USA > New York > History of the 27th regiment N.Y. Vols. > Part 3
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The same date, Aug. 14th, the regiment was assigned to Gen. Heintzleman's brigade, and ordered to move. We then packed up, and again crossing the Long Bridge, marched to Camp Vernon, on Hunting Creek, near Alexandria, where
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. V. VOLS.
we received our first tents, and commenced our life under canvas, and at the same time exchanged our smooth-bore muskets for U. S. Springfield rifles, which we carried during the entire term of service We here spent most of our time in drilling by battalion or brigade, and the men began to show the effect of the drill in their improved soldierly appearance.
On the 16th the regiment went on picket, and on the 17th moved the camp to near Fort Ellsworth. On Sunday, the 18th, had preaching in the camp. In the afternoon a rain storm set in, continuing all night. The tents were not properly ditched, and before morning the boys found their "sleep" thoroughly water-soaked. After this they made up beds of cedar boughs to keep them off the damp ground.
On the following Sunday, the 25th, there was a brigade review in the morning, by Gen. McClellan ; and preaching in the afternoon, by the Chaplain.
August 26th there was a detail made from each company and sent out to cut away the woods, and clear the ground on which Fort Lyon was afterwards built.
On the 27th news was received that the enemy was ad- vancing, and that we should be attacked before morning. A fresh supply of ammunition was issued, knapsacks packed. and a sharp lookout was maintained all night. Nothing came of it, however.
From this time to September 5th, the ordinary routine of camp and picket duty was kept up. The picket line was along Hunting Creek. The " boys" seemed to like it, as it was gipsy-like, and preferable to remaining in camp,- on account of green corn, potatoes and fruit, which were plentiful.
On the 5th an election was held to fill the vacancies caused by the promotion of Col. Slocum to be Brigadier- General, the resignation of Lieut .- Col. Chambers, and the death of Lieutenant Park. The result was the election of J. J. Bartlett, Colonel ; A. D. Adams, Lieutenant-Colonel: and C. C. Gardiner, Major. In place of Lieut. Park, Geo. Dickson was made Lieutenant.
COL. J. J. BARTLETT.
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. Y. VOLS.
On the same day the regiment was detached from Heint- zleman's brigade, and assigned to a new brigade, commanded by Gen. Slocum, which was composed of the 16th, 26th and 27th New York, and the 5th Maine Volunteers ; and was a few days later (the 12th) ordered into camp on the site of Fort Lyon, and built that fort. The camp at this place was called Camp Dickinson, in honor of Hon. D. S. Dickinson, of Binghamton, N. Y. Here we put aside our drilling, and exchanged our guns for the pick and shovel. The monot- onous labor of building the fort was kept up for the next month, varied only by an occasional picket tour, or patrol after the cake, pie and whiskey peddlers, who came out from Alexandria and infested the camp. Rations of whiskey were occasionally issued, and although each man received only a half gill, yet by ways known only to a soldier, some would get drunk and find their way to the guard-house.
Fort Lyon was the grandest camping ground the regi- ment ever occupied. Standing on the entrenchments, and looking to the right, across the Potomac, could be seen the City of Washington, with the dome of the Capitol rising proudly towards the sky. Vessels were plying to and fro in the river, while Alexandria lay beneath us, like a sullen child,-its Confederate sympathizers cowed into silence by the presence of troops and the frowning of cannon. In front stretched the green valley of Hunting Creek, and to the left the highlands in the direction of Ball's Cross Roads: an artistic view, worthy of a painter's skill.
The picket lines were frequently posted on the Fairfax road and on the Stone road ; also on the plantation of Dr. Mason, who was in the Confederate lines. The Mason family were bitter towards the soldiers; and the boys seemed to take a delight in milking their cows,-an occu- pation at which they were frequently aided by the slaves on the plantation. The Windsor plantation, further out, was at one time raided by order, and a fine herd of blooded stock was brought in, and some fine horses. These, how- ever, were afterwards restored to the owner, by orders from headquarters.
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FIRST FORAGING EXPEDITION.
October 3d a detachment, consisting of Co. F of the 27th, and companies from the 5th Maine and 26th New York, was sent out, under command of Col. Christian, of the 26th. They took the Mount Vernon road, and marched out through the Village of Occoaquan, near Pohick church, in which Gen. Washington and his family formerly wor- shipped. The outposts of the enemy were met, but retired without firing a shot. On the return, a private in Co. F was accidentally shot and killed by one of his comrades.
