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 9
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144 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
hours to a galling and destructive fire from an entrenched and unseen foe, and their losses more eloquently than words, tell of their bravery and firmness throughout the trying ordeal.
This meager account of the charge of the 9th New York at the battle of Roanoke Island is due solely to the fact that it is restricted to incidents which occurred under the immediate observation of the writer and as his opportuni- ties for observation were limited the narative must necessarily be so also. No doubt many stirring incidents and acts of gallantry occurred, which he would have proudly recorded had he witnessed them, but his field of observation was very limited just then.
The men of the Ninth who were first in the enemy's works, who had secured and main- tained a leading position in the charge and had arrived on the parapet in advance of their comrades, enjoyed the privilege of viewing an awe-inspiring spectacle, namely, the charging regiment of a thousand men sweeping toward them like an irresistible torrent, their eyes aflame with passion and faces distorted by the tigerish instinct and the desire to kill, aroused by the sight of their slain and wounded comrades.
Soldiers often discuss among themselves
145
WHY ASSAULTS ARE SUCCESSFUL.
the whys and wherefores of victory or defeat, and the reasons why troops behind earthworks protected by a shoulder-high parapet and a wide and deep ditch, will permit themselves to be dislodged by others from the outside, who must, in order to do so, overcome the obstacles in front of the works, wade the ditch and climb the steep face of the parapet in the face of the fire, and opposed by the bayonets of the de- fenders. To these men of the Ninth who, on this occasion, gained the parapet in advance of the mass of the regiment, and had one back- ward glance at the rushing, shouting torrent of savage humanity below them, it was no longer
a mystery. The appearance of this seemingly irresistible wave of maddened men rushing toward them seems to strike terror into the de- fenders, and hope of successful resistance is abandoned and they fly-Sauve qui peut-with- out waiting for the real struggle to begin.
This scattered few of the Ninth who first mounted the parapet (not separated from the regiment at all, simply the first) were from several companies. They arrived in time to see the last of the rebel defenders disappearing among the trees towards their rear. During the minute that elapsed before the reforming of the regiment began, they had time to notice that this place, which for several hours had
146 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
been the center of a maelstrom of bullets and shells and struggling men, was just then singularly quiet and peaceful like. A few dead men lay near the guns, one lying on his back beside the big Dahlgren with the lanyard still in his hand.
As the regiment moved out of the place a few moments afterward, a number of others were seen just outside the work all decently arranged in rows.
Charles Curie, of Company C, who was one of the group which first reached the parapet, relates that as he lingered for an instant to catch a general view of the situation, before joining with the others of his company-who were rapidly arriving-in reforming it, his attention was attracted by a body of soldiers emerging from the swamp on the right of the battery and a little in rear of it. They appeared to be from two different organizations, each had a flag, one a white State ensign, and the other a United States regimental color. There appeared to be about a company of each. They were close together and Curie's attention was specially arrested by the way in which they advanced out of the thickets. Instead of rush- ing forward, as might be expected, each one ap- peared to be wholly engrossed in a strained effort to maintain a correct alignment, their
147
WHAT CURIE SAW.
officers being active in their efforts to preserve . an imposing front. When they saw the fort and the situation, each of the color bearers, with several others, ran directly toward the parapet, evidently breaking away from the control of their officers, and each planted his flag on the work at about the same moment. At the same instant another and larger group separated from both bodies and rushed to the flagstaff of the fort, which was at least fifty paces in rear of the guns, and hauled down the rebel flag which the enemy in their sudden flight had left flying, and struggled fiercely among themselves for possession of it. All these occurrences took place in an instant. They flashed into view and became sensible to the eye like an instantaneous photograph. While chagrin at the loss of this opportunity was still in a nebulous shape in his mind, and a deter- mination was forming to take a hand in the fight for the rebel flag, Corporal Latham A. Fish, of his company, directed him to "fall in," and Curie took his place in the ranks and in a few moments, with the rest of the regiment. was moving up the road in pursuit of the enemy.
