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 23
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1.
1863
243
KEARNY'S PATCH.
Third, blue. To General Kearny, probably, belongs the credit of first suggesting these distinctive badges. During the Pen- insular campaign he directed the men of his command to sew a piece of red flannel on their caps, so that they might be the more easily identified. The "Kearny Patch " suggested corps badges, and no doubt. the adoption of these was beneficial to the morale of the army. Skulkers in the rear were ashamed to be known as belonging to either corps, and provost guards had little difficulty in driving such to their respective commands. Distinctive uniforms, too, added to the esprit de corps of those who wore them. The zouave regiments fought all the better and stuck closer to their colors on the march-stragglers from those ranks were too conspicuous to pass unnoticed.
On the 17th the distribution of eight days' rations indi- cated a general movement of the army. In fact, the usual orders were issued, but afterwards countermanded. On the 20th 176 men were reported present for duty. On the 22nd Brigadier-General Henry Baxter, formerly Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Michigan, assumed command of the brigade. During the day the regiment was visited by Captain James H. Stevens, formerly captain of Company C, who met with a warmı reception from the old members of his company, and many others of the NINTH.
After one or two more false alarms, the afternoon of the 28th found the First corps in line, under arms. Never before was the Army of the Potomac in such good fighting trim. The Corps commanders had the reputation of being good fighting Generals. Reynolds commanded the First, Couch the Second, Sickles the Third, Meade the Fifth, Sedgwick the Sixth, How- ard the Eleventh and Slocum the Twelfth. Hooker had under his command about one hundred and twenty thousand men-infantry, cavalry and artillery-and about four hundred field guns. Hooker's objective-Lee's army-mustered ouly about half that number. What an opportunity for "Fighting Joe !" But Hooker had no intention of attacking the enemy in a fortified position. On the morning of the 27th the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth corps had been started up the river,
244
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
April
on roads out of sight of the enemy, and ordered to cross at Kelly's Ford, thence to march on two parallel roads towards the Rapidan, cross that stream at Germanna and Ely's Fords and concentrate at Chancellorsville. The Second corps was to march to United States Ford on the Rappa- hannock, and when the turning column should pass down and uncover that crossing, Couch was to join the main body. This concentration was effected on the night of the 30th, and General Hooker also moved his headquarters to that point. "The remarkable success attending this movement, of which Lee did not become aware till the Rappahannock had been crossed, was the result of a secrecy and a celerity of march new in the Army of the Potomac. To have marched a column of fifty thousand men, laden with sixty pounds of baggage, and encumbered with artillery and trains, thirty-seven miles in two days ; to have bridged and crossed two streams, guarded by a vigilant enemy, with the loss of half-a-dozen men, one. wagon and two mules, is an achievement which has few par- allels, and which well deserves to rank with Prince Eugene's famous passage of the Adige " (Swinton's Army of the Poto- mac, page 273).
For the purpose of further masking the movement already described, General Sedgwick, with his own and the First and Third corps, was ordered to demonstrate in front of and below Fredericksburg. The cavalry also had been assigned an important duty ; it penetrated to the left and rear of Lee's lines, and aided very materially in the general movements of the army.
The First corps, as has been stated, was ready for the march at noon of the 28th. The route was in the direction of Falmouth, near which the regiment bivouacked, late in the evening, after a wet and disagrecable march. Before day- break the next morning the men were stirring, and soon the march was resumed down the river. Early in the afternoon the river was approached at Pollock's Mills, about a mile be- low Franklin's crossing of the previous December, and prep- arations were at once made to lay a pontoon bridge. The
245
FITZ-HUGH'S CROSSING.
1863
enemy, from a fortified position at Fitz Hugh's crossing, on the railroad, attempted to prevent the laying of the bridge, but the Fourteenth Brooklyn, and the Twenty-fourth Michigan, of General Wadsworth's, First division, crossed the river in the pontoon boats, in the face of a heavy musketry fire, and drove back the enemy's skirmishers ; General Wadsworth crossing by swimming his horse. A tete-de-pont was then constructed to defend the bridge, which was soon laid by the engineer corps. The balance of the First division then crossed, while the Second and Third remained on the northern bank.
