USA > New York > Memories of the 149th Regt. N. Y. Vol. Inft., 3d Brig., 2 Div., 12th and 20th A. C > Part 7
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ing no response, the line again moved forward through fields, timbered land and swamps until it came to a piece of woods too dense to pass in line of battle. The regiment then came to a flank, undoubled and moved forward on a wood road to another elearing, where it halted and was finally relieved and moved back to the road three-fourths of a mile away. In all, the men had charged three miles, and were fatigued and fully willing to retire. The 137th was on the left of the 149th during the charge, and conducted itself in a creditable manner. From the best information obtained, the enemy's forces con- sisted of five hundred to a thousand cavalrymen, and two pieces of light artillery. The Union losses were two killed in the cavalry escort, and several wounded ; those of the enemy were not known.
After a short respite the command pursued the enemy four- miles towards Dumfries and camped for the night.
In the morning the corps moved homeward by a new route which proved worse than the first, so after a detour of about three miles it crossed back to the old road and camped for the night on the north side of the Oreoquan River, where the wagon train had remained during its absence. The men cut down trees and placed their shelter tents before log fires so the heat eame in and kept them warm. They were very tired and had a comfortable and refreshing sleep, notwithstanding the cold and frost.
Before sunrise the brigade was on the road and, arriving at Fairfax Station about ten a. M., found its tents struck and everything in readiness to be destroyed by fire. It appeared that the enemy's cavalry, after its encounter with the 12th Corps as above related, had passed on by-roads to the rear and torn up the railroad track, and eut the telegraph wires between Alexandria and Fairfax Station, and made a demonstration on camp. The men left in charge, becoming alarmed, made preparations to destroy the baggage and camp equipments. If an attack had been made there is no doubt a large amount of property would have been destroyed and many prisoners taken ;
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MEMOIRS 149th N. Y. INFT.
but twenty-four hours after the return there were no evidences of the late disturbance.
Early on the following morning a man by the name of Asa Houghtail, of Co. I, dropped dead in the company street. He had just returned from the spring with water and went to the fire to warm himself. While standing before the fire he sud- denly expired without a struggle or a warning. A substantial box coffin was made from Immber obtained from the Quarter- master, and he was buried with military honors under a cherry tree by the side of the two men killed in the late reconnaissance. As his body was conducted to the place of burial by a corporal's guard with reversed arms and muffled drums, the men and officers in the different camps stood with uncovered heads as the solemu procession moved by. The uncertainty of human life was well exemplified in this case ; in the morning to out- ward appearances he was in health ; at night three volleys of musketry were discharged over his grave. His remains now sleep in the National Cemetery at Arlington Heights.
The resignation of 2d Lieutenant John T. Bon and Ist Lieu- tenant John Van Wie having been accepted, these officers went home : the former on the 25th of December. 1862, and the latter on the Isth day of January, 1863. William Gleason, of Liverpool, N. Y., joined Co. F on the 22d day of January. 1863, under a commission as Ist Lieutenant.
Monday morning, January 5th, Gen. H. W. Slocum review- ed the ed and 3d Brigades of the ed Division at Fairfax Station. The day was fine and the sun shone warm and bright. The two brigades were drawn up in open order in two lines, one a short distance behind the other, in a large open field near camp. Besides the infantry, there were two batteries and a battalion of cavalry in a third line behind the infantry. The arms and clothing of the men were in good condition, the regimental and brigade flag- were unfurled, and the officers were in full dress uniform. When all was in readiness Gen. Geary dismounted and took position in front of the first line, while his staff re- paired to its proper place : the brigade commanders and their
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staffs did likewise. At this moment Gen. Slocum came over the knoll in front on horseback, followed by his staff and orderlies. When he had arrived within a short distance of the front line, obedient to the command of Gen. Geary, all saluted : the officers with their swords, the men with their muskets, and the music with their drums and bugles. Gen. Geary then mounted his charger, and joining Gen. Sloemm, the two pro- ceeded to the left and then galloped down the front of the first line, up the front of the second, and so on to the end, fol- lowed by their staff- and orderlies. During this part of the exercises minute guns were discharged by a piece of artillery. The inspection being over, Gen. Slocum took position in front in the distant field, while the different commands, under direc- tion of Gen. Geary, wheeled into column by companies and marched before him : the bands and drum corps playing, and the officers and men saluting as they passed. The head of the column having passed Gen. Slocum. Gen. Geary wheeled out of ling and took a place at his side. After passing the reviewing officer the different regiments marched back to their old posi- tions, halted, came into line and, after saluting, were dismissed. Such displays were not common at this time in the 12th Corps (perhaps for want of opportunity), and this was particularly an interesting and imposing review : but to the weary and homesick sollier it made the same impression as the ordinary routine duty. A captive bird will chafe against prison Far- although they may be gilded, and this was particularly a time of despondency in the regiment.
