History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 22

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 22

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10th, twelve miles to Millpoint; and the 11th to Roxbury Mills, where the regiment, with loaded pieces, was placed in line of battle, ready for an ex- pected force of the enemy. But Gen. Lee was only too glad to get his forces over the Potomac without any more fighting.

The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth crossed the river on the 17th, and on the 18th were at Hillsbor- ough. Sunday, the 19th, they moved about seven miles in the direction of firing. heard at Snicker's Gap. The 20th they marched eighteen miles and en- eamped near Upperville. On the 22d they moved to near their camp-grounds of nine months before at Manassas Gap. The regiment shared in the move- ment of Gen. Meade on the 23d, to fall upon an iso- lated detachment of Lee's army reported to be at Front Royal, on the opposite side of the mountain. Little was however accomplished, though the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, as usual, made a good record for bravery and promptness. The Gettysburg campaign was over; Lee and his army were again on the south side of the Rappahannock, Meade and the Union army on the north.

Lieut .- Col. Cummins (now colonel), injured at Get- tysburg, was away from the regiment but a brief time, taking command .July 28th. The regiment shared in very important movements for some weeks.

At the time Lee's army threatened Washington in the fall of 1863, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth ; was moved from Culpepper to Centreville, arriving at the latter place on the evening of October 14th. The series of movements by which Lee forced Meade to fall back to Centreville, and Meade in turn forced Lee to retire once more to the southern shore of the Rappahannock, lasted several weeks.

During November there were various movements that involved the battle of Kelly's Ford, in which the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth participated, and lost two killed and several wounded.

The battle of Mine Run occurred soon after the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth had reached the side of the run opposite from the enemy, on Sunday, the 29th, and had passed the day in full view, though

" But the gallant boys fought on. Every few mo- ments a man would drop a rifle which had become clogged or so hot that he could not hold it steadily, and bidding those beside him be careful when they fired, rush forward and pick up in place of it one that ' distant of the frowning heights, along which ran a had fallen from the hands of a dead or wounded com- line of the enemy's works. rade. The active part that the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was to play in this great three days' battle had now been performed. Moving to a piece of wood about a mile in the rear of the Union line, we prepared and with saddened hearts and gloomy thoughts partook of our evening meal."

At two o'clock Monday morning the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, with other regiments of the bri- gade, were ordered out to relieve a line of pickets which had, during the early hours of the night, been pushed up to within two hundred and fifty yards of the Confederate works. The regiment crossed the run with the difficult marshy lands adjacent, and at three o'clock reached the picket line. About seven o'clock in the morning the long line of Union forces moving to the attack began advancing over the cleared fields, through the valley below, and around the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth. The latter was ordered to bring up the reserves and form a skirmish line. Col. Cummins gave the order, "Forward, men ! for-

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

ward !" and as the men sprang to their feet the enemy opened a furious cannonade. It was a critical point, and several casualties occurred. Having advanced about fifty yards they were ordered to halt, and threw themselves flat on the ground. The orders to assault were soon after countermanded, and the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth returned to its position of the morning.

Following this affair the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth and the Army of the Potomac generally cu- eamped on the north bank of the Rapidan, while Lee's army was on the south side, and there was a pause of nearly five months in actual hostilities, at least on a scale of any magnitude. Log cabins were ereeted, soldiers made themselves as comfortable as possible, and the months wore away in picket duty, occasional foraging expeditions, now and then a brief skirmish.

In the month of April the movements for the great campaign of 1864, under Gen. Grant, began. On the 12th all surplus clothing was ordered to be packed and sent to Washington ; on the 16th all sutlers were

- ordered to leave the camp; on the 22d there was a grand review; on the 26th the army vacated its winter-quarters, moved out, and pitched its tents on an open field.

