USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The heroes of Albany. A memorial of the patriot-martyrs of the city and county of Albany, who sacrificed their lives during the late war in defense of our nation 1861-1865 > Part 22
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Immediately afterwards there was a general advance of the army, and the cavalry moved down to Hanover Town, on the Pamunkey river. After marching two days and one night they met the enemy on the 28th, near Haw's Shop, when the most severe and obstinate cavalry fight of the war occurred. It com- menced at ten o'clock in the morning, and continued until six in the afternoon, the fighting on our side being done principally by Gen. DAVIES' Brigade, assisted, towards the close of the battle, by Gen. CUSTER's Brigade, when the enemy were driven from the field, leaving their killed and wounded in possession of our troops.
Although FREDERICK distinguished himself in this battle, as appears by a letter from one of the staff officers, yet, in his let- ter home, he makes no allusion to his own conduct. In a letter written to his father, on the 30th, he had, for the first time, evinced some depression of spirits, but in a subsequent one, dated June 3d, he apologizes for it, and gives a brief description of the fight. He writes:
" I was feeling badly then, and the reason was that on the 28th we lost Lieut. WARDELL, of our staff. He was my tent mate, and for a long time we had slept together and were very intimate
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indeed. He was killed instantly while riding at the General's side. The fight of Hanover Town, on the 28th, is said to have been the most severe cavalry fight of the war. The fighting was done principally by our brigade. We were in about eight hours, and lost twenty-five officers and one hundred and sixty-eight men, killed and wounded.
" The General was riding a white horse, and went up on to the skirmish line with two staff officers, two orderlies and one bugler. One staff officer was killed instantly; the other had his horse killed, and the bugler was also killed. The General's horse was shot through the tail, and a bullet broke his scabbard. It is my duty to be with the General always, unless sent away specially, and, fortunately for me, I was so sent to another part of the field, and was looking for the General when this occurred, and in one minute more would have been in the same place, had I not met him coming out when he stopped me.
" I send a rebel paper. You will see by it that they supposed our whole cavalry force was engaged, together with two corps of infantry, while actually there was only our brigade, assisted for the last three hours by General CUSTAR's Brigade, but the brunt of the fighting was done by this brigade. They say they only had one brigade, but in another part of the paper they admit having several detachments of other brigades. We know, from our prisoners, that their whole cavalry force was engaged, to- gether with some mounted infantry. We found on the field, after we had driven them from it, one hundred and sixty-six dead rebels, and forty wounded ones, and as there are usually eight or ten wounded to one killed, their loss must have been immense.
" My horse was shot slightly in the neck. Since then we have had several smaller fights, but I have not time now to men- tion them."
This battle is known as the battle of Haw's Shop, or Bethesda Church. Between this time and the Gordonsville raid, hereafter mentioned, there was considerable severe fighting around Cold Harbor, at Barker's Mills and on the Chickahominy, in which the cavalry participated. The whole army moved down finally to
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Bottom's Bridge. Before going to Bottom's Bridge, the cavalry had a severe engagement at SUMNER's Upper bridge, and, while dismounted, held possession of it for some time, and until relieved by the infantry.
We come now to another of those celebrated cavalry raids which have given to Gen. SHERIDAN, and his famous Cavalry Corps, a national and world-wide reputation.
On the 6th of June the Cavalry Corps left Newcastle, on the Pamunkey river, and after marching days and nights, with only four hours in the twenty-four devoted to rest, on the 11th met the enemy at Trevillian Station, near Gordonsville, when a severe battle ensued, which continued for two days, the enemy having the advantage of fighting behind breastworks. We captured several hundred prisoners, but finding it impossible to break through their fortifications, our troops retired, and returned by way of Spottsylvania Court House, a circuitous route, to White House, where our wagon train was, consisting of about nine hun- dred wagons loaded with supplies for the army. Gen. GRANT had meanwhile changed his base of supplies from White House to James river, leaving the wagon train of the Cavalry Corps at White House.
