History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 32

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 32

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

* The morning of the 17th, your orders to advance and occupy the works in front were being carried out, when Brigadier General Hartsuff, who was examining the ground, was severely wounded, and the services of this valuable officer were lost, when the brigade moved for- ward, supported by the Second Brigade on the left, and First Brigade on the right, all advanc- ing with the Artillery Battery F, First Pennsylvania Artillery, under Captain Mathews, and Captain Thompson's Independent Pennsylvania Battery, each consisting of four three inch rifled guns. Taking advantage of the ground, both batteries opened with destructive effect ; officers and men displaying great coolness while exposed to a severe fire of artillery and in- fantry. The Division gained the outer edge of the woods and kept up a fearful fire for a few hours, until the ammunition being exhausted, and the supports coming up, was compelled to retire to re-fill boxes, after which the division joined the rest of the corps on the right, near the turnpike. Official Report of General Ricketts. * * *

254

ELEVENTH REGIMENT.

1862

men killed, four officers and eighty-five men wounded, and two men taken pri- soners. Adjutant Uncapher also had his horse killed under him.

Moving towards the Potomac, the rebel army having re-crossed, the brigade was reviewed on the 3d of October, by President Lincoln, accompanied by Gen- erals M'Clellan and Reynolds. On the 11th, three regiments of the brigade, the Eleventh Pennsylvania, and Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, were detailed under Colonel Coulter, for picket duty on roads leading to Hagerstown and Sharpsburg, on the occasion of Stuart's raid through Maryland to Cham- bersburg, around the rear of the army. On the 20th, and again on the 29th of October, clothing and shelter tents were issued, comprising a complete outfit, of which the regiment was in great need. On the 26th, an order was received for the division to leave its baggage in camp under guard, and to march at once into Virginia. Moving through Crampton's Pass, and crossing the Poto- mac on a pontoon bridge at a point nearly opposite Berlin, the division passed through Lovettsville, Bloomfield, and Salem, to the neighborhood of Warrenton.

On the 8th of November, General M'Clellan was relieved, and General Burn- side was ordered to assume command of the army of the Potomac. Three days previous, General Gibbon assumed command of the division in place of Gen- eral Ricketts, and on the 7th of October, Brigadier General Nelson Taylor was assigned to the command of the brigade, relieving Colonel Coulter. Soon after- wards the brigades of the division were re-organized, the Third* receiving and parting with two regiments.

At midnight of the 7th of November, after a hard march in a heavy snow storm, orders were received to prepare two days' rations, and be ready to move at a moment's notice to support General Bayard upon the Rappahannock. The brigade moved on the following afternoon, and took position near the rail- road bridge in support of the cavalry, the enemy's forces being on the opposite side of the river, and his pickets in sight. It remained on duty, occasionally skirmishing with the enemy, until the 18th, when the whole command was re- lieved by General Pleasanton, and the bridge across the Rappahannock was burned. The cavalry took the river roads, and the infantry that by Bealton's Station, and marched to Acquia landing, where the Eleventh was detailed for fatigue duty at the wharf. Here the regiment received pay, clothing, camp and garrison equipage, and, in pursuance of recent general orders requiring officers to be mustered in for every new grade filled, those of the Eleventh to whom it applied were mustered.

On the 10th of December, taking three days' cooked rations, and sixty-six rounds of ammunition, the regiment marched in the direction of Fredericks- burg, where preparations were in progress for a general engagement, and biv- ouacked on the night of the 11th, near the river. Heavy cannonading had been kept up during the entire day, Fredericksburg being bombarded and at times on fire. Crossing the Rappahannock en a pontoon bridge two miles be- low Fredericksburg, on the morning of the 12th, the division gained a position at two P. M., about two hundred and fifty yards from the Bowling Green road, where it lay in line, under arms, during the night. On the following morning,

* Organization of Third Brigade, General Taylor. Eighty-third Regiment New York Volun- teers, (Ninth Militia, ) Colonel Stiles; Thirteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel Leonard; Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Coulter; Ninety-seventh Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Wheelock; Eighty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Wagner.

