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 25
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that I had promised his father, in Plattsburgh, that I would exercise a care over him. He did not belong to my company, but that made no difference. Poor fellow, he died nobly, but how I pity his poor father!
Perhaps it was caused by excitement, but I really knew no fear; and although the bullets flew around me thick as hail, I thought no more of them than of so many pebble stones. You may think I want to brag, but it is not so; and this is not my case only. If a man is going to show fear, he will do it before the fight. Once in it, and there is no time to think of self. How long we were here I know not. I was busy exhorting the men to stand up to it, "give it to them," "pop them down, boys," " take good aim and bring down one of the rascals;" until, finally, on looking around, I saw that, with the exception of the Colonel, two or three officers, and about a dozen men, we were alone.
I looked across the open ground, and thought that my chance of getting over it safely was out of the question. Actually, at that moment, I would not have given two cents for my life. Thus I soliloquized : " PRUYN, my boy, it's impossible for you to get over there in safety. You haven't one chance in ten thou- sand; but then you know, my boy, the rebels don't give quarter, and they will be in here in less than two minutes; so, if you don't get there, you're done for any way. So here goes." I started; I did not run, mother-I never will do that; but I walked, and it did seem to me I never should reach the woods.
This ended my part of the fight. Our regiment was all gone in-broken and scattered. I met all that was left of it that night; fragments that the Colonel had collected together and marched about two miles to the rear. I reported myself to the Colonel, and was highly commended by him. I had spent the time, after the regiment was broken up till I reported to the Colonel, in helping wounded men to different hospitals. I met a party carry- ing Lieutenant Colonel DE FOREST of the Eighty-first New York, .an Albanian, and showed them where a hospital was. He is dangerously wounded in the lung.
Sunday, June 1st .- The regiment was marched down to the
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woods, back of the second tier of rifle-pits, and there encamped as well as we could.
Now we fought well in our regiment - losing, in killed, wounded, and missing, one man out of every four. The rebels have possession of our camp, so the men have lost everything. Luckily, my trunk was in the wagon on the other side of the river, but my knapsack and many other things are gone. I have been honorably mentioned in the Colonel's report for " bravery and soldierly bearing on the field," though I don't know for what, unless picking up the flag and holding it, and certainly that wasn't much. But now that it is all over, we are told by Gen. MCCLELLAN in his dispatch that " the troops all did nobly, except CASEY's Division. Or, in other words, because six thousand men did not beat back fifty thousand, they are cowards. This makes us all sick of fighting. To stand in front of such a superior force, and fight as we know we did, and then be branded as cowards, is certainly too much to bear. And then to have it go before the world over MCCLELLAN's signature, of course it will be believed, and we shall be sneered at forever. Why it would have been far better if we had not been in the fight at all, for then nothing would have been said about us. Oh, it does seem to me I can't get over this! If you see me coming home soon, don't be sur- prised. But enough of it. It makes me so indignant I don't want to think of it-if I can help it.
Monday, June 2d .- The firing has all ceased, and we are yet in the same place, but still they bring in the wounded.
Tuesday, 3d .- Made a detail of men to go out and bury the dead. Several of our boys have been up to our old camp and report that the rebels have carried off everything, or destroyed what they could not remove. They say the stench is so terrible, from the enormous number of dead unburied there, that it is almost impossible to remain in the neighborhood.
Wednesday, 4th .- The rain came down in torrents. You folks north have no idea how it can rain down here. Notwithstanding the rain, we started to-day, and with sad and deeply mortified feeling, went back for the first time. In the afternoon, halted near the Chickahominy, about two miles from Bottom's Bridge.
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Oh! what a march this was. For some fifty yards we had to wade through water over four feet deep, and running swiftly. Some of the little drummer boys were almost drowned. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, still here. There is talk of sending us to Fortress Monroe, Norfolk, or some- where. Our division is so reduced by losses and sickness, that we are not considered fit for service in the field.
But my job is done. I write all cramped up and am very tired, and I guess you are too, by this time.
I am as ever, your affectionate son, CHARLIE.
