the advance here ; but inter- cepting a letter informing him that the enemy were concentrating rapidly on Pope with intent to crush him before he could be rëenforced, he took the re-

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

sponsibility of pressing on to Newport News, which he reached on the 18th, having marched sixty miles in three days. On the 20th he embarked his corps on transports to Aquia Creek, whence they were sent by rail to Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg. Moved up the Rappahannock, joined Pope's army and participated in the second battle of Bull Run, August 30, 1862.

Porter, on arriving at the scene of action, was ordered, (supported by King,) to advance down the Warrenton turnpike and attack the enemy, who in that quarter were greatly superior in numbers. The result was that Porter's corps was hurled back in confusion. The rebels pursued eagerly and joined battle along our entire front, struggling desperately to overwhelm and turn our left, where Schenck, Milroy and Reynolds, reenforced by Ricketts, maintained the unequal contest throughout the afternoon. Porter's corps was rallied, reformed and pushed to their support, rendering such good service that for a time the attack seemed likely to prove successful. But our advancing troops soon began to be mowed down by the cross-fire of four batteries from Longstreet's left, which decimated and drove them back in con- fusion. Jackson, seeing them recoil, immediately ordered an advance. Longstreet supported it, pushing forward his whole command against our center and left. At dark, our left had been forced back considerably, but still stood firm and unbroken, and covered the turnpike, which was our only safe line of retreat. That night the retreat began by order of Gen. Pope, and was pursued quietly and in good order, until his whole army was drawn back within the intrenchments along the south bank of the Potomac, covering the approaches to Washing- ton, when Pope resigned and was succeeded by Gen. McClellan.

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History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 20

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 840

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840