USA > New York > History of the One hundredth regiment of New York state volunteers > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
150
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
tors threatening the life of her husband. Charleston was reached. She applied for a pass for herself and Hart to Sumter. A pass for Hart was denied. "Tell Governor Pickens," said the heroic woman, "I will take Hart to the fort with or without a pass." The pass was given. The brave wife and mother, with mail bag in hand, was soon on her way. Sentinels were answered. Now Sumter appeared in sight. "The dear Old Flag," she exclaimed, and burst into tears. The sallyport was gained. " Who comes there ?" hailed the sentinel. "Mrs. Major Robert Anderson," was the reply. Her husband caught her in his arms and ex- claimed with choked expression : "My glorious wife." and carried her into the fort. "I have brought you Peter Hart," she said. "The children are well. I must return in two hours." In two hours she left him, impressed with the thought that she had buried her husband and could look upon his face no more. She took the cars for Washington the same night, refusing, though once a daughter of the South, to accept hospi- tality at the hands of those seeking the life of the father of her children. Thus ended the mission of this devoted woman. She had done what the govern- ment would not, or dared not do. She did not send. but took a valuable reinforcement to Sumter. Shall history ever cease to praise and venerate that pure and single-hearted woman? Never! no, never !! Her example served to strengthen the arm of the govern- ment. The desperadoes of chivalry were outgeneraled. Sumter was still saved. to the Republic. Thus, from
1
151
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
January 9th, 1861, to April 11th, did Maj. Anderson live a life of hope and expectancy. Government had left him to the tender mercies of a foe clamoring for blood, and the fort, over which waved defiantly the symbol of a nation, the existence of which was in peril. Fate, it would seem, had reserved this little band in Sumter to suffer, that loyal millions might be warmned into resistance to treason and its dark designs. The time had come for the women and children to leave the fort. Parting scenes were touching and affecting. Said one to her husband, " We have been married seven years, and I know I shall not have canse to blush for you." Another, with swollen eves. " Don't think of us, Ben, the children and I will get along, your thoughts now are here." A third, holding the hands of all she loved, exclaimed with pale and bloodless lips, " May God bless and take care of you, Thomas, I will never cease to pray for you. Do your duty, darling. God forbid that my love should inter- fere with that." Those liberty-loving women infused into the hearts of that band of eighty doomed patriots the grandeur of loyalty, the object of government to protect the weak, giving them courage to resist the in- sults of incarnate monsters and suffer the storms of shot, shell, and red-hot missiles, to which they were subjected during the bombardment. The circle of bat- teries was completed. That memorable April day wit- nes-ed a scene of metal hail, of solid shot, shell, bolts, steel-pointed missiles and red-hot messengers of fire, concentrated upon the heads of the representative few,
152
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
defending the honor of a flag insulted and trailed in the dust by the traitorous thousands of the Palmnetto State. The echoes of that storm of iron hail wakened the lumbermen of Maine, reverberated among the moun- tains of Vermont, stopped with a cliek the spindles of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, reached the ears of the miners in the depths of the deeply sunken coal shafts of Pennsylvania, sending thrills of burning in- dignation through the hearts of the millions of the Empire State, rousing hosts of stalwart freemen throughout the "great Northwest," demanding that the outrage on the flag be avenged, and the inviola- bility of the nation sustained.
Sumter was lost. The flag was saluted, hauled down and rolled up, to wait its time of reappearance from the ramparts of that dismantled fortress. The old flag had now no resting place along the coast from Fortress Monroe southward.
. November 7th, 1861, witnessed the sublime specta- ele of a wooden fleet, commanded by Admiral Du Pont. capturing two finely positioned forts at the entrance of the broad and ample bay of Port Royal. Beanfort, the Newport of the South, was quickly deserted, and a panic filled the hearts of the people. Port Royal har- bor, with a surface upon which the navies of the world might ride at anchor, proved to be the base for all future operations before Charleston. Adjacent islands were occupied. Gen. Gillmore, amid the marshes of Tybee, before Savannah, planted batteries, bombarded. breached and took Fort Pulaski, and straightway forts Clinch and Marion, together with all defences
153
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
and towns along the coast, came into the hands of Du Pont and his loyal comrades.
