USA > New York > History of the One hundred and twenty-fourth regiment, N. Y. S. V. > Part 21
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234
HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
ground which is already thickly strewn with their dead and wounded comrades, and surrender to our skirmishers who are soon upon them ; and Kelly's Ford is in undisputed possession of Ward's division, which soon collects in one body near the southern shore, the five hundred and odd prisoners it has cap- tured .- The Union loss in this affair was less than fifty, all told.
" While the left column," says Swinton, (in his Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, ) was thus passing at Kelly's Ford the right wing was forcing a crossing against more formidable obstacles. The Confederates occupied a series of works on the north bank of the river at Rappahannock Station, which had been built some time before by the Union troops, and consisted of a fort, two redoubts and several lines of rifle trenches. These works were held by two thousand men belonging to Early's division of Ewell's corps. Commanding positions to the rear of the fort having been gained, heavy batteries were planted thereon and a fierce cannonade opened between the opposing forces. Just before dark, a storming party was formed of Russell's and Upton's brigades of the Sixth corps, and the works were carried by a very brilliant coup de main. Over fifteen hundred prisoners, four guns, and eight standards were taken. Sedgwick's loss was about three hundred in killed and wounded."
As soon as Ward's division had established itself on the southern shore of the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, there was thrown across the river a pontoon bridge, which, all night long weaved and creaked beneath the roll of the huge clattering wheels of battery after battery, and the " tramp-tramp-tramp " of an almost unbroken column of rapidly moving troops. Just after dark the guns which the 124th had been supporting were with- drawn, and the regiment passed over and bivouacked about half a mile beyond the Ford, near a little cluster of buildings called Kellysville.
About S o'clock next morning (Nov. S) the advance was resumed. The Third corps marched first, with . Ward's division in front. Our brigade led the division, and moved in battle line through the fields toward Brandy Station, with the 124th de-
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235
KELLY'S FORD.
ployed as flankers. About noon we were halted for dinner, after which the Third division (better.known to the men of the older regiments of the corps as " French's Pets ") moved past and took the lead. During the forenoon our advance was uninterrupted -not a Confederate was seen or heard from ; but as soon as the Third division moved to the front, a battery from a distant hill opened upon them, and bullets from unseen marksmen came whistling among them. The enemy's rear-guard retreated as the Union line slowly advanced. A brisk skirmish firing, emphasized occasionally by a bang ! bang !- bang ! bang ! from their artillery, was kept up all the afternoon. At dusk the " halt " was sounded and we bivouacked in the woods at Brandy Station.
When we awoke Monday morning, November 9th, the heav- ens were dark and lowering, and the atmosphere was both damp and cold. About 5 P. M. we moved to another piece of woods, some two miles beyond the station, where on the morning of the 10th we selected camping grounds and were notified that we would be allowed to put up winter quarters. The brush was soon cleared away and the men set to work building log walls for their muslin shelters, but there were only three or four axes in each regiment, and as no more could be either drawn from the quartermasters or borrowed from the engineers or supply trains, the work progressed but slowly.
On the evening of the 14th, a storm set in with thunder and lightning, and rain fell in torrents all night. But about 9 A. M. on the 15th, the heavens cleared again, and just as the sun appeared there came from off to our right the roaring, rumbling sound of distant artillery ; and all hands set to work picking up their traps, so as to be in readiness for prompt obedience to the order, " Fall in"; but fortunately it did not come. The can- nonading continued about half an hour and then died away, and the boys resumed work on their log cabins, which were not yet completed.
On the 16th, there was a corps review, and on the 17th about half of our regiment moved out for a three days' picket tour on a portion of the line which ran very near the residence of the Hon.
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
John Miner Botts, some of whose lean chickens (for which the Government afterwards paid hinh a wonderful big price) I am afraid, strayed altogether too near one of our reserves, on which Captain Travis with Lieutenant Charley Stewart, and the bulk of Company " I" were posted. At all events when I rode past there on the morning of the ISth, several feathers blew in my face and I noticed a number of others fonting through the air.
