BY R. G. MADGE AND M. C. ZAHNIZER.
The Movement to Spottsylvania Court House--General Sedgwick
Killed--Hancock's Grand Charge of May 12th--Great Capture of
Prisoners, Guns and Colors--The Famous Oak Tree--Ewell's Effort to
Capture Our Wagon Train--Losses in the Fifty-Seventh at
Spottsylvania--Movement to North Anna River--Fight at Chesterfield
Ford--We Cross the Pamunkey--Skirmish at Haw's Shop and Totopotomoy
Creek--Battle of Cold Harbor--Our Colors Struck and Badly Torn by a
Piece of Shell--Flank Movement to the James River--March to
Petersburg--Severe Fighting at Hare's Hill--Battle of June
22d--Losses in the Fifty-Seventh--Fort Alex. Hays--Petersburg--We
Move to the North Side of the James--Strawberry Plains--Return to
Petersburg--The "Burnside Mine"--General Mott in Command of Our
Division--Deep Bottom--Other Marching and Fighting Around
Petersburg.
Many of the men in the Army of the Potomac, after the battle of the
Wilderness had ended, were heard to say: "We have had the usual three
days' fighting on this side of the river, and by about tomorrow night we
will be back in our old camps." That had too often been the case before,
but there was one at the head of the army now whose motto was "forward,"
and "Grant is making another movement by the left flank," soon became a
common saying.
On the night of the 7th the movement to Spottsylvania Court House began.
We moved along the Brock road in the direction of Todd's tavern. On the
morning of the 8th we had a severe engagement, when we entrenched and
had more fighting during the day. On the 9th we were not actively
engaged, except in skirmishing. On this day Gen. John Sedgwick,
commanding the 6th corps, was killed while directing the fire of a
battery.
On the morning of the 10th, Hancock's corps crossed the Po river. The
resistance to our (Birney's) division was stubborn and we had some
severe fighting, after which the 57th was detailed to go out the
Anderson's tavern road, to reconnoiter. We were driven back across Glady
run near Waite's shop, Capt. A. H. Nelson, commanding the regiment,
losing his horse. The whole corps was then drawn back across the river.
In the afternoon there was some hard fighting and very heavy artillery
firing.
On the 11th we built a line of breastworks, and at night, in the rain,
we took up our line of march for Spottsylvania Court House, moving all
night. The 2d corps had been selected to charge the enemy's works on
that part of the field held by General Johnson's division of Ewell's
corps. Long before daylight our troops were being massed for the
important work in hand. Major Mitchell, of General Hancock's staff, says
that the line was formed with Birney's division on the right in two
lines, Barlow's division on Birney's left in column of regiments, and
Mott's and Gibbons' divisions in rear of Birney and Barlow as supports.
This force formed a rectangular mass of about twenty thousand men.
The troops stood in the cold rain shivering, and anxiously waiting for
the dawn and lifting of the fog, that they might be ordered forward. At
4:30 a. m., the order to advance was given, when the huge mass moved
forward, and soon after burst into cheers, and under a hot fire captured
the enemy's works. This charge resulted in the capture of four thousand
rebel prisoners, among them Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson, Brig. Gen. George
H. Stuart, thirty battle flags, twenty pieces of artillery, with horses
and caissons, and several thousand stand of small arms. Among the
prisoners were nearly all that was left of Jackson's famous "Stonewall
brigade." In the advance, the 57th was directly in front of a rebel
battery, where in passing over the works, Color Corporal Spencer killed
one of the batterymen by clubbing him with his musket. The advance was
continued until we reached the second line of the enemy's works, when
they were reenforced by fresh troops, when we fell back to the first
line we captured, and took position behind the works.
Our position was just to the left of where the notable oak tree stood.
The tree was eighteen inches in diameter and was actually cut down with
musket balls fired from the opposing lines. A section of this tree,
showing the work of the balls, has been on exhibition at the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia, and at the World's Fair at Chicago, and is
now in the Army Museum at Washington, D. C.
We remained in position during the day and did some fighting, in which
Corporal Spencer was shot through the head and killed. On the 13th we
helped to bury the dead, and in the evening we moved further to the
right. On the next morning the regiment made a reconnoissance, during
which we had some skirmishing. On the 18th we attacked the enemy in
their new works, but were repulsed, and in the evening we moved to the
vicinity of Anderson's Mills, on the west side of the Ny river.
On the evening of the 19th we fought Ewell's corps, which had made its
appearance on the Fredericks pike and were trying to capture our wagon
train. Tyler's division of new troops held them in check, until our
division came up, when the enemy were repulsed, and our wagon train
saved. About four hundred rebels were taken prisoners in this affair.
