and Lieut. Lower, while thirty-three enlisted men, dead, marked the
regimental alignment. Capts. Adams and Briggs, Adjutant Heenye, Lieuts.
Smith, Waters, Gates, Atwater and Fitch, and acting lieutenants
Harrington and Benjamin, wounded. Of enlisted men more than two hundred
were wounded, some of them slightly, many severely. Two officers and
twenty-one men died of wounds, making causality list foot nearly two
hundred and sixty men, and fifteen officers.
Capts. Stone, Place and Charlier were captured, also Lieuts. Coffin,
Powers and Curtice. Capt. Stone died in prison at Macon, Ga. Capts.
Place and Charlier were exchanged eight months later, or in March,
1864. The three lieutenants were sent to Macon, and later to
Charleston, S.C., where they were impounded with other officers under
fire of the Union guns; but when six hundred rebel officers were sent
down to Morris Island to be placed under fire, the Charleston commander
removed the Yankee officers to a pen in rear of the city. And while Co.
G had no representative among those officers, their hearts went out to
them, and thus are they here remembered.
Eighty-six men were prisoners. Of those, thirty-seven accepted the
parole offered by Gen. Lee and with about seventeen hundred others,
were escorted to Gen. Couch's lines near Carlisle; the other forty-nine
went to Richmond. There were ten of Co. G, prisoners, six of whom took
the parole--two went to Richmond. The paroled prisoners were sent to
Carlisle, Pa., where they were kept for awhile in fine style, and
ultimately were returned to their regiments without exchange. The
company took into the fight about forty muskets.
KILLED.
Capt. Harrison Frank.
Albert D. Bridge.
John A. Hart.
Luzerne E. Johnson.
Durell Moore.
WOUNDED.
Lieut. Frank E. Gates, groin.
Corporal Jas. B. Hooper, arm.
Corporal Nicholas Binges, side.
Private Amos Avery, shoulder.
Private Peter Agan, leg.
Private Robert Farrington, arm.
Private Joseph Hart, leg.
Private Wm. Miller, hand.
Private Wm. Pease, leg.
Private James L. Travis, arm and shoulder.
Private John H. Roe, face.
Col. Brown was very much cast down over his losses. Who to blame, will
never be known. There was a horrible blunder and some one was blamable.
The 157th never should have been sent out against Dole's Brigade of
Georgians. They had fought two regiments alone and unaided. A wonder
that any of the boys left that wheatfield unhurt.
That was only one of the many little blunders of the war. The North
kept on bleeding and her officers never lacked words for defense.
Nothing new and withal, consistent. The soldiers were there to give
their lives, if need be, and a good soldier will not hesitate over so
trifling a matter. There was glory in the air, though. One could fairly
taste it when Lee turned back for Virginia with his heart heavy. The
cause of secession and human slavery had started down to destruction
and the people of the North rejoiced.
Yet there were many desolate homes in the North. The babes of the South
and the babes of the North clung to their mothers' knees and asked them
why they wept--mercifully were they denied a share in the glory of the
hour. Aged parents sat in the corner and mourned, until they were
reunited with their slaughtered boys. Ah, the fatalities in that war
were not confined to the boys in blue.
The wounded men of the regiment were gathered together and cared for by
surgeons of both armies, while the battle was pending. When the Union
army gained possession of the village, everything possible was done to
alleviate suffering. Nurses came from all directions: many women and
among them Sisters of Charity. Theirs was a noble work.
Very feeble are words to express the tender care of the women nurses in
the war. The youngster who pores over war history will drink in all the
horrors of battle scenes, or feed his imagination with cannon smoke. He
will not care to gather the groaning victims and bear them from the
field. Then, the sickening odors of human blood which one scents
everywhere. Yet, amid those dreadful scenes those nurses went. They
bathed the fevered faces, they moistened the parching throats. From
hastily appointed kitchens they supplied tempting broth, or by woman's
magic produced cooling drinks.
The women of the war. History says little of them, but the hearts of
thousands of soldiers are theirs.
July 5th the regiment was marched back toward Emmettsburg, eight miles.
