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 22
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A. LINCOLN,
£
233
.
A GLOOMY NEW YEAR'S DAY.
1862
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN.
A Gloomy New Year's Day .- Emancipation .- Resignation of Colonel Stiles .- The " Mud Campaign."-Exit Burnside .- Enter Hooker .- The President's Letter of Instructions .- Hooker's Success in Reorganization .-- Petition of the NINTH .- Corps Badges .-- The Army Moves .- Operations of the Right Wing .- The Left Wing .- The NINTH at Chancellorsville .- The Second of May. - NINTH on the Skirmish Line .- Hooker's Instructions to Slocum and Howard .- Rout of the Eleventh Corps .- Sedgwick's Battle .- Fighting on the Third .- Sedgwick Driven Across the River .- The Army on the North Bank of the Rappahannock.
THE Ist of January, 1863, found the NINTH in winter quar- ters at Fletcher's Chapel, about four miles from Belle Plain. With ranks depleted by reason of the casualties inci- dent to active campaigning, there were hardly men enough "present for duty" to form a good-sized company. The future looked dark and gloomy to those who thought seri- ously of the situation.
The following extracts from a letter written this day, by Sergeant Henderson, of Company E, to his mother, will give a good idea of how some of the best men felt :
The holidays have been dreary days to me. As the few of us that are left have gathered around our camp-fires we have missed the merry laugh and jokes of many of our old companions who were with us a few weeks ago. It makes us sad to think of them as we.saw them last. There was a young man that messed and slept with me. who was a quiet, good-hearted, affectionate boy. I learned to love him as a brother. I missed him in the fight and have not seen him since. I looked for him on the field and in the hospitals, but could not find him. Since we came across the river I saw a man that said he was wounded, and another that he had seen a grave with his name on it. So my old chum is gone. Oh! how I would have liked to have been with him and nursed him until he died. If we knew that we were doing some good we would be satisfied, but when we see our companions slaughtered through the ignorance and blunders of officers we have reason to complain.
As I look back upon the past year I see much, very much, to be thankful for. 1 have been preserved in health and strength while so many have suffered from disease and wounds, and died. And I am very thankful that the loved ones at home have
234
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
January
been kept through another year. Above all I am thankful that in the blessed Saviour I have a friend that can sympathize with me in all trials and troubles, and that He is able and willing to hear and answer my prayers and do that which is best for me. We have had one sermon preached in our regiment since we left Warrenton in August. I don't know what has become of our Chaplain. When we were at Brook's Station there were a few of us held prayer-meetings in one of our lieutenant's tents. We had a prayer-meeting a few nights before we crossed the Rappahannock ; there were only eight present, but it was a good meeting and every one present felt it was good to be there. Of the eight that met that night three were killed and one wounded at Fred- ericksburg. It is a pleasure to know that, as they loved Jesus, they are now in that Happy Land where all is peace and joy. * ** I think of you all very often, and hope the time may soon come when I may meet father, mother, brothers and sisters once more at home ; but God's will be done.
On this day, too, President Lincoln issued his proclama- tion calling attention to the Emancipation Proclamation of the 2nd of September, and thus the good work of redeeming from slavery -- as far as it lay in his power -- the blacks of the South, was advanced. The proclamation is given in full :
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States containing, among other things, the following, to wit :
That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free ; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof respectively shall then be in rebellion against the United States ; and the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the quali- fied voters of such States shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong coun- tervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the United States.
Now therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in virtue of the power in me vested, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and Government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the first day above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit :
.
235
SLAVERY ABOLISHED.
1863
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of Saint Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, Saint John, Saint Charles, Saint James, Ascension, Assumption, Terre Bonne, La Fourche, Saint Marie, Saint Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are and henceforward shall be free; and that the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence except in necessary self-defense ; and I recommend to them that in all cases, when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.
And I further declare and make known that such persons, of suitable conditions, will be received into the armed service of the United States, to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Con- stitution, upon military- necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of [1 .. s.] the United States the eighty-seventh.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President :
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
A few of the officers in the army made this proclamation a pretext for resigning their commissions, and a number of the men, too, were very much opposed to the measure, but the great majority were well pleased.
