USA > Rhode Island > History of the Fifth Regiment of Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, during three years and a half of service in North Carolina. January 1862-June 1865 > Part 14
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All this time the sound of the guns around Washington told all on the fleet that the brave little band still held out. Almost every night dispatches, brought in small boats that drifted down with the current, came from General Foster to General Palmer, urging him to action.
Monday morning, the 13th, the officers and men left the Escort on the projected reconnoisance. It was to ascertain the practicability of moving a land force in the rear of the batteries on the south bank of the river, across Blount's Creek to Washington. Captain Douglas and Lieut. Dutee Johnson. Jr., were in command of the fifty men who
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had been selected for the task. They had a negro for a guide, who proved faithful and intelligent. They reached Blount's Creek and found the crossing defended by three batteries and about 3,000 men. Captain Douglas and Sergeant-Major Hatlinger displayed great bravery and coolness in advancing almost under the enemy's guns and preparing an accurate sketch of their works. With the return of Captain Douglas vanished the last hope of reaching Washington by land with any force available at this time, and valuable time had again been wasted to no good end.
All that both officers and men of the Fifth Rhode Island now wanted was the mere permission to make the attempt to reach Wash- ington. In view of this feeling, Colonel Sisson called all of the offi- cers and men of the regiment together. He briefly stated the situation of their general and comrades in Washington and their urgent need of succor, and the difficulties and dangers attending the attempt to run the batteries, as well as the opinions of the officers in command of the land and naval forces as he understood them. He then told them that the question should be left with them to decide whether the attempt to run the batteries should be made or not. When the ayes were called for, one mighty shout of "aye!" rent the air. Then the vote of those opposed was called for, and just one man replied with a loud ". no !" He said afterward that he .. didn't want the d ---- d thing to be too uaanimons." Backed by the unani- mons voice of every man of whatever rank in his regiment, Colonel Sisson took immediate steps to make the opinion and resolution of his regiment formally known. Accordingly he dispatched Lieutenant- Colonel Tew and Major Jameson to General Palmer. Major Jame- son was a man of fluent speech, and he was made spokesman of this committee, if such a term may be used in this connection. The guarded official reports do not voice the fiery request then made that their regiment he permitted to attempt the relief of their general and his comrades, who were still holding out so manfully, and knowing that men and supplies were now ready to come to their relief. Right here it is but justice to the naval officers in command to say they had spared neither their boats nor men in attacking the batteries. All of them seemed in sorry plight, and bore ample evidence of the skill of the rebel gunners and the great range of their guns. Some of the
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boats seemed riddled from stem to stern. The greatest danger of all, however. was that the vessel attempting to run the batteries would run aground in the narrow, crooked and buoyless channel, and be- come a helpless target for the enemy's gunners, or the easy prey of the rebel infantry, which lined the river banks. It was under these circumstances that our officers sought the presence of General Palmer. In his modest report Colonel Sisson says :
"In consideration of the previous attempts to reach Washington, and of the situation of our noble commander and the brave men from our sister State who composed the garrison, I considered it my duty to offer the services of my command to attempt the passage of the blockade. Accordingly I dispatched Major Jameson to General Palmer, who was on board the South fieldl. to volunteer ourselves for such an expedition. He reported that General Palmer did not feel warranted in ordering us upon an enterprise of this nature, as it was impossible for him to accompany ns, and as the attempt of Sunday morning assured him of the extreme peril with which it would be attended. But he would allow me to make the trial, if in my judgment it were practicable, and offered me the as- sistance of the gunboats if I determined to go. After further delibera- tion and consultation with my lieutenant-colonel and major, I decided that the object of the expedition was of sufficient importance to demand the risk I proposed to assume."
