USA > New York > History of the One hundred and twenty-fourth regiment, N. Y. S. V. > Part 7
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
which three hundred cannon frowned. Behind these formidable works-like the mighty giant of ancient fable, his most vulnerable parts concealed by his impenetrable shield-stood the army of Northern Virginia, eighty thousand strong.
Marshalled on the open plains below, standing resolutely to their weapons, ready, waiting. for the order forward, was the army of the Potomac-the Hercules of the North, larger-bodied and stronger-limbed than his adversary, but without shield or helmet to ward off a single dart.
For a few moments an ominous silence prevailed. then the Union left was seen to move forward. A single bugle blast from in front of the city on the right, set Couch's brigades in motion toward Marye's Hill ; flashes of fire, followed by curling clouds of smoke, darted from the Union batteries on the plain, and from the huge guns on Stafford Heights; while from the Confederate works came answering flashes. Bursting shells made fearful havoc in the advancing lines; but onward, right onward, faster and faster they moved, gradually fading from view, as the air, deadened by three hundred guns, became heavier and more dense. Anon, above the roar of cannon, the Union charging shout was heard. A sheet of flame lit up the rebel works, and as a dreadful crash of musketry-like a thunder-clap when the lightning strikes so near that one's eyes are blinded by the flash-was heard, huge clouds of smoke, uniting, shut in the dread combatants.
But few of the 124th witnessed, to any considerable extent. this grand scene. Half an hour after the regiment had crossed . the river, Companies E and F were detached and sent, under com- mand of Captain MeBirney, to the Kenmore House, near the southern outskirts of the city, to support a battery belonging to our division. On reaching this battery they were stationed on high ground from which they might have witnessed Couch's ad- vance against Marye's Hill ; but as soon as the fog lifted, several men belonging to the battery were hit by bullets fired by concealed sharpshooters, and our infantrymen were ordered to lie down. This order, given just as a bullet passed within a few inches of Cap- tain MeBirney's head, was obeyed with alacrity, not withstanding
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their very natural desire to watch what was taking place in front of them. As soon as this battery opened, which was at the very commencement of the battle, two more gunners were picked off.
It was evident these unseen rebel marksmen were not far away, and a man of Company F volunteered to creep out between the lines, and if possible learn where they were secreted. Mov- ing through a field, and past a suburban dwelling, he discovered a little cloud of smoke coming out of an octagon summer-house. As soon as he could get back and report this fact, a section of the battery was turned in that direction. The summer-house was soon demolished, and it was believed the troublesome sharp- shooters were torn to pieces with it. At all events no one was seen to leave it and no more bullets came from that direction.
The regiment, excepting the companies referred to, was lying, it will be remembered, at the river, under cover of a steep bank. Near by, in charge of a single guard, there lay scattered over the ground about three hundred knapsacks. One of the regiments which had formed the first line that advanced against the enemy's works, had started from there. About noon, some twenty of its members returned, with faces begrimed with powder, and some of them with slight wounds, and reported their regiment had been almost annihilated. A little later, another of their number came in, and showed a gun with half its stock shot away, and was explaining to a squad of our men how the piece of shell which hit it had killed two of his comrades, when that order came for Piatt's brigade to move forward and form for a charge on the plains at the right of the city. As we sprang to our feet, and were about to take arms, several pieces of a prematurely bursting shell fell among us, destroying several old Belgians, which composed one of our gunstacks, and wound- ing three of our men. As soon as we moved up over the bank, stray bullets began to pass over us, and before night we became very familiar with their peculiar whistlings.
Sunday afternoon Corporal X- walked into a deserted dwelling near the river, and seating himself at a piano he found there, struck up " Hail Columbia," but the tune was suddenly
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cut short by a rebel cannon ball, which came in without ceremony through the side of the building, passed through the instrument, and aroused in the breast of the performer so strong a desire to get back to his regiment, that, unwilling to waste the time neces- sary to go out by the door. he walked straight through the nearest window without even halting to raise the sash.
