USA > New York > History of the One hundred and twenty-fourth regiment, N. Y. S. V. > Part 19
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The two regiments of sharp-shooters, with the 3d and 4th Maine, 63d Pennsylvania and 20th Indiana, were hurried forward and formed in a heavy skirmish line which ran across the road and up the sides of the mountain. The 124th, 99th Pennsylvania and 86th New York were retained as a supporting foree and remained in column. The order to move forward was given. The sup- porting column kept close to the skirmish line, which could move but slowly as the regiments who were on the flanks had continu- ally to push their way through thick brush or climb over logs and rocks, which covered the sides of the mountain. Presently .. one of General Ward's aids, who had been to the rear, rode up and reported that General Prince with Humphrey's White Diamond division was close at hand ready to support us. Our skirmish line kept up a straggling fire, which, as we neared the
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western end of the gap gradually increased, while the enemy's bullets coming thicker, and yet thicker, hissed and whistled through the air, but fortunately passed harmlessly over the heads of those who were moving in column and buried themselves in the sides of the mountain above and behind us. The enemy now evidently had a skirmish line facing ours and falling back as we advanced. Occasionally a wounded man would be borne past, or could be seen hobbling along the mountain side on his way to the rear. Presently as we came to a place where the roads turned suddenly to the right, " Halt-halt-halt-spoken in an undertone, ran along the skirmish line. A solid battle line of the foe had been discovered on the top of a lofty ridge which loomed up directly in front of us.
General Ward soon appeared upon the scene and virtually assumed the immediate direction of our brigade. The two regi- ments of sharp-shooters, with the 20th Indiana and 63d Pennsyl- vania, had formed the right and left of our skirmish line, and had been moving high up on the sides of the mountain. When the order to halt was given, portions of the lines of each of these regiments were in plain sight of the enemy's battle line ; and they were therefore pushed boldly forward until they came within short range of the flanks of the enemy's position, when taking shelter behind the trees and rocks, they opened and maintained a brisk and deliberate fire, picking off not a few of the foe, and causing no little consternation in his ranks. Chaplain Barbour of the sharp-shooters-one of the best shots in our army-who, with his trusty rifle in hand moved with the skirmishers, soon caught sight of a Confederate marksman posted in the top of a tree, and by several carefully directed shots so demoralized the poor fellow that he dropped his own gun, descended to the ground begging for merey and ran into our lines declaring that the first bullet had taken off his hat and that the next two had singed his hair.
The two Maine regiments were mean time caused to ploy in solid line, and ordered to creep cautiously up the steep side of the hill in front and make a direct assault on the enemy's center.
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HISTORY OF THE 194TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
As soon as this assaulting line began to advance, General Ward placed himself at the head of our supporting column and led us through the trees and brush and over the rocks after it. As we neared the thickly wooded crest where the foe was posted we came to a cleared field and the General, without halting the head of the column, gave in a gruff undertone the order, " Forward into line." The 124th being in rear of the 99th and S6th was obliged to double-quick for some distance, and before the line was completed, the enemy caught sight of, opened a terrific fire on, and checked the advance of the Maine regiments. Our partly formed supporting line now slackened its pace but did not immediately halt. The right of the 124th was soon in position, and as I hurried the left forward the enemy's bullets began to whistle close to our heads. As the men of Company G came straggling up almost out of breath, I noticed David W. Dewitt, who had formerly been one of our general guides, and riding up to him was in the act of ordering him to follow me, as I wished to have him move as a marker to show in what direction the line was to be prolonged ; but just then a bullet hit him and he fell dead beside me. We were soon close to the advance line and General Ward shouted to its leader " Move forward and clear that hill or I will send the S6th and 124th through your ranks to do it for you." . This was too much for veterans who boasted of having fought under Phil. Kearney, and with one of the wildest and most determined shouts I ever heard, they rushed forward, gained the summit, poured a volley point blank into the ranks of the foc, charged forward through the smoke and cleared the hill -taking a considerable number prisoners, and routing the bal- ance, who fled panic-stricken down the opposite slope. General Ward now, in obedience to orders which had reached him during the advance, halted the brigade and directed Colonel Berdan to reform and extend his skirmish line.
