USA > New York > The Ninth New York heavy artillery : a history of its organization, services in the defe battles, and muster-out, with accounts of life in a rebel prison, personal experiences, names and addresses of surviving members, personal sketches and a complete roster, pt 1 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
From "Hardtack and Coffee," by permission.
تزامعتمـ
111
FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.
or body-louse. He was no respecter of persons, and an officer's body was no more to him than that of the smallest private in the ranks. The sight of rows of shirtless men regardless of military distinction, engaged in closely inspecting every seam, and at intervals using both thumb-nails in a sort of roller-like motion, was one to excite amazement, and a frequent thought was, "What would our folks say if they could see us?"
Though the long siege of Petersburg had begun, we were not to settle down in one place for any length of time. At nightfall the 6th Corps moved out to the Jerusalem plank road, forming on the left of the 2d Corps; then came the 3d, and finally the 2d Corps at the very left, with one brigade facing to the left and rear. It was another dance in the dark, but skirmishers were thrown out and we advanced till we reached the enemy's pickets, who were driven in. Our order to halt was followed by one to intrench, but we had no utensils with us save one shovel. But the earth was loosened by bayonets, and once more cups, spoons and plates proved to be very effectual. Five rods in front, at the edge of a dense woods, was a fine rail-fence, which we noiselessly abstracted and worked into the inside of our defenses. Three hours of this hard work produced a line of works that would have been exceedingly useful in case of an attack, but we were not disturbed, though there was squabbling as to who should have the best places along our intrenched line. The tinkling of a cow-bell away in the darkness suggested lacteal possibilities that some of our men would have availed themselves of had they not been re- strained by those who said it was simply a rebel device to cap- ture some thirsty Yank. Morning brought the wagon-train with intrenching tools, and the 22d of June saw us with a well- equipped line of works before us; but it was not a case of "In place, rest," for in line we advanced over our works, into and through a piece of woods, likewise into a second, where the enemy's bullets began to hum right merrily. There was noth- ing to record for the day save the occasional carrying back of a wounded man. At 4 P. M. or thereabouts we about-face and march back to our starting-place. After making coffee. we resumed our position in line and again advanced, thinking this time it meant something. Possibly there was no occasion in the regiment's history where the book's description of a charge was so fully realized as on this.
112
NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
The sun was near his setting. but there was still light enough to see clearly a long way ahead. It appeared that we were too far to the left, so we were halted, and the command to fix bayonets was given. It was obeyed in a jiffy; the colonel was on horseback, and skirmishing in front clearlyindicated the pres- ence of the enemy. For the first time, on such an occasion, we were in the first line, and then we heard the words, "Right face, forward, march!" and we went a short distance, no one could tell how far, when the colonel's voice rang out, "By the left flank, double quick, charge!" and away we went yelling at the top of our voices, and expecting every moment to be saluted with leaden hail. The speed with which we advanced and the irregular surface soon broke up our alignment, and to crown all, before we had charged a great ways we came into full view of earthworks, presumably well manned. Thus far we had encountered only desultory firing. Nearer and nearer we come to the works, and wonder when the stream of fire will blaze from them, possibly checking our advance. In much less time than it takes to tell it, we were over the works and through the camp, which the foe had left precipitately. They forsook their supper in preparation, and in no way stood on the order of their going, but what they left was not to our liking, for we had no relish for their cooking, and, besides, we wanted the cooks themselves; but the latter, judging by our yells, had thought the whole army of the Potomac after them, and taking their guns the Johnnies had gone. We followed through the woods and across an open field, on the other side of which the trees were burning. Notwithstanding this, some of the men dashed on, but the majority heard the order to halt.
Night was upon us, and all we knew was that we were still on the earth. It seemed a long time before the second line came up, so rapidly had we rushed through the works. We were ready to regain our breath, and to rest. After a while we marched a short distance to our right, and lay down. Here we passed the night. The 23d was a day on which the careful soldier needed eyes all around his head, for our enemy seemed to be on every hand, and we threw up works that could be defended on either side. Things put on a very lively air at nightfall, for bullets came seemingly from every direction. Our defenses helped us on one side only. We were like sheep in the shambles till there came a welcome command to fall in. and
113
FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.
with guns and shovels shouldered we began our retreat, lying down when the firing was heaviest, and marching between the volleys. The dense darkness was our shield, and at last we came in sight of the works constructed by us on the 21st.
