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 21
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The Zouaves occupied, practically, the same bivouac until the 15th, when the general for- ward movement was resumed, the column in which they were being the center one and
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363
SHELLING THE WAGON TRAIN.
occupying the road, with Hawkins' brigade in- the lead. The line of march was now down the left bank of the Rappahannock. The command had not proceeded more than three or four miles, when it suddenly found itself approaching a scene of confusion the equal of which is seldom witnessed even in war. A rebel battery had taken position in a com- manding situation, on the other side of the river, and had opened a vigorous and des- tructive fire on a wagon train of commissary and quartermaster's supplies, which had been sent forward without an escort. The whole train had been thrown into confusion. It was a mass of struggling men and animals, with some broken wagons and wrecked stores. As the rebel battery was far beyond the range of the men's Springfields, the infantry was pow- erless to afford any protection. Colonel Haw- kins, instantly appreciating the gravity of the situation, hurriedly dispatched a messenger to General Wilcox, the Corps Commander, re- questing that Lieutenant Benjamin, the com- mander of the famous twenty-pounder Par- rott battery, so well known in the 9th corps, be hastened forward with his guns. Major Brackett, of Wilcox's staff, carried the order, and conducted Benjamin to the scene. In a few minutes he arrived, and securing a posi-
366 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
tion on a promontory, concealed by a patch of low shrubs, the pieces were loaded, carefully sighted and elevated and the whole battery discharged almost simultaneously. The result was astounding to all beholders. A caisson was exploded, several men and horses killed or wounded, and the battery totally disabled. Benjamin had made a historic shot, and from that time on to Falmouth, the center column was permitted to march in peace.
On Sunday, the 16th, the march was resumed, the command crossing Great River, passing through Fayette and Liberty, and around Warrenton Junction, and went into camp near the railroad. The next day it con- tinued the march in a drizzling rain, taking the direct road to Fredricksburg, and after cover- ing about twelve miles went into camp. At daybreak the next morning the regiment was again on the road. The enemy had disap- peared from the front. There had been neither cannonading nor skirmishing since the 15th.
On the 19th the regiment marched through Falmouth, crossed the railroad and encamped on the hill directly opposite the city of Fred- ricksburg. It was learned that the main body of the enemy was arriving and occupying the hills immediately behind or south of the city,
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IN CAMP AT FALMOUTH STATION.
and it was also ascertained that his pickets - extended along the opposite bank of the Rappahannock, not only in the town itself, but both above and below it.
Now that the army had. at last arrived at Falmouth, which appeared for the present at least, to have brought the long march to an end, everybody was delighted. The prospect of at last getting into a permanent camp was very gratifying. The regiment had been on the move nearly every day since the 28th of October, the day on which it broke camp in Pleasant Valley. The men were nearly worn out physically, and were greatly in need of sup- plies of every kind, especially shoes and clothing.
On the following day Company K rejoined the regiment after having been on duty with General Kautz's division in all its various movements and operations, since it first started on the march up the Shenandoah.
On the 22d there was great activity noticeable throughout the camps. Batteries were being planted in positions which appeared to be favorable for shelling the enemy. Shots were exchanged with them during the day and as a result the troops that were exposed to the enemy's fire were moved farther back out of range of their guns. Orders for a forward
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368 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
movement were now expected daily. Every indication pointed to the probability that a great battle was very near. Day after day passed, however, but still the movement was delayed.
The 27th day of November was Thanksgiving day. It was not celebrated by the Zouaves with any great degree of enthusiasm. Inasmuch as there was neither hardtack nor coffee in their camp that day, and as they were obliged to go hungry, they failed to properly grasp the idea of the propriety of being particularly thankful. On the contrary they gave themselves up fully to indulging in a general growl, and devoted themselves unreservedly to the exhilarating and pleasant recreation of d-ing the quarter- master, both individually and collectively, for the rest of the day. While this did not allay their hunger, it nevertheless gave them the only satisfaction obtainable at that time.
