USA > New York > Warren County > History of Warren County [N.Y.] with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 27
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The regiment reached Washington about midnight, where the men saw the dead body of a picket brought in, one who had recently been shot while on duty. This incident - a trifle in the red annals of the war - and the sight of camp-fires in all directions, with other unmistakable indications, told the regi- ment in no uncertain tones that they had almost reached the theatre of their future struggles. A portion of the regiment was quartered in the Washington Assembly Rooms and the remainder in the Baptist Church on Fifth street. On the following day the lamented Burge was buried in one of the city burial grounds. The next day, July Ist, the regiment was marched up Seventh street to the neighborhood of the Soldiers' Retreat, about two and a half miles north- east of the city, to the grounds vacated by the Fourteenth (Brooklyn) New York State Militia, where it went into camp. Here, in the beautiful Virginia summer days, the regiment enjoyed a period of pleasant camp life, varied only by the part it took in the remarkable celebration of July 4th which took place in Washington. Again we quote from Dr. Holden his description of the oc- currences of the next few weeks: "The fortnight following the review was a busy time in Washington, for preparations were being actively made for an at- tack upon the rebel force assembled at Manassas Plains. The bat- tle was fought ; - fought bravely and well for comparatively raw troops. Its general results were soon known far and wide, and the whole affair has now be- come a part of the history of the war. The cannonading of the 17th (Thursday), as well as the 21st, was distinctly heard in our camp, and while speculation was rife as to its causes and results, we were in the interval momentarily expecting
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to move over the river and participate in the action. We were happily spared both its dangers and glories. On Sunday morning, July 2Ist (the day of the famous First Bull Run fight), just as the regiment had been drawn up in line for religious services, a courier dashed up to headquarters on a gallop with a mes- sage which proved to be ' marching orders ' for Harper's Ferry. The regiment was ordered to be in readiness to move at twelve o'clock M., at which hour the order was countermanded. The same evening at 'dress parade ' orders were received to march inmediately across the river. The line was dismissed and the boys with a cheer set hastily to work to make the necessary preparations, which included the distribution of cartridges and the preparation of two days' rations. Within an hour to the inspiriting rattle of the 'long roll,' the men were again in line in 'light marching order.' We were instructed to leave our tents standing and our baggage packed behind us. The men moved buoyantly forward down South street, to the exhilarating music of our band. As the head of our column wheeled into the avenue, dense crowds of anxious-looking people thronged the sidewalks, who hailed our advent with prolonged and re- peated cheers. The bad news was just coming in from Bull Run. As we reached the eastern extremity of the Long Bridge, we were directed to 'halt,' 'stack arms,' and ' rest.' While awaiting further orders at this point, scattering and fleet-footed fugitives from the scene of conflict came cantering hurriedly across the bridge. Among the number was the famous correspondent of the London Times, quite extensively known by the sobriquet of 'Bull Run Russell.' Of his interview with our regiments at that time, he makes the following mention in his published 'diary:' 'At the Washington end of the bridge I was challenged again by the men of a whole regiment, who, with piled arms, were halted on the chaussie, smoking, laughing, and singing. “ Stranger have you been to the fight ?" "I have been only a little beyond Centerville." But that was quite enough. Soldiers, civilians, and women who seemed to be out unusually late, crowded around the horse, and again I told my stereotyped story of the unsuccessful attempt to carry the Confederate position, and the re- treat to Centerville to await better luck next time. The soldiers alongside me cheered, and those next them took it up, till it ran through the whole line, and must have awakened the night-owls. After remaining about two hours, orders came, and the men in a very despondent, dissatisfied sort of a way, resumed their arms, and we retraced our steps in silence and gloom, only broken by the monot- onous tramp, tramp, of many feet. The next day was a gloomy one for the city and the government. It rained heavily, and stragglers wet, dispirited and demoralized, thronged the thoroughfares, while the wounded came in like the waves of a flood-tide, filling up all the temporary makeshifts dignified by the name of hospitals, which was the best that could be done at the time, no doubt. The Second New Hampshire Volunteers, whose camp adjoined ours, and whose tents had been left standing, suffered severely in the engagement, and all day
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long their wounded and stragglers came droopingly along by ones, twos, and threes-a sorry but impressive sight, enabling us all to appreciate to some de- gree the terrors, the terrible realities of war. Fragments of regiments but lately exultant with swollen ranks and brave bearing, came creeping along to the slow tap of the drum, while knots and gangs of stragglers assailed every guard line and camp for food, shelter, and drink. The army, by general order was declared demoralized, and stringent orders were speedily promulgated, that all stragglers and soldiers without properly authenticated passes, should be arrested and sent to their respective commands. It was not permitted to harbor or refresh them under penalty, - seemingly a rash rule, but really just and proper ; contribut- ing largely to the restoration of discipline and good order among them. It will also be borne in mind that with the few exceptions of sick and lame, it is the poorest and most cowardly, and not the bravest and best soldiers, who straggle from their commands."