From Hilton Head expeditions were sent up Stono river and on James island in the vicinity of Charles- ton, all of which were unsuccessful, save to elicit the strength of rebel fortifications. The hour was hasten- ing when Charleston, with its blatant chivalry, would be rained upon with iron hail, forcing its citizens, with sullen reluctance, from sumptuous homes and de- lightful promenades, as the first fruits of treason, arro- gance and folly.
From Fortress Monroe to Florida, there was felt among military commanders, that the full power of the government along that line was about to be cen- tred in the recovery of the first loss, which inspirited the wavering masses of the loyal North to end treason, humiliate traitors, and preserve the unity of the Re- public. Transports with troops were quietly gliding along the evast, and resting silently at anchor in the harbor of Port Royal. A feverish activity prevailed. Monitors had outridden the gales of the Atlantic, save one, the Merrimac's antagonist and destrofer; her work was finished, and above her, around Hatteras, the sea dirge is heard, as a requiem in memory of that grand check in Hampton Roads given to the rebel monster, which saved a people and a commerce, and ensured the ultimate safety of the nation. Monitors. with the Keokuk and New Ironsides, were moored be- side the frowning hulls of the Wabash, and other ves- rels of our wooden navy, specimens of wonder, and to Veteran seamen objects of ridicule and merriment.
154
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
CHAPTER XXII.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK UPON CHARLESTON BY BOTH ARMY AND NAVY. - THE DEFENCES OF THE CITY OF CHARLESTON. - THE OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE CHANNEL .. - THE POSITION OF TROOPS AT THE NORTH END OF FOLLY ISLAND. - APRIL 7TH, THE NAVY MOVE UP TO ATTACK SUMTER. - BOMBARDMENT CONTINUES ONE HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES. - KEOKUK LOST, FLEET WITHDRAWN. - NUMBER OF GUNS AND THEIR CHAR- ACTER. - THE SMALL LOSS OF THE IRONCLADS.
Troops were landed, drilled and organized on the islands of St. Helena, Port Royal and Beaufort, pre- paratory to a cooperation with the iron elads in the coming attack upon Charleston. Simultaneous with the moving of the navy, transports were landing men. as noted, upon Cole's and Folly islands, next south of Morris island, in clear view of Sumter, Charleston and surrounding batteries.
In a circular issued by R. S. Ripley, brigadier gen- oral, commanding defences of Charleston, December 26th, 1542, forts Sumter, Moultrie, Bee, Beauregard, Cumming's Point and Wagner, mounted seventy-six
155
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
guns of various calibre, hurling bolts, steel-pointed shot, red-hot shot, and shell with molten iron. The various channels were obstrueted with torpedoes and every conceivable impediment to entangle and discon- cert the advance of the Union Navy, composed of the New Ironsides, the monitors Passaic, Weehawken, Montauk, Patapsco, Catskill, Nahant, and the Keo- kuk, not an Ericsson monitor. The monitors were
armed with fifteen and eleven-inch guns. The Keo- kuk carried two eleven-inch guns, and was less heavily armed than the monitors. The New Ironsides carried sixteen eleven-inch Dahilgreen guns and one heavy rifle. There were three circles of fire within practiced range of the rebel batteries. Points within these eir- eles would invite the concentrated fire of seventy-six guns, though our own officers estimated the number at one hundred. Bearing upon these points were seven-inch and eight-inch Brooke and Blakely rifles, and ten-inch Columbiads, for which had been prepared square-headed bolts much heavier than ordinary shot, and guns for hot shot and shells containing molten iron. These the ironelads were to meet in these sep- arate circles in succession, while advancing along the channel. These guns had been so tried that there could be no random shooting. The rebel plan of de- fence lacked nothing which skill, experience and science could suggest. The city of Charleston was defended at all assailable points by batteries of a formidable character. There was a battery at the outward ex- tremity of Sullivan's island guarding Mathit's channel.
