USA > Pennsylvania > Our Campaigns: or, The marches, bivouacs, battles, incidents of camp life and history of our regiment during its three years term of service > Part 2
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But, thank God, the Administration of Mr. Buchanan
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was coming to a close, and through the dark clouds that empaled the Nation, a bright ray of hope shone upon the horizon as Abraham Lincoln appeared upon the ship of state and seized the helm.
The nation breathed freer, and patriots felt our Gov- ernment was a reality, and not a rope of sand.
CHAPTER II.
SUMTER AND THE FLAG FIRED ON-THE AIM AND DESIGN OF THE LEADERS OF THE REBELLION-JUSTIFICATION OF THE COURSE OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
No President ever assumed the cares of State under more inauspicious circumstances than Mr. Lincoln did. Seven States had already seceded from the Union and were marshalling their armies to maintain their independ . ence at the point of the bayonet, and the arch-traitors were using all their insidious wiles to seduce the remain- ing slave States from their allegiance to the Federal Government. From the Forum, Pulpit and Press was proclaimed the foulest treason, and the boast made that the "Stars and Bars" would soon float in triumph over the National Capitol. A large portion of the army had been surrendered by General Twiggs, in Texas, the remainder of it was on the Pacific coast, or scattered through the Territories of Utah and New Mexico, or stationed on our distant frontiers, while six hundred men were the entire available force which the Government was able to concentrate at Washington to secure the peaceful inau- guration of the President. All the available vessels of the navy were stationed in distant seas. Many of the purest patriots despaired of the Republic, foreign nations proclaimed its doom was sealed, and " hope for a season bade the world farewell," while the hallowed light of Liberty paled before the gathering storm. But the
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SUMTER AND THE FLAG FIRED ON.
steadfast chief heeded not the storm that swept across the land, but serene, firm and immovable, held aloft the lamp of hope, while he gathered the scattered strength of the Nation and matured his plans for its preservation.
On the 11th of April, Leroy P. Walker, rebel Secre- tary of War, demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter, to which Major Anderson replied, that his sense of honor and his obligations to the Government prevented a com- pliance. The next morning at two o'clock the rebel General Beauregard sent word to Major Anderson that if he would evacuate, he would not be fired upon, to which the Major replied, that, if not otherwise ordered or provisioned, he would be forced to evacuate by noon of the 15th inst. But the peaceful possession of the fort was not what the traitors desired; they wanted blood " to fire the Southern heart."
In two hours afterwards, the batteries and fortifica- tions in Charleston harbor, seventeen in number, opened fire upon the fort, which was returned by Major Ander- son, and kept up on both sides all day without harm on either side, excepting the dismounting of two of Ander- son's guns. A slow fire was kept up all night, and re- sumed with great vigor early the next morning. At eight A. M., the officers' quarters took fire from a shell. Soon after a number of hand grenades and shells caught fire and exploded within the fort. At twelve o'clock, the whole roof of the barracks were in flames, and the maga- zine being in great danger, ninety barrels of gunpowder were taken out and thrown into the sea. The heat, smoke, and galling fire gradually exhausted the garri- son, and nearly suffocated them. At one P. M., after sustaining an attack of thirty-three hours, the fort was surrendered, the garrison being permitted to carry away the flag and all company arms and private property. A salute of fifty guns was fired, and the glorious old flag was hauled down, and the emblem of liberty and hope of the down-trodden and oppressed of the world gave place to the flag of treason.
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The greatest crime that was ever committed against liberty and mankind was now consummated. Heaven itself revolted at the act, and sent the hissing missiles of death harmlessly on their course. The North was stupefied, and stood aghast at the enormity of the crime, being unable to realize that the flag of such glorious memories should have been fired upon by those whom they looked upon as brothers, and whom they supposed would have given the best blood of their hearts to save from dishonor.
But let us consider for one moment what was the aim and design of the rebel leaders. Already a confederate flag of fifteen stars, one star for each slave State, inclusive of Delaware and Maryland, had been flung to the breeze, and it was solemnly proclaimed that the Confederacy would never yield any portion of the territory claimed. This virtually, and in fact, included Washington. On the fatal 12th of April, 1861, while the tidings of the assault on Sumter were travelling over the wires, the Rebel Secretary of War, in the presence of Jefferson Davis and his colleagues, and of five thousand hearers, declared that before the end of May "the flag which now flaunted the breeze would float over the dome of the Capitol at Washington."