It was Monday instead of Sunday night that we were on picket, listening to the clatter of empty caissons, which we believed to be newly arrived batteries going into position. We spent Sun- day night at the river. In the evening large quantities of bed- ding, borrowed for the occasion from deserted dwellings near by, were brought down and spread out on the shore, and not a few of our number slept that night on feather beds, and had spread over them soft white woollen, instead of course gray blankets. But our Hail Columbia hero slept on the hard ground; and, I am told by his comrades, could never after that day's experience be induced, under any pretext, to enter a deserted Southern dwelling.
When-after sustaining a loss of thirteen thousand men in desperate but unsuccessful efforts to dislodge the foe-General Burnside allowed himself to become convinced that the enemy's works, manned and commanded as they then were, could not be carried by direct assault, and it was decided to withdraw to the old position at Falmouth, it became necessary to throw around the entire army, before the movement was begun, a strong picket line of fresh and reliable troops; which, did a necessity arise, could be used as a " forlorn hope."
Our brigade formed the extreme right of this line, and the 124th was one of the last, if not the last regiment to recross the bridge in front of the city. In our hasty withdrawal, four of our men, who had been posted by our adjutant or sergeant-major in an old building some distance in advance of our main line of vedettes, were forgotten and left at their post.
On our march back to camp we were obliged to ford a stream, the water of which came up to our knees, and was very cold. During the afternoon two of the men who had been left at Fred-
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ericksburg, walked in camp soaking wet, and one of them-Pri- vate Benjamin Lancaster, of Company A-with chattering teeth gave the following account of his escape.
"Just after daybreak the enemy advanced a heavy line of skirmishers, and after firing two rounds we concluded to fall back to our main line ; but when we got where it was, it wasn't there. Then we started for the reserve, but they too had gone, and so we made for the bridge, but that also. had disappeared. At first I thought I must have fallen asleep on my post, and was . dreaming, but just then I saw several Johnnies advancing toward us, and heard one of them shout, ' Halt, you d- Yankees, or we will blow your brains out.' I don't know what became of the others, but I was the farthest away from the gray-backs, and jumped down the river bank on which I was standing, ran half a mile up the shore, and hid in some brush. After resting there a short time, I crept on, keeping concealed as well as I could, until I came to a shallow-looking place in the river, which I thought was a ford ; and I attempted to wade across. Before I reached the centre of the stream, the water was up to my chin, and I was obliged to drop my gun and accoutrements, and do a little tall swimming. As soon as I made my appearance on this side of the river, I was arrested by some of the Second corps pickets, marched off' to their corps head-quarters, and taken before Gen- eral-General-I forget his name -- who, when I had explained to him all about it, ordered his provost-marshal to let me go. The general told me to hurry back to my old camp, where I would find my regiment, and change my clothes, before I took cold. I wonder how many suits of clothes he thought I had- I say, boys, won't you pile on a little more wood, I believe I am taking cold."
The morning after our return, nearly half the regiment answered the surgeon's call, and the names of nearly a hundred were placed on the sick list. Ten of this number died within six weeks, and many others never returned to duty with the regiment.
Just before the battle-while our brigade was lying on
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HISTORY OF THE 124TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
Stafford Heights awaiting the completion of the pontoon bridges, I obtained from General Piatt permission to return to duty with my regiment, in order that I might have the honor of com- manding, in their first battle, the gallant company of men I had conducted to the field. As soon as the regiment returned to their old camp, I was ordered to again report for duty at brigade head-quarters.
The third day after our return, I walked over to the regi- ment, and was standing in Company A's street, talking to one of the men, when I heard some one shout " John, dah," and looking up saw coming toward me the little black scamp who ran away with my haversack, from the bridge at the river. He had just arrived in camp, and was the most woe-begone looking contra- band I had ever beheld. His eyes seemed sunk in his head. His black skin had lost its lustre, and was several shades lighter than I had ever seen it. His woolly pate, which had always been clean, black, and glossy, was matted, brown, dirty, and dead look- ing. His clothes were tattered and muddy-his corkless canteen hung spout downward, and his empty haversack was wrong side out.
