(i107, ice. fs |

CHAPTER IV
of

ARMY RECOLLECTIONS.

The winter of 1864, spent in Camp, between the Rapidan
and Rappahannock Rivers, Va. is a winter of pleasant memories,
and will be remembered while life lasts. It was a period of rest, e
for a few months, from long and weary marches, loaded down like
pack miles to the limit of one's strength. To recapitulate, we
had started out from Alexandria, Va. in April of 1863, down the

 

beautiful marae Bae Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, and on to

Suffolk, Va, there invested by Gen. Longstreet, after a fow weeks

of fighting, he left eee join Gen. Lee, then we went to York=
town and slowly made our way up the peninsula towards Richmond

and were in sight of Richmond when the Battle of Getteysburg was
fought. Then we went to New York Sity, by the way of Baltimoro,
Washington, Philadelphia and were there during the New York riots,
then to Camp over on Staten Island, looking far out on the Atlantic,
then to Tarrytown on the Hudson, where we spent a few very pleasant
weeks, then back to Staten Island, leaving there October 13, '63 for
the front again, and after the Battle of Mine pace Va. in November
going into Camp at Brandy Station, 75 miles south west of Washington,
eng oh of 1863. Our wanderings during the summer had taken
in—them seven different states, and every where we went, objects of
interest nemeented themselves and we enjoyed them to the full. We
ascended to the top of Washington Monument at Baltimore, we ranged
through the Capitol at Washington, saw the liberty Bell at Philadelph-
ia and the Central Park and other items of interest at New York City,

and to those of us who were so fortunate as to return home, we had

 
 

 

(iter Fb 3]

something to think of and remember the rest of our lives. Our duties
during the winter were just enough for good exercise and dicipline

so that we had plenty of time to write letters to friends at home,
end for study, and the letters we received in return had a great
influence for good over the Soldiers lifes I make some quotations
from my diary written at the time. S

"Friday, January 1", 1064. ‘The stormp which mar
hours of the o1d year has ceased, and the splendor of t ing sun
gives promise of a better day. Happy New Year, Happy New Year is
resounding on all sides, and tho' away from home and friends, and
exposed to hardships and peril, all seem contented and even happy.
Our thoughts are with loved ones at home, and we fersuently hope
that by another New Year we may be with then.

"Saturday, Jan. 2nd. The weather changed last night, and it
was intensely cold. The wind blew hard penetrating every crevice of
our log dwellings. The sargent came around before daylight with
orders for me to be ready to go on picket duty, got up, = a fire
and prepared some coffee, and made ourselves as warm as possible,
sa Pe sie ite
and ,three day's rations in our haversacks and went five miles to the
banks of the Rappahanock River." That ist day of January, 1864
has been known as the "Cold New Years" from that time to the present.
In nearly all the Northern States it was intensely 0014, in Mich some
40 below zero, and in many cases people were frozen to death. In one
case, a& young man and woman attended a Dance, as they started for
home they were talking cheerfully of the incidantSof the party, but
after a time conversation lagged, and as the young man failed to get
any response from his companion, he observed her closely and to his

horror he found that she was dead by his side, literally chilled to

 

 

 

 
 

li a09 et si

i
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death. We had a very cold time for the three days we were on picket.
had to arrange a temporary shelter but as there was plenty of timber
and we had axes and knew how to use them, we kept good fires and did
not seriously suffer and enjoyed our comfortable houses all the ene
when we __ back to them.

My chum, Ben Batcheler, and myself sent to New York and
procured a stock of diaries, writing paper etc. to sell thrut fhe
army and aid quite a business for a time, The health of the regi-
mont was usually good during this winter, but among so many men there
were some accidents and many deaths. January 12th we heard the
band playing a funeral march and attended the services. The Chaplain
made brief remarks from the text "In the midst of life we are in
death" and compared the shortness of human life to a wave of the sea
ont ouet Ziyine from the bow.

Jamary 13th we received a large box of good things from home.
They remembered us with many necessaries which were of greatbenefit
to us all winter long. Another funeral today, the Chaplain preached
from the text. "A man dieth and where is he"---One morning, I saw
@ Man in the next Co. come out of his tent with his gun,ready for
picket and commenced sparring with another man, his gun lock was
caught on a projecting log from his tent and was discharged and the
ether was shot thra' the body. I saw them carrying him off to the
Hospital but 41a not learn whether he lived or died.