After returning from the review the writer was detailed and put in charge of a number of picket- from the regiment. The post to which he was assigned commanded an important road leading to the Fredericksburg and Alexandria road, and had seventy-five men and two officers. The weather was favor- able and the night passed without incident worthy of notice. In the morning the officer of the day. a captain of the 145th N. Y., invited him to share his breakfast at a Virginia tavern half a mile outside the lines. The tavern was an old-fashioned
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MEMOIRS 149th N. Y. INFT.
building in its declining years. The bar-room was separated from the living rooms by a partition of hewn logs, and the bar in one corner enclosed from floor to ceiling in a similar manner. had a square opening in the logs through which to serve cus- tomers. The general aspeet was suggestive of country sprees, bullets and bowie-knives. The appearance of the landlord. however, was not in keeping with his place of business, for he was fat, good-natured and talkative. In the living part of the house there was a large open fireplace which served for warmth and culinary purposes. After a short delay the two officers were invited to breakfast and were graciously received by the landlady, a black-eyed, black-haired, and uncombed one-hun- dred-and-seventy-five-pounder, who presided at the table, sipped coffee, looked vacant, and belched wind from her stomach with perfect nonchalance. Occasionally she folded her flour- besmeared arms across her capacious bosom, and as she gazed fondly upon the plump forms of her two smiling young lady daughters, she appeared a picture of unctuous loveliness. Unele Sam's soldiers were not permitted to enjoy many of the smiles and blandishments of the gentler sex, but when they did, the favor was duly appreciated. The breakfast consisted of strong coffee (withont milk), unsavory sausage, strong hard cheese, cold meat (name unknown), and corn dodgers tasting like half- baked sour pancakes. This without butter or ance was the en- tire bill of rare. Of course, the officer of the day and his guest looked at the caster, ostentatiously standing before them, read the a, b, c's on the margin of their plates, enjoyed the feminine presence of their hostess and her fair daughters, and cheerfully paid the three good shillings required for the entertainment.
Two days before the departure from Fairfax Station an order was received to turn over wall and " A" tents, send extra baggage to the rear, and remain in readiness to move at a moment's notice. As a result the 149th lost four men, and the 137th twenty-even by desertion. The sick from the regi- ment sent to hospital numbered thirty. The evening before breaking camp Col. H. A. Barmmm joined the regiment, ac-
GENERAL HENRY A. BARNUM.
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FAIRFAX STATION.
companied by Capt. B. L. Higgins and Charles E. Fitch as visitors. The Colonel was heartily welcomed by the officers and men. The visiting gentlemen left the next morning.
This camp will always be associated with the era of the greatest despondeney, the severest hardships, and greatest homesickness of the men. Afterwards there were greater actual hardships, but the men had more ability to cope with them and did not suffer as much as now. The loneliness of the place was enough to depress the most buoyant spirit, and the subject of resignation was discussed among the officers more than at any other tine in the history of the regiment. A change of location had a beneficial effect upon the officers and men.
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CHAPTER X.
FAIRFAX STATION TO ACQUIA GREEK.
MONDAY morn- ing, January 19th, 1863, the brigade broke camp at Fair- fax Station, but did not march until late in the afternoon. Col. Barnum took command of the regiment after it was in line, and made a neat little BIVOUAC. speech, sitting on horseback. His re- marks were flattering and inspiring, and the men cheered heartily.
