History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. II, Part 238

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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In the retreat to the James, Porter's Corps had the advance. Moving by devious ways through the dismal White Oak Swamp, encouraged by the be- lief that a fine strategic movement was being made, the regiment at length arrived at the river, where lay the gunboats. On the afternoon of Monday, June 30th, that portion of the army which had arrived, was reviewed by Gene- ral M'Clellan. While returning from the review, the enemy attacked with ar- tillery. Griffin replied, to whom the Eighty-third was assigned as a support. The enemy's guns were silenced and driven away. During the night the regiment was posted on the picket line, where, on the following day, was fought the battle of Malvern Hill. From four to six o'clock in the afternoon of July 1st, it was under a heavy artillery fire, after which it was hurried to the front,

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to support a battery which was in danger of being captured. Here for two hours the battle raged with great fury, and the men were exposed, without protection, to a murderou's fire. With great gallantry and courage the line was maintained, and the battery, which had been on the point of moving to the rear, unlimbered and poured into the enemy's massed lines grape and can- ister, until the ammunition failed, when the gunners cut the chains from their horses' harness and hurled them at the foe. Never was the bravery and en- durance of the Eighty-third put to a severer test. The loss in the engagement was about forty killed, and one hundred and ten wounded, of whom a number afterwards died. Among the wounded was Captain Campbell, in command of the regiment. On arriving at Harrison's Landing it stacked bnt about eighty muskets. On the evening of July 4th, an election to fill the vacancies occasioned by the death of Colonel M'Lane and Major Naghel was held, at which Lieutenant Colonel Vincent was chosen Colonel, Captain Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel, and Adjutant William H. Lamont, Major.

General M'Clellan having been relieved, his lieutenants were ordered to re- port with their commands to General Pope. At Newport News the regiment was joined by Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, with about fifty recruits, mostly from Waterford, Erie county. It moved with the brigade by transports to Acquia Creek, and thence by rail to Falmouth. After fruitless marchings and counter-marchings, the corps at length formed a junction with the forces of Pope, who finally succeeded in massing his forces, and making dispositions for a general engagement. The position of the Eighty-third was upon the right centre of the general line of battle. At the word to advance the brigade moved promptly, and, deploying in line, were soon charging under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, in command of the regiment, fell early in the battle, his leg shattered by a minnie ball. Ma- jor Lamont was taken prisoner, and the command devolved on Captain Gra- ham. Exposed to a hot flank fire from the enemy's infantry posted in a railroad cut, and a heavy artillery fire in front, unable to advance, with any hope of success, it was finally ordered to fall back. In this battle the regi- ment lost twenty killed, and between fifty and sixty wounded. Lieutenants John Herrington and W. J. Wittich were among the killed. The recruits, who had been but a few days in the regiment, preserved, under the hottest fire, the bearing of veterans.

.The battle of Antietam was principally fought by the two wings of the army, and the Fifth Corps, to which the Eighty-third belonged, holding the centre, was not much engaged. After the withdrawal of the enemy across the river, an attempt was made to throw over a force to capture some pieces of artillery posted on the opposite bank. Two brigades had crossed and were advanc- ing, when a heavy body of the enemy, concealed in a wood near by, suddenly attacked and drove back our force. As soon as he came in view from the op- posite shore, the Eighty-third, which had been ordered into the bed of the ca- nal, now dry, commenced a rapid fire, preventing the enemy from advancing to the bluff, and protecting our men while re-crossing. Sharp-shooting was continued across the stream during the whole day, and firing during much of the following night. Next morning the regiment was relieved. Since the battle of Bull Run Captain Woodward had been in command. On the 30th of October Colonel Vincent, who since the battle of Gaines' Mill had been absent, sick, re-joined the regiment, and resumed command.

1253

1862

BULL RUN AND FREDERICKSBURG.

