Stories of war told by soldiers

Contents

X

Page

I. Introduction.—Life at Little Crastis . 1

Chapter I. Life At Little Crastis

TT was the third day of a sour northeast storm.

Colonel Ingham had a great party of nephews and nieces, and of his old correspondents and of their friends, — all young people, — on a crazy, rollicking visit at his country-house at Little Crastis.

In pleasant weather they all fared very well,— for they were all out of doors. Many of the boys and girls were none too big to pick berries. None were so small but they could be trusted in the boats, of which there were five, on the ponds, of which there were six, within an hour’s walk. For the bigger boys and girls there was a cata¬ maran 4 ; in which they could make voyages on the ocean. There were plover and yellow-legs, and thirty-one other varieties of sea-birds for the boys who liked to shoot. There were little glens innumerable, ruins of old barns, queer wrecks of old apple-trees, for girls or boys who wanted to l make sketches. There were perch, pickerel, and bass for those who liked to fish. There were clethra, and clematis, and coreopsis rosea, and all the rest of the alphabet for those who liked to botanize. There were two tents for those who liked to camp out. There were bows and arrows and targets, and croquet-balls and mallets and hoops, and rackets and nets, and crosses for Lacrosse, and battledores and shuttlecocks, for those who wanted to play games; there were saddles and horses and ponies for those who wanted to ride. But all such amuse¬ ments, vocations, and avocations fail in a sour north¬ east storm; — and here were there fifteen young people cooped up in-doors, exhausting the in-door occupations.

“Dear Uncle Fritz,” said Horace,—for they all called him uncle, — “ what can I read? ”

“ Read, boy! ” said the old gentleman, “ there is plenty of reading ”; — and he kicked open the door of his own den.

The boy looked in ruefully, but did not pretend to enter. “ O, you know, uncle, that there ’s nothing there. Walter told me how you shipped all those things down here because there was no room for them in C. Street. Who ever read a CDngressional document?”

“ I have read a good many, Master Horace,” said the Colonel, laughing; “ and you will read a good many before you have done. It is all in knowing how, my dear boy.”

LIFE AT LITTLE CRASTIS.

“ Well, who ever read a bound-up file of old newspapers, Colonel Ingham ? ” asked Florence, who had rallied to Horace’s assistance as soon as she saw that the Colonel was willing to talk.

“ All people of sense read them a great deal,” said the Colonel, still laughing. “ Now look here, children all,” he said, “you were at me, only last night, to tell you stories of my only battle, — the famous action of the Point of Rocks, — in which nobody was killed and nobody was wounded, though we burned up thirty tons of powder. But 3 ^ou would be more glad to have General Grant walk in yonder, with Sherman on one side and Sheridan on the other, and tell you about Vicks¬ burg and Shiloh and Sheridan’s ride.”

“I am afraid we should, Uncle Fritz,” said Hor¬ ace, bravely.

“ Very good. You would be fools if not. Now, in those much despised documents yonder, Master Horace, and in those abominated newspapers, Miss Florence, and beneath that pile of dust in the corner, Master Stephen, are Grant’s stories and Sherman's and Sheridan’s, as they told them all hot from fight, all mad with defeat, or happy in victory. All that is needed is a boy of sense or a girl of sense to know where to look for them.”

“ And a real good-natured old Uncle Fritz, with nothing to do but to pet a good-for-nothing set of boys and girls,” said Florence, coaxing him hnd kissing him, “and willing to show those

STORIES TOLD BY SOLDIERS.

stupid boys and girls where to dig in the dust and how.”

“That’s true enough,” said the old gentleman, willing to own that he was flattered; “for even I will own that there is more chaff to the wheat in those same newspapers and documents than there is in any other threshing-floor or mill-hopper in the world.”

So it happened that these three young folks, with more or less help from three others, whose names will appear as we go on, fell foul of the heap of straw, chaff, and wheat in the inner den. The Colonel led the way loyally. He made them put in marks, red, yellow, and blue, when they found a good dramatic narrative that was worth reading aloud.

