Campaign of the Fourteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers Part 2

Keifer, afterwards Brigadier General, and composed of the 110th, 122d and 126th Ohio regiments, the only western troops in the Potomac army; the 6th Maryland, 67th and 138th Pennsylvania troops, now commanded by General Prince, the former commander of the 2d division, General Carr reporting at Washington. The officers all met at headquarters preparatory to the breaking up of the corps, and indulged in a jolly time; groups were taken by artists, and after spending the day in mirth, they returned to their quarters at night. Birney's old division lay in camp near the 6th corps; they were ordered to join the 2d corps, and our division to take their camp and join the 6th corps. Gen. Prince was relieved, and General Ricketts placed in command of the division. Heavy rains now came on and the order to change camp was countermanded until April 1, when the division moved. The 14th regiment had built a new camp, every tent on a line, and each one of an exact size; pine trees were planted, and it was decided by General Meade to be the handsomest camp in the Potomac army. The men were very sorry to leave, and some of them threatened to burn their tents; the quarters we were to occupy were in a poor place, far from the main road and very lonesome, but as soldiers we were accustomed to such things, often putting up tents and then compelled to leave them in a hurry.

General Grant, having now a.s.sumed command, determined to bring the war to a close as soon as possible. As it was too early for a forward movement, the troops were permitted to remain in camp another month.

Grant, in consultation with his officers forming their plans for the coming campaign, having every confidence in Meade, they were constantly together. Grant first determined to use the greatest number of troops practicable against the armed forces of the enemy, preventing him from using the same force at different seasons against first one and then the other of our armies, by ordering all armies to move at the same time, he superintending each movement, his headquarters with the Potomac army.

During the month of April, 1864, several men from the division banded together and formed negro minstrels, building a house of logs covered with canva.s.s. Twenty-five cents was charged for admittance; part of the proceeds were for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission; the house was crowded each evening, as it was sometime since the men had seen anything of the kind.

Behind the Union lines there were many bands of guerillas, and a large population that were hostile to the government, making it necessary to guard every foot of road or river used in supplying our armies. In the South a reign of military despotism prevailed which made every man and boy capable of bearing arms a soldier, and those who could not bear arms in the field acted as Provost Guards for collecting deserters and returning them; thus enabling the enemy to bring almost his entire strength in the field. Active preparations were now made on both sides for the campaign which was shortly to open; of the magnitude of the work before us none then knew. The enemy had concentrated the bulk of their forces into two armies, commanded by Generals R. E. Lee and J. E.

Johnson, their ablest and best generals. The army of the Southwest, under Sherman, was to oppose Johnson, and the army of the Potomac, under Meade, to oppose Lee, all under the immediate command of Grant. The army commanded by Lee occupied the south bank of the Rapidan, covering and defending Richmond, the rebel capital, against the army of the Potomac.

The army under Johnson occupied a strongly entrenched position at Dalton, Ga., covering and defending Atlanta, a place of great importance as a railroad centre, against the armies under Sherman. These two armies and the cities covered and defended by them, were the main objects of the campaign. General Meade was instructed by Grant that Lee's army would be his objective point, and wherever Lee went he must follow.

From the position of Lee's forces two different routes presented themselves, one to cross the Rapidan below Lee, moving by his right flank, the other above Lee, moving by his left. Each presented advantages over the other, with corresponding objections; by crossing above, Lee would be cut off from all correspondence with Richmond, or from going North on a raid; but if the army took this route, all we did would have to be done while the rations held out; and it separated us from Butler moving from Fortress Monroe; if we took the other route, Brandy Station could be used as a base of supplies until another was secured on the York or James River. After a long consultation with Meade, Grant decided to take the lower route.

The Potomac army had now lain in quarters five months, the men expecting every day orders to move. The papers North were urging a forward movement, but Grant knew his own plans best and wished no advisers.

Three large armies were now to move on Richmond as soon as ordered by Grant; the Potomac army covering Washington and in Lee's immediate front; an army from Fortress Monroe commanded by Butler, and a large force under Seigel to move up the Shenandoah Valley.

The month of April was drawing rapidly to a close, and every preparation had been made for the campaign soon to open. Supplies were forwarded to Brandy Station in vast numbers; wagons packed with ammunition and forage; the troops furnished with clothing and shoes; all condemned horses and mules branded with the letter C and sent to Alexandria to be corralled until sold, and others sent in their places; and all batteries were furnished new guns and new horses, equipped for a hard campaign. It having now been decided by Grant to move across the Rapidan below Lee, preparations were made to start. Orders were sent to all generals commanding different posts, to move not later than May 4, and by one combined movement of all the armies to crush, if possible, the rebellion. The most formidable foe to encounter was the army under Lee; leaving the other armies to the discretion of their commanders but subject to orders, he turned his whole attention to that one point, but as usual issuing and receiving all orders. On the 1st of May the troops were all drawn up in line, and orders read to them as follows: That the campaign was soon to open; that every man must do his duty; that no straggling nor foraging would be allowed, and all private property to be protected. As there were several regiments whose term of service expired soon, they were very reluctant to move, as they had served three years faithfully. Orders were read to them especially, that if any of them were found lurking in the rear or refusing to move forward, they would be immediately shot, and commanders of regiments instructed to see that on a march the troops moved in regular order.

The 14th regiment had now sixteen months to serve of the three years.