On -- - date, Cos. K and C, commanded by Capts. Achilles and Wells, with a wagon train, made a raid upon the plantation of Col. John Washington, adjoining Mt. Ver- non, on the Potomac, some fourteen miles from our camp. They secured several hundred bushels of grain, thirty-six barrels of salted Potomac herring, besides flour, bacon, sev- eral head of cattle, etc.
Some excitement was caused in camp during their ab- sence by a report from the outposts, that a heavy cloud of dust marked the movement of the enemy in the direction of the Washington estate; and Gen. Slocum at once sent a force to their relief-which met the raiders returning with their plunder, unmolested.
A few days after, Col. Washington, who was in the Con- federate army, was shot and killed by a Union sharp-shooter, while he was reconnoitering our lines.
Gen. Slocum's brigade was transferred to another location on October 14th, about half a mile southeast of Fairfax Sem- inary. In the immediate vicinity were the brigades of Gen. Kearney and Gen. Newton, and the three brigades together formed a division, commanded by Gen. Franklin,-the nut- cleus of the grand army known in history as the Army of the Potomac.
The camp of the 27th at this locality was named "Camp Clara," in honor of Mrs. Slocum, the wife of our first Colonel. Here we built log foundations to our tents, and went into winter quarters, and once more resumed our drilling, which was kept up almost uninterruptedly until the mud became
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. Y. VOLS.
so deep on our drill ground, about mid-winter, that it had to be discontinued.
While in camp here, runaway slaves would often come into the lines and engage themselves as servants to the officers. Gen. Slocum hired a bright boy as body servant, whom the boys named "Jeff," after the President of the Confederate States, and he soon became a general favorite. About this time, orders were issued to the army, that all slaves should be returned to their masters, if a demand were made for them. Jeff's master and some rebel neighbors came after him, but the boys in our regiment getting wind of it, soon planned an "underground railroad," and Jeff was spirited away from one tent to another, and so securely hidden that. although every tent in camp was searched, this little darky never again gladdened the heart of his master. Gen. Slocum took him with him to the Peninsula, and he followed the fortunes of the army till about the time of the retreat, when he succumbed to the swamp fever: but was tenderly nursed by his fellow servants, in an attic room of a house where the General had his headquarters. One day, as a fellow-servant entered his room, he exclaimed, in his delirium, " Hurry up and black the General's boots!" These were his last words, and he soon passed away.
Many of the officers, having fixed up their quarters in comfortable shape, sent for their wives; and the camp seemed like the homes of a country village. The monotony of camp life was relieved by amusements of various kinds. Literary comrades became war correspondents, and in their diminutive quarters penned articles which were printed in the Northern journals, and fired anew the enthusiasm of the loyal. Sportive comrades (and there were many) employed their leisure moments in shuffling the "deceptive cards," and staking their "Government salary" on strong hands. Still others studied the army tactics, with a worthy ambition to ascend the ladder of military fame. The 27th was made up of an aggregation of rare geniuses, and its reputation extended wherever the drum-beat of the Army of the Po- tomac was heard.
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TRANSFER OF THE 26THI.
On November 8th, a brass band of twenty pieces was mustered in as part of the regiment, with Alexander Scott, of Rochester, as leader.
In November, the 26th New York was transferred to another brigade, and the 96th Pennsylvania took its place in Slocum's brigade.
ROSTER OF GEN. W. B. FRANKLIN'S DIVISION, AUTUMN AND WINTER OF 1861.
CAVALRY.
Col. McReynold's Ist New York Volunteers (Lincoln Cavalry).
INFANTRY.
First Brigade .- Gen. PHILIP KEARNEY .- Ist, 2d, 3d and 4th New Jersey Volunteers.
Second Brigade .- Gen. H. W. SLOCUM .- 27th New York, 16th New York, 5th Maine, 96th Pennsylvania.
Third Brigade .- Gen. JOHN NEWTON .- 18th New York, 3Ist New York, 32d New York, 95th Pennsylvania (Gosline Zouaves).
ARTILLERY.
Platt's Battery D, 2d United States-Six Napoleon guns.
Porter's A, Massachusetts-Four 10-pound Parrott guns : two 12-pound howitzers.
Hexamer's A, New Jersey-Four 10-pound Parrott guns ; two 12-pound howitzers.