Our step was almost jaunty as we took our former stations, for now we knew where the rebels were; unmistakably they were before us; a few moments before they had been all about us. Then followed a good night's rest, and on the morning of the 24th came the order to clear off the surface back of us and to pitch our tents in systematic order, a task so unfamiliar that we had almost forgotten how. This was the first rest for the Ninth since leaving Belle Plain. Headquarters and regimental wagons came up for the first time, and in the following days there was an opportunity to boil our shirts and socks, and otherwise contribute to cleanliness. Picket-duty was done in turn by all the companies, but nothing more startling than the visits of the grand rounds ensued, though members of one com- pany insist on stating that one of their number, on vidette, snored so loudly that they heard him on their post. They found him stretched out at full length, perfectly indifferent to friend or foe. As he was a man much older than the others, they did not place him thus again, not caring to take the risk both on their own account, and on his as well, nor did they report him. Fatigue, too, began again, and the company streets were po- liced, and regimental headquarters had to be embellished with leafy boughs, etc. Very slight infractions sufficed to put a man on extra duty. It is on record that Chaplain Mudge preached Sunday, the 26th. On the 28th the remainder of the 67th Pennsylvania, under command of Colonel John F. Stan- ton, joined the brigade.
The 20th day brought a review by General Wright, and in the afternoon an advance to Reams' Station on the Weldon rail- road, it afterwards appeared, for the purpose of co-operating with Kautz and Wilson, who were there expected to come in from their raid. It was late, and no sooner had we got our coffee under way than we were ordered to move some rods to the right. Again we had begun the all-important coffee pro- cess when the inevitable move-over order was heard. By this time the temper of our worthy colonel was thoroughly roiled, and bridling up we heard him say, distinctly and emphatically. "Present my compliments to General -, and tell him that
8
114
NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
this regiment will not move again to-night." We thought cheers if we did not utter them; not that our camping-place was particularly good, for many of us were insulated on grassy tussocks somewhat moist in their nature, but we did want to rest. We were finding that the proverbial three times turning round of a canine before stretching himself out at length, was nothing to what an army really does before it camps. We were not again disturbed during the night, but took our coffee and hardtack in peace.
The 30th and last day of June brought more digging, our normal occupation. So constantly were we at this that the rebs said of us that we would burrow out of sight like the rabbits, and almost as quickly. Muster came, and with it an ob- servation from Colonel Seward that some of the recruits were inexpressibly awkward. He ordered many of the men to step out, and gave directions to have them specially tutored, but officers were quite too busy to give much attention to awkward squads. The men knew how to march and shoot, really the only two requisites at this time. Many a man in the Ninth re- called this day as a red-letter one in his calendar, for did he not here find goodly stores of food among the people, and how ready he was to appropriate what he needed? Here is a brief enumeration: flour, corn-meal, lard, new potatoes, preserves, fresh pork-what more could he want? Time has not effaced the memory of the scalding day, nor how the members of the different messes worked to get up a variety. The fire beneath his skillet was scarcely hotter than that which the sun poured down on both him and his frying-pan-but weren't those slap-jacks good? He had his choice of dressing for them- flour-gravy, or sorghum that the Confederacy also supplied. Did this feast for so many men leave families hungry? Doubtless, and at this period, it seems as though the homes should have been left un- touched, but we were hungry From "Hardtack and Coffee," by permission. then; we are not now; besides, "All's fair in love and war" was on every tongue. With
115
FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.
intervening time and distance, moralizing is easy; no one thought of it then. Why! one man had no hesitation in saying that a woman, claiming to be ill, was lying on a bed under which he found most of his stolen articles. He always said he took them because she lied to him, saying there was nothing edible in the house, and of course no soldier could tolerate lying, not even in bed. Our mission was to inculcate the high- est morality.