In pursuance of this original plan of the leaders of the rebellion, the capture of Washington has been continu- ally had in view, not merely for the sake of its public buildings, as the capital of the Confederacy, but as the necessary preliminary to the absorption of the Border States, and for the moral effect in the eyes of Europe of possessing the metropolis of the Union. In speaking of this matter, the Hon. Edward Everett, in his address at the consecration of the National Cemetery, at Gettysburg, says: "the occupation of the National Capital, with the seizure of the public archives and of the treaties with foreign powers was an essential feature. This was in substance, within my personal knowledge, admitted, in the winter of 1860-61, by one of the most influential
THE AIM AND DESIGN OF THE REBEL LEADERS. 25
leaders of the rebellion, and it was fondly thought that this object could be effected by a bold and sudden move- ment on the 4th of March, 1861. There is abundant proof also, that a darker project was contemplated, if not by the responsible chiefs of the rebellion, yet by name- less ruffians, willing to play a subsidiary and murderous part in the treasonable drama. It was accordingly maintained by the rebel emissaries abroad, in the circles to which they found access, that the new American minister ought not, when he arrived, to be received as the envoy of the United States, inasmuch as before that time Washington would be captured, and the Capital of the Nation, and the archives and muniments of the Gov. ernment would be in the possession of the Confederates."
And what is secession but rebellion ? Rebellion, like any other revolutionary act, may be morally justified by the extremity of oppression. In monarchical govern- ments revolution is frequently justifiable, as the cart- ridge-box is the only means by which the popular opinion can be expressed. But in our country the solu- tion of all our political differences was wisely left to the decision of the ballot-box, which had heretofore served us upon every occasion, and had ever been respected.
Andrew Jackson, in his Proclamation against the Nul- lification Act, in December, 1832, says : " And then add, if you can, without horror and remorse, this happy Union we will dissolve; this picture of peace and prosperity we will deface; this free intercourse we will interrupt ; these fertile fields we will deluge with blood; the pro- tection of that glorious flag we renounce; the very name of Americans we discard. And for what, mistaken men, for what do you throw away these inestimable blessings? For what would you exchange your share in the advan- tages and honor of the Union? In the dream of sepa- rate independence-a dream interrupted by bloody con- fliets with your neighbors, and a vile dependency on a foreign power." *
£ * * "Its destroyers you cannot be. You may disturb its peace-you may interrupt the
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course of its prosperity-you may cloud its reputation for stability, but its tranquillity will be restored, its prosperity will return, and the stain upon its national character will be transferred and remain an eternal blot on the memory of those who caused the disorder."
" Having the fullest confidence in the justness of the legal and constitutional opinions of my duties, which has been expressed, I rely, with equal confidence, on your undivided support in my determination to execute the laws, to preserve the Union by all constitutional means, to arrest, if possible, by moderate but firm measures, the necessity of a recourse to force ; and, if it be the will of Heaven, that the recurrence of its primeval curse on man for the shedding of a brother's blood should fall upon our land, that it be not called down by any offensive act on the part of the United States."
Such was the language of that sterling patriot when treason first raised its head in South Carolina.
Was Mr. Lincoln justified in his determination to maintain the Union at all hazards, or should he have submitted peaceably to its dissolution ? A peaceable dis- solution was impossible, except by the surrender of the National Capital and the border States of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, all of which at the late election had gone against the South by casting their electoral votes for Mr. Bell, excepting Mis- souri, which went for Mr. Douglas. And more than this, all of them had sent delegates to meet those from the Northern States in a peace conference, and showed unmistakably their attachment to the Union. Delaware and Maryland, refused to secede, . Virginia elected Union delegates to the State Convention and refused to adopt the rebel constitution. Kentucky subsequently elected nine Union members of Congress and one seces- sion, Tennessee had elected a majority of Union dele- gates to a State convention and refused to hold a con- vention, and Missouri subsequently elected Union dele- gates to its State convention. Could the Government
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JUSTIFICATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
withdraw its protection and support from the union-loving people of those States and surrender its Capital to traitors who would soon become a foreign and hostile nation ? Could the Government voluntarily surrender the navigation of the Mississippi river, the great out- let of the Western States to the Gulf of Mexico? Could a great Nation submit to its political death and destruction without an effort for self-preservation ? No, God forbid it, yet Americans have argued these ques- tions in the affirmative, but only those who were deceived themselves, or were trying to deceive others. But Mr. Lincoln, the chosen of the people, the instrument of God, was inspired with the knowledge that he held not only the destiny of the country, but of liberty throughout the world in his hand, and rose equal to the emergency.
