USA > Pennsylvania > History of the One hundred & sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, 2d brigade, 2d division, 2d corps, 1861-1865 > Part 25
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The Second Division advanced simultaneously with Barlow, and, after passing through some woods. came to a swamp that grew wider as we approached the intrenchments. This separated the commands, and at some points interposed an impassable ob- stacle. The Brigades of Owen and Tyler advanced close to the enemy, and a few of the men entered their works. The First Brigade divided at the head of the swamp; one portion joined Owen and Tyler; the other, led by the gallant McKeen, passed to the right and reached a point within fifty feet of the enemy. Here they lost heavily, and being unable to advance, sheltered them- selves in a hollow, where they remained during the entire day, re- sisting all attempts of the enemy to dislodge them.
The Philadelphia Brigade, after enduring for a short time a heavy fire from the enemy, were ordered to hold a position within seventy-five yards of the Confederate works. Taking advantage of the ground, with surprising rapidity they protected themselves with a shallow rifle-pit. using for the purpose bayonets, knives, and tin cups. At night intrenching tools were received, and the line was properly strengthened.
Again was Grant unable to dislodge Lee from his fortified posi- tion. Lee had chosen his position well and used all the means in his power to strengthen it, profiting by the experiences of the past, which proved of great value to him now; and although the assault had occupied less than thirty minutes he was enabled to inflict very heavy loss upon us. The severity of the contest is shown by that heavy loss, our Division alone losing 1628 men in killed, wounded and missing, while that of the enemy was very light, sheltered as they were. Our men did well, but did not do all that was expected of them. Along the whole line no better success was attained than crowned the efforts of the Second Corps ; and the battle of Cold Harbor may be classed as a failure 1
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in so far as not to accomplish what was intended; yet a success, in that we lost none of the ground gained, and repulsed all their attempts to drive us from our position ; which they first attempted upon our Division just before dark, to put a stop to our men con- structing their works. They were handsomely repulsed with a loss that helped to equal ours of the morning. Again about ten o'clock they made a grand effort to take our works ; a large force jumping over their works and gallantly assaulting our line, and again were they repulsed and again paid dearly for that attempt.
As has been said our Division loss was heavy-1628 men, includ- ing many valuable officers. The First Brigade all of its field and staff officers, leaving the Brigade and Regiments commanded by junior officers ; Colonel McKeen commanding the Brigade and Colonel Haskell of the Thirtieth Wisconsin were killed. General Owen lost two of his staff officers, and the One Hundred and Sixth lost one officer, Captain S. R. Townsend, killed, and sixteen men wounded and three missing. General Tyler commanding the Fourth Brigade was also wounded. The total loss of our army in that assault and to June 12th, when we left, was 14,129, whilst that of the enemy was only between 4,000 and 5,000.
The writer vividly remembers that night; our Division head- quarters were some distance in the rear, at the edge of the wood through which the line advanced in the morning. He was sent by General Gibbon with dispatches to the commanders of the Bri- gades, two of them were on the front line so close to the enemy's works, who were ready to fire at any moving object or in the dir- ection of the least noise. The irregular shape of our line, the un- known ground to go over, and the darkness of the night made this trip very hazardous both as to the firing and the risk of getting into their lines. Twice was he outside our lines riding towards theirs, when recalled by our men, then his horse coming near to where the men were lying, would call from them just aroused from their sleep, in no very amiable tones, "to look out where he was going", and each call would cause several shots to be fired in that direction, so that he was riding through fire all the time, and thanked his stars when he was safe on the road back to head- quarters, having executed his orders.
On the 4th, about 10 o'clock, there was a heavy artillery duel
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brought on by a party of citizens who were very anxious to have a look at the rebel fortifications, and General Gibbon conducted them to the front. As soon as they became visible to the enemy, they opened on them with their artillery. This cut the inspection of their works very short, and such haste in getting to the rear was not often seen, and was greatly enjoyed by the soldiers. Shortly after dark the Rebels made another assault on our works, and were again driven back. Again after dark on the 5th, they made an- other attempt; this time crawling over their works very quietly, tried to steal up to our works, intending to use only the bayonets. Our men kept quiet and allowed them to get up very close when they opened on them with a well-directed volley that sent them flying back to their works leaving many behind, killed or too badly wounded to get back.