255

1862

BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

as soon as the fog had risen sufficiently, the division moved forward by bri- gades, the Third having the advance, and crossed the Bowling Green road. About two hundred yards beyond, the skirmishers met the enemy and were soon engaged. The position of the Eleventh was on the extreme left of the brigade, where, from the nature of the ground, it was much exposed to the enemy's artillery. After some time, it went forward about fifty yards, where it found better cover. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the line was again ad- vanced and the engagement became general. The Third, still holding the ad- vance, and receiving the first onset of the ememy, suffered fearfully, but was well supported by the First and Second Brigades. The colors of the Eleventh were three times shot down, but as often re-placed and borne triumphantly forward.

In the heat of the engagement, Colonel Coulter was severely wounded, and the command devolved upon Captain Kuhn. The ammunition having been exhausted, the regiment re-formed on the Bowling Green road, where a fresh supply was obtained, and subsequently the brigade took up a position to the left of that occupied on the night of the 12th, where it remained in line of battle during the night and the following day. At daylight on the 15th, the regiment retired about one hundred yards under cover of rising ground, whence it was ordered on picket duty at Cross Roads, continuing until three A. M., of the 16th, when it crossed to the left bank of the Rappahannock, and encamped near Falmouth. In this battle, the Eleventh lost one commissioned officer and fourteen men killed, five commissioned officers and sixty-one men wounded, and five taken prisoners. Colonel Coulter was sent to the general hospital, at Washington, and Lieutenant Colonel N. W. Batchelder, of the Thirteenth Massachusetts, was, by special order, placed in command of the regiment. Gen- eral Gibbon was also wounded in the action, and was succeeded by General Taylor.

On the 31st, Brigadier General John A. Robinson was assigned to the com- mand of the division, and on the 2d of January, Lieutenant Colonel Henry A. Frink, who had been severely wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Bull Run, returned and assumed command; but unable to endure the hardships of the camp, he was, a few days later, sent to Georgetown hospital. On the 2d of January, all the arms of calibre '57 and '58, were exchanged for rifled mus- kets of calibre '69. Colonel Coulter re-joined the regiment on the 19th, but, being still unfit for duty, did not assume command.

On the 20th of January, opened that celebrated campaign under Burnside, known as the " Mud March," in which the Eleventh held a distinguished part. Purposing to cross the Rappahannock and again offer battle, General Burnside put his columns in motion ; but scarcely were they out of camp when the rains began to descend, and the mud to deepen. The division moved out to Stone- man's Switch, on the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac railroad, where it bivouacked for the night. Colonel Coulter accompanied in an ambulance, but, being unable to bear the march, was taken back to Falmouth. The divi- sion moved above Falmouth and encamped on the 21st, where it remained dur- ing the 22d and 23d, it being utterly impossible to move either trains or artil- lery, the infantry marching with the greatest difficulty. Yielding to an impe- rious necessity, further advance was abandoned, and the troops were ordered back, the Eleventh occupying its old camp at Fletcher's Chapel. On the 26th of January, General Burnside was relieved, and Major General Joseph Hooker was placed in command of the army of the Potomac. Dispirited by its re-

256

ELEVENTH REGIMENT,

[1863

peated failures, the troops were suffered to rest in camp, while its commander was busily engaged in re-organizing its ranks.

Early in April great activity prevailed throughout the army. Inspections were critically made, reviews were frequent, and every indication pointed to the early opening of a campaign. Colonel Coulter having resumed command of the regiment, Colonel Leonard of the brigade, and General Robinson of the division, it was reviewed on the 2d of April by General Hooker, and a few days thereafter by President Lincoln. On the 14th of April all surplus elothing and baggage were sent to Belle Plains. In acknowledgment of his many services, and in anticipation of an active campaign, Chaplain William H. Locke was presented with a horse by the line officers of the regiment.

To obviate the many difficulties arising from a lack of ready recognition of the members of the different corps and divisions of the army, General Hooker invented a system of badges, by which to designate them, and the Chief Quar- termaster was ordered to furnish them to all officers and enlisted men. These badges were fastened on the centre of the top of the eap, and inspectors were directed to see that they were worn. By this system, the badge for the 2d Di- vision of the 1st army corps, to which the Eleventh regiment belonged, was a white globe or disc.

