USA > Ohio > History of the three months' and three years' service from April 16th, 1861, to June 22d, 1864, of the Fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the war for the Union > Part 6
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Colonel Carroll was at this time commander of the Fourth Brigade of our Division, and the left flank, while our brigade, the First, was on the right flank, with our regiment, as it had been from the first, on the right of the brigade.
On the 21st we were reviewed by Lincoln and Stanton and other notables. It was intended that we should accompany McDowell, with his thirty thousand men and one hundred guns, on his march south for fifty miles, and join the right wing of McClellan's army before Richmond, which could be done in three days, since there were only twelve thousand Confederates to interfere with the project. Our division rested, bathed, fished, washed, explored the regions round about, and returned in the evening to learn that rations were to be cooked and the men ready to march early in the morning, in the onward to-Shen-
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andoah Valley once more, after Jackson, who had driven Banks up the valley, and Geary and Duryea had fallen back to "protect Washington," and themselves.
It was no great surprise to men or officers. Kimball's pre- diction made the evening before we started "on to Richmond," and concurred in by other officers, "that in two weeks General Banks will be driven up the valley, and the work of a whole winter and a whole spring will have to be done over again," had come to pass. Washington was now again nearly frightened out of its wits, the militia called out, and McClellan forgotten.
The Valley business demanded haste, and we were off early on the morning of the 25th, and by way of Catlett's, Turkey Run, Manassas, Hay Market, Thoroughfare Gap, Rectortown, Manassas Gap, a distance of one hundred miles, came in sight of Front Royal at 10:30 on Friday, the 30th of May; Company C having been sent forward as skirmishers, saw the enemy fleeing, and smoke rising as of buildings on fire; hastened forward on the double-quick, followed closely by the entire force, entered the town, removed two carloads of burning muskets from other cars and depot buildings; many of the loaded muskets becoming heated, kept up a dangerous fusilade and drove the inen from the cars and a burning building.
In the meantime part of the Eighth Ohio came in on another side, assisted in capturing over one hundred prisoners, mostly the sick and stragglers; Ainsworth's Cavalry, supported by some of our regiment and others, dashed after the retreating foe, saved the bridge one mile north of the town, and released many more of Banks' men.
Three locomotives, ten cars, a large amount of muskets and equipments were saved. Companies B and C were detailed as provost-guards, and took charge of the town and prisoners.
The next day McDowell arrived with a number of his troops on the cars, a day after "Shields' light-horse cavalry had made the one hundred miles on foot." Canonading was heard toward the west; Fremont with his usual rapidity of movement had fallen upon Jackson. It had rained in torrents. Our division must again rush forward, this time to intercept the enemy by way of the Strasburg road. For some reason, Shields having taken the wrong road, was permitted to continue up the Luray Valley. On the 2d of June, the men having stood in the rain
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for a long time, lay down at night without supper, and moved hurriedly forward the next morning, the 3d, until 10 o'clock, without breakfast. Torrents of rain and swollen streams pre- vented marching on the 4th, as well as the order that Shields should protect his rear and at the same time head off Jackson, while McDowell, Banks and the militia protected Washington. The humble private could see through and into such a state of affairs and wondered what "nincompoop" was in command of the United States Army. Rain did not keep Fremont from pounding away at Jackson, as we could hear his cannon. Rations were becoming very scarce; fresh pork, mutton and flour-paste cakes-"slap-jacks"-made us a very unhealthy diet. On the 5th, Shields was reported to have issued a cranky and uncalled- for order, to the officers, that "if any of them did not wish to go with him, they should resign and leave, and he would fill their places with better men." Columbia Bridge was reached at night, but we were ordered to return at once to Luray, on account of a probable flank attack by Longstreet from the direction of Culpepper Court House.
On the afternoon of the 6th, Companies B and C marched to a ferry near the town of Massanuten, destroyed several flat-boats used some days previous by the Confederates. One of the boys tried to buy something of a woman to eat, especially bread and honey. "Honey? I'll put daylight through you!" hissed the "Seceshess," as she attemped to snatch his gun. Morning came; her sheep. calves and "porkers" were missing, and forty- five beehives had yielded their contents: "You'ns 'ell ketch it, when the Kurnel, my husband, gits hold of you'ns with his ridgement!" she screeched at the backs of the men as they started for camp with their forage of honey and fresh meat.