There was very little delay in resuming the advance after the place had been taken. All of the enemy had disappeared except such as
148 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
were too badly wounded to get away un- assisted. The various companies were im-
mediately
reformed by their respective first-
sergeants and without an instant's delay pushed forward in pursuit of the rapidly re- treating enemy. In the plan of the defenses of the island, this battery (Fort Defiance) was the key, and when captured it permitted the other forts to be attacked from the rear, when, with the fleet in front, and the infantry well posted in the rear, further resistance was useless and nothing remained for the garrisons but to surrender.
The "Ninth" was sent to the right of the road by General Reno, and succeeded in cap- turing a number of prisoners who were endeav- oring to escape through Shallow Bag Bay, among them being Capt. O. Jennings Wise, a son of Governor Wise, of Virginia. He was very severely wounded and died from the effects next day.
Early in the evening of his capture, after his wounds had been dressed by Assistant Surgeon White, he was taken to the house of a Mr. Jarvis, which was being used for a hospital and near which the regiment was in bivouac, and while being carried past the men who had pressed forward to look at him, he extended his hand, in a gesture, toward them and said:
149
CAPTAIN WISE'S OPINION.
"You are the only men who fought to-day." Afterward, just before his death, while in con- versation with Major Kimball, he stated that in his opinion the battery could have defied all the troops on the island for days, had the fighting against it been continued in the same manner in which it was carried on during the morning, or until the arrival of the "Red Caps," as he designated them. He said that at the begin- ning of the charge he thought the regiment had been utterly annihilated by the grape and canister when the men threw themselves on the ground, when the artillery first opened on them, but when they again sprang to their feet and rushed forward with yells, their men fled more frightened than hurt. "We were actually scared from our position," he said.
The other troops pushed on rapidly up the road and captured the main camp of the enemy with a large number of men, then dividing into detachments they moved on the other three forts which were still engaging the gunboats, and demanded their surrender, which was acceded to.
Long before nightfall all firing had ceased. The forts on the Roanoke Sound side of the island had surrendered ; the various bodies of the enemy's troops had thrown down their arms and been placed under guard, and the victorious troops went into bivouac.
150 NINTH REGIMENT. NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
There was a saying among soldiers during the war which was to the effect " That nothing is easier than to show how to win a battle that has just been lost." This was as true of the battle of Roanoke Island as of any of the others fought during the Rebellion. When it was learned that the prisoners taken numbered sev- eral thousand, it seemed unexplainable why the enemy had not brought them all into action and utilized them at and near the interior bat- tery to defend that place. Had they done so it would seem they could easily have prevented the Union troops from crossing the swamp at all, which it was afterward discovered ex- tended clear across the island from one shore to the other, and was an excellent place at which to establish a line of defense. As it was, they appeared to have had only a few hundred men actually engaged at that place, while the bulk of their forces remained idly in their camps and rendered no assistance whatever to the comparatively few who were engaged. The fight lasted several hours, giving ample time for them not only to reinforce the point at- tacked, but to make disposition of their troops at their leisure.
Such portions of the official reports of the generals in command, as related directly to the 9th New York, are given, as follows :
151
OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE BATTLE.
General Foster, the ranking officer present and in actual command, says:
"After the engagement had lasted some time, the gth New York coming on the field, I directed General Parke to order it to charge. The order was given, and the regiment charged at a run with yells, cheered by the other troops, right up the road at the battery. Major Kimball of this regiment, exhibited marked gallantry, leading the charge by several rods."
General Parke, who commanded the brigade of which the Ninth was a part, in his report says :
"It being now ascertained that the natural obstacles on this line (the original line of attack), were of so serious a character, and that the delay in the progress of the troops through the swamps was so great, it was decided to change the course of the 9th New York, and the order was sent to the Colonel to turn to the left and charge the battery directly up the road, and the regiment with a hearty yell and cheer, struck into the road, and made for the battery on the run.
" The order was given to charge the enemy with fixed bayonets. This was done in gallant style, Major Kimball taking the lead. The Major was very conspicuous during the movement, and I take great pleasure in commending him to your favorable notice."
Careful research among the "Official Records" has failed to find mention of a bayonet charge at an earlier date than the above, and we will leave the discovery of such to others.
