USA > New York > History of the One hundredth regiment of New York state volunteers > Part 6
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As subordinate officers knew nothing, only as com- municated in orders from superiors, the men and officers of the One Hundredth were fixing themselves for a long stay, when orders came to pack up and be off by the way of Yorktown to Gloucester Point on the oppo- site side of York river. Maj. Otis continued on with three companies to Fortress Monroe as guard to ammunition train. ' The Major parked his train and rode to the Fortress. Saw many returned prisoners, and listened to their sad stories of suffering and hard treatment. Here the Major met Capt. Charles E. Morse with recruits for the regiment, the first that had been sent since the adoption of the regiment by
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the Board of Trade of the city of Buffalo. The major was ordered to Yorktown. Arrived and reported to the regiment. The command was ready to cross over to Gloucester Point one hour before sunset. As there was no boat the regiment bivouacked for the night on the bluff. At sunrise a boat came and Col. Staunton. reported to Col. Davis, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania, at the fort. The One Hundredth New York relieved the Ninety-eighth New York. Col. Davis at once assigned a spot for the encampment of the One Hundredth, a fine spot outside of the fort. overlooking Yorktown, opposite, the river above and below, as well as some little distance inland on the point. Gen. McClellan had ordered a force over to Gloucester Point to hold that place, which would give us the control of the Peninsula between the York and Severn rivers. Col. W. W. H. Davis, of the One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania, was selected for this command, and one more acceptable to the shat- tered remnants of the One Hundredth could not have been given. HIe had been their first brigade com- mander, and had taught and associated with them from the start, and hence, that the ties were not to be broken was to them a boon of no ordinary pleasure.
Col. Davis was reinforced by a battery of four three- inch rifle guns under command of Lieut. Mink, a gal- lant young officer. The picket line was established nearly a mile in front of the fort, and extended across the Peninsula from Sarah's creek to York river. The fort was a regular pentagon, and probably the largest
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earth-work ever built in this country. Following the exterior slope of the ditch the distance around it was about a mile. It occupied nearly the site of the old revolutionary works erected by the British in 1781, and near it were the ruins of the brick house Gen. Tarleton used for a hospital during the siege of York- town by Washington. When the fort was evacuated in May, the guns were left in it, but had since been burst. Col. Davis set about putting the fort in thor- ough repair. It was done, though it occupied the com- mand nearly three months. The timber was cleared away for a thousand yards, and as the country was level an enemy's approach would be clearly visible. The camp of the One Hundredth was laid out in regular order, with full and ample space. The finest camp we have had. Capt. Morse arrived with ninety re- eruits, bringing the silk colors presented by the ladies of Le Roy. Lient. Col. Staunton made a short speech, followed with cheers by the men. The recruits were assigned to the different companies. A large mail arrived, which at any time is a source of great joy to the officers and men. The links that bound them to home and friends, during the marches that had pre- ceded, had seemed broken, but now communication was opened and the tide of social interest flowed in from hosts of hearthstones, so long clonded in grief and gloom.
Lieut. Col. Staunton was waited upon by a com- mittee of line officers relative to the appointment of a colonel, as in any case it would be an event of great 5
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interest to all, both officers and men, connected with the regiment.
As yet food was scarce, regularity of habits and duties was not established. As officer of the day, Col. Staunton visited the picket line, and made the ac- quaintance of a secesh farmer on the line, and got supper for a dollar. Work on the fort and drilling commenced. A severe tempest swept over the point. The tents with difficulty were held down, as a stormn on that low land moves all things before it.
Tuesday, August 26th. A cool and beautiful day. Col. Staunton in charge of working parties. Col. Davis, in company with Lieut. Bowen of the Topo- graphical Engineers, and the One Hundred and Fourth, went out on a reconnoissance. They viewed the country, talked with the people, paid for meals pro- vided, and returned to Gloucester Point with a good knowledge of the country and its military situation.
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CHAPTER XIII.
THE RESULTS OF THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN. - CALL FOR THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN FOR THE WAR. - THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR NINE MONTHS. - A DRAFT OF AN EQUAL NUMBER. - BOARD OF TRADE OF BUFFALO SEND RECRUITS. - COL. G. B. DANDY APPOINTED COLONEL. - LIEUT. COL. STAUNTON SENDS IN HIS RESIGNATION. - WAR MEETINGS IN BUFFALO. - ACTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. - ORDER OF SUPT. SACKETT TO PREPARE LINT. - A WHISKY MUTINY IN CAMP. - IT WAS QUELLED, AND THE "LITTLE DISTURBER " ISSUED.
