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[Illustration: _James M Nichols_]
PERRY'S SAINTS
Or
The Fighting Parson's Regiment in the War of the Rebellion
by
JAMES M. NICHOLS
Boston
D. Lothrop and Company
32 Franklin Street
Copyright, 1885, by
D. Lothrop and Company.
Electrotyped by
C.J. Peters & Son, Boston.
MEMORIAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
To the rising generation the war of the rebellion already seems more
like a romance than a reality. One by one the active participants in
that momentous period of the nation's history are passing away. In a
few years there will not be a veteran left to tell the story of his own
experience on field and in camp. Hardly had the writer of the following
pages completed and revised his work, and placed the copy in the hands
of the publishers, when he, too, was summoned to join the great army
beyond. That he had a touch of the rare quality which we call heroism,
as well as fervent patriotism, is sufficient reason why the reader
should know something more about him than is disclosed in the faithful
and comprehensive record of his army life contained in this volume.
James M. Nichols was born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1835. His early
education was received in the public schools of his native town,
and he prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. He
graduated at Williams College in 1857, having been a fellow-student
with President James A. Garfield. The storming of Fort Sumter fired
his heart with patriotism, and he was soon among his own townsmen
actively engaged in enlisting a company which was at once consolidated
in another organization. He then went to New York, and was commissioned
as a lieutenant in the 48th regiment, but afterwards rose to the rank
of captain. During his three years of service Colonel Nichols was
second to none in that famous regiment in thorough devotion to duty and
in the display of soldierly qualities. On several occasions he was in
command of the regiment, and led it through many a fiery ordeal with
courage and ability. In recognition of these services he was brevetted
successively major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel. In private life
Mr. Nichols was frank, manly, impulsive, sympathetic, and an earnest
Christian. To these qualities were added musical gifts and a rare power
in conversation, which made him a delightful companion; while to those
who knew him best, his thorough genuineness, and the nobility of a
nature which scorned everything narrow and mean, made him the trusted
and beloved friend. He died suddenly, July 1, 1886, from the effects of
disease contracted in the service. He was tenderly borne to his last
resting-place by comrades from the Grand Army of the Republic, and he
has left behind as the inalienable possession of his sons the legacy of
a pure, upright, and useful life.
PREFACE.
The following narrative is, for the most part, a transcript from
journals kept by the writer during his three years and more of service
in the army of the Union. Facts, experiences, and observations, were
noted down from day to day, whether we were in camp, in garrison, or
in the field, and are given to the public in the hope not only of
affording pleasure to those who have never shared in such experiences,
but of correcting erroneous impressions in regard to the real life
of the soldier. Those who served in the army, I feel assured, will
recognize the truthfulness of the picture of army life.
James M. Nichols,
_Brev.-Col. U.S. Vols._
Haverhill, Mass.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Causes of the War. 13
CHAPTER II.
Colonel Perry. Formation and character of the regiment. Luther
B. Wyman, Esq. 19
CHAPTER III.
Camp Wyman. Incidents of camp life. Lieutenant Elfwing.
Fête Champêtre. Departure for seat of war. List of officers.
In camp near Washington. Off for Annapolis. General Butler
in Maryland. Attitude of Governor Hicks. Waiting at Annapolis.
Colonel Perry's last sermon. Journey to New York. Return
of contrabands. Departure for Fortress Monroe. 32
CHAPTER IV.
At Fortress Monroe. General Viele's talk. Weary waiting. Off
at last. Order of sailing. Storm. Horrors of the voyage. Vessels
lost. Off Port Royal. Tatnall's Mosquito fleet. Bombardment
of Hilton Head and Bay Point by navy. Surrender.
Captain Drayton. Landing of troops. First camp on Confederate
soil. Foraging. Negroes' account of bombardment.
Inspection and review. The sutler. Thanksgiving. 48
CHAPTER V.
Expedition to Port Royal Ferry. Progress up Broad River.
