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 2
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Company E-Captain, Job Arnold : first lieutenant, ; second lieutenant, James M. Wheaton.
A few days after the formal muster the battalion made a parade through the city. and received warm commendation from both citi- zens and the press, for the soldierly appearance and fine marching of the several companies. The days of their life at the rendezvous of organization now rapidly drew to an end, for every available man was needed at the front. Events followed each other rapidly. De- cember 26th, Major Wright received marching orders. " The men received the order joyfully, having become weary of their camp life and the monotonous routine of daily duty. They appeared remark- ably well on drill and at dress-parade, and were in the best condition for active service." On the 27th, they were reviewed by the gov- ernor as commander-in-chief of the State forces. who was accom- panied by his full staff. Tents had been struck and baggage packed. After the review the line wheeled into column and marched to the depot where a train was waiting to carry them over the first stage in their route to Annapolis, Md., where they were to join the assembled forces of General Burnside, who had received orders to move on his expedition south.
The battalion arrived in Jersey City, opposite New York, on the morning of the 28th. Here a delay of some hours occurred. The major, commanding, found that the railroad officials had provided a train composed of cattle cars which had not been cleaned out since their last freight of stock had been unloaded. They were informed by Major Wright that he had men, not cattle to transport. He told them they would have to provide better accommodations. They in- sisted that they had nothing better. .. Very well," was the reply of the energetic major, " we will stay here, at your expense, until you find something better : and in the meantime I will report the affair to the proper military authorities." That settled it. The major was informed that other and better cars would be supplied as soon as pos- sible. The vigor and promptness shown by Major Wright in thus caring for the comfort of the men of his command was so gratifying that the officers determined to show their appreciation by presenting him with some token of it. While waiting for the promised train to be made up they sent out and purchased a fine field glass which they
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presented to him in due form and with fitting language. Very soon after, the train was announced, and in a few hours more they were enjoying the welcome hospitalities of the "Cooper Shop." in Phila- delphia, a place well and most favorably known to all soldiers passing through that city, -- the fame of which is a lasting monument to the large hearted and practical patriotism of its citizens, which really earned for it the title of the .. City of Brotherly Love." Resuming their route at midnight they soon reached the Maryland line. From this point to Baltimore the bridges had been burned in the preceding spring by rebel sympathizers, and they now had block-houses at either end. garrisoned by Union soldiers. It looked warlike enough to the inexperienced men who now saw garrisoned block-houses for the first time. Upon reaching Baltimore the battalion had to take the usual march of about two miles through that city, from one sta- tion to the other, where cars were to be taken for Annapolis Junction. Orders were given that the command should keep closed up, and in no case reply to any threats or threatening demonstrations from any roughs or street crowds, if such should be made. No one was molested, however. during the line of march.
The loyal citizens of Baltimore were endeavoring to establish a refreshment place for soldiers on the plan of the one in Philadelphia. The Fifth were invited to partake of their hospitality, and did so, the men receiving a piece of bread and boiled pork and a cup of coffee each. " You are our first guests." said the entertainers. Before the battalion left. however, Major Wright was asked to give a re- ceipt for the rations issued to his men. Up to that time all in the battalion supposed it was what it purported to be, the free hospitality of the citizens. At noon, on the 20th, the battalion left for Anna- polis Junction, where they met General Burnside. He was greeted with rousing and enthusiastic cheers. At this point cars were taken for Annapolis, which was reached in the evening, and the battalion went into camp on the grounds of the Naval Academy, where, when the men had time to look around, the presence of so large a force of men. and the vast preparations both on land and water, made each one realize that for them all preparatory steps were over and that he was in very deed one of the army in the field.
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In the Gale off Hatteras.
CHAPTER II.
FROM ANNAPOLIS, MD .. TO HATTERAS INLET.