The disasters of the Peninsular campaign had awakened the people and the government to the neces- sity of a more vigorous prosecution of the war. The loyal Governors of eighteen States signed a request that the President should increase the force. In com- pliance with the request, the President called for three hundred thousand volunteers for the war on the 1st of July, and on the 9th of August, when Pope was strug- gling with Jackson on the Rapid Anna, he called for three hundred thousand men for nine months, and
.
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that an equal number should be drafted from the great body of the citizens who were over eighteen years of age and under forty-tive, if they did not appear as volunteers.
Old regiments were to be filled with recruits, thereby preserving their identity. The Board of Trade of Buffalo, as stated, had adopted the One Hundredth Regiment, and had voted a large sum of money for military purposes. Recruiting had successfully com- menced. The patriotie war spirit of the city was aroused. Public meetings were held in the several wards ; at the armory on Sabbath, and in front of the churches on Main street during the afternoons and evenings of each week. Stores and other places of business were closed at 6 P. M., to afford opportunity to all to hear and drink the spirit of loyalty to gor- ernment. Distinguished speakers from abroad as well as home talent were in attendance upon the waiting ear of the people. It was then that the writer came forth as a common soldier, and urged the duty of the hour upon his fellow citizens. It was at the close of one of these speeches in front of the churches that we met William Wilkeson. Esq., to whom we have dedi- cated this book, and who moved a resolution on that occasion that the speaker, Geo. H. Stowits, late princi- pal of one of the public schools of this city, be recom- mended to Gov. Morgan as a suitable person to be commissioned in one of our Buffalo regiments, which was adopted unanimously with cheers.
The public school teachers of the city held a meet-
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ing at school house No. 7, and unanimously resolved to apportion a part of their wages for a fund to for- ward the cause of enlistments. John B. Sackett, superintendent of schools, presided. The writer ad- dressed the meeting, and called upon teachers to teach the youth under their care that love of country which would prompt an interest always to defend it. Supt. Sackett ordered Friday, September 5th, to be observed by all the schools as a day of labor for the wounded in the preparation of lint and bandages. The order was faithfully observed.
In the meantime a letter had been addressed to the Board of Trade relative to the appointment of officers in the One Hundredth, stating the facts relative to the organization of the regiment, the expenditures of offi- cers and men with hopes of promotion, and the legiti- mate fears aroused relative to the sending of new and inexperienced men to rule those who had suffered the trials of camp, field and battle. The communication was respectfully written and signed by M. H. Top- ping, commanding. The anxiety relative to the posi- tion of colonel was settled by the announcement that George B. Dandy had been commissioned colonel of the One Hundredth Regiment, commission to date and rank from August 27th. 1862. To Lieut. Col. Staunton and the line officers of the regiment, to say nothing of the feelings of the rank and file. this was an unexpected as well as a most unfortunate appoint- mente It was ever a step of risk to introduce an officer bred in the regular army to command volun-
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teers. That mind is rare who goes baek or forward of his culture, tastes and habits. Previous to the rebel- lion, the composition of the regular army was of a class of men that had left all social obligations and ties, and drifted, as a last resort, into the ranks as a government soldier, the end of the man and citizen. Officers bred to war handled and treated these men, usually, as the refuse of society, barely meriting the decencies of common usage. When the people sprang to arms to save a country it was not to become professional soldiers, but to resist, succeed, and retire to their homes as subjects of civil law and order. The culture of an officer whose life liad been in the tented field would know no difference between the volunteer, no matter what his ability or literary qualifications, and the spirits hitherto under his control, and hence that bond of good feeling that should ever exist be- tween the governor and the governed could not be, and corresponding unhappy results were sure to fol- low. That Col. Dandy was a capable officer is not to be questioned, but that his appointment as colonel of the One Hundredth Regiment, under the peculiar character of its organization, was most unfortunate we can fully attest, in the light both of observation and experience. Immediately succeeding the appoint- ment of Col. Dandy, Lieut. Col. Staunton wrote his resignation, as he felt that his place had been given to another, and that his services could not be as efficient as a subordinate officer since he had occupied the po- sition of the superior officer of the regiment since the
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death of Col. Brown. Gens. Emory and Naglee, as well as Col. Davis and others, labored with Col. Staun- ton to change his decision, but to no purpose. Col. Dandy subsequently told Col. Staunton that he should have done the same under like circumstances, thereby proving to the letter what we have here recorded, that his, Col. Dandy's, appointment was most unfor- tunate.
