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diff --git a/43562-0.txt b/43562-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c402198 --- /dev/null +++ b/43562-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5369 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43562 *** + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://archive.org/details/companygrecordof00barl + + + + + +COMPANY G. + +A Record of the Services of One Company of the 157th N. Y. Vols. +in the War of the Rebellion. + +From Sept. 19, 1862, to July 10, 1865. + +Including the Roster of the Company. + +by + +A. R. BARLOW. + + + + + + + +A. W. Hall, Publisher, +Syracuse, N.Y. +1899. + + + + +PREFATORY. + + +The production of this little work has long been contemplated. It has +seemed right that the records of some of the volunteer organizations +sent from Canastota and vicinity, during the War of the Rebellion, +should be recorded in such a form as would preserve to the families of +those boys, their deeds in marching, in fighting, in suffering for the +old flag. In an effort to accomplish such an undertaking as this, the +patronage of the general public is not considered. The book, if +requiting for the expense of publication, will be considered a success +financially. + +As a literary effort, no claim is filed, unless one is admissible for +general accuracy in the matter of events and dates. Some critics may +take exception to the attempt herein made, to individualize a +collective noun and yet retain plurality; and in the same measure, +pervert mood and tense. It is admitted that the license is unique. +Quite likely other departures from good old grammatical paths will be +noted. Let it be remembered, however, that the experiences of Co. G +were, as a whole, unique, and to harmonize the literal with the +actual, the record should be drawn uniquely. + +No apology is offered for trivial treatment of some of the subjects; +in truth, they are deserving of severe handling. If lack of respect +for commanding officers is shown, the explanation given is, that they +have been removed from the high pedestals of war-gods and are +considered only as men. + +It is in no bitter sense the men who fought Co. G are termed rebels. +They were in rebellion and were known to the boys as rebels, or johnny +rebs. A false delicacy only would prompt the writer to deprive those +Southern men of a title which, apparently, they bore with pride. + +As stated, this is not a work for the public eye. It is an offering to +comrades, from a comrade who marched with them, and experienced with +them the fortunes and misfortunes of war. And in performing this work, +care has been taken to omit such occurrences as might not be +understood by others than the actors; and while thus avoiding +over-coloring by a faithful portraiture of events, and suppressing +nothing worthy of record Co. G go into history. + +In performing this duty, individual names have been used, illustrative +of passing events. Should any person feel aggrieved over such freedom, +let it be known, it was, indeed, born of familiarity with the +subjects, and is indulged in a spirit of good comradeship, without +thought of disparagement. + +No man who marched with those boys can think of them unkindly. If +there were ever differences of a serious nature, the writer is +unmindful of them. + +To travel over the old roads, to hunger and to thirst again; to sleep +where night found them; in sunshine, in storm out on the picket-line; +to toss upon a bed of suffering and weaken, day by day, for lack of +tender care;--in brief, to march away to the wars and enjoy the rich +compensation of an honorable return, all this and more, has been lived +again while preparing this record. And so with the old boys, as long +as they live, will they by this effort be enabled to travel Virginia +roads in all kinds of weather, without danger of sticking fast in the +mud, or of being stifled amid clouds of gray dust. + +Why Co. G did not cut a broader swath along the pathway of glorious +attainment, they cannot understand. They were a willing body of men, +and were of a regiment of noble hearts. Misfortunes of war, simply, +were not the only elements at work defeating their best endeavors. The +true causes can be learned, only, in a huge compendium of tragical, +whimsical and amusing facts, concealed within the folios of that +unwritten or mythical history of the war, which never will be +published, a history that would tumble war-idols to the ground, and +elevate men who have passed into obscurity. + + +But Co. G have never permitted their escutcheon to lie prone in the +dust, that they might more readily engage in wrangling over such small +matters as position and preference. They do not grumble, they do not +boast. They learned, thirty-five years ago, to accept the inevitable, +which has been awarded to them in large quantities. + + +Co. G were boys of Lenox, who served in the name of Lenox. They +belonged, then to Lenox, as her offering in the war, and their record +is a part of the history of the town. Divested of verbiage, their +deeds will still be found honorable and manly. For, as once said the +lamented Capt. Frank, Co. G did "as well as any of them." + +A few words should be given in memory of the dead, who, in life, stood +shoulder to shoulder with the boys of Co. G Dead?--a word applied to +express a religious belief; but how inexpressive of a new-birth. + + "Death is but another name for change. + The weary shuffle off their mortal coil, + And think to slumber in eternal night. + But, lo! the man, tho' dead is living still; + Unclothed, is clothed upon, and his Mortality + Is swallowed up of Life." + +Thus sang an inspired woman, and thus shall it be said of the boys who +gave their lives for the flag, and for their comrades who shall follow +them. And some day, upon the great plain of Light, the hosts will once +more marshal for a grand review. + + + + +ROSTER OF CO. G, 157TH N.Y. VOLS. + + +CAPTAINS. + + Abraham Tuttle. + [1]Harrison Frank. + [2]Lafayette McWilliams. + + +LIEUTENANTS. + + Maurice D. Bailey. + Harrison Frank. + Marshall Hemstreet. + [2]Frank E. Gates. + [2]Robert E. Grant. + [2]Jerome Forbes. + Clark Pierce. + + +ORDERLY SERGEANTS. + + Israel P. Moore. + Marshall Hemstreet. + Frank E. Gates. + [2]John H. Roe. + Jerome Forbes. + Hubbard Suits. + + +SERGEANTS. + + Marshall Hemstreet. + Frank E. Gates. + Henry C. Jarvis. + John H. Roe. + James B. Hooper. + [2]Nicholas Binges. + John H. Fancher. + Wm. H. Barlow. + [2]Harvey Lindsley. + + +CORPORALS. + + Jerome Forbes. + [2]Irwin A. Sayles. + [2]James B. Hooper. + Clarence L. Spencer. + [2]Asa E. New. + Wm. J. Peck. + Wm. H. Barlow. + Nicholas Binges. + Hubbard Suits. + [2]Charles A. Near. + Daniel A. Betsinger. + [2]Albert R. Barlow. + [2]Jerry Murphy. + [2]William Miller. + Wm. H. Kimball. + + +MUSICIAN. + + W. H. Perry. + + +TEAMSTER. + + Wm. G. Johnson. + + +COOKS. + + William Mallows. + Ziba Cloyes. + Patrick Matthews. + + +PRIVATES. + + [2]Amos Avery. + [2]Peter Agan. + Daniel A. Betsinger. + Wm. W. Baldwin. + [1]Albert D. Bridge. + Daniel Brockway. + Albert R. Barlow. + Ziba Cloyes. + Alfred J. Cole. + Peter Cummings. + Francis H. Carey. + John H. Dunham. + Nicholas Ecker. + [1]John W. Foltz. + Conrad Foltz. + [2]Robert Farrington. + John H. Fancher. + Francis M. Gault. + Daniel D. Grovestein. + Stephen D. Harrington. + Joseph H. Hart. + [1]John A. Hart. + Jacob Hallicus. + [3]James M. Hainsworth. + [2]James Johnson. + [1]Luzerne E. Johnson. + Henry Kellogg. + Harvey Lindsley. + [1]Asa C. Lawrence. + Luther Loucks. + Wm. Mallows. + Myron A. Menzie. + Henry Mason. + Patrick Matthews. + James Matthews. + Jerry Murphy. + [1]Durell Moore. + Jeremiah McLane. + [2]John J. McMaster. + [2]William Miller. + [2]John Miller. + [2]Michael Miller. + [2]Chas. A. Near. + [2]Simon Nestler. + [2]Hugh O'Brien. + [1]Francis C. Pratt. + [2]William Pease. + [2]John Pfleiger. + Mason Phelps. + Chas. O. Ricker. + Wm. E. Rinn. + [3]Henry W. Richardson. + Nicholas J. Snyder. + Eusebius Sweet. + Hubbard Suits. + [2]James L. Travis. + John Torrey. + Elmer A. Wise. + [1]Alfred Wilder. + [2]Henry Whaling. + Calvin White. + + +DRAFTED RECRUITS. + + Geo. S. Orr. + Scott D. Whitney. + + +SUBSTITUTES FOR DRAFTED MEN. + + James Leonard. + John Wise. + + +ENLISTED AS RECRUITS. + + [1]Abram Thornton. + Sylvanus D. Alexander. + Peter Delong. + Chas. Hoxie. + Nelson Kimball. + Henry Nobles. + Sylvanus S. Ostrander. + Samuel N. Jacquay. + [1]Russell Stroup. + Paul Stowell. + Wm. H. Schuyler. + Levi Schuyler. + Chas. O. Hinman. + [2]Wm. L. Johnson. + Wm. H. Kimball. + Patrick Kinney. + Alfred J. Leird. + William Rudd. + John Terry. + Daniel Winchell. + John Brown. + George Plank. + Arthur Campbell. + Rufus C. Baldwin. + +[1] Killed in Action. + +[2] Wounded. + +[3] Died by disease or accident. + + + + +COMPANY G. + + +The date of their captain's commission placed Co. G seventh in +rank--beginning with A--and ninth company from the extreme right as the +regiment formed on the colors. The company was enrolled and became a +part of the 157th regiment of New York Volunteers, enlisted for three +years unless sooner discharged--"for three years unless sooner shot," +according to Irwin Sayles, who left the company and the service minus a +right arm. The regiment was raised in Cortland and Madison Counties, +under the call of July 2d, 1862, for 300,000 three years men. + + +ABRAHAM TUTTLE, the first captain of Co. G, was a farmer living near +Clockville. He was about forty years of age, slightly gray, but strong +and active. Capt. Tuttle was an old-time California gold-seeker, who +took the long route via Cape Horn to the then new Eldorado. In some +respects he was well fitted for a soldier, but he had no taste for such +a life, as a profession, and resigned after experiencing the +discomforts of a winter campaign in Virginia. + + +MAURICE D. BAILEY, of Wampsville, was first lieutenant of Co. G. He was +one of the handsomest men in the regiment--finely made and set-up in +good style and in the prime and vigor of life. He was a big-hearted man +and popular. At home he was a farmer. After serving with the company +for a few months, he was assigned to Co. K, being promoted to a +captaincy, and remained with the regiment until the autumn of 1863, +when he resigned, at Folly Island, S.C. + + +HARRISON FRANK, second lieutenant of Co. G, was a speculator in farm +produce and lived at Wampsville; he was thirty-two years of age, a +rather tall, spare-built man. He came from German stock, and his +grandfather, Albert Frank, was a soldier of the Revolution. His +maternal grandfather, George Siver, was a soldier of 1812. Andrew Frank +married Nancy Siver and Harrison Frank was their son. + +So it appears that Harrison was born with a martial spirit in him. +Unfortunately his physical powers were too frail for the hardships of +camp and field. It would seem that only a strong will power supported +the man for weeks at a time. "I will never give up until I am down," +was written on every line of his features, while his figure was +unsteady and his limbs seemed unfit for carrying his body. But his eye +was clear and his voice rang out sharp and authoritative. He possessed +a shrill tone of voice, was rapid in speech, his perceptions were +clear, his preferences leaning to that which was just and right; was +methodical, correct, generous, temperate. Cared little for the glitter +of military display and wore on parade the dress coat of a private +adorned with shoulder straps. This was not from penuriousness. One day +the colonel took him to task for not appearing in a uniform coat. + +"Colonel," he replied, "I have a mother and others at home, who need +all I can save from my pay. In my baggage I have a new uniform coat. My +boys know me in this uniform." + +He wore that plain dress coat unmolested. In fact, when he fell at +Gettysburg he wore the ordinary blouse of a private soldier, with two +bars attached, taken from an old shoulder strap. + +When Frank was made captain, the discipline of Co. G was very +indifferent, their tactics none of the best. They needed inspiring and +the right sort of man took hold of them, who knew there was crude +material in his company, of such from which good soldiers were +produced; so he applied himself and with immediate results, to make Co. +G one of the good companies of the regiment. Frank had been left behind +when the regiment went to the front. He was in poor health, but finally +reached Washington and lay there in hospital, or under treatment, for +weeks, rejoining the boys at Fairfax Court House, Va. He was still +weak, but brimful of patriotism, was sanguine of victory for the North +and said he expected to march into Richmond. Such sort of grit served +him to the last. Gradually, as the winter gave place to balmy spring, +his health seemed to improve and with that encouraging condition came +his ability to convey to his men the ambition of the soldier; and it +was not long before Co. G were looking up handsomely. In April, 1863, +President Lincoln reviewed the Army of the Potomac then lying in the +vicinity of Falmouth. Co. G were bright under the applications of +tripoli polish, blacking and brush-brooming; new uniforms, white +gloves, etc. Capt. Frank was proud of his men. As their esprit improved +the men grew to liking more and more the man who sought their greatest +good. + + +In this connection it is only just to remember a patriotic act of Mrs. +Daniel Crouse, of Canastota, who presented a regulation sword to each +of the officers of Co. G. The ceremony occurred in the old Dutch +Reformed Church in Canastota. Judge Barlow made the presentation +speech, to which the then Lieutenant Frank responded in a modest, but +manly style. + + + + +A FEW NOTES OF GENERAL INTEREST. + + +Co. G was recruited in the middle portion of the Town of Lenox, Madison +County. It was known in the regiment as the Canastota Company. A +patriotic region was the territory within a radius of four miles of +that small village. Before 1856 it was counted a reliably Democratic +locality, but the anti-slavery agitation soon found it fertile ground +for propagating Free-Soil ideas and it rapidly changed to the +Republican side, as soon as the issue was fairly made. So, when the war +broke out, the missionary work of such men as Gerrit Smith, Samuel J. +May, Beriah Green, and others, became apparent, and patriotism burned +bright upon its rural altars. It is estimated that at least five +hundred men were recruited within the territory already designated. +The Town of Lenox paid $136,030 for town bounties, while Madison County +paid a total of $1,338,320 for bounties to recruits. Lenox paid for +support of families $3,786, distinct from Poor Fund; both for bounties +and for relief thus raised by tax, Lenox shows double that of any other +town in the county. And those figures do not by any means represent the +thousands of dollars voted at the recruiting meetings and subscribed +and donated for local bounties and for relief purposes. + +Very pleasant to recall are the kind words spoken and written in those +trying times by noble-hearted men and women, as the boys went forth to +the war. + +In August, 1862, a war fund was raised in Madison County. Hon. Gerrit +Smith, with his usual generosity, promptly sent in his check for +$5,000, and in his note which enclosed the same, he says--"I would that +the fund should not be regarded as a mercenary appeal to our +volunteers--but as a gift from loving neighbors toward helping them to +arrange their affairs that they can leave their homes more freely and +pleasantly. These volunteers and their neighbors constitute a +partnership sacred and sublime, and never to be broken." + +Canastota was very active and like many other towns at the time, doing +unceasingly for the men in the field, for local relief and in support +of the good cause generally. It is doubtful if any locality in the +State, with the same population and a like assessment, can show a more +honorable record. + +It should be noted that at least fifty per cent. of the men enlisted in +1862 were at the time beardless youths, the greater portion of whom +proved enduring soldiers. Those boys did not enlist for sake of +obtaining bounties. Enthusiasm was aroused in various ways--by speeches +at war-meetings, by martial music and by the newspapers. Everybody +talked war, the girls sang war songs, one boy enlisted and his chums +followed him. Very little cared those young fellows for bounties. The +county of Madison gave $50, and the State $50, bounties. One month's +pay in advance $13 and $2 bonus from the general government and $100 at +the expiration of the term of service (increased after the war to +$200). In the fall of 1864 the town of Lenox gave for bounties to +3-years men $1,100, the county $500 added to that, besides the State +and national bounties, and many of those men never were in a battle. + +But the trials of war were not entirely with the boys at the front. +Dependent parents, wives and children felt the denials keenly; and when +news came that a battle had been fought and some of their boys had +fallen, the entire community was interested at once and freely +sympathized with sorrowing friends. And the firm belief that they were +thus cared for strengthened the boys wonderfully. + +Of the eighty-seven men originally enrolled in Co. G, one-half of them +were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years, and no doubt a +number of them several years below the minimum age of eighteen, fearing +rejectment, assumed to be older. + +The fatalities of war among those volunteers are difficult to estimate. +Not a few were reported as "missing," who never returned. Many of the +sick and wounded lived to see their homes and soon after died. + +During its term of service the company lost one captain and six +enlisted men killed in action, and one man accidentally shot, while +three died of disease. The man Asa Lawrence, missing at Chancellorsville, +is included among the killed, and according to all that has been learned, +he has never been heard from. One captain, three lieutenants and +twenty-four men, were wounded. Of the original enrollment sixteen were +discharged on account of sickness or wounds, five were discharged to +accept commissions and five were transferred to the Invalid corps. Nine +men deserted. Forty-two enlisted men returned with the regiment, others +not present were still borne on the rolls. + +The company during its term received accessions of two substitutes, two +drafted men and twenty-four recruits. Of those, several were slightly +wounded and two died of disease. + +The casualties in Co. G were not as many as in some of the companies of +the regiment. Co. C lost seven killed and more than forty wounded. Co. +I lost one officer and eight men killed and their captain and +twenty-nine men wounded. + + +It was understood at the time the authorization was issued that the +company was to be assigned to a regiment forming of Cortland and +Madison County men, with Philip P. Brown, Jr., of Hamilton, as colonel, +and to rendezvous at Hamilton. As rapidly as possible the enlistments +were pushed along and about two weeks from the time recruiting began, +the company was assured of its quota and took its name as Company G. + +At Hamilton, the camp was established on the fair grounds north of the +village. For a time a large tent afforded shelter to the men, but its +capacity being insufficient, five barrack buildings were erected on the +west side of the enclosure, two companies in each building. Co. G +shared in the shelter of the most northerly barrack and in the west +section of the building, with Co. B, their neighbors, in the eastern +portion. Two tiers of bunks ranged along each side of the structure and +each bunk was occupied by two men; at the entrance was a room for +commissioned officers, most of whom preferred the softer beds in the +hotels of the village to the hard straw ticks of the camp. + +As the recruits arrived in town they were taken to one of the public +halls, where surgeons Hendrick, Beebe and Crawe hammered their chests, +listened to their heartbeats and respiration, looked into the eyes of +the recruits, finally ordering them to jump over the floor on each leg +consecutively. During this ordeal the boys appeared in the uniform of +Nature only. Few failed to pass the Board, however, and the successful +ones then appeared before the adjutant. If a minor, a written consent +was required from the parent or guardian. + +Accepted recruits were given orders upon the quartermaster and were +taken over to a warehouse near the canal and there received an outfit. +The dress coat of dark blue, also dark blue flannel blouse and pants, +overcoat, coarse gray shirts, canton flannel drawers, woolen socks, +shoes and blanket, not to forget the dark blue fatigue cap so heartily +disliked by the wearers. The civilian garb was shed at once and the +green soldier was revealed in the cut and fit of his new clothing of +war, while his back itched under those shirts as though numerous flies +and ants were perambulating there, with an occasioned nipping from a +stray spider. But how very, very verdant the boys appeared--so +harmless-like in their uniforms, and to add to the ludicrous feature of +the occasion very many of them hastened to a gallery to have their +appearance preserved for all time. + +Knapsacks, haversacks and canteens, tin cups and plates, knives and +spoons, came to each in time. No guns were issued in Camp Mitchell; +guards about the camp carried guns borrowed from a local armory--no +cartridges were issued. A high board fence presented the most +discouraging barricade to such of the boys as desired a night outside. + +It was amusing to observe the schemes for gaining liberty and to see +the boys return to duty after a day or two in the narrow quarters of +the guard house. They were not accustomed to such discipline; but they +were soon to learn that they had entered upon a new career. + +Life in barracks was not tedious. During the day there were several +marching drills by squad, platoon and company, and in the evening dress +parade, and perhaps, a few attempts at battalion evolutions. Officers +in nearly every company were as green as the men. A few +short-enlistment men who had seen service and returned, and some who +had served in home companies, usually were the drill-masters. Col. +Brown had been captain of the Hamilton Grays; Major Carmichael for a +time served as captain in the 76th N.Y.; a few other officers had been +in the service. + +Co. G were drilled by Sergeants Hemstreet and Gates, six months' +recruits to the 12th N.Y.V.; also by Frank Cooper afterwards a member +of the 78th N.Y. During drill hours "hay-foot, straw-foot!"--"heels +together, toes on a line, body erect resting on the toes,"--"forward, +march!" and "halt,"--the orders from drill-masters, were heard on all +sides; and over in one corner of the pen were the ten or more fifers +and drummers taking first lessons in martial music. The scene was +enough to make an old soldier weep from laughter, and yet it was not an +unusual one wherever raw troops were mustered. + +The eating house at Camp Mitchell (so named in honor of David J. +Mitchell, a lawyer, at one time a resident of Hamilton) stood at the +east end of the enclosure, into which the men were marched by their +officers, three times daily to their meals. Good, wholesome fare was +provided and in abundance and would have been pronounced grand one year +later, could those boys have obtained it on Folly Island, in place of +wormy hardtack and tough salt-horse. + +The sick at Hamilton were quartered in a small church near the grounds, +but Co. G were fortunate as to health while at the rendezvous. Many of +the boys enjoyed furloughs during those five or six weeks and their +friends visited them and were often permitted to pass the night at the +barracks. Amusements of various kinds broke the monotony of barrack +life--card playing, wrestling, quoits, various games and much rough +horse-play, continually in sight. + +While there was so much life astir in Camp Mitchell, it must be +acknowledged that a few of the men were down-hearted, particularly +those about to leave wives and children; and who could blame them? +There were heavy hearts in the homes of those boys. One man when called +upon to give a written consent for his sons to enlist, remarked that he +felt as if he were signing their death-warrants. For there was a +terrible uncertainty for soldiers in those days and the much-quoted +silver lining of the heavy clouds overhanging our country, was yet to +be discovered in the future efforts of her loyal sons. Cripples and +sick men were returning from the front and occasionally somebody's +child was brought home for burial. The failure of the Peninsula +Campaign, followed by the disaster at Bull Run, were bad records, +scarcely effaced by the hard-earned victory at Antietam. And yet, amid +such desolation the American people of the North never ceased to give +of blood and treasure and the boys kept marching on, the matrons and +the maidens smiling and waving farewells with hearts and eyes +overflowing, the men and boys cheering, bands playing, fifes shrieking +and drums beating. The boys marched away, the hospitals filled, little +mounds dotted many a Southern field, the ranks thinned and the scene +was repeated again and again until victory came; and then it was time +to count the cost. Those who suffered were the ones to cast the +reckoning. + + +On the 19th of September, 1862, the regiment was mustered into the +service of the United States. The preliminary of scanning-over the men +was performed during a dreary rain storm, by regular army surgeons, the +men in line by company. Few were rejected and those for defects of eyes +or teeth, or for manifest feebleness. There was Ziba Cloyes of Co. G, a +man of sixty years, who had enlisted as being only forty-four, gray +hair and a general suspicion of advanced years about him. The surgeon +reached him in the line. + +"What is your age, sir?" + +"Forty-four." + +The surgeon smiled. "Open your mouth." + +Ziba obeyed, disclosing a full set of teeth such as would have +delighted many a dude. Then he brought them together with a sharp snap. + +"Put your finger in there," he said, again opening his jaws to their +widest limit. + +"You will do, sir," said the surgeon as he passed, with a broad grin, +to the next man. + +After the examination came the formal muster-in by companies, and Co. G +were then an arm of the government and on the direct road to active +service. Orders thereafter emanated from officers of the general +government and the State was duly accredited. Co. G had saved Canastota +from a draft. + + +Sept. 25th, with their new rubber-cloth knapsacks, haversacks and +canteens, at an early hour, Co. G were mustered for the road. Teams had +been generously offered by the people far and near, gratuitously, and +on that morning to the number of more than one hundred blocked the +streets of the village, long before daybreak, in waiting to carry the +regiment to Canastota. + +The loading was quite slow and consumed considerable time, but the day +was fine and the roads in excellent condition and the journey to +Peterboro was made without further delay. In that pleasant little +village the regiment left the wagons and marched into the park, where +tables were spread on the green and laden with good fare. While the +boys were eating, they were favored with a speech from Hon. Gerrit +Smith. He was seated upon a white horse. His deep, eloquent tones were +heard above the clatter of dishes. It was his wish that the boys be not +withheld from eating. Above his head waved the stars and stripes at +half-mast, in memory of Capt. Barnett, killed at Antietam--a Peterboro +boy. All that was saddening, all that was eloquent and nobly good in +the place, was not so appealing just then, as the feast before them; +the boys of Co. G were hungry. After the feast and the address of +welcome and God-speed, the wagons were again mounted. + +The long train reached Canastota about 5 p.m. They were unloaded south +of the town and the men given their first experience with those +handsome new knapsacks, as they marched (bent forward like +pack-peddlers) through the village streets. It was their first +experience, also, in straggling--the head of the regiment led by the +Hamilton band, was approaching the Peterboro St. bridge as the rear of +the column passed into Center St., strung nearly around the square. + +A platform had been built in a field north of the Crouse residence and +near the railroad. Prominent citizens of Cortland and Madison were on +the platform; Gen. Bruce was speaker. Guards were thrown around the +enclosure to keep the crowd outside, but not to exclude the relatives +and friends. Caresses and sobbing, tears and forced gaiety marked that +occasion. Little ones were there and the father fed himself with one +hand as he pressed his child to his breast with the other. Old age came +also, and parents trembling with years, tried to be brave as their part +in the war, if nothing more. Even the abundance of choice food supplied +for the men was hardly relished under the strain of parting; so the +women filled the haversacks, poured coffee into the canteens, +completing the whole with a hearty kiss and sent the boys on their way. +There were times, when the happiest soldier boy was he, who, when going +to war, left none at home to weep for him. + +A train of emigrant cars received the regiment and at daybreak next +morning they reached Albany. A good breakfast was served in a building +near the depot. A portion of the regiment was taken over the ferry and +the remainder, including Co. G, marched to the executive mansion where +Gov. Morgan presented the stand of colors, D. J. Mitchell responding. + +The boys will ever remember their ride down the rail along the Hudson. +At every station and in homes along the road, in the fields and on the +river, wherever men, women or children were seen, their handkerchiefs +and hats were waved to cheer the soldier boys. The boys in blue threw +kisses to the blushing girls, or upon brown paper or pieces cut from +lunch boxes, wrote and cast forth gentle words of appreciation. Really +it must have grown monotonous to those people, as soldiers were passing +nearly every day; if so, it was such a monotony as they appeared to +enjoy immensely. With some of the men of Co. G the situation was too +serious for trifling--they were leaving their Marias and Nancys and +Kates. + +City Hall barracks, New York City--never forget them. The postoffice +building now covers that ground. Bunks floored with slats to sleep +upon, into which the many occupants had crawled, each time carrying in +from the floors a fresh supply of sand to fall into the eyes of the +fellows in the lower berths; the rooms ill-ventilated and odorous of +many stalwart smells. The food was unattractive and few of Co. G had +the hardihood to partake. Just one cheering feature of the situation, +was the hope ever constant, that their stay would be brief. They +stopped but one night and a day. As evening approached they were +marched down to a covered dock and remained there in the dark, +unlighted place, awaiting the arrival of a steamer to take them over to +Jersey. + +Soon as darkness came on the men became very quiet as though the +bogie-man was abroad. By and by a clicking, cracking sort of noise came +out of the depths of darkness, soon followed by a smacking sound. Co. G +were eating cheese--the other companies were eating cheese. + +"Commandants of companies will see that their men are kept together," +roared the colonel. + +The officers could not see very well in the dark. The men broke open no +more cheese boxes. They had spied the boxes through the gathering gloom +on their first arrival and simply waited patiently for darkness. + +John Schultz, a German, and member of Co. G, had sat himself down on +the outer timber of the wharf and fell asleep. He had not removed his +knapsack. What his canteen contained is not known. He nodded awhile, +snored a little and suddenly disappeared. Some one raised the cry that +a man had fallen into the slip. A police boat picked old John out and +soon he returned, thoroughly wet and considerably sobered. + +Near midnight a steamer reached the wharf and took the regiments away +to Port Monmouth, the northern terminus of the Delaware and Raritan Bay +R. R. Once more the raiding propensities of the boys were exhibited +upon a car-load of peaches on a siding, but they were promptly +restrained. The men were not thieves; they had somehow reached the +conclusion that a change in dress demanded a change in morals. They +knew there was some sort of transformation going on within them, as +without, and certainly they must act differently than when they were +plain civilians. Instead of being peaceful lambs at home, they must be +wolves and hunt in packs. But a few months of strict discipline set +them aright. + +It was Sunday afternoon when the regiment reached Philadelphia, tired +and hungry. A lunch had been served on the train early in the day, but +that was only a "hand-out." At Philadelphia many thousands of men of +passing regiments, were fed at the Cooper's Union refreshment rooms. So +Co. G, though only one-tenth of a regiment, were favored with plenty of +clean water, soap and towels and then were served with a delicious meal +of good substantial food, served on a clean cloth, from earthen dishes, +"just like home," said the boys. + +Philadelphia always treated the soldiers in the most generous style. A +sick or wounded man felt greatly favored to be sent to a Philadelphia +hospital. + +After the regiment was fed, the march was taken for the Baltimore +depot, several miles distant. The walks were crowded with people. Such +cheering, waving handkerchiefs, tossing of kisses, helped mightily in +the struggle beneath those galling knapsacks. Some of the giddy girls +rushed up to the ranks and exchanged handkerchiefs bearing their names; +others tossed flowers among the boys, and "good-by," "God bless you," +was heard, from the start to the finish. + +The cars in waiting were ordinary cattle cars, in which rough board +seats were built. This was the first acquaintance the men had with such +sort of conveyance. For the officers, a coach was provided, but many of +them remained with their men. + +In the recent war with Spain, coaches were provided for the men; and +for the sick, sleeping cars and dining cars, all of which was perfectly +right. Between Washington and any portion of the eastern and Middle +states, no soldier, during the War of the Rebellion, should have been +obliged to ride in a car built for cattle, particularly after the war +had progressed for over one year. + +At Baltimore the namby-pamby feature of the excursion ceased, Enfield +rifles were dealt out to the companies, together with accoutrements, +the cartridge box, belts, etc. That seemed like war. No cartridges were +issued; those came on Arlington Hights. + +The city of Baltimore had shown, to some extent, an inclination in +favor of secession. Many of its young men had gone to the Confederate +lines and a strong feeling against federal interference with secession +was very noticeable among a certain class of the citizens. Troops were +stationed there to preserve order. + +The regiment was marched into an open street with guards stationed to +prevent the men from wandering about the city. Co. G remained strictly +passive within bounds and found no opportunity for doing otherwise. +They were exemplary fellows when under guard. + +An unusual place for a dining hall was that at Baltimore--on an upper +floor near the depot. Very good food was supplied, particularly the +coffee. + +Co. G were very fond of coffee; although at that early day it had not +become so necessary to those heroes in embryo as it was a few years +later. The experience of soldiers generally in that war, favored the +use of coffee. It was food as well as drink. When a fellow was nearly +fagged, on a severe march, the mention of coffee appeared to brace him, +and a hand would slip into the haversack for a pinch, only to tide him +along. A spoonful of coffee in a canteen of water lifted one +comfortably over many a weary mile. To abolish the whisky ration was +wise. To have taken away the coffee would have endangered the cause. + +Coffee and the letters from home were two important auxiliary supports +of the nation. Those letters were a power. Nothing went just right when +the mail was delayed. Anticipation is a great word and the soldiers +worked it for all it is worth; on all the various grades of the psychic +thermometer from zero to fever heat. Ah, when fever heat was struck, +the indication was reliably certain that she had "gone back on" her +soldier lad. + +Clean cattle cars were supplied at Philadelphia, but the sort in which +Co. G traveled from Baltimore to Washington were fragrant of stable +odors. The distance was little over forty miles, yet the entire night +was consumed. That scheme of traveling nights and loafing around half +dead during the daytime, was never explained. Some of the men had a +suspicion that Col. Brown was fearful that he might lose some of his +men if he changed cars in the night time, and so corralled them the +same as other stock. However that might have been, in his regiment the +most remarkable desertions were among the officers. + +Co. G did not enlist to become deserters and the few of them who did +desert were scarcely missed; and a halo of glory which hung over the +heroic Co. G at the close of the war obscured, if it did not eliminate, +all weak points. Orators and newspapers accorded them glory, the +popular cry glorified them. Why not place the laurel crown right here? + + +September 30th was a beautiful day, but warm in Washington. Co. G +jumped down from their cattle cars and were marched to cattle barracks +near the capitol. There was plenty of space for camping, but no tents +had been issued to them. Those barracks terraced up the hill, resembled +barns, rough boarded and whitewashed. The lawmakers over in the huge +marble building nearby, reclined upon soft cushions. The sons of their +constituents, who had come down to settle a serious difference stirred +up in that building, were marched into foul-smelling barracks because +they were soldiers. It was too bad to treat American troops that way. + +At those barracks the feeding place for soldiers at that time was +abominable in filth and mussiness. Coffee was served in what the boys +named swill-pails, with a coating of grease outside and inside. The +cooks and waiters bore hands and faces that lacked for soap and water. +Many a bold soldier boy, after a peep into the feeding room, retired to +a convenient refreshment saloon and bought his meals. As for Co. G, +they said little but thought much, resolving that a revelation should +appear as the years moved along, and even thus it is recorded, long +after those slip-shod cooks have ceased to slop, and longer since the +boys have any use for them. And now the vindictiveness of Co. G is +spent. + + +Unfortunately, before Co. G could be taken out of Washington some of +its members had filled themselves with poor liquor. The same fellows +had given trouble while en route from the North, and on various +occasions suspicious looking bottles were taken from them by the +officers and thrown from the train. More shame for Co. G, who were not +fighting under the banner of King Alcohol. + +In the middle of the day column was formed and the boys marched out on +Pennsylvania Avenue. Numbers of small boys flanked the line bargaining +for the task of carrying knapsacks--carts were there for the same +purpose and a brisk bargaining ensued. It was indeed a comfortable way +to carry a knapsack--transferred to a cart or to the back of a negro +boy. Thus disburdened, marching was easier. The air was hot, the roads +very dusty. Across Long Bridge they went, past Forts Runion and Albany, +to an old camp known as Camp Chase, nearly one mile in rear of the Lee +mansion, on Arlington Hights. Old A tents were there, pitched and +ready for occupation, true, not as clean as desirable, but a shelter +which a little labor of dusting and arranging greatly improved. + +Routine is the term expressive of life in camp. The soldier of +experience is a stranger to monotony--he is part of a machine. All the +comforts and amusements he can get outside of the routine life, are +luxuries to be dissipated at a word of command. + +Co. G dropped into the routine of camp life with good grace. They threw +down brush upon the sacred soil of Virginia, they filled their ticks +with dried grass, then spreading their blankets, composed themselves +for the sleep of innocence, their knapsacks as pillows affording +support to the shoulders galled in carrying them. Oh, those knapsacks. +Sleep on, brave; bulge out knapsack, you are to be reconciled shortly. + +Suddenly their dreams were broken--the day had dawned. From near and +far came the bugle blast and the rattle of fife and drum. Hungry mules +took up the refrain in varying keys. The boys of G soon heard the voice +of Orderly Moore, "Co. G, fall in for roll-call!" + + +Drilling with the guns was for the first time attempted at Camp Chase +and sergeants with tactics in hand, were drilling squads of men in all +directions. A few lessons were given in the manual of arms by an +officer of the regular army. As for Co. G, they forged ahead slowly, +gradually cultivating a liking for a gun and accoutrements. They were +drilled in squads, company and battalion evolutions, and rushed in this +and that direction for health's sake. + +The innocent verdancy of the sons of Lenox was alike typical of all the +companies. Officers made clumsy work with tactics and the colonel +worked out his battalion evolutions quite gingerly. One day the +regiment was marched nearly a half mile with arms at a shoulder, +whereas they should have moved en route with arms at right +shoulder-shift--a much more comfortable position. + +The captain of Co. G at this time, was an emphatic, sharp spoken man, +and sometimes his orders came red-hot and snapping. In one of the other +companies the captain addressed his men as gentlemen,--"Gentlemen, +attention to roll-call!" or, "Gentlemen, right dress, if you please!" +Captain Beck, good man, had fitted himself, originally, for hotel +keeping. Capt. Tuttle was a farmer. Beck's ways were very pleasant, but +Tuttle's language and style were preferable even if he did embellish +his orders occasionally, and surely he felt often provoked. For some +men are always lagging behind, others never learn to handle a gun +properly, and occasionally a man is found who never keeps step. + +There were a few officers in the regiment who really used swear-words. +Co. G was composed of a sterling set of mortals who knew very well that +swearing was barred by Army Regulations, and Co. G knew better than to +swear at an officer; yet, to swallow such bad treatment without mental +comment, equally pungent, would have been unlike some of those sorely +tried warriors. + +But all this time Co. G men were bracing themselves for all +emergencies. Physically, they were pretty hearty. They were learning to +wash their clothing and sew on buttons and do a little patching, but +they, as a rule were not supplied with Scriptural reading. So it came +to pass that Gerrit Smith sent down bushels of small testaments to be +distributed throughout the regiment as an inducement to the men to read +the Scriptures. Into those beautiful knapsacks went Co. G's testaments. +Alas, and alack, they were too generally allowed to remain there. A +number of the boys could not read if they would, and more did not read, +as they should. No evidence is at hand to prove that a man of Co. G +ever caught a bullet in the testament carried in his pocket; and as +they scorned to turn their backs to an enemy those testaments escaped a +glorious perforation. + +While on this subject a record should be made of the good people at +home who were continually writing loving letters into which was +lavishly insinuated a peculiar style of sermonizing, which though +kindly intended and respectfully accepted, really did not accomplish +much. They declared that the armies of the North were fighting God's +battles; that the Lord would reward them. Over the rebel lines just +such ideas were being instilled into the minds of Southrons. But Co. G, +so wise were they, as not to charge the Heavenly Father of All with any +denials that came to them. If they reasoned at all they understood, +that, both North and South, it was the negro up the sleeve, or in the +fence, that was causing all their misery. Indeed Co. G were more +fighters than philosophers. + +The donations of Hon. Gerrit Smith did not cease after sending the +testaments. He also gave $500 to be used for the purpose of supplying +the men of the regiment with stationery; a very thoughtful gift. + +While at Camp Chase the troops were reviewed by Gen. Casey, when Co. G +passed in review very satisfactory, to themselves; if the boys were not +praised by others at this period in their history they could not very +well understand the reason. They were not so green looking now, as they +were getting sunburned and all of the same shade. The water of Virginia +was not agreeing with all of them, but they were quite lively. Army +rations, particularly the bean and hominy, were gradually accepted as +the proper food for warriors, and the company had some hearty feeders. + + +The locality known to Co. G as Camp Chase No. 1, was occupied about one +week, when sanitary rules demanded a removal to fresh ground. +Accordingly a site was selected in a field of scrub oak, which was +cleared and the stumps grubbed from company streets. Such duty was +called fatigue duty. Police duty, was the everyday work of policing the +streets--cleaning up the camp. This duty was usually allotted to +offenders, as a mild punishment, with the occasional addition of a +chain fastened to a fellow's ankle to which was attached a small cannon +ball. It must be recorded that Co. G had a representative in the police +gang at Camp Chase No. 2, who was wearing the ball and chain because of +repeated disobedience. He was the first and the last of that noble band +to thus disgrace the company. + +At the new camp, excellent water was found. Fresh sweet soil made +wholesome tent floors. As the camp was quite near the Lee mansion +frequent strolls were enjoyed through the grounds and through the +building. And for the first time, while encamped there, cartridges were +issued and each man when equipped was carrying forty rounds. Soon after +that event came a sensation that tried the mettle of Co. G. + +At two o'clock one dark morning the long-roll was sounded throughout +the entire line. Starting a mile away, it came nearer and nearer, from +camp to camp, until the band of the 157th struck up their drums. +Buglers and drums, shouting officers and orderly sergeants startled the +heroes into their respective company streets. Nor were the mules +silent, mistaking the racket for an early reveille and call to feed. +When the battalion was formed, the object of the alarm was met, and +orders came promptly, to return the men to their quarters. That sort of +drill occurred twice while the boys remained on Arlington Hights. The +first time was frightful and some of the men were terribly shocked. But +the second time they came forth promptly and becomingly. One year later +the long-roll found them ready for anything, every pulse beating +regularly and they were as calm as if on parade; for by that time they +had become prime food for bullets. + +Finally orders arrived to prepare for a march. The quartermaster had +received his wagons and teams and among other accessions a sutler had +located his tent near the camp, and was working up quite a trade in +ginger snaps and green gingerbread. + +Reveille sounded at 3 o'clock on the morning of October 12th. Tents +were struck and with one day's cooked rations Co. G fell into line. +About 7 o'clock the regiment started for Fairfax Court House, a +distance of fifteen miles. Four hours consumed in striking tents, +eating and getting away, was pretty easy soldiering; but they were +learning a little all the time, those boys. + + +The road from Long Bridge to Fairfax had always been a long one for new +regiments, and to Co. G, particularly so, on this march. Fifteen miles +is not a great march for veterans. But heavy knapsacks, cartridge-boxes, +haversacks and canteens and the rifle and bayonet, made quite a load +for new troops. Co. G started forth boldly in the misty rain and made +their first acquaintance with the slippery Virginia mud. All went well +for a few miles and then the column began to lengthen. Apparently the +faster the colonel led the head, the slower moved the foot of the +regiment, and when he reached Fairfax with the colors and a handful +of men, the rear was but half way there. Brave Co. G, not to be +out-straggled by the others, spread over as much of the country as +possible, and when they drew near the town, Gen. Sigel was at the +picket line to receive them. So interesting an occasion and one so +novel was rare even in those days. The captain of Co. G, was at the +camping place to receive them as they dragged in and reported +themselves. And he spoke to them, cheerily, "Hurry now, and get the +blank-blinkety-blank tents up. You have done blankety-blink well +to-day, boys." Co. G knew all that and accepted the compliment. Stoical +chaps, with aching shoulders. + +One, and perhaps the greatest impediment to rapid marching that day, +were the heavy knapsacks, although the cartridges, rations and canteens +of water, weighed upon the shoulders of the boys with no kind results. +But the knapsacks, crammed with necessary clothing, books, toilet +articles, whetstones, hatchets, and much other stuff, three-fourths of +which was dispensable, bore heaviest of all. All new regiments were +similarly afflicted. Experience, however, taught in the army as at +home. + +Col. Brown, it is meet to record, was thoroughly disgusted with this +first march of his men on a complete war-footing. Yet he was blameable. +He should have known that forty pounds of regulation outfit was a full +load, and that thirty pounds of additional weight in albums, revolvers +and gim-cracks handicapped his heroes on the road. Even without +sacrificing those stores of novelties, if the colonel had moved slowly, +halting frequently and resting his men, he would have saved himself +great humiliation. But he was getting schooled, learning something that +he had overlooked or forgotten, at every public exhibition of his +knowledge. He had called the men at Hamilton "my soldiers." One bright +lad remarked "If he is our father, who in Hamilton is our mother?" He +was indeed a fatherly sort of a man in some ways. As to their +regimental mother, she never addressed her children, but was ever ready +to enfold them within her bosom, and before three years had gone by, +they became well acquainted with Mother Earth. + +For some reason it was always harder on the boys marching under Col. +Brown. Quite a contrast were Lt. Col. Arrowsmith and Major Carmichael, +who were no less prompt than Brown; but they appeared to understand the +men better. They realized that the short legged men were on the extreme +left of the companies. That the tall men led the companies, and +consequently unless all took the same length of step the line soon +began to draw out; as on the historic march just mentioned. + +The exercises at Fairfax resembled the ordinary routine, varied with +exercises in firing blank cartridges. Men were here detailed for the +first time for duty on outposts. A picket was stationed not far from +the camp, who were given strict orders. With loaded pieces they stood +post, rain or fair, in continual expectation of the arrival of the +entire rebel army. No rebels appeared. Gen. Lee held no special grudge +against Co. G. + + +While no rebels attacked Co. G at Fairfax there was another sort of +gray-back came into camp. The colder weather of autumn and the dismal +rains came on, adding greatly to the usual discomforts of tent life. +Men began to sicken, others were homesick and consequently careless of +their persons. Of course Co. G boys were mortified when the first +specimens appeared and such a boiling of underwear as followed, checked +the increase of the pest. The pediculus is in question. + +Co. G were now being represented in the hospital. Sergeant Jarvis kept +around as long as he was able, showing wonderful nerve, but finally was +obliged to leave the company and never returned; being discharged, he +was taken home by friends where with good nursing he recovered. In +November, J. M. Ainsworth died in hospital at Washington, and Alfred +Wilder died in hospital at Fairfax. Orderly Sergeant Moore was taken +sick and left the company permanently. + +So much sickness in the regiment suggested the need of better quarters +and camp was changed. The men were ordered to build fire places and +chimneys. An old building was sacrificed to supply bricks as well as +lumber to use for flooring. + +Fairfax was noted for many incidents worthy of note. Singular it was +that so many of the boys cut their hands when procuring wood. In a few +instances the forefinger of the right hand suffered. The surgeons +became suspicious, after a while, for those accidents in most cases, +appeared to be of an intentional character. The mania was not popular, +the victims were not discharged. But ever after, such men were spoken +of as those who were wounded at Fairfax. Co. G frowned upon such tricks +so effectually that only one or two of its members caught the mania. + +While at this camp the regiment was assigned to the 11th Corps under +Gen. Franz Sigel, in the first brigade of the third division. Gen. Carl +Schurz commanded the division and Gen. Alex. Schimmelpfennig, the +brigade. + +The 11th Corps was reviewed by Secretary Chase, at Fairfax, when Co. G +marched proudly forth with expanded chests and flashing eyes to the +brazen notes of "Hail to the Chief;" every one of them being a chief on +his own mountain, he appeared to receive the music as a personal +compliment; but after hearing it a few hundred times, later on, they +leaned more fondly to "The Girl I Left Behind Me." + +The 11th Army Corps was termed a German corps while in truth at least +three-fifths of them were born in this country, and Poles, Hungarians, +Scandinavians and Italians were to be found in the eleven so-called +German regiments. Sigel had been praised for his good work at the +Second Bull Run fight, and unfortunately being a German officer +prejudice was aroused against him, and of course the corps commanded by +him were considered "Dutch." It was a bad day for the North when Sigel +was removed from that corps of willing fighters. + +In Schimmelpfennig's brigade were the 74th Penna., 61st Ohio, 68th +N.Y., 157th N.Y., and 82nd Ill., regiments, the last two new regiments. +Sigel, Schurz, "Schimmel" and Col. Hecker of the 82d Ill. had all seen +service in Germany and Hecker was one of the leading revolutionists +there in 1848, in fact Hecker, Sigel and Schurz fled for refuge to +America. Especially did Co. G feel honored to be placed in the division +led by Carl Schurz, the patriot, statesman, gentleman and soldier. And +so the brave Co. G were to go "marching on" with the "Dutch," but +unfortunately never to fight "mit Sigel." They shared in the dangers of +the 11th Corps. They shared in the severely unjust criticism the corps +received. + + +The absence of ready means for trading purposes was beginning to be +felt in Co. G. Now and then a fellow could produce a little money and +was content. As the boys saw their money disappear into the sutler's +till, they were said to then have bought pocket-books--as their cash +was disappearing they began to save, like true soldiers; and when the +last dollar was gone they regretted their foolishness, like all the +world. They were at school and in the freshman year; shortly, the +sutlers will have a story to tell. + +Money of the war was greenbacks and postal currency in fractional parts +of a dollar. As soon as the war began the speculators hoarded the +silver and the people were soon obliged to use the bills of state +banks, and shin-plasters issued for fifty, twenty-five and ten cents, +by merchants and others, redeemable at their places of business. +Ordinary postage stamps were circulating in small amounts enclosed in +diminutive envelopes and passed around as change. So when Co. G went to +the front such of the boys as had bills on state banks, found them +useless. And the tormenting postage stamps were often found stuck +together from the perspiration of one's body. Although mustered for pay +Co. G had not yet seen a paymaster. So they drew on funds at home, if +they had any, and in traffic received the beautiful new 50s, 25s, 10s, +5s and 3-cent paper currency; an event worthy of remark. The greenback +came out late in 1861, and McClellan's men and others received them who +previously were paid in gold. + +A sad accident occurred while the company was at Fairfax. It was on a +pleasant day, October 30th. The boys were at platoon drill when they +were interrupted and returned to camp. One of their comrades had been +shot. His name was Henry Richardson, who being detailed on fatigue duty +was at work arranging for a hospital tent. A detail from the 26th +Wisconsin regiment returning from picket duty, had discharged their +guns into an embankment a half mile distant and in line with the 157th. +A stray ball went over the bank and struck Richardson on the side of +the head, killing him instantly. There was not a great deal of mirth in +camp the evening following the accident. And when the bright moon came +up, a line was quietly formed and followed the ambulance down the road +to the picket line, the fifes and muffled drums playing the march for +the dead. Members of the regiment had subscribed money and the body was +taken to Washington by Sergeants Hemstreet and Gates, there embalmed +and forwarded to Canastota. And for a long time, the deep shadows of +the oaks, the white cover of the ambulance and slow stepping body of +men who marched to the solemn music, was an impressive scene and one +seldom commented upon. In the language of one of the boys, "It was bad +enough to be shot at by rebels," without additional risks from the +rifles of their friends. + + +In the latter part of October orders came to pack up the superfluous +clothing, which included of course albums, quarto dictionaries, library +books of all kinds, hardware, etc., already toted so far in the +knapsacks. The object was not so much to lighten the loads of the men +as to increase their speed. Gen. Sigel had not forgotten that memorable +march from Arlington in which Co. G succeeded so well in lagging +behind. And so it happened that a cart load of boxes filled with the +surplus wardrobes and toilet articles and bric-a-brac of Co. G, were +stored somewhere in Fairfax and to be left there as prey for looters. + +The first day of November marching orders came and the boys took the +road for Centerville. At one of the first resting places the knapsacks +began to drop and in their place the popular blanket roll was hung over +the right shoulder, thus supplying a nice pad for the rifle to rest +upon while marching. The same scene of disburdening occurred at every +halt, until the men were reduced to easy marching order, and at every +halt the ground was littered with the goods. Germans following who were +better fitted for the task, loaded themselves like pack horses; and +what the Germans did not take was culled over by the teamsters. What +cared Co. G, their shoulders were now relieved. + +The first day's march was through Centerville and down the hill to Bull +Run, encamping near Stone Bridge, a locality noted for the scene of +slaughter there but a few months previous. Coffee was boiled in turbid +water from the stream and the boys bivouaced under the stars. The boys +of Co. G thought hard and rapid that night as they gathered like frogs +along the margin of the stream and bathed the pouching blisters which +adorned their heels. No matter what they thought of other matters, the +men of G were never known to lack in respect for one of those old army +blisters; and the more the blisters smarted, the more they were +respected. + +Co. G were tired and even the snorers of the company were quiet. There +was Jerome Forbes a capital snorer; he was soon promoted to a +lieutenancy and probably then gave up snoring. And Hub Suits who bunked +with Jerome, was an excellent second. But they all slept quietly that +night for those fields were reminders of serious conflict. Around them +lay a good-sized army, victims of two great battles: lay as fallen +soldiers are buried on the battlefield, in shallow trenches or above +the ground with a thin cover of earth over them; their fleshless +skeletons protruding to mock the so-called glory in war. And only the +stars looked down compassionately. Those sleeping forms of the living +also were offerings, and of the 157th, every ninth man was to be lain +on the nation's altar before the close of the war. Still they slept on, +perhaps dreaming of home, of mothers, wives, babes. What a miserable +trade is war? + +It was on that terrible field the chaplain of the regiment received the +acceptance of his resignation. He was a good man,--had served the +gospel but little to the men. He declared later, that he was +discouraged. He never did any harm, if he did no good. Co. G were very +sorry to lose the chaplain, for they felt the dignity of the regiment +was well guarded so long as a man of peace was with them. No, no, Co. G +had done nothing to discourage the chaplain; possibly he was shocked by +those long-rolls on Arlington Hights.--But the bugle sounds the +reveille. + + +"It appears to me people are in the habit of rising early in this part +of the country," remarked Doc White, as he gazed upward into the +constellated arch. + +"Yes," spoke John Miller, "and I must carry that grist to mill to-day." + +"You'll carry it on your back, Miller," called out another, in memory +of a knapsack. + +"Co. G, fall in for roll-call!" sang out the orderly sergeant. + +The line of march this day lay toward Thoroughfare Gap. Not far from +Hay Market the column halted and were drawn up in double-column on the +center. + +"Attention-n-n!" yelled Col. Brown. "My men, the enemy are supposed to +be near. They have been seen to-day. You may shortly be called into +action and I expect every man to do his duty. Remember, the eyes of +Cortland and Madison counties are upon you. Attention! By division, +right wheel! For-w-a-r-d, March!" + +Off into a field and skirting the woods, moved Co. G. Another wheel and +to the left, and the advance began. They moved briskly and steadily +along, until one of those narrow wash-outs peculiar to Virginia soil, +yawned fully four feet in width before them. Over went the divisions +like sheep, the major in the lead, for alas, the horse ridden by the +colonel--the old cow--refused to take the ditch. Fortunately the eyes +of Madison county were not present at the circus which followed. Thump! +thump! went the colonel's heels against the ribs of the cow; then he +whirled and dashed at the obstacle again. All the time Co. G were on a +still hunt for wandering rebels. And when the colonel, by making a wide +detour, succeeded in overtaking his men, they were well across the +field and had not bagged a single johnny. The company generously shared +their disappointment with Colonel Brown, just the same as though he had +kept his place with the column. The colonel had been foiled--and that, +his first Virginia ditch. In fact that was not a day really rich with +glory for Madison and Cortland counties. + +As the field manoeuvre was over, the column again took the road--it was +doubtful if there was a force of rebels within twenty-five miles. + +Toward night Thoroughfare Gap (an opening through the Bull Run +mountains) was reached and Co. G bivouaced in the oak woods with an +abundance of leaves for bedding. Two nights they slept on the ground +without tents--no great hardship in good weather; but the second day at +the Gap the shelter or dog-tents arrived; the day following they were +pitched, after a fashion. + + +While at the Gap the entire division of Gen. Schurz appeared to have +run wild. Every house, the fields, all property was exposed to the +looting soldiers, who were well supplied with government rations but +craved chickens, fresh mutton and tender beef, honey, home-made bread, +jams, and jellies. The camp of the 157th resembled a market. Cattle and +sheep were lowing and bleating in pens, fowls were plenty and dressed +carcasses, hams and many other articles and things hung from the trees. +Guns were popping and stray bullets flying, for the brave boys had +discovered the presence of the saw-back hog, a species common in the +South, usually running at large. They had first met him on the road +while marching in, when the big saw-back with long snout to the ground +claimed the middle of the road, and got it too; going down from the +head of the regiment to the rear, the ranks opening graciously to allow +him to pass. And he minded little the bayonet jabs pushed at him as he +sped as only his family can run. But many a saw-back fell that day, of +all ages, from roaster to patriarch. + +After some hours of such ill-becoming looting, strict orders were +issued and guards thrown out about the camps. A few hours later the +doctors were busy with sick men who had gorged on honey and fresh pork. + +Thoroughfare Gap witnessed several contests during the war and many +times the cavalry, either of yanks or johnnies, saw each other's heels +flying through that winding defile with warm spurs. And the place was +remembered ever after in the annals of Co. G, as the camp where much +property was stolen and also the locality where Dan Brockway left his +little leather-covered trunk. + + +Dan was formerly a peddler of various kinds of flavoring extracts, ink +and bluing. For some funny reason he carried a stock of his essences +with him into the army; a strange freak indeed. He had lugged that +package thus far, patiently bearing the compliments of officers and men +as they urged him to keep in place. He was one of the smallest men in +the company, but it took one of the largest and the strongest to land +him on his back at square-hold. Brock was always good natured and +always busy. + +The day came for another moving and the captain said in a firm, but +pleasant, way, + +"Brock, you must get rid of that blinkity-blim box of yours. Do you +understand me?" + +Brock understood, as when the captain spoke that way he was in earnest. +So the box of beautiful extracts, cinnamon, peppermint and the rest, +was left at a house near the gap and is there still, perhaps, for Co. G +never saw it again. + + +The 11th Corps had been thrown forward to guard the supplies for +McClellan's army then on the march from Harper's Ferry. Large +quantities of stores came up and were in waiting for the advancing +columns, and as soon as the Army of the Potomac had gone into camp near +Warrenton the 11th Corps was moved to New Baltimore. + +Orders for marching came Nov. 7th, a chilly, cloudy day. Before the +march of twelve or fourteen miles was half concluded, snow began to +fall and Co. G pitched their tents at New Baltimore, in a brisk snow +storm, and in a cornfield. Corn stalks were plenty and served for +tent-flooring. It was a blundering piece of work, ordering men to camp +in a muddy cornfield while a few rods distant was a desirable rise of +ground, to which they were removed within a few days. The 157th had +many experiences among corn stubble, until the boys came to counting +upon such a bivouac as sure whenever one was found conveniently at +hand. Blame was unjustly attached to Col. Brown for those cornfield +camps. + +The continued bad weather caused much sickness among new troops, and +consequently the army was weakened. McClellan advised going into winter +quarters, but the Northern press howled, "On to Richmond!" and the +administration removed McClellan and placed Burnside at the head of the +army. + +The troops were drawn up to bid farewell to Little Mac. His progress +could have been traced by the cheering of the men. McClellan was +popular with the rank and file of the Potomac army. Had his advice been +taken and a vigorous campaign opened in the spring, thousands of brave +men might not have fallen in vain, with other thousands of sick +besides, not to mention the heavy losses in stores and equipments. +Those campaigns conducted to gratify a clamoring press were not popular +after Gen. Grant took command of the Army of the Potomac. As soon as +Gen. Burnside was well established