USA > Rhode Island > Memoirs of Rhode Island officers who were engaged in the service of their country during the great rebellion of the South. Illustrated with thirty-four portraits > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
He was appointed. by the President and Senate, brigadier-general, on the 28th of April, 1862. He relinquished the command of his regiment in May. and joined General Banks at Strasburg, Virginia. He had just reported, and was unassigned to a command on the 23d of May, when General Banks was attacked by a superior force, and foreed baek to Williamsport, Maryland. He accompanied the column on the retreat, and was present at the battle of Winchester, on the 25th of May. For his very efficient services on that occasion he was mentioned with distinction by General Banks, and commend- ed in general orders, for having accompanied the column throughout the
141
GEORGE SEARS GREENE.
march and "rendered most valuable services." On the 29th of May, General Banks placed him in command of the third brigade of Williams's division, of the army of the Shenandoah, which he led in the advance to Front Royal. Here he remained till the 25th of June, when the War Department directed him to report at Washington, and he was ordered to report to General Pope, who placed him in the second army corps, of the army of Virginia. He was assigned by General Banks, its commander, to the third brigade of Anger's division, which he joined near Warrenton, in July.
Here his old regiment, the sixtieth New York volunteer infantry, again came under his command, they having been sent up the valley shortly after General Greene left them. This reiinion was mutually satisfactory, and he was welcomed with many demonstrations of joy by his old regiment. His rigid discipline and his attention to their instruction and necessities, were . duly appreciated by the officers and men. During the next two months sickness made sad havoc in this brigade, greatly diminishing its force, but the survivors having been well organized and disciplined by their general, were ever ready to do their duty, and were led by him in the battle of Cedar Mountain, on the 9th of August. Here the general greatly distinguished himself by bravery and coolness, holding the left of the line, and keeping in check a greatly superior force of the insurgents, when it became necessary to fall back. To him was assigned the duty of covering the withdrawal of the army and artillery from the field, which he successfully accomplished, checking the enemy, and saving every gun and caisson. The casualties of this fight placed General Greene in command of Auger's division, a position which he held with great credit to himself and great advantage to the army, during the remainder of General Pope's campaign, and in the great battle of Maryland. General Pope mentions him in his report of the battle of Cedar Mountain, as having "behaved with distinguished gallantry;" and General Anger makes the following mention of his valuable services: "The subsequent operations of the division will be reported by General Greene, who, with his little com- mand, so persistently held in check the enemy on our left, and who, after the capture of General Prince, succeeded to the command of the division." Gen- eral Pope acknowledges himself under great obligations to General Greene, for his intelligence and active cooperation, and for the skill and gallantry with which he managed his command.
At the battle of Antietam, on the 17th of September, General Greene was engaged almost constantly with his division, from seven, A. M., till two, P. M.
142
RHODE ISLAND OFFICERS.
After Sedgwick's division retired, the enemy advanced in force about noon from the Dunkard church, attempting to take the battery attached to his command. The enemy were driven back with great slaughter, and he took and held the woods by the church, the most advanced position, for two hours; and although his skirmishers were twice driven out, he retook the position, each time by the skillful use of his artillery, and by the gallantry displayed by himself and his troops. It was not until the ammunition of the troops was a second time exhausted, and a large portion of the small command had fallen, that he was finally forced to retire by a vastly superior force, and take up a position in support of Franklin's corps. For his services on this day, General Greene received the warmest commendations of his corps commander, General Williams, and the hearty affections of his troops. He constantly · exposed himself, setting an example of bravery to his men, and had his horse killed under him while at the extreme front. General Greene continued in command of his division on the advance to Harper's Ferry, and until the 1st of October, when he resumed command of his brigade.