General Burnside, in his report to the War Department, says :
* "After Reno had cleared the road Parke's brigade arrived and was ordered by Foster to support the 23d and 27th Massachusetts, who were turning the enemy's left flank. The 4th Rhode Island led the movement, and just as the 9th New York entered the wood, following it, Foster and Parke found that Reno's appearance on the enemy's left had staggered him, and they decided to order the 9th New York to charge the battery in front, which was instantly done, and at once the road was filled with a sea of red eaps, the air resounding with their cheers. * * * The merit of first entering the fort is claimed by the 21st Massachusetts and the sist New York."
ยท
152 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
Captain Thomas H. Parker, of the 51st Penn- sylvania, in his history of that regiment, says :
"While nearly on the flank of the works (referring to position of 51st Pennsylvania), and making efforts to get across to the fort, a distance of about 150 yards, the gth New York charged in solid column up the road into the fort, capturing the three guns, etc."
Frank Vizitelly, the well known war corre- spondent and artist for the London Illustrated News, was just in the rear of the Ninth when the charge was made. He made a drawing of it, which was published in his paper and was repro- duced afterward and published by a New York illustrated paper. After the excitement of the fight was over he sought an introduction to Colonel Hawkins, whom he complimented very highly on the conduct of the regiment, saying the charge was the best thing he had ever seen done by a green regiment and congratulated him upon being its commander.
Mr. Vizitelly had seen service in various lands, and under many conditions, and his commendations were of the highest value, com- ing as they did from one who was perfectly impartial in his feelings toward any or all of the regiments engaged, and whose opinion and judgment were valuable by reason of his ex- perience.
The following is a copy of Colonel Hawkins' report to his immediate superior :
133
COLONEL HAWKINS REPORT.
ROANOKE ISLAND, N. C., Feb. 9, 1862.
BRIG .- GENERAL JOHN G. PARKE.
GENERAL :- Agreeably to your orders the Ninth New York Volunteers disembarked from the transports and lauded upon the Island on the evening of the ;th inst. The next morning the regiment, with others of your brigade, were ordered out to reinforce the brigades of Generals Reno and Foster, which had been engaged about two and one-half hours. Upon reaching the battle ground I was ordered to outflank the enemy on their left, where they were in position behind an entrenchment mounting three guns. After leading the Ninth New York into a marsh immediately in front of the enemy's works, under a heavy fire from them of grape and musketry, the order was given to charge the rebels with fixed bayonets. This was done in gallant style, Major Kimball taking the lead. The enemy's works were soon carried and hastily abandoned by them. All officers and men of the regiment behaved with great gallantry and bravery; it is impossible to say who is most deserving, or who merits the most applause. In my opinion all deserve credit and praise alike.
After this we were ordered to pursue the rebels, which we did, and succeeded in taking some forty prisoners; among them were several officers and men of the Richmond Blues, who had composed a part of the Wise Legion, with Captain O. Jennings Wise at their head, who was badly wounded and was trying to make his escape to Nag's Head.
I regret that I have to report the death of M. De Monteil, Lieut .- Colo- nel of the D'Epaneuil Zouaves, who went into the fight with the Ninth New York as a volunteer. He was killed instantly while nobly urging my men on to the charge. He dies greatly lamented by all the officers and men of the regiment who came in contact with him. Ilis bravery was as great as his patriotism was sincere, and I cannot but feel that had he lived he would have proved a most valuable officer.
The Ninth New York had two officers and thirteen privates wounded.
Very respectfully yours, etc., RUSH C. HAWKINS, Colonel Ninth New York Volunteers.