It was decided to make the attempt that evening, Monday, April 13th. Among the stores taken on board were twenty tons of ammu- nition. All of it could not be stowed below, so a large quantity was placed on the forward deck. In all cases of an undertaking of this desperate nature in war. it is the custom to call for volunteers or at- tempt it with a picked force drawn from the whole command. in order that should it meet with disaster the loss will not fall on any one or- ganization. But to this Rhode Island colonel and his Rhode Island men it did not seem to occur that they were undertaking any won- derful thing. The only thought in their minds was that they were to carry food and ammunition and the succor of their own brave hearts and willing hands to their general and comrades who were in great peril. To them, then. it was a matter-of-course affair. Look- ing at it now, when more than a quarter of a century has passed, the coolness and bravery with which it was undertaken, it was heroic in the highest degree. A shot-a spark in those tons of ammunition -- some of it exposed on deck. and the boat and the Fifth Rhode Island
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Regiment would have ceased to exist. To run aground meant for these men a worse fate-Andersonville and Salisbury. And every man in the regiment knew this and accepted the issue. There was no calling for volunteers, for the whole regiment had volunteered. There was no selection of picked men for this forlorn hope. The whole regiment formed the forlorn hope. Not even the non-combat- ants were sent away. Surgeons, chaplain, quartermaster, hospital steward and commissary sergeant would not be left behind. though they could be of no earthly use until after the enterprise was suc- cessfully accomplished. Not only this, but a non-combatant passenger was taken aboard. The chaplain of the Forty-fourth Massachusetts, with a courage worthy of his high calling, begged for permission to go, in order that he might the sooner join his regiment in Wash- ington. Lient. W. H. King of the First North Carolina (Union) Volunteers also accompanied us. He had been stationed at Rodman's Point, and when the enemy occupied that place he and his men went on board a flat-boat and dropped down the stream to the gunboats, being unable to cross to the town.
Looked at from the standpoint of the present time the detail of the preparations is intensely interesting. A twelve-pounder gun was placed on the forward deck, to be used in case the boat should run aground and be attacked by the rebel infantry on shore. A company of men to act as sharpshooters was detailed to remain on deck and assist in repelling any shore attack. These men were under the command of Capt. I. M. Potter. assisted by the officer of the day, Capt. H. B. Landers, and the officer of the guard. Lieut. Thomas Allen. Lieutenant-Colonel Tew, and Major Jameson were also to remain on deck with Colonel Sisson. A final arrangement of the bales of hay to protect the pilot-house and machinery was made, and then every man except those detailed to stay on deck, was peremp- torily ordered below, so as to be as safe as possible, to the great dis- gust of our chaplain especially, who wanted to be up where he could see how it was all done. The pilot was the most important single factor in this problem, for success depended on his skill and coolness under fire. In this case it seems that a protecting Providence had sent the right man to the right place. A North Carolinian, but a loyal man, Mr. Petherick had long been in the Union service as a
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pilot, and, having received his discharge. he was on his way to his wife and children in New Berne, whom he had not seen for a long time. when he was pressed into this service. .. Oh. how he begged not to go," said one of the men who heard him. " If the boat runs aground and is lost, they will blame me for it, and say that I did it on purpose." At last he consented, and to his remarkable and un- recorded bravery is due the fact that there is any subsequent history of the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment to chronicle.
The following extract, taken from a paper read before the Soldiers' and Sailors' Historical Society of Rhode Island. by Capt. William W. Douglas, is worthy of recording at this point :
"In order to appreciate the risk we were to run, you may imagine yourselves starting from Newport on the Bay Queen on a trip to Provi- dence. Place upon Nayatt Point a battery of heavy guns, and on the shore at Conimient Point another, both well manned by experienced ar- tillerists. Suppose the channel to run within point-blank range of the western shore, and to be obstructed by a triple line of piles driven closely together; then place a still more formidable battery. containing at least one gun capable of throwing a shell three miles with accuracy, at Field's Point, and calculate the chances of getting by all this and an- choring safely at the Continental Steamboat Company's wharf. Then place on the boat fifteen tons of ammunition. and consider that if a shell were to explode so as to fire it there would be no boat left, and you would have the last chance left you of swimming ashore into the hands of the enemy, who, if they did not shoot you in the water would march you to a rebel prison. Add to this the fact that no one on board knew the channel except the pilot, and he had to grope for it withont a beacon light, in intense darkness, and to have got upon the flats meant sure cap- ture at daybreak. We had not either that opportunity to fire back which occupies a man's whole attention to the exclusion of thoughts of his per- sonal danger in the excitement of a battle. We had simply to box our- selves up and constitute ourselves a floating target."
