May 29, 1862.
I am going to start to give you a detailed account of what
has transpired during the last week; whether I shall be interrupted or not, I
cannot tell. Last Friday, after dress parade, I went out for my usual ride with
Jim Savage. We met an artillery man, who cautioned us about riding outside of
the camps, as they had just had a man shot by guerillas within a short distance
of camp, and several others had been fired at. This shortened our ride. No
sooner were we back at camp than we heard of an attack at Front Royal. The
Third Wisconsin of our brigade was immediately ordered over there. At half-past
two that same night, we were roused and ordered to strike tents and pack wagons
at once. From that time till daylight, we sat around waiting further orders;
none came till Saturday at ten A. M., when the whole division started down
towards Winchester. After marching five or six miles, one of Banks' aides came
galloping back from the front to order up a battery, saying that the enemy were
right ahead of us attacking the wagon train. We halted for a short time, but
the alarm proved to be false; only one wagoner had been shot by a guerilla, but
this was sufficient for Banks to make up his mind that the wagons were safer
behind than in front.
We kept on in this way till the town of Newtown was passed.
Soon after, we halted, and a section of Cathran's and a section of Best's
batteries were sent to the rear. In less than fifteen minutes a brisk
cannonading commenced, and our regiment and the Twenty-seventh Indiana were
ordered double quick towards the sound of it. We found the wagon train in a
perfect heap in and on each side of the road, some wagons tipped over, and a
great many deserted by their drivers. The men were allowed here to take off
their knapsacks and overcoats which were left piled up in the field under a
guard. The rebel cavalry ran as soon as we deployed, leaving a good many killed
and wounded by our shells. The enemy were drawn up (how many we do not know)
just beyond Newtown, with cavalry stretching out on each flank; they commenced
the skirmish by shelling us; the second shell wounded two men of Company A. We
took up a good position on each side of them, with the artillery on each flank.
We fought here with our artillery for nearly two hours until our wagon train
was fairly started and most of it in Winchester. Then, just as it began to get
dark, the artillery and the Twenty-seventh Indiana filed away and left us alone
to cover the retreat to Winchester. Companies A, B, C and D were thrown out as
skirmishers; hardly were we out of town than the enemy's cavalry and artillery
dashed in, with a tremendous yell of triumph. They attacked us at once. We fell
back without any hurry, firing all the time, till we got to a little bridge the
other side of Cairnstown, where half the regiment made a stand while the other
half got their knapsacks. The rebels here closed right around us; they were so
near we heard every order, and were able to make our dispositions accordingly.
There was not a word spoken in our regiment, by officer or man, above a
whisper, and it was so dark that nothing could be seen except by the flashes of
our muskets. Finally, we heard the order given to the rebel cavalry to “Charge!”
A square was instantly formed in the road, and the skirmishers rallied on each
side. The rebels came thundering down the road, literally making the ground
shake. Not a shot was fired until they were within fifty yards of us, when
Major Dwight gave the order, “Rear rank, aim! fire! load! Front rank, aim!
fire! Charge bayonets!” But the bayonets were not needed. Men and horses were
rolled over together, breaking the charge and sending them back in confusion.
This was the last attack of their cavalry that night; they
fell back and their infantry took their place. The firing here was very heavy,
but we finally drove them back again after losing about twenty of our men
killed and wounded. The men had now all got their knapsacks, and we again
started back. All of the wounded that could walk were sent on ahead towards
Winchester, but nine had to be carried into a house to wait for ambulances.
Colonel Andrews wouldn't abandon these, so we halted again, throwing out a
strong guard in every direction. It was now eleven o'clock, the men were tired
out, having been up for twenty-four hours. They sank right down in the road and
a great many went to sleep, I among the rest. I don't know how long it was, but
we were awakened by a tremendous volley being poured into us from almost every
side, and for about a minute I could hardly collect myself, but I gave the
orders for my platoon, which was then in the rear, to “dress, face about and
fire!” I lost two men by their volley, both badly wounded. We were obliged to
abandon our dead and wounded here and Doctor Leland was taken prisoner.
At one A. M., Sunday morning, we reached the bivouac of our
brigade, stacked arms, lay down tired enough, to get a short sleep. Our total
loss that night was somewhere about twenty or thirty. Company I suffered the
most severely, losing about twelve.
I have been as minute as possible in describing this fight
because I believe that we saved the entire train from destruction and kept the
whole rebel force in check. Great credit is due to Colonel Gordon, Colonel
Andrews and Major Dwight; the latter especially displayed the most perfect
bravery and coolness. The men never obeyed better on drill or parade than they
did under the hottest fire; they behaved splendidly throughout the whole.