Next day the little band moved into that village. By calling in
detached men and by the return of all available men, the command had
reached the number of eighty. Col. Brown was assigned to duty
elsewhere. Maj. Carmichael was on the staff of Gen. Schurz. The command
of the 157th devolved upon Capt. Bailey, with two or three lieutenants.
They made two companies of the battalion and the state colors waved
above them.
The honor of Lenox had been sorely tried at Gettysburg and the reduced
ranks of Co.'s B and G bent now under the weight of responsibility.
Still there was no shrinking, they were yet on a war-footing even if
their shoes were dropping from their feet.
They were not a very attractive little band of warriors as they
shuffled and limped into Middletown about 10 p.m., July 7th. But they
were very thankful for a rain storm which softened the roads and thus
eased the bruised feet. It had been a rough march over the Chitocton
Mountain, the sun pouring down hot, the pathway rough, with plenty of
climbing. Thus they toiled over nearly twenty miles, encouraged on the
way that shoes awaited them in Middletown; but they were disappointed.
A rest was given until the 9th and as the whereabouts of Lee was then
known, the army was set in motion. On that day Co. G were on the road,
their shoes were worn out and their feet very nearly so, but the boys
made the best of it and dragged along in the hot, muggy atmosphere,
over Smith Mountain, camping near Boonsboro after a very trying march
of six miles only.
They lay at Boonsboro on the 10th, where shoes were issued. On the 11th
the boys marched out on the Hagerstown Pike, in the advance and camped.
Next day, July 12th, Major Carmichael assumed command. Col. Brown was
temporarily at the head of a brigade in another division.
On the 10th Gen. Howard had issued his "General Order No. 18.--The
General again thanks his command for what has been done during the last
month.... The Eleventh Corps, as a Corps, has done well--well in
marching, well in fighting. The sacrifices it has made shall not be
forgotten--in the retrospect your General feels satisfied. Now we must
make one more effort; let there be no wavering, no doubt."
That was a sickly sort of cheer to send to Co. G, the lonesome, the
ragged and destitute. Yes, Gen. Howard, you are satisfied, but Co. G
are not. They are forlorn. Their laurels hang over their brows, wilted
and stale. You are not a vain man. But never forget, that a peacock may
look "in the retrospect" and be satisfied. "Let there be no wavering,
no doubt." Had that fine regiment but "wavered," General Howard, they
would not now be so few.
Following is taken from Gen. Lee's "General Order No. 16," dated July
11th, 1863, to his defeated army: "Once more the eyes of your
countrymen are turned upon you, and again do wives and sisters,
fathers, mothers and helpless children lean for defense upon your
strong arms and brave hearts." It was the production of an enemy, but
just the sort of stuff to stir the blood of men. Lee knew if he showed
lack of confidence in his men, he weakened them. But enough of this.
The 11th Corps has fought hard and won a blackened eye on the pages of
history. Occasionally they are "damned with faint praise," just to save
the record of some general.
The 157th was at this time, July 12th, annexed to the first division of
the 11th Corps, in the brigade commanded by Gen. Adelbert Ames.
On the morning of that day, with fresh accessions from hospitals and
other sources, the 157th had increased its numbers to one hundred.
As they approached Hagerstown they were deployed as skirmishers and
advanced ahead of the cavalry. Two miles from Hagerstown the rebel
rear-guard was encountered and a lively skirmish followed, but the
157th got the rebs started and kept them going until they were checked
by a battery planted on the hights beyond the town.
As the battery opened the cavalry rushed forward and Co. G and their
comrades came near losing their opportunities for distinction; soon
however the cavalrymen came back in confusion.
Maj. Carmichael had screened his men from the hot, raking fire, by
taking advantage of a broad ditch and as the cavalry returned, the boys
started on a keen run for the town, which they reached successfully and
under cover of the buildings were soon in possession of the city. With
the enemy still in sight on the hights, their names were registered at
the Washington Hotel, directly following those of the rebel officers
who had stopped there the night before. Fifty prisoners were captured
in different parts of the town and among them, two wounded officers,
from the field of Gettysburg.
As a mark of distinction the 157th were distributed over the town on
provost duty. Hagerstown had five or six thousand inhabitants. This
duty continued for two days; meanwhile they can be credited to date.