Early in the morning of the 11th of Decem- ber, the regiment was aroused without reveille, the men being awakened quietly by the mem- bers of the guard. The long looked for order for the attack on Fredricksburg had come at last.
The day opened with a bombardment on a most gigantic scale. The thunder of the guns and the bursting shells seemed to make the solid earth quake. Outside of this there was
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LAYING THE PONTOONS.
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little to be seen. The troops were mostly hidden in the woods and hollows of the ground out of view of the enemy, and were waiting patiently for the completion of the pontoon bridges upon which they were to cross the river. From unforeseen causes these bridges, which should have been laid the night before were delayed. When daylight came the rebel sharpshooters, who had excellent cover in the houses of the town near the river, effectually stopped all work on them. Notwithstand- ing the terrific character of the bombard- ment it was as ineffective against them as artillery usually is against infantry so pro- tected. The smoke from the guns settled down and almost completely hid the city and the opposite hills. The river had to be crossed and it became necessary to detail regiments to cross in pontoon boats and storm the posi- tions occupied by the sharpshooters.
The honor of successfully performing this difficult task is now claimed by the survivors of many regiments. As a matter of fact official records and authoritive statements show that the gallant exploit was performed by several different regiments at widely separated points, where the various bridges were being laid, and without any of them knowing that the same thing was being done by other commands.
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A careful examination of the official reports relating to the earlier operations in this battle will show that probably the first regiments to respond to the call for volunteers and to cross the river in this way, were the Seventh Michi- gan and Twentieth Massachusetts, both of Howard's division, who rowed themselves over in pontoons, at the upper end of the city and dislodged Barkdale's Mississippi sharpshooters and occupied the positions from which they had harrassed the bridge builders.
When it became apparent that, under the heavy and accurate fire from the sharpshooters, it would be impossible for the engineers to lay the bridge over which the 3d division was to cross the river, the 89th New York, of the Ist brigade (Hawkins') was sent over in boats to dislodge them from their strong posi- tion in the houses opposite. This duty was performed in gallant style, the other regiments of the brigade covering the movement as well as possible. The 89th, after a hot fight, in which they captured sixty-five prisoners, suc- ceeded in dislodging the sharpshooters and occupying the position, thereby permitting the laying of the bridge to be completed and a crossing made practicable. That evening, the brigade to which the Ninth belonged, after some light fighting occupied the lower part of
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ON PICKET AT FREDERICKSBURG.
the city, taking position in one of the streets - which ran parallel with the river, where the men slept on their arms through the night. Company D was thrown forward as a picket, and a guard, under command of Lieutenant Webster, was posted in the outskirts of the town. The night was very cold and the men suffered much from this cause. They were not allowed to leave the ranks to seek shelter in the neighboring houses, and a chilling fog penetrated the clothing and seemed to pierce the very marrow of their bones. Severe fight- ing was going on nearly all the following day outside the city, but the Ninth was not sent forward to take part in it but remained in about the first position occupied until dark. The fog settled closer and at times was so dense that nothing could be seen of the position or movement of either side.
About 8 p.M., the Ninth was ordered on picket, relieving the 103d New York. The outer line was on the plain outside the city and within about one hundred and fifty yards of that of the enemy, though the fog obscured the exact position. Under such conditions there was no sleep for the men not on post, and the time wore heavily on, without even the excitement which picket firing might afford. The night was passed in general
372 NINTH REGIMMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
gloom and depression. Some sharp fighting had taken place on the preceding day, but on the 13th the battle had raged fiercely and con- tinuously from morning until night. Brigade after brigade, and division after division, had been sent in, relieving others as they became depleted or partly or wholly broken up and demoralized by the terrible fire of artillery and musketry. The fighting had been of the most sanguinary character, but the positions de- fended by the enemy were naturally so strong and had been so scientifically fortified that it seemed impossible to make any impression on them. Line after line went gallantly forward to the attack, but as soon as each one came within range of the enemy's well posted artil- lery and strong lines of infantry, it melted away under the furious storm of bullets broken up and demoralized; the survivors seeking shelter in the hollows or behind the inequalities of the ground, where they kept up a steady fire against the enemy until opportu- nities came to relieve them.