Meanwhile a division of the Sixth corps had gone over at Franklin's old crossing. The Third corps had followed the First and Sixth as a reserve force in case of a serious attack on the part of the enemy, but aside from artillery firing at rather long range, they made no demonstration.
Thursday the 30th had been appointed by the President as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. In the morning orders from General Hooker, announcing the successful operations of the right wing of the army, had been read. Hooker fol- lowed Pope somewhat in the wording of his orders, which sounded quite as inflated as those of the Western General. In the afternoon the First brigade held divine service, and many of the regiment attended. Several chaplains took part, and the cheering news from the right gave the keynote to the exer- cises. The men felt that victory was about to crown their efforts, and all were ready to do their share towards accomplish- ing that end. During the services an occasional shell from the enemy, bursting near-by, lent additional interest ; one burst so near that a man in the regiment was wounded. After the services were concluded the troops were ordered further back, out of range of the enemy's fire. During the day the Third corps had been ordered to join the right wing at Chan- cellorsville, and marched away for that purpose.
Friday, the Ist of May, passed quietly with the First corps. The men were well protected from the enemy's fire, and no casualties occurred in the regiment. At two o'clock on the morning of the 2nd, General Hooker ordered the corps
246
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
to join him at Chancellorsville. The pontoon bridge was taken up before daylight, and by nine o'clock the troops were on the march. The vigilant enemy observed the movement, and soon their shells were bursting about the column, but a little double-quicking soon placed the men behind the Stafford hills, out of reach of the ugly visitors. There were few halts made during the day, and at sunset the corps crossed the Rappahannock on a pontoon bridge, near United States Ford, and, marching to within four miles of Chancellorsville, bivou- acked for a time. Twenty-five miles had been covered dur- ing the day, and the men were tired enough to lie down and rest, without troubling themselves much with the wild rumors of the defeat of the Union Army during the disastrous bat- tle that had been fought late in the afternoon. But the men were not allowed to rest very long. They had hardly eaten their supper when orders were given to fall in again, and soon the whole corps was placed on the right of the Union line of battle. As the march to the front proceeded, many stragglers, especially from the Eleventh corps, were met, who told dole- ful tales of their being surprised and overwhelmed by an at- tack on their right and rear, supposed to have been made by Stonewall Jackson's corps. About midnight, as the First corps was being placed in position to prolong the right of the line, quite a lively artillery fire was going on towards the left, caused by General Sickles, who had become separated from the army, fighting his way back to the Union lines. The position assigned the corps was on the Ely's Ford road, and as the troops advanced the men began singing " John Brown's Body." After the battle the bodies of many Union soldiers lay moulder- ing where they fell in that terrible tangle of the Wilderness.
The right of the corps rested on Big Hunting Run, a trib- utary of the Rapidan, the extreme flank being but a short dis- tance south of the river. The brigade was on the left of the division. The NINTH was sent out on the skirmish line, where it remained during the night, keeping a vigilant watch, and trusting that the work of the morrow would result in a victory for the Union arms. Meanwhile, the rest of the brigade were
1863
OPERATIONS AT CHANCELLORSVILLE.
247
put at work ; some chopping down trees to form an avattis, while others dug rifle pits for the new line of defence. It was a beautiful, clear, moonlight night, and as the men chatted in low tones with each other, the events of the previous day were discussed and commented upon. It seems that, after having attained an advantageous position east of Chancellorsville, without serious loss, General Hooker ordered his troops to fall back, thus changing his tactics from the offensive to the defensive, and losing the prestige gained by his brilliant strat- egical movements, which culminated the day before, as already described.