The tents of the regiment had been surrendered to the Quar- ter-master and carried to the railroad station, except one " A" tent for each set of company officers, and one wall tout for regimental head-quarters. These were carried along for use on the march. The brigade moved about three miles the first day on the old route to Dumfries and bivouacked in a piece of pine . woods. The only notable thing to distinguish this camp from others was the presence of the Colonel, and the suspension of his canvas hannock between two trees before a rail fire shel- tered by a tent fly on the windward side.
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FAIRFAX STATION TO ACQULA CREEK.
The command moved early next morning, and after crossing the Oceognan River, took a new route. The scenery was simi- lar in character to that seen on prior occasions-dnil, dreary and monotonons. The weather was cool and fresh and the roads hard, so the men moved rapidly and marched eighteen miles before going into camp, two miles north of Dumfries. It was dark when the men broke ranks. They ate their supper of fried pork and crackers, drank their coffee, wrapped then- selves in their blankets, and tried to find rest in sleep. Soon after lying down it commenced raining furiously, and so con- tinned to rain (intermingled with sleet and snow) for the next two days and nights. This was a repetition of old experience at Dumfries, and the men accepted the situation with becom- ing resignation. Each sneceeding day an effort was made to renew the march, but after four days the regiment found itself bivouacked for the night only half a mile south-east of Stafford Court House, a distance of ten or twelve miles from Dumfries. On two different days the men were countermarched back to - the wagon train for rations to relieve the teams. There were no bridges and the men were under the necessity of improvis- ing methods of crossing the creeks and brooks or ford them. In some places trees were felled across the streams, on which were placed rails and dirt for a road bed, and in other instances the trunks of single trees were used. The mud in the road, was deep, and the movement of the command was slow and laborious. It was next to impossible to move the wagon train, and in some instances six spans of horses were attached to a wagon and it was ditheult even then to proceed. Many horses and mule- died in the road and their careases were left half buried in the mind. Wagons were broken down, turned over, and in some instances burned to get them out of the way. All kinds of property, including tents and officers' baggage, was abandoned and strewn along the road. The route from Dum- fries to Stafford Court House reminded one of the wreck of Pharaoh's army in the waters of the Red Sea.
The first night after passing Dumfries the flat lands were so
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MEMOIRS 149th N. Y. INFT.
covered with water that the men were obliged to camp on a steep sidehill to find a place sufficiently free from standing water to lie down. The rain was still falling, and the writer and a fellow officer erected a shelter tent to protect themselves from rain while sleeping. The hillside was so steep that stakes were driven in the ground to sustain a log put at their feet to prevent them from sliding down the hill when lying. They literally slept standing, and before morning became so weary they slid down the hill and hung their legs exposed over the log while their bodies remained under cover. It was a fearful night and a tax on physical endurance. The men on the hill- side suffered enough, but those in the wagon train on the flat- suffered still more, for the level ground was a sea of mud and cold water.
At several places between Dumfries and Stafford C. II. glimpses were obtained of the Potomac and vessels passing to and fro. The whistles of the steam transports were often heard, and at one place several vessels were seen through the rifts in the clouds presenting a curious appearance vignetted by the mist. To the eye the vessels appeared to be moving on the clouds, the water and the clouds resembling one another so much in color and no land or other object being seen.
The country after Dumfries is similar to that west of that place, but if anything is more rolling in character and covered with a denser growth of evergreens. It is sparsely inhabited and poorly cultivated, but some of the boys found two or three Onondaga farmers near Dumfries whose farms presented a bet- ter appearance than their neighbors' and were under better cul- tivation.
The regiment passed through Stafford C. H. about four o'clock in the afternoon and went into camp in a small grove half a mile east. It was cold, wet and slushy. The men felled trees and made large fires around which they cooked, ate their suppers and made beds of pine boughs for the night. In an hour little white shelter tents were standing around the camp- fires, and where before had been dreariness and discomfort, Was now a scene of conviviality and mirth.
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FAIRFAX STATION TO ACQUIA CREEK.
The Chaplain at this place distributed the first mail which had been received in a period of two weeks. This was a mat- ter of great interest, and the men were soon busy around camp- fires and little tallow dips preparing return messages for home.
