History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 23

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

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Gibbon's division of the 2d corps, 6,000 strong, was left at Falmouth, to guard our camps and stores. Sedgwick's (6th) corps, with our 122d Regiment, re- mained at the crossing (Franklin's) in front of the rebel works, covering the withdrawal of Sickles's (3d) corps and Reynold's division, after the feint of crossing at that point, and remained till Saturday, May 2d. At this date an order was received for the 6th corps to cross the Rappahannock and move to join llooker at Chancellorsville. That night they crossed the river at the lower crossing, and after skirmishing up through Fredericksburg, found themselves at 3 o'clock on Sunday morning in front of Marye's Heights before the fatal stone wall where fell so many of our brave soldiers on that memora- ble 13th of December, 1862. To protect themselves from the rebel fire, which opened upon them from the fortifications, they moved back to the edge of city before daylight, and were joined by Gibbon's division crossing from Falmouth, raising Sedgwick's force to nearly 30,000 men. Meanwhile, the rebel troops still remaining in this quarter had been con- centrating on Marye's Hill, where they had several

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

guns in position, while a canal covering their left, with the bridges all taken up, increased the difficulty of carrying the hill by assault. One attempt to clear the enemy's rifle-pits at the foot of the hill was re- pulsed ; another, and a successful assault, was made at II A. M. by three storming columns of Gen. Howe's (2d) division under Gen. Neill and Cols. Grant and Seaver, carrying the lower work and Marye's Hill with little loss and scarcely without being checked in their advance, and capturing 200 prisoners. In carrying the rebel front line Capt. Church was wounded by a case shot. In carrying the hill about 900 men were killed and wounded in eleven minutes. The 122d was in the supporting column and passing over the hill, turned to the right, and in about a mile came in front of a forti- fied hill occupied by a force of the enemy and two guns, which the regiment was ordered to carry, and did it promptly, losing nine killed and wounded.

Sedgwick having carried the heights, rëformed his brigades, and leaving Gibbon at Fredericksburg, moved out on the Chancellorsville road. Our regi- ment moved with the other troops at I P. M., about four miles to Salem Church. The fortified position of the rebels here was unsuccessfully attacked. The enemy, rëenforced by about 30,000 men, flushed with victory from Chancellorsville, assailed us in return, and for about two hours the battle raged furiously. Our forces held their own at all points. Towards night the battle lulled, and the 122d was thrown to the extreme right front of our position, which they held all night.

Monday, May 4. Morning broke, and Sedgwick's position was fast becoming critical. The enemy were in force on his front, and feeling around his left, back towards the heights of Fredericksburg. Should Hooker remain inactive, the brunt of fighting the whole rebel army was imminent. He received several dispatches from his chief during the day, evincing a very uncertain state of mind. At I P. M. the enemy moved in force, striking Sedgwick in flank, and pushing him down towards the river, and during the night over it at Bank's Ford, with a loss of hardly less than 5,000 men.

In this movement the enemy attempted to cut off our forces from the river, but their effort was suc- cessfully resisted. A bridge was laid by the 50th New York (engineers) and the corps recrossed the Rappahannock in the course of the night, the 122d Regiment, holding the bridge-head in the face of the enemy till 3 o'clock in the morning, being the last to recross. By the 8th, the regiment occupied a new camp in a pine woods, called Camp Shaler, further east and nearer the river than the old one.

June 3. Lee began to put his forces in motion up the southern bank of the Rappahannock, pre- paratory to the invasion of Maryland and Pennsyl- vania. The movements were carefully screened from the observation of our army. On the 6th, Hooker threw over Gen. Howe's division of the 6th corps (containing the 122d) a little below the city, to ascertain if the enemy were still in force there. Hill, who had been left to guard the place, soon convinced him that there had been but little reduction of the rebel strength in that quarter, and after some careful skirmishing, in which three of the 122d were wounded, he withdrew again to the north side of the river, June 13.

June 14-18. Marched to Fairfax Court House. June 21st. Firing within hearing at Adlie and Snicker's Gaps, east of Winchester.

June 14th. Marched to Centerville, camped for the night, and at 5 P. M., June 25, went on picket to the front on the old Bull Run battle ground.

June 26. Marched to near Drainsville ; (27), marched at 4 o'clock A. M., and crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry, eighteen miles distant, at 4 P.M. ; (28) marched toward Frederick City, just skirting Sugar Loaf Mountain; (29) marched all day north- wardly ; and (30) marched sixteen miles to near Manchester, Maryland.

