CHAPTER XX

 

 

CROSSING THE POTOMAC • MARCH THROUGH VIRGINIA • WARRENTON • GENERAL McCLELLAN SUPERSEDED • REMOVAL OF GENERAL FITZ JOHN PORTER • OUR VIRGINIA FRIENDS • BOMBARDMENT OF FREDERICKSBURG • LAYING PONTOONS

 

ON the 6th, General McClellan received orders to "cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy, or drive him south." The order stated, that if he crossed between the enemy and Washington, he could be reinforced to the extent of thirty thousand men; but if he moved up the valley of the Shenandoah, not more than twelve or fifteen thousand could be sent to him. It was not, however, until the 26th, that the advance guard of the army crossed the Potomac. On that day, two divisions of the Ninth Corps, and Pleasanton's brigade of cavalry, crossed at Berlin. The First, Sixth and Ninth Corps, the cavalry, and the reserve artillery, also crossed there between the 26th of October and the 2d of November. The Second and Fifth Corps crossed at Harper's Ferry, between the 29th of October and the 1st of November.

The plan of campaign adopted by General McClellan was to move the army, well in hand, parallel to the Blue Ridge, taking Warrenton as the point of direction for the main army; seizing each pass on the Blue Ridge by detachments, as we approached it, and guarding them after we had passed, as long as they would enable the enemy to trouble our connections with the Potomac.

Upon the death of Adjutant Cross, Lieutenant John J. Ross, who was the only officer with the regiment, excepting Captain Byrnes, was appointed Acting Adjutant, until the return of Sergeant­Major E. M. Woodward, who had been promoted Adjutant. About the same time, Colonel McCandless, with a number of officers and men, who had recovered from their wounds, also returned.

Our regiment broke camp on the 26th, and marched, during a heavy rainstorm, to Berlin, which we reached on the 27th, the rain

 

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continuing all night. On the 29th, we crossed the river on the pontoons, and encamped near Lovettsville, Virginia, where we were inspected by General Seymour, and mustered for pay on the 31st.

On the first of November, we marched through Waterford, and encamped about a mile from Hamilton, where we lay the next day. While here, Lieutenant H. P. Kennedy, Sergeant James McCormick and Corporal A. McK. Storrie were detailed to proceed to Harrisburg to bring on drafted men, which they did not get.

The next day, at noon, the division marched, and before dark we passed through Philomont and bivouacked about a mile beyond, near Snicker's Gap, on a field where there had been an artillery skirmish in the morning, the ground being strewed with dead horses, shells, etc. The next morning early, we moved about a mile to Uniontown, and halted there until three P.M., when we marched on, passing Franklin's corps and Couch's division at their bivouacs, and lay for the night on a high table land. That night, a number of the officers and men of the One Hundred and Nineteenth, Colonel Ellmaker's, and the Twenty-Third, Birney's old regiment, visited us, all being from Philadelphia.

The next morning (the 5th), we moved at seven o'clock, in a southeasterly direction, fording the Pantherskin, a deep, broad creek, and, passing through Middleburg, halted on its confines for dinner. In the town, we found quite a large number of wounded "Greybacks" from Bull Run, with whom the boys conversed freely. At four in the afternoon, we took up our march again, moving slowly and tediously, halting continually, sometimes every few hundred yards, as there was a long wagon train ahead of us, and the roads were exceedingly bad. At last, long after dark, we passed through White Plains, on the Manassas Gap Railroad, and moving two miles beyond, were halted, and then counter marched nearly a mile and put into a heavy woods to bivouac. Hardly had the boys built their fires, before orders came for our regiment to go on picket. It was then about midnight, and all were weary, for we had been fourteen hours marching sixteen miles, but as orders are given to be obeyed, we consoled our­selves with the thought, that "there is no rest for the wicked," and moved off about a mile to the front, and spent the balance of the night watching for the foe, who did not appear.