The withdrawal took place on Friday, May Ist, the Union troops being closely pressed during the operation by the Con- federates, who had by this time divined Hooker's plan. As the Union line was formed, the left, under Meade, rested on the Rappahannock, near Scott's Dam, just below Bank's Ford, and faced east. Slocum's Twelfth corps joined the right of the Fifth and faced south ; Howard's Eleventh corps formed the right of the line ; while Sickles, with the Third corps, was held in reserve. As the troops were placed in position trees were felled along the entire front. During the day the Con- federates felt the line at various points, endeavoring to find a weak spot. On Saturday morning Stuart's cavalry, in recon- noitering the right, reported that Howard's flank was "in the air," and offered a good point of attack. Jackson asked to be allowed to make the flank movement, and on receiving per- mission, set about its performance.
At half-past nine General Hooker issued the following let- ter of instructions :
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Chancellorsville, Va., May 2, 1863, 9.30 A. M.
Major-Generals SLOCUM AND HOWARD,
I am directed by the Major-General Commanding to say that the disposition you have made of your corps has been with a view to a front attack by the enemy. If he should throw himself upon your flank, he wishes you to examine the ground and deter- mine upon the positions you will take in that event, in order that you may be pre- pared for him in whatever direction he advances.
He suggests that you have heavy reserves, well in hand, to meet this contingency. The right of your line does not appear to be strong enough.
1
248
THE NINTHI NEW YORK.
May
No artificial defenses worth naming have been thrown up, and there appears to be a scarcity of troops at that point, and not, in the General's opinion, as favorably posted as might be. We have good reasons to suppose that the enemy is moving to our right. Please advance your pickets for purposes of observation, as far as may be safe, in order to obtain timely information of their approach.
JAMES H. VAN ALLEN, Brig .- Genl. and Aide de Camp.
It does not appear that these instructions were heeded, or properly attended to. While with Lee, a greatly inferior force, occupied the attention of the Union line, Jackson was rapidly marching by a wide detour to strike, what proved to be, one of the most effective blows of the whole war. Late in the afternoon his column, unknown to the Union troops, had attained the coveted position on the flank and rear of the Eleventh corps, and like an avalanche swept down upon How- ard's men, routing them completely. Darkness alone put a stop to the pursuit. During the evening General Jackson, while re- turning from a reconnoissance outside his lines, was fired upon, through a mistake, by his own men, and mortally wounded.
There were many valiant deeds performed during the terri- ble struggle of the late afternoon and early evening. In order to stem the tide of retreating men, and also to check the on- ward rush of the Confederates, General Pleasonton made good use of his cavalry. The General tells, in the Century Magasine, September, 1886, how he ordered Major Peter Keenan, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with his small regiment, to charge into the advancing infantry of Jackson's command. Keenan smiled at the size of his task and said, quietly : " I will do it, sir." The gallant Major, and three or four other officers, and about thirty men, never came back ; but time had been gained and the guns were ready, loaded with grape and canis- ter, to meet the onset, which at this particular point of the line was thus checked.
During the night the shattered fragments of the Eleventh corps were gotten together and sent off to the left of the Union · line to reorganize. In anticipation of the next day's battle, General Hooker sent, during the evening, orders to General Sedgwick, who was then on the south side of the river, three
249
BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.
1863
miles below Fredericksburg, to attack the enemy at daylight and drive him from his position on the heights back of the town (Lee had left General Early with about nine thousand men to hold that position), and then advance towards Chan- cellorsville by way of Salem Church.