At eleven o'clock on the night of May 3, 1864, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth struck its tents and bade adieu to the camping grounds at Culpepper. The next morning, after a march of twenty miles, they reached the Rapidan at Ely's Ford, and crossed on pontoons to the southern shore. At 2 p.M. of the 4th they were eucamped on the old battle-field of Chaneellorsville. Hancock had been ordered to halt there and await the arrival of Meade's entire train, which is said to have consisted of four thousand

The passage of the Po River on the 9th cost wagons, all of which had been ordered to follow the something of a skirmish, in which the Twen- Second Corps across the river by way of Ely's Ford. This would seem to indicate that, unlike his predecessors, Grant had determined under no circum- stances to return to the old eamping grounds north of the Rapidan.

At 4 P.M. on the 5th of May the Army of the Po- tomac was awakened from its slumbers. It had crossed the Rapidan without opposition, and had spent the night quietly resting on the edge of the tract knowu as the Wilderness.

The details of the fearful struggle must be omitted, and only such detached portions of the account given as include the movements of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth. This regiment came into action about four o'clock on the afternoon of the 5th, and shared in the fearful struggle which ended with both armies mutually ceasing firing for the night. The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth lost about twenty- three severely wounded. They had taken thirty-two prisoners, including one commissioned officer. On the morning of the 6th the Union line faced to the southwest, and was about five miles long. It was con-

fronted by Lee's lines, well formed. Grant's order had been, " Attack along the whole line at five o'clock in the morning." That order was obeyed.

The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth formed part of Hancock's advance line, and shared in the fighting which immediately followed with Heth's and Wilcox's divisions of the enemy. Here Col. Cummins was wounded, supposed to be at that time mortally, and was carried to the rear. The command devolved upon Lieut .- Col. Weygant. After a short lull in the tem- pest, and during which the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth had partially succeeded in eating their break- fast, there came Gen. Longstreet's great flank move- ment, before which the Union lines gave way, and more than twenty thousand men (among them the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth ) were in full retreat. The tangled " wilderness" was a " vast, weird, horrible slaughter-pen," and the rout continued for more than two miles. What might have happened had not the firing of the enemy and their hot pursuit suddenly ceased few can tell. Lieut .- Col. Weygant, in com- mand, with only Corp. Edwards, now made a stand along a wood-road, loosened the colors, and the men of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth flocked once more around the standard, and soon after the retreat- ing forces were rallied and formed the lines again, now in the rear of a long line of temporary breastworks that had been hastily thrown up. This became an impregnable wall that shielded the Union troops, and against which the charges of the rebels were hurled in vain.

Darkness closed the fighting of this fearful day. The battle was not renewed on the 7th. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 8th the command was again on the march.

tieth Indiana and the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth New York engaged. On the 10th the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth moved back over the Po River, and formed part of the new line which Grant had formed before Spottsylvania. They shared in the unsuccessful assault by Hancock's corps on the after- noon of the 10th, in the forward movement during the next night (the 11th), which preceded the great battle of Spottsylvania.

That battle opened with Hancock's great success in capturing Johnston's whole division, including Brig .- Gen. George H. Stewart and about three thou- sand prisoners. This made the rebels rally, however, with desperate energy, and the advance movement was not carried further. The rebels made five distinet assaults to recapture the works taken by Hancock's forces, but failed after the most terrific slaughter.

In the surprise and success of the morning, in the fierce fighting of the day, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was steadily engaged. They went with the advancing line over the enemy's works, were in the hand-to-hand fight that followed, and

ORANGE COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.

shared in the desperate resistance it was necessary to make to the desperate assaults. Col. Weygant was wounded and borne to the rear, the command de- volved on Maj. Murray, and so the day wore away with its horrible carnage. The wonderful eighteen hours' struggle ended at midnight by the Confeder- ates abandoning the impossible task of retaking the works.

As to the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, at the close of the battle Lieut. Robinson with twenty men was ordered out on picket duty, and the remainder managed to get some refreshment, after which, with weapons loaded, two-thirds only were allowed to sleep at the same time.

On the morning of the 13th the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth could not muster more than one hun- dred and twenty men, and two of these were killed during the day.

