Diary of a Line Officer

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Local Hist ory

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T h e

D i a r y of

a

L i n e O ff i c e r

BY

CAPTAIN

AUGUSTUS C. B RO WN ,

Co m p a n y H, Fourth Ne w Yor k Heav y Artillery.

Th e following pag es are a n elaboration of a daily record

kept at the time,

of m y

perjojaakjijperiences during the m o r e

active part of the c a m p a i g n 01 the A r m y of the P o t o m a c j

dmiiig, tliM

ymva.

10Q1,

a n d

in the perusal

of

it the reader

should bear

in

mi nd , as explanatory

of

the lack of continuity

in the narrative a n d of indefiniteness or erroneousness of state

me nt as to

times,

places

a n d

the m o v e m e n t s

of

troops, that

a

line officer in c o m m a n d

of a

single c o m p a n y in

a n y

branch

of

the

service,

w a s seldom inform ed at the time as to the plan

of

a campaign,

or

even

as to the

specific dispositions

of the

various forces intended

to

participate

a n d

co-operate

in a

single engagement.

Hi s

duty w a s simply

to

ob ey orders,

often very general

a n d

not infrequently quite unintelligible,

and a s h e w a s expected to m o v e in the night ti me as well as

in the

d a y

time,

a n d

frequently

in a

country with whic h

h e

w a s not familiar, it can surprise

n o

one that his ideas

of

time,

of distance

a n d of

locality w e r e often quite n eb ulous.

7/

FORT MARCY,

VA.,

SATURDAY, MARCH 26TH, 1864.

\

I

w a s

suddenly aw ak en ed at

5

o'clock this m o r n i n g

b y

Capt.

M c K e e l of C o m p a n y " A , "

w h o

ru sh ed frantically into

m y quarters with the intelligence that

the

regiment

h a d r e-


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2

ceived "m ar ch in g orders," an d w a s immedia tely to join the

A r m y of the Potomac . M c K e e l appeared to be in great glee ;

declared that he ha d long be en "spoiling for a fight"; that

n o w the gr an d object of his military existence w a s to be at

tained, an d that it wo ul d never b e recorded of h i m that he had

fough t three years for his country without seeing an e n e m y or

firing a gu n. M u c h m o r e of a similar heroic strain w a s in

dulged in b y the valiant J i m in the exu ber anc e of his spirits

wh ic h I do not recall, o wi n g pro babl y to the fact that I did

not mys el f receive the n e w s as enthusiastically as was, perh aps,

be co mi ng in an officer so far a w a y fr o m the front. Indeed I

m a y frankly say that just at that m o m e n t no order could h av e

been m o r e unexpe cted or undesirable to mys elf, for, forgetful

of the proverbial mutability of h u m a n affairs, and particularly

of military

affairs,

I had just completed for the officers of m y

c o m p a n y a residence within the fort, w h e r e I had fondly

ho pe d to spend the rem ain der of m y military life in co mf or t

and security. Th e ho use itself w a s a model o£ architectural

beaut y considering the purpose s for w hi ch it w a s erected. Th e

ma in building, intended for the c o m p a n y c o m m a n d e r , stood

facing the c o m p a n y quarters just across the covered w a y

leading u p f r o m the sally-porte. O n either ha nd , adjoining

an d at right angles with this, the ends extending four or five

feet to the

front,

stood the buildings designed for the Lieu

tenants,

while connecting

these

ends an d spanning the front of

the Captain's

quarters,

w a s a delightful little ve randa, f r o m

wh ic h the doors to the three buildings o pe ne d to the right,

left and centre. Th u s constructed, the cottage w a s painted a

light dr ab color, with da rk cornices and tr im mi ng s, while the

white w i n d o w fra mes and vera nda posts and railings, an d three

tiny red c hi mn ey s su rm ou nt in g the black, steep roofs, improved

the general

effect,

an d rendered the wh ol e structure o ne of

the prettiest little edifices for

officers'

quarters that it has been

m y go od fortune to see. Th e interior, too, w a s no less neat


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an d appropriate. Ea c h apar tmen t, separate an d distinct f r o m

the

others,

w a s divided into t w o r o o m s, the floors of wh ic h

w e r e laid with na rr ow ma tc he d pine highly polished, an d the

walls an d ceilings w e r e d on e in the best style of ha rd fin ish

plaster.

In short the officers'quarters of Fo rt M a r c y we r e

universally a ck no wl ed ge d to b e the m o s t attractive of anyt hing

of the kind in the "Defen ceso f Wash in gt on ."

It

will,

therefore, hardly be wo nd er e d

at,

that the order to

m a r c h w a s w e l c o m e d b y the Co m m a n d e r of Co m p a n y H.,

Fo ur th N . Y. He a v y Artillery, abo ut as joyfully as a m or ta r

shell is received in a comfortable "Gop he r- ho le ," an d that he

looked u p o n the m o v e m e n t as an ar hi tary exercise o f a little

brief authority on the part of the Gov e r n m e n t , and an un wa r

ranted invasion of personal an d proprietary rights. Receiving

the intelligence, however, wi th a dont-care-a darn-itive c o m

posure, I ventured to e x p r e s s l y dou bt of the veracity of .the

gallant M c K e e l , as if the n e w s w er e too go od to be true, and

in fact I had strong gr ou nd s for hopi ng that I mi gh t IMJ the

victim of an innocent joke, inas much as J i m , being "Offi

cer of the Da y ," and so supposed to be u p and a w a k e all

night,

mi gh t reasonably b e suspected of being o n a reconnais-

ance for refreshments at that early ho ur , particularly as he

k n e w the fact that a do zen of the "critter" w a s at that m o

m e n t concealed beneath m y bed, intended to d o du ty at a

"h ous e w a r m i n g " appointed for the ensuing evening, in ac

cordance with the ancient an d time ho nor ed cu st om in all well'

regulated military organizations. Bu t, alas, the

fatal

order ,

duly recorded in the Po s ^ Or d e r Bo o k , soon exploded this

theory and put to light he last remai ning ho pe , and casting

on e long, lingering look u p o n a pillow an d a pair of s n o w y

sheets just received fr om h o m e , I arose an d m a d e a hasty b ut

melanchol y toilet. M c K e e l in the me an t im e entertained m e

with the enchanting strains of " W h o wo ul d not be a Soldier,"

and other inspiring and patriotic airs, until I "spi ked hi«


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piece" with on e of the bottles referred to, and with wh ic h I

be gge d hi m to celebrate the auspicious occasion, and placing

the other eleven bottles in line u p o n the w i n d o w sill, I m a d e

m y first "cha rge u po n the e n e m y ," b y deliberately kno cki ng

off their heads and pitching their lifeless re ma in s over the

parapet, a proceeding, b y the w a y , wh ic h J i m characterized

as " a reckless waste of the blessings of Prov id en ce."

Summoning Sergeant Theben, I directed that the com

p a n y p ac k u p an d send off all superfluous ba gg ag e and

effects,

an d b e ready to m a r c h at da y light the

next morning, and having packed m y o w n knap

sack, I sauntered over to Capt. Mc Ke el 's quarters

w h e r e m o s t of the officers of the post we r e already assemb led.

He r e there see me d to be a great diversity of opinion as to the

true intent an d m e a n in g of the m o v e m e n t , each officer hav ing

his individual theory, but all expressing a decided appr ehen

sion that

it

m e a n t

Infantry

instead of

Artillery

ield ervice.

A deputation to Headq uart ers at F ort Eth a n Allen gained but

little information, except that it w a s ru m o r e d there that w e

w e r e to report to the Chief of Artillery of Th e A r m y of the

Pot om ac ; that Col.

Tidball,

our

Colonel,

w a s to take c o m m a n d

of the Artillery Briga de of the Ssco nd Corp s, an d that the

regiment w a s to hav e a Siege Train.

This,

thoug h very un

satisfactory, w a s at

least

plausible, and with ho pe s for the best

w e spent the day in writing letters, packi ng u p , sending off

the sick to Wa s h i n g t o n, issuing rations and shelter tents and

generally preparing to m o v e .

SUNDAY, MARCH 27t h.

A t 7 o'clock this mo rning, being relieved b y the 3 d Penn

sylvania Artillery, a Ge r m a n regiment, the c o m p a n y w a s

fo r me d for the last time on the parade gr ou nd in front of the

old barracks, an d one hu ndr ed and eighty-two m e n answ ered

to their na m e s at roll

call.

Filing slowly out of the little fort


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5

w h i c h w e ha d

built,

an d had garrisoned for nearly t w o years,

w e fo rme d with Co's. A a nd

I,

and marc hed to Fort Etha n

Allen, wh e r e w e fo und the other compani es of the regi ment just

falling into line. Afte r the usual delays w e too k u p the line

of m a r c h about nine o'clock for Alexandria, w h e r e w e fo un d a

train of cars awaiting

us,

and arrived at Br a n d y Station al>out

ten o'clock that night. He r e w e had ou r irst xperience with

shelter tents, wh ic h w e pitched near the depot, and in an in

credibly short

time,

notwithstanding the state of the weather,

wh ic h w a s decidedly cold an d unpleasant, "sleep an d oblivion

reigned ov er all."

