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 20
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In making our quarters as comfortable as possible all sorts of ingenious devices were had. Tin cans were sought; solder is melted therefrom. that with the pieces eavestroughs might be made; placed with the proper slant they were effectual. The weather was of all sorts: extremes of cold, followed by rain and mud. Seldom was the physical man under greater strain, yet it must have been harder for the rebels than for us, since the most of them were less used to frigid temperature than we.
The exigencies which governed our food supply no man can understand. Here if anywhere rations should be regular and
*Fort Sedgwick was generally known as Fort Hell, and its opposite Confederate fortification, Fort Mahone, as Fort Damnation.
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ample. Foraging was out of the question, for the region had become a Sahara, but hunger was a frequent sensation, and when. for some reason, known only to the authorities, the suiler was forbidden to sell us supplies, what was there left for us to do but to raid him? A sutler raid has a distinct place in army memories, and that of December 20th, when the 2d Battalion went in for something to eat, was a busy occasion. Of course profit and loss compel the sutler to charge still higher prices for all losses thus incurred. It did seem rather hard for the much-abused sutler to have to be a scapegoat for the commissary department.
It has a gruesome sound, but the chief diversion of the latter part of 1864 was the attending of hangings in the vicinity. Disciplinary rigor had advanced till death for desertion was actually inflicted. Both the 2d and 5th Corps had several ex- hibitions. In one case December 23d, in the 2d Corps, three men who had gone over to the rebels and had been recaptured, stood upon the same trap and went down at once. It was claimed that one of them had been a famous bounty-jumper, having gone through the to him farce of enlistment no less than sixteen times. Three had been hanged the preceding Fri- day. and two more followed the next. The traditions of hang- man's day were preserved even in war-time.
Those whose rations of sugar do not satisfy have to pay 25 cents a pound at the sutler's. Candles to help shorten the night are 123 cents each. Stationery is expensive, too, a quire costing 40 cents and a bunch of envelopes the same. A pair of government socks wear out in two days. The news of Sher- man's capture of Savannah made the boys about wild, and we shouted till we were hoarse, the wise ones being sure that we should be home for July 4th.
Christmas comes on Sunday, and has little to distinguish it from other days. Few dainties grace our tables, but hunger and health make substantials taste good. A major writes: "Dine on pork, potatoes, bread and coffee, good enough for a king." No plum-pudding or roast goose in that. While some play seven-up for the scant stationery given by the Christian Commission, there are those who piously eschew cards and take comfort in Beecher's Sermons. The year went out with a bang, for as if to compensate for long inactivity, the Johnnies, or several hundred picked men of them, move on our picket-line
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at 5.30 in the morning. At first they break through, but we rally quickly and drive them back. Two of our men are killed, and twenty or more are captured. Several also are wounded.
John Colligan of Company K, whose corporal's chevrons are almost new on this last day of 1864, tells the story of that eventful occasion. "There were captured with me Samuel P. Gray, Michael McKnight, Andrew Jackson and Barney Riley. We were taken at about midnight, when it was as dark as pitch. The rebels made a raid in force on our picket-line. It is claimed that a Wisconsin company broke and let them through, so that they got between our lines and the camp. While we were defending in front they assailed our rear. I had charge of a post with seven men, having been on duty con- tinuously for seventy-two hours with no relief. After capture we were marched to a stockade between Petersburg and Wel- don railroad, where we were searched and robbed of all the valuables we had. Then we were taken to Petersburg. kept in hunger and cold for several days, and thence were sent to Libby prison in Richmond, where we suffered all sorts of pri- vations. After several days in Libby, we were transferred to Pemberton prison, also in Carey street, where we remained till February 14th. 1865, when we were sent down the James river for exchange, getting back to the regiment in time for the end."
About this time some who had been extremely careful of their precious selves began to venture back to the regiment. The sequel showed that they came too soon. Colonel Snyder goes home on a furlough.
1865.
During January the Ninth remains in quarters as in Decem- ber. Forts Keene. Fisher and Wadsworth seem to be the nearest fortifications. Fifth Corps is a mile back of us, and the Engineer Corps between. On the left of our corps is the 2d, and the 9th is on the right. Quarters are made of poles with tent-coverings, 10x6 on the ground, 5 feet high. Weather varies from ice cold to warm sunshine. On the 6th a deserter from the 4th New Jersey in the 1st Division is shot.
