USA > New York > History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M. -- N.G.S.N.Y. (Eighty-third N. Y. Volunteers.) 1845-1888 > Part 17
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* (During the battle) my gun got so hot I could hardly hold it, and ! got so excited that after it was all over I was taken with cramps in my stomach and the doctor cupped me in three places. * * One of our company raised his piece to fire over my shoulder, when a ball struck him in the breast and he fell on me dead. * * * All my clothes and little comforts were in my knapsack, which was lost. Just think of a reb. going through them and getting all that I cared so much to keep. However, if I don't look fine, I'm as happy as a king. Don't worry about me. Supplies are on the way to us. I intend to do my duty, and if I fall it's all right, but I'd like to see the end of it. * * * L- sends his love to all ; he is now washing out his tin cup; says he had a grand stew for dinner-crackers and water.
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1862
AN INCIDENT IN PASSING.
181
CHAPTER X.
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN -- BATTLES OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN AND ANTIETAM.
After the Second Bull Run .- An Incident at Fairfax Court House .-- In Camp at Hall's Hill .- Pope Relieved .-- McClellan in Command .- Lee's Plan of Invasion .- The Enemy Cross the Potomac .- The Union Army on the March .- Maryland Don't " Breathe and Burn" for the Southern Cause .- Lee's Special Order, No. 191 .-- "Brother Jonathan " Hats .- The Reception at Frederick .- Battle of South Moun- tain .- Popularity of Mcclellan .- On the Banks of the Antietam .- Night before the Battle .- Situation on the Morning of the 17th .- Battle of Antietam .- " Send Me Your Best Brigade." -- Operations on the Left .- Burnside's Bridge .- The Losses in Battle .- " Hartsuff's Brigade at Antietam."
SOME of the NINTH, upon reaching Fairfax Court House,
were witnesses of an amusing scene which is here given in the language of C. S. McClenthen, a member of the Twenty- sixth New York volunteers :
" We halted for some moments close to some wagons, one of which was found to be laden with loaves of bread. On mak- ing the discovery a number of soldiers made a rush for the prize, and then ensued a scene, which, could it have been trans- ferred to canvas, would have made the fortune of the artist. Those first at the wagon succeeded in getting their arms full, but found it impossible to escape through the crowd with their booty, for they were assailed by those on the outside and a general scramble ensued. Artillery, cavalry, and infantry men were tangled up in one confused mass, crawling over or under each other, some with a loaf in each hand, while others had merely what their closed fingers could hold, the rest having been pulled off by more fortunate comrades. If one succeeded in making his escape from the crowd with a whole loaf he was followed by a dozen men in an eager race for a share. The scene was ludicrous beyond description. As I had no desire to have my clothes torn from my back, and to be trampled under
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
September
foot by my companions, I remained a passive but much amused spectator, and laughed heartily, as the poor driver, who, seeing the hopelessness of any remonstrance, had remained on his seat, . and, as the last loaf disappeared, shouted, " Sold out and hain't got a cent !"
The NINTH continued its march in retreat, by way of Bailey's Cross Roads, passing through a fertile, well-watered country, the orchards of apple and peach trees tempting many of the men to wander a little from the road, and help them- selves to the fruit without asking the consent of the owners. At a late hour in the evening, after a march of some twenty miles, the troops bivouacked at Hall's Hill, distant about five miles from the Chain Bridge, and in sight of the Capital. Many of the troops were also encamped in the vicinity of Upton's Hill. General Palfrey, in his volume, The Antietam and Fredericksburg, page 2, says :
- It is not to be imagined that the Union forces thus collected in front of Washington were a rabble. It is true that even successful battle produces disorganization, and that defeat-still more a series of defeats-produces much more. Officers are killed and wounded, men stray from their colors, arms and equipments are lost, and much con- fusion is caused, and the effective force of an army is sometimes very seriously im- paired ; but with even tolerable troops it is very rarely destroyed altogether, even for a day. It hardly ever happens that all the troops on either side are engaged. * * * These bodies of troops, except in extreme cases, preserve their organization and their efficiency. *
* Then in war, it is the universal principle that there is never a vacancy. The instant a superior falls, the man next in rank to him takes his place with-
out an order, without an assignment. * Thus, except in those very rare cases in which an army becomes a mob, even defeat works no destruction of the framework of the great machine. * * Thus, after the severe defeat which Lee inflicted upon Pope, the rear guard of infantry, artillery, and cavalry was orderly and calm, and formed a strong line between the Federal and Confederate forces.
