USA > New York > Services of the Tenth New York Volunteers (National Zouaves,) in the War of the Rebellion > Part 19
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* A complete list of the wounded and missing (not heard from) will be found in the Appendix.
+ Radeau's " Military History of Gen. Grint : " " In the Wilderness the Rebel- lion received its death-stroke. It lingeren months afterwards, and all the kill and strength of the nation and it, soldiers were required to push the blade to the heart : but the iron entered in May, 1844. But for just this terrific strife. just this bloody wage, the result would have been deferred or different."
259
THE END OF A STRANGE BATILE.
The whole conflict was strange and terrible, and un- like any other great battle known in history. The rattle of musketry was steady and deafening-the volleyed thunders rolling and reverberating among the glens and ravines, and for hours the anvil clatter of small arms was uninterrupted by artillery, save when occasionally a single cannon here or there "timed the wild tumult like a tolling bell." There was little opportunity for strategy or manœuvering in the dense woods and under- growth ; no movements of the enemy could be perceived until the lines were almost in collision.
Saturday, the 7th, dawned upon two armies bleeding and exhausted. Thousands of dead and wounded, lying where they had fallen, or in and about the field hospitals, added to the gloom of that naturally dark and sombre wilderness. The conflict was undecided, although Gen. Lee's attempt to sever and rout our columns on the march had been defeated, and, early this day, Gen. Grant's purpose was formed to resume his march towards Spottsylvania Court House * and the enemy's right. The Fifth Corps moved at nine, A. M., and met the Rebel columns some two miles from the town, sustaining con- siderable loss in a fight which was the beginning of the protracted struggle waged at this point.
Our own corps was to have followed the Fifth at ten or eleven, p. M., of the ith, but it was after daylight of the Sth when Carroll's brigade, which had passed a rest- less night lying along the Broek Road, moved towards the left. After marching several miles, Gibbons' divi-
* Spottsylvania Court House is some fifteen miles southeast from the central portion of the locality of the battle of the Wil lerne-s, in the direction of Fredericks- hurg. The features of the region around it partake of the same general character, 1.ut the country is more open and freer from forest and underbrush.
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
sion was, at about half-past one, P. M., sent forward to the support of the Fifth and Sixth Corps. Parts of the First Division were engaged with the enemy during the day. 'On the morning of the 9th, skirmishing continned, and, although no severe fighting occurred, the Army of the Potomac was stricken sorely by the loss of Gen. Sedgwick, commanding the Sixth Corps, who was killed while rallying some of his men for wincing at the ene- my's bullets.
At about six, P. M., the First, Second and Third Divi- sions were ordered to force a passage of the Po, a rapid little river, which, with the Ny, traverses the Spottsyl- vania district. Our battalion had scarcely time to seize upon a quantity of rations, just issuing, when we were hurried off, the division crossing the stream without op- position. Bridges were now built, and a bivouac made for the night. The First and Second Divisions met with resistance in their efforts to cross, but succeeded, and pushed the enemy back with the intention of seizing the wooden bridge some distance above and recrossing the crooked river, but darkness came and it was found im- possible to continue the movement. The next morning (10th) Gen. Brooke's brigade, of the First Division, effected a crossing above the wooden bridge after a sharp contest, but discovered the enemy heavily in- trenched in a position parallel to the stream. While this and joint movements were in progress, Gen. Han- cock was ordered to move two of his divisions to the left to take part in an assault upon the enemy's position on Laurel Hill, near Alsop's house. Gibbon's and Bir- ney's divisions were at once moved back across the stream and massed in rear of the Fifth Corps which fronted the designated point of attack. The First Division, left alone
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261
ATTACK UPON LAUREL HILL.
on the other side of the Po, was savagely attacked by the enemy while attempting to withdraw to the north bank, and only succeeded in doing so after some bloody fight- ing and several courageous repulses of desperate charges made upon them by superior numbers.
The position which Meade now intended to attack (Laurel Hill) was a densely wooded height, the ridge being crowned by strong earthworks, and the approaches swept by the fire of artillery and infantry. Any advance was rendered more difficult and hazardous by a heavy growth of low, seraggy cedars, their long bayonet-like branches, interlaced and pointing in every direction, pre- senting an almost impassable barrier to a line of battle.