Jamary 14th. Our orderly Sergt. is sick and I am acting, detail~
ing men for duty, drawing rations from the Q. M. and other like duties
ies Wheelock, a hospital nurse, arrived in Camp to day from Washing-
ton and spent the most of the winter in our Regiment and in the

hospital, and did a great deal of good by her presence there,

 

 
 

 

fiser,£.8.2)

Saturday, January 16th. Got the Co. out early for Roll Call,
made out the morning report, then attended the sick Call, drew
rations for the Co. in the afternoon. A man died in Co. "B" last
night. Jan. 17th, Regular Company inspection and of the Quarters,
airing of blankets, clothing and etc. took place. Janry 19. The
Father of a young men who died a few days ago came this morning, and
tenderly conveyed his body home to rest among his kindred and friend
January 22. Every man in the Company is detailed for duty today,
for different purposes, some building Corduroy Road, others chopping |
wood for the officers, some splitting plank to make floors for their .
tents. January 24. Some of the members of the 6th Mich Cavly.
came to see us and spent the most of the day with us. Janry 29th.

Up early for Roll Call, the the sick call---5 reported sick in our |
Co. Pickets come in at 2. P.M. Report having seen rebel Cavalry on
the other side of the Rappahannock River. 40 men are reported for
duty. February 21-~-Rumers around that. the Paymaster will soon be
here and pay us 2 months wages. ett be welcome, we need a little
money for postage stamps, and some of the boys have such delicate

appetites they have to supplement their reguler rations with liberal

gupplies from the Sutler's Stores at exorbitant prices. There are

plenty of good healthy rations supplied for all if they take the
trouble to properly prepare them. February 22nd. The Officers of
the 2nd Army Corps have a grand Ball in honor of Washington's birth-
day. Their hall is beautifully decorated with the colors of the
gifferent regiments of the 2nd Corps,

In the latter part of February , 1864 a grand review of the
Army of the Potomac was held; days were spent in preparing all arms
ef the service for the occasion. It was a sight seen only once in

a life time. On a great plain near Stevensburg, Va. were assembled

 

 
[l1e9, Feb 3]

the infantry, artillery and cavalry of the army. For a time all
wasp seeming disorder and Gonfusion; marching and counter-marching,
put soon the lines were formed and the review began. Great numbers
of illustrious men, Senators and Representatives of the Nation,
whose names were as household words in the land, and among them one,
---greater and mightier than them all---Lincoln, of immortal memory~
were there to witness the Review. On a slight eminence on the right

of the line, on horseback, was the Commander in Chief, General Yrant.

seeming more the statue than the man. On his right was General Meade

on his left Gen. Hancock, and as the great army---in magnificent
array passed before him, his keen eye noted all its oapabilities and
the ocasion was marked by him as the beginning of the end. About
the same time our Co.was called out, and with other Co's of the Rek-
iment marched to a large field 2 miles from Camp, as we passed along,
we noticed other regiments going in the same direction, arriving
there the whole force was formed into 3 sides of a Square. On the
open side, we noticed a mound of fresh earth, wondering what it all
meant, wo soon heard in the distance the straing of a funeral march,
an ambulance came in sight, a coffin was taken from the ambulance
and placed by the side of the open grave, a young man was brought out
and seated on the coffin, his eyes were bandaged, a firing party of
12 men stepped out, and he was shot to death with meketry, then the
regiments were all marched in file past the sad sight, as a warning
of the fate, that overtakes deserters and Bounty Jumpers. Some 2
weeks after we were brought out again to the same ground and the
Regiment Swere formed in 2 long parallel lines about one rod apart,
and a young man, with one~half his head shaved down to the scalp

with a big board on his back, on which, in large letters, were in=

 

 
 

 

[1#2?, fel]

scribed "thief", was marched thru’ the lines followed by two |
soldiers, with fixed bayonets, and a bend playing the Rogue's March.
He was such a confirmed thief, that they could do nothing with hin,
and so they drummed him out of Camp. Discipline in an army mat be
maintained at any cost.

