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diff --git a/old/50140-0.txt b/old/50140-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 320d0f1..0000000 --- a/old/50140-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7173 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Thirty-second Regiment, -Massachusetts Infantry, by Francis J. Parker - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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 -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Story of the Thirty-second Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry - Whence it came; where it went; what it saw, and what it did - -Author: Francis J. Parker - -Release Date: October 6, 2015 [EBook #50140] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORY OF THE 32ND REGIMENT, MASS. *** - - - - -Produced by Wayne Hammond and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - THE STORY - OF THE - THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT - MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY. - - WHENCE IT CAME; WHERE IT WENT; WHAT IT SAW; - AND WHAT IT DID. - - BY FRANCIS J. PARKER, COLONEL. - - [Illustration] - - BOSTON: - C. W. CALKINS & CO., PUBLISHERS. - 1880. - - - - - C. W. CALKINS & CO., PRINTERS, - 286 Washington St., Boston. - - - - - TO THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS - OF THE - THIRTY-SECOND MASSACHUSETTS, - IN MEMORY OF THE DEAD - AND - IN HONOR OF THE LIVING. - - - - -ERRATUM. - - -On page 3, twelfth line, for “Brevet Brigadier-General,” read -“Colonel.” Colonel Prescott was never breveted. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -This book is not a history of the civil war, nor even of the Army -of the Potomac; but merely the story of one of the regiments which -composed that Army. It does not relate the biography of the many -distinguished generals under whose command the battalion served, and -the endeavor has been made to exclude from it not only discussions -as to the merits of individuals, but even favorable or unfavorable -opinions, save when the facts related implied or seemed to require such -reflections. - -The book is intended chiefly to collect and present in narrative form, -descriptions of some of the experiences of our Regiment, in order to -preserve them in the memory of those who were actors in the scenes -described, and enable the officers and men of the 32d to place in the -hands of their children and friends vivid pictures of the dangers, -trials, and pleasures which attended the service of our soldiers in the -war for the Union. - -In the preparation of the book, I have received, and gratefully -acknowledge, the assistance of many of my old comrades, officers, and -men, not only by way of incidents related verbally, but also--and -this especially concerning events which occurred after my own -resignation--by way of written contributions. Many of these are -embodied in the text almost in the language of the writers, and others -in a more or less condensed form. Among those to whom I am thus -indebted should be particularly named General Luther Stephenson, jr., -Surgeon Z. B. Adams, Major E. S. Farnsworth, General J. A. Cunningham, -Sergeant S. C. Spaulding, Major Ambrose Bancroft, Captains G. W. -Lauriat and J. C. Fuller; and last, but by no means least, Surgeon -W. L. Faxon and Mrs. Faxon, whose memories have provided stores of -incident. To Colonel I. F. Kingsbury I am indebted for the result of -time-consuming researches in the Adjutant-General’s Department of the -State. - -While making these just acknowledgments I absolve all those named from -any responsibility for such literary imperfections as may appear herein -and, assuming to myself all blame for such defects, must ask my readers -to consider in charity to me the difficulties which must attend a work -so composed, and at the last somewhat hastily completed. - - F. J. P. - - _Boston, April 30th, 1880._ - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PREFACE vii - - - I. - - IN GARRISON 1 - - - II. - - ON OUR OWN HOOK 28 - - - III. - - ON THE PENINSULA 43 - - - IV. - - CAMPAIGNING UNDER POPE 64 - - - V. - - OUR THIRD BATTALION 75 - - - VI. - - THE ANTIETAM CAMPAIGN 85 - - - VII. - - AFTER ANTIETAM 107 - - - VIII. - - TO FREDERICKSBURG 117 - - - IX. - - BETWEEN CAMPAIGNS 136 - - - X. - - CHANCELLORSVILLE 150 - - - XI. - - FREDERICKSBURG TO GETTYSBURG 159 - - - XII. - - AFTER GETTYSBURG 175 - - - XIII. - - A LADY AT WINTER QUARTERS 183 - - - XIV. - - AT LIBERTY 189 - - - XV. - - OUT ON PICKET 196 - - - XVI. - - ON FURLOUGH 204 - - - XVII. - - THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN 208 - - - XVIII. - - THE BOMB PROOFS 223 - - - XIX. - - OUR CORPS HOSPITAL 228 - - - XX. - - ABOUT PETERSBURG 234 - - - XXI. - - THE LAST CAMPAIGN 245 - - - - -THE STORY OF THE - -THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT - -MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY. - - - - -I. - -_IN GARRISON._ - - -The story of the 32d Massachusetts Infantry was, of course, in most -respects like that of others, but not in all. The immortal Topsy -thought she was not made, but “‘spect she growed.” So our regiment -was not made a regiment at the start, but it grew to be one. Other -battalions from New England gathered into camps and acquired their -preliminary education among neighbors, and cheered by the presence of -visitors, who looked on and admired their guard-mountings at morning, -and their dress-parades at evening; and these hardened into soldiers -by a rough experience in mud or dust on the line of the Potomac, while -our beginning was in a walled fort, on a bleak island, isolated even -from the visits of friends, and under the most exact discipline of -_ante-bellum_ regular-army rule. - -Fort Warren, which was our cradle, is the outpost of Boston, and it -was very nearly, but not entirely, completed when the war broke out. -Until 1861 it had never been occupied as a military post. The 12th -and 14th Massachusetts had been in occupation of the island while the -organization of those battalions was in progress, during the summer of -that year, and when they left, the post was somewhat hurriedly prepared -for the reception of prisoners, a large number having been captured in -North Carolina by the column under General Burnside. - -Early in the autumn of the year 1861 Colonel Justin E. Dimmock was -assigned to the command at Fort Warren. At the first outbreak of the -rebellion this patriotic officer, fortunately for the cause of the -Union, was in command at Fort Munroe, and resisting every attempt made -upon his loyalty, he held that important post for the government under -whose flag he had fought, and in whose service he had passed his active -life. - -As the war progressed Fort Munroe became a great centre for the -operations of the army, and the duties required of its commandant were -too severe for a man of Colonel Dimmock’s age and infirmities, and he -was transferred to the more quiet scenes in Boston Harbor. A temporary -garrison was detailed from the 24th Massachusetts Infantry, then in -process of formation, but upon the application of Colonel Dimmock, -a new battalion of four companies of infantry was raised to be used -as a garrison until the exigencies of the service required their -presence elsewhere, and this body of men, called the First Battalion -Massachusetts Infantry, relieved the same number of companies of the -24th. - -Company A, recruited in Hingham by Captain (afterward -Brevet-Brigadier-General) Luther Stephenson, jr., was mustered into -service November 16th, 1861, and reported for duty at the fort on the -following day. Charles A. Dearborn, jr., was First Lieutenant, and -Nathaniel French, jr., Second Lieutenant. - -Company B, recruited in Concord, Massachusetts, by Captain (afterward -Brevet-Brigadier-General) George L. Prescott, was mustered in November -15th, 1861. Cyrus L. Tay, First Lieutenant, and Isaiah F. Hoyt, Second -Lieutenant. - -Company C, recruited in Boston by Captain Jonathan Pierce, was mustered -in November 16th, 1861. Joseph Austin, First Lieutenant, and Robert -Hamilton, Second Lieutenant. - -Company D was recruited in Gloucester, and was almost entirely composed -of fishermen and sailors. It was commanded by Captain James P. Draper. -The late Adjutant-General James A. Cunningham was First Lieutenant, and -Stephen Rich, Second Lieutenant. - -These companies were rapidly recruited, and were immediately despatched -to their post, no time being allowed for drill, and hardly time to say -good-bye. It may be presumed that when they reported, their discipline -was nothing, and their ideas of military order exceedingly crude. - -Perhaps this was more particularly the case with Company D, which, -as we have already said, was composed almost entirely of Gloucester -fishermen,--or it may have been the excessive hospitality of the -friends of that company, that led to a little scene immediately upon -its arrival. - -The more jovial of the soldiers were weeded out at the landing, and -quietly deposited in the guard-house; the remainder were marched -into the fort, and soon after to the cook house, where an ample -supper of soft bread and tea awaited them. A few months later such -a repast would have been hailed as the height of luxury, but by the -raw sailor-soldiers it was now regarded with contempt. The loaves, -instead of being devoted to their proper use as the staff of life, were -converted into missiles, and the air was alive with them,--the dim -evening light favoring an impartial distribution. - -In the midst of the racket, Colonel Dimmock appeared upon the scene, -lantern in hand, and immediately received plump in the head one of -the finest of the loaves, which, with a refinement of ingenuity, had -been dipped in hot tea. The scene which followed was one not easily to -be forgotten. The outraged old soldier dashed in among the turbulent -men, and by his habit of command at once overawed and controlled them. -Ordering them into a line, throwing some into position apparently by -main strength, he passed along the ranks, throwing his light into each -face until he came to the real culprit, six solid feet of man and tar, -whose face declared his guilt. Seizing the burly giant by the arm, the -old colonel fairly dragged him out of the casemate, as if he had been -a child; but when the man had humbled himself sufficiently, protesting -that “he didn’t mean anything,” the commandant dismissed him after a -brief but forcible lecture on discipline, and an injunction to beware -of any second offence. - -Late in November the battalion organization was completed by the -appointment of the Field and Staff, Francis J. Parker, Major; Charles -K. Cobb, Adjutant; and George W. Pearson, Quartermaster; and the Major -assumed command December 2d, 1861. - -The Post-Commander, Colonel Justin E. Dimmock, was also Colonel of the -First United States Artillery, and the headquarters of the regiment was -with him; but with the exception of the excellent band of the regiment, -there were none other of its officers or men at the post. - -Fort Warren at this time was occupied as a depot for Confederate war -and state prisoners--the former consisted mainly of some 800 men, -captured in North Carolina, and included also a number of Confederate -officers, among whom were Commodore Barron and Colonel Pegram; and -among the latter were the Confederate ambassadors, Mason and Slidell, -Mayor Brown, Chief of Police Kane of Baltimore, and others. - -The first duty to be taught and learned under such circumstances was -guard duty, and that was no holiday work. The daily detail consisted of -about seventy-five men, and was divided into the interior and exterior -guard. During the daytime a line of sentinels enclosed a space in -front of the prisoners’ quarters, within which they were permitted to -exercise, and these sentinels at retreat were drawn in to the casemate -entrances. Guards were also placed at the sally-port and postern, and -near the staircases leading up to the ramparts. Outside, a picket line -entirely surrounded the fortifications; watch being kept not only to -prevent escape from within, but also to forbid the approach of boats -from the sea or the shore. - -Such duty on a bleak island, exposed to the terrible cold and storms of -a New England winter, was no pastime. Occasionally some of the outposts -would be untenable by reason of the dash of waves, and often inspection -and relief of the posts was effected with great difficulty because of -the icy condition of the ground. In the most severe storms the guard -was replaced by patrols, each of two men, who walked the line, one -patrol being despatched every fifteen or twenty minutes. - -One dark howling night the sentinel, on post near what was called -the grave-yard, reported to the officer that a white form had twice -passed between him and the fort, and upon close questioning the soldier -admitted that he had not challenged, because he feared it was a -ghost. There was considerable stir, in and outside the fort, until an -inspection had shown that no prisoner had escaped and no intruder could -be found. - -The sentinel was allowed two hours of extra guard duty, and an order -was posted at the guard-house denouncing severe punishment in any -future case where ghosts were allowed to pass a beat without challenge -and arrest. - - * * * * * - -Inasmuch as many who will read these pages may never have seen the -inside of a fort, a few words descriptive of Fort Warren, may not be -amiss. - -The Fort proper is constructed almost entirely of hewn granite. The -area enclosed is not far from six acres, of which the parade ground -occupies five. The general form of the area is a pentagon, but at -each of its five angles a bastion projects in such manner that every -portion of the ditch which surrounds the walls, can, in case of need, -be reached by musketry and howitzers from the casemates. - -This area is surrounded by casemated walls, which are in fact huge -bomb-proof buildings, structures of stone with heavy arches of brick to -support the great mass of earth which is required to protect them from -shells thrown from mortars. In these casemates are quarters for the -officers and men of the garrison, magazines for ammunition, storehouses -for all manner of supplies, a hospital of generous dimensions, a huge -cistern for water, an ice-house, cook, and mess-room, besides space -for a large battery of heavy guns facing towards the sea. Some of -these vaulted chambers are lighted through the outer walls by means -of embrasures calculated for howitzers, or by loop-holes intended for -defence by musketry. Others look out upon the parade ground, and have -upon that face the appearance of stone dwellings of one storey, entered -by ordinary doorways, and lighted through spacious windows. Those which -occupy the northwest side of the parade are of two stories, one being -below the level of the interior grade. These are for use as officers’ -quarters, and during the war, those which are entered from the doors -nearest to, and on either side of the entrance arch, were occupied by -the civilians and officers among the prisoners confined in the fort. - -The interior depth of the casemates, from the inner to the outer wall, -does not vary much from sixty feet, giving ample space, equal indeed to -the depth of a large city residence. The barracks for the soldiers are -divided into rooms, generally about sixty by twenty feet, and during a -part of the war many of them were assigned to the enlisted men who were -prisoners. - -A full garrison for Fort Warren would be not far from twenty-five -hundred men, and that number could be quartered in the casemates. - -Above these buildings are the ramparts, on which the chief part of the -armament is placed, and these ramparts are walled in by a parapet of -about five feet in height, of very thick masonry, intended to protect -the men while working the guns, from the fire of an enemy. These -ramparts are now provided with a full armament of ten inch and fifteen -inch guns, placed as near together as convenience in working would -permit, but in our day the greater part of the guns were four inch and -thirty-two pounders, the casemate battery alone, consisting of eight -inch columbiads. - -The entire equipment of the Fort comprises over three hundred of these -heavy guns, of which some seventy may always be concentrated upon any -one point of the channel which they defend. Outside, and immediately -surrounding the walls of the casemated fort is a fosse, or ditch, some -fifty feet in width, and outside of this are other defences, (which -outwardly, are earthworks,) including an exterior curtain on the north, -a ravelin on the south, and a water battery on the northwest, the whole -composing in fact a fortress of great strength, even in these days of -iron-clads and great guns. - -To one who thoroughly explores the Island there will recur vivid -reminiscences of the mysterious castles of romance and of history. -He will find here a sally-port, a postern, a drawbridge, and a -portcullis. Here, too, are passages under ground and in the walls; -turret staircases, huge vaulted apartments, and safe and dark dungeons, -the ways to and through which may be set down upon the plans of the -engineer corps, but are familiar to no living man. One can be easily -bewildered among the crooks and turns, the ups and downs of the -corridors, and it needs only a dark and windy night to make almost real -the romantic descriptions of the Castle of Udolfo, with its clanging -sounds of chains, its sweeping gusts of air, its strange moanings and -howlings, and the startling noise of some sudden clang of a shutting -door reverberating among the arches. - -More than twelve years had passed since the 32d Regiment left Fort -Warren for more stirring scenes, when the writer for the first time -since that day, again visited the Island. - -Escaping for a time from the courteous hospitality of the officers of -the post, he started alone through the once accustomed scenes. Grim -visaged war had smoothed his wrinkled front. There were no sentinels -to challenge or salute; no familiar faces in the well-remembered -quarters. Even the uniforms were changed; officers seemed to be wearing -sergeants’ stripes on their trousers, and unknown ornaments on their -shoulders. There were women about the landing, newspapers in the -guard-house (!), and a peaceful fishing pole and tackle leaned quietly -against the sole survivor of all our sentry boxes. - -The doorways to the officers’ casemates were shielded from the hot sun -by gaily painted, veranda-like porches, about which shrubs and vines, -with bright foliage and blossoms, glistened in the sunlight, and in the -very room where erstwhile Mason and Slidell pursued the warlike game -of poker, and spat upon the bare flooring, there was a most ladylike -parlor, with carpets, mirrors, and an attractive-looking case of -book-shelves, well loaded with seemly books. - -Again was paced the line of our outposts. Every step awakened old -memories--every pebble seemed a friend; but there was no ice upon -the glacis or the “shelf” at post eighteen, and instead of the cold -winds, came grateful breezes from the sea, which no longer leaden in -color dashed against the rock, but blue and smooth basked in the hot -noon-day, and laughingly rippled on the beach. It would have been a -sad walk but for the beauty of the summer scenes--it would have been a -joyous one but for clinging memories. - -During the time of our stay in garrison at Fort Warren, the battalion -was increased to six companies by the addition of Companies E and F, -recruited during the winter. - -Company E was raised in the Old Colony by Captain Cephas C. Bumpus. -First Lieutenant, Josiah C. Fuller; Second Lieutenant, Lyman B. Whiton. -The Company was mustered into service December 7th, 1861, and joined -immediately. - -Company F was enlisted in Boston, also by Captain Bumpus, who was -detailed for the duty, and was mustered in about the first of March, -1861, its officers being, Captain, James A. Cunningham; First -Lieutenant, Charles K. Cobb, (Adjutant); Second Lieutenant, William H. -Gertz. - -The breaking in of the men was upon the regular-army system; first -each man was “set up” by himself, then the drill was in squads, in -increasing numbers, and afterward in company and battalion. When the -weather was such as absolutely to forbid out-of-door drill, the men -were taught in the school of artillery, and practiced on the great guns -in the casemate battery. - -The most exact discipline was necessarily maintained, and as soldierly -discipline is only to be obtained by close attention to minutiæ--not -even things apparently trifling were neglected. The fact that one -button of a soldier’s overcoat was not fastened, was noted and the -parade was stopped until the defect was remedied. No soldier was -allowed to sit in the presence of an officer. The regulation salutes -proper to each rank were required and paid by officers and men, -sentinels and the guard. Adhering to the letter of the regulations, -our manual was that of Scott, because we were armed with muskets, not -rifles. Every nook and corner of every barrack and bunk, and every -portion of the dress of every officer and man, must at all times be -satisfactory to the keen and critical eye of an “old army” Colonel. - -All of this was needed to make perfect soldiers, and all of it was -readily accepted and observed by the men, more than nine-tenths of whom -were American born, in order that they might become good soldiers. -Singularly enough it was more difficult to bring the officers to exact -the honors due to rank, than the soldiers to yield them. - -Army officers often expressed their surprise at the rapidity with -which a command so essentially native, was brought to the extreme of -army discipline, and almost without punishment. This result was a -complete proof that intelligent Americans can be brought into a state -of thorough and exact discipline more readily, by reason of their -intelligence, than the uneducated immigrants who were once thought to -make better soldiers because of their comparative ignorance. Of course -there were occasional extra hours of guard duty for men returning from -leave on shore--people on the mainland were so very hospitable--but -rarely was any more serious correction requisite. - -There was one case, a second offence perhaps, where the sinner was put -on special log duty, and he has since declared that it was sufficiently -severe to keep him dry for six months. Two or three sticks of four-foot -firewood, not excessively large, but good fair size, were placed in the -bastion near the officers’ quarters, and as many more at the extreme -end of the parade, near the postern. The offender was ordered to -shoulder a billet from one bastion, and to carry it in “common time” -to the other; there to lay it down, and taking up another, to return -over his beat and deposit it at the place of departure--and so on for -several hours. The punishment consisted, not in the laborious character -of his occupation, but in the fact that he knew it was useless labor, -and that everybody else knew it also. The occasional inquiries or -remarks of comrades about the profits of the carrying trade in fuel, -may very likely have aggravated the penalty. - -Bearing in mind the fact that Great Britain was wroth at the seizure -of the rebel envoys, and connecting that with the other fact that a -large fleet of British men-of-war was gathering at Halifax, it seemed -possible that a demonstration might be made for the recovery of the -lost plenipos; and it was, perhaps, natural that some interest should -be felt as to our ability to repel attack, or to endure blockade, and, -of course, as to the amount of our stores of food and ammunition. - -Perhaps it was just as well for us at this time that no enemy appeared, -for our stock of fixed ammunition consisted of thirty rounds, borrowed -from Fort Independence. We were unable to salute the Governor, on his -visit, for want of powder, and months passed before our magazines -contained shot, shell, or powder in any more respectable quantity. - -The duties of our battalion at Fort Warren were of course entirely -military. The affairs of the prisoners were administered by Colonel -Dimmock and his staff,--one of whom inspected the quarters every -day to see that all of the prisoners were present; and all their -correspondence and communications with the outside world passed under -the eye of the post officers. - -No prisoners could be better cared for or more considerately treated. -Each was allowed the full ration of a soldier, and was even allowed -to commute the ration and expend the money for other food. A liberal -portion of the lading of the steamer, whose daily visit was our only -tie to the continent, was made up of purchases and gifts for these -guests of the nation, and their messes were always abundantly supplied -both with solids and fluids. - -Mr. Mason was a portly gentleman, evidently accustomed to good living; -rather jovial in his appearance, and courteous in his manner. He took -matters very easily, and seemed in no haste to depart. Mr. Slidell, -on the contrary, a lean and dyspeptic looking man, was fretful and -impatient, and evidently chafed much under his confinement. - -Mayor Brown, of Baltimore, whose case was one of those which perhaps -could not be entirely avoided, of unjust confinement, was always -easy and bland in manner, and genial and affable to all about him, -contrasting very decidedly with Kane, the Chief of the Baltimore -Police, who was a thoroughly ugly specimen of a Maryland rebel. - -Later on we had the pleasure, for a time, to see with us General -Tilghman, a merry, happy-go-lucky officer, and General Buckner, an -excellent specimen of the ramrod soldier. - -The two last named were, for a time, by special order from Washington, -kept in solitary confinement,--that is to say, each was assigned to a -separate apartment in the basement of the commandant’s quarters. Their -rooms and their doors were exactly opposite each other, and a sentinel -was posted in the passage to prevent escape or communication between -them. Occasionally, when the weather was warm, they were allowed -to leave their doors open, and on one such occasion the officer on -his rounds at night found the sentinel slumbering on the floor, and -the _solitary_ prisoners having a good time together in one of the -apartments. That soldier was not allowed to sleep a great deal for the -next day or two. - -Colonel Dimmock declined an earnest invitation to pass Christmas eve -and day in Boston, because, as he said, he knew that among southern -people it was held to be a Christian duty to be royally drunk at yule -tide, and his presence might be important. It was our impression that -no violence was done to southern principles on that occasion. - -The first day of January, 1862, came, bringing with it a brisk gale -of wind from the eastward, thick lead-colored clouds, and occasional -dashes of rain. It brought also a great excitement to our humdrum -community. A steam tug came to the wharf early in the morning, and -its sole passenger, a civilian, was escorted to the quarters of the -Commandant; then the Colonel went in person to the quarters of our -Major, and there was a conference; then the drum-call sounded for -parade earlier than usual, and by so many extraordinary occurrences our -population was “convulsed with excitement.” Very soon everybody knew -that an order had been received for the release of Mason and Slidell. -There was a great stir among the first circles of the prisoners, and -we afterward learned that they and the envoys imagined that honors and -salutes would be paid upon their departure. But in this expectation -they were destined to disappointment. The precautions of Colonel -Dimmock entirely prevented any semblance of honors, and even suppressed -the exhibition of such curious interest as would naturally have attended -the incident. - -Two sections of men, specially detailed, were so posted as to prevent -any person ascending to the ramparts. The battalion was kept under -arms and exercise upon the parade, and the prisoners were notified -that unless they would give their parole not to make any noisy -demonstrations, they would be confined to their casemates. And so it -happened, that, except a noiseless waving of hands and handkerchiefs -from their fellow-prisoners, the envoys received no attention from any -one. As they passed out from the fort, escorted only by the Commandant, -the officer of the day, and the agent of the State Department, the -battalion stood in line of battle, with their backs to the envoys, -with ordered arms and at parade rest. As they passed the guard house, -the guard also stood at parade rest, Colonel Dimmock having waived the -salute due to his rank, for fear that it might be claimed as an honor -to his departing guests. - -The prolonged gale had caused the tide to flood the wharf, so that -it was not easy or pleasant to pass over it to the tug boat. When -underweigh not one person, except the sentinels on the outposts, could -be seen on the island, and the driving rain and wind soon forced -the passengers to seek the shelter of the cabin, which they found -profusely decorated with the American flag. It is said that Mason spat -and Slidell swore the whole of the rough voyage to Provincetown, in -which secluded harbor a British man-of-war received them from the tug, -without any demonstration, and at once put to sea. - -Among the prisoners at the fort was one Keene (?), who was kept in -close confinement in a small, triangular room in the casemates, the -only light to which came through a loophole in the masonry. He -was a sailor, and it was said that he had attempted to blow up the -frigate _Congress_ with all on board, with which horrible design he -had enlisted in our navy. He was offered greater liberty if he would -promise not to attempt an escape, but the offer was declined. Afterward -he refused to take an oath of allegiance as the only condition for his -release, and he was probably let loose at last without condition. - -We had a great desire to ascertain what time would be required for the -formation of the battalion in case of night alarm, but Colonel Dimmock -would not permit the beating of the long-roll for a mere experiment, -because false alarms were forbidden by the regulations. Happily that -invaluable code placed no restriction on the hours for parade, and -when, by the absence of the Colonel, our Major was left in command of -the post, the information was obtained. - -Tattoo had been sounded, roll-call was over, lights in the barracks -were all out, and the men in bed and generally asleep. An extra guard -was quietly posted in front of the prisoners’ quarters, and a verbal -message summoned the officers to headquarters. - -When all were assembled they were told that it was desirable to know -how soon, under such circumstances, the battalion could be assembled, -properly equipped and ready for duty. - -The order was given at eight minutes past ten,--the officers were -obliged to equip themselves and to turn out, form and march their men -on to the parade; but in less than five minutes the line was formed, -with three-fourths of the whole force present. The inspection showed -few deficiencies (one man, to be sure, forgot his trousers), and the -experiment was quite satisfactory. - -We were not without occupation, nor even without our amusements through -the long winter. The officers were fully occupied, in the intervals of -duty, in boning over the tactics. To learn and teach both the infantry -and artillery manual, as well as battalion movements, and at the same -time to perform the various duties of the post, implied no great amount -of leisure,--on the part of the officers at least. But time was found -for an occasional evening entertainment, including one or two excellent -concerts. - -One evening there was a musical soiree in the quarters of Mr. Buell, -one of the post staff, and two or three of the prisoners were present -by his invitation; among them was Colonel Pegram, of Virginia, who, -being invited to sing, complied, and to the surprise of everybody -selected the disloyal song, “My Maryland,” which he sang well to his -own guitar accompaniment. When he stopped, there ensued for a minute or -two an absolute and ominous silence, which was broken by our Captain -Draper, who, with his ringing voice, began the patriotic song, “Vive -l’America.” The chorus was taken up by all the Union officers present, -singing perhaps with more fervor than accuracy:-- - - “United we stand, divided we fall, - Union forever--freedom to all, - Throughout the wide land our motto shall be - Vive l’America, land of the free.” - -At the close of the song Colonel Pegram complimented the singing, and -frankly apologized for his discourtesy. - -At times the interior of the fort seemed better adapted for use as -a skating rink than as a parade-ground. In the worst of such times -the dress-parades were omitted, and guard-mounting took place in the -casemates; but the marching of the reliefs over glare ice, in a high -wind, did not convey the idea of an exact military movement. - -One of the men, engaged on a job of repairs, loaded up a light -hand-cart with five or six boards, and essayed to push the load before -him from the north-west bastion to the opposite side of the fort, -while the ice was as smooth as a mirror, and a northwest gale blowing -furiously. It was a slow process at the start, but when the team -emerged from under the lee of the walls, the gale seized the whole -concern, boards, cart, and man, and sent them in detached parties, -whirling over the ice field. - -Our winter was a new experience to the North Carolina men, and no doubt -they have yet great stories to tell of the snow and ice and cold, of -a sea-coast everywhere bounded by rocks, and of a country where the -woods were not all pines. And no doubt their hearers try to look as -though they believed it all, but mutter, possibly, some truisms about -soldiers’ stories. - -One day in February, 1862, just after the mail-boat had left the fort -not to return until the next day, we saw all about us on the main land -indications that some joyful incident had occurred. All day long flags -were profusely displayed and salutes were fired up and down the coast, -and at night the horizon sparkled with fireworks and bonfires. For -twenty-four hours we were left to guess at the cause of this rejoicing, -but at last we too heard of the capture of Fort Donelson and had our -celebration. - -We always gave Colonel Dimmock credit for an act of kind thoughtfulness -on this occasion. When the news came he remembered that he had an -engagement “on shore,” and announced that he should be absent for a -day. “Of course,” he said, “you will fire a salute, and I don’t like -the sound of great guns.” The fact was, no doubt, that he feared that -his presence might be a restraint upon our joviality, and for that -reason he took himself away. There had been no talk of anything except -the salute, but as he left the fort he turned to the Major and said, in -his absent-minded way, “By the by, Major, when the men are allowed a -little unusual liberty, unusual discretion is needed on the part of the -commanding officer, you know.” - -From the time required to prepare for that salute, it was evident that -the _Alabama_ might have steamed up the channel and into Boston harbor -before we could have brought any guns to bear upon her, but at noon the -guns were manned and the salute was fired. While the preparations were -in progress, the band-master of the 1st Artillery presented himself -at headquarters to ask a favor. The last gun he had fired was the last -from Fort Sumter, and he now requested permission to fire the first gun -of the salute for the victory. Of course he was allowed to do so, and -he was cheered as he went to his station. - -The Colonel was very chary of that band and we had never had any -benefit from it; but the Post being _pro tempore_ under the command -of our Major, they were turned out and made useful. All drills were -suspended for the day. The men, in small parties, were allowed to -stroll outside the walls. Some luxuries were added to the ration. The -band played and the men danced to its music and skylarked generally. -At night there was an illumination, masquerading, and singing, and for -once tattoo did not sound at the time set down in the orders. - -A week later a detachment of prisoners from Fort Donelson was added to -our establishment, mostly long, gaunt men, given to wearing sombrero -hats, and chewing tobacco. With this party came Generals Buckner and -Tilghman. - -In February too, the last of the private soldiers, held at the fort as -prisoners of war, were sent south to be exchanged. When the transport -was ready for the embarkation, four negroes, servants to officers who -were about to return home, asked to be allowed to accompany their -masters. Colonel Dimmock, becoming satisfied that they preferred to go -back to North Carolina, consented to allow them to do so, but took the -not unnecessary precaution to have other evidence of the fact that -they returned to slavery on their own motion, sending them with his -orderly to the Major with the request that he would examine the “boys” -and satisfy himself as to whether they went of their own accord--which -they certainly did. - -As good-weather days became more frequent, our battalion, now of six -companies, settled down more regularly to its work. At the request of -our commanding officer the full code of discipline, with no abatement -because we were volunteers, was the rule by which we were governed, and -no one was more surprised at the result than Colonel Dimmock. - -With the end of April, 1862, we had fairly drilled through the book, -and on the first day of May the battalion was reviewed by Governor -Andrew, and exercised in battalion movements in presence of the -Governor and a staff which had become critical in military movements. -At the close of the parade, Colonel Dimmock, who was not wont to abound -in compliments, publicly congratulated the Major as the commander of a -body of thoroughly-disciplined soldiers. - -The Union armies were now everywhere victorious, and at the North we -expected every day to hear that the rebels had come to that “last -ditch.” Wearying of the monotony, and in expectation of an early peace, -the Major resigned, and on the 2d of May was relieved from duty and -returned to his business life. To him the parting was unexpectedly -trying, but people cannot be shut up together for five months without -loving or hating each other. - -For weeks the duty went on, the command devolving upon Captain -Stephenson, and the warm spring weather and longer days were improved -to the utmost in keeping away the possibility of rust. - -The official acceptance of the Major’s resignation had been received -at the Post, but had not been promulgated, when on the night following -Sunday, May 25th, at an hour or more past midnight, a steam tug landed -him at the Post, and a half hour later everybody was awake, and the -fort was alive with the news that since the last sundown the 1st -Battalion had become the 32d Massachusetts Infantry--that Major Parker -was promoted to the Lieutenant Colonelcy--that marching orders had been -received--that Banks had been driven down the Shenandoah Valley--that -Washington was menaced by the forces under Stonewall Jackson--that the -country had again been summoned to the defence of the capital--that at -last our time had come. - -Whoever may read these sketches will pardon so much digression as will -be required to describe one of the critical scenes of those exciting -days. Sunday evening, after ten o’clock, this writer was sitting in -his library, having just finished the last cigar before bed-time, when -there came a ring at the doorbell--one of those rings that tell a story -of haste and excitement. - -At the door was a messenger, who informed the Major that the Governor -desired to see him without delay, and that a carriage waited his -convenience. - -There was a word to say to the wife above stairs--there were boots and -overcoat to be donned, but in two or three minutes the carriage was -whirling through the empty streets, and soon pulled up at the rear -entrance to the Capitol. - -In the office of the Adjutant-General was Governor Andrew, busily -writing at his desk and alone. His Excellency had remembered a parting -request upon the occasion of the review, that the 1st Battalion -should not be allowed to go to the front under a stranger’s command. -The Major was shown the dispatches of the night, and in them read a -story of frantic terror at Washington and earnest pleading for speedy -succor. By them the Governor was, within the limits of Massachusetts, -invested with all of the President’s power to command the United States -forces, to raise troops, to transfer garrisons, to provide supplies and -transportation, and through them all ran the tones of extremest panic -and most earnest entreaty for help--speedy help. - -The Governor stated his intention under this authority to order away -the six hundred men of the 1st Battalion and offered to reappoint the -commander. The offer was of course accepted and an hour quickly passed -in drawing orders and requisitions, and completing arrangements for -the earliest possible departure of the command. The company of heavy -artillery at Fort Independence was ordered to remove to Fort Warren, -and the independent companies of Cadets were ordered there for garrison -duty. There were orders, too, for levy _en masse_ of the state -militia for active service, and provision made for their equipment, -subsistence, and rapid transportation. - -Officers of the Governor’s and of the army staff came and went. Red -tape broke at every order, and during this hour, as also for one nearer -morning, while everybody strove to do his utmost to accomplish results -which seemed almost impossible, Governor Andrew was the busiest of the -workers, radiant with the joy of one who possesses great powers, and -who knows that he is wielding them effectually. All through the night -came over the wires appeals for help and for haste, and always the -Governor was cheery and full of faith, that, although the end might be -farther away than we had hoped, that end would be our success. - - * * * * * - -It was a night, too, of hard work at Fort Warren--there were rations -to be issued and cooked for the march; there were equipments to -be supplied, knapsacks to be packed, property to be turned over, -unnecessaries to be rid away, and last letters to be written; but -all was done before the relief garrison reported. At noon on Monday -the regiment was relieved, and for the last time passed out of -the sally-port and was on the march--glad to be out of jail, some -said--glad to be moving to the front; all desiring to see that actual -war for which they had passed through long and careful training, and -anxious as new troops can be, for a share in the realities of the -campaign. - -And so, embarking on the ferry-boat _Daniel Webster_, we left Fort -Warren, our cradle, with cheers for the good old Colonel, and with all -the verses of the John Brown chorus ringing from six hundred throats to -the accompaniment of our own drum corps. - - - - -II. - -_ON OUR OWN HOOK._ - - -Sunday, May 25th, 1862, the sun went down on a people rejoicing in -the confident expectation of coming victory and an early peace. That -sun next rose on a population deeply agitated with news of military -disaster, but more warlike and more determined than ever. The appeals -of the War Office at Washington, and the summons of our own Governor, -met with an enthusiastic response; the militia flocked to the -rendezvous in Boston, and the city scenes were almost a repetition of -the Lexington Day of the previous year. - -Not knowing that the Regiment was expected to appear on the Common, but -knowing that our orders were urgent, the 32d marched by the most direct -route through the city and to the railway, its wide platoons occupying -the full space in the widest streets, bearing no flag, marching to -its own field music, everywhere cheered by the excited populace, and -drawing attention and applause by its unpretentious but soldierly -appearance. - -At the Old Colony station, where a train was waiting, we stacked -for the last time our smooth-bore muskets, and turned them over -to Quartermaster McKim. A long delay, occasioned by the unexpected -celerity of our movements, gave officers and men an opportunity to -exchange greetings with and take leave of their friends, of whom the -vast crowd seemed chiefly to be composed. - -There were meetings and partings between parents and children, husbands -and wives, brothers and sisters; there were friends of the men who -desired to enlist and to go with them, and others who asked brief -furloughs for those they loved, that the suddenness of departure might -be a little softened to those at home; but on the part of the soldiers -there were no such applications. There were messages from many a -quivering lip, sent to those who had not heard of the marching orders; -there was grasping of hands, man with man, which meant more than -tongues could say; and wives were folded by husband’s arms so tenderly -as may never be but either in days of early love or at the approach of -final separation. - -And yet there was no cloud of sadness in the scene; on every side -were words of cheer and encouragement--of loving hope and patriotic -devotion; and when a light-hearted soldier, whose home was so far away -that none of his kin were there to say good-bye, asked if there was -nobody there to kiss him, he came near being smothered by a crowd of -volunteers ready to officiate, not only for his mother, but for all the -rest of his female ancestry. - -At last came the regimental stores, for which we had waited, and with -the call for “all aboard,” the last ties were broken, the last cheers -were given, and the train drew slowly out from the station and from -the city. But not away from tokens of good will. The country, too, was -alive. Flags were streaming from every flag-staff, waving from the -windows of the houses, and drooping from the spires of churches. - -Men, women, and children of all ages were at cottage doors and roadway -crossings, and crowded the platforms at every station, to say or wave -good-bye and God-speed to the foremost of the transport trains. We were -soon at Fall River, on the steamer, and weary with excitement, the men -speedily turned in and slept. - -For us there was next day no Broadway parade in New York city, but -landing at Jersey