WE LEAVE PLYMOUTH.
On the 8th of December the regiment embarked on the schooner
Skirmisher for Newbern, arriving there on the evening of the 10th. We were
right glad to once more get back to camp, where we could clean ourselves up and
get a change of clothing, but were much more glad to find mail and express
matter from home. We were not, however, overjoyed to find an order awaiting us
to be ready early in the morning to start on a long and rapid march, but having
become accustomed to adapting ourselves to circumstances, the order was soon
forgotten and we were absorbed in our letters and papers, after which the
contents of the boxes were attended to. There was a generous quantity of
goodies from the loved ones at home, some of which are of a perishable nature;
what shall we do with them? We go off in the morning, and the Lord knows when
we shall come back if we ever do. There are no taps tonight, and the candles
burn long and well, so we sit down and gorge ourselves until we can eat no
more, putting aside what we think will keep until we get back, and crowding as
much as we can that remains into our haversacks. We next attend to a change of
clothing, and by morning are ready for a start. I wear my best clothes,
thinking if I should happen to become a guest at the Hotel de Libby, I should
like to appear respectable.
GOLDSBORO EXPEDITION.
During our stay at Plymouth, large reinforcements of troops
arrived at Newbern. These troops consisted of Gen. Wessell's brigade of six
regiments of New York and Pennsylvania troops, and the 8th, 43d, 45th, 46th and
51st Massachusetts regiments of nine months' troops. They were to join in an
expedition under Gen. Foster, against Goldsboro and the Wilmington and Weldon
railroad; the object being to destroy that road, thus preventing reinforcements
reaching Gen. Lee at Fredericksburg, where Gen. Burnside was about making an
assault. This part of the plan was successfully carried out, but too late to be
of any use to Burnside, as he made his attack three days before we reached and
destroyed the road. Although Gen. Foster started the moment his troops arrived,
it was about a week too late.
The division consisted of four brigades, the 1st under
command of Brig. Gen. Wessell; the 2d, Col. Amory; 3d, Col. Stevenson; 4th,
Col. Lee; with the 3d New York cavalry and eleven batteries of artillery, and
the wagon and ambulance train. The whole made a force of about 20,000 men, and
when the procession was in line of march it covered a distance of about seven
miles. Col. Heckman, with his 9th New Jersey regiment, was a kind of
independent corps, he taking the contract to lead the advance and clear the
way. The expedition started on the morning of Dec. 11, and about noon Col.
Lee's brigade fell in on the left, the 25th being in this brigade and 18th
regiment in the column. We marched this day about 12 miles, getting into camp
late in the evening. This bivouac was on an extensive plain, and was covered
with troops, horses, mules and wagons, and in the dim moonlight, its thousand
camp fires made a grand illumination. It was not long after supper before the
men were all rolled up in their blankets asleep, and on that cold December
night, as I looked over that field and saw by the glare of its many camp fires,
those thousands of brave, self-sacrificing men lie stretched upon the ground, I
could but think that the bright spirits of the immortal band of American
patriots hovered over that camp and looked down approvingly upon our efforts to
sustain that government and these institutions for which they had sacrificed
and suffered so much to establish.
On the morning of the 12th the march was resumed, but was
necessarily slow as the roads were badly obstructed. In one swamp, for a
distance of three miles, the trees were thickly felled across the road, making
a forenoon's job for Capt. Wilson and his pioneer corps to clear away. They had
no sooner finished this job when another presented itself in building a bridge
across a creek, which took nearly all the afternoon. The 25th crossed this
bridge about dark, and a little farther on saw lights ahead. We now thought we
were nearing camp and we began to cheer up, thinking our day's work nearly over,
but on coming to the camp fires, we found only the 51st Massachusetts, Cul.
Sprague, and a battery left here at the junction of the main road leading to
Kinston, with orders to hold it until noon the next day, while the column moved
up the old or back road towards Southwest creek. Finding this was not our hotel
we took fresh courage and pushed on. A few miles farther brought us into camp.
It was a cold night, and being nearly the last in we found
the rails and wood had all been appropriated; we must either go without fires
or go half a mile for fuel. We went for it, and after a hard scramble succeeded
in getting a partial supply, enough however, with prudence, to go through the
night and make our morning's coffee. Our march this day was only about ten
miles.