156
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
One near the Monltre House ealled Fort Beauregard. Fort Moultrie, a little farther westward, had been greatly strengthened since its evaenation by Maj. An- derson. Near it, on the western end of Sullivan's island, was a strong earthwork named Battery Bee. Another commanded the mouth of Cooper river. In front of the city, and one mile from it, was Old Castle Pinckney. Sumter stands in the channel midway be- tween forts Moultrie and Gregg, the most formidable of all. On the south side of the city a battery com- manded the mouth of Ashley river. On the extreme point of James island was Fort Johnson, and between it and Castle Pinckney was Fort Ripley, on a submerged sand bank, with an armament of heavy guns. On Cumming's Point, Morris island, was Battery Gregg. and less than half a mile southward, was Battery Wag- ner, extending from sea to marsh, with a bomb-proof for fifteen hundred men. At the south end of the island was a battery commanding Light House Inlet. a narrow channel dividing Folly from Morris island. An aggregate of several hundred guns were mounted on all of these works, and mostly of English manufac- ture. Added to these batteries were rows of piles ob- structing the main channel, with an opening inviting vessels to enter, at which point was a mine containing five thousand pounds of gunpowder. Between forts Sumter and Moultrie was a heavy rope buoyed with casks holding a perfect tangle of nets, cables and lines attached to torpedoes. These torpedoes were to be exploded by means of electricity transmitted through
157
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
wires from batteries at forts Sumter and Moultrie. Torpedoes were placed at all vulnerable points, to be exploded in various ways. The harbor was a sub- marine table land, dotted with engines of death, with the grim monster waiting the electrical warning to commence his fiendish work of carnage and ruin. Into this net-work of certain destruction the brave Du Pont ordered that little group of ironclads, accompanied by the New Ironsides, within and across the bar, face to face with heavily armed batteries on every hand. Out- side lay the wooden fleet waiting to cover the advance of infantry from Folly island when ordered forward.
Meanwhile the One Hundredth Regiment held the advance on Folly island. Moved to the head of the island and relieved Cos. "D," "K" and " C," and posted Cos. " A," "B," "F," "H" and "I." Company " H," commanded by Capt. Charles E. Wal- bridge, was thrown to the northwest point of the island in close proximity to Light House Inlet. A clear view of Secessionville and Sumter were had in the distance. Subsequently the Thirty-ninth Illinois and Sixty-second Ohio came to the center of the island and halted. Folly island is seven miles long, and from one-fourth to one mile in width. At the time of our landing it was covered with a dense thicket of un- derbrush, together with timber of large and small growth interspersed with the palmetto. The march Hlong its length, even at noonday, was lonely. An uninhabited i-le, a fit abode for wreckers. the white wands, the monotonous moan of the surf at high and
158
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
low tide, and the lifeless appearance of tree and shrub, all contributed to fill the mind of the soldier with de- spondency and gloom. One solitary habitation was all the island contained. It was situated on the west side, on the bank of Folly river, overlooking the mar-li beyond, James island, and the towns of Legareville and Secessionville. This was the situation of the One Hundredth Regiment on the morning of the 7th of April. It held and occupied the extreme point of Folly island, spectators of that grand though fruitless effort to reduce Fort Sumter. The regiment was on a short allowance of food and no fresh water. The ironclads in the channel were preparing for the grandest display of pyrotechnics ever witnessed. Capt. Payne, the scout, could be seen stealthily cronch- ing behind thicket and palm, with field glass in hand. watching the movements of the " gray backs " among the sand hills on Morris island. In the swamp grass. under a blazing sun, as anxious pickets, we waited the booming of the first gun announcing that the artillery carnival had opened. Breathlessly we watched the monitors as they moved within range of the batteries on Morris island, and not a gun from Wagner or Gregg disturbed the awful stillness of the scene. It was a novel and singular sight to see those circular towers with the New Tronsides, stripped of rigging. towering above, a Gulliver among Lilliputs, all slowly grouping, as if for mutual protection, while steadily hearing the armed parapets of Sumter. Soon the silence of earth and air was broken, as at 3.20 P. M.
