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 21
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defies at once the rain above and the mud below ; or. more ambitious grown, the spoils of four are combined. and a shelter, รก la rebel, is speedily constructed, which is roofed with two rubber blankets, and the proprietors lying underneath on the other two, are at once the ad- miration and envy of their comrades. . If in the woods, shelters are built of boughs. The company rails being obtained, are split, a fire started, and supper cooked (if there is anything to cook), and the men, after smoking - the pipe of peace, lie down, some around the fire, and the rest where they halted in the first instance, and in two minutes are in the land of dreams, blessing the memory of the discoverer of tobacco, and the man who invented sleep.
At the first streak of daylight all are awake; a hur- ried breakfast is made, or not (generally not ), ablutions are likewise dispensed with. The "assembly " sounds; rubber blankets and overcoats are hastily rolled and slung by those who are lucky enough to have them. few hurried orders are passed along the line ; the troops fall in and march off; and in half an hour the trampled ground, the ashes of numerous fires, and the ruined fences, alone tell that ten thousand men have camped there for the night.
For some time the division had been pressing hard upon the heels of Lee's retreating army, and at every step new signs of the rapidity of his movements were to
STATE HISTORIAN'S OFFICE, ALBANY, N. Y.
I rom " Harpers' Werkly," by permission McDonnell Bros., Chicago.
REVEILLE IN CAMP_S A **
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be seen. He moved in three columns, the cavalry and artillery taking the road, and the infantry the fields on each side, through which their trampling had made a trodden path as wide as a city street, the standing wheat being cut up into pieces like tooth-picks. The road was churned into a muddy mass, mid-leg deep, in which were frequently encountered wagons, and even caissons, broken down and stuck fast. Occasionally this mud would be mixed with percussion-shells which had been thrown out, partly to lighten a caisson and partly as torpedoes.
Once at a halt, a squad of the regiment was standing in the mud and one of them caught his foot in some- thing, which he began to kick until he kicked it into sight. What appeared was the fuse end of a 3-inch per- cussion-shell, and the kicker promptly stopped.
Throughout the whole route, numbers of Confed- erate wounded were found in the houses by the road- side, deserters without end were encountered, white broken wagons, abandoned ammunition, canteens, etc., etc., were strewed on every side. Yet, notwithstanding these appearances of demoralization, it was evident from the accounts of the country people, that, though much dispirited by their late defeat, Lee's army was far from being the mere mob that it was believed by some to be.
It is true that the mountains were full of stragglers. and the Union cavalry were constantly passing with crowds of prisoners in their charge. Yet, the main army was full of fight, and when it turned on its pur- suers, as it frequently did, like a stag at bay, it was not to be despised.
STATE HISTORIAN 3ALBANY, N. Y.
history of the twenty Second Regiment
From the formation of the ground, in that section of country, the retreating army derived a great ad- vantage over its pursuers. It was constantly enabled to take positions too formidable to be attacked except in strong force, and where a mere show of strength would check the pursuit until a. deployment could be made. Then before Meade could concentrate his forces, Lee's rear guard would be off. At Altodale (or Funkstown), in par- ticular, with the sim- plest materials, a steep slope, fronted by the Antietam, had been converted by the rebels into a second Frederick s- burg. This was all that saved them, for Gen. Meade pressed the pursuit fast and furious.
PRIVATE BOGERT. SERGT. JOS. W. WILDEY. SECOND LIEUT. THEO. GASCOUGH. SERGT. MARVIN R. PEARSALL. FIRST LIEUT. JOHN T. CAMP.
On the evening of the eleventh, Company B of the Twenty-third, Capt. Goldiwait, with a company of the Seventy-first and a squad of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry were sent out on the Hagerstown road by Gen. Knipe's directions. They heard the enemy moving all night, their army being then at Hagerstown, four miles
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off, and moving in two columns, one in the road and one in the fields.
On July 11, an election was had to fill the vacancies in the field officers in the Twenty-second. Maj. James Fairley Cox was elected lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. James Otis (A Company) major, George Fuller being elected captain in his place. Capt. W. W. Remmer was elected as captain of B, and Lieut. John T. Camp as its first lieutenant.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
SUPPORTING KILPATRICK'S ATTACK ON HAGERSTOWN.