Br a n d y Station, as w e sa w

it,

presented but f e w induce

me n ts for p er ma ne nt residence. A f e w tents, sheds an d di

lapidated old buildings standing in the mid st of a rolling prairie

an d immediately surrounded by acres of boxes,

bags,

bales,

barrels an d in num era ble other a r m y stores, com pri sed all the

natural or architectural beauties of the place, but, being then

the terminu s of the railroad, the wh ol e Arr a y of the Po t o m a c

d r e w

its

supplies f r o m this

point.

Sho uld the track be relaid

to Culpep per , ho we ve r, in t w o da ys time no passing travel

er w ou ld be able to locate the ancient site of Br a n d y Station.

MONDAY MARCH 28TH.

We a t h e r cool but pleasant. O n wa ki n g this mo rn i ng 1

fo un d mysel f decidedly

stiff,

sore an d lame, and to add to m y

discomfort I discovered that the high-top hoots I ha d w o r n

the da y before, wh ic h I procured

at

Harrisburg, Pa., just before

the battle at Getty sbu rg, an d of wh ic h I had hop ed better

things,

abusing the confidence a n d feet reposed in th em , ha d

superi nduced several large blisters, and m a d e nad inroads u p o n

the flesh. De e m i n g it inadvisable to attempt another m a r c h

u p o n the s a m e footing, I determined to call for volunteers to

furnish m e a pair of a r m y shoes, an d in less than five mi nu te s

after the call had been m a d e I w a s intrenched behind a pile of


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" Gov e r n m e n t s " large en ou gh to stock a moder ate sized Chat

h a m St. ' 'Empo ri um ," while

the

gene rou s o w n e r of each partic

ular pair stood without the intrenchments, extolling the pecu

liar excellencies of his individual property. This unpreced

ented liberality, howe ver , w a s not, I grieve to say, d u e so

m u c h to the genero us impulses wh ic h are said at times to actu

ate

the unselfish heart,

as it

w a s

to

the unromantic

fact

that each

m e m b e r of the regiment ha d been supplied with an extra pair

of

shoes,

and one day's m ar c h had convinced h i m

of

the expedi

enc y of reducing his imp edi men ta to the m i n i m u m . Selecting

a pair belonging to Artificer Benedict

of

my o w n c o m p a n y, a n d

giving him

credit therefor

upon his clothin g account, I con

signed the offending boots to the tender mercies of the Qu ar-

master's Dep a rt me nt for transportation, an d of course never

sa w t h e m again. In the afternoon the regiment m o v e d ba ck

nearly parallel with the railroad track ab ou t t w o

miles,

w h e r e

it camped, each battalion b y itself, our battalion, the Secon d,

having been ma rc h ed an d counter-marched several times b y

Maj or Art hu r, until the Colonel arrived o n the fiel d an d in

expressions m o r e forcible than elegant, indicated to the M a j o r

the gr ound selected for each battalion. Th e rest of the

da y w a s spent in arranging c o m p a n y streets and erecting tents,

and towards night w e had completed ou r

irst

egular c a m p .

TUESDAY, M ARCH 29TH.

It be ga n to rain this m o r n i n g abo ut daylight an d continued

incessantly all da y, converting the c a m p into a sea of m u d an d

nearly dr own in g us out. In fact m a n y of the officers a n d

s o m e of the m e n took refuge in the c a m p of s o m e regular

artillery stationed near us. He r e I m e t several officers of

Col. Tidball's old regiment (2nd

Regulars) ,

and

others,

a m o n g

w h o m w a s Capt. Ma ny di er , an d listened to s o m e marvelous

tales of fo rm er "fields an d flood s" related b y a dashing y o u n g

Lieutenant w ho s e n a m e I have forgotten, but w h o s e deeds


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had eclipsed those of Napole on at the Bridge of Areola, o r the

participators in the "Char ge of the Light Brigade." Col .

Tidball has reported to Ge n . Hu n t , chief of artillery of the

A r m y

o f

the Poto mac ,

b u t n o

light

is yet

thrown

on the

question w h a t is to be don e with the regiment.

WEDNESDAY, M ARCH 30TH.

The storm has abated so me wh at , b u t everything looks

d a m p an d dismal. T h e m e n are emp loy ed drying out, a n d

endeavoring to render themselves comfortable a n d m o r e

secure in case of future floo ds b y ditching about their

tents so as to carry

off

the water, while the

officers

gathered

here a n d there in little groups, anxiously discuss the possi

bilities of the future.

THURSDAY, MARCH SlST.

Still

in

c a m p near Br an dy Station

a n d

still

n o

intimation

of

w h a t

is

to bee ome

of u s. Bu t t w o

incidents worthy

of

note

occurred to-day. T h e first w a s the spectacle presented b y

the C o m m a n d e r of Co . H , w h o mi gh t have been seen pass

ing d o w n the co m p a n y street with a loaf of soft bread in

one hand a n d a piece of r a w salt pork in the other, dining

as he

went,

a n d here I will honestly record the fact, th ou gh

I k n o w

I a m

kicking against

the

pricks

of

public preju

dice, that of all the su mp tuo us dinners which I have dmte

or which have done m e , I hold n on e in m o r e pleasing r e m e m

brance than

the on e

above spoken

of,

composed

of

a r m y

bread,

r a w

pork and

a

goo d appetite.

T h e

other noticeable

fact w a s the Dress Parade, the

irst

ince w e left Wash ingt on,

and wh ic h passed off very creditably considering all the cir-

cumstances.

F R I D A Y ,

A P R I L

1ST .

W e received orders this mo rn in g to join the Artillery

Brigade

of the

Second Corps,

a n d

so, breaking c a m p ,

w e


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marc he d thr oug h devious w a y s to a point near a little

settlement called Stevensburg. A s the well fil led

ranks of the regimen t w o u n d along across the plain,

thr oug h the gullies a nd over the hills, w e w e r e frequently

saluted by the old campa igner s near w h o s e c a m p s w e passed,

with " W h a t division is that?" " H o w are your heavy In

fantry?"

" Wh a t ' s the size of y ou r siege g u n s ? " " H o w are

the fortifications?" and other equally pointed and

aggravating interrogations, to all of wh ic h the m e n either

turned a deaf ear or replied with be co mi ng emphasis.

Rain c o m m e n c e d falling about the time w e had completed

the irst alf of the distance an d continued uninterruptedly

during the rest of the day, rendering progress exceedingly

toilsome and slow, an d to add to ou r discomfort, o n arriving at

ou r destination and being kept standing and lying in the rain

and m u d for so me

time,

the Colonel selected the side of a

steep hill for our camp in g grou nd, in m y j ud gm e nt the very

worst locality for su ch a pu rpos e in all that region. Bu t

having long since learned obedience to

orders,

w e occupied the

ground to the best advantage, satisfied that at least no wa ter

wo ul d settle in our c o m p a n y

streets.

Immediat ely on locating

the metes and bounds of the c o m p a n y c a mp , I gave the m e n

liberty to put u p their

tents at

once, or seek refuge for the

night in the quarters of a ny acquaintances they m igh t find in

regiments lying near

us.

M a n y of the m e n , therefore accepted

the hospitalities of the 126 N. Y. Infantry whic h w a s c a m p e d

on a hill across the ravine f r o m

us,

that regime nt ha ving been

recruited main ly in the western part of the State w h e r e m y

o w n c o m p a n y w a s originally organized, an d containing

m a n y friends an d acquaintances of the boys. Th e 126th had

originally been c a m p e d in a grov e, but during the winter had

cut a w a y the trees for fuel an d to stockade their winter quar

ters, so that at .the time w e sa w th em they wer e surrounded

only b y a f e w stu mp s. Their habitations w er e, ho we ve r,


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comparat ively luxurious, being built ab ou t six or eight

feet square a nd four or

i v e

eet high, of logs nicely laid in

mud- mortar, an d covered with t w o shelter tents fastened to

gether. Th e y w e r e provided with

i r e

laces of the old out

side,

N e w Eng la nd pattern, with cracker boxe s an d barrels

for ch im ne ys , an d with " b u n k s " of small parallel poles sup

ported by posts driven into the gro u nd and covered with leaves

an d a r m y blankets, usually occ up ying about half the interior

and doing duty as

beds,

chairs a nd

tables.

I spent the night

with Lieut. Lincoln of the|26th, w h o , being Adju ta nt of his

regiment, ha d appropriated a wall tent an d w a s mo st comfort

ably situated. He r e I m e t Col. Bull of the 120th, formerl y

of Canand aig ua, with w h o m I had studied law, an d several of

his officers, and spent a ve ry pleasant ev en in g chatting with

th em . Th e Colonel evidently enjoyed the fact that the de

fenders of Was hi ng to n ha d bee n ordered to the front, an d took

great delight in rem ind ing m e that he ha d prophesi ed as

m u c h some time before w h e n w e had m e t at the Capital.

O n e little incident occurred to-day whi ch p ut m e out of all

conceit touching m y ability entirely to control the m e n of m y

c o m m a n d as to " w h a t they should eat or wh at they should

drink or wh er e withal they should be clothed." N o w it has

heretofore been m y pride and boast that the pre em ien ce of

Co.