General Hooker, having made the neecssary preparations for a general en- gagement, desired to mask his real design of crossing above Fredericksburg, by making a great show of crossing below. He accordingly sent the 1st, 3d, and Gth corps with immense pontoon trains down the stream to cross and make a demonstration on the right wing of the rebel army. The 3d Brigade marched at five A. M. of the 29th, and halting in a field till afternoon, it approached the Rappahannock at the pontoons of the 1st corps, where the left grand division under Franklin had effected a passage on the 12th of December previous. Mer- rill's brigade, after a spirited engagement, had gained possession of the right bank carly in the day, and in the afternoon the balance of the division joined it. For two days, 30th of April and 1st of May, the forces remained in nearly the same position, with three pontoon bridges stretched aeross the stream, the di- vision upon the south bank throwing up breast-works and planting pieces, while a vigorous cannonading and some picket firing was kept up from both sides of the river. On the morning of the 2d of May, a heavy fire was opened upon the enemy's batteries, who seemed to have been reinforced, and at eleven A. M. the division marehed away to the United States ford, twelve miles above Fal- mouth, and crossing the stream took position at midnight on the right of the line, near Chancellorsville. The 3d Brigade occupied the centre of the division, and was engaged during the remainder of the night in digging rifle pits and ereeting breast-works. The day had been warm, and the march of twenty miles, concluded with intrenching, had completely exhausted the men. On the 3d, the breast-works were strengthened, and Ramseur's (5th U. S.) and Hall's (2d Mainc) batteries were placed in position on the right, where a furious attack was made by the enemy, which was repulsed, and a large number of prisoners brought in. On the 4th, fighting continued at intervals on the left, and at four P. M., the Eleventh was placed on the skirmish line in front of the division, where it continued until the morning of May 6th. During the night of the 5th, the army retired, and at dawn on the following day, the regiment withdrew to the intrenchments and found them abandoned. Here it was joined by the One Hundred and Seventh Pennsylvania, and deploying skirmishers upon the

257

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

1863

flank and rear, the two regiments retired to United States Ford, being the last troops to leave the field. Re-crossing the river, the Eleventh marched to Fal- mouth, where it re-joined the division. Not arriving upon the field until the . second day of the battle, and not being actively engaged, it had no casual- ties. In consequence of the reported movement of the enemy's artillery down the river, it was held in readiness from May 13th to 15th for immediate action, but was not called on to move.

In the re organization of the army, after the battle of Chancellorsville, the Eleventh was assigned to the Second Brigade," Second Division, First Army Corps. In anticipation of an active campaign, an order was issued from Head- quarters of the Army of the Potomac, on the 11th of June, requiring all sur- plus baggage to be sent to the rear, all persons not having a recognized position in the army to be excluded from its lines, and the troops prepared for the great- est possible mobility. Starting on a race which culminated at Gettysburg, the two armies went forward by the Shenandoah and Potomac valleys, the com- manders watchful, and eager to seize every advantage. Pleasanton with the cavalry displayed great activity, and gained a signal advantage over his an- tagonist at Brandy Station, and again at Upperville and Ashby's Gap.

Leaving Falmouth on the 12th of June, the Second Brigade moved via War- renton Junction, Centreville, Herndon and Guilford Stations, to Edward's Ferry, where it crossed the Potomac on the 25th, and continuing the march through Barnsville, Middletown and Emmittsburg, halted for the night, at Wol- ford's farm, on the Pennsylvania State line, where the Eleventh was inspected and mustered for pay. Notice of the order relieving General Hooker, and placing General Meade in command of the army, was here first communicated to the troops. Resuming the march, three cheers were given by the Eleventh and Ninetieth regiments as they crossed the line, then hastened forward, de- termined to strike for their native State a deadlier blow. Cannonading was soon heard in the direction of Gettysburg, and the column was pushed for- ward with all possible dispatch. On the march, the Eleventh formed the rear of the rear brigade of the division. Arriving in the neighborhood of Gettys- burg at about eleven o'clock A. M., the brigade was massed on the north side and near the railroad embankment, and just in rear of Seminary Ridge. Scarcely had it halted, when General Baxter received an order from General Robinson to send forward two regiments. The Eleventh Pennsylvania and the Ninety- seventh New York, under the command of Colonel Coulter, were detached for this purpose, and proceeding about a quarter of a mile to the right, formed on the right of General Cutler, of the First Division. A few minutes later, General Baxter moved with the balance and formed on the right of the detachment, as- suming command of the entire brigade. The skirmishers were quickly engaged, and at about half-past twelve P. M., the firing became general. The enemy were soon observed advancing, when the brigade opened a heavy fire, causing them to recoil. After several attempts, in each with fresh troops, finding it im- possible to force the position, they commenced moving to the left under a galling

