USA > New York > History of the One hundred and twenty-fourth regiment, N. Y. S. V. > Part 27
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Such short, pungent arguments as the above, between the
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fighting men of the army, who are so often misnamed the com- mon soldiers, always attracted my attention; and I fell into the habit of jotting them down in my diary as I rode along. I can not tell just why I did it, but now as I look over these notes in the light of subsequent experience, I am frequently astonished at the wisdom, sound judgment, and accurate forecast of events contained therein.
That Sth day of May was exceedingly warm, and when we had marched about two miles the column was halted, and our bri- gade filed into an open field near an old frame house, and remained there about an hour. Then we returned to the road and marched on two miles further, when we were again halted near another dwelling, called Todd's Tavern. During this last short march several of our men were sun-struck. Presently a refreshing breeze sprang up, which, while it cooled our heated brows, brought to our ears the thunder of distant battle. Then came orders directing the formation of a battle line through the woods across, and at right angles with, the road ; and. Birney's division filed to the right, and took up a position among some tall pines, and, after establishing a pieket line along our front, we set to building breastworks. This occupied our time until four o'clock, when we rested from our labors, very tired and hungry too, for we had not eaten anything since morning. Twenty minutes, however, sufficed for the cooking and eating of our late dinner, 'and then a general gathering of pine feathers was begun, in an- ticipation of a comfortable night's rest ; for the noise of battle had ceased, and all believed their day's work had been fully accom- plished. But about five o'clock this bed-making business was brought to a sudden close by the whistling of bullets among the trees, and the rattle of riflery along our picket line. Whereupon all hands dropped their pine boughs, grasped their weapons, and hurried to the works.
The piekets in our immediate front were speedily driven in. and before they were fairly over the works, a body of Confederate dismounted cavalrymen came charging through the woods toward our fortified line. But a well-directed fire soon caused these foot
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horsemen to right about and " charge, boldly charge " the other way ; wherenpon our pickets, suddenly becoming very brave, bounded over the works again, and rushed back to their posts, gathering in as they advanced some twenty able-bodied, and a considerable number of wounded prisoners. After the excite- ment of this affair had died away, those of our number whose turn it was to sleep, finished their beds and lay down on them well content; and the night passed without further disturbance.
The following extract is from the official report of the doings of our brigade on the 9th : "At about three P. M. marched toward Spottsylvania C. H. The 20th Ind. and 124th N. Y. Vols. were, by direction of Major-General Birney commanding division, thrown out as skirmishers for the division, and the 99th Pa. Vols. was dispatched toward the ford of. Po River, to intercept the crossing of the enemy, who it was supposed was retreating in that diree- tion, from our skirmishers. In the meantime the brigade was massed under cover of a hill, preparatory to crossing the river. Our skirmishers met with but little opposition at the ford, and crossed at once, capturing a few prisoners from the rear guard of the enemy."
In this movement to and across the Po River, which, at the ford referred to, was about twenty feet wide, and from six to eighteen inches deep, our skirmish line marched about eight miles in less than three hours ; during which we occasionally exchanged a few shots with the enemy's rear guard, but encoun- tered no serious opposition. We did not see any considerable numbers of the foe until we began to descend into the valley through which the Po ran. Here we found a small Union regi- ment, which had been sent forward on a flanking expedition from General Mott's division, actively engaged with a body of the enemy, which had made a stand on the farther bank of the river. As we hurried forward down the slope, to the assistance of this .. command at the ford, we passed over a considerable number of dead and wounded soldiers of both armies. Presently, when we had arrived at a point within one hundred yards of the river, a Confederate battery was opened on us. I do not remember ever
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having heard guns fired with greater rapidity. Fortunately for our advancing line, their aim was just high enough to carry the screeching shells over our heads; but alas, not a few of them struck, and exploded right among the poor wounded fellows we had just passed over. The thunder of discharge and explosion, added to the rattle of small arms now gave the affair the sem- blance of a battle of considerable magnitude. But it was of short duration, for the troops at the ford, who had thus far done all the fighting, while very thankful for our timely support, were not minded to have the honor of routing the enemy grasped from them ; and before our advancing line reached the river, they, with a wild charging shout, rushed forward through the water at the foe, who, instead of waiting to cross bayonets with these resolute fellows, about faced and ran for dear life across an open field, and soon disappeared in the woods beyond.
