USA > New York > The history of the Forty-eighth regiment New York state volunteers, in the war for the union. 1861-1865 > Part 3
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Forty-seventh New York. Colonel Henry Moore.
Forty-eighth New York, Colonel James H. Perry.
Second Brigade. Brigadier-General ISAAC I. STEVENS.
Eighth Michigan, Colonel William M. Fenton.
Seventy-ninth New York, Lieutenant-Colonel William H. Nobles.
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FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
Fiftieth Pennsylvania, Colonel B. C. Christ.
One Hundredth Pennsylvania, Colonel Daniel Leasure.
Third Brigade. Brigadier-General HORATIO G. WRIGHT.
Sixth Connecticut, Colonel John L. Chatfield.
Seventh Connecticut, Colonel Alfred H. Terry.
Ninth Maine, Colonel Rishworth Rich.
Fourth New Hampshire, Colonel Thomas J. Whipple.
Troops not brigaded.
First New York Engineers, Colonel Edward W. Serrell.
Third Rhode Island Artillery. Colonel Nathaniel W. Brown. Third U. S. Artillery, Battery E, Captain John Hamilton.
The majority of the Forty-eighth Regiment remained on board the Empire City, although while at Hampton Roads Lieutenants Dunbar and Hatfield, with thirty men of Com- pany C, were transferred to the steamer Belvidere, and two companies, K and B, to the steamer Matansas. It was not until October 29th that the expedition finally started ; on that day a noble sight was to be seen in Hampton Roads, when, at the signal from the Wabash, the flagship of Captain Dupont, the great armada sailed away to sea. The Wabash led the way, and was followed by all the ships, moving in three parallel lines and occupying a space of some twelve miles each way ; the transports and war-vessels were inter- mingled, so that in case of danger the latter might act as convoys to the former. The transport vessels were the Atlantic, the Baltic (each of which carried a full regiment . of men and large quantities of stores), the Vanderbilt, the Ocean Queen, the Ericsson, Empire City, Daniel Webster, and Great Republic (the latter vessel had been employed in a similar service by the British Government during the Crimean War). In addition to these were many smaller vessels, and indeed several mere river-boats, which were taken along on account of their light draught, and which
15
TO THE FRONT.
were not fitted for an ocean voyage. The entire tonnage of the transports was estimated at forty thousand tons.
The ships moved out to sea in three columns, in the fol- lowing order : The Wabash, flanked by the gunboats Pawnee, Ottawa, Curlew, Isaac T. Smith, Seneca, Pembina, Unadilla, Penguin, and R. B. Forbes. The Baltic, towing the Ocean Express, led the column on the left, and was supported by the Pocahontas. The Illinois towed the Golden Eagle, and was followed by the Locust Point, Star of the South, Parkersburg, Belvidere, Alabama, Coatzacoalcas, Marion. Governor, and Mohican. The Atlantic led the central line, and was follow- ed by the Vanderbilt, towing the Great Republic; the Ocean Queen, towing the Zenas Coffin; and these were followed by the Winfield Scott, Potomac, Cahawba, Oriental Union. Vixen, and O. M. Petit. The Empire City led the right. followed by the Ericsson, Philadelphia, Ben De Ford, Florida, Roanoke, Matanzas, Daniel Webster, Augusta, Mayflower. Peerless, Ariel, Mercury, Osceola, and two ferryboats. The twenty-five coal-barges convoyed by the Vandalia had been sent out the day before, with instructions to rendezvous off the Savannah River, so as to mislead the enemy as to our real destination.