Lieut. Here Co. "B" of 26th Mich. Infantry was quite a
literary Ree a. _he instituted a course of Leotures in phe
large Division Hall ,had been fitted up. One of these lectures. was
Grace Greenwood, well known to a former generation. Her subjest
was “the present war". It was well received and listened to with a
great interest. It was my good fortune to attend to the Lecture.
Miss Wheelock, our army marse, and as “Grace Greenwood" had desired
to see for herself how the soldiers lived in camp, the two Ladies
did us the hanws of a call, and thought we were very good housekeeper

March 25th, 12 men, 1 corporal and one Commissioned officer ma-
wore called for from our Coit to day for picket duty and as Lieut.
Smith had to go with them, I was left in command of the Company,

Our other Commissioned Officers, being home on recruiting service.
When we first came here in December it was a heavily wooded section,
but so much wood has been used for the purposes of the army, that
now we have to go half a mile out side of camp and cut down stumps
to procure wood to cook our meals. '

As the time drew near for the. Crine-Chapad en to open greater
activity prevailed in the army, not so much in drilling the men,
for the officers knew they were ready at any time, two years of
experience had fitted them to act wellitheir part, when the supreme
moment should arrive, but in seeing that arms were in order; that

we
men were well supplied with munitiorss of war and with olothing, and

 

 

 
 

[tae ree |

the eager intense interest, not only of our own people, but those
of other lands were centered on the two great armies which con
fronted each other for miles, on either side of the Rapidan.
We hed learned in January that the Government was desirous of obtain-
ing a supply of Officers for Colored troops in process of formation,
and two Boards of Examiners were in session at Washington to Examine
. Bol tielers a.
‘all applicants. My chum, Benjamin F. Balcher and myself, obtained
a copy of Casey's Tactics in use in our army and began a aavecad
study of them. During the winter, when our Co. Officers were aoe
on furlough, we had good opportunities for putting in practice what
we had learned by drilling the men, and on April 265th, we applied
for and obtained permission to go to Washington for examination,
our turn 41d not come for two or three days after we arrived there,
which time we improved to good advantage in hard study, and on April
27th, 1864, I appeared before the Board of which Maj. Gen. Casey,
author of the Tactics in use in our army, was the President, and
sustained an examination in General History, in Mathematics, and a
more thorough one in the tactics of our army. We were then thorough=
ly examined as to our physical condition by an expert surgeon, as to
eur ability to stand the hardships and exposures of a Campaign, and
at its close I was informed by the Secretary of the Board that I was
paseaa as Captain. Somewhat to my astonishment , a amas passe
_ as a Lieutenant. By this attention to study and practice my pay
was increased from $17.00 a month &s Seargent to $165.00 per month
as Captain. As we had a little leisure to look around after our

examination, we noted the anxious intense interest of the people of

Washington in the work of the Army, they acted as if they were

 

 
 

 

fa 07, Feb a]

treading on the ae @ volcano, which, at any moment might open
beneath their feet. They looked off toward the south as if they
could hear the roar of cannon, and the conflict of contending armies
~-~and they had not long to wait. We returned to our Command at
Brandy Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and were con=
gratulated by the Officers of the Regiment on our success.

The announcement that the army was soon to move was received
with cheers, they were ready and anything was better than insotion,
and they had faith in the justice of their cause; in their Commander
and in themselves, <A new Commander had been appointed to the armies,
of the Fast, U. S. Grant, by name better known since that time to
the people of the civilized world, than he was then to the people
of the United States, but we had heard of his hard stubborn fighting
in the West);at Ft. Donaldson, Pittsburg Lending, and Vicksburgh, and
we believed he would not feil us.

