FROM OPEQUAN BRIDGE TO THE SURRENDER OF LEE, INCLUDING HATCHER’S RUN AND
HIGH BRIDGE.
On the 19th of December we left our log cabins so laboriously
constructed, with some regrets, and possibly with some hard words, but a
soldier’s life is one of obedience, and, in a few hours, our nice
quarters at Opequan were forgotten, and we were ready to build others as
uncomplainingly as we had these, wherever our camp would be pitched. It
was a drizzly, cold day, and for some unknown reason we were very slow
in getting started.
But at length, about 2 o’clock P. M., we were all on board the cars and
on our way to Washington, where we arrived early the next morning. In
about two hours we embarked on board the steamer Keyport and started
down the Potomac.
We sailed under sealed orders, not knowing for a certainty where we were
going until after passing Fortress Monroe, though our destination had
been pretty well guessed.
We experienced very rough weather while on the voyage, and a great many
of the men were sea-sick, and we were compelled to anchor for the night
off the Rhappahannock river, the steamer having four feet of water in
the hold. It was a disgrace to our country thus to jeopardize the lives
of men. We, of course, had no option in the matter; on this vessel we
were to sail and that ended the matter; if the steamer had gone to the
bottom with us—and it was a wonder that she did not—the verdict would
have been as usual—a terrible loss of life, and no one to blame. But
this was only one of ten thousand cases, where the men who were in the
field, nobly battling for the nation’s life, suffered through the wicked
greed of gain in others.
On the 22d we got under-way early in the day, passing Fortress Monroe on
the right and “Rip Raps” on the left.
The angry waves dashing against their sides on that icy December
morning, caused them to appear anything but inviting spots to us,
accustomed to soldiering among green hills and grassy hillsides.
Early the next morning we disembarked at Jones Landing, near City Point,
and marched about five miles in a northerly direction, taking our
position in the line on the right of the 24th corps, to which we were
now attached as the independent division, Gen. John W. Turner
commanding.
We passed a cold and sleepless night, there being about four inches of
snow on the ground, and wood very scarce.
Our train did not get up until nearly morning. The next morning we went
to work on our camp in good earnest. From a wood, about a half mile
distant, the men split out slabs and carried them, on their shoulders,
notching them together in regular backwoods style, covering them with
their “dog-tents,” making houses large enough to accommodate from six to
eight men.
They then built a fire place in each out of sticks laid up in cob-house
fashion, plastering heavily with clay both on the inside and outside,
and made ourselves quite comfortable for the winter.
The weather was very disagreeable all through the months of January and
February, raining or snowing nearly every day, keeping us in slush
nearly all the time. Firing was constantly going on at the front, and
during the day hearing cannonading was the regular order, but no general
engagement occurred during the winter. While here inspections were quite
frequent, and very rigid, and great pains were taken with the appearance
and discipline of the regiment. We were under arms and at the
breast-works every morning at daybreak. Many promotions were made during
the winter, Capt. Chamberlin to Major, 1st Lieutenants Davis, McCracken,
Snyder and Bevington to Captains, and 2d Lieutenants Husted, Pumphrey,
Sowers and Keyes to 1st Lieutenants. The last being soon after detailed
on brigade staff.
Captains Randolph, Rosenbaum and Robbins, and Lieutenants Davis, Acker
and Boyce, joined the regiment, they having made their escape from
“Rebel prisons” during the fall and winter, this being the first we had
seen of them since the disastrous fight at Winchester, June 15th, 1863.
Sometime in March we received a new stand of colors, our old ones being
completely in ribbons, and Major Chamberlin going home on a leave of
absence, took them with him to Ohio, and presented them to the Governor
for safe keeping.
About the middle of March everything began to assume a busy air
throughout the army, and it was evident that military movements would
soon begin.
On the 25th our division received orders to be ready to move at an hours
notice, and on the night of the 27th the orders came, and very shortly
we were on the way, crossing the James River under cover of the
darkness. We then struck off to the rear of our works for a short
distance, and then away towards our left. All night long through that
dense woods and pitchy darkness we slowly picked our way. The road was
very muddy, and the march a tiresome one. We halted about 4 o’clock in
the morning for a short rest.
Snatching a hasty breakfast at 8 o’clock, we were again on the road,
pushing on all day towards the left. We now became aware that Sheridan
was pressing the enemy’s right, and that we were probably on the way to
reinforce him.
On the morning of the 29th we reached the position assigned us in the
vicinity of Hatcher’s Run, and remained quietly behind the works until
the next day.
Early in the morning we moved out beyond the entrenchments, and
immediately the crack of musketry announced that skirmishing had begun,
but we steadily pressed them back, through the tangled woods and across
creeks and gullies. About noon the rain commenced falling in torrents,
making our advance very tedious.
We stopped at night, and at once commenced fortifying our position. All
next day the rain continued to pour, making it impossible for us to move
our artillery, and we were compelled to remain idle. Early on the 31st
our division moved out to the attack, the regiment being on the skirmish
line, were immediately under fire, and drove the enemy steadily back
until within five hundred yards of their entrenched position on
Hatcher’s Run. Just before a halt was ordered, the regiment made a
gallant charge, driving the Rebs from a point of timber, capturing some
prisoners and gaining a very desirable position and maintained it
against a heavy cannonade and musketry fire throughout the day. As soon
as night came on, we set to work building breast works, using rails and
loose stones, and digging dirt with our bayonets, we were very soon
pretty strongly entrenched. We remained there all night, getting very
little, if any, sleep. Firing commenced early in the morning and was
kept up steadily through the day, no change, however, being made in our
position. Now by all reason of fairness we certainly should have been
relieved. We had been on severe duty for two days, sending many of our
dead and wounded back to the rear, amply attesting the work we had done.