On the 2nd, a brigade drill was ordered and when the com- mand was in line there were not men enough carrying muskets to form one respectable sized regiment. The ground being frozen hard the movements were well and promptly executed. Little of interest occurred until the 12th, when the division was reviewed by General Robinson. The usual routine of picket and outpost duty was performed by the NINTH, but there was little variation from day to day. Occasional flurries of snow and some exceedingly cold days caused the men to appreciate
235
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
January
their comfortable quarters, and to pity the poor fellows whose turn of duty kept them out in the open air.
Owing to continued ill-health, Colonel Stiles was obliged to resign, and on the 19th he took leave of the regiment. He was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Hendrickson ; Captain Joseph A. Moesch was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain-Dabney W. Diggs, of the One Hundred and Thirty- second N. Y. volunteers -- late a Corporal of Company C, of the NINTHI -- was made Major.
Colonel John W. Stiles joined the Third regiment, N. Y. S. artillery, as a private, May 18th, 1829; promoted First Lieutenant, December 26th, 1833 ; Adjutant, October 1Sth, 1836; Major, June 3rd ; Lieutenant-Colonel, November ISth, 1844; Colonel, May 25th, 1846. On the 27th of July, IS47, by orders from Adjutant-General's office, the Third regiment was re-numbered and designated as the Eighth, N. Y. S. M., and was also known as the " Washington Grays." Col- onel Stiles resigned November 15th, 1848. He was elected Colonel of the NINTH May 16th, 1861.
By the ISth, General Burnside had matured his plans for another movement against the enemy, much to the disgust of the men, who preferred their snug quarters to an active cam- paign at this season of the year. The order was given to pack up on the 19th, the first troops were put in motion at noon of the 20th, when division line was formed and the march began.
At this time it was evident to the men that a change in the weather was about to occur. One of the members of the NINTH says : "Burnside's order had stated that we were going to meet the enemy. We looked at the clouds and guessed that all the enemy we should meet would be mud." The column headed towards Falmouth, near which place the men halted at eleven o'clock. At half-past eight the next morning the march was resumed, but the rain, which began to fall during the night, soon increased in violence, and when at noon the column halted the roads were already deep with mud. Banks' Ford was only two miles off, and it was soon learned that Burnside's intention was to cross the Rappahannock at that
1863
THE MUD CAMPAIGN.
237
point, and then move down upon the left flank of Lee's army. Banks' Ford is about six miles above Fredericksburg, and in order to approach it with a large number of men, roads had been cut through the woods ; while to mask the real point of crossing, cavalry expeditions had been sent to various other places to divert the attention of the enemy. But the Confed- erates were not long in divining the intentions of the Union General. During the night troops had been massed opposite the Ford, and at daylight Lee was prepared to dispute the crossing, which Burnside was in no condition to make, for, in- stead of a hundred pontoon boats which should have been on the river bank a: daylight, only about a dozen were there --- not enough to construct one bridge.
The night's rain had made deplorable havoc with the roads ; but herculean efforts were made to bring pontoons enough into position to build a bridge or two withal. Double and triple teams of horses and mules were harnessed to each boat ; but it was in vain. Long stout ropes were then attached to the teams, and a hundred and fifty men put to the task on each. The effort was but little more successful. Floundering through the mire for a few feet, the gang of Lilliputians with their huge ribbed Gulli- ver, were forced to give over, breathless. Night arrived, but the pontoons could not be got up, and the enemy's pickets, discovering what was going on, jocularly shouted out their intention to " come over to-morrow and help build the bridge." (Swinton's Army of the Potomac.)
The moment the storm began, the rank and file of the army were convinced that the movement could not be executed, and to persist in the attempt seemed to them like a useless sacrifice ; consequently, the men had no heart to continue their disagree- able labors. The "mud march" was prolific of an endless column of adventures and mishaps. The men staggered and reeled as they endeavored to maintain their footing in the sticky mud. As a comrade sank up to his knees, he declared that the bottom had fallen out of the dear country.
In describing the affair, a member of the regiment wrote : "Our brigade got separated from the division and we stood in the road about two hours. There was a large wood to the left of the road; so our boys went there and built fires, and such fires ! None but old campaigners could make them. The drenching rain could not put them out. We remained there
-----
238
THE NINTHI NEW YORK.
January
until the morning, when we again pushed on through the mud to within a mile of the Rappahannock. * * It continued to rain all day and night and it was impossible to get the wagon train and artillery along. I saw sixteen horses attached to one twelve-pounder, and it was as much as they could do to get it along."