About 9 o'clock in the evening the enemy retreated rapidly across the
Ny. On the 20th we rejoined the corps at Anderson's Mill.
In our fighting at Spottsylvania and vicinity our losses were 2 officers
and 5 enlisted men killed, 2 officers and 19 enlisted men wounded, and 4
enlisted men missing. First Lieut. Jeremiah Green, of Company A, and
First Lieut. John Bowers, of Company I, were killed. Both were promising
young officers and their death was much regretted. Lieutenant Bowers had
command of Company K, when he received a mortal wound. Capt. Edgar
Williams, of Company E, who had for a long time been our color bearer,
was mortally wounded about this time and died on May 23d. He was a man
of undaunted courage and a Christian soldier.
On the night of the 20th we started south by way of Guinea Station and
Bowling Green, through to Milford Station, and took up a position on the
right bank of the Mattapony river. This was twenty miles distant from
our position of the morning.
We had a fight at Guinea Station on the 21st, and on the 22d we had a
skirmish with the enemy's cavalry at Athens, still holding our position
at Milford Station.
At 5 o'clock on the morning of the 23d we moved to Chesterfield Ford on
the North Anna river, and took position on the north bank. At 6 p. m. we
advanced and took the enemy's works by a charge of Pierce's and Egan's
brigades of Birney's position.
On the morning of the 24th part of our corps crossed the river, but the
57th did not cross, it being on the skirmish line during the day at a
point further down the river, but at night we crossed the river and
joined the rest of the corps.
During the 25th and 26th we lay in the entrenched line on the south side
of the North Anna. On the night of the 26th we recrossed the river and
marched to the Pamunkey river, crossing it at Huntleys, four miles above
Hanovertown, about noon on the 28th. We then moved to the vicinity of
Haw's shop, where we had a skirmish with the enemy's cavalry and some
South Carolina infantry.
On the morning of the 29th, we moved up the Haw's shop road, with
considerable fighting at Totopotomoy creek, keeping in close proximity
to the enemy's lines. On the 30th we had severe skirmishing in which
artillery was brought into action, when at 7:40 p. m. General Meade
ordered the attack to cease.
On the 31st the infantry line was pressed up close to the enemy, and
heavy skirmishing was kept up all day, but without bringing on a general
engagement, the enemy being strongly entrenched.
On the night of June 1st we left the Totopotomoy, and moved to Cold
Harbor, arriving at 6 a. m. on the 2d, when Birney's division was
detached and sent to support the 18th corps on our left. Our army was
now on ground over which it had fought during the Seven Days' battles,
two years previous.
The order for a general attack was countermanded for June 2d, but the
next day at 4:30 a. m. we made an assault and drove the enemy back to
their main line of entrenchments, but could proceed no further on
account of the heavy cross fire we were subjected to. We were under a
heavy fire until noon, when our division (Birney's) was ordered to the
support of the 5th corps.
On coming into line for their support, the colors of the 57th were
struck by a piece of the enemy's shell, cutting the flag staff in two,
and tearing out one entire stripe right in the center of the flag.
We were under a heavy fire until darkness set in, when the fighting
ceased. We remained in this position until June 12th, being under heavy
skirmish and picket firing during the daytime and under heavy artillery
fire at night, allowing scarcely any sleep, and during the day it was
extremely warm and sultry.
On the evening of the 12th we were stationed in our entrenched line and
remained there until the other troops had cleared the roads, when we
moved by way of Dispatch Station to Long Bridge, crossing the
Chickahominy river, and then moved towards Charles City Court House, by
way of St. Mary's church and Walkers. We arrived at the James river on
the evening of the 14th, crossing at Wilcox's Landing on transports to
Windmill Point, arriving on the south side of the river early on the
morning of the 15th. On the afternoon of that day we started for
Petersburg, arriving at that place on the evening of the same day after
a march of sixteen miles. At Harrison's creek on the way we had a brisk
skirmish, and then halted for the night near an old dirt fort.
On the 16th General Hancock was placed in command of all the troops on
the south side of the river. During the day we made several
reconnoissances, and in the evening at 6 o'clock we made a charge down
the hill and through an old rebel camp, but were obliged to fall back to
our first position.
On the morning of the 17th Birney's division pushed forward across
Harrison's creek, and at night we built a line of works on the west side
of the creek.
