USA > New York > Perry's saints; or, The fighting parson's regiment in the war of the rebellion > Part 11
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260
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[August,
Terry as we emerged from the woods. He had seen our good regiment through the whole af- fair, and his plaudit of " well done " was honest and hearty. There was no rest that night, but when, at the close of the following day, the 17th, after much wearisome marching, we sank down on the damp ground, wet, hungry, and ex- hausted, many a prayer of thanksgiving went up to Him who had spared us, where so many had fallen by our sides. On the 18th, there was fighting in our front, but we were not engaged.
Having got back to the intrenchments at Deep Bottom, we were allowed a short season of rest. Heavy firing was continually going on about us, especially in the direction of Peters- burg; but, although so near, we received no re- liable accounts of what was transpiring.
On the 20th we left Deep Bottom, and for a portion of the day acted as a picket guard. The line was formed across Strawberry Plains : and the duty was a delicate one, as our troops were retreating over the roads by which the enemy was expected. The following day we marched to our old camp-ground at Bermuda Hundred.
261
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1864.]
During the week just passed, we had lost Captain D'Arcy, Lieutenants Tantum and Sears, killed, and Captain Taylor and Lieu- tenant Seward, wounded, while Lieutenant Acker was in hospital, suffering from sun- stroke. Many non-commissioned officers and privates had been killed and wounded, while others, officers and soldiers, were incapacitated for duty.
About this time there arose much disaf- fection in the regiment among those men who, having served three years, demanded their discharge. While sympathizing fully with their feelings, although the command- ing officer, it was impossible for me to re- lieve them from duty, especially as at this time we were taxed to our utmost in guarding a long line, which had previously been occupied by a whole brigade. A few cases of discipline were necessary, but, for the most part, the men were amenable to reason, and recognized the necessity of performing service until relieved by competent authority. On the 24th, we moved farther to the right, and every man was put on picket. At this time there were but
262
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[September,
three officers present for duty. Chills and fever were very prevalent, and the regiment was reduced to a skeleton of its former self. Early on the morning of the 25th, a sharp attack was made on our picket-line, but was repulsed. Our loss was one man killed, and nine wounded and missing. Rumors prevailed for several days that we were to be sent to Petersburg, and on Sunday, the 28th, the order came, and by nine o'clock of that evening we were in our old quarters. On the evening of the 29th, the batteries on the hills back of us opened a heavy fire on Petersburg, and con- tinued for some time. It was a magnificent sight. The air was alive with shells, and in their flight they seemed to rise even to the stars, and to mingle their light with them. From this time until September 14, the duties of the regiment were without variety or special interest. With the 76th Pennsylvania, it alter- nated in serving at the front and resting in the rear lines. On the 14th, my connection with the regiment ceased. After more than three years of service, completely broken down by malarial disease contracted in the early period
-
263
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1864.]
of the war, at my urgent request I was per- mitted to resign. What follows of this his- tory has been largely drawn from the journals of others, and several histories of the war, which I have constantly consulted in preparing this narrative.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Discharge of old members of the regiment. Attack at Chapin's Farm. Partial success. Condition of the South. New recruits. In winter-quarters. Thanksgiving Day. Resignation of Colonel Bar- ton. His long and faithful service. Tenth and Eighteenth corps united. Expedition against Fort Fisher. Second expedition 'against Fort Fisher. Gallant charge and capture of the fort. An important event. Other successes. March to Wilmington. Pur-
suit of the Confederates. Their surrender of Union prisoners. Their condition. On the march to join Sherman's army. Sher- man's grand march to the sea-coast, and its results. Grant's operations ending in surrender of Lee and his army. With Sher- man's army on the march for Johnston. Announcement of sur- render of General Lee. Continued pursuit of Johnston. Lincoln's assassination. Its effect on the army. Surrender of Johnston.