Throughout his inaugural address, he is firm, without being provoking. The limits of concession are clearly marked out, and a conciliatory spirit is maintained. The President, while manifesting the most pacific disposition, distinctly declares he will abandon none of the rights of the Government, but will leave to others the odium of aggression. He declares secession is unconstitutional, and nothing can induce him to consent to the destruc- tion of the Union. That he will endeavor to shun a war, that he will not be the aggressor, but that he will fulfill the duty of preserving federal property and collect fede- ral taxes in the South. "In your hands," says Mr. Lin- coln, " my dissatisfied fellow-citizens, in yours and not mine, is found the terrible question of civil war. The Government will not attack you ; you will have no con- flict, if you are not the aggressors. You have not, on your part, an oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, whilst I, on my side, am about to take the most solemn oath to maintain, to protect and defend it."
If Mr. Lincoln had acted otherwise than he did, he would have been derelict in his duty to his God, his country and mankind, and when the intelligence of the assault upon Fort Sumter was received, the issuing of his
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proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand volunteers to maintain the laws of the United States over the seced- ing States, and admonishing the rebels to lay down their arms and quietly submit to the laws within twenty days, was but the response of the great American heart. And America's reply to the proclamation was such an uprising of free men as the world never witnessed before. Where ever it was received, it produced the wildest excitement and enthusiasm, the booming gun, the pealing bell, and rattling drum, announced it throughout the land, until from the broad Atlantic it rolled across the plains and echoed over the snow-clad peaks to the Pacific.
CHAPTER III.
WAR FOR THE UNION-PENNSYLVANIA'S RESPONSE-ORGANIZA- TION OF THE RESERVES-COLONELS MANN'S, MARSH'S, AND DE KORPONAY'S REGIMENTS - CAMP WASHINGTON -QUAINT NAMES-WHISKEY IN A MUSKET BARREL-GETTING THE COUN- TERSIGN.
IN Philadelphia business was suspended, flags were thrown to the breeze in every street, rendezvous were opened in every section, and placards calling for volun- teers, covered the walls of every corner. Recruiting parties traversed the city in every direction, followed by crowds of men eager to enroll their names, the armories of the volunteer companies were crowded to overflowing with men drilling night and day, the public parks of the city were given up for the same purpose, and the quietude of the Sabbath was forgotten amidst the preparation for war. The citizens furnished armories free of rent, and such of the volunteers as could not support themselves without work were fed on the bountiful supply of the neighborhood. The lady congregations of the different churches set themselves diligently to work supplying
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PENNSYLVANIA'S RESPONSE.
the volunteers with shirts, drawers, socks and other clothing and contributions of all sorts were freely given. The generous impulses of the heart of a nation never flowed freer. The soldiers rode free on the cars, and went free to all places of amusement. The only trouble the men had was to find companies that were sure of ac- ceptance, and some who had good reputations numbered two hundred and fifty and three hundred men, while all were rapidly filling up. In fact twenty thousand men could have been raised in the city in one week.
The quota assigned to Pennsylvania was fourteen regi- ments, and in four days after the call six hundred men- the first to arrive for its defence-were placed in the Na- tional Capitol, and ten days later twenty-five regiments were organized and put in the field, eleven more being furnished by the State than called for. In fact, such was the patriotic ardor of the people, that the Adjutant-Gene- ral of the State, in his Annual Report for 1861, states, that the services of about thirty additional regiments had to be refused, making in all more than two-thirds of the requisition of the President. Eight of these regiments were from Philadelphia, but there were scores of full companies that were not accepted. The second call for volunteers was made upon the State in May. The allotted share to Pennsylvania was ten regiments; but the General Government would not allow these to be raised, but simply credited the State with them, as she had already furnished more than her two quotas.