To those who knew Lieut. PRUYN, it was not surprising that to be branded as a coward, so unjustly, should be intensely pain- ful and mortifying; although the above letter does not indicate the bitterness of the feeling that really existed in his mind. The more he reflected upon it the deeper those feelings became, and weak and depressed as he was, he had not strength to resist them.
Referring to this in a letter written a day or two after, he says: " This regiment which left Plattsburgh with nearly nine hundred men, can now muster for duty only about one hundred and fifty. And yet we were willing to toil and suffer and die if need be, till since this battle. Now every one is utterly disheartened. How much a few words from one in authority can do. Those words of MCCLELLAN's so unjustly delivered-' The men all done splen- didly except CASEY'S Division'-this is what has broken us down. For whatever others have done, the Ninety-sixth New York fought as well as men could fight, and only left the field when the enemy was on three sides of them, and then retired with their faces to the foe, loading and firing as they walked, for they did not run.
" If the public need proof of what we did, we can give the best of proof-our list of killed and wounded-one man out of every four actually on the field-did any other regiment do this ? Our division hardly six thousand strong, held in check more than thirty thousand rebels. Did any other division do this ? Oh, is it not hard after all this to be branded as cowards ?"
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'Tis true Gen. MCCLELLAN afterwards modified his report, and retracted his charges, but too late for its effect upon this brave young heart. The injustice had done its work, and he resigned on the 17th of June and returned to his home, bringing with him garments perforated by the bullets-which, however, through the care of a kind Providence, were not allowed to touch him. It is only justice to his memory thus to explain the cause of his resignation, for by those who did not understand him, it was inex- plicable.
But aside from these reasons, there were others which would have fully justified the step. His father's death had occurred the spring previous, and his mother had a great burden of care and responsibility, from which his presence might relieve her to a great extent. He felt deeply his responsibility in regard to her, and often debated what was duty. He had been willing, if his mother desired it, to resign before this; but finding her willing to sacrifice every personal consideration to her country's good, he decided that the claims of his country were paramount.
When Col. FAIRMAN transmitted to him his discharge, he took occasion to write the following letter :
CAMP NINETY-SIXTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. VOLUNTEERS, - BEFORE RICHMOND, June 17, 1862.
Lieutenant CHARLES E. PRUYN :
Dear Sir-I herewith transmit your honorable discharge from the service of the United States, and in so doing would express my unfeigned regret at the loss of your companionship and ser- vice as a man and officer. I cheerfully give my attestation to your courage and devotion as a soldier of the Union, to which I was witness in the terrific battle of Fair Oaks, before Richmond, May 31st. And I shall ever remember you with peculiar inte- rest as a soldier, who stood by my side while one out of four was killed or wounded, and one out of three of our regiment was lost in battle. With cordial wishes for your future success,
I am truly yours, &c., JAMES FAIRMAN, Col. 96th Reg't N. Y. S. Vols.
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Mr. PRUYN Very soon, however, felt that he had made a mis- take in resigning. Before he reached his home he saw clearly that the injustice of a man did not affect the merits of the cause, or the claims of his country upon his services, and he determined to return to the army. But the seeds of disease, contracted amid those fearful swamps, developed themselves immediately upon his arrival home, and a serious illness followed. Yet, even while prostrate with sickness, the old feeling came back that it " was a shame and disgrace for a young man like him to be at home in comfort while the country was imperiled, and he longed for returning health that he might go back to duty."
One little circumstance will show how real this feeling was. On the Fourth of July the procession passed his house, and he being then quite sick, went to the front door to look at it. In a few moments he came in, saying " that he could not stand there, and that it made him indignant to see that it was possible to get up so large a company of men in the city of Albany. No won- der the South can beat us, when the men of the North would rather stay at home and parade the streets."
While yet too ill to leave the house, he was offered the posi- tion of Adjutant of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment New York State Volunteers, then organizing at Plattsburgh. He at first declined, but being urged very strongly, he at length decided to accept it, and went for the second time to that place.