On May 2nd, 1864, the order came to break up camp and the work
of destruction commenced. The log tents or houses which had made us
such comfortable homes during the winter and whioh had been prepared
with so mich care, were torn down and consigned to the flames. ‘The
thousand and one things gathered around us during the winter for our
comfort and convenience were kicked from one end of the damp te the
other=--they had no further use for them. Barrels of beef and pork
and suger were opened in the Company streets and every man ordered

to pack six day's rations in his haversack, and what was more sug=

gestive of the work before us, Boxes of ammunition were opened and

every man supplied with 60 rounds of cartridges, and then when all
was ready, at eleven o'clock of the night of May 3rd, 1864, we bade

goodbye to our Camp of the winter. Companies were formed into

 

 
 

Regiments, Regiments into Brigades and Divisions, and we started,---
where do you inquire? Thousands of them to die at the Wilderness
and Spottsylvania, and Cold Harbor and Petersburg;<thousands more
to linger for long weary months in hospitals with wounds which would
make their lives miserable to life's latest day; other thousands to
linger in the prison pens of the South and at Belle Isle--Libby
Prigon, Saulsbury and Andersonville; while many others should fi41
Nameless graves, known only to him who should summon them forth at
the last groat day--and yet my friends, I firmly believe that couéd
they have seen the en aa thd beginning, the great majority of them — |
would have gone forward to their duty, Just the same. We marched
all night, and at daylight, came to the Rapidan, at Ely's Ford, the
dividing line between the Union and Confederate forces. We had
thought Gen. Lee would dispute our passage of the River, but he did
not, preferring to meet us further on, in the Wilderness. The
Pontoon bridges were all laid, and the Hights on the opposite side
of the river occupied by our troops and soon the Rubicon or the
Rapidan was passed. Many had thought that before starting ont on
the Spring Campaign we would camp out in tents for a time and go
thru’ a discipline of thorough Riera and with this thought in view
Imapsacks were packed to overflowing, but when we came to the Rapiday
and saw the Pontoon Bridges laid ready for a passage, knapsacks were
hastily unpacked, and their contents of letters and other household
treasures scattered on the ground, It was simply impossible to carry
all the accumulations of the winter. Our rest here was short, Gen.
Grant was no dress parade General, he mew that when his men were

Ure Sok
ready, delays were unknowm, and we pushed rapidly along. It was a
yéry hot day, this 4th day of May, and we suffered from the heat and

the marching, but we were the skirmish regiment of our division and

 

 

 

 
 

marohed on the flanks of the Army, which was easier than marching

4n the ranks. That night we camped on the field, where the Battle
of Chanogellorsville had been fought the year before. It was a
beautiful May evening, end as far as the eye could reach, could be
seen the camp fires of the army, and from around those fires could
be heard the sounds ef laughter, and shout and song. Some of the
older men who had families at home were gazing thoughtfully in the
fires, thinking of the morrow and what it might bring forth, Perhaps
they saw there visions of contending armies, and garments rolled in
blood, but soon the firea burned low, the laughter and the song died’
away end as the tired soldiers wrapped their blankets around them
and laid down to rest: to many of them it was the last quiet rest of
earth. . |

After our morning meal we pushed on towards the Wilderness,
Those who had started with full knapsacks began to lighten them ahd
enough blankets were thrown away in 2 or 3 daya to carpet a road for
10 miles. Men re®lised that stern work was before them, and they
became more thoughtful as they marched along. About 2 o'clock, as
I remember, of the afternoon of May 5th, 1864, we heard in the dis-«
tance the roar of a musket, guickly followed by others, and the
Battle then and there commenced, ceased not, day or night, until at
Appamattox the army of Gen. Lee surrendered to the victorious army
of Gen. Grant, and the greatest war of modern times was ended. our
Regiment was quickly ordered to the side of the road, and artillery
end cavalry, and what was jes eneGastive-~auinnoes husetad bye
The musketry firing increased in volume and intensity, and after an

hour or two our Regiment was ordered down into the Wilderness, and

tho' we did not go far enough to take an active part in the firing

 
 

ff:

J1909, 2.3]

or fighting, yet the trees above our heads were agitated by the
bullets of the enemy’s guns, as by a atrong bweese about 10.P.M.