Colonel Perry acting brigadier-general. The rebel yell heard
for the first time. The regiment's first baptism of fire. The
old horse. Night on the field. Return to Hilton Head. Object
of the expedition. Presentation of flag to the regiment. Off
for Dawfuskie. Southern homes. Preparatory work by Major
Beard and others. Building batteries on Jones and Bird
Islands. Mud and malaria. Reconnoissances and midnight
wanderings. 73
CHAPTER VI.
Planting batteries on Tybee Island. General Gilmore. Listening
for the opening gun. Bombardment of Fort Pulaski. Watching
the contest from Dawfuskie. Surrender of the fort. Its
appearance after the bombardment. 94
CHAPTER VII.
Camp life at Dawfuskie. Scheelings and his "leetle tog." High
living. Effects of malaria. Discussing the situation. Emancipation
order of General Hunter. Lincoln the emancipator. John
C. Calhoun and nullification. Ordered to Pulaski. James
Island expedition. A sad failure. Shouting service of the
negroes. 100
CHAPTER VIII.
The wreck of the sutler's schooner. Its consequences. The
death of Colonel Perry. His character. Action of officers.
Sent to New York. Lieutenant-Colonel Barton promoted.
Detailed on recruiting service. General Mitchell commander
of the department. Expedition to Bluffton. Blockade-runner
Emma. Confederate ironclad. Back with the regiment. Its
condition. Bluffton again visited. Ravages of war. 112
CHAPTER IX.
Expedition to Coosawhatchie. Landing at Dawson's plantation.
March to Coosawhatchie. Ambuscade. Firing on
Confederate train. Confederate prisoners. Destruction of
track. Retreat. Peril of Lieutenant Corwin. Lieutenant
Branding wounded. Pocataligo expedition a failure. Perilous
voyage back to Pulaski. Confederate weapons. Yellow fever.
Death of General Mitchell. His character. Review of
Coosawhatchie. 124
CHAPTER X.
At Fort Pulaski. Changes at Dawfuskie. Amusements. The
pride and taste of the soldiers in fitting up their quarters.
Mosquitoes and other pests. Thanksgiving celebration. Incidents
of garrison life. Flag of truce. Confederate ironclad.
New Year's Day. Mr. Logan's account of the condition of
things in Savannah. Prices of provisions, etc. Resignation
and departure of Chaplain Strickland. Inspector-General Townsend's
and Colonel Green's opinion of the regiment. Flag of
truce. Interesting interview with Adjutant-General Gordon
and Lieutenant Styles, of the Confederate army. Formation
of negro regiments. Our theatre. Building a steam launch.
Deserters. Capture of blockade-runner. Effect of garrison
life on the regiment. Capture of Confederate ironclad Atlanta. 132
CHAPTER XI.
Good-by to Fort Pulaski. At St. Helena Island, under General
Strong. Billinghurst and Regua battery. Folly Island.
Masked batteries. Attack on Morris Island. Killed and
wounded of the regiment. Captain Lent. Capture of Confederate
batteries. Building batteries. Hot work and little
rest. Completion of batteries. Assault on Wagner. Badly
managed. Terrible losses. General Strong. Negro soldiers.
Their effect upon the Confederates. After the assault. The
shelling by the Confederates. Incident. 157
CHAPTER XII.
Back to the regiment. Off for St. Augustine. The duties of
provost-marshal. The quaint old city. Its pleasant people.
Two months of rest. Lieutenant Ingraham. Back to Hilton
Head. The regiment reunited. Visit to Morris Island. Captain
Eaton. Fort Wagner and its reminders. Lieutenant-Colonel
Green. 178
CHAPTER XIII.
Relations between the 47th and 48th regiments. Re-enlistment
of veterans. Court-martial. Departure of veterans on furlough.
Expedition to Florida. Battle of Olustee. A great
blunder. Heavy losses. Admirable conduct of the troops.