The remainder of our account of this regiment is gathered in disconnected details from portions of the annual reports of the Chief of the Bureau of Mil- itary Statistics and from the vivid recitals of passing events written home by soldiers at the time of their occurrences.
The next day the regiment went into camp on Arlington Heights. Gene- ral McDowell commanded the division. On the route, after crossing to Alex- andria, the march was conducted between almost unbroken lines of troops, among which were the New York Twenty-first, Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Volunteers, and the Fourteenth Chasseurs from Brooklyn, who, in the engagement at Bull Run, had seven times attacked the enemy's batteries and were seven times repulsed with deadly loss. All along the lines were visible the pavilioned fields of the Union patriots, giving encouraging ev- idence that the government deemed it necessary to make this important post as nearly impregnable as possible ; for from the heights rising just across the river from Washington, the city could be easily bombarded and destroyed. At this time the soldiers were in a general state of discouragement. The ad- verse turn which affairs had taken at Bull Run, the disheartening disparity in the numbers and equipment of the men from the South and the boys from the North, and the greater fatigue necessarily falling to the lot of the invad- ing forces, united in augmenting the already thickening gloom of war. Not- withstanding this discouraging state of affairs the men of the Twenty-second bore up with praiseworthy stoicism. In a letter written by an officer of this regiment from Arlington Heights, July 29th, 1861, is the following description of the march from Washington :-
" Our regiment received the order on Wednesday afternoon last to march across the Potomac; forty minutes after notice the men were moving in col- umn towards the Long Bridge, which they crossed between seven and eight o'clock. They carried their muskets, cartridge-boxes and haversacks, with ra-
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tions for thirty-six hours. As the tents and other camp equipage were left in charge of a guard at the old encampment, of course the soldiers had to rough it a little. They slept on the ground in the open air, and on their arms, pre- pared to turn out at a moment's warning to receive the enemy, an attack from whom was not entirely unexpected. Indeed, the long roll was once sounded and the whole regiment turned out and marshaled for an attack, but the alarm was happily unfounded. Located as we now are, not far from the rebel outposts, a night onset on our sentinels, or even an attempted surprisal of our camp, might at any hour of darkness be looked for.
"Our regiment was to-day paid off from the first of June-the day on which they were mustered into the United States service-to the first of July. Hitherto the government has paid its soldiers only once in two months ; but a bill is before Congress, which has already passed the House, to pay the men monthly. This bill will pass the Senate, as it ought, and under it our men will in a few days receive another month's pay now almost due."
Until September 28th the regiment remained at the Heights performing camp, guard and fatigue duties, and on that day was in the reconnaissance to Upton's Hill, and took up camp there for the winter.
About ten o'clock in the evening of March 10th, 1862, the troops were no- tified that orders had been issued for the advance, early on the following morn- ing, of the entire army. The march was commenced as ordered, and a little after noon on the I Ith took the Twenty-second to Fairfax Court House, Va., about three miles from Centerville. On the 13th they advanced to Center- ville. On the 15th the regiment returned to Alexandria by a march of twen- ty-one miles through a drenching rain, and across streams almost destitute of bridges. On the next day it removed to its old camp on Upton's Hill.