The 157th had turned over to the provost marshal of the Army, one
hundred prisoners. At Gettysburg they had lost but eighty-six of their
men prisoners, besides seven officers. As one officer ought to count
for two men, the regiment has vindicated itself, with a heavy credit
balance in its favor of more than two hundred and sixty casualties. As
to prisoners, they have seldom found glory in being captured. They
attract much sympathy, but there is usually an ugly "if" lurking in the
background. The dead are heroes. 'Tis well.
July 14th Col. Brown returned to his regiment and the major to duty as
mustering officer on Schurz's staff.
On that afternoon Co. G were marched out to within two miles of
Williamsport, in search of Gen. Lee. The regiment camped in a pine
wood. Next day, the 15th, they were counter-marched twenty miles to
Middletown over the road they had come. Lee's army had escaped, and Co.
G, like the loyal people of the North, were hunting for some secluded
place where they could quietly kick themselves, undisturbed, and get
cool.
The 16th found them en route to Berlin, camping within two miles of
that place, after a tramp of twelve miles. They lay there until the
19th and then marched to the Potomac and crossed on the pontoon bridge,
camping three miles beyond Waterford. They took an early start on the
20th and marched to Groveton, Va. While there they were sent on a
wild-goose chase after Moseby's cavalry, who were supposed to be in the
vicinity of Mt. Pleasant. On the 23d of July they moved to
Middleburg--a secesh town where all the ladies kept behind the
blinds--camping at night at White Plains. On the 24th the boys reached
New Baltimore. July 25th the regiment marched to Warrenton Junction
having found at last, the close of the campaign.
The boys were not very attractive in appearance when they left
Gettysburg and they had not improved greatly by an additional twenty
days' march. They were short of soap and of underwear. In many cases
where neglect seemed inviting him, a well-known pest appeared, and
skirmishing, "with vigor and alacrity," was not considered unbecoming
to many a dignified officer. Truth is stranger than fiction, and here
effect follows cause in close pursuit. At last however time was allowed
for cleaning up, and those boys were not slow to make the most of such
glad hours. The subject is not pleasant.
As has been intimated, the troops around Warrenton were not entirely
idle. Considerable picket-duty was required. On the 1st of August they
moved to Greenwich, so named after one Green, who claimed British
protection, and the flag of Britain waved above his spacious mansion.
On the 3d camp was moved to near Catlett Station. At midnight of the
6th orders came to be ready to take the cars on short notice. Next day,
the 7th, the little squad of Co. G heard the order to go into camp.
They had done so much tramping that a prospect of a free ride, for a
time seemed dissipated. They grumbled not--the grumblers had been
captured and were eating pie and pudding at Carlisle. At noon the skies
brightened and the bold Co. G were to shake the soil of Virginia from
their feet for all time.
Gordon's division, which included Ames' brigade, moved to Warrenton
Junction and the same night took comfortable freight cars for
Alexandria. On the car tops were the able-bodied men and on the first
floor were the sick and the officers, with scarcely room to stretch
themselves. The train reached Alexandria at 5 a.m. The men alighted
and partook of a soldier's breakfast in a field near the depot. At noon
they were taken to a steamer and next day were at Newport News.
Newport News had been a favored camping place, from the first of the
war. When Co. G, with skin as tender as their hearts, stepped ashore,
multitudes of hungry fleas, gnats and mosquitos attacked them and the
poor boys were once more suffering for the cause of freedom.
Ten days' rations were issued before leaving Catlett. The officers now
discovered that the men were in a way to hunger before the journey was
ended. For it is true of men everywhere--some are prodigal by nature.
On the evening of the 9th of August Co. G found themselves aboard a
steamship and bounding on the billows of the Atlantic. They sailed
under sealed orders. In all games of chance strategy is recognized.
Secretary Stanton was about to send a few thousands of troops to
re-enforce Gen. Gilmore.
Co. G was not entirely happy. Besides a slight sympathy with the
rolling ocean, they were wondering just how bad they would be missed by
their critics in the 1st Army Corps. Alas, little did they know of the
future--how high and in what black letters would the fame of the 11th
Corps be written by jealous pens.
