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diff --git a/58480-0.txt b/58480-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aac0f27 --- /dev/null +++ b/58480-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4859 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58480 *** + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 58480-h.htm or 58480-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/58480/58480-h/58480-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/58480/58480-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/perryssaintsorfi00nich + + + + + +[Illustration: _James M Nichols_] + + +PERRY'S SAINTS + +Or + +The Fighting Parson's Regiment in the War of the Rebellion + +by + +JAMES M. NICHOLS + + + + + + +Boston +D. Lothrop and Company +32 Franklin Street + +Copyright, 1885, by +D. Lothrop and Company. + +Electrotyped by +C.J. Peters & Son, Boston. + + + + +MEMORIAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. + + +To the rising generation the war of the rebellion already seems more +like a romance than a reality. One by one the active participants in +that momentous period of the nation's history are passing away. In a +few years there will not be a veteran left to tell the story of his own +experience on field and in camp. Hardly had the writer of the following +pages completed and revised his work, and placed the copy in the hands +of the publishers, when he, too, was summoned to join the great army +beyond. That he had a touch of the rare quality which we call heroism, +as well as fervent patriotism, is sufficient reason why the reader +should know something more about him than is disclosed in the faithful +and comprehensive record of his army life contained in this volume. + +James M. Nichols was born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1835. His early +education was received in the public schools of his native town, +and he prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. He +graduated at Williams College in 1857, having been a fellow-student +with President James A. Garfield. The storming of Fort Sumter fired +his heart with patriotism, and he was soon among his own townsmen +actively engaged in enlisting a company which was at once consolidated +in another organization. He then went to New York, and was commissioned +as a lieutenant in the 48th regiment, but afterwards rose to the rank +of captain. During his three years of service Colonel Nichols was +second to none in that famous regiment in thorough devotion to duty and +in the display of soldierly qualities. On several occasions he was in +command of the regiment, and led it through many a fiery ordeal with +courage and ability. In recognition of these services he was brevetted +successively major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel. In private life +Mr. Nichols was frank, manly, impulsive, sympathetic, and an earnest +Christian. To these qualities were added musical gifts and a rare power +in conversation, which made him a delightful companion; while to those +who knew him best, his thorough genuineness, and the nobility of a +nature which scorned everything narrow and mean, made him the trusted +and beloved friend. He died suddenly, July 1, 1886, from the effects of +disease contracted in the service. He was tenderly borne to his last +resting-place by comrades from the Grand Army of the Republic, and he +has left behind as the inalienable possession of his sons the legacy of +a pure, upright, and useful life. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The following narrative is, for the most part, a transcript from +journals kept by the writer during his three years and more of service +in the army of the Union. Facts, experiences, and observations, were +noted down from day to day, whether we were in camp, in garrison, or +in the field, and are given to the public in the hope not only of +affording pleasure to those who have never shared in such experiences, +but of correcting erroneous impressions in regard to the real life +of the soldier. Those who served in the army, I feel assured, will +recognize the truthfulness of the picture of army life. + + James M. Nichols, + _Brev.-Col. U.S. Vols._ + + Haverhill, Mass. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + + Causes of the War. 13 + + + CHAPTER II. + + Colonel Perry. Formation and character of the regiment. Luther + B. Wyman, Esq. 19 + + + CHAPTER III. + + Camp Wyman. Incidents of camp life. Lieutenant Elfwing. + Fête Champêtre. Departure for seat of war. List of officers. + In camp near Washington. Off for Annapolis. General Butler + in Maryland. Attitude of Governor Hicks. Waiting at Annapolis. + Colonel Perry's last sermon. Journey to New York. Return + of contrabands. Departure for Fortress Monroe. 32 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + At Fortress Monroe. General Viele's talk. Weary waiting. Off + at last. Order of sailing. Storm. Horrors of the voyage. Vessels + lost. Off Port Royal. Tatnall's Mosquito fleet. Bombardment + of Hilton Head and Bay Point by navy. Surrender. + Captain Drayton. Landing of troops. First camp on Confederate + soil. Foraging. Negroes' account of bombardment. + Inspection and review. The sutler. Thanksgiving. 48 + + + CHAPTER V. + + Expedition to Port Royal Ferry. Progress up Broad River. + Colonel Perry acting brigadier-general. The rebel yell heard + for the first time. The regiment's first baptism of fire. The + old horse. Night on the field. Return to Hilton Head. Object + of the expedition. Presentation of flag to the regiment. Off + for Dawfuskie. Southern homes. Preparatory work by Major + Beard and others. Building batteries on Jones and Bird + Islands. Mud and malaria. Reconnoissances and midnight + wanderings. 73 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + Planting batteries on Tybee Island. General Gilmore. Listening + for the opening gun. Bombardment of Fort Pulaski. Watching + the contest from Dawfuskie. Surrender of the fort. Its + appearance after the bombardment. 94 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + Camp life at Dawfuskie. Scheelings and his "leetle tog." High + living. Effects of malaria. Discussing the situation. Emancipation + order of General Hunter. Lincoln the emancipator. John + C. Calhoun and nullification. Ordered to Pulaski. James + Island expedition. A sad failure. Shouting service of the + negroes. 100 + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + The wreck of the sutler's schooner. Its consequences. The + death of Colonel Perry. His character. Action of officers. + Sent to New York. Lieutenant-Colonel Barton promoted. + Detailed on recruiting service. General Mitchell commander + of the department. Expedition to Bluffton. Blockade-runner + Emma. Confederate ironclad. Back with the regiment. Its + condition. Bluffton again visited. Ravages of war. 112 + + + CHAPTER IX. + + Expedition to Coosawhatchie. Landing at Dawson's plantation. + March to Coosawhatchie. Ambuscade. Firing on + Confederate train. Confederate prisoners. Destruction of + track. Retreat. Peril of Lieutenant Corwin. Lieutenant + Branding wounded. Pocataligo expedition a failure. Perilous + voyage back to Pulaski. Confederate weapons. Yellow fever. + Death of General Mitchell. His character. Review of + Coosawhatchie. 124 + + + CHAPTER X. + + At Fort Pulaski. Changes at Dawfuskie. Amusements. The + pride and taste of the soldiers in fitting up their quarters. + Mosquitoes and other pests. Thanksgiving celebration. Incidents + of garrison life. Flag of truce. Confederate ironclad. + New Year's Day. Mr. Logan's account of the condition of + things in Savannah. Prices of provisions, etc. Resignation + and departure of Chaplain Strickland. Inspector-General Townsend's + and Colonel Green's opinion of the regiment. Flag of + truce. Interesting interview with Adjutant-General Gordon + and Lieutenant Styles, of the Confederate army. Formation + of negro regiments. Our theatre. Building a steam launch. + Deserters. Capture of blockade-runner. Effect of garrison + life on the regiment. Capture of Confederate ironclad Atlanta. 132 + + + CHAPTER XI. + + Good-by to Fort Pulaski. At St. Helena Island, under General + Strong. Billinghurst and Regua battery. Folly Island. + Masked batteries. Attack on Morris Island. Killed and + wounded of the regiment. Captain Lent. Capture of Confederate + batteries. Building batteries. Hot work and little + rest. Completion of batteries. Assault on Wagner. Badly + managed. Terrible losses. General Strong. Negro soldiers. + Their effect upon the Confederates. After the assault. The + shelling by the Confederates. Incident. 157 + + + CHAPTER XII. + + Back to the regiment. Off for St. Augustine. The duties of + provost-marshal. The quaint old city. Its pleasant people. + Two months of rest. Lieutenant Ingraham. Back to Hilton + Head. The regiment reunited. Visit to Morris Island. Captain + Eaton. Fort Wagner and its reminders. Lieutenant-Colonel + Green. 178 + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + Relations between the 47th and 48th regiments. Re-enlistment + of veterans. Court-martial. Departure of veterans on furlough. + Expedition to Florida. Battle of Olustee. A great + blunder. Heavy losses. Admirable conduct of the troops. + Dr. Defendorf. The retreat. Return of veterans. Sergeant + Thompson. At Palatka. Expedition into the country. Dunn's + Creek. Its marvellous beauty. Ludicrous scenes. Good-by + to Palatka. At Gloucester Point, Va. A happy change. + Shelter tents. General Grant. Army of the James under + Butler. General Terry. 188 + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + Bermuda Hundred. Company E as skirmishers. Battle of + Chester Heights. Couldn't resist the temptation. Company + E fighting on its own account. Bad predicament. Company E + did nobly. More fighting. In sight of Richmond. Confederate + sharpshooters cleaned out. Battle of Drury's Bluff. + Company E again in a bad spot. Wonderful examples of + discipline and soldierly conduct. General Terry to the rescue. + Retreat. Back to old quarters. Captain Lock wood. 205 + + + CHAPTER XV. + + Assigned to 6th corps. On the way to the Army of the Potomac. + A dreadful march. At Cold Harbor. Trying situation. + Assume command. A gallant charge. Grand success. Severe + losses. Driven back. Lack of support. Incidents of the battle. + The demoralized general. Further account of Cold Harbor. + Occupying the Confederate line. A sad picture of war. + An uncomfortable situation. Relieved. Close work. Change + of base. Grand but perilous movement of the army. The old + church at Jamestown. 222 + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + Back to Bermuda Hundred. A running fight. Destruction + of railroad. Kindness of Major Young and General Terry. + Ordered to charge. A happy escape. President Lincoln + and General Butler. Ordered to attack Confederate line. + Recalled. Captain Fee and others killed. Picket-lines at + Petersburg. Sanitary and Christian Commissions. Mine explosion. + Our losses. Major Swartwout. Effects of malaria. 241 + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + On duty at the front. Strange sickness. General Grant under + fire. Captain D'Arcy. Battle of Strawberry Plains. Splendid + behavior of the regiment. Lieutenants Tantum and Sears + picked off by Confederate sharpshooters. Other losses. The + excited officer. Hurried retreat. Captain Taylor. The greeting + of General Terry. A night's rest. On picket duty. Sad + condition of the regiment. Expiration of term of enlistment. + Disaffection. Severe duty. Artillery attack on Petersburg. + Out of the service. 254 + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + Discharge of old members of the regiment. Attack at Chapin's + farm. Partial success. Condition of the South. New recruits. + In winter-quarters. Thanksgiving Day. Resignation of Colonel + Barton. His long and faithful service. Tenth and Eighteenth + corps united. Expedition against Fort Fisher. Second expedition + against Fort Fisher. Gallant charge and capture of the + fort. An important event. Other successes. March to Wilmington. + Pursuit of the Confederates. Their surrender of + Union prisoners. Their condition. On the march to join + Sherman's army. Sherman's grand march to the sea-coast, + and its results. Grant's operations ending in surrender of + Lee and his army. With Sherman's army on the march for + Johnston. Announcement of surrender of General Lee. Continued + pursuit of Johnston. Lincoln's assassination. Its effect + on the army. Surrender of Johnston. 264 + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + A general review. Change in condition of the regiment. Barrett + as provost-marshal. Delicate question. Colonel Coan. + Gradual disbandment of the army. Discharge of the 48th. + Some personal explanations. 289 + + + CHAPTER XX. + + Special references to some of the officers of the regiment. Remarks + upon prominent questions before the country. Finis. 295 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + + Fort Sumter, 15 + + The Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, 38 + + Fortress Monroe, 49 + + Map of a Portion of "Sea Islands," showing "Port + Royal," 53 + + Plan of the Battle at Port Royal Harbor, 56 + + Fort Walker, 58 + + Fort Beauregard, 59 + + Drayton's Mansion, 60 + + Pope's House at Hilton Head, 62 + + Live Oak Grove at Port Royal, 63 + + Negro Quarters, 67 + + Obstructions in Savannah River, 80 + + Fort Pulaski, 96 + + Breach in Fort Pulaski, 97 + + The Planter, 109 + + Headquarters of Hunter and Mitchell, 129 + + Martello Tower, Tybee Island, 139 + + New Ironsides and Monitors, 149 + + The Interior of Fort Sumter, 153 + + Siege of Charleston, 159 + + Noiseless Hauling of the Guns, 165 + + Bomb and Splinter Proof, 167 + + Fort Wagner at Point of Assault, 168 + + Fort Wagner, Sea Front, 171 + + The Swamp Angel Battery, 173 + + A Florida Swamp and Jungle, 198 + + General Grant's Headquarters at City Point, 201 + + Line of Defence at Bermuda Hundred, 211 + + Pickets on Duty, 214 + + Fort Darling, 217 + + General Smith's Headquarters, Cold Harbor, 223 + + Position of General Smith's Command at Cold Harbor, + Va., 227 + + Battery and Church Tower. Site of Jamestown, 239 + + Battery near Dutch Gap, 244 + + Defences of Richmond and Petersburg, opposite 246 + + Outline of the Crater and Magazines, 249 + + Army's Huts at Chapin's Farm, 265 + + Officer's Quarters, Chapin's Farm, 267 + + Pontoon Bridge at Jones' Landing, near Deep Bottom, 269 + + Interior of Fort Fisher, 275 + + Plan of Land and Naval Operations at Fort + Fisher, opposite 276 + + Mound Battery near Fort Fisher, 279 + + M'lean's House, the Place of Lee's Surrender, 285 + + Place of Johnston's Surrender to Sherman, 287 + + + + +PERRY'S SAINTS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Causes of the War. + + +For years the irrepressible conflict had been going on. From the +halls of Congress to the remotest hamlet of the North, the subject +of slavery--its national wrong and its individual cruelties--was the +constant occasion for irritating debate and violent denunciation. +The wall of separation between the North and the South was slowly +but steadily building. In the North there had grown up a settled +determination that the territorial limits of slavery should be extended +no farther, and that the relation of master and slave should not exist +in any State north of Mason's and Dixon's line. As this sentiment found +frequent expression in active resistance to those laws which sought to +protect the master in his rights when travelling or sojourning in the +North for purposes of business or relaxation, and in the increasingly +aggressive acts of individuals and societies, who sought by all the +means in their power to awaken in the slaves a desire for liberty, and +to make their way easy for escape from bondage, the conviction became +universal at the South that to preserve that institution, regarded +as so necessary to their physical and social life, and to establish +an effectual barrier to the encroachments of the popular sentiments, +not of the North alone, but of the civilized world, there must be +separation, and a distinct government of their own. + +[Illustration: FORT SUMTER.] + +The conclusion was a logical one, but the territory gained by the blood +and treasure of all the people belonged equally to all; and separate +existence on the part of the two sections was impossible; and the +echoes of the first gun in Charleston harbor, aimed against the Federal +flag at Sumter, reverberated among the hills and through the valleys +of the North, till every household was awakened, and every arm nerved +for the coming conflict. The South had calculated upon divisions and +dissensions. It had long been maturing its plans and organizing its +forces. The head of the Federal government, and many of the councillors +and advisers of the administration, were men who either quietly ignored +or actively participated in these preparations. The arsenals within +its limits, and the fortified points along its coast, with the vast +quantities of government property which they contained, were with few +exceptions taken possession of without a struggle. Everything at those +places in the North where materials of war were manufactured or stored +had been ordered to the South. Our navy had been detailed to foreign +service, so that at the outbreak of the rebellion there were but two +small vessels available for immediate use. Consequently, at the outset, +the South possessed many important advantages. But it was mistaken in +its conclusions. The unanimity of feeling at the North was hardly less +than at the South; and when a new executive sent out his appeals to +the loyal States, the answer was immediate. From every city and town, +from every village and hamlet, and almost from every household, the +word came back: "We are ready for any sacrifice"; "All we have is +at the service of the government." The young men put on their armor +and gathered themselves together, and the old men lifted their hands +towards heaven and blessed them. Wife and mother, though with tears of +anguish, said God-speed. The way was dark; but there was no hesitation, +no doubt. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Colonel Perry. Formation and character of the regiment. Luther B. + Wyman, Esq. + + +Among those to whom the call to arms came with especial force, was the +Rev. James H. Perry. He had received a military education from his +country, and his country needed his services, and although for many +years his mission had been one of peace and good will, his country's +needs were an urgent call, and, like the prophets of old, he girt on +his armor and prepared for battle. + +His was a singular history. Born in Ulster County, N.Y., June, 1811, +he early developed great physical and mental strength. That he +naturally inclined to a military life, he gave evidence by the fact +that, while yet a youth, he was prepared for entrance to West Point, +the appointment to which had been promised him by President Jackson +for political services rendered by his father. But the wishes of +the President were thwarted during his first administration, and it +was not until his second election that he secured to young Perry the +appointment by sending the warrant to him by special messenger from +Washington. In the mean time, the young man had not been idle, but +had prepared himself for and entered upon the practice of the law, +was married, and seemed settled in his life work. His early tastes, +however, and his natural inclinations, decided him upon the acceptance +of the appointment. + +At West Point his independent and manly character brought him into +frequent difficulties. The terms "Mudsills" and "Chivalry," and those +of similar import, were, even at that early period, used to distinguish +the Northerners from those of Southern birth, and while many of the +Northern youth submitted tamely to the assumptions of the Southrons, +Perry, who was not of a yielding disposition, and recognized no +arbitrary claims to superiority, asserted his right to equality, and +maintained it with such courage and ability that he soon became the +acknowledged leader of his party, and his strength and skill were +often called into requisition to repel attacks, which were the more +vicious and dangerous because it was soon apparent that no one of his +fellow-students could cope with him on equal terms. In one of these +encounters, he barely escaped with his life, having, without suitable +weapons, to protect himself against the attack of several, who were +well armed and specially prepared for the contest. Court-martialled for +participation in this affair, he was sentenced to dismissal. President +Jackson not only annulled the sentence, but sent him a letter of +commendation. + +Soon after leaving West Point, he offered his services to the Texan +government, which was then engaged in its struggle for independence. In +his endeavor to raise a regiment he was only partially successful, but, +with a considerable number of followers, he joined the revolutionary +forces, when his natural abilities and military education soon secured +to him a prominent place in the little army. We are not able, if space +would permit, to give a detailed account of his experiences while in +the Texan service. We only know that he held a high and honorable +position through the whole struggle, which was finally decided by the +battle of San Jacinto. + +This proved the turning-point in his career. A short time previous, +the forces under Santa Anna had been guilty of an unprovoked and +cold-blooded massacre, which so outraged the feelings of the Texan +officers that they bound themselves by the most solemn oaths to take +the life of Santa Anna, whenever and wherever they should encounter +him. The battle of San Jacinto, which secured the independence of +Texas, and led to its annexation to the Federal Union, occurred soon +after. In this battle, Colonel Perry commanded the Texan left, and, +although the Mexican army outnumbered many times the revolutionary +forces, in the final charge it was completely routed. In this charge, +Colonel Perry found himself opposed by Santa Anna in person, as he +thought, and, in compliance with the oath which he had taken, he sought +and slew him. Learning soon after that he had been misled by the +description given him of the Mexican commander, and that he whom he +had slain was a brave and honorable officer, especially esteemed for +his high character, he was so grieved and shocked that he left the +Texan service abruptly, and all the offices and honors to which he was +entitled by reason of his eminent services, and wended his way back +to the North, carrying with him a burden of regret and sorrow, from +which, in all the varying experiences of his after life, he never fully +escaped. A dark cloud overshadowed his life ever after, and at times he +seemed to suffer intensely. + +Whether it was under the influence of this feeling that he was led to +turn so completely from his chosen profession to seek in the ministry +a relief from this burden, or subjected to religious influences at a +time when he was unsettled in respect to his future, he felt called to +this special field of labor, we cannot tell. We do know, however, that +in a short time he prepared himself for the work, and for upwards of a +quarter of a century devoted himself to it with unwavering zeal. For +the most part, his labors were confined to the states of New York and +Connecticut, where he occupied some of the most important pulpits of +the Methodist-Episcopal Church. + +In his new calling he exhibited marked ability, being distinguished +no less for his earnest piety, and the zealous discharge of the duties +of his office, than for the intellectual vigor which characterized his +pulpit utterances. Several times in the course of his ministry, he was +selected to represent his brethren in the general conferences of the +church, and we cannot doubt the statement which we find in the short +sketch of his life, from which we have gathered many facts relating to +him, that in the ministry, as in the profession of arms, he found few +equals and very few superiors. + +At the time of the breaking-out of the war, he was the pastor of the +Pacific Street Methodist-Episcopal Church, in the city of Brooklyn, +having previously ministered to several others of the most prominent +congregations in the same city, in all of which he is remembered with +the highest respect and most tender affection. From Dickinson College +he received the degree of D.D., and, at the time of our introduction +to him, was in the pride of his strength, a man of noble form, of +impressive manner, quiet and deliberate in his utterances, and clear +and steadfast in his purposes. He had then embarked in the service of +his country, and there was no looking back to more congenial employment. + +The news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter was received while the +conference of which he was a member was in session. Immediately rising +in his seat, he said: "I was educated by the government; it now needs +my services. I shall resign my ministry, and again take up my sword." +His resolution was loudly cheered by the conference. Accepting the +command of an organization, which had for some time been recruiting, +by authority from the Secretary of War, under the title of Continental +Guards, he infused into it new life and character. As companies formed, +the regiment took its place as a part of the state quota, and was known +as the 48th New York State Volunteers. + +Under the State law, all officers, before receiving their commissions, +were subject to examination by a military board appointed for the +purpose; but, by the courtesy of the Governor, Colonel Perry was +allowed to select his own officers, without the intervention of this +board; and those whom he selected were sworn into service with the +companies as fast as they were formed, without examination. He took +personal charge of the enlistments, sending out to those places where +he was well known, and as a result, the personnel and morale of the +regiment were far above the average of those who entered the service. +Indeed, I believe I should not trespass upon the truth, should I +venture the statement, as the result of observations extending over +more than three years, among troops from all sections of the North and +West, that no regiment entered the service of the United States, during +the war, which could claim superiority over the 48th, in the character +of its officers and enlisted men. + +While this result was due, in a large measure, to the influence of +Colonel Perry's name and character, more especially in respect to the +officers (and we cannot overestimate this influence), to Lieut.-Col. +William B. Barton, and Quartermaster Irving M. Avery belongs the credit +of originating the organization, and preserving it for a considerable +period under circumstances most perplexing and embarrassing. It +happened in this wise. Being personal friends, and fired with the +enthusiasm which prevailed so generally, they conceived the plan of +raising a company, and opened a recruiting station for that purpose. +The number of recruits soon passed the limits of their early ambition, +and they found themselves with several hundred men on their hands; and +the problem as to how to secure them, and at the same time provide them +with food and shelter, taxed to the utmost their energies, as well as +the pecuniary resources of themselves and friends. Both were young, +and with limited means, and their conduct under the circumstances +illustrates most happily the generous impulse of enthusiasm which +seized upon the people of the North, and for a time shut out all those +baser and meaner motives which developed among certain classes during +the progress of the war. + +By most persistent efforts among the wealthier citizens of Brooklyn, +and at the War Department at Washington, and at great pecuniary risk +to themselves and their immediate friends, they succeeded so far in +the enlistment of men, and the provision for their needs, that they +felt warranted in looking forward to a regimental organization. It was +then that they cast about for a suitable commander, and were led to +approach Colonel Perry, with whose previous history they were somewhat +acquainted, with the result as indicated in the foregoing pages. + +When we take into consideration the circumstances of these two young +men, and the nature and extent of the difficulties they encountered, at +one time feeding and housing several hundred men out of their scanty +resources, for a considerable period entirely alone and unaided in +their work, we feel that they may well take to themselves a full share +in the achievements of the regiment, whose birth and early life were so +largely the results of their personal exertions and sacrifices. + +It is scarcely to be wondered at that the regiment received the +appellation of "Perry's Saints," for while many, both officers and +men, were very far from being saint-like in tastes or disposition, +the term was not altogether without significance. As an illustration, +Captain Knowles, of Company D, was both teacher and preacher, when word +was received that Dr. Perry was raising a regiment. In a short time +he joined him with a company taken from school and parish, of which +he became the captain. I remember very well that at the time of the +re-enlistment as veterans, when I was temporarily in command of the +regiment, a member of that company, a private, came to me to inquire +about the terms of re-enlistment, stating that he had a farm worth +several thousand dollars, and other property; that he had not been home +during his term of service, and he not only wished to see his friends, +but to be assured, by personal examination, that his interests were +well cared for by those to whom they were entrusted. Satisfied that the +terms of re-enlistment would be carried out, and that he would have +the furlough promised, he did not hesitate, and as a veteran served +faithfully to the end of the war. He illustrates the quality of Company +D. + +They were called the "Die No Mores," from the fact that while in Fort +Pulaski, in their social meetings, the hymn of which this forms a part +was their favorite. Poor Paxton! the brave and noble fellow! how fond +we were of him, and how much we missed him. Even now I seem to hear +him, as he calls to his company, in that terrible attack on Fort +Wagner, "Come on, Die No Mores, follow me, Die No Mores." And they +followed him, out of the darkness and tumult of that bloody night, into +the light and peace of a better life, as we trust; unto Him who hath +said to all men, "Follow me, and thou shalt die no more." + +But comparisons are odious. Each company in the regiment had its +characteristics, and all were excellent; and their officers, almost +without exception, were men of education and refinement. In the work of +forming the regiment, and preparing it for the field, Colonel Perry was +not left alone, but was materially assisted by many influential friends +from among his parishioners, who liberally provided whatever was +necessary, and did all in their power to lighten his burdens and remove +obstacles. The same men were the generous friends of the regiment +during its whole term of service. Among them, the most prominent, and +the most constant, was Luther B. Wyman, Esq., of Brooklyn, for whom +our first camp, at Fort Hamilton, was named, and who will always be +held in affectionate remembrance by the members of the 48th. He was +a gentleman of high social qualities, of cultivated tastes, of wide +influence and considerable means, and his personal friendship for +Colonel Perry induced an active interest in the regiment which he was +forming. He sought to promote its welfare and secure its rights, as +well as to minister to its comforts, to such an extent that he was +known as its special friend and patron. While engaged in service at +the front, we were assured of a zealous friend at home, whose interest +at the State House was powerful to secure us against the intrigues of +political managers, who too often found convenient places for friends +and followers in the offices which became vacant through the casualties +of war. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Camp Wyman. Incidents of camp life. Lieutenant Elfwing. Fête + Champêtre. Departure for seat of war. List of officers. In camp near + Washington. Off for Annapolis. General Butler in Maryland. Attitude + of Governor Hicks. Waiting at Annapolis. Colonel Perry's last sermon. + Journey to New York. Return of contrabands. Departure for Fortress + Monroe. + + +July 24, 1861, Camp Wyman was formed, at Fort Hamilton, in New York +Bay. August 16, the first two companies were mustered into service, and +September 15 we received orders to be ready to proceed to Washington. +In camp, the time was spent in preparing for the field. The men were +regularly drilled, and the officers, by study and practice, endeavored +to fit themselves for the duties before them. Not all the time was +given to serious work. The men had leisure for recreation, and the +officers, as they became acquainted with each other, found suitable +amusements while in camp, and were allowed ample opportunity to visit +friends, and procure whatever was considered needful or desirable for +the campaign before us. + +Lieutenant Elfwing, who had enjoyed larger experience than most of us, +and withal something of a military education, undertook to initiate +us into the mysteries of the sword exercise, which was supposed +to be necessary to give us good and regular standing among our +fellow-officers; but, fortunately for us, experience proved it to be an +accomplishment, rather than a necessity. The only result of Elfwing's +proficiency which became generally known, was through the good-natured +acquiescence of Colonel Perry, in the proposal for a friendly trial, +which occurred while we were in camp on Dawfuskie Island, S.C. We never +knew that he renewed the proposal. It was generally understood that, +recovering his sword, he wended his way back to his rustic bower, and +in the company of congenial friends, found comforting assuagement +of his mortification and chagrin, in that indescribable, but most +mollifying mixture called puddle. + +Elfwing was a noble-hearted, generous man. Educated not only in the +schools, but by varied and extensive travel, quick of apprehension, of +retentive memory and ready humor, his mind was stored with incidents of +personal experience, gathered not only in his native country, Sweden, +but in different parts of Europe, as well as through several years of +residence in our own country. It was a delight to listen to him, for +he had a very happy manner in conversation, and with his friends about +him, and fairly engaged in his reminiscent wanderings, took from many +an hour its weariness and many a night its sleep. A gallant soldier, he +distinguished himself in every engagement in which he participated, and +even the loss of a leg did not prevent his continuance in service. When +we last heard of him, he was United States Consul at Stockholm, and we +trust is still enjoying the honor and comfort of that office, and a +more quiet and restful life than when we were together. + +As previously stated, September 15, orders were received to be ready +to proceed to Washington. The President had urged upon the governors +of the loyal states, to hurry forward all regiments as fast as they +were prepared for the field, and Governor Morgan, who was always +earnest in support of the government, gave personal attention to +the matter, visiting the camps, and endeavoring by his presence to +arouse enthusiasm, and push forward the troops. He had not succeeded +according to his wishes when he visited our camp, and on that account +seemed especially pleased, when the colonel assured him that we were +ready to start at a moment's notice. Among the members of his staff +who accompanied him, was Chester A. Arthur, Ex-President of the United +States, remembered by those who saw him at that time as a young man of +fine appearance and agreeable manner. + +We cannot omit to mention the fête champêtre, on that beautiful evening +shortly before our departure, when so many of the friends of the +regiment gathered for a few brief hours of enjoyment, before the last +good-by was said. All the available resources, within and without the +camp, were called into requisition to make the occasion a joyous one: +and so it proved. But there is sadness linked with the happy memories +of that night. Many a last good-by was said, as the early hours of +morning bid the guests depart. Never again did Colonel Perry look on +the face of wife or children left behind. And many a sod, in the +valleys and along the hillsides of the South, rests over the silent +forms of those who parted from kindred and loved ones then. But no one, +at that time, had thought for such things; and when, on the 17th, we +broke camp, and took our departure for the seat of war, 964 strong, +_we felt only the justice of our cause, and the glory of our purpose_. +Fortunate is it that weak human nature does not always stop to measure +the probable or possible consequences of its act: a provision of +Infinite Wisdom, that we know naught of the future. + + * * * * * + +The following is a list of the officers when we left Camp Wyman:-- + + +STAFF OFFICERS. + + Colonel, James H. Perry. + Lieut.