USA > New York > History of the one hundred and twenty-eighth regiment : New York volunteers (U.S. infantry) ; in the late civil war > Part 7
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
the enemy's works. Meanwhile the good news was forwarded by wire and staff officers, to the commanders of divisions and then on to all the forces along the lines. The first company of men receiv- ing the tidings sent up a shout of joy with such energy that all who heard knew there must be glad news, and gave out the same saluta- tion. As the news opened on each company, and each regiment joined in the loud cheers, the bands struck up the strains of "The Star Spangled Banner." A national salute was to be fired, and all the bands were to play the national airs at noon. But the gunners belched forth their shouts until the hills and woods echoed the glad news. The garrison within Port Hudson were aroused and knew that some great event must have taken place. At first it was sup- posed to be a mere ruse. An officer of an Arkansas regiment, to whom was first handed the little scrap of tissue paper on which the whole chapter of history was told in seven words, acknowledged the compliment by calling back, "This is another damned Yankee lie !" The men within the rebel lines were far more ready to accept the report. They saw in this the end of all their attempts to hold out against the fearful odds and the re-enforcements which they well knew would soon be on the way.
The following authoritative account of the results of this message is taken from Col. Irwin's book, The Nineteeth Army Corps : "That evening Gardner summoned his commanders to meet him in council. Among them all there was but one thought- the end had come. Shortly after half-past twelve, the notes of a bugle were heard on the Plain's Store road, sounding the signal, 'Cease firing.' A few seconds later an officer, with a small escort, approached bearing a lantern swung upon a long pole, with a white handkerchief tied beneath it, to serve as a flag of truce. At the outpost of Charles J. Paine's brigade the flag was halted, and its purpose ascertained. This was announced to be the delivery of. an important dispatch from Gardner to Banks. Thus it was that a few minutes after one o'clock, the hoofs of two horses were heard at the same instant at headquarters, yet each with a sound of its own, that seemed in keeping with its story. One, a slow and measured trot, told of duty done and stable near ; the other, quick and nervous, spoke of pressing news. Two officers dismounted ; the clang of their sabres was heard together ; together they made their way to the tent where the writer of these lines lay awake and listening. One was Captain Walker, with the fuse, the other was
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IHISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
Lieutenant Orton S. Clark, of the 116th New York, then attached to the staff of Charles J. Paine. The long envelope he handed in feit rough to the touch, the light of a match showed its color a dull gray ; every inch of it said, 'Surrender.'
When opened it was found to contain a request for an official assurance as to the truth of the report that Vicksburg had sur- rendered. If true, Gardner asked for a cessation of hostilities with a view to consider terms. At a quarter past one Banks replied, conveying an exact copy of so much of Grant's dispatch as related the capitulation of Vicksburg. He told when and how the dispatch had come, and wound up by regretting that he could not consent to a truce for the purpose indicated. 'The Adjutant General himself carried back the reply, accompanied by Lieutenant Clark, first to Augur's headquarters, and thence to the outposts, where a blast of the bugle called back the confederate flag of truce and the accom- panying officers. Nearly daylight Gardner's second letter was brought by the band of horsemen. In this the confederate com- mander said :
' Having defended this position as long as I deem my duty requires, I am willing to surrender to you, and will appoint a com- mission of three officers to meet a similar commission appointed by yourself, at nine o'clock this morning, for the purpose of agreeing upon, and drawing up the terms of surrender, and for that purpose I ask a cessation of hostilities. Will you please disignate a point out- side of my breastworks, where a meeting shall be held for this pur- pose ?'
At 4:30 A. M., Banks sent back the reply :
' I have designated Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone, Colonel Henry W. Birge, and Lieutenant-Colonel Richard B. Irwin, as the officers to meet the commission appointed by you. They will meet your officers at the hour designated at a point near where the flag of truce was received this morning. I will direct that all active hostili- ties shall entirely cease on my part until further notice, for the purpose stated. '
Before this message was sent, the word had been passed along the lines for the pickets to cease firing. Long before the appointed hour for the meeting of the commissioners to arrange terms of capitulation, the confederate soldiers had practically taken the sur- render in their own hands, and in the tree tops had swung out their white flags in the shape of bunches of white cotton.