The rebels, having the inside line, had also been marching upon White House, hoping to capture this train before the arri- val of the Cavalry Corps, but in this hope they were doomed to disappointment. Our troops arrived a little in advance of the enemy, and on the 21st a sharp fight took place at White House, in which the First Brigade participated, which resulted in driving the enemy from the field, and the occupation of the ground by our victorious troops.
Our trains were forwarded to the army at James river. On the second day's march, Gen. GREGG having command of the Second Division, was detached with his division to cover the right of the column.
About six miles from the main column he met a very heavy force of the enemy's cavalry and infantry at a place called St. Mary's Church, when another sanguinary and hard fought battle
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took place, attended with severe loss. This occurred on the 24th of June.
The fighting on our side was conducted by a single division against the enemy's entire corps, our troops and horses being tired and worn out by the Gordonsville raid, as they had been allowed no rest whatever.
In this battle FREDERICK again distinguished himself by his coolness and bravery, having been charged with important and perilous duties, and being exposed under such circumstances that his commanding General afterwards expressed his wonder that any mounted officer could survive. He was charged with the order to bring off the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, and remained in the field until it had left.
During this battle he rode within a very short distance of the enemy's skirmish line, and by discovering their presence, was able to prevent Gen. GREGG from mistaking them for our own troops, and possibly falling into their hands, as the dust by which all the troops were covered had already deceived him.
During the months of July and August several severe skir- mishes and battles took place, in which his brigade and he par- ticipated, viz: At Ream's Station, on the 15th of July; at Malvern Hill, on the 28th of July; at Lee's Mills, July 31st; at Gravel Hill, on the 14th, 16th and 17th days of August, and again at Ream's Station on the 21st, 22d, 23d and 25th days of August.
On one of these occasions, Gen. DAVIES being absent on sick leave, and the brigade under the command of Col. STEADMAN, FREDERICK had been ordered to the hospital on account of his health, and was being carried in an ambulance. Hearing the firing of the guns, he left the ambulance and came to the nearest body of troops, which proved to be the Tenth New York Cav- alry, and here took an active part in the battle, firing with his own hand, cheering the men, and exposing his person to the enemy's fire. His conduct excited the enthusiastic admiration of the men in the regiment, and aided in preparing them to give him the warm welcome, which he subsequently received from them, when he became the Lieutenant Colonel of that regiment. On being spoken to on the subject, he remarked, that in the
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absence of the General he felt that a peculiar responsibility rested on the members of the staff; that he knew the eyes of the army were on the Second Brigade, which occupied an advanced position, and had acquired a fine reputation, and that he regarded his own honor as identified with that of the brigade.
The battle at Ream's Station, the latter part of August, was a sanguinary affair, and FREDERICK was then brought alongside of his old regiment, the Seventh New York Artillery. I learn from Capt. O'BRIEN that FREDERICK volunteered to deliver an impor- tant message to the officer commanding a battery, which was done under a heavy fire.
He never returned to the hospital, but his health was so much impaired that nothing but his indomitable resolution enabled him to keep his saddle. In a letter to his father, dated August 31st, he alludes in terms of warm admiration to the conduct of the old Seventh at Ream's Station; naming several former comrades belonging to it who were killed, and others taken prisoners; mentions that the conduct of his own brigade had received much credit in Gen. HANCOCK's official reports; remarks that there had been considerable fighting for the Weldon railroad, in nearly all of which he had the honor to participate, and thus alludes to his own health:
" You can have no idea of the excessive fatigue to which we have been subjected this month, and especially for an A. A. G. I do not not want to take a sick leave unless I am actually obliged to, for it is not considered very honorable to leave the field upon the plea of sickness, when one is only about half sick. There are so many shoulder-strapped individuals that are hiding under the shadow of a surgeon's certificate, that I don't want to be ranked among that class."
In a letter to his sister, dated September 3d, he says:
" Since writing to father three days ago, we have marched nearly forty miles, and have had quite a hard fight-I fortunately escaped. We lost quite severely, and this morning we returned and camped in nearly the same place from which I wrote father. We cannot tell how long we will be allowed to remain quiet; indeed, since July 25th, we have not been forty-eight hours in
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one place, and as you may easily imagine, we have had but little time to write, while the wear, tear and fatigue have been terrible, I have been so tired at times that I would go to sleep on horse- back. Only last night I was so much worn out that I laid down under a tree and went sound asleep while it was raining, and I had not a thing over me. I could not help it.