The disastrous results of the campaign just ended led to Pope's removal, although " officially " he asked to be relieved. McClellan, who had followed his army from the Peninsula, was again placed in command of the troops, and a new Army of the Potomac was formed, consisting of Mcclellan's old army and the Army of Virginia. In the reorganization, McDowell was also relieved and his late command assigned to the First corps under General Joseph Hooker. The division command-
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LEE'S INVASION.
1862
ers were Generals King, Ricketts and Meade. Ricketts' divis- ion consisted of the brigades of Generals Tower, Duryea, and Hartsuff, the command of the latter was composed of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, Eleventh Pennsylva- nia, and the NINTH New York. .
. For a short time the men in camp enjoyed peace and plenty. Sutler Ralph, who had been unable to open his stock since leaving Culpeper, did a thriving business, and the men fared well. The casualties of battle and the losses by disease, to- gether with a number of transfers, had so reduced the regi- ment, that out of nearly twelve hundred on the rolls in 1861, much less than half that number were present to enter upon the Maryland Campaign.
Swinton, in his Twelve Decisive Battles of the War, says :
At Chantilly, Lee sat alone in his tent, revolving in his mind the events of that astonishing campaign which had witnessed the defeat of two Union armies, whose broken fragments lay on the Potomac like the stranded wreck of a noble fleet. While thus the Confederate Commander meditated, there dawned upon him the conception of a stroke more bold than all the deeds yet done-a stroke which seemed to make past performance tame by plenitude of its promise. That for which he had assumed the offensive was already attained -- the armies of Mcclellan and Tope had been hurled back to the point whence they set out on the campaign of the spring and sum- mer, the siege of Richmond was raised, the war was transferred from the banks of the James and Rapidan to the borders of the Potomac. Why should he not now pass the borders, and raise the standard of revolt on Northern soil, overwhelm the demeral- ized remnants of his adversary and dictate a Peace in the Capital of the Union? The thought, assuming shape in his mind, determined itself in a resolve, and hastily pen- ning a dispatch, Lee, from Chantilly, on the night of the 2nd September, 1862, announced to the Chief of the Confederacy in Richmond his purpose to move on the morrow into Maryland. Such was the origin of that first Condederate invasion which culminated in the battle of Antietam.
The Editor is greatly tempted to dwell at length upon the feeling of alarm which prevailed at the Capital-and through- out the whole North-when it was learned that Lee's army had crossed the border, It was indeed a " dark day " for the Nation. The limits c. a regimental history, however, forbid, and we must follow the fortunes of the NINTHI.
McClellan, acting now on the defensive, was obliged to wait until the enemy's plans were developed. Meanwhile he vigorously prosecuted the work of reorganizing his army.
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
September
The advance of the Confederates crossed the Potomac on the morning of the 5th, at the fords above Leesburg. Leaving Banks with about fifteen thousand men to occupy the defences of Washington, McClellan began his march, also, on the 5th, The NINTH broke camp on the evening of the 6th, and at half-past ten crossed the Potomac on the Aqueduct bridge ; thence passing through Georgetown and Washington to the Rockville turnpike, continued the march, with short intervals. for rest, until near daylight of the 7th, when the tired men were allowed to drop down upon the ground for a few moments' repose. After scarcely an hour's rest, hardly suf- ficient-even for veterans-to recover from the fatigue of the long night march, the column, at five o'clock, again moved for- ward, passing through Leesboro, and, about the middle of the . afternoon, halted at Mechanicsville. The march this day was an easy one ; an abundance of fruit, eagerly partaken of by the men, seemed to refresh them, and the people, being mainly Union- ists, the soldiers' hearts were gladdened by seeing the National emblem displayed by those who wore bright and smiling faces. What a change it was from Virginia! There fruit was scarce, but Union people scarcer still. A smile from a native there would be the subject of comment among the men, while here, in " My Maryland," the Union feeling predominated and Secessionists hid their heads. The NINTH remained at Mechan- icsville while other portions of the army were taking the places assigned them in the grand army.