Next morning we took an early start. A mile or two up the
road, another road branched to the right, leading to Kinston. Here the 16th
Massachusetts, Col. Shurtliff, with a battery were left to hold it. About the
middle of the forenoon firing was heard in the advance; Col. Heckman had got a
job. He found the enemy in considerable force at Southwest creek, and with his
own and one or two other regiments succeeded in driving them out, capturing one
gun. This Southwest creek, like all other battle grounds the enemy selects, is
a swamp about half a mile wide, with a small creek running through it. We
halted early in the afternoon, to let the teams, which were stuck all along the
road, come up:
We were now about five miles from Kinston. The infantry
bivouacked on the left side of the road, on which was a growth of small pines,
making a nice, clean camp-ground. The batteries and teams, as fast as they came
up, were parked in the open field on the right. The cavalry, which we had not
seen for two days, were playing a lone hand, and were scouting around over the
country, making tents and bothering the enemy. Under the pines we make soft beds,
and at dark kindle the fires, make coffee, eat our suppers and go to bed,
expecting in the morning our further progress up the country will be vigorously
disputed.
All was quiet during the night, and early in the morning of
Sunday, the 14th, the camp was astir. The general ordered that in order to
lighten the teams, every man take three days' rations and 60 rounds of extra
ammunition. While this was being dealt out, some one suggested that the teams
could be still further lightened by issuing a ration of whiskey. Acting on that
suggestion, the liquor was ordered, and there was far less complaint about
taking it than there was in taking the extra ammunition. Breakfast over, the
chaplain offered prayer, after which a hymn was sung; we then filed into the
road and commenced the march. The advance was well up the road, and we began to
hear firing ahead. As we drew nearer it became more distinct and there was more
of it. Wessell's and Amory's brigades were hotly engaged, and the roar of
artillery gave notice that the batteries were not silent spectators.
We hurried on and soon met the stretcher corps bringing out
the dead and wounded men. This to me was a sickening sight, to see men with
pallid faces, writhing with pain and blood dripping from the stretchers. I know
not how it is with others, but there is nothing that so completely takes the
pith out of me when going into action as this. I want to get engaged before
seeing the dead or wounded; after that I do not mind so much about it.
The enemy, under command of Gen. Evans, was in strong force
and posted on the south side of the river near Kinston, commanding the road
that led through a thick, wet swamp some half a mile wide. This swamp prevented
our batteries from working with much accuracy, consequently the fight became an
infantry one. Wessell's and Amory's brigades pushed into the swamp and engaged
them in front, while the other regiments as they came up were posted on the
right, to prevent a flank movement, or to make one ourselves if necessary. The 25th,
with Morrison's battery, were drawn up in line of battle on an open field near
the river, to the left of the swamp. As the battle was confined to the swamp in
front, we were not under fire at all. The battle lasted about three hours, when
our troops got through the swamp and charged on them. The 9th New Jersey led
the charge, followed by Wessell's and Stevenson's brigades. They charged them
across the river and through the town, capturing eleven pieces of artillery and
300 prisoners. After which they shelled them, driving them up the country, out
of sight and hearing. In this battle the enemy numbered about 8000, with
several batteries of artillery. We had no means of knowing their loss, but it
must have been considerable; they got off most of their wounded and probably
some of their dead.
When Lee's brigade got on the battle-ground, it was halted,
and burying parties were detailed to bury the enemy's dead which here covered
the ground. This ground was hard and considerably higher than the swamp; in the
midst of a pretty grove of trees stood an old church. The boys did not take
very kindly to this burying business, as they were in a hurry to get into town
and secure their share of the spoils, but the job hard to be done, and they
went about it with a will. They dug trenches a little more than two feet deep,
and in these the dead were placed, with the capes of their overcoats wound
around their heads; over those not having overcoats, pine boughs were thrown
and all were covered over with earth. Our loss in this battle was about 200,
some 50 of whom were killed, the t5th Massachusetts sharing largely in the
loss. About dark we marched into a field a short distance south of the town,
where we were to bivouac. Now commenced the destruction of fences and old buildings
for fires, and after supper parties went up town to look over the prize, and
late in the evening began to return bringing in their plunder. One party had
been very successful; they came in hauling an express wagon loaded with'
tobacco, cigars, apple-jack, scuppernong wine, pigs, etc. Of course a dividend
was struck, and all that wanted, had a share in the tobacco and cigars, with a
drink or two of the wine and apple-jack. This was a pretty good Sunday's job.
Next morning, the 15th, the division was again on the move,
destroying the road and railroad bridges over the Neuse river as left. We
marched up the river road about 18 miles, getting into camp late in the evening, having met with no obstacles
during the day. Here again was a scramble for rails and wood for fires; all the
rails near by were gone, and we had to tote ours about a quarter of a mile. The
fires kindled, making coffee was in order; after a twenty mile tramp and toting
rails for fires, as they stood around them, roasting one side and freezing the
other, the boys are not feeling very viable. If there is any one thing more
than another that will draw the cuss-words out of them, it is when a dozen cups
of coffee are sitting along a burning rail boiling, and some careless fellow comes
along, hits the end of the rail, dumping it all over. It is not the loss of the
coffee they care so much about, but it is going perhaps half a mile for water
to make more. It is of no sort of use to send a darky for it in the night, as
he would not find his way back before morning.
