History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. II, Part 2

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1386

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A regiment was quickly advanced, and took position on the heights com- manding the bridge and its approaches, driving out the enemy and rendering the crossing for infantry secure. The whole corps now advanced rapidly, took position on the heights above the bridge, aud immediately advanced to the at- tack. The Fifty-first was posted on the second range of hills overlooking the creek, some distance below the bridge. Here it was soon hotly engaged with the enemy under cover of a stone wall, and in a cornfield on its left. Its ammu- nition was soon exhausted, and a fresh supply failing to arrive as ordered, the men held their position with the bayonet until relief came. But all this

*General Cox's Official Report-Moore's Rebellion Record. Docs. Vol. 5, p. 454-5.

1862

BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

struggle and costly sacrifice was vain. The enemy, relieved by the slackening of the battle on the left, and the arrival of a fresh corps from Harper's Ferry, was enabled to concentrate an overwhelming force upon this single corps, and it was forced to yield. The loss of the regiment was one hundred and twenty- five. Among the killed was Lieutenant Colonel Bell,* a vigilant officer and most estimable man, and Lieutenants Beaver and Hunsicker. Of the wounded were Captains Bolton and Hart, Adjutant Shorkly, Quartermaster Freedly and Lieutenant Lynch. Upon the fall of Lieutenant Colonel Bell, Major Schall was promoted to fill the vacancy, and Captain William J. Bolton, of company A, was promoted to Major.

Moving leisurely from the field of Antietam, the army crossed and again proceeded to the Rappahannock. General Burnside, now in chief command, / determined to cross the river at Fredericksburg, and seek the foe beyond. Much delay was experienced in bringing up the pontoons, and when they were at length at hand, the enemy had concentrated in his immediate front, and stood ready to dispute the passage and contest the ground on the impregnable heights beyond. General Wilcox was now in command of the Ninth Corps, and on the afternoon of the 13th of December, the day on which the troops under Franklin had attacked on the left, it crossed the river upon the pontoons in front of the town, and advanced by the road leading to the left towards the heights. At a point intermediate between the heights and the town, the brigade, consisting of five regiments, under command of General Ferrero, was de- ployed to right and left under partial cover. Upon emerging from the town, . the troops were at once met by the enemy's fire. A steady fire was returned but with little effect, his lines lying close and securely behind his entrench- ments. A lime-kiln marks the position where the brigade was deployed, whence it advanced gallantly, in face of a murderous fire, to a position on the left of the line occupied by the Second Corps. On the evening of the 14th, Sunday, one regiment, the Eleventh New Hampshire, was ordered forward on picket, and was hardly in position, when Colonel Zartranft received orders to proceed with the re- maining four regiments, and relieve a division upon the skirmish line. On pass- ing the neighborhood of a hospital, some entrenching tools were discovered scat- tered about, and the men were ordered to take them forward. Arriving upon the line they were directed to throw up a breast-work for their protection. This they at first refused to do, digging not having at this time become fashionable. The command was renewed and the men fell to work, and when they began to see the

* "After crossing the bridge I took the regiment to the right and halted. When the regi- ment was re-formed, I moved it from the bed of the road towards the creek, and rested, while several other regiments passed np the road. Colonel Bell here came up to me, say- ing that more troops should be sent over. I replied 'well, go and see about it.' He went, but no farther than the bridge, and soon I saw him coming back on the bed of the road, (which was now clear of troops, ) a few feet from the edge of the road nearest the water. When about thirty yards from the bridge I saw him struck on the left temple, as I at that time thought, and now believe, by a canister shot. He fell backward and rolled off the road to within six feet of the water. He spoke freely, saying 'never say die, boys ;' ' stand by the colors;' ' take care of my sword.' He was immediately taken back to the Barn Hospital and examined by some Surgeon, (our own Surgeons being at another hospital, ) who pronounced his wound not danger- ous. Bleeding soon stopped. I directed Sergeant Major Stoneroad to remain with him and take charge of his effects. I was under orders at this time to move forward, and could not leave the regiment. In little less than an hour after I received permission to go back to the hospital to see the Colonel. I saw him, (Sergeant Major with him,) but he did not recognize me. In an hour after he passed off calmly."-Letter of General Hartranft.

FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

1863

fruits of their labor, they prosecuted it with a will, and by morning of Monday had a good line of works formed. This was the first experience of digging by the Fifty-first. Here the line was under a fierce infantry and artillery are, and the men were obliged to hug closely their cover. But the enemy manifested no dispo- sition to attack, and after remaining in position until the morning of Tuesday, the brigade was withdrawn, and re-crossed the river upon the pontoons, which were soon after taken np. The advantages in this engagement were all on the side of the enemy, the attacks in front of the town proving futile; but never- theless the history of the war furnishes few instances where the mettle of the troops was more severely tested than in the blows aimed at the fastnesses of those frowning heights. The loss was twelve killed and seventy-four wounded.

On the 25th of March, 1863, the regiment was ordered to Fortress Monroe, where it joined the brigade, now consisting of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, Fifty-first New York, Twenty-first Massachusetts, and the Eleventh New Hampshire, and thence proceeded, with two divisions of the Ninth Corps, to Kentucky. At Cincinnati General Burnside met the troops, welcoming them to his new department, and encouraging them to deeds of patriotic devotion. The regiment moved by rail to Paris, and was posted successively at Winches- ter, Lancaster, Crab Orchard and Stanford, principally engaged in holding the interior of the State against the invasions of the raiders Wheeler, Morgan, and Pegram.

From Kentucky the corps, under the command of General Parke, was or- · dered to the support of Grant at Vicksburg. The Fifty-first broke camp on the 4th of June, and arrived in the rear of the great stronghold of the Mississippi on the 14th. Its camp was established at Mill Dale, where little of interest occurred until the 23d, when it was detailed to dig rifle pits and cut away the woods, for the protection of the rear against a rebel army under Johnston, now assuming a threatening attitude. Working parties were relieved every two hours, and the duty was diligently prosecuted until miles of pits and field-works were con- structed, and whole forests slashed away. On the morning of the 29th the division was ordered to Oak Ridge, where it relieved a portion of M'Pherson's Corps, and was again employed in fortifying. At ten o'clock on the morning of the 4th of July came intelligence of the fall of Vicksburg, and with it, twenty- one bags of mail matter for the division, of not less interest, for the moment, than the surrender.

The regiment accompanied Sherman in his campaign to Jackson, and on the 11th arrived upon the enemy's front. It was immediately placed in position on the left of the line in support of the Second Michigan, Colonel Humphrey. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 12th a heavy cannonade was opened on both sides, which was kept up during the entire day, the regiment suffering consid- erable loss. During the night the men were busy digging rifle-pits, at many points within a few yards of the rebel sentries. On the morning of the 14th, after three days and two nights of constant skirmishing and fatigue duty, the regiment was relieved and withdrawn to the rear of the Insane Asylum. On the 15th detachments from several regiments, embracing two companies, F and H, of the Fifty-first, all under command of Major Wright, of the Fifty-first New York, were sent to reconnoitre the left as far as the Pearl River, and ascertain if a crossing could be effected. By accident the command struck the river op- posite to the point where the enemy's trains and reserve artillery were parked. The appearance of our troops in this quarter was reported to Johnston, who,

1863

BATTLE OF CAMPBELL'S STATION.

supposing it to be a demonstration in force, and fearing for the safety of his army, at once commenced a retreat .* The city was occupied on the 18th, the regiment stacking arms in front of the State House. Remaining two or three days to complete the work of destruction, Sherman marched back to Vicksburg.

The Ninth Corps now returned to Burnside's command, and went into camp in Kentucky, the Fifty-first leaving the railroad at Nicholasville, and taking post at Camp Nelson. Here it rested and re-fitted. The service in Mississippi had been very severe. Digging, felling forests, and making forced marches under the burning suns of the South, had broken down the health of many a strong man, and had induced fevers peculiar to the region. Colonel Hartranft fell a victim to their influence, and was for a long time prostrated. From Camp Nelson, the regiment moved to Crab Orchard, where it received recruits, and thence marched across the mountains, ria Cumberland Gap, to Knoxville.

