USA > New York > History of the one hundred and twenty-eighth regiment : New York volunteers (U.S. infantry) ; in the late civil war > Part 4
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
indeed to lead to a great and glorious result, yet in itself conveying hardly more assurance of success than the most promising of its predecessors, while involving perils greater than any that had been so far encountered. Of these the greatest danger was that the enemy, after allowing him to land on the east bank of the river and to penetrate with a portion of his army, into the heart of Missis- sippi, might then concentrate all the available forces of the confed- eracy in that region and fall upon him with vigor at the moment when his supplies should be exhausted and his communications interrupted. In such an event the fortunes of war might have rendered it imperative for him to return down the river ; but what would have happened then if Banks, disregarding Port Hudson in his eagerness to join Grant before Vicksburg, should in his turn have abandoned his communications ? Both armies would have been caught in a trap of their own making, whence not merit but some rare stroke of luck could alone have rescued either. " Evidently the dispatches led Banks to expect some re-enforcements from Grant or a union of the two armies on the Mississippi at some point. Not until reaching Alexandria and thus in more easy communication with Grant, was Banks able to learn that no assistance could come from up the river. Although disappointed and much depressed, Banks now prepared to march to Simmesport, cross his troops by light draught steamers, and thence march to join Grant in the rear of Vicksburg.
GRIERSON'S RAID.
On the 2d of May Grierson rode into Baton Rouge at the head of his own 6th Illinois and Prince's 7th Illinois Cavalry, num- bering 950 horse. "Leaving LaGrange on the 17th of April, he had, within sixteen days, ridden nearly 600 miles around the rear of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and along the whole line of the Jack- son and Great Northern Railroad. Besides breaking up the railway and the telegraph, and destroying for the time being their value to the confederate army, Grierson's ride had an indirect effect, perhaps even more important than the direct objects Grant had in view when he gave his orders.
This was to distract the counsels of the confederate officers at Vicksburg. "Thus it happened that when he heard of Grant's landing below Grand Gulf, Pemberton actually thought himself menaced by the advance of Banks, and this misapprehension was the parent of the first of those mistakes of his adversary, of which Grant made such good use."
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
THE 12STH MOVING ON PORT HUDSON.
On the 17th of May, Grover, heading the forces, reached Sim- mesport, and began at once to cross to the east side. A message from General Dwight, who had been to see Grant, sent to Banks, who was in New Orleans at this time, again led him to expect a corps of 20,000 men from Grant's army by the 25th of May. This caused Banks to change his plans again and to move upon Port Hudson at once. He ordered Sherman to take Dow and Nickerson and join Augur before Port Hudson, himself proceeding to his head- quarters at Simmesport, where he immediately, on the 21st of May, set his troops in motion for Bayou Sara.
The 128th received light marching orders on the 20th of May, with two days' rations. The whole brigade, composed of the 6th. Micigan ; 15th, New Hampshire ; 26th, Connecticut ; and 128th, New York ; under the command of Brig .- General Neal Dow, left the "Parapets " about 9 P. M., and marched to Carrolton. The way led through Live Oak groves, which the men made to ring with their enthusiastic patriotic songs of "John Brown's Body, etc." A new life seemed to take possession of all. Active duty was before us. and we were ready for this. We were not blind to the dangers before us. An enemy must be conquered, and we were desirous of being in the fray. The 12Sth embarked upon the propeller United States. At 5 A. M. of the 21st, we was on our way, with other trans- ports, loaded with troops, proceeding up the river. The following entry from a diary shows the spirits of the men. " All is merriment. It seems more like a gala day, and we on our way to an entertain- ment of pleasure rather than to a scene of war. Men never left camp in better spirits than did we this time. It was carried out with cheers and singing. The Regiment seemed to be in better health and spirit than it had been since we left Baltimore."
BEFORE PORT HUDSON.