The task of carrying this impregnable position was assigned to Carroll's and Webb's brigades, of the Second Corps, with portions of Warren's corps. Of our own brigade (led by the intrepid Carroll himself, still suffer- ing from his wound of the 5th), the Tenth was in the first line, the brigade formation being in three lines. The order was given to advance late in the afternoon,
and the struggle was begun. With hearty cheers the regiments crossed the comparatively small space of cleared ground and entered the labyrinth of natural abattis-a storm of lead meanwhile tearing through the ranks. Officers and men fell in all directions, but the ranks closed, and the column pressed on through the thick and difficult maze of interlacing trees and towards the crest, leaving scores on the way; while a rain of shells and bullets made the atmosphere a pandemonium. Now the cannon-crowned ridge seemed near, and a grand, brave hurrah and rush was made, ouly to find ourselves confronted by chevaux de frise, both natural and artiti- cial, which it was utterly impossible to force unless with
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262
THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
a terrible impetus of numbers. The Tenth attained a position from which it was impossible to make headway under the galling fire, and fell to loading and firing as rapidly as possible-each man sheltering himself as best he could from the musketry fire and the steady dis- charges of grape and canister, which seemed calculated to sweep the ground of every living thing.
Brave deeds were performed here by the iron brigade of Col. Carroll. Enfiladed by the heavy fire from the Rebel works, with ammunition growing scant, the seve- ral regiments firmly maintained the ground they had gained. Conspicuous in its action was the remnant of our own battalion. Capt. Angell, commanding the few scores of men who were left, received a bullet in his left arm, and directly after was mortally wounded. First- Lieut. Frank M. Clark, in command of Company A, was severely wounded, and also First-Lient. William H. Monk-the latter subsequently dying of his injury. Color-Sergt. Harrison fell wounded, his flag, however, being again instantly raised.
The battalion was now in a conspicuously dangerous position, from which it was almost as difficult to retire as to advance. About an hour passed-the firing on both sides gradually slaekening-and then an order eame for the brigade to withdraw cautiously, and the retirement was effected ; not, however, without some strategy and additional loss. The troops acting in conjunction with us in the attack, although making gallant efforts, were unsuccessful at every point, finally wavering and falling back.
Another attack upon this position and contiguous lines was made at about half-past six, r. M., by parts of Birney's and Gibbon's divisions united with the Fifth
263
CASUALTIES IN TIIE TENTII.
Corps; but it met as bloody a repulse, the men strug- gling bravely against an impossible task, and even enter- ing the breastworks at some points. They again event- ually fell back, suffering great loss. Other portions of our line were engaged during the day, and the roar of artil- lery was constant. It was the first time during the cam- paign that the artillery branch of the army had been thrown actively into the scale of battle-the hilly and comparatively open nature of the country allowing of its unsparing use .*
The total loss of the Tenth Battalion in this battle was 36. The following were killed or died afterwards of wounds received :
Company A: Private Arthur O. Alcock.
Company B : First-Sergt. Timothy Carroll ; Sergt. Edward Harrison ; Private Ernest Decker.
Company C: Corp. Michael Sheehan.
Company D : Capt. Oscar F. Augell.
Company E : First-Lieut. William II. Monk; Private George Stoothoff.
Total, 8.+
Here the record of one of the bravest soldiers in the ranks should be graven in indellible characters :
COLOR-SERGT. EDWARD HARRISON,
while striving with the rest, received a mortal wound. Although bearing the heavy flag of the regiment, he had also carried during the campaign a breech-loading rifle, which he used constantly when his flag could be rested.
* This was the sixth day of fighting, and it was at this juncture that Gen. Grant wrote his famous dispatch, dated " May rith. 12/4-eight, A. M.," in which, after reciting the loves and captures, he ended : " I PROPOSE TO FIGHT IT OUT ON THIS LINE, IF IT TAKES ALL. SUMMER !"
t A complete list of wounded will be found in the Appendix.
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
and he was in the act of loading or firing in a kneeling position when he received his death wound. On the 6th, he had proved himself a dauntless soldier, going through the ordeal of that day with firmly compressed lips, and his naturally pale face a shade paler. His example had been a splendid one, exciting emulation among his com- .rades. He died on May 23d, after much suffering, at a hospital in Fredericksburg, a brave and patient soldier to the last moment.