O N the morning of Sunday, July 12, the Twenty- second found itself at Cavetown, almost used up. The men had had no breakfast; and, from a variety of causes, the march had been one of the most wearisome they had yet experienced. The morning was sultry and exhausting beyond expression, the atmosphere heavy, with that peculiar feeling which precedes a thunder- storm. In addition, the shoes of all were so nearly worn out that the sharp stones, which covered and almost paved a most abominable wheat-field, through which they had passed on the route, had disabled many, whose feet were just recovering from the blisters of previous marches. The route had been back to Leiters- burg, then to the right, over the Cavetown road, thence across fields and up hill to a plateau overlooking Cave- town, which was seven miles southeast of Leitersburg. From there the march was down the hill to the Hagers- town pike.
On halting, the division formed line of battle across the road, facing Hagerstown, and planted its guns to command the pike. The object was to support Gen. Kilpatrick, who had gone forward that morning to
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attack Hagerstown. Arms were stacked, and the regi- ment lay down behind them to rest, first sending details in all directions to forage for a meal.
While the men were idling around, bemoaning the condition of their feet, and discussing the chances of capturing Hagerstown, the sultry promise of the morn- ing was amply redeemed by a most tremendous thunder- storm. The rain fell in torrents (but this was a matter of course, and excited no remark). The thunder pealed and the lightning flashed all around; too near to some. Five men of the Fifty-sixth Brooklyn were struck, one of whom died instantly. Another, who was struck blind, died shortly afterwards, and the other three were badly hurt. The pieces were stacked with fixed bayonets, from the points of which the electricity danced in constant sparkles of blue flames. As the guns were all loaded, this was interesting; yet no one dared to go near them while it continued. A gun belonging to the Thirty-seventh was shattered to pieces by the electric fluid, but, curiously, without discharging it; and several men in the different regiments were reminded, by slight shocks, that the farther they kept from the stacks of arms, the better.
During the afternoon the cars and eyes of the Twenty-second were gladdened, the one by intelligence that Hagerstown had been taken after a sharp fight, the other by the sight of their dinner (or breakfast) coming up the road, in the shape of an astonished ox, who, when he threw up his head in response to the cheers which greeted his entre, was shot, skinned, and boiling, before he fairly knew what he was wanted for. Finally, the arrival and distribution of a case of shoes
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to those who were actually barefoot, put the regiment in the seventh heaven of delight. They also found some tobacco ! To be sure it was poor stuff, apparently a villainous compound of seaweed and tea; but only those who have known what it is to see their stock of the precious weed vanish day by day, with no available means of replenishing it, can imagine their feelings on finding a supply, after they had been reduced to less than a quarter of a pound to a company.
At Cavestown the writer was detailed to forage. Stopping with his squad at a little house near the main road, which was trodden into pulp, the two daughters of the house, one of them a very pretty auburn-haired girl, upon learning that their visitors had eaten nothing since the morning previous, "hustled" to get them a meal in a way which has endeared that colored hair to the whole party. While they were cating, her mother said, "First the rebs' went by, then they came back and went by again, now you Union troops is after them. Laws a massy, I never supposed there was so many men in the whole everlasting universe."
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE EXPECTED BATTLE.
A T this time Gen. Meade was concentrating his forces in front of Lee, who had taken up a strong position on the heights near Williamsport, and Lee was pushing his attempts to cross the Potomac. The country people reported that the water would not sub- side sufficiently to allow the river to be crossed for some days, but the result proved that they were mistaken.
At about 12 o'clock on Monday, July 13. the col- umn camped by division, some three miles from Gen. Meade's headquarters, and about the same distance from Boonesboro, at a place where the old bivouacs of the Army of the Potomac filled the air with the nauseating smells incident to deserted camps.
As the Twenty-second marched up the hill to its camping-ground, the camp-fires of the Army of the Potomac began to blaze up, extending in thousands to each side as far as the eye could reach and presenting a most beautiful sight, the finest the regiment had vet seen. In this delightful spot they waited for the battle which was "to finish the Rebellion.""
