USA > New York > The Ninth regiment, New York volunteers (Hawkins' zouaves); being a history of the regiment and veteran association from 1860 to 1900 > Part 15
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On June 26th (which was the second day of the "Seven Days' Fight") President Lincoln issued an order calling this command the "Army of Virginia."
Early in July Jackson's corps was detached from Lee's army confronting Mcclellan at Har- rison's Landing, and on the 19th of that month was at Gordonsville confronting Pope, while
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252 VINTHI REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
Stuart's rebel cavalry division was sent toward Fredericksburg to watch the movements of the Union forces from that direction. During his operations on the Virginia Peninsular McClel- lan received nearly 160,000 men. When Pres- ident Lincoln reviewed the army at Harrison's Landing on July 7th, he saw only 86,000, the remainder having been removed by disease or casualties on the field, fully 50,000 being victims of malaria and fever. The President and his cabinet now decided that an older and wiser soldier should be placed at the head of all the Federal armies, and as Gen. Henry Wager Halleck had shown ability in the west, he was summoned to Washington, and on July 11th appointed commander-in-chief.
Mr. Stanton, Secretary of War, strenuously , opposed this appointment but was over-ruled.
On July 30th, Halleck ordered McClellan to send away his sick as rapidly as possible, and telegraphed him August 3d : " It is determined to withdraw your army from the Peninsular to Acquia Creek. You will take immediate meas- ures to effect this."
McClellan protested against this movement, as did Generals Dix, Burnside and Sumner, but without effect. August 13th Longstreet's whole corps was sent to join Jackson at Gordonsville, to which place he had fallen back from Cedar
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POPE'S DEFEAT AT MANASSAS.
Mountain, and these forces were commanded by Lee in person. This left nothing but D. H. Hill's corps confronting Mcclellan, who, had he been permitted, might possibly have taken Richmond with very little resistance.
The first of Mcclellan's troops arrived at Acquia Creek within seven days, and the last of the infantry within twenty-six days after the receipt of Halleck's order.
Before the majority of these troops could reach Pope he abandoned his line on the Rap- pahannock to concentrate his whole force in the direction of Warrenton and Gainesville, to con- front the enemy who were rapidly marching to his right.
Jackson, passing through Thoroughfare Gap, reached Manassas Junction in the rear of Pope, and between him and Washington, overcoming the small force left to guard the large quanti- ties of supplies gathered there. These he destroyed, while Stuart struck Catlett's Sta- tion, thirty-five miles from Washington, where were most of the Federal wagon trains, and destroyed what he could not carry off, the feat being a peculiarly daring and effec- tive one. Jackson made this wonderful march of fifty-six miles over difficult roads in the short space of thirty-six hours. These disasters were followed by the second battle of Bull Run, in
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254 VINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
which Pope was disastrously defeated, and his army stampeded toward Washington in as great disorder as in the first Bull Run; in fact all communication between Pope and Wash- ington was cut off from August 26th until the 30th. The greatest panic prevailed in Wash- ington, and its early capture by the Confeder- ates was greatly feared, and yet it was defended by an army of 110,000 men, for in addition to Pope's army, which was falling back, there were 40,000 veterans standing before the lines who had not fired a shot in the campaign ; behind the lines 30,000 good men of the garrisons and the reserves, two-thirds of whom were veterans in discipline though untried in battle.
General McClellan and staff rode into the city on the morning of September 2d, as one writer says : " Through an innumerable herd of strag- glers, mingled with an endless stream of wagons and ambulances, urged on by uncontrollable teamsters, which presently poured into Washing- ton, overflowed it, took possession of its streets and public places and held high orgie."
Disorder reigned unchecked and confusion was everywhere.
The clerks in the departments, many of whom had been hurried toward the front to do service as nurses, were now hastily formed into companies and battalions for defense. The
253
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.
