History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 180

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360

USA > Pennsylvania > History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I > Part 180

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Moving via Cairo and Cincinnati, it proceeded on its memorable march over the mountains of East Tennessee, and arrived at Blue Springs on the 8th of October. Two days thereafter, it engaged the rebel forces. The Ninth Corps was ordered to advance, and General Ferrero's Division selected for the attack. The Forty-fifth was thrown forward as skirmishers, a charge was made upon their works, and they were driven from their advanced position. Halting and re-forming in a wood, a charge was again ordered, and the crest of the hill opposite, gained, when darkness put an end to the contest. The enemy withdrew during the night, leaving his dead and wounded upon the field. The loss was twenty-one killed and wounded. The command marched on the evening of the 11th in pursuit of the retreating enemy as far as Rhea- town, returned to Blue Springs on the 13th, and moved by rail with the bri-

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FORTY-FIFTHI REGIMENT.

1863

gade* to Knoxville. The attention of the country was now directed to the field of operations in East Tennessee and Northern Georgia. The hostile armics were each being strengthened by large re-inforcements. Gencral Hooker, with two eorps, the Eleventh and Twelfth, was ordered from the army of the Po- tomac to the aid of Rosecrans. Longstreet, hastening to the aid of Bragg, joined him in time to participate in the battle of Chickamauga. With Grant, Sherman, Burnside, Thomas and Hooker to lead the Union forces, the country looked forward to the result with confidence.

Constant marching and an occasional skirmish occupied the time of the regiment until the 30th, when orders were issued to build winter-quarters. A beautiful grove of oak, twenty-five miles south-west of Knoxville, was selected for this purpose. With much labor, convenient log huts were constructed, cov- ered with shelter tents; but the period during which they could be enjoyed was short. The men were called to arms at three o'clock on the morning of Novem- ber the 14th to confront General Longstreet. He had cut loose from Bragg at Chattanooga, and by a forced march had reached the Tennessee River, six miles below Londen, on the evening previous, and before daylight of the 14th was crossing the stream. General Burnside taking command in person, or- dered General White, with a division of the Twenty-third Corps, supported by Ferrero's Brigade, to assume the offensive. The enemy was encountered, vig- oronsly pressed, and driven back to the river. The next morning at daylight, General Burnside withdrew his troops to Lenoir Station, the First Brigade of Ferrero's Division covering the rear. Knoxville was Longstreet's objective point, and to prevent his moving his columns past our right and cutting off our retreat, it was necessary to abandon Lenoir. The valuable mills and factories established here, were destroyed preparatory to evacuating the place. While the troops were moving back towards Knoxville, the First Brigade held the enemy in check. It was drawn up in line of battle on the Kingston road, and moved forward in a wood, the enemy driving in the skirmishers, but refusing to advance further. The command gradually fell back to Campbell's Station, at the junction of the road from Lenoir with the Knoxville and Kingston Road, leaving Morrison's Brigade to cover the retreat. Frequent attempts were made to break through our line, but each resulted in failure.

On the morning of the 16th, the brigade quietly withdrew from its position on the Kingston Road, and moved towards Knoxville, Humphrey's Brigade of the First Division acting as rear guard. On reaching the junction, a line of battle was formed behind a rail fence, with the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts on the right, resting on the Kingston Road, the Eighth Michigan on the left and the Forty-fifth deployed as skirmishers. Unfurling their colors they awaited the approach of the enemy. Discovering that he was moving to the left in or- der to gain the wood, the brigade took a second position near a rail fence along the edge of the wood, and opened a heavy fire. A body of rebel infantry was at this time observed approaching our rear from the Kingston Road. Facing about and taking a new position on the opposite side of the field, a volley was poured into the rebel line which checked its advance, and drove it back in co:1-

* Organization of the First Brigade, Colonel David Morrison, First Division, General Fer- rero; Ninth Army Corps, Major Genoral John G. Parke. Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel John I, Curtin; Thirty-sixth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Major William IP, Draper ; Eighth Regiment, Michigan Volunteers, Colonel Thomas S. Clark ; Sev- enty-ninth Regiment, New York Volunteers ( Highlanders,) Major John More.

1863

THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE.