The following extracts from General Couch's article entitled "Sumner's Right Grand Div- ision," will give the reader an idea of the character of the fighting as seen by him, with the frightful losses sustained by the troops while powerless to inflict any serious damage on the
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ADVANCE OF THE SECOND CORPS.
enemy. General Couch was the commander of the Second Corps, but at the battle of Fred- ricksburg was temporarily in command of the Right Grand Division of the army:
"Early the next morning, Saturday the 13th, I received orders to make an assault in front. My orders came from General Sumner, who did not cross the river during the fight, owing to a special understanding.
" General French was at once directed to prepare his division in three brigade lines for the advance, and General Hancock was to follow with his division in the same order. The distance between the successive brigade lines was to be about two hundred yards.
Towards ten o'clock the fog began to lift; French reported that he was ready. I signaled to Sumner and about eleven o'clock the move- inent was ordered to begin. French threw out a strong body of skirmishers, and his brigades filed out of town as rapidly as possible by two parallel streets. On the outskirts of town the troops encountered a ditch, or canal, so deep as to be almost impassable except at the street bridges, and one of the latter being partly torn up, the troops had to cross in single file on the stringers. Once across the canal the troops deployed under the bank bordering the plain over which they were to charge.
374 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
This plain was obstructed here and there by houses and fences, notably at a fork of the telegraph road, in the narrow angle of which was a cluster of houses and gardens ; and also on the parallel road just south of it, where stood a large, square brick house. This cluster of houses and the brick house were the rally- ing points for parts of our demolished lines of attack. 'The forks of the road and the brick house were less than one hundred and fifty yards from the stone wall, which covered also as much more of the plain to the left of the brick house. A little in advance of the brick house a slight rise in the ground afforded pro- tection to men lying down against the musketry behind the stone wall, but not against the converging fire of the artillery on the heights. My headquarters were in the field on the edge of the town, overlooking the plain. * French's division charged in the order of Kimball's, Andrew's and Palmer's brigades. Hancock followed them in the order of Zook's Meagher's and Caldwell's brigades.
"Without a clear idea of the state of affairs at the front, since the smoke and light fog veiled everything, I sent word to French and Hancock to carry the enemy's works by storm. Then I climbed the steeple of the courthouse and from above the haze and smoke got a clear view of
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AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
the field. Howard, who was with me, says I - exclaimed, 'Oh, great God! see how our men, our poor fellows, are falling!' I remember that the whole plain was covered with men, pros- trate and falling, the live men running here and there, and in front closing upon each other, and the wounded coming back. The commands seemed to be mixed up. I had never before seen fighting like that; nothing approaching it in terrible uproar and destruc- tion. There was no cheering on the part of the men, but a stubborn determination to obey orders and do their duty. I don't think there was much feeling of success. As they charged the artillery fire would break their formation, and they would get mixed; then they would close up, go forward, receive the withering in- fantry fire, and those who were able would run to those houses and do all they could, and then the next brigade coming up in succession would do their duty and melt. It was like snow coming down and melting on warm ground.
" Soon after four o'clock, or about sunset, while Humphreys was at work, Getty's division* of Wilcox's Corps was ordered to the charge on our left by the unfinished railroad. I could see them being dreadfully cut up. I determined to send a battery upon the plain to
* The division to which Hawkins' brigade belonged.
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shell the line that was doing them so much harm, so I ordered an aid to tell Colonel Mor- gan to send a battery across the canal and plant it near the brick house.
" Morgan came to me and said: 'General, a battery can't live there.' I replied: 'Then it must die there.'
" Hazard took his battery out in gallant style and opened fire on the enemy's lines to the left of the Marye House. Men never fought more gallantly, and he lost a great many men and horses.