On the morning of the 16th it was reported the enemy were in
force across the river at a place called Whitehall, about three or four miles
from where we were, and where they were building a steam ram. Of course that
must be attended to, and when we left our bivouac, the ball had opened and
heavy firing was heard ahead. Lee's brigade hurried on and an hour's march
brought us to the scene of conflict. A road turned to the right, leading down
to the river, where our batteries were at work. The 25th was ordered down this
road, but when about half way down, and only a short distance in rear of the
batteries, were ordered to halt and wait further orders. An artillery duel was
being fought, our batteries on the south side of the river and the enemy's on
the north, with the bridge up that here crossed the river. We hail ten
batteries engaged, and the enemy had what we had not captured at Kinston. The
roar of artillery, screaming shot and bursting shell was fearful. The enemy had
sharpshooters along the river bank, who were rather troublesome to our
artillerists, and to meet them men were called for from our regiments; Major
Pickett was called on for 100. He asked for volunteers and more than half the
regiment stepped forward for the service. I didn't volunteer; I never do; I rather
pride myself on not committing a great amount of foolishness in this business.
The 100 were soon off for the river, where they took available positions and
did good service. In this engagement they had one killed and three wounded.
After nearly three hours the fire began to slacken and the enemy drew off. The
steam ram on the river, which was said to be quite a formidable craft, was then
blown up and destroyed. It will be rather discouraging to attempt the building
of any more rams at this navy-yard. The army then moved up the road, getting
into camp, about night, and some seven or eight miles from Goldsboro. Early in
the morning of the 17th, Lee's brigade took the advance, and after a march of
five or six miles, the scouts reported the enemy in the woods near the railroad
and bridge which crosses the river about two miles below Goldsboro. We were now
in their immediate neighborhood. The column was halted, a regiment sent out as
skirmishers and a battery advanced and took position on a knoll of ground, a
little to the left and front of the column, and commenced shelling the woods.
This had the effect of stirring them up, so we knew where they were. The
infantry and batteries were ordered forward, and marched into position in front
of the enemy, covering the railroad and bridge. After some skirmishing, at
about 10 a. m., the battle commenced and continued with short intermissions
until the middle of the afternoon, at which time we had silenced the enemy's guns
and driven them from the field. We burned the railroad bridge, and with the help
of the cavalry tore up and burned ten or twelve miles of track and tressel work
of the Wilmington and Weldon railroad. Gen. Foster then said the object had
been accomplisherl, and ordereil a retreat, Lee's brigade being ordered to
cover it. It was near sunset when we left the field, Morrison's New York and
Belger's Rhode Island batteries alone remaining on a knoll of ground which they
had occupied during the battle, waiting for us to get away, when they would
follow. After leaving the field, we crossed the bed of a small creek about 20
feet wide, with scarcely any water, but with steep banks, except at the ford,
where they slopeit down to admit crossing.
Crossing this creek, we halted at a farm house a little way
off to load our dead and wounded men into ambulances. While doing it a battery
officer dashed up exclaiming, “For God's sake, send us an old regiment! The
enemy are charging our batteries! Quick! hurry up!” The 27th and 25th
Massachusetts were on the left or rear of the column, and immediately faced
about and started on the double quick for the batteries. In the meantime, while
our troops were leaving the field, the enemy had been reinforced, and, seeing
the batteries alone, and perhaps thinking they might be out of ammunition,
thought it would be a nice little trick to capture them. In going to the relief
of the batteries we had to run a gauntlet of shot and shell from a six-pounder
battery out in the woods, a little to the left and front of our batteries, who
were supporting their charging brigade. We went to Belger's support, and the
27th to Morrisson's. In the meantime the batteries had opened fire on the
charging columns but without checking them. When we came up they were coming
across the railroad; but another discharge from the guns, and seeing their
support, the enemy thought they had taken too much of a job, and facing about
they put for the woods.