City there was a haversack breakfast, and after -some delay, another train, and we were off for Philadelphia, through -a country whose people, in hamlet and in town, cheered the unknown -soldiery, who all day long poured through toward the seat of war. At -Philadelphia we shared the bounteous hospitality of the citizens, -who provided most thoughtfully for all the troops who passed their -gates. There was a long march through wide and straight streets, then -another railway embarkation, and then a long, tedious, hesitating ride, -reaching through the night, and it was early morning when we arrived at -Baltimore and woke the drowsy people with the sound of Yankee Doodle -as we marched through to the Washington railway. Here we found the -7th New York militia waiting in the street for transportation to the -Capital. More successful than they, we secured a train, which, after -several hours, delivered us safely in Washington, where we were glad -to learn that we were the first troops to arrive on the call of the -President, and that again Massachusetts was in the advance. - -Then followed a prolonged struggle with red tape, which would have -told us, even if there had been no other source of information, that -the scare was over and Washington safe. Before we could present our -requisitions for camp equipage, the office hours had passed, the -officials were deaf to all our entreaties, and although we arrived -as early as 2 P. M., we were compelled that night to occupy the hard -floors of one of the railway buildings. - -When we came to look about us we were surprised to find that ours -was the only infantry regiment at Washington, and we were poor -lone orphans. We wanted tents, supplies, and a wagon train, but -our requisitions were denied, because our Brigadier General had -not endorsed his approval. We attempted to explain that we had no -Brigadier, and all Staff-dom stood aghast,--unable to take in the idea -that there could be such a thing as a regiment with no brigadier. - -Verily, we might have died of starvation but for the kindness of -Adjutant General Townsend, who officially made a special order from the -headquarters of the army, to suit our case, and personally suggested -a site near the Washington Navy Yard, known as Camp Alexander, as a -convenient locality for our camp. The site was inspected, approved, -and speedily occupied by us, and here passed four weeks of halcyon -days. Our camp was pitched on a high bluff overlooking the eastern -branch of the Potomac. The air was that of balmy June. No brigadier -worried us--no up-and-away orders disturbed us, and thanks to General -Townsend’s special order, our supplies were ample and regular. - -But it was no idle time. A battalion which had always been restricted -to the limits of an island fort, had occasion for much new practice, -and the drills went briskly on. Especially was there need for -practising in the use of legs, before marching orders should come, and -therefore, every other day the drills of the battalion comprised also a -march, growing longer day by day, until an eight-mile march was easily -accomplished. - -Our evening parades became quite an attraction for visitors. -Congressmen, senators, and even cabinet secretaries came to be frequent -guests, and the sunshine of ladies’ presence, unknown to our previous -experience, gave brilliancy to our lines and encouragement to our men. - -Washington was at this time in a state of siege, or according to our -American phrase, under martial law. The great army, which a few months -earlier had given to the district the appearance of a military camp, -had moved on toward Richmond. One column was wading up the Peninsular, -one was watching in the Shenandoah Valley, one was guarding the -Piedmont Gaps, while McDowell, on the banks of the Rappahannock, was -waiting the turn of events, and hoping for orders to join the force -under McClellan, and so on to Richmond. - -The chain of detached forts about the Capital, were, however, fully -garrisoned, and in the city a force of cavalry was doing the work -of a provost guard. Mounted sentinels were stationed at the street -corners, and detachments patrolled the outlying wards. The railway -station was guarded, and passengers leaving town were obliged to pass -the inspection of the soldiery. At the depots of the commissary’s and -the quartermaster’s stores, at the entrances to hospitals, about the -offices of the departments, and at the door of the Executive Mansion, -sentries were posted day and night. One was rarely out of sight and -hearing of officers and orderlies, as they galloped over the rough -pavements or trailed their sabres on the walks, and everywhere came -and went the springless supply-wagons of the army, with their six-mule -teams and postilion drivers. - -All this appearance of military rule and ward was no useless show. -The city was full of enemies and spies. A large part of the resident -population was hostile to the North. Very frequently at the approach of -uniformed men, ladies gathered their skirts to prevent contaminating -touch, and children shook their tiny fists and made grimaces of dislike. - -If there seemed to be exceptional cases where officers were welcomed -by secessionists, men or women, the attentions were apt to end in -a request for aid to procure passes through our lines, or in wily -cross-examination about posts or movements of the troops. There was but -little tinsel; except at the barracks of the marine corps, where old -traditions were preserved, there were no epaulettes, no chapeaux, no -plumes, but everything spoke of real war service. - -He who visits Washington now will find it hard to realize that that -beautiful capital is the same as the dust and mud-covered town of 1862. -He who has known it only as the beleaguered city of the war, would -almost fail to recognize it in its changed condition. - -It seemed at times as if we had been lost or forgotten by the war -department; but an occasional order, or the call for some report, -betrayed a semi-consciousness of our existence. None of the authorities -could take in the idea that we had only six companies, and when a -funeral escort was wanted for the body of Lieutenant-Colonel Palmer, -of the engineers, the order came to detail six companies, under a -Lieutenant-Colonel, for that duty, and our commanding officer thereupon -detailed himself and his full command. - -This escort was, in all our history, the only instance of show duty. -Our newly-joined Assistant-Surgeon Faxon, with such daring as could -come only from raw ignorance, volunteered to take the compliments of -our commander to the General commanding the Marine Corps, and to ask -for the loan of his celebrated band. Whether the General was stunned -by our impudence or flattered by the Doctor’s blandishments, may never -be known, but the request was complied with, and our march through the -crowded city was made dazzling by the great band, with their plumed -caps, scarlet coats, white trowsers, and gorgeous equipments. - -Every point of military etiquette was observed in the ceremonial; -the command was in the best of condition, and we heard with great -satisfaction the favorable comments from the crowds that thronged our -way. “It takes the regulars,” “volunteers never could do that,” etc. -And no doubt as we marched back to our camp of spacious tents, with the -full assurance of ample rations prepared by company cooks awaiting our -arrival, our breasts swelled with undue pride, for we saw in the future -no premonitions of the tattered and hungry crew, who bearing our name -and number, were to assist in puddling down the sacred soil of Virginia. - -Within the limits of our camp was a small and old cottage house, which -being entirely unoccupied, we took for our hospital use. Although -nearly worthless for any purpose, the owner was hunted up and the -endeavor was made to come to a settlement with him and pay rent during -its occupancy, but the proprietor declined even to name a price, giving -as his reason that he could get more by making a claim for it before -the department, after we were gone. - -At this hospital we first lost a man from our ranks by death. Hiram -Varney of Gloucester, a plucky fellow, although too ill to have left -the Fort, prevailed upon the post surgeon to allow him to go with the -Regiment, but worn with the excitement and fatigue of the march, he -fell into typhus fever and died. He was a soldier to the last. So long -as he could raise his hand, he endeavored to salute his officers who -came to the cotside, and when told of approaching death, he regretted -that it had not been his fate to meet it in battle. - -There were other incidents not so lugubrious. The waters of the Branch -washed the foot of the bluff on which our camp was pitched, and when -the days grew exceeding hot, Surgeon Adams advised that bathing should -be prohibited through the heat of the day. Accordingly an order was -published, appointing the hours for morning and evening bathing, and -forbidding it at other times. - -At noon one blistering hot day, two men being overtempted by the cool -waters, were in the act of enjoying a stolen bath, when the sergeant -with a file of the guard appeared and ordered the bathers to the shore. -Upon coming to land, they found to their disgust that their clothing -had preceded them to the guard tent. Attended by the sergeant and his -men, the culprits were marched _in puris_ up the bluff and through the -whole length of the parade ground, running the gauntlet of the jokes -and gibes of their comrades, who turned out in force to enjoy the -exhibition. - -For a day or two after our arrival the cows of our secession neighbors -were very troublesome. Turned out by their owners after milking in the -morning, a herd of some twenty-five or thirty head fed through the day -along the waste grounds of that part of Washington City, and returned -at evening to their cribs. Both going and coming they habitually passed -through our lines, and about among the tents, causing some trouble to -the police guard, and much annoyance to the men. Sentinels could not -leave their posts to chase cows, and no provision was to be found in -the tactics or regulations applicable to this case. A provision was -therefore invented. At noon a notice was posted at the guard tent, -stating that thereafter it might be presumed that any cows found within -the limits of the camp were sent thither by their owners, in order that -the men should supply themselves with fresh milk. - -When the herd returned that evening there was exhibited a scene which -defies description. Upon each cow there attended upon the average about -five men, who with soothing words and quieting gestures, sought an -opportunity to drain the happy beeves! A view of the camp was one of a -confusing medley of cows, and of men with tin cups, slowly and quietly -but almost continually waltzing about in every direction. All their -exertions must have resulted in a considerable success, for the herd -troubled us no more. - -The guard served with loaded rifles, and when relieved were marched -to a convenient spot by the waterside, where they emptied their guns -one by one, firing at a target; and to encourage careful practice, -he who made the best shot was allowed a furlough for the rest of the -day. It was of course a matter of interest to the officers to watch -the practice and the improvement of the men. On one occasion after -the guard practice was ended, the Colonel desiring to test the new -pieces, took a rifle from the sergeant, and by some accident his bullet -hit the bull’s eye of the target. He was complimented and perhaps a -little surprised by the unanimous shout from the old guard, “give him a -furlough.” - -The East Branch here must have been not far from a quarter of a mile -wide. Our shore, as has been stated, was a high bluff, but the opposite -bank was a low interval, cultivated as a market garden, and near the -river stood the unpretentious cottage of the cultivator. As the colonel -sat one day at his tent door, in such position that the edge of the -bluff showed in sharp relief against the blue waters of the branch, -there appeared coming up over the cliff, escorted by a corporal, a -semblance of Neptune arising from the Sea. It was after all only the -garden farmer from over the river. He had crossed in his punt, and his -resemblance to Neptune was owing in part to his sailor-like form and -hat, but more to the precaution he had taken to bring his paddle along -with him. - -His errand at headquarters was to complain that the rifle balls at the -time of target practice had a disagreeable way of glancing over the -water and whistling about his premises, and he asked meekly if this -could not be avoided, as it “made the women-folks nervous.” Of course -his wish was granted, and thereafter the guard discharged their rifles -at a target in the bank on our side of the water. This compliance with -his request resulted in a second appearance of our Neptune, who at -this time brought two boxes of choice strawberries as a present to the -commanding officer, and an expression of his thanks, to which he added -the statement that there never had been such a regiment encamped near -him,--“they were all gentlemen.” We wondered what kind of troops had -preceded us, that we rose so high in his good graces merely because -we refrained from shooting at his women-folks,--but the berries were -thankfully accepted and warmly appreciated in the mess. - -It was about this time that this delicious berry became so plentiful -that three hundred quarts were issued as a special ration to the men. - -June 24, 1862. Orders were received to move over to Alexandria, where -a new brigade comprising the 32d was to be organized; the order stated -that the Regiment would be met at Alexandria by a staff officer who -would conduct us to our camping ground. - -Alexandria being a township about ten miles in length, the order -was rather indefinite, but we marched to the town where we found no -brigadier, no brigade, and no staff officer, and thereupon we proceeded -to make an excursion through the township in search of one of them. We -soon found an aide-de-camp who conducted us to the locality intended, -and pointed out the ground assigned to us, which was half a mile from -any water. - -This, our first real march, is worthy of notice, as being almost the -only one which was made without loss by straggling, and the only one -made in accordance with army regulations. - -Six months afterward, when the allowance of wagons was only three to -each regiment, we laughed as we remembered the twenty-three wagons -which were required for this first movement of ours. Our route covered -sixteen miles, when, if the order had been decently explicit, only -eight miles would have been required, but we soon learned that it -was one of the customs of the service to make the orders as blind as -possible. - -Before nightfall our camp was made and our guards posted. No military -authority had ever notified us of a countersign, we therefore as usual -made our own, and consequently before morning bagged a half dozen of -the officers from the neighboring forts, who were ignorant of it. - -A Rhode Island Regiment, (Colonel Bliss’,) and one from Pennsylvania -arrived the next day, and for several days we were in constant -expectation of a brigadier, but before he turned up, June 29th, -an order came for the 32d to be mustered early on the 30th by its -commanding officer, and thereafter to proceed forthwith to Alexandria, -where transportation would be in readiness to take the command to Fort -Monroe. At 11 A. M., we were in the street at Alexandria with all our -baggage train, but the General commanding there was drunk, the Post -Quartermaster insolent, and nobody had ever heard anything about us or -our transportation. After waiting until 4 P. M., receiving no orders -nor even replies from Washington to our telegrams, we concluded to -operate on our own hook, and when the Steamer _Hero_ came to a landing -near by, we took possession of her as a “military necessity,” coaled -her and started for our destination. - -We found the aforesaid “military necessity” to be a poor shattered -concern, already deeply laden with ammunition. The captain and crew -were not in an amiable frame of mind at being so unceremoniously -gobbled up. They refused to allow the men to make coffee at the boiler -fires, and when ordered to do so, the engineers and firemen left their -posts in high dudgeon; but when they found that we had a plenty of men -competent to run the boat, and that it was their rations, not ours, -that were stopped, they very submissively returned to their duty. - -We arrived at Fort Monroe early on the 2d of July, and reported to -General Dix, commanding that post. Here we heard of the seven days -fighting across the Peninsula, and found the air full of exciting and -contradictory rumors as to the incidents and result of the battles. -Even General Dix had no precise information as to the whereabouts of -General McClellan, but he knew that he wanted more men and wanted them -quick, and we were directed without disembarking to proceed up the -river until we found the army. Facilities were provided for cooking -the necessary rations, and early in the afternoon, after receiving -repeated injunctions to take every precaution against falling into the -hands of the enemy, we weighed anchor and steamed away up the James. -Our heavily-laden boat could not make the distance by daylight, and -we passed the night at anchor in the river, with steam up and a large -guard on duty, and with the early dawn were again underweigh, in search -of the army. - -To this time the Regiment had practically lived by itself; it had known -nothing of generals, and not much of army men, but the time had come -when it was to be absorbed into the army as a drop into the ocean. - - - - -III. - -_ON THE PENINSULA._ - - -It was yet early morning when we steamed over Harrison Bar, and saw -evidences of the vicinity of the Army of the Potomac. We had previously -met quite a number of steamboats bound down the river, apparently -heavily loaded with passengers; and now, as the river widened out into -a lake or bay, we came upon a large fleet of various kinds of crafts, -freighted with ordnance, quartermaster’s and commissary stores, some -at anchor in the river, and some hauled up to the left bank unloading -their freight. The river banks were too high to enable us to see -beyond, but all along them were men sitting or lying on the slopes, or -bathing in the water. There were teams of mules driven down to drink, -and wagoners using heavy whips and great oaths to persuade their beasts -to draw the loaded wains up the rough tracks, cut diagonally into the -faces of the bank. - -As our steamer entered upon this stirring scene the musicians were -ordered to the bows of the boat, and we moved on with our drums beating -cheerily. We passed one long wharf, reaching out into the river, and -thereabout saw a few tents and great piles of stores on the shore; -then pushing our reconnoissance up the river, saw the army signs -gradually disappear from the banks, until at length opening a reach of -the river we could see the gunboats, the slow booming of whose guns had -been heard long before; and here a guard-boat hailed to warn us to go -no farther. - -Satisfied that the wharf, which we had passed, was the proper place for -our landing, we turned and steamed slowly in that direction. Presently -a boat put off from the bank with an officer who signalled for the -steamer to stop, came alongside, and delivered to our Colonel a torn -fragment of a second-hand and soiled envelope, on which, in pencil, was -scrawled the following order, our first from the headquarters of the -Army of the Potomac:-- - -_“To commanding officer of troops on steamer. Land your men at once and -move direct up the road, and report to me at my headquarters, where you -will be stopped. Come up with arms and ammunition (40 or 60 cartridges -each man)._ - - _“This order is from General McClellan._ - - _“F. J. PORTER, Brig. Gen.”_ - -In obedience to the order we hauled up to the wharf, and the men being -already supplied with ammunition, but little time was lost in forming -upon the pier. Leaving there a few men to unload and guard the baggage, -we moved up to the shore. - -It is General Trochu who writes, that upon approaching an army from the -rear in time of battle, one always sees the same sights, conveying -to one’s mind the idea of a disorderly mob, and the fear of a great -disaster. Our approach to the Army of the Potomac was from the rear in -time of battle, and our experience confirms Trochu. - -At the head of the wharf a mass of men were striving to pass the guard, -hoping to get away on the steamer which had brought us. Passing them, -we looked for the road up which we were ordered to move “direct.” In -every direction, and as far as we could see, the soil which twenty-four -hours before had been covered with promising crops of almost ripened -grain, was trodden into a deep clay mud,--so deep and so adhesive as, -in several cases, to pull the boots and stockings from the soldiers’ -feet, and so universal as to have obliterated every sign of the -original road. Everywhere were swarms of men in uniform, tattered -and spattered with mud, but with no perceptible organization, wading -through the pasty ground. On and near the river bank were open boxes, -barrels, casks, and bags of provision and forage, from which each man -supplied himself without the forms of requisition, issue, or receipt. -Everywhere too were mule-wagon teams struggling in the mire, and the -air resounded with the oaths of the drivers, the creaking of the -wagons, the voices of men shouting to each other, the bray of hungry -mules, and the noise of bugle and drum calls, with an accompaniment of -artillery firing on land and water. - -To all these were added, when we appeared, shouts, not of hearty -welcome and encouragement, such as we might naturally have expected -from an overtasked army to its first reinforcement, but in derision -of our clean dress and exact movements--warnings of terrible things -awaiting us close at hand--questions as to how our patriotism was -now--not one generous cheer. - -Officers and men alike joined in this unseemly behavior, and even now -when we know, as we did not then, the story of the terrible days of -battle through which they had passed, and the sufferings that they had -patiently endured, we cannot quite forgive their unmannerly reception -of a recruiting force. - -Through all this we succeeded in finding General Porter’s headquarters, -and by his direction were guided to a position a mile or more distant, -and placed in line of battle with other troops in face of a thick -wood, and then learned that we were assigned to the brigade of General -Charles Griffin, division of General Morell, in Fitz John Porter’s, -afterward known as the Fifth army corps. - -As soon as we were fairly in position our Colonel sought for the -brigadier. The result was not exactly what his fancy may have painted. -On a small heap of tolerably clean straw he found three or four -officers stretched at full length, not very clean in appearance and -evidently well nigh exhausted in condition. One of them, rather more -piratical looking than the others, owned that he was General Griffin, -and endeavored to exhibit some interest in the addition to his command, -but it was very reluctantly that he acceded to the request that he -would show himself to the Regiment, in order that they might be able to -recognize their brigade commander. - -After a time however, the General mounted and rode to the head of our -column of divisions. The Colonel ordered “attention” and the proper -salute, and said: “Men, I want you to know and remember General -Griffin, our Brigadier General.” Griffin’s address was perhaps the most -elaborate he had ever made in public. “We’ve had a tough time men, and -it is not over yet, but we have whaled them every time and can whale -them again.” - -Our men, too well disciplined to cheer in the ranks, received the -introduction and the speech, so far as was observed, in soldierly -silence, but months afterward the General told that he heard a response -from one man in the ranks who said, “Good God! is that fellow a -general.” We all came to know him pretty well in time, and to like him -too, and some of us to mourn deeply when he died of the fever in Texas, -after the surrender. - -The officers of our Field and Staff found in the edge of the wood just -in front of the Regiment, a spot somewhat drier than the average, and -occupied it, but not without opposition. A long and very muddy corporal -was gently slumbering there, and on waking, recognized his disturbers -by their clean apparel as new comers, and thought they might be raw. -Pointing to an unexploded shell which lay near him on the ground, he -calmly advised the officers not to stop there, as “a good many of -them things had been dropping in all the morning.” His strategy proved -unsuccessful, for he was ranked out of his comfortable quarters and -told to join his regiment. - -After all, the day passed without an engagement, and the sound of guns -gradually died away, until near evening, when the Brigade was moved -about two miles away and bivouacked in a wood of holly trees, the -men making beds of green corn-stalks, and going to them singing and -laughing. - -After the excitement of the day all slept soundly, but before midnight -the Colonel was aroused by an orderly to receive a circular order -which stated that owing to certain movements of the enemy, commanding -officers were to hold their commands on the alert. Not knowing what -commanding officers were expected to do when they “held their commands -on the alert,” the Colonel accompanied the General’s orderly to the -headquarters of the 9th Massachusetts near by, and waited while its -commander was aroused, and until he had perused the same order. -Observing that after reading it the veteran quietly turned over and -settled himself for a fresh nap, our Colonel returned to his repose, -merely taking the precaution to have the horses saddled and bridled, -by which bit of innocent faith in orders for alert, he lost the use of -his saddle which had made an excellent pillow. The next day we received -our baggage and moved out of the wood, pitching our camp in regulation -shape. - -I fear that the display of a full allowance of round Fremont tents may -have caused some heart burnings among our neighbors, who had nothing -but shelter tents. It is certain that they were still inclined to -scoff at our peculiarities, and already the demoralizing effect of the -prevalent negligence was felt in our ranks, for one of our captains, -always before rather distinguished for the nicety of his dress, soon -appeared splashed with mud from head to foot, and when asked why he did -not remove it, he pleaded that it was the uniform of the Army of the -Potomac. - - * * * * * - -Whoever, without a vast preponderance of forces, makes war to capture -Richmond, must have the James River for his base of supply and must be -able to control Harrison Landing. - -When the campaign of the Army of the Potomac began, the iron-clad -Merrimac barred access to the James, and the Army, which by way -of that River might, without delay or loss, have flanked Magruder -back to Malvern Hill, landed at Harrison’s and operated on Richmond -over a healthy and dry country, comparatively free from natural -obstacles,--was compelled to resort to the narrow and tortuous -Pamunkey, and to flounder among swamps and river crossings, always -exposed to fight at disadvantage, and always weakened physically and -mentally by the malaria of the marshes. - -When, by the destruction of the Merrimac, the James was made available, -the mind of General McClellan reverted to his original preference. For -a long time he waited and stretched out his right wing to facilitate -junction with McDowell, but when the last hope of that aid had -disappeared, he hastened to abandon the Pamunkey for the broader and -safer James. The movement was actually in progress when Johnston -attacked what was already the rear of McClellan’s column. During each -day of that battle-week, the trains moved and the army fought, and -every night the army abandoned the scene of a successful defence to -close in upon the banks of the river, where alone they could hope for -the supplies which they needed and the repose they had won. - -The day before we joined, these rough and grimy troops had fought -at Malvern perhaps the hardest of their fights, and had won the -most complete of all their victories. And now they were again in -communication with the North--in possessions of the very key to -Richmond--holding Lee as it were by a cord from any movement North, -and needing only the assistance of a tithe of the new levies to drive -or flank him further south. But it pleased God that this should not be -until years had passed away. - -If there be on the face of the earth a place intended for breeding -pestilence, the country about Harrison’s and Westover was ordained -to that use. One of our officers who had travelled the wide world -all over, declared that the climate resembled no place except Sierra -Leone on the African coast. Its reputation as an unwholesome spot is -established even among the natives of Virginia, and whoever desires any -additional testimony, need only to apply to one who has sweltered there -through July and August. - -To the natural disadvantages of the locality, were now added those many -sources of sickness which always accompany an army. The effect of the -climate was not only debilitating to the body, but was enervating to -the will, and negligence of proper precautions against camp diseases -was added to all other predisposing causes in reducing the strength of -the army. - -The 32d, almost fresh from the sea air of New England, suffered -undoubtedly more than those regiments which had been in some degree -acclimated. Almost every officer and man was affected. For weeks over -one-third of the command was on the sick list, and not less than a -hundred and fifty men who then left the Regiment for hospital or on -sick leave, never returned to our colors. - -Such a mixture of moisture and drouth, of mud and dust, cannot be -conceived. The air was filled at times with an impalpable dust which -was actually a visible malaria. The marsh near our camp was beautiful -to see, white with its vast numbers of plants like lilies which threw -up great spikes of flowers, but the excess of perfume was so sickening -as but little to be preferred to the odor of carrion, which came to us -when the wind changed to the westward. - -Men sickened and died in a day, and the whole Regiment lost its brisk -military ways and degenerated very nearly to the shiftless, listless -level of the rest of the army. Drills could not be kept up, parades -were discontinued, and the attention of the officers was concentrated -upon the preservation of cleanliness in the camp, the improvement of -the food, and the necessary duties. Here occurred the first death among -our officers, for Lieutenant Nathaniel French, jr., died August 9th of -the malarial fever. - -Large details were made from the Regiment for guards, our reputation -for that duty having become unpleasantly good. Eighty men and three -officers were at one time serving as guards over the quartermaster’s -stores, on the river bank. It was while they were there, that -enterprising John Reb. brought some field pieces down to Coggins’ -Point, just opposite to us on the James, and opened fire about -midnight, first upon the shipping in the river, and afterward upon our -camps. - -Two of the officers of our detached party, after the freshness of the -alarm had passed, were sitting in their shelter tent with their feet -to the foe, watching as they would any pyrotechnic display, the flash -of the guns, and the curves described by the burning fuses, when one -of the guns was turned and discharged, as it seemed, directly at our -friends, who, dodging at the same moment, struck their heads together -and fell, each under the impression that the enemy’s shell had struck -him. - -It was on this occasion that Colonel Sawtelle, the officer in charge -of the transportation--our quartermaster said he was the only regular -officer within his experience who could do his duty and be civil -too--emerged from his tent at the sound of firing and stood upon the -bank gazing silently and sorrowfully upon his defenceless fleet, among -which the shells were exploding merrily. Soon his silence broke into a -shout to his superior, “Look here Ingalls, if this thing isn’t stopped -pretty quick, the A. P. is a busted concern.” - -In the regimental camp a half mile away, the shelling did no serious -damage, but produced some commotion. One of the officers complained -that every time that he got comfortably settled for sleep, a shell -would knock the pillow out from under his head; in emulation of which -story, a sailor in D Company declared that he slept through the whole -affair, but in the morning counted twenty-three solid shot piled up -against his back, that hit but had not waked him. - -Nearly two months had elapsed since we left Massachusetts with the -promise that the four Companies required to complete our Regiment -should be speedily recruited and forwarded, but we heard nothing of -them. The home newspapers told of the 33d Regiment as being full, and -of the 34th and 35th as in process of formation, but the 32d seemed -to have been forgotten. The Lieutenant Colonel addressed a letter to -the Governor upon the subject, and forwarded a copy of his letter -to the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Within twenty-four -hours an order was published in which, among others, was the name -of our commanding officer as detailed on recruiting service. Upon -application to Adjutant General Williams for an explanation of the -detail, he learned that the order meant that he was to go for those -four companies, and leaving Captain Stephenson, who for a long time had -been Acting Major, in command, the Colonel went to Massachusetts on -recruiting duty, from which duty, to the best of his knowledge, he has -to this day never been relieved. - -He was barely gone before Company G reported, commanded by Captain -Charles Bowers--Charles O. Shepard being First Lieutenant, and Edward -T. Bouvé, Second Lieutenant. When we got far enough away from the -depressing effect of that infamous climate, and attained sufficient -animation to joke, we used to call this Company our second battalion. - -There may occur no better place than this for a brief dissertation -concerning the high and deep mysteries which hung about -quartermastering. - -When we were at the Fort, the officers--who, by regulation, were -allowed a certain number of candles per month--expressed a very -unanimous preference for kerosene lamps, which had then recently come -in vogue. Lamps, wicks, and oil were benignantly supplied by the -quartermaster at the Post, but at the end of a month that officer -presented for approval and signature, requisitions and receipts for -many candles. We dreamed of a nice job at court-martial on the Q. M., -but soon learned that by a fiction of the department, no light was -recognized other than that of candles, and receipts given for candles -covered lamps, wicks, chimneys, and oil. - -Whether the Quartermasters’ Department has yet discovered the use of -petroleum, who can tell? Our Quartermaster Pearson never joined the -Regiment after it left Massachusetts, but was detailed principally -in charge of matters at the recruiting post and camp at Readville. -Lieutenant Hoyt of B Company was detailed and served for several years -as acting quartermaster. When he was detailed the term of his detail -was of course problematical, and there was too much uncertainty, as -he thought, to justify the investment required for the purchase of a -horse; but he must ride. With that straightforwardness which comes from -innocence and ignorance alike, a requisition was made upon the proper -officer for a saddle and horse for the use of the quartermaster. - -If we had stolen the military chest of the army no greater outcry -could have been made; the application was rejected with contumely. For -the next day or two Quartermaster Hoyt appeared to be absorbed in the -study of the rules and regulations, articles of war, and circulars of -his department. From this course of reading he emerged with unclouded -brow and a new requisition. This time it was for an ambulance, a -horse, and a harness, to which every battalion was entitled, and the -articles required were promptly delivered. Two days later he returned -the ambulance and harness as not wanted, and kept the horse, which -was always ridden by the quartermaster; but was always known as the -ambulance horse. - -It is a little in advance of our main story, but it may as well be told -here how Hoyt flanked the Division Quartermaster. When the regimental -property was unloaded from the transport at Acquia Creek, and only -the afternoon before we marched, it was found that one of our wagons -was sick in a hind wheel, and as it was almost sure to break down if -the wagon was loaded, our quartermaster endeavored to turn it in to -the Division Quartermaster, and to obtain a sound wagon in its place. -There were plenty of new wagons in the Division depot, but the officer -was ugly and refused the exchange; when it was persistently urged, the -superior grew wroth and vowed vows, and told our quartermaster that he -wouldn’t get any wagon out of him, and that he might help himself if he -could. - -Hoyt did help himself that night by taking, under cover of the -darkness, a sound wheel from a wagon in the Division train, and putting -our rotten one in its place. There was a great row after we started -next morning about the breaking down of a wagon, but our train was all -right. - -Not many days after our arrival at Harrison’s Landing, July 8th, -President Lincoln visited and reviewed the army. Having faith--in some -respects resembling a mustard seed--we believe that he reviewed the -32d. What we know is, that after waiting in position with the whole of -our division, from four o’clock in the afternoon until nine o’clock in -the evening, during the last three hours of which time we mourned our -delayed suppers, and possibly spoke evil of dignities, we saw in the -uncertain moonlight a party of horsemen ride along our front, one of -whom sat his horse like Andrew Jackson, and wore a stove-pipe hat, and -then we were allowed to go to our camp and our rations. - -Where there are no newspapers, rumors are always plenty, and the army -abounded in rumors. One day it was reported that our corps was to -cross the river and march on Petersburg; another day we were told the -army was about to move on Richmond, and that we were to assault Fort -Darling. General Hooker made a reconnoissance in the direction of -Malvern, and it was immediately reported that he had penetrated the -defences of Richmond. - -For two weeks orders were received almost daily with regard to the -removal of the sick, and the disposal of camp equipage and all extra -baggage, and rumors grew more and more wild and contradictory. After -the fearful ordeal of the malarial sickness, it is not surprising that -the intimation that the army was about to enter upon a new campaign was -hailed with something akin to delight, even by those who realized the -dangers of battle, and the toil of more active service. At last the -orders came for the movement, and it was not upon Petersburg, or Fort -Darling, or Richmond, but toward Fort Monroe. - -The orders found us ready and exceedingly willing to leave a spot -crowded with sad and bitter experience, such as we can not even now -recall without a thrill almost of horror. - -The marches of the 32d Regiment might claim quite as much place, if -not more, in its history, than the battles in which it took part, but -they would hardly be as attractive to the reader. At all events the -incidents of a march, exciting or not, stand a much better chance of -accurate narration than those of a battle where haste may obscure the -memory, and passion confuse the description. - -In military campaigns as in civil life, patience and endurance will win -as against courage and _elan_. The first are the qualities of highest -value in marches, the second are those conspicuous in battle. And it -may be safely said, that the qualities in soldiers which make good -marching, are rarer than those which make good fighting. At least the -troops which the General will prize the most are those which march the -best: _i. e._, those in whom either _esprit-du-corps_ or discipline -is strong enough to prevent straggling on toilsome marches. Those -who marched in good form, and came into bivouac at night with full -ranks were sure to be ready and available at the moment of battle, -whether they fought well or not; and per contra, it was frequently -observed that those regiments that straggled most upon the march, were -conspicuous among the great army of “bummers” at the rear in the time -of battle, and, if engaged with the enemy, were the first to break into -rout and dismay. - -Now as the 32d Massachusetts was on many occasions rather conspicuous -for good solid marching, that fact should not be forgotten in its -history. - -On the morning of a march the question usually was, “Who has the -advance to-day?” In a succession of days’ marching, the regiments took -turns in leading, according to an established rule. Breakfast over, -the bugle sounded, first at Division-headquarters, then at brigade, -and last at each regiment, everybody fell into his place, and the -bugle sounded again “forward.” After many halts and hitches, unless we -happened to be at the head of the column, we finally swung into the -regular marching gait. This was not fast, rarely exceeding three miles -an hour and oftener two miles or thereabouts, including halts. - -The manner and method of the march,--with its object there was seldom -any disposition to meddle,--were often severely criticised both by -men and officers. For instance, a day’s march of which the objective -point might be quite distant, say 25 or 30 miles, would be begun -before daylight, and then conducted in great part as though there was -no fixed intention of going any where at all. This would be a ground -for grumbling. Marching out of a comfortable camp at midnight, moving -only a little way, and then halting and lying round without orders for -hours, then moving again at day-break at a snail’s pace, without having -broken our fast, and keeping on in this way until near noon, with no -orders for halt and breakfast; and thus on through a whole livelong -day of heat or dust, or it might be of snow or rains or chilling -winds, until late in the afternoon; horses not fed or unsaddled, men -with blankets and equipments on, flinging themselves on the ground -at every wait as if in disgust. Here was more ground for grumbling. -At length late in the afternoon, when patience and strength were all -but exhausted, we would strike into a pace of three miles or more an -hour, which would be kept up hour after hour without a moment’s rest. -Then would begin the straggling, men would throw away their overcoats -and blankets as too burdensome to carry, although the loss might be -bitterly regretted at the next bivouac, and would make their fires, -rest and cook their coffee, under the very guns of the enemy, in -defiance of danger of death or capture, and in spite of command or -threats of court-martial. The regimental column would be reduced to -the size of a company, and the men would be found strewed along the -roadside, sick or used up, many not rejoining their companies until the -bugles sounded “forward” on the following day. This style of marching -was frequent in the earlier campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, -but was afterwards much amended and improved upon. An excellent rule -adopted at a later period was to march the column steadily for one -hour, and then call a halt on the bugle for ten or fifteen minutes. -But the important point of so ordering a march that the column should -move rapidly during the cool hours of the morning and evening, halting -for an hour or two at noon, was seldom reached. It is presumable -that in many, perhaps in most cases, marches were made loitering and -toilsome, (as above described,) by unavoidable and obvious causes. -The insufficiency of the roads, there being but one, or their bad -condition, crowding the way with cattle sometimes driven in the line -of march; troops going to the rear with prisoners, or passing to the -front; skirmishing with the enemy; difficult fords, or broken bridges, -or the laying of pontoons; all these, or any of them, might cause -delay. Or orders might require the troops to be hurried forward, and -the march, too hastily begun, would be impeded by crowding or by the -necessity of cavalry, artillery, or ammunition being sent forward. - -To sketch a march is an exceedingly difficult thing because there is -presented to the observer such a multitude of features, none of which -can be slighted or left out; and these features are so varied, and -present themselves in such endless succession and constantly changing -interest, that the mind becomes confused. - -On the occasion of our first march with the Army of the Potomac, the -men, in the worst possible condition to support fatigue, weakened -by sickness, softened by six weeks of inaction, and enervated by a -debilitating climate, were marched out of camp at about midnight, then -halted and kept in expectation of immediate departure for seven hours, -then when the mid-summer sun had attained nearly its full heat, were -put upon the route, and with no formal halt, but with much hesitation -and frequent delay, were kept in the column fourteen weary hours. - -At eleven o’clock at night, on the 15th, the Captain commanding reached -the end of the day’s march on the left bank of the Chickahominy, and -encamped with less than thirty men, who alone had been able to keep -up with the column. All night long the men came toiling in, and by the -next daylight nearly all had again joined the command. - -From this by easier marches, passing Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Big -Bethel, we arrived August 19th at Newport News. Each day’s march showed -better results--officers and men gaining in health and strength as they -increased their distance from Westover, and when the first breeze came -to them over the salt water, the refreshing sensation was quaintly -declared to be like breathing ice cream. - -An amusing