From Winchester to Culpeper.
Reorganization of the Army.
What Happened at Culpeper.
To Fredericksburg and Battle There.
In Winter Quarters.
Incidents of the Camp.
Longstreet's command left the vicinity of Winchester the latter part of
October, 1862, crossing the Shenandoah river, Blue Ridge, and reaching
Culpeper the early part of the first week in November, going into camp
a short distance southeast of the court house. Several companies of the
7th regiment were from Orange, Culpeper, Madison and Rappahannock, and
while in this camp the friends of these men came with wagons loaded
with provisions and clothing, supplying many of their needs, and
relieving much of their suffering.
Here the reorganization of the army was effected into two army corps,
the first commanded by General James Longstreet, the second by General
Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. Later a third corps was organized, of
which Lieutenant General A. P. Hill was appointed commander. Pickett's
division was also organized, composed of five brigades, as follows:
First brigade, General James L. Kemper: regiments 1st, 3d, 7th,
11th and 24th Virginia.
Second brigade, General R. B. Garnett: regiments 8th, 18th, 19th,
28th and 56th Virginia.
Third brigade, General Lewis A. Armistead: regiments 9th, 14th,
38th, 53d and 57th Virginia.
Fourth brigade, General M. D. Corse: regiments 15th, 17th, 29th,
30th and 32d Virginia.
These four Virginia brigades were composed of the flower of the
state.
Jenkins' South Carolina brigade--General M. Jenkins: regiments
Palmetto sharpshooters, 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th South
Carolina, and 4th battalion.
To which was attached the following Virginia artillery: Major
Dearing's 38th battalion, with Caskie's, Stribling's and Latham's
batteries.
Many additions were made to the ranks at Culpeper, greatly increasing
our strength; the organization now being better as to numbers and
discipline than at any previous period. The health of the soldiers was
also much improved; the entire army, however, still being deficient in
equipment, especially shoes, overcoats and blankets, and the chilly
November winds, the precursor of that fearfully cold winter just
ahead, causing suffering among the men, who bore the same without
murmuring--such was their metal. The weather by this time had become
quite cold, the men building strong fires, and to keep off the cold
ground at night they procured, when possible, two or three flat fence
rails, placing them near the fire, lying down upon them. Such was their
feather bed, covering themselves with a blanket if they chanced to have
one.
Here the writer was appointed Sergeant-Major of the regiment,
succeeding Sergeant-Major Park, disabled in the second battle of
Manassas--an honor as proud as anything that has come to him since.
The march to Fredericksburg began November 18, over the old plank
road, passing through the Wilderness and Chancellorsville, soon to be
drenched in blood in the most famous battles of the war--Chancellorsville,
Wilderness and Spottsylvania. Here it may be said that in the County of
Spottsylvania more important battles were fought, more blood shed and
more men killed and wounded, and more soldiers lie buried, than in any
other county in the United States. Here were fought the first and
second battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the two days
Wilderness, and the series of battles in and around Spottsylvania court
house, including countless skirmishes and cavalry combats. It is no
exaggeration to say that the men killed and wounded in the battles,
skirmishes and combats in the county reached 100,000.
When we reached the vicinity of Fredericksburg, snow had fallen to
the depth of two inches or so, which had to be cleared off to find
a dry place to go to bed. Here we remained for twenty or more days,
performing no guard duty, but kept busy gathering fuel to make fires to
keep warm. Eating our rations gave us little trouble, not nearly so
much as when or where the next would come from. The men smoked, some
croaked--for it must be remarked that in the army there are chronic
grumblers, who complain of short rations, continually saying the war
would never end; others that we were going to be whipped in the next
fight; but men of this class were few in number, the greater part in
good spirits, buoyant with hope and confident of the final triumph of
our cause.