1065

fusion. It being no longer necessary to hold the junction, the command was withdrawn in good order, but with some difficulty escaped capture, and was soon under cover of its artillery, which General Potter, under the direction of General Burnside, had placed in position on high ground just beyond the vil- lage of Kingston. This village is situated between two ranges of hills which are nearly a mile apart. Across the intervening space the infantry was drawn up in single line of battle. General Ferrero's Division held the right, White's Division, of the Twenty-third Corps, the centre, and Hartranft's Division, of the Ninth Corps, the left. Benjamin's, Buckley's, Gettings' and Van Schlein's batteries were on the right of the road, and Roemer's Battery on the left, with the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts for its support.

The enemy formed in two lines of battle in the woods, with a strong line of skirmishers in front, and at noonday advanced. The whole valley was open to the view of the Union army, as Longstreet moved forward. When he ar- rived near the Union line of battle, Benjamin's and Roemer's batteries opened fire, and so accurate was their range that the rebel lines were immediately bro- ken, and fell back in confusion. They rallied, and under cover of the woods on the slope of the ridge, advanced against the right, when Christy's Brigade of the First Division at once changed front. Buckley executed a similar move- ment with his battery, and by a well directed fire checked their progress in that direction. They next manœuvred to turn our left, but Burnside, falling back to a stronger position, established a new line at four P. M., under a heavy fire from their artillery.

Ferrero was now on the right of the road. Morrison's Brigade was placed in rear of the rail fence at the foot of the ridge, on which Benjamin's Battery had been posted. The enemy did not seem inclined to attack the Union troops in front, but pushed his columns along the ridge on their left, aiming to strike Hartranft in flank and rear. This movement was discovered, and as he was moving rapidly, Hartranft opened with his three-inch guns on the rebel line, and during the day drove it twice back in disorder and confusion. Longstreet failing in all his daring and bold attempts to force Burnside from his position, fell back out of the range of artillery. The troops of the Ninth and Twenty -: third corps, with a force of less than five thousand effective men, had held in check for the entire day three times their number. During the night the army deliberately retired to Knoxville, reaching that place at four A. M., of the 17th. The regiment, with the brigade, occupied a high hill south-west of the city, one- half mile from the college. It was here engaged in constructing a line of rifle- pits from the Holston River to Fort Sanders. The siege of Knoxville had be- gun. Fortifications were rapidly constructed, and the lines strengthened for the' defence of the city. The long weary days passed slowly away, the monotony only broken by an occasional skirmish.

At length it became evident to the rebel commander that the works must be carried by assault, or the attempt to re-gain possession of East Tennessee abandoned. On the 28th of November, he made demonstrations upon the skirmmish line, which led to a fruitless attack upon our lines. On the follow- ing morning an assaulting column appeared. The gallant Ninth Corps held the defences, the Forty-fifth Regiment on the picket line. The charging col- umn moved steadily on, over obstructions, removing abattis as they went, and a few succeeded in reaching the parapet. A desperate encounter ensued. Ex- posed to a terrific fire of infantry and artillery, the enemy's column at length 134

1864

1066

FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.

began to falter, and finally, hopelessly broken and disorganized, it retreated from the field. During the night he quietly withdrew his forces, and the siege of Knoxville was raised. At daylight of the morning of the 6th of December, the Ninth Corps marched towards Rutledge in pursuit, and attacked his rear at Blain's Cross Roads, Beans' Station, and Clinch River Mountains, inflicting upon him some loss. On the 14th, Captain Hart, of company I, and Sergeant Major Mullen, with a wagon train and fifteen men, were captured.

On the 1st of January, 1864, four hundred and twenty-six men of the Forty- fifth re-enlisted "for three years, or during the war," thus securing to them- selves a veteran furlough. Among the mountains, about Clinch River, in mid winter, with scanty provisions upon which to subsist, it became a question, with the officers in command, whether to remain, and longer wait for rations, or take up the line of march, and forage on the way. The latter alternative was chosen. An example of heroie endurance, and patriotic devotion to the flag worthy of imitation, was manifested in the conduct of the men on this march. With only a quart of meal, and five pounds of fresh meat per man, and no certainty of obtaining more on the road, barefoot and poorly clad, it required a patriotism as earnest, and a purpose as fixed, to patiently endure the privations and hard- ships of the march, as to achieve victory in the face of the enemy. On the 16th, the regiment commeneed this perilous march via Cumberland Gap, the few men who did not reenlist having been transferred temporarily to the Seventy-ninth New York. On the 21st it arrived at Barboursville, where the men received full rations, and were supplied with shoes. On the 8th of February they arrived at Harrisburg and were granted a veteran furlough.

