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 15
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" Captain Robinson's company (G) was put in advance, and, proceeding along the road, came in sight of a company of the enemy about three- quarters of a mile from the landing. Deploying his company, he ad- vanced cautionsly and immediately attacked them. After a sharp skirmish, in which he displayed great coolness and bravery, he dislodged them, killing one man and taking three prisoners-a captain, lieutenant and a drum-major. Having set fire to the building in which the enemy had quartered, Captain Robinson fell back about one-fourth of a mile, and, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Tew, posted his pickets so as to command every approach to his position. The enemy's pickets were posted about two hundred yards from ours. and exchanged shots with them repeatedly during the night. The whole detachment formed promptly in line at each alarm, but no other attack was made, and in the morning our scouts could not discover the enemy within five miles of the Point."
Chaplain White, in a letter to the Providence Journal, says :
". When we entered the batteries at Rodman's Point our troops found a note reading thus :
'YANKEES ! ! !
. We leave you not because we cannot take Washington, but the fact is, it is not worth taking, and. besides, the climate is not agreeable. A man must be amphibious to inhabit it. We leave you a few bursted guns, some stray solid shot, and a man and brother, rescued from the waves to which some fray among his equals consigned him. But this tribute we pay yon, you have acted with much gallantry during this brief siege. We salute the pilot of the Escort.
Co. K, 32D N. C. VOLS.'
" This tribute to the pilot must have been because of his daring in running the boat up, and not on account of his death, as they could not have known that."
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FIFTH RHODE ISLAND HEAVY ARTILLERY.
The detachment under Colonel Tew remained at Rodman's Point, and, on the 18th, Colonel Sisson was ordered to repair to that place with the other companies of the regiment, with the exception of Company C, Captain Douglas, who was stationed at Gracie's house, one mile south of Washington, on the New Berne road. During the night of the 18th the rebel breastworks were leveled and a new line defending the battery on the land side was erected. The battery was then christened Fort Sisson.
Early Sunday, the 19th, guns were heard about eight miles to the south, and about noon the advance of General Foster's columu, under command of General Naglee with two detachments of cavalry, marching overland from New Berne, reached Washington. The column from New Berne found that the enemy were all well on their way toward Kinston.
Immediately upon his arrival General Foster issued the following order to the Fifth Rhode Island :
HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, N. C .. April 19, 1863. Colonel HENRY T. SISSON, Comdig Fifth Reg't R. I. Vols. :
Sin: By direction of Major-General Foster, I have to express his re- gret that in the hurry of his departure from Washington he was unable to formally acknowledge the valuable aid you brought to Washington, N C., during its siege.
The many things he had to attend to allowed him only time to say " good bye" to the old garrison and not to welcome the new.
He directs me to thank you, and the brave officers and men under you, for the energy, perseverance and courage displayed in running the gaunt- let of the enemy's batteries in a large and scantily protected steamer, and bringing to your comrades in Washington the much needed supplies of men, ammunition and commissary stores,
The doing of what you did reflects equal honor on yourself, your offi- cers, your men, and the State from which you are proud to come.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, SOUTHARD HOFFMAN, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Nothing occurred to disturb the quiet of daily routine until the 22d, when Colonel Sisson was ordered to leave two companies at Rodman's Point, and embark the rest of the regiment on the Thomas Colyer for New Berne. This was done about ten o'clock the same
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morning, and we reached our destination the same night. Compa- nies H and I. under the command of Capt. Benjamin L. Hall, remained at Rodman's Point. The other gun of Lieutenant Mor- ris's section had been brought over. Captain Hall was in command of the post, and Lieutenant Pierce acted as adjutant. They re- mained here some days, but. beyond some scouting, nothing of inter- est occurred, and Captain Hall soon rejoined us at Camp Anthony.
Camp and garrison duties were now resumed, and the men had leisure to recall the many incidents of their late very exciting and eventful expedition. Here the following very pleasing general order was published :
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, NEW BERNE, April 24, 1863.
General Order, No. 633.
The garrison of Washington, N. C., composed of the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment, the Forty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment, Fifth Rhode Island Regiment, First North Carolina Volunteers, Com- pany I, Third New York Cavalry, Battery G, Third New York Artillery, have well merited, by their steadiness, courage and endurance the honor of inscribing, and they are so ordered to inscribe on their banners and guidons, WASHINGTON, April. 1863.