November 23d was a clear cold day and the boys kept rous- ing fires burning between the jambs of the new mud and wood chimneys of their log cabins, which were now about completed. At ten o'clock that evening marching orders reached us. About midnight a cold storm set in, but rovcilie was sounded from divis- ion and brigade headquarters at 4 A. M. ; and at six o'clock the men were directed to remove the wet muslin shelters which formed the roofs of their cabius, strap them to their knapsacks, and remain in readiness to fall in at a moment's notice; but as soon as every thing had become soaking wet, and every body was shaking and shivering, and the rain bad put out nearly all the fires, an order came stating that the contemplated movement had been post- poned on account of the storm.
The 25th was a clear bright day, the usual drills were omit- ted, and the men were allowed to remain in camp and dry their blankets and clothes, and fit up their tents again. But on Thanks- giving morning (Nov. 26) the whole army was set in motion. Meade had resolved to move forward and offer battle to Lee, south of the Rapidan, before he permitted the army of the Poto- mac to settle down for the winter.
The First corps, followed by the Fifth, was ordered to march to the left and cross the river at Culpepper Mine Ford. The Second corps had the centre and was directed to pass over at Germania Ford. The Sixth corps was to follow the Third which was to move to the right and cross at Jacob's Ford.
Reveille sounded at daybreak and the "strike tents " an hour later. For once our division-which was again under the imme- diate command of Major General Birney-moved behind both the Second and Third divisions, and it was nine o'clock before
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KELLY'S FORD.
Ward's brigade was fairly under way. Once started we marched at quick time for over two hours without a halt; after that we moved by jerks, over a narrow road, cut through a dense forest. Just before dark we were ordered to file in among the trees, and eat our dinner; but the men had barely time to start fires, and boil and drink their coffee, before the "forward " was sounded again. About 10 o'clock that night our brigade reached and crossed the Rapidan at Jacob's Ford and bivouacked on the southern shore.
On the 27th we breakfasted before daylight, and at 7 A. M. the Third corps was off again ; Birney's command was left at the rear of the column, and Ward's brigade was the last to move. . The Third division had the advance, and about 6 o'clock ran into what proved to be, the picket line of Johnson's division of Ewell's
corps. The leading Union brigade was soon deployed and a brisk skirmish fire was opened. The column quickened its pace, and as brigade after brigade came up, they were hurried to the right and left through the brush and trees ; for we were again in the midst of one of those tangled forests which almost cover that vast weird region of Virginia, known as the Wilderness. As the line lengthened, the firing increased. Presently every brigade of the Third corps except ours had been thrown in, and General Ward, in obedience to orders, formed his command in column of regiments, and moved up to within thirty rods of the centre of the main line, and held himself in readiness to hasten to any point where assistance was needed. We soon threw ourselves on the ground and lay there undisturbed listeners to what was going on about us. At first we heard only brisk skirmish firing, but it spread and spread, until it seemed to come from all around us-front, flanks and rear. Presently we heard the sound of bugles and the shouts of officers ; then came the thunder of volley after vol- ley of riflery, followed by the booming of artillery.
Ilour after hour the din of battle continued; but our brigade remained inactive until about 3 p. M., when the enemy was dis- covered to be massing in front of one of our batteries, which was posted on an advanced, but commanding and important position,
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238
HISTORY OF THE 12ITH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
in front of a gap in the right wing of our main line, and General Ward was directed to hasten thither and support it. We had just taken position behind these guns when the enemy made a most furious charge, driving back the Union line on both sides of us; but our battery was handled in a masterly manner-its rapid discharges of grape told with fearful effect on that portion of the enemy's charging line in our immediate front, which soon broke and fled; and ther. as the detached wings halted and began to waver, the Union troops who had been giving ground took courage and with a shout started forward on a counter- charge, and all that portion of the Confederate line in front of the Union right, fell back a considerable distance and took shelter behind a line of rifle pits, whither General French did not care to follow.
