USA > New York > History of the one hundred and twenty-eighth regiment : New York volunteers (U.S. infantry) ; in the late civil war > Part 12
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With sealed orders, each vessel, crowded with soldiers, had sailed out of the Mississippi. When the seals were broken it was found that all the troops were ordered to Fortress Monroe. But scarcely had the advance of the nineteenth corps reached the Chesapeake, when they were hastened on to Washington, in order to defend the Capitol of the nation. The rebel General, Early, had pushed on within sight of the city, and was threatening to lay it to waste. Within the defenses were not more than twenty-thousand troops of all sorts, the most of which were raw and undisciplined soldiers. The unexpected attack called for instantaneous help. The advance of the nineteenth corps under Davis, was ordered to Washington as being the most speedy help. A part of the sixth corps, under Wright, reached the city about two hours after the first transport of the nineteenth, on the 11th of July. Pushing forward his troops, Wright soon caused Early to beat a hasty retreat. Orders came for this Union General to follow the confederates with his forces, and such part of the nineteenth as had arrived at Washington. But Early was operating in the direction of the Shenandoalı Valley in such a manner as to demand attention. Hunter was gathering his troops at Harper's Ferry. Wright now withdrew his forces to the high ground near Washington.
As the danger to the Capitol had now passed, a part of the nineteenth corps, as they arrived, were sent to Bermuda Hundred. But the wily Early was ever watching his chances, and as soon as he learned that our troops were not following him in force, he turned upon Martinsburg and began the destruction of the Baltimore &' Ohio railway. It was necessary that a strong force should defend this passage-way to the North. Wright, with the sixth corps, and Emory, with as many of the nineteenth corps as had come to Wash- ington, now advanced to Monocacy Junction. From here the sixth corps passed - to Frederick, while Emory crossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, and took up his position at Halltown on the 29th. Emory was, however, because of Halleck's fear for his safety, ordered back to the line of Monocacy.
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
WASHINGTON.
After a comparatively quiet, though most disagreeable voyage. because of the smallness and packing of our transport, we reached Washington at 3 P. M. on the 29th, and disembarked. As soon as we had our baggage unloaded, we fell in line and marched up ;th Street, and then down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. Here we halted, stacked arms, and gave three hearty cheers for President Lincoln. The excitement produced by Early's raid had not yet passed away. Fear was shown in the people's faces, and by their voices. Soldiers by thousands had passed through these streets, many from tlie Western battle fields and long marches, yet we appeared strange to the citizens, because we were so sun-burnt and black. Some asked us if we were Mexicans. We had been near the border of that land and felt the blaze of almost the same tropical sun. Tanned and hardened by exposure, "Banks' Foot Cavalry," as we styled ourselves, seemed like strangers from a foreign land. We nowe marched to Georgetown Heights, near the Chain Bridge, and bivouacked at 11 P. M. in an apple orchard.
There was too much need of our presence, however, in another place to allow any rest in this camp. At 7 P. M. of the next day we were on the road again. We marched back through Georgetown and Washington to the Baltimore & Ohio depot, and rested in the street near the Capitol building. By 4 A. M. of Sunday, we were packed in freight cars. One section of twenty-eight cars was ahead of us, while our train had thirty boxes filled with human freight. We were back amid Northern scenery, and the day to us was full of pleasure in noticing the contrast with the scenes upon which we so long had been looking. At six o'clock we reached Monocacy River, where the bridge had been burned by Early's troops on the 9th of July. and where our troops, under General Lew Wallace had been repulsed. after a hard fought engagement. The bridge had been repaired sufficiently to use it for trains. At this place was being gathered quite a force of men. Just before our arrival a considerable body of troops had been sent out to check a rebel force of 700 strong who were trying to cross the river six miles below. We camped in an "oats-stubble on the west side of the river.
At this place we met several regiments of Pennsylvania, "one- hundred days' men." These had been enlisted to repel the invasion of their own state. These men had many tales of hardship to relate to us. They had received rations of raw beef and hard bread stood guard in the rain, and been on the picket line. As old
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AND TWENTY- EIGHTII REGIMENT.
veterans who had been living on hard-tack for the greater part of two years, and often of such a character as to make us think it - included our ration of fresh meat in the same package, and not unacquainted with the taste of mule flesh, we tried hard to sympathize with these sufferers, but often were obliged to try much harder in suppressing our inward emotions as they gave their narra- tives.
