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diff --git a/35578.txt b/35578.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..217ed15 --- /dev/null +++ b/35578.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1146 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Empty Sleeve, by Henry H. Meacham + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Empty Sleeve + or, The Life and Hardships of Henry H. Meacham, in the Union Army + +Author: Henry H. Meacham + +Release Date: March 15, 2011 [EBook #35578] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMPTY SLEEVE *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + + +THE EMPTY SLEEVE: + +OR THE + +LIFE AND HARDSHIPS + +OF + +HENRY H. MEACHAM, + +IN THE + +UNION ARMY. + + + +_BY HIMSELF._ + + + SPRINGFIELD, MASS.: + SOLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUTHOR. + PRICE, 25 CENTS. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +READERS, in writing this book, I do not intend to bring before you a +work of ability; but simply to describe a few of the many scenes that I +passed through while in the Army of the Potomac and in the hospital. It +is true, that I did not suffer as some of our soldiers did; but having +lost my right arm, which excludes me from most kinds of work, I have +taken this method of gaining a living. I have myself and wife to care +for, and my wife's health being poor, makes it still harder for me to +get along; and thus, by writing this book, I hope to place myself and +wife in comfortable circumstances. With these few remarks, I throw +myself upon the generosity of the public, thanking them for the kindness +I have already received, and assuring them that I shall always be +grateful for their aid in the support of myself and wife. + + HENRY H. MEACHAM. + + + + +THE EMPTY SLEEVE. + + +AT the breaking out of the Great Rebellion, I was engaged at +carriage-making in the town of Russell, in Massachusetts, but thought it +my duty to enter the service in defence of my country, and do what +little I could to keep traitors from trampling the good old flag under +their feet. I went and was examined, but was rejected. I came back with +downcast feelings, but was determined to try again. As time rolled on, +and my health improved, I tried again for a soldier's life, but without +success. I little knew the hardships and perils, of active service, and +thought it very pretty sport. But it was not the novelty of the scene +that inspired me to go, but the love of my country. Finally, at my third +examination, I was accepted; and my heart beat with joy. + +I left Springfield, the twelfth day of September, perhaps never to +return; and went to Long Island, in Boston Harbor. There I remained one +week; then the Transport came to take us far from our homes. Many were +the wistful glances that were cast back towards our home, where were +the ones we loved most dear; and how we longed for one more farewell +salute before we left our native State; but that could not be. The wind +was blowing hard (it makes my brain dizzy to think of it now); but we +had to go. We little knew but we should find a watery grave before +reaching the scene of action; but the weather calmed, and we had a very +pleasant voyage, and arrived at the front, where I was placed in Company +E, Thirty-second Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, who were lying at +Culpepper, Virginia (which is about sixty miles from Washington, and in +the direction of Richmond). Here I first commenced my life in the army. +We were not destined to remain here long; for in less than two weeks, +Lee, with his host of rebels, came marching on to Washington. Then +commenced Meade's retreat for Centreville. That was the first marching I +had done, and I then hoped it would be the last, for my feet were badly +blistered. My readers can judge for themselves how they would like to +march twenty-three hours out of twenty-four, with their feet in that +condition; but, thank God, we were two hours ahead of Lee and his army, +and it saved one of the most bloody battles of the war; for, had Lee got +the heights of Centreville, we should have been cut off from all +supplies and captured, or obliged to cut our way through the enemy's +lines. + +When we arrived at Centreville, we gave three cheers, which rang through +the lines for miles, thinking that we were once ahead of Lee's time. +But many of the men that were taken sick or fell into the enemy's hands, +died, without any one to care for them, there alone, away from +friends,--wife and children, father and mother, brother and sister, +never to know what became of their husband, father, child, or brother. +Such were the scenes that occurred on this march, but they were trivial +compared to experiences that followed. + +Soon after this, came the battle of the Rappahannock Station. Though +short, it left many a man lying cold in death; but we succeeded in +driving the enemy back behind their entrenchments at Mines Run. This was +near Thanksgiving time; the weather was cold and rainy, and we had to +wait some time before we could follow them. But the time came, and on we +went, not knowing where we were going,--perhaps to our long homes. Oh, +that long and lonely night after we arrived there! But in the morning, +we marched to the right, to Robinson's Tavern, a distance of two miles. +It was raining hard at the time, but about noon, it cleared away and was +very cold. We remained there until the next morning, when we again +commenced our advance. We had not far to go before we came near the +enemy's works. Here we halted and formed our lines; and after waiting a +few hours, received orders to be in readiness to make an assault on the +enemy's works at four