After that for over an hour, we heard only an occasional artillery shot off' to the right, and fitful skirmish firing along our front. But just as the sun went down the battle opened again and the crash of musketry, and thunder of artillery from either side of us soon became most terrific. Again I threw myself on the ground and listened ; endeavored to discover by the sound which way the tide of battle flowed, wondered who would rest as temporary victors on the field of that day's conflict, and what the morrow had in store for us; for I was assured that only the Third corps was engaged on the Union side at that point, and regarded the fighting thus far, as but the prelude to another Chancellorsville or Gettysburg.
Presently one of Birney's aids dashed up from the left shout- ing " A portion of the Ist brigade has been forced back, and the General wishes you to send your two best regiments to fill the gap." " Take the 124th and 86th New York." promptly replied General Ward, and before the words had barely escaped his lips we had filed from the column, and were hastening forward at a double- quick, to re-occupy a position from which the 17th Maine-one of the largest and best regiments in the army-had just been driven. We had been lying in an open field. It was almost dark, and as this staff officer, galloping ahead of us, led the way
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KELLY'S FORD.
into a dense piece of woods, the gloom became most intense; but guided by the powder flashes, which marked the Union line of battle on either side of the black space we were directed to occupy, we groped our way to a point from which we could look through the opening and see the fire darting from the guns of a Confederate battery directly in front of it, and hear the shells they were hurling forth go tearing and crashing through the trees just ahead of us; yet without a moment's delay we crept on, and soon became convinced that we were in more immediate danger from falling limbs, and flying splinters of wood, than from iron shell ; for the southern artillerymen had apparently lost the range and seemed to be firing at the tops of the trees. The 124th was in advance and soon reached and connected with the troops on the right of the gap, and after some little difficulty and confusion occasioned by stumbling over several dead bodies and stepping on two or three wounded men, for the ground was thickly strewn with both, we re-occupied the right half of the space which had been vacated by the 17th ; then the $6th moved up and formed on our left, and the Union line was again intact.
For a few moments all went well; then we heard a rustling sound in front of us which instantly explained why the missiles from that battery were aimed so high ; and. we opened fire on our unseen foes, by sending such a volley down through the woods, as not only brought that advancing line to the ground, but drove the artillerymen from their guns. A moment later it seemed as if a swarm of huge fire-flies were rising from the earth about a hundred yards in front of us, and the air about us was suddenly filled with hissing sounds. Our men either sprang behind the trees, or threw themselves on the ground, but kept on firing as rapidly as they could. Presently the flashes from the enemy's rifles began to recede, and a few moments later that battery opened again, and three or four shells went screeching through the air just above our heads. Those who were lying down hugged the ground closer than ever, but the very first shell struck and burst right in front of the 86th, killing two of their brave boys, and wounding several others. We soon drove the artillery-
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS. :
men from their guns again and endeavored, by concentrating the fire of a portion of our line in that direction, to keep them away ; but ever and anon, our men-who had nothing to guide their aim except the recollection of where the flash from the guns had been-would lose the range and the rebel gunners would spring to their pieces and hurl two or three shells among us. The most of these passed through or over the 86th, but occasionally one would explode above the 124th. The roar of riflery was inces- sant. This firing at one another in the dark lasted until about 9 o'clock, when all the noises of battle ceased, and the remaining hours of the night wore quietly away. Early the next morning we sent out skirmishers, but the enemy was not to be found, and before daybreak we were moving forward again. It soon com- menced raining and the roads became very heavy ; but we plodded on, without overtaking the enemy, until about 4 P. M. when, wet, tired and hungry, we halted for the night. An hour later the majority of our men were rolled in their blankets fast asleep.
The losses of the 86th, in this affair were very severe-viz. four killed and thirty-two wounded-while ours, though the two regiments fought as usual side by side, were comparatively light. Several of our number were quite badly bruised by falling limbs and flying splinters, beyond which the following is a complete list of
CASUALTIES OF 124TH AT LOCUST GROVE, NOV. 27, 1863.
Private Thomas M. Brooks, Co. C. Wounded Mortally.
Jacob F. Jordan, H.
Severely.
Corporal Theron Bodine, H.
