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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/31353-h.zip b/31353-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba988be --- /dev/null +++ b/31353-h.zip diff --git a/31353-h/31353-h.htm b/31353-h/31353-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05b6a97 --- /dev/null +++ b/31353-h/31353-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4225 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Personal Recollections of the War of 1861, by Charles Augustus Fuller</title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body {margin-left: 12%; margin-right: 12%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:15%; margin-right:15%;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + ins.correction {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin solid gray;} + + .spacer {padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Personal Recollections of the War of 1861, by +Charles Augustus Fuller</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Personal Recollections of the War of 1861</p> +<p> As Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixty-First Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry</p> +<p>Author: Charles Augustus Fuller</p> +<p>Release Date: February 22, 2010 [eBook #31353]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR OF 1861***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by the<br /> + Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americana">http://www.archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/personalrecollec00full"> + http://www.archive.org/details/personalrecollec00full</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td> + Transcriber's Note:<br /> + <br /> + The use of quotation marks in the original does not conform + to modern standards, and many quotations were left unclosed. + Quotation marks were left as they appear in the original book.<br /> + <br /> + A number of typographical errors were corrected. Such corrections + are marked by a gray <ins class="correction" title="the nature of + the correction will be explained here">underscore</ins>. Hover the + cursor over the underscored text, and an explanation will appear. + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i001.jpg" alt="" /><br /><img src="images/i001sig.jpg" alt="Charles A. Fuller Late of the 61st N. Y. V. Inf." /></div> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h1>Personal Recollections</h1> +<h4>OF THE</h4> +<h1><img style="margin-top: -.5em; margin-bottom: -.5em;" src="images/i003.jpg" alt="" /><span class="spacer"> </span>War of 1861<span class="spacer"> </span><img style="margin-top: -.5em; margin-bottom: -.5em;" src="images/i003.jpg" alt="" /></h1> +<h4>as Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixty-First Regiment,<br />New York Volunteer Infantry by</h4> +<p> </p> +<h3>CHARLES A. FULLER</h3> +<p> </p> +<h4>Prepared from data found in letters, written at the time<br />from the field to the people at home.</h4> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h5>NEWS JOB PRINTING HOUSE, SHERBURNE, N. Y.<br />1906</h5> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<h2>PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS</h2> + +<p>March 1st, 1861, I started for Cleveland, Ohio, to enter the law office +of Boardman & Ingersoll as a law student. I was in that city at the time +of the inauguration of President Lincoln.</p> + +<p>After Sumpter was fired on I was anxious to enlist and go to the front +with the “Cleveland Grays,” but trouble with my eyes induced me to +postpone my enlistment. After the President issued his call for 300,000 +additional troops, I learned that Lieut. K. Oscar Broady, a recent +graduate of Madison University, who had seen some military service in +Sweden, his native country, was raising a Company for the War, in which +many Hamilton and Sherburne men were enrolled. Isaac Plumb, one of my +most-thought-of friends, was in the number; there were others—Edgar +Willey, <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Isreal'">Israel</ins> O. Foote, Fred Ames, and more whose names I do not now +recall. I decided to wait no longer, but seek the enemy with the men of +this Company.</p> + +<p>I left Cleveland Sept. 5th, 1861, and reached Utica Saturday afternoon +in time to find that the stage down the valley had gone, and I must +remain there until Monday morning, or use some other means of locomotion +southward to Sherburne. The question I asked myself was, “Why not test +your leg gear NOW, and see what you can do as a foot-man?” I answered +“All right,” and started out, though it was well into the afternoon. +That evening I reached Oriskany Falls, a distance of about 20 miles. I +camped for the night at the hotel, but was up the next morning before +the hotel people. I left the price of the lodging on the bar, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>started south. It was about 24 miles to Sherburne, which I reached +about noon. I supplied the commissary department from houses along the +road.</p> + +<p>My father and mother had no hint that I had left Cleveland. When I +entered the house my mother said, “Why, Charlie Fuller, you’ve come home +to go to war.” She was the daughter of a man who was in the +Revolutionary Army when but sixteen years of age, and she had always +been proud of the fact, and she was, I am sure, gratified that she had a +boy desirous of imitating the example of her deceased father.</p> + +<p>On my way through <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Hamiltom'">Hamilton</ins>, I had left word what I was there for, and I +was assured that Lieut. Coultis would soon be down to enroll me.</p> + +<p>The next day he was on hand; he had, I believe, been in a militia +company; at all events, he appeared in the toggery of a militia officer. +He said he was authorized and prepared to “swear me in.” I told him I +was ready for business, and then and there took the oath. I tried to +feel easy and appear unconcerned (whether or not I succeeded to outward +appearance I can not say) but I know that inside there was more or less +of a lump to swallow, for, to some extent, I realized that it was <i>not</i> +a picnic.</p> + +<p>I was home for a week, in which time four men joined me. They were Lewis +R. Foote, Porter E. Whitney, Newel Hill and Albert H. Simmons. To show +what war does, the following summary is a fair sample—Foote, wounded at +Fair Oaks, discharged; Whitney, several times wounded, lastly in the +Wilderness Campaign, 1864, transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps; +Hill, discharged early for physical disability; Simmons, detailed to +Commissary Dept., discharged on account of physical disability; Fuller, +discharged on account of wounds.</p> + +<p>Monday, Sept. 16th, 1861, our squad of five left Sherburne for Hamilton. +We were there until Thursday, when we started for Staten Island, the +headquarters of the forming regiment. Coultis had about thirty men. We +reached the rendezvous about 11 o’clock Friday and received a warm +welcome from old friends on the ground.</p> + +<p>This forming regiment was located on ground within the present enclosure +of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. Spencer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> W. Cone had the Colonel’s +Commission, and his regiment had the fancy name of “Clinton Guards,” +whether in honor of George, or DeWitt, I do not know, and perhaps Cone +didn’t.</p> + +<p>The explanation of Broady’s connection with Cone’s regiment, +undoubtedly, is this: The father of Spencer W. Cone was a Baptist Doctor +of Divinity, of Baltimore, Md. Probably he was known to, and a friend of +the managers of Madison University. Quite likely it was assumed that so +good a man as Cone. D. D., would have a son of ability and piety, well +calculated to lead his men to victory, or, if to death, the death of the +righteous; and, so, I assume, it was regarded as a fortunate +circumstance that the young men who had been connected with Madison +University were to go into this man’s regiment.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cone was one of those (what Simeon Cameron is alleged to have +characterized a writer) “damned literary fellers.” He had been a +contributor to the New York Mercury, and other periodicals. He had a +penetrating and quite powerful voice, and displayed in his person some +of the pomp and circumstance of war, and, to the novices in his camp, he +was for a time regarded as a “big injun.” Events proved this to be +unfounded and, before the regiment really met the enemy, he ceased to be +the Colonel. At this time one Manning wore the uniform of +Lieutenant-Colonel, and one Lynch that of Major.</p> + +<p>A quarrel was worked up among the officers, and, it was said, that Cone +proposed to leave it to the line officers whether he should continue as +Colonel, or step aside for another. The vote was taken and Cone was +loser. Then he refused to abide by the result. He was ordered to leave +camp and refused. Hands were laid on him to compel his withdrawal, he +resisted with oaths and froth and a show of fight; but he was overcome +by superior force and exported from the camp. I think Maj. Lynch assumed +command. After a few days the camp was moved a number of miles to a +place called Silver Lake. This move was on Saturday.</p> + +<p>The next morning some of the officers were informed that Cone was on the +road to this new camp with authority to take command and to place in +arrest all of the officers who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> had aided in his displacement. There was +a great scampering on the part of these officers, and soon they were +conspicuous by their absence. In a little while the valiant Cone +appeared on the color line, and ordered the men to turn out; his order +was obeyed. Then he showed authority for taking command of the regiment, +and he offered to pardon all who had been in the movement against him, +if they would return and promise to be good in the future. The +skedadling officers got the word, came back, were forgiven, and resumed +their places; that was the last the regiment knew of Manning and Lynch.</p> + +<p>The Monday following the regiment moved back to its old quarters near +the fort, and remained there till ordered to Washington. In this +unfortunate fiasco the regiment lost about two hundred men by desertion, +from which depletion it never recovered. When ordered to the seat of +war, I think there were not much above 700 men, and the regiment never +saw the time when it had full ranks—that fact alone accounts for its +not being in the list of those that lost two hundred in battle. I +believe the number killed in action, or who died in a short time from +battle wounds, was 193, or seven short of the number. When brigaded, my +recollection is, that it was at least one hundred and fifty men short of +the number of any other regiment. It had the same number of officers +that the other regiments had, and, with them, the loss in killed +equalled, I believe, the losses in the 5th New Hampshire, which has the +distinction of having lost the most men killed in action of any infantry +regiment on the Union side in the War of the Rebellion.</p> + +<p>Francis C. Barlow was appointed Lieut-Col. in place of Manning, and +Capt. Massett was promoted to Major. In each case a good exchange. +Barlow did not appear for duty at Staten Island and was not generally +known to the regiment until it went into Camp at Kendall Green in +Washington, D. C.</p> + +<p>Saturday, Nov, 9th, 1861, orders were issued to break camp. The men’s +knapsacks were loaded down with things necessary and things that <i>could</i> +be dispensed with, (which were thrown away when real campaigning was +entered upon.)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> No doubt an average knapsack at this time would weigh +from twenty-five pounds and upwards. The regiment left its formation +camp for the front about seven hundred strong. We took a steamer and +landed at Perth Amboy. There we took cars for Washington, reaching +Philadelphia during the night, and were at once marched to a citizens +lunch barracks, where the regiment at one time was substantially fed. +From an early date in the War the patriotic citizens of Philadelphia did +this to every regiment that passed through the city. New York and +Philadelphia differ in many ways. In 1861, and during the following +years of the War, there was an antipodal difference between these cities +in their regard for and treatment of the Union Soldiers. In Philadelphia +the troops were, in going out, you might almost say, banqueted, and when +the wounded began to come back from the front great hospitals were run +by the voluntary services of the best women in the city. I had personal +experience in each of these ways showing appreciation of the work of the +soldier. I have never heard anyone accuse New Yorkers of making any +systematic effort to cheer the boys on as they went out, or care for +them as they came back wrecked by disease or torn by the missiles of the +enemy. The city of New York is entirely too practical to be diverted by +patriotic sentiment, if, as a municipality, it has any.</p> + +<p>About 8 a. m., Sunday, we left the city of Brotherly Love and reached +Washington at 9 p. m. The regiment was marched into a large building +capable of housing a thousand men, called the “Soldiers’ Rest,” located +at the terminus of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Monday, Nov. 11th, the +regiment was marched into an open field not far from the Capitol and to +the right of it as the city is entered. This field was called Kendall +Green. For years it has been solidly built upon.</p> + +<p>Lieut.-Col. Barlow in this camp first made himself known to the +regiment. He was not at first sight an impressive looking officer. He +was of medium height, of slight build, with a pallid countenance, and a +weakish drawling voice. In his movements there was an appearance of +loose jointedness and an absence of prim stiffness. At once schools and +drills<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> were established for commissioned and non-commissioned officers +and rumor credited Barlow with their establishment. Discipline became +stricter: the duties of the soldier were better explained, and the men +sensibly improved. There was no doubt to whom is due the credit for the +change. In a short time there was a feeling in the air that the strength +of the regiment lay in the person of the Lieut.-Colonel. Francis C. +Barlow was a great soldier. He was, in my judgment, fully equal for a +corps commander. He knew the details of his business; he had the +military instinct; and he was fearless. At first, from his exacting +requirements and severity he was quite disliked, if not well hated; but, +as time went on, and it was seen that he knew more than any other man, +or set of men, in the regiment—that he knew how to work his men to the +best advantage, and would see that they had what the regulations +prescribed, and, that, when danger was at hand, he was at the head +<i>leading</i> them, this animosity was turned into confidence and +admiration.</p> + +<p>Thursday, Nov. 28th, the regiment broke camp at Kendall Green and +started with overloaded knapsacks for Alexandria, by the road, some +eight or ten miles distant. The Potomac was crossed on Long Bridge, the +road ran by the partly built Washington Monument. The march was a hard +one, largely on account of the men being loaded like pack peddlers.</p> + +<p>At Alexandria the regiment took cars and was run out a distance of six +or seven miles on the Orange & Alexandria railroad to a point called +Springfield Station. This was a place consisting of an old wood-colored +house. The men were ordered out, and, as the tents were not expected up +that night, preparations were at once begun to make brush huts for +bivouacing. Some time had been spent and the work nearly done when the +long roll began to beat. The men at once took their places behind their +stacked arms. Col. Cone was rushing about in a highly excited manner, +holding a revolver in one hand and his bridle reins in the other, +resolved, no doubt, to die bravely, if need be. There was not a round of +ammunition in the regiment. I never learned that there was a show of the +enemy. Perhaps it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> became known at headquarters that we had no loading +for our guns. At all events, a train was sent out to take us back to +Alexandria. We got back without accident, and spent the night in the +round house.</p> + +<p>The next day we marched out on the turnpike running near the railroad +about three miles, and made a camp called Camp <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Calfornia'">California</ins>. It was at the +foot of the hill on which Ft. Worth was built. If I am not mistaken, our +regiment, which had been numbered the 61st, was the first one on the +ground of the brigade that was to be here formed. In a short time the +others arrived and were as follows: 5th New Hampshire, 4th Rhode Island, +81st Pennsylvania, each of them having a larger membership than ours. +Brigade General O. O. Howard was assigned to the brigade, which was No. +1 in Sumner’s Division. Corps were not yet formed.</p> + +<p>Besides guard mountings and dress parades, five or six hours a day were +consumed in company, regimental and brigade drills. The men were worked +hard, and, by this time it was generally understood that learning to be +a soldier was no loafing business.</p> + +<p>The first time we saw Nelson A. Miles was in this camp. He then was a +fine looking young man on the staff of Gen. Howard.</p> + +<p>As the Fall weather came on the men generally took colds that were of +the coughing kind; the full strength of cough music was heard at night, +when other sounds were hushed. Then, seemingly, every man tuned it up +with his own peculiar sort and tone of cough. The concert surpassed in +volume that coming from a large frog swamp in the flush of the season. +Many became down sick and were sent to hospital. Those who stood the +exposure gradually toughened and became proof against such sickness.</p> + +<p>One night after tattoo the long roll began to beat. Officers and men +hurriedly dressed, snatched their arms and accoutrements and formed in +the company streets. As soon as a company was ready it started for the +color line, and, as soon as the regiment was formed, it started on a +brisk walk towards the front, or in the direction of our pickets. When +once fairly under way the order was to “step out,” and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> finally, to +“double quick.” We went in the direction of Edson’s Hill, where our +picket reserves were stationed. It was a distance of several miles and +was travelled in a short time. It proved to be a sham alarm, and was got +up to see how we would perform if it were a genuine affair. For one, I +made that midnight march expecting to meet the enemy.</p> + +<p>As we were going up the hill where the camp fire of the picket reserves +were burning, I heard what I took to be a powerful human groan; I said +to myself “this, indeed, is bloody, brutal war,” and I was, as best I +could, nerving myself to face the enemy and do my duty in the deadly +fray. We reached the top of the hill in safety, and there, sitting and +sprawling around their camp fires, were our men wholly unconcerned. I +determined to know what there was concerning the wounded man whose groan +I had heard and I went back where I had heard the sound of pain and +found a six-mule team. In going by it had been unobserved. I concluded +on this discovery that the outcry of my wounded man was nothing more +than the grunting and braying of an ass, and I was relieved.</p> + +<p>About the first of January, 1862, orders were <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'isssued'">issued</ins> for the detail of +recruiting parties from every regiment to go to the States for the +purpose of getting new men to make good the losses in the field. For +this purpose, from the 61st N. Y., Lieut. Wm. H. McIntyre of Co. C was +named to command the party. With him were Lieut. Blowers, Co. F, +Corporal Jenks and myself of Co. C, and two or three other men whose +names I have forgotten. We left camp Monday, Jan. 21st, 1862. We +reported to Maj. Sprague, U. S. A., at Albany. He granted us a few days +furlough and we all visited our homes.</p> + +<p>Our recruiting headquarters were at, or near, 480 Broadway, New York. No +bounties were offered, and, while we all did our best, the result was +nearly a failure. Not more than a dozen good men were secured. Our party +was heartily sick of the job and sincerely desired to be returned to the +regiment.</p> + +<p>About the 1st of April a movement was made by the Army of the Potomac. +At this time army corps had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> formed. I think Sumner’s, the Second +Corps, had but two divisions. The First, Richardson’s in which was +Howard’s brigade; Meagher’s, or the Irish brigade, and French’s; the +Second was commanded by Sedgwick. I believe the corps, division and +brigade commanders were as good as any in the army of the Potomac. The +first move of the army was on to Centerville, and the Bull Run +battlefield. The enemy fell back. Then McClellan changed his base to the +peninsula between the York and James rivers.</p> + +<p>April 15th, 1862, the recruiting office was closed and our party started +for the regiment. We stopped at Fortress Monroe and procured rations. +From there took a steamer up the river about 20 miles to Shipping Point. +We found our regiment some miles further to the front.</p> + +<p>When we reached camp we received a soldier’s welcome from the boys. They +showed what a few weeks of exposure would do for the outside of a man; +skin and clothes; they were tanned, ragged and lousy.</p> + +<p>As we were back from the entrenchments some distance, our efforts were +mainly directed to building corduroy roads.</p> + +<p>Sunday, May 4th, orders came to pack and be ready to move at once. Soon +it was reported that Yorktown had been evacuated. We did not get into +motion, finally, until the 5th, and then went out but a short distance, +when a halt was made until about dark when we again started and went +through the rebel defenses. It had rained some during the day and this +Virginia mud was a difficult thing to stand on, especially if the +standing was on an incline. A slow and laborious march was continued +until midnight, or past. When we halted many of the men had fallen out +on the march, but came up in the morning. After breakfast a short +distance was made; then a halt was ordered; then came the news that +Williamsburg had been taken, and the enemy were retreating up the +peninsula. The Second Corps, or our division of it, returned to Yorktown +and went into camp the next day, which was Wednesday. We remained in +this camp until the next Sunday, when we took transports up the York +river to West Point, at which place<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> we unshipped Monday, May 12th, and +went into camp. I remember that this locality was pleasanter than the +country about Shipping Point and in front of Yorktown.</p> + +<p>A division of our men had a brush with the enemy here a few days before +our arrival. Quite a number of our men were so sick at this place that +they were sent back to Yorktown, and one, at least, of the number died. +I refer to Charles Smith, a genial, good man.</p> + +<p>Thursday, May 15th, reveille beat at 2 a. m., and we marched at 4 a. m. +At first it was fine marching, but towards noon a drenching rain set in, +and in a short time we were wet to the skin. We made fourteen miles. We +went into camp in a piece of woods. While here quite a number of the men +were taken with a sudden dizziness, and would fall while drilling. The +first orderly of my company was William H. Spencer. He was promoted to +First Lieutenant of Deming’s Company, and later on to the Captaincy of +Brooks’s Company. His promotion advanced my best friend, Isaac Plumb, +Jr., to first sergeant. For some weeks he had been suffering from a low +fever, and Arthur Haskell was acting orderly. In this camp he was taken +with this strange disease and sent back, and I was made acting orderly, +in which office I acted until after the battle of Fair Oaks.</p> + +<p>Sunday, the 18th, we again started and marched five miles and went into +camp. By this time the men had become somewhat familiar with Gen I. B. +Richardson, their division commander. He was a large, heavy, powerful +man, a West Pointer, and commanded, I think, the Second Michigan at Bull +Run. He put on no military style: generally he was clothed in a +private’s blouse, which, if I remember correctly, did not have on +shoulder straps. His speech, when not aroused, was slow and drawling; he +did not appear to care for salutes and the men began to regard him as +one of them; he had their confidence and affection, and they willingly +followed him. As our regiment was marching this day, he was along side +of it, and a newspaper man who had some previous acquaintance with him, +remarked: “If you have got as good a division as you had regiment at +Bull Run, it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> will make some dead rebels before long.” The general +smiled and drawled out, “I guess they’ll do.”</p> + +<p>Monday, the 19th, we marched about five miles and camped, it was said, +near New Kent Court House. There is a little church on a hill not far +from this camp, and the story was current that Washington was connected +with some affair that took place there, I have forgotten what it was. +This camp was but a short distance from White House, where, it was said, +the Confederate General, Lee, had large possessions.</p> + +<p>Wednesday, the 21st, we marched at 6 a. m., and made ten miles and went +into camp on the York and Richmond Railroad, about eighteen miles from +Richmond. Saturday, the 24th, we marched in the direction of Cold +Harbor, a point, rather than a place, and about seven miles from +Richmond. Indications multiplied that before long the two great armies +would lock horns, and prove which was the best man of the two.</p> + +<p>On the 26th, Porter, with a part of the fifth corps, had a brush at +Hanover Court House. Our people took quite a number of prisoners, and, +on their way back, passed by our camp. They gave us to understand there +were a sufficiency left back to do up the business for us.</p> + +<p>Wednesday, the 28th, the 61st was taken out in the vicinity of Fair +Oaks, as a guard to an engineer, who was mapping out the roads. They +came in sight of rebel camps, and were treated to a few harmless shells. +I was not with the regiment, being in charge of the camp guard.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of May 31st, heavy cannonading was heard on our left, +across the Chickahomeny river. For a week, or more, the men had been +constantly under arms, so to speak. Three day’s rations were kept in the +haversacks; arms and ammunition were frequently inspected; orders were +given warning the men to be in their places and prepared to move at a +moment’s notice; so, when the first sound of battle was heard, the men, +almost of their own accord, formed on the color line, equipped for a +march, where ever it might be to. In a few minutes aides were going from +division to brigade, and from brigade to regimental<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> headquarters, and +soon the regiments had their orders to march.</p> + +<p>For some days before there had been heavy rains which had raised the +Chickahomeny river from a low, sluggish stream into a broad, deep, swift +running river. As soon as the army got into its then position; by which +it was divided by the river, several bridges were built to more +effectually reunite the army. The Second Corps had two such bridges, +Richardson’s being some distance below Sedgwick’s. Each division was +started for its own bridge. Richardson’s was two feet under water; the +leading brigade forded through on this bridge, waist deep in the water. +Our brigade was ordered to cross on Sedgwick’s bridge. It was floored +with small logs laid side by side on log stringers. This bridge seemed +to be resting on the water and as we marched over it some of the logs +would roll and dip in a manner to shake confidence in its stability, but +we crossed on it all right.</p> + +<p>I remember seeing a brass gun stuck in the mud on the other side, and +the men working to release it. All of this time the sound of battle was +ringing in our ears, and its volume indicated that it was one of +consequence.</p> + +<p>This change of bridges delayed the first division. Sedgwick got up in +time to take a hand in the fight of May 31st, but it was after dark and +not far from 9 o’clock when our division stacked arms. Some of our men +went over the battle field that night and helped care for the wounded. +My duties as acting orderly required my constant presence with the +company. All was painfully quiet; we did not so much as hear a sound +from a wounded man.</p> + +<p>The next morning at four o’clock, the men were quietly ordered up. No +fires were allowed, so the breakfast was moistened with cold water. +After eating, the companies were equalized, and after furnishing a +detail to some of the other companies, Company C had forty-one men, +indicating that there were four hundred and ten muskets present for duty +in the regiment. We were on a part of the battlefield of the day before, +and there was considerable of the debris of the battle lying about. The +brigade—Howard’s—was closed in mass by regiments, the 61st on the +left. The waiting for a battle to open is always a trying time for +troops. When a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> movement, or action, is under way the dread leaves. So +now, while we were standing with arms in hand watching for the first +sign, and straining to catch the first sound we were an anxious +multitude.</p> + +<p>After a while a section of Pettit’s battery was placed at a corner of +the field we were in, and by the woods, presently a few shots were +fired—possibly as a signal—then came a scattering musketry fire, then +a volley on the right of the line, then a rapid increase, and soon the +most tremendous infantry fire I ever heard. There was no cannonading, +but it was the fearful crash of musketry, where thousands of guns on +each side were getting in their work as rapidly and viciously as +possible. Orders were now received for the advance of our brigade, and +the regiments started out on the double quick. Action of any kind, +though it took us towards the enemy, was welcomed. In a short time the +railroad was reached, and the 61st was deployed along the track. I +cannot assert of my own knowledge, but presume the other regiments of +the brigade were in line of battle on this track.</p> + +<p>At this point the railroad ran through a piece of woods, and we, though +facing occasional bullets from the enemy, could see but a short distance +ahead of us. While in this place waiting further orders, Col. Barlow, +himself, went forward into the woods to learn more of the situation.</p> + +<p>From the stray bullets coming over some of our men were hit. It came to +the mind of one, or a few ingenious men in the ranks, that a recumbent +posture would conduce to safety, and he, or they, at once took it. This +hint was taken up by others, and in a very short time every man was flat +on his belly. Presently the Colonel appeared, and, perhaps, looked twice +for his regiment he had left standing. He at once roared out, “Who +ordered you to lie down? Get up at once.” And every man was on his feet. +Then the order came, “Forward, guide center. March!” and we entered the +woods.</p> + +<p>At this point the timber was quite heavy; there was considerable small +growth, and under foot it was swampy. It was impossible to maintain a +good line. In such an advance the naturally courageous will press +forward, and the naturally timid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> will hang back, and the officers and +file closers have their hands full to urge up the laggards.</p> + +<p>In my place as orderly I was directly behind Lieut. Wm. H. McIntyre, +commanding my company. Next to me, on the left, was Corporal Willey, an +old friend from my town. As we were working our way to the front he +spoke to me, and said, “Charley, am I hurt much?” I looked up and saw +the blood running down the side of his face, and that a part of his ear +had been shot away. I said, “No, nothing but a part of your ear is +gone,” and we pressed forward.</p> + +<p>Soon we came upon the 52nd N. Y., I think of French’s Brigade, lying on +the ground in line of battle. I suppose they had exhausted their +ammunition and were waiting for our appearance. We passed over them, and +advanced a few rods, when the order was given to halt. Then strenuous +efforts were made by our officers to get the men up in the ranks and to +dress the line; while this was going on no firing was had on either +side. I did not see a rebel, and did not think one was within musket +shot. Lieut. McIntyre stood in the Captain’s place, and I immediately +behind him in the place of first sergeant. Suddenly a tremendous volley +was fired by the enemy at short range, which was very destructive. +McIntyre sank down with a deathly pallor on his countenance. He said, +“I’m killed.” I stooped down and said, “Lieutenant, do you think you are +mortally wounded?” He replied, “Yes, tell them I’m killed.” He never +spoke again.</p> + +<p>A corporal in the next company was shot through the head and fell on to +McIntyre’s body. I drew up my gun, fired, and then threw myself down +behind these two bodies of my friends, loaded my gun, raised up and +fired it. This process I repeated until the firing ceased. It was a +ghastly barricade, but there was no time for the display of fine +feelings. The call was to defeat the enemy with as little loss to +ourselves as possible.</p> + +<p>I cannot say how long this firing continued, but the time did come when +our shots were not replied to, and it was evident we had a clear front. +While the firing was in progress I saw a sight that in all of my +subsequent experiences was not equalled in shockingness. Sanford Brooks, +a stalwart man of my company,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> and from my town, was shot through the +head. The bullet entered at the side and just behind the eyes, and went +through in such a manner as to throw the eyes fairly out of their +sockets. The wound did not produce instant death, but destroyed his +reason. The blow did not fell him to the ground—he stood upright with +his gun clinched in one hand, his sightless eyes bulged out of his head, +and he staggering about bereft of reason. He lived for a day or two, +talking constantly of camp life, and the things that were on his mind +before this fatal shot.</p> + +<p>After the firing had ceased, orders were given to get together and +change position. I did not know that Second Lieutenant Coultis was +wounded, and called for him. I was informed that he had been wounded +early in the battle and had gone to the rear. This left me in command of +the company, and I gathered up the fragments and marched them off.</p> + +<p>Illustrating the liability of false information and impressions to stand +for facts, is the belief entertained by Gen. O. O. Howard, that Lieut. +McIntyre helped him off the field when he was wounded in this battle. +Some years ago the General wrote an interesting series of articles for +the <i>National Tribune</i> concerning his campaigns. In describing the +battle of Fair Oaks, he stated where he was when he received the wound +that necessitated the amputation of his right arm. In the course of his +statement he said that Lieut. McIntyre helped him off the field. This I +knew beyond peradventure to be a mistake, and I wrote the <i>Tribune</i> an +account of the matter so far as McIntyre was concerned, and said my +object in so doing was to help put some man in the right who might claim +that he had done this service for Gen. Howard.</p> + +<p>(In June, 1897, the class of 1894 of Colgate University set up a tablet +in the library building in memory and in honor of the sons of the +University who had fallen in the war of 1861. Gen. Howard was hired to +be present and deliver an address on the occasion. In it he referred to +McIntyre and said, after telling how he was aided by McIntyre at Fair +Oaks, “He gave his life for me.” I was present and heard him make this +statement. I took the trouble to write him a full statement of the +affair and tried to convince him that he was wholly mistaken in +supposing that McIntyre aided him personally that day. In reply I +received a short letter to the effect that he so well knew every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +officer in the 61st that it could not be possible that he was mistaken. +I showed this letter to a number of our officers, who knew nearly as +well as I do that Gen. Howard is wrong, in fact. I need not add, that +without exception they agree with my recollection of the matter. +Probably no event of consequence will ever hinge on the truth or error +of my statement of this matter.)</p> + +<p>Doubtless, as in other human affairs, every person has experiences in +battle peculiar to himself and his individual temperament. In this first +real meeting of the enemy, my own, imperfectly described, were as +follows: As soon as the first volley was fired all dread and sense of +personal danger was gone, the death of the two men, one in front and the +other to the right of me produced no shock of horror. I seemed to regard +it as the to-be-expected thing, and, as I have above said, I loaded and +fired my gun from behind their dead bodies as unconcerned as though it +had been in a sham battle. I now remember, that when the firing ceased, +I was unaware of the strain and excitement I had been under, until we +were ordered to move, when I found that I was in a tremble all over.</p> + +<p>The Confederates had planned wisely, but they failed in working their +combination, and were, I believe, fairly beaten. Before this battle, +Col. Barlow was rated highly for his <i>military scholarship</i>, after the +battle he was recognized by his superior officers as <i>one of the bravest +of the brave</i>.</p> + +<p>In this battle the regiment lost over twenty-five per cent. of the +number present, including the Lieut.-Col., two captains and several +lieutenants. (Fox’s “Regimental Losses” makes the number 110).</p> + +<p>Later in the day word came to me that a wounded man wanted to see me. I +went back a few rods and there found my personal friend and townsman, +Edgar J. Willey—the man who had lost a part of his ear before we became +engaged. He had been hit several times, but the one mortal wound was +through his lungs. Every breath he drew was an effort, and the inhaled +air in part went out of the wound with a sickening sound. As I came up +to him he smiled and held out his hand. I expressed deep sorrow for his +condition, but he said it was all right, he had no regrets. He told me +that he could live but a little while, and requested me to write to his +people<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> and say that he hoped they would not mourn for him. His bible +was opened and lying on his breast. He lived for a day or two, and was +buried on the field where he fell fighting, like the brave soldier he +was.</p> + +<p>After the battle the sun came out with southern vengeance. We left our +tents and camp equipage at our late camp, and, to make the situation +more comfortable, and to guard against sun stroke, the men began to put +up bough huts, and before night we were tolerably protected.</p> + +<p>The army was in a state of expectancy, wondering whether the enemy would +make a fresh attack, or whether we would press forward and follow up +what had been gained. If we had known better, as we came to, the halting +(not to say cowardly) make up of the commanding general, we would have +taken it for granted that we were to sit down and intrench and wait the +pleasure of the enemy for a change in the situation.</p> + +<p>There was no serious attack for several weeks. The lines were formed and +fortified; breast works, with a ditch in front, were built, with here +and there a small fort, or redoubt, in which a part of the field +artillery was placed.</p> + +<p>Picket duty came about twice a week. The lines were near together; and +the men were ugly. No chance was missed on either side for firing at a +man in sight, and every day more or less were killed or wounded, on the +line.</p> + +<p>To guard against surprise, the men were aroused and called out by 3:30 +a. m., and took their places behind the works, guns in hand, and there +stood till sunrise.</p> + +<p>As our camp was in the Chickahomany swamp, the water generally was bad, +and soon made itself felt in the health of the men. Hot coffee was +served to the men as they stood in line, and later, rations of whiskey +were issued to dilute the water with.</p> + +<p>So long as there is a trace left of this line of breastworks, the exact +location of the camp of the 61st can be fixed, as it was just in rear of +the line, and half of the regiment was on one side of the railroad track +and the other half on the other.</p> + +<p>Stonewall Jackson was on his way to aid Lee. On June<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> 26th he appeared, +and the Confederate attack opened on our right at Mechanicsville.</p> + +<p>Friday evening, the 27th, a part of our division was sent to Porter’s +aid. He commanded the right wing of the army.</p> + +<p>Saturday, the 28th, orders were received for all sick to be sent to the +hospital, and for all extra baggage to be turned into the quartermaster. +At about 10 a. m. we struck tents and marched down the line to the left, +and went to work throwing up rifle pits at right angles with the line of +works. This, was, I suppose, in anticipation of the enemy getting +possession of the redoubt to the right and raking the line. After a +little this was abandoned and we went into the woods in the rear. There +we cleared the ground so that a line of battle could be formed. We +remained in this position till after dark, when we returned to the old +camp ground behind the works. We simply lay on the ground with +accoutrements on ready to act in a moment. All night long baggage and +artillery trains were rumbling to the rear. The great siege guns that +were mounted at this point were loaded on cars and their carriages +burned.</p> + +<p>By this time there was no doubt in our minds that McClellan’s proud +advance had come to a halt, in fact, that the pendulum was swinging the +other way. About daylight Sunday morning, the 29th, our division began +moving up the railroad track away from Richmond and in search for +another base. We soon came to the commissary depot of the army. Here +were piled <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'million's'">millions</ins> of dollars’ worth of supplies—hundreds of thousands +of rations were to be cremated, the torch had been applied to the mass +and the work of destruction was well under way. Some of our men slid out +of the ranks and went to this stock of stores and helped themselves to +whatever they saw that they wanted. They came back with their rubber +blankets loaded with sugar; which they divided among their comrades.</p> + +<p>After some maneuvering, our brigade was formed in a piece of woods, and +we fought what was called the Battle of Peach Orchard. The only loss we +sustained here was from the enemy’s artillery. Their advance was stayed +sufficiently for our retreating troops, and trains to get by; then our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +corps fell back to Savage Station, where we again formed line of battle +and awaited the approach of the enemy. Before dark a determined attack +was made. It was handsomely repulsed.</p> + +<p>It has been stated that at this place Gen. Heintzelman, commanding the +third corps, told Sumner that the orders were to fall back; thar Sumner +protested, and insisted that the Army of the Potomac should retreat no +further, but, on the contrary, should attack the Confederates; that +<ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Heintzleman'">Heintzelman</ins> finally had to tell the old man that, having delivered the +orders, he could act on his own responsibility, as for himself he would +fall back as directed; and that Sumner replied he supposed he would have +to follow, but he had not been brought up to retreat from a victorious +field.</p> + +<p>Those who are ready with reasons for faults and failures in the affairs +of mankind, may now lay it to Providence the selection of McClellan as +commander of the Army of the Potomac, on the ground that a brave and +competent general would have defeated the rebels too soon, and +reconstruction would not have been as thorough as it was in the end, +owing to the more complete exhaustion of the Confederates. For myself, I +have no opinions on such deep subjects. I simply know his selection as a +fighting commander was a terrible blunder.</p> + +<p>We remained at Savage Station till about 9 p. m., when the retreat +movement through White Oak Swamp began. It was very dark. It had rained +sufficiently to make the roads very slippery, and, in addition to their +being filled with infantry, there was the artillery, and hundreds of +baggage wagons to be got over this piece of road before daylight. Owing +to the condition of the soil, almost everyone had frequent falls. The +column moved at a snail’s pace, probably on an average of not over a +mile an hour. We were on our feet all night, crossing the corduroy +bridge that spanned the stream at the further side of the swamp as +daylight began to show in the East. The ground beyond the swamp was a +bluff some 20 or 30 feet above it, and on the brow of it our guns were +placed later in the day. Back of the bluff was a large, open field, +which was literally packed with artillery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> and baggage wagons. We were +marched into position and allowed to lie down. For one, I was so nearly +exhausted that I got onto the ground without taking off my knapsack, and +at once went off into sleep. About 8 a. m. we were called up and made +our breakfast. At this time the baggage wagons were getting out as fast +as possible.</p> + +<p>About 11 a. m. our pickets reported the advance of the enemy, and in a +short time two or three of their batteries opened a lively fire. There +were then, perhaps a hundred wagons in this open field. The shelling had +a quickening effect in clearing it of all teams permitted to go to the +rear.</p> + +<p>Our batteries were quickly placed in position and returned the fire. A +portion of my brigade, including my regiment, was placed in support of +this artillery. While the cannonading was going on, Colonel Barlow was +sitting on his old bay horse near to the guns, observing the situation +as cooly as if it had been a sham battle. We lost at this place a number +of men. This artillery fight lasted I should say for an hour, then +tapered off. We still lay behind the guns, and in support of them until +near sundown. Then the retreat was resumed. I think the 61st N. Y. was +among the last to leave the position.</p> + +<p>It was a scorchingly hot day. The sun was never brighter. No air +stirred, but the light soil, powdered into fine dust, rose up in clouds +that made the march a hardship. For a time we moved slowly, hearing +cannon in the distance. Presently, for some reason, the order came to +“Step out,” which meant quicker time and longer strides; and a little +later the order was to “double quick.” Pretty soon we passed squads of +cavalry posted along the road, that didn’t seem to be doing anything in +particular. In those days the cavalry was not what it came to be under +Sheridan.</p> + +<p>Further on we came to fragments of infantry that showed they had been +where war was in practice. Many wounded were about, and disabled +artillery was numerous. Before us was a piece of heavy woods; just +before entering it on the right, was a long, story-and-a-half building, +that was I think, but I am not certain, a tavern. About this building +were many wounded—very likely it was in use as a hospital.</p> + +<p>The regiment entered the woods on the double quick. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> road was arched +over head by the meeting of the outstretching limbs. As darkness was +coming on, it looked like entering a tunnel. Men, singly and in squads, +were making their way to the rear, some sound and whole, but many with +wounds. As we met these men we were greeted with statements, prophecy +and advice. I remember hearing, “This is a tough one.” “You’ll catch +hell, if you go in there!” “You’d better dump those knapsacks, you’ll +not want them at the front!” I had made up my mind to that effect, and +was putting my hand back to unhook the knapsack strap when Isaac Plumb +came up to me and asked what I was going to do. I replied that I was +going into the fight without incumbrances. I was impressed with the +belief that we were to have a desperate struggle, and, I think, I never +felt more like it than I did at this time. I pitched the knapsack to one +side, and Plumb did likewise.</p> + +<p>I think our regiment had on the field about two hundred men divided for +working purposes into four companies. One of these field companies of +some fifty men, under Captains Mount and Broady, were not with us. They +had been detached and sent off on some special work, so that Barlow had, +I judge, one hundred and fifty men. The first company was commanded by +Captain Wm. H. Spencer. He was when he enlisted in Broady’s company, a +student in the freshman class of Madison University. He was appointed +orderly sergeant of Company C., and retained that place until his +promotion to a lieutenancy in Deming’s Company I. On the death of +Captain Brooks he was made captain of <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'company'">Company</ins> G. He was one of the best +officers in the regiment. I was at the head of the regiment as we were +now advancing along this wooded road. Suddenly the head of a column came +in sight and very near to us, and at once the head files of this +regiment sent a volley into our regiment. The effect was to make the +61st fall back on itself, so to speak. Col. Barlow was some ways down +the line, and there was imminent danger of a stampede on our part for a +few seconds. Some of us near enough to the head of the column to take in +the <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'sitution'">situation</ins>, enlightened the other regiment and our men, as to the +facts, and we passed one another without further damage. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> do not know +that anyone was hurt by this unfortunate fire, but there were a number +of close calls. I remember that one man had his canteen shot away, and +others bullets through their clothing.</p> + +<p>The further we advanced the clearer came the sound of battle. As we were +thus pressing on, I well remember Capt. Spencer saying, as he grimly set +his teeth, “Men, we will sell our lives as dearly as possible!” I +believe every man of us regarded it as a desperate adventure.</p> + +<p>Further on we came to a cleared field of considerable size, in which +there were, I believe, one or two small, old buildings, perhaps negro +houses. Just before reaching the open field we turned off to the right +and came in on the right hand side of the field, and lay down behind the +rail fence. While in this situation, a general officer came up and had a +talk with Barlow. From what I heard at the time and have since read, I +am of the opinion it was Gen. Kearney. I heard him say, “Colonel, you +will place your men across that road, and hold it at all cost.” Barlow +replied, “General, you know I have but few men.” “Yes,” he said, “but +they are good ones.” The general, whoever he was, then went off. Barlow +at once ordered the men up, and to advance. The fence was passed, then a +right wheel made, an advance of some rods, and we were near to the edge +of the field and directly across the road. The order was given to lie +down. Shortly after this was executed, a voice came out of the woods in +front of us, and very near by. It was too dark to see anything, but our +ears took in every word of the question asked, “What regiment is that?” +At once an Irishman replied, “Sixty-first New York.” Then came the +command, “Lay down your arms, or I’ll blow every one of you to hell.” +That sentence was scarcely out of his mouth, when Barlow roared, “Up and +at them, men.”</p> + +<p>The command was instantly obeyed. We got in the first volley, and it was +doubtless effective. Some of our wounded left on the ground and captured +next day, reported, when we next saw them, that there was a large number +of dead rebels close up to the line of our field.</p> + +<p>As soon as our volley had been delivered the men of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> own accord +dropped back a rod or two, lined up and went steadily at work. As I have +suggested, it was too dark to see anything within the woods, and, if the +enemy could see anything of us, it was just a line.</p> + +<p>Our fire was at once returned. As soon as our empty muskets could be +loaded the men would take a quick aim at a flash in the woods and let +drive. The enemy did the same. In no battle that I was in, did the +bullets sing about my head as they did here. No doubt this came from the +aim drawn on the flash of my musket. This steady, rapid firing continued +till it ceased from the woods, and we concluded that we were victors.</p> + +<p>Barlow then directed that the sound men take to the rear those alive, +but wounded so that they could not help themselves. A sergeant by the +name of Marshall, as I now remember, was badly wounded through the +thigh. Another man and I attempted to carry him back. I found that my +gun was an obstruction and I laid it down, thinking I could come back +and find it, or some other. We carried our comrade to the rear, where +quite a number were placed, among them Capt. E. M. Deming, who was +suffering from a broken leg. We were close friends, having been together +in the winter of ’60 and ’61 in the Academic Department of Madison +University. I stopped to have a little talk with him, believing that +there was to be no more fighting that night.</p> + +<p>Presently my attention was called to the fact that there was a fresh +lining up of men where we had just fought. It was not so dark but that +the outline of a body of men could be distinguished in the open. At once +the firing from both sides was resumed as brisk as ever. Later on I +learned that a part of the 81st Pa. had come to our aid.</p> + +<p>I was not long in sensing that my position was not military. Some of my +regiment must be in that line, and I was some rods to the rear, and +without a gun. I did not propose to go hunting for a lost gun in that +darkness and under fire. In looking about, I discovered a gun standing +against a tree. I took it, saw that it was loaded, and then conceived +the notion that I might make a flank attack on the rebels by myself. The +line of battle on each side was but a few rods in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> length. Where I stood +the trees were not thick, and I was a little to the right of the firing. +I made an advance movement that brought me nearly up to the line of our +men, but, as I said, to their right. I decided that Providence had + +favored me in providing a good-sized stump just beyond and in the line I +proposed to fire. I brought my gun to an “aim,” waited for a flash from +a Confederate gun, and pulled the trigger. About as soon as could be, +after the flash of my fire, came quite a volley of bullets singing +around my head, from the enemy’s line. I moved closer to my stump for +more complete protection, when to my dismay, I found it to be only a +body of tall grass. I did no more firing from that position, but fell +back in good order.</p> + +<p>The fighting soon ceased and our men retired and took position in the +road in the woods, but near to the open field. We lay down on our arms. +After a while the enemy came up where their wounded were, and we could +hear them call out the regiments to which they belonged as they were +picked up. Finally matters quieted down and most of us went to sleep.</p> + +<p>At the time we called this the battle of Charles City Cross Roads. I +think the accepted name at present is Glendale. This position had been +during the day desperately attacked by the Confederates and heroically +defended by the Federals. If the enemy had succeeded in their purpose +they would have cut off a large section of our army and captured +property of great value. In my account of the fight written at the time +to my people I said, “Barlow got us together in line and found that a +good deal more than half of the men were gone, and pretty much all of +the officers. Captains Deming, Spencer and Moore lost legs, and Angell +was wounded. Lieut. Crawford and Adjutant Gregory were wounded. Col. +Barlow and Lieuts. Keech and Morrison were the only officers with us, +and some of these had very close calls, all of them had bullet holes in +their clothing. Barlow’s horse was killed and Keech’s scabbard was +battered up with one or more bullets. But forty men were together +unharmed at the end of the contest.”</p> + +<p>That my account of this fight may not stand alone as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> stubborn and +desperate one, I will quote from the account of it as found in +Appleton’s Annual of 1862. While it may be obnoxious to the charge of +gushiness, to those who were in this fight, by daylight, or in the +night, I think scarcely anything can appear exaggerated. It is as +follows:</p> + +<p>“The advance of the Confederate force was actively resumed early in the +morning. Generals D. H. Hill, Whiting and Ewell, under the command of +General Jackson, crossed the Chickahominy by the grapevine bridge, and +followed the Federal retreat by the Williamsburg and Savage Station +road. Generals Longstreet, A. P. Hill, Huger and Magruder took the +Charles City road with the intention of cutting off the retreat of the +Federal forces. At the White Oak Swamp the left wing under General +Jackson came up with the Federal force under Generals Franklin and +Sumner, about 11 a. m. They had crossed the stream and burned the bridge +behind them. An artillery fire was opened on both sides, which continued +with great severity and destruction until night. The result of this +battle was to prevent the further advance of the enemy in this +direction, which was the single line of road over which trains had +passed.</p> + +<p>“Late, on the same day, a battle was fought between the forces of Gen. +Heintzelman and the main force of the enemy, which attempted to advance +by the Charles City road to cut off the retreat. This force was led by +Generals Longstreet, A. P. Hill and Huger. The former, however, being +called away, the command devolved on Gen. Hill. As the masses advanced +upon the Federal batteries of heavy guns, they were received with such a +destructive fire of artillery and musketry as threw them into disorder. +Gen. Lee sent all his disposable troops to the rescue, but the Federal +fire was so terrible as to disconsert the coolest veterans. Whole ranks +of the Confederate troops were hurled to the ground. Says an actor in +the conflict: ‘The thunder of cannon, the cracking of musketry from +thousands of combatants, mingled with the screams of the wounded and +dying, were terrific to the ear and to the imagination.’</p> + +<p>“The conflict thus continued within a narrow space for hours, and not a +foot of ground was won by the Confederates.