July 1. Heard that the Ist corps had struck the enemy at Gettysburg, and that battle was joined ; started at sundown, and after marching all night, (thirty miles,) arrived upon the field at 3 P. M. of the 2d, and went immediately into the front line. On the 3d of July, from 8 till 11:30 A. M., the I22d Regiment was at the right under General Geary, of Slocum's corps, and lost heavily, but defeated the enemy. The 149th Regiment was at the left side of the 122d through part of the fight. Slocum, who commanded the right wing of our army during the battle of Gettysburg, had been crowded back from his rifle-pits on the night of the 2d of July, and on the morning of the 3d, in the action just referred to, he had advanced and retaken them, but not without a fierce struggle which lasted over three hours. Two Onondaga Regiments, the 149th and the 122d, had the honor of participating in this achievement, under one of Onondaga's honored sons as commander of the right wing of the army-General H. W. Slocum. In front of their position that morning fell 1,200 rebel dead. The following day was spent on the battle field, taking care of the wounded. When the rebels retreated our brigade followed to Middletown, and thence across the mountain to Funkstown, arriving on the 14th, where they found the rebels strongly posted

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behind breastworks, and so sheltered by a piece of wood, that our artillery could not be brought to bear upon them. Some 90 men of the brigade volun- teered to chop down the timber, though right in front of and exposed to the rebel guns, that the artillery might have full rake ; and at work they went with axes, keeping their rifles by their side ; but in the morning, when the attack was to have been made, it was found that the enemy had gone in the night. Our army followed them four miles to Williamsport, capturing their rear-guard, re- crossing the Potomac and arriving at Warrenton about July 24th, where they remained till Septem- ber 15th ; thence to White Sulphur Springs, camp- ing at Stone House Mountain, till October 1, when they started at 11 A. M., and marched all next day in a heavy rain, reaching Catlett's Station on the 3d, where our brigade remained guarding the station for ten days.

October 13. At 1 o'clock a. M. marched to Warrenton Junction, and lay in line of battle one mile east of the junction through the day, to pro- tect our trains and the flank of our army moving northward. Towards night the brigade moved to Kettle Run, a mile from Bristow Station, arriving at 3 A. M., and the next day marched to Centerville and went to the front on picket duty. This move- ment appears to have been caused by the enemy's moving around our right flank and threatening our communications with Washington. They had pushed for Centerville with the intention of occupying the fortifications there, expecting that we would attack them ; but on arriving in front of the position, they found three of our corps in possession of the works. Judging that our trains must be just behind, the rebels turned sharp to the right, and found them where they expected, moving alongside of the railroad track under the escort of the 2d corps. The highway was just at the left of the railroad ; as they were coming up, and as they struck the train, they likewise struck the 2d corps in flank. The troops of this corps immediately jumped over the railroad bank, and with their artil- lery at the head of the column, pointing down the road, were in splendid position, from which they re- pulsed the attack handsomely, inflicting heavy loss. This affair is known as Bristow Station.

October 16. Marched four miles north of Cen- terville and took position, awaiting the enemy. Considerable fighting for two days past. October 19. l'ushing the enemy towards Gainesville. Oc- tober 20. Marched to New Baltimore and Warren- ton, sending the enemy across the river. Lay in camp near Warrenton till November 7.

The rebels having retired south of the Rappa- hannock, after having chased our army almost up to Washington, and having gained a decided advan- tage in the only important collision that marked his retreat, Meade sought permission, by a rapid movement to the left, to seize and occupy the Heights of Fredericksburg ; and accordingly, sent forward Sedgwick, with the 5th and 6th corps, at daybreak, November 7, from Warrenton to Rappa- hannock Station, where the rebels had strongly for- tified the north bank of the river, covering their pontoon bridge. Arriving at noon opposite the station, our troops were halted behind a hill a good mile off, rested and carefully formed, and our skir- mish lines gradually advanced to the river both above and below the enemy's works. Just before sunset it was decided that these works could be carried by assault, and without a moment's delay our brave soldiers dashed forward to the charge, carrying the position, capturing four cannon, six limbers, three caissons, 1,600 prisoners, 2,000 small arms, the 122d Regiment losing 13 killed and wounded. In ten minutes the 6th Maine lost 16 out of 23 officers, and 123 out of 350 enlisted men, three of their veteran Captains lying dead, with Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, of this regiment, and Major Wheeler, of the 5th Wisconsin, severely wounded. Adjutant Clark, of the former, and Lieut. Russell, were also wounded. The rebels also lost heavily, Col. Gleason of the 12th Vir- ginia, being killed. Gen. Hayes surrendered, but afterwards escaped. Two of his colonels swam the river. The whole achievement was the work of two brigades numbering less than 3,000 men. The charge was made with fixed bayonets without firing a shot. Our command of the ford was com- plete, and Lee fell back to Culpepper that night, and across the Rappahannock the next day.

