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 2
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In the disastrous battle of Bull Run, Colonel Burnside and his brigade were conspicuous for their bravery and steadiness. They were among the troops to whom that day's events brought no disgrace. Burnside's own regi- ment showed, by its gallantry and coolness, that its colonel's labors had produced the finest results. The other regiments of the brigade also proved
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what good soldiers could do in the hands of a brave and able officer. The battery of the second Rhode Island was most efficiently served, and the regi- ment itself was particularly distinguished for its gallantry. General M'Dowell had already complimented Colonel Burnside upon his command, and declared that he should rely upon the brigade in the time of action. Accordingly, in the flank movement toward Sudley's Ford by Colonel Hunter's division, Burnside's brigade took the advance-the second Rhode Island regiment, under Colonel Slocum, a most gallant and accomplished officer, leading the column.
Soon after crossing Bull Run at Sudley's Ford, about half-past nine o'clock, A. M., the leading regiment was attacked by the enemy. Colonel Hunter, who was in the advance, was wounded very early in the action ; and Colonel Burnside, being in command of the troops till Colonel Porter, who was in the rear, came up, at once led the residue of his brigade forward, and, posting them most advantageously, succeeded in beating back the enemy's attack, and driving him from the part of the field where he had taken position. Colonel Porter's brigade was deployed to the right, and Colonel Heintzleman's division took post still farther upon the right. Colonel Burn- side's brigade, assisted by Major Sykes's battalion of regulars, stood the brunt of the enemy's attack in complete order for more than two hours, when, having completed the work assigned to it, with a loss of three hundred killed and wounded, and being relieved by Colonel Sherman's brigade, it was withdrawn to replenish its now exhausted supply of ammunition, and to await orders to renew the contest. But the order which came was not to advance, but to retreat. Colonel Burnside at once collected his brigade, formed his regiments in column by the side of the road, waited till the larger portion of the disor- ganized troops had passed, and with Major Sykes's battalion of regulars and Captain Arnold's regular battery in the rear, prepared to cover the retreat along the forest-path over which the division had marched in the morning.
The admirable disposition thus made by Colonel Burnside and Major Sykes, under General M'Dowell's direction, contributed greatly to the safety of the broken army in its perilous march through the woods. On emerging from the forest-path, the artillery and cavalry passed to the front, and the infantry were left unprotected. The retreat continued in good order till the army reached the bridge on the Warrenton turnpike, crossing Cub Run. Near this place, the rebels had brought up a battery of artillery, a regiment or two of infantry, and a squadron of cavalry, and attempted to cut off our
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defeated forces. They succeeded in obstructing the bridge sufficiently to prevent the passage of many baggage-wagons, ambulances, and gun-carriages, and at this place the greatest loss of cannon by the national troops occurred. When Colonel Burnside reached the bridge, it was in such condition as to preclude the possibility of crossing, and he ordered the men to ford the stream, and rally at Centreville. The seattered forees sought the camps which they had left in the morning, and prepared to pass the night. General M'Dowell soon sent orders to continue the retreat to Washington. The brigade reached Long Bridge about seven o'clock on the morning of Monday, July 22d, and two hours later entered Washington, in the order in which it had quitted the city on the Tuesday previous. The regiments composing it immediately marched to their respective eamps. Colonel Burnside's bearing, in all the experience of the day and night, was all that could be expected of a man and a soldier, and he at onee attracted the attention of the country to his gallantry, generalship, and skill.
The term of service for which the first Rhode Island regiment had enlisted, expired on the day before the battle; but the regiment having suffered little or no demoralization, was ready to remain longer at Washing- ton, if its services should be required. Colonel Burnside was unwilling to return to Rhode Island till he was assured that the capital was beyond danger of an attack. His offieers and men shared his feelings. But the war depart- ment had resolved upon a reorganization of the army, and the three months' regiments were all ordered to their homes. The second regiment from Rhode Island, with its battery, was left in the field; while the first returned to Providenee, and was there mustered out of the service of the United States. Colonel Burnside, with his regiment, received the thanks of the General Assembly of Rhode Island for the fidelity and bravery with which he and they had performed their duties. Colonel Burnside's services were also recognized by the general government, and he was at once promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, his commission dating August 6th, 1861. ITis adopted state also deelared its estimate of his worth. Besides the action of the General Assembly, other public bodies gratefully acknowledged his worth. Brown University, at its commencement in September, honored him with the degree of Master of Arts; and, at the annual meeting of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, in the following year, he was elected an honorary member of that literary guild.