The veteran regiment, with many new recruits, proceeded, on the 19th of March, to Annapolis, the place of rendezvous for the veterans of the Ninth Army Corps. Arriving at four P. M., of the following day, it proceeded to Camp Parole, where it remained until the 23d of April. It was assigned to the First Brigade,* Second Division, and moved to Washington, passing, on the 25th, in review before the President, and eneamped near Alexandria. Moving, on the 27th, via Fairfax Court House, and the Bull Run battle-field, it encamped at Bristoe Station on the evening of the 28th, and remained, guarding the station, until May 4th.

On the 5th the Wilderness campaign opened. The regiment erossed the Rappahannock at ten A. M., the Rapidan at Germania Ford at five P. M., and continued its mareh through dense woods and almost impenetrable thickets, bivouacking at night in line of battle. At one A. M., of the 6th, the men were aroused, and at three the division moved out on the road towards Parker's Store. The battle opened at daylight with great fury. General Potter, with Wilcox in support, attempted to seize Parker's Store. Companies A and K, of the Forty-fifth, were deployed as skirmishers. To relieve General Hancock, who was hard pressed, Potter subsequently moved his division, at double-quick,

* Organization of the First Brigade, Colonel Z. R. Bliss, Second Division, Brigadier General Robert B. Potter, Ninth Corps, Major General Burnside. Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel John I. Curtin; Forty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieu- tenant Colonel Henry Pleasants; Fifty-eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel John C. Whiton; Thirty-sixth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel Wm. F. Draper; Thirty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel John W. Hudson; Fourth Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel M. P. Buffum; Seventh Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Perey Daniels.

1067

1864

BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

to the left, nearly a mile along the edge of the Wilderness, and formed in two lines of battle, with the First Brigade in advance. Colonel Bliss having been prostrated by sun-stroke, the command of the brigade devolved upon Colonel Curtin. With the Fifty-eighth Massachusetts on the right, the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts on the left, the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania in the centre, and the Seventeenth and Twenty-seventh Michigan in reserve, the lines moved to the front. With companies A and K, under command of Major Kelsey, on the skirmish line, the brigade charged the enemy, delivering a well 'directed fire, and driving him from his position. The men, finding that they were confront- ing Longstreet's troops, whom they had met at Knoxville, a great shout was given for Burnside, and they pushed on with renewed zeal in pursuit. The line becoming broken, and somewhat disorganized, the rebel reserves charged upon it, and drove it back through the wood to the edge of the Wilderness. The command rallied, and again charged, driving the enemy to the works, from which he had sallied forth. The fighting was most desperate. The brigade, falling back two hundred paces, prepared for another charge, which was made at five P. M., driving the enemy along the entire line. Night coming on the contest closed. The loss was one hundred and forty-five killed and wounded. Among the killed was Lieutenant Evan R. Goodfellow, of company D. Captain John O. Campbell, of company E, was mortally wounded, and died on the fol- lowing day.

At daylight of the 7th, the regiment was in line, and marched towards Chan- cellorsville, arriving at nine P. M. It moved on the 10th, formed a line to the left of General Wilcox's command, and crossed the Ny River under a heavy ar- tillery fire. The Forty-fifth led, deployed as skirmishers, followed by the Thir- ty-sixth Massachusetts, the Seventeenth and Twenty-seventh Michigan, and drove the rebels back over the hills into their breast-works around Spottsylvania Court House. Holding the position and constructing strong works during the night, the command remained until ordered to retire in the afternoon of the following day. On the morning of the 12th, the Second Corps made a gallant attack upon the enemy's works, striking him upon his right centre. The Ninth advanced towards his lines at double-quick, the Forty-fifth on the right of the brigade, and drove him back, taking some prisoners. For three hours the bat- tle continued with unabated fury, and until darkness enveloped the scene of conflict. For several days it was constantly in line and under fire. On the 16th it engaged the enemy and gained some advantage, and on the 21st, drove him across the river Po. Resuming the march on the 23d, it moved to the support of the Second Corps. The regiment was detailed as guard to the ammunition train of the Second Division, and crossed the North Anna, near Oxford, on the afternoon of the following day under a terrific fire of the enemy's artillery.

While charging across, the woodwork of the bridge was struck by a shot from a twenty-pounder Parrott gun, knocking the men completely from their feet. The lines were firmly established on the south side of the river. At three P. M. of the 26th, a charge was made upon the rebel works, which were car- ried, his entire line being driven back. In this assault the regiment exhibited great gallantry, and was among the first to enter the breastworks on the ex- treme left, on the banks of the North Anna. At nine P. M., of the next day, the command silently withdrew from its position and re-crossed the river. It crossed the Pamunky at Hanovertown, and participated in the battles at Cold

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FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.