Our force moved to Brandy Station about Novem- ber 10; left camp on the 26, (Thanksgiving Day) ; crossed the Rapidan at 8 A. M. ; remained across the river marching and fighting more or less to Mine Run, till December 2d, when they recrossed the Rapidan at Gold Mine Ford and returned to their old camp at Brandy Station, where the regi- ment remained till the 3d of January, 1864.

At this date the brigade broke camp and started for Sandusky, Ohio, via Washington and Wheel- ing, West Va., arriving at Sandusky January 13. The 122d Regiment quartered in the town, the rest of the brigade on Johnson's Island guarding 2,600 rebel prisoners. They remained at Sandusky just three months, until April 13, when they started back to Virginia, arriving at their old camp at

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Brandy Station with three regiments of the brigade April 19.

Gen. Grant having been appointed by Congress Lieutenant-General of the Army, February 24, 1864, was summoned from the West by telegraph, and on the 8th of March repaired to Washington to receive his commission and instructions, as com- mandant of all the Union forces. The residue of March and nearly the whole of April were devoted to careful preparation for the campaign against Richmond. The Army of the Potomac, still com- manded immediately by Gen. Meade, was com- pletely rëorganized, its five corps being reduced to three, commanded respectively by Gen. Hancock (2d). Warren (5th), and Sedgwick (6th). Maj. Gens. Sykes, French and Newton, with Brig. Gens. Kenly, Spinola and Sol. Meredith, were relieved and sent to Washington for orders. Gen. Burn- side, who had been reorganizing and receiving large accessions to his (9th) corps in Maryland, crossed the Potomac March 2d, and joined Meade's army, though the formal incorporation therewith was postponed till after the passage of the Rapi- dan. This junction again raised the positive or fighting strength of the army to considerable over 100,000 men.

In the reorganization this spring, the old 3d di- vision was broken up and divided between the Ist and 2d divisions, our brigade being attached to the Ist division as the 4th brigade, and the 3d division of the 3d corps transferred to our corps as the 3d division of the 6th corps ; so that now the 122d Regiment belonged to the 4th brigade, Ist division, 6th corps.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SECOND REGI- MENT, CONTINUED - CAMPAIGN OF THE WILDER- NESS - BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR - SOUTH OF THE JAMES - EXPEDITION TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY - PETERSBURG - LIST OF PROMOTIONS - FIFTEENTH CAVALRY.

T' HE history of the 122d Regiment, with the brigade and division of which it was a part, during the campaign of the Wilderness and up to the sanguinary battle of Cold Harbor, is given in the following extracts from the Diary of Major T. L. Poole, of Geddes, which recorded each day's events as they transpired till the time he was wounded and left the army. The notes of this diary were made at the front, in the midst of the stirring scenes which they describe, and will add the zest of personal interest to our narrative :

May 4, 1864. Left camp near Brandy Station at daylight. Our brigade is rear-guard and is with the wagons of the corps. At about II P. M., marched eastward and went into camp at Gold Mine Ford. At the ford we found the entire wagon trains of the army, and they were then crossing the Rapidan. We spread our blankets on the ground and slept till daylight.

May 5. Did not cross the river until late in the afternoon, when we marched about two miles and encamped, still being the wagon-guard. A battle was in progress all day in front of us, continuing till late at night. It is impossible to learn anything definite.

