CHAPTER XXIV

 

 

FALL OF REYNOLDS • THE BOY'S SWORD • MARCH • UNDYING LOVE • FALLING WATERS • LEE CROSSES THE POTOMAC • WAPPING HEIGHTS • MANASSAS GAP • ANECDOTE • MARCHING IN A CIRCLE

 

BEFORE leaving the field of Gettysburg let us refer to Major­General John F. Reynolds, in the death of whom, a most skillful officer, brave soldier, high-minded and honorable man, and courteous gentleman, the army and country sustained a great loss, but nowhere was it more sincerely felt than in the First Brigade of the Reserves whom he had molded in their infancy and led to honor and glory on many fields. It will be remembered, at Harrison's Landing the men of this brigade determined to present the General with a handsome testimonial of their regard, which on account of the active service in which they were soon after engaged, was not procured until a short time before we left Fairfax Station, and no opportunity being afforded to present it, it was taken into Pennsylvania with the intention of presenting it to him on the battlefield, but, alas! when they arrived within hearing of his guns, he had passed to immortality.

In this gift the men felt great pride, as it was known that the General had refused to receive similar ones when tendered by officers, but he could not refuse this, prompted as it was by the pure and disinterested feelings of the men's hearts. And it was such a one as any General would have been proud of. It consisted of a costly sword of most exquisite workmanship, and was accompanied by a sash, and belt embroidered with heavy bullion. The blade of the sword was of the finest Damascus steel, and the scabbard of pure gold, having inscribed upon it on a scroll:

"Presented to Major-general John F. Reynolds, by the enlisted men of the First, Second, Fifth and Eighth regiments of the First brigade of Pennsylvania Reserves, in testimony of their love and admiration. Mechanicsville, June 26th, 1862."

 

220      - OUR CAMPAIGNS -

 

Upon the grip was a black onyx, in the centre of which was set in diamonds the initials J. F. R., surrounded by a wreath of precious brilliants. On the reverse, in a handsome scroll was inscribed- "Vincit Amor Patriae." Crowning the grip was a solid globe of gold, chased with the map of the world, around which was the belt of the Union in blue enamel, with thirteen diamond stars, while entwined around the guard was an exquisitely shaped serpent, with its venomous tongue protruding as if to steal one of the stars from the galaxy. The shield of the hilt was formed of the coat of arms of the State of Pennsylvania, cut from a solid plate of gold. Beneath this, on the scabbard, was a fine figure of the Goddess of Liberty modeled from the statue surmounting the Federal Capitol. In style and workmanship it was exquisitely gotten up, every touch upon it being given by hand, it resembling a fine piece of jewelry.*

Subsequently, W. H. Grier, a brave and gallant sergeant of the Fifth was chosen to proceed to Philadelphia and presented it to the General's sister, Mrs. Henry Landis.

On the morning of the 5th, it being ascertained that the enemy was in full retreat by the Fairfield and Cashtown Roads, the Sixth Corps was sent in pursuit on the Fairfield Road, and the cavalry on the Cashtown Road, by Emmitsburg and Monterey passes. As these passes were reported by Major-General Sedgwick as being very strong, General Meade determined to follow the enemy by a flank movement, and accordingly leaving a brigade of cavalry and infantry to harass the enemy, he put the army in motion for Middletown, Maryland.

Major-General French, in anticipation of orders, moved from Frederick and reoccupied Harper's Ferry and seized Turner's Pass, in the South Mountains. He also pushed his cavalry to Williamsport and Falling Waters, where he destroyed the enemy's pontoon bridge and captured its guard.

At five o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th, we moved off in a southwesterly direction over exceedingly bad roads, and at twelve o'clock at night bivouacked in an open field and threw out pickets. The next morning, about eleven o'clock, we marched to the State line, where a congratulatory address from General Meade was read to us and we bivouacked for the remainder of the day and night.