The next morning we marched into camp, and immediately took our position in the line, and moved off towards Warrenton, the infantry keeping on the fields to leave the road clear for the artillery. When we arrived within three miles of the town, at the gap between Water and Pig Nut Mountains, through which the road passed, our regiment being in advance, we were deployed as skirmishers, Gen­-

 

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eral Reynolds supposing the enemy would make some show of resis­tance there. Companies A, B, and H, under the command of Captain McDonough, were deployed to the right of the road to feel the woods for the enemy; and Companies D, E and G, under Major Neide, to the left for the same purpose, the reserve, consisted of C and K, following close in the rear. The whole, under McCandless, advanced rapidly through the dense underbrush over the crest of the moun­tains, which being found clear of the enemy, they reunited beyond the Gap, our regiment then advancing upon the road, with the "Bucktails" on our right and the First on our left, until we came to the clear ground, when the flanking regiments filed into the road, and we entered the town of Warrenton at four P.M. Of course, our entrance was not received by the inhabitants with the joy that the entrance of their friends, the "Greybacks," would have been, the female portion of the community remaining in their houses, and those of the men who showed themselves, looking on in silence. Our eyes, however, were gladdened by the sight of sundry Confederates who were captured, and who, perhaps, remained behind for that purpose. Moving on about a mile, we encamped near the ground we occupied in August last, a few days preceding the second battle of Bull Run.

Warrenton, like all other towns we occupied, we found completely stripped of everything in the way of food, clothing, etc.; the chivalry having completely cleaned it out. The stores were all closed for want of goods, and business of all kinds was suspended. We found it impossible to obtain bread, or any other article of food, at any price, and although our occupation proved a great relief to the inhabitants, and those of the surrounding country, in obtaining supplies, we were not welcomed.

With the exception of a violent snow storm, nothing of note occurred while we lay at this camp, until the morning of the 10th, when we were called out to bid farewell to General McClellan, the then love and idol of the Army of the Potomac, who had been relieved of his command, and superseded by General Burnside. His departure from the army was a scene never to be forgotten; the deafening shouts of the columns he had so often led to honor; the caps tossed high in the air; the tears, those true tests of affection, stealing their courses down the weather beaten cheeks of the veterans of the Peninsula, truly told the deep hold he had upon the hearts of the men. The officers of some of the regiments sent in their resignations in a body, but their Generals returned them, with a gentle admonition.

General Fitz John Porter soon after was relieved of his command and was subsequently dishonorably dismissed the service, by

 

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sentence of a court martial, for his conduct at Bull Run, and forever prohibited from occupying any position of honor or trust under the Government, but we are not aware of there being any particular amount of "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" at the event.

It is not clearly known to the author what plan of campaign General McClellan would have pursued if he had continued in com­mand of the army, though it is certain he at one time contemplated an advance on Richmond, via Culpeper and Gordonsville. It is also krfown that he gave preparatory orders for the rebuilding of the wharves and the Aquia Creek Railroad, which clearly indicated an advance via Fredericksburg.

The plan of operations proposed by General Burnside was to throw a considerable body of troops across the river at Rappahan­nock Station, and make a feint as if to advance by way of Culpeper, and then by a rapid movement down the north bank of the Rappahannock to cross the river, seize and fortify the heights in the rear of Fredericksburg and advance on Richmond, holding the railroad as his line of communication. This plan was approved by the authorities at Washington and carried out to a certain extent by General Burnside.

At eleven o'clock on the morning of the 11th, our division moved in a southwesterly course to near Fayetteville, about two miles from the Rappahannock, where we arrived a little before dark and bivouacked among some scrub oaks.

The next day our regiment went on picket for twenty-four hours, and had a very pleasant time.

On the 16th, General Seymour, at his own request, was relieved of the command of our brigade, his health not permitting him to undertake a winter campaign. The General was a gallant and accomplished officer, a high strung and honorable gentleman, and as he had served with us in every battle up to Antietam, we parted from him with regret.

Colonel William Sinclair, Sixth Reserves, superseded him in command of our brigade.