We had cooked nothing to eat during the time, though the boys in the
rear had sent us out hot coffee on several occasions. But Gen. Turner
sent a special request to Col. Kellogg, who had gallantly and in person
commanded the line; asking that he remain with his regiment, on the
line, for another night. Of course his request was complied with.
At day-break the grand movement was made along the whole line, that gave
us Petersburg, and sent the Rebels broken and shattered from their last
stronghold in Virginia.
The advance was begun on our right, and as the cheers of our troops
announced their success, Col. Kellogg became very anxious to lead his
regiment against the works in our front. Twice he sent for permission
before it came.
The regiment was all ready, and at the word, leaped over their rail pens
and away for the enemies works, and without a stop, over their defences,
capturing several hundred prisoners, two cannon and two battle flags.
One of these battle flags is still in possession of Col. Kellogg, at
Norwalk, and the other is deposited with our own colors at the Capital.
After our division had forced their lines at Hatcher’s Run, we joined
our corps, and pressing on after the 6th corps, swerving to the right
and closing in on the enemy around Petersburg. Just at night, our
division was selected by Gen. Gibbon, to carry by storm two large forts
on the South of the city.
We were soon formed in column by brigade, with our brigade in front.
Company D, now the brigade sharpshooters, were deployed in front. At the
order, our three brigades sprang forward to the charge at a right
shoulder shift; the sharpshooters opened a rapid fire that was so well
directed, that their guns were used with very poor effect. Without a
stop the first fort was reached, and after ten or fifteen minutes of
desperate resistance was ours. The second one then fell with scarce a
struggle.
The roar of battle was now heard along the whole line, the enemy
fighting bravely behind their works; but at the close of that Sabbath
evening we knew that the strength of the Rebellion was broken.
During the night Petersburg and Richmond was evacuated, and the Rebel
army in rapid retreat towards Danville. Early in the morning we were in
pursuit, taking the road towards Burkesville, along the South Side road.
Gen. Ord being in command of our portion of the army. We marched to
Burkesville, arriving there at 11 o’clock on the night of the 5th, being
square on Lee’s flank, who was to the north of us and on the road
towards Farmville. The army was completely jaded, having been on the
march since early morning, and rest was imperatively demanded. The
General, however, called for two picked regiments to go out and destroy
the bridges that cross the Appomattox, near Farmville, and thus cut off
the enemy’s retreat in that direction. The 123d Ohio and 54th
Pennsylvania were selected, and with a squadron of the 4th Massachusetts
cavalry, the whole under command of Gen. Theodore Read, at once started.
They met the head of Lee’s army near the point designated, and at once
bravely attacked them.
Col. Kellogg was in command of the infantry, Gen. Read being away with
the cavalry on a reconnaissance.
Deploying a heavy line of skirmishers, we stubbornly maintained our
position, though against a largely superior force. After having repulsed
them several times, Gen. Read, knowing we could not long withstand their
rapidly increasing force, resolved to charge with his little band of
cavalry, and endeavor to cut his way through to the main army. Gallantly
that squadron rode to the assault, many of them destined never again to
hear the bugle’s call. The brave Read was killed, and eleven officers of
his staff and cavalry killed or wounded.
None of them succeeded in getting through, nor did any of them return to
us. Still we held our ground, and as the Rebels marched out beyond our
flanks, more men were deployed, until finally, both regiments were a
mere skirmish line. For several hours this unequal contest was waged,
till at last the boys began to get out of ammunition, and very soon that
cry became general.
Col. Kellogg, who had been hoping all along that the army would come to
his rescue, now saw there was no use longer to resist, and ordered the
line to fall back slowly and in as good order as possible, thinking that
some of the command, at least, might escape through the woods.
But as soon as they saw our line breaking back, they swooped down upon
us in great force, and in few moments both regiments were prisoners. We
lost a good many men in this engagement. Capt. Randolph was shot through
the breast by a cavalryman, after having surrendered.
This gallant little fight of these two regiments received honorable
mention by Gen. Grant, in his report of the war. He says that their
brave and stubborn resistance at this point, checked Lee’s retreat long
enough to enable Gen. Ord to get up with his main force, compelling Lee
to intrench himself, thus causing great delay in the enemy’s movements.
The regiment, or so many of them as did not make their escape after
their capture, remained prisoners until Lee’s surrender at Appomattox
Court House—a period of two days—but time enough for the Rebels to “go
through” our boys, stripping them of everything valuable, taking even
their hats and shoes. In striking contrast to the treatment they
received at our hands after their surrender, when scarcely a Reb was
allowed to start on his homeward tramp without a well-filled haversack
and canteen.
The regiment at once came back to the division, but in the treaty agreed
upon, being counted as paroled prisoners, were ordered to report at
Parole Camp, Annapolis as such.
The Rebel Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered. And on that quiet
Sabbath evening as the lightning flashed the intelligence from city to
hamlet, the church bells rang out the glad tidings over the free North,
and the Nation thanked the God of battles that the end for which we had
suffered and struggled so long, had come. For four long years had these
two mighty armies met in conflict and contested for the mastery.
Their dead lie all along the valley from the Potomac to Lynchburg; they
are sleeping where they fell, at Antietam and Gettysburg, on the heights
of Fredericksburgh, and through the dark thickets of the Wilderness.
They lie in the dark forests’ of the Peninsula all the way up to Deep
Bottom, and around Petersburg. Along the tangled morass near Hatcher’s
Run, and the Weldon Road, their graves mark the fierce conflict. Brave
Old Army of the Potomac, long suffering, gallantly fighting, your reward
has come; never again will the boasted army of Northern Virginia meet
you in equal conflict; yours is the victory and “fairly won.”