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>“Night was close at hand. The Federal lines were strengthened and the +confidence of the Confederates began to falter. The losses of his +exhausted and wornout troops in attempting to storm the batteries were +terrible. Orders were given to Gen. Jackson to cover the retreat in case +the army should have to fall back, and directions were sent to Richmond +to get all the public property ready for removal. The Federal forces, +perceiving the confusion, began step by step to press forward. The +posture of affairs at this time is thus related by a Confederate +officer: ‘The enemy, noticing our confusion, now advanced, with the cry, +‘Onward to Richmond!’ Many old soldiers who had served in distant +Missouri and on the plains of Arkansas, wept in the bitterness of their +souls like children. Of what avail had it been to us that our best blood +had flowed for six long days? Of what avail all our unceasing and +exhaustless endurance? Everything, everything seemed lost, and a general +depression came over all our hearts. Batteries dashed past in headlong +flight; <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'amunition'">ammunition</ins>, hospital and supply wagons rushed along, and swept +the troops away with them from the battlefield. In vain was the most +frantic exertion, entreaty and self sacrifice of the staff officers! The +troops had lost their foot-hold, and all was over with the Southern +Confederacy!</p> + +<p>“In this moment of desperation Gen. A. P Hill came up with a few +regiments he had managed to rally, but the enemy was continually +pressing nearer and nearer! Louder and louder their shouts and the +watchword, “On to Richmond!” could be heard. Cavalry officers sprang +from their saddles and rushed into the ranks of the infantry regiments +now deprived of their proper officers. Gen. Hill seized the standard of +the 4th North Carolina regiment, which he had formerly commanded and +shouted to the soldiers, “If you will not follow me, I will perish +alone!” Upon this a number of officers dashed forward to cover their +beloved general with their bodies; the soldiers hastily rallied, and the +cry, ‘Lead on, Hill; head your old North Carolina boys!’ rose over the +field.</p> + +<p>“And now Hill charged forward with this mass he had thus worked up to +the wildest enthusiasm. The enemy halted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> when they saw these columns, +in flight a moment before, now advancing to the attack, and Hill burst +upon his late pursuers like a famished lion.</p> + +<p>“A fearful hand to hand conflict now ensued, for there was no time to +load and fire. The ferocity with which this conflict was waged was +incredible. It was useless to beg the exasperated men for quarter; there +was no moderation, no pity, no compassion in that bloody work of bayonet +and knife. The son sank dying at his father’s feet; the father forgot +that he had a child—a dying child; the brother did not see that a +brother was expiring a few paces from him; the friend heard not the last +groan of a friend; all natural ties were dissolved; only one feeling, of +thirst, panted in every bosom—<span class="smcap">Revenge</span>.</p> + +<p>“Here it was that the son of Maj. Peyton, but fifteen years of age, +called to his father for help. A ball had shattered both his legs. ‘When +we have beaten the enemy then I will help you,’ answered Peyton, ‘I have +other sons to lead to glory. Forward!’ But the column had advanced only +a few paces further when the Major himself fell to the earth a corpse. +Prodigies of valor were here performed on both sides. History will ask +in vain for braver soldiers than those who here fought and fell. But of +the demoniac fury of both parties one at a distance can form no idea.</p> + +<p>“Even the wounded, despairing of succor, collecting their last energies +of life, plunged their knives into the bosoms of foemen who lay near +them still breathing.</p> + +<p>“The success of Gen. Hill enabled other generals to once more lead their +disorganized troops back to the fight, and the contest was renewed along +the whole line, and kept up until deep into the night; for everything +depended upon our keeping the enemy at bay, counting too, upon their +exhaustion at last, until fresh troops could arrive to reinforce us. At +length, about half past ten in the evening, the divisions of Magruder, +Wise and Holmes, came up and deployed to the front of our army.”</p> + +<p>As I have suggested, the foregoing quotation is a somewhat florid +account of desperate, prolonged fighting.</p> + +<p>The following account of the 61st’s fight at Glendale is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> taken from the +<i>Portland Daily Press</i>. It is the narration of a leading actor in the +battle, and was given at the annual meeting of the Maine Commandery of +the Loyal Legion held at Riverton, May 3d, 1899.</p> + +<p>“This paper will deal chiefly with my personal experiences as subaltern +and Captain in the Sixty-first N. Y. Volunteers during the first and +last days of June, 1862, in the Peninsular Campaign, Virginia.</p> + +<p>“Omitting the narrative of the regiment’s participation in the battles +of Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage Station and White Oak Swamp, we come +to the battle in which the writer received the wound which crippled him +for life.</p> + +<p>“As we drew near to the battlefield of Glendale, we came to a place +which tried the courage of us all. I shall never forget that scene. The +road ran through an open field which was dotted here and there with dead +and wounded men. There were all the grim tokens of the rear of a +desperate battle, straggling men, cannon without horses and with broken +carriages, battle smoke in the air, and the sound of a gun which was out +of sight in front accompanied by the howl of grape shot. We halted here +a few moments to give the stragglers time to come up, and to give all a +chance to breathe after our exhausting march. Besides the men that were +lying around us wounded, others were coming out of the woods in front +limping and bleeding. They greeted us with such cheering assurances as +“You’ll get enough in there,” “Better throw away them knapsacks, you +won’t want ’em in there.”</p> + +<p>“Before us there was a dark forest of great hemlocks, and I can see yet +the lurid light of the setting sun through the trees and the powder +smoke; and I remember that the question came into my mind, “I wonder if +I shall ever see another setting sun.” I did not, of course, give any +outward sign of such thoughts. I had enough to do to inspire my men with +courage, telling them we must sell our lives at a high price. But I have +heard some of the regiment, who went through many subsequent battles, +say that that was the dismalest battle they ever saw.</p> + +<p>“Down into the narrow road, through the dark hemlocks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> we passed. It was +full of powder smoke, which with the dark foilage, shut out most of the +daylight that remained. There was a solitary gun away off on our right, +whose occasional boom sounded like a knell.</p> + +<p>“We came out of the woods on the right side of a clear field where a +portion of the afternoon battle had raged, and lay down by the side of +the road, conscious that we were in a ticklish place. There was +occasional firing over us into the field, and once in a while a bullet +dropped near us. But this soon ceased and the battlefield, as a whole, +was quiet, and I began to hope that the battle was over. But our colonel +was of another mind. He had reported for orders to Gen. Robinson of +Kearney’s division. The twilight was deepening and the stars were out, +when the order came, “Get up men, <span class="smcap">Steady Now, Forward</span>, March!” Every man +sprang to his feet. Quickly we were over the fence with bayonets at a +charge, and when we were well in the field the regiment made a half +right wheel towards a piece of woods on the other side. I was neither +depressed nor elated, but it was a relief to be in motion with my +company. I was simply in the line of duty, responsible for myself and my +company. I remember how finely the regiment marched across that field +through the shadows and the smoke to unknown horrors beyond. We advanced +to within two or three rods of the woods and lay down. It was too dark +by this time for us to see whether the woods were occupied or not, but +after a brief interval we learned all about it. While we were all on the +qui vive, wondering what would come next, a voice broke forth from the +woods clear and distinct, “What regiment is that?” Every heart stood +still. Who would answer? And what would he say? To my astonishment and +dismay one of our men piped out, “Sixty-first New York.” Then came the +blustering reply, “Lay down your arms, or I’ll blow you all to hell.” +Instantly we were on our feet, and by the time the orator in the woods +had finished speaking his little piece our men had poured in a volley +before they were ready for us. This must have seriously damaged them, +for their return volley was lighter than I expected. There was nothing +for us to do however, but to fall back a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> few rods, loading and firing. +We soon halted however, and settled down to the grim game of give and +take in the growing darkness. The flashes of their muskets were all that +our men had to guide their aim. It was dismal business. Our line grew +thinner, and I noticed that my company was melting away before me. +Anxious to hurt somebody I drew my revolver and emptied one barrel into +the woods, but then considered that I might want the rest for closer +work before we got through, and put it up again. Soon I felt a smarting +pain in my left knee and sat down a few paces apart to see what made it. +Finding it only a buckshot I hastened back to my company, but it took +that buckshot wound six weeks to heal. It seems to me now as if I had +not been back with my company more than a minute when crash came a blow +on my right leg, just above the knee, like the blow of a huge club. +There was no mistaking that. I dropped because I had to, and I lay flat +on my back so as to avoid other bullets, and waited for further +developments. Those were solemn moments for me, and yet not so terrible +as one might suppose. They were not at all dreadful. I was just waiting +to see if I was going to die from loss of blood, not knowing but an +artery was severed. I distinctly remember thinking that I would hardly +turn my hand over for the choice, whether to rise presently to a new +heavenly home, or to struggle back through unknown sufferings to my old +earthly home. But after a few moments the instinctive desire to live in +the body prevailed. I saw that I was not going to bleed to death, so I +called a couple of men to carry me back to the road away from the firing +line. In doing this, one of them put his arms under my knees, and the +pain in the wound soon became so frightful that I begged them to lay me +down and let me die. They carried me to the road however, a short +distance, and there left me.</p> + +<p>“So there I lay on my back, looking up to the quiet stars and listening +to the combat which was still going on. This is a narrative of personal +experiences and feelings, designed for family use, and so it is in order +for me to tell how I felt as I lay there. It might be expected that I +should say that I was longing to be back in the fight impatient to be +leading<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> my brave men up to the muzzles of the enemy’s muskets. But if I +were to say so I would lie. As I lay there, I was not all smitten by a +fit of the heroics nor anything of that kind. I was tired, almost +exhausted by the exertion and excitement of the day, two days in fact. +And it felt fine to just lie still there and rest. As long as I kept +still my wound did not pain me much. I hated bullets and had no <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'appetiate'">appetite</ins> +for glory or promotion, and it was a relief to lie there out of range of +the detestable mines. Moreover, I had full confidence that my men would +give a good account of themselves, whether I was with them or not. There +was satisfaction too, in feeling that I was through, that I had kept in +the line of duty until I was shot and disabled, and that I had given to +my country all that she asked of me in the shooting line of endeavor, +and could now take up life again on a new basis. To be sure there were +some chances against my getting safe home again, but I had a cheerful +confidence that I should be able to pull through somehow. I have often +been amused while thinking of my feelings as I lay there across the +middle of the road. The prevailing sensation was one of relief. I was no +cow-boy or rough-rider. I was just an ordinary patriot and student, +ready to bleed and die if need be for my country, but never spoiling for +a fight. And I know that many of my bravest comrades were made of the +same stuff.</p> + +<p>“My greatest want just then was water, and that I couldn’t get it until a +rebel supplied me next morning. Even when our regiment came back to the +road where I lay, or what was left of it, no one could get a drop for +me. Colonel Barlow came to me after the fighting was over, and showed +all the tenderness of a brother, letting me see a side of his nature +that I had never known anything about before. He deplored the fact that +there was no way by which he could have me carried off and kept within +our lines. And so, after having me moved to the side of the road, and +after my friends had come and talked with me and bade me good-bye, that +splendid little regiment marched away about two o’clock in the morning, +and left me to reach home, nearly dead, after about twenty-four days, by +the way of Libby prison.</p> + +<p>“The Sixty-first New York left about one-third of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> number dead or +wounded on that field, including six out of its nine officers, of whom +three lost one leg each, and one of them died in Libby prison. Only a +month of fighting and its numbers were reduced from 432 to about 150.</p> + +<p>“Dropping now the personal narrative, let us in the briefest sketch, +follow that plucky little regiment under its peerless commanders.</p> + +<p>“See them the very next day at Malvern Hill, again enduring the pounding +of artillery until nearly night, and again in open field engaging the +enemy under cover of the woods until they had fired 90 rounds per man +and were all ready to charge with bayonets if required.</p> + +<p>“See them at Antietam, with the ranks replenished from the hospital and +recruiting offices, under the cool and skilful leading of their colonel, +getting advantage of a whole rebel brigade where there was a deep cut in +the road, and, after slaughtering many of them, actually capturing about +three hundred prisoners, more than they themselves numbered. There they +lost their intrepid colonel, Barlow, by a desperate wound and subsequent +promotion.</p> + +<p>“But he was succeeded by a soldier equally brave and gallant, Lieut. +Colonel Nelson A. Miles, who in the battle of Fredericksburg led them to +the useless slaughter at the foot of Marye’s Heights, until a bloody +wound in his neck spared the regiment a desperate attempt to get a +little nearer than other regiments to the invincible lines of the enemy.</p> + +<p>“See them at Chancellorsville, with Miles again leading in a brilliant +fight on the skirmish line.</p> + +<p>“See the devoted little company in the Wheat Field at Gettysburg, hardly +a company all told now—only 93—baring their breasts to the storm of +Confederate bullets and leaving 62 of their number, two-thirds, among +the killed and wounded.</p> + +<p>“Nearly a year later, after 600 recruits had made it nearly a new +regiment, see it keeping up its old reputation for hard fighting in the +Wilderness campaign, losing 36 at Corbin’s Bridge and 13 at Po River, +and then at the famous Bloody Angle at Spottsylvania, having a place of +honor and peril in one of the two leading brigades which scaled the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +rebel works and took between three and four thousand prisoners. Then see +them at Cold Harbor sacrificing 22 of their number in a bloody repulse +in that useless slaughter.</p> + +<p>“In the siege of Petersburg see them in repeated engagements. At Ream’s +Station, when one regiment after another of recruits gave way, Walker +tells us that Gen. Miles, commanding a division, ‘calling up a portion +of his own old regiment the Sixty-first New York which still remained +firm, threw it across the breastworks, at right angles, and commenced to +fight his way back, leading the regiment in person. Only a few score of +men—perhaps 200 in all—stood by him; but with these he made ground, +step by step, until he had retaken Dauchey’s battery, and had recaptured +a considerable portion of the line, actually driving the enemy into the +railroad cut.’</p> + +<p>“At last at Farmsville, only a day before the end of the struggle, this +regiment sealed its devotion to the flag by the loss of four killed, +including one captain, and twelve wounded.</p> + +<p>“In the round up of Lee’s army culminating at Appomatax, two divisions +of the corps were commanded by Sixty-first men. Barlow commanded one and +Miles the other, and between them they fought the last infantry battle +of the Army of the Potomac.”</p> + +<p>“In Colonel Fox’s admirable analysis of the Regimental Losses during the +Civil war, he shows that the Sixty-first New York came very near having +a place among the forty-five regiments that lost over two hundred men, +killed or mortally wounded in action during the war. Its actual loss was +193, including 16 officers. He says: ‘The Sixty-first had the good +fortune and honor to be commanded by men who proved to be among the +ablest soldiers of the war. They made brilliant records as colonels of +this regiment, and, being promoted, achieved a national reputation as +division generals. The Sixty-first saw an unusual amount of active +service and hard fighting. It served through the war in a division that +was commanded successively by Generals Richardson, (killed at Antietam), +Hancock, Caldwell, Barlow and Miles, and any regiment that followed the +fortunes of these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> men was sure to find plenty of bloody work cut out +for it.”</p> + +<p>In the place we were marched to we lay down. Very soon the fifty men +under Captains Broady and Mount, who had been detached, joined the forty +or so of us making all told a fighting force of from ninety to one +hundred men. Most, if not all the men, except those on guard, went to +sleep.</p> + +<p>About two o’clock a. m. of July 1st, we were quietly awakened and +cautioned to make no noise. The order to move was whispered and we +started silently.</p> + +<p>A good part of our way was over a road through the woods. No artillery +or wagon trains were in the way, and we shoved along at a good pace. +Most of the canteens were empty before the last battle, and now the men +were suffering for water nearly as much as it was possible for them to. +I do not know of any of our troops following us, and it is my belief +that we were the last of the Army of the Potomac to go over this road, +as we were, the following December to cross the pontoon bridge at +Fredericksburg.</p> + +<p>I suppose we made a march of from three to five miles, when we came into +open country, not far from three o’clock a. m. The light was just +beginning to show in the East. We did not know the locality or the name +of the place if it had one. We saw that a part of our army at least was +massed here. Later on we came to know that it was Malvern Hill, where a +great battle was soon to be fought. I am glad we did not know it before +it came. In our ignorance, we assumed that now the fighting was over for +a time, and we would be given a chance to recuperate after the strain of +the past week. As soon as arms were stacked details for water gathered +the dry canteens and went in search of the much needed fluid. Those who +could, stretched out on Mother Earth for another nap.</p> + +<p>As soon as the sun was up the men stirred themselves, made coffee and +ate such food as they had in their haversacks—hard bread, and boiled +salt pork, or beef. At such times the soldier’s menu is not elaborate, +and he is satisfied if there is enough of it to prevent the pangs of +hunger.</p> + +<p>We were occupying an open field with other troops of our corps, without +protection from the broiling sun. The intense<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> heat was not as bad as a +battle, but some of our men were used up by it. I think it must have +been in the neighborhood of 10 a. m. when some of our men spoke out: +‘There’s the reb’s planting a battery.’ Every eye was turned in the +direction indicated. It was plain to be seen that artillery was being +placed, but, at the distance, I could not distinguish the uniforms, and +I declared that they were our men. My wisdom did not have long to +maintain itself, for in a short time shells were dropping in on us in a +way no friend would shoot.</p> + +<p>Now preparations were rapidly going on for a great battle—the last of +an historic series. Ammunition was being distributed to the infantry, +boxes of cartridges were brought to us and opened while we were standing +this shelling. Capt. Broady superintended the distribution. Every man +filled his cartouch, and then Broady made us take from forty to sixty +rounds in the haversacks. He declared as he went up and down the lines, +when some of the men grumbled at the quantity, ‘Men, you may be glad to +have them before you get more.’ After a while our batteries silenced the +guns that had been making it disagreeable for us.</p> + +<p>While we were in this place a matter transpired that has left an +unfading impression on my mind. A member of our regiment, who had been +much of the time detailed, and had acted as hostler for some of the +field officers, but was now with his company, came up to Colonel Barlow +with a woe-begone countenance and told him that he was sick and not able +to be in the ranks, and said that the doctor thought he ought to be +permitted to go to the rear. No doubt Barlow had noted the use this man +had been put to, and, where he believed a soldier was managing to escape +danger and find a soft place, he always endeavored to make it as +unpleasant for that man as possible. The Colonel was not in an amiable +frame of mind. He was on foot, old “Billy” had been killed the night +before, and he felt like having a dialogue with someone. He asked this +man some questions which satisfied him he was a coward. His wrath broke +out vehemently. He cursed and swore at him and called him a variety of +unpleasant and detestable things and then he began to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> punch him with +his fist wherever he could hit. Finally he partly turned him around, and +gave him a hearty kick in the stern and said: “Damn you, get away from +here! You’re not fit to be with my brave men.” The fellow departed as +fast as his short legs would carry him. I knew of no other man +presenting an excuse or asking for leave of absence that day. I believe +every man of us preferred to meet the rebels rather than the vocal scorn +and denunciation of Barlow. I believe he did not know what personal, +bodily fear was, and he had no consideration for a coward.</p> + +<p>I met Barlow in New York in LaFayette Post Room, at the time Sixty-first +Regimental <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'asociation'">association</ins> was formed. I made this remark to him: “I never +went into a battle without an effort of my will, and always expected to +be wounded or killed.” He said in his quiet way, “I never felt so, I +never had an impression that I was to be hurt.” In the address at +Hamilton, N. Y., in 1897, before referred to, Gen. Howard said that Gen. +Barlow was one the bravest and coolest men he ever saw in battle.</p> + +<p>After a while our brigade was moved forward and about half way up a rise +of ground—it was hardly a hill—at the top of which were an old house +and barn. We were ordered to lie down in support of a battery in front +that was doing a lively business. I remember that before getting down I +spread my rubber blanket to lie on. The fragments of the exploded shells +came showering down upon and about us, presently a chunk large enough to +have laid me out a harmless corpse came tearing through my blanket, but +in a spot not covered by my body. Every now and then along the +supporting line a man was knocked out. It was at this time that Ralph +Haskell, a Hamilton boy, and another lying beside him had their brains +knocked out by these shell fragments. They were but a few feet from me +and I saw the whole bloody business.</p> + +<p>About this time a remarkable freak was perpetrated on the body of Capt. +Broady. He was standing, when in an instant he was thrown to the ground +with great force, and he lay there quivering as if life were the same as +extinct. Col. Barlow saw him fall and ordered his body taken to the +rear.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> This was done by a number of men, who remained by the body to +observe the passing of the last breath, when to their <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'supprise'">surprise</ins> the +captain opened his eyes and, with his slightly <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Sweedish'">Swedish</ins> brogue, inquired +if he was much hurt. The men replied, “Why yes, you’re all knocked to +pieces.” The captain wiggled about some and then asked, “How do you know +men, do you see the blood run?” They had to answer “No.” By this time +his consciousness had fully returned. He directed the men to help him +onto his feet and soon came back with his old-fashioned nippy gait. +Barlow had regarded him as ticketed for the “happy hunting ground” and +when he saw him walking back to the line, he was quite surprised. He +looked him over for a moment, and then said to his regiment, “Men, give +Capt. Broady three cheers, he’s a brave man.” This we did with a will. +When we got to a place where an examination could be had, it was found +that Broady had been so struck by a piece of shell that it went through +his overcoat, and then rotated in such a manner as to cut the tails off +from his dress coat, so that, after we got to Harrison’s Landing the +captain went about dressed in that frock coat with the skirts cut off. +In other words he was supporting a jacket.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this episode we were ordered forward up the slope to the +level ground and where the before mentioned old house and barn were. We +again lay down. The enemy were shelling these buildings at a terrific +rate, the rattle and crash of the shells into that woodwork made the +hair fairly stand on end. As we first lay down, it was found best to +have the men face about. This was done without getting up and +countermarching, but by facing around and bringing the rear into the +front rank. The officers crawled back as best they could, and the +<ins class="correction" title="original reads 'sergents'">sergeants</ins> did the same. I was making my way to the rear when one of the +officers turned up his head and said to me, “Where in the devil are you +trying to get to?” The tone indicated that he thought I was trying to +sneak off. This made me mad, and I snarled out, “I’m trying to get into +my place. If you think I’m afraid, I’ll go to the front as far as you +dare to!” Within the following year this officer came to know me well, +and had, I believe, confidence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> that I would not seek to avoid a place +of danger.</p> + +<p>After a time this artillery attack on our position ceased, and we were +ordered forward to the brow of the hill on the other side. Here we had +planted the greatest continuous row of cannon I ever saw set for work in +a battle. I would not be surprised to have it said by authority that +fifty of them crowned the brow of this elevation. Our position was +immediately on the right flank of this line of guns.</p> + +<p>The Seventh New York, a German regiment, was formed on the left of the +Sixty-first N. Y., and in the rear of the artillery as a support. This +German regiment joined our brigade after the battle of Fair Oaks. It +came to us from Fortress Monroe, about one thousand strong under Col. +VanShack. He had, I believe, served in the German army and was a fine +appearing officer, but a full blooded German organization was not, in +this country in those days, on a par with “Yankee” troops. A sprinkling +of Dutchmen was all right. We had in the Sixty-first Germans and +Dutchmen, who were the peers as soldiers, of any in the regiment, but +this Seventh regiment when it went into action jabbered and talked Dutch +to exceed in volubility any female sewing society ever assembled. As +they came up and got into position the volume of jabber almost overcame +the rattle of musketry and the roar of artillery. I am certain their +conduct did not favorably impress our men. If the German Emperor’s army +is not made of grimmer stuff than I saw exhibited in pure German +regiments in our army, I would not fear the result in matching them with +Americans from the North or the South.</p> + +<p>It was said, and I suppose it was so, that in front of us was Magruder +and the story was current that he had served his men with gun-powder and +whiskey. Many stories are on the wind at such times that are no nearer +the truth than lies. I do not believe the rank and file very often had +their courage braced up with whiskey.</p> + +<p>The battle of Malvern Hill was a splendid fight for our side, and I +firmly believe if we had been commanded by a brave and confident man +like Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas or by some of the corps commanders +of the Potomac<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> Army, Gen. Lee might have been pushed at least into the +defences of Richmond. But McClellan was on the James protecting the gun +boats, and composing a scolding letter to the president—probably.</p> + +<p>From our position on the brow of the hill, it was open ground for a +distance and gently sloped off to the woods. Time after time the enemy +formed for the purpose of making a charge on us, but no sooner did they +appear than this immense line of artillery opened fire, which no troops +in the world could withstand. In aid of the artillery fire, the infantry +posted so as to have a chance, poured in volley after volley. Col. +Barlow practiced here that which I never saw before or after in +battle—volley firing by ranks. Then he changed it to firing by files +and then to firing at will which is as often as you please. This +tremendous storm of missiles held the confederates at bay. They did in a +feeble way reply to our fire, and we lost in killed and a large number +wounded. At times our firing was so rapid that the gun barrels became +heated to the point that they could not be grasped and the men held +their guns by the sling strap. I had some personal experiences in this +battle that were unique in my service. Our muskets were the Enfield +rifle, an English gun, much like the Springfield. They were, of course, +muzzle loaders, breech loaders then were the exception. The Minnie +bullet had no device for cleaning out the barrel, and after a dozen +shots it would become foul, and often it was difficult to ram the bullet +home. After I had fired my gun a number of times, in attempting to load, +the bullet lodged half way down. I made desperate efforts to send it +home but to no purpose. I found a stone large enough to pound on the end +of the ramrod, but the only effect seemed to be to set it the snugger. +It was the wrong place to hesitate in. I capped the tube, drew up the +gun and pulled the trigger expecting an explosion. The kick was strong +but I did not discover any damage to the gun—doubtless the barrel was +injured. I picked up another gun left by some dead or wounded man and +resumed my work. After exhausting the cartridges in my cartridge box, I +had my hand in my haversack for a fresh package, when I felt myself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +severely hurt in the arm. The sensation was, it seemed to me, as if a +red hot rod had been run over it. I supposed I was badly damaged and +brought up my arm so as to examine it in the growing darkness. I found +that a bullet had taken the skin off from my wrist, a piece as large as +a cent, and only to the depth to allow the blood to slowly ooze through. +The momentary hurt of this slight flesh, or skin wound was more severe +than I experienced a year later when the bones of my leg and arm were +shot through. The next day on the march to Harrison’s Landing, where we +halted long enough for lunch, I discovered that this bullet had gone +through my haversack, cutting off a piece of the rim of my tin plate, +and, in its passage had <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'journed'">journeyed</ins> through my bags of coffee and sugar +and had compounded them considerably.</p> + +<p>In this fight George Joyce of Co. C was seriously wounded through the +arm, so that he was obliged to go to the hospital. He was a singular +person—small in stature, illiterate, and until he became known for what +he was, regarded by all as a braggadocio. I do not remember that his +remarkable qualities were observed until the night before at Glendale. +It was during the second attack, while I was off on my flank movement, +that Barlow ordered the men further forward. A man spoke out, “We will +follow the colors.” Joyce had them, or took them as a volunteer—as he +was but a private—went to the front with them, jabbed the staff into +the ground and said, “There’s your colors! Come up to them!” and the men +obeyed. For this act Barlow complimented Joyce, and then and there +promoted him to an orderly sergeancy <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'in in'">in</ins> another company. I shall mention +Joyce again, when he next appeared with the regiment at Fredericksburg.</p> + +<p>The fighting was prolonged until late into the evening, and the usual +amount of ammunition taken into the battle was exhausted before we left +the field. I remember Barlow’s saying, “If the enemy make another +attack, we will meet them with the cold steel.”</p> + +<p>Gradually things quieted, and about 12 o’clock we fell back a few rods +and lay down on our arms. We were not disturbed till daylight, when we +could see that the retreat movement was still in progress.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>Finally we took our turn in the march. We had not gone far when one of +the men came to me and said that our flag was back where we had rested +after the fight, and he asked if he had better go back for it. I said to +him, “By all means get the flag!” He did as requested, and that same +bunting waved on a good many hard fought fields afterward. I do not +know, but presume that this flag was finally replaced by another. It +was, even then, much delapidated, and at Antietam it was mercilessly +pierced and torn. The road we finally reached, for Harrison’s Landing +soon entered a narrow place between two bluffs. Two or three columns +were using the road and when they came to this sort of gorge it became +almost a jam. I remember hearing a few guns fired at this time, and the +effect on the men was to cause them to crowd faster to the rear. At the +time it came to my mind with painful force, “If the rebels should attack +us with a brave, fresh division, they would stampede us.” From what I +have since read, I think each army considered itself whipped and was +glad to get into a place of safety!</p> + +<p>At all events, we were not further molested in our march to Harrison’s +Landing. We reached the place about noon and went into camp. The James +River, from ten miles below Richmond down to Bermuda Hundred, is about +as tortuous as a river ever runs. At that point it widens out, a +distance of from one to two miles; much of that space is, of course, +shallow water.</p> + +<p>The next day the enemy run down a battery or two, on the south side of +the river, and gave us a lively shelling. Our division general, +Richardson, wanted to change the location of some of us, and became very +impatient at the slow movements of the men. He roared out: “<i>Make haste, +men! make haste! every minute is an hour!</i>” and the men hustled at a +livelier gait.</p> + +<p>Richardson steadily grew in the esteem of his men. The story had got +noised about that while we lay in camp just before Fair Oaks, a loafer +about his headquarters addressed insulting language to a woman who was +employed in doing certain domestic work and who followed up the army. +The general heard the vile talk of the fellow from his tent. He hastily +made his appearance, and, in words expressed his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> disapproval of such +conduct, and, in acts he kicked the offender a number of times with such +power as to raise him at every kick a number of feet into the air, and +then sent him to his regiment. That offence was not again committed at +those headquarters.</p> + +<p>In a few days the army was in position at Harrison’s Landing. The James +at this point bends in slightly on the North bank and is very wide. A +line of breastworks was thrown up surrounding the encampment. I presume +the place was made secure against any attack from the enemy. As +McClellan was an engineer officer, he was, doubtless, good for +entrenchments, if for nothing else.</p> + +<p>On the Fourth of July President Lincoln came to us and we were reviewed +by him and the commander of the army. Mr. Lincoln was dressed in black +clothes and wore a silk hat. That hat on the top of his six feet four +made him a very tall man. Recently the newspapers have published a story +purporting to have been told by Gen. Lew Wallace, to this effect: He was +one day at the White House. It was just after the Army of the Potomac +had got to its new base. The president was so obviously sad and cast +down that the general ventured to remark upon it. The president took him +across the room where no one could hear what he said and there told him +that in an hour he was to start for the Army of the Potomac to prevent +its commander from surrendering it to Lee. While I think McClellan was a +fearful incompetent, I am slow to believe, if the above ever took place, +that Mr. Lincoln had good grounds for his belief. In those early years +of the war, no doubt, much was reported that, later, would not be +listened to. Whatever may have been the moving cause, the president was +with us that day, and we cheered his presence to the echo.</p> + +<p>During the weeks we were here encamped, we went to the James for +occasional bathing, but we did not have facilities for washing our +clothes in boiling water. The result was that we were all well stocked +with body lice. The men generally were diligent in picking off and +destroying the lives of these little animals by pressure between the +thumb nails. The slaughter of all in view one day, left enough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> back in +concealment so that the next day’s hunt was always rewarded by abundant +captures.</p> + +<p>The only time I was excused from duty while in the service on account of +sickness was while we were in camp here. One day I took a company of +sick to the doctor. I staid by till he had passed out the last dose. We +had three remedies, one of which would hit any possible case. They were +opium pills, castor oil and quinine. The pills cured all bowel troubles; +castor oil lubricated and opened up the internal functions, and quinine +cured everything else. I remarked to the doctor that I would rather like +to experience the sensation of being excused from duty and placed on the +sick list for one day. Nothing in particular was doing, so the obliging +surgeon said, “All right, you may go to your quarters sick and be +excused from duty for one day.” I am now glad to say, that was the first +and last time I was ever so favored.</p> + +<p>In this camp I was subjected to discipline by Col. Barlow. The evening +before, on dress parade, I was named to take charge of a police detail +from the Sixty-first, which was to report at brigade headquarters the +next morning at five o’clock. I had slept but little during the night. +Toward morning I fell into a drowse, and was awakened out of it by the +reveille. I hurried out of my tent and was getting my detail together, +hoping that the colonel would not notice my tardiness. I got to the +place of rendezvous the first of any one in the brigade, and had to wait +for an hour before a start was made. Our party worked through the +forenoon, picking up all litter, looking after sinks, burying dead +animals and doing whatever came in view to make our section of the +country sanitary and look tidy. This performed we returned to our +respective regiments. Having dismissed my detail, I was going to my tent +when Sergeant Major Greig sang out, “Sergeant Fuller, the colonel says +you may consider yourself under arrest, and you will confine yourself to +your tent.” I knew of course the reason for this. I stayed within for a +couple of days, and then wrote a statement of the case and got a drummer +to take it to the colonel. It came right back with an endorsement that +if I had any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> communication to make, it could be done through the +regular channel. I then sent the paper to Lieut. Keech and he forwarded +it to the colonel. In a few moments I received from him a line that I +was relieved from arrest and could resume my duties. These disciplinary +matters were needful to keep the men up to their duties, and the +organization instructed, and in working order.</p> + +<p>One evening Barlow took the regiment and started for the front. We +passed our intrenchments, and, it was said, we marched in the direction +of Malvern Hill. We advanced a number of miles, discovered no <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'eneny'">enemy</ins> and +returned to camp before morning.</p> + +<p>About the eighth of August signs appeared that a change was coming. The +<ins class="correction" title="original reads 'seige'">siege</ins> guns were withdrawn and shipped, as were the heavier camp equipage +and extra baggage. Aug. 16th about noon we broke camp and moved out, we +did not know where to, nor where for. It proved to be a march down the +peninsula. The first day out we made but about four miles, and halted +near a corn field. The corn was fit for roasting and the men had a +feast. I suppose the strict rules of McClellan’s army, probably, were +violated as there was some foraging done.</p> + +<p>August 17th we made twelve miles, and passed Charles City Court House. +Inexcusable vandalism was here committed. The books and records of the +county seat were scattered about in profusion. Many documents two +hundred years old were passed about, and there were those with +Washington’s signature. We crossed the Chickahomony, I was told, near +its junction with the James, on a pontoon bridge, I should think +one-eighth of a mile in length. It was the longest stretch of bridge of +the kind I ever saw.</p> + +<p>The road we took on this march was not the one by which we went up, on +our way to the Richmond we did not see until about three years after. +The country does not vary much from prairie level. The soil is light, +with no stone in it to speak of. In a dry time, with considerable travel +it powders up so that in going through it the dust rises in almost solid +columns. A good part of the Potomac army, horse, artillery, foot and +baggage trains, had preceded us. This made the dust as deep as it could +be. Much of the road was through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> forests. I well remember this march +from the dust experience. It exceeded anything I ever heard of. We would +march for long distances when a man could not see his file leader—the +dust so filled the air as to prevent seeing. Of course, the men had to +breath this air. The nostrils would become plugged with the dust so +<ins class="correction" title="original reads 'moistend'">moistened</ins> as to make slugs. Every now and then the men would fire them +out of their noses almost as forcibly as a boy snaps a marble from his +fingers. I remember having serious forbodings that taking in such +quantities of road dirt would cause lasting injury. I do not know that +my apprehensions of evil from this cause were ever realized. I suppose +the dust that got into the lungs worked out in some way.</p> + +<p>Aug. 19th we passed through Williamsburg, the site of William’s and +Mary’s College and the capital of the colony in the days when Patrick +Henry told the House of Delegates that, “Caesar had his Brutus, Charles +the First his Cromwell, and George the third—might profit by their +example.” At this time the place was very delapidated. As I remember +there was but one good looking house. The place had been well fortified +against our approach as we were going up in May.</p> + +<p>Aug. 20th we reached Yorktown and went into camp on the same piece of +ground we had used about three months before. Those three months had +wrought great changes in our circumstances as a regiment and an army. +“We had met the enemy” and he was <span class="smcap">Not</span> ours. After stacking arms I +wandered around and in so doing came across a quantity of split peas, +which doubtless had been left by our army on the upward march. With +others I concluded to try a change of diet and prepare a banquet for +mastication that evening. I took enough of the peas to cook my quart cup +full, and patiently sat by the camp fire through the evening looking +after the cooking. It was quite late when they were boiled tender. I was +hungry from the waiting, they touched the spot in the way of relishing, +and, in a brief time the bottom of that old quart cup was bare. The +prevailing complaint with the men was diarrhoea, and I was one of the +prevalents, so to speak. This was not hygenic food for such a case, and, +without further words, I was not very well the remainder of the night. +The weather had been hot for that latitude. The next morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> it was +like the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar—several times hotter than it had +been. I felt more like being petted by a nurse than to shoulder my traps +and tramp. I could hardly stand, but to go was a necessity. We made that +day a march of twenty miles, I think. Not being able to step out +squarely, but rather drag and shuffle along, I began to chafe badly, +which made the marching very painful. I kept up with the boys till +towards the close of day and about a mile from where camp was made, when +I grew dizzy. I saw all sorts of colors. I staggered out one side and +went down like a bundle of old clothes. I lay there in semi-consciousness, +until the rear guard came along, when I was accosted with the question, +“What are you here for?” I said I couldn’t go another step. “Well, but +you must. Come, get up, or we’ll prick you.” I made the effort under +this pressure, and did work my way over that mile to where the regiment +had stacked arms. This was the first and only time I ever failed to be +present with the regiment when it stacked arms and I was with it.</p> + +<p>On this occasion whiskey had been issued. The first time since it had +been given us when stationed behind the breastworks at Fair Oaks. Some +one of my friends had saved for me my ration and it was a big one. I +should think there was nearly a tumbler full of it, and it was the +rankest, rottenest whiskey I ever saw, smelled or tasted. My legs were +raw and bloody from the chafing, and I was sick all over. I divided my +whiskey into two equal parts, one half I used on the raw flesh, and it +took hold like live coals. This done I nerved myself to drink the +balance, and, by an effort, kept it down. I rolled up in my blanket, +went to sleep, and so remained till roll call next morning. When I +stirred I was somewhat sore and stiff, but was essentially well, and +made that day’s march as easily as I ever did. During this day’s march +we had one of the hardest showers I was ever out in. In a short time +every rag on the men was drenched. Shortly after the sun came out and +before halting the heat of the sun and bodies had dried everyone, and we +felt as though we had been washed and ironed—thoroughly laundered. This +day’s march brought us to Newport News, where shipping was at anchor to +transport us somewhere.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>We took a steamer which headed for the Potomac. During the time since we +left Harrison’s Landing Lee had cut across the country and was making it +warm for Gen. Pope in the Shenandoah. The army of the Potomac, in place +of following in the rear of Lee, made its slow way down the peninsula, +and then shipped up the Chesapeak and Potomac, unloading at Aquia Creek, +Alexandria, etc.</p> + +<p>On the 27th of August, at about two p. m., our steamer stopped at Aquia +Creek landing. We went ashore and marched inland some five or six miles +and went into camp. Here we heard artillery firing. No doubt from some +one of the numerous conflicts Pope was then having.</p> + +<p>About ten p. m. orders were given to “fall in.” We returned to the +Landing, took our steamer, and proceeded up the river to Alexandria. +Here we again went ashore, and were marched out to the grounds of Camp +California, the same spot we had wintered on. We remained in this camp +till about 6. p. m. of the 29th of August, when we marched and went into +camp near Arlington. Here we remained till about three p. m. next day, +when hurried orders were received to march with nothing but guns and +ammunition. Our shelter tents were left standing, and our blankets in +them, but the men had hungered and thirsted too much within the last six +months to leave haversacks and canteens. It may be that this order to +take nothing but our arms and cartridges had got distorted in +transmission from headquarters, as it would seem that no general officer +would start men out without food and water. At all events, the men knew +enough to disobey such an order.</p> + +<p>Heavy firing was going on in the direction of Centreville, some twenty +miles away. We had not drawn shoes since setting out on the peninsula +campaign, and the soles of our shoes were worn <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'lamost'">almost</ins> through. This road +to Centreville was full of small round stones and they were hard on our +feet. We stepped out on a rapid march and made very few halts till we +were within sight of the heights of Centerville. Then the column was +halted, and the weary men lay down in the road where they were halted, +and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning we were aroused and met an endless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> stream of men +hurrying to the rear. These were of Pope’s army who the day before had +fought the battle of Second Bull Run. It has always been a mystery to me +why old Sumner and his second corps were not in the fight. Surely from +the time we landed at Aquia Creek on the 27th, there was abundant time +to have gone to Pope. In place of doing that we were lounging around for +about three precious days. Gen. Porter may have been wrongfully +convicted of disobedience to Pope’s orders. Gen. Grant came to be of +that opinion, but I have never seen anything to make me doubt that the, +so to speak, McClellan officers were so disgruntled at the practical +retirement of their “beloved chief” that they gave no cordial support to +Gen. Pope. I never supposed that Edwin V. Sumner was one of them, and I +have always believed that he was ever ready <span class="smcap">To Fight</span> for the Union, +whoever commanded.</p> + +<p>We pushed out beyond the old fortified line held by the enemy the winter +before, and there the Second corps was deployed in line of battle. This +morning there was a steady rain that drenched us. When night came there +were no blankets, and it was cold and the ground soaked. The men lay +down together as closely as they could pack themselves, but it was an +uncomfortable night. Under such hardships men become impatient and +reckless, and prefer a fight to the discomfort. We occupied this ground +next day. Towards night a very hard rain came down, which gave us +another rinsing. We moved back a piece where there were large fresh +brush piles. These we fired and, while they lasted we had comfortable +warmth. Then we lay down on the wet ground and courted sleep. About 9 p. +m. orders were passed along to get up and move. We were all night in +making a very few miles.</p> + +<p>The next morning we learned that we were near Chantilla, where the night +before we had a brush with the enemy in which we sustained a serious +loss in the death of Gen. Philip Kearney. He was one of the men that had +won the reputation of loving the terrors of battle. He had lost an arm +in Mexico, but single handed he would go into a fight, as an eater would +go to a banquet. Kearney was a grandson of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> Judge Watts, who owned land +and had a house in the town of Sherburne, and, in his boyhood days, +Kearney spent some time here with his grandfather.</p> + +<p>We lay in the vicinity of Fairfax Court House through the day. Towards +evening we marched to Hall’s Hill, not far from Chain Bridge. On the way +we got a few shells from the enemy, which hastened our footsteps.</p> + +<p>Sept. 3rd, we crossed Chain Bridge and marched about five miles to +Tanleytown, where we remained until Sept. 5th. At this place our tents, +knapsacks and blankets came to us, and were received with thanks. +Campaigning in August and September in Virginia without shelter and +blankets was a hardship. Such exposure uses up men as speedily as +fighting. While in this camp the men lived “sumptously every day.” It +was but five miles from Washington, and the pie and cake vendors were +out in sufficient numbers to supply all demands.</p> + +<p>On the 5th we were marched about nine miles and camped near Rockville, a +flourishing village in Maryland. Our company was placed on picket. The +next morning I discovered a cow near by, and persuaded her to allow me +to <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'barrow'">borrow</ins> my old quart cup full of her milk. As I drank it I vowed, if +ever I got home, I would make a specialty of drinking fresh milk as long +as I relished it.</p> + +<p>Sept. 6th we marched beyond Rockville about six miles and formed in line +of battle. Batteries were posted and, so far as we knew, there was to be +a fight, but it blew over. Such “scares” are of frequent occurance in a +soldier’s experience. We remained in this place until the 9th, then +marched about six miles and camped. After all was quiet some of my +friends went out, and late returned with a supply of potatoes and +“garden sass.” On the 10th a march of four miles was made. On the 11th +five miles, and we camped at a small place called Clarksvill. Here our +company was detailed as provost guard. We remained at this place through +the day. Someone purchased or <span class="smcap">took</span> a duck. We had a most delicious meal +in the shape of a stew. Potatoes, onions and such like, were boiled with +it, until the whole substance was a tender mush. I know that after that +meal the feasters were almost too full for utterance.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>At this time the little Sixty-first regiment was commanded by Colonel +Barlow and Lieut. Col. Miles. For field purposes the regiment was +divided into three companies. First, the company commanded by Capt. +Angel and Lieut. Keech, in which was my <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'company'">Company</ins> C. (Capt. Broady was at +this time away on sick leave.) Second company was commanded by Capt. +Walter H. Maze and the third by Capt. Geo. D. H. Watts. There were about +35 men to the company. In other words, there were but one hundred and +five muskets for all of these officers to direct. I have often remarked +on what I deemed to be a very idiotic policy pursued by the authorities +of the State of New York at this time, and I have believed that Gov. +Morgan was equally to blame with Seymour. What I refer to is this. When +troops were to be furnished by the State of New York, these governors +would, as I understand it, organize new regiments of raw men, when there +were scores of veteran organizations in the field with the rank and file +greatly depleted. The Sixty-first was not the only skeleton New York +regiment in the field. This regiment always had enough officers to have +commanded in battle five hundred men, and, by experience in battle, they +had come to know how to handle them. It would have been an immense +saving to have filled up and made these weak regiments strong by sending +to them from rendezvous camps recruits by the fifties. The new men would +have rapidly taken up and learned their duties in the field from contact +with the men who had learned what they knew from actual service. Then, +the officers in these old regiments had got weeded out. The cowards and +weaklings had, generally, been discharged, and their places filled by +<span class="smcap">Soldiers</span> who had come from the ranks. I was never informed why this +common sense plan was not adopted. I imagine that the powers were not so +much for the good of the cause, as to make themselves strong politically +throughout the state from the appointment of a great number of officers. +In state politics it was as powerful as in national politics to have the +appointment of a horde of civil and military officers. If a governor was +influenced by such considerations and understood how detrimental to the +country such a course was, morally he was a traitor, and ought to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +suffer the odium of treason committed. Some of the states had the wisdom +and the patriotism to adopt the plan of keeping the regiments at the +front filled up. It was a crying shame to allow Frances C. Barlow to +command a regiment carrying but a little over one hundred muskets. +Someone should have seen to it that the Sixty-first should never have +been long with less than five hundred men in the ranks.</p> + +<p>On the tenth we marched ten miles, passing through Hyattstown. On +Saturday, the 13th, we marched through one of the finest towns I had +seen in the South—Frederick, Md. We camped on the further side of the +town. Sunday we hoped would be a day of rest. In the morning a field of +ripe potatoes was discovered close by, and notwithstanding McClellan’s +savage order against taking anything, in a short time that field had +upon it, almost a man to a hill of potatoes. It did not take long to dig +that field. Our anticipations of a day of rest, with a vegetable diet, +were disappointed. The bugles sounded “Strike tents,” and we were soon +on our way on the road over South Mountain.</p> + +<p>At this time fortune favored “Little Mac.” Gen. Lee’s plan of campaign +fell into his hands, and he was fully informed as to the purposes of the +Confederates. Some generals would have made good use of this important +knowledge, but it did the Union commander but little good. This general +order of Lee directed one of his corps to take Harper’s Ferry. I think +the common sense of most people would have said, “Now you concentrate +your army and fight and destroy Lee’s two-thirds, before he can +concentrate.” If that would have been good strategy, McClellan did not +use it.</p> + +<p>We had an uphill march out of Frederick. Having gained the crest of the +first range of hills, we halted, and our regiment was deployed on a +picket line. While lying about waiting for something to turn up, we +discovered a farm house to the front, and sent several of the men to see +what could be purchased for the table. In a short time they returned +with milk and soft bread. Porter E. Whitney of my company was one of +them, and he expressed his contempt for their simplicity in not charging +more than they did for the amount furnished.