There is a sort of fascination about it when you are once started. And before long, even in that first afternoon, five or six of the young people were at work in or near the den. Those who read from bound-up volumes of newspapers preferred on the whole to lie nearly at full length on the floor with the book, or “quarry,” as Horace would call it, open before them, or “ in a measure,” as he said, under them. The others had attitudes more or less elegant, and, in all cases, comfortable, for such was the rule at Little Crastis. At first they began to read aloud little scraps as they lighted on them, and found them too exciting to be enjoyed alone.

I

LIFE AT LITTLE CRASTIS. 5

Bat it soon proved that such reading only interests the reader. Uncle Fritz advised them soon to mark with red pencils, which he provided, what was worth reading, and wait till they found fit audience, who really wanted to hear. And this they did.

And so it happened that on that very evening there began a series of readings aloud from the grimiest and stupidest-looking old volumes of doc¬ uments and newspapers, — readings which were quite largely attended from the little company of visitors. While, in the red parlor, there went on a game at vingt-un, more or less noisy. Those who had tired of vingt-un a little, or thought they had outgrown it, gathered in the gray parlor, and the gleanings for the earlier part of the war of the Rebellion were read, under more or less control from Colonel Ingham, who would not let an eager reader bore the others, or a modest one give up her turn for some one more resolute. As the summer passed, some of the visitors stayed, and some went away and other some came. But it often happened that there was an evening when they fell back on the war papers,— as they came to call them, — and so

The Stories of the War Told by Soldiers came into being.

Chapter II. The First Bull Run

HE first evening’s reading began with the First

-*■ Bull Run. Bull Run was the first great bat¬ tle of the war.

“I tell you, children,” said Uncle Fritz, “there was never anything like it, — no, not in those long four years. I mean there was nothing that made people so sick at heart. The truth was that till that hour we knew nothing of war or what war was. It was all a piece of stage-play and rhodomontade to us who were not in the camp, and I was not. We had hardly advanced on that first notion, in which people supposed that an army on one side was to walk up in an open field, and another army to walk up opposite them on the other side, and that they were to take aim and fire at each other till one side had all run away. The stuff written home from Washington and the camps to the newspapers was such as I cannot now believe we ever read.

“ I was away from home on Sunday, the day that battle was fought. But the church, morning and afternoon, was all excitement. Telegrams were

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

coming from Washington all day long; nothing to any real purpose, but all bragging, and nobody thinking of anything but victory. All the anxiety was who might be alive, or who dead. And from that congregation where I was, I suppose some fifty men, the minister among the rest, were in the bat¬ tle, and we knew it. The next day I went down to Boston. I was in a committee-room, with a com¬ mittee of the Emigrant Aid Society. The news¬ papers had had there some cheerful, even jubilant accounts in the morning, and we were eagerly dis¬ cussing them, when in came Lawrence, who was always well informed.

“ 4 1 have a despatch from Washington,’ said he.

We are as badly beaten as an army can be. Wash¬ ington is full of runaways, and I do n’t know how soon the Rebels may march in.’

“ As it turned out, and as the boys will show you, this was almost as much of an exaggeration as the jubilation of the morning. But if our good friend had walked round the circle and slapped any one of us in the face we should not have been more surprised,—nay, we should not have been so much displeased. It was the end of all business for that day. We went out to the newspaper offices, or where we could, to find more scraps of news. And I know I went home to tell Polly and the children, feeling as sick at body as at heart. It did not seem to me that life was worth living for.

44 At that same moment, as I knew years after-

STORIES TOLD BY SOLDIERS.

wards, almost every house in Richmond was in the depth of sorrow. The Black Horse Cavalry was terribly cut up by the Union army in that action. And all that afternoon, and all the night which followed, every carriage in Richmond — so a negro hackman told me in 1866 — was carrying from the station to his home some wounded soldier. And in so many homes they were lamenting those who would never come ! There are two sides to war.

“ General Me Dowell was in immediate command on our side. Horace has made up, from the care¬ ful official reports of the battle, a little account of the plan of it, and the way it was fought. He will read you this first, and then you will place the better the scraps which the others have found about the details.”

METHOD OF THE BATTLE.