Wilson's F, New York-Four 3-inch ordnance guns.
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. Y. VOLS.
During the winter three events of special interest occurred. The first was the great review at Bailey's Cross Roads, No- vember 20th, when about 100,000 soldiers passed in review before President Lincoln and Gen. McClellan. The 27th received special praise for the splendid division lines main- tained, in spite of the muddy and slippery condition of the ground over which they passed. This review was one of extraordinary grandeur, and it seemed as if there were troops enough to move through the Confederacy without a repulse.
The next event was the execution of a soldier, named Johnson, of the Ist New York Cavalry, on December 13th. He was taken while attempting to desert to the enemy, with the intention of having his company captured on the picket post. On his person were found drafts of the fortifications. It seems that he was from New Orleans, and had joined this command for the purpose of serving the Southern cause. He was speedily tried, and sentenced to be shot. The en- tire division was marched out to witness the execution, and formed on three sides of a square. The prisoner was placed in position, blindfolded, and while kneeling upon his coffin, ten members of his company marched to within a few paces, and fired their carbines into his breast. He fell forward on his face, and the troops marched past the body and back to their camp. This was the first execution after the opening of hostilities, by sentence of court martial. .
January 1, 1862 .- The new year was welcomed in by the firing of cannon and music by the bands. Volley after vol- ley of musketry was fired, until the whole army participated in the noisy demonstration. Citizens of Washington and Alexandria were alarmed, thinking that a battle was being fought.
But the " red-letter" day of the regiment, while in winter quarters, was the 11th of January, '62, the occasion being the return of about thirty of the prisoners who had been captured at the Bull Run battle. Considerable preparation had been made in anticipation of the day set for their re- ception. A triumphal arch of evergreens was erected on the extreme left of the street between the officers' quarters
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RETURN OF THIRTY PRISONERS.
27
and the companies' quarters. At the centre of the arch, within a wreath, was the number " 27," and below, the fol- lowing :
"Welcome, Comrades!"
Your Wounds Bleed Afresh in our Hearts."
It was Saturday afternoon. The whole regiment turned out, and, headed by Scott's Band, and preceded by Gen. Slocum and staff, marched down the Alexandria road about a mile, where they met the comrades, fresh from a Southern prison pen. under the command of Corp. Merrill, whom they had selected to direct their movements. They were a fan- tastic squad,-some dressed with government blankets over their shoulders, to protect them from the wintry blast ; others, with rags hanging about their emaciated frames. The regiment halted and formed in two ranks, open order, facing inward. Gen. Slocum and staff, with the field offi- cers, advanced and saluted the prisoners. and escorted them between the open ranks, while Scott's Band played " Bold Soldier Boy," and the whole regiment set up a terrific cheering. The line was re-formed, and escorted the pris- oners to Camp Clara, where the parade was dismissed, and every one participated in a sort of do-as-you-please enter- tainment until a late hour. The enthusiasm was conta- gious, and many officers and men from other regiments, camped in the vicinity, came to help welcome the returned comrades, and participate in the general hilarity.
The next day the Richmond boys, each with a furlough for twenty days, started for a visit to their several homes.
D
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. V. VOLS.
From this time till Spring, is known as the " Season of inactivity." Some of the time picket duty was performed in the midst of severe rain and snow storms, the men suffering greatly. The camp was like a mortar-bed ; dress parades and drills were impossible. Details were made to cut wood and bring it to camp. Roads had to be repaired, and it took six horses to draw a one-horse load. This work continued until March ioth, when the wood details were discharged. and the regiment marched, in a pouring rain, to Fairfax C. H .. fourteen miles from our camp. This move- ment was made by the whole army, and called a " parade," because the enemy was not found, having retreated to the Rappahannock, leaving strong fortifications,-from which, it would seem, they never could have been driven. The regiment, while at Fairfax, was camped near the village, and Col. Bartlett named the location, "Camp Diven," in honor of Hon. A. S. Diven, of Elmira, N. Y. Here, for the first time, we camped under small shelter tents: there had been issued, to each man, two pieces of twilled cotton cloth, about four feet wide and six feet long; when these were buttoned together, they formed what was termed a " shelter" tent ; but that was a misnomer, and the boys thought it must have been adopted because of the very imperfect shelter they afforded,-except in dry and pleasant weather. As two comrades generally slept together. the extra two pieces formed the ends or gables of the shelter, and when these pieces were sloped out sufficiently, it was possible for a medium-sized man to crawl in on his hands and knees, and, by lying in the center, shelter himself from a light dew ; but when two were obliged to squeeze into this queer sort of a "dog-house," as we dubbed it, somebody's feet generally protruded. When it rained, the water trickled through the ridge where the pieces were joined ; the rain also finding its way through the thin material, fell in fine spray upon our blankets. But carrying our own tents relieved the baggage trains of a large part of their load, and the number of wagons was correspondingly re- duced. The men recognized the necessity of this, and
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RAID ON A LAGER BEER TRAIN.