Twenty months had pa.s.sed since leaving New Jersey, and numbers were no more. The regiment had been recruited and was now ready to move with six hundred men and a full compliment of officers. Owing to the weather and bad condition of the roads, operations were delayed later than was intended. Every thing being now in readiness, and the weather favorable, orders were given for the forward movement to commence immediately. The first object aimed at was to break the military power of the rebellion and capture the enemy's important stronghold. General Butler was to move on Richmond with a force from Fortress Monroe, which, if successful, would tend more to ending the war than anything else, unless it was the capture of Lee's army. If Butler failed to take Richmond, it was Grant's intention by hard fighting, either to compel Lee to retreat or so to cripple him that he could not detach a large force to go North, and still retain enough for the defences of Richmond. It was well understood by both Butler and Meade, before starting on the campaign, that it was the intention of Grant to place both armies south of the James, and in case of failure to destroy Lee without it.

Before giving Butler his final instructions, Grant visited Fortress Monroe, giving him, in minute details, the objective points of his operations, as the army of the Potomac was to move simultaneously with him. Lee could not detach from his army with safety, and the enemy could not have troops elsewhere to bring to the defences of the city in time to meet a rapid movement from the north of the James river. Commanding all our forces as Grant did, he tried to leave, as far as possible, Gen.

Meade in independent command of the Potomac army. The campaign that followed proved him to be the right man in the right place; but his commanding always in the presence of an officer superior to him in rank, has drawn from him much of that public attention that his zeal and ability ent.i.tled him to, and which he would otherwise have received.

Having now given as far as possible the objects of the campaign, the results of which will hereafter be shown, I will now proceed to give a brief but true account of the campaign, in which the 14th regiment took an active part, during the ensuing sixteen months, commencing from the advance across the Rapidan, until the surrender of Lee's army and the overthrow of the rebellion.

All was quiet in camp, the men wondering when the forward movement would commence, when, on the morning of May 3d, 1864, orderlies were seen riding in all directions. That something unusual was going on was apparent to all. The long roll was beaten, the men falling in line without arms, and ordered to be ready to move in the morning, with five days' rations. The afternoon was spent in packing up and writing home, as none knew how soon the chance would be given them to write again. For five months we had spent pleasant times in Winter quarters; but those times were now over, and all the scenes of the previous years of war were to be enacted again. For a time the men had almost forgotten war.

All had confidence in Grant and Meade, and hoped the war would speedily close. All surplus baggage was sent to the rear. The forward movement commenced early on the morning of the 4th of May, under the immediate direction and orders of Gen. Meade. Before night the whole army was safe across the Rapidan, the 5th and 6th corps crossing at Germania's Ford, and the 2d corps crossing at United States Ford; the cavalry under Major General Sheridan moving in advance with the greater part of the trains, numbering about 4,000 wagons, meeting with but slight opposition; pa.s.sed the railroad we lay before, changing quarters with Birney's division. At last the army has moved; the Summer campaign has commenced, and the North will soon look for stirring news; with Grant as leader there is no such word as fail. The day was very fine, the air rather cool, and the troops in good spirits, anxious to change the dull monotony of camp life for more active service in the field. The distance marched that day by the troops was 15 miles. This was considered a great success, that of crossing the river in the face of an active, large, well appointed and ably commanded army. At the different fords Lee had erected very formidable breastworks to r.e.t.a.r.d the advance of the Union army, but changing his plans his army remained in position in the Wilderness, and the works were found unoccupied. No signs of the enemy being seen that night, the troops encamped in a dense thicket of pines extending for miles. Lee had chosen a strong position in the woods known as the Wilderness, having erected strong earthworks and manned them with three army corps, numbering, as near as can be ascertained, 120,000 men, under command of Ewell, Longstreet and Hill.

Early on the morning of the 5th, the advance corps, the 5th, under the command of Major General G. K. Warren, met and engaged the enemy outside of their entrenchments, near Mine Run. The battle raged furiously all day, the whole army being brought into the fight as fast as the corps could be brought into the field, which, considering the density of the forest and narrowness of the roads, was done with commendable promptness. Gen. Seymour, of Florida, arrived, and was placed in command of the 2d brigade of the 3d division. Gens. Grant, Meade and staff were at the front in the thickest of the fight, and were loudly cheered by the men; some 400 prisoners were taken that day, among them several officers. Five miles only were made that day, neither side gaining any advantage; darkness coming on the firing ceased for a short time, the troops building breastworks. Gen. Ricketts and staff being near the front, a sh.e.l.l exploded in their midst, killing the horses of two staff officers, but not injuring them. The 3d division was divided, the 1st brigade being sent to re-enforce the centre, the 2d brigade the right; the 14th was in the fight the entire day, and lost heavily; the 2d brigade was fortunate, losing but few men. Gen. Sedgwick formed the 6th corps in position, and the men lay behind their breastworks until morning, the stars shining brightly. This was the first day's fight in the Wilderness, resulting in no material advantage to either side; but the losses were heavy, as both armies fought with desperation, and both were confident of success. Gen. Burnside was ordered from North Carolina with the 9th corps, and was at the time the army of the Potomac moved left with the bulk of his corps at the crossing of Rappahannock River and Alexandria Railroad, holding the road back to Bull Run, with instructions not to move until he received notice that a crossing of the Rapidan was secured, but to move promptly as soon as such notice was received. This crossing he was apprised of on the afternoon of the 4th, and by 6 o'clock on the morning of the 6th, he was leading his corps into action near the Wilderness Tavern, or, as it was then called, Robinson's Tavern, his troops having marched a distance of over 30 miles, crossing both the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. Considering that a large proportion of his command, probably two-thirds, was composed of new troops, unaccustomed to marches and carrying the accoutrements of a soldier, this was a remarkable march.