In the spring of 1863, General Greene commanded his brigade in the operations which led to the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, on the first three days of May. The works thrown up by his command, though for the most part they had but their bayonets and tin-plates to work with, attracted the favorable and particular notice of the commanding general. In the action of the 3d of May, his brigade, holding the right of the division line, was exposed to a heavy enfilade artillery fire, from which its losses were heavy, but it remained unmoved till ordered to retire. Attacked by the enemy while retiring, it turned upon them, captured a stand of colors, many prisoners, and inflicted such loss upon the rebels as enabled the division to retire without further molestation. Whilst in position, several attacks of Longstreet's forces were repulsed with loss. The division commander being slightly wounded, General Greene again succeeded to the command of the division. On Sunday, the 4th of May, the division moved to the extreme left of the line, near United States ford, when General Greene resumed the command of his brigade and the direction of the troops working on the intrenchments, constructing rifle-pits, abatis, etc., forming an intrenched camp covering the road to the ford. These works, traced by General Greene, received the encomiums of the chief engineer of the army, who pronounced them perfect in plan and construction. During the summer campaign Gen- eral Greene continued in command of his brigade. His services at the battle
143
GEORGE SEARS GREENE.
of Gettysburg were brilliant and conspicuous, and are well known to the army and the country ..
The twelfth corps having been ordered, on Thursday, the 2d of July, from the extreme right of the army to reenforce the left, General Greene was left with his brigade to hold the lines previously occupied by the whole corps. Almost simultaneously with the departure of the troops, and before the intreneluments of Candy's brigade and Ruger's division could by any possi- bility be occupied, the brigade was attacked by Johnson's division of Ewell's corps, consisting of Jones's, Stewart's, Walker's, (the former "Stonewall's,") and Archer's brigades, numbering from eight to ten thousand men. Though attacked by the enemy with great fury and determination, the brigade of General Greene, numbering but thirteen hundred men, held its position unflinchingly, through four distinct charges of the enemy, who three times reached the works, only to be driven back with terrible slaughter. Having effected a lodgment in the trenches vacated by Ruger's division, the enemy attempted a flank attack, but were repulsed at every point; and, after suffer- ing great loss, ceased from further efforts at nine and one-half o'clock, P. M. Two stands of colors were taken in this engagement-one, that of the Stone- wall brigade-and about one hundred and fifty prisoners. General Johnson, commanding the enemy, was wounded, and his adjutant-general was killed.
To appreciate the services rendered by General Greene and his com- mand, it must be remembered that, had the brigade been destroyed, a large force of the enemy would have been admitted immediately in rear of the first and eleventh corps, and upon the Littlestown turnpike. It was owing to the 'skillful tracing of the works on the right by General Greene, and the heroic defence of them by that officer and his command, that the army was saved that night from great disaster. General Slocum, the commander of the twelfth corps, who commanded the right wing in that battle, wrote to General Meade : "Greene's brigade, of the second division, remained in the intrench- ments, and the failure of the enemy to gain entire possession of our works was due entirely to the skill of General Greene and the valor of his troops." On Friday, the 3d of July, the attack was renewed by Johnson's division, reenforced by Rhodes's. Though the attack was general on the twelfth corps, (which had in the night returned to the right,) the fiercest fighting was on General Greene's line. In addition to his own brigade, he had then under his command Candy's and Lockwood's brigades, and several regiments from the first and eleventh corps. The attack lasted till ten and one-half o'clock,
144
RHODE ISLAND OFFICERS.
A. M.,-six hours and a half,-but the troops, ably handled and inspired by the example of their commander, bravely held their own, and, at the close of the action, remained masters of the field, having taken one color, a large number of prisoners, and inflicted a signal defeat on the enemy.
The services of his command on this occasion, are well known to and appre- ciated by the officers in command. General A. S. Williams, who commanded the twelfth corps in this battle, thus wrote in his report: "General Greene seized with skill and judgment the advantages of the position, and held it with his small brigade, against overwhelming numbers, with signal gallantry and deter- mination. At length, after three hours of night conflict, having been reën- forced by detachments from the first and eleventh corps, (seven hundred men,) and subsequently by Kane's brigade returning to its position, General Greene succeeded in repulsing the enemy from his immediate front. This gallant officer merits especial mention, for the faithful and able manner in which he conducted this defence, and protected, under difficult circumstances, a most important part of our line."