The expedition sailed under sealed orders, of which every ship had a copy, and the instructions were not to break the seal unless the fleet should be dispersed in a storm. Great curiosity existed concerning our destination. Many of the men had never before been at sea, and the quarters of the private soldiers on the transports were cramped and poor. and what with sea-sickness, foul air, and filthy quarters, the discomforts were many. However, the voyage would have been short and less memorable had it not been for the great storm which broke upon us after we had passed Cape Hat- teras. The writer has twice crossed the ocean, and five times since then has passed Hatteras, but never has wit- nessed so terrible a storm at sea. It lasted for nearly a week. Four of the transports were lost, but it is a surpris- ing fact that not more than a dozen persons perished. With
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FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
so large a number of unseaworthy vessels in the fleet, it is wonderful that the casualties should have been so small, for the fury of the storm was terrible. The vessels lost were the Governor, Peerless, Osceola, and Union. The Governor floundered on Sunday, November 3d. She had on board a battalion of marines, but they were saved by the frigate Sabine, excepting a corporal and three men, who were drowned. The Peerless was a small Lake steamer, loaded with beef cattle ; her officers and crew were saved. The propeller Osccola, also loaded with beef cattle, was wrecked on North Island, and her crew were made prisoners. The Union went ashore off Beaufort, N. C., and her cargo was lost. Her crew and a few soldiers aboard were captured. The steamer Winfield Scott, which was subsequently wrecked while we were on board of her, barely escaped destruction in the storm. The Belvidere, with Lieutenants Dunbar and Hatfield and the detachment of Company C on board, was disabled, and put back to Fortress Monroe. The storm was grand as it was terrible, and it scattered that noble fleet of vessels to the winds. It has often been compared to the tempest which destroyed the Spanish Armada three cen- turies before. From the deck of the Matansas, on which the writer was, on the day before the storm the three long lines of war-ships and transports, that stretched as far away as the eye could see, were visible-a noble and majestic sight. On the morning, when the storm subsided, from that same deck not a sail was in sight. Had they gone down in the sea ? Were they scattered so far apart that no one of the ships was in sight of another? What had become of the weaker and less seaworthy vessels ? It was a time of anxi- ety, as the storm itself had been to many a time of terror. The scaled orders were broken, and then for the first time we learned that our destination was Port Royal Harbor, on the coast of South Carolina.
The fleet arrived off the bar at Port Royal, on November 4th; soundings were made, and the outer harbor was buoyed, and the next day the naval vessels moved over
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TO THE FRONT.
the bar, and drove back the mosquito fleet of Commo- dore Tatnall. The dangers of the sea were behind us, but we were now confronted by dangers on the land. The Confederates had erected two forts, one on either side of the entrance of Port Royal Harbor: the one on the north at Bay Point, Phillips Island, was named Fort Beau- regard; that on the south, on Hil- ton Head Island, Fort Walker. Fort Walker was a regular work, and mounted twenty - four guns ; Fort Beauregard mounted twenty guns. The forces at Fort Walker were commanded by General T. F. Drayton of the rebel army, whose mansion was near by; his com- mand numbered 1837 men. The FORT WALKER. garrison of Fort Beauregard was 640 men, under Colonel R. G. M. Dunevant. In addition to these forces on the land, the Confederates had a little squad-
FORT BEAUREGARD.
ron, already referred to, called the " mosquito fleet." com- manded by Commodore Josiah Tatnall. At eight o'clock on the morning of November 7th the signal was given for the Union vessels to get under way, and at half-past nine the :memorable naval battle commenced. The plan of attack was simple but unique. It was ordered that the ships pass up midway between Forts Walker and Beauregard (which were about two miles apart), receiving and returning the
2
IS
FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
fire of both, sailing in an ellipse. The Wabash led the way, next came the Susquehanna, then all the ships. This was the first battle in history in which a steam-navy had fought land-batteries while sailing in a circle. although the attack of Admiral Dundas in the harbor of Sebastopol seven years before was somewhat similar. Dupont's great- est credit for his work that day lies in the splendid victory
PARISTI.
BEAUFORT RI .
ST HELENA
1.
LANDSEND
TAT
TILLA
PHILLIP'S 1.
CUNBOATS
ETBEAUREGARD
YES OUTWORK
HAY POINT
HILTON
POPEL
2
FORT WALKER
HEA
7
HILTON
HEAD
TRANSPORTS
AT ANCHOR
PLAN OF BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL. 1
which he won with such little loss. The battle was a mag- nificent spectacle, as we witnessed it from the decks of the transports anchored off the bar. The ships kept sailing around in their circle, belching forth their fiery volleys, now at Fort Beauregard on the north, and now at Fort Walker on the south : and all we could do for our comrades of the navy was to cheer them from the transports throughout the day. At half-past eleven the flag at Fort Walker was shot away ;
NAROS INL
LINE DE ATTACK
KUNBOATS
TRE
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TO THE FRONT.
at a quarter-past one the fort was abandoned. Fort Beaure- gard also had been silenced, and the garrisons of both had fled. The guns of the Federal navy had done fatal work, for the dead and dying were on every side, and if to fight their guns in the fortifications had been perilous to the enemy, the retreat was hardly less so. Of course it was precipitous, but the majority of both garrisons escaped. The loss on board the fleet was slight ; Dupont reported his casualties at thirty-one, eight only being killed. The vessels engaged were, however, more or less injured by the Confederate
.
ADMIRAL DUPONT.
guns. The Wabash, for instance, was struck thirty-four times.