-Col., Wm. B. Barton. + Major, Oliver T. Beard. + Adjt., Anthony W. Goodell. + Surgeon, Joseph L. Mulford. + Asst. Surgeon, Patrick H. Humphries. + Chaplain, William P. Strickland, D.D. + Quartermaster, Irving M. Avery. + + +LINE OFFICERS. + +Co. A. + + Captain, Louis H. Lent. + 1st Lieut., B. Ryder Corwin. + 2d " Asa H. Fergurson. + + +Co. B. + + Captain, Edward R. Travis. + 1st Lieut., Nere A. Elfwing. + 2d " Theodore C. Vidal. + + +Co. C. + + Captain, James Farrell. + 1st Lieut., George McArdle. + 2d " Townsend L. Hatfield. + + +Co. D. + + Captain, Daniel C. Knowles. + 1st Lieut., James O. Paxson. + 2d " John Bodine. + + +Co. E. + + Captain, William B. Coan. + 1st Lieut., Frederick Hurst. + 2d " Rob. S. Edwards. + + + Co. F. + + Captain, James M. Green. + 1st Lieut., Sam. K. Wallace. + 2d " H.W. Robinson. + + +Co. G. + + Captain, Anthony Elmendorf. + 1st Lieut., Wm. H. Dunbar. + 2d " James M. Nichols. + + +Co. H. + + Captain, D.W. Strickland. + 1st Lieut., W.L. Lockwood. + 2d " C.N. Patterson. + + +Co. I. + + Captain, Joseph G. Ward. + 1st Lieut., S.M. Swartwout. + 2d " Jas. H. Perry, Jr. + + +Co. K. + + Captain, Samuel J. Foster. + 1st Lieut., Sylvanus G. Gale. + 2d " Albert F. Miller. + + +The spirit with which we went forth to service is evidenced by the +following, taken from the journal of Melville R. Conklin, a private of +Company K. Mentioning the fact that Governor Morgan visited the camp on +the 15th, bringing orders to go to Washington, he says: "The order was +hailed with joy by every man in camp, as we are all anxious for active +duty." The 16th was occupied in packing up, and the Long Roll was +beaten for the first time at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 17th, when +the men were formed in line, with knapsacks, haversacks, and canteens, +but without arms. These were furnished us when we reached the boat +which conveyed us on our way to the South. + +[Illustration] + +It is an interesting fact that Colonel Perry did not give up his work +as preacher and pastor until informed of the final order to march, +which was communicated to him while he was engaged in the public +exercises of the church. Bringing the services to an abrupt conclusion, +he started for his command, and never resumed the office of preacher, +except on one occasion, which will be referred to hereafter. + +Of our journey, we remember only the hospitable welcome at +Philadelphia, where we stopped for dinner. Ample provision had been +made, and, in common with thousands of others, we have occasion +for gratitude to the men and women who, not only at this time, but +during the whole war, contributed so generously of their means and +personal services, to provide for the wants of the soldiers who passed +through their city on their way to the front. At Washington, we were +assigned quarters for a single night, in a large brick building on +Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from Willard's Hotel. Early the following +morning, orders were received to go into camp on the plain back of the +Capitol, but, the colonel not being decided as to the exact location, +we spent the night without shelter. This was a slight foretaste of +the life before us, and in many minds, through that first night of +exposure, away from friends, and fairly entered upon new and uncertain +experiences, there was a lingering look behind, while through the +imagination swept those changing pictures of the future, to which a +vague uncertainty or sad foreboding gave a solemn tone. + +But the morning light dispelled these dreams, and the novelty of +pitching tents and establishing camp for ourselves, kept mind and hand +busy. In a few days we changed our location to the immediate vicinity +of the other regiments of our brigade, and for the next few weeks our +time was fully occupied in perfecting our company and regimental drill. +Well we remember the idle speculations of officers and men in regard to +our final destination, but while we were soon assured that we were to +form a part of the expeditionary corps under Sherman, beyond this, we +were completely at fault. And well we might be, since the particular +point to be attacked was left to the selection of General Sherman and +Admiral Dupont, who were themselves some time in doubt. Colonel Perry +soon gave ample evidence of his superior qualifications as an officer, +and as a regiment, in a short time, we took the highest rank among the +troops with whom we were associated. + +October 5 we left Washington for Annapolis, and this movement +determined for us, finally, that we were to join the great southern +expedition, and that our point of attack was to be in the very centre +and hot-bed of the rebellion--and we were satisfied. There was no +thought of the danger from the enemy or the inclemency of the climate, +but only of the possibility of being able to strike such effective +blows as would give us an honorable place in the final suppression of +the rebellion. + +At Annapolis Junction, we found part of the troops who had been +detailed to protect the railroads, rendered necessary by the attitude +of the people of Maryland, who at this time leaned all too generally +towards their Southern brethren. Even Governor Hicks, although loyal +at heart, under the pressure of the hot-headed secessionists who +surrounded him, had protested to the President against the passage of +troops through the state, and had it not been for the prompt decision +and energetic action of General Butler, the Federal government would +have suffered serious embarrassment in this matter. The bayonets of his +soldiers opened the way, while their intelligence supplied the means +of transportation. Roads were rebuilt, and engines repaired, while +troops were stationed along the lines to guard them from interruption. +Although Governor Hicks, in the meantime, had recovered his loyalty, +so nearly lost, the troops whom we met were still needed to secure its +constancy. It was midnight when we reached Annapolis, in the midst +of a driving storm, and the deserted college buildings were the only +places which promised shelter. To these we were refused admittance by +the trustees, but upon the colonel's remarking that he had never seen +a lock that a bayonet would not pick, there was no further hesitation. +Some other lessons were needed before the people learned the temper +of our troops. The answer of the colonel gave a tone to the arguments +of the officers when they were refused accommodations by the landlord +of the City Hotel, and he acknowledged their cogency. The man who +maltreated one of our negro servants assumed a most melancholy +attitude of entreaty under the influence of a similar kind of logic, +and, if still living, has not forgotten the lessons of that night. +Indeed, the whole town was so quickly converted that a delegation +was sent to our colonel, as soon as his previous profession became +known, to request him to conduct the services in the Methodist church +on the first Sabbath after our arrival. Turning to the adjutant, and +expressing a disinclination to officiate, he remarked, "You can detail +Dr. Strickland, or Major Beard, or Captain Knowles, or Lieutenant Gale, +or Sergeant Irvine, or some of the enlisted men." And so he could, for +each of those named, and some others in the regiment, were regularly +ordained ministers. But the colonel was induced to perform the service, +and, attired in full military dress, preached an eloquent sermon. + +We soon found many loyal people in the city. The officers were kindly +welcomed at the house of Governor Hicks, and Judge Brewer opened his +doors with generous hospitality. Orders were strict, and none were +permitted to go out of camp without special permission, for no one +knew the time for our departure, but such liberty was granted as this +uncertainty would allow. + +At this time we had a band, but no suitable instruments, and the +colonel, knowing that I had reasons for wishing to visit New York +once more before our departure on the expedition, kindly detailed me +to attend to the business of procuring them. The railroads were then +pushed to their utmost in the transportation of troops and supplies, +and, finding that the road to Baltimore was so blockaded as to render +it very uncertain how long a time the passage to and from that city +would occupy, by much persuasion a loyal colored citizen was induced to +furnish a horse for the journey. + +To any one familiar with the condition of the roads in our Southern +states at this period, a journey of thirty miles or more on horseback, +through a strange country, would have presented little attraction, and +if you add the fact that the sentiments of the people throughout the +state were such that Federal troops were picketed along the railroads, +and at other points, to guard against the destruction of property, and +quell seditious movements, the journey would not have been rendered any +more fascinating. Fortunately for my peace of mind, the exact state of +things was not fully known by me, and more fortunate still that the +horse so quickly developed a better acquaintance with the way than his +rider as to be left almost entirely to his own guidance. Occasionally, +when a fallen tree had completely obstructed the path, or a dense +undergrowth had, from infrequent use, been suffered to obliterate all +trace of its presence, or, worse still, when an angle of the road (if +it could be dignified by such a term), discovered several paths of +equally uncertain character, I admit to a degree of apprehension lest +he should take me to some convenient crib, where my welcome would be +somewhat warmer than I desired. But if the currents of his life moved +rather slowly, they ran in loyal veins, and except for a few uncertain +companions who joined me at times, I gave myself up to such enjoyments +as the somewhat monotonous way afforded. + +Arrived at Baltimore, I left my horse, and proceeded to New York by +rail. One day was all the time needed for the transaction of my +business, and the following afternoon found me again in Baltimore, +anxious to get back to camp, in fear lest the expedition might have +sailed, and I be left behind. A short time was taken to collect a few +supplies previously overlooked, and as the western sun was just sinking +behind the hills, I started on my journey back. I had become better +acquainted with the condition of affairs in the state, and scrutinized +more closely the countenances and manners of those whom I met, +especially of the few who, travelling in the same direction as myself, +seemed to insist upon the value of their company to a degree not fully +warranted by the suddenness and limited extent of our acquaintance. +There was quite sufficient opportunity for reflection during the +long hours, that seemed to drag so slowly, as I picked my way in the +darkness through those interminable woods, but, like all other things, +the journey had its ending. As I approached Annapolis, I was neither +shocked nor disconcerted by the challenge of our outpost sentinel, "Who +goes there." The orders were strict, and I had no countersign, and it +was a relief when the presence of the officer of the guard permitted +suitable explanations. These were given while we walked along together +towards the camp-fire, and as soon as its light permitted recognition, +the exclamations, "Hello, Jim!" and "How are you, Val?" left no room +for further hesitation. College and classmates, we had parted several +years before, to meet for the first time again under these peculiar +circumstances. But the impatience of both horse and rider permitted no +lengthened colloquy, and in a few moments I was enjoying the hearty +welcome of the colonel and other officers. + +October 18 we steamed away from Annapolis in the Empire City, towards +Fortress Monroe, the general point of rendezvous for the expedition. +Here, by order of the general in command, Colonel Perry was compelled, +much against his will, to detail a guard from the regiment to return to +slavery a negro found on the transport. Thus the great moral, social, +and political movements of the world have always been hampered and +clogged by their early scruples. We were never after called upon to +perform a similar service. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + At Fortress Monroe. General Viele's talk. Weary waiting. Off at last. + Order of sailing. Storm. Horrors of the voyage. Vessels lost. Off Port + Royal. Tatnall's Mosquito fleet. Bombardment of Hilton Head and Bay + Point by navy. Surrender. Captain Drayton. Landing of troops. First + camp on Confederate soil. Foraging. Negroes' account of bombardment. + Inspection and review. The sutler. Thanksgiving. + + +At Fortress Monroe we remained until the 29th, when, with a fleet of +seventy vessels, transports, and men-of-war, we put to sea, and steered +for our final destination. I must not forget to mention that, during +our stay at this point, there was much talk of a landing; whether for +an attack upon some place in the vicinity, or merely for practice in +view of what was before us, we never knew, but it gave occasion to +General Viele, who commanded our brigade, to call our officers together +in the cabin of the steamer, to impress upon them the dangers of the +undertaking. It was a bloody lesson, probably thought necessary in the +case of simple volunteers, the conclusion of which was that we need +entertain no hopes save of a glorious departure to the shades beyond. +However, as it is the immediate danger which impresses us most, it +was not surprising that we took courage from our hopes, and there was +no unusual despondency on our part. Some of the more reckless even +ventured to suggest a doubt of the general's information on the subject +of our final disposal. + +[Illustration: FORTRESS MONROE.] + +The passage to Port Royal, S.C., which proved our objective point, was +a very trying one. The breeze, which at the time of our departure was +blowing freshly from the storm quarter, soon stiffened into a gale, +such as is seldom encountered even on our dangerous coast, and which +threatened the destruction of the fleet. The very admirable order in +which we started, with the transports in three columns, covered and +protected on either side by the gunboats, was soon broken up, and many +of the smaller vessels, which were unfitted for sea service, soon +found themselves separated from the fleet, which became completely +scattered and in the utmost danger. Some put back to Hampton Roads; +one, the Governor, went down, after being relieved for the most part +of its crew and the marines who had charge of its freight, and several +went ashore and were destroyed by the rebels. During the storm the +sealed instructions which had been given to each captain for such +an emergency, were opened, and when it abated, the vessels that had +weathered the gale quickly gathered at the point designated in the +orders. + +The discomforts of that voyage, no one can realize who has not been +similarly situated. The sea-sickness was trying, but was as nothing +compared with the discomfort arising from the close confinement in +the fetid atmosphere of the ship, with no means of relaxation and +no way of escape. It was a terrible experience. Owing to the great +numbers crowded into the vessel, bunks were built all around and in +the immediate vicinity of the boiler, and to these the men were very +closely confined, until the effluvia from their reeking bodies--for, +in the intense heat, all clothing was dispensed with--added to the +stench of the filthy vessel, and the irritating annoyance of the vermin +with which the steamer was infested, made a fitting counterpart +of pandemonium, in point of suffering. Some relief was gained by the +transfer, at Hampton Roads, of two companies, with a portion of the +freight, to the steamer Matanzas, and a small detail, under Lieutenant +Dunbar, to the steamer Belvidere, but it was only slight. + +[Illustration: MAP OF A PORTION OF "SEA ISLANDS," SHOWING "PORT ROYAL."] + +Our grand old colonel, in the height of the storm, securing himself +to the mast, spent many hours apparently enjoying the magnificent +exhibition of power. Nothing disturbed his equanimity, and his watchful +care of those committed to him was never remitted. + +November 4 we arrived off Port Royal bar. Under the supervision of an +officer of the Coast Survey, soundings were made, and buoys planted +along the channel. That night a few vessels crossed the bar, and +in the morning the whole squadron moved in, headed by the flagship +Wabash. While the soundings were being made, the Confederate Mosquito +fleet, under Commodore Tatnall, opened quite a spirited fire, but +without effect. And as all the movements of the various vessels were +plainly visible from the transports, which were well out of range +of the guns, we enjoyed the advantage of witnessing the proceedings, +without sharing either the responsibility or danger. On the 6th, the +weather was unfavorable, and the attack on Forts Walker and Beauregard, +which defended the harbor on either side, was deferred until the +7th. On that morning the gunboats moved farther in, headed by the +Wabash, and the attack on the two forts commenced about 10 A.M. The +more effectually to escape the fire of the forts, the gunboats moved +continually in a circle, each delivering its broadside as it approached +the forts. First, the Wabash poured in its heavy shot and shell upon +Fort Beauregard, at Bay Point, as long as its guns bore upon it, +and wearing round, opened on Fort Walker, at Hilton Head, while the +gunboats, following in order, kept up the cannonade without cessation. +This continued until between 2 and 3 o'clock P.M., when the forts +surrendered. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF THE BATTLE AT PORT ROYAL HARBOR.] + +Although anchored nearly five miles away, we could follow the direction +of many of the shot and shell, especially the latter, and observe +their effect. A little after noon, the Mercury, a small gunboat, got +on the southerly side of Fort Walker, so near that its guns could not +be sufficiently depressed to bear upon her, and from that point was +able not only to shell the troops outside of the fort, who were held in +reserve, but to throw in so effective an enfilading fire upon the fort +itself that its guns could not be served. It was a stroke of impudence +which seemed so ludicrous on account of the apparent insignificance of +the little craft that the troops on the transports shouted themselves +hoarse in admiration of this seeming act of bravado, which, however, +proved an important feature of the attack. As soon as the fire from +Fort Walker ceased, and it was apparent that at least a part of its +garrison, with the other forces on the island, was retreating, a flag +of truce was sent ashore to arrange the terms of surrender. But it was +too late for any conference, as none but the dead and wounded remained, +and the Stars and Stripes soon waved the announcement that the first +step in the avenging of Fort Sumter had been consummated. + +[Illustration: FORT WALKER.] + +Not a man in the command but felt the significance of that victory. +Charleston was nearer now than it had been before, and, in the minds +of many, it seemed but a little thing to cover the intervening +distance with victorious troops. The flight of the Confederates was +precipitate, and they left behind everything that would cumber a rapid +retreat. Fort Beauregard had suffered less from the bombardment than +Fort Walker, but the fall of the latter hastened its evacuation, and on +the following morning no opposition was offered to its occupation by +our forces. + +[Illustration: FORT BEAUREGARD.] + +One fact _in this attack_ is worthy of special mention. General +Drayton commanded the Confederate forces on Hilton Head, and the +home of the family was located on a prominent point near the shore, +overlooking the bay, while his brother, Captain Drayton, commanded the +gunboat Pocahontas, which participated in the bombardment. Some time +afterwards, in company with other officers, I visited the Monitor, +which he then commanded, and his grave and saddened demeanor told of +the sacrifice he had made in his loyalty to the government. + +[Illustration: DRAYTON'S MANSION.] + +I know that patriotism is a word with some considered stale and +obsolete. Such know little of the temper of the brave men who composed +our army and navy during that terrible struggle. For while few were +called upon to make such sacrifices as Captain Drayton, the number +of those who went to war for hire only was but a small detachment of +that great army. And the arguments, even of those unlettered men who +formed so large a part of the rank and file, as I have often heard them +stated, though clothed in rude and homely language, had in them a +degree of intelligence, and were so charged with honesty and sincerity, +so backed by courage and fidelity on many a gory field, that it were +shame to say the stream of patriotism has run dry. It has not now, and +never will, while men have manhood left, honor to defend, homes to +protect, good laws and a righteous government to transmit. + +November 9 we were all ready to land, having been provided with two +days' cooked rations, but for lack of transportation we were detained +on board the steamer until Sunday morning, the 10th. The night previous +was spent in securing boats and attaching them to our steamer, so that +on Sunday morning, as soon as the word was received, we pulled for the +shore with a will. At this time, the harbor presented a most animated +appearance. The transports were crowded together near the shore, all +busy in discharging freight. Boats of all sizes and descriptions were +passing to and fro, and horses and other animals were being hoisted +from the holds by means of broad bands which encircled them, swung over +the sides of the vessels, and gently dumped into the water, to find +their way to land as they could, while men stood by ready _to secure +them on the shore_. Occasionally the poor distracted brutes, confused +by the unwonted sounds, and half drowned by their sudden and unexpected +immersion, turned seaward, but were soon brought back. + +[Illustration: POPE'S HOUSE AT HILTON HEAD.] + +It was a beautiful Sabbath morning, but with little to remind us of +the sacred character of the day. After landing, we marched a little +way from the beach and remained until about noon, when our camp was +located, not far from general headquarters, and we proceeded to prepare +the ground for our tents, and establish guards and pickets. Two nights +were spent without shelter, on account of the difficulty and delay in +landing baggage. After this we settled down to regular work. From ten +to twelve each day we had battalion drill, in which the colonel was +very exacting, requiring the officers to know their duties, and holding +them responsible for the condition and drill of their companies. +Company drill was from two to four in the afternoon, and dress parade +in the evening, often followed by more battalion drill. Details were +made for fatigue duty in building entrenchments, an extensive line of +earthworks was thrown up as a precautionary measure, and frequently +nearly the whole regiment was picking, shovelling, or felling trees to +furnish material for the works. There was no idle time, except when a +day on picket or other guard duty secured the following as a day of +rest. + +[Illustration: LIVE OAK GROVE AT PORT ROYAL.] + +Having been detailed as officer of the guard the first day in camp, the +following day I was permitted by the colonel to accompany a small party +bound on a tour of observation. During the day we wandered far away +from camp, to the other side of the island, and the afternoon found +us on the borders of a large plantation, which proved to be that of a +Mr. Seabrook. Approaching the place, we mistook the whitewashed huts +of the negroes for tents, and remained a long time in doubt whether to +advance or retreat, feeling quite certain that it was a Confederate +encampment that we saw. While debating what course to pursue, a stray +contraband relieved our apprehensions by informing us that our troops +occupied the place. We found on our arrival a detachment of the 45th +Pennsylvania, posted there to keep watch for Confederates and prevent +foraging. That night we spent in Mr. Seabrook's store, after using +the portion of the afternoon that remained to us after our arrival in +endeavors to secure some of the cattle, pigs, and poultry, which seemed +to be wanting an owner, to which the guard, usually lenient on such +points, raised few objections. These came mostly from the quadrupeds +and bipeds themselves, and were so strenuous that the result of our +efforts was a meagre show of two or three lean pigs, an occasional hen, +and an ancient goose, which succumbed to my own personal prowess. + +On our way back to camp, the next day, we narrowly escaped arrest, +as General Viele had issued an order that all parties coming in from +foraging should be deprived of what they had collected and sent to +his headquarters under arrest. My poor goose suffered the fate of +the pigs and hens, and no doubt rested heavily on the stomachs of the +pickets, if not on their consciences. We were glad to escape with the +loss of our plunder. + +[Illustration: NEGRO QUARTERS.] + +Supplies were abundant, the negroes bringing to camp whatever the +plantations produced, and although General Viele issued an order that +everything should be taken to his headquarters, where a general market +would be held every morning, no attention was paid to it, and as far as +we ever heard, no general market was established. + +About a week after the capture of Hilton Head, I was detailed to take +command of the Grand Guard, whose headquarters were at Drayton's +plantation. The negroes had generally remained here, as well as at +the other places within the range of our command, and were encouraged +to cultivate the plantations abandoned by their masters. This was +important, as the famous Sea Islands formed a part of the territory +captured by our forces, and considerable of the cotton remained +unpicked, while nothing had been done towards the harvesting of corn, +potatoes, and many other products of the soil. Some of the negroes here +were owned by Captain Drayton, who had left them in the care of his +brother, and no doubt some of the shot from his guns had fallen among +his own people. The evidences of the cannonading were manifest all +about, and the negroes, when questioned as to its effects upon them, +declared that at first they didn't mind the firing, but "when them +rotten shot began to spatter about them, they jes' ran for de woods." + +The regiment soon became proficient in drill, in spite of the frequent +details for fatigue duty, and was regarded as one of the best, if not +the very best, in the Department. + +November 24 we had a general inspection and review, by Generals Sherman +and Viele, in which the brigade marched first in quick, and then +in double-quick time, around a circle of some two miles in extent, +according to the journal of Conklin, to which reference has before been +made. We can all testify that it seemed much longer, with the sand +sometimes almost ankle-deep. General Viele perhaps thought us amply +paid for the exertion, when he declared that we marched as well as +regulars, and were equal to any regiment in the service. + +Day followed day with about the same round of duties. We had already +become fairly accustomed to tent life, our food supply was ample and +good, and the paymaster furnished the means of providing ourselves +with comforts and luxuries according to our several positions, or, +rather, the amount of pay received. Besides the regimental sutler, +who was prepared to furnish anything, from Golden Seal to toothpicks, +for a consideration, shops of all kinds sprang up with amazing +rapidity, as soon as it became known that this would be a permanent +basis of operations, and usually only a short time elapsed after the +visit of the paymaster, before his next appearance was looked for +with eagerness, even by the sutler, who cultivated a disposition for +extravagance, by giving credit to such as seemed likely to regard the +obligation. Occasionally, when, too grasping, he became exorbitant +in his prices, or in the rate of interest charged for accommodation +loans--for too often the offices of banker and sutler were combined--a +sudden raid would equalize the account. + +At this time, measles and smallpox prevailed to some extent, and from +the former several deaths occurred, while the latter was limited to a +few cases by the isolation of those attacked. + +Thanksgiving and Christmas passed with no observance on the part of the +non-commissioned officers and privates, except perhaps a more general +application to pick and spade. On Thanksgiving Day, the officers, +many of whom had been suitably remembered by friends at home, united +their private stores with such good things as could be collected in +the vicinity, and indulged themselves in unusual luxuries, forgetting +for the time their surroundings, and giving themselves up to the full +enjoyment of the day, so far as their duties permitted. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Expedition to Port Royal Ferry. Progress up Broad River. Colonel Perry + acting brigadier-general. The rebel yell heard for the first time. The + regiment's first baptism of fire. The old horse. Night on the field. + Return to Hilton Head. Object of the expedition. Presentation of + flag to the regiment. Off for Dawfuskie. Southern homes. Preparatory + work by Major Beard and others. Building batteries on Jones and Bird + Islands. Mud and malaria. Reconnoissances and midnight wanderings. + + +The closing day of the year brought rumors of a contemplated movement. +The scene of operations, and their extent, were only subjects for +conjecture. Early on the last day of the year, we received notice to +be in readiness to march with a number of days' cooked rations, and +about noon of that day started for the dock. The expedition was under +the command of General Stephens, and two regiments were taken from our +brigade,--the 47th and our own,--in addition to those of his regular +command. By the middle of the afternoon we were on board of the steam +transport Delaware, and on our way up Broad River towards Beaufort, +where we anchored for the night. In the early morning, we started for +Port Royal Ferry, against which point we learned that the expedition +was directed. Several gunboats accompanied us, under the command of +Captain Rodgers. Our progress up the river was slow and cautious, until +we arrived opposite the plantation of Mr. Adams, where we disembarked. + +We were much interested, while on the steamer, in watching that portion +of our troops already landed, as they could be distinctly seen, +pursuing their winding way through the woods and over the fields, +their bayonets glistening in the sunlight. Sometimes they went at +slow step, at others in quick or double-quick time. Sometimes they +fired, and charged the Confederates whom they encountered, while the +gunboats covered them to guard against attack by superior forces, all +the time shelling the woods in front of them as they advanced. As soon +as landed, we formed in line and moved forward, the two regiments--the +47th New York and our own--under the command of Colonel Perry. Acting +as reserves, the duty assigned us was to intercept the Confederate +retreat. Very soon, however, orders were received to attack the +battery which was found to cover the road over which we were expected +to advance, and the 47th was moved through the woods on the right to +attack it in flank, while the 48th was to charge in front. Some delay +occurred in establishing the position of the 47th, and arranging so +that the attack might be simultaneous. Well do I remember the rebel +yell, heard for the first time as I was returning from conveying +orders from our colonel to the 47th. Accompanied by the discharge of +cannon and musketry, it seemed, to my unaccustomed ears, as if the +inhabitants of pandemonium had been let loose, and as I rounded the +last point of woods which shut out from view the scene of operations, +I expected nothing less than a hand-to-hand conflict. Instead, I found +the regiment lying quietly down between the furrows of a cornfield, +over which the Confederate shot skipped harmlessly. In this way the men +were protected while awaiting the final order to charge. This was found +unnecessary, for the yell of the Confederates proved only the parting +word given while in the act of abandoning the battery, which was +speedily occupied by our troops. The guns were removed, and the works +destroyed, and we continued our advance towards Port Royal Ferry, where +the enemy was known to be strongly entrenched. + +At this time two horses had been captured and placed at the disposal +of the colonel and his aid, to which position I had been appointed. I +have no recollections of the colonel's, but my horse soon gave evidence +of manifold infirmities. Three times we rolled over together on that +cotton-field, before it was discovered that, with his other weaknesses, +he was stone blind, when he was left to tempt some other officer, and I +returned to nature's conveyance, sadder and sorer for the experience. +That night we lay down on the field, but gained little rest, as the +Confederates were known to be in force in the vicinity, and an attack +was looked for. The next morning we embarked for Hilton Head, the +objects of the expedition having been accomplished, in the destruction +of the Confederate works, which were being constructed for the purpose +of preventing any forward movement on our part in that direction, and +confining us closely within the territory already captured. This was +only one of the points which the Confederates proposed to fortify, +which were intended not only as a restraint upon any forward movement +by us, but also as bases of aggressive operations against us. + +January 12 the regiment was presented, through Adjutant Goodell, with +a beautiful flag from the ladies of Hanson Place Methodist-Episcopal +Church of Brooklyn, of which Colonel Perry had been pastor. That flag +has waved over many battle-fields, and is a witness that the 48th never +faltered in the discharge of any duty. It is now in the custody of the +Long Island Historical Society, having been committed to its charge, +with suitable ceremonies, on the evening of April 21, 1881. + +January 25, 1862, we broke camp, and marched to Seabrook's Landing, +on our way to Dawfuskie, an island bordering on the Savannah River, +some four or five miles above Fort Pulaski. That night we spent at +Seabrook's, and on the next morning embarked on the steamer Winfield +Scott, and proceeded to a place on Dawfuskie called Hay's Point, +where five companies disembarked, and at 9 P.M., under the command of +Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, started for the other side of the island. +Three hours of wearisome marching brought us to Dunn's plantation on +the bank of the river. Pickets were established, and sentries posted, +and we got what sleep we could. The next day was occupied largely in +procuring supplies of food, as everything of that nature had been left +on the Winfield Scott. Detachments were sent out in all directions to +secure the cattle, pigs and poultry abandoned by their owners on the +approach of our troops, and to collect whatever else could be found +that was edible. The men were quartered in the houses and sheds, +while the officers occupied the family mansion. In the afternoon we +learned that the Winfield Scott had been wrecked on Long Pine Island, +where the other wing of the regiment remained until taken off by the +steamer Mayflower, which conveyed them, with the regimental baggage +and supplies, to Cooper's Landing, on Dawfuskie. At this point they +remained until February 1, when they joined us, and, a permanent camp +was established near the borders of the woods, a little way back from +the river. + +During the interval there was little of severe duty, and all were +allowed the largest liberty consistent with proper discipline. Frequent +excursions were made to different points on the island, especially +to the beautiful residences along the shore. Of these, the most +attractive were Munger's and Stoddard's, the former a short distance +below us, the latter some miles away, and occupying a commanding +position, overlooking the sound. Both gave evidence of large wealth +and cultivated tastes, in the character of the houses and beauty of +their surroundings, and as we wandered through the shaded avenues, and +among the shrubs and flowers, in gardens where roses and japonicas grew +in tropical luxuriance, where the air was full of sweet odors, and +the eye confused with the multitude and variety of brilliant colors, +and remembered that these abodes of happiness and beauty had been +abandoned to pillage and destruction, and that wherever our armies +penetrated, homes would be broken up, and in the place of comfort would +come suffering, and in the place of beauty, desolation, we cursed the +madness of those who had brought such miseries on the land. + +[Illustration: OBSTRUCTIONS IN SAVANNAH RIVER.] + +While we were enjoying this short season of comparative idleness, +active and aggressive operations were going on all about us. +Expeditions were planned, obstructions removed from the creeks and +rivers where openings were desired, and midnight scouting parties +penetrated the surrounding country in all directions, even to the very +walls of Pulaski. In all of these, Major Beard, of our regiment, took a +leading part, and did most efficient service. As we sat around the fire +one evening at Dunn's, he suddenly appeared among us, with General +Gilmore, who had already been promoted from the position of Captain +of Engineers in the regular army, to that of Brigadier-General of +volunteers. They had just returned from the work of clearing the spiles +from Wall's Cut, by which a convenient way was opened for our boats +to the Savannah. Much of the night was spent in listening to their +adventures, but we little knew how intimately connected these were with +our own immediate future. + +It was not long after our camp was established, before we had our +full share of labor and danger. It had been determined to establish +batteries on the islands of the Savannah, to cut off communication with +Fort Pulaski, and prevent re-enforcements and supplies. The points +where these were to be located having been selected, the engineers +were ordered to prepare the materials for their construction, and +our regiment and a portion of the 7th Connecticut were employed for +weeks in conveying this material from the woods to the dock for +transportation. Some eight or ten thousand logs, of from ten to +fifteen feet in length, and from three to six inches in diameter, were +carried a distance of from three-quarters of a mile to a mile and a +half, on the shoulders of our men, and, in consequence, many of our +best soldiers were ruptured or otherwise injured, and crept out of the +service, maimed and ruined for life. Late on the evening of February +9, a detachment under Captain Greene was ordered to report at the dock +to complete the loading of the Mayflower. It was raining very hard, +but the men worked faithfully until after midnight, when word came +from brigade headquarters to take off a part of the load. This was +done, and the admirable foresight of the commanding general was fully +appreciated, as was manifest from the frequent comments in which the +men indulged, which had the merit of earnestness if not of elegance. + +At 3 A.M. of the 10th, we started for Jones Island. We were all wet, +hungry, and tired. Not expecting to leave Dawfuskie, we had taken no +provisions. There was no opportunity for sleep, for, arriving quickly +at the point of debarkation, the work of unloading and conveying the +materials across the island was pushed forward hurriedly. It was a +season of the year when, even in this southern latitude, the sun gave +but scanty heat, and the men must needs work lively to keep the blood +from chilling. The island was but a deposit of soft mud, into which +they sank to their knees at almost every step, while occasionally the +logs or planks which they carried were needed to bridge over spots +otherwise impassable. During the forenoon, a party was despatched to +camp in a small boat, for food, but the supply which they brought was +totally inadequate, from the size of the boat and the number to be fed. +During the day all the materials for building the battery were conveyed +across the island, a distance of about a mile. + +While engaged in this work, a Confederate steamer made its appearance, +and stopped opposite, and so near to us that every movement of those +on deck was discernible. The officers, with their glasses, scoured +every point in the vicinity, while we crouched down among the +cane-brakes. So long as the steamer remained, we expected a shot from +her guns, or a closer inspection by one of her boats, which would have +been extremely disagreeable, as the order for detail required us to +leave our guns in camp, and there were not six rifles on the island. +Fortunately we were not discovered, and the steamer, after a little +delay, proceeded down to Fort Pulaski. About this time the guns for the +battery arrived, and the general in command of the district, who had +arrived with them, declared that they must be mounted before morning. +We felt very much like harnessing him to the foremost, and giving +him a taste of Jones Island mud, but there were objections to such a +procedure, and, instead, we made a platform on which to load them, +and prepared to do our utmost. By frequent crossing and recrossing, a +way had been sufficiently marked through the canes, but the constant +tread of heavy feet had reduced the soft mud to the consistency of oil +for a depth of several inches, making a road not perfectly calculated +for the transportation of cannon. However, there was no time for +hesitation, and placing two planks before the wheels, we united our +strength in the task of maintaining them on these planks, while we +carefully urged them on, replacing the planks as we proceeded. Woe be +it, if, slipping on the greasy mud which covered the planks, as they +sometimes did, they buried themselves in the soft embrace of its slimy +nastiness. Should it be asked how were they recovered, it would be +impossible to tell. We can only say they were, and that with slow and +suffering steps we guided, pushed, and pulled them forward, until flesh +and blood rebelled at loss of food and sleep, and they were covered +up, and we ordered back to camp, to be relieved by others. We had to +wait, however, until the relief came from Dawfuskie, and I quote from +Sergeant Thompson's journal to show how this second night was spent: +"At midnight we covered the guns and endeavored to find some place +to lie down in. Found a place, but was soon routed out by the tide. +Came to the conclusion to walk the rest of the night to keep warm. +Found a twenty-foot plank with four men on it. Jumped on and ran my +chance. Kept moving until morning." This was only the beginning of +such labor and exposure, and is it a wonder that so many men, protected +from rebel bullets, have come out of such a service as we have here +described, to worry through a life of suffering, the effects of which +they have transmitted, and will continue to transmit to children and +to children's children. The malaria of those mud islands is considered +death to any one, even to such as have been acclimated to the South, +and their only inhabitant is the ugly alligator. + +This battery was hardly established before, pushing across the river, +another was planted on Bird Island, farther up, so that, together, they +cut off all further communication with Fort Pulaski, by way of the +Savannah. An attempt was made to destroy these batteries, but without +result, except in the disabling of several of the enemy's steamers, +after which we were left in undisputed possession. + +The smell of the mud of Bird Island lingers in the nostrils yet, and +it is no wonder that in the progress of the work of establishing the +battery, at times not a man was fit for duty. Whiskey and quinine were +powerless to stay the effects of such labor and exposure. As a partial +protection, our tents were nailed to heavy timbers a foot or more in +diameter, snatched from the river as they floated down, while boards +were laid across on which we slept, but even then in the high spring +tides we were scarcely out of water, and not a spot was dry on the +whole island. + +During our stay on Bird Island, frequent reconnoissances were made +up the river in different directions. One dark night, two boats were +sent up the Savannah, on either side of Elba Island, to ascertain if +batteries were being planted, which would threaten ours of Bird and +Jones Islands. Closely hugging the shore, we worked along cautiously, +to avoid being seen by the Confederate pickets. At a distance of some +miles from where we started, while the pickets on the shore were +plainly visible by the light of their camp fires, one of our men was +attacked with a sudden and most sonorous cough. Suspecting that it was +intended to stop our further progress, we waited patiently for its +cessation, and resumed our progress up the river, until suddenly the +sound of voices immediately in front of us gave warning that we had +gone too far for safety. Fortunately, the tide had turned, and a single +whisper stopped the motion of the oars, otherwise we should not have +suffered long from the chillness of the night air. Dropping back with +the tide, stopping occasionally to learn more certainly that there were +no batteries where they had been suspected, we reached our quarters in +season for an early breakfast. + +Lying alongside, but extending much farther up the river than Bird, +was McQueen's Island, the upper extremity of which was bounded by +St. Augustine's Creek, which connected the Savannah with Wilmington +River, and afforded a channel of communication with Fort Pulaski by +means of small boats. Across St. Augustine's Creek, the telegraph wire +connecting the city with the fort had been stretched on tall, heavily +constructed spindles. The wire had been destroyed some time before, but +the fact that steamboats from Savannah, at some risk from our battery, +continued to come down to this point, and seemed busily engaged in +some operations near these spindles, determined Major Beard, who +commanded on the island, to investigate the matter, and, if possible, +to bring away a scow which was known to be lying in that vicinity. +The investigation was very proper, but the object of getting the scow +we never understood. However, a detail was made, a boat was dragged +across McQueen's Island to Wilmington River, and from that point a +small party, with a guide supposed to be acquainted with the region, +started for these spindles. It was a curious experience, paddling along +under the overhanging banks in perfect silence, save when the vivid +imagination of some one of the party pictured a Confederate picket from +some peculiar conformation of the shore or eccentric growth of bush +or shrub, when a word of caution would stay our progress until cooler +eyes discovered the deception. One of the party even descried a picket +beside its camp fire, whose bright glow shed a clear light upon their +waiting figures, but to all the others there was but the blackness +of darkness, and we passed on without molestation. The leaky little +dug-out, which required constant bailing to keep it afloat, had room +for neither rest nor comfort. Hour after hour we paddled along with +the incoming tide, vainly hoping to reach the point we sought, every +moment taking us farther within the lines of the enemy, and when, at +last, completely lost amidst a maze of devious, winding creeks, the +tide turned, we turned also, and by marvellous good fortune found our +way back before the morning dawn discovered us to the Confederates. +Determined to have that scow, and equally determined to have a better +knowledge of the country before a second attempt was made, a small +party was started one bright afternoon, which, rowing some distance up +the river, landed on McQueen's Island, and striking through the canes, +made straight for the spindles. We took no notice of the picket on the +other side of the island, but kept right on, until, approaching the +shore of the creek, the men were held back behind the trees and bushes +which grew along the bank, until we could be assured of no special +danger. Satisfied on this point, they were allowed to come on, and we +gathered along the shore, and endeavored to impress upon each others' +minds the direction of the creek, the location of the scow, and the +probable means of reaching it from Wilmington River. The order to +return had been given, when suddenly the Confederates appeared from +behind the timbers of the spindles opposite, and not a hundred yards +distant, and from the bushes near, and the order to lie down was given +none too quickly to avoid the bullets which came whistling over our +heads in close proximity. No one of our party was hurt, and we never +received an official report of the number killed and wounded by our +return fire. The locality was not sufficiently attractive to induce +us to remain until the report was made up. Not only the danger of +being cut off by the picket we had passed, but the shells from our own +battery soon began to trouble us, for, as it afterwards transpired, +one of our number, unaccustomed to the sound of bullets, became so +thoroughly frightened at the first discharge that he started for camp +by the most direct course, and on his arrival announced that we had +been attacked by greatly superior numbers, and that he had been sent +back for re-enforcements. Our own battery was soon throwing shot and +shell over our heads, much to our discomfort,--for those missiles often +make serious mistakes, and fall where they are least intended,--and +all that could be spared were preparing to set out to rescue us from +the peril to which we were exposed, when our appearance on the river +put an end to the alarm. On reaching the island, we found the utmost +excitement prevailing, and that every preparation had been made for the +reception and care of our wounded. The author of all this confusion +was discovered to be suffering the extreme effects of fright, and in a +pitiable condition of mental and physical prostration. His youth, for +he was a mere boy, shielded him from the consequences of his conduct, +which otherwise would have been very serious. He was never permitted, +however, to forget the circumstances and effects of his fright. Soon +after this I was sent to Wilmington River to intercept the despatch +boats, which, we had reason to suppose, found their way to the fort, +but although many nights were spent in watching, while the miasma from +the swamps was doing its deadly work, penetrating to the very bone and +marrow, and preparing many a poor fellow for his final rest, the creeks +and rivers which intersected the country in all directions afforded +abundant means for avoiding us, and we made no captures. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Planting batteries on Tybee Island. General Gilmore. Listening for the + opening gun. Bombardment of Fort Pulaski. Watching the contest from + Dawfuskie. Surrender of the fort. Its appearance after the bombardment. + + +While we were engaged in the work described in the last chapter, +General Gilmore was planting his batteries on Tybee Island, which +borders the mouth of the Savannah. These were placed from one to two +miles distant from Fort Pulaski, and in the work of establishing them, +difficulties were encountered similar to those which so thoroughly +tested the skill and endurance of our men on the mud islands above. It +required the combined efforts of two hundred and fifty men to drag a +single mortar from the beach where they were landed, to position, and +as several of the batteries were in plain sight from the fort, the work +was largely done at night, until the embankments afforded sufficient +protection. The fire from the fort was annoying, but less constant and +spirited from the confidence of its commander in its security against +the fire of guns so far distant. The value of rifled cannon for siege +operations at long range was about to be tested, and while the result +in this instance was not entirely to the satisfaction of the commandant +of the fort, it fully justified the confidence of General Gilmore, for +to him belongs the credit of this achievement, from its inception to +its final termination. + +By April 6 we became aware that the crisis was approaching, and from +that day anxiously listened for the opening gun. + +[Illustration: FORT PULASKI.] + +On the 9th, a demand was made for the surrender of the fort, to +which the commandant replied, "I was placed here to defend, not to +surrender." And he had an opportunity, for on the morning of the 10th +the boom of cannon was heard, and from that time until about two +o'clock of the afternoon of the following day, the batteries kept +up a steady and constant fire. On the first day we could discover +little effect, as we watched the progress of the contest from the +shore of Dawfuskie, but the next day the frequent clouds of dust +arising, especially from the southwest angle of the fort, indicated +that progress was being made. During the night the firing had been +continued, with intervals of about fifteen minutes, permitting little +rest to the garrison, and effectually preventing all attempts to repair +or strengthen the fort, and in the morning all the batteries opened and +kept up a terrific cannonade, until the white flag appeared. Throughout +the day the shore was lined with the excited soldiers, especially in +the vicinity of Munger's, where a few of us secured places in a large +willow tree overhanging the water, and affording an unobstructed view +of the conflict. It was not long before a large breach was visible, +which gradually widened as the day advanced. The firing from the fort +was spirited, but had little effect. Several times the flagstaff was +cut away by our shot, and as often replaced, until about 2 P.M. of the +11th, when the firing ceased. Still, we were ignorant of the exact +state of affairs, until an accident revealed the fact that the fort had +surrendered. A sailing vessel was seen slowly drifting towards it. A +steamer followed, apparently for the purpose of rendering assistance, +but for some reason she seemed to be unmanageable, and gradually +approached and passed the fort without drawing its fire. By this we +knew that Pulaski was ours, and another entrance for blockade runners +was closed. + +[Illustration: BREACH IN FORT PULASKI.] + +Soon after its surrender, the officers were from time to time allowed +to visit it. One bright morning, after the details for the day had +been made, in company with several other officers, I was rowed across +the river, and spent the day in the quiet inspection of the fort +and surroundings. The effects of the bombardment were everywhere +visible. Guns were dismounted, bomb-proofs torn and shattered, and the +traverses--great mounds of earth for the protection of the gunners, and +to guard against the effects of enfilading shots--were levelled almost +to the ground. The terre-plein was ploughed and furrowed in every +direction, while wide and deep ditches extended across it, to ward off +the effects of bursting shells. In many places the blandages, which +were heavy timbers inclined against the inner wall, although covered +with earth to the depth of three or four feet, were splintered and +broken, and large sections of the walls themselves destroyed. The angle +against which the heaviest fire had been directed was a gaping mass of +ruins, through which at last the shot and shell drove steadily against +the magazine, threatening to envelop fort and garrison in one common +destruction. It was this danger which compelled the surrender. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Camp life at Dawfuskie. Scheelings and his "leetle tog." High living. + Effects of malaria. Discussing the situation. Emancipation order + of General Hunter. Lincoln the emancipator. John C. Calhoun and + nullification. Ordered to Pulaski. James Island expedition. A sad + failure. Shouting service of the negroes. + + +For the next few weeks our duties were less severe than they had +been. The men, by various expedients, had softened down the severer +features of camp life. The tents were enclosed in frameworks of poles, +which were covered and decorated with evergreens and southern moss, +and the officers vied with each other in rendering their quarters +attractive. The most pretentious of all were perhaps those of Captain +Elfwing, commonly known as Volks Garden, from the fact that, having +many friends in the 46th New York, a German regiment, he brought back +from his frequent visits to them liberal supplies of their favorite +beverage. Several companies of the regiment were stationed at Cooper's +Landing and at other exposed points on the island, and on moonlight +nights we sometimes made up parties to accompany the officer of the +day in his grand rounds. Often these were made occasions for pleasant +entertainments at the little outposts. At Cooper's Landing especially +we always found hearty welcome, perhaps because we were often the +bearers of letters, which, received at headquarters, were sent in this +way to those on detached service. Sometimes the colonel visited not +only these stations, but other points less carefully guarded, but from +which an attack might be possible. At times the officers united in a +general mess, but for the most part were divided up into small parties +of such as were most congenial, which allowed to a greater extent the +indulgence of individual tastes. + +The bugler, Anthony Scheelings, must not be overlooked, for at +this time especially he was one of the most useful members of our +organization. With his little pack of dogs, he was roaming the woods +from early morning till evening parade, and seldom returned without an +abundance of appetizing game, which he distributed among the messes +with impartial liberality. Occasionally a huge rattlesnake contested +with him the right of way, but with gun and dogs he was more than +a match for beast or reptile. On one occasion however, Scheelings +returned from his accustomed ramble with downcast countenance, and +upon being questioned as to the cause of his depression, could only +answer, "mine leetle tog, mine leetle tog." Some time afterwards, +when his grief had lost some of its poignancy, he was able to explain +that, while hunting in the marsh, the little cur which was his special +favorite, in jumping across a narrow creek, had suddenly disappeared +from sight. A huge alligator was discovered soon after, making its +way to deeper water, whose movements were hastened by the contents +of Scheelings' gun, but the "leetle tog" never returned. The woods +abounded with birds and animals, and the numerous creeks and bayous +furnished a continuous supply of delicious oysters, and the great +sea-turtles, which deposited their eggs along the shores of the river +and sound, were often caught too far from their favorite element to +effect a retreat. Drill, guard and picket duty were kept up with +regularity and constancy, but we look back upon the interval between +the fall of Pulaski and our assignment as its garrison as one of +comparative rest and comfort. The effects of our exposure on the river +batteries now began to be manifest in the pale faces and shrunken forms +that crept about the camp, showing that the slow but deadly malarial +poison was fastening upon its victims. Loss of appetite, broken sleep, +and a general feeling of lassitude, which found but slight alleviation +in quinine, were the precursors of more violent attacks, from which +many escaped at the time, but whose after life of miserable weakness +and suffering has told how deeply were sown the poisonous seeds of +lingering disease. + +Our mails came with frequency and regularity, and the papers were +fairly devoured in the eagerness to learn of operations in the other +departments of the army, but the confusion of statements, often half +falsehoods and half conjecture, with the reports of deserters, and +negroes who found their way through the rebel lines, and the claims +of the Southern papers which they brought, altogether, made a jumble +and jargon, in which the truth was buried too deeply for any hope of +resurrection. The affairs of our own department were equally involved +in obscurity and doubt as far as we were concerned, except those +matters in which we took part. This uncertainty, however, did not +prevent an active interest in and frequent discussion of movements, and +that fiction took the place of fact detracted nothing from the hotness +of the argument. We fed on what was furnished us, and often built our +hopes and theories, fought battles and gained great victories, on the +brilliant but groundless conjectures of unreliable correspondents. + +From the journal of Sergeant Thompson I learn that on May 12 the +emancipation order of General Hunter was read to the troops. While this +was somewhat premature, and was annulled by orders from Washington, it +foreshadowed the purpose of President Lincoln, who, with a majority +of the people of the North, soon came to regard it as a military +necessity, and as such the proclamation of January 1, 1863, was issued, +by which slavery in this country was forever abolished. Comparatively +few slaves were immediately affected, but as our armies penetrated +the rebellious states at different points, and the negroes were not +only received and protected, but were organized into regiments for +service against their late masters, the wisdom of the measure was fully +demonstrated. For this act the name of Lincoln, handed down from age +to age, will ever be held sacred in the memory of man, as one of the +greatest benefactors of the race. + +By the middle of May it became manifest that new movements were +contemplated in the department. The other regiments on Dawfuskie +were gradually withdrawn, and we became interested to learn what +disposition was to be made of us. On the 19th the rumor reached us that +we were to garrison Fort Pulaski, while most of the troops were to be +concentrated in an attack upon Charleston. The 6th Connecticut and +the 28th Massachusetts, which had been encamped near us, were ordered +away, and we were left almost alone. On the 21st a party visited Hilton +Head, where assurances were received that we should form a part of the +attacking force, but results showed the falsity of this assurance. + +On our return from the Head we stopped at the house on Braddock's Point +formerly occupied by John C. Calhoun, and, among the letters scattered +about, found many dating back to 1832, which showed the general +prevalence of the nullification doctrines at that time, throughout +the state. Had the loyalty and energy of President Jackson descended +to Buchanan, these years of suffering and loss would all have been +avoided. But out of the evil has come such good that few will dare to +say that the results are not worth all the sacrifice. + +May 23 all doubt in regard to our destination was removed by despatches +from Generals Terry and Benham, directing us to proceed at once to Fort +Pulaski to do garrison duty. We were very indignant, and felt ourselves +grievously wronged, in being placed in what we regarded as ignominious +retirement, after having labored so hard, and prepared ourselves so +thoroughly for the field; and the officers united in a respectful +but spirited protest to be forwarded to the commanding general, but +the colonel, knowing better than we, disapproved, and there was no +alternative. + +On the 25th, the steamer Mattano took seven companies to the fort, +leaving E, B, and C on the island, under the command of Captain Coan. +At the wharf we were met by General Terry, who directed us to pitch our +tents in the most convenient places outside the fort, still occupied +by the 7th Connecticut, which was under marching orders. Several days +elapsed before the final orders came for the transfer of this regiment +to Edisto Island, during which nearly our whole command was constantly +engaged in fatigue duty. Company K was detailed to occupy the hulk of +an old vessel that had been anchored in the channel, just opposite the +fort, and it was not until June 2 that the remaining companies were +moved into the fort and entered upon garrison duty. On the same day +our troops, under General Benham, landed on James Island, on their +way to Charleston. The Stono River had been cleared of obstructions +by the navy, and it was supposed that the enemy could not interpose +an effectual barrier to our advance. The Confederates were gradually +driven back, but finally made a stand at a place called Secessionville, +which possessed many natural advantages for defence. On the 15th, +preparations having been completed, General Stephens charged the +earthworks with his division; but the position was too strong, and he +was obliged to retire, with heavy loss. A second attempt was about to +be made, with a better disposition of the troops, when General Benham +ordered the withdrawal of General Wright's division, and General +Stephens was obliged to follow. The losses were very heavy, owing to +the nature of the ground. The Confederates were able to concentrate +the fire of artillery and infantry upon a narrow neck of land between +two marshes, over which our troops must pass to make any substantial +progress. They soon received re-enforcements, and this attempt on +Charleston was abandoned. + +From the first it seemed to be determined at Washington that no +important movements were expected in our department. The number +of troops was always too small for any large undertaking, and in +maintaining a depot of supplies and a place for repairs for the navy, +and shutting up the entrances to the coast in our vicinity, and thus +limiting the operations of the blockade-runners, we seemed to meet all +requirements. + +[Illustration: THE PLANTER.] + +While the attempt at James Island was being made, I was on the steamer +Cosmopolitan, the headquarters of General Benham, and the reports that +were continually brought in were heart-rending. Our troops were cruelly +slaughtered, and many fell who had been our companions on Dawfuskie +and elsewhere. My business, which was with the commanding general, +delayed me several days, and while on the boat, one evening, I was +much interested by the performances of the negroes on the lower deck. +A great many of them had fled from the neighboring plantations and +found refuge on the boat, so that the lower hold was crowded with them. +At first, my attention was caught by the sound of the soft, plaintive +music of a few female voices. The melody was wild and peculiar, +differing from anything I had ever heard before, but presently the +character of the music changed to the rude and boisterous, in which +a multitude of voices were joined. Being interested, I descended to +where I could view the proceedings, and was thus able to witness that +singular religious exercise called shouting--which bears a striking +resemblance to the ordinary worship of the Shakers. At first the +dancing was confined to a few, and some leading voice sang the melody, +and the others joined in the chorus, but by and by even the old and +decrepit men and women seemed seized by the spirit of music and motion, +and one by one were drawn into the moving circle, swelling the volume +of sound until the vessel fairly shook with the fierceness of the +hallelujah. It was a tumultuous, but hearty expression of thanksgiving +that the bonds of slavery had been sundered. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + The wreck of the sutler's schooner. Its consequences. The death of + Colonel Perry. His character. Action of officers. Sent to New York. + Lieutenant-Colonel Barton promoted. Detailed on recruiting service. + General Mitchell commander of the department. Expedition to Bluffton. + Blockade-runner Emma. Confederate ironclad. Back with the regiment. + Its condition. Bluffton again visited. Ravages of war. + + +On the 16th and 17th of June, a fearful storm prevailed along the +coast during which a schooner was discovered on her beam ends, on +the bar off the west end of Cockspur Island. With much difficulty +the crew was rescued, but the vessel became a total wreck, and the +cargo, which consisted of sutler supplies, floated ashore on Tybee +and Cockspur Islands. Cases of claret and champagne and barrels of +beer and wine, were too strong an attraction to be resisted, and the +result was that on the 17th the regiment was in a terrible state of +demoralization. As soon as the facts were discovered by the colonel, +the severest measures were applied. Guards were set along the shores +to secure the cargo, and those who were intoxicated were confined in +the guard-house and dungeon. The liquor was collected, and locked up +in the magazine, and comparative order was restored. It is probable, +however, that the excitement and vexation so overcame the colonel as +to induce the attack of the following day. It was the first time that +the brutalizing effects of the war had manifested themselves in our +regiment, and he was grievously wounded. At about three o'clock of the +afternoon of June 18, while the colonel was writing at his desk, his +pen suddenly dropped from his hand, his head dropped, and scarcely +with other sign, _the silver cord was loosed and the golden bowl was +broken_. It was a sad day in the regiment. He was so strong--so far +above the jealousies of ordinary army life--so just and true--that he +was as a rock of defence to such as were in any way dependent upon +him. Although holding a subordinate position, we felt that he had no +superior in the department, in those qualities which constitute a +leader and commander. How well I remember him, as firmly seated on his +gray horse, the gift of his ministerial friends and others, he moved +about the field at battalion drill, so familiar with the duties of +his position as never to suggest a doubt, giving the word of command +without effort, but with a power of tone such as I have never heard +equalled. Here, as elsewhere, always dignified, always composed. A man +to respect, to trust, to obey. It was his misfortune to be confined in +a department which furnished so little scope for his abilities, and +a still greater misfortune that he incurred the envy and jealousy of +those over him. At the time of his death he had applied for leave of +absence, and the promise of promotion led him to expect a transfer to +some other corps. Had he lived, so large an estimate had we formed of +his abilities that we should have expected his rapid advancement to a +conspicuous position among the leading generals of the army. As a man +he was admired and beloved, for, although reserved and reticent, he did +not withhold his confidence, and esteem from such as he deemed worthy +of it. Everything relating to those under him received his personal +attention, and in cases of discipline, while sometimes severe, he was +always just, and when he died the feeling was universal throughout the +regiment that the loss we had suffered could never be made up to us. +From the time of my first introduction to him, until that morning when +I parted from him at Pulaski, never again to see him in life, I recall +many instances of his kindness and thoughtful consideration; but they +are too personal to be recorded here. Notwithstanding his reserve and +his habitual seclusion, except when engaged in active duty, he knew +his officers better than they thought, and cared for them better than +they knew. As an evidence of this I recall with great distinctness the +ride we had together, when we visited various points on Dawfuskie, +when he found the rebels were making preparations to annoy or attack +us. On our return as we slowly rode towards camp, the conversation +turned upon the character and relative merits of the officers of the +regiment. He was in a singularly communicative mood, and spoke with +unusual freedom. There was no unkindness, no bitterness in what he +said, but there was abundant evidence of keenness of observation, and +a knowledge of the temper and disposition of those of whom he spoke, +and had he lived, no good man would have had occasion to fear him, and +no bad man to despise him. His parting words at our last interview in +Pulaski, meant more than I knew then, but they were not needed to keep +him in my mind, embalmed with loving thoughts and precious memories. +We buried him outside the fort, but subsequently his body was removed +to Cyprus Hill Cemetery, in Brooklyn; and a granite monument has now +been erected above his remains,--by the efforts of James H. Perry Post, +G.A.R., and the survivors of the regiment, assisted by the Hanson +Place Methodist-Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, of which he had been the +pastor. On this is inscribed, in fitting words, the story of his life, +his services and sacrifice. + +His death left us in a state of some embarrassment. The promotion to +the colonelcy naturally belonged to Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, but +Major Beard had done much important service in the department, which +seemed to deserve recognition, and in addition, his father's relations +with prominent men in Brooklyn could command their influence. But he +lacked the full confidence of his brother-officers, and his promotion +over Lieutenant-Colonel Barton would have been an undesirable precedent +to establish, and at a meeting held for the purpose of ascertaining +the views of the officers of the line and staff, it was found that we +were unanimous in favor of Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, and a paper was +drawn up, and signed, requesting from the Governor his appointment. +Chosen for the purpose of conveying this, with other letters of +recommendation, from Major-General Hunter and Brigadier-General +Terry, I hastened to New York by the first steamer, in company with +Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, and had the satisfaction of securing all +that we desired. From this time until October, being detained in New +York, with Captain Farrell, on recruiting service, I must depend upon +the journals of Thompson and Conklin, and the sketch recently written +and sent me by Major Barrett, for an account of what transpired in the +regiment during the interval. + +The record is short, and lacking in interesting or important +circumstances; occasionally, a flag of truce came down from Savannah, +with persons who desired to join their friends in the North. General +Mitchell, who had established a character by successful operations +in the West, relieved General Hunter, and by his urbanity, and an +undefined and indefinable magnetism, had captivated the soldiers, while +his reputation as a successful general inspired them with a belief that +the department of the South would thereafter have opportunity to make +for itself a place in the history of the war, by solid achievements. +Poor man! how little he knew of the lack of material, of opportunity +and force, in his new command. Better for him had he remained in a +subordinate position in the West, where the field was large, and +afforded encouragement for the exhibition of military skill and genius. + +The work of repairing the fort was carried on energetically, and an +occasional excursion up the river, or to neighboring islands, relieved +the monotony of garrison duty. One expedition to Bluffton, on the May +River, for the purpose of destroying the salt works, resulted not only +in its immediate object, but in securing a large supply of excellent +and convenient furniture, including a piano for headquarters. The +blockade-runner Emma, having for a long time been tied to the wharf +at Savannah, made an effort to escape with its cargo of cotton. Just +as the sun was beginning to light up the horizon, it was discovered +near the entrance to Wright's River, hard and fast, with a receding +tide. Boats were manned and sent with all speed to secure her, but +too late to save more than the scorched and blackened remains of her +valuable cargo of cotton. The fact that an English steamer had, by the +contributions of the ladies of Savannah, been converted into a ram +of powerful armament kept the garrison on the lookout for an attack, +until it became known through deserters that she was an unwieldy mass +of iron, with engines of insufficient capacity to move her against the +ordinary current of the river. + +One morning our gunboats, in the spirit of mere bravado, ran up the +river to within range of Fort Jackson and the batteries near, but +without result, except to show how poorly both were provided with +artillery. Had the navy made a serious attempt on Savannah, we always +felt that it would have met with but feeble opposition. There had grown +up a wholesome dread of our gunboats, especially of the ironclads, and +although our troops met with obstinate resistance, wherever the navy +could penetrate the way was almost undisputed. + +While affairs were thus comparatively stagnated in the department, +Captain Farrell and myself were hard at work recruiting, and, as a +result, the regiment was brought up to nearly its original number. It +was a pleasant relief from the stale, stupid life in garrison, and +afforded an opportunity to recover from the dreadful effects of the +exposure on the swamps and islands of the Savannah. Some of the duties, +however, were by no means agreeable; and when the order came for a +return to the regiment, it was very welcome. We had been away long +enough, and were quite willing that others should take our places; and +October 2, when we rejoined the regiment, it was with a feeling of +pride that we took up the regular duties of army life again. + +During our absence, the officers had been accustomed to meet together +to discuss tactics and military law, and it was apparent that we must +make special exertion to place ourselves abreast of those who had thus +profited. Some few changes had taken place. At night the "All's well," +which every hour was carried round the fort from sentinel to sentinel, +proclaimed the fact that every one was watchful, and illustrated +the system which prevailed. The several expeditions to Bluffton had +furnished our quarters with useful and attractive furniture, and, with +every convenience for garrison duty, we should have been content, +except for the feeling that we might be serving our country better in +more active operations. + +October 9, General Mitchell and staff visited the fort, and it soon +became known that an expedition was planned in which a portion at least +of our regiment would take part. From that time until the 21st, the +companies which were to join the expedition engaged in target practice +every day, and there was much emulation among them. The officers +also joined in the practice, for the sake of encouragement. In the +meantime the steamboat Planter made another expedition to Bluffton, +to complete the demolition of the salt works. Just as we were about +to cast off from the dock to return to the fort, the Confederates, +who had been awaiting their opportunity, attacked us, and for a few +moments the firing was quite sharp. Owing to the low state of the tide, +our artillery was useless, until, having cut the hawser, we swung out +into the stream, when a few discharges of grape and canister scattered +the enemy and we proceeded back to the fort. Our casualties were one +killed and several wounded. The frequent expeditions had stripped the +town of almost everything portable, and it is not surprising that the +inhabitants were desperately angry. It was a pretty village, apparently +a summer resort for the wealthier people of Charleston and Savannah. +The houses, for the most part of neat and attractive appearance and +embowered in trees, stretched along for some distance on the high +table-land near the water, and the shore of the river was dotted here +and there with boat and bathing houses of pretty design. Deep ravines +ran from the river back through the town until lost in the darkened +shades of the woods beyond. But the houses were desolate and given up +to pillage, the happy households scattered, lost in the whirlpool of +mad rebellion, fathers and sons were measuring out their life-blood in +the rebel army, and mothers and daughters were mourning over the loss +of friends and homes and all that makes life dear, while suffering +the terrible privations of an invaded country. A sad picture of the +cruelties of war! + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Expedition to Coosawhatchie. Landing at Dawson's plantation. March to + Coosawhatchie. Ambuscade. Firing on Confederate train. Confederate + prisoners. Destruction of track. Retreat. Peril of Lieutenant Corwin. + Lieutenant Blanding wounded. Pocataligo expedition a failure. Perilous + voyage back to Pulaski. Confederate weapons. Yellow fever. Death of + General Mitchell. His character. Review of Coosawhatchie. + + +October 21 we embarked on the steamer Planter, six companies of fifty +men each, and proceeded to Hilton Head, where we joined the main body +of troops belonging to the expedition, and, accompanied by a number +of gunboats, started for the point of attack. The morning of the 22d +found us opposite Mackey's Point on the Coosawhatchie River, in rear of +the fleet, which numbered in all fifteen gunboats and transports. This +was the point of disembarkation for the main body, but we proceeded +farther up the river, accompanied by two gunboats. We had not gone far +before our boat grounded on a point on the Dawson plantation near the +house, and we landed in small boats. A few cavalry pickets delayed us +a little, but we finally started up the road with Company H deployed +as skirmishers under command of the writer. This road led directly to +the village of Coosawhatchie, and ran nearly parallel to the railroad. +The attempt to skirmish through the woods was soon abandoned, owing to +the dense growth of plants and shrubs and trailing vines. The Spanish +bayonet plant was the most formidable, its thick bristling points +presenting such obstacles to our progress that we were soon compelled +to confine ourselves to an advanced position on the road. Where other +roads intersected, guards were stationed. A short march brought us to +an open space, with the railroad in plain sight, only about two hundred +yards distant from the turnpike. Without waiting for special orders, +Company H was deployed along the railway embankment, at the same time +that the whistle of an engine warned us that a train was approaching. +Carefully posting the men along the track, but out of sight, a cautious +observation discovered the train stopped a short distance below us. +It was a period of anxious suspense, until we were assured that it +was again in motion, when, the most careful instructions having been +given as to when and how to fire, we awaited its approach. Several +platform cars were loaded with troops, and as we poured in our fire +upon them, at only a few feet distance, the effect was terrible. In an +instant those crowded masses of humanity had disappeared. Some were +killed and more were wounded, but a large number jumped from the train +and concealed themselves in the swamp and woods. A few were taken +prisoners, but the wounded were left to be cared for by their own +people, who were known to be near by, as we had no means of caring for +them. It was a cruel ambuscade, for as they came to the place where +we were awaiting them, it was apparent that they had no intimation of +our presence in the vicinity. We hoped to injure the engine and so +wreck the train, and a number of the most reliable men were assigned +to that special duty; but it passed on out of sight, and we gave our +attention to the destruction of the railroad, under the direction of +the engineers who had accompanied us for such purposes. Not much was +accomplished before heavy firing warned us that we could not delay; +and, collecting the prisoners and such arms as we had captured, we +proceeded to join the regiment. This had arrived at the open space +just in season to discharge the little cannon, which the colonel had +borrowed from the navy, at the passing train, when it pushed on, hoping +to destroy the bridge which crossed the river a little farther up the +road; but the Confederates were found strongly entrenched, with heavy +batteries guarding its approaches, and, after carefully feeling of +the position and drawing the fire of the batteries, the colonel was +obliged to give the order to return. Company H was again thrown out as +skirmishers, and, discovering what was supposed to be a Confederate +detachment, commenced firing. Fortunately, before any injury was done, +it was ascertained that it was Lieutenant Corwin with his company, +which had been left to guard a threatening point. Nothing further +occurred until we reached the boat, when, as we were embarking, the +little knot of cavalry which had been closely watching our movements +for some time rode rapidly forward and gave us a volley, by which +Lieutenant Blanding, of the 3d Rhode Island Artillery, who accompanied +us, was severely wounded. A few shells from the little Parrot gun on +our bow dispersed them, and we steamed down the river without further +casualty. The main body of the expedition had the usual experience at +Pocotaligo, where they hoped to be able to effectually destroy the +railroad. The force was too small, and was repulsed with severe loss. +We nevertheless expected to renew the attempt the next day; but this +purpose was given up, and we were ordered back to the fort. The perils +of our return passage were quite equal to any that we had encountered, +for in the intense darkness the pilot lost his way, and for a long +time we were buffeted about by wind and waves, not knowing what was to +become of us. The next day we had leisure to examine the weapons we had +captured. It was a curious collection, consisting of rifles, swords +of venerable age, and a species of cleaver, much resembling those +commonly used by butchers, showing to what extremities the Home Guards, +at least, were already reduced. As I write I have a specimen of the +last mentioned weapon on my table, personally taken from a rebel at +Coosawhatchie. + +[Illustration: HEADQUARTERS OF HUNTER AND MITCHELL.] + +October 28, General Mitchell was reported seriously ill with yellow +fever, and General Brannon assumed command of the department. October +29, Dr. Strickland, our chaplain, an old friend of General Mitchell, +was sent for to attend him. October 30, General Mitchell died, at +6 P.M. And as others at Hilton Head were prostrated with the same +disease, there was danger that it would spread through the department, +and every precaution was taken to guard against it. The loss of +General Mitchell was a severe blow. He had the confidence of the +troops, had shown his ability as a commander, and was supposed to be in +such relations with the authorities at Washington as to promise such +additions to our forces as would enable us to undertake something of +importance. Our last expedition would perhaps have had a better result +had he been well enough to assume its direction. As it was, the colors +of the Whippy Swamp Guards, with the prisoners and arms, captured by +Company H of our regiment, were the only favorable results, while the +complete failure of the main expedition, with the loss of so many men, +added another to the disheartening blows from which the department had +suffered from the beginning. And now the loss of General Mitchell, on +whom our hopes were centred, left us without a promise for the future. +Soon after our return from Coosawhatchie, two deserters from the 1st +Georgia regiment, called the Whippy Swamp Guards, came down from +Savannah. They reported the loss of thirty men, their major, and the +engineer of the train, at Coosawhatchie, together with their colors. +These latter, which we had in our possession, attested the correctness +of their statement in at least one particular. Had the Confederates +whom we attacked been commanded by any one of ordinary ability, troops +would have been sent down by the railroad to cut off our retreat, for +there was but one road by which we could return, and this was bordered +on either side by impenetrable woods, so that a small force could have +held us and made our escape impossible. It is probable that our attack +at the railroad so disconcerted them that before they recovered, it was +too late to interrupt our rapid retreat. Those who sent us into such a +trap either knew nothing of the country, or were willing to make the +sacrifice of our command for the sake of drawing off troops from the +main point of attack. Looking back upon it now, it seems a part of the +blundering operations which characterized our department for the most +of the time that we were there, the attack on Pulaski forming a happy +exception to the general rule. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + At Fort Pulaski. Changes at Dawfuskie. Amusements. The pride and taste + of the soldiers in fitting up their quarters. Mosquitoes and other + pests. Thanksgiving celebration. Incidents of garrison life. Flag + of truce. Confederate ironclad. New Year's Day. Mr. Logan's account + of the condition of things in Savannah. Prices of provisions, etc. + Resignation and departure of Chaplain Strickland. Inspector-General + Townsend's and Colonel Green's opinion of the regiment. Flag of + truce. Interesting interview with Adjutant-General Gordon and + Lieutenant Styles, of the Confederate army. Formation of negro + regiments. Our theatre. Building a steam-launch. Deserters. Capture of + blockade-runner. Effect of garrison life on the regiment. Capture of + Confederate ironclad Atlanta. + + +After our return from Coosawhatchie, for a time, we were left +undisturbed in garrison. The work of repairing the fort and replacing +the guns injured in the bombardment continued, with company and +battalion drill, whenever the weather permitted. November 4, a few +officers made a trip to Dawfuskie, visiting Munger's and Stoddard's; +but neglect and decay were manifest everywhere. A few old negroes, +abandoned because of inability to bring further profit, with the +desolated homes, together exhibited the barbarisms of war and slavery. +The cold weather soon relieved our apprehensions from yellow fever; +and affairs at the fort moved on in the old sluggish current. Games of +ball on the terre-plein, and hunting on the islands near, varied the +monotony somewhat, and artillery drill added somewhat to our regular +duties. The ducks in the bay were numerous; and, as we had collected +quite a fleet of boats, parties were made up, almost daily, to hunt +them. + +Thanksgiving was approaching, and we determined to make the day +memorable. The officers contributed liberally, and committees were +appointed to plan for a celebration, which should not only afford +pleasure to ourselves, but attract to the fort the general officers +of the department, as well as others. November 18, we indulged in a +regatta. The colonel had selected the most promising craft, and fitted +it up quite handsomely; others also had apparently been fortunate +in their selections, but Captain Strickland, while obliged to take +an inferior boat, had in Company H the most skilful sailors of the +regiment, who, for love of their captain and the honor of the company, +worked with a will to overcome all inequalities. The trial trip of our +boat was made very early in the morning of the day on which the race +occurred, and resulted in christening it the "Tub," by those who had +watched its movements. A few changes and alterations were made, and it +was ready to start with the others. The race was very exciting, and the +course a long one, and it was for some time doubtful which would win +the prize, but when the Tub came into the dock, having distanced the +whole fleet, by common consent she received the more reputable name of +Maggie. + +During the pleasant days of autumn, scarcely a day passed without +some form of amusement or recreation. The Sabbath, while we were in +garrison, was usually observed in a becoming manner, and was a day of +rest from work and play, save in the matter of inspection. Regularly +every Sunday morning the colonel, accompanied by his staff, made +a thorough examination of the interior of the fort, and such was +the character of the men, and the discipline which prevailed, that +no effort was spared to make these inspections satisfactory. The +companies which occupied the casemates on two sides of the fort availed +themselves of all the materials at hand to fit them up in a manner +not only to secure the greatest comfort to themselves, but to render +them most attractive in appearance. And it was a great pleasure to +note from Sabbath to Sabbath the ingenuity and skill displayed in the +arrangements for eating and sleeping, as well as for general effects. +Bunks were made, either single or double, and tastefully covered with +colored netting, to ward off the attacks of mosquitoes and sand flies. +Tables, chairs, and lounges of various designs occupied the spaces +around the guns, while dogs, cats, 'coons, and other pets shared the +quarters and the messes. The season for sand flies, mosquitoes, and +fleas, passed by with the warm weather, but each for a time had proven +severe trials to us all. First the sand flies swarmed in countless +numbers, microscopic in size, all bite and poison, penetrating +everywhere, and, while they lasted, the agony of dress parade, with +the men at rest, will be remembered, but cannot be described. The +mosquitoes were quite tolerable, but when, under the hot sun of +midsummer, the fleas made their appearance, there was little rest night +or day. Walking on the shore, it seemed sometimes as if every grain of +sand had been quickened into life, like the dragon's teeth of Jason. + +Rumors reached us, from time to time, that an effort would be made to +recapture the fort, and General Beauregard was reported to have stated, +in a speech, that but a few days would elapse before he would replace +the present commandant. Others have made similar mistakes, and to few +is given the spirit of prophecy. + +November 27, Thanksgiving Day, opened bright and beautiful, the +atmosphere clear and cool. All preparations had been made, and we +awaited the coming of our guests. The chaplain consecrated the day +in a short but interesting sermon upon the political aspects of the +country. After the discourse, the amusements of the day commenced, +with target-shooting and boat-races. When these were concluded, the +officers marched to the south dock, to meet the guests. Three boats +came, quite loaded with passengers, among them Generals Brannon and +Terry. Proceeding to the fort to the sound of music and the firing of +salutes which announced the quality of our visitors, the amusements of +the day recommenced, with foot-races, followed by hurdle, sack, and +wheel-barrow races, greased pole, greased pig, and other games. Perhaps +the most ludicrous were the attempts of the negroes, with hands tied +behind them, to pick out with their teeth the gold piece concealed +in a tub of flour. Finally the day closed with dress parade by the +non-commissioned officers and privates, in which the most grotesque +costumes were used, and the largest liberty permitted. Taking advantage +of this, the peculiarities of the officers were brought out with the +grossest exaggerations, manner and tone being imitated so well, and +withal in such good-natured frolicsome spirit, that the subjects of +the pleasantries enjoyed it equally with the others. The published +orders were admirable hits, ending with the one attributed to Major +Beard, which, after announcing the death of a member of the regiment, +concluded with, "The God of battles will give him a soldier's rest by +order of O.T. Beard, Major Commanding." A long nooning gave ample +time for the dinner, which was spread in a temporary building on the +terre-plein, and consisted of a variety of fish, fowl, and joints, with +the usual accompaniments. The evening and most of the night were given +up to dancing. At midnight a supper was served, and many of us retired, +but a few, who had passed the bounds of moderation in their libations, +served to keep alive the echoes of song and laughter until the morning +brought exhaustion, and permitted a little rest. The day was a +memorable one, contrasting as it did so severely with the events which +placed us there and continued to disturb the country. The following day +we parted with our guests, and resumed the old routine. + +At this time our company was stationed on Tybee Island, with +headquarters in the Martello Tower, and it was a common trip to run +over and dine with Swartwout, who was one of the most genial and +hospitable officers in the regiment. He had very comfortable apartments +on the top of the tower, and his men were pleasantly disposed in neat +and cheerful barracks near by. There were horses to ride, and a +long, beautiful, and solid beach to ride on, little to do, no special +annoyances, plenty of game and an almost independent command, so that +those detailed there were inclined to remain. + +[Illustration: MARTELLO TOWER, TYBEE ISLAND.] + +Soon after our arrival at the fort for garrison duty, a bed of fine +large and luscious oysters was discovered near by, having been planted +by the former occupants of the fort, by whose labors we profited +much, for the supply seemed unlimited. Base-ball became a regular +institution, in which the whole garrison joined, from the colonel down. +When the officers were not playing, the men occupied the ground, when +off duty. And it was well, for we needed all the exercise we could get, +on account of the enervating effect of the long confinement in the +fort, and we wished to be ready for active service, which we trusted +would come in time. + +December 24, Colonel Barton returned from Hilton Head with the +announcement that Lieutenant-Colonel Beard had resigned, and his +resignation had been accepted, and that several ironclads were expected +from the North. + +December 27, the steamboat Mattano conveyed a party up the river on +flag of truce. Starting early in the forenoon, we proceeded slowly to a +point nearly opposite St. Augustine's Creek, when we were hailed by the +officer of a Confederate picket, and, having dropped anchor, awaited +the return of the messenger which had been sent to the ram Georgia +as soon as we appeared in sight. This was plainly visible, about a +mile distant,--a low, sullen mass of iron, apparently immovable. +While waiting the return of the messenger, we had ample opportunity +to examine it, but could make out little beyond her general shape. +Designed to clear the river and vicinity of our gunboats, she had thus +far proved a failure, and, as confessed by an officer who visited us, +had greatly disappointed those who had furnished the means to build +her. The officer sent to communicate with us was Lieutenant Johnson, +who, in the course of a very pleasant conversation, stated that for +seventeen years he was in the United States service. That at the time +of our attack on Port Royal he was in command of one of the steamers of +Commodore Tatnall's fleet, which was nearly blown out of water by one +of our eleven-inch shells. In the afternoon, Captain Sawyer, of General +Mercer's staff, came alongside, having started for Pulaski on flag of +truce. His boat was manned by sailors from New York. + +January 1, 1863, opened with a clear sky and an invigorating +atmosphere. It was observed as a holiday, and Captain Elfwing, who +could not forget, even in our unfavorable conditions, the good old +custom of open house and spread table, invited his friends to partake +of his hospitalities. Lieutenant Wallace, who had resigned, spent the +day in taking leave of his companions. + +January 3, nine men from the 47th New York State Volunteers, a +regiment with which we had been brigaded from the first, and between +which and our regiment there had always existed a special friendship, +came to the fort in the steamer Mattano, for a match game of base-ball +with our picked nine. They took their defeat in the best humor, and +nothing occurred to mar the good-fellowship between the two regiments. + +January 8, Mr. Logan, who went up to Savannah December 27, returned +to the fort with several ladies. Lieutenant Johnson came with them, +and our acquaintance was renewed. Papers were exchanged, and from +the Savannah News we gained information which silenced certain +unfavorable rumors which had been current in the garrison for some +days. Mr. Logan gave an interesting account of what he saw within the +Confederate lines, and we note a few of his statements. The supply +of clothing had become so reduced that the cast-off garments of past +generations were drawn upon, so that the grotesqueness of costumes, +even among the better classes, was often ludicrous. The prices of +nearly everything had advanced to enormous figures. The following +will serve as examples. Tea was fourteen dollars a pound, salt fifteen +dollars a bushel, flour from thirty to fifty dollars a barrel, men's +boots from twenty to forty dollars per pair. He further stated that +his brother-in-law paid a hundred dollars for a coat made of Kentucky +jean, and fifty dollars for two pairs of hand cards for carding cotton. +He himself paid two dollars for a tooth-brush, and four dollars for a +daguerreotype. Sugar was sold for seventy-five cents per pound by the +hogshead, and other articles in proportion. Merchants had but little in +their stores; and great inconvenience, and even suffering, generally +prevailed. From these facts we derived great encouragement. If they +indicated the condition of things generally in the South, the war could +not last long. The report of the capture of Vicksburg, about this time, +strengthened this feeling. The news, generally, was encouraging. + +February 3, Generals Hunter, Foster, Negley, Potter, and Seymour +visited the fort. General Hunter was quite extravagant in his praises +of the regiments. February 6, Dr. Strickland left us, and was not +expected to return. He was an excellent chaplain. Faithful, earnest, +and fearless, he helped materially in keeping the regiment to its +high standard of morals and propriety. While not aggressive, he was +constant in his labors, and was heartily respected in them. There was a +wholesome and agreeable freedom in his manner, combined with dignity of +habit and speech, which we liked. He had many warm friends, and, if any +enemies, they were not known. + +February 9, the regiment was inspected by Colonel Green, the assistant +inspector-general of the army, who came to the fort accompanied by +General E.D. Townsend, Adjutant-General, U.S. A. They both