in his new command he began his move +on Fredericksburg. + +At New Baltimore the regiment was for the first time joined by the +lieutenant colonel, Geo. Arrowsmith. Col. Arrowsmith had seen +considerable service and when the regiment was organized his name was +pressed for the colonelcy over his former tutor, Brown. The appearance +of the lieutenant colonel was pleasing. He was a tall, strongly-built +man, his face was pleasant and his voice was clear and strong. The men +enjoyed being under his command, because there was an air of confidence +about him not possessed by the inexperienced officers. There was no +hesitation when Arrowsmith gave an order, for he gave none new to the +men without first explaining and making it clear. At Fairfax, Brown had +captains and even sergeants attempt to evolute the battalion, while he +kept one hand on the machine that it might not blow up. But Arrowsmith +had none of that nonsense, and for some reason it ceased soon after he +came. + + +November, 1862, was very trying for the people at home as well as the +soldiers in the field. The election of Horatio Seymour as governor, +encouraged the Peace Party. At the front was Burnside surrounded by +officers and men antagonistic to him, who growled at his appointment +and criticized his every move. The malcontents among the corps +commanders favored McClellan and if not he, they wished to have some +one beside Burnside, who was a good man, and all he lacked to make his +plan successful, was hearty co-operation among his subordinates. + +As already stated the men were growing more sickly. The hospitals were +filled and many were ailing in their tents. Co. G, amid all the misery +and the growling and incipient disloyalty, remained steadfastly loyal. +Its heroes marched up and took their quinine, or they marched away to +picket-duty. But they were being thinned out and details came heavier +and heavier upon those who remained well. The principal malady was +dysentery, which weakened the men quickly, but being of a mild type in +most cases, there were few fatalities. + +The return was begun Nov. 17th over soft roads, slippery with mud, made +worse by the rain which began to fall about noontime. After dark the +men bivouaced in a field of corn-stubble, rain falling and small +rivulets running down between the rows. The boys were served with +boiled potatoes, warm from the kettle and graced and blessed by Billy +Mallows, the cook, who growled and snarled while he cooked, until the +very potatoes rolled their eyes at him. Thankful was he that night that +he was soon to leave the emblazoned service, as he soon after did to +give place to one of the best company cooks in the regiment. + +At this cornfield camp near Gainesville, a whisky ration was served to +the men. They had fixed their bayonets and driven them into the ground, +strapping a third gun across for a ridgepole on which to lay their +tents; then spreading a rubber blanket on the wet ground they made +their beds for the night; a bad arrangement in case of alarm and +against orders, but they could do no better in the dark. + +So the heroes turned-in, their heads on one corn row and their feet +over another, their bodies sort of zigzagged-like, in the form of a +letter Z. There they lay dreaming while the rills of muddy water +coursed under them, poor Co. G, until aroused by reveille. Then they +turned out, stiff and uncomfortable, but otherwise not in bad shape. +Col. Brown was very temperate, and whiskey was never issued unless the +occasion was urgent, and this was one of those occasions and the first +one--no doubt it was timely. + +Marching was difficult on the route to Centerville, Nov. 18th, and led +over another portion of the Bull Run battlefield some distance from +Stone Bridge. For a long way the ground was littered with relics, and +then Brock proceeded to load himself down with bullets, grape shot, +etc., in spite of the remonstrances of the officers, carrying into camp +twenty or thirty pounds of lead and iron. He was thinking of the money +in such pickings. For a long time after, he amused himself whittling +the bullets into axes, hatchets or hammers duly handled in red cedar, +which he sold when possible as souvenirs to be sent home by mail. For +Brock had a family and in any way he could earn a penny, was sure to +make the most of his opportunities, sending the money home. And he was +temperate as he was saving. + +Camp at Centerville was made on the bleakest part of the hill near the +little hamlet; not far from where, the preceding winter, the enemy had +built large-sized barracks. Those rebel huts were torn down and the +wood used to construct shanties for the newcomers. Winter set in and +the cold winds whistled across the bleak hill most wickedly. + +Reasons for army movements sometimes are based on pure assumption. And +such reasoning may have worked out a plan by which the 11th Corps must +remain at Centerville; but a hill should have been selected broad +enough to receive the entire corps, headquarters and all. Such +disposition of the troops might have been made as to place them nearer +wood and water, and so reduce exposures and lessen such large +attendance at surgeons' call. While commissioned officers must not find +fault, they must obey offensive orders emanating from superiors. + +Occasionally there is a little discretionary power allowed an officer. +When the vacant huts were apportioned to the men one came to the share +of Co. G. Then it happened that the men of another regiment undertook +to appropriate Co. G's share. Down came Capt. Tuttle loaded for large +game, and the Captain of the strange men was there also. The interview +between the captains was short and very emphatic, resulting in G +securing the timber. On another similar occasion on the Gettysburg +march, when the regiment went into bivouac they were told to +appropriate all the rails in their immediate front. Shortly appeared a +mob from another regiment who were bent upon carrying away those +particular rails. The intruders were scarcely at work when Col. +Arrowsmith rode among them revolver in hand. The 157th boys gathered +their rails at leisure. The boys felt that it was good to have their +officers interested in the comfort of the men. + +There were a few of the companies in the regiment very much neglected +that first winter out. The men were good material and in time became as +good soldiers as any in the command. The first lieutenant of one of +those companies insisted that his captain was dead and should be so +informed. But the captain did not believe it, and proved the contrary, +when he showed enough life in him to resign and go home. + +Near the camp at Centerville resided a shoe-maker, Pettit, by name, and +his wife and three grown daughters. A houseguard of one man from Co. G +was stationed there to protect the premises from looters. The family +treated the guard kindly and also admitted a number of sick boys who +rapidly regained their health as soon as removed from the exposures of +camp. + +There were but one or two attempts at drilling while at Centerville and +then under advice of the doctors as for physical exercise. One day the +troops were marched to Chantilly and exercised in a mock battle. + + +Just as soon as Burnside was well set down in front of Fredericksburg +he wanted the 11th Corps and of course, Co. G. Then came a tedious +march. + +December 10th, after a tramp through snow and mud a distance of five +miles, the troops bivouaced at Poorhouse Station. The night was cold. A +canteen of water placed under one man's head was found frozen nearly +solid in the morning. + +Next day's march was eight or ten miles across Wolf Run Shoals Co. G +going into bivouac in a dense pine thicket on the hights beyond. No +tents were raised, some pine boughs were thrown upon the frozen ground +and with feet to a cozy fire the boys slept the sleep of the weary. + +The marching on the 12th was very bad. The weather had moderated and +the bottom fell out of the roads. That mud of Virginia is peculiarly +tenacious and quite frequently a fellow's shoe was pulled from his +foot. Before Dumfries was reached misty rain was falling, which soon +rendered the roads in some places impassable for heavy wagons or +artillery. So it was necessary to call a halt until the wagon train was +brought in, and men were detailed to pull with the mules whenever +necessary. + +Two nights at Dumfries rested Co. G and the boys started onward to the +aid of Burnside's men, whose cannon were distinctly heard fifteen or +twenty miles away. The corps reached Falmouth the day following the +departure from Dumfries, or Dec. 15th. + +The 11th Corps was promptly prepared to be ready for crossing the +Rappahannock next morning. Guns were cleaned and arms and ammunition +inspected and the loyal G expected to be ordered into action. +Fortunately for them and for humanity generally Burnside decided that +enough brave men had been sacrificed. There was a report that Sigel had +passed condemnation upon the hopeless plan of that battle. Certainly +history has done so time and again. The ifs and other remote +contingencies did not warrant such a terrible sacrifice. The certainty +of failure was apparent after the first day's fighting. The only hope +was in flanking Lee, which failed. + +To hold their own was too easy for the rebels. An artillery sergeant +told the writer, that the section to which he belonged bore directly +upon the flank of the union troops, as they charged Marye's Hights, +and he pitied the brave fellows who again and again charged forward +only to be swept away. + +"Sir, I was sickened at the sight," said the rebel sergeant, "I dreaded +to see them moving up without the slightest chance of success. The +ground in range of our guns was covered with slaughtered men." + +It was just as well for Co. G that the needs of the nation did not call +them to charge those deadly hights. They were after glory but +preferred it not quite so hot, and even had they won a fair installment +of glory it would have been denied them. Seldom is that battle +mentioned now. Great stories are told of Pickett's charge at +Gettysburg, however, almost as famous and as hopeless as that of the +six hundred at Balaklava--all brave men but needlessly slaughtered. Why +should not Burnside's men at Fredericksburg be remembered with equal +pride? + +Men may decorate themselves with all the glitter of rank and strut with +dignity through street and camp, and yet fail to prove themselves +worthy of a command in time of great need. But the subordinate and the +private soldier has but one way of showing his importance--strict +obedience to orders from those above him, no matter whether the officer +be a man or a manikin. + +Co. G enlisted to do, or to die trying. They read newspapers and knew +that Gen. Patterson failed to support McDowell at Bull Run; and the +sacrifice of Col. Baker at Ball's Bluff by the neglect of Gen. Stone; +the neglect of Sumner to support Heintzelman at Williamsburg; and that +Fitz John Porter failed to succor Pope at the second battle of Bull +Run. Co. G understood a number of things, and they gazed upon big +general officers with awe. They had narrowly escaped the slaughter, but +shared in the humiliation of the hour; feeling more comfortable, +however, than did Gen. Burnside, who knew that the blunders were not +all his own. Co. G were ready to support Burnside, to a man. + + +On the 17th of December the 11th Corps turned back from the Rappahannock +and camped near Stafford Court House, traveling in a brisk snow storm +over very soft roads. On the 18th they moved to a fine piece of timber +some distance from Stafford and proceeded to build a permanent camp. +Other troops occupied the ground before Co. G came, and had begun the +work of laying up log huts. + +In a few days the camp was quite habitable--with shelter tents for +roofs, stone for fire-places and chimneys, laid in mud, with an +occasional topping off with barrels. Co. G terraced the sloping ground +where they made their beds, and were careful to keep their heads level. +They cut the boughs of red cedar and laid them deep above the damp +earth. The fire-places smoked inside as well as out, by the use of +green oak for fuel, and the little dwellings, in fact, were +considerably tainted thereby with an odor akin to that of soap-boiling, +an abiding fragrance; and the eyes of the heroes were moist with tears +while the oak was frying. Very wrong indeed it was, to throw blank +cartridges down a fellow's chimney; and such capers were cut up in some +of the companies, but not in G, who were dignified. The honor of Lenox +rested, the easterly portion upon the shoulders of Co. B, with Co. G at +the other end, and they carried it from their homes to the depths of +Florida, and brought it back untarnished; unless critics wish to bring +up chickens and such--but chickens do not count in affairs of honor. + +For the first time since leaving Hamilton Co. G were short of rations. +Hardtack was scarce for a while at Stafford and the thought itself is +hungrifying. Piteous reports reached their homes and the good people +there filled boxes with food and other comforts. And one day, soon +after the holidays, the regimental teams brought in a car-load or two +of boxes, long delayed on the road, and the abundance of army rations +for a time, were neglected for better fare. To those fellows who +received no boxes, was freely given by the more fortunate. In many +instances the boxes were found rifled of much of the original +contents,--a common occurrence. There were gangs of plunderers hanging +about all army depots and landing-places, who were ever waiting for +opportunities, and they would steal the food from the sick, rifle +knapsacks of the living and the pockets of the dead, whenever possible. +Many of those depraved creatures were enlisted men, and those of them +who lived long enough, no doubt, became pensioners; consequently, +heroic veterans. Yet Co. G were glad if the boxes only came, seeing in +them lumber for small tables or doors. + +The holidays were passed in this camp, with Col. Arrowsmith in command. +Brown had been furloughed. A few of the boys were lucky to obtain fowls +and hoe-cake, from the residents living near. In some of the squads +they parched corn obtained of the teamsters, or battery-men. Money was +very scarce and there was a tobacco famine. The poker-players used +bills of broken banks and bills advertising Morgan's rifled cannon, or +some business college. They had been mustered, but not paid. + +One day a stray sutler stopped at the camp. He was a pleasant man and +the boys patronized him freely, until the merchant discovered he was +exchanging his goods for worthless paper. Col. Arrowsmith was appealed +to, with no satisfaction, and the sutler moved along, sadly. + +After that, for a time, tobacco was plenty in the camp. Those who had +been smoking coffee or chewing a stick, now were willing to prosecute +the war in earnest. The ginger-bread eaters were lively as crickets, +but the stock of bad money was low. + +At Stafford there were frequent desertions among the men. Several left +the good society of Co. G. The men were discouraged like the chaplain, +and many of them would have resigned were it not that they thus would +desert their officers. + +The officers of the regiment were getting discouraged also, some of +them because they were homesick, some because they were better off at +home, and many because they were sickened of warfare. They had marched +over one hundred miles, saw the smoke of a terrible battle, and their +ardor was appeased. By the middle of January sixteen of them had +resigned from discouragement and one from disability. Twelve left at +one time, and later on others resigned, until Capt. Frank Place of Co. +C, was the only one left of the original ten captains and he returned +with the regiment as major. His first lieutenant, J. A. Coffin, after +serving a long term in rebel prisons, returned and was mustered out as +captain of that company. Captain Dunbar died, of disease, Capt. Adams +of wounds, Captains Frank and Backus were killed in battle and Capt. +Stone died in prison at Macon. Thus accounting for the original thirty +line officers. In spite of such terrible temptation, Co. G were true. +"Guide North!" exclaimed one of the departing captains, as he mounted a +baggage wagon; and quite a number of his men soon followed him. Similar +changes were going on in all of the new regiments. + +Sickness prevailed alarmingly at Stafford. A crowd of men attended +surgeon's call each morning and kept three doctors busy until long into +the night. Fortunately the serious cases were comparatively few. The +illness resulted from exposures and the inexperience of the men, in +most of the cases. + +For the information of any persons who are ignorant as to knowledge of +the shelter-tent it may be said that this kind of a tent is used by +troops in the field in active service. Each soldier draws one piece of +tent,--a piece of white or unbleached twilled cotton cloth about one +yard and a half square. In two corners of the cloth are loops of light +rope to be used when the tent is held to the ground with stakes; around +the margins of three sides of the cloth are button-holes set at regular +distances, and two inches above each hole is a bone button. As they are +exactly alike, any two soldiers may join their pieces and thus raise a +shelter, or three or four, by uniting and pitching the tent at a right +angle, can close the tent ends, using two of the pieces cornerwise. +Buttoning together the pieces for roofing only, they could be extended +to any length, and sometimes, by exercising a little ingenuity, they +were made to cover quite a large building. Thus is space devoted to +this subject because the shelter tent was an important article in the +outfit of Co. G. + + +What is called the Mud March began January 20th, 1863, when the Army of +the Potomac was ordered out of their snug huts and started on a +campaign against the enemy. + +Before daylight on the 20th, Co. G were routed out and ordered to +strike tents and take the road. Old Ziba had cooked beef and pork and +the boys carried, also, three day's rations of coffee, sugar and +hard-tack. + +Lieut. Bailey had been transferred to Co. K, as captain, Lieut. Frank +was promoted in Bailey's place and Sergeant Hemstreet was made second +lieutenant of Co. G. + +That particular morning Capt. Tuttle was not in very good humor and the +boys of Co. G were hustled around lively; and they were all ready and +waiting in good season, for the order to move. + +They had quite a tramp of ten or twelve miles, halting at Hartwood +Church, near night. Soon rain began to fall and at dark was coming down +quite briskly. + +A pontoon train that was drawn up waiting for the arrival of Co. G and +the other troops, as soon as darkness came on, started for the +Rappahannock river a few miles distant, where engineers were to lay a +bridge, that in the small hours of the night Co. G (with other troops) +could be slipped over there quietly and as the daylight returned the +astonished rebels were to find they had work cut out for them. +Unfortunately, the rain softened the roads and the wagons bearing the +pontoon boats stuck fast in the mud. The artillery that was to cover +the laying of the bridge also stuck in the mud, and horses and mules +stuck in the mud. And it became necessary to send men with ropes to +pull the wagons, artillery, horses and mules out of the mud. + +When scouts of the Union army approached the river next day they saw a +board duly lettered with these words-- + + "Burnside Stuck in the Mud." + +Co. G had been kept in suspense expecting momentarily to be ordered +away, until word came to the boys to make themselves comfortable as +possible. A picket was thrown out near the camp. But the failure of the +expedition brought little comfort to those unfortunates who were +obliged to stand out two hours in the cold rain, which poured from +their caps down their back bones and into the shoes. Sleep to a weary +soldier is sweeter when he knows his faithful comrades are watching +over him, particularly on such a stormy night. + +Burnside had again been unfortunate, this time doing just enough to +christen his effort with a most appropriate name, "The Mud March," and +it appeared to the army that the elements had conspired to save them +from another defeat. Lee was prepared for the event and his guns were +placed to sweep the bridge if laid. + +Burnside pulled and lugged until he had the greater portion of his army +back in their old quarters near Falmouth. + +The 11th Corps went into camp on Oakland Farms in a handsome piece of +timber. Chestnut trees supplied material for huts and the men were soon +busy. + +While in this camp snow fell to a depth of one foot. The demands for +details for picket came often--the lines were heavy. The rebels were +known to be near. + +How fiercely the wind swept the light snow in blinding eddies around a +fellow's head those nights, compelling him to trot lively or freeze. +Posts were relieved every hour instead of every two as was usual. At +the grand guard below the hill, in the woods, a bright fire was kept +burning. When relieved from his post the picket made his bed on two +rails propped above the pools of water and melting snow. Such +experiences were common in bad weather. + +The army shoes were the greatest hindrance to comfort. They were made +of leather poorly tanned, and frequently brown paper was found laid in +between the outer and inner soles. Such affairs soon wetted through. +The consciences of army contractors were terribly warped during the war +time. How very wicked it is to tempt some men with fat contracts. + + +When the shanties were nearly completed, Feb. 5th, orders came to move +nearer the base of supplies. Co. G were getting familiar with +house-warming and moving-days. Already had they built three shanties +and were now to pack up and journey into a new country and raise a +fourth. Such experiences were not pleasant in the depths of a Virginia +winter. + +An unpleasant march through mud and snow brought the men to Potomac +Creek where they stopped for the night. Next day they reached Accokick +Creek and were marched into a dense growth of pine favorably located on +sloping ground, and about three-fourths of a mile from Brooks Station. + +Col. Brown ordered the men to build huts and arrange for a stay of +months. Many of the little buildings were really comfortable. When the +regiment moved into the wood the timber stood very dense but not large. +A few days later not a tree was standing; all had been cut down and +converted into building timber. Stone was scarce and many of the huts +had fireplaces of wood well plastered with clay, the chimneys of sticks +laid up in clay. + +Once more were the boys of Co. G settled in house-keeping and ready for +company. It was a pleasant camp in many respects. The health of the men +improved, food was abundant, good water convenient, plenty of picket +duty, very little drilling, mail regular; a sutler was adopted by the +regiment, and finally came a paymaster, and Co. G were happy. This was +the first time they received pay after being in the service, nearly six +months. The sutler gave credit, however and thus had a tobacco famine +been averted. + +Paymasters are generally well received among troops. Many of the men +had left at home dependent ones who needed relief. But in most +instances the money was not really necessary. To be sure money was +needed for postage but that was about all. Ginger-snaps, canned lobster +and oysters, or jelly, and hair oil were better on the shelves of the +sutler's tent. Sardines might also be listed, inasmuch as two of the +boys of Co. G were punished for stealing sardines from a sutler. + +Co. G were not out to inculcate morality, and felt the shame of +detection in any case in which their honesty was involved with a +sutler. They were modest men. Hugh O'Brien was shocked when he heard +that those boys had been betrayed by one of the company who had +partaken of the stolen sardines; and Hugh reached forward quickly and +struck the informer, because he had "peached" on the boys. Hugh was too +good a soldier to be severely punished. + +While in this camp, Capt. Tuttle resigned and Lieut. Frank was made +Captain. Hemstreet was promoted to first and Sergt. Gates second +lieutenant, and John H. Roe to orderly sergeant. Co. G supplied +officers on short notice to other companies if required and retained +plenty of material made up and anxious. + +During those dreary winter days, while the fate of the nation was +undecided and the newspapers were wiping from the face of the earth the +last trace of rebellion, fathers and mothers grew very anxious for +their dear boys at the front. Some of them wrote fault-finding letters, +deploring the war. The majority, however, never for one moment doubted +the result. And the dear girls, how loyal they were. So tender and +true. They were worth one hundred thousand men. + +"Say, Mamie," wrote a comrade to his sister, "do you know that Dick +actually kissed the last letter you sent him? I really believe he is +licking the stamp this very minute." + +"Please write me no more such nonsense as that, Sammy dear," she +replied, "as I do not believe you. If true, Dick would soon suspect me +devoted to the filthy habit of chewing tobacco. Father affixed that +stamp." + +Frequently a letter came from some fair one, a total stranger to the +soldier; for the girls felt they were justified in waiving formalities, +while risking censure from cynical people. Their letters were very +acceptable. Nothing did more to hold the boys within the bounds of +morality and decency than the kind letters from home. Many of them have +preserved those pages, creased, crumpled and worn and to their last +days will regard them as the choicest relics of the war-time. + +While at the camp among the stumps, Col. Brown inaugurated his school +for commissioned officers. Many of them needed schooling. It was +reported that an examining Board had been instituted at headquarters. + +The colonel also gave instruction to the non-commissioned officers, and +privates who yearned for advancement. + +Added to his other beneficent undertakings, Col. Brown regularly +conducted prayer-meetings at his quarters. He had been a missionary +teacher among the Choctaw Indians and likely supposed the 157th offered +fruitful ground. If the colonel had stopped there, he would have done +better. Soon a chaplain appeared. + +United States Army Regulations provided that "the wishes and wants of +the soldiers of the regiment shall be allowed their full and due weight +in making the selection" of a chaplain. What use could Co. G make of a +chaplain. They were enlisted in war. Their plowshares and their pruning +hooks were far away in Lenox among the hop-vines, "up the creek," and +they carried no swords. + +What need had the regiment or the army for a preacher? Why not have a +regimental lawyer? Only in rare instances was a chaplain worth the salt +he ate. In garrison a preacher may be useful as a school teacher, but +he is not needed in active service. Co. G had believers and +skeptics,--Protestants and Catholics--to have forced a chaplain upon +that company would have compromised their sacred rights and liberties. +They were "fighting God's battles," and every one had a nice little +testament, somewhere. Co. G were not allowed their "full and due +weight" in the matter of a chaplain. As a man there was not great fault +found with this chaplain, and he held forth acceptably. He was only one +of thousands of supernumeraries who could well have been dispensed +with, in that trying war. + + +In his General Order No. 1, of Jan. 27, 1863, Gen. Hooker says, "He +enters upon the charge of the duties imposed by his trust with a just +appreciation of their responsibility." + +Gen. Burnside in his final order relinquishing the command of the army +to Hooker, says "Give to the brave and skilful general who has long +been identified with your organization and who is now to command you, +your full and cordial support and cooperation and you will deserve +success." + +Burnside commanded the army about eleven weeks. Hooker, about five +months. + +When Meade superseded him, Hooker in his farewell order says, +"Impressed with the belief that my usefulness as the commander of the +Army of the Potomac is impaired. I part from it, yet not without the +deepest emotion." + +By comparing the sentiments expressed in those extracts one would +imagine that Burnside had reason to feel consoled when his successor +failed. + +The real, real key to all the troubles experienced by Gen. Burnside +will be found in the letter of President Lincoln to Hooker when he +tendered the command to him. It is a characteristic production of Mr. +Lincoln, in which Hooker is severely rebuked. Never has the full extent +of the criticisms against and neglects practiced upon Burnside, been +exposed to the public. But from the tone of the President's letter one +would infer that Gen. Hooker was not considered blameless. + +This much of history and comment is given because the gallant Co. G are +soon to meet the enemy and win laurels under Joe Hooker, which are +never accorded them. + + +Early in 1863 Gen. Sigel was superseded by Gen. O. O. Howard as +commander of the 11th Corps. The badge of the 11th Army Corps was a +blue crescent on a white field. Funny fellows in other corps declared +it was a "flying half-moon." Co. G cared very little for such flings. +As for "flying," they knew the records of many other corps, and they +also remembered Sigel had been highly praised once upon a time. + +With Co. G the world kept rolling on, and after the proclamation of +emancipation it really looked as though oil had been poured in at the +axes. The patriotic order or address issued by Gen. Schurz on +Washington's birthday, brought up the shades of the past, and Co. G +seemed marching on, in sunshine, escorted by the fathers of the +revolution. The signs were declared to be favorable once more. + +Gen. Hooker, to cheer up the army, granted ten-day furloughs; two men +were to go from each company, and when they returned, more were +furloughed. The first two from Co. G came back promptly. Of the next, +but one returned, consequently Co. G could have no more home-going. The +scamp who deserted was always troublesome. He had been detached at +division headquarters. How he ever was allowed to step between good, +dutiful soldiers and the prospect of furloughs, is not known. The +fellow was discovered as a bounty-jumper, at Elmira a few months later, +and courtmartialed, and sent to Fort Clinch, Florida, to complete his +term at building fortifications. + +As spring approached and the ground became firm, the men were drilled +regularly. Inspections were frequent. The Sunday morning inspection +related to cleanliness of person as well as arms, equipments and +quarters. Every man was obliged to stand at "attention" with one foot +bared, and occasionally the surgeons ordered prompt bathing. A very few +of the boys were taken by a guard, to the creek and there scrubbed. Co. +G had none of its members forcibly bathed, but a fellow occasionally +would escape with one clean foot. By and by, whenever possible, the men +were cleanly for sake of comfort. + +When Sunday inspections came the cook-houses were thoroughly looked +after. Ziba Cloyes the cook of Co. G and Pat Matthews, his assistant, +kept all their kettles and pans in first-class order. Nobody needed +fear to partake of Ziba's fare. He was an old hotel keeper and +understood culinary matters. + +Ziba's violin was a great exhilarator and the boys gathered around his +tent to hear the well-known strains of good old-fashioned reels and +hornpipes played, in style. And they straightway paired and whirled in +stag-dances, stepping to the strains of Ziba's music. + +When Gen. Hooker took command of the army he reviewed the 11th Corps. +Gen. Howard also reviewed them. And a review, to soldiers in the field, +often forecasts a movement of the force. + +Gen. Schimmelpfennig had the brigade out for drill. Col. Brown +frequently marched the regiment out for new manoeuvres, and Col. +Arrowsmith did the same. Capt. Frank had Co. G drilling for the first +time as skirmishers, a drill which was of little use unless accompanied +by actual, genuine experiences. + + +On the 10th day of April, 1863, the Army of the Potomac was reviewed by +President Lincoln. Co. G came out in fine feather. New uniforms and +blackened leathers, polished brass, clean guns, and white gloves. The +boys were fast becoming useful soldiers. Discipline had greatly +improved their appearance; drill made them prompt and correct. + +When the boys marched past the President in company front--"Eyes +right!" came from Capt. Frank--there sat, upon his horse, a plain +citizen, who bared his head and smiled as though he knew every one of +Co. G and could name them all. The line was fine, their carriage good, +and Capt. Frank was proud of his men. It was a red-letter day for the +company. + +Capt. Frank seldom made speeches. That day was an exception. When the +company returned to camp, the captain said-- + +"Boys, you have done well--you have done nobly--as well as any of them. +You have done bully, by ginger! Orderly, break ranks." + + +During the latter part of April orders were received to pack all +superfluous clothing and send the boxes to the river. By this time the +supply of books, albums and the like, was exhausted. Much of more value +to a soldier, had accumulated during the winter and Co. G made a fair +showing of packages. Those goods were never returned to the men. + +Spring weather had come and the little frogs and the big frogs were +telling the world of it. Trees were beginning to leaf out and grass was +showing here and there. Hooker thought it time to make a move. + +On the morning of April 27th with eight days' rations and sixty rounds +of cartridges the men left their huts and started for Chancellorsville--of +course their destiny was unknown at the time, but Co. G scented the +battle from afar. The haversacks were filled with hard bread, boiled +beef and pork, coffee and sugar. In the new knapsacks were surplus +rations and twenty rounds of cartridges. No trouble now with knapsacks, +for the load was light; but the haversacks dragged upon a fellow's +shoulder. There was this consoling in such a load, it kept growing +lighter and lighter, each