USA > New York > History of the Twenty-second regiment of the National guard of the state of New York; from its organization to 1895, pt 1 > Part 14
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Corps and other commanders are authorized to order the in- stant death of any soldier who fails in his duty at this hour.
By command of
MAJ .- GEN. MEADE. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant- General.
It must be said that the impression created at this time in the minds of the Twenty-second, was that in the incessant hurry and bustle that pervaded everything, there was a great want of system, that there was no great mind overseeing everything and watching that the right man was in the right place. Much of this was certainly unavoidable. Gen. Couch could not see everything done with his own eyes, and was hampered by his subordinates. Yet, the " slack " manner in which matters appeared to be managed, the rushing at a thing for half a day, then leaving that unfinished and going at something else; the subordinates at a loss for orders, and almost everyone doing what seemed right in his own eyes, were the subject of frequent unfavor- able comment, especially among the "thinking bay- onets " of the rank and file. But in justice it must be said that their opportunities of judging were very limited.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OYSTER POINT.
A T about ten o'clock on the morning of the thirtieth of June, an order came from Brig .- Gen. Ewen for the Twenty-second and Thirty-seventh N. Y. N. G. to prepare for a four hours' march, " nothing to be car- ried but canteens." Orders were given for all men not able to march to fall out and report to the surgeon, but none did so. A hasty roll of the drum, a few hur- ried orders from the officers, the line was formed, and in less than fifteen minutes the regiments were off, leav- ing everything behind them. They never returned from that few hours' march.
It is unnecessary to say that this order to march troops in the face of an enemy without their haversacks, and at least one day's rations, was in violation of the established rules of war. How the authorities regarded such an act is shown by the following telegram from Maj .- Gen. Hallock to Gen. Schenck in regard to a por- tion of the latter's command which had been sent for- ward in a similar manner :
WASHINGTON, July 7, 1863.
It is officially reported that troops were sent from Baltimore to Frederick for immediate service, with haversacks and car-
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tridge-boxes empty. Such neglect and carelessness of the officers sending them forward must be investigated and pun- ished.
Gen. Ewen, who was severely criticised for his ac- tion, states in his report that he was ordered (without saying by whom) to march his brigade " without rations for a few hours' service."
Assuming this to be correct, yet if he had possessed any practical experience he would have at least required his men to carry their haversacks, and thus have saved them from subsequent great suffering.
The object of the march was to cut off a body of cavalry and artillery supposed to be a few miles out. In fact, it consisted of Gen. A. G. Jenkins' brigade of Stuart's Cavalry, which was attached to Ewell's Corps. This brigade consisted of the Fourteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Virginia, the Thirty-fourth and Thirty- sixth Virginia battalions and Jackson Virginia Battery. It consisted of 1, 200 mounted infantry and 300 to 400 cavalry, and the battery, all picked men and veterans. Gen. Ewen's Brigade consisted of the Twenty-second and Thirty-seventh, and was accompanied by Gen. W. F. (Baldy) Smith. It marched three miles and formed line of battle in a clover field ; here it waited an hour. As no enemy appeared, Gen. Smith returned with his staff, directing Gen. Ewen to follow. After the brigade had gone about a mile on its return, it was overtaken by a squad of Stanwood's cavalry, who reported having been driven by the enemy, and that the latter were then three miles in their rear. Gen. Ewen at once counter- marched his brigade and went in pursuit, despatching the cavalry in advance.