HE first of the new year. 1862. found the battalion still in camp on the grounds it had first occupied on arrival at Annapolis. It was known as Camp Harris. On the 4th of January the Fourth Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers and Battery F. First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Captain Belger, commanding. arrived in camp. There had been an especial transfer of these organizations from the army of the Potomac to this expedition. In the case of Battery F. it was the beginning of that strong mutual comradeship and warm friendship between its officers and men and those of the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment known only to soldiers who have cemented these feelings by sharing the same toils and the same dangers, who have experienced the same joys and the same sorrows. during the successive campaigns of a long and bloody war. and whatever is said of approval or commendation of the members of the Fifth Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers applies with equal force to the officers and men of the gallant Battery F.
The quiet city of Annapolis now presented a most stirring scene. one that will never pass from the memory of those who then witnessed it. and probably one that never again will occur in that somnolent old town. A fleet of forty-six transports for the troops and their material, eleven of which were steamers. and uine armed propellers and five large armed barges fitted to serve as floating batteries, were anchored in the harbor. On land there were fifteen regiments and one battalion of infantry. and one battery of light artillery waiting the order to embark. Dispatch boats were darting in and out among the fleet, while anxious aides-de-camp and hurry- ing mounted orderlies were to be seen everywhere on land. The scene presented a great and most animating change from the quiet ot the camp the Fifth Battalion had so recently left.
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As soon as the last regi- ments arrived the land forces were divided into three bri- gades composed as follows : The first comprised the Twenty - third, Twenty - fourth. Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachu- setts and the Tenth Connec- ticut infantry, under the command of Brig .- Gen. John G. Foster. The sec- ond was composed of the Sixth New Hampshire, Gen. Jesse L. Reno, Ninth New Jersey, Twenty- first Massachusetts, Fifty- first New York and Fifty-first Pennsylvania regiments of infantry, and was under the command of Brig .- Gen. Jesse L. Reno. The third was formed from the Eighth and Eleventh Connecticut, Fifty- third and Eighty-ninth New York, the Fourth Rhode Island and the First Battalion of the Fifth Regiment of Rhode Island Infantry, and was commanded by Brig .- Gen. John G. Parke. There was also a naval brigade recruited in New York by the name of the Volunteer Marine Artillery, commanded by Colonel Howard, which was espe- cially organized for this expedition. The bustle and the excitement was almost bewildering. But, war on so large a scale is a great educator, and in a few days these comparatively inexperienced men looked upon greater and far more exciting scenes with all the cool- ness of the oldest veterans.
January 5th, " Paid off to-day." What soldier ever forgets the first pay day in camp? The sharp " Fall in !" of the orderly sergeant ; the march of the entire company to the pay table ; the formal identification of each man as his name is called and he steps forward to take the crisp notes, and, on this, and the only occasion, some shining gold. Does any like amount of money ever again give the same feeling of satisfaction? On this day the embarkation of the troops commenced. but it was not until the 8th that the Fifth
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Battalion went on board the good ship, Kitty Simpson, Captain Hep- burn, master. On the Oth she was taken in tow for Fortress Monroe. When outside, in Chesa- peake Bay, the fog be- came so dense that she was obliged to anchor until the next day. Al- ready the men began to show the soldier's indif- ference to the future. An officer writing of that trip says : .. There was Gen. John G. Parke. plenty of singing and dancing, of chatting and laughing, of smoking and card-playing. All seemed to enjoy themselves and did not appear to find the time pass wearily." At last the fog lifted and the vessel again started for her destination. arriving at Fortress Monroe about three o'clock on the afternoon of the 11th. Here the men obtained the first view of a portion of the armed confederacy. The guns of the rebel batteries on Sewall's Point could be seen from their anchorage with the naked eye.