We reached Springfield Landing, five miles below Port Hudson. about I P. M. of the 22d. After disembarking, the line of march was formed with the 6th Michigan first, and the other Regiments in the following order : the 15th N. H., 26 Conn. and the 128th N. Y. in the rear. It commenced raining about 3 P. M. shortly after starting, and poured in torrents. The road was mostly through the woods and very muddy, but the ardor of the men was not dampened as they kept up the singing. The march continued, with short intervals of rest,
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
until 7 o'clock, when we bivouacked for the night in an open field on the plains and seven miles in the rear of Port Hudson. Some picket firing was heard during the night. The next day, Saturday, the 23rd, the column was moved forward on the place. With some skirmish - ing, the outer line of the works was taken, the enemy mostly retreat- ing within their principal fortifications. In this forward movement our Brigade advanced about one mile in the forenoon, passing a number of small breastworks and entrenchments. On a board posted by the "Johnnies " this significant warning was given our men : "Look out Yanks. This is a hard road to travel." At I P. M. Com- panies "H." and "F." were thrown forward as advance guards, then Companies "C." and " D." to skirmish by the right flank. The enemy could be seen at some distance. A few of their cannon shots fell near us. During Sunday, heavy cannonading was carried on from II A. M. to 5 P. M. by the Union Batteries when our Brigade made another long move forward. From a diary we quote : " Men never marched with greater glee when going on a: drill. " Arriving in an open field, a line of battle was formed back of a series of rifle-pits. Our Brigade now joined Gen. Augur's on the right with Col. Nickerson on our left. The 6th Michigan was deployed as skirmishers and moved forward to the rifle-pits, which were found empty. The 25th was spent by the Brigade in quietly waiting, except the occasional interest produced by an enemy's shell falling near, until 6 P. M., when the 128th was moved forward near a half mile to support two pieces of artillery near the junction of two roads and which guns were send ing occasional compliments in the shape of shell to the distant " Johnnies. "
When General Banks, after leaving New Orleans, reached Simmesport on the 21st of May, he at once set his troops moving toward Bayou Sara.
PORT HUDSON SURROUNDED. 1757980
At 2 o'clock the next morning, Banks and Grover, with the advance of Grover's division, landed at that place without opposition from the enemy. The movement had been made so rapidly that it was not suspected by the confederates at Port Hudson. The other troops rapidly followed the advance. Soon after landing, the news was brought to Banks by some Cavalrymen, that already a battle had been fought by General Augur on the 21st. The movement in that direction had been ordered by Banks in order to prevent the escape of the confederate garrison. There had been a sharp encounter
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
with a loss of 102 in killed, wounded and missing. The purpose had been attained in driving the confederates within their works. Hearing that the situation was so critical, Banks pushed forward his troops until Grover's men met the advance of Augur's force. Find- ing all quiet Grover bivouacked near Thompson's Creek, northwest of Port Hudson. " Paine followed, and rested on the Perkins plan- tation, a mile in the rear of Grover. Banks made his headquarters with Grover. Augur covered the front of the position taken by the enemy after the battle of Plain's Store." Sherman took his position on the Bayou Sara road on Augur's left, as we that day came in from Springfield Landing. Thus at night on the 22d the garrison of Port Hudson was practically hemmed in. The four days following were spent in closing in on the enemy's lines and driving him from some outlying redoubts, and more completely establishing the con- nections of the different divisions of the Union forces.
SLAUGHTER MANSION BURNED.
About 4 p. m. of the 26th, a detachment of Companies " A., C., H." and "I." of the 128th, under the command of Captain Gifford of company "A." was ordered forward to burn some buildings within the picket lines of the enemy and by which the range of our gunners was obstructed. Moving forward near a half mile to an opening, we were deployed as skirmishers. In this manner we passed over an open space and then through a tangled thicket, when we closed up and marched by battalion front. The enemy's pickets retreated before us. The buildings, including the Slaughter residence, were fired by several men from company "H." Having finished this work, we were ordered to retreat, which we were about to do when we received a charge of grape from the enemy, without doing us any . damage. A short distance further back we were greeted by several shell and a number of riffe shots. The latter came from the rear. One man of Company "A." was wounded. Company "C." was deployed as skirmishers to search the woods through which we were passing, but no secreted enemy could be found. Blankets had been left by the rebel pickets in their hasty retreat. The detachment now returned to the Regiment and then learned that Captain Gifford was not with them. He, fearing the work of destroying the buildings had not been thoroughly done, or that some of his men might be left behind, returned to look into the condition of affairs just as the men began to retreat. "After returning to the buildings, he saw some troops and hailed them. The answer was returned designat-
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AND TWENTY - EIGHTH REGIMENT.
ing one of our own Regiments. He went to them and found that he was a prisoner. He was taken within Port Hudson and retained until the 4th of July, when he made his escape by swimming down the river. He arrived in camp on the 5th or 6th, but the exertion had so greatly exhausted him that he died of typhoid pneumonia in New Orleans on the 8th day of August." The company and Regi- ment thus lost a devoted and efficient officer.