It was soon discovered that the force which had just been routed was rallying to the support of a Confederate regiment which held position on another hill, similar to the one the gallant sons of Maine had carried, and but a quarter of a mile beyond it.
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WAPPING HEIGHTS.
We of course expected that as soon as the skirmish line was reformed the order would come for our brigade to move on and drive the enemy from that also, but our corps commander had willed it otherwise. After an hour's delay the Excelsior brigade of Prince's division reached, and was led through, our picket line by F. B. Spinola, a newly appointed general officer who was said to have brought with him to the field two or three newspaper reporters, and to be " thirsting for glory." And most gallantly did he lead his command down the slope, through the valley and on up the hill beyond-right against the enemy's line. The clatter of musketry settled to a continuous roar, and clouds of powder smoke shut the combatants from our view. Presently shout after shout rent the air, the continuous roar dwindled to a feeble crackling again, and as the smoke lifted, we could see the Excelsiors reforming their line just where that of the enemy had been.
The Union loss in this assault was quite severe. Several field officers fell, and General Spinola was carried to the rear " covered with glory " and bleeding from two wounds; but his successor-Colonel Farnum of the 70th New York-suffered the brigade to halt only long enough to reform his line, when he caused the " Forward " to be sounded, at which the White Diamonds, with another wild shout that made the woods ring again, rushed on after the disorganized retreating foe, and with charge after charge drove him from hill top to hill top, down the western slope of the mountain toward Front Royal, into which place the brave Excelsiors declared they would have followed him, had not their leader been overtaken by an aid who brought him positive orders to give o'er the pursuit.
The afternoon was now well nigh spent. " In the mean time," writes a correspondent from army head-quarters-which during the movements referred to had been located on a moun- tain peak that overlooked the entire field of operations-" word was received by General Meade that the rebel corps which had moved down the valley was returning, leaving the impression that it was their intention to make the desperate stand and give
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
us the decisive battle at that point. Acting upon this informa- tion General Meade directed General French to suspend his main operations for the present and mass his troops in rear of the points already gained, and ordered up the bulk of his army in anticipation of a battle on the following morning. The narrow gap was crowded that night with troops packed in dense masses so thick as to be scarcely able to lie down. The disposi- tions for battle were all made as the troops arrived during the evening, and at early daylight we had a line of battle which, if it was not very extensive, was certainly most formidable. It stretched from mountain top to mountain top, across the mouth of the gap, and would have defied assault. But no assault came. When daylight appeared the fact was revealed that the enemy had wholly disappeared. A detachment from the Third corps was ordered forward into Front Royal, arriving there only in time to see the dust of the enemy's rear column moving south- ward."
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The only member of the 124th killed 'in this affair was David W. Dewitt, of Company G. Seven or eight of our number were hit by partly spent bullets, but no one was so severely wounded as to make it necessary for him to leave the regiment, except Corporal Harrison Bull, of Company B.
Our brigade spent the night of the 23d on the hill it had so gallantly carried. On the 24th, about 1 P. M. we began to retrace our steps down the side of the mountain ; and on reaching the road moved back through the gap at a rapid gait, halting only a few moments at a time until we were near Springfield, when the order came to bivouac for the night. On the 25th, we marched about fourteen miles, passing through Salem. On the 26th made ten miles, moving through and encamping two miles south of Warrentown.
The great Gettysburg, or summer campaign of 1863, was now at an end. Lee's army had halted and was intrenching itself in the vicinity of Culpepper, and his videttes were once more to be seen lounging under the trees along the southern shore of the Rappahannock. Meade had resolved to give his army a few
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weeks' rest, and his picket posts were again established along the northern shore of the same insignificant river; across which, as of old, the opposing sentinels, instead of sending bullets at each other, leaned on their guns and shouted such greetings as, "I say, Johnnies, any objection to our fishing in this stream,"- " Not a bit, hope you catch a right smart lot, but Yanks, have you uns got lots of coffee," and then a beckoning of the finger which generally meant, " Come out in the stream the first chance you get and we will meet you half way, and trade you a Rich- mond paper for a package of coffee." Now it was the duty of officers on both sides to prevent these exchanges, but they were nevertheless of almost daily occurrence.