In July, 1861, General McDowell was at Centreville, twenty miles west of Washington, with the “Grand Army” of twenty-eight thousand men. Two miles west of him, encamped behind Bull Run, with his head¬ quarters at Manassas, three miles back, was the Rebel army under Beauregard, twenty thousand strong. To the north, at Harper’s Ferry, was another Union army, of eighteen thousand men, under General Patterson, which held in check eight thousand Rebels at Winches¬ ter, commanded by General Johnston.

Supposing that Patterson could keep Johnston from joining Beauregard, McDowell on the twentieth of July gave his orders for an advance on Bull Run on the next morning. There were three roads leading from Centre¬ ville across the Run, all of which were guarded by the

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

Rebels ; but to the north, at Sudley Springs, was an un¬ guarded ford which could be reached by a detour of three miles from the northern road. By this ford the real attack was to be m^,de by two divisions of the army, reinforced by a third division advancing along the northern road of the three to the Stone Bridge where it crossed the Run, while the other division was to make feints at the two southern roads, and act as a reserve.

But the Rebels had guessed that some advance would be made, and, before the orders for attack had been given by McDowell, a large part of Johnston’s army had arrived at Manassas from Winchester by railroad, and had been put into position. The rest of the army was certain to arrive at noon of the next day.

At half past one on the morning of the twenty-first the Union camp was astir. General Tyler’s division was under arms, and began its three-mile walk to Stone Bridge. But the troops and officers were raw, and it was dark. They could not see to get their breakfast, men carried off each other’s guns, company ran afoul of company, and regiments started in the wrong order. Suffice it to say that it took Tyler six hours to advance three miles and deploy into line; it was as late as half past six when he began firing his thirt} r -pounder to show that he was ready.

Colonel Hunter, who, with his own and General Heintzelman’s division, was to march five miles to Sud¬ ley Springs, was still more unfortunate. He had to start after Tyler on the same road; he had to share all his delays, and it was six o’clock before he came to his own three miles of woods. Here the marching was still more difficult, and it was half past nine before his ad¬ vance reached the ford, with men who for eight hours had been tired by marching, or by waiting, more tiring even than marching.

This delay it was which lost the Union forces the battle; for though the whole Rebel army was massed south of the Stone Bridge, Tyler’s firing aroused them

STORIES TOLD By SOLDIERS.

to the knowledge of our advance on the right, and at once troops were sent up to sustain the attack. They were drawn up to oppose Tyler ; but presently Hunter’s men were seen crossing above, and the Rebels faced to the left and advanced to an open field sloping down to the woods, from which he must emerge. They halted within musket-shot of these woods, and when Hunter’s advance came to the open ground, it was met by both artillery and infantry fire. Nothing daunted, however, his first regiments formed in the shelter of the woods, and advanced, driving the enemy back, beyond the road on which Tyler was stationed, while the troops in the rear formed to the right and left. When Tyler learned from look-outs in the high trees that Hunter was ad¬ vancing to the road, he ordered his subordinates, Colonels Sherman and Keyes, with their brigades, across the Run. They forded the stream, as the bridge and road were impassable from the abatis of the Rebels, and faced to the south, forming to the left of Hunter’s two divisions. The whole line, advancing, drove the enemy, though strongty reinforced, still farther back, up rising ground upon a plateau, where they made a stand. Here one of Kej'es’s regiments charged up the hill, capturing a battery, and gaining a position upon the top. This was the turning-point of the battle ; the regiment was driven back again after holding the ridge for hardly five minutes. The attack was renewed, with less success, the Rebels advanced and were driven back, and the wave of success swept to and fro.

Meanwhile, in the Rebel lines the prospects were by no means so favorable. Their troops with the greatest difficulty held the hill against the vigorous though spas¬ modic attacks of our men. Beauregard had hurried up all his troops from the two lower roads, excepting one brigade, and these new troops were pushed to the front, while those who had been broken by the Union attacks were led and driven into shape behind. The time had passed when Johnston’s reinforcements were promised. Messengers were sent to the railroad to stop