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Immediately upon receiving his commission, General Burnside was sum- moned to Washington, to assist in reorganizing the forces in front of the capital. He was employed in brigading the troops as they arrived, and assigning them places of encampment. To his excellent judgment in this respect, and his great executive skill, the efficiency of the army was to a great degree due, in those dark days of the republic.
II.
EXPEDITION TO NORTH CAROLINA.
Later in the season, several expeditions were projected, to operate at different points upon the Southern coast. The most hazardous and difficult of these, designed to effect a lodgment upon the dangerons shores of North Carolina, and, carrying a force into the interior, in the rear of the rebel army in Virginia, to cut off communication with the South, was intrusted to the genius and ability of Burnside. For more than two months he was indefati- gably employed at his head-quarters, in the city of New York, preparing for this important enterprise. The expedition finally set sail from Annapolis in the early part of January, 1862. Fifteen thousand men were embarked upon a large fleet of transports, and, convoyed by numerous gunboats, proceeded to the place of their destination. The route of the expedition lay through Hatteras Inlet into Albemarle Sound. It was a short voyage indeed, but a most perilous one. Cape Hatteras, noted for its storms, is the terror of every mariner whose course lies along the North American coast. The wintry season added to the dangers of the navigation. The expedition had hardly left the land-locked waters of Chesapeake Bay, when a most terrific storm burst upon the armada with frightful fury. The tortnous and shifting chan- nel leading through the inlet into the sound was to be found and followed in the very teeth of the wind, when the storm was at its height. The inlet itself had been produced by the sea breaking across the narrow spit of sand from which Cape Hatteras projects, and the depth of the channel shifts and changes with the varying influence of the wind and tide. It was found, therefore, that several of the vessels which at New York had been certified to be of light draught, sufficient to pass the channel, could not be got over
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FIT
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the bar. The consequence was, that a large portion of the fleet was in imminent danger of shipwreck.
For nearly two weeks the storm continued, and the deplorable situation of affairs seemed to indicate the destruction of the entire expedition at the very outset of its career. In this most trying crisis, General Burnside's admirable qualities shone forth in illustrious light. It is the universal testimony of all who were connected with this expedition, that the bearing of its brave commander was beyond all praise. He seemed to be ubiquitous. Wher- ever the troops were to be rescued from their perilous position, wherever the danger was most threatening, wherever encouragement was needed, wherever help was most timely, there always appeared the general; and, by exertions beneath which any man with a less lofty purpose and a less persistent energy would have sunk exhausted, the expedition was brought to a safe anchor- age within Pamlico Sound, and one or two regiments landed. Only a few vessels foundered, and two or three lives were lost by the accidental swamp- ing of a life-boat. Encompassed by perils and threatened with disasters, General Burnside never lost his courage, his hope, and his faith. Buoyed up in the midst of misfortune by his unswerving trust in the care of a superin- tending Providence, he stood serene and unmoved at his post of duty, and conquered even the elements by an unwearied patience.
Harassed by the delays caused by the storm, active operations against the rebels could not at once be commenced. The plan agreed upon by General MeClellan and the authorities at Washington was, to threaten Norfolk by an attack upon the rebel stronghold of Roanoke Island, before proceeding to the mainland. Every thing was prepared for this initial step by the 4th of February; and on the 5th of that month, the troops being embarked on board the transports, and the gunboats, imder the command of Commodore L. M. Goldsborough, being ready to move, the whole fleet steamed slowly up toward the entrance of Albemarle Sound. On the 7th, the gunboats entered Croatan Sound, engaged the fleet and bombarded the water-batteries of the enemy on Roanoke Island. On the afternoon of the 7th, the troops were landed. Their debarkation presented a stirring and ani- mated scene. The transports approached the shore as nearly as their draft of water would permit, the men were put into small boats and rowed close to the land. The troops waded to the shore, immediately formed in their respective regiments, marched a mile or two into the island, and bivouacked in order of battle. On the morning of the 8th, the attack was made upon 3
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the key of the position, a battery in the centre of the island. The battle lasted four hours, and resulted, by a charge of the twenty-first Massachu- setts, the fifty-first and the ninth New York regiments, in the complete victory of the national forces, which placed in General Burnside's hands six forts and batteries, forty cannon, over two thousand prisoners of war, and three thousand stands of arms. The national loss was forty-seven killed and two hundred wounded.