after a little became reconciled to the change, and we had no other shelter during the remainder of our term of ser- vice.
The soldiers will all remember Camp Diven with interest. One day while here, a long train of army wagons passed the camp, loaded with lager beer, going out to Blenker's Di- vision of Germans, camped more to the front. A very large number of men collected on each side of the road, gaping at the novel train, with their mouths just watering for the good stuff, that was " so near, and yet so far!" But, like all good soldiers, they were equal to the occasion and presently, as the train was ascending a little hill, some one managed to cut the straps that held up the tail-gate, and the ropes with which the canvas cover was tied over the end of the wagon,-when out rolled barrel after barrel of the Germans' beer. These were quickly rolled to one side, the heads knocked in, and thousands of men, with tin cups and pails, could be seen running to the train, all anxious to get a taste of the booty. Load after load was thus dumped on this hill, and finally it was found necessary to make a charge with a whole regiment of cavalry in order to drive off the raiders, and to protect the train over the balance of its journey.
We remained in Camp Diven two days.
The nights were so cold that many could not sleep : but the foraging was very good, and many a porker was brought in.
While at Fairfax a new organization of the Army of the Potomac was made. Slocum's brigade and Franklin's di- vision were placed in McDowell's corps, and called 2d Brig- ade, Ist Division, Ist Corps.
On the 14th, the regiment marched back and bivouacked near Brenton's Tavern, and on the next day returned to "Camp Clara," where we remained till the morning of April 4th, when Fred. Bender's bugle called the regiment into line, and we started on a march to Alexandria, and took the cars to Manassas Plains, and from there marched. via Bristol, to Catlett's Station, where we bivouacked for sev-
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. V. VOLS.
eral days, under our shelter tents. While here a terrible storm of rain and snow came on, and the camp, being on low ground, was almost flooded, so that the men had to abandon the camp and seek shelter on higher ground, under sheds and in negro cabins, near a farm house. Here we built up rousing fires in those old Virginia fireplaces, and around them at night the men could be found in squads, singing; (while the pitiless storm raged without), " Do they miss me: at home?" and other songs, all tending to cheer them up; in their forlorn condition : and could you have looked in' upon us, you would have found a happy, jolly crowd .. The calves, chickens and pigs that were brought in, were served up in savory style, and the feasting and reveiry that marked this camp will be long remembered by every com- rade.
Some of the officers will remember the uncivil manner in which Gen. Kearney drove them off when they sought shelter at a house where he had established his head- quarters.
The weather having cleared, we returned to camp, and at daylight on the 12th boarded the cars, and returned to Alexandria, where we went into camp, near Fort Ells- worth.
Before leaving Catlett's Station, there was a dispute be- tween Gens. Slocum and Kearney as to which brigade should take the cars, as there was transportation for one brigade only. It was decided in favor of our brigade, and we boarded the platform cars and started, being drawn by two wheezy old engines. We moved along very well on the level track and down-grades, but on the up-grades we had to dismount, and sometimes help the engines up with the empty train. The consequence was, that when we ar- rived at Alexandria, we found a part of Kearney's men already in camp,-he having marched them over the dis- tance in better time than our train made !
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CHAPTER III.
W TE remained in this camp till the 17th, when the regi- ment, accompanied by Gen. Slocum and staff, em- barked on the steamer S. R. Spaulding and sailed down the Potomac, passing Mt. Vernon and other points of interest on this historic stream.
For a time the scenery along the banks was magnificent, and the men, accustomed only to plodding up and down the hills, through Virginia mud, enjoyed the new sensation of a sail very much : but at night a violent storm set in ; many were sea-sick ; and, while the wind whistled through the shrouds, and the vessel rolled, making but little head- way in the darkness, many a man was ready to exchange " his life on the ocean wave" for the red mud again.