incident is recalled of our start from Yorktown. We broke -camp at 7 A. M., 18th August. The headquarters officers’ mess of our -Regiment had been fortunate enough to confiscate a “muell” on the -previous day; his temper proved to be not child-like nor yet bland. -Upon this creature’s back was loaded the kit, consisting of pots, pans, -kettles, plates, etc., etc., with whatever bread, sugar, and other -rations were in stock. The whole affair was in charge of a darkey. The -kit was packed in two large sacks, to be hung across the mule’s back, -like panniers, and on top of these were piled a few bulky articles, -camp-chairs, and such like nick-nacks. When fully loaded little was to -be seen of “the insect,” except his ears and his legs. The darkey being -discouraged in the legs had made up his mind, as soon as it could be -done without being seen by the officers, to mount upon the top of this -pyramid of pots and pans, and to have a ride. The mule, however, had -other views. As the column filed off down the hill, rough with stumps, -and ending in a morass, we looked back and saw Mr. Mule arguing and -expostulating, mule-fashion, with Mr. Cuffy. At length, however, he -apparently yielded to the superior forensic skill of the latter, and -allowed himself to be mounted. Yet, as the sequel showed, there was a -mental reservation. After wheeling round and round several times, as if -to look the ground over thoroughly and examine this new question on all -sides, the mule laid back his long ears, stretched his neck, and bolted -straight down the hill. He stopped suddenly at the edge of the swamp, -planted his fore-feet, raised his hindquarters, and sent the other -contraband-of-war some distance into the swamp, while the kettles, -and coffee, etc., of the headquarters mess strewed the ground in all -directions. Thereafter it was remarked that that darkey invariably -led that mule; also, that several little utensils, such as cups and -saucers, were missing from the table of the mess. - - - - -IV. - -_CAMPAIGNING UNDER POPE._ - - -At Newport News the Regiment immediately embarked on the transport -steamer _Belvidere_ for Acquia Creek, thence by railroad it was -forwarded to Stafford Court House, near Fredericksburg, and on the 22d -of August encamped in a pleasant grove not far from Barnett’s Ford, on -the upper Rappahannock, in which agreeable and comparatively salubrious -locality we enjoyed a welcome rest of several days, but we were very -hungry. Our position was at too great distance to receive regular -supplies from Burnside at Acquia, and General Pope did not consider -bases of supplies of any importance. - -On Saturday, the 23d, distant firing was heard in the direction of the -upper fords of the Rappahannock. On Tuesday, the 26th, one wagon came -up for each regiment, and early on the 27th we moved along the river, -past roads leading to Kemper’s and Kelly’s Fords, as far as Bealton, on -the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, then up the railroad track towards -Manassas. The sound of artillery was often audible in advance. - -This march was made through a country parched by the heat of a Southern -mid-summer, the troops always enveloped in clouds of dust, the few -wells and watering-places constantly in possession of a struggling -crowd which barred out the weak who needed water most, and it cannot -be a matter for surprise, but indeed it was a matter for grief, that -hundreds of the soldiers fell exhausted by the wayside, to die in the -fields, or in prison to suffer what was worse than death. - -That evening we bivouacked near Warrenton Junction, in a large wood, -the men as they came in throwing themselves upon the ground, hastening -to get their needed sleep. The officers (who could not draw rations) -felt the want of food even more than the men. The field and staff mess -could offer only some wretched cakes of corn bread. - -On the morning of the 28th, before many of us had fairly tasted sleep, -we were aroused with orders to prepare for the march. The night was -yet intensely dark and it was difficult to find the way out from the -wood. The staff officers who, guided by our camp-fires, came to lead -us out upon the road, a distance of three hundred yards--were obliged -to acknowledge their inability to do so. At last a negro servant -of the Surgeon, escorted by soldiers having lighted candles in the -muzzles of their rifles, guided the Regiment and the brigade out of -the wood to the roadway. Here we found the way blocked by a battery, -and resort was had to torches, by whose light the men, in single file, -picked their way through the obstructions. Then there was a long -wait for Sykes’ division, and after his files had flitted by like -shadows in the darkness, there came a grey daylight through the fog, -by which, with great trouble we were able to move slowly on our route, -winding in and out among the wagons which also had been impeded by -thick darkness. At length we moved pretty rapidly in the direction of -Manassas, following the line of the railway. At Catlett’s a train of -cars was seen which had been fired and partially destroyed; near by we -passed a headquarters camp, said to have been General Pope’s, which -had evidently been raided by the enemy. At intervals we could hear the -sound of fighting, at the north and northeast, sometimes pretty near, -and we were hurried forward as rapidly as possible. At Kettle Run we -saw evidences of the battle which Hooker had fought there with Ewell’s -corps, and saw many prisoners and wounded men. Here the fighting seemed -to be northwest from us; as we crossed Broad Run, about sundown, it was -nearly due north. - -A day of hot sun and stifling dust was this 28th day of August; on -every side were evidences that there had been heavy fighting. The -railroad track had been torn up and its bridges destroyed, clearly by -the rebels. The trains of wagons, the batteries, the troops of all arms -that we passed or that passed us this day, were wonderful for number. - -We encamped upon a large plain, a half mile beyond the Run, while the -sound of artillery and musketry on our left was very distinctly heard. - -At dawn next morning, Friday, August 29th, we marched toward Manassas -Junction. Rapid and fierce fighting on our left, in the direction of -Bull Run. At the Junction, what had been a long train of luggage cars, -loaded with army equipments, clothing, and supplies, was found a heap -of smouldering ruins, and the track and bridges had been destroyed and -were yet burning. Looking to the north the smoke of battle could be -plainly discerned, marked by white puffs of bursting shells, and the -sound of artillery was faintly heard; a long line of dust extended from -Thoroughfare Gap into and apparently beyond the field of battle. - -After a brief halt on the heights of Manassas, we countermarched and -took the road to Gainesville, which here is nearly parallel to the -Manassas Gap Railroad; we passed McDowell’s corps, lying along the -roadside a mile or so from the Junction. They cheered and told us to -“go in” and said that they had enough of it, etc. All this time we -had had no chance to eat or drink, and nobody seemed to understand -our movements. The wildest rumors were afloat; now that Pope was cut -off and captured--now that Jackson was surrounded, pressed by Siegel, -and trying to escape by Aldie--now that there was a large force in -our rear, and that we were cut off from Washington. Then, and this -seemed true, that Lee or Longstreet was bringing up reinforcements to -Jackson by Thoroughfare Gap, and that Siegel, or McDowell, or Banks, or -somebody unknown, was trying to prevent this movement. - -After passing McDowell’s men we marched rapidly, and when five and a -half or six miles out from Manassas Junction, came to a bold elevation -of cleared land, extending from the road to the railway, and on a line -nearly parallel could see a long line of dust marking the line upon -which the enemy was moving; and when there were openings in the wood, -which for the most part masked the moving column, we could with a good -glass see their artillery, infantry, and trains. - -The cloud of dust which revealed the march of the enemy along our front -was lost on the right, where it passed over a low wooded ridge, beyond -which was seen the battle smoke. The guns could be heard only faintly -by us in our high position, and must have been inaudible in the woods -of the valley below. - -Upon this hill we were deployed, and guns were brought up and placed -in position. Our brigade (Griffin’s) started out on the right flank, -moved over the railroad track and for some distance into the woods, -with skirmishers thrown out in the front and on the flank, but finding -no practicable way through the woods returned and drew up on the hill. -Two or three regiments were deployed to the front as skirmishers and -sent down the hill and across the valley, as if to feel of the enemy, -whose column continued to pour down from Thoroughfare, turning to the -northeast at a point about two miles away--at or near Gainesville. - -Generals Porter and McDowell, with other generals and their staff, -stood in a group; the infantry was closed in mass and the batteries -ready for action when, from a corn-field in the flank of the marching -column in the valley, there suddenly curled a wreath of smoke, and -then another and another. A round shot buried itself in the face of -the hill, throwing up a cloud of dust; then one after the other two -shells burst close to the general officers, killing two men of our -brigade. Our own batteries promptly replied and silenced the guns in -front, but they opened again further to the right with such a rake upon -our infantry as to make it prudent to withdraw them to the cover of -the ground. Evidently our General intended an attack, and everything -was ready; but the remonstrances of Morell and Marshall prevailed upon -Porter to countermand the order, and we finally bivouacked upon the -hill. - -On the 30th, before day-break, we took the road with orders to proceed -to Centreville. Our brigade was to cover the rear in this movement, and -of course was preceded in the march by the supply train of the corps. -Before breakfast we had crossed Bull Run at Blackburn’s Ford. It seems -that orders had been sent to change the destination of our corps, -but the officer charged with their delivery having followed back the -column until he reached the trains, gave orders to the quartermaster -in charge of them to continue on to Centreville, and either did not -know or entirely forgot that our Brigade was beyond the wagons; whence -it happened that while the rest of our corps was in battle on the -Gainesville road, we were waiting at Centreville, wondering where they -were, hearing the roar of battle as it drew nearer and nearer to our -hillside, and constantly expecting orders. - -At about four o’clock we started for the field of battle. Almost -immediately we came upon swarms of stragglers, who had left their -ranks, and who were full of stories of regiments all cut up, as -well as of their individual prowess. Then came crowds of wounded -men, ambulances, wagons, empty caissons, until at last the road was -fairly blocked with officers and men in no order, horses, wagons, and -batteries. Men were running, panting, cursing, and some worn out and -exhausted had thrown themselves upon the ground by the roadside utterly -indifferent to their fate; and now we knew that this was the route of -an exhausted army, and that our duty was to guard their rear. - -Forcing our way through all, just as we came to the well-ordered but -retreating lines, night came on; and although there were yet sounds of -desultory firing, and occasional shot or shells plunging and exploding -about us, the fight was over, and in the gloom of night we marched -slowly back with the throng of troops to the heights of Centreville. - -Next morning, Sunday, August 31st, 1862, it was raining hard. The scene -of confusion about us beggars description, and everybody was hungry, -wet, and dispirited. Before noon, however, order began to come out -of chaos. Men found their colors, and regiments and brigades their -appointed stations, and our Brigade moved out upon the Gainesville Pike -to receive the first onset of the enemy. Our position was on the right -of the turnpike, and the line extended north and east toward Fairfax, -with a strong picket two or three hundred yards in front, and here we -passed the afternoon in quiet. - -All day Monday, September 1st, trains of ambulances, under flags of -truce, were going out to the field of battle and returning loaded with -wounded men. The weather continued cold and rainy, with a northeast -wind. Toward evening the sound of fighting was heard in the direction -of Chantilly. The men were wet to the skin, rations exhausted, no fires -allowed. Surgeons coming in from the battle-field reported the enemy -in great force a very short distance out on the turnpike, and on the -old Warrenton Road, waiting the order to attack. The night was passed -in misery; the hazard of our position forbade sleep, and comfort was -impossible. The army had moved from Centreville, in our rear, and at 3 -A. M. we drew in our pickets and moved quietly away. - -Looking back as we left Centreville, we saw the enemy coming into the -town in great numbers, but they made no attack. At Fairfax Court House -we met large bodies of troops; thence, taking a northeast course, we -passed Vienna, and toward evening struck the Leesburg Turnpike. Beyond -Levinsville we were met by General McClellan, who was enthusiastically -greeted by the troops, and at 11 P. M. we bivouacked at Langley’s, -after a march of twenty-eight miles. - -Wednesday, September 3d, we encamped on Miners Hill, near Falls Church, -which was the locality of Porter’s command previous to the Peninsula -campaign. - -Our active campaign with the army of Virginia comprised only ten days -as almanacs count time, but these were days so full of excitement and -of incident that memory recalls a whirl of occurrences and events, -succeeding so rapidly one to another that it is with difficulty one -can separate them. There are pictures, but they are changing with the -rapidity of those of the kaleidoscope. - -One scene constantly recurring, not only on this, but on many another -march, presents to us again the array of sick or exhausted men, who -strewed the route of the hurried columns--their pinched and worn -faces--their eyes half closed, gazing into space--their bodies crouched -or cramped with pain, supported against trees or fences, or lying prone -upon the ground; the men almost always clinging to their rifles. “If -one had told me yesterday,” said an officer on his first march with -the army, “that I could pass one man so stricken, and not stop to aid -or console him, I should have resented the charge as a slander, and -already I have passed hundreds.” Many, many such, necessarily abandoned -to their fate, crept into the woods and died. Under repeated orders, -all men absent and not accounted for, should have been reported as -deserters, but Captains were more merciful than the orders, and few -were found to brand as ignominious the names of men who deserved rather -to be canonized as martyrs. - -Another memory is of a gallant Captain of artillery, whose battery -marched just in advance of our Regiment--of an aide galloping back -and wheeling to the Captain’s side to communicate an order--the quick -question, “where?” a short answer, a note of a bugle, and the Captain -dashes off to our left, followed by his battery--the thunderous rumble -of caissons and gun-carriages dying away as they pass out of our sight -over a swell of land. It is strange that as this scene is recalled -where a fellow-soldier rushed to immediate death, a prominent feature -of the picture is the vivid color of the mass of blue flowers which -clothed the entire field through which his battery dashed away from our -column. - -Another turn of the mnemonic glass, and we see the country about -Manassas trodden into a vast highway. Just there Stuart had captured -a train laden with quartermaster’s stores, and the ground all about -was strewn with broken cases and what had been their contents--new -uniforms, underclothing, hats and shoes, from which men helped -themselves at will, leaving the old where they found the new. Near -by, on the railroad track, waited a long train loaded with sick and -wounded--the cars packed full, and many lying on the top unsheltered in -the sun. - -Yet again, and we are in sight of Thoroughfare, and see the long lines -of dust revealing the march of Lee’s army down towards us from the -Gap, and we remember the applause we gave when the first shell from -Hazlitt’s parrot guns exploded exactly in a line of rebel infantry -(scattering them as is rarely done except in cheap engravings), and how -little we appreciated the like accuracy of aim by which an enemy’s shot -killed two men in one of our own regiments. - -And again there comes a mental photograph, date and locality -indistinct, which represents nineteen officers gathered about a -sumptuous repast, comprising three loaves of old bread, a fragment of -cheese and a half canteen of water, almost as stale as the bread, and -the careful watch of Field upon Staff and Staff upon Line, to see that -only one swallow of water is taken by each in his turn. - -And finally, we stand blocking the way to gaze upon a wrecked omnibus, -inscribed--“Georgetown and Navy Yard”--one of many vehicles impressed -in Washington and sent out as ambulances, and which, after reviving in -us memories of civilization, was to become a trophy in the hands of the -enemy. - - - - -V. - -_OUR THIRD BATTALION._ - - -When the 32d Regiment left Massachusetts in May, the war fever was -raging, and it was supposed that it would be the work but of a few days -to recruit the four companies required to complete the Regiment, and it -was clearly understood that the first recruits were to be assigned to -us. But being out of sight we were indeed out of mind, and the pressure -of officers interested in constructing new regiments constantly delayed -our claims to consideration. - -In two months over three thousand volunteers had been accepted, of -whom only one hundred (our Company G) had been assigned to us. The -rendezvous for the Eastern part of the State was the camp at Lynnfield, -which was placed under the command of Colonel Maggi, of the 33d. His -own regiment occupied the chief part of the camp, and the only entrance -to it was through his regimental guard. Both he and his Lieutenant -Colonel, a young and handsome officer named Underwood, had a quick eye -for a promising recruit, and as the constantly arriving volunteers -passed within the lines, the best were drafted into the 33d, and the -remainder were passed into the command of Major Wilde, whose camp was -just beyond. - -Dr. Edward A. Wilde, afterward Colonel of the 35th Massachusetts, and -yet later Brigadier General of Volunteers, was commissioned, July -24th, 1862, to fill the then vacant majority in the 32d, and had been -temporarily placed in charge of the unattached volunteers at Lynnfield, -three hundred of whom had been roughly fashioned into companies, and -were to be assigned to us. - -Upon Colonel Parker’s return to Massachusetts, Governor Andrew gave -to our matters his willing attention. Upon inspection of the three -companies, the Colonel thought that he could do better than to -take Colonel Maggi’s rejected recruits, and they were accordingly -transferred to the 35th. - -At the urgent request of the authorities of Newton, supported by the -Honorable J. Wiley Edmands, a company raised entirely in that town was -regimented in the 32d. A company from Charlestown was made the basis -of Company I, and taking a lesson from Colonel Maggi, whose regiment -happily was now filled, a third company was organized at the camp by -selecting from the town quotas the choicest material, and passing -over the remainder to the 35th. We were able to accomplish this by -the active aid of our Major Wilde. If the Major had known that he was -to be the first Colonel of the 35th, that regiment might perhaps have -been benefited, but the 32d undoubtedly owed to his want of prophetic -vision the fact that its 3d Battalion was composed of men in every -respect equal to those of its First. - -On the 2d of August the companies were detached from Major Wilde’s -recruits and ordered to report to Colonel Parker, who at once moved -them some eight hundred yards away, where they encamped in a charming -spot, between the pond and the highway, until they should be provided -with clothing, arms, and equipments. - -The beauty and convenience of that camp has impressed its memory upon -every soldier of the Battalion; but the proprietor of the land did not -seem to be equally pleased with an arrangement to which very possibly -his previous consent was not obtained; but if he expected to drive us -away by removing the rope and bucket from the well near by, he was -sadly disappointed. He presented to the Colonel a huge bill for the -use of the premises, and for damages caused by the cutting down of a -sapling elm, and the removal of a rod or two of stone wall. If he never -collected it he should have been comforted by the fact that we never -charged him for the construction of two good wells on the ground, and -the stones of his fence may yet be found in the walls of those wells. - -On the 6th Colonel Parker left to rejoin the regiment, leaving the -Battalion to follow under Major Wilde, but the Major was promoted to -the 35th, and it was not until the 20th that the three companies, -commanded by the senior Captain (Moulton), left Lynnfield by railroad -to Somerville, thence marching to Charlestown, where a generous -entertainment had been provided for them by the citizens. That evening -they left by the Providence Railroad--the entire route through the -cities of Charlestown and Boston being one ovation. At Stonington they -took the steamer, landing the next morning at Jersey City, and taking -a train for Philadelphia. Through that good city they marched to the -Cooper Refreshment Rooms, and being well fed and otherwise refreshed, -moved thence to the Baltimore Station. It was well into the next day -before they arrived in that town of doubtful loyalty, and it was -morning on the 22d when they landed in Washington, and took up quarters -at the railroad barracks. - -While the commanding officer was endeavoring to find somebody to -give him orders, several hours of liberty were allowed to the men, -few of whom had ever seen Washington. It was not the quiet place -that it had been when the right wing arrived there months before, -but was again astir with signs of active war. The movement to effect -a junction between the armies of Generals McClellan and Pope was in -progress, and long trains of wagons were moving between Alexandria and -the various depots of supplies, and ambulances loaded with sick and -wounded streamed to and from the hospitals, while on the walks, men in -uniforms, some brand new and some ragged and dirty, jostled each other; -new recruits from the North--garrison men from the forts--stragglers -and convalescents from the armies in the field. - -If at the word hospital there is presented to the mind’s eye of the -reader a spacious structure in stone or brick, covered with a dome and -expanding into wings, all embosomed in a park-like enclosure, with -verdant lawns shaded by trees and mottled with shrubbery, that reader -did not go to muster in Virginia in ‘62. Provision thought to be ample -had been made in Washington, by the construction in several unoccupied -squares, of rows of detached wooden sheds, each of which was the ward -of a hospital. Rough and unattractive as these appeared set down among -the dusty streets, upon a plot of land from which every green thing was -trodden out, their interiors were in fact models of neatness, and in -some sort, of comfort. But the battles of the Peninsula had soon filled -these, and when there were added to them the sick from McClellan’s -army and the invalids from Pope’s, every available building was taken, -and finally when within ten days, eight thousand patients were added -from the James River, vacant house-lots were occupied, and for want of -tents, awnings of sails or boards were laid over rough frames, and the -passer-by could see the patients stretched upon the straw. The happy -result of this, and other enforced experiments, was to prove that even -these wretched makeshifts were better than close-walled houses, for -hospital purposes. - -On the 23d the Battalion marched over Long Bridge to the town of -Alexandria--preferring at night the outside of the building designated -to shelter them. The next day tents and wagons were obtained, and on -the 25th their first camp was made on the hillside, near the Seminary. - -Everything in that neighborhood was in confusion. During the week that -the command remained encamped, Franklin’s and Sumner’s corps arrived at -Alexandria, and not only was the town crowded with soldiers, but the -woods were full of them, and all the energies of the authorities were -devoted to endeavors to supply them, and push them out to the rescue of -General Pope’s army. - -Considering that nobody, not even the General-in-chief, knew where -Pope’s army was, it is not surprising that all the efforts made by -officers to find our Regiment were fruitless; indeed it mattered -little that they were, for the wagons were taken away for the pressing -service of more experienced troops, who were unable to move for want of -transportation. - -At last, on the 3d of September, the locality of Porter’s Corps was -ascertained, and the Battalion joined the rest of the Regiment. There -was a striking contrast in the appearance of the old and new companies. -The three new companies outnumbered all the other seven. The veterans -looked with wonder upon the fresh northern faces and the bright new -uniforms, while the recruits scanned with at least equal surprise the -mud-stained, worn, and weary men who were to be their comrades. So long -were the new platoons, that the detachment was christened “Moulton’s -Brigade,” but the superiority of numbers was not long with them, and -two weeks of campaigning amalgamated the command. - -The three companies comprising our “3d Battalion” were-- - -Company H, recruited at the Lynnfield Camp, commanded by Captain -Henry W. Moulton; its Lieutenants were John H. Whidden and Joseph W. -Wheelwright. - -Company I, recruited in Charlestown, Captain Hannibal D. Norton; -Lieutenants, Chas. H. Hurd and Lucius H. Warren, since Brevet -Brigadier-General. - -Company K, recruited in Newton, Captain J. Cushing Edmands, afterwards -Colonel and Brevet Brigadier-General; Lieutenants, Ambrose Bancroft and -John F. Boyd. - -At Upton’s Hill the complete organization of the Regiment was published -in the orders. The Lieutenant Colonel was promoted to be Colonel, -Captain Prescott to be Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Stephenson to be -Major. The medical staff consisted of Z. Boylston Adams, Surgeon, with -the rank of Major; William Lyman Faxon and W. H. Bigelow, Assistant -Surgeons, ranking as First Lieutenants; W. T. M. Odiorne, Hospital -Steward. The non-commissioned staff consisted of James P. Wade, -Sergeant Major; James A. White, Quartermaster Sergeant; Charles E. -Madden, Commissary Sergeant; and Freeman Field, Principal Musician. - -Dr. Bigelow, Steward Odiorne, and Sergeant Madden, were new -appointments. All the rest had been with the Regiment through all its -experience in the field. - -No chaplain was ever commissioned in the 32d, no application having -ever been made on the part of the line officers, to whom belonged the -initiative, and none being desired, so far as was known by any officer -or man. - -In an army composed of men of many different religious beliefs, as was -the case in ours, the chaplains should constitute a staff corps, its -members proportioned as to faith, in some degree to the requirements -of the army, so that from the headquarters of an army or corps details -might be made of the proper men for any required duty. Attached to -regimental headquarters, they were very generally utterly inefficient -for good professionally. It was the rule with us that, when any of the -sick were near death, the fact should be reported to the commanding -officer, who was often the first to communicate the tidings, and -who invariably enquired of the dying man if he desired the service -of a chaplain. When this was desired, an orderly was sent with the -compliments of the Colonel, to some chaplain near by, to ask his -attendance. With only rare exceptions such services were cheerfully and -promptly rendered. - -The burial service was usually read by the commanding officer over the -bodies of our dead; but in one case, where the man had been a Roman -Catholic, it was thought better to ask the attendance of a chaplain of -that faith. It happened that the orderly could not readily find one, -and could find only one, and returned with the unusual reply that the -chaplain could not come. - -Upon further inquiry it appeared that the orderly had presented the -message, with the compliments of the Colonel, to the chaplain, who was -reposing after dinner. “Was he a good Catholic?” enquired the priest. -The orderly assured him that he was. “My compliments to the Colonel, -then, and tell him he can bury him. It is all right.” With which reply -the messenger was compelled to return. Failing the orderly’s assurance -of the man’s good and regular standing, of course the chaplain would -have escaped the duty too. - -In November, 1862, our camp hospital offered merely a canvas tent for -shelter, and some straw spread upon the frosty ground for bedding. -One of the patients, in view of approaching death, expressed to the -Adjutant his wish to be baptized, and of course a messenger was sent -forth to seek a chaplain, with the customary compliments, and to ask -his attendance on a dying man. - -A chaplain promptly appeared at our headquarters, was escorted to the -hospital tent and left at the side of the sick man. Very soon after, -the Colonel, meeting the reverend officer pacing thoughtfully in the -open air, stopped and enquired as to the patient’s condition. Evidently -considerably embarrassed, the chaplain said “you did not tell me that -the man wanted baptism.” “Very true,” was the reply, “but why is that -any difficulty?” “Because,” rejoined the clergyman, hesitatingly, “I -am of the Baptist persuasion, and this is no case for immersion.” - -It was very awkward, but the Colonel, who had thought only of a -chaplain as the proper officer for a present duty, apologized for his -want of thought, thanked the gentleman, and said that he would try -again, or if it became necessary, would himself administer the holy -rite. The chaplain, however, requested a few minutes for reflection, -at the end of which he decided to officiate himself and did so, first -taking the precaution to enquire of the soldier whether he preferred -immersion or sprinkling, the latter of which very naturally was -elected. - - - - -VI. - -_THE ANTIETAM CAMPAIGN._ - - -Until September 12th, our Division remained at Upton’s Hill, while the -rest of the Army of the Potomac drew off into Maryland in observation -of General Lee, concerning whose movements no definite information -could for a time be obtained. - -It was a favorite theory among the authorities in Washington that -General Lee would lead McClellan off into Western Maryland, and then -slip round into his rear and capture the aforesaid authorities. Of -course 80,000 men do not slip about such a country very easily, and of -course General Lee would never have dared to place his army between -the forts of Washington and the Army of the Potomac; but even such -absurd fears required consideration, and in addition to the artillery -garrisons in the forts and the new levies inside the defences, Morell’s -division was left for a time to watch the approaches to the Chain -Bridge, which was the weakest point in the defences of the city. - -During these days the various corps of the army whose organization a -week before had been almost destroyed, were marching through the town -in columns of platoons, with their drums beating and colors flying, -their array as fine as it would have been on parade before they had -ever seen the enemy, and inspiring all who saw them to a happy augury -of the result of the first Maryland campaign. - -On the 11th, our Division received orders to join the army in the field -with all possible speed, and on the 12th we folded our tents, and -took the route in the track of our comrades. As usual the start was -delayed until the sun was well up in the sky, and before we were out -of the District of Columbia the heat had become oppressive, and the -men, especially those of the new companies, were suffering greatly. Our -route was from Upton’s Hill past Fort Corcoran, through Georgetown and -Washington, and out by 7th street. - -Early in the day came a circular order to be read at the head of -each company denouncing the penalty of death, without trial, as the -punishment for straggling, the utter absurdity of which was shown -by the fact that before nightfall one-third of the men had fallen -out of their ranks, the order to the contrary notwithstanding. The -old soldiers, happily, (or unhappily) had learned that the bark of -the orders was worse than their bite, but the new recruits had the -impression, as yet, that orders meant what they said, and believed that -the officers would shoot down all those who faltered; consequently, -what between soldierly ambition and personal fear, the new men would -struggle on until they could do so no longer. The day was burning hot, -and the last hour before noon was chosen to give the command one pull -of three miles without rest; and when at last the bugle sounded “halt,” -not less than fifty of our men fell exhausted, fainting or sunstruck, -several of them raving with insane imaginings. - -Although we tarried at this place for an hour or more, the Colonel -assuming the responsibility to fall out with his entire command, it was -found necessary at last to leave some twenty men who needed rest and -care, the greater part of whom were finally discharged from hospitals -disabled for service. Here, too, in order to lighten the march, a -quantity of knapsacks and blankets were left stored in a barn, but -before our teams could return for them the whole had been gobbled by -stragglers. - -It was after dark when at last we halted for the night, and the -Adjutant’s returns showed that one of the new companies then numbered -three officers and seven men, and another no officers and one man[1] -present for duty. We bivouacked in columns of companies, and that one -man executed under his own command the company right wheel, dressed -his ranks, stacked his arm (by plunging the bayonet into the ground), -called the roll, broke ranks, supped, and slept the sleep of the just. - -[1] Private Isaac W. Thurlow, of Methuen, afterward promoted to be -Lieutenant C. T. - -The next two days’ march brought us, via Middlebrook, Clarksville, and -Hyattstown to Frederick; the weather, though clear, was not so hot as -on the 12th, the men were in better condition and, on the whole, we -gained in numbers. Many will remember our bivouac that Sunday evening -as the place where they indulged in a welcome bath in the clear waters -of the Monocacy river. All day on the 14th (Sunday), we heard heavy -firing, and on the 15th the sound of heavy guns at Harper’s Ferry -continued to assure us that our flag still was there, but its sudden -cessation at last told as plainly of the surrender. - -Our march of the 15th and 16th, although rapid, was not exhausting; -the air was more autumnal, and we were cheered by the evidence of -the fact that we were the pursuers. Large numbers of rebel prisoners -passed us going to our rear. As we marched through Frederick we were -greeted with hearty cheers from civilians and the waving kerchiefs of -ladies, and children distributed ripe fruits, which were most welcome -to the bilious soldiers. On the South Mountain battle-field a detail -was burying the dead, and we saw many bodies in grey uniforms awaiting -burial. We had previously met and saluted the dead General Reno, borne -to the rear in an ambulance draped with the national colors. - -As we passed over one of the mountain ridges, there broke upon our -sight a view such as New England cannot offer. A valley stretching -far away on either hand, everywhere divided into large fields of rich -farming lands, among which the homes of well-to-do farmers stood, with -groups of barns and granges and hay ricks gathered about them, the -whole testifying to the comfort and wealth of the inhabitants. At every -house there were words of welcome and cheer. The entire population -evidently was in sympathy with our cause, and their recent sight of -the retreating army of the enemy had evidently strengthened their -enthusiasm for his pursuers. - -It was almost sundown on the 16th when we came up with the main body of -our army between Keedysville and Antietam Creek. The air was full of -smoke from the camp-fires, and the hillsides alive with the men, who -were making ready for their supper and their sleep. Our Division was -guided into the field assigned to us, and our men were soon deep in -similar preparations. - -We knew that the hostile armies were now face to face, and that a great -battle was imminent. Curiosity led many to gather on the hilltops and -to look over what was to be the battlefield, to the crests of the low -hills on the opposite bank of the stream, where we could see the spires -of the little town of Sharpsburg sharply defined against the warm sky, -and the smoke from the rebel camp-fires glowing in the light of the -setting sun. A few well-directed shells from the enemy’s batteries -however, dulled our curiosity in that direction, and we turned to our -camps to see how an army looks upon the eve of a pitched battle. - -The eastward slopes of the hills on the left branch of the Antietam -were occupied by the infantry of the army of McClellan, extending some -four miles from right to left. Near the tops of these hills a few -batteries of artillery were ready for use at a moment’s notice, but -more of them were below us, their horses feeding at the picket ropes, -the men busy about their supper. - -Farther away to the rear the ammunition wagons were parked, those of -each division by themselves, and yet farther back the supply trains of -the different corps, and the reserve divisions of artillery and cavalry. - -There was every show of complete readiness for the morrow, in the array -of the troops and the provision for the fight--but everything was busy -and cheery. As night fell the smoke became less dense, and the bright -light of a thousand glowing fires enlivened the scene. There was no -sign of haste or of anxiety; occasionally a mule sounded his trumpet -as a signal for more feed, and often the sound of horses’ feet was -heard as some officer or orderly galloped leisurely by; there was some -singing and much laughter heard from the various camps, and at last the -stirring but confused sound of the tattoo along the whole line from the -bugles of the distant cavalry and the neighboring artillery, and the -drums and fifes of the infantry of the line. - -Then came gentle sleep, nowhere more grateful and welcome than in the -bivouac of the soldier on the night before the battle. - -From dawn to dark no fairer sky was ever seen than that beneath which, -on the 17th day of September, 1862, was fought the battle of the -Antietam. It may be doubted whether there was in the history of our -civil war, any instance of a battle for which the preparation was on -both sides so complete, of which the field was more free and open to -the movements of the troops and the oversight of the commanders, or in -which the result depended so directly upon the ability of the generals -and the conduct of the troops, and so little upon purely accidental -occurrences. - -The Confederate army occupied the crest of the rising ground which lies -immediately west of the Antietam, and between it and the Potomac. That -portion of this crest in which lay the left and the centre of their -army, was for the most part wooded and broken by outcropping ledges, -and through it ran roads whose fences and cuts afforded frequent -vantage ground for a defensive force. Their right was in an open -country, but one intersected by stone walls, and presenting on the side -toward the Union lines very abrupt declivities. - -The left of our army (directly opposite the rebel right), were posted -on low hills, whose western sides were also steep and rough. Between -the two positions the gap was just sufficient for the passage of the -little river and for a narrow country road on either bank, and here the -stream was spanned by a stone bridge of three arches, since known as -Burnside’s bridge. - -Nearly a mile above, over a similar bridge, the Sharpsburg turnpike -crossed the Antietam, cutting by a direct line the centres of both -armies. Lying across this road, east of the river, on commanding -ground, the corps of Gen. Porter held the centre of the loyal army, -connecting with Burnside on the left and with Sumner on the right. On -the right of the Union army was Hooker’s corps, on the west bank of the -stream, and almost in contact with the rebel left, occupying the ground -which they had won from the enemy at nightfall of the day before; both -parties in the same wood sleeping on their arms in line of battle. - -Taken together, the positions of the two armies described a figure not -unlike the letter D, of which the curved portion may represent the -Union lines, and the straight part (which was in fact also curved), -those of the Confederates. Except at our left (the bottom of the D), -our army held both banks of the Antietam, and at both extremes the two -armies almost touched. - -Standing among the guns of Porter’s batteries, about the centre of -the Union lines, one seemed to look down upon the field, the whole of -which, except the immediate vicinity of Burnside’s bridge, was open to -the view. Directly in our front the Antietam washed the base of the -hill, on the rounded summit of which the guns were placed, but from the -farther bank the land rose gently rolling to the lines of the army of -our enemy. Between us and the rebel centre were cleared fields, many -of them bearing crops of nearly ripened corn, bounded to the left by -steep hill-sides closing in to the river, but on the right running up -to a glade bordered by woodlands. In these woods, and in and over that -glade, occurred the severest struggles and the greatest slaughter of -this hard-fought battle. Near Porter’s lines, on yet higher land, the -headquarters of our army were established for the day. - -Of the curving line of the union army, the left was the corps of -General Burnside, the centre the corps of General Porter, and the right -the corps of General Hooker; but in the rear of Hooker was the corps -of General Mansfield, and behind it that of General Sumner, while the -force of General Franklin, just up from Pleasant Valley, acted as the -reserve. - -McClellan’s plan of the battle was to make the principal attack from -his right, but as soon as that was well engaged, to throw Burnside from -his left against the right of Lee, not absolutely as a real attack, but -by menacing the road to the ford which was Lee’s only line of retreat, -to occupy and divert certain portions of the Confederate army, and thus -reduce its power of resistance to the real attack upon the other flank. - -By reason of the curvation of the line, our batteries in its centre -could reach effectively the whole extent of the front of the enemy from -left to right; and throughout the day, as opportunity offered, the guns -did good execution, and more especially upon our right where we could -annoy the rebel infantry while in the cover of the woods, and enfilade -them whenever they appeared in the open glade. - -At break of day the rattling volleys of musketry on the right told -that Hooker was opening the great struggle. Soon occasional deep thuds -of his cannon were also heard, then nearer and more constant came -the sounds approaching from both wings, until our own batteries in -the centre joined in the din. Along the whole line gun for gun came -back--as if echoed from the other ridge--the voice of the invading army -from lips of bronze and iron, and its exploding messengers repeated in -our ears the arguments of war, until hundreds of heavy guns were united -in one deep quivering roar. And although there was rising and falling -in the sound, yet until nightfall the sound of battle never ceased. - -Just across the creek the skirmishers of our corps showed like dotted -lines upon the fields; now and then we could see the smoke puff from -their rifles, although the sound was lost in that of the general -conflict. On the left, until afternoon, no movements were visible, but -across that open glade, far away on the right, the tide of battle ebbed -and flowed. - -First from the edge of the woods on our side, appeared a ragged line -of men fleeing for their lives, and following them the solid front of -Hooker’s corps, firing as it followed. - -The fugitives were three brigades of Jackson’s men, and the dark spots -before the advancing line were the first fruits of that harvest of -slaughter, whose winrows before nightfall traversed the whole of that -fatal glade. - -Hooker’s men had nearly crossed the open ground when the whole of -Jackson’s corps burst from the western wood and met them in the open -field; Hooker against Jackson--that was the tug of war. No sign of -yielding could be marked on either side. Both lines became involved in -the smoke of their rifles, but whenever the breeze wafted the smoke -away, the reduced number of the combatants could be noted, and the -fringe of wounded men and their too numerous helpers, which always -hangs from the rear in the battle line, was constantly visible between -each body and its nearest sheltering wood. - -There was no moment when this contest ended; no line was seen pursuing -or pursued, but little by little both melted away; and when all were -gone, out from the edge of the woods on either side belched the fire -and smoke of the batteries. - -Now seven o’clock by Sharpsburg time. The scattered men of the broken -divisions of each army sought the friendly shelter of the lines which -were advancing to relieve them. Hood of Longstreet’s command, was -marshalling his brigades within the timber on the west, and Mansfield’s -corps was moving