To sacrifice, to suffer, and if need be, to die : a history of the thirty-fourth New York Regiment, Part 4

Author: Chapin, L. N. (Louis N.)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Little Falls, NY : Galpin CWRT
Number of Pages: 218


USA > New York > To sacrifice, to suffer, and if need be, to die : a history of the thirty-fourth New York Regiment > Part 4


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24


Major Sponable also had a servant by the name of Robert Scott, who was like the others, faithful and true. He was an escaped slave, who joined us at Camp McClellan. He was brought home by the Major at the close of our service. He went to school in Little Falls during the summer of 1863, and the Major finally got him a position as waiter in a restaurant, in Syracuse.


Captain Clark reports that on one occasion, when he was on picket at Edward's Ferry, General Stone tried to send back to Virginia two boat loads of these blacks that had "sought sanctuary" in our camps. The Confederate picket refused to let them land. Stone still ordered the men to row on, but the rebel picket threatened to shoot, and so Stone gave it up. Stone was imprisoned after Ball's Bluff, and later was released, and restored to the confidence of the government. Still later he became a Pasha in Egypt.


23


OFF TO THE FRONT


The regiment now has the custody of about seventeen miles of river front, parallel to which runs the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The line runs from a point two miles east of Great Falls, to eight miles west of Seneca Mills. In addition to this laborious picket duty, there was, of course, the usual amount of guard duty at the home camp, which was by no means light, and the regular drills and inspections. During this time, the unknown land, which lay south of the river, was a region of special interest and inquiry among both officers and men. The fact that it was a forbidden country, made it all the more interesting. There was not much evidence of the presence of soldiers on the other side, and this augmented the temptation to steal over. It was on one of these scouting expeditions that Oliver P. Darling, of Company B, lost his life ; Bob Gracey, of Company H was shot and captured, and Captain Wells Sponable of Company B, came near sharing the fate of one, or the other, or both. It was a close shave for the Captain. Fortunately we have the . account of this adventure in Captain Sponable's own words :


"While encamped at Seneca Mills, and being this day, September 16, on duty as regimental officer of the day, Colonel Wm. Ladew told me he had that day heard that a rebel regiment had recently been stationed at Dranesville, a small place, from four to six miles from our camp, on the Virginia side of the Potomac. The Colonel relieved me from the duties of officer of the day, and placed Captain John Beverly on that duty. While I was getting ready to cross the river, Private Oliver P. Darling, of my company, and Bob Gracey, of Company H, obtained permission from the Colonel to accompany me. My instructions from the Colonel were verbal: to obtain all the information pos- sible, and report as soon as practicable; at the same time to use my best judg- ment as to my actions while on said expedition. We crossed the river about sundown, passed into a large cornfield, crossed the marsh on the logs, and pro- ceeded on our way. A short distance behind us came eight or ten members of our regiment, that were stationed at Muddy Branch, on picket, who were on their way to obtain some of the rebels' green corn on the island. Directly after crossing the marsh. as the evening was quite light, I proceeded along the edge of a woods on our right, being temporarily shielded on the left by another large cornfield. I took the lead, Darling in the center, and Gracey brought up the rear. The whole of the picket that were following had not crossed over the logs when I heard a slight noise in the cornfield on my left, probably not over three rods distant from me. Instantly thereafter I heard the command to fire given, which was followed by a volley of rifles; how many there were I cannot say. I looked over my shoulder and saw both of my companions fall, and, supposing them dead, as my hat had been knocked off my head by a rebel bullet, I thought it time for me to rejoin my regiment, if possible so to do. In much less time than it now takes to tell it, I turned to the right, passed through the woods, and came out about half a mile further up the river than I had crossed earlier in the evening. Upon arriving at the river, it took me but a moment to decide what was best to do: swim the river at once, or remain to be captured. I plunged into the river, and immediately thereafter the rebels commanded me to return. Not feeling disposed to obey their order, I swam as fast as possible, they at the same time accelerating my exertions by firing about twenty shots at me, none of which, however, hit me, though they came in rather close proximity. Upon regaining the camp, I found the regiment under arms, and also learned that some of the shots fired at me had entered the camp.'