In September, 1863, General Greene was transferred with his command to the army of the Cumberland, and was at once sent to the front, where his brigade, as a portion of the twelfth and afterwards of the twentieth corps, became renowned for its daring and successful actions. In October, it formed part of the column under General Hooker that opened our communications with Chattanooga. While in bivouac at Wauhatchie, on the night of the 28th of October, they were suddenly aroused near midnight by the advance, fol- lowed by a vigorous attack from Longstreet's corps, a force four or five times their superior in numbers. After a desperate struggle, the rebels were repulsed, losing heavily in killed and wounded. General Hooker reported "that in this engagement General Greene was severely wounded in the heroic discharge of his duty." A rifle-ball passed through his face, entirely disabling him for present duty.
As soon as he was able to leave his quarters, General Greene reported to the War Department for duty, and was on courts-martial in Washington and New York, from the 9th of December, 1863, until January, 1865, when, hav- ing, as soon as he was able to take the field, reported for field duty, he was ordered to report to his former commander, General Slocum, then commanding the army of Georgia, the left wing of Sherman's army. He repaired to New- bern, North Carolina, en route to meet the army, where he volunteered to join General Schofield's column, then advancing to meet Sherman, and to open the
145
GEORGE SEARS GREENE.
communications between Beaufort and Goldsborough, to which place Sherman was advancing. At Wyse cross-roads, near Kingston, the enemy under Bragg attempted to drive back the advancing column, when they were, on the 10th of March, 1865, repulsed with a severe loss of two hundred and fifty prisoners, and a large number in killed and wounded, and retreated hastily in the night, leaving the road open to Goldsborough. General Greene had his horse shot under him whilst a volunteer with General J. D. Cox, who commanded on the field. General Greene was, at Kingston, placed in command of a provisional division, and, on the junction with Sherman's army in the advance on Raleigh, had command of a brigade in Baird's division, of the fourteenth army corps, in the army of Georgia. His brigade was in the advance from Smithfield, and was, through the day, skirmishing with the rebel cavalry. This was the last fight of Sherman's army. General Greene, having been wounded in the first fight at Wauhatchie, near Chattanooga, which was the commencement of the operations of Sherman's army, (then under Grant,) and which ended in the capitulation of Johnson in North Carolina, he was deprived of the opportunity of contributing personally to the success of these campaigns, but he has the satisfaction of knowing that his brigade, on whose discipline and instruction he had bestowed great care, under the command of Colonel Ireland and of General Barnum, had everywhere distinguished itself for gallantry and good conduct. General Greene marched with Sherman's army to Washington, where in June, he was detailed for president of a general court-martial, on which duty he remained until the close of the war.
In addition to his valuable services as an officer, General Greene has the satisfaction of knowing that, as a father, he has done no small service to his country. Of his sons, Samuel Dana Greene is identified with the history of the Monitor, having been her executive officer from the time she went into commission till she foundered off' Cape Hatteras. In her memorable fight in Hampton Roads, after Captain Worden was wounded, he took com- mand, and continued the fight until the Merrimac, having superior speed, left the scene of the action. A younger son, Brevet Major Charles T. Greene, who enlisted and served in the field in the twenty-second regiment New York national guard, was promoted to a second-lieutenantcy in the sixtieth New York volunteers, and appointed by the President assistant adjutant-gen- eral of volunteers and major of volunteers by brevet, for gallantry, and served on his father's staff. He was distinguished for his courage and good con- duet in the battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wauhatchie, and
19
146
RHODE ISLAND OFFICERS.
Ringold, Georgia. At the latter place, where he had been sent by his brigade commander to lead the brigade across the field in front of the enemy's batteries, he had his right leg taken off by a cannon shot. As soon as he was able to wear an artificial limb, he applied for field service and rejoined the army, performing his duties until the disbandment of the forces. His son, George Sears Greene, a civil engineer, volunteered for the service, but all the other male members of the family who were qualified, being engaged in the service, family circumstances counteracted his desires. Two of Gen- eral Greene's nephews, Benjamin Ray Phelon and Albert Rowland Greene, were promoted to lieutenantcies, after serving in the ranks during the term of service of their regiments, and were distinguished for good conduct in the advance from Chattanooga.