o'clock. + +Here we remained without food, for our rations were all gone, and we +knew not when we should get more. We did not move until one o'clock the +next morning, when we turned out in the cold, and marched about a mile +to the right. We arrived there long before daylight; and there we had to +stay, for we could not stir around to keep warm, as the enemy were in +sight, and we should be likely to get their shells. We were to make the +attack at nine o'clock; but nine o'clock came, and yet we did not go +forward. Some of our men crossed Mines Run stream, which was dammed up +to make the water deeper; but nearly every man froze to death, and on +this account, we did not receive the orders, as we expected. That was a +long day to us, being in the cold, with thin clothes and no food. We +remained here until the shades of night hid us from the foe. Our hearts +beat with joy when we were ordered to fall in, for we knew that we were +going back, and should not make an assault; but when we got to our old +position, we were hungry, tired, and cold. Oh, that long night, with but +just enough covering to keep us from freezing! We were all glad when we +could turn out in the morning, and have some exercise and fires. + +Another day wore slowly away, and at night, we took up our line of march +for the rear. As we turned our heads back in the direction of the enemy, +we could not help thinking that many more of us were on that march than +would have been, if we had made the assault. It was three o'clock in +the morning when we crossed the Rapidan. We marched half a mile further, +and encamped. + +Morning dawned bright and beautiful, and it was late before we took up +our line of march again. We felt weak and faint, having been two days +without any food, and no signs of getting any that day; but we marched +with good spirits, thinking our work done until the next spring. + + +RATIONS, AFTER THREE DAYS' FASTING. + +As the sun was setting in the west, we arrived at Bealton Station, and +were gladdened by the sight of teams with our rations. Here we halted, +and got ten pieces of hard bread and a small piece of pork. Many poor +men ate the whole at once; but in these cases it made them sick, as they +did not stop to pick out the worms, for the bread was very wormy; but we +must eat it, or have none. After getting our rations, we marched two +miles, to Liberty; here we went into camp, and the next morning formed +our line of picket-guard, but not knowing how long we should remain +here, did not build our winter-quarters for a few days. + + +WINTER LIFE IN CAMP. + +Finally, we concluded to run the risk, and put up cabins. We then +commenced, and in two days had what we called a good home. The cabins +were constructed of pine-logs, piled together like a log-house, and for +the roofs we used our shelter-tents; thus forming our winter homes, +which were very comfortable. We had a fireplace and chimney, made of +small sticks and mud. In Virginia, the mud makes good mortar, being +mostly red clay. The guard-duty was every third day; we had to stand two +hours, and off four, rain or shine. Thus you may judge what it is to be +broken of your rest every third night, and perhaps be drenched with +rain; then to stand all night on guard, with your clothes frozen stiff. +This was the condition that we were in on picket-duty; but we have often +since looked back to those days, and thought what easy times we had. +They were easy to what we had after General Grant took command of the +armies of the United States. For our fires, we had to carry our wood +about half a mile, while the teams were lying idle. The officers had a +good time at this place, as they seldom went on duty; but the private +soldiers had the work to do. + +An incident occurred here, that may be worth relating. The major of our +regiment thought he would go out and see a young lady by the name of +Whitehouse. So, one day, he and his orderly started, and passed our +picket-guard (as he had command of the lines, we could not stop him), to +see his sweetheart (a lady he had got acquainted with some time before, +I know not how). But he went, as many young men do; and, as he rode up +to her gate, found, to his surprise, her brother there with a strong +guard. They came out with drawn pistols, and he, with his orderly, were +taken prisoners and sent to Richmond. We started in search of them, but +with no success. The second day, we heard from them by way of the lady, +for she came and told the colonel that they were captured. He went to +Libby Prison, and there remained about four months; when he and others +made their escape. Some being retaken, were treated worse than before; +but the major returned home. Prison-life was his punishment for +disobedience of orders. He remained at home a short time, and then +returned to his regiment, which was lying near the James River. + +But to return to the scenes of camp-life. The weather was cold, and the +snow often fell to the depth of one foot, but did not last but one or +two days, making the ground very splashy. We had to be out, let the +storm be ever so hard. When in camp, we had nothing but our log-huts +with cloth roofs to keep us warm. Our camp was laid out in streets, one +company forming one street. + +In a short time, there was a call for soldiers whose time was nearly +expired, to re-enlist, and get a heavy bounty and thirty days' furlough. +The men thought more of the furlough than they did of the money. The +Thirty-second most all re-enlisted, and came home as a regiment, +bringing their arms with them, which but few regiments had the privilege +of doing. But we could not all come home. There were one hundred and +fifty of us that had to remain behind. The