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AND TWENTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT.
At nine o'clock the commissioners met. On the confederates de there were Colonel William R. Miles, commanding the right - wing of the garrison, Colonel I. G. N. Steedman, of the ist Alabama, commanding the left wing, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mar- shall J. Smith, Chief of Heavy Artillery."
The day was a beautiful one, the cessation from active hostili- ties was. a refreshing change. Not until two o'clock did the commissioners cease their pleasant chat with each other, and get down to the work of signing the articles of surrender. Then the names were affixed to the terms drawn up in the early morning, with the exception of one item. Five o'clock in the afternoon had been named as the hour when possession should be given to the besiegers. This was changed to seven o'clock on the morning of the 9th. Gardner almost immediately approved the articles. At half-past two Banks completed the articles by adding his signature. A wagon train of provisions was at once sent within the sally-port of Port Hudson to relieve the wants of the men, for some time reduced to very limited rations. Molasses and sugar were still in abundance, and the floor of a small chapel was covered with beans. But long before this, the men had become sick of these and were living on roast corn, the regular rations being four ears a day. The horses .: nd mules had been mostly used as meat, and the supply of peas had run short, though a small quantity of the latter were still found by our boys after the surrender. With much feeling could the con- federates repeat the song of one of their own poetic comrades :
" A life on Port Hudson Hills, A home in the trenches deep, A dodge from the Yankee shelis, And the old pea-bread won't keep. Like a rebel caged I pine, And a dodge when the cannons roar ;
But give me corn dodger and swine, And I'll stay forever more.
A life on Port Hudson's hills, A home in the trenches deep, A dodge from the Yankee shells, And the old pea-bread won't keep. The bread, the bread, the bread, the old pea-bread won't keep. The bread, the bread, the bread. the old pea-bread won't keep.
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
" Once more in trenches I stand With my own far-carrying gun ;
If the fray should come hand to hand I'll wager my rations I'll run.
The trenches no longer in view, The shells have begun to fall,
The sound I hate, don't you ? So into my rat-hole I'll crawl.
The bullets may whistle by, The terrible bombs come down ;
But give me full rations and I'll stay in my hole in the ground.
I'll stay, I'll stay, I'll stay, I'll stay in my hole in the ground."
It was not surprising, therefore, that a large wagon train, loaded not with powder and shell, but with hard-tack and bacon, should be welcomed with loud yells by these men, who had stood so long a seige, and that this treatment should put the men who had bravely and strongly contended with each other on quite friendly terms.
To General Andrews was assigned the pleasant duty of receiv- ing the surrender. The excitement within the Union lines was equally great with that of the rebels, though from far different reasons. The long siege, which had proved so trying to Northern men in this hot climate, was at an end. Victory perched upon our banners. Little sleep was indulged in during the night. From each division of the army two of the best regiments and one from Weitzel's brigade were selected to occupy the place. The 128th, on account of its efficiency and bravery on the 27th of May, and on the 14th of June, and during the whole siege, was detailed as one of the regiments from the Second division. On the evening of the Sth the regiment "packed up" and proceeded to the Clinton road, near the headquarters of General Augur, and bivouacked for the night. Early on the morning of the 9th was the column formed, with Andrews and his staff at the head. The first in position of honor, came the Stormers, with Birge in command. The names and the order of the succeeding regiments are given as follows by Irwin in his Nineteenth Army Corps. "Then the 75th New York, of Weitzel's Brigade, followed by the 116th New York, and the 2d Louisiana, of Augur's division ; the 12th Maine, and the 13th Con- necticut, of Grover's division ; the 6th Michigan, and the 14th Maine, of Dwight's division ; the 4th Wisconsin, and the 8th New Hampshire, of Paine's. With the column was Duryea's battery."
1
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AND TWENTY - EIGHTH REGIMENT.
It will be seen that the 128th is wholly left out from this record of honor. We, being on the ground, are certain that the 128th was in the line. Our own journal states that we were the third regiment after the Stormers. We have no desire to displace either of the two regiments of Dwight's division from this honor roll, as we would gladly bear witness to the bravery of the men of each, but as men of the 128th, we claim our place on this record of honor. This mistake, made here in a book which claims such high authority, goes far to discredit the reliability of the book upon disputed points of interest.