HARPER'S FERRY.
At 5 P. M. of August 4th, we boarded the cars at the Junction, and started for Harper's Ferry. Reaching this point in the night, we ascended Maryland Heights by a narrow and rough road. We came to a large clear place on the north side of the mountain about 2 A. M. and were allowed to lie down and rest. As day dawned, a scene of surpassing grandeur opened before us. Still higher up and on top of the mountain range there was a small fortification with two pieces of artillery. At a short distance was another small earthwork, behind which was planted a heavy parrot gun, which could sweep the surrounding country for a considerable distance. The scene from the top of this range, as viewed by the writer and others who ascended, was most enchanting. Long before had Thomas Jefferson said of this place even when viewed from a lesser height : "The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge, is one of the most stupendous scenes in nature, and well worth a voyage across the Atlantic to witness." But we stood on the top and had a broader range, and recalled more and later memories than the great American statesman. Looking toward the east, Antietam's bloody battle field could be seen. Turning to the south, we gaze along the Blue Ridge with Loudon's sombre and majestic summits confronting us, while further to the right nestles Harper's Ferry at the side of Bolivar Heights. Extending the eye still further, and especially directed by the guards of the fort, and aided by their glass, we catch a view of a rebel force including cavalry, infantry, artillery and a wagon train crossing the ford at Shepherds- town. The silver thread of the river shimmers in the morning sunlight as it winds its way through the narrow valley, and passes out of sight beneath the steep and jagged cliffs of the mountain on which we stand. We care less for the scenery now, but if continuing our view we must look upon rocks and crags piled in huge and fantastic forms, a belt of woods covering the mountain ranges while our imagination pictures the home fields concealed and
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in the more distant North. The part which calls forth our most intense study, aside from the enemy's movements in the distance,-is Harper's Ferry with its famous historical incidents so closely con- nected with the war, in which we are engaged. But now the place is largely a heap of ruins. The United States arsenal and work- shops which had been attacked at the time of John Brown's attempted insurrection of the slaves, and burned at the beginning of the war, still lay in their smoldering pile, a fit emblem of the destruction brought upon a great part of our fair land by slavery.
We had until three o'clock during which to enjoy the clear air and wonderful views of this elevated position, when we retraced our steps down the mountains, crossed the Potomac by means of a pon- toon bridge, marched through Harper's Ferry to the heights beyond, and encamped. Here we found ourselves behind a line of earth- works, and with the other troops and batteries, formed a strong line of defense about the place.
On the morning of the 6th of August, we moved at daylight from what seemed to be a strong position, and marched some five miles, where we bivouacked in order of battle, at Halltown Heights.
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AND TWENTY. EIGHTH REGIMENT.
SECTION XV.
SHERIDAN AND THE SHENANDOAH.
General Grant tells us in his Memoirs that his orders were too much interfered with at Washington, and that a wrong policy was pursued in keeping the Union Army between the enemy and the Capitol. He determined upon the more successful method of keep- ing close to the enemy. Ordering up a division of cavalry from the Potomac, on the 4th of August, he set out in person, and avoiding Washington, he joined Hunter on the Monocacy on the 5th. He at once ordered this commander to take Wright, Emory and Crook across the Potomac, find the enemy and attack him. "Hunter," says Grant, "showed his patriotism by offering to resign his position, assigning as a reason his embarrassments from Washing- ton." Grant accepted Hunter's resignation, and at once telegraphed General Philip H. Sheridan to come immediately from Washington. Grant knew his man. No one who reads his Memoirs can help noticing the quick perception of Grant in understanding warriors. His knowledge of men's characteristics often taught him the method of acting against an enemy. Sheridan had been with Grant in the west. At Boonville, at Murfreesboro and at Mission Ridge, he had shown such energy and fearlessness that when Grant was made Lieutenant-General, he applied for the transfer of Sheridan to the east, and appointed him chief of cavalry of the army of the Potomac. In the Wilderness Battle, and in cutting lines of railroad, Sheridan had proven himself very effective.