There he stood, the tears trickling down his cheeks, so pit- iable a sight that my own eyes involuntarily moistened ; and yet, so extremely ludicrous, it seemed impossible to refinin from laugh- ing. After a little, however, I got the mastery of both face and feelings, and said to him, in what I intended to be a severe tone, " You worthless, cowardly little vagabond, what are you doing here, after running away with my food, when you promised so faithfully to remain with me ? What have you to say for yourself before I drive you from camp ? Quick ! if you have any excuse out with it." "Yes sah ; yes sah," said he, " I'se got a scuse." " Well then," I replied, " let us hear it." " Well sah-well sah- I-I-I'se afeared you'll boot me." " Boot you ? Why, there is nothing left of you to boot. But come-come, let us hear your ex- cuse." " Well. massa-massa captain-I wasn't any more coward an you wah "-and then he boo-hoved louder than ever. That was a flanker I did not appreciate; for in the meantime quite a
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crowd had gathered about us, and among the number several officers from adjoining camps.
" Well, now, Jack," said I, and this time in real earnest, " if you don't give me some satisfactory explanation of that assertion, I certainly will punish you, and that severely. Yon ran away, didn't you, before the first shell had fairly reached the water ?" " Yes, sah."
" Well, Jack, did I run away ?" " No, sah." " Why, then, you black rascal. dare you tell me, in presence of all these gentle- men, that I am as great a coward as you are ? " " Well sah-well sah-you won't boot me!" " Not if you can explain away your lying accusation ; but otherwise I certainly will."
" Well, now, massa captain, I runn'd away cause I didn't dar stay, and you staid cause you didn't dar runn'd away."
I had repeatedly told our sutler that I would pay no bill which had in it a charge for liquors. When my monthly state- ment came, it was between twenty and thirty dollars larger than usual, and the entire increase seemed to be for one item, writ- ten " sundries." I paid the bill.
My tent at brigade head-quarters was pitched on a hill that overlooked that portion of Falmouth plains on which Hooker's Grand Division lay eneamped. This hill was covered with a thick growth of dwarf trees and underbrush. A little way down from the summit was a cleared, almost level spot, some two or three rods in extent. At the upper edge of this clearing was a huge rock, the only one to be seen, so far as I could learn, in that locality.
For a day or two after the battle, the weather was extremely cold; but the first Sunday after was very pleasant. The sun shone warm and bright, and toward evening I made my way through the brush, and sat down on the rock to watch the even- ing parade on the plain below.
A long, heavily laden supply train of huge white-covered army wagons, with six mule teams, was winding leisurely up the road from Aquia Creek, and branching off, in among the can- vas hamlets which almost covered the plain. Presently I heard,
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off to my right, the notes of a bugle call, which, ere they had died away, were taken up-repeated, and re-repeated all over the field. Then fifes and drums and cornet bands began to be heard ; and there arose from all directions the mingled din of martial music ; while emerging from every camp could be seen lines of troops, with polished arms, forming on flying colors. A few moments later the music gradually ceased, the glistening bayo- nets disappeared, the colors were gone, the noise and bustle was over, and all was quiet again. In the meantime, the sun had sunk out of sight, and I was about to return to head-quarters for my evening meal, when my ear caught, from a distance, the meas- ured tappings of a single drum, accompanied by those mournful notes of the fife which tell the soldier plainer than words can express it, another comrade has fought his last battle and sleeps the sleep from which no earthly bugle call can wake him.
Putting my hand to my eyes, and peering toward whence the music came, I discovered, floating so far away I could just dis- tinguish it, a hospital flag. At first I could detect no funeral train. Presently, however, I descried a small body of men who appeared to be standing still; but watching them a moment I dis- covered they were moving directly toward mne. Then I sat down again on the rock, and waited to see where they would bury their dead.
Naturally my mind reverted to that vast procession of wounded men I had seen hurrying away from the bloody field of Fredericksburg ; and I wondered was this poor fellow, now on the way to his last resting-place, one of that number.