H in

drill,

discipline a nd all the military virtues, w a s

o w i n g principally to the fact that wh is ke y w a s not allowed in

the c o m p a n y , except on ver y rare state occasions or after un

usual

fatigue,

and never without my knowUdye. F a n c y m y

feelings then, as w e halted at the foot of the hill waiting for

the Colonel to locate our position, w h e n I asked

Sergt.

Lincoln

if he " h a d anyth ing in his canteen," me a n i n g thereby to in-

quire for water, for m y o w n canteen had given out o n the

road, an d he with a pr o mp t " Ye s sir," hande d it to m e and I

took a swallow that wo ul d hav e do n e credit

to

a

sluice-way,

and

discovered too late that I had taken an overdose of the vilest


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10

'

'commissary'' k n o w n to a r m y contractors. T h e effect w a s

instantaneous and

apparent,

and

so

embarrassed m y respiratory

an d vocal

powers,

that I failed to find language adequate to

convey m y astonishment, or thanks, to the Sergeant, w h o

evidently congratulated himself that " n o r e ma r ks w e re m a d e "

as I ha nd ed back the canteen without note o r c o m m e n t . I

shall,

however,

b e

m o r e explicit in

m y

inquiries hereafter.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND.

This mo rni ng

w e

found the gro und covered with s n o w

to

the depth of abou t four inches and

a

s n o w storm still raging.

We n t over to m y co m p a n y c a m p and found everything in the

mo st cheerless possible condition. T h e field officers of the

regim ent have their tents up,

b u t

ind

h e m little protection,

th ou gh they strenuously en deavo r to get u p a little ire n t w o

or three c a m p stoves whi ch h av e been smu gg le d thus far,

a n d

whiskey

is in

great de ma nd . A s to the m e n , their condition

is

truly

deplorable,

a n d the sick

list is

very long this mo rn in g

ow in g to the exposure a n d consequent suffering. Ha v i n g

ascertained that no n e w orders ha ve bee n received, a n d that

mo st of m y o w n c o m p a n y are quartered with the 126th, I

returned to Lieut. Lincoln's tent a n d accepted the invitation

of Capt. a n d Lieut. M u n s o n of the 126th. to spen d the night

with th em . After I had turned in I w a s aroused b y Capt.

Piatt of the 126th, w h o , personating a r a w recruit w h o h a d

enlisted with the promise of a Captain's comm issi on as soon as

he ha d joined his regiment, w a s convulsing

a

party

of

officers

in the hut, with the recital of his grievances in not getting

the promi sed

position.

Capt. Piatt is a perfect mimi c, a n d

would d o credit to a n y stage as a

irst

lass come dian.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3D,

Th e sn o w storm abated so me wh at this mor nin g a n d I took

the opportunity to hav e

m y

"he adq uar ter s" pitched. Thes e


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11

consist

of t w o " A " tents fastened together end to end, the rear

on e occupied

b y a

bed for Lieut. Ed m o n s t o n

an d

myself

a n d

the front on e for

a bed

for

Lieut.

Gleason. The se beds are very

primitive

structures,

composed

of

small bo ug hs of pine covered

with leaves

a n d

blankets,

a n d a re

kept

in

position,

a n d the

occupants prevented fr o m falling out

of bed, b y

sticks

o r

boards staked

u p

abo ut th e m like

the

sides

of a box .

Ha v i n g d u g a trench around the outside of the tents, a n d

built

a m u d

ire lace in the corner

of the

front ro om ,

w e

fla ttered ourselves that w e were secure against the elements,

but a rain storm co m in g on , w e fi nd that "all is vanity," for

the water co m e s through the canvas like

a

sieve an d puts

o u t

our

ire,

o

w e g o to bed, and, dr aw in g

o u r

rubber blankets

over our

heads,

take

a

quiet nap. M o s t of the co m p a n y hav

ing returned

to

c a m p a n d put u p their tents, they crawl into

th em and shiver throug h it.

MONDAY, APRIL 4TH.

Th e storm still continues,

a n d

thoug h the

m e n

m a k e spas

mo di c efforts to render themselves m o r e comfortable b y ditch

ing a bout their little

tents,

it is

about

as

m u c h

as

h u m a n

nature will bear. Lieut. Gleason,

w h o

is not ver y strong

at

best,

being

a

victim

of

rheumatism,

is

nearly d ro wn ed

in his

blankets,

a n d

looks very m u c h

as if he'd

"like

to see his

mo th er ," while Lieut. Edm o ns t o n

a n d I

divide ou r tim e

be

tween o u r " b u n k " in about t w o inches of water, a n d the

Colonel's wall tent in about the sa m e depth of m u d .

MONDAY, APRIL l lTH.

Not hin g of special interest has occurred since the 4th.

W e

are still ca m p e d

o n

the side hill near Stevens burg

a n d the

weather continues cold a n d rainy, while the term " m o d "

scarcely con ve ys a n idea of the condition of the soil. T w o or

three rations

of

wh is ke y have been issued to the

m e n a n d , I


15/91

12

a m b o u n d to say und er the circumstances, with beneficial re

sults.

Lieut. Glea son has been discharged fr om the service

on

a

surgeon's certificate

of

physical disability,

an d if h e

escapes with his life after the experience of the past ten

days,

he will

d o well.

Second-Lieut. Clark,

w h o

assisted

m e in

recruiting,

is

assigned

to m y

c o m p a n y

to

fill

his

place.

Wh e n e v e r the weather has permitted,

w e

have endeavored

to

pick u p som e knowledge of skirmish drill however

dis

tasteful that is to a n artillery soldier. W e have also h a d

one

o r t w o

dress parades in "close c o l u m n

b y

battalion",

the regimental line /being too long for o u r parade gro un d in

the usual fo rm at io n/ */

TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH.

Th e only im pr ov em en t in our condition or in the weat her to

day,

w a s the arrival of the pay mas ter to pa y us off to -m or ro w.

Ther e are ru mo rs that the regime nt is to b e divided a n d a

battalion sent to each of three Corps , to join its Artillery

Brigade.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH.

Th e regime nt to-day received t w o months ' pay, a n d t he

sutler, K i n g , w a s rendered h a p p y if n o o n e else was. T h e

event w a s celebrated b y the m e n in ma k i n g large purchases of

useless sutler's stores,

a n d b y

m a n y

of

the officers

in a re

ception at the private tent of the sutler, where, I regret to

say, a

large nu m b e r did m o r e than justice to several casks

of

ale and bottles of whiskey. A m o n g those w h o distinguished

themselves m o s t conspicuously w a s Lieut. Blan k, w h o , like

the f a mo u s "Carrier

of

Southwel l,"

" A Carrier

w h o

carried a' can to his m o u t h

well,

H e carried so m u c h a n d h e carried so fast

H e could carry

n o

mo re , so

was

carrie d at la st —"

into

a

corner

of

the tent wh er e

h e

passed the night in quiet

and peaceful repose.


16/91

13

Ord ers w e r e received to-day directing a battalion of the

regiment to be sent to the Artillery Briga de of each of the

three Corps, an d accordingly the First Battalion, un de r M a j o r

Sears, broke c a m p and ma rc he d over to the Sixth Corps .

This disposition of our reg iment is exceedingly distasteful to

both officers a nd m e n , but as it seems that all h ope of being

supplied with a siege train m u s t be given u p, w e look u p o n

this as a sort of com pro mise be tween Artillery an d Infantry,

and though

it

looks very m u c h as if w e should be co me simply

"h ew er s of w o o d and draw ers of w at er " for the light bat

teries, w e accept the assignment as the least of the t w o evils.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH.

Th e da y wa s spent in determining whic h of the remaining

battalions should g o to the Fifth Cor ps, and what co mpanies

should compose it, and, w h e n it w a s finally decided to send

the Secon d Battalion, by that c o m m a n d in packing u p an d

preparing to m o v e , while M a j o r Arth ur reported in person to

his n e w Brigade c o mm an d er , Col. Wain wri ght .

.FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH.

Th e Second Battalion under M a j o r Arth ur , co mp os ed of

Com pa ni es D, K , H , and E , took u p its line of ma r c h for

the Fifth Cor ps this morn in g, passing throu gh a pleasant,

open country stretching a w a y fro m the foot of " Po n y M o u n

tain," an d after a m a r c h of abo ut six or eight miles reached

its destination near the village of Cu lpepper. He r e , in an

old orchard near a large bu t dilapidated brick hou se, alx>ul a

mile f r om Culpe pper , w e located our c a m p . Whi l e pitching

tents, I w a s surprised a nd delighted to see Capt. J i m M c Na i r ,

of the 8th N. Y. Cavalry, an old Uene se o school-mate an d

friend of min e, w h o had heard of our expected arrival in

these parts and ha d ridden over to me et us. Le av in g the

c o m p a n y in charge of Lieut. Edmo ns to n, I mo un te d the


17/91

u

horse of Jim's orderly an d rode with h i m over to Culp ep pe r

on a foraging expedition, whi ch, ho we ve r, w a s not a very

m a r k e d success, for w e found the t o w n almost wholly deserted

b y the inhabitants; the fences a nd buildings destroyed or

badly d a m a g e d, an d the streets full of a r m y w a g o n s an d strag

gling so ld ie m^ ) After an exceedingly plain an d frugal repast

"at a miserable ap ol og y for a restaurant, and a short stroll

about t o w n , w e returned to c a m p , wh er e, parting with Ji m, I

f ou nd m y

shelter

tent temporarily pitched for m y reception. I

find w e are in the midst of a country wh e re stirring scenes

hav e taken place, s o m e even as late as during the past winter.