In his report of the campaign, General Lee outlined his in- tended plan of operations. It was to move his army into Western Maryland and establish communication with Rich- mond by way of the Shenandoah Valley. By thus threatening Pennsylvania he would draw the Union Army away from Wash- ington and its base, and also compel the evacuation of Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg.
McClellan organized his force-of about eighty-five thou- sand men-into three grand divisions, the Right, consisting of the First and Ninth corps, was placed under command of General Ambrose E. Burnside ; the Center was under General
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CONFEDERATES IN MARYLAND.
1 862
Edwin V. Sumner, and was composed of the Second and Twelfth corps, while the Left was made up of the Fifth and Sixth corps, and was led by General William B. Franklin. The troops were so disposed as to cover Washington and Baltimore, Franklin's left resting on the Potomac, while Burn- side's right reached a point nearly twenty-five miles north.
Stonewall Jackson's column, the advance of the Confeder- ate Army, had entered Frederick on the 6th. On the Sth, General Lee issued an address " To the People of Maryland," wherein he stated the purpose of the invasion "so far as that purpose concerns yourselves." The Confederate leader called upon the people to " throw off the foreign yoke" and flock to his standard. The result was not what he expected. As a ·Confederate author puts it : "They had been asked to come and 'breathe and burn.' They haven't burned much so far."
Portions of the Union Army were advancing on Frederick, the expected uprising did not occur, and Lee ordered the evac- . uation of the place. As the Confederate troops passed through the city "there stood on a small gallery a buxom young lady, with laughing black eyes, witnessing the scene before her ; on her breast she had pinned a small flag, the Stars and Stripes. This was observed, and some soldier sang out : " Look h'yar, miss, better take that flag down ; we're awful fond of charging breast works ! but the loyal lady stood by her colors till the column passed.", (Col. Wm. M. Owen, in Washington Artillery of New Orleans.)
General McClellan had advised, the evacuation of Harper's Ferry, but his advice was unheeded by the authorities at Washington. Lee now set about capturing the Union force there, and, on the 9th, issued the following :
SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 191.
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
September 9, 1862.
The army will resume its march to-morrow, taking the Hagerstown road. General Jackson's command will form the advance, and after passing Middletown, with such portion as he may select, take the route towards Sharpsburg, cross the Potomac at the most convenient point, and on Friday night (the 12th), take possession of the Balti-
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
September
more and Ohio Railroad, and capture such of the enemy as may be at Martinsburg, and intercept such as may attempt to escape from Harper's Ferry.
General Longstreet's command will pursue the same road as far as Boonsboro, where it will halt with the reserve, supply, and baggage trains of the army.
General McLaws, with his own division and that of General R. H. Anderson, will follow General Longstreet ; on reaching Middletown he will take the route to Harper's Ferry, and on Friday morning (12 inst.) possess himself of the Maryland Heights, and endeavor to capture the enemy at Harper's Ferry and vicinity.
General Walker, with his division, after accomplishing the object in which he is now engaged, will cross the Potomac at Cheeks Ford, ascend its right bank to Lovetts- ville, take possession of Loudoun Heights, if practicable, by Friday morning, Keys Ford on his left, and the road between the end of the mountain and the Potomac on his right. He will, as far as practicable, co-operate with General McLaws and General Jackson in intercepting the retreat of the enemy. General D. H. Hill's division will form the rear guard of the army, pursuing the road taken by the main body. The reserve artillery, ordnance and supply trains, etc, will precede General Hill.
General Stuart will detach a squadron of cavalry to accompany the commands of Generals Longstreet, Jackson and MeLaws, and with the main body of the cavalry will cover the route of the army and bring up all stragglers that may have been left behind.
The commands of Generals Jackson, McLaws and Walker, after accomplishing the objects for which they have been detached, will join the main body of the army at Boonsboro or Hagerstown. Each regiment on the march will habitually carry its axes in the regimental ordnance wagons, for use of the men at their encampments, to pro- cure wood, etc.
By command of General R. E. LEE.
