USA > New York > To sacrifice, to suffer, and if need be, to die : a history of the thirty-fourth New York Regiment > Part 7
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THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES
troops as to which had the right of way. In many cases, wagons had to be abandoned, and there was a good deal of plundering on the part of the soldiers.
However, the most of the army eventually reached Harrison's Landing. The army by this time had lost all pretense of being an organ- ized body. It was little better in appearance than a mob. No enemy could have more completely demoralized it ; there were scarcely a dozen men of any one regiment together. But the flag of the Thirty-fourth, carried by Charley Barton, was stuck up in one place, with three men attending it, and along in the afternoon the men began to find it. All night long they were coming in, and the wagons also, bearing the sick and the wounded, began to arrive. These poor fellows had had a hard time. Many of them had to be carried in the rude lumber wagons, and had suffered from hunger, and thirst, and weariness, beyond all description.
By the lists which we give elsewhere it will be seen that there were quite a good many deaths in the regiment shortly after the arrival at Harrison's Landing. These were mostly the men who had been sick at the time of starting. The ride really killed them.
We shall not soon forget the case of David W. Dye, of Company K. Dye had been sick almost constantly from the time the regiment went south. The doctors could not tell what was the matter with him. We have always thought it was a case of homesickness. The poor fellow pined, and pined, and longed for home. Occasionally he would rally a little, and then be down again. He had come from Argusville, Schoharie County, and was a splendid man in every way. Could he have gone home for a few days, we think he would have recovered his health, and afterward been all right. On the afternoon of the day of which we speak, Dye was taken out of one of the heavy wagons a mere skeleton. The boys, having made him comfortable, proceeded to make a fire and some tea ; and while they were about this the feeble voice of Dye was heard, saying : " Boys, won't you please give me a little tea?" Of course, they responded, and everything was done that was possible to make him comfortable. Then he gave one of the comrades a ring he had on his finger, and told him to please see that it was sent to his wife at home, and to say to the wife that he felt his time had come, for he was sure he was going to die. That night he was put on the hospital boat Euterpe, along with men either sick or wounded, and taken down the river. Lieutenant Walton, who had been wounded at White Oak Swamp, and left behind at Malvern Hill, and was afterward found by the rebels as they advanced, and taken to Richmond and to Libby Prison, was very soon exchanged, and sent down the river to Fortress Monroe, and put on board of this same boat ; and afterward had this to say of poor Dye : "On being taken on board the hospital boat Euterpe, at Fortress Monroe, we found many sick who were to be removed to other cities. A more wretched, pitiful looking lot of beings we have seldom seen. Members of our regiment, whom we left in the full en- joyment of health, stout and robust, we found hovering on the verge of
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
the grave, looking far worse than death, with their sunken ghastly eyes, hollow cheeks and fleshless limbs. Of all victims, however, none de- serve a eulogy more than David W. Dye, who died on the Euterpe just before its departure for New York. Quiet, obliging and kind-hearted, he was prompt as a soldier, a friend and a man. Heaven is richer for his loss." Much the same might be said of very many other members of the regiment who died at this time, and after this terrible Seven Days' fight. In fact, with every one of these in the army. It is a little to die under such circum-
1900-CAPTAIN JOHN O. SCOTT-1861
there is a little story to go men who died of sickness different to be sick, and stances, from what it is to die at home, sur- rounded by your friends. The time at Har- rison's Landing was de- voted to restoring the or- ganization of the army, getting the men reclothed, paid off. and generally recruited up. There had been immense destruction of stores all the way along. At Savage Station, on the 29th of June, a great many cars loaded with ammu- nition, food, clothing, etc., were destroyed to prevent their fall- ing into the hands of the enemy. Portions of our bri- gade were detailed for this work. Many wounded, and in temporary hospitals, were also left behind with their surgeons. There were 2,500 sick and wounded left behind at this one place. These, of course, all fell into the hands of the enemy.
July 2Ist the men were paid off. On the 22d there was a grand review. On Thursday night, July 31st, we were all suddenly aroused by a tre- mendous cannonading down at the river. In a few moments we were all under arms, thinking we had been attacked, and it was some time before the true cause of the affair was discovered. It appears that the rebels had opened fire on our camp and on the vessels in the river from the opposite shore. Things were pretty lively for a while; but when our gunboats in the river opened fire on them at close range, the rebel fire was quickly silenced.