we came out of the thick woods onto higher ground again. It was
very dark, and men with lanterns guided our way. We saw many men
en the ground, white and cold in death, the most of them wearing
the green uniforms of our Sharp Shooters. In the morning of the
6th, the 4th Mich. Infantry, with many of whose members we were ,.
acquainted, marched by us, and we inquired aa to the casualties in
their Regiment ant Lewsneds with aeecew, that many had fallen. One
case I especially remember, Julius: Root was one at cuz neighborhood
boys, they told us he had been shot thru’ the arm, and had been sent

to the rear, tho' his wound was severe, they thought it not serious,

but thet waa, the last that was ever known of Julius Root, whether he

died from loss ef blood, or was caught in the forest fires that were
raging about that time, and burned to death, or was taken prisoner
by the enemy, and perished in some southern prison, will perhaps
never be known. fis only sister, an orphan, could not give him up,

and would not believe that he was dead, and for myny long years cher-

ished the hope that he would return to her. As the Sea does not give

up its dead, 80 war does not yield its viotims, and he sleeps, per=~
haps, in some quiet nameless grave, in the southland, known only to
feim ‘who notes even the sparrow's fall, and who will summon him ferth
in that last great day.

Our Regiment, the 26th Miohigan Infantry, was the skirmish Regi-~
ment of our Division, the First Division, of the Second Army Corps,
and commencing with this 6th of May, we were on the left flank of the
army, watching the enemy and engaged in skirmishing with them from

time to time. For days we could hear in the distance, heavy volleys

 

 

 
 

/ od

[itea, Bebe |

of misketry and the heavier roar of the cannon. Our losses in killed

and wounded, were frightful, and that of the enemy correspondingly

heavy. Many gallent officers, who were towers of strength to the

Union cause went down to death, among them General Sedgewick and Waray
sworth. The latter was a grand old patriot of Western New York.
He was immensely wealthy, but coasting aside all considerations of
wealth, esteoeming the cause of his country, as of first importance,
he not only gave of his meens freely to the Union cause, but gave
himself to die, that the cause of Right might triumph.

Althrcugh the war I kept a pocket diary to whioh I occasionally ©
refer in writing this, and which now lies before me, some of it was
written in the camp and on ths march; or when we halted an hour or
two to prepare coffes, but during these days, from May 5th to May
12th inclusive, it was written on the picket line, behind breast
works, while all around us was heard the heaviest msketry firing
and cannonsding, that ever shock this continent. At this stage of
the contest, 21 months after ovr enlistment, we had become veterans,
and accustomed to sights and dangers, which had formerly made us
shudder. While on picket duty one day, along a piece of woods, we
had a suspicion that a large force of the enemy were concentrating
beyond the woods, and wo determined to find out,we went through on
the double quick, meeting no resistenco, and taking them somewhat by
surprise, we saw a large open field with rebel Infantry and Cavalry,
and one or two pieces of artillery. We made a few ranid observations
in regerd to their number, fired s few shots at them to stir them up
e little, turned in retreat, and oame back thru' the woods with a
celerity that surprised ourselves. I find no mention made of this

charge in any of the numerous histories of the war, and I have

|

 

 

 
 

[3

Army. A brisk artillery aaus Ter in progreas’ at the time, and the

[t909, fes.4]

recorded it that it might not be entirely loat to posterity.

In the afternoon of the same day we deployed as skirmishers,
and advanced thru' the woods for some distance to discover the
enemies line, suddenly a shot is heard on our left, and a terrible
ery from one of our men tells that the shot had taken effect, instead
of the limb being entirely shot away, a spent ball had struck him on ~
the foot, Gausing for the moment intense pain, but not even breaking
the skin. A brisk cavalry fight is in progreas on our left, we oan
hear distinctly the cracking of the revolvers, and carbines, and the.
cheering of our men. We always noted a great difference in the
sheers of our cm men, and the wild yelle of the rebels, the one
oe hearty and free, as if ingpired by the justice of their
cause, end spoke of a determination te uphold it; the other was con-
strained, as if no willing service was rendered, and they were soge-
what doubtful whether or not they were an the right.

On one of these days, I think May 7th, in changing our position
from the left to the right, we passed near the Head wuarters of the

air was filled with the iron lead, as the shells burst ali around us.
Mounted Orderlies were hurrying wack and forth with dispatches, and
with the exception of one man all were active and alert. This man
sat a’ the foot of a large tree with a cigar in his mouth. It look~
ed as if he might have come down as David did in the olden time to
see the Battle, but no, this man so cool and seemingly unconcerned
was himeolf the Center and Director of all the movements of the army
for it wan General Grant.