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>While we were preparing to cook our foraged potatoes and eat the +provision from the farm house, we noticed the movement of troops in line +of battle moving up the mountain side ahead of us. Batteries went into +position and opened fire, then our men would make a rush, and take and +hold an advance position. Then the artillery would follow, and shell the +enemy from the advanced position. We had a fair view of this battle of +South Mountain, which was regarded as a brilliant affair. It was fought +I believe, under the immediate direction of General Reno, who was here +killed. While we were thus safely viewing this battle, and watching the +potatoes boil, Lieut. Keech made a remark that amused me, and has +remained fresh in my memory. We were just ready to squat around the camp +fire and lay to, when he said, “Well boys, we’ll have one more belly +full anyway.” Just about as he finished that sentence, the order came +“fall in and march.” I took my cup of boiled potatoes and carried them +in it until we halted at the foot of the mountain about 9 o’clock in the +evening, when I ate them in the dark, rolled up in my blanket and went +sweetly to sleep.</p> + +<p>Monday, the 14th, we were up in good season, and started up the +mountain. We advanced in line of battle and frequently halted for the +skirmishers to advance, but we met with no opposition, and soon were on +the top of the ridge. We passed several field hospital stations, where +operations had been performed, and where had been left numerous legs and +arms that had been <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'amutated'">amputated</ins>. These sights are not refreshing to +advancing troops—they make them think too much of what is likely to +happen to any one of them. As we were about to go down the other side of +the mountain, a battery of our flying artillery went by on a canter, and +we followed after them on the “double quick.” Having got down to level +ground we soon passed through Boonsborough. Our brigade was in advance +this day, and we were close on the rear of the enemy and saw the last of +him go over the hill ahead of us. At the time we did not know that we +were on the banks of the—to be—celebrated Antietam. We followed the +Boonsborough road nearly to the river. At this point the shore on our +side was lined by a ridge twenty to thirty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> feet in height. We turned to +the right and deployed part way down the rise of ground back from the +river. At first our light artillery took position in front of us on the +crest of the hill. By the next day these light guns were replaced by +twenty pounders. Most of the time we were in this place artillery firing +was going on between these guns and those of the enemy bearing on them. +But little damage was done to us as the shells of the enemy went over +us. About midnight of this Monday we were aroused and directed to march +with our arms, and to leave everything else but our canteens, and to be +careful to make no noise.</p> + +<p>Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles commanded the expedition. We went through +the fields to the left of the Boonsborough road, then aimed for the +river. When we came to the bank which was high and steep, we worked our +way down to the level of the road, entered it and crossed the bridge, +which was a single arched stone bridge. We then carefully advanced some +distance along the road, met nothing, turned back and made our way into +camp. At the time the boys were confident the enemy had again gone on.</p> + +<p>Tuesday, the 16th, we remained in the same place. There was much firing +by the heavy battery in front of us, which was well replied to. A rebel +shell went through the body of Col. Miles’s horse. After dark we were +moved to the right and near by the ford, which we crossed the next +morning.</p> + +<p>The morning of the 17th opened somewhat hazy. By 8 o’clock the artillery +firing was heavy and Hooker was making his attack on the right. From +where we stood we saw the effect of the artillery. Buildings were set on +fire by our shells, and the air was full from their broken fragments. +While we were in this place a rumor started down the line that we had +been detailed as body guard to McClellan. This comforting statement did +not last long, as, in a little while we were ordered to move. We forded +the river, which in places was a foot deep. On the other side we halted, +took off our shoes and stockings, wrung the loose water out of them, and +put them on again. I cannot, of course, give the direction of our march. +Col. Barlow had under his command, besides his own regiment, the +Sixty-fourth New York, which had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> about two hundred men—giving him a +force of about three hundred and fifty.</p> + +<p>I remember in making our advance through the fields we came to a +depression through which the bullets were flying briskly. It was not a +wide piece and we passed it with lively steps. Now in front of us the +ground rose gradually into quite a hill, and rather to our right the +Irish brigade was deployed and was engaged. We moved up a ways and +formed in line of battle. Where I came a solitary tree was near by. +Quite a way to the front and to our left was a good sized tree heavily +leaved. Out of that tree soon came rifle shots and our men were +beginning to show wounds. Capt. Angell, who was a very good officer had +told his friends that he knew he would be killed in this fight. I was +within a few feet of him when he dropped with a bullet through his head. +Barlow called out for half a dozen good marksmen to clean out that tree. +Among the number to respond to this call was W. H. Brookins of company +G. The boys fired rapidly into the tree and in a brief time two +Confederate gentlemen dropped to the ground, whether dead or alive I do +not know, but we had no more trouble from that source.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the fight of the Irish brigade had come to be very hot. +They were in our plain sight and we could see them drop and their line +thin out. The flags would go down but be caught up, and down again they +would go. This we saw repeated in each regiment a number of times. While +this was going on, Gen. Meagher called out to Barlow, “Colonel! For +God’s sake come and help me!” Barlow replied that he was awaiting +orders, and would come to him as soon as he could. The musketry fire in +front of us had now mostly ceased, in consequence of the destruction of +the Irish brigade. Finally, orders to advance came to us, and we went +forward with a rush, Barlow in the lead, with his sword in the air. We +crossed a fence, and came up a little to the left of the ground just +occupied by the Irishmen. Our appearance renewed the fire of the enemy.</p> + +<p>As we got a view of the situation it was seen that the rebels were in a +sunken road, having sides about four feet in height; this formed for +them a natural barricade. Barlow, with the eye<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> of a military genius +(which he was) at once solved the problem. Instead of halting his men +where Meagher had, he rushed forward half the distance to the rebel +line, halted and at once opened fire. We were so near to the enemy, +that, when they showed their heads to fire, they were liable to be +knocked over. It did not take them long to discover this, and for the +most part, they hugged the hither bank of this sunken road. Barlow +discovered that by moving his men to the left and a little forward he +could rake the position of the Confederates. This he did, and our firing +was resumed with vigor. The result was terrible to the enemy. They could +do us little harm, and we were shooting them like sheep in a pen. If a +bullet missed the mark at the first it was liable to strike the further +bank, and angle back, and take them secondarily, so to speak. In a few +minutes white rags were hoisted along the rebel line. The officers +ordered “cease firing,” but the men were slow of hearing, and it was +necessary for the officers to get in front of the men and throw up their +guns.</p> + +<p>Finally the firing ceased, then Barlow ordered the men forward. They +advanced on a run, and when they came to the bank of the sunken road, +they jumped the rebels to the rear. Those able to move were glad to get +out of this pit of destruction. Over three hundred were taken, who were +able to march to the rear.</p> + +<p>The dead and wounded were a horrible sight to behold. This sunken road, +named by some writers “The Bloody Lane,” was a good many rods long, and, +for most of the way, there were enough dead and badly wounded to touch +one another as they lay side by side. As we found them in some cases, +they were two and three deep. Perhaps a wounded man at the bottom, and a +corpse or two piled over him. We at once took hold and straightened out +matters the best we could, and made our foes as comfortable as the means +at hand afforded—that is, we laid them so that they were only one deep, +and we gave them drink from our canteens. After some time spent in this +way, a body of the enemy was discovered deployed to our right. Barlow at +once formed the command nearly at right angles to the position we had +just held, and advanced us. We passed a fence, and soon opened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> fire on +this new force. In the meantime the enemy had placed a part of a battery +in position that began to rake our line with canister. Charges of this +deadly stuff went in front and in the rear of our line. Some of those +discharges, if they had happened to go a little further to the front or +the rear, would have destroyed our two little regiments. Such close +calls often happen in battle. We held our ground, and after a while the +rebels fled from the field. One of them was considerably in the rear of +his comrades and as he was exerting himself to get out of harms way, our +men concentrated a fire on him. He was on plowed ground, and we could +see the dirt fly up in front, and rear, and on each side of him as he +was legging it. He was escaping wonderfully, and I felt as though he was +entitled to succeed. I called out to our men and entreated them not to +fire at him <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'agian'">again</ins>, but without avail. The shooting went on, and, just +before he was out of range, down he went, killed perhaps, possibly +wounded.</p> + +<p>About this time Col. Barlow was dangerously wounded from a canister +shot, and Miles took charge of our affairs. The firing had again +quieted. He directed me to take two men and go forward, part way through +the corn field in front, and watch and report any appearance of the +enemy. If I am not mistaken, I took Porter E. Whitney and George Jacobs +of my company. We went forward half way through the corn field, which +was for the most part trampled down. We arranged the broken stalks so as +to be partially concealed. After a time to our front and right, and on +the brow of a considerable rise of ground, a body of officers appeared +on horseback, and with glasses took observations. We discussed the +propriety of aiming at these Confederates and giving them a volley. I +finally concluded it was best not to take this responsibility, as it +might bring on an attack that we were not ready for. In a short time +these men disappeared. I sent back one of the men to report what we had +seen. Very soon he came back with the word to join the regiment. +Longstreet in his book entitled “From Bull Run to Appomatox,” speaks of +looking the field over about this time and from near this location, so, +I judge, it was he and his staff that we had such a plain view of.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>Our command under Miles, was, about 5 p. m., drawn back and established +just in rear of where we made our first fight. Our Division General, +Richardson, was this day mortally wounded. He had the entire confidence +of his men, as a brave and skillful soldier, and his taking off was +deeply lamented. Barlow was supposed to be mortally wounded, but he +recovered, and in a few months came back a brigadier, and was given a +brigade in Howard’s Eleventh Corps.</p> + +<p>Gen. Hancock was assigned to our division. By this time he had won the +reputation of being a hard fighter, and this he justly held through the +remainder of the war.</p> + +<p>In this battle I had a hand in an amusing incident that is worth +recording. There was in <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'company'">Company</ins> A, a little Irishman about 40 years of +age by the name of Barney Rogers. This man had been recruited by our New +York party the spring before. He did not write, and, knowing me from the +first, had come to me to do his correspondence. When we started to take +the place of the Irish brigade, I noticed that Barney appeared to be +holding up his pants, but I made no inquiry as to the reason for his so +doing. When we took our first position in advance of where the Irishmen +had fought, and began firing, Barney had to use both hands, and his +predicament was at once revealed. He had held up his pants by a strap +around his waist without suspenders. This strap had given out, and that +accounted for his holding up performance. When he began loading and +firing he had to “let go” and leave the pants to follow the law of +gravitation. Soon his ankles were swathed with these low down breeches, +and he was effectually teddered. I was here and there, doing my duty as +a sergeant. I had not noticed Barney’s predicament till he called to me +in a tone of urgency and said, “Charley, cut the damned things off!” I +took in the situation in an instant, and in less time than I can write +it, jerked out my large knife, opened it, grabbed the waistband, made a +pass or two, and one leg was free, I said, “You can kick the other leg +out.” He made a few passes, and from the top of his stockings up his +legs were bare. A good breeze was blowing sufficient to take away the +smoke from our guns, and sufficient to flap his unconfined shirt tail. I +remember<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> calling Ike Plumb’s attention to it and our having a good +laugh over it. Barney continued his fighting, and was with the men in +the grand charge that captured the rebels in the sunken road. He was +also in his place in the second attack we made. While the firing was at +the hottest I heard a man cry out, and I looked just in time to see +Barney throw his gun, and start off on his hands and one leg—the other +leg held up. The last I ever saw of him he was pawing off in that +fashion. I suspected that in some way he had got a shot in the foot. +Years after this occurance, I wrote a series of articles for <span class="smcap">The +Sherburne News</span>, and in one of them gave this account. As soon as the +paper <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'waa'">was</ins> out, my comrade, Porter E. Whitney came into my office. He was +in this battle and, I supposed, he knew about this affair. He had read +the account, and I said to him, “Of course, you remember it?” To my +chagrin, he replied, “That is the first I ever heard of it!” I said to +him, “That will leave me in a fine situation, people will ask you if you +remember the Barney Rogers incident, and you will say, “No,” and the +enquirers will conclude that I have been telling a “Jim Tanner yarn.” +“Well,” he replied, “I can’t remember what I never before heard of.”</p> + +<p>Some days after this, Whitney came to me and asked if I knew Barney +Rogers’s address. I said, “No.” He told me it was in the roster lately +published by the regimental association. I found it and at once wrote to +the address, and briefly inquired if he was the little Barney Rogers +that I cut the breeches off from at <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Anteitam'">Antietam</ins>. In a few days I got a +letter from Barney written by his son, in which was the statement, “I am +he.” It went on to say that he was hit under the big toe by a bullet +that had probably gone into the ground, struck a stone and glanced up, +taking him as indicated. He said that he went off the field in the way I +have described, until he was out of danger, and then hopped along as +best he could. Finally, a soldier from a Connecticut regiment met him, +who had an extra pair of pants, which he gave to Barney. He got inside +of them as speedily as possible, and then waited for an ambulance, when +he was taken to a hospital, and finally discharged.</p> + +<p>In this battle our flag was shot through a good many times<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> and the +staff had a bullet go through its center just above the hands of Sergt. +Hugh Montgomery, who was carrying it.</p> + +<p>All through the 18th we remained in position, hugging the ground. The +picket lines of the two armies were near together, and were blazing away +at one another on every <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'opportuity'">opportunity</ins>. Our line of battle was so near to +the picket line that anyone showing himself would be fired on. One of my +company, Julius C. Kelsey of Smyrna, was killed while on this duty. The +Sixty-first lost in killed and wounded about one-third of its number, +and so was again reduced to the size of a full company.</p> + +<p>Some one discovered on the 19th for “Little Mac,” the “Young Napolean” +that the enemy had, during the night, fallen back and crossed the +Potomac at Shepardstown. If the commander of the Army of the Potomac had +been a brave and competent general, he would have disposed of Lee at +this time. As I have before stated, McClellan knew while we were at +Frederick that Lee was to divide his army, sending a third of it to take +Harpers Ferry. He ought to have known when we overtook Lee at Sharpsburg +that he had but part of his army there, and he ought, with his entire +force, to have made a rushing attack at once. In place of that, he +dawdled for two days, giving Lee all the time he wanted to take Harpers +Ferry from the old, incompetent Miles, and to unite his army to fight +him. There was good brave fighting at Antietam, but it was by piece +meal—a division or corps here and a division or corps somewhere else. +The best work done that day by Caldwell’s brigade, was by the Fifth New +Hampshire under its able colonel, Edward Cross, and by the Sixty-first +and Sixty-fourth New York under Col. Barlow. In support of this +statement all authorities agree. McClellan in his report says, “The +brigade of Gen. Caldwell, with determined gallantry, pushed the enemy +back opposite the left and center of this (French’s) division, but, +sheltered in the sunken road, they still held our forces on the right of +Caldwell in check. Col. Barlow commanding the Sixty-first and +Sixty-fourth New York regiments, advanced the regiments on the left, +taking the line in the sunken road in flank, and compelled them to +surrender, capturing over three hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> prisoners and three stands of +colors. * * * Another column of the enemy, advancing under shelter of a +stone wall and cornfield, pressed down on the right of the division; but +Col. Barlow again advanced the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York +against these troops, and, with the attack of Kimball’s brigade on the +right, drove them from this position. Our troops on the left of this +part of the line having driven the enemy far back, they, with reinforced +numbers, made a determined attack directly in front. To meet this Col. +Barlow brought his two regiments to their position in line, and drove +the enemy through the cornfield into the orchard beyond, under a heavy +fire of musketry and a fire of canister from two field pieces in the +orchard and a battery farther to the right, throwing shell and case +shot.” Vol. 19, Series 1, Off. Records, pages 60-61.</p> + +<p>Palfrey, in “The Antietam and Fredericksburg,” at page 100, says, “Col. +Barlow particularly distinguished himself in these operations of +Richardson’s division. He had under his charge the two right regiments +of Caldwell’s brigade, the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York. As +Caldwell’s line was forcing its way forward, he saw a chance and +improved it. Changing front forward, he captured some three hundred +prisoners in the sunken road to his right, with two colors. He gained +this advantage by obtaining an enflading fire on the Confederates in the +road, and it seems to have been owing entirely to his own quickness of +perception and promptness of action, and not to the orders of any +superior officer. He was also favorably mentioned for his action in +helping to repel another attempt of the lines to flank Caldwell on his +right, and also for contributing largely to the success of the advance, +which finally gave the Federals possession of Piper’s House.”</p> + +<p>Walker in history of the Second Corps at page 114 says “As the line +presses onward toward Piper’s, Barlow, commanding the consolidated +Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York, sees, and at once <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'siezes'">seizes</ins> a +tactical opportunity. Changing front forward at the right moment and on +the right spot he takes in flank a body of the enemy in the sunken road, +pours a deadly volley down their line and puts them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> to flight, +capturing three hundred prisoners with two flags. A determined struggle +follows: the enemy even assume the aggressive against Caldwell’s center, +but are beaten off by the quick and resolute action of Barlow, who falls +desperately wounded.”</p> + +<p>Longstreet in his Bull Run to Appamatox, at page 266, says, “The best +tactical moves at Antietam were made by Generals McLaws, A. P. Hill, +Gibbon, and Patrick (Confederate) and Colonels Barlow and Cross +(Union).” At page 252 he refers to Barlow as the “aggressive spirit of +Richardson’s right column.”</p> + +<p>Gen. Caldwell in his report, says, “The brigade advanced steadily over +the crest of the hill behind which the enemy were posted, receiving and +returning a heavy fire. We broke the line of the enemy along our entire +front, except on the extreme right. Here there was a deep road, forming +a natural rifle pit, in which the enemy had posted himself, and from +which he fired on our advancing line. After the enemy opposed to my left +and center had broken and fled through the cornfield, Col. Barlow by a +skillfull change of front, partially enveloped the enemy on his right, +and, after a destructive inflading fire, compelled them to surrender. +About 300 men and eight commissioned officers, among them an aid to Gen. +Stuart, were here taken prisoners by Col. Barlow * * * * * On the right, +Col. Barlow, finding no enemy in his immediate front, saw a considerable +force moving around his right. Moving by the right-oblique to a hill +about three hundred yards distant, he opened a severe fire upon them, +when they broke and fled. Thus both attempts to turn our flanks had been +foiled by the skill and quickness of Colonels Barlow and Cross, and the +determined bravery of the men * * * * I cannot forbear to mention in +terms of highest praise the part taken by Col. Barlow of the Sixty-first +New York volunteers. Whatever praise is due to the most distinguished +bravery, the utmost coolness and quickness of perception, the greatest +promptitude and skill in handling troops under fire, is justly due to +him. It is but simple justice to say that he proved himself fully equal +to every emergency, and I have no doubt that he would discharge the +duties of a much higher command with honor to himself and benefit to the +country.”</p> + +<p>Barlow’s own report is as follows:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 4em;">General Hospital, Keedysville, Md., Sept. 22, 1862.</span></p> + +<p>Captain: I have the honor to make the following report of the +Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York volunteers in the battle of Sept. +17th inst. Both these regiments were under my command on that day, and +had been for some time previous. On going into <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'acinto action'">action</ins> our <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'bridage'">brigade</ins> was +formed on the left of the Irish brigade. We remained about fifteen +minutes under the fire of the enemy’s sharpshooters which my +sharpshooters returned with effect. I lost then Capt. Angell and one or +two men killed. By order of the staff officer of Gen. Richardson, we +then moved to the right, in front, and formed behind the crest of the +hill, and bravely engaged the enemy and fired destructively. With the +assistance of the fire of the regiments on our right and left, we broke +the enemy on our front, who fled in disorder through a cornfield, +suffering severely from the fire of our and the Irish brigade, my +regiments being on the right of the brigade. The portion of the enemy’s +line which was not broken, then remained lying in a deep road, well +protected from a fire in their front. Our position giving us peculiar +advantages for attacking in flank this part of the enemy’s line, my +regiments advanced and obtained an enflading fire upon the enemy in the +aforesaid road. Seeing the uselessness of further resistance, the enemy +in accordance with our demands threw down their arms, came in in large +numbers and surrendered. Upwards of three hundred prisoners thus taken +by my regiments were sent to the rear with a guard of my regiment, under +charge of Lieut. Alvard of Gen. Caldwell’s staff. On this occasion my +own regiment, the Sixty-first New York, took two of the enemy’s battle +flags, which have been forwarded to Corps headquarters. A third flag was +captured by the Sixty-fourth New York, which was lost by the subsequent +shooting of the captor when away from his regiment.</p> + +<p>“After these events, my regiments, with the rest of our line, advanced +into the cornfield, through which the enemy had fled, beyond the deep +road above referred to. No enemy appeared in this field. Our troops were +joined together without much order—several regiments in front of +others, and none in my neighborhood having very favorable opportunities +to use their fire. Seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> quite a body of the enemy moving briskly to +the right of our line, at no great distance, to attack us on the flank, +my regiment changed front and moved to the crest of a hill on our right +flank, occupying the only position where I found we could use our fire +to advantage. This was to the right of the Fifty-second New York of Col. +Brook’s brigade. We engaged several regiments of the enemy with effect, +some being posted on the edge of a cornfield behind a stone wall +surmounted by a fence; others were posted still farther to the right, on +the edge of the cornfield. The enemy at length retreated quite +precipitately under the fire of the troops on our side, together with +another body of Federal troops, which attacked the enemy in turn on +their flank and rear. I am unable to state who these last named troops +were. On retiring from this position, the enemy renewed their attack on +our old front. My regiments again changed front, and advanced into the +cornfield, which we had left, to assist in repelling the flank attack of +the enemy just mentioned. Beyond this cornfield was an orchard, in which +the enemy had artillery (two pieces to the best of my knowledge.) From +these pieces, and from others still farther to our right, they had been +pouring a destructive fire of shell, grape and spherical case shot +during the above mentioned engagement of our infantry.</p> + +<p>“After thus forming our line on the right of the Fifty-seventh New York +of Col. Brooke’s brigade, I was wounded in the groin by a ball from a +spherical case shot, and know nothing of what subsequently occurred. My +own regiment, the Sixty-first New York, behaved with the same fortitude +and heroism, and showed the same perfect discipline and obedience to +orders under trying circumstances for which I have before commended +them, and which causes me to think of them with the deepest affection +and admiration. The Sixty-fourth behaved steadily and bravely. Of the +officers in my own regiment, I commend to special notice for bravery, +coolness, and every soldierly quality in action, Capt. Walter H. Maze, +Co. A; First Lieut. Willard Keech, Co. G; Second Lieut. Theo. N. Greig, +Co. C; Second Lieut. F. W. Grannis, Co. B; Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles +has been distinguished for his admirable conduct in many battles. The +voice of everyone who saw him in this action will commend better than I +can his courage, his <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>quickness, his skill in seeing favorable positions +and the power of his determined spirit in leading on and inspiring the +men. I have the honor to be, Captain, your very obedient servant,</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 10em;"><span class="smcap">Francis C. Barlow</span>,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 6em;">Col. 61st. N. Y. Vols. and Comdg., 64th N. Y. Vols.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Capt. George H. Caldwell,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Capt. and Asst. Adj. Gen., Caldwell’s Brigade.</span></p> + +<p> </p> +<p>The report of General Miles is as follows:</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 4em;">Headquarters Sixty-first Regt. New York Vols.</span></p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 8em;">Camp near Sharpsburg, Sept. 19, 1862.</span></p> + +<p>“I have the honor to transmit the following report: On the 17th inst., +about 9 o’clock the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth N. Y. Vol., under +command of Col. Barlow, were ordered to form on the left of the Irish +brigade while they were engaging the enemy. We remained there about +twenty minutes, during which time we lost one captain and several men. +We were then ordered to move by the right flank in rear of the Irish +brigade until we came to their right. Here we came to the front, and +moved up and over the hill under a heavy fire of musketry and a cross +fire of artillery. We found the enemy lying in a road or ditch just +under the brow of the hill. The regiment, however, steadily moved up and +over the hill in the most determined manner and spirit, breaking the +center of the enemy’s line and killing or wounding nearly all that left +the ditch to make their escape through the cornfield. Then we improved +the advantage we had gained by changing front forward on first company, +thereby flanking the rest of their line. The Colonel gave the command, +“Cease firing,” when I called out to them to surrender. They at once +threw down their arms and came in. I think by this movement we captured +two hundred and seventy-five or three hundred prisoners. I detailed one +company to guard them and turned them over to Lieut. Alvord, with two +stand of colors.</p> + +<p>The enemy were then out of sight in the front, but were discovered +moving around our right. The Colonel then gave the order “Right +shoulder, shift arms,” and moved to the right oblique to another hill +about 300 yards distant, and commenced firing to the right upon the +enemy. He fired <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>about twenty rounds here, when the enemy’s line broke +in perfect disorder, and ran in every direction. About this time a sharp +musketry fire commenced on our left, or old front, it being evident they +were advancing another line through the cornfield. As we were of no more +use in our present position, we went to the assistance of the other +regiments of our brigade. We had so much changed the front that we moved +by the left flank and filed left, connecting our left on the right of +the Seventieth New York, and moved again down through the cornfield. We +then pressed forward, driving the enemy before us, until the order was +given to halt. I immediately deployed skirmishers forward through the +field to an orchard. While moving through the cornfield, the enemy +opened fire with grape and canister from two brass guns on our front, +and shell from a battery on our right. It was by this fire that Col. +Barlow fell, dangerously wounded. He was struck by a small piece of +shell in the face, and a grape-shot in the groin. Thus far he had +handled the two regiments in the most brave and skillful manner. As we +had advanced further than the other regiments on our right and left, I +was ordered to let the skirmishers remain and form in the open field on +a line with Col. Brooks’s regiment, which position we held until +relieved by one of that brigade, when I marched them to the left of the +line, and formed on a line with the Eighty-first Penn., and was not +engaged again during the day.</p> + +<p>I cannot speak in too high terms of the coolness and brave spirit with +which both officers and men fought on that day. Col. Barlow on this, as +on other occasions, displayed qualities for handling troops under fire +which are not often met. Capt. Maze, Lieut. W. Keech, Lieut. Grannis and +Lieut. T. W. Greig were noticed as behaving in the most excellent +manner—also Dr. Tompkins, who followed the regiment upon the field and +rendered prompt assistance to the wounded.</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 4em;">Nelson A. Miles, Lieut. Col. comdg. Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York Vols.”</span></p> + +<p>Gen. Meagher’s report of the operations of the Irish brigade does not +place his men any nearer the enemy than they were when they were +relieved by Barlow with the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>In 1897 Capt. Lee Nutting of the Sixty-first N. Y., published an article +in the New York “Sun,” in which he modestly related the doings of +Barlow’s command at Antietam. His article called out the following:</p> + +<p>To the Editor of the Sun—Sir:</p> + +<p>“Without any <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'dispargement'">disparagement</ins> of the Sixty-first New York comrades in our +own Red Trefoil Division, allow me to suggest to your enthusiastic +correspondent “L. N.” that “there were others.” Nor was the First +Minnesota superimminently distinguished except at <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Gettysbusg'">Gettysburg</ins>. It was +usually on provost duty. Gen. Walker had his preferences, but others of +higher rank did not always agree with him. Sumner, Hancock, Richardson, +Caldwell, Humphreys, and <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Symth'">Smyth</ins> thought the Irish brigade did pretty +well. Their showing is quite respectable in Fox’s “300 Fighting +Regiments.” So did the enemy, and the opinion of the London Times +correspondent from Fredericksburg is quoted in the history studied in +our public schools (in Barnes’s), while their charge at Antietam was +specially mentioned by McClellan.</p> + +<p>“By the way, the flags “captured” there by Barlow had already been +marched over, with a lot of dead rebels, by the Eighty-eighth New York, +who were too busy fighting to stop to pick them up. Miles was always a +glorious fellow. Barlow did not like us, and once, under a mistake, +joyfully exclaimed, “That d——d Irish brigade has broken at last!” to +be corrected by Col. Smyth of the Sixty-ninth, who told him they had +captured the enemy’s works and he had come for further orders. (Signed) +Irish Brigade.</p> + +<p>The above makes quite a spicy newspaper article, but it does not read +like history, and it <span class="smcap">Is Not</span> history. Where and on what occasion did +Francis C. Barlow ever manifest “joy” that the Irish, or any Union +brigade “broke” when engaging the enemy! To my mind the statement is the +equivalent of charging treason to one of the bravest fighters in the +Union armies. And, according to this defender of the reputation of the +Irish brigade, Barlow was thus filled with joy over what he believed to +be the defeat of the Irish brigade “because he didn’t like us.” The +above yarn is too idiotic to need replying to.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> No sane person can +believe a word of it. Except as every advance of troops may be said to +be a “charge” the Irish brigade made no “charge” at Antietam, and +McClellan in his report, dated Aug. 4th, 1863, covering the Antietam +campaign, does not refer to any “charge” made by the Irish brigade in +that battle. In this report (page 59, Series 1, Vol. 19) he says, +“Meagher’s brigade, advancing steadily, soon became engaged with the +enemy posted to the left and in front of Roulett’s house. It continued +to advance under a heavy fire nearly to the crest of the hill +overlooking Piper’s house, the enemy being posted in a continuation of +the sunken road and cornfield before referred to. Here the brave Irish +brigade opened upon the enemy a terrific musketry fire. All of Gen. +Sumner’s corps was now engaged—Gen. Sedgwick on the right, Gen. French +in the center, and Gen. Richardson on the left. The Irish brigade +sustained its well earned reputation. After suffering terribly in +officers and men, and strewing the ground with their enemies as they +drove them back, their ammunition nearly exhausted, and their commander, +Gen. Meagher, disabled from the fall of his horse shot under him, this +brigade was ordered to give place to Gen. Caldwell’s.”</p> + +<p>Now, I say from personal observation that the Irish brigade was never +farther in advance than the position it occupied when it was relieved by +the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth N. Y., that the Irish brigade did not, +up to the time it was so relieved, pass over any ground that had been +occupied by the enemy and on which they had left any of their battle +flags. The battle flags captured by the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New +York were taken from the sunken road. No one ever heard me say a word in +derogation of the bravery of the Irish brigade. It was manifested at +Antietam, and on a score of other battlefields. The glorious history of +the second corps could not be written with its deeds left out. The Irish +brigade stood in its tracks and took its terrible punishment at Antietam +as <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'heorically'">heroically</ins> as did anything of Wellington’s at Waterloo. Having said +all this, the fact remains the brigade was <span class="smcap">Not</span> tactically well placed. +Had it advanced to where the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth later went, it +would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> done much greater execution, and with smaller loss to +itself. The action of Barlow at Antietam proved beyond question his +exceptional military ability.</p> + +<p>On my way home after Gettysburg, I spent one night in the Citizens’ +hospital in Philadelphia. My cot was next to a Pennsylvanian’s, who had +lost a leg at Chancellorsville. When he learned I was of Barlow’s +regiment, he told me that about the finest sight he ever saw on the +battlefield was seeing Barlow lead his command into action at Antietam. +He was where he had a full view of the display. The regiments were in +line of battle, and he, with sabre in hand, was ahead of the line. Such +is the plain fact, as all who were there can testify.</p> + +<p>On the 19th of September, Gen. McClellan was informed that during the +night Lee had pulled out, and placed the Potomac between him and us. The +Army of Northern Virginia crossed the river at Shepardstown. Thus ended +their proud invasion of Northern States.</p> + +<p>We remained in our position for a number of days, burying the dead, +picking up the fragments, and getting ourselves together. The after view +of a battle field is a horrible sight—wreck, ruin and devastation are +on all sides; fences removed, buildings more or less torn and +demolished, wagons smashed, arms scattered about, artillery disabled, +horses and mules piled up and swollen almost beyond recognition. All +this shows the havoc of battle, but the sight that appals is the human +dead. Dead, dying, and wounded in various ways. The spectator must +callous his heart, or, if fairly human, he will be overwhelmed. There +were places on this battlefield where the ground was literally strewn +with those “beyond the fighting,” swollen, grimy, unnatural, in all +sorts of situations and positions. On the fence next to the cornfield, +and just beyond the sunken road, were a number of Confederates hanging +over the top rail, shot dead while trying to pass it. There they hung, +like bundles of old clothes over a line.</p> + +<p>“Gen. McClellan reported that he lost on the 16th and 17th 2,010 killed, +9,416 wounded and 1,043 missing—a total of 12,469. * * * * * McClellan +reported that 2,700 of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> Confederate dead were counted and buried by +his officers, and that a portion had been previously buried by their +comrades.” (The Antietam and Fredericksburg, Palfry, page 127.) +Doubtless the killed, wounded and missing of the two armies would +aggregate 25,000. The Second corps was the heaviest loser on the Union +side, its casualties amounting to 5,138. (Walker 120)</p> + +<p>On the 22d of September the army moved, the Second corps headed for +Harpers Ferry, a distance of ten or twelve miles. We forded the Potomac +just above the destroyed railroad bridge, and came to land opposite the +ruins of the United States Armory. We went through the town and formed +camp on Bolivar Heights. The time spent at this place was the soft kind +of soldering. Supplies were abundant. Drill, guard, picket and police +duties were light, and we all had a thoroughly good time. The scenery +hereabouts is grand. Maryland, London and <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Boliver'">Bolivar</ins> Heights come together, +and from the tops of their heights to the river level is hundreds of +feet. The passes worn by the Shenandoah and Potomac are through the +solid rock and the gorges are very deep and rugged.</p> + +<p>Our picket line was a mile or two out toward Charlestown. While on one +of these picketing details, while the first relief was on, Frank Garland +suggested that, if possible, we slip through the line, go to the front +and see if we <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'couln't'">couldn’t</ins> pick up something good to eat. We succeeded in +passing the pickets and pointed for a farm house a half mile ahead. For +a time no one responded to our knocks and helloes. At last a plump, red +cheeked modest girl, of perhaps sixteen, appeared. We enquired for +apples and told her if she would fill our haversacks, we would be glad +to pay for them. She took them and soon returned with them filled with +eatable apples. We paid her the price charged and started back. We +admitted to one another that it was not a prudent act and would go hard +with us if we should be picked up. On our way back Garland glanced to +the left, and said, “There’s reb cavalry!” I looked, and there, perhaps +an eighth of a mile away, was a squad of horsemen, coming on a canter +toward us. We were near a substantial rail fence on the right, and for +it we sprang with all our powers. We went over it like circus +performers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> and put in our best strides for our line. I think it was +Garland that first discovered that the “men on horseback” were negro +farm hands. They had seen our lively retreat and accurately interpreted +the cause, and they were with their mouths open as wide as their jaws +would admit, haw-hawing near the point of splitting. On this discovery +we slowed down, and sauntered toward our picket line as unconcerned as +possible, but the pickets had seen the performance, and at first had +been misled as we were. As we came in we proposed to go straight to the +reserve where the detail from our regiment was. The officer in charge +refused this and sent us under a guard of two men and a corporal to +headquarters. We steered the corporal to the shelter tent of Capt. Bull +and explained the situation to him. He took it in, and, with a large +assumption of military dignity, informed the guard that he would relieve +them of any further duty in the matter, and they could go back to the +front. Garland and I were glad to divide our apples with Bull and the +others who knew of our adventure. It was one of the worst scares I had +in the service, and cured me of any attempt at foraging outside the +lines.</p> + +<p>Gen. Walker says, “The only episode which <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'interruped'">interrupted</ins> the pleasant +monotone of rest and equipment, after the fatigues of the Manassas and +Antietam campaigns, was a <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'reconnoissance'">reconnaissance</ins> conducted by Gen. Hancock with +the first division Oct. 16th down the valley to Charlestown, with the +view to discovering whether the enemy were there in force.” We met a +battery supported by cavalry, which fell back as we advanced. The +captain of this battery was B. H. Smith, Jr. and was wounded. We found +him in a house at Charlestown with a foot amputated. We spent the night +in Charlestown, and while there many of the boys visited the tree where +John Brown had his taking off Dec. 2, 1859.</p> + +<p>On the 25th of October, I wrote a letter home from which I quote, “The +whole regiment cannot turn out over 50 or 60 charter members. I will +give you a list of Co. “C,” which left Hamilton but little over one year +ago full of hope and great expectation. Today we have present Capt. +Broady, broken in mind and body by hardship and disease; Serg. Isaac +Plumb,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> well and in good spirits; Serg. C. A. Fuller, ditto; Serg. D. W. +Skinner, suffering from old wound, and who will be discharged; Portner +E. Whitney, pioneer, good soldier; George Jacobs, private, cooking for +the company; <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Junuis'">Junius</ins> Gaskell, sick most of the time; Charles Richards, +paroled prisoner, sees no duty; Freeman Allen has a bad leg; Rufus +Rundell, in quartermaster’s department—always has been; John Boardman, +drummer. Where are the other 80? Some 10 or 11 killed, three times that +number wounded, 10 dead of disease, 8 or 10 discharged, and the +remainder sick in hospitals. Ike and myself are the only ones of that +ninety odd, who have been in every engagement with the regiment, and he +was not carrying a gun at Fair Oaks. Lieut. Keech is the only line +officer who has been in all the regiment’s battles. This may seem +incredible, but it is nevertheless true—some would miss this battle and +some that, and so, but one has missed none.”</p> + +<p>On the 29th of October, 1862, our army broke camp and moved in the +direction of Warrenton, which place we reached on the 11th of November. +In making this march the Sixty-first skirmished over the mountains at +Snecker’s Gap, driving back a body of <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'calvary'">cavalry</ins> that was observing, if not +holding this position. From the ridge of the mountain we had a view that +in my judgment could not be equaled in Europe.</p> + +<p>While the army was at Warrenton the order came removing McClellan and +appointing Burnside. For one I was glad of any change—it seemed to be +that no one could be more inefficient than McClellan. I remember so +expressing myself which was not a popular notion. One old Irishman of +Co. A, turned on me in hot anger, and asked, “Why do you say that? What +do you know about war, you little damned pie eater!”</p> + +<p>In a few days we started out and reached Falmouth, a hamlet nearly +opposite Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock river on the 17th of +November. There were but a handful of rebels on the other side of the +river. There was no attempt to ford it, and we went into camp, while +Lee’s army soon concentrated about Fredericksburg. Our camp was located +in the woods, which we partially cleared, converting the timber into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +walls for our huts, which we covered with our shelter tent canvass. In a +few days we had comfortable quarters. Part of the time the weather was +quite cold. Snow was on the ground, and the brook that ran near by was +more or less covered with ice. I remember going down to this brook one +Sunday morning with Portner E. Whitney. We took off our clothing and had +a bath in that ice cold water. We were in this camp for several weeks, +and in it had first rate good times. Near to us was a Pennsylvania +regiment, (I forget the number) in which a “revival of religion” +prevailed. Meetings were held continuously and it was reported that many +were converted. I think this regiment suffered severely in the great +slaughter of the 13th of December.</p> + +<p>Quite early in December indications multiplied that a movement was +contemplated. Three days rations were ordered to be kept constantly in +the haversacks. Charles Lowell, our hospital steward, told me that the +surgeons had received orders to put in good condition the operating +instruments, and frequent inspections made sure that enough ammunition +was in the boxes.</p> + +<p>On Thursday, Dec. 11th, at 4 a. m., reveille beat, after roll call the +men were told that they must be ready to break camp on short notice. At +6 a. m. the regiment formed on the color line, ready to move. While we +were thus waiting, I was smoking my briarwood pipe, and, at what I +supposed was the end of the smoke, I threw out the ashes and put the +pipe in my breeches pocket. In a short time I was conscious of a change +of temperature in that locality, and hastily brought to view the pocket +and pipe. Doubtless some of the fire remained in the bowl, which got out +and set fire to that part of my clothing. I had no trouble in +extinguishing this ignition, but the pocket was gone and my leg had a +raw spot.</p> + +<p>At this time the Army of the Potomac was organized in three grand +divisions as follows: Right Grand Division, Sumner’s, embracing the +Second and Ninth corps; Center Grand Division, Hooker’s, Third and Fifth +corps; Left Grand Division, Sixth and First corps. Gen. D. N. Couch +commanded the Second corps; Hancock the First Division, and Caldwell the +First brigade of the corps.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>While in this camp that we were about to leave I had the honor to be the +object to which a brief utterance was directed by Gen. Hancock. I was +then a sergeant, and had been ordered to brigade headquarters with a +squad of men for guard duty. On the day in question, Gen. Sumner +reviewed his Grand Division. After the guard had got to its place, one +of Caldwell’s staff came to me and said, “When the general comes along +you will fall in your guard and present arms.” I had some eight or ten +men with me, and told those not on duty to be on hand to fall in when so +ordered. Presently I heard a horse coming down the road on a sharp +gallop, and soon saw that it was Gen. Hancock with a single orderly. +Evidently he was not on the lookout for a little guard to salute him, +but I fell in the men as briskly as possible. The general noticed what I +was doing, and had to wait a moment for the guard to present arms, which +it did all right. Hancock returned the compliment, and then said to me, +“If you want to salute, sir! you must be a ‘damned sight quicker’ than +this!” If I had dared to, I would have answered, “Don’t you worry +yourself, Winfield Scotty, I don’t want to salute you, and wouldn’t now, +if I had not been ordered to.”</p> + +<p>Of course I kept my mouth shut. It would have been bad policy to have +expressed my sentiments.</p> + +<p>As I have stated, shortly after 6 a. m. our column started. We made a +roundabout march of a few miles and finally halted, under cover of high +ground, nearly opposite the city of Fredericksburg. All this day a +furious cannonade was maintained by our side, and from big guns mounted +on the crest back of the river. The effort was to clean the enemy out +from the neighborhood of the river bank, so that we could lay our +pontoon bridges. This was not successful, and in the attempt to do this +work our men were picked off, so that it was found to be impracticable. +At length the Seventh Mich. and the 89th N. Y. were rushed into the +<ins class="correction" title="original reads 'poonton'">pontoon</ins> boats and rowed and poled over. Once on the other shore they +drove away the sharpshooters, and the bridge at our front was then laid. +We remained that night on the Falmouth side of the river. The next +forenoon the Second corps crossed the river. Our division was marched +along the side of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> river, to the lower end of the city, and then we +stacked arms.</p> + +<p>Some of our men inspected the near by houses on their own motion, and +from one they brought out a jar of fresh tried lard. I had a chance at +it and spread it on my hard tack, as I would butter at home. I have had +my share of good butter and love it, but I never tasted bread greasing +equal to that new lard.</p> + +<p>Towards night we were marched back to the site of the railroad bridge, +and billited in the grist mill near said bridge. One of our men procured +a duck, I was let into the mess, and in some way we cooked and disposed +of it before rolling up in our blankets for a good night’s rest. We +turned out early the next morning, (the disastrous 13th) and after +breakfast, lead by Col. Miles, we went through the city to the last +street. Here our little regiment was deployed as a sort of picket line. +To the front half or three-quarters of a mile ran the top of a line of +hills, parallel to our street. Not so much as the crack of a pistol had +broken the silence of the morning. We lounged about, viewed from between +the houses the supposed location of the enemy, went into the houses next +to where we were posted, and helped ourselves. Not a soldier in gray was +to be seen, save here and there a sentry watching from the top of their +earth works. One of our boys was inspecting the contents of the house of +a doctor, I forget his name. Presently he called to me and inquired if I +didn’t want some books. I said “Yes.” He tossed me from the window a +fine volume of Byron’s poems, and the two volumes of Dr. Kane’s Arctic +Explorations. I sat on the curbing looking over this plunder, when, all +at once, a number of big guns went off, and very soon thereafter shot +and shell came thundering through the houses, across our street, and +into the houses behind us. I hurriedly dropped my spoils, and made quick +tracks for the other side of the street, where there was, perhaps, +better protection. This artillery outburst was due to the appearance of +our troops, moving out of the city and towards the strong position of +the enemy.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes Col. Miles assembled the Sixty-first and marched it +back into the next street, where we stood in line ready for the word +“Go!” In this position nothing could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> be seen, but the shots and shells +of our adversaries came thick and dangerously near, though none were to +my knowledge effective. While we were here I noticed one of our +recruits, a German, who was literally unnerved by fear. His countenance +was distorted by terror, and he was shaking in every limb. I think it +was impossible for him to march. I do not remember ever seeing him after +that time. For myself I confess that I never exerted more will power to +make my legs move in the right direction than just here. Without +pretending to have military judgment, as I viewed the intrenched +position of the Confederates, I said to myself, “we will fail to carry +those heights.”</p> + +<p>At length the order came to move, and the head of our column started for +the street that led to Marye’s Hill. Turning into it we advanced +rapidly. My recollection is, that as the road leaves the city, it makes +a slight curve, and as we came to that spot the whole view was opened up +to us. I know the road was littered with some dead, and cast off +blankets and knapsacks. For a ways the road slightly descends, and then +you come to a considerable stream of some sort, it may be a waste weir, +from the Falmouth dam. This stream was bridged, and a part, if not all, +of the flooring of it had been removed. I remember we, partially at +least, crossed on the stringers. At this point the enemy concentrated a +hot artillery fire. I think the Sixty-first got over without much +damage, but the head of the regiment following took in several shells +that caused heavy loss. We pressed forward to a point part way up the +hill to the front, when the order was given “On the right, by file into +line!” This deployed us in line of battle to the left of the road we had +been advancing on. The rise of ground was sufficient to protect us from +the enemy, while we were thus forming. Hancock rode his horse up and +down the line between us and the foe.</p> + +<p>While we stood here, one of the ghastly sights of war was almost under +my feet. A soldier lay nearly where I ought to have stood. A shell had +gone through his body, and in its passage had set fire to his clothing, +and there his corpse lay slowly cooking. There was no time to do +anything.</p> + +<p>At least one line of battle had preceded us, and, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> suppose, had been +used up. Now the order came for us to advance, which we did, probably in +brigade line of battle. I cannot say how many regiments there were in +it. I know we advanced till within musket range of the rebel rifle pits, +when we were halted and ordered to lie down. We did not fire, but the +enemy did from their pits and they picked off some of our men. After a +short time we were ordered to stand up. I then noticed that sergeant +Israel O. Foote of my company was lying on the ground wounded, and +evidently in pain. Our column was right faced and put in motion. We +advanced parallel to the rebel line, and under their fire. We soon came +to the road. Here there was a house or two, and the building, or +buildings, had some soldiers in it, or them. We crossed the road—the +Sixty-first under Miles did—and brought up in a yard or garden patch +that had a high tight board fence on two sides of it. Here we were +directed to lie down. The fence hid the enemy from our sight, but the +distance to their nearest line of rifle pits was short. Occasional +projectiles from cannon and muskets came our way, so that most of us +were willing to hug the ground.</p> + +<p>George Joyce of Co. C was with the regiment, just returned from hospital +partially recovered from a wound received at Malvern Hill. Joyce was a +unique character, small of stature, illiterate, an adroit forager, and, +if you didn’t know him, you might take him for a mere braggadocio. But +such was not the case. He was destitute of fear, or, if he ever +experienced the sensation, he overcame it. At Glendale the Colonel +ordered the line forward. A soldier said “We will follow the colors.” +Joyce was a private, and how he happened to have them I do not know, but +he did, and he marched forward, brought the staff down with a bang and +said, “There’s your colors, come up to them!” The line moved up, and +Barlow made him orderly sergeant of (I think) Co. F then and there. +Joyce was back with a stiff arm, so that he could not carry a gun, but +while most of us were hugging the ground, he stood up and worked his +jaw. He said, “Lie low boys. I’ll let you know if anything happens.” And +so he was on the watch. Presently a solid shot came his way. It passed +so near his foot, that, while it made no visible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> abrasion, his foot +began to swell so that he had to cut his boot off, and he had to hobble +back.