Captain Sponable goes on to say :


"Bob Gracey was taken prisoner, but subsequently escaped by drugging his guard. On his return to the regiment he told me that, while a prisoner, he paid an Irishman two dollars to bury two men, he supposing that I had also been killed, as was Darling."


24


HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT


There was a good deal of commotion in camp the night this adventure was proceeding. We could plainly hear the firing. The whole regiment was ordered out, for it was pretty well known that there was a force of rebels, some 1,200 strong, across the river, with unknown intentions, and Captain Sponable had evidently come in con- tact with them. The regiment was advanced to the river, and what took place there is briefly stated by an officer in Company C:


"I got Company C in a position that commanded the river for a mile or two. I then learned that Captain Sponable and all his men had either been killed, or taken prisoners. I started to go down to the river crosslots, when whom should I meet but Sponable himself, with only one boot on, and wrapped up in a big shawl. Lost one boot, leggings, and revolver in swimming the river. I was overjoyed to see him, but could not help laughing at his ridicu- lous appearance.'


There was a great sensation in camp when the Captain arrived, and. this was repeated some time later in the month, when Bob Gracey him- self appeared one morning. He looked as if he had had a hard time, and indeed he had. It appears that he had been shot through and through, the bullet entering his chest, passing through one lung, and out at his back. He had escaped, as stated above, by drugging his guard. "Big Bob" was surrounded by the comrades, and had to tell the story of his adventures many times over during the days that fol- lowed. It was this experience which led to his health giving out entirely the following year, and in October, 1862, he was discharged in conse- quence. Among the men who had followed the Major's company was Corporal Zugg, of Company D (borne on the rolls as Zaugg). Zugg was also wounded, but made his escape back to the Maryland shore. While in hospital, suffering from his wound, he was attacked with lock- jaw, and for a long time lay in this condition, his jaws firmly set, and just space enough between his teeth to insert a knife blade. Zugg was 'a swarthy little runt of a French Canadian," and had been a soldier in the English army during the Crimean war, passing through all its many battles unscathed. Strange behavior of fortune, to let a man go unharmed through all that danger, only to be killed later in a little skirmish on the Potomac. Stranger yet, that fortune should requite this brave man, who had undertaken to fight the battles of freedom for his adopted country, by bearing him ever since on its rolls as a deserter. Another singular instance of unrequited fortune, in connection with this little excursion into Virginia, was the case of Corporal Kellogg, also of Company D. Kellogg was a magnificent specimen of physical man- hood, and as handsome as a picture. He was taken prisoner at the same time, and was never able afterward to return to the regiment. But let this bit of homely philosophy comfort us : they also served their coun- try, who served in prison walls.


October 12, occurred an event tragic and shocking in the extreme. Hiram Burke stabbed and killed Lawrence Rooney, during an alterca- tion. Both were Company B men. Burke was taken to the Rockville, Md., jail, and the regiment moving shortly after, the only record we can trace of him is that he was " dishonorably discharged " for the crime.


CHAPTER III


EDWARD'S FERRY. BALL'S BLUFF. WINTER AT CAMP MCCLELLAN.


T HESE scouting expeditions across the Potomac thickened, rather than thinned, as the season advanced. Finally, there was an effort on the part of General McClellan, now in command ot the Army of the Potomac, to determine the strength and character ot the rebel forces scattered along the upper Potomac, on the Virginia side.


It was the fortune of the Thirty-fourth to play a more or less important part in that little red drama, known in the annals of the great rebellion, as the Battle of Ball's Bluff. Leesburg, nearly opposite us, . was a good sized Virginia town, and was supposed to be the head- quarters for quite a large body of the enemy. General Charles P. Stone was in immediate command on our side; and, on October 20, received orders from McClellan to feel the ground around Leesburg. With this in view, he directed Colonel Devens, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, to send out a scouting force, to determine just what there was at Leesburg. The scouting party reported a small force only in sight; whereupon five companies of the Fifteenth were thrown across at Harrison's Island; and afterward other troops, numbering, all told, 1,900 men. This force was attacked by a superior force of rebels, under General Evans, and driven into the river, with great slaughter.