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The brigade passed the place where it had been pre- viously deployed, and proceeded several miles further. The enemy were concealed in a wood on the right of, and about a quarter of a mile distant from the road, and they promptly announced their presence by a volley as soon as the brigade reached the crest of a hill. They had also taken possession of one of the large brick barns for which this section of Pennsylvania is noted, and which they had loop-holed and filled with their skirmishers. The brigade was then in column in the road. It received no orders from Gen. Ewen. Lieut. (now Colonel) Rufus King, Fourth Artillery U. S. A., Gen. Smith's chief of artillery, seeing the enemy's skir- mishers approaching to take possession of a wood on the left, rode up, and, on his own responsibility, directed two companies of the Twenty-second-Company _1 (Otis) and Company C (Post)-to seize and hold it. They at once deployed and took possession of it, thus covering the left flank of the column. They threw out patrols, who captured a prisoner who turned out to be a badly-scared native, to whom Capt. Otis administered the oath of allegiance, and then sent off for provisions. The rest of the regiment deployed into an open field on the left, and were ordered to lie down, which they did promptly, as the fire was becoming warm. The Thirty-seventh filed by a flank into the field on the right, and passed across a little hill, followed by some com- panies of the Twenty-second. As the leading files came over the brow of the hill, a severe fire was opened upon them, wounding several, among whom were Lieut. Col- gate, who was shot in the neck, and a drummer-boy, who was shot in the hip. The Thirty-seventh was
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ordered to rise and deploy forward. It hesitated to do this, in the face of such a severe fire, and I Company (Capt. Gardner) of the Twenty-second was ordered for- ward by Maj. Grant, of Gen. Ewen's staff, to compel them. The order was unnecessary, for they advanced, and, taking shelter behind a fence, returned the fire. They were at a great disadvantage, as the brick walls of the barn afforded the enemy perfect protection from their shots.
Shells now began to fly fast and thick over the Twenty-second, coming from several directions. The regiment, passing to the left, advanced through a wheat field, where they again laid down, expecting they were to attack one of the opposing batteries. The enemy opened a smart artillery fire upon them and upon the companies in the wood. This was aimed too high, so that the shells, although making a great noise in the woods and showering down many leaves and branches from the trees, did no harm. In the field they burst and tore up the ground, but passed over the regiment. One shell burst in the Thirty-seventh, wounding a number.
A section of Landis' Battery had been following the brigade, and was then about a mile in the rear. At the sound of the firing it mounted its men on the guns and caissons, and came up on a gallop .*
* George E. Pearce, then the Tribune correspondent, in his account to the Tribune, states:
" Just as we gained the crest, crack, crack, went the sharpshooters of the enemy, and down we all went with a rush on our knees in obedience to a command from the officers. Our skirmishers were instantly thrown out, and soon we were responding sharply. The Twenty-second were thrown out on the left of the road and formed their battle line, with Company C (Capt. Post) asskirmishers. This was the position of affairs for about half an hour, when a louder explosion than had yet occurred was heard in the d.s.
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The section was posted in the centre, one gun in the road, and another behind a house to the right, and opened fire. It was the first time the battery had ever fired their guns with projectiles. In fact, one squad was putting in a rifle-shell fuse first when they were stopped by Lieut. King. Lieut. King showed the men how to cut their fuses, and gave such other instructions as, with men of their intelligence, soon made their fire effective. The first shell burst in the barn with such effect that instantly its two great doors were swung open and a swarm of Confederate skirmishers came rushing out and made for the woods, where the main body was posted. The fire of the section was then directed at the Confederate battery with good effect. After a short time the fire of the enemy slackened and then ceased, and they disappeared.
Artillery being then heard on the left, the Twenty- second changed line from front to rear to be in readi- ness to repel an attack from this direction. But this force did not show itself, except by a few cavalry.
While this skirmish was of no particular account in itself, it is really historic. It was at the furthest north- ern point which was reached by the invaders, and marks the crest of the wave of the invasion of Pennsylvania. The retreat of the Confederate force there commenced
1 tance, and whirr came a shell directly over our skirmishers, and over the battalion, and exploded just beyond-a beautiful line'shot, but a little too high. Things began to look serious, as the shell was followed quickly by two round shot, when just at that moment a rumbling was heard in our rear, and two rifled pieces of Landis' Philadelphia Battery appeared com- ing around a bend in the road. Maj. Cox threw up his hat in delight, and as they wheeled in a cornfield on our right, between us and the Thirty-seventh, and opened on the instant, it was with the utmost difficulty the men could be kept from cheering and thus revealing their position to the enemy."
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did not end until the Potomac was crossed. The suc- cess obtained must be largely ascribed to the gallant conduct of Landis' Battery, who, from this time for- ward, became the firm friends of the Twenty-second, a relationship which exists between many of the mem- bers of the two organizations up to this writing.