Though we were thinking we might remain here some time, we were doomed to disappointment, for before night we were marched by way of Jerusalem plank road to a point near the Williams house, and halted between 9 and 10 o'clock, natural- ly in a corn-field, though we had just passed through a beauti- ful field of standing grass. However, it is probable that some other regiment had it if we didn't. The 1st of July was mainly spent in this place sunning ourselves in the dirt after the manner of fowls, though guard-duty is done at the houses of some of the people nominally Union, but we have our doubts. Some of the good things of yesterday's feast hold over, so that one more unusual meal is possible. At night we packed up and went on again, but for only a short distance, and this time luck was ours, for we got the grass, and were literally in clover. Then was heard the order to pitch our tents, but some of us have learned to take certain directions by the rule of contraries. The above order was too often followed, when the tents were well up, with a command to pack up and fall in, while a sim- ple "In place, rest," very often presaged a halt of many hours. The night was bright and clear, the stars radiant, and it was a pleasure to look away to them without any intervening tent, for somehow then home seemed nearer, since those same lumi- naries were shining on far away western New York as well as on Virginia. Scarcely had sleep touched our eyelids ere we were ordered up and into line. Soon we were off on an all- night's tramp. How monotonous those interminable Virginia pine forests seemed. No variety, but one unbroken array of dull, lonesome, sighing trees. Much of the country was covered with second growth, which seemingly had followed fields of corn, spontaneously. It was a common remark among the sol diers, as they fitted their bodies into the depressions between what had been hills of corn in the long ago, "These blanked rebels have been getting ready for the war more than thirty years; they couldn't fight without trees."
116
NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
Night-marching made men dull, morose, and cross, all anx- jously looking for the dawn, and when at last the eastern sky grew gray there were men who thought, if they did not say, --
"The morning light is breaking, the darkness disappears;"
while they varied the second part of Smith's glorious hymn somewhat thus:
"The sons of earth are marching, 'mid penitential tears."
Truly we thought the breezes sweeping o'er, not the ocean, but this fated Southland brought tidings from afar, not of foreign, but domestic war. It was morn of July 2d when our long march ended where it began when we started for Reams' Station. The heat was terrible, and the men took their rations uncooked if possible; even coffee-cooking was a serious task. Air in motion was like a simoon, and the dust was inches deep. We were about five miles south of Petersburg at Williams House. Picket-duty was a relief, and men hailed its imposition with pleasure, though they moved out that night in the midst of a drenching rain. It was cooling, and that was what they wanted. Heavy thunder with lightning added variety. It was when one of the loudest peals was rattling through the sky that Tom C., having Grant's great flank movement in mind, said, "Look out, men, they are flanking us above." The rain ceasing, and having with rails made some sort of a defense in front of the reserve, the following hours on picket we pass not unpleasantly.
To the vidette standing three rods in front of the post, it is stated that there is nothing between him and the enemy, that the safety of the army depends on his vigilance. How acute becomes his hearing! The snapping of a twig is surely the ap- proach of a foe, and he peers into the thicket before him. He can not walk a beat, for that would betray his presence. He must be still and just watch. However severe this duty in the day, it becomes doubly so in the night. Then tired nature calls for sleep, but he must not yield. The touching of leafy branches in the wind rouses his suspicion, and the movement of some night-prowling animal is surely the step of a stealthy foe. The hours here are so very, very long, but even they have an end. and again day gladdens his sight. Though with the morn came rain, that, too, soon passed on. Then followed a faultless mid- day, during which some of us studied the effects of war as
- -
117
FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.
applied to the plantation of one Henry Gurly, M. D., who had departed with his family on the approach of our forces. His faithful [?] contrabands are left in full possession. and they occupied thoroughly. They had ransacked the house and were wearing every bit of finery it afforded; everything that they could by any means use they had appropriated. They were living on the fat of the land. The lines of Henry C. Work's song, "Kingdom Coming," are suggested:
"The darkeys feel so lonesom libin' In de log-house on de lawn; They move dar tings to massa's parlor, For to keep it while he's gone.