On the morning of the 12th of December, the regiment moved from its camp near the railroad back of Falmouth, to a point within two miles of the river, where it lay during the day, and at night bivouacked in a wood near by. In the morning the corps moved up to the heights overlooking Fredericksburg, and, until three in the afternoon, stood spectators of the battle that was rag- ing on the field beyond. At four the column crossed, aud the regiment mov- ing up the main street of the city, filed to the left at its upper end, and formed in rear of a row of buildings. The enemy quickly opened upon the position, . and the fragments of shell fell thick in its midst, several of the men being wounded. At the close of the day it was ordered to the front line, to relieve troops which had, during the day, been struggling to advance upon the ene- my's stronghold on the heights beyond. After passing the suburbs of the town it moved in line, in the face of a murderous artillery fire, crossed the rail- road cut, and on over the bodies of the slain a quarter of a mile, to the brow of a hill within a few hundred yards of the enemy's lines, where it halted. He soon opened from his batteries on the left an enfilading fire which proved very annoying. The men hugged the ground, and at once opened fire; but as no enemy was in sight, it soon ceased. During the night the regiment was shifted to the north side of the hill, where it had some shelter. On the fol- lowing day, Sunday, there was little firing on the left, the two contending lines keeping close, the sharp-shooters vigilant and active when occasion fa- vored. At ten o'clock on the following night, after having been at the front thirty hours, it returned to the main street of the city. At twelve o'clock on the next night, it was again ordered to its former advanced position, but only remained about three hours, when it again retired and re-crossed the river, the army having nearly all preceded it. Its loss, which was principally met in its first advance to the front, was six killed and thirty wounded. Pri- vate Frank H. Conse, of company B, who has performed much wearisome la- bor in preparing the rolls for these volumes, lost a leg in that perilons advance

The regiment returned to its former camp, and during the winter, was en- gaged in picketing two or three miles to the rear, but without being disturbed by the enemy. The Mud March, or as Captain Judson terms it, the Katabasis, going down, for at every step man and beast sank in the mire, was partici- pated in with the experience of discomfort shared by the entire army. On the 20th of April it moved on the Chancellorsville campaign, and arrived on the field on the afternoon of the following day. On the 1st of May, after march- ing and counter-marching for several miles, it returned to the position of the morning, and supported a portion of the corps which had met the advance of the enemy. At dusk it was ordered to a position on the extreme left of the Line, stretching out towards the river. In moving in the darkness through the thick underbrush, it was misled and was obliged to return to the Chancellor Road, where it bivonacked for the night. In the morning it marched early to its place in the line, and was at once put to felling timber and throwing up a strong breast-work of logs. Here it remained undisturbed until the morn- ing of the 3d, when the Fifth Corps was relieved by the Eleventh, which, on the previous evening, had been attacked and routed from its position on the right, by the legions of Stonewall Jackson, and was ordered into position on the right centre. Skirmishers were immediately thrown out, who encountered the enemy and opened a brisk fire. Intrenching tools were distributed, and the main line was strongly fortified in anticipation of an attack; but none was

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EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

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made. Monday, the 4th, the corps was still in the same position, and towards evening two divisions were sent out on a reconnaissance, encountering a strong skirmish line, which was driven back, but had no heavy fighting. The loss in the Eighty-third was but slight, some four or five wounded. The campaign was abandoned, and the regiment returned to its old quarters, near Stone- man's Station.

The term of service of the Twelfth and Seventeenth New York regiments expired early in May, leaving but four regiments in the brigade, the Twentieth Maine having joined it at Antietam. Colonel Vincent now succeeded to its command, and Captain Woodward to that of the regiment. After remaining in camp two weeks, the brigade was ordered to duty in guarding the fords of the Rappahannock, where it remained until it started on the Pennsylvania campaign. By the middle of June the two armies were in motion. Near Al- die the cavalry under Pleasanton met the cavalry of the enemy, and Barnes' Division of the Fifth Corps was sent to its support. At three o'clock on the morning of the 21st, Vincent's Brigade moved in advance, and on its arrival at Middleburg, filed to the left of the town, where it took position on the left of Gregg's Cavalry, the enemy's dismounted men being in position behind store walls, screened by a curtain of woods. At eight o'clock, when fairly in position, Vincent with three of his regiments commenced pressing the enemy in front, and ordered Captain Woodward with the Eighty-third to move rapidly through the woods to the left, keeping his forces concealed, and the instant he had passed the stone walls, to emerge and take the enemy in flank and rear. The manœuvre was entirely successful ; the enemy was routed and a fine Blakeley gun captured. The advantage was followed up, pushing · him from position after position, until finally he was driven by the cavalry into the fastnesses of the Blue Ridge. The loss in the regiment was only one wounded.