1864

Harbor* on the 1st, 2d and 3d of June. On the 3d, Lieutenant Seudder, of company F, was killed. Major Kelsey was mortally wounded, and died on the 24th. The aggregate loss of the regiment in the three days of fighting was one hundred and sixty-three killed and wounded, out of the three hundred who were engaged. The Forty-fifth participated in all the movements of the army until it reached the James River, on the evening of the 14th. Crossing on the following morning, it moved to re-inforee the Second Corps, and Butler's Army, already in front of Petersburg. It arrived within three miles of the city at ten A. M., of the 16th, and at two P. M., formed in line of battle, marched to the extreme left, and eneamped in a piece of wood one-half mile from the cnemy's works. The Second Corps was ordered to attack at six in the evening, the Ninth supporting. Potter's Division was on the extreme left of the corps, Cur- tin's Brigade on the left of the division, and the Forty-fifth on the left of the brigade, thus occupying the extreme left of the army. The attack was gallantly made, but was not attended with important results.

It was determined to renew the attack on the morning of the 17th, and Gen- eral Potter's division was selected for the assaulting column. Griffin's Bri- gade led the charge, supported by the First, under command of Colonel Cur- tin. The Forty-fifth, and Fourth Rhode Island were withdrawn several hun- dred yards to the rear, and changed front, in order to meet any sudden attack which might be made from that direction. The enemy's works were gallantly carried, and a furious contest was waged for their possession. It lasted but a few moments, when the enemy gave way and retreated towards Petersburg. On the 18th, a general assault was ordered at four P. M., and again a large proportion of the fighting fell upon the Ninth Corps. It was proposed to drive the enemy from a piece of woods and the railroad cut which protected his lines. The attack was vigorously made, General Hartranft's Brigade in advance, but failed of success. Of this engagement, General Burnside, in his report, says, "No better fighting has been done during the war than was done by the divi- sions of Potter and Wileox during this attack."t Colonel Curtin was severely wounded and carried from the field. The loss of the regiment was three killed and eighteen wounded. The troops were now constantly engaged in the con- · struetion of earthworks under heavy fire, the conviction becoming settled that Petersburg could only be reduced by the slow process of a siege.

On Saturday the 25th, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants, of the Forty- eighth Pennsylvania, who had projected the plan of destroying the rebel fort in front of General Potter's division, by the explosion of a mine, and the com- manding general having given his approval, began the work of excavation. ' Firing was constantly kept up by the contending parties, and the advanced position held by the Ninth Corps, was continually shelled from the time that operations upon the mine commenced, until its final explosion. Thirty-two men of the Forty-fifth were wounded during this period, and Lieutenant Gib- boney, of company C, and one man of company D were killed. The work which . was attracting the attention of all, was completed at six P. M. of the 28th, and

* On the right, the brunt of the battle fell upon the Ninth Corps. Colonel Curtin's Brigade of General Potter's Division made a daring charge, drove in the enemy's skirmishers, carried some detached rifle-pits, forced the enemy-consisting of portions of Longstreet's and Ewell's corps-back into the inner works, and established itself in close proximity to his in- trenchments,-Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps, pages 397-8. -

t Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps, Woodbury, p. 413.

- 1864

PETERSBURG MINE.

1069

the mine was to be sprung on the morning of the 30th. It had been constructed under many disadvantages. The line at its mouth was exposed to the fire of the enemy's batteries, and the project had received little encouragement from general officers, beyond that extended by Generals Burnside and Potter.

Immediately upon its explosion an assault was to be made along the entire line. The assaulting column was the First Division of the Ninth Corps, com- manded by General Ledlie. It had formed during the night near the division of General Wilcox. The explosion was to take place at half-past three in the morning, but owing to a defective fuse it was delayed until nearly five. Captain Theodore Gregg, in command of the regiment, which now numbered two hun- dred and ten effective men, received orders, early in the morning, to leave a strong line of skirmishers, under command of an efficient officer, in front of the enemy's works, and to march the remainder of the regiment back to the edge of the wood in rear of our lines. One hundred men, under command of Cap- tain Fessler, of company K, werc detached as skirmishers, and the balance of the regiment formed on the left of the Fourth Rhode Island, along the edge of the wood. The troops composing the storming party were now ready to move forward according to the battle order of General Burnside. . All eyes were turned to the rebel fort beneath which eight thousand pounds of powder were soon to be ignited. The fuse, which had become dampened and failed to ignite, was re-lighted, and at precisely sixteen minutes before five the mine exploded. The scene which was presented was terrible to behold. Large masses of the works, with men and artillery commingled, were blown far into the air. The crater was enshrouded in a dark cloud of sulphurous smoke, lighted up by an , occasional flash from the rebel magazines, which were exploded almost simul- taneously with the mine.

