USA > Ohio > Concise history of the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry : from the date of organization to the end of the rebellion ; with a complete roster of each company, from date of muster ; battles and skirmishes participated in, lists of the killed, wounded and missing, and other incidents of the camp and field > Part 4
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flung back with immense slaughter. There was now a lull in the battle, a sullen silence. The sun was setting and the darkness gathered apace. Oh the horrors that that day had wrought! The field and forest floor around, in front and everywhere was strewn with the dead of the contending armies; from every glen and field and roadside was heard the despairing cries of the wounded. It was hoped the battle was over, but it was not yet over; at sunset a heavy column of the enemy led by Gen. Gordon, stole out from the breastworks on our right, diverged through the forest around our right flank toward the river, silently turned our flank and crept slowly up in the rear of the unsuspecting Brigades of Seymour and Shaler. While this flanking party was lying in wait, another strong column emerged at twilight from the same breastwork the first had vacated and formed pre- paratory to an attack. In the darkness the last column came down on the troops of Shaler and Seymour with furious yells, and sent a volley of musketry that completely surprised the weary troops of these Brigades, who had cast themselves upon the ground for rest. The charge of the enemy was resistless; Shaler's Brigade on the extreme right was doubled up and rolled over and carried away in an instant. Seymour's fared little better. Both commanders and nearly four thousand of their Brigades were taken prisoners. Flying, finding the Rebel lines in their rear, turning back to seek some other way amid the storm of bullets, a few found their way out at last to the Germania plank road. And now was seen Gen. Sedgwick and his staff plunging into the midst of this melee and building up order out of the ruin. The presence of that grand old commander was greeted with cheers and was an assurance of safety that prevented fur- ther panic. The enemy came on raging over the ruins he had wrought, but to no purpose; a new line had been formed by the broken troops who had been rallied and by Neil's Brigade; against it as a billow against a rock, the exultant masses of the enemy fell and were thrown back and retired. Thus ended the battle of the Wilderness. The National losses were about
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eighteen thousand and the Rebel losses about eleven thousand. On the seventh of May, neither Grant nor Lee showed any dis- position to renew the attack, and both stood on the defensive all day. The battle was undecisive.
BATTLE AT ALSOP'S FARM.
The One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment with its Corps began the march to Spottsylvania C. H., noiselessly leaving its position after dark, at eight P. M. of May seventh. A tedious and tiresome march was continued all night and the next day, via Chancellorsville and Todd's Tavern, and the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment arrived in position on Alsop's Farm three miles northwest of Spottsylvania C. H. at six P. M. of May eighth and found the enemy in front in strong works. The One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment with its Brigade was im- mediately formed in line of battle for an assault on the enemy's works. The assault however was abandoned. The Regiment was held in reserve and came under the fire of the enemy while supporting an assault made by a Brigade of the Fifthi Corps, which was repulsed by the enemy. The engagement ended after nightfall, when the enemy fell back, taking position at Spottsyl- vania C. H.
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H.
After dark on the evening of May eighth, the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment with its Corps advanced on the en- emy's position at Spottsylvania C. H., and took position in line of battle confronting the enemy. The Regiment reposed that night under fire of the enemy's skirmishers. On the morning of May ninth, the Regiment built strong earthworks and remained in same position all day. The Regiment was constantly under fire of the enemy's skirmishers and sharpshooters from early morning till night. Heavy musketry and cannonading on the right con- tinued nearly all day. The lamented Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, commander of the Sixth Corps, was killed by the Rebel sharp-
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shooters a short distance to the right of the Regiment. He was succeeded in command by Gen. H. G. Wright.
SKIRMISH, MAY NINTH.
At six P. M. a detail from the Regiment of one hundred men and three officers were sent out to reinforce the picket line, in order to make an advance, to reconnoiter the enemy's position. A very severe skirmish ensued in which the loss was two killed and eight wounded; Capt. R. Lampton and Private John Myers, of Company E were killed in this skirmish, and G. W. Paxton, of Company H, was missing.