Dr. Defendorf. The retreat. Return of veterans. Sergeant
Thompson. At Palatka. Expedition into the country. Dunn's
Creek. Its marvellous beauty. Ludicrous scenes. Good-by
to Palatka. At Gloucester Point, Va. A happy change.
Shelter tents. General Grant. Army of the James under
Butler. General Terry. 188
CHAPTER XIV.
Bermuda Hundred. Company E as skirmishers. Battle of
Chester Heights. Couldn't resist the temptation. Company
E fighting on its own account. Bad predicament. Company E
did nobly. More fighting. In sight of Richmond. Confederate
sharpshooters cleaned out. Battle of Drury's Bluff.
Company E again in a bad spot. Wonderful examples of
discipline and soldierly conduct. General Terry to the rescue.
Retreat. Back to old quarters. Captain Lock wood. 205
CHAPTER XV.
Assigned to 6th corps. On the way to the Army of the Potomac.
A dreadful march. At Cold Harbor. Trying situation.
Assume command. A gallant charge. Grand success. Severe
losses. Driven back. Lack of support. Incidents of the battle.
The demoralized general. Further account of Cold Harbor.
Occupying the Confederate line. A sad picture of war.
An uncomfortable situation. Relieved. Close work. Change
of base. Grand but perilous movement of the army. The old
church at Jamestown. 222
CHAPTER XVI.
Back to Bermuda Hundred. A running fight. Destruction
of railroad. Kindness of Major Young and General Terry.
Ordered to charge. A happy escape. President Lincoln
and General Butler. Ordered to attack Confederate line.
Recalled. Captain Fee and others killed. Picket-lines at
Petersburg. Sanitary and Christian Commissions. Mine explosion.
Our losses. Major Swartwout. Effects of malaria. 241
CHAPTER XVII.
On duty at the front. Strange sickness. General Grant under
fire. Captain D'Arcy. Battle of Strawberry Plains. Splendid
behavior of the regiment. Lieutenants Tantum and Sears
picked off by Confederate sharpshooters. Other losses. The
excited officer. Hurried retreat. Captain Taylor. The greeting
of General Terry. A night's rest. On picket duty. Sad
condition of the regiment. Expiration of term of enlistment.
Disaffection. Severe duty. Artillery attack on Petersburg.
Out of the service. 254
CHAPTER XVIII.
Discharge of old members of the regiment. Attack at Chapin's
farm. Partial success. Condition of the South. New recruits.
In winter-quarters. Thanksgiving Day. Resignation of Colonel
Barton. His long and faithful service. Tenth and Eighteenth
corps united. Expedition against Fort Fisher. Second expedition
against Fort Fisher. Gallant charge and capture of the
fort. An important event. Other successes. March to Wilmington.
Pursuit of the Confederates. Their surrender of
Union prisoners. Their condition. On the march to join
Sherman's army. Sherman's grand march to the sea-coast,
and its results. Grant's operations ending in surrender of
Lee and his army. With Sherman's army on the march for
Johnston. Announcement of surrender of General Lee. Continued
pursuit of Johnston. Lincoln's assassination. Its effect
on the army. Surrender of Johnston. 264
CHAPTER XIX.
A general review. Change in condition of the regiment. Barrett
as provost-marshal. Delicate question. Colonel Coan.
Gradual disbandment of the army. Discharge of the 48th.
Some personal explanations. 289
CHAPTER XX.