</p> + +<p>It was said at the time that Col. Miles, satisfied that the only thing +to do to amount to anything, was to make a rush and take this first +picket line, had sent back his conclusion, and requested permission to +charge the line with his regiment. About this time an accommodating +rebel bullet cut his throat, letting out a liberal quantity of fresh +bright blood. This so put him <i>hors de combat</i> that he had to leave the +field, somewhat to the longevity account of the Sixty-firsters there +present. So we continued in this lowly attitude till after Hooker’s men +made another vain assault over the ground we had occupied. Then, toward +sundown, we were withdrawn, and marched back into the city, and took up +our quarters for the night in the same grist mill we occupied the night +before.</p> + +<p>So far as we could see, nothing was done the next day, Sunday. But +little, if any, fighting was had on Monday. After dark Monday evening +our regiment, under command, I think of Capt. Kettle, was marched back +as far to the front as we had occupied Saturday, but to the right. Here +we were placed in rifle pits that would hold half a dozen each. There +was a space of eight or ten feet between each pit. Here we were very +close to the enemy—we could hear their movements, and they ours. I +should think it was as late as 3 o’clock a. m. of Tuesday when we were +withdrawn, and silently made our way to the city, and through it, and to +the pontoon bridge we crossed the Friday before. We were nearly the last +to cross. Shortly afterward the bridge was taken up, and the +Rappahannock again flowed between the hostile camps.</p> + +<p>In this battle the only original members of Co. C present with the +company were Sergt. I. O. Foote, killed; Geo. Jacobs and myself. Isaac +Plumb had been commissioned and transferred to another company and +Whitney was with the pioneers.</p> + +<p>We marched directly to our old camp. We found things as we left them, +and we proceeded, as far as we could with what was on hand, to restore +the camp to the condition it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> in before we broke it on the 12th. +Many of the men had disposed of shelter tents and blankets during the +worthless movement, so that some of the huts had no covering. The next +day Gen. Sumner rode up to our camp and had some talk with the men. He +asked why some of the huts were not covered with canvass. We said, “We +dumped them when we went into the fight.” He replied, “You should have +stuck to your tents and blankets!” This was the last time I saw the old +man. He left the army in January, 1863, and died in bed about three +months later at his home in Syracuse, N. Y. He was a great Corps +Commander.</p> + +<p>Burnside’s next <i>fiasco</i> was called his “stuck in the mud” campaign. In +this case he was to cross the river to the right about where Hooker did +four months later. In this movement the centre and left broke camp while +Sumner’s Grand Division remained to take care of the enemy’s right at +Fredericksburg. A terrible storm ended the movement almost before it was +begun, and we remained comfortable in camp.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this Burnside resigned, and Gen. Joseph Hooker was +appointed Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Hooker had been named +“Fighting Joe Hooker.” As a rule I think, the men were pleased with the +change.</p> + +<p>On the 13th of February, 1863, the 61st and the 64th broke camp and +moved a few miles to the left, and went into the camp lately occupied by +the 27th New Jersey, a regiment of Burnside’s old corps, which went with +him when he left the Army of the Potomac. The Grand Division formation +was abandoned when Hooker took command, and the former corps +organization re-adopted. Our new camp was delightfully situated. It +fronted about twenty rods back from the edge of the high bluff, which +was, perhaps, eighty rods back from the edge of the river. We were +below, but in plain view of Fredericksburg. The New Jerseyites had made +for themselves better quarters than I had ever occupied, and we “entered +into their labors.” I never enjoyed soldiering more than during the +weeks we were in this place. Much of the time the weather was good, and +we drilled, did picket duty, and got in readiness for the next grapple.</p> + +<p>On the 21st of February I received notice that I had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> commissioned +Second Lieutenant of Co. C. It was at the time, next to nothing in the +field. It did not have over two privates in the ranks, with a sergeant, +a drummer and a pioneer. In place of creating new regiments, when the +last call was filled, the men should have been sent to the old regiments +in the field.</p> + +<p>On the 16th of March I was officer of the day for our camp, and, of +course, was up and about at all hours of that day and the next night. +During the forepart of this service nothing occurred to make it in any +way notable, so far as I was concerned, but about 3 o’clock in the +morning of the next day, I heard, a considerable distance to the right, +a yelling and cheering, and a general “whoopering up” that I couldn’t +account for. I hurried to Col. Miles’s tent and reported. He directed me +to send out a couple of men to find out. In due time they came back and +reported that the Irish Brigade were celebrating “St. Patrick’s Day in +the Morning.” The boys with the green flag had a great day of it, in +which several barrels of commissary were made dry.</p> + +<p>On the 14th of April I wrote home that, probably, the Army would move in +a few days. Eight days rations were distributed to the men—five were to +be stored in the knapsacks and three in the haversacks. Extra baggage +was packed and sent to the rear.</p> + +<p>On this day Lieut. Plumb started for home on a ten days leave of +absence. He returned and was in his place before the movement came. It +was over a year since I had seen home and I had an application in for a +like leave, but the situation prevented its issue until after the next +great defeat. The 29th of April we broke camp and were ready to join our +brigade at a moment’s notice. We did not start till early the next day. +During these hours I had a bilious attack, and was sick enough to die, +but the tents were all down, and there was no chance to baby me. I +groaned and grunted till about the time the regiment started, and then +<i>I had</i> to move or be left behind. I well remember how I staggered in my +attempt to march, but I kept at it, and before night was pretty well. I +had a number of such experiences, so that, I conclude, if the screws +were more frequently put to people in civil life, there would be many +cases of like cures.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>We advanced but a few miles and camped. The next day we spent some time +in making corduroy road, and advanced but a few miles. April 30th we +advanced to the vicinity of the river (Rappahannock) and stacked arms in +a piece of woods. If I remember correctly it was here and then that our +corps badges were issued. Ours was the trefoil, and our division’s red. +The colors for all corps were: first division, red; second division, +white; third division, blue. Couch was in command of the second Corps. +Hancock was still our division general, and Caldwell our brigade +general. In this place I saw Hancock and Caldwell ride by. Hancock was +mad about something, and he was shaking his fist under Caldwell’s nose, +and God-daming him at the top of his capacity. Hancock was a brave and +capable general, but he was demonstratively passionate, and vilely +abusive with his tongue. Junius Gaskell of my Company was for months his +private orderly, and he saw the polish and the rough of him. Gaskell has +told me that he would get mad at his own brother, who was assistant +adjutant general of the division, and blaspheme at him and call him the +conventional name a man uses, when he wants to say a mean thing of the +other fellow based on the alleged status of his mother.</p> + +<p>Towards sundown we were put in motion, making our way to the river’s +edge, and crossed it on a well-laid pontoon. We ate our supper on the +other side of the river, and then advanced a few miles into the country, +and halted for the night along side an open piece of woods, not far from +the Chancellorsville house. We went into this piece of woods to spread +our blankets to bivouac for the night. Our cavalry had been on this +ground before, and they had responded affirmatively to the calls of +nature, so that we soon discovered we were treading on mounds not as +large, but as soft, as the one into which Peter Stuyvesant fell, +according to the narrative of Irving. I remember, after spreading my own +blanket, that my hand dropped down outside of it, and went slap into one +of those mounds. I further remember that I was not the only +Sixty-firster that imprecated in strong Saxon. But there we were, and +there we lay till sunrise. We learned that the day before a lively +skirmish had been fought here, in which one of our Colonels was killed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>Friday, May 1st, about 11 a. m., the artillery became engaged. Before +long the Sixty-first N. Y., and the Hundred and Forty-eight Pennsylvania +were ordered forward, and we went to the front and right of what I +suppose became our line. We worked our way through a piece of scrub pine +that was almost impervious, having passed this obstruction, we were in +open ground, and we advanced, I think, in skirmish line formation. It +was not long before we met Mr. Johnny Reb., and in such force that we +fell back at a lively pace, and worked our way through the scrub I have +spoken of. We emerged into a large open field where there were a good +many troops. By this time the shells of the enemy were making it +interesting for us. Hancock was present, and rushed matters in his +energetic way to get his men deployed where he wanted them. In due time +we were placed in the woods not far from the clearing. We had not more +than got into position when these woods were shelled. We were ordered to +lie down, and the order was well observed. It seemed to me that I was +never under such a raking fire, the noise was fearful, and the amputated +tree limbs came down on us like snow flakes in a Winter’s squall. So far +as I know, no one was seriously hurt in this terrifying bombardment. +After it ceased we moved to another position in the woods, stacked arms, +and there spent the night, or till towards morning of the Second, +(Saturday.)</p> + +<p>Before it was fairly light, we were put in motion and a good deal of +time was spent to satisfactorily locate us. As I understand it, we were +placed in sight of, and to the left of the Chancellorsville House. We at +once stacked arms. A line for rifle pits was run out, and one set of men +began to intrench, while another set, with axes, were in front slashing +down the timber—falling it to the front, and tangling it, so that it +was impossible to rapidly work through it. Before night we had seemingly +an impregnable line. It could not have been carried by infantry from the +front. Artillery might have battered down our defences, or infantry +might have turned it, but we hoped that the Confederates would see fit +to attack our line with infantry from the front. Gen. Howard, with the +Eleventh Corps, was on the right of our line.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> He had been duly notified +during the day that there was a movement of Rebel troops towards his end +of the line. No doubt he was a brave man and believed he could repel any +attack that might be made on him, but where the great issues of a battle +are at stake, a commander has no business to take needless chances, and, +when he can, he should put his men under cover as effectually as may be, +so that he can accomplish his purpose with as little loss of limb and +life as possible. If, as soon as the Eleventh Corps was located they had +gone to work cutting the timber to the front and intrenching, as +Hancock’s men did, Jackson would have met a bloody repulse, and +Chancellorsville would have been our victory. Instead of that, his guns +were stacked, his men were lounging about, and absolutely without +protection. (Doubleday’s Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, page 26 and +following.) Jackson struck him with a column of 26,000 men about 6 p. m., +and stampeded his force as if they had been ewe lambs. After reading many +different accounts of this battle, I am fully persuaded that Howard +inexcusably, if not criminally, blundered on this occasion. In regular +course of time the “stampedees,” if I may use the word, came across the +country and struck our line. They were entirely in favor of continuing +on, but we protested against it, and told them they would run right into +the rebel lines. Some were still bound to go, when the argument of the +bayonet converted them to our idea, and they camped down in our rear. +Sunday, the 3d, found us in the same place, standing guns in hand behind +our breastworks. The fighting to our right was heavy and continuous. +About 11 a. m. it was evident the Rebels had forced our position. We saw +our men streaming back, in a brief time the enemy had posted artillery +that raked our line. It was no longer tenable, and we were ordered to +fall back on the double quick. As we did so, we were under heavy +artillery fire. We passed near the Chancellor House, which was at the +time, I believe, on fire. We halted about one-fourth of a mile to the +rear, and there formed line of battle in the edge of the woods. While we +were waiting, a number of high class women were located close to us. I +was told at the time they were the occupants of the Chancellor House, +then burning to the ground. I remember writing home and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> telling my +people that these women were interesting to look at, and that their +features expressed fear and hate. In a little time they were marched +off, and the Sixty-first with a part, if not all of the brigade, were +advanced, I should think, at right angles with the position held by us +for two days. We soon entered a piece of woods and advanced in line of +battle through it. As we came near to the clearing beyond, we saw the +rifle pits of the enemy, and we met at our part of the line quite a +brisk fire, but on the right it was exceedingly severe. One company of +the 148th Pa. lost more than half its men. Then our line fell back to +the place from which we had advanced, and we at once began another set +of entrenchments. In a few hours time we had again defences that we +would have been delighted to see assaulted by our friends, the enemy.</p> + +<p>In order to keep us from going to seed the Rebels would occasionally +send over a shell, or solid shot, and they had the true range very well. +I remember while such a practice was under way, and we were on our +bellies back from the breastworks some three rods, so that we might not +be hurt by the top log if it should be hit by a ball or shell, a large +solid shot came hurtling over, just above the top of our works, and +plunged into the ground close to the feet of a sandy-haired Irishman by +the name of Flarity. I think I was looking that way at the moment. +Flarity felt the sweep of the wind as the shot went over him; he raised +up sufficiently to see where it had gone into the ground, and said, +“Whist, ye divil! was yee’s <i>intinded</i> for me?” Those who saw the effect +of the shot and heard Flarity had a loud smile.</p> + +<p>We were not attacked on Monday, though during the day Lieut-Col. Broady +called the officers around him and informed them in his Swedish brogue, +that it was anticipated that the enemy would charge our position, which +we were to hold as long as there was a man left of us, and that if we +should give way and fall back we would be fired into by our men, who +held a second and third line. This was delightful information, and made +us feel very jolly—“over the left?” but I am satisfied there was not a +man in the crowd that would have gone back if the chance had been +offered. The attack did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> not come, and during the night we began the +backward march again, which had come to be almost a matter of course. +Hooker had twice as many men as Lee, and the movement seemed to open +encouragingly. While Doubleday and Walker and Alden do not in so many +words say that Hooker was drunk, I think that is the clear inference. If +he was, shooting would be too good for him, he ought to have been burned +at the stake.</p> + +<p>Saturday morning, the second day of May, Col. Miles was put in command +of the picket line to our front. His own regiment was not in this +advance line, but was in the first main line behind the works that I +have mentioned. Our Colonel here made a great reputation for himself. I +quote from Swinton, “Amid much that is dastardly at Chancellorsville, +the conduct of this young, but gallant and skillful officer, shines +forth with a brilliant lustre.” Walker says of him, “So delighted was +Hancock at the splendid behavior of his skirmish line that, after one +repulse of the enemy, he exclaimed, ‘Capt. Parker, ride down and tell +Col. Miles he’s worth his weight in gold!’” While Couch, turning to the +Major-Generals who commanded his two divisions, said, in his quiet but +emphatic way, “I tell you what it is, gentlemen, I shall not be +surprised to find myself, some day serving under that young man.” +Shortly after he was dangerously wounded through the body. Walker says +(page 240) “Hancock strengthens the skirmish line held by Miles, and +instructs that officer not to yield one foot, except on actual +necessity; and well is that trust discharged. The troops under Miles’s +command consist of the 61st, 64th and 66th New York, with detachments +from the 53d Pa, 2d Delaware, and 140th, 145th and 148th Pa. and 27th +Conn.” The historian of the Second Corps is in error when he writes that +the 61st was placed on the skirmish line. As I have before stated, it +remained behind the works it built, until the position was enfladed by +the enemy’s artillery, and then it, with the rest of that line, fell +back.</p> + +<p>He is again in error when he says, (page 244) speaking of the disaster +of the 3d, “Hancock’s division was no longer intact. Caldwell, with the +61st, 52d and 57th N. Y., and four companies of the 148th Pa., had, at a +sudden call, marched to the United<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> States Ford road, with a view to the +anticipated breaking through of the enemy from the right and rear.” +Unless the movement above described is the one made through the wood, in +which the 148th Pa. suffered so severely.</p> + +<p>During Monday night and Tuesday morning we started back, and after +daylight Tuesday, the 5th of May, we “<i>got back on our side of the +Rappahannock</i>.” Before night we were again on our campground of the +December before.</p> + +<p>May 11th I received a fifteen days leave of absence, for which I had +applied before the late movement. Those granted prior to the move had +been but for ten days. Probably the extra five days was in the nature of +a premium for the delay caused by the campaign, and the service in it. I +made the most of this time, and was so feasted at home that I started +back several pounds heavier than when I left. I did not desire to be +away long. At the end of the leave I was anxious to be again with the +boys. At this time I was tenting with Nutting and Collins. Nutting came +down with typhoid fever. He was sent to hospital, and returned in the +Fall.</p> + +<p>While in this camp, June 1st, 1863, the First Brigade of the First +Division, fell in and passed in review by quite a body of officers, +including Hancock, Howard and Barlow. Gen. Howard made appropriate +remarks to the remnants of the 5th N. H., 81st Pa., 64th and 61st N. Y., +which he commanded in the battle of Fair Oaks that day, the year before. +But a small fraction of the men he commanded that day at 7 a. m. were +present to hear his words. He said we were in this great strife to win, +and we would fight it to a finish, and we applauded his sentiments by +lusty cheers. After this we returned to our quarters. Barlow appeared +and gave us a chance to grasp his hand. I am sure this great soldier +always had a special affection for the men of the 61st N. Y. He had +their entire confidence. Unquestionably they obeyed his orders, first, +perhaps, because they didn’t dare do otherwise, and, second, because +they trusted his judgment and ability to perform what he set out to do.</p> + +<p>Now everything indicated a move at short notice. Sunday, the 14th of +June, the Confederates shot off their big guns on the heights of +Fredericksburg. I think our people crossed the river on a +reconnaissance. At 8 p. m. the Second Corps moved, marched<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> four miles +and halted for the night. Monday, the 15th, we passed Stafford Court +House. Tuesday, the 16th, the march took us beyond Dumfries’ Court +House. This day was excessively hot, and it was stated that quite a +number of the Second Corps died of sunstroke. Lieut. Elmore was <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'striken'">stricken</ins> +down by it. He lay on the ground almost motionless—was quite out of his +head and talked crazy. He was put into an ambulance, and sent to +hospital.</p> + +<p>Wednesday, the 17th, at the close of the day, we halted at Pope’s Run on +the Orange & Alexandria R. R. Thursday, the 18th, no move was made, +except to change camp. In the afternoon of Friday (the 19th) we moved +and halted in the evening at Centreville, the place we had been in about +nine months before. Saturday about noon we left Centreville for +Thoroughfare Gap. We passed over the two Bull Run battlefields, which +were fought about a year apart. On the field of 1861 the dead had been +buried with the least expenditure of labor. I should say the bodies had +been laid close together, and a thin coat of earth thrown over them. As +the bodies decayed, the crust fell in exposing in part the skeletons. +Some of our men extracted teeth from the grinning skulls as they lay +thus exposed to view. On the field of 1862 from one mound a hand stuck +out. The flesh instead of rotting off had dried down, and there it was +like a piece of dirty marble. Such sights are not refreshing to men +going forward in search of a new battlefield. Thoroughfare Gap was +reached during the night. We remained in this place until noon of +Thursday, the 25th, when we moved, the enemy following us up quite +sharply with artillery.</p> + +<p>After dark we camped at Gum Spring. It had rained all day. I was placed +in charge of the picket line that night, and visited the posts wet to +the skin. In the morning a young and innocent calf was sporting in the +field we occupied. Some of our wickedest men ended the life of that calf +skinned it, and gave me a chunk. I expected to have an unusually good +meal out of it. No time was found to cook this meat until we halted at +Edward’s Ferry on the Potomac, where we expected to spend the night. +Collins and I proposed to have a great meal out of our piece of veal. +Our man “Robert” fried it in the stew pan, which was the half of a +canteen, and brought it on smoking hot. The experiment of trying to eat +it disclosed the fact that it was “deeken veal” and very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> “<i>stringy</i>,” I +think the Spanish war soldiers would have called it. We discarded it and +went back to “salt hoss.”</p> + +<p>That night we crossed the Potomac on a pontoon, and were again in “My +Maryland.” The performances this night were such as to justify vocal +daming on the part of a very good Christian. The men were tired, but +they were marched and countermarched, and halted and started, and placed +and unplaced, until it was fair to conclude that someone was drunk. At +last the person directing the column got his bearings and we proceeded. +We were plodding along a road in which there was on the right hand side +a ditch about two feet deep. Having been up and awake all of the night +before, I was fearfully sleepy and hardly able to drag myself along. All +at once I went into this ditch, and struck full length. In its bottom +there was about two inches of mud, thick enough to encase me. By the +time I had pawed out, I could not, if laid out, have been distinguished +from a mud sill; but I was too near gone to speak bad words, and so went +on in silence, weighing five pounds more than before my descent. Before +long we halted and bivouaced for the night. The next morning, the 27th, +our regiment started about 10 o’clock, and was thrown out as an advance +guard to our baggage train. Along the line of this march there were +numerous wild black cherry trees. They were loaded with ripe fruit, and +we ate our fill. I think we covered 25 miles this day, and went into +camp near Frederick City. We were over this same ground less than a year +before, and everything looked as it then did.</p> + +<p>Sunday, the 28th, we moved up, and camped just before crossing the +Monocacy. We spent the day very comfortably, and went to bed by rolling +up in our blankets, when an order came to “fall in.” This we did of +course, but wished it had been otherwise. We marched about two miles, +and were posted to guard a ford of the Monocacy. We had with us a +section of artillery.</p> + +<p>Monday, the 29th, we made a march of over thirty-two miles. We halted +for the night some miles beyond Uniontown, at about 10 p. m. I know I +was so completely tired out, that, as soon as arms were stacked, I +stretched out without unrolling my blankets, and I knew nothing till the +next morning, when I was awakened by the sun shining into my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> eyes. I +was so stiff that it took some time to get on to my legs, but, after +moving about for a while, I was all right.</p> + +<p>Tuesday, the 30th, we remained in camp, many straggled in the march of +the day before, and during this day most of them came up. Wednesday, +July 1st, we started out, none of us knowing for where. We heard no +sound of battle that day. No doubt the lay of the land shut off the +thunder of the guns. A rumor soon became current that a fight was in +progress, and that Gen. Reynolds had been killed. We marched through a +little village, perhaps it was Taneytown. Our signalers were up in the +steeple of a church on the street we were passing through, and their +flags were we-wawing at a great rate. Before long the ambulance +containing the corpse of Reynolds passed us. We halted for the night. +After sundown our brigade, and probably the division, were in line of +battle. As soon as arms were stacked, we went to a rail fence, took down +the rails, brought them to our line, and, before going to bed—i. e., +spreading our blankets on the ground—we had staked up those rails and +banked earth against them so that they would have served quite a purpose +as breastworks. By this time lines of camp fires were burning as far as +we could see, indicating that the army was massed here, or the ruse was +worked to make the enemy think so.</p> + +<p>Thursday, the 2d, we were quietly ordered to turn out. Breakfast was +eaten, the guns and ammunition were inspected, and by six or seven +o’clock we were in motion. On the march I remember we went through a +small piece of open timber, where our doctors were posted, and as we +went by we shook hands with them, and exchanged little pleasantries. I +remember saying to them, “We’ll see you again later.” I tried to say +this with a jaunty air, but down in my shoes I did not feel a bit +jaunty. I think we all felt that this should be a death grapple, and, if +Lee went further north, it ought to be over the played out ranks of this +army. We continued our march and halted in a large open field to the +left of the village of Gettysburg. Our brigade was massed, and commanded +by Col. Edward E. Cross of the 5th N. H.</p> + +<p>We remained in this place during the long hours of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> day. There was +no noise, save occasionally slight picket firing, but it was not the +silence of assured quiet. It was the painful waiting before the descent +of the certain cyclone.</p> + +<p>Our regiments were so small that, except in the case of the 148th +Pennsylvania, each regiment made a single line. I think the 148th was +divided into two battalions. The 61st had about 90 muskets. While +waiting for something to “turn up” Col. Cross came up, and after a +little said, “Boys, you know what’s before you. Give ’em hell!” and some +of us said “We will, Colonel!” After a time “the ball opened” on our +left. A determined attack was made on Sickel’s position. He could not +hold it, and re-enforcements were sent to him. I do not remember seeing +the 5th N. H. move away but Col. Broady says it was detached before the +brigade started. I think it was between 5 and 6 o’clock when our orders +came, and we were ready. It was preferable to advance into action, +rather than to wait in expectation of the order to move. The direction +we were to take was to the front and left. There was no time to +countermarch so as to bring the men right in front, so we simply left +faced and started. The 61st, since the withdrawal of the 5th N. H. was +the right regiment. We advanced in this manner, the brigade in a <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'chunck'">chunk</ins>, +until we struck a cross road. In this road we deployed by filing right +and advancing until the regiments were deployed, then we left faced. +This undoubled us, and we stood in line of battle, officers and +sergeants in front of the rear rank in front. In front of us across the +road was a wheatfield, which was bounded by a fence. We were ordered +forward; we scaled the fence and advanced into this wheatfield in line +of battle, as I have stated. Finally we were halted, markers were thrown +out, and we lined up. The 61st N. Y. was the right of our brigade line. +I am not sure what regiment was to our right. It is my recollection that +no regiment was in close contact with us. As soon as the alignment was +perfected, the officers and file closers passed through the ranks and +got in rear of the men. Up to this time not a confederate had been seen +in our front.</p> + +<p>At the further edge of this wheatfield there were the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> remnants of a +stone wall and scattering trees and brush, which made a natural line for +the opposing force to form behind. As soon as I got into my place I kept +my eyes to the front, and in a few seconds I saw first one or two men +come toward us on a run, and throw themselves down behind this partial +stone wall. But a brief time passed when a solid line of men in gray +appeared and placed themselves as had the first comers. At once, and +without any ordering, the firing opened by both sides. It was slightly +descending from where we stood to the position of the enemy. I think +their location was the best, independent of the protection afforded by +the old wall. It was a case of give and take. As a rule our men behaved +splendidly; with a single exception I saw no flinching or dodging. I saw +a certain second lieutenant doubling himself together so as to bring his +head below the line of the heads of the men in front of him. Capt. Keech +saw his posture and came up to him and said, “Stand up! What are you +crouching for?” The fellow replied, “I’m not crouching.” Keech replied, +“Yes, you are!” and he hit him across his humped-up back a sharp rap +that made him grunt, and said, “Stand up like a man!” In battle the +tendency is almost universal for the men to work out of a good line into +clumps. The men of natural daring will rather crowd to the front, and +those cast in more timid or retiring molds will almost automatically +edge back and slip in behind. Hence the necessity of not alone +commissioned officers in the rear to keep the men out in two ranks, but +sergeants as well. I think I have stated that there were less than one +hundred men present with the regiment. For the less than ninety muskets +in the ranks we had a number of commissioned officers. More than was +needed. We had officers enough in our regiment in this great battle to +have commanded three hundred men, and it is a standing proof of the +gross ignorance, or the villainy of the New York government that such +was the case. In the early part of the day I remarked to a number of the +men near by that when some one of them was knocked out I was going to +take his musket and get into the firing line. We were in this wheatfield +and the grain stood almost breast high. The Rebs had their slight +protection,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> but we were in the open, without a thing better than a +wheat straw to catch a Minnie bullet that weighed an ounce. Of course, +our men began to tumble. They lay where they fell, or, if able, started +for the rear. Near to me I saw a man named Daily go down, shot through +the neck. I made a movement to get his gun, but at that moment I was +struck in the shoulder. It did not hurt and the blow simply caused me to +step back. I found that I could not work my arm, but supposed that hurt +was a flesh wound that had temporarily paralyzed it, and that it was not +serious enough to justify my leaving the fighting line. So, I remained +and did what I could in directing the firing. Sometime after this, I +felt a blow on the left leg, and it gave way, so that I knew the bone +was broken. This stroke did not hurt, and I did not fall, but turned +around and made a number of hops to the rear, when my foot caught in the +tangled grain and I went down full length. While lying here entirely +helpless, and hearing those vicious bullets singing over my head, I +suffered from fear. I had, as most men do, got over the dread of battle +after I was once fairly in it, and was enjoying the excitement, but when +I was “done for” as a fighter, and could only lie in that zone of +danger, waiting for other bullets to plow into my body, I confess it was +with the greatest dread. While so lying and dreading, in some way, I +knew that two men were going to the rear. I yelled out to them, “Drag me +back.” They heeded the order, or entreaty, and one man grabbed one arm, +and the other man the other arm, and they started back with me between +them, not on any funeral gait, but almost on a run. My right arm was +sound, but the left one was broken at the shoulder joint, and on that +side it was pulling on the cords and meat. I wobbled much as a cut of +wood drawn by two cords would have. These men pulled me back in this +fashion for a number of rods, and until I thought they had pulled me +over a rise of ground like a cradle knoll, when I shouted, “Drop me” and +they dropped, and went on without note or comment. I had a tourniquet in +my haversack, and with my one servicable arm, I worked away till I got +it out, and did the best I could to get it around my leg, for anything I +knew I was bleeding to death, and, if possible, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> wanted to check the +flow of blood. I think my effort did not amount to much. After a time +the firing tapered down to occasional shots. Of course, I did not know +who was on top. Certainly no body of our men had fallen back near my +bivouac. In a short time I heard a line of battle advancing from the +rear. As the men came in sight I sang out, “Don’t step on me, boys!” +Those in range of me stepped over and on they went, to take their +medicine. I understand they rushed forward and fought the enemy in +advance of the line we occupied. It was not many minutes after these +troops passed me that the rattle of musketry was again heard from that +wheat field. It was kept up for a good while, and then it died down. No +body of our men went back past me.</p> + +<p>After a while I was aware that a skirmish line was coming from the +front, and soon discovered that the skirmishers were not clothed in +blue. The officer in command was mounted and rode by within a few feet +of me. I should judge that this line went as far as the road I have +spoken of. Shots were exchanged at about that distance to the rear of +me. This fighting was not severe and a short time after these gentlemen +in gray moved back in the same manner they had advanced, greatly to my +relief. I did not fancy remaining their guest for any length of time.</p> + +<p>As the Rebs went back, a nice looking young fellow, small of stature, +with bright black eyes, whose face was smutted up with powder and smoke, +came along where I lay. My sword was on the ground beside me. He picked +it up, and said, “Give me that scabbard!” I said “Johnny, you will have +to excuse me, as my arm is broken and I can’t unbuckle my belt.” He made +no comment, but went off with my sword. Then matters quieted down, and +there was no sound to be heard in that vicinity, except the groanings of +the wounded. As long as I lay perfectly quiet, I was not in much pain, +but if I attempted to stir the pain was severe. I had heard that wounded +men always suffered from thirst, but I was not specially thirsty, and I +wondered at it. I did not have any desire to groan, and take on, as many +about me were doing. So I wondered if I were really badly hurt, and if I +could groan, if I wanted to. I determined to try it, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> drew in a good +breath, and let out a full grown-man groan. I was satisfied with the +result and then kept quiet. This action on my part will read like the +performance of a simpleton, and I would not record it, but for the fact +that it was the freak and experience of one man, helpless on the +battlefield. These personal experiences are, of course, less often +written about than are the general movements of troops in battle +accounts.</p> + +<p>After a time I was satisfied our people were establishing a picket line +some ways to my rear. I succeeded in securing the attention of a +sergeant. He told me the number of his regiment, which was a new +Pennsylvania regiment. I told him I wanted to get back out of this +debatable belt of land between the skirmish lines. He said he would go +and see his officer. In a little while he came back with a Lieutenant. +He was a good hearted man, and commiserated my condition, and inquired +what he could do for me. I told him my present anxiety was to get to the +rear of our skirmish line—that where I then lay was likely to be fought +over again, and any little thing would, at least, set the pickets firing +at one another. I told him I thought if he and the sergeant would make a +chair of their hands, as children often do, they could carry me between +them. With difficulty they got me up, and their hands under me, and +started, but the broken leg hung down, and caught in the trampled wheat, +and I told them I couldn’t go it. Then the Lieutenant said he could +carry me on his back. I noticed that he had braced up with commissary, +and his legs were not wholly reliable, but I thought he could manage me +as a pack. So he squatted, and the sergeant helped get me on his back +with my arm around his neck. Then he attempted to raise me up, but my +weight and the tanglefoot were too much, and we all went down in a heap +together, I under. As soon as I could express myself in words, I told +the men, if they would straighten me out and cover me up with my +blanket, I would excuse them with thanks for their kind intentions. This +they did, and left me with no one in sight. It now grew dark rapidly and +soon there was as little light as at any time that night. I was wide +awake, and my thoughts went on excursions the wide world around.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>I think it must have been about midnight—for hours I had heard no sound +but the groanings of the men lying on the field about me. All at once I +heard a voice. It came from the mouth of Phil Comfort, a private of Co. +A. Phil had always been one of the incorrigibles. He would get drunk, +and brawl, and fight on the slightest provocation, but he also had the +credit of doing much for the wounded of the regiment. I do not know what +Phil’s business was, out there between the picket lines at midnight of +that day. I suspect he may have been there for the purpose of +accommodating any corpse that was desirous of being relieved of any +valuables he was possessed of, fearing they might be buried in an +unmarked grave with his dead body. I never asked Phil about the orders, +or from whom they came, that sent him into hailing distance of my place +of repose, but I made haste to call Phil up to me. He responded to my +call, and in a moment was staring down on me in the starlight. He said, +“Why, Lieutenant that’s you, aint it!” I admitted the allegation, and +said I wanted to get out of here. He replied that he would go for a man +and stretcher, and return as soon as possible, and off he went. Before +long he was back with man and stretcher, and after much working they got +me loaded and started for a point at which the ambulances were +assembling. I was set down in the dooryard of a house built of hewed +logs, whitewashed. In 1866 I visited the battlefield and this house was +standing. I think it has since been removed and a frame house put up on +its site.</p> + +<p>After an hour’s waiting, I was loaded into an ambulance without taking +me from my stretcher. This was fortunate for me, as I kept it until it +was <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'swaped'">swapped</ins> for a new one two weeks later. The stretcher kept me from +the ground, and was an important factor in my recovery. A man was placed +beside me shot through the body. He was in an agony of pain, and it was +impossible for him to restrain his groans. When the ambulance started, +it went anywhere but in a good road, and as it bumped over logs and +boulders, my broken leg would thresh about like the mauler of a flail. I +found it necessary to keep it in place by putting the other one over it. +At last we stopped and were unloaded. It was still dark,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> but in due +time light broke in the East, and a little later I could roll my head +and take in some of the surroundings. Most of the wounded of the +regiment had been gathered at this place, and we made by far the largest +part of it. Many of the men were so hurt that they could move about, and +they all came and made me an early morning call. After a time two of our +regimental doctors appeared. They cut open my trousers leg, found where +the bullet went in, and, I think, put a strip of adhesive plaster over +the wound, and they did the same with the shoulder. It was clear to my +mind that the leg, at least, must come off. I expressed my opinion and +said, I thought it would be better to do it at once, than to wait till +inflammation set in. At my earnest request they promised me that they +would see to it that I should be among the first operated on.</p> + +<p>While in this place my life long friend and companion, Lieut. Isaac +Plumb, came to me. We had been side by side since the organization of +the regiment, and, until now, neither of us had been badly hurt. He told +me that he saw me as I went down, and sang out “Uncle Fuller, that’s +good for sixty days.” He said I made up quite a face, as if it hurt. +Shortly afterward he said he had a remarkable experience. He was struck +and knocked down, and he supposed a bullet had gone through him, and he +was done for. He said he clapped his hands over the place of the +supposed wound and held on tight, with the thought that conscious +existence might be a little prolonged. He expected to feel life ebbing, +but he retained consciousness, and, after a while, lifted his hands, +expecting to see an eruption of blood, but he did not. He began to move +his body with no bad results, and, finally, got onto his feet, resumed +his place and left the field with his men. He did not discover what had +happened till he prepared to bunk down for the night, when he unbuckled +his sword belt he discovered a strange formation in his vest pocket. In +it he had a bunch of small keys on a ring. A Minnie bullet had struck +his belt plate square and had glanced so as to go under the plate into +his vest pocket, where it met the bunch of keys. There was enough force +and <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'resistence'">resistance</ins> to bed the bullet into the ring and the key heads,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> and +there the keys stood out held in place by the embedded bullet. He was +able to send this relic of that great battle home, and his mother has it +now among her choicest mementos.</p> + +<p>After a time the division operating table was set up in the edge of a +piece of timber not very far away. I was on the watch, expecting every +minute to be taken out, but I waited and waited and no one came for me. +I became quite impatient at this delay. I saw one after another brought +on, carried up, and taken away, and I was not called for. This aroused +my stock of impatience, of which, I naturally always had <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'quiet'">quite</ins> enough. +At last I asked my friend Porter E. Whitney and another man to take me +down to the table. I made up my mind, if the mountain did not go to +Mahomet, the next best thing was for the prophet to go to the mountain. +The men set me down as nearly under the noses of the doctors as could +be, and, if something hadn’t happened, I presume in a few minutes that +heretofore good left leg would have made one of the fast growing pile; +but about that interesting moment for me, the enemy began to drop shells +that exploded in and about the locality. It was not a fit place to +pursue surgical operations. The doctors knew it, so they hastily +gathered up their knives and saws, and moved to a place where those +projectiles did not drop. The two friends who had taken me there, picked +up my stretcher and started for a like place. We had to move several +times before the greatest artillery duel of the War began. When that +opened we were out of range of it, but we could not hide from the +tremble of the ground—the surface of the earth at that place shook and +quivered from the terrible concussion of the artillery. The roar was +enough to deafen one, and inspire the dread that no one would be left +alive and unhurt. Generally however, the noise is a considerable part of +such a bombardment. Probably comparatively slight damage was done by it, +until our artillery opened on the advancing lines of Pickett’s men.</p> + +<p>During the day friends occasionally poured water on my wounds, which, +doubtless, kept the swelling down.</p> + +<p>Pickett was defeated. Grant, Sherman, Sheridan or Thomas,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> if in command +at the time, would have plunged the fresh Sixth Corps on to the rear of +Lee’s routed men, and effectively crushed him. Meade was new to the +place and preferred a respectable certainty to possible disaster. Things +quieted down, and that night,</p> + +<p class="poem">“Mr. Lee who had come to see<br /> +What he could do about going through,<br /> +The North, turned South.”</p> + +<p>The boys who were toting me came to a stone house with a wide piazza +clear around it. I was laid on the floor of it, which made a hard bed. I +ached in every bone, but there was nothing to do but “grin and bear it.” +After a while Frank Garland of Co. G was brought and laid on the floor +near me. He could raise upon his elbow, but his breathing was painful to +hear. A bullet had gone through his lungs and every time they filled a +portion of the air went through the wound with a ghastly sound. I said +to him, “Are you badly wounded, Frank?” He replied, “Oh, yes!”</p> + +<p>I had eaten nothing since the morning of the day before, and was faint. +Some of our drummer boys found a bin of ground oats, and they made a +gruel that tasted good, and I made quite a meal of it. That evening +about 10 o’clock, an ambulance came for me, and I was taken to the +ground selected for the 2d Corps hospital. It was another rough ride +across lots. Once there I was taken out of my stretcher, the one Phil +Comfort took me off the field on, and taken at once to the operating +table. A napkin was formed into a tunnel shape, a liberal supply of +chloroform poured into it and the thing placed over my nose and mouth. I +was told to take in long breaths. To me it seemed a long time before the +effect came, probably it was a short time, but at last my head seemed to +grow big and spin around. At this stage I remember a doctor had his +fingers in the wound in the shoulder and said to the others “Here is a +fine chance for a resection.” I did not know what that meant, but +learned afterwards. When I came to myself, I looked down far enough to +see a quantity of bandage wound about a stump of a leg eight inches +long. My shoulder was bound up, but otherwise not operated on. Failure +to resect may have been due to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> great amount of work pressing upon +the surgeons. They were worked as many hours continuously as they could +stand, and still many a man had to be neglected. I was taken off the +table and put back on my stretcher, which was set down in a wall tent, +this tent was as full as it well could be of amputated cases. For the +most part the men bore their suffering without a groan. Among the number +was a young Confederate officer, that had lost an arm. He probably felt +that he was a good way from home, and he “took on,” bemoaning his fate +as a cripple and a sufferer. He wore out the patience of every other man +in the tent. At last I yelled out to him to shut up, or I would get up +and kick him out doors. My bark was effective, we heard no more from +him. All of us were amputates, or seriously wounded. During the night a +doctor came, and gave every man a dose of morphine, which produced a +happy state of mind and body. As I was taken from the table one of my +doctors said, “Fuller, you may drink all of the whiskey you can get, and +want.”</p> + +<p>The day of the 4th we had a drenching rain. Some men out lying in low +places and who could not move were, it was said, drowned. On the whole, +I presume the rain was a benefit to the wounded.</p> + +<p>It took a number of days for the large hospital tents to be put up. All +of the sound part of the army that could be spared followed up the +enemy. Of course, it took a large number of soldiers detailed for the +purpose, to partially care for the thousands of wounded from each army. +The surgeons were continuously engaged upon new cases that had received +no attention. Those of us that had been treated knew this, and we found +no fault at what otherwise would have been terrible neglect. I think it +was six days after my amputation before a doctor could be found to look +at my stump. The night before I had been made very nervous by crawley +feelings on that side of me, just where I could not tell. It is, I +think, the rule with amputations, that the patient cannot from the +feeling put his hand on the place of amputation. It takes a good while +for the nerves to realize where “the end” is. They were made to carry +the news to the brain from the extremities, and, until the new +arrangement has become<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> somewhat acquainted with the change, these lines +of communication are doing duty for parts of the body not there. My bad +feelings were not at the end of the stump, but down in the foot and +ankle, where there were constant beats, and pulls and cramps. I think +this is the foundation for the many fairy stories to the effect that an +amputated leg or arm buried gave the owner of it great pain, as if +something pressed on it, or it was cramped in its box, and when it was +opened up there was found a stone between the fingers, or the cover +jammed upon the foot, and that when the cause of discomfort was removed +then the stump of the arm or leg was easy. As in the various phases of +faith cure, the imagination has a powerful effect. So it has in these +cases. It is never that there is a real feeling connected between the +severed part and the body, but the belief in it creates a supposed +reality.</p> + +<p>It was the good fortune of our tent that a civilian surgeon from Ohio +visiting the field came along and offered his services to any of us that +wanted him to do for us. I told him how I had felt through the night, +and I would be glad to have him dress my stump. He took the bandages off +and found that there were a large number of full grown maggots in the +wound. This discovery for the moment was horrifying to me. I concluded +if all the other things did not take me off the skippers would, but the +good doctor assured me that the wigglers didn’t amount to much in that +place, and he would soon fix them. He diluted some turpentine, took a +quantity of it in his mouth and squirted it into the wound, and over the +stump. It did the business for the intruders, and I had no more trouble +of that sort.</p> + +<p>The morning of the 4th of July Capt. Keech came to me and said he was to +have a short leave of absence on account of the wound he received in the +neck, which came near effectually cutting it. He wanted to know what +word he should convey to my people. I said tell them I am doing as well +as one can under the circumstance. He replied, “Don’t you want them to +come down here?” I said, “No!” “They can do no good here, and will be in +the way.” When he got to New York he wired to Sherburne: “Garland +mortally wounded. Fuller dangerously wounded. Plumb all right.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> That +night my father started for Unadilla Forks to see Dr. King, his +brother-in-law. The doctor was one of the best surgeons in Otsego Co. My +father told him he wanted him to go to Gettysburg and look after me. +They were in Utica the next morning ready for the first train East. From +a newsboy they got a <i>Herald</i>, which gave a long list of New York +casualties. Finally they struck “Lieut. C. A. Fuller, Co. C. 61st N. Y., +leg <i>and arm amputated</i>.” The doctor said, “If that is true there is not +much chance for Charley, but we will go on and bring him home alive or +dead.” And so they went on.</p> + +<p>All this is very tame and personal, and, in many ways, I know can be of +but small interest. There is this to be said of it: It shows what was +going on in thousands of families the land over—North and South—and it +is the kind of matter that does not get into books on war subjects. The +reality of war is largely obscured by descriptions that tell of +movements and maneuvers of armies, of the attack and repulse, of the +victory and defeat, and then pass on to new operations. All of this +leaves out of sight the fellows stretched out with holes through them, +or with legs and arms off.</p> + +<p>At Baltimore my father had to turn back on account of acute illness. +From New York my father and Uncle were accompanied by my cousin Edward +Snyder. He was a grand man. He had tried several times to enter the +service, but was rejected. For years he had been in the employ of the +American Express Co. and knew how to push his way through a crowd. The +jam was so great to get to the battlefield, and the transportation so +inadequate, they might have been delayed several days, but for the +steering qualifications of Snyder. He elbowed and managed in such a way +that he and the doctor got onto an open flat bottomed car headed for +Gettysburg the same day. On their arrival it was no small job to find +me, but a half day’s search and inquiry brought them to my tent, a large +hospital tent holding some sixteen men, everyone of whom had, I +believed, sustained an amputation. They had found the Chaplain of the +64th New York, a thoroughly good man, qualified for the office, as many +chaplains were not. This Chaplain had been of great service since the +battle; his work in behalf of the men was tireless. Earlier in the day +he had talked with me, trying to brace me up and make me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> hopeful. I +remember saying to him, “If I were where I could have the best of care, +I might pull through, but that is impossible.” I knew that my chances +were few and scant. About noon he came to me and said, “Fuller, can you +stand some good news?” I said, “Yes, if ever I could I can now.” He +said, “Some one has come to see you?” I asked, “Is it Dr. King?” He +said, “Yes.” I looked to the other side of the tent, and there in the +doorway stood my uncle, and just behind him Edward Snyder. The doctor +was short and thick and Snyder was tall and thin, so I had a view of +both of their faces at once. It was a sight so photographed in my memory +that it is as fresh to-day as when it was taken. The doctor remained at +the field hospital for about ten days. During that time he took charge +of about a dozen amputated cases, and while he was rather squatty for an +Angel, the men regarded him as one of mercy. By the end of ten days from +his coming the doctor told me that I was making no progress and ought to +be moved where I could get better air. He got permission for my removal +into the village. Two men carried me on a stretcher. When the doctor +left the boys he had been caring for, there were few dry eyes on their +faces. I was taken to the house of Mr. Carson, cashier of one of the +banks. On the approach of Lee’s army, Mr. Carson had taken the cash and +valuables to Philadelphia. At this time every house in town was at the +service of any wounded, or their friends. When I was deposited at his +house, Mr. Carson was in Philadelphia to get and return the bank’s +property, but Mrs. Carson was there, and, if I had been a near relative, +she could not have done more to make my stay tolerable. As an instance +of the romance in war the following occurred. Mrs. Carson’s brother was +an officer in a Maine battery. He was in the first day’s engagement and +was quite badly wounded. He managed to get to his sister’s house, I +believe he was not disturbed by the Rebels, and left for his home the +day before I came.</p> + +<p>After a few days in the village, consent was obtained for me to start +for home. We were on the way for about a week, and everywhere on the +route the greatest kindness was shown save in one instance. That was at +the Albany station, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> with the New York Central’s employees. It was +necessary to put my stretcher with me on it into the baggage car. I was +set down by the side of the car, asking that it be done. By the +treatment I got from the men in charge, one would take them to be a gang +of copperheads. Seeing that they were going to refuse me admission to +the car, I began to call them off in no gentle manner. My billingsgate +caused a crowd to gather. I informed the trainmen and the people +assembled that if I could have a squad of my regiment there for a very +few minutes, I would go in that car, or that train would be a wreck. I +soon had the sympathy of the lookers on, and some of them suggested that +I would go into that car, or it might not be necessary for me to have +any of the 61st there to make things interesting. The disobliging +servants of the road did not care to have more of a demonstration, and +the door was shoved open, and, in no gracious manner, I was put on +board, and started for Utica. I think those New York Central loafers +would have left me there to have fly-blowed had they not feared the +temper of the crowd. It was a painful surprise to me to meet such +indifference, if not hostility, in Central New York, when I had just +experienced such helpful kindness in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and even +in New York, a place that usually cares for nothing and no one, except +commercially. From Utica I was taken in an ambulance to Unadilla Forks, +N. Y.