Dar's wine an' cider in de kitchen, An' de darkeys dey'll hab some, I s'pose dey'll all be confiscated, When de Linkum sojers come."
* * *
"De whip is lost, de han'-cuff broken, But de massa 'll hab his pay;
He's ole enough, big enough, ought to know better, Dan to went an' run away."
The elegant furnishings were at the mercy of the negro and mischievous soldiery. Some of the latter played the piano. fortissimo, and others walked on it. The negro quarters, which were numerous and populous, were curiosities. There could be found much that properly belonged to the house, but there were many articles that had been given to favorite servants, who, in turn, were ready to pass the same along to the soldiers if de. sired.
Near the picket-line there were indications of forays in the shape of graves of soldiers so thinly covered as to only partly hide their sickening contents.
The 4th of July. ever glorious, found the Potomac Army be- fore Petersburg and full of patriotic music. The rebels were equally melodious with their somewhat limited repertoire, but by tacit consent there was very little firing, though pickets were told to be particularly vigilant for fear of a surprise. Quite likely rebel pickets had similar instructions. From some source the regiment was favored with loaves of soft bread, the first since leaving Alexandria. No one thought of butter in his eagerness to give hardtack a rest, and there were berries
118
NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
too. Late in the afternoon of the 5th, Lieutenant Brinkerhotf of Company A leads a small party on a reconnoissance, but discovers nothing except a Johnnie cavalryman stealing oats.
The morning of the 6th brought relief to those on picket, and they marched back only to find the other companies ready for some sort of an expedition, no one knew where.
The night before tents had been pitched with great precision. which in itself augured an early departure. A little after mid- night the authorities had been ordered to march in the morn- ing to City Point, and there to take transports for Baltimore, and thence to Harper's Ferry. This we knew later; then we had only to "forward, march." If from the North Anna down we had a mud test of our endurance, this day was to give us an equally severe trial of dust. It did not seem as though it could be ankle deep on the roads, so much of it was in the air. Dust and perspiration combined to make facial effects never before or since surpassed. No mother could have recognized her own son in those "dust-browned ranks," which, after fifteen miles of misery, at about noon threw themselves upon the ground over- looking the dock at City Point. There was very little attempt at order as we lay there, and when on the approach of General Grant, who was picking his way through and over the prostrate men, some over-zealous officer desired us to stand at attention, the great commander said: "No, lie still, men, and rest if you can;" murmured blessings were called down upon his head by many a boy who heard the remark. Food was scarce, but some soldiers were fortunate enough to get supplies from the Christian Commission. Some, too, went aboard certain boats and slept until ordered off, and then onto others. Meanwhile, those upon the shore were treated to a variety of incidents, as, when three luckless fellows. sleeping on the edge of a deep pit and in their dreams tumbled in, a commotion arose over their discomfiture and extrication. Later came a great alarm. so noisy that a general attack was suspected, though it was really only a team of unruly mules trying to run away, thereby inducing a chorus of "whoas" from a thousand throats.
Rations were carried aboard the transports, and we started away at different hours, Companies 1. B. C on the Winona, the others on the Salvador.
During this period of a little more than three weeks, the 3d Battalion had done its work faithfully, but apart from the regi-
119
FROM COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG.
.
ment. The march down to the James differed in no essential feature from that of the other battalions. The men encountered the same dust, and suffered from heat and hunger as did their comrades in the other eight companies. They boil wheat and parch corn for food, meanwhile complaining because guards are placed in rebel houses and by the wells so that our men have to drink swamp-water. The 1st sergeant of one of the companies, busy in making a detail for picket,, had his tent pitched by his mate, and when, late and very tired, he lifted the flap of his tent, as he supposed, and threw himself down by the side of his comrade, he did not discover his error till morning, when he was aroused by the odor of his bunkie, and found that he had wandered near the hospital and had been sleeping by the side of a corpse. On the 16th the battalion crosses the James at 6 P. M. on a pontoon bridge, made of 103 boats, and makes a night's march towards Petersburg. The 17th brought the men to the investing lines. It was on this march that our boys met the 24th New York Cavalry, which had not up to that time been mounted, but with all their yellow trappings were doing infantry service. Someone of ours sang out as the lines met, "Well, boys, where are your horses?" The reply was exceedingly apt as the cavalryman answered, "We sent them all down to City Point to draw up your cannon." It was a frequent taunt thrown at us that we had taken the big guns off our caps and placed them on our shoulders, but such badinage bred no hard feelings; we were all the merrier for it.