Capt. Oscar F. Angell died at the field hospital a few hours after he was borne from the scene of battle. He had enlisted as a private in Company A, of the National Zouaves, in April, 1861, and served as orderly-sergeant until the battle of Gaines' Mill, where he was taken prisoner. Eseaping from Belle Isle soon after by swim- ming the James River, he reached the Union lines and was given a position in the secret service corps, where he experienced a series of adventures and hair-breadth escapes in the performance of the duties devolving upon him. In the winter of 1862 he was commissioned second- lieutenant in his regiment, and again, in April follow- ing, as first-lieutenant. He received his last commission of captain a few weeks before his death. From the first he had been popular with the regiment, sharing its pri- vations and hardships without murmuring. Always the impersonation of enthusiasm upon the battlefield, in his last battle he acted with daring, until his two wounds put a final end to his patriotism. His nature was truly "generous to a fault."
First-Lieut. William H. Monk, who died at Fredericks- burg, May 28th, from his wound, was one of the latest appointments in the battalion, coming directly from civil life. He had proved himself, however, during his short
265
GENERAL GRANT.
sojourn with the regiment, a conscientious and brave officer, and his loss was, therefore, felt by his fellow of- ficers and the members of his company.
On the night following the battle, and during the next day, the Tenth occupied a position along a woody and rocky rise of ground, under fire of the enemy's skir- mishers-our own being advanced but a short distance from the main line. A drizzling rain made the situation exceedingly uncomfortable.
On the 10th or 11th-the writer now forgets which- Gen. Grant rode past our line, with an attendant aid. The commander-in-chief displayed nothing to tell his rank-his blouse effectually concealing his official iden- tity. It was the ubiquitous cigar which first drew our attention to him, and his face was then recognized, as he seemed to closely scan both the position and the men. The battalion was resting at will, but with guns in hand and accoutrements on. Two years before, MeClellan. when passing the line of his army, followed by the dash- ing retinue of staff and body-guard without which he seldom rode, would probably have been saluted with salvos of cheers and demonstrations of enthusiasm. Now both were conspicuously absent. It may have been lack of enthusiasm in the ranks for the plain unostentatious man who ruled our destinies for the hour ; but probably it was the fact that, since the tinselled days of 1862, the war had settled down to a stern business, which en- grossed the attention of all and allowed no time or de- sire for superficial manifestations of admiration for a leader. None doubted the courage of Grant or Meade. or their willingness to lead personally if a battle crisis demanded ; but their presence among the men, during a campaign, was simply noted, and that was all.
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
Late at night, on the 11th, pursuant to an order from Gen. Meade, Birney's and Barlow's divisions were with- drawn from the front, and, followed after midnight by our own division, marched under a steady rain to a point near the " Lendrum House," with the intention of there uniting with Mott's division, and assaulting the Rebel line at an important salient or angle in their works. The column moved very close to the enemy's line, and was constantly in danger of a collision, while the pitchy darkness of the night, with the narrow muddy road, and the fatigue of the men, made the march one to be re- membered afterwards.
It was almost daylight before all the brigades arrived at the designated point and were massed for attack, and, at half-past four, the command was given by Gen. Hancock to advance. The heavy lines of battle, com- posed of Barlow's and Birney's divisions in advance, fol- lowed by Mott and Gibbon, pushed through the woods, over a small stream and swamp, and up a slope of ground, in quick time, and without firing a shot. march- ing over the astonished pickets of the enemy, who "stood in silent wonder and bewilderment, as they were enveloped in this solid mass of twenty thousand men, who suddenly came upon them through the dense fog."
Previous to this movement, Col. Carroll's reputation for skill and bravery, and the " staying" qualities of his brigade, had caused the command to be selected in cases of emergency, and now Gen. Hancock had ordered Car- roll up to cover Barlow's flank. Our brigade immediately attacked the picket reserve at the Lendrum Honse ( which had opened a galling fire upon the right of the First Di- vision), and overran them, although a stout resistance
267
ASSAULT AT "THE SALIENT."
was made from their protected position .* A moment more and the enemy's intrenchments were discerned closely at hand, and, with loud hurrahs, the compaet columns rolled like a resistless wave upon the works, under a scorching fire from the enemy, who had now fairly awakened from their surprise. Nothing, however, could withstand the impetus and enthusiasm of the on- rushing avalanche of men, who tore away the heavy abattis and forced the intrenchments, bayonetting and clubbing the resisting enemy. In a very few minutes nearly a mile of the line was in our possession, with up- wards of 4,000 prisoners-including Gens. Johnson and Stuart-20 pieces of artillery, and more than 30 battle flags. The celebrated "Stonewall" brigade was taken almost entire.