That night the "Ninth " occupied a cornfield near a house which during the day had been turned into a hospital for the rebels, and which was now crowded with the wounded of both sides, and the shrieks and groans were pitiful in the extreme. Again it rained hard the entire
134 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
night, but the men were too exhausted to mind the elements, and slept soundly through it all. They had been on foot continuously from the previous afternoon when ordered to "fall in" for disembarkation and from that time until arms were stacked in the cornfield on the night of the 8th, not one man in twenty of the entire regiment had sat down for a moment. All had been soaked to the skin by the rain of the previous night, as well as by the mud and water in swamp and ditch during the assault, and had reached the conclusion that there was just a trifle too much water " in their'n." Both officers and men were young and in rugged health, while out-of-door life and plenty of exercise with abundance of plain food (hard- tack, coffee and salt-horse), enabled all, with the exception of the unfortunates on guard duty, to rise the following morning refreshed and ready and willing for any duty they might be called upon to perform. For several days fol- lowing they were busily occupied in securing captured arms, guarding and otherwise caring for prisoners and performing other duties of a similar character.
The prisoners were several thousands in number, and a most motley crew they were. The conditions under which they were viewed were the worst possible. The rain had fallen
133
THE PRISONERS AS THEY APPEARED.
in torrents almost continuously for more than forty-eight hours, and their clothing was soaked and heavy with it. They were, so to speak, rounded up like a herd of cattle in a convenient field, absolutely without shelter and surrounded by a line of guards. Above all, they were beaten men, defeated on their own ground, prisoners in their own camps, melancholy and discouraged, and it was difficult to repress a feeling of pity for the poor unfortunates. They seemed to be Virginians, Georgians and North Carolinians principally. Most of them were clothed in a plain, serviccable, soldier-like uni- form, and armed in military style. These were principally Georgians. A number of the Vir- ginians sported militia uniforms of the style and fashion of the period of the Mexican War. There were also independent companies armed with whatever kind of firearm the individual owned when he entered the service, single or double-barrel shot gun, rifle or musket. Num- bers of them were supplied with a weapon which appeared to be a combination of knife and sword. These were plainly of home manu- facture, having been forged on an anvil ; some were fitted with wooden hilts, the blade being from fifteen to twenty-four inches long, and somewhat similar in shape to a sword bayonet. A cord several feet long was attached to the
136 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
hilt, which was for the purpose of enabling the wearer to recover the weapon after it had been hurled at the enemy. When the manner of using this sword was explained to him by a prisoner, one of Company A's men expressed his opinion of the efficiency. of the weapon by remarking: "While you was foolin' round me with that thing I would be pickin' your teeth with this bayonet."
Several of these companies were, or rather had been, happy owners of really handsome silk flags, the name of the companies being skill- fully embroidered upon them. One bore the appellation "Tar River Rangers," another, of which even some of the "tar heels " and "tur- pentine scrapers" seemed ashamed, was em- blazoned " Yankee Fool Killers."
CHAPTER VII.
EXPEDITIONS TO NAG'S HEAD AND WINTON, N. C. -- NINTH REGIMENT GARRISONS ROANOKE ISLAND - RESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT- COLONEL BETTS-EXPEDITION UNDER MA- JOR JARDINE-EXPEDITION TO SOUTH MILLS - TERRIFIC MARCH - BATTLE OF SOUTH MILLS OR CAMDEN - HEAVY LOSS OF THE NINTH - DEATH OF ADJUTANT GADSDEN - RETURN TO ROANOKE - RETROSPECTION - GENERAL RENO'S REPORT OF BATTLE - COLONEL HAWKINS' REPORT.
T HE battle of Roanoke Island was fought on the 8th of February, 1862. The following day was a busy one for the regiment, being spent in gathering the scattered prisoners and securing them, as well as in furnishing details to guard and escort them, and to take charge of captured camps and stores in and about the forts and batteries. The regiment did not act as a whole, but in detachments, at the various points where their services were required. That night the command reassembled and bi- vouacked in the woods.
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158 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
When morning came they were marched to the shore of Croaton Sound and again boarded the transports in which they had come from Hatteras. They were glad, indeed, to return to their old quarters and "seek the seclusion that the cabin grants." Hardly had the various companies arrived on their respective vessels, however, than an order was received for a de- tail of two companies for a reconnaissance to Nag's Head. This was a summer watering place
much patronized by well-to-do Virginians be- fore the war, situated on the narrow neck of mainland between Roanoke Sound and the ocean. It was nearly opposite Roanoke Island and distant therefrom five or six miles. But the fleet lay on the westerly side of the island, which it was necessary to circumnavigate in order to reach the desired point, and this added very much to the distance to be sailed to reach Nag's Head. Companies Band H were desig- nated for the detail. They were ordered to "fall in " for this duty just as they had begun to cook their rations for the first " square meal " they had had since they left the transports, three days before. Hungry stomachs and wist- ful eyes turned reluctantly from the savory odors of sputtering pork and steaming coffee, as each man followed his duty, and as their more fortunate comrades smacked their lips
159
RECONNAISSANCE TO NAG'S HEAD.