At four the next morning we moved off, passing near Emmitsburg and continuing along the base of the South Mountains, march­

____________________________________________________________________________

* The designs in many respects were entirely new and original, and the sword has been pronounced one of the most chaste and beautiful ever made in this country. It was manufactured by Mr. E. Kretzmar.

 

UNDYING LOVE       221

 

ing on the fields skirting the pike and passing through Graceham and Creegarstown, and bivouacked about dark, six miles from Frederick, having marched twenty-one miles over very heavy roads.

The Catholic Convent at Emmitsburg since we passed there, has received a bright gem into its cloisters, the melancholy story of which is peculiarly interesting to the Reserves. A young lady, possessed of all the charms and attributes of womanly graces, won the heart of one of the Reserves' ablest Generals. Her love was too pure and holy to look to this world alone for bliss, and although their hearts and hands were plighted, she postponed the happy hour that was to make them one, while she plead with him with all her earnestness to come into the folds of her church. The General, though one of the most upright and moral of men, could not be induced to leave the faith he had been reared in, and thus while their hearts were trembling between love and piety, and love and manly virtue, the hero sealed his devotion to his country by pouring out his heart's blood to hold the ground until the Army of the Potomac could concentrate at Gettysburg. An how fitting the sequel! Bowed down with the loss of her brave and gallant hero, she consecrated her fortune to charity and her life to her God.

At six o'clock on the morning of the 8th we marched, heading nearly west, and passing over fields soon struck the Catoctin Mountains, up the rugged sides of which we clambered through a heavy rain that had been falling all night. Arriving at the summit we commenced the descent along a narrow and rough road, and soon had a fine view of the magnificent valley, in which Middletown is situated, and a large number of troops were laying. Passing through Middletown, which was filled with moving columns of troops and wagons, we turned to the left and bivouacked about a mile to the south. During the night rations were served out to the companies.

The next morning we marched at six, and crossed the South Mountains at a point where the left wing of our army had gained a glorious victory on the 14th of September last. Descending the west­ern slope we bivouacked about two miles from Keedysville, within sight of Antietam's glorious field. Through the day we heard heavy firing in the direction of Williamsport. A full supply of shoes and stockings, which were much needed were received and distributed during the night.

The next morning we commenced our march at six o'clock, and soon afterwards heard heavy cannonading. Passing near Keedysville and La Roy, we struck Antietam Creek, passing by Delamont Mills, where the enemy had been in the morning, and some of their officers had ordered dinner, which they did not remain to eat. Just be-

 

222      - OUR CAMPAIGNS -

 

yond here we halted and threw out cavalry and infantry skirmish­ers, who occasionally exchanged shots with the enemy for over two hours.

On the morning of the 11th we moved forward cautiously to near the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown Turnpike, where we deployed in line of battle, and rested until four in the afternoon, at which time the division moved forward in columns of companies with the regiments at deploying distance, with a heavy body of skirmishers in front, and the pioneers to tear down the fences. Having advanced about two miles, the division halted, and our regiment and five companies of the Fifth, under Colonel Woodward, were sent out on picket. We found the Second Corps pickets engaged with the enemy on the pike for the possession of a piece of woods, and did not succeed in making our connection with their line until after dark, when we occupied the inner edge of the woods in dispute. The Second Corps fell back and changed their line twice through the night, and we had to alter ours to correspond with theirs.

The next morning, Sunday, we advanced our line, occupying the woods in dispute without opposition, crossed the pike and posted our line on the elevated ground beyond, sending Companies C and H, Captains Byrnes and Mealey, to occupy a piece of heavy timber farther in advance and to the left within close proximity to the enemy's picket pits. Soon after, heavy artillery and musketry firing was heard on our right, and about four o'clock orders were received to withdraw our line about half a mile to the left. Here we formed the division, and soon afterwards were ordered to throw out our line as skirmishers, beyond the pike fronting the woods. Some sharp firing took place but without occasioning any loss on our side.

The division moved back about dark to their former position, and at nine o'clock that night we were relieved and joined them.

July the 13th was a rainy and disagreeable day, and we did not move until nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, when we were formed and marched to a long line of rifle pits that the division had thrown up, and soon after to a field in front, where we lay all night.