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On the Sth. of June all baggage was stored in Luray, and Columbia bridge was reached at 5 P. M., but the command (First and Second Brigades) hurried on until late at night, and started early the next morning up the valley on a forced march for some twelve miles, when it met Generals Shields and Carroll with the remnant of the Third and Fourth Brigades; cheer after cheer went up from these poor comrades, who had to contend against 'ten times their number at Port Republic, and were compelled to fall back after they had again and again hurled back superior num- bers, and even now kept at bay the large force that was follow-
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TO THE RESCUE AT PORT REPUBLIC.
ing them ; these halted when they heard the cheering and saw Companies C and F of the Fourth coming toward them as skir- mishers, supported by a heavy force. We were now only some two miles from Port Republic, where had this morning of the 9th occurred one of the most fiercely contested and important battles of the war. Jackson's whole army was near at hand, driven by Fremont; Carroll having been forced back by superior numbers was not able to burn the bridge, which was a very unfortunate circumstance for us. Could he have done so there might have been excellent chances of bagging Jackson's entire force. McDowell might have given his men more to do than to make excursions through the country on the cars, following up our division as it moved on foot, had it not been for stringent orders from the Secretary of War to make no movement that would throw his forces out of the position of defending the National Capital; thus, now, as in other instances, did the " sha- kiness" of politicians and others at Washington interfere with success in the field. McDowell could not move beyond Front Royal for fear that some one might move between himself and and the Capital; therefore our division must move away from its base of supplies against a greatly superior force. Shields had instructions to keep his men well in hand and permit no part of his force to be advanced beyond the immediate support of any other part. This was a very difficult order to obey, since Jack- so.'s retreat is to be cut off, and the very probable attack on the flank by a force from the direction of Culpepper must also be guarded against; the order was not, and very likely could not have been obeyed, under such circumstances. Generals Carroll and Tyler, after they saw a large number of reinforcements rush- ing across the bridge and advancing against our two brigades that had stood their ground so bravely, ordered and conducted a retreat in an orderly manner, and their men were in their places, marching in good order when we met them, although the enemy was close upon their heels.
The four brigades now marched back to near Shenandoah Furnace, a distance of some eighteen miles. Surgeon McAbee entered the enemy's lines under flag of truce to obtain permission to care for our wounded and bury our dead, but was refused because Jackson had already planned a movement, which he intended in accordance with instructions from General Lee to
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keep " secret from friend and foe;" he did keep it until a very short time before he fell upon Mcclellan's flank and forced him back to Harrison's Landing.
Our division reached Luray on the 15th, rested the next day and explored Luray Cave, received two months' pay the follow- day ; a number of men were without shoes, and had actually worn their feet until they left the blood in their tracks; we were beginning to be a ragged set, when on the 18th the new clothing that was issued put upon us again the appearance of decency, if · not of comfort. On the 20th the Regiment, by some streak of good luck, was put on board a train and started for Manassas, · but it was hardly out of sight when an orderly who had been detained a short time by the breaking of his saddle girth, brought instructions for the entire division to move on foot. The regi- ment went into camp for a week at Bristoe Station, where on the 22d the band received its new instruments, purchased by voluntary contributions of officers and men. The remainder of the division arrived on the 24th.
CHAPTER X.
FROM BRISTOE STATION BY RAIL TO ALEXANDRIA-BY BOAT DOWN CHESAPEAKE BAY, UP THE JAMES RIVER -HARRISON'S LANDING-SKIRMISH-" THE GLORIOUS FOURTH"-SKIRMISH-CAMP LIFE-DIGGING TRENCH- ES MORNING AND EVENING-TRANSFERRED FROM THE SIXTH TO THE SECOND CORPS-GRAND REVIEW.