General Greene's skill as an engineer,-displayed in the works at Chan- cellorsville, United States ford, Gettysburg and Fairplay, Maryland, -- as an artillerist, tactician and disciplinarian, and his general abilities as a thorough soldier and commander, were appreciated by his corps commanders,-Gen- erals W. H. Sloenm and A. S. Williams,-who asked for his promotion. On his arrival in Washington with Sherman's army, he received the appointment of major-general of volunteers by brevet, in the service of the United States, to date from the 13th of March, 1865, "for gallant and meritorious services (luring the war."
14:19
177111
NATHANIEL W. BROWN.
ATHANIEL WILLIAMS BROWN, was born at Dighton, Massachusetts, at the house of his maternal grandfather, for whom he was named, on the 22d day of February, 1811. He came of good stock. His lineage on the paternal side, was of the family of Brown, whose influence has long been exercised in the state of Rhode Island, and always for the benefit of the community. His maternal grandfather was an active participant in the great scenes of the revolution, and faithfully performed the duties of a patriot and soldier. At the time of his death, which took place September 18th, 1823, he filled the responsible position of collector of customs in the town of Dighton. He was an honest, capable and trustworthy public officer.
The young Nathaniel was taken to Providence, where his parents resided, and was there carefully nurtured and educated. He was a very bright, intelli- gent boy, of generous impulses and affectionate disposition. At school, he was distinguished for a wonderfully retentive memory, mastering the Latin gram- mar of that day in two lessons. His parents designed for him a term of collegiate study, and at the age of eleven he was ready to commence the preparatory studies. But he was suddenly checked by a severe attack of inflammation of the eyes, which put an end to all plans of study. From the age of eleven to that of fourteen, he never opened a book, and the dream of college life was at an end. At fourteen he entered the counting-room of his father, Isaac Brown, then extensively engaged in the sale of cotton. Here he remained until the year 1833, when he commenced business for himself, beginning his commercial adventures in the wool trade. During these years, he recovered the use of his eyes, but the strain upon his nervous system was
148
RHODE ISLAND OFFICERS.
of such a nature, as to render him ever afterwards subject to acute nervous and inflammatory disease. A severe brain fever, at the age of nineteen, increased this liability to disease, and rendered him peculiarly susceptible to the influence of circumstances and events. . This susceptibility sometimes became to him a source of much grief and self-conflict. But towards the close of his life, it gradually wore away, and left his mind clear, peaceful and composed.
Mr. Brown was married in Boston, Massachusetts, on the 5th day of June, 1834, to Miss Sophia S. Frothingham.
In the year 1837, the great commercial crisis took place, the consequences of which have scarcely ceased to be felt in our own day. Among the many business men that were tossed and beaten by the storm, Mr. Brown is to be numbered. Honorably compounding with his creditors, he again entered business in the year 1839, with Mr. Jacob Dunnell, becoming a member of the firm, which was afterwards reorganized under the name of the Dunnell Manufacturing Company. He continued to transact business in this firm with a reasonable amount of success, till the year 1857, when another wave of commercial misfortune swept over the country. The affairs of the firm became for a time somewhat deranged, and serious disagreement ensued. Mr. Brown's health was considerably impaired, and he soon retired from business altogether, making his residence in Dighton, in the very house where he was born.
Mr. Brown's interest in military affairs became decidedly manifest at the time of the bloodless rebellion against the government of the state of Rhode Island, known as the Dorr war. He did not hesitate to place himself on the side of "law and order," and in common with a large number of his fellow- citizens, he was enrolled in the City Guard. In the year 1842, he joined the First Light Infantry Company of Providence, and passing through several grades, and holding the office of lieutenant-colonel for several years, was elected to the command during a temporary retirement of Colonel William W. Brown, previous to June, 1858, when he retired from active service in the militia organization of the state.