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THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES
The only important movement made at this time was a reconnais- sance in force back as far as Malvern Hill and White Oak Swamp. The movement began Monday, August 4. The Thirty-fourth was very much interested in revisiting the battlefield of June 30. Trees cut down by bullets, and general desolation everywhere, attested the severity of that conflict. Perhaps the most painful hundreds of half-buried Union army. Of course, where they fell, and the at the hands of the enemy. thing to be seen was the dead, particularly of the our men had been left only burial they got was As a general thing, an enemy in warfare does not make a good under- taker, and the rebs were no exception in this case. A lot of our men would be piled together, and a little dirt thrown over them, leav- ing their heads and feet stick- ing out. At Malvern Hill we had an opportunity of seeing the fear- ful ordeal through which the fields and woods had passed during the terrible conflict of July Ist.
Unexploded shells, which had been fired by our gunboats, were also found, some of them two feet long and eight inches in diameter. It was extremely disagreeale business marching over some portions of this field, on account of the horrid odor from the decaying bodies. The Richmond Dispatch was the author of a statement, made at this time, that a man who dies for his country is entitled to a grave beneath her soil; but not all southern people, particularly those in the southern army, concurred in this view. On the fol- lowing Thursday morning we returned to Harrison's Landing.
1861-CAPTAIN EMERSON S. NORTHUP-1902
Our next move was to be another of those masterly retreats for which our commanding general was so famous. Not in many a day, not until many a mile has been marched, many a battle fought, and many a sacred life surrendered, shall we again be near enough to behold the spires of Richmond, as we did at Fair Oaks.
CHAPTER VIII
LEAVING THE PENINSULA. HARRISON'S LANDING TO ANTIETAM
O N Saturday morning, August 16, there was great commotion in camp, and great preparations for an important move. It turned out to be a move down the peninsula, instead of up. Two days later we crossed the Chickahominy on a pontoon bridge. Why could not the army have had such a bridge at Edward's Ferry, and Ball's Bluff, the preceding October, when that disastrous move was made across the Potomac? On Tuesday, near night, we passed through the college town of Williamsburg, the scene of that terrible battle just three months before. It was now a scene of desolation. Weeds and vines were rapidly obscuring the streets. If our march up the peninsula had been made unpleasant by the constant rains, we now had a taste of something quite different. No rain had fallen for some time, and the great army, marching over the narrow roads, made the dust unspeakably annoying. It was so deep it rolled over into the tops of the men's army shoes. The subtle irritant penetrated everywhere, even through the woolen clothing. The men were badly chafed, and suffered intensely under the burning sun, and under their heavy loads. Oh, now for one of those drenching showers, such as we had when we were going up the peninsula over at New Kent Court House. and Eltham Farm, and Tyler House. But the skies are brazen, and blistering heat is all they have to give us.
Who are these men on horseback, riding by? They all have hand- kerchiefs tied over their faces. Horses and men are all of a color. It is the ghastly pallor of the dead. Indeed this passing cavalcade might be the sheeted dead, riding to doomsday and to judgment. No word comes from any one to indicate their business. The infantry falls back in equal silence to make a passage for them. Finally they have dis- appeared, to the infinite relief of all, for their appearance is a ghostly omen, and no one likes it. It is only a detachment of the Union cavalry ; but loaded with dust. The horses are barely able to keep their feet ; and the men are barely able to keep their saddles. It is bad enough march- ing on foot at such a time; it is worse, riding in the cavalry. Every horse throws up a little cloud of dust, and the suffering is something awful. At such a time you can discern a body of horsemen passing over the country, though they be out of sight, and miles away, by the column of dust.
In due course we are back again at Yorktown. The army has been marching in three great parallel columns, and there has been no stop. Leaving Yorktown behind us, we are soon at Big Bethel. But instead of turning off to Hampton as we expected, we kept straight on to New- port News. In a letter written on the evening of that day we said : "Just as we had halted for a short rest, the clouds grew black and dense; the artillery of heaven began to boom; and the grateful men
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LEAVING THE PENINSULA
were drenched with the falling rain. With what delight did we hail this harbinger of mercy."