And thoughts, longing, sweet and bitter, burdened the hour. Finally
they went into the scuppers, and as Cape Henry dropped into the deep,
they washed from their noble forms the last accumulation of Virginia
soil. The parting was not pathetic.
Rightly named and suitable for the operations before Charleston, was
the new camping place of Gordon's division. There was as high standard
of tom-foolery in that department as in any, during the war. And for
some time Folly Island served as a base.
Stono Inlet was reached on the 12th of August. The trip was made
without incident. Co. G had gathered along the rail of the John Rice
and they bit huge chunks from the sea breeze; for it was "hotter
than--here--Hamilton!" below decks, as John Miller would have said, had
he been present.
In the evening of the 12th Co. G stepped to the floating wharf (an old
hulk) at Pawnee Landing and for the first time pressed the sacred soil
of South Carolina. They had tried hard to reach the seat of rebellion
at Richmond and failed. They had now come to the original incubator for
another attempt. Charleston was still defiant and Co. G were on Folly
Island.
Oh, brave Co. G, you were born heroes. Why did Fate thus trifle with
your yearnings for fame?
The day following the landing, the 157th moved two miles up the island,
or half way between Stono and Light House Inlet.
On the 16th they were marched up the beach to the rope ferry and
crossed to Morris Island, and proceeded to duty in the advance
parallels of the approaches.
Gen. Gilmore was trying to reduce Fort Wagner. One month before, a
desperate battle was fought, with great loss to the Union forces. Then
Gilmore began his siege. The troops worked hard and were sure of
unearthing the enemy if the sand of Morris Island held out.
Duty in the bomb-proofs was very trying. The heat was oppressive and
fresh air very scarce. With other discomforts, sand fleas were very
plentiful. Whenever the rebel fire slackened, the boys got out and
exercised. Three days of such miserable experience were quite enough
for them, but they were detailed again and again. Perhaps it was during
that siege Co. G replenished their stock of sand, as the boys insisted
they breathed it and ate sand with their food, and it blew into their
mouths when they were talking, and into their eyes, and into their
ears.
On the 21st of August Gen. Terry reviewed the troops in Gordon's
division. Those men had not been supplied with new clothing since the
Gettysburg campaign and Terry was disposed to censure their shabby
appearance. For his brigade, Gen. Ames made a proper explanation and
concluded with something after this style--
"But, General, if you have any fighting for us, you will see that we
understand our duty and will obey orders."
August 27th the division returned to Folly Island and went into camp
four miles from Light House Inlet.
Sept. 6th Ames' brigade, consisting of six regiments numbering less
than five hundred men, were taken to the front on Morris Island as a
portion of an assaulting column to advance next morning at 9 o'clock.
During the night a deserter came into Gilmore's lines and reported the
rebels evacuating the fort. Fort Wagner had at last come into Yankee
hands, and was re-christened Fort Strong, in memory of Gen. Strong, who
led the assault on the fort, July 11th. He was dangerously wounded, and
died at New York, a few weeks later.
Up to this period the regiment was composed of two companies. Men were
returning from hospitals and parole camp. The ranks of Co. G were
steadily increasing in numbers as also were the other companies. Their
duties were not severe, but the change of water affected some of the
boys badly.
With the exception of a night alarm, when the long-roll was beaten,
there was very little to vary the monotony of life among the sand
hills. To be sure the regiment was camped in a grove of small
live-oaks, but behind the camp was a sand ridge and sand, dry sand, was
the prevailing soil.
Bathing was a necessity, and at a prescribed hour the beach for miles
was patronized by the men.
Col. Brown had left the regiment at New Baltimore, Va., for recruiting
service at Elmira, N.Y. Major Carmichael was now lieutenant colonel
and commanded the 157th.
For some weeks Col. Carmichael was confined to his tent. Then the camp
was a dull place. Eventually the days became brighter. New clothing was
issued, the wormy hard-bread gave way to good soft loaves, and
soldiering was soldiering once more.