About 8 o'clock the next morning (Sunday) the brigade was on its way to Aequin Creek Landing ; the balance of the corps remaining at Stafford C. H. From the Court House to the Landing, a distance of about seven miles, the road runs in an easterly and northeasterly direction over a rolling sandy coun- trv.
The brigade again marched through the village of Stafford C. H., the county seat of Stafford county. It contained a lit- the two-story brick jail, twenty-five or thirty feet square, stand- ing on a corner formed by the intersection of two country roads, and ovenpied half the sidewalks, if there had been any. Any person passing could look into the rooms in the jail and hand articles to the prisoner, through the grated windows. It was rumored that the enstom had been for friends of prisoners to pass them food in that way. The structure did not present the appearance of security or privacy. On a little knoll close by was a modest brick building used for a court-house and offices for public officials. About the court-house and jail were a few buildings, which at some time had been occupied by the inhabi- tants, but were now in the service of Uncle Sam's soldiers and the government. Fences, out-buildings and shade trees were gone, or nearly so, everywhere was mod. filth and desolation. Most of the buildings were deserted and all were surrounded with rubbish. Before the war the place might have contained six or seven hundred inhabitants. As the brigade passed the eyes of the men were refreshed by the appearance of a well- dressed lady in front of one of the buildings ; she was probably an officer's wife.
CHAPTER XI.
ACQUIA CREEK.
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ABOUTtwoo'clock in the afternoon, af- ter descending a long winding mid- dy road down a deep ravine, the command turned a short curve and sud- denly and unexpect-
edly emerged non level land in full view of Acquia Creek Land- ing. After a short halt the brigade marched to the right up a steep ascent and went into camp on top of a high hill just south of the Landing and overlooking the river, three miles in width. covered with shipping, steam vessels and transports ; some stand- ing at the wharves, others anchored in the stream, while many were going to and from the place. All was life and bustle, and in the mellow light of an afternoon sun presented an mter- esting and beautiful appearance to eyes long accustomed to pine barrens and dreary wastes. The men were weary and hungry with marching and fasting since early morning, yet they sat on the ground a long time watching the little thes steaming up to the different vessels and moving them to the wharves, or taking them out to the open channel in the river on their departure. It was exciting to see the large steam transports coming m and discharging their cargo of soldiers on the way to Falmouth, twelve miles distant by mail over the
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ACQUIA CREEK.
Potomac, Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad. The men will never forget their first afternoon and evening at this place and the interest with which they watched this busy scene, which if anything was more interesting and beautiful in the evening than by day, for then the hillsides surrounding the two hundred or more acres, composing Thorney Point or Aequia Creek Landing, were lighted by camp-fires, and the shipping moving here and there carrying colored lights gave it life and beauty and endowed it with a fairy and Oriental aspect.
The Landing consisted of several long wharves and a con- gregation of temporary buildings made of new undressed pine lumber. The railroad passed from the wharves directly south through a gorge in the hills, and thence through Brooks Station, Stoneman's Switch and other places, now existing only in name, to Falmouth, or Stafford Heights, opposite Fredericksburg on the north side of the Rappahannock River. Trains were loaded from the shipping and sent over this twelve miles of railroad at least once an hour, day and night, to supply the army which . then lay along the left bank of the Rappahannock River. Large details of men performed fatigue duty at the wharves, and every rod of the railroad was picketed and patrolled by squads of men. While at the Landing the allotment of men from the regiment was about a hundred by day and the same by night for fatigue duty, and twenty-five men for picket and patrol. The men were encouraged in doing work at the Landing by the assurance that they were to receive extra pay, but no one ever received any. The men did duty cheerfully. however, and enjoyed the excitement and novelty of the situa- tion. The work was not exacting, and the experience was preferable to loating and marching about Fairfax Station and Dumfries.
All the labor of unloading boats and filling cars conkl not be done at the Landing proper, so another place half a mile or more down the river was constructed for the purpose, which bore the euphonions and never-to-be-forgotten name of "U-be- dam".
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MEMOIRS 149th N. Y. INFT.
