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.
For the next few weeks our duties were less severe than they had
been. The men, by various expedients, had softened down the severer
features of camp life. The tents were enclosed in frameworks of poles,
which were covered and decorated with evergreens and southern moss,
and the officers vied with each other in rendering their quarters
attractive. The most pretentious of all were perhaps those of Captain
Elfwing, commonly known as Volks Garden, from the fact that, having
many friends in the 46th New York, a German regiment, he brought back
from his frequent visits to them liberal supplies of their favorite
beverage. Several companies of the regiment were stationed at Cooper's
Landing and at other exposed points on the island, and on moonlight
nights we sometimes made up parties to accompany the officer of the
day in his grand rounds. Often these were made occasions for pleasant
entertainments at the little outposts. At Cooper's Landing especially
we always found hearty welcome, perhaps because we were often the
bearers of letters, which, received at headquarters, were sent in this
way to those on detached service. Sometimes the colonel visited not
only these stations, but other points less carefully guarded, but from
which an attack might be possible. At times the officers united in a
general mess, but for the most part were divided up into small parties
of such as were most congenial, which allowed to a greater extent the
indulgence of individual tastes.
The bugler, Anthony Scheelings, must not be overlooked, for at
this time especially he was one of the most useful members of our
organization. With his little pack of dogs, he was roaming the woods
from early morning till evening parade, and seldom returned without an
abundance of appetizing game, which he distributed among the messes
with impartial liberality. Occasionally a huge rattlesnake contested
with him the right of way, but with gun and dogs he was more than
a match for beast or reptile. On one occasion however, Scheelings
returned from his accustomed ramble with downcast countenance, and
upon being questioned as to the cause of his depression, could only
answer, "mine leetle tog, mine leetle tog." Some time afterwards,
when his grief had lost some of its poignancy, he was able to explain
that, while hunting in the marsh, the little cur which was his special
favorite, in jumping across a narrow creek, had suddenly disappeared
from sight. A huge alligator was discovered soon after, making its
way to deeper water, whose movements were hastened by the contents
of Scheelings' gun, but the "leetle tog" never returned. The woods
abounded with birds and animals, and the numerous creeks and bayous
furnished a continuous supply of delicious oysters, and the great
sea-turtles, which deposited their eggs along the shores of the river
and sound, were often caught too far from their favorite element to
effect a retreat. Drill, guard and picket duty were kept up with
regularity and constancy, but we look back upon the interval between
the fall of Pulaski and our assignment as its garrison as one of
comparative rest and comfort. The effects of our exposure on the river
batteries now began to be manifest in the pale faces and shrunken forms
that crept about the camp, showing that the slow but deadly malarial
poison was fastening upon its victims. Loss of appetite, broken sleep,
and a general feeling of lassitude, which found but slight alleviation
in quinine, were the precursors of more violent attacks, from which
many escaped at the time, but whose after life of miserable weakness
and suffering has told how deeply were sown the poisonous seeds of
lingering disease.
Our mails came with frequency and regularity, and the papers were
fairly devoured in the eagerness to learn of operations in the other
departments of the army, but the confusion of statements, often half
falsehoods and half conjecture, with the reports of deserters, and
negroes who found their way through the rebel lines, and the claims
of the Southern papers which they brought, altogether, made a jumble
and jargon, in which the truth was buried too deeply for any hope of
resurrection. The affairs of our own department were equally involved
in obscurity and doubt as far as we were concerned, except those
matters in which we took part. This uncertainty, however, did not
prevent an active interest in and frequent discussion of movements, and
that fiction took the place of fact detracted nothing from the hotness
of the argument. We fed on what was furnished us, and often built our
hopes and theories, fought battles and gained great victories, on the
brilliant but groundless conjectures of unreliable correspondents.
From the journal of Sergeant Thompson I learn that on May 12 the
emancipation order of General Hunter was read to the troops. While this
was somewhat premature, and was annulled by orders from Washington, it
foreshadowed the purpose of President Lincoln, who, with a majority
of the people of the North, soon came to regard it as a military
necessity, and as such the proclamation of January 1, 1863, was issued,
by which slavery in this country was forever abolished. Comparatively
few slaves were immediately affected, but as our armies penetrated
the rebellious states at different points, and the negroes were not
only received and protected, but were organized into regiments for
service against their late masters, the wisdom of the measure was fully
demonstrated. For this act the name of Lincoln, handed down from age
to age, will ever be held sacred in the memory of man, as one of the
greatest benefactors of the race.