The farmers in the neighborhood reported that the rebels stated their loss to be sixteen killed and twenty to thirty wounded." Gen. Ewen states in his report that a farmer also reported the force on the left con- sisted of 3.500 men with two guns. It is doubtful, however, if Jenkins had more than 1,600 men.
It was most fortunate for the brigade that the enemy did not discover the small force opposed to them. Lieut. Whelan of the Thirty-seventh had a brother who was an officer in Jenkins' Brigade. In talking of the affair at the armory of the Thirty-seventh, one night after the War, this brother stated that it was supposed by the Confederates that they were opposed by Couch's entire corps, and they therefore did not assume the offensive. That night, before they learned of their error, they received orders to fall back and join Ewell, who had been recalled by Lee to meet the Army of the Potomac.
After a short pursuit, the approach of darkness ad- monished the general in command of the necessity of caution. A halt was ordered, and then orders came to return to Bridgeport. Full of life and spirits, although considerably exhausted by the fatigue of the day, the brigade took up the homeward march. As soon as it
* The New York Times correspondent's report states that sixteen dead Confederates were left on the field.
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had been learned that there had been a " scrimmage," a wagon filled with provisions, and accompanied by all the men on guard at Bridgeport who could by any pos- sibility get excused, pushed out to meet the Twenty- second.
Upon learning that the regiment was returning, the wagon was stopped some miles out and some of the men began to prepare supper for the regiment while the others pushed on and reported to their companies.
The word they brought that supper was not far dis- tant, put fresh vigor in weary limbs, and at once revived all flagging spirits. Practical experience is necessary to appreciate the great difference in the marching pow- ers of troops after a long fast, whether the men are pro- ceeding towards their supper or away from it.
Suddenly an aid rode up with orders to follow up the retreating enemy, and the brigade halted. Then it ap- peared that orders had been given to load up the provision wagon and hurry everything back to Bridge- port so that the men would have supper ready upon their arrival, and that it had departed-another instance of the inefficiency of the brigade staff. Gen. Ewen states in his report :
It was then dark. My command had had no food since break- fast and was destitute of rations and blankets. A considerable portion had been working upon the trenches during the pre- ceding night. I therefore found it impracticable to proceed until rations should be procured, for which requisition was im- mediately made; but owing to the delay in procuring and pre- paring the same, it was daylight before the meal could be made.
In fact, the men were worn out by the hard labor of the preceding days, to which they were unaccustomed. The marching and excitement of the day had also told
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upon them, and, to add to this, to sleep without cover- ing, and with empty stomachs, on the bare ground, was a severe infliction. It was the more felt because they all considered that it was an act of gross negligence for them to have been sent forward without their haver- sacks; and, rightfully or wrongfully, they held their brigade commander responsible for their sufferings. Where soldiers feel that their officers are solicitous of their comfort, and all is being done for them that is possible, they will endure great hardships without com- plaint. But if they suppose their officers are neglecting them, their confidence and respect are gone. Napoleon said, "An army marches on its stomach." To get troops to do good work, they must be fed; and it is as im- portant to see that this is done as to provide them with ammunition.
The following official telegrams show che reason for the order for the brigade to press forward, but not for not forwarding supplies.
Gen. Couch to Gen. Hallock :
HARRISBURG, June 30, 1863.
As telegraphed previously, part of the rebel forces, if not all, have fallen back toward Chambersburg, passing Shippensburg last night in great haste. I expect to hear every minute that my cavalry, under Gen. Smith, has re-occupied Carlisle. My latest information is that Early, with his 8,ooo men, went toward Gettysburg or Hanover, saying they expected to fight a great battle there. At Carlisle they said that they were not going to be outflanked by Hooker.
Gen. Couch to Secretary Stanton :
HARRISBURG, June 30, 1863.
Scouts report a force of rebels having left Carlisle this morn-
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ing by the Baltimore pike, and that Ewell, from York, went northwesterly, which would unite their two forces.
Gen. Hallock to Gen. Couch :
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, 12:15 P. M., June 30, 1863.