Per order MAJOR-GENERAL J. G. FOSTER.
SOUTHARD HOFFMAN, A. A. G.
Scarcely had the interest of both officers and men in the foregoing order died away, when a new and unexpected honor came from quite another source. This testimonial, so gratifying in its nature, shall speak for itself :
CAMP STEVENSON, HEADQUARTERS FORTY-FOURTH REG'T M. V. M., NEW BERNE, April 25. 1863.
COL. HENRY T. SIsso, Commanding Fifth Regt. R. I. Vols. :
COLONEL : At a meeting of the field, staff and line officers, held at Washington, N. C., on Tuesday evening, April 21st, Colonel F. L. Lee presiding, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, During the late siege of Washington, N. C., when the town had been bombarded and all its communications cut off for fifteen days, after several ineffectual attempts had been made to relieve the garrison, and the enterprise had been pronounced impracticable. Colonel Sisson volunteered the services of his regiment, and succeeded, against every
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obstacle and discouragement, in running the blockade with the steamer Escort, thus bringing to the besieged forces the much needed reinforce- ments, ammunition and supplies, therefore
Resolved, That in this achievement Colonel Sisson, with his brave regi- ment, has performed one of the most heroic acts of the war ; and that this act, by so disheartening the enemy that in two days he was led to re- tire, was the immediate cause of the raising of the siege.
Resolved, That the members of the Forty-fourth Regiment Massachu- setts Volunteer Militia feel that thanks are particularly due from them to their comrades-in-arms, who so generously volunteered their services and met such great risks in carrying succor to a brother regiment.
Resolved, That, as an expression of their gratitude and admiration, if it meet the wishes of the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment, a set of colors be presented to them, bearing a device commemorative of their act of gallantry.
FRANCIS L. LEE, Colonel Comd'y Forty-fourth Reg't. Mass. V. M.
The following was Colonel Sisson's reply :
CAMP ANTHONY, NEW BERNE, April 28, 1863.
COLONEL: I take great pleasure in acknowledging to you and the offi- cers of your command my sense of the high honor which you have done us in the very complimentary resolutions which I have just received.
Be assured, colonel, they are the more acceptable as coming from a body of men whose character and good opinion we respect so highly as the regiment you have the honor to command. Your generous action will tend not only to cement more closely our two brother regiments, but also the sister States from which we came, already closely united by a common history, and by struggles and dangers in defence of our country.
May we be more closely knit together in peace and union under the flag which both Massachusetts and Rhode Island have done so much to uphold.
Accept, sir, the thanks of the Fifth Rhode Island for your kind senti- ments, and believe me,
With respect, very truly yours,
H. T. SISSON, Colonel Commanding Fifth Rhode Island Volunteers.
It is almost needless to record here that no one of the many con- gratulations received by our regiment for its work in succoring their besieged comrades in Washington was so gratifying as this one from
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HISTORY OF THE
the Forty-fourth Massachusetts in all respects. Capt. James Moran and Adjt. J. M. Wheaton joined the regimeut on its return from Washington. They had been home on the first leave of absence either had received since joining the regiment. Their pride in the gallant action of the regiment in carrying relief into Washington was only equaled by their regret that the fortunes of the service had prevented them from sharing in it. The tidings of the affair of run- ning the blockade and batteries met them on their return at Hatteras Inlet. On their way to New Berne they received many felicitations on account of this act of the regiment. General Foster openly and enthusiastically expressed his commendation of the courage and daring shown in succoring him at the moment of his oxtreme peril, and ever after showed himself the firm friend of the regiment. It remained for the legislature of our State to remind us that in doing our duty in the cause of our country our deeds were appreciated by the representatives of our neighbors and friends at home, as may be seen by the following resolution of our General Assembly :
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, May Session, A. D. 1863.
Resolved. That the thanks of the General Assembly be and they are hereby presented to Colonel Henry T. Sisson, and to the officers and men of the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment Volunteers for the gallantry and heroism which they displayed in running the gaautlet of the enemy's batteries on the Patlico Ktiver, under circumstances of extraordinary peril, on the night of April 13. 1809. and carrying to the beleagured gar- rison of Washington, North Carolina. reinforcements, ammunition and supplies. And that His Excelleney the Governor be and is hereby di- rected to transmit a copy of this resolution to Col. H. T. Sisson, and another copy to the Honorable Secretary of War.