A little before dark on the 7th an armistice was granted to bury the dead and bring in the wounded of both armies that lay be- tween the works, and hostilities were suspended for about two hours, from 6 to 8 o'clock, and both parties labored hard in their labor of love, providing for their unfortunate comrades. We were much surprised to find that it extended over into the next morn- ing. It then became a beautiful sight to see the colors or stan- dards of each army planted on their works, which in some places were so close together that the men sitting on them could easily talk with each other. In front of our Division, members of both sides were washing together in the same small run, and joking each other on the results of the previous days. It seemed very odd to see these men mingling with each other, laughing and joking and very friendly, that only a short time before were watch- ing for an opportunity and trying their best to kill each other, and would so soon be trying it again. About eleven o'clock an officer on the Confederate side called his men back to their lines, and told ours he would "give them five minutes to get be- hind their works". And at the expiration of that time the firing began again in all its earnestness and danger, growing more intense as the day wore on, and towards dark became very heavy, as though gathering fresh fury from their rest, now became the more severe.
Thus during the whole time our Brigade stayed there, there
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was kept up that continual firing, and each night fresh assaults made to drive us from our position, the enemy being determined not to let us slip from them again during the night.
I need hardly recount the danger that attended our men while lying here. The two lines of works so close together that each could hear the other talking, and each night the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment cut new lines and worked their way up closer to their first line, which they were soon compelled to abandon, but their other line was on elevated ground, so that it completely con- trolled ours, especially the approaches thereto, and every time one went to, or came from, our front line he did so at the risk of his life, as their riflemen or sharpshooters seemed to have their guns leveled and sighted, and the instant anyone appeared from under cover of the woods or works he was sure to receive about a dozen shots. The Second Brigade line ran across an open field with a large clear space for some distance behind it to the woods in the rear, and to reach the works one was compelled to run at full speed zigzag across this open field under a shower of bullets ; the works were sufficiently high, when close to them, to protect the men when standing, and when in the wood in the rear, we were comparatively safe, so that many did not attempt to go from one to the other, remaining where they were until dark and during the night attending to their wants; but with the writer it was different; two or three times each day would he be sent with orders or messages to the commanders of the Bri- gades, and both going and returning would have to run the gaunt- let of that fire.
The following will illustrate how accurate was their aim, and how ready to shoot at any part of our men visible. On one of my visits with orders to General Owen, I waited to receive from the men such letters as they wished to mail home, and while sitting talking to one of the men, Private Manley, of Company D, who was telling me that we were sitting just where Captain Lockhart, one of General Owen's staff officers, was wounded during the day, and raising his hand across my face, pointed to the left and said : "The shot must have come from that large tree over there". And I, turning to look in the direction designated, heard the report of a gun and instantly heard a gurgling sound at my side, and
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turning around found Manley lying mortally wounded. In pointing he had got his hand above the works, and the sharp- shooter had fired at the hand, judging from it the position of the body, and shot him in the neck, the ball passing downward into the lungs, from which he died in a few days. I waited for no more letters but left for headquarters at once. In going to the Third Brigade, which had been advanced to the position gained by the First Brigade, we had to ride over a slight elevation of clear ground, which was also controlled by the rifles of the enemy, which we were not long in finding out, and before reaching it we would put spurs to our horses and go over it at a full run, but always received a greeting of several shots.