Slowly and mournfully onward they came; until at length they reached the foot of the hill on which I sat, and passed from my sight, in among the trees and bushes. But the, to me, now painfully mournful notes continued, and were coming nearer and nearer. Soon the brush in my front began to rattle, and I dis- covered, just on the edge of the clearing, but a few feet from where I had been sitting, a newly opened grave.
Instinctively I slipped over, and partially concealed myself behind the rock just as they emerged from the brush, and
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halting on the clearing, put down their rough cracker-box coffin. The music ceased, and for a few moments the little band of mourners stood there in silence, with downcast eyes. There was no chaplain there to repeat the burial service, or offer a prayer over their lifeless comrade. Was there no one among them, to say just one word ere they committed their dead to the cold earth ? Soon their eyes, as with one accord, were raised and rested on their sergeant, a tall rough looking fellow, whom I noticed was the only one among them wearing stripes. Not a word was spoken, but the sergeant understood their appeal. His chin dropped to his breast, and for a moment he stood irresolute. Then stepping forward, he threw his hat on the ground, raised his face heavenward, stretched out his brawny arms, and while big tears trickled down his cheeks, with trembling voice prayed, " Great God of battles-as we bury poor Tom's mangled body, let his soul enter Heaven-Amen !"
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CHAPTER VI.
FOUR MONTHS AT FALMOUTH.
BOUT Christmas, General Piatt resigned, and I returned to A duty with the regiment. The last frosty days of Decem- ber wore slowly away, and the New Year on its arrival found us on the picket line. We were picketing then by brigades ; and ours had gone out two days before, without tents. The 86th and 122d formed the reserves, and the 124th the outer lines, on which no fires were allowed. It was a bitter cold night. My company was on the right, and I was ordered to make the rounds of that portion of the line covered by our regiment at midnight. It was a watch night indeed for us all, but how unlike the old- fashioned Methodist watch-night many of us had been in the habit of enjoying at home, assembled with friends and loved ones in pleasant, well-warmed audience rooms.
At the appointed time I started down the line, found the sentinels pacing to and fro with quick heavy tread ; their ears open to every unusual sound, and their eyes, as they wheeled about at the end of their beats, ever turning to the front; but their thoughts evidently were far away. Promptly the challenge was made, as the creaking of the frost beneath my feet announced my approach. But the sudden halt, the quick wheel, and the stamp of the foot, as the rifle came from shoulder to port, were all mechanically done, and mechanically I answered the challenge and passed on.
On the morning of the 2d we returned to camp, where a num- ber of the companies found awaiting them express boxes filled with "good things," which had been sent them for a Christmas dinner. It is true they were a few days late, and some of the dainties were not as palatable as they would have been had they
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arrived a week earlier. They were nevertheless greatly appre- ciated, and partaken of in a most hearty manner by the recipients and a few of their most intimate comrades. Meantime a majority of the poor fellows, who had not been so kindly remembered by their friends at home, made the best of their meal of salt pork and hard-tack.
The 4th of January was Sunday. There had been no regu- lar services in the regiment for a long time, but it was generally understood that we were to have a sermon preached to us that morning, and the regiment was called together, as we supposed, for the purpose of listening to it. But our chaplain, after offering a short prayer and reading the 96th Psalm in a loud clear tone, excused himself on the ground that his lungs and throat were out of order.
In the evening we received orders to prepare for a review. At ten o'clock next morning we moved off, in heavy marching order, to the Philips House, which was three miles distant from our camp. Our entire corps, infantry and artillery, with wagon trains, ambulances, pack-mules, and even colored servants, had been ordered to assemble there. About noon, General Burn- side, accompanied by a lady and a number of general officers, and followed by his and their respective staffs and a squadron of orderlies. appeared upon the scene. After riding along the line, this immense cavalcade galloped across the plain and ranged themselves in lines behind their chief, who took position on a little knoll about an eighth of a mile in front of us. Then forty-eight regiments and I think eight batteries, wheeled into column and passed in review. It was a grand sight, but the most attractive feature of the day was the lady on horseback, many of us not having feasted our eyes on the fair sex before for months.