Before this officer could answer in person the telegram, and reach him in the field, Grant had ordered forward his troops to Harper's Ferry. Early had marched north on the day Grant left City Point with the intention of destroying Hunter. He was there- fore crossing the Potomac into Maryland at Martinsburg and Shepherdstown, as we had seen from the Heights, at the very time . Crook led the way over into Virginia. As soon as Early found out what was transpiring, he hastened back to his old position at Bunker Hill.
An order was now issued creating the middle military division, to include Washington, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsyl- vania and a part of Ohio, and on the ;th of August, 1864, Sheridan
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was placed in command. The fighting of the nineteenth corps under Sheridan was done in the Shenandoah Valley, a part of this department. Richmond was the heart of the confederacy. The Virginia Valley was the granary of Richmond. This valley lies between the Blue Ridge on the east, and the Kittatany or Endless Mountain on the west, and extends across the state. The Shenan- doah part of the valley is about 170 miles in length from the Potomac River to Staunton. It is a narrow belt of rolling country with a very fertile soil, sheltered by the mountains on either side from chill- ing winds. Through the entire length runs the Shenandoah River. Starting with many small streams, two forks are formed, which unite at Front Royal in the one river sufficiently large to transport small flat-boats for a distance of 140 miles, and emptying into the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. Many smaller streams empty into this main water-course of the valley, and these, with the beautiful springs, furnish an abundant water supply. Some of the springs were sufficiently large to furnish an army, with little diminution for days. Wheat, corn and oats are raised in abundance. There was a strange mixture of Northern thrift, and southern shiftlessness constantly manifest. The wheat-fields were large, well-fenced with rails, and worked with modern machinery, while, in some sections, the houses were built of squared logs filled in with mud. A macadamized pike ran the length of the Valley. In the rich pasture-fields were
large herds of cattle, hogs and sheep. This Valley was traversed by the Baltimore and Ohio, and the Virginia and Shenandoah railroads. From Staunton at the southern end of this section, the connection with Richmond was by 136 miles of railway. A system of railways also ran from this place to all parts of the southern states.
In no one thing did John Brown more clearly show his military skill and ability than in selecting Harper's Ferry as his strategic point. He greatly mistook the spirit of the southern slave, and the spirit of the North to uphold him in what must be admitted as a clear violation of civil law, but the actions of the confederacy and of the whole North compliment his military foresight. When the slaveholders made the insurrection in place of the slaves, on the day previous to the spilling of the first blood in Baltimore, April 19th, 1861, the army at Harper's Ferry was attacked by a body of Virginia militia. Roger Jones heard that 1300 men were outside the village ready to take possession, and he blew up the Arsenal destroying the 20,000 rifles and pistols. The place was made a rendezvous for confederate troops, and placed in charge of " Stone-
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
wall" Jackson. This valley now became the highway for the contending armies. Each year of the war fierce struggles had been carried on, laying waste the fields and destroying the crops, yet, as if by magic, the fruits of the soil sprang into new life, and abundance seemed to laugh at the devastating forces. Driving back the Union troops, the enemy held an open pathway to the rich fields of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and at once threatened the whole North. It even sent consternation to the authorities at Washington, and to all the Northern cities, to hear of the rebels crossing the Potomac. But it was not enough that a defensive line should be established by the Union army along this border. The Shenandoah could sustain the army of the south. Within its borders, if need be, they could find shelter, with its supplies, they could lie in the fortifications of Richmond, and defy the forces which might be brought against them. The Shenandoah must be invaded, and the enemy must be driven out.
The orders received by Sheridan from Grant were to move south through the valley and lay it waste, so that it could not serve as a granary, and this with the full confidence that Early would be found in his front, Sheridan had about 40,000 troops put at his command. He lost no time in making a forward movement. Taking but three days to get himself well into the saddle and to understand his forces, he moved out from Halltown on the roth of August.
JOHN BROWN.