By the middle of May it became manifest that new movements were
contemplated in the department. The other regiments on Dawfuskie
were gradually withdrawn, and we became interested to learn what
disposition was to be made of us. On the 19th the rumor reached us that
we were to garrison Fort Pulaski, while most of the troops were to be
concentrated in an attack upon Charleston. The 6th Connecticut and
the 28th Massachusetts, which had been encamped near us, were ordered
away, and we were left almost alone. On the 21st a party visited Hilton
Head, where assurances were received that we should form a part of the
attacking force, but results showed the falsity of this assurance.
On our return from the Head we stopped at the house on Braddock's Point
formerly occupied by John C. Calhoun, and, among the letters scattered
about, found many dating back to 1832, which showed the general
prevalence of the nullification doctrines at that time, throughout
the state. Had the loyalty and energy of President Jackson descended
to Buchanan, these years of suffering and loss would all have been
avoided. But out of the evil has come such good that few will dare to
say that the results are not worth all the sacrifice.
May 23 all doubt in regard to our destination was removed by despatches
from Generals Terry and Benham, directing us to proceed at once to Fort
Pulaski to do garrison duty. We were very indignant, and felt ourselves
grievously wronged, in being placed in what we regarded as ignominious
retirement, after having labored so hard, and prepared ourselves so
thoroughly for the field; and the officers united in a respectful
but spirited protest to be forwarded to the commanding general, but
the colonel, knowing better than we, disapproved, and there was no
alternative.
On the 25th, the steamer Mattano took seven companies to the fort,
leaving E, B, and C on the island, under the command of Captain Coan.
At the wharf we were met by General Terry, who directed us to pitch our
tents in the most convenient places outside the fort, still occupied
by the 7th Connecticut, which was under marching orders. Several days
elapsed before the final orders came for the transfer of this regiment
to Edisto Island, during which nearly our whole command was constantly
engaged in fatigue duty. Company K was detailed to occupy the hulk of
an old vessel that had been anchored in the channel, just opposite the
fort, and it was not until June 2 that the remaining companies were
moved into the fort and entered upon garrison duty. On the same day
our troops, under General Benham, landed on James Island, on their
way to Charleston. The Stono River had been cleared of obstructions
by the navy, and it was supposed that the enemy could not interpose
an effectual barrier to our advance. The Confederates were gradually
driven back, but finally made a stand at a place called Secessionville,
which possessed many natural advantages for defence. On the 15th,
preparations having been completed, General Stephens charged the
earthworks with his division; but the position was too strong, and he
was obliged to retire, with heavy loss. A second attempt was about to
be made, with a better disposition of the troops, when General Benham
ordered the withdrawal of General Wright's division, and General
Stephens was obliged to follow. The losses were very heavy, owing to
the nature of the ground. The Confederates were able to concentrate
the fire of artillery and infantry upon a narrow neck of land between
two marshes, over which our troops must pass to make any substantial
progress. They soon received re-enforcements, and this attempt on
Charleston was abandoned.
From the first it seemed to be determined at Washington that no
important movements were expected in our department. The number
of troops was always too small for any large undertaking, and in
maintaining a depot of supplies and a place for repairs for the navy,
and shutting up the entrances to the coast in our vicinity, and thus
limiting the operations of the blockade-runners, we seemed to meet all
requirements.
[Illustration: THE PLANTER.]
While the attempt at James Island was being made, I was on the steamer
Cosmopolitan, the headquarters of General Benham, and the reports that
were continually brought in were heart-rending. Our troops were cruelly
slaughtered, and many fell who had been our companions on Dawfuskie
and elsewhere. My business, which was with the commanding general,
delayed me several days, and while on the boat, one evening, I was
much interested by the performances of the negroes on the lower deck.
A great many of them had fled from the neighboring plantations and
found refuge on the boat, so that the lower hold was crowded with them.
At first, my attention was caught by the sound of the soft, plaintive
music of a few female voices. The melody was wild and peculiar,
differing from anything I had ever heard before, but presently the
character of the music changed to the rude and boisterous, in which
a multitude of voices were joined. Being interested, I descended to
where I could view the proceedings, and was thus able to witness that
singular religious exercise called shouting--which bears a striking
resemblance to the ordinary worship of the Shakers. At first the
dancing was confined to a few, and some leading voice sang the melody,
and the others joined in the chorus, but by and by even the old and
decrepit men and women seemed seized by the spirit of music and motion,
and one by one were drawn into the moving circle, swelling the volume
of sound until the vessel fairly shook with the fierceness of the
hallelujah. It was a tumultuous, but hearty expression of thanksgiving
that the bonds of slavery had been sundered.