. January 10. From my diary. Our new rifles are here. Farewell, old Belgians, welcome Enfields, say all. I never saw the regiment in such high glee. All are rejoicing, from Colonel Ellis down to the contrabands. Evening-the men have been busy all day cleaning their guns, and when they assembled for dress
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parade there was presented as happy and proud a line of faces as one could wish to see. We, have always been ashamed of our homely, heavy weapons, and the only remarks I have heard to-day, approaching regret that the exchange has been made, came from our little round-shouldered Dutchman, Billy Saunders. As Billy dropped his piece ou a pile of others which had been deposited at regimental head-quarters, he made an awkward lunge with the huge sword-bayonet, saying as he did so, " Boys, you don't know how much you owe to these old blunderbusses. It is my opinion that if it hadn't been for them you would have been tarnal nigh all killed at Fredericksburg. What general would be such a fool as to lead, in a charge, men armed with such toad-stickers ?"
It is undeniable that the kind of arm a regiment carries frequently determines its position on a battle-field, and if the fact, that our guns were of an inferior quality had anything to do with our remaining on picket instead of uselessly dashing our lives out against a rebel fort, we perhaps ought to be thank- ful the exchange was not sooner made.
It is now very apparent to all that if we do not take a decid- edly active part in the next engagement, it will not be our col- onel's fault. He evidently believes that he commands one of the most reliable regiments in the field; and there is not a man in the regiment who doubts the abilities or bravery of their leader.
General Burnside, notwithstanding the disastrous failure of his attempt to force the enemy's lines at Fredericksburg, did not intend spending the winter on the north side of the Rappa- hannock.
On the 26th of December, the entire army was directed to prepare three days' cooked rations and get ready for a march ; but no further orders on the subject were received, and compara- tive quiet prevailed, until the 15th of January. While out drill- ing that afternoon, we saw a long train of pontoons moving toward our right. And shortly after we returned to camp, orders came to send the sick from regimental to division hospitals.
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On the 17th, extra rations were issued, and we were ordered to be ready to move in heavy marching order at nine o'clock the following morning. The night passed and nine o'clock came, but instead of an order to fall in, there came one postponing the movement for twenty-four hours. On the 19th we received another order, putting off the time of starting another twenty- four hours.
It began to look as if the contemplated movement was to end as did the one we prepared for on the 26th of December ; and that afternoon we resumed our regular drills. But on the morning of the 20th, one of our brigade orderlies dashed up to Colonel Ellis's quarters with a general order from Burnside, stat- ing that we were again to move against the enemy, and fixing one o'clock that afternoon as the hour of starting.
About noon we struck tents, stacked arms in company streets, and collected around our log-fires awaiting further orders; but they did not come. Toward evening the sky clouded. Just after dark a storm set in, and we pitched tents again, and crawled under them. When we awoke next morning, the rain was falling in very torrents. The men were instructed to keep their knap- sacks packed, but none of us anticipated the contemplated move- ment would be begun until the storm should have passed over, and the muddy roads had become hard again. But about nine o'clock the rain slackened a little, and at ten there was heard, from all directions, the bugle call " Strike tents ; " and down came our muslin shelters again. After shaking off the sleet-for the rain was freezing as it fell -- these were soon rolled and strapped. Then the line was formed, and we crept off through the ever- deepening mud and rain, and hail and sleet. When night over- took us, we halted, or rather, were stuck fast in the mud, scarce three miles from camp. The rain was still falling. and freezing as it fell. We were soaking wet, and chilled to the very marrow of our bones; and there, in an open piece of woods, we added yet another to our already long list of nights of terrible suffering. Another day and still another night we remained, and all that time the cold rain continued, and deeper and deeper in the mud
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sank the stalled trains and heavy guns. Rebel pickets on the southern shore were hallooing across to our men on this side the river, " I say, Yanks, it is mean, of you to keep us out here in the rain; why don't you come over with your big guns ? We are waiting for you."
On the morning of the 23d thousands, of men were set to work building corduroy roads. All idea of attempting to advance any farther was abandoned, and the one thought which seemed to hold the mind of our commander-in-chief, was, how to get the army back on high ground before it sank entirely out of sight.
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