At 5:30 of that morning the 128th left its camping ground. We marched through Charlestown, past the court-house so famous in history as the place of the trial of Brown and his associates, about 7 o'clock, and halted near the field where John Brown was hung. Here we sung again the song so often made to ring out before, of "John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave, etc.," and caught new inspiration from his enthusiasm. Believing in the maintainance of law, and fighting for its supremacy, we could view the hero from a higher standpoint than a law-breaker. Evidently his insurrection was a violation of existing laws, but just as evidently, from the Gospel standpoint, and from the higher public sentiment of the present day, these laws which sustained slavery, were a violation of humanity and justice. Already as we stood there had the manacles been stricken from the bondmen as a necessity in quelling the rebellion of the slave-owners. Deeply rooted within the popular sentiment of this nation seemed to be the right of the southern
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states to maintain African slavery, yet the question would not down in this land of Christian influence and of civil liberty. The slave question was the great topic of agitation. During forty years it had been the apple of discord, and which threatened the peace and prosperity of the nation. Our position as a nation was acting as an obstruction to the progress of freedom throughout the world. The Dred Scott decision of 1857 was in favor of the south. Brown could see no ray of light coming through the thick darkness except to bring the whole question to the decision of the sword. This is called "mad attempt " by Ridpath, the historian, and Grant speaks of Brown as "an insane man." Looked at from the hopes of an immediate success, it appears as the imagination of an unbalanced mind. Viewed from the higher standpoint of a sacrifice in order to rouse a true public sentiment, to overthrow evil laws, and to ulti- mately accomplish his work, it was the heroic determination of a noble spirit to give himself for the good of a down trodden race. and for the safety of his country. History tells the story of the Roman gladiatorial shows in which many suffered, and by which scenes the populace was brutalized. Telemachus rushed into the arena and separated the swordsmen. He was stoned to death by the people. He acted contrary to law and contrary to the popular sentiment. Honorius, the Emperor, proclaimed him a martyr and put an end to these cruel and debasing combats. The sacrifice accomplished its results. Our Telemachus was in due time recog- nized. He became the rallying cry for every man who appealed to the divine standard of truth, and roused a hatred for slavery throughout the North which culminated in the election of Abraham Lincoln as president. In the light of the history of those stirring days, and in which we ourselves were participating so largely, we could look over the field where this brave and prophetic spirit met his death and count it one of the sacred altars of our land.
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ADVANCING IN THE SHENANDOAH.
With scarce time for reflections as extended as these, we inarched on at a moderate pace and with frequent rests. Near sut- set of this extremely hot day, we camped twelve miles from Charles- town in a field thick with a prickly "Blue-weed." This forward movement of Sheridan's, made on the roth, to what became known as the " Clifton-Berryville line " threatened Early's communications at Winchester, and, as Grant had anticipated, obliged the enemy to leave his stronghold at Bunker Hill and throw himself across Sheri-
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
dan's path. At 5:30 the next morning we were on the road again. After passing through Berryville, we formed in line of battle and marched forward by the brigade front. Companies were deployed as skirmishers, and these threaded their way through cornfields, woods, over rocks and rough ground, which were avoided by the regular line. A halt was made at noon near a woods, during which time cannonading was heard in the advance. Our whole army was mov- ing forward, the sixth corps along the pike, the nineteenth to the right and the eighth on the left. The cavalry in our advance was following closely the rebel rear and had called up the artillery to help annoy the retreating enemy. A general engagement was avoided, but Early had been flanked out of Whinchester and twenty- two prisoners captured. We continued our march during the day over fields and rough roads until dusk, and then bivouacked in line of battle.
Starting at sunrise the next morning, we marched in column, with regiments a short distance apart, and over poor roads and fields. The day was oppressively hot, but we were pushing the enemy before us as they were at times in clear sight. Passing through Middletown about 4 P. M., we halted a short distance beyond on the plains for an hour and listened to the musketry and cannonading to the west of us, near the foot of Mount Jackson, some three miles distant. The firing continued until dark. To-day Early had withdrawn his forces to a strong position at Fisher's Hill, and we were crowding his rear guard. At 5:30 we reached Cedar Creek and here went into camp in line of battle. "The foot-cavalry of the nineteenth corps " had this day done the heaviest marching, the sixth having followed the pike, while we had taken a more circuitous course, some ten miles greater in distance, with the intention of cutting off the retreat of the enemy before crossing Cedar Creek. We were, however, too late, and the bridge across this stream was burned to prevent our advance. But marching on solid ground, with clear spring-water to drink, was far preferable to the sandy roads of Louisiana and the water of the bayou, or still worse, of the shallow pool.