* Monday was still rainy, but the thunder storm of the day before had put it out of the power of rain to wet us. We marched some five miles and then halted in the road till afternoon. We learned that the two armies
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On Tuesday, July 14, the dawn brought no sign of the impending battle. About noon, distant firing was heard, probably the attack of Gen. Kilpatrick's cavalry upon the Confederates' rear guard at Falling Water, in which he captured Gen. Petigrew's force of 1,500 men and two guns. About noon the command was moved across the fields a few miles and halted near Beaver Creek, where it was formed as a part of the reserve for the coming battle. Cannonading could be heard distinctly and heavy masses of moving troops, infantry, cavalry and artillery, could be seen in every direction. On the way the column passed a line of ambulances which had stopped at a station of the Sanitary Commission. Here the good samaritans of the Commission had provided kettles of hot soup and milk-punch by the barrel, which they were dealing out to the occupants of the ambu- lances. These stretched out for at least two miles, the horses of one close to the rear of that in front. Each
were in line of battle within five miles of us. About 4 P. M. we again pro- ceeded towards Boonesboro, but so bad were the roads and so exhausted the horses, that in spite of all our efforts we were until after midnight reaching our camping-ground, a distance of but two miles. At every hill, and these were not a few, the teams had to be doubled and the cannonec:s to almost lift the pieces, and even then it seemed almost impossible to get through, but it was finally accomplished. We had had but two hardtack for dinner, and no supper, but were too worn out with the severe labor to think much of hunger, mud, rain, or, indeed, anything but rest and sleep.
The morning showed our position to be near the summit of a very high hill overlooking Boonesboro and commanding a most beautiful view, bounded only by the distant Blue Ridge in Virginia. The Potomac was concealed by the high ground between ourselves and it. It was hard to realize that within the space clearly seen by us two immense armies lay in battle array, everything seemed so beautiful, so lovely and so peaceful. Within two miles of us we could see the camp of the reserve artillery and an ammunition train, the former consisting of upwards of three hundred pieces, and the latter containing five million dollars' worth of ammunition.
RAND'S DIARY.
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one was crowded with men wounded in every way that the imagination can conceive of. For three-quarters of an hour the Twenty-second marched alongside of this stream of human suffering, and in that time heard no complaint. A groan was occasionally heard, but that was all.
This spectacle was not inspiring, but its effect soon passed. When the halt in the afternoon was made, all were in high spirits. It was universally supposed that the rains had made the Potomac unfordable, "and that Lee was a goner this time." But, as hour after hour passed, without a sound of the heavy cannonading which marks " the battle's opening road," and rumor after rumor filled the air, the talk grew less and less hopeful ; and finally, during the afternoon, it was learned definitely that "the play was played out." Lee was gone, boots and baggage, and the hopes of the Twenty-second taking a hand in the contest which would probably have decided the war were gone with him. Perhaps it was all for the best. If Lee gave battle, it would be on selected ground, against weary troops, where every man in the Rebel Army knew he was fighting with no hope of escape, and would consequently resist to the utmost. Under these circumstances, the con- test, if not doubtful, would unquestionably have been bloody beyond all precedent. Yet, it cannot well be regarded except as the loss of a great opportunity, which, if availed of, would have saved thousands of lives and millions of money .*
* When Lee retreated in such mad and reckless haste across the Potomac, we were camped perhaps the nearest of any troops to the improvised bridge, I think, within a mile. That night I was on guard, and all night long I heard the sound of cavalry, the ring and rattle of arms, and all that indi- cates an army in headlong flight (Leland, p. 282).
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The Twenty-second was now in the midst of the Army of the Potomac; and it is difficult for those in- experienced in such matters to form the least concep- tion of the vast bulk of men and material which con- tributed to form that organization. Yet, huge as it was, no confusion was visible, and everything went like clockwork, even during the difficulties of that hurried pursuit.
The Twenty-second only wished that the same could be said of them. But so far was this from being the case that it was remarked by a regular officer "that there was more destitution and suffering among Smith's little division than among the whole Army of the Potomac "; and no one acquainted with the facts can deny the correctness of the assertion.