</p> + +<p>At the end of a week my shoulder was operated on, and three inches of +the humerus taken out from the shoulder joint down. The operation was +performed by Dr. King, and was an excellent one. A week after that +operation, an incision was made into the stump and the bullet that broke +the leg was taken out. That it was in the stump was, of course, a +surprise, and when the surgeons of my regiment were informed what had +been done, they claimed to be much surprised, and said that they traced +out the bullet that they amputated for, and that the bullet extracted by +Dr. King must have been a second one. I have always had the impression +that I was hit in the leg lower down, and before the one came that broke +the leg, but of that I am not certain.</p> + +<p>With two such wounds as I had, and one poisoned for six<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> weeks with a +Minnie bullet, it was a slow process to recover, but I made steady +progress with, of course, occasional pull backs.</p> + +<p>I think it was in September, 1863, and after I reached my home, that +George Jacobs, a sergeant in my company of New Berlin, called on me. +George was <i>one</i> of the best soldiers in the regiment. In a fight no one +could be better. He was home on a ten days furlough. Of course, the best +in the land was free to him, and he was feasted by parents and friends. +As he was about ready to start back, he was taken violently sick with a +stomach trouble and died in a few hours.</p> + +<p>In December, 1863, I was ordered to report at a hospital at Annapolis, +Md. I started alone with one crutch, and my arm in a sling. At Albany I +stopped over night with my cousin Stewart Campbell, and well remember +that evening reading in the <i>Atlantic Monthly</i> that wonderful story, “A +Man Without a Country,” by Edward Everett Hale. It made a deep +impression on my mind and it confirmed the sentiment I had cherished +that it was well worth hardship, wounds, loss of limbs, or life even, to +have a hand in preserving in its integrity such a country as ours. I +reached <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'Anapolis'">Annapolis</ins> all right. In about a week I was ordered to +Washington, and mustered out. This ended my connection with one of the +best regiments in the service in the War of the Rebellion. I do not say +this, I think, unadvisedly, nor from a mistaken sense of the quality of +the rank and file of the regiment, but rather from the character of the +commanding officers of the regiment while under Barlow and Miles. Each +of them officers whose equal it was hard to find. They were men of +dauntless courage and rare military judgment, who <span class="smcap">Led</span> their men into +battle, and under them if a soldier wanted to slink, as a rule, he +deemed it safer to face the enemy than to let either one of them suspect +he was slinking.</p> + +<p>I have now told my story as a soldier, and the purpose of this pamphlet +is ended. In conclusion I want to register my admiration for the war +power of a country. It is a splendid employment to be in the Army, or +Navy of one’s country! The office of the War Power is to maintain order +and right at home, and defend the flag from foreign aggression. It is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +not the first and main business of the soldier to kill anyone; he is put +in motion only after peacable means for righteousness have failed. Then +he comes forward and says to the obstructor and the enemy of right: +“Desist, surrender, give way!” and it is only after refusal and a show +of hostile force that the soldier shoots his gun, and when he shoots he +prefers to wound, disable and capture, rather than to kill.</p> + +<p>Of course, we all ought to encourage the avoidance of war, and the +promotion of peace, but the wise ruler, while so doing, will have an +adequate army to make it certain that he cannot be overborne by +evil-minded persons, and the enemies of his government. Mankind must be +dealt with as it is, and not on a fanciful, theoretical basis.</p> + +<p>Really the Army is the strong arm of the executive part of the +governmental machinery. The sheriff and constable may be resisted and +fail; the posse comitatus they call to their aid may prove inadequate, +and then there is nothing to look to but the Army.</p> + +<p>If I had a son 18 years of age, I would not feel bad to see him enrolled +for a three years enlistment in the United States Army, or Navy. I would +expect he would be discharged at the end of the term improved by the +discipline. The wearer of the uniform ought to be honored by the people +and accorded as broad a place in society as if he were a member of what +is termed “one of the learned professions.” The treatment accorded our +soldiers and sailors by some rich, ill-bred snobs in this country is to +their lasting disgrace, and it is to be hoped that such stupid idiots +may live to see the day when they will bitterly repent their fool +actions.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR OF 1861***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 31353-h.txt or 31353-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/1/3/5/31353">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/3/5/31353</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Personal Recollections of the War of 1861 + As Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixty-First Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry + + +Author: Charles Augustus Fuller + + + +Release Date: February 22, 2010 [eBook #31353] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR +OF 1861*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by +Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 31353-h.htm or 31353-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31353/31353-h/31353-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31353/31353-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/personalrecollec00full + + + + + +PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR OF 1861 + +As Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixty-First Regiment, +New York Volunteer Infantry + +by + +CHARLES A. FULLER + +Prepared from data found in letters, written at the time from the field +to the people at home. + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Charles A. Fuller + +Late of the 61st N. Y. V. Inf.] + + + +News Job Printing House, Sherburne, N. Y. +1906 + + + + +PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS + + +March 1st, 1861, I started for Cleveland, Ohio, to enter the law office +of Boardman & Ingersoll as a law student. I was in that city at the time +of the inauguration of President Lincoln. + +After Sumpter was fired on I was anxious to enlist and go to the front +with the "Cleveland Grays," but trouble with my eyes induced me to +postpone my enlistment. After the President issued his call for 300,000 +additional troops, I learned that Lieut. K. Oscar Broady, a recent +graduate of Madison University, who had seen some military service in +Sweden, his native country, was raising a Company for the War, in which +many Hamilton and Sherburne men were enrolled. Isaac Plumb, one of my +most-thought-of friends, was in the number; there were others--Edgar +Willey, Israel O. Foote, Fred Ames, and more whose names I do not now +recall. I decided to wait no longer, but seek the enemy with the men of +this Company. + +I left Cleveland Sept. 5th, 1861, and reached Utica Saturday afternoon +in time to find that the stage down the valley had gone, and I must +remain there until Monday morning, or use some other means of locomotion +southward to Sherburne. The question I asked myself was, "Why not test +your leg gear NOW, and see what you can do as a foot-man?" I answered +"All right," and started out, though it was well into the afternoon. +That evening I reached Oriskany Falls, a distance of about 20 miles. I +camped for the night at the hotel, but was up the next morning before +the hotel people. I left the price of the lodging on the bar, and +started south. It was about 24 miles to Sherburne, which I reached +about noon. I supplied the commissary department from houses along the +road. + +My father and mother had no hint that I had left Cleveland. When I +entered the house my mother said, "Why, Charlie Fuller, you've come home +to go to war." She was the daughter of a man who was in the +Revolutionary Army when but sixteen years of age, and she had always +been proud of the fact, and she was, I am sure, gratified that she had a +boy desirous of imitating the example of her deceased father. + +On my way through Hamilton, I had left word what I was there for, and I +was assured that Lieut. Coultis would soon be down to enroll me. + +The next day he was on hand; he had, I believe, been in a militia +company; at all events, he appeared in the toggery of a militia officer. +He said he was authorized and prepared to "swear me in." I told him I +was ready for business, and then and there took the oath. I tried to +feel easy and appear unconcerned (whether or not I succeeded to outward +appearance I can not say) but I know that inside there was more or less +of a lump to swallow, for, to some extent, I realized that it was _not_ +a picnic. + +I was home for a week, in which time four men joined me. They were Lewis +R. Foote, Porter E. Whitney, Newel Hill and Albert H. Simmons. To show +what war does, the following summary is a fair sample--Foote, wounded at +Fair Oaks, discharged; Whitney, several times wounded, lastly in the +Wilderness Campaign, 1864, transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps; +Hill, discharged early for physical disability; Simmons, detailed to +Commissary Dept., discharged on account of physical disability; Fuller, +discharged on account of wounds. + +Monday, Sept. 16th, 1861, our squad of five left Sherburne for Hamilton. +We were there until Thursday, when we started for Staten Island, the +headquarters of the forming regiment. Coultis had about thirty men. We +reached the rendezvous about 11 o'clock Friday and received a warm +welcome from old friends on the ground. + +This forming regiment was located on ground within the present enclosure +of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. Spencer W. Cone had the Colonel's +Commission, and his regiment had the fancy name of "Clinton Guards," +whether in honor of George, or DeWitt, I do not know, and perhaps Cone +didn't. + +The explanation of Broady's connection with Cone's regiment, +undoubtedly, is this: The father of Spencer W. Cone was a Baptist Doctor +of Divinity, of Baltimore, Md. Probably he was known to, and a friend of +the managers of Madison University. Quite likely it was assumed that so +good a man as Cone. D. D., would have a son of ability and piety, well +calculated to lead his men to victory, or, if to death, the death of the +righteous; and, so, I assume, it was regarded as a fortunate +circumstance that the young men who had been connected with Madison +University were to go into this man's regiment. + +Mr. Cone was one of those (what Simeon Cameron is alleged to have +characterized a writer) "damned literary fellers." He had been a +contributor to the New York Mercury, and other periodicals. He had a +penetrating and quite powerful voice, and displayed in his person some +of the pomp and circumstance of war, and, to the novices in his camp, he +was for a time regarded as a "big injun." Events proved this to be +unfounded and, before the regiment really met the enemy, he ceased to be +the Colonel. At this time one Manning wore the uniform of +Lieutenant-Colonel, and one Lynch that of Major. + +A quarrel was worked up among the officers, and, it was said, that Cone +proposed to leave it to the line officers whether he should continue as +Colonel, or step aside for another. The vote was taken and Cone was +loser. Then he refused to abide by the result. He was ordered to leave +camp and refused. Hands were laid on him to compel his withdrawal, he +resisted with oaths and froth and a show of fight; but he was overcome +by superior force and exported from the camp. I think Maj. Lynch assumed +command. After a few days the camp was moved a number of miles to a +place called Silver Lake. This move was on Saturday. + +The next morning some of the officers were informed that Cone was on the +road to this new camp with authority to take command and to place in +arrest all of the officers who had aided in his displacement. There was +a great scampering on the part of these officers, and soon they were +conspicuous by their absence. In a little while the valiant Cone +appeared on the color line, and ordered the men to turn out; his order +was obeyed. Then he showed authority for taking command of the regiment, +and he offered to pardon all who had been in the movement against him, +if they would return and promise to be good in the future. The +skedadling officers got the word, came back, were forgiven, and resumed +their places; that was the last the regiment knew of Manning and Lynch. + +The Monday following the regiment moved back to its old quarters near +the fort, and remained there till ordered to Washington. In this +unfortunate fiasco the regiment lost about two hundred men by desertion, +from which depletion it never recovered. When ordered to the seat of +war, I think there were not much above 700 men, and the regiment never +saw the time when it had full ranks--that fact alone accounts for its +not being in the list of those that lost two hundred in battle. I +believe the number killed in action, or who died in a short time from +battle wounds, was 193, or seven short of the number. When brigaded, my +recollection is, that it was at least one hundred and fifty men short of +the number of any other regiment. It had the same number of officers +that the other regiments had, and, with them, the loss in killed +equalled, I believe, the losses in the 5th New Hampshire, which has the +distinction of having lost the most men killed in action of any infantry +regiment on the Union side in the War of the Rebellion. + +Francis C. Barlow was appointed Lieut-Col. in place of Manning, and +Capt. Massett was promoted to Major. In each case a good exchange. +Barlow did not appear for duty at Staten Island and was not generally +known to the regiment until it went into Camp at Kendall Green in +Washington, D. C. + +Saturday, Nov, 9th, 1861, orders were issued to break camp. The men's +knapsacks were loaded down with things necessary and things that _could_ +be dispensed with, (which were thrown away when real campaigning was +entered upon.) No doubt an average knapsack at this time would weigh +from twenty-five pounds and upwards. The regiment left its formation +camp for the front about seven hundred strong. We took a steamer and +landed at Perth Amboy. There we took cars for Washington, reaching +Philadelphia during the night, and were at once marched to a citizens +lunch barracks, where the regiment at one time was substantially fed. +From an early date in the War the patriotic citizens of Philadelphia did +this to every regiment that passed through the city. New York and +Philadelphia differ in many ways. In 1861, and during the following +years of the War, there was an antipodal difference between these cities +in their regard for and treatment of the Union Soldiers. In Philadelphia +the troops were, in going out, you might almost say, banqueted, and when +the wounded began to come back from the front great hospitals were run +by the voluntary services of the best women in the city. I had personal +experience in each of these ways showing appreciation of the work of the +soldier. I have never heard anyone accuse New Yorkers of making any +systematic effort to cheer the boys on as they went out, or care for +them as they came back wrecked by disease or torn by the missiles of the +enemy. The city of New York is entirely too practical to be diverted by +patriotic sentiment, if, as a municipality, it has any. + +About 8 a. m., Sunday, we left the city of Brotherly Love and reached +Washington at 9 p. m. The regiment was marched into a large building +capable of housing a thousand men, called the "Soldiers' Rest," located +at the terminus of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Monday, Nov. 11th, the +regiment was marched into an open field not far from the Capitol and to +the right of it as the city is entered. This field was called Kendall +Green. For years it has been solidly built upon. + +Lieut.-Col. Barlow in this camp first made himself known to the +regiment. He was not at first sight an impressive looking officer. He +was of medium height, of slight build, with a pallid countenance, and a +weakish drawling voice. In his movements there was an appearance of +loose jointedness and an absence of prim stiffness. At once schools and +drills were established for commissioned and non-commissioned officers +and rumor credited Barlow with their establishment. Discipline became +stricter: the duties of the soldier were better explained, and the men +sensibly improved. There was no doubt to whom is due the credit for the +change. In a short time there was a feeling in the air that the strength +of the regiment lay in the person of the Lieut.-Colonel. Francis C. +Barlow was a great soldier. He was, in my judgment, fully equal for a +corps commander. He knew the details of his business; he had the +military instinct; and he was fearless. At first, from his exacting +requirements and severity he was quite disliked, if not well hated; but, +as time went on, and it was seen that he knew more than any other man, +or set of men, in the regiment--that he knew how to work his men to the +best advantage, and would see that they had what the regulations +prescribed, and, that, when danger was at hand, he was at the head +_leading_ them, this animosity was turned into confidence and +admiration. + +Thursday, Nov. 28th, the regiment broke camp at Kendall Green and +started with overloaded knapsacks for Alexandria, by the road, some +eight or ten miles distant. The Potomac was crossed on Long Bridge, the +road ran by the partly built Washington Monument. The march was a hard +one, largely on account of the men being loaded like pack peddlers. + +At Alexandria the regiment took cars and was run out a distance of six +or seven miles on the Orange & Alexandria railroad to a point called +Springfield Station. This was a place consisting of an old wood-colored +house. The men were ordered out, and, as the tents were not expected up +that night, preparations were at once begun to make brush huts for +bivouacing. Some time had been spent and the work nearly done when the +long roll began to beat. The men at once took their places behind their +stacked arms. Col. Cone was rushing about in a highly excited manner, +holding a revolver in one hand and his bridle reins in the other, +resolved, no doubt, to die bravely, if need be. There was not a round of +ammunition in the regiment. I never learned that there was a show of the +enemy. Perhaps it became known at headquarters that we had no loading +for our guns. At all events, a train was sent out to take us back to +Alexandria. We got back without accident, and spent the night in the +round house. + +The next day we marched out on the turnpike running near the railroad +about three miles, and made a camp called Camp California. It was at the +foot of the hill on which Ft. Worth was built. If I am not mistaken, our +regiment, which had been numbered the 61st, was the first one on the +ground of the brigade that was to be here formed. In a short time the +others arrived and were as follows: 5th New Hampshire, 4th Rhode Island, +81st Pennsylvania, each of them having a larger membership than ours. +Brigade General O. O. Howard was assigned to the brigade, which was No. +1 in Sumner's Division. Corps were not yet formed. + +Besides guard mountings and dress parades, five or six hours a day were +consumed in company, regimental and brigade drills. The men were worked +hard, and, by this time it was generally understood that learning to be +a soldier was no loafing business. + +The first time we saw Nelson A. Miles was in this camp. He then was a +fine looking young man on the staff of Gen. Howard. + +As the Fall weather came on the men generally took colds that were of +the coughing kind; the full strength of cough music was heard at night, +when other sounds were hushed. Then, seemingly, every man tuned it up +with his own peculiar sort and tone of cough. The concert surpassed in +volume that coming from a large frog swamp in the flush of the season. +Many became down sick and were sent to hospital. Those who stood the +exposure gradually toughened and became proof against such sickness. + +One night after tattoo the long roll began to beat. Officers and men +hurriedly dressed, snatched their arms and accoutrements and formed in +the company streets. As soon as a company was ready it started for the +color line, and, as soon as the regiment was formed, it started on a +brisk walk towards the front, or in the direction of our pickets. When +once fairly under way the order was to "step out," and finally, to +"double quick." We went in the direction of Edson's Hill, where our +picket reserves were stationed. It was a distance of several miles and +was travelled in a short time. It proved to be a sham alarm, and was got +up to see how we would perform if it were a genuine affair. For one, I +made that midnight march expecting to meet the enemy. + +As we were going up the hill where the camp fire of the picket reserves +were burning, I heard what I took to be a powerful human groan; I said +to myself "this, indeed, is bloody, brutal war," and I was, as best I +could, nerving myself to face the enemy and do my duty in the deadly +fray. We reached the top of the hill in safety, and there, sitting and +sprawling around their camp fires, were our men wholly unconcerned. I +determined to know what there was concerning the wounded man whose groan +I had heard and I went back where I had heard the sound of pain and +found a six-mule team. In going by it had been unobserved. I concluded +on this discovery that the outcry of my wounded man was nothing more +than the grunting and braying of an ass, and I was relieved. + +About the first of January, 1862, orders were issued for the detail of +recruiting parties from every regiment to go to the States for the +purpose of getting new men to make good the losses in the field. For +this purpose, from the 61st N. Y., Lieut. Wm. H. McIntyre of Co. C was +named to command the party. With him were Lieut. Blowers, Co. F, +Corporal Jenks and myself of Co. C, and two or three other men whose +names I have forgotten. We left camp Monday, Jan. 21st, 1862. We +reported to Maj. Sprague, U. S. A., at Albany. He granted us a few days +furlough and we all visited our homes. + +Our recruiting headquarters were at, or near, 480 Broadway, New York. No +bounties were offered, and, while we all did our best, the result was +nearly a failure. Not more than a dozen good men were secured. Our party +was heartily sick of the job and sincerely desired to be returned to the +regiment. + +About the 1st of April a movement was made by the Army of the Potomac. +At this time army corps had been formed. I think Sumner's, the Second +Corps, had but two divisions. The First, Richardson's in which was +Howard's brigade; Meagher's, or the Irish brigade, and French's; the +Second was commanded by Sedgwick. I believe the corps, division and +brigade commanders were as good as any in the army of the Potomac. The +first move of the army was on to Centerville, and the Bull Run +battlefield. The enemy fell back. Then McClellan changed his base to the +peninsula between the York and James rivers. + +April 15th, 1862, the recruiting office was closed and our party started +for the regiment. We stopped at Fortress Monroe and procured rations. +From there took a steamer up the river about 20 miles to Shipping Point. +We found our regiment some miles further to the front. + +When we reached camp we received a soldier's welcome from the boys. They +showed what a few weeks of exposure would do for the outside of a man; +skin and clothes; they were tanned, ragged and lousy. + +As we were back from the entrenchments some distance, our efforts were +mainly directed to building corduroy roads. + +Sunday, May 4th, orders came to pack and be ready to move at once. Soon +it was reported that Yorktown had been evacuated. We did not get into +motion, finally, until the 5th, and then went out but a short distance, +when a halt was made until about dark when we again started and went +through the rebel defenses. It had rained some during the day and this +Virginia mud was a difficult thing to stand on, especially if the +standing was on an incline. A slow and laborious march was continued +until midnight, or past. When we halted many of the men had fallen out +on the march, but came up in the morning. After breakfast a short +distance was made; then a halt was ordered; then came the news that +Williamsburg had been taken, and the enemy were retreating up the +peninsula. The Second Corps, or our division of it, returned to Yorktown +and went into camp the next day, which was Wednesday. We remained in +this camp until the next Sunday, when we took transports up the York +river to West Point, at which place we unshipped Monday, May 12th, and +went into camp. I remember that this locality was pleasanter than the +country about Shipping Point and in front of Yorktown. + +A division of our men had a brush with the enemy here a few days before +our arrival. Quite a number of our men were so sick at this place that +they were sent back to Yorktown, and one, at least, of the number died. +I refer to Charles Smith, a genial, good man. + +Thursday, May 15th, reveille beat at 2 a. m., and we marched at 4 a. m. +At first it was fine marching, but towards noon a drenching rain set in, +and in a short time we were wet to the skin. We made fourteen miles. We +went into camp in a piece of woods. While here quite a number of the men +were taken with a sudden dizziness, and would fall while drilling. The +first orderly of my company was William H. Spencer. He was promoted to +First Lieutenant of Deming's Company, and later on to the Captaincy of +Brooks's Company. His promotion advanced my best friend, Isaac Plumb, +Jr., to first sergeant. For some weeks he had been suffering from a low +fever, and Arthur Haskell was acting orderly. In this camp he was taken +with this strange disease and sent back, and I was made acting orderly, +in which office I acted until after the battle of Fair Oaks. + +Sunday, the 18th, we again started and marched five miles and went into +camp. By this time the men had become somewhat familiar with Gen I. B. +Richardson, their division commander. He was a large, heavy, powerful +man, a West Pointer, and commanded, I think, the Second Michigan at Bull +Run. He put on no military style: generally he was clothed in a +private's blouse, which, if I remember correctly, did not have on +shoulder straps. His speech, when not aroused, was slow and drawling; he +did not appear to care for salutes and the men began to regard him as +one of them; he had their confidence and affection, and they willingly +followed him. As our regiment was marching this day, he was along side +of it, and a newspaper man who had some previous acquaintance with him, +remarked: "If you have got as good a division as you had regiment at +Bull Run, it will make some dead rebels before long." The general +smiled and drawled out, "I guess they'll do." + +Monday, the 19th, we marched about five miles and camped, it was said, +near New Kent Court House. There is a little church on a hill not far +from this camp, and the story was current that Washington was connected +with some affair that took place there, I have forgotten what it was. +This camp was but a short distance from White House, where, it was said, +the Confederate General, Lee, had large possessions. + +Wednesday, the 21st, we marched at 6 a. m., and made ten miles and went +into camp on the York and Richmond Railroad, about eighteen miles from +Richmond. Saturday, the 24th, we marched in the direction of Cold +Harbor, a point, rather than a place, and about seven miles from +Richmond. Indications multiplied that before long the two great armies +would lock horns, and prove which was the best man of the two. + +On the 26th, Porter, with a part of the fifth corps, had a brush at +Hanover Court House. Our people took quite a number of prisoners, and, +on their way back, passed by our camp. They gave us to understand there +were a sufficiency left back to do up the business for us. + +Wednesday, the 28th, the 61st was taken out in the vicinity of Fair +Oaks, as a guard to an engineer, who was mapping out the roads. They +came in sight of rebel camps, and were treated to a few harmless shells. +I was not with the regiment, being in charge of the camp guard. + +On the afternoon of May 31st, heavy cannonading was heard on our left, +across the Chickahomeny river. For a week, or more, the men had been +constantly under arms, so to speak. Three day's rations were kept in the +haversacks; arms and ammunition were frequently inspected; orders were +given warning the men to be in their places and prepared to move at a +moment's notice; so, when the first sound of battle was heard, the men, +almost of their own accord, formed on the color line, equipped for a +march, where ever it might be to. In a few minutes aides were going from +division to brigade, and from brigade to regimental headquarters, and +soon the regiments had their orders to march. + +For some days before there had been heavy rains which had raised the +Chickahomeny river from a low, sluggish stream into a broad, deep, swift +running river. As soon as the army got into its then position; by which +it was divided by the river, several bridges were built to more +effectually reunite the army. The Second Corps had two such bridges, +Richardson's being some distance below Sedgwick's. Each division was +started for its own bridge. Richardson's was two feet under water; the +leading brigade forded through on this bridge, waist deep in the water. +Our brigade was ordered to cross on Sedgwick's bridge. It was floored +with small logs laid side by side on log stringers. This bridge seemed +to be resting on the water and as we marched over it some of the logs +would roll and dip in a manner to shake confidence in its stability, but +we crossed on it all right. + +I remember seeing a brass gun stuck in the mud on the other side, and +the men working to release it. All of this time the sound of battle was +ringing in our ears, and its volume indicated that it was one of +consequence. + +This change of bridges delayed the first division. Sedgwick got up in +time to take a hand in the fight of May 31st, but it was after dark and +not far from 9 o'clock when our division stacked arms. Some of our men +went over the battle field that night and helped care for the wounded. +My duties as acting orderly required my constant presence with the +company. All was painfully quiet; we did not so much as hear a sound +from a wounded man. + +The next morning at four o'clock, the men were quietly ordered up. No +fires were allowed, so the breakfast was moistened with cold water. +After eating, the companies were equalized, and after furnishing a +detail to some of the other companies, Company C had forty-one men, +indicating that there were four hundred and ten muskets present for duty +in the regiment. We were on a part of the battlefield of the day before, +and there was considerable of the debris of the battle lying about. The +brigade--Howard's--was closed in mass by regiments, the 61st on the +left. The waiting for a battle to open is always a trying time for +troops. When a movement, or action, is under way the dread leaves. So +now, while we were standing with arms in hand watching for the first +sign, and straining to catch the first sound we were an anxious +multitude. + +After a while a section of Pettit's battery was placed at a corner of +the field we were in, and by the woods, presently a few shots were +fired--possibly as a signal--then came a scattering musketry fire, then +a volley on the right of the line, then a rapid increase, and soon the +most tremendous infantry fire I ever heard. There was no cannonading, +but it was the fearful crash of musketry, where thousands of guns on +each side were getting in their work as rapidly and viciously as +possible. Orders were now received for the advance of our brigade, and +the regiments started out on the double quick. Action of any kind, +though it took us towards the enemy, was welcomed. In a short time the +railroad was reached, and the 61st was deployed along the track. I +cannot assert of my own knowledge, but presume the other regiments of +the brigade were in line of battle on this track. + +At this point the railroad ran through a piece of woods, and we, though +facing occasional bullets from the enemy, could see but a short distance +ahead of us. While in this place waiting further orders, Col. Barlow, +himself, went forward into the woods to learn more of the situation. + +From the stray bullets coming over some of our men were hit. It came to +the mind of one, or a few ingenious men in the ranks, that a recumbent +posture would conduce to safety, and he, or they, at once took it. This +hint was taken up by others, and in a very short time every man was flat +on his belly. Presently the Colonel appeared, and, perhaps, looked twice +for his regiment he had left standing. He at once roared out, "Who +ordered you to lie down? Get up at once." And every man was on his feet. +Then the order came, "Forward, guide center. March!" and we entered the +woods. + +At this point the timber was quite heavy; there was considerable small +growth, and under foot it was swampy. It was impossible to maintain a +good line. In such an advance the naturally courageous will press +forward, and the naturally timid will hang back, and the officers and +file closers have their hands full to urge up the laggards. + +In my place as orderly I was directly behind Lieut. Wm. H. McIntyre, +commanding my company. Next to me, on the left, was Corporal Willey, an +old friend from my town. As we were working our way to the front he +spoke to me, and said, "Charley, am I hurt much?" I looked up and saw +the blood running down the side of his face, and that a part of his ear +had been shot away. I said, "No, nothing but a part of your ear is +gone," and we pressed forward. + +Soon we came upon the 52nd N. Y., I think of French's Brigade, lying on +the ground in line of battle. I suppose they had exhausted their +ammunition and were waiting for our appearance. We passed over them, and +advanced a few rods, when the order was given to halt. Then strenuous +efforts were made by our officers to get the men up in the ranks and to +dress the line; while this was going on no firing was had on either +side. I did not see a rebel, and did not think one was within musket +shot. Lieut. McIntyre stood in the Captain's place, and I immediately +behind him in the place of first sergeant. Suddenly a tremendous volley +was fired by the enemy at short range, which was very destructive. +McIntyre sank down with a deathly pallor on his countenance. He said, +"I'm killed." I stooped down and said, "Lieutenant, do you think you are +mortally wounded?" He replied, "Yes, tell them I'm killed." He never +spoke again. + +A corporal in the next company was shot through the head and fell on to +McIntyre's body. I drew up my gun, fired, and then threw myself down +behind these two bodies of my friends, loaded my gun, raised up and +fired it. This process I repeated until the firing ceased. It was a +ghastly barricade, but there was no time for the display of fine +feelings. The call was to defeat the enemy with as little loss to +ourselves as possible. + +I cannot say how long this firing continued, but the time did come when +our shots were not replied to, and it was evident we had a clear front. +While the firing was in progress I saw a sight that in all of my +subsequent experiences was not equalled in shockingness. Sanford Brooks, +a stalwart man of my company, and from my town, was shot through the +head. The bullet entered at the side and just behind the eyes, and went +through in such a manner as to throw the eyes fairly out of their +sockets. The wound did not produce instant death, but destroyed his +reason. The blow did not fell him to the ground--he stood upright with +his gun clinched in one hand, his sightless eyes bulged out of his head, +and he staggering about bereft of reason. He lived for a day or two, +talking constantly of camp life, and the things that were on his mind +before this fatal shot. + +After the firing had ceased, orders were given to get together and +change position. I did not know that Second Lieutenant Coultis was +wounded, and called for him. I was informed that he had been wounded +early in the battle and had gone to the rear. This left me in command of +the company, and I gathered up the fragments and marched them off. + +Illustrating the liability of false information and impressions to stand +for facts, is the belief entertained by Gen. O. O. Howard, that Lieut. +McIntyre helped him off the field when he was wounded in this battle. +Some years ago the General wrote an interesting series of articles for +the _National Tribune_ concerning his campaigns. In describing the +battle of Fair Oaks, he stated where he was when he received the wound +that necessitated the amputation of his right arm. In the course of his +statement he said that Lieut. McIntyre helped him off the field. This I +knew beyond peradventure to be a mistake, and I wrote the _Tribune_ an +account of the matter so far as McIntyre was concerned, and said my +object in so doing was to help put some man in the right who might claim +that he had done this service for Gen. Howard. + +(In June, 1897, the class of 1894 of Colgate University set up a tablet +in the library building in memory and in honor of the sons of the +University who had fallen in the war of 1861. Gen. Howard was hired to +be present and deliver an address on the occasion. In it he referred to +McIntyre and said, after telling how he was aided by McIntyre at Fair +Oaks, "He gave his life for me." I was present and heard him make this +statement. I took the trouble to write him a full statement of the +affair and tried to convince him that he was wholly mistaken in +supposing that McIntyre aided him personally that day. In reply I +received a short letter to the effect that he so well knew every +officer in the 61st that it could not be possible that he was mistaken. +I showed this letter to a number of our officers, who knew nearly as +well as I do that Gen. Howard is wrong, in fact. I need not add, that +without exception they agree with my recollection of the matter. +Probably no event of consequence will ever hinge on the truth or error +of my statement of this matter.) + +Doubtless, as in other human affairs, every person has experiences in +battle peculiar to himself and his individual temperament. In this first +real meeting of the enemy, my own, imperfectly described, were as +follows: As soon as the first volley was fired all dread and sense of +personal danger was gone, the death of the two men, one in front and the +other to the right of me produced no shock of horror. I seemed to regard +it as the to-be-expected thing, and, as I have above said, I loaded and +fired my gun from behind their dead bodies as unconcerned as though it +had been in a sham battle. I now remember, that when the firing ceased, +I was unaware of the strain and excitement I had been under, until we +were ordered to move, when I found that I was in a tremble all over. + +The Confederates had planned wisely, but they failed in working their +combination, and were, I believe, fairly beaten. Before this battle, +Col. Barlow was rated highly for his _military scholarship_, after the +battle he was recognized by his superior officers as _one of the bravest +of the brave_. + +In this battle the regiment lost over twenty-five per cent. of the +number present, including the Lieut.-Col., two captains and several +lieutenants. (Fox's "Regimental Losses" makes the number 110). + +Later in the day word came to me that a wounded man wanted to see me. I +went back a few rods and there found my personal friend and townsman, +Edgar J. Willey--the man who had lost a part of his ear before we became +engaged. He had been hit several times, but the one mortal wound was +through his lungs. Every breath he drew was an effort, and the inhaled +air in part went out of the wound with a sickening sound. As I came up +to him he smiled and held out his hand. I expressed deep sorrow for his +condition, but he said it was all right, he had no regrets. He told me +that he could live but a little while, and requested me to write to his +people and say that he hoped they would not mourn for him. His bible +was opened and lying on his breast. He lived for a day or two, and was +buried on the field where he fell fighting, like the brave soldier he +was. + +After the battle the sun came out with southern vengeance. We left our +tents and camp equipage at our late camp, and, to make the situation +more comfortable, and to guard against sun stroke, the men began to put +up bough huts, and before night we were tolerably protected. + +The army was in a state of expectancy, wondering whether the enemy would +make a fresh attack, or whether we would press forward and follow up +what had been gained. If we had known better, as we came to, the halting +(not to say cowardly) make up of the commanding general, we would have +taken it for granted that we were to sit down and intrench and wait the +pleasure of the enemy for a change in the situation. + +There was no serious attack for several weeks. The lines were formed and +fortified; breast works, with a ditch in front, were built, with here +and there a small fort, or redoubt, in which a part of the field +artillery was placed. + +Picket duty came about twice a week. The lines were near together; and +the men were ugly. No chance was missed on either side for firing at a +man in sight, and every day more or less were killed or wounded, on the +line. + +To guard against surprise, the men were aroused and called out by 3:30 +a. m., and took their places behind the works, guns in hand, and there +stood till sunrise. + +As our camp was in the Chickahomany swamp, the water generally was bad, +and soon made itself felt in the health of the men. Hot coffee was +served to the men as they stood in line, and later, rations of whiskey +were issued to dilute the water with. + +So long as there is a trace left of this line of breastworks, the exact +location of the camp of the 61st can be fixed, as it was just in rear of +the line, and half of the regiment was on one side of the railroad track +and the other half on the other. + +Stonewall Jackson was on his way to aid Lee. On June 26th he appeared, +and the Confederate attack opened on our right at Mechanicsville. + +Friday evening, the 27th, a part of our division was sent to Porter's +aid. He commanded the right wing of the army. + +Saturday, the 28th, orders were received for all sick to be sent to the +hospital, and for all extra baggage to be turned into the quartermaster. +At about 10 a. m. we struck tents and marched down the line to the left, +and went to work throwing up rifle pits at right angles with the line of +works. This, was, I suppose, in anticipation of the enemy getting +possession of the redoubt to the right and raking the line. After a +little this was abandoned and we went into the woods in the rear. There +we cleared the ground so that a line of battle could be formed. We +remained in this position till after dark, when we returned to the old +camp ground behind the works. We simply lay on the ground with +accoutrements on ready to act in a moment. All night long baggage and +artillery trains were rumbling to the rear. The great siege guns that +were mounted at this point were loaded on cars and their carriages +burned. + +By this time there was no doubt in our minds that McClellan's proud +advance had come to a halt, in fact, that the pendulum was swinging the +other way. About daylight Sunday morning, the 29th, our division began +moving up the railroad track away from Richmond and in search for +another base. We soon came to the commissary depot of the army. Here +were piled millions of dollars' worth of supplies--hundreds of thousands +of rations were to be cremated, the torch had been applied to the mass +and the work of destruction was well under way. Some of our men slid out +of the ranks and went to this stock of stores and helped themselves to +whatever they saw that they wanted. They came back with their rubber +blankets loaded with sugar; which they divided among their comrades. + +After some maneuvering, our brigade was formed in a piece of woods, and +we fought what was called the Battle of Peach Orchard. The only loss we +sustained here was from the enemy's artillery. Their advance was stayed +sufficiently for our retreating troops, and trains to get by; then our +corps fell back to Savage Station, where we again formed line of battle +and awaited the approach of the enemy. Before dark a determined attack +was made. It was handsomely repulsed. + +It has been stated that at this place Gen. Heintzelman, commanding the +third corps, told Sumner that the orders were to fall back; thar Sumner +protested, and insisted that the Army of the Potomac should retreat no +further, but, on the contrary, should attack the Confederates; that +Heintzelman finally had to tell the old man that, having delivered the +orders, he could act on his own responsibility, as for himself he would +fall back as directed; and that Sumner replied he supposed he would have +to follow, but he had not been brought up to retreat from a victorious +field. + +Those who are ready with reasons for faults and failures in the affairs +of mankind, may now lay it to Providence the selection of McClellan as +commander of the Army of the Potomac, on the ground that a brave and +competent general would have defeated the rebels too soon, and +reconstruction would not have been as thorough as it was in the end, +owing to the more complete exhaustion of the Confederates. For myself, I +have no opinions on such deep subjects. I simply know his selection as a +fighting commander was a terrible blunder. + +We remained at Savage Station till about 9 p. m., when the retreat +movement through White Oak Swamp began. It was very dark. It had rained +sufficiently to make the roads very slippery, and, in addition to their +being filled with infantry, there was the artillery, and hundreds of +baggage wagons to be got over this piece of road before daylight. Owing +to the condition of the soil, almost everyone had frequent falls. The +column moved at a snail's pace, probably on an average of not over a +mile an hour. We were on our feet all night, crossing the corduroy +bridge that spanned the stream at the further side of the swamp as +daylight began to show in the East. The ground beyond the swamp was a +bluff some 20 or 30 feet above it, and on the brow of it our guns were +placed later in the day. Back of the bluff was a large, open field, +which was literally packed with artillery and baggage wagons. We were +marched into position and allowed to lie down. For one, I was so nearly +exhausted that I got onto the ground without taking off my knapsack, and +at once went off into sleep. About 8 a. m. we were called up and made +our breakfast. At this time the baggage wagons were getting out as fast +as possible. + +About 11 a. m. our pickets reported the advance of the enemy, and in a +short time two or three of their batteries opened a lively fire. There +were then, perhaps a hundred wagons in this open field. The shelling had +a quickening effect in clearing it of all teams permitted to go to the +rear. + +Our batteries were quickly placed in position and returned the fire. A +portion of my brigade, including my regiment, was placed in support of +this artillery. While the cannonading was going on, Colonel Barlow was +sitting on his old bay horse near to the guns, observing the situation +as cooly as if it had been a sham battle. We lost at this place a number +of men. This artillery fight lasted I should say for an hour, then +tapered off. We still lay behind the guns, and in support of them until +near sundown. Then the retreat was resumed. I think the 61st N. Y. was +among the last to leave the position. + +It was a scorchingly hot day. The sun was never brighter. No air +stirred, but the light soil, powdered into fine dust, rose up in clouds +that made the march a hardship. For a time we moved slowly, hearing +cannon in the distance. Presently, for some reason, the order came to +"Step out," which meant quicker time and longer strides; and a little +later the order was to "double quick." Pretty soon we passed squads of +cavalry posted along the road, that didn't seem to be doing anything in +particular. In those days the cavalry was not what it came to be under +Sheridan. + +Further on we came to fragments of infantry that showed they had been +where war was in practice. Many wounded were about, and disabled +artillery was numerous. Before us was a piece of heavy woods; just +before entering it on the right, was a long, story-and-a-half building, +that was I think, but I am not certain, a tavern. About this building +were many wounded--very likely it was in use as a hospital. + +The regiment entered the woods on the double quick. The road was arched +over head by the meeting of the outstretching limbs. As darkness was +coming on, it looked like entering a tunnel. Men, singly and in squads, +were making their way to the rear, some sound and whole, but many with +wounds. As we met these men we were greeted with statements, prophecy +and advice. I remember hearing, "This is a tough one." "You'll catch +hell, if you go in there!" "You'd better dump those knapsacks, you'll +not want them at the front!" I had made up my mind to that effect, and +was putting my hand back to unhook the knapsack strap when Isaac Plumb +came up to me and asked what I was going to do. I replied that I was +going into the fight without incumbrances. I was impressed with the +belief that we were to have a desperate struggle, and, I think, I never +felt more like it than I did at this time. I pitched the knapsack to one +side, and Plumb did likewise. + +I think our regiment had on the field about two hundred men divided for +working purposes into four companies. One of these field companies of +some fifty men, under Captains Mount and Broady, were not with us. They +had been detached and sent off on some special work, so that Barlow had, +I judge, one hundred and fifty men. The first company was commanded by +Captain Wm. H. Spencer. He was when he enlisted in Broady's company, a +student in the freshman class of Madison University. He was appointed +orderly sergeant of Company C., and retained that place until his +promotion to a lieutenancy in Deming's Company I. On the death of +Captain Brooks he was made captain of Company G. He was one of the best +officers in the regiment. I was at the head of the regiment as we were +now advancing along this wooded road. Suddenly the head of a column came +in sight and very near to us, and at once the head files of this +regiment sent a volley into our regiment. The effect was to make the +61st fall back on itself, so to speak. Col. Barlow was some ways down +the line, and there was imminent danger of a stampede on our part for a +few seconds. Some of us near enough to the head of the column to take in +the situation, enlightened the other regiment and our men, as to the +facts, and we passed one another without further damage. I do not know +that anyone was hurt by this unfortunate fire, but there were a number +of close calls. I remember that one man had his canteen shot away, and +others bullets through their clothing. + +The further we advanced the clearer came the sound of battle. As we were +thus pressing on, I well remember Capt. Spencer saying, as he grimly set +his teeth, "Men, we will sell our lives as dearly as possible!" I +believe every man of us regarded it as a desperate adventure. + +Further on we came to a cleared field of considerable size, in which +there were, I believe, one or two small, old buildings, perhaps negro +houses. Just before reaching the open field we turned off to the right +and came in on the right hand side of the field, and lay down behind the +rail fence. While in this situation, a general officer came up and had a +talk with Barlow. From what I heard at the time and have since read, I +am of the opinion it was Gen. Kearney. I heard him say, "Colonel, you +will place your men across that road, and hold it at all cost." Barlow +replied, "General, you know I have but few men." "Yes," he said, "but +they are good ones." The general, whoever he was, then went off. Barlow +at once ordered the men up, and to advance. The fence was passed, then a +right wheel made, an advance of some rods, and we were near to the edge +of the field and directly across the road. The order was given to lie +down. Shortly after this was executed, a voice came out of the woods in +front of us, and very near by. It was too dark to see anything, but our +ears took in every word of the question asked, "What regiment is that?" +At once an Irishman replied, "Sixty-first New York." Then came the +command, "Lay down your arms, or I'll blow every one of you to hell." +That sentence was scarcely out of his mouth, when Barlow roared, "Up and +at them, men." + +The command was instantly obeyed. We got in the first volley, and it was +doubtless effective. Some of our wounded left on the ground and captured +next day, reported, when we next saw them, that there was a large number +of dead rebels close up to the line of our field. + +As soon as our volley had been delivered the men of their own accord +dropped back a rod or two, lined up and went steadily at work. As I have +suggested, it was too dark to see anything within the woods, and, if the +enemy could see anything of us, it was just a line. + +Our fire was at once returned. As soon as our empty muskets could be +loaded the men would take a quick aim at a flash in the woods and let +drive. The enemy did the same. In no battle that I was in, did the +bullets sing about my head as they did here. No doubt this came from the +aim drawn on the flash of my musket. This steady, rapid firing continued +till it ceased from the woods, and we concluded that we were victors. + +Barlow then directed that the sound men take to the rear those alive, +but wounded so that they could not help themselves. A sergeant by the +name of Marshall, as I now remember, was badly wounded through the +thigh. Another man and I attempted to carry him back. I found that my +gun was an obstruction and I laid it down, thinking I could come back +and find it, or some other. We carried our comrade to the rear, where +quite a number were placed, among them Capt. E. M. Deming, who was +suffering from a broken leg. We were close friends, having been together +in the winter of '60 and '61 in the Academic Department of Madison +University. I stopped to have a little talk with him, believing that +there was to be no more fighting that night. + +Presently my attention was called to the fact that there was a fresh +lining up of men where we had just fought. It was not so dark but that +the outline of a body of men could be distinguished in the open. At once +the firing from both sides was resumed as brisk as ever. Later on I +learned that a part of the 81st Pa. had come to our aid. + +I was not long in sensing that my position was not military. Some of my +regiment must be in that line, and I was some rods to the rear, and +without a gun. I did not propose to go hunting for a lost gun in that +darkness and under fire. In looking about, I discovered a gun standing +against a tree. I took it, saw that it was loaded, and then conceived +the notion that I might make a flank attack on the rebels by myself. The +line of battle on each side was but a few rods in length. Where I stood +the trees were not thick, and I was a little to the right of the firing. +I made an advance movement that brought me nearly up to the line of our +men, but, as I said, to their right. I decided that Providence had +favored me in providing a good-sized stump just beyond and in the line I +proposed to fire. I brought my gun to an "aim," waited for a flash from +a Confederate gun, and pulled the trigger. About as soon as could be, +after the flash of my fire, came quite a volley of bullets singing +around my head, from the enemy's line. I moved closer to my stump for +more complete protection, when to my dismay, I found it to be only a +body of tall grass. I did no more firing from that position, but fell +back in good order. + +The fighting soon ceased and our men retired and took position in the +road in the woods, but near to the open field. We lay down on our arms. +After a while the enemy came up where their wounded were, and we could +hear them call out the regiments to which they belonged as they were +picked up. Finally matters quieted down and most of us went to sleep. + +At the time we called this the battle of Charles City Cross Roads. I +think the accepted name at present is Glendale. This position had been +during the day desperately attacked by the Confederates and heroically +defended by the Federals. If the enemy had succeeded in their purpose +they would have cut off a large section of our army and captured +property of great value. In my account of the fight written at the time +to my people I said, "Barlow got us together in line and found that a +good deal more than half of the men were gone, and pretty much all of +the officers. Captains Deming, Spencer and Moore lost legs, and Angell +was wounded. Lieut. Crawford and Adjutant Gregory were wounded. Col. +Barlow and Lieuts. Keech and Morrison were the only officers with us, +and some of these had very close calls, all of them had bullet holes in +their clothing. Barlow's horse was killed and Keech's scabbard was +battered up with one or more bullets. But forty men were together +unharmed at the end of the contest." + +That my account of this fight may not stand alone as a stubborn and +desperate one, I will quote from the account of it as found in +Appleton's Annual of 1862. While it may be obnoxious to the charge of +gushiness, to those who were in this fight, by daylight, or in the +night, I think scarcely anything can appear exaggerated. It is as +follows: + +"The advance of the Confederate force was actively resumed early in the +morning. Generals D. H. Hill, Whiting and Ewell, under the command of +General Jackson, crossed the Chickahominy by the grapevine bridge, and +followed the Federal retreat by the Williamsburg and Savage Station +road. Generals Longstreet, A. P. Hill, Huger and Magruder took the +Charles City road with the intention of cutting off the retreat of the +Federal forces. At the White Oak Swamp the left wing under General +Jackson came up with the Federal force under Generals Franklin and +Sumner, about 11 a. m. They had crossed the stream and burned the bridge +behind them. An artillery fire was opened on both sides, which continued +with great severity and destruction until night. The result of this +battle was to prevent the further advance of the enemy in this +direction, which was the single line of road over which trains had +passed. + +"Late, on the same day, a battle was fought between the forces of Gen. +Heintzelman and the main force of the enemy, which attempted to advance +by the Charles City road to cut off the retreat. This force was led by +Generals Longstreet, A. P. Hill and Huger. The former, however, being +called away, the command devolved on Gen. Hill. As the masses advanced +upon the Federal batteries of heavy guns, they were received with such a +destructive fire of artillery and musketry as threw them into disorder. +Gen. Lee sent all his disposable troops to the rescue, but the Federal +fire was so terrible as to disconsert the coolest veterans. Whole ranks +of the Confederate troops were hurled to the ground. Says an actor in +the conflict: 'The thunder of cannon, the cracking of musketry from +thousands of combatants, mingled with the screams of the wounded and +dying, were terrific to the ear and to the imagination.' + +"The conflict thus continued within a narrow space for hours, and not a +foot of ground was won by the Confederates. + +"Night was close at hand. The Federal lines were strengthened and the +confidence of the Confederates began to falter. The losses of his +exhausted and wornout troops in attempting to storm the batteries were +terrible. Orders were given to Gen. Jackson to cover the retreat in case +the army should have to fall back, and directions were sent to Richmond +to get all the public property ready for removal. The Federal forces, +perceiving the confusion, began step by step to press forward. The +posture of affairs at this time is thus related by a Confederate +officer: 'The enemy, noticing our confusion, now advanced, with the cry, +'Onward to Richmond!' Many old soldiers who had served in distant +Missouri and on the plains of Arkansas, wept in the bitterness of their +souls like children. Of what avail had it been to us that our best blood +had flowed for six long days? Of what avail all our unceasing and +exhaustless endurance? Everything, everything seemed lost, and a general +depression came over all our hearts. Batteries dashed past in headlong +flight; ammunition, hospital and supply wagons rushed along, and swept +the troops away with them from the battlefield. In vain was the most +frantic exertion, entreaty and self sacrifice of the staff officers! The +troops had lost their foot-hold, and all was over with the Southern +Confederacy! + +"In this moment of desperation Gen. A. P Hill came up with a few +regiments he had managed to rally, but the enemy was continually +pressing nearer and nearer! Louder and louder their shouts and the +watchword, "On to Richmond!" could be heard. Cavalry officers sprang +from their saddles and rushed into the ranks of the infantry regiments +now deprived of their proper officers. Gen. Hill seized the standard of +the 4th North Carolina regiment, which he had formerly commanded and +shouted to the soldiers, "If you will not follow me, I will perish +alone!" Upon this a number of officers dashed forward to cover their +beloved general with their bodies; the soldiers hastily rallied, and the +cry, 'Lead on, Hill; head your old North Carolina boys!' rose over the +field. + +"And now Hill charged forward with this mass he had thus worked up to +the wildest enthusiasm. The enemy halted when they saw these columns, +in flight a moment before, now advancing to the attack, and Hill burst +upon his late pursuers like a famished lion. + +"A fearful hand to hand conflict now ensued, for there was no time to +load and fire. The ferocity with which this conflict was waged was +incredible. It was useless to beg the exasperated men for quarter; there +was no moderation, no pity, no compassion in that bloody work of bayonet +and knife. The son sank dying at his father's feet; the father forgot +that he had a child--a dying child; the brother did not see that a +brother was expiring a few paces from him; the friend heard not the last +groan of a friend; all natural ties were dissolved; only one feeling, of +thirst, panted in every bosom--REVENGE. + +"Here it was that the son of Maj. Peyton, but fifteen years of age, +called to his father for help. A ball had shattered both his legs. 