meal. + +The boys felt well and marched along in fine style. Co. G were becoming +weather-beaten and seasoned. + +After an easy march the column halted beyond Hartford church for the +night. Next morning was rainy. During the day the troops were moved up +near the Rappahannock and marched into the woods and told to keep very +quiet and wait until it was dark. + +Toward midnight Co. G, with the others, were moved down to Kelly's +Ford. The pontoon bridge was covered with earth, men were forbidden to +speak aloud; a move to flank the rebels was in progress. + +The 157th was the first new regiment to cross over. In the ranks of Co. +G strict silence was enjoined. Charley Near was not permitted to +torment Pete Cummings. A truce was established, temporarily, between +the Johnsons, Zerne and Jim. Ir Sayles was not singing. Orderly Forbes +marched at the front supported by John Pfleiger and Amos Avery, while +Dan Brockway brought up the rear. Dan always led the company when they +marched left in front. All was quiet. The boys declared the night was +so dark they might bite it; but the report that the pioneers went ahead +and tunneled a passage through was pure imagination. + +After crossing the river and ascending the slope a faint line of light +could be traced along the horizon. The regiment was marched to its +position in line of battle and halted, to await the arrival of other +troops, and later were moved forward to a piece of woods and went into +bivouac. + +Early the morning of the 29th, rebel cavalrymen were seen in the +distance and a few artillery shots were thrown at them. Col. Brown rode +forward to reconnoiter, soon returning hotly chased by the naughty +johnnies. + +The route taken that day was toward the Rapidan. Late in the afternoon +the column arrived in the vicinity of Germania and lay until after +night, waiting for a bridge to be laid, for the enemy had destroyed the +crossing. When all was ready, Co. G marched down to the river. A narrow +passage had been prepared, by laying planks from one abutment to +another, down close to the rapid flowing water. Large fires were +burning on either bank to light the way. Co. G went over, cautiously, +without wetting a foot. John Schultz had resigned; had he been present, +it is likely he would have turned turtle, the same as he plumped into +the slip at New York. But the entire corps got over safely and went +into bivouac on the cold, wet ground. No fires were allowed until +daylight. + +The halt after crossing the Rapidan is known in the annals of Co. G as +the time and place where Brock was detailed to guard the fiddle of +Ziba, the cook. + +Now the boys were to march in the enemy's country. Before crossing at +Kelly's Ford, the regiment was drawn up and reminded that the eyes of +Cortland and Madison counties were upon them, which was no news to the +heroes. Col. Brown's tone on such occasions sounded very solemn as +though the eyes of those counties were sad. + +The boys respected Col. Brown; they could not blame him for not showing +a cheerfulness he did not possess. There was something about those +speeches suggestive of a lack of confidence; it is believed the one +delivered at Kelly's Ford was the last of the series. Col. Arrowsmith +never commanded the boys in battle. The methods of Col. Carmichael will +appear as the record develops. + +April 30th opened misty and unpleasant. The road passed into the +celebrated Wilderness, finally striking the Fredericksburg plank road. +In the afternoon the destination of the 11th Corps was reached, and the +men were bivouaced nearly in position for battle. + +May 1st the historic order congratulating the right wing of the army +was read to the men. "That the enemy must either ingloriously fly, or +come out from behind his defenses and give us battle on our own +ground." He came, he saw, and the result is history. + +The troops were ordered to burn all clothing and prepare for +light-marching order. The Army of the Potomac was preparing for a +lively race toward Richmond. Such an order proved wise and timely, and +much was destroyed that otherwise would have fallen into the hands of +the enemy. + +Towards night the 157th was moved forward nearer the plank road and +ordered to strike arms and rest. Appearances favored a fight. Soon +after dark a rebel battery threw some shells over the line and Co. G, +for the first time heard the bang! pop! whi-z-z! of shelling; no one +was struck. But few shells were thrown, when all was quiet again. +Johnny reb. was only feeling for Co. G. + +Many of the boys long remembered the whip-poor-will chorus in the woods +about them, as they lay behind their guns that night. When the rebels +opened fire the birds ceased at once. The enemy had spoiled the +concert. + +May 2d was Saturday. Fresh beef was issued to the men about noon time, +and the company cooks proceeded to arrange their kettles for boiling +the meat. + +All this time Stonewall Jackson is approaching Hooker's right flank. +Several officers from the picket line came in and reported to +headquarters of Howard, that the enemy were working around on the +right. Maj. Carmichael, of the 157th, was on the line; he was one of +the brigade officers-of-the-day. Those officers by message and in +person informed the commander of the 11th Corps that the enemy were +moving in force. + +Says Maj. Carmichael, "All these messages received the reply that we +were green troops more scared than hurt." + +About the time the officers from the picket line were trying to arouse +Gen. Howard to action, Gen. Hooker sent him these instructions: + +"The disposition you have made of your corps has been with a view to a +front attack by the enemy. If he should throw himself upon your flank +he [Hooker] wishes you to examine the ground and determine upon the +position you will take. * * * He suggests that you have heavy reserves +well in hand to meet this contingency. * * * We have good reason to +suppose that the enemy is moving on our right. Please advance your +pickets * * * in order to obtain timely information of their approach." + +Howard's headquarters were lethargic; his troops were enjoying +themselves. + +Stonewall Jackson was a very busy man while Howard was reclining very +comfortably at Dowdall's Tavern. + +While the events just related were occurring the boys of Co. G were +writing letters which the chaplain was to carry away and mail. One of +those letters, written on a drum-head, portrays a scene as follows: + +"Nearly all the privates in Co. G are on picket. It is a novel sight to +see the men, who are in good spirits, taking their ease. Some chatting, +some cooking, others playing cards, while many are writing: but the +most of them are sleeping." + +It was about this time that Jackson was conducted to a knoll +overlooking the position of Howard's men. He saw the whole display of +neglect--the absence of supporting columns and all. And he started his +men forward. + +Near five o'clock p.m. the storm broke. First a few shots and then a +volley. From the extreme right came rushing a crowd of supernumeraries +of all grades. Thirty thousand rebels had surprised the first division +of the 11th Corps. A portion of the first and also of the third +divisions were absent reconnoitering. Back came the first division upon +the third, followed by the exultant enemy. The boys of the first +division did all they could, but what could they do? + +Col. Brown was ordered forward and then countermarched to a position +east of the Hawkins house and behind some shallow rifle-pits thrown up +the night before. Gen. Schimmelpfennig says, reporting to Gen. Schurz-- + +"The first line of our division in connection with Col. Bushbeck's +brigade of Gen. Steinwehr's (2d) division, formed behind two of our +regiments, the 82d Illinois and the 157th N.Y., (the first commanded +by Col. Hecker and the second by Col. Brown) and occupied the +rifle-pits. * * * Your two brigades and that of Col. Bushbeck, together +comprising not quite 4,000 muskets, alone received the entire shock of +the battle and held the enemy in check at least an hour. The three +brigades above-named although both their flanks were turned, stood +their ground until a sufficient time had elapsed for the other corps to +come to their assistance and take position in their rear. * * * For the +surprise on the flank and rear, in broad daylight, by a force +outnumbering us four to one, the responsibility falls not on the third +division. * * * General, I am an old soldier. Up to this time I have +been proud of commanding the brave men of this brigade; but I am +convinced if the infamous lies uttered about us are not retracted and +satisfaction given, their good will and soldierly spirit will be +broken." + +Good, brave "little Schimmel," their soldierly spirit was not broken, +and they were yours to lead for many a weary mile through stifling dust +and burning heat. + +The battle of Chancellorsville has gone into history and may be found +therein by any person who wishes to follow the battle. So far as Co. G +are responsible, little more need be said. + +After the terrible experience near the Hawkins house, the 157th was +withdrawn in excellent order and retreated, after some delay, to the +rear of the newly formed line of battle. Adjutant McWilliams was +dispatched in the gathering gloom, to find the proper road, and went +straight into the rebel lines, and was forwarded to Richmond. +Fortunately, the opposite direction was taken, and Col. Brown led his +men safely out of the woods. They lay in reserve on Sunday and Sunday +night, when the artillery of both forces shook the ground and filled +the air with bursting shells. Early in the morning of May 5th the Army +of the Potomac was withdrawn and in a miserable rainstorm dragged +themselves across the Rappahannock and paddled through the mud back to +their old camp on Accokick Creek. When they marched away they took the +road--on their return they came across lots and found much easier +traveling. + +There was an important part played by Battery I, 1st Ohio Artillery, in +the Chancellorsville fight that adds to the record of Schimmel's +brigade, very much. Capt. Dilger, a Prussian officer, who commanded the +battery faced the advancing men of Jackson until nearly cut off, losing +one gun. He then retreated down the plank road. Sending four of his +guns to the rear he retreated leisurely, firing as he went and clearing +the enemy from the road. + +But the gallantry of the boys of the 11th Corps was overlooked in the +general casting of results. There must of course always be a scape-goat +for blunders in war, and it would not have done to place the blame upon +West Point graduates. + +The losses of the 157th regiment in the battle of Chancellorsville +fight, aggregated about one hundred. Co. G lost, Asa Lawrence, killed; +John Pfleiger badly wounded and Henry Whaling slightly wounded,--the +least number hit of any company in the regiment. Co. A lost the most +men in that battle--one lieutenant and three men killed and sixteen men +wounded and missing. Co. B came next, with three men killed and ten +wounded. + +It was sad to think, after computing the fatalities and speculating +upon the fate of the missing, that away up in Lenox the people were +reading in the newspapers that Co. G were not so great a success, after +all. That their dear boys had "marched up the hill," exchanged shots +"and then marched down again." As communities, would Clockville, +Hoboken, Wampsville and Canastota have preferred to see their sons +brought home on their shields rather than had Hooker made a failure? +Perhaps so. Very likely. But Co. G were satisfied to live just as long +as possible. + +Nor did the galling tirades of War Critics cease with the passing of +the moment. Before the War Committee of Congress, and in standard +history, the bile of the enemies of the 11th Corps is spread the mark +of Cain. Many of those critics are now dead, but their works do follow +them. No Corps of the Army is so bitter in comment of this kind as the +1st Corps, and they did not reach the field until after Jackson was +checked. Then there was still time to win laurels, fresh and brilliant. +Ah, the world will never know why the corps did not come up in time to +help Co. G whip the naughty Jackson. + +One of the missing of Co. G was Dan Brockway, the bodyguard for Ziba's +violin. A few days passed and the news came that Brock was a prisoner. +But he was promptly exchanged and was soon present at roll-call. + +"Brock, how about the violin?" asked one. + +"Well it was this way, boys. I was in the tent, when the rebs came and +told me to crawl out. They sent me to the rear." + +"And the fi-f-f-fiddle," asked John Miller. "T-t-tell us about +the--here--here--f-fiddle." + +"Oh, I carried the fiddle with me. By and by along came a reb and +wanted to borrow the thing. I told him it belonged to Ziba, and I +didn't like to part with it. 'Oh,' says the johnny, 'I'll take good +care of your fiddle; there's a right smart of we'uns can play.' So I +let him take it and he never brought it back." + +"I'll tell you what, b-boys, we oughter do. Jest take the b-blamed +little cuss over there and exchange him for the here--here--fiddle. +What do you say, boys--hey?" + + +It was a dreary reception the boys found on their return to their old +shanties. Rain was falling and the interiors of the huts were +thoroughly soaked. But they stretched once more their tent covering and +moved in. Fires were started and fresh boughs laid upon the bunks, so +it was not long before everyone was comfortable and the routine of camp +once more established. + +Then came fresh soft bread again and other food, denied to a +campaigner. The sutler returned from his retreat to safe quarters. He +had learned the tricks of the men and they had learned something of +him. He was not a bad man, by any means. Occasionally a hole was cut in +his tent, and canned food and tobacco disappeared from right under his +eyes. In such matters of course, Co. G had very little to say. + +There were a few boys in the company who were sharp in dealing with +sutlers. They were pleasant comrades and did their duty, but if +opportunity presented, they were not slow to act. One of them, usually +was well supplied with fried pies, and pies sowed and pegged +(suggestive of boot leather). This boy if asked how he obtained his +truck, replied, "Oh, I coddled them." Poor boy, he fell at +Gettysburg--a good soldier on duty, but a terror to sutlers. + +There was another diversion upon which the pious element of Co. G +frowned--poker playing. Col. Brown prohibited gambling. It was a still +night and a dark one, when there was not a game of poker going on. And +at "taps," which brought the officer-of-the-day around to see that all +lights were out, blanket screens were arranged so that the light did +not show through the tent roof. The click-clank of a sword as the +officer approached, caused the light to disappear, and sure to be +relighted as soon as expedient. With their caps between their knees, +the candle propped up in a bayonet, and a hard-tack box for a table, +they whispered back and forth and shuffled and dealt until some of +those caps were filled with postal currency. But poker was not the only +game played in the tents--euchre was a standard game. + + +Soon after the return from Chancellorsville the winter camp was +abandoned, for sanitary reasons. Added to accumulated foulness nearer +by, the half-buried corpses of a number of mules and horses out beyond +the parade ground, were beginning to pollute the air. + +The place had been home to the boys. Its associations to many were +pleasant, to others, saddening. One of Co. G's boys had died while +there and was buried in the little enclosure back of the camp. His name +was Foltz. The surgeons said he died of home-sickness. His friends soon +after removed the body. + +But camp must be changed. Precisely as with some people renting houses, +it is more convenient to move frequently, if they can thus avoid +house-cleaning. Thus was it with the 157th, and a summer camp was +established on Greens Farms, not far from the old one. + +The new camp was neatly arranged, tents raised from the ground, company +streets turnpiked and adorned with evergreens, and at the head of each +street was an arch bearing the company letter in cedar sprigs. Fine +water gushed from beneath a huge gum tree below the hill, supplies of +all kinds were abundant and the men of Co. G kept in health. + +The wounded from Chancellorsville were brought over and placed in tents +not far away, conveniently near for visiting. John Pfleiger, wounded +below the knee, suffered from a painful wound. Hank Whaling was grazed +below the stomach with a piece of shell. He had but recently recovered +from an attack of measles when he went into the fight, and his voice +had left him, so that he spoke in whispers. When he was struck, the +shock restored his voice, and he yelled, "Hub, ---- ---- I'm hit!" He +finally recovered from the effects of the bruise, and saw more of the +war. + +When money is plenty among soldiers in camp there are always traders of +various kinds on hand. A maker of tin-types set up his shop nearby and +drew quite a trade. Some of those old pictures are still in existence +and they are fondly treasured. Occasionally a proud son of Lenox +borrowed the coat of an officer to appear smart in the picture he was +to send to his deary. By far the greater number appeared before the +camera rough and unpolished; sometimes in blouses, with pipes in their +mouths, and caps tilted on their heads. Not at all like the frozen +figures of Hamilton days. + + +One result of the recent battle was the depletion of the color-guard. +While at dress-parade one evening Col. Brown delivered one of his +measured speeches. + +"Men are needed to fill out the color-guard," he said. "Candidates for +vacancies can send in their names to the adjutant. I want none but +brave men. The post is one of great danger. The appointment means +promotion." + +A subdued growl went down the line, for the speech was a commentary. +Brave men! Just one man in Co. G sent in his name, and he did it to +avoid guard duty. A few weeks later and a private soldier of Co. G +carries the flag off a bloody battlefield. Where were those brave +corporals? The sergeant was down, several of the corporals were +wounded. The brave color corporal from Co. G was scratched and left the +field with all its glory behind him and he never returned to the +company. + + +One beautiful day the battalion was taken out for a drill in charging. +Col. Arrowsmith commanded half the men and Major Carmichael the others. +The boys were moved about, here and there, until at last they started +over a sharp knoll and the divisions met, with bayonets fixed at a +charge and the officers and men cheering. Company A's captain and the +lieutenant commanding B, crossed swords and the fire flew for a few +moments. Both were quite warm over the matter. The voice of Col. +Arrowsmith stopped the threatening storm. It is safe to say, neither of +those swords ever again came so near drawing blood. For the officers' +swords in the infantry, usually, were applied to switching off the tops +of grass and daisies, or killing snakes; few of them ever tasted gore. + +Dress swords were issued to the orderly sergeants and to duty sergeants +also. They were carried only for a short time. One or two campaigns and +superfluous equipments disappear. Usually, their rifles were sufficient +for the boys of Co. G. Those nice little swords would have answered for +toasters when sharpened sticks were scarce. + + +In the first weeks of June orders came for the men to be supplied with +extra rations and eighty rounds of cartridges. Gen. Hooker intended the +men should carry plenty of powder and ball. + +Sick and wounded were sent away, and with the sick went Lieut. +Hemstreet, who had resigned. The sutler also struck his tent and +followed after the man of the picture gallery, seeking a quiet, out of +the way place. + +Even the men who peddled the Washington newspapers (for ten cents, +which cost them but two and a half cents) they, too, flitted. + + +The ins and outs and the ifs and wherefores of those days are +mystifying literature. In the North the so-called Peace Party were +seeking by every means in their power to bring the war to a close. That +party had but recently in a convention held in New York, declared "That +under the Constitution there is no power in the Federal Government to +coerce the states, or any number of them by military force." + +Horace Greeley compared those resolutions to the fourteen reasons +offered by an Irishman in court, as to why his father was not present. +The judge decided on hearing the first one--that the father was dead +and couldn't come--was conclusive, and waived the remaining thirteen. + +So amid the jangle of peace in the presence of war, on June 12th, the +157th moved out and marched to Hartwood church. A short rest at Potomac +Creek was made memorable by a generous donation of cigars by Col. +Arrowsmith, who was temporarily in command. Col. Brown was detached for +a day or two and led a brigade of the first division. + +The march, June 13th, was nineteen miles in a hot sun, over dusty +roads. The men suffered greatly that day and were glad when Catlett +Station was reached. + +Co. G pitched their shelters, dug small trenches under the drip of the +tents and prepared for a wet night, for the sky looked very black, the +air was hot and lightning was playing in the distance. Camp was made in +a heavy growth of young timber where plenty of fuel was found, coffee +was made and the weary sons of Lenox turned in, tired, tired. + +When the storm broke the much quoted and yet ever fearful Virginia +lightning flashed out spitefully, thunder boomed and the rain came down +very heavily. Amidst the racket an occasional shout was heard from some +person who had failed to provide for bad weather--"My roof leaks!" or +"the cellar of my house is afloat!"--ordinary occurrences. + +The march on the 14th was eighteen miles, across the Manassas Plains to +Centerville and camp was made near the old camp ground of the preceding +winter. + +The corps rested at Centerville two days, lying in readiness for a +battle. And a rest was needed. Such extreme hot weather began to tell +upon the men. Many of them were suffering from blistered feet; and a +few men had been overcome by the heat. + +On the 17th of June Co. G were again on the road, at night stopping in +a sheltered hollow by the waters of Goose Creek. + +This day's march of but seventeen miles, was exceedingly severe. Dust +rolled up, filling the eyes, penetrating nostrils, and even the mouths +of the men. They were thirsty, but the steady, close-file marching made +it lively work for the boy who fell-out for water. The guns were loaded +and flankers thrown out and uncertainty and discomfort appeared on +every hand. Toward noon, a bend in the road led down between two thick +fields of timber. The dust seemed finer and lighter than ever, and the +rays of the sun darted down into that oven of a place, most viciously. +Suddenly the regiment opened right and left, other regiments did the +same, the men staggering into the fence corners, everything looking +blue and misty before them; while a thumping noise sounded in their +ears. + +Directly the boys heard the voice of "Little Schimmel," who appeared to +have been in the rear, as officers were marching left in front. Forward +he came, shouting-- + +"Halt the column! Mein Gott, what for they kill all my men? Halt the +column!" + +Soon the general came back, cheering up the boys with a promise of +coffee in the shade. Co. G rallied and found, just ahead, the shady +grove. An hour's rest, and they were again ready for the road. + +As they filed down into a cosy camping place by the creek that night, +the men resembled the gray-back johnny rebs, more than they did +boys-in-blue. They resembled men who had been rolling in the dust. +However, it was not long before Goose Creek was thoroughly appropriated +for bathing purposes. + +While the gallant G are resting at Goose Creek, in a camp located on +elevated ground, the good people at home are worrying about them. Lee's +advance-guard has been seen in various places across the Potomac. A +force of rebels have pressed into Pennsylvania and the whole north is +excited. One hundred thousand militia from Pennsylvania, Maryland, West +Virginia and Ohio, and twenty thousand from New York have been ordered +to Harrisburg. All the troops about Washington have been placed under +orders. The greatest anxiety exists as to Lee's point of attack. + +Vallandigham has been tried for seditious utterances and is to be sent +over the lines to his Confederate friends. The party clamoring for +peace is unceasing in their efforts. But the great heart of the loyal +North is true. + +Lee, it came about, had great hopes that this effort would be of +practical worth to the cause of secession. The Confederate government +hoped his success would benefit their cause abroad. And with a united +South and a divided North, the rebels were to come out, ultimately, +with honor. Such was the hour of preparation, of anxiety and of hope. + + +On June 21st heavy cannonading was heard in the direction of Aldie, and +Howard's corps were placed under waiting orders, but they did not move. + +Co. G were taking the world very comfortably, eating dew berries and +milk and saving up strength for the next grand movement in the +programme. + +June 25th quite a number of convalescent men returned to the regiment +from the hospitals at Washington. Among them was Durell Moore, a boy of +Co. G. All of those boys looked rather pale for vigorous campaigning. + +"Jerome," said Durell, as the orderly handed him a gun and +accoutrements, "these things will be the death of me." It was a +thoughtless remark lightly spoken but one that was noted. He was the +first man (so said) in the company, killed at Gettysburg. + +The afternoon of the 25th camp was broken and the corps moved down to +Edwards Ferry, on the Potomac, and bivouaced in a fine field of clover. +Engineers were out on the river laying a bridge and the noise of moving +teams and falling planks lasted long into the night. Co. G had now +become convinced that the whole weight of the contract did not rest +upon them, and content and sleepy, too, they lay among the clover +blossoms on the hillside, their feet to the river and their faces +turned toward "God's country." They gazed at the North star and talked +of home. Then sweet sleep came. + +Early on the 26th the corps began crossing over the bridge of boats. A +bridge laid under the supervision of Capt. C. B. Reese of the +Engineers, a Canastota boy. + +As the head of the regiment struck Maryland soil the boys cheered. They +sang "John Brown's Body," until the chorus rolled from the end of the +line. Then was heard the old hymn, "We're Going Home to Die no More." +Alas, yes--nearly one out of six of them was to be left dead at +Gettysburg, and scores of them writhing in pain. + +They were in a new country. Virginia's neglected acres gave way to +fields of corn and waving wheat yellow and nearly ready for harvest. + + +Monocacy was passed and the column filed through a narrow gorge and +took the road to Jeffersonville. The boys of G felt well and indulged +in much nonsense, similar to this-- + +"When are you going to cut your wheat, Steve?" inquires Doc White. + +"I expect to begin the first of the week," replies Harrington. + +"Orderly," says Zerne to Jim Johnson, "I think I see a rebel at that +house over yonder. You will take Loucks and Wise and surround them." + +"---- ---- ---- ----!" from Jim. + +And so they moved along. Think kindly of them, reader; they are rough, +but their hearts are right. They have followed a tedious road for many +miles to fight for Lenox, for humanity--South and North--to save the +Union and free the Negroes. The little part they have in the great +drama entitles them to recognition, and to a mite of sympathy. + + +Rain set in toward night making the roads slippery. Plenty of new-mown +hay was at hand, also good, seasoned rails in abundance. Maryland +farmers grumbled some at such wanton destruction. It was a Union +officer who pointed to his empty sleeve and said to the complaining +farmer-- + +"Your crops will grow again, your woods will supply you with rails. +This sleeve will always remain empty." + + +Starting out on a cloudy morning, the 27th, the column passed through +Jeffersonville; the brigade band stationed by the roadside treated the +boys to a little cheering music. + +Reaching the streets of the small town Co. G were excited to see here +and there a handkerchief waved to them. Out of the ranks sprang one of +the boys. + +"Come back here, what are you doing?" called out several. + +"Nothing great--only wondering how it seems to walk on a sidewalk." + +Near night they reached Middletown. The band unlimbered and went into +action, the boys straightened up and kept step. Ladies waved flags and +little boys shouted. Quite a number of houses kept closed blinds, which +very likely opened when the boys-in-gray marched past and then other +blinds were closed. + +Beyond the town camp was made in a region ripe with dry rails and fresh +hay. It was at this bivouac where Col. Arrowsmith interposed for his +men as already stated. + +Next day, June 28th, was Sunday and the church bells rang. Co. G were +called up and formally notified that Gen. Hooker was satisfied Gen. Lee +and his army had crossed into Maryland. + +"You will reduce yourselves to light-marching order. Those who have +blankets will tear them in two," said the captain. + +Light marching order! Indeed, very little remained to be sacrificed. +Many of the boys were reduced to the last shirt. To lighten up a few +ounces, nearly every man went to a convenient brook and a crowd of them +were soon busy, bathing and washing that last shirt. Long before those +garments were dry, a headquarters bugler sounded the "Assembly." +Clutching their washing from the bushes, the boys hastened to camp and +were soon on the road again; some of them vainly trying to dry their +shirts by throwing them over their knapsacks and tying the sleeves +under their chins, thus gathering more dust than before washing. And +the shirts went into the ditch. + + +It was a short march to Frederick, which was reached early. A +delegation of small boys were out to meet Co. G, and as they marched +around the outskirts of the town the rail fence was lined with little +boys and girls, the boys on the top rail gazing at the free show. At +one point where the children were collected, a tempting rail-full of +all colors came in view. + +"See the little--here--here--r--rebs! Doc," exclaimed one to his +neighbor. + +"Get back into the ranks, Loucks!" called out a half dozen. "You +wouldn't hurt a child, would you?" + +"I believe in taking them when they are young," growled Lute Loucks, +one of the kindest-hearted of boys. + +He had jumped toward the children with his rifle clubbed. Of course the +ridiculous caper raised a laugh, in which the children joined merrily. +Those jolly fellows were the life of the march. + +There was Al Bridge, his face always prepared for a smile, his ways +were pleasant and his heart was light. Jim Travis and Dan Grovestein +skylarking all day on the road and going into camp at night kicking up +their heels. Charley Ricker, another young boy who appeared too frail +for the road, yet tough as whit-leather; Hugh O'Brien, with his stories +of the fairy order, or of his experiences along the Erie Canal; Nick +Ecker, not much of a talker, but a loud laugher, and others who trudged +along enjoying the fun. They were a good crowd to be with, kind to each +other. Rarely were angry words heard among them. + +In fact, the entire regiment enjoyed an excellent record for good +order. At times the camps of some of their neighbors were very noisy, +especially when they were having a high old time; but that sort of +thing was not permitted in the 157th and if ever it did occur, it was +conducted in a manner worthy of the occasion. + + +Gen. Hooker had asked to be relieved and Gen. Meade took command of the +Army on June 28th, 1863, at Frederick, Maryland. + +When the 11th Corps filed out into the road on the morning of June +29th, they opened ranks to let Gen. Meade and staff pass; the boys were +braced up for loud cheering and waving of caps, but the general took a +different route and Co. G moved along on the Taneytown road, just +enough rain falling to keep the road "greasy," as the men said. But a +good long march was made and Emmettsburg was reached before night, the +troops camping near the town. + +The morning of the 30th, Schurz's division were moved near the town. +The quarters of the 157th were on grounds adjacent to the Convent of +St. Mary's. It was an unpleasant day. There were many changes being +made by the new general. + +The 11th Corps was passed by the 1st Corps at Emmettsburg and went into +camp a half mile distant. Gen. Reynolds of the 1st Corps ranked Gen. +Howard. Had the 11th Corps been thrown forward, instead of the 1st +Corps, perhaps they would have made as fair a showing as the 1st Corps +on the pages of history. They certainly were as good men as there were +in the army. + +Pickets were detailed from the company while lying at Emmettsburg. When +the boys returned to camp, they were well supplied with home-made bread +and other good things. + + +Wednesday, July 1st, the 11th Corps resumed the route to Gettysburg. +Before the column is ordered to move, a glance along the lines of the +157th will be interesting. + +The regiment left Hamilton something like nine months before, with over +eight hundred men. Now they are drawn up in line and number three +hundred and eighty-six muskets. Reports have been given of their +sufferings from sickness and in the Chancellorsville fight, and +desertions, which have combined to reduce the regiment to the present +figures. + +They have been pictured as cleanly, well-dressed men. Now they appear +neglected. Their clothes show hard service, the shoes, especially +important, are getting hard wear. Rapid marching and lightening of +knapsacks has reduced the boys' underwear; few of them have but the one +shirt, which is in use. That big chap in Co. C is unable to hide, with +his blouse, the fact that he has sacrificed his last shirt for the +cause. But they are the boys of Cortland and Madison and even though +they are out in the rain and the mud, their pulses are regular, and +their powder is dry. + +The corps moved leisurely along the Taneytown road until near noon. At +Marsh Creek, Battery I passed the regiment, its support. Soon after, +heavy cannonading was heard and orders came to double-quick the men. + +For two miles or more the fast walking and trotting was kept up until +the boys drew near Gettysburg. They had come about twelve miles, and +were approaching the town from the southwest. + +On the hills beyond and west of the village, the 1st Corps were hotly +engaged. Citizens were met coming from their homes in the town, in some +instances laden with light articles. They were frightened. No wonder. + +As the boys went through the streets men and women were gathered in +little groups here and there, with pails of water, which the boys +gratefully swallowed and hastened along. + +Outside the town and north and east of the Pennsylvania College, +between the Carlisle and Mummasburgh roads, Battery I was already in +position and ready for work. The 157th was stationed in rear and to the +right of the battery, near the Carlisle road, in a small field of +growing corn. + +A rebel battery took position a half mile distant and opened on Battery +I. Shells came rapidly, pieces struck among the 157th quite freely. The +faster came the shells the more Co. G hugged the soft earth. That sort +of thing continued for a time, until Capt. Dilger had dismounted +several of the rebel guns, when the others were limbered up and driven +to a new position. In the meantime one of the corporals of the +color-guard was killed and a lieutenant was wounded in the hand. + +An order came to Col. Brown to advance his men. They started forward in +double-column on the center and--to use the colonel's expression--with +"alacrity." + +"Battalion, halt!" somebody yelled. + +The batterymen were shouting and Co. G were wondering why they were +being taken through a battery while it was firing. + +"About, face!" + +And they returned and moved to the left of the battery and then forward +down the slope, the boys of Battery I firing over their heads. + +Proceeding forward two hundred yards, the regiment deployed in line of +battle. A line of rebel skirmishers were coming over the rise in their +front. The rebs to the number of fifty or so, threw down their guns and +came forward and surrendered. Several men were detailed to take the +prisoners to the rear. + +Off on the right, skirmishers were very busy. Shells were flying toward +them from two rebel batteries. + +"Battalion, double-column on the center--March! Right wheel!" + +Then it was, under lively shelling, those much-abused fellows +quarter-wheeled to the right, as steadily as if on their quiet parade +ground. + +Again they went forward and over a rail fence, into a field of wheat +standing ready for the reaper. Then came the order to deploy column. + +"Co. G, not a man of you fire until you reach the line, and then give +them a volley!" shouted Capt. Frank. + +The boys had met the enemy again and some of them were falling. Peter +Agan, the first man hit in the company, fell with a ball through his +thigh. Another man fell forward and bellowed like a calf and as the +company went forward he crawled to the rear and deserted--unhurt. + +Into line went Co. G. They formed on the colors, steadily and ready. + +"Co. G, give it to 'em!" called out the captain and a grand volley was +sent toward the line of rebel heads which were bobbing up and down over +the wheat, twenty rods distant. Then the fighting began. It was +murderous while it lasted--only about twenty minutes. + +At one time Col. Brown ordered a charge and the line surged forward for +a few rods. Again they halted and stood up for a time and took their +medicine like men, giving back their best. Along that line the boys +were falling in all shapes. Then some one shouted "get down into the +wheat!" And thus was the fighting continued in Indian fashion. Zip! +zip! came the bullets, scattering about the ripe wheat wastefully. + +"What did you-uns stand up like that for, and be shot down?" asked a +reb of one of Co. G's boys, a prisoner. + + +Capt. Frank, Capt. Backus, Capt. Adams and Capt. Briggs were down--the +two former, killed. Other line officers were killed or wounded. The +gallant Lieut.