"I write and tell you this, NELLIE. so that you can have some slight idea of the reasons for my not writing you in answer to your letters promptly, and not because I am complaining at all.
" When we do get a chance to stop anywhere, I have a great many written reports to make, and cannot neglect them, and after they are done, I am so tired that I generally try and go to sleep for a little while, and letter writing becomes next to an impossi- bility. I am not very well, but am on duty, and shall remain so as long as I am able.
"I was very sorry to hear of G.'s sickness, and glad to learn he was getting better. He should congratulate himself that he was where he could be taken care of. Here, when one gets sick, he gets very little care, I assure you. They do the best they can, of course, but a tent and the ground make but an indifferent sick room and bed.
" We have had some very hard fighting over this Weldon rail- road, and you can congratulate yourself that you still have a brother in the army. I have several times made up my mind that you would not have long, but I have been so far spared. I have not written you, NELLIE, about anything else than myself, but I know that I am the one that you want to hear about, and so shall offer no excuse."
FREDERICK's duties as Assistant Adjutant General were con- genial to his tastes and adapted to his capacity, but yet they had been exceedingly arduous and laborious. He was chief of the brigade staff. His labors during a march commenced early and continued late. He thus explains them in a condensed form, in answer to my inquiry on the subject:
"To attend to all the details of a movement; in battle, to remain with the General, and if any orders are given, to give them to the aids for the regimental commanders, or whomsoever
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they may concern; to watch the lines, and whenever, in my opin- ion, an advantage can be gained, to show it to the General, if he has not already perceived it; and if the aids are all away on duty, and an important order is issued, to carry it myself, and see that it is obeyed; sometimes to push on one flank of the skirmish line while the General is pushing on another, and in every way to watch the effect of movements ordered; and, in fact, to be an assistant to the General (on the field an order from me is the same as one from him); and after a fight to camp the several regiments; to see, personally, that a proper picket line is thrown out; to make official reports of operations, and returns of killed, wounded and missing, damage done, &c., &c."
Upon receiving the letters of August 31st and September 3d, the author applied directly to the Secretary of War for a brief leave of absence, which, having been promptly granted, FRED- ERICK made a short but delightful visit to his home in September. Recovering his health and strength, he rejoined the army in time to participate in the battle of Davis Farm, on the Vaughn Road, on the 1st of October.
For an account of his gallant bearing on that occasion, I refer to the letter from Major THOMAS, who served on the same staff. A description of this brilliant affair was given in the New York Herald. The first brigade were dismounted, and bravely resisted an attack by an enemy largely outnumbering them; and then, with a gallant charge, routed and drove them from the field.
He also participated in the first battle of Hatcher's Run on the 26th of November, and in the movement in the latter part of November, by which General GREGG and his division advanced to Stony Creek, destroying the bridge and several pieces of artillery, capturing prisoners, and successfully accomplishing the object of the advance.
On the 6th of December, orders were received for the cavalry to move at three o'clock the next morning with six days' rations. The movement was made when the weather was very cold, and on the 9th a severe engagement took place at Bellfield. Major SARGEANT, of the First Massachusetts Cavalry, was shot while riding by the side of FREDERICK during the fight-an event which
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produced a serious impression upon his mind. It is understood that the movement was eminently successful.
A full account of this affair was given in the Herald, written by its army correspondent. In the official report of the move- ment, FREDERICK had the honor of being mentioned as " having behaved with the greatest gallantry and zeal, and having contri- buted greatly to the success of the brigade by valuable service."
The time was now approaching for severing his official connec- tion as Assistant Adjutant General with General DAVIES and his brigade staff-a relation cemented by their common sufferings, perils, and glories. A vacancy had occurred in the Coloneley of the Tenth New York Cavalry by the withdrawal from that position of Colonel IRVINE, the present accomplished and patri- otic Adjutant General of New York. Lieutenant-Colonel AVERY, being about to be promoted to fill the vacancy, tendered the posi- tion of Lieutenant-Colonel to FREDERICK. Colonel AVERY had become well acquainted with FREDERICK while he was Assistant Adjutant General. General IRVINE informs me that Gen. GREGG also advised the selection of FREDERICK, as it would be an acqui- sition to the regiment.
