BY E. C. STROUSS.
Camp Pitcher--The "Mud March"--General Hooker in Command of the
Army--Resolutions Adopted by the Fifty-Seventh--Re-assignment to the
First Brigade--Anecdote of Colonel Campbell--Drill and
Inspection--Adoption of Corps Badges--The Chancellorsville
Campaign--Jackson Routs the Eleventh Corps--A "Flying Dutchman"--In
a Tight Place--General Hooker Disabled--General Sedgwick's
Movements--A New Line Established--Strength of the Fifty-Seventh and
Its Losses.
The old camp to which we returned after the battle was now, by order of
General Birney, called Camp Pitcher, in honor of Major William Pitcher,
a brave and gallant officer of the 4th Maine, who was killed in the
battle of Fredericksburg. The camp was located near Falmouth on the west
side of the Richmond & Potomac railroad.
Drill and the regular routine of camp life was resumed. The paymaster
soon made his appearance, and the humiliation of our defeat in the
recent battle, and our sorrow for comrades lost there, had about
vanished, when an order from army headquarters announced another advance
against the enemy.
The weather for a week or more had been bright and clear, the roads
frozen and in good order for the movement of the artillery and trains,
therefore General Burnside thought the time propitious for an assault on
the enemy. This time an attempt was to be made to turn the enemy's left,
and get in the rear of their position at Fredericksburg.
Accordingly on the 20th of January, 1863, we broke camp at daylight and
our army was once more on the move. This expedition is known to the old
soldiers of the Army of the Potomac as "Burnside's Mud March."
After a march of ten or fifteen miles up the Rappahannock we reached the
vicinity of Bank's Ford about dark, with the intention of crossing there
and driving the enemy from their works on the south side of the river.
About midnight a warm wind set in from the south, the rain began to
fall, and continued to fall with more or less violence for the next
three days. After two days of this kind of weather the project of
attacking the enemy was abandoned and we got ready to go back to our old
camps. The return march was a great trial for the men. With the rain
beating pitilessly, the roads and fields soon became a vast sea of mud.
Heavy details were made from all the regiments to build corduroy roads
in order to bring along our trains and artillery. Finally we reached our
old camp, where our huts were still standing, and these were soon roofed
with our shelter tents and we were once more tolerably comfortable.
General Burnside was relieved from the command of the Army of the
Potomac, and was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker on January 24th.
The announcement of Hooker's appointment was hailed with delight by the
officers and men of our (Birney's) division, where his valor and ability
were well known. He was one of the original division commanders of our
(3d) corps. We looked on him as a man of the same stamp as the former
commander of our division, the lamented Kearny. The divisions of Hooker
and Kearny had fought side by side on the Peninsula and second Bull Run
campaigns, where they acquired renown and honor. The appointment of
Hooker was soon marked by an improvement in the commissary department
and in the drill and discipline of the army.
Soon after the battle of Fredericksburg certain evil-disposed newspapers
and persons at the North were loud in their assertions that the Army of
the Potomac was tired of the war, and demoralized, and circulated
reports derogatory to the character of that army. To confute such
reports, and to denounce those with whom they originated, a meeting of
the officers and men of the 57th was held on February 26th, at which
resolutions were adopted denouncing as false the calumnious reports
circulated concerning the army. One of the resolutions declared that the
57th would sustain the government in the future as in the past, a
resolution which was made good in the following December by
three-fourths of the regiment re-enlisting for three years. Our regiment
was the first to adopt resolutions of this nature which were ordered to
be published in the newspapers in the counties in which the regiment was
raised. Our example was followed by many of the regiments of the army.
Camp Pitcher, with its many pleasant and some unpleasant associations,
was abandoned on March 4th, when we moved about four miles and laid out
a new camp about a mile from the Potomac creek bridge.