The following official letter from Gen. Ingalls, chief quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac, to Gen. Meigs, the quartermaster-general, shows that he was of the opinion that somebody was greatly to blame for this condition of affairs.
Gen. Ingalls to Gen. Meigs :
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF POTOMAC. July 13, 1863.
Gen. Smith arrived last night at Cashtown with some 7,000 new troops. They come without supplies or means of trans- porting them. It seems incredible that these troops of Gens. Couch and Smith should be in such a bad condition, having had so long a time for preparation in a country so full of resources. Our department at Harrisburg must have acted on a small scale. .
* Leland says in his memoirs: Our sufferings as soldiers during this emergency were very great. I heard an officer who had been through the whole war, and through the worst of it in Virginia, declare that he had never suffered as he did with ns this summer. (p. 259.)
From all that I learned from many intimate friends who were in the war, I believe that we, in the battery suffered to the utmost all that men can suffer in the field, short of wounds and death. (p. 260.)
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As nightfall came the whole horizon was lighted up by thousands upon thousands of camp-fires, while, in the distance blazed the beacon on South Mountain, the whole forming an almost theatrical spectacle especially to those, who, like the Twenty-second, had been three weeks in the mountains .*
It is impossible to express what a relief was ex- perienced when the command became incorporated with the Army of the Potomac. To enter it was coming once more from the scarcity and make-shifts of the backwoods, into the light of civilization. Mounted boys rode by with New York and Philadelphia newspapers. There were people to be found, who could change a two dollar bill, and had things to sell. It was a place where greenbacks yet served as a medium of exchange, and provision trains were not more than two days behind time. In their exultation, the command even began to entertain vague hopes that, in the progress of events, their letters might possibly be forthcoming. A few were actually received and were most welcome. It was now more than two weeks since a word of news had been heard, either from home or elsewhere; and the men naturally were exceedingly anxious for a little informa- tion about matters and things in general. Their ig- norance was painful on almost every subject relating to the war. On the march from Cavetown, Col. J. H. Grant of Gen. Ewen's staff, had galloped down the col-
* Two very picturesque scenes occur to me. One was a night after the battle of Gettysburg. The country was mountain and valley, and the two opposing armies were camped pretty generally in sight of one another. There was, I suppose, nearly half a cord of wood burning for every twelve men, and these camp-fires studded the vast landscape like countless re- flections of the stars above, or, rather, as if all were stars, high or low. It was one of the most wonderful sights conceivable. ( Leland, p. 251.)
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umn while it was struggling through the mud, waving his hat as he passed, and shouting that Vicksburgh was taken. Beyond this the men knew nothing. Even the battle of Gettysburg, fought right under their noses, and a common topic of conversation, was to them "a tale untold," except that there had been a great battle in which the North was victorious.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE MARCH TO MONOCACY JUNCTION.
A T this time the draft riots in New York required the presence of all the National Guard, and the following orders were promulgated :
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 15, 1863.
Special Order No. 190.
The troops comprising the command of Brig .- Gen. W. F. Smith are released from further service with the Army of the Potomac, and will be reported back to Gen. Couch for instruc- tions. The major-general commanding thanks Brig .- Gen. W. F. Smith and his troops for the zeal and promptitude which, amid no little privations, have marked their efforts to render this army all the assistance in their power.
By command of
MAJ .- GEN. MEADE.
S. WILLIAMS, A. A. G.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION DEPT. OF THE SUSQUEHANNA, I July 15, 1863. 5 Special Order No.
Brig .- Gen. John Ewen will take command of all the New York troops in this Division, and proceed with them to Fred-
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erick, Maryland, at which point transportation will be furnished them to New York City. In parting with them, the general commanding must express his admiration of the courage and fortitude with which they have stood the toils and privations of their late marches.
By order of
BRIG .- GEN. W.M. F. SMITH, PRESTON F. WEST, A. A. A. G.
