USA > Pennsylvania > History of the twenty third Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, Birney's zouaves 1861-1865; comp. by the secretary > Part 5
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Night closed upon us still fighting, the opposing forces only known by their line of fire, that of the rebels gradually slackening until 8.30 P. M., after which an occasional cannon shot from our batteries only broke the stillness that pervaded this bloody field. Thus ended the battle of Malvern Hill, which caused great carnage and demoralization among the best divisions of the enemy, with comparatively small loss on our side.
Generals Abercrombie and Palmer formed a line with their brigades that not a private retreated from. General Howe, on the right, held his position and drove the enemy back. Your attention is particularly called to the reports of these officers accompanying; also to the reports of Generals Caldwell, Sickles and Meagher, for which I refer you to their division commanders and to those of the artillery officers from reports to their respective chiefs. This army did brilliant service. It could not have been excelled.
My thanks are due to General Sumner for his prompt assistance and anticipation of my wants; also to General Heintzelman. General Kearney rode over my lines during the morning and I am indebted to him for some valuable information, as regards dispositions.
FESTIVITIES IN CAMP OF 23rd P. V., BIRNEY'S ZOUAVES, 1861, NEAR BLADENSBURG, D. C.
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Captain D. F. Parker, division quartermaster, joined me on the field, also Lieutenant Eccleston, provost marshal. Brave and collected, these gentlemen were always ready to go where the fight was thickest. They have my thanks and admiration for their conduct. Lieutenant
Smith, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, did me excellent service. Cap- tain Walker, assistant adjutant- general of my staff, and Lieutenant Burt, aide-de-camp, were near me to take my orders and anticipate my wishes on the field.
Having received orders from General McClellan to fall back, my troops were gradually with- drawn from the field. Captain Benson, who had relieved the Massachusetts and Rhode Island batteries after dark, left one sec- tion of his artillery. General Sickles, who was very active on the field at this time, drew off the rear in admirable order. His brigade was the last to leave. This was at midnight.
HUGH McMICHAEL, Corporal Co. E. Died of Wounds Received at Cold Harbor. .
From some prisoners we learned that the enemy was falling back, expecting to be attacked in the morning. Both armies retreated; the one because it was beaten, the other because it was a part of the plans of our general.
I have the honor to be, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
*D. A. COUCH,
Brigadier General, Commanding First Division, Fourth Corps. BRIGADIER GENERAL S. WILLIAMS, A. A. G.
Headquarters Army of the Potomac.
REPORT OF BRIGADIER GENERAL DARIUS N. COUCH,
Commanding First Division of Operations June 25th to July Ist, in- cluding Skirmish on James River Road and Battle of Malvern Hill.
Headquarters Couch's Division,
Harrison's Landing, Va., July 11th, 1862.
SIR :- In obedience to instructions, I have the honor to report the following in reference to my division :
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On the morning of June 25th, I had orders from General Keyes to move forward two brigades to support Hooker, who was engaged with the enemy beyond Seven Pines. Palmer's and Howe's were pushed forward and held in reserve until about 2.30 P. M., when the former was ordered up by General McClellan to report to General Heintzelman. It was moved into the woods in front, where Hooker had been engaged, I accompanying the brigade rather as a volunteer, seeing that it was taken from under my command. It was deployed in the woods under Palmer, and lay there until next day. During the afternoon it was a good deal exposed to fire from some of the enemy's rifled guns and at night to a heavy fire of musketry. The loss in killed and wounded was as follows : Commissioned officers- killed, I ; wounded 4. Enlisted men-killed 7 ; wounded, 41.
On the 27th, at near night, Palmer's brigade, with the exception of the Seventh Massachusetts, which was moved down towards the White Oak Swamp, was ordered to the Chickahominy, to support our troops falling back to the right bank of the stream. Abercrombie's brigade was ordered to Golding's Hill to support Smith. These brigades were recalled the same night, and at 12.30 o'clock that night I was directed to fall back with my whole division and cross White Oak Bridge. Crossing that bridge, I was ordered by General Keyes to take position at the junction of the James River, New Market and Charles City roads. This impor- tant post was occupied by my division, Peck, with a part of his small division, occupying ground to my right and left.