Promptly at seven o'clock the column of occupation, with colors flying and the band of each regiment playing national airs, entered the sally port on the Jackson road, and marched to where the confederate troops were drawn up in line. The 128th halted near the centre of the brigade cammanded by Colonel Provence of South Carolina, the rebels being on one side of the road and our regiment on the other. General Gardner was at the head of their line. At the command "Ground Arms," followed by the command of execution on the bugles, the whole line swayed and bowed, every confederate soldier laying his weapon on the ground in token of submission, while General Gardner tendered his sword to General Andrews. "At the same instant the Stars and Bars, the colors of the confederacy, were hauled down from the flagstaff, where they had so long waved defiance ; a detachment of sailors from the naval batteries sprang to the halyards and rapidly run up the flag of the United States ; the guns of Duryea's battery saluted the colors."
Ranks were now broken, and the two parties who had so lately been engaged in a deadly contest, were comparing experiences of the siege, as if the whole affair had been but a friendly contest of physical ability.
Port Hudson was a desolate looking place. The underground retreats had often been penetrated by shot and shell. The buildings were sadly wrecked or burned. Dead horses and mules had been left unburied, and were producing a great stench. The hospitals, situated in the ravines, and almost shut in from the river breeze, were full of the sick and the wounded. The confederate officers were well dressed, the soldiers moderately so. With the place were taken 6,3440 prisoners, of whom 405 were officers and 5,935 enlisted men. "There were also 20 pieces of light artillery, and 31 pieces of field artillery ; of these 12 heavy guns, and 30 light guns were in
-
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
comparitively good order." The losses of the enemy during this siege cannot be learned. The report of Major C. M. Jackson, who acted as assistant inspector general of that place, reported to John- ston that the total casualties during the siege were 200 killed, between 300 and 400 wounded, and 200 died from sickness. Another partial return gives the total loss at 623.
About sunset, Colonel Miles, an old and gray- haired man, came to the rebel lines and announced to his men that the non-commis- sioned officers and privates were to be paroled. As the news was announced to each company, it was welcomed with the "rebel yell," given in good earnest. The forms prescribed by the cartel then in force were carried out. These paroles were, however, immediately declared void by the confederate government, and the men were forced back into the ranks of active service. Not yet had our gov - ernment learned that we were dealing with a pretended government, whose leaders were wholly without honor or principle. The officers were kept as prisoners, but were allowed to select their place of con- finement.
WITHIN PORT HUDSON.
There was a most grateful feeling of rest and quiet under the shade-trees of Port Hudson during this day. The morning had been foggy, with a close oppressive atmosphere. With the afternoon came a fine, refreshing river breeze, which reminded us that the " Johnnies " had often had the advantage of us, while we had been sweltering in the ravines more distant during the siege. During the night, all the small arms and equipments of the surrendered forces were gathered by our men and placed under a strong guard. The result of the delay over one night in taking possession of the place was found out and partially remedied by the discovery of quite a quantity of arms which had been buried.
The long siege of Port Hudson had been a most trying ordeal for the Union forces. The heat during May and June had been oppressive. The exposure to the sun and rain and malarial influences, told on our men from the North, and before they had become acclimated. The constant watching by night and day with the ever present thought of danger, and the almost as constant working in the trenches, as well as the enemy's shots, had overcome many. The total losses to the Corps during the siege was 4.363. Of these 45 officers and 663 men were killed, 191 officers and 3.1.45 nien wounded, 12 officers and 307 men missing. The number who
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
succumbed by sickness is not given. "When the end came," says Irwin, "the effective force, outside the cavalry, hardly exceeded S,ooo, while even of this small number nearly every officer and man might well have gone on the sick report, had not pride and duty held him to his post."