Three miles further on we halt and camp. We are at Newport News, the junction of the James and Elizabeth rivers. The sight of the water was most refreshing. As soon as the men broke ranks, they stripped, and plunged into the sea. Scores of the men were so badly chafed their legs were red with blood. A great many had fallen out on the march, as is always the case at such a time. They could not stand the pace, with the heat and dust ; but now they had a chance to catch up, and we all had a good rest. One of the great luxuries at this time were the oysters. The river beds abounded with them, and we helped ourselves to all we could eat. Men would wade out to deep water, feel the oysters with their toes, then dive.
We remained at Newport News until August 25, when, along with as many other troops as the good ship Mississippi could carry, we embarked for Alex- andria. Three days later we were at that ancient port, and went into camp out on the Centerville road. We remained in camp on Centerville road until four o'clock of the following a fter noon, when off we started ; marching back through Alexandria, up the Po- tomac, past Washington, halting about 12 o'clock in the night. The next CAPTAIN DAVIS J. RICH-CIVILIAN morning we pushed on to Chain Bridge. The modern trestle bridge does not look much like the old Chain Bridge of the war time. About five o'clock in the after- noon we started off again ; this time back toward Alexandria ; but when we arrived opposite Washington our course was changed, and we pushed on toward Centerville; in which direction heavy cannonading had been heard throughout the entire day. After marching all night. and until noon of the next day, we arrived at Centerville, to which point Pope's army had fallen back after the battle of the previous day. All remained quiet throughout the day, which was Sunday, and the next
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
morning our division passed out on a reconnaissance, but returned, without having seen anything to indicate the appearance of the enemy on our right flank. Already the army, comprising now both the army of Pope and the Army of the Potomac, began to fall back toward Fair- fax, and at twelve o'clock of the same night our corps took up the rear. Early the next morning we were at Fairfax Court House.
But we wish here to speak of an incident that occurred during that hard night march. What with all the hard marching we had been doing since we arrived from the Peninsula, we were probably the tiredest lot of men that ever lived. The incident referred to occurred in the middle of the night. We had halted for a moment. Immediately every man sank down in his tracks, utterly beat out, and went to sleep. Officers and men alike yielded to the pleading voice of tired nature for a little rest. In the roadway itself, and all along its sides, the ground was covered with the sleeping men. It was in a dense woods, and the moonlight, filtering through the trees, made the place look very beauti- ful, and very ghostly. How long we had been sleeping it is impossible to state. But suddenly, as if roused by some supernatural power, every man sprang to his feet, every man excitedly exclaiming " What is it?" But nobody could tell, for nobody knew. We all had some idea that we had suddenly been charged upon by the enemy's cavalry ; but there was no enemy in sight. Even after regaining their feet, the men were half asleep and utterly bewildered. The writer had some idea, as he opened his eyes, of seeing a dash of men in gray on horseback. But one thing is certain, no men on horseback could ever have ridden along that road without trampling on a thousand sleeping men. But nobody had been hurt ; and to this day the mystery of that sudden awakening has never been cleared up. The historian of the Fifteenth Massachusetts has this to say of that event, quoting from Surgeon Haven, of the regiment :
"Surgeon Haven calls it a panic, and says it occurred about two o'clock in the morning. We were going on a road through a dense woods, when an over- turned wagon, some unruly mule or something of the sort, started a panic, and some of our cavalry and other mounted men rushed through our ranks. I was leading my horse at the time, but held on to her, and we were both driven violently into the wood and brush, where the cavalry and some of the infantry on the other side of the road, poured a volley into us. The whole affair hardly lasted five minutes, but in that time perhaps between twenty and thirty were killed or wounded."
Surgeon Haven is careful to add that none of the Fifteenth were among the killed or wounded ; and we doubt very much if anybody saw any killed or wounded. The above is the only explanation we have ever seen of the occurrence, and this is an explanation that don't explain. Why not call it "The Midnight Attack of the Phantom Cavalry?"