Friday, May 6. We were awakened at midnight, and leaving the wagons behind us, marched several miles to the right and took up line of battle. Crossed over a portion of the battle ground of yes- terday, and saw many of the dead. The battle commenced at daylight ; but at this hour (6 A. M.) we have taken no part. Word has come that we shall soon make a bayonet charge. 2 o'clock P. M. Attempted the charge and failed. We advanced twenty rods and halted, took what cover we could and opened fire. Continued firing about twenty minutes, when both sides ceased : our skirmishers, however, kept up fire during the day. Our losses up to this time in the regiment are, one man killed and 41 officers and men wounded. Besides these 15 are missing, and we have reason to suppose some of them are killed or wounded. My company (I) lost Captain Dwight, wounded in the left leg below the knee, not supposed to be serious ; privates Howard and Brooks, both wounded severely ; Lieutenant Wilson, of Company A, wounded in the shoulder (proved fatal) ; Lieutenant C. B. Clark, wounded in the leg ; (Captain Dwight, wounded early in the morning at 8 o'clock, and I have since been in command of the company.) Corporal Isaac, of my company, is missing, and I suppose him killed (was killed) ; Corporal F. Patterson, of Company D, belonging to my color-guard, is also wounded.

The 126th Ohio regiment are now building breastworks a few rods in our rear ; and so matters remain at present, 2 P. M.

At 6:30 P. M., the rebels made an attack upon our works, in front, right flank and rear, the attack being made by Gordon's division. Our regiment and the entire brigade were driven back in great confusion and with heavy loss, many of our regi- ment being killed and wounded and others falling and being taken prisoners. The extreme right, consisting of our division, was driven back and completely broken to pieces, being left in fragments

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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

in the woods. We retreated nearly two miles, seeking to rally the men, but the panic was such that we found it impossible. Captain Clapp and myself finally got half a dozen of our regiment together, and as we had our regimental flag. it gave us a rallying point : and with our little band we started back to the front. Other small squads were found, and we soon had quite a force together. I only had three men in my own company out of 30. Our force went back a quarter of a mile or so, gathering strength as we went. Here we were joined by Lieut .- Col Dwight, Capt. Walpole, Lieuts. Hoyt and Wells and five or six more of our men. Col. Upton, of the 121st New York, took command of our division (what was left of it) and soon formed a line of battle, We and the ist Long Island regiment (67th N. Y. ) consisting of about forty men, were made the second line. At 11 P. M. we were attacked in force, but we drove the enemy back easily. At about 1 o'clock p. M., we moved to the right again, and lay down behind a battery and rifle-pits. I have no idea what the loss of our regi- ment is, but it is very great. Capt. Platt, Lieut. Ostrander and Lieut. Luthur, are wounded. Capt. J. M. Gere and Lieut. Hall are missing, and are probably in the hands of the rebels, and I presume Luther and Ostrander are both prisoners. Proved true.) I think our entire loss so far will be nearly or quite 2,000. Out of nine sergeants and corpo- rals belonging to my color-guard, only one is with me.

Col. J. M. Gere, who was Captain of the 122d, and taken prisoner at the time of the action just narrated, gives some personal recollections of the time the division was broken into pieces in that en- gagement. He was in one squad and Major (then Lieut. ) Poole in another, as they were all broken up in the woods, and of course had different experiences. Johnston, he says, had formed in our rear and Gor- don's division was drawn up across our right flank, - where the 122d Regiment was, on the extreme right of our infantry, with only the 22d New York cav- alry to the right of them. At night Johnston opened fire in our rear and Gordon charged our right flank, driving in our skirmish line and striking our cav- alry ; and as the rebels kept pressing and breaking our right, the attack swept down till it struck the 122d, which was driven back to the left about a quarter of a mile. Here Gen. Shaler made a rally with about 500 men, fronting to the right and charg- ing Gordon as he came up within a dozen rods. The enemy stood till our line was within two or three rods of them, and then broke and ran. As the 500 rushed to the charge, Gen. Shaler, who I

was the only mounted man present, turning to ride to the rear to bring up reenforcements, rode directly into the line of the enemy, who had moved round to our rear, and emerging from the woods, fired into our backs Gen. Shaler was taken prisoner. The rest kept on with their charge and drove the enemy to near the position where the engagement had be- gun, the rebels in the rear following and firing into the backs of the charging squad. The chargers then turned upon them, scattered their line and made their way back to the road from which they had started. At this point no other troops were visible. no one was in command, and by common consent each went to look for his regiment. In half or three-quarters of an hour, the rebels were heard cheering up through the woods. There was with us one stand of colors belonging to a Maine regiment ; this was planted in the road, and in a minute about 150 men rallied around it facing the enemy. Raising a yell, they charged the on-coming brigade of rebels with such fury that (probably thinking the little squad was only the advance of a heavy charging column) they broke and ran, and were pursued a mile, till they joined a larger body of the rebel army.