He received his commission as Adjutant of the regiment July 16, 1862. His services in the organization of the regiment were acknowledged to be invaluable-as, with the exception of one person, he was the only officer who had any practical knowledge of military tacties and discipline. His qualifications as a disci- plinarian were found to be so desirable, that when the regiment left Plattsburgh he was very strongly urged to remain as Adju- tant of the post, and promised the position of Major of a new regiment to be immediately organized there. Colonel RICHARDS strenuously opposed this, declaring it impossible to spare him. Adjutant PRUYN saw clearly the advantages of the offer, but feel- ing a just pride in the regiment which had grown into shape and order under his discipline, and having a strong attachment to
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, associate officers, he declined the proposition, and ., cilt with the One Hundred and Eighteenth to the seat of war.
It is asserted by some of the officers who have had a good opportunity to know, that the set of regimental papers, prepared by him at this time, are the most complete and beautiful set now on file in the Adjutant General's office.
The regiment remained in and around Washington, doing gar- rison duty, till the spring of 1863. At this time he was again highly complimented upon his regimental reports, and was assured, by the inspecting officer, that " he had the most exact, well kept and handsome books he had found in his whole tour of inspection." These little circumstances show that it was characteristic of him to do everything in the best possible man- ner. Exaet and thorough in all he undertook, he established a character for system and reliability among all who had any deal- ings with him, rarely sustained by one so young.
Adjutant PRUYN was A. A. A. General, on Col. WORDROP'S staff, commanding brigade from June 20th to July 13th, and was Post Adjutant at Gloucester Point, from July 14th to August 28th, 1863, when he received his commission as Major of the regiment, upon the nearly unanimous vote of the line officers, many of them with great magnanimity and from a true sense of justice, waiving their own elaims in his favor.
In the latter part of October, 1863, a detachment of the regi- ment was sent out on several dangerous reconnoitering expedi- tions, under command of Major PRUYN. These expeditions were accomplished with great credit and success, and the appreciation of his character and services, by those under his command, may be known by the following letter.
The value of this compliment was greatly enhanced by the fact, that it was so arranged as to celebrate his twenty-third birth day.
LINE OFFICERS' QUARTERS, 118TH REGT. N. Y. S. V., PORTSMOUTH, VA., Nov. 11, 1863.
Major CHARLES E. PRUYN, Commanding Detachment 118th Regi- ment N. Y. V., Intrenched Camp, Norfolk, Va :
Major-The line officers of your late command in Portsmouth,
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Va., highly appreciating your many good and noble qualities, both as an officer and a gentleman, have decided to honor you with a supper, and the pleasure of your company is respectfully solicited, to attend the same, at the American Hotel, Portsmouth, this evening.
We are, Major, yours, with the highest esteem,
M. V. B. STETSON. J. W. ANGELL. JOHN BRYDON.
From this time until May 4th, 1864, the regiment was en camped at Yorktown and the neighborhood. During this inter- val, they participated in several skirmishes, and attempted several movements which failed in their accomplishment. His health was by this time seriously impaired, and symptoms of heart disease were developed, which made it dangerous for him to continue in scenes of excitement. But no persuasion or advice could induce him to resign.
On the 4th of May, the regiment embarked, being in the Eigh teenth Army Corps, for the James River, under Gen. BUTLER One of his "journal letters" gives a diary of this period till the battle of Drury's Bluff, or Proctor's Creek, May 16th, 1864.
In this battle, the Colonel being absent, and the Lieut. Col. wounded in the early part of the engagement, the command devolved on Major PRUYN. How well he discharged his duty may be judged from the fact, that his regiment was the last to leave the field, and earned there a character for endurance and bravery, that placed them in the foremost ranks of the heroic defenders of our nation. In a letter written by Major General DEVENS to Governor FENTON, when the regiment was discharged at the close of the war, he speaks in the following terms of com- mendation: "Participating in various affairs previously, at the battle of Drury's Bluff, May 16th, 1864, this regiment dis- tinguished itself for its great valor and pertinacity, and now the reputation it has since enjoyed, is that of being one of the most resolute regiments in the service. Out of about three hundred and fifty men engaged, it lost in this conflict in casualties, one
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hundred and ninety-eight men and thirteen officers; and it is a most noteworthy fact, that having taken two hundred prisoners from the enemy, the regiment had considerably more prisoners at the close of the action, than it had men fit for duty."