up through the rough woodland on the east, and for -a season the open space between was unoccupied save by the dead and -wounded, and the rolling, drifting smoke from the artillery. - -The next movement visible to us was from the Confederate side, whence, -with a rapid rush, came the command of General Hood,--Texas, Georgia, -and Alabama men. In a few minutes they had crossed the open field in -the face of our guns, and although a portion of their line faltered, -yet another pushed even up to the line of our batteries, silencing -almost every gun. Mansfield had fallen, but his men were there, and -their rattling volleys showed that the enemy could get no foothold in -the wood, just in the edge of which the line of smoke hung steadily an -hour or more. - -At nine o’clock the contest was for the moment ended by the advance of -Sedgwick’s division of Sumner’s corps, before which the southern troops -broke and fled over the glade to the cover opposite, and again our guns -opened upon their shelter. - -Sedgwick’s division was the right of Sumner’s corps, and now between -it and us moved up from the Antietam the divisions of Richardson and -French, his left and centre. Unobserved by the enemy, we could see -them forming for the attack, and we watched with intense interest -their steady progress diagonally across our front. As they crossed the -summit of each rise, they came under the fire of the rebel batteries; -but our twenty-pounders playing over their heads, kept the rebel lines -crackling with shells, to the comfort of our friends and the confusion -of their foes. In each depression of the land Richardson and French -halted to dress their ranks, and then moved quickly on; and so they won -closer and closer to the enemy, until they were so near that the guns -of our batteries could not help nor those of the enemy hurt them. Here, -in a field of standing corn, they came upon the infantry of General -Hill, who, protected by fences and road cuttings, opened a galling -fire. Receiving but not answering this, Sumner’s divisions, aided by -horse batteries from Porter’s corps, dashed forward and secured these -defences for themselves, driving out the Confederate infantry on the -right, capturing or slaying them in the sunken road on the left. For a -few brief minutes the carnage was terrific. - -Here Richardson and French, not without frequent contests, held their -advanced position all the day. We have described their movement as if -it had been an isolated one; but it was not so. The right of Sumner’s -corps, the division of “Old John” Sedgwick, was carrying everything -before it. It swept in solid form across the glade, and pushed out of -our sight into and through what we have called the western wood, and -into the open land beyond. - -The violence of this attack outran discretion and the division found -itself out in the open fields with no support on either flank, and met -by fresh troops of the enemy. Falling slowly back it came into line -with the division of General French, but leaving a great gap between, -into which the advancing forces of the enemy hastened to drive a -cleaving wedge. - -It was now one o’clock P. M., and we held the whole of the right and -centre of General Lee’s original position, but not firmly. Besides the -danger at the gap between Sedgwick and French, the latter was short of -ammunition and Sedgwick’s right was feeble. - -At this time, most opportunely, McClellan ordered forward his -reserve, the corps of General Franklin; and that officer dividing -his command, closed up the threatened gap, re-inforced French’s line -and strengthened Sedgwick’s right, welding the whole to such tough -consistency that no further impression could be made. What we had won -we held. - -Three o’clock in the afternoon and nothing seen of Burnside yet. - -The most untutored of those who had watched the varying fortunes of the -field could see that if Lee’s right had been attacked while McClellan -was thus hammering on his left, either his right or left must have -yielded. We had seen troops moving from the one flank to reinforce the -other, until it seemed as if none could remain to hold the right. From -officers about the headquarters we knew that McClellan, in person, had -the night before advanced the division of Burnside’s corps close to the -bridge, and that he had told that general to reconnoitre carefully, in -readiness for attacking in the morning. We knew that at six o’clock he -had been ordered to form his troops for the assault upon the bridge, -and that at eight o’clock orders had been sent to carry the bridge, -gain the heights, and move upon Sharpsburg. - -General McClellan himself looked not more anxiously for movement on the -left, than did we who saw the gallant fighting of the right; but five -hours had passed before the capture of the bridge by the twin 51sts of -New York and Pennsylvania, and since then two more of those priceless -hours had passed away. Oh! if Sheridan or our Griffin could but have -been commanding there. - -The last peremptory order to advance and “not to stop for loss of -life” produced the wished-for movement, but it was too late and too -hesitating to accomplish great results. - -When, at last, the heights were gained, the division of A. P. Hill had -arrived to reinforce the enemy, who could also spare something from in -front of our now-weakened right. - -Burnside’s men fought well--gave only slowly back, and that not far. -Six battalions of regulars from our corps moved to the front, joining -the right of Burnside’s corps to the left of Sumner’s, and leaving -our (Morell’s) division, in the rear of the advanced line, the only -reserve force of McClellan’s army. One brigade was sent to the left to -strengthen Burnside, and at five P. M., our own, the last, was marched -toward the right, but the declining sun already showed that the contest -for the day must soon be ended. Just as it reached the horizon there -was one roaring _feu d’enfer_ along both lines, and almost of a sudden -the firing ceased, and the battle of the Antietam had filled its page -in history. It was an important victory. By it Washington, Maryland, -and Pennsylvania were relieved from menace and the country for a time -was grateful. - -Just as it appeared to the looker-on the battle of Antietam has been -described. What happened, before our eyes has been told, without -digressions, and the digressions may now be added. - -The battle-field was all day long bathed in sunshine; hardly one -cloud appeared to throw even a passing shadow over the fair autumnal -landscape, of which the background was made up of shadowed tracts of -woodland, and into which were introduced blocks of rough pasture, -lawn-like vistas, rolling fields of corn ready for the harvest, with -just enough of distant spire and nearer farmstead to add a look -of human comfort to the natural beauty of the scene. Although the -foreground and the middle distance of this picture were occupied by the -various combatants--killing and maiming--wounded and dying--there was -present to our sight no blemish of horror. We saw no ghastly wounds, no -streams of flowing gore; we heard no groans nor sighs nor oaths of the -struggle, and rarely did the sound even of southern yells or northern -cheers penetrate the massive roar of ordnance to reach our ears; and -yet before our eyes was fought a battle in which four thousand men were -slain, and fifteen thousand more were disabled by savage wounds. - -So entirely were the sadder sights of bloody war excluded from our -minds, that when two men of our Regiment were badly wounded by the -accidental discharge of a falling rifle, the incident created almost as -much excitement as one like it might have done at a muster of militia -here at home. - -It must not be imagined that any one of us stood throughout that -equinoctial day gazing upon the sunlit scene beyond the Antietam, for -in time even the terrible events of battle fall tamely upon eye and -ear. In the long pauses between the rounds of infantry fighting we sat -down upon the green sward and ate our lunch, or strolled away to talk -with the staff officers about the headquarters, or over to one of our -other brigades to discuss the incidents of the action, or to hear or -tell the news of its latest casualties. - -The rank and file who had not the same liberty to stray away, and -who, screened from the field by the knoll on which our batteries were -planted, saw little or nothing of the fight--passed the time in chat -with laugh and story, as they stood, or sat, or laid, keeping in some -sort the form of the massed column which was more distinctly marked by -lines of rifles in the stack. Every man of them knew that at any moment -he might be called to be reaper or grain in the harvest of death so -near at hand; but men cannot keep themselves strained up to the pitch -of heroic thought or wearing anxiety, and so within the line of battle -our men joked and laughed and talked and ate, or even slept in the warm -sunshine. - -No heartier laugh ever rewarded Irish wit than that which shook -our sides when Guiney, the handsome Colonel of the Massachusetts -9th, bedecking himself in the gorgeous apparel of a brilliant sash, -was reminded that it would make him a capital mark for the enemy’s -sharp-shooters, and replied, “and wouldn’t you have me a handsome -corpse?” - -Early in the day, as soon as we were in position in rear of the -batteries, some of our mounted officers naturally desiring to get a -correct idea of the lay of the land and the order of the battle, -rode at a foot pace to the summit of the knoll in front, and from -their saddles were quietly examining the position of affairs through -field-glasses, and pointing hither and yon as they conversed, when -the chief of some rebel battery, possibly suspecting them to be big -generals and high functionaries, began from two guns some practice -with round shot, using the mounted officers for the bull’s-eye of the -target. In their innocence they assumed that this sort of thing was a -matter of course on such occasions, and for a time they went on with -their observations. - -It was not long however before the aim became more accurate, and our -officers suddenly became aware of the scared looks of the German -gunners, who, watching for the smoke of the rebel guns, dodged -behind the trail of their own pieces until the shot had passed by, -and presently a sergeant ventured to suggest that the gentlemen were -drawing the fire on the battery, and to prefer the request that -they would send away the horses and pursue their study of the field -dismounted, which not unwillingly they did. - -Not far from mid-day, in an interval of comparative quiet along the -lines, most of us stretched at full length basking in the sun and -waiting for “what next?” enjoyed a beautiful sight in the endeavor of -the enemy to shell our division. - -As we were hidden from his view no direct shot could reach us, and he -seemed to have calculated that by exploding his shells high in the air, -the fragments could be dropped among our ranks. What became of the -fragments we did not know, hardly one of them fell near us, none of -them did us injury; but we watched for the shells with interest, and -were sorry when they came no more. Gazing up into the clear blue sky -there would from time to time suddenly appear a little cloudlet, which -unfolding itself drifted lazily away, and soon melted in the air. Each -of these cloudlets was the smoke from an exploding shell, the rapid -flight of which gave no other evidence of its existence to the eye, and -all sound was lost in the general tumult. Each seemingly miraculous -appearance of the cloudlet was hailed with admiration, and we were -quite ready to enjoy the entertainment as long as our friend the enemy -chose to supply it, and were inclined to be gruff with him when it -stopped. - -While the divisions of Generals Richardson and French were advancing -on the Confederate centre, a gun from one of Porter’s horse batteries -was run out quite a distance to the left, where, from a little swell -of land, entirely unsupported, it opened upon the rebel infantry. The -rake upon the enemy’s line was so complete that after the first few -shots we could see them breaking; but the position was untenable and -after the gun had been discharged perhaps a dozen times, the enemy got -two guns to bear upon it, whereupon our gun was hastily limbered up and -went scampering back to cover as fast as four horses could run with it, -and as it went rebel shots could be seen striking up the dust all about -its track, as the stones strike about an escaping dog when boys are -pelting him. - -When such an incident occurred we could hardly refrain from cheers. -And when--as was once or twice the case--we could see some movement of -the enemy against our lines which was unseen to those it menaced, it -was almost irresistible to cry out a warning, and several times shells -from the batteries of our division gave to the Union troops the first -warning of a threatening movement. - -Twenty-five days after the battle our Company C on detached service -encamped for a night on the plateau, the summit of the heights which -were won by Burnside’s charge, and Captain Fuller observing that the -line of battle could even then be traced by the cartridge papers -which lay in winrows on the ground, wondered that troops which had so -gallantly charged up the steep ascent should have halted in this place -long enough to have used so many cartridges. - -On the 18th of September, Porter’s corps relieved Burnside’s at the -lower bridge, and then we saw only too many of the woful sights which -belong to battle, and saw them without that halo of excitement which in -the midst of the contest diminishes their horror. - -On the 19th, at dawn, we were in expectation of immediate participation -in a second battle, but the enemy had retreated. In the pursuit -Porter led the way. After passing through the town of Sharpsburg, the -artillery occupied the roadway, the infantry moving along the fields -on either side. At each rise of the land, a few pieces dashed to the -summit and shelled the nearer woods, the infantry forming in the hollow -in the rear, and so we felt our way a mile or two down to the Potomac. -The rear guard of the enemy had just crossed the river, and General -Griffin with parts of two brigades followed closely, capturing some -prisoners and much property, among which were the very guns that were -lost on the Peninsula from the battery he then commanded. - -Returning, he reported the enemy as in full flight, and on the 20th -Porter prepared to give immediate chase. A part of one of his divisions -had crossed the ford and gained the bluffs on the right bank. Our own -brigade was on the high lands of the other bank, when, looking across -we saw the woods swarm out with rebel infantry rushing upon our little -force. A sharp cannonade checked them and covered the return of nearly -all our regiments, but the 108th Pennsylvania was cut off from the -road to the river crossing, and forced to retire up a rising ground, -terminating at the river in a high bluff, from which the only escape -was to scramble down the steep cliff and thus to gain the ford. - -The men poured like a cataract over the edge and down the declivity, -and so long as they stayed at its immediate base they were tolerably -safe, but their assailants soon gained the edge of the bluff and lying -flat, could pick off any who attempted to cross to the Maryland side, -and many were killed or wounded and drowned before our eyes. - -Our brigade was formed near to the ford; sharp-shooters were placed -along the river bank, and the artillery rattled solid shot upon the -summit of the bluff. After a time the Pennsylvanians began to run the -gauntlet of the ford, but it was several hours before all of them had -left the other shore. - -In this time many gallant acts were performed, but none more daring -than that of the Adjutant of the 108th, who, after reaching the -Maryland shore, walked back upon the plate of the dam just above the -ford, and standing there midway across the river, exposed from head -to heels, shouted the directions to his men as to the manner of their -escape from their awkward fix. - -When this fight at the ford was over it was near nightfall, and the -army encamped along the river side, the pickets of each army occupying -its own bank, and for weeks it was all quiet on the Potomac. - - - - -VII. - -_AFTER ANTIETAM._ - - -The life of a soldier in war-time is made up of alternating seasons of -severe toil and of almost absolute idleness. For a few weeks he will -be marched to the utmost limit of endurance--will be set to felling -forests--building bridges or roads--constructing defences--and then may -follow other weeks when his heaviest occupations are made up of drills, -parades, and drawing or eating rations. - -Such a time of repose was that which we passed on the banks of the -Potomac, near Sharpsburg, guarding the line of the Potomac which for -lack of heavy autumnal rains was fordable almost anywhere. Generals, -quartermasters and commissaries may have been busy, but it was an idle -time for the bulk of the army. Stretching for some fifteen miles along -the course of the river, the various corps were encamped in due form, -the entire regularity of which could be seen from any neighboring -eminence. From some such points one could take into view a landscape -brilliant with the colors of autumn made yet brighter by the gleam of -the orderly array of white tents, and could see the bounds of each -regiment, brigade, or division, as if marked upon a map. At night, -before tattoo, the lines of lighted tents would show from a distance, -like an army of glow-worms. - -To supply the wants of the army of men, another army of wagon trains -was kept in constant occupation, and the road was soon covered with -fine dust, which rose in clouds when it was stirred by the movements -of the trains, or by the horses of mounted officers or men; and as -these roads extended everywhere among the camps, we lived all day long -in an atmosphere of dirt, which when moved by fresh winds, drove and -drifted about to our exceeding discomfort. As the weather grew cooler -this was increased by the smoke of the camp-fires, until everybody was -habitually clothed in dust, and red about the eyes. - -Along the picket lines the men of both armies, having agreed not to -fire without previous notice, lolled in the sunshine, chaffed each -other over the water, and occasionally traded newspapers even, or union -coffee for confederate tobacco. - -Once in a while there was a foraging expedition or a reconnoissance -across the river. In one of these we captured quite a number of -prisoners at Shepardstown, chiefly officers and men absent on leave -and visiting their friends in that vicinity. One reconnoissance to -Leetown occupied two days, and was followed back right sharply by a -strong force of the enemy. We remember particularly the fact that on -the advance we found where a long-range shell had exploded among a card -party of the enemy’s men, one or two of whom lay dead with the cards -still in their hands. - -This uneventful life, aided no doubt by prevalent but not serious -bilious disorders, developed in our Regiment a general tendency to -homesickness and “hypo.” To counteract it several attempts were made to -initiate games and athletic exercises among the men, and the officers -were requested to set an example to the men by organizing amusements -among themselves--but it amounted to nothing, it seemed impossible to -induce the men to amuse themselves. - -We kept no very careful note of time. One day was pretty much like -every other. Sundays were noticeable only for the absence of drills -and a little more stupidity. To go home was the height of anybody’s -ambition. - -Private Callahan, of K Company, sought to be discharged for -disability--the disability was beyond question, for he was born with -it, and he was told by the Surgeon that he ought not to have accepted -the bounty for enlistment; that he “ought to be hung” for doing it, to -which somewhat severe criticism the soldier retorted that he “would die -first.” It may not be necessary to state that Callahan was Irish. At -Fredericksburg he lost a finger and obtained his coveted discharge. - -We were so long here that, as the season advanced, we began to -construct defences against the weather, and the acting adjutant even -dreamed of a log hut, with a real door and real hinges. The only -artificer at his command was his negro servant, a man who could admire -but could not comprehend long dictionary words. The Adjutant, directing -the negro as to the construction of the door frame, told him certain -parts were to be perpendicular, others horizontal, and others parallel; -but the black man’s face showed no evidence of comprehension, until -after a dozen different forms of the same instruction had been resorted -to and the master’s patience was exhausted, the idea penetrated the -darkened mind of the servant, who turned upon the officer with the -pertinent remark, “Why, massa, what you wants is ter have it _true_, -ain’t it?” - -New orders of architecture were rapidly developed, and the manufacture -of furniture became an extensive occupation. It was quite wonderful -what results could be obtained in both of these industries by the use -of barrels and hard-bread boxes. Of the barrels we made chimneys and -chairs; and of the boxes, tables, washstands, cupboards, and the walls -and clapboards of our dwellings. - -We were really getting to be very comfortable in the latter days of -October, 1862, when the orders began to intimate that we would not live -always in that neighborhood. First, our Company C was detached for a -guard to the reserve artillery, where it served for ten months. Then, -on the 30th, the whole army drew out like a great serpent, and moved -away down the Potomac to Harper’s Ferry, crossing the river there, then -up on the Virginia side, and along the foot hills of the Blue Ridge. - -It was lively times again, and the march was rapid--often forced; but -the weather was cool and bracing, and the men were glad of the change. -From the 2d to the 15th of November we were on the eastern slopes of -the Ridge, and Lee’s army in its western valley, racing each for the -advantage over the other. - -At each gap there was a lively fight for the control of the pass, but -we were always ahead, and possession is as many points in war as it is -in law. Holding these passes, our movements could be, to a considerable -extent, masked from the observation of the enemy, while his were known -to our General, whose object was to keep the army of the enemy strung -out to the greatest possible length, and at a favorable moment to -pounce upon its centre, divide and conquer it. - -With the sound of guns almost always in our ears, we raced away -through Snickersville, Middlebury, White Plains, and New Baltimore -to Warrenton, with little to eat and plenty of exercise. Near White -Plains, on the 8th, we marched all day in a snow-storm, and at night, -splashed and chilled, bivouacked in a sprout field, making ourselves as -comfortable as might be on three or four inches of snow. - -Throughout this march the orders were very stringent against straggling -and marauding. No allowance was made for transportation of regimental -rations except the haversacks of the soldiers, and on the march in -cold weather it is a poor (or good) soldier that does not eat three -days’ rations in two. Our changes of base left us often very short of -supplies, and it was not in the most amiable mood that we came to our -nightly camp. - -Acting-quartermaster Dana, hungering for fleshpots, was tempted by the -sight of a fat turkey on a barn-yard fence. The road was a by-way, and -not a soul in sight. Before he could recall the tenor of the orders, -he had covered the bird with his revolver, but at that moment General -Butterfield, with his staff and escort, following the abrupt turn of -the road, came upon the quartermaster in the very act, and scared the -bird, which flopped heavily down from the fence and disappeared. To the -General’s angry demand for an explanation, Dana quietly replied that he -was about to shoot that “buzzard.” - -“Buzzard!” roared the General, “that was a turkey, sir.” “Was it, -indeed?” replied the innocent officer; “how fortunate, General, that -you came as you did, for in two minutes more I should have shot him -for a buzzard.” Dana thought that, amid the laughter which succeeded, -he heard the General describe him as an idiot, but he was not -sufficiently certain about it to warrant charges against the General -for unofficer-like language. - -The hurried march from Sharpsburg to Warrenton was fruitful in cases -of marauding for court-martial trials, but these courts very generally -refused to convict, on the ground that the men had been so ill-supplied -from our commissariat, that some irregularity was excusable. - -One of our sergeants, a butcher by trade, strolling about the woods, -came upon a party of men who had captured and killed, and were about -cutting up, a rebel pig. Shocked at the unskilful way in which they -were operating, our sergeant volunteered his advice and services, which -were gratefully accepted. In the midst of the operation the party -was surprised by one of the brigade staff, and the non-commissioned -officer, being tried by court-martial, was by its sentence reduced to -the ranks and deprived of six months’ pay. The story ends sadly, for -his mortification from loss of rank, and possibly his anxiety from fear -that his family might suffer from the loss of pay, caused him to droop -and die. - -One of our men, returning from a private foraging expedition laden with -a heavy leg of beef, was captured by the provost guard, and, by order -of General Griffin, was kept all day “walking post,” with the beef -on his shoulder, in front of the headquarters’ tents. As the General -passed his beat he would occasionally entertain him with some question -as to the price of beef, or the state of the provision trade, and at -retreat the man, _minus his beef_, was sent down to his regiment “for -proper punishment,” which his commanding officer concluded that he had -already received. - -Yet another soldier was sent to our headquarters by the Colonel of the -Ninth Massachusetts, with the statement that he had been arrested for -marauding. Upon cross-examination of the culprit it appeared that -he had been captured with a quarter of veal in his possession by the -provost guard of the Ninth Regiment. A regimental provost guard was -a novelty in the army, but when, on further questioning, it appeared -that the offending soldier had been compelled to leave the veal at -Colonel Guiney’s quarters, the advantage of such an organization in -hungry times to the headquarters’ mess was apparent, and our Colonel -at once ordered a provost guard to be detailed from the Thirty-second, -with orders to capture marauders and turn over their ill-gotten plunder -to his cook. Unhappily, within the next twenty-four hours, some high -General, whose larder was growing lean, forbade regimental provost -guards in general orders. - -It was during our stay at Warrenton that General Griffin requested -the attendance of Colonel Parker and told him, not as an official -communication, but for his personal information, that three officers -of the Thirty-second had, during the previous night, taken and killed -a sheep, the property of a farmer near by. Of course the Colonel -expressed his regret at the occurrence, but he represented to the -General that, inasmuch as the officers of our regiment were not -generally men of abundant means, and inasmuch as they had received no -pay from their Government for several months, and inasmuch as it was -forbidden them to obtain food by taking it either from the rations of -their men or the property of the enemy, he (the Colonel) would be glad -to know how officers were to live? The General, utterly astonished -at the state of affairs thus disclosed, asked in return for some -suggestion to relieve the difficulty. The suggestion made that officers -should be allowed to buy from the commissaries on credit, was, at the -request of General Griffin, embodied in a formal written communication -to him, and by an order the next day from the headquarters of the army, -it became a standing regulation until the end of the war. - -On the 10th of November the Army of the Potomac was massed near -Warrenton as if a general action was at hand, when everybody was -surprised by the announcement of the removal of General McClellan from -its command. It was a sad day among the camps. The troops turned out at -nine o’clock, bordering the road, each regiment in doubled column, and -General McClellan, followed by all the generals with their staffs, a -cortege of a hundred or more mounted officers, rode through the lines, -saluted and cheered continually. - -It happened that the 32d was the first regiment to be reviewed. Being -a regiment of soldiers, it was accustomed to salute its officers in a -soldierly way, and on this occasion was, probably, the only battalion -in the army that did not cheer “Little Mac,” but stood steadily, with -arms presented, colors drooping, and drums beating. From the surprised -expression on the General’s face, it was evident that for a moment he -feared that he had overrated the good-will of his troops. The incident, -though really creditable to the Regiment, was considered as a slight -to the General, and for a time was the cause of considerable feeling -against the 32d. Even the politics of its commander could not prevent -its being stigmatized as an “Abolition concern.” - -At noon the officers of the Fifth corps were received by General -McClellan, who shook hands with all, and at the close of the reception -said, his voice broken with emotion: “Gentlemen, I hardly know how to -bid you good-bye. We have been so long together that it is very hard. -Whatever fate may await me I shall never be able to think of myself -except as belonging to the Army of the Potomac. For what you have done -history will do you justice--this generation never will. I must say it. -‘Good-bye.’” And so the army parted from the first, the most trusted, -and the ablest of its commanders. - - - - -VIII. - -_TO FREDERICKSBURG._ - - -General Burnside assumed the command and we remained quiet for a week, -then moved slowly away toward Falmouth and Fredericksburg, where we -arrived on the 22d of November, and encamped near Potomac Creek, at a -place afterwards known as “Stoneman’s Switch.” This camp was destined -to be our home for nearly six months, but the popular prejudice against -winter quarters was so great that we were never allowed to feel that it -was more than a temporary camp. - -On several occasions we had suffered for want of supplies, generally -not more than for a day or two, and when on the march; but for ten -days after our arrival near Fredericksburg, the whole army was on -short allowance. Our base was supposed to be at Acquia Creek, but the -railroad was not reconstructed and what supplies we got were wagoned -up some miles from Belle Plain, over or through roads which were -alternately boggy with mud, or rough with the frozen inequalities of -what had been a miry way. - -Little by little the scarcity became more severe; for a week there -had been no meat-ration, nothing was issued except hard-bread, and -on the morning of Thanksgiving Day, there was absolutely no food for -the Regiment. The evening previous, one box of hard-bread, the last -remainder of the supply of the headquarters’ mess was issued to the -Regiment, giving one half of a cracker to each man, and this was -gratefully received. - -That Thanksgiving Day dawned upon a famished and almost mutinous army. -Rude signs were set up in the camp, such as “Camp Starvation,” “Death’s -Headquarters,” “Misery.” Every General as he appeared, was hailed with -cries for “hard-bread, hard-bread!” and matters looked threatening. -In the 32d there was no disturbance, but the men sat about with moody -looks and faces wan with hunger. Officers had been despatched in -every direction in search of food but, it was high noon before even -hard-biscuit could be obtained. Then twenty boxes were procured by -borrowing from the regular division, and they were brought to our camp -from a distance of two miles, on the shoulders of our men. - -That morning the breakfast table of the field and staff mess, exhibited -a small plate of fried hard-bread and another of beefsteak, obtained -by incredible exertions of the Adjutant the day before, in order to do -honor to the festival. One must be very hungry to know how sumptuous -the repast appeared, but none of us could eat while the soldiers were -starving, and the breakfast was sent to the hospital tent. - -One man refused to do duty, declaring that the government had agreed -to pay, clothe, and feed him, and having left him penniless, ragged, -and starving with cold and hunger, he could not be expected to keep his -part of the contract. With this one exception the bearing of our men -was superb, and was in remarkable contrast with that of the army in -general. - -At the company roll call at “retreat,” the soldier just referred to, -who had been in confinement all day, was marched through the camp under -guard, and made to face each company in succession, while a regimental -order was read acknowledging and thanking the men for their good -behavior under trying circumstances, and closing with the declaration -that “if on this day of Thanksgiving we have failed to enjoy the -abundance which has usually marked the festival, we have at least one -reason for thankfulness and that is, that when all of us were hungry -there was only one man who desired to shirk his duty, leaving it to be -done by his equally-hungry comrades, and that the name of that man was ----- ----.” - -Notwithstanding the repeated declarations that there would be no winter -quarters short of Richmond, the army proceeded to make itself as -comfortable as possible. The woods melted rapidly to supply the great -camp-fires, now needed for warmth as well as cooking; and the soldiers, -organizing themselves into messes, built shelters more satisfactory -than the canvas which was provided for that purpose. - -Great variety of ingenuity was exhibited in the construction of these -quarters. A few were content with an excavation in the ground, over -which would be pitched a roofing of tent cloth; but some of the -quarters rose almost to the dignity of cottages, having walls of logs, -the interstices closed by a plastering of clay, and roofs of rough-hewn -slabs, or thatched with branches of pine. Windows were covered by -canvas, and chimneys were built up cob fashion and plastered inside, -and comfortable fires blazed upon the hearths. - -About the headquarters of the generals were enclosing fences of sapling -pines set into the ground upright, and held firmly in that position. -Within the enclosures were grouped the tents of the general, his staff, -and their servants, some of them having outer walls of boards enclosing -the sides of their wall tents. - -The weather was of a variety indescribable, except as Virginia -weather--alternating periods of cold so severe as to freeze men on -picket duty, and so warm as to make overcoats an insupportable burden. -The rains made the earth everywhere miry, then it would freeze the -uneven mud to the hardness of stone, then a thaw made everything mud -and all travel impossible, and presently dry winds would convert all -into dust and blow about in clouds. - -One of the wonders of these times was the army cough; what with the -smoke of the camp fires, the dust of the country, and the effect of the -variable weather upon people living out of doors, there was a general -tendency to bronchial irritations, which would break out into coughing -when the men first awoke, and it is almost a literal fact, that when -one hundred thousand men began to stir at reveille, the sound of their -coughing would drown that of the beating drums. - -Here for three weeks in preparation for another movement “on to -Richmond,” we drilled, were inspected and reviewed--relieving these -severer duties by chopping, hauling, and burning wood. - -Those of us who had the opportunity, occasionally went over toward the -river, where from the high lands we could watch the Confederate lines, -and look on to see them getting the opposite heights good and strong in -readiness for our attack. - -On the 10th of December, the orders began to read as if they really -meant fight, and the great point of interest in our discussions was as -to the direction of the next movement--whether we were to flank Lee -by way of the fords of the Rappahannock as was generally believed, or -whether, as some said, we were to embark for Harrison’s Landing or City -Point, and flank Richmond itself. - -No voice was heard to intimate that any such consummate folly could -be intended as to attack squarely in face those defenses which we had -apparently been quite willing to allow our enemy to construct, and for -weeks most deliberately to strengthen. But such was indeed the forlorn -hope imposed upon the Army of the Potomac. - -December 11th, 1862.--Reveille sounded at 3 A.M. The morning was cool -and frosty, the ground frozen, the air perfectly still--so still and -of such barometrical condition that the smoke of the camp-fires did not -rise to any considerable height, and was not wafted away, but murked -the whole country with its haze, through which objects when visible -looked distorted and ghostly, and the bugles sounding the assembly had -a strange and impressive tone. - -The first break of day found the brigade formed for the march. The -troops wore their overcoats, and outside of them were strapped -knapsacks, haversacks, cartridge-boxes, and cap-pouches, all filled to -their utmost capacity; and in rolls worn sash-like over one shoulder -and under the other, were their blankets and the canvas of their -_tentes d’arbri_. - -The dull boom of two guns from the westward was evidently a signal, and -the bugle sounded “forward.” That day it was the turn of our Regiment -to lead the Brigade, and of our Brigade to lead the Corps, and we were -at once _en route_ in the direction of Fredericksburg, which was three -miles away. Soon after the march began the sun rose, showing at first -only its huge, dull-red disk, but soon rising above the haze, throwing -its bright beams athwart the landscape, making it and us cheery with -their warmth and shine. With the sunrise came a gentle movement of -the air, pushing away the smoke from the uplands, but leaving the -river valley thick with fog. Midway between our camp and the river -we crossed the summit of a round-topped hill, from which, by reason -of the sweep of the river, we could see for a distance the rolling -lands of Stafford Heights, which on its left bank form the immediate -valley of the Rappahannock, and over all these hills, now glowing in -the sunlight, were moving in columns of fours, converging, apparently, -toward a common centre, the various corps and divisions of the Army of -the Potomac, more than a hundred thousand men. - -Across the river could be seen, but not as yet distinctly, the -fortified line of hills occupied by Lee’s Army of Virginia. Between us -and them, the river and the river bottoms on the farther side, with all -of the town of Fredericksburg except the church spires and the cupola -of its Court House, were shrouded in vapor. - -General Burnside had established headquarters in the Phillips house, a -fine brick mansion overlooking the valley and the town, and our grand -division was massed near by in a large field of almost level land, -entirely bare of tree or shade, and here we passed the whole day under -a warm December sun, which softened the ground into mud, glared in our -eyes, and baked our unprotected heads. - -Before we reached this spot the dogs of war were in full cry. Down by -the river side there were frequent sputterings of musketry, and the -hills on either side of the river were roaring with the sound of the -great guns from their earth-work batteries. - -About the Phillips house, on its piazza and in its rooms, there were -gatherings of general and field officers, discussing with more or less -warmth the situation and the probabilities. Occasionally a mounted -officer or orderly would come dashing up from the river side, looking -hot and anxious, and after delivering or receiving reports or orders, -would hasten down again to his station; but, on the whole, things were -very deliberately done. - -When the fog lifted, below us, and directly on our bank of the stream, -could be seen the hospitable-looking Lacy house with its low wings, -under the lee of which, sheltered from the fire of the enemy, were -groups of officers, their horses picketed in the dooryard. On the -opposite side of the river, its houses coming close down to high-water -mark, lay the compactly built town of Fredericksburg; beyond it a space -of level land, narrowing at the upper end of the town to nothing, but -opening below into a wide plain, which, so far as we could see, was -everywhere bounded to the west by a rise of land more or less abrupt, -forming the lip of the valley there. This rising land terminated just -above the town, in a bluff at the river bank. - -The right and centre grand divisions of Burnside’s army occupied the -heights on the eastern side of the river. Lee’s forces were entrenched -in those on the western side. Between them, the River Rappahannock and -the city of Fredericksburg. - -The left grand division, under Franklin, one or two miles down the -river, before 10 o’clock had laid pontoon bridges and secured a -foot-hold on the opposite shore. Between him and the enemy was a nearly -open plain, the extent of which, from the river to the rising ground, -was more than a mile. On our left everything had gone smoothly and -well; all opposition to the crossing had been easily overcome, but in -the immediate front of the town it was quite another story. - -At early dawn the engineers were ready and began to lay the pontoon -bridges opposite the town. A dozen or more of the boats had been moored -into position, and men were actively at work laying plank across, -when Barksdale’s Mississippians opened fire and drove the Union men -to cover. Calling up a brigade of Hancock’s men to cover the work, -repeated attempts were made to bridge the river, but the Confederates -occupying the houses on their bank could fire from windows without -being seen themselves, and the endeavors of the engineers, although -gallantly made, were unsuccessful. - -Then followed a long consultation at headquarters, which resulted in -an order to concentrate the fire of our artillery on Fredericksburg, -and for an hour or more a hundred and fifty guns played on the town. -Fires broke out in several places and raged without restraint. During -and after the cannonade our troops essayed again and again to moor the -boats and lay the bridge, but the fire of the enemy, although reduced, -was yet too fierce, and at last, about four, P. M., two or three of -the boats of the pontoon train were loaded with volunteers and pushed -across the river at a bend above the buildings, the rebels were flanked -and driven from their shelter, and the bridge was speedily constructed. - -To us, three-quarters of a mile away, the delay finally became irksome -and the Colonel and Major, moved by curiosity, rode down to the river. -The Rappahannock here lies deep between its banks and they rode to -the edge of the bluff, peering over, up and down the stream, to see -what might be seen. The firing for the time had ceased, and all -seemed quiet except the crackling flames of the burning buildings. -The gunners of the two-gun battery close by were chatting, leaning -lazily against the gun-carriages. Below, the river, waiting the turn -of the tide to flood, was still and smooth. Opposite, the warehouses, -thrusting their unhandsome walls down to the line of tidal mud, seemed -utterly deserted; two or three of them were yet burning, a few were -badly battered, but on the whole the storm of shot and shell had done -wonderfully little harm. - -A rifle ball, passing between the two officers, singing as it went, -reminded them that everything was not as peaceful as it seemed, and -they turned away just as the battery joined the renewed bombardment to -cover the forlorn hope in their boat crossing. - -That night we bivouacked in a neighboring wood, where we remained also -the next day and night, while Franklin on one side of us, and Sumner -on the other, were crossing and deploying their commands below and in -the town, covered for the greater part of the day by a dense fog which -allowed neither the enemy nor us to see much of the movements. - -General Burnside would seem to have had an idea that he could push his -army across the river, attack Lee’s army and win the heights, before -Jackson, from his position eighteen miles below, could come to aid his -chief. This possibly might have been done by flanking, if he had been -content to cross the Rappahannock where Franklin, at 9 o’clock on the -11th, had succeeded in establishing his bridges; but before the upper -pontoon bridges could be laid, the rebel right wing, under Jackson, had -effected its junction with the lines of Longstreet, and Lee’s army was -again united. - -December 13th, 1862,--the day of the battle of Fredericksburg,--opened -clear and bright, except that over the lowlands bordering the river -was stretched a veil of vapor which laid there until 9 o’clock. The -grand divisions of Sumner and Franklin were over the river and ready -for battle--Sumner in the streets of Fredericksburg, which ran parallel -to the river, and Franklin in the open plain below the town. Our -(Hooker’s) grand division yet occupied the heights on the eastern side -of the Rappahannock, from which--except for the fog--could be seen the -slightly undulating plain, which was to be Franklin’s field of battle, -but from which the greater part of Sumner’s field was hidden by the -town itself. - -The letter A may be used to demonstrate the topography of the battle. -The left limb of that letter may represent the line of higher land -occupied by the Confederates, the right limb the line of the -Rappahannock river, and the cross-bar the course of a sunken creek -which separated the lines of Sumner’s troops from those of Franklin, -but which offered no advantage to our troops, and no impediment to -the fire of either of the combatants. Below the cross-bar of the A, -the space between the limbs may have averaged two-thirds of a mile in -width, over which Franklin’s men must advance to