A true copy, attest:
JOSHUA M. ADDEMAN, Secretary of State. [I. s.]
Many incidents occurred, some of which may be mentioned. The three prisoners captured by Company G when Lieutenant-Colonel Tew first occupied Rodman's Point, speedily became the guests of the command. " The captain seemed inch of a gentleman, " wrote Chaplain White, " and gave me much information. He says there can be no chance for the Confederacy to triumph. The lieutenant
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said they would fight it out, and all die before they would surrender. I asked him why he sang out so lustily, . Don't fire ! don't fire ! we surrender ! we surrender "' if they were going to die fighting?" Another letter contains this : " The night we arrived we cheered wonderfully, and the . secesh ' thought the rebels had got in, and at once they went to cooking, and some kept it up all night so as to be ready for their friends."
As indicating how soldiers can avail themselves of every oppor- tunity to improve their condition in regard to food, we will relate this incident : One day some of the men of Company C captured a calf, killed and dressed it. After cooking, eating and disposing of what they desired of the carcass, two of them took the head and carried it into the town where they traded it for delicacies that were not issued to soldiers by the commissary department. They con- sisted of pies, cakes, etc., and were an agreeable exchange for Uncle Sam's army rations.
As an evidence of the feeling that prevailed throughout the regiment an extract is here made from a private letter written the next day after we reached Washington : " Taking everything into consideration, I think that although we are in a pretty tight place we shall come out all right, somehow. The blockade has been run, and the old Fifth did it. Others may follow, so that we shall have troops enough to man our long line of defences, and then they may attack and be d - feated."
The Hill's Point battery had been constructed by the enemy at the time they blockaded the river at this point in 1861. When our forces took Washington in 1862, they had left these abandoned works intact. It proved to be a grave oversight. When the siege was raised the earthworks had not been injured in the least, apparently. by the fire of the gunboats, nor had there been much loss of life in the fort. The rebels had constructed an excellent bomb-proof under the platform of each gun. After the rebels evacuated it on the 16th, a barrel of powder was placed in each bomb-proof and ex- ploded simultaneously, completely demolishing it.
Chaplain Hall, of the Forty-fourth Massachusetts, had been wait- ing at the mouth of Pamlico River some days for an opportunity to rejoin his regiment in Washington. As has been stated he was ou
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the Escort on the night of the 13th. Immediately after his arrival he wrote home : " You can imagine my joy at having reached my regiment once more. Perhaps no hour of my life ever brought more entire relief than when I landed here last night. It had been insuf- ferably wearisome and depressing. Penned up in a small boat, Washington just within sight each day, but just out of reach ; heavy firing constantly about the little town, leaving us to imagine the con- sequences ; each morning bringing some new hopes and each evening some fresh and bitter disappointments. Patience and hope had be- Relief came at last, and that you will be pleased to hear, from a Rhode Island regiment. Let it be spoken as widely and loudly as you choose, that when everything else had failed, poor. beleagured Washington got its first ray of promise and of comfort from Colonel Sisson and the Fifth Rhode Island. It was one of the heroisms of the war which should not be forgotten."
gun to fail. .
A correspondent of the New York Herald, writing of our passage of the batteries on the night of the 13th, closes his account with these words :
"You know that I have seen many feats of valor during the war, and can judge somewhat of the nerve and boldness requisite for them, and can also approximate unto something like a reasonable comparison of such events ; and here allow me to say that this feat of the Escort and those on board has had no parallel during the war. Gunboats and iron-clads, to be sure, have run past batteries in wide rivers, as it was their place to do, and the events have been telegraphed far and wide; but I have yet to learn of an unarmed transport, loaded with a regiment of men and a cargo of supplies and ammunition even attempting such a thing before."