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

the train at the nearest point to the battle-field, and hurry the men up directly, when they should arrive. The fire of the Union troops, which had slackened, was now reviving, and there were s 3 ’mptoms of a general ad¬ vance, when, at half past three, on their extreme left, the Rebels heard loud cheering. Anxiously they watched to see if it were friend or foe, when the shout of “Johnston! Johnston!” was heard, and the right of the Union troops was seen to break and run. A general advance was ordered, and the Union line fell back, the two divisions on the right in total disorder, with the exception of the battalion of regulars, which covered their flight. The Rebels pursued them to the Run, where, the reserve under Miles interposing to pro¬ tect the rout, the Rebels called a halt. The panic spread among the Union camp-followers, and many of the fugitives did not stop till they reached Washington. The whole Union line fell back to their old camp at Centreville, where thej T passed the night. The next day they retreated to the Potomac.

AN IMPROMPTU LOOK-OUT.

During this period of waiting the thirty-pounder was occasionally used with considerable effect against bodies of infantry and cavalry, which could be seen from time to time moving in the direction of Hunter’s column, and out of the range of ordinary guns. Using a high tree as an observatorj 7 , we could constant^’ see the op¬ erations of Hunter's and Heintzelman’s column from the time the} T crossed Bull Run, and through one of my staff, Lieut. O’Rourke, of the Engineers, I was promptly notified as to an} r change in the progress of their columns up to the time when it appeared that the heads of both were arrested, and the enemy seemed to be moving heavy reinforcements to support their troops. At this time I ordered Colonel Sherman with his brig¬ ade to cross Bull Run, and to support the two columns already in action. Colonel Sherman, as appears by his

STORIES TOLD BY SOLDIERS.

reports, crossed the run without opposition, and, after encountering a party of the enemy flying before Hun¬ ter’s forces, found General McDowell, and received his orders to join in the pursuit. — Gen. Tyler , ls£ Division

A SAD MISTAKE.

This movement was effected at u quick” and “ double-quick” time, both by the infantry and artillery, during which march the men threw from their shoulders theii haversacks, blankets, and most of their canteens, to facilitate their eagerness to engage the enemy. On arriving at the point indicated, being the extreme left of the enemy and the extreme right of our line, and in advance of all other of our troops, and where I was in¬ formed officially that two other regiments had declined to charge, we formed a line of battle, our right resting within a few feet of the woods, and the left at and around Rickett’s batter}', and upon the crest of the hill, within fifty or sixty feet of the enemy’s line of infantry, with whom we could have readily conversed in an ordi¬ nary tone of voice. Immediately upon Rickett’s bat¬ tery coming into position and we in “ line of battle,” Colonel Heintzelman rode up between our lines and that of the enemy, within pistol-shot of each, which circum¬ stance staggered my judgment whether those in front were friends or enemies, it being equally manifest that the enemy were in the same dilemma as to our identit}\ But a few seconds, however, undeceived both,—they displaying the Rebel and we the Union flag. Instantly a blaze of fire was poured into the faces of the comba¬ tants, each producing terrible destruction, owing to the close proximity of the forces, which was followed by volley after volley, in regular and irregular order as to time, until Rickett’s battery was disabled and cut to pieces, and a large portion of its officers and men had fallen, and until Companies H, I, K, C, G, and those immediately surrounding my regimental flag, were so desperately cut to pieces as to make it more of a

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

slaughter-house than an equal combat, the enemy mani¬ festly numbering five guns to our one, besides being intrenched in the woods and behind ditches and pits plainly perceptible, and with batteries upon the enemy’s right, enfilading my left flank, and within three hundred and fifty } T ards’ direct range. After an effort to obtain aid from the Fire Zouaves, then immediately upon our left, two or three different orders came to retire, as it was manifest that the contest was too deadly and un¬ equal to be longer justifiably maintained. — Col. Gorham , 1 st Minn., with 3 d Division.

A BRAVE CAPTAIN.

A further order was then made to advance the colors of the Seventy-first New York to the front, but, as it seemed to be certain death to stand exposed to the tor¬ nado which swept the brow of the hill, the color-bearer naturally hesitated for a moment; whereupon several of Company F sprang quickly forward, with the excla¬ mation, “ Give us the colors ! ” But Captain Coles, of Company C, was the foremost in the effort, and, seizing the flag, he ran with it full fifty paces to the front, and held it at arm’s length high in the air, and then planted it in the earth. Its folds were hailed in the Rebel bat¬ tery with a demoniac yell, and in the next instant the bright banner was riddled with a shower of balls. Prov¬ identially, the gallant Captain was untouched. — Capt. Wilkes.