Had the brigades which first struck the enemy halted after the capture of the works, and reformed their regi- ments before advancing further, possibly the Rebel army might have been effectually broken, turned and routed by the wedge-like charge of Hancock's corps : but the precipitant rush after the flying enemy broke the form- ation, and the Rebels rallied on their advancing reserves, pushing their pursuers back to the captured intreneh- ments, which were quickly " turned" by our men and used as a protection. Impetuous and heavy assaults were now made by Lee's freshly arriving troops, only to be repulsed by the divisions of Hancock, reinforced at six, A. M., by
* Rev. D. X. Junkin's " Life of Hancock," p. 173: " Our heavy column moved ou regardless of this annoyance, but Gen. Hancock, having brought up Col. Car- roll's brigade, Second Division, to cover Barlow's right flank, that officer [Carroll] promptly attacked the picket reserve of the enemy at the Lendrum House, which resisted stoutly and received pretty rough treatment from Carroll's men for han- ing fired into the rear of our colunm Long after it had broken through their picket line and passed their position."
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
the Sixth Corps, and, later in the day, by two divisions of the Fifth. The Rebels pressed their lines of battle up to the very breastworks, and our soldiers fought them face to face, at times separated only by the parapet. The woods around about were mown down by the tre- mendous cross-fire of artillery and musketry, the enemy exhibiting a pertinacity wonderful and determined. Their dead were piled in winrows before the works which were held so sturdily by the divisions which had captured them .*
In the attack upon the line, and especially in its de- fence afterwards, Carroll's brigade bore a conspicuous part, and the Tenth, now a mere skeleton of itself, sus- tained the reputation won during the past week. Some of the guns captured in the first rush of the morning had been instantly turned upon the flying enemy and were used during the day-officers and men of our own and other regiments practicing the artillery arm for the nonce and cannonading the former owners of the bat- teries. While thus employed, the brave Lieut .- Col. Thomas H. Davis, of the 12th New Jersey Volunteers,
* Swinton, an eye witness of the scene, says (p. 453) : " Of all the struggles of the war, this was perhaps the fiercest and most deadly. Frequently, throughout the conflict, so close was the contest, that the rival standards were planted on opposite sides of the breastworks. The enemy's most savage sallies were directed to retake the famous salient, which was now become an angle of death and presented a spec- tacle ghastly and terrible. On the Confederate side of the works lay many corpses of those who had been bayonetted by Hancock's men when they first leaped the in- trenchments. To these were constantly added the bravest of those who. in the assaults to recapture the position, fell at the margin of the works, until the ground was literally covered with piles of dead, and the woods in front of the salient were one hideous Golgotha."
Ancther witness of the field after the struggle, writes: " Behind, the dead had fallen thick : those first in the ditch had fallen. and on these others had kneeled to fire, to be likewise killed, and they lay twisted and intertwined. The space in the rear was covered with the who had tried to escape ; but who, while crawling off on hands and knees, had been shot, and had fallen on their faces."
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RESTING AMONG THE DEAD.
was killed. Col. Coons, of the 14th Indiana Volunteers, was also killed during the action of the morning.
At midnight, after nearly twenty hours of combat, the continued cessation of the enemy's firing showed that Gen. Lee had withdrawn his forces from Hancock's front, leaving our troops in possession of the lines for which such heavy sacrifices on both sides had been made.
Rain had fallen coldly and drenchingly during the day, and our exhausted regiments now lay down in the mud and slept among hundreds of dead and wounded. We had won a victory which would perhaps have routed an- other army than Lee's, and would possibly have caused even his retreat, had it not been desperately necessary for him to block Gen. Grant's persistent and Nemesis- like advance.