On the 7th of January our division commander, General Tru- man Seymour. addressed a letter to the corps authorities sug- gesting the formation of a 3d Brigade, saying there were 4500
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men in the division, and of these the 9th New York had 1140 enlisted men. He would make a brigade of this and one of the other regiments. Evidently his proposal did not find favor, for nothing more was heard of it. Were such a plan ever to have been consummated, it was when the members were twice as many. At any rate we are grateful that our connective corps, division and brigade numerals were never disturbed. We went to the front practically 2000 strong, had received five or six hundred recruits, and yet we number now only about 1200; thus our stay in active service had cost us fully as many men as we then had. January 9th the rebs made a raid on the 2d Division, but are repulsed. During the entire month there is a steady com- ing in of rebels who are hungry, and in many cases all but naked. During the month a large number of men wounded at Cedar Creek reported for duty. Al- ternating rain and frost heave the breastworks so that in some places they fall in. Consequent repairing fol- lows. New abatis are made and old () ones repaired. Boys are not saints by any means. Some get drunk, thrash round, and then pay the penalty by guard-house and extra duty. These rolling stones gather no moss. Some wore wooden overcoats, like this in the picture.
The country in front is not exactly park-like in its make-up. In some places it is very swampy, but duty has to be done just the same, mud or dust. On the 11th at 4 A. M. a vidette fired his gun, and at once the whole picket- line deployed as skirmishers. Result, four badly scared Johnnies came in, all intelligent young men, but poorly clad and almost barefooted.
From "Hardtack and Coffee," by permission.
January 14th David H. Stone of Company F, who had just beyn promoted to second lieutenant, was accidentally killed by the discharge of a revolver in the hands of one of his friends. The body was sent home for burial. A friend writes: "Lieuten-
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ant Stone had but recently received his commission, and had just been detailed as an aid on the staff of Major General Wright, and was to report the next morning for duty. He had been out all day on duty and had come to his quarters at night, and was seated at his camp-table eating his supper. During the day a deserter had been returned to the company, and L. H. Bigelow, then 1st sergeant of the company, had taken a revolver from the returned prisoner; the revolver was of un- usual pattern, and Bigelow was exhibiting it to Lieutenant Stone, and explaining its mechanism, when in handling it, it was discharged, and the bullet entered the body of the lieu-
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From "Hardtack and Coffee," by permission. WINTER QUARTERS. OUTSIDE.
tenant, producing a fatal wound. He was taken at once to the field hospital, and died during the night. This was in front of Petersburg. Lieutenant David Stone was one of God's noble- men. a Christian, a gentleman, and every inch a brave, noble soldier. His memory is cherished and held sacred by every member of the company. and many of the men in Company F owe much of their success in life to the noble and pure intlu- ence of the life of David Stone. He left a true, loyal-hearted wife, and a sweet baby daughter. in the city of Auburn, N. Y."
January 17th 100 guns for General Terry's victory at Wil-
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mington, N. C .; capture of Fort Fisher. January 18th at 5 P. 31. 100 Company I men with Lieutenant Yard made new abatis in front of works; have to carry brush a mile through a swamp sometimes knee-deep. Some fear General Seymour will run the Ninth into the ground. By the end of the month, the men were in comfortable quarters, 10x7 and 5 feet high, shelter- tents for roof, fireplaces and stick chimney; burn pitch pine four feet in length. Lieutenant thus describes his cabin : "I got straight pine logs, eight to ten inches through, and six feet long, split them. dug a trench six inches deep; set
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From "Ifardtack and Coffee," by permission.
WINTER QUARTERS, INSIDE.
them up endways, stockade fashion, close, flat side in. Hut ten feet long, eight feet wide, gable with slope, plastered cracks with mud; said mud was easily made by digging a small hole in the ground, pouring in a pail of water and then stirring in the clay just thrown out. It was easily daubed with a stick. If rain washed it out, why, just stir up and daub again. It was covered with shelter-tents, no window needed; light enough from above; bed in one end and made of pine boughs; wood to burn under the bed: door approach made of hardtack boxes.
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Fireplace was one side, table opposite also made of boxes. Wooden pegs for hanging things; bookcase over table, floor of split logs."