At Bristoe we learned that McClellan was getting the worst of it near Richmond, whither Jackson had rapidly moved after his escape at Port Republic, and fallen upon the right flank of our army. On the morning of the 29th of June came the order to "Pack up." Our destination was immediately guessed ; there was manifest entire satisfaction in getting out of the command of McDowell, in whom the men had but little confidence, into that of " Little Mac," in whom they will soon be compelled to have less. The cars could not carry the men fast enough, as whooping and cheering they faced the eastern breeze, and the Capitol soon appeared in sight, and we were at last going into Richmond with the Grand Army of the Potomac.
The morning of the 30th found us aboard of the South Amer- ica, with the loss of Captain McMillan, of Company E, who who had lost his balance while on the dock, and disappeared in the darkness and watery deep. Before 8 o'clock Fort Washing- ton and Mount Vernon were passed, the band sending forth its plaintive tones, which, with the historical associations of this sacred spot, put everybody into a quiet for some time, in spite of the bracing air. Chesapeake Bay was reached before night, Fortress Monroe was passed at daybreak the next morning, then the wrecks of the Congress and Cumberland; before night Jamestown was found to have no attractions for us, and that at City Point there was neither point nor city, but the
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"Grand Army of the Potomac" came into view, with its "every- body help myself" sort of condition; for it was not possible to discern any appearance of organization.
We remained on board until about one o'clock the next day, awaited orders on shore until four, and then waded through the mud for some four miles to a point near Herring Creek and Charles City road, drew up in line of battle, and thus made the best we could of a rainy night, on the soft beds that soon soaked us to the buff. The entire region was a vast mud-hole; wagons and cannons were in to the hubs; some mules failed to reach bottom; drivers were swearing, officers "cussing," mules bray- ing ; at places horses, mules, wagons, caissons, cannons, every- thing, was huddled together; nobody seemed to know where himself or anybody else was, or where "Little Mac " had gone ; gaunt, lean, tired, hungry, muddy men, were inquiring in plain- tive tones for regiment, brigade, division, and even for their corps. "The whole army is lost," said some of the "original thinkers." We had changed by the right-flank and the left-flank so often that we could not even tell anyone where to find the James River. Midnight came and no sleep, on account of the moist beds, the braying, cussing, whooping and halloing ; strag- gling men were telling their sad stories ; some of our boys became provoked at their version of affairs, but soon all were satisfied that the Army of the Potomac had done some hard fighting and could have gone into Richmond if we had kept Jackson in the Valley. The men that were asking for their regiments did not seem demoralized; they were as ready for the fray as ever; none were more indignant than they when it was reported that Mc- Clellan was on board of a gunboat considering the policy of surrendering his forces. They condemned in unmeasured terms any such proposition, and had sooner died fighting than surren- der ; it was no fault of these men that in this swampy country, wading through mud, water and underbrush some had lost their commands.
We were now in Kimball's Brigade, Second Division (W. F. Smith's), Sixth Army Corps (Franklin's). We had nearly three thousand officers and men in the brigade present for duty.
On the next day, July 3d, at HI o'clock, we crossed Her- ring Creek; the skirmishers soon discovered the enemy beyond a small swamp at the intersection of the road on which we
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SKIRMISHES AT HARRISON'S LANDING.
marched and the Charles City Road. General Kimball, com- manding the brigade, having gone to the front was fired at by sharpshooters. The brigade was immediately ordered forward to take the guns. . The Fourth marched in line of battle on the right of the road, the Fourteenth Indiana on the left and the other regiments were held in reserve. Soon after the entire brigade had moved rapidly forward to take the guns, General Ferry having command of the division, ordered a halt just as the enemy fell back nearly half a mile. The brigade soon moved forward; the Fourth on the right of the road, the Seventh West Virginia and the Fourteenth Indiana on the left, with the Eighth Ohio supporting Tidball's Battery. The Fourth soon reached a strip of woods and underbrush some twenty rods wide, waded through water at places nearly knee deep, and was shelled most vigorously as soon as we reached the edge of the woods and were in full view of the enemy, loading their guns a short distance beyond us and across a ravine. We were at once ordered to halt and lie down; at first the shell only cut the leaves and limbs of saplings, but soon they struck a few feet in front and flung the dirt over us. At this juncture Tidball's Bat- tery opened vigorously upon the enemy, just as we reluctantly obeyed an order to fall back, while the two regiments on our left across the road moved forward on the double-quick but not soon enough to capture the guns that had been silenced. Several prisoners were captured. This position was maintained. G. Witlinger of the band was killed; William Kepler of Company C, J. McKnight of D, and C. Erline, J. Hardy, A. Kightlinger, J. F. Mummea and J. Studdebaker of K, were wounded.