"That night was bitter cold and a fearful one for the front line hugging the hollows of the ground, and for the wounded who could not be reached. It was a night of dreadful suffering. Many died of wounds and exposure, and as fast as men died they stiffened in the wintry air, and on the front line were rolled forward for protection to the living. Frozen men were placed as dumb sentries.
"Again my corps bivouacked in the town and were not allowed fires lest they should draw the fire of the enemy's artillery."
When Getty's division, of which Hawkins' brigade was a part, was ordered forward to take part in the assault of the enemy's line, it was late in the afternoon. At about the same time the Fifth Massachusetts Battery was ordered
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ADVANCING TO SUPPORT THE BATTERY.
to the extreme front in a desperate endeavor to render efficient assistance to the charging troops, who were being literally torn to pieces by the fire from the guns mentioned by General Couch. The Ninth Regiment was detached from the brigade and ordered forward to sup- port it. It appears not to have been the inten- tion to detail the Ninth for this duty, as Colonel Hawkins, in his report to General Getty, says: "Owing to a misapprehension of your orders, the Ninth New York Volunteers were ordered to support a battery and did not par- ticipate in the advance made by the brigade." The order to support the battery, come from whatever source it did, was received just about dark, and the regiment moved forward " By the right of companies to the front," at a double quick, through yards and gardens, over fences and other obstructions, through the outskirts of the city, and over the plain beyond, and suc- ceeded in gaining a position just below the crest of a low ridge which afforded partial pro- tection from the fire of the enemy's artillery. The regiment held its ground here while ex- posed to a withering fire both from the front and right flank, with no opportunity to reply to it, simply being obliged to hug the ground and take whatever the fortune of war had in store for it until the battery was totally disabled
378 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
by the loss of men and horses and was obliged to retire.
At about ten o'clock the regiment was ordered to fall back, which it did to an open field outside the city, where it bivouacked.
The total loss of the regiment in this battle -killed, wounded and missing-numbered only fifteen, which is a very light one when the dreadful slaughter of men throughout the army as a whole is considered. The loss of the Ist Brigade, without counting that of the Ninth, amounted to two hundred and forty-three men. If the Ninth had advanced with the brigade to the assault, instead of having been ordered to support the battery, and if its loss had been no greater than the average in the rest of the brigade, it would have amounted to eighty-one men. The reg- iment was, therefore, very fortunate, when the matter of loss is considered, in having been detached from the brigade just before the attack was ordered.
The night was again bitterly cold. No fires were permitted, and everyone was on the qui vive, as it was rather expected that the enemy would make a counter-attack. It was a night of great discomfort and anxiety, and a sleep- less one for all.
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DEFEATED BUT NOT DISHEARTENED.
Just before daybreak the regiment was with- drawn from the advance position occupied, and fell back into the city, taking position in one of the streets, where it remained all day and the following night. During the night permission was granted the men to enter the houses for shelter, and all except the guard availed themselves of it, and secured a much needed rest and sleep.
There was very little firing from either side during the night. Both armies were so thor- oughly exhausted by the marching, fighting and waiting of the three preceding days that an involuntary truce was accepted by both the tired combatants.
On the next day the Zouaves again re- mained under arms, in the street, until about ten o'clock at night, when the regiment was quietly withdrawn, and marched silently to the river. Recrossing by the same pontoon bridge by which it had entered Fredricksburg, it re. gained the old camp which all had left with such high hopes, on the morning of the IIth. Tired, hungry and beaten, though no man would give utterance to the latter as a conviction, they marched into the old camp, but still ready to try it again when the oppor- tunity presented itself.
380 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
History dignifies by the name of War all periods of human strife when large bodies of men assemble with the avowed object of taking the lives of their adversaries. The popular conception regarding war-the one which seems to occupy even the mind of the intelligent and peace-loving citizen-is a vague, confused jumble of parade and glitter, guns and drums, noise and glory, clanking swords and gleaming bayonets, and especially and above all, excitement. Many thousands of men are supposed to be engaged, as with one accord, in performing the most brilliant move- ments or heroic acts, all inspired by the noblest impulses. The press, the rostrum, and part of the pulpit are largely responsible for this -- not more in declaring it than in omitting to state all the truth. They have, then, rhetor- ically plastered the subject with glory-that superficial flow of words which means noth- ing. It is not, therefore, strange that the average citizen adheres to the fallacy, which he elevates to the dignity of a belief, that all who enlist in the army in time of war at once become subjects for admiration and respect.