On the morning of the 29th of June some of our cavalry on the James River road were driven in by a battalion of North Caro- lina cavalry, who charged clear into my lines, which were so masked as not to be seen. Five guns and a few rifle shots broke them completely up in a few minutes, killing, wounding and capturing 80 to 100 of them, with no loss to the division.
JOHN F. REEN, Sergeant Company G.
In the course of the morning Sykes' brigade crossed the swamp and formed on my right, and many other troops in the course of the day came up. That night my divi- sion formed the advance of the corps, making a night march to Haxall's below Turkey Bridge, on the James River. It was accomplished by
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sunrise, being one of the most fatiguing marches imaginable, but it was borne by all without a murmur. The Second Rhode Island and Seventh Massachusetts were ordered forward to Turkey Bridge, and at noon, the 30th instant, Abercrombie's brigade in the same direction.
At between 3 and 4 P. M. I was directed by General Mcclellan to move toward Malvern Hill, and attack the enemy in flank should they succeed in forcing our lines on the hill. They did not, and I moved forward and took a strong position for the night, but at dark had
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JOHN S. LINTON.
Sergt. Company H.
FRANK M. WORTH, Color Sergt.
orders to push forward to Sumner's support, who held the junction of the roads occupied by my division two days before.
At 2 o'clock that night Sumner marched to Malvern Hill, my division of two brigades in the advance, he directing me to take post where the division was the night before. Arriving at daylight we began getting into the position we held the day of our glorious victory of Malvern Hill, for an account of which I beg to refer you to a copy
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of my report to the major general commanding the Army of the Potomac. I have the honor to inclose a copy of that report.
I am, Captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. N. COUCH,
Brigadier General, Commanding Division. CAPT. C. C. SUYDAM,
Asst. Adj. Gen., Headquarters Fourth Corps.
In this battle the gunboats on the James River protected the left wing of the army by its fire. A few of their shells fell short, landing in our lines, but, according to the Confederate reports, the naval batteries did them little damage.
Here we lay until about 2 A. M., when the army moved off in the direction of Harri- son's Landing. Loss, fifty-five killed and wounded.
We found the whole Army of the Potomac massed in the fields near the landing. Soon was heard the familiar screech- ing of a shell, and a short while afterwards Kearney's Division attacked the battery and drove them off Erlington Heights. Thus ended the Seven Days' Fight.
ANTHONY SCHAFFER, Co. H. Died of Wounds Received at Cold Harbor. About 4 P. M. the regi- ment was given ten rounds of ammunition and a ration of crackers, and, amid a rain storm, started for the front, where they were engaged all night and part of the next day in building breastworks. It remained in this locality until the army left the Peninsula, doing picket duty meanwhile ; it also composed part of a force sent to Malvern Hill to drive back the enemy, who were demonstrating from Richmond. This movement was under General Hooker, the brigade being commanded by Colonel Neill and the regi- ment by Captain Glenn. It required a rapid march to get possession of the hill, but proved successful.
Harrison's Landing was a large plantation on which was the old colonial mansion of Westover, where the ancestors of
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General William Henry Harrison, of Indian War fame, and of General W. H. Harrison, of the Civil War, both presidents of the United States, once held ownership. At the Landing was an immense fleet of transports. One night the Rebs placed a battery on the opposite heights and shelled the fleet and camps, but they were soon driven off by the gunboats. While here, the Army of the Potomac was reviewed by President Lincoln. No doubt all will recall the first and only time, as an organiza- tion, that we saw "Old Abe," with his high hat and long legs,
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Winter Camp
SMITH BASS PHOTO. ENG
Abandoning Miaker Camp
riding for all he was worth along the line, with General McClellan and staff escorting him. We all had great respect for the " Grand Old Man," and our caps went up in the air as' he swept by amid a whirlwind of cheers. .
The Army of the Potomac, being ordered A. During to the support of Pope, operating on the line of the Rappahannock, most of the troops were sent down the James on transports, while Couch's Division was marched overland to Yorktown. The first day upon reaching Charles City Cross Roads, we formed line of battle to check the enemy ; the next day was a long march across the Chickahominy, passing through the old colonial town of Williamsburg, company front, with one drum for music. Here we camped on the old battlefield, reaching Yorktown the next day, where the regiment was employed in
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turning the breastworks that had been built by the Army of the Potomac when it sieged that place.