The hills in the rear of the Landing were from one to three hundred feet in height, irregular in form, and came down near the river both above and below that place. On top of these were earthworks said to have been constructed by the Confed- erates when the place was in their hands. The timber for some distance from the Landing had been partially eut away when the brigade came, and soon afterwards was nearly all re- moved.
The morning after the arrival the regiment marched along the railroad through the hills to the south and took possession .of a camp which had just been vacated by the 137th Penn- sylvania, said to be a nine months regiment whose term had expired. The camp was composed of log huts and " A " tents with log foundations, and had log chimneys and fireplaces. The men felt themselves fortunate in obtaining such beautiful and well-constructed quarters. They were indebted for the favor to the vigilance of Col. Barnum, and were the envy of all their sister regiments in the brigade. The men's quarters were fairly ample for their accommodation, and were left intaet with tables, bunks, etc., but the officers were not as fortunate. as their tents had been taken away and all the conveniences re- moved or destroyed. In a short time, however, their quarters were also put in order, but in the mean time much work had to be done and some deprivation and suffering endured. On the whole the regiment was thought to be fortunate, but this was a mistake, for shortly afterwards typhoid fever of a most malignant type came upon the men, and the regiment was obliged to flee from the place to escape this terrible disease. Thorough policing was done, but an arm of the river came in rear of the men's quarters and made the earth swampy and porous. There is no doubt the situation of the camp on low ground bordering this swamp or lagoon was the source of this terrible affliction. Many men and some of the officers were fearfully sick, and a mumber of men from each company died. The character of the malady attracted the attention of many medical men connected with the army.
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ACQUIA CREEK.
A few days after arriving at this camp the men were paid by Maj. Wallace to the 31st day of October, 1862. Of course the amount was not much (a little over a month), still it was acceptable, as every one was destitute of money. The men were encouraged by the assurance that in a few days two months more would be paid, therefore, a portion of this little pittance was sent home to their families, and the express office did a thriving business. No more pay, however, was received by the regiment until several months afterwards, and conse- quently a great deal of annoyance was experienced by officers and men. The government was probably justified in doing as it did, but it was hard at least on the officers to be without money to pay for food and clothing.
One of the pleasant incidents connected with this camp. which will be recalled with pleasure, was the performance of picket and patrol duty on the railroad half a mile away. The railroad coming through the hills from the Landing turned to the right through a eut in a spur of the hill. On either side the rocks and earth towered up to a considerable height above the track, and on one side a rocky siding continued for some distance beyond the cut. At this place a row of little huts was built on the brow of the steep bank, fifteen or twenty feet above the track, and in front of them was a wooden plat- form, guarded by a railing, supported on timbers standing in the ditch beside the road bed. To reach these huts the men climbed a wooden ladder like those over a bay in a country barn. Each hnt extended from the platform in front back into the bank far enough to permit a bunk on each side of the room. In front was a small sash-door to enter and admit light, and in rear was a small fireplace made in the clay bank with a hole in the solid earth leading up to the surface above for a chimney. The inner surfaces of the fireplace and chimney, having been made wet when fashioned in the clay bank, had turned to brick by action of heat, and were firm and hard. The huts were comfortable, easily kept warm, and from the railroad appeared like a little Swiss village. Each detail occupied these quarters
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MEMOIRS 149th N. Y. INFT.
for three days at a time, and no doubt would have been satis- fied if the time had been extended to three years. Of course the men had to take turns in patrolling up and down the rail- road, and frequently during the day and night the officers made personal inspections of the track, especially after the passage of trains. The place was protected from cold north winds, and on warm and sunny days summer birds of our northern latitude were seen flitting among the evergreens on the hillside above.
The resignations of Capt. Light, Capt. Lynch and Lieut, Bron- ner were offered and accepted. Among the visitors from home were Alexander MeKinstry, Sr., James Johnson. J. S. Wieks, L. W. Hall. J. Dean Hawley, John L. Cook, Wm. W. Legg. Capt. Wilkinson. Dr. Maxon, Enoch Mann, John Raynor, M. C. Palmer, Mr. Reed, S. N. Holmes and Col. J. M. Strong. The whole army was within a radius of twelve miles, and visit- ing between regiments and soldier friends was of daily occur- renee.
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