Just in rear of us, on a plain runni ng back to a dense w o o d ,

and in the w o o d itself, occurred a severe cavalry ight, nd

the place wh er e our c a m p n o w stands w a s crossed and re-

crossed b y the c ombata nts an d the earth stained wit h the

blood of brave m e n , while the old orchard trees are cut an d

scarred b y the bullets. Th e old brick house near us is occu

pied in part b y an elderly lady and her d aug hte r, of the close-

c o m m u n i o n " Seces h" persuasion, and in part b y the Briga de

Com m i s s a r y, w h o s e stores consist principally of hard tack and

whisk ey. On e can scarcely conceive of a m o r e utterly for

saken looking habitation than this residence of one of the " F .

F. V.'s." Th e barns, stables, sheds an d fences wh ic h for

me rl y belonged to or surrounded it, have been torn d o w n

piecemeal to supply fuel or to build shanties for soldiers.

No t a green thing, not eve n grass, is allowed to g r o w ab out,

and the old shell itself is literally tottering to decay. Th e

doors, w h a t fe w rema in, sw in g loosely on leather hinges; the

w i n d o w s,

demolished b y patriotic Ya n k e e valor, ad mi t at once

the sunshine an d the storm, while the rickety old veranda

that once graced the front on either side, n o w serves as a roost

for three or four sickly chickens (all the tenant's visible

earthly possessions), an d a loafing place for a f e w idle a r m y


18/91

15

officers.

I

m e a n

to

take

a n

early opportunity, ho we ve r,

to

p a y

m y

respects to the ladies.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH.

Spe nt the

d a y in

fixing

u p

about c a m p , arranging cook

house, for w e still retain ou r old c o m p a n y cook, William

W o o d ,

a n d

generally endeavoring

to

m a k e the c o m p a n y

as

comfortable as circumstances will permit.

I a m

projecting

a

residence for mys elf

of

the greatest magnificence an d grandeur.

A n em in en t architect ha s been empl oyed a n d the plans a n d

specifications compl eted a n d adopted, a n d I only await the re

ports of the contractors w h o have gon e out to discover s o m e

old cor duro y road whi ch will furnish the necessary l um b er in

the shape of

poles.

I

shall ho p e

to

erect, comple te

a n d

fur

nish it within

a n

hour after the t im be r arrives.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH.

Th e church es in these parts being "closed for repairs," o r

the cl er gy me n being o n their

vacations,

w e wer e compelled to

spend the da y in c am p,

a n d "

w o r k s

o f

necessity and m e r c y "

being al wa ys in order,

a n d

the materials having arrived, with

the assistance of m y m e n L y n c h a n d J o e Solomo n, w h o for

gallant and meritorious services as " beats," ha ve long since

been pr om ot ed f r o m the ranks to the position of Acti ng Assist

ant Adjutant Generals at ray Headqu arters, I completed m y

man sio n at the head of the c o m p a n y street. This imp osi ng

structure, calculated to furnish acc omm oda tio ns for Lieut.

Ed m o n s t o n an d myself, is built to the height of ab ou t three

feet, of poles laid u p after the m a n n e r of the co b houses of

m y bo yh o od, a n d is covered with canvas sustained b y a ridge

pole abou t i v e eet fr om the gr ou nd . Its dimension s are six

feet

b y

ten, it being constructed

o n t he

sound architectural

principal that

" m a n

wants

b u t

little here be lo w but w ants

that little" longer than

it is

broad, and t ho ug h s o m e mallei-


19/91

16

ously inclined individual m ight at irst rofanely take it for a

third-rate h o g pe n, yet the massive c h i m n e y of t w o headless

barrels and a cracker bo x, pointing he av en wa rd f r o m

one corner, w o u l d so on dispel the possible illusion, and sug

gest the m o r e pleasing and Christian idea of a little m o d e r n

church,

wi th its lofty gable and castellated towe r. Th e in

ternal ar ra ng em en ts are all m a d e with the strictest reference

to economical utility. Th e farther end is occupied b y the

inevitable *

bunk''

of poles, w h e r e o n b y strictly co nf or mi ng

the

wearied f o r m to Hogat h' s line of beauty, a mo de ra te share

of sleep an d rest m a y b e enjoyed, particularly if the various

joints and angles of the said f o r m are judiciously disposed

wi th d u e reference to the interstices be tw ee n the poles.

Un d e r the bed is a spacious closet, used as a general store

r o o m for old mus ke ts an d the various odd s an d ends of

surplus and decayed " c a m p and garrison equipage."

A single board prop pe d against the poles and support

ing an inkstand, graces the wes tern wall, a nd the mod est

but h a nd s o me furniture of the apa rtme nt is completed

b y an e m p t y cracker b o x, wh ic h per fo rm s the various offices

of table, desk, chair, buffet, c o m m o d e or candlestick, as "t he

exigencies of the service" m a y require.

MONDAY,

APRIL 18TH.

Wea t h e r w a r m an d pleasant. Private Hastings died sud

denly to-day in a

i t

roug ht o n b y dissipation. I learn that

he wa s a dentist of considerable skill and reputation at h o m e ,

an d belonged to a highly respectable family, an d I h a v e

directed

his

bo dy to be sent to Wash in gt on to be em ba lm ed ,

and ha ve written to his friends, fo rw ardi ng his f e w personal

effects.

I called this afternoon o n the ladies oc cu py in g the old brick

house, with a vi ew of polishing u p m y m a n n e r s a little, wh ic h

I fear hav e suffered materially f r o m lon g absence f r o m the


20/91

17.

"elevating and refining influences of female society," and also

for the purpo se

of

purchasing

a pie,

the cons umpti on of w hic h

woul d a ppear to

b e

the highest ty pe

of

physical beatitude

just at this time. I found the ladies oc cu py in g a corner

r o o m

o n

the

irst

l o o r , aving deserted the rest of

the

prem

ises,

an d en ga ge d in entertaining Capt . Jo ne s of Co . D o f o u r

battalion,

a n d

vigorously rocking

a

miniature canal boat

wh er ei n unconsciously reposed a scion of the noble house.

Jo nes being

a

h a n d s o m e y o u n g

m a n , a n d

versed in

all th e

little arts that kill

or

captivate, in w hi ch particulars

h e

ranks

m e , I

leave conversation pretty m u c h to h i m, except

o n t he

pie question,

a n d

occupying

a

primativo cane-b ottom ed chair,

listen attentively to the stories of w a r, privation and suffering

which

" w e

u n s " have brought upo n "they

tins"

in the pure

a n d

unadultered Virginia vernacular. Th e elder lady is

a

w o m a n

of p erh aps sixty years of

age, a n d

the yo ung er, the mo th er

of

the cradle-full, is

a

stout masculine creature

of

about thirty.

Both are clad in the plainest an d scantiest ho m e s p u n ,

a n d t he

f e w articles

of

furniture an d clothing that are scattered

a ^ u t

the r o o m are of the meanest a n d dirtiest description^ N o

northern family, tejPJ^^^gFfit

couW l i v e a m i ( i H U c h SUr

"

roundings, a n d

ye t SJeiy 'sperfkwTth loftiest contempt

of the

"dirty nigg ers" and the " m o a n whites,"and anathematize

the

uncivilized " Y a n k s ,"

n o t

excepting their present c o m p a n y ,

just as if tho commissariat of those s a m e " Y a n k s " w a s not all

that stood betwe en t h e m

a n d

starvation.

M y

cravings

for

"polite society" hav in g been fully satisfied

I

withdrew,

n o t

h ow e ve r, until

I h a d

secured

a

fair spe ci me n

of

a "secesh"

pie

for whi ch

I

paid the mo de ra te

s u m of

forty cents in gr ee n

backs,

b u t

whi ch I soon discovered,

b y

analytical mastication,

w a s apparently c om pos ed

of

saw-dust

a n d

cider " b o u n d

in

calf."


21/91

18

T U E S D A Y , A P R I L 1 9 T H .

Sent the b o d y of Private Hastings to Was hi ng to n in charge

of Corpl. Foster for

e m b a l m m e n t ,

after muclydtfficulty in secur

ing a coffin and transportation at CulpeppeftlpTiieut. Ed m o n s

ton w a s to-day detailed as a m e m b e r of a Brigade Cou rt

Martial.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20TH.

Receive d an order detail ing Col. James L. Bates, 12th Mass.,

Capt. C. A . Watki ns , 76th N e w Yo r k , and myself, as a

Boar d to ex am ine enlisted m e n of the Fifth Cor ps w h o are

r e c o m m e n d e d for admission to the Military School at Phila

delphia, whe nc e,

after a brief

attendance,

so it is said, they are

to be sent

before Gen.