General Sherman defined war as "hell "; and again, "War is barbarism; you can't human- ize it." If "war is hell," it is the habitation of Satan and his minions. It invites the im-
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STRAGGLERS AND PLUNDERERS.
moral, the vicious, the depraved, the dishonor- able, the base, because it makes possible the pursuit of their various rascalities under the guise of patriotism. A soldier's uniform often clothes a rascal. Apparel does not change one's character ; and if the soldier was dishon- orable as a citizen, he continued so as a soldier. The citizen who enjoyed the respect and confi- dence of those who knew him at home, who strove to do his duty to his family, his neigh- bors and the State, and who enlisted from a sense of duty, became as good a soldier as he was a citizen. These remarks are intended to remind the reader of the presence in the army of the lawless element, who sought that field because it promised a larger opportunity for evil and a less degree of liability to appre- hension and punishment.
There was always a certain percentage of nearly every command who took advantage of the confusion while their officers were en- gaged in performing the manifold duties which always accompany the movements of troops, to slip away from their companies unobserved and become stragglers. Some seized this opportu- nity to avoid the dangers of the battle by skulking in the rear, rejoining their companies after the fighting was over, and then ostenta- tiously related the acts of bravery they per-
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formed during the engagement. If any ques- tion was raised as to the whereabouts of one of these men at a specified time, he had only to claim that he was anywhere on the battlefield except in the immediate vicinity of the ques- tioner. Of course, evidence was abundant and easily produced to prove the presence of a soldier in line of battle during action; but in the absence of roll-call, no officer or enlisted man could prove that the suspected straggler was not present somewhere at any given time, and this class of men understood this per- fectly.
The fighting outside the city, along the base of the hills, was of such a determined and bloody character, that the skulkers soon found it was no place for them, and the whole twenty- five per cent. of the troops at the front, which Sheridan said was the percentage of men who were useless when the fighting began, together with the skulkers from the reserves and sup- ports, were soon straggling throughout the city.
Some stragglers simply pilfer-take such articles as come under their notice, perhaps with the thought that if he does not take it others will. Some, with the robber instinct more strongly developed, enter houses, either by force or stealth, in search of plunder. Others
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"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS."
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rob the persons of the dead lying on the battle- field or commit the various other kinds of misdemeanors which opportunity offers or a vicious instinct prompts. These acts form a part of the "hell" General Sherman had in mind when he defined war. They are also what the after-dinner orator advocates when he glibly talks of the benefits of "a little blood- letting to the body politic." Of course, he doesn't mean his own, but some other person's blood. They are what the so-called statesman sanctions when he howls about the "rust of peace," or, when with contempt, he alludes to the "commercial spirit which smothers the warlike instinct." They are the acts which have the approval of certain divines, when they pervert the teachings of the Master they pre- tend to serve by preaching the "righteousness of war," blasphemously asserting that God's blessing attends it.
While the Ninth was in Fredricksburg the city appeared to be full of plunderers. Numbers of men were seen loaded with goods of every kind and description. Some articles might have been of use to the possessor, but many could not in any way be of the slightest utility. Men wrapped in quilts, blankets, and comforters to protect them from the biting wind, stood in line with their commands or lounged in the
384 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
shelter of the buildings. The guards, and also the officers and men not on guard, were con- stantly compelling the plunderers to give up their booty. These articles were left in the streets as it was impracticable to return them to their original owners. At the several bridge heads great piles of goods accumulated as the provost guard stopped the stragglers in their attempts to cross the river, and made them disgorge their plunder there. While it is not literally true that the city was crowded with stragglers and plunderers, still there was plenty of them.
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