As soon as Captain Gifford was known to be missing, upon the return of the detachment, a call was made by the Adjutant of the Regiment for thirty volunteers to make a search about the burning ruins. A large number of men responded. Ten from Company "C." and the rest from Company " I." were allowed to go. The grounds which were still lighted by the flames of the burning building were safely passed over, and thoroughly, though vainly, searched. Late on this evening, Company " F.," which had been on picket duty was relieved by Company " C." when the new pickets were moved forward along a rail fence and on a line with the consumed Slaughter Mansion. The enemy's pickets could be seen a short distance off within a ravine. A volley of musketry was poured along our picket line from the woods on the right flank, which had been left unprotected during the night, and which caused the advance guards for a few moments to rally on the reserve. These soon returned to their posts along the fence and held this line until morning.
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
SECTION VI.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1863.
General Gardner, who had command of the confederate forces within Port Hudson, had strongly fortified the place with a series of earthworks, commanding the river and all the inland approaches. The attack had been expected from down the river. A series of works had been commenced four miles below Port Hudson and extending a line of eight miles. Finding that too large a force would be required to defend these, this plan was contracted : "As actually constructed," says Irwin, "the lines were four and a-half miles long and ran in a semi-circular sweep from the river near Ross Landing, below Port Hudson, to the impassable swamp above. Fol- lowing this line for thirteen hundred yards after leaving the river on the south, the bluff is broken into irregular ridges and deep ravines, with narrow plateaus ; thence for two thousand yards the lines crossed the broad fields of Gibbon's and of Slaughter's plantations ; beyond these for four hundred yards they were carried over difficult gullies ; beyond these again for fourteen hundred yards the course lay through fields and over hilly ground to the ravine, at the bottom of which runs Sandy Creek. Here, on the day of investment, the line of confederate earthworks stopped, the country lying toward the north- east being considered so difficult that no attack was looked for in that quarter. Sandy Creek finds its way into the marshy bottom of Forster's Creek, and from Sandy Creek, where the earthworks ended, to the river at the mouth of Foster's Creek, is about twenty-five hund- red yards. Save where the axe had been busy, nearly the whole country was covered with a heavy growth of magnolia trees of great size and beauty. This was a line that, for its complete defense against a regular siege, conducted according to the strict principles of military science, as that laid down in the books, should have had a force of fifteen thousand men. At the end of March the garrison consisted of 1.366 officers, 14,921 men of all arms present for duty, making a total of 16,287. The main body was organized in five brigades, commanded by Beall, Buford, Gregg, Moxey and Rust. The fortifications on the river front mounted twenty-two heavy guns, from so-inch columbiads down to 24-pound siege guns, manned by three batteries of heavy artillerists, while thirteen light batteries.
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
probably numbering seventy-eight pieces, were available for the defense of all the lines ; of these batteries only five were now left, with thirty guns."
During the early part of May, Rust, Buford, Gregg and Moxey marched to the relief of Vicksburg. Miles was to have followed. Gardner had received orders to evacuate Port Hudson, but was cut off by the advance of Augur. The confederate force within the lines at this time numbered, according to the reports given by Colonel Irwin, 10,703, of whom 653 were officers, and 10,050 enlisted men.