the attack, almost -constantly exposed to the fire from the batteries of the rebels, and -for at least half the way to that from the rifles of their infantry. -Within the triangle--the upper portion of the A--was included the city -of Fredericksburg and Sumner’s _aceldama_, and here the lines of the -enemy were strengthened by earthworks on the summit of the heights, -(not fifty feet above the level of the plain), and by stone walls and -rifle pits along their base. Here the space between the foremost rebel -line, and the nearest blocks of houses in the town was nowhere two -thousand feet, and within this narrow space, under the fire of a mile -of batteries, and at least ten thousand rifles, the Union lines must be -formed for the attack. - -What we saw of Franklin’s battle was what happened before noon, and -after 9 o’clock,--at which latter hour the fog disappeared, revealing -to us and to the enemy the advancing line of Meade’s division, to -us a moving strip of blue on the dun-colored plain. We saw it halt, -covered no doubt by some undulation of the land, while a battery on the -left was silenced by the Union guns--then the line moved on, fringed -sometimes with the smoke of its own volleys, at other times with the -silver-like sheen of the rifle barrels. We saw the smoke of the rebel -rifles burst from the woods that covered the first rise of ground--saw -Meade’s line disappear in the woods, followed by at least one other -line,--then our bugles called “attention! forward!” and we saw no more -of Franklin’s fight. - -Early in the morning two of Hooker’s divisions had been sent to -strengthen Franklin, and now two others, Humphrey’s and Griffins’ -(ours) were ordered to the support of Sumner. A new boat-bridge had -been laid, crossing the river at the lower part of the town, just below -the naked piers of what had been and is now the railroad bridge, and -just above the outlet of a small stream. The two divisions were massed -on the hill-side near this bridge--an attractive mark for the rebel -cannoneers, who however, having food for powder close at hand, spared -to us only occasionally a shell. The crossing must have occupied an -hour. Down the steep hill-side and the steeper bank; over the river -and toiling up the western side; with many waits and hitches--the -serpent-like column moved tediously along. Once up the bank, and the -rifle balls whistled about us and our casualties began; but we wound -our way, bearing a little to the left, through the lower portion of the -town, where the buildings were detached and open lots were frequent, -availing ourselves of such cover as could be used, until in a vacant -hollow each regiment as it came up was halted to leave its knapsacks -and blankets. These were bestowed in heaps, and the men and boys of the -drum-corps were left to guard them. Here too, by order of the Colonel, -the field and staff officers dismounted, leaving their horses in charge -of servants. Then in fighting trim we moved forward past the last -buildings, out upon the field of battle. Here was still between us and -the enemy a swell of land, six or eight feet in its greatest height, -affording some slight protection, and we trailed our arms to conceal -our presence from the enemy. - -The confusing roar of the battle was all about us. Our own batteries -of heavy guns from Stafford Heights were firing over us--a few of our -field pieces were in action near by. The rebel guns all along their -line were actively at work--their shells exploded all around us, or -crashed into the walls of neighboring buildings, dropping fragments at -every crash; whatever room there might have been in the atmosphere for -other noise, was filled by the rattle of musketry and the shouts of men. - -No words can fully convey to a reader’s mind the confusion which -exists when one is near enough to see and know the details of battle. -One reads with interest in the reports of the generals, the letters -of newspaper correspondents, or in the later histories constructed -from those sources, a clear story of what was done; of formations -and movements as if they were those of the parade; of attack and -repulse--so graphically and carefully described as to leave clear -pictures in one’s mind. But it may be doubted whether one who was -actively engaged, and in the thick of the fight, can correctly describe -that which occurred about him, or tell with any degree of accuracy the -order of events or the time consumed. - -The reports of the battle of Fredericksburg describe occurrences -that never happened, movements that were never made, incidents that -were impossible. “History” tells how six brigades formed for attack -on our right, in column of brigades, with intervals of two hundred -paces--where no such formation was possible, and no such space existed. -And at least one general (Meagher), in his reports must have depended -much upon imagination for the facts so glowingly described. - -To the memory now comes a strange jumble of such situations and -occurrences as do not appear in the battles of history or of fiction. -Of our Regiment separated from the rest of the brigade, getting into -such positions that it was equally a matter of wonder that we should -ever have gone there, or having gone should ever have escaped alive--of -rejoining the division, where, one behind the other and close together -in the railroad cut, were three brigades waiting the order for attack. - -We recall the terrific accession to the roar of battle with which the -enemy welcomed each brigade before us as it left the cover of the cut, -and with which at last it welcomed us. We remember the rush across -that open field where, in ten minutes, every tenth man was killed or -wounded, and where Marshall Davis, carrying the flag, was, for those -minutes, the fastest traveller in the line; and the Colonel wondering, -calls to mind the fact that he saw men in the midst of the severest -fire, stoop to pick the leaves of cabbages as they swept along. - -We remember how, coming up with the 62d Pennsylvania of our brigade, -their ammunition exhausted and the men lying flat on the earth for -protection, our men, proudly disdaining cover, stood every man erect -and with steady file-firing kept the rebels down behind the cover of -their stone wall, and held the position until nightfall. And it was a -pleasant consequence to this that the men of the gallant 62d, who had -before been almost foes, were ever after our fast friends. - -Night closed upon a bloody field. A battle of which there seems to have -been no plan, had been fought with no strategic result. The line of -the rebel infantry at the stone wall in our front was precisely where -it was in the morning. We were not forty yards from it, shielded only -by a slight roll of the land from the fire of their riflemen, and so -close to their batteries on the higher land that the guns could not be -depressed to bear on us. At night our pickets were within ten yards of -the enemy. - -Here we passed the night, sleeping, if at all, in the mud, and -literally on our arms. Happily for all, and especially for the -wounded, the night was warm. In the night our supply of ammunition was -replenished, and toward morning orders were received not to recommence -the action. - -The next day, a bright and beautiful Sunday, there was comparative -quiet along the lines, but to prevent the enemy from trees or houses or -from vantage spots of higher land bringing to bear upon our line the -rifles of their sharp-shooters, required constant watchfulness and an -almost constant dropping fire from our side. - -Several attempts were made to communicate with us from the town, but -every such endeavor drew a withering fire from the enemy. None of us -could stand erect without drawing a hail of rifle balls. A single -field-piece from the corner of two streets in the city exchanged a few -shots over our heads with one of the batteries on the heights, but soon -got the worst of it and retired. - -Sergeant Spalding, in a printed description of this day, says: “It was -impossible for the men in our brigade to obtain water without crossing -the plain below us, which was a hazardous thing to attempt to do, as he -who ventured was sure to draw the enemy’s fire; nevertheless, it was -not an uncommon thing to see a comrade take a lot of canteens and run -the gauntlet.” Seldom were they hit, but in a few instances we saw them -fall, pierced by the rebel bullet. - -“I remember seeing a soldier approaching us from the city, with -knapsack on his back and gun on his shoulder. I watched him with -special interest as he advanced, knowing that he was liable to be fired -upon as soon as he came within range of the enemy’s rifles. He came -deliberately along, climbed over the fence, and was coming directly -towards where we lay, when crack went a rifle and down went the -man--killed, as we supposed, for he lay perfectly still. But not so, he -was only playing possum. Doubtless he thought that by feigning to be -dead for a few moments he would escape the notice of the enemy. So it -proved, for unexpectedly to us, and I doubt not to the man who shot him -(as he supposed), he sprang to his feet and reached the cover of the -hill before another shot was fired.” - -The day wore away and the night came again, and we, relieved by other -troops, returned to refresh ourselves by sleeping on the wet sidewalks -of one of the city streets. - -The next day three lines of infantry were massed in this street, which -ran parallel to the river, but the day passed without any renewal of -the battle. It was not pleasant, looking down the long street so full -of soldiers, to think what might happen if the rebel guns, less than -a thousand yards away, should open on the town--but it was none of -our business. As it came on to storm at nightfall we took military -possession of a block of stores, and the men, for the first time for -many months, slept under the cover of a roof. It was a fearfully windy -night, and whether it was the wind, or anxiety about the situation, -the Colonel could not sleep. His horses were kept in the street -conveniently at hand, and once or twice he rode out to the front and -heard Captain Martin objurgating the General for his orders to entrench -his battery with one pick and one shovel. - -About 3 A. M. came an orderly seeking the commander of the brigade, -whom nobody had seen for the past two days. The Colonel was inclined to -be gruff until he learned that the orders were to move the brigade back -over the river; then, indeed, he was sprightly. Declaring himself the -ranking officer of the brigade, he receipted for the order and, sending -his orders to the other regiments, began to retire the brigade to the -easterly bank, and thence ordered the regiments to their old camps at -Stoneman’s Switch, where the real brigadier found them soon after dawn. - -At 8 A. M. Burnside had withdrawn his entire army and taken up his -bridges. The storm was over, but again the fog filled the low lands. -As it cleared away, some of us, from the piazza of the Phillips House, -saw the rebel skirmishers cautiously creeping toward the town, and -it was not long before the shouts from their lines told that the -evacuation was discovered. In the battle of Fredericksburg the 32d lost -thirty-five killed and wounded. Among the killed was Captain Charles A. -Dearborn, Jr. - - - - -IX. - -_BETWEEN CAMPAIGNS._ - - -With the close of the year 1862, Colonel Parker resigned the command, -Lieutenant-Colonel Prescott was promoted to the Colonelcy; Major -Stephenson was made Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Edmunds, Major. - -A vacancy occurred also in the medical staff, by the resignation of -Assistant Surgeon Bigelow, and an elderly, but very respectable M. D. -was gazetted in his place. It happened that the new doctor reported -for duty on the eve of a movement of the corps. He had no horse; said -he had left his trunk at “the depot,” meaning by the roadside, at -Stoneman’s Switch, and when told that he must march with the Regiment -next day he undertook to hire a buggy. The young gentlemen of the -Regiment kept him floundering about for a good part of the night in -search of an imaginary livery stable, and even sent him up to division -headquarters to borrow the General’s barouche. One day’s experience was -enough for him, and the next morning he declined to be mustered in and -went back--he and his trunk--to the more congenial white settlements. - -After the disastrous attempt upon the heights of Fredericksburg, the -Regiment had remained in their old camping-ground near Stoneman’s -Switch, in the neighborhood of Falmouth. Excepting the reconnoissance -to Morrisville and skirmish there, with that terrible march on the -return when our brigadier, Schweitzer, led his “greyhounds,” as he -termed them, at such a terrific pace for twenty-five or thirty miles, -nothing occurred to break the monotony of camp life. The night of the -31st December, 1862--that of the march above alluded to--was extremely -cold, and the men, in light marching order, without knapsacks or -necessary blankets, compelled to fall out from inability to keep the -pace, suffered terribly from exposure, and many lost their lives in -consequence. - -For two months, or since November 22d, 1862, we had been comfortably -encamped (including the episodes of the battle of Fredericksburg, and -the march and skirmish of Morrisville above-mentioned) near Stoneman’s -Switch--two months! which seemed so near an age, a cycle, or an -eternity of time in the Army of the Potomac in those days, that we had -prepared ourselves as if to remain forever. Our tents were converted -into comfortable huts, with wide chimneys and wooden floors; we had -tables and camp-chairs and bedsteads and looking-glasses--all rather -rudely constructed, perhaps, but to our minds luxurious to a degree -unprecedented. When, however, we got marching orders, every man seemed -to vie with his neighbor in displaying his contempt for all this -effeminacy, and his readiness to quit these “piping times of peace,” -by destroying all his possessions that savored of luxury, and throwing -away whatever could not be carried in knapsack or saddle-pack. - -Adjutant Cobb was a sound sleeper. He did not average to sleep so long, -perhaps, as many others, but he would owl over his work or his letters -night after night, and then, when the conditions were favorable, would -do such solid sleeping for one night as would bring him out even. At -such times it seemed absolutely impossible to awaken him; no quantity -of shaking would make any impression, and it was necessary to let him -have it out. - -Somewhere about midnight, before January 21st, an orderly came with a -written order, found the adjutant sleeping in his tent, and did his -best to waken him, but without effect. Finally he thrust the order -into Cobb’s hand, closed the fingers over it, and went his way. Before -daylight the adjutant was wakened by the beating drums, and found the -paper in his hand. Rising, he struck a light, read the paper and found -that it was an order for the Regiment to march at 3 A. M. It was then -half-past two, and an hour and a half is the shortest time in which a -command can get breakfast and make needful preparations for the route. - -Matters were hurried up pretty lively, and inasmuch as there was the -usual delay in starting, the Regiment managed to come to time. - -We did not move until four. Meantime the work of destruction went on, -even to making bonfires of all comforts and luxuries in wood, around -which the men warmed themselves and laughed and sung. Even tent-cloths -and cast-off clothing were destroyed. Nothing was to be left that would -comfort Johnny Reb. But even before we moved off, some of us began to -regret our comfortable home; for a bitter cold north-east wind blew -fiercely, and the air was full of snow and sleet, which gradually grew -to rain. We moved at first pretty fast, and then the pace grew slower, -slower, slowest, with frequent halts, until after dark, when we drew -off the road and bivouacked for the night. The rain continued for some -time, and it was exceedingly chilly, and by no means an agreeable -opportunity for sleep. The men made fires among the trees, and sat -around them nearly all night. As morning rose the wind changed, the -rain ceased and when we resumed our march at about eight o’clock the -air was soft, bland, and beautiful, like a day in April or May. Heavy, -lead-colored clouds, however, hung low over everything, the air was -thick with mist, and vaporous masses of steam lay upon the fields and -woods. The snow had disappeared, and the frost was coming out of the -ground, and lay in pools and puddles, and finally, in lakes and rivers -of water, over roads and low-lying fields in every direction. Soon -it began raining again, first a drizzle and then a steady pour, and -the thermometer rose and rose and rose again, to fifty, seventy, and -eighty degrees, every object in the landscape began to exhale steam. -Men and horses and mules and wagons, every bush and blade of grass, -gave it forth in clouds and masses. There was a glow everywhere as of -early dawn, and a dank, earthy smell pervaded the air. The wagons and -trains, and everything that went on wheels or by horse-flesh, abandoned -the roads and took to the fields. Deeper grew the mud and deeper the -water over the mud. Still the moving masses of men pushed on, jumping -from hummock to stump, sinking in up to the thighs and being dragged -out half drowned, struggling through dense thickets rather than try the -road, and everything and everybody draggled and splashed and yellow -with mud; there had been something very much like this in the march -up the Peninsula under McClellan, in the trenches and corduroys about -Yorktown, and we did not expect to give it up. But at last we came to a -dead standstill. We were in a narrow wood-road and had passed several -teams of a wagon train completely mired, and apparently sinking deeper -and deeper, mules singing their peculiar lay with little above the mud -but their ears, when we were halted where the road made a sudden turn -and descent, and for the present at least, all further progress was -impossible. Our entire day’s march was only three miles. - -The narrow road appeared to be blocked, wagons were upset apparently -one upon another, while men and horses were floundering about in most -dire confusion. In a very short time we made our way out of this -scene of disorder, and to the great relief of all who progressed by -horse-flesh, halted to wait a more agreeable season. Then again did we -regret the comfortable quarters we had left. - -It was dreadful to think of camping where we were, worse to undertake -to go back again, or forward or anywhere. The whole country in all -directions appeared to be under water. The trees stood up as if in a -vast bog or swamp. At the first step off from a root or stump you sank -so deep as to make you catch your breath, and you were lucky if, in -extracting yourself, you did not leave behind both boots and stockings. -Virginia mud is a clay of reddish color and sticky consistence, which -does not appear to soak water, or mingle with it, but simply to hold -it, becoming softer and softer, and parting with the water wholly by -evaporation. It was difficult to stand; to sit or lie down, except -in the sticky mud, was impossible. Everything was so drenched with -water that it was difficult to make fires. The warm, moist atmosphere -imparted a feeling of weariness and lassitude, and in short our -condition was disgusting. Wet through, stuck-in-the-mud, we dragged out -the night. - -The next day, January 23d, was bright, mild, and beautiful, at least as -far as sun and air went. A gentle breeze began to dry up the ground, -and the whole brigade was set at work to corduroy roads. The method -pursued by our own men was peculiar. They were marched across the field -and brought into single line before a Virginia fence. Every man then -pulled out a rail, shouldered it, and in single file the Regiment -marched to the place to be corduroyed, where each dropped his rail as -he came up. - -The next day we returned to our camp at Stoneman’s Switch, which looked -on the whole about as comfortable and home-like as the inside of a very -mouldy Stilton cheese. In an incredibly short space of time however, -everything resumed its accustomed air of neatness and quasi-comfort. -The next Sunday-morning inspection showed not a trace of the mud in -which the Regiment with the rest of the army had been nearly smothered. - -Youthful readers of Lovers’ romances are apt to jump at the conclusion -that “a soldier’s life is always gay,” or at least that gaiety is its -normal condition. Youthful patriots in our war time yearned for active -service, and saw themselves in dreams successfully storming forts, -capturing batteries, charging and driving rebel hordes. Always in their -dreams there was floating over them the flag of their country, (a -bright new one)--always drums were beating and bands were playing; and, -if the dream was dreamed out to the end, the great transformation-scene -at the close, displayed the dreamer in elegant uniform, crowned by -the genius of victory, while the people of the whole nation joined in -shouts of approbation. - -As they approached the field of glory the halo faded, and often upon -the field itself it was not at all manifest to the eye. A disordered -liver turned the gold to green, and the arm which by the dream was to -have been waving a flashing sword in the front part of battle, was -more frequently wielding a dull axe in the woods, or a spade in the -open ground. Many thought that their patriotism had evaporated, but it -was only the romantic aureola that was gone. - -Among the first volunteers to join our Newton Company was the Reverend -William L. Gilman, a minister of the Universalist denomination. -To us he was Corporal Gilman of Company K, doing his duty as a -non-commissioned officer quietly and well. On the 10th of December, -1862, the Colonel was in the dumps. He had been for two months -wrestling with the medical authorities of the corps, and the medical -authorities had near about killed him. Upon the eve of a movement and -a battle, they refused permission to send our sick to hospital, and -ordered our surgeons to follow the movement. More than twenty men were -very sick in our hospital tent, and the steward objected to the heavy -load which would fall to him if he were left alone in charge. - -At this juncture appeared Corporal Gilman with a sad countenance, and -told how disappointed he was to find that his services seemed to be of -no value, and to ask if some position could not be found in which he -might have the satisfaction of feeling that he was of use to somebody. -A brief consultation with the Surgeon told the Colonel that the -corporal was in no state for marching or fighting, that his despondency -was the effect of a disordered liver, and thereupon he was detailed -to the military command of the patients in hospital, and before the -regiment left he was fully instructed as to the duty required of him. -To Corporal Gilman’s activity during the five days of our absence, is -due a large share of the credit of saving the lives of those entrusted -to his care. Shamefully neglected by the division surgeon who promised -to visit them, and who even falsely said that he had visited them, -these sick men would have died of starvation but for the unwearying -devotion of their two non-commissioned officers; and when the regiment -returned, Gilman himself was well, and had recovered that cheeriness -which was his natural temper, and which never afterward deserted him, -even when mangled and dying on the field of Gettysburg. - -But after all there was some foundation for those youthful views. There -were men who could stand up against their own livers, and there were -times of general jollity. - -Making a neighborly call at the headquarters of an Irish regiment, our -Adjutant found there quite a number of officers, the greater number of -them sitting or reclining on the ground, which formed the tent floor, -among them Captain Hart, A. A. General of the Irish Brigade. - -Of course the canteen was at once produced, and a single glass which -was to go the rounds with the canteen. The whiskey was of the “ragged -edge” variety, from the commissary stores, and it required a stout -throat to drink it half-and-half with water; but when our adjutant, to -whom by reason of infirmity of the lungs whiskey was like milk, filled -the little glass with clear spirit and tossed it down his throat, -there was a murmur of admiring surprise which found expression in -Hart’s reverent look and in his exclamation, “Oh, sir! you ought to -belong to the Irish Brigade, for it’s a beautiful swallow you have!” - -But the Irish had no monopoly of light-hearted soldiers. Dana of “ours” -was to the battalion what Tupper says a babe is to the household--a -well-spring of joy. Full of healthy life and spirits, he bubbled over -with jokes and pranks and mirth, and while no story of the 32d could -be complete without some stories of him, no one book could suffice to -contain them all. - -Sent out with a party to corduroy a road, he announced himself at the -farm house near by as General Burnside, and demanded quarters, got -them, and fared sumptuously. - -Detailed as acting quartermaster he kept no accounts, and how he -settled with his department no man knoweth to this day. The demand -of the ordnance department for property returns, although frequently -repeated, were quietly ignored, until the chief wrote to him: “Having -no replies to my repeated demands for your accounts, I have this day -addressed a communication to the 2d Auditor of the Treasury, requesting -him to withhold farther payments to you.” To which D. at once replied: -“Dear Sir,--Yours of the --th is received. What did the 2d Auditor say?” - -A representative of the Christian Commission in clerical dress and -stove-pipe hat was distributing lemons to the bilious soldiers, but -refused to give or sell one to Dana, who thereupon proposed to arrest -him as a deserter from our army or a spy of the enemy’s; and when -the gentleman asserted that he was enlisted only in “the army of the -Lord”--“Well, you’ve straggled a good ways from that,” was the surly -rejoinder. - -Sergeant Hyde of K Company was a Yankee given to the invention of -labor-saving contrivances, and was not fond of walking two miles under -a big log, which was then the ordinary process of obtaining fire-wood. -He thought that he might get his fuel with less labor, from the -generous pile which always flanked the surgeon’s tent. Getting one of -his comrades, in the darkness of night, to draw off the attention of -the headquarters’ negro servants, Hyde secured a boss log and escaped -with it to his hut, and there, with the aid of a newly-issued hatchet, -proceeded to demolish his log beyond the possibility of recognition. - -Unfortunately for Hyde, the sharp hatchet glanced off the log and cut -an ugly gash in his leg--a serious wound, which made it necessary -to call on the surgeon and break his rest. The doctor was kind and -sympathizing beyond his wont, and very curious to learn all about the -accident, but to this day the sergeant believes that if that doctor had -known all the particulars, the treatment might not have been so gentle. - -Whenever the army was idle for a time, officers were apt to be prolific -in written communications, recommendations, and endorsements, and -these were not always merely dry routine. The officer of the guard -who knew more about tactics than any other learning, one day on his -report wrote a suggestion that “sum spaids and piks” be provided for -the use of the guard. This passing as usual through the hands of the -officer-of-the-day, who knew more about books than tactics, he added -over his official signature, “approved all but the spelling.” - -A. Q. M. Hoyt having in a written communication to the General -of the division called attention to the fact that the division -quartermaster was using an ambulance and horses for his own private -occasions in violation of an order of the War Department, was by -endorsement directed to “attend to his own duty,” whereupon he sent -the same paper to the Adjutant General at Washington, with this -additional endorsement. “In compliance with the above order of Gen. ----- the attention of the War Department is called to the case within -described.” The ambulance had to go. - -It was in one of these prolonged waiting seasons that the assistant -surgeon with great exertion at all of the headquarters, secured a -thirty days leave of absence in order to be present at his own wedding. -Nothing now could make his face so long as it was next morning at -the mess breakfast, when an orderly brought, and when the adjutant -read aloud a general order from headquarters, Army of the Potomac, -cancelling all officers’ leaves “pending the present operations of -this army.” A premature chuckle from one of the conspirators exposed -the forgery and lightened the doctor’s heart. - -It was not in every place and presence however, that even a full -surgeon could indulge his natural bent for humorous relation, as indeed -the chief of our medical staff discovered, when, after convulsing a -Court Martial with a vivid description of a pig hunt, where he came in -at the death to find the prisoners cutting up the pig, and the Adjutant -General of the division “presiding over the meeting,” he found his -reward in “plans and specifications,” upon which he himself was tried -for contempt of court, or something to that effect. - -St. Patrick’s Day was always a day of great jollity, for the religious -children of that holy bishop and his cherished isle are quick to break -forth into mirth and sport when opportunity is offered. The festival of -1863, however, closed with a strange accident and a sad tragedy. - -A course had been provided for horse racing, and after the races laid -down in the programme had been run, a variety of scrub matches were -made up _extempore_. Unfortunately it happened that two of these -were under way at the same time and in opposite directions, and at -the height of their speed, two horses came in collision so directly, -and with such a fearful shock as to cause the instant death of both -animals, the actual death of one, and the apparent death of both the -riders. He who escaped at last, was the dear foe of our Quartermaster -Hoyt, who, over the senseless body pronounced the officer’s eulogy, and -expressed his deep contrition for all that he had ever said or done to -offend the sufferer, but with the reserved proviso that “if he does get -well this all goes for nothing.” - - - - -X. - -_CHANCELLORSVILLE._ - - -The commencement of the year 1863 brought the not unwelcome -announcement to the Army of the Potomac that General Burnside had been -relieved from the command, and General Hooker appointed in his stead. -The disastrous failure at Fredericksburg, and the rather absurd attempt -which will be known in history as the “mud march,” had not increased -the confidence of the army in Burnside’s ability, and it was with -feelings of satisfaction that the soldiers heard the order promulgated -which relieved him and appointed his successor. Notwithstanding some -grave defects in the character and habits of General Hooker, as a -soldier he had enlisted the confidence and won the affections of the -men. The plucky qualities which had given to him the name of “Fighting -Joe,” seemed to be an assurance of that activity and energy that were -so necessary to the successful ending of the contest, while his kindly -nature, and his genial, social temperament, won the love and good -wishes of all who came in contact with him. In appearance, when in -command, he represented the dashing, chivalrous soldier, of whom we had -read in history and fiction, inspiring confidence and awakening our -enthusiasm. As he rode along the line, while reviewing the 5th Corps, -mounted upon a snow-white steed, horse and rider seemingly but one, -erect in all the pride of command, his hair nearly white, contrasting -strongly with his ruddy complexion, he looked the perfect ideal of a -dashing, gallant, brave commander. We soon learned that his skill in -organization fully equalled his bravery upon the battle-field, and -the results were apparent in the improved discipline and _morale_ of -the troops. To his administration must be given the credit of the -introduction of the corps badges, which proved of great value in the -succeeding days of the war. - -It would be useless, tiresome perhaps, to describe the regular routine -performed by the 32d during the days and weeks that succeeded. Suffice -it to say, that it consisted principally of picket and guard duty, -with details for road building, and the constant drill and discipline -so necessary to prepare the soldier for the more severe labors of the -march, and the sterner duties of the battle-field. With the warmer -weather of the spring came orders which told us that the campaign was -soon to begin; baggage must be forwarded to Washington, clothing must -be furnished, deficiencies in ordnance supplied; these, together with -orders for the return of men on leave and detached service, informed -the soldier as clearly as if it had been promulgated in positive -terms, that active duties were to commence, that a battle was soon -to be fought. On the 8th of April, President Lincoln reviewed the -army, and the sight of a hundred thousand men prepared for review was -indeed impressive. General Hooker was excusable, perhaps, in speaking -of his command at this time as “the finest army on the planet.” It -certainly was never in better condition. On the 27th of April we -left our camp--the Regiment under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel -Stephenson--without a thought that we should ever return to it again. -Starting at noon, we marched to Hartwood Church, about eight miles, -reaching it at nightfall; the next morning, moving towards Kelley’s -Ford on the Rappahannock, near which we bivouacked for the night; -taking up the line of march at daybreak, we crossed the Rappahannock -on a pontoon bridge, coming to Ely’s Ford on the Rapidan, late in the -afternoon of the 29th. The water at this ford was quite deep, reaching -nearly to the armpits, and running rapidly. Most of the men stripped -themselves of their clothing and waded through, holding their muskets, -knapsacks, and clothing above their heads, while others dashed in -without any preparation. Occasionally a luckless wight would lose his -footing in the swift-running stream, and float down with the current, -to be caught by the cavalry men who were stationed below for that -purpose. Regiment after regiment as they arrived, dashed through the -waters, and a more stirring scene can hardly be imagined. All along the -banks of the river were men by hundreds, and thousands--on one side -making preparation for fording--on the other replacing their clothing -and repairing damages, while the water was crowded with soldiers who -filled the air with shouts, laughter, and song. As the darkness came -on, the numerous fires which the soldiers had made for the purpose of -drying their clothing, threw a strong light over a picture of life and -beauty, such as can only be witnessed in the experience of army life. -That night we rested on the south side of the Rapidan. The morning of -the 30th of April found us on the march, and in a few hours we struck -that region, which, but for the war, would scarcely have been known -outside of its own limits--now to be remembered by generations yet to -come, as the locality where were fought some of the bloodiest battles -known in history--the Wilderness. - -Some description of the territory may not come amiss to those who have -grown up since the bloody scenes of the war for the Union were enacted -there. It comprises a tract of land probably more than twenty miles in -circumference; a nearly unbroken expanse of forest and thicket. A large -portion is covered with a dense growth of low, scrub oaks, briars, and -shrubs, with occasionally a spot where the trees have attained to more -lofty proportions. For miles you can travel without a change, seeing -only the loathsome snake as it glides across your path, and uncheered -by the voices of the birds, for the songsters of the day find no home -in its thickets, only the lonely night-bird inhabiting its gloomy -depths. Everything about it is wild and desolate. The sun hardly -penetrates through its gloom, and the traveller, oppressed with its -loneliness and desolation, hurries through that he may reach the more -genial spots beyond, and feel the cheering rays of God’s sunshine. - -Near one border of this region, at the junction of roads that lead from -Fredericksburg and United States Ford, is Chancellorsville; not a town, -not a village, but simply a tract of cleared land surrounding one brick -house, said to have been erected for a private residence, but used at -the commencement of the war as a roadside tavern. Through the forest we -marched to Chancellorsville, near which we bivouacked for the night. - -May 1st, 1863, our Regiment led the division which marched not -south-east in the direction of the plank road, but by a road which led -east and northeast, in the direction of Bank’s Ford. Artillery and -picket firing had been heard for some time, but we were in thick woods. -Covered by flankers and skirmishers we moved on sometimes very rapidly, -until within less than four miles of Fredericksburg. The day was fine -and with the exception of some cavalry pickets, we saw no enemy, but -there was a sound of heavy firing on our right in the direction of the -plank road, and as we advanced it seemed to become more distant and -almost exactly in our rear. - -By the excitement apparent among General Griffin’s staff it was evident -that things were not going right, and at last the order was given to -face about, and we took the back track at a killing pace. As we neared -Chancellorsville again, there was some pretty sharp artillery and -infantry skirmishing going on just ahead, and as night drew on we were -halted in the road in line of battle facing south, with skirmishers in -front. - -It seems that the regular division of our corps had been roughly -handled and driven back, thus separating us from the army, and we were -kept all that night marching and counter-marching about the country. It -was a bright moonlight night, but dusky in the woods. There were long -waits, but not enough for sleep, and it was long after daylight when we -got out of the forest and came upon the 3d division of our corps, and -found ourselves welcomed as men who had been lost but were found. - -On the morning of May 2d we were posted on the extreme left of the -army and ordered to build breastworks. The axe and the spade were soon -busily at work, and before night a formidable barrier had been erected -against any attack. About sunset there was some slight skirmishing, -and the men stood in line awaiting an attack, but none came. All -was still as night; not a sound was heard except the low murmuring -of voices. Even the dropping fire of the pickets had ceased, when -suddenly on our right there burst on the air the sound of a volley of -musketry accompanied by the wild rebel yell that was so familiar to -the soldier of the Union. From the first it seemed to come towards -us like a torrent, constant and resistless. The men stood, musket in -hand, peering into the gloom, every nerve strung, ready to meet the -attack, but it did not reach us, and ceased suddenly at last. This -was the famous flank attack by Stonewall Jackson upon the 11th Corps -under General Howard, which was ended thus abruptly by the death of -the rebel commander. On the morning of the 3d we relieved and changed -positions with the 11th Corps. Our new position was just at the right -of Chancellorsville house, by the side of the road; before us a cleared -plain probably two hundred yards wide, beyond which was a forest. Again -we were ordered to throw up earthworks, and the men were busily at work -all day. Our brigade was formed in two lines, the 32d being a part of -the front line, where it remained until the army fell back. - -About noon on the 4th our brigade received orders to advance across the -plain into the woods. That morning a fire had swept through the woods, -burning the accumulated leaves, the deposit of years, and in addition -to the heat of the day, we suffered from the hot ashes that arose under -our footsteps in clouds. - -The purpose of this advance was to feel out the enemy and draw his -fire, but not to bring on an engagement, the object being to ascertain -whether he was still in force on our front. The movement was executed -in gallant style. The enemy received us with a hot fire of musketry -and artillery, the greater portion of which fortunately went over our -heads. We were at once ordered to retire and did so, under a tremendous -shower of shot and shell, nearly all of which passed above us. - -We remember with pride the precision with which the brigade returned -across the field, as coolly as if passing in review, rather than under -the fire of the enemy, a movement which elicited the hearty cheers -of the division. The most excited individual was a non-commissioned -officer who, being lightly hit by a piece of shell as we entered our -earthworks, maddened by the stinging pain, turned and shook his fist at -the invisible foe, abusing him most lustily, amidst the laughter of his -companions. Our advance demonstrated that the enemy was still there, -and in a short time they made their appearance in masses issuing from -the edge of the wood, but they were received with a fire of artillery -that sent them reeling back to their defences, leaving great numbers of -dead and wounded on the field. - -The morning of the 5th came in with a cold, heavy rain, making our -position that day anything but pleasant, but we did not move. As soon -as darkness came on, the batteries began to withdraw, then we could -hear the tramp of regiment after regiment as they moved away, and we -soon learned that the army was retiring across the Rappahannock. Still -no orders came for us, and we began to realize that again our division -was to cover the retreat, and be the last withdrawn. The ground was -soaked with water, we could neither sit nor lie down, but crouching -under the little shelter tents, which afforded some protection from the -drenching rain, we waited for our turn to come. - -It was nearly morning when we started, and sunrise when, after wading -through mud and water often knee deep, we reached United States Ford. -The engineers were in position there ready to take up the pontoons. -Striking swiftly across the country, hungry, tired, and disheartened, -we re-occupied before noon our old quarters at Stoneman’s and the grand -movement of General Hooker upon Richmond was ended. The loss of the 32d -was only one killed and four wounded. - - - - -XI. - -_FREDERICKSBURG TO GETTYSBURG._ - - -After the battle of Chancellorsville the whole army retired to its old -position about Stafford Court House and Falmouth, on the Rappahannock, -opposite the City of Fredericksburg. The 32d Massachusetts was detailed -to guard duty along the railroad from Acquia Creek; half of the command -under Lieutenant-Colonel Stephenson being posted at or near the -redoubts on Potomac Creek, guarding the bridge; the remainder, or right -wing, under Colonel Prescott, posted south of Stoneman’s Switch. - -On Thursday afternoon, May 29th, orders were received to break camp and -move to Barnett’s Ford. The left wing moved promptly, but the right -wing, owing to the temporary absence of Colonel Prescott, did not march -until after nightfall. A bright full moon and cool breeze made marching -delightful. The way was familiar, the roads fine, and the men, in the -best of spirits, laughed and sung as they went. At about midnight this -hilarity had subsided, and the little column was jogging sleepily along -the way, which wound through a deep wood in the vicinity of Hartwood -Church. Suddenly, at a sharp turn of the road, where the moonlight fell -bright as day, came a stern call “Halt! who goes there?” and a dozen -horsemen, springing from the shadow, stood barring the way, bringing -forward their carbines with a threatening click as they appeared. The -column, however, not halting, pressed forward into the light, showing -the glittering muskets of the men and something of their number. The -horsemen seemed to suddenly abandon their purpose, for, without a word -of parley, they turned their horses into the woods and slipped past us -under cover of the darkness. We recognized them, when too late, as a -band of guerillas, and learned more concerning them at the first picket -post we met. - -During our stay at the fords of the Rappahannock, guerillas harassed us -in various ways, hovering around us, indeed, until we neared the border -of Maryland. Now a portion of our wagon train would be run off, and an -officer would be spirited away when on outpost duty or riding from one -camp to another. Again and again the mail was stopped and rifled, the -carrier shot or captured. Indeed, these things became of so frequent -occurrence that stringent orders came from headquarters forbidding -officers or men straying beyond the limits of their camp guards. Many -were the sensational rumors concerning the guerillas and their Chief -Mosby. One of our cavalry officers used to say that he never could -catch a guerilla, but after a long chase occasionally found a man -wearing spurs, engaged in digging a well. - -At Hartwood Church the two wings of the Regiment were again united, and -moved on the following day past Barnett’s to Kemper’s Ford. Mrs. Kemper -and her daughter were the only inmates of their mansion, Mr. Kemper -being “away,” which meant in the rebel army, and of the swarms of -servants which no doubt once made the quarters lively, there remained -only two or three small girls and an idiot man. - -Our stay here was one of the bright spots of army experience. The -location was delightful and the duty light. We had a detail on guard at -the ford and pickets along the river bank; opposite to us on the other -shore, and within talking distance, were the rebel pickets, but no -shots were exchanged, and all was peaceful and quiet. - -We had extended to the family such protection as common courtesy -demanded, and when we were about to leave, a few of the officers called -to say good-bye, and found the ladies distressed and in tears on -account of our departure, or the dread of what might come afterwards. -They told us that ours was the first Massachusetts regiment that -had