SEPTEMBER 17, the old members of the reg- iment who had not re-enlisted were honorably discharged, and started homewards. On the 28th, the 10th and 18th corps left the intrench- ments at Petersburg, and, crossing the Appo- mattox, marched to the James River. The 10th corps, under General Birney, was to attack the enemy at Deep Bottom, while to the 18th corps, under General Ord, was assigned the duty of taking the Confederate works' at Chapin's Farm. The 10th corps made an as-
264
265
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1864.]
sault early on the morning of the 29th, and were completely successful; but the 18th corps, after gallantly carrying the outer works at Chapin's Farm, and capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and many prisoners, found the second line of defence so formidable that more careful
y. Til
ARMY'S HUTS AT CHAPIN'S FARM.
preparations were necessary before attempting its capture. In the meantime, General Birney proceeded up the Newmarket road towards Richmond, and established communication with the 18th corps. The delay which followed the first assault at Chapin's Farm, gave time for the enemy to call in re-enforcements, and the second assault proved unsuccessful. The fol-
266
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[October,
lowing day the enemy attempted to recover the portion of the works which they had lost, but were repulsed with considerable loss. In these engagements, the 48th lost a number of men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners.
October 7, a vigorous effort was made by the enemy to drive us out of our positions on the north side of the James, but, after a partial success, they were driven back. This proved the close of active operations for the year, as nothing further of importance took place in this department. Our army was rapidly filling up from the recent conscription, while the South had already reached its last ditch. It had no reserve force to call upon, its resources were becoming exhausted, and its army re- duced to extremities.
About this time our regiment received some forty or more recruits, and for the week that followed, until December 7, it remained in the vicinity of Deep Bottom. Its routine of duties is indicated by a single day's record, taken from the journal of Townsend -date, No- vember 8. "In the morning, at four o'clock, we were turned out, and went inside the fort,
267
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1864.]
and remained until seven o'clock, and were then dismissed. The weather being clear, after breakfast we were all ordered on fatigue ; some building log huts, and the rest in the woods carrying logs. We worked all day, and at six o'clock in the afternoon were dismissed." On
OFFICERS' QUARTERS, CHAPIN'S FARM.
the 15th, the huts were completed, tents were taken down, and the regiment went into winter-quarters.
The 24th was Thanksgiving Day, to be specially remembered by every soldier on ac- count of the abundant supply of turkeys, apples, and other good things, furnished them by the people of the North, and distributed
268
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[December,
through the agency of the two societies pre- viously referred to. Through this period, squad, company, and battalion drills were kept up with as much regularity as relief from other duties permitted. The size of the reg- iment may be inferred from the fact that five companies were usually united for a company drill.
December 3, Colonel Barton, having reached the limit of his term of service, was mustered out at his own request. The inconvenience resulting from the wounds received at Fort Wagner and Cold Harbor, and his general condition of physical prostration, demanded a rest. He had proved an earnest, faithful, efficient, and intelligent officer, and the reg- iment, under his command, attained a pro- ficiency in drill and a condition of general ex- cellence that easily placed it at the head of the troops with which it was associated. Often detached on special important service, he filled every position with credit to himself and satis- faction to his superior officers. His relations with the commanding officers under whom we served in the several departments were
1864.]
PERRY'S SAINTS.
269
PONTOON BRIDGE AT JONES' LANDING, NEAR DEEP BOTTOM.
271
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1864.]
uniformly of an agreeable character, a circum- stance from which the regiment profited to no inconsiderable extent. His brevet of brigadier- general was well earned, and he may weN regard the years of service which he gave to his country as entitling him to general respect and esteem. On the 5th of December, all the white troops of the 10th and 18th corps were consolidated and formed the 24th, and the colored troops from the same formed the 25th corps.