Sunday morning, May Sth-Dawn on ue again but how unlife the Holy
Sabbath day. We are at a place called Clark's Tavern, The Gay is

 

 
 

 

 

Pe.

very hot and the roads dusty, a large force of cazalry and infantry
are massed here ready for service at a moments notice, We improve
the time in felling trees, and constructing defenses for eit, know not
the moment when the enemy will be upon us.

Iater in the afternoon we hear that a large quantity of provis-
ions we had been expecting had arrived. We were relieved from the
picket line and retired to the rear. In some way, I think, the eneny

had learned of the arrival of our stores, and gathering a large force

 

made a rush for them. As we were only a strong picket line they were
too moh for us, and drove us tack, but when they came to our large ~
quantity of army stores---hundreda of boxes of hardéteck, barrela of
beef and pork and suger, the like of which they had not seen for a
long time, many of them halted an& began to help themselves to our
stores, their's now by right of conquest and possession. A large
force, however, followed us, and in addition to heavy mexketry firing
they gave us a terrible shelling, the air seemed full of the iron
hail from the bursting shells, and oh, what ghestly wunds they oanaed
when they struck men and horses. Nany wore killed and wounded, and
what had been such a quiet, peaceful Sabbath, in ite nagumiva, ended
in fierce fighting, and in death to many a brave soldier. ,

There was hardly an hour, day or night, during these days from
May 5th to the 12th,when I was wounded, when the sound of firing,
maketry or cannonading could not be heard in some westtens of the
fields. Of course you will understand, that there "eee armies, union
end confederate, extended over milea of space. Much of the firing
came from the pickets, confronting each other behind breast works,
many times only a few rods apart, but sometimes large bodies of men,

Brigades and Divisions, came together, and when to this tremendous

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

JS

[et rea]

vba

msketry firing, the big heavy cannon joined in the ohorus, with its
deep aden yoioeSthey made musio which could be hesrad for miles around,
On Tuesday May lOth, “Lieut. G@risaen of our Company, wan ordered
to take a aquad of men and make a reconnoissance, John T. Olde of
our Company wade with/him, after going a congiderable distance, fohn
stopped to get some tobacoo from a barn, where a quantity was stored,
while he was doing this the Company had passed on and were ont of
sight. In following efter he came to a fork in the road, and taking
the wrong one, soon found himself in the midst of a Company of rebel

 

soldiers ant wae teken prisoner, and was soon afterwards sent to
Andersonville, G@a., but what was his less, was my gain, for I found
him when I arrived there two months later, and I believe it is entire-
ly due to his care for me during that terrible experience in a rebel
prison that I am here to write these pases, and to render a tribute
of Praise to my friend, John f, Olds. I shall speak of him again.

On Wednesday afternoon May 11th our Brigade started out on a
skirmish, after going seme two miles, we found the enemy and a brisk
firing commenced and aiublmee tne upwards of half an hour. It was
a sherp fight while it lasted, ballets whissed sround ua like bees in
ewarming time, and with heavy loas to cur Company. RBli Rambois left
on the field for dead, refasing the offers of his Comrades to remove
him to our lines. Albert Baten is badly wounded in the thigh, Butler
end Hathaway and Bennett severely wounded, Hinckley is struck with
a buck shot, Aaron Slater shot thru’ the body and mortally wounded
and died in the ambulance, while being conveyed to the Hospital at
Fredricksburg.

This war the most serious loas our Company had erer known, and

it was with feelings of deep sorrow that we saw the ammlances bear

 

 

 
 

(0409, Feb.3) .

awag our comrades to the Hospital, realising,tooc, that added labors
and responsibilities rested on the survivors.

We prepare our suppérs and gather around our cemp fires talking
over the events, and narrow escapes of the day. It was a gloomy
time, the forepart of the day had been pleasant, but now the clouds
were gathering and there was every proapect of a storm near at hand,
and from what we could see around ue,the movements of large bodies
of troops of Infantry and Cavalry, convinoed us that preparations
were being made for s great battle in the near future and we should —
goon be ongaged in a wore deadly atorm than that of the elements,
and we had not long to wait,for the great Battle of Spottsylvania
Wid open, early on the morrow.

: Thus ends the 4th Chapter.

Now rm, 7 Word
DIT Vrclicpoun Que

—Leor pte7

CoA