Doubtless it was a disappointment to General Banks not to be the first to open the barriers of the lower Mississippi, and then pro- ceed to the help of Vicksburg, but there was less loss of life on the part of his forces. He was a sharer in the great work. The open- ing of the Mississippi was an achievement of vast importance to the North. By this was the confederacy divided. On the west side of the river were the three important States of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, through which flowed the three great tributaries to the Mississippi ; the White, the Arkansas and the Red. These states had been, in a great measure, secure against the attacks of the Union forces. These states could send in the field a half million of soldiers, and furnish supplies of all kinds for the confederate army. Now, being largely cut off by the Union forces ranging the river, this western section was of little help to the rebel government. Our government officers at Washington greatly appreciated the advan- tages gained by the capture of Port Hudson. A . dispatch from Halleck, dated the 23d of July, reached, in due time, General Banks, and was published in orders on the 5th of August : "I con- gratulate you and your army on the crowning success of the cam- paign. It was reserved for your army to strike the last blow to open the Mississippi. The country, and especially the great West. will ever remember with gratitude their success. " On the 28th of January, 1864, Congress passed a joint resolution of thanks "to Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks and the officers and soldiers under his command for the skill, courage, and endurance which compelled the surrender of Port Hudson, and thus removed the last obstruction to the free navigation of the Mississippi River."
It was a short time after the report of this Congressional pro- ceedings reached the department that General Order No. 25 was issued, on February 19th, by which certain regiments were allowed to inscribe upon their banners the battles in which they had gained honor, and by which the 128th New York was enjoined to place "Port Hudson" on its flags. This order was signed by Genera! Nathaniel P. Banks as Commander of the department, and by Richard B. Irwin as Asst. Adit. General.
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
1
SECTION X.
GUARDING THE MISSISSIPPI.
During the siege of Port Hudson, the confederate forces on the west side of the river were not idle. All the rebel troops were under the control of General E. Kirby Smith, who proved himself a skill- ful adversary to the Union Army. He was descended from an illustrious military family, who had engaged in every war waged in this country. His grandfather had served in the Revolutionary War against the French and British. His father was colonel in the war of 1812. He, himself, was a graduate of West Point in 1845. He had served in the Mexican war, when he was brevetted for gallantry, and still later was in the Indian wars. As a fallen angel, he had for- saken his high honors and become a leader of the hosts of darkness. Even here he had found exaltation because of his skill. Resigning his position as Major in the United States service, he entered the confederate army, to be promoted from one position to another, because of his bravery, until made general and put in command of this department beyond the Mississippi. The fact that he largely organized the confederate government in the Trans-Mississippi region, and that his army was the last to surrender at the close of the war, shows that he was no weak antagonist. As soon as Kirby Smith learned that Banks had entered upon the siege of Port Hudson he directed Taylor to Northern Louisiana, in order to break up Grant's campaign against Vicksburg, by destroying his com- munications on the west side of the river. Grant had already opened communications on the east side around Vicksburg, and rendered this movement of the enemy abortive. Taylor now turned his army southward to the LaFourche country, with the determination to obstruct the river and raise the siege of Port Hudson.
On the 1Sth of June a detachment of confederate cavalry rode into the village of Plaquemine at dawn, and surprised a small squad of Union men doing provost duty. Lieutenant C. H. Withrow and twenty-two men of the 28th Maine, were captured, and three steamers lying in the bayou were burned. Captain Albert Stearns. of the 131st New York, who was acting as Provost Marshal of the parish, and thirteen men of his guard escaped. The enemy, how-
77
AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
ever, were dislodged a few hours later by the gun-boat Winona,' which came from Baton Rouge, and shelled the place. This was but the advance of Taylor's force, by which the transportation of provisions to Bank's army up the river was to be stopped.