While the people were sending forward recruits, the routine of camp life was still continued.
August 27th. Gen. Peck inspected the fort and made suggestions. The people begin to bring in quantities of food.
August 28th. Maj. Otis detailed to take charge of working parties in Yorktown. A large number of transports in the river to remove Couch's division. Quartermaster Bishop returned from Fortress Monroe and had been serving the regiment as such since the absence of Lieut. Walbridge. Col. Davis mustered the One Hundredth for pay August 31st. Col. Staun-
ton sent in his resignation. Work still continued on the fort. Col. Staunton had to quell a whisky mutiny. Men refused to work without whisky. He ordered them to go, and they went without much complaint. The cause of refusal, -that the One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania were served with the " little dis- turber of peace" and they were not. Gen. Emory or- dered the whisky rations to be issued. Dr. Kittenger refused to issue. Col. Staunton ordered Quartermaster to do it. Col. Davis also requested that the rations
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be issued. We will here reeord the expressions of Col. Staunton, who " sleeps the sleep that knows no waking," and it will serve as the reflection of the writ- er's opinions : "That whisky was the disturbing ele- ment in the army ; that it is the devil's chief instru- ment to accomplish evil designs." We know it, and we have seen it and deplored it; and even now hear the wail of a fellow officer who exclaimed to the writer who had kept him often from drink, " If you leave me, Captain, I am ruined." His body was soon sent to the home of parents and sister, a victim, a sacrifice, to the demon whisky. Still that false idea, that whisky was necessary to courage in the hour of battle, pre- vailed when reason said, then, if ever, the brain needs to be cool, with all its powers unaffected by unnat- ural stimulants.
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CHAPTER XIV.
THE MEN STOLE A BARREL OF WHISKY. - RUMOR OF A RAID ON WILLIAMSBURG. - REGIMENT UNDER ARMS. - COL. DANDY ARRIVED AND ASSUMED COMMAND. - LIEUT. COL. STAUNTON RESIGNED AND LEFT FOR THE NORTII. - RECRUITS ARRIVING. - LIEUTS. GREINER AND GUTHRIE DISCHARGED. - DRILLS AND REVIEWS. CHANGE OF CAMP. - THE SIBLEY TENT. - CHLAPLALY LINN ARRIVED WITH FLAG FROM BOARD OF TRADE. - RAID TO GLOUCESTER COURT HOUSE UNDER COM- MAND OF GEN. NAGLEE.
The proximity of the York river to the camp of the One Hundredth afforded a fine opportunity for bath- ing, washing and fine oysters.
Saturday night, September 5th, the men con- cluded to finish the whisky, and for that end stole the barrel, and saved the Quartermaster the trouble of issue.
Monday the Sth. A rumor of a raid on Williams- burg. Working parties called in. Regiment ordered under arins and into the fort, taking positions behind the breastworks. Kept at work during the afternoon. 5*
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Raised the flag pole on the fort. Wind very high. Rumors of leaving very soon. During the evening Lieut. Lynch arrived with thirty-one recruits. The wind had blown a gale for four days. Maj. Otis returned from Yorktown sick, relieved from duty for sixteen days. Lieut. Greiner arrived with twenty-eight re- cruits.
Sunday, September 14th. Gen. Emory reviewed and inspected the One Hundredth New York, and One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania. Assigned Lieut. Greiner's men to Co. " K."
Monday, September 15th. Col. G. B. Dandy ar- rived in camp and pitched his tent as commander of the regiment. HIe assumed command.
Wednesday, September 17th. Two companies, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania and One. Hun- dredth New York, made a raid and took forty head of cattle.
September 24th. Lieut. Guthrie arrived and was put in charge of Co. "G." Capt. Walter B. Moore, of Co. "B," was discharged the service September 27, 1862. Lient. Warren Granger, Jr., was promoted to captain, Angust 13, 1862, in place of Capt. Henshaw resigned. Gen. Naglee assumed command of the brigade after an absence of three months. Gen. Emory, who was relieved, accompanied Gen. Banks on his expedition to New Orleans. He was esteemed one of the most intelligent and best informed men in the army, and was well liked by his men. The picket line was lim- ited in extent and ineluded but few of the inhabitants.