About noon, on the 12th, the Kitty Simpson, this time under sealed orders, was again taken in tow. When off Cape Henry the pilot, taking with him the letters written to loved ones at home, boarded the tug, the line was cast off, sails were set, and the ship stood out to sea. When well out the orders were opened, and it was soon known that the destination of the expedition was Hatteras Inlet. and the ship bore away for that point. There was at this time much talk about rebel privateers, and a sharp look out was kept for all strange craft. In the middle of the night the ship's . watch was -. startled by the sharp hail of .. What ship is that? Where bound?" coming from what seemed to be a gunboat that had come un- pleasantly near in the darkness. Captain Hepburn was on deck at
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the time and he answered, "The ship Kitty Simpson-bound South !" With an oath the commander of the guuboat replied, "I want a better answer than that ! " and he called his crew to quarters and lighted his battle-lanterns. " If you have any right to ask that question you know my destination as well as I do !"' was the reply of the sturdy master of the Kitty Simpson. Then he shouted to his own crew. " clear away that gun forward ! " adding to those standing near, " If they fire. I will !" He had a four-pounder iron gun for- ward to fire signals with. By this time the gunboat had come so near that it was seen that she was one of the armed ferry-boats that belonged to the expedition, and the officer in charge of her apparently became satisfied that the Kitty Simpson was not the looked for rebel privateer, and bestowing some unsolicited advice on Captain Hep- burn about answering hails more promptly in the future he soon drew out of sight in the gloom of the night. Our course that night lay directly out to sea to clear Hatteras shoals, and a bucket of water was drawn every half hour and tested with the thermometer. Bye and bye a rise of ten degrees showed we had reached the gulf stream and consequently were clear of the shoals, and the course was changed to the southwest, direct for Hatteras Inlet. No other incident of note occurred until anchor was cast in Hatteras Cove. on the afternoon of the 13th. where a large portion of the fleet had arrived. and some of the vessels of light draft had already safely crossed the bar of Hatteras Inlet.
As the Fifth Rhode Island is now about to enter upon the theatre of its whole life as a military organization. an attempt will be made to give the briefest possible description of this portion of the coast of North Carolina. and some of the military reasons why it was se- lected at this time as the scene of active operations. The north- eastern coast of North Carolina presents a peculiar formation. Be- tween Cape Henry, in Virginia, and Cape Fear, in North Carolina. bordering upon the ocean is a narrow strip of sandy beach of ever varying width through the action of storm and tide. and rising no- where more than a few feet above high water. From Cape Henry to Cape Hatteras its general direction is slightly east of south. From Cape Hatteras to Cape Lookout it trends to the southwest. Cape Hatteras is its easternmost point. and the whole of this portion
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of the Atlantic coast is known as one of the stormiest and most dangerous in the world. Between this narrow strip of almost barren sand and the mainland are three sounds, known as the Currituck, Albemarle and Pamlico. Commencing at the north Currituck be- gins near Cape Henry and extends nearly half way to Cape Hatteras, and is narrow, shallow, and of little importance. Albemarle is next. and its greatest length is from east to west. It penetrates deeply into the mainland, and the Chowan and Roanoke rivers are its principal tributaries. Pamlico sound follows in order toward the south, and its longer axis is from the northeast to the southwest, conforming to the coast line. This sound has various local subdi- visions. as Roanoke, Croatan and others, and its principal rivers are the Pamlico and Neuse. The Albemarle and Pamlico sounds afford safe navigation for vessels drawing a considerable depth of water. but near the shores they are very shallow, and owing to the sandy nature of the bottom this depth is always varying.
A number of inlets through the narrow strip of sandy beach afford an entrance from the ocean to these sounds. Some of them are places where, during some great storm, the sea has broken through, and the subsequent flow of the tide has deepened the channel thus formed. At the ocean entrance to these inlets there is always a sand bar, or in local dialect, " a bulkhead." and another is found at the entrance to the sound, and it is known as "the swash." The channel between ". the bulkhead " and " the swash" is often quite deep. Hatteras Inlet, just south of Cape Hatteras was formed by an inroad of the ocean. and it is the northernmost as well as the princi- pal inlet to Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.