The battle of the Wilderness was renewed by us on the morning of the 6th, and continued with unabated fury until darkness set in, each army holding their old positions. At night the enemy by a decisive movement succeeded in turning our right flank, and a general stampede ensued, horses, wagons and pack mules moving to the rear. The 2d brigade was in the hottest of the fight and suffered severely, the 6th Maryland losing more than one-half of their men and nearly all their officers. General Seymour, commanding the brigade, was captured together with several hundred prisoners, but the promptness of Gen. Sedgwick, who was personally present, and commanding that portion of our line, soon re-formed it and restored order; the 1st brigade still in a position near the centre and under fire, but losing few men, the troops holding their positions during the night. On the morning of the 7th, reconnoissances showed that the enemy had fallen back behind their entrenchments, with pickets to the front covering part of the battle field. From this it was evident that the past two days' fighting had satisfied Lee of his inability to further maintain the contest in the open field. Notwithstanding his advantage of position, and that he would wait an attack behind his works, as he could not be driven out by a direct a.s.sault, orders were issued to move immediately, and, if possible, get between him and Richmond. On the night of the 7th the march was commenced towards Spottsylvania Court House, the 5th corps moving on the most direct road; but the enemy became apprised of our movement and having the shorter line was enabled to reach there first.

On the morning of the 8th General Warren met a force of the enemy which had been sent out to oppose and delay his advance, to gain time to fortify the line taken up at Spottsylvania. This force was steadily driven back on the main force, within their recently constructed works after considerable fighting, resulting in severe loss on both sides. It has been currently reported and afterwards believed, that the Union army was defeated in the first two days' fight in the Wilderness, but that the bull dog courage of Grant refused to stay whipped, and unlike our former generals, instead of retreating back across the Rapidan, he determined on a flank movement on the enemy's right, and although unsuccessful at first, it finally resulted in the capture of Richmond.

Burnside's corps was partly composed of negro troops; they were in a fine condition and looked extremely well. All day long on Sunday (7th) the 5th corps engaged the enemy at Spottsylvania; at dark they were relieved by the 6th corps, and the 14th New Jersey was again heavily engaged. Forming in line the troops erected works during the night after marching that day fifteen miles, pa.s.sing Chancellorsville, where a number of bones and skulls lay around, the remnant of the old Chancellorsville battle ground, where the rebel General Stonewall Jackson was killed. The enemy had now strongly entrenched themselves, a.s.suming the defensive. Our losses in the last four days were severe.

Finding that Lee would not again leave his works, nothing was left but to attack him, although a heavy loss of life would ensue in charging their works; there was no other alternative. In those battles thousands of brave men lost their lives in vain attempts to take the enemy's works, and hundreds of wounded were hourly brought in from various portions of the line. Hospitals were established in the rear, and surgeons were busily engaged in amputating limbs and dressing wounds.

The weather was very warm, and the men suffered from thirst, as water was scarce. During the night the troops remained in line, with but little sleep.

On the morning of the 9th, General Sheridan started on a raid with a large cavalry force, to cut the enemy's communications; all day long skirmishing was kept up, but not resulting in any battle. Major General Sedgwick, who had so long commanded the 6th corps, an able and distinguished soldier, was killed; he was at the front, on the left of the 14th regiment, superintending the planting of a battery, when a bullet from a sharpshooter struck him in the forehead, killing him instantly. He was carried to the rear and his remains sent North; his loss was greatly lamented, as he was beloved by all. Major Gen. H. B.

Wright succeeded him in command, the former commander of the 1st division. General Morris being with him at the time, was also wounded in the leg; Col. Truex succeeded him, being placed temporarily in command of the brigade. The night of the 9th found the men in the same position.

The morning of the 10th was spent in maneuvering and fighting without any decisive results; at noon a general engagement commenced; the rattle of musketry and artillery was awful; this was the sixth day's fighting; the enemy had been flanked from their strong position in the Wilderness, at Mine Run, and with their whole force at Spottsylvania were opposing us with desperation. Orders were now read to the men that Sherman had whipped Johnson at Dalton, and that Butler was advancing on Richmond; the troops were encouraged at this news and fought desperately. At 6 o'clock a division of the 6th corps made a charge and captured a rebel brigade numbering nearly three thousand men. Nothing but skirmishing was kept up on the 11th until the morning of the 12th, when a general attack was made on the enemy in position. This day will ever be remembered as the hardest day's fighting the world ever saw; the entire line engaged in all was over 200,000 men; the woods being very dense. Early in the morning the 2d corps, Major General Hanc.o.c.k commanding, carried a portion of the enemy's line, capturing the most of Bushrod Johnson's division of Ewell's corps and twenty pieces of artillery; but the resistance was so obstinate that the advantage gained did not prove decisive. The rebels made three different charges to retake the line, but were foiled in every attempt, our men mowing them down like gra.s.s, as they lay piled on each other three and four deep; this was called the slaughter pen; the 1st New Jersey suffered severely in this charge. The 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th were consumed in maneuvering and skirmishing at various points, but nothing important was gained; re-inforcements were now arriving in large numbers from Washington; our losses thus far were over 20,000 men. Deeming it impracticable to make any further attack upon the enemy at Spottsylvania, orders were issued on the 18th with a view to a new movement to the North Anna river, to commence on the night of the 19th at 12 o'clock. Late on the afternoon of the 19th, Ewell's corps came out of their works on our extreme right flank, but the attack was promptly repulsed with heavy loss. This delayed the movement to the North Anna river until the night of the 21st, when it was commenced; but the enemy having again the shorter line and being in possession of the main roads, were enabled to reach the river in advance of us and took up a position behind it. At 11 o'clock the troops started, marching all night and pa.s.sing Guinia Station, the enemy's former base of supplies, halting Sunday morning for breakfast, and marching altogether thirty miles; halting for the night on the main road; the 14th encamping at a place called Flipper Store; marching again on the 23d ten miles, the 5th corps reaching the river in the afternoon, followed closely by the 6th, and halting at night at Mount Carmel Church, three miles from the river; the 2d and 9th corps got up about the same time, the 2d holding the railroad bridge, and the 9th laying between that and Jerico Ford. General Warren effected a crossing the same afternoon, and succeeded in getting into position without much opposition; soon after he was violently attacked, but repulsed the enemy with great slaughter. On the morning of the 24th, the 6th corps moved five miles, crossing the river on pontoons at Jerico's Ford, and pa.s.sing the enemy's rifle pits hastily thrown up, but more hastily evacuated on the approach of the 5th corps; the 2d corps now joined the others, and lay in a pine woods until morning.

