OPENING THE GREAT
WILDERNESS BATTLES.
Before day bugles
blowed, drums beat; men get ready to march. At dawn troops were moving; at
sunrise our division marched. A mile out we discovered indications of the
enemy. More skirmishers are thrown out (56th Pennsylvania of our brigade) and a
battery accompanying it. Heavy picket lines move on the right and left of the
advancing column. In an hour we move southwest, into thick woods. The road
became so crowded by troops and artillery that moving was difficult. At last we
moved rapidly, the artillery halting to give us a chance. We struck the plank road
leading to Orange Court House from Fredericksburg, and reached a clearing about
two miles on, our brigade leading, formed for battle, and halted, having come
up with our skirmish line that had met a check. Several generals were riding on
the line. In a few minutes General J. C. Rice, of our brigade, ordered three
companies of the 76th N. Y. to deploy as skirmishers. Companies F, K and B
advanced along the edge of the woods to the left and deployed. Advancing into
the woods we were ordered to lie down, General Rice superintending at the time.
Sharp skirmishing was taking place to the left between cavalry which grew
heavier and nearer. Our line was being driven in by a stronger force, Rebels
yelling as they came on. Firing nearly ceased, then came a sharp volley that
shook the woods. The Rebels yelled and fell back, we following. This was the
first fire received by our part of the line since deploying. The fight grew
sharp; our line trembled but we heard artillery hurrying through the woods
having to cut roads. The enemy again attacked us. Presently we heard cannon
booming heavily, we rallied and Rebs fell back. The lines on our right and left
seemed to have changed; then firing nearly ceased. We pressed forward and came
up to a heavier detachment of the enemy and had a lively brush, taking three or
four prisoners and driving the enemy. Our orders were to advance two miles, if possible,
and we pushed on firing and maneuvering every way, part of the time lying flat,
loading and firing. We took seven more Johnnies.
Meantime firing
began on our right earnestly, an incessant roll of musketry for two hours. It
was between our Fifth corp and Ewell's. It began about noon and lasted half the
afternoon, but little artillery being used on our side on account of the woods.
It appeared they had turned our left flank, which cut us off from any support.
We found the enemy's
skirmishers on our left, right and front in heavy force and connections with
our forces broken. We sent men to find the brigade that we might get relief or
orders, and they never returned. We were dealing with an enemy more than ten to
our one who were trying to decoy us. It proved we were behind Lee's fighting
line and in the track of his reinforcements, as then constituted. It was
impossible to maintain a position against their assaults. That we might more
safely retire and to deceive them as to our force the line was assembled, and
we gathered nearly 500 men, some of the 56th Pennsylvania, and fragments of
eastern and western regiments that had been scattered. To extend our line we
advanced boldly single rank, fixing bayonets, loudly cheering, firing rapidly
as we located the Rebs who disappeared over the ridge, behind a high, thick
hedge, when we suddenly moved by the right flank and file right, double quick.
We thought ourselves lucky when we got out of this predicament.
We had lost
seventeen men out of our three (76th regiment) companies. During our direct
movement, before retiring, we passed over several dead Southerners. The
movement became confused, some of the men breaking off from the column and came
in contact with another body of the enemy. In getting out I barely escaped
running into this body. As I approached they cried "Come in, you
Yank!"; their pieces were at a ready, but I plunged to the right into a
narrow gulf down an embankment through the brush to the bottom, despite
whistling bullets, and soon came up to the officers and most of the men. One of
the boys who was taken at this time escaped without hat or equipments.
Several bullets came
near hitting me during the forenoon. At one time I stood by a hickory tree
charging my gun, when a bullet struck it within two inches of my face. I cast
my eye to the spot when another ball struck the tree an inch below and glanced
away, throwing the bark in my face. Others struck a log, behind which I lay,
and glanced over me.