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
CHAPTER XII.
AT SULPHUR SPRINGS AND CULPEPPER-CENTREVILLE CAMPAIGN.
A BOUT the middle of July, I was instructed to select three commissioned officers and six enlisted men from the regi- ment, who in my judgment, were proper persons to send north on recruiting service, and forward a list of their names to corps head-quarters. That there was a prospect of swelling our ranks to something like their original proportions was most welcome news. David W. Dewitt, Charles P. F. Fisher, and Lieutenant Milner Brown, were the only persons whose names had been added to the muster rolls of the regiment since our departure from Goshen, over ten months before; and after two of these names, there was to be written before the next muster day, the words " Killed in battle." Dewitt, joined Company G, at camp Ellis, September 16th, 1862, and was killed at Wapping Heights, Va., July 23d, 1863. Fisher enlisted in Company C at Lovetts- ville, Loudon county, Va., on the 28th day of October, 1862, and was yet in the land of the living, but unfortunately was reported, " absent without leave." He, however, subsequently returned to duty, was wounded fighting bravely in the front rank of his company, captured by the enemy, and died-for want of sufficient food, (I will not write it " of starvation " ) in that foul prison pen at Andersonville. Lieutenant Brown joined the regiment near Gum Springs, Loudon county, Va., June 22d, and was killed at Gettysburg, Penn., July 2d, 1863.
In addition to our permanent losses already recorded,
Sergeant John Cowdry. of Co. D.
John Hall, of. C'o. D. John H. H. Conklin, of. Co. G.
.. Angus Carman, of ... H. James W. Parsons, of ..
E.
Alfred Yeomans, of .. B. John W. Taylor, of. .. E,
had died of disease contracted in the line of duty,
Samuel D. Latham, of Co. G. John C. Storms, of. Co. B.
John Van Houten, of F. Hugh Topping, of. A.
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had been discharged because of physical disability, and a large number of our severely wounded had been either mustered out or transferred to the veteran reserve corps. It was certainly time some determined effort was made to add to our numbers if we expected to retain our regimental organization.
Captain Silliman was the most experienced officer among us as to the details of recruiting service. He was also, at the time, so worn down physically as to be unfit for active duty. I there- fore resolved to place his name at the head of the list called for, and consulted him in my selection of the others. After due deliberation the list was made out and forwarded, and on the 27th day of July, it came back to us in the following shape.
" GENERAL ORDERS NO. 20."
HEADQUARTERS 3D ARMY CORPS, UPPERVILLE, VA., JULY 22D, 1863.
The following named officers, and enlisted men, detailed in compli- ance with circular from War Department, A. G. O., dated July 3d, 1863, will report without delay to the Commanding Officer of the Rendezvous for their State.
In States which have more than one Rendezvous, the detachments for the respective regiments will report to the Commanding Officer of that Rendezvous nearest to which the regiment was recruited and organized.
* * * *
124th New York Vols.
Captain William Silliman. 2d Lieutenant Charles T. Crissey, 2d Lieutenant James A. Grier, Sergeant William Mead Co. C. J. H. Hanford B.
66 J. A. Beakes E.
J. J. Crawford K. Corporal J. Van Zile I. D.
G. Bertholf
By command of MAJOR GENERAL FRENCH. W. F. A. TORBERT, A. D. C. & A. A. A. Genl.
Official.
Headquarters, Ist Div, 3d Corps July 27, 1863.
(Sgd.) F. BIRNEY, Capt., & A. A. G.
Official.
Headquarters, 2d Brig. 1st Div. 3d Corps, July 27, 1863. GEORGE O. MARDEN Let. & A. A. A. G.
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
On the 28th, Lieutenant Colonel Cummins, who had just returned to, and assumed command of the regiment, issued ser- geant's warrants to Corporals Van Zile and Bertholf. On the morning of the 29th, Captain Silliman and the lieutenants and sergeants above named took their departure; and the regiment lost three able commissioned, and five first-class non-commissioned officers ; for sergeant Mead was the only one of the party who ever returned to active and permanent duty with the 124th, and he did not get back to us until January, 1865.