* Organization of the Second Brigade, Brigadier General Henry Baxter, Second Division, Brigadier General John C. Robinson, First Corps, Major General John F. Reynolds. Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Richard Coulter; Ninety-seventh Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Charles Wheelock; Ninetieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Peter Lyle; Twelfth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel James L. Bates; Eighty-third Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Williamson; Eighty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Major Foust.

258

ELEVENTHI REGIMENT.

1863

Are, when a part of the brigade, including the Eleventh, made a sally which resulted in the capture of about five hundred of the enemy, comprising three regiments of Iverson's North Carolina brigade. The line was steadily main- tained under a heavy pressure until after three o'clock, when the Second was relieved by a portion of the First Brigade, and the Eleventh was moved to the railroad embankment to the support of Stewart's battery. Both flanks of the Union army having been turned, it was ordered to fall back to the town of Gettysburg, the Eleventh retiring with the brigade along the railroad, and suffering severely from a fire of musketry and artillery.

The division immediately took position on Cemetery Hill. Here, an order was received, transferring the Eleventh regiment from the Second to the First Brigade, and directing Colonel Coulter to assume command in place of General Paul, who had been severely wounded and taken from the field. At about five o'clock it moved from the Cemetery to the left, and formed near, and parallel with the Emmittsburg road, the division connecting with the left of the Eleventhr Corps. Having formed in line of battle, and erected temporary breast-works, it remained in position supporting batteries, until about noon of the following day, July 2d, when it was relieved by General Hays' division of the Second Corps, and retired a short distance. At seven o'clock in the evening, the bri- gade moved further to the left to the support of the Third Corps, and was sub- jected to artillery fire which resulted in considerable loss. At about ten o'clock P. M., the brigade was again ordered into position on the Emmittsburg road, in front of the Cemetery, in support of a portion of the Eleventh Corps, from which it was relieved at daylight on the morning of the 3d. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the artillery fire becoming general and heavy along the entire line, the brigade was moved quickly to the support of Captain Ricketts' and other batteries, on the right and front of Cemetery Hill, where it remained about an hour, exposed to both front and rear fire of artillery, and a skirmish fire in front. When, upon the point of moving, Colonel Coulter was severely wounded in the arm, and temporarily disabled, but remained with the brigade, and soon after resumed command. At about three o'clock P. M., it moved rapidly under a severe fire to the support of the Second Corps, upon which the enemy had massed his forces for a last desperate attack, and took position on the right of the Third Division in support of a battery, where brisk skirmishing was kept up with considerable loss on both sides, until nine o'clock P. M. Two hours later, it being ascertained that the enemy were removing fences, either for the purpose of making defence against attack, or of opening the way, the breast-works were much strengthened by the addition of stone and timber, the brigade working nearly the entire night. On the following day, July 4th, the position remained unchanged, skirmishing continuing with some loss.

Immediately after the failure of the grand charge on the afternoon of the 3d, the rebel leader began to withdraw his forces. But, in order to mask his designs, he strengthened all his picket lines and fell to fortifying. Beyond slight encounters, there was little activity during the 4th. On the morning of the 5th, the last of the rebel host had disappeared; the ground was yielded; the victory won !

Upon being assigned to the command of the brigade, Colonel Coulter turned over the command of the regiment to Captain Benjamin F. Haines, who was wounded on the afternoon of the 3d of July, and was succeeded by Captain John B. Overmyer, who remained in command until noon of July 4, when he

259

1863

THE MINE RUN CAMPAIGN.

was relieved by Captain J. J. Bierer, his senior officer, just then returned from an absence occasioned by sickness. The losses of the Eleventh regiment during the four days of fighting, were fifteen killed, fifty-nine wounded, and sixty-four taken prisoners. Adjutant Small had his horse shot in the action on the first instant.