Daylight of Sunday, the 3d, found the NINTH still on the skirmish line. During the forenoon firing was heard off on the left, but the dense and almost impenetrable woods screened all movements in that direction. Straggling parties and indi- viduals of the enemy, ignorant of the position of either line, approached and were captured. In the afternoon the regi- ment was relieved from duty on the skirmish line, and fell back to the line of battle, where the men occupied the trenches and barricades thrown up during the night. Rain was falling, but the sound of the battle was continuous on the left. The Third and Twelfth, with a portion of the Fifth Corps, fought all day long with varying success, but the Union line was gradually forced back. General Reynolds asked to be allowed to take part with the First corps, but his request was refused. In the afternoon Hooker was injured by concussion, a shell striking a pillar against which he was leaning, on the porch of the Chancellor House. There seemed to be little head in the direction of affairs, and officers and men on the battle line real- ized the situation. After dark another line, still further to the rear, and covering the fords on the river, was laid out, to which the troops were withdrawn during the night.
A word as to Sedgwick's operations. By daylight he was within musket shot of the enemy posted on Marye's Heights. About noon the Heights were captured, together with some pieces of artillery and a large number of prisoners. The Union loss in the action was severe, being over one thousand. killed, wounded and prisoners. About the middle of the afternoon Sedgwick began his advance to join Hooker at Chancellorsville, but was met at Salem Church (Heights) by part of Early's force and other troops sent by Lee to oppose the Sixth Corps. A bloody battle ensued, resulting in great loss to Sedgwick's command, and darkness found both sides
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250
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
occupying their respective battle grounds, with the Union right covering Bank's Ford.
Hooker remained inactive during the 4th, whereupon Lee sent more troops to assist in crushing Sedgwick. A small guard had been left to hold Marye's Heights, and Early was soon again master of that vantage ground, so that Sedgwick's position was a perilous one, hemmed in on three sides. Nothing special occurred till late in the afternoon when Sedg- wick was attacked by a superior force and finally forced to recross the river. There had been no severe fighting on Hook- er's own front during the day. During the night a council of war was held, and after stating his views Hooker withdrew from the council. It was decided by the majority to remain and fight it out, but Hooker sided with the minority and ordered a retreat to the north bank of the Rappahannock.
The NINTH lost but three men wounded and one missing during the battle. At daybreak of the 6th the regiment left the breastworks, and, marching with the other troops of the command, crossed the river at United States Ford and marched to Falmouth. The shelter tents were pitched, mus- kets being used for the uprights, as there was not a stick of wood to be found available for that purpose.
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251
WHITE OAK CHURCH.
1863
CHAPTER XIV.
THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
In Camp at -White Oak Church .- Departure of the Two Years' Regiments .- Hooker's Care of His Army .- Register of the Regiment in the Field .- Celebration of the Second Anniversary of Departure from New York .-- Doctor Nordquist " Watched." -Return of Colonel Hendrickson .- Confederate Invasion .- The Two Armies .- Lee's Army Moves .- Cavalry Fight at Brandy Station .- Army of the Potomac Moves .- Progress of the Marches .- Colonel Hendrickson Takes Leave of the Regi- ment .- Crossing the Potomac .- Through Maryland .- General Reynold's in Com- mand of the Left Wing .- Stuart's Raid .- Exit Hooker, enter Meade .- Emmets- burg .- Pennsylvania .- Concentrating on Gettysburg.
N Thursday, May 7th, the march was continued, and after traveling eastward about eight miles, the regiment halted near White Oak Church, where the NINTH was destined to remain about a month, during which time several interesting incidents occurred.
By the ISth the weather had become quite warm ; the loca- tion of the camp was not a good one, and a change was made to a better place near by. The usual drills, parades, and re- views were the order of the day. Ovens were built and the men luxuriated in " soft " bread, while other articles, not usu- ally supplied by the commissariat, caused the men to bless General Hooker for his kind and watchful care.
Owing to the expiration of the term of service of the two years' regiments belonging to the division, the command was reduced to two brigades; the Second consisting of the Eleventh, Eighty-eighth and Ninetieth Pennsylvania, Twelfth Massachusetts, Ninety-seventh New York, and the NINTII. Fifteen members of the Twenty-sixth New York, organized at Elmira, who had not served out their time, were transferred to the NINTH on the 21st of the month.