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over their meal, the boys of B and H, under the immediate command of Colonel. Hawkins, hurried aboard the steamer "Picket." The officers of the "Picket," however, generously provided the boys with coffee and crackers, which revived their flagging spirits, and as a sense of comfort gradually stole over them the nervous tension relaxed and they broke forth in song and jest and gleeful antics, much to the edification and amusement of the sailors. Not- withstanding the fact that the vessel was very much overcrowded, and that rain and snow fell alternately throughout the night, a very comfor- table time was passed.
After they had accomplished the object of the reconnaissance the troops returned on the steamer to the transports.
The following is Colonel Hawkins' report of the reconnaissance:
STEAMER " VIRGINIA," Feb. 11, 1862. GEN. J. G. PARKE:
GENERAL :- In accordance with orders received from you on the 10th inst., I proceeded with two companies of the Ninth New York Volun- teers on board the steamer " Picket " to Nag's Head, and this morning landed at the wharf opposite to where the hotel formerly stood. I learned that General Wise left there about an hour and a half before sundown last Saturday, taking with him about three hundred and fifty men belonging to the " Wise Legion."
Wise, in order to carry out the plans of the vandals and ruffians (the tribe to which he belongs), burned the hotel and several of the resi- dences, destroying a large amount of property, but little use to any one.
Very respectfully yours, RUSH C. HAWKINS,
Colonel Ninth New York Volunteers.
160 NINTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
Meanwhile the prisoners captured on Roa- noke Island had been sent North, and a survey of new fields for conquest made. A rumor reached the commander of the forces that cer- tain loyal North Carolinians at Winton, on the Chowan River, were seeking a junction with the Union forces. This rumor caused the General to send the larger portion of the fleet of gun- boats, together with the 9th New York, to Winton to succor them. The fleet for this expedition mounted thirty-three guns and was commanded by Commodore Rowan.
At noon on the 18th the little fleet started, but when about half the distance had been covered anchored for the night. On the follow- ing day when but a short distance from Winton, and while proceeding up the river in single file Commodore Rowan on the "Delaware" being ahead, closely followed by the " Perry," commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Flus- ser, with Company A, of the Ninth, on board, the other companies being distributed among the fleet, it was suddenly fired upon with both artillery and musketry from the shore. The call "to quarters" was beaten, every man slipped into his place, and in less than sixty seconds such a shower of 9-inch Dahlgren and 100-pound Parrot shells began to fall around and among the enemy on shore, that their fire
161
THE ATTACK ON THE GUNBOATS.
ceased at once and they scattered and tem- porarily disappeared. They nevertheless man- aged to keep up an ineffective musketry fire from sheltered places. As it was late in the day and falling dusk it was not thought judi- cious to attempt a landing then, so the fleet dropped down the river to a point where it was wide enough to afford a place for casy defense. Flusser with the "Perry" covered this move- ment. When the Confederates saw that the fleet was retiring they evidently supposed it had been beaten off, as they appeared in con- siderable force on both banks of the river, their mounted men riding along abreast of the " Perry," keeping up an intermittent musketry fire. Occasionally there came a shot from a field gun, but there was no damage done, and they found the return fire from 9-inch cannon quite interesting.
While the vessels were at anchor the men learned for the first time that there had been another object in view for the expedition in addition to the rescue of the alleged loyalists. This was the destruction of the bridges over the Nottoway and Blackwater Rivers, of the Roanoke and Seaboard R.R. For this purpose small packages of oakum and kindling wood were distributed among the men.
On the following morning the fleet again pro-
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