A glance at the military situation at this time shows a strong Con- federate force at Norfolk, and fronting the Union forces around Fortress Monroe. South of the Virginia capes, the next harbor of importance was. Wilmington, on Cape Fear River. It was so strongly fortified that it was impracticable to attempt its reduction with any force then available for such a movement. At that time and during nearly the whole war it was the principal seaport in the possession of the Confederates. It will be seen that a strong force established in the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, would have first, a safe and secure base of supplies arriving by way of the ocean :
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second, toward the north it would threaten the flank and rear of the Confederate forces at Norfolk, Virginia ; third, toward the south it could operate in the rear of the forces defending Wilmington, and fourth, if in possession of New Berne it threatened Goldsboro and the principal line of communication between Richmond and Wil- mington ; and, if firmly established at Goldsboro, it severed that line and opened up the way to Raleigh and the interior of the state. Early in the autumn of 1861. as soon as the authorities at Washington had determined to send General Burnside to North Carolina, General Butler, then in command at Fortress Monroe, had been directed to take and fortify the points on either side of Hatteras Inlet. Ac- cordingly a considerable force had been sent down there at once, and strong forts had been erected. The presence of this force was a menace to the security of the rebel forces around Norfolk, Virginia . and to protect their flank from any attack coming from this direction they had fortified and strongly garrisoned Roanoke Island, at the en- trance to Albemarle Sound. At this time the garrisons at Hatteras In- let were under the command of Brigadier-General Williams. Con- sidering the relative strength and positions of the Union and Con- federate forces and the supposed existence of a loyal feeling among & large portion of the people of North Carolina, there were sound military, if not strong political reasons for this expedition. Its first enterprise, after passing Hatteras Inlet. was the reduction of Roanoke Island.
If there is any one place where even the best regiment is abso- lutely helpless it is on a crowded transport in a dangerous gale at sea. The men are in the way of the ship's officers and crew, and in each other's way, and utterly powerless to avert any threatening danger. Impending death cannot be met here by the exciting rush of a charge straight in its face with rifle in hand. In this case it was even worse than on the open sea, for the ship was anchored to a treacherous bottom on one of the most dangerous coasts in the world. There was at high tide only twelve to thirteen feet of water on the Intlet bar. and the Kitty Simpson drew fourteen feet. It was" decided to remain at anchor for the night and then lighten ship. During the night a heavy gale sprang up from the northeast and veered to northwest on the 15th and continued until the 10th.
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Nothing could be done but to hold on and wait. Officers and men alike were sea-sick, and the ship pitched heavily at her anchors. The gale abated somewhat, anl on the 16th and 17th about seventy tous of ballast was thrown over. As the weather was very threat- ening it was decided to make the attempt to enter the sound the
Capt. Jonathan M. Wheeler. (From a recent picture.)
following day. A quiet and reticent non-combatant connected with the battalion gave at the time this graphic picture of the scene : "At ten A. M. of the 18th the propeller, Virginia, came out to take us over the bar-but we struck, the hawser parted, and away the steamer went and left us there, pounding away at every sea enough to smash anything but the staunchest of ships to pieces. We got up
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sail and tried every means to get off. At one time the battalion was formed and the men were rapidly moved first forward then aft, hoping by this manoeuvre to ease her off. but the tide was ebbing and we stuck faster at every blow. Several tugs came out to us, and one of them took a hawser. but it parted immediately and soon we were fast and immovable. About four p. Mr. the tide rose enough to let the pounding begin again. The situation began to look ' solemn' for us, as the wreck of the steamer New York, which was lost a few days before, while trying to go in, was lying but a hun- dred yards from us. . It seemed,' as one of the boys said, . like being deathly sick with a grave-yard right under the window.' "
About five p. M. another steamer came as near as the waves would permit. with orders to take off the men. Two or three managed to jump aboard her as she rose on the crest of a wave, but this method of transfer was fraught with danger to both life and limb. Major Wright, whose dogged firmness was as equal to this emergency as the one in Jersey City, emphatically refused to obey the order. " Then, for some time the air was full of words between the major and aide-de-camp Pell, and the captain of the steamer with the master of the ship. The ' swearing in Flanders' was child's play in comparison." Seeing the delay General Burnside ran down in his dispatch boat, and finding that Major Wright was correct in asserting that the ship was afloat, he ordered the steamer to pass a hawser aboard and try to tow her in. But Captain Hepburn, with language more vigorous than respectful, said, ". You wouldn't help me when I needed it, and ---- you, I won't have you now," and refused to give them his hawser. But better counsels soon prevailed, we took the proffered help and soon were over the .. bulkhead," into the chan- nel, amid the cheers of our men and the troops on the other vessels inside, who had seen her pounding away there all day, and supposed that she would meet the fate which had befallen other vessels in her situation, which was to go to pieces.