-Col. Arrowsmith was dead. It was a question of but a few +moments when his entire regiment would be disposed of, and the colonel +looked about wistfully for an approaching aide. + +A staff officer finally came riding rapidly toward the field. He +reached the line of fire and his horse fell. It was Capt. Klincker of +"Schimmel's" staff. Klincker dismounted, waved his hand to Col. Brown, +then unfastened his saddle and with it started for the rear. + +Col. Brown ordered a retreat. The scattered remnant of his regiment, +their organization broken, a sorry sight, left the field. + +Joe Hart, of Co. G, as the order came for retreat, arose from the +wheat. Near him lay the colors. He picked them up and started for the +rear. He succeeded in reaching the fence, when he was shot through the +leg. Joe tossed the flag over the fence to Ir Sayles of G, who carried +it from the field. + +Col. Brown rallied his men near the town, and a few shots were fired, +and then continued their retreat. + +Capt. Frank was killed, Lieut. Gates badly wounded, Co. G had lost +nearly one-half its numbers and the few still on an army footing were +exceedingly lonesome. + +The streets of the town were soon blocked with ambulances, horsemen and +men afoot. The exulting rebs were pouring into town in steady pursuit. +Batteries from a distance were sending shells after the retreating +Yankees. It was no time to stop and visit. + +"Little Schimmel" remained too long to look after his men and nearly +was captured. As he spurred away his horse was shot. The general sprang +into a side street, which proved to be a cul de sac. He climbed a fence +and found himself in the garden of Henry Garlach. The rebels were +rapidly spreading over the town, and escape by the street was +impossible. He espied the Garlach woodshed. Near the outer door stood a +swill-barrel, and back of that was wood, cut for the stove. "Schimmel" +was a small man. He cleared a space behind the barrel, where he +secreted himself by piling wood about him. There was a small peep-hole +through the wood and when Mrs. Garlach came into the shed, the general +whispered to her, told her he was a Union officer and begged her not to +betray him. Rebels were going through the houses searching for Union +soldiers. They entered the wood-shed even. Although she was terribly +anxious lest the rebs should find a soldier secreted on the premises, +Mrs. Garlach did not forget that the general might be hungry. Her son +was a lad of ten or twelve years, and she whispered to him aside, then +handing him a large pail in the bottom of which rested a cup of water +and some bread, she said aloud for the benefit of some rebel soldiers +in the house-- + +"James, take this pail to the shed and get some swill for the pigs." + +The boy successfully passed the food to the general, which was all he +had for sixty hours. + +July 4th, when the Union troops reentered the town "Schimmel" came +forth, mighty stiff, but otherwise in fair condition. And when his old +regiment found him they wept; they hugged and kissed the little man; +better pleased than if he had been killed and buried ten feet deep in +honors. They believed he had been taken prisoner. + + +When Orderly Forbes gathered in all they could find of Co. G, he had +about a dozen men. (The word "about" is used because there were a few +detached men). The corps was once more in position on Cemetery Hill. +The 157th remnant lay with the reserve on the site of the present +National Cemetery. And lay they did, on July 2d, and very flat. The +rebels had concentrated their artillery fire upon that part of the +line. + +Just at dusk this reserve was ordered out on the right. The men were +ready. The 157th followed the 61st Ohio, a veteran regiment; together +they numbered less than one hundred men. By some mistake the 157th +party became divided, a portion following Col. Brown and the others, +Capt. Place. It was a night without a moon, and in the shadowing woods, +very dark. Just as the 61st and the detachment of the 157th under Capt. +Place, "had reached the angle of our line," writes that gentleman, "a +volley was fired from behind a stone wall in the edge of the wood ... +the woods beyond were all ablaze with musketry ... several of the +detachment were killed or wounded. The officer commanding the 61st +ordered his men to file to the right and left as fast as they could. +Our men were ordered to follow. When out of range the boys were halted +and it was then discovered the colors were missing." The color-bearer, +Geo. H. Davis, of Co. A, had been wounded. + +Capt. Place felt, as soldiers should feel, at such a time. And the eyes +of Cortland and Madison were upon them. Believing that they had been +fired upon by Union troops, Captain Place, with privates Marcus +Livingstone of Co. C, and Francis M. Gault of Co. G, went back to find +the flag, but they found that the rebels had advanced their lines, and +they were soon prisoners. + +Once more did Co. G try to score a point for the old flag. One of their +boys had brought it from the deadly wheatfield, and was wounded. +Another had volunteered to accompany the gallant Place, and was +captured. Gault had a taste of rebel prisons from Richmond to +Andersonviile, returning to the company in April, 1865. + +On July 3d the remnant of the 157th, then pretty well banged-up, were +withdrawn from the front and placed on provost duty at the quarters +occupied by Gen. Schurz. + + +The first roll-call after the battle occurred the evening following. +Thirty-nine privates, eight corporals and four sergeants answered to +their names. The entire regiment, July 2d, consisted of Col. Brown, +Major Carmichael, Captain Place of Co. C, Lieuts. Jenkins of Co. B and +Tallman of K, and fifty-six men. Other officers were present at the +time of the fight, but were not acting with the regiment. + +Out on the wheatfield lay Col. Arrowsmith, Captains Backus and Frank +and Lieut. Lower, while thirty-three enlisted men, dead, marked the +regimental alignment. Capts. Adams and Briggs, Adjutant Heenye, Lieuts. +Smith, Waters, Gates, Atwater and Fitch, and acting lieutenants +Harrington and Benjamin, wounded. Of enlisted men more than two hundred +were wounded, some of them slightly, many severely. Two officers and +twenty-one men died of wounds, making causality list foot nearly two +hundred and sixty men, and fifteen officers. + +Capts. Stone, Place and Charlier were captured, also Lieuts. Coffin, +Powers and Curtice. Capt. Stone died in prison at Macon, Ga. Capts. +Place and Charlier were exchanged eight months later, or in March, +1864. The three lieutenants were sent to Macon, and later to +Charleston, S.C., where they were impounded with other officers under +fire of the Union guns; but when six hundred rebel officers were sent +down to Morris Island to be placed under fire, the Charleston commander +removed the Yankee officers to a pen in rear of the city. And while Co. +G had no representative among those officers, their hearts went out to +them, and thus are they here remembered. + +Eighty-six men were prisoners. Of those, thirty-seven accepted the +parole offered by Gen. Lee and with about seventeen hundred others, +were escorted to Gen. Couch's lines near Carlisle; the other forty-nine +went to Richmond. There were ten of Co. G, prisoners, six of whom took +the parole--two went to Richmond. The paroled prisoners were sent to +Carlisle, Pa., where they were kept for awhile in fine style, and +ultimately were returned to their regiments without exchange. The +company took into the fight about forty muskets. + +KILLED. + + Capt. Harrison Frank. + Albert D. Bridge. + John A. Hart. + Luzerne E. Johnson. + Durell Moore. + +WOUNDED. + + Lieut. Frank E. Gates, groin. + Corporal Jas. B. Hooper, arm. + Corporal Nicholas Binges, side. + Private Amos Avery, shoulder. + Private Peter Agan, leg. + Private Robert Farrington, arm. + Private Joseph Hart, leg. + Private Wm. Miller, hand. + Private Wm. Pease, leg. + Private James L. Travis, arm and shoulder. + Private John H. Roe, face. + +Col. Brown was very much cast down over his losses. Who to blame, will +never be known. There was a horrible blunder and some one was blamable. +The 157th never should have been sent out against Dole's Brigade of +Georgians. They had fought two regiments alone and unaided. A wonder +that any of the boys left that wheatfield unhurt. + +That was only one of the many little blunders of the war. The North +kept on bleeding and her officers never lacked words for defense. +Nothing new and withal, consistent. The soldiers were there to give +their lives, if need be, and a good soldier will not hesitate over so +trifling a matter. There was glory in the air, though. One could fairly +taste it when Lee turned back for Virginia with his heart heavy. The +cause of secession and human slavery had started down to destruction +and the people of the North rejoiced. + +Yet there were many desolate homes in the North. The babes of the South +and the babes of the North clung to their mothers' knees and asked them +why they wept--mercifully were they denied a share in the glory of the +hour. Aged parents sat in the corner and mourned, until they were +reunited with their slaughtered boys. Ah, the fatalities in that war +were not confined to the boys in blue. + +The wounded men of the regiment were gathered together and cared for by +surgeons of both armies, while the battle was pending. When the Union +army gained possession of the village, everything possible was done to +alleviate suffering. Nurses came from all directions: many women and +among them Sisters of Charity. Theirs was a noble work. + +Very feeble are words to express the tender care of the women nurses in +the war. The youngster who pores over war history will drink in all the +horrors of battle scenes, or feed his imagination with cannon smoke. He +will not care to gather the groaning victims and bear them from the +field. Then, the sickening odors of human blood which one scents +everywhere. Yet, amid those dreadful scenes those nurses went. They +bathed the fevered faces, they moistened the parching throats. From +hastily appointed kitchens they supplied tempting broth, or by woman's +magic produced cooling drinks. + +The women of the war. History says little of them, but the hearts of +thousands of soldiers are theirs. + + +July 5th the regiment was marched back toward Emmettsburg, eight miles. +Next day the little band moved into that village. By calling in +detached men and by the return of all available men, the command had +reached the number of eighty. Col. Brown was assigned to duty +elsewhere. Maj. Carmichael was on the staff of Gen. Schurz. The command +of the 157th devolved upon Capt. Bailey, with two or three lieutenants. +They made two companies of the battalion and the state colors waved +above them. + +The honor of Lenox had been sorely tried at Gettysburg and the reduced +ranks of Co.'s B and G bent now under the weight of responsibility. +Still there was no shrinking, they were yet on a war-footing even if +their shoes were dropping from their feet. + +They were not a very attractive little band of warriors as they +shuffled and limped into Middletown about 10 p.m., July 7th. But they +were very thankful for a rain storm which softened the roads and thus +eased the bruised feet. It had been a rough march over the Chitocton +Mountain, the sun pouring down hot, the pathway rough, with plenty of +climbing. Thus they toiled over nearly twenty miles, encouraged on the +way that shoes awaited them in Middletown; but they were disappointed. + +A rest was given until the 9th and as the whereabouts of Lee was then +known, the army was set in motion. On that day Co. G were on the road, +their shoes were worn out and their feet very nearly so, but the boys +made the best of it and dragged along in the hot, muggy atmosphere, +over Smith Mountain, camping near Boonsboro after a very trying march +of six miles only. + +They lay at Boonsboro on the 10th, where shoes were issued. On the 11th +the boys marched out on the Hagerstown Pike, in the advance and camped. +Next day, July 12th, Major Carmichael assumed command. Col. Brown was +temporarily at the head of a brigade in another division. + +On the 10th Gen. Howard had issued his "General Order No. 18.--The +General again thanks his command for what has been done during the last +month.... The Eleventh Corps, as a Corps, has done well--well in +marching, well in fighting. The sacrifices it has made shall not be +forgotten--in the retrospect your General feels satisfied. Now we must +make one more effort; let there be no wavering, no doubt." + +That was a sickly sort of cheer to send to Co. G, the lonesome, the +ragged and destitute. Yes, Gen. Howard, you are satisfied, but Co. G +are not. They are forlorn. Their laurels hang over their brows, wilted +and stale. You are not a vain man. But never forget, that a peacock may +look "in the retrospect" and be satisfied. "Let there be no wavering, +no doubt." Had that fine regiment but "wavered," General Howard, they +would not now be so few. + +Following is taken from Gen. Lee's "General Order No. 16," dated July +11th, 1863, to his defeated army: "Once more the eyes of your +countrymen are turned upon you, and again do wives and sisters, +fathers, mothers and helpless children lean for defense upon your +strong arms and brave hearts." It was the production of an enemy, but +just the sort of stuff to stir the blood of men. Lee knew if he showed +lack of confidence in his men, he weakened them. But enough of this. +The 11th Corps has fought hard and won a blackened eye on the pages of +history. Occasionally they are "damned with faint praise," just to save +the record of some general. + + +The 157th was at this time, July 12th, annexed to the first division of +the 11th Corps, in the brigade commanded by Gen. Adelbert Ames. + +On the morning of that day, with fresh accessions from hospitals and +other sources, the 157th had increased its numbers to one hundred. + +As they approached Hagerstown they were deployed as skirmishers and +advanced ahead of the cavalry. Two miles from Hagerstown the rebel +rear-guard was encountered and a lively skirmish followed, but the +157th got the rebs started and kept them going until they were checked +by a battery planted on the hights beyond the town. + +As the battery opened the cavalry rushed forward and Co. G and their +comrades came near losing their opportunities for distinction; soon +however the cavalrymen came back in confusion. + +Maj. Carmichael had screened his men from the hot, raking fire, by +taking advantage of a broad ditch and as the cavalry returned, the boys +started on a keen run for the town, which they reached successfully and +under cover of the buildings were soon in possession of the city. With +the enemy still in sight on the hights, their names were registered at +the Washington Hotel, directly following those of the rebel officers +who had stopped there the night before. Fifty prisoners were captured +in different parts of the town and among them, two wounded officers, +from the field of Gettysburg. + +As a mark of distinction the 157th were distributed over the town on +provost duty. Hagerstown had five or six thousand inhabitants. This +duty continued for two days; meanwhile they can be credited to date. + + +The 157th had turned over to the provost marshal of the Army, one +hundred prisoners. At Gettysburg they had lost but eighty-six of their +men prisoners, besides seven officers. As one officer ought to count +for two men, the regiment has vindicated itself, with a heavy credit +balance in its favor of more than two hundred and sixty casualties. As +to prisoners, they have seldom found glory in being captured. They +attract much sympathy, but there is usually an ugly "if" lurking in the +background. The dead are heroes. 'Tis well. + +July 14th Col. Brown returned to his regiment and the major to duty as +mustering officer on Schurz's staff. + +On that afternoon Co. G were marched out to within two miles of +Williamsport, in search of Gen. Lee. The regiment camped in a pine +wood. Next day, the 15th, they were counter-marched twenty miles to +Middletown over the road they had come. Lee's army had escaped, and Co. +G, like the loyal people of the North, were hunting for some secluded +place where they could quietly kick themselves, undisturbed, and get +cool. + +The 16th found them en route to Berlin, camping within two miles of +that place, after a tramp of twelve miles. They lay there until the +19th and then marched to the Potomac and crossed on the pontoon bridge, +camping three miles beyond Waterford. They took an early start on the +20th and marched to Groveton, Va. While there they were sent on a +wild-goose chase after Moseby's cavalry, who were supposed to be in the +vicinity of Mt. Pleasant. On the 23d of July they moved to +Middleburg--a secesh town where all the ladies kept behind the +blinds--camping at night at White Plains. On the 24th the boys reached +New Baltimore. July 25th the regiment marched to Warrenton Junction +having found at last, the close of the campaign. + + +The boys were not very attractive in appearance when they left +Gettysburg and they had not improved greatly by an additional twenty +days' march. They were short of soap and of underwear. In many cases +where neglect seemed inviting him, a well-known pest appeared, and +skirmishing, "with vigor and alacrity," was not considered unbecoming +to many a dignified officer. Truth is stranger than fiction, and here +effect follows cause in close pursuit. At last however time was allowed +for cleaning up, and those boys were not slow to make the most of such +glad hours. The subject is not pleasant. + +As has been intimated, the troops around Warrenton were not entirely +idle. Considerable picket-duty was required. On the 1st of August they +moved to Greenwich, so named after one Green, who claimed British +protection, and the flag of Britain waved above his spacious mansion. + +On the 3d camp was moved to near Catlett Station. At midnight of the +6th orders came to be ready to take the cars on short notice. Next day, +the 7th, the little squad of Co. G heard the order to go into camp. +They had done so much tramping that a prospect of a free ride, for a +time seemed dissipated. They grumbled not--the grumblers had been +captured and were eating pie and pudding at Carlisle. At noon the skies +brightened and the bold Co. G were to shake the soil of Virginia from +their feet for all time. + +Gordon's division, which included Ames' brigade, moved to Warrenton +Junction and the same night took comfortable freight cars for +Alexandria. On the car tops were the able-bodied men and on the first +floor were the sick and the officers, with scarcely room to stretch +themselves. The train reached Alexandria at 5 a.m. The men alighted +and partook of a soldier's breakfast in a field near the depot. At noon +they were taken to a steamer and next day were at Newport News. + + +Newport News had been a favored camping place, from the first of the +war. When Co. G, with skin as tender as their hearts, stepped ashore, +multitudes of hungry fleas, gnats and mosquitos attacked them and the +poor boys were once more suffering for the cause of freedom. + +Ten days' rations were issued before leaving Catlett. The officers now +discovered that the men were in a way to hunger before the journey was +ended. For it is true of men everywhere--some are prodigal by nature. + +On the evening of the 9th of August Co. G found themselves aboard a +steamship and bounding on the billows of the Atlantic. They sailed +under sealed orders. In all games of chance strategy is recognized. +Secretary Stanton was about to send a few thousands of troops to +re-enforce Gen. Gilmore. + +Co. G was not entirely happy. Besides a slight sympathy with the +rolling ocean, they were wondering just how bad they would be missed by +their critics in the 1st Army Corps. Alas, little did they know of the +future--how high and in what black letters would the fame of the 11th +Corps be written by jealous pens. + +And thoughts, longing, sweet and bitter, burdened the hour. Finally +they went into the scuppers, and as Cape Henry dropped into the deep, +they washed from their noble forms the last accumulation of Virginia +soil. The parting was not pathetic. + + +Rightly named and suitable for the operations before Charleston, was +the new camping place of Gordon's division. There was as high standard +of tom-foolery in that department as in any, during the war. And for +some time Folly Island served as a base. + +Stono Inlet was reached on the 12th of August. The trip was made +without incident. Co. G had gathered along the rail of the John Rice +and they bit huge chunks from the sea breeze; for it was "hotter +than--here--Hamilton!" below decks, as John Miller would have said, had +he been present. + +In the evening of the 12th Co. G stepped to the floating wharf (an old +hulk) at Pawnee Landing and for the first time pressed the sacred soil +of South Carolina. They had tried hard to reach the seat of rebellion +at Richmond and failed. They had now come to the original incubator for +another attempt. Charleston was still defiant and Co. G were on Folly +Island. + +Oh, brave Co. G, you were born heroes. Why did Fate thus trifle with +your yearnings for fame? + +The day following the landing, the 157th moved two miles up the island, +or half way between Stono and Light House Inlet. + +On the 16th they were marched up the beach to the rope ferry and +crossed to Morris Island, and proceeded to duty in the advance +parallels of the approaches. + +Gen. Gilmore was trying to reduce Fort Wagner. One month before, a +desperate battle was fought, with great loss to the Union forces. Then +Gilmore began his siege. The troops worked hard and were sure of +unearthing the enemy if the sand of Morris Island held out. + +Duty in the bomb-proofs was very trying. The heat was oppressive and +fresh air very scarce. With other discomforts, sand fleas were very +plentiful. Whenever the rebel fire slackened, the boys got out and +exercised. Three days of such miserable experience were quite enough +for them, but they were detailed again and again. Perhaps it was during +that siege Co. G replenished their stock of sand, as the boys insisted +they breathed it and ate sand with their food, and it blew into their +mouths when they were talking, and into their eyes, and into their +ears. + +On the 21st of August Gen. Terry reviewed the troops in Gordon's +division. Those men had not been supplied with new clothing since the +Gettysburg campaign and Terry was disposed to censure their shabby +appearance. For his brigade, Gen. Ames made a proper explanation and +concluded with something after this style-- + +"But, General, if you have any fighting for us, you will see that we +understand our duty and will obey orders." + + +August 27th the division returned to Folly Island and went into camp +four miles from Light House Inlet. + +Sept. 6th Ames' brigade, consisting of six regiments numbering less +than five hundred men, were taken to the front on Morris Island as a +portion of an assaulting column to advance next morning at 9 o'clock. +During the night a deserter came into Gilmore's lines and reported the +rebels evacuating the fort. Fort Wagner had at last come into Yankee +hands, and was re-christened Fort Strong, in memory of Gen. Strong, who +led the assault on the fort, July 11th. He was dangerously wounded, and +died at New York, a few weeks later. + +Up to this period the regiment was composed of two companies. Men were +returning from hospitals and parole camp. The ranks of Co. G were +steadily increasing in numbers as also were the other companies. Their +duties were not severe, but the change of water affected some of the +boys badly. + +With the exception of a night alarm, when the long-roll was beaten, +there was very little to vary the monotony of life among the sand +hills. To be sure the regiment was camped in a grove of small +live-oaks, but behind the camp was a sand ridge and sand, dry sand, was +the prevailing soil. + +Bathing was a necessity, and at a prescribed hour the beach for miles +was patronized by the men. + +Col. Brown had left the regiment at New Baltimore, Va., for recruiting +service at Elmira, N.Y. Major Carmichael was now lieutenant colonel +and commanded the 157th. + +For some weeks Col. Carmichael was confined to his tent. Then the camp +was a dull place. Eventually the days became brighter. New clothing was +issued, the wormy hard-bread gave way to good soft loaves, and +soldiering was soldiering once more. + + +Captain Lafayette McWilliams was not a "boy of Lenox." He enlisted in +Co. F, at Peterboro and was made third sergeant of his company. At +Chancellorsville he acted as adjutant of the regiment, was taken +prisoner and was sent to Libby prison. Rejoined the regiment just +before the Gettysburg fight and was assigned temporarily to the +quartermaster's department. He was left in Virginia when the regiment +went South, and returned to duty early in September, duly commissioned +as captain of Co. G. His first essay at speech-making was in censure of +the boys captured at Gettysburg. His remarks, for one who was not in +the fight, were very extraordinary. Co. G, in that fight did well. One +of the boys was captured supporting his dying captain. Two others +assisted a badly wounded and fainting man (of another company) to the +regimental hospital; and not knowing the proximity of the rebels, ran +into their clutches, very much as did Adjutant McWilliams at +Chancellorsville. Col. Brown went through the streets with one man of +Co. G, who bore the colors. All organization was destroyed. Who was +blamable? Was there anything praiseworthy in the acts of the men of Co. +G on that dreadful day? + +Long did some of the boys hold spite against their new captain for his +unkind words, until they understood that he had been wrongly informed. +And when they became better known to each other, unpleasant differences +vanished. + +Lafayette McWilliams was an excellent officer. He took pride in the +good appearance of his men. Co. G, under their new captain, throve +finely. The honor of old Lenox was again a light burden. + + +Carmichael's ideal soldier was a possibility. Brown's ideal was a +mixture of puritanic devotion and Napoleonic dash. + +"Keep the men clean; nourish manly pride; make them feel that they are +men; treat them in a way to gain their confidence, and you will have +soldiers you can depend upon. Drill him as you may, a man without pride +is unreliable;" such was the doctrine of Col. Carmichael. + +Camp was moved further up the river and A tents were issued. From a +convenient pine grove the boys cut posts and sunk them into the sand. +Then they raised the tents upon the posts and had roomy space, with +plenty of standing room. The bunks were built well above ground and the +lower part around the tents enclosed with the old shelter tents. + +It was an attractive camp on the white sand, and the boys were in +better health. An eating house was built of pine poles and roofed with +palmetto leaves. Tables and seats were erected and the men were marched +in regularly to their meals. + +For spiritual food the chaplain served his preparations on Sundays, +when Gen. Ames occasionally dropped over to attend. + +There were regular duties on picket at the White House, with an +occasional detail to Coles Island, or Kiawah. The details to Kiawah +were for fatigue duty on fortifications and they were pleasant, owing +to freedom from the strict discipline of camp. Mud clams were abundant +in the creeks over there. + +Picket duty at the White House on Folly River, was attractive as the +cold weather approached, on account of the abundance of cluster oysters +which lined the banks. Those oysters, when taken from the shells, were +usually very small--from the size of one's finger nail, to an inch in +length. + +Dan Brockway saw his opportunity. It was a happy day for him when he +was detailed for picket at the White House. When off post he was +picking open the shells, and far into the night while others slept, Dan +was still at work, until he had secured a good quart, which he sold to +officers for about fifty cents; and well he earned his money. Often the +orderly's voice was heard in the camp calling, "Brockway!" Brock was +either out after oysters or with haversacks loaded with apples, was +peddling in other camps. + +That sort of thing must end. The captain declared it should end. One +day Brock was arraigned in presence of Co. G, and the punishment he +merited seemed imminent. + +"Captain," says Brock, "I have only a half-barrel of apples left, and +they will spoil if you don't let me sell them." + +"Very well," replied the captain. "But you must promise, hereafter to +attend to duty." + +Brock promised and escaped punishment, but that half-barrel of apples +lasted a long time. It appeared he had another supply by means of which +he kept the first barrel from being exhausted. + +At Folly Island, for the first time, men were detailed in each company +to wash the clothing of the men and all were of a uniform cleanliness, +and the wash-squad did their work well. + +The regimental organization was again complete. In November a +detachment of substitutes and drafted men reached the regiment; of +those Co. G received five men. + + +And there came also from Elmira a new adjutant for the 157th. Chas. J. +Baldwin was an inexperienced soldier. He had been acting as Col. +Brown's adjutant at Elmira and was promoted on personal grounds. There +was an unconfirmed report that he was a drafted man. Had he been so, or +had Baldwin been a veteran of many battles, Col. Brown's thus slighting +his regiment, would have been no less unfair. Baldwin was a good man, +made a fine adjutant. Perhaps he was innocent of an intent to +appropriate the position which was clearly due one of those men who had +seen so much hard service. + +Col. Brown detailed Joseph Heenye to be his personal waiter. Then he +promoted him to sergeant-major of the regiment. While Joe Heenye was +enjoying the comforts and privileges of exemption from