The capture of this noisy battery, which was posted in plain sight on a little knoll some forty rods to the right and rear of where the enemy's battle line had been, now became the imme- diate object of our ambition. But unfortunately- or perhaps for- tunately for some of us-our skirmishers no sooner appeared on the southern shore than these Confederate artillerists, evidently thinking existing circumstances were such . as rendered discre- tion, in their case, the better part of valor, ceased firing. Then mounting, and putting whip and spur to their teams, hurried out of range of our bullets, and galloped on to some safe retreat, out of our sight.
As I rode past the wounded on the hillside, to whom reference has already been made, I saw, moving about among them a Ger- man vivandier. Now I had never before seen a woman on the battle-field, and when the shells were falling thick and fast among these prostrate men, I looked back to see what effect their ex- ploding would have on her ; and to my surprise she was sitting on the ground, apparently unmindful of danger, holding her can- teen to the lips of a prostrate Union soldier, whose head rested on her shoulder. We encamped in the woods that night some two miles beyond the ford.
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May 10th .- We ate breakfast before daylight this morning, and about nine o'clock were in motion again. Our brigade moved back to and re-crossed the Po River, and, after halting half an hour on the northern shore, marched to the right, about a mile, and re- lieved a brigade of Warren's men, whom we found posted behind light earthworks which had evidently been erected during the night. We now formed part of a new main line, which we soon learned had been posted there to confront Lee's army. Holding a strongly fortified position on the heights about Spottsylvania C. H., he was defying our further advance in that direction.
General Grant, referring to this movement from the Wilder- ness to Spottsylvania C. II., in his official report, says : " On the morning of the 7th, reconnoissances showed that the enemy had fallen behind his intrenched lines, with pickets to the front, cov- ering a part of the battle-field. From this it was evident to my mind . that he would wait an attack behind his works. I therefore determined to push on and put my whole force between him and Richmond; and orders were at once issued for a move- ment by his right flank . But the enemy having become apprised of our movement, and having a shorter line, was enabled to reach there first."
Throughout the forenoon of the 10th, a desultory skirmish fight, emphasized occasionally by a volley of riflery or a few rapid discharges from some battery of light guns, told that the two lines were again so close together, the opposing armies were able to watch the movements of each other. That another general engagement was imminent, no one doubted ; and those of us who . were in the woods lay on the ground hour after hour, listening for such a crashing, heavy peal of battle thunder as would indi- cate the opening onset.
Hancock's corps now formed the Union right, and the bulk of it held position on high ground that overlooked Po River. His .. most advanced videttes were engaged with those of Hill's com- mand. Warren, whose corps composed the right center, kept a part of his command busy throwing up earthworks, while he was with the balance, preparing to assault the enemy's fortified posi-
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tion to his front, which he evidently believed was not yet very heavily manned. The Sixth corps came up and took position on the left of Warren, so close to the enemy that a considerable number of its members were killed while going into line, among them its brave and noble commander, General Sedgwick, who, while superintending the posting of one of his batteries, and laughing at one of his men who was unable to resist the impulse to cringe a little when the enemy's bullets passed very close to his head, was struck in the face, and expired instantly. Burn- side had been ordered to take position on the left of Sedgwick's Corps.
During the early part of the afternoon several unsuccessful attempts were made, by detached bodies of the corps of both Warren and Hancock, to carry various portions of the enemy's formidable works. In these attacks the 124th was not called to participate. But about four o'clock a grand assault by the entire left wing of Grant's army was ordered. The position we were to attempt to carry, is thus described by General Hancock in his official report : "This was, perhaps, the most formidable point along the enemy's whole front. Its densely wooded crest was crowned by earthworks, while the approach, which was swept by artillery and musketry fire, was rendered more difficult and haz- ardous by a heavy growth of low cedars, mostly dead. the long bayonet-like branches of which, interlaced and pointing in all directions, presented an almost impassable barrier to the advance of a line of battle."