On Wednesday, the 25th, the 3d division was ordered to move, marching five miles to Noles' Station, for the purpose of destroying a portion of the Virginia Central Railroad, forty miles from Gordonsville and thirty from Richmond; the men stacking arms went to work with a will, and the road was soon destroyed for a distance of eight miles; at night the division moved back to their old position with the corps. During the afternoon Gen. Sheridan rejoined the army of the Potomac from the raid which he had started upon at Spottsylvania, having destroyed the depot at Beaver Dam and Ashland Station, four trains of cars, large supplies of rations, and many miles of track, besides re-capturing 400 of our prisoners who were on their way to Richmond under guard; met and defeated the enemy's cavalry at Yellow Tavern; captured the first line of works around Richmond, but finding the second line too strong to be carried by a.s.sault, he re-crossed to the north bank of the Chickahominy at Meadow's Bridge under heavy fire, and communicated with General Butler. This raid had the effect of drawing off the whole of the enemy's cavalry, making it comparatively easy to guard our trains.

According to orders, Gen. Butler moved his main force up the James River, and succeeded in taking Petersburg and destroying the railroad, but, failing to fortify his position, he was attacked in a fog by Beauregard and driven back; his army, therefore, though in a position of great security, was as completely shut off from further operations against Richmond as if it had been in a bottle strongly corked, and it required but a small force of the enemy to hold it there. The army having been sent to operate against Richmond was now lying at Bermuda Hundred, without power to do anything. Butler had thus far proved himself a military governor, but when it came to taking an army in the field he was not competent; but had General Sheridan been placed in command, Richmond would have fallen and the war ended sooner, thereby saving thousands of lives; but those scenes are past, and errors that are now seen if known at the time could have been avoided. The enemy were now enabled to bring the most, if not all, of the re-enforcements brought from the South by Beauregard, against the army of the Potomac, and in addition to this a very considerable force was brought in, not less than 15,000 men, by calling in the scattered troops under Breckinridge from the western part of Virginia. The position at Bermuda Hundred was as easy to defend as it was difficult to operate against the enemy. Grant therefore determined to bring from it all available forces, leaving only enough to secure what had been gained, and accordingly on the 22d, the 18th army corps, under command of Major General W. F.

Smith, joined the army of the Potomac. On the 24th of May the 9th corps, which had been a temporary command, was a.s.signed to the army of the Potomac, and from that time forward const.i.tuted a portion of General Meade's command. Finding the enemy's position on the North Anna stronger than any of his previous ones, Grant ordered another flank movement on the night of the 26th to the north bank of the North Anna river, and moved via Hanovertown, to turn the enemy's position by his right, starting at dark and re-crossing at Jerico's Ford, marching seven miles and then halting in the morning at Chesterfield's Station to issue rations. Thus far our regiment had taken an active part in the campaign, losing a great many men. Leaving Chesterfield at seven o'clock, we marched during the day twenty miles, pa.s.sing Concord Church and Bowersville. Generals Torbert and Merritts' divisions of the cavalry, and the 6th corps were in advance, crossing the Pamunkey river at Hanovertown after considerable fighting, and on the 28th the two divisions of cavalry had a severe but successful engagement with the enemy near the river. On the 29th and 30th the troops advanced with heavy skirmishing to the Hanover Court House and Cold Harbor Road, and developed the enemy's position north of the Chickahominy. Late on the evening of the 31st the enemy came out and attacked our left, but were repulsed with considerable loss. An attack was immediately ordered by General Meade along the entire line, which resulted in driving the enemy from a part of his entrenched skirmish line. The 14th was on the skirmish line during the afternoon, and lost several in killed and wounded. Orderly Black of Co. I was shot in the heart and instantly killed; Col. Truex was slightly wounded in the hand, but remained on duty during the time; he was a brave officer and a fighting man, always at the head of his men when they were in action.

On the 31st General Wilson's division of cavalry destroyed the railroad bridges over the North Anna river, and defeated the enemy's cavalry.

General Sheridan on the same day reached Cold Harbor Road, and held it until relieved by the 6th corps and General Smith's command, which had just arrived via White House, from General Butler's army.

Grant had thus far failed to exterminate Lee, but, confident of success, he determined, using his own expression, to fight it out on this line if it took all summer. The 6th corps had thus far suffered severely in those terrible battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, losing over 10,000 men; but there was yet more to be done, as Lee was merely acting on the defensive, choosing his own position. On the morning of June 1st, 1864, the army was again ordered to move, the 6th corps in advance, starting at two o'clock a. m., and marching fifteen miles, relieving the cavalry at Cold Harbor; the roads were very dusty and the sun very warm; a heavy line of battle was formed during the afternoon; again the enemy were ahead of us and were strongly entrenched awaiting our approach; the cavalry had discovered their position and awaited our arrival. An attack was made at five o'clock, forming in four lines of battle, the 3d division being ahead, and the 14th New Jersey in the front line. A terrible battle was fought which lasted long after dark; the losses were very heavy on both sides; the 14th suffered severely, losing in the fight, in the short s.p.a.ce of two hours, two hundred and forty in killed and wounded; Lieutenant Stults, of Co. H, and Lieutenant Tingley, of Co.

E, were killed. Our men were compelled to fall back a short distance, entrenching during the night and building three lines of works. Firing continued during the night; a great many wounded had fallen between the lines unable to move, and lay all night under fire from both sides.