The woods were very
thick and we ran as fast as possible and reached a small clearing. Some thought
it the place where our brigade formed for battle in the morning and where we
were detached as skirmishers; I did not recognize it. It was now 3 o'clock and
quiet all around. We were perplexed, tired, hungry and hot, besmeared with
powder and dust, clothing torn and faces and arms scratched with brush. We lay
down and ate a hardtack, hoping for the better. In our retreat we paid no
attention to prisoners and only one, belonging to a North Carolina regiment,
was with us. Contact with the new force of Rebels from which I escaped,
convinced me that we had been drawn purposely on and that this party, which
seemed numerous, was swinging to our rear and that our movement was timely. I
informed the officers of what I had seen and believed and, while they were
consulting, a young "darkey" whom Captain Swan recognized as his
father's servant, who was Captain in Co. D of our regiment. He was much excited
and came running from the woods and said there was Rebel cavalry "right
out dar," pointing in the direction we hoped to find our army. An officer
immediately rode to the edge of the woods but came back hastily, falling us in
and we moved to the west as fast as possible. We had not reached the woods
before the cavalry came out on the other side thundering and rattling and
quickly formed. We were not thirty rods distant when they formed. We
immediately formed and moved into the woods and prepared for a fight feeling
confident that if we could not whip the cavalry we could not out run it. A few
men were so excited they could hardly be kept in line.
A Rebel officer came
out the road; (a mere by-road). Discovering us ready, he returned. They
immediately changed their course and we went on. We moved as fast and as
cautiously as possible, for the woods seemed full of the enemies scouts with
whom some shots were exchanged. Turning north we passed through a dark swamp
and came out near a clearing. A portion of the ground had been fought over.
Dead and wounded were scattered along. Mostly Union, but I saw two dead
Southerners. For a ways guns, knapsacks, hats and blankets were strewn. From
the position of these we judged our skirmishers had been overwhelmed,
slaughtered, driven in or captured. Coming near the edge of the woods we halted
and, after consultation, Lieutenant Cheesman of Rice's staff rode out to an old
house at the edge of the clearing. He found an old man and a fair looking young
woman who asserted their ignorance of the presence of any of Lee's army and
consented to go with us to show the way to Chancellorsville. In about half a
mile we came to where the road forked. They told us to take the right and at a
certain point to turn to the right again, and we would reach Chancellorsville
in about four and a half miles. They were dismissed by the officer in charge
and were observing us pass when I noticed disgraceful and humiliating conduct
of a lieutenant of the 95th N. Y. volunteers, an insignificant looking fellow
who thrust his face close to hers and used insulting language, calling her
abusive epithets. She shrank from him. Those who saw him hissed and cried
"pimp, louse, fool" and other epithets. He threatened to put us under
arrest for using disrespectful language to an officer. They called him a
scoundrel, saying "if we get to our lines we'll report you." He
sneaked off to keep from being clubbed by their muskets. Officers hearing the
row ascertained the cause, reprimanded him and told the men they did right.
Capt. Swan apologized to the woman.
SURPRISED AND MADE
PRISONERS OF WAR.
We had gone scarcely
half a mile before we were in the midst of the enemy again. The first
intimation we had of it was the clicking of their muskets as they cocked them
and I saw two officers on horseback to the right of the road ahead and their
lines rose up in front and on both sides of us. Our officers were too confident
of escape and neglected to put out an advance guard after talking with those
people, although we had a rear guard. It was an overwhelming surprise. Officers
and men stood speechless, huddled together. But one order was given, that by
Orderly Sergeant G. W. Mattison of Co. F 76th N. Y., to "wheel into line
and fire," which we did quickly and commenced to reload as we fell back.
The Rebel fire was directed to the huddle of men, twenty-two of whom were
killed and wounded and among them the lieutenant of the 95th N. Y. was shot
through the bowels and killed; Lieut. Cahill, Co. B 76th N. Y., through the
right arm, breaking it, but none of our company were injured; three others were
killed as near as I could learn. I saw several fall in the Rebel ranks. There was
confusion and fright, most of the men scattering, flinging away everything
hoping to escape. Lieuts. Cheesman and Call flew on Cheesman's horse. Our
company broke, the men hoping to escape. Tbout twenty of us re-formed back in
the thicket and rallied to fight them, when someone from the front cried
"hold on, boys, hold on, they are our men; don't fire for God's
sake!"
At this point I saw
Captains Swan and Clyde in the midst of the Rebels waving their hats not to
fire. Exultant at the thought that we had met friends instead of foes, for the
thicket we could not see that they were, we eagerly rushed forward shouting
"Good!" Then I saw the two captains throwing off their belts and
swords, holding their swords up by the points. The Rebels rushed at us
screaming "surrender you Yanks," "throw down them guns."
Some were for running, some for renewing the fight.