Early on the morning of the 4th the rebel pickets were quite demonstrative ; their fire was vigorously returned by our pickets, who were in charge of Lieutenant Laird ; the brigade was again in line ready for action; the picket line was advanced and a position taken that gave us the advantage over the enemy. At noon the booming cannon made us at first suspect a general engagement, but it was soon learned that it was the firing of the national salute. We heard no orations nor the reading of the Declaration. The men were engaged in making their quarters as comfortable as pine boughs for shade and bed could make them. Boats with provisions and clothing, sutlers with luxuries and paymasters with greenbacks, were soon on hand; our bag-
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FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
gage was brought to camp and soon the army showed but little indication of the hardships through which it had passed. The -heat shortly became excessive. On the 8th there was a grand review, when men swung their hats and cheered to the echo. The boys concluded that "army headquarters" must be a mighty affair, if one could judge from the grand display of orderlies and aides that rode tantrum after the General.
The boys spent evening after evening in songs and mirth in the shelter-tents, surrounded by pine boughs that were from four to ten feet high. The rations were mostly corned beef, beans and hard-tack; coffee was rather scarce, and the water very filthy. There was almost daily inspection and policing of the company quarters; guard duty, except picket guard, was light ; at times the thermometer rose to one hundred degrees in the shade. Squads were at work on fortifications from daylight until nine in the morning, and from four until dark in the even- ing. The workers were divided into reliefs, each relief working twenty minutes, and then resting on account of the excessive heat.
On the 16th of July we moved' camp to join Sumner's Corps, and lay in the hot sun without any shelter for eight mortal hours. No one knew why. Neither the Chaplain nor Surgeon had order- ed it. Such treatment would sicken a dog. On the 22d there was a grand review by Sumner, at which our regiment made a slen- der appearance, three hundred and six having been reported unfit for duty. Our designation now was: First Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.
On the night of the 31st the enemy shelled our shipping with forty-three guns, sending consternation among sutlers, contra- bands and adventurers, but their batteries were at once silenced by the gunboats. Some men slept so soundly that they did not hear the terrific uproar nor see the magnificent display of fire- works.
On the 10th of August we marched to Malvern Hill and were held in reserve until the next day, when all the troops returned to camp, McClellan having received positive orders from the President to report his army at Washington, because of our unhealthy locality.
The Brigade (Kimball's) now numbered 103 officers and 2,217 men, present for duty.
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CHAPTER XI.
THE MARCH DOWN THE PENINSULA -ON THE STEAMER CAHAWBA TO ACQUIA CREEK-ON THE LONG ISLAND TO ALEXANDRIA-MARCH TO CENTERVILLE-COVER- ING RETREAT OF POPE'S ARMY -ORDERED TO FORT GAINES TO RECRUIT STRENGTH.
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On Saturday, August 15th, all of the regiment, who were not able to march were ordered to go on board of the transports; although they left camp before noon, and in an hour reached the wharf, they lay there until nearly midnight before the last of them went on board the boat. The troops had gone and rebel cavalry traversed the camps to and fro in search of booty, and were so busy that they did not offer to molest our sick, of whom there were over five hundred ready to take ship for Alex- andria.