In the squad of 500, there were a good many of the 122d Regiment ; in the 150 were Col. Dwight, Adjutant Tracy and Capt. Gere, of the officers, and a number of the men. The effect of the charge was to completely neutralize the enemy's advantage to the right.

At night our men had mustered about 60, under command of Colonel Dwight, and had made their way to the left, where they lay in front of the lines and battery of the 2d corps (not knowing that the 2d corps was there,) until about 2 o'clock A. M. At this early hour the rebels (supposed to be Gordon's brigade,) came up to make an attack upon the 2d corps. The little company lay still till the rebels were within close range when they all discharged their pieces with such effect that the enemy was repulsed and hastily retreated, supposing that the volley of musketry which burst thus suddenly and unexpectedly upon them was but the precursor of an attack by a large body of the Union army. The 2d corps had made ready to open upon the enemy with artillery, but fortunately for our little squad in front of their batteries, they had heard the volley and the rebels retreating and withheld their fire.

In one of these isolated situations, while attempt- ing to break out through the enemy's lines on the right, Adjutant Tracy and Captain Gere were taken prisoners, as already referred to in Major Poole's diary. The former remained a prisoner about one

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month, while the latter was kept about six months in various rebel prisons, and finally escaped from the prison at Columbia, South Carolina, in company with Captain Horace H. Walpole, taken prisoner at Spottsylvania.

MAJOR POOLE'S DIARY CONTINUED. - May 7. Soon after daylight, the rebels attacked us once more, but we drove them back, our battery doing us great service. Adjutant Tracy is missing and is sup- posed to be wounded and a prisoner. Col. Dwight has detailed me as Adjutant, and Lieut. Wilkins has taken my company. Lieut. Hall and a squad of men have just come in. At 8 A. M., moved again to the right about two miles and occupied rifle-pits, where we lay quietly all day. At 9:30 P. M., fell in, moving towards the left and marching all night.

May 8. Passed through Chancellorsville and took the road to Spottsylvania Court House. About noon our advance met the enemy and engaged them. During the afternoon we supported a bat- tery, and at 5 o'clock moved into some breastworks, together with the 6th Maine and 119th Pennsyl- vania. Here lost one man. At 9 P. M., were at- tacked, but there had been no general engagement during the day. Our entire loss up to this time has been 130-less than 30 of them prisoners. Gen. A. Shaler and Gen. Seymour are among the latter. The Chasseurs (65th N. Y.,) and Ist Long Island (67th N. Y.,) have lost very heavily. Capt. Tracy, (of the Chasseurs) and Capt. Cooper, of the Long Island, are both killed, and a number of officers are wounded in both regiments.

May 9. Moved at daylight to the line, and lay upon an open plain supporting a battery. Gen. John Sedgwick, commanding the 6th corps, was killed this morning by sharp-shooters. During the afternoon we were exposed to the enemy's shells and sharp-shooters, but met with no loss. Up to this time officers and men have behaved splendidly ; but all are worn down with fatigue, hard marches, continued fighting and loss of sleep. During Mon- day night we were attacked three different times by the enemy. I am almost sick, and many are worse off than I am. We have about 200 men left for duty and eight officers, besides the colonel and my- self. Some of the best men of our regiment are gone, but I hardly have time to think about them.

Tuesday, May 10. Orders came at 2 o'clock this morning that we, in conjunction with our entire force in front, would advance upon the enemy at daylight. Daylight came, however, and we did not move. During the afternoon Col. Dwight was sent back to hospital sick and worn out, and Capt. Walpole took

command of the regiment. The battle commenced early in the morning and up to this time (4 P. M.,) has raged with terrible fury. Fortunately for us, we have not suffered much along our portion of the line, and our brigade has not been harmed.

Orders have come. The Chasseurs have taken knapsacks and haversacks, and started forward. The Long Islands and our own regiment have moved into some rifle-pits to the left. The charge took place at about 6 o'clock, and lasted some forty minutes. We could hear but not see what was going on. Directly in our front the charge was- successful, but we were finally driven back with heavy loss. The charging column consisted of the 5th and 6th Maine, the 5th Wisconsin and 14th and 56th New York regiments. They took 1,500 pris- oners and a battery of four guns; the guns, how- ever, they were compelled to leave.

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History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 23

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