At early dawn, December 11, we stood to arms, continuing to do so until
early Saturday morning, the 13th, two days and nights, then moving out
from camp in the direction of the Rappahannock. The two days' suspense
just alluded to proved a severe task on the staying powers of the
strongest men. Our march now continued until we reached a point
overlooking the river valley. Although frosty, the air bracing, a dense
fog hovered pall-like over the valley below, shutting off from our view
the enemy, now in full force along the river, and the broad bottom land
at our feet. As the sun broke away the fog, the movement continuing,
there was heard to our left occasional rattle of musketry. Meeting a
negro man loaded with blankets, canteens, haversacks and general
baggage, puffing as if almost out of breath, with great drops of sweat
as big as peas on his face--someone said to him: "Hello, Uncle! Where
are you going?"
His answer was, "To de r'ar, Sah!"
Then the query, "To what command do you belong?"
"Barksdale's brigade, Sah."
"Is it running, too?"
"No, boss, it never runs, but I always do."
By this time the fog had so lifted that we could see in front far to
our right the gleam of a long line of bayonets, though we could not see
the men who held the guns. We halted on the break of the heights, where
we witnessed the combat between the Federal and Confederate skirmishers
of Jackson's command, as well also as the assault by a part of the
Federal line of battle against Jackson's men, and the repulse of the
Federals. Not being longer permitted to enjoy the further progress of
the battle on that part of the field, we were now hastened down the
hill and formed in line of battle in a wood with an open field in
front; the fog, however, still bothered in seeing the game we were
watching. The dictates of self preservation impelled us to throw up
some rude breastworks, which would furnish fair protection from rifle
or musket balls, but none from artillery fire. While in this position,
where we remained until the middle of the afternoon, there could be
heard the commands of the officers of the enemy quite as distinctly as
those of our own.
Many of the men without overcoats and thinly clad stood shivering from
the cold fog, their beards white with frost. General Kemper came along
and made a patriotic, soul-stirring speech, which had a good effect
upon the men, also making similar speeches to other regiments of the
brigade.
The Confederates on the left at the foot of Marye's Hill being heavily
pressed, our brigade was withdrawn and pushed across the hills and
valleys to a position in rear and easy supporting distance of the
troops holding position at the foot of the hill. While in this new
position, the musket and rifle balls of the enemy flew thick and fast,
a number being wounded, among them Lewis N. Wiley, of D company, one
ball striking the writer's left foot, which had become so hard by going
without shoes that but little injury was inflicted. At dark and as the
last charge of the enemy was repulsed, our brigade moved forward,
relieving some Georgia and North Carolina troops; the left of my
regiment resting on the road leading out of Fredericksburg over the
hill, and extending to the right on the upper side of a road leaving
the last named road at right angles; occupying the angle made by these
roads, where we lay down on the upper side of the road on a wall made
by a stone fence built against the foot of the hill, which afforded us
no protection.
The 1st Virginia regiment was on our right and in line in the road and
behind the stone fence; the men of our regiment, with bayonets, boards,
sticks and tin cups, went to work to cut a trench on top of the wall on
which it lay, and by daylight the next morning had made themselves
works sufficient to protect them against minnie balls.
Around us lay the Confederate dead, two dead Georgians lying in the
midst of my company, by whose side the writer lay down and slept. The
night was cool, but not cold; there was no moon, but bright starlight,
to which, for several hours, was added the Aurora borealis. About
midnight I was aroused by Captain Bane, who said to me, "They are
coming," and with my ear to the ground I could distinctly hear hoof
strokes approaching from the direction of the city. In a moment every
man was at his post, musket in hand; dead stillness reigned. The
mounted parties rode up to the intersection of the roads and were
captured by the first regiment. The party consisted of three Federal
officers, one a member of General Hooker's staff. They had ridden
forward to examine their skirmish line and had been allowed to pass
through unchallenged, finding themselves in a trap. They were sent
under guard to the provost-marshal in charge of an Irish sergeant and
guard of the 1st Virginia. This sergeant on his return next morning,
while passing our company, was severely wounded by a Federal
sharpshooter standing behind the corner of a brick house a hundred
yards or more away.