That night orders were received to march early with the greatest secrecy, but when the morning came there was no occasion for this as the enemy had evacuated their position through the night. As we advanced we found three long lines of most formidable rifle pits advantageously posted which the enemy had abandoned leaving many of their tools behind them. We also found a number of arms, and many prisoners were brought in, who proved to be the dirtiest set of mortals we had yet seen. During the march the "Bucktails" were posted on the right, and we on the left as flankers,

 

FALLING WATERS   223

 

and at ten A.M., we arrived within sight of Williamsport on the up­per Potomac. At noon we recommenced our march and proceeded to Falling Waters, where we arrived too late to participate in the brush with the enemy. Here our calvary overtook the rear guard and captured two guns, three flags and a number of prisoners, and killed General Pettigrew. Lee's army crossed the night before on a trestle and boat bridge. We remained in position until about four o'clock, when we moved to a clover field and bivouacked.

The question has frequently been asked why did Meade permit Lee to escape? It must be remembered that our army was much fatigued by their late hard fighting and marching, and was seriously reduced in number. That upon the arrival of Lee upon the banks of the Potomac, he immediately commenced the erection of breastworks, and that the greatest difficulty General Meade experienced, was the impossibility of reconnoitring the enemy's position on account of the character of the country. A council of war was called and the five corps commanders present, decided against an attack, and it showed a proper prudence on the part of General Meade not to order a blind attack when ignorant of all essential matters, having, therefore, no clear view that success was probable against a splendidly posted, desperate and powerful enemy. Had an attack been made on the 13th, Lee's whole army would have been found behind their works, as not a man left his lines until after dark that night. A defeat would have lost all the benefit of the past victory, and placed the North and Washington again at the command of Lee and his army.

The next morning, the 15th, at four o'clock, we commenced our march, nearly retracing our steps, passing near Delamont and down the Hagerstown and Sharpsburg Pike to the Keedysville Road, and halted to make coffee about noon on the site of the "Smoketown Hospital." Near by was the burial ground with a handsome wooden monument about twelve feet high erected in the centre, by the convalescents. We were now on the battlefield of Antietam, whose rolling fields were covered with luxuriant grain ready for the harvest, and the deep forest was clothed with new foliage that sighed above the graves alike of friend and foe, peacefully slumbering together awaiting the last reveille. Moving on, we crossed the Antietam, passing through Keedysville, and over South Mountains by the same road we came, and encamped near its eastern base. The day was very warm, and the march was over a rough and hilly country, in many places with the roads very muddy, and the distance made being twenty-three miles, the men were much worn out.

 

224      - OUR CAMPAIGNS -

 

We moved the next morning about five, skirting along the eastern base of South Mountains through Berkettsville and Petersville, and halted about two miles from Berlin and encamped in a fine woods about eleven A.M. The next day our wagons came up and the officers got a change of clothing, the first they had since we left Fairfax Station.

It rained heavily all night and through the day of the 17th, until four in the afternoon, when we moved off towards the Potomac, which we crossed on a pontoon bridge at Berlin and trod once more the soil of our adopted State. Moving on to Lovettsville, three miles beyond, we bivouacked in the rear of it, being the first infantry that had crossed. The inhabitants of this section are almost all loyal to the Union.

The next day our regiment was detailed as guard to the corps' wagon train, and starting at eleven, reached Wheatland at three P.M.

On the 19th, we marched at six o'clock in the morning and passing through Purcellville, bivouacked in a woods at ten A.M. We passed on the route a number of prisoners belonging to White's cavalry, captured by Kilpatrick's. Our movements were now rather cautious, as we had a large train, and the enemy's cavalry were in the neighborhood.