159
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
the curled smoke from the barbette guns of Sum- ter told to us, the infantry, that the magnificent spectacle was on, and the opening view blazed simultaneously from adjacent batteries. The air seemed filled with exploding shell. Around and near the monitors columns of water were continually ascending, which, together with the wreaths of smoke from exploding shell, helped to make the most sub- lime sight ever witnessed. The thunder storms of all the planets combined, could such a conception be realized, could not equal the deafening roar which saluted all ears. Within the circling jaws of five bat- teries, bristling with the heaviest ordnance America and England could produce, those little monitors en- dured, for one hour and forty minutes, what would have destroyed the navies of the world. Air and islands shook with the successive discharges of artil- lery, while the hearts of the soldiery were beating with hopes and fears as to the ultimate of this modern naval experiment. Our government was waiting, foreign nations were waiting, and the good and patri- otie everywhere were praying to the " God of battles" that the brave old admiral and his equally brave and gallant officers and men might come forth from that hell of hot shot and steel-pointed bolts, victorious and unharmed. The thunders of the bombardment ceased. The smoke of battle lifted. and for one hour and forty minutes that little group of ironclads lived in that at- mogthere of deadly missiles, a thousandfold more terrific than heaven's artillery ever produced in her
160
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
most awful aspect, blended with the thunders and lightnings above and the earthquake's roar beneath. At 5 P. M. Du Pont signaled the fleet to withdraw. The Keokuk was lost, riddled with ninety shots, some of which were eighteen inches in diameter. Sinking, she was withdrawn, passing the batteries on Morris island, Gregg and Wagner, and went down abreast of the works on the south end of the island at 8 P. M., in full view of the One Hundredth Regiment on the north end of Folly island. Most of the monitors had sus- tained slight, and others, apparently, severe injuries. Only one man died of injuries received, and twenty- five were wounded, principally on board of the Keo- kuk and Nahant. The monitors' guns used thirty-five pounds of powder at each charge. The weight of each shot was four hundred and twenty pounds, which. when fired, rushes through its parabola with the weight of ten thousand tons home to its mark, while the ene- my's shot were striking turrets and decks as fast as the ticking of a watch. The rebel batteries fired at the rate of one hundred and sixty shots per minute at a distance of only five hundred to eight hundred yards. The larger number glanced from the monitors as though they were pistol shots. Gen. Ripley affirms that only seventy-six guns were trained upon the squadron. And these not the lighter ordnance, such as thirty-two or forty-two pounders, which form usually the armaments of forts, but of the very heaviest cali- bre, -- the finest and largest guns from the spoils of the Norfolk navy yard, the splendid ten-inch and eleven-
---
1
CHARLES E. WALBRIDGE. Lt. col and A.Q.M. U.S.Vols.
161
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
inch guns cast at the Tredegar works, Richmond, to- gether with the most approved English rifled guns made. It is estimated that the Confederates fired three thousand five hundred shots. During this and subsequent operations against Sumter and adjacent batteries, the nine ironclads fired eight thousand pro- jectiles, and received eight hundred and eighty-two hits. There were six hundred and fifty-three and one- half tons of iron used. The Montauk was hit two hundred and fourteen times, and the Weehawken one hundred and eighty-seven, and almost entirely by ten- inch shot.
162
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE NIGHT AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT. - THE ONE HUN- DREDTHI REGIMENT RELIEVED .- A BATTERY PLANTED. -SIXTY REBELS SWEEP AROUND THE HEAD OF THE ISLAND. - BATTERY WITHDRAWN. - ONE HUNDREDTHI ORDERED TO COLE'S ISLAND. - LANDED ON COLES ISLAND. - ORDERED TO FOLLY ISLAND. - WENT INTO CAMP. - A VIEW OF THE SITUATON. - POSITION OF TROOPS. - A DESCRIPTION OF BEAUFORT, THE NEW- PORT OF THE SOUTII.
The day closed, the night was clear and quiet, save the rocket signals between the city of Charleston. Sumter and surrounding batteries, as well as between the various vessels of our own fleet. Orders were given to the pickets to fire upon all persons approach- ing the line from the outside. To the pickets the ground beyond the line was strange and unknown. An incident happened to the writer which, but for a circumstance, and these pages, if written at all, would have been written by another. We were anxious to get a clearer view of the space beyond our position, as sleep was out of the question, and the power of mili-
163
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
tary had not taken the hold of after years. We strayed, as it proved, outside of the picket line, and in our ap- proach to it was discovered by the picket. We spoke, and our voice saved us, as the person addressed was a former pupil, and there were two overjoyed hearts when the fact was seen and fully understood. A few nights subsequent to this a captain of the Thirty-ninth Illinois was shot by one of his own inen, having wan- dered outside of the line while visiting the piekets.
Morning dawned and a day of suspense followed, while gradually the conviction was entertained by the land forces that the expedition as planned was at an end. Folly island was to be held for future operations. As yet no rebels had been seen on the island.