After his withdrawal from business, he occupied his days at Dighton in reading and study, paying particular attention, in the winter of 1860-61, to the campaigns of Washington and Napoleon. The breaking out of the rebellion found him enjoying the quiet of his family in his pleasant home at Dighton. No man loved his home more than he, as, indeed, no one had
149
NATHANIEL W. BROWN.
better cause. Yet his aetive nature longed for more stirring seenes. The call to arms aroused his patriotie fervor and his military ardor. Upon the formation of the first regiment of Rhode Island detached militia, his military experience commended him to the notice of the state authorities. Ile was summoned to Providence. He immediately obeyed the eall, and accepted with alaerity the command of company D, in the memorable regiment that first left Rhode Island for the seat of war. On the march, in the eamp, on the field, Captain Brown approved himself as a brave, faithful and meritorious offieer. The company was drilled to the greatest efficiency, and in all the various duties to which he was called, he was always prompt, reliable and active. At the battle of Bull Run, he greatly distinguished himself for cool- ness and courage. His company was on one of the flanks of the regiment, and it suffered a greater loss in killed and wounded than any other in the regi- ment. Captain Brown was particularly noticed on that disastrous day, for his gallant and efficient bearing. During the retreat, his company being on the left and in the rear, was engaged in a slight skirmish with a few rebel cavalry soldiers, who attempted to harass the retiring column, but who were quickly repulsed. On the return of the regiment to Rhode Island, Captain Brown retired to his home in Dighton, to rest from the fatigues and hardships of his brief but laborious and honorable campaign.
In the summer of 1861, the third regiment Rhode Island volunteers was authorized and raised. It was temporarily under the command of Colonel Asher R. Eddy. He was relieved early in the autumn, and Captain Brown was deemed the most suitable man to take his place. He was accordingly once more summoned from his retirement, and was commissioned Colonel on the 17th of September, 1861. The regiment was then in eamp at Fort Ham- ilton, New York, whither Colonel Brown immediately repaired, and assumed the command. Here the regiment remained, with the exception of a short visit to Washington, until October 12th, when it embarked as a portion of General T. W. Sherman's expedition, destined for the occupation of Port Royal, South Carolina. The regiment made its first landing, however, at Old Point Comfort, where it went into camp till October 23d, when it reembarked for the place of its final destination. After an exceedingly stormy passage, the expedition arrived off Hilton Head on the 5th of November.
On the 7th, occurred the memorable bombardment of the rebel forts at the entrance of the harbor, by Admiral Dupont, which resulted in the surren- der of the entire island to the national foree. On the same and subsequent
150
RHODE ISLAND OFFICERS.
days the regiment was landed, the two captured rebel forts and the neigh- boring territory were occupied, and Colonel Brown was appointed to the command of the post. The regiment remained at this point and others in the vicinity, taking an active and honorable part in the numerous skirmishes and battles which occurred on the main land and the islands in the neigh- borhood of Charleston. In the bombardment of Fort Pulaski, and in the engagements of John's Island, James Island, Pocotaligo Bridge and Morris Island, different detachments of the command participated in a conspicuous and most creditable manner. The regiment soon acquired a shining reputa- tion, and was considered as the most reliable of our forces in the department of the south. It was increased, early in 1862, to twelve companies, and became, in technical language, "heavy artillery." But it was equally expert in the drill of infantry, light and heavy artillery and riflemen ; and had the nature of the service required the duties of cavalry, it would undoubtedly have performed with similar excellence the work of mounted troops.
The effective and reliable character of the regiment reflected honor upon its commander; for it was owing to his assiduous and unremitting labors that it acquired and held so high a rank. Its morale, its drill, its discipline, its efficiency, were the fruits of Colonel Brown's fidelity. He was zealously assisted by the willing cooperation of his subordinate officers. All recognized the admirable executive power of their chief, and by their united exertions, the body of troops with which they were connected became second to none in the service.
The nature of the elimate and the onerous character of his duties, began to tell upon Colonel Brown's physical frame. He returned to his home in the summer of 1862, for a brief period of rest. With improved health and spirits, he returned to his command, and on his arrival at Port Royal, September 15th, he was received with every demonstration of affection and respect by his officers and men. He was immediately appointed chief of artillery in the department by General Mitchell, then in command of our forces in that quarter. But to both, their honorable connection was destined to be of short duration.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.