The plan for running the batteries was simple enough. The gun- boats were to steam slowly into position and have their guns ready for action. The Escort was to follow, and, as soon as the gunboats were in readiness. the signal was to be given and she was to steam slowly and silently to the opening in the obstructions. As soon as she was discovered and fired upon the gunboats were to reply with every gun that they could bring to bear upon the enemy's battery, in order to divert as much of the rebel fire as possible and lead them to
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think that a number of vessels were attempting to pass the batteries. The boys were gone, a fog lay on the water, and the pilot would have to depend on the lead for his bearings. Colonel Sisson took his station at the bow between the leadsman and pilot, and soon the signal came over the waters through the gloom, and about 8.30 the Escort started on her perilous mission. Not a light was to be seen on board. And here occurred another incident of the cool courage that marked the progress of this remarkable feat in the annals of war. A number of the men who were to remain on deck lay down on the exposed pile of ammunition, in order to cover it with their bodies from any chance shell or spark of fire from some fuse that might ignite it. " I thought I was just as safe thero as anywhere, and I might keep the stuff from being exploded," said one of these men when talking of it afterwards.
Lient. Dutee Johnson, Jr., in a paper entitled Personal Recollec- tions of Service in the Fifth Rhode Island Volunteers, says :
" The lower after cabin in which the officers were ordered to remain contained three tiers of berths; the middle berth being nearly on the water line. Most of the officers took the beds from the berths and made couches on the cabin floor. Two of them being very tired fell asleep, and knew nothing of the passage of the rebel batteries until they awoke from their slumbers when the steamer arrived at the wharf at Little Washington. Their astonishment and disgust was great when they dis- covered that they had slept all through those exciting scenes. The other officers who were awake occupied themselves in alternately observing the positions of the batteries on shore through two bulls' oye lights in the stern of the steamer. They could see the flash of every gun and the report was distinctly heard, but sounded very fat and queer; the listener being about on a level of the water.
"In the forward cabin or hold of the steamer the men of the regiment were placed under the charge of an officer or two. In this cabin had been stored all the ammunition and commissary stores, and the fact of so much powder being stored made it doubly dangerous in case of ac- cident."
In this way this slightly constructed passenger steamer, designed to carry excursions in Boston harbor, loaded with men and mani- tions to within one foot of the depth of water in the river channel, moved slowly toward the opening through the rows of piles, right under the guns of a battery that for two weeks had kept a fleet at
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bay. Almost noiselessly and quite unnoticed, under the skillful di- rection of the pilot, she approached and entered the narrow passage way, crushed on the piles on one side with a momentum that, slow as her speed was, shook her from deck to keel, rocked, hung for a mo- ment, slowly fell off, and then, under full head of steam, darted up the channel. Instantly signals flashed in the batteries on shore, the rebels sprang to their quarters, and the heavens fairly glowed with the lightning of their guns, and the air was filled with the roar and hiss of flying and exploding shells. The instant they opened on the
The Steamer " Escort."