The next morning we sounded reveille at two, and moved at four o'clock, almost over the same ground we did last year under McClellan, passing by Philomont and our old camps, near Uniontown, and encamped about noon on Goose Creek, in a woods on a hill side. Our route lay through a finely watered and picturesque country with fine farms and houses; one of the handsomest of which was that of Mr. Delaney's, a wealthy Englishman, who owned two thousand acres of land in detached parcels, but so thoroughly had been the destruction of the roads and landmarks, that he stated he could not trace the lines of any of his property, excepting the tract upon which his house is situated. Surveyors will reap a rich harvest in Virginia when the war is over.

The next day was spent in camp, the boys occupying their time in writing home, bathing, and washing clothes. In a long stone wall in the meadow in front of us, some copperheads were discovered, and soon nearly half of the division was at work with sticks and clubs hunting them, and in an incredibly short time the wall was leveled with the ground.

At two o'clock on the afternoon of the 22d, we marched off over the fields and along by roads to Rectortown and encamped near the Manassas Gap Railroad in a heavy woods. The next morning we

 

WAPPING HEIGHTS 225

 

formed a field hospital in a fine woods, and left all our wounded and sick in charge of a suitable number of surgeons and a guard, with provisions, medicines, etc. Among those left was Acting Sergeant­Major H. C. Hostetter, who died and was buried there. He was a good soldier, an exemplary young man, and his death was regretted by all.

The next day we marched early keeping along the general course of the railroad, passing through Markham, Petersville, and Linden. Last fall the enemy tore up the rails of this road and heating them on piles of burning ties, bent and destroyed them. About three o'clock we reached the eastern base of the Gap, and soon after skirmishing commenced on Wapping Heights, which lasted until near dark, when the enemy were driven back with loss. Soon after we moved on past Wapping, which consisted of a defunct tavern, an empty store, and several shanties, and encamped about half a mile beyond. That day we marched twenty-five miles.

Being in the presence of the enemy, no "calls" were sounded. The next morning at seven o'clock we marched up the railroad, and moving to the right, formed in columns of division and moved in by the right flank, and advanced up the sides of a steep mountain, covered with a heavy growth of timber and underbrush. So steep was it that the field officers found it impossible to descend the western slope on horseback. Having reached its base, the ascent of a still steeper and higher mountain was commenced, which required great exerting to accomplish, and by the time the command had crossed, the men were completely fagged out. The day was excessively hot, several men were sun struck, one broke his neck, and another was accidentally shot through the head by a comrade. A small force of the enemy could have held us at bay, and probably repulsed our brigade, as by the nature of the obstacle, the companies and regiments became mixed up together. Aline of skirmishers properly supported would have been more effective. Upon arriving at the western base, the men were collected and reformed in a little valley, and after a half hour's rest, we marched back to our old bivouac. Soon after we moved two miles back and encamped, where we had fresh beef served out to us.

The Third Brigade, which moved on the left of the railroad, captured several prisoners.

Through the day we learned that General French had captured eleven hundred head of cattle, a number of wagons, and about three hundred and fifty prisoners. From a high mountain back of where we lay, we had a magnificent view of the valley of the Shenandoah, the scenery of which equalled any we have ever seen. A large col-

 

226      - OUR CAMPAIGNS -

 

umn of the enemy's cavalry or wagons were seen in rapid motion up the valley, as the sudden appearance of our army at the Gap made them fearful lest a portion of their army should be cut off. They effected their withdrawal by way of Strasburg, and retired to the Rapidan.

On the 25th, we sounded reveille at three, and moved at six o'clock, retracing our steps for some miles and then turning to the right, followed along the foot hills of the Blue Mountains, and halting about three in the afternoon, on an open field, where we biv­ouacked. We had been short of provisions for several days, the men living mostly on blackberries, which grew in luxuriance in this section, care being taken to halt us wherever a large patch was found. On our route we passed the house of Mr. James Marshall, which had been ransacked by stragglers. Mr. Marshall was a violent secessionist, and upon the approach of our troops fled with his family to Richmond. Occupied houses are seldom if ever touched by the men, but when one is found deserted, they generally take what they want.

The next morning we marched at five o'clock, passing a large number of prisoners near Orleans, who appeared in an exceedingly good humor. At noon we halted in a clover field about two miles from Warrenton, having made thirteen miles with a halt of but fifteen minutes.