Soon after its arrival it was ordered down the valley to London, where pre- parations had been made for going into winter-quarters; but scarcely had it arrived, when it was ordered back to Lenoir, where it remained several days. Here Colonel Hartranft, who had so far recovered as to take the field, re-joined the regiment and immediately assumed command of the Second Division of the Ninth Corps. His arrival was opportune. Longstreet, cutting loose from Bragg, at Chattanooga, was threatening Burnside with a force thrice his num- ber, and had already arrived in the neighborhood of Loudon. Perceiving his advantage, the rebel chief pushed across the Tennessee, and put his columns in motion for Campbell's Station, a point where several important roads centre, with the design of reaching it in advance of Burnside's forces, and thus cutting off' and capturing his whole command. In this he had the advantage of the shortest and most direct road. Burnside discovered his danger just in time to avert it. The Fifty-first was charged with moving Benjamin's heavy battery. The mud was very deep, and the roads, badly cut up by the trains, were next to impassable. All night long the regiment toiled through the mire to bring up the guns. The station was reached in advance of the enemy, and imme- diately proceeding out upon the Kingston road, Colonel Hartranft deployed his division across it, with his left thrown forward to cover the Loudon road, along which our army and trains were moving. Before these dispositions had fairly been made the head of the rebel column appeared. Held back for awhile by a few mounted infantry, Longstreet soon brought up heavy columns and opened a furious attack. This was met by a destructive and continuous fire from Hartranft's lines, which caused the eremy to recoil in confusion. Stead- fastly holding his ground until the remainder of the army and all the trains had safely passed the threatened point, Hartranft withdrew his troops, regi- ment by regiment, and took position on the left of the new line of battle, which had been formed on a low range of hills beyond the station. In the meantime Benjamin's Battery, which had been brought safely in, took position and did most efficient service, engaging and driving the enemy's artillery whenever it made its appearance. So much were the Union forces outnumbered, that the

*"All night Sherman heard the sound of wagons, but nothing that indicated evacuation, for the picks and shovels were at work till midnight; but, at the dawn of day, It became evident that the enemy had withdrawn across the Pearl River. The rebels had burned all the bridges in retreating and placed loaded shells and torpedoes on the roads leading out from the river. All the material of war had been removed, in advance of the retreat, by means of the railroad running east."-Military History of U. S. Grant, Badeau, Vol. I, page 396.

FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

1864

contest was waged with no hope of victory, but only to save the army and its material. Accordingly successive lines of battle were taken up in advanta- geous positions, and each was held until forced from it, when the troops retired behind fresh troops that had occupied the next. In this way the enemy was held at bay until dark, when he rested, and Burnside's columns, under cover of darkness, were all brought off safely into Knoxville.

Here the troops were immediately put to fortifying. Ferrero, with the First Division, held the left of the line with the river upon his flank, and Fort San- ders, an 'earth work mounted with Benjamin's guns, in the centre. Hartranft held the right, his line crossing the principal road leading from Cumberland Gap'to: Knoxville. Upon his right was a mill fed by a small stream. Across this, a heavy dam was built which flooded the ground for a considerable dis- tance around. Upon this lake the right of the line rested securely. For many days the work of fortifying was prosecuted without cessation. Fortunately Longstreet delayed his attack until the works were completed, and the army was secure. But the troops were exposed to a danger more imperious and fatal than rebel bullets. , It was hunger., . During all the hardships of the siege the men had been compelled to subsist on meagre rations of a quality hardly capa- ble of sustaining life. The days were counted when even these would fail. Fortunately before they were numbered, Grant, having relieved the army at Chattanooga from its toils, sent a powerful force under Sherman, to the support of Burnside, and the siege was raised.

.: Trains soon after arrived with provisions, and pursuit of the enemy was at once commenced. In this the Fifty-first joined, and came up with the rebel rear guard at Rutledge, in the valley of the Holsten, where skirmishing ensued Here the pursuit was stayed and the regiment retired to the neighborhood of Blaine's cross-roads, where it went into winter quarters. Still only meagre supplies of food and clothing were received, and the troops suffered much. On the 5th of January the regiment re-enlisted for an additional term of three years, and received orders to commence the homeward march. Poorly clad and short of rations, the men braved the perils of a wintery march across the mountains of East Tennessee, and after enduring untold sufferings and hard- ships by the way, finally arrived at Camp Nelson, where abundant supplies ot food and clothing were received. Pausing a few days at Cincinnati for the preparation of the company rolls, the regiment proceeded to Harrisburg, where it received a veteran furlough. Upon his arrival at Norristown, Colonel Hart- ranft, and the five companies from Montgomery county, received a flattering ovation, in which the speaker upon the occasion, Mr. B. E. Chain, said: "It is to you, Colonel, that the regiment owes the character it bears. Your discipline in the camp, your foresight on the march, your coolness, bravery, and judg- ment on the battle-field, have won the confidence and love of your men, and made them heroes in the fight. They knew that you never ordered where you did not lead."

So popular was the regiment at home that it was soon recruited to more than the maximum strength, and upon the expiration of the veteran furlough ren- dezvoused at Annapolis, Maryland, where the Ninth Corps was assembling. It was here assigned to the First Brigade of the First Division, consisting of the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, the One Hundred and Ninth New York, and the Second, Eighth, Seventeenth, and Twenty-seventh Michigan, Colonel Hart- ranft in command, Lieutenant Colonel Schall leading the regiment.

1864

THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN.

Upon the opening of the spring campaign under Grant, the Ninth Corps broke camp, and moving through Washington, where it was reviewed by the President, joined the army, and on the 5th of May crossed the Rapidan. It immediately moved to the front and took position between Hancock and War- ren. Hartranft's Brigade was upon the centre of the line, and it was with con- siderable difficulty that it could be got into position. Captain Hart, who was now serving upon the staff of the Colonel, was ordered to go forward until he found the enemy's skirmishers. Pushing through the thick growth of pines, the first intimation he received of an enemy's presence, was a rebel bullet . whistling by his ears. The brigade was now led in by regiments, the men creeping through the dense undergrowth as best they could. "The advance was made," says Colonel Hartranft in his official report, "with great difficulty on account of the woods and underbrush, which were on fire. I formed my line, making nearly a right angle facing south and east. The enemy was in force in front of my left. While in this position, I received orders from Major General Burnside to advance and carry the enemy's works. I ordered the ad- vance at ten A. M., holding the Second Michigan in reserve, and directing the Seventeenth Michigan to watch well the right flank. The lines moved forward and I carried the enemy's works and held them for a moment, until a panic seized the left, whichi brought the whole line back in confusion. I immediately advanced skirmishers from the Second and Seventeenth Michigan, also moved the Seventeenth more to the left, and on these regiments re-formed my line. In this charge many prisoners were taken from the enemy, but lost perhaps an equal number." In the afternoon the brigade again advanced, but encountered stern resistance, and lost many in killed and wounded. - On the 7th the line was again moved forward, breast-works were thrown up, and considerable skir- mishing ensned.

On the morning of the 9th the brigade was withdrawn and moved to the Ny River, where the enemy was soon found. A crossing was effected on the 12th, and the rebels, after a stern resistance, were driven back. In this engage- ment six companies of the Fifty-first were deployed as skirmishers, supported by the remaining four, and gallantly carried the wooded heights in their front, compelling the enemy to burn a house in which he had taken shelter, and retire. To date from this battle, Colonel Hartranft was promoted to Brigadier General, Lieutenant Colonel Schall to Colonel, Major Bolton to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Hart to Major. From the 12th to the 18th, the line of the brigade re- mained substantialy unchanged, the enemy hugging closely his works, ready at any moment to repel an attack. Upon the withdrawal of the brigade from the position occupied on the 27th, a few men, belonging to the Fifty-first, en- gaged upon the picket line, could not be brought in, and fell into the hands of the enemy. A succession of movements by the left flank brought the brigade to Cold Harbor on the 1st of June. At six o'clock on the morning of the 3d, the brigade advanced with orders to re-take the line from which the enemy had driven our troops on the previous day. Potter's Division advanced at the same time on the right. In the face of a terrific fire of infantry and artillery, the lines rushed forward, routed the enemy, and were soon well established within two hundred yards of his main line, where, in a re-entrant angle of his own works, he had four guns. These proved of little value to him, as they were so closely watched by our sharp-shooters that it was impossible for the gunners to work them. In this charge, at the head of his column, Colonel Schall was killed,

1865

FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

and was succeeded in command by Lieutenant Colonel Bolton. The loss here, as in the preceding battles of the campaign, was very heavy, but for want of data cannot be given.

Crossing the Chickahominy and the James, the Ninth Corps arrived in front of Petersburg on the 17th, and at once engaged the enemy. General Hart- ranft's Brigade made a most gallant charge in face of a galling fire of the rebel artillery, suffering heavy loss. On the following day it was again engaged upon the railroad-cut in front of the locality afterwards selected for the mine, and gained a position in close proximity to the enemy's works, which was held and fortified. : So close to the rebel line was this position, that it required unceasing vigilance to hold it, and for seventeen successive days and nights an unceasing fire of mnsketry was kept up, one-third of the men being constantly employed. After a few days respite it was again returned to the vicinity of its old posi- tion, where it remained until the explosion of the mine. On the day previous it was relieved and ordered to form part of the storming column. When the explosion took place it advanced, and two companies had reached the brink, when General Hartranft, who was in the crater, finding that more troops were already in than could be used, ordered it back. In this perilous advance Colo- nel Bolton was severely wounded, and the command devolved on Major Hart. The brigade was again put upon the line fronting the crater, where it remained for a few days, when it was relieved and passed to the rear ont of harm's way. Here it remained in camp until the 19th of August, when it was ordered to the support of Warren, on the Weldon Railroad. Crawford's Division formed the connecting link between Hancock and Warren, a distance of a half mile. Upon this the enemy fell in heavy force and captured the greater portion of it, mak- ing a dangerous gap, and exposing Warren to imminent peril. Hartranft, who was lying in supporting distance, and judging by the sound of battle that our forces had been dispersed, though not under orders, magnanimonsly moved to the rescue, and by interposing his brigade and by stubbornly holding his ground, saved the day. A permanent lodgment was thereby made upon the Weldon road, which had been one of the enemy's chief lines of supply.

In the subsequent operations of the brigade, the Fifty-first, under command of Colonel Bolton, participated, engaging the enemy at Poplar Spring Church, at Ream's Station, at Hatcher's Run, and in the final attack on the 2d of April, which resulted in the evacuation of Richmond. On the 27th of July, after four years of arduous service, extending over the whole line from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, it was mustered out of service at Alexandria, Virginia.

THREE : YEARS' SERVICE.

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.

JAXE.

BANK.

DATE OF MUSTER ISTO SERVICS.

TERM-YEARS

ESMARKS

John F. Hartranft ...

Col

July 27, '61, 3

Wm. . J. Bolton.

.do

Ang. 16, '61,

Promoted to Brigadier General, June 8, 1864-to Brevet Major General, March 25, 1865. Pr. from Capt. Co. A, to Maj., Sept. 17, 1862-to Col., June 26, 1864-to Bv. Brig. Gen., Mar. 13, 1865-mus. out with regiment, July 27, 1865.

Thomas S. Bell

Lt. Col.

Edwin Schall

.. do

July 27, '61, July 27, '61,

3 Promoted from Maj. to Lt. Col., Sept. 17, 1862- killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3. 1864.

William Allebaugh

... do

....

Aug. 16, '61,

3 Pr. fr. Capt. Co. C, to Lt. Col., April 23, 1865-to Brevet Colonel, March 13, 1865-mustercd out with regiment, July 27, 1865.

Lane S. Hart.

Major ..

Sept. 2, '61, 3

Promoted from Captain Co. F, to Major, July 21, 1864-discharged Dec. 17, 1864, for wounds re- ceived at Weldon R. R .. Aug. 19, IS64.

Joseph K. Bolton

.. do ...

Aug. 16, '61,

Promoted from Captain Co. A, to Major, Jan. 15. 1865-mus. out with regiment, July 26, 1865. Resigned June 5, 1862.

Daniel P. Bible

Adj

Oct. 30, '61, Nov. 16, '61,

333

3 Pr. fr. 2d Lt. Co. E. to Ist Lt. and Adjt., May 2, '64-disch. Nov. 2, '64, for was. rec'd in action. Pr. fr. 2d Lt. Co. H, to Ist Lt. and Adjt., Jan. 15, -IS65-mustered out with regt., July 27. 1865.

· John J. Freedley ... Samuel P. Stephens ... do

Q. M

Ang. 16. '61, Oct. 16, '61, 3

3 Pr. fr. Ist Lt. Co. C, Oct. 17, '61-res. May 11, '63. Pr. fr. Sgt. Co. F, to Com. Sgt., Nov. 16, IS61-to Quartermaster, May 13. 1863-mustered out with regiment, July 27, IS65.

J. A. Livergood. John A. Hosack

Surg .... .do

Oct. 15, '61, 3

Transferred from 101st regt. P. V., Nov. 20, '61- resigned July 30, 1863.

Wm. C. Shurlock

.do

Mar. 9, '64. 3 Mustered ont. Juuo 5, IS65.

Manning F. Bowes ..

.do

June 22, '65,

3 Mustered out with regiment, July 27, 1865.

James D. Noble ...

As.Sur.

Sept. 14, '61,

John B. Reinholdt ..

.. do

Ang 1, '62, 3

Mustered out, Nov. 16. 1864-expiration of term. Mustered out with regimeot, July 27, 1865.

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. II, Part 2

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn Publication date: 1869 Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Number of Pages: 1386

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1386