Escort the gunboats opened on them with an accuracy of range ac- quired by long practice. Through this turmoil and din of strife the silent Escort sped away up the river. Colonel Sisson standing beside the cool and clear-headed pilot, calling ont in a firm voice the direc- tion to the man at the wheel. Shell followed them, but in their ex- citement the rebel gunners seemed to pay more attention to rapid firing than accuracy of aim, and not one shot struck the Escort. Then the guns of Swan's Point battery opened with no better suc- cess. Two batteries were passed, but the worst was yet to come. The alarm had spread, and the rebel infantry on the shore poured volleys of musketry on the passing boat. Twice was the pilot com-
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pelled to bring her to a full stop before he could make sure of his di- rection, and he derived not a little aid from the sharpshooters on the river bank, for the flashes of their rifles indicated the line of the shore, which he could not see. Twice the boat grounded, the grating of the keel being felt, not heard, in the din ; and each time, after hanging motionless on the muddy bottom for a few moments, she would slowly forge ahead into deeper water. During this time but for the bulwarks made of the bales of hay, the decks of the boat would have been swept of every living being. "I went up and looked towards Washington," wrote our chaplain, " and the batteries about the town saw that we were at something, and at this moment opened a most terrific fire on the town. You have seen heat light- ning in summer time. So. in a half cirele about that distant town did the flash of gun and shell leap and gleam. I went back to my berth. A soul suspended on a thread over a fathomless void might feel as we felt amid those shells whistling past us, any one of which might ignite our cargo and send ship and souls to destruction."
By the time the boat neared the Rodman Point batteries the enemy were fully aware of what was being attempted, and were all ready for the approaching boat. At this point the channel closely approaches the shore, and the firing from the banks was far more severe than at any point below. while their guns opened at a range of abont four hundred yards. Again the scene of Hill's Point was repeated with even more exciting surroundings. Amid the roar of guns firing on town and boat. and the rattle of rifles and rush of shot through the air. the firm. clear voice of the colonel repeating the pilot's com- mands was the only sound that could be heard on the dark and silent boat that had now with the most wonderful providence passed the last battery. and was speeding away unharmed toward the town. There all were on the alert, for they felt that some desperate effort was being made to bring the long looked for relief. Another mile at full speed. followed by near half a hundred shells, and the wharf was reached at 12.15 A. M., and this large, unarmed and deep laden steamer had accomplished what armed vessels, built and mauned for the purpose, had failed to do.
" You can guess," wrote the chaplain of the Forty-fourth Massa- chusetts. our one passenger. " what cheers arose, and with what a
:
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will, from the hundreds that had been repressing their emotions through these four long hours in the boat, and from the imprisoned soldiers on the wharves, who had seen in this their first hope of res- cue. Cheers for the Forty-fourth Massachusetts from the boat, and cheers hearty and long for the Fifth Rhode Island from the shore, and so a new bond of union was struck between these brother regi- ments."
The men began to debark at once. When a company was in line and ready to march ashore the officer in charge would give in his highest tones the lond command, "Attention, battalion ! " and, for the benefit of the rebel pickets on the south side of the river, con- tinue to give the necessary orders for marching a regiment ashore as his company left the boat. This was repeated until the last of the men had come ashore, and also when they were marched away to the places they were to occupy for the night.
We are again indebted to Lieutenant Johnson for the following incident :
" The steamer arrived at the wharf in Washington about one s. M. The same morning at daylight found us on shore, and as many as could com- fortably do so were occupying a little builling just up from the wharf. It had a small stage inside, which no doubt had formerly been used as a place where entertainments were held. Our men were enjoying them- selves here when the enemy from some point on the opposite shore opened fire, and the building having been made a target for their guns, our men vacated the building, feeling safer in the open streets.
" My attention was attracted about the time we left the ' theatre' as one of the men called it, to the actions of a little boy, some eight or ten years of age. He stood hugging a building closely, and, with his head pro- truding around the corner, and, with an ear open for the sound of the ex- peetant shell, he keenly observed the actions of our men. Hearing no sound of the dread missiles of death, he finally came over and mingled with the men. But. though seemingly much occupied in what we were doing, it could be readily seen that his young ears were well trained in determining the sounds of danger. Aye! the little ones in Washington had for the past fifteen days shared with the troops the dangers of a besieged town."
The next morning the several companies were assigned positions in the lines of defence, and when the enemy commenced their usual fire from their batteries the men again enjoyed the excitement of dodging rebel shell. Says one of the comrades of the battalion, .. We had no
-----
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such experience since Fort Macon, but quickly became accustomed to it again, and soon felt safe enough to be comfortable." " Tuesday, the 14th. the fog cleared early," says the historian of the Forty- fourth Massachusetts. " We were all feeling comfortable now that the charm was broken, and we were both physically and morally reinforced by the arrival of our old comrades of the Fifth Rhode Island."