R. H. CHILTON, Assistant Adjutant-General.
While the Union troops were marching along towards the enemy, the " Johnnies " were making the most of their first visit among the towns of the loyal State. Like the " Yanks" in Virginia, the " Rebs " cut some queer antics, many of which were productive of more merriment to them than to the inhab- itants. Colonel Owen says of their visit to Hagerstown on the 12th :
One merchant had upon his shelves, where they had lain for many years, about one hundred old-fashioned, bell-crowned beaver-hats, with long nap upon them, just the style our fathers wore, and caricaturists are wont to place them upon the head of Brother Jonathan. These were discovered by some funny fellow, who appeared upon the street with one upon his head. The " a la mode " took like wild fire-as new fashions always do-and the store was soon relieved of the stock of beavers, and the streets were thronged with men with the new " Brother Jonathan " hat. They wore them upon the march, and went into the battle of Antietam with this most peculiar head-gear for warriors.
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1862
CONFEDERATE ORDER, NO. 191.
To return to the regiment which we left at Mechanics- ville. The brigade received an addition to its strength on the 9th, by the arrival of the Sixteenth Maine, a new regiment, fresh from the Pine Tree State. On the morning of the 10th, the advance was continued. The men marched all day, under a hot sun and a cloudless sky, a distance of fifteen miles, and towards evening bivouacked in the neighborhood of Cooks- ville, where they remained for the next two days. During the IIth, a refreshing shower cooled the air and laid the dust. On the 12th, clothing was issued, and in the afternoon the command marched through Lisbon and Poplar Springs, halt- ing late in the afternoon near Ridgeville. At an early hour on the 13th, the men again shouldered their muskets, and pushed on after the enemy, who was now reported to be retreating. The route led through Ridgeville, where the Six- teenth Maine was left as a railroad guard ; New Market was passed, and at half-past six in the afternoon a halt was ordered near Frederick.
Just about the time the troops came to a halt, Sergeant John B. Bloss and Corporal W. A. Mitchell, of Company F, Twenty-seventh Indiana, Colonel Colgrove, of Gordon's bri- gade, William's division, of the Twelfth corps, while looking about a deserted camp of one of the Confederate regiments, noticed what was supposed to be only a little roll of paper ; but "Mitchell " kicked at it, and curiosity prompted him to pick it up, when, much to his gratification, he found the paper contained three cigars ; perhaps he lit one, and gave his com- rade one of the others, and then casually glanced at the paper, which at first he supposed to be a letter. It proved to be a copy of Lee's order, No: 191, and was addressed to General D. H. Hill. The important paper soon found its way- through " the official channels " to General McClellan, who thus early became aware of the division of the Confederate forces -- towards Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry. This was the opportunity of General Mcclellan's military life. "It cannot be said that he did not act with considerable energy, but he did not act with sufficient. The opportunity came within his
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
September
reach, such an opportunity as hardly ever presented itself to a Commander of the Army of the Potomac, and he almost grasped it, but not quite." (Palfrey's, The Antietam and Fredericksburg.)
Early in the morning of the 14th, the troops were again on the march. The roads were much crowded and progress was slow. #The NINTH was on familiar ground. As the loyal city of Frederick was approached the ranks were "dressed," and, with drums beating and colors flying, the column passed through amid the the plaudits of gaily-dressed women and children, who showered favors upon their country's defenders. The Union troops were received with open arms and thankful hearts. Union flags were displayed at every turn, and were waved by the little ones to the shouts of " Hurrah for Mat- tellan." National airs were sung by the older sisters and brothers, while still others-the good mothers and fathers- made haste to supply the hungry and thirsty (soldiers are always hungry and thirsty) "boys in blue" with substantial creature comforts. These courtesies had compelled a halt of the column, but only for a few moments. "Forward" was the watchword. Early in the afternoon General Hatch re- lieved General King of the command of the First division.
The artillery and baggage wagons occupied the middle of the roads, while the infantry plodded along as best they could on the roadsides and through the fields. Upon arriving at the summit of the Catoctin Range, a little west of the city, the smoke of battle was observed on South Mountain, still further to the west. Groups of citizens had gathered to witness the -to them-novel sight, and they fully expected to see a battle take place on the banks of Catoctin Creek. Descending the western slope of the range, Middletown was soon reached, and there the scenes described at Frederick were repeated. When Jackson passed through on the toth, and observed two young ladies, among others, conspicuously wearing the Union colors, he is reported to have said. "We seem to have but few friends here." The rear guard of the enemy had only left Middletown in the morning, but before retiring had fired the
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56Jr Feet
FIELD OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN . SEPT. 14 18€2
SCALE
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Union Troops A.M.