Robert Perrine, of Co. K, being wounded in the hip fell in a ravine, being unable to move; he was struck eight times while lying there and mortally wounded; he was brought in next morning, and died at the White House. The Colonel of the 106th New York was also killed, his body lay but a short distance off from our lines, but the firing being so heavy it was impossible to get to him. The other corps having been held in readiness now came up and formed under a heavy fire, the 9th corps on the extreme left, the 5th on the right, and the 2d, 6th and 18th in the centre. We were now but twelve miles from Richmond, and had, at an immense loss of life, succeeded in driving Lee steadily back from Mine Run. The dust and heat were almost intolerable and flies and lice were in abundance. The men were compelled to lie close, as skirmishing was continued day and night. During the attack the enemy made repeated a.s.saults on each of the corps not engaged in the main attack, but were repulsed with heavy losses in every instance. The 2d of June was spent in getting troops into position for an attack on the 3d, when the enemy's works were again a.s.saulted in hopes of driving them from their position; in the attempt our loss was heavy, the 14th again suffering severely. Both armies were very much weakened by repeated losses, the enemy acting only on the defensive. Over 350 men had been lost from the 14th since crossing the Rapidan, but one short month before, and more were yet to be lost ere the rebellion would be crushed. The troops remained in line at Cold Harbor twelve days, and forts were built, heavy lines of works erected, and a regular siege commenced. Firing was kept up by the pickets and sharpshooters day and night, the men lying close when not on duty; many were shot while going after water and cooking.

There was no place to wash and the weather was intensely hot; officers and men were covered with lice, huddled together as they were behind the works. Those twelve days were days that never will be forgotten; the sufferings of the men can never be told; it was death to stand up, as the bullets were continually flying through the air.

On the night of the 9th the enemy made an attack along the line, hoping to surprise our men, but they were handsomely repulsed by the 2d corps, driving them back from their first line of works. On the afternoon of the 6th a flag of truce was sent in by Lee requesting a suspension of hostilities for two hours, for the purpose of burying the dead between the lines; it was granted by General Meade, the pioneers were sent out and the wounded brought in, the dead being buried where they lay. But a few moments before both armies were engaged in hostile combat, now all was as still as death, the men talking with each other and exchanging papers, the Yankees trading sugar and coffee for tobacco; the works were lined with unarmed men, all gazing upon the solemn scene. The two hours soon pa.s.sed, the signal was given, the men rushed back to their arms, and the rattle of musketry was again commenced along the line, Lieut.

Tingly's body was recovered, but the body of Lieut Stults could not be found. The brigade was still commanded by Colonel Truex, the regiment by Lieut. Colonel Hall. The men were weary of the campaign, but there was no rest, it being Grant's determination to take Richmond. From the proximity of the enemy to their defences around Richmond it was impossible, by any flank movement, to interpose between them and the city. The army was still in a condition to either move by Lee's left flank and invest Richmond from the north side, or continue the move by his right flank to the south side of the James. Grant's plan from the start was to defeat Lee north of Richmond, if possible; then after destroying his lines of communication north of the James River, transport the army to the south side and besiege Lee in Richmond, or follow him south if he should retreat. After the battle of the Wilderness, it was evident that Lee deemed it of the first importance to run no risks with the army he then had, and acted fully on the defensive behind his works, or feebly on the offensive immediately in front of them, and in case of repulse could easily retire behind them. Without a greater sacrifice of life than Grant was willing to make, all could not be accomplished that he had desired north of Richmond; he therefore determined to hold the ground we then occupied, taking advantage of any favorable circ.u.mstances that might present themselves, until the cavalry could be sent to Charlottesville or Gordonsville to break the enemy's communications between Richmond and the southwest, and to cut off their supplies, compelling them in time to evacuate Richmond; when the cavalry got well off so that the enemy's cavalry would follow, to move the whole army south of the James by the enemy's right flank, and, if possible, cut off all supplies from all sources except by the ca.n.a.l.

On the 7th, two divisions of cavalry were sent under General Sheridan against the Virginia Central Railroad, to join with Hunter, who was then moving up the Shenandoah Valley. Seigel had met the enemy and was defeated by them with heavy loss, and was superseded by General Hunter.

Thus far the work of the three armies had been but one-half accomplished. From the start, Butler was to take Richmond and Petersburg; Siegel to move on Lynchburg, and the Potomac army to whip Lee. Butler and Siegel had both failed, and the Potomac Army, that had never yet failed, had thus far accomplished all that was desired of it, and was left to finish what the other armies could not do. When Sheridan started for Lynchburg he was instructed to again join the Potomac army, choosing his own route in returning, after fulfilling his instructions.

Attaching great importance to the possession of Petersburg, General Smith's command, the 18th army corps was sent back to Bermuda Hundred via White House, to reach there in advance of the army of the Potomac.

This was for the express purpose of capturing Petersburg, if possible, before the enemy became aware of our intentions and re-enforce the place. The 1st New Jersey regiment, whose term of office had now expired, were relieved from the front and sent home; they bade their comrades good-bye with happy hearts, soon to meet their loved ones at home. For three long years they had battled for their country, and their thinned ranks showed that they had suffered severely. The 14th had still fifteen months to serve, the hardest yet to come.

