History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. III, Part 149

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1402

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Upon the return of the army at the close of the Peninsula Campaign, the One Hundred and Fifth was landed at Alexandria and was assigned, to duty in guarding the railroad between Manassas and Warrenton Junction, com- panies E, H, and K being posted at Bristoe Station, and B, and G at the Junc- tion. On the evening of August 26th, a train from the station four miles above, arrived at the Junction, reporting that it had been fired into by a band of five hundred of the enemy's cavalry. The only force then at the Junction was that of the two companies named, barely seventy-five men, thirty-five men of the Eighty-seventh New York, and Lieutenant James' Battery of four or five guns. Dispositions were immediately made of this small force to meet the threatened danger. At midnight the enemy was discovered advancing in the darkness, and when within a few rods of the line a rapid fire was opened from infantry and artillery. The enemy replied and for a time a lively fire was kept up; but not expecting to meet artillery his fire soon slackened and he re- tired out of range. Quickly re-forming he again charged, yelling hideously, and delivering a destructive fire upon the handful of men that was opposing him. The little band held out heroically until surrounded, when it was forced to surrender. On the following day they were paroled. Company B had three men killed. Captain S. A. Craig, in command of the detachment, was severely wounded. Companies H, E, and K, at Bristoe Station, had been relieved and' were on the point of taking the cars for head-quarters at Centerville, but hear- ing the noise of the fray at the Junction, returned to their post. They suc- ceeded in reaching head-quarters at daylight on the following morning, and were the first to report the presence of the enemy. Company H, which was the last relieved, fell into the hands of the enemy. As soon as advised of his presence, the First Division, together with Hooker's, changed front to the rear to face him. At Bristoe they found him in force and a spirited engagement ensued, in which the portion of the regiment in column supported a battery, and rendered efficient service. The regiment lay upon its arms until ten o'clock that night, but heard nothing more of the enemy until it came up with him on the following day on the old Bull Run battle ground. Colonel Poe, with Berry's Brigade, was posted in the first line, with Robinson's Bri- gade on his right, partly in line and partly in support. Early in the after- noon Robinson's Brigade was sent diagonally to the front to relieve the centre, posted in woods. He drove forward several hundred yards, but the centre of the main body being shortly after driven back and out of the woods, ex- posed in front of all others, and both flanks in air, he was obliged to halt and

782

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT.

1862

confine his efforts to holding his own. In the fighting on the following morn- ing Kearny's Division did not take part, though it lost men by an enfilading fire of the enemy's batteries, the One Hundred and Fifth unfortunately being placed in an exposed position, which for hours, under the most deadly fire, it firmly maintained. At five P. M. the left and centre suddenly gave way, and Kearny massed his troops as directed by General Pope, but soon re-occupied with Birney's Brigade, supported by Robinson's, a very advanced block of woods, which was held until ten at night. Soon after sun-down the One Hun- dred and Fifth was relieved from supporting a battery, and placed upon the picket line, where it remained until eleven, when it fell back and marched to Centreville. Here it lay until the evening of the 31st, when it again moved three miles towards Fairfax Court House, to the neighborhood of Chantilly. At this juncture General Kearny passed and was enthusiastically cheered- the last cheer which the regiment ever gave him, as a few minutes after he was killed. In his report of the battle of Bull Run, made on the same day, he said, "The One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania volunteers were not wanting. They are Pennsylvanians-mountain men-again have they been fearfully deci- mated. The desperate charge of these regiments sustains the past history of this division."* Of the small number who entered the battle thirteen were killed and forty-one wounded. Lieutenant John L. Gilbert was among the killed. Lieutenant Colonel Craig had his horse shot under him, and was wounded in the ankle. Captains Hastings, Kirk, and Thompson, and Lieu- tenants Neil, and Clyde were among the wounded.

.At the close of Pope's campaign the division was ordered into the defences of Washington, where it remained until after the battle of Antietam. Lieu- tenant Colonel Corbett was, on the 29th of July, commissioned Colonel, but on the 10th of September resigned, and was honorably discharged. In the mean- time Colonel M'Knight having returned, was, on the 20th of September, re- commissioned Colonel. On the morning of the 28th of October, the regiment was sent to White's Ford, where it crossed the Potomac and proceeded to the Ball's Bluff battle ground. For several days it was engaged in scouting in the neighborhood of Leesburg and Millville. At the latter place a large flour. ing mill, the property of a rebel, was taken possession of and run for the use of the Union troops. With the army it advanced to the Rappahannock, and on the 24th of November arrived at Falmouth.