Union Troops P.M.
Confederates A. M
Stone Walls & Ferces
VA. TROOPS
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189
1862
BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
bridge over Catoctin Creek, and when the NINTH reached that point the timbers were still burning. A dwelling-house and barn were also burning near by, and a number of the Brooklyn Fourteenth were at work with an old fire-engine endeavoring to subdue the flames.
It was now quite late in the afternoon. The Ninth corps had obtained a foot-hold at Fox's Gap, a short distance to the left of the turnpike, while the divisions of Hooker's corps had effected a lodgment at Turner's Gap, through which the turn- pike crossed the South Mountain. Artillery firing had been heard nearly all day, and now, as the regiment approached the battle-field, the musketry was distinctly heard. The sound of this soon ceased, and although the artillery still kept up a desultory fire, it was supposed to be the last echoes of the en- gagement. After fording a small stream a halt for an hour was made, during which the rattle of small-arms was renewed. The regiment was then ordered to march to the right of the Pike into an open field near the base of the mountains. Here the men were directed to leave their knapsacks, and then they knew that the battle was not over, and that, doubtless, they would have an opportunity of sharing in the "glory " of the day. General Hatch had been wounded during the en- gagement and General Doubleday assumed command of the First division.
Obliqueing to the left, the brigade proceeded up the steep mountain side as rapidly as the nature of the ground permit- ted, the road, filled with small loose stones, was difficult to travel. It was found that Ricketts' division was the reserve, and, as it was not called into action, suffered little. But one man in the NINTH was killed, Charles W. Wood, of Company H, and one wounded. Gibbon's brigade of Hatch's division was on the turnpike, and suffered the most in driving Col- quitt's brigade of D. H. Hill's division. The other brigades of Hatch were some distance to the right of the Pike, and on their right was Meade's division, the extreme right being held by Seymour's brigade. Ricketts' command was drawn up in the rear about midway between Hatch and Meade. When or-
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
September
dered to advance, Hartsuff's brigade was sent to support Gib- bon. The Union troops pressed bravely on ; Meade succeed- ed in turning the enemy's left, while Hatch pushed back their center, but it was not until after dark that the enemy gave way along their entire line. Ricketts' division was then moved forward to hold the line during the night. About midnight two brigades from Sumr er's command were sent up to relieve a portion of Hooker's, who had been fighting during the day. The Ninth corps had carried Fox's Gap about the same time that Turner's was occupied, but General Reno had been killed -a sad loss to the Union Army.
The Left Grand division under Franklin had also won a battle at Crampton's Gap, some six miles further south on the mountain, and it was hoped the troops would get through in time to save Harper's Ferry, but in this they failed. Inasmuch as the Confederates fought these battles for purely strategical reasons, and succeeded in their strategy, they did not feel very sore over their tactical defeat. They had delayed the advance of the Union Army long enough to ensure Jackson's success at Harper's Ferry, where, on the morning of the 15th, he bagged the whole Union force of about twelve thousand men, and a large park of artillery. To quote General Palfrey again : "A night march of his (McClellan's) left and right wings on the evening of the 13th-a far easier march than Jackson made on the night of the 15th, from Harper's Ferry to Sharpsburg- would have given him possession of both passes (Turner's and Crampton's Gaps) early in the morning of the 14th, and if he had been there, it is hard to see how he could have failed to do such things as fairly startle one to think of."
Daylight of the 15th brought a flag of truce from the enemy, with a request for an armistice to allow them to bury their dead ; but it was too clearly an excuse for delaying the march of the Union troops, and about eight o'clock an advance was ordered. In a short time the NINTH halted at the Mountain House-a country hotel-on the gap road, and at the summit of the pass. A few scattered houses were near by, all of which had been deserted by their occupants during the battle. The
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1862
191
"LITTLE MAC."
men were short of rations, -- two crackers only had been given as the day's supply ; and as soon as the column halted the neigh- boring houses and gardens were ransacked for fruit and vege- tables, and such other catables as could be obtained. Even the knapsacks, one belonging to a member of Company H, of the NINTH (lost at Bull Run), and haversacks of the enemy, many of which were found lying about, were searched for food, and quite a supply was gained from this source. "Necessity knows no law."
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