Casey's Board at Wash in gt on

for

e x a m

ination as to

itness

or commissi ons in the negr o regiments.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21ST.

Eeceived an official copy of the order promulgated yester

day, an d reported in person to Col. Bates, President of the

Boar d. I fou nd h i m drilling his regiment, an d m a d e an

appointment to me et to mo r ro w at 9 o'clock at Corp s Hea d

quarters at Culp epper.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22ND.

Lieut . Clark h aving b een det ailed to Co. E. which h as bee n

assigned to gua rd the am mu ni ti on

train,

and Lieut. Ed m o n s

ton being still engaged on court martial, I left the Co m p a n y

in c o m m a n d of First Sergt. Theb en this m orn in g, an d m e t

the officers co mposin g the ex am inin g board at Cor ps Hea d

quarters. Col. L o c k e, the gentlemanly Adjt. Gen l. of the

Fifth Cor ps , ha d

quarters,

stationary and the necessary order

lies assigned to

us,

an d the Board began operations.


22/91

19

MONDAY MAY 2ND.

Still in cam p near* Culpepper. Nothing of interest has

occurred smpe the 2£n d of April be yo nd the daily routine of

c a m p l ife ^pThe c o m p a n y has been almost exclusively in c om

m a n d of

Sergt.

Theben .

Lieut.

Edm on st on and I having been

constantly en ga ge d, the on e o n court martial an d the other

o n the e x a m i m * board. Since the organization of the board,

w e ha ve m e t daily at 9 o'clock in the mo r n i n g an d continued

in session until 3 in the afternoon^ ex am in in g on an ave rage

twentj" i v e andidates a day, and re c o mm e n di n g about one

third of them for leaves of absence. Col.- Bates, I find, is

perfectly familiar with infantry tactics and array reg

ulations, a nd conducts his part of the examina tion very

thorough ly, leaving artillery and mat hematics to m e . Cap t.

Wat k i n s is a capital fellow, but does no t trouble the "v ic ti m"

with m a n y questions. H e says he is entirely satisfied with

the examinations as conducted b y the Colonel an d myself, an d

that his de pa rt me nt is "t o give character an d dignity to the

Board, an d inspire the applicants with a just sense of the

import anc e of that body." Th e list of candidates em bra ce s

representatives fr o m all classes of m e n and all branches

of the

service.

Th e da pp er First Sergeant of the Regul ars

and the dilapidated a r m y " b u m m e r " stand side b y side a n d

hand in their "r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s." Th e influential politician

of s o m e rural district, w h o enlisted

as

a private fr om " purely

patriotic motives," n o w bleached of his patriotism, sits ner

vously at the door awaiting the result of this his last expedi

ent to gain the path of pro mot ion and honor. Th e rou gh,

honest cou ntr y boy with corporal's che vro ns, shares the anxi

ous seat with the intelligent representative of the legal pro

fession wh o s e simple array blouse hides all app ear anc e of the

" w ig and g o w n . " In fact every conceivable shade of char

acter, capacity an d intelligence is represented, and the labor


23/91

20

of sifting the wheat f ro m the chaff

is

b y n o m e a n s light. T h e

fact, ho we ve r, that w e hav e n o w been in session nearly tw o

weeks, and hav e reported favorably o n abo ut a h un dr ed cases,

an d yet n o furlough has b een granted in accorda nce therewith,

furnished s o m e grou nd for the suspicion that the object of

this proceeding is rather to allay the agitation of s o m e tur

bulent spirits and oc cu py their leisure m o m e n t s in c a m p , until

the time co me s for a m o v e m e n t of the a r m y , rather than to

furnish students for the Philadelphia School, or

officers

for the

colored troops.

TUESDAY, MAY 3 D.

Received orders after "tap s," ab out 10 o'clock, to-night to

be ready to m o v e in t w o hours. Ru m o r s of all kinds are fly

ing about, an d the general impression se em s to be that the

wh ol e a r m y is in motion. I directed Sergeant Th e b e n to

turn out the c o m p a n y , strike tents and pack u p , wh ic h w a s

accomplished in less than the time allotted. Bu t one w a g o n

is detailed to furnish transportation for the effects of the w hole

battalion, so ba gg ag e is reduced to the m i n i m u m , an d large

quantities of ordnance stores an d c a m p an d garrison equip age,

as well as private property of officers and m e n , are left be

hind strewn over the camping gr ou nd , a striking illustration

of the waste of w ar .

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4TH.

Order s to m a r c h we re received at t w o o'clock this m o r n

ing, and joining the Artillery Brig ade, already in line, w e

moved off via Stevensburg to the Ger ma ni a For d, o n the

Rap id an River, wh ic h w e reached abo ut 10 o'clock A. M .

He r e the river, whi ch in an y reputable northern locality wo u l d

be called simp ly a creek, cuts its w a y be tw ee n t w o ranges of

hills with the bank on the southerly side quite abrupt, and is

spann ed by a ponto on bridge, the

irst

hing of the kind I ha ve


24/91

21

ever seen. Crossing the bridge an d wi nd in g u p the steep

bank, w e halted just within a line of breastworks constructed

to c o m m a n d the approaches to the ford, but whi ch we re

abandon ed b y the e n e m y last night on theappea ranee of our

advancing cavalry. Th e earth work s M * skilfully an d sub

stantially

built,

while little redoubts for artillery crown,sev

eral co mm an di ng

points,

and

it

is a subject of general surprise

that the e n e m y evacuated so strong a defensive }>osition with-

The day IA warm aj&Wleasant, and the men, with charac ter

istic recklessness,

h m 3 w e S «

a w a y one article after another,

until m a n y mm reduced to

pants,

shirt, hat a n d m u s k e t , an d the

line of m a r c h f r o m Culpe pp er to the river leiiterally covered

with

coats,

blankets and knapsacks, a rich

i e l d

or foraging,

wh et he r by the rebels or b y cavalry. No r can I bl am e t he

po or fellows unde r the circumstances, for a long m a r c h is

about as convincing an a rg um en t as I k n o w of that

" M a n want s but little here be lo w,

No r wants that little long."

I myself debated for s o m e time which I wotdd part w i t h — m y

overcoat or m y bla nket —an d inally ctually thre w the blanket

away.

B y a singular coincidence 1 m e t Col. Bates an d Cap t. Wafc-

kins,

of the Culpepper Exam in in g Board, about 9 o'clock this

mo rn in g, near the Rapi dan, each with his regiment, a nd as w e

had adjourned yesterday to m e e t at that ho ur to-day, w e halted

under a

tree,

an d am i d considerable laughter adjou rned the Bo a r d

sine die. Lieut. Sheiton, of the First N . Y . Artillery, passed

m e with his battery o n the m a r c h today, having just got his

pr om ot io n fr om a sergeantcy, and therefore feeling in excel

lent spirits, jt^p^g^

A t about

\\mk y*nk thin a

o'clock w e reached our destination

for the day , after a ma r c h estimated at -twenty-three

miles,


25/91

22

and c am pe d in a ield ear the old Wilderness Taver n and s o m e

four miles fr om M i n e Ru n .

THURSDAY, MAY 5th .

Turned out stiff an d sore this mo rn in g, an d drench ed to the

skin with d e w , whic h falls so heavily here that in the m or n i ng

the appearance of the tents an d

ields

s very m u c h like that

aftijj^fcaevere storm. At

ive

'clock fell in line, and, joining

the. BLeadquarter's traini as a guard, w e started for Ora n g e

Court Hou se . After marc hing about a mile, w e began to hear

occasional shots fr o m the picket line whi ch preceded us, as ou r

skirmishers m e t those of the "Johnni es," an d soon w e received

orders to countermar ch an d par k the train. Retur ning to the

point wh en ce w e started w e stacked ar m s in a m e a d o w

i m m e

diately in front of General Headq uarters an d awaited devel

opments.

Whil e on the ma rc h w e m et a bo dy of prisoners, w h o , be

cause w e h ad cut loose f r o m our comm unic atio ns a nd so could

not safely send t h e m to an y point in our rear, w e r e k ept m o v

ing in a circle close to the a r m y an d under a strong gua rd.

A m o n g t h em w a s a y o u n g m a n of about m y o w n

age,

a Captain

in s o m e Georgi a regiment, and calling h i m aside w e sat d o w n

for a few mo m en t s on a bank of clay while m y co mp an y wa s

passing. H e w a s a m e m b e r of the staff of s o m e Georgi a

brigade, an d w a s captured the night before on the picket line

w he r e he ran into a Ya n k e e picket post supposing

it

to be

comp osed of his o w n m e n . H e had read law at the Harv ar d

L a w School, wh ic h he left to join the Southern a r m y , an d w a s

a typical southern aristocrat w h o looked u p o n Northerners as

little better than the "poor whites" of the South. H e w a s

very bitter in his denunciation of the w ar, and utterly scorned

the idea that the Sou th could be "subjugated," actually declar

ing with the utm ost sincerity that the North w a s already tired

of the effort, an d that even n o w

the

grass w a s growi ng between


26/91

23

the

stones

of the paveme nts on Br o a dw a y in the City of N e w

Yo r k , and he sh ow ed a clipping fr om a southern paper in

wh ic h that statement w a s actually

m a d e.