A LEAP FOR LIBERTY.

The Sixty-ninth New York brought up the rear of the temporarily retiring column ; but its gallant Colonel, watchful of its welfare, lingered behind and urged strag¬ glers not to get separated from their commands. He paused for an instant to salute Colonel Tompkins, of the Second, who stood dismounted at a little distance from his regiment, on the opposite side of the road.

Just at this moment a large body of the enemy’s Black Horse were seen making a charge toward them, though its immediate object was to attack Carlisle’s battery, which, out of ammunition, stood limbered up in the centre of the road. The two colonels watched the movement, and, transfixed with excitement as they saw the dragoons sabre the cannoniers, forgot to take meas¬ ures for their own protection. It was imminently necessary that they should, for the quick exploit upon the battery had scarcely retarded the black column in the least, and the} T came pouring upon the unformed columns of the Schenck Brigade. Prompt^, however, the quick order of McCook shaped the First Ohio, and the others, following b} r instinct, showed a firm line, with bayonets all poised, and ready for the charge. The Black Horse looked for a moment, but, not liking that array of steel, thej T flirted off to the right (receiv¬ ing a volley as they went), and a squad of them made a dash to cut off the two colonels who were isolated in the road. Tompkins, who saw the danger coming, quickly sprang to a horse near at hand, and calling on Corcoran to follow, spurred him at a fence. The troopers, how¬ ever, were too near for Corcoran’s tired steed, and, whirling around the Irish colonel, they took him cap¬ tive, and bore him off. A portion of the squad followed after Tompkins, but his spirited charger leaped two fences in fine style, and amid the crack of the dra¬ goons’ six-shooters, he got safe away. The brigade of Schenck, being now utterly fagged out, and being more¬ over entirely without orders, fell back upon the foot¬ steps of the Sixty-ninth. — Capt. Wilkes.

pioneers’ work.

While this was going on, Captain Alexander, of the Engineer Corps, brought up the company of pioneers, or axe-men, which, with its officers and sixty men, had been entirely detailed from the regiments of my brigade, to open a communication over the bridge, and through

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

the heavy abatis which obstructed the passage of troops on our front beyond the Run. — Gen. Schenck , 2d Bri¬ gade, ls£ Division.

KEYES’S SPLENDID CHARGE.

At about two o’clock, p. m., General Tyler ordered me to take a batte^ on a height in front. The battery w r as strongly posted, and supported by infantry and riflemen, sheltered by a building, a fence, and a hedge. My order to charge was obeyed with the utmost prompt¬ ness. Colonel Jameson of the Second Maine, and Colonel Chatfield of the Third Connecticut Volunteers, pressed forward their regiments up the base slope about one hundred yards, when I ordered them to lie down at a point offering a small protection, and load. I then ordered them to advance again, which they did, in the face of a movable battery of eight pieces and a large bodj T of infantry, toward the top of the hill. As we moved forward we came under the fire of other large bodies of the enemy posted behind breastworks, and, on reaching the summit of the hill, the firing became so hot that an exposure to it of five minutes would have anni¬ hilated my w r hole line.Private Leach is also

highly praised for having spiked three abandoned guns with a ramrod, and then bringing away tw r o abandoned

muskets.Lieutenant-Colonel Speidal of the First

Connecticut was set upon by three of the enemy, who undertook to make him a prisoner. The Lieutenant- Colonel killed one and drove off the other two of his assailants, and escaped.— Col. Keyes, 1st Brigade, 1st Division.

THE FIRST REVERSE.

Griffin’s and Rickett’s batteries were ordered by the commanding general to the top of the hill on the right, supported with the Fire Zouaves and Marines, while the Fourteenth entered the skirt of wood on their right to pro-

STORIES TOLD BY SOLDIERS.

tect that flank, and a column composed of the Twenty-seventh New York, Eleventh and Fifth Massachusetts, Second Minnesota, and Sixty-ninth New York moved up toward the left flank of the batteries ; but so soon as the}’ were in position, and before the flanking supports had reached them, a murderous fire of musketry and rifles, opened at pistol range, cut down every cannonier and a large number of horses. The fire came from some infantry of the enemy, which had been mistaken for our own forces, an officer in the field having stated that it was a regiment sent by Colonel Heintzelman to support the batteries.