service was harder than +before, as we had to do fatigue-duty; besides, we built a fort at +Warrenton Junction. But time wore slowly away until the regiment came +back. We were all glad to see them. + +One of my comrades was taken sick a few days after returning, and I took +care of him, besides doing my duty on the picket-line, which made my +work very hard,--harder than my constitution would endure. After he had +got better, I was taken sick with a fever while on the line; I had hard +work to get to my cabin. When I arrived there, I could not sit up. The +doctor was called, and he did what he could for me, but to no use, I had +to go through with the fever. Our beds were constructed by driving a +crotched stick down at each corner, and then placing a pole from one to +the other. After this, we laid small straight sticks across them, then +spreading our rubber blankets over the whole, we thus formed our beds; +we used our knapsacks for pillows. How long those days seemed, my flesh +burning with fever, and the bed being so hard! But I had as good care as +could be expected, in such a place as that. There I remained four weeks, +before I was able to sit up; those were the longest weeks I ever saw. I +little thought, as I lay there, that I should ever return home to my +family, for I was married two years previous. But God saw fit to spare +my life, perhaps to aid in conquering the foe. + +It was not long after I got well before I started on the campaign of +1864, under the generalship of U. S. Grant. He was appointed to that +position March 9, and on the twelfth of that month, he took command of +the whole United-States' armies. Then we knew that we were to do some +fighting. But that was what we went for; and we thought the quicker we +commenced, the sooner we should be through and return home (what there +was left of us). + +Spring came, and the season was beautiful. Cherry and pear trees were in +blossom, then apple-trees took their turn. We longed to remain there, +but as the ground became settled, we heard of the forces beginning to +concentrate around Brandy Station and Culpepper. As we were left at our +old place, we began to entertain hopes that we should remain. But we +were not kept in suspense long; for, on the morning of April 30, 1864, +the bugle sounded for us to pack our knapsacks and be ready for the +march. About noon, we bade farewell to the spot where had been our homes +for the past few months, and moved on, bidding good-by to some of our +southern friends we were to leave behind. Some of them were very +friendly and kind to us. When I had nothing else to do, I used to make +axe-handles, and helped one of our neighbors mend his wagon. I also +repaired clocks, and for my pay would get milk and tobacco. So I had the +privilege of sending my money all home to my family, thinking, that if I +lived to return, it would be of use to me. But I was destined to +disappointment, for the money was all gone before I returned home. + + +THE CAMPAIGN OF 1864. + +On the thirtieth of April, 1864, we marched to Rappahannock Station, and +there camped for the night. In the morning, we again set out; but had +only a short march before we arrived at Brandy Station, where we again +halted and remained two nights, the first and second days of May. While +I was there, I called on my cousin, who was a member of the +Thirty-seventh Regiment. While I was gone, the bugle sounded the +advance, and I was obliged to run to overtake them, but did not until +they halted again. At eleven o'clock, the orders for advance were given, +and the whole of the great Army of the Potomac was again in motion. We +knew not where we were going, but at the dawn of day we were at the +Germania Ford. After crossing, we halted to rest. We improved the time +in making coffee and getting our breakfast; then we were ordered forward +again. We took the plank-road leading to Fredericksburg, and marched to +the pike-road running by the Wilderness Tavern; turning, and marching on +that about half a mile, we halted, placed our guard, and remained until +morning. When we crossed the Rapidan River, we turned and cast a wistful +glance back, for we thought it was the last time we should ever cross +it; and so it proved. + +In the morning, the guard was called in to resume their march. We did +not know that the enemy were near, when a squad of cavalry came riding +up to headquarters, and the pickets were ordered back with a new +detachment. The rest of the troops formed in line, and commenced +building breastworks. But we had to work expeditiously to get them +completed. We knew the time of action was near at hand. How we longed to +see the loved ones at home, ere we entered the deathly strife. + +We had not long to wait before the crash came, and the battle was raging +with fearful effect. What feelings of anguish were excited, of which +none can know anything except those who have been there. The sound of +battle is not pleasant, even if a person is not in danger. We remained a +short time behind the works that we had built, and then moved off to the +right, and across the pike-road. There we were exposed to a direct fire +from the enemy. There my tent-mate was wounded by a minie-ball; I was +standing by his side when he was hit. How bad I felt, because I could +not assist him or do anything for him! But we were not allowed to stop, +and we did not hear how badly he was wounded until the next day, when we +heard it was nothing but a flesh-wound. I was glad it was no worse. + +After crossing the road, we moved to the right a short distance, and +then forward. The ground was covered with pine and shrub oaks, so it was +almost impossible to get through. We advanced a short distance before we +came