Our fortunes, however, lay at Edward's Ferry, some four miles below, and were not so disastrous. Monday morning, October 21, we broke camp at Seneca Mills, and started for Poolesville, some eight miles away. We were soon halted, and our destination changed to Edward's Ferry. Arriving at that place about noon, we found the movement across the river already under way. Two regiments were across the river, and others waiting for the ferry. Heavy cannonading was kept up by our batteries on the Maryland side, on what appeared to be rebel redoubts some distance back from the river ; but without draw- ing any fire from that direction. The means of transportation to the western bank of the river were nothing to brag of. Two old scows had been conscripted from the adjacent Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and were poled back and forth in primitive fashion. During the afternoon our turn came, and for the first time the regiment squatted on the sacred soil of old Virginia. Pickets were thrown out, and the scant forces, thus quite isolated, awaited events. Toward midnight, most unsavory rumors began flying about. These were to the effect that Colonel Baker's forces, which had crossed at Harrison's Island, above, had been badly cut up ; that Colonel Baker himself, had been killed ; and that the victorious enemy were now on their way to give us a dose of the same medicine. Immediately began a hurried retreat back across the river. This continued until another batch of rumors started flying-to the effect that McClellan, with a large body of troops, was on his way to reinforce us, coming up the Virginia side of the river. This stopped


27


EDWARD'S FERRY


the retreat, and such forces as had been taken to the Maryland side were brought back. All the talk now was about an immediate advance on Leesburg. During the afternoon following we were suddenly thrown into great excitement by hearing volley after volley of musketry dis- charged among the pickets, and soon after a long line of rebel troops was plainly discernible, just in rear of our retreating pickets. At this juncture, two pieces of artillery opened a brisk fire upon the advancing enemy, and the infantry lined up for action. The rebels, however, soon beat a hasty retreat, and our picket line was immediately restored. Company G was thrown forward to support the most advanced pickets, and the rest of the regiment held in reserve well toward the front. A company of the First Minnesota, another regiment of the brigade, was on the right of Company G, and during the brief engagement had one man killed, and another wounded, the man killed receiving four bayonet thrusts after he fell, mortally wounded by a shot through the hip. · Wednesday afternoon there was again some commotion out on the front, but nothing came of it ; and Wednesday night the troops were all transferred back to the Maryland side.


This whole event acquires importance by reason of what took place elsewhere, rather than by what we experienced. There is no reason why we should not have had a dose of the same medicine that was given to the Fifteenth Massachusetts, and the other regiments that crossed at Ball's Bluff. It is probable the enemy did not understand our isolated position. At the time they made their appearance, as above recorded, General Banks had a large force on the Maryland side, waiting to cross. This acted as a first-class bluff. So far as known, Captain Wells Sponable of Company B, and Private James Faville of Company K, were the last persons to leave the Virginia side. Coming to the river bank, they found large numbers of muskets, and a great quantity of provisions, abandoned on the bank. All this stuff they threw into the river before leaving.


Greeley in his "American Conflict," describing the events that took place at Ball's Bluff, adds this in regard to our movement at Edward's Ferry :


"Meanwhile General Stone had directed General Gorman to throw across the river at Edward's Ferry, a small force, which made a cautious reconnais- sance for about three miles, on the road to Leesburg, when, coming suddenly upon a Mississippi regiment, it exchanged volleys and returned. General Gorman's entire brigade was thrown over at this point during the day; but, as it did not advance, its mere presence on the Virginia side of the Potomac, so far from the scene of the actual combat, subserved no purpose. After the dis- aster was complete, General Stone, about ten P. M., arrived on the ground, opposite Ball's Bluff, from which our ill-starred advance was made, as did General Banks at three next morning, and General Mcclellan on the evening of that day. But it was now too late. No relief was sent while relief could have availed. Even McCall retired from Dranesville southward (on the Virginia side) on the day of the fatal fight."


On recrossing the river the regiment did not return to its old camp at Seneca Mills, but proceeded to Poolville, where it went into camp, and remained until the following spring. This camp was known as " Camp Mcclellan." At this time we were brigaded with the Fifteenth


28


HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT


Massachusetts, First Min- nesota, and Eighty-second New York ( formerly Sec- ond New York Militia) under the command of Gen- eral Willis A. Gorman.