For several days after the battle of May 12th the Union army attempted no direct attack. On the morning of the 18th, Hancock's command made an assault upon the works, but deeming them too formid- able to be carried, the forces were withdrawn. At this time the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was in the second line, which was not ordered forward, as the movement was abandoned. Then followed an- other attempt at a grand turning movement.

Gen. Meade's trains were parked on the Fred-

ericksburg road, and Tyler's division was sent to | About a mile distant the skirmishers met those of the guard them. This force was attacked on the 19th. i enemy, and the two lines were soon hotly engaged.

Tyler repulsed the enemy, while the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, with a brigade of the Fifth Corps, dashed after the flying foe and captured a large num- ber of prisoners.

About this time the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth was so reduced that it was consolidated into three companies ; the Eighty-sixth and One Hundred and Twenty-fourth were united into one regiment for field service. This regiment shared in the assault which captured the bridge over the North Anna known as Chesterfield bridge, and lay in the works taken during the night of the 23d of May.

The whole army now moved over the Pamunkey River, but found the rebels in too strong force before them. While Birney's command was erecting works near the Elliott House, many casualties occurred. They were bloody days, though no general engage- ment took place. Capt. Crist was killed while direet- ing the staking out of a new line of defense. In the battle of Cold Harbor, the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth, as a part of Birney's command, was in the reserve, and for the first time in this long series of bloody battles were simply spectators.

Then followed a period when picks and shovels were brought into requisition, and the army made itself ready for a long campaign. It was evident by this time that the great commander at their head had no thought of retreat, but that a steady, persistent movement was to be kept up until Richmond was

captured or the Union army had perished on the way. Gen. Grant finally resolved to transfer the army by a bold and rapid movement to the banks of the James. This was effected during several days following the 12th of June. Several skirmishes occurred during this movement; as usual, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was engaged, and it frequently lost one or more men.

Finally the regiment settled down to its place in the main line before Petersburg. At this time it was reduced to less than a hundred men. Lieut-Col. Weygant having nearly recovered from his wound re- joined the regiment on the 4th of July.

The morning report of August 11th showed that there were remaining on the rolls of the regiment four hundred and twenty men and twelve officers, but only one hundred and forty-two men present for duty.

The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was a part of the force engaged in the movement up the river to Deep Bottom, August 13th. The landing was effected at daybreak, and the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth, the Seventy-third, and the Eighty-sixth New York, which had been transported on the same boat, threw out a strong picket line and awaited the arri- val of the balance of the corps. At nine o'clock two regiments deployed as skirmishers, and followed by a supporting force moved forward through the woods.

The Confederates soon gave way, and retired to a strong line of earthworks on the brow of a command- ing ridge. In front of these works the Union skir- mishers were formed into a strong picket line, while the main body was massed a short distance in the rear. Presently the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was ordered to advance to the support of a sec- tion of the Fourth Maine Battery, which had taken position just behind the pieket line and opened on the enemy's works. The Union battery did some excellent work. It was here that Capt. W. E. Mapes was wounded by the ball of a sharpshooter passing through his thigh, carrying with it a small piece of bone that adhered to his pants just below the wound. The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was soon after relieved from this point.

The next day, the 15th, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth performed a great amount of picket duty, and just after they were relieved, at eight o'clock in the evening, were again ordered out to prolong the picket line to the left. In this movement they be- came exposed to the fire of a Confederate squad am- bushed in a field of grain. It was finally necessary to charge on the unseen foe and drive them out. The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was not relieved from this tour of picket duty until nine o'clock on the evening of the 17th. Twenty-four hours later Han- cock's entire command was on the way back to Petersburg. The One IFundred and Twenty-fourth

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

was now stationed about three miles to the left of the place from which it had moved on the 12th. Weeks and indeed months now passed away in the trenches before Petersburg and on picket duty, the latter much of the time dangerous to the very last de- gree. Several of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth were wounded and others killed in this line of service.