On the tenth of May, the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment remained in same position behind the works it occu- pied on the ninth and was continually under fire of the enemy's skirmishers and artillery. Heavy musketry and cannonading was kept up all day on other parts of the lines. Fighting began early in the morning and continued all day, on the right by the line occupied by the Fifth Corps and Second Corps. All day long, the terrific roar of the artillery shook the earth with its fear- ful detonations. On the eleventh, the One Hundred and Twenty- Sixth Regiment with its Brigade was moved a short distance to the left and took a new position. During the day it was con- stantly under fire of the enemy's skirmish line.
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H., MAY TWELFTH.
Parrhasius wanted for his picture of Prometheus but a "dying groan," and without this he felt that he had failed. Walker, the famous army artist, could paint every detail of a battle; but with- out the noise, the terrible clamor, the roar of cannon and mus- ketry, the confusion, the ringing cheers, the actual flutter of the flags, the swaying and surging of the lines of battle, the screams and groans of the wounded and dying, his conception falls far short of the real battle as it rages.
On the twelfth at eleven A. M., the One Hundred and Twenty- Sixth Regiment with its Division was moved one mile to the left
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and formed in support of the First and Second Divisions of the Sixth Corps. At twelve M. the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment was detached from its Brigade and sent to the assist- ance of Brig. Gen. Wheaton's Brigade of the Second Division, Sixth Army Corps. It took a position on the front line, and at once became hotly engaged with the enemy. During the two hours it was engaged fifty rounds of ammunition were expended. The fire to which the Regiment was exposed was most terrific. In every inch was the wing of death. The noonday air became dark and heavy with the powder smoke that hung like a gloomy canopy over the pale, bloody corpses of the slain. Wounded men in scores were borne to the rear, the blood streaming from their lacerated flesh. Each instant some patriotic heart, some noble form, fell prone to the earth and added a new martyr to the cause of freedom. The awful roll of musketry sounded like the continuous roar of the cataract, and was joined by the thunder- ous chime of the deep throated cannon. The Regiment remained at this position waiting to be relieved until all its ammunition was exhausted. The men even took cartridges from the boxes of their dead comrades in order to maintain the fire. The Reg- iment that relieved them would not advance to their place, but took a position behind their dead.
" Stormed at with shot and shell, They that had fought so well, Came thro' the jaws of death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them."
In this fight the Regiment lost sixteen enlisted men killed, and one officer and fifty-three enlisted men wounded. Nine enlisted men died of wounds received in this battle. Lieut. Col. Aaron W. Ebright was in command of the Regiment and was wounded slightly in the head. He signally distinguished himself in this engagement. After the Regiment was relieved, it returned to its Brigade. On the morning of the thirteenth, the enemy was found in a new position some distance in the rear. So ended the battle of Spottsylvania C. H.
*
COL. 183 RP REGT. O.V.I. AND BREVET BRIG. GEN.
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INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE OF MAY TWELFTH.
W. T. Young, a member of Company H, relates these two' incidents: "Our Regiment was ordered to go into action. While moving forward to take our position we were constantly passing wounded borne on stretchers. Among the great number that we passed, was one who was badly wounded in the arm. A. M. Pollock, of our Company, seeing him, remarked, 'If I could get off that well, I would consider myself lucky.' He no doubt in- tended to imply by this remark, that he had a presentiment that he would be killed. The Regiment marched on up the hill, took a position, and at once became engaged. A. M. Pollock, above referred to, was instantly killed. He was a sincere Christian, and a brave soldier."
Mr. Young also says: "During the battle I was only a short distance from Private Henry Hauger, of Company E. The fighting was terrific. The One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Reg- iment occupied an exposed position some fifty yards from the Rebel breastworks. The men were ordered to lie down in order to protect themselves. Hauger did not want to waste his ammu- nition, so he stood up in order that he might take deliberate aim. He soon received a very severe wound, which abruptly ended his gallant fighting. He was not able to return to the Regiment for several months."
Company D had lost all its commissioned officers previous to this battle, and Orderly Sergeant John M. Russell was left in command. During the progress of the battle, Sergeant Russell picked up a wounded comrade (the writer) and delivered him to a stretcher bearer. A moment after, Sergeant Russell was in- stantly killed. He was a devoted Christian, and his gallant conduct in this battle deserves special mention.