The extra session of the Legislature of Pennsylvania convened on the 30th day of April, in pursuance of the proclamation of the Governor, fully appreciating the gigantic task the North had before them, wisely and patriotically resolved, in accordance with Governor Cur- tin's recommendation, to organize, arm, equip and dis- cipline a division to be called the "Reserve Volunteer Corps of the Commonwealth," and to be composed of thirteen regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one regiment of light artillery, to be held in readi-
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ness to obey any requisition the President might make on the State for troops. In organizing this division, the conception of which originated with the Governor, the greatest difficulty he experienced was, not in finding officers and men to fill it, but to select between the numerous applicants who beset him night and day, not only in the executive chamber and public streets of the Capital, but even in his bed room. His Excellency having resolved that the division should be a true type of Pennsylvanians, proportioned it among the different counties, so that every township should be represented in it.
Among the regiments organized in Philadelphia, at that time, were those known as Mann's, March's, and De Korponay's, from the first of which eight companies were accepted, from the second seven, and from the third five. All these were mustered into the State service about the latter part of May, by Captain Henry J. Biddle, Assistant Adjutant-General of the Division, at the Girard House, where the men went through the most severe medical examination by the surgeons, who required every man to strip, and rejected all who had the least blemish or defect. "Never," said Dr. Henry H. Smith, the Sur- geon-General of the State, " were a finer formed or more hardy body of men collected together in one division."
Gabriel De Korponay commenced the organization of his regiment about the middle of April, and among the captains who joined with him were George A. Wood- ward, "Pennsylvania Rifles;" J. Orr Finnie, "Scotch Rifles;" E. M. Woodward, "Taggart Guards;" P. I. Smith, "Consolidation Guards;" and I. W. Kimble, "Hatborough Guards." These captains were selected by the Governor from DeKorponay's regiment.
Wm. B. Mann commenced the organization of his regiment about the same time, and the companies chosen by the Governor were Captains P. McDonough, "Gover- nor's Rangers;" James N. Byrne, "Hibernia Target Company ;" R. Ellis, "Governor's Rangers;" T. Bring-
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hurst, "Governor's Guards;" T. Mealey, "Independent Rangers ;" William Knox, "Constitutional Rangers;" Robert McClure, "Quaker City Guards;" and Wm. S. Thompson, " Montgomery Guards," (of Bristol, Pa.) All these companies were soon filled up to the maxi- mum number, but the men were in such a feverish state of excitement for fear they would not be mus- tered in, that difficulty was experienced in inducing them to stay long with any company that appeared to hang fire. Thus, after a few days recruiting, most of them had the necessary number of men, but after they had drilled awhile, they left to join other companies that they supposed were more likely to be accepted. But their places were readily filled by others who came from other companies under the same impression. Almost all the soldiers were supplied with flannel shirts and other articles of clothing by the congregations of the different churches; most prominent among which in their liberality was patriotic Old Christ Church, which distributed no less than four thousand five hundred and seventy-two articles of clothing, most of which were made by the ladies of the church.
On the 29th of May, the seven Philadelphia companies of Colonel Mann's regiment left the city for Camp Wash- ington, Easton, Pa., where they arrived during the after- noon. Prior to their departure they marched to the residence of the colonel at the corner of Fifth and Green streets, where they were presented with a magnificent and richly trimmed silk flag by a number of ladies, the presentation being made by Daniel Dougherty, Esq.
On the morning of the 30th, the four Philadelphia companies of Colonel De Korponay's regiment, with the " Ontario Guards," Captain Horatio G. Sickel, formed on Broad street near Green, and under the command of Captain Sickel, marched to Master and America streets, where they took a special train on the North Pennsylva- nia Railroad, for Easton, at which place they arrived during the afternoon, aud marched out to camp; quarters
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were assigned them to the right of Colonel Mann's regi. ment.