On the same day our regiment was reassigned to the First Brigade,
commanded by Colonel Collis, who was succeeded a few days afterward by
Gen. Charles K. Graham. The brigade consisted of the following named
Pennsylvania regiments: 57th, Colonel Sides; 63d, Colonel Kirkwood;
68th, Colonel Tippen; 105th, Colonel McKnight; 114th, Colonel Collis;
and 141st, Colonel Madill. Lieut-Colonel Sides, formerly captain of
Company A, of the 57th, returned to the regiment on the field at
Fredericksburg, and took command after Colonel Campbell was wounded. The
latter had been promoted brigadier general, and when able for duty was
assigned to the Army of the Northwest, where the Indians of Minnesota
and Dakota were on the warpath and committing great depredations.
Campbell had wished to be assigned to a command in the Army of the
Potomac, and did not like to be sent West. About this time a friend of
writer, J. T. Chase, of Titusville, Pa., met Campbell in Harrisburg, and
reported him as saying: "The rebels tried their damnedest to kill me at
Fair Oaks and Fredericksburg, and now I'm to be sent out West to be
scalped by the Indians." The 57th were much attached to Campbell and
nothing would have pleased them more than to serve in a brigade
commanded by him.
As spring advanced we were kept busy with camp duties. Among these were
the frequent inspections, by companies, regiment, or brigade. Guard
mounting was by brigade, with great ceremony, which was always witnessed
by many officers and men who were not on duty.
It was General Hooker who introduced the system of corps badges into the
army. The badge of each corps was of a different design and were of
different color in the several divisions of a corps, being red for the
first division, white for the second, and blue for the third. The
designs of the different corps badges were: 1st corps, a sphere; 2d, a
trefoil; 3d, a diamond; 5th, a Maltese cross; 6th, a Greek cross; 11th,
a crescent; and 12th, a star. The badge was made of cloth and was sewed
on the top of the cap. By this arrangement, one could tell at a glance
to what corps and division a man belonged, and it was of much importance
in preventing straggling on the march, or skulking in battle. The badge
system was eventually adopted by all other armies in the field. The 57th
belonged to the first division of the 3d corps, wore a red diamond, and
are proud to wear it today at all old soldiers' gatherings.
Toward the close of the month of April it became evident that another
movement against the enemy would soon be made. General Hooker's plan was
to send a large force up the river, to cross over and turn the rebel
left, at the same time sending a force to a point below Fredericksburg
to make a feint of crossing there. About eight thousand cavalry under
General Stoneman were to cross the upper Rappahannock, gain the enemy's
rear and destroy his railroad communications and depots of supplies.
On April 27th the 11th and 12th corps crossed the Rappahannock at
Kelly's ford and moved to the Rapidan where, with little resistance from
the enemy, they crossed the river at Germania ford. The 5th corps moved
in the same direction, but crossed the Rapidan lower down at Ely's ford.
The three corps then marched towards Chancellorsville, where they
arrived on the afternoon of the 30th.
About 4 p. m. of the 28th the 3d corps broke camp and moved to near
Franklin's crossing, the place we had crossed on the 13th of December.
In the same vicinity were the 1st and 6th corps. The 2d corps was in its
camp opposite Fredericksburg. Our position here was menacing, in order
to distract the enemy's attention from the flanking movement of the 5th,
11th and 12th corps, in which it was successful.
On the 29th it rained most all day, and nothing was done on our part of
the line. On the morning of the 30th the rain had ceased when the 2d
corps started up the river, followed by the 3d corps about noon. The
march was skillfully masked to hide our movements from the enemy. We
marched that afternoon to Hartwood church, where our brigade camped for
the night, and next morning took a road to the left and crossed the
Rappahannock about noon at the United States ford, which is located a
few miles below the confluence of the Rappahannock and Rapidan.
After a short halt for dinner we resumed our march and a few hours
later we reached the place now known by the historic name of
"Chancellorsville." There is, however, no village there. Only a large
brick house built for a hotel on account of the mineral springs in the
vicinity which were supposed to contain valuable medicinal properties.
The house was used by General Hooker as his headquarters and on May 3d
it was set on fire by the enemy's shells and burned to the ground. We
halted in a field near the brick house for an hour or so, and then,
accompanied by a battery, our brigade moved west on the plank road
until we reached Dowdell's tavern, about two miles distant. This was
the headquarters of General Howard, who with the 11th corps was in
position on the extreme right of our army. Part of his line faced
toward the south, and a part to the west toward the Wilderness church.