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With a single exception they were quiet and orderly. Mr. Dobson and wife were bitter secesh. She was rebel to the backbone, and ugly. Gen. Dix ordered their house to be taken for a hospital, which made her furious, and she threatened to burn it down before the hated Yankees could get possession of it. It was seized and a strong guard placed over it. A quantity of arsenie, which she wished to throw into the well, a part of a keg of powder and two loaded guns were found. She told the surgeon in charge that " when she met him in h-l she would seratch his eyes out." She and her effects were placed outside the lines. Work on the fort, inspections and target shooting occupied the time of men and officers. The days were warm and nights cool, with frequent showers.
Wednesday, September 24th. Lieut. Bishop's wife came to camp on a visit directly from New York. False alarm in eamp at 101 P. M. Men under arms. Seouts sent out and found nothing.
Friday, September 26th. One hundred and sixty recruits arrived in charge of Lieuts. C. E. Walbridge and Coleman. They had been accumulating in Alex- andria, in the camps of convalescents and recruits, for a long time. These local depots for receiving re- turned soldiers and recruits were established all over the country, a profit to contractors and a source of great annoyance to the soldier, as the writer ean at- test. The reernits were assigned to different com- .- סוחרין
September 29th. An arrival of forty recruits.
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One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
October 2d. Col. Dandy approved of the resigna- tion of Lieut. Col. Staunton, and it passed through the regular channels. The weather continued op- pressively hot and dry.
Sunday, October 5th. Col. Davis reviewed the One Hundredth New York, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania and Lieut. Mink's battery. Col. Dandy took general command and Staunton regimental. Lient. Lynch returned for duty.
Monday, October 6th. Officers summoned to York- town to show their commissions and musters. Capt. Nicholson arrived with Lieut. Wells and more recruits. Lieut. Col. Staunton held court-martial for the trial of prisoners. Ten were sentenced.
Saturday rained all day with northerly wind. Fifty- three prisoners and sick men returned to camp. Maj. Otis wrote to G. S. Hazard, president of the Board of Trade, for a suitable person for chaplain of the regi- ment.
Monday, October 13th. Lieut. Col. Staunton's resignation returned accepted, and he was free "onee again." He went to Yorktown, procured a pass from Gen. Keyes to Fortress Monroe, made sketch of camp, packed up, dined with Cols. Dandy and Dodge and Maj. Otis, and at 6 P. M., went to ferry boat accom- panied by Col. Dandy, Maj. Otis, Capts. Payne and Rauert, and Lients. Topping, Walbridge and many others. Thus ended Mr. Staunton's official connection with the regiment. With a farewell from Gen. Nagle and staff, and in company with Lieut. Bishop and
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wife, went on board of the Thomas A. Morgan, the United States mail boat, and soon arrived at Fortress Monroe. Visited Gen. Dix, then took steamer for Baltimore, thence to Washington, settled with the government, and turned homeward, which was reached October 31st.
Thursday, October 16th. Paymaster arrived and prepared rolls. The officers and men were paid for four months.
Sunday, October 19th. A grand review was had by Gen. Keyes.
October 23d. Lient. Gardner arrived with forty re- ernits. Company drills were established. A new camp was staked out. Found a scarcity of lumber. Pitched new camp in a gale of wind. Kitchens were built.
October 31st. Regiment mustered for pay by Col. Dandy. New camp fitted up.
November 2d. Regiment reviewed by Gen. Nag- lee. Col. Dandy established a military school of instruction.
Tuesday, November 5th. Chaplain J. B. Linn arrived with a new flag presented by the Board of Trade of Buffalo.
November 7th. Four inches of snow, ending in rain and mud. Camp inspection and presentation of new tag by Chaplain Lini at 103 A. M. Regiment at work on guard-house, tents, and chopping wood. The men have the large Sibley tent, with a capacity for sixteen luen gach, with place for stove in center and bunks in tiers.
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November 15th. Cavalry crossed from Yorktown. Picket attack; one man killed, three wounded and three prisoners. Lieuts. Greiner and Guthrie dis- charged.
Monday, November 18th. Capt. Hinson left for Albany.