But there is now no more halting or resting. The great campaign of Lee's invasion of Maryland, and which was to end at Antietam, had actually begun. Onward we press through the night. Tired nature shall have no time for rest. Seventeen miles of hard tramping bring us to Chain Bridge, to Tenallytown, and to Rockville, Md., where we hear that Lee has crossed the Potomac at Muddy Branch, with forty thousand men.
1903-MAJOR WELLS SPONABLE-1861
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
This brings us to September 7th. As nobody knew exactly where the rebels were, we really expected a big fight right here, and were in line awaiting it. General Gorman rides along the line, and tells his men they have got to fight; but the real hard fight is ten days off. At Tenallytown the men received their knapsacks, which had been shipped from Harrison's Landing. Major Beverly, who had been absent for some time, was now with the regiment again, and in command, for Colonel Suiter was on the sick list. This heavy marching, continued for so many days, was about as bad as a battle, judging by the way it worsted the men. Forward we go, up through Maryland; on the 10th near Clarksburg; on the IIth to Hyattstown. Here a small body of rebel cavalry was dispersed by Kirby's Battery. On the 12th we were at Urbana, and on the 13th at Frederick City; thence to South Moun- tain where we came in contact with the enemy, but suffered no loss. A fine thing happened at Middletown on the 14th, the day of the South Mountain fight. The men had been marching all day, and were badly whipped, although they had not been in a fight. Toward evening we halted on a beautiful farm. The country around Middletown is very much like western New York: open, with rolling hills and meadows. We expected to remain here for the night; and no sooner had we stacked arms than nine-tenths of the men made a dash for a cornfield a mile away. Green corn in those days was a great luxury ; but we had barely reached the field, and began to pluck the ripened ears, when the bugle sounded to fall in, and we had to make a lively return dash. This extra effort, coming on top of the heavy day's march, didn't rest the men very much ; but we fell in, and never halted again until midnight. We were then on South Mountain, and very softly crept up to a stone wall, believing that the rebels were just on the other side. Not a man was allowed to speak, or hardly breathe. The morning broke, but the rebels were not on the other side of the wall, nor anywhere in sight.
Hitherto Sumner's Corps had consisted of Sedgwick's and Ricli- ardson's Divisions ; but on the 16th of September, a third division was added to the corps, which was under the command of General Wm. H. French. We arrived at Keedysville on the 15th, having passed through Turner's Gap, in the South Mountain Range. At Keedys- ville, which was only a little hamlet, there was a most remarkable spring of water. It was near a small farmhouse and barn. It gushed out from under a shelving rock, formed a deep reservoir, and then flowed off down the hillside in a beautiful river of sparkling water, enough for each, enough for all, enough for evermore. The thirsty men came to drink as men never drank before; hundreds of horses and mules came to take long deep refreshing draughts, and to shake their bridled heads in the crystal flood. How many times since have we heard old soldiers speak of that wonderful spring. We have taken a little pains to give a good picture of it as it appears at the present day ; but regret that the picture is not more satisfactory. The shape of the ground is such that it cannot be made to take in the little old farmhouse and barn ; but still it shows the great reservoir, which is now filled with growing water- cress.
CHAPTER IX
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM
F OR some time the rebel forces had been gathering on the hills around Sharpsburg, three miles to the west, and here was to be our next great battle. As this is not a comprehensive military history, it is entirely aside from our purpose to describe all the move- ments of the army at that time. On the afternoon of September 16th we knew the battle had begun off to the north, and on the other side of Antietam Creek, a little river in itself, which flowed between the rebel army and our own. There was little sleep in the army that night, but there was time to write letters home, telling the folks what we expected. They were the last letters that forty-three different men of the regiment ever wrote. We were astir very early on the morning of the 17th. The heavy guns on both sides were already booming.
Discarding all roads, the whole division, in three great parallel brigade columns, moved westward and northward, fording the great Antietam Creek near a place called Pry's Ford; thence climbing the hills, we pushed on northward and westward, toward the booming of the big guns. The official report which Colonel Suiter made of this
BATTLEFIELD OF ANTIETAM THE MORNING AFTER THE BATTLE (From an old Brady Photograph.)