Early on the 18th, with General Birney in command of the 2d corps, we
moved up to, and in, the Prince George Court House road, in front of the
Hare house, and from there we made a charge on the enemy's works, which
ran across a field about two hundred yards in our front and almost
parallel with the before mentioned road. Our line advanced about one
hundred yards, when the enemy's fire became so severe that we were
obliged to fall back to the road and seek cover. During the day we made
three different charges on the enemy's works, but they were so
formidable and well manned that we failed to reach them. In the third
attempt the 57th reached a ditch, where we lay down and let them fire
over us from both sides until about 6 o'clock in the evening, when we
were recalled, and then returned to the main line in the Prince George
road. We were then relieved by the 1st Maine heavy artillery (acting as
infantry), when we moved back to the rear of the road. The Maine
regiment made a gallant charge, but were also repulsed with great loss.
While they were making this charge, a minie ball from the enemy's lines
pierced the flag staff of our regimental colors about eight inches above
the color sergeant's head.
During the night of the 18th we moved out in front of the Hare house,
and built a line of breast-works, which position remained substantially
the same during the entire siege. We remained in these works during the
19th and 20th. On the 21st we moved to the left of the Jerusalem plank
road and took a position on the left of the 5th corps, and there built
another line of works.
It was during these first days of the fighting around Petersburg that
our adjutant, Clark M. Lyons, was killed, as was also Henry M. Adams,
second lieutenant of Company I. Captain J. R. Lyons was severely
wounded, and about twenty-five enlisted men were killed or wounded.
On the morning of the 22d we advanced about half a mile toward the rebel
line, where we built a line of works, with nothing to work with but our
bayonets and tin plates.
In the afternoon we had a hard fight with Mahone's division, which
succeeded in making a flank movement, and getting on our left flank and
rear, when we were compelled to fall back to our position of the 21st.
In this action our brigade lost heavily in prisoners, our regiment
losing about twenty, among them Lieut. James F. Ruger, of Company F. A
brave and gallant sergeant of Company K, Pat. Dempsey, was also captured
here, and died in Andersonville prison. In the evening we again advanced
and retook our former position. It was between these two lines that Fort
Alex. Hays was built afterward, and named in honor of our old brigade
commander. We remained here for some time, doing picket duty and
building entrenchments, for it was now decided that Petersburg must be
besieged. This old Virginia town had, in 1860, a population of a little
over eighteen thousand. It is situated on the south side of the
Appomattox river about twenty-five miles from its mouth at City Point,
and is twenty-three miles south of Richmond.
When we first reached the front of Petersburg, Lee's army depended for
its supplies on two railroads, running south,--the Weldon railroad, and
the Lynchburg (South Side) railroad. To encircle Petersburg as
completely as a siege demanded, it was essential that these two roads
should be covered by our army. The first was controlled by us, in the
last week in August, but the South Side never, until the city fell.
Before the fall of the city our lines of investment extended from
Appomattox, below Petersburg to Hatcher's Run, on the southwest, a
distance of about twenty-five miles. To supply our army a railroad was
constructed in rear of our lines, which connected with the Petersburg &
City Point railroad near Broadway Landing. City Point at the confluence
of the Appomattox with the James, was our depot of supplies, and was
also the headquarters of General Grant. It was a very busy place in
1864, but in ordinary times it is but an unimportant hamlet. Our front
line of works consisted of huge earthen forts, and redoubts in which
were mounted heavy siege guns and mortars. The forts were connected by
well constructed breastworks, in front of which was slashed timber or
abattis. So strong were these works that with the aid of the artillery,
they could be held by a small force of infantry, which enabled General
Grant to detach largely from his forces for operations against the
enemy's flanks, and elsewhere. Our cavalry was also kept busy raiding
the enemy's communications and doing him as much damage as possible.
The enemy's works were on the same plan as ours and gave them the same
opportunities.
On the afternoon of the 26th of July our corps made a forced march of
thirty miles, and was sent to the north side of the James, crossing on a
pontoon bridge at Jones Neck, on the morning of the 27th, and soon came
up to the enemy, who were entrenched in strong force at Bailey's creek,
from the mouth of the creek to Fussel's mill. Here we had some severe
fighting on the 28th and 29th, in which the 57th lost quite a number of
men. This fight is called in official records "Strawberry Plains."
On the evening of the 29th we recrossed the James and Appomattox, and
marched back to a point in rear of where the "Burnside mine" was to be
exploded, and here we relieved a division of the 9th corps, in order
that they might take part in the assault that was to follow the
explosion. This mine had been carefully and skillfully constructed by
Lieut. Col. Henry Pleasants and his men of the 48th Pennsylvania. From a
point on the 9th corps lines, where the Union and rebel lines were close
together, a gallery was run five hundred and ten feet in length,
terminating under a rebel fort garrisoned by Pegram's battery and the
18th and part of the 23d South Carolina infantry. The powder was put in
the mine in eight magazines with one thousand pounds in each. The mine
was to have been exploded at 4:30 a. m., but owing to the fuse going
out, another half hour went by before it was considered safe to enter
the shaft to mend and relight the fuse. Finally two brave men, Lieut.