It was towards the end of the month that General Grant ordered that no newspapers should be allowed to come into the army for one week. He must have been afraid of picket ex- change, not caring to have the enemy know his plans.
February 1st. It is scarcely past midnight when orders come to get up, pack up, and be ready to march at any moment. Five days' rations are drawn, and all the fuss terminates in a bri- gade dress-parade at 3 P. M. All sorts of rumors are circulated as to the reasons for such unseemly hours, one of which was that we were to join the 5th Corps in a raid to the Southside railroad, twenty-five miles to the point we were to strike. A soldier in L. helping to repair Fort Wadsworth on the 2d, re- marks on the numerous graves, many bodies being near the surface. The rain washes out the head of a man. Says the company shanties are built over some of them. Rather a hard place for nervous and superstitious men!
He records that Wednesday's early rising was incident to a sudden move of the enemy on our right. Learned from one of the rebels on picket that peace is in sight. On the 5th marching orders received again, and we see the 5th Corps pass- ing by all the morning. The 1st Division of the 6th started at 4 P. M. There has been heavy firing all day, and many wounded from the 5th Corps are brought in. We do not get away till nearly midnight. when we march two or three miles to the right and remain in line till 5 A. M .; then we unbend till 5 P. M., when we return to the camp of the 23d Pennsylvania of our 1st Division. We stack guns, and some of our comrades are permitted to go into tents with the Pennsylvania boys. Rain and snow on the 17th. The next day returned to the old camp, but not for any quiet, for we were hardly in place before we were ordered out, then directed to make ourselves comfortable till morning. Sure enough on the 9th at- daylight we march away to the lines held on our left by the 2d Corps, 1st Division, these men having gone still further to the left.
We arrive in time to see the departing soldiers demolish their quarters. We lie around all day, and camp on the ground in the deserted place. The 10th beholds us reconstructing quarters where the 2d Corps had been, and for the next four
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days we work on the quarters. Pickets and videttes are very near each other, and trading of tobacco for coffee is a very common thing. The Johnnies proclaimed themselves half starved. So amicable are the relations that rebs and Feds cut wood from the same log. Company L was detached from the regiment and sent to Battery Lee, three-quarters of a mile from Fort Fisher, on the 10th. In the evening went to Patrick's station for the guns, six thirty-pound Parrotts; they having come on platform cars. It took ten horses to draw the guns to the fort. Got them up at 3 P. M. There were also six Cohorn mortars just back of the picket-line. Ten rebels came in to- day. On the 12th, thirty-six rebels, including one orderly ser. geant, came in.
Here is a graphic description of the way red tape, routine and military management succeeded in getting a little fatigue duty done: "At daylight we were drawn into line, right-dressed and counted in the company street. We stand here half an hour, and then march to regimental headquarters. The fore- going is repeated here, and then we are marched to brigade headquarters and again repeat. Our next act is to move a little distance to get out of the way of the pickets, who are getting ready to march out. After waiting an hour and a half, we go through right-dressing and counting once more. Thence we march to the fort and repeat the familiar performance. Finally we enter the fort and get the tools to work with. Such is the usual round."
Our chronicler was evidently in a grumbling humor, for he continues, "Although military tactics and everything connected therewith are supposed to be conducted with scientific pre- vision. yet in maneuvering, there is the greatest awkwardness; in engineering, the greatest bungling; in regard to the ex- penses, there is in every department the greatest extravagance and waste; the strength and patience of the men are wasted in useless marching and countermarching; their time squan- dered by keeping them out, from daylight till dark in all sorts of weather, to do two hours' work, and then they sleep on the frozen ground in midwinter; by employing them, day after day, in building ornamental fences and screens around officers' quarters; in maneuvering them in brigade drills and dress- parades, neither of which is of any use on the battle-field, and then at night, they have to get down on their knees and creep
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under three square yards of cotton sheeting, and lie or sit the long dark night on the cold ground."
The 11th there was a flag of truce, and Yankee curiosity was naturally piqued, but they must wait for Northern papers to learn the reason, though it was less than half a mile away. The next day General Meade and staff rode by Battery Lee, where engineers are putting in a bomb-proof. Another flag of truce explains itself. The rebels want to know what became of one of their colonels wounded at Hatcher's Run. He is in hospital, City Point. Ninety deserters came in to-day.