been stationed there; that they had been taught to believe that -Massachusetts men were vile and wicked; “but,” said one of them, “we -have received from no other soldiers such unvarying courtesy and -consideration; we have discovered our mistake, and shall know how to -defend them from such aspersions in the future.” Promising in reply -to their urgency that, if taken prisoners and if possible, we would -communicate with them, we took our leave, with the impression that it -was well to treat even our enemies with kindness. - -On the 9th of June occurred the engagement at Brandy Station, said -at that time to be the greatest cavalry fight of the war, and the -Regiment crossed the river and covered the approaches to the ford while -the battle was in progress. They moved out about three miles in the -direction of Culpepper Court House, but encountered no enemy, except a -few straggling cavalry men, who fled at their approach. - -Now the Regiment was kept continually on the _qui vive_, under orders -to move at a minute’s notice, and be prepared for long and rapid -marches. - -Suddenly the enemy withdrew all his pickets from the river, and on the -13th of June we moved in the middle of the night, which was very dark, -in the direction of Morrisville, and on the following night we reached -Catlett’s, our division bringing up the rear of the army and guarding -the wagon train. The weather had now become very summerlike, and the -days were hot and sultry, and the roads heavy with dust. Again we were -moving through that detestable Manassas country, that debatable land, -now almost a desert; the soil uncultivated, trodden to powder, the -fields overgrown with weeds, an arid waste where no water was and no -food could be obtained, the breeze stifling one with the pungent odor -of penny-royal, which pervaded everything. - -June 16th we encamped near Manassas, on the Thoroughfare Gap road, -and on the following day made an ever-memorable march of eighteen -or twenty miles, under a tropical sun, with a stifling air filled -with dust, without a drop of water anywhere, and the men of all ranks -and commands falling down by the roadside and dying of heat-stroke -and exhaustion. The 32d made the best record of any regiment in the -division on this day, encamping at Gum Spring at night with fuller -ranks than any other. We set out with 230 men and came in with 107 in -the ranks, and even this poor showing was far ahead of most regiments -composing the division. Four soldiers of the division died from -sunstroke on this dreadful march. Firing was heard all day from the -direction of Aldie, and we were urged forward as rapidly as possible. - -On the 19th we moved to Aldie Gap, with the whole of the 5th Corps, -passing many fine places upon the broad Winchester turnpike. An -artillery skirmish was going on as we neared the Gap at sunset, and -we deployed across the broad fields under the beautiful Blue Ridge -mountains in fine style, bands playing, bugles sounding, etc. At 2 A. -M. on the morning of the 21st the men were awaked, three days rations -issued, and we were soon in motion up the Gap. As morning broke we -defiled past Aldie, and on the way down the mountain side were passed -by thousands of cavalry, under command of Generals Pleasanton, Gregg, -and Kilpatrick. - -During that day and the next we had a glorious opportunity to witness -one of the great cavalry skirmishes of the Army of the Potomac, the -enemy’s cavalry consisting of Fitz Hugh Lee’s brigade led by Rousseau, -and Stuart’s cavalry led by Stuart himself. We withdrew on the 22d -and passed that night near Aldie on the side of the hills, looking -down into the valley, and across to Ashby’s Gap. Many are the tales -since told of what we saw and did during those two days of cavalry and -infantry fighting. On the 21st the Regiment led the infantry advance, -and on the return was at the rear of the column, and covered the -cavalry retreat. - -June 26th orders came to move at 3 A. M., and from that time we marched -rapidly forward across the state of Maryland, and until we reached the -Pennsylvania line. - -Early on the afternoon of July 1st, 1863, after a march of about ten -miles, the 32d reached Hanover, Pennsylvania, and as we filed into a -cleared level piece of grass-land, we congratulated ourselves upon -the prospect of a long rest and a refreshing sleep after the tedious -marches and broken slumbers of the previous sixteen days. The men went -cheerily to work preparing food, the great difficulty being lack of -fuel, for we were in a friendly country, and the usual destruction of -fences and trees was forbidden. But we were soon to find ourselves -disappointed in our expectations; for, at 8 o’clock, orders came to -move, and the men discontentedly packed their knapsacks, giving up -all idea of rest so much needed and desired. As we marched toward -Gettysburg, we heard in advance the sound of cheering, and soon word -came down the line that General McClellan was again in command of the -army. As the news passed along, regiment after regiment sent up cheers, -and the soldiers moved with quickened step and joyful hearts. Where -this report originated we never knew, yet many went into the battle -the next day thinking they were under the command of the general, who, -above all others, had won the love and confidence of the Army of the -Potomac. Very soon, orders came for the musicians to give the time for -the march, and we stepped off quickly to the beat of the drum. This was -one of the very few occasions on which we used our music while on the -march during the entire service of the Regiment. Our musicians were -used, as a general rule, only in camp to sound the various calls that -marked the routine of camp duty, and at guard-mountings and parades, -and on this occasion we were allowed but a few minutes to enjoy the -luxury of marching to the beat of the drum, for it was stopped by -orders from an authority higher than our division general, on account -of the danger of giving information of our whereabouts to the enemy. - -We marched nearly ten miles more that night, and at midnight bivouacked -two miles distant from the spot that was to be the field of the battle -of Gettysburg. Very early in the morning, as soon as daylight appeared, -we moved on to the vicinity of Round Top and formed in line of battle. -Here the 32d was detailed to form a skirmish line, to protect the -extreme flank of the army. Colonel Prescott, however, requested that -the Regiment be excused from this duty, for the reason that it had -had no experience, and but little instruction in skirmishing. The 9th -Massachusetts was substituted, fortunately for them, and unfortunately -for us, for as matters turned out, they were not engaged, and did not -lose a single man during the fight of that day. - -We remained inactive for a number of hours, the men providing -themselves with food, and seeking the rest so much required. Officers -and men laid down under the shelter of a ledge, and entirely oblivious -to the roaring of the cannon and the bursting shell that passed over -our heads, slept the sleep of the weary. It was the last sleep on earth -to some of our number; to others a blessed boon, enabling them to -endure the exhaustion and pain occasioned by wounds received at a later -hour. It was nearly 3 o’clock in the afternoon before our repose was -disturbed by orders to move forward. - -Following the general design of these pages, to relate only the story -of our own Regiment and what occurred in its presence, to paint only -the pictures that we saw, there are yet necessary, concerning the -battle of Gettysburg, a few words of more general description. - -There had been several days of occasional contact between the hostile -armies; each was concentrating its scattered corps, and meanwhile -manœuvring to secure a favorable position for the inevitable battle. On -the 1st of July the fighting had been heavy, and when we joined, the -forces on each side were arrayed for a decisive contest. - -Seminary Ridge, which was occupied by the Confederates, and Cemetery -Ridge, which was selected for the Federal position, may be called -parallel ranges of highlands. Between the two the country is not a mere -valley sloping from the ridges to a common centre, but it is broken -by knolls and swells of land which, like the ridges, are lower to the -northward (our right) and more rough and broken toward the south. - -General Sickles, with the 3d Corps, had, upon his own responsibility, -advanced his line so that it occupied, not Cemetery Ridge, as General -Meade had intended, but the broken swells of land lying between the -ridges; and this advance of the left corps of Meade’s lines, forming a -salient angle, led to its being selected for the main attack by Lee. - -The line of the Union army was irregularly curved, the right bending -sharply back and resting on Rock Creek, and the left bowed slightly to -the rear. - -Between the positions here and at Antietam, there were many points of -likeness, but the relative situation of the combatants was reversed. -This time it was Lee’s army that attacked, while to us fell the -advantage of the defensive attitude and of the interior lines, by which -reinforcements could speedily be moved from left to right or right to -left, as the pressure of emergencies required. - -As has already been stated, the 5th Corps was held in reserve during -the early part of the 2d of July, and its position was such that by -reason of the irregularities of the ground and the frequent patches of -woodlands, we could see but little of our own lines, and of the enemy’s -nothing except the smoke of his batteries on Seminary Ridge. - -The attack of Longstreet’s corps, although bravely resisted, was too -much for Sickles, in his unfortunate position, to withstand, and the -immediate cause of our orders to move forward was the break made by the -enemy in the lines of his corps. Our line of battle was hastily formed -on the westerly slope of a hill, at the foot of which was the bed of a -small stream then almost dry. - -The division line was, because of the broken character of the hillside, -exceedingly irregular, and walls and ledges were made useful for -defence. - -We were hardly established in our position, such as it was, before the -attack came, the enemy piling down in great numbers from the opposite -slope and covering themselves partially under the hither bank of the -little stream. They were received by a galling fire from the division -and driven back from our immediate front with great loss into the wood -from whence they came. The men loaded and fired with great rapidity, -some using much judgment and coolness, making every shot tell in the -enemy’s ranks; others, as is usually the case, excited and firing -almost at random. - -It was during this part of the fight that Lieutenant Barrows, an -officer esteemed by all, was instantly killed. And here too, before the -enemy was repulsed, many of our men were killed or wounded. Further -to the right the Union soldiers were not so successful, and another -break in our lines from the enemy’s charges compelled the command to -fall back, which we did in splendid order, carrying with us our dead -and wounded. Moving to the rear and left of its first position, the -brigade formed in a piece of woods bordering upon the wheat-field, -which is pointed out to visitors as the spot where were enacted some -of the bloodiest scenes in the battle of Gettysburg. This field was -surrounded by a stone wall, and when we first saw it, was covered with -waving grain. Forming in line of battle our brigade advanced across -this field, taking position in rear of the stone wall facing the -enemy’s lines. On the right was the 4th Michigan, the 62d Pennsylvania -holding the centre, with the 32d Massachusetts on the left. The right -of the 4th Michigan rested near a wood or clumps of thick bushes where -it should have connected with the left of the 1st Brigade, but by some -mistake, either on the part of the general commanding the division, or -the officer in command of the 1st Brigade, that body did not advance -as far as the 2d, but halted, leaving a large gap in the line of the -division. Between the two brigades was also a steep ravine leading up -from the “Devil’s Den,” a deep hollow in our front. - -We were hardly in position here before the attack came again, and the -battle waxed hot and furious. We had been engaged but a short time -when Colonel Prescott, supported by two men, went to the Lieutenant -Colonel and turned over to him the command of the Regiment, declaring -that he was wounded, and must leave the field. The men received the -fire of the enemy with great coolness, and returned it with spirit -and success. During all this time we had seen nothing of our brigade -commander (Colonel Sweitzer), and Lieutenant Colonel Hull, of the 62d -Pennsylvania, while in search of him, informed Colonel Stephenson -of the want of connection with our troops on the right, urging that -something should be done at once or we should be flanked there. Upon -the suggestion that Colonel Jeffers, of the 4th Michigan, should change -front and meet the threatened danger, he hastened to communicate with -that officer, but before the movement could be made, the blow came. The -enemy moving quietly up the ravine charged directly upon the flank of -the 4th Michigan, curling it and the 62d Pennsylvania up like a worm -at the touch of fire, and throwing them into the greatest confusion. -Taking the order from an aide-de-camp of the brigade commander, who -is always supposed to have authority to give such commands, the 32d -was falling back in good order, when, for the first time, we saw our -brigadier, who, rushing from the woods, rode before the lines, ordering -the 32d to halt, demanding, with an oath, to know why the Regiment -was retreating. Indignantly replying that the Regiment was falling -back under orders from his staff officer, the Lieutenant Colonel -ordered the men to face about and stand their ground. It was a fatal -mistake, and one which caused the loss of many brave men. For a few -minutes we stood; the enemy on our front, right flank, and nearly in -our rear, pouring in a terrible fire, which the men returned almost -with desperation, until we were again ordered to fall back, which we -did, fighting our way inch by inch, rebels and Union men inextricably -mingled, until we reached the shelter of the woods. - -Just at this moment Colonel Stephenson fell, shot through the face, -and Colonel Prescott who appears not to have been wounded at all, soon -after again took the command. - -The Pennsylvania reserves were forming for a charge. With a shout and -a yell they fell upon the now disorganized ranks of the enemy and -drove them like a flock of sheep for a long distance, almost without -opposition. The 32d reformed and advanced again to the stonewall where -they remained undisturbed, for their part in the battle of Gettysburg -was ended. - -The whole of this terrible fight was fraught with incidents, some -grave and touching, and some even humorous. One gallant officer having -discharged the contents of his pistol at the foe, at last threw the -pistol itself at the head of a rebel. Another, wounded and faint sat -down behind a large boulder. Two rebel soldiers tried to take him -prisoner; then commenced a race around the rock; all ran the same way -and he managed to elude them and escape. Probably not a soldier could -be found who could not tell some curious incident which came to his -knowledge during this fight. It was nearly sundown before the battle -was ended for the day. We must have been engaged three hours, yet so -great was the excitement and so little did we mark the passing minutes -that it seemed to have occupied less time than has been taken to tell -the story. The 32d carried two hundred and twenty seven men into the -action and lost eighty one in killed, wounded, and missing, among -whom was Lieutenant Barrows killed, and Colonel Stephenson, Captains -Dana, Taft, Lieutenants Steele, Lauriat, and Bowers, wounded. The 4th -Michigan and 62d Pennsylvania, besides their killed and wounded, lost -nearly one hundred men prisoners, and also lost their colors. Colonel -Jeffers of the 4th Michigan, probably the only man who was killed by -the bayonet during the battle of Gettysburg, died in defence of his -flag. - -The frantic assault by General Lee on the 3d of July, fell entirely -upon the right and center of the Union army, and the left was not -attacked. - -Colonel Stephenson gives this vivid description of his experience, one -of those sad ones that attend a soldier’s life among the wounded in the -rear. - -“On the 3d of July the wounded of the 5th corps were taken from the -barns and other buildings in the immediate vicinity of the battle -field, where they had been placed during the progress of the fight, to -a large grove about two miles distant. - -The trains containing hospital supplies and tents had not arrived, -and the wounded were placed under little shelter-tents, such as the -soldiers carried with them upon the march. We lay on the bare ground -without even straw for our beds, and he who obtained a knapsack for a -pillow deemed himself fortunate. - -Just at night the attendants brought to the place where I was lying, -a young soldier of the 32d and laid him beside me. It was Charles -Ward of Newton. I remembered him well as one of the youngest of the -Regiment, one whose purity of character, and attention to duty had won -the esteem and love of all who knew him. The attendants placed him in -the tent, furnished us with canteens of water, and left us for the -night, for alas, there were thousands of wounded men to be cared for, -and but little time could be spared for any one. My young companion -had been wounded by a ball passing through his lungs, and it was with -difficulty he could breathe while lying down. To relieve him, I laid -flat on my back, putting up my knees, against which he leaned in a -sitting posture. All night long we remained in this position, and a -painful weary night it was. At intervals we would catch a few moments -of sleep; then waking, wet our wounds with water from the canteens, -try to converse, and then again to sleep. So we wore away the night, -longing for the light to come. - -No one came near us; we heard far away the dropping fire of musketry on -the picket lines, the occasional booming of the cannon, and the groans -wrung from the lips of hundreds of wounded men around us. My young -friend knew that he must die; never again to hear the familiar voices -of home, never to feel a mother’s kiss, away from brothers, sisters, -and friends; yet as we talked he told me that he did not for a moment -regret the course he had taken in enlisting in the war of the Union, -but that he was ready, willing to die, contented in the thought that -his life was given in the performance of his duty to his country.” - - - - -XII. - -_AFTER GETTYSBURG._ - - -The day succeeding the battle, we left Gettysburg in pursuit of -the defeated enemy, followed closely by the 6th Corps, by way of -Emmetsburg, Adamsville, and Middletown to Williamsport. Much of this -time it rained heavily and the roads were bad, but we had the good -spirits which attend success, and were cheery, as became victors. Near -Williamsport we encountered the enemy, and on the 11th and 12th of July -pressed him back toward the river, but he succeeded in crossing the -Potomac without further serious loss. - -Perhaps the finest thing that the army ever saw was the movement -forward in line of battle near Williamsport and Hagerstown. As far as -the eye could reach on either hand were broad open fields of grain -with here and there little woods, the ground being undulating but not -broken, and we were formed in close column of division by brigade, -the 3d Corps touching our left and the 6th Corps our right; and so -we advanced across the wide, yellow fields in two dense lines which -extended apparently to the horizon. This movement was continued on two -successive days. - -Then we tried a flank movement by our left, crossed the Potomac on the -17th, near Berlin, and keeping east of the Blue Ridge, were at Manassas -Gap on the 23d, and stood spectators of some pretty fighting done by -the 3d Corps, who secured possession of the pass. On the 26th we were -at Warrenton, and remained there until August 8th, when we moved to -Beverly Ford, and encamped there for five weeks. - -Sergeant Spalding, in a letter home, describes our camp there as the -cosiest he ever saw: “Our camp is in a forest of young pines, planted -since our arrival. It looks beautifully, especially in the evening. I -went out a little way from our camp last evening to take a bird’s-eye -view of it. How cosy it looked with the lights from our tallow candles -glimmering through the trees from nearly every tent, which seemed -almost buried in the green foliage that surrounded it. Our camp is laid -out in streets, one for each company. At the head of each street is the -captain’s tent, which is surrounded by an artificial evergreen hedge -with an arched entrance, with some device in evergreen wrought into -or suspended from the arch--as, for instance, Company K has a Maltese -Cross (our corps badge). Company I, of Charlestown, has the Bunker Hill -Monument. Company D, of Gloucester (fishermen), has an anchor, &c., -&c. But our tented cities, be they ever so comfortable and attractive, -are short-lived. We build them up to-day and pull them down to-morrow. -We may be quietly enjoying our quarters to-day, and to-morrow be -twenty-five miles away. Such is a soldier’s life.” - -On the 12th October, 1862, General Porter ordered our Colonel to detail -one company for detached service as guard to the reserve artillery of -the army, and Company C (Captain Fuller) was detailed. When the detail -was made it was supposed that it would be only for a few weeks, but -they did their duty so acceptably as to result in being separated from -the Regiment for more than ten months. - -It was their duty to accompany the trains of the artillery reserve on -the march, the men being distributed along the whole column and on each -side of it, and they furnished the sentinels about the ammunition and -supply trains, when parked for the night. - -The duty was not very severe, and their position was one of comparative -independence. It was pleasant to hear that a company of ours received -praises alike from every commander of the reserve, and from the -families of the Virginia farmers whose premises they had occasion -to occupy. Their route was the general route of the army, and at -Gettysburg they were under sharp fire on the 3d of July, when Lee made -his last assault, but the total of their casualties, while absent from -the Regiment, was small. - -They brought back many recollections of pleasant camps and stirring -scenes, and the story of their experiences brought a welcome freshness -to the gossip of the battalion. They rejoined the Regiment near Beverly -Ford, August 24th, 1863. - -While we were encamped at Beverly Ford five deserters were tried, -convicted, and sentenced to be shot, and the sentence was executed near -our camp in the presence of the corps, massed on a hillside facing the -place of execution. No more solemn scene was witnessed in the army -than the march of those five men from the barn in which they had been -confined to the graves in which they were to lie. They were dressed -alike, in white shirts, trousers, shoes and stockings, and caps. The -order of procession was as follows: First, the band, playing the death -march, then four soldiers bearing an empty coffin, which was followed -by the prisoner who was soon to occupy it, guarded by four soldiers, -two in front with reversed arms, and two behind with trailed arms. Then -another coffin and another prisoner, borne and guarded as described -above, and so the five doomed men marched across the field to their -graves, where each, seated upon his coffin, was to pay the penalty of -desertion by death. Although at first they marched with firm and steady -step, yet they staggered ere they reached the spot where they were -to face death at the hands of comrades. Eighty men selected from the -provost guard were there in line, posted to fire the fatal volley. When -all was ready, the men having been placed in position and blindfolded, -the officer in command of the guard, without a word, but by the motion -of his sword, indicated the ready--aim--fire, and instantly every gun -(forty loaded with blank and forty with ball cartridge) was discharged -and all was over. Silently we viewed the solemn spectacle, and as -silently returned to camp--not with cheerful martial airs, as when a -faithful soldier, having met a soldier’s death, is left to his last -repose, but with the sad ceremony uneffaced, and all deeply impressed -with the ignominy of such an end. - -On the 15th of September we broke up this pretty camp and moved along -to Culpepper, with some lively skirmishing, and then rested for another -month with some picket duty but no warring. - -A French Canadian who left without permission on our march to -Gettysburg, and took to bounty-jumping for a living, was detected, -returned to us, and at this camp was tried, sentenced, and punished for -his offences in the presence of the entire brigade. - -In the middle of a square formed by the troops who had been his -fellows, one half of his head was shaven close, and his shoulder was -branded with a letter D. The square was then deployed--the line formed -with open ranks, the front rank faced to the rear, and the poor wretch, -under guard, was marched down the path thus lined with on-looking -soldiers, the musicians leading the way playing the Rogue’s March, and -then he was sent from the lines as not worthy to associate with an -honest soldiery.[2] - -[2] The scoundrel’s own description of the proceedings was: “they shave -my head--they burn my back--they march me in review.” - -Here, too, we received a reinforcement of 180 drafted men, who were -assigned to the different companies, and of whom we made good soldiers. - -Between the 10th of October and the 29th of November the Army of the -Potomac and the Army of Virginia were waltzing about the country -between Culpepper and Fairfax. Frequently it was “forward and back,” -sometimes “forward all,” and occasionally “back to back.” Generals -Meade and Lee called the figures, and we danced to the music of -artillery and rifles. There was in fact no fun in all this; the -campaigning was severe, and some of the engagements were marked by -sharp fighting, but the campaign was mainly one of manœuvres. - -Sunday morning, November 29th, found our corps in position, in the -centre of the line of battle at Mine Run, with orders to be ready to -charge the enemy’s works at a given hour, when a signal gun was to be -fired. There the two great armies of Virginia were brought face to -face, each occupying a strong natural position, about a mile apart, -with a deep valley between, through which passed a small stream called -Mine Run. - -We have said that each army occupied a strong natural position. The -Confederate army however, had us at a great disadvantage. They knew -it and expressed it by acts which spoke louder than words--coming out -from behind their works by hundreds in the open field, seemingly to -challenge us to charge across the valley, which they knew--and so did -we--would be to many of our number the valley of death. For we had to -charge down the hill across the Run and up the opposite slope, in the -face of a hundred guns, planted so as to sweep the field with grape and -canister the moment we came within range, and thousands of muskets in -the hands of the enemy, who were evidently not only ready, but anxious -to see us storm their position, that they might mow us down like grass. - -Before taking our place in the line we were ordered to remove our -knapsacks and all needless baggage that might interfere with our -movements when the charge was ordered. That was the time that tried our -nerves. The field was before us. The obstacles to be met and overcome -we could see, and with our past experience it was evident to all that -the contemplated movement if executed must involve a fearful sacrifice -of life on our side. For hours we watched, and waited in suspense the -signal that was to open the conflict, and the relief we experienced -when the order to charge was countermanded, can better be imagined than -described. - -At dark we retired a little way from our position in the line of -battle, built our camp fires, cooked our supper, and laid down to rest. -About midnight we were aroused, and falling into line moved to the -right about a mile, where our corps joined the 6th corps which occupied -a position in the woods, and there we formed in line of battle. The -following day will long be remembered by us on account of our bitter -conflict with Jack Frost instead of Johnnie Reb. The day was extremely -cold, freezing the water in our canteens, and although in danger of -freezing ourselves, we were ordered not to build fires, or in any way -make ourselves conspicuous, for we were within range of the enemy’s -guns. Our situation was one of exposure and peril, for if we obeyed -orders we were sure to perish with the cold, and if we disobeyed, as -sure to draw the enemy’s fire, with the risk of losing life or limb. -We took the latter risk--built fires by which to warm ourselves, or -chased each other in a circle around a tree or stump to keep our blood -in circulation and our limbs from freezing. And when a solid shot or a -fragment of a shell came whizzing through the woods where we lay, we -hugged the ground more closely, or sought the shelter of some rock or -stump or tree, until the firing ceased, then resumed our exercise, or -gathered around the fire again to cook our coffee, warm ourselves, and -make another target for the enemy. - -Thus for three days and nights the two great armies of Virginia menaced -each other across the valley of Mine Run. At last the movement was -abandoned and the campaign ended by the withdrawal of our army to the -north of the Rappahannock, and two days afterward we found ourselves in -what proved to be our winter quarters at Liberty. - -While in winter quarters we had the pleasure of seeing several ladies -about the cantonments, among them Mrs. Faxon, the young wife of our -surgeon, whose experience and memories of the time it may be better to -render in the first person. - - - - -XIII. - -_A LADY AT WINTER QUARTERS._ - - -Early in the winter of 1864, the 32d was in winter cantonments at -Liberty, near Bealton Station, on the Orange & Alexandria railroad. -Of course somebody must have commanded the army, but whoever he was, -he never called upon me, and is of no consequence to my story. My -orders to join came from an officer much more important in my eyes--the -surgeon of the 32d, who, queerly enough, was also my husband. - -After all manner of experiences I arrived at Bealton Station, a -locality which by daylight appeared to be a quarter-section of Virginia -land and a small, rough, and inconvenient platform of planks; but it -was evening when I arrived--yes, a dark, rainy, December evening. A -shadowy form having the voice of our garrulous quartermaster waited -to welcome me, and by it I was ushered into the damp darkness, out of -which loomed, by and by, the hazy form of an ambulance and two hazy -mules--and then, but beyond and more misty, the upper half of what -seemed to be my husband, and the ears of his horse. Whether I was -sufficiently hearty in my greeting I do not know--I am afraid not, for -all this was not what I had imagined would be my first impressions on -coming within army lines. - -My idea of an army was made up of brilliant sights and stirring sounds. -Nice clean flags--bright-buttoned uniforms--flying horses and full -bands of music, were essential parts of the picture which my fancy had -painted, and here was nothing but wet and darkness and mud. Through -mud a foot deep, the creaking of the vehicle and “soh” of the feet of -the wading mules, only breaking the moist silence--I was driven to -the mansion in which my husband was quartered, and which was to be my -home for the winter. Out of all this dreariness, however, I stepped -into the cheerful light of glowing windows, and was welcomed to a -most hospitable wood fire, in front of which was a table set out with -a smoking supper of tempting odor--and my surgeon appeared no longer -misty and uncorporeal, but solid humanity, and looking really quite -bright in the eyes, and happy in my coming. - -The hearty welcome, the bright light, and the cheering warmth soon -obliterated all memory of the weary journey and the dismal night. -The fatted chicken had been killed for me, and was served with hot -potatoes, corn-bread, tea, and cold meat. A bright little negro girl -waited upon me, and it added to the pleasant novelty of my position to -be served by a piece even so small of the “peculiar institution.” - -The “mansion” consisted of four rooms, the two on the lower floor -separated by a hall; the kitchen was a small building across the -yard--earth floored--and it was not only kitchen but bed-room for the -black servants, who, however, did not seem to use any beds. But all -this I did not learn until daylight came again, and the drums, fifes, -and bugles bursting out into reveille woke me amid dreams of home-life -to the consciousness of my surroundings. Listening to that stirring -music (how exhilarating even now is the bare memory of the reveille) -and looking out from my window upon the camp of our Regiment and of -many other regiments, seeing everywhere the signs of real service, I -was more than satisfied, and no longer bewailed the absence of my ideal -army. - -This winter was one of halcyon days to me. Accustomed to the rigors -of a Northern winter, the many bright warm days of the season, in -Virginia, were peculiarly enjoyable. The country had been stripped -of fences, and our horseback rides were limited only by our picket -lines. Now we walked our horses through the woods, the dry underbrush -crackling beneath their hoofs--now cantered freely over some wide -expanse of old fields,--reining up to pass some ugly bit of corduroy -road, or to ford a full water-course. In the foreground might be a -“mansion,” occupied by some general officer as his headquarters, or -a group of negro huts still tenanted by blacks of all ages. In the -distance the high hills of the Blue Ridge, and perhaps between, in the -middle distance, picturesque camps of artillery, cavalry, or infantry. - -A few of the houses were still occupied by the families of their -owners, among whom we made acquaintances; the able-bodied men were all -“away,” the women said; where,--they never told. - -Besides our almost daily rides, we paid and received visits, and -exchanged rather limited hospitalities. Quartermaster Hoyt entertained -us frequently, and although his _piece de résistance_ was invariably a -dish of fish balls, yet having a cook who knew how to make good ones, -his fare always seemed sumptuous. Once we dined with Colonel Prescott, -who flared out with a joint of roast beef, but this was exceptional -grandeur. - -Our quarters became quite the evening resort for officers of the 32d, -and the few ladies who were there, and the hours passed pleasantly away -with chat and games and jokes and stories. I could not then with any -success assume a matronly role, and sometimes perhaps actually enjoyed -the practical jokes which abounded in the camp. Then, too, where ladies -are but few, they certainly are better appreciated than in the crowded -halls of fashion, and it was pleasant (for I am human and woman) to be -the attraction in a circle of young and brave men. - -Please don’t anybody think that my time was entirely taken up with -pleasures or trifling occupations. Even doctors need all manner of work -done for them by their wives--there were some housekeeping cares, and -the regimental hospital was none the worse for having a woman’s eye -over it. My first experience in dressmaking was in behalf of Mrs. O., -a native neighbor, who had been useful, and possibly earned a trifle by -mending for officers and men. To be sure when it was done it appeared -that I had made the back of the basque all in one piece, without any -seam, but that may be the fashion some day. No, I was not idle, and all -days were not bright and happy, but the bright ones linger longest in -my memory. - -I did, once in a while, wish that in my peaceful life there might be -mingled, just for seasoning, a trifle of real war; but one evening, -when we were attending a dance over at the spacious log camp of -Martin’s battery, there came an orderly all splashed with mud, with -news that a raiding party of the enemy was close at hand, and the party -scattered, infantry officers hurrying back to their regiments, and all -to their posts. The brass guns, which, decked in fresh evergreen, had -formed quite a striking decoration to the temporary ball-room, were -hustled away into position. The voices which had been saying pretty -things to us changed to tones of command, hardly softening to tell -us that safety forbade our return to quarters. Some sort of a hole -was prepared for our safe-keeping in case of attack, but when all -was quiet, beds were made in the log house assigned to us ladies, of -boughs laid on raised boards, on which we slept soundly until daylight -came, when the alarm was over, and it was safe for us to ride home. It -was very nice for once, but my ambition for stirring scenes was fully -satisfied. - -Late in the season there was quite a grand ball, and on St. Patrick’s -day a merry party gathered to witness the games, races, and sports -which had been organized by the officers of the 9th Massachusetts -Regiment in honor of the festival. This was the height of the winter’s -gaiety; with the milder air of spring, we non-combatants must flit away -to our homes, and leave our soldiers alone to meet the stern realities -of the coming campaign. - -But there were stern realities too, for us at home, as we waited, -sometimes in dread, because we heard nothing, and yet again trembling -for fear that we should hear a more dread _something_--trying even, -while oppressed thus with terror and anxiety, to compose cheerful -letters to the dear ones out of sight under the war-cloud. Is it -wonderful that we welcomed with something of a weird satisfaction every -call in behalf of the soldiers for our time, our labor, and our energy, -or that we plunged into the work of our own sphere with a certain -reckless desire to drown out in stirring occupation, the care and -anxiety which haunted each idle hour. - -Can anyone realize in these peaceful days what was one of the chief of -women’s sorrows then--that very often that which was the cause of their -deepest grief and affliction, might be the occasion for public and -general rejoicing, and that the wife of yesterday, the widow of today, -must don her weeds of mourning at the moment when the country clad -itself in gay bunting, and threw rockets to the sky for very joy that -out of bloodshed there had come victory. - - - - -XIV. - -_AT LIBERTY._ - - -During the winter of 1863-4, the portion of the Army of the Potomac -which included our Regiment was encamped in a position to defend the -railroad between Bealton and Warrenton, from attacks by guerillas, and -the camp of the 32d was in close proximity to the village of Liberty, a -very small place whose name meant, before the war, liberty to the white -man only, and but for the “little unpleasantness” and its results, the -name would have had no significance to men of color. - -Liberty proved to be an agreeable camp for the 32d, for their rows of -tented dwellings were pitched on a pleasant wooded slope where the -ground was dry, with good drainage, an abundant supply of water near at -hand, and soil less inclined to mud than in the greater part of the old -Commonwealth of Virginia. - -The picket duty was severe, as at this point there was a thoroughfare -leading directly into the country of the enemy, and a railroad bridge, -the loss of which would cause great annoyance to our own army by -interrupting our line of communication, and cutting off one portion -from its base of supply. But there was much to enliven us and break -the monotony of camp life. - -It was a little past midnight on the evening of the dance which was so -rudely interrupted, that the long roll was sounded and, in scarcely -more time than is necessary to write it, the Regiment was under arms -and deployed in various directions for the protection of the camp. The -disturbance was caused by a squad of rebel cavalry who had forced the -picket line at a weak point, their presumable object being a raid on -the United States paymaster, who came into camp that night to payoff -the brigade; but the yankee soldier generally keeps picket with eyes -and ears open, and whoever would cross his beat must have a feather -tread. The paymaster (the late Major Holman), although the object of -the attack, slept quietly through the whole uproar, and did not wake -until morning. Apparently his safe might have been stolen and carried -off without his being aware of it. We were out about two hours, when -the enemy having been driven beyond our lines, we were sent back to our -quarters. - -An amusing incident occurred here one dark night which created quite -a sensation on the picket line, at that time under command of Captain -Farnsworth. Going the rounds at two o’clock A. M., posts eight, nine, -and ten were found on the _qui vive_. They were stationed in the edge -of a wood, where just across a narrow strip of grass-land there was -another belt of forest. For some little time they had heard footsteps -and other sounds which led them to believe that their posts were being -reconnoitered by the enemy. After waiting some minutes and leaving -orders that no aggressive movement should be made, but that in case any -party should be seen to leave the opposite wood, the sentinels should -order “halt,” and if not obeyed should fire, the captain passed on his -tour of inspection. Before the round was completed he heard a shot from -this direction, succeeded by perfect quiet, and when again at post nine -the sentinel reported that he had done as directed, that some object -had, in spite of his challenge, continued to approach, that he had -fired and dropped the intruder, who or which, upon examination, proved -to be a _mule_. Well, he ought to have halted. - -It was from this camp that a night expedition was sent after deserters. -Outside our lines, at distances varying from two to four miles, were -several dwelling houses occupied by families for whose protection it -was common to billet a man on the premises as a “safeguard.” Such men -were not subject to capture on this neutral ground, and their posts -were very desirable, as they were well cared for by those under their -guardianship, and had little to do, plenty of leisure, and often -very pleasant society. But there were troubles connected with such -arrangements. The men in camp hearing of the attractions of these -places so near at hand where coffee, salt, and other supplies were -exceeding scarce, and where gifts of them were acknowledged by various -favors--were tempted to slip over the lines, each with little parcels -saved from his abundant rations, supplemented, perhaps, with a spare -jackknife and a few needles, to seek adventures among the natives. The -fact that they ran the risk of capture and imprisonment probably added -zest to such escapades, but was of itself a good reason why they should -be prevented. In fact, it was within this very territory that Major -Edmunds and his orderly were captured. - -At the roll call at retreat, March 31st, 1864, it appeared that several -men were “unaccounted for,” and there was little doubt as to the -cause of their absence. The colonel, who had previously considered -the propriety of some action on his part, was now at the end of his -patience, and determined to put a check upon the practice. Sending for -an officer who was at that time serving on a general court martial, and -consequently not considered “for duty” in the Regiment, he told him of -his wishes and offered him the command of the detachment which should -make a detour through a portion of the neutral territory, and search -for and, if possible, capture the missing men. - -A detail of twenty-eight men was finally made from nearly twice that -number who volunteered for the duty. Included in this number was one -man who had been on safeguard duty in the neighborhood that we proposed -to visit, and who could act as a guide to the party. - -The party were in light marching order, each man with a day’s rations -and forty rounds of ammunition in the cartridge boxes, and it left camp -an hour and a half before midnight, at which hour it was intended -to reach the house of Colonel N----. The path was a narrow forest -roadway, and for the greater part of the distance led through what -was known as the “three-mile wood.” The night was moonless and very -dark, and the detachment filed on, mile after mile, always on the -alert and suspicious of every sound, until at last, and in good time, -they reached the cleared land about Colonel N.’s “palatial mansion.” -Deploying an advance guard they proceeded with the utmost caution to -surround the house, and but for the dogs, who challenged loudly, the -purpose would have been readily accomplished; but the inmates were -speedily astir, alarmed by the baying of the hounds, and lights danced -about from window to window. Whether rebel soldiers were among the -occupants or not could not be told, but soon men came out at the doors, -and their footsteps could be heard as they ran, but no one could see -ten feet away to distinguish a man from a tree. - -Orders had been given not to fire without command, and to give chase -in the darkness would risk the loss of men without any good result. -The party therefore went on cautiously to surround the house, and men -were posted in such manner as to command all approaches to the mansion, -with orders to halt and arrest whoever attempted to enter or to leave. -After these guards were posted, the remainder, under a sergeant, were -marched away for a half mile up the road, making considerable noise as -they went, and then halted to await orders. In the meantime the squad -about the house was kept quiet in the darkness, out of the way of any -light from the windows. After ten minutes had elapsed the door of the -mansion was opened and some one looked out, thinking, no doubt, that -the disturbers were well away. Then, as if the door opening had been -a signal, the sound of footsteps was