While we lay here General Crawford was saluted with the cry of "crackers" from his hungry boys, which annoyed him so much that he went to General Meade and demanded rations. "Why, my dear General," replied the commander, "you should not let that annoy you." "One night at White Plains where I marched the boys a couple of miles out of the road they actually called me a 'four-eyed son of a b            h," and upon my soul I could not get mad at them."*

On the march, Dr. E. 0. Jackson, one of our Assistant Surgeons, was taken sick and sent from Warrenton to Washington where he died. He was a young gentleman of high professional talents and fine social qualities, and his death caused much regret.

Here Captain John M. Clark, Lieutenant Andrew McLean, Ser­geant John McDonough, Sergeant Dennis O'Brien, Corporal Jeremiah Dooling, Corporal Thomas M. Fisher, were detailed to go to Pennsylvania after drafted men to fill our regiment, none of which they got.

At four in the afternoon we got into motion and marched six miles, passing to the west of Warrenton, and encamping in a low open field, where we were annoyed for the first time during the war by mosquitoes.

_____________________________________________________________________________

* The General wore spectacles.

 

MARCHING IN A CIRCLE   227

 

The next morning we sounded no reveille, but woke the men up early and marched at five o'clock towards Fayetteville, near which we halted at eight in the morning, for the night and day.

On the 28th, on account of the scarcity of water, we moved about a mile to a new position, where we lay until the 1st of August, spend­ing one day of our time on picket. While here Lieutenant John Taylor commanding Company E, was appointed an aide on Colonel McCandless' staff.

On the 1st, we marched at five in the afternoon two miles towards Warrenton and bivouacked. There was through the afternoon, considerable cannonading heard towards the Warrenton Sulphur Springs, occasioned by our cavalry and light artillery skirmishing.

On the 3d, we moved at eight A.M., about three miles to our old bivouac of the 26th ult. The weather was so oppressively hot that in this short distance many men gave out and several were sunstruck. We remained there until dark, when we marched to our old bivouac of the 28th, where we lay two hours, when we again got under way and marched by a circuitous route eight miles and bivouacked at two the next morning within two miles of our last starting point, on our old camp ground of November last, under Burnside.

On the 4th, we moved camp about one mile. In the afternoon, during a heavy thunderstorm, our own and the enemy's cavalry, supported with light artillery, met accidentally south of the Rappahannock, and had a heavy skirmish in which our men drove them and took a number of prisoners. The day before they had an encounter at Kelly's Ford with the same result.

On the 6th, General Gibbon took temporary command of our corps, Colonel McCandless of our division and Colonol William Cooper Talley of our brigade. Major Wiley paid the regiment off, and Lieutenant Craig, Company A, rejoined us, having recovered from his wounds received at Fredericksburg.

On the 8th, we marched early, and at noon arrived at Rappah­annock Station where we formed a regular encampment.

During our late marching and countermarching a large portion of our troops were sent to the City of New York (the left wing of Lee's army), to enforce the draft, with which a powerful mob had been permitted by the City and State authorities to interfere. We being in the presence of a superior and vigilant foe it was necessary to deceive him as to our numbers, for which purpose we moved continually in a circle of some fifteen miles diameter, with the tramp of troops and the rumble of artillery and wagons heard night and day. At every stopping place orders were issued to lay out our camp regularly, dig sinks, and erect bough arbors over our tents, but no sooner

 

228      - OUR CAMPAIGNS -

 

were they finished than orders to march were received. In this manner, the enemy's spies and the inhabitants were utterly deceived, and when our army was reduced to probably twenty-five thousand men, the Richmond papers reported us as receiving large reinforcements and numbering over eighty thousand. The men soon understood and appreciated the strategy of General Meade.

This depletion of our army to maintain the authority of the Government and to enforce the laws at home, paralyzed the movements of General Meade, and virtually brought to a close the campaign at a season most favorable to its prosecution, and at a time auspicious of its success.

---