The men experienced all the discomforts of a crowded transport. . On the 22d a southeast gale, accompanied with rain, sprang up, and steadily increased during the day. By night it was blowing a gale, and the anxiety of officers and men was increased by the doleful sound of signal guns of distress. In the morning it was found that
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the hospital bark had broken from her moorings and had gone smashing around among the other vessels. and she was now seen flying signals of distress. but no assistance could be rendered to her so great was the force of the gale. It is impossible to recount the various incidents that occurred or note the damage inflicted on the fleet by this gale, which the Fifth just escaped in so timely a manner.
The condition of the men on this vessel is thus described by a mem- ber of the battalion :
" Our quarters on board the Kitty Simpson were extremely disa- greeable. Most of the transports were provided with bunks for the men. but on our vessel the different companies of the battalion were assigned to positions between decks, and so limited were our sleeping accommodations that we were packed together like sardines in a box. We were compelled to lie down spoon fashion, with no room to Hop over. The place was dark and stifling, and a few ship lanterns were all the lights we had. It was as much as a man's neck was worth to get up during the night and endeavor to go on deck to ob- tain a breath of fresh air, for it was impossible to step without plac- ing one's foot on a comrade's head or some portion of the body. Some nights when the weather was fair, a comrade and myself would take our blankets and get under a small boat on deck, pre- ferring to sleep in the open air, although it was mid-winter, rather than camp down in the close and stifling atmosphere below."
Time was passed on the Kitty Simpson with occasionally an incident to break the monotony. During the stay of the battalion measles broke out among the men, and on February 1st Surgeon Potter sent five of the worst cases to the hospital ship. One of this squad, private Peck, died soon after. It was the second death in the battalion. private Ryan having died in a fit at Annapolis, Md., the night before the embarkation.
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Attack on the Confederate Forts by the Union Fleet at Roanoke Island.
{The steamer S. R. Spaulding in the foreground was occupied by General Burnside and Staff, and also had on board the Fifth Rhode Island Battalion. ]
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CHAPTER III.
CAPTURE AND OCCUPATION OF ROANOKE ISLAND.
T' HE last day of the month saw all of the troops safe in the sound, and immediate steps were taken to commence the initial operations of the campaign on land. The general plan of operations, briefly stated, was first to reduce the forts and capture the Confederate troops on Roanoke Island at the junction of the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, and about forty miles north of Hatteras Inlet. At this time it might be regarded as the southern outpost to Norfolk, Virginia. Immediately following this operation a descent was to be made on New Berne. This city was situated on the right, or south bank of the Neuse River, at the junction of the Trent, a short distance above its entrance into Pamlico Sound at the extreme southwestern corner. It may be well to state here that a direct line of railway runs nearly due south from Richmond to Wilmington, and was one of the prin- cipal lines of supply for the rebel armies operating in Virginia. At Goldsboro this line was crossed by the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad running southeast from Raleigh down along the Neuse River through New Berne to Beaufort, just south of Cape Lookout on the ocean. The entrance to Beaufort harbor was guarded by Fort Macon. Having taken New Berne and securely established himself there, General Burnside was to turn to his left and capture Beaufort and Fort Macon. Retracing his steps he was to seize the railroad as far as Goldsboro, and, if possible, hold that place, thus severing the communications between Richmond and Wilmington, and then operate towards Raleigh, the capital of the State.
Feb. 3, 1862, the battalion was transferred to the steamer S. R. Spaulding, on which General Burnside had established his
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headquarters, and two days afterward the fleet moved toward Roanoke Island, the gunboats leading in single file, and the trans- ports following in three divisions. "Pamlico Sound was covered with vessels in all directions as far as the eye could reach, all mov- ing majestically along with flags flying, presenting a glorious sight in comparison with its storm-tossed appearance of a few days be- fore." Taking up a position between the island and mainland an- chors were cast for the night, and that mysterious something, it might be called " a feeling" known only to soldiers and sailors on the eve of an engagement, told all on the fleet that the next few days were to bring stirring scenes to these hitherto inexperienced meu.
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