The camp was on the Fair Grounds of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Institute, which covered about thirty- five acres, situated on a level elevation about one and a-half miles west of Easton, and three-quarters of a mile north of the Lehigh river, in Northampton county. On the east and north sides of the enclosure were long rows of bunk rooms, three of which were assigned to each company. In front of each company's quarters were situated the kitchens, facing inward, and in their rear were the officers' quarters facing outwards. To the west, occupying about two-thirds of the enclosure, was the race course, and in the centre was situated the large and capacious Fair buildings of imposing appear- ance and equal to any of its kind in the State. From its roof rose a large and stately dome, from the balcony of which was presented a magnificent view of the sur- rounding country. To the north, far in the distance, lie the Kittatinny or Blue Ridge mountains, pierced on the right by the Delaware Water Gap, in the centre by the Wind Gap, and on the left by the Lehigh Water Gap. The intervening country is interspersed with rolling hills and gentle valleys, farm houses, and villages with their tapering spires, the most prominent of which are the Moravian towns of Bethlehem and Nazareth. On the south, from the Lehigh, the country gradually rises for the distance of two miles, where it is shut in by the lesser spurs of the Blue Ridge. On the east rolls the broad Delaware, and beyond it stretches in the distance the rolling country of New Jersey.
The men immediately upon their arrival were fur- nished with tincups, plates, spoons, knives and forks, a day's rations, and plenty of straw to sleep upon. The next day was spent in getting things in order, and by the following morning they were settled down and ready to commence the routine of camp. Colonel Mann, com- manding the camp, issued the following "calls" to be
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sounded : Reveille, 4 A. M .; Drill, 43 ; Recall, 6, Break- fast, 7; Guard Mounting, 7}; Fatigue, 72; Sick Call, 8; Drill, 9; Recall, 10; Orderlies' Call, 12 M .; Dinner, 12} P. M .; Drill, 6; Recall, 7; Supper, 73; Tattoo, 9; Taps, 93. Four roll calls were had each day, and in a little while every thing worked with the regularity of ma- chinery. During the intervals between drills, the men amused themselves in various ways, mostly in one-half sleeping, while the other half deviled them. Quoits, foot-ball, boxing and sparring, singing and playing, and all sorts of pranks were continually going on, and alto- gether they appeared the happiest and merriest set of men in the world.
One of the most interesting scenes was the policing the camp. The guard of the previous day had liberty from 10 A. M., until 4 P. M., and the next day were required to perform the police duty of the camp. Armed with rakes and hickory brooms, they gathered the straw, . rubbish and old bones into heaps, to be removed in wagons. This duty is always disliked by soldiers, as in fact all work is, but as they marched out, with their im- plements at a "shoulder," it was with the mock ceremony of troops leaving for "the sacred soil of Virginia," and many "a good-by" and "God bless you" was heard, as their puckered lips whistled out "The girl I left behind me."
A few days after our arrival, Colonel March's seven companies came into camp, and others soon after fol- lowed, and by the 12th of June, there were twenty-five companies, numbering one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six officers and men present. As no clothing or blankets were as yet furnished by Government, and as the men had brought nothing with them except what they stood in, they soon presented a rather ragged appearance, which, however, did not in the least affect their buoyant spirits. The citizens of the borough of Easton, however, with a noble generosity took the matter in hand, and determined to do all in their power to render the soldiers
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comfortable. A Ladies' Aid Society was formed, which furnished every necessary supply of clothing, blankets, comfortables, flannels, jellies, etc., for the hospital, and a large number of quilts, pantaloons, shirts, towels, etc., for the camp.
The soldiers will always remember with gratitude, the kindness of the citizens of Easton, which was bestowed upon them without ostentation. The food furnished was abundant, and of the best quality, consisting of fresh beef, wheat bread, potatoes, rice, beans, bacon, coffee, sugar and small stores, but considerable sickness pre- vailed among the men, arising from the free use of lime- stone water, to which they were unaccustomed, but there was no serious illness. In the place of a well, the supply came from a large cistern, in which was caught the rain water from the roof of the Fair building, and that hauled from the borough of Easton in casks. As a sanitary precaution the whole camp was vaccinated, and to pro- mote the general health, the men were taken to the . Lehigh three times a week, where they enjoyed the" luxury of bathing. Upon such occasions there would sometimes be a thousand men in the water at once, and they hugely enjoyed the sport of diving, splashing and paddling around in general. The great feat among the expert swimmers, was to cross and recross the river without resting.
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