The fact that this was our first victory in the State of South Carolina gave it peculiar celebrity. That State had been the first to secede and the chief promoter of the Rebel- lion, and now that the Federal forces had secured a footing upon its disloyal soil, loyal people everywhere were greatly rejoiced. The American navy covered itself with a lasting glory by its achievements on that day. By the capture of Port Royal the federal forces gained a magnificent naval depot and a firm foothold, from which she was never driven,
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FORTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
MAP OF SEA ISLANDS.
SCALE OF MILES
S
15
NEDI
GUN BOATS
PORT ROYALIFERRY
RACCOON
GUN BOATS
R
HALL
TROOPS"S LANDL'ON
REANSNE
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PORT
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1
COOSAW
MORGAN
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i n
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SOUND
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the re-
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gion of
the famous
MORSE
PARIS I.
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FRIPP S
PRITCHAPOSS 1.
E
ON R
CR
CADER'S -
C
BLUFFTON
DIN( KNEY
ENTRANCE
PORT ROYAL
ARRITATI
(BULL'S
OVER NOLTIH
BATTERY
E CAOREGARD 0 thropic experiments of WALKER antislavery advocates in 1 those days. Beaufort District was perhaps the richest district in the whole Palmetto State. It con- tained fifteen hundred square miles of territory, and annually produced fifty million . pounds of rice and fourteen thousand bales of the finest cotton. It had a population of about forty thousand souls, more than three quarters of whom were slaves.
SAVANNAH
ENTRANCE OPI PULASKI
SIG TYAFE
HELENA
HUNTING
Sea Island cot-
1
DAW
RIVER
ECAULONT IS,di711Hd
DATHAW 1
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EMBARCATION OF NATIUNAL TROOPS
ST HELENA
BEAUFORT
1.
A ton. It also be- came a sort of the- atre for certain philan-
DAUFUSKIE
The right wing of our regiment landed at Hilton Head Island on November 9th, and the left wing the next day. Transports everywhere were discharging troops, and the harbor presented a most animated appearance. We were marched about a half mile back from the shore, and went into camp in the midst of a cotton-field. Scouting parties were sent out over the island, and they captured horses. mules, chickens, pigs, and about everything they could lay their hands on, and divided the "eatables" between the different companies. That, however, was not considered
21
TO THE FRONT.
" stealing." but "confiscating." From ten to twelve every morning we had battalion drill; from two to four every afternoon, company drill. Sometimes we were drilled by brigade. The work the boys loved the least was " fatigue duty," though they were compelled to do much of it, work-
DRAYTON'S MANSION.
ing on the fortifications which General Sherman foolishly . persisted in erecting. Meanwhile all sorts of rude houses were hastily constructed at Hilton Head ; an immense wharf was built ; and vessels of all sorts, laden with all manner of supplies, came from the North, and in a short time quite a
POPE'S HOUSE.
town had sprung up. Meanwhile the gun-boats had sailed up all the little rivers and taken possession of many islands. The aristocratic city of Beaufort, on Port Royal Island, was occupied, only one white man being found in the place : everywhere the white people abandoned their homes and
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FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
fled, and only the negroes remained behind : they thronged the camps in great numbers, often coming into camp, carry- ing in little bundles, all their worldly possessions, having a simple faith that when they reached " Massa Linkum's sol- diers" they would be free. The panic which prevailed on these islands of South Carolina at our approach, and the precipitous flight of the enemy made many subsequently believe (as Colonel Perry believed at the time) that had we followed up our victory at Port Royal by marching imme- diately against Charleston or Savannah, one of these cities might easily have been taken. On November 24th there was a general inspection and review by Generals Sherman and Viele. Our brigade-commander was General Egbert L. Viele, a well-known engineer, who had been prominent in the construction of the Central Park in New York City, and who has recently been a Park Commissioner, and is at this writing (ISS5) a member of Congress from New York.
Let me here recall the names of the four ladies who had accompanied us from the North to act as nurses in the hos- pital. They were Mrs. Hanley, Mrs. Brooks, Miss Heward, and Miss Fox. Many of the boys who were sick in the hospitals will recall their kindness. Camp-life at Hilton Head was now a mononotous routine; the climate also was unhealthy. We obtained water by sinking barrels in the sand. Yet our rations were good : we received our pay regu- larly ; the sutler was handy, and on the whole we had a good time. Colonel Perry was a magnificent drill-master: the regiment's efficiency at drill soon became famous. But few changes up to this time had occurred among us.
We received frequent mails from the North : also boxes which came to us by express from the good people at home. Who does not remember the pleasure he always found in reading his letters and opening his box when it arrived ; One day there came into camp a contraband having two pups for sale. The writer purchased one for a quarter of a dollar : Arthur McGuigan, of Company D, the other at the same price. The former dog drank a can of condensed milk
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TO THE FRONT.