Burnside's "Virginny Reel" will long be remembered by those who took part in the exciting dance.
The morning of the 23rd found the infantry columns re- tracing their steps to the old camps. The NINTH reached their quarters at Fletcher's Chapel late at night, tired, hungry and thoroughly disgusted with another failure. How the artillery and baggage wagons regained their camps, those in charge can tell ; many caissons and wagons were left where they happened to be stuck, and it was a week or more before some were extricated.
On the 25th, the regiment numbered 172 men " present," of whom 129 were ready for duty, equipped.
Ever since the battle of Fredericksburg General Burnside had been anxious to resign the command of the army. He believed that he had not been properly supported by some of his subordinate generals, and had so reported to the War Department, recommending, at the same time, the dismissal of those he believed the most guilty. His recommendations were not heeded, however, and he was induced to continue in com- mand. After this last failure he again renewed his request to be relieved, and on the 28th was succeeded by General Hooker.
When the new leader entered upon his difficult task he re- ceived the following characteristic letter from the President :
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., Jan. 26, 1863.
Major-General HOOKER :
GENERAL -- I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I have done this upon what appears to me to be sufficient reasons, and yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a brave and skillful soldier, which, of course, I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in yourself, which is a valuable, if not an indispens- able, quality. You are ambitious, which within reasonable bounds, does good rather than harm; but I think, that, during Gen. Burnside's command of the army, you have
239
LINCOLN TO HOOKER.
1863
taken counsel of your ambition, and thwarted him as much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. I have heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both the army and the government needed a dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command.
Only those generals who gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship. The government will support you to the utmost of its ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done and will do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the army, of criticising their commander and withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall assist you, as far as I can, to put it down. Neither you, nor Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army while such a spirit prevails in it. And now beware of rashness. Beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance go forward and give us victories.
Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.
The rest of the winter was devoted by General Hooker to a reorganization of the army. The grand division system was abolished. Early in February the Ninth corps left the Army of the Potomac; and did not return again till the spring of 1864. After attending to the wants of the men in camp, Gen- eral Hooker also granted numerous furloughs for brief periods, and by this means stopped, to a great degree, the crime of desertion, which had become almost epidemic among the rank and file, and the hardly less criminal resignations among the officers. With plenty to eat, good clothing, and-for soldiers in the field-comfortable quarters, the army was soon in good condition again.
On the 30th, Major Diggs reported for duty and, in the temporary absence of the two senior officers, assumed com- mand of the regiment.
On the end of February, Colonel Samuel H. Leonard, of the Thirteenth Massachusetts, assumed command of the bri- gade, General Taylor having resigned. The men had become much attached to the General, on account of his high soldierly qualities. He had been promoted on September 7th, 1862, from Colonel of the Seventy-second N. Y. Vols., and, during his brief career as a brigadier, had won the respect and esteem of all the regiments under his command.
A diary at hand has this entry, under date of February soth : "Received our first loaf of bread in six months ; bri-
240
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
March
gade bakeries being another of the new things under Gen- eral Hooker." Hard-tack, as the army cracker was called was good substantial food, but no one will deny that slight variations of the form in which the staff-of-life was supplied to the soldier in the field, was a perfect god-send. No won- der the event found a place in the soldier's diary.
It was at this time, too, that Corps badges were generally worn. Nothing was left undone by General Hooker to make his army the best in the world. In sympathy with this idea, the officers of the NINTH determined to do their utmost to make the regiment one of the best in the army. Recruiting for regiments in the field was, at this time, at a low ebb. Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, told the truth, when he said that no recruits for an old regiment could be enlisted so long as there was a shoemaker in the State who desired a captaincy. New regiments were being formed because of the official positions offered. These regiments entered the service -- to all intents and purposes -- as green as those who fought at Bull Run in 1861. Had the material of which they were composed been distributed among the old regiments, how much more efficient would the army have been ! The officers of the NINTHI, realizing this fact, wished to fill up its ranks, and to this end forwarded the following :
HEADQUARTERS § 83rd N. Y. Vols. 1 9th N. Y. S. M. Fletcher's Chapel, Va., March 3, 1863.
To Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
The undersigned officers of the S3 N. Y. Vols. (9th N. Y. S. M.) would most respectfully represent, that by the casualties of the campaigns this command has become much reduced, having been in active service since the early part of the war.