At daylight on Sunday, our cavalry picket was driven in and
soon afterwards the infantry; still no orders arrived as to the disposition of
our brigade. Finally, after the rebel infantry began to deploy, Colonel Gordon
would wait no longer and ordered us into line. On the right, the Second
Massachusetts succeeded by the Wisconsin Third, Pennsylvania Twenty-ninth,
Indiana Twenty-seventh, then came Colonel Donnelly's brigade consisting of the
Fifth Connecticut, Forty-sixth Pennsylvania, and Twenty-eighth New York. In
all, seven regiments not averaging six hundred men apiece. We had three
first-rate batteries, and one or two regiments of cavalry that might just as
well have been at home for all we saw of them. We had no sooner taken arms and
faced to the right, than the infantry commenced firing. Not many of our men
were hit, and we moved steadily on till we reached our appointed place.
Meanwhile, the batteries on each side were keeping up an incessant roar. We
attacked the two regiments opposite our position and drove them away. Two
companies, G and D, were then deployed as skirmishers to attack the battery in
front of us; their fire was so well directed that the guns were abandoned by
the gunners, but the rebel infantry pressed them (Companies D and G) so closely
that they were withdrawn by Colonel Andrews' order just as the Twenty-ninth
Pennsylvania and the Twenty-seventh Indiana came up to their support. These
latter fired a few volleys; then, as two rebel regiments came out of the woods,
prepared to charge them, but before they had fairly started, seven more
regiments emerged from the woods stretching almost down to Winchester. The
firing was then tremendous, and, I am sorry to say, the Twenty-seventh Indiana
broke and ran, every man for himself. The Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania filed off
in good order at the double quick. Colonel Andrews gave the order: “Attention!
battalion! About face! By company right wheel!” We marched away from the enemy
in ordinary time, company front, in the most perfect order. The rebels
instantly took our former position and commenced a pelting fire; they were
within short range, yet almost all their shots went over our heads, otherwise
our regiment would have been destroyed. It was cruel to see our poor fellows
shot through the back and pitch forward on to their faces, as we marched down
the hill. As soon as we reached the town, we took the first street on our right
hand, and there formed line. Then it seemed to be first discovered how
completely we were outflanked and the strong probability that, in a few
minutes, their artillery would be posted in our rear, cutting off all avenues
of retreat.
We were then again faced to the left and started on the
double quick through the town. Meanwhile, the enemy had gained the Martinsburgh
pike parallel to the street we were on, and were pouring a heavy fire on us
through the side streets, and numbers of men fell dead here that can only be
accounted for as missing.
After getting out of town, they again began with their
artillery, throwing grape and canister. Here the retreat was better organized:
the whole division formed into five parallel columns, two or three hundred
yards apart, all going on the double quick. We continued this for a considerable
distance when, having passed all their flanking batteries, the lines were
closed in more to the centre, the artillery and cavalry formed in the rear, and
we went on in ordinary time. This was the last I saw of any fighting, although
there was a constant firing in the rear of us. We marched twenty-three miles to
Martinsburgh without a halt. There we rested for about ten minutes, then
marched on to the Potomac, thirteen miles further. We brought up here between
seven and eight o'clock P. M., after twelve hours' incessant marching. From
twelve o'clock Saturday noon till seven o'clock Sunday night, we had marched sixty
miles,* been in two severe fights, had only three hours' rest, and had scarcely
a particle of food.
Our loss in the regiment, as well as it can be ascertained
to-day (Friday), is nineteen killed, forty-seven wounded, eighty-three missing.
None are considered killed unless they were seen dead by some one. We were the
last regiment that left the field from the right flank, and the very last in Winchester.
I forgot to say that the United States storehouses were in flames as we passed
by them, and the heat was perfectly terrible. The loss in our company was
eleven.
Monday morning at three o'clock, I was roused by the
Adjutant and ordered to report with Company B, together with Companies A, K,
and E, and two companies of the Third Wisconsin, to Lieutenant Colonel Pinckney
of the Third Wisconsin, to act as rear guard and support to a section of
Cathran's battery and some cavalry, while the wagon train and troops crossed
the river. We were in this responsible place till Wednesday night, when we were
relieved. It was a most anxious time, as the enemy, in what force we did not
know, were within a mile of us and we were receiving constant alarms from our
cavalry. The first night, we kept our men under arms all the time, tired as
they were. However, we got safely across Wednesday night, and I had the
pleasure of taking my shoes and clothes off and getting a little quiet sleep
for the first time since last Friday night.
Our greatest loss is the poor Major, but he may turn up yet.
The men think everything of him and speak constantly of the “bully little
Major.” Captain Mudge is at Frederick, shot through the leg. Lieutenant
Crowninshield is at Williamsport, shot in the leg.
_______________
* The actual distance from Strasburg to the Potomac is 54
miles, but including countermarching and movements on the field, the total
distance marched was not much less than 60 miles.
SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written
During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 57-64
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