I assured h i m that I

had been in N e w Yo r k in

the previous

M a r c h , and that fr om the

appearance of things there, n o on e w o ul d suspect that a w a r

w as going

on,

but I could m a k e n o impression u p o n h i m what

ever. A s w e parted he gav e m e his n a m e , but as I did not m a k e

a note of it I forgot it before night, a fact for wh ic h I a m

very sorry as I wo uld like to me et h i m again after the w a r is

over.

Th e picket firing, whi ch in the mo rn in g w a s light an d de

sultory, gradually increased as the d ay advanced, an d se em ed

to d ra w nearer an d extend to the right. M e a n t i m e n u m e r o u s

divisions, brigades and regiments are pressed hastily fo rw ar d

to various

points,

an d as they are lost in the w o o d s an d c o m e

within range, the so un d of mu sk et ry dee pen s until it rese m

bles the roll of he avy thunder, particularly on the right and

in front of our (Fifth) corps. So o n the stretcher-bearers,

with their ghastly freight, begin to pass by us to the hospitals

n o w established o n the plank road in ou r rear, and returning,

with their stretchers dripping with the blood of the last occu

pants,

press to the front again for other w ou nd ed . Cr o w d s

of soldiers, slightly wo u n d e d an d assisted b y co mra de s, flo ck

past,

m a n y of w h o m , as they stop to

rest,

entertain our bo ys

with stories of the fearful slaughter. So u n d s like these fol

lowe d b y sights like these are

not,

I a m bo un d to say, calcu

lated to screw ones cou rage to the sticking point, and I a m

decidedly of opinion that in ti me of

action,

troops just ou t of

range are in m o r e dange r of demoralization than those at the

immediate

front.

Th e former see only the wo un de d,

the

dying

an d the dead, not the living. Th e y hear the terribl e sou nd s

of the c o m b a t an d the gro ans of the suffering, not the cheers

of the victors. Th e y listen to

eles

f bloody and disastrous

deleat, not of the crowning victory. In short, ev er y sense is


27/91

24

absorbed in the contemplation of the hmT ors rather than the

glories of w ar .

Abou t one o'clock P. M . a little cannonading w a s heard,

but the surface of the country is so br ok en an d irregu

lar, an d the

forests,

with their undergrowth of saplings, vines,

an d bramb les are so dense, that but little use can b e m a d e of artil

lery.

Lieut.

Sheltonof our

brigade,

w h o m I sa w riding gaily by

yesterday, lost t w o g un s today on a n ar ro w road in ou r front and

w a s himself taken prisoner. Var iou s wild r u m o r s are flying

about, such as that t w o rebel brigades w e r e completely anni

hilated this mo rn in g, but th ou gh the fighti ng has been very

hot and the losses undoubtedl y great on both sides, as the firing

dies a w a y I cannot learn that either side has attained a ny de

cided advantage. Th e m o v e m e n t s wo ul d se em to indicate

efforts on both sides to get control of c o m m a n d i n g points pre

paratory to m o r e bloody and decisive w o r k. Just at night

the Headq uar ters Train m o v e d ba ck a short distance across the

plank road by which w e c a m e into the

ield,

nd parke d in an

old corn ield, hile our battalion pitched its tents near by.

Just after I had crawled under m y shelter tent I heard the

familiar voice of Dr . L aw re nc e, one of ou r assistant surgeons,

n o w of the First Battalion attached to the Sixth Corp s, anxi

ously inquring for m y tent, and having found it, h e jum p e d

f r o m his horse an d looking in inquired breathlessly if I

w a s m u c h

hurt.

I assured h i m that so far as I k n e w I w a s not

yet very badly d am a ge d , wh er eu po n he expressed the

greatest relief, and explained that he had ridden in

great haste fro m the Sixth Cor p s headquarters, s o m e

three miles a w a y , wh er e he had been infor med that I

had been very dangerously wou nd ed . Bein g assured of m y

safety, and sh ow in g m e the instruments he had bro ugh t for

the pur pos e of taking off m y

leg,

a r m or head, as the case

m i g h t

require,

he re mo un te d his horse and w a s soon lost in

the

darkness,

bu t I shall not soon forget an act of such disin-


28/91

25

terested kindness o n the part of the

doctor,

u p o n w h o m I had

n o sort of claim whatever, personal or professional.

FRIDAY,

MAY

6TII.

W e we r e aroused at half-past t w o o'clock this morning by

an officer w h o bro ught us orders to leave the Headq uar ters

Train an d to report at Cor ps Headq uar ter s at once, wh ic h

order w e instantly obe yed. Arrivin g at Gen'l War ren' s

headquarters, whi ch w e r e then at the L a c y Ho u s e , in a co m

m a n d i n g position u p o n a hill fr om wh ic h a view could b e ha d

of the dense w o o d s u p o n all sides fo rm in g part of the Wilde r

ness in whi ch the troops of the Fifth Cor ps n o w lay in line of

battle,

w e halted on the southerly slope, an d stacking a r m s

be ga n to boil ou r coffee, the favorite occupation of the soldiers

u p o n all occasions w h e n a halt is ordered, expecting every

m o m e n t to be ordered into the line. Soon Co m p a n y E, which

ha d been ordered u p fr o m the ammun ition train, joined us,

an d fr om the strenuous efforts m a d e to bring eve ry available

m a n to the front, and the anxiety apparent on the faces of the

officers about Headquarters, w e were convinced that a crisis

w a s approaching. Before daylight the ball

W H S

o pened by the

skirmishers, and about half-past four the artillery, such as

could be efficiently used, joined in the chorus. A s the day

da wn ed the iring ncreased all along the

lines,

and the patter

ing of the skirmishes w a s soon lost in the deep an d terrible

roll of the mu sk et ry of the ma i n

lines.

I never listened to a

sou nd m o r e thrilling than that of this morning's en ga ge me nt .

Th e loudest an d longest peals of thunder w er e no m o r e to be

co mp ar ed to it in depth an d v ol um e, than the rippling of a

trout br oo k to the roaring of Niagara. Th e Sixth N e w Yo r k ,

an d other regiments of He a v y Artillery left in the defenses

of Wash in gt on w h e n w e we re ordered out, passed us this

mo rn in g going forward to

ill

g a p in the line throu gh wh ic h

the e n e m y is mo me nt ly expected to pour

its

charging co lu mn s,


29/91

26

an d to repel w hich all the reserve

T

artillery has b een in position in

front of Head quart ers with the g u n s shotted a nd the canoneers

at their

posts.

Fortunately the w e a k spot is not discovered

b y ou r adversaries, but the cr ow ds of w o u n d e d surging f r o m

the w o o d s in every direction an d hastening to the rear, bear

terrible witness to the desperate valor of the combatants, and

s h o w a gradual but certain we ak en in g of the

lines.

He r e again

I a m compelled to bear the mortification of being asked b y a

staff officer w h a t Battery I c o m m a n d , and up on pointing out

m y co mp an y of foot soldiers, hearing the officer add apolo

getically, " A h , y o u are on e of the Heav ie s." I shall never

cease to co n d e m n in the strongest te rms the action of the Go v

ernm ent in enlisting us for one branch of the service an d

then,

without our consent, transferring us to another.

Ab o u t three o'clock P. M ., w e w e r e ordered to the front,

and with m a n y speculations as to ou r destination w e fell in

line an d ma rc he d across an o pe n ield nto the w o o d s. Enter

ing the lo w pines and underbru sh throug h whi ch roads ha d

been cut for the passage of artillery and am bu la nc es ,

w e m o v e d noiselessly along until w e e m e rg e d fr om the pines

in a hollow, and formed line of battle beside a little brook just

in rear of several batteries of artillery

which,

being in position,

connected the ex tr em e right of the Fifth Cor ps with the left

of the Sixth. He r e , stacking ar m s until the engineers should

complete the breastworks on the left of the

batteries,

the m e n

unslung their kna psa cks, built their little i r e s nd improved

the time boiling their

coffee.

Ab o u t seven o'clock, an d while

w e w e r e still busy at ou r hard-tack and coffee, the firing

opened very briskly to the

right,

an d soon a m o u n t e d staff of

ficer dashed wildly d o w n up on us, shouting at the top of his

voice that the Sixth Co r p s had br ok en an d w e r e retreating be

fore the victorious

Rebs ,

w h o in a fe w minutes wou ld be u po n

us also and "g ob bl e us u p ," closing his re m ar ks b y ordering

us fo rward into the unfinished rifle

pit.

Suc h information


30/91

27

calmly an d quietly conve yed to veterans far in the

rear,

would

hardly inspire t h e m with martial ardor. Wh a t ,

then,

mu st be

the effect on gree n troops o n the front

line,

with a r m s stacked

and belts laid aside? A s might h av e been expected, the result

w a s well nigh

disastrous,

for nearly every m a n in the battalion,

with the natural instinct of self preservation, seized his k n a p

sack an d started o n the dou ble quick for the

roar.

