Early on the next morning the rain began to fall in torrents, and
continued for forty-eight hours, rendering the roads almost
impassable. It was reported that the enemy were crossing the James,
and we were ordered back to our camp near Drury's Bluff. About
sun-down we commenced our weary and hard march. Our men were worn out
by continuous marching and loss of sleep, still we plodded along,
reaching our camp, 17 miles distant, about 3 o'clock in the morning
thoroughly drenched. Col. Cooke had gone ahead of us, and having
aroused the men left in charge of the camp, had great blazing fires in
front of our tents awaiting our arrival.
On the 6th, we left Drury's Bluff and marched to Petersburg, spending
a day there; on the morning of the 8th we were ordered to Fort
Powhatan on the James below City Point. About daylight on the morning
of the 11th we were placed in ambush on a high bluff on the river with
instructions to fire into any vessel that might attempt to pass. We
had not been long in our position when a transport called the "Daniel
Webster" was spied approaching us. When she steamed up opposite us,
the batteries which had accompanied us let loose the "dogs of war,"
and riddled her cabins and hull. She floated off down the river
disabled, but we had no means of knowing what damage we had done to
the crew. Very soon the gun-boats below opened fire upon us, and, for
a mile below, the woods and banks of the river were alive with shot
and shell. We withdrew our artillery and made a similar attempt the
next day, but found no game.
We returned to Petersburg and remained in camp there until the 19th of
August, picketing up and down the James River.
On the 31st of July we were sent down the river as support to the
artillery which had been ordered to Coggins' Point to shell McClellan's
camp. On the night of the 1st of August we had about fifty pieces of
our artillery in position; we could not show ourselves in the daytime,
as the enemy had their balloons up and could almost see the "promised
land" around Richmond. About 2 o'clock in the morning we opened fire
upon McClellan's camp on the opposite bank of the river. His camp fires
and the lights from the shipping in the river formed a grand panorama.
After a few shots from our artillery, these lights quickly disappeared.
We kept up a constant fire for several hours, withdrew, and at daylight
took up the line of march for Petersburg. After we had retired far out
of reach of their guns, the enemy opened the valves of their ordnance
and belched forth sounds infernal, but their gunpowder and iron was all
wasted upon imaginary forces.
On the 20th of August we were ordered to Richmond, remaining there,
at Camp Lee, until the 26th, when we boarded the train for Rapidan
Station, on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad. We remained in camp at
this point until the 1st of September.
Sergeant Geo. W. Howlett, being disabled for service in the field on
account of his eyes, left us on the 23d of July. Private R. L.
Coltrain was discharged by surgeon's certificate about the same time.
Corporal John D. Collins, on detail as one of the color-guard--and
who, in the absence of the regular color-guard of the regiment, had
carried our flag in the battles around Richmond--died of typhoid
fever, while we were encamped at Drury's Bluff. On the 8th of August,
private W. C. Clapp died at his home, and private John H. Smith at the
hospital in Petersburg. On the 17th, Hal Puryear substituted a most
excellent soldier in the person of Louis Lineberry. About this time a
regimental band was formed, and the Grays furnished as their quota:
Ed. B. Higgins, Samuel Lipsicomb, and Thomas J. Sloan; each of whom
became excellent "tooters."
After the series of engagements at Bull Run and on the Plains of
Manassas, the condition of Maryland encouraged the belief that the
presence of our army would excite some active demonstration upon the
part of her people, and that a military success would regain Maryland.
Under these considerations, it was decided by our leaders to cross
the army of Northern Virginia into Western Maryland, and then, by
threatening Pennsylvania, to induce the Federal army to withdraw from
our territory to protect their own.
Gen. J. G. Walker, our brigadier--now in command of the division--ordered
us from our camp at Rapidan Station, on the morning of September 1st,
and we set out with the army of Northern Virginia on what is termed
the "first Maryland campaign." Our first day's march halted us at
Warrenton. On the 4th, we reached the battle-field of Manassas, finding
many of the enemy's dead still unburied, from the engagement a few days
previous. On the 5th, we passed through the villages of Haymarket and
New Baltimore, and rested at Leesburg on the evening of the 6th.
McClellan was ignorant of Lee's plans, and his army remained in close
vicinity to the lines of fortifications around Washington, until the
sixth. Early next morning (Sunday), we forded the Potomac at Noland's
Ferry, and were occupying the shores of "My Maryland." Our band struck
up the "tune," but the citizens we came in contact with did not seem
disposed to "come." We had evidently crossed at the wrong ford. On the
next day, the 8th, we arrived at a small place called Buckettown, where
we rested until the morning of the ninth. About 10 o'clock, we reached
Frederick city; here we found the main army, and our division was
assigned to Gen. Longstreet's corps. In a skirmish with the enemy's
cavalry, near the city, Jas. A. Orrell and Thos. R. Greeson were
captured.
On the night of the 9th, we, in company with our division, were
quietly marched to the mouth of the Monocacy river to destroy the
aqueduct. We were tramping all night and accomplished nothing; the
manoeuver, as it afterward appeared, was but a feint to draw the
attention of the enemy away from the movements of "Stonewall's" corps,
then marching on Harper's Ferry. About daylight next morning we found
ourselves again in the vicinity of Buckettown; we proceeded some 5
miles further, where we formed a line of battle, and rested on our
arms in this position all day in full view of the enemy, who were
posted on the hills beyond us, and to the east of Buckettown. As soon
as night came, we started off hurriedly in the direction of Frederick;
having gone in this course some three miles we countermarched and took
the road for Point of Rocks on the Potomac. Just as day was breaking,
on the morning of the 12th, after a rapid march, we reached Point of
Rocks and recrossed the Potomac. We were completely bewildered as to
our course, and no one seemed to know what all this manoeuvering
would lead to. During the day, we ascertained we were on the road
leading to Harper's Ferry, but our course was so repeatedly changed
that we had but this consolation, that "if we did not know where we
were, or where we were going, the Yankees didn't, for the Devil
himself could not keep track of us." At night we reached Hillsboro, in
Loudon County. Va., and camped near there. On the 13th, we were in the
vicinity of Harper's Ferry, and at night took possession of Loudon
Heights, on the east side of the Shenandoah, and were in readiness to
open fire upon Harper's Ferry. General McLaws had been ordered to
seize Maryland Heights, on the north side of the Potomac, opposite
Harper's Ferry. Finding them in possession of the enemy, he assailed
their works and carried them; they retreated to Harper's Ferry, and on
the 14th, its investment by our forces was complete. As soon as we
gained our position, which was accomplished by a circuitous route up
the steep and ragged mountain, the enemy in and around Harper's Ferry
opened fire upon us from their batteries. Owing to the extreme
elevation, most of their shells fell short; a few burst over us, but
did no damage. The batteries attached to our division were carried by
hand to the top of the Heights, and placed in position. Early on the
morning of the 15th, the attack upon the garrison began. Stonewall
Jackson's batteries opened fire from Bolivar Heights, in conjunction
with ours and the artillery on Maryland Heights; in about two hours,
"by the grace of God," as Jackson had foretold, the garrison,
consisting of 11,000 men, surrendered. Seventy-three pieces of
artillery, 13,000 small arms, and a large quantity of military stores
fell into our hands.
On the night of the 15th we made our descent from the Heights, crossed
the mountain and resumed our march. About midday of the 16th we
reached Shepherdstown, crossed the Potomac and went into camp near
Sharpsburg, Maryland.