General Burnside, who had succeeded M'Clellan in command of the army, was now preparing to move on the enemy, securely posted upon the heights overlooking Fredericksburg. On the morning of December 11th, the One Hundred and Fifth moved from camp in brigade line to the crest of the hill overlooking the river, and a mile in rear of the batteries, where it rested until dark, when it moved down to the wood in front of the hill, and bivouacked for the night. At four P. M. of the following day it continued on down the stream passing general head-quarters, and again bivouacked for the night. At daylight on the following morning the march was resumed, and at two P. M. it crossed on Franklin's pontoons. It was immediately moved at double quick to that part of the field where the Pennsylvania Reserves were hotly engaged, and was posted by order of General Robinson in rear of Randolph's Battery. Here it remained until dusk. It was then moved in front of the bat-

* Moore's Rebellion Record, Vol. V, page 697, Docs.

1863

783

FREDERICKSBURG AND CHANCELLORSVILLE.

tery, and here, in close proximity to the enemy's sharp-shooters animated with unusual activity and vigilance, it lay hugging closely the ground for thirty-six hours. At seven A. M. of the 15th, it was relieved by the Ninety- ninth Pennsylvania, and with other regiments of the brigade retired to a line two hundred yards back and parallel with the first. At night it re-crossed the river and moved back to the camp which it had left. "During Saturday afternoon," says Colonel M'Knight in his official report, "the regiment was subjected to an almost uninterrupted fire of artillery, accompanied at times by discharges of musketry, all of which, from our position, had to be endnred, without even the pleasure or excitement of sending a shot in return." Captain James Hamilton, Lieutenants George Patterson, and William J. Clyde, and eleven men, were wounded, two of whom afterwards died of their wounds.

Until the 20th of January, 1863, the regiment remained in camp employed in the usual round of duty. On that day it broke camp and moved with the brigade five miles back towards Warrenton, when it turned abruptly to the left and marched directly for the river, bivouacking at night a mile from the stream. This brigade had been selected for forcing a passage, and holding the thither bank while the pontoons were being laid. But before a crossing was effected, the army, when all in motion, was suddenly arrested by the breaking up of the roads. The movement was abandoned, and the army, with all its trains, with infinite labor, returned to camp.

With the advance of General Hooker to the chief command came re-organi- zation and frequent inspections and reviews. On the 26th of March the divi- sion was reviewed by Governor Curtin, and on the 10th of Apri: by President Lincoln and General Hooker. On the 28th of April the Third Corps, now commanded by Sickles, started on the Chancellorsville Campaign. I: first moved down to a point four miles below Fredericksburg. as if to follow the Sixth Corps which had already crossed the Rappahannock at Franklin's cross- ing of the preceding December. But on the afternoon of the 30th it about faced and marched away to United States Ford, which it crossed, and followed where Hooker with three corps of his army had already gone before. At five o'clock in the afternoon the regiment was formed in line of battie near the Chancellor Brick Mansion, It was hardly in position when the enemy at- tacked, and it was for some time exposed to a heavy artillery fire. A. day- light on the morning of the 2d. the brigade was moved to the centre of the line, where the regiment was deployed as skirmishers. In the afternoon, a movement of the enemy in heavy force along the front and to the right having been discovered, it was sent forward with the division on a reconnoissance. in which Jackson's Corps was struck in flank. At nine in the evening it re- turned, and lay during the night in rear of batteries a mile south of the Orange Plauk Road, a part of the division, in the meantime, making its famous m:d- night attack for the recovery of the works lost by the Eleventh Corps. At daylight on the morning of Sunday the 3d, the regiment moved out a short distance, and was employed in constructing a corduroy road across low swampy ground for the movement of artillery. Scarcely was it finished when the command received a sweeping fire of musketry, oy which several in the regiment were wounded. The brigade was immediately moved to the rear of tbe batteries at the Brick Mansion, and re-formed, the regiment holding the extreme left with the One Hundred and Fourteenth on its right. A charge was ordered, and with well dressed lines it dashed forward into the woods in

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ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT.