Finding that nothing more could be accomplished at Cold Harbor, the movement to the south side of the James commenced. After dark, on the night of the 12th, one division of cavalry under General Wilson, and the 5th corps, crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, and moved out to White Oak Swamp, to cover the crossing of the other corps. The advance Corps reached James River at Charles City Court House on the night of June 13th; the 6th corps was left to guard the rear and the trains; marching on the night of the 12th twenty miles, halting thirty-two miles from Richmond; on the morning of the 14th marched eight miles to Charles City Court House, halting at noon near the river and pitching tents; guarding the rear until the trains pa.s.sed; a pontoon bridge was laid, the troops crossing at Wyandott's Landing. The 3d division, the rear of the entire army, remaining on the banks of the James three days, until the trains had all pa.s.sed. The army had now joined with Butler and moved on Richmond. After the army had crossed, the pontoons were taken up, and the 3d division placed on transports, and after sailing 25 miles--a splendid moonlight night--we landed at Bermuda Hundred at three o'clock the next morning. The James is a splendid River. One year ago the 14th was on the cars riding to Harper's Ferry; now in the vicinity of Petersburg. After landing the division marched eight miles, halting at five o'clock near Butler's headquarters for breakfast; cannonading and musketry at the front; the army was now in position, having failed to capture Petersburg, were investing the place.

During three years the armies of the Potomac and Northern Virginia had been confronting each other. In that time they had fought more desperate battles than it had ever fell to the lot of two armies to fight, without materially changing the vantage ground of either. The southern press and people, with more shrewdness than was displayed in the north, finding that they had failed to capture Washington and march on to New York, as they had boasted they would do, a.s.sured that they only defended their capital and southern territory; hence Antietam, Gettysburg, and all the other battles that had been fought, were by them set down as failures on our part and victories for them. Their armies believed this, and it produced a morale which could only be overcome by desperate and continuous hard fighting. The battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor, b.l.o.o.d.y and terrible as they were on our side, were even more damaging to the enemy, and so crippled them as to make them wary ever after of taking the offensive. Their losses in men were probably not so great, owing to the fact that we were, save in the Wilderness, almost invariably the attacking party, and when they did attack it was in the open field. The details of those battles, which for endurance and bravery on the part of the soldiery, have rarely been surpa.s.sed, are too fresh in the minds of every one to be repeated again.

During the campaign of forty-three days from the Rapidan to James River, the army had to be supplied from an ever-shifting base by wagons, over narrow roads and through a densely wooded country, with a lack of wharves at each new base at which to conveniently discharge vessels. Too much credit cannot therefore be given to our chief quartermaster, as the trains were made to occupy all the available roads between the army and our water course, and but little difficulty was experienced in protecting them.

Before proceeding farther, it will be necessary to explain as briefly as possible why Petersburg was not taken. As soon as the crossing of the army commenced, Grant proceeded by steamer immediately to Bermuda Hundred to give the necessary orders for the capture of the place. The instructions to Butler were to send to General Smith immediately that night all the troops he could give him, without sacrificing the position he held. After remaining with Butler a few hours, he returned immediately to the Potomac Army to hasten the crossing, and throw it forward to Petersburg by divisions as rapidly as possible. We could thus re-enforce our army more rapidly there than the enemy could bring troops against us. General Smith got off as directed, and confronted the enemy's pickets near Petersburg before daylight the next morning, but for some reason did not get ready to a.s.sault their lines until near sundown; then, with a part of his command only, he made the a.s.sault, and carried the first line for a distance of two and a half miles, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and three hundred prisoners. This was about seven P. M. Between the line thus captured and Petersburg there was another line, and there was yet no evidence that the enemy had re-enforced Petersburg with a single brigade from any source. The night was clear, the moon shining brightly, and favorable to further operations. General Hanc.o.c.k, with two divisions of the 2d corps, reached General Smith soon after dark, but instead of taking those troops, and pushing at once into Petersburg, he lay quiet until morning, when the enemy under Beauregard came down from Richmond in force, and by the next morning the inner line of the works was fully manned by rebel troops. An attack was ordered the next morning, but failed, as the enemy were too strongly posted. The troops commenced entrenching, and a strong line of works was built around Petersburg.

The 5th and 9th corps had now arrived, and the attack was again renewed and persisted in with great fury, but only resulted in forcing the enemy to an interior line of works, from which they could not be dislodged; but the advantage gained in position by us was very great. The army then proceeded to envelope Petersburg towards the south side road as far as possible, without attacking their fortifications. The enemy, to re-enforce Petersburg, withdrew from a part of their entrenchments in front of Bermuda Hundred. Butler, taking advantage of this, at once moved a force on the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond. The 3d division was ordered to support Butler, if necessary, and was then lying in front awaiting orders. About two o'clock Butler was forced back, the enemy re-occupying their old line. As our division was not needed, we were ordered to join the balance of the corps that had preceded us.

On Sunday afternoon, June 19th, orders were issued. Accordingly at two o'clock the division started, marching ten miles and crossing the Appomattox River on pontoons. The evening was splendid; the boats sailing on the river all reminded us of home. The negro troops were guarding the bridge, their bands playing national airs as the columns pa.s.sed. At 11 o'clock the division halted near Petersburg, in full view of the city. The next day a negro was hung in presence of the army, for abusing a white lady. We remained in line the next day, the enemy sh.e.l.ling the train.

On the afternoon of the 21st, the corps was ordered to move and take position on the left, the 3d division in advance; pa.s.sed the 2d and 9th corps, marching six miles, and forming in line of battle to cut the enemy's communications, crossing the Norfolk railroad that had been taken possession of by General Smith, in the attempt to take Petersburg; lay in line of battle during the night, and advancing the next day, building works. The Weldon railroad was reached and torn up some distance. During the afternoon the enemy appeared in force, and succeeded in flanking us, capturing several from the division; about forty from the 14th were captured and several killed. At night the troops fell back, after destroying three miles of road. The headquarters of the 3d division was at the house of Brig.-General Williams, of the rebel army. A new line of works was soon erected, the men sleeping on their arms. The house of General Williams had been ransacked from top to bottom by the soldiers, carpets torn up and everything destroyed. A splendid piano was left in the house, and as several of the men could play, dancing and singing were kept up in a rude style for several hours.