On the evening of the 6th, orders were re- ceived to pack up and be ready for a march, but the movement did not take place until the afternoon of the 7th, when the 2d division, to which our regiment was assigned, formed in line and started for Jones' Landing, near City Point, where they arrived on the morning of the 8th. Here they embarked on the steamer Perritt, and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, the point of rendezvous of the expedition. On the 13th they left Fortress Monroe, and for much of the time until the 30th were steaming up and down the coast. For several days they were at Beaufort, N. C., taking in supplies of
272
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[December,
coal and water, and from there proceeded to Cape Fear River, and landed near Fort Fisher, intending to make an assault; but General Weitzel, who had immediate command of the troops, declared it would be suicidal to make the attempt, and the men re-embarked, and the transports returned directly to City Point.
General Butler, who had charge of the land forces, conceived the idea of sending in near to Fort Fisher a vessel loaded with pow- der, expecting that by its explosion the
fort would be materially damaged. The plan was carried out, but no visible effect fol- lowed the explosion, and the expedition, which was based upon the success of the plan, proved a failure. From City Point the regiment re- turned to its old position at Chapin's Farm. The men had suffered from their long confine- ment on the dirty steamer. The food was insuf- ficient and the vermin intolerable, and it was a blessed relief to get back where they could cleanse and purify themselves and clothing.
From December 30 to January 3 they were allowed to remain in camp, enjoying quiet and rest. On that day everything was packed and
273
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1864.]
made ready for a change, in obedience to or- ders, and on the evening of the 3d they started for Bermuda Hundred. On the 4th, they embarked on the steamer Tonawanda, and the next day were at Fortress Monroe. On the 8th they were in Hatteras Inlet. On the Cth, they joined the fleet off Beaufort, N. C. On the 12th, they were in Cape Fear River, and on the 13th moved farther in, and nearer Fort Fisher.
A change had been made. General Butler had been relieved on his return from the former expedition, and General A. H. Terry was now in command of the troops, while Admiral Porter commanded the naval forces, as before. At ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th, a landing was effected in small boats, and the troops formed on the beach and stacked arms, and proceeded to throw up in- trenchments from Cape Fear River to the beach. During the 13th and 14th, a heavy bombardment was kept up on Fort Fisher by the navy, and on the 15th our division, which had been working round to the rear of the fort, prepared for an assault.
274
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[January,
Having left behind knapsacks and all other encumbrances, about two o'clock in the after- noon the first charge was made, which resulted in securing the outer section of the fort. At the same time, the naval brigade charged in front. Charge succeeded charge, until ten o'clock in the evening, when the garrison, hav- ing been driven into our bastion, surrendered. The fighting on both sides was very stubborn. From the description of the fort, which I gather from those present at the assault, it was com- posed of detached mounds. When one was taken, our men gathered behind it for a short halt and rest. And then, with a sudden rush and bound over and around this mound, another was taken, until at last the whole was cap- tured, with twenty-five hundred prisoners and sixty guns. Our losses were quite severe. Captain Dunn, my old orderly sergeant, who behaved so well at Chester Heights, was killed ; and many names in our regiment, as well as in the others engaged, were added to the long list of martyrs. Everything had been arranged to blow up the fort, rather than surrender it; but the wires connecting the batteries which were
275
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
arranged to effect the explosion were cut off from their connections
with the magazines by the shot and shell from the navy. A slight ex- plosion did take place, late at night, after our regi- ment had been withdrawn. Several other small forts in the vicinity were blown up by the Confederates, but the garrison of Fort An- derson, some little distance up the river, remained in possession until February 19, when the disposition of our troops was such that there could no longer be any hope of being able to hold it, and it was evacu- ated.
During the interval, our forces had been strength- ened, by the arrival of the 23d army corps, under General Schofield, and
INTERIOR OF FORT FISHER.
276
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[February,
many new recruits had arrived from the North, our regiment receiving on the 7th of February two hundred and ten.
The capture of Fort Fisher was an important event. By it one of the worst points on the southern coast was shut up, for, in spite of the utmost vigilance on the part of our navy, im- mense quantities of supplies had been brought in, through the several entrances of Cape Fear River, by blockade-runners. But a much more important service was rendered to our cause by its capture than in cutting off supplies. For at this time General Sherman, having com- pleted the wonderful march from Atlanta to the sea-coast at Savannah, had now turned northward, and was on his way to co-operate with the Army of Virginia, in that final strug- gle which ended the rebellion ; and the capture of Fort Fisher, and the other defences on Cape Fear River gave a new basis of supplies and military operations, which materially aided Sherman.