1863

front of the batteries, meeting a terrific fire of musketry as it went. In mak- ing this advance, Colonel M'Knight, heroically leading, was shot through the bead and instantly killed. Stung to madness by the loss of their Colonel, stricken down before their eyes, his men, now led by Lieutenant Colonel Craig, rushed on, though losing heavily at every step, and quickly drove the foe from his first line of works. Discovering that a movement was being made to outflank the regiment on the left, company B was ordered out beyond the breast-works to meet it. This order was promptly obeyed, and the enemy's advance checked, the company gaining a position where it did fearful execu- tion. For nearly two hours did this gallant brigade hold the ground which it had wrenched from the enemy, and which he vainly struggled to recover. Finally, having been largely reinforced, he was able to outflank it on the right, when it was forced to retire again to the rear of the batteries. Replenishing its ammunition, which had now become exhausted, it again advanced into the woods near the Orange Road, and was alternately engaged in the entrench- ments and in the rear of the abattis. On the following morning the brigade was relieved and the regiment retired to the third line, where, until the close of the battle, it remained executing important movements. At three A. M. on the morning of the 5th it re-crossed the river, and returned to its camp near Falmouth. The regiment went into action with twenty-seven officers and three hundred and twenty men. Of these, three officers and eight enlisted men were killed, five officers and sixty men wounded, and seven missing, an aggre- gate of seventy-seven. In addition to Colonel M'Knight, Captain Robert Kirk and Lieutenant Charles H. Powers were killed, and Captain Clyde, and Lieutenants Shipley, Platt, Hewitt, and M'Henry were wounded. At a meet- ing o: officers of the brigade, held shortly after the battle, resolutions of re- spect and condolence for Colone! M'Knight and directing the usual badge of mourning, were passed. Lieutenant Colonel Craig was promoted to suc- him, Major J. W. Greenawal: being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain L. B. Duff, to Major. On the 27th the Kearny badge of bonor was presented by General Sickles to those non-commissioned officers and privates who had especially distinguished themselves .*

On the 2d of June the regiment was sent for picket duty to Banks' Ford, where unusual vigilance was required, as balloons were being daily sent up to watch the movements of the enemy, which he seemed especially intent upon capturing. It being evident that the enemy was moving northward, the Third Corps, on the 11th, commenced a corresponding movement, and after hard

* The following are the names of those who received the Kearny Badge: A. H. Mitchell, S. T. Hadden, and A. D. M'Pherson, of company A; Joseph C. Kelso, George Heiges,and Charles S. M Cauley, of company B ; A. A. Harley, Charles C. Weaver, and Samue! H. Mays, of company C; James Silvis, and Milton Craven, of company D; Joseph E. Geiger, George Weddie, and James M. Shoaf, of company E; Robert Doty, Henry M Killip, and Perry C. C'upier, of company F; George W. Hawthorne, and William D. Kang, of company G; Thomas M. Rea, and Robert Feverly, of company H; Oliver C. Reddick, and Joseph Kinnier, of com pany I; James Miller, and George H. Reed, of company K. The honor seems to have been weil bestowed, for of this number, Miller afterwards rose to be Colonel of the regiment, Reddick to Lieutenant Colonel, Mitchell and Kelso to Captains, Silvis, Shoaf, M'Killip, and Hadden to Lieutenants ; Hadden, M Cauley, Doty, Hawthorne, and Kinnier were killed ; Heiges died of wounds ; M'Pherson lost a leg at Gettysburg, Craven his right arm at the Wilderness, and each of the others received one or more wounds in the many battles in which they afterwards participated.