On the evening of May 26th, a meeting of the Northern division commanders was held at the headquarters at Riley's, on the Bayou Sara. The question of an assault upon the place was considered. ''No minutes of this council were kept," says Irwin, "and to this day its conclusions are a matter of dispute." Evidently there was a difference of opinion. Prompt action was regarded as necessary because of the uncertainty as to the results up the river, and con- cerning the position of the troops which had so recently left that place. All the officers and men were in excellent spirits and very confident of success, even Banks himself supposing his army twice as large as the confederate defenders of Port Hudson. But it was just as evident to some of the officers that the Commander-in-Chief and none of his assistants were acquainted with the field over which the army must pass, that the roads for direct communication were not open, and that a forward movement along the whole line was largely a movement in the dark. A still further mistake was mani- fest on the next day in the plans proposed, that of having no definite understanding as to the time and method of attack. As soon as the council broke up, Banks assumed all the responsibility and gave orders for an assault on the following morning. This doubtless was intended as a simultaneous attack along the whole line of breast- works so as to engage all of the enemy at once, and thus prevent the massing of the rebel forces at any one place. All the artillery was to commence the fire upon the enemy's works at daybreak. This was to be followed by an assault of the infantry.
A clear, beautiful niglit had been enjoyed by the pickets as they watched. At early dawn came the command to advance as skir- miishers. The forward movement of the men of the 128th, who were on this picket line, was first through the ravine where the confederate pickets had been seen during the night, and deployed both to the right and left of this same valley. This brought our advancing line
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
in front and to the right of the Slaughter mansion ruins, and as we advanced over more level ground which was thickly covered with fallen trees. Taking advantage of the shelter afforded by these tree trunks, we boldly advanced several hundred yards toward the enemy's works driving the rebel skirmishers within their breastwork, until the com- mand came from General Sherman to fall back under cover of the woods. This brought us back again on the line of the picket posts at daylight. Company "C." was then directed to act as a support for a battery on the edge of the woods north of the Slaughter residence, and which opened fire and kept up quite a continuous rain of shot and shell during the most of the forenoon.
About 5 A. M., Weitzel, supposing the movement to be advancing on the left, put his column in motion through the forest in his front and which extended to within two hundred and fifty yards of the enemy's works. The confederate skirmishers were driven in and crowded back to the main entrenchments. Weitzel's men continued to advance with much difficulty over hills, ravines and fallen trees, until they held a ridge about two hundred yards distant from the enemy's line.
Paine formed his division in two lines in support, but on account of the inequalities of the ground and difficulties in the way, finding his front uncovered, moved forward as an advance line. Here was the first unexpected movement showing the ignorance of the grounds on the part of our officers. Grover moved forward next to Paine's left, and commenced his part of the fray.
The assault was checked by a destructive fire from the con- federates, and the men sought shelter about thirty yards from the works. The force of these attacks was spent by ten o'clock. These generals waited in vain for the sounds of battle to the left. Auger was waiting with his forces ready for the word of command from Banks to move forward. Banks at the same time was waiting for sounds from Sherman, further to the left, to give the signal to Augur. There evidently was some misunderstanding on the part of Sherman as to his orders. " The most plausible surmise," says Col. Irwin. "seems to be that Sherman supposed he was to wait for the engineers to indicate the point of attack, and that he, himself, did not choose to go beyond what he conceived to be his orders to precipitate a movement whose propriety he doubted." " Neither in his previous history, nor in his conduct in the present exigency, was there any- thing to his personal discredit as a man or as a soldier." Banks being
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AND TWENTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT.
disturbed by the check on the right, and by the silence on the left, about noon, rode to Sherman's headquarters. He found Sherman at luncheon in his tent surrounded by his staff, with his division lying under arms in front without orders. A hot altercation ensued. Banks returned to his headquarters determined to replace Sherman by the Chief-of-Staff of the Department. Andrews was sent at once to take charge of Sherman's division, but on reaching the ground found Sherman had put his men in line and was leading them forward. Wisely, Andrews deferred delivering his orders. At a quarter past two Sherman moved to the assault, Andrews remaining to witness the engagement. The signal of attack, awaited by Banks, must have been that of the infantry's muskets, as heavy artillery firing had been kept up all the forenoon in front of Sherman's division, and the sharpshooters had made quite a continuous rattle during the early hours of the morning.