Rebel pickets are 500 yards away from the fort. Desertion from the enemy is the rule, and the half-starved men are evi- dently much discouraged. The same is true all along the line. They are glad to change from their rations of one pound of corn bread and one-quarter pound of bacon per day to our larger and better bill of fare. The dog express will ever be memorable in this winter's annals, since a certain canine of strictly impartial sentiments had been taught to respond to a whistle from either side. Thus with a can of coffee suspended from his neck he would amble over to the Johnnies, and when they had replaced coffee with tobacco he would return in obedience to Union signals, intent only on the food reward both sides gave him. Perhaps it was the following order included in one consignment of coffee which brought in the mules and wagon and many deserters with their entire outfit:
Headquarters, Army of the U. S. In the field, Jan. 4, 1865.
Special Order No. 3:
Deserters coming in will be sent to their homes or to any part of the Northern states on taking the oath, or will be employed in commissary or quartermaster departments. Horses and mules will be paid for.
U. S. GRANT, General.
A lieutenant coming in with ten men excused the absence of his 1st sergeant, who, having just received $600 in Confed- erate money. wanted to get rid of it, but he would come the next time he was on guard. A captain when asked why he came replied that it was about mustering time, and as all his men had deserted. he thought he had better come over and muster them. General Lee is confidently expected soon. So many cap- tives are held that the rear line of forts is devoted to them. Train-loads are sent to City Point. One writer describes the
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prisoners as "barefooted and ragged; the awfullest looking men one ever saw. They say the whole rebel army is in the same condition, and that all would come if they had the chance." Guards are sent out with the rebels when they go out to cut wood lest they desert to our side. On the night of the 24th eleven men came in with a six-mule wagon, which had been sent out for fuel. It found its way to Meade's head- quarters instead of that of the enemy. So frequent have deser- tions become that the rebels have forbidden further trading.
February 21st, 100 guns for the fall of Charleston. Generals Wright and Seymour reviewed the division on the 22d, and the guns were fired in honor of Washington's birthday.
February 24th, 100 guns for the fall of Fort Anderson, N. C.
In the regiment itself there was not a graduate of West Point, nor had we in active service such a one, but our Division Commanders Ricketts and General Truman Seymour* were from the Point; of the former no soldier ever had aught but words of praise; the latter was a martinet of the most pro- nounced character. He had not won particular honors in the war, though he had served in the Army of the Potomac, South Carolina, Florida, and was after Ricketts' wounding at Cedar Creek with us.
His proper place was the command of a military school, or that of a post in times of peace. On the last day of February he rode through the lines, and in passing our regiment his eagle eye chanced to rest on a light-colored hat worn by one of our boys; the traditional red rag could not have been more excit- ing to the bovine beholder than this object was to his military sight. He returned to his headquarters two miles away, and thence despatches an orderly to our colonel with the most stringent orders against further infraction of discipline under severe penalties. He had already ordered the arrest of every man who should shout "hardtack," as men sometimes did when
.Truman Seymour, born Burlington, Vt., September 25th, 1824; West Point, class of 1846; was in Mexican War; taught drawing in Military Academy 1850-'53; was in the Seminole War in Florida, and assisted in defense of Fort Sumter in 1861; as stated he served in sev- eral departments during the war; was captured in the Wilderness and came back in time to succeed General Ricketts. He was retired from active service in 1876, living thereafter abroad till his death, which took place, October 31st, 1891, in Florence, Italy.
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short of rations. Also he had directed the reduction to the ranks of every non-commissioned officer who should appear on parade without his chevrons, though he very well knew there was no material in camp for the making of them. Obedience was secured by our fishing some old red flannel, somebody's cast-off underwear, out of the mud, and improvising the thin red lines. Corporal S-, as he sewed the distinguishing stripes along the legs of his trousers, declared he had never realized before how long those same legs were nor the number of stitches required. However deft his hands in managing the great guns, evidently his fingers were not adapted to so small a weapon as a needle. Again caps must be worn, though many had good serviceable and warm felt hats. Shoes must be worn, though we have in many cases more expensive and certainly more comfortable boots. There was fun, too, though at times somewhat questionable perhaps, as when one young man had a freak of dressing up in woman's attire. The uproar he created was more creditable to his disguise than to the character of his comrades.