The night after this battle he wrote the following hasty letter to his mother, and, a few days afterwards, a long "journal letter," from which we will make a short extract, giving his description of the battle. The difference between these letters, and the for- mer ones written when he first entered upon active service, is very marked. Three long years of experience and of suffering, had subdued the buoyant playfulness of his disposition, and the Holy Spirit had deepened his religious feelings, and taught him to look upon the solemn circumstances in which he was placed, in the light of eternity.
NEAR BERMUDA HUNDREDS, May 16th, 1864.
My dear Mother-Thank God I am safe. Never before have I so felt the kind protection of my Heavenly Father, and with His assistance I will serve Him more faithfully than I have ever done before. I am worn out, used up, sick, sick at heart, but I trust a few days rest will restore me. We have been for eight days fighting all the time, (bushwhacking) and had worked our way up to within nine miles of Richmond, so that from the top of a high pine we could see the place. We carried their outer line of defences; but this morning they came upon us in over- whelming numbers, and, after several hours murderous fighting on both sides, they drove us back.
But our gallant regiment did nobly, and stood their ground till the last regiment had left the field. Indeed, they stood their ground till they were nearly all shot down. Oh, my heart aches so to-night! Some of my best friends are killed. Those I had learned to love so well are gone. Oh! when will this cruel, wicked war end. We have lost heavily, I fear, but know nothing except the thousand rumors that are floating around. But, still, there is something for which we may congratulate ourselves. This action has called away a large force, which would otherwise have been with LEE, so Gen. GRANT reaps the benefit.
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MAJ. CHARLES E. PRUYN.
I was not hurt in the least. It was your prayers my dearest mother, that saved me. Oh, I know it; I feel it. I trust I shall live hereafter as a true Christian. Never before have I felt as I do to-night. I am not excited as I write this, though all worn out. Your good long letter just received; will study it. Yes, I will try. Ever, CHARLIE.
The following is an extract from his journal letter:
" May 14th .- The enemy continued to shell us all this A. M. The Colonel pleaded sickness, and went into camp. Colonel NICHOLS, who really is sick, came out and took command. I was entirely used up, and was just going to report sick, when I was detailed to take charge of the skirmishers of the brigade. This being a post of danger, and of course of honor, I pocketed my bad feelings and went out. I had several men killed and wounded during the twenty-four hours. I was highly compli- mented by Gen. BURNHAM, because I kept my line in good order, and did not allow my men to fire unless they saw some one to fire at. The trouble is with men generally, they keep popping away when there is nothing to be seen, thereby wasting their ammunition, alarming our folks unnecessarily, and revealing our position to the enemy.
" To be in command of the skirmishers is very fatiguing; run- ning around without a moment's rest, constantly under fire and great excitement, without a chance to eat or sleep.
" Saturday night I went out with some of our men and brought in a poor fellow of the Ninety-eighth N. Y., who had been killed on Friday, but lay in such an exposed position that it was im- possible to get at him in the day time. We buried him right by our picket lines: a soldier's grave, with nothing to mark his rest- ing place but a blaze on the tree near his head.
" My tour of duty was not off till Sunday afternoon, and when I came in I was so entirely used up that I fell asleep the moment I dropped on the ground, and slept through the heavy firing which was kept up all night.
"Monday, A. M., May 16th .- Just at daylight there was a very heavy fog-so dense you could not see six feet from you. Col.
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NICHOLS woke me, saying there was heavy firing on the right. I grumbled a little at waking so early, saying it was only a false alarm; but I soon found out my mistake. In a few moments WISTAR's Brigade began to fire, followed by the Eighth Connec- ticut, and by the time we were up and ready for action, we saw a heavy rebel line within six feet of us, charging down upon us with tremendous fury. They had crept up under cover of the fog, hoping to surprise us, but were in this disappointed. Our boys gave them a tremendous volley, and, as they were so near, and our men took good aim before they fired, the slaughter was terrible. I could see whole lines of them fall at once. They immediately broke in great confusion and ran; but about ninety of them ran the wrong way (purposely), and came into our lines, and gave themselves up as prisoners. Lieut. CAMPBELL, and a company of our regiment, were on picket when the fight began. The rebels passed him in the fog without noticing him. Shortly afterwards the Assistant Adjutant General on General JOHNSON'S (rebel) staff rode up, and taking him for one of his own men, asked where Gen. JOHNSON's skirmish line was. Lieut. CAMPBELL told him to get off of that horse, and he would show him the Yankee lines. The gentleman resisted, when CAMPBELL pulled out his pistol. He then said, " no matter, he would get off," and CAMPBELL, steering clear, in the fog, of the rebels, brought him and his company all safe into our lines. I could tell of a dozen such adventures, but have not time.