near the enemy. We were in strong force, and then commenced our +work of death. It was heart-rending to see the wounded, dead and dying, +lie on the ground under our feet, and the number still increasing. That +was a horrible place of death and destruction in the dense wilderness, +with peals of musketry, like distant thunder, sounding from right to +left. Sometimes it seemed the hardest on the right, and then in the +centre; and so on. The position we held was the centre, being a part of +the First Division of the Fifth Corps, under the command of General +Warren. But night came on at last, and the shades of darkness put an end +to the strife for that day, neither party seeming to gain any advantage +over the other. We again moved by the left to our old breastworks, and +there remained during the night, tired and weary. We slept on our arms +(what little sleep we had), and in the morning, the combat was renewed +with increased vigor, as if the rebels were determined to break our +lines, or die in the attempt. This suited us, for it weakened their +forces more than ours; but they got sick of it in a short time, and then +our skirmishers would take some of the guns that lay on the field and +put five charges into them, and then tie them to trees, well-sighted at +the enemy, and pull them off. Thus we passed a few hours of the day, +when the battle again commenced, raging more fiercely than before, and +lasted until late into the night. + +Thus ended the second day's fight in the Wilderness. The loss in the +Thirty-second was very slight; in Company E, there were only three +wounded. Again we slept on our arms, eager to commence again at dawn of +day. On May 7th, the fighting was not so severe, little more than +skirmishing, and we had some rest, which we needed very much. May 8th, +there was not much fighting. We noticed the army in motion again, but we +still held our lines until night, when we silently left our breastworks, +never to return. We passed the hospital, where were two thousand of our +wounded, some waiting to have their wounds dressed. What a horrible +sight to behold, men mangled in every form! The line having moved to the +left, we reached Spottsylvania. We marched to the left until we arrived +at Laurel Hill, where we were again in action, and where artillery was +used. The first day was occupied in skirmishing and strengthening the +skirmish-line. But as night came on, the line charged, and drove the +enemy back, so that we could look into their works. We then formed our +rifle-pits on the crest of the hills, within twenty rods of the enemy. +We were in those rifle-pits two days, unable to raise our heads above +the embankment with safety. It rained nearly the whole time, and we were +drenched to the skin, and covered with mud. In the morning, after we +were stationed in the rifle-pits, we, with the rest of the brigade, were +ordered to charge the enemy's works, and at seven o'clock, the assault +commenced. On we went to death. They reserved their fire until we were +but a few yards off, and then opened with grape and musketry. They had +such a flank-fire on us, that we could not stand it, and all that +returned had to crawl away. We lost about half our number in this +assault; and the next morning, we were ordered to make another charge. +But we knew too well the strength of their lines to go willingly to sure +death, and the orders were countermanded. But we had to remain in the +rifle-pits forty-three hours, having no sleep and no chance to +straighten our limbs. When we were relieved, we had to start for +Spottsylvania. The night was dark and muddy; the mud was half-way up to +our knees, and all that long night (this being the third night), without +sleep. But as the morning dawned, we arrived at Spottsylvania. We had +nothing to do until nearly night, so we had a chance to rest our weary +limbs. But late in the afternoon, we had to form, and move to within a +few rods of the court-house. Here we entrenched ourselves, having good +rifle-pits and good breast-works; so we were confident they could not +drive us away. The next morning, the artillery opened their deadly fire +on both sides. The sound was almost deafening; the shells howling +through the air and over our heads (for I lay between the two lines, on +the picket-line). + +We were well supplied with rations, but the hardships were too much for +us; we daily grew weak and poor, and at that time, it did not seem that +I could keep with them much longer. But I little knew then what a man +can stand if obliged to. + +When we left Spottsylvania, we marched in a southerly direction, +crossing the Po and Tar Rivers, and after a long and tiresome march, we +arrived at the North Anna River. This we crossed at one of the fords, +the first that we knew the foe were near; and the orders given to make +no noise in crossing. The banks were very steep on the southern side. +After crossing and ascending the hill, we formed our lines (there was +not more than a brigade that crossed at that time), and commenced our +advance. We had not far to go before coming in contact with the rebel +pickets, to whom we paid no attention, but kept steadily along, when +they broke in utter confusion, and retreated back to their general +lines. We advanced but a short distance before halting and building +breastworks; but we could not get them completed before the rebels were +upon us again, with twice our number. They halted a moment at our first +volley; but again they started and pressed on, but to no purpose, for +the incessant stream of fire and leaden hail was more than they could +stand. They succeeded in turning our right, which brought them in range +of our artillery, when seventeen pieces opened