It rained hard all the night of Wednesday, July 15. This, however, was a matter of too common occurrence to excite any comment. In the meantime, trouble was experienced in dispatching the New York regiments to put down the riot. The orders of Gen. Couch of July 15 were to send eleven regiments. This, however, was reduced to two by Gen. Hallock, who, on the same day. calmly telegraphed Gov. Seymour " to call out sufficient militia force to quell the riot and enforce the laws in the city "-a proposition which was absurd on its face, in view of the fact that the entire National Guard of the State was then in the field, under the writer's orders. He had the grace, however, to add to his suggestion that, " if absolutely necessary, troops will be sent from the field in Maryland; but this should be avoided as long as possible. Please telegraph if you deem them necessary to assist in maintaining order."
It was absolutely necessary, and Gov. Seymour at once telegraphed as follows:
NEW YORK, July 16, 1863.
The Secretary of War :
SIR -- There is great disorder here. It is important to have the New York and Brooklyn regiments sent here at once.
HORNITO SEYMOUR.
-
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Secretary Stanton appears to have grasped the situa- tion better than Gen. Hallock. He replied as follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, July 16, 1863, 4:40 P. M
His Excellency Gov. SEYMOUR, New York.
SIR-Eleven New York regiments are relieved, and are at Frederick, and will be forwarded to New York as fast as trans- portation can be furnished to them. *
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
Thereupon Gen. Hallock's countermanding order was countermanded.
The same day (July 16), the division, in pursuance of these orders and cordially cheering Gen. Smith as they marched past him, took up its line of march for Frederick City, and home; first, however, going a mile towards Hagerstown, and having to countermarch back. This was nothing new to them, however, for, whether it was owing to ill luck, bad guides, indefinite orders, or stupidity, something of the kind was apt to occur at most of the movements that took place. The brigade under Gen. Ewen's command seldom turned down a side road, or took an unusual direction, without a general grumble arising in the ranks-" Wrong road, of course ! see if we don't have to go back in a few minutes,"-and they generally did. In truth, they went back so often. that they began to hate the very word " countermarch."
On the way, the Twenty-second witnessed an inspiring sight. The cavalry of the Army of the Potomac were pushing out in pursuit of Lee. Some reviewing officer. supposed to be Gen. Meade, could be seen upon an elevation in the distance, and the cavalry swept around and in front of him, squadron front, in line after line,
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like waves of the sea in an interminable column, until it seemed as if they were riding in a circle, as in a theatre.
While those in authority had been informed by tele- graph, respecting the riots in New York; the first that the Twenty-second knew about the matter was, on obtaining on the march, that memorable New York newspaper, describing how the "military fired on the people." If any of the editors of that journal had hap- pened to be in the vicinity of the column about that period, it is more than probable that they would have been furnished with a practical illustration of their text, for a more angry set of men than the New York National Guard never was seen.
It was sufficiently galling to know that, while they were away, enduring all kinds of hardships to expel the invaders from Northern soil, an attempt had been made to create a counter-revolution in their very homes; but the additional reflection of the opportunity it would give their Pennsylvania friends to depreciate their State. gave the matter an additional sting to the New York troops. That day was the first time that any one in the Twenty-second was heard to say that he felt ashamed to think that he was born in the city of New York.
As may well be imagined, this intelligence, and the pleasing uncertainty existing in the minds of the regi- ment respecting the welfare of their friends and homes, considerably accelerated their desire to get to New York, and they pushed vigorously down the Fredericks- burg pike, breathing prayers, the reverse of benevolent. to the welfare of the rioters, until they could attend to them in person. Under any other circumstances it
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would have been a beautiful march. Although oppres- sively hot in the early part of the day, the weather afterward was all that could be desired. The road was macadamized, wide and smooth, although tremendously hard for feet as sore and badly shod as those of the regiment and in its wind- ings through the passes of the South Mountain, trav- ersing a few more hills than were strictly agreeable. Yet more beautiful scenery than it presents to the eye of the traveler can rarely be found .*
That country was all his-
toric ground. The white boards on the right, "cover- ing many a rood," marked the last resting-places of the thousands of unknown heroes who sealed their patriotism with their blood in the battle of South Mount- ain. All along the stone MARCHING THROUGH MARYLAND. fences and among the trees on the left, the frequent bullet-marks told how hot the conflict raged the preceding year, for every foot of
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