Captain Lafayette McWilliams was not a "boy of Lenox." He enlisted in
Co. F, at Peterboro and was made third sergeant of his company. At
Chancellorsville he acted as adjutant of the regiment, was taken
prisoner and was sent to Libby prison. Rejoined the regiment just
before the Gettysburg fight and was assigned temporarily to the
quartermaster's department. He was left in Virginia when the regiment
went South, and returned to duty early in September, duly commissioned
as captain of Co. G. His first essay at speech-making was in censure of
the boys captured at Gettysburg. His remarks, for one who was not in
the fight, were very extraordinary. Co. G, in that fight did well. One
of the boys was captured supporting his dying captain. Two others
assisted a badly wounded and fainting man (of another company) to the
regimental hospital; and not knowing the proximity of the rebels, ran
into their clutches, very much as did Adjutant McWilliams at
Chancellorsville. Col. Brown went through the streets with one man of
Co. G, who bore the colors. All organization was destroyed. Who was
blamable? Was there anything praiseworthy in the acts of the men of Co.
G on that dreadful day?
Long did some of the boys hold spite against their new captain for his
unkind words, until they understood that he had been wrongly informed.
And when they became better known to each other, unpleasant differences
vanished.
Lafayette McWilliams was an excellent officer. He took pride in the
good appearance of his men. Co. G, under their new captain, throve
finely. The honor of old Lenox was again a light burden.
Carmichael's ideal soldier was a possibility. Brown's ideal was a
mixture of puritanic devotion and Napoleonic dash.
"Keep the men clean; nourish manly pride; make them feel that they are
men; treat them in a way to gain their confidence, and you will have
soldiers you can depend upon. Drill him as you may, a man without pride
is unreliable;" such was the doctrine of Col. Carmichael.
Camp was moved further up the river and A tents were issued. From a
convenient pine grove the boys cut posts and sunk them into the sand.
Then they raised the tents upon the posts and had roomy space, with
plenty of standing room. The bunks were built well above ground and the
lower part around the tents enclosed with the old shelter tents.
It was an attractive camp on the white sand, and the boys were in
better health. An eating house was built of pine poles and roofed with
palmetto leaves. Tables and seats were erected and the men were marched
in regularly to their meals.
For spiritual food the chaplain served his preparations on Sundays,
when Gen. Ames occasionally dropped over to attend.
There were regular duties on picket at the White House, with an
occasional detail to Coles Island, or Kiawah. The details to Kiawah
were for fatigue duty on fortifications and they were pleasant, owing
to freedom from the strict discipline of camp. Mud clams were abundant
in the creeks over there.
Picket duty at the White House on Folly River, was attractive as the
cold weather approached, on account of the abundance of cluster oysters
which lined the banks. Those oysters, when taken from the shells, were
usually very small--from the size of one's finger nail, to an inch in
length.
Dan Brockway saw his opportunity. It was a happy day for him when he
was detailed for picket at the White House. When off post he was
picking open the shells, and far into the night while others slept, Dan
was still at work, until he had secured a good quart, which he sold to
officers for about fifty cents; and well he earned his money. Often the
orderly's voice was heard in the camp calling, "Brockway!" Brock was
either out after oysters or with haversacks loaded with apples, was
peddling in other camps.
That sort of thing must end. The captain declared it should end. One
day Brock was arraigned in presence of Co. G, and the punishment he
merited seemed imminent.
"Captain," says Brock, "I have only a half-barrel of apples left, and
they will spoil if you don't let me sell them."
"Very well," replied the captain. "But you must promise, hereafter to
attend to duty."
Brock promised and escaped punishment, but that half-barrel of apples
lasted a long time. It appeared he had another supply by means of which
he kept the first barrel from being exhausted.
At Folly Island, for the first time, men were detailed in each company
to wash the clothing of the men and all were of a uniform cleanliness,
and the wash-squad did their work well.
The regimental organization was again complete. In November a
detachment of substitutes and drafted men reached the regiment; of
those Co. G received five men.
And there came also from Elmira a new adjutant for the 157th. Chas. J.
Baldwin was an inexperienced soldier. He had been acting as Col.
Brown's adjutant at Elmira and was promoted on personal grounds. There
was an unconfirmed report that he was a drafted man. Had he been so, or
had Baldwin been a veteran of many battles, Col. Brown's thus slighting
his regiment, would have been no less unfair. Baldwin was a good man,
made a fine adjutant. Perhaps he was innocent of an intent to
appropriate the position which was clearly due one of those men who had
seen so much hard service.