.
(price fifty cents) the first day. His owner found him an expensive boarder, and disposed of him. McGuigan's dog was named " Jeff," and the company adopted him; and he became at last a hero, and died in battle, years afterwards, at Cold Harbor, being shot dead while barking up a tree at a rebel sharp-shooter. Every one will recall for himself many incidents of those first weeks in camp on the soil of South Carolina. The saddest memory will be that a number of the men who had had the measles on shipboard had taken cold from exposure during the storm, and died after reach- ing Hilton Head. But we were not unhappy in those days : here we came to know each other, and began to appreciate the temper of the men with whom we were associated, and with whom we were yet destined to stand shoulder to shoulder in front of fiery batteries and gleaming lines of steel. Thus came to an end the year 1861, and thus ends this chapter, with the regiment " at the front."
CHAPTER III.
Port Royal Ferry to Fort Pulaski-January 1, 1862, to May 31, 1862.
Expedition to Port Royal Ferry-Report of Colonel Perry-Back to Camp- Flags Presented-Captain Ward Resigns-Private Reilly and the Bomb- shell-Captain Q. A. Gillmore -- January 25th, leave Hilton Head-Wreck of the Winfield Scott - Dawfuskie Island - Our Camp Revisited in 1884-Major Beard-History of the Locality-Batteries "Vulcan" and "Hamilton" on Jones' and Bird's Islands - Narrative of Captain Knowles-The "Cold Chisel " Brigade-Captain Gillmore on Tybee Island-General Hunter Succeeds General T. W. Sherman-April roth, Bombardment of Fort Pulaski-Capitulation-Rattlesnakes-The Goat- News from the North-General Grant at Shiloh-The Sutler-May 25th, leave Dawfuskie Island for Fort Pulaski.
O N the first day of the New Year, 1862, we met the enemy for the first time in battle. The engagement is known as that of Port Royal Ferry. At that point, on the Coosaw River, the Confederates made their only stand in defence of the Sea Island District. They had a fortified position there, from which it was determined to drive them. A joint land and naval expedition was formed for this purpose. The former was commanded by Brigadier-General Stevens; the latter by Commander C. R. P'. Rogers. General Stevens' forces consisted of his brigade, Seventy-ninth New York High- landers, Fiftieth Pennsylvania, Eighth Michigan, and One Hundredth Pennsylvania (Roundheads), and two regiments from General Viele's brigade, the Forty-seventh and Forty- eighth New York, under the command of Colonel Perry. The naval forces consisted of the gunboats Ottawa. Pembina, Hale, and Sencca, the ferryboat Ellen, and four large launches belonging to the frigate Wabash, each carrying a twelve-pound howitzer. We embarked at Hilton Head on
25
PORT ROYAL FERRY TO FORT PULASKI.
December 31st, and the next morning about eight o'clock landed near the cotton-gin on Adams' plantation. The Eighth Michigan of Stevens' brigade were deployed as skirmishers, and the gun-boats, which had also arrived, opened a brisk fire upon the woods in their front. Soon a battery near the ferry opened upon our forces with grape and canister, but the Eighth Michigan quickly silenced them. The Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth New York, under Colonel Perry, constituted the reserve at that little engagement. They were, however, brought into action by being thrown forward in line on the right, about at right angles to Stevens' brigade. As we advanced we soon un- masked an ambushed battery, which apparently was well defended, along the skirt of woods in our front. Colonel Perry at once ordered out skirmishers from the Forty-eighth to the front and from the Forty-seventh to the left, to ascer- tain if it was practicable to take the battery by the flank. That was barely accomplished before orders were received for us to retire-the enemy had been driven from their for- tifications at the ferry.
Meanwhile the sailors observed our movements from the mast-heads of the gun-boats, and threw their shells over our heads into the midst of the enemy. The Highlanders took the fortifications at the ferry with great gallantry, and with a loss of nine wounded. Who will not remember that New Year's Day, when for the first time we heard the " rebel yell"? While the skirmish was in progress we were ordered to protect ourselves by lying down between the corn-rows in the field, Colonel Perry himself, however, standing erect through it all. I cannot better describe our part in the work of that day than by giving entire the report of Colonel Perry. This was the only occasion when he led us in per- son in a fight, and therefore the only report of a battle which is from his pen. True the engagement was but a skirmish, and we would have made little note of it in after-years; but because it was our first engagement, and the only one in which we were to be led by the gallant soldier under whom
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FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
we had enlisted, the battle of Port Royal Ferry is cherished in our memory, not with undue, but possibly with dispro- portionate interest.