The regiment entered upon the campaign of 1862 on the 4th of April, by breaking camp and marching to within four miles of Fairfax, where, near An- nandale, it bivouacked. On the 5th camp was pitched four miles beyond Cen- terville. The next day it marched about four miles beyond Manassas Junction, near Bristow Station, camped, and remained through a severe storm of rain and snow until the 15th, when, between the hours of 6 and 10 P. M., it marched to near Catlett's Station on Cedar Run. At half-past six on the morning of the 17th the march was resumed, and continued, with occasional brief intermissions, until nine o'clock that evening; on the 18th, after a march was begun which occupied the energies of the regiment from two o'clock in the morning until nine, and Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, on the Rap- pahannock River, was reached. During the entire marching the retreating enemy was in the front engaging in occasional skirmishes with our cavalry ad- vance, and finally receding to Fredericksburg and burning the bridge across the Rappahannock. At this encampment the regiment remained until the 25th of May, with varied camp and patrol duties. It participated in the grand
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review by the president on the 23d. On the 25th it crossed the river, moved about six miles below Fredericksburg and bivouacked near the Massaponax. Between this time and the 15th of June the regiment was kept moving. At Massaponax, the order to advance being countermanded, the regiment, on the 29th of May, retraced its steps to within eight miles of Fredericksburg, reached Catlett's Station on the 31st (enroute for Manassas Gap), there took the cars and after riding all night reached Front Royal. Being unable to cross the Shenandoah, by reason of the destruction of the bridge, it returned to Hay- market, June 6th. On the 15th of June, it passed successively from bivouac to bivouac, through Warrenton, Warrenton Junction, to Elk Run Crossing. At this encampment the men were chiefly occupied with camp duties and details on the railroad bridge. Field duties were not resumed until the 5th of August. After returning from a reconnaissance south of Fredericksburg it left that place on the 10th and after repeated marches attended with all the lu- dicrous and tragical concomitants of an army in motion, reached the vicinity of the Cedar Mountain battle-field August 9th. Thence it passed to Cedar Mountain, to the neighborhood of Rappahannock Station on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and, on the 20th, across the Rappahanock. Here the rear guard went through the initiatory experience of an engagement, being at- tacked by the enemy, and the regiment participated, on the three succeeding days, in a series of engagements, and repulsed the efforts of the enemy to cross the river. At 9 o'clock on the evening of August 23d the regiment reached Warrenton. On the 29th it was engaged at Manassas Plains (second Bull Run), and fell back to Centerville at night with only one captain and four lieu- tenants out of twenty-five officers who had accompanied the regiment to the battle-field, and two hundred and four enlisted men present for duty. The fight lasted two days. On both days the men, it is said, were sacrificed, led into an ambush and subjected to a terrible enfilading fire on the left, front and rear. The nien stood under this fire until their ammunition was gone, and then threw stones at the enemy !
On the second of September the remnant of the regiment reached their old encampment at Upton's Hill, and on the sixth entered upon the Maryland cam- paign. It took an active part in the battles of South Mountain and Sharps- burg (Antietam). At the former engagement the advance was made under hot fire, to close quarters. The enemy were found posted behind a fence and were charged and routed with a heavy loss on both sides, and the position held for half an hour. A regiment of Patrick's Brigade then relieved the Twenty- second, which, however, remained on the field during the night. About twenty-five per cent. of this regiment were lost in this battle. A description of the battle of Antietam, contained in a report of an officer present at the scene, is sub- stantially as follows : On Tuesday night (the 16th) the men slept on their arms. At half-past five in the morning of the 17th the Twenty-second was ordered
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to the support of Gibbon's Brigade which had advanced to attack the enemy. It moved by the flank through an open field in which Campbell's battery had taken position, and passed into a cornfield in line of battle to support Gibbon's Brigade. The direct and cross artillery fire from the enemy's batteries playing on this field was very heavy, but the brigade containing the Twenty-second Regiment was moved without loss to a position some ninety paces in advance of Campbell's battery, where a column was deployed, and in line of battle moved steadily forward to about fifty paces in the rear of Gibbon's infantry, who at this time had not engaged the enemy, but were cautiously advancing through the cornfield. At length the engagement began, the enemy being posted in the road behind a line of fence and sheltered by woods. The Twenty-second, in company with the other regiments in the same brigade, moved forward, halted about twenty-five paces in rear of Gibbon's line, and lay down in preparation for the support. After severe fighting and consider- able loss this brigade fell back to the rear of the cornfield. When they again faced the front they had scarcely enough men to bear the colors. In the en- gagement Lieutenant Charles Cushing, of Glens Falls, was killed. The total loss was a fraction over forty-three per cent. of those engaged.
The regiment marched on the 19th to within a mile and a half of the Poto- mac, where it remained encamped until October 20th. Between that time and the IIth of November it passed through Bakersville, South Mountain, Birketsville, Petersville, camped near Harper's Ferry, after crossing into Vir- ginia on a pontoon bridge, marched in and through Purcellsville, Bloomfield, Rectortown, Warrenton, Fayetteville, and thence on the last named date to Falmouth. In the battle of Fredericksburg, which occurred on the 13th of December, 1862, it was on the extreme left of Franklin's Corps; remained under fire for three days, and lost seven wounded. It returned to its old camping-ground on the 15th ; participated in the well-named "mud march " of January, 1863, and then took up winter quarters at Belle Plain. The regi- ment crossed the Rappahannock on boats (April 28th, 1863), soon after the enemy had been driven from their rifle-pits. On the following day it was joined by the rest of the division, and was marched to the bank of the river to protect the detail engaged in launching the boats, where it was exposed to a galling fire of musketry, which, during that day, wounded eleven of the men. It manœuvred about here until the 4th of June, when it returned to this State. Two days afterward it was received with appropriate ceremonies at Fort Ed- ward, Sandy Hill and Glens Falls, and on the 19th was mustered out of ser- vice at Albany.