Jacob Douty and Sergt. Henry Rees, of the 48th Pennsylvania, entered the
shaft, spliced the fuse, which was relit, and at a little past 5 o'clock
the mighty explosion followed, sending into the air a great mass of
earth, with which were mingled bodies of men and parts of muskets and
artillery carriages. The explosion opened a crater one hundred and
twenty feet long, sixty wide, and twenty-five feet deep. The enemy in
their surrounding forts were so bewildered that it was fully a half hour
before they opened fire or attempted to reoccupy the ground at the
crater. Thus far everything went well for our side, but that charge of
the troops which was to have followed the explosion, was miserably
conducted, and ended with disaster and the loss of many brave men.
About the 1st of August, Gen. D. B. Birney, who had for a long time been
in command of our division, was assigned to the command of the 10th army
corps. He was succeeded in the command of our division by Gen. Gershom
Mott, who entered the service in 1861 as colonel of the 6th New Jersey
volunteers. For the greater part of the time that we were in front of
Petersburg, our brigade was commanded by Brig. Gen. Byron R. Pierce,
formerly colonel of the 3d Michigan volunteers.
After the Burnside mine explosion we moved back to our old camping
ground at Fort Alex. Hays and remained there until the 13th of August,
when another expedition to the north side of the James was put on foot.
The 2d corps was marched to City Point and there got on board of
transports, which, in order to deceive any scouts the enemy might have
thereabouts, were at first started down the James, but after dark they
were turned about and proceeded up the river until we reached Jones
Neck, where we landed on the north side of the river. We moved out the
Newmarket road and soon found the enemy in force on the west side of
Bailey's creek. On the night of the 14th the division was massed at
Fussel's mill, and on the 15th we were maneuvering all day to get into
position.
On the 16th we engaged the enemy above Fussel's mill, where we lost
quite a number of men, and took between two and three hundred prisoners.
In this fight Col. Calvin A. Craig, of the 105th Pennsylvania and
temporarily in command of our brigade, was killed. He was an excellent
officer and his loss was deeply felt by the whole brigade. We remained
on the north side of the river during the 17th and 18th, keeping up a
continual threatening attitude by changing position and skirmishing. On
the afternoon of the 18th another fight was brought on by the enemy
leaving their works and coming out to attack us.
On the night of the 18th our (Mott's) division recrossed the James and
marched to the extreme left of the line to reenforce the 5th corps under
General Warren, who was about making an attempt to capture the Weldon
railroad at the Globe tavern or "Yellow House."
On August 25th our division was ordered to Ream's station on the Weldon
road, to reenforce the other two divisions of our corps who had a severe
fight there. When we arrived we were under fire, but the other divisions
were withdrawn, and we were ordered back to the vicinity of Fort Hays,
where we went on picket and established a new picket line at night.
From this date until September 30th we remained in the front line of
works between the Jerusalem plank road and the Yellow House doing picket
and fatigue duty, and occasionally having a skirmish with the enemy on
the picket line.
On September 30th in compliance with orders we packed up, and were ready
to move at a moment's notice, and remained so for the day, but did not
move out of camp. About noon, October 1st, we were ordered to fall in,
when we marched to Hancock Station on the United States Military
railroad, where we boarded cars which ran us down to the Yellow House,
or Warren's Station, where we got off and marched about two miles and
then bivouacked in rear of the 9th corps. At 7 a. m., October 2d, we
moved out to the left of the 9th corps, advanced through a thick woods
and charged with the rest of the brigade, on a line of the enemy's
works, through a thick slashing. This line appeared only to have been
occupied by a few pickets, who fled on our approach, which gave us a
bloodless victory. We remained for half an hour in these works and again
advanced, passed over a second line of works, and advanced about half a
mile, where we found the enemy strongly entrenched, and obstinately
resisting our further advance. About 3 p. m. we were deployed as
flankers and were to act as provost. The rest of the brigade charged the
enemy's works, but were repulsed and fell back to the line we occupied.
We remained in this position until about 4 p. m., when we were relieved
by the 9th corps, and then marched back about a mile and a half, to the
5th corps, where we bivouacked for the night. October 3d we were under
arms at 4 a.m., and furnished a detail to work on the fortifications,
the rest of the regiment remaining in camp. On the 4th we were at work
again on the fortifications. About 8 p. m. on the 8th we marched back to
our old camp at Fort Alex. Hays, where we arrived at midnight. In this
affair we had three men severely wounded. The engagement is known as
"Peeble's Farm" or "Poplar Springs Church."