Of our own battalion, Sergt. William Wheeler, of Company D, was killed, and Private Robert F. Bailey, of Company F, was mortally wounded. The total loss in killed and wounded was 15 .* Carl Zilgner, of Com- pany C, was missing, and died subsequently in Anderson- ville prison. Company F was particularly exposed, and lost 11 men. Capt. Joseph La Fiura had assumed com- mand, after the loss of Capt. Angell on the 10th. There were but six officers now remaining in the bat- talion, and two companies were commanded by sergeants. Several recruits had been received within the past two or three days, and they continued to arrive during the campaign. In some instances the time elapsing be- tween joining the battalion and being killed or wounded in action was counted by hours.
At daylight, on the 13th, Gen. Gibbon selected
* A complete list of the wounded appears in the Appendix.
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
Owen's brigade to advance and reconnoitre the enemy's position, in order to discover the exact strength and posi- tion of the second line to which he had withdrawn. Gen. Owen being temporarily absent, Col. Carroll was re- quested to take command of the reconnoitering force, and, although he was actually upon the way to the hos- pital to have his wound of the 5th attended to when he received his directions, he immediately turned back and led his own and Owen's brigade to the front. In the sharp encounter which followed, Col. Carroll had his un- hurt arm shattered by a minie ball, and was forced to leave the field, the two brigades returning soon after .*
During the next few days different dispositions of the various corps were made, a considerable change taking place, by which the lines were strengthened. Col. Thos. A. Smyth, of the 1st Delaware Volunteers, who had been in command of the Irish brigade in the First Division since the reorganization of the army in the spring, had been ordered to take charge of his own brigade after the wounding of Col. Carroll, and, on the 16th, under his command, an advance was made by the brigade to the locality occupied during the bloody battle of the 12th as the Second Corps hospital. Here hundreds of wounded men still lay, under charge of the surgeons and nurses,
* Brevet Maj .- Gen, Samuel S. Carroll was born in Washington, D. C., and was second-lieutenant of the moth U. S. Infantry at the breaking out of the war. Soon afterwards he was commissioned as colonel of the Sth Ohio Volunteers, and served as a brigade commander from the spring of 13cz until he was permanently disabled at Spottsylvania ; being also wounded at Rapidan Station in a previous campaign, and in the Wilderness. After his last wound he was made a brigadier-general of volunteers, in recognition of his distinguished services, and was subsequently bre- veted major-general. After the war he was made lieutenant-colonel of the zist U'. S. Infantry, retaining that rank until June, 1800, when he was retired as major- general-he being in command of two brigades at the time of receiving the wound which caused disability. In the well-merited words of a historian, when speaking of Gen. Carroll, " No army ever contained a more intrepid sollier."
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271
DRAWING SUPPLIES.
and quantities of hospital stores and appurtenances were scattered around. The Rebel cavalry had visited the place, but seemed to have maintained a strict observance of the laws of humanity, not molesting the wounded or appropriating their supplies. Before midnight all of the wounded and most of the tents and stores were removed to within our lines.
The city of Fredericksburg had within the past few days been occupied by the Union forces and hospitals for the wounded established in every available house. The baggage trains of the army had been parked just outside of the city, and the adjutant now seized the opportunity to visit the trains and obtain a fresh supply of clothing for the battalion. With the assistance of Q. M. Sergt. Brown, the necessary stores were quickly obtained and forwarded to the front. However com- pletely a command may be equipped before starting upon a campaign, a very few days of rough marching and fighting suffice to use up or destroy clothing and equipments. The veteran, as a rule, dispenses with his superfluous wearing apparel before starting from camp- limiting his baggage to an overcoat or blanket and a change of underclothing, and trusting to Providence or the quartermaster to refurnish his wardrobe at the proper moment. The recruit generally goes through the same clearing out process on the first or second day's march. Haversacks and canteens are often liable to loss or dan- age, and, without those necessary articles the soldier is inconsolable, and an almost useless factor in the cam- paign. Some of the newer soldiers of the Tenth had started from camp with tight-fitting boots; but. after one or two days' experience of marching, their blistered heels had demanded an immediate change, and they were
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THE NATIONAL ZOUAVES.
glad to make a trade with any one for a pair of " govern- ments," without any critical examination as to size. A couple of the recently appointed officers were compelled to tramp along barefoot, with their boots slung over their shoulders, until chance should throw a pair of humble army shoes in their way. These unfortunates were particularly happy when they were enabled to draw the wished for shoes from the quartermaster.
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