Having ascertained that all the officers of the regiment were in favor of his appointment, he resolved to accept the position, and without delay commissions were issued by his Excellency Governor Seymour for Colonel AVERY and Lieutenant-Colonel TREMAIN, but a brief delay in mustering in became necessary, to enable the regiment to become recruited to the requisite number for mustering in the new officers.
FREDERICK, having resigned the office of Assistant Adjutant General, seized the occasion to pay a holiday visit to his home. He arrived the evening before New Year's, and passed a few weeks there in a visit which will be cherished during life by every member of the family, among their most treasured recol- lections.
It was a subject of general remark that he had become much matured by his experience in the army. While cheerful and hopeful, he was yet grave and thoughtful, and fully impressed with the duties and responsibilities of his position.
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He returned to the army full of high hopes and expectations. Fort Fisher had fallen; THOMAS had achieved his great victory over HOOD; SHERMAN was advancing in triumph, and he confi- dently believed that the end of the rebellion was at hand.
On his return he met at Washington, in the Invalid Corps, an old comrade of the Seventh, and true to his nature, which led him to promote the welfare of others, he wrote a letter of intro- duction for him, invoking the author's kind offices in his behalf. This was the last letter I ever received from him directed to me, and I give it as a fair revelation of the kindness of his character.
"My Dear Father-I have the honor to introduce to you Lieutenant -, formerly of the Seventh New York Artillery, and now of the Invalid Corps. He was wounded in front of Petersburg in the famous charge of June 16th, of the Seventh New York Artillery. The shell that struck him carried away the left eye, and exposed the brain slightly, so that he can hardly do night duty. He, therefore, wishes to be ordered on duty some- where in New York State, where he can still do duty, but, if possible, to some place where he can sleep at night, as the loss of sleep gives him terrible pains in the head on account of the exposure of the brain.
"He is a gallant officer, and has won for himself a Lieutenancy from the ranks as a private, and deserves all the favors that loyal men are able to grant him.
" If you in any way can assist him in the accomplishment of his object, you will only be rendering a gallant soldier what is justly due him.
Your affectionate son, "F. L. TREMAIN,
" Lieutenant Colonel Tenth N. Y. Cavalry. " January 27, 1865."
When he joined the Tenth, and had been mustered in as Lieu- tenant Colonel, he wrote a letter to his mother expressing his pleasure at his reception by his new regiment, and his gratifica- tion in being put in charge of an officer's school for instruction in military tactics, which letter came to hand on the day he
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received his fatal wound. I learn that his home and his pleasant visit were the theme of his constant conversation among his inti- mate friends. Ile was kind and affectionate in his nature, and was devotedly attached to every member of his father's family. " Sir," said his tent mate to the author, "I felt well acquainted with every member of your family, from FRED's description and frequent conversation."
On the 7th of February, while engaged in court, I received from Maj. PEASE the following telegram: "February 6 .- FRED was seriously wounded to-day. It is thought not dangerously."
The next train carried from Albany, on their way to him, his mother, Dr. POMFRET (who cheerfully consented to go, although he was home on leave), and the author. We arrived in Wash- ington the next evening, and immediately, through the War Department, opened a telegraphie communication with Gen. MEADE'S head-quarters. The first answer was encouraging, but, alas ! the next brought the fatal intelligence that Lieut. Col. TRE- MAIN died the same evening (the 8th) at City Point Hospital, that his remains would be embalmed and forwarded north immedi- ately.
Here let me draw a veil over what follows. The agony of spirit, the bewildering effects of such a sudden and unexpected blow, the erushing out of hopes, the bitterness of disappoint- ment, the terrible reflection that we should never see him alive, the extinguishment of light, and the darkness and clouds that intervened, can be known or appreciated only by those doting parents, who have passed through a similar furnace of atlliction.