The men of our Brigade suffered very much from the heat, in their exposed position; with no shelter of any kind except such as they could rig up behind the works of sand that seemed to attract and retain the heat. They were at the mercy of that hot summer sun, that made their provisions unpalatable, and render- ed the water they supplied themselves with during the night, of little use for drinking purposes long before the day was over, causing them to suffer for want of even water, and then with no facilities for washing either body or clothes. They were certainly in a pitiable condition, yet they were kept there for ten days with no relief, and to add still further to their discomfiture, the enemy arranged small brass howitzers down in a hollow in the rear of their line, and so elevated them to use as mortars, and on the 10th began using them at intervals, throwing their shells into our works, which, burying themselves in the sand, or exploding, would send the pieces in every direction, thus killing two and wounding several of the Brigade. This made our position very uncomfortable to say the least, as night and day these unwelcome visitors would drop among us. Finally during the night of June Ioth, the First and Fourth Brigades were relieved by the Third Division of the Sixth Corps and withdrawn from their perilous position, the Fourth Brigade then relieving the First Bri- gade ; but it was not until after dark on the 12th that our Brigade and the Fourth were relieved and withdrawn from the front line, and then only to start once more on the march to the left and rear.
We here, for the first time during our whole three years' ser-
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vice, had a separation or parting of the Regiments composing the Philadelphia Brigade ; these four Regiments, the Sixty-Ninth, Seventy-First, Seventy-Second, and One Hundred and Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, like one large family, had shared the same dangers, endured the same fatigues, marched and fought side by side during the whole of that time, each and all rendering such service as to bring credit to the beautiful city of Brotherly Love, whose name they bore, and now, having faithfully discharg- ed all the duties that were required of it from the time of its en- listment, what was left of the Seventy-First Regiment left us to return to their homes. It was a sad and yet a joyous parting ; sad to us remaining behind, for it was like taking part of our body from us, and joyous to those going, having the consciousness of duty well done, and crowned with the laurels of many hard-fought battles, victories won, and faithful services rendered ; and yet sad to them, that so few were left to go, out of that magnificent regi- ment of 15 companies, that first entered the service, numbering nearly 1500 men, led by the gallant Baker .: Those who re-enlist- ed were assigned to the Sixty-Ninth Regiment.
The morning of the 13th found us still moving. Shortly after daylight, we crossed the Richmond and York River Railroad, and about sunrise, halted at Ratcliff's Tavern, where the men got breakfast, and then continued the march. About II o'clock, an- other halt was made near the Chickahominy while the advance was crossing at Jones Bridge. We soon moved on, and about 2 o'clock, we crossed, leaving the First Brigade to cover the rear, and take up the bridge; we continued our march, arriving at Charles City Court House about 6 o'clock. Here the First Divi- sion threw up entrenchments; and we continued until within a quarter of a mile of the James river, near the Wilcox House, where we rested for the night ; having marched about thirty miles. This was another change of base, and executed so rapidly and quietly, as to completely deceive Lee. Grant safely landed his whole army on the banks of the James river, fifty miles from their position at Cold Harbor, in two days.
Colonel Banes says :
This flank movement across the Peninsula was accomplished in two days by a march of over fifty miles, and was perfectly suc-
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cessful. It was one of the finest manœuvres, both in its conception and execution, that General Grant had adopted, and the details are exceedingly interesting. For successful execution it depended not only upon the skill employed in planning, but very materially upon quick movements performed without being observed by the enemy. The duty of masking the operations was entrusted to the advance force, under General Warren. This officer, after crossing the Chickahominy, made a feint of advancing on Richmond by push- ing a Division out on the New Market road; at the same time he had another column driving a force of the enemy across White Oak Swamp, while the Second Corps was moving towards Charles City on the James river. All the routes of approach to the line of march were carefully guarded. At daylight of the 13th it was known by General Lee that Grant had left his front, but it is more than probable that he was ignorant where the next blow would fall.
Early on the morning of the 14th, the Corps began crossing the James river, on steamers and transports, from Wilcox Landing to Windmill Point; it taking the entire day to cross the Corps. Our Division began crossing about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and it was ten at night before we were all across. In the meantime the engineers were at work constructing a pontoon bridge, which was completed about midnight ; and was one of the largest ever constructed, being over two thousand feet long, consisting of one hundred boats; on this the balance of the army crossed on the 15th. We camped for that night, a short distance from the river, establishing a strong picket line; and about 10 o'clock the next morning, June 15th, took up the line of march for Peters- burg, Virginia.