heard approaching slowly through -the dry leaves and twigs in the woods; then a whispered conversation, -and again the steps approached. A moment later two men came on, until, -when within five feet of the commander, they were halted with the -order, “Surrender, or I fire.” At first they turned, evidently with the -intention of escaping, but changed their minds, saying, “Don’t fire, we -surrender.” These proved to be two of the men of whom the expedition -was in search. They had been in the house, and had started at the -alarm, thinking that the troops were from the rebel lines; had waited -until, as they supposed, the detachment had passed on its way, and then -were going back to the house. Leaving these men under guard the house -itself was summoned. The door being opened by a woman, and the lady of -the house called for, four of the party entered and were referred to a -beautiful and accomplished young lady of perhaps twenty years. Miss N. -received them courteously, but declared upon her honor that no men from -our camp had been in the house that day or evening. She was informed as -politely as possible that there was an error in this statement--that -two such men had already been secured, and that search would be made -for more. This resulted in the arrest of a third man, and having bagged -him and apologized for the disturbance that had been caused, the party -moved away. - -“While life lasts,” says the captain, who commanded, “I shall not -forget the flash of the young lady’s eyes when I questioned her -assertion. I have often thought that if every southern soldier had -to look for approval or disapproval into such a pair of eyes, it was -no wonder victory often perched on their banners when the odds were -against them.” - -At half past two in the morning the party was back again in camp with -three prisoners, and found that two others who ran from the house had -returned of their own accord. All of these were of course technically -deserters, but none were severely punished. The result of this -expedition was to put a stop to a practice by means of which valuable -information, no doubt, reached the enemy. - - - - -XV. - -_OUT ON PICKET._ - - -Picket duty may be the most agreeable or it may be the most -disagreeable of all the duties of a soldier, but it is always an -important, and is often a dangerous one. - -Picket-guards are formed by details on orders from headquarters. -Sometimes the guard will include the entire regiment, or details -from several regiments, but if the orders are from the battalion -headquarters, it is usually composed of detachments from several -companies. The officers are detailed from the adjutant’s roster and the -designation of the enlisted men from each company devolves upon the -first or orderly sergeants. The officers, non-commissioned officers and -men, are supposed to be taken for duty in rotation, and woe befall the -unfortunate orderly who designates one of the confirmed growlers out -of what he considers his turn, as laid down on his own time-table, and -many are the threats heaped on the head of the sergeants, which happily -are never executed. - -Under command of the ranking officer, the detachment is marched out -and posted to guard the line assigned to its protection--usually there -is merely a chain of sentinels who are relieved at regular intervals -of time from the main body; but sometimes, and always in the case of -detached outposts, the men are divided into groups of three or more, -under the supervision of the non-commissioned officers of the guard, -while the commander of the whole line establishes reserves at points -convenient for reinforcing it in case of need, and assigns to the -subalterns the command of various portions. - -Relieved from the wearisome round of camp duties and parades, and -placed where each man has his own responsibilities, and must exercise -his own judgment, picket duty often becomes an acceptable change, both -for officers and men. In the warm season the men make a sort of picnic -of their tour, and out on the front edge of the occupying army they can -frequently obtain articles of food, which, although common enough in -civil life, are real luxuries to those who have been limited in their -diet to the rations issued in the army. They bask in the sunshine, -or loiter in the shade--and when it is their turn for repose, the -jackknives are busy and the chat is lively. - -Sometimes our picket-line would be on a river, the opposite bank of -which was guarded by the enemy, and there would be times of unofficial -truce when we traded over the stream coffee for tobacco, etc., and when -we even made visits to each other, and talked as freely as if we might -not at a moment’s notice be enemies again. - -But it is one of the unfortunate facts in a soldier’s life, that -picket duty is not confined to quiet times or pleasant weather. The -growlers usually maintained that it was always stormy when they were -out on picket, and in three winters that we dwelt in tents within the -boundaries of Virginia, there were many rough times on the picket lines -when the rain poured down continuously, saturating the ground, clinging -to the grass in the open, and to the undergrowth in the forests, and -streaming down from the boughs--wet, wet--water, water, everywhere; on -the ground where we slept, on the stone or log which was the only seat; -dribbling through a corner of the tent, usually down the neck of its -occupant, or making a little rill off one’s overcoat and into one’s -boot top. - -Or perhaps it was snow or sleet that stung our faces and chilled us to -the marrow; or perhaps, worst of all, the clear cold of winter which -our little picket fires, when they were permitted, did but little to -overcome. - -There was one occasion while we were at Liberty, on which we were -indulged with all of these in turn. It was early in the spring of ‘64, -the day had been warm and rainy, unseasonably warm and quite seasonably -rainy, the rain continuing into the night and the wind rising to a -gale that made all manner of noises in the wood in which our line -was posted. The men all soaked through, had hard work to keep their -ammunition dry and their rifles in condition for use, and all of us, -uncomfortable as mortals could be, feeling as if the night would never -pass and morning never come, wished more heartily than ever “that this -cruel war was over,” that we might have a chance to get in out of the -rain. - -All of a sudden the wind shifted to the northwest, and we had first -hail, then snow, and finally clear cold weather, the gale all the time -continuing; the men themselves, almost chilled to icicles, were soon -clothed in armor of ice, which cracked and rustled as they tramped -along their beat, beneath a clear sky and stars that shone with winter -brilliancy. - -The morning came at last, and with the rising sun there was exhibited -one of those marvels of beauty which can come only from such a -preparation. Every twig and branch of tree or shrub, and every spear of -grass or tuft of herbage clad in a coating of ice, blazed with the hue -of the rainbow. The trees in the forest seemed loaded with jewels, and -the meadows were strewn with them. - -But the power of the spring sunshine dissolved the gorgeous display, -and thawed out the sentinels from their encasements of ice; the wind -ceased, the mildness of the balmy Southern spring returned, and soon -from every man a cloud of steam rose in the quiet air, and as their -clothing dried and their bodies warmed, the spirits of the men thawed -out, and they who, in the previous twenty-four hours, had passed -through various stages of discomfort, were cheerily chaffing one -another as they made their breakfast of hot coffee and soaked cakes -of what had once been hard-tack, and very likely wrote home the next -day about the charms of the Southern climate, which gave them such -delicious spring weather in what was at home the winter month of March. - -Whether it is summer or winter, hot or cold, sunshine or rain, day or -night, and however peaceful or stormy the scene may be, the picket -guard must keep their eyes open and their powder dry. Constituting the -outposts of an army which trusts to them, they must be always alert -against surprise. And although we may have been accustomed for weeks to -exchange friendly civilities with the pickets over the river, the time -would come when each would do his best to kill the other. When some -change was contemplated, or some movement began which it was desirable -to conceal from our adversary, orders would be sent to the pickets to -open fire on those of the enemy. - -Such orders were of course first notified to the other side, and no -advantage was taken by either of existing truce relations. After that -warning, whoever showed out of cover was a target for the enemy’s -picket, and frequently no fires were allowed, because the light or -smoke would aid the aim of the foe. - -If the movement was a direct advance from our front, the first order -would be announced by shouts of “Look out, Johnnie, we’re coming,” and -some shots sent purposely in the air, and then came the driving in of -the enemy’s pickets. - -Or possibly the boot was on the other leg and it was we that were -driven in, in which case it was our duty to cause all possible delay -to the attacking force. The reserves were added to the line, and as we -fell back the whole would be relieved by other troops sent forward at -the alarm and interposed between us and the rebels, whereupon we were -marched to join our respective regiments and companies. - -Sometimes it is desirable to capture some men from the pickets of the -opposing army, in order or in hopes of obtaining information, and -sometimes a picket is captured for a lark, or because of a favorable -chance--a chance which generally implies neglect of duty on the part of -the captured men. - -In one instance an outpost party of five men, believing themselves -to be at a safe distance from the enemy, ventured to indulge in the -luxury of a game of cards, for which purpose they placed their arms in -a stack, and soon became deeply interested in the game, from which they -were aroused by a summons to surrender. Upon looking up they discovered -a single man of the enemy, standing between them and the stack, his -rifle trained on the group, and himself so posted as that he could -supply himself with their rifles after discharging his own. Thus he -could put two or three of his opponents _hors de combat_, while, all -unarmed, they could not possibly harm him; and so the five surrendered -to the one, who marched them before him to his own lines. - -When things were lively on the picket lines and the men alert, it was -wearing business. The strain of constant watchfulness, especially at -night, peering into the gloom and imagining that you see forms or -hear movements--the knowledge that your own life may depend upon the -keenness of your vision--the fear of mistaking friend for foe--the need -of quick intelligence and rapid reasoning--all make up an exhausting -kind of duty. - -At one such time, one of our officers, a brave fellow, but one whose -experience of picket duty was insufficient, thinking to ascertain the -origin of suspicious sounds outside our lines, went out on a scout, -expecting to return at the point where he left, but mistaking his way -in the night, he came upon our chain of pickets at another post which -he had neglected to warn of his doings. As he continued to approach -when challenged, the sentinel fired, and next day among the casualties -reported was, “One officer wounded on the picket line, arm, severely.” -No one was to blame but himself. - -That same night the men, nervous from the frequent firing along the -line, one of the posts became aware of the sound of steps out in the -bush field on their front, evidently approaching nearer and nearer; -then one of the men could see what seemed to be a man crouching near -the earth and creeping through the brush with frequent hesitation; -finally the sentinel challenged, and receiving no reply, fired. The -crack of his rifle was followed by the agonizing grunts and dying -squeals of a stray Southern porker who had yielded up his life for the -lost cause. - -It may be that accidents of this last type were more frequent than was -necessary (there were three pigs killed that night), but vigilance on -the part of the guards is always praiseworthy, and the orders against -marauding could not apply to such a case, even if the result was a good -supply of fresh pork-chops along the picket lines next day. - - - - -XVI. - -_ON FURLOUGH._ - - -In the winter of 1863-4, the great majority of the men of the 32d -reënlisted for a term of three years, under an order which in such -cases gave the entire reënlisting body a furlough of thirty days. It -was only after much struggling with bumbledom that everything was -smoothed out and the furlough granted, so that the Regiment could -return as one body. - -Leaving the camp and the remainder of the men under command of Captain -Fuller of Company C, the Regiment left for Massachusetts to enjoy its -vacation. It was a little before noon on Sunday, the 17th of January, -1864, a bright and mild winter day, that we arrived in Boston, and our -first impression upon arrival was that all the people of Boston were -gathered about the Old Colony station, but there were enough of them -left to line the whole route through the city, as we marched first -to the State House to pay our respects to Governor Andrew, and as we -moved thence to Faneuil Hall, where a bounteous collation awaited us. -Notwithstanding the day the troops were saluted along the line by the -cheers of the people, and the salvos of artillery. - -At Faneuil Hall, after all had been satisfied with the repast, Governor -Andrew arose to address them and was greeted with hearty cheers. He -spoke in substance as follows: - - _Soldiers_:--In the name and in behalf of the Commonwealth and - of the people of Massachusetts, I greet your return once more - to your homes and to the soil of the venerable Bay State. The - cordial voices of the people who have welcomed your procession - through the streets of Boston, these waving banners, these - booming cannon breaking the stillness of our Sabbath day - with voices echoing the sounds of battle--all, all bid you - welcome--welcome home. The grateful hospitality of Boston - beneath the venerable arches of Faneuil Hall welcomes you. Our - hearts, speaking the eloquence of affection, admiration, and - pride no words of mortal lips can utter, with beating throbs - bid you welcome. Hail then, soldiers of our cause, returning - for brief relaxation from the toils, the conflicts, the perils - of war, hail to your homes. Here let the war-worn soldier-boy - rest for a while, and rejuvenate his spirits, refresh his - heart, and re-erect his frame. Here, too, I trust, shall your - ranks be filled by fresh recruits of brave and patriotic - hearts, imitating your zeal, vying with your courage, and - following your example. I cannot, soldiers of the Union Army, - by words, by eloquence of speech, in fitting measure repeat - your praise. This battle flag, riddled with shot and torn with - shell, is more eloquent than human voice, more speaking than - language, more inspiring, more pathetic than music or song. - This banner tells what you have done; it reveals what you have - borne. And it shall be preserved so long as the last thread - remains, so long as time shall leave a splinter of its staff--a - memorial of your heroism, your patriotism and your valor. - - While I greet the return of these brave and stalwart men to - the homes of Massachusetts, I remember those comrades in arms - whose forms you have left behind. Yielding to the shock of - battle, many of those brave soldier-boys to whom, in behalf - of the Commonwealth, I bade farewell some months ago, - fighting for that flag, defending the rights and honor of our - common country, maintaining the liberties of her people, the - traditions of the fathers, and the rights of humanity--have - been laid low. They sleep beneath the sod that covers the rude - grave of the soldier. Oh, rest in peace, ye hero martyrs, until - the resurrection summons shall call you to that other _Home_! - No longer obedient to any earthly voice or any human leader, - you have made your last report, and in the spirit have already - ascended to join the Great Commander! The humblest soldiers - who have given their lives away, will be remembered so long - as our country shall preserve a history. Their fame will be - acknowledged with grateful affection when ten thousand prouder - names shall have been forgot. - - “While thousand as absurd as I, - Cling to their skirts, they still shall fly, - And spring to immortality.” - - I give you praise from the bottom of a grateful heart, in - behalf of a grateful and patriotic people, for all that you - have suffered and for all that you have attempted. And now - on this holy sabbath day, let us remember with the filial - thankfulness of sons, with the devoted piety of Christians, as - well as the exulting confidence of patriots what the _God of - our fathers_ has done for us, from the beginning. Unto _Him_ - and not unto us be all the praise and the glory. Unto Him who - sitteth upon the throne and ruleth the nations let us give - everlasting ascriptions of praise, that through the trials of - many a defeat, through the despondency of many a temporary - repulse, our arms have been conducted to many a triumph, and - our minds to still loftier heights of moral victory. You are - fighting now for the cause of your country, and also--for - Washington used to love to declare he drew his sword--“for the - rights of human nature.” And now let all of us, living men, on - this holy day and on this sacred spot where our fathers were - wont to meet in the dark hours of earlier history--let all of - us living men, consecrate ourselves anew, by the vows of a new - obedience, to our country, to humanity, and to God. - -At the hall the Regiment was dismissed, but only to meet renewed -evidences of cordial hospitality. Company I was entertained the same -day by the civic authorities of Charlestown, and Company K the next day -at Newton. The officers breakfasted with Colonel Parker at the Parker -House on Monday, and on the 16th of February, on the eve of their -return, dined with him at the Revere House, on which latter occasion -Governor Andrew was present and expressed, as no one could do more more -heartily or more genially, his appreciation of the past service of the -Regiment, and his good wishes for their future. - -Besides these there were balls and dinners and entertainments to occupy -all the time that the soldiers were willing to spare from their home -enjoyments, until their departure February 17th, and on the Monday -ensuing the Regiment was again in camp at Liberty, with its new title -of “Veteran,” which the 32d was the first, from Massachusetts, to -assume. - - - - -XVII. - -_THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN._ - - -When one of the many interviewers of President Lincoln introduced the -subject of the election of his successor, the President is reported -to have declared, with his wonted quaintness of expression, that “it -wasn’t a good plan to swap horses while crossing a stream,” by which he -was understood to argue in favor of his own reëlection. - -Unfortunately he limited in practice the force of this pithy saying -to his own office and his own continuance therein. He showed little -hesitation in “swapping” one general for another, and often selected -the middle of a very rapid stream as the place for the swap. - -The last of these changes--that which placed General Grant in command -of all the armies in place of Halleck--was certainly no injury to the -service. Perhaps the greatest mistake of all, in a military point of -view, was that which took General McClellan from the same position. It -was the long-continued service of Lee which made him what he proved to -be--the ablest of the Confederate generals. Such a mistake as he made -in attacking Meade at Gettysburg would, or should have, proved the ruin -of any Union general. - -But at last we had generals who had come to stay, and Grant’s obstinate -pluck, assisted by Meade’s tactical ability, well supported by the -political powers at Washington, were to give us final success. - -April 30th, 1864, we broke camp at Liberty, and with the army led -by our new General-in-Chief Grant, advanced to meet the enemy. The -first day’s march was only five miles. Our division, gathering near -Rappahannock Station, encamped for the night. The next morning we -crossed the river for the fifteenth time, making another short march to -Brandy Station. - -May 3d we marched leisurely to Culpepper (distance six miles), and -halted there several hours. Marched all the night following, crossing -the Rapidan at Germania Ford at eight o’clock in the morning, where we -halted for breakfast. During the day we pushed steadily forward into -the Wilderness, marching till dark, when we bivouacked near Wilderness -Tavern, in close proximity to the enemy. - -May 5th.--Early in the morning we were in line of battle, with orders -to fortify our position. We had an abundance of material with which -to build breastworks, and axes, spades, and picks were freely used by -willing hands. In a few hours we built a formidable line of defense, -behind which we expected to fight, but were disappointed (as we had -often been before) when the order “forward” was sounded. About noon we -advanced, leaving our entrenched position for other troops to occupy. -Our division, which had the honor of opening the campaign, moved -cautiously forward to attack the enemy. Soon we encountered their -skirmishers and drove them back to their lines. As we approached the -enemy the Regiment made quick time in crossing a road along which -poured a shower of grape and canister. Scarcely had we reached the -shelter of the woods on the opposite side of this road when we came -under fire of infantry, who gave us a warm reception, but were pushed -back before our steady advance to their second line, where we engaged -them until dark. - -In this our first engagement in the Wilderness campaign our Regiment -suffered little, owing to the favorable lay of the ground over which we -advanced. We lost none killed, and but thirteen wounded. - -That night we lay on our arms. There was, however, but little chance -for sleep, as we were in the extreme front, and almost within speaking -distance of the enemy. Early the following morning the fighting was -renewed on our right and left, and was then very severe. The rattle -of musketry and the roar of artillery, as it reverberated through the -forest, was terrific. Although we were under the fire of artillery, -with the din of battle thundering in our ears, many of us slept, unable -longer to resist nature’s demand for repose. - -A pine tree standing just in the rear of our line of battle was severed -about midway by a cannon ball, and the top fell to the ground and stood -there erect beside the trunk. - -Towards midnight we were suddenly withdrawn, and after marching (or -rather stumbling) through the woods in the darkness for about a mile, -we halted near where we were on the morning of the 5th. There we laid -down our arms and unconditionally surrendered to an overwhelming -force--“nature’s sweet restorer, balmy sleep.” - -As it was quite dark when we arrived, we did not know that a -twelve-pound battery was in position behind us and only a few rods -distant, until about daylight, when it opened fire and brought us to -our feet in quick time. The occasion was quickly ascertained. The enemy -had assumed the offensive, and was advancing in force against our -works. They were handsomely repulsed, however, and with this exception -we were not disturbed that day. Several times the enemy shelled us, but -being protected by breastworks, we suffered no loss. The line behind -us was less fortunate, several shells exploding there, killing and -wounding a number of men. Thus we passed the third day of the battle of -the Wilderness. - -At night the location of both armies was plainly indicated by blazing -camp-fires, as well as by the cheers of the _Yanks_ and the yells of -the _Rebs_--demonstrations that were intended by each to blind the -other in regard to their contemplated movements. - -About nine o’clock we began our first flank movement towards Richmond. -Neither tongue nor pen would do justice to our experience of night -marches such as this. All night we marched and halted (but halted more -than we marched). We did not often stop to rest, but jogged along at -a snail-like pace. When our column moved we marched route step, arms -at will, and when it halted we came to order arms and leaned upon our -guns, keeping our places in the ranks, so as to be on the alert to -prevent a surprise, ready for any emergency. - -About midnight we had just emerged from the woods and, halting in the -road, stood leaning on our guns. It has been said that soldiers can -sleep while marching. Whether this be so or not, it is certain that at -this time three quarters of the men were three quarters asleep, and the -other quarter more so, as we waited there for the column to start. - -At this moment the troops ahead came suddenly to the front to meet, as -they supposed, an attack of the enemy in ambush, which proved to be -only a squad of stragglers who had stolen away into the bushes by the -roadside, and turned in for a good night’s rest, but had been awakened -at our approach. The sudden alarm created a panic which ran like an -electric flash through the entire column, sweeping the soldiers from -the road as quickly and effectually as though a battalion of cavalry -had charged upon us unawares. Lieutenant-Colonel Stephenson was on his -horse, but availed himself of the momentary halt to drop off into a -gentle slumber. Suddenly he was awakened to find his horse whirling -around and himself apparently alone. - -Our double-quick movement in the dark from the road to cover -effectually awakened us, and we resumed our places in line, to laugh -over our experience and continue our tramp till daylight, when we -halted near Spottsylvania. One would suppose that we needed rest and -sleep by that time, but instead of that our Regiment was ordered to -support a battery, and we remained during the day (Sunday), spending -most of the time fortifying the position. There was considerable -fighting during the day, and at its close we moved to a new line of -battle, which we occupied during the 9th, 10th, and 11th of May. -This was within easy rifle range from the enemy, and being able -only partially to protect ourselves behind the breastworks, several -casualties occurred in the Regiment. - -Sergeant Spalding was hit in the neck by a spent ball, which he -carefully saved. A man by his side was struck in the forehead by a -bullet which knocked off his hat, made an ugly scalp wound, and finally -left him stunned and bleeding; the first symptoms of his revival were a -hand outstretched and a “Good-bye, boys,” to those around him; but he -soon recovered enough to go to the rear for repairs. - -On the morning of the 11th, General Grant sent to Washington that -memorable dispatch which was characteristic of our leader and meant -success, although at a terrible sacrifice of life, limb and treasure: -“We have ended the sixth day of heavy fighting, and expect to fight it -out on this line if it takes all summer.” - -Captain Dana had been on detached service, acting as aide-de-camp to -General Dana, who was in command somewhere out West. Having obtained -a leave of absence of sixty days he returned to the Regiment, which -he joined here in the Wilderness, and resumed command of his company. -Early in the campaign he “captured” a wooden chair from some house as -we passed, which he persistently carried wherever he went. At every -halt the captain brought his chair to the ground and sat himself down -in it comfortably and complacently. In every fight his “private chair,” -as he called it, shared his dangers and rode upon his shoulder. In -one of our scrimmages a rifle shot struck the chair, and the captain -returned, among his casualties that day as wounded, “Private Chair in -the leg--badly.” - -The 12th of May, 1864, is a date never to be forgotten by any of the -32d who were present in the attack on Laurel Hill that day. Brief as -was the action, the loss of the Regiment in proportion to the numbers -engaged, was greater than in any battle of the war. - -That morning found us where we had been for two or three days, in front -of Laurel Hill, and distant hardly more than a quarter of a mile from -the works of the enemy. Between us and them were two swells of land, -which afforded us some protection from the enemy’s missiles. The summit -of one of these was occupied by our pickets, and the other by the -pickets of the rebels. - -About nine o’clock A. M. we received orders to attack the position -of the enemy on Laurel Hill, and the brigade, commanded by Colonel -Prescott, advanced with a rush across the intervening space. - -As the line of battle started, it overran the picket line--dashed down -the little depression in their front, over the next rise of ground, -but at the foot of Laurel Hill the men, whose momentum had carried -them thus far, faltered under the terrible fire, and laid down within -a short distance of the enemy’s line of works. Here the ground did not -cover the left of the Regiment, and while Colonel Stephenson was trying -to draw his left under shelter, he saw that the regiment on his right -had broken and was falling back in great disorder, and at once ordered -the men to save themselves. - -The advance had been disastrous, but as usual the retreat was far -more so. In the 32d five bearers fell before the colors reached the -old position behind our works; of the 190 men who advanced in the -regimental line, 103 were killed or wounded, and from the time that -they left the works until the remnant had returned, less than thirty -minutes had elapsed. Among our wounded were Lieutenants Lauriat, -Hudson, and Farnsworth, Adjutant Kingsbury, and Captains Bancroft and -Hamilton; the latter of whom died two months later of his wounds. - -From that day until the 23d, the Regiment was almost constantly in -position in front of the enemy at Spottsylvania Court House and other -localities, the service varied by repeated change of location all in -the direction of the left, the building of new breastworks, picket -duty, etc. - -At the commencement of the war, the shovel was derided by a -considerable portion of the people of the North, and even by the -inexperienced and over-reckless men in the army, but the soldiers of -the Army of the Potomac learned from experience the value and advantage -of the utensil. After long and weary marches, the tired soldiers, if -placed in positions confronting the enemy, would almost invariably, -and often without orders, throw up earthworks before they wrapped -themselves in their blankets for sleep. - -On the morning of the 23d we resumed our march in the direction of the -North Anna River, Crawford’s division of our corps, which was composed -almost entirely of Pennsylvania troops, taking the advance. - -Our destination was Jericho Ford on the North Anna. When within a -mile or two of the ford, at a fork in the road, General Crawford by -mistake took the wrong way, and had advanced some distance in that -direction before his error was discovered. Without waiting for that -division to countermarch, General Warren, our corps commander, directed -General Griffin with his division to cross the ford. Our brigade -took the advance and forded the stream, which was about four feet -deep. Reforming at once upon a plain, the brigade advanced in line of -battle into a piece of woods, preceded by the 22d Massachusetts as -skirmishers, under the command of Major Burt, one of the most skilful -officers in command of a skirmish line in the army. We had barely -entered the woods when our skirmishers drew the fire from the enemy’s -picket line, and the bullets came whistling over our heads quite -freely. - -The enemy soon fell back, and after gaining some ground we were -directed to fell trees and erect another line of works. The men worked -with great zeal, but had not finished when the enemy came upon us in -full force, General Hill’s corps essaying to drive us from our position -into the river. The attack fell upon our division, which received -the impetuous charge with a steady fire, and the enemy retired. Yet, -notwithstanding the merciless reception which was given them, the -Confederates pushed forward again about 5 P. M., and finally the -line of the 9th Massachusetts broke under the pressure, rendering -our position critical. The enemy poured through the interval, thus -endangering our whole line; but their headlong course was checked by -a well-directed fire from a battery hastily placed in position, and -served under the eye of General Warren. - -Unable to sustain this raking fire of canister, the Confederates gave -way, and our line was reformed and strengthened. During this time -the 32d, which formed the left flank of our battle line, maintained -a continuous fire, the men loading and discharging their rifles with -great rapidity. It is impossible to tell how long this action was in -progress, as in the excitement of battle one can make but little note -of the passage of time, but after a sharp, quick struggle, which seemed -to last but a few minutes, and yet probably consumed more than an -hour’s time, the enemy withdrew, baffled in his attempt to force our -position. - -If such a thing could well be, this was the most enjoyable fight in -which we participated during the pounding process we were obliged to -undergo from the Wilderness to Petersburg. It was the only engagement -in which we had the advantage of remaining under the cover of our works -and receiving the attack of the enemy. In every other action during -this campaign these conditions were reversed, and our comparatively -trifling loss demonstrated the disadvantage under which we had -habitually been placed. - -This engagement proved that the enemy was on our front in force, that -he had again divined his adversary’s plan of flanking his army, and -that any further advance in this direction must be gained by hard -fighting. We remained in our position during the night, receiving no -further annoyance from the enemy. The next day we were moved to the -right, and on the 25th again moved a short distance in the direction -of Hanover Junction, where we threw up works and did picket duty until -nightfall of the 26th, when we received orders to retire, which we did -silently, leaving our pickets to face the enemy until the army had -recrossed the North Anna. Our division crossed at Quarles’ Ford, and -marched all night and the next day in the direction of the Pamunkey -River. - -After leaving the North Anna our next encounter with the enemy was in -the vicinity of Mechanicsville. On the morning of the 30th our brigade -advanced in line of battle through the Tolopotomy Swamp, driving the -enemy’s skirmish line, which made but little resistance, until we -came to open fields around Shady Grove Church, where we found him in -force, protected by earthworks. This advance through the woods was very -toilsome; briars, fallen trees, and similar obstructions impeding our -progress, made it difficult to preserve the line of battle. Many of -the men were badly shod; some had no covering for the feet, yet were -compelled to march over briars and stumps which abounded. - -The men had started on the campaign well provided with shoes--not new, -perhaps, but in good condition--and twenty-five days’ constant service, -in rain and sun, dust and mud, had left them in a pitiable condition. -Yet there was no help for it, no supplies upon which to draw, for it -was the 6th of June before we saw our baggage and supply trains. During -this period of thirty days, neither men nor officers could obtain any -change of clothing; the best that could be done was to catch a few -hours, while at rest, for washing, wait for the sun to do the drying, -and meantime go without. - -During the afternoon there was considerable desultory firing, and our -loss for the day amounted to twenty-one killed or wounded, among them -Lieutenant George W. Bibby, killed. - -About midnight we were relieved by a brigade of the 9th Corps, and went -into camp. June 1st and 2d we were in the reserve, but on the 3d were -aroused before daybreak to take part in the battle of Cold Harbor. - -Our part consisted of a charge across an open field under a severe -fire of grape and canister. We drove the enemy out of one line of -earthworks and into another, where he made a stand. The real battle -of Cold Harbor, probably, did not occupy more than twenty minutes. It -was the same along the whole line as with us--a rapid charge under a -galling fire from the enemy, who, protected by earthworks of great -strength, easily repelled our attacks. Our brigade was, perhaps, as -successful as any, for we did drive the enemy from his most advanced -position, but he retired to one of greater strength. This attack was -made before five o’clock in the morning. During the remainder of the -day we laid quiet, within the redoubt we had captured, the enemy -occupying his interior line not more than two hundred yards away. We -kept up a constant fire, watching for every man who had the courage to -show himself, thus hindering as far as was possible the working of the -Confederate guns. The defences on our front were well constructed, and -evidently laid out under the supervision of an experienced engineer. -Indeed we learned from a prisoner that they were begun two weeks before -we reached the place, by order of General Lee, who, it appears, foresaw -that General Grant would necessarily be brought to this point if he -continued “to fight it out on that line.” - -Between the lines of works occupied by our brigade and the enemy, the -ground was covered with pine-trees felled and slashed across each -other, making the passage through exceedingly difficult for troops, -even had they been unopposed. But, in addition, the enemy had posted a -battery in such a position that he could sweep the field with the fire -of his guns, from which there was no shelter. - -In view of all this we were not much elated when we received an -order that at six o’clock P. M. we were to attack the enemy in our -front, without regard to the movements of the troops on either flank. -Lieutenant-Colonel Stephenson, believing that, under the circumstances, -the movement could not be successful, sent to General Griffin, the -division commander, a description and sketch of the position of the -enemy and the ground before us, whereupon the order was so changed -that we were not to advance until the 9th Corps, which joined our -right, should move. It can be imagined how anxiously we watched the -movements of the 9th, but the hour came, and the artillery signal for -the charge was unnoticed by the troops on our right, who did not budge, -and we were glad indeed when darkness came on and we knew that we had, -at least for the time, escaped the terrible ordeal we had expected. -We know now that the order to charge was given to the commanders of -every corps, but was disregarded by every one; feeling that, after the -experiences of the morning, another charge would result in fearful -loss of life, with no effect upon the enemy’s position. Our loss -during the day was ten killed and twenty-one wounded. The loss to the -Union army was over thirteen thousand killed and wounded; that of the -Confederates, less than one thousand. - -For a few days after the battle of Cold Harbor there seemed to be an -intention on the part of General Grant to commence siege operations. -We were then about twelve miles from Richmond, and on the same -ground where, nearly two years before, was fought the action of -Gaines’ Mill--the first of McClellan’s seven days’ battle in 1862. The -prospect of another campaign in the swamps of the Chickahominy was not -attractive, and no regrets were expressed when on the 12th of June, -General Grant abandoned his attempt to attack Richmond directly, and -headed his columns for the James River. - -To cover this change of plan, the 5th Corps crossed the Chickahominy -at Long Bridge, and threatened to force a passage through White Oak -Swamp, but as soon as the rest of the army had crossed the James, we -took up our march southward, and followed to a point a little below -Wilcox Landing, where we were ferried over the river, and on the 16th -the whole army was on the right bank preparing for a new campaign. - - - - -XVIII. - -_THE BOMB PROOFS._ - - -After the long marches of the spring campaign of 1864, through the -Wilderness to Spottsylvania Court House, across the North Anna, through -the Tolopotomy Swamp to Bethesda Church, thence _via_ the Chickahominy, -White Oak Swamp, and Charles City Court House to the James River, -the 32d Regiment crossed the James and marched to a point on the -Norfolk Railroad, about three miles from Petersburg, where, on the -18th of June, they took part in the charge which drove the enemy into -their last line of intrenchments. It was in this action that Colonel -George L. Prescott fell, mortally wounded. While the engagement was -not an entire success, it gave us the vantage ground of the crest of -a hill, which we retained, and whereon we established our line of -entrenchments; and this was the position from which the Burnside mine -was afterwards made and exploded. After this line was established, our -Brigade was ordered to the rear, into camp along the Jerusalem plank -road, where we were held as reserves for special duty; and this was -not, as might be supposed, light duty, for while there we were busy -day and night, building a large earthwork fort, which was named Fort -Prescott in honor of our colonel. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Stephenson, -suffering from his wounds, resigned and left us, to return to civil -life, and Major Edmunds was appointed Colonel, Captain Cunningham, -Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain Shepard, Major. - -On the 12th of July, after being in reserve somewhat over three weeks, -during which we had been called upon twice to reinforce the 2d and 6th -Corps lines, we were ordered into the trenches, and began our life in -the bomb proofs. Our first term of service there extended from July -12th to August 16th, a continuous period of five weeks, and must have -been experienced to be fully realized. - -In order to give the reader an idea of what a bomb proof is, we will -describe the method of its construction. First, a hole is dug in -the ground, which, of necessity, when in front of an active enemy, -must be done under cover of darkness; this hole is perhaps four or -five feet deep, providing the ground is not too wet; then the top -is roofed over with logs of wood held up by cross timbers; then the -earth which has been dug out is thrown over the logs, which makes -the whole comparatively water-tight and proof against solid shot or -shells, such as the enemy seemed to delight in tossing over into our -lines in season and out of season, giving us frequent surprises and -placing some of us _hors du combat_. There were, of course, openings -to these subterranean caverns so that those who were to occupy them -could crawl in and out. The openings were usually not much larger -than was needed for a man comfortably to get in and out, and had an -adjustable log to cover the major portion of the aperture, so arranged -that it could be moved on and off at pleasure. This entrance was -left on the side opposite the enemy, so that direct shots could not -penetrate it, the only danger on that side being from shells exploded -among the bomb proofs casting their fragments through the doorways -into our underground domiciles. This would, after all, occasionally -occur, sometimes arousing a sleeping soldier with a summons to another -world. If one could choose the ground where he would locate such an -underground mansion, he might make it a dry and comfortable abode, and -one that would be comparatively healthy; but the ground assigned to the -32d was a clay soil, rather springy, where in many places two feet of -excavation brought us to water, therefore a part of the domicile had to -be above ground; and this was protected by inclined timbers, built like -a lean-to, with a palisade front to make it proof against the ordinary -shot and shell. - -There were many exciting scenes and occurrences among the bomb proofs. -Occasionally, in the middle of the night, a solid shot or a shell would -come singing through the air and pounce down on one of the huts where -half-a-dozen soldiers were dozing away, and the shock would startle -them so that for a short time they would hardly know whether it was an -earthquake or an attack by the enemy, but finding that the roof had -not fallen in, and seeing no danger at hand, they would usually turn -over and resume their slumbers. - -Within these huts we were obliged to pass our time when off duty and, -as would be naturally expected, they proved a fruitful source of -sickness. - -Many of our men, delirious with malarial fever, were sent from the bomb -proofs to the hospital, where they were dosed, first with a medicine -composed largely of spirits of turpentine, next with strong acids, and -then with quinine and spirituous liquors. If there is anything that -will take the conceit out of a man in a short space of time, it is this -malarial fever when it gets a good hold. It is wonderfully tenacious -in its grip when once it does get hold, leaving the strong man when it -must, but never leaving the weak man while the breath of life remains -in him. - -On Saturday the 30th of July, the Burnside mine as it was called, was -exploded, but the result was hardly what had been hoped and expected. -There was indeed a great panic among the enemy, but the advance -obtained for our lines was inconsiderable, and the fear of similar -incidents was not confined to the rebel troops. Men thought and some -spoke of possible counter-mines, and to the dangers of war which had -become in some degree familiar, there was now added another and an -unpleasant possibility--of an irresistible explosion from beneath; one -which bayonets could not repel, and from which our bomb proofs could -afford no protection. Confined to unhealthy caves when not exposed to -more palpable dangers, deprived of opportunity for wholesome exercise -and limited by the circumstances in the range of our diet, wearied by -excitement and worn down by constant new alarms, it is no wonder that -our numbers decreased nor that men were despondent. - -Scarcely a day passed that some were not killed or wounded, and -sickness was more effective than gunpowder in sending men to the rear -or putting them out of the fight. - -Our second tour of duty in the trenches was from the 1st to the 3d of -September,--but it was in a drier place, and we suffered comparatively -little. - -Five weeks in the bomb proofs depleted the Regiment as much as any -whole campaign in the field had done before, and it was with glad -hearts that we received the order to give place to a relieving force. - -Surgeon Faxon of the 32d was placed in command of the hospital of the -5th corps, near City Point, and when the army had settled down to -the siege of Petersburg, Mrs. Faxon was ordered to the front, and a -description of the hospital and of hospital life from her point of view -will not be uninteresting. - - - - -XIX. - -_OUR CORPS HOSPITAL._ - - -It was a bright, warm, September afternoon in 1864, when the hospital -transport, on which I was a passenger, loosed from the Seventh street -landing in Washington and steamed away down the Potomac and out into -Chesapeake Bay. So long as daylight lasted there were many objects of -interest to occupy my eyes and thoughts, and when night closed in, -finding that sleep would be an impossibility in the stifling heat of -a state-room, I willingly resigned myself to the idea of passing the -night on deck, for the sky was cloudless, and the full moon shone on -the wide expanse of quiet waters. - -The next afternoon we were steaming up the James River, under wooded -banks, by neglected fields, past deserted plantations. Here and there -might be seen some great homestead such as Carter’s, which had escaped -destruction, standing patriarchally among its negro quarters and -numerous outbuildings, but even these few were evidently deserted and -desolate. - -About sunset, having passed Harrison’s Landing, we seemed to be -approaching some great mart of trade, so varied and bustling was the -scene which presented itself to us. Beyond the masts and rigging, and -the smoke stacks and steam of the water craft, were seen groups of -tents, long ranges of whitewashed barracks, log-huts and shanties of -every shape bearing the signs of sutlers and licensed traders. Among -these were moving uniformed soldiers and officers, on foot and mounted, -negroes driving mule teams, negroes leading mules or driving ambulances -drawn by mules, sentries on duty and detachments relieving guard, and -over all flags flying gaily. This was City Point, and such the busy -bustling life of the place which was the base of supplies for the army. - -Landing at a wooden pier, I and my luggage were loaded into an -ambulance. Driving past General Grant’s attractive quarters, by what -must have been pleasant homes, now occupied for army purposes, through -what had been avenues of noble trees, which were now rows of stumps, -two miles over a rough road brought me to the depot hospital of the 5th -corps. - -A broad drive-way led to the headquarters’ tents, in front of which -a sentinel was on duty. Three hospital tents, each 15x17 feet, were -arranged, opening into each other, and furnished as office, parlor, and -bedroom. In front was an arbor-like enclosure made of green reversible -blinds--probably borrowed from some “mansion”--which gave to one inside -an agreeable seclusion. The furniture consisting of sofa, chairs, -tables, mantel, hanging shelves, bureau, wardrobe, and washstand, -was made of soft, unpainted, unvarnished pine of rude construction. -Cushions were made of army blankets, and the bed, with its linen -counterpane and sheets looked tempting. The tents were floored and in -each was an open fire-place with broad hearth-stone, which I hope did -not come from the cemetery near by. - -Dinner, an elaborate meal of several courses, was speedily served in -a neighboring tent, and bore witness to what might be accomplished -by culinary skill, combined with a few pans and a stove, in a space -four feet square. We were hardly seated when, at what proved to be its -accustomed hour, a band commenced to discourse a programme of excellent -music. Thus cheerfully my life on the Appomattox began. - -The broad drive by which I had entered the camp was the street upon -which were quartered all the officers, the assistant surgeons occupying -tents on the same line with ours and on each side. - -At right angles to this were streets formed by the tents of the -patients, nurses, and servants. The central street, directly opposite -the headquarters, was wider than the others, and in the middle of it -was the dispensary. Three tents, 15x17 each, opening one into another, -extended from street to street. In each tent were six beds, by each -of which a little table held basin and towel. Along the front of the -tents were plank walks, and above on a framework of posts and rails -were spread branches of trees to furnish shelter from the sun. Across -the farther end of the streets were the mess tents, seven in number, -supplied with tables, etc., for the meals of the convalescents. Beyond -them was the diet kitchen, five tents, and behind them the quarters of -the cooks. On one border of the hospital camp were the tents for the -nurses (soldiers) and for the Sanitary Commission, and at the opposite -extremity, under a group of persimmon trees, were accommodations -for the military guard of one hundred men. In one corner was the -property room--a log-house in which, carefully arranged, labelled, and -registered, were the effects of those who died, and on the outer limit -were the negro quarters, stables, etc. - -In the rear of our street and parallel to it was another, through which -a railroad track was laid, and there, after a battle, I have seen many -car-loads of wounded men brought in, lying on the floors of rough -cars, into which they had been loaded from the field of action. All -grimy with the heat, dust and wounds of battle, they were placed upon -stretchers, and by the convalescents and nurses were carried to the -dainty beds. They were first washed and put to bed, then supplied with -food and drink, then visited by the surgeons, assistants, and nurses. - -The arrangements for cooking were, of course, upon a very large scale. -Huge coppers were used for boiling, and brick ovens for baking. In one -of the latter three barrels of beans could be cooked for the Sunday -dinner. - -A little Scotch woman, Miss Duncan, was in charge of this diet kitchen, -having a number of men under her direction; no time was frittered -away, a perfect system was maintained, and the men submitted meekly to -her despotic sway. I have seen a six-foot man rush for sand and mop, to -erase an accidental spot of grease before it should be discovered by -her sharp eyes. Everything under her _régime_ was a miracle of neatness -and economy. The pans were kept shining and arranged in regular order -on the shelves, and the store-room was dazzlingly neat. The smallest -number of rations issued from her kitchen was 5,000 per diem, and she -has sent out as many as 15,000 in one day. Nothing was wasted; the -surgeon was bright enough to secure beef of the best quality, and even -hoofs and tails supplied fine jelly and excellent soups, and what could -not be used directly was sent to feed the swine at the piggery. - -The negro camp was filled with families of contrabands who had found -their way within our lines. These were served with rations, and drawn -upon for such assistance as they were competent to give. The women -washed for the hospital, and the men did all sorts of rough work. -Sleeping from ten to thirty in one tent, they lived by day out of -doors, and negroes of all ages and all colors basked in the sun or -hugged the fires, or rolled about in the dirt. Many of the children -came in with only one article of clothing, and that very commonly was a -coffee bag with a hole for the head to go through. One old woman said -that she came in because she had heard that “the champagne was a-goan -to open.” Rough as they fared to our eyes, it was evident they had -never lived in such sybaritic luxury before. - -Every part of the extensive camp was swept daily; neatness was the -order everywhere. The precision and beauty of the routine, and the -exactness which followed discipline, spoiled me for civil life at home -afterward, for I craved that system, punctuality, and order which -cannot be found except under military rule. - -Passing down the walks in front of the patients’ tents, their thin -white faces claimed one’s pity, but there was comfort in seeing here, -within hearing of the droning voice of the cannon and the tearing sound -of musketry, that the victims of the battle found a quiet place to -rest, where, lying in the soft air and bounteous sunlight, carefully -nursed and daintily fed, their wounds might be healed and their ills -abated before they were again to be plunged into the chaos of war. - -In the winter many of the tents were replaced by log houses, and some -of these became charming cottages, having many conveniences. Around my -house was a little garden with a tiny fence, and oats were sown in the -beds to form ornamented borders, in which all the corps badges were -represented. - -But with the spring all this was to disappear; the army moving forward -to final victory, and the _impedimenta_ like myself, going back to -civil or civilized tameness in the cold North. But even now I have but -to shut my eyes as my neighbor, the old army bugler, practices the -calls in the clear winter air, and again returns the memory of those -days. - - - - -XX. - -_ABOUT PETERSBURG._ - - -Such portions of the army as were not stationed in the trenches were -called upon frequently to repel attacks, and occasionally were sent out -on expeditions to destroy railroads, or otherwise to interfere with the -enemy’s supplies, and to weaken his lines. One of these was the action -on the Weldon railroad, August 18th, in which we lost thirteen men. -Another led to the battle of Peeble’s Farm, September 30th, 1864. - -The expeditionary force was composed of the 5th and 9th Corps, and -the movement was as usual off to the left. After marching three miles -our brigade was in front of Fort McRee, and the men were ordered to -lie down in the edge of a piece of woods until the remainder of the -attacking force could be posted. The 32d Massachusetts was directly in -front of the fort, the 4th Michigan on the right, and on the left a -brigade of new troops, which however took no part in the attack. - -It was about three o’clock in the afternoon when the order for the -advance was given, and we moved out into an open field, finding -ourselves, perhaps half a mile distant from the fort and the line of -the breastworks of the enemy. Their batteries opened upon us promptly, -but old soldiers know that it is not the great guns that are most to be -feared, and our line moved steadily on until it came within rifle range -of the rebel works and the small arms began their deadly work; then -the order for double quick was given and the men, sure that the faster -they moved the less was their risk, dashed forward with alacrity and in -a few moments closed upon the lines of the enemy. Colonel Edmands in -this charge was disabled by a wound in his leg below the knee. Colonel -Welch, of the 4th Michigan, while in the act of urging his horse over -the first defences, fell mortally wounded upon the breastworks. - -The first to mount the earthworks was a captain of “ours“; he stood -long enough to swing his sword above his head and shouted “come on -boys, we’ve got ‘em”--then dropped inside closely followed by two other -officers; one of them had jumped the ditch and the other having jumped -into it, scrambled out with the assistance of his men. When these three -officers with one soldier mounted the parapet, its defenders were still -firing, but when they were inside, the fort was captured. Surrounded by -our troops, they knew that if four men could get in in spite of them, -the rest would follow, and soldiers quickly learn to know when the day -is lost and to submit gracefully to the misfortune of war. In the fort -we made forty prisoners, of whom eighteen were officers, and captured -one piece of artillery--minus the horses--which the gunners managed to -cut loose and run away, although not without a struggle. - -As we gained these the first of their works, the enemy retired to his -second line of defences and the prisoners being speedily secured, we -pushed on with the rest to the attack. At the inner line there was some -close work where bayonets and butts of rifles came into use, but there -was no great resistance, for the enemy were badly demoralized and our -chief interest centered in an effort to capture one of their colors. -The bearer was a tall and vigorous man, but one of our comrades, a -gallant young fellow, grappled the bearer and secured the flag. Just -as he turned to escape with his prize, one of the rebels with a musket -tripped our man, who fell, still clinging to the staff, but at the same -moment the stalwart standard-bearer grasped the flag, broke the lance -and bore away his flag, leaving the northman only the wrong end of the -stick. - -After carrying the second line, our division was halted and left -resting on their arms while the 9th Corps passed into the front and -followed the routed forces. They were however soon met by a force which -proved too strong for them, and after a short struggle were in their -turn driven backward, losing all that they had gained and threatening -to cause confusion in the whole line, but our General (Griffin, called -“old Griff” for short) seeing the danger and having unlimited faith in -his command, threw the division into the pathway of the rebels, now -flushed with hope of final victory, and with a few volleys checked -them and turned the tide again; darkness closed upon the fight and the -field was ours. We called the battle that of Peeble’s farm, because it -was fought upon the lands of General and Colonel Peebles, two officers -of the Confederate army. The fort was afterward named Fort Welch in -honor of the gallant Colonel who had baptized it with his blood. - -After the fort was captured and the men disarmed, the fight raged for -a time along the line, and the Confederate prisoners huddled together -under the breastworks for protection from the missiles which were still -uncomfortably numerous, and which they had no further occasion to brave. - -While thus situated, a large number of men of our brigade swarmed in -at the entrance of the fort, and one of their officers, a captain of a -Maine regiment, rushing up to a squad of the prisoners, pistol in hand, -fired, shooting one of them in the head. It is charitable to presume -that the captain was blinded with the excitement of the fight, but he -narrowly escaped a similar fate himself before his brother officers -hurried him away; and it is likely he may never forget the shouts of -opprobrium and the epithets of ignominy which the deed provoked from -the Union men who witnessed his cowardly or reckless act. - -When the battle commenced, and as we moved to the assault, the brigade -of new troops which was posted on our left was deployed to protect that -flank, and no doubt thought that their time had come. The roar of -the battle was in their ears, and the sight of killed and maimed was -before their eyes for the first time, and as is commonly the case with -raw men at such times, they did not set much store on property; and so -finding themselves cumbered with well-crammed knapsacks and new and -heavy overcoats, they threw them off to improve their fighting trim. As -the veterans came out of the fight and saw such wealth scattered about, -no doubt some of them seized the occasion to better themselves, by -exchanging old for new, and for some days afterwards the new men were -apt to claim as their own every new overcoat worn by any of our men; -but in the army the fashions of dress are so similar that it is not -easy to see any difference between one man’s coat and another’s, and so -our Johnny Raws had to put their losses down to the debit of experience -account and draw new clothing for that “lost in battle.” - -The experience of this day was a very cheering one to the troops -engaged; we had had our enemy “on the hip” and kept him trotting, and -we felt that it might be what indeed it proved--the beginning of a -chase which should tire him in the end. - -The 9th Massachusetts Regiment did not reënlist, and when their three -years’ term of service expired, their reënlisted men and late recruits -were transferred to the 32d. On the 26th of October the enlisted men -of the 18th and 22d, whose time of service did not expire with that -of their regiments, were also added to our battalion, increasing -its numbers so largely as to require the organization of two new -companies, L and M, the officers for which were transferred with the -men. Thus the Regiment was now composed of twelve companies, and its -parades exhibited a front which two years before would have been -respectable for a brigade. - -By general orders of October 26th, a reorganization of our division was -effected, by which we were transferred to the third brigade, which was -then composed entirely of veteran regiments. - -On the 6th of December, 1864, we were, as we supposed, established in -winter quarters, on the Jerusalem plank road, in a dry and healthy -location, when orders came for a movement, and we regretfully abandoned -our improvements and took up a line of march along the plank road. - -We marched three miles that afternoon and bivouacked by the wayside. -The next morning, early, we started again toward our destination, of -which we knew nothing, except that our haversack rations meant three -days of absence, and the forty rounds in our cartridge boxes implied -no expectation of big fighting. After marching twelve miles the -command was massed at the bank of the Nottoway River, which we crossed -about midnight and yet moved on. At daylight we were at Sussex Court -House, and at three in the afternoon reached what proved to be our -objective--the line of the Weldon Railroad, five miles from Jarratt’s -Station. - -Here we rested until dark, when the men were ranged out along the -railway and set to work to destroy it. First the rails were removed; -then the sleepers were taken up, piled and fired; when the rails, -laid across the burning ties, were heated so as to be pliable, they -were doubled and twisted in such manner that they could not be relaid -unless rerolled. Then the same operation was repeated on another length -of track until several miles in all were ruined. It was a long day’s -work, and we bivouacked the second night along the road-bed, making our -coffee at the smouldering fires. - -On the 10th we started on the return march, and although it was raining -and very muddy, we made twenty miles that day, reaching a bivouac near -Sussex Court House. The next day we passed over the Nottoway, and -on the 12th reached the Jerusalem road, and went into camp within a -half-mile of the spot we had left to make the excursion which has been -described. Here again we built dug-outs and huts, in which we were -allowed to remain until the early spring. - -On the return march the men did considerable foraging on their own -account. A goose, a chicken, a turkey or duck, seemed to be a part of -the men’s equipment. One squad captured a little pony, harnessed him to -a sulky, and loaded the sulky with their knapsacks and live stock. One -man appeared under a stove-pipe hat, but it didn’t wear well. At night, -sweet potatoes, sorghum molasses, and apple-jack, were abundant in the -camp. - -Our enlisted men were not apt to be damaged by the over-supply of -spirituous liquors. The sale of them was strictly forbidden, and when -a sutler was detected as implicated in the trade, his entire stock of -all kinds of merchandise was confiscated, and in some cases distributed -among the near-by soldiers. - -Whiskey was used as a medicine, but its value as such is problematical. -As a restorative for men exhausted by labor or by battle, it has, no -doubt, a good effect, but it should not be given until the work is done -or the battle fought. It would have been a great advantage to the army -if the commissioned officers had not been able to obtain supplies, for -Dutch courage is a poor substitute for the real thing, and a clear head -is even more important to him who commands than to him who has only to -obey. - -On the Weldon Railroad expedition, some of the men, by a mysterious -instinct, discovered several barrels of apple-jack which had been -concealed under a stack of hay, and many of the canteens were filled -with spirit by the soldiers as they passed. Several of these, overcome -by their potations, fell out of the line of our outward march, and -probably to sleep off the fumes, stretched themselves out upon the -broad veranda of a planter’s house. On the return march they were found -there with their throats cut--dead--and the murder was avenged by the -burning of the house. No doubt many more suffered for their excess by -imprisonment in Southern barracoons. - -The New Year of 1865 found the Regiment in log huts near the Jerusalem -plank-road, a mile in the rear of our works before Petersburg, on -swampy ground. The two wings of the battalion alternated in fatigue -duty, building, extending, or strengthening works, the labor continuing -day and night. - -Suddenly on the afternoon of February 4, 1865, orders came to move -the next morning (Sunday), at daylight. The general impression was -that there was to be another raid on the railroad connections of the -enemy, and the camp huts were left standing. At daylight on the 5th, -the column started and sunset found us near to Nottoway Court House. -We were ordered out on picket, but were recalled about midnight and -marched until dawn, when we were at Hatcher’s run--the point where that -stream is crossed by the Vaughn road. - -The day before, the 2d Corps had been engaged with the enemy here, -and the 32d was posted in some rifle pits on the further side of the -Run, out of which the rebel forces had been driven. Our Regiment was -the extreme right of the 5th Corps, and on its right connected with -the left of the 2d Corps across the stream. About 2 o’clock P. M., -Crawford’s division advanced from the left, moved across our front -and encountered the enemy; two hours later our brigade was put in by -General Warren to fill a gap in Crawford’s line, and the contest was -sharp until about dusk, when the onset of a fresh body of the enemy -drove back Crawford’s command in some confusion. The locality of the -action was in a thick wood of pines where we could not see to any great -distance, and as our part of the line held on, we found ourselves -with the 155th Pennsylvania quite alone and flanked on both sides. It -required considerable coolness and some sharp fighting to enable us -to get back to the original line of battle, and our losses in doing -so were heavy--74 in killed, wounded, and missing; included in which -number was Major Shepard, who was made prisoner while commanding the -brigade line of skirmishers, and Captain Bowdlear severely wounded. The -action we named that of Dabney’s Mills. - -Until the 11th we remained in the same position. The weather was very -cold and stormy, and the enemy’s artillery at times very annoying, but -no infantry attack was made. On the 11th the corps changed its line -slightly, and we soon had a camp more comfortable than that we left on -the Jerusalem road. Here we remained digging and picketing until we -started out on the final campaign. - -In the action of the 6th, Major Shepard commanded the skirmish line -in front of our brigade. When Crawford advanced across our front, the -pickets became useless and the Major proceeded to call them in and to -join the brigade. While marching to the left, as he supposed in the -rear of the Union line of battle, he happened into the gap which had -just been made in Crawford’s command by a Confederate charge, and he -suddenly found himself in the rear of the enemy; at the same moment he -was struck in the head by a musket ball, which had just force enough -to stretch him senseless on the ground. The Major recovered to find -himself an object of interest to a half-dozen rebel stragglers, one -of whom exchanged hats with him, another borrowed his nice overcoat, -while others contented themselves with his various equipments. Perhaps -Shepard did not recover full consciousness until the moment when one of -the plunderers ordered him to take off and yield up his boots. But this -was the feather too much. Those boots were new, elegant, and costly, -and the Major made a stand in and for them, replying to all threats -by the declaration that they couldn’t have the boots, and that he -preferred death to the loss of them. - -How the affair might have ended we cannot say, had not an officer -appeared in sight, to whom the Major formally surrendered himself; but -thereupon the stragglers left him with his boots and his life to boot, -and both have given him much contentment since that day. - - - - -XXI. - -_THE LAST CAMPAIGN._ - - -The month of March is really a spring month in the latitude of southern -Virginia, and out of the attending frosts and thaws, storms, mists, and -bright days which make up the winter there, we had come to the time -when the buds were breaking out into greenness, and when even within -sound of the great guns, the venturesome birds would sing the lays of -spring. - -The whole army was inspired with the feeling that the last campaign was -about to open, and that the triumph of the Union cause must be at hand. - -For six weeks we had been established in our huts, when on the 29th day -of March, early in the morning, we bade good-bye to our village camp, -and with the 5th Corps moved out to the rear and left. The weather -was warm and as the march proceeded, personal property in the way of -clothing, which had been valuable in the winter season, and convenient -in the camp, began to increase in weight and to decrease rapidly in -value. As the men realized that we were off this time in earnest, they -began to shed their surplus clothing. The roads were difficult and -the march toilsome. At every halt loads were lightened, and spare -blankets, overcoats, shelters, etc., strewed the line of march, until -by nightfall all were in light marching trim. - -In the absence of Colonel Edmunds, disabled by sickness, and Major -Shepard, prisoner of war, the Regiment to the end of the campaign -was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, assisted by Captain -Bancroft as acting major. - -The direction of our march finally led us toward the Boydtown -plank-road, near which in the afternoon the 1st and 2d brigades of our -division became hotly engaged, and ours (the 3d,) was put in position -in a low, level, and swampy field. During the night it set in to rain -with that ease and abundance which seems to be characteristic of the -climate, and we passed a thoroughly uncomfortable night, during which -men thought regretfully of the blankets and rubber sheets which they -had thrown away during the previous day. - -Through Thursday the 30th the rain continued, but about noon the 32d -was deployed in front as skirmishers, with orders to feel for the -enemy--feeling for him in the sloppy weather, we found him behind some -log breastworks, from which we rooted him out and pushed him a short -distance backward. But the enemy in his turn got to be pressing, and -our ammunition becoming scarce, we were in our turn pushed back to our -starting point. The Confederates even charged the line of our corps, -but were repulsed with considerable loss. - -Late in the afternoon, with replenished cartridge boxes, we reoccupied -the log breastworks, and being ordered to feel forward again, did so. -This time it was a fort and an open field with too much artillery for -comfort, but we got up close, burrowed, and held on. It seems that we -had reached around to the extreme right of Lee’s line of works for -the defence of Petersburg, and hereafter we were to be free of these -inconvenient obstructions to our way. - -Friday, March 31st, at 5 A. M., we were relieved by the 2d Corps, and -moved off again to the left, where General Warren posted the divisions -of his corps, in _echelon_ a little west of the Boydtown road. The -ground, owing to the long rain, was in a condition very unfavorable to -any movement, and our formation was hardly completed when the 2d and 3d -divisions, (Crawford’s and Ayer’s,) were attacked and driven back with -some loss, but our division (the 1st,) held its position, and the 2d -and 3d coming into line with us, the whole corps, preceded by a strong -skirmish line, again advanced and pressed the rebels hard. - -Captain Lauriat commanding four companies of the 32d was in the line of -skirmishers, and seized the opportunity, as the lines closed, to draw -off on the flank, and through a bit of wood got into the rear of the -enemy’s skirmishers and stampeded them. So rapid was our advance that -at one spot we captured the enemy’s dinner of bacon, as also a number -of guns in stacks. - -Our corps was now the extreme left of the Union army. Sheridan, with -the cavalry, was farther to the left, but entirely detached; he had -been attacked and pretty roughly handled, and considerable alarm -was felt for his safety. During the afternoon our brigade, under -Colonel Pearson, of the 155th Pennsylvania, was sent out to the left -to reconnoitre and, if possible, to reinforce Sheridan. Entirely -surrounded by skirmishers the brigade moved off to the left, but, -although constantly gaining ground, their movement was so retarded -by the brisk resistance of the enemy’s skirmishers, that it was dusk -before he was driven over Gravelly Run, and the next morning we learned -that Sheridan was all right. - -April 1st, 1865.--Before eight o’clock this morning the 5th Corps was -again in connection with the cavalry Corps, and both were placed under -the orders of General Sheridan. In fact, for the ensuing eight days, we -became a sort of foot cavalry--if there be any such arm known to the -service. - -It was afternoon before there seemed to be any real resistance to our -onward progress, but then there was the sound of heavy firing in front, -and we soon came upon what was to be the field of the battle of Five -Forks. The cavalry, dismounted, were sharply prodding the enemy with -artillery and carbines, and the 5th Corps was brought up and formed on -their right, and pushed rapidly forward. - -We found no enemy in our front, but soon discovered that we had passed -beyond the line of his formation; whereupon, by a wheel to the left -and a rapid dash, we came in upon his flank and rear, surprising, -overwhelming, and entirely routing his forces, more than one-half of -whom were made prisoners. The fighting was sharp but short, and our -success complete. - -It is impossible to overrate the exhilaration of the men in and after -this action. With small loss to themselves, they had taken four or -five thousand prisoners, and the ground was strewn with the arms and -equipments which the enemy had thrown away in his hasty attempt at -flight. The feeling was general that now, at last, the superior numbers -and power of the North were beginning to tell, the days of digging and -burrowing were over, and the day of triumph near at hand. - -That night, by order of General Sheridan, General Warren was relieved, -and General Griffin (our “Old Griff“) was placed in command of the -5th Corps. It is not easy to see what default in duty could have been -ascribed to Warren, and it is probable that the real explanation of the -change was merely Sheridan’s preference or partiality for Griffin, who -was patterned more after Sheridan’s taste. - -That night, too, Colonel Cunningham was placed in command of a brigade -of skirmishers, consisting of one regiment from each brigade in the 1st -Division, with orders to deploy them at eight o’clock the next morning, -and advance directly west. The 32d was, of course, one of these -regiments, and its command devolved upon Captain Bancroft. - -April 2d, Sunday.--Promptly at eight o’clock, while the dull muttering -of the great guns told us of the last struggle far away in front of -Petersburg, Cunningham deployed his brigade of skirmishers under -the eye of General Sheridan, and we moved on, up hill and down dale, -for the most part through a region covered with woods and but little -inhabited. - -Moving west, as ordered, we came at 11 A. M. to the South Side -Railroad, where we captured a train filled with wounded and sick -Confederates, and also gobbled up a large number of sound rebels and -quantities of army stores, and then pressed on, still westward, for two -miles farther. - -From women and from our prisoners, information was obtained to the -effect that the remains of two divisions of the enemy had passed in -this direction on their retreat from Five Forks, and also that General -Lee, with the Army of Virginia, was then moving out of Petersburg -and heading towards the south; and, indeed, we could plainly see the -clouds of dust which marked their line of march. This information was -communicated to General Sheridan, but at 4 P. M. we were drawn back -to the railroad and thence marched eight miles in the direction of -Petersburg, and there bivouacked for the night. - -The next five days were occupied in a most exciting chase. Sheridan’s -command, consisting of the 5th Corps and the cavalry, entirely detached -from the army, was hastening to bar Lee’s line of retreat. On the 3d -and 4th we marched twenty miles each day; abandoned wagons, forges, -guns, and caissons were seen quite frequently. By our seizing the -railway at Jettersville on the 4th, Lee lost the only railroad line by -which his escape could be facilitated. On the 8th we marched all the -day and half of the night to bivouac near Pamplin’s Station, on the -South Side Railroad. - -Sunday morning, April 9th, 1865, Lee made a last and desperate attempt -to escape by cutting his way through the lines of the cavalry. We -broke camp after only two hours rest, and after three hours of -forced marching in the direction of brisk artillery firing, came up -to the right and rear of the cavalry, who had been pressed back for -some distance by Lee’s attack. At the sight of the bayonets of our -approaching corps the Confederates ceased their attempt, and withdrew -to their lines of the morning. - -It was the good fortune of the 32d Regiment to be that day at the head -of the column. The day was fine but not uncomfortably warm; the men in -the best of spirits, fully imbued with the feeling that the end was -near. In this our last fight the conditions were unusually favorable -for infantry movements, the country rolling but open, and covered with -grassy turf. - -A change of direction to the right brought us out of the road and into -an open field of pasture-land which rose before us on a gentle slope -for nearly half a mile. Entering this field, and without a halt, the -Regiment formed column of companies, then formed divisions, and then -deployed on the rear division. No battalion movement was ever executed -more precisely or with lines better dressed. Waiting a moment for the -other regiments of the brigade to complete their formation, we saw -before us the swell of land on which we stood, and beyond, on higher -ground, the enemy’s artillery, with infantry supports, in line of -battle. It was a glorious sight--the beauty of the spring morning--the -gentle movement of the air--the rich garniture of green which -everywhere clad the view--all were exhilarating, while the universal -conviction that the enemy, now in full sight, was also within our -power, inspired the men with such enthusiasm as made every man to feel -himself invincible. - -Soon came the order, “Forward.” The colors never came more promptly to -the front, and the right and left general guides fairly sprang to their -positions. The enemy being in full sight no skirmishers preceded us. -The advance was made under a sharp artillery fire, the men stepping out -with a full thirty-six inch stride. The enemy’s front line was slowly -falling back. At the summit of the rising ground, where we received -a few stray rifle shots, we could see that the ground fell off for -perhaps six hundred yards, to where a little stream--one of the head -waters of the Appomattox--ran winding along. Here, just as we expected -to receive the volleys of the enemy, his firing suddenly ceased, and a -halt was ordered. - -Colonel Cunningham, through his field-glass, seeing what seemed to be -a flag of truce in our front, took the adjutant with him, and, putting -spurs to their horses, they dashed forward, and soon met a mounted -officer attended by an orderly, bearing a small white flag upon a -staff. This officer announced himself as one of General Lee’s staff, -and said that he was the bearer of a message to General Grant with a -view to surrender. The flag was duly reported, and very soon an officer -representing General Grant appeared, and the colonel and adjutant -retired. - -Soon the expected surrender of Lee was known through all our lines, and -the hearts of all were joyous and gay--perfectly so, except for a shade -of regret that we could not have finished a fight which promised so -well for us. - -The two commanding generals met about eleven o’clock in a small house -a little way off to our right and front. Our corps was in line by -divisions closed in mass, the orders being to keep the men well in -hand; but the general talk was that the war was over, and that we -should soon turn the heads of our columns north. - -At 2.30 P. M. we knew that the surrender was a fact, and that it would -be officially promulgated at 4 P. M. - -Meantime was a season of general and heartfelt mutual congratulations, -during which it was noticed that General Gregory’s brigade was forming -square, off on the near hillside, and several officers of our brigade -mounted and rode over to see what was going on. - -Brigadier-General Gregory had a gift for prayer and speech, and also -a resonant voice. From the centre of his square he made a rousing -good speech of congratulation, and then, calling to prayer, commenced -a hearty thanksgiving to God for the success which had attended our -arms, and for the reasonable hope of an early return to peaceful homes. - -Just then, miles away to our left, a detachment of General Fitz Hugh -Lee’s cavalry, having sighted a Union supply train--being very hungry -and not knowing of the truce, pitched into the escort with artillery -and carbines, and the boom, boom, boom of his guns smote upon the -ear of Gregory. The general ceased abruptly, listened, and again -boom, boom, boom came the sound well known to his practiced ear, and -then again his voice rang out: “Never mind the rest, men--reduce -square--form brigade line;” and in three minutes all were ready for -action. - -The official order came at four o’clock, and after a pretty lively -evening we were glad to be at rest in bivouac. - -April 10th.--A very quiet, restful day; the officers and men of the -two armies making and returning visits. The officers of our Regiment, -with others of the division, attended General Chamberlain in calls of -courtesy upon General Lee and other officers of the surrendered forces. -The Confederates were entirely out of rations and, although we were -also short by reason of our rapid advance and the woful condition of -the roads, our men readily assented to divide the contents of their -haversacks with the soldiers who had so long been their enemy, and -throughout the day the officers and men of the two armies were to be -seen thoroughly commingled. Confederate States currency was to be had -by the bushel. - -April 11th was the day appointed for the formal surrender of the arms. -General Chamberlain, commanding our division, was detailed in charge of -the ceremony, and our brigade was ordered to receive the arms of the -rebel infantry. - -At 9 A. M. the brigade was formed in line on a road leading from our -camp to that of the Confederates, its right in the direction of the -latter. The 32d Massachusetts was the extreme right of the brigade. The -Confederate troops came up by brigades at route step, arms-at-will. -In some regiments the colors were rolled tightly to the staff, but -in others the bearers flourished them defiantly as they marched. As -they approached our line, our men stood at shouldered arms, the lines -were carefully dressed, and eyes front; seeing which, and appreciating -the compliment implied, some of the enemy’s brigadiers closed up -their ranks, and so moved along our front with their arms at the -shoulder. Their files marched past until their right reached to our -left, when they halted, fronted facing us, stacked their arms, hung -their accoutrements upon the rifles, and then the colorbearer of each -regiment laid his colors across the stacks, and the brigade, breaking -to its rear, gave room for the next to come up in its place, and each -successive brigade observed the same order of proceeding, upon the same -ground. - -As the first brigade moved away, a detail of our men took the stacks -as they stood, and moved them up nearer to our line, and the arms from -the stacks of each succeeding brigade were taken by the same detail -and piled around the first stacks; so that when the ceremony was ended -there was but one line of stacks, with the equipments and colors -hanging or lying thereupon. - -Throughout the whole our men behaved nobly--not only was there no -cheering or exultation, but there was, on the contrary, a feeling of -deep soldierly sympathy for their gallant enemy, which evinced itself -in respectful silence, and this conduct was appreciated and warmly -commended by many of the rebel officers. - -It was 4 P. M. before the surrender was completed, and the rest of the -day and evening was given up to jovial congratulations among ourselves. - -After the surrender we were employed for some days in guarding the -railroads and public property; and then started for Washington; which -we reached by easy marches, and on the 12th of May pitched our last -camp on Arlington Heights. With the Army of the Potomac we passed in -review before the President, on the 22d of May, and on the 29th of -June started for home. At Philadelphia and again at Providence we were -refreshed by the hospitality of the citizens, and about noon of July -1st we arrived in Boston, marching directly to the Common, where the -men were furloughed until the 6th. - -On the 6th of July the command again assembled on Boston Common, and -proceeded to Gallops Island, where, on the 11th July, 1865, it was paid -off and mustered out of service, and the 32d Massachusetts Infantry was -no more. - -Only a narrow strip of water in the bay divides the two islands where -were passed its first days and its last. - -It was a noble battalion, one which won alike the compliments of its -generals, and the confidence of its associate regiments. No officer’s -life was ever sacrificed because of any want of steadiness of the men, -and more than once they executed tactical movements under fire, in a -manner that would have been creditable if done on parade. During and -since the war great _esprit du corps_ has been characteristic of its -soldiers. Many of them have attained to prominence in the walks of -peaceful life, to the great rejoicing of their comrades, and many have -made their final march.--God give them rest in peace. - - * * * * * - -The extreme length of service in the Regiment was three years, seven -months, and twenty-five days. - -The total number of officers commissioned in the Regiment was 75, of -whom 34 were at one time or another reported among the casualties, -namely: - - Killed or mortally wounded, 5 - Died of disease contracted in the service, 2 - Wounded and returned to duty, 17 - Discharged for disability, 10 - -- - Total. 34 - -The total number of men enlisted was 2,286, of whom 520 were at some -time non-commissioned officers, and 60 received commissions. - -There were-- - - Killed in battle, 76 - Died of wounds or disease, 194 - Discharged for disability, 384 - --- - Total loss to the Regiment by - casualties, 654 - -This total does not include the number of men wounded who returned to -duty; nor of those, some 200 more, who died in captivity or by the -roadside in severe marches, who are included in the returns among the -unaccounted for, missing, and deserters. - -The number discharged at the expiration of their service was 1,087. - -Of the 37 commissioned officers who were included in the final muster -out of the Regiment, all except seven were promoted from the ranks. - - - - -ROSTER AT THE EXPIRATION OF SERVICE. - - -COLONEL: - -J. CUSHING EDMANDS, _Brevet Brig. General_. - - -LIEUTENANT COLONEL: - -JAMES A. CUNNINGHAM, _Brevet Brig. General_. - - -MAJOR: - -EDWARD O. SHEPARD, _Brevet Lieut. Colonel_. - - -ADJUTANT: - -CAPTAIN ISAAC F. KINGSBURY. - - -SURGEON: - -SAMUEL W. FLETCHER. - - -ASSISTANT SURGEON: - -JOHN MCGREGOR. - - -Co. A. - - _Captain_, John E. Tidd. - _1st Lieut._, Abner E. Drury. - _2d Lieut._, - - -Co. B. - - _Captain_, Ambrose Bancroft, _Brevet Major_. - _1st Lieut._, Joseph P. Robinson. - _2d Lieut._, William F. Taft. - - -Co. C. - - _Captain_, Timothy McCartney, _Brevet Major_. - _1st Lieut._, George A. Batchelder. - _2d Lieut._, William F. Tuttle. - - -Co. D. - - _Captain_, - _1st Lieut._, Loring Burrill, commanding Co. - _2d Lieut._, Charles N. Gardner. - - -Co. E. - - _Captain_, - _1st Lieut._, Stephen C. Phinney, comd’g Co. - _2nd Lieut._, - - -Co. F. - - _Captain_, John A. Bowdlear. - _1st Lieut._, Asa L. Kneeland. - _2d Lieut._, - - -Co. G. - - _Captain_, George W. Lauriat, _Brevet Major_. - _1st Lieut._, Jos. S. Wyman, Capt. not must’d. - _2d Lieut._, Charles H. Bartlett. - - -Co. H. - - _Captain_, William E. Reed. - _1st Lieut._, Augustus A. Coburn. - _2d Lieut._, - - -Co. I. - - _Captain_, Isaac W. Smith. - _1st Lieut._, James H. Clapp. - _2d Lieut._, James W. King. - - -Co. K. - - _Captain_, George A. Hall. - _1st Lieut._, James P. Wade. - _2d Lieut._, - - -Co. L. - - _Captain_, James E. March. - _1st Lieut._, George H. Ackerman. - _2d Lieut._, - - -Co. M. - - _Captain_, Charles H. Smith. - _1st Lieut._, Thomas Coos. - _2d Lieut._, Lyndon Y. Jenness. - - -Unattached and not mustered: - - _2d Lieut._, Dwight B. Graves. - _2d Lieut._, Charles E. Madden. - _2d Lieut._, Edward Knights. - - -[Transcriber’s Note: - -Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Thirty-second -Regiment, Massachusetts Infant, by Francis J. 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