We remained on the steamer for several days ; were quar- tered on the upper deck, without shelter from the rain, and with no facilities for cooking our food. We ate our salt pork raw, and sometimes (by paying the cook), we could get enough hot water from the galley to make a cup of coffee.
On the afternoon of the 23d we ran down past Fortress Monroe, securing a fine view of the outside of the fort. At dark we ran over to Ship Point, and on the 24th landed near the mouth of the York River, and put up our tents in a beautiful grove of pine trees along the shore. Here oy's- ters and clams were plentiful, and, while the main part of the army was besieging Yorktown, we quietly remained at
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RECORD OF 27TH REGIMENT N. V. VOLS.
this safe distance, and fairly reveled in the bivalves, fresh from the beds. On May 3d, Yorktown was evacuated, and the next day we bid a sorrowful good-by to our camp and oyster-beds, and re-embarked on the S. R. Spaulding; an- chored in the bay for the night, and at daylight (May 5th) ran up the York River as far as Yorktown, and anchored. While here we could distinctly hear the cannonading of the battle of Williamsburg. On the following day the fleet ran up the river to West Point, the S. R. Spaulding in the lead. The journey was one that never will be forgotten by the soldiers of that command. The banks and sloping hills were green with the heavy foliage of May, and the beauty of the scene far exceeded anything before witnessed by the men, on the soil of Virginia. It was a sun-burst of May glory, preceding the gloom of a tedious and bloody cam- paign. A landing was effected at Brick House Point, on the left bank of the river, opposite West Point, the regi- ment going ashore in small boats,-Col. Bartlett, in a boat with Co. "C," being the first to land ; and, after searching the field with his glass, ordered the regiment ashore. Only a few of the enemy's mounted videttes and infantry scouts were discovered. The regiment was deployed as skirmishers upon the open plain, which extended back a mile or more to a dense forest. Across this plain the line advanced to a roadway running into the woods, along which the picket posts were established for the night, in squads of three or four, with intervals of four or five rods between. In the rear of this line lay the reserve. About dark two prisoners from the 5th Texas were captured, on the left. One of these was a very tall man, and the other a little short man, who wore spectacles,-a comical looking soldier.
Darkness soon came on ; the night was very cold, and the men began their anxious watch through the long, dark hours. The moon rose over the woods soon after It o'clock. and exposed some of the posts to the view of the enemy- who were lurking in the woods. All seemed quiet in front till 12 o'clock, when Lieut. Bailey, of Co. D, began his tour of inspection along the vidette posts. He tarried
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SHOOTING OF BAILEY AND HARTLEY.
to chat with some of his men who were stationed in a clear- ing occupied by two or three "poor-white-trash cabins," with the gardens grown up to bushes. Through this clear- ing ran a wagon track, which terminated at the woods, with a set of bars. Bailey seated himself on the knapsack of Corp. Crocker, who was standing guard, and with whom he was conversing in a low tone, saying "he was anxious to meet the enemy in battle on the morrow," as he had never been in an engagement, on account of sickness. Crocker. hearing a rustling of the leaves in the direction of the woods, notified Bailey, who, seizing the gun of one of the comrades who was lying down, took his stand by the side of Crocker, both peering into the darkness: soon they saw approaching, along the roadway, two men walking side by side. with guns at a trail, and not more than fifteen or twenty feet distant. "Halt! Who comes there?" de- manded Bailey. The two men immediately drew their pieces, Crocker and Bailey doing the same. Two of the four pieces were discharged. Bailey and one rebel falling with their guns cocked, neither having fired. Crocker, with his companions, retired towards the reserve, re-loading his piece as he did so. They then lay down in silence the bal- ance of the night.
At daybreak, when the advance was made, we found a body dressed in gray, a few feet in front of our fallen officer. Both the victims lay on their backs, outstretched at full length, with their heads in opposite directions. Bailey was shot through the heart, and the rebel through the left arm and neck. On search, the dead Confederate proved to be Sergt. Wm. Hartley, of the Fourth Alabama. On his body was found an order from Gen. Magruder, authorizing Hart- ley to act as a scout ; also a revolver, and a gold watch of antique English pattern. After the war, Lieut. C. N. Elliott forwarded the watch to Hartley's family, at Huntsville. Alabama, and received a kind acknowledgment of the cour- tesy. The watch proved to be an old family relic. Hartley was a Yale graduate, and a young man of promise. Among
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