Bryant says :
Between the battle of the Wilderness and the close of the fight- ing upon the Chickahominy was a period of thirty-seven days, dur- ing which Grant lost 54,551 men, of whom 9,856 were reported as "missing". Lee lost not far from 42,000, of whom about 8,500 were prisoners.
LIEUTENANT JOHN F. HASSETT.
Sept. 2, 1861. June 10, 1864.
As First Sergeant. Promoted to Second Lieutenant, July 17, 1862. Promoted to First Lieutenant, Feb. 24, 1863. Wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862. Discharged, June 10, 1864. Wounds.
GUSTAVUS J. R. MILLER. Sept. 20, 1861. Nov. 1, 1864. Discharged, Nov. 1, 1864.
COMPANY H.
THOMAS THOMPSON.
Sept. 2, 1861. Feb. 14, 1863. Discharged Feb. 14, 1863. Disability.
JONATHAN C. HALLOWELL.
Sept. 17, 1861.
Dec. 6, 1864.
Captured at Petersburg, Va., June 22, 1864. Prisoner from June 22, 1864 to July 1, 1864. Discharged, Dec. 6, 1864.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
PETERSBURG.
W HILE our Corps was making its way down the Peninsula to- wards the James, Smith's Corps, the Eighteenth, was as rapidly returned to General Butler, by the same route it had come to join the Army of the Potomac; viz., to the White House, thence by transports via the Pamunkey, York and James rivers, joining General Butler at Bermuda Hundred, where it arrived on June 14th.
General Butler at once ordered an advance on the enemy's works at Petersburg, where his forces arrived on the morning of June 15th, but the assault was not made until towards dark of that day, and succeeded only in carrying their first line or outer works, capturing several guns and a few hundred prisoners. We think he might have done better ; for had he made his assault earlier in the day, he would have been able to have followed up his advantages and obtained possession of the city, as the force of the enemy was small, only about 4,000, poorly entrenched, and could easily have been driven out.
At 10 o'clock the same day, our Corps having all crossed, left our position near Windmill Point, where we had crossed the James, and pushed on rapidly toward Petersburg, our Division going by the Prince George Court House road. We arrived at the works near Petersburg, about ten o'clock at night, and our Division was at once put into position in the captured works, re- lieving the colored troops of Butler's forces, who had stormed and captured these works a short time before ; and tired and weary our men sought what rest they could, and while they slept, their leaders were planning for an assault on the enemy's works, to be made at daylight. This was destined to prove no very easy task, as Lee was then aware of Grant's intentions, and had hastily
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pushed his forces forward to hold and protect the city. All night long we could hear the trains steaming into the city, bearing their living freight to reinforce the troops stationed there, and as soon as they arrived they were thrown into the works, and began at once to fortify and strengthen their position ; so that when day- light dawned a complete line of works surrounded the city, filled with large numbers of their best troops, and their numbers fast increasing ; thus transferring their efforts to defend their capitol and uphold their cause to this new section of their country that · was so soon to witness such bloodshed and carnage; these two powerful armies were again brought face to face to contest for mastery, transported in two days, the one about fifty and the other nearly one hundred miles.
Hancock, now in command, as neither Generals Grant or Meade had yet arrived, realizing the importance of prompt action, decid- ed to assault the works at once; orders were issued for Gibbon's and Birney's Divisions to begin the advance at daylight. Shortly after daylight our skirmishers advanced and drove their line nearly one mile and into their works, and at six o'clock the grand as- sault was made. Our column stormed the works and though the charge was gallantly made the enemy could not be dislodged, and holding the ground we had gained we at once began entrenching. At 6 o'clock in the evening another attempt was made to carry the works; the Second and Fourth Brigades of Gibbon's Division charged together and captured a line of rifle-pits filled with men, and then pushed on to Harrison's Creek, driving the enemy to- wards the main line of works on the other side of the creek, amid a most terrible fire of artillery and musketry, but owing to Birney's Division on our left not advancing, our line was compelled to halt, and the main line was not reached; but holding on to the addi- tional ground gained prepared to hold it, and again began en- trenching, and by the next morning was strongly posted in our advanced position.