drill, from camp +duty and from picket, the other enlisted men were out in the sleet and +the snow and the mud. While Joe slept in a warm bed every night, his +comrades slept out in the dismal picket huts. No fault of Joe's. But +when he was promoted adjutant over the heads of many worthy +lieutenants, Col. Brown added greatly to the offense. Joe was a +gentleman. He was killed at Gettysburg. + +Col. Brown from a settled policy, promoted officers and assigned them +to other companies than those in which they had enlisted. Such a scheme +was an exhibition of his arbitrary power and in some instances the +effect was demoralizing. When Lieut. Gates was transferred to Co. K, +the boys of his own company wondered and Co. K were offended. By and +by, Lieut. Pierce was assigned from Co. K to Co. G, and the scale was +righted. And when Bob Grant was made first lieutenant of Co. G, his own +company, Co. I, were inconsolable and the philosophical Co. G, were +correspondingly pleased. + +That system of crossing-the-breed was peculiar to Col. Brown. Had the +good people of Madison discovered such propensity in time, undoubtedly +they would have suggested that Prof. Brown seek a colonelcy in some +other county. But the regiment is still on Folly Island. + +Such a pity so good a regiment should have seen so much trifling. And +even yet were they to steam up rivers, to march, to camp, to wade +swamps, to fight and hang-on, for many months to come and after it all, +not one enterprise in which they were engaged--barring the siege of +Charleston--in that Department, has been deemed worthy of place in +standard history. The stubs of Gen. Grant's cigars, the white vests of +Gen. Sherman and the peculiar cast of Gen. Butler's eye, all are +immortal. Poor Co. G, you are making history and your valiant deeds +shall be chronicled. And your children may know, that while brave and +true men were required to perform these deeds, even the weakest of men +may record them. Such is fate. + + +In the latter part of December, Col. Carmichael was ordered North with +a recruiting party; winter had reached South Carolina, and in the +morning thin ice frequently was found upon the surface of bathing tubs. +Not the pleasantest season to journey northward. + +As the weather grew colder drinking water was more agreeable. All the +water used on the island was obtained by digging below tide-mark and +curbing with barrels. The finest and best protected well in camp was +made by cutting into a sand dune and making a winding passage to the +water, thus placing the water continually in the shade and protecting +it from dust and dirt blowing around the camp. + +The regiment remained on Folly Island until February 7th, 1864, when +orders came to prepare for a march with three days' rations and forty +rounds of ammunition. At dusk they were ferried over to Kiawah Island. +Three brigades and two batteries formed the expedition. They marched up +Kiawah, forded the narrow creek to Seabrook, and then over the bridge +to John's Island, tramping until daybreak, when they found themselves +near the center of the island. A line of skirmishers under Lieut. Gates +was thrown forward to meet the advancing rebels, then a lively exchange +of shots ensued, resulting in the enemy falling back. Next the brigade +was advanced about a mile until they came up with the skirmishers. A +large quantity of arms and accoutrements were found in some buildings +near Edisto River and were destroyed. The rebels were found well posted +behind a hedge. The first brigade fell back again and bivouaced. Next +day the second brigade went to the front and stirred up the rebs a +little. The third day the first brigade (in which was Co. G) again went +to the front and supported a battery. At midnight the pickets were +withdrawn and after setting fire to a mansion the expedition returned +to Folly Island. The demonstration was to draw the enemy from the army +opposing Gen. Seymour, who was then about to fight the disastrous +battle of Olustee, Florida. + +In that trip to John's Island one man was killed and one wounded, of +the 157th regiment, both of Co. I. + +On the 22nd of February Co. G, under Lieut. Grant, (Capt. McWilliams +had gone north with Col. Carmichael) were ordered to pack up, for Gen. +Seymour had been roughly handled and he wanted Co. G to come down to +Jacksonville with the other boys. Gen. Seymour had exceeded his +instructions. He deserved to have been cashiered, but Grant ordered him +North, gave him another command, and the rebs soon after captured him. + +The 157th landed in Jacksonville Feb. 25th, 1864, with two hundred and +eighty-six muskets, or one hundred less than at Gettysburg. They were +commanded by Col. Brown. + +The trip down was very unpleasant for the men on the lower deck and a +number of them were seasick. The comments of Nick Snyder and John +Miller can be left to the imagination of readers. For they felt glad +they were fighting for Yankee land, instead of beastly, blasted, +blinkety-blank ships on a r-r-rolling ocean. + +Feb. 25th the boys landed at Jacksonville, at the time only a +good-sized village. Gen. Ames led his men to the outskirts. Rumors came +of a threatened attack and preparations were made accordingly. It may +be put down here at once, that no rebel ever attacked Jacksonville +(except by rumor) during Co. G's stay at the place, and if any other of +the companies had been attacked, Co. G would have heard of it, +promptly. + +In a day or two the regiment was busy with picks and shovels, throwing +up breast-works and redoubts, nor did the work stop until a line was +built nearly a mile in length. The redoubts were protected with chevre +du frieze and trip-wires were stretched along the front of the works. + +The regiment had been eating hard-tack for some time because facilities +for supplying them with fresh loaves were not perfected. Capt. Gates +obtained leave to draw flour from the commissary and arrange a bakery +for his company. He took possession of a bakery in town, detailed men, +with Ike Perry of Co. H at their head, and in a short time Co. K were +eating fresh bread. The plan succeeded so well that the bakery was +called upon to supply the regiment. + +The bakery was a saving scheme, for the flour allowed by the +government, was in excess of the amount required for an abundant supply +of bread, and in a few weeks hundreds of dollars commutation for such +excess was allowed the 157th. + +At Folly Island Col. Carmichael had organized a brass band and armed +those men with a varied assortment of instruments. The grand revelation +at Jacksonville in the one item of bread, opened a way to purchasing a +set of fine German silver instruments. Strange it was that Capt. Gates +was soon after relieved from the bread management and from that time, +the regimental fund ceased to be a matter of history. The query often +passed around the camp--if two hundred men can save a thousand dollars +in a few weeks by commutation of rations, how much should a regiment or +an army save in one year? and from one item of bread. The good people +at home, also were being bled by army sharks. + + +This little work is not designed for the purpose of paying-off old +grudges. The above item is history. Col. Brown, let it be known, is +believed to have been innocent of any meanness in providing for his +men. They usually were well supplied with plenty of good food. He +looked after their sanitary welfare, and in proof of this last +assertion can be given the fact that during its entire service, no +severe epidemic raged among the men. Credit is due also to the surgeons +of the regiment, Drs. Hendrick, Crawe and Beebe, who were faithful in +the performance of their duties. + +During the battle of Gettysburg Dr. Crawe remained in the town; and +while shells were flying over and bullets pattering against the walls, +faithfully, with other Union surgeons, continued to labor for the +relief of the suffering wounded. + +While work was being done on the fortifications regular details were +sent out for picketing. And with all preparations for a reception the +rebels did not come. + +Pollard in his "Lost Cause," says, the battle of Olustee "was decisive, +as it resulted in the expulsion of the enemy from Florida, and the +preservation of this state to the Confederacy." Co. G did not agree +with Mr. Pollard of Richmond, any more than they agreed with those Army +of the Potomac critics who so strongly intimate that when Jackson drove +back the 11th Corps at Chancellorsville the Army of the Potomac was +defeated. The 11th Corps never assumed to be the bulwark of that army. +Gen. Seymour was not the forlorn hope of the North. The brigade of Gen. +Ames was soon to hold Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Fernandina. Co. G +was not so easily expelled. + +On the 12th of April came the news that the brigade was to be dissolved +and Gen. Ames was ordered north with the 10th Corps. Co G had never +seen that army corps assembled during the six months they had been +attached. While on the John's Island excursion they were in the largest +assemblage of that corps with whom they ever had marched. There "Little +Schimmel" was at their head once more, in charge of the expedition, and +the general had not forgotten them. The boys had learned to like Gen. +Ames, because he was a good officer, if a little rough at times. This +new arrangement made the 144th and the 157th N.Y. regiments virtually +the town guard at Jacksonville. The 17th Conn. was sent to St. +Augustine and the 107th Ohio to Fernandina, while the 75th Ohio was to +be mounted for scouting purposes. To these forces should be added the +artillery and not least, the gunboats in the river. + +In the month of March one hundred recruits arrived who had been secured +by the recruiting party under Col. Carmichael; they were soon after +followed by that officer and his attachment. Of those recruits Co. G +received twenty-two, increasing the company to about forty men. With +but few exceptions those new men were excellent material. + +To those boys of Lenox it seemed always summer, a country where snow +never fell; yet, they knew spring had come in Florida, when the +magnolias spread their blossoms. + +The trying experiences of Jacksonville were at an end. No more digging +by day and by night, no more sleeping in those trenches to be preyed +upon by fleas. The regiment was to be divided. + + +One hot morning, April 21st, 1864, the boys moved down to the St. +John's river. Companies A, B, C, D, E and F under Col. Brown, embarked +upon one boat for Fernandina, and Co. G, H, I and K under Col. +Carmichael, on another boat, for Picolata twenty-five miles up the +river. + +With Col. Brown went the state colors and the band. With the Picolata +detachment was the beautiful flag presented the regiment by the ladies +of Cortland. + +When the two boats swung out into the stream the boys cheered, and +moisture gathered in some eyes, for it was the parting of a family. +Then the band struck up a lively tune, and a bend in the river +intervened, drawing the attention of Co. G to the subject of torpedoes. +The gunboats and other boats, most of them, were provided each with a +torpedo-rake at the bows, nevertheless there was great uncertainty in +the air as well as in the dark colored water upon which they were +riding. At the wide water some distance above Jacksonville, lay two +large side-wheel steamers, sunk by torpedoes. On one of these boats a +large number of colored troops perished. The trip was not entirely +comfortable and Co. G was too intently listening, to note many really +novel and entertaining features of this first excursion on the upper +waters. There was danger, as afterwards proved, as a steamer was sunk +near Jacksonville shortly after. So when Picolata was reached the boys +were not sorry to step on dry land. + +The 157th boys relieved a detachment of colored troops, pitched their +tents under the trees and softened their beds with gray moss. + +Duty at Picolata was picketing. Men were sent up the river to Orange +Mills and to other points. At night a picket boat lay in the river +below the post. Really, the Picolata station was an outpost of St. +Augustine some twelve or fourteen miles distant. It was a crossing +point on the St. John's. + +The river is sluggish and water coming from many swamps is not +wholesome. For a few days the men drank river water, then barrels were +filled and brought into camp from springs outside the lines and +drinking from the river was prohibited. Dr. Crawe, to whom the matter +was referred, decided the water of the St. John's was well-fitted for +breeding alligators, but not wholesome as a beverage for men. + +As an additional safeguard, a small stockade was erected in the rear of +the camp, armed with two small brass pieces which had been captured at +Pilatka, a few months previous. To man those guns men were detailed +from the post and drilled by an artilleryman. + +On the 27th of April, Gen. Birney came up the river with a colored +regiment and two steamers. Companies G, H, and K were ordered to draw +fourteen days' rations and to be supplied with sixty rounds of +cartridges, all of which was promptly done and the colonel and his +three companies embarked on the small steamer, Harriet Weed. Then, +convoyed by the gunboat Ottawa the expedition moved up the river. The +gunboat stopped opposite Pilatka--not an inhabitant was in sight--and +the huge amidships gun bore threatening upon the small city. Leaving +the Ottawa, the other steamers passed up the River to Welaka, where Co. +G was hurried ashore and thrown out as skirmishers, while the other +troops were rapidly landing and getting into line. With a guide, the +157th in the advance, the column proceeded up the river. It was a dark +night, the deep foliage along the roadside added to the gloom. + +Soon after dark the boys reached a house. For some reason Col. +Carmichael suspected a rebel was hidden about the premises. A search +was made and he was found hiding under the house. When the man was +brought forth, his family made pitiful appeals, to which the colonel +kindly replied, assuring them the union troops would take good care of +Mr. Shook, who was blacksmith for the troop called Steven's cavalry. +And so the unfortunate man was marched away from his weeping family, a +prisoner of war. + +Gen. Birney halted the column near old Fort Gates (a relic of the +Seminole war) and the boys laid down behind their stacked arms. They +had been asleep but a little while when a gun was fired, then another, +and more. + +Col. Carmichael called his men to "attention" and they stood at their +guns, until it was learned that the colored pickets had mistaken +shadows for men moving about. Co. G were again nicely dreaming the +hours away, when bang! bang! went the guns. + +"Lie still, boys," said the colonel, "there is nothing out there but +stumps and bushes." + +And the tired men snuggled down under their blankets, not very well +pleased with the picket-line. + +Next day, the 28th, the column left the river and marched out into the +country, halting at a place called Granville Priests, a small and +varied assortment of poor houses and negro cabins. At that place the +157th parted from Gen. Birney and the colored regiment. + +At Priests a fine lot of sweet potatoes were found. The cooks arranged +their kettles and the boys held a feast. + +Col. Carmichael and his men were ordered to return to Picolata driving +as many cattle as could be secured. Native herdsmen were employed and +the colonel, with no escort, started with them, all mounted, in advance +of his men, promising to await them at Middle Haw Creek. + +Capt. McWilliams was then ranking officer. He led his men to Middle Haw +and camped. The colonel was not there and every one worried, for they +knew he was among natives. + +Next day, April 30th, they were marched fourteen miles through the pine +woods and saw no house until reaching Sander's corral. There they found +a sort of cabin built of poles, raised two feet above the ground. +There, also, they found Col. Carmichael, safe and sound, with several +herdsmen and a large drove of cattle, and when night dropped over the +scene the epicures of the detachment gathered a few of the Sanders +chickens. + +The door of the cabin suddenly opened and a tall woman appeared, +holding high a lighted candle. + +"Colonel," she screamed, "your men are taking my chickens. I heard them +squawking." + +"Oh, no, madam, I guess they will not hurt your chickens?" was the +reply. + +It was fine to have the colonel a little hard of hearing, sometimes. +Very well he knew his boys had no hold on any chicken that "squawked." +Some chicken roosts were too near the house, anyway. + +May 1st was Sunday. The route led over the usual flat country, through +stretches of pine, across savannas, and occasionally here and there a +basin-shaped pond or sink-hole. The column passed around the head of +Dunn's Lake, the boys supplying themselves with sour oranges from trees +near the landing. At night they bivouaced near a corral. They had made +eighteen miles. + +The boys of Co. G long remembered the camp of that night near Dunn's +Lake. It was decided that one of the herd should be butchered. John +Wise of Co. G was the butcher of the detachment, but the night in +question he politely waived his privilege and an officer was allowed to +do the shooting. The result was amazing. The poor creature had been +driven all day and yet was strong enough, when dressed, to have pulled +a cart. He was a patriarch of the herd. And the boys cut him into small +bits and toasted him on sharpened sticks; they threw the meat on the +coals to see it curl up like bark; they nibbled at it, they tried to +chew it, but the patriarch was to be eaten only in lumps. Many +compliments were launched at John Wise, who came forward, explained and +was excused. For John was a good fellow. + +May 2d was the anniversary of the Chancellorsville fight. After an easy +march camp was reached about 5 p.m., at Middleton's farm. As evening +came on the cows were driven into a yard and milked by women. No +milking stools were necessary, as the native cow of Florida is built on +the elevated plan. Milkers placed their heads in front of the cow's hip +and slightly bending, drew the milk into the gourd. Each cow yielded +nearly one quart of milk, or as one woman said, the forty cows gave, "I +reckon, about a bushel." Co. G gathered around the corrall and when +milking was over they held out their canteens and had them filled, +paying for the milk in cash. When Colonel Carmichael said, "no +foraging," he was obeyed. + +May 3d the boys marched to Moccasin Branch, an easy tramp of eight +miles. There they found the most primitive methods of farm life in the +wilderness, still in operation. The old man had his tan vat behind the +house. A stump was scooped out to serve as a mortar for making samp or +hominy. His apparatus for sugar-making--the rollers for crushing cane +and the sugar out-fit generally, all were of the simplest design. But +the sour oranges there were fully up-to-date in their intensity. + +May 4th, after an absence of one week, Co. G found themselves again in +camp at Picolata. The detachment had marched one hundred miles and +brought in fifteen hundred cattle of all sizes and ages. Co. G were +becoming accustomed to good old Florida beef. The cattle were taken to +Jacksonville for army and navy consumption. + +The jaunt was rather enjoyed by the old trampers. On the recruits, +however, it bore heavily, that being their first march in harness; but +they did remarkably well. + + +The routine of camp life was again established, and quite easy it was. +The heat of a far southern sun was becoming stronger and the boys felt +languid. Moored along the river banks were dozens of dug-outs of every +pattern, prizes taken along the shores; and these little boats afforded +a diversion for any who could handle them. Some of the boys set +night-lines and caught cat-fish. Others fished at night with torch and +spear for the gar fish. Alligators were often seen floating with the +current, or at night they were heard among the rushes bellowing like +young bulls. Occasionally an alligator was shot. + +The greatest pests Co. G found in Florida were mosquitoes and gnats. +Many a blacksnake was seen with an occasional venomous snake, and water +snakes, but no member of the regiment was bitten although they spread +their blankets for the night, on the ground, without thought or +precaution. Often small scorpions were found in the tents and rarely a +centipede. But fleas were sometimes secreted in the hanging moss. + +East Florida in those days, was mostly wilderness. Deer and other game +abounded. Outside the picket line, for some time, the men on post were +frequently annoyed by prowling wildcats, whose running about and +snarling, broke the monotony of dark nights. + +The view about Picolata was very pleasant when the plains were bright +with flowers, when the land appeared worthy of its fair name. Florida +is much improved in population and thrift in these later days and may +be enjoyable. But for all their sunshine and flowers, their oranges and +"'arly sarce," Co. G would not, in 1864, have parted with a single +square acre out of old Lenox,--not for all East Florida. + + +Sunday, May 22nd, while the Picolata force were drawn up for inspection, +two steamers arrived, together with the gunboat Ottawa. + +Before this time, Col. Brown had been ordered to Hilton Head as Provost +Marshall of the Department of the South. That change made Col. Carmichael +ranking officer and he accordingly made requisition for companies A and +F and also for the band, all of whom were at Fernandina. + +Maj. Place had returned from imprisonment, and came up to Picolata in +charge of the two companies. When the boys marched aboard the gunboat +Ottawa the major was left in charge of the camp. + +This time a landing was made opposite Pilatka, the men halting for the +night seven miles further up the river. + +May 23d the column marched to Middle Haw Creek, nearly twenty miles, +reaching camp at 9 p.m. A junction was made there with troops from St. +Augustine. + +May 24th was hot and sultry. One day's rations were issued and the boys +took the back-track for Picolata. + +Near noon a halt was made near a large water hole and the men were told +to fill their canteens, as no more water would be found until night. In +the afternoon as they moved along the narrow trail they grew very +thirsty, so that long before night many of the canteens were empty. As +the night came on and no water was found, Col. Carmichael suspected +some trickery from the guide, and he detailed two men with loaded +pieces to escort the man and to shoot upon the first indication of +treachery. And so they moved along, the poor guide insisting that he +was right, only he had miscalculated distance. The boys of the 144th N. +Y., were suffering from thirst and their colonel ordered his pioneers +to dig for water. The guide called out, + +"You'll not get water there." + +"Where will we find it?" growled back a chorus of voices. + +"Jist about two mile from yere." + +"Are you sure?" asked Col. Carmichael. + +"Yes, cunnel, I'm dead sure." + +The colonel called to several mounted officers, and away they all went +out into the darkness. Co. G sank upon the ground and waited patiently. +After a time the colonel returned and reported water a short distance +ahead and marching about a mile they reached Middleton's and were again +on familiar ground. It was midnight before the boys had drank their +coffee and were under the blankets. They were very tired, having +marched thirty miles. + +March 25, an easy march was promised the men and they made eight miles +to Moccasin Branch, where they halted for dinner. Again taking the road +the march was increased to thirteen miles, part of the way through a +brisk summer shower. + +The boys were halted that night in a lane not far from the shack where +the colonel was quartered. Air to breathe seemed scarce and fleas +appeared to be unusually active. At the miserable house the officers, +lying on the floor, were much annoyed by the persistent occupation of +hogs underneath them. Fleas gnawed the officers and they scratched and +scolded. Fleas tortured the saw-backs and they humped themselves and +rubbed against the floor-joists, and as they toiled they grunted. Out +in the lane the men of Co. G were too busy to sleep. That little farm +in the wilderness might have been the main supply station for all East +Florida fleadom. + +It was an easy march May 26th of only nine miles to Picolata. When the +boys approached the camp Maj. Place came out to meet them with the +band. Then Co. G braced up in style and stepped off to the good old +tune of "The Girls We Left Behind Us." Co. G remembered the girls. + +The object of the expedition, besides giving the boys an outing, was to +gather up any loose rebels in the vicinity of Dunn's Lake. Probably +there were more soldiers in that command alone, than the rebels had in +the entire state of Florida at the time. There was no accounting for +novelties in the department, illustrative of experimental or +theoretical campaigning. And while Folly Island was anchored +permanently, its suggestive and appropriate title was indelibly stamped +upon nearly every expedition organized in the Department, from +September, 1863, until the close of the war. + +It was an extensive experiment station for the engineer officers of the +army and for the navy. There they could study the flight of missiles +and their force; the relative difference in guns and mortars, and +resistance of sand and iron armor. In short, it was a safe school where +many a favorite matriculated and from which very few graduated. It was +called warfare, because there were hospitals there and many graves. + +Soon after the return from the second excursion, Col. Carmichael with +fifty picked men were taken across the river and landed near Green Cove +Springs. They proceeded into the country, returning next day, having +captured a rebel mail and several horses. + + +On Sunday, May 29th, two regiments came over from St. Augustine and the +157th boys were ordered to be ready to move at noon with four day's +rations and sixty rounds of cartridges and rubber blanket or piece of +shelter tent. The men were drawn up in line, expecting to move, and +were finally returned to their quarters. + +Next day a boat came up from below and Co. G, as night fell over the +tropical scene, stepped once again upon a steamer and near midnight +found themselves behind the works in front of Jacksonville. + +The morning of the 31st the sun rose angry. Co. G still lay behind the +works. There was mystery all around them; a sort of mystery peculiar to +the climate--a lazy mystery. Co. G did not broach the mystery--when +they were wanted, was time enough for them. + +As soon as darkness came, the boys were marched aboard of a steamer and +were taken about eighteen miles up the river and landed at the mouth of +a creek, on the west bank. + +It was long past bedtime when the boys laid themselves down to rest--3 +o'clock in the morning. They were allowed to sleep until near daybreak +and were then aroused very quietly, lest the rebels should hear. No +fires were allowed and any boy who lighted a pipe, did so very slyly. +The men were told to eat something, then to fill their canteens from a +neighboring brook, as no more water would be found before night--a +delightful country, that land of flowers. + +Col. Noble of the 17th Conn., (a dignified officer whose hair was very +gray) commanded the party. All officers were dismounted. + +Soon after daylight the column started. It was composed of three or +four regiments, one of them colored. + +As the day lengthened, the heat grew intense. At noon time it was so +hot the birds ceased their callings, butterflies took to cover; the +horny leaves of the palmetto scrub curled as the corn leaves curl and +twist under an August sun. Not the slightest breeze stirred the air; +there was a bluish haze in the atmosphere. + +As often it occurs on such a march, some of the men drink all the water +in their canteens before the day is half gone. With care three pints of +water can be made to last a long time. And on the present occasion, +long before night, many of the men carried empty canteens. Among the +colored men the suffering was marked. They became desperate and +threatened to leave the column. Col. Noble finally drew a revolver and +ordered them into the ranks. + +At nightfall Camp Milton was reached, preparations were made for a +battle. Co. G were thrown forward as skirmishers and advanced. The +rebels had retreated. + +Plenty of water was found in a narrow stream and the boys enjoyed their +first cup of coffee of that day. They had marched thirty-two miles. + +While they were eating their breakfast next morning, the pickets were +driven in. As soon as possible Co. G were thrown forward. Pickets in +front of them were firing rapidly. Co. G with arms at trail moved out +in front a quarter of a mile, but saw nothing to shoot. The boys were +not surprised--they had once camped on Folly Island. + +Near noon the expedition started for Jacksonville, the 157th as rear +guard. All went well until Camp Finnegan, twelve or fifteen miles from +Jacksonville was reached. (Camps Milton and Finnegan were rebel camps). +While crossing a small creek the enemy appeared on the opposite side of +the clearing and opened fire at long range. A colored company, thrown +out to cover the crossing, replied to the rebels. Again was Co. G +ordered into skirmish line and their Enfield rifles soon closed the +battle. One or two men were slightly wounded. + +Many of the boys suffered on this return march, even more than on the +preceding day. But they reached Jacksonville without further incident +and were taken at once to the river and aboard a steamer. The events of +the day had excited the people at headquarters and Col. Carmichael was +ordered to again land his men and march them to the trenches for the +night. He appealed for rations and was referred to the Sanitary +Commission Agent, who issued to the 157th a barrel of milk crackers. +The boys made the most of their opportunities, and soon were asleep in +their old trenches at Jacksonville, and for the last time. + +Next day, June 3d, the regiment went aboard a steamer and returned to +Picolata. + + +The touring experience of Co. G in Florida was not luxurious. And when, +after about four months stay, orders came to pack up and leave +Picolata, not a regret was heard. + +June 12th they swung away from the dock and the same evening were at +Fernandina, and where amidst a chorus of "hellos!" the regiment was +once more united. + +On the 13th, the detachment in which was Co. G started for Hilton Head. +The wind was right ahead and the vessel, a ferryboat; she pounded the +sea like a thresher, and the captain put back to Fernandina. There they +lay until the 16th of June, when the sea went down and the voyage was +completed. + +Co. G landed at Hilton Head on Thursday and went into camp. On the +Saturday following a deserter belonging to another regiment was shot +and Co. G was compelled to witness the execution. Poor deserter. Alas, +for Co. G, to be drawn up to witness the killing of a man in cold +blood! There were some phases of military life more brutal even than +battles. Some formalities in the infliction of penalties, more horrible +than the crime itself. And it is doubtful if the lesson thus taught, is +made more impressive by a display of cruel ceremony. And the cowardice +of the custom. No good soldier need be thus reminded that desertions in +the face of the enemy is death. Let us hope, as time goes on, the +nation will demand that unnecessary torture be avoided in warfare--that +in order to punish one man, it is not necessary to torture his +comrades. + + +Camp at Hilton Head was located out on the barren sand. During the day +the tents were intolerably hot and for guards about the camp screens +were built to shield them from the sun. At night cool breezes came in +from the ocean and then the boys forgot the hungry fleas and slumbered. + +Rigid sanitary rules were enforced. Ice was obtained from the Sanitary +Commission to cool the lips of the sick ones in the hospital tent, and +a barrel was kept supplied with iced water for general drinking +purposes. That barrel, the boys will remember, was for some reason +noticeably charged with the flavor of Tommy Reagan's "nice swate +vinegar." + +There was considerable sickness among the men and several deaths in the +regiment. + +The discharge of the hospital steward had left a vacancy to which W. H. +Perry of Co. G had been promoted. + +As for Co. G they kept as cool as possible. While those boys were not +engaged in gathering laurels they were very watchful of those already +gained. + +The brush at Finnegan's Camp had whetted the appetite of Co. G for +gore. They had fired four or five rounds at long range and unhorsed +several johnnies. Quite an achievement in the Department of the South. + +To work off their surplus ardor, or else to prevent their getting too +fat and indolent, on the 1st of July, loaded down with cartridges and +rations, the regiment marched aboard a steamer at dark and in the +morning of the 2nd found themselves on the North Edisto river, and +landed near Rockville, on John's Island. Co. G was soon on familiar +ground. For the next few days the progress up John's Island was made +under a scorching sun, estimated at 110 degrees in the shade (compared +with previous observations). By July 5th the expedition was within six +miles of Charleston. There had been but little resistance, although +considerable powder had been burned. + +On a foggy morning at daybreak of the 9th the rebels advanced in force. +Capt. McWilliams and Lieut. Forbes, with detachments from the 157th +held the center of the picket line until nearly surrounded. + +Then, as customary in the Department, the forces of the expedition were +"withdrawn in good order" and returned to their respective camps. + + +Did Gilmore or Foster ever wish to capture Charleston? Did the War +Department desire its capture? Enough men composed that expedition +(some five or six thousand troops) to have made a telling dash and if +properly supported by the navy, a permanent footing might have been +established quite near the city. Such sneaking up in the night, making +faces at the surprised rebels next morning and then withdrawing "in +good order," was burlesque warfare. + +Unfortunately, now and then, a poor fellow fell under the rain of iron +or the whistling lead, hundreds were sickening, many were dying on +those desolate sands. + +And while the boys were enduring such mock warfare, the dear ones at +home thought of them only as their soldiers. One of the war poets sang-- + + "We sit at home, nor feel that they + Who fight upon the distant plain + Are falling faster, day by day, + A harvest of the slain." + +Indeed, there was little poetry in life among the sand hills, no music +in the roar of old ocean, and no comfort with the fleas. The subject +becomes tedious; and yet the boys of Co. G must be followed until the +close. + +The loss in the 157th on the second John's Island raid, was one man, a +prisoner. A poor fellow nick-named "Lightning," who was considered +mentally unsound. It is to be hoped the rebels did not regard that man +as representing the regiment, whatever they might have thought of him +as a representative of the Department in general. + +As to the object of the expedition, history says, Gen. Foster was +trying to draw troops to Charleston and thus relieve Gen. Sherman, who +was advancing on his famous Atlanta campaign. The success of the +movement is not known, but it is supposed troops were sent from the +rebel army. Five thousand additional enemies would have added but +little to the force before Sherman and his determined troops. + +July 24th Co. G were temporarily detached to guard fifty rebel officers +who had been sent down from the Northern prisons to be placed under +fire on Morris Island. The brig Dragoon lay out in the stream at Hilton +Head. It was the duty of Co. G to see that those officers did not +escape. Among them were Gens. Gardner, the former commandant at Port +Hudson; Ed. Johnson, a prominent officer; also Jeff Thompson. Archer +and G. W. Stuart and a long list of colonels and subordinate officers. + +Co. G did their duty and remained with their charge until an exchange +was effected, which occurred a few days later. + +In the first days of September six hundred officers, ranging in rank +from colonels to lieutenants were sent down to be placed under fire +before Charleston, in retaliation for a similar piece of shrewdness on +the part of the rebels. As soon as Gilmore began to throw shells into +Charleston the righteous indignation of rebels in the field and their +sympathizers North reached the explosive point. The idea of retaliative +measures was a product of the brain of Jeff Davis. Burning cities is +legitimate warfare. Confining helpless prisoners under fire is +barbarous. + +Those six hundred rebel officers were to be placed in a stockade on +Morris Island, built between Fort Strong and batteries on Cummings +Point. + +On the sixth of September the prisoners were landed at the island and +were transferred to their new guard, the 54th Mass., a colored +regiment. + +Sept. 5th the camp was struck at Hilton Head and by a very +accommodating order the men were permitted to take with them to Morris +Island such little useful articles as they desired, and so it came to +pass that the ferryboat conveying the camp equipage was generously +laden with bundles of boards, rude benches and tables, wash-tubs and +the like. So that a few hours' work by experienced hands made the boys +as comfortable as in their former camp. About all they had parted with +were the few fleas. + +A few words in parting and the flea is given a rest. This sand-flea is +a small affair,--not the sand-flea, or chigre, of science--but a +genuine flea. Co. G became very expert catching him. When a boy was +struck, down went his stocking, the flea slid into the coarse meshes, +usually too late. Some of the sufferers became expert and caught the +little raiders in the dark. One man has been known to awaken from his +sleep with two captives, one between the thumb and fore finger of each +hand. Reader, believe this, it is correct. If you cannot believe the +story, forgive the man, for he was sorely tried. + +The flea of Sweden undoubtedly was larger and more defiant. History +states the Queen Christina kept a little wee cannon for the purpose of +shooting them. The cannon is to be seen at Stockholm. Co. G found no +flea too large to handle easily and effectually. + +Camp on Morris Island was very clean, very hot and when the wind blew, +quite unpleasant from the sand blowing into the eyes. Co. G, however, +had become reconciled to all denials. They amused themselves as best +they could. Drank plentifully of Levi Randall's dried-apple beer, +scoured their brass jewelry and traded with the colored troops; read +and re-read the old newspapers, wrote a little and slept, whenever +permitted. At night large details were marched to Fort Putnam or Fort +Chatfield, and there spent the night, if undisturbed, sleeping soundly, +while the city gun roared three times every hour. Often a brisk firing +between Sullivan's Island and other rebel forts, made the place +uproarious and cartloads of iron were flying about. But they became +accustomed to the shelling and paid it slight attention. Only one +member of the regiment was struck by the shells and he persistently +exposed himself. + +Details were sent up to the Point, three miles from camp, on fatigue +duty working on the fortifications. One day while a party of the +regiment were thus engaged the rebels opened spitefully. By noontime +the boys were hungry. Punctual came Pat Matthews with a kettle of +Ziba's best pea soup, and Co. G were happy. The boys of other companies +waited until the firing ceased, when their food came. This is not given +to reflect upon other cooks, but to illustrate Pat's indifference to +danger. + + +When the regiment lay in rear of the battery at Gettysburg, July 1st, +the air was noisy with bursting shells, the pieces striking around +viciously. And during that interesting hour the men lay very close to +the earth. + +"Where's Co. G? Ah, there yez are." It was Pat, who had brought them +his camp kettle filled with cool water. + +"Pat, what the divil are ye doing here? Don't ye hear them fellers?" +Thus spoke his brother Jim. + +Pat cocked his ear a moment, for he was quite deaf, then turned to the +boys. + +"Ah, what the divil do I care for them. Say, b'ys, don't yez want some +water?" + +Never did Ziba allow his boys to be neglected if he could prevent. +Sometimes the marching was hard for him and then the boys carried his +kettle. But if any company was better served, it is not known. + + +Much has been written of the "Swamp Angel," a gun planted away out in +the marsh on the south side of Morris Island and a mile or more from +Cummings Point. The battery consisted of one gun which burst after +firing twenty or thirty shots; afterwards the place was occupied as an +outpost. Beyond the "Angel" battery was another post called Paine's +Dock. The dock was the historic floating battery used by the rebels in +1861, when Sumter was first attacked. Proving a veritable slaughter-pen +it was dismantled and abandoned and floated away with the tide and +grounded on the southern point of Morris Island. It received a new name +in honor of Capt. Paine, a Union officer who, while scouting, was +captured there. The pathway which led over the soft marsh to those +points, was for two miles covered with planking. Frequently Co. G had +representatives sent there on picket, who sometimes were obliged to +seek refuge under Paine's Dock to escape the shells from a James Island +battery known as "Bull-of-the-Woods." + +There were times, when snugly protected from the heavy fire, the boys +at the Point found time dragging heavily. Then the story-tellers were +called upon. Hugh O'Brien was requested to narrate the trials and +triumphs of the handsome cavalier and a princess, entitled "The Beauty +of the W-o-r-rld." John Miller was easily prevailed upon to produce +with dramatic effects, the narrow escape of a Negro from being buried +in the hay-mow at "Old Harve's" (his father's) farm. For the boys +needed some relaxation in the struggle for glory--slight compensation +for duty well-done, and fun counted big, sometimes. History records +exposures in winter's sleet, marches under a tropical sun, sleeping on +frozen ground, as well as in a climate where the dew falls like fine +mist--where fog rolls up dank from malarious swamps. But when the boys +rehearse their stories of the war, they will cherish most the little +kindnesses and words which helped to ease their burdens and drive away +the gloom. + +Inspections on that barren Morris Island were very trying. A man to +stand for an hour fully accoutered, with knapsack strapped on his back, +the dress coat buttoned close to his chin, his straps drawing his +clothing tight about him--to stand thus in a hot sun on a breezeless +day, is pitiful torture. Occasionally a man fell down in the ranks. And +when the men returned to their quarters they were as tired as though +they had been marching. Of course it would not have been the proper +thing to inspect the troops in the cool of the day--that would not have +been consistent with Folly Island tactics. + +And so went along the duty on Morris Island. At night when at the Point +on picket, the comrades remaining in camp saw the flying bombs from +Sullivan's Island, like meteors, rise from the mortars and following a +regulated arc, drop apparently where their comrades were stationed. At +times the display was fearfully grand and then a monitor or two would +steam up toward Fort Moultrie and take a hand in the excitement. +Suddenly, the rebel fire ceased, the monitors and Cummings Point +ceased; and all was quiet for the night, save the regular booming of +the city gun. + +An interesting event occurred while the 157th lay on Morris Island. It +was casting the soldiers' vote. Gov. Seymour vetoed the bill allowing +the soldiers to vote and it was carried to the people in the spring +elections of 1864, and thus was legalized. In the district of Canastota +but two votes were cast against the privilege, thus placing the western +portion of Lenox on record as not only loyal, but true to their boys in +the field. The vote in the regiment was three hundred and nine. Of +these, Lincoln received two hundred and sixty-eight. McClellan received +forty-one. + +In Co. G the vote stood, thirty for Lincoln and prosecution of the war, +and seven for McClellan and a patched-up peace. Co. G was willing to +fight for peace, but not to vote for peace. + +The ballots were supplied by the State and each one of them was +enclosed by the voter, in a special envelope marked "Soldier's Vote," +upon which the soldier wrote his name. That envelope was sealed and +inclosed in another envelope and directed to the person who was to cast +the vote. + +Credit is due Col. Brown, who sent to Hilton Head and at his own +expense provided ballots for the democrats of his regiment, their +ballots not having arrived at the time. Whether those provided by Col. +Brown were used, is not known. This statement is recorded, because +there were unpleasant reflections cast upon the colonel, who was a +strong republican but was nevertheless, honorable in this instance. + +Those first fifty officers confined in Charleston jail and under fire +of Gilmore's guns as already intimated, were replaced by six hundred +Union officers. Among this last detail from the rebel prisons were +Lieuts. Coffin, Powers and Curtice of the 157th. Fortunately the Union +shells usually went beyond the prison and there were no casualties from +that source. The placing of six hundred rebel officers under fire in a +pen guarded by a colored regiment was retaliation with insult added, +according to Southern sentiment. But the 54th Mass. were Northern men +and were inferior, as soldiers, to none in the army. It was humiliating +to men of spirit,--to Southern men taught from childhood to consider a +negro little better than a brute--when they were ordered into line by +colored sergeants and compelled to obey the rules. Verily, Jeff Davis +was subjecting his brave supporters to hard usage. + +The pen was in sight from the rebel shore, and it was rare a shell +exploded near there; no prisoner was injured by shells. In one or two +instances the guards fired upon some man and unoffending ones were +slightly wounded. They had nearly the same rations as were given the +Union officers in Charleston. Had they been guarded by white soldiers +they would have been contented. At night the calcium lamp on Fort +Strong lighted the Point and enabled the guards to keep the prisoners +constantly in view. + +Late in October the union officers having been removed to the rear of +Charleston, orders came to send the rebel officers to Fort Pulaski, Ga. + +The six hundred confederates had dwindled to five hundred and +forty-nine within fifty days after leaving Fort Delaware. They had been +under fire forty-five days. + +Oct. 21st, 1864, the 157th were marched out on the beach and opened +ranks. The 54th Mass. came down the beach with their prisoners, who +moved in between the lines of their new guard. Two dismasted schooners +were lying at the wharf at Lighthouse Inlet, into which were marched +those rebel officers. The hulks, towed by steamers and convoyed by a +large war vessel, proceeded to Fort Pulaski, near the mouth of Savannah +River. + +It was late when the boats reached the fort dock and the hulks were +anchored in mid-stream for the night. + +During the night, on board the hulk where Co. G were stationed, there +was quite a sensation created by the prisoners attempting to escape. +They sawed a hole through the counter, or stern of the vessel, and +several of them dropped through into the water. Not far distant was the +salt marsh and Tybee Island; if they could have reached land they might +have gotten away, some of them, certainly. But their calculations were +wrong--the strong tide was running out and they were carried rapidly +toward the sea. + +"Halt! Halt!!" sang out Hugh O'Brien. + +"Don't shoot, Captain. For God's sake don't fire!" came out of the +water. + +"Keep cool, gentlemen!" called out Capt. McWilliams. + +Not much likelihood of sweating in the river. When the patrol boat +brought them on board, their teeth rattled like castanets. The dripping +fellows asked for something warm, as they went down again into the +hold. + +In the morning they were landed at the fort and placed in the +casemates. Gratings were placed in the embrasures and at the ends of +the prison; heavy guards were on duty outside and inside. They were fed +on clean food, had abundance of pure drinking water, received medical +attendance when sick and in all respects fared very decently. And when +a number of them were exchanged they sent an appreciative note to Col. +Brown, speaking of him as "a gallant officer and a Christian +gentleman." They included the names of Col. Carmichael and Maj. Place +"and in fact, the conduct of all your officers and men has been such as +to make the name of the 157th N.Y., a pleasant reminiscence to all +Confederate prisoners from Fort Pulaski." + +Those prisoners had complained bitterly of the treatment given them by +men who had guarded them in the North. And while they were secure in +all the privileges allowed them at Fort Pulaski, they understood their +limits and thus avoided unpleasant results. Not one escaped while under +the care of the regiment. + +Duty at the fort was not severe, but vigilance was exacted of all +sentries, who walked with weapons loaded. Fatigue parties brought wood +from Tybee Island, a condensing engine supplied the post with water, +the sutler was at hand with his varied assortment of pins, needles, +combs and brushes, navy plug, gingersnaps, canned goods, etc. + +Thanksgiving day came November 24th. The boys off-duty were drawn up in +bright array. The proclamation of President Lincoln was read by the +Chaplain, who added a prayer. A brief battalion drill followed and then +dinner. + +Turkeys and other fowls were scarce at the fort. For dinner, Ziba +prepared such as he had in his best style. Capt. McWilliams added +small, but palatable pies to the list, with a few other luxuries. Eaten +as it was, from tin plates upon a rough but clean table, that was a +memorable dinner. Away up in the North-country--yet, never mind. Co. G +sent out over the intervening sea and land their warm greetings, for +they knew there were places vacant for them, that no others could fill. +Such thoughts made Co. G brace-up and take a new hold. It is a very dry +occupation, soldiering for the fun of the thing. It is now known Co. G +saw both soldiering and some fun, but without the eyes of Lenox--and +such eyes--upon them their service would have paled. + +Monday, Nov. 28th, loaded down with five days' rations and sixty rounds +of cartridges, Companies A, B, C, G and H, under Col. Carmichael, were +ordered away from Fort Pulaski. Soon after sundown the little steamer +left the wharf for Hilton Head, by the way of Skull Creek. + +After waiting awhile, the expedition numbering about four thousand men, +a battery of artillery and a squadron of cavalry, moved up Broad River. + +The movement was conducted after the usual and +well-established methods popular in the Department. It was the +"wait-'till-'tis-dark-and-don't-say-a-word-about-it" plan. All night +long the little fleet was endeavoring to feel its way through the fog +to Boyd's Point, forty miles above Hilton Head. The steamers appeared +to get lost. They ran awhile, then stopped. By and by whistles were +heard. The spell was broken, for rebel rockets were seen rising from +their outposts. + +Near noon a landing was effected and the weary men told to get a little +rest. + +After dark, with the 157th in the lead, and a few cavalrymen as advance +guard, the monkey-work began. First the column moved a mile or two in +one direction, about-faced and returned over the same road. Then did +the same caper again until, near morning, the worn-out troops were +halted at the junction of the Cambahee and Grahamville roads, and were +told to lie down in the oak leaves and get some rest. Meanwhile, the +johnnies, who had ample warning, were preparing for a reception and to +serve every thing warm, next day. Their trains were heard distinctly +near Grahamville and the boys of Co. G understood there was to be an +entertainment in the morning. + +Soon after daybreak picket-firing began. Co. G had barely time to make +coffee when they were ordered to fall-in. + +Col. Carmichael threw his entire detachment of one hundred and +forty-two men, on the right of the road. The boys moved leisurely along +in skirmish order for nearly a mile. + +Meanwhile a few pieces of artillery were firing from both parties. Near +noon Honey Hill was reached. The rebel redoubt there was pierced for +several guns with ample breastworks for a strong force. A rebel account +which gives the Union force at five thousand infantry and fifteen +hundred artillery, states the forces of Gen. Hatch advanced on Honey +Hill with sixteen pieces of artillery. + +If Hatch had possessed much artillery he could not have used it at +Honey Hill. + +The road to the foot of the bluff thus sweetly named, led through +swampy ground and deep ditches were on either side. On the left of the +road and extending to the foot of the bluff was a dense wood, tangled +with trailing briars. On the right of the road was a thick growth of +scrub timber. + +The main column advanced and struck the rebels. The forces of Hatch +moved off to the right and ascended the rise of ground, where they +formed and charged the work. + +When Col. Carmichael heard the firing on his left he halted his men and +sent for instructions, with the result that the Colonel was to cross +over to the south side of the road, and form on the left of the line of +battle. + +When Co. G crossed the Grahamville road, close at hand was a brass gun +in the ditch, where it lodged from a recoil in the narrow road. One +piece of artillery, only, remained to assist the infantry and that was +unable to accomplish great results, although it was served gallantly. + +As soon as possible the 157th boys gained their position. Off to their +right and evidently awaiting, was formed a full battalion of rebels. +The johnnies disappeared, fell back into the woods and both parties +were soon at work. + +The lines on the left were not more than eighty yards apart. The men on +both sides covered themselves behind trees and bushes and fought thus, +with but one intermission, until sunset; that interval occurred when +the 157th fell back for ammunition. + +The volleys on the right and the steady firing on the left, maintained +a continuous roar, for hours; and above the musketry was heard the +sharp cracking reports of the brass piece in the road and the spiteful +replies of the rebel pieces. + +So near the redoubt were the 157th that grape and canister flew far +above their heads, cutting away branches and bark which fell harmlessly +to the ground. It was the rifle balls that were doing damage. + +Capt. McWilliams was standing in an open space in rear of Co. G, when a +ball went through his thigh. He turned very pale. + +"Bully boys," said he, "give it to them." + +The captain was assisted to the road and left with the surgeons. + +Lieut. Forbes took command of the company. He stationed himself on the +same attractive bit of grassy ground just vacated by the captain. Lead +was passing through the air very plentifully. + +"Give 'em hell, boys," roared Jerome, "they've shot the captain!" + +The boys were deliberately at work behind their various shields. They +watched for a puff of smoke and fired. Rarely was an enemy seen, but +they knew they were there. The young recruits on the left of the +company were just as firm as the old chaps, only a little more noisy. + +"What's the matter Amos, are you hit?" asked Lieut. Forbes of Amos +Avery. + +"The blinkity-blam johnnies have hit my thumb," he replied, shaking his +hand rapidly. + +"Then go to the rear." + +"Not by a mill-site!" yelled Amos, still trying to comfort his thumb. +And he remained and soon was at work again. That was Amos. + +About the time Amos had resumed firing, the air about the little +grass-plot was fairly blue, with very positive cursing of rebels in the +woods, or on the plain, high or low. Lieut. Forbes was seen spinning +around on one foot ready to whip the entire Confederacy. A rebel had +drawn bead on Jerome's leg and grazed his shin, giving him a painful +contusion. + +Then Co. G was without an officer. Lieut. Grant had been transferred to +another company. In the midst of the fight he was returned to Co. G. + +The boys were ordered to fall back for cartridges. The 56th N.Y. took +their places. Johnny reb discovered a change in the line and drove the +56th. Col. Carmichael took his boys in on a charge and drove the rebels +back farther than before. But the charge cost Co. G their last officer. +Lieut. Grant fell, shot through the body. + +Once more the little band settled down to their work. The same noise of +battle still roared on the right. Not a foot of ground was gained, not +an inch lost. Those eyes of old Lenox should have peeped into that +tangled wood. They could have seen their boys as cool as if by the +firesides, but with a dreadfully earnest look about them. + +As darkness came on the firing ceased. A detachment of the regiment was +left in skirmish line, among them Co. G. The forces were being +withdrawn. Those woods, so lately echoing with strife, were now +perfectly quiet. And when the main column had passed, a sergeant went +from one to another of the thin line out there in the darkness, and +whispered orders to quietly fall back to the road. The 157th detachment +was rear guard. The johnnies did not follow. Both sides were fully +surfeited with fighting for one day. + +As stated, the five companies of the 157th one hundred and forty-two +men, lost in that hot little fight of Honey Hill, S.C., Nov. 30th, +1864, twenty-seven men and three officers. Two of the enlisted men were +fatally hurt and Lieut. Grant seriously. + +The rebels claimed a glorious victory. They acknowledged they had +fourteen hundred muskets and seven pieces of artillery to begin with; +and later in the day, another regiment, a battery and a company of +cavalry arrived. And their main force were behind works. + +Hatch's men did not exceed three thousand, who with the exception of +the small force on the left, fought without cover. Hatch lost in killed +and wounded that day fully eight hundred officers and men and gained +nothing. No comment is necessary. + +The forces fell back, carrying their wounded and bivouaced at Boyds +Point under the protection of gunboats. + +Co. G could now figure up the cost of the brisk little brush fight. + + Capt. McWilliams, wounded in thigh. + Lieut. Grant, shot through side. + Lieut. Forbes, contusion. + Corporal C. A. Near, head. + Amos Avery, left hand. + John Miller, left hand. + J. McMaster, head. + Michael Miller, left hand. + Nelson Kimball, groin. + Simon Nestler, head. + James Johnson, right thigh. + +With exceptions of Capt. McWilliams and Lieut. Grant, the wounds were +slight. Those officers eventually recovered although Grant was +partially disabled for life. Neither returned to the regiment and thus +Co. G lost two excellent officers. + +Corporal Near was knocked over by a ball passing over the top of his +head, shaving the hair close to the scalp in its course. Jim McMaster +caught a buckshot against his forehead, he picked out the shot and went +to the rear--it gave him a headache. Many of the boys had narrow +escapes from bullets which struck the trees very close to them. + +Charleston papers admitted the rebel loss to have been eighteen killed +and eighty wounded. + +The johnnies believed they had done great execution. One reb officer +reported he had counted two hundred dead and eleven or twelve hundred +wounded yankees left on the field. There was no use trying to tell the +story, then, unless he told a big one. They must have been scared. + +On the third of December a reconnoissance was made toward Partridge +Hill and the force ran into a strong force of the enemy. After burning +one cotton-gin the boys returned, having lost one man, badly +wounded--Irwin Sayles of Co. G, whose right arm was amputated near the +shoulder later in the day. + +Dec. 5th a reconnoissance in force was ordered north, on the +Coosawhatchie road. Three or four miles out, the enemy were seen. Col. +Carmichael was ordered to throw out his men as skirmishers, extending +into the woods on both sides of the road. Passing through the tangled +forest one mile, the boys came to an open field covered by the Bee +Creek battery, a redoubt on a rise of ground three hundred yards +distant, which appeared just then abandoned. + +Gen. Potter ordered the colonel to move his line toward the redoubt. +Capt. Van Hoesen was ranking officer next to the colonel. + +The boys moved forward in skirmish order, until within a hundred yards +of the work. Something about the appearance of the place excited the +colonel's suspicion. Leading up to the redoubt the ground was bare; the +rebels had burned the grass. The line was halted and the colonel rode +to the rear. Two or three mounted rebels, who passed around the hill, +were gone and no other enemy appeared. + +Col. Carmichael returned with three cavalrymen and started along the +front of his line to inspect the rear of the redoubt. He had gone +one-third of the distance, when the redoubt suddenly was alive with +johnnies, who poured a heavy volley into the colonel and his escort. +The cavalrymen very naturally turned and spurred to the rear. One of +them was fatally wounded. A ball struck the flank of the colonel's +horse, which reared and threw him over its head into the high weeds. +Then the skirmishers opened fire. + +Col. Carmichael arose from the ground and the johnnies gave him another +volley and the colonel fell back into the weeds. When they saw the +colonel fall the entire left of the line started to rescue him. Capt. +Van Housen halted them and detailed two men, who went forward, assisted +the colonel to his feet and they left the field supporting the brave, +unselfish man who had risked his life for them. + +So ended the Bee Creek incident so far as general interest may extend, +but not so with the faithful Carmichael. Not a shot had injured him. In +falling from his horse his sabre swung around under him and he was thus +injured about the spine, and never fully recovered. + +The same night after returning to the Point, orders came to be ready to +move at midnight. Fires were lighted, by the light of which they read +their newly-arrived letters, and they smoked and chatted while waiting +for the order to move. + +At one o'clock, Dec. 6th, the boys embarked for another river trip. +Their knapsacks had been stacked and left--an army way of announcing +that lively work was anticipated. At daybreak the boat moved up Broad +River to Tillifinny Creek, where the men were landed in boats on +Deveaux Neck. A rebel picket made a feeble demonstration, causing the +boys to duck some, but they pulled steadily to the landing. Capt. Van +Hoesen threw out his men and the advance began. For three miles the +skirmishing continued, the rebels displaying considerable force and +disputed the progress from behind every belt of timber. + +When the road leading to the railroad was reached, the line halted and +formed along the edge of some heavy timber. A regiment of johnnies came +yelling up the road and filing off to their right advanced through the +woods. Very soon firing began at close range. + +Supports were hurried up from the landing and formed in rear of the +157th. As the rebels pressed forward the 157th boys were ordered to +fall back and lie on the ground, and as the rebs came out of the woods +the main body of yankees gave them a few rounds, which drove them back +in confusion and ended the fighting for that day. + +Gen. Hatch at once began to entrench and get into position for a stay +of several weeks. + +In that brush the regimental casualties were eleven wounded, some of +them badly. In Co. G the losses were four. + + Sergt. Harvey Lindsley, left hip (contusion.) + Corpl. A. R. Barlow, left elbow. + Hugh O'Brien, right arm, slight. + Simon Nestler, left forefinger. + +Dec. 9th, Capt. Van Slyke, who was sent up from Fort Pulaski, moved the +157th boys out to support a party engaged in felling trees in order to +clear the range for artillery bearing upon the railroad. Supported by +other regiments the 157th moved forward, drove in the rebel pickets and +advanced until they were met by a severe fire of grape and canister +shot. For some time they lay behind a low knoll; to raise a head was +extremely dangerous. + +While in that position word was sent to Lieut. Pierce (then assigned to +Co. G) to advance his line. He sent back a message characteristic of +the plucky boy. + +"If there is any doubt as to my own personal solicitude in the matter, +I will go alone. But as to ordering these boys up there to be +slaughtered, I never will do so." + +There they lay, a handful of men in front of a battery screened by +earthworks, the lead and iron plowing the ground around them and an +officer somewhere in the rear ordering an advance. But Co. G had been +on Folly Island and the boys were not surprised. If an order had come +for them to crawl nearer and make grimaces at the mad rebels, the +Department would have been credited for smartness. + +When night came on the boys crawled back out of range, having lost +fifteen wounded, one of them mortally. Poor Frank Pratt of Co. G, he +raised his shoulder a little too high and a cannon shot tore it away. +Wm. L. Johnson of Co. G also, was slightly wounded in the side. + +So ended the fighting for Co. G, in the Broad River expedition which +was designed to cut railroad communication between Charleston and +Savannah and thus assist Gen. Sherman. The move was a partial success +for the batteries of Hatch annoyed the rebels and somewhat interfered +with railway traffic. + +The detachment from Fort Pulaski had lost in injured, Col. Carmichael, +Capt. McWilliams and Lieuts. Grant and Forbes; and fifty-four men +wounded--five mortally--and one missing, out of the one hundred and +forty-two muskets, or more than one-third of their number. + +Dec. 10th the detachment was ordered to provost duty at Deveaux Neck, +and remained there until February, 1865. In the meantime their +knapsacks were returned to them from Boyds Point, and were found to +have been plundered of nearly everything valuable. The guards left to +protect the property had been selected for their general uselessness, +hence the result. + +February 19th Co. G were roused up at day-break and ordered to get +ready to move. The 157th squad moved toward Ashepo Ferry, and there +were joined by the other companies from the fort. The men had become +acquainted with each other and the regiment appeared to them as one +good big family. And when they met after so long separation, the larger +half so clean and bright, and the smaller half so battered and +rough-looking, appearances did not count in the hellos! and +how-are-yous! of the hour. It was first, cheering, then a good +all-round shake, and the band struck up "Hail Columbia!" + +At night, after a pretty hard march they bivouaced, after dark, in a +cottonfield at Edisto Ferry. The morning of the 20th, Col. Brown drew +up his men and announced the occupation of Charleston by their old +general, "Little Schimmel." + +During the day a foraging party was sent out, returning with a cart +laden with sweet potatoes, corn, poultry, hams and bacon, and a +threatened famine was averted. Toward night, however, their wagons came +up and with them some supplies, but not such as are most relished in a +country running wild with fatness, sweetness and flavor. + +The men crossed the Edisto on the railroad bridge and camped at +Elliott's plantation. Before leaving on the 21st, for some reason, +orders were given to fire the buildings and the column of Gen. Hatch +moved out a short distance, and rested in a grove of pines. They were +awaiting the arrival of the wagon train and moved on to Martin's Farm +and camped. The boys were obliged to go nearly a mile to obtain water +for their coffee. + +On the 22d Ten Mile Station on the railroad was reached, the troops +burning a rice mill and several other buildings on the way. The depot +buildings were burned and considerable track destroyed. + +After dinner the regimental band, led by John Davis and