Chancellorsville is on the verge of the Wilderness, where the great
battles of the following year were fought.
It appears that the reason our brigade was sent to Dowdell's tavern, far
from the rest of the division, was because General Birney had received
an order to send a brigade to General Howard to strengthen his line.
Howard deemed himself strong enough to hold his line, so he returned our
brigade with compliments to General Birney.
Howard's line, as far as we could see, was not in the position that we
generally put ourselves, when in the face of the enemy. His men on the
right of the plank road were on open ground with pickets but a short
distance in front, and with arms stacked and accoutrements hanging on
the guns. The men were lounging about, some cooking, and others playing
cards. From all reports they were in similar shape the next evening when
they were routed by Jackson's onset.
When we got back to the division we found it massed in a large field
south of the plank road and a few rods west of Hooker's headquarters. A
section of rebel artillery opened on us here, but their aim was bad and
they did but little damage. A party of sharpshooters was sent against
them and caused them to withdraw their guns.
We remained in this field until about 5 o'clock next morning, when the
division moved out the plank road toward the west, when after we had
gone about a mile we turned to the left and marched for several hundred
rods through a dense wood of small pines, on the farther edge of which
was a slight line of works which had been built by troops which we
relieved. These works we strengthened and in a short time we had
constructed a formidable line of breastworks. We faced southward, the
country in our front was open, and we had a good view of the surrounding
territory.
About noon we could see far in the distance, a rebel wagon train and
troops moving, and as at the point where we discovered them they were
going south, the general opinion was that they were retreating towards
Gordonsville. Clark's battery of rifled guns, attached to our division,
soon got into position and opened on the rebel column, which, it was
plain to see, caused considerable commotion among them. They hurried
past the point as rapidly as possible, and were soon lost to view.
A detachment of Berdan's sharpshooters and the 20th Indiana were sent
out as skirmishers, and soon reached Welford's furnace, where they
captured several hundred men of the 23d Georgia and sent them to the
rear. The pioneers were sent out to build bridges across a small creek
in our front and when these were completed our division moved forward
toward the point where we had seen the enemy. Whipple's 3d division of
our corps moved forward at the same time on our left and Barlow's
brigade of the 11th corps moved with us on our right. Marching up into
the woods, considerable time was taken up in forming into line of
battle, and it was near sundown before it was accomplished. The position
of the 57th was along a rail fence on the brow of a hill overlooking the
little valley in which stood the old furnace.
Just as we were about to advance a furious cannonade was heard far in
our rear in the direction of the plank road. This, as it proved, was
caused by Jackson's assault on the 11th corps, where inadequate
preparations were made for resisting such an onset, and the whole corps
was soon streaming to the rear.
At dark we received orders to fall in as quietly as possible, when we
were marched back by way we had come and halted in the little field in
front of the breastworks we had left a few hours before. When the rout
of the 11th corps began Berry's (Hooker's old) division of our corps,
which was on the plank road, was ordered up to check the enemy.
In this division was the 37th New York, a two-year regiment, one of
whose members, Jack Coleman, afterwards joined Company K, of the 57th.
He relates that at Chancellorsville one of the 11th corps artillerymen
was going to the rear on the run, and carrying on his shoulder the
sponge staff, used to sponge the gun and which is generally called the
"swab" by battery men. When asked by some of the boys of the 37th New
York what he was running for, he halted long enough to reply, "Ach, mein
Chesus, Schneider's battery ish all gone but der schwap." He was
evidently bound to hang on to some of Uncle Sam's property at any rate.
While we were still in position near the old breast-works, Ward's
brigade of our division made a bayonet charge by moonlight, with
uncapped guns, into the woods in our front and drove the enemy back far
enough to enable us to get out in the morning.