785

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

1863

marches under a burning sun, reached Emmittsburg, Maryland, on the 30th. Here at two P. M. on the 1st of July, the regiment was ordered to move rapidly to Gettysburg, where a battle had already opened. By a forced march it reached the left of the field a little after dark. At daylight of July 2d it moved out to the right of the road leading to Round Top, and at a little be- fore noon was led to the front, companies A, C, D, F, and I being deployed as skirmishers to support the Sixty-third, which had been thrown forward and had opened a brisk fire upon the enemy's skirmishers, now plainly visible in their immediate front. Sergeant Doty was shot through the head while these companies were resting in support, though not permitted to open fire. At a little after noon these companies were called in and the regiment took its posi- tion in line on the extreme right of the brigade, where it remained quiet until three P. M., when the battle opened in earnest, and the line was moved up to the brow of the hill, along the Emmittsburg Pike. For an hour, under a heavy fire of shot and shell, from front and flank, it held its position unflinching, suf- fering considerable loss. At this juncture the enemy's infantry came on in heavy force and the command rose up to meet it, forming in the road. The fighting was now desperate, the brigade holding its ground and the enemy gradually advancing. Finally the line upon its left was broken through, and the rebels came pouring in upon its flank and rear, compelling it to fall back. In good order, re-forming at short intervals and at every favorable point, keep- ing up all the while a deliberate fire, it withdrew, and at evening took position on the line connecting the Cemetery Ridge with Round Top, where it remained until the close of the battle. Of two hundred and forty-seven who went into the fight, one officer and fourteen men were killed, thirteen officers and one hun- dred and eleven men wounded, and nine missing, an aggregate of one hundred and sixty-eight, more than half its entire strength. Lieutenant George W. Crossly was killed, and Colonel Craig, Lieutenant Colonel Greenawalt, Cap- tains Clyde, Woodward, Consor, and M'Henry, and Lieutenants Barr, Hewitt, Dunsten, Patterson, Dougherty, Van Vliet, and Boyington were wounded, fourteen officers out of the seventeen who stood with the regiment when the battle opened. Lieutenant James A. Dunsten subsequently died of his wounds. Colonel Craig had two horses shot under him. In a letter written soon after the engagement Colonel Craig said, "The One Hundred and Fifth never fought so well as at Gettysburg. We rallied some eight or ten times after the rest of the brigade had left us, and the boys fought like demons. Their battle-cry was Pennsylvania. I could handle them just as well on that field of battle as though they had simply been on drill. This is a state of perfection in disci- pline that is gained by but few regiments."

After the battle of Gettysburg the regiment returned to Virginia, and on the 28th of August was in camp at Warrenton, having marched almost constantly for forty-eight days. On the 9th of October it was in position near Thorough- fare Mountain, where an attack was anticipated, lying in line of battle all night. Retiring to Sulphur Springs it rested for a night, and then set forward, the rebel cavalry hanging on its flank, greatly annoying it, and retarding its progress. After crossing the Rappahannock at Freeman's Ford, and advancing a short distance, it was suddenly re-called, it having been discovered that the enemy was turning the right flank of the army. Remaining at the Ford until the 1ªth, it commenced a retrograde march towards Washington. The regiment bad the advance of the entire corps, which was on the left flank facing Wash- 99-VOL. III.

786

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT.

1864

ington, and was deployed as skirmishers on the left flank of the column. The enemy was moving in the same direction on a parallel road, and his column was frequently in sight. At Auburn a heavy skirmish occurred, in which the regiment was hotly engaged, losing one killed and five wounded. At Fairfax Station, the One Hundred and Fifth was assigned to provost duty, Colonel Craig holding command of the post.

After remaining here a few days the advance was again sounded, and the regiment was sent to the front, where it was kept at the post of danger and' responsibility. On the 27th of October it was slightly engaged at Kelly's Ford, but sustained no loss. A month later it was in the battle at Locust. Grove, and for an hour and a half was under a heavy fire. Fortunately its; loss here was only seven wounded, the enemy for the most part firing over the heads of the men. At the close of the Mine Run campaign it returned with the army and went into winter-quarters at its old camp at Brandy Sta- tion. On the 28th of December two hundred and forty men, nearly the en- tire strength of the regiment, re-enlisted and were given a veteran furlough. While away about fifty recruits were obtained.