Commodore Goldsborough immediately sent a fleet of gunboats up the Pasquotank and Chowan rivers, by which all the rebel gunboats in those waters were sunk, captured or driven away; and Elizabeth City, Hertford, and Edenton, fell into the possession of the Union troops. Soon afterwards, the important town of Plymouth was occupied by the national forces.
These brilliant successes were hailed with the utmost enthusiasm by the people of the North. Following swiftly upon the defeat of the rebels under General Zollicoffer at Mill Spring, Kentucky, they served to revive the spirits of the loyal men, and to assure them of greater victories to come. By none was the intelligence of Burnside's triumph more gratefully received than by the people of Rhode Island. The General Assembly, which was in session, at the suggestion of the then governor, Hon. William Sprague, voted General Burnside a sword in honor of the victory, and the thanks of the representa- tives of the people to the officers and men under his command. Massachu- setts and Ohio, through their legislatures, expressed their gratitude. The Congress of the United States and the heads of the government acknowledg- ed by their action their sense of the importance of this great success; and the President nominated General Burnside a major-general of volunteers. The Senate confirmed the nomination on the 18th of March, 1862.
Meanwhile, General Burnside was not idle. Releasing his prisoners by exchange, in order that the record of Bull Run might be thoroughly effaced, he prepared to make further advances upon the enemy's forces. In pursu- ance of the instructions of the general-in-chief, Burnside once more embarked his troops on the 6th of March, and made ready to strike another and more · decisive blow. This time it was Newbern that was destined to feel the weight of his loyal hand. On Wednesday, March 12th, the expedition passed the scene of its first disasters. On the morning of Thursday, the troops were landed at the mouth of Slocum's Creek, on the Nense river, a distance of ten miles south of Newbern; and, in the afternoon of the same day, a fatiguing march of seven miles, flanked and protected by the gunboats in the river,
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brought them within a short distance of the enemy's intrenchments, passing one or two deserted batteries on the way. Here they bivouacked in the midst of a drenching rain, and, early on the morning of Friday, March 14th, they were aroused and prepared to make the attack.
The battle commenced about half-past seven o'clock, and continued until noon. The enemy was strongly intrenched in batteries and rifle-pits, at least a mile in length, and bravely defended his works. But nothing could withstand the valor and endurance of our brave troops, and the consummate skill of their leader. The contest was decided, as at Roanoke, by a bayonet- charge, made by the fourth Rhode Island regiment, under Colonel Isaac P. Rodman, and the rebels fled in precipitate haste. They escaped by means of the bridges crossing the river Trent to Newbern, and retreated in disorder and panic by the railroad to Goldsborough. Our troops were prevented from following by the destruction of the bridges, which the rebels burnt as they retreated. The gunboats and transports were delayed by a dense fog, but, as soon as they came up, carried the troops across to the city. It was too late to overtake the flying foe, and only two hundred prisoners were captured.
By this success-hardly bought, indeed, by the loss of eighty-six killed, and four hundred and thirty-eight wounded-all the rebel intrenehments and batteries, mounting between fifty and sixty pieces of cannon, large quan- tities of stores, ammunition, arms, tents, and baggage, and the city of Newbern, came into the possession of the victorious and gallant chief. Two steamers, eight schooners, the water-batteries, and a considerable quantity of cotton, were the prizes of the naval portion of the expedition, under the command of Captain S. C. Rowan. The victory was complete, and the intelligence was received with heartfelt joy throughout the North. Some anxiety had been felt lest a part of the rebel army, which had evacuated Manassas the week previous, should march into North Carolina, and intercept Burnside on his way. The enthusiasm was heightened by the relief which his success had given, and the assurance of his safety, which was thus placed beyond question.