The following vivid account of the feat as it appeared to the be- leagured garrison is from the History of the Twenty-Seventh Massa- chusetts Infantry :
"The night settled dark, rainy and cheerless, and our men, smeared with mud in their bomb-proofs, and wearied with constant watching, were placed on three-quarter rations of meat and bread. Orders had been issued during the day to collect and save the enemy's missiles, for use by us in case of necessity. We were certainly verging on bitter ex- tremities, but there was no diminution of purpose to resist to the last. At ten o'clock an alarm was given, bringing every man to his post: and through the darkness we strained our eyes for an explanation of the
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alarm. Hill's Point and the river batteries were belching forth a sheet of flame, and, mingling with the peal and din, was the rattle of musketry and clash of arms below. Nearer and nearer the contest waged, untilat eleven o'clock Rodman joined in the fray. The enemy on the hill seemed puzzled like ourselves, and opened with grape, canister and shell along the entire line, our guns replying with vigor and effect. All was intense excitement and suspense. The blaze of gun and shell. with gleam of Parthian arrows and peal on peal in quick succession told of a desperate strife, but ' what could it be?' By the flash of guns at Rodman's Point our men at number four detect what seems to them a phantom steamer, ploughing its way up the river through a storm of fire and iron hail. Rubbing their eyes, already strained by constant watching. they pierce again the curtain of night, and, now assured, send cheering tidings along the line, ' There's a steamer coming !' How we trembled with hope and fear as we saw it defying Rodman's murderous fire, and, as it emerged from the gauntlet of death, we were in an ecstacy of joy, the lapping of its friendly wheels assuring us that all was well. As it passed No. 4. the garrison gave cheer on cheer, which received a ringing response from those on board, and three steamer whistles, so exultant and natural, that every man in the beleagured town exclaimed, 'That's the Escort ! that's the Escort !'
"General Foster repaired to the wharf, and, as the steamer drew near, Colonel Sisson jumped ashore. and saluting him said, 'General. I am here with the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment.' Rome immortalized her sons, but these immortalized their State, and how grand and herculean they looked as they marched along. And the grand, old Escort. too; how she loomed in the darkness like a thing of life, proud fin her unconscious- ness, filled to the brim with aid and comfort, and yet with only a single scar to tell of the terrible ordeal through which she afforded this cheer. Such a miracle or succession of miracles! Not a soul had been injured, nor an ounce of supplies lost or damaged. Such cheers and wild delight as filled the besieged town is given ouly few to know, and we say now as then, God bless the Fifth Rhode Island and that noble craft and crew of the Escort! "
And thus the Fifth Rhode Island again proved that in times of great emergency sublime audacity means sublime success.
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CHAPTER XI.
THE FIFTH BECOMES A REGIMENT OF HEAVY ARTILLERY.
A SUMMER AND AUTUMN IN NEW BERNE.
W ITH the siege of Washington ended the active operations of the enemy in force in North Carolina, for the spring and summer of 1863. The needs of the rebel army in Virginia had caused the recall of General Longstreet from South- western Virginia and North Carolina, and obliged the Confederate authorities to send every man that could be spared from the seaboard to General Lee. In a like manner were all of our troops that were not actually needed to defend fortified places in North Carolina sent away from time to time, until the Eighteenth Army Corps was so reduced as to be the mere skeleton of an organization. Even this small force was soon to be reduced by the loss of a number of regi- ments of " nine months " men, whose terms of service would soon expire. For the present the force at General Foster's disposal could only hold that much of the country that was within his pieket lines.
In the changes that now took place the Fifth Rhode Island was selected by General Foster to garrison the several forts in the line of works around New Berne. At this time he also warmly recom- mended to the secretary of war that the regiment should be changed to and be known as the Fifth Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. This change. if completed. would increase the regiment to an organiza- tion of twelve companies of one hundred and fifty men each, or 1,800 men in all. Each company would then have one captain, two first and two second lieutenants, with a quartermaster and commis- sary sergeant. The regiment would also be divided into three bat- talions of four companies, with a major and an assistant-surgeon for each battalion.
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FIFTH RHODE ISLAND HEAVY ARTILLERY.
Pending the action of the secretary of war in this matter, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Tew was sent home to Rhode Island to make arrange- ments for recruiting the regiment to its maximum number. In the meantime no incident of note occurred to break the monotony of the daily routine. Lieutenant-Colonel Tew reached Providence about
Lieut. Herbert D. Leavitt. : Formerly First Sergeant Company H Fifth Rhode Island Heary Artillery.)