That little battery out in the woods was wonderfully active,
shying their shot and shell thick and fast. Fortunately their guns had a high
elevation, and the shot went several feet above our heads. They soon, corrected
that, however, and the shot began to come lower. Capt. Belger ordered us to lie
down, I am always quick to hear that order, and was the first man down. They
had now got their range well down, the shot just skimming over us, one shell
had burst in front of us, killing one man and wounding two others. They had a
splendid range on me as I lay in the rear of my company. About once a minute a
shot would come directly over me, striking the ground only a few feet in the
and what made it more provoking, they kept getting them lower, until I had flatted
out as thin as a sheet of tissue paper. I could stand this no longer, and told
the boys in front of me that those shot were coming dangerously close, and they
had better make a break by crowding a little to the right and left. I pushed
along about ten feet to the left and would liked to have pushed about ten miles
to the rear. That movement was barely executed when a shot ploughed a furrow
through the space they had made. But that was their last shot, for after the
charging column had turned, the guns were turned on that battery, and
annihilated it at the first discharge, or at least, I supposed that was the
case, as we heard nothing more from it. It was now after sunset and peace once
more reigned in Warsaw.
We waited awhile to see if they wanted anything more of us,
and finding they did not, we again drew off the field. On coming to the little
creek, which we had crossed dry shod an hour before, we now found a roaring
torrent running bankfull, with barrels, rails and pieces of timber borne on the
surface of its swift current. We had got to go through' it, and the boys,
holding their rifles, cartridge boxes and blankets above their heads, waded in.
The water was waist deep, and when my company went in I waited on the bank,
thinking I would step into the rear as they passed by, but I made a wrong
calculation of the bank. When I stepped in, I went in all over, and in trying
to recover myself, I let go my cartridge box, blanket and Spitfire, but caught
the last between my knees, and commenced ducking to get it. The major was
standing on the bank, cautioning the boys to keep their powder dry. When he
happened to observe me going through my aquatic performances he yelled
vociferously: "What in hell are you doing there? Why don't you keep your
powder up out of the water?” I paid no attention to him, but kept reaching for
Spitfire, and every time I reached for it, the current would nearly take me off
my feet. After I had succeeded in fishing it out, I turned my attention to the
major, and answered his little conundrum by asking him what in hell powder was
good for without Spitfire? The major laughed and jumping on a gun carriage was
ferried across. I was a little the worst off of the lot for I was thoroughly
soaked, as were also all my belongings.
The night was freezing cold and in our wet clothes we felt
it very sensibly.
A mile march brought us to the woods, which were some four
or five miles through, and on the other side was our last night's bivouac. The
advance troops had set the woods on fire and when we went through, it was a
roaring mass of flame.
This served us a good turn, as it lighted up the road and
kept us warm.
We reached our bivouac late in the evening, wet, cold, tired
and hungry, but our day's work was not yet done. If we wanted fires and hot
coffee, we must go half a mile for rails and tote them in on our shoulders. We
brought in a good supply and soon had our coffee boiling. Our wagons were bare
of meat and whiskey, and our supper consisted of coffee and hardtack.
Through the long, weary night, wet, cold and hungry, we
stood shivering over the fires. Gladly we hailed the first grey streaks of dawn
and took fresh courage, knowing we should soon be on the road for home. At
sunrise the whole army was in motion, on the road for Newbern, where we arrived
a little after noon on Sunday, the 21st, nearly dying from hunger and
exhaustion.
When we started on this expedition it was thought the wagons
contained an ample supply of rations, but our march country was so imported by
blocked roads and so vigorously contested that it was prolonged beyond what was
anticipated; besides it was an awful poor section of country for pigs, chickens
and apple-jack. On this little excursion, Gen. Foster's army has been out ten
days, marching 150 miles, cutting out several miles of blockade roads, building
one bridge, doing considerable skirmishing, whipping the enemy three times on
their own ground, besides other mischief, such as burning the railroad bridge
at Goldsboro, burning a train of cars and smashing up an engine at Mount Olive
station, some ten miles down the road from the battle ground, and also tearing
up the track between the two points. This last deviltry the 3d New York cavalry
is accountable for. There was also burned a quantity of cotton, several houses,
barns and many thousands of dollars' worth of fencing and timber. A very clever
little job for one trip, but the results would have been greater had it been
done two weeks sooner; it would then have greatly hindered the reinforcing of
Gen. Lee at Fredericksburg. However, there can no blame be laid to Gen. Foster,
as he started on the execution of his orders as soon as the troops arrived.
MAJOR PICKETT.
Our little major since the two last tramps has become very
popular in his regiment, and I expect when the eagles light on his shoulders we
shall feel pretty proud of him. He is a staving good fellow, and in a fight is
always on the lead, inspiring the men with cowage by his coolness and daring.
On the road he is equally good, letting the boys have it pretty much their own
way, never troubling himself about how they came by their chickens and
apple-jack, and is often seen trudging along on foot, letting some sick or
footsore soldier ride his giraffe.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the
25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 77-84