On the afternoon of the last day of July, our brigade moved about three miles and we pitched our tents at Sulphur Springs. On the 4th of August, we packed up again and marched forward about one and a half miles to a camping ground which had been. selected for us in a rather extensive grove of pines, near a small, dirty, sluggish little stream, called Great Run. Here we staked out a camp, cleared away the underbrush and leaves, lay out our company streets, and once more pitched our tents in regulation style. Then we took up again the routine duties of " soldier life in camp "-established a camp guard and guard-house, had squad or company drill in the forenoon, battalion or brigade drill in the afternoon and dress parade at sunset. This order of duties was of course frequently varied by a three days' tour on the picket line, and occasionally by an inspection or grand review. 1
In this camp near Sulphur Springs we passed six weeks very pleasantly. Nearly every day small squads of men were permitted to visit the springs, and drink of the nauseous water, which may have had a beneficial effect on the health of many of those who partook of it unadulterated. There was, it is true, an unusually large number in the regimental hospital, but not a death is recorded as having taken place in the regiment during our sojourn at that famous Southern watering place.
The warm days of August slipped quietly by without bring- . ing to us any news, or even rumors of importance, so far as that portion of the army to which we belonged was concerned. But on the 10th day of September, General Meade, having learned that the bulk of Lee's army had fallen back from Culpepper,
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pushed forward a heavy cavalry force and drove the balance across the Rapidan. As soon as this was accomplished our entire army was transferred to the region lying between the two rivers, and a strong picket line was established along the northern banks of the Rapidan, which became, instead of the Rappahannock, the line which separated the camping grounds of the two armies.
Our brigade broke camp near Sulphur Springs on the after- noon of the 15th, and moved leisurely forward about three miles. On the 16th we resumed the march at an early hour, waded the Rappahannock at Freedman's Ford, and the Hazel River, some two miles beyond; and then after a half hour's halt continued . our march southward, and did not bivouac until two hours after sundown. On the 17th we advanced about three miles and pitched our tents within a mile of Culpepper. That night a rain storm set in, but about noon on the 18th it cleared again; and our new grounds having been pointed out to us, the men were set to work, and before the shades of night fell about us, we had a very respectable appearing camp again.
On the afternoon of the 21st, it was rumored that another general movement was contemplated. About midnight five days' rations were brought into camp, and an order was received which directed that they be distributed immediately. All hands were soon routed up, and when half an hour later we returned to our tents with well filled haversacks, all were agreed in the opinion that we were not to spend another night in that vicinity. But the next night found us in the same spot, and so did the second and third. The contemplated movement had either been aban- doned, or postponed indefinitely, and we gradually slipped back into the old ruts of camp life.
Saturday, the 26th, our Paymaster made us one of his ever- welcome visits, and dealt out a considerable quantity of green- backs.
About 2 p. M. on the 30th, our entire brigade assembled on an open field an eighth of a mile from our camp, to witness the execu- tion of a most humiliating sentence, which had been justly pro nounced by a military court on a deserter from our regiment-
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one of that squad of base traitors whose names form the only foul blots to be found on the pages of the otherwise bright, and glorious record of the 124th New York Volunteers.
The brigade was drawn up in two parallel battle lines, which faced each other and were about eight feet apart. The culprit was brought to one end of the intervening space, where in the presence of over two thousand unwilling spectators the hair was clipped from one side of his head. and the buttons rudely torn from his coat. Then, preceded by a drum corps beating the rogue's march, and followed by a row of leveled bayonets carried so close to him that he was pricked by them at nearly every step. he was marched slowly down the line, until he had passed the regiment he had especially dishonored : when the drum corps moved rapidly from in front of him. and the provost-guard brought their pieces to a shoulder. and with hoots and bitter gibes, kicked him off the field. As the miserable wretch disappeared from our sight, and went, I know not where. the lines were broken and the regiments moved back to their respective camps : and not a few brave sons of Old Orange. were that day heard to groan out. while their faces flushed from shame. such expressions as ". Death ! death ! ! yes, rather death a thousand times, than such disgrace."