Upon its return to camp preparations were in progress for the spring cam- paign, and on the 4th of May it marched with the division for the Wilderness, crossing the Rapidan at Ely's Ford, and passing on the way the old Chancel- lorsville battle ground. Early on the morning of the 5th the division was aroused and commenced the march towards Spottsylvania, but was halted and' countermarched, the enemy having come up and attacked in the Wilderness. On arriving where the battle was raging, it was immediately hurried into the fight, the One Hundred and Fifth forming line of battle on the plank road, and advancing a mile through dense undergrowth. Here it formed in rear of the Sixty-third Pennsylvania, occupying the front line. At four P. M. it re- lieved the Sixty-third, and as it advanced to the front found the ground strewn with the dead and the dying. It was soon in the thickest of the fray, and men were dropping on every hand like grain before the sickle of the reaper. Here Captain James Hamilton was killed, and Colonel Craig and Lieutenant? Colonel Greenawalt wounded, the latter mortally. The command now de- volved on Major Duff. Until long after dark the position was held despite the furious assaults made to carry it. It was finally relieved and led to the rear. On the morning of the 6th the battle was renewed, and the regiment advanced in line with the Sixty-third, until it reached the front line hotly en- gaged and lying flat upon the ground. The order was given to charge, and the brigade, passing the prostrate troops, with loud cheers, dashed on. The rebels, confused by this unexpected assault, gave way, and were pursued nearly two miles. Here they were reinforced, and taking advantage of the somewhat disordered state of the Union line flushed with its success, deliv- cred a counter charge, and in turn drove our men back to a line of temporary breast-works, most of the advantage gained being lost. Here fresh cartridges Were supplied, just in time to receive the enemy as he came on in great force. Three successive attempts were made to carry the position, but without success, and he finally retired, having suffered great loss in his heroic but vain assaults. During the entire day the line swayed backward and forward with the shifting fortunes of the battle, and the dense forest which was the scene of contention was covered with the dead and dying of both, armies., The ag- gregate loss in the two days of battle was eight officers and one hundred and

787

CAMPAIGN OF THE WILDERNESS.

1864

sixty-two men killed and wounded. Captain William J. Clyde was among the killed.

On Saturday, the 7th, there was brisk skirmishing but not a general en- gagement. In the afternoon the division advanced over the disputed ground, the regiment just on the left of the road on which it had fought during the two preceding days. When two miles out, it came suddenly upon a masked battery which opened with grape and canister. As the regiments were march- ing in close column by division and not in position for fighting, it fell back to the breast-works which it had left, where it remained until after dark, and then started in the direction of the Rapidan. This was interpreted by the men as a retreat, and all through the ranks was heard cries of "Another Failure." But it had not proceeded far when it commenced a movement to the left, and the morning of the following day found it again faced towards Richmond. During the two following days the regiment was held in reserve. On the morning of the 10th the Second Corps lay south of the Po River, while the remainder of the army was on its left to the north of it. As the battle opened the Second Corps, with the exception of one division, was withdrawn to the north bank and was moved to parts of the line hardest pressed. The One Hundred and Fifth was at one time marched alone, along a ridge only a short distance from the enemy's works. His artillery, which was in position, opened upon it. The first two shells fell close, but exploded without doing any injury. The third struck private Enos Shirts, exploding upon the in- stant, blowing him to pieces. Lieutenant Reddick was wounded by a frag- ment of the shell, and a number were sprinkled with the flesh and blood of their fallen comrade, the splinters of his bones penetrating their clothing.

On the night of the 11th, after a day of drenching rain, the regiment marched to the left, where it remained in the mud until near morning, when, with the corps, it moved cautiously through the wooded space in front, and at early dawn charged the rebel works. The astonished foe were scarcely aroused from their sleep when they found their first line of works suddenly snatched. from their hands. Five thousand prisoners with artillery and small arms graced the triumph. A part of his second line was captured, and in face of his most desperate assaults to re-take it, was held.

As the army moved forward on the 18th, Ewell came in upon the rear and attacked the train. The One Hundred and Fifth with other troops returned for its defence, and remained in line of battle during the night, but the train had already been relieved by fresh forces coming up from the rear. On the 23d the regiment arrived in front of the enemy's works at the North Anna. A charge was immediately ordered, and forming in a thick wood, advanced, led by Major Duff, without firing a gun. The enemy fled at its approach, and on reaching the open field his works were found deserted.

Fighting, fortifying, and flanking, the army about the middle of June crossed the James and commenced operations in front of Petersburg. The regiment charged with the brigade on the enemy's works, losing two killed and four wounded, Major Levi B. Duff, in command, was among the severely wounded, losing a leg. On the following day a portion of the enemy's line was captured, the regiment losing one killed in the fight. On the 21st it moved with the brigade in the direction of the Weldon Railroad, where, on the following day, breast-works were thrown up; but the enemy gaining the flank of the position, compelled its abandonment. In this movement two en-

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. III, Part 149

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn Publication date: 1869 Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Number of Pages: 1402

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1402