Sergeant Ed. S. France, of Company G, says: "A few years ago, on a certain occasion, I was in company with three old sol- diers. Each of them had served in different Pennsylvania Reg- iments in different Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Very
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naturally, we conversed about the incidents of the march, camp life and battle field. Speaking of the battle of Spottsylvania, one of these comrades said that he would long remember the morning of the thirteenth of May; as he that morning was pass- ing over the battle field of the twelfth, he noticed in particular the position of one Regiment, which he could trace out by the line of dead having the same number on their caps. I asked him what was the number of the Regiment. He replied, to my astonishment, that it was the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Ohio, not knowing that I was a member of the Regiment.
BATTLE FIELD OF MAY TWELFTH.
On the thirteenth details were sent out to bury the dead. Never can the recollection of that field be effaced from the men- ory of those who witnessed it. The dead, bloated and swollen until their clothes could scarcely contain them; the blood still oozing from gaping wounds, the ground saturated with gore; dead horses with saddles and harness unfastened, broken guns, the air polluted with stifling odor, arising from decomposing bodies, wounded men in the agonies of death, all tended to make the heart sick and the soul shudder at the sight.
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA, AS PARTICIPATED IN BY THE EN- TIRE ARMY.
On the morning of the ninth of May, 1864, Meade's Army was formed in battle order before the Confederate line. The Corps were arranged in the order named from right to left, Hancock's Second, Warren's Fifth, Sedgwick's Sixth, and Burn- side's Ninth. The day was spent in entrenching and making preparations for the battle. Brisk skirmishing was maintained all day. The Rebel sharpshooters were very active; one of them sent a bullet through the brain of the gallant Gen. Sedgwick while he was giving directions for strengthening the works in his front. He fell dead and was greatly lamented by the Sixth Corps. He was succeeded in command by Gen. H. G. Wright.
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On the morning of the tenth, the battle began on the right. Barlow's Division, which had taken a position across the river Ny, was assailed, and being in an exposed position, was com- pelled to recross the Ny with a heavy loss of men and one piece of artillery. It was now determined to attack the enemy's posi- tion on an eminence, in front of the Second and Fifth Corps, known as Laurel Hill. At eleven A. M., the Brigades of Webb and Carroll made an attack, and at three P. M., the Divisions of Crawford and Cutler of the Fifth Corps, attacked this position, but both these attacks were repulsed with heavy loss. At five o'clock P.M. the Second Corps joined the Fifth Corps, and both moved to the attack. The struggle that ensued was fearful. The two Corps struggled up the slope in the face of deadly fire, and penetrated the enemy's works in two places, but were soon repulsed with dreadful loss of life. An hour later the assault was repeated with another repulse. In these two encounters, six thousand Union troops had fallen, while the loss of the Rebels was not over six hundred. Brig. Gens. J. C. Rice and T. G. Stevenson were among the slain. The assault on Laurel Hill was then abandoned. Later in the evening, two Brigades of the Sixth Corps, under Gen. Russell and Col. Upton, most gallantly assaulted and carried the first line of works in their front, and captured nine hundred prisoners and several guns, but being too far in advance to receive immediate support, they were compelled to fall back, taking with them their prisoners, but leaving the guns behind. So ended at dark the first day of the battle. It had been a day of awful slaughter; nine thousand Union troops and eight thousand Rebels were lost in this day's struggle. On the eleventh no fighting was done except incessant skirmishing. Active preparations were made to renew the attack on the mor- row. Gen. Grant selected a point on the Rebel line in front of the space between Wright and Burnside, as the most favorable to attack, and Hancock was chosen to give the blow. The night of the eleventh was rainy, dark and dismal, and Hancock silently left his position at midnight, and guided by the compass, moved