This old colonial settlement we found very much dilapi- dated. It was here that Cornwallis surrendered to Washington and Lafayette, thus ending the Revolutionary War. The old Nelson House was still standing. While here the boys were kept busy throwing down the works, but they had a good time, nevertheless-salt water bathing and fishing for oysters and crabs, with which the York River and its tributaries seemed to abound.
On August 28th the regiment embarked on the transport "City of Richmond," proceeding up the Potomac. It was found that the rebels had possession at Acquia Creek, so the transport was compelled to change its destination to Alex- andria. This was our second visit to this old colonial town, where Lord Fairfax, General Washington and others were wont to visit in the early days of Virginia. Christ Church, the Carlyle House of colonial days, and the Marshall House, where Colonel Ellsworth was shot in the Civil War, with the old slave pen, were well worth visiting. But battles were being fought away off at Bull Run, and, as soon as the brigade was landed, we, being the rear of the army, made a forced march for the front, arriving in time to participate in the action at Chantilly. That night the regiment did picket duty on the field, and the next day it supported a battery until 3 P. M., when, with the division - Couch's serving under Hooker-it was de- tailed to cover the rear, form- ing line of battle several times, HENRY W. BANTOM, Co. G. Died January 27, IS64. the enemy following as far as Fairfax.
Fairfax we found with the usual court house and few brick buildings. It proved to be the center of the wealthy class of that section. Not far off was Mount Vernon, the home of Washington, but it was not on our line of march, so
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we did not have the pleasure or opportunity to pay our respects to the grave of the "Father of His Country." We learn that while no troops were ever engaged on the planta- tion, many Confederates and Yankees visited the old home- stead, and, be it said to the credit of both, neither the homestead nor grave were disturbed in the least.
With the Army of the Potomac the regiment started on the Maryland campaign. Lee having crossed into Mary- land on his invasion, we crossed the Potomac at Chain Bridge and bivouacked at Rockville. Here, on the 11th, the brigade was joined by the One Hundred and Twenty- second New York. At Pool- ville the Twenty-third Penn- JAMES SWEENEY, Co. E. Killed at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864. sylvania, the Thirty-sixth New York, a Rhode Island battery and a squadron of cavalry was detached, under the command of Colonel Neill, to guard the fords from White's to Nolan's Ferry. This was the point where Lee had crossed with his army, and the regiment was engaged in picking up his stragglers, brokèn-down wagons, etc. This position was the extreme left of the army during the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, and the regiment was, in consequence, prevented from taking an active part in these actions, although it had the misfortune to lose one officer and twenty-four men by capture.
Information having been received that a quantity of arms was stored in a barn across the river, Lieutenant Garsed, with twenty-four men of Company B, was detailed to destroy them. Crossing the river with three of the cavalry, he deployed his line to a house half a mile from the river, and, while inspect- ing the barn, the rebel cavalry, under command of Colonel White, charged upon them with three columns. In a short while the squad was surrounded and compelled to surrender. The only man that escaped from Company B was James J. Dougherty, who explained, when he entered our lines, that he
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fell into a ditch, and when the Rebs got the boys all together, White found one missing, and tramped a horse up and down the ditch where " Doc" lay, but did not come far enough to reach him. He remained there until dusk, when he crawled down to the river, and was soon safe within our lines. When the firing began, Colonel Neill sent over the squadron of Rhode Island cavalry, who scouted all the roads and by-ways to Leesburg, but could get no tidings of White's forces. While here the regiment had a good time, as the country was in good condition for forage; it was a land of milk and honey.
On the 20th the command was relieved by a new brigade of the Third Corps and on its way to join the division. Captains Wallace and Wood with Companies A and E were detailed to proceed to Harper's Ferry. Fording the river they captured about twenty-five prisoners of Stonewall Jackson's Corps, from whom we learned that General Miles had surrendered with 10,000 men, thus leaving Maryland and Bolivar Heights, with the guns, in possession of Jackson, and giving him an oppor- tunity of pushing on and joining Lee in time to save his army from rout or capture at Antietam.