On the last day of September offensive operations against the enemy at Deep Bottom were renewed, and for several days there was severe fighting at different points along the Richmond and Petersburg lines, but the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth did not become actually engaged. October 1st, their division was hurried out of camp, and, taking the cars, were con- veyed to the extreme Union left, where Warren with a heavy force had succeeded in extending his lines across the Weldon Railroad, which was one of the enemy's main arteries of supply. Warren was having a hot time to hold what he had secured. The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, with six other regi- ments, were set to work cutting drive-ways through a strip of woods, and building a strong redoubt in front of a Confederate mansion, called the Clement House. After spending three days and nights at this work, they were relieved by Gen. Ferrero's division of col- ored troops. The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth moved back to the Jerusalem plank-road, and en- camped in the second line near Fort Sedgwick, but they were still under fire. Grant B. Benjamin and Lieut. Jonathan Birdsall were killed about this time, and others were wounded.

The regiment had, however, filled up somewhat its wasted ranks. Convalescents had returned, a few new recruits had been received, and the roll showed two hundred and thirty men with sixteen officers present for duty.

In this movement the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth had a part. Within a half-mile of Hatcher's Run a brisk skirmishing fire broke out in front of the ford. This was when Gen. Eagan's command were forcing the passage of the stream. When this was accomplished the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth crossed without difficulty, and moved on in column with flankers on the left. It was thus in the rear of Eagan's battle-line. Presently an order came directing the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth to relieve the brigade on the left. In this advance considerable fighting occurred, but the whole line reached the Boydton road. Here a halt took place by order of Gen. Meade.

Omitting the details of the battle, we trace the movements of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth. While holding the road a flanking company of rebel dismounted cavalry with a battery of rifled guns came thundering down until halted by the fire of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth. Then hastily creeping up to the woods which were beyond an open lot in front of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, they opened a severe fire.

At this juncture an aide of Gen. De Trobriand rode up and asked Col. Weygant if he did not think his command could capture that battery. The reply was, "We can try," but the assistance of another regiment was very desirable. A company of sharpshooters im- mediately came up. Just as the leader tendered his services to Col. Weygant a bullet tumbled him from his horse dead, but his men joined in the assault with a will, as if to avenge the death of their leader. Col. Weygant was wounded and borne from the field. The charge was not made, but the attempt of the Con- federates to pass down the road was steadily resisted by the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, by the com- pany of sharpshooters, and by Kirwin's powerful regiment sent to their aid.

Capt. Benedict, the senior officer, in the absence of Lieut .- Col. Weygant, was now in command of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth until the latter re- turned to the regiment November 22d. A large rein- forcement was now received. Capt. Malone, of Mid- dletown, brought an entire company. November 25th the muster-roll showed nineteen officers, and three hundred and sixty-two men present for duty. About the last of the month, and during the early days of December, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment shared in the new attack on the Weldon Railroad, which destroyed a portion of it further to the south, still more embarrassing the receiving of supplies by the rebel army.

The year 1864 had now drawn to a close. The great campaign which was to he fought "out on this line if it took all summer" was still in progress, the summer and the fall had passed away, and yet the desired vic- tory had not been won. Still with unyielding per- sistency the Union army maintained the siege. Daily the lines around Richmond tightened.

The month of January, 1865, was devoted to thor- ough preparation for a spring campaign. February 4th the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth received orders to be ready for a march. Another demonstra- tion against the enemy's right had been ordered, and the next morning the Fifth and Second Corps, pre- ceded by Gregg's division of cavalry, pushed out to Reams' Station, and thence to Dinwiddie Court- House, the Fifth Corps being directed to turn the rebel right while the Second assailed in front. At seven o'clock on the morning of the 5th the brigade column, which included the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth, marched to the left about two miles, and halted in the rear of Meade's most advanced picket-posts.