Every possible effort should be made to hold the enemy in check on the Susquehanna till Gen. Meade can give him battle. I have no direct communication with Gen. Meade, but he wishes you to be in readiness to act in concert with him. You will probably be able to learn his movements from the country people. He will be close on the enemy's right and rear.
As there was nothing else to be done, the men, drenched as they were with perspiration, without rubber blankets, overcoats, or anything under or over them, lay down in the wet grass by the roadside, in the drizzling rain, and slept as best they could, with the exception of Company G, which was detailed for picket duty, and got but little sleep. . The provision wagon of the Twenty-second came back about 2 A. M., and some coffee and hard tack were dealt out to the few who were awake.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ADVANCE ON CARLISLE.
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A T daylight the men awoke and received three crackers per man and nothing else, a light and frugal repast on which to start on their first long march, with the prospects of its ending in a fight. Gen. Ewen made a brief address, stating that the command was going to Carlisle, where they would again meet the enemy, and the brigade advanced at 4 A. M., Company B (Lieut. Remmey) of the Twenty-second being deployed as skirmishers, followed by Company I (Capt. Gardner) as an advance guard, then came the Thirty-seventh (Col. Roome being senior to Col. Aspinwall) and then the Twenty-second and Lieut. Perkins' section of Landis' Battery. After proceeding cautiously a few miles, citizens returning from Carlisle to Harrisburg gave information that the force that had been encoun- tered the day before had passed rapidly through Carlisle about daylight, carrying with them a number of killed and wounded in ambulances." The regiment also learned, at least the men in the ranks did, that the rebel pickets were close to Carlisle.
The day was beautiful, though rapidly becoming too warm for comfort, and by ten o'clock it was scorching
* Gen. Ewen's report.
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hot. The route lay through a most lovely country. Scarcely anywhere can the eye rest on finer scenery, more beautiful fields, more comfortable farm-houses, or more magnificent barns (for magnificent is the only adjective applicable to those structures) than those of southern Pennsylvania. But the houses were deserted, the farms pillaged, everything of value, everything that could walk, or be eaten or stolen, had been swept away by the invader, and the peaceful population were fugi- tives. The most stringent orders were issued to the brigade against entering the empty houses and against pillage of every description, which were then and after- wards enforced, the temptation being great for the hungry and badly supplied men to help themselves. In fact some of the Thirty-seventh during the night procured blankets and bed quilts from the empty houses, the quilts being of the most variegated pat- tern and presenting a most unmilitary appearance.
The men of the Twenty-second were stiff, sore and far from amiable when they started, but after a short time, as the fatigue of the previous night wore off, the excitement of the coming fight began to be felt, and the echoes of song and laughter floated down the column and were taken up and re-echoed from com- pany to company till they died away in the distance, and "all went merry as a marriage bell"-for a time.
The roads were good, the air pure, halts had been permitted; there was nothing to find fault with. The people, like those of Philadelphia, were as kind and hospitable as could be desired. In Hogestown, a little village on the "pike," and all along the road, wherever there were occupied houses, the women (and very pretty
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women some of them were, too) turned out en masse with trays of bread and apple-butter, and buckets of cool spring water for the benefit of the troops, atten- tion which was the more appreciated from its contrast with the customs of Harrisburg.
A regiment of Pennsylvania reserves, which had started fresh and well fed from Bridgeport that morn- ing, and had gained on the brigade while it had been retarded by the slow progress of the skirmishers through the tall grain and tangled wheat, pressed on when the rumor began to spread that Carlisle was evacuated, and, in a manner which was not considered to be consistent with either the rules of war or politeness, undertook to push their way past the brigade (which was proceeding by the flank) "to get in ahead of the Yorkers" and win the honors of the victory from those who thought they had borne the burden and heat of the day. This did not meet with the approval of the commanding officers of the Twenty-second. When, therefore, the new-comers pushed up on the right, the head of the column gently obliqued that way close up to the roadside. If they changed to the other side, a simple "left oblique " rendered passage on that impracticable ; and when they attempted, with profound strategy, to come up on both sides, the order, " By company into line," filled the road from fence to fence with a solid front of men and barred their further progress.