Government ordered the arms and ammunition at the arsenal and the money in the treasury to be shipped to New York, and the banks followed the example. A gunboat, with steam up, lay in the river off the White House, as if to announce to the army and the inhabitants the impending flight of the administration. It was at this juncture that the President, on his own responsibility, once more charged General McClellan with the defense of the capitol. On the afternoon of the 7th (Lee's army having disappeared from in front of Washington) 87,000 men were in motion, and General McClellan set out for Rockville to put himself at their head, leaving 73,000 men, 120 field- pieces, and about 500 heavy guns in position, or nearly one-half of McClellan's entire army. General Lee, his army flushed with victories, had begun an invasion of the North by way of Maryland.
Moving from Meridian Hill on the morning of the 7th of September, the Ninth proceeded some ten miles and went into bivouac. On the following day shelter tents were issued to the men. On the morning of the 9th reveille was sounded at three o'clock, and at sunrise march was resumed. A march of twelve miles brought the regiment to Brookville at II A.M., where it rested until 5 P.M., and once more
256 NINTH REGIMMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
took the road until 10 P.M., having made an additional ten miles and camped near Laytons- ville. The movement continued the follow- ing day in the direction of 'Frederick, but after travelling some four miles the regi- ment was ordered to retrace its steps to its last camp where it remained until 9 A.M., of the I Ith. Again starting for Frederick it passed Damascus at 1.30 P.M, and at five o'clock camped near Ridgeville, after a fifteen-mile march.
Thus far the campaign had been of a pleas- ant nature, the weather had been fine, the absence of the accustomed mud being espe- cially noticeable, and all were in high spirits. The troops were in what appeared to be a friendly country, and in comparison with the Virginia they had seen, a beautiful one. The soldiers sauntered along leisurely enjoying the rural scenes and the pleasing sight of men pursuing their daily vocations, while women and children stood in doorways or leaned from windows to watch them pass. Horses and cattle were grazing quietly on field and hillside, and everything seemed to indicate peace and friendliness from the inhabitants who seemed to regard the troops as their army. Dust was the only disturbing clement. The dry roads were so pulverized by the continuous march of
237
THE MOVING ARMY.
thousands of men and miles of wagon trains and artillery, that the men moved literally in a cloud of dust which was dispelled only occa- sionally by a gentle breeze, but hardly long enough to obtain a view of the surrounding country. An abundant water supply along the route was a comforting refreshment, however, for which all felt truly thankful.
When the regiment first moved out of bivouac on the 7th it became a portion of a great river of men rolling down toward Fred- erick. A large proportion of this stream of men bore but little resemblance to military organi- zations. Thousands went plodding along the road apparently entirely uncontrolled. Many organizations scattered among the mass kept well together in regular military formation and in good control of their officers. But the dis- organized ones were judged to have been por- tions of Pope's command, which had not yet recovered from the demoralization the result of the severe campaign through which they had just passed.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball was determined that the Ninth should not be contaminated by this loose example, and therefore issued string- ent orders against straggling on any pretense whatever. A strong detachment was cach morn- ing detailed as a regimental rear guard during
258 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
the day's march, with positive orders to permit no member of the regiment to fall out for any cause whatever unless ordered to an ambulance by one of the surgeons. This guard was main- tained until after leaving Frederick. It is but just to state that during the entire march not a man of the " Ninth " straggled from his regi- ment. The disorganized condition of portions of the troops above mentioned was corrected after the campaign was fairly under way. Each day saw an improvement, and within a week from the start, the entire army was as orderly and well disciplined in appearance as the most observant military critic could desire.
Early on the morning of the 12th, march was resumed along the main turnpike across the Monocacy river for Frederick direct, which had been invaded by "Stonewall" Jackson's men. Newmarket was passed through at one o'clock, and about 3.30 p.M., the column was halted under the brow of Monocacy ridge.
Scattering firing was heard a short distance ahead. The advance had struck the rebel army. Their rear guard pitched a few shot and shell at the advancing troops, more in the way of defi- ance than with a view of making any real resist- ance to the passage of the Monocacy bridge. The cavalry soon had the enemy on the run, crowd- ing them through Frederick and up into the
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SKIRMISHING AT THE FRONT.
Catocin mountains. It was noticed and com- mented upon by the rank and file that when these collisions occurred between the advance of the army and the enemy's rear guard, and it became necessary to employ infantry for his dislodgment, none of the veteran troops were detailed for that duty.
