Continued Arrival of Troops.—Advance of the Army of the
Peninsula.—Arrival of the Regiment at Young’s Mills.—An
Aged Contraband.—Lee’s Mills.—The Various Companies of
the Thirty-third ordered to the Front.—Caisson struck
by a rebel Ball.—Continued Firing of the Enemy.—Falling
back of the National Forces.—Heavy Rain Storm.—The Beef
Brigade.—Enemy’s Fortifications.—Troublesome Insects.—Night
Skirmishing.—Celerity of the Paymaster’s Movements.—Evacuation
of Yorktown.—Early information of the fact brought to Col.
Corning by Contrabands.—The Rebel Works taken possession of.
Troops continued to arrive in large numbers from Washington, and on
the 4th of April, the entire army commenced moving in the direction of
Yorktown, appearing the next day in front of the enemy’s lines. During
the afternoon of the 4th the Thirty-third reached Young’s Mills, which
the enemy had left in the morning.
Their position here had been a very strong one; in addition to the
natural defences of the place, they had thrown up heavy earthworks,
constructed seven rifle pits, and placed four batteries in position.
Their quarters, which were taken possession of by our men, consisted of
wooden huts, snugly and compactly built. An aged contraband was found
running the grist-mill, from which the place took its name. The next day
the march was resumed through a heavily timbered region, and over roads
very much impaired by recent rains; the division arriving in front of
Lee’s Mills at noon.
Skirmishing and artillery firing immediately commenced, and was kept
up with but little intermission for several days. In accordance with
instructions from Gen. Davidson, Col. Taylor sent, on Saturday, Co. B.,
to do picket duty on the left. The men advanced to within 150 yards
of the enemy, who were found to have three large forts in addition to
other fortifications. They remained out all night, keeping up a running
fire most of the time, and having three of their number wounded. Co.
A relieved them on the following morning. Cos. D, E, F, G, H, I, and
K, were likewise posted as pickets, and to C was assigned the duty of
supporting sections of Wheeler’s and Cowan’s batteries.
While so employed, one of the enemy’s cannon balls, which were falling in
every direction, struck a caisson and exploded several of the shells in
rapid succession. At this juncture, an artilleryman, running up, dashed a
bucket of water over the remainder, thereby preventing their explosion,
to the great relief of the cannoniers, as well as of the supporting
party. The artillery firing of the rebels, which was kept up at intervals
along the whole line, killed but few of our men, though occasioning some
uneasiness by its terrible execution among the forest trees. Saplings
were snapped asunder like pipe stems, while huge limbs severed from the
tall oaks were falling in every direction. Many trees of large growth
were completely perforated with solid shot, or shattered by shell.
During this time Capts. Cole and Guion, with a Volunteer force, made an
important reconnoissance beyond our picket lines, advancing very near to
the rebel works, from which they were fired upon.
In order to avoid the artillery and picket firing, it was decided to
have the forces of Gen. Smith fall back for a short distance, where they
would threaten the enemy full as much, and at the same time be less
exposed. After the removal of the batteries the various Companies of the
Thirty-third withdrew to the distance of a mile, being the last to leave
the front, where they had retained their respective positions under the
hottest of the enemy’s fire, for a period of fifty-four hours, and lost
in wounded Lieut. Gale, Co. G, and several privates.
Exhausted from the want of sleep and sufficient rations, the men sank
down on the moist ground that night, with no protection from the falling
rain, save that afforded by a few boughs and leaves. Officers and
privates were alike drenched through to the skin, long before the dawn of
day. They remained here some three or four days.
Owing to the condition of the roads, it was found impossible to bring up
the supply trains. Two hundred and fifty men were accordingly detailed
to proceed back and obtain rations. After several hours’ absence they
returned, each one bearing upon his fixed bayonet a goodly piece of
meat, and obeying the facetious orders of the Lieut. Colonel to “shoulder
beef, present beef,” etc. Six barrels of meat were thus brought into
camp. The men were not so exhausted but that they indulged in a hearty
laugh over this circumstance, and the detail was ever afterwards known as
the “Beef Brigade.”
On the 11th of April, the Brigade moved one mile and a half nearer
Yorktown, encamping directly in front of the enemy’s fortifications,
which consisted, in addition to numerous other earthworks, of a chain
of forts, extending across the Peninsula to James River. The time was
employed here in building corduroy roads, “slashing” timber, etc. An
innumerable army of insects, known under the general appellation of
wood-ticks, were very annoying. They would burrow in the flesh of both
man and beast, and, regardless of the consequences, “pinch” and pull away
with all the tenacity of the horse leech. One of the officers amused
himself in making a large collection of these troublesome creatures,
which he has brought home with him.
On the day that Gen. Smith made the unsuccessful attempt to cross the
Warwick River with the Vermont troops, Davidson’s Brigade moved a mile
and a half further to the right, where it remained until the evacuation
of and advance upon Yorktown. While here, frequent reconnoissances were
made by the Regiment. Parties detailed from the various commands were
employed every night in constructing rifle-pits and other earthworks.
On the evening prior to the evacuation, a portion of the Thirty-third
assisted in the completion of a large mortar-bed, and mounting of two
heavy mortars, which completely commanded the enemy’s works directly
opposite. Had they remained, these two powerful engines of war would have
made fearful havoc among the rebels. This night-work was attended with
more or less firing on the part of the enemy, which, however, produced
but little effect, in addition to the frequent turning out of the
Regiments. The Thirty-third was ordered under arms three times during one
night, when a heavy storm was prevailing.
The Paymaster again made his appearance here, and emptied his money
bags in a remarkably short space of time. Perhaps a remark he made to
one of the officers had some connection with his celerity of movement:
“Well, isn’t this a mighty exposed condition.” It was indeed an exposed
condition, the enemy constantly tossing shells into our camp by way of
amusement, and to “stir us up,” as they expressed it.
Troops had now arrived, to the number of a hundred and twenty-five
thousand, and the siege was being conducted successfully, both on the
right and left. All the necessary preparations for the storming of the
rebel stronghold were nearly completed, when, on the morning of Sunday,
the 4th of May, the game, much to the chagrin and mortification of our
Generals, was discovered to have flown.
The intelligence was first brought to the left wing of the army by two
contrabands. The fugitives bringing the news came to the officer of the
picket line, the Lieut. Colonel of the Thirty-third, before daylight,
and stated that on the Thursday evening previous the artillery had been
removed; on Friday the wagon-trains and a portion of the troops, and that
that night “they had all been leaving.” They were immediately conveyed to
General Hancock’s quarters.
Men of straw were posted as sentinels on the ramparts, and “Quaker Guns”
had supplanted the formidable artillery, which for weeks had rained down
its iron hail on the besiegers.
Not long after, the various Regiments commenced crossing, and by noon
the entire Division was over. At the same time other portions of the
army were crossing at various points on the right, and General Stoneman,
with his cavalry and flying artillery, was started in pursuit of the
enemy. General Hooker followed at supporting distance, with his Division.
Generals Sumner, Heintzelman and Keys’ corps, to which Smith’s Division
belonged, were also pushed forward.