Previous to this Edward's Ferry movement, Colonel Ladew had re- turned, and resumed com- mand of the regiment ; but, always in extremely poor health, and seemingly un- able to endure the fatigue of campaigning, he was unable to accompany the regiment across the river ; and was again compelled to be absent from his com- mand until the 20th of February. The winter on the upper Potomac was one of much severity. In spite of stringent orders to the CAPTAIN THOMAS CORCORAN-1865 contrary, there was a good deal of intercourse, of the friendliest character, between the pickets on the opposite sides of the river. There were a good many meetings in mid-stream, much commerce in the way of swapping of coffee for tobacco ; swapping of newspapers and general exchange of news and views, not considered contraband. Not infrequently our pickets would cross to the other bank or the rebs to ours, for purposes of more friendly intercourse. This was wholly out of order, of course, and in fact, dead against orders ; and more than one officer lost his head on account of it. But neither officers nor men could withstand the deadly fascination of the game. It was delicious. And the officers and men on the reb side couldn't abstain from it any more than we could. As the winter advanced, river and canal were fast locked in icy fetters. And then the northern boys wished they had brought their skates; for they could see the Johnnies, on the other side, having a good time on the ice. January 10, there was a heavy fall of snow, and the weather became bitterly cold. The rigors of picket, down on the river, could not be abated ; but in camp the men made themselves as comfortable as possible. Congenial spirits among the men, drawn together by that selective affinity which sometimes makes strange bedfellows, would combine, and erect little log-walled huts, with some kind of rude roof- ing, and so make themselves quite cosey. Then, again, some strange josey, would go and live by himself, solitary like, chumming or frater- nizing with nobody. It was his way, and he was let alone.


29


EDWARD'S FERRY


And all the time at the camps there was drill, drill : company drill, regimental drill; and three times a week there was brigade drill. These brigade drills were grand affairs, and quite worthy a long journey to see. Everything was spick and span, bright and shining ; and three brass bands, and several drum corps in the brigade, made up a quite over- powering mass of glory. Occasionally, also, there would be grand reviews of all the troops in that vicinity, serenely contemplated by either the great General George B. McClellan himself, or by General Charles P. Stone, who, if it had not been for the red memory of Ball's Bluff, and Edward's Ferry, might have counted himself, also, to have been some great person. But at this time the Thirty-fourth itself had no band; that is, had not the real brass thing. And feeling the humiliat- ing position in which this naturally placed the regiment, there was a general chipping in, the brass horns were ordered, and soon the Thirty- fourth had as good a band as any. This story teaches us, that, in time · of war, if you can't have the real thing, in the way of glory, such as battles and killings, a brass band is the first, last, and best sub- stitute.


To the everlasting credit of all the officers and men, be it said, that there was the most determined effort, through all the hard winter, to make the most and the best of the situation. Largely through the exertions of Chaplain Van Petten, there was erected a commodious chapel, in which there was preaching on Sunday, Bible class on Mon- day evening, prayer meeting on Tuesday and on Thursday evenings, and a Lyceum meeting on Wednesday evening. This Lyceum was a great thing. And the debates were masterful and eloquent. Some of the debates were on war topics, and the state of the country, and showed the true statesman-like breadth and grip of events. The following were the officers: President, Lieutenant-Colonel James A. Suiter ; Vice-President, Captain D. J. Rich; Secretary, Lieutenant W. S. Wal- ton ; Treasurer, Adjutant George W. Thompson.


We observe the danger we encounter in this narrative of making the view a little too rosy. We note with regret our constant tendency to lean that way. And, lest some of our old comrades should be beguiled by this narrative into believing that they must have had a very delightful time that winter, after all, we will have to admonish them not to forget how it rained that winter ; how it snowed ; how it froze ; how it thawed and let the bottom drop out of all the roads, and of many more equally interesting facts. Some men thought it rained all the time; but this view was not generally held; for quite as many thought it snowed all the time; but all agreed that the weather was doing something all the time, quite extraordinary. Hard labor was incessant ; sickness was very common ; and suffering was universal. Living on the raw like that, is the thing to bring out all the weak, and the strong, and the singular traits in human nature. You find out all that was born in a man, and all that he has since acquired. The sharp attrition of the closely herded camp life grinds a man hard, and sometimes uncovers things not suspected before.