'When +we have beaten the enemy then I will help you,' answered Peyton, 'I have +other sons to lead to glory. Forward!' But the column had advanced only +a few paces further when the Major himself fell to the earth a corpse. +Prodigies of valor were here performed on both sides. History will ask +in vain for braver soldiers than those who here fought and fell. But of +the demoniac fury of both parties one at a distance can form no idea. + +"Even the wounded, despairing of succor, collecting their last energies +of life, plunged their knives into the bosoms of foemen who lay near +them still breathing. + +"The success of Gen. Hill enabled other generals to once more lead their +disorganized troops back to the fight, and the contest was renewed along +the whole line, and kept up until deep into the night; for everything +depended upon our keeping the enemy at bay, counting too, upon their +exhaustion at last, until fresh troops could arrive to reinforce us. At +length, about half past ten in the evening, the divisions of Magruder, +Wise and Holmes, came up and deployed to the front of our army." + +As I have suggested, the foregoing quotation is a somewhat florid +account of desperate, prolonged fighting. + +The following account of the 61st's fight at Glendale is taken from the +_Portland Daily Press_. It is the narration of a leading actor in the +battle, and was given at the annual meeting of the Maine Commandery of +the Loyal Legion held at Riverton, May 3d, 1899. + +"This paper will deal chiefly with my personal experiences as subaltern +and Captain in the Sixty-first N. Y. Volunteers during the first and +last days of June, 1862, in the Peninsular Campaign, Virginia. + +"Omitting the narrative of the regiment's participation in the battles +of Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage Station and White Oak Swamp, we come +to the battle in which the writer received the wound which crippled him +for life. + +"As we drew near to the battlefield of Glendale, we came to a place +which tried the courage of us all. I shall never forget that scene. The +road ran through an open field which was dotted here and there with dead +and wounded men. There were all the grim tokens of the rear of a +desperate battle, straggling men, cannon without horses and with broken +carriages, battle smoke in the air, and the sound of a gun which was out +of sight in front accompanied by the howl of grape shot. We halted here +a few moments to give the stragglers time to come up, and to give all a +chance to breathe after our exhausting march. Besides the men that were +lying around us wounded, others were coming out of the woods in front +limping and bleeding. They greeted us with such cheering assurances as +"You'll get enough in there," "Better throw away them knapsacks, you +won't want 'em in there." + +"Before us there was a dark forest of great hemlocks, and I can see yet +the lurid light of the setting sun through the trees and the powder +smoke; and I remember that the question came into my mind, "I wonder if +I shall ever see another setting sun." I did not, of course, give any +outward sign of such thoughts. I had enough to do to inspire my men with +courage, telling them we must sell our lives at a high price. But I have +heard some of the regiment, who went through many subsequent battles, +say that that was the dismalest battle they ever saw. + +"Down into the narrow road, through the dark hemlocks we passed. It was +full of powder smoke, which with the dark foilage, shut out most of the +daylight that remained. There was a solitary gun away off on our right, +whose occasional boom sounded like a knell. + +"We came out of the woods on the right side of a clear field where a +portion of the afternoon battle had raged, and lay down by the side of +the road, conscious that we were in a ticklish place. There was +occasional firing over us into the field, and once in a while a bullet +dropped near us. But this soon ceased and the battlefield, as a whole, +was quiet, and I began to hope that the battle was over. But our colonel +was of another mind. He had reported for orders to Gen. Robinson of +Kearney's division. The twilight was deepening and the stars were out, +when the order came, "Get up men, STEADY NOW, FORWARD, March!" Every man +sprang to his feet. Quickly we were over the fence with bayonets at a +charge, and when we were well in the field the regiment made a half +right wheel towards a piece of woods on the other side. I was neither +depressed nor elated, but it was a relief to be in motion with my +company. I was simply in the line of duty, responsible for myself and my +company. I remember how finely the regiment marched across that field +through the shadows and the smoke to unknown horrors beyond. We advanced +to within two or three rods of the woods and lay down. It was too dark +by this time for us to see whether the woods were occupied or not, but +after a brief interval we learned all about it. While we were all on the +qui vive, wondering what would come next, a voice broke forth from the +woods clear and distinct, "What regiment is that?" Every heart stood +still. Who would answer? And what would he say? To my astonishment and +dismay one of our men piped out, "Sixty-first New York." Then came the +blustering reply, "Lay down your arms, or I'll blow you all to hell." +Instantly we were on our feet, and by the time the orator in the woods +had finished speaking his little piece our men had poured in a volley +before they were ready for us. This must have seriously damaged them, +for their return volley was lighter than I expected. There was nothing +for us to do however, but to fall back a few rods, loading and firing. +We soon halted however, and settled down to the grim game of give and +take in the growing darkness. The flashes of their muskets were all that +our men had to guide their aim. It was dismal business. Our line grew +thinner, and I noticed that my company was melting away before me. +Anxious to hurt somebody I drew my revolver and emptied one barrel into +the woods, but then considered that I might want the rest for closer +work before we got through, and put it up again. Soon I felt a smarting +pain in my left knee and sat down a few paces apart to see what made it. +Finding it only a buckshot I hastened back to my company, but it took +that buckshot wound six weeks to heal. It seems to me now as if I had +not been back with my company more than a minute when crash came a blow +on my right leg, just above the knee, like the blow of a huge club. +There was no mistaking that. I dropped because I had to, and I lay flat +on my back so as to avoid other bullets, and waited for further +developments. Those were solemn moments for me, and yet not so terrible +as one might suppose. They were not at all dreadful. I was just waiting +to see if I was going to die from loss of blood, not knowing but an +artery was severed. I distinctly remember thinking that I would hardly +turn my hand over for the choice, whether to rise presently to a new +heavenly home, or to struggle back through unknown sufferings to my old +earthly home. But after a few moments the instinctive desire to live in +the body prevailed. I saw that I was not going to bleed to death, so I +called a couple of men to carry me back to the road away from the firing +line. In doing this, one of them put his arms under my knees, and the +pain in the wound soon became so frightful that I begged them to lay me +down and let me die. They carried me to the road however, a short +distance, and there left me. + +"So there I lay on my back, looking up to the quiet stars and listening +to the combat which was still going on. This is a narrative of personal +experiences and feelings, designed for family use, and so it is in order +for me to tell how I felt as I lay there. It might be expected that I +should say that I was longing to be back in the fight impatient to be +leading my brave men up to the muzzles of the enemy's muskets. But if I +were to say so I would lie. As I lay there, I was not all smitten by a +fit of the heroics nor anything of that kind. I was tired, almost +exhausted by the exertion and excitement of the day, two days in fact. +And it felt fine to just lie still there and rest. As long as I kept +still my wound did not pain me much. I hated bullets and had no appetite +for glory or promotion, and it was a relief to lie there out of range of +the detestable mines. Moreover, I had full confidence that my men would +give a good account of themselves, whether I was with them or not. There +was satisfaction too, in feeling that I was through, that I had kept in +the line of duty until I was shot and disabled, and that I had given to +my country all that she asked of me in the shooting line of endeavor, +and could now take up life again on a new basis. To be sure there were +some chances against my getting safe home again, but I had a cheerful +confidence that I should be able to pull through somehow. I have often +been amused while thinking of my feelings as I lay there across the +middle of the road. The prevailing sensation was one of relief. I was no +cow-boy or rough-rider. I was just an ordinary patriot and student, +ready to bleed and die if need be for my country, but never spoiling for +a fight. And I know that many of my bravest comrades were made of the +same stuff. + +"My greatest want just then was water, and that I couldn't get it until a +rebel supplied me next morning. Even when our regiment came back to the +road where I lay, or what was left of it, no one could get a drop for +me. Colonel Barlow came to me after the fighting was over, and showed +all the tenderness of a brother, letting me see a side of his nature +that I had never known anything about before. He deplored the fact that +there was no way by which he could have me carried off and kept within +our lines. And so, after having me moved to the side of the road, and +after my friends had come and talked with me and bade me good-bye, that +splendid little regiment marched away about two o'clock in the morning, +and left me to reach home, nearly dead, after about twenty-four days, by +the way of Libby prison. + +"The Sixty-first New York left about one-third of their number dead or +wounded on that field, including six out of its nine officers, of whom +three lost one leg each, and one of them died in Libby prison. Only a +month of fighting and its numbers were reduced from 432 to about 150. + +"Dropping now the personal narrative, let us in the briefest sketch, +follow that plucky little regiment under its peerless commanders. + +"See them the very next day at Malvern Hill, again enduring the pounding +of artillery until nearly night, and again in open field engaging the +enemy under cover of the woods until they had fired 90 rounds per man +and were all ready to charge with bayonets if required. + +"See them at Antietam, with the ranks replenished from the hospital and +recruiting offices, under the cool and skilful leading of their colonel, +getting advantage of a whole rebel brigade where there was a deep cut in +the road, and, after slaughtering many of them, actually capturing about +three hundred prisoners, more than they themselves numbered. There they +lost their intrepid colonel, Barlow, by a desperate wound and subsequent +promotion. + +"But he was succeeded by a soldier equally brave and gallant, Lieut. +Colonel Nelson A. Miles, who in the battle of Fredericksburg led them to +the useless slaughter at the foot of Marye's Heights, until a bloody +wound in his neck spared the regiment a desperate attempt to get a +little nearer than other regiments to the invincible lines of the enemy. + +"See them at Chancellorsville, with Miles again leading in a brilliant +fight on the skirmish line. + +"See the devoted little company in the Wheat Field at Gettysburg, hardly +a company all told now--only 93--baring their breasts to the storm of +Confederate bullets and leaving 62 of their number, two-thirds, among +the killed and wounded. + +"Nearly a year later, after 600 recruits had made it nearly a new +regiment, see it keeping up its old reputation for hard fighting in the +Wilderness campaign, losing 36 at Corbin's Bridge and 13 at Po River, +and then at the famous Bloody Angle at Spottsylvania, having a place of +honor and peril in one of the two leading brigades which scaled the +rebel works and took between three and four thousand prisoners. Then see +them at Cold Harbor sacrificing 22 of their number in a bloody repulse +in that useless slaughter. + +"In the siege of Petersburg see them in repeated engagements. At Ream's +Station, when one regiment after another of recruits gave way, Walker +tells us that Gen. Miles, commanding a division, 'calling up a portion +of his own old regiment the Sixty-first New York which still remained +firm, threw it across the breastworks, at right angles, and commenced to +fight his way back, leading the regiment in person. Only a few score of +men--perhaps 200 in all--stood by him; but with these he made ground, +step by step, until he had retaken Dauchey's battery, and had recaptured +a considerable portion of the line, actually driving the enemy into the +railroad cut.' + +"At last at Farmsville, only a day before the end of the struggle, this +regiment sealed its devotion to the flag by the loss of four killed, +including one captain, and twelve wounded. + +"In the round up of Lee's army culminating at Appomatax, two divisions +of the corps were commanded by Sixty-first men. Barlow commanded one and +Miles the other, and between them they fought the last infantry battle +of the Army of the Potomac." + +"In Colonel Fox's admirable analysis of the Regimental Losses during the +Civil war, he shows that the Sixty-first New York came very near having +a place among the forty-five regiments that lost over two hundred men, +killed or mortally wounded in action during the war. Its actual loss was +193, including 16 officers. He says: 'The Sixty-first had the good +fortune and honor to be commanded by men who proved to be among the +ablest soldiers of the war. They made brilliant records as colonels of +this regiment, and, being promoted, achieved a national reputation as +division generals. The Sixty-first saw an unusual amount of active +service and hard fighting. It served through the war in a division that +was commanded successively by Generals Richardson, (killed at Antietam), +Hancock, Caldwell, Barlow and Miles, and any regiment that followed the +fortunes of these men was sure to find plenty of bloody work cut out +for it." + +In the place we were marched to we lay down. Very soon the fifty men +under Captains Broady and Mount, who had been detached, joined the forty +or so of us making all told a fighting force of from ninety to one +hundred men. Most, if not all the men, except those on guard, went to +sleep. + +About two o'clock a. m. of July 1st, we were quietly awakened and +cautioned to make no noise. The order to move was whispered and we +started silently. + +A good part of our way was over a road through the woods. No artillery +or wagon trains were in the way, and we shoved along at a good pace. +Most of the canteens were empty before the last battle, and now the men +were suffering for water nearly as much as it was possible for them to. +I do not know of any of our troops following us, and it is my belief +that we were the last of the Army of the Potomac to go over this road, +as we were, the following December to cross the pontoon bridge at +Fredericksburg. + +I suppose we made a march of from three to five miles, when we came into +open country, not far from three o'clock a. m. The light was just +beginning to show in the East. We did not know the locality or the name +of the place if it had one. We saw that a part of our army at least was +massed here. Later on we came to know that it was Malvern Hill, where a +great battle was soon to be fought. I am glad we did not know it before +it came. In our ignorance, we assumed that now the fighting was over for +a time, and we would be given a chance to recuperate after the strain of +the past week. As soon as arms were stacked details for water gathered +the dry canteens and went in search of the much needed fluid. Those who +could, stretched out on Mother Earth for another nap. + +As soon as the sun was up the men stirred themselves, made coffee and +ate such food as they had in their haversacks--hard bread, and boiled +salt pork, or beef. At such times the soldier's menu is not elaborate, +and he is satisfied if there is enough of it to prevent the pangs of +hunger. + +We were occupying an open field with other troops of our corps, without +protection from the broiling sun. The intense heat was not as bad as a +battle, but some of our men were used up by it. I think it must have +been in the neighborhood of 10 a. m. when some of our men spoke out: +'There's the reb's planting a battery.' Every eye was turned in the +direction indicated. It was plain to be seen that artillery was being +placed, but, at the distance, I could not distinguish the uniforms, and +I declared that they were our men. My wisdom did not have long to +maintain itself, for in a short time shells were dropping in on us in a +way no friend would shoot. + +Now preparations were rapidly going on for a great battle--the last of +an historic series. Ammunition was being distributed to the infantry, +boxes of cartridges were brought to us and opened while we were standing +this shelling. Capt. Broady superintended the distribution. Every man +filled his cartouch, and then Broady made us take from forty to sixty +rounds in the haversacks. He declared as he went up and down the lines, +when some of the men grumbled at the quantity, 'Men, you may be glad to +have them before you get more.' After a while our batteries silenced the +guns that had been making it disagreeable for us. + +While we were in this place a matter transpired that has left an +unfading impression on my mind. A member of our regiment, who had been +much of the time detailed, and had acted as hostler for some of the +field officers, but was now with his company, came up to Colonel Barlow +with a woe-begone countenance and told him that he was sick and not able +to be in the ranks, and said that the doctor thought he ought to be +permitted to go to the rear. No doubt Barlow had noted the use this man +had been put to, and, where he believed a soldier was managing to escape +danger and find a soft place, he always endeavored to make it as +unpleasant for that man as possible. The Colonel was not in an amiable +frame of mind. He was on foot, old "Billy" had been killed the night +before, and he felt like having a dialogue with someone. He asked this +man some questions which satisfied him he was a coward. His wrath broke +out vehemently. He cursed and swore at him and called him a variety of +unpleasant and detestable things and then he began to punch him with +his fist wherever he could hit. Finally he partly turned him around, and +gave him a hearty kick in the stern and said: "Damn you, get away from +here! You're not fit to be with my brave men." The fellow departed as +fast as his short legs would carry him. I knew of no other man +presenting an excuse or asking for leave of absence that day. I believe +every man of us preferred to meet the rebels rather than the vocal scorn +and denunciation of Barlow. I believe he did not know what personal, +bodily fear was, and he had no consideration for a coward. + +I met Barlow in New York in LaFayette Post Room, at the time Sixty-first +Regimental association was formed. I made this remark to him: "I never +went into a battle without an effort of my will, and always expected to +be wounded or killed." He said in his quiet way, "I never felt so, I +never had an impression that I was to be hurt." In the address at +Hamilton, N. Y., in 1897, before referred to, Gen. Howard said that Gen. +Barlow was one the bravest and coolest men he ever saw in battle. + +After a while our brigade was moved forward and about half way up a rise +of ground--it was hardly a hill--at the top of which were an old house +and barn. We were ordered to lie down in support of a battery in front +that was doing a lively business. I remember that before getting down I +spread my rubber blanket to lie on. The fragments of the exploded shells +came showering down upon and about us, presently a chunk large enough to +have laid me out a harmless corpse came tearing through my blanket, but +in a spot not covered by my body. Every now and then along the +supporting line a man was knocked out. It was at this time that Ralph +Haskell, a Hamilton boy, and another lying beside him had their brains +knocked out by these shell fragments. They were but a few feet from me +and I saw the whole bloody business. + +About this time a remarkable freak was perpetrated on the body of Capt. +Broady. He was standing, when in an instant he was thrown to the ground +with great force, and he lay there quivering as if life were the same as +extinct. Col. Barlow saw him fall and ordered his body taken to the +rear. This was done by a number of men, who remained by the body to +observe the passing of the last breath, when to their surprise the +captain opened his eyes and, with his slightly Swedish brogue, inquired +if he was much hurt. The men replied, "Why yes, you're all knocked to +pieces." The captain wiggled about some and then asked, "How do you know +men, do you see the blood run?" They had to answer "No." By this time +his consciousness had fully returned. He directed the men to help him +onto his feet and soon came back with his old-fashioned nippy gait. +Barlow had regarded him as ticketed for the "happy hunting ground" and +when he saw him walking back to the line, he was quite surprised. He +looked him over for a moment, and then said to his regiment, "Men, give +Capt. Broady three cheers, he's a brave man." This we did with a will. +When we got to a place where an examination could be had, it was found +that Broady had been so struck by a piece of shell that it went through +his overcoat, and then rotated in such a manner as to cut the tails off +from his dress coat, so that, after we got to Harrison's Landing the +captain went about dressed in that frock coat with the skirts cut off. +In other words he was supporting a jacket. + +Shortly after this episode we were ordered forward up the slope to the +level ground and where the before mentioned old house and barn were. We +again lay down. The enemy were shelling these buildings at a terrific +rate, the rattle and crash of the shells into that woodwork made the +hair fairly stand on end. As we first lay down, it was found best to +have the men face about. This was done without getting up and +countermarching, but by facing around and bringing the rear into the +front rank. The officers crawled back as best they could, and the +sergeants did the same. I was making my way to the rear when one of the +officers turned up his head and said to me, "Where in the devil are you +trying to get to?" The tone indicated that he thought I was trying to +sneak off. This made me mad, and I snarled out, "I'm trying to get into +my place. If you think I'm afraid, I'll go to the front as far as you +dare to!" Within the following year this officer came to know me well, +and had, I believe, confidence that I would not seek to avoid a place +of danger. + +After a time this artillery attack on our position ceased, and we were +ordered forward to the brow of the hill on the other side. Here we had +planted the greatest continuous row of cannon I ever saw set for work in +a battle. I would not be surprised to have it said by authority that +fifty of them crowned the brow of this elevation. Our position was +immediately on the right flank of this line of guns. + +The Seventh New York, a German regiment, was formed on the left of the +Sixty-first N. Y., and in the rear of the artillery as a support. This +German regiment joined our brigade after the battle of Fair Oaks. It +came to us from Fortress Monroe, about one thousand strong under Col. +VanShack. He had, I believe, served in the German army and was a fine +appearing officer, but a full blooded German organization was not, in +this country in those days, on a par with "Yankee" troops. A sprinkling +of Dutchmen was all right. We had in the Sixty-first Germans and +Dutchmen, who were the peers as soldiers, of any in the regiment, but +this Seventh regiment when it went into action jabbered and talked Dutch +to exceed in volubility any female sewing society ever assembled. As +they came up and got into position the volume of jabber almost overcame +the rattle of musketry and the roar of artillery. I am certain their +conduct did not favorably impress our men. If the German Emperor's army +is not made of grimmer stuff than I saw exhibited in pure German +regiments in our army, I would not fear the result in matching them with +Americans from the North or the South. + +It was said, and I suppose it was so, that in front of us was Magruder +and the story was current that he had served his men with gun-powder and +whiskey. Many stories are on the wind at such times that are no nearer +the truth than lies. I do not believe the rank and file very often had +their courage braced up with whiskey. + +The battle of Malvern Hill was a splendid fight for our side, and I +firmly believe if we had been commanded by a brave and confident man +like Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas or by some of the corps commanders +of the Potomac Army, Gen. Lee might have been pushed at least into the +defences of Richmond. But McClellan was on the James protecting the gun +boats, and composing a scolding letter to the president--probably. + +From our position on the brow of the hill, it was open ground for a +distance and gently sloped off to the woods. Time after time the enemy +formed for the purpose of making a charge on us, but no sooner did they +appear than this immense line of artillery opened fire, which no troops +in the world could withstand. In aid of the artillery fire, the infantry +posted so as to have a chance, poured in volley after volley. Col. +Barlow practiced here that which I never saw before or after in +battle--volley firing by ranks. Then he changed it to firing by files +and then to firing at will which is as often as you please. This +tremendous storm of missiles held the confederates at bay. They did in a +feeble way reply to our fire, and we lost in killed and a large number +wounded. At times our firing was so rapid that the gun barrels became +heated to the point that they could not be grasped and the men held +their guns by the sling strap. I had some personal experiences in this +battle that were unique in my service. Our muskets were the Enfield +rifle, an English gun, much like the Springfield. They were, of course, +muzzle loaders, breech loaders then were the exception. The Minnie +bullet had no device for cleaning out the barrel, and after a dozen +shots it would become foul, and often it was difficult to ram the bullet +home. After I had fired my gun a number of times, in attempting to load, +the bullet lodged half way down. I made desperate efforts to send it +home but to no purpose. I found a stone large enough to pound on the end +of the ramrod, but the only effect seemed to be to set it the snugger. +It was the wrong place to hesitate in. I capped the tube, drew up the +gun and pulled the trigger expecting an explosion. The kick was strong +but I did not discover any damage to the gun--doubtless the barrel was +injured. I picked up another gun left by some dead or wounded man and +resumed my work. After exhausting the cartridges in my cartridge box, I +had my hand in my haversack for a fresh package, when I felt myself +severely hurt in the arm. The sensation was, it seemed to me, as if a +red hot rod had been run over it. I supposed I was badly damaged and +brought up my arm so as to examine it in the growing darkness. I found +that a bullet had taken the skin off from my wrist, a piece as large as +a cent, and only to the depth to allow the blood to slowly ooze through. +The momentary hurt of this slight flesh, or skin wound was more severe +than I experienced a year later when the bones of my leg and arm were +shot through. The next day on the march to Harrison's Landing, where we +halted long enough for lunch, I discovered that this bullet had gone +through my haversack, cutting off a piece of the rim of my tin plate, +and, in its passage had journeyed through my bags of coffee and sugar +and had compounded them considerably. + +In this fight George Joyce of Co. C was seriously wounded through the +arm, so that he was obliged to go to the hospital. He was a singular +person--small in stature, illiterate, and until he became known for what +he was, regarded by all as a braggadocio. I do not remember that his +remarkable qualities were observed until the night before at Glendale. +It was during the second attack, while I was off on my flank movement, +that Barlow ordered the men further forward. A man spoke out, "We will +follow the colors." Joyce had them, or took them as a volunteer--as he +was but a private--went to the front with them, jabbed the staff into +the ground and said, "There's your colors! Come up to them!" and the men +obeyed. For this act Barlow complimented Joyce, and then and there +promoted him to an orderly sergeancy in another company. I shall mention +Joyce again, when he next appeared with the regiment at Fredericksburg. + +The fighting was prolonged until late into the evening, and the usual +amount of ammunition taken into the battle was exhausted before we left +the field. I remember Barlow's saying, "If the enemy make another +attack, we will meet them with the cold steel." + +Gradually things quieted, and about 12 o'clock we fell back a few rods +and lay down on our arms. We were not disturbed till daylight, when we +could see that the retreat movement was still in progress. + +Finally we took our turn in the march. We had not gone far when one of +the men came to me and said that our flag was back where we had rested +after the fight, and he asked if he had better go back for it. I said to +him, "By all means get the flag!" He did as requested, and that same +bunting waved on a good many hard fought fields afterward. I do not +know, but presume that this flag was finally replaced by another. It +was, even then, much delapidated, and at Antietam it was mercilessly +pierced and torn. The road we finally reached, for Harrison's Landing +soon entered a narrow place between two bluffs. Two or three columns +were using the road and when they came to this sort of gorge it became +almost a jam. I remember hearing a few guns fired at this time, and the +effect on the men was to cause them to crowd faster to the rear. At the +time it came to my mind with painful force, "If the rebels should attack +us with a brave, fresh division, they would stampede us." From what I +have since read, I think each army considered itself whipped and was +glad to get into a place of safety! + +At all events, we were not further molested in our march to Harrison's +Landing. We reached the place about noon and went into camp. The James +River, from ten miles below Richmond down to Bermuda Hundred, is about +as tortuous as a river ever runs. At that point it widens out, a +distance of from one to two miles; much of that space is, of course, +shallow water. + +The next day the enemy run down a battery or two, on the south side of +the river, and gave us a lively shelling. Our division general, +Richardson, wanted to change the location of some of us, and became very +impatient at the slow movements of the men. He roared out: "_Make haste, +men! make haste! every minute is an hour!_" and the men hustled at a +livelier gait. + +Richardson steadily grew in the esteem of his men. The story had got +noised about that while we lay in camp just before Fair Oaks, a loafer +about his headquarters addressed insulting language to a woman who was +employed in doing certain domestic work and who followed up the army. +The general heard the vile talk of the fellow from his tent. He hastily +made his appearance, and, in words expressed his disapproval of such +conduct, and, in acts he kicked the offender a number of times with such +power as to raise him at every kick a number of feet into the air, and +then sent him to his regiment. That offence was not again committed at +those headquarters. + +In a few days the army was in position at Harrison's Landing. The James +at this point bends in slightly on the North bank and is very wide. A +line of breastworks was thrown up surrounding the encampment. I presume +the place was made secure against any attack from the enemy. As +McClellan was an engineer officer, he was, doubtless, good for +entrenchments, if for nothing else. + +On the Fourth of July President Lincoln came to us and we were reviewed +by him and the commander of the army. Mr. Lincoln was dressed in black +clothes and wore a silk hat. That hat on the top of his six feet four +made him a very tall man. Recently the newspapers have published a story +purporting to have been told by Gen. Lew Wallace, to this effect: He was +one day at the White House. It was just after the Army of the Potomac +had got to its new base. The president was so obviously sad and cast +down that the general ventured to remark upon it. The president took him +across the room where no one could hear what he said and there told him +that in an hour he was to start for the Army of the Potomac to prevent +its commander from surrendering it to Lee. While I think McClellan was a +fearful incompetent, I am slow to believe, if the above ever took place, +that Mr. Lincoln had good grounds for his belief. In those early years +of the war, no doubt, much was reported that, later, would not be +listened to. Whatever may have been the moving cause, the president was +with us that day, and we cheered his presence to the echo. + +During the weeks we were here encamped, we went to the James for +occasional bathing, but we did not have facilities for washing our +clothes in boiling water. The result was that we were all well stocked +with body lice. The men generally were diligent in picking off and +destroying the lives of these little animals by pressure between the +thumb nails. The slaughter of all in view one day, left enough back in +concealment so that the next day's hunt was always rewarded by abundant +captures. + +The only time I was excused from duty while in the service on account of +sickness was while we were in camp here. One day I took a company of +sick to the doctor. I staid by till he had passed out the last dose. We +had three remedies, one of which would hit any possible case. They were +opium pills, castor oil and quinine. The pills cured all bowel troubles; +castor oil lubricated and opened up the internal functions, and quinine +cured everything else. I remarked to the doctor that I would rather like +to experience the sensation of being excused from duty and placed on the +sick list for one day. Nothing in particular was doing, so the obliging +surgeon said, "All right, you may go to your quarters sick and be +excused from duty for one day." I am now glad to say, that was the first +and last time I was ever so favored. + +In this camp I was subjected to discipline by Col. Barlow. The evening +before, on dress parade, I was named to take charge of a police detail +from the Sixty-first, which was to report at brigade headquarters the +next morning at five o'clock. I had slept but little during the night. +Toward morning I fell into a drowse, and was awakened out of it by the +reveille. I hurried out of my tent and was getting my detail together, +hoping that the colonel would not notice my tardiness. I got to the +place of rendezvous the first of any one in the brigade, and had to wait +for an hour before a start was made. Our party worked through the +forenoon, picking up all litter, looking after sinks, burying dead +animals and doing whatever came in view to make our section of the +country sanitary and look tidy. This performed we returned to our +respective regiments. Having dismissed my detail, I was going to my tent +when Sergeant Major Greig sang out, "Sergeant Fuller, the colonel says +you may consider yourself under arrest, and you will confine yourself to +your tent." I knew of course the reason for this. I stayed within for a +couple of days, and then wrote a statement of the case and got a drummer +to take it to the colonel. It came right back with an endorsement that +if I had any communication to make, it could be done through the +regular channel. I then sent the paper to Lieut. Keech and he forwarded +it to the colonel. In a few moments I received from him a line that I +was relieved from arrest and could resume my duties. These disciplinary +matters were needful to keep the men up to their duties, and the +organization instructed, and in working order. + +One evening Barlow took the regiment and started for the front. We +passed our intrenchments, and, it was said, we marched in the direction +of Malvern Hill. We advanced a number of miles, discovered no enemy and +returned to camp before morning. + +About the eighth of August signs appeared that a change was coming. The +siege guns were withdrawn and shipped, as were the heavier camp equipage +and extra baggage. Aug. 16th about noon we broke camp and moved out, we +did not know where to, nor where for. It proved to be a march down the +peninsula. The first day out we made but about four miles, and halted +near a corn field. The corn was fit for roasting and the men had a +feast. I suppose the strict rules of McClellan's army, probably, were +violated as there was some foraging done. + +August 17th we made twelve miles, and passed Charles City Court House. +Inexcusable vandalism was here committed. The books and records of the +county seat were scattered about in profusion. Many documents two +hundred years old were passed about, and there were those with +Washington's signature. We crossed the Chickahomony, I was told, near +its junction with the James, on a pontoon bridge, I should think +one-eighth of a mile in length. It was the longest stretch of bridge of +the kind I ever saw. + +The road we took on this march was not the one by which we went up, on +our way to the Richmond we did not see until about three years after. +The country does not vary much from prairie level. The soil is light, +with no stone in it to speak of. In a dry time, with considerable travel +it powders up so that in going through it the dust rises in almost solid +columns. A good part of the Potomac army, horse, artillery, foot and +baggage trains, had preceded us. This made the dust as deep as it could +be. Much of the road was through forests. I well remember this march +from the dust experience. It exceeded anything I ever heard of. We would +march for long distances when a man could not see his file leader--the +dust so filled the air as to prevent seeing. Of course, the men had to +breath this air. The nostrils would become plugged with the dust so +moistened as to make slugs. Every now and then the men would fire them +out of their noses almost as forcibly as a boy snaps a marble from his +fingers. I remember having serious forbodings that taking in such +quantities of road dirt would cause lasting injury. I do not know that +my apprehensions of evil from this cause were ever realized. I suppose +the dust that got into the lungs worked out in some way. + +Aug. 19th we passed through Williamsburg, the site of William's and +Mary's College and the capital of the colony in the days when Patrick +Henry told the House of Delegates that, "Caesar had his Brutus, Charles +the First his Cromwell, and George the third--might profit by their +example." At this time the place was very delapidated. As I remember +there was but one good looking house. The place had been well fortified +against our approach as we were going up in May. + +Aug. 20th we reached Yorktown and went into camp on the same piece of +ground we had used about three months before. Those three months had +wrought great changes in our circumstances as a regiment and an army. +"We had met the enemy" and he was NOT ours. After stacking arms I +wandered around and in so doing came across a quantity of split peas, +which doubtless had been left by our army on the upward march. With +others I concluded to try a change of diet and prepare a banquet for +mastication that evening. I took enough of the peas to cook my quart cup +full, and patiently sat by the camp fire through the evening looking +after the cooking. It was quite late when they were boiled tender. I was +hungry from the waiting, they touched the spot in the way of relishing, +and, in a brief time the bottom of that old quart cup was bare. The +prevailing complaint with the men was diarrhoea, and I was one of the +prevalents, so to speak. This was not hygenic food for such a case, and, +without further words, I was not very well the remainder of the night. +The weather had been hot for that latitude. The next morning it was +like the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar--several times hotter than it had +been. I felt more like being petted by a nurse than to shoulder my traps +and tramp. I could hardly stand, but to go was a necessity. We made that +day a march of twenty miles, I think. Not being able to step out +squarely, but rather drag and shuffle along, I began to chafe badly, +which made the marching very painful. I kept up with the boys till +towards the close of day and about a mile from where camp was made, when +I grew dizzy. I saw all sorts of colors. I staggered out one side and +went down like a bundle of old clothes. I lay there in semi-consciousness, +until the rear guard came along, when I was accosted with the question, +"What are you here for?" I said I couldn't go another step. "Well, but +you must. Come, get up, or we'll prick you." I made the effort under +this pressure, and did work my way over that mile to where the regiment +had stacked arms. This was the first and only time I ever failed to be +present with the regiment when it stacked arms and I was with it. + +On this occasion whiskey had been issued. The first time since it had +been given us when stationed behind the breastworks at Fair Oaks. Some +one of my friends had saved for me my ration and it was a big one. I +should think there was nearly a tumbler full of it, and it was the +rankest, rottenest whiskey I ever saw, smelled or tasted. My legs were +raw and bloody from the chafing, and I was sick all over. I divided my +whiskey into two equal parts, one half I used on the raw flesh, and it +took hold like live coals. This done I nerved myself to drink the +balance, and, by an effort, kept it down. I rolled up in my blanket, +went to sleep, and so remained till roll call next morning. When I +stirred I was somewhat sore and stiff, but was essentially well, and +made that day's march as easily as I ever did. During this day's march +we had one of the hardest showers I was ever out in. In a short time +every rag on the men was drenched. Shortly after the sun came out and +before halting the heat of the sun and bodies had dried everyone, and we +felt as though we had been washed and ironed--thoroughly laundered. This +day's march brought us to Newport News, where shipping was at anchor to +transport us somewhere. + +We took a steamer which headed for the Potomac. During the time since we +left Harrison's Landing Lee had cut across the country and was making it +warm for Gen. Pope in the Shenandoah. The army of the Potomac, in place +of following in the rear of Lee, made its slow way down the peninsula, +and then shipped up the Chesapeak and Potomac, unloading at Aquia Creek, +Alexandria, etc. + +On the 27th of August, at about two p. m., our steamer stopped at Aquia +Creek landing. We went ashore and marched inland some five or six miles +and went into camp. Here we heard artillery firing. No doubt from some +one of the numerous conflicts Pope was then having. + +About ten p. m. orders were given to "fall in." We returned to the +Landing, took our steamer, and proceeded up the river to Alexandria. +Here we again went ashore, and were marched out to the grounds of Camp +California, the same spot we had wintered on. We remained in this camp +till about 6. p. m. of the 29th of August, when we marched and went into +camp near Arlington. Here we remained till about three p. m. next day, +when hurried orders were received to march with nothing but guns and +ammunition. Our shelter tents were left standing, and our blankets in +them, but the men had hungered and thirsted too much within the last six +months to leave haversacks and canteens. It may be that this order to +take nothing but our arms and cartridges had got distorted in +transmission from headquarters, as it would seem that no general officer +would start men out without food and water. At all events, the men knew +enough to disobey such an order. + +Heavy firing was going on in the direction of Centreville, some twenty +miles away. We had not drawn shoes since setting out on the peninsula +campaign, and the soles of our shoes were worn almost through. This road +to Centreville was full of small round stones and they were hard on our +feet. We stepped out on a rapid march and made very few halts till we +were within sight of the heights of Centerville. Then the column was +halted, and the weary men lay down in the road where they were halted, +and went to sleep. + +Early in the morning we were aroused and met an endless stream of men +hurrying to the rear. These were of Pope's army who the day before had +fought the battle of Second Bull Run. It has always been a mystery to me +why old Sumner and his second corps were not in the fight. Surely from +the time we landed at Aquia Creek on the 27th, there was abundant time +to have gone to Pope. In place of doing that we were lounging around for +about three precious days. Gen. Porter may have been wrongfully +convicted of disobedience to Pope's orders. Gen. Grant came to be of +that opinion, but I have never seen anything to make me doubt that the, +so to speak, McClellan officers were so disgruntled at the practical +retirement of their "beloved chief" that they gave no cordial support to +Gen. Pope. I never supposed that Edwin V. Sumner was one of them, and I +have always believed that he was ever ready TO FIGHT for the Union, +whoever commanded. + +We pushed out beyond the old fortified line held by the enemy the winter +before, and there the Second corps was deployed in line of battle. This +morning there was a steady rain that drenched us. When night came there +were no blankets, and it was cold and the ground soaked. The men lay +down together as closely as they could pack themselves, but it was an +uncomfortable night. Under such hardships men become impatient and +reckless, and prefer a fight to the discomfort. We occupied this ground +next day. Towards night a very hard rain came down, which gave us +another rinsing. We moved back a piece where there were large fresh +brush piles. These we fired and, while they lasted we had comfortable +warmth. Then we lay down on the wet ground and courted sleep. About 9 p. +m. orders were passed along to get up and move. We were all night in +making a very few miles. + +The next morning we learned that we were near Chantilla, where the night +before we had a brush with the enemy in which we sustained a serious +loss in the death of Gen. Philip Kearney. He was one of the men that had +won the reputation of loving the terrors of battle. He had lost an arm +in Mexico, but single handed he would go into a fight, as an eater would +go to a banquet. Kearney was a grandson of Judge Watts, who owned land +and had a house in the town of Sherburne, and, in his boyhood days, +Kearney spent some time here with his grandfather. + +We lay in the vicinity of Fairfax Court House through the day. Towards +evening we marched to Hall's Hill, not far from Chain Bridge. On the way +we got a few shells from the enemy, which hastened our footsteps. + +Sept. 3rd, we crossed Chain Bridge and marched about five miles to +Tanleytown, where we remained until Sept. 5th. At this place our tents, +knapsacks and blankets came to us, and were received with thanks. +Campaigning in August and September in Virginia without shelter and +blankets was a hardship. Such exposure uses up men as speedily as +fighting. While in this camp the men lived "sumptously every day." It +was but five miles from Washington, and the pie and cake vendors were +out in sufficient numbers to supply all demands. + +On the 5th we were marched about nine miles and camped near Rockville, a +flourishing village in Maryland. Our company was placed on picket. The +next morning I discovered a cow near by, and persuaded her to allow me +to borrow my old quart cup full of her milk. As I drank it I vowed, if +ever I got home, I would make a specialty of drinking fresh milk as long +as I relished it. + +Sept. 6th we marched beyond Rockville about six miles and formed in line +of battle. Batteries were posted and, so far as we knew, there was to be +a fight, but it blew over. Such "scares" are of frequent occurance in a +soldier's experience. We remained in this place until the 9th, then +marched about six miles and camped. After all was quiet some of my +friends went out, and late returned with a supply of potatoes and +"garden sass." On the 10th a march of four miles was made. On the 11th +five miles, and we camped at a small place called Clarksvill. Here our +company was detailed as provost guard. We remained at this place through +the day. Someone purchased or TOOK a duck. We had a most delicious meal +in the shape of a stew. Potatoes, onions and such like, were boiled with +it, until the whole substance was a tender mush. I know that after that +meal the feasters were almost too full for utterance. + +At this time the little Sixty-first regiment was commanded by Colonel +Barlow and Lieut. Col. Miles. For field purposes the regiment was +divided into three companies. First, the company commanded by Capt. +Angel and Lieut. Keech, in which was my Company C. (Capt. Broady was at +this time away on sick leave.) Second company was commanded by Capt. +Walter H. Maze and the third by Capt. Geo. D. H. Watts. There were about +35 men to the company. In other words, there were but one hundred and +five muskets for all of these officers to direct. I have often remarked +on what I deemed to be a very idiotic policy pursued by the authorities +of the State of New York at this time, and I have believed that Gov. +Morgan was equally to blame with Seymour. What I refer to is this. When +troops were to be furnished by the State of New York, these governors +would, as I understand it, organize new regiments of raw men, when there +were scores of veteran organizations in the field with the rank and file +greatly depleted. The Sixty-first was not the only skeleton New York +regiment in the field. This regiment always had enough officers to have +commanded in battle five hundred men, and, by experience in battle, they +had come to know how to handle them. It would have been an immense +saving to have filled up and made these weak regiments strong by sending +to them from rendezvous camps recruits by the fifties. The new men would +have rapidly taken up and learned their duties in the field from contact +with the men who had learned what they knew from actual service. Then, +the officers in these old regiments had got weeded out. The cowards and +weaklings had, generally, been discharged, and their places filled by +SOLDIERS who had come from the ranks. I was never informed why this +common sense plan was not adopted. I imagine that the powers were not so +much for the good of the cause, as to make themselves strong politically +throughout the state from the appointment of a great number of officers. +In state politics it was as powerful as in national politics to have the +appointment of a horde of civil and military officers. If a governor was +influenced by such considerations and understood how detrimental to the +country such a course was, morally he was a traitor, and ought to +suffer the odium of treason committed. Some of the states had the wisdom +and the patriotism to adopt the plan of keeping the regiments at the +front filled up. It was a crying shame to allow Frances C. Barlow to +command a regiment carrying but a little over one hundred muskets. +Someone should have seen to it that the Sixty-first should never have +been long with less than five hundred men in the ranks. + +On the tenth we marched ten miles, passing through Hyattstown. On +Saturday, the 13th, we marched through one of the finest towns I had +seen in the South--Frederick, Md. We camped on the further side of the +town. Sunday we hoped would be a day of rest. In the morning a field of +ripe potatoes was discovered close by, and notwithstanding McClellan's +savage order against taking anything, in a short time that field had +upon it, almost a man to a hill of potatoes. It did not take long to dig +that field. Our anticipations of a day of rest, with a vegetable diet, +were disappointed. The bugles sounded "Strike tents," and we were soon +on our way on the road over South Mountain. + +At this time fortune favored "Little Mac." Gen. Lee's plan of campaign +fell into his hands, and he was fully informed as to the purposes of the +Confederates. Some generals would have made good use of this important +knowledge, but it did the Union commander but little good. This general +order of Lee directed one of his corps to take Harper's Ferry. I think +the common sense of most people would have said, "Now you concentrate +your army and fight and destroy Lee's two-thirds, before he can +concentrate." If that would have been good strategy, McClellan did not +use it. + +We had an uphill march out of Frederick. Having gained the crest of the +first range of hills, we halted, and our regiment was deployed on a +picket line. While lying about waiting for something to turn up, we +discovered a farm house to the front, and sent several of the men to see +what could be purchased for the table. In a short time they returned +with milk and soft bread. Porter E. Whitney of my company was one of +them, and he expressed his contempt for their simplicity in not charging +more than they did for the amount furnished. + +While we were preparing to cook our foraged potatoes and eat the +provision from the farm house, we noticed the movement of troops in line +of battle moving up the mountain side ahead of us. Batteries went into +position and opened fire, then our men would make a rush, and take and +hold an advance position. Then the artillery would follow, and shell the +enemy from the advanced position. We had a fair view of this battle of +South Mountain, which was regarded as a brilliant affair. It was fought +I believe, under the immediate direction of General Reno, who was here +killed. While we were thus safely viewing this battle, and watching the +potatoes boil, Lieut. Keech made a remark that amused me, and has +remained fresh in my memory. We were just ready to squat around the camp +fire and lay to, when he said, "Well boys, we'll have one more belly +full anyway." Just about as he finished that sentence, the order came +"fall in and march." I took my cup of boiled potatoes and carried them +in it until we halted at the foot of the mountain about 9 o'clock in the +evening, when I ate them in the dark, rolled up in my blanket and went +sweetly to sleep. + +Monday, the 14th, we were up in good season, and started up the +mountain. We advanced in line of battle and frequently halted for the +skirmishers to advance, but we met with no opposition, and soon were on +the top of the ridge. We passed several field hospital stations, where +operations had been performed, and where had been left numerous legs and +arms that had been amputated. These sights are not refreshing to +advancing troops--they make them think too much of what is likely to +happen to any one of them. As we were about to go down the other side of +the mountain, a battery of our flying artillery went by on a canter, and +we followed after them on