On the second day of October. Colonel Cummins. having received a five days leave of absence. took the evening train north. Sunday afternoon, October 4th, I caused the regiment to be assembled in a grove near our camp. and Chaplain Bradner preached to us a sermon which was well received and greatly appreciated by all. On the 5th our entire brigade, with the exception of General Ward and staff. myself. eight or ten line officers, and about three hundred enlisted men. left camp for a three days' tour on the picket line.
About nine o'clock on the evening of the 6th. I was handed a circular order from brigade headquarters. the body of which read. .. " You will cause every officer and man in your camp to assemble forthwith, in light marching order." While I was reading this order, one of General Ward's aids rode up and. after notifying me that all the troops of the brigade remaining in camp, were being
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ordered to report to me on the color line of the 124th, said it was the general's order, that I should take command of them and as soon as they all arrived move to an open field about a quarter of a mile in front, and establish a picket line which would cover the camps of the second brigade. I was then informed that a large body of the enemy's cavalry had forced back a considerable portion of the Union line of mounted videttes and was reported to be threatening a dash on the third corps pickets at a point almost directly in front of our camp.
The detachments collected from the camps of the various regiments of the brigade were soon all on hand, and I moved out with them and formed an inner picket line as directed. Occasionally there came from the front the sound of a rifle shot or two, but nothing to indicate any considerable disturbance. After about an hour, during the greater part of which I remained mounted, there crept over me an almost irresistible desire to lie down, and I began to look about me for a suitable place ; but the ground was so level that lie where I would, my head seemed to be lower than my shoulders. Then I tried to find something I could use as a pillow. I had neglected to bring a blanket and it would not do to take the saddle from my horse, for I might want to mount at any moment. Perhaps I could find a stone large enough for a head rest. But no, although stones were plenty, the largest to be found were no bigger than hens' eggs ; and at last I filled a pocket handkerchief with these. But some- how it was not a snecess ; either the pillow was too hard, or my head was too soft; and besides the ground was unusually damp. I finally concluded that the whole thing was a grand farce, and sent a lieutenant, who belonged to the 86th New York, back to General Ward with a request that I might be permitted to turn over my command to the senior officer under me and ride out to the front and learn if possible just what the real trouble was. The Lieutenant soon returned and stated that the General readily acceded to my request, and desired me to report to him in person when I returned.
I soon reached a road which ran past our camp and toward
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
the front, and galloping down it about a mile, came suddenly upon a frame farm house quite brilliantly lighted, and noticed floating from a staff which had been placed in the ground in front of one of the windows, a new brigade flag, and found myself at the head- quarters of the chief officer of the picket line. Behind the house there was a grand reserve of at least six hundred men standing to arms. In the door yard there stood half a dozen orderlies each holding two or three horses.
I drew rein in front and looked toward the house a few moments and then dismounted, tied my horse to the fence-and requesting a guard who was pacing to and fro near by to watch him-walked to the open door and looked upon the scene within. The first thing that attracted my attention was the ticking of a telegraph machine, and I noticed that two wires ran out of one of the windows. The machine was on a table at the farther end of the room. At the side of the operator there sat a bran new brigadier -- at all events he was dressed in a suit of new clothes, with wonderfully bright buttons and shoulder straps. There were gathered about the general, standing in very respectful attitudes, several staff officers, all with uncovered heads, cleanly shaved and untanned faces, and fresh uniforms. Had the little contra- band Jack Smith been standing behind me, I should have expected to have heard him whisper, " Ox in the parlor."
Orderlies and aids were rushing in and out with orders to and from the front. The telegraph operator was kept busy dis- patching messages repeated to him in an undertone. The cool- ness displayed by the General and his staff officers was evidently forced, and I was soon strongly impressed with the opinion that let the trouble at the front be what it might, there was somebody badly frightened at the headquarters of the officer in chief of the pickets. Presently I walked boldly into the room, saluted the . general, stated that I had in obedience to orders, from General Ward of the Ist division of the Third corps, established an inner picket line that covered our camps, and had come out to learn just where that portion of the main line picketed by our divis- ion was located, and to hear if possible what had taken place in
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