As the troops moved along the road they would become aware that an engagement was taking place at some distant point ahead by the dull roar or growl of the artillery. This sound became more pronounced as they advanced, until the sharp crack of the Napoleons and sound of bursting shells became more distinct. If the resistance proved to be so stubborn that the available cavalry were not in sufficient force to overcome it, the column would come to a halt, while an infantry force strong enough to effect the object would be sent forward. These troops were always taken from the new regi- ments. On such occasions they were seldom if ever actually engaged, for by the time they were deployed and arrangements completed for the attack the enemy would generally move away to repeat the operation at the next favorable position found on their line of march. Thus, the recruits were made to believe that they had been in battle and had been vic- torious, though escaping without injury. This
260 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
use of the new regiments was most satisfactory to the veterans. The boys who were not "sent in" had a rest, and what some of them liked still better, an opportunity to ironically praise the new men, who, moving past the line of resting veterans by the roadside, received an abundance of gratuitous advice as to their actions when they should strike the enemy, also very circumstantial accounts of what was tak- ing place at the front; the force of the enemy, what troops had just been repulsed, the number of killed, etc., etc., all being purely imaginary, and done for the purpose of frightening the recruits. All this was regarded as immensely funny by the veterans. When Lieutenant-Col- onel Kimball became aware of this practice, however, he at once put a stop to it, and severely lectured the men for their thoughtless- ness.
The advance was now taken by the division to which the Ninth belonged (General Rod- man's) which descended the ridge, crossed the bridge, and when within half a mile of the out- skirts of Frederick, filed to the left until the whole command reached the open fields across the railroad, and moved in line by brigades, over fences and through the tall corn, where the alignment could only be maintained by observ- ing the tops of the numerous colors, the men
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261
FREDERICK CITY'S WELCOME.
jumping all obstacles and smashing down the fences with the butts of their muskets.
The advance, composed of cavalry and light artillery, was busily engaged with the enemy. Sharp skirmishing was taking place in the streets, the fighting continuing through and beyond the city until night and darkness caused a cessation. Troops poured into the city from all the roads east and south, and the "Ninth " pitched its camp upon the rocky bluff overlooking the railroad near the depot. It was a night of the wildest excitement in Frederick, the streets being crowded with citizens who in every way displayed their loyalty and loudly welcomed the brave veterans who so hurriedly rushed to their protection. And it was a night ever to be remembered by the tired and footsore troops. To those fortu- nate enough to obtain passes into the city and who were not too weary to leave their bivouac, a scene was presented which is seldom wit- nessed even by soldiers of a victorious army.
Every house was illuminated, as though for a victory, the streets crowded with citizens eager to welcome the soldiers of the grand old Army of the Potomac, while refreshments were offered to the men from every door- step, trays and baskets of food, water, lemon- ade, and other and more enticing drinks were
262 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
forced upon the soldiers on every side. All residences were wide open to any one in uni- form who cared to accept an invitation to enter, and many a travel-stained and weather- beaten soldier enjoyed that night the only oc- casion of real, civilized, social entertainment which had fallen to his lot since leaving his northern home. Among the belated members of the regiment returning to camp in the "wee sma' hours," after reluctantly leaving their hospitable entertainers, were Lieutenants Bar- nett and Horner. They were so fortunate as to discover a fire which had broken out in the jail and threatened a serious confla- gration. It was thought probable that the fire might have been started by sympathizers or emissaries of the enemy who had just been driven out, for the purpose of throwing . the city into confusion, and enabling them to further some scheme which would tend to seri- Barnett hur- ously injure the Union cause. ried to camp to report the matter to Kim- ball, while Horner hastened to the jail to render any help possible, pending the arrival of reinforcements, and to release and afterward prevent the escape of the large number of prisoners there confined. Colonel Kimball at once dispatched three companies to the scene under Captain Barnett, and they
263
FIGHTING THE REAR GUARD.
arrived about the time that Horner and the -
jailer had succeeded in opening all the cell doors and were driving the confused and frightened prisoners into the jail yard.