That night the regiment joined the brigade at Sharps- burg and marched to Downs- ville, where it found the brig- ade was part of the Third Division, Sixth Corps. About this time several men of the regiment were transferred to the artillery to fill up the bat- teries that had become de- pleted during the Peninsula campaign. While here Jeb Stuart crossed the Potomac at Hancock's, on his raid, and Couch's Division was sent to JOHN ZAUN. intercept him. After a forced Corp. Co. K. Killed at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1564. march over the North Moun- tains, it reached the upper fords and, the men knowing that the lower fords, which they had shortly before left, were . guarded, concluded that Jeb Stuart's cavalry were bottled. The next day it was ordered back to camp, the rebel cavalry
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having recrossed the lower fords without firing a shot, the brig- ade guarding that part of the river, having been relieved and sent back to Washington, while Jeb Stuart was lying off in the woods awaiting such an opening. Why this brigade was taken off the fords when Jeb Stuart's cavalry was on our side of the river, giving him the opportunity to escape, has never been explained. While here, the regiment was presented with a new stand of colors by friends from Philadelphia, and on November the first it crossed the Potomac on a pontoon at Berlin, with the Sixth Corps, passing en route Union, where we found a rebel hospital full of their wounded in the recent battles.
Passing through Salem and Rectortown, which were the headquarters of Mosby's com- mand, this section of the coun- try was scoured night and day with guerrillas ; stragglers, sutlers' wagons and sparsely guarded wagon-trains being their special prey.
On November 10th, while at New Baltimore, the regi- ment was drawn up in line to hear read the farewell address of General McClellan, who was succeeded by General Burn- side as commander of the army. This removal of " Little Mac" created considerable feeling,as he was fairly idolized by the Army of the Potomac.
IRA WEBSTER, Sergt .- Maj. Killed at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864.
Headquarters Army of Potomac. Camp near Rectortown, Va. November 7, 1862.
Officers and Soldiers of
the Army of the Potomac :
An order of the President devolves upon Major-General Burnside the command of this army.
In parting from you I cannot express the love and gratitude I have for you. As an army, you have grown up under my care. In you I have never found doubt or coldness.
The battles you have fought under my command will live in our nation's history. The glory you have achieved, our mutual perils and
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fatigues, the graves of our comrades fallen in battle and by disease, the broken forms of those whom wounds and sickness have disabled, the strongest associations which can exist among men, unite us still by an indissoluble tie. We shall ever be comrades in supporting the consti- tution of our country and the nationality of the people.
GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General United States Army.
CAPT. LOUIS HILLEBRAND, FIRST SERGT. WM. R. PEDDLE and Captain's Cook.
After leaving here we bivouacked for an afternoon and night at Belle Plain, a most barren and bleak stretch of coun- try, where the men were required to go at least a mile to find wood or water, picketing and skirmishing with the enemy to Stafford Court House. There we found a court house and jail with a few other buildings. The regiment remained in camp near White Oaks Church, engaged in picket duty and other details, and working on the construction of Potomac . Creek Bridge-a high trestle work which the Confederates had destroyed-until the opening of the Battle of Fredricks-
GEN. MEADE'S HEADQUARTERS, GETTYSBURG.
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burg. On the night of the 10th, we crossed the pontoons with the advance at Franklin Crossing, two miles below the town, near the Bernard Mansion, and were part of the skirmish line that drove back Jackson's skirmishers to Hamil- ton's Crossing. While on this skirmish line a large, portly man, dressed in citizen's clothes, came riding across the fields, holding his hat in his hand. When he entered our lines, he claimed to be the owner of the Bernard Mansion, and asserted that he was seek- ing his cattle. He was, how- ever, sent back to General Franklin, commanding the left grand division. The mansion referred to, a brownstone struc- ture, was burned down that winter while the Confederate HENRY ERNST, Co. G. Killed at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864. officers were holding a recep- tion and ball in its spacious rooms. During the battle it was used as a field hospital.
About 4 P. M. the regiment was relieved and massed with the division for a charge. Here it lay beyond the head of the pontoon bridge, subject to constant artillery fire, which fortu- nately passed over us, doing very little damage. On the morning of the 13th, we were sent to support a battery hotly engaged beyond the Bowling Green Road. To cross this road, the line went over with a rush, as the enemy's artillery were sweeping it, reaching our battery, the men hugged the ground while the batteries had quite a duel at short range, our artillery blowing up one of the caissons of the enemy.