Roster with Dates and Appointments of the Field, Staff and Line Officers of the Twenty-second N. Y. Volunteers to March 20th, 1863. - Walter Phelps, jr., colonel, May 16th, 1861, on detached service in command of brigade. Gorton T. Thomas, lieutenant colonel, May 16th, 1861, died of wounds re-
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ceived August 30th, 1862. John M'Kie, major, May 16th, 1861, promoted vice Thomas, died of wounds, September 3d, 1862. John M'Kie, lieutenant colonel, August 30th, 1862, resigned from wounds and ill-health, February 13th, 1863. George Clendon, jr., major, August 30th, 1862, promoted from captain (Co. E) vice M'Kie promoted. Edward Pruyn, adjutant, May 16th, 1861, resigned January 18th, 1862. John S. Fassett, adjutant, January 18th, 1862, transferred from Company E, vice Pruyn resigned. Henry D. Wood- ruff, quartermaster, May 16th, 1861, resigned from ill-health March Ist, 1863. James W. Schenck, jr., quartermaster, September 5th, 1861, vice Woodruff promoted on de ached service, brigade quartermaster. Joseph B. Atherly, surgeon, May 16th, 1861, died of typhoid fever at Falmouth, Va., August 12th, 1862. William F. Hutchinson, assistant surgeon, May 16th, 1861, pro- moted vice Atherly deceased. William F. Hutchinson, surgeon, August 12th, 1862, dismissed the service November 20th, 1862. Austin W. Holden, assist- ant surgeon, August 24th, 1862, transferred from company F, vice Hutchin- son promoted. Miles Goodyear, second assistant surgeon, September 22d, 1862, resigned from physical disability January 24th, 1863. Elias S. Bissell, surgeon, November 20th, 1862, vice Hutchinson dismissed. Henry H. Bates, chaplain, May 16th, 1861.
Non-commissioned Staff : - John F. Towne, sergeant-major, May 16th, 1861, transferred and promoted to first lieutenant Company G, March Ist, 1862. Jeremiah Fairbanks, quartermaster-sergeant, May 16th, 1861, dis- charged. Charles B. Bellamy, commissary-sergeant, May 16th, 1861. David H. King, hospital steward, May 16th, 1861. John Scott, drum major, May 16th, 1861, discharged by general order. John Wright, fife-major, May 16th, 1861, transferred to band. Malachi Weidman, sergeant-major, March Ist, 1862, vice Towne promoted. Daniel Thomson, quartermaster-sergeant, March Ist, 1862, vice Fairbanks discharged. Levi J. Groom, fife-major, vice Wright transferred, resigned, ill-health. George Crandell, fife-major, vice Groom dis- charged by general order. Malachi Weidman, adjutant, February 27th, 1863, vice Fassett resigned. Henry Barton, sergeant-major, March 22d, 1863, from sergeant Company A, vice Bellamy promoted. George Torrey, commissary- sergeant, March 22d, 1863, from sergeant Company B, vice Weidman, pro- moted.
Line Officers. - Company A. - Jacob L. Yates, captain, May 8th, 1861, resigned, ill-health, March Ist, 1863. James H. Bratt, first lieutenant, May 8th, 1861, resigned December 21st, 1861. Hiram Clute, second lieutenant, May 8th, 1861, promoted vice Bratt resigned. Hiram Clute, first lieutenant, December 21st, 1861, died September 28th, 1862, of wounds received August 30th, 1862. Addison L. Estabrook, second lieutenant, December 21st, 1861, from first sergeant vice Hiram Clute promoted. Addison Estabrook, first lieutenant, September 28th, 1862, vice Hiram Clute deceased. Amos T. Calk-
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ins, second lieutenant, September 28th, 1862, vice Estabrook promoted from first sergeant.
Company B. - Robert E. M'Coy, captain, May. Ioth, 1861, killed in action August 29th, 1862. Duncan Lendrum, first lieutenant, May 10th, 1861, miss- ing, probably killed in action August 30th, 1862. James W. M'Coy, second lieutenant, May 10th, 1861, promoted. James W. M'Coy, captain, August 29th, 1862, vice Robert E. M'Coy, killed in action. William H. Hoysradt, first lieutenant, August 30th, 1862, vice Lendrum, missing, from first sergeant. Charles H. Doubleday, second lieutenant, November 16th, 1862, promoted and transferred from Company H, vice M'Coy, promoted.