The 124th, about two P. M., marched to the extreme right of Hancock's line, to support a battery there posted. After remain- ing with the battery half an hour, we received orders to return forthwith to our original position behind the works. At half- past four we moved, in company with our entire division, toward the left. After proceeding in that direction about a mile, we were halted at the base of a thickly wooded hill, and there formed for the assault. Vast bodies of troops could be seen going into po- sition on either side of us. The regiments of Ward's brigade were massed in column in the following order, so close together
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that the field officers were obliged to take position on the flanks of their respective commands : .
86th New York Volunteers. 3rd Maine Volunteers. 124th New York Volunteers. 99th Penn. Volunteers. 141st Penn. Volunteers. 20th Indiana Volunteers.
110th Penn. Volunteers. 40th New York Volunteers.
Just after we had completed our formation, General Crawford, of Warren's corps, came walking along the front, accompanied by several of his staff. He was gesticulating in an excited manner, and, on looking toward our solid column, wrung his hands, and exclaimed in a tone of intense anguish : " This is sheer madness." and then looking to the front continued, addressing a member of his staff: "I tell you this is sheer madness, and can only end in wanton slaughter and certain repulse."
Then came a half-hour of weary waiting, during which our minds were filled with anxious foreboding's of coming evil and transitory hopes that, as darkness was fast approaching, the doubt- ful undertaking would after all be deferred until morning, or per- haps, abandoned altogether. But at length the order " move for- ward " was given, and off, up the hill, at a rapid gait we started, tearing our way through the brush, leaping across ditches, and clambering over felled trees. Presently we came upon and drove in the enemy's pickets, whose bullets, fired as they fled to give warning of our approach, felled to the earth several gallant men of the S6th. The expected storm of battle now opened with horrid crash and roar, to right and left. And soon from front as well, the sound of riflery burst forth. But onward and upward, tumbling into ditches, tripped by tangling vines, lacerated by springing branches and pierced and torn by the dry pointed cedars,-onward, right onward through the gathering gloom, filled with whizzing, whistling bullets, we forced our way.
Anon the dim outlines of what appeared to be a heavy earthen breastwork loomed up before us, and the commanders of the three
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leading regiments, which had become so intermixed that they had to be handled as one body, rushed to the front, shouting the charge, each determined that his standard should be the first one planted on the enemy's works. A moment more and we were through the abatis, when lo, a very fort instead of simple earth- works frowned upon us, while at our feet yawned a deep ditch about twenty feet wide, half-full of water. A single volley suf- ficed to clear the ramparts of their sharp-shooters there posted, but from within came the sound of voices of artillery officers, giving commands which told of a coming shower we had no de- sire to breast, and could not then escape by flight.
The best and only thing to be done, was to hug the earth as closely as possible, until the first and severest blast had swept over us. The order lie down was obeyed with alacrity. We were not a moment too soon, for just then we heard the Confed- erate command " fire," and out leaped the powder flames ; and over us passed a volley of canister which made the very earth beneath us seem to shiver, and sent to their last home a score or more of men from the regiments behind us, which had been halted to re-form their lines at the lower end of the abatis, some fifty yards away. The commanders of these rear regiments, compre- hending the situation of affairs at the front, about faced their commands and hastened down the hill, followed by a continuous fire of shot and shell which made fearful havoc among them. Presently the Confederate artillerymen slackened their fire, but we knew it was only to depress their pieces; and springing to our feet we retraced our steps to the base of the hill, where we spent the night in line of battle.
The charging columns to our right and left, were even less successful than Ward's brigade, and their losses were infinitely greater. The repulse of Hancock and Warren was complete and .most disastrous along the entire line. The Union losses in these assaults are stated, on competent authority, to have been fully five thousand men, while that of the enemy did not exceed as many hundred. The 124th in this disastrous affair was pecu- Jiarly fortunate, losing but four men-all wounded.