Fortu

nately, however, the officers we r e in the roar of the

line,

and,

with the assistance of the non-commissioned officers an d a f e w

cool-headed private soldiers, by threats and prayers, by words

and

blows,

inally estored order, and, fo rm in g the

line,

the I at-

talion m o v e d into the rifle-pits. Joe. one of m y bodygua rds,

however,

wo ul d ha ve distinguished himself o n this occasion b y

gallantly retreating and carrying a w a y m y sw or d and revolver,

whi ch I had taken off a fe w m o m e n t s before the sta mpe de

c o m m e n c e d , had I not caught hi m just in time to save m y

property, th ou gh h e himself disappeared. Notwithstanding

the terrible forebodings of the m o u n t e d officer referred to, and

w h o b y this time had n o dou bt reported at Headq uart ers, the

firing gradually died a w a y ,

and,

being assured by the engineers

that there we r e t w o lines of

J^ttk

i n ^ & W i l k i n front of u s,

w e laid d o w n to pleasant dre am s^ m er «n y stationing a picket to

guard our slumbers. General Wad sw or th , and Lieut. W a l k e r

of ou r Sixth Cor p s battalion, we r e killed, an d private Wa s h

ington

Covert,

of m y co mp an y, wa s woun ded to day.

SATURDAY,

MAY 7TH.

I w o k e this mo rn in g just at daylight, probably aroused b y

the whizz ing of a stray bullet n o w and then, and taking an

observation fr om the s t u m p behind whic h 1 lay, an d wh ic h

stood about

ifty

eet in rear of the breastworks, I discovered

that the pine trees in ou r front an d just bey ond the "slash

i n g " wor e full of rebel sharpshooters. This discovery very

m u c h surprised m e , and disabused m y m i n d of the impression


31/91

28

given m e the night before that there w e r e t w o lines of battle

in our

front,

and as quietly as possible I got such of m y m e n

as we r e not already there, into the little trench close to the

breast-works, an d in the limited space allowed us w e be gan to

boil o ur

coffee.

This w a s rather a ticklish business, for the

rebels " h a d us d o w n ," as the situation is described in the

a r m y , that

is,

ha d the advantage of seeing, and the oppor

tunity of shooting at, an y head wh ic h mi gh t be raised ab ov e

the top log of the breast-works, a condition of things which

seriously embarrassed us in gathering fuel for our little fires.

A s illustrative of the advantage which accrues to the side

which has the other side " d o w n ," I m a y mention the following

incident. On e of m y m e n n a m e d Michael Ry a n , with m o r e

.

curiosity than

discretion,

looked over the top of the breast

works, thinking to locate a sharp-shooter, w h o w a s in a tree

quite near us and w a s persistent in his attentions to a n y

of us w h o w a s careless in expos ing himself. Har dl y ha d

Ryan's head reached the level of the log w h e n the sharp

shooter fu rr ow ed his check with a min ie ball, an d conferred

u p o n h i m the distinction of being the second m a n in the c o m

p a n y to be wo un de d. Ho w e v e r , the shot had located the

tree in wh ic h the rifle-man w a s perched, an d bor row in g a

Springfield m u s k et fr o m o ne of m y m e n , I crawled along the

breast-works a little w a y , an d taking off m y hat p ok e d the

g u n over the ten inch pine log wh ic h topped the ea rth wor k at

that point, an d gradually bringing the mu zz le d o w n in line

with the

tree,

started to squint along

the barrel

for the cha p in

the butternut

suit.

Of course he sa w the m o v e m e n t , and at

once prepared for the head wh ic h he k n e w wo ul d appear at

the breach of the g u n , an d before I could ai m a n y w h e r e in his

neighborhood, he sent a bullet into the log not three inches

b el ow m y nose, and illed y eyes so full o£ pulverized pine


32/91


33/91

30

nearly reached the "slashing" in front of the breast

works, not m o r e than forty yards f rom our lines,

our

batteries,

co mp os ed of eighteen gu ns I think, open ed with

grap e and canister, and in less ti me than it takes to tell it,

w h a t there w a s left uninjured of that force disappeared in the

dense w o od s and over the hill in the

rear,

while the wounded-i

w e r e hiding behind trees as best they could and the de ad

w e r e scattered abou t in full view.

Ab o u t ten o'clock the 12th U. S. Infantry, starting from,

a point s o m e distance to the left of m y c o m p a n y, m a d e a

charge through the wo od s, but with wh at result I d o not

k n o w . It wa s

not,

howe ver according to the notions of

•

a

volunteer, a very creditable affair so far as military forma

tion an d steadiness were concerned, for th ou gh all the m e n :

w e r e going in the s am e general direction, they were scattered

like a m o b an d w er e apparently iring r o m their hips into the

tops of the trees.

Later in the da y the 93d Pennsylvania an d the 2n d Mich i

g a n for me d a line in a ravine in our rear, preparatory t o charg

ing f ro m our part of the wo rk s. This intended m o v e m e n t

necessitated m y draw in g m y co m p a n y out of the ditch behind

the breastworks, so that the charging line m i g h t pass thr ou gh

and j u m p the breastworks. A s m y m e n we re mo vi ng out

f r o m und er cover to the rear, a nd I w a s backing a w a y as they.

approached m e , m y accomplished acquaintance of the early-

morning, w h o had stuck to his tree until this time^ apparently*

d r e w another bead on

m e ,

for a shot


34/91

31

friend the e n e m y in the tree, did not at once gras p the

signficance of the m o v e m e n t on ou r side of the breastworks,

for, as the picket line wh ich preceded the cha nging line of the

Penn syl van ia^ ju mp ed the pine logs, he com mit ted the in

discretion of shooting at one of the m, thus attracting attention

to his aerie, and almost instantly he c a m e tu mb li ng out of that

tree as full of holes as a sk i m m e r. After a time the charging

troops returned, reporting that they ha d cleared out a very

weakly*defended rifle pit, the holding of whi ch wo ul d have

been of n o advanta ge to us.

A t night w e we r e relieved an d ordered ba ck to the aii'tilltiy

w a g o n train, an d m o vi n g out under i re e inarched ab ou t six

miles an d overtook s o m e of the artillery near Chancellorsville

at about tw o

o'clock

in the mo rn in g. It w a s pitch da rk, and

w e halted in line along the side of a plank road a nd laid d o w n

and w e n t to sleep. A brigade of infantry w a s lying fast

asleep on the plank road, an d som e ti me before daylight there

w a s a great co mm ot io n in that line, caused b y a series of m o s t

unearthly yells not unlike the "rebel yell" greatly intensified,

a nd b y m a n y

of the

m e n suddenly awaking and ju mp in g over a

fence into a w o o d s illed ith underb rush a n d thus carrying

consternation to those farther d o w n the

line.

W h e n the road

w a s pretty well cleared of everything but gu n s a nd old shelter

tents, the cause of the sta mp ede in the shape of an e n o r m o u s

mule, c a m e trotting along braying with all its mi gh t, thus

illustrating for a second t im e the p o w e r and efficiency of the

"j aw bo ne of an ass."

Sa w classmate Capt. V a n Mar ter with his cavalry d r a w n u p

beside a road on which w e we re m arch ing .

SUNDAY, MAY 8TH.

T o o k u p o u r

line

of ma rc h about five

o'clock

in the m o rn

ing an d overt ook the Artillery train at abo ut four P. M ; Th e

da y wa s hot and the roads very dusty, and w e w e r e obliged to


35/91

32

tie handkerchiefs over

our

m o u t h s

a n d

noses

in

order

to

breathe. Sm o k e f r o m forest ires

i l l e d

he air

a n d

added

to

the mis ery caused

b y

the dust. M a r c h e d about seven miles.

Companies

D an d H

w e re detailed to gu ar d the Headq uarters

train wh ic h w a s then near the

N y e River, a n d K a n d E

were

sent to guar d the Am m u n i t i o n train

of

the Cor ps.

T h e

artil

lery

a n d

musketry ire

t 7

o'clock

w a s

ve ry brisk,

a nd w a s

supposed to be near Spottslyvania Cou rt Ho u s e .

In

the even

ing Com pa ni es

D a nd H

we re sent out

o n

picket,

a n d

were

mar che d about

a

goo d deal without

a n y

apparent object

ex

cept exercise.

MONDAY, M AY 9TH.

It is reported this mo rn in g that Genl. Butler

has

taken

City Point

a n d

Petersburg,

a n d

that Genl. Longstreet's corps

has gone to Richm on d,

b ut w e

ha ve learned

to

put very little

faith in rumors.

A t

half-past six P.

M .

heavy cannonading

is heard in

front. A t t w o

o'clock Headquarters

are

m o v e d

back to the Chancellorsville

a n d

Fredericksburg plank road,

and

w e are

marched ba ck two-and-a-half miles.

It is re

ported that Genl. Sedgwick, c om m an di ng the Sixth Corp s,

is

killed.

TUESDAY,

M AY 10TH.

He a v y cannonading from

8 A . M . to 1

P.