There is plenty of firing all along the lines, and the be- leaguered city can be plainly seen from elevated points. One company encamped on a planter's premises finds a number of guns, sabres and other weapons of war, some apparently for- gotten in a hurried departure. On the 18th the battalion changed position. Captain Sinclair was hit, not seriously, by a piece of shell, on the 19th. On the 20th those who had the good fortune to visit corps headquarters saw President Lincoln. Secretary Stanton, Generals Grant, Meade, and other notables. June 21st march to the left in southerly direction across Nor- folk and Petersburg railroad; at 8 A. M., 22d, halted six miles south of Petersburg. Till the 29th much time was spent in the rifle-pits and in the regular moving, to which the troops were constantly subjected. Wells are dug, and conveniences of camp
120
NINTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY.
are established. At 3 P. M. started with corps to participate in Wilson's raid on Weldon railroad. Several miles of track were torn up. Hungry soldiers, ever on the alert, dig up wine and other luxuries buried in gardens. The sagacity of hungry men at times surpasses the smelling record of bloodhounds.
June 30th a return march of several miles was begun, and a camp was made over the 1st of July. It was on this backward turning that A- B- of Company I had. lots of fun all by himself. He had raided some countryman, and with coat, put on over his knapsack, he was several points ahead of the famous hunch-back of Notre Dame. Wearing, besides, a tall hat and an umbrella, he excited the risibles of the 3d Division not a little. Though falling out was forbidden, he somehow managed to slip bis orders. On the 2d the battalion found it- self in the same place left on the 29th of June. During this day in camp some of the boys have the unusual luxuries of beets and sage tea. Could anything be more absurd than that drink! Those same boys would have resented it at home, unless served by mother with an accompaniment of feet soaking and a direct run to bed. Till the Sth there was little variation in the regular work, in the trenches or on guard duty. The dust and heat are memorable. Company G builds headquarters for Colonel Thompson, commanding the artillery brigade, and the companies fall back half a mile to a new line of works. Al- ways there is opportunity to use the shovel, for the breast- works were never quite finished. No man can tell the starting- place of rumors, but somehow the idea gains credence that Breckinridge and Ewell are near Harper's Ferry and that the 6th Corps will be sent north.
On the Sth come orders to pack up and start for City Point; at 9 P. M. the boys were on their way, and they marched nearly all night through indescribable dust. Every face in the morn- ing looked as though it wore a mask. They board the steamer Thomas Powell at 9 A. M., and are delighted to be free from dust for a short time. Few know or care about the object of the change from land to water; but they are grateful for a little variation.
121
TO AND THROUGH MONOCACY.
CHAPTER XIV.
TO AND THROUGH MONOCACY.
The ride down the James on the 7th of July was an oasis in the campaign's desert. To be sure, much of interest along the river's banks was passed in the night, but we touched at Fort- ress Monroe; we saw the tip of a ship's mast, flag-surmounted, above the water in Hampton Roads, and were told that it was that of the Cumberland, destroyed by the Merrimac March Sth. 1862; in the distance we might have seen the seminary to be in after years a National Soldiers' Home, and near it the site of the Hampton Institute, to be the place for educating negroes and Indians, under General Armstrong. We pass in sight of Capes Charles and Henry, thus named by Sir Christopher Gos- nold in a spirit of loyalty, and we have a chance to reflect on the intensely English character of our surroundings, for till we swing around into Chesapeake bay we are riding on the James, named for the father of the two princes, whose appella- tions bid fair to ever grace these two noteworthy points. The vessels bearing the division do not keep together; indeed. some troops, including the division commander, are distanced. and Scriptures are again vindicated, for the last have become first.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.