Continued victory seemed to wait upon his steps. General Burnside is a man who knows how to improve his successes ; and as soon as Newbern had been reduced, an expedition was sent to Washington, to occupy that place. Beaufort also became an object for the general's victorious arms; and on Sunday, March 23d, General Parke's brigade peaceably took possession of More- head City, opposite that town. Fort Macon was immediately summoned, and, upon the refusal of the officer in command to surrender, measures were imme-
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diately taken to force a capitulation .. General Burnside repaired to the scene of operations, that he might personally superintend the investment of the place. Meanwhile, the enemy's forces were concentrating at Goldsborough and Kingston, threatening the recapture of Newbern. General Burnside did not allow his vigilance to relax in guarding the approaches to either place ; and, leaving a sufficient force at Beaufort, he hastened back to Newbern, to fortify that important position. Every arrangement was made to give the foe a warm reception.
General Burnside, having placed Newbern in a state of complete defence, returned to Beaufort. During his temporary absence, General Parke had constructed his batteries and approaches upon Bogue Island, and the naval forces had zealously cooperated with him. Fort Macon was thus invested by sea and land, and, on the 25th day of April, after a vigorous bombardment of four hours, was surrendered by its garrison, and the stars and stripes, floating above its ramparts, proclaimed its reoccupation by the government of the United States. The entire number of captures made by General Burnside's command in these rapid and successful movements, amounted to one hundred and seventy-nine guns, three thousand six hundred prisoners and a large quantity of stores, small arms, flags, and other trophies of less importance.
The tenor of the instructions issued to General Burnside by General McClellan was to the effect that, after completing the occupation of the coast lying upon Albemarle and Pamlico sounds, operations should be directed against the great line of railroad communication running through Wilmington and Goldsborough to Richmond. It was hoped that the railroad west of Newbern might be occupied for a considerable distance, and that Wilmington itself might be reduced. But the forces under General Burnside's command and his means of transportation were inadequate for such extended oper- ations. The movement into the interior was also dependent upon the result of the Peninsular campaign. It was necessary to make Newbern itself per- fectly secure against the enemy's attack, and one or two months were spent in the work of strengthening its defences.
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III.
TIIE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Towards the last of June, General Burnside had completed his prepara- tions for moving into the interior, to make a demonstration upon Raleigh. Meanwhile, General Mcclellan had entered upon his campaign against Rich- mond, for which he had required the services of nearly all the available troops in the east. Our forces had succeeded in penetrating to within six or seven miles of the rebel capital, when they were compelled to retreat to the James river, whence the commanding general sent for additional reënforce- ments. General Burnside was on the eve of starting for Goldsborough, but he immediately put his troops on board of transports, and on the 8th day of July, he landed with seven thousand men, at Newport News. A few days afterwards, a division of troops under command of General Isaac I. Stevens, from Port Royal, was added to this force. General Foster had been left in command of the posts in North Carolina, and the three divisions of Generals Reno, Parke, and Stevens were, on the 22nd of July, organized as the NINTH CORPS, which, under its gallant leader, has won imperishable renown, east, south, and west.
General MeClellan, having decided to evacuate the Peninsula, and having obtained an order from the goverment to that effect, received the willing aid of General Burnside in making this hazardous movement. The Ninth Corps was transferred to Aquia Creek, thence to Fredericksburg, and after- wards to the Upper Rappahannock, where, temporarily under the command of General Reno, it did most effective service in the campaign of General Pope. It suffered severely in the death of General Stevens and many valuable officers and men. General Burnside remained at Fredericksburg, superintending the transmission of reinforcements, till General Pope was defeated and forced back to the defences of Washington. Fredericksburg was evacuated on the 30th of August, and General Burnside, assisting Gen- eral MeClellan in gathering the scattered portions of the army of the Potomac, marched into Maryland in command of the right-wing of that army, and, on the 12th of September, reached Frederick City, where he was received with enthusiastic demonstrations of welcome. Immediately pushing through Frederick in pursuit of the retreating rebel army, our advance came into
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collision with the rebel rear in the passes of the South Mountain, between Middletown and Boonesboro, on the 14th. General Burnside immediately ordered an attack, and after a spirited engagement, the enemy was driven at all points, and a signal advantage was gained. General Mcclellan arrived on the ground near the conclusion of the action, and signified his approval of the measures adopted by his subordinate. The battle itself was fought by General Burnside, who issued the orders and posted the troops. He was ably seconded by Generals Reno and Hooker. But the glory of the victory was dimmed by the fall of General Reno, at the very moment of its achievement. He was a most brave, gallant, and meritorious officer, and his loss was deeply mourned by his chief, who, in North Carolina, Virginia, and now in Maryland, had learned to love the character of the man, and to admire the heroism of the soldier.