Pursuit of the retreating rebel army was commenced on the morning of the 5th of July, and on the 6th, the Union army was in full motion. Following up the direct line on the Chambersburg road, with Sedgwick's corps subsequently re-inforced by the Fifth, as far as Fairfield Pass, where the enemy was found in some force, Meade decided to debouch to the left, and moved through Emmitts- burg to Middletown, the army remaining one day to rest and refit. At day- light on the 8th, the Eleventh moved with the brigade and bivouacked that night on the north side of South Mountain, throwing up breast-works. Moving on July 10th, through Boonsboro' to Beaver creek, it was again engaged in throwing up breast-works, where an attack was anticipated. Crossing Antie- tam creek at noon on the 12th, it formed in line of battle and entrenched, with the enemy in its immediate front, in strong position well fortified. On the night of the 13th, the enemy escaped across the Potomac, and further pursuit was given over.

Returning to Berlin, the regiment crossed the river on pontoons, and en- camped on the night of the 18th, at Waterford, Virginia. Here the Eleventh, which had been transferred on the field of the first day at Gettysburg, to the First Brigade, was returned by order of General Robinson to its place in the Second. In the forward movement of the army to the Rapidan and retrograde to Centreville, the regiment participated, but did not become actively engaged. On the Sth of October, while on the picket line in the neighborhood of Ger- mania ford, Colonel Coulter, division officer of the day, had occasion to com- municate with the officer of the enemy's pickets. The substance of the commu- nication was signalled from the nearest station to rebel Headquarters. But this was not the conclusion of the matter. The Union signal officers supposing themselves in possession of the enemy's system of signals, read the communi- cation and reported it to corps Headquarters, so that a trivial act transpiring on the remote picket line was immediately known throughout both armies. Colonel Coulter was summoned to the tent of Generol Newton to give an expla- nation, and was requested to make a detailed report of the facts. The event though of little moment in itself, proved of great consequence to the army ; for the rebel signal system was thereby verified.

As the army again moved forward on the Mine Run expedition, the Eleventh took the Warrenton road, crossing Bull Run at Stone Bridge, and thence moved through Haymarket to Thoroughfare Gap, where a slight skirmish ensued. Crossing the Rappahannock river on the 9th of November, Colonel Coulter was placed in command of a detachment consisting of the Sixteenth Maine, Eighty-third and One Hundred and Fourth New York, and Eleventh Penn- sylvania regiments, with a section of a New York battery, and stationed at Liberty, where were established General Richardson's division Headquarters, the Eleventh under the command of Major Keenan. An attack upon an out- post, by Mosby's cavalry in the garb of Union soldiers, was repulsed, but not until one Union soldier was wounded, five taken prisoners and a number of horses and mules driven away. The assumed uniform protected the party until too late for the picket guard to make a successful resistance.

260

ELEVENTII REGIMENT.

1864

The regiments of this detachment having been ordered to their several bri- gades, at daylight on the morning of the 27th of November, the division crossed the Rappahannock at the station, and the Rapidan at Culpepper Mines ford, encamped at Culpepper gold mines and on the following day marched to Rob- inson's Tavern, where the Second Corps was already in line. Colonel Coulter assumed command of division reserve, consisting of the Ninetieth and Eleventh Pennsylvania, Sixteenth Maine, and Twelfth Massachusetts, and moving for- ward in three lines, took position on Mine Run. The Eleventh was placed on picket duty and had one man wounded. On the 30th, the division moved to the right in two lines, the reserve under Colonel Coulter, covering the rear of both brigades, and took position on the right of the Fredericksburg and Orange Court House turnpike. At nine o'clock in the morning, General Sedgwick opened on the right, but the enemy only answered with a few shells. Remain- ing, and suffering intensely from cold, until the evening of December 1st, the division withdrew, and moved to Germania ford, where it covered the crossing of the Fifth and Sixth, and the picket details of the First, Third, Fifth and Sixth Corps, when it was withdrawn, with the exception of one hundred men, who remained till the bridges were taken up, and then crossed in boats. Return- ing to the right bank of the Rappahannock, and again crossing to the left, it went into winter quarters.

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

History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 32

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