And, therefore, we would most respectfully and earnestly request that " if consis- tent," the regiment may be ordered to rendezvous in the vicinity of New York City (where it was raised) or near Washington, for the purpose of recruiting to the max- imum strength ; which we are confident could be accomplished in a short period of time, the regiment having a reputation for gallantry and faithful service second to none that left that city.
For a portion of the history of its services in the field, let the Official Reports of Battles of Cedar Mountain, Bull-Run 2nd, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericks- burg testify.
Strength leaving New York City, 900. Recruits received, 500.
1863
PETITION OF THE NINTHI.
241
The present strength of the regiment may be summed up as follows :
Present for duty, 166 ; absent, wounded and sick, 144; on detached service, 91. Total strength, 401.
As an evidence of our devotedness to the cause we serve, and an earnest desire to secure the greatest efficiency for our command, we would call attention to the fact that every officer now in the regiment has risen from the ranks to their respective positions, excepting one "Colonel John Hendrickson," who lost a foot at Fredericks- burg. Trusting, sir, that you may regard this prayer of your Petitioners, not as an expression of a desire to leave our comrades to battle alone for the glorious cause in which all have sacrificed so much, but as prompted by the purest and most patriotic motives ; by a spirit of loyalty and ambition, that we are satisfied will meet with your appreciation. Hoping to secure at your hands, the favor for which we would so earnestly pray. * * *
This was signed by the officers, present and absent, and also by ex-Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford and ex-Captain Lanning,
The petition was sent on its way through the "circumlocu- tion" office, and was favorably indorsed by Colonel Wheelock (97th N. Y. Vols.), then commanding the brigade, but when it came to General Robinson, the division commander, he recom- mended that the NINTH "be consolidated with some other regiment from the same State." General Reynolds approved Robinson's action, but General Hooker was sensible enough to differ with his subordinates, and he heartily indorsed the petition, stipulating that while the regiment was absent its place might be filled " by another good regiment."
The consolidation of old and decimated regiments was then a matter under consideration by the War Department, by whom the petition of the NINTH was returned, with the follow- ing indorsement :
Respectfully returned to Major-General Hooker, commanding Army of the Potomac.
Orders will not be issued by this Department in regard to allowing regiments to return to their States for the purpose of recruitment, until it is definitely decided what action will be taken in regard to the consolidation of regiments.
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Asst. Adjt .- General.
The consolidation scheme met with so much opposition from the old regiments, who did not want to lose their identity, that it was abandoned.
242
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
March.
No wonder a draft became necessary to fill up the old or- ganizations !
The NINTHI was not "consolidated" out of existence, but later on was filled with drafted men and substitutes.
For the purpose of drill, the men present for duty in the ranks were formed into two companies, Captains Williamson and Gtiyer commanding on the drill ground. On the 20th Major Diggs, who had been severely injured by a fall from his horse, was discharged on surgeon's certificate, and on taking leave of the regiment on the 22nd made a brief address to the men. The Major's resignation was much regretted by all. During his brief stay he had won the respect of every member of the command, and the kindest wishes were expressed for his future welfare and happiness.
Major Diggs joined Company C, of the NINTH, April 21st ; promoted Corporal, Sept. 10th, 1861 ; First Lieutenant, Fifty- third N. Y. Vol.'s, May 31st ; Captain, Company E, July 7th, company consolidated ; re-commissioned Captain, Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-second Vols., Sept. 16th ; Major of the NINTH, Dec. 27th, 1862.
On the 24th the regiment had 190 present for duty.
A ray of sunshine was occasioned on the 26th. by the arrival of a number of "boxes" from New York containing many good things from the loved ones at home, and the pos- sessors generously share! the contents with those less for- tunate.
During the early days of April reviews were held ; General Hooker performing that ceremony for the First corps on the 2nd. On the 6th President Lincoln, accompanied by his wife and others, visited camp, and on the 9th he reviewed the corps. On the 14th General Hooker, in orders of the day, designated the corps badges to be worn by the army. The First corps, a lozenge ; the Second, a trefoil (clover leaf ) ; the Third, a diamond; the Fifth, a Maltese cross ; the Sixth, a roman cross ; the Eleventh, a crescent ; and the Twelfth, a five- pointed star. The several divisions were to be distinguished by the color of the badge ; First, red; Second, white ; and the
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