Delos Wheeler, +treated the boys to several well-rendered tunes. And the crowd of +darkies who were following the troops, men and women, old and young, +dressed in their plantation garb, gathered around the band, and some of +them danced a "break-down." At night the column halted at Lownde's +Plantation, where the boys feasted on fresh poultry and sweet potatoes. + +Next day, the 23d, foraging parties were sent out, with varying +success. One under Col. Carmichael, did not return until the 24th, +having had a long tramp and found little. The men were getting short of +rations. + +On the 25th wagons reached them from Charleston and all was well. +Chickens and high living did not wear as well as army rations. + +February 26th, 1865, Co. G crossed Ashley River and entered Charleston. +The boys expected to parade through the town, but were disappointed. +They were moved over to Cooper River and quartered in vacant stores for +the night. + +Co. G had seen a great deal of the country and some warfare. The +regiment has begun its war-like career on Bull Run where they had lost +a chaplain (by retirement), they had now followed the secession hydra +to its source. + +On the morning of the 27th after inspection by Gen. Williams of Gen. +Grant's staff, companies D, E, G, H and K took passage on a small +steamer for Georgetown, S.C. A rough sea compelled the steamer to put +back inside the bar. The 28th they started and reached Bull's Bay, +where a head-sea compelled them to anchor. Water became scarce and +boats were sent ashore to fill canteens for the men. Next day, the +first of March, they reached Georgetown, an old, old town, on Winyaw +Bay. + + +Duty at this post was outpost and town-guard duty. It was a picnic for +the boys of Co. G. They cleaned-up, shone, worked very little and grew +in fatness. With the easy soldiering a plentiful spicing of fun was +always on foot. + +When off duty considerable liberty was given the men. Occasionally some +contraband who had offended in a slight degree was mercilessly seized +and tossed on a blanket. At night the strains of Ziba's violin were +heard, and when balls were given the colored people gathered at a +vacant warehouse and hoed-it-down finely, their bare feet slapping the +boards like shutters loose in the wind. And occasionally one of the +soldiers was seen stepping out with a colored lass and dancing the +hours away. Those balls were very high-toned. + +And so the time passed until April 5th, when another move was to be +made. Troops came up from Charleston and on the morning of April 5th +the column formed and moved something like nineteen miles, to Potato +Ferry, on Black River. + +This expedition numbered 3,000 infantry, 80 cavalrymen and two pieces +of artillery, under command of Brig. Gen. E. E. Potter. The object of +the trip to the interior was destruction of property. Nothing had been +heard up North, from the Department, since the fall of Charleston and +there must be some excuse for keeping soldiers down there, and so, the +boys were marching-on again. + +Two companies of the 157th had been left at Georgetown with Major +Place. In their stead two companies of the 56th N.Y., were sent to the +157th. Co. G were out with the expedition. + +The night at Potato Ferry the rebs fired upon the picket of the 157th +and Lieut. Miner captured two of the johnnies. The next night found the +boys near Kingstree, after nineteen miles of marching over rough, +swampy roads. The feet of the men were wet nearly all day, and wet feet +meant blisters. The colored troops felt the severity of the +marching--Co. G kept their place in column. The colored troops foraged +nobly--Co. G were not allowed to forage. Consequently, the colored +troops fed on poultry that night--Co. G fed on bacon. + +The 7th of April two companies of the 157th led the advance, scouting +and foraging, and at the night's camp on Montgomery's Plantation three +days' rations were served to the men. The day's march was a busy one, +of eighteen miles. Horses and mules were confiscated and many +cotton-gins and presses were burned. The boys reached their camp in a +smart rain storm. + +April 8th the route which had thus far led in a westerly direction now +deviated southerly. The rain had laid the dust and marching was more +comfortable. At night they halted at Brewerton, having taken that road +on account of the destruction of the bridge over Mill Creek. A +detachment of the 157th supplied a provost guard for Brewerton and thus +prevented looting. A heavy detail from the regiment was sent out on +picket duty. The tired boys had marched eighteen miles. + +On the morning of the 9th tobacco was issued to such of the men as used +it, in the form of plug, which had been confiscated. Four miles out on +the road they found the bridge destroyed over Pocotaligo river and a +halt was ordered until a bridge of rails was laid. Soon after noon the +column approached Dingles Mills, and it became known that three guns +were posted near Sumterville to oppose their advance. Those guns were +on the opposite side of a broad swamp, completely covering the approach +by the road. + +Two regiments were drawn up on the edge of the swamp and the union +artillery was ordered up and opened on the rebels, at long range. + +The 157th was then ordered to dislodge the enemy. Col. Carmichael threw +forward Co. I as skirmishers and advanced into the swamp. The distance +the boys traveled in that swamp was fully three-fourths of a mile. In +places the water was nearly waist-deep, and logs, bogs and broken +timber, tangled vines and drooping limbs, made order impossible. + +When two-thirds through the swamp the rebels opened fire, to which Co. +I replied with vigor. When the johnnies fired Col. Carmichael +discovered that his guide had suddenly left him and to proceed further +through the dark swamp without a guide was hazardous. The colonel +ordered the firing to cease and halted his men. Directly the guide +appeared (a Negro) stimulated no doubt by the sight of a revolver, but +he resumed his place and the regiment proceeded. + +Soon after, Col. Carmichael called to his men to cease firing, the +rebels also ceased and a voice called, "What regiment is that?" + +"The 157th New York Volunteers!" replied the colonel, his voice echoing +in the dismal tangle. + +The rebels re-opened and began to fall back. Co. I pressed forward and +gained open ground. The colonel with the head of his battalion was +close behind and he halted the skirmishers behind a rail fence to await +the arrival of the others. It was a hard place to stop in for a great +while, as the guns in the shallow work in the hill just beyond them +were passing grape and canister lively, and it made the air whistle. + +While forming his men an aide on the staff of Gen. Potter came +floundering out of the swamp to learn how the advance was progressing. + +"Wait ten minutes, captain," replied Col. Carmichael, "and you can +return by the road." + +As the fire of the enemy was very annoying, the colonel waited only +long enough to collect one-half his regiment and then ordered a charge +on the battery. With a yell the boys sprang over the fence and in a few +minutes the place was won. The rebels fled, leaving two pieces of +artillery and their dead and wounded. + +The honor of hardest fighting and greatest loss was with Co. I. But Co. +G claimed the honor of being first inside the battery, more on account +of their location in the line and not because of superiority over the +other companies as fighters. Co. G claims honors and only such as are +due them. + +The aide returned by the road and reported to Gen. Potter, who soon +appeared and warmly complimented Col. Carmichael and his men for their +gallantry. Then the colonel handed over to Gen. Potter the captured +rebel guns and colors. At a later day the 56th N.Y., by reason of +having two companies in the assaulting regiment, claimed the flag and +all the honors, which was altogether cheeky, although the 56th boys +were good soldiers. + +The losses in the 157th, in what is known as the Dingles Mill fight, +were five killed and seven wounded. With the exceptions of two of the +wounded, one from Co. A, and the other from Co. B, the loss in the +157th fell on Co. I. The two companies of the 56th lost ten; how many +were killed or wounded cannot be given. + +That night Co. G camped in Sumterville. The wounded were brought in and +placed in a church. Charley Gray, of Co. I, 157th, and a man of the +56th, died there. + + +After the fight was over Col. Carmichael observed a man trying to +screen himself behind a fence and one of the boys was stirring the +fellow with the butt of his rifle. The colonel tapped the johnny on the +head and asked him what he was doing there. + +"I am only a poor preacher," he replied. + +The colonel left him, saying to the boys the fellow was not worth +taking. + +As it happened, the wife of a clergyman invited Col. Carmichael to make +her house his headquarters. She stated that her husband was not at home +and feared he had been taken prisoner. + +"I would rather he be killed than be a prisoner in your hands," she +said. + +The Colonel went to Gen. Potter's headquarters and returned without +finding the missing husband. But while eating supper the subject was +renewed and then the incident which discovered the preacher behind the +fence, occurred to the colonel. + +"Oh, yes, madam," said he, "I know him. I found him down by the woods. +I didn't consider him worth taking." + +Then the fire flew from the eyes of the offended woman. The more she +scolded, the more the colonel was amused. He learned later (the fight +occurring on Sunday) that when the alarm was given the people were at +church. And this preacher, after invoking assistance from the God of +battles, went forth with other home-guards to meet the bad yankees. The +idea was not a bad one if he felt that way, but what could he have +found interesting behind the fence? Perhaps he had dropped the thread +of his discourse and was searching for his "fifteenthly, my brethren." +An entertaining sight it must have been when the godly man reached his +home and learned that his valor had preceded him. + +Co. G did not believe in killing parsons especially if they were armed +with Samson's favorite weapon. And while the subject is still warm, it +will be well to speak of prayer as a military arm. + + +All through the North the good people were praying--Lord, Thou knowest? +All over the South equally as good people prayed--Thou knowest, oh +Lord? At the front Gen. Howard prayed--Send us victory, oh Lord? On the +other side of the line, "Stonewall" Jackson prayed--Strengthen our arms +with Thy might and bless our cause, oh Lord. And all of the invocations +closed, usually, adding parenthetically--(If it be consistent with Thy +Holy Will.) + +Both Generals, Howard and Jackson, were exemplary Christian gentlemen. +Both prayed with equal fervor, to the same God. But the Lord seemed to +be on the rebel side at Chancellorsville and Howard escaped, with +barely his reputation as a Christian, untarnished. Jackson was killed +and the South mourned for him and their pastors proclaimed him a +martyr. + +Up in the North, down in the South, heart-broken mothers and widowed +wives raised their tear-swept eyes in supplication for mercy. And the +clock in the corner, alone replied--time! time!--so the sorrows were +left to the healer, Time. And angels looked in and pitied them all. But +the war went on--for it was a holy war? + +The cause of the South rested on human slavery. The cause of the North +was for freedom. When the war was ended it was seen that to free every +eighth slave, one white man had given his life, and the lives of +thousands of broken-hearted parents, wives and neglected children were +not counted--there was little glory in it for them. But Charon's boat +was floated on the depths of briny tears. + + +Co. G have been resting at Sumterville. They have enjoyed for the first +time an issue of confiscated cigars, as an army ration, also raw +peanuts. When the troops entered the town they found news of their +approach already in type at the village newspaper office, and the +yankee printers unlocked the forms and completed the report to date, +issuing a number of the sheets as souvenirs. + +While at Sumterville news came of the fall of Richmond and a salute of +fifteen guns was fired from the captured pieces. + +During the night of April 10th the enemy attacked the picket-line +vigorously, but were repulsed. + +On the 11th, after firing the jail and other public buildings the +troops took the road. It was a terribly hot day and dust rolled up in +clouds. They reached Manchester Depot early in the afternoon, the +cavalry had burned the buildings there and had torn up the rails. +Orders were given to camp; as no water was found they moved on a little +further and pitched their shelters. Hardly had the boys settled +themselves, when orders came to move three miles further, to +Singletons. Co. G were patient. Had they not been on Folly Island? + +Col. Carmichael was ordered out on the 12th, to advance to Statesburg +and thence to Claremont. Three miles out they found the enemy and a +skirmish ensued. Capt. Gates was ordered to deploy his company as +skirmishers. The rebels were stubborn and the colonel sent for cavalry. +Two hours went by before supports arrived, and then with the cavalry +and one piece of artillery, the advance began, the boys skirmishing all +the way to Statesburg. The colonel halted his men for dinner near the +residence of the father of Gen. Anderson, of Fort Sumter fame. In the +afternoon the force moved to Claremont and burned the railroad depot, a +passenger coach and several bridges. Returning through Statesburg a +quantity of cotton was set on fire. The boys returned to Singletons +reaching camp at 9 p.m., thoroughly tired, having marched over twenty +miles. One man in Co. K was killed. + +Gen. Potter made us move on the 13th and 14th as the men were out of +rations. A force was sent to Wrights Bluff on the Santee and obtained +supplies. + +April 15th they were again on the road. As they approached the ground +where Col. Carmichael had met the johnnies a few days previous, the +25th Ohio were found hotly engaged. The 157th were thrown out on one +flank and another regiment on the other flank. The rebels soon gave +way, falling back firing, for two or three miles. Gen. Potter took +another road and marched toward Sumterville. Rain commenced falling and +came down heavily and the men, in spite of rubber blankets were soon +thoroughly soaked, but they kept along, splashing through mud and water +holes until camp was reached in a nice, soft cornfield. They had +marched eighteen miles. + +The 16th they moved again and met no opposition until afternoon when +they were again opposed. The force of rebels before them were inferior +in numbers, but decidedly pepperish over the destruction of their +property, and they made a stubborn resistance, and finally succeeded in +checking the colored brigade. Then the troops halted in the woods for +the night. + +Next day, the 17th, they started for Camden. At Rafting Creek the +advance found the enemy posted behind rude works. The 25th Ohio passed +round to the left and waded the swamp and compelled the johnnies to +retire with some loss. Camden was reached in the evening and there a +flag of truce was met, the authorities formally surrendering the town. +Gen. Potter marched his men through the streets with colors flying and +the 157th band playing "John Brown's Body." + +Next morning, the 18th, the 157th was rear-guard. It was another hot +and dusty march. At eleven o'clock the johnnies were found strongly +posted in a swamp near Boykins Mill. The troops were drawn upon the +left of the road in order of battle. Just as soon as the boys were +ready to eat, the rebels came up in the rear and opened fire, the +bullets pattering against the rail fence. They were searching for Co. +G, of course. Col. Carmichael soon had his men thrown out, but the rebs +had left and the boys returned to finish their meal. + +After dinner the colored brigade attacked the rebels, but failed to +dislodge them until the colored boys managed to cross over the creek +and dislodged them by flanking. The colored troops lost a lieutenant +and several men there. + +It was dark before the main body got over the creek, and then Col. +Carmichael was ordered out to meet the 32d colored regiment advancing +by another road and came up with them about three miles out. The night +was dark and rain began to pour and after going a few miles the +regiment camped in a half-flooded cornfield. Co. G had then become +reconciled to cornfields. + +The 157th led the advance on the 19th. Soon after leaving camp the +enemy was found but the 25th Ohio on one flank and the 157th on the +other pressed them back. Reaching a large plantation a section of rebel +artillery was met. The union guns were brought up but did little +execution. The line was again advanced, the enemy continuing their fire +as they steadily retreated for about a mile where they again posted +themselves in a swamp which bordered a stream called Big Rafting Creek. +The stream was too deep for fording. The 157th fell back for +ammunition. Meanwhile the 102d colored regiment were sent to flank the +johnnies, and succeeded in crossing. Artillery was brought to bear also +and the enemy fell back upon their artillery posted nearby, and as the +skirmishers appeared, opened fiercely, but they were pushed steadily +for a while and then hastily retreated toward Statesburg. Col. +Carmichael halted his men beyond Statesburg and with the cavalry +charged the retreating rebels and captured twenty-five of them. At +night the tired men camped at Singletons, the 157th having had an extra +tramp by mistaking the road in the darkness and went to Middleton, only +to return. They reached camp at midnight having marched twenty miles. + +April 20th the 25th Ohio and the 157th went to Middleton, where they +found the object of all the marching and counter-marching. Seventeen +locomotives and one hundred cars were discovered, including passenger +coaches and freight cars, many of them loaded with quarter-master's and +ordnance stores. The guards, engineers and all hands, had abandoned the +trains. Shoes were taken for such of the men as were in need, and then +the cars and locomotives were set on fire. There was a lively popping +when the shells began to explode. + +That night Co. G slept at Medways Plantation in rear of Singletons. + +At noon the column had reached Fulton Post-office without serious +trouble from the rebels. But now they were to hear good news. A flag of +truce came from the rebels stating that a truce of forty-eight hours +had been entered into between Gen. Sherman and Gen. Johnston and Gen. +Beauregard had transmitted the same to his department. + +Cheer on cheer went up from the troops. The news seemed too good to be +true. All foraging was prohibited; the guns were discharged and with a +white flag at the head of the column the return march was begun, and at +night the men halted near a large mill, having made eighteen miles. Co. +G was through fighting and the dark cloud of war was rolling away. + +Gen. Potter started at once for the Santee where steamers with supplies +were in waiting. Col. Brown, who thus far had led the colored brigade, +was placed in command of the entire force and Col. Carmichael led the +first brigade, Capt. Van Slyke the regiment. + +On the 22d the home march continued. No public or private property was +molested and the men were forbidden to fire unless attacked. As they +approached Wrights Bluff, twenty-one sick and partially disabled men +were left to make their way to the steamers, as easily they might. + +At night the boys camped in the woods having made eighteen miles,--it +might have been that distance was an average day's walk in Carolina. An +order was issued that night to turn over the surplus horses and mules +to the quartermaster. Some thirty sore-footed and bare-footed men who +had been mounted, were by that order again to limp along for liberty's +sake and the honor of two counties. But Co. G could well afford to do a +little of the grinning-and-bearing of it, under the circumstances. Old +Lenox was very near to them, and the road seemed shorter and the stars +brighter than ever. And they slept sounder. + +Col. Brown led his men forward with alacrity on the 23rd toward Murrays +Ferry. The fore-noon's marching was over a swampy region. Rations were +nearly exhausted, foraging was prohibited and the route was continued +to Leunds Ferry on the Santee, where boats with rations were supposed +to be lying. During the day the men heard through rebel sources that +President Lincoln was dead. After a rapid march of twenty-five miles +they went into camp in thick woods. + +April 24th the boys reached Leunds Ferry to find the boats had returned +to Charleston, taking the rations with them. There they were, in a +country abounding in food and a military order prevented them from +foraging during the truce. Col. Brown must issue such supplies as were +in his possession, so the men were marched up to a heap of corn in the +ear and each man helped himself to two ears. The record does not state +whether Col. Brown took two ears, perhaps he did. Certainly almost any +other man in the colonel's position would have found means and fed his +faithful soldiers on other than horse feed, in such a land of plenty. +Col. Brown was an excellent man, only, he failed in acute discernment, +sometimes. + +The two ears of corn were to serve for supper and breakfast next +morning. So when they started out on the 25th for Georgetown, +twenty-three miles distant, the boys had swallowed their handful of +corn and drew up their belts a notch or two, called it a square meal +and trotted along. At one stage of the journey they marched a mile in +fourteen minutes, and if they had drawn one, instead of two ears of +corn, they might have done better. The real spring in their heels was +the prospect of the home-march. + +At noon wagons from Georgetown met them and the straps were loosened +again. They were all glad to hear of the safety of the place, +particularly those who, like Col. Carmichael, had left a wife there, +twenty days before. Toward night, as the column drew near the town Mrs. +Carmichael, escorted by Major Place and others, rode out on horseback +to meet them. At 6 p.m., the boys were back in their old quarters. No +more hard marching for Co. G. + +Enough comment has been made upon the merits of raids, burnings and +destruction generally. But this raid in particular was practically +uncalled for. On the very day the locomotives and cars were destroyed, +Beauregard issued his order announcing the truce. The surrender of +Johnston practically ended the war. And thus thousands and tens of +thousands worth of property were destroyed needlessly. But it was war, +and so far justifiable. The estimate placed on property destroyed by +that raid, including cotton, cotton-gins, presses and buildings, was at +least one million dollars. + +They brought back nearly one hundred prisoners, three field pieces and +a quantity of arms and accoutrements. Also many horses and cattle. Near +three thousand colored people of all ages followed the little army to +Georgetown. They were poor people who had been slaves and all their +worldly goods were few. Some carried everything they owned balanced in +bundles on their heads. Others had horses or mules laden, and some had +carts in which the chickens and the little freedmen shared the +privilege of transportation. At Georgetown the crowd were served with +rations for a few days and then were advised to return to the interior, +as the war was over and they would thereafter be paid for their labor. + +Co. G returned to duty, as of old and the time passed pleasantly. Hard +marching made them feel a bit old and some of them believed that an +inch or two was taken from the stature of each man, but the suspicion +was not confirmed. A few had lost flesh and the tobacco chewers, who +had reveled in the weed, might have gained a few pounds. Some had grown +handsomer from roasting in the sun; certainly none had grown homelier. +Co. G had no homely men. The only man who could have been called really +homely, had deserted. Probably he was lonely. + +In June Capt. Gates was sent to Florence, and Capt. Van Hoesen to +Kingstree with their companies to assist in the early reconstruction +plans and preserve order between the whites and the freedmen. This is +noted because Capt. Gates is a Co. G boy. He is not to be forgotten for +his good work in supplying the regiment with an excellent set of band +instruments. It would have been a long time before those horns would +have been bought, by the same, or by any other means. Let Capt. Gates +have full credit for all he did as he has passed away. He was a +faithful soldier, a genial friend. + +Col. Brown went North on leave, in June, and Col. Carmichael was left +in charge. + +June 19th Major Place was sent to Mount Pleasant near Charleston with +five companies of the regiment. And on the 24th the remainder of the +regiment joined the others at that camp. + +Those men whose terms of service did not expire prior to Oct. 1st, +1865, were by general order transferred to the 54th N.Y. Veteran +Volunteers. + +Mt. Pleasant was, before the war, a resort for Charleston people and +was then finely kept. When Co. G arrived there the place had a terribly +neglected appearance. There were many pests to annoy the boys, of the +day and of the night variety, so there was little comfort anywhere. +There were drunken negroes strolling about and drunken whites likewise, +and quarreling and fighting. It was a bad place for Co. G and the boys +longed to get away from the stenches and the fleas and bad society +generally, of the degenerated spot. + +The muster-out rolls were completed and on the 10th of July the 157th +N.Y. Vols. were mustered out of the United States service. On the same +day they sailed for Hilton Head. + +Co. G left Hilton Head, soldiers; they returned civilians. The freedom +of the town was offered the boys while waiting for transportation. Some +one in the regiment got into trouble, for which the whole of them were +to do penance. They were marched aboard a steamer and a schooner and +anchored two miles out in the harbor. They lay there four days rocked +on the bosom of the waters. + +On the 15th of July the regiment were transferred to the steamers Gen. +Custer and Clyde and steamed for the North. + +Co. G were with the party on the Gen. Custer, an old, worn-out hulk +with new paint and a newer name. Off Cape Hatteras the old trap +threatened to go down. Her crew were afraid she would go to the bottom. +The crew worked the pumps and the soldiers worked the pumps to keep +afloat. The winds raved and the boys kept on pumping until they +weathered the stormy cape. Who shall be so bold as to deny that the +buoyant hopes of Co. G did not lighten the vessel considerably? + +On the 19th the boys landed at a North River dock in New York, and +marched to the Soldier's Rest on Howard St., and were fed. + +July 20th, headed by their own band and escorted by policemen and small +boys, the regiment moved through Broadway. The men made a nice +appearance in clean uniforms, brasses and guns and the ladies smiled +upon them, and the men waved their hats to them, and their uncles, +Aaron, Levi and others who sold clothing cheap, sadly turned away, for +the boys were leaving the city. + +A steamboat was waiting at the dock to carry the boys to Albany, where +they arrived safely early on the morning of July 21st. + +It was then fix-up and prim-up, as the good people of Canastota had +obtained permission for the train carrying the boys, to stop at their +place. + +Mike Miller once more drew out the well-thumbed picture of his +better-half, as was his usual custom mornings, kissed it and said, +"Goodt morning, oldt lady!" Then he proceeded to darken his mustache +with shoe-blacking. + +Pete Cummings assumed a fresh paper collar, which he wore peacefully, +after Near had taken a commission with a colored regiment. + +Jim Johnson carefully twisted the corners of his newly-born mustache. + +Charley Ricker stretched himself, wondering if it would be necessary to +acclimate his sprouting beard and the six or eight inches of growth in +stature. + +Steve Harrington had changed but little, unless to grow handsomer. + +Doc White had lost much sleep worrying over John Miller, while Miller +sat quietly, but anxious, for he thought the slow-moving wheels of the +cars were geared wrong and they were running backward. + +Amos Avery, Dan Betsinger and Nick Ecker, jolly as ever, enjoyed the +situation. + +Jim McMaster "disremembered" seeing all the houses on the way down, as +he now, on his return, saw them from the other side. + + +Canastota people had but three hours in which to prepare the feast, but +the time was sufficient to collect a large supply of good things. The +chickens soon understood there were unusual doings in town; stores of +pies, cakes and doughnuts and boilers filled with hot coffee, were in +waiting. + +At 2 p.m., the boys arrived. The men cheered, the women who wept when +they went away, wept at their return. The welcome is beyond the power +of a descriptive pen. So many hearts were glad, and, alas, many were +sad. All united in the grand reception. + +The feast was on. Judge Barlow briefly addressed the regiment. Col. +Carmichael replied in a few well-chosen words. The colonel was proud of +his men. + +How the good things disappeared. Two or three ladies were busy +attending Brock, who, with a half chicken in one hand, a piece of pie +in the other and a friedcake in his mouth, was trying to make a deaf +man understand just how it happened that enough rebels were left to +make a decent surrender. + +Two hours were passed in Canastota. The band played and the boys +cheered their appreciation for the greetings. Then they boarded the +train and were taken to Syracuse and quartered at the fair grounds. + +Food at Syracuse was supplied returning regiments, on the contract +plan, very much as at the City Hall barracks in New York--mussy, greasy +and repulsive, even to soldiers. Somebody had a fat contract. + +On the 31st of July the Madison county boys were paid off and left for +their homes. The Cortland boys were paid next day. Thus the colonel, a +Cortland man, had given precedence to Madison. + +And so Co. G returned from the war. The recruits left in South Carolina +felt it hard to be held for further service. Col. Carmichael endeavored +to bring them with him, but the order retaining them was inflexible. +But they fared very well, having light guard duty under the Freedmen's +Bureau, and finally were discharged in April, 1866. + + +Soon after disbanding at Syracuse a regimental association was formed +which meets each year on the 19th of September, in commemoration of the +date of muster into the service of the general government. The place of +meeting is selected yearly with a design to favor both Cortland and +Madison counties, alternately. + +The most active in organizing this Association was Col. Carmichael, who +made it a duty to be present, himself, at the reunions as a comrade +among comrades. And so deeply was his interest that he attended the +reunion at Canastota in 1889, while suffering from a fatal illness, and +against the advice of his physician, his death occurring a few weeks +later. + +To Col. Carmichael is due the credit for suggesting and carrying to +completion the idea of a monument at Gettysburg erected by the +survivors. Although the stone is not pretentious it bears upon its +granite sides a record that does honor to the Empire State. In +September 1886 the regimental reunion was held at Gettysburg and the +monument unveiled. The stone is of gray granite and stands on Howard +Avenue, near the Mummasburgh road. A year or two later by general act +of the state legislature all organizations representing the State of +New York at the Gettysburg battle, were entitled to a monument at the +expense of the state. The 157th regiment thus has two monuments there, +neither of which marks the position of the battalion in the fatal +wheatfield. And although several attempts have been made to secure +permission of the Gettysburg Battlefield Association to change the +position of one of the monuments to the proper site, thus far such +efforts have failed. The reasons given for the refusal are several, but +the one most potent appears to be, that "the regiment had no business +out there." But it is hoped that the time will surely come when a more +gratifying reply will be given to this request appreciative of that +promptness and obedience to orders which brought so great disaster with +so little commendation. + +In 1893 the State of New York erected a noble shaft in the National +Cemetery at Gettysburg. To facilitate attendance at the unveiling the +State supplied transportation to all survivors who wished to attend. To +each participant was voted a bronze medal commemorative of the event. +Co. G was represented by a number of the boys. On this occasion the +graves of Capts. Backus and Frank were found located in Evergreen +Cemetery, adjoining the National Cemetery, and duly marked with +head-stones. Their burial there was caused by Free Masons of Gettysburg +before the National Cemetery was established. At a meeting of the +regimental organization measures were taken to secure the removal of +the remains of those officers to the National Cemetery. Daniel Lamont, +then Secretary of War, very considerately ordered the transfer to be +made and the two worthy captains can now be located as resting among +the men whose fate was identical with their own. And then in that +beautiful ground which is kept and guarded by the entire nation, the +frightful cost of the weight which turned the scales in favor of an +undivided people can be cast. It is a sacred spot kept in perfect order +and made attractive by the highest art. But amidst the thousands buried +there but one stone marks the grave of a man of Co. G and he, the +captain. But we know the boys are not forgotten although resting among +the "Unknown," for far above from the high shaft on which she stands, +is the Goddess of Liberty holding over those unknown forms an immortal +wreath. + + + + + * * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. + +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43562 *** |