on them. This was more +than they could endure, and what were left fled back, leaving their dead +and wounded in our hands, with many prisoners. Their loss was heavy, +while ours was very light. The next morning, we advanced to Nolen's +Station, on the Virginia Central road, and commenced tearing up the +track. After we had completed this, the weather was rainy and the night +dark. + +We recrossed the river, and started towards Richmond. After marching +about two miles, we halted to draw rations, and the rations for the +picket were left behind. The company commissary and myself were left to +guard them. We remained until ten o'clock the next day, when we started +in pursuit of our corps, they having twelve hours the start. We marched +nearly all night, and on the second morning came up to the regiment just +as they were starting out on a reconnoissance. I there got a pass to +march in the rear, but to come to the regiment that night. Oh, how +thankful I was to get a chance to rest my feet, for they were badly +blistered and very sore. That morning, we had for breakfast fried +chicken (one that we had captured on our march) and sweet potatoes. It +was the best meal that I had while I was in the service. When we got a +little rested, we started again in pursuit of the regiment, which we +found without any difficulty. We had a good night's rest, but when +morning came, we had to take the advance. We moved about two miles, +skirmishing most of the way. Finally, we made a charge, and drove the +enemy from the heights. There we rested a few moments, and charged +again, but to no purpose; we could not drive them away from their works. +The fighting was very hard; our loss was very heavy. We lost in that +charge some of the best men of the regiment, and we mourned their loss +as we would a brother. But owing to the hardness of our work that day, +we were allowed to fall back, and rest for a few days, which we needed +very much. + +At this place, General Grant rode along the lines. The men's cheers were +almost deafening. We were then near Shady Grove Church, but in a short +time the move commenced for Coal Harbor. On account of a colonel in the +Ninth Corps withdrawing his men before orders, we were left in a bad +position, for the enemy were on three sides, and near enough for the +shells to come among us from all directions. This was a critical +position. But as darkness overspread the field of action, we had stopped +their advance. In the morning, our lines were strengthened, and were +ordered to charge. The enemy had fortified during the night. The +Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, dismounted, here joined our brigade. +They were a grand set of men, numbering eleven hundred; while our +Thirty-second was now reduced to two hundred, and we had lost about five +hundred. We formed under the enemy's musketry fire, after getting over +our breastworks. Then the order to advance rang through the lines. On we +went, until nearly out of breath, when we saw the enemy leaving their +first line of works, and retreating behind their second; but their +artillery made sad havoc in our lines. When we got to the breastworks, +we opened fire on them before they could recover from the panic. + +I beheld several vacant places in my company when I looked round. There +was a man who fought almost by my side, who was shot, the ball passing +through the jugular vein of the neck. He fell at my feet, and died in a +few moments. We had four to bury belonging to Company E, and there were +two mortally wounded. + +The next morning, the enemy had left, and we started for Coal Harbor. At +this place, we did not have much fighting to do, our duty being picket +in the Chickahominy Swamps. Here I saw where General McClellan's men +were stationed, the trees being marked with name, regiment, company, and +depth of water. I should have thought more would have died than did, for +the water was nearly waist-deep; and there the men had to stand, when +they might have stood a few rods in the rear, and had dry ground to +stand on. These swamps are a dismal place. The river at this point is so +narrow that you can fell a tree across it, and then cross on the tree. +It is very muddy and deep. The two picket-lines were friendly. We did +not fire at each other, but often passed to the centre of the stream, +and there traded coffee for tobacco and hard-bread for corn-meal. We +tried all we could to get them to desert, and were often successful. A +good many of them got tired of the war, and wished it would close. I did +not blame them for that, for their cause looked dark, and there was not +much probability of success. Still, they thought we could not take +Richmond. After doing picket-duty a few days, we were ordered to cross +the river, and move toward White Oak Swamps, and destroy the bridge +there. We were in support of the cavalry, which went and did the work; +it took all day. + +We started on another flank movement towards the James River. It was a +hard march, all day and part of the night, not leaving us much time to +rest. When we arrived there, we pitched our tents in a wheat-field, and +commenced gathering wheat for bread. The guard were stationed about half +a mile in advance of the camp, under the command of the major of the +Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry. We arrived on the line after dark. In +the morning, he ordered an advance of fifty rods, which brought us into +the woods. We hurried and got our breakfast, for we saw that the major +wanted to show his authority, and we expected another move; and so it +was, for in the course of an hour, he ordered an advance of a mile and a +half in line. The men were stationed five paces apart. The advance +commenced, but we had not gone more than half the distance, before the +line was broken, and it was noon before it was formed again. We made +some raids; I got for my share two nice salt shad and a small bag of +corn-meal. Thus wore away the day. Late in the afternoon, we returned to +the old line, were relieved, and went to our camp for the night. The +next morning, we crossed the James River. At what point we landed I +never knew; our brigade was among the first that crossed. At last, the +lines were ordered forward, although it was four o'clock in the +afternoon. The sun was pouring down its intolerable heat, and it did not +seem as though man or beast could live. There was no air in motion; but +we must go, or die in the attempt. We marched from four o'clock until +about seven without halting, when the doctor rode ahead of the column +and directed a halt. The orders then came that we should stop five +minutes every hour, and that every man should keep in his place who +possibly could, for we were to be at Petersburg at two o'clock that +night, a distance of twenty miles. We could, at this time, plainly hear +the sound of the cannon. On we went, our road being lighted by the +burning of the houses on the way, not one of which was left, for miles. +At twelve o'clock, we halted for refreshments and rest, within two miles +of our destination. Here the roll was called, and the officers were +ordered to see that none fell out; and when we arrived at our +destination, the roll was called again. This was what we called a forced +march. One member of Company E (although I am sorry to say it) was in +the habit of falling out to keep out of battles, and on this march he +tried his luck, but was picked up by the cavalry provost-guard which +followed in the rear. They marched him to the front, where he was +compelled to fight, while we rested for a day. We then advanced, and +passing the outer works of Petersburg, beheld scenes too horrible for +description. The ground was thickly strewn with the dead and dying, +showing what havoc had been made in their lines. Driven from their +works, they rallied and tried to retake them, which they could not do. +Their loss must have been more than ours at this place of action. We +marched on for a short distance, then forming our lines, awaited orders. +In about an hour, they came; and we moved into a wheat-field and charged +the enemy's lines, driving in their pickets, and capturing the Norfolk +and Petersburg Railroads. + + +TWO KINDS OF OFFICERS. + +Here we lost our colonel, an officer we all loved for his bravery and +for his kindness to his men. We thought more of him than of all the rest +of the officers in the regiment. He was a man beloved by all at home, +and was willing to fare as his men did. There was a great difference +between Colonel Prescott (for that was his name) and another Federal +officer who would ride his horse over the men, when they got tired and +exhausted on the march, even if they had a pass to march in the rear. +And then, look at a certain captain who left us at Spottsylvania under +the pretence of being sick; but the sound of the battle is what made him +sick; for he was a coward, in my opinion. He never returned to the +regiment again. The next we heard of him, he was boarding in Washington, +and then in New York State, in good health. + +Company E was commanded by the orderly sergeant the most of the time. +Occasionally, there would be a lieutenant detailed to take command, but +would soon be relieved by wounds. The company as well as the whole +regiment suffered great loss after taking the Norfolk and Petersburg +Railroad. We were relieved and arranged for another charge; this time, +to take a ravine running lengthwise of our lines, that the enemy had +possession of. We formed on the railroad behind its high banks, cutting +steps so that we could climb up; and then the order was given to +forward. "Forward! forward!" rang through the lines, and with deafening +veils we went on. The ravine was cleared, and we had possession of it. +But our day's work was not yet done, for we immediately formed for +another charge; this time with fixed bayonets and for their main works. +When all was in readiness, the orders again rang through the lines, and +we were in motion. On, on, we went, their shot making sad havock in our +lines; but still we kept on, until the Twenty-first Pennsylvania +Cavalry, dismounted, broke, and fell in our rear for us to protect them. +What a shame it was, for, in a few moments more, the works would have +been ours. The enemy had commenced to retreat, and were drawing away +their artillery, when they noticed the break in our lines. But we +rallied, and held our lines until late in the night; when we were +relieved, and moved off to the left, and stopped to rest. Fatigue, +hardships, and sickness had worn me down, but I would not ask to go to +the hospital, for I would rather be with the company as long as +possible. I think this was the eighteenth of June, 1864. We did not move +out of range of the enemy's fire; and there was a good many wounded +without being able to do anything to prevent the fire. I was hit four +times during the day with spent-balls. This was the twentieth or the +twenty-first of June, 1864. + + +SEVERE FIGHTING--WOUNDED. + +We again moved to the left, and halted in the woods, where we remained +until the afternoon of the twenty-second, when we were again called into +action, the enemy having succeeded in breaking the lines between the +Second and Ninth Corps. We were hurried on to death or victory. We +succeeded in stopping them, when we were ordered to another point still +farther to the left, where the enemy were concentrating their men for +another