At eight o'clock on the morning of the 17th, during a drizzling rain, we took up our march, pursuing a general course down the river, passing by Bealton Station, Morrisville, the gold mines, and Grove Churches. About dark, and it soon became intensely dark, we were taken into a dense woods to bivouac, but such was the thick growth of underbrush it was found impossible for the men to advance, and we were "about faced" and marched out again, and or­dered to seek a position somewhere in the neighborhood. The Colonel selected a hill near the headquarters of General Meade, where we

 

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slept soundly through the rain. It is the duty of the staff officer, who selects the bivouac ground to examine it and see if it is suitable, which was not done in this instance.

The next morning we moved at nine o'clock along the fields to Hartwood, where we took the road to Stafford Court House. About noon we were forced to halt, to repair the road, after which we moved on, crossing Potomac Creek, and ascending an almost perpendicular hill, filled with deep ruts and large boulders, which required the united teams of several guns to haul one piece up it. The men toiled on manfully through the deep mud, for it had been raining all day. Towards dark we bivouacked on the banks of Occakeek Creek, three miles from the court house.

That day the Fifth Reserves was detached from our brigade, and put into the Third, which gave their Colonel, J. W. Fisher, the command of the brigade. Considerable cannonading was heard through the day, in the direction of the upper fords of the Rappahannock.

We remained in this camp until the 22d, during which time it rained constantly, and heavy details were made from the regiment for fatigue duty, to corduroy roads. To prevent depredations from being committed on private property, orders were issued to have hourly roll calls in each regiment.

On the morning above mentioned we moved at eight through the fields bordering on the Telegraph Road, passing through Stafford Court House to Brooks Station, on the Aquia Creek and Fredericksburg Railroad, where we arrived about noon and encamped on the brow of a hill overlooking an extensive meadow. Here we found the remains of the enemy's huts in which they spent the previous winter. The next day our sutler arrived with a load of goods, which were soon disposed of to the boys, who were particularly in need of tobacco.

On the 25th, Major Horace Neide resigned on account of disability from wounds received at the battle of Glendale.

On the 1st of December, Major Pomeroy arrived and paid our regiment off, four months being due them.

While we lay there we received a full supply of clothing, some of the men being almost barefooted and without blankets, and many of them in need of stockings, under-clothing and great coats. Our rations were also made full and liberal, and the men appeared in most excellent spirits.

Our regiment went on picket once a week, and although in pleasant weather it is preferable to laying in camp, it is far from being so in winter, particularly during a rain or snow storm. Upon one occasion we were notified the line was to be changed, and the regiments

 

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were formed soon after daybreak and an aide-de-camp to General Meade came to conduct us. A snow of six inches had fallen through the night, which made our marching through the heavily ladened pines anything but agreeable, but after plodding on for a couple of miles we reached the left of the new line and commenced dropping out the companies and regiments in their position. The line was about three miles long, and when we reached the right of it, where our regiment was stationed, we found ourselves about a half mile from camp. It is unnecessary to observe that the aide received many blessings upon his head of a questionable character.

A diagram of the line was given to an officer to establish the new line by, who, after consultation with the proprietor of the property, proceeded to do so, being assured that there was but one road through the plantation. After the pickets were posted, however, he was dissatisfied with the line as its right rested on no natural obstruction. Finding no further information could be obtained at the house, he proceeded to examine the woods, and following what at first was supposed to be a ravine, in a half mile Aquia Creek was found. The cause of the proprietor's deception was very apparent, as a small barn, several stacks of hay, a number of cows, calves, and chickens were found in this out-of-the-way place, and a large fishing house was located on the creek. The line was immediately changed, to the infinite disgust of our friend, who of course, aside from his own interest, would like to have had it defective. It is unnecessary to observe that no account of stock was taken upon our arrival or departure.