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As a slight offset to the terrible losses of the Second and Fifth corps in these assaults, that never should have been made, a detached brigade of the Sixth, had during the afternoon suc- ceeded in capturing, with but trifling loss to itself, about eight hundred prisoners.
The Confederate fortifications which we had attempted at such fearful cost to carry by direct assault, had been erected months before ; and were in many particulars more formidable than the line at Fredericksburg, against which Burnside had hurled to their destruction so many of his best regiments, in December, '63. But General Grant had started out on this campaign with the asser- tion, "Oh, I never manœuvre," and now that he had pounded in vain, to his heart's content against Lee's left, he resolved to try what could be accomplished by a sudden sally against the Confederate right centre, where it was said a more inviting point of attack presented itself.
For this operation Hancock's corps was selected, and just after nightfall on the 11th, we set out on a journey toward what was known as the Brown house, in front of which that portion of the Confederate works to be assaulted was situated.
Orders were issued commanding that the strictest silence be maintained in the ranks, and instructing all officers to refrain from speaking above a whisper, in directing the movements of their troops. And oh, what a dreary, tedious movement it was ! A drizzling rain had been falling all the afternoon, and continued to fall at intervals throughout the night.
We crept along, a step at a time, hour after hour. Since the fall of Colonel Cummins I had hardly closed my eyes, and an irresistible desire to sleep now stole over me, despite the most determined efforts of iny will to ward it off. My men had been kept under arms the night before, and many of them the night before that as well, so that they too were absolutely unable to remain awake. And yet their sense of hearing was in no wise blunted, even in the midst of their fitful slumbers. They would invariably drop to the ground, and instantly fall asleep whenever the column halted; but the moment the troops ahead of them
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started they would spring to their feet without orders, and march on until the column halted again. Our horses even, were seized with the same irresistible desire to close their weary eyes ; and with their noses almost touching the ground, would weave to and · fro like drunken men.
I had never before suffered such acute agony from any cause ; my eyes would close, do what I would to prevent it; and, in order to escape a fall from my horse, I would leau forward and wind my arms about his neck, but the poor brute's head would invariably sink lower and lower, until I would feel myself sliding head fore- most toward the earth, at which with a desperate effort, I would straighten up sufficiently to be able to make such a tug at the reins, and such a poke with my spurs, as to arouse my usually spirited, but now most docile beast. But the very next mo- ment my eyelids would drop again, and presently I would feel the poor brute's body weave, and his legs tremble as if he was abont to fall. Then again I would dismount and attempt to hold myself up, by throwing my arm over the animal's neck ; and leaning against his breast, or else grasping hold of and resting my forehead on the saddle. But in these efforts too, I failed of success, for down would go his head, or else I would feel his body giving way and myself going down.
About two A. M. my adjutant (Lieutenant Van Houten) rode up to me with a canteen which he said, as he handed it to me, contained some very poor commissary whisky, and added "but it is the very best I can get." Under any other circumstances I should have told him to take away the vile stuff, but on this oc- casion I grasped the proffered canteen most eagerly ; but instead of drinking from it, poured out as much as I could hold in the palm of one hand, and dashed it in my eyes. But even that did not keep me awake more than ten minutes.
A half-hour later several men belonging to one of our New York regiments,-the 86th, I think,-which was marching just ahead of the 124th, coming to what appeared to be a marshy place, moved to the side of the road in search of water ; but failing to find any, and the column not being in motion, one of them
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sat down on a fence and, falling asleep, tumbled off and broke his neck. The surgeon of his regiment being close at hand, hurried to the spot, and after a short examination, simply asked. " Who is it ?" for it was so dark he could not tell positively, and then pro- nounced life extinct beyond the shadow of a doubt, and moved away. In less than ten minutes from the time the unfortunate man sat down on the fence his comrades were digging his grave.