The wall surrounding the yard was quickly mounted by the Zouaves, which point of vantage enabled them to keep the prisoners under con- trol while the troops were fighting the flames and sentinels were being posted around the vicinity of the jail.
No hostile demonstrations were made by either rebel sympathizers or the lawless ele- ment and after a while a regular regiment re- lieved the boys of the Ninth, who reached their camp about daybreak. Hardly had they turned in when reveille sounded, and for once the order to "fall in " was not obeyed with their accustomed alacrity. Almost as soon as coffee had been prepared and disposed of the Ninth was ordered out to the support of "Rush's Lancers " who, striving to drive back the rebel rear guard, found a detachment of them so strongly posted that infantry was required to dislodge them. Marching rapidly toward Jef- erson the regiment reached the place where the Lancers were engaged. The enemy had a mountain howitzer in the road which led up to the hill in front, but the supporting force was unknown.
264 NINTH REGIMENT. NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
Companies C, H and I were sent to the right and Company B to the left of the road and deployed as skirmishers, the remainder of the regiment being held in reserve.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball's dispositions of the regiment were so quickly made, and the advance began so promptly that the enemy's evident intention to fall back leisurely was rudely interrupted. Two detachments of their rear guard were struck so suddenly that they were scattered before either could return a shot, while some of them were wounded. One sharpshooter who failed to obey the scriptural injunction, "Stand not upon the order of your going," etc., was discovered by private Sam March of Company I, trying to conceal himself in a tree where he had taken position and was captured. It is not probable that this detach- ment intended to seriously resist infantry. They simply opposed the cavalry to gain time for their forces to get farther away, thinking to es- cape easily themselves and without loss, as soon as the infantry arrived within striking distance.
From the summit of the ridge, over which a portion of the regiment now passed in skirmishing order, the whole valley stretching away to South Mountain lay exposed like a vast painted canvas. Far to the north- ward the village of Middletown was in flames.
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TWO ARMIES IN SIGHT.
At several points along the foot of the opposite ridge batteries were spewing out little clouds of curling smoke, pierced by angry tongues of fire. Cavalry troops were dashing here and there, the infantry more slowly but deliberately advancing or retreating, and artillery hurrying to some new point of vantage. On this im- mense stage the drama of war was being en- acted on a gigantic scale. In many a soldier's breast as he gazed on the scene were mingled the emotions of hatred, ambition and sorrow at the startling and impressive sight. Hatred for the offending foe, ambition to subduc him, and sorrow that men should have found it necessary to take each other's lives to establish a principle.
But little time was given to philosophizing. The various companies of the regiment, includ- ing the battery reassembled on a road on the farther side of the ridge and marched rapidly toward the village of Jefferson or Jeffersonville. Fearing to be outflanked the enemy fell back, withdrawing the howitzer, while the Ninth eagerly pursued, but without avail, as the John- nies were too fleet.
Arriving at Jefferson, arms were stacked in the street, pickets thrown out, and the in- habitants regaled the Zouaves with food of various kinds, which was eagerly devoured by the half-famished men. Officers and men took
266 NINTH REGIMMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
advantage of an opportunity to rest, and in a few moments nearly all were sleeping by the roadside.
During the whole afternoon cannonading could be plainly heard from the direction of Harper's Ferry, where Jackson was then mak- ing his attack. The deep boom of the big guns and the sharper crack of the smaller ones was remarkably distinct, and as the men awoke and were on the qui vive, they in im- agination followed the fortunes of the battle raging a few miles distant. While the Ninth was still awaiting orders General Franklin's command arrived and passed through the vil -. lage in the direction of the firing. They were a most dilapidated looking lot, ragged and weather-beaten, and had evidently seen some pretty hard marching recently. From the leis- urely way in which they marched it was plain that like the Ninth they were not under orders for Harper's Ferry, where the battle was still raging. An officer-said to be General Frank- lin - and his staff, dismounted, procured some refreshments, and seating themselves on the porch of a house, ate with great deliberation.