Then, letting down the fences, the persistent Penn- sylvanians took to the field, and attempted to pass in that manner. At the sight of this a wild cry of "double quick " went up from the rear to the front of the col- umn, and, breaking into a "double," the brigade swept
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on for half a mile, leaving its competitors far in its rear, whence they never emerged to trouble it.
This performance, it may be remarked, was not of a highly military nature, and Gen. Ewen should not have permitted his command to be thus interfered with. It induced Gen. Aspinwall to order the advance guard under Capt. A. B. Gardner (I) to push. forward as rapidly as possible. This was done, and they were the first to enter the town.
It had been reported, it is true, from passing bug- gies and straggling squads of paroled prisoners, that the village itself had been evacuated. But all had united in asserting that the rebels were still very near, several stating that they were just on the outskirts of the place. With troops as tired and hungry as those that composed the brigade, and who were not yet inured to marching, it would seem to have been the part of wisdom to con- duct the march so as to keep the men as fresh as pos- sible. The urgency was great, however, and Gen. Smith was bent upon getting possession of Carlisle before Stuart's raiders could reach it.
After the skirmishers were called in, the march had been rapid. It now became forced. That meant, in this instance, a march where speed is such an object that everything must be disregarded, and, well or ill, suffering or not, " the men must push on."
Push on they did, and from the halt, more than ten miles from Carlisle, until the regiment prepared to meet the enemy within it, no rest was allowed. At Kings- ton, a small, but patriotic, village on the road, where the women stood at their doors with piles of bread and apple-butter, all expected, as a matter of course, that
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they would be allowed rest and a chance to obtain some food. But, although it was now noon, and no rations had been received since the morning of the previous day (except a little bread and apple-butter obtained by a few of the lucky ones at Hogestown), no halt was permitted, and the hungry men were compelled to " close up " and march away from the food that stood ready for them. Anyone who thinks this was not a sacrifice had better try the experiment.
Here occurred one of the instances of the want of confidence entertained by the men toward Gen. Ewen. If they had known of the emergency that existed for reaching Carlisle, and that the march was pressed by di- rection of Gen. Smith, they would have submitted to it without discontent. But they did not know it, and re- garded the way they were being pushed as arising from the want of military knowledge of Gen. Ewen, and as un- necessary. Consequently, while they obeyed orders they growled horribly. In fact, they never forgave Gen. Ewen for what they suffered upon that never-to-be-for- gotten march. Gen. Smith was not with the column, or he would doubtless have managed matters differently. He had ordered Col. Brisbane's brigade to move from Bridgeport at daylight, but they had been unable to do so until 9 A. M. for want of transportation. He had then ridden to headquarters to receive instructions and make arrangements for supplies and transportation. It would appear that Gen. Couch's staff had never con- templated the idea that an advance might be made. It is certain that they were wholly unprepared for it. Gen. Smith then re-crossed the river and ordered Gen. Bris- bane's brigade to move as far forward as practicable
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and encamp, and to move at an early hour in the morn- ing. There was some trouble with the Eleventh N. Y. N. G., which was unwilling for some reason to march, but finally did so, so that it was not until 3:30 P. M. that Gen. Smith could leave Bridgeport to join the advance.
There can be but little doubt that Gen. Smith was greatly " disgruntled" at being assigned to this com- mand. He considered it a great descent from the magnificent corps in the Army of the Potomac that he had formerly commanded, and he was in that state of mind familiarly known as " sour." He always spoke well of the Twenty-second, but he had profound con- tempt for many of the hasty levies and for the general officers of the National Guard under him. His feelings probably led him to display a good deal more indiffer- ence to his division than many officers would have done, and, some thought, induced him to show a dispo- sition " to let things go anyhow " without trying very hard to improve them, a fact which appears in his cor- respondence. It would seem as if he might have shown more active interest in improving the discipline of the command or in looking out for their comfort. If he had, he could largely have added to their efficiency. On the other hand, while he was miserably supplied, not even being provided with a quarter-master," no com- plaint appears in his letters, nothing but the most soldierly spirit to do the best he could with what he had, and he was very popular in his division.
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