the "double quick." Having got down to level +ground we soon passed through Boonsborough. Our brigade was in advance +this day, and we were close on the rear of the enemy and saw the last of +him go over the hill ahead of us. At the time we did not know that we +were on the banks of the--to be--celebrated Antietam. We followed the +Boonsborough road nearly to the river. At this point the shore on our +side was lined by a ridge twenty to thirty feet in height. We turned to +the right and deployed part way down the rise of ground back from the +river. At first our light artillery took position in front of us on the +crest of the hill. By the next day these light guns were replaced by +twenty pounders. Most of the time we were in this place artillery firing +was going on between these guns and those of the enemy bearing on them. +But little damage was done to us as the shells of the enemy went over +us. About midnight of this Monday we were aroused and directed to march +with our arms, and to leave everything else but our canteens, and to be +careful to make no noise. + +Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles commanded the expedition. We went through +the fields to the left of the Boonsborough road, then aimed for the +river. When we came to the bank which was high and steep, we worked our +way down to the level of the road, entered it and crossed the bridge, +which was a single arched stone bridge. We then carefully advanced some +distance along the road, met nothing, turned back and made our way into +camp. At the time the boys were confident the enemy had again gone on. + +Tuesday, the 16th, we remained in the same place. There was much firing +by the heavy battery in front of us, which was well replied to. A rebel +shell went through the body of Col. Miles's horse. After dark we were +moved to the right and near by the ford, which we crossed the next +morning. + +The morning of the 17th opened somewhat hazy. By 8 o'clock the artillery +firing was heavy and Hooker was making his attack on the right. From +where we stood we saw the effect of the artillery. Buildings were set on +fire by our shells, and the air was full from their broken fragments. +While we were in this place a rumor started down the line that we had +been detailed as body guard to McClellan. This comforting statement did +not last long, as, in a little while we were ordered to move. We forded +the river, which in places was a foot deep. On the other side we halted, +took off our shoes and stockings, wrung the loose water out of them, and +put them on again. I cannot, of course, give the direction of our march. +Col. Barlow had under his command, besides his own regiment, the +Sixty-fourth New York, which had about two hundred men--giving him a +force of about three hundred and fifty. + +I remember in making our advance through the fields we came to a +depression through which the bullets were flying briskly. It was not a +wide piece and we passed it with lively steps. Now in front of us the +ground rose gradually into quite a hill, and rather to our right the +Irish brigade was deployed and was engaged. We moved up a ways and +formed in line of battle. Where I came a solitary tree was near by. +Quite a way to the front and to our left was a good sized tree heavily +leaved. Out of that tree soon came rifle shots and our men were +beginning to show wounds. Capt. Angell, who was a very good officer had +told his friends that he knew he would be killed in this fight. I was +within a few feet of him when he dropped with a bullet through his head. +Barlow called out for half a dozen good marksmen to clean out that tree. +Among the number to respond to this call was W. H. Brookins of company +G. The boys fired rapidly into the tree and in a brief time two +Confederate gentlemen dropped to the ground, whether dead or alive I do +not know, but we had no more trouble from that source. + +In the meantime the fight of the Irish brigade had come to be very hot. +They were in our plain sight and we could see them drop and their line +thin out. The flags would go down but be caught up, and down again they +would go. This we saw repeated in each regiment a number of times. While +this was going on, Gen. Meagher called out to Barlow, "Colonel! For +God's sake come and help me!" Barlow replied that he was awaiting +orders, and would come to him as soon as he could. The musketry fire in +front of us had now mostly ceased, in consequence of the destruction of +the Irish brigade. Finally, orders to advance came to us, and we went +forward with a rush, Barlow in the lead, with his sword in the air. We +crossed a fence, and came up a little to the left of the ground just +occupied by the Irishmen. Our appearance renewed the fire of the enemy. + +As we got a view of the situation it was seen that the rebels were in a +sunken road, having sides about four feet in height; this formed for +them a natural barricade. Barlow, with the eye of a military genius +(which he was) at once solved the problem. Instead of halting his men +where Meagher had, he rushed forward half the distance to the rebel +line, halted and at once opened fire. We were so near to the enemy, +that, when they showed their heads to fire, they were liable to be +knocked over. It did not take them long to discover this, and for the +most part, they hugged the hither bank of this sunken road. Barlow +discovered that by moving his men to the left and a little forward he +could rake the position of the Confederates. This he did, and our firing +was resumed with vigor. The result was terrible to the enemy. They could +do us little harm, and we were shooting them like sheep in a pen. If a +bullet missed the mark at the first it was liable to strike the further +bank, and angle back, and take them secondarily, so to speak. In a few +minutes white rags were hoisted along the rebel line. The officers +ordered "cease firing," but the men were slow of hearing, and it was +necessary for the officers to get in front of the men and throw up their +guns. + +Finally the firing ceased, then Barlow ordered the men forward. They +advanced on a run, and when they came to the bank of the sunken road, +they jumped the rebels to the rear. Those able to move were glad to get +out of this pit of destruction. Over three hundred were taken, who were +able to march to the rear. + +The dead and wounded were a horrible sight to behold. This sunken road, +named by some writers "The Bloody Lane," was a good many rods long, and, +for most of the way, there were enough dead and badly wounded to touch +one another as they lay side by side. As we found them in some cases, +they were two and three deep. Perhaps a wounded man at the bottom, and a +corpse or two piled over him. We at once took hold and straightened out +matters the best we could, and made our foes as comfortable as the means +at hand afforded--that is, we laid them so that they were only one deep, +and we gave them drink from our canteens. After some time spent in this +way, a body of the enemy was discovered deployed to our right. Barlow at +once formed the command nearly at right angles to the position we had +just held, and advanced us. We passed a fence, and soon opened fire on +this new force. In the meantime the enemy had placed a part of a battery +in position that began to rake our line with canister. Charges of this +deadly stuff went in front and in the rear of our line. Some of those +discharges, if they had happened to go a little further to the front or +the rear, would have destroyed our two little regiments. Such close +calls often happen in battle. We held our ground, and after a while the +rebels fled from the field. One of them was considerably in the rear of +his comrades and as he was exerting himself to get out of harms way, our +men concentrated a fire on him. He was on plowed ground, and we could +see the dirt fly up in front, and rear, and on each side of him as he +was legging it. He was escaping wonderfully, and I felt as though he was +entitled to succeed. I called out to our men and entreated them not to +fire at him again, but without avail. The shooting went on, and, just +before he was out of range, down he went, killed perhaps, possibly +wounded. + +About this time Col. Barlow was dangerously wounded from a canister +shot, and Miles took charge of our affairs. The firing had again +quieted. He directed me to take two men and go forward, part way through +the corn field in front, and watch and report any appearance of the +enemy. If I am not mistaken, I took Porter E. Whitney and George Jacobs +of my company. We went forward half way through the corn field, which +was for the most part trampled down. We arranged the broken stalks so as +to be partially concealed. After a time to our front and right, and on +the brow of a considerable rise of ground, a body of officers appeared +on horseback, and with glasses took observations. We discussed the +propriety of aiming at these Confederates and giving them a volley. I +finally concluded it was best not to take this responsibility, as it +might bring on an attack that we were not ready for. In a short time +these men disappeared. I sent back one of the men to report what we had +seen. Very soon he came back with the word to join the regiment. +Longstreet in his book entitled "From Bull Run to Appomatox," speaks of +looking the field over about this time and from near this location, so, +I judge, it was he and his staff that we had such a plain view of. + +Our command under Miles, was, about 5 p. m., drawn back and established +just in rear of where we made our first fight. Our Division General, +Richardson, was this day mortally wounded. He had the entire confidence +of his men, as a brave and skillful soldier, and his taking off was +deeply lamented. Barlow was supposed to be mortally wounded, but he +recovered, and in a few months came back a brigadier, and was given a +brigade in Howard's Eleventh Corps. + +Gen. Hancock was assigned to our division. By this time he had won the +reputation of being a hard fighter, and this he justly held through the +remainder of the war. + +In this battle I had a hand in an amusing incident that is worth +recording. There was in Company A, a little Irishman about 40 years of +age by the name of Barney Rogers. This man had been recruited by our New +York party the spring before. He did not write, and, knowing me from the +first, had come to me to do his correspondence. When we started to take +the place of the Irish brigade, I noticed that Barney appeared to be +holding up his pants, but I made no inquiry as to the reason for his so +doing. When we took our first position in advance of where the Irishmen +had fought, and began firing, Barney had to use both hands, and his +predicament was at once revealed. He had held up his pants by a strap +around his waist without suspenders. This strap had given out, and that +accounted for his holding up performance. When he began loading and +firing he had to "let go" and leave the pants to follow the law of +gravitation. Soon his ankles were swathed with these low down breeches, +and he was effectually teddered. I was here and there, doing my duty as +a sergeant. I had not noticed Barney's predicament till he called to me +in a tone of urgency and said, "Charley, cut the damned things off!" I +took in the situation in an instant, and in less time than I can write +it, jerked out my large knife, opened it, grabbed the waistband, made a +pass or two, and one leg was free, I said, "You can kick the other leg +out." He made a few passes, and from the top of his stockings up his +legs were bare. A good breeze was blowing sufficient to take away the +smoke from our guns, and sufficient to flap his unconfined shirt tail. I +remember calling Ike Plumb's attention to it and our having a good +laugh over it. Barney continued his fighting, and was with the men in +the grand charge that captured the rebels in the sunken road. He was +also in his place in the second attack we made. While the firing was at +the hottest I heard a man cry out, and I looked just in time to see +Barney throw his gun, and start off on his hands and one leg--the other +leg held up. The last I ever saw of him he was pawing off in that +fashion. I suspected that in some way he had got a shot in the foot. +Years after this occurance, I wrote a series of articles for THE +SHERBURNE NEWS, and in one of them gave this account. As soon as the +paper was out, my comrade, Porter E. Whitney came into my office. He was +in this battle and, I supposed, he knew about this affair. He had read +the account, and I said to him, "Of course, you remember it?" To my +chagrin, he replied, "That is the first I ever heard of it!" I said to +him, "That will leave me in a fine situation, people will ask you if you +remember the Barney Rogers incident, and you will say, "No," and the +enquirers will conclude that I have been telling a "Jim Tanner yarn." +"Well," he replied, "I can't remember what I never before heard of." + +Some days after this, Whitney came to me and asked if I knew Barney +Rogers's address. I said, "No." He told me it was in the roster lately +published by the regimental association. I found it and at once wrote to +the address, and briefly inquired if he was the little Barney Rogers +that I cut the breeches off from at Antietam. In a few days I got a +letter from Barney written by his son, in which was the statement, "I am +he." It went on to say that he was hit under the big toe by a bullet +that had probably gone into the ground, struck a stone and glanced up, +taking him as indicated. He said that he went off the field in the way I +have described, until he was out of danger, and then hopped along as +best he could. Finally, a soldier from a Connecticut regiment met him, +who had an extra pair of pants, which he gave to Barney. He got inside +of them as speedily as possible, and then waited for an ambulance, when +he was taken to a hospital, and finally discharged. + +In this battle our flag was shot through a good many times and the +staff had a bullet go through its center just above the hands of Sergt. +Hugh Montgomery, who was carrying it. + +All through the 18th we remained in position, hugging the ground. The +picket lines of the two armies were near together, and were blazing away +at one another on every opportunity. Our line of battle was so near to +the picket line that anyone showing himself would be fired on. One of my +company, Julius C. Kelsey of Smyrna, was killed while on this duty. The +Sixty-first lost in killed and wounded about one-third of its number, +and so was again reduced to the size of a full company. + +Some one discovered on the 19th for "Little Mac," the "Young Napolean" +that the enemy had, during the night, fallen back and crossed the +Potomac at Shepardstown. If the commander of the Army of the Potomac had +been a brave and competent general, he would have disposed of Lee at +this time. As I have before stated, McClellan knew while we were at +Frederick that Lee was to divide his army, sending a third of it to take +Harpers Ferry. He ought to have known when we overtook Lee at Sharpsburg +that he had but part of his army there, and he ought, with his entire +force, to have made a rushing attack at once. In place of that, he +dawdled for two days, giving Lee all the time he wanted to take Harpers +Ferry from the old, incompetent Miles, and to unite his army to fight +him. There was good brave fighting at Antietam, but it was by piece +meal--a division or corps here and a division or corps somewhere else. +The best work done that day by Caldwell's brigade, was by the Fifth New +Hampshire under its able colonel, Edward Cross, and by the Sixty-first +and Sixty-fourth New York under Col. Barlow. In support of this +statement all authorities agree. McClellan in his report says, "The +brigade of Gen. Caldwell, with determined gallantry, pushed the enemy +back opposite the left and center of this (French's) division, but, +sheltered in the sunken road, they still held our forces on the right of +Caldwell in check. Col. Barlow commanding the Sixty-first and +Sixty-fourth New York regiments, advanced the regiments on the left, +taking the line in the sunken road in flank, and compelled them to +surrender, capturing over three hundred prisoners and three stands of +colors. * * * Another column of the enemy, advancing under shelter of a +stone wall and cornfield, pressed down on the right of the division; but +Col. Barlow again advanced the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York +against these troops, and, with the attack of Kimball's brigade on the +right, drove them from this position. Our troops on the left of this +part of the line having driven the enemy far back, they, with reinforced +numbers, made a determined attack directly in front. To meet this Col. +Barlow brought his two regiments to their position in line, and drove +the enemy through the cornfield into the orchard beyond, under a heavy +fire of musketry and a fire of canister from two field pieces in the +orchard and a battery farther to the right, throwing shell and case +shot." Vol. 19, Series 1, Off. Records, pages 60-61. + +Palfrey, in "The Antietam and Fredericksburg," at page 100, says, "Col. +Barlow particularly distinguished himself in these operations of +Richardson's division. He had under his charge the two right regiments +of Caldwell's brigade, the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York. As +Caldwell's line was forcing its way forward, he saw a chance and +improved it. Changing front forward, he captured some three hundred +prisoners in the sunken road to his right, with two colors. He gained +this advantage by obtaining an enflading fire on the Confederates in the +road, and it seems to have been owing entirely to his own quickness of +perception and promptness of action, and not to the orders of any +superior officer. He was also favorably mentioned for his action in +helping to repel another attempt of the lines to flank Caldwell on his +right, and also for contributing largely to the success of the advance, +which finally gave the Federals possession of Piper's House." + +Walker in history of the Second Corps at page 114 says "As the line +presses onward toward Piper's, Barlow, commanding the consolidated +Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York, sees, and at once seizes a +tactical opportunity. Changing front forward at the right moment and on +the right spot he takes in flank a body of the enemy in the sunken road, +pours a deadly volley down their line and puts them to flight, +capturing three hundred prisoners with two flags. A determined struggle +follows: the enemy even assume the aggressive against Caldwell's center, +but are beaten off by the quick and resolute action of Barlow, who falls +desperately wounded." + +Longstreet in his Bull Run to Appamatox, at page 266, says, "The best +tactical moves at Antietam were made by Generals McLaws, A. P. Hill, +Gibbon, and Patrick (Confederate) and Colonels Barlow and Cross +(Union)." At page 252 he refers to Barlow as the "aggressive spirit of +Richardson's right column." + +Gen. Caldwell in his report, says, "The brigade advanced steadily over +the crest of the hill behind which the enemy were posted, receiving and +returning a heavy fire. We broke the line of the enemy along our entire +front, except on the extreme right. Here there was a deep road, forming +a natural rifle pit, in which the enemy had posted himself, and from +which he fired on our advancing line. After the enemy opposed to my left +and center had broken and fled through the cornfield, Col. Barlow by a +skillfull change of front, partially enveloped the enemy on his right, +and, after a destructive inflading fire, compelled them to surrender. +About 300 men and eight commissioned officers, among them an aid to Gen. +Stuart, were here taken prisoners by Col. Barlow * * * * * On the right, +Col. Barlow, finding no enemy in his immediate front, saw a considerable +force moving around his right. Moving by the right-oblique to a hill +about three hundred yards distant, he opened a severe fire upon them, +when they broke and fled. Thus both attempts to turn our flanks had been +foiled by the skill and quickness of Colonels Barlow and Cross, and the +determined bravery of the men * * * * I cannot forbear to mention in +terms of highest praise the part taken by Col. Barlow of the Sixty-first +New York volunteers. Whatever praise is due to the most distinguished +bravery, the utmost coolness and quickness of perception, the greatest +promptitude and skill in handling troops under fire, is justly due to +him. It is but simple justice to say that he proved himself fully equal +to every emergency, and I have no doubt that he would discharge the +duties of a much higher command with honor to himself and benefit to the +country." + +Barlow's own report is as follows: + +General Hospital, Keedysville, Md., Sept. 22, 1862. + +Captain: I have the honor to make the following report of the +Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York volunteers in the battle of Sept. +17th inst. Both these regiments were under my command on that day, and +had been for some time previous. On going into action our brigade was +formed on the left of the Irish brigade. We remained about fifteen +minutes under the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters which my +sharpshooters returned with effect. I lost then Capt. Angell and one or +two men killed. By order of the staff officer of Gen. Richardson, we +then moved to the right, in front, and formed behind the crest of the +hill, and bravely engaged the enemy and fired destructively. With the +assistance of the fire of the regiments on our right and left, we broke +the enemy on our front, who fled in disorder through a cornfield, +suffering severely from the fire of our and the Irish brigade, my +regiments being on the right of the brigade. The portion of the enemy's +line which was not broken, then remained lying in a deep road, well +protected from a fire in their front. Our position giving us peculiar +advantages for attacking in flank this part of the enemy's line, my +regiments advanced and obtained an enflading fire upon the enemy in the +aforesaid road. Seeing the uselessness of further resistance, the enemy +in accordance with our demands threw down their arms, came in in large +numbers and surrendered. Upwards of three hundred prisoners thus taken +by my regiments were sent to the rear with a guard of my regiment, under +charge of Lieut. Alvard of Gen. Caldwell's staff. On this occasion my +own regiment, the Sixty-first New York, took two of the enemy's battle +flags, which have been forwarded to Corps headquarters. A third flag was +captured by the Sixty-fourth New York, which was lost by the subsequent +shooting of the captor when away from his regiment. + +"After these events, my regiments, with the rest of our line, advanced +into the cornfield, through which the enemy had fled, beyond the deep +road above referred to. No enemy appeared in this field. Our troops were +joined together without much order--several regiments in front of +others, and none in my neighborhood having very favorable opportunities +to use their fire. Seeing quite a body of the enemy moving briskly to +the right of our line, at no great distance, to attack us on the flank, +my regiment changed front and moved to the crest of a hill on our right +flank, occupying the only position where I found we could use our fire +to advantage. This was to the right of the Fifty-second New York of Col. +Brook's brigade. We engaged several regiments of the enemy with effect, +some being posted on the edge of a cornfield behind a stone wall +surmounted by a fence; others were posted still farther to the right, on +the edge of the cornfield. The enemy at length retreated quite +precipitately under the fire of the troops on our side, together with +another body of Federal troops, which attacked the enemy in turn on +their flank and rear. I am unable to state who these last named troops +were. On retiring from this position, the enemy renewed their attack on +our old front. My regiments again changed front, and advanced into the +cornfield, which we had left, to assist in repelling the flank attack of +the enemy just mentioned. Beyond this cornfield was an orchard, in which +the enemy had artillery (two pieces to the best of my knowledge.) From +these pieces, and from others still farther to our right, they had been +pouring a destructive fire of shell, grape and spherical case shot +during the above mentioned engagement of our infantry. + +"After thus forming our line on the right of the Fifty-seventh New York +of Col. Brooke's brigade, I was wounded in the groin by a ball from a +spherical case shot, and know nothing of what subsequently occurred. My +own regiment, the Sixty-first New York, behaved with the same fortitude +and heroism, and showed the same perfect discipline and obedience to +orders under trying circumstances for which I have before commended +them, and which causes me to think of them with the deepest affection +and admiration. The Sixty-fourth behaved steadily and bravely. Of the +officers in my own regiment, I commend to special notice for bravery, +coolness, and every soldierly quality in action, Capt. Walter H. Maze, +Co. A; First Lieut. Willard Keech, Co. G; Second Lieut. Theo. N. Greig, +Co. C; Second Lieut. F. W. Grannis, Co. B; Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles +has been distinguished for his admirable conduct in many battles. The +voice of everyone who saw him in this action will commend better than I +can his courage, his quickness, his skill in seeing favorable positions +and the power of his determined spirit in leading on and inspiring the +men. I have the honor to be, Captain, your very obedient servant, + + FRANCIS C. BARLOW, + Col. 61st. N. Y. Vols. and Comdg., 64th N. Y. Vols. + Capt. George H. Caldwell, + Capt. and Asst. Adj. Gen., Caldwell's Brigade. + + +The report of General Miles is as follows: + +Headquarters Sixty-first Regt. New York Vols. + +Camp near Sharpsburg, Sept. 19, 1862. + +"I have the honor to transmit the following report: On the 17th inst., +about 9 o'clock the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth N. Y. Vol., under +command of Col. Barlow, were ordered to form on the left of the Irish +brigade while they were engaging the enemy. We remained there about +twenty minutes, during which time we lost one captain and several men. +We were then ordered to move by the right flank in rear of the Irish +brigade until we came to their right. Here we came to the front, and +moved up and over the hill under a heavy fire of musketry and a cross +fire of artillery. We found the enemy lying in a road or ditch just +under the brow of the hill. The regiment, however, steadily moved up and +over the hill in the most determined manner and spirit, breaking the +center of the enemy's line and killing or wounding nearly all that left +the ditch to make their escape through the cornfield. Then we improved +the advantage we had gained by changing front forward on first company, +thereby flanking the rest of their line. The Colonel gave the command, +"Cease firing," when I called out to them to surrender. They at once +threw down their arms and came in. I think by this movement we captured +two hundred and seventy-five or three hundred prisoners. I detailed one +company to guard them and turned them over to Lieut. Alvord, with two +stand of colors. + +The enemy were then out of sight in the front, but were discovered +moving around our right. The Colonel then gave the order "Right +shoulder, shift arms," and moved to the right oblique to another hill +about 300 yards distant, and commenced firing to the right upon the +enemy. He fired about twenty rounds here, when the enemy's line broke +in perfect disorder, and ran in every direction. About this time a sharp +musketry fire commenced on our left, or old front, it being evident they +were advancing another line through the cornfield. As we were of no more +use in our present position, we went to the assistance of the other +regiments of our brigade. We had so much changed the front that we moved +by the left flank and filed left, connecting our left on the right of +the Seventieth New York, and moved again down through the cornfield. We +then pressed forward, driving the enemy before us, until the order was +given to halt. I immediately deployed skirmishers forward through the +field to an orchard. While moving through the cornfield, the enemy +opened fire with grape and canister from two brass guns on our front, +and shell from a battery on our right. It was by this fire that Col. +Barlow fell, dangerously wounded. He was struck by a small piece of +shell in the face, and a grape-shot in the groin. Thus far he had +handled the two regiments in the most brave and skillful manner. As we +had advanced further than the other regiments on our right and left, I +was ordered to let the skirmishers remain and form in the open field on +a line with Col. Brooks's regiment, which position we held until +relieved by one of that brigade, when I marched them to the left of the +line, and formed on a line with the Eighty-first Penn., and was not +engaged again during the day. + +I cannot speak in too high terms of the coolness and brave spirit with +which both officers and men fought on that day. Col. Barlow on this, as +on other occasions, displayed qualities for handling troops under fire +which are not often met. Capt. Maze, Lieut. W. Keech, Lieut. Grannis and +Lieut. T. W. Greig were noticed as behaving in the most excellent +manner--also Dr. Tompkins, who followed the regiment upon the field and +rendered prompt assistance to the wounded. + + Nelson A. Miles, Lieut. Col. comdg. Sixty-first + and Sixty-fourth New York Vols." + + +Gen. Meagher's report of the operations of the Irish brigade does not +place his men any nearer the enemy than they were when they were +relieved by Barlow with the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New York. + +In 1897 Capt. Lee Nutting of the Sixty-first N. Y., published an article +in the New York "Sun," in which he modestly related the doings of +Barlow's command at Antietam. His article called out the following: + +To the Editor of the Sun--Sir: + +"Without any disparagement of the Sixty-first New York comrades in our +own Red Trefoil Division, allow me to suggest to your enthusiastic +correspondent "L. N." that "there were others." Nor was the First +Minnesota superimminently distinguished except at Gettysburg. It was +usually on provost duty. Gen. Walker had his preferences, but others of +higher rank did not always agree with him. Sumner, Hancock, Richardson, +Caldwell, Humphreys, and Smyth thought the Irish brigade did pretty +well. Their showing is quite respectable in Fox's "300 Fighting +Regiments." So did the enemy, and the opinion of the London Times +correspondent from Fredericksburg is quoted in the history studied in +our public schools (in Barnes's), while their charge at Antietam was +specially mentioned by McClellan. + +"By the way, the flags "captured" there by Barlow had already been +marched over, with a lot of dead rebels, by the Eighty-eighth New York, +who were too busy fighting to stop to pick them up. Miles was always a +glorious fellow. Barlow did not like us, and once, under a mistake, +joyfully exclaimed, "That d----d Irish brigade has broken at last!" to +be corrected by Col. Smyth of the Sixty-ninth, who told him they had +captured the enemy's works and he had come for further orders. (Signed) +Irish Brigade. + +The above makes quite a spicy newspaper article, but it does not read +like history, and it IS NOT history. Where and on what occasion did +Francis C. Barlow ever manifest "joy" that the Irish, or any Union +brigade "broke" when engaging the enemy! To my mind the statement is the +equivalent of charging treason to one of the bravest fighters in the +Union armies. And, according to this defender of the reputation of the +Irish brigade, Barlow was thus filled with joy over what he believed to +be the defeat of the Irish brigade "because he didn't like us." The +above yarn is too idiotic to need replying to. No sane person can +believe a word of it. Except as every advance of troops may be said to +be a "charge" the Irish brigade made no "charge" at Antietam, and +McClellan in his report, dated Aug. 4th, 1863, covering the Antietam +campaign, does not refer to any "charge" made by the Irish brigade in +that battle. In this report (page 59, Series 1, Vol. 19) he says, +"Meagher's brigade, advancing steadily, soon became engaged with the +enemy posted to the left and in front of Roulett's house. It continued +to advance under a heavy fire nearly to the crest of the hill +overlooking Piper's house, the enemy being posted in a continuation of +the sunken road and cornfield before referred to. Here the brave Irish +brigade opened upon the enemy a terrific musketry fire. All of Gen. +Sumner's corps was now engaged--Gen. Sedgwick on the right, Gen. French +in the center, and Gen. Richardson on the left. The Irish brigade +sustained its well earned reputation. After suffering terribly in +officers and men, and strewing the ground with their enemies as they +drove them back, their ammunition nearly exhausted, and their commander, +Gen. Meagher, disabled from the fall of his horse shot under him, this +brigade was ordered to give place to Gen. Caldwell's." + +Now, I say from personal observation that the Irish brigade was never +farther in advance than the position it occupied when it was relieved by +the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth N. Y., that the Irish brigade did not, +up to the time it was so relieved, pass over any ground that had been +occupied by the enemy and on which they had left any of their battle +flags. The battle flags captured by the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New +York were taken from the sunken road. No one ever heard me say a word in +derogation of the bravery of the Irish brigade. It was manifested at +Antietam, and on a score of other battlefields. The glorious history of +the second corps could not be written with its deeds left out. The Irish +brigade stood in its tracks and took its terrible punishment at Antietam +as heroically as did anything of Wellington's at Waterloo. Having said +all this, the fact remains the brigade was NOT tactically well placed. +Had it advanced to where the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth later went, it +would have done much greater execution, and with smaller loss to +itself. The action of Barlow at Antietam proved beyond question his +exceptional military ability. + +On my way home after Gettysburg, I spent one night in the Citizens' +hospital in Philadelphia. My cot was next to a Pennsylvanian's, who had +lost a leg at Chancellorsville. When he learned I was of Barlow's +regiment, he told me that about the finest sight he ever saw on the +battlefield was seeing Barlow lead his command into action at Antietam. +He was where he had a full view of the display. The regiments were in +line of battle, and he, with sabre in hand, was ahead of the line. Such +is the plain fact, as all who were there can testify. + +On the 19th of September, Gen. McClellan was informed that during the +night Lee had pulled out, and placed the Potomac between him and us. The +Army of Northern Virginia crossed the river at Shepardstown. Thus ended +their proud invasion of Northern States. + +We remained in our position for a number of days, burying the dead, +picking up the fragments, and getting ourselves together. The after view +of a battle field is a horrible sight--wreck, ruin and devastation are +on all sides; fences removed, buildings more or less torn and +demolished, wagons smashed, arms scattered about, artillery disabled, +horses and mules piled up and swollen almost beyond recognition. All +this shows the havoc of battle, but the sight that appals is the human +dead. Dead, dying, and wounded in various ways. The spectator must +callous his heart, or, if fairly human, he will be overwhelmed. There +were places on this battlefield where the ground was literally strewn +with those "beyond the fighting," swollen, grimy, unnatural, in all +sorts of situations and positions. On the fence next to the cornfield, +and just beyond the sunken road, were a number of Confederates hanging +over the top rail, shot dead while trying to pass it. There they hung, +like bundles of old clothes over a line. + +"Gen. McClellan reported that he lost on the 16th and 17th 2,010 killed, +9,416 wounded and 1,043 missing--a total of 12,469. * * * * * McClellan +reported that 2,700 of the Confederate dead were counted and buried by +his officers, and that a portion had been previously buried by their +comrades." (The Antietam and Fredericksburg, Palfry, page 127.) +Doubtless the killed, wounded and missing of the two armies would +aggregate 25,000. The Second corps was the heaviest loser on the Union +side, its casualties amounting to 5,138. (Walker 120) + +On the 22d of September the army moved, the Second corps headed for +Harpers Ferry, a distance of ten or twelve miles. We forded the Potomac +just above the destroyed railroad bridge, and came to land opposite the +ruins of the United States Armory. We went through the town and formed +camp on Bolivar Heights. The time spent at this place was the soft kind +of soldering. Supplies were abundant. Drill, guard, picket and police +duties were light, and we all had a thoroughly good time. The scenery +hereabouts is grand. Maryland, London and Bolivar Heights come together, +and from the tops of their heights to the river level is hundreds of +feet. The passes worn by the Shenandoah and Potomac are through the +solid rock and the gorges are very deep and rugged. + +Our picket line was a mile or two out toward Charlestown. While on one +of these picketing details, while the first relief was on, Frank Garland +suggested that, if possible, we slip through the line, go to the front +and see if we couldn't pick up something good to eat. We succeeded in +passing the pickets and pointed for a farm house a half mile ahead. For +a time no one responded to our knocks and helloes. At last a plump, red +cheeked modest girl, of perhaps sixteen, appeared. We enquired for +apples and told her if she would fill our haversacks, we would be glad +to pay for them. She took them and soon returned with them filled with +eatable apples. We paid her the price charged and started back. We +admitted to one another that it was not a prudent act and would go hard +with us if we should be picked up. On our way back Garland glanced to +the left, and said, "There's reb cavalry!" I looked, and there, perhaps +an eighth of a mile away, was a squad of horsemen, coming on a canter +toward us. We were near a substantial rail fence on the right, and for +it we sprang with all our powers. We went over it like circus +performers, and put in our best strides for our line. I think it was +Garland that first discovered that the "men on horseback" were negro +farm hands. They had seen our lively retreat and accurately interpreted +the cause, and they were with their mouths open as wide as their jaws +would admit, haw-hawing near the point of splitting. On this discovery +we slowed down, and sauntered toward our picket line as unconcerned as +possible, but the pickets had seen the performance, and at first had +been misled as we were. As we came in we proposed to go straight to the +reserve where the detail from our regiment was. The officer in charge +refused this and sent us under a guard of two men and a corporal to +headquarters. We steered the corporal to the shelter tent of Capt. Bull +and explained the situation to him. He took it in, and, with a large +assumption of military dignity, informed the guard that he would relieve +them of any further duty in the matter, and they could go back to the +front. Garland and I were glad to divide our apples with Bull and the +others who knew of our adventure. It was one of the worst scares I had +in the service, and cured me of any attempt at foraging outside the +lines. + +Gen. Walker says, "The only episode which interrupted the pleasant +monotone of rest and equipment, after the fatigues of the Manassas and +Antietam campaigns, was a reconnaissance conducted by Gen. Hancock with +the first division Oct. 16th down the valley to Charlestown, with the +view to discovering whether the enemy were there in force." We met a +battery supported by cavalry, which fell back as we advanced. The +captain of this battery was B. H. Smith, Jr. and was wounded. We found +him in a house at Charlestown with a foot amputated. We spent the night +in Charlestown, and while there many of the boys visited the tree where +John Brown had his taking off Dec. 2, 1859. + +On the 25th of October, I wrote a letter home from which I quote, "The +whole regiment cannot turn out over 50 or 60 charter members. I will +give you a list of Co. "C," which left Hamilton but little over one year +ago full of hope and great expectation. Today we have present Capt. +Broady, broken in mind and body by hardship and disease; Serg. Isaac +Plumb, well and in good spirits; Serg. C. A. Fuller, ditto; Serg. D. W. +Skinner, suffering from old wound, and who will be discharged; Portner +E. Whitney, pioneer, good soldier; George Jacobs, private, cooking for +the company; Junius Gaskell, sick most of the time; Charles Richards, +paroled prisoner, sees no duty; Freeman Allen has a bad leg; Rufus +Rundell, in quartermaster's department--always has been; John Boardman, +drummer. Where are the other 80? Some 10 or 11 killed, three times that +number wounded, 10 dead of disease, 8 or 10 discharged, and the +remainder sick in hospitals. Ike and myself are the only ones of that +ninety odd, who have been in every engagement with the regiment, and he +was not carrying a gun at Fair Oaks. Lieut. Keech is the only line +officer who has been in all the regiment's battles. This may seem +incredible, but it is nevertheless true--some would miss this battle and +some that, and so, but one has missed none." + +On the 29th of October, 1862, our army broke camp and moved in the +direction of Warrenton, which place we reached on the 11th of November. +In making this march the Sixty-first skirmished over the mountains at +Snecker's Gap, driving back a body of cavalry that was observing, if not +holding this position. From the ridge of the mountain we had a view that +in my judgment could not be equaled in Europe. + +While the army was at Warrenton the order came removing McClellan and +appointing Burnside. For one I was glad of any change--it seemed to be +that no one could be more inefficient than McClellan. I remember so +expressing myself which was not a popular notion. One old Irishman of +Co. A, turned on me in hot anger, and asked, "Why do you say that? What +do you know about war, you little damned pie eater!" + +In a few days we started out and reached Falmouth, a hamlet nearly +opposite Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock river on the 17th of +November. There were but a handful of rebels on the other side of the +river. There was no attempt to ford it, and we went into camp, while +Lee's army soon concentrated about Fredericksburg. Our camp was located +in the woods, which we partially cleared, converting the timber into +walls for our huts, which we covered with our shelter tent canvass. In a +few days we had comfortable quarters. Part of the time the weather was +quite cold. Snow was on the ground, and the brook that ran near by was +more or less covered with ice. I remember going down to this brook one +Sunday morning with Portner E. Whitney. We took off our clothing and had +a bath in that ice cold water. We were in this camp for several weeks, +and in it had first rate good times. Near to us was a Pennsylvania +regiment, (I forget the number) in which a "revival of religion" +prevailed. Meetings were held continuously and it was reported that many +were converted. I think this regiment suffered severely in the great +slaughter of the 13th of December. + +Quite early in December indications multiplied that a movement was +contemplated. Three days rations were ordered to be kept constantly in +the haversacks. Charles Lowell, our hospital steward, told me that the +surgeons had received orders to put in good condition the operating +instruments, and frequent inspections made sure that enough ammunition +was in the boxes. + +On Thursday, Dec. 11th, at 4 a. m., reveille beat, after roll call the +men were told that they must be ready to break camp on short notice. At +6 a. m. the regiment formed on the color line, ready to move. While we +were thus waiting, I was smoking my briarwood pipe, and, at what I +supposed was the end of the smoke, I threw out the ashes and put the +pipe in my breeches pocket. In a short time I was conscious of a change +of temperature in that locality, and hastily brought to view the pocket +and pipe. Doubtless some of the fire remained in the bowl, which got out +and set fire to that part of my clothing. I had no trouble in +extinguishing this ignition, but the pocket was gone and my leg had a +raw spot. + +At this time the Army of the Potomac was organized in three grand +divisions as follows: Right Grand Division, Sumner's, embracing the +Second and Ninth corps; Center Grand Division, Hooker's, Third and Fifth +corps; Left Grand Division, Sixth and First corps. Gen. D. N. Couch +commanded the Second corps; Hancock the First Division, and Caldwell the +First brigade of the corps. + +While in this camp that we were about to leave I had the honor to be the +object to which a brief utterance was directed by Gen. Hancock. I was +then a sergeant, and had been ordered to brigade headquarters with a +squad of men for guard duty. On the day in question, Gen. Sumner +reviewed his Grand Division. After the guard had got to its place, one +of Caldwell's staff came to me and said, "When the general comes along +you will fall in your guard and present arms." I had some eight or ten +men with me, and told those not on duty to be on hand to fall in when so +ordered. Presently I heard a horse coming down the road on a sharp +gallop, and soon saw that it was Gen. Hancock with a single orderly. +Evidently he was not on the lookout for a little guard to salute him, +but I fell in the men as briskly as possible. The general noticed what I +was doing, and had to wait a moment for the guard to present arms, which +it did all right. Hancock returned the compliment, and then said to me, +"If you want to salute, sir! you must be a 'damned sight quicker' than +this!" If I had dared to, I would have answered, "Don't you worry +yourself, Winfield Scotty, I don't want to salute you, and wouldn't now, +if I had not been ordered to." + +Of course I kept my mouth shut. It would have been bad policy to have +expressed my sentiments. + +As I have stated, shortly after 6 a. m. our column started. We made a +roundabout march of a few miles and finally halted, under cover of high +ground, nearly opposite the city of Fredericksburg. All this day a +furious cannonade was maintained by our side, and from big guns mounted +on the crest back of the river. The effort was to clean the enemy out +from the neighborhood of the river bank, so that we could lay our +pontoon bridges. This was not successful, and in the attempt to do this +work our men were picked off, so that it was found to be impracticable. +At length the Seventh Mich. and the 89th N. Y. were rushed into the +pontoon boats and rowed and poled over. Once on the other shore they +drove away the sharpshooters, and the bridge at our front was then laid. +We remained that night on the Falmouth side of the river. The next +forenoon the Second corps crossed the river. Our division was marched +along the side of the river, to the lower end of the city, and then we +stacked arms. + +Some of our men inspected the near by houses on their own motion, and +from one they brought out a jar of fresh tried lard. I had a chance at +it and spread it on my hard tack, as I would butter at home. I have had +my share of good butter and love it, but I never tasted bread greasing +equal to that new lard. + +Towards night we were marched back to the site of the railroad bridge, +and billited in the grist mill near said bridge. One of our men procured +a duck, I was let into the mess, and in some way we cooked and disposed +of it before rolling up in our blankets for a good night's rest. We +turned out early the next morning, (the disastrous 13th) and after +breakfast, lead by Col. Miles, we went through the city to the last +street. Here our little regiment was deployed as a sort of picket line. +To the front half or three-quarters of a mile ran the top of a line of +hills, parallel to our street. Not so much as the crack of a pistol had +broken the silence of the morning. We lounged about, viewed from between +the houses the supposed location of the enemy, went into the houses next +to where we were posted, and helped ourselves. Not a soldier in gray was +to be seen, save here and there a sentry watching from the top of their +earth works. One of our boys was inspecting the contents of the house of +a doctor, I forget his name. Presently he called to me and inquired if I +didn't want some books. I said "Yes." He tossed me from the window a +fine volume of Byron's poems, and the two volumes of Dr. Kane's Arctic +Explorations. I sat on the curbing looking over this plunder, when, all +at once, a number of big guns went off, and very soon thereafter shot +and shell came thundering through the houses, across our street, and +into the houses behind us. I hurriedly dropped my spoils, and made quick +tracks for the other side of the street, where there was, perhaps, +better protection. This artillery outburst was due to the appearance of +our troops, moving out of the city and towards the strong position of +the enemy. + +In a few minutes Col. Miles assembled the Sixty-first and marched it +back into the next street, where we stood in line ready for the word +"Go!" In this position nothing could be seen, but the shots and shells +of our adversaries came thick and dangerously near, though none were to +my knowledge effective. While we were here I noticed one of our +recruits, a German, who was literally unnerved by fear. His countenance +was distorted by terror, and he was shaking in every limb. I think it +was impossible for him to march. I do not remember ever seeing him after +that time. For myself I confess that I never exerted more will power to +make my legs move in the right direction than just here. Without +pretending to have military judgment, as I viewed the intrenched +position of the Confederates, I said to myself, "we will fail to carry +those heights." + +At length the order came to move, and the head of our column started for +the street that led to Marye's Hill. Turning into it we advanced +rapidly. My recollection is, that as the road leaves the city, it makes +a slight curve, and as we came to that spot the whole view was opened up +to us. I know the road was littered with some dead, and cast off +blankets and knapsacks. For a ways the road slightly descends, and then +you come to a considerable stream of some sort, it may be a waste weir, +from the Falmouth dam. This stream was bridged, and a part, if not all, +of the flooring of it had been removed. I remember we, partially at +least, crossed on the stringers. At this point the enemy concentrated a +hot artillery fire. I think the Sixty-first got over without much +damage, but the head of the regiment following took in several shells +that caused heavy loss. We pressed forward to a point part way up the +hill to the front, when the order was given "On the right, by file into +line!" This deployed us in line of battle to the left of the road we had +been advancing on. The rise of ground was sufficient to protect us from +the enemy, while we were thus forming. Hancock rode his horse up and +down the line between us and the foe. + +While we stood here, one of the ghastly sights of war was almost under +my feet. A soldier lay nearly where I ought to have stood. A shell had +gone through his body, and in its passage had set fire to his clothing, +and there his corpse lay slowly cooking. There was no time to do +anything. + +At least one line of battle had preceded us, and, I suppose, had been +used up. Now the order came for us to advance, which we did, probably in +brigade line of battle. I cannot say how many regiments there were in +it. I know we advanced till within musket range of the rebel rifle pits, +when we were halted and ordered to lie down. We did not fire, but the +enemy did from their pits and they picked off some of our men. After a +short time we were ordered to stand up. I then noticed that sergeant +Israel O. Foote of my company was lying on the ground wounded, and +evidently in pain. Our column was right faced and put in motion. We +advanced parallel to the rebel line, and under their fire. We soon came +to the road. Here there was a house or two, and the building, or +buildings, had some soldiers in it, or them. We crossed the road--the +Sixty-first under Miles did--and brought up in a yard or garden patch +that had a high tight board fence on two sides of it. Here we were +directed to lie down. The fence hid the enemy from our sight, but the +distance to their nearest line of rifle pits was short. Occasional +projectiles from cannon and muskets came our way, so that most of us +were willing to hug the ground. + +George Joyce of Co. C was with the regiment, just returned from hospital +partially recovered from a wound received at Malvern Hill. Joyce was a +unique character, small of stature, illiterate, an adroit forager, and, +if you didn't know him, you might take him for a mere braggadocio. But +such was not the case. He was destitute of fear, or, if he ever +experienced the sensation, he overcame it. At Glendale the Colonel +ordered the line forward. A soldier said "We will follow the colors." +Joyce was a private, and how he happened to have them I do not know, but +he did, and he marched forward, brought the staff down with a bang and +said, "There's your colors, come up to them!" The line moved up, and +Barlow made him orderly sergeant of (I think) Co. F then and there. +Joyce was back with a stiff arm, so that he could not carry a gun, but +while most of us were hugging the ground, he stood up and worked his +jaw. He said, "Lie low boys. I'll let you know if anything happens." And +so he was on the watch. Presently a solid shot came his way. It passed +so near his foot, that, while it made no visible abrasion, his foot +began to swell so that he had to cut his boot off, and he had to hobble +back. + +It was said at the time that Col. Miles, satisfied that the only thing +to do to amount to anything, was to make a rush and take this first +picket line, had sent back his conclusion, and requested permission to +charge the line with his regiment. About this time an accommodating +rebel bullet cut his throat, letting out a liberal quantity of fresh +bright blood. This so put him _hors de combat_ that he had to leave the +field, somewhat to the longevity account of the Sixty-firsters there +present. So we continued in this lowly attitude till after Hooker's men +made another vain assault over the ground we had occupied. Then, toward +sundown, we were withdrawn, and marched back into the city, and took up +our quarters for the night in the same grist mill we occupied the night +before. + +So far as we could see, nothing was done the next day, Sunday. But +little, if any, fighting was had on Monday. After dark Monday evening +our regiment, under command, I think of Capt. Kettle, was marched back +as far to the front as we had occupied Saturday, but to the right. Here +we were placed in rifle pits that would hold half a dozen each. There +was a space of eight or ten feet between each pit. Here we were very +close to the enemy--we could hear their movements, and they ours. I +should think it was as late as 3 o'clock a. m. of Tuesday when we were +withdrawn, and silently made our way to the city, and through it, and to +the pontoon bridge we crossed the Friday before. We were nearly the last +to cross. Shortly afterward the bridge was taken up, and the +Rappahannock again flowed between the hostile camps. + +In this battle the only original members of Co. C present with the +company were Sergt. I. O. Foote, killed; Geo. Jacobs and myself. Isaac +Plumb had been commissioned and transferred to another company and +Whitney was with the pioneers. + +We marched directly to our old camp. We found things as we left them, +and we proceeded, as far as we could with what was on hand, to restore +the camp to the condition it was in before we broke it on the 12th. +Many of the men had disposed of shelter tents and blankets during the +worthless movement, so that some of the huts had no covering. The next +day Gen. Sumner rode up to our camp and had some talk with the men. He +asked why some of the huts were not covered with canvass. We said, "We +dumped them when we went into the fight." He replied, "You should have +stuck to your tents and blankets!" This was the last time I saw the old +man. He left the army in January, 1863, and died in bed about three +months later at his home in Syracuse, N. Y. He was a great Corps +Commander. + +Burnside's next _fiasco_ was called his "stuck in the mud" campaign. In +this case he was to cross the river to the right about where Hooker did +four months later. In this movement the centre and left broke camp while +Sumner's Grand Division remained to take care of the enemy's right at +Fredericksburg. A terrible storm ended the movement almost before it was +begun, and we remained comfortable in camp. + +Shortly after this Burnside resigned, and Gen. Joseph Hooker was +appointed Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Hooker had been named +"Fighting Joe Hooker." As a rule I think, the men were pleased with the +change. + +On the 13th of February, 1863, the 61st and the 64th broke camp and +moved a few miles to the left, and went into the camp lately occupied by +the 27th New Jersey, a regiment of Burnside's old corps, which went with +him when he left the Army of the Potomac. The Grand Division formation +was abandoned when Hooker took command, and the former corps +organization re-adopted. Our new camp was delightfully situated. It +fronted about twenty rods back from the edge of the high bluff, which +was, perhaps, eighty rods back from the edge of the river. We were +below, but in plain view of Fredericksburg. The New Jerseyites had made +for themselves better quarters than I had ever occupied, and we "entered +into their labors." I never enjoyed soldiering more than during the +weeks we were in this place. Much of the time the weather was good, and +we drilled, did picket duty, and got in readiness for the next grapple. + +On the 21st of February I received notice that I had been commissioned +Second Lieutenant of Co. C. It was at the time, next to nothing in the +field. It did not have over two privates in the ranks, with a sergeant, +a drummer and a pioneer. In place of creating new regiments, when the +last call was filled, the men should have been sent to the old regiments +in the field. + +On the 16th of March I was officer of the day for our camp, and, of +course, was up and about at all hours of that day and the next night. +During the forepart of this service nothing occurred to make it in any +way notable, so far as I was concerned, but about 3 o'clock in the +morning of the next day, I heard, a considerable distance to the right, +a yelling and cheering, and a general "whoopering up" that I couldn't +account for. I hurried to Col. Miles's tent and reported. He directed me +to send out a couple of men to find out. In due time they came back and +reported that the Irish Brigade were celebrating "St. Patrick's Day in +the Morning." The boys with the green flag had a great day of it, in +which several barrels of commissary were made dry. + +On the 14th of April I wrote home that, probably, the Army would move in +a