After a regiment had been deployed as skirmishers they moved beyond the Union picket line, drove in the rebel pickets a mile or more to the small stream known as Hatcher's Run. On the further side of this stream a small rebel force behind a line of earth- works held the Union skirmishers at bay until assist- ance came up, when the Confederates were quickly dislodged, and the brigade forded the stream in battle line. They pushed on about three-quarters of a mile

ORANGE COUNTY IN THE REBELLION.

until they were near the enemy's main line. Here Gen. De Trobriand took up a strong position and set his men to building a corresponding line. The brigade worked all day unmolested, and at night lay down to rest behind formidable earthworks. The remaining brigades of Mott's division had moved up on the left and also intrenched themselves. About dark Mott's line was assaulted by a heavy rebel force that were elated with having forced back Warren's command during the day. This was quickly repelled by McAl- lister's New Jersey brigade. About three in the morning of the 6th the brigade of which the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was a part being re- lieved, moved to the left about half a mile and massed themselves in a ravine in the rear of McAllister's line. That night it was learned that Haneoek's command had held every foot of ground gained in spite of the most determined assaults, and that the Union lines were permanently advanced beyond Hatcher's Run. On the morning of the 9th the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was able to get into position on the new line, and for three weeks or so was once more in winter-quarters. During the first half of March, 1865, many signs indicated that a final campaign was about to open which would end in absolute triumph. Sheridan's victories in the Valley, and Sherman's in the Carolinas, became known in the ranks of the Army of the Potomac. From the 14th to the 23d of the month the time was fully ocenpied in pushing to completion every detail of preparation.

On the morning of the 24th everything was ready in the eamp of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth for marehing on five minutes' notice. There was not long to wait. Orders had already been issued by Gen. Grant directing an advance on all parts of the line on the morning of the 29th. Sheridan with his ten thousand troopers, flushed with their victories in the Valley, were now with the besieging army waiting to move once more against their old enemy, Lee's grand Army of Northern Virginia.

The Confederate leaders did not wait for Gen. Grant to commence. On the morning of the 26th of March they made a vigorous assault on Fort Sted- man, the capture of which would have cut the Union lines in two and opened up a chance for Lee to move south and unite with Johnston to overwhelm Sherman. The movement was partially successful, the Union troops were driven out of the fort, but the rebels could not follow up their success. Their supporting columns failed to come up ; they could not seize the crest of the hill which was held by the Union troops in the rear of the fort. The Confederates, too, were soon between two lines of Unionists, and two thousand were forced to surrender or be ent to pieces. Gen. Meade, too, or- dered an advance at other parts, and wrested away a portion of their intrenehed line, which the rebels never recovered. This action was simply heard by the brig- ade in which the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was enrolled. They had no share in the movement. Yet

they were soon ordered to strike their tents, and during that day they assisted in holding important positions, but were not engaged until just dark. They had se- cured themselves in a line of earthworks which a New Hampshire regiment had just vacated, and which was now strengthened by the materials of some small buildings torn down for the purpose. Col. Weygant had videttes carefully posted and instructed in ease of attack to reserve their fire until the enemy was within fifty yards, then empty their pieces as deliber- ately as possible, and hurry back to the lines. A foree of the enemy, perhaps five hundred in number, soon emerged from the thicket on the road at the foot of the slope, just in front of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth. They evidently had seen the New Hampshire men leave these works, and did not know of their occupation by other Union men. The vi- dettes obeyed orders, the enemy, disregarding their fire, lowered their bayonets, and started up the hill on a charge. As soon as the videttes were in, the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, from behind their intrenehments, poured upon the enemy a most de- structive fire, completely demoralizing the charging line. The Confederates threw themselves upon the ground or piled into the picket-pits, and the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, pouring over the works, made a sudden charge upon them. The Confederate commander, Col. D. S. Troy, grasped from his stand- ard-bearer the colors of his regiment, and waved them frantically in vain efforts to reform his lines; but ere twenty of his followers could rally around him a bullet pierced his breast. George W. Tompkins grasped from his hands the standard, and trailed it beneath the colors of the One Hundred and Twenty- fourth. One hundred and sixty-four men were cap- tured and six officers, while volley after volley was hurled after the remainder as they rushed pell-mell down the hill. Not a man of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth was killed or wounded,-a circum- stanee seareely paralleled in the history of the war. Private Tompkins received a medal from the Secre- tary of War for his capture of the enemy's colors.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 22

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1336

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336