M . T h e

Pontoon

train has been sent back to Fredericksburg, apparently

to get

it out

of

the wa y ,

a n d

the a r m y horses are pu t on half-rations,

that

is,

ive o u n d s

of

food. Ambu la nc es

a n d

a r m y w a g o n s

with

t w o

tiers

of

looring, oaded with w o u n d e d

and

d r a w n

b y

four

a n d

six m u l e teams, pass along

the

plank

or,

rather,

corduroy road to Friedericksburg, the teamsters lashing their

teams to keep u p with the train,

an d the

wo un de d screaming

with pain as the w a g o n s g o jolting over the corduroy. M a n y


36/91

a r m off at the shoulder, with ma gg ot s half a n inch long

crawling in the sloughing les h, nd several po or fellows w e r e

holding st u m p s of legs a nd a r m s straight u p in the air so as

to ease the pain the ro ugh road a n d the heartless drivers sub

jected t h e m to. The se m e n ha d been suffering in temp orary

field

hospitals,

as n o opportunity ha d been afforded

to

send t he m

to the rear u nt iL we got within reach of the road runnin g to

Fredericksburgjjffin attack o n ou r right for the purpos e of

capturing the w a g o n train is anticipated, an d w e m a k e

dis

positions of

troops accordingly . Later the attack w a s m a d e

and repulsed. W e learn that a force of cavalry has been

sent out to cut the rebel commun icatio ns with Gor do ns -

ville.

WEDNESDAY, MAY l lTH.

Slept on our arm s all night, but everything was compar -

tively quiet. It looks very m u c h like rain this morning.

He a r a report that rebels have been flanked an d t w o thousand

prisoners an d twelve g un s captured, but the report proves to

be without foundation. He a r nothing fr om the cavalry. A

thunderstorm c a m e on about four P. M ., the i r s t ain since

w e left Culpep per Court Ho u s e . Reporte d that the Tw e n t y -

second Co r p s is o n the w a y to join this a r m y . Started

towards Fredericksburg in the afternoon an d m ar ch ed all

night in the m u d , m a n y of the m e n falling out of the ranks

by the wa y. V e r y

little

cannonading during the day.

THURSDAY, MAY 12TH.

Reached the vicinity of Tabernacle Church at about five

o'clock

A. M . wh e re a ration of fresh beef w a s issued, and

the m e n w h o had dropped out during the night c a m e strag

gling

in.

S a w a force of cavalry a little w a y off, with uni

f o r m s literary covered with yellow braid, an d learned that it


37/91

34

had just c o m e f rom Rh o d e Island to join Gen'l Burnside's

Ninth Corp, an d is k n o w n as Burnside's Butterfly Cavalry.

Left the church at 11 A. M . an d going to the front reported

to Gen'l Wa r r e n. O n the w a y passed the 3d Pe n n. Artillery

which w e left at Fort M a r c y in Ma rc h. Th e Second Cor p

took several thousand prisoners and nineteen gu ns to-day. Th e

rebel Gen'l J ohn so n and another general officer, w h o w ere

captured in Barlow's

charge,

passed through ou r line in an

ambulance and looked mad de r than

wet-hens.

A n d well they

might, for it rained all day, thus adding to the bedraggled

appearance of the

captives.

M a n y of the captured gun s we re

parked near us, an d for a time w e we re fo rm ed in line

near t h e m to repel an y effort to recapture th em . W e ha ve

little idea where w e are or w h a t is going o n about us.

It wa s reported that the cavalry sent out to cut the rebel c om

munication with Gordonsville, had destroyed eight miles of

railroad an d t w o trains of cars, and had taken about i v e un

dred prisoners. All told w e march ed about twelve miles

to-day.

FRIDAY, MAY 13TH.

The re Wa s very little cannonading to-day, an d th oug h there

w a s nothing like a general en ga ge me nt, there w a s occasional

brisk musket ry. Cos. E and K joined the battalion an d w e

were m o v e d u p to the extreme

front.

Bo t h armies see med to

be m o v i n g an d o n nearly parallel lines. After mar chi ng about

tw o miles w e found

that

a lank o v e m e n t to the left w a s being

m a d e , an d starting at about 9 o'clock P. M . in c o m p a n y with

the artillery batteries, w e ma rch ed pretty m u c h all night.

Th e rain for the past few days, and wh ic h w a s still pouring

d o w n , ha d converted the light Virginia soil into a sea of m u d ,

and the wheels of the

guns, caissons,

ammunition

wagons,

etc.,

sank to the hubs, but by putting our shoulders to the wheel s


38/91

35

accomplish about t w o miles during,the night. Th e wh ol e

Cprp s w as in motion on our right. ̂ T E H ^ * * * 4&&~£/c*. /*-

SATURDAY, MAY 14TH. '

About 9 o'clock in the morning we came up with Burnside's

Ninth Co rps in full sight of Spottsylvania Cou rt Ho u s e.

During the day the artillery w a s gotten into position, an d at

about 7 o'clock P. M . there w a s s o m e brilliant cannonading by

both sides. W e we re m o v e d u p to the rear of the Artillery

Brigade near the N y e

river,

wh er e private Collins w a s woun ded,

an d remained all night waiting for orders to c a m p , bu rrow in g

in the m u d an d sleeping under sheets of water, but no such

orders c ame. W e traveled about six miles today.

SUNDAY, MAY 15TH.

Spent the day building breastworks an d strengthening our

position.

Ab o u t 10 o'clock A. M . a rebel battery opened on

our center, but ceased fir in g after a little and everything

remained quiet. A thunder storm c a m e u p in the afternoon

but w a s comparatively

brief.

Capt Goul d an d 1 took a bath

in the N y e river, and m a n y of our m e n followed our ex

ample.

MONDAY, M AY 16TH.

Th e day opened with a dense

fog,

but it cleared off ab ou t

9 o'clock and I visited an old house in our rear belonging to a

m a n n a m e d

Gaul,

or s o m e such n a m e Quiet all day.

TUESDAY, MAY 17th .

A n order w a s received today reducing all batteries of

artillery from six to four guns. Th e day w a s quiet, but

f r o m the dispositions being m a d e it w a s apparent that a

battle w a s anticipated. A r u m o r w a s current that the Ee b s

had four twen ty po un d gu ns covering our front.


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WEDNESDAY,

M A

J ^ f x ^ ^ ^

Ou r battalion wa^ ds sig ned to Col. J. Ho w a r d Kitchings

Brigade of the Rese rve Artillery to-day, which lay along the

Fredericksburg road, and at daylight w e m o v e d to join it,

ma rchi ng to a point near a house called the Harris Hou s e , I

think. V e r y soon after ou r arrival artillery and musketry

opened on the right of our a r m y , and it w a s r u m o r e d that in a

charge m a d e b y the Second Corp s, a line of rifle pits w a s taken

and

substantial

earthworks u n m a s ke d behind th em . W e are ail

the time hearing about successful m o v e m e n t s b y the Second

Corps. A t night w e counter-marched abou t five miles an d

ca mp ed near our last c a m p ground.

THURSDAY, M AY 19TH.

W e wer e m o v e d t owar d the right and rear of the a r m y to

day,

Whe re w e started to m a k e c a m p and bega n to receive

rations, but soon Co's. D and K wer e sent out o n picket o n a

line nearly at right-angles with the right of the a r m y , and

runninsi'back diagonally almost to the Fredericksburg road.

Aboutffthitoe o'clock P. M . m y Co. H , w a s sent out to relieve

Co. D, whi ch held the ex tr em e right of the picket line. O n

arriving on the gro un d I found the line fo rm ed very m u c h

like a

ish

o ok , and bega n establishing m y picket posts, that

furthest to the left in an op en

ield,

eing near the ext rem e

right one of Capt. Gould's Co . K . I put Lieut. Ed m o n s t o n

in charge of that end of the line an d Lieut. Carpenter in

charge of the center, an d posted the remaining m e n

in squads along towa rd the right an d into s o m e w o o d s .

Whi le this disposition w a s being ma d e , I hea rd s o m e scat

tering shots d o w n to wa rd the left. Leav in g First

Sergt. The be n in charge of the detach ment o n the

right.

I ran across the curve of the fis hho ok thr oug h

the wo o d s towards the center of m y line, but before I reached

it I saw a rebel picket line advancing across an o pe n field in


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37

our

front,

and just behind it t w o lines of battle closely massed,

with l a g s lying nd officers o n horseback, em er gi ng fr o m the

w o o d s in the rear of the ield, ut with their flanks so m a s k e d

in w o o d s o n either side of the

ield

hat I could not see h o w

far they extended. It w a s a magnificent sight, for the lines

m o v e d as steadily as if on parade, an d if ever I longed for a

battery of artillery with gun s shotted with grap e a nd canister,

and m y o w n m e n behind those guns, it w a s then and there,

for I d o not think the lines wer e m o r e than t w o or three hun

dred yards f r o m wh e re I stood. The re wa s a piece of s w a m p y

gr ou nd in their front wh ic h I k n e w wo ul d mo st likely break

u p their regular formation and delay the m a little, but I

feared that their left

lank,

hi ch I could not

see,

migh t ex

tend so far to their left that

it

wo ul d overlap m y right and give

m e trouble in the rear. Ho w e v e r , it w a s no time to hesitate,

an d I dete rmin ed to wi th dr aw the center of m y lino slowly,

firing as w e fell back, keeping in touch with C o m p a n y K , and-

straightening out m y

Documents

Diary of a Line Officer