Col. Dandy arrived at 10 A. M., Wednesday, April Sth, and relieved Lieut. Col. Otis, taking command. The regiment was ordered one and a half miles to the rear. Col. Dandy remained to the front with a few men for observation. The next morning Lieut. Col. Otis went to the front to relieve pickets, and Col. Dandy came to the rear. The rebels had planted guns three hundred yards from our pickets in plain view of the north point of Folly island. Our men were kept from view and not permitted to fire. Gen. Vogdes arrived at the Campbell House and took command. Regiment up all night hauling a battery of guns to the front. Encamped and commenced to arrange it for a short or long stay, as orders might determine. Nothing had arrived from old camp but a little pork, hard tack and coffee. The enemy came over on the
164
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
morning of the 11th, about sixty in number, and fired into our pickets, and Corp. Charles Sabin, of Co. "II." was shot in the heel, and subsequently died, and one man taken prisoner. The rebels swept around the battery commanded by Col. Dandy, without knowing its position, and left the island. The regiment was under arms till + A. M. The pickets were very indig- nant to think that they could not return the fire of the enemy.
Lieut. Col. Otis again relieved Col. Dandy, and during the night of the 11th and morning of the 12th the cannon were hauled to the rear, to a more favor- able position. The Sixty-second Ohio was sent for- ward to relieve the One Hundredth ; still, Col. Dandy took Co. "D" to the front and spent the night. The regiment was ordered back to Cole's island, and the men shouldered knapsacks and turned to retrace their steps after the excitement of a few adventurous days. Waited for transports. Got on board at 1} P. M., and disembarked on Cole's island at + P. M. Lient. Col. Otis, as field officer, posted the pickets. All quiet.
Wednesday, April 15th. Ordered to move camp. Struck tents, shipped baggage on board scow at 10 A. M. Shipped regiment at 3 P. M., and transhipped to Folly island and landed at 7 P. M. The right wing was sent forward with Lieut. Col. Otis, and marched for the Campbell House, reaching the place at 11 P. M. The left wing arrived during the night. The rezi- ment bivouacked on damp ground, and the heavy dew of the night was equal to rain, wetting blankets
165
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
and clothing, which only the morning sun could restore to comfort and agreeable feeling. Adj. Haddock, who had remained at Gloucester Point sick, arrived and entered upon the discharge of his duties, relieving Lieut. Evert, who had acquitted himself in a creditable manner. The regiment pitched camp in the forenoon, and the camp equipage arrived. Col. Dandy and three companies went on picket. Alarms were frequent. Our gunboats shelled the enemy on James island. The Itbor of fatigue commenced. Roads were constructed to the picket line. Four regiments had been left as per- manent occupants of Folly island, known as Howell's brigade, of which the One Hundredth New York was one. The infantry forces were distributed on Folly i-land, Cole's island, at Seabrook, near the month of the North Edisto river, Hilton Head, St. Helena and Beaufort. This was the situation at the opening of that memorable summer of extensive and successful op- erations against Wagner. Sumter, and before Charles- tun. The troops were generally pleasantly situated, especially those at Beaufort. Beaufort, before the war, was the Newport of the South. Situated on Port Royal island, above the junction of Broad and Beaufort rivers, and several miles from the ample har- hor of Port Royal, it is said to be one of the healthiest lowalities on the coast. As we sailed up the bay, in front, around a point of land, was the famed town of Beaufort. On a bluff. above the highest tide. o: bank naturally curved, were the once palatial resi- dences of the Barnwells, Rhetts, and other chivalric
P
166
One Hundredth N. Y. S. Volunteers.
sons of secession, the fathers of the never-government to be. Words are feeble to describe this isle of the bay, this fairy land of the South, with a gem of a town upon it. The stranger is surprised and bewildered at the number of fine structures all along the bay, so large, modern, and costly. In short these mansions and their surroundings were all that wealth, taste and art could suggest. The air is freighted with the aroma of flowers. The oleander, magnolia, fig tree, lemon and orange, as well as the live oak, all so naturally arranged. To have staked these means of social blis; and lose, is the best commentary upon the madness and folly of rebellion. Either these island princes had decided to sacrifice all to their idea of a separate gov- ernment, or they fancied that they could not be dis- turbed in their case and luxury. The latter proved to be a demonstrated error, since they left, as it was announced from the house tops that the forts at the mouth of the harbor were taken. "They left in a great hurry." One well informed, says: " The needle- work was found lying on the table where it was thrown when the alarm first sounded, dresses, and other articles of wardrobe in closet and drawer, silver plate and elegant china in the side board, and book- on the shelves." The stampede was greater than the rout of an army. The negroes commenced the pil-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.