March in its beginning offered very little change from Feb- ruary, though we knew that spring would mean active work for us, just as much as though we had been at home on the farm, where even General Seymour wouldn't care whether we wore boots or shoes, or went barefoot. The general flight of the enemy to our lines continued, and if we had been content to remain long enough, we might have received them all with- out the firing of a gun. They came singly, in squads, and some- times it would seem in companies. One entire picket-post ran in, leaving only the lieutenant, and as he had no gun he could not fire on deserting comrades. Soldiers are generous always, and on the 3d Company B gave $80 for a sword to Sergeant Hoag. who had been promoted 2d lieutenant, and during the month the men subscribed liberally to a monument for General Sedgwick, though the gallant officer had lost his life before we joined the corps. On the same day a private gave a dollar and a half for a diary that at home might have cost fifty cents.
The 7th brought a brigade review by General Meade, with General Keifer accompanying. March 9th General Meade and staff rode along the lines. Evidently the commanding general intended to leave nothing to chance. Again on the 10th came a brigade review; possibly this was for the edification of sev-
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eral carriage loads of ladies. For half an hour some soldiers stood in mud and water over their shoes, and they hoped the pleasure imparted was commensurate. The next day at divi- sion headquarters. one Kelly of the 67th Pennsylvania was shot for desertion. It was said that he had deserted twice and had jumped seven bounties. A priest administered to him the con- solation of religion. A squad of eight men fired, and seven balls pierced his breast within a three-inch space. The brigade band played a dirge. While the affair was hardly diverting, it was instructive. General Meade witnesses brigade dress-parade on the 12th. About this time Captain Freeoff, who had been with Company M so long, came back to command his old associates in I, and his boys made him happy by the gift of new shoulder- straps.
A flag of truce on the 13th. Sutler ordered to City Point the next day, with his goods; evidently the authorities want all non- combatants out of the way. Marching orders are received. In the forts there are great activity and alertness. March 15th Corwin's Battery relieved in Fort Welch. Dress-parade the 16th is broken up by a sand-storm; then followed rain. The 18th General Keifer issues stringent orders as to "lights out," and on the same day, Brigadier General Nelson S. Miles of the 2d Corps, who will command the United States Army in 1899, came out to the picket-line with a citizen visitor, desiring to show him how the work was done. They were intending to move along the entire picket-line, but the citizen, scared nearly out of his wits, declared he had gone far enough.
The crowing of a rooster always brings visions of the barn- yard, but here in camp amidst the scenes of war the boys of the 126th Ohio in our brigade have trained a chanticleer to crow lustily, and to whip any dog the other regiments can bring along. How he does strut and crow after such a victory! A rebel officer on the 19th declared he would shoot any Yankee who offered to trade papers. With him ignorance of war news was bliss. The 24th one of our battalions goes over to the 2d Corps to help man the works, while the latter has a review by President Lincoln. To add to our discontent high winds fan forest fires. The 25th ushers in the advance movement to end only at Appomattox. There is general activity all along the front. charges and countercharges. Fort Steadman was taken from the 9th Corps at 4 A. M., but is speedily regained; one of
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the prominent engagements of the war. The 2d Corps also moves up.
At noon two regiments lay off knapsacks and form in front of Battery Lee and charge on the rebel pickets. They were driven back, as they found the enemy in force. With two more regiments, and our 1st Battalion, Companies B, D, G and I, a second and successful charge was made. The Ninth's men were the first to reach the works and 200 rebels were captured, we having a large number wounded. Meantime the Confederates opened their batteries on the lines as they were forming, and from Battery Lee answer was made from the thirty-pound Par- rotts, and it was kept up all the afternoon, driving the enemy from every fort they occupied. One Company L gunner dis- mantled the rebel guns, blew up a caisson, knocked a house to pieces, and kept two batteries still all the time. His work won the unqualified admiration of Generals Wright and Seymour, who were looking on from Fort Fisher. They declared there was nothing better along the lines. One rebel shell entered our parapet and three or four went over, but no one was hurt. One hundred and seventy-four rounds were fired. The 26th, a boy writes home: "It is nothing but fun, fighting with artillery the way we did. I suppose you think the noise is something, but we don't notice it, and we all stand within seven feet of the thirty-pound Parrotts." There is no let-up; continue firing all day. One of the finest houses in the South is burned because the rebels would occupy it with their men and then they com- plained because we destroyed it.
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