Up to this time an aggregate of about fourteen hundred names had been placed upon the rolls of the regiment. Fol- lowing is a list of all of that number who remained present for duty on the 22nd.
¢
252
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
Field and Staff.
Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph A. Moesch (Commanding); Surgeon Charles J. Nordquist ; Adjutant Henry P. Clare ; Quartermaster A. Martin Burtis .- 4.
Non-Commissioned Staff.
Sergeant-Major Fitch R. Ludlam ; Quartermaster-Sergeant Washington A. Toland; Commissary-Sergeant Robert A. Soderbery ; Hospital Steward George M. Teale ; Drum-Major William Hill .-- 5.
Company A.
Captain Thomas W. Quirk ; Sergeants, Frank F. Carter, John D. Moore, Daniel W. Outwater, Thomas E. Smith ; Corporals, Washington Fosdick, Frederick Kirchet ; Privates, Robert A. Johnston, John W. McCort, David O. Pearson, Patrick Sullivan, Romance Wyatt ; Drummer Henry Steele. -13.
Company B.
Lieutenants, Charles A. Clark, John B. Dolan ; Sergeants, Charles H. Barker, August Kubely, Jacob Mangold, Jr., Fred- erick Muncke ; Corporals, Justus Dearman, George Sinning ; Privates, Christopher Bright, Frederick Graff, John Grant, Herman Hibschle, Charles Hoefer, Thomas Keogh, William Kriemler, Henry Leisinger, Rudolph Mast, Ulrich Muhlen- thaler, Ernest Naumann, J. Henry Regener, Emil Reinacher, James G. Rolston, John Scherrer, Charles Sturm, Albert Wiedmer, Dominick Zimmerman .- 26.
Company C.
First Lieutenant Cyrus C. Hubbard ; Sergeants, George O. Hirst, Jacob F. Munson, Robert P. Skinner ; Corporals. Augus- tus L. Barowsky, Peter Cullinan, Andrew S. Engle, Jr., Wilton T. Jennings, William H. Miller, Isaac S. Sharp, Frederick Spackman ; Privates, Chas. W. Brewster, Alfred Flock, Jr .. F. Oliver Flood, Matthew Hagen, Cornelius Hartt, John J. Joyce, Henry D. Lynch, George I. McBride, Francis McDon- ald, Joseph Meyer, William H. Robbins, Henry R. Thorp,
253
REGISTER ON THE TWENTY-SECOND.
1 863
Robert P. Travis, John Ferris White ; Drummer Chas. E. Mc- Cready .- 26.
Company D.
Captain Frederick Guyer ; Lieutenant Henry Perret ; Ser- geants, William McCance, Charles C. Sinclair, Lucius C. Wing ; Corporals, Charles C. Dominick, William H. Gilbert ; Private's, William H. Hibbard, Jr., George E. Hyatt, John W. Jaques, Alfred Miles, John W. Springer, Sidney J. Vreden- burgh, George Watson, Jr .- 14.
Company E.
First Lieutenant Lawrence M. Whitney ; Sergeants, Rob- ert F. Cooke, William Henderson, Josiah C. Terwilliger ; Corporals, Charles H. Bladen, Thomas J. Davis, David Gillan, James E. Sprague ; Privates, Archibald Campbell, Moses F. Cook, William F. Gould, George Heffern, Thomas M. Hen- nion, Charles Savard, Archibald Stewart, Benjamin C. Sykes, Lawrence Teller, Dunnelle Van Schaick ; Drummer Hezekiah Springer .- 19.
Company F.
First Lieutenant Jacob Jacobs ; Sergeants, James S. Burtis, Thomas W. Howard, Daniel E. Trittenback ; Corporals, Charles A. Archer, Theodore Armstrong, Thomas Cassady, Samuel C. Frazee; Privates, Joseph B. Davis, Thomas L. Hanna, William B. Osborn, Alfred R. Penney, Archibald Penny, Charles F. Russell, William Scott, John S. Simmons, Jacob W. Steves, David B. Williams; Drummers, George Bohnenberger, John Rockett .- 20.