All subordinates in the army of whatever rank are well aware that there are superiors in abundance to do the thinking, and the rank and file are not presumed to exercise
267
THE RETURN TO FREDERICK.
their brains on any subject or to contem- plate any time beyond the present. Still men of inferior rank, however lowly, have their own ideas and will cogitate over them, and during this period of rest at Jeffersonville there were many who thought it would be more pertinent to the occasion to move forward and create a diversion in favor of the men ahead who were fighting for their lives, rather than that thousands of men should stand listlessly hearkening to the cannonading at the Ferry, whose increasing volume 'plainly told them, which afterward proved to be correct, that their comrades were in sore need of assistance.
About 6 P.M., all pickets were drawn in, with the exception of Sergeant Jackson, who was accidentally left on post with his men, but who fortunately succeeded in joining the regiment later, and the regiment started on its return to Frederick, which was reached before midnight, after a march of twenty- five miles. This was one of the most fatiguing marches the men had been called upon to make, not so much because of distance covered, as of their exhausted condition conse- quent upon the amount of labor they had been called upon to perform in the preceding forty- eight hours. On the 12th they had been in line of battle the greater part of the day, leav-
268 NINTH REGIMMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
ing the roads and advancing across country through field and wood, plowed land and meadow, which is the hardest kind of work entailed on the soldier, heavily weighted as he is with musket and equipments.
Night had fallen when the regiment left Jeffersonville, and all passed pleasantly for a time. The men sung their customary march- ing songs and the woods rang with the cho- ruses. With the intention of making the march as easy as possible Colonel Kimball halted the column for a rest, at the most inopportune time, which proved to be unfortunate. The regi- ment had moved leisurely out of the village towards camp and the men had "limbered up" nicely and were in good marching condition and could have continued to Frederick in fairly good shape with little or no rest, but now the long halt which followed induced them to fall asleep. When the bugle sounded " forward " the boys were stiff and sore, and slowly responded to the call.
There was no more singing, no more con- versation in the ranks. Each man felt fagged out, but doggedly plodded onward over the apparently endless road having no further desire for even a temporary rest. The only wish or thought was how to get through and reach the objective point in the shortest time possible,
269
THE START FOR SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
knowing there would then be an opportunity to obtain the much required sleep. After what seemed like hours of marching the regiment reached Frederick, and proceeded haltingly and painfully through the silent and de- serted streets and at last arrived at the old camp. Throwing themselves on the hard earth the tired men enjoyed that sweet rest which the worn and footsore soldier can so well appreci- ate. Orders had been given to move at 3 A.M., and it seemed as though they had scarcely rolled themselves in their blankets ere the order came to "fall in," which was obeyed with the greatest reluctance, and without the accus- tomed promptness. Passing out of the city on the way to Fairville and Jerusalem, they arrived at Middletown at about IO A.M.
There the " Ninth" came to a halt after a rapid march of seven hours. Every appearance tended to im- press the observer with the belief that a battle was near. The regiment, which had evidently been started prematurely in the early morning, was marched into a field by the roadside with orders to "halt" and "rest." All felt that they were only waiting their turn to "go in " as the cannonading in front of them was increasing every moment. Brigades, divisions and corps which probably had remained in bivouac until after daybreak, streamed past to the front, while
270 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
the Ninth waited by the roadside. It was evidently clear that their corps was not to be utilized until these other troops should reach their positions.
The battle of South Mountain had opened and troops were being hurried forward to the front while the Ninth was ordered to rest. All hands were soon sound asleep, and continued so until 2 p.M., when, after a cup of good coffee they were ordered forward in the direction of the firing which had become ex- ceedingly brisk. Fording a small stream at the foot of South Mountain they filed into a narrow and rocky road leading to the summit, and while passing up the steep ascent met a stream of wounded men being transported rapidly to the rear. Working their way steadily up the mountain and also moving obliquely to the left to extend the line in that direction, they met with little opposition until nearing the position assigned them, when suddenly a rebel battery opened fire most vigorously. This did not check them in the least or cause any damage, the battery being situated so far above them on the top of the mountain that the enemy was unable to depress his guns to any marked degree but was obliged to fire straight ahead out into the "wide world," the shells exploding so far above the regiment that few casualties
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