expressed +themselves very much pleased at our appearance, and complimented us +very highly. + +February 16, I was despatched on another flag of truce, with Captain +Kenzie, of General Hunter's staff, who was entrusted with special +business for headquarters. Near Bird Island, the steamboat Ida met +us, and Captain Gordon, adjutant-general of General Mercer's staff, +with wife and two children, came on board our boat, accompanied by +Captain and Lieutenant Styles of the Virginia army. They were all +people of education and refinement, and during the several hours that +we spent together, there was no suggestion of personal antagonism as +an outgrowth of the general attitude which we maintained towards each +other. In spite of my earnest protest against the introduction of any +irritating subject, the war, its causes, and its different phases, were +discussed with freedom, but without the least appearance of bitterness. +Mrs. Gordon and family had suffered privations in common with others, +and Lieutenant Styles spoke of the division of the army to which he was +attached as often without shoes, and even sufficient food, but bearing +everything without complaint. The coat he had on, made of ordinary +gray cloth, cost one hundred and fifty dollars, and he had ordered a +pair of cavalry boots, to cost sixty dollars--thus corroborating the +statements of Mr. Logan. The picture which he drew of the soldiers +of the Confederate army,--marching over the snow without shoes, with +a cake of gingerbread in hand, costing a dollar, and a newspaper in +pocket, costing twenty-five cents,--would have been pathetic had it +not suggested such a lamentable want of judgment, in preferring the +luxury of gingerbread and newspapers to the comfort and protection of +suitable covering for the feet. We parted with mutual expressions of +personal esteem, knowing that within the hour of our parting, we might +be called upon, in the discharge of duty to which we were bound, to +take each other's life, while we equally lamented the necessity for +such brutality. + +February 20, reports reached us of difficulty between General Hunter +and some of the officers on the staffs of the new generals who had come +to the department from North Carolina, who showed too little respect +for the negro soldiers, the pets of the commanding general. And this +reminds me of neglect in overlooking the fact that, in the formation +of the negro regiments, Lieutenant Corwin obtained the position of +major, and several of our sergeants and corporals obtained commissions. +Advanced positions in these regiments were offered to several of our +officers, who declined to accept them. + +February 23, our theatre was opened, with the following +entertainment:--Address by Corporal Michaels. Singing by the members. +Farce, "Family Jars." Song, "The Flea," by Owens, of Company H. +Recitation by Hutchinson. Light balancing by Dr. Haven. Tragedy, 1st +act of "Richard III." Song by Dickson. Concluding with the tableau, +"Washington's Grave." The theatre was very pretty, and the performances +excellent. The scene-painting was done by Harrison, who was by +profession a scenic artist, and was very good. From this time forward, +during our stay at the fort, performances were continued regularly, and +afforded a great deal of pleasure. + +March 3, several officers went to the Ogeechee river to witness the +attack on Fort McAllister by the ironclads. About this time a little +engine and boiler were completed, under the direction of Captain +Paxson, out of materials found in the fort, and placed in a large boat, +which had floated down to the island. They worked satisfactorily, and +this little craft was used for a long time in trips about the island +and to neighboring points. Our regiment might be taken as an example +of the material of our army. Every profession, and almost every +department of mechanical pursuits, was represented, and, whatever work +was required, there was no lack of such as were familiar with it. + +March 15, four men, comprising a Confederate picket, came in to the +fort, bringing their officer with them, much against his will. They +were well armed, with Maynard rifles and Colt's revolvers. In all, +twelve deserters came in within ten days. Day after day we were called +upon to entertain visitors, and the fort became a place of resort +for the idle and curious in the department. The theatre was a great +attraction. + +March 30, a small schooner was discovered near the entrance to Munger's +River, and the colonel started for her in the Mattano. At first she +hoisted the English colors, but was compelled to acknowledge that she +was a blockade-runner, bound for Savannah with a load of salt. She was +our first prize. + +[Illustration: NEW IRONSIDES AND MONITORS.] + +March 31, we learned, through Mr. Whitney, the designer of the monitor +Keokuk, who was visiting his cousin, Captain Lockwood, that there +were now eight ironclads at Hilton Head, or near Charleston Harbor, +which meant that something was to be done. The men were soon set to +work moving mortars to the south dock for shipment. Great activity +prevailed; constant communication was kept up with Hilton Head by +signal to Braddock's Point; and a steamboat was nearly all the time at +the service of Colonel Barton. In addition to our regiment, a company +of the 3d Rhode Island Artillery, under Captain Gould, had for a long +time, formed a part of the garrison; and at this time several gunboats +were in the river, to help protect the fort against any attack which +might be made on Pulaski while our ironclads were operating against the +forts in Charleston Harbor. + +April 7, an attack was made upon Fort Sumter, which was unsuccessful, +owing to the obstructions in the channel, which confined the operations +of our fleet. The Keokuk, which took the most advanced position, +and received the heaviest fire, was so injured that she sank on the +following morning. + +From this time until June 3 nothing occurred of special interest. We +all had leisure for recreation, which was really needed to overcome the +effect of confinement in this debilitating climate. Every fair day, +after the regular drills, the terre-plein was turned into a playground. +Every one drifted into habits of idleness, and while an admirable +opportunity was afforded, during our stay in the fort, for reading +and study, few had the inclination to engage in serious or profitable +pursuits; and so many were inclined to occupations of a frivolous and +demoralizing character that it is safe to say that the morals of the +regiment suffered a severer strain during our stay in Fort Pulaski than +during all the remainder of its service in the army. + +June 3, several companies were ordered to be ready with cooked +rations, and it soon became known that Bluffton was to be burned. Why +this order was issued, we never knew; but it was carried out most +literally. Judging from the force detailed, opposition must have been +expected; but the work was accomplished without any hindrance, and the +beautiful little village was reduced to a mass of ruins. + +[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF FORT SUMTER.] + +June 12, General Hunter was relieved by General Quincy A. Gilmore, the +same who was captain of engineers in the first expedition to Port Royal. + +June 17, we became aware that something unusual was taking place +in Warsaw Sound; and after an early breakfast, several of us took +positions favorable for observation, on that portion of the ramparts +overlooking that quarter. A number of steamers were visible, and for +a few moments there was heavy firing. We thought we distinguished +the rebel ironclad Atlanta, formerly the Frugal, and the return of +the steamboat Island City from the scene of operations confirmed +this impression. From her we received a full account of the affair. +The Atlanta came down Wilmington River, expecting to capture the two +ironclads, who were on the lookout for her, but four shots from the +Nahant were all that was needed to crush in her sides, and reduce her +to submission. At close range, even her four inches of iron plate, +backed by fifteen inches of solid oak, were not proof against the +heavy guns of the monitor. The other vessels which came down from +Savannah to see and perhaps participate somewhat in the fight did not +wait for their share, but returned with all speed to report the sad +failure. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + Good-by to Fort Pulaski. At St. Helena Island, under General Strong. + Billinghurst and Regua battery. Folly Island. Masked batteries. + Attack on Morris Island. Killed and wounded of the regiment. Captain + Lent. Capture of Confederate batteries. Building batteries. Hot work + and little rest. Completion of batteries. Assault on Wagner. Badly + managed. Terrible losses. General Strong. Negro soldiers. Their + effect upon the Confederates. After the assault. The shelling by the + Confederates. Incident. + + +June 18, General Gilmore arrived at the fort, and in the evening a +telegraphic despatch was received,--for, some time before this, a +telegraphic cable had been successfully laid between Braddock's Point +and the fort,--ordering us to have eight companies ready to start in +the morning, with cooked rations. Although we were ready at the time +appointed, it was decided to be better to defer embarkation until +evening, that it might not become known to the Confederates that the +garrison was so weakened. Accordingly, when the darkness of night had +settled down on the fort, the eight companies marched to the dock and +embarked in the Ben De Ford, which steamed away from the fort, but +anchored off Tybee Island for the night. Companies G and I were left +behind; but before we started, the officers all gathered together, and +joined in "Auld Lang Syne." Seldom had such a solemn feeling rested +upon us, and the cheers and good-wishes of those who parted there were +to many the last words of fellowship together upon earth. + +The following morning, we passed the Atlanta, on our way to St. Helena +Island. It was a formidable-looking craft, being supplied with a heavy +armament, and all the appliances for offence and defence, including +an immense ram and an ingenious contrivance for exploding torpedoes. +Arrived at St. Helena Island, our destination, we found ourselves in +the brigade of General Strong. + +June 27, the writer was placed in command of the Billinghurst and +Regua battery, and separated from the regiment. As soon as detailed, +reported to General Strong, and had twenty-five men detailed from the +several regiments of the brigade to handle the pieces. Each of these +consisted of twenty-five rifle barrels on a carriage, so arranged +that the fire from a single cap, opposite the centre barrel, was +through a tube communicated to all, so that they could be discharged +simultaneously. The barrels were heavy, with long range, and, as a +defence against attack of infantry, might be very effective. The idea +was similar to the French mitrailleuse; but whether borrowed from it, +we cannot tell. This was the only battery of the kind ever used in +the department, and, being entirely new, every moment was occupied +in practice, in getting the range, and in securing the necessary +equipments. Worse than all, it was necessary to improvise a drill while +the practice was going on, but General Strong, who was one of the +noblest, kindest, and most considerate of men, assisted in every way, +and by all the means at his command. It was not long before we were +as much captivated by his military bearing and his gentle urbanity of +manner as the other officers and men of his brigade. It is given to but +few men to attach others to them as he did. + +[Illustration: SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.] + +July 4, we were ordered on board the Harriet M. Weed, and proceeded to +Folly Island, on the northerly portion of which we encamped until the +10th, when we moved up to the other end of the island, in rear of our +batteries. These contained about fifty guns, and had been masked by a +grove of trees until this morning, when a clearing had been made, and +the guns opened fire. Only the day previous, a number of Confederate +officers had been out on the sandbar which at low tide almost +connected Folly with Morris Island, and made a careful inspection of +the vicinity, with their field-glasses, all the time in plain sight +of our men behind the batteries, but without discovering anything. +The bombardment was a disagreeable surprise to them. Arrived behind +the batteries, we were compelled to go their whole length and return, +on account of confusion of orders, while the shot and shell from the +Confederate batteries opposite played around us in the most reckless +manner. + +[Illustration: NOISELESS HAULING OF THE GUNS.] + +That night we crossed to Morris Island, and encamped on the beach. In +the meantime the 48th, with other troops, had been massed near the end +of Folly Island, and as soon as the cannonading from our guns ceased, +landed on Morris Island, charged the Confederate works, and, proceeding +on, cleared every obstruction, even to the very foot of Wagner. But not +without loss. Quite a number were killed and wounded. Among the killed +was Captain Lent of Company A, a man of genial, happy disposition, +beloved by every one. Although a brave, earnest, and competent officer, +he was so quiet and retiring in his habits that he seemed almost out +of place in such scenes, and it was hard to reconcile so gentle and +amiable a life with such a sudden and cruel death. While encamped on +Folly Island, he called at the battery on his way to the front, and +I well remember his expression as we parted: "How I wish I had your +place! I would rather have it than the command of the regiment." It was +not of danger that he thought, but of the independence of the command. +Before the attack, our regiment was divided for convenience of landing, +and while our guns were thundering against the batteries opposite, the +men were waiting in anxious expectancy; and when the word was given +they shot across the little strip of water, and, in the face of a +murderous fire, rushed up the beach, and with fixed bayonets carried +all before them. There was no faltering, but only an onward movement; +and, although many fell, others supplied their places, and with cheer +upon cheer they cleared the Confederate works, capturing men, guns, +camp-equipage, and everything, until the recall was sounded, and they +came slowly back to count their dead and wounded. It was a gallant +charge, and in it General Strong set the example, when, leaving shoes +in the clinging sand, he rushed forward, the first to land, and the +last to realize the necessity for a recall. It was a glorious charge +and a glorious success, which gave a vantage-ground for our troops on +which to plant their batteries, and a place for successful operations +against the strong defences of Charleston. Had the proper use been made +of this early success, Wagner would have been ours; but, unfortunately, +the attack on this fort was delayed until the following morning, +when, with a garrison re-enforced, our attacking column was easily +repulsed. The days that followed were full of labor and exposure. +The guns of Wagner and Sumter searched every nook and cranny of +the island, and many men lay down at night to sleep, to waken in the +Eternal City. As fast as possible, guns were hurried up into position +to bear upon Wagner, and the heavy armaments of the ironclads kept up +a constant clamor, but with little effect; shot and shell came flying +into camp in all directions. General Strong's headquarters were fairly +uprooted by a bursting shell, and when solicited to move to a less +exposed position he laughed, as if it were only play. Hour by hour he +grew into the affections of his command, and it is certain that no +officer was ever more beloved. After a time, earthworks were thrown up +across the island, near Wagner; and the men, from habit, learned to +protect themselves in some measure from the enemy's fire. July 13, the +48th were at the front for twenty-four hours, during which time the +Confederates made a sortie, but were repulsed with considerable loss. +A sergeant endeavored to capture Lieutenant Tantum, but made a bad +mistake. The powerful grasp of the lieutenant was not to be resisted, +and the sergeant went to the rear, an humble prisoner. Attached to our +battery, and under my command, was a small company of sharpshooters, +with telescopic rifles, who buried themselves in the sand close to the +walls of Wagner in the hour before light in the morning, and proved +most effective in controlling the fire of the fort. Not a head or hand +could appear without being reminded of their presence. + +[Illustration: BOMB AND SPLINTER PROOF.] + +July 18, the attack on Fort Wagner commenced at about 10 A.M., and a +steady fire from our batteries and the ironclads was kept up until +evening. The following is the account of the assault, written by J.A. +Barrett, who was second lieutenant of Company H:-- + + "We lay on our arms all day, and just before dark were formed in + column by companies, and advanced under a galling fire up the beach. + It was a trying hour, our ranks thinning at every step. For much of + the way the right of our column was obliged to wade in the water. On + our left another column composed of the 54th Massachusetts colored + regiment, under Colonel Shaw, also advanced on the fort. We waded the + moat and scaled the parapet. Our loss was terrible, sometimes whole + companies being mowed down at once. We jumped over the parapet into + one bastion where there were two guns, but the firing was so hot that + we were unable to turn them to any use. Darkness was upon us, and + we could see nothing. The supporting columns coming up in our rear, + poured in a heavy fire, mistaking us for the rebels. Our killed and + wounded kept piling up. A rebel officer for some purpose came among + our men, and was seized by a private of the 48th, who called to + Colonel Barton that he had a prisoner. To which the colonel replied: + 'Take him to the rear.' 'But he won't come,' said the private, who + was nicknamed 'Plucky.' 'If he wont yield, then bayonet him,' was + the order; when a wounded man dragged himself up, and, with all his + remaining strength, plunged his bayonet into the side of the rebel + officer, and, falling back, expired. A retreat was ordered, but was + not altogether understood, and some fifty of our men remained and + continued firing. I was severely wounded in the thigh, but roused + myself, and directed the fire of these few men as best I could, + collecting ammunition from the dead and wounded. When this gave out, I + ordered all who could to go to the rear. This section of the fort was + literally full of dead and wounded, piled up even with the parapet. I + crossed over their bodies, slid down the slope and crossed the moat, + which was full of our dead. A rebel sentry was pacing up and down + the beach, but by keeping near the bank I was able to pass him. My + scabbard was shot away, my pistol bent and useless, and, leaning on + my sword, I hobbled down the beach to camp. The 48th went into this + assault with five hundred men and sixteen officers, and three hundred + men and fourteen officers were killed, wounded, or prisoners." + +[Illustration: FORT WAGNER AT POINT OF ASSAULT.] + +While this brief account is valuable, as the statement of a cool, +self-possessed, and brave officer, who participated in the assault, +and was an eye-witness to what he states, no words can adequately +describe the horrors of that night. Sufficient time had elapsed, since +the occupation of the island by our troops, to allow of a complete +and careful preparation for the assault, which the enemy had reason +to expect. A large re-enforcement was added to the garrison, and the +men were most carefully drilled in the minutest details, to provide +against every possible emergency. The heavy bombardment which preceded +the assault, while it seemed as if it would tear the fort from its +foundation, had really no serious effect in weakening it; and as soon +as it ceased, the men were withdrawn from the bomb-proofs, where they +had been completely protected, and assigned to their positions, and, +when our troops made the assault, were as ready to receive them as if +not a cannon had been fired. On our part, there seemed to be a want of +accurate information, and of carefully matured plan, which resulted +in confusion of action; while on their part, there was the most +intelligent and thorough preparation possible, and most perfect concert +of action between all those assigned to special duties in the defence. +The result was inevitable, and the carnage terrible. The responsibility +of the assault was generally ascribed to General Seymour, and, as +subsequent events clearly proved, it was a useless sacrifice of life. +General Gilmore continued to plant batteries, by which we not only +reached the forts in the vicinity, but, with the famous Swamp Angel +guns, threw shot and shell a distance of five miles into the city of +Charleston. These batteries, and the mine which he constructed, which +destroyed one whole force of Wagner, compelled its evacuation on the +night of September 6. + +[Illustration: FORT WAGNER, SEA FRONT.] + +On the night of the assault, July 18, there was no sleep in the +48th. It was past midnight when the last of the men came in from the +fort, and the horrible scenes through which they had passed, and the +anguish of grief over friends and comrades, maimed and wounded, or +lying silent in that pit of darkness and blood, forbade all thought of +rest. Colonel Barton was wounded through the thigh, Lieutenant-Colonel +Green, Captains Farrell and Hurst, and Lieutenant Edwards were dead, +and Captain Paxson was mortally wounded. Captains Lockwood, Elfwing, +and Swartwout, and Lieutenants Miller, Barrett, and Acker, were also +severely wounded. It was a heart-rending sight when, on the following +morning, I visited them in the steamer which was to convey them to +Hilton Head. No one could doubt the quality of the 48th now. The +heroism of the men was only equalled by that of their officers. None +could have been braver. All the wounded officers had made their escape +with the exception of Lieutenants Taylor and Fox, who were left in the +hands of the Confederates. While we mourned for our immediate friends +and associates, we did not forget that our brigade commander, General +Strong, was among the fatally wounded. I had been accustomed to report +to him in person for commands for the battery; and, of all the men I +have ever known, few have left such deep and such pleasant impressions +on my memory as he--of the gentlest and most winning manners, yet +always the thorough soldier, brave even to rashness, kind, courteous, +and considerate, he grew more and more beloved as he became better +known. He never asked men to go where he would not lead the way. + +[Illustration: THE SWAMP ANGEL BATTERY.] + +On the night of the assault, my battery was stationed at the outer +lines of our defences, on the shore, to resist any counter attack which +the Confederates might make, and I witnessed much of its horrors. As +one after another of the wounded came in, eager and anxious were the +questions asked, until the return of the torn and broken remnants of +the proud columns which a few moments before had rushed to victory told +too plainly the story of savage butchery and defeat. Well do I remember +the appearance of the negro soldiers as they came straggling back +from the front that night, for I was not favorably impressed by their +conduct. I have often thought that their presence in the attacking +column was a mistake, and that the hatred and disgust which they caused +in the minds of the Confederates overcame every other feeling, to such +an extent that the instinct of self-defence was converted into brutal +ferocity, as was manifest in their treatment not only of the colored +soldiers themselves, but the gallant officers who led them. With the +highest respect for the opinions of those who have testified to the +discipline and valor of the negro troops, I am impelled to say, in +spite of the criticisms that my statement may provoke, that my own +observation and experience, as well as the experience of others, have +convinced me that the prevailing opinion, especially in New England, of +the valuable services rendered by colored troops in actual conflict, is +erroneous, and that their most effective work during the war was done +with the pick and spade. If quickness of perception and independence +of thought and action are desirable qualities in a soldier, this +conclusion seems both obvious and necessary. After the repulse of the +18th, the Billinghurst and Regua battery was kept at the front all +the time, and, although protected somewhat by earthworks, there was +no complete guard against the shells which night and day exploded +all about us. One of my men was sitting in the sand just outside the +battery, when a shell from Wagner literally ploughed him out of his +seat. Fortunately, it did not explode, and he only experienced a good +shaking-up. Night after night we were obliged to keep watch of those +magnificent streams of light which, proceeding from the mortars at +Castle Pinkney, seemed charged with intelligence as well as powder, for +as they moved through the air and reached the point over our batteries, +they appeared to poise themselves as if to select the most vulnerable +point, when they descended with a peculiar whizzing sound into our +very midst. Our only recourse was, by determining on which side the +earthworks they would fall, to make the most expeditious movement to +the other side, to await the explosion. + +I remember one night when it was determined to plant a +_chevaux-de-frise_ from our battery to low-water mark. A night was +chosen when it was thought that the heavy clouds would obscure the +moon and conceal our operations. The wagons proceeded up the beach +with the materials, until they had nearly reached the point selected, +when the opening clouds disclosed them to the garrison of Wagner. No +time was lost in opening upon them with their Armstrong guns, from +the parapet. The first shot produced a stampede, and in an instant +the teams had turned about, and the horses were scampering back, with +the shot and shell skipping about them in the most unceremonious +fashion. The sight was so ludicrous that I was thrown off my guard, +and exploding with laughter, until the danger of my own position was +recalled by the bursting of shells about my head. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Back to the regiment. Off for St. Augustine. The duties of + provost-marshal. The quaint old city. Its pleasant people. Two months + of rest. Lieutenant Ingraham. Back to Hilton Head. The regiment + reunited. Visit to Morris Island. Captain Eaton. Fort Wagner and its + reminders. Lieutenant-Colonel Green. + + +July 30, at my own request, I was relieved from the command of the +Billinghurst and Regua battery, and returned to the regiment. While +an independent position, it was one in which there was no promise of +important service, and I have never heard that the batteries were ever +successfully used. They lacked the strength of the ordinary battery, +and the mobility of columns of troops. I joined the regiment at Hilton +Head just in season to superintend its embarkation for St. Augustine, +Major Strickland and Captain Coan being ill. + +Arrived at St. Augustine August 2, and remained until October 3. Our +duties were light, and opportunity was afforded for recovery from the +effects of the Morris Island campaign. As provost-marshal, I had the +complete supervision of the city, the receiving of flags of truce, +and the regulation and examination of the correspondence between +the inhabitants and their friends within the Confederate lines. All +fire-arms had been taken from the citizens by my predecessor; but the +owners were permitted to use them occasionally for hunting, under +certain restrictions. People were allowed to come in and go out of the +city, when it was apparent that no harm could result, and the planters +outside were encouraged to bring in produce and other supplies under +the scrutiny of men detailed for the purpose. The materials of the +theatre were brought from Fort Pulaski, and the performances afforded +much amusement, and helped to make the regiment popular during our +stay. We found many pleasant people, some of whom had never sympathized +with the rebellion, and were glad of the protection of United States +troops. Others, while bitter and hostile, were incapable of any harm. +The quaint old town was in itself a never-ending fund of enjoyment and +interest. The men were comfortably quartered, and the officers indulged +in unusual luxuries. Among those whom I recall of the good people +who resided there were Mrs. Anderson and her son, the doctor, whose +delightful home in the suburbs, in its surroundings and furnishing, but +more especially in its charming atmosphere of culture and refinement, +so often helped us to throw off the hardening and brutalizing effects +of army life and associations. The Misses Mather and Perritt, with whom +a number of our officers boarded, natives of the North, driven to this +softer climate by delicate health, were in the fullest sympathy and +accord with us, and were not only exceedingly kind, but afforded much +assistance, by reason of their familiar acquaintance with the city, its +affairs, and its people. + +The two months spent in St. Augustine passed quickly and pleasantly. +Occasionally, the pickets were fired upon, but no regular attack was +made. Communication was undoubtedly kept up between the citizens and +the enemy, outside the city, in spite of the great precautions taken +to prevent it. Applicants for admission to the city were reported +waiting at the picket stations almost daily, some of whom were received +and others turned away. Visitors came to the city by almost every +steamer, and the abundant leisure of most of the officers allowed +of their generous entertainment. From my office I looked across the +square, past the old building with open front, formerly used as a slave +mart but now converted into a general market, to the office of the +commissary--Lieutenant Ingraham; and frequently, when the duties of the +forenoon were well over, we signalled to each other to drop work, and +engaged in some form of recreation together. During our stay at St. +Augustine we were thrown much together, and the pleasant feelings which +I had always entertained towards him ripened into a strong attachment. +I think of him now with feelings of peculiar sadness. Some time before +the battle of Cold Harbor, his promotion rendered it necessary that +he should take his place as an officer of the company to which he +was attached. Previous to this he had always been detailed in the +quartermaster's or commissary departments. At that battle, while we +occupied the Confederate line of works which we had just captured, we +were subjected to a merciless enfilading fire, which we could neither +avoid nor return effectively. Lieutenant Ingraham, in command of his +company, had pressed to the very front, and, while encouraging his men +by word and example, he suddenly dropped from my side, and I never saw +him more. With a great rush, the enemy was upon us both in front and +flank, and we were pushed through the woods, and our wounded and dead +were left to their care. Ingraham was a good soldier, a good friend, +and a good man. October 3, a steamer, containing the 24th Massachusetts +regiment arrived at the dock, and we were ordered to prepare for our +departure. October 6, we bade good-by to the old city, to the many good +people who had done so much to make our stay among them contented and +restful, and to the peculiar comforts and pleasures, which, to so many, +were the only suggestion of home that came into their lives during +their long term of service. On the 7th we reached Beaufort, S.C., +and reported to General Saxton. The next day the writer was ordered +by the colonel to proceed with four companies to Seabrook Landing, +to guard the shipping. This point was rather an important one at the +time, being used as a coaling station and for naval repairs. November +9, one hundred and fifty-six conscripts arrived from New York and were +distributed to the various companies of the regiment. November 13, +companies G and I, so long detached as garrison of Fort Pulaski, joined +us at Hilton Head, where regimental headquarters were then established. +November 20, the subject of re-enlistment as veterans began to be +agitated, and the promise of thirty days furlough and a bounty were +strong inducements. November 25, having business at Morris Island, I +took occasion to visit Fort Wagner, which had been rebuilt under the +supervision of Captain Eaton of the New York Engineer regiment, a most +excellent officer, who seemed almost to belong to us, having had charge +of the repairing of Fort Pulaski while we were there as garrison. With +him I wandered about the fort, and around the localities marked by +special events connected with the siege and assault. But memory was +too busy with painful scenes to permit of much satisfaction. As we +talked together of old times, and recalled the names of those with +whom we had been intimate at Pulaski, it seemed impossible to realize +that the clean white sand on which we were then treading had drank in +the life-blood of so many, and the clear, bright, sparkling water, +that idly played upon the beach, had reached out its eager tongue to +lick up the cruel stains. The air was mild, not a cloud obscured the +sun's rays, and the silence that reigned about us was profound, almost +oppressive, but, as we recalled the past, the din of battle rang in our +ears; the flash of musketry pierced through the darkness of night and +lighted up a scene of carnage; the groans and cries of the wounded and +dying mingled with the shouts and yells and fierce oaths of combatants. +The spirit of peace rested upon the landscape which lay spread out +before us, and upon the face of the quiet waters which, with gentle +embrace, pressed lightly against the shore; but the past came back to +us like a mighty surging torrent; a tempest raged; darkness and horror +enveloped us, and we turned away. We could not endure it, and were glad +to get back to camp, to lose the thought of the past in the performance +of present duty. + +During this visit, as we talked together of the friends who had fallen, +one name more than any other occupied our thoughts and conversation. +It was that of Lieutenant-Colonel Green, whom Captain Eaton had known +quite intimately when he was quartered with us at Fort Pulaski. Like +those of us who had known him longer, he had not only formed a strong +personal attachment for him, but, from the peculiar and somewhat +opposite traits of character which he exhibited, had become specially +interested in watching his career. It was not singular, for no one +could be associated with him, for any length of time, without being +attracted towards him and becoming interested in him. Possessed of a +frank and generous disposition, he was not only beloved by those under +him, because of his thoughtful consideration of them, but equally by +his fellow-officers, because of his sprightly, sunny temperament. He +was welcome everywhere, and, on all social occasions, his quick and +susceptible nature caught and communicated the spirit of humor that +prevailed, until no one could withstand its influence. He bubbled over +with mirth whenever the occasion or surroundings stirred the humorous +vein within him, and was the frequent instigator of the harmless +practical jokes with which the officers sometimes sought to enliven +the dulness of garrison life. I can see him now, as, after a period +of duty, he starts out from his quarters in search of recreation, +the very personification of mischief. He never needed to go far, for +every latch-string was out for him, and none but the hardest and most +obdurate could withstand the appeal of his merry eyes and bright, +cheery countenance. He was a good soldier, always ready for duty, +and in its discharge both earnest and exact. From "grave to gay" was +sometimes a rapid transition with him; but he saw every duty to its +ending, and, especially when hardship and danger were involved, +every fibre of his mental and physical nature was absorbed in its +performance. Few will be remembered longer by his comrades than he, and +none with more general warmth of affection. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + Relations between the 47th and 48th regiments. Re-enlistment of + veterans. Court-martial. Departure of veterans on furlough. Expedition + to Florida. Battle of Olustee. A great blunder. Heavy losses. + Admirable conduct of the troops. Dr. Defendorf. The retreat. Return of + veterans. Sergeant Thompson. At Palatka. Expedition into the country. + Dunn's Creek. Its marvellous beauty. Ludicrous scenes. Good-by to + Palatka. At Gloucester Point, Va. A happy change. Shelter tents. + General Grant. Army of the James under Butler. General Terry. + + +Of the several months that followed, until January 31, 1864, little +can be gathered from the journals which furnish the materials for this +history. Aside from the usual routine of duties incident to life in +camp, a few changes took place in the distribution of the companies to +the outposts within the district. On Thanksgiving Day the members of +the 47th New York State Volunteers were our guests, and on Christmas +we partook of their hospitalities, cementing by these courtesies that +bond of union between the two regiments which was unbroken during our +term of service, and was one of the pleasantest facts in our army +experience. The rivalry between the two regiments seemed to manifest +itself only in generous expressions and friendly offices. + +During this period, the officers used all their influence to induce +re-enlistments as veterans, and, as a result, some three hundred or +more of the best men in the regiment signified their willingness to +sacrifice anew their comfort and safety, their prospects in life, +and life itself, if necessary, in the service of their country, if +perchance, by such a sacrifice the blessings which they and their +fathers had enjoyed, and by which the world had so largely benefited, +might be transmitted to future generations. If, after the lapse of +years, and in the dim light of the past, such a sacrifice seems a +common thing to those who, in security and comfort, at this time, +thought of little but of the opportunity afforded, through the waste +and destruction of war, for the accumulation of riches, or to those +who, too young to take interest in the events of which we write, know +nothing of them except as a part of the history of days gone by; it was +not a common thing to those who, having already given of the best of +their years, and the freshness and vigor of their strength, declared +their willingness to plunge anew into those scenes the effect of which +they knew full well was to harden their natures, blunt and benumb their +sensibilities, and paralyze those finer instincts through which come +the enjoyments most prized in life; it was not a common sacrifice for +these men to turn again from the sweet influences and tender affections +of home and friends that others might be benefited. Nor let it be said +that the considerations to which I have referred could have entered the +minds of only the intelligent few, while to the great body of the army +they were far beyond their thought; for, while we must admit that there +were different degrees of intelligence, and that that which formulated +itself in clear, distinct, and logical following in some minds was but +faintly outlined in others, who so dull that, from the lessons of the +past three years, had gathered so little as not to appreciate this new +demand upon them! Had children forgotten father and mother, husbands +their wives and little ones! + +About this time I was made familiar with a feature of army life to +which I have made only slight reference. As a member of a general +court-martial, day after day and week after week was occupied in the +examination of charges of the gravest character, involving the liberty +and life of scores of officers and men. It was the highest tribunal +by which those composing the rank and file of the command could be +adjudged. Questions of the gravest moment, and of supremest interest to +those concerned, were discussed and determined. It was a responsibility +shared only by the highest judges in the land, and life and death +often hung upon our decisions. A photograph of army life is incomplete +without this feature, and while the duty is the gravest and the most +solemn which an officer is called upon to perform, it is as necessary +to the well-being and efficiency of an army as the ordinary courts of +justice to the preservation of the state. + +January 30, the Enfans Perdus, an independent battalion, was +consolidated into the 47th and 48th New York regiments. The number +received by us was about one hundred and fifty. On the 31st, the +veterans left for New York, under the charge of several officers. +February 4, those left behind received orders to prepare six days' +cooked rations, and be in readiness to march, and on the 5th, with +the left wing of the 115th New York, they embarked on board the +steamer Delaware. On the 6th they left Hilton Head, in company with +a number of transports, under the convoy of a gunboat, and proceeded +to Florida; the force numbering in all from six to seven thousand +men, and comprising artillery, cavalry, and infantry. The artillery +and cavalry were under the immediate command of Colonel Henry, and +the infantry under Colonels Barton, Hawley, and Scammon, with General +Seymour in command of the whole expedition. Its object was to aid the +Union people of the state in withdrawing it from Confederate control. +General Gilmore accompanied the troops as far as Jacksonville, where +they disembarked, and, after seeing that all necessary arrangements +were made which could promote the success of the enterprise, returned +to Hilton Head, leaving with General Seymour instructions not to +attempt an advance beyond Baldwin without further orders, nor unless +well assured of success. His intention was to hold and fortify several +important points, including Jacksonville, as centres of Federal +authority, and reopen those sections to trade. But General Seymour, +apparently satisfied that he could not be successfully opposed by any +Confederate forces within the state, conceived the idea of destroying +the railroad, and cutting off communication with Georgia. As soon as +notified of this intended movement, General Gilmore sent a despatch +to stop it, but was too late to prevent the massacre which followed. +On the 20th a general advance was ordered, and the troops proceeded +towards Lake City, about five thousand in all; Colonel Henry with the +cavalry in advance, followed by three columns of infantry; Colonel +Hawley, with his brigade, on the left; Colonel Barton in the centre; +and Colonel Scammon, with his regiment, on the right. In the rear was a +brigade of colored troops, under Colonel Montgomery. Near Olustee they +came upon a strong force of Confederates favorably posted in the woods, +with a swamp in front, over which our troops must pass to reach them. +Before they were well aware of the vicinity of the enemy, a murderous +fire was opened on them, at a distance of little more than a hundred +yards, and for more than two hours they could scarcely do more than +stand up to be slaughtered, the nature of the ground and the strength +of the enemy effectually preventing any advance. No severer test could +be applied to men than they suffered at the battle of Olustee, and +when, at evening, the troops were withdrawn, nearly one-fourth of +their number were dead or wounded. The most of the latter were left on +the field, under the care of Surgeon Defendorf of our regiment, who +volunteered to remain with them; an act of bravery and self-sacrifice +which cannot be too highly commended. The testimony of those engaged +in this affair, as we gather it from journals and other sources, is +that it was the most trying position in which they were placed during +the war, and the heroism displayed by our men is accounted marvellous. +The retreat to Jacksonville was such as might have been expected from +broken, dispirited, and defeated troops, with a strong body of the +enemy in their rear, flushed with victory, and determined upon their +destruction. On the way back, the stores at Baldwin were burned, and +when the broken columns were gathered at Jacksonville, it was found +that twelve hundred men had been sacrificed, five pieces of artillery +and a large number of small arms left in the hands of the Confederates, +while the purpose of the government in ordering the expedition was +completely frustrated. Our own regiment, whose conduct in the affair +was beyond all praise, suffered terribly. + +While these events were transpiring, the veterans, and the officers +sent with them, were enjoying the comforts of home and the society +of friends once more. But the time was all too short, for on the +9th of March we were securely housed in Fort Schuyler, waiting for +transportation to the South, which was furnished on the 11th, when we +embarked on the steamer Arago, and on the morning of the 16th landed +at Hilton Head. Some of us took the opportunity to visit our wounded +men in the hospitals. Among them was Sergeant Thompson, whose journal +has been of so great service in the composition of this history. It is +a pleasure to record of him that he was a faithful soldier, and that, +in the recent battle of Olustee, he was conspicuous for coolness and +bravery. His services as a soldier ended at this time, and we hope that +his subsequent career has been both successful and happy. + +Late on the evening of the 16th, we started on the steamer Dictator, to +join the other portion of the regiment, which was stationed at Palatka, +on the St. John's River, where we arrived on the 18th. The camp was +located on the outskirts of the town, and protected by entrenchments. +The village consisted of some thirty or forty houses, with three +churches, and was almost entirely deserted by its former inhabitants, +only a few Union men remaining with their families. Very little +occurred, during our stay at Palatka, of special interest. There were +occasional alarms, and several attacks by small bodies of Confederates. +Pickets were stationed at some distance on the hills back of the town, +and the country between was frequently patrolled by guards who were +mounted for the purpose. + +On the afternoon of the 25th, an expedition was started for the +interior, consisting of forty men, with guides, under the command of +the writer. We were conveyed up the river about fifteen miles, in the +gunboat Ottawa, to what was called Dunn's Creek, through which we +proceeded in small boats. The beauty of this stream is impressed on +my memory with wonderful distinctness. At its point of junction with +the St. John's, and for some little distance, it was narrow, with +considerable current, but, as we proceeded, it broadened out, and moved +so sluggishly that, at times, it seemed caught and held by the rank +growth of grasses and other plants which filled its bed and covered +its surface. The branches of the overhanging trees intermingled above +our heads, and the pendent moss and dense foliage formed a canopy, +through which the sunbeams struggled with dim and softened light, +while on either bank the shrubs and trailing vines presented an almost +impenetrable wall of bright green leaves and fragrant flowers. Only +the songs of birds that fluttered about us broke the stillness, for +every one was strangely impressed and subdued by the marvellous beauty +by which we were surrounded. Silently we pursued our way, except when +an occasional opening broke the spell that bound us, until, shooting +out of the darkness which had gradually enveloped us, we emerged into +the bright moonlight which lighted up the waters of Dunn's Lake. A +sharp row of two hours or more brought us to Booth's Landing, where we +disembarked. Our object was to capture a few obnoxious individuals who +were making special trouble for the Union men who lived in that region; +and the night was spent in visits from house to house, much to the +discomfort of the inmates. Some very ludicrous scenes occurred, for, +while the utmost consideration was used, consistent with the success +of our plans, sometimes the occupants of the houses were startled most +unceremoniously from their sleep by the tramp of armed men, who entered +without knocking, and occupied without permission. A few captures +were made, including a Confederate soldier home on leave, and on the +following day we rowed back to camp, having accomplished upwards of +fifty miles within the twenty-four hours. April 1, one of our pickets +was captured, and we never heard of the man afterwards. + +[Illustration: A FLORIDA SWAMP AND JUNGLE.] + +April 14, we bade good-by to Palatka, and started for Hilton Head. +At Jacksonville we were transferred to the steamer Ben De Ford, and +ordered to Beaufort, where we spent a day. On the following day, +bidding a final adieu to the Department of the South, we headed for +Fortress Monroe, where we made but a brief stop, our destination being +Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, on the York River. + +Glad were we to get into another department, for, from the first, we +had felt that, while often performing the most arduous service that +falls to the lot of the soldier, the limits of our operations were +circumscribed, and the results meagre. Now we were going into the very +midst of the conflict. The nature of the change was made manifest by +the substitution of shelter tents for those we had been accustomed to +use. Each man was served with a single tent, which he carried with his +blanket on his back, and by joining with two or three of his comrades, +and uniting their tents, a fair shelter or covering could be obtained. +The officers were served after the same fashion, the only distinction +being that three tents were furnished them instead of one, and they +were not compelled to carry their baggage. + +[Illustration: GENERAL GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS AT CITY POINT.] + +Who does not recall the first experience with the shelter tents, +into whose openings we were obliged to crawl on our hands and knees +to effect an entrance, or the curious sight which the various camps +presented, especially at night, when the innumerable sparks of +light which dotted the sandy plain seemed to rise from subterranean +caverns, and suggested anything but human habitations? Few were so +dull as not to interpret this change from the ample quarters of the +Southern Department as meaning for us more active duty, frequent +and rapid marches, and fewer comforts. However, there was only a +little good-natured grumbling. We all realized that more labor and +care would be necessary to preserve arms and equipments in that +excellent condition which had elicited such general commendation +from the inspectors of the regiment; but it was given cheerfully for +the most part, and our reputation for superiority in discipline, +drill, and general appearance did not suffer in the comparison +with the new troops by whom we were surrounded. General Grant had +been made lieutenant-general, and virtually commander-in-chief, +and had established his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac. +Having shown his ability in many successful campaigns in the West, +he was now to contend with a general who easily held the first +place in the Confederate service, and with an army long accustomed +to victory--fortunately at last, the choice of the President had +fallen upon the right man, and he was invested with authority which +extended over all the military power of the government. Possessing +in a remarkable degree those rare qualities of equanimity and +self-possession under all circumstances, he united with these a clear +understanding of the condition of the Confederate armies, and the +ability to organize and carry forward a well defined and comprehensive +plan, which embraced every corps and division in the several +departments, by which he was able to hurl against the already weakening +forces of the enemy, in simultaneous attacks, the whole power of the +Federal army. Allowing little time or opportunity to the enemy for rest +or recuperation, he never confessed or accepted defeat. + +Our corps, the 10th, was commanded by General Gilmore, while General +W.T. Smith commanded the 18th, with which we were associated, the +operations of these two being under the direction of General Butler, +who commanded the department. April 29, the superfluous baggage of +the officers was sent with the company property to Norfolk. April 30, +general inspection and review. + +At this time General Terry was in command of a division of our corps, +and Colonel Barton, who at Hilton Head had been district as well as +brigade commander, was in charge of the brigade of which our regiment +formed a part, the 47th New York and the 76th and 97th Pennsylvania +regiments completing the organization. For General Terry we had +already formed a strong attachment. From the time that we met him +first, when our regiment was ordered to garrison Fort Pulaski, we had +frequently been under him, had watched him through the Morris Island +campaign, as temporary commander of the Department of the South, +had observed his quiet self-possession, his kindly disposition, and +careful forethought for those under him, and had learned to look to him +with the respect, confidence, and affection which can only be won by +those of superior qualities of mind and heart. We could narrate many +incidents in his career, all of which would tend to justify the high +estimate in which he is held by the country at large, and, in common +with all who have ever served under him, we rejoice in his prosperity, +and wish for him a continuance and increase of the favor with which he +is justly regarded by the people, whom he has so well served. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Bermuda Hundred. Company E as skirmishers. Battle of Chester Heights. + Couldn't resist the temptation. Company E fighting on its own account. + Bad predicament. Company E did nobly. More fighting. In sight of + Richmond. Confederate sharpshooters cleaned out. Battle of Drury's + Bluff. Company E again in a bad spot. Wonderful examples of discipline + and soldierly conduct. General Terry to the rescue. Retreat. Back to + old quarters. Captain Lockwood. + + +May 3 and 4 the regiment did picket duty, and on the 5th left on the +steamer Delaware, and sailed down to Fortress Monroe, up the James +River, past City Point, to Bermuda Hundred. On the 6th we landed, and, +after a brief delay, marched several miles up the Bermuda Hundred +road. Early on the morning of the 7th we started again, and, after +marching and countermarching for several hours, approached Chester +Heights. Behind the hills which concealed us from the enemy, we left +our knapsacks, blankets, and other impediments, and the order to +advance was received, when we resumed our march, with Company E thrown +out as skirmishers. The instructions received by me from the colonel +were general, and somewhat indefinite, the only point well understood +being that we were to clear the front of any opposing force. Grasping +this idea and at the same time our muskets, we worked our way forward +through the woods, until we found ourselves on the top of a hill, with +the whole Confederate force in view in the valleys below. But we were +entirely separated from our regiment. After vainly endeavoring to take +up the connection, we were finally compelled to the conclusion that if +we were to have any further part in the affair, it must be by acting +independently. + +Before us, in the vast amphitheatre, so completely enclosed by the +surrounding hills that there seemed no avenue of escape, was the enemy, +against whom our attack was directed. Every movement was plainly +visible, for not a tree or stone obstructed our view. The utmost +activity prevailed, and officers were observed hurrying to and fro, +while the changes that followed showed that every preparation would be +made to repel attack. One officer, especially, who seemed to be in +command, was conspicuous, as he rode about on his white horse, and our +men amused themselves for some time in vain attempts to reach him with +their rifles, but he was too far away. + +As the scene comes back after the lapse of so many years, it seems +impossible that the picture imprinted upon the memory can be that +of war. That deep, quiet valley, the rich green of its meadows, the +protecting hills which circled it, the little hamlets which told their +stories of homes, of comfort, and happiness, constituted a picture so +peaceful and restful, that those bodies of armed men whose movements we +were watching, and the bristling cannon and flashing muskets, seemed +strangely out of place. + +But there was little time for contemplation. The batteries, one after +another, sped up the hill, and, lost for a time, reappeared again, and +took position far off to our right, giving us the first intimation of +the position of our own troops. Following the same general direction, +the several battalions moved up to the support of the batteries, or +took positions on the sides of the hills, where they could most +effectually resist the advance of our troops. Some two or three of +these battalions lay down near the railroad which ran around the valley +at the foot of the hills, to be out of the way of our fire, and at the +same time be ready to engage in the action if required. These offered +altogether too tempting an opportunity to be resisted, and, rushing +down to the turnpike, which at this point ran parallel to and very near +the railroad, we opened on them a terribly galling and destructive +fire. It was a sad predicament, for they could neither return our fire, +nor change their position, without exposing themselves to the fire of +our main line. When, however, this wavered and fell back, they were +at liberty to devote themselves to us, and, with a yell of rage, they +precipitated themselves into the deep cut of the railroad, and for a +few moments the whistle of bullets about our ears was like the hum of +angry bees, whose hive had been disturbed. A large number of Company E +of the 7th Connecticut regiment had been doing good work, but with no +officer to command them. These joined with our men, and, by carefully +availing themselves of such shelter as offered, both companies were +brought out of the fiery shower with but slight loss. + +Proclamations from headquarters announced the complete success of this +expedition, but those who participated in it were unable to discover +the success. The whole Confederate force should have been captured, +for, once driven into the valley, there could have been no escape +for them. Only one division of our corps was engaged, and that not +seriously. A portion of the railroad and telegraph line was destroyed, +causing a temporary interruption of communication between Richmond and +Petersburg. The losses on both sides were small. Dunn, orderly sergeant +of Company E, deserves special mention for his coolness and bravery, +but every member of Company E is to be commended. Although dreadfully +exposed for a few moments, they obeyed orders as if on parade, and it +is to their prompt obedience and strict discipline they may impute +their safe conduct out of their perilous position. The material of the +company was of the best, and it had been specially favored in having +such commanders as Coan and Lockwood. Had Sergeant Dunn showed less +soldierly pride (which, however, was very noble in him), he would have +avoided the painful wound from which he suffered so long. + +On the 8th, we rested; on the 9th, we fought with what were generally +called in our camp Gilmore's rifles. In other words, we worked on the +intrenchments with picks and spades, and occupied the intrenchments +at night. The firing was heavy all about us, and it was rumored that +Butler would be able to enter Petersburg in the morning. On the 10th, +we shouldered the Gilmore rifles again, but at ten o'clock in the +forenoon were ordered to the front, to support Colonel Howell, who was +reported falling back; were exposed during the day to the fire of the +enemy, but were in much more danger from the fire in the woods, which +were burned to clear them from Confederate sharpshooters. Quite an +engagement occurred in our front, in which our batteries did fearful +execution. General Foster, who went out on flag of truce, reported +seeing heaps of Confederate dead in the edge of the woods, many of them +half-burned. General Butler did not enter Petersburg, being deterred +from making any forward movement by the battle in his rear (so it was +said). + +[Illustration: LINE OF DEFENCE AT BERMUDA HUNDRED.] + +On the 11th, we rested, and early in the morning of the 12th started +away from our intrenchments at Bermuda Hundred, and marched all day +in the rain. Rested at night as best we could, with no shelter but +the dripping trees (for the rain continued through the night). On the +afternoon of the 13th, we moved forward and up to the turnpike, about +two miles, where from the tops of the trees those so inclined obtained +a view of Richmond and Fort Darling. Again on the 14th, we moved +forward into the advance to relieve the 76th Pennsylvania regiment, +having up to this time acted as reserve. Our position was about in the +centre of the main line, with our right near the Richmond turnpike. +Generals Terry and Ames were on the left, and steadily moving forward. +That night we occupied the old lines of the Confederates, from which +they had been driven by General Gilmore. The 15th was a trying day, +for the most of the regiment were out on picket duty, or skirmishing +through the woods in our front. The firing of the Confederate +sharpshooters, many of whom were stationed in trees, was very annoying, +until our men, becoming desperate, hunted them from their places of +concealment, and before night that mode of warfare was effectually +stopped. No quarter was given, and no mercy shown. Still, the firing +from the rifle-pits was kept up without intermission, and quite a +number of our men were wounded. + +[Illustration: PICKETS ON DUTY.] + +Very early on the morning of the 16th, we were conscious that something +serious was impending. The irregular firing of musketry was first +heard on the extreme right; this was soon followed by regular volleys, +mingled with the roar of artillery, and as it continually approached, +we knew that it meant a serious disaster to our troops; we could feel +the conflict rolling up against us, and quickly disposed our men along +the irregular and broken line of wall and fence. Unfortunately, no +attempt had been made to construct a regular line of intrenchments, +and there was little protection for our troops. About 8 o'clock in +the morning, the regiment on our right gave way, and left our flank +exposed, and the Confederates poured in upon us in overwhelming +numbers, but the brave men of Company E, who held the right of the +line, would not give way, but stood their ground as firmly as if no +danger threatened, while the Confederates surged in upon them in such +masses that it seemed impossible that a single man could escape. The +position which they occupied was somewhat in advance of the remainder +of the regiment, on a little natural terrace, so that it was some +time before the commanding officer was aware of the critical situation +in which we were placed, and the order to retire was not received +until that little knoll was literally covered with the dead and dying. +Corporals Smalls and Brassell, and poor Jockers, the brave little man +from the Enfans Perdus, with eleven others, lay dead or wounded, while +others, less severely injured, had made their way to the rear. + +In the very hottest of the fire, Lawson, the orderly sergeant of the +company, hobbled up to where I was stationed, and, saluting, said, "I +am wounded, sir." "Go to the rear" was the reply. A ball had passed +completely through his thigh. Corporal Barton, almost for the first +time in battle, having, for the most part, been employed as a clerk at +division or corps headquarters, came to me, and, saluting, exhibited +his wound, while every line of his countenance told the anguish he +was suffering. A ball had shattered his hand while he was in the act +of loading; but he would not go to the rear without the order of his +commanding officer. Never shall I forget the brave soldier Vreeland, +who, stationed behind the little apple-tree, continued loading and +firing, until fairly dragged away, so grievously wounded that there +was no hope of recovery. As I write, I feel that every name in that +heroic band, the living and the dead, should be inscribed in letters +of gold on the pages of history. Such faithfulness, such heroism, +such discipline, I never saw exhibited elsewhere. Better soldiers +never lived; braver men never died. Not a man left that knoll without +permission till the order came to retreat. But what confusion followed! +Who of those present will not recall that struggling mass of broken +regiments; hopeless, and distracted, until the cool self-possession +of General Terry brought order out of the confusion, and led the way +out to safety and security. Not a moment too soon, for as we toiled +our weary way up the hillside, the shot and shell from the Confederate +batteries in the turnpike made many avenues through the retreating +columns. And very glad were we when the distance and intervening hills +secured us from further annoyance. + +[Illustration: FORT DARLING.] + +We should here state that the right of the line, which was the first +to give way before the Confederate assault, was under the command +of General Wright; while the left of the line, under General Terry, +resisted every attack, and only retreated when the danger of being +cut off and captured became imminent. That night we spent in our old +camp, near the intrenchments at Bermuda Hundred; and the following day +rested. On the 18th, did some picket and skirmish duty, and on the +19th were still in the front, enjoying the music of shot and shell; +and to the 28th, there was little rest, night or day, between fatigue, +picket, and skirmish duty. The enemy made frequent attacks on our outer +lines, but without success; and we could observe them for the most of +the time engaged in constructing intrenchments. General Butler was not +accomplishing the work allotted to him. Petersburg was not taken, and +no important advantage had been gained. + +On the 25th, Captain Lockwood left us, to return to civil life. It was +a great loss to the regiment, for he was a good officer, an intelligent +man, an agreeable companion, and a loyal friend. The places of the old +officers, so many of whom have fallen in battle or have voluntarily +left the service, cannot be filled. They were loyal men, who were borne +into the service by that first fresh, pure wave of patriotism which +swept over the North in the earliest days of the war. Of them all, +Lockwood was my most intimate friend--respected, trusted, and beloved. +Returning home, he engaged in the business of manufacturing, in which +he continued until his death, which occurred some years after the war +closed. He and Lieutenant-Colonel Strickland were law partners in New +York city at the breaking-out of the war. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Assigned to 6th. corps. On the way to the Army of the Potomac. A + dreadful march. At Cold Harbor. Trying situation. Assume command. A + gallant charge. Grand success. Severe losses. Driven back. Lack of + support. Incidents of the battle. The demoralized general. Further + account of Cold Harbor. Occupying the Confederate line. A sad picture + of war. An uncomfortable situation. Relieved. Close work. Change of + base. Grand but perilous movement of the army. The old church at + Jamestown. + + +On the evening of the 28th, we broke camp, and marched all--night +towards City Point, which we reached about daylight on the morning of +the 29th. We remained there until afternoon, when, having embarked on +the steamer Delaware, we proceeded down the river. By this time, it had +become generally understood that our division of the 10th corps had +been temporarily united with the 18th corps, and that we were on our +way to join the Army of the Potomac. About the middle of the forenoon +of the 31st, we landed at the White House, on the Pamunkey River. Here +rations were distributed, the men got their dinners, and late in the +afternoon the order was given to fall in. + +Nearly all night was spent on the march; and when we halted it was not +to rest, but to do picket duty. Early on the morning of June 1, we +resumed our march, and continued all day, resting occasionally, as the +men became too exhausted to keep on. The heat was almost intolerable, +and the dust so filled the air that at times it was impossible to see +the distance of a company front ahead of us. When the command to halt +was given, the regiment seemed to melt away, and it was with the utmost +difficulty that the march could be resumed. Many men were reported as +fatally exhausted and left to die by the roadside from the commands +that had preceded us, and it required the combined efforts of our own +officers, and the example of patient and cheerful endurance on their +part, to keep our men from falling away and straggling. Arrived at Cold +Harbor, late in the afternoon, we were ordered into the woods--as we +supposed, to encamp. But alas! a soldier may never rest, till he or the +enemy is dead. + +[Illustration: GENERAL SMITH'S HEADQUARTERS, COLD HARBOR.] + +After standing in line, with arms stacked, for a half-hour, the order +came to move forward to engage in an attack on the enemy's works, first +from the brigade commander, afterwards from the division, and finally +from corps headquarters. The 47th New York regiment, which was on our +left, had already moved away, and still no word of command was given. +What should we do? The greatest excitement prevailed. Finally, in the +absence of Major Coan, who had been detailed on special duty, and at +the earnest solicitations of several officers, the writer assumed +command, although not the ranking officer present. The situation was +peculiar, and the emergency desperate; and when the order was given to +take arms, they were seized with an alacrity which told of the feeling +that prevailed. The officers expressed their satisfaction, and the men +moved with a promptness which signified the relief they felt for their +rescue from the impending disgrace. "Shoulder arms! Left face! Forward +march! By the right flank, march! Left oblique! Double quick!" and we +had joined the brigade. "Charge bayonets!" across the field, and into +the woods; and the first line of the enemy's rifle-pits was occupied. +Here the men stopped, and commenced firing; but a lull in the fire of +the enemy enforced the order to move forward, and in little more time +than it takes to write it we had captured and occupied a section of the +main line of Confederate works, and had more prisoners marching to the +rear than the whole number present in the regiment. Will any of our +readers recall the name of the little corporal of Company G, scarce +five feet high, at whose command, as he stood on the top of the works, +at charge bayonet, "Come out of there, you d----d rebels," a lieutenant +and nearly a dozen men emerged from the works, and humbly and quietly +proceeded to the rear with the other prisoners? + +How much was crowded into the short time that we occupied that line +of intrenchments. Lieutenant Ingraham, for the first time in action, +having heretofore been detailed in the commissary department, with +many others, was shot in the very moment of victory. It was a dreadful +place to hold, with the rebels massed just at the foot of the hill, +on the right, and pouring in upon us a deadly flanking fire. Repeated +messages were sent to the commanding general, explaining our situation, +and urging an attack on our right, or re-enforcements to enable us to +do it; but no help, and no word of any kind, was received. Efforts +were made to induce the commander of the 47th New York, which was +separated from us by a little ravine on our left, to unite with us +in a charge down the hill; but without avail, for either our purpose +was misunderstood owing to the distance between us, which made +communication difficult, or disinclination or positive orders forbade, +and so we were compelled to wait and suffer, hoping that some general +officer would become interested to find our whereabouts, and organize +some new movement, by which we would be relieved. The order to +charge down the hill would have been welcome, but it would have been +madness to have attempted it without support. While we waited, and our +numbers were rapidly diminishing, we could plainly see the Confederate +reserves gathering in the distance, across the meadow at the foot of +the hill, and knew that we could not hold our position long unless help +came. + +[Illustration: POSITION OF GENERAL SMITH'S COMMAND AT COLD HARBOR, VA.] + +At this time, the adjutant-general of the brigade that had charged +across the same ground that we had come over, came to me, and offered +his services, stating that his brigade had been routed and scattered, +and nearly all the field officers of the command killed or wounded. +While explaining to him the position of affairs, and urging him to go +to the rear and endeavor to hurry up re-enforcements, a bullet pierced +his brain, and he sank in death. I remember Corporal St. John of +Company G, who, finding a sword which had belonged to a rebel officer, +kindly presented it to me, as unmindful of the bullets which whistled +about our heads as if they were not freighted with missions of death +to himself or comrades. Of such men was the regiment composed. But, as +the shadows deepened about us, there came a rush. The enemy was fairly +upon us; and, before we could gather ourselves to repel the attack, +some one, without authority, had called out to retreat, and, in the +confusion which followed, the colors were seized and held by the enemy, +not, however, without a fierce but hopeless struggle. Back through the +woods we went, broken and dispirited. After securing a victory, we had +been left alone and unsupported, to be shot down like sheep, and the +men knew that it was time to seek a place of shelter. + +There was a rally at the edge of the woods, where we found the +commander of a division reclining under a tree, apparently deserted by +every one, and in a state of complete helplessness and demoralization. +Although he has since occupied positions of great prominence and +responsibility, we never hear his name without recalling his +appearance, when, emerging from the woods, we discovered him in the +situation described, and learned his name and rank. Completely +beside himself because of the defeat and dispersion of his command, +he insisted that the feeble line of officers and men who collected in +his vicinity should renew the attack, when a whole division had been +defeated and scattered. Fairly out of the sound of his voice, we left +him to his own reflections. Already darkness had settled down upon us, +and, after a little council of war, with Lieutenant Barrett and others, +we lay down for a little rest, in the field over which the regiment had +so gallantly charged that afternoon. It had done nobly, and, with the +other regiments of the brigade, can claim the only substantial success +attained by the division; for we believe they were the only troops who +succeeded in capturing the main line of rebel intrenchments. + +At the point which we occupied, this line passed across the top of a +hill, which sloped down to a meadow in front, and on the right dropped +more abruptly, to what seemed quite a deep ravine. The Federal line +stopped with the right of our regiment, and evidently no successful +attack, if any at all, had been made on our immediate right. After we +commenced our charge across the field, no communication whatever was +received from our commanding officers, while it has always seemed to +the writer that, if the success which we attained had been followed up, +most important results would have been achieved. It is possible that +the troops who preceded us in the attack reached the first line of the +enemy's rifle-pits, for at that point we met with little opposition. +But they penetrated no farther, and, either unaware of their partial +success, or exhausted in the effort, they became so completely +scattered that we saw no trace of them. + +The next day, June 2, the remnant of the regiment capable of duty was +ordered to occupy a portion of the Confederate line, to the left of +that captured by us the night before. As we filed through the woods, +we passed a little pale-faced boy. Separated from his comrades, he +struggled on through the underbrush, with wearied steps, uncared-for +and alone. His feeble hands scarce held the musket which he dragged +along. All his remaining consciousness seemed concentrated on the +effort to do as others did, and as we hurried past him, he turned on +us a dazed, bewildered look. We could not stop, else we would have +taken him by the hand, and led him away from the danger he was in, to +the protection and care of comrades and friends, as we longed to do. +We found him when we came back, but he had passed beyond the sphere of +human sympathy and aid. The look of painful weariness was gone from +that little upturned face. He had found rest. It seems strange, but +that picture is burned into the memory with such distinctness that +it comes up before the eye whenever the touch of recollection brings +back the incidents of army life. That day, on those intrenchments, +we lay down beside the dead and dying of the regiment relieved, to +serve as targets for the enemy, who were close at hand, and familiar +with the locality. We did not remain long, and were glad to get away. +During our stay, the greatest precaution was necessary, on account of +the near vicinity of the enemy. Lieutenant Barrett, who was always +at the point of danger, while obeying the order of the commanding +officer to lie down behind the log which lay across the path, at the +foot of the intrenchments, received a painful wound, which kept him +in hospital for months afterwards. A member of company G, who had +sheltered himself behind a stump, which rose about two feet above the +top of the earthworks, received, as he supposed, his death-wound, and +gave audible expression to his dying agonies, but, as the effect of the +shot, which had nearly spent itself in the rotten stump, passed off, +the sharp whizzing of a bullet, which came uncomfortably near his head, +brought him to life so suddenly that, starting up with a spring, he +darted away for the intrenchments as if the Evil One were following, +and did not fully recover his senses until he found himself in a place +of safety, outside the wood. The nature of the situation in which we +were placed may be judged by the order which I was constrained to give +in respect to the manner of retiring when we were relieved; namely, +that the men should go out one at a time from the extreme left of the +line, hugging closely to the earthwork as they crawled to this point. +This was accomplished without a single casualty, and the writer resumed +command just outside the danger line, where he found the regiment +formed as if for parade. It was a constant pleasure to be associated +with such officers in the command of such men. That night we remained +under arms near our intrenchments, which had been thrown up after our +repulse of the day previous. From the journals before me, I learn that +the casualties in the regiment, during the twenty-four hours, were five +officers killed, four wounded, and eighty enlisted men killed, wounded +and missing,--a very large proportion of those engaged, especially of +officers. + +June 3, no special duty, but frequently moved from one point to another +along our works. Some hard fighting was going on near us at different +times in the day, and we were constantly under an irregular but +annoying fire. June 4, moved up into an exposed position in the rear of +our advanced line of works. June 5, although the men built intricate +lines of rifle-pits, with most ingenious contrivances for protection, +they were still very much exposed, and several were wounded. In the +evening occupied the very front line. A sharp attack was made on +our left, but without avail. During the afternoon of the 6th, the +firing ceased for a little while, and we had an opportunity of seeing +the Confederate works, which in our immediate front were somewhat +disconnected and not as strong as ours. It had been dangerous to expose +even a hand, so close were the Confederates, and so sharp the firing; +and it was good to be relieved from this for a few moments. When the +short truce was over, some of our men commenced singing, "We'll hang +Jeff Davis on a sour apple-tree," which so enraged the Johnnies that +they made it warm for us until the singing ceased. + +The 7th was a quiet day, but we had need of watchfulness. The 9th +corps, under Burnside, was on our right, and formed the right flank of +the Federal army. In front of some parts of our lines, the Confederate +works were apparently within a hundred yards, and extreme precautions +were necessary to guard against a sudden rush. Men were stationed +outside, in rifle-pits, so near that they talked with the Confederates +similarly posted. These men could only be relieved in the darkness of +the night. This evening the bands played all along our lines, not +funeral dirges, but airs of joy and triumph, telling us that something +important had occurred, or was about to occur. + +The 8th and 9th were, comparatively speaking, days of rest. The woods +between us and the 9th corps had been cut down, to make the connection +more perfect. Our position and duties continued about the same until +the night of the 11th, when extra precautions indicated that something +was going on. On the 12th, the air was full of rumors, and it was +soon understood that the whole army was about to change its base of +operations. Just at dark, the 76th Pennsylvania, on our left, moved out +of the rifle-pits, and their places were occupied by our regiment. At +the same time, we were informed that the 9th corps had already left, +and we should be the last to go. The constant yells and the heavy +firing of the Confederates indicated that they suspected something +unusual, and we prepared ourselves for an attack on our weakened line. +The utmost vigilance was exercised, for every one knew the extreme +peril of our situation, and when, at one o'clock on the morning of +the 13th, the order came to evacuate, every voice was hushed. The +whispered word was passed from man to man, to retire from the works one +by one from the left, in perfect silence, and rendezvous in the woods +some distance in the rear; seven companies thus moved out, without +accident, or casualty, although the shot and shell shrieked about +our heads continually. But the most delicate task remained--namely, +the extricating the three companies who, as outpost sentinels and +sharpshooters, were so near the enemy that it seemed impossible for +them to escape. This, however, was accomplished, with the loss of a +few men, who were necessarily left behind, and we took up our line of +march for the White House, occupying the most honorable position in +this perilous movement, when the whole Federal army was withdrawn from +the immediate presence of Lee's army, without its knowledge and without +serious loss. It has been well remarked, by an able writer on military +operations, that it was one of the most remarkable movements in the +annals of warfare, and could not have been carried out successfully +except by the most experienced troops, under the most perfect training +and discipline. + +[Illustration: BATTERY AND CHURCH TOWER. SITE OF JAMESTOWN.] + +Early on the morning of the 14th, we steamed away from the White House +on the Pamunkey River in two small transports on our return to Bermuda +Hundred. During our voyage, we passed within sight of the ruins of +the old church at Jamestown. How full of suggestion and reflection, +recalling, as they did, the history of the proud old state, with its +long line of distinguished patriots, soldiers, and statesmen. We +thought of Patrick Henry, whose glowing eloquence first set ablaze the +smouldering embers of rebellion, and of Washington, whose wisdom, +endurance, and constancy, sealed at Yorktown the title to independence, +and the inalienable rights of manhood to life, liberty, and the pursuit +of happiness, and wondered at the inconsistency and blindness of the +early fathers of our country, who permitted the ingrafting of the +gigantic, festering evil of slavery upon our system of government, +thereby entailing on us the sufferings and horrors, the changes and +uncertainties, of this war. All the more singular because liberty and +justice were the foundation principles of church, state, and society. +During the voyage to Bermuda Hundred, the transports became separated, +and the morning of the 16th found only one wing of the regiment +arrived at its destination. This was immediately ordered outside the +intrenchments, to the Confederate picket-line, which had been evacuated +during the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Back to Bermuda Hundred. A running fight. Destruction of railroad. + Kindness of Major Young and General Terry. Ordered to charge. A + happy escape. President Lincoln and General Butler. Ordered to + attack Confederate line. Recalled. Captain Fee and others killed. + Picket-lines at Petersburg. Sanitary and Christian Commissions. Mine + explosion. Our losses. Major Swartwout. Effects of malaria. + + +Of our change of base, conducted so cautiously and secretly, the enemy +did not continue long in ignorance. All day we were running against +the troops, ordered from the South to anticipate us in the occupancy +of Petersburg. Firing was going on continually, and the only effective +service that we rendered was the destruction of the railroad. Even this +was only partial, as we had neither time nor appliances, for thorough +work. The section of the road upon which our battalion operated was on +the side of a hill, and the men being placed near together along the +track, at the word of command, seized, lifted, and tumbled down the +hill, the portion spanned by the line, ties and rails going together, +leaving the road-bed clean. This was repeated, until the appearance +of the enemy in large numbers warned us that we should move, and move +quickly, which we did. At night the men were completely exhausted, +and without food, all the stores belonging to the regiment being on +the steamer with the field and staff. It was plainly my duty to see +that they were supplied with rations--but there was no one to whom I +could apply, except General Terry, and his headquarters were miles +away. I had no conveyance, and there was no one near whom I knew. The +nearest regiment was the 142d Ohio, under command of Major Young. +There was no alternative, and I was compelled to apply to him for +means of transportation. Although a stranger, there was little need of +explanation before his horse stood ready at his tent. General Terry +responded most cheerfully to my request, and by midnight the men were +enjoying the simple food which served them for the next day of labor +or suffering. Neither of these officers knew what a kindly act they +did that night; but had they witnessed the distribution of stores to +those famishing men, who waited patiently till midnight for my return, +they would have been fully repaid for their kindness. The result of the +day's operations was the destruction of quite a large section of the +railroad, and the capture of some fifty or more prisoners. + +On the 17th, the remainder of the brigade landed at Bermuda Hundred, +and the regiment encamped near the intrenchments. Towards evening +were ordered out to charge the enemy's intrenchments, and for an hour +lay on the side of a hill, watching the movements of the brigade +whose place we were to take in case it was not successful. What we +witnessed was not at all inspiriting; for, as the smoke lifted from +the first heavy discharge of the Confederate artillery and musketry, +we looked in vain for any sign of our troops, who seemed to have been +completely annihilated. To take their place was not to be looked upon +as a privilege; and when the order was received to return to camp, we +were not reluctant to go. It should be said, by way of explanation, +that our loss was very slight, the order to lie down having been given +in season to avoid the shot and shell, which passed harmlessly over +our troops. Why they did not rise and charge immediately was never +explained to us. + +[Illustration: BATTERY NEAR DUTCH GAP.] + +On the 18th, we remained encamped near the intrenchments. The 18th and +6th corps were in our vicinity, while the 2d, 5th, and 9th were near +Petersburg. We heard heavy firing, but could learn nothing definite +concerning the progress of our army. + +On the afternoon of the 22d, a message was received from General Butler +that President Lincoln was approaching our vicinity, and would shortly +reach the point where we were encamped. The purpose of the message +was to give time and opportunity to arrange a fitting welcome, but it +was unfortunate that nearly all the troops in our neighborhood were +hundred-days men, who, having been enlisted to do duty within their +respective states, had been forced into the Army of the Potomac, and +pushed into the most perilous service, in violation of their contract. +For this reason they were much disaffected, and one regiment, at least, +had been deprived of its arms, and placed under guard, to prevent a +serious outbreak. Naturally, the message of General Butler was received +by them very coldly, and as the cavalcade surrounding the President +appeared, there were but few straggling squads of soldiers in sight, +and from these there was no sign of enthusiasm or interest. I have +seen General Butler many times, and under a variety of conditions +and surroundings, but never so completely disconcerted as then. As +the party neared the point where we stood, an aid was hurriedly sent +forward to command the men to cheer, and General Butler, dropping +behind the President, endeavored, by frantic gestures and pantomime, +to enforce the orders of his aid. But all to no purpose. The men were +angry and sullen, and when the general, rising in his stirrups, shook +his fist at them, the exhibition of impotent rage was greeted with +shouts of derision. As the little cavalcade advanced farther along +the line, an effort was made by the other troops in the vicinity to +make amends to our honored and beloved President for this discourtesy; +but, while the whole army was intensely loyal, and devotedly attached +to him, he was unfortunate in having, as his chief escort through our +lines, a general who had, at least temporarily, lost the confidence and +respect of the command. + +On the 23d, the regiment was ordered to join that portion of the army +in front of Petersburg. Nothing unusual occurred until the 30th, when +we were ordered to prepare for a charge on the Confederate works. +Instead of remaining where we were, protected by our intrenchments, +until the charge was ordered, we were moved over our earthworks, where +we were kept for some time, exposed to a murderous fire, by which +Captain Fee, a brave and excellent officer, and many others, were +killed or severely wounded. After nearly a half-hour of this exposure, +we were recalled, and the attack was given up, as well it might be +after our intention was so fairly made known to the enemy. + +[Illustration: DEFENCES OF RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG.] + +At this time the main lines of the two armies were in such close +proximity that the utmost care was necessary, especially on the part +of the pickets who were posted in the little valley between, and were +so near that no part of the body could be exposed for an instant +without drawing the fire of the enemy. The approach to the picket-line +was through intricate and carefully protected, covered ways, but, +with all the precautions which ingenuity could devise, day by day +our ranks were diminished by losses. Many of these occurred in the +passage to and from these picket-lines, and often were due to the +recklessness and carelessness of the men. Many and curious were the +devices used to draw the enemy's fire, by exposing a hat, or coat, or +other object, while, from ingeniously constructed lookouts, our men +watched for the heads which were sure to pop up from behind their +intrenchments in the eagerness for a shot. This brutal warfare was +kept up during our whole stay in front of Petersburg, except when a +short truce brought the picket-lines together, when the utmost freedom +of intercourse prevailed. At such times papers were exchanged, the +situation discussed, and the best of friends seemed engaged in mutual +congratulations. In a few moments, the old state of things was resumed, +with all its cruelties. + +At this time more than ever before, we realized the magnitude of the +works performed by the Sanitary and Christian Commissions. As an +illustration, I find it recorded in my journal that at this time our +whole army was supplied with vegetables by the Sanitary Commission; +while the agents of both societies were to be found in camp and +hospital, ministering to the sick, wounded, and needy, with a generous +impartiality, which made no distinctions, and shrunk neither from +danger by bullet or contaminating disease. It is not my province to +enter into a history of these societies; but I should be ungrateful +did I not make fitting acknowledgment of the good work performed by +those devoted Christian men and women. Not only were the officers +and soldiers largely benefited as individuals, but the army, as a +whole, was sustained and strengthened by the knowledge that through +these two societies, and others of similar character, the whole +people were manifesting their readiness to bear their share of burden +and sacrifice. The office which they performed, in establishing and +sustaining a higher moral standard in the army, and the increased +efficiency which resulted from it, cannot be over-estimated. + +[Illustration: OUTLINE OF THE CRATER AND MAGAZINES.] + +During the most of July, we occupied the front or rear lines before +Petersburg, under fire the most of the time, the shot and shell +reaching us even in the most protected spots. The men were picked off +by sharpshooters whenever within range, and there was no respite from +duty, although we participated in no regular engagement until the +30th. At sunset on the 29th, the regiment took up its line of march to +the left and rear, to be ready to join in the attack which was to be +made immediately after the explosion of the mine in front of the 9th +corps. The explosion took place between four and five o'clock on the +morning of the 30th, and the attack was made; but, owing to want of +preparation, or some lack in the arrangement, the favorable moment was +allowed to pass, and the charge was irregular and ineffective. After +advancing to the ground which had been occupied by the fort, a halt +was made, intrenchments thrown up, and two guns mounted. This gave +an opportunity for the enemy to rally, and when at last the charge +was made upon Cemetery Hill, which was immediately in front, and some +four hundred yards distant, the concentrated fire from the front, and +from either flank, ploughed through our lines, creating disorder and +confusion. The loss was dreadful, regiments and brigades being almost +completely annihilated; a second attempt only added to a disaster which +was one of the most serious that our army had suffered for months. Our +division had been joined to the 18th corps, which made a demonstration +on the right, but without avail. Our losses were severe. Among the +killed was Major Swartwout, one of the oldest and best of all the +officers who had been connected with the regiment. No one among us +possessed to a larger extent the real soldierly instincts, and no one +was more generally beloved. His genial good-nature, his ready humor, +and exuberant spirits, made him welcome in every circle. Lieutenant +O'Brien was also killed, and our loss otherwise, in non-commissioned +officers and privates, was severe. The scheme, which originated with +Lieutenant-Colonel Pleasants, of the 48th Pennsylvania regiment, was +well conceived and perfected by him; but the attack which followed the +explosion was managed badly. + +July 31, the regiment was ordered to Bermuda Hundred, where we remained +until August 13, when we broke camp, and, starting late in the +evening, marched all night. The writer's experience on that night march +was peculiar, and, as showing the severity of the duties to which we +had been subjected, and the condition to which many of us were reduced, +it may properly be mentioned. The command of the regiment devolved +upon me, owing to the absence of all the field officers. Starting at +its head, we had proceeded but a short distance before I was seized by +an attack of drowsiness, which no effort and no expedient could throw +off. Mortified beyond expression by this singular but uncontrollable +weakness, there was nothing left to me, at last, but an appeal to the +orderly, and, directing him to keep me in my proper position, and to +arouse me if anything special should occur, I gave up the useless +struggle. The false or heavy step of the horse which I was riding +aroused me frequently to sudden consciousness, when the struggle would +recommence, but with the same result, for the seeds of malaria, brought +from the swamps of the Savannah, were fruiting in a deadly exhaustion, +which no effort of the will could overcome. This was the precursor +of more serious attacks, which finally drove me from the service. +Our movement was in the direction of the Dutch Gap Canal, a project +of General Butler, which proved a failure, like many others of his +undertakings while in the service. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + On duty at the front. Strange sickness. General Grant under fire. + Captain D'Arcy. Battle of Strawberry Plains. Splendid behavior of + the regiment. Lieutenants Tantum and Sears picked off by Confederate + sharpshooters. Other losses. The excited officer. Hurried retreat. + Captain Taylor. The greeting of General Terry. A night's rest. On + picket duty. Sad condition of the regiment. Expiration of term of + enlistment. Disaffection. Severe duty. Artillery attack on Petersburg. + Out of the service. + + +We have never heard of any general order issued to the army annulling +the Fourth Commandment, but such had been our experience that we needed +no argument to persuade us, on the morning of the 14th of August, which +was the Sabbath, that some special service, in field or camp, would +be required. All day long, we were at the front, in plain sight and +within range of a Confederate battery. The weather was intensely hot, +and a most curious effect followed the long exposure to the glaring +sun. Many officers, as well as non-commissioned officers and privates, +succumbed to the heat, and were led or carried to the rear. Some were +taken with spasms, and sometimes whole groups fell together; but, the +surgeon being summoned, a wonderful change took place, and the powerful +remedies which he administered to the most marked cases seemed to have +a peculiar effect on the others. It was a remarkable experience, and I +have never been able fully to explain the nature of the attack. For a +time it seemed likely that we should have a battalion of invalids; but +the illness was of short duration, and no serious results followed. +While occupying a little hill, the top of which was crossed by a stone +wall, General Grant made his appearance, with General Barnard and other +members of his staff. Passing through our ranks, he ascended the hill +to the stone wall, where he remained some time, taking observations. In +the meantime, the battery across the meadow kept up a constant fire, +and General Grant was often obliged to duck his head behind the wall +to avoid the shot. One of these, which had passed uncomfortably near +him, proved fatal to Captain D'Arcy, who was just returning from the +valley below, with some of those who had retired under the effect of +the sunstroke. He was a good officer, but sometimes showed the want +of coolness and self-possession. This would undoubtedly have come to +him with age and longer experience. With this, he would have been an +officer of unusual excellence; for he was well informed, of quick +perceptions, and prompt in all his movements, while his bravery was +beyond question. The only result of the day's work, of which we had any +report, was the capture of a battery and fifty prisoners by General +Terry. The next day, the 15th, we were moved from point to point +continually, but were not engaged. + +On the next day, the 16th, occurred the battle of Strawberry Plains, +where our loss was very severe. I copy from my journal: "During the +forenoon moved to the left in rear of battery. Remained a little while, +and then moved to the right through the woods. On the way, the firing +became heavy in our front, and we soon got the order to double-quick. +Through the woods, over dead bodies,--Federals and Confederates mingled +together,--past lines of prisoners, into the open ground, knapsacks +thrown off, full of enthusiasm, away we went, forming behind the +Confederate works, by the right into line, as straight and true as +ever on parade drill, amid the cheering of the troops about us. Men, +cheerful, cool, and obedient, under a heavy fire, in which Lieutenant +John M. Tantum, of Company D, a Christian man and good soldier, was +killed, and Seward, Sears, and many others, wounded. We stuck to the +works until the regiments on our right and left had fled, and only gave +way when the Confederates were so near that we could almost feel their +breath." + +During the day we witnessed a marked illustration of the necessity for +coolness, as well as bravery, especially on the part of officers. Our +position was a trying one, for, although there was no enemy in sight, +we were under a heavy enfilading fire, probably from sharpshooters +stationed in the trees of the adjoining woods, and we had reason to +expect an attack, either in front or flank, at any moment. Under the +circumstances, it was necessary that the command should be well in +hand, cool, alert, and ready for any emergency. While we were closely +hugging the intrenchments, to avoid as far as possible the enemy's +fire, every man grasping his musket, and waiting for the word of +command, a staff officer, possessing more courage than discretion, +came along, with pistol in one hand and sword in the other, and gave +the order to commence firing. In an instant the men were on their +feet, and the utmost confusion prevailed. The firing which followed +indicated more perfectly the position of our regiment to the enemy, +who were themselves so completely concealed in the woods at our left +that no return fire could be effectual. Worse than all, our men could +only fire directly to the front,--where as yet there was no sign of +the enemy,--on account of the regiment which at that time connected +with our left flank. As long as the firing continued, the advantage +of preparations to repel attack was entirely lost, and it was only by +threats of immediate personal injury that the officer was induced to +take his ill-timed enthusiasm elsewhere, and order was restored. In our +retreat, which occurred soon after, Captain Taylor was the only officer +left to assist in the command of the regiment; and, as we hurried +through the woods, a last look behind discovered several Confederate +battle-flags close at hand, and already occupying the position we had +just left. How heartily we congratulated each other on our escape, +when so many of our friends and comrades had fallen; but only an hour +afterwards, our picket-lines having been established, and placed in his +charge, word was brought to me that he too had been grievously wounded. +It was a sad blow, and left me in a very embarrassing position; for +the enemy was pressing hard upon us. Soon, however, several officers, +who, for various reasons, had been absent during the day, reported for +duty; but no one who took his place. Always ready for whatever he was +called upon to do, he was cheerful and intelligent in its performance. +An excellent officer, and most agreeable companion. This was his third +wound, and, although he recovered sufficiently to attend to ordinary +business, he was obliged to leave the service. His constitution was +much shattered, and gradually gave way, under the combined effects of +his wounds and the malarial disorders contracted in the army. Never +shall I forget the greeting of General Terry as we emerged from the +woods. He had seen our good regiment through the whole affair, and his +plaudit of "well done" was honest and hearty. There was no rest that +night, but when, at the close of the following day, the 17th, after +much wearisome marching, we sank down on the damp ground, wet, hungry, +and exhausted, many a prayer of thanksgiving went up to Him who had +spared us, where so many had fallen by our sides. On the 18th, there +was fighting in our front, but we were not engaged. + +Having got back to the intrenchments at Deep Bottom, we were allowed a +short season of rest. Heavy firing was continually going on about us, +especially in the direction of Petersburg; but, although so near, we +received no reliable accounts of what was transpiring. + +On the 20th we left Deep Bottom, and for a portion of the day acted as +a picket guard. The line was formed across Strawberry Plains; and the +duty was a delicate one, as our troops were retreating over the roads +by which the enemy was expected. The following day we marched to our +old camp-ground at Bermuda Hundred. + +During the week just passed, we had lost Captain D'Arcy, Lieutenants +Tantum and Sears, killed, and Captain Taylor and Lieutenant Seward, +wounded, while Lieutenant Acker was in hospital, suffering from +sunstroke. Many non-commissioned officers and privates had been killed +and wounded, while others, officers and soldiers, were incapacitated +for duty. + +About this time there arose much disaffection in the regiment among +those men who, having served three years, demanded their discharge. +While sympathizing fully with their feelings, although the commanding +officer, it was impossible for me to relieve them from duty, especially +as at this time we were taxed to our utmost in guarding a long line, +which had previously been occupied by a whole brigade. A few cases +of discipline were necessary, but, for the most part, the men were +amenable to reason, and recognized the necessity of performing service +until relieved by competent authority. On the 24th, we moved farther +to the right, and every man was put on picket. At this time there +were but three officers present for duty. Chills and fever were very +prevalent, and the regiment was reduced to a skeleton of its former +self. Early on the morning of the 25th, a sharp attack was made on our +picket-line, but was repulsed. Our loss was one man killed, and nine +wounded and missing. Rumors prevailed for several days that we were +to be sent to Petersburg, and on Sunday, the 28th, the order came, +and by nine o'clock of that evening we were in our old quarters. On +the evening of the 29th, the batteries on the hills back of us opened +a heavy fire on Petersburg, and continued for some time. It was a +magnificent sight. The air was alive with shells, and in their flight +they seemed to rise even to the stars, and to mingle their light with +them. From this time until September 14, the duties of the regiment +were without variety or special interest. With the 76th Pennsylvania, +it alternated in serving at the front and resting in the rear lines. On +the 14th, my connection with the regiment ceased. After more than three +years of service, completely broken down by malarial disease contracted +in the early period of the war, at my urgent request I was permitted +to resign. What follows of this history has been largely drawn from +the journals of others, and several histories of the war, which I have +constantly consulted in preparing this narrative. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + Discharge of old members of the regiment. Attack at Chapin's + Farm. Partial success. Condition of the South. New recruits. In + winter-quarters. Thanksgiving Day. Resignation of Colonel Barton. + His long and faithful service. Tenth and Eighteenth corps united. + Expedition against Fort Fisher. Second expedition against Fort + Fisher. Gallant charge and capture of the fort. An important event. + Other successes. March to Wilmington. Pursuit of the Confederates. + Their surrender of Union prisoners. Their condition. On the march + to join Sherman's army. Sherman's grand march to the sea-coast, and + its results. Grant's operations ending in surrender of Lee and his + army. With Sherman's army on the march for Johnston. Announcement of + surrender of General Lee. Continued pursuit of Johnston. Lincoln's + assassination. Its effect on the army. Surrender of Johnston. + + +September 17, the old members of the regiment who had not re-enlisted +were honorably discharged, and started homewards. On the 28th, the 10th +and 18th corps left the intrenchments at Petersburg, and, crossing +the Appomattox, marched to the James River. The 10th corps, under +General Birney, was to attack the enemy at Deep Bottom, while to the +18th corps, under General Ord, was assigned the duty of taking the +Confederate works at Chapin's Farm. The 10th corps made an assault +early on the morning of the 29th, and were completely successful; but +the 18th corps, after gallantly carrying the outer works at Chapin's +Farm, and capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and many prisoners, +found the second line of defence so formidable that more careful +preparations were necessary before attempting its capture. In the +meantime, General Birney proceeded up the Newmarket road towards +Richmond, and established communication with the 18th corps. The delay +which followed the first assault at Chapin's Farm, gave time for +the enemy to call in re-enforcements, and the second assault proved +unsuccessful. The following day the enemy attempted to recover the +portion of the works which they had lost, but were repulsed with +considerable loss. In these engagements, the 48th lost a number of men, +in killed, wounded, and prisoners. + +[Illustration: ARMY'S HUTS AT CHAPIN'S FARM.] + +October 7, a vigorous effort was made by the enemy to drive us out of +our positions on the north side of the James, but, after a partial +success, they were driven back. This proved the close of active +operations for the year, as nothing further of importance took place +in this department. Our army was rapidly filling up from the recent +conscription, while the South had already reached its last ditch. +It had no reserve force to call upon, its resources were becoming +exhausted, and its army reduced to extremities. + +About this time our regiment received some forty or more recruits, +and for the week that followed, until December 7, it remained in the +vicinity of Deep Bottom. Its routine of duties is indicated by a single +day's record, taken from the journal of Townsend--date, November 8. "In +the morning, at four o'clock, we were turned out, and went inside the +fort, and remained until seven o'clock, and were then dismissed. The +weather being clear, after breakfast we were all ordered on fatigue; +some building log huts, and the rest in the woods carrying logs. We +worked all day, and at six o'clock in the afternoon were dismissed." +On the 15th, the huts were completed, tents were taken down, and the +regiment went into winter-quarters. + +[Illustration: OFFICERS' QUARTERS, CHAPIN'S FARM.] + +The 24th was Thanksgiving Day, to be specially remembered by every +soldier on account of the abundant supply of turkeys, apples, and +other good things, furnished them by the people of the North, and +distributed through the agency of the two societies previously +referred to. Through this period, squad, company, and battalion drills +were kept up with as much regularity as relief from other duties +permitted. The size of the regiment may be inferred from the fact that +five companies were usually united for a company drill. + +December 3, Colonel Barton, having reached the limit of his term +of service, was mustered out at his own request. The inconvenience +resulting from the wounds received at Fort Wagner and Cold Harbor, and +his general condition of physical prostration, demanded a rest. He had +proved an earnest, faithful, efficient, and intelligent officer, and +the regiment, under his command, attained a proficiency in drill and +a condition of general excellence that easily placed it at the head +of the troops with which it was associated. Often detached on special +important service, he filled every position with credit to himself +and satisfaction to his superior officers. His relations with the +commanding officers under whom we served in the several departments +were uniformly of an agreeable character, a circumstance from which +the regiment profited to no inconsiderable extent. His brevet of +brigadier-general was well earned, and he may well regard the years +of service which he gave to his country as entitling him to general +respect and esteem. On the 5th of December, all the white troops of +the 10th and 18th corps were consolidated and formed the 24th, and the +colored troops from the same formed the 25th corps. + +[Illustration: PONTOON BRIDGE AT JONES' LANDING, NEAR DEEP BOTTOM.] + +On the evening of the 6th, orders were received to pack up and be ready +for a march, but the movement did not take place until the afternoon +of the 7th, when the 2d division, to which our regiment was assigned, +formed in line and started for Jones' Landing, near City Point, +where they arrived on the morning of the 8th. Here they embarked on +the steamer Perritt, and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, the point of +rendezvous of the expedition. On the 13th they left Fortress Monroe, +and for much of the time until the 30th were steaming up and down the +coast. For several days they were at Beaufort, N.C., taking in supplies +of coal and water, and from there proceeded to Cape Fear River, and +landed near Fort Fisher, intending to make an assault; but General +Weitzel, who had immediate command of the troops, declared it would +be suicidal to make the attempt, and the men re-embarked, and the +transports returned directly to City Point. + +General Butler, who had charge of the land forces, conceived the +idea of sending in near to Fort Fisher a vessel loaded with powder, +expecting that by its explosion the fort would be materially damaged. +The plan was carried out, but no visible effect followed the explosion, +and the expedition, which was based upon the success of the plan, +proved a failure. From City Point the regiment returned to its old +position at Chapin's Farm. The men had suffered from their long +confinement on the dirty steamer. The food was insufficient and the +vermin intolerable, and it was a blessed relief to get back where they +could cleanse and purify themselves and clothing. + +From December 30 to January 3 they were allowed to remain in camp, +enjoying quiet and rest. On that day everything was packed and made +ready for a change, in obedience to orders, and on the evening of the +3d they started for Bermuda Hundred. On the 4th, they embarked on the +steamer Tonawanda, and the next day were at Fortress Monroe. On the +8th they were in Hatteras Inlet. On the 9th, they joined the fleet off +Beaufort, N.C. On the 12th, they were in Cape Fear River, and on the +13th moved farther in, and nearer Fort Fisher. + +A change had been made. General Butler had been relieved on his return +from the former expedition, and General A.H. Terry was now in command +of the troops, while Admiral Porter commanded the naval forces, as +before. At ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th, a landing was +effected in small boats, and the troops formed on the beach and stacked +arms, and proceeded to throw up intrenchments from Cape Fear River to +the beach. During the 13th and 14th, a heavy bombardment was kept up on +Fort Fisher by the navy, and on the 15th our division, which had been +working round to the rear of the fort, prepared for an assault. + +Having left behind knapsacks and all other encumbrances, about two +o'clock in the afternoon the first charge was made, which resulted +in securing the outer section of the fort. At the same time, the +naval brigade charged in front. Charge succeeded charge, until ten +o'clock in the evening, when the garrison, having been driven into our +bastion, surrendered. The fighting on both sides was very stubborn. +From the description of the fort, which I gather from those present +at the assault, it was composed of detached mounds. When one was +taken, our men gathered behind it for a short halt and rest. And then, +with a sudden rush and bound over and around this mound, another was +taken, until at last the whole was captured, with twenty-five hundred +prisoners and sixty guns. Our losses were quite severe. Captain Dunn, +my old orderly sergeant, who behaved so well at Chester Heights, was +killed; and many names in our regiment, as well as in the others +engaged, were added to the long list of martyrs. Everything had been +arranged to blow up the fort, rather than surrender it; but the wires +connecting the batteries which were arranged to effect the explosion +were cut off from their connections with the magazines by the shot and +shell from the navy. A slight explosion did take place, late at night, +after our regiment had been withdrawn. Several other small forts in the +vicinity were blown up by the Confederates, but the garrison of Fort +Anderson, some little distance up the river, remained in possession +until February 19, when the disposition of our troops was such that +there could no longer be any hope of being able to hold it, and it was +evacuated. + +[Illustration: INTERIOR OF FORT FISHER.] + +During the interval, our forces had been strengthened, by the arrival +of the 23d army corps, under General Schofield, and many new recruits +had arrived from the North, our regiment receiving on the 7th of +February two hundred and ten. + +The capture of Fort Fisher was an important event. By it one of the +worst points on the southern coast was shut up, for, in spite of +the utmost vigilance on the part of our navy, immense quantities of +supplies had been brought in, through the several entrances of Cape +Fear River, by blockade-runners. But a much more important service was +rendered to our cause by its capture than in cutting off supplies. For +at this time General Sherman, having completed the wonderful march from +Atlanta to the sea-coast at Savannah, had now turned northward, and +was on his way to co-operate with the Army of Virginia, in that final +struggle which ended the rebellion; and the capture of Fort Fisher, and +the other defences on Cape Fear River gave a new basis of supplies and +military operations, which materially aided Sherman. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF LAND AND NAVAL OPERATIONS AT FORT FISHER.] + +General Terry, having succeeded in capturing these forts, disposed +his forces, which consisted of about eight thousand men, in such +a manner as to be secure from attacks, and awaited the action +of General Schofield, who had been assigned the command of the new +department of North Carolina. No time was wasted. New and more +favorable positions were taken from time to time, and on the 20th a +general movement was made towards Wilmington. + +On the 21st, our regiment, which, with the other troops under General +Terry, was advancing towards this city on the east side of the river, +suddenly came upon a strong force of the Confederates, who opened +a heavy fire, by which two men were killed, and Major Elfwing and +seventeen others wounded. The enemy were driven within their works +and held there, until a division under General Cox, by threatening to +cross the river above the city, compelled a general retreat, which was +effected after the burning of the steamers at the wharves, and the +destruction of the military stores and cotton in and near the city. + +On the 22d, Washington's birthday, Wilmington was occupied by our +troops, and perhaps no result of this occupation was of as much +interest to the soldiers as the fact that by it they secured a supply +of tobacco, of which they had been deprived for several weeks. In the +recent operations, the loss to the Federal side was about two hundred +in killed, wounded, and missing; and the Confederate loss, about a +thousand, in killed and wounded, while a large number of prisoners, +with thirty pieces of cannon, and an immense quantity of ammunition, +had fallen into our hands. + +General Schofield's next movement was against Goldsboro, to open a +communication with General Sherman; and a large force was sent to +Kingston, to secure and repair the railroad. These troops advanced by +way of Newbern. Our division was allowed no rest, but on the afternoon +of the 22d started in pursuit of the retreating enemy. So sharply +was this kept up that on the 27th a flag of truce was proposed by +the Confederate commander, for the purpose of transferring the Union +prisoners, so much did they encumber his movements. Accordingly, we +received into our lines nearly ten thousand, officers and privates, +some of whom had been captured from our regiment at Olustee and Cold +Harbor. All were in the most deplorable condition, half clothed and +almost wholly starved. These were conveyed to Wilmington, to which city +our regiment returned March 2. + +[Illustration: MOUND BATTERY, NEAR FORT FISHER.] + +New recruits arrived from time to time, and were instructed in their +duties, and, with the exception of one short expedition to guard +wagon-trains, the regiment remained near Wilmington until the 15th. + +March 12, General Sherman, who had arrived at Fayetteville, sent +despatches to General Schofield, directing him to march at once to +Goldsboro, and to order General Terry to do the same. Accordingly, on +the 15th they broke camp, and started to join Sherman. That night, +before they lay down, they had marched twenty-five miles. The following +day the march was resumed, and, although the roads were very heavy, +they moved rapidly, and day after day continued on, with no special +accident, or incident, until the 21st, when signs of Sherman's bummers +began to appear, and in the afternoon there was heavy cannonading on +our left. + +At this time, and for some time previous, our troops had subsisted +largely by foraging. Sugar and coffee were almost forgotten luxuries. + +On the 23d, the 17th corps of Sherman's army passed near our troops, +and the motley procession which accompanied them showed how successful +they had become as foragers. Goldsboro had been taken by General +Schofield's troops on the 21st, and Johnston had massed his army at +Smithfield. General Sherman had now a large force under his command, +and, with several good safe bases of supplies, and uninterrupted +communication with the coast, was prepared to perform his part in +these final struggles of the rebellion. His march from Savannah had +resulted in the loss to the Confederates of all the fortified points +along the coast, with the immense quantities of supplies and materials +of war which they contained. A tract of fifty miles in width, along +his whole route, had been stripped of all kinds of provisions, and the +richest portion of the South had been devastated. The great system of +internal communication and supply, which had afforded them such great +advantages in the movements of their armies, was either destroyed or +fatally disarranged. + +By this time General Grant was ready for that final movement against +Lee which resulted in the surrender of his army. This movement +commenced on the 29th, and, after repeated attempts upon the enemy's +right, a general assault, along the whole line, on April 2, resulted in +complete success, and on the morning of the 3d it was discovered that +Lee's army had fled, and on that day our troops, under General Weitzel, +occupied Richmond. The principal part of Grant's army passed on after +Lee. Sheridan, with his whole force of cavalry, by rapid marches, +finally succeeded, on the 9th, in intercepting Lee's retreat, and, +by a vigorous attack, held him in check until the arrival of several +corps of infantry made escape impossible; and on that day Lee, and +what remained of his army, fell into our hands. The principal army now +remaining to the Confederates was that commanded by Johnston. + +General Sherman, while these operations were going on, was resting at +Goldsboro; but on the 11th orders came from General Grant to move +against Johnston. As late as March 28, new recruits were received from +the North, nearly a hundred and fifty being assigned to our regiment; +and when, on the 11th, General Sherman broke camp and started for +Johnston, it was with an army invigorated, strengthened, and refreshed, +and stimulated to unbounded enthusiasm by the success of the Army of +Virginia. April 6, general orders had been promulgated to all the +troops at their evening parades, stating that Petersburg and Richmond +had been taken, and that Lee was retreating. + +April 7, another despatch was read, announcing that General Sheridan +had captured twelve thousand prisoners and fifty pieces of artillery. +On the 10th, two divisions of the 10th corps, which had again been +reunited under General Terry, started on the march towards Raleigh. On +the 11th, the march was continued rapidly, our brigade being in the +advance. Frequent halts were necessary, on account of the destruction +of the bridges by Johnston's army. On the 12th, while resting and +waiting for a wagon-train, for which they were to be escort, a +despatch was read from General Schofield announcing the surrender of +General Lee. This had been known by other portions of the army, which +had passed on from other points, and had already driven Johnston's army +out of Smithfield. + +[Illustration: M'LEAN'S HOUSE, THE PLACE OF LEE'S SURRENDER.] + +The forward movement was resumed by our brigade on the afternoon of +the 12th, but the roads continued very heavy, and the men were often +compelled to wade through swamps, and at night slept on the ground +with scarcely more than the sky for a covering. On the evening of +the 14th, they arrived in the vicinity of Raleigh, and established +camp a short distance outside the city. The Confederate army had made +no stop here, and General Sherman continued the pursuit some twenty +or twenty-five miles, to a point called Durham Station, when, the +hopelessness of further resistance being apparent, a request was sent +to General Sherman by Johnston, asking for a truce, with a view to +arranging the terms of surrender of his army. This occurred on the +15th, and as the fact became generally known on the 16th, that night +was given up to rejoicing, for it was felt that the war was now over. +This, however, proved premature, for the terms proposed, and which were +evidently dictated by Davis and other leaders of the rebellion, who +were known to be in the vicinity, although accepted by General Sherman, +when submitted to the authorities at Washington, were unhesitatingly +repudiated as dealing with questions which were beyond the province +of military commanders; and orders were issued to resume operations +at once. General Grant was despatched to Raleigh, where he arrived +on the 24th, and notice was sent to Johnston demanding an immediate +surrender, on the same terms given to General Lee. The troops were put +in motion, and preparations were made to reopen the campaign; and it +is safe to say that no order was ever issued to our troops which was +received with such universal satisfaction as that to prepare to march +against Johnston. News had been received of the assassination of +President Lincoln, and, had our troops encountered Johnston's army, no +quarter would have been given, so terribly were they exasperated. But, +fortunately for Johnston and those under him, wise counsels prevailed +in his camp, and on the 26th his whole army was surrendered, and the +war was virtually over. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + A general review. Change in condition of the regiment. Barrett as + provost-marshal. Delicate question. Colonel Coan. Gradual disbandment + of the army. Discharge of the 48th. Some personal explanations. + + +Little remains to chronicle in the history of the 48th. On the 20th of +April, during the truce between the two armies, a general review was +held in Raleigh by General Sherman. The 10th corps presented no such +appearance as when it marched in review at Hilton Head. Few of the old +officers and soldiers were left, and the experiences of the past year +had been such as to preclude the possibility of keeping up that almost +perfect condition and discipline for which we were so long noted. Our +regiment had changed so much that it bore its share of the censure +contained in general orders issued a few nights after the review. +But sufficient allowance was not made for the peculiar hardships and +exposures of the recent campaign, nor for the addition of so many new +recruits, at a time when no opportunity was afforded for their proper +training and drill. The work of all the troops was done and well done, +and no censure should have mingled with the approval they so richly +deserved. + +[Illustration: PLACE OF JOHNSTON'S SURRENDER TO SHERMAN.] + +After the surrender of Johnston, our brigade, commanded by Colonel +Coan, remained in Raleigh, until sent home to be discharged from the +service. Captain Barrett, now commissioned major, but unable to be +mustered in, on account of the wound of Major Elfwing, which prevented +his advancement, was made provost-marshal. The duties of the position +were varied and peculiar, but, exercising that excellent good sense +and kindly disposition which always characterized him, he gave general +satisfaction. It must have been a little embarrassing when he was +called upon to settle the question between the negro and his two wives. +Having been separated from the object of his early affections, by +change of ownership, the negro had found another to solace and comfort +him, with whom he had been living some twenty years, and the sudden +appearance of wife number one with a request that he should resume his +former relations involved questions too deep for his understanding. The +decision of the provost-marshal, that possession for so long a time +established the right to hold, and that number one must continue to +regard the separation as final, as she had done for so long a period of +years, was satisfactory, at least to the negro and wife number two. + +The order announcing that Johnston had surrendered, and that the +troops would soon be marching homewards, was published April 27; but +it was found no simple matter to disband so large an army, and, while +no further hostilities were feared, there were many questions to be +decided, arising out of the war, which required the presence of troops +in the South. + +The weeks and months which followed brought to the regiment little +change from the regular round of guard and fatigue duty, inspections +and parades. Coan, who was a captain of the regiment at its +organization in 1861, was now its colonel. Almost the only one of +the original officers who remained with the regiment, he had served +constantly and faithfully through the intervening years, and was +finally mustered out with it. In every position which he occupied, +whether commanding a company, the regiment, or a brigade, he always did +his part well, and enjoyed the confidence and respect of every one. He +had no enemies, because he always exercised the authority entrusted +to him with good judgment and a due consideration for others. Sharing +hardships and dangers equally with others, he was wonderfully spared, +having never suffered seriously from sickness or wounds. His services +on earth are now ended, but his memory is fondly cherished by all who +knew him. + +June 10, the remnant of the 117th New York State Volunteers was +consolidated with our regiment, which became nearly complete in +numbers, both of officers and privates. June 19, the 48th escorted +the 115th New York to the depot, on their way home to become citizens +again, and on the 23d, performed a similar duty for the 203d +Pennsylvania Volunteers, which had been brigaded with it for many +months. + +On the 26th, the regiment was considerably reduced, by the +mustering-out of all those whose term of service would expire before +September. From this time onwards the story of the journals before us +is a dull and unvaried account of simple and uninteresting details, +which continues until August 31, when the regiment was mustered out of +the service of the United States. On Sunday, September 3, it started +in the cars for City Point, where it took steamer for Baltimore. +September 5, it arrived in New York city, and on the following day was +conveyed to Hart's Island, where it remained encamped until the 12th. +On that day, the pay roll was signed for the last time, the regiment +was discharged, and the men were transported to New York city, free and +independent citizens once more. + +This completes the history of the struggles and triumphs of "the +Saints," so far as it could be gleaned from the materials at hand. The +assistance received from the several journals sent me I have already +acknowledged, but while drawing as largely as possible from these, I +have been compelled to rely to a great extent upon my own. This was +kept with constancy and regularity from day to day, during my whole +term of service, and has been useful not only in furnishing such facts +of our daily experience as it contained, but also in recalling by its +perusal much that was unrecorded which has come back to me from the +sleeping recesses of memory. If out of this great dependence upon a +personal narrative there appears more of the individual than is seemly +and proper, I beg, especially from those who participated in the scenes +depicted, a charitable construction of this natural if not necessary +tendency, and that I be absolved from any intention to give to my own +special services undue prominence. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Special references to some of the officers of the regiment. Remarks + upon prominent questions before the country. Finis. + + +Of some of those who were my companions during the progress of the +war I have made mention, but in the final review of narrative I am +reminded of many others whom I have omitted, to whose worth I could +testify with earnestness and feeling. I am conscious, also, of not +having given sufficient prominence to the social life in the army. Our +duties were oftentimes severe, trying, and perilous; but it was not +all duty, and my intercourse with many if not most of the officers +whom I met was both elevating and stimulating, especially within +our own regiment. I remember well my first introduction to Captain +(afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel) Strickland. He was officer of the day +when I made my first application to be admitted to the camp at Fort +Hamilton. "What are you here for?" he asked, to which I replied that +I hoped to become an officer of the regiment. "Impossible!" said he, +"and I advise you to take yourself off as quickly as possible, as +every officer has been selected, and there isn't a ghost of a chance +for you." Further explanation, however, effected an entrance to the +camp; and before the guard was relieved I had been regularly mustered +into the service, as second lieutenant of Company G. Notwithstanding +the brusqueness of his first salutation, I found him to be an educated +gentleman, and my relations with him while he remained in the service +were intimate and most agreeable. Of Lockwood I have already written, +but have only faintly expressed the constant pleasure which I enjoyed +in his companionship. Hurst and Edwards, both sacrificed at Wagner, +although of diverse habits and tastes, contributed their full share to +the social life of the regiment, while Carleton, Miller and Bodine are +all living to enjoy the memory of their faithful service in camp and +field. Among the younger officers was Dr. J. Mott Throop, assistant +surgeon. I could not forget him; for, while lying in the hospital, +stricken down with fever, he brought me the welcome papers which made +me free again. Better than medicine had been his friendly offices; +but better than all else combined was the release from army life when +there could be no hope of restoration to health, and consequently no +further efficient service. In all the world he could find no lovelier +scenes than now surround him in his home among the Berkshire Hills. +As he goes his daily round of ministration to the sick and suffering, +may the beauty which appeals to him from hill and mountain side and +peaceful valley minister to his soul continual comfort and joy, is the +sincere wish of his friend and former comrade. Now, having told my +story and rendered these forgotten tributes, I seem to hear the patient +reader who has followed me to this point say: Why don't he add the +finis and have done. So perhaps I should. But may I not be indulged in +a few reflections which seem to claim a relationship with the events +herein narrated? Since the surrender at Appomattox, another generation +has arisen, and many of those who were too young to participate in, +or even understand, the questions involved in the war have grown to +manhood and are occupying places in the State and National councils. +The war is indeed over, but to these, and to all others who aspire to +official positions,--yes, and equally to the people at large,--there +remain duties to perform, difficulties and perils to encounter. Not so +great, it may be, as those here narrated, but such as shall test the +loyalty and patriotism as surely if not so severely as in the scenes +herein depicted. The colored people of the South have been endowed with +the full rights of citizenship under the law; but the task remains of +fitting them for the exercise of this great privilege, and protecting +them against injustice and wrong. Under the influence of a discontented +and vicious class of emigrants from the old world who have brought from +its oppressions and want a spirit of rebellion against even the most +necessary restraints of society, serious divisions have been created. +The poorer and those who call themselves the laboring class have +arrayed themselves in organized antagonism against those more sagacious +and more successful than themselves. The cry of the communist of Paris +is being repeated here and must be heeded, or the most unhappy results +may follow. May we rest, then, in blind security, or shall the men of +this and coming generations rather emulate the spirit of their fathers +who, with true devotion to principle and duty, freely offered all, even +life itself, on the altar of their country? Let the questions which now +occupy the minds of the people be settled on the broadest principles of +justice. Let every wrong that now disturbs the peace and well-being of +society be met and adjusted, with the fullest regard for the welfare +of the humblest and most dependent, and may the spirit which animated +the "Saints" be the promise and fulfilment of the hopes and prayers +of those who sought these shores whereon to found a government which +should guarantee to all men freedom, justice, and equality. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58480 *** |