Special references to some of the officers of the regiment. Remarks
upon prominent questions before the country. Finis. 295
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Fort Sumter, 15
The Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, 38
Fortress Monroe, 49
Map of a Portion of "Sea Islands," showing "Port
Royal," 53
Plan of the Battle at Port Royal Harbor, 56
Fort Walker, 58
Fort Beauregard, 59
Drayton's Mansion, 60
Pope's House at Hilton Head, 62
Live Oak Grove at Port Royal, 63
Negro Quarters, 67
Obstructions in Savannah River, 80
Fort Pulaski, 96
Breach in Fort Pulaski, 97
The Planter, 109
Headquarters of Hunter and Mitchell, 129
Martello Tower, Tybee Island, 139
New Ironsides and Monitors, 149
The Interior of Fort Sumter, 153
Siege of Charleston, 159
Noiseless Hauling of the Guns, 165
Bomb and Splinter Proof, 167
Fort Wagner at Point of Assault, 168
Fort Wagner, Sea Front, 171
The Swamp Angel Battery, 173
A Florida Swamp and Jungle, 198
General Grant's Headquarters at City Point, 201
Line of Defence at Bermuda Hundred, 211
Pickets on Duty, 214
Fort Darling, 217
General Smith's Headquarters, Cold Harbor, 223
Position of General Smith's Command at Cold Harbor,
Va., 227
Battery and Church Tower. Site of Jamestown, 239
Battery near Dutch Gap, 244
Defences of Richmond and Petersburg, opposite 246
Outline of the Crater and Magazines, 249
Army's Huts at Chapin's Farm, 265
Officer's Quarters, Chapin's Farm, 267
Pontoon Bridge at Jones' Landing, near Deep Bottom, 269
Interior of Fort Fisher, 275
Plan of Land and Naval Operations at Fort
Fisher, opposite 276
Mound Battery near Fort Fisher, 279
M'lean's House, the Place of Lee's Surrender, 285
Place of Johnston's Surrender to Sherman, 287
PERRY'S SAINTS.
CHAPTER I.
Causes of the War.
For years the irrepressible conflict had been going on. From the
halls of Congress to the remotest hamlet of the North, the subject
of slavery--its national wrong and its individual cruelties--was the
constant occasion for irritating debate and violent denunciation.
The wall of separation between the North and the South was slowly
but steadily building. In the North there had grown up a settled
determination that the territorial limits of slavery should be extended
no farther, and that the relation of master and slave should not exist
in any State north of Mason's and Dixon's line. As this sentiment found
frequent expression in active resistance to those laws which sought to
protect the master in his rights when travelling or sojourning in the
North for purposes of business or relaxation, and in the increasingly
aggressive acts of individuals and societies, who sought by all the
means in their power to awaken in the slaves a desire for liberty, and
to make their way easy for escape from bondage, the conviction became
universal at the South that to preserve that institution, regarded
as so necessary to their physical and social life, and to establish
an effectual barrier to the encroachments of the popular sentiments,
not of the North alone, but of the civilized world, there must be
separation, and a distinct government of their own.
[Illustration: FORT SUMTER.]
The conclusion was a logical one, but the territory gained by the blood
and treasure of all the people belonged equally to all; and separate
existence on the part of the two sections was impossible; and the
echoes of the first gun in Charleston harbor, aimed against the Federal
flag at Sumter, reverberated among the hills and through the valleys
of the North, till every household was awakened, and every arm nerved
for the coming conflict. The South had calculated upon divisions and
dissensions. It had long been maturing its plans and organizing its
forces. The head of the Federal government, and many of the councillors
and advisers of the administration, were men who either quietly ignored
or actively participated in these preparations. The arsenals within
its limits, and the fortified points along its coast, with the vast
quantities of government property which they contained, were with few
exceptions taken possession of without a struggle. Everything at those
places in the North where materials of war were manufactured or stored
had been ordered to the South. Our navy had been detailed to foreign
service, so that at the outbreak of the rebellion there were but two
small vessels available for immediate use. Consequently, at the outset,
the South possessed many important advantages. But it was mistaken in
its conclusions. The unanimity of feeling at the North was hardly less
than at the South; and when a new executive sent out his appeals to
the loyal States, the answer was immediate. From every city and town,
from every village and hamlet, and almost from every household, the
word came back: "We are ready for any sacrifice"; "All we have is
at the service of the government." The young men put on their armor
and gathered themselves together, and the old men lifted their hands
towards heaven and blessed them. Wife and mother, though with tears of
anguish, said God-speed. The way was dark; but there was no hesitation,
no doubt.