A terriffic fire of artillery was immediately opened from one hundred and forty-four guns upon the enemy's works, and the air was filled with howling, screeching projectiles. The regiment was ordered to follow the Fourth Rhode Island, and marched by the left flank through a covered way. In crossing the open field it was much exposed to the fire from the rebel lines on the right and left, the whole space traversed being literally swept by minie, grape, and canister. On arriving at the ruined fort, the regiment was ordered to charge a battery in position near some buildings to the rear of the rebel works; but the condition of the crater of the exploded mine was such that it was found impossible to do so. A charge upon a battery immediately in front was or- dered, and as the regiment, which now comprised about cighty men, advanced, the enemy opened upon it with batterics stationed at different points on right and left, accompanied by a heavy fire of musketry from the rifle-pits, which caused it to fall back into the intrenchments around the ruined fort. Frequent hand to hand encountres occurred, swords were crossed and muskets clubbed, until finally the order to withdraw the troops from the dangerous position was given. The officers and men behaved with great coolness and courage in this daring but unsuccessful assault. The color-bearer of the Sixth Virginia at- tempted, while fighting in the crater, to plant his regimental flag upon the broken parapet, when Corporal Frank Hogan, of company A, shot him and captured his colors, receiving for his gallantry a medal of honor from the War Department. The regiment sustained a loss in this contest of six killed, twen- ty-two wounded and thirty-nine missing.

On the 1st of August the dead were buried, and the wounded secured under

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FORTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.

1864

a flag of truee. The rebels, on the 5th, attempted to explode a mine beneath one of the forts in front of the Eighteenth Corps, but failed, the exeavation not reaching to within fifty yards of the fort. Nearly all the artillery opened upon them, and a constant cannonade, and musketry fire, was kept up the en- tire day. On the 15th, the regiment, with the division, moved three miles to the left, and relieved a division of the Fifth Corps. Its loss, from the 30th of July, was two killed and one wounded.

At three P. M., of the 19th, it marehed in advance six miles, to the support of Warren, and was deployed as skirmishers. Moving through a thick wood, in the dark, the enemy's line was discovered, and some prisoners taken. Dur- ing the night the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania formed on its right, and the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts on its left. On the following morning, the order was given to advance, and open fire upon the enemy. Still upon the skirmish line, it engaged lis vedettes, and drove them in, losing one man wounded. On the morning of the 30th of September, the First and Second divisions proceeded towards Poplar Spring Church, and found the enemy strongly entrenehed. Moving rapidly to the left of the Fifth Corps, while passing through an open field the regiment received the fire of a rebel battery, one man being killed and one wounded.' The brigade formed, with the Fifty-eighth Massachusetts on the right, the Fifty-first New York on the left, and the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania in the centre; the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts, Forty-eightlı Pennsylvania, and the Fourth and Seventh Rhode Island, were in reserve, and occupied the works at the front, on Peeble's farm. It was here held to support Griffin's Brigade, Second Division, Fifth Corps, and fought gallantly, repulsing several charges of infantry and eavalry, in rear and in front. At one time, entirely surrounded by the enemy, it cut its way through his columns, and gained the shelter of a log barn, from which Major Horton, of the Fifty-eighth Massachusetts, was keeping up a constant fire of musketry. The little band was here soon sur- rounded, and ealled upon to surrender. Lientenant Colonel Gregg did not propose to yield without an effort to escape. Calling to the men they moved on with a cheer, but were met with a withering fire of musketry which killed and wounded the larger part of the command. The color bearer, Sergeant Ruggleman, being wounded, Sergeant Levi R. Robb took the colors, and tried to save them, but was immediately surrounded by the Tenth Virginia Cavalry. Lieutenant James P. Gregg was killed while gallantly leading his men. Being overeome by vastly superior numbers, after a fieree struggle they were foreed surrender. Among the captured was Lieutenant Colonel Gregg. The entire casualties in the regiment were one offieer and two men killed, and one hun- dred and fifty officers and men prisoners.

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 180

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn Publication date: 1869 Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360