Just at the dawn of day on May 3d, the rebel general, J. E. B. Stewart,
who was commanding Jackson's corps, was attempting to straighten his
line in the woods on his right. The rebels at that point became aware
that a large body of "yanks" were in the field in their front. This was
our brigade, which was getting ready to move to the right to get on
ground which was more advantageous to resist an attack. Where we were,
the left flank of the different regiments were presented to the enemy,
so we faced to the right and commenced to move briskly when the rebel
skirmishers opened fire on us, but we continued on the double quick
until we reached the large field south of the Chancellor house, where we
deployed and formed line of battle awaiting the onset of the enemy, and
we did not have long to wait, either.
We entered a wood in our front, with the 63d Pennsylvania on the right
of our regiment and the 68th on our left. There our men did some very
hard fighting. At one time we made a charge and drove the enemy from a
log breastwork, but the woods seemed to swarm with the enemy; they were
reenforced and drove us back in turn. We then went in further to the
right and were engaged again.
The 3d corps had been fighting since 5 o'clock in the morning. It was
now near 10, when victory was almost in our grasp, as the enemy had been
punished severely, and a fresh brigade would have decided the battle in
our favor. General Sickles had repeatedly called for reenforcements,
which could have been spared from the large body of troops which were
unemployed in the rear, but General Couch, who was in temporary command
of the army, refused to take the responsibility of weakening any other
part of the line to reenforce Sickles. General Hooker, while standing
near a large pillar of the Chancellor house which was hit by a shell,
was struck by some of the flying fragments. He was disabled for several
hours, during which time the command devolved on General Couch, who was
the senior general on the field.
About 2 o'clock our army took up a new line a short distance in the
rear, which covered the roads leading to Ely's and United States fords.
The open ground around the Chancellor house was abandoned to the enemy,
who by this time were nearly exhausted, and much reduced by the severe
losses they had met with.
While the fighting was going on at Chancellorsville, General Sedgwick
had crossed at Fredericksburg and drove the enemy from the heights in
the rear of the town and then advanced up the river to assist Hooker.
But several miles out of Fredericksburg the rebels encountered him at
Salem church, where after severe fighting Sedgwick's corps (the 6th) was
repulsed and recrossed the river at Bank's ford.
Our new line at Chancellorsville was one of great strength, and could
almost be defended by the artillery alone, which in large batteries had
been posted at advantageous points commanding the approaches of the
enemy. They made several attempts against our line during the 4th, but
were always repulsed by the artillery, which was ably handled. In the
evening that part of the line held by our brigade was heavily shelled by
the enemy, but most of their shells passed over us and burst in the
woods in our rear.
On the 5th it began to rain and rained all night, raising the
Rappahannock so high that our pontoon bridges were in danger of being
swept away. One of them had to be taken up to splice out the other two,
and it was only by the unremitting labor of the engineer corps that the
bridges were held in position.
On the morning of the 6th, after daylight, we commenced our retreat
unmolested by the enemy, and recrossed the river at United States ford,
and, after plodding all day through the mud and rain, we regained our
old camps about 6 o'clock in the evening.
The losses of the two armies were nearly equal, though the rebel loss in
killed was greater than ours. The Union loss was 1,612 killed, 9,591
wounded. The rebel loss was 1,665 killed and 9,081 wounded. A severe
loss to the enemy was the mortal wounding of Stonewall Jackson. The
losses in the 3d corps were very heavy, among them two general officers,
Generals Berry and Whipple, killed.
According to the monthly return of the 57th, dated April 30, 1863, we
find that the strength of the regiment present for duty was 24 officers
and 232 enlisted men; total, 256. Our loss at the battle of
Chancellorsville was 2 officers and 8 men killed; 2 officers and 41 men
wounded; 2 officers and 17 men captured. The officers killed were Capt.
Edson J. Rice and Lieut. Joseph Brady, Chaplain McAdam and Assistant
Surgeon Leet were captured, but being noncombatants they were exchanged
a few weeks afterward.
The battle of Chancellorsville ought to have ended in a victory for us,
and no doubt would have done so, had General Howard taken proper
precautions to prevent surprise on his part of the line. But it seems
the fates were against us. The cavalry expedition under General
Stoneman, of which much was expected, did but slight damage to the
enemy's railroads, and returned to our lines having accomplished little
or nothing.