break. We moved by the left flank, which brought the dismounted +Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry ahead. The artillery-fire here was the +worst I had seen. The air seemed to be full of the deadly missiles. It +was almost impossible for a man to stand for a moment. But through this +fire we must pass. We started as fast as we could run; but when we had +got into the heaviest of the fire, we found, to our horror, that the +dismounted Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry had become frightened and +lain down. We could not pass them, and so were obliged to stand under +the awful shelling until they could be got out of the way. + +At this place, I lost my arm,--a place never to be forgotten. Here Fort +Hell was built. As we were standing there, a shell came through one man, +and then exploded, taking my right arm off, and killing four of my +comrades, making five lives destroyed and one wounded. I never expected +to get home, or even off of the field, but I was bound to do all I +could. When the shell hit me, it took part of my arm off, and I never +saw the hand afterward. I was at this time one mile from any surgical +assistance, and walked that distance, while the blood was fast leaving +me, notwithstanding I had bandaged the arm as tight as possible. Only by +the assistance of kind friends did I reach the ambulance. The surgeon +examined my arm, and could then do nothing more than to cord it again, +and give me morphine. I was so weak as to be unable to walk or hardly +stand. I got into the ambulance to go to the Division Hospital, which +was seven miles distant over rough roads. It was eight o'clock in the +evening when I arrived at this hospital. I had for a bed, a straw +bedtick spread on the ground (but no straw in it), and no pillow to put +under my head. I had not long to wait before the surgeon came along; +and, at my earnest request, I was taken to the amputating-room, and +placed on the table. This is the last that I remember until after my arm +was amputated. After I had fully come to my senses, I was conducted back +to my bed on the ground, and there I remained during the night with my +bloody clothes on. + +What a long and sleepless night, with no one to console or comfort me. +My thoughts ran back to the happy days I had spent at home, and to the +loved ones I had left behind. I never expected to behold them again; But +morning came at last, and the bombardment around Petersburg was renewed. +We could hear the firing distinctly. How often I thought of my poor +soldier friends that were still remaining in the regiment on the morning +of the twenty-second of June, 1864. We could only muster ninety guns; +how many were wounded on that day, I never knew. At about ten o'clock on +the day of the twenty-third, one of my company came in and saw me lying +there with my bloody clothes on. He brought a pail of water, and washed +off the blood which had dried on very hard; he also got me some clean +clothes; and I felt some relieved after getting cleaned up, but I had no +appetite to eat anything. All I could do was to lay there and think of +home, and think how they would feel when they came to know of my +misfortune,--to hear that I was crippled for life. These were the +thoughts that passed through my mind, as I lay on the ground at the +hospital. I was cared for as well as I could be in such a place; but it +was different from being at home, with a dear mother or wife to care for +one. But I was not destined to remain at this hospital long, for on the +twenty-fourth, we were sent to City Point. I thought I should be nearer +home, so I was anxious to go; but when I found I must go in an army +wagon, my heart failed me. I had seen men with nothing but flesh-wounds +get into the ambulances, and I in an army-wagon; but this was my lot; +and I had to stand it, or die. The roads were very rough, and we were a +long time in going seven miles. How glad I was when I got to the end of +my journey. There I met one of my company that was slightly wounded. He +met me at the wagon, and helped me out, and I was placed in the ward +with him. The scenes at City Point are beyond description. The dead were +being carried out at all hours of the day, and I expected to go in a +short time. The heat was awful. I remained a few days, and then went to +Washington. The very thought of City Point is enough to make one sick; +it was the worst place I ever saw; thousands of men lay mangled in every +form. The sight was too horrible for description. When I was informed +that I was to go to Washington, my heart beat with joy, for I knew that +I should be near my friends who were living there. While I remained at +City Point, I wrote to all my friends at home, for I never expected to +come home again. We were treated well, and had all the comforts that +could be expected. Never but once while at City Point did I have +occasion to find fault with my treatment; and then the nurse would not +dress my arm, which was fly-blown, and the worms began to work into the +amputation. This was more than horrid. I reported the nurse to the +ward-master, and for my reply was told to mind my own business, which I +thought I would do by reporting him to the sergeant; but the ward-master +was anxious to buy me off, when he found that the surgeon belonged to my +regiment. From that time, to the time I left City Point, I had good +care; and I think that he did all that he could to get me away, and was +also glad when I was gone. When I was asked if I could walk to the boat, +my reply was that I could. I was told to be in readiness at ten o'clock. +I had not attempted to walk at all; but, with the aid of my comrade, I +managed to get to the boat. I hated to