Report of Colonel James H. Perry, Forty-eighth New York Infantry.
HEADQUARTERS FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, HILTON HEAD, S. C., January 3. 1362.
CAPTAIN : I beg leave respectfully to submit for the information of the General commanding the following report of the participation of my command in the affair at Port Royal Ferry on the Ist instant :
On account of some delay on the part of the Forty-seventh New York, I detained my column at Adams' plantation (the place of land- ing) until the latest moment, and finally commenced the march before the arrival of two companies of that regiment. I had advanced per- haps three quarters of a mile, when I received an order from the General to bring forward my command with the greatest expedition. We immediately advanced at double-quick until we overtook the sup- porting column, when I received notice of the existence of a battery threatening our right flank, and was ordered to attack and capture it. In obedience to the order, I immediately deployed my column, and forming double line of battle advanced upon the position of the enemy, the Forty-eighth New York, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, leading, supported by the Forty-seventh New York, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Fraser.
When my first line was fairly under fire at long range it was halted under shelter of the timber and protected by the inequalities of the ground, and I sent forward two companies of skirmishers, with orders to ascertain the exact position of the battery, the best method of ap- proaching it, the number of its guns, and with what force it was supported. The skirmishers were met by a sharp fire of artillery and musketry, but they went forward steadily and rapidly, and soon re- ported to me that a marsh covered the front of the enemy's position. and that they had at least four guns, supported by a heavy force of infantry. I then advanced the Forty-seventh New York for the pur- pose of manœuvring upon the left flank and gaining the rear of the enemy before attacking in front. The Forty-seventh pressed through the timber, and had gained a position well on the left and rear, and their advance had exchanged a few shots with the enemy, when I re- ceived the General's order to retire. the battery on the river having been taken and the object of the expedition accomplished. I drew off my men without loss. Three members of the Forty-eighth Regi-
27
PORT ROYAL FERRY TO FORT PULASKI.
ment were slightly wounded, but not a man was disabled or rendered unfit for duty.
I am happy to add, that the men and officers of my command be- haved with great steadiness and resolution, obeying the word of com- mand under fire as if they had been on drill.
Very respectfully,
J. H. PERRY,
Colonel Forty-eighth Regiment New York Volunteers.
We spent that first night of the new year on the battle- field, not being permitted to build fires lest we should at- tract the fire of the enemy, and as we were not prepared with suitable clothing to spend a winter's night out of doors, we shivered ; indeed, with the exception of the winter nights on Belle Island, the writer does not ever remember to have suffered so from the cold as during that long and chilly night at Port Royal Ferry. In the morning we re-embarked and returned to Hilton Head, having destroyed the rebel works and accomplished the object of our expedition. And so our first engagement with the enemy, though merely-to quote Colonel Perry's words-"an affair," was a victory. The reason of the Confederates for making a stand at Port Royal Ferry was because the "Shell Road" (the only thoroughfare by land between Beaufort and Charleston) reaches the Coosaw River at this point. Although we whipped the enemy in this little battle they reoccupied their works immediately after we abandoned them, and the Coosaw River continued to be the dividing line between the contending armies for the next three years.
On January 12th a set of colors, consisting of a regimental flag and two " markers," was presented to the regiment from friends in Brooklyn.
On January 18th, Captain Ward of Company I resigned. We remained in our camp at Hilton Head during the most of that month. Many amusing incidents might be recalled. if space would permit, that served to break the monotony of camp-life in those days. For instance, while Company B was on provost-guard one day, Private Patrick Reilly rolled an unexploded eleven-inch bombshell up to a camp-
28
FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT, N. Y. S. VOLS.
fire and began to probe the vent of it with an ignited stick ; of course it exploded, making great havoc everywhere, but leaving Private Reilly absolutely unharmed. From that day he carried the nickname of "Bombshell Reilly." At that time Captain Quincy A. Gillmore was chief-engineer of the Department of the South, a gallant soldier, destined hereafter to be associated as our commander with the greater part of our history as a regiment. To him General Sherman intrusted the task of the reduction of Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savannah River. In aid of that under- taking it was determined to occupy Dawfuskie Island. S. C., and to construct batteries on two mud islands on opposite sides of the Savannah River, in order to cut off communica- tion between Fort Pulaski and the city of Savannah. It was that part of the work which was intrusted to us. On January 25th we broke camp at Hilton Head, and marched to Saybrook's Landing. One wing of the regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, was safely landed at Haig's (or Hague's) Point on Dawfuskie ; all but Corporal Dutcher of Company A, who walked overboard in his sleep and was drowned. (His was the eighth death since leaving Camp Wyman.)
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