30


HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT


We must not forget to speak of a nice little event that occurred on the Ist of February. That was the presentation of a sword to Dr. S. N. Sherman, the surgeon of the regiment. Sherman was a member of Congress yet, and away a good deal at Washington. But on the occa- sion of one of his visits to camp he was presented with a fine sword and belt. This was on account of his personal care and interest in the wel- fare of the men on the occasion of the crossing at Edward's Ferry, October 21. The sword bore an inscription appropriate to that event. The doctor was a very popular man from the beginning of his connec- tion with the regiment, until his retirement March 6, 1863, to accept the position of Surgeon of United States Volunteers. The doctor, next to Lieutenant-Colonel Suiter, was the oldest officer in the regi- ment, the colonel being forty-four years old at the time of entering the service.


From early in August, 1861, to November 12, 1862, Quartermaster Nathan Easterbrook, Jr., was on detached duty on the staff of General Gorman, commanding the brigade. During the interval, this depart- ment was administered at first by First Lieutenant Elijah R. Brown, of Company A, for nearly a year ; and afterward by First Lieutenant Alfred T. Atwood, of Company I. Both officers served the regiment with fidelity and ability. In one of the letters of Lieutenant W. S. Walton we find the following neat little allusion to Quartermaster Easterbrook :


"Conspicuous among General Gorman's staff, we noticed, on both occasions (brigade reviews), your friend and fellow townsman, N. Easterbrook, Jr., now honored with the duties and emoluments of Captain Brigade Quartermaster and aide-de-camp. Active, earnest, and kind to all, he deserves his good fortune, and nothing would please us more than to have some military dignity say, 'Come up higher.'"


A very cheery event during these winter months, and, in fact, always, was the arrival of the paymaster. In those days we were paid off in coin, and the formidable twenty-dollar gold pieces were very much in evidence in the regiment after these visits. A snug bit of money it took to go around; but Paymaster King always brought enough. This being paid in coin did not continue long; for soon the white and yellow metals disappeared, and did not reappear as currency for more than eleven years.


CHAPTER IV


MOVING AT LAST. OPENING OF THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO R.R.


A ND so the winter wore away, and it came to be the end of Febru- ary. After a thousand rumors had settled it otherwise, we finally, on February 26, left Camp McClellan, and headed for old Virginia's shore. First to Adamstown, where we took train, then to Harper's Ferry, where we left the train, and crossed the Potomac on a pontoon bridge. This is where the Potomac cuts through the Blue Ridge Mountains, leaving the sharp cleavage of Maryland Heights on one side, and Loudon Heights on the other. While here the men took up their quarters in a large brick building, that was formerly used as a cot- ton factory. When we went down to the dedication of our monument .September 17, 1902, we reached Harper's Ferry the first night ; and the next morning the men took a walk down to the old factory, which seemed not to have changed much.


At that time, however, 1862, outside the view which nature afforded, there was little of natural beauty. On the contrary, the scene was one of widespread desolation. War had surely wrought havoc here. Here were the ruins of the United States Armory ; of the great railroad bridge of the Baltimore and Ohio ; of large flouring mills, and of many other important buildings ; as well as all the substantial reminiscences of the John Brown episode ; and everywhere, also, the reminders of the sanguinary struggles that had but recently taken place between the Union and Confederate forces. The boys took it all in.


On March 4 we left Harper's Ferry, and moved to Bolivar Heights, two and a half miles away. The situation here was a most command- ing one, and we are bound to see a good deal of it, first and last. March 7, at eight A. M. the brigade leaves old Bolivar, and is headed south, up the Shenandoah Valley. At ten o'clock it is near Charlestown, and goes into camp in the edge of a woods, overlooking the beautiful valley. Here till the 10th. At six o'clock in the morning, in the midst of a pouring rain, it is off again, down through Charlestown, and headed for Berryville. Now there is firing ahead, ominous sounds and sights of every kind, and it looks as if our time had come, for we are on the very frontier of the advancing column. But no ; the enemy offers but little opposition, and soon we are in Berryville, and down comes the secesh rag, and up go the stars and stripes. Still there are threatening sounds ahead, until our cavalry swoops down the road, and just cleans it.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.