Private Daniel Rider, G. slightly.
Cyrenius Giles,
G.
J. S. Crawford, F. 66
Oliver Miller, G Killed or Captured.
Corporal John J. Taylor,
G. Captured. "
Private John B. Weymer, D.
We were under way at an early hour on the morning of the 29th, but had not advanced more than two miles when we came upon the enemy in battle array, and evidently prepared to give
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LOCUST GROVE.
us a warm reception. One who made a critical examination of the enemy's position thus describes it :
" The Confederate line was drawn along a prominent ridge or series of heights, extending north and south for six or eight miles. This series of hills formed all the angles of a complete fortification, and comprised the essential elements of a fortress. The centre of the line presented four or five well defined facings of unequal length, occupying a space of more than three thousand yards, with such angles of defence that the fire of the enemy was able to enfilade every avenue of approach, while his right and left flanks were not less strongly protected. Stretching immediately in the rear and on the flanks of this position was a dense forest of heavy timber, while some twelve hundred yards in front was Mine Run-a stream of no great width, but diffi- cult for infantry to cross, from the marshy ground and dense undergrowth of stunted timber with which it was frequently flanked on either side, as well as from the abrupt nature of its banks. In addition to these natural defences, the enemy quickly felled in front of a large extent of his position a thick growth of pine as an abatis, and hastily constructed trenches and breastworks for infantry. The position was, in fact, exceedingly formidable."
It was the Sabbath-day; and nearly 9 A. M., when we suddenly emerged from a piece of woods through which we had been march- ing, and were halted on the open fields about a thousand yards east of Mine Run. For half an hour we stood there gazing off across the valley through which the stream ran, on the frowning heights beyond, and sweeping with our field glasses the long line of earth-works which crowned them. Then we moved a few rods to the right, filed into a piece of heavy timber and stacked arms.
At 10 o'clock some of the boys declared they could hear the distant tolling of a church bell, and about the same time orders reached us from corps headquarters, to hold ourselves in readi- ness to form line of battle and move against the enemy's works. Then, suddenly, there settled down upon all a cloud of gloom ; and a marked dread of what was to come, hitherto unknown in
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
the 121th, seemed to take possession of every officer and man in our brigade. Laughing and eyen social conversation entirely ceased and the men sat and lay around under the trees in silent serious meditation. Presently prayer meetings were started here and there in all the regiments, and brave earnest pravers could be heard, ascending from every direction to the God of battles- not so much for the protection and preservation of the gallant men there assembled as for the welfare of loved wives and dear little ones, who might ere another sun should set, be added to the already vast host of mourners scattered all over the land, and most gen- erally known as-shall I say, " The honored wards of a grateful country," or simply, " Dead soldiers' wives and children ? "
About noon it was rumored that our entire army was to move simultaneously against the enemy's works, and that a signal for starting would be given between the hours of 1 and 3 P. M. A3 one after another walked to the edge of the woods and looked off at the frowning heights covered with massive earth-works which completely concealed the foe from their view, many a brave, intelligent face turned pale; but when at 2 p. M. the orders to " fall in " and " take arms," were given, the Sons of Orange County sprang to their places, and there was a man for every rifle ; and as the " forward " was uttered there was some- thing in the precise, resolute movement of our line which said to me plainer than it could have been expressed by words, " Let come what may, you will have no occasion to blush because of the conduct of any member of the 124th to-day."
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After advancing about thirty rods, we were halted and ordered to stack arms again. The afternoon wore slowly away. The anticipated orders to move in force against the enemy's works were not issued and at night we lay down to sleep in the same piece of woods where we had spent the day. But about 2 o'clock Monday morning, the 124th and two or three other regiments of our brigade were aroused and ordered to the front, . to relieve a line of piekets which had during the early hours of the night been pushed up to within 250 yards of the Confederate works.
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MINE RUN.
We soon reached the run and crossed over without getting very wet, but many of the boys sank almost to their knees in the marshy ground beyond; yet we pushed on, and at 3 o'clock reached the pickets we were sent to relieve, and lay down on the frozen ground they vacated.