General Terry, having succeeded in capturing these forts, disposed his forces, which consisted of about eight thousand men, in such a manner
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277
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
as to be secure from attacks, and awaited the action of General Schofield, who had been as- signed the command of the new department of North Carolina. No time was wasted. New and more favorable positions were taken from time to time, and on the 20th a general move- ment was made towards Wilmington.
On the 21st, our regiment, which, with the other troops under General Terry, was advanc- ing towards this city on the east side of the river, suddenly came upon a strong force of the Confederates, who opened a heavy fire, by which two men were killed, and Major Elfwing and seventeen others wounded. The enemy were driven within their works and held there, until a division under General Cox, by threatening to cross the river above the city, compelled a general retreat, which was effected after the burning of the steamers at the wharves, and the destruction of the military stores and cotton in and near the city.
On the 22d, Washington's birthday, Wil- mington was occupied by our troops, and per- haps no result of this occupation was of as much interest to the soldiers as the fact that
278
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[February,
by it they secured a supply of tobacco, of which they had been deprived for several weeks. In the recent operations, the loss to the Federal side was about two hundred in killed, wounded, and missing; and the Confed- erate loss, about a thousand, in killed and wounded, while a large number of prisoners, with thirty pieces of cannon, and an immense quantity of ammunition, had fallen into our hands.
General Schofield's next movement was against Goldsboro, to open a communication with General Sherman; and a large force was sent to Kingston, to secure and repair the rail- road. These troops advanced by way of New-
bern. Our division was allowed no rest, but on the afternoon of the 22d started in pursuit of the retreating enemy. So sharply was this kept up that on the 27th a flag of truce was proposed by the Confederate commander, for the purpose of transferring the Union prisoners, so much did they encumber his movements. Accordingly, we received into our lines nearly ten thousand, officers and privates, some of whom had been captured from our regiment at
279
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
MOUND BATTERY, NEAR FORT FISHER.
1
281
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
Olustee and Cold Harbor. All were in the most deplorable condition, half clothed and al- most wholly starved. These were conveyed to Wilmington, to which city our regiment re- turned March 2.
New recruits arrived from time to time, and were instructed in their duties, and, with the exception of one short expedition to guard . wagon-trains, the regiment remained near Wilmington until the 15th.
March 12, General Sherman, who had ar- rived at Fayetteville, sent despatches to General Schofield, directing him to march at once to Goldsboro, and to order General Terry to do the same. Accordingly, on the 15th they broke camp, and started to join Sherman. That night, before they lay down, they had marched twenty-five miles. The following day the march was resumed, and, although the roads were very heavy, they moved rapidly, and day after day continued on, with no special ac- cident, or incident, until the 21st, when signs of Sherman's bummers began to appear, and in the afternoon there was heavy cannonading on our left.
282
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[March,
At this time, and for some time previous, our troops had subsisted largely by foraging. Sugar and coffee were almost forgotten lux- uries. ·
On the the 23d, the 17th corps of Sherman's army passed near our troops, and the motley procession which accompanied them showed how successful they had become as foragers. Goldsboro had been taken by General Scho- field's troops on the 21st, and Johnston had massed his army at Smithfield. General Sher- man had now a large force under his command, and, with several good safe bases of supplies, and uninterrupted communication with the coast, was prepared to perform his part in these final struggles of the rebellion. His march
from Savannah had resulted in the loss to the Confederates of all the fortified points along the coast, with the immense quantities of sup- plies and materials of war which they con- tained. A tract of fifty miles in width, along his whole route, had been stripped of all kinds of provisions, and the richest portion of the South had been devastated. The great system of internal communication and supply, which
283
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
had afforded them such great advantages in the movements of their armies, was either de- stroyed or fatally disarranged.