November 20th. Col. Dandy took five companies for a foraging expedition. Inspections, reviews, work on camp, and reading orders consumed the days. The men were living very pleasantly. Recruits were ac- quiring a knowledge of camp duties and the use of their guns, together with the knowledge of drill. As we have stated, the people within the lines came into camp with oysters and various articles of food, which, with donations from home and the regular rations, left no opportunity for complaint. To all appearances the command was established for the winter, and the wives of several officers arrived, which had the appear- ance of civil life. But there is no permanent certainty in military affairs. The ordinary duties of camp eon- tinued to the end of November, interspersed with company and battalion drills, and reviews by Gens. Naglee and Keves. The same routine extended into and through the mouth of December. On the morn- ing of December 11th Gen. Naglee made a reconnois- sance in force to Gloucester Court House and sur- rounding country. The column consisted of four regiments of infantry, a battery of artillery and two squadrons of cavalry. Detachments were sent beyond the Court House, driving the enemy's cavalry, burning
CAMPIOO !! REGI N.Y.S. VOLS. GLOUCESTER . POINT VA.
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their quarters and stores of subsistence. The force returned with plunder in the shape of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and eorn, which were turned over to the proper officers, and reached their camps after midnight, Sunday, December 14th.
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CHAPTER XV.
RUMORS OF LEAVING GLOUCESTER POINT. - THE NECES- SARY PROMOTIONS MADE. - THE CAMP AT GLOU- CESTER POINT. - ARRIVAL AND VISIT OF WARREN GRANGER, ESQ., FROM BUFFALO. - ARRIVAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA. - FALSE ALARMS. - BRIGADE HAS MARCHING ORDERS. - SHIP- PED WITH SEALED ORDERS. - ARRIVED AT FORTRESS MONROE .- LEFT AND ANCHORED AT BEAUFORT, NORTHI CAROLINA. - ENCAMPED AT CAROLINA CITY. - COL. DAVIS IN COMMAND OF BRIGADE. - GEN. NAGLEE IN COMMAND OF DIVISION. - DRILL AND PREPARATION FOR A MOVE SOMEWHERE.
That quiet rest, that had pervaded the minds of the men in the entertainment of the thought that Glou- cester Point was to be their home for the winter, was disturbed by various rumors of removal. The regi- ment was full to its minimum standard. The neces- sary and proper promotions had been made.
Capt. Daniel D. Nash, who gave the first company to the regiment, was promoted to major, cice O. N. Otis, promoted. Maj. Otis was promoted to lieuten-
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ant colonel, vice Staunton, resigned ; and other pro- motions had been made besides the coming and going, resigning and discharging of new and old officers, as can be seen in the published list of commissions at the close of the volume.
The camp at Gloucester Point was truly a beautiful and comfortable military home. The superior intelli- gence of Col. Dandy, relative to the keeping of camp, and its police regulations gave indications that he knew the value of comfort and health, to the end that he might have efficient and reliable soldiers.
Capt. P. Edwin Dye, of Co. "II," had joined the regiment after a long illness of typhoid fever. War- ren Granger came on a visit to camp from Buffalo, which had a happy effect upon officers and men. Having a son, whose career thus far had been eventful, a father's solicitude was not the least cause of his friendly appearance amid the military family of the One Hundredth regiment.
Thursday, December 18th. Mr. Granger had the opportunity of witnessing a brigade drill. The next day called on Gen. Naglee, accompanied by Lieut. Col. Otis. Saturday, December 20th. The regiment was in- spected by Col. Durkee, Ninety-eighth New York Volunteers, and was credited for its good condition.
Sunday, December 21st. Warren Granger left for home.
A short time previous a regiment of nine months' men, known as the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania, encamped just east of the camp of the
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One Hundredth, and subsequently remained after the departure of the One Hundredth New York and One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania. Drills, company and battalion, continued, and Tuesday, December 23d, Lieut. Col. Otis was ordered from brigade head- quarters to command all forces at Gloucester Point, composed of One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania. One Hundredth New York, and Battery "K" First New York Artillery, and One Hundred and Sixty- ninth Pennsylvania. Relieved by Col. Dodge. False alarm in camp caused by the negroes firing on the picket line. Regiment under arms.
Thursday, December 25th. Orders to move at a minute's notice. There was no doubt of a change of positions. The pleasant camp at Gloucester Point. with all its conveniences, was to be evacuated. The beautiful autumnal days had passed, though December bore the impress of early spring. The veteran of a campaign and the recruit were to enter unknown fields of duty together. Ordered to ship. Went on board at 7 P. M. Friday, December 26th. Ordered back and into the fort at 9 P. M. Returned to ship at 11 P. M. Lieut. Col. Otis and other officers pro- tested against so many men on board so small a ship as the Belvidiere. Permission was granted to leave one hundred and fifty men. Ten days' uncooked rations were put on board each vessel, which sailed with sealed orders not to be opened until twenty miles south of Cape Henry.
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