part with a friend so dear as he +had proved to me; but we bade each other farewell, and parted. At about +noon, the boat started down the river; I was not able to sit up, so I +could not see the landscape down the James River. I rested better on the +boat than I had done since I lost my arm. We halted at Fortress Monroe a +short time, and then moved toward the Potomac River; and ascending that, +we arrived at Washington between eight and nine o'clock in the evening +of the twenty-seventh of June. + +After remaining at Washington a few moments, we crossed the river to +Alexandria; there the ambulance took us and carried us to Slough +Barracks (a portion of the Third Division Hospital), a distance of one +mile. This hospital is situated about one mile from Alexandria, on the +Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and also near Leesburg pike-road. Fort +Ellsworth stands on the right, and Fort Lyon on the left. Thus they were +strongly fortified. It was very pleasant around this place; the ground +was kept neat and clean, and everything was neat about the building and +tents. We were treated kindly; and as I gained strength, I would go to +walk every morning. This, I think, did me more good than anything else. +I sent word to my uncle that I was there, and they received the word +Saturday night, and came Sunday to see me. How glad I was to see them, +they being the first friends I had seen since I left home. I began now +to long to come home. I little thought how tiresome it was to ride; but +the surgeon knew better than to let me go. I had by this time become +acquainted with the assistant-surgeon of the Third Division Hospital, +Dr. Elliott. I thought everything of him, as a man and as a doctor. I +was finally taken with the jaundice, which, but for the friendship of a +young widow lady, would probably have caused my death. She was very kind +in bringing me everything that she thought would do me good. She was +from Ohio, and came there in company with her husband. He entered the +army; and she, with two children, were left behind. He was mortally +wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, but lived until he arrived at +Washington. He sent for his wife, but died a few hours before she +reached there. I was one week so sick, that my life was despaired of; +but with good care, I began to improve, and it was not long before I was +able to go round the hospital and call on my soldier comrades. For a +morning walk, I would go through the whole hospital, and say and do +what I could to cheer the men up. When I was able to go out, my strength +gained rapidly. Here I remained from the twenty-eighth of June until the +twenty-sixth of August, when I was discharged. During the time that I +remained at the hospital, I visited my uncle on Monson Hill, and had a +good time and plenty of fruit. + +The kindest people I ever met in the South, were the Quakers. They would +call and see the inmates of the hospital, and bring them berries, +peaches, custards, and, in fact, everything that the men needed. I was +sorry to leave the hospital, for I had found some friends that were +friends indeed. Reports were in circulation at home at the time, that I +was wounded, and had died from the effects of my wounds. I had written, +but the letters did not reach my friends. On the twenty-sixth day of +August, I bade farewell to the hospital, never expecting to return. But +at Washington, I found that my papers were not made out right, and I +must go back to get them rectified. When this was done, I returned to +Washington, remained there three days, and then started for home. After +riding all night and until four o'clock the next day, I arrived in +Hartford, Ct., where I met my wife, and remained there until the next +morning, when we started for Springfield. This was the first day of +September, 1864, having been away eleven months and eighteen days. I +worked as watchman at the Water-shops in Springfield, Mass., until the +spring of 1865, when I was obliged to resign the position on account of +the law made by Congress, depriving me of my pension, if employed by the +Government. + +While I was in the army, I endeavored to do my duty as became a soldier, +always trying to do as I was ordered, and doing my whole duty. I was +sorry that I could not remain with my regiment. I have fought and +suffered for my country; and thank God that the war has closed, and +peace once more reigns through the land; and should war again break out, +I would willingly sacrifice my other arm, or life, if need be, to +sustain our liberty and independence. + +In conclusion, I must say, that I am glad to see so many that are +mindful of the invalid soldier, and appear to realize what he has +sacrificed for their benefit as well as his own; but, on the other hand, +there are a large number that have made themselves independently rich +out of this war, that would see the soldiers starve before they would +lend a helping hand. I have often had it said to me, "You draw a +pension." My reply is, "I do; but what are fifteen dollars a month +toward supporting a man and wife?" It is something, to be sure. We are +thankful that it is so large. We all feel as though the Government was +doing all it could for the benefit of its soldiers that have been +crippled in its defence. Long may the Stars and Stripes wave "O'er the +land of the free and the home of the brave." + + + PRATT BROTHERS, Book and Job Printers, 37 Cornhill, Boston. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Note: + +Page 27, "o'colck" changed to "o'clock" (about ten o'clock on the) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Empty Sleeve, by Henry H. 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