Early on the morning of the 2d of July, the Eighty-third arrived on the battle-field of Gettysburg, and immediately formed in line in support of artil- lery posted on the centre. At a little before noon, Barnes' Division was or- dered to the left centre, and at four P. M., when the battle was waxing hot upou the extreme left, Vincent's Brigade was ordered to move rapidly and take position on Little Round Top, which was now beginning to be threatened, Sickles' line, that had covered it, having given way. Several pieces of artil- lery had been dragged to its summit, but were without supports. Little Round Top is a granite spur, rising abruptly on all sides a hundred or more feet, of an area of three or four acres, and covered with massive, ragged rocks, and a scattered growth of trees and bushes. It was a key-point to our position, and its occupation was vital to the safety of the army. Passing across the rear and left of the hill, Vincent posted his brigade on its front, the Sixteenth Michigan on the right, facing an open swamp, the Twentieth Maine on the left, facing the valley between Round Top and Little Round Top, the Forty-fourth New York on the right centre, and the Eighty-third Pennsylvania on the left centre. Each rock was a fortress, behind which the soldier instantly took shelter. Scarcely was the line established, when a powerful body of Long -. street's Corps,-led by Hood, came on at double-quick, with bayonets fixed, and uttering unearthly yells, intent on carrying this coveted position, and an- nihilating its defeuders. He struck first the centre, where were the Eighty- third and the Forty-fourth. Rapid volleys from their well poised muskets

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GETTYSBURG.

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checked his fiery onset. Finding it vain to face this deadly storm, he turned to the left; and here, at first, with some success; for the Sixteenth, having less protection, quailed before him; but supports were sent in, and by the ex- ertions of officers the ground was again recovered. Here while re-forming his line and directing the fight, Colonel Vincent was mortally wounded. As he was struck, he exclaimed : "This is the fourth or fifth time they have shot at me, and they have hit me at last." He was laid upon a stretcher and carried to the rear. Colonel Rice, of the Forty-fourth, succeeded to the command. Fail- ing upon the centre and right, the enemy now re-formed his ranks, and moved with even greater daring and pertiuacity npon the left. As he passed the front of the Forty-fourth and Eighty-third they gave him a volley; but without heeding it, he passed on through the wooded vale, and burst with re- newed violence upon the left flank. The left of the Twentieth had no support, and Colonel Chamberlain, to give as much protection to the rear as possible, had re-formed it so that it formed nearly a right angle with the main line. The enemy's mad onset was met with unflinching firmness. The contest was soon at close quarters, the men clubbing their muskets, and struggling with despe- rate valor for the mastery. The enemy had pushed through the valley, until his line lapped around the left, and his shots began to reach the Eighty-third in rear. But the steady fire of the brigade had told fearfully upon his ranks, and his fire began to slacken. Colonel Chamberlain noticing this, ordered a charge, and advancing with a yell, drove and scattered his remaining force, and captured a number of prisoners. At this moment a brigade of the Penn- sylvania Reserves came to its support and the enemy, seeing reinforcements, fell back in disorder. The skirmishers of the Eighty-third dashed forward in pursnit, and brought in seventy four prisoners, and over three hundred stand of arms. The brigade remained masters of the field-ever a glorious field- and the position was not again seriously menaced. During the night a breast- work of loose stones was thrown up through the vale, and continued to the summit of Round Top. The ground in front of the brigade was thickly strewn with the enemy's dead. "I counted," says Captain Judson, "several days afterwards, over forty dead bodies within a circle of fifty feet in circumference. They laid in every conceivable position among the rocks, in that low, swampy ground, some cronehed behind the rocks as if about to fire, some lying upon their faces, and some stretched upon their backs, like corpses laid out for a fu- neral, as if they had determined to observe the propriety of attitude, even in the hour and article of death. The rains had, during the interval, descended and the hot sun bad beat down upon them, and they were swollen and turned black with mortification, and millions of maggots could be seen rioting upon their flesh." Considering the severity of the engagement and the great slaugh- ter inflicted upon the enemy, the loss in the Eighty-third was but slight, being cight küled and thirty-eight wounded, of whom six afterwards died. But, when it is remembered that it fought, for the most part, from behind the shelter of rocks, its immuniry from casualties is understood.