By this time General Grant was ready for that final movement against Lee which resulted in the surrender of his army. This movement commenced on the 29th, and, after repeated at- tempts upon the enemy's right, a general as- sault, along the whole line, on April 2, resulted in complete success, and on the morning of the 3d it was discovered that Lee's army had fled, and on that day our troops, under General Weitzel, occupied Richmond. The principal part of Grant's army passed on after Lee. Sheridan, with his whole force of cavalry, by rapid marches, finally succceded, on the 9th, in intercepting Lee's retreat, and, by a vigorous attack, held him in check until the arrival of several corps of infantry made escape impossi- ble; and on that day Lee, and what remained of his army, fell into our hands. The principal army now remaining to the Confederates was that commanded by Johnston.
General Sherman, while these operations were going on, was resting at Goldsboro; but
284
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[April,
on the 11th orders came from General Grant to move against Johnston. As late as March 28, new recruits were received from the North, nearly a hundred and fifty being assigned to our regiment ; and when, on the 11th, General Sherman broke camp and started for Johnston, it was with an army invigorated, strengthened, and refreshed, and stimulated to unbounded enthusiasm by the success of the Army of Virginia. April 6, general orders had been promulgated to all the troops at their evening parades, stating that Petersburg and Richmond had been taken, and that Lee was retreating.
April 7, another despatch was read, announ- cing that General Sheridan had captured twelve thousand prisoners and fifty pieces of artillery. On the 10th, two divisions of the 10th corps, which had again been reunited under General Terry, started on the march towards Raleigh. On the 11th, the march was continued rapidly, our brigade being in the advance. Frequent halts were necessary, on account of the destruction of the bridges by Johnston's army. On the 12th, while resting and waiting for a wagon-train, for which they
285
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
were to be escort, a despatch was read from General Schofield announcing the surrender of General Lee. This had been known by other portions of the army, which had passed
M'LEAN'S HOUSE, THE PLACE OF LEE'S SURRENDER.
on from other points, and had already driven Johnston's army out of Smithfield.
The forward movement was resumed by our brigade on the afternoon of the 12th, but the roads continued very heavy, and the men were often compelled to wade through swamps, and
286
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[April,
at night slept on the ground with scarcely more than the sky for a covering. On the even- ing of the 14th, they arrived in the vicinity of Raleigh, and established camp a short distance outside the city. The Confederate army had made no stop here, and General Sherman con .. tinued the pursuit some twenty or twenty-five miles, to a point called Durham Station, when, the hopelessness of further resistance being apparent, a request was sent to General Sher- man by Johnston, asking for a truce, with a view to arranging the terms of surrender of his army. This occurred on the 15th, and as the fact became generally known on the 16th, that night was given up to rejoicing, for it was felt that the war was now over. This, how- ever, proved premature, for the terms proposed, and which were evidently dictated by Davis and other leaders of the rebellion, who were known to be in the vicinity, although accepted by General Sherman, when submitted to the authorities at Washington, were unhesitatingly repudiated as dealing with questions which were beyond the province of military com- manders; and orders were issued to resume
287
PERRY'S SAINTS.
1865.]
operations at once. General Grant was de- spatched to Raleigh, where he arrived on the 24th, and notice was sent to Johnston de- manding an immediate surrender, on the same terms given to General Lee. The troops were
PLACE OF JOHNSTON'S SURRENDER TO SHERMAN.
put in motion, and preparations were made to reopen the campaign; and it is safe to say that no order was ever issued to our troops which was received with such universal satis- faction as that to prepare to march against Johnston. News had been received of the as-
288
PERRY'S SAINTS.
[April.
sassination of President Lincoln, and, had our troops encountered Johnston's army, no quar- ter would have been given, so terribly were they exasperated. But, fortunately for John- ston and those under him, wise counsels pre- vailed in his camp, and on the 26th his whole army was surrendered, and the war was vir- tually over.
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