Company G.
Lieutenant Thomas W. Thorne; Sergeants, Thomas D. Clifford, William S. Morris, Frank I. Page, Arnold Polster ; Corporals, Dennis Fleming, Isaac P. Jones, George F. Shaf- ford ; Privates, John D. Conlin, Sovereign A. Donaldson, S. Augustus Gardner, Thomas Keenan, Robert Martin, John R. Parton, John Pitts, Michael Purcell, Joseph Sharot, George W. Washburn, James G. Weaver, Daniel E. Wood, Peter Yearance ; Drummer Joseph F. Swords .- 22.
254
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
May
Company H.
First Lieutenant Henry A. Van Pelt ; Sergeants, David Devlin, William F. Killman, John H. Smith; Corporals, John L. Baker, Edwin A. Brockner, Joseph Dowling; Privates, Jos- eph W. Adee, Patrick Burns, George A. Conley, Edmund A. Davis, Thomas Deacon, John Dowling, Joseph T. Hallock, Robert A. Logan, John McDermott, Joseph McGrath, James A. O'Connor, Charles O'Neill, Thomas J. Ryan, J. Living- ston Snedecker, Alfred A. Solomen, William Spencer, Peter Strubel, William Wayte ; Drummers, William Daly, Frank K. Rollins .- 27.
Company I.
Lieutenant Thomas J. Barnes ; Sergeants, Arthur Blaney, Benjamin F. Bowne, Thomas W. Higgs ; Corporals, William Black, Samuel Matthews; Privates, George Biegel, George Bodenmiller, George Hicks, Hubert Manly, Thomas L. McCanlis, Walter Scott, Matthew L. Tabele, Frank Wester- velt, Theodore Youngman .- 15.
Company L.
Captain Henry V. Williamson ; Lieutenant J. M. K. Con- nolly ; Sergeants, Henry C. Barnum, Henry J. Curry, Thomas N. Marcotte, John I. Van Alst, Jr .; Corporals, Benjamin F. Douglass, James A. Graham, Samuel G. Van Norden ; Pri- vates, Charles M. Ames, John H. Brown, Samuel Brown, Thomas W. Brown, Robert H. Davis, Daniel Eagan, Patrick "Hosey, William A. Jenkins, John J. Johnson, Henry J. Kelly, John J. Kelly, John T. Lockington, John Malone, Joseph V. Marseilles, Augustus W. Meade, Mark A. Murray, George C. Platt, James Thompson, Emanuel F. Wood .- 28.
1863
SECOND ANNIVERSARY.
255
RECAPITULATION.
Field and Staff
0
0
4
Non-Commissioned Staff
.
.
5
Company A
B
·
0
26
C
.
D
26
D
+
14
E
.
C
19
F
.
20
G
.
.
o
27
.
I
.
15
L
.
0
28
Total
0
219
The 27th was the second anniversary of the departure of the regiment for the seat of war, and the day was duly cele- brated. In anticipation of the event, and also to honor an officer for whom all the men had the greatest respect, a move- ment had been set on foot some time before, by the enlisted men, for the purchase of a testimonial to Surgeon Nordquist. At ten A. M. the men gathered informally upon the parade ground, the occasion being also honored by the presence of all the regimental officers, Generals Robinson and Baxter with their staffs, and many others of the brigade.
Quartermaster Sergeant Washington A. Toland had been selected by the committee to make the presentation address, in which duty he acquitted himself in a most happy manner. The Doctor having been brought to the front, Sergeant Toland addressed him briefly, reviewing the Doctor's services to the men of the regiment, and complimenting him upon his uniform kindness during the time he had been with them. He alluded particularly to the exertions of the Doctor during and after the Fredericksburg battle, when he was Division Surgeon, and said that his friends had closely watched him while in the dis- charge of his manifold and highly important duties, and that
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