few days. Eight days rations were distributed to the men--five were to +be stored in the knapsacks and three in the haversacks. Extra baggage +was packed and sent to the rear. + +On this day Lieut. Plumb started for home on a ten days leave of +absence. He returned and was in his place before the movement came. It +was over a year since I had seen home and I had an application in for a +like leave, but the situation prevented its issue until after the next +great defeat. The 29th of April we broke camp and were ready to join our +brigade at a moment's notice. We did not start till early the next day. +During these hours I had a bilious attack, and was sick enough to die, +but the tents were all down, and there was no chance to baby me. I +groaned and grunted till about the time the regiment started, and then +_I had_ to move or be left behind. I well remember how I staggered in my +attempt to march, but I kept at it, and before night was pretty well. I +had a number of such experiences, so that, I conclude, if the screws +were more frequently put to people in civil life, there would be many +cases of like cures. + +We advanced but a few miles and camped. The next day we spent some time +in making corduroy road, and advanced but a few miles. April 30th we +advanced to the vicinity of the river (Rappahannock) and stacked arms in +a piece of woods. If I remember correctly it was here and then that our +corps badges were issued. Ours was the trefoil, and our division's red. +The colors for all corps were: first division, red; second division, +white; third division, blue. Couch was in command of the second Corps. +Hancock was still our division general, and Caldwell our brigade +general. In this place I saw Hancock and Caldwell ride by. Hancock was +mad about something, and he was shaking his fist under Caldwell's nose, +and God-daming him at the top of his capacity. Hancock was a brave and +capable general, but he was demonstratively passionate, and vilely +abusive with his tongue. Junius Gaskell of my Company was for months his +private orderly, and he saw the polish and the rough of him. Gaskell has +told me that he would get mad at his own brother, who was assistant +adjutant general of the division, and blaspheme at him and call him the +conventional name a man uses, when he wants to say a mean thing of the +other fellow based on the alleged status of his mother. + +Towards sundown we were put in motion, making our way to the river's +edge, and crossed it on a well-laid pontoon. We ate our supper on the +other side of the river, and then advanced a few miles into the country, +and halted for the night along side an open piece of woods, not far from +the Chancellorsville house. We went into this piece of woods to spread +our blankets to bivouac for the night. Our cavalry had been on this +ground before, and they had responded affirmatively to the calls of +nature, so that we soon discovered we were treading on mounds not as +large, but as soft, as the one into which Peter Stuyvesant fell, +according to the narrative of Irving. I remember, after spreading my own +blanket, that my hand dropped down outside of it, and went slap into one +of those mounds. I further remember that I was not the only +Sixty-firster that imprecated in strong Saxon. But there we were, and +there we lay till sunrise. We learned that the day before a lively +skirmish had been fought here, in which one of our Colonels was killed. + +Friday, May 1st, about 11 a. m., the artillery became engaged. Before +long the Sixty-first N. Y., and the Hundred and Forty-eight Pennsylvania +were ordered forward, and we went to the front and right of what I +suppose became our line. We worked our way through a piece of scrub pine +that was almost impervious, having passed this obstruction, we were in +open ground, and we advanced, I think, in skirmish line formation. It +was not long before we met Mr. Johnny Reb., and in such force that we +fell back at a lively pace, and worked our way through the scrub I have +spoken of. We emerged into a large open field where there were a good +many troops. By this time the shells of the enemy were making it +interesting for us. Hancock was present, and rushed matters in his +energetic way to get his men deployed where he wanted them. In due time +we were placed in the woods not far from the clearing. We had not more +than got into position when these woods were shelled. We were ordered to +lie down, and the order was well observed. It seemed to me that I was +never under such a raking fire, the noise was fearful, and the amputated +tree limbs came down on us like snow flakes in a Winter's squall. So far +as I know, no one was seriously hurt in this terrifying bombardment. +After it ceased we moved to another position in the woods, stacked arms, +and there spent the night, or till towards morning of the Second, +(Saturday.) + +Before it was fairly light, we were put in motion and a good deal of +time was spent to satisfactorily locate us. As I understand it, we were +placed in sight of, and to the left of the Chancellorsville House. We at +once stacked arms. A line for rifle pits was run out, and one set of men +began to intrench, while another set, with axes, were in front slashing +down the timber--falling it to the front, and tangling it, so that it +was impossible to rapidly work through it. Before night we had seemingly +an impregnable line. It could not have been carried by infantry from the +front. Artillery might have battered down our defences, or infantry +might have turned it, but we hoped that the Confederates would see fit +to attack our line with infantry from the front. Gen. Howard, with the +Eleventh Corps, was on the right of our line. He had been duly notified +during the day that there was a movement of Rebel troops towards his end +of the line. No doubt he was a brave man and believed he could repel any +attack that might be made on him, but where the great issues of a battle +are at stake, a commander has no business to take needless chances, and, +when he can, he should put his men under cover as effectually as may be, +so that he can accomplish his purpose with as little loss of limb and +life as possible. If, as soon as the Eleventh Corps was located they had +gone to work cutting the timber to the front and intrenching, as +Hancock's men did, Jackson would have met a bloody repulse, and +Chancellorsville would have been our victory. Instead of that, his guns +were stacked, his men were lounging about, and absolutely without +protection. (Doubleday's Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, page 26 and +following.) Jackson struck him with a column of 26,000 men about 6 p. m., +and stampeded his force as if they had been ewe lambs. After reading many +different accounts of this battle, I am fully persuaded that Howard +inexcusably, if not criminally, blundered on this occasion. In regular +course of time the "stampedees," if I may use the word, came across the +country and struck our line. They were entirely in favor of continuing +on, but we protested against it, and told them they would run right into +the rebel lines. Some were still bound to go, when the argument of the +bayonet converted them to our idea, and they camped down in our rear. +Sunday, the 3d, found us in the same place, standing guns in hand behind +our breastworks. The fighting to our right was heavy and continuous. +About 11 a. m. it was evident the Rebels had forced our position. We saw +our men streaming back, in a brief time the enemy had posted artillery +that raked our line. It was no longer tenable, and we were ordered to +fall back on the double quick. As we did so, we were under heavy +artillery fire. We passed near the Chancellor House, which was at the +time, I believe, on fire. We halted about one-fourth of a mile to the +rear, and there formed line of battle in the edge of the woods. While we +were waiting, a number of high class women were located close to us. I +was told at the time they were the occupants of the Chancellor House, +then burning to the ground. I remember writing home and telling my +people that these women were interesting to look at, and that their +features expressed fear and hate. In a little time they were marched +off, and the Sixty-first with a part, if not all of the brigade, were +advanced, I should think, at right angles with the position held by us +for two days. We soon entered a piece of woods and advanced in line of +battle through it. As we came near to the clearing beyond, we saw the +rifle pits of the enemy, and we met at our part of the line quite a +brisk fire, but on the right it was exceedingly severe. One company of +the 148th Pa. lost more than half its men. Then our line fell back to +the place from which we had advanced, and we at once began another set +of entrenchments. In a few hours time we had again defences that we +would have been delighted to see assaulted by our friends, the enemy. + +In order to keep us from going to seed the Rebels would occasionally +send over a shell, or solid shot, and they had the true range very well. +I remember while such a practice was under way, and we were on our +bellies back from the breastworks some three rods, so that we might not +be hurt by the top log if it should be hit by a ball or shell, a large +solid shot came hurtling over, just above the top of our works, and +plunged into the ground close to the feet of a sandy-haired Irishman by +the name of Flarity. I think I was looking that way at the moment. +Flarity felt the sweep of the wind as the shot went over him; he raised +up sufficiently to see where it had gone into the ground, and said, +"Whist, ye divil! was yee's _intinded_ for me?" Those who saw the effect +of the shot and heard Flarity had a loud smile. + +We were not attacked on Monday, though during the day Lieut-Col. Broady +called the officers around him and informed them in his Swedish brogue, +that it was anticipated that the enemy would charge our position, which +we were to hold as long as there was a man left of us, and that if we +should give way and fall back we would be fired into by our men, who +held a second and third line. This was delightful information, and made +us feel very jolly--"over the left?" but I am satisfied there was not a +man in the crowd that would have gone back if the chance had been +offered. The attack did not come, and during the night we began the +backward march again, which had come to be almost a matter of course. +Hooker had twice as many men as Lee, and the movement seemed to open +encouragingly. While Doubleday and Walker and Alden do not in so many +words say that Hooker was drunk, I think that is the clear inference. If +he was, shooting would be too good for him, he ought to have been burned +at the stake. + +Saturday morning, the second day of May, Col. Miles was put in command +of the picket line to our front. His own regiment was not in this +advance line, but was in the first main line behind the works that I +have mentioned. Our Colonel here made a great reputation for himself. I +quote from Swinton, "Amid much that is dastardly at Chancellorsville, +the conduct of this young, but gallant and skillful officer, shines +forth with a brilliant lustre." Walker says of him, "So delighted was +Hancock at the splendid behavior of his skirmish line that, after one +repulse of the enemy, he exclaimed, 'Capt. Parker, ride down and tell +Col. Miles he's worth his weight in gold!'" While Couch, turning to the +Major-Generals who commanded his two divisions, said, in his quiet but +emphatic way, "I tell you what it is, gentlemen, I shall not be +surprised to find myself, some day serving under that young man." +Shortly after he was dangerously wounded through the body. Walker says +(page 240) "Hancock strengthens the skirmish line held by Miles, and +instructs that officer not to yield one foot, except on actual +necessity; and well is that trust discharged. The troops under Miles's +command consist of the 61st, 64th and 66th New York, with detachments +from the 53d Pa, 2d Delaware, and 140th, 145th and 148th Pa. and 27th +Conn." The historian of the Second Corps is in error when he writes that +the 61st was placed on the skirmish line. As I have before stated, it +remained behind the works it built, until the position was enfladed by +the enemy's artillery, and then it, with the rest of that line, fell +back. + +He is again in error when he says, (page 244) speaking of the disaster +of the 3d, "Hancock's division was no longer intact. Caldwell, with the +61st, 52d and 57th N. Y., and four companies of the 148th Pa., had, at a +sudden call, marched to the United States Ford road, with a view to the +anticipated breaking through of the enemy from the right and rear." +Unless the movement above described is the one made through the wood, in +which the 148th Pa. suffered so severely. + +During Monday night and Tuesday morning we started back, and after +daylight Tuesday, the 5th of May, we "_got back on our side of the +Rappahannock_." Before night we were again on our campground of the +December before. + +May 11th I received a fifteen days leave of absence, for which I had +applied before the late movement. Those granted prior to the move had +been but for ten days. Probably the extra five days was in the nature of +a premium for the delay caused by the campaign, and the service in it. I +made the most of this time, and was so feasted at home that I started +back several pounds heavier than when I left. I did not desire to be +away long. At the end of the leave I was anxious to be again with the +boys. At this time I was tenting with Nutting and Collins. Nutting came +down with typhoid fever. He was sent to hospital, and returned in the +Fall. + +While in this camp, June 1st, 1863, the First Brigade of the First +Division, fell in and passed in review by quite a body of officers, +including Hancock, Howard and Barlow. Gen. Howard made appropriate +remarks to the remnants of the 5th N. H., 81st Pa., 64th and 61st N. Y., +which he commanded in the battle of Fair Oaks that day, the year before. +But a small fraction of the men he commanded that day at 7 a. m. were +present to hear his words. He said we were in this great strife to win, +and we would fight it to a finish, and we applauded his sentiments by +lusty cheers. After this we returned to our quarters. Barlow appeared +and gave us a chance to grasp his hand. I am sure this great soldier +always had a special affection for the men of the 61st N. Y. He had +their entire confidence. Unquestionably they obeyed his orders, first, +perhaps, because they didn't dare do otherwise, and, second, because +they trusted his judgment and ability to perform what he set out to do. + +Now everything indicated a move at short notice. Sunday, the 14th of +June, the Confederates shot off their big guns on the heights of +Fredericksburg. I think our people crossed the river on a +reconnaissance. At 8 p. m. the Second Corps moved, marched four miles +and halted for the night. Monday, the 15th, we passed Stafford Court +House. Tuesday, the 16th, the march took us beyond Dumfries' Court +House. This day was excessively hot, and it was stated that quite a +number of the Second Corps died of sunstroke. Lieut. Elmore was stricken +down by it. He lay on the ground almost motionless--was quite out of his +head and talked crazy. He was put into an ambulance, and sent to +hospital. + +Wednesday, the 17th, at the close of the day, we halted at Pope's Run on +the Orange & Alexandria R. R. Thursday, the 18th, no move was made, +except to change camp. In the afternoon of Friday (the 19th) we moved +and halted in the evening at Centreville, the place we had been in about +nine months before. Saturday about noon we left Centreville for +Thoroughfare Gap. We passed over the two Bull Run battlefields, which +were fought about a year apart. On the field of 1861 the dead had been +buried with the least expenditure of labor. I should say the bodies had +been laid close together, and a thin coat of earth thrown over them. As +the bodies decayed, the crust fell in exposing in part the skeletons. +Some of our men extracted teeth from the grinning skulls as they lay +thus exposed to view. On the field of 1862 from one mound a hand stuck +out. The flesh instead of rotting off had dried down, and there it was +like a piece of dirty marble. Such sights are not refreshing to men +going forward in search of a new battlefield. Thoroughfare Gap was +reached during the night. We remained in this place until noon of +Thursday, the 25th, when we moved, the enemy following us up quite +sharply with artillery. + +After dark we camped at Gum Spring. It had rained all day. I was placed +in charge of the picket line that night, and visited the posts wet to +the skin. In the morning a young and innocent calf was sporting in the +field we occupied. Some of our wickedest men ended the life of that calf +skinned it, and gave me a chunk. I expected to have an unusually good +meal out of it. No time was found to cook this meat until we halted at +Edward's Ferry on the Potomac, where we expected to spend the night. +Collins and I proposed to have a great meal out of our piece of veal. +Our man "Robert" fried it in the stew pan, which was the half of a +canteen, and brought it on smoking hot. The experiment of trying to eat +it disclosed the fact that it was "deeken veal" and very "_stringy_," I +think the Spanish war soldiers would have called it. We discarded it and +went back to "salt hoss." + +That night we crossed the Potomac on a pontoon, and were again in "My +Maryland." The performances this night were such as to justify vocal +daming on the part of a very good Christian. The men were tired, but +they were marched and countermarched, and halted and started, and placed +and unplaced, until it was fair to conclude that someone was drunk. At +last the person directing the column got his bearings and we proceeded. +We were plodding along a road in which there was on the right hand side +a ditch about two feet deep. Having been up and awake all of the night +before, I was fearfully sleepy and hardly able to drag myself along. All +at once I went into this ditch, and struck full length. In its bottom +there was about two inches of mud, thick enough to encase me. By the +time I had pawed out, I could not, if laid out, have been distinguished +from a mud sill; but I was too near gone to speak bad words, and so went +on in silence, weighing five pounds more than before my descent. Before +long we halted and bivouaced for the night. The next morning, the 27th, +our regiment started about 10 o'clock, and was thrown out as an advance +guard to our baggage train. Along the line of this march there were +numerous wild black cherry trees. They were loaded with ripe fruit, and +we ate our fill. I think we covered 25 miles this day, and went into +camp near Frederick City. We were over this same ground less than a year +before, and everything looked as it then did. + +Sunday, the 28th, we moved up, and camped just before crossing the +Monocacy. We spent the day very comfortably, and went to bed by rolling +up in our blankets, when an order came to "fall in." This we did of +course, but wished it had been otherwise. We marched about two miles, +and were posted to guard a ford of the Monocacy. We had with us a +section of artillery. + +Monday, the 29th, we made a march of over thirty-two miles. We halted +for the night some miles beyond Uniontown, at about 10 p. m. I know I +was so completely tired out, that, as soon as arms were stacked, I +stretched out without unrolling my blankets, and I knew nothing till the +next morning, when I was awakened by the sun shining into my eyes. I +was so stiff that it took some time to get on to my legs, but, after +moving about for a while, I was all right. + +Tuesday, the 30th, we remained in camp, many straggled in the march of +the day before, and during this day most of them came up. Wednesday, +July 1st, we started out, none of us knowing for where. We heard no +sound of battle that day. No doubt the lay of the land shut off the +thunder of the guns. A rumor soon became current that a fight was in +progress, and that Gen. Reynolds had been killed. We marched through a +little village, perhaps it was Taneytown. Our signalers were up in the +steeple of a church on the street we were passing through, and their +flags were we-wawing at a great rate. Before long the ambulance +containing the corpse of Reynolds passed us. We halted for the night. +After sundown our brigade, and probably the division, were in line of +battle. As soon as arms were stacked, we went to a rail fence, took down +the rails, brought them to our line, and, before going to bed--i. e., +spreading our blankets on the ground--we had staked up those rails and +banked earth against them so that they would have served quite a purpose +as breastworks. By this time lines of camp fires were burning as far as +we could see, indicating that the army was massed here, or the ruse was +worked to make the enemy think so. + +Thursday, the 2d, we were quietly ordered to turn out. Breakfast was +eaten, the guns and ammunition were inspected, and by six or seven +o'clock we were in motion. On the march I remember we went through a +small piece of open timber, where our doctors were posted, and as we +went by we shook hands with them, and exchanged little pleasantries. I +remember saying to them, "We'll see you again later." I tried to say +this with a jaunty air, but down in my shoes I did not feel a bit +jaunty. I think we all felt that this should be a death grapple, and, if +Lee went further north, it ought to be over the played out ranks of this +army. We continued our march and halted in a large open field to the +left of the village of Gettysburg. Our brigade was massed, and commanded +by Col. Edward E. Cross of the 5th N. H. + +We remained in this place during the long hours of the day. There was +no noise, save occasionally slight picket firing, but it was not the +silence of assured quiet. It was the painful waiting before the descent +of the certain cyclone. + +Our regiments were so small that, except in the case of the 148th +Pennsylvania, each regiment made a single line. I think the 148th was +divided into two battalions. The 61st had about 90 muskets. While +waiting for something to "turn up" Col. Cross came up, and after a +little said, "Boys, you know what's before you. Give 'em hell!" and some +of us said "We will, Colonel!" After a time "the ball opened" on our +left. A determined attack was made on Sickel's position. He could not +hold it, and re-enforcements were sent to him. I do not remember seeing +the 5th N. H. move away but Col. Broady says it was detached before the +brigade started. I think it was between 5 and 6 o'clock when our orders +came, and we were ready. It was preferable to advance into action, +rather than to wait in expectation of the order to move. The direction +we were to take was to the front and left. There was no time to +countermarch so as to bring the men right in front, so we simply left +faced and started. The 61st, since the withdrawal of the 5th N. H. was +the right regiment. We advanced in this manner, the brigade in a chunk, +until we struck a cross road. In this road we deployed by filing right +and advancing until the regiments were deployed, then we left faced. +This undoubled us, and we stood in line of battle, officers and +sergeants in front of the rear rank in front. In front of us across the +road was a wheatfield, which was bounded by a fence. We were ordered +forward; we scaled the fence and advanced into this wheatfield in line +of battle, as I have stated. Finally we were halted, markers were thrown +out, and we lined up. The 61st N. Y. was the right of our brigade line. +I am not sure what regiment was to our right. It is my recollection that +no regiment was in close contact with us. As soon as the alignment was +perfected, the officers and file closers passed through the ranks and +got in rear of the men. Up to this time not a confederate had been seen +in our front. + +At the further edge of this wheatfield there were the remnants of a +stone wall and scattering trees and brush, which made a natural line for +the opposing force to form behind. As soon as I got into my place I kept +my eyes to the front, and in a few seconds I saw first one or two men +come toward us on a run, and throw themselves down behind this partial +stone wall. But a brief time passed when a solid line of men in gray +appeared and placed themselves as had the first comers. At once, and +without any ordering, the firing opened by both sides. It was slightly +descending from where we stood to the position of the enemy. I think +their location was the best, independent of the protection afforded by +the old wall. It was a case of give and take. As a rule our men behaved +splendidly; with a single exception I saw no flinching or dodging. I saw +a certain second lieutenant doubling himself together so as to bring his +head below the line of the heads of the men in front of him. Capt. Keech +saw his posture and came up to him and said, "Stand up! What are you +crouching for?" The fellow replied, "I'm not crouching." Keech replied, +"Yes, you are!" and he hit him across his humped-up back a sharp rap +that made him grunt, and said, "Stand up like a man!" In battle the +tendency is almost universal for the men to work out of a good line into +clumps. The men of natural daring will rather crowd to the front, and +those cast in more timid or retiring molds will almost automatically +edge back and slip in behind. Hence the necessity of not alone +commissioned officers in the rear to keep the men out in two ranks, but +sergeants as well. I think I have stated that there were less than one +hundred men present with the regiment. For the less than ninety muskets +in the ranks we had a number of commissioned officers. More than was +needed. We had officers enough in our regiment in this great battle to +have commanded three hundred men, and it is a standing proof of the +gross ignorance, or the villainy of the New York government that such +was the case. In the early part of the day I remarked to a number of the +men near by that when some one of them was knocked out I was going to +take his musket and get into the firing line. We were in this wheatfield +and the grain stood almost breast high. The Rebs had their slight +protection, but we were in the open, without a thing better than a +wheat straw to catch a Minnie bullet that weighed an ounce. Of course, +our men began to tumble. They lay where they fell, or, if able, started +for the rear. Near to me I saw a man named Daily go down, shot through +the neck. I made a movement to get his gun, but at that moment I was +struck in the shoulder. It did not hurt and the blow simply caused me to +step back. I found that I could not work my arm, but supposed that hurt +was a flesh wound that had temporarily paralyzed it, and that it was not +serious enough to justify my leaving the fighting line. So, I remained +and did what I could in directing the firing. Sometime after this, I +felt a blow on the left leg, and it gave way, so that I knew the bone +was broken. This stroke did not hurt, and I did not fall, but turned +around and made a number of hops to the rear, when my foot caught in the +tangled grain and I went down full length. While lying here entirely +helpless, and hearing those vicious bullets singing over my head, I +suffered from fear. I had, as most men do, got over the dread of battle +after I was once fairly in it, and was enjoying the excitement, but when +I was "done for" as a fighter, and could only lie in that zone of +danger, waiting for other bullets to plow into my body, I confess it was +with the greatest dread. While so lying and dreading, in some way, I +knew that two men were going to the rear. I yelled out to them, "Drag me +back." They heeded the order, or entreaty, and one man grabbed one arm, +and the other man the other arm, and they started back with me between +them, not on any funeral gait, but almost on a run. My right arm was +sound, but the left one was broken at the shoulder joint, and on that +side it was pulling on the cords and meat. I wobbled much as a cut of +wood drawn by two cords would have. These men pulled me back in this +fashion for a number of rods, and until I thought they had pulled me +over a rise of ground like a cradle knoll, when I shouted, "Drop me" and +they dropped, and went on without note or comment. I had a tourniquet in +my haversack, and with my one servicable arm, I worked away till I got +it out, and did the best I could to get it around my leg, for anything I +knew I was bleeding to death, and, if possible, I wanted to check the +flow of blood. I think my effort did not amount to much. After a time +the firing tapered down to occasional shots. Of course, I did not know +who was on top. Certainly no body of our men had fallen back near my +bivouac. In a short time I heard a line of battle advancing from the +rear. As the men came in sight I sang out, "Don't step on me, boys!" +Those in range of me stepped over and on they went, to take their +medicine. I understand they rushed forward and fought the enemy in +advance of the line we occupied. It was not many minutes after these +troops passed me that the rattle of musketry was again heard from that +wheat field. It was kept up for a good while, and then it died down. No +body of our men went back past me. + +After a while I was aware that a skirmish line was coming from the +front, and soon discovered that the skirmishers were not clothed in +blue. The officer in command was mounted and rode by within a few feet +of me. I should judge that this line went as far as the road I have +spoken of. Shots were exchanged at about that distance to the rear of +me. This fighting was not severe and a short time after these gentlemen +in gray moved back in the same manner they had advanced, greatly to my +relief. I did not fancy remaining their guest for any length of time. + +As the Rebs went back, a nice looking young fellow, small of stature, +with bright black eyes, whose face was smutted up with powder and smoke, +came along where I lay. My sword was on the ground beside me. He picked +it up, and said, "Give me that scabbard!" I said "Johnny, you will have +to excuse me, as my arm is broken and I can't unbuckle my belt." He made +no comment, but went off with my sword. Then matters quieted down, and +there was no sound to be heard in that vicinity, except the groanings of +the wounded. As long as I lay perfectly quiet, I was not in much pain, +but if I attempted to stir the pain was severe. I had heard that wounded +men always suffered from thirst, but I was not specially thirsty, and I +wondered at it. I did not have any desire to groan, and take on, as many +about me were doing. So I wondered if I were really badly hurt, and if I +could groan, if I wanted to. I determined to try it, and drew in a good +breath, and let out a full grown-man groan. I was satisfied with the +result and then kept quiet. This action on my part will read like the +performance of a simpleton, and I would not record it, but for the fact +that it was the freak and experience of one man, helpless on the +battlefield. These personal experiences are, of course, less often +written about than are the general movements of troops in battle +accounts. + +After a time I was satisfied our people were establishing a picket line +some ways to my rear. I succeeded in securing the attention of a +sergeant. He told me the number of his regiment, which was a new +Pennsylvania regiment. I told him I wanted to get back out of this +debatable belt of land between the skirmish lines. He said he would go +and see his officer. In a little while he came back with a Lieutenant. +He was a good hearted man, and commiserated my condition, and inquired +what he could do for me. I told him my present anxiety was to get to the +rear of our skirmish line--that where I then lay was likely to be fought +over again, and any little thing would, at least, set the pickets firing +at one another. I told him I thought if he and the sergeant would make a +chair of their hands, as children often do, they could carry me between +them. With difficulty they got me up, and their hands under me, and +started, but the broken leg hung down, and caught in the trampled wheat, +and I told them I couldn't go it. Then the Lieutenant said he could +carry me on his back. I noticed that he had braced up with commissary, +and his legs were not wholly reliable, but I thought he could manage me +as a pack. So he squatted, and the sergeant helped get me on his back +with my arm around his neck. Then he attempted to raise me up, but my +weight and the tanglefoot were too much, and we all went down in a heap +together, I under. As soon as I could express myself in words, I told +the men, if they would straighten me out and cover me up with my +blanket, I would excuse them with thanks for their kind intentions. This +they did, and left me with no one in sight. It now grew dark rapidly and +soon there was as little light as at any time that night. I was wide +awake, and my thoughts went on excursions the wide world around. + +I think it must have been about midnight--for hours I had heard no sound +but the groanings of the men lying on the field about me. All at once I +heard a voice. It came from the mouth of Phil Comfort, a private of Co. +A. Phil had always been one of the incorrigibles. He would get drunk, +and brawl, and fight on the slightest provocation, but he also had the +credit of doing much for the wounded of the regiment. I do not know what +Phil's business was, out there between the picket lines at midnight of +that day. I suspect he may have been there for the purpose of +accommodating any corpse that was desirous of being relieved of any +valuables he was possessed of, fearing they might be buried in an +unmarked grave with his dead body. I never asked Phil about the orders, +or from whom they came, that sent him into hailing distance of my place +of repose, but I made haste to call Phil up to me. He responded to my +call, and in a moment was staring down on me in the starlight. He said, +"Why, Lieutenant that's you, aint it!" I admitted the allegation, and +said I wanted to get out of here. He replied that he would go for a man +and stretcher, and return as soon as possible, and off he went. Before +long he was back with man and stretcher, and after much working they got +me loaded and started for a point at which the ambulances were +assembling. I was set down in the dooryard of a house built of hewed +logs, whitewashed. In 1866 I visited the battlefield and this house was +standing. I think it has since been removed and a frame house put up on +its site. + +After an hour's waiting, I was loaded into an ambulance without taking +me from my stretcher. This was fortunate for me, as I kept it until it +was swapped for a new one two weeks later. The stretcher kept me from +the ground, and was an important factor in my recovery. A man was placed +beside me shot through the body. He was in an agony of pain, and it was +impossible for him to restrain his groans. When the ambulance started, +it went anywhere but in a good road, and as it bumped over logs and +boulders, my broken leg would thresh about like the mauler of a flail. I +found it necessary to keep it in place by putting the other one over it. +At last we stopped and were unloaded. It was still dark, but in due +time light broke in the East, and a little later I could roll my head +and take in some of the surroundings. Most of the wounded of the +regiment had been gathered at this place, and we made by far the largest +part of it. Many of the men were so hurt that they could move about, and +they all came and made me an early morning call. After a time two of our +regimental doctors appeared. They cut open my trousers leg, found where +the bullet went in, and, I think, put a strip of adhesive plaster over +the wound, and they did the same with the shoulder. It was clear to my +mind that the leg, at least, must come off. I expressed my opinion and +said, I thought it would be better to do it at once, than to wait till +inflammation set in. At my earnest request they promised me that they +would see to it that I should be among the first operated on. + +While in this place my life long friend and companion, Lieut. Isaac +Plumb, came to me. We had been side by side since the organization of +the regiment, and, until now, neither of us had been badly hurt. He told +me that he saw me as I went down, and sang out "Uncle Fuller, that's +good for sixty days." He said I made up quite a face, as if it hurt. +Shortly afterward he said he had a remarkable experience. He was struck +and knocked down, and he supposed a bullet had gone through him, and he +was done for. He said he clapped his hands over the place of the +supposed wound and held on tight, with the thought that conscious +existence might be a little prolonged. He expected to feel life ebbing, +but he retained consciousness, and, after a while, lifted his hands, +expecting to see an eruption of blood, but he did not. He began to move +his body with no bad results, and, finally, got onto his feet, resumed +his place and left the field with his men. He did not discover what had +happened till he prepared to bunk down for the night, when he unbuckled +his sword belt he discovered a strange formation in his vest pocket. In +it he had a bunch of small keys on a ring. A Minnie bullet had struck +his belt plate square and had glanced so as to go under the plate into +his vest pocket, where it met the bunch of keys. There was enough force +and resistance to bed the bullet into the ring and the key heads, and +there the keys stood out held in place by the embedded bullet. He was +able to send this relic of that great battle home, and his mother has it +now among her choicest mementos. + +After a time the division operating table was set up in the edge of a +piece of timber not very far away. I was on the watch, expecting every +minute to be taken out, but I waited and waited and no one came for me. +I became quite impatient at this delay. I saw one after another brought +on, carried up, and taken away, and I was not called for. This aroused +my stock of impatience, of which, I naturally always had quite enough. +At last I asked my friend Porter E. Whitney and another man to take me +down to the table. I made up my mind, if the mountain did not go to +Mahomet, the next best thing was for the prophet to go to the mountain. +The men set me down as nearly under the noses of the doctors as could +be, and, if something hadn't happened, I presume in a few minutes that +heretofore good left leg would have made one of the fast growing pile; +but about that interesting moment for me, the enemy began to drop shells +that exploded in and about the locality. It was not a fit place to +pursue surgical operations. The doctors knew it, so they hastily +gathered up their knives and saws, and moved to a place where those +projectiles did not drop. The two friends who had taken me there, picked +up my stretcher and started for a like place. We had to move several +times before the greatest artillery duel of the War began. When that +opened we were out of range of it, but we could not hide from the +tremble of the ground--the surface of the earth at that place shook and +quivered from the terrible concussion of the artillery. The roar was +enough to deafen one, and inspire the dread that no one would be left +alive and unhurt. Generally however, the noise is a considerable part of +such a bombardment. Probably comparatively slight damage was done by it, +until our artillery opened on the advancing lines of Pickett's men. + +During the day friends occasionally poured water on my wounds, which, +doubtless, kept the swelling down. + +Pickett was defeated. Grant, Sherman, Sheridan or Thomas, if in command +at the time, would have plunged the fresh Sixth Corps on to the rear of +Lee's routed men, and effectively crushed him. Meade was new to the +place and preferred a respectable certainty to possible disaster. Things +quieted down, and that night, + + "Mr. Lee who had come to see + What he could do about going through, + The North, turned South." + +The boys who were toting me came to a stone house with a wide piazza +clear around it. I was laid on the floor of it, which made a hard bed. I +ached in every bone, but there was nothing to do but "grin and bear it." +After a while Frank Garland of Co. G was brought and laid on the floor +near me. He could raise upon his elbow, but his breathing was painful to +hear. A bullet had gone through his lungs and every time they filled a +portion of the air went through the wound with a ghastly sound. I said +to him, "Are you badly wounded, Frank?" He replied, "Oh, yes!" + +I had eaten nothing since the morning of the day before, and was faint. +Some of our drummer boys found a bin of ground oats, and they made a +gruel that tasted good, and I made quite a meal of it. That evening +about 10 o'clock, an ambulance came for me, and I was taken to the +ground selected for the 2d Corps hospital. It was another rough ride +across lots. Once there I was taken out of my stretcher, the one Phil +Comfort took me off the field on, and taken at once to the operating +table. A napkin was formed into a tunnel shape, a liberal supply of +chloroform poured into it and the thing placed over my nose and mouth. I +was told to take in long breaths. To me it seemed a long time before the +effect came, probably it was a short time, but at last my head seemed to +grow big and spin around. At this stage I remember a doctor had his +fingers in the wound in the shoulder and said to the others "Here is a +fine chance for a resection." I did not know what that meant, but +learned afterwards. When I came to myself, I looked down far enough to +see a quantity of bandage wound about a stump of a leg eight inches +long. My shoulder was bound up, but otherwise not operated on. Failure +to resect may have been due to the great amount of work pressing upon +the surgeons. They were worked as many hours continuously as they could +stand, and still many a man had to be neglected. I was taken off the +table and put back on my stretcher, which was set down in a wall tent, +this tent was as full as it well could be of amputated cases. For the +most part the men bore their suffering without a groan. Among the number +was a young Confederate officer, that had lost an arm. He probably felt +that he was a good way from home, and he "took on," bemoaning his fate +as a cripple and a sufferer. He wore out the patience of every other man +in the tent. At last I yelled out to him to shut up, or I would get up +and kick him out doors. My bark was effective, we heard no more from +him. All of us were amputates, or seriously wounded. During the night a +doctor came, and gave every man a dose of morphine, which produced a +happy state of mind and body. As I was taken from the table one of my +doctors said, "Fuller, you may drink all of the whiskey you can get, and +want." + +The day of the 4th we had a drenching rain. Some men out lying in low +places and who could not move were, it was said, drowned. On the whole, +I presume the rain was a benefit to the wounded. + +It took a number of days for the large hospital tents to be put up. All +of the sound part of the army that could be spared followed up the +enemy. Of course, it took a large number of soldiers detailed for the +purpose, to partially care for the thousands of wounded from each army. +The surgeons were continuously engaged upon new cases that had received +no attention. Those of us that had been treated knew this, and we found +no fault at what otherwise would have been terrible neglect. I think it +was six days after my amputation before a doctor could be found to look +at my stump. The night before I had been made very nervous by crawley +feelings on that side of me, just where I could not tell. It is, I +think, the rule with amputations, that the patient cannot from the +feeling put his hand on the place of amputation. It takes a good while +for the nerves to realize where "the end" is. They were made to carry +the news to the brain from the extremities, and, until the new +arrangement has become somewhat acquainted with the change, these lines +of communication are doing duty for parts of the body not there. My bad +feelings were not at the end of the stump, but down in the foot and +ankle, where there were constant beats, and pulls and cramps. I think +this is the foundation for the many fairy stories to the effect that an +amputated leg or arm buried gave the owner of it great pain, as if +something pressed on it, or it was cramped in its box, and when it was +opened up there was found a stone between the fingers, or the cover +jammed upon the foot, and that when the cause of discomfort was removed +then the stump of the arm or leg was easy. As in the various phases of +faith cure, the imagination has a powerful effect. So it has in these +cases. It is never that there is a real feeling connected between the +severed part and the body, but the belief in it creates a supposed +reality. + +It was the good fortune of our tent that a civilian surgeon from Ohio +visiting the field came along and offered his services to any of us that +wanted him to do for us. I told him how I had felt through the night, +and I would be glad to have him dress my stump. He took the bandages off +and found that there were a large number of full grown maggots in the +wound. This discovery for the moment was horrifying to me. I concluded +if all the other things did not take me off the skippers would, but the +good doctor assured me that the wigglers didn't amount to much in that +place, and he would soon fix them. He diluted some turpentine, took a +quantity of it in his mouth and squirted it into the wound, and over the +stump. It did the business for the intruders, and I had no more trouble +of that sort. + +The morning of the 4th of July Capt. Keech came to me and said he was to +have a short leave of absence on account of the wound he received in the +neck, which came near effectually cutting it. He wanted to know what +word he should convey to my people. I said tell them I am doing as well +as one can under the circumstance. He replied, "Don't you want them to +come down here?" I said, "No!" "They can do no good here, and will be in +the way." When he got to New York he wired to Sherburne: "Garland +mortally wounded. Fuller dangerously wounded. Plumb all right." That +night my father started for Unadilla Forks to see Dr. King, his +brother-in-law. The doctor was one of the best surgeons in Otsego Co. My +father told him he wanted him to go to Gettysburg and look after me. +They were in Utica the next morning ready for the first train East. From +a newsboy they got a _Herald_, which gave a long list of New York +casualties. Finally they struck "Lieut. C. A. Fuller, Co. C. 61st N. Y., +leg _and arm amputated_." The doctor said, "If that is true there is not +much chance for Charley, but we will go on and bring him home alive or +dead." And so they went on. + +All this is very tame and personal, and, in many ways, I know can be of +but small interest. There is this to be said of it: It shows what was +going on in thousands of families the land over--North and South--and it +is the kind of matter that does not get into books on war subjects. The +reality of war is largely obscured by descriptions that tell of +movements and maneuvers of armies, of the attack and repulse, of the +victory and defeat, and then pass on to new operations. All of this +leaves out of sight the fellows stretched out with holes through them, +or with legs and arms off. + +At Baltimore my father had to turn back on account of acute illness. +From New York my father and Uncle were accompanied by my cousin Edward +Snyder. He was a grand man. He had tried several times to enter the +service, but was rejected. For years he had been in the employ of the +American Express Co. and knew how to push his way through a crowd. The +jam was so great to get to the battlefield, and the transportation so +inadequate, they might have been delayed several days, but for the +steering qualifications of Snyder. He elbowed and managed in such a way +that he and the doctor got onto an open flat bottomed car headed for +Gettysburg the same day. On their arrival it was no small job to find +me, but a half day's search and inquiry brought them to my tent, a large +hospital tent holding some sixteen men, everyone of whom had, I +believed, sustained an amputation. They had found the Chaplain of the +64th New York, a thoroughly good man, qualified for the office, as many +chaplains were not. This Chaplain had been of great service since the +battle; his work in behalf of the men was tireless. Earlier in the day +he had talked with me, trying to brace me up and make me hopeful. I +remember saying to him, "If I were where I could have the best of care, +I might pull through, but that is impossible." I knew that my chances +were few and scant. About noon he came to me and said, "Fuller, can you +stand some good news?" I said, "Yes, if ever I could I can now." He +said, "Some one has come to see you?" I asked, "Is it Dr. King?" He +said, "Yes." I looked to the other side of the tent, and there in the +doorway stood my uncle, and just behind him Edward Snyder. The doctor +was short and thick and Snyder was tall and thin, so I had a view of +both of their faces at once. It was a sight so photographed in my memory +that it is as fresh to-day as when it was taken. The doctor remained at +the field hospital for about ten days. During that time he took charge +of about a dozen amputated cases, and while he was rather squatty for an +Angel, the men regarded him as one of mercy. By the end of ten days from +his coming the doctor told me that I was making no progress and ought to +be moved where I could get better air. He got permission for my removal +into the village. Two men carried me on a stretcher. When the doctor +left the boys he had been caring for, there were few dry eyes on their +faces. I was taken to the house of Mr. Carson, cashier of one of the +banks. On the approach of Lee's army, Mr. Carson had taken the cash and +valuables to Philadelphia. At this time every house in town was at the +service of any wounded, or their friends. When I was deposited at his +house, Mr. Carson was in Philadelphia to get and return the bank's +property, but Mrs. Carson was there, and, if I had been a near relative, +she could not have done more to make my stay tolerable. As an instance +of the romance in war the following occurred. Mrs. Carson's brother was +an officer in a Maine battery. He was in the first day's engagement and +was quite badly wounded. He managed to get to his sister's house, I +believe he was not disturbed by the Rebels, and left for his home the +day before I came. + +After a few days in the village, consent was obtained for me to start +for home. We were on the way for about a week, and everywhere on the +route the greatest kindness was shown save in one instance. That was at +the Albany station, and with the New York Central's employees. It was +necessary to put my stretcher with me on it into the baggage car. I was +set down by the side of the car, asking that it be done. By the +treatment I got from the men in charge, one would take them to be a gang +of copperheads. Seeing that they were going to refuse me admission to +the car, I began to call them off in no gentle manner. My billingsgate +caused a crowd to gather. I informed the trainmen and the people +assembled that if I could have a squad of my regiment there for a very +few minutes, I would go in that car, or that train would be a wreck. I +soon had the sympathy of the lookers on, and some of them suggested that +I would go into that car, or it might not be necessary for me to have +any of the 61st there to make things interesting. The disobliging +servants of the road did not care to have more of a demonstration, and +the door was shoved open, and, in no gracious manner, I was put on +board, and started for Utica. I think those New York Central loafers +would have left me there to have fly-blowed had they not feared the +temper of the crowd. It was a painful surprise to me to meet such +indifference, if not hostility, in Central New York, when I had just +experienced such helpful kindness in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and even +in New York, a place that usually cares for nothing and no one, except +commercially. From Utica I was taken in an ambulance to Unadilla Forks, +N. Y. + +At the end of a week my shoulder was operated on, and three inches of +the humerus taken out from the shoulder joint down. The operation was +performed by Dr. King, and was an excellent one. A week after that +operation, an incision was made into the stump and the bullet that broke +the leg was taken out. That it was in the stump was, of course, a +surprise, and when the surgeons of my regiment were informed what had +been done, they claimed to be much surprised, and said that they traced +out the bullet that they amputated for, and that the bullet extracted by +Dr. King must have been a second one. I have always had the impression +that I was hit in the leg lower down, and before the one came that broke +the leg, but of that I am not certain. + +With two such wounds as I had, and one poisoned for six weeks with a +Minnie bullet, it was a slow process to recover, but I made steady +progress with, of course, occasional pull backs. + +I think it was in September, 1863, and after I reached my home, that +George Jacobs, a sergeant in my company of New Berlin, called on me. +George was _one_ of the best soldiers in the regiment. In a fight no one +could be better. He was home on a ten days furlough. Of course, the best +in the land was free to him, and he was feasted by parents and friends. +As he was about ready to start back, he was taken violently sick with a +stomach trouble and died in a few hours. + +In December, 1863, I was ordered to report at a hospital at Annapolis, +Md. I started alone with one crutch, and my arm in a sling. At Albany I +stopped over night with my cousin Stewart Campbell, and well remember +that evening reading in the _Atlantic Monthly_ that wonderful story, "A +Man Without a Country," by Edward Everett Hale. It made a deep +impression on my mind and it confirmed the sentiment I had cherished +that it was well worth hardship, wounds, loss of limbs, or life even, to +have a hand in preserving in its integrity such a country as ours. I +reached Annapolis all right. In about a week I was ordered to +Washington, and mustered out. This ended my connection with one of the +best regiments in the service in the War of the Rebellion. I do not say +this, I think, unadvisedly, nor from a mistaken sense of the quality of +the rank and file of the regiment, but rather from the character of the +commanding officers of the regiment while under Barlow and Miles. Each +of them officers whose equal it was hard to find. They were men of +dauntless courage and rare military judgment, who LED their men into +battle, and under them if a soldier wanted to slink, as a rule, he +deemed it safer to face the enemy than to let either one of them suspect +he was slinking. + +I have now told my story as a soldier, and the purpose of this pamphlet +is ended. In conclusion I want to register my admiration for the war +power of a country. It is a splendid employment to be in the Army, or +Navy of one's country! The office of the War Power is to maintain order +and right at home, and defend the flag from foreign aggression. It is +not the first and main business of the soldier to kill anyone; he is put +in motion only after peacable means for righteousness have failed. Then +he comes forward and says to the obstructor and the enemy of right: +"Desist, surrender, give way!" and it is only after refusal and a show +of hostile force that the soldier shoots his gun, and when he shoots he +prefers to wound, disable and capture, rather than to kill. + +Of course, we all ought to encourage the avoidance of war, and the +promotion of peace, but the wise ruler, while so doing, will have an +adequate army to make it certain that he cannot be overborne by +evil-minded persons, and the enemies of his government. Mankind must be +dealt with as it is, and not on a fanciful, theoretical basis. + +Really the Army is the strong arm of the executive part of the +governmental machinery. The sheriff and constable may be resisted and +fail; the posse comitatus they call to their aid may prove inadequate, +and then there is nothing to look to but the Army. + +If I had a son 18 years of age, I would not feel bad to see him enrolled +for a three years enlistment in the United States Army, or Navy. I would +expect he would be discharged at the end of the term improved by the +discipline. The wearer of the uniform ought to be honored by the people +and accorded as broad a place in society as if he were a member of what +is termed "one of the learned professions." The treatment accorded our +soldiers and sailors by some rich, ill-bred snobs in this country is to +their lasting disgrace, and it is to be hoped that such stupid idiots +may live to see the day when they will bitterly repent their fool +actions. + + + + + + * * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). + +The use of quotation marks in the original does not conform +to modern standards, and many quotations were left unclosed. +Quotation marks were left as they appear in the original book. + +The following misprints have been corrected: + "Isreal" corrected to "Israel" (page 5) + "Hamiltom" corrected to "Hamilton" (page 6) + "Calfornia" corrected to "California" (page 11) + "isssued" corrected to "issued" (page 12) + "million's" corrected to "millions" (page 22) + "Heintzleman" corrected to "Heintzelman" (page 23) + "company" corrected to "Company" (page 25) + "sitution" corrected to "situation" (page 25) + "amunition" corrected to "ammunition" (page 30) + "appetiate" corrected to "appetite" (page 35) + "asociation" corrected to "association" (page 40) + "supprise" corrected to "surprise" (page 41) + "Sweedish" corrected to "Swedish" (page 41) + "sergents" corrected to "sergeants" (page 41) + "journed" corrected to "journeyed" (page 44) + "in in" corrected to "in" (page 44) + "eneny" corrected to "enemy" (page 48) + "seige" corrected to "siege" (page 48) + "moistend" corrected to "moistened" (page 49) + "lamost" corrected to "almost" (page 51) + "barrow" corrected to "borrow" (page 53) + "company" corrected to "Company" (page 54) + "amutated" corrected to "amputated" (page 56) + "agian" corrected to "again" (page 60) + "company" corrected to "Company" (page 61) + "waa" corrected to "was" (page 62) + "Anteitam" corrected to "Antietam" (page 62) + "opportuity" corrected to "opportunity" (page 63) + "siezes" corrected to "seizes" (page 64) + "acinto action" corrected to "action" (page 66) + "bridage" corrected to "brigade" (page 66) + "dispargement" corrected to "disparagement" (page 70) + "Gettysbusg" corrected to "Gettysburg" (page 70) + "Symth" corrected to "Smyth" (page 70) + "heorically" corrected to "heroically" (page 71) + "Boliver" corrected to "Bolivar" (page 73) + "couln't" corrected to "couldn't" (page 73) + "interruped" corrected to "interrupted" (page 74) + "reconnoissance" corrected to "reconnaissance" (page 74) + "Junuis" corrected to "Junius" (page 75) + "calvary" corrected to "cavalry" (page 75) + "poonton" corrected to "pontoon" (page 77) + "striken" corrected to "stricken" (page 90) + "chunck" corrected to "chunk" (page 93) + "swaped" corrected to "swapped" (page 98) + "resistence" corrected to "resistance" (page 99) + "quiet" corrected to "quite" (page 100) + "Anapolis" corrected to "Annapolis" (page 107) + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WAR OF +1861*** + + +******* This file should be named 31353.txt or 31353.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/1/3/5/31353 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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