" HECKMAN'S Brigade was broken, and WISTAR's followed, leaving the flank of the Eighth Connecticut exposed. They stood it for a while, when they broke and fell back. Then we had to take it. Imagine them all gone, and the rebels in their place, protected by our own rifle pits, and all firing into the One Hundred and Eighteenth, besides those out in front of us, and you can have some idea of our condition at the time. But our brave boys did not flinch in the least. They stood there loading and firing with the utmost coolness, until finally orders were given for us to change our front, and take up another position. Even this left us open to a terrible fire, and many men fell here. Just before we changed, NICHOLS was slightly wounded, and went
20
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to the rear, leaving me in command. After a while we received orders to fall back on a line with the other regiments of our brigade. Here we staid till every other regiment had left the ground, and then we fell slowly back about a quarter of a mile. Here we halted, and this time the rebels did not follow us. They had been severely punished, and been taught to have some respect for the One Hundred and Eighteenth New York. We formed in line and remained here till late in the afternoon, and the enemy shelled us, but did not do us much harm. Thus ended the battle of Drury's Bluff, in which fell, of Union forces, nearly five thousand men, all newspaper reports to the contrary not- withstanding. Our regiment lost one hundred and ninety-six men and thirteen officers-a little more than half of all the men engaged!"'
The modesty with which he here alludes to his own position at this time, and the utter absence of all attempt to magnify the important part he took in this engagement, is certainly very noticeable. Of the regiment-his " brave boys"-he was proud, and could speak in terms of unbounded approbation; but of self, not a word. His courage and patriotism were proved, not pro- fessed. And certainly they were most conspicuous in this instance, when it is remembered that he was, at this time, in a very suffer- ing and precarious state of health.
The second day after this battle he was compelled to yield. The excitement of the battle, the responsibility of commanding, which he deeply felt, and the severe and exhausting labors, brought on a violent attack of heart disease, and he was taken to the hospital for the first time since he had entered the army. His great danger was apparent to every one, and the surgeons at once told him " it was his duty to resign, and that he could not possibly endure the excitement and fatigue of the army." He would not for a moment indulge the thought of resignation, and insisted upon returning to the regiment after only eight days' rest.
About this time there was evidently a great change in his reli- gious feelings. His letters indicated a depth of spiritual feeling, and a desire for entire consecration to the will and service of God such as he had not manifested before. The Holy Spirit made the
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death of his associates and his own precarious state, the means of impressing upon his mind the uncertainty of life, and he was brought to a very sweet and earnest submission of himself and all his interests to the will of God.
While in the hospital he wrote several letters, from which we make a few extracts :
" For the first time I am in hospital, but don't be alarmed. I am not very sick. The trouble is, just as soon as the long marches and fatigue attending them comes on, and the excitement of bat- tle, then my old complaint comes back. All I need is rest and quiet, and it goes off again. I sometimes wish I could get detailed for a few months, and I think I could be entirely cured. But I hate to express such a thought even to you, for it is not right to wish to be away at such a time as this; nor would I do it, were it not that I know I am driving nails in my own coffin by staying in this constant excitement. I will not resign-that I have made up my mind to; but I have often, as I have been lying here, thought if I could be detailed to take charge of the Albany barracks, what a windfall it would be. But, then, I have put away the thought as unworthy. A soldier in the field has no right to be looking out for ' soft places.' I am going back to camp to-morrow any way, for I can't stay here in a crowded hos- pital with wounded and dying men around. It is enough to make a well person sick."
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