Company C. - Oliver D. Peabody, captain, June Ist, 1861. Carlisle D. Beaumont, first lieutenant, June Ist, 1861, killed in action August 29th, 1862. Charles B. Piersons, second lieutenant, June Ist, 1861, died September 7th of wounds received in action, August 30th. Gorton T. Thomas, second lieuten- ant, September 7th, 1862, vice Piersons, died of wound. Gorton T. Thomas, first lieutenant, February Ist, 1863, vice Beaumont, killed in action. James Valleau, second lieutenant, February Ist, 1863, from first sergeant vice Thomas promoted.
Company D. - Henry S. Milliman, captain, June Ist, 1861, died Septem- ber 10th, 1862, of wounds received in action August 30th. Thomas B. Fish, first lieutenant, June Ist, 1861, discharged on surgeon's certificate October 22d, 1862. Robert A. Rice, second lieutenant, June Ist, 1861, resigned December 14th, 1861. William T. Beattie, second lieutenant, December 14th, 1861, from first sergeant vice Rice resigned, killed in action August 30th, 1862. Lucius E. Wilson, captain, September 10th, 1862, transferred from company G, vice Milliman, died of wounds. Henry B. Cook, first lieutenant, October 23d, 1862, from first sergeant vice Fish, discharged. Charles H. Aiken, sec- ond lieutenant, August 30th, 1862, from second sergeant vice William T. Beat- tie, killed in action.
Company E. - George Clendon, jr., captain, May 7th, 1861, promoted to major August 30th, 1862. John Fassett, first lieutenant, May 7th, 1861, trans- ferred to regimental staff January 8th, 1862. G. Horton Gayger, second lieu- tenant, May 7th, 1861, resigned October 3d, 1861. William T. Norris, sec- ond lieutenant, October 3d, 1861, vice Gayger resigned. William T. Norris, first lieutenant, January 8th, 1862, vice Fassett transferred, missing and prob- ably killed in action August 30th, 1862. Charles Cushing, second lieutenant, January 8th, 1862, vice Norris killed, fell in action September 7th, 1862. Warren Allen, second lieutentant, September 18th, 1862, vice Charles Cushing killed in action, from first sergeant. Daniel Burgey, captain, February 25th, 1862, transferred and promoted from Company I, vice Clendon, promoted.
Company F. - Austin W. Holden, captain, May 8th, 1861, transferred to medical staff August 16th, 1862. William H. Arlin, first lieutenant, May 8th,
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1861, resigned January 8th, 1862. Orville B. Smith, second lieutenant, May 8th, 1861, promoted to first lieutenant, vice Arlin, resigned. Orville B. Smith, first lieutenant, January 8th, 1862, promoted to captain, vice Holden trans- ferred. Fred E. Ranger, second lieutenant, January 8th, 1862, vice Smith, promoted. Orville B. Smith, captain, August 24th, 1862, vice Holden, trans- ferred, resigned November 5th, 1862. Fred E. Ranger, first lieutenant, Au- gust 24th, 1862, vice Smith, promoted. James H. Merrill, second lieutenant, August 24th, 1862, from first sergeant, vice Ranger, promoted. Fred E. Ranger, captain, November 5th, 1862, vice Smith, resigned. James H. Mer- rill, first lieutenant, November 5th, 1862, vice Fred E. Ranger, promoted. Salmon D. Sherman, second lieutenant, November 5th, 1862, from second sergeant, vice Merrill, promoted.
Company G. -- Benjamin Mosher, captain, June 6th, 1861, resigned Feb- ruary 28th, 1862. Henry Hay, first lieutenant, June 6th, 1861, resigned June 12th, 1861. Horrace W. Lucca, second lieutennnt, June 6th, 1861, resigned February 28th, 1862. Duncan Cameron, first lieutenant, June 15th, 1861, vice Hay, resigned. Duncan Cameron, captain, March Ist, 1862, vice Mosher, resigned. John F. Town, first lieutenant, March 1, 1862, vice Cameron pro- moted, resigned July 23d, 1862. Lucius E. Wilson, second lieutenant, March Ist, 1862, vice Lucca resigned, from first sergeant. Lucius E. Wilson, first lieu- tenant, July 21st, 1862, vice Town resigned, promoted and transferred to Company D. Lester A. Bartlett, second lieutenant, July 21st, 1862, vice Wil- son promoted, transferred from Company I. Asa W. Barry, first lieutenant, September 11th, 1862, from first sergeant, vice Wilson transferred.
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