The remainder of the regiment started with the brigade on the afternoon of the 16th, forming the rear guard of the army, and marched five miles; was on picket at nigh , and enjoyed the luxury of roasted ears of green corn for breakfast; all were glad that they were not compelled to go on board "the lousy boats," on account of sickness, although the marl-dust with which we were covered was nearly as bad; we soon passed Charles City, which consisted of one Southern mansion, a country tavern, one law office, and some half a dozen low, dilapidated, 16x20 wood colored shanties in the background; we took our dinner of corn in the bounds of the corporation-that is, on the Tyler farm- the birthplace and home of a President of the United States, who had died in Richmond in the beginning of this year, a Secessionist and traitor. We crossed the Chickahominy on a pontoon bridge a quarter of a mile long, then over a narrow causeway, with swamp on either side, and went into camp at about 2 o'clock the next morning; on the afternoon of the 19th we passed through the old capital of Virginia (where Patrick
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FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
Henry made his famous speech), the curious and antiquated town of Williamsburg, and the entrenchments that had recently been thrown up, noticing the bullet-marks on trees, extending from the roots to the very tops, but most abundant at the height of six to twelve feet ; nine miles more brought us to within two miles of Yorktown, where for more than a mile the river was literally filled with men that were bathing and diving for oysters; it was a grand time for the boys and worth more than a month of hospital endurance. Yorktown could hardly be seen, when we marched by it the next morning, on account of the high fortifications, which had not, it seems, been taken into consid- eration by McClellan when he ventilated his plans before Lin- coln; quite a number of huge shells were lying about, that had doubtless been fired from the gunboats; one of the boys grasped one of these monsters, thinking he could easily lift it, but found, to his astonishment, that he could not even turn it on end although he might have won a bet of five dollars by so doing; the "thing looked so bilious" that no one else tried it. The old lines of Cornwallis were eagerly looked for, and it was a satisfaction to learn that our boys were pretty well posted con- cerning the facts of his surrender, although it was sometimes manifest that in the estimation of some officers, brains and acquirements did not amount to much, or that themselves had it all, and that probably wisdom would die with them; our brigade had none such; if it had had, the boys would soon have stung them out by their sarcasm; for the most bitter sarcasm mortal ever heard was uttered occasionally, without fear or favor, by men in the ranks of Western regiments; officers dared not punish such offenders of propriety, because such offense was never given except when well deserved, and because the boys stood like brothers by any comrade that "acted white;" woe to the man that put on airs, blessed the officer or private that "behaved himself like a white man."
The evening of the ISth found us in camp near Big Bethel, weary and dusty; on the afternoon of the next day we found ourselves at Newport News, where apples, peaches and melons were in abundance, with but little money in camp; this was so because some men spent everything freely as soon as they got it, others had to pay debts, while others sent nearly every cent to widowed mother or needy brother or sister, saddened that
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TO THE RESCUE OF POPE AT CENTERVILLE.
they could do no more than hand over to loved ones the pittance of a few "greenbacks" given to a private, for the greatest risks that are ever taken and the severest hardships that can be endured. About this time a private received about five dollars in gold per month. For two days it was rainy, misty and disa- agreeable. Several of the boys had a new experience, that of bathing in the ocean brine whilst a rising tide was making off with their clothing, which had been left on the sandy beach, near the water's edge.
On the 25th we were transported to the Cahawba by the Canonicus; raising anchor early the next morning, we passed the new Ironsides, a school of porpoises, disembarked by Acquia Creek at noon on the 27th, went into camp for a short time, heard heavy firing toward the west, and at evening went aboard the Long Island, where we were so crowded that there was hardly standing, much less lying-down room; having reached Alexandria at II o'clock the next day, and lounged about the dock for two hours, we went into camp some two miles from the town; the next day, the 29th, heavy firing was frequently heard toward Manassas; at five in the evening we moved forward about eight miles, and found ourselves at early dawn of the 30th near Chain Bridge, but a short distance from our sick that had been sent by boat from Harrison's Landing; about noon we were furnished extra ammunition, and at 2 o'clock were hurried toward Fairfax, which we reached before dark, and a halt made late at night near Centerville; fully one-third of the men had fallen out of the ranks because of weariness and sickness, but most of them came up before the command moved forward the next day; it was almost impossible to keep in the ranks whilst one had to march in quick time around numerous ambulances, wagons and buggies, running counter of men rushing frantically to the rear, announcing, some that "we whipped 'em," others that "it's another Bull Run." About all we could make out was, that by the way we were hurried up our services were needed at the front, and very likely, too, Pope's gasconade proclamation to his troops had had all the gas knocked out of it.
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