On the 22d, General Wilson, with two divisions of cavalry from the army of the Potomac, and one division from the army of the James, moved against the enemy's railroads south of the James and southwest of Richmond, striking the Weldon railroad at Reams' Station, where he met and defeated a force of the enemy's cavalry, reaching Burksville Station on the afternoon of the 23d; and from there he destroyed the Danville railroad for a distance of twenty-five miles, where he found the enemy in position and was defeated with small loss. He then commenced his return march, and on the 28th met the enemy again in force on the Weldon Railroad, near Stony Creek; moving on the left, with a view of reaching Reams' Station, supposing it to be in our possession. Here he again engaged the enemy's cavalry supported by infantry, and was cut off with all communication, with the loss of his artillery and train. A Lieutenant and a few of his men cut their way through, and succeeded in reaching headquarters. Informing General Meade of the situation of General Wilson, orders were immediately issued to General Wright to take the 6th corps and move out to the support of Wilson; starting at three o'clock on the afternoon of July 29th, marched eight miles and halted for the night near Reams' Station, the enemy retiring, as their force was insufficient to cope with the cavalry and 6th corps.

Wilson was now extricated from his perilous position, and with the 6th corps remained at Reams' Station three days. The 14th New Jersey and 106th New York were detailed to destroy the railroad. General Wilson, with the remainder of his force, crossed the Nattoway River, coming in safely on our left and rear. The damage to the enemy in this expedition more than compensated for the losses sustained; it severed all connection with Richmond for several weeks. On the 13th of July the regiment was mustered in for the thirteenth time, for four months' pay, March, April, May and June, by Lieutenant-Colonel Hall. Our lines now extended a distance of over thirty miles, from Reams' Station to the Appomattox; the Potomac army lay behind extensive works that had been erected under fire. In the recent campaign our losses had been heavy, but still the army was large, as recruits and convalescents were continually arriving. Butler's army extended from the Appomattox to Deep Bottom, with cavalry on the flank and rear. It has been estimated that Grant lost from the Rapidan to Petersburg, eighty thousand men in killed and wounded. The losses of the enemy were not so great, as they were acting on the defensive behind their works.

It was supposed the enemy would make a grand attack on the morning of the 4th of July, and preparations were made to meet them. The morning dawned and the troops were all in line behind their works; the enemy's communications were in danger, and the Potomac army must be driven back; the morning pa.s.sed and not a shot was fired along the entire line. It was now evident that the enemy did not intend attacking, and the troops laid aside their arms. The weather was warm and the sand dry and hot.

The men laid off in their shelter tents thinking of former days, when the 4th was spent in a different manner. At noon General Butler, for the purpose of firing a salute, trained and shotted one hundred guns upon Petersburg, and the sh.e.l.ls were soon flying through the air; the enemy replied, and a lively cannonade was kept up until sunset.

General Hunter having been placed in command of the armies of Western Virginia, immediately took up the offensive, and moved up the Shenandoah Valley, where he met the enemy, routed and defeated them, and moved direct on Lynchburg, which place he reached on June 15th. Up to this time he was very successful, and but for the difficulty of taking with him sufficient ordnance stores over so long a march through a hostile country, he would no doubt have captured that important place. To meet this movement under Gen. Hunter, General Lee sent a force equal to a corps, a part of which reached Lynchburg before Hunter. After considerable skirmishing, Hunter, owing to a want of ammunition to give battle, retired back from the place, and moved back by the way of the Kanawha Valley; this lost to us the use of his troops for several weeks.

Immediately upon the enemy ascertaining that Hunter was retreating from Lynchburg by way of the Kanawha River, thus laying the Shenandoah Valley open for raids into Maryland and Pennsylvania, he moved down that Valley. It was at first supposed to be only a small force of the enemy, and General Wallace, with a brigade of one hundred days' men and detachments from the Invalid corps, was sent to Monocacy Bridge. Their advance, consisting of a few guerillas under the notorious Harry Gillmore, were met and driven back. The troops in the Potomac army were all lying in front of Petersburg, under fire day and night, preparing to besiege the place.

At two o'clock on the morning of July 6th the bugle sounded, and the troops were ordered to fall in and prepare to move, the 3d division being ordered to Harper's Ferry; the men were glad to go, as they were tired of lying in the sand. At four o'clock the division started, and marched fifteen miles to City Point, the dust and sand so thick that nothing could be seen, the men being completely covered and no water could be had; this march was very tiresome to the men, numbers falling out on the way. City Point was reached at noon, and the men were placed on transports, and new clothing was issued. The 14th Regiment and 151st New York were placed on a splendid steamboat called the Sylvan Sh.o.r.e, the men enjoying the sail very much, a distance of three hundred miles, pa.s.sing Fortress Monroe, Point Lookout, and the Rip Raps. The scenery along the river was grand; they landed at Locust Point near Baltimore on the morning of the 8th, at five o'clock. Rumors were now in circulation, and the people of the North were alarmed for the safety of our National Capitol, for instead of a few guerillas as was first supposed, it was a grand raid of the enemy in force on an extensive scale. So silently and secretly had this movement been conducted, that none were aware of the magnitude of the invasion. Major General Jubal Early, with a force of thirty thousand veteran troops, had taken possession of Martinsburg.

General Seigel, who was in command of our forces there, retreated across the Potomac to Shepardstown, and General Weber, commanding at Harper's Ferry, crossed the river and occupied Maryland Heights. On the 6th the enemy occupied Hagerstown, moving a strong column toward Frederick City.