About 4 P. M. a tremendous fire was opened upon the line from the Confederate heights, but they made no attempt to leave the works to attack, and we occupied the same position until night. On the way to occupy this position, we met the Nineteenth Pennsylvania, which had also been engaged in the conflict. As Philadelphians, we knew each other, and, the boys being hungry, we showered them with half of our rations of crackers.
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In the early part of the battle, General Vinton, of the Second Brigade, Second Division, was shot, and Colonel Neill, who, a few days previous, was promoted to Brigadier General, bid the boys a hasty farewell as he left to take his new command.
That was the last service we did under " Bucky" Neill, as strict a disciplinarian, as brave a soldier of the Republic, and as perfect a gentleman as the army has ever produced. The Twenty-third fairly loved him, and he loved his boys. He remained with the Army of the Potomac, in command of a brigade, until the windup, Neill's Brigade being one of the fighting brigades of the Sixth Corps. He continued in service after the war, and was retired at the age of 65 as Colonel in the Regular Army. Six months after his retirement, in 1886, he died at Philadelphia, and was buried at West Point, the survivors of the Twenty-third escorting his body to the train.
On the night of the 13th the regiment was sent to the extreme right of the Left Grand Division at Hazel Run holding this position until the army recrossed the Rappahannock, on the night of the 15th. Loss, 22 men.
The principal inci- dents in this battle were the laying of the pontoon bridges in front of the town and the desperate fighting to get possession of it. This and the lower bridges gave a crossing for the army. The enemy having the ridge and hills well entrenched, while our army had the plains, gave the Confederates the ad- vantage. Burnside con- cluded to turn the enemy's right and sent General Meade, with his division, SKIRMISHERS. HOLDING THE LINE. the Pennsylvania Reserves, to assault the Confederate position at Hamilton Crossing. This was done with great deter- mination and gallantry, Meade piercing to his third line, but,
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not being properly supported, he was compelled to return, the division covering itself with glory.
Another assault on the key to the position was made by the Second Corps, on the left;' at Marye's Heights. They charged the position five times by divisions, losing 5,000 killed and wounded. These troops of the Second Corps were some of the best in the Army of the Potomac and made a des- perate and heroic attempt to carry the heights. However, the assaults proved failures. Darkness coming on, the army lay awaiting the enemy's attack, but on the night of the 15th, it recrossed the river. Loss : Union, killed and wounded 12,503 ; Confederate, killed and wounded 5,575.
The old town of Fredericksburg, which gave the name to the battle, was the home of the mother of Washington. It was a brick town, founded in - the colonial days, and its wharves and those opposite, at Falmouth, in the days be- fore the railroads, were al- ways regarded as important ports in the sea carrying trade on the Rappahannock. Staf- ford Heights opposite, which was occupied with our bat- teries during the action, was composed of a series of hills, upon which once were mag- nificent estates. One of these was the Lacy House, from
JOHN C. AMES. Sergt. Co. C. Killed Cold Harbor, June 1, IS64. which the distinguished Confederate General Robert E. Lee had married his wife. Another of these plantations was that of Dr. Smith, one of Virginia's celebrated physicians.
The regiment next went into winter quarters near the Sixth Army Corps Headquarters. Lieutenant-Colonel John Ely, who had been temporarily absent, rejoined the regiment, and was promoted colonel to date from December 13th. It remained here until January 18th, 1863, when we moved with the army to United States Ford in anticipation of a hard-fought campaign ; but, like all attempts to move a large army in midwinter, through the inclemency of the weather
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and the condition of the roads, it ended in what was known as the "mud march." The regiment returned to its camp in good time, being more fortunate than many other commands, which were mired in the mud for nearly a week before they got back to quarters. The "Johnnies," who could see this counter- marching from their picket stations, on several occasions offered to " come over and give us a lift." During the balance of the winter the regiment was engaged in picket duty.
General Burnside, having been removed at his own request, was succeeded by General Joseph Hooker, known in the service as " Fighting Joe" Hooker on account of his gallant conduct in action. General Hooker began at once a reorganization of the army under his command. He ordered each corps to wear distinctive badges, that of the Sixth Corps being the Greek Cross. Each division was designated by a separate color, the First Divi- sion being red, the second white, and the third blue. The Twenty-third, therefore, wore the blue cross, being part of the Third Division, Sixth Corps.
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