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his Corps and took a position between Wright and Burnside, ready for the work in the morning. At daybreak in the morning, he advanced in two lines of battle, the first composed of the Divisions of Birney and Barlow, and the Second of Gibbon and Mott. Under cover of a dense fog, noiselessly and swiftly the lines moved over the broken and thickly wooded ground, toward the salient of an earthwork, occupied by Ed. Johnson's Division of Ewell's Corps. The Divisions of Barlow and Birney rushed upon the works in a furious charge, fought hand to hand with bayonets and clubbed muskets, and captured Johnson and his entire Division; also Gen. Geo. H. Stewart and his two Brigades; and about thirty guns and several colors. The triumphant troops pursued after the flying Rebels through the woods toward Spottsylvania C. H., until they were checked by another line of earthworks, behind which the Rebels rallied and turned upon their pursuers. The entire Rebel lines had now been aroused to a sense of their peril, and the most desperate efforts were made to prevent further disaster and to recover what had been lost. Ewell was immediately reinforced by troops from Hill and Long- street, and Hancock was pushed back to the line of works he had taken. Wright, with the Sixth Corps, was ordered up to the assistance of Hancock about seven o'clock A. M., and at eight o'clock Burnside and Warren gallantly attacked the whole line in their front, but the Rebel position was so strong that they not only held firmly their lines, but also sent aid to their friends in front of Hancock. The Divisions of Griffin and Cutler of the Fifth Corps were also sent to the assistance of Hancock, who firmly held on to the prize he had won against great odds. Lee was determined to recover the works Johnson and Stewart had lost. Five distinct times he hurled a tremendous weight of weapons and men on Hancock, in order to dislodge him. The combatants fought hand to hand most desperately, and the flags of both sides were planted on each side of the breastworks simul- tancously, within a few feet of each other. Lee's assaults were repulsed each time with dreadful carnage on both sides, and yet
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he persisted, notwithstanding rain fell heavily all the afternoon. It was midnight before he ceased to fight, when he sullenly withdrew his terribly shattered and worn columns, after a com- bat of over twenty hours, leaving Hancock in possession of the works he had captured in the morning, and twenty guns; and so ended the battle of Spottsylvania. From dawn to night, the roar of artillery and musketry was ceaseless, and a tempest of shot and shell shrieked through the forest and ploughed the fields. Trees were actually hacked down by the bullets, while the smaller limbs and foliage were completely trimmed away.
The Union loss in this battle was, four thousand one hundred and seventy-seven killed, nineteen thousand six hundred and eighty-seven wounded, and two thousand five hundred and seven- ty-seven missing. The scene on the following morning, in the angle of works taken from the enemy, was such as none would ever wish to look upon. Men in hundreds, killed and wounded, were piled in hideous heaps. Some bodies that had lain for hours under the concentrated fire, were completely mangled with the perforations of bullets. The writhing of the wounded be- neath the dead moved at times these masses, or the raising of a quivering limb, told of an agony not yet quenched in death.
On the night of the twelfth the enemy fell back, leaving their dead and wounded. On the morning of the thirteenth, the Reg- iment moved its position about one and one-half miles, where it remained until evening, when it moved back to the position oc- cupied on the twelfth. The Regiment passed over the ground it occupied during the battle on the twelfth, the scene in front of where it lay, and further to the left where troops of the Second Corps fought, was the most horrid-literally a "slaughter pen."
On the morning of the fourteenth, the Regiment with its Division moved six miles to the heights on the north bank of the river Ny, and formed in line of battle. At evening the Regiment with its Division charged across the river Ny, the men wading in water up to their waists; after advancing three miles, it oc- cupied the heights on the south side near the Anderson House.
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The Regiment threw up entrenchments and remained three days, being under the fire of the enemy's skirmishers and artillery. During the night of the seventeenth, it marched back to its posi- tion of the twelfth, arriving on the morning of the eighteenth at six A. M. The Regiment remained there till noon, under a heavy artillery fire, when it commenced a march back to its position on the south bank of the Ny river, near the Anderson House, reaching there at seven P. M. On the ninteenth, the Regiment with its Division marched forward about two miles, but did not bring on an engagement, and again entrenched near the Massaponax Church.
The following letter, written by Capt. Hoge, is further de- scriptive of the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, and is therefore now introduced.
HEADQ'RS CO. B, 126TH OHIO VOLS., 2ND BRIG. 3RD DIV. 6TH A. C., MAY 17TH, 1864.