I heard Captain Swan
say "Its no use, better surrender;" Some attempted to break their
guns against trees, but Rebel bayonets were so near and so many, that we
desisted. The wounded in our midst begged us not to fire. Plunging the bayonet
which I had fixed to my Springfield, into the ground I said, "Boys you've
got us." "Come heah," they said, and I did, cutting my straps at
the same time. I tore the bugle from my hat, not caring to indulge the Rebel
craze for Yankee trinkets. Just after an officer rode up to the next man and
said, "Gimme that bugle on your hat sah" (a brass ornament for hat or
cap.) Jonnies mixed freely with us to trade canteens, knives, caps, rubber
blankets, tobacco boxes, etc. Excitement chiefly over we marched about 30 rods
to a strip of clearing where we found a division of Hill's corps in line of
battle to receive us. One said to me that they had been watching for us all the
afternoon. "We'ns reckoned there was a heap more of you'ns; you'ns played
right smart or we would had you'ns befo'."
He said the woods
were full of cavalry looking for us. They got nearly 300 men.
It was between 5 and
6 o'clock p. m. when we stood before that long line of men saying all sorts of
things to us, asking all sorts of questions, what we thought about other
battles that had been fought where they had been successful, how Grant was
getting along, what we thought of Bobby Lee, and if McClellan would be our next
President and other things, while the officers prepared to move the column to
the rear. I was very thirsty and was glad to trade my canteen for the sake of
water. Cannonading was lively, shells screaming through the air almost over
head. We found ourselves between our right and Lee's left flank but nearer to
Lee's.
Looking easterly I
saw the Union line advancing, muskets gleaming, smoke rolling in front as far
as could be seen, probably over two miles. Batteries were in action on both
sides. The Confederate works were indicated far and near by the smoke of
musketry and cannon. The ground shook from the force of rapid firing. As I
looked about it seemed like the beginning of sorrow, a day of trouble and
danger passed and worse to come. I forgot to say that Capts. Swan and Clyde
threw themselves flat on the ground at the Rebels first fire and that each was
grazed by bullets on the cheek. They had got but about two-thirds of our party.
In a few minutes the Rebel command "Attention," was given and the
column left faced and moved off, prisoners marching by their side. As we double
quickened up the hill the rattle of musketry mingled with the roar of cannon
and the bursting of shells was terrific. As we approached their lines it seemed
to be in confusion, shifting batteries, digging rifle-pits, throwing up breast
works, cavalry golloping and reserve infantry rushing to the front. Excitement
was intense as we passed through their lines and were hurried back, our own
shells cutting the woods around us. We had been taken charge of by a detail of
guards, the troops that escorted us in, being assigned to a position in the
line of battle. We were halted about sixty rods to the rear from the line of
battle behind the woods where we found other prisoners crowded together as
thickly as possible, surrounded by Rebel troops. Faint and thirsty we sat down
to take it as easily as possible. There came a lull in the battle but in a few
minutes the quiet was broken by an outburst of firing close at hand. Great
confusion prevailed; shouts of distress and sharp commands mingled; teams with
and without riders came flying back; down the road, through field and wood,
fled fragments of infantry, officers shouting halt, flourishing swords and
revolvers. Guards yelled, "The Yanks are coming, the line is broken, fall
in right smart, get out of har Yanks."
It was a scarry time
for us, though we rejoiced to see it. Bayonets in hands of excited Rebels, some
so enraged as to be anxious to use them. We expected the whole line might be
thrown dismayed upon us, and our bullets might whittle us. The stampede was
soon checked, fresh regiments hastening forward and it became quiet. Though we
had not gone a rod an officer came along and in a kindly manner said, "Sit
down, boys, and take it cool." Yanks began to inquire of Rebs about
particulars of the excitement, when an officer told both parties to "shut
your heads, its nothing but a d----d nigger let a span of horses loose."
About sunset the battle was resumed. The roll of musketry was terrible and
incesant, cannonading almost continuous until after 8 o'clock. Before dark we
were marched about two miles to near Barker's store where we found other
prisoners. We got over the trenches, rifle pits and breast works and lay down
for the night. It was very dark, and we were closely guarded and not allowed to
speak to the guards.
SOURCE: John Worrell
Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a
War Prisoner in Andersonville and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864,
p. 25-30