The enemy's troops-consisting of Generals D. II. Hill's and Longstreet's corps-finding themselves severely handled, withdrew in the night, leaving their dead and wounded on the field. On the next day-the 15th-our own army pushed on in pursuit. But on the night of the 15th, the enemy was found strongly posted on the west side of Antietam Creek. Dispositions for battle were immediately made, and the troops rested on their arms. Gen- eral Burnside's corps held the extreme left of the line, opposite to the bridge which crosses the Antietam on the Sharpsburg road. The 16th was spent in completing the preparations for the impending engagement, and in heavy skirmishing between the advanced lines of both armies, and on the 17th, the great battle of ANTIETAM was fought.
The work given to General Burnside to accomplish, to carry the bridge across the creek and advance along the road beyond towards Sharpsburg, was exceedingly difficult. Upon the other side of the bridge, the land rises abruptly, almost precipitately, and the heights command all the approaches. Besides holding these heights, the enemy had the advantage which was given by a stone fence running parallel to the stream, and by rifle-pits and breast- works of rails, logs and earth, which covered the turns of the road as it wound up the bank of the river. These works and the wooded slopes were filled with the enemy's riflemen, and his batteries were posted to enfilade the bridge and its approaches. Farther to the right of the enemy's line lay Har- per's Ferry, which a few days previously had been captured by the rebel troops, and from which reinforcements might be drawn to attack our left flank, should it succeed in carrying the bridge. But General Burnside was
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not the man to shrink from any duty because of its difficulty, and, as soon as the order to attack was received, the Ninth Corps was put into the battle. General Mcclellan's plan of battle was to attack with the right under Generals Hooker and Sumner, and, when "matters looked favorably there, to move the corps of Burnside against the enemy's extreme right, upon the ridge running to the south and rear of Sharpsburg, and having carried their position to press along the crest towards our right, and whenever these flank movements should be successful, to advance our centre with all the forces then disposable." The battle accordingly commenced at daylight upon the right of our line, and continued for some time without any very flattering prospects of success. A few minutes past nine o'clock, General Mcclellan ordered the attack upon the left, and at ten o'clock, General Burnside's corps was actively engaged with the enemy. Colonel Crook's brigade attempted to carry the bridge by assault. The attack at first failed, for General Burnside found himself in front of the enemy's strongest position, with a small force to carry it. Further attempts in this direction met with no better success. The forenoon was wearing away, and but little was gained. But below the bridge was a ford, which, if our forces could succeed in crossing, would open to us a way of attack upon the enemy's right flank and would uncover the bridge. General Rodman's division was sent down to this ford, and while vigorous demonstrations were still made in front, General Rodman gallantly took his troops across, in the midst of a heavy fire of musketry and artillery. Our own artillery concentrated its fire upon the woods above. Just before General Rodman crossed, two regiments of Colonel Ferrero's brigade were ordered forward as a storming party, the remainder of the brigade to which they belonged and General Sturgis's division, pushed on in support, and at twelve and one-half o'clock, P. M., under the pressure of their combined attack in front and flank, the bridge was handsomely carried, the nearer bank oceu- pied, and the enemy's right wing forced back to the next line of the crests beyond the creek. General Rodman's division joined on the left of General Sturgis, and General Willcox's division was ordered across the bridge and took position on the right. At three o'clock, the line again moved forward and succeeded in driving the enemy. Our advance was approaching Sharpsburg, and even gained the outskirts of the town. The enemy's right flank was turned. A little more of the same kind of pressure as the enemy had been feeling in this quarter during the whole day, would give to us a decisive victory. The great prize was within our grasp. But the Ninth Corps was all
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