To the Editor of the Belmont Chronicle ::
SIR: Permit me for the information of those interested, to place on record a brief history of the record and doings of the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Ohio Volunteers, and particu- larly of Company B. Before daylight on the morning of the fourth inst., the Regiment left its winter quarters, and that day crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford. Next day it marched to the front, and late in the evening formed on the extreme right of the third line of battle on the extreme right of the army, in an advance upon the enemy's left. A brisk fight between our front line (the Sixth Maryland and the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio) and the enemy occurred after dark, without im- portant results save in killed and wounded. We lay on our arms that night without much change of position, and by morning two lines were withdrawn, leaving but one, of which the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth formed the extreme right with which to make an advance upon the enemy, announced to take place on the morning of the sixth. At about eight o'clock A. M., we
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advanced through a thick forest and soon became hotly engaged. The Regiment fought gallantly for more than an hour, when it was withdrawn in good order.
The conduct of Col. Smith on this occasion was noble, and elicited the admiration of all who beheld it. He rode contin- ually along the line, cheering on his men and inspiring them with courage. The men would follow him anywhere, so great is their confidence in his cool bravery and military skill. The command of the Brigade had been taken from him and given to Gen. Seymour but the day before. The whole Brigade, if left to choose, would now select Col. Smith as their commander. His military education, experience, bravery, and good qualities, should long ago have made him a Brigadier in fact, as he has been for more than a year in act, but he is not the man to in- trigue for place or press his claims, and merit of itself is slow to win where there is striving competition and scrambling for place. Lieut. Col. Ebright behaved with much gallantry. The loss of the Regiment in this action was, Lieut. Hilles mortally wounded, and Lieuts. Moore and Hixon severely wounded; about twenty- three men killed and one hundred and twenty-four wounded. Lieut. Hilles was a good officer, and his good social qualities made him a large number of strong friends, who mourn his loss. He was doing his duty as a true officer when stricken down, and died as a faithful soldier. Sergeant James was among the killed. He fell shot through the head. He was a very industrious, faithful, and useful man to the Company. He was scarcely able to keep up on the march, but was determined to be present when the trying hour should come. No truer soldier has laid down his life for his country. In the evening just about sunset, the Regi- ment occupied a position in the front line, connecting on the right with Shaler's Brigade of the First Division, which had been placed there soon after the morning's engagement. A dense thicket of underbrush lay in the rear and on the left, while in front and on the right was an extensive woods. All at once the enemy charged through the woods, in great force, upon the right
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flank of our line, completely and suddenly turning it and doub- ling Shaler's Brigade upon our Regiment, and rendering it im- possible for us to fire upon the enemy, who was all the while pouring into us, through that Brigade, a destructive fire of mus- ketry. We could also tell, by the peculiar Rebel yell, that our rear was rapidly being gained, and it became evident that we must fall quickly back toward the left or be captured. This could not be done in good order through the dense thicket, with the men of Shaler's Brigade among us, but a large portion of those who escaped rallied at the first rallying point, and aided in driving back the enemy. Others had passed before any suc- cessful effort to form a line had been made. My Company being on the left of the line was the last to leave, and remained until I ordered it to retire. Five of the Company are known to have been wounded, and eight are missing, supposed to be captured. The missing of the Regiment are two officers and sixty-four men. Gen. Seymour was captured and Col. Smith was called on to sur- render, but escaped through a shower of bullets. Capt. Lyons was killed; Capt. France mortally wounded, Capt. McCready and Lieut. McKinnie wounded, and Lieuts. Watson, Harrison, Kelley and Kerr missing.
On the night of the seventh and on the eightli, we marched to the vicinity of Spottsylvania C. H., where our army again con- fronted the enemy, and threw up riffe-pits. All day on the ninth the skirmishing was exceedingly severe and without a moment's cessation. Many were killed and a large number of wounded brought in. Late in the evening, one hundred men, including my Company, were sent out to support the skirmishers (of the Second Division), in front of our Brigade, in an advance of the line, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the enemy was falling back. The lines advanced-many fell back-our men took their places, and finally the whole were deployed. We advanced through a dense pine forest, hotly resisted, till we ap- proached within sight of the enemy's works. It was after dark, and the firing upon us terrible. Capt. Lampton of our Regi-
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ment was killed, and two men killed, eight wounded and one miss- ing, besides others lost belonging to the Second Division. Finding our position of the line further advanced than the right or left, and the Major commanding the line absent, I ordered the line to fall back. In this rash skirmish, Joshua C. Howell was killed. He was a brave boy, loved by all, and many tears were shed for him. Corp'l Reynolds was wounded.
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