We had been advised on the night of the battle that the attack was
expected to be renewed the next morning, in view of which we had been
furnished with one hundred rounds of ammunition, with instructions to
hold the position at all hazards, that we would be supported by a line
of battle on the hill in our rear. The attack was not made, though we
remained in position during the day and night, skirmishing and
sharpshooting. Next day after the battle, while holding the line in
front of Fredericksburg, some of our boys carried water to the Federal
wounded lying in our front, though at the risk of life.
Amid a rainstorm on the night of the 14th, the enemy stole away and
crossed the river. The battle over and the danger past, we retired to
our camp on the hills south of Fredericksburg, where we remained for
nearly two months, suffering much from cold, want of clothing and
shoes; many of the barefooted men making and wearing rawhide moccasins.
Frequently, to prevent suffering at night, the men made log fires and
in evening rolled away the burning logs, cleared away the fire and
ashes and made their sleeping places on the warm earth from which the
fire had been removed. When we had snow, the men would fight snowball
battles, in which frequently someone was seriously hurt. We did little
picket or guard duty, and many engaged in card playing. Religious
exercises were now infrequent. I recall going once to divine services,
when the Chaplain, Mr. McCarthy, preached; and I remember to this good
day the text which formed the basis of his discourse. It was from the
53d chapter of Isaiah, verse i: "Who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
During the long, dreary, cold two months following the battle of
Fredericksburg, while in camp amid privations and suffering, the men
discussed freely the questions touching the war, its conduct, and
prospects for peace. The soldiers talked gravely of these matters,
discussing them frequently with much earnestness, not a few becoming
homesick and longing for the termination of the game of conflict and
death. An ever abiding confidence in our cause, its justness, and our
belief in the final triumph of right over wrong coupled with invincible
spirits ever ready to brave the storm of battle, caused our sufferings
and hardships to be treated as trivial, as compared with the issue at
stake. The end, however, was not yet in sight, and little did we dream
that it would be reached as it was; for while it was supposed that the
private soldier knew little of what was transpiring throughout the
country--North, South or in Europe, yet it is a fact that the questions
of resources of the South in men and supplies; the North with its vast
resources, with the old world to draw upon for men to fight its
battles, were frequently talked of, as well as the remote possibility
of foreign intervention; its effect upon the war; the peace feeling
North, and its probable effect. Our confidence in the armies of the
Confederacy, and our ability to successfully resist the Federal armies
with their overwhelming numbers was scarcely doubted. It was remarkable
what confidence the men reposed in General Lee; they were ready to
follow him wherever he might lead, or order them to go.
In company D was one, Dan East, who was never in a battle, and never
intended to be; yet Dan knew more about it than anyone who had gone
through it; always turning up after the battle with a full haversack,
good blanket, overcoat and shoes. As usual, Dan walked into the camp
after the battle of Fredericksburg, when the Colonel determined to
punish him; he caused a placard with the word "Coward" in large letters
to be fastened across his back, and with rail on his shoulder he was
marched to and fro in front of the regiment; but this had little effect
on Dan, and the first opportunity he helped himself to a fellow
soldier's clothing and other goods, which were found in his quarters.
The men of the company decided to rid the service of Dan by whipping
him out of it, which they did.
It was while in this camp that a rencounter occurred between Hight and
Young, both large, stout, athletic men, pretty equally matched in size,
strength and good mettle. The fight was as close as two brave men could
make it, but friends intervened and the combatants were separated.
Let us now return to the result of the battle of Fredericksburg, as far
as forces engaged and casualties suffered are concerned.
The Federal army in this battle numbered 50,000; casualties, 12,653.
Confederate army, 20,000; casualties, 4201. Casualties in Kemper's
brigade, 46; in 7th Virginia regiment, 5; in Co. D, 1; Lewis N. Wiley,
wounded--with the whack taken at the writer's foot, already described.
January 20, 1863, the command was suddenly called to arms, marched up
the Rappahannock in the direction of Banks' ford, where, it was
reported, the Federal army was threatening to cross the river. We
remained out one night in the snow, rain, mud and slush, returning to
camp next day.