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
battle is so graphic, and so historically accurate, that we give it entire right here, as affording the very best description of the battle of An- tietam :
REPORT OF COL. JAMES A. SUITER, THIRTY-FOURTH NEW YORK INFANTRY, OF THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
HEADQUARTERS, THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLS., Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Md., September 20, 1862.
: SIR-I would most respectfully make the following report of the battle of the 17th instant.
We lay in camp near Keedysville, Md., on the 16th instant. In the evening of that day I received an order to be prepared to march at daylight on the morning of the 17th instant. In obedience to said order, I was under arms with my command, and so remained until the order was given to move, which was about 7.30 oclock A.M. We moved in a northwesterly direction. Having arrived within about one and a half miles of the battlefield, where General Hooker's forces had been engaged with the enemy, we were formed in line of battle by brigades, Gorman's to the front, First Minnesota Regiment on the right, Eighty- second Regiment New York Volunteers second, Fifteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers third, and my command, Thirty-fourth Regi- ment New York Volunteers. on the left. General Dana's brigade formed the second line. and General Howard's brigade formed the third line. We were moved at double-quick. Arriving near the battlefield, we were moved by the right flank through a piece of timber land (the East Woods-ED.) in three columns. At this point we were considerably crowded, the three columns occupying an extent of not more than forty paces from our left to the right flank of General Howard's brigade, the Seventh Regiment Michigan Volunteers being crowded in my ranks, causing considerable con- fusion.
Arriving at the open field, we were again ordered in line of battle, being still at double quick. We moved over this field to the pike road leading to Sharpsburg. Fronting this was a piece of timber land (the West Woods-ED.), LIEUTENANT WILLIAM R. WALLACE-1863 into which I moved my command, still at double-quick, arriving at about twenty yards in rear of a schoolhouse (the Dunkard Church-ED.), when I discovered the enemy under the hill. I immediately ordered my command to fire, which they did in gallant order.
From some cause to me unknown, I had become detached from my brigade, the One hundred and twenty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers being on my right. On my left and rear I was entirely unsupported by infantry or artillery. The enemy were in strong force at this point, and poured a tre- mendous fire of musketry and artillery upon me. At this time I discovered that the enemy were making a move to flank me on the left. Lieutenant Howe arriving at this time, I informed him of my suspicions. He replied that he thought they were our friends. Lieutenant Wallace, of Company C, proposed going to the front to make what discovery he could. which I granted. He returned, saying that the enemy were moving upon my left flank with a strong force. I turned and discovered Lieutenant Richard Gorman, of General Gor- man's staff, and requested him to inform the general that the enemy were
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THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM
flanking me. He immediately returned for that purpose. Presently General Sedgwick arrived upon the ground. Moving down my line, he discovered the situation of my command, and that the point could not be held by me, and gave the order for me to retire, which I did. Rallying my command, I formed them in line of battle, supporting a battery some 400 yards in rear of the battle field.
In this engagement the casualties were as follows: viz .: 32 killed, 109 wounded and 9 missing. Commissioned officers: I killed, 2 wounded, I taken prisoner (see revised list-ED.).
In connection with this, I cannot speak in too great praise of my officers. When all acted gallantly, it is impossible to single out any. I would, therefore,
1862
1902
1862-BLOODY LANE, ANTIETAM-1902
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
say that all did well and behaved in the most gallant manner. Of Major Beverly I would say that he was invaluable to me, in assisting me on the left of my line in the most trying time. Of my color sergeant I cannot speak in too high terms. He (Sergeant Charles Barton) had carried the banner through all of the battles in which we had been engaged while on the peninsula without receiving a wound. Here it was his fate to be struck five times, and when he was compelled to drop his colors he called upon his comrades to seize them and not to let them fall into the hands of the enemy. This was done by Cor- poral G. L. Haskins, who nobly bore them from the field.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
JAMES A. SUITER, Colonel Commanding.
CAPTAIN J. W. GORMAN, Assistant Adjutant General.
The appearance of the field after the battle is not at all exagger- ated by the pictures which we give of Bloody Lane, and the ground in front of and all around the church. The field was thickly strewn with dead bodies, which soon swelled to enormous proportions, as is usual in such cases. The picture would be a ghastly one if it could be rightly painted. *
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