The field and staff of our regiment and the Eighth, made Mr. S 's house headquarters, where, in despite of circumstances, they were soon on most sociable terms with the family. This is a matter most easily accomplished if rightly managed; all that is necessary being to show a due respect to their feelings and sentiments, and to get the right side of the old lady. Before we had been in the house long, some of the officers were busily engaged in assisting in the household affairs, cutting wood, cleaning the clock, white washing the parlor chimney, and chasing the sheep back into the pen. In fact we made ourselves at home and generally useful, and only one incident occurred to mar our pleasure, and that was, at precisely eight o'clock P.M., the old gentleman bid us good night, and with his family retired. This was equally annoying to the young ladies as it was to us, and was a serious evil that required remedying. Many were the plans of operations devised during the ensuing week, but our picket turn came before any was matured. To turn the clock back was a stale trick that probably the old gentleman had had played

 

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upon him before, and something new must be devised. But "fortune favors the brave" and luckily the old gentleman was slightly indisposed. Of course he applied to our most estimable surgeon for relief, and then it was that a bright idea entered the doctor's head. After due examination a couple of opium pills were administered, with a good glass of old Cognac to rinse them down. About seven o'clock the old gentleman commenced nodding, and soon afterwards showed decided symptoms of drowsiness, and every few minutes rallying him­self he would inquire the time, and fearing we reported wrongly he got up frequently and examined the clock himself. He then tried to walk the floor, but all to no purpose, and at last with eyes half closed and unable hardly to speak, he retired much to the satisfaction of all.

Mr. S____________   had three daughters, the oldest possessing an excellent education and most fascinating manners, she being the lady of the family, and the others were almost her reverse, though all possessed honest and warm hearts. They told us frankly they were secessionists at heart, and that they had two brothers in the Confederate army, but situated as they were, they had no objection to entertaining Union officers whose duty placed them upon their property. They conversed freely about the war, sung "My Maryland," "The Bonny Blue Flag," "Dixie," and other Confederate songs for us. The mother showed us many times the daguerreotype of her darling "Charley," a boy of sixteen, who belonged to the Forty-Seventh Virginian infantry, whom we promised, if we caught, to spank and send home to her.

We remained at Brooks' Station until December the 8th, when we struck tents and marched at six o'clock in the morning; the weather being clear and cold, and the roads so hardly frozen that the artillery and trains did not cut them up much, but the horses being smooth shod, slipped continually, and were much worried in their march of eight miles, which the infantry accomplished by noon. Our encampment was in a meadow not far from White Oak Church. While we lay here all the detailed men were ordered into the ranks and sixty rounds of cartridges supplied to each man.

 

THE BOMBARDMENT OF FREDERICKSBURG, December 11th -At three o'clock on the morning of the 11th, our bugles sounded the reveille, awaking the boys from their slumbers on the hard frozen ground, and soon the valleys and hills for miles around were lit up by innumerable fires around which they gathered to prepare their coffee. In half an hour we took up our march, the bright stars in the blue vault of heaven lighting us on our way and as the columns defiled through the gorges and woods, the steady tramp of men alone

 

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disturbed the death-like stillness of the morning. Soon the booming of heavy guns in front announced that the ball had opened, and moving on to within a mile of the river we halted, loaded, and stacked arms in a piece of heavy pine woods, where we lay for the day and night.

In the meantime the roar of artillery had become incessant along the river bank in our front, and the men clustering on the neighboring hills had a fine view of the bombardment of Fredericksburg, which had commenced in earnest. The engineers had attempted to lay six pontoon bridges, four opposite the city and two about four miles below, but they had not got more than two-thirds of the distance laid before they were driven off by the enemy's sharpshooters posted in the houses of the town. To dislodge these, one hundred and forty­three guns were put into position, the larger portion of which opened upon the town. The sight was a magnificent but sad one, and just before dark it became grand in the extreme. The town was on fire in several places, the flames and smoke ascending high into the heavens while shells were seen bursting in almost every quarter. During this time the enemy's sharpshooters kept up a vigorous fire upon the cannoneers and officers who lined the bank, their bullets at that long range whizzing wickedly by. Finding it impossible to drive the sharpshooters away with artillery, the pontoon boats were filled with infantry and run quickly across the river under a heavy fire, and landing, the men rushed up into the streets and houses and drove the enemy away, killing, wounding, and taking many prisoners. In fifteen minutes after the detachment landed, our men began build­ing the bridges, and in half an hour more they were completed.

        When the boats first went over, Joseph Cline, a boy of sixteen, belonging to Company C, being where they started from, could not resist the temptation and went over with them, capturing a Mississippi rifle and accoutrements from a "Grayback" he killed.

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