The evanescent courage of the Zouaves prompted them to fire perhaps a hundred shots, when they broke and fled, leaving the batteries open to a charge of the enemy’s cavalry, which took place immediately. The Marines also, in spite of the exertions of their gallant officers, gave way in disorder. The Fourteenth, on the light, and the column on the left, hesitatingly retired, with the exception of the Sixty-ninth and Thirty-eighth New York, who nobly stood and returned the fire of the enemy for fifteen minutes. Soon the slopes behind us were swarming with our retreating and disorganized forces, while riderless horses and artillery teams ran furiously through the flying crowd.

All further efforts were futile. The words, gestures, and threats of our officers were thrown away upon men who had lost all presence of mind, and only longed for absence of body. Some of our noblest and best officers lost their lives in trying to rally them. Upon our first position the Twenty-seventh was the first to rally, under the command of Major Bartlett, and around it the other regiments engaged soon collected their scattered frag¬ ments. The battalion of regulars, in the mean time, moved steadily across the field from left to right, and took up a position, where it held the entire forces of the rebels in check until our forces were somewhat rallied. — Col. Porter , lsf Brigade, ‘Id Division.

THE FIRST BULL RUN.

THE ROUT.

The retreat continued thus until the column was about emerging from the woods and entering upon the Warrenton Turnpike, when the artillery and cavalry went to the front, and the enemy opened fire upon the retreating mass of men. Upon the bridge crossing Cub Run a shot took effect upon the horses of a team that was crossing. The wagon was overturned directly in the centre of the bridge, and the passage was completely obstructed. The enemy continued to play his artillery upon the train carriages, ambulances, and artillery wagons that filled the road, and these were reduced to ruin. The artillery could not possibly pass, and five pieces of the Rhode Island battery, which had been safely brought off the field, were here lost. — Col. Bumside ,, 2d Brigade , 2d Division.

. ACTION OF THE RESERVE.

Soon afterward, several squadrons of the enemy’s cavalry advanced along the road, and appeared before the outposts. They were challenged, “Who comes here?” and, remaining without an}' answer, I, being just present at the outpost, called “Union forever!” whereupon the officer of the enemy’s cavalry com¬ manded, “Bn avant! en avant / knock him down!” Now the skirmishers fired, when the enemy turned around, leaving several killed and wounded on the spot. About nine prisoners who were already in their hands were liberated by this action.— Col. Blenker , ls< Bri¬ gade, f)ih Division.

A YOUNG COMMANDER.

While the Thirty-second was in this position, the Sixteenth and Thirty-first having passed within its range, a youthful orderly rode up to Colonel Matheson

STORIES TOLD BY SOLDIERS.

to inform him that the Black Cavalry, sheltered from his observation by a piece of woods, were coming up on the right, and, if he would take a cut with his regiment across the fields, they would be turned back upon their errand. The evolution was performed, gave the protection that was desired, and the Black Horse relinquished its purpose in that quarter. While the regiment, however, was adhering to this position, the same youth who had imparted the previous sug¬ gestion rode up to the regiment again, and told Matheson he had better now fall back on Centreville, as his duty at that spot had been thoroughly per¬ formed. As this was about the first sign of orders (with one single exception) he had received during the entire day, Matheson felt some curiosity to learn who this young Lieutenant was, and whence these orders came ; he therefore turned sharply on the youth, who, he now perceived, could not be more than twenty-two or three, and said, “Young man, I would like to know your name.” The } T outh replied that he was a son of Quartermaster-General Meigs. “ By whose authority, then, do you deliver me these orders?” was the Cali¬ fornian’s next inquiry. The young man smiled, and remarked, “ Well, sir, the truth is, that for the last few hours I have been giving all the orders for this division, and acting as general too, for there is no general ou the field.”— Capt. Wilkes.