At another time when the column was at a halt and the road was covered with sleeping men, a horse having become frightened by falling down when asleep, sprang to his feet and started off at a run down the road, over the sleeping men. a number of whom were severely injured by being trodden upon, before he could be caught. This thoroughly aroused the entire brigade, and caused something of a stampede, yet very little noise was made; and as soon as the injured men could be gathered up and started back toward the ambulances, we resumed our marching by jerks again, and as before dropped to sleep the very instant the troops ahead halted. At length seven hours after we had started, and during which we had made but three and a half miles, the head of our column reached, and was halted in, the field where our formation for the charge was to be made.
Before attempting to trace in detail the part taken by the 124th, in the most successful charge ever made by Hancock's famous corps, and the bloody and protracted contest over the possession of the captured works which followed, let us endeavor to get a correct conception of the more general phases of the battle.
Greeley, in his American Conflict, tells the story of the charge and fighting of Hancock's Corps in this wise : " When morning came, the rain had given place to a fog of exceeding density, under cover of which Hancock sternly advanced, in two lines; Barlow's and Birney's divisions forming the first; Gibbon's and Mott's the second. Before them was a salient angle of earthworks held by Edward Johnston's division of Ewell's corps. Swiftly, noiselessly sweeping over the rugged, difficult, thickly wooded intervening space-some twelve hundred yards, Barlow's and
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Birney's divisions dashed, with a thundering cheer, over the front and flank of the enemy's works, surprising and overwhelming the rebels in their trenches, and capturing Johnston with most of his division ; also Brigadier-General George H. Stewart and part of two brigades ; also thirty guns. The number of prisoners cap- tured and sent to the rear was over three thousand. Hancock wrote in pencil to Grant : 'I have captured from thirty to forty guns. I have finished up Johnston, and am going into Early.' He had in fact, though he did not know it, all but captured Lee himself, and had nearly cut the rebel army in two. But the sur- prise was now over, and the rally of the rebels was prompt and vigorous. Their case was desperate-for defeat was now an- nihilation-and they fought with invincible ardor and resolution. Cutler's and Griffin's divisions were detached from War- ren and sent to the aid of Hancock, who still held fast to the cap- tured work, but could not go beyond it; while Lee made five successive and desperate assaults on him, with intent to hurl him back ; the men fighting hand to hand, with their respective flags often planted on the opposite sides of the same breastwork. These assaults were all repelled with frightful carnage ; but Hancock was unable to advance, as he had expected to do, and ultimately got off but twenty of the captured guns. Rain set in again at noon ; but the fighting continued till near midnight, when it was termi- nated by Lee's desisting and leaving Hancock in possession of his hard won prize."
Coppee, in his work entitled Grant and his Campaigns, writes, -" Silently and unseen, the corps moved upon the unsuspecting enemy. They passed over the rugged and densely wooded space, the enthusiasm growing at every step, until with a terrible charge and a storm of cheers, they reached the enemy's works, scaled them in front and flank, surprising the rebels at their breakfast, surrounding them, and capturing Edward Johnston's entire divis- " ion, with its general; two brigades of other troops, with their commander, Brigadier-General George H. Stewart, and thirty guns. The number of prisoners taken was between three and four thousand. It was the most decided success yet achieved
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during the campaign Hancock pushed upon the second line of rifle-pits. and. notwithstanding the desperate resistance. stormed and took it. But if the enemy had been surprised in the morning, he now made most desperate efforts to recover his lost ground. Thus the battle became general. The Ninth corps ou the extreme left, and the Sixth corps on Hancock's right, were at once pushed forward to support Hancock's advance ; while on the opposite side Ewell was reinforced by divisions from the corps of Hill and Longstreet. While the battle was thus concentrated on our left, Warren became hotly engaged on our right; but although he charged with great vigor and intrepidity, the enemy's position in his front was found to be impregnable. Thus for three hours the fighting continued ; but although we resisted the desperate attacks of the enemy upon Hancock and Burnside, it was evident that we could make no further advance. The ground was, in our front, swept by a storm of projectiles of every kind. . Charge and countercharge were made until nightfall, and the car- nage was terrific."
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