The 3d division, under General Ricketts, numbering but five thousand men, were placed immediately on baggage cars and forwarded to Monocacy, the first train carrying the 87th Pennsylvanian and 14th New Jersey. The enemy were now in force at Frederick City. The Baltimore American was issued that day with the following address to the public: "That Ricketts' division had arrived from the Potomac army; that the 14th New Jersey and 87th Pennsylvania had reached Monocacy, and with such veteran regiments as these nothing more need be feared" from the then supposed guerillas. The remainder of the division was forwarded as rapidly as possible, reporting to Gen. Wallace, then in chief command. Fourteen months had elapsed since the 14th regiment had left Monocacy Bridge, but the place looked natural; none dreamed that on the morrow a terrible battle would be fought on the old camping ground; gra.s.s and weeds had grown in abundance, and scarcely a vestige of the former camp could be seen. The regiment with the troops that lay there, marched up to Frederick City, and then around a circuit of ten miles, but nothing of the enemy could be seen, and halting at ten o'clock, near the bridge, in line of battle.

Sat.u.r.day, July 19th, 1834, will long be remembered by the Jersey boys.

The remainder of the division with General Ricketts and staff had arrived, and orders were issued to form the men in line and prepare to repel an attack, as it was now discovered that instead of a small force it was a corps of rebels thirty thousand strong. To retreat would only result in the capture of Washington and Baltimore, and it was determined by Generals Wallace and Ricketts to hold Monocacy Bridge at all hazards, and to r.e.t.a.r.d the advance of the enemy as much as possible until re-enforcements would arrive. Just one year had pa.s.sed since the 14th joined the Potomac army, and during that time we lost a great number of men.

At 9 o'clock the enemy's advanced skirmishers made their appearance; our skirmishers had crossed the river, and advanced with promptness to meet them. After a short time it was found impossible to withstand the enemy, as they out-numbered us six to one. Our skirmishers were driven back across the river, and the battle began, the enemy opening with several pieces of artillery; the battle raged terribly for eight long hours. The enemy crossed the river, driving our men steadily back, and coming up in four lines of battle thirty thousand strong. Our little band of five thousand men fought as if everything depended upon the issue, several times driving the enemy back, strewing the ground with rebel dead, and not until flanked right and left did the men fall back. The boys from the 14th fought n.o.bly, but with regret saw that they must retreat. The regiment being on the extreme left of the line suffered severely; Lieut.-Col. Hall, Adjutant Buckalew and several officers were wounded; Captains Stullts, Kanine and Conover were killed, and every officer, both field and line, was either killed or wounded except Captain J. J.

Janeway of Co. K. The command of the regiment devolved upon him, and he fought bravely, leading the men on. The one hundred days' men would not fight, but ran in all directions panic-struck, some of them reaching Baltimore, fifty-eight miles distant, without halting.

Eight long hours had pa.s.sed, the enemy were pressing on all sides, and it soon became evident that unless we retreated all would be lost. At four o'clock the order was given to fall back, which was done in order, the men disputing every inch of the ground; we had but four pieces of artillery, and that without ammunition. The enemy poured grape and cannister into our retreating columns, mowing down the men like gra.s.s.

More than one-half of the division were killed and wounded; several hid in the woods and were captured next day. It was now every man for himself; knapsacks, haversacks, and even canteens were thrown away. The main force of the enemy moved on the Georgetown Pike to Washington, the cavalry and a portion of the infantry following the retreating column as far as New Market, six miles distance. It was a hard fought battle, but what could five thousand men do against thirty thousand? Capt. Harris, from Co. C, was twice wounded, and was again struck while being helped to an ambulance; several staff officers were also wounded, among them Capt. King, adjutant general of the division. Capt. Janeway was wounded in the shoulder shortly after taking command, and was forced to leave; the regiment was now without a commander. Several recruits had arrived after the battle of Cold Harbor, and the regiment was partly filled, entering the fight with three hundred and fifty men; but ninety-five came out, two hundred and fifty-five being killed, wounded and captured in that terrible battle. Of the nine hundred and fifty men that left New Jersey, but ninety-five were left for duty, on the night of July 9th, without an officer to command them. The other regiments suffered greatly, but none of them losing as many men as the 14th. The news had reached Baltimore and Washington that the enemy were pressing on and preparations were made for an immediate defence, the citizens turning out in vast numbers entrenching. The cities were proclaimed under martial law and none allowed to leave. Time and again had the 14th regiment drilled battalion and skirmish drills over the same hills, little thinking that a terrible battle would be fought, and that the regiment would suffer as it did. Although it resulted in a defeat to our arms, it detained the enemy, and thereby served to enable Gen. Wright to reach Washington with the two remaining divisions of the 6th corps, which had been sent as soon as Gen. Grant was aware of the enemy's movement.

The 19th army corps from General Banks' command had been sent to reinforce the Potomac army, but were immediately sent north with the 6th army corps, together with the 8th army corps that had lain along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad as guards. In a few hours a large army had a.s.sembled at Washington, with the citizens of the place and every foot of ground guarded; every avenue bristling with cannon. It was three days march for the enemy from Moncacy and in that time Washington was in a state of defence; all the forts were manned and the heavy guns loaded and shotted. Citizens were armed and formed in companies, all work being suspended. The remnant of the division reached the Baltimore pike, retreating rapidly toward Baltimore, marching all night, pa.s.sing through New Market, Mount Airy and several small villages along the route; reaching Ellicott's Mills on Sunday afternoon, having marched fifty-five miles without resting. Harry Gillmore, with two hundred rebel cavalry, had advanced as far as the railroad, destroying it between Baltimore and Washington, capturing a train of cars and a mail and severing all communication for two days; there was no Union cavalry near and they did as they pleased. Frederick City was filled with rebel wounded, as our boys had made every shot tell; if the first line was missed they were sure to hit one of the rear lines. Two hundred thousand dollars was demanded from the citizens, or the place would be laid in ashes; the amount was paid by the banks; the city was pillaged and the houses robbed. From Monocacy, the enemy having moved on Washington, reached Rockville on the evening of the 10th.