The 13th and 14th were spent by us in resting or in doing picket duty. Not so with all the troops, as the sixth corps crossed Cedar Creek and occupied Hupp's Hill, and skirmished with the enemy sufficiently to find out that he was strongly entrenched in his posi- tion. At night the corps drew back to the north side of the creek again. Though our corps remained quiet, the men had considerable excitement produced by the hanging of a spy in General Custer's
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quarters. The spy claimed to belong to a North Carolina regiment and had been left on the plea of caring for a sick man, but really to obtain what information he could, which would be of advantage to the confederates. He was recognized by some officers as having been a guard over them when prisoners in Richmond.
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
SECTION XVI.
A RETREAT.
Sheridan, on the 14th of August, received from Grant authentic information of re-enforcements being sent by the enemy to the Valley. These consisted of two divisions of infantry, and twenty pieces of artillery. Sheridan knew well that his present position was not a strong one but as he expressed it " a very bad one." He determined to be on the safe side and retreat to a better place in which to meet the foe. This must be back to the heights at Hall- town. Now began a series of movements forward and backward in order that these contending armies might watch each other and take advantage of any display of weak points. It was a chess- board on which the fate of the nation largely depended as well as the lasting reputation of the generals who were making the moves.
The 15th was not without its skirmishes. The cavalry reported 500 rebs and four pieces of artillery captured on our right while they were striving to escape through a gap. Cannonading was kept up quite fiercely between 5 and 6 P. M. Sheridan's retreat began at Ir o'clock that night in the midst of a heavy shower. The nineteenth corps moved away without drum or bugle, or any- thing that could make a noise. As we thus quietly broke camp, it was with the impression that we were threatened with impending danger because of the increased forces of the enemy, and that we must steal away with the greatest secrecy. This quiet departure was due to the fact, however, that the sixth and eight corps were not to follow us until the next day, and our known absence might invite an immediate attack from Early. The march of that night will be distinctly remembered by the men of our brigade, if not of all the corps, as being peculiar for its torture. Every one seemed stupid with a sleep that could not be thrown off. The Adjutant of the 128th rode up to the Brigade Commander in his sleep and was hastily aroused, and ordered back to his proper position. Men would walk for rods half asleep and then be awakened by a dream of their guns falling from their sholders, or by the actual falling of these arms. We marched steadily and quite rapidly, with almost
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continuous showers until six o'clock of the 16th, when we bivouacked on the outskirts of Winchester. At 11 o'clock we went into camp in a field. With the supposition that we might remain here for a few days, we pitched our shelter tents.
LIVING ON THE COUNTRY.
But suppositions are out of place for soldiers and often lead to disappointments. At two o'clock the next morning came orders to move in two hours. Promptly at the appointed time, the army took up the line of march through Winchester and on over the pike to Berryville which we reached about noon, and here rested in a field. Our army was largely living on the country, we receiving three days" rations of hard bread and coffee to last five days. Each afternoon we were allowed to pluck the green corn from the fields as we passed them, and to gather apples from the trees, and also, to supply our- selves with fresh meat from the herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. It was not an uncommon sight to see our gun-stocks lined with quarters of beef and mutton at dusk and the men busy cooking their rations of fresh meat, with the aid of a stick, over the fire, to which they added the roasted green corn. Yankee cheek again showed itself. After killing a large flock of sheep for a man still living in the valley, one of the soldiers offered to sell him the pelts. The offer was accepted and the cash was paid down as the only way by which to save any part of his once fine flock of southdowns. Chickens, turkey's and ducks, with the honey from some hive of bees which had been drawn from its secreted spot, helped furnish our larders. The animals of our army were supplied in the same way by confiscating the provender found in many stacks and barns. As long as we were on the advance we might allow some of these things to remain. But one purpose of Sheridan in the valley, was to render it unfit as a storehouse for the enemy. A line of fire from burning hay and grain-stacks was on each side of the pike as we marched by. The cavalry were most effectually carrying out the orders issued by the commander of the department on the 17th of. August. On that day General Torbert received the following order:
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