Nickerson's brigade, composed of the 14th and 24th Maine, 177th and 165th New York Regiments, was on the right. Dow advanced his brigade at the same time and formed the left of the division, the Regiments being in the following order : The 6th Michi- gan, 15th New Hampshire, 26th Connecticut and 128th New York. This brought the 128th on the extreme left of the Union forces and near Gibbon's house. In the interval between the two brigades rode General Sherman with his whole staff and escort. The distance from the woods to the enemy's breastwork was about 1,200 yards. The first part of the plain over which the 128th advanced, was mostly cleared, and had been the drill ground for the confederate artillery. Then we entered the field of growing corn, while to the right was a dense obstruction of many large fallen trees. Sherman and his mounted staff were conspicuous objects for the sharpshooters within the breastworks, many of whom, as we afterwards found out, were excellent marksmen. Scarcely had the line emerged from the woods when it was met by hot volleys of musketry and artillery, and Sher- man fell from his horse severely wounded in the leg, and was carried to the rear. Two of his staff shared the same fate. Dow was wounded soon after. The troops moved steadily forward at a good pace, until their progress was delayed by four successful lines of fence that had to be thrown down and crossed. They now came to the fallen trees, which had been formed into an abatis in front of much of the enemy's breastwork. This was, however, almost absent in front of our Regiment, and left an open sweep for the rebel fire,
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
while the right of our brigade lines were retarded in their passing over the obstructions. Many of the fallen and dried trees had been set on fire by the exploding shells. The smoke and flame blinded the men, and made the advance more difficult. After Dow's fall, the command of the division devolved on General Frank S. Nickerson, commander of the third brigade, but no notice was given him of the absence of Sherman and Dow. For some time there was no one to give orders. Colonel Cowles 'took command of the brigade after Dow's fall. His noble form in front of the men became conspicuous. He was leading the column forward when he was pierced with a piece of a shrapnel shell. He was asked by Captain Keese if he should be assisted to the rear, when he responded : "No ! go forward and take care of the Regiment. " Held in the arms of Sergeant Chas. M. Bell and Allen Sheldon, he died in half an hour, after suffering intensely, but conscious to the end.
His last words were a touching appeal to his faithful and tried men. "Boys ! Have I not done my duty ? Tell my mother I died with my face to the enemy."-So ended the mortal career of a chivalrous and noble character ; generous, kind of heart, and as such, beloved by the entire Regiment, who bitterly mourned the loss of their heroic leader. Though falling in his first engagement, he had acted so bravely that he left an inspiration and a name to his Regi- ment for the rest of their service. So green did his " Boys " keep his laurels by deeds of determination and daring that the dauntless Regiment won the soubrequet of " Old Steady." The command of the 128th now fell upon Captain Keese, who had been acting as Lieut .- Colonel, both Lieut .- Colonel Smith and Major Foster being absent on detached duty. The advance became more and more difficult over the burning trunks of trees and in the face of the galling fire, which increased as we drew nearer the open mouths of the enemy's guns. The left of the rebel line had been planned to meet the attack of the Union Army, and here were planted a large number of guns which swept the field. As we formed the extreme left wing, we met, with scarce an obstruction, the galling storm.
As soon as Banks heard the firing on the left and knew by this signal that Sherman was advancing, he ordered Augur forward. Augur had been waiting all day. It is difficult to understand why his attack might not have been made in connection with the assault in the morning on the right, and, by this means, carried on the fight- ing down the line, and in this matter, if in no other, showed Sherman
DAVID S. COWLES, 1st Colonel of the 128th N. Y. Vols. Killed May 27, 1863. at Port Hudson, Louisiana.
AND TWENTY - EIGHTH REGIMENT.
what was intended for him to do, instead of waiting for hours and then move forward this division, the nearest to Bank's headquarters, merely to fill a gap between the advancing lines. This forward movement in the gap was scarce begun before the men " found them- selves inextricably entangled in the dense abatis under a fierce and continuous discharge of musketry and a withering cross-fire of artillery." "No part of the column ever passed beyond the abatis," nor could the troops retreat without great loss, and were obliged to protect themselves behind the fallen trees until nightfall. The whole assault was so carried out by piece-meal that the enemy was allowed time to rush their troops from one point of assault to another, within their lines of works, and thus mass their forces against each seperate column when making an onward movement.
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