The confederates under Major, having been repulsed at La- Fourche Crossing by a small Union force, commanded by Lieuten- ant Colonel Albert Stickney, hastily turned upon Bayou Boeuf and Brashear, captured these places and their small garrisons, and caused the destruction of considerabie military stores, and the bag- gage of several of the regiments engaged at Port Hudson. Taylor now turned over his forces to Monton and hastily went to Alexan- dria for re-enforcements, with the determination of making more extensive conquests. Monton at once marched to Donaldsonville, where he presented himself before Fort Butler on the 27th of June, and demanded the surrender of the garrison, which consisted of about 180 men. The men were shielded by a small square redoubt, placed in the northern angle between the bayou and the Mississippi, and designed to protect the river passage to LaFourche. Four guns were mounted on a high and thick parapet, similar to the levee, and surrounded by a deep ditch. The fort was commanded by Major Joseph D. Bullen, of the 28th Maine. Green, who had immediate command of the confederate troops, made the attack, with a force of 1,300 to 1,500 strong, just after midnight. A most determined and desperate assault was made upon the works, which was heroically resisted. As soon as the enemy had appeared near Donaldsonville, word had been sent to the Princess Royal, a Union gun-boat, lying near Donaldsonville, and to the Winona, near Plaquemine, and the Kines, between Bonnet Caire and the Red Church. The Princess Royal appeared on the scence but five minutes after the action began and shelled the woods in the direction of the rebel yells. About four o'clock the fire of the enemy slackened, and "three rousing cheers went up from the fort. A few minutes later, the Winona came down and opened fire, and at half-past four the Kines hove in sight. The fight was ended." The loss to the garri- son was in all, twenty-one. Of these, eight were killed and thirteen wounded. The Princess Royal had one man killed and two wounded. Green reported the confederate loss in all as 261, but there is good reasons for supposing this rash movement cost him even more severely.
Taylor now turned his attention to blockading the river by
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
establishing his batteries at different points behind the levee, and preying upon the transport vessels, so as to make the convoy of a gun-boat a necessity to each vessel going up or down. He had overun La Fourche and planted his outposts within twenty miles of New Orleans, and caused this city to be aroused to an intense excitement. There were many paroled confederate prisoners and many openly confessed enemies within the place. General Emory, who had command of the city, took every precaution with the small force at his command, yet felt the danger. On the 4th of July he wrote to Banks : "I respectfully suggest that unless Port Hudson be already taken, you can only save this city by sending me re-enforcements immediately, and at any cost. It is a choice between Port Hudson and New Orleans."
Discouraging as was this report and appeal, the answer sent on the 5th, showed that Banks had the utmost confidence of success within a few days. This hour of greatest darkness was soon to be followed by a speedy sunrise.
However great the exultation over the fall of Port Hudson on the Sth of July, there was no time to sit still, or even spend in rest- ing the almost exhausted troops.
The formality of the surrender of Port Hudson was not ended on the morning of the 9th, when Weitzel, at the head of the First Division, marched off to the left and embarked on the transports to go against Taylor. Setting sail toward evening, he reached Donald- sonville the next morning. These re-enforcements caused Taylor to withdraw his guns from the river and concentrate his forces.
Morgan, with Grover's first brigade and Nevins' battery, left Port Hudson about midnight on the roth, for the same destination down the river.
In this brief sketch we have shown the situation when Port Hudson fell.
On the day after the joyful entrance of our troops, the 128th was placed on guard. about 11 A. M., at General Bank's Headquar- ters. Only a few guards were required on duty at a time, and we much enjoyed the rest in the shade of the trees. This, however, did not last long. At 2 p. M. of the with, we were ordered in line. After leaving our knapsacks to be brought by the wagons, we left the place. We had been transferred to another brigade, composed of the Best, 38th and 53d Massachusetts, the 128th, 156th and 175th New York. The 53d Massachusetts was a nine months'
JAMES SMITH, Lieutenant Colonel of the 12sth N. Y. Vols. Promoted to Colonel after May 27th, 1803.
on
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
regiment, which had gained a distinguished record for bravery and efficiency during the siege and elsewhere. The second brigade, with General Grover, had gone on this day by transport to Donaldsonville. Our orders were to proceed under the direction of General Arnold, Chief of Artillery, to Baton Rouge, a distance of twenty-five miles, and escort and guard seven batteries of artillery, consisting of 42 guns. Heavy showers had fallen since noon, and for some distance the roads were very muddy. We marched out of the parapet, over the battle ground of May 27th, past the burnt buildings of the 26th, then struck the main road. When passing through the woods we saw a huge rattlesnake of six feet in length, which, like the other rebels, had made an unconditional surrender to some of our boys. These secret foes had also lurked near our camp, but did not spring without a warning note, while the Northern copperhead, both of the viper and human species, would strike with deadly aim in a more secret manner.
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