On that day the writer received his promotion to corporal at the solicitation of General Gibbon, on whose staff he was serving as orderly, when about two o'clock in the afternoon, Major Norval, the Assistant Adjutant General, called him and handed him the following order :
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Special Order No.
HEADQUARTERS 106TH REGIMENT P. V. June 16, 1864,
·
Musician Joseph Ward, Company I is hereby appointed corporal of said Company from this date.
By command of JOHN R. BREITENBACH,
Captain commanding Regiment.
then told him he was placed in command of all the orderlies at these Headquarters. This was a great surprise to the writer ; he was the youngest and smallest orderly at those headquarters, all the others being old enough to be his father, but as General Gibbon had several times commended him for his bravery, and the manner he had discharged his duties, he had taken this means to show others that services well rendered were recognized by him.
Heavy skirmishing during all day of the 17th, and having de- cided on another attempt to gain possession of the city, the men were called to arms at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 18th. General Hancock, suffering from the wound received at Gettys- burg, was unable to sit on his horse, and compelled to remain in his quarters, relinquished the command of the Corps to General Birney. Shortly after daylight our artillery opened, and there ensued for one-half hour a heavy cannonading, and then the grand charge was made, and succeeded in driving them from their two lines of temporary works, they falling back to their permanent line nearer the city. Trying to follow up our advantage about noon another charge was made by our Division, but could gain no additional ground. So again at 6 o'clock, the final assault was made by the whole Corps, but this too was unsuccessful, and closed the contest for the day. Three successive charges were made, and well made, but again did we find it impossible to carry the city, now so strongly fortified. We had only gained a little ground, and lost many good men.
That evening, June 18th, General Gibbon was mustered as Major-General and General Pierce as Brigadier General.
On the 20th, about dark, our Division was relieved by Neil's Division of the Sixth Corps, and moved and camped near the Black- water, and on the 21st moved about three miles further to the left and formed a new line, with our right resting on the Jerusalem Plank road, the left of the Fifth Corps, Griffin's Division, was on
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the right of the road. We at once began constructing works, under a continual heavy skirmish fire. During the night the Sixth Corps arrived and formed to the left and rear of our corps.
June 22d gave us the usual heavy skirmishing of the advanced lines, terminating in the afternoon in three distinct assaults upon the works now occupied by our Division, that is, the First and Second Brigades ; each time they were repulsed and driven back to their works; the third time advancing in three lines, yet they met the same fate and were sent back faster than they came. In the meantime General Birney, still in command of the Corps, was directed to advance his left by a half wheel to the right, to take possession of the ground in their front, unoccupied owing to the curve of the enemy's works; the Second Division to be the pivot. The First Division, under Barlow on the left, moved forward, but instead of wheeling around to the right they ad- vanced straight to the front, making a gap between them and Mott's Division, next on our left, who had made his half turn to the right, and as Barlow advanced, he increased the gap; the enemy quick to perceive this, took advantage of it and immediate- ly pushed three brigades through the opening, giving Barlow's Division a volley on the flank, completely routing them, making many prisoners and sent the balance flying to the left and rear, then pressing towards the right fell upon Mott's Division and crushed it, and they came pouring back down past our Division. calling out "Fall back; you are outflanked !" thus exposing the left of our Division, who had just repulsed the third assault in their front, and before they had time to comprehend the meaning of the warning given them by the fleeing mass of the Mott's Division, received the column of the enemy in their rear, with a demand to surrender. The First Brigade was on the right and our Brigade on the left of the Division, commanded by Major O'Brien of the One Hundred and Fifty-Second New York, with the One Hundred and Eighty-Third Pennsylvnia on the left, ex- cept four companies, then the One Hundred and Sixth Pennsyl- vania, then the Seventy-Second, the Sixty-Ninth Pennsylvania and the One Hundred and Fifty-Second New York in reserve; therefore, the One Hundred and Sixth was the first struck, and before they had time to change front, found themselves nearly
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