The position assigned the regiment in the defences was on the right of the line near the river and below the town. It had been determined that the Escort should run the batteries, down, during Tuesday night. but the fog was so dense that she ran aground nearly a mile below the town, and was compelled to wait until morning to get off. General Foster had decided to go down in her, organize a force, and march to the relief of the town. Before going he issued a general order expressing his admiration for the courage and determination displayed by the garrison during the siege, and informing them that he knew they would hold out until he could return with a force sufficient to relieve them. The Escort had remained hard aground, waiting un- til the fog should lift in the morning. When at last it slowly rose she was within easy range of the Rodman Point battery, which at once opened on her. Slowly backing out of her unsought berth in North Carolina river mud she steamed on her mission, and succeeded in getting through. The brave pilot who had brought her up so suc- cessfully was killed soon after passing the Rodman Point batteries. He raised his head above the bales of hay placed around the pilot- house, and was shot dead by a rifleman on the river bank. Thus fell this hero, without even the privilege of seeing his loved ones, for whom he cherished a most touching affection. General Palmer had promised bim that if he would try to take the Escort up and should lose his life, he would pay his family $2.000. This sum was after- ward paid to them in New Berne. The Escort was struck with eighteen shot and shell, and her upper works were riddled with bul- lets. General Foster had gone aboard the night before to obtain some much needed rest. When nearing the batteries he was per- suaded to go below. Within two minutes after he left, a shell passed through the stateroom, destroying in its passage the bedding of the berth he had occupied.
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Their success in running the batteries and reaching Washington but stimulated the spirit of enterprise in our men. On the night of the 15th some men of Company C, Captain Douglas's company, de- termined to attempt an operation on their own account. It was no less than the capture of the Rodman Point battery. Procuring an old scow they set off soon after midnight and silently paddled across the river and then drifted down to the battery. Here they slowly worked their way in shore as far as the boat would go, and waited until just as dawn began to appear, when they silently left the boat, waded ashore, and, dashing up the bank, they sprang over the breast- works into the battery-only to find them silent and deserted. See- ing a number of the enemy in the edge of a wood near by. they secured a notice which had been fastened to a stake stuck up in the middle of the fort, and returned to the other side of the river. By this time it was known that the enemy had abandoned their works on the north side of the town. This exploit of Company C had no other result than to show the good will of the men to capture the bat- tery had the rebels remained in it. The notice posted up is still in existence. It said :
YANKEES.
We know not what brave regimeuts passed our batteries on the night of the 13th inst., but whoever you are, whilst we admire your pluck and courage, we despise your cause.
Co. "K," THIRTY-SECOND REGT. N. C. VOLS. April 15th, 1863.
When the enemy had put their trains in motion after they had de- termined to abandon the siege, the roads proved to be in such an im- passable condition that they were in great fear that they might lose them. So they at once strengthened their rear guard. A small force returned and occupied the works on Rodman's Point. In the mean- time the officers on the gunboats saw that the guns were withdrawn, and they determined to occupy the works. Accordingly the Com- modore Hull, Ceres and Eagle shelled the battery for some time before attempting to land any men. At last Acting Third Assistant Engineer Thomas Mallahan, of Providence, R. I., with the small boat's crew pulled ashore to hoist our colors over the battery. On approaching land they were fired upon and Mallahan was killed.
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The gunboats came back, and at two P. M. ran down again and shelled the battery for some time. Again a call was made on the Fifth, and in half an hour Lieutenant-Colonel Tew, with Companies D, E, H, G and I, together with one gun of a New York battery, under the command of Lieutenant Mower, were detailed and on their way to take possession of the much disputed Rodman's Point. In view of the experience of the gunboats in the morning, Colonel Tew made preparations to meet a considerable force, and effected a landing some distance below the fort. Colonel Sisson's official report says :
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