As morning dawned we could see the muzzles of guns pro- trading through embrazures in, and men's heads moving to and fro behind, the earth-works in front and above us. About 7 A. M. long Union battle lines began advancing over the cleared fields through the valley below and behind us; and a little later we received orders to bring up our reserves, form a skirmish line, and advance. Again men's faces grew pale, but no one faltered. Colonel Cummins directed me to take charge of the left wing that he might confine his attention to the five right companies, and shouting the order, "forward men, forward," hurried off to the right while I hastened toward the left centre.
As the men sprang to their feet and began to advance, the enemy opened a most furious cannonade. Their works seemed covered with artillery. As I moved past Company H, private Charley McGregor, of that company, was hit in the hip with a piece of shell and sprang several feet in the air, uttering as he did so a piercing, terrible screech, and fell to the ground almost across my path. Lieutenant Ramsdell was about the same time hit by a bullet from a sharp-shooter's rifle, and it was supposed mortally wounded; but fortunately-as was the case with Cap- tain Jackson on the retreat to Centreville a few weeks before- his sword plate was just in the right spot, and (although he suffered severely afterward ) he was soon on his feet again. The Confederate infantry were reserving their bullets until we should get a little nearer, and their batteries were evidently firing at the battle line behind us, but the shell and shot passed so near our heads as to huri several of our number to the ground. Once I thought the top of my own head was gone; but, perhaps, I dodged just in time to save it; at all events, when I put my hand up I found that my hat was gone; but whether it was the sud- den rising of my hair, or the near approach of that cannon ball
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244 HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
that caused it to fall off (for there were no holes in it when I picked it up) I am unable to state positively.
We had not advanced more than fifty yards when an order to halt reached us, and we threw ourselves on the ground again. A few moments later, we were directed to retire to the point we had started from. The orders to assault the enemy's formidable works had been countermanded, and about 9 A. M., our skirmish line fell back to within a hundred yards of Mine Run; where we formed picket line again, posted our reserves in a piece of woods, and remained until evening.
About noon, the grass on the hill side took fire some four hun-
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dred yards in front of us, and at a point near where McGregor
had been carried and left for dead, and one of the videttes came in and reported that they could hear a voice, which sounded like Charley's, crying for some one to come and carry him off before the fire reached him. Volunteers were instantly called for to go out and bring in the poor fellow, no matter who he was. It was a hazardous undertaking, for the enemy's sharp-shooters would undoubtedly fire on anybody who should attempt to ascend the hill again ; but Corporal Duncan W. Boyd, of Com- pany C, and two or three other big-hearted brave fellows whose names I am unable to recall, announced themselves as willing to hazard their lives at any time in efforts to prevent a wounded soldier's burning to death, let him be a friend or a foe. The enemy did fire on them, but they presently returned unscathed, carrying McGregor in a blanket. The poor fellow had re- covered consciousness some time before, and had lain there too weak from loss of blood to move a foot, and watched the fire creep toward him until, when succor came, it was not more than ten feet away. llis shattered limb was amputated that night, but he died the next morning.
About 7 o'clock Monday evening, our regiment was relieved by a battalion of Vermont troops from the First corps, and we moved about an eighth of a mile farther to the left, where we were posted as a grand reserve in rear of Berdan's two regiments of sharp-shooters which remained on the outer line.
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MINE RUN.
General Meade, it would seem, either never really intended making a direct assault on the enemy's works, as his Sunday's order indicated, or else becoming aware of the hopelessness of the undertaking the moment the enemy's strength was developed, he had wisely decided to abandon it. As soon as darkness set in, Tuesday evening, our army began a retrograde movement, and at day-break Thursday morning, December 3d, after an all night's march through the mud, the 124th shouting, " Thank the Lord," unslung their knapsacks, among the roofless log huts of their " Old camp ground " near Brandy Station.
The weather during the last 24 hours of our stay at Mine Run was so extremely cold that " Many of the men who were on the picket line that day and the night before, were found, when the relief came round, dead at their posts, frozen." *
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