The circumstances attending his death may be soon related. The movement which resulted in the battle of Hatcher's Run was a general advance of the whole division on the morning of Feb- ruary 5th, pursuant to orders. They were on the march all that day, and early the next morning, while the brigade were pre- paring for breakfast, the enemy broke in upon them, and a battle ensued, which continued all day.
About two P. M., while near Dabney's Mills, FREDERICK was leading his troops on the extreme left, in the skirmish line, and was about to make a charge, the cavalry being dismounted, when,
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Gen. DAVIES having been wounded, Col. AVERY was called to command the brigade, and had sent a mounted officer to notify FREDERICK that the command of the regiment had devolved upon him. While FREDERICK had turned around partly, and was con- versing with the messenger, he received the fatal wound from a Minnie ball in his hip.
He left the field, accompanied by two men, meeting on his way Col. AVERY, who describes him as looking pale, and having a smile on his face. In the ambulance he was overtaken by his colored servant, and said to him, cheerfully, that they would soon visit Albany again. He also, at the same moment, recog- nized. his cousin, Maj. H. E. TREMAIN, of Gen. GREGG's staff, while he was riding by with an important order from the Gene- ral for reinforcements, hailed him, remarking that he was hit, perhaps seriously, but he thought not dangerously, and then urged him to go on in the performance of his duty.
He walked into the field hospital, where General DAVIES met him, placed him upon a bed in a room by himself, and gave him some stimulants. The surgeons extracted the ball that evening, and pronounced it troublesome only, but not dangerous. He was visited there by Major PEASE, Major TREMAIN and others, who, relying on the Surgeon's report, left him without serious apprehensions. The next day he was sent to City Point Hos- pital, fifteen or twenty miles, where he arrived, cold and ex- hausted, attended by his servant.
He was in much pain and not inclined to converse. The fol- lowing day, the 8th, alarming symptoms appeared. He continued perfectly conscious, made his arrangements to leave for home, but was not made aware of the fact that his life was in danger, and about five o'clock, just as his servant had given him some water, he died, without a murmur or complaint having escaped his lips.
A post-mortem examination revealed the fact that the wound was necessarily mortal from the first. The ball, after performing its course, had fallen back, and its location had deceived the surgeons who extracted it, and who supposed it merely a flesh wound.
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The intelligence of his death spread a deep gloom over his entire brigade, officers and men. A meeting of the brigade officers (a rare compliment in the army) was called and attended by every officer not absent on duty, at which just and excellent resolutions were adopted.
The remains were accompanied from City Point by Colonel AVERY, Major TREMAIN and Dr. CLARK. His countenance ap- peared natural and life-like.
A military funeral took place on the 16th of February, with honors suitable to his rank, under the charge of the Tenth New York, commanded by Colonel CHAMBERLAIN, the Cadet Zouave Company A acting as an escort. Everything that affectionate sympathy could do to render honor to his memory, was done by his countrymen and countrywomen. Flowers were sent in bountiful profusion from numerous male and female friends, and these were, by fair and tasteful hands, beautifully arranged in the form of crosses, wreaths, a trumpet and crown, while the coffin was festooned, anel covered with them in tropical abun- danec.
After appropriate religions services had been performed at the author's residence, the public funeral took place at St. Peter's Church, the Rev. WM. WILSON and the Rev. W.M. TATLOCK officia- ting. His Excellency, Gov. FENTON, accompanied by his staff in full uniform, honored the funeral with his presence. The names of the military and civil bearers who attended will be recog- nized as among the noblest youth in Albany. Sweet and solemn music by the choir filled the church. The citizens of Albany turned out en masse, filling the spacious church and the streets, for long distances. A large concourse followed the remains to the cemetery, where, after the soldiers had fired appropriate vol- leys over his coffin, it was consigned to the vault.
Thus lived and died my brave boy, around whom, for twenty- one years, had clustered my cares, my anxieties, my hopes and my affections!
No longer could we look forward with inexpressible joy to the termination of this war, as an event which would bring back, in safety and honor, the soldier we had furnished! The sound of
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