May 3d. and at once commenced his work. Chaplain White left us at this time on his first leave of absence. Indeed. the approaching heat of a Southern summer. with no prospect of active work in the field. made every one who could get away anxious to go North. The situation in the regiment during the first half of May is thus de- scribed :
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" This is probably the last letter you will get from Camp Anthony. The Fifth is to garrison Forts Totten, Rowan and Stevenson. Yesterday two companies went to Totten, and two to Rowan. You know we have had one company in Rowan for some months. The rest will follow as soon as convenient. I should not like to be in the forts if there was likely to be any active campaign here this season. But, from present appear- ances, the Eighteenth Army Corps is to be merely an army of occupation, and. in fact, unless we were to take Wilmington, I don't see where we can move to any advantage. It seems to be the intention to hold all the places we now have here, or if we leave them, to do it of our own accord. We won't be whipped out.
" May 12, ' Camp Anthony.' We have not all got away yet. The last two companies go to-day. The colonel and staff will go as soon as we get our new quarters cleaned up. They are to be in a fine, large, brick house at the head of Craven Street. and were lately occupied by General Stevenson. Lieutenant-Colonel Tew will be in command at Fort Totten, Major Jameson at Rowan, and probably Captain Potter at Stevenson, 'when it is completed. Colonel Sisson will be in command of the whole line.".
The change from Camp Anthony to the new quarters in the forts entailed a vast amount of severe labor. known in camp as fatigue duty. Therefore the most pleasant occupation that presented itself was in receiving " news from home." The activity of our chaplain and his thoughtfulness for our welfare did not cease with his depart- ure from among us. There was always a practical side to his fertile brain that led him to care for our bodily comfort as well as our spiritual welfare. So we were not surprised that he should make "An Appeal for the Fifth Regiment." in which he reminded our friends that we were still in North Carolina. where our duties sub- jected us by night as well as by day to constant exposure in a mala- rious and debilitating climate. He said :
" Since my arrival home I am greatly pleased to know that the recent gallant conduct of Colonel Sisson and command in running the blockade near Washington, N. C., relieving Major-General Foster and raising the siege that was fast driving him to a surrender, is justly appreciated. Through the great merey of God we lost no men. But the strain upon the nerves of the men was terrible. This is the second season of the Fifth in the South. It has seen much service and done some noble work. I hear that the hearts of the people of our noble State throb with a quicker impulse at the mention of their patriotic services. These men need some ice and a few luxuries to help them past the sickly season.
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and bring them up to better health. The moral effect of such a gift upon the men would be incalculable. Not much has been done for the Fifth in this way, and so we ask with the more confidence. If you ap- preciate our services, let us see it in a gift of the few things we ask.
" I am instructed to ask for one hundred tons of ice, twenty barrels of potatoes, five barrels of onions, one hundred hams of dried beef, ten barrels of dried apples, five barrels of dried sweet corn, a few books, and a supply of soft woolen stockings, as the coarse ones furnished make the feet of the men sore when marching. Persons wishing to aid can furnish parts of the above, or money. The noble men in Belger's battery are near us, and what the Fifth gets will be shared by them. Packages for soldiers will be taken."
To have such kind words spoken for them among their relatives and friends at this time did the men of our regiment and Battery F almost as much good as the store of good things that came in answer to this did ns a few weeks later.
Lieutenant-Colonel Tew, having returned from his leave, Colonel Sisson left us June 5th to complete the visit home which the attack on New Berne had so rudely interrupted in March. He went in company with the Forty-fourth Massachusetts, whose term of service had expired, and was the recipient of many pleasing compliments for himself and the regiment. He was with that regiment when it was welcomed home by the assembled people of Boston on their Com- mon. In his address of welcome Mayor Lincoln said, " I cannot conclude without acknowledging the important aid given to your regiment in the perilous period of your history by the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment, Colonel Sisson, who, I am happy to know, is present, and ean bear to his command the gratitude of our people for their timely assistance." Colonel Lee, of the Forty-fourth, in his reply said. "I thank you for your allusion to Colonel Sisson, of the Rhode Island Fifth. for a more gallant act has never taken place in the war than that rendered us by that noble regiment."
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