At midnight the regiment was called to the assistance of the Twentieth Maine, on the summit of Round Top, where it was engaged in throwing up breast-works. In the morning it was relieved, and with the brigade moved to the rear of the left centre, where it rested. During the connonade in the afternoon, the shells burst over and around it; but in the Eighty-third only one man was wounded.

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EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

1863

The rebel army began to fall baek during the night of the 3d. The regi- ment joined in the pursuit and eame up with the rear guard on the 10th, near Jones' Cross Roads, just aeross Antietam Creek. The right wing, under eom- mand of Captain M'Coy, was thrown forward upon the skirmish line. Con- siderable manœuvering and skirmishing ensued, but without decided result, unti' the 14th, when it was found that the enemy had made good his eseape across the Potomac. On the 10th intelligence was received of the appoint- ment of Colonel Vincent as a Brigadier General. The announcement was re- ceived with the liveliest manifestations of joy by every regiment of the bri- gade. Captain Graham was immediately dispatched to Gettysburg, to inform him of his promotion; but, upon his arrival at Frederick, was informed of General Vineent's death, and accordingly turned back. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell had resigned in May previous, on aeeount of wounds received in the battle of Second Bull Run. Captain O. S. Woodward was accordingly elected and commissioned Colonel, and Captain De Witt Clinton M'Coy, Lientenant Colonel. About four hundred drafted men and substitutes were added to the regiment soon afterwards, a large proportion of them proviug entirely wortli- less. The long marches, and wearisome duty on picket aud skirmish line dur- ing the fall campaign, wherein the army advaneed to Culpepper, retired to Centreville, again advanced to Mine Run, and finally settled down in winter- quarters behind the Rappahannock, forms a chapter of the history of the regi- ment for the most part devoid of interest or stirring. ineident.

During the winter, one hundred and sixty-nine men re-enlisted. In the re- organization of the army preparatory to the spring campaign the brigade, the Third of General Griffin's Division, commanded by General Bartlett, was strengthened by the addition of the Eighteenth Massachusetts, Colonel Hayes, and the One Hundred and Eighteenth Pennsylvania, Colonel Gwyn, the corps being commanded by General Warren. On the morning of the 5th of May, having crossed the Rapidan and penetrated the Wilderness, the enemy made his appearanee in front. At four o'clock the brigade moved into position, with the First Brigade on its right, and the Second on its left, preparatory to charging the enemy's line, eoneealed from view, but not more than fifty yards distant. The Eighty-third, with the Eighteenth Massachusetts, formed the first line, the Forty-fourth New York standing alone ou its right. In front was a small open- ing, thirty rods in width, aud at the edge of the woods, on the further side, were the rebel skirmishers. The word forward was given, and instantly the three bri- gades, with fixed bayonets, advanced upon the run, uttering deafening yells. The enemy fled in dismay, his skirmishers firing a few rounds only. Colonel Woodward fell severely wounded and the command devolved on Lieutenant Colonel M'Coy. Without pausing the lines pressed forward, the enemy mak- ing no stand until he had been driven three-quarters of a mile, when upon coming to another small opening, a halt was ordered. Owing to the impetu- osity of the charge, and the impediments encountered, the commands had been thrown into some disorder. And now it was discovered that the right flank was uncovered, the First Brigade having failed to come up. The enemy, re- eovering from his panic, in turn charged, and coming in upon the unprotected flank forced the lines to retire to their original position. Colonels Hayes and and Gwyn were both wounded, and many officers and men were lost. Colonel Woodward was struck in the right knee, the wound resulting in the loss of his leg. Sergeant Rogers, color-bearer, was among the killed. During the 6th

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WILDERNESS AND LAUREL HILL.

1864

and 7th the regiment was upon the front line, where was considerable cannon- ading, and some skirmishing; but it remained behind its entrenchments with- out being seriously molested.

During the night of the 7th the corps moved on toward Spottsylvania, and at Laurel Hill, siz miles from the Court House, found the enemy across its path. It was supposed that only cavalry was in front, and that the infantry had only to show itself to clear the way. The Eighty-third was ordered into position on the right of the road, the Forty-fourth on the left, and advanced under cover of two pieces of artillery. The troops were weary, and little en- thusiasm in the charge could be excited. At the brow of the hill the rebel skirmishers were met and driven. It now became apparent that the enemy's infantry was present in force; but the line moved on, and now at a double- quick, with fixed bayonets. As it approached the wood where the enemy lay, it received a volley, and here it was discovered that he was protected by a breast- work of logs and rails, prepared to receive an assault. Secure in their posi- tion and in largely superior force, the rebels poured in a murderous fire. Maddened by this merciless slaughter, the Eighty-third rushed up to the very works, and a desperate hand to hand conflict ensued, in which bayonet thrusts were given and parried, several men of the Eighty-third crossing the works and striving with desperate valor to drive out the foe. For half an hour did these two small regiments maintain the unequal contest, much of the time at close quarters; but were finally compelled to retire, having suffered a most grievous loss. The two lines, scarcely eighty rods apart, were thoroughly fortified during the night. The regiment had about fifty killed, and over a hundred wounded and taken prisoners. From its entrance to the Wilderness fight, to this time, it had lost over three hundred. Captain George Stowe and Lieutenant Alexander B. Langley were among the killed .*

Unable to drive the enemy from his fortifications, Grant again moved by the left flank. On the 23d the brigade arrived at the North Anna, and, crossing the stream at Jericho Ford, two regiments, the Eighty-third and Sixteenth Michigan, were sent to the assistance of Sweitzer's Brigade of Griffin's Division, which was at the moment in imminent peril. "In making thisadvance," says Greeley, "the Eighty-third Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Colonel M'Coy, swept closely past the flank of Brown's (rebel) column, when M'Coy instantly wheeled his forward companies into line, and gave a volley, which, delivered at close quarters on the flank and rear of the rebel column, threw it into utter disorder and rout; one of M'Coy's men seizing Brown by the collar and dragging him into our lines, while nearly a thousand of his men were gathered up as prisoners." The regiment lost but two or three wounded. The position was intrenched. On

* "The colors, on this occasion, were carried by Corporal Vogus, of company G, who had rescued them when Sergeant Rogers fell at the battle of the Wilderness. While the regiment was charging up towards the breast-works, he received a severe wound in the side, and fell with the colors. Corporal John Lillibridge. of the color guard, immediately seized them, and was about to carry them forward, when Vogus recovered, and, again taking the flag, pressed forward and planted it on the breast-works of the enemy. In a few moments afterwards he was shot through the breast. Fearing the colors might be captured, he seized them while in the act of falling himself, and hurled them to the rear, where they were rescued by Corporal Dan. Jones, of company F. Dan. was shortly after wounded himself, and while getting off the field, handed the colors to a soldier of the Forty-fourth, who brought them off safely, and delivered them to Sergeant Keck, who returned them to the regiment. This was the nearest the Eighty-third ever came to losing its colors."-Judson's History of Eighty-third Regiment P. V., page 96-7.

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EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

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the 25th the regiment moved towards. the enemy's works at Noel's Station, where breast-works were thrown up, and, while lying behind them, it had sev- cral men wounded, among them Lieutenant William J. Gleason, of company F, a brave young officer, mortally.

After crossing the Tolopotomy the enemy was again found moving on par- allel lines, and constantly covering Richmond. The Eighty-third, with other regiments of the corps, was engaged in throwing up breast-works, and hold- ing the enemy at bay while the balance of the army passed by. At Bethesda Church it was under a heavy fire, but was held in reserve, and moved to the support of menaced parts of the lines, losing several in killed and wounded. On the 16th of June it crossed the James, and joined in the siege of Peters- burg. The brigade, together with those of Sweitzer and Chamberlain, moved across the Norfolk Railroad, close up to the enemy's works, and unobserved threw up a heavy line of breast-works. As soon as it was discovered a brisk fire was opened, and a constant fusilade was kept up by his sharp-shooters, the regiment losing on the 19th one killed and three wounded, and on the 20th, two killed and five wounded. The position which it here occupied was near- est to the enemy of any part of the Union line. For weeks and months after- wards a never ceasing rattle of musketry was to be heard at this spot, by day and by night, even after peace had been declared in every other part of the lines.

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. II, Part 238

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