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 17
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
A line of what appeared to be woods lying to the southeast of the town, was the cause of considerable anxiety during the night. Its edge was fringed with Confederate skirmishers, whose actions induced the be- lief that a force was being assembled in the woods in their rear, which would have to be driven out. An at- tacking party was formed at about one o'clock, com- posed of detachments from several different com- panies, while the rest of those in the neighborhood prepared to support them. But the pressure from this
238
History of the twenty: Second Regiment
point was withdrawn and the idea of attacking it was therefore abandoned. When daylight broke it was seen that the "woods," which had been seen so clearly in the night, were a mere hedgerow, and that the enemy had been merely holding it to cover the road in the rear over which they were pushing their trains to the south.
The following extract from a letter from Lieut. Samuel C. Perkins of Landis' Battery, to Col. Aspinwall, written shortly after the return of the regiment, shows the disposition made of the artillery :
The guns of my section were placed in position at the south- ern entrance to the town, one commanding the approach by the Papertown Road, and the other the approach by a lane which came into the road at right angles on the left alongside of a brick house and white garden fence. A barricade was thrown up in front of the piece which commanded the road. The Twenty-second Regiment, I know, or at least a large part of it, was present, supporting the artillery. I remember the dispo- sition of the regiment, part deployed in line of battle across the road and lying down on their arms behind the gun, part behind the fence on the left of the road, and part of Capt. Otis' com- pany placed in the brick house at the corner of the lane and road, to act as sharp shooters.
It was a trying night to all the troops, owing to the inces- sant watchfulness required on the part of every man to meet any attack which might be made and which was momentarily expected. The shelling of the town was continued at intervals up till 3 o'clock of the morning of July 2, all directed towards the centre of the town. The fields and underbrush to our front and left were filled with the enemy's skirmishers, who at times ventured within 100 yards of our position. We were forbidden to open fire, and some few scattering shots from skirmishers was the only firing in our immediate vicinity, and some of your men (i. e., of the Twenty-second) were sent out as scouts from time to time. At one time the heads of columns were thought
239
history of the twenty- Second Regiment
to be seen advancing to attack us, and I well remember the alacrity and coolness with which the officers and men of your command sprung to attention and awaited the charge. Through the whole night there was nothing to warrant anything but commendation of their conduct.
The other two sections of our battery were stationed in the square and had several men wounded, two horses killed and several disabled by the fire of the enemy. Capt. Landis him- self commanded the guns exclusively.
For the purpose of protecting the flanks, it was found requisite that outlying pickets or scouts should be sent as far out to the front as they could go, to give all the notice possible of any advance of the enemy. The service was one of such danger, and the assurance of being "gobbled" by the rebels so great, that the regular cavalry detailed for that duty refused to per- form it. Col. Aspinwall, hearing of this, offered to supply their places. The offer was accepted, and a detail was made from Company D Twenty-second Regiment ( which was one of those guarding the barri- cade across the road), which spent the entire night, without support, patrolling the approaches. For this they were specially complimented by Lieut. King, the division chief of artillery.
Why the enemy did not attack and capture the whole command, or at least try to do so, was a mystery to the members of the Twenty-second.
The newspapers had published sensational reports of the great uprising of the North, and Gen. Stuart un- doubtedly supposed the whole of Couch's troops were concealed in the village, endeavoring to draw him into a trap. It is known that some of the stragglers who were picked up by the enemy had told the largest stories
240
history of the twenty- Second Regiment
they could as to the strength and powers of the "First Division."#
It is also stated that farmers who had been asked as to the time taken for the column to pass, named so many hours that Stuart thought that the force must be a large one, not calculating that the farmers had counted the stream of worn-out men who had followed the column as fast as they regained their strength. His report page 223 ante shows that he feared that the failure to return his fire was a trap to draw him into the town.
After two hours cannonading, the firing ceased and the demand for surrender mentioned in the official re- ports was renewed. When it was refused, firing was re-opened.
It had now become a clear moonlight night. A por- tion of the artillery was so near that the commands of the officers could be distinctly heard by the companies of the Twenty-second. which were in the southern part of the town, and the incessant flash and roar of the guns, the "screech" of shells flying overhead, and the heavy
* Leland states : " We were saved by a good, strong, tremendous lie, well and bravely told. There was a somewhat ungainly, innocent, rustic- looking youth in our company, from whose eyes simple truth peeped out like two country girls at two Sunday-school windows. He, having been sent to the barracks to get some fodder, with strict injunctions to return immediately, of course, lay down at once in the hay and had a good, long nap. The rebels came and routed him out, but promised to let him go free on condition that he would tell the sacred truth as to how many of us Fed- eral troops were in Carlisle. And he, moved by sympathy for his kind captors, and swearing by the Great Copperhead Serpent, begged them to fly for their lives- 'for twenty regiments of regulars, and Heaven only knows how many volunteers, had come in that afternoon, and the whole North was rising, and trains running, and fresh levies pouring in.'" (Leland Memoirs, pp. 253, 254.)
,
241
history of the twenty- Second Regiment
jar of their explosion among the buildings in the rear, seemed strangely inconsistent with the calm beauty of the scene. At times it seemed doubtful whether the in- cessant uproar was really the bombardment of a quiet village; for, during the momentary pauses of the can- nonade, the chirp of the katydid, and the other peaceful sounds of a country summer night, were heard as though nature could not realize that human beings had sought that quiet spot to destroy each other.
It must not be supposed that any such sentiment, or, in fact, any sentiment whatever, was exhibited on the part of the Twenty-second. On the contrary, for as soon as it became evident that no immediate attack would be made, the men (with the exception of the pa- trols and skirmishers), whether crouching at the house windows, or lying on their faces in the wet grass, went to sleep with a unanimity charming to witness.
They had been told not to sleep, on peril of their lives, but they were so worn out that they could not keep awake, so that finally one-half the men were permit- ted to sleep while the other half watched .*
That they were able to do this was largely owing to the inefficiency of the artillery practice. The Confed- erate guns had been placed upon a ridge overlooking the town, and, in the dark, fired high, particularly before the flag of truce was sent in, so that the shells, with the exception of those directed into the square, went over the outskirts of the town where the troops were stationed.
Some time before dawn preparations were made to
* The hardest thing of all was to keep the men awake; and even the skirmishers, so near the enemy's battery that they could see every motion and hear every order given by them, had to keep passing words down the line in a whisper to keep them awake .* * * Pearce's Tribune correspondence.
242
history of the twenty: Second Regiment
receive the attack, which it was expected would be made as soon as the first streak of daylight disclosed the posi- tion and strength, or rather weakness, of the besieged. Officers bustled nervously around, the sleepers were cautiously awakened, and all stood to arms, with the stern determination to resist to the bitter end. Much to their gratification, the announcement that the rebels had retreated, gave them an opportunity to look around and ascertain the damages.
From the constant uproar, the screams, the report of the bursting shells, the glare of the flames, the smashing of buildings, and the other sounds incident to a bom- bardment, which had greeted the ears of the Twenty- second during the preceding night, they had generally expected that the morning would show the town to be a heap of ruins, and the great majority, both of troops and inhabitants, bleeding in the streets.
Never was there a greater mistake. It was really wonderful to think that so much cold iron could be fired into an inhabited place, and cause so little loss of life and limb. To be sure, much property had been destroyed, any amount of houses struck, many greatly damaged. One had a hole blown into it, so it could be seen where a shell had passed into a room and had ex- ploded under a bed. The roofs and windows generally looked dilapidated enough. But, as in the other bom- bardments of the war, the destruction had been far from universal, and the loss of life small.
The citizens; concealed in the cellars, and the sol- diers, lying flat behind the cemetery walls and in the fields, had almost entirely escaped the iron tempest. Shells had gone under and over any amount of people,
243
history of the twenty Second Regiment
but had really hit very few. Some of the townspeople were hurt, but the exact number is unknown. Some of the reserves who were in the streets suffered con- siderably. The Thirty-seventh, always unlucky, had some hurt; while the Twenty-second, with more than their usual good fortune, got off with one or two slightly hurt. J. W. Morton (B Company) had his foot cut by a piece of shell, but he was the only one who was in- jured enough to go to the hospital. Capt. A. B. Gard- ner ( I ) while going through the town with a message to General Smith was struck in the leg and was obliged to ride on horseback for a few days, General Ewen hay- ing furnished him a horse and temporarily attached him to his staff. The townspeople gave to the newspaper correspondents the names of one killed and sixteen wounded among our troops. This, however, only inclu- ded those who went into the hospitals. Private Scott, of Landis' Battery, died of his wounds. One caisson had a wheel shot away, and ten or twelve horses were wounded, four of which had to be killed or abandoned.
The Confederate loss is unknown, but was supposed to have been considerable.
One of Landis' Battery, who was taken prisoner at the barracks, reported that the few shots that had been fired had been so accurate that the enemy were obliged to move their guns into an adjoining field, out of range. One shell struck a tree alongside of their battery, another dismounted one of their guns, and a third, ex- ploding over a gun, killed and wounded eight men, and stampeded their horses.
The following account of the damage done to the
244
history of the twenty Second Regiment
town is taken from the account written for the Carlisle American by Prof. S. D. Hillman :
Shells exploded in houses and in the streets. Main Street, in which one of our batteries was placed, was raked by grape and shell and solid shot. In the midst of the firing could be heard the wailing of frightened women and screaming of chil- dren running about the town seeking places out of reach of the enemy's shot; but most of the families had taken to their cellars, and this saved their lives. It was an artillery duel nearly alto- gether. Sixteen of our soldiers were wounded; none killed. *
* * *
* *
The Episcopal church received several shots. One shell burst in the Presbyterian church. Some of the houses the balls passed clean through; in others they passed the first wall and burst inside, shattering doors and destroying furniture. The vacation of the upper rooms alone saved life. Several houses received each from four to six shells or heavy shot. Along the central street of the town the trees and doorsteps are marked by grape, and doors and windows and walls scarred by ex- ploded shell. One ball, shot at an angle with the college wall, cut the stile off the window-shutter, passed in, struck the win- dow jamb of the stone wall, exploded and tore out about two cubic feet of stone and mortar, broke down a door and covered the floor of the room with stone, splinters of wood and mortar. * *
Hundreds of females were on the street looking at and carrying food to the newly-arrived soldiers when the shells began to fall among them. It seems like a miracle that they escaped. From careful inquiry I estimate that about twenty shells exploded inside of private dwellings.
Capt. Asa Bird Gardner (subsequently Assistant Judge Advocate-General U. S. A.) subsequently re- ceived a medal of honor from the Government for his services on this occasion.
When daylight broke the detachment that occupied the southern house " fell in." but only to be confronted
245
History of the twenty- Second Regiment
with a novel adversary. The female proprietor ap- peared and viewed with a housekeeper's consternation the condition of her home. No particular harm had been done, but the furniture was piled in the corners, the beds rolled up and placed at the windows to protect the sharp-shooters, the carpets were covered with mud, and the place looked as if a cyclone had struck it. It must also be confessed that all the bread and some pre- serves were missing. Planting herself in the hall, she announced that " not a man should leave that house un- til she had been all over it and seen just what damage had been done." The spectacle of one woman, however angry, facing seventy armed soldiers was peculiar. Capt. Otis tried to expostulate, but without avail; the lady held her position. So he ended the discussion by the command "forward march," at which the company shouldered past the irate lady, leaving her still scolding.
On the afternoon of July 1, Gen. Knipe's brigade, consisting of the Eighth and Seventy-first, N. Y. N. G., marched from Bridgeport in support of Gen. Ewen, and was followed by the rest of the division. Gen. Knipe being an experienced officer, they started with two days' cooked rations, knapsacks and blankets, and were al- lowed halts. At 10 o'clock they camped in a field thir- teen miles from Carlisle, and witnessed the bombard- ment, expecting that the town would be captured.
If they had marched towards the firing and come in upon Stuart's rear, they would have accomplished great results. Gen. Ewen states in his official report :
We remained at Carlisle during the second and third of July. The Eleventh Regiment, N. G., rejoined my command at the latter date, having arrived with the remaining troops of the division,
246
History of the twenty- Second Regiment
consisting of three regiments, N. G. S. N. Y. of New York City, under command of Brig .- Gen. Knipe, three regiments, com- posing the Eleventh Brigade, N. G. S. N. Y. of Brooklyn, com- manded by Brig .- Gen. Jesse C. Smith, and a section of Landis' Battery *- the whole under the command of Gen. Knipe.
This column, it appears by the annexed communication from Gen. Jesse C. Smith, left Fort Washington for Carlisle on the afternoon of the day my command marched from Oyster Point, July 1, arriving on the 3. They " heard heavy firing in the di- rection of Carlisle " before halting, and saw " the light from the burning barracks at that place." The column halted about 9 o'clock at night, "Gen. Knipe going forward to see if he could get communication with Gen. W. F. Smith, then at Car- lisle, about thirteen miles distant, and did not return until 2 o'clock in the morning. At 3 o'clock, Gen. Couch, pursuant to whose directions my command of two small regiments, about 900 men and two field pieces, had been ordered to follow up the enemy the preceding night, without rations or blankets, and while deemed to be engaged with the enemy, sent peremptory orders for this command to return to Fort Washington. It is but just, however, to Gen. Couch to say, that at the time of giving such orders, it was too late for this force to render any assistance to the troops at Carlisle. Had it, however, gone for- ward promptly, and quietly entered the town during the bom- bardment, as it might unquestionably have done several hours before the retirement of the enemy, it could, as a separate dis- posable force, have been instrumental in surprising and effect- ively destroying or capturing the enemy, who could have been surprised and attacked on his left flank or rear from the south side of the town at any time before his retirement. Being a cavalry force hemmed in by the road, a single available regiment might have approached it very closely under cover of the darkness and poured in upon it a very destructive fire."
The division was awakened at 2 A. M. the next morn- ing and marched back towards Harrisburg three miles,
* This was an error for Miller's Houston Battery (Report of Gen. Jesse C. . Smith). Landis' Battery was in Carlisle during the attack.
247
history of the twenty Second Regiment
there probably being doubt which way Stuart was going and as to whether Carlisle was not taken. They spent most of July 2 waiting, during which time the men were allowed to scatter all over the country, and in the afternoon instead of being pushed forward as they should have been were marched further north and en- camped. On July 3, they were finally marched to Car- lisle, which they reached at sunset.
This, as subsequent events proved, was a waste of valuable time, as Gen. Smith could not move without them, and the delay probably prevented his reenforcing Meade at Gettysburg.
The following report from Gen. Haupt to Gen. Hallock shows that the former had accurately grasped the situation and the necessity of hanging upon the rear of the enemy, however great the risk :
Gen. H. Haupt, Superintendent of Railroads, to Gen Hallock :
HARRISBURG, July 1, 1863, 6 A. M. * *
*
I found that there had been some skirmishing near Harris- burg yesterday, that the forces gathered for the protection of the place amounted to 16,000 men, and that information in re- gard to the movements, position and numbers of the enemy, and arrangements for keeping advised of the same, were ap- parently reliable.
It appears to have been the intention of the enemy to attack Harrisburg yesterday. Our forces, supposed to have been Pleasonton's, were resisting their movements, and, T. A. Scott said, had actually succeeded in retarding the advance on Har- risburg, and compelled a retreat. I thought I saw a much more decisive and important move on the tapis.
Lee had received information of the removal of Hooker, and by suddenly concentrating and falling upon
248
History of the twenty: Second Regiment
Meade he could be crushed, when Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia would all be at the mercy of the enemy.
That those at Harrisburg anticipated the capture of the brigade at Carlisle, appears from the official corre- spondence. At 9:15 P. M., on July 1, Gen. Hallock telegraphed to Gen. Couch from the War Department at Washington :
There seems to be a strong probability of a battle not far from Emmitsburg. It is to be hoped that you will assist Gen. Meade by operating on the enemy's left flank or left rear towards Gettysburg.
Gen. Couch replied :
HARRISBURG, July 1, 1863.
Dispatch received. I have sent out a force in the direc- tion of Carlisle. It has been attacked by a body of cavalry, at least, and just now things do not look well.
In fact, it appears from his correspondence, and still more from his actions, that Gen. Couch was quite in- clined to look upon the gloomy side of things, and it would appear that he could have accomplished much more with his command, unorganized as most of it was, if he had displayed more boldness.
The repulse of Lee at Carlisle was very welcome to the authorities; the more so as the foregoing telegram from Gen. Couch shows that it was unexpected. Gen. Thomas, who had been sent to Harrisburg to represent the War Department, telegraphed to Secretary Stanton, at 4:30 P. M., on July 2, as follows :
It having been ascertained that the rebels in front of this place were falling back, Gen. Smith, yesterday morning, moved up the Cumberland Valley, with some 2,000 infantry and a bat- tery of artillery, and reached Carlisle, which he found evacuated. Fifteen minutes thereafter, his scouts reported the enemy ad-
249
history of the twenty- Second Regiment
vancing on the York and Carlisle turnpike. He concentrated his force in the town, where the enemy attacked him about 8 o'clock.
The force proved to be a cavalry one, with some artillery, under Fitz-Hugh Lee, who, it is said, expected to find the place occupied by rebels.
Three several times Lee, by flag of truce, demanded its sur- render, which was as often refused. There was constant skir- mishing and heavy artillery fire. At 10 P. M., Lee fired the barracks, which were destroyed. About 2 he retired on the Baltimore turnpike, toward Papertown.
Our loss was trifling, though they may have taken some prisoners from the many stragglers on the march.
Gen. Smith's aid, Lieut. Dougherty, in endeavoring to com- municate with Gen. Couch, was captured. Gen. Knipe's force, some 2,000, with a most indifferent battery of artillery, which encamped some nine miles in advance of this, joined Gen. Smith to-day.
As soon as it was definitely known that the rebels had retreated, the brigade, at 5 A. M., dispensing with the little formality of breakfast, marched to the top of a hill, about a mile south of the town, and formed line of battle in an oat-field. As soon as this was done, the men, exhausted by the twenty-five miles' march of the preceding day, the fatigue of the night, and the want of sleep for several previous days, with one ac- cord, lay down in the blazing sun, and slept till late in the afternoon.
About 4 o'clock, some breakfast (or rather supper), in the shape of a little pork and potatoes, was issued ; but just as the men were getting ready to eat, the dul- cet notes of the " Assembly " burst upon their unwill- ing ears, and they had to " fall in." Of course they obeyed; but, not relishing the idea of marching away from the only meal that had been seen for twenty-four
-
250
history of the twenty: Second Regiment
hours (a thing which they had been compelled to do more than once before), a universal dash was made at the pans; and the regiment fell in, and marched off, every man with a piece of pork in one hand and a potato in the other, eating away for dear life, and form- ing a tout ensemble not often equalled. The regiment then marched to an open field near the ruined barracks, and about a mile from the town, where it slept all night without shelter, the rain pouring down in torrents. As most were without shelter tents or blankets, this was far from agreeable. During the afternoon some trains arrived from Harrisburg.
With the exception of a little picket duty, the next day was devoted, by all hands, to the most energe ic rest- ing. A sutler arrived, and his stock disappeared like magic. To some the day was blessed by the receipt of their knapsacks, haversacks, overcoats and rubber blankets (which had been sent on from Harrisburg). Happy few ! But their joy only made more melancholy the condition of the great majority, whose portables still remained behind, safely stowed in Harrisburg-so safely that, as far as the owners were concerned, they might as well have been in New York. In fact, the owners of one-half of them never found them again. The few who received their knapsacks only took a few essentials, and left them, merely carrying a blanket or overcoat rolled. In truth, from the commencement of their " two-hours'" march until the regiment arrived in New York (just three weeks), neither officers nor privates were ever enabled to change even their under- clothing, but soaked by day and steamed by night in the clothes they wore when they started; which, con- sequently, in no very long time, assumed an indescrib-
9
---
251
history of the twenty- Second Regiment
able color and condition. Many managed, by hook or by crook, during the subsequent marches, to beg, bor- row, or " win" some rubber blankets. But at least one in six were without that indispensable article, whose absence renders life on the march " a lengthened misery long drawn out." More than one in four were without overcoats. Plates there were practically none; spoons were very scarce; and such things as forks, combs and even soap could not be procured. Soap, for instance, it would be thought, could be obtained anywhere ; but, unfortunately, the Confederates